Top 2 Bottom Reviews

Playing Truth Or Dare With Lee Brazil. Or Maybe It’s 20 Questions

28 May 2011 4 Comments

by Lisa in authors, Lee Brazil Tags: Lee Brazil

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be with us today, Lee. Will you begin by telling us a little bit about yourself and your background?

I’m a retired teacher of English grammar and composition. I taught for fourteen years in Southern California. Prior to that I worked in a variety of bookstores and spent an unbelievable amount of time in college.

Was there a defining point in your life when you realized that you wanted to be an author? Did you choose the profession, or did the profession choose you?

I wanted to be an author when I was in high school. Then reality hit and I wanted to do other important things, like eat. So I went to college and eventually emerged with a teaching certificate. I thought I could write and teach, but teaching is a very absorbing career, and I ended up writing things solely for classroom use.

To date, how many books have you written?

I’ve written eight books to date. Five of them are scheduled for release over the remainder of this year through Breathless Press, and three are in the submission process right now.

Would you tell our readers a bit about the Story Orgy group and the anthology And the Prompt is…? How did the group come up with the concept to write stories based on fan prompts?

Well, Story Orgy itself started with Em Woods. She has been writing from prompts for who knows how long, and the rest of us all trailed along after her. We were bantering on face Book one night and came up with the name, Story Orgy, and a friend told us we really needed six people to have an orgy. So we invited a few more, and then we were six. We’ve been writing together since January, and decided we wanted to do a few contests. We get so much positive feedback from our readers each week that we really wanted to involve them in the fun. I’m not sure who originally suggested having readers supply prompts, but it worked fantastically! We got tons of suggestions, and each of us chose the one that appealed the most. When we had the stories, it was a small step to publish and dedicate the proceeds to a cause that means a lot to all of us.

Keeping House, the first book in the Truth or Dare series, brings together two very diverse men, Mischa Blake and Donovan Holloway. Tell us a little bit about how they and their story originated and evolved.

I’m not sure where the inspiration for this story came from, except from the concept of family. As a family, my siblings and I often sit down to play a hand of cards or a game of some kind. Moments like that bind a family together. They are times for teasing, for sharing, laughing and loving together. My fondest memories are of my Dad and Mom sitting down to play a rousing hand of cards with us. That’s where the poker game in the beginning came from. From there, it was natural to pair Mischa, a youth who didn’t really appreciate what a great family he had, with Donovan, a man who craved a family but didn’t really have a true concept of what family is.

How many more books do you have planned for the series? Will Terry Blake’s story come next?

I have six books planned, and yes, Terry’s book is next.

Without giving too much away, will you please share with the readers, a little bit about twins Dex and Trick? Because I have to say, I’m more than a little intrigued by those boys!

Dex and Trick, like Mischa, are boys from a privileged background with money and prestige. However, when their parents abandoned them for a life on the run, they didn’t have an older brother like Brandon Blake to keep them on the straight and narrow. They learned early in life that the only thing they could count on was one another.

Is there a particular sub-genre in which you enjoy writing more than others? (i.e. paranormal vs. historical vs. contemporary)

I have only written contemporary. I would love to one day try my hand at regency romance, but the harshest reviews I’ve seen have been of historicals, and that’s intimidating. I confess I have a secret file of notes on my hard drive though.

How long does it generally take for you to finish a manuscript?

About a month usually does it. Keep in mind that I don’t have an evil day job, though. If my muse is with me I can write 3-5K a day and my work usually tops at about 25K. Then I edit, stew, and ponder over it for a bit before I send it off.

How much creative input do you have in the cover design for your books?

So far, my covers have been everything I requested. BP sends me a form, I fill it out and their artists do their best to make my requests reality. It’s worked fantastically. Victoria Miller has done both of my covers and she is very talented.

Do you write full time? If not, how many hours per day do you attempt to dedicate to your writing?

I write full time, kind of. I spend a lot of time staring at blank computer screens and writing notes on scraps of paper, cursing randomly, etc. Sometimes that’s all the progress I make. Sometimes I get words on the paper.

Do you typically outline your plots before you begin the writing process, or do you write in a more freestyle fashion?

I actually do both. Some plots I can outline fully from beginning to end, some just flow. Sometimes when I’m writing from the outline, the characters refuse to follow the map and wander all over the place. I’ve found its best to let them.

What has been the most difficult topic you’ve ever approached in your writing?

Alcoholism and cutting are the most difficult things I’ve dealt with. These “escapes” feature in Loving Jacob, to be released in November.

Of all the characters you’ve created, do you have one in particular who stands out among the others as a favorite? If so, who and why?

Oh, wow… well… I don’t know. I love all my characters. I’d have to say that I don’t really have a favorite.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, do you have any routines or exercises you use to get beyond it?

I do at times have difficulty getting words on the page. I find that the best thing I can do is sit down and engage in word games with my friends, challenging ourselves to produce something, anything in a given time frame will often spur creativity. The results aren’t always awesome, but it helps break the block.

When someone reads one of your books for the first time, what do you hope they take away from it?

I want my readers to see that love is real, that it is out there waiting.

