authors K.C. Wells & Parker Williams
Parker Williams on Writing, Research, HEA, and Threepeat (Secrets #3) with K.C. Wells (author interview)
Threepeat (Secrets #3) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams
Cover Art: Reese Dante
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Parker Williams here today talking about writing, characters, and the latest story in the Secrets series he writes with K.C. Wells, Threepeat. Welcome, Parker.
How much of yourself goes into a character?
K.C. and I always have tiny bits of ourselves in our characters. She reminds me of Maggie. Not in the naughty ways…well, not entirely, but in the fact she is a nurturer. When I'm doubtful, she's there to prop me up. And you'll see some of me in Tim. He likes to please people. He wants to make them happy, and he's willing to do what he can to ensure that happens. In one scene, Tim takes on a top-secret project. When his family and friends find out, they rally around to support him.
Do you feel there's a tight line between Mary Sue or should I say Gary Stu and using your own experiences to create a character?
In the case of Threepeat, very few of our experiences went into the book. Neither of us has ever been involved in a ménage relationship, for example. But your experiences should help you direct the characters (assuming they listen to you), because they're things you have intimate knowledge of.
Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?
Research definitely plays a part. In a book about BDSM, it's important to get the facts right. There are too many books out there that paint BDSM as abuse, and if done right, nothing could be further from the truth. So KC and I exam all the aspects we can think of to ensure our books are not only factually accurate, but safe, sane, and consensual. ☺
Has your choice of childhood or teenage reading genres carried into your own choices for writing?
When we were teenagers, books about MM Romance were unbelievably hard to find. Even when books did exist, they painted men as generally unhappy. The stories today are crafted from authors all over the world and give you a lens on different cultures, norms, ethnicities, etc. MM Romance today is a true melting pot of people and events.
Have you ever had to put an 'in progress' story aside because of the emotional ties with it? You were hurting with the characters or didn't know how to proceed?
I don't know about KC, but I did. When I wrote Haven's War, there's an event in there that shook me so bad I had to put the book up for a time and write something happy. It took me months to get back to Haven after that.
Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?
For me it has to be a HEA. Life is already hard enough to deal with to not have a bit of happy in the things I read.
KC. Me too. I want my men to be happy.
Who do you think is your major influence as a writer? Now and growing up?
Okay, I'm going to be honest here. Every book I read has an influence on me as a writer. I've learned a lot reading things by Eden Winters, KC Wells, Sheena J. Himes, Mary Calmes, SJD Peterson, Silvia Violet, and so many others. I think if we close ourselves off to any influence we're doing ourselves a disservice.
KC. For me? Agatha Christie, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and about a million others. I ALWAYS had my nose in a book.
How do you choose your covers? (curious on my part)
For me, any book I have through Dreamspinner, I ask if Reese Dante can do it. I absolutely love her work, and the fact she agreed to do my cover for Pitch (my first book) had me on such a high. She's also doing the covers for the Secrets series.
KC. I usually find a photo that really speaks to me, and take it from there. Most of the Collars & Cuffs covers were photos I or Parker found.
What's next for you as an author?
I've got Lincoln's Park coming out in October from Dreamspinner. It's a story of a man who loved, then lost, and when a hazel-eyed man walks into his diner, he discovers that the ability to love doesn't die.
KC. And I've got my first ever murder mystery coming out the same month! Truth Will Out. And what else makes it a first is that the romance kind of takes a back seat to the mystery. Not only that, there is NO on-page sex.
The house we based Aaron and Sam's home on. Check out that theater!
About Threepeat…
Can two Doms open their hearts again for a young man desperately in need of their help?
Two years ago, Aaron Greene and Sam Thompson were devastated when their submissive broke the contract that bound the three of them together. They still wonder what happened and whether they can find a way to move forward. When Aaron finds a sick young man by the curbside, his protective instincts kick in, and after consulting Sam, he takes Tim home.
After being thrown out of his home, Tim Waterman finds himself on the street, doing whatever he needs to survive. Until a bear of a Good Samaritan scoops him up and saves him. Then one bear becomes two, and a chance discovery gets him thinking about what might be, if he's bold enough to make a move.
So what happens when Aaron and Sam wake up one morning to find Tim naked in their bed? Will they get a new chance at life, or will history Threepeat itself?
K.C. Wells started writing in 2012, although the idea of writing a novel had been in her head since she was a child. But after reading that first gay romance in 2009, she was hooked.
