| Title: Dangerous Liaisons Release Date: 11/19/2009 Author:Blake Deveraux Author Website:blakedeveraux/googlpages.com Publisher:Red Rose Publishing Co. Genre: M/M, gblt, menage Blurb |
Why would a happy couple risk everything when they have just begun to find happiness?
Daniel Deveraux and Brandon Matthews have just bought a new home. They have spent months working on their relationship. Things are finally going their way.
After loosing a close friend, Brandon befriends a handsome young mover, Charles. Daniel and Brandon take the handsome man into their home to help protect him from his abusive father.
Charles, confused about his life and his sexuality finds himself wildly attracted to the two men. Unwilling to risk his friendship with Brandon, instead he finds himself in an endless cycle of failed relationships.
Will Daniel and Brandon allow the handsome man that has already found his way into their hearts, into their bed?
Welcome Blake and thank so very much for agreeing to the interview.
Thank you for the opportunity. To my friends, of course I’m just Blake, but for the benefit of the fortunate few that have avoided my company... The formal introduction is Blake Deveraux. I write books, primarily in the m/m erotic romance genre.
Can you tell us the journey from concept of your Men of Danger series to getting published?
Well, As badly as I hate to admit it, It was kind of a bet. I was waiting for a flight, I was reading a friend of mine’s book over her shoulder. I laughed out loud at what I thought was the laughable storyline in the book. I commented that I could write a more interesting storyline than that insipid drivel. She said, I know you can, but you won’t. So.... My best friend as a child made the comment once, “Don’t dare Blake if you don’t want it done.” And so, Dangerous Obsessions was born. Of course when I began writing the book, it was a journey of self discovery and occasionally tears.
Which author(s) inspire you and why?
I’ve always been intrigued by Edgar Allen Poe for one, His ablility to bring raw emotion to the page in a very simple way is truly legend. Of course being certifiably insane probably didn’t hurt…. (Did I hear someone call my name?). Margret Mitchell, because her ablility to transport you to another place and time, and so accurately describe the scene that you can smell the lilacs. Finally I adore Carol Lynne, a contemporary M/M erotic novelist. She has done a lot to dispel the myth that gay men are necessarily self involved, simplistic creatures with nothing but abs and asses. Ok, well… abs and asses are very nice, but there’s a lot more to life, at least that’s what I’m told ***winking***.
Do you have a favorite book and if so, what was your favorite scene?
Gone With The Wind. Hand’s down. Of course I kinda think Scarlette O’hara is a gay man, Margret just didn’t think It’d sell. For one, I think that obsession with the one man on EARTH that she COULDN’t have…. It’s SO very gay… I’m not sure why but guys tend to want the one person on earth that wouldn’t pee on them if they were on fire… (or is that just me LOL)? Anyhow, I love the scene where she’s out on the farm and she picks up a turnip, “As God as my witness, I’ll never be hungry again.” That’s a woman with a mission. I’ve been hungry. It’s not fun. Don’t intend to find myself there again if I can help it.
What book/s are reading right now?
I’m reading a wonderful book by Faith Ficknell Brown “Conspiracy of Angels.” I can hear the gasps now… I honestly rarely read books from my genre, for one, lack of time, and two, I don’t like to compare my writing to others since, honestly I’d probably quit writing. Self esteem isn’t necessarily high on my list of attributes.
If you could choose one author to co-write a book with who would it be?
Hmmm. Edgar Allen Poe… Wait, he’s dead. Probably Carol Lynne, since as I’ve said, I think she’s an amazing author.
Did you have any research done for the erotic part in your novels?
****Blake looks around the room innocently****) Oh, you were asking me? I’m as innocent as a school girl… opps I’ve heard they aren’t too innocent either. All joking aside, I did ask some friends for advice on the whole S&M / BDSM aspect of the orignial novel Dangerous Obsessions, since for me that was a little outside my personal line of experience, but wanted to be as authentic as possible. Honestly my personal experiences with that sort of thing weren’t positive, so I didn’t want to be unfair basically.
What do you think makes a good erotic romance story?
A good book in general rises and falls with good character development. If you aren’t engaged with the characters, you won’t enjoy the story.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Writers are an odd bunch. What works for one person would drive another insane. I own a reastauraunt, so time is a precious commodity. My work day usually consists of about 12 to 14 hours. So, most of my writing is done in my head. My characters are always chatting, moving about, and yeah, having sex in my head. SO, I’m sure while I’m dealing with Susie Q. Public she’d be shocked to know there were guys humping like madmen in my head. Finally when I shower, get comfy and sit down at 1 or 2am, I’ll write until I get what is in my head down. I guess it’s one time when having ADD is a good thing… ****Ohhh, shiny object….*** did you say something?
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
That in an odd way, my characters have a mind of their own. They don’t always want to do what I direct them to do. Sometimes I have a clear plan, and they simply dig in their heels, and refuse to have sex or even talk, until I fix what the percieved slight is. Ohhh, I just heard my psychology professor discussing schitophrenia, Wait a second, hearing voices, that’s a sign… Maybe we should move on …..
How do you satisfy your muse when things get rough during writing a book?
