Monday, January 11, 2010

Belinda McBride Interview

1.What are you currently working on?
I’m currently juggling a couple of projects, most notably the final book in the Bad Angels trilogy. I’m also working on Belle Starr: The Nameless, which the second book in the Belle Starr series.

2.When did you attempt your first novel? What's become of it?
My first novel attempt was Soul Keeper, which I began about 3 years ago. It’s an urban fantasy/romance about mythical creatures living in today’s world. It’s available at New Concepts Publishing.

3.How many novels did you complete before you sold your first?
I was actually pretty lucky, almost everything I’ve written and submitted has sold. Imperative: Missing You was initially rejected because I missed the deadline that it was supposed to be submitted by. I expanded it and sold it to Changeling Press.

4.What’s the worst piece of writing advice you ever got?
This goes back a ways, I was an English major in college, and when I went to meet my advisor the first time, I told her I wanted to be a writer. She laughed at me and said, “Everyone wants to be a writer.” Not advice, but hugely discouraging. Since I sat down and really started writing seriously, I don’t think I’ve received any bad advice. Of course, not everything works for everyone, so you just have to take it for what it’s worth.

5.What inspired you to become a writer?
I was a voracious and precocious reader from the time I was little, and my grandma once said, “Honey, you love to read so much, you really should be a writer.” That’s always lived in the back of my mind. The event that inspired me to really take it seriously was when I bought and read some truly atrocious books. I thought, “I can do better than that,” and figured it couldn’t hurt to at least try.

6.What kind of activities do you do to clear your head?
When my brain is really whirling around, I’ll take a hot shower or a bath. I’ll also lie down not to sleep, but to let my mind just go where it wants. A walk or work-out is good, it helps to get out of the house.

7.What books would you recommend on writing?
I really liked Morgan Hawke’s ‘Cheater’s Guide to Writing Erotic Romance. There’s also a load of good writing information on her website. Beyond that, I don’t really have too many books on writing. Oh…the Chicago Manual of Style. That’s pretty important. I also like the Snowflake Method.

8.What is your favorite "comfort food"?
Ah, that would be chocolate. LOL!

9.What are you reading, if anything, at the moment?
I am currently reading Nalini Singh’s Blaze of Memory. I really enjoy her Psy/Changeling series. I’m eagerly anticipating Laurell K Hamilton’s Divine Misdemeanors. And I just finished Patricia Brigg’s Cry Wolf. I loved that one.

10.If you could live in any time or place–where and when would you choose?
Well, I’m a historian, so knowing what I do, I’m pretty happy with the here and now. However, Imperial Rome and Golden Age Greece would be pretty amazing to visit.

11.It’s plug time. Where can people find out more about your books? Got an excerpt you’d like to share?

The best place to find out about my books is at my website.

And my blog.

And here’s an excerpt from An Uncommon Whore, a m/m space opera which releases at Loose Id on January 26:



Buy Link

I continued to evaluate the room, when my attention was caught by a long, lean figure sprawled negligently at a table near the back exit. Even seated, it was plain that he was taller than the average humanoid. He was hard muscled and battle worn. His black hair was overlong and tumbled in a wavy mass down his neck. The profile he gave me was hard as a blade. An arched nose accentuated cruel, sensuous lips. He wore a black leather patch over one eye, and a scar bisected his high, hard cheekbone. Since he was blind on my side, I took the occasion to watch him openly. He couldn’t possibly see me behind the veil, but I was certain that he felt my stare.

He surveyed the room slowly, stopping to watch a whore take position between a gambler’s knees. After a few moments, the pirate reached down and readjusted his cock, and then turned his attention elsewhere. He might be interested, but he was here for a reason other than sex.

But God! His head turned slowly in our direction, and my mouth grew dry. My head spun at the impact of that gaze. His remaining eye was black as night and as fierce as flame. I felt the weight of his gaze from behind the veil, where my eyes were covered by a mesh panel. He looked at me for a few heartbeats and then moved on.

I shifted uncomfortably; my cock had grown long and heavy beneath the sheer gauzy robes that covered me from head to foot. Pain lanced through me as it reached the limits allowed by the chastity ring that shackled me. Every instinct urged me to cross the room, to take his arms and look into that dark face…to make him see me.

Sadly I could only go where summoned, and not far from the dark man, a nervous-looking human was gesturing to U’shma. My chest went tight as my owner rose to begin negotiations with the john. They whispered and they argued, and finally U’shma signaled defeat. Not really defeat; the twitch of his blunt fingers told me that he’d negotiated a higher-than-expected price.

Rising smoothly to my feet, I carefully manipulated the folds of fabric that shrouded my body and face. There were perhaps three seconds for me to decide on a course of action. An erupting fight in my path held me steady in place, buying a few more seconds and ultimately, the opportunity to act. I’d paused within a few paces of the dark man when a body inevitably slammed into mine, throwing me in his direction. My hand lashed out, knocking over the goblet of sweet wine that sat on the table.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered as the bloodred fluid soaked into his shirt and beaded off the battered black leather of his pants. He growled in annoyance and stood, hands brushing at the wet stains. I was tall, but he towered over me. His shoulders were nearly as wide as U’shma’s blockish form, and the black eye was as fierce as I’d imagined it would be.

Once again my lust surged, my heart pounded, and I knew that this man could not be allowed to walk away.

2 comments:

Jennifer Leeland said...

Fantastic interview and great excerpt. Wow! Everything you've subbed has been published. Awesome. I KNEW you rocked.
The new books sounds DELICIOUS.

booklover0226 said...

I enjoyed the post and the excerpt. I love P.L. Nunn's artwork!

Thanks,
Tracey D