She now writes full time, and the line of men in her head, clamouring to tell their story, is getting longer and longer. If the frequent visits by plot bunnies are anything to go by, that's not about to change anytime soon.
If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT
You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
https://www.facebook.com/kcwells.WildWickedWonderful/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6576876.K_C_Wells
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00AECQ1LQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.c.wells/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/K_C_Wells
Blog: http://kcwellsworld.blogspot.co.uk/
Website: http://www.kcwellsworld.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.greenway.7
Parker Williams believes that true love exists, but it always comes with a price. No happily ever after can ever be had without work, sweat, and tears that come with melding lives together.
Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Parker held his job for nearly 28 years before he decided to move on and try new things. He's enjoying his new life as a stay-at-home author because work always frowned on naps.
Connect with Parker on:
Website: Parker Williams
E-mail: Parker Williams
Facebook: Parker Williams
Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor
This entry was posted in Book Reviews, Books, Contemporary fiction, Dreamspinner Press, eBooks, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged @dreamspinners, @ParkerWAuthor #newbookrelease #Threepeat, A Barb the Zany Old Lady Highly Recommended Story and Series, A Dreamspinner Press Author Guest Tour, authors K.C. Wells & Parker Williams, m/m/m, menage, Secrets series by K.C. Well and Parker Williams, Threepeat (Secrets #3) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams.
Tour for An Unlocked Mind (Secrets #2) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams (Author Interview, Teasers, and Giveaway)
Title: An Unlocked Mind
Series: Secrets Book #2
Author: K.C. Wells & Parker Williams
Genre: M/M Romance Light BDSM
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with K.C. Wells & Parker Williams
As you write as a team, what happens with a story? Does one of you come up with an idea or both?
We each come up with story ideas, then we run them by our betas to see which gets their thumbs up. In our current series, we ran eight ideas by them. Five got a green light, so those are the ones we'll concentrate on first.
With sequels, do you already know where the series is going (plotting it out) or pantzing it? You throw ideas at each other and see what happens?
KC is an epic plotter. I'm a pantser. We mesh our styles by doing a little of each. In this series, it's more pantsing, but there are plotting elements as well, since the stories do interconnect.
Bdsm is a reoccurring theme/element in many of your stories….why? Other than you find it sexy of course….
Well, finding it sexy is definitely a plus. But there's also the stories where the men take care of one another. At the core, our stories are more love with a little BDSM. And yeah, it's sexy.
Did each of you write a character here or is it a combined effort?
Definitely a combined effort. As the stories take place in London, KC is the one who has the say in what we do/don't do. I trust her judgment and let her lead where we're going to go with it.
What are your favorite things about this story?
Mine personally? Rob. I have wanted a story for him ever since I read An Unlocked Heart. At his core, Rob was mean and sneaky and…vulnerable. I saw flaws in him. When we started Secrets, KC said we could do a story for him, and I was all over that!
What grabs at your hearts about your own characters? What "human flaws" do you find the hardest to write about and the easiest? If there is such a thing.
No one liked Rob. He didn't deserve it. We like taking a person who seemingly had no redeemable qualities and making him into something that people didn't expect. One blogger who reviewed it said she hated Rob going in, and it took her a long time to change her mind. We love our flawed characters, because there is so much of a chance to build them back up.
What's next in the series?
The next book in the series, Threepeat, will be something I've never done before. It's a ménage story, with two Doms who take in a young man they found on the streets. Aaron and Sam show up in books one and two, and now it's their turn to get a story. Tim, the guy Aaron finds on the street, will fall in love with them before he finds out that there used to be three men in the relationship…
The really weird thing about this book? We both had the same idea for it…on the same day. No, really… And when you know that Parker doesn't write ménage, that makes it all the weirder…
What's next for each of you as writers?
I submitted a book called 'Lincoln's Park' to Dreamspinner. It's about a guy who owns a diner and the guy he hires as a server. It starts out as business, but becomes something more, thanks to the machinations of their friend. This one also has light BDSM elements, but they should be fun. (Think Noel wearing a sex toy while he's working…)
And KC submitted her first ever murder mystery, Truth Will Out. We're both waiting to hear!
Rob Daniels is determined to prove to himself that his brother Alex got it wrong. Alex believes he found love through BDSM; Rob is certain that's not possible. He even makes several visits to a London club to prove his point. But when he attends the grand opening of Secrets, Rob gets a shock, one that has him fleeing, vowing never to return—until he does… and runs into the brick wall that is Dom Vic Prentiss. As first meetings go, theirs is a disaster.