Are you surprised by the ever growing female fan-base of Male/Male fiction?

Not really. I think women appreciate romance more.

What was the best piece of advice you’ve ever received with respect to the art of writing? How did it change the way you approach your craft?

Wait a week after you finish before revising/ self editing. I find that approaching a work with fresh eyes a week later makes it a lot easier to spot errors in grammar, punctuation and plot flaws.

If you were to offer a word of advice to a new author just starting out, what would it be?

Don’t vent your anger at publishers, reviewers, or even your landlord in a public forum. Save it for a private chat room somewhere. You don’t want the whole world seeing you in a negative light.

Do you generally have the titles of you work planned before you begin writing, or does that occur later on in the writing process?

I generally start with a title, sometimes it will change once or twice before the story is finished.

What is your most memorable fan experience?

The first email I got from someone who read my book surprised me. I loved getting that! Of course, every person who drops by my Face Book page or sends me an email or finds me at Goodreads, just makes my day. I love hearing that people enjoyed my work.

Do you have any new projects coming up, outside of the Truth or Dare series, that you’d care to share with us?

I have two releases coming up in November and January, Loving Jacob and The Librarian. Both of these are with Breathless Press as well. There’s always Story Orgy Mayhem happening, of course, and I have a six book series that I’ve just started called Say It with a Kiss. It’s based on the Thomas Haliburton quote, “There is the kiss of welcome and of parting, the long, lingering, loving, present one; the stolen, or the mutual one; the kiss of love, of joy, and of sorrow; the seal of promise and receipt of fulfillment.”

How much of yourself, your life experiences, and the people you know manifest themselves into your characters?

It’s all pretty much fictional. I do believe that there is some of me in all my characters. I try very hard to make sure that each story speaks of the reality of love, something that is a very important aspect of my own life.

When it comes to promotion, what lengths have you gone to in order to increase awareness of your work?

Ahhh… not much. I do the occasional interview, try to fulfill whatever requests my publisher makes, and I use social media to promote my work, when I remember. I’m not really great at it.

Digital media—the e-reader/tablet computer/Android aps—is changing the way people access and enjoy books. What pros and/or cons do you see surrounding the business of e-publishing? How do you see digital media evolving in the years to come?

I think e-publishing is incredible. It gives publishers and writers a greater leeway to experiment with readers. By that I mean, if a genre or story is edgy or crosses a line, then traditional publishers, who invest a lot of money in production, aren’t’ likely to take a chance on it. But, e-pub costs are lower, so the risk of backing a new author, or a risky subject are smaller.

What I’d like to see in the future is a universal language for e-readers instead of all the proprietary formats. One format to fit all readers.

When you have the chance to sit down and enjoy some quiet reading time, what sorts of books are you most likely to pick up? Who are your favorite authors?

I enjoy romance and mystery. So, my favorites range from Josh Lanyon to M.L. Rhodes to John Sandford.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

A Teacher. It’s an incredibly rewarding career.

Aside from writing, what else do you enjoy doing? Do you have any hobbies?

I cook, I garden and I play with my dog. Oh, and I read. I’m a big fan of shows like Criminal Minds and Bones, and Top Chef is my greatest tv addiction.

If time travel were possible, what time period(s) would you most like to visit? Why?

Regency England would be my first choice. Why? The clothes, hands down the best dressed men in history came form the Regency era. Lol.

If we were to look around the desk where you sit to write, what would we find there?

A jar of dark chocolate m&ms, a stack of novels, copies of Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing and Strunk and White’s Style guide. There’s a printer and various gadgetry related to my computer, of course, and some cd’s of 80’s bands.

Do you have an all time favorite fictional character?

My all time favorite fictional character is Sherlock Holmes. I’d say Mr. Spock form the original Star Trek, but I think he’s just an evolution of Holmes.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

Misused words are my biggest pet peeve. I cringe when I see then instead of than, or of instead of have in a published manuscript.

Of all the modern conveniences, which one would you most likely say you couldn’t live without?

My computer with internet access. Hands down.

Thank you again for spending some time with us, Lee. Will you tell us where we can find you on the Internet?

You can find me on the internet at: Twitter Goodreads Facebook My Blog

And we’d love if you’d share a favorite excerpt from one of your books with us.

Okay- now this is an excerpt no one else has seen yet- So – its an exclusive just for you… lol… This is from Telling the Truth which releases on June 24th from Breathless Press.

When he opened his eyes again long moments later, he caught sight of two young men, nearly identical in appearance standing in the shade of a leafy palm tree directly in his line of vision. Stunned, he stared in disbelief. They were absolutely beautiful. Were they actors from the studio? Pale skin, black hair, identical bright blue eyes, rosy-red lipped mouths, slender athletically built, they were so absorbed in one another they seemed alone in the crowded yard.

As he watched, the boys turned closer in to each other, leaning forward to whisper together. Lowering his lids, Terry watched covertly. There was something illicit about the pair, something almost sexual. But surely they were related? Two young men who looked so much alike had to be brothers.

