Work on Baal's Heart 3 is going well now that I've gotten over a tiny bout of writer's block. For a few weeks there it was like squeezing blood from a stone. I'm right around the 55% mark, if it's going to be as long as I think it will. Not going to be finished before leaving in a few weeks though... Ah well, c'est la vie. Can't settle on a fucking name! I'm just going to call it The Baal's Heart Three. ;)
Conundrum when it comes to rating books now that I'm an author. Asked around what others do, and it varies wildly. Should authors rate other authors' books? What if you read a book that you just can't finish? Authors support each other, but authors also do compete... You want to maintain good relations. Right? In the short time I've been an author, I've seem some pretty petty shit going down.
I think I might just not rate any books unless I can rate them high.
Leaving for vacation in just over two weeks. Sun, sand, rum... water so blue it looks photoshopped. I'll be so glad to be out of this fucking snow. :)
Tom: Yer askin’ me what my favourite colour is? Ha! What the bloody hells for? Oh… gods-be-fuckin’-damned, I just took a peek at the rest of the bloody questions. I’ll play, but it’s a fuckin’ bloody lot of half-cracked questions, ye know that?
Rustin Cohle in his shitty, empty house, contemplating photographs. (True Detective)
His long fingers tapped at his bare thigh; only boxers and a dirty wife beater covered his wiry frame as he sat in the lawn chair. Cohle felt slightly cold, a greasy layer of old sweat making the pads of his fingertips feel coated against his skin. He swallowed and breathed in through his nose again, the edges of his vision fuzzy as he contemplated the spread before him.
Talking to corpses. Rust Cohle was speaking to the dead.
Dee bees. The last record of their fleshy existence sanitized down to two letters. Rust rubbed a hand down his face and peered blearily down at the photos of the girls, all torn and slack-jawed, eyes sightless. Nostrils flaring, he caught the stale heat of their dying breaths.
"Who killed you?" he murmured as he plucked the soft pack from between his thighs. After he tapped out a smoke, he set it between his lips, teeth holding it in place. The flame kissed the end and the tip of his tongue touched the small white circle of dry filter.
He drew in a thick lungful of smoke and rubbed his eyes again. Two sleepless nights. More to come.
In the edge of his vision danced the shadow. Always dancing. Rust refrained from turning his head.
look daddeee... look...
He wasn't that man.
He was the bad man that kept bad men from the gates. A purgatory of life. His existence a glitch, a freak chance. Like all the rest.
So... what bad man had cut short the little lives spread out at his feet?
Sometimes the most fulfilling experiences are born out of spur-of-the-moment ideas. The Hot Reads for The Trevor Project was just one of those ideas.
A group of indie authors got together, at the eleventh hour, and decided to do something which expressed our appreciation to our readers for the holidays, while also doing something which embodied the essence of the holidays: the spirit of giving. Hot Reads for The Trevor Project was born.
In less than 24 hours the details were hammered out; additional indie authors were contacted to join in, a charity was selected, books were collected, an online store was created, digital art was developed, and bloggers were solicited to aid in promotion. Again, all this took place in less than 24 hours.
We, the six indie authors, had no expectations regarding the number of sales. However, the package went up for sale, and you showed up; you purchased the bundle AND, in doing so, supported an awesome charity. For that, we are extraordinarily grateful.
The success has cemented our decision to make this an annual event. In fact, we are already kicking around ideas for improvement. Some of which include: a selection of smaller bundles, genre specific bundles (BDSM, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Contemporary, etc.), and work by a greater number of indie authors.
Again, none of this could have been done without the amazing support of you, the m/m readers. You guys are nothing short of wonderful and you have our most heartfelt thanks.
Last, but certainly not least, we’d like to express our sincere gratitude to the blogging community* (listed below**). We approached you at the busiest time of the year—at the last moment—and your support was unwavering and instantaneous.
* Alphabetically Listed
** We made every attempt to record every supporting blogger and website. However, we have likely overlooked a few. Our most sincere apologies if you are not listed.
Thanks so much for having me back, Bey—it's such an honor!
So... You've been published for over a month now. How does that feel?
Wow. I'm not sure I can adequately convey the almost overwhelming emotions sharing Grif's Toy with the world invoked. What started as a dream, almost two years ago now, has finally become a reality. It's been truly amazing.
Grif's Toy is doing rather well, I'd say. It ranks as an Amazon bestseller in a few categories and I saw that it was in the top ten for Gay Erotica. That fucking rocks, doesn't it? Were you expecting this sort of reception at all?
*blush* Thanks!
Yeah, it's been fortunate enough to spend a few weeks on the bestsellers list in a few categories. I honestly didn't anticipate the reaction it’s received... No way I really could have. The entire experience has been nothing short of amazing! Grif's Toy is a very personal story and having readers leave such incredible reviews—not to mention the heartfelt messages and emails folks have sent—yeah, it's not something I could have ever anticipated.
Now that you're a self-published author, do you have any advice for people looking to do the same? What have been some of the challenges you've met? What has worked for you? What would you do differently if you could turn back the clock?