The more time he spends around Rob, the more convinced Vic becomes of two things—one, something is eating away at Rob, and two, he's looking for something. Every instinct tells Vic to help him, but trying to unlock the secrets hidden in Rob's mind requires a key. All Vic has to do is find it. Because maybe then he'll get to see the real Rob, the man who's scared to let go….
This entry was posted in Book Giveaways, Book Reviews, Book Tours and Contests, Books, Contemporary fiction, Dreamspinner Press, eBooks, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged #EnticingJourneyBookPromotions, #PreOrder #MMRomance An Unlocked Mind by ➺ K.c. Wells and Parker Williams is #ComingSoon #PreOrder and enter the #Giveaway today, @dreamspinners, @K_C_Wells, An Unlocked Mind (Secrets #2) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams, authors K.C. Wells & Parker Williams, M/M Romance Light BDSM.
A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Dom of Ages (Collars and Cuffs #7) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams
Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ★★★★★
Jarod has been a submissive for nearly thirty years. He spent twenty-four years with his last Dom, Master Phillip, who perished in a plane crash four years ago. He's trying to get back in the scene because he needs someone to serve, but he's constantly belittled by other subs and Doms, all of whom think a man who is nearly fifty is way out-of-place in the world of BDSM clubs. Just as he's ready to give up and never return, he's approached by a young Dom who seems genuinely interested in him.
Eli is only thirty, but he knows what he wants, and he wants a sub who will serve his needs. When he spots Jarod, he recognizes the genuine article—a submissive who is thoroughly a submissive and who shows that in every line of his body, and he knows he won't be happy unless he can take Jarod home.
Eli does indeed take Jarod home, and Jarod begins his service to Eli that very night. He's so good at it, in fact, that Eli screws up and puts his own needs ahead of those of his sub, and he fails to comprehend the depth of both Jarod's loss and his desire to be of service.
When the two eventually do communicate, they find that they work well together, and when Eli finally moves on to scenes and then to sex with Jarod, it's more than either man could have hoped for. But a harsh reaction from some other submissives at Eli's club leads them to a new location, Collars and Cuffs, and there their relationship takes a turn for the better. In fact, Jarod's whole life takes a turn for the better as he makes friends with the other subs in the club—subs we've met in past books in this series—Peter, Alex, Scott, Damian, Garrett, Pietro—all are strong secondary characters in this book, and it was an enormous pleasure to have time to "visit" with them and their Doms in this book. In fact, it was one of the highlights of the story for me.
Eli and Jarod explore new scenes; Eli is taught by Thomas how to use sounds on Jarod; and Eli, in turn, offers demos on sounds to other Doms. Jarod and the other subs become close friends, and all work to help Peter prepare a very special surprise for Thomas's fifty-ninth birthday gift. I have to take a moment here to mention that this was my happy-tears-in-eyes moment in this story. When Thomas pulled Peter into his arms, <spoiler>click here</spoiler> I was sobbing happy, sappy tears!
Of course, there's going to be a dramatic potential break-up scene as there generally is in all books, but the one in this story was really heartbreaking, and to watch the turmoil both MCs went through was very painful. These authors grabbed my heartstrings with this story and proceeded to dance around me like a maypole, tangling up my emotions and creating a very memorable experience. I loved this story! I think it's moved up to #two on my list of favorites in this series. (#one is Trusting Thomas—I can't help myself. I love Thomas and Peter!)
I very highly recommend this book to all lovers of MM romance, BDSM, age gap romance, MCs over forty, and I could go on and on. It's wonderful. Don't miss out!
Cover art by Paul Richmond shows an older sub sitting in a cross-legged position in the foreground with a Dom standing to the rear of the scene. The picture illustrates the loneliness Jarod was feeling when Eli came along.
