Welcome Belinda McBride & a Contest

Give a warm welcome to Belinda McBride as she celebrates her new release, The Bacchi, with us.

CONTEST INFORMATION: Belinda is going to give one lucky reader a pdf copy of her release, The Bacchi or if you already have that, a book from her backlist to one lucky reader. Contest runs till August 13th and you must leave a comment with your email address in the comment message to be entered. International entries are welcome. Winner to be announced on this post on August 14th.

Can you please share with us a little about yourself?

There’s not much to say really. I am a full-time caregiver for my disabled niece and now for my mother, so I spend most of my time at home writing. When I can, I get out and go to dogshows or to conventions. My hobbies seem to require travel. J  I have two daughters, one is completing college and the other is a private chef. (fun fact, she was Johnny Depp’s yacht chef for a couple years) I have six Siberian Huskies, two are my active show dogs.

What is your most interesting writing quirk? 

Well…I tend to use ellipses quite a lot…LOL! Also, I do a lot of inactive composition; I sit and think. I go lay down and think. I’ll walk and I’ll think. I’ll think for days before actually sitting down and writing. Once things are clear in my mind, I can write very quickly.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)? 

Sure. My latest is a m/m science fiction romance called The Bacchi. It’s set in the Coalition Universe which also hosts Belle Starr and the Uncommon Whore books. It’s an odd couple story about a flamboyant prostitute who decides to seduce a straight-laced police inspector. The characters are both alien species…Lefi (the Bacchi) is a Somian, which is a colorful, sensual twin species. He’s a twin orphan…his sibling died and he feels like only half a person now. His love interest is Afton, who is a Valoran, which is a hermaphrodite species that is very intellectual and cerebral. He identifies as male and is stunned to find himself falling for another man…a Somian at that. He’s also estranged from his family and people. They are two very complicated men.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Since the Coalition series was populated with various “alien” species, I was writing shorts to give me an idea of their species traits. The Valoran and the Somian species are polar opposites, and it seemed a fun way not only to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the two species, but I really wanted to dig into the depths of the seemingly shallow Bacchi, and to free the hidden sensual nature of the Valoran.  I actually started this a few years back but was afraid of the reader’s reaction to an intersexed character. So far, everyone loves him. J

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why? 

That tends to be a rotating list, depending on who I’m currently infatuated with. Luckily, since I go to a lot of events, I’ve met a lot of my favorite authors. I’ll be honest, I had a real fangirl crush on ZA Maxfield after reading her story “Drawn Together.” To my delight, we ran into each other at RT a few years back and she’s been one of my best friends since. Kate Pearce’s books had a big impact on my writing and I’ve been lucky enough to tell her that in person! And someday I’d like to do the same with Morgan Hawke.  Her stuff is so well-done, yet over the top. I love it!

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing? 

Learn the craft. Its one thing to be able to think up great stories, but to be able to write them is the lion’s share of the job. If you don’t have a grasp on basic writing, take a course on grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and so forth. Then move on to the elements of writing within your genre. You can’t break rules effectively if you don’t know the rules to start with.  Don’t rely on your editor to fix everything for you.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list? 

I want to go on one of those big ole bungee swings. Not bungee jumping, but those ginormous bouncy swings you see at amusement parks.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I’m holding off on buying Kate Pearce’s Simply Voracious. That’s my carrot for finishing my current book. J I’m also dying to read Patricia Brigg’s ‘Fair Game.’

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress? 

Sure. I’m working on Dream Hunter, which is the latest Arcada book. In this story, Lukas Blacque’s younger brother Travis falls for a dangerous older man. A much older man. <g> He’s a fae assassin who hunts his prey in their dreams.  I’m also working on an untitled book that is the follow-up to the Truckee books in the Doms of Dark Haven anthologies. This one is about Destiny, the bodacious receptionist at Dark Haven. She’s being thrown to the wolves and the wolves are getting a little more than they bargained for!

If we asked your muse to describe you in five words, what would they say about you?

Eccentric, procrastinates, eclectic, confused, curious.

Anything else you want to add? Links?

My website: http://www.belindamcbride.com

My blog: http://www.belindam.blogspot.com

My FB Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Belinda-McBride/49209583129

The Bacchi by Belinda McBride
Loose Id Publishing
LGBT Futuristic Science Fiction/Fantasy
Buy at http://www.loose-id.com/the-bacchi/

The Bacchi Lefi Dhrahn lives a life of luxury and decadence, but is tortured by memories of a lost love. He survives the pain by surrounding himself with sex, beauty, and all forms of self-indulgence. When he meets the alluring Inspector Afton Teris, Lefi believes the detective will make a very nice addition to his string of conquests. 

Afton Teris is a Valoran hermaphrodite, and like all members of his species, is stern, cerebral and disapproves of the frivolous prostitute. Afton orients as a male, but the beautiful Lefi Dhrahn stirs him sexually, making him question everything he knows about himself. To further confuse his emotions, Afton finds himself tempted by the forbidden pleasures surrounding the Bacchi.

When a kidnapping ring strikes close to home, the two go undercover on a brothel barge to investigate a slavery operation. There, Lefi is confronted by painful memories from his past, while Afton is faced with a horror that threatens his future, and perhaps his very life. Their survival lies with one another, but only if Lefi can set aside his pain and listen to his heart.

Publisher's Note: While primarily a male/male love story, this book contains one or more instances of male/female interaction. It also contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: exhibitionism/sex in public, male/male sexual practices, violence.