I've talked a bit about this before, but self-publishing - as you know - is an incredible amount of work. Every single step in the process, from writing the story to readers finally being able to pick it up from their favorite marketplace, was a new one. I literally went from knowing absolutely nothing about publishing to offering both eBooks and traditional paperbacks of Grif's Toy. To be honest, had I known exactly how much work was involved, I may not have had the courage to actually do it. But, with each step I gained invaluable knowledge that will now allow me to move forward with publishing additional works much more quickly. And, let me just say, most important in the process has been my friends. They’ve so unselfishly offered not only their valuable time, but also their unwavering support. Without question, I could NOT have done it without them!
What are you working on now? Can you tell us a little about them?
I’d be happy to. I have three projects in the works—all at different stages.
The first is Brothers LaFon. It's completed and waiting in the wings. I've scheduled a release date of March 1st. It's a VERY dark novelette (just over sixteen thousand words) and deals with the systematic torture and sexual abuse of one brother by another. I'm an erotic writer, so this torture and abuse are done, without question, to titillate and arouse readers. Also, I'd like to take a quick moment to make it clear that this story is in no way connected to the Tease and Denial Series (Grif's Toy). Potential readers should heed and take very seriously all warnings and tags that accompany the blurb.
Second is Wes' Denial. It’s the sequel to Grif's Toy, and I have a target for a summer release. The story's format is very similar to Grif's Toy—meaning it covers several different timeframes and is non-linear. It not only delves into Wes' past, but it is also a continuation of Grif's Toy.
Third is a joint project with an amazing author that I’m completely thrilled about. But, I’ll save the details of that for another time. *wink*
*winks back*
Your work is different. It's downright challenging for some to read. Will that affect what you choose to write in the future?
It's funny you should ask that. A friend and I were just talking about this very thing. However, it was in regard to the upcoming Brother's LaFon; it is even darker—substantially so—than Grif's Toy. My friend asked if I was worried about how it will be received. Intellectually, I'd be thrilled if it’s well received. However, when I'm actually writing, that's not something I can allow myself to contemplate. If I worrying too much—about anything—it really stifles my creativity. In the end, I can only write what I write—and then hope readers enjoy and connect with it.
When publishing series, there is a pressure to get the next one out quick as a wink. Are you feeling it (I know I am!)? Does it affect what you focus on?
I published Grif's Toy with absolutely no expectations at all. Zero. In fact, I'll share something with you: a friend and I had a bet that it wouldn't sell twenty-five copies in the first month. I was betting against myself, by the way. That the pre-orders alone far surpassed that number astonished me. And what it's gone on to do since—there are times when I find it completely incomprehensible. I'm SO humbled and grateful.
But back to your question, yeah, there is a bit of pressure now. People connected with Grif in a way I never thought possible. Therefore, I really want Wes' Denial to be special, to be something Grif's fans will enjoy.
I don't know if you've already answered this somewhere before, but let's say someone wants to turn Grif's Toy into a movie. Who would play Grif and Wes? What about the other characters?
Hmm, I'm assuming you mean a mainstream, theatrical movie. But, I'm gonna go with the more adult type of flick—because I'm naughty that way—and say Tayte Hanson would make the perfect Grif, and Rogan Richards would be my choice for Wes.
And finally: Do you plan on staying self-published?
I thoroughly enjoy being self-published for several reasons. One, I'm pretty much a control freak and being able to do things exactly the way I want to is very satisfying. Two, I don't do well, creatively, with deadlines. And three, I'm probably the world's worst procrastinator. So yeah, being self-published seems like a real good fit.
It does indeed. :) Thanks again for stopping by, Joseph, and good luck with your next works! I know I'm looking forward to them.
Want to know more about Grif's Toy?Visit Joseph's site for buy links, reviews, and sample downloads. You can also check out my review here.
"Sacrificed was a very intense installment to the Baal’s Heart series. The voyage and strange lands are harsh and cruel. There is suffering but through it they truly discover their inner strength. Baltsaros weakness and fears almost tear them down but it’s the stoic strength within Jon that perseveres. A darker story overall, but the emotion and growth is two-fold. This is a unique series for this genre and worth reading every page!"
"The dynamic between Jon and Baltsaros kept me flipping through the pages. I wanted to know what would happen next. What obstacles they would demolish but also what barriers of the heart would be torn down. For a high adventure, action packed book it is extremely profound and sensual. Baltsaros is an unapologetic killer. He’s a pirate, after all! He’s also a man to be respected. When he loves, he loves deep and uninhibited. His control on ship and in the bedroom leaves no one wanting. Begging, yes! Wanting, no. When Jon, Baltsaros and Tom come together, they can practically part the seas!"
So Rain Carrington, Varian Krylov, Matt Ortiz, Joseph Lance Tonlet, Brad Vance and I got together to offer everyone something for the holidays. We're calling it "Hot Reads For The Trevor Project" and all proceeds go to The Trevor Project*
Get ready to lower your thermostat because your winter is about to get hot! For a limited time only, get SIX great reads by some of the hottest authors in M/M! A guilt-free guilty pleasure at an incredibly low price with all proceeds going to The Trevor Project!
So... what are you waiting for? Buy some books for a good cause!
*What is The Trevor Project?
Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.