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & paperback | Amazon | Buy it Here
Expected publication: December 21st 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN1634768612 (ISBN13: 9781634768610)
Series Collars and Cuffs
An Unlocked Heart (Collars and Cuffs, #1)
Trusting Thomas (Collars and Cuffs, #2)
Someone To Keep Me (Collars and Cuffs, #3)
A Dance with Domination (Collars and Cuffs, #4)
Damian's Discipline (Collars and Cuffs, #5)
Make Me Soar (Collars and Cuffs, #6)
Dom of Ages (Collars & Cuffs, #7)
This entry was posted in 5 star Rating, Book Reviews, Books, Contemporary fiction, Dreamspinner Press, eBooks, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged A Barb A Zany Old Lady Review: Dom of Ages (Collars and Cuffs #7) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams, A Barb the Zany Old Lady Highly Recommended Story, authors K.C. Wells & Parker Williams, bdsm content, BDSM relationships, Collars & Cuffs series by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams, D/s relationships, Dom of Ages (Collars and Cuffs #7) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams, gay fiction, gay May December romance.
Does Age Make A Difference? Find out with 'Dom of Ages' by KC Wells & Parker Williams (excerpt/giveaway)
Dom of Ages (Collars & Cuffs #7) by K.C. Wells & Parker Williams
Goodreads Link
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
Photo Credits: Joey Flyfoto, Model: Dirk Caber
Eli may only be thirty, but he has had enough of pretend submissives. He wants a sub who truly knows how to submit. So when he spies Jarod in a BDSM club, everything about the man screams submission. It doesn't matter that Jarod has to be about twenty years older than Eli. What does age matter, anyway? Not one to miss an opportunity, Eli moves fast and takes Jarod home with him, without thinking things through. All he can see is what he's always wanted – a sub who wants to serve.
Jarod spent twenty-eight years with his Master, until Fate took Phillip from him. Four years on, and Jarod is still lost, so when a young Dom takes charge, Jarod rolls with it and finds himself serving again. But he keeps waiting for the shoe to drop. Because there's going to come a point when Eli realizes he's a laughing stock in the club. Who would want to be seen with a fifty-year-old sub? And when the moment of humiliation does arrive, Jarod flees. He'd be better off with Phillip.
Despite several missteps, what happens forces Eli to understand that Jarod needs him as much as he needs Jarod. But he knows in order to find happiness, they need friends who will understand. A friend keeps telling him Collars & Cuffs is what they need. Eli finally goes to visit, refusing to risk Jarod being hurt again, and finds everything he's heard about the club is true. When he takes Jarod, he watches as his sub is met with open arms. As they settle in to their new life, Eli begins to see things differently. And he dares to think he can have it all. Until the phone call that shows him he didn't realize what he could lose.
Pages or Words: 92,000 words
Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, May-December Romance
Jarod
I eyed the other subs enviously as they preened for the Doms, each hoping to spend an hour in a private room with one of them. I felt like a kid again, always the last one picked for sports. The looks I got ranged from amused to withering. I couldn't believe I'd subjected myself to this. What was worse, I'd actually expected a different outcome.
I sighed deeply. Who was I fooling? I wasn't twenty anymore. Hell, I wasn't even twice that. The Doms wanted someone younger, someone trainable, or, failing that, someone who could give them a hot fuck. I had talents in that department from the many years I had served Master Phillip, but since he died, I'd been a submissive who had no one to serve.
"And what are you supposed to be?" a voice near my ear snapped.
"My name is Jarod, Sir," I answered quietly, my heart thumping so loudly I was certain he could hear it.
There was a low growl. "I didn't ask your name. I asked what you think you're doing here."
Heaven help me, I told him the truth. "Searching for someone to serve, Sir."
His braying laugh mocked me. When he saw I was serious, he sobered. "No one is going to take you. No master is going to have you." Then in a softer voice he added, "Go home. You don't belong here."
He was right, of course. It was time I admitted that to myself. This was a world that wasn't like the one I'd been part of. When Master Phillip and I went to the clubs, there was an understanding. People were respectful, even if they weren't interested in whatever was going on. This club was awful. It was full of young men strutting around like peacocks, each trying to show off more plumage than the next.
It was time to stop kidding myself. There was no reason for me to stay any longer. I'd be on my way, and then everyone would probably have a good laugh at my expense. At least in that, I would have made someone happy. I was about to stand when I felt a hand on my shoulder and smelled the leather.
"What is it you want?"
His breath smelled of mint. It wafted over my face and made my stomach clench with nerves. "To serve, Sir."
Silence. I waited for it, the inevitable comeback, the jeer, the insult….
"That's a very good answer, boy. Very good indeed. Stand and turn."