One of the boys tugged the other deeper into the shadows of a tree and the privacy fence. They looked around, and when one bright blue glance settled on him for a minute, Terry’s heart rate increased and his skin heated. They couldn’t tell he watched from under his lashes could they? Apparently deciding that he was asleep and no threat, the two embraced, sharing gentle kisses and petting each other with slim white hands.

Enthralled, Terry stifled a groan as his cock stirred against the zipper of his khaki shorts. Damn. That hadn’t happened with so little effort in a long time. What the fuck? He tried to look away from the boys, told himself he should be disgusted, but he couldn’t. Bottom line, he’d never been so turned on in his life. He’d spent his whole life doing and feeling exactly what everyone felt he ought, and what had it gotten him? A corner office in the family business and a lonely bed at night. Fuck it. He was done living for everyone else. If Mischa could find his own way, then Terry damn well could too. And he’d get started on doing that as soon as his erection subsided enough to get out of this chair without causing himself a lot of embarrassment. He crossed his hands over his lap and continued to watch the boys in the corner of the yard.

Mmm, and why rush off? This lovely couple was really getting into their embrace now, and since no one else seemed to notice, Terry felt kind of included, almost as though he were participating in the act instead of witnessing it. He could practically feel the sweep of tongues in his mouth, the touch of two sets of hands tracing his shoulders, his abdomen. Damn, he really wished he had Dan’s bold personality or Mischa’s rebellious streak. He’d be over there in a heartbeat taking his share of kisses.

Down boy, he whispered to his newly overactive libido. Baby steps; we’ll get there eventually. Jumping from mild-mannered straight accountant to gay threesome in seconds made for too drastic a change.

“Terry? Are you all right? Do you need a drink or something?”

Damn. Somehow Mischa had walked up and knelt next to him without him noticing.

“I’m fine. Fine. It’s a little hot here, that’s all.” Terry spoke, but he didn’t look at Mischa.

Keeping House by Lee Brazil

28 May 2011 Leave a Comment

by Lisa in authors, Lee Brazil Tags: Lee Brazil

Title: Keeping House (Truth or Dare #1)
Author: Lee Brazil
Publisher: Breathless Press
Pages: 76
Characters: Mischa Blake, Donovan Holloway
POV: 3rd person
Setting: California
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Rating: 4
Kisses: 5

Blurb:

Donovan Holloway, advertising executive, newly made vice president of the company where he’s worked for twenty years, grew up in a free love hippie commune, taking care of the parents who should have been taking care of him. He’s worked hard to put himself through school and achieve the American dream. All he’s ever wanted was a normal family life—house in the suburbs, two cars, two kids, a shaggy dog. A family to come home to—to care for, and to care for him.

Mischa Blake is the green eyed, liberally-pierced, black-haired, Mohawk-wearing spoiled youngest son of a Hollywood producer and his actress wife. Mischa has made a terrible mistake. In a fit of childish pique, he’s accepted a dare from his older brothers. The dare? Live on his own, supporting himself completely for a year without accessing his trust fund. No problem. Except Mischa has never worked a day in his life, hasn’t finished college, and has absolutely no skills that he can bring to the table.

So when he sees Donovan’s ad for a housekeeper/gardener, he has nothing to lose by applying, because really…how hard can it be?

Review:

Mischa Blake is the rebellious black sheep of his very wealthy show biz family. The mohawked and pierced twenty year old is the absolute antithesis of his corporate-minded older brothers, Brandon, Dan, and Terry, who, although their hearts and intentions are in the right place, do tend to badger their little brother to conform to what they believe he should be doing with his life. A truth or dare poker game, a manipulation on the brothers’ part to force Mischa into submitting to their intentions, backfires beautifully, setting Mischa on a course toward love and the fulfillment of his own desires.

Showing up on Donovan Holloway’s doorstep to interview for a domestic position, Mischa is as likely a candidate as anyone could possibly be to fail miserably at the job—he’s a trust fund baby, after all, and has never worked a day in his life, let alone cooked and cleaned—but when the motivation to succeed is your stubborn will to prove your brothers wrong, and the internet puts everything you could ever want to know at your fingertips, failure simply isn’t an option.

Keeping House is a sweet and uncomplicated short-story, but that definitely does not mean it lacks quality or a depth of feeling. This is the story of two very different men from very different backgrounds, who are at different stages of their lives, but are brought together by chance, by a dare that was never meant to set Mischa on a path leading away from the Blake family empire and toward a future of his own making, a future that will include the building of his own family with Donovan.

What could a Goth boy and a forty year old corporate advertising executive possibly have in common that would attract them to each other? Sometimes it’s nothing more than the need to be cared for and the need to care for someone that brings two people together. Sometimes it’s about having a dream and having the desire to help that person fulfill his dream that can bind two very different people to each other. But mostly, it’s the simple fact that love is a force which frequently defies explanation.

Lee Brazil brought Mischa and Donovan, as well as the secondary cast of characters to life on the page. Their strengths, conflicts, and emotions were genuine, and I become entirely involved in the outcome of the story. These characters are each entirely endearing, and, let’s face it, a few are downright intriguing and left me wanting to know so much more about them. But I’ll just have to wait.

Keeping House has set up the second book in the series for what promises to be a very, very interesting treat.

Reviewed By: Lisa

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