Honestly, I write exactly as it is in my head. Of course that makes for MARATHON editing sessions, but frankly, once my characters have cooperated and the storyline is done in my head, it’s a matter of getting it down for the world to read. So really for me, most of the writing process is done before the first word is typed. Having said that, If I’m stressed, I don’t write, period. For me it’s a dangerous thing to do so. If I write while feeling depressed or stressed, I find myself wanting to delete massive sections of the book so , at my editor’s request, I avoid that… LOL…
How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?
First and foremost I am a southern gentleman. I think that is fairly evident in my writing. For me, formality is important, manners are important, and tradition is important. I’ve made it a part of my writing that even though a lot of people, including gay people don’t necessarily advocate gay marriage, I do. I feel like it’s an important part of being happy. Being committed to another person, and to God. That’d probably be the other thing, is that I’m a very spiritual guy. I have encountered many folks who thing that perhaps my stance on homosexuality and my christianity should be at odds with each other. I don’t, obviously. Without getting on a soapbox, much of what people presume is the “anit-gay” scriptures are simply ignorance of both the text and the spirit in which it was given. I’ll get off my soap box now, LOL… I do think that my strong spiritual beliefs influence my writing since there is an underlying optimism, even when there seems to be no rational reasonsing behind it. That’s kind of what I feel is the basis of our personal relationship with God, the ability to have faith, especially when things seem at their darkest.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Uhhhmmmm… that’s a loaded question. Well I’ll be good. I enjoy working on my house. I have a 100 year old victorian that’s perpetually in need of help. In addition, I enjoy the paino, and I sing locally.
Before we say goodbye, could you tell us about your upcoming release and maybe give us an excerpt.
My new book is the follow up book to Dangerous Obsessions. It is called “Dangerous Liaisons” I’m very excited about the release. For one it has my FAVORITE eye candy on the cover, Julian Fantechi. Honestly he is on the cover because he is my character “Daniel” He exemplifies the intensity, beauty and mysterious testosterone driven lusty… (oooh is it getting hot in here?) What was I talking about?... oh yeah Daniel. I truly didn’t know Julian when I wrote the book, but he is the embodiment of the character. Now for a little teaser (Oh, and my editor would like EVERYONE to know it’s undedited, since I’m still in the editing process, hopefully we’ll get that done soon!)
Charles had slept late because it was Saturday. He hadn’t gotten anything accomplished today, and here it was afternoon, and he was still in his sleep clothes. It had been a few weeks since he'd moved into the house with the two men. Thanks to Brandon's careful attention to his wounds they'd healed. Other than the emotional ones the scars left by his father's rage were gone. Brandon and Daniel agreed to rent him the pool house in exchange for his helping out with the lawn maintenance and keeping the pool clean. For Him it was a deal made in heaven. It was a beautiful apartment; he had a friend to talk to. Brandon had truly become his friend. He knew Daniel was a kind man, but the two had so little in common that their relationship hadn't progressed as his and Brandon's had.
He was still mortified at the embarrassing scene he'd caused after watching Daniel and Brandon together. He wanted to know what it felt like to be in love, but for now he'd settle for knowing what it meant to have a good time with another man. He wanted to explore his sexuality. He'd kind of thought he was asexual. Girls were a mystery to him. He'd never felt any chemistry with a girl. He'd always found men's bodies exciting, but he wasn't sure if that meant he was gay, or what it meant.
He daydreamed often of what it would be like to touch Brandon's body. He certainly wasn't in love with Brandon, he knew Brandon's heart belonged to Daniel, but Charles couldn't help but want his body. He was so intense and sexual, he made Charles cock jump to attention daily. Seeing Brandon and Daniel together though had cemented the realization for him that he wanted, no he needed to be true to his sexual identity.
Daniel's body made Charles want to do things he'd never considered before, but fantasizing about Daniel really didn't work, since he knew the handsome marine was far too aloof, he'd never want someone like him, inexperienced and young. Brandon was younger than Daniel, but he was sexy as hell, and the attraction was obvious. He didn't want to cause the two men problems so he tried hard to avoid Brandon or Daniel knowing that he longed for sexual favors from his new friends. Since he knew having Brandon sexually was out of the question, He was going to do the next best thing. He was going out and he was going to get lucky one way or the other. Today was the day Charles decided. He was going to get lucky today if it hair-lipped the devil!
Charles heard a loud splash he looked out the window in time to see Brandon's exquisite body nude, swimming laps in the pool outside his window. Charles dick sprung to life. "Damn it!" He said to the empty room around him. He stood transfixed as Daniel walked to the poolside, wearing a tiny bikini swimsuit. His cock was nestled tightly in the white spandex fabric. The suit was very low cut and the top of the suit lie precariously at the base of his penis. Charles watched as the two men swam together, pausing regularly to kiss. Daniel picked up Brandon forcefully and tossed him head first into the deep water of the pool.
Unconsciously Charles began rubbing his throbbing member through Brandon's silk lounging pants. He'd loaned Charles the pants shortly after coming to stay there. The fabric felt amazing. He watched the two men climb out of the pool. Brandon's cock still flaccid was still amazing all the same. Daniel was obviously affected by the nude form now lying casually in the lounge chairs beside the pool. Daniel's cock strained the tiny white bikini. Since it was wet it clung to his manhood leaving very little to the imagination. Yes today was the day; he was going to get some cock from someone.