I rose to my feet and faced the man whose voice gave me butterflies. When I saw him, my heart dropped and crushed them all to dust. The man was handsome, I would never say otherwise, but he was a child. I wanted a Master to serve, not to be a toy for a youngster who would grow bored with me the next time a pretty pony boy pranced by.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Jarod, Sir," I replied, cursing my cracking voice.
He held out his hand and took mine. His grip was firm and warm, and a jolt of electricity ran through me at his touch.
"It's an honor to meet you. My name is Eli."
His name was like a caress. There was a gentleness to his voice that had me feeling as though everything might be okay after all. I tried to be surreptitious about it as I looked him over, and he laughed.
"You don't need to hide anything from me. If you want to look at me, go ahead."
I raised my head and marveled at how his green eyes shone in the bright lights. His short, spiky hair was dark, but with the colored lights flashing, it was hard to tell what color it was. I had the insane urge to run my fingers through it. He was about my height, and the way those black leather pants clung to his muscular thighs, I really wanted to see his legs. He was slender, but with good definition: it wasn't a six-pack, but I wouldn't have minded running my hands over it.
"Aren't you a bit old for this, Jarod?" His voice was deep, and my skin pebbled at his tone. With a shock I realized he wasn't mocking me; he was genuinely curious.
Once more I felt compelled to speak the truth. "No, Sir. I-I don't believe I am."
His fingers traced along my neck, running gently across my throat. I swallowed hard. It was so different from the treatment I'd received from everyone else here.
"Would you like to play?"
And with those words my heart dropped. "No. I'd rather not." I was shocked to hear the words come from my mouth. Never before had I told a Sir no, but it seemed to be a night for honesty. Of all the times to be honest, though…. I remained still, awaiting his imminent departure.
"Good. I'm glad. I'm not here to play either." He was quiet for a moment. "I want you to come home with me. Would that be okay?"
My breath caught. What the hell? He was so different from everyone else in this club. My heartbeat sped up. "Yes, please." My damn voice squeaked again.
I felt the smooth leather against my throat. "This doesn't come off until I say so. Is this agreed?"
"Yes, what?"
I cursed myself for forgetting. "Yes, Sir."
Buy the book:
Dreamspinner Press eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7217
Dreamspinner Press Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7218
E-BOOKS 1 – 6 are on sale at Dreamspinner for $1.00 each! http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=907
Meet the authors:
K.C. Wells:
Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. Wells always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way.
K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, where the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter….
K.C. now writes full time and is loving every minute of her new career.
The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.
Parker Williams:
Parker Williams began to write as a teen, but never showed his work to anyone. As he grew older, he drifted away from writing, but his love of the written word moved him to reading. A chance encounter with an author changed the course of his life as she encouraged him to never give up on a dream. With the help of some amazing friends, he rediscovered the joy of writing, thanks to a community of writers who have become his family.
Parker firmly believes in love, but is also of the opinion that anything worth having requires work and sacrifice (plus a little hurt and angst, too). The course of love is never a smooth one, and Happily Ever After always has a price tag.
Where to find the authors:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KCWells/223608907761521
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Parker:
Connect with Parker on: Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parker.williams.75641
Or you can visit his website: http://www.ParkerWilliamsAuthor.com
Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Inked Rainbow Reads, Bayou Book Junkie, Decadent Delights, 3 Chicks After Dark, Gay Book Reviews, Unquietly Me, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Alpha Book Club, The Hat Party, Divine Magazine, BFD Book Blog, Happily Ever Chapter, Love Bytes, Lee Brazil, Jessie G. Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, TTC Books and More, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Book Lovers 4Ever, My Fiction Nook, Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews, Dawn's Reading Nook, Charley Descoteaux, Carly's Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, KathyMac Reviews, Three Books Over the Rainbow, Bonkers About Books, Emotion in Motion, A.M. Leibowitz, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Velvet Panic, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews
Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: One of three $10 ARe gift cards, plus K.C. and Will are going to be stopping at each blog and picking a winner from the comments to receive a copy of 'An Unlocked Heart' (or one of the other first six books in the series). Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the authors and Pride Promotions.
This entry was posted in Book Giveaways, Book Reviews, Book Tours and Contests, Books, Contemporary fiction, Dreamspinner Press, eBooks, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged authors K.C. Wells & Parker Williams, BDSM relationships, Collars & Cuffs series by K.C. Wells & Parker Williams, Dom of Ages (Collars & Cuffs #7) by K.C. Wells & Parker Williams, Fiction, gay fiction, may december romance, Romance.