- CONTEST INFORMATION: Edmond is giving away a PDF copy of King Perry to one lucky reader. Please leave an email in with your comment in order to be eligible. Contest closes March 16th.
How long
have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create
characters that capture the I qmagination?
I've been writing
fiction for decades. For much of that time, my writing was high-end mediocre. I
could tell a good story. Decent with the comma. I even could write in a few
metaphors. So, you know, whooo hooo. But nothing felt really original or
inspired. I hadn't discovered this magic place inside me where writing merges
intensely your soul's work. Kind of a dramatic thing to say, I know, but once I
married writing with my joy and my life mission, then, wow, craaaaaaaazy things
began to come out of my writing. I used to like writing. Now, I love it. I
crave it.
Can you
describe them to us?
Vin, the narrator,
is quite the planner. I don't want to give much away, but he artfully arranges
an entire weekend of delicious surprises for his guest, Perry. Vin is cunning
and strategic, turns every moment to his advantage, and focuses all his big,
goofy love on Perry. But Vin's weaknesses shine through as well: crippling
self-doubt and his lack of self-awareness as to how to solve his own troubles.
It's hard to see a man with so much love for others struggling to love himself.
Perry, on the
other hand, does not find these "delicious surprises" quite so
delicious most of the time. (e.g. Vin tricks Perry into the kidnapping of a
small water fowl. 'Nuff said.) Perry is just as strong as Vin, demonstrated in
his incredible flexibility, endurance, courage, patience, and love. In the end,
Perry radiates his own flavor of kingliness, just like Vin promised him. But we
also see Perry cross, sad, churlish, hurt, and furious. Every feeling comes flying
out of Perry that weekend they spend together – nothing is held back.
What makes your characters so vulnerable yet
strong?
One of the great
advantages about writing in first person is you get to see the character's
vulnerable thoughts. He can't shield them from himself. In King Perry, Vin blames himself for screw-ups, scolds himself for
thinking 'stupidly' in his own opinion, and he calls himself a moron. We all
probably do that to ourselves to some degree, but usually censor it some. With
a first-person narrator, we get to see every ugly, self-judgment. I think it
makes for a fascinating character.
What do you do when characters stop talking to you
when writing?
When my characters
stop talking to me, it's usually because I'm not listening. I am preoccupied
with something else, a day-job problem, a relationship issue, etc. I have to
deal with the interruption, and then focus all my attention back on them before
I can continue writing.
You have some great secondary characters in your
books. Will we see spin offs in regards to them in their own story lines?
We will see some
secondary characters again. We haven't seen the last of King Aabee. Or Liam,
the Dolphin King. Or a few others…they are still firmly a part of the series, The Lost & Founds. There are six
books planned for right now, so those secondary characters will have a few opportunities
to step out onto the stage.
Do you prefer writing series books over non series or
does it matter?
I didn't intend to
write a series of books. I just realized the narrator, Vin, had a big story to
tell and it wouldn't fit into one book without it devolving into "and then
this happened and then THIS happened and then THIS happened…" Bleah. Who wants to read that? A series made
more sense.
What do you think is the level of sensuality/heat in your
books? What can readers expect from your books with respect to sexual content
and sensuality?
Honestly? It's
hot. It's sweaty. It's not extreme kink; it's love-making between two men who
have great feelings for each other. But I am not shy about describing the
thrusts, the kissing, every naked plane, etc. But more than sex, I'm a big fan
of rich sensuality. But the sensuality is not all champagne and rose petals. (e.g.
Midnight sex in an Alcatraz jail cell.) A sweet woman in her 60's emailed me
yesterday to tell me that although she doesn't read M4M fiction, a friend
highly recommended King Perry, and she read it. In her email she told me she
very much enjoyed it and also said, "It's very spicy." I love that description.
It's spicy!
Please tell us about your latest/upcoming release(s).
What are they all about?
King Perry is
the first book of six in the series, titled The
Lost & Founds. I've been blessed with crazy positive reviews on amazon,
goodreads, and a few critical websites. I'm absolutely delighted! Right now,
I'm working on Book 2, the next man whom Vin kings. In fact, there are clues
throughout King Perry as to who that
next man will be…
What genre do you write in?
What I write is so
odd, I'm never sure how to answer this. I write stories about people. Sometimes
they're in love or struggling with love (which makes the genre romance) and
sometimes they deal with depression, getting fired or alienation (modern
fiction), and usually they're on a mission toward self-awareness (classic hero's
journey).
Is there a genre you haven't tried yet but want to in
the future?
I'd love to try science
fiction. I'm so critical when I read science fiction. You want me to believe
that these insect-like aliens have "seat belts" in their space ships
or 300 years into human future, NetFlix is still around? C'mon! I would like to
write sci-fi to see if I can do any better. I imagine creating entire
civilizations with new technology, manners, and jobs is immensely challenging. Much
easier to criticize.
What is the last line of your last WIP you worked on
that you wrote?
Out of context
this is bizarre, but here goes. Narrator Vin Vanbly describes a Found Kings'
battle scene:
"The King of
Curiosity ordered an attack. The chief strategist, a transgendered man named
Lynette, decided to repel the King of Curiosity's assault with Christmas carol
lyrics sung to heavy metal songs. But they had not planned for a counter
attack: water balloons filled with yellow mustard and chicken feathers blown at
them with giant wind fans."
What do you do for fun/relax? Any hobbies?
I read a lot of
comic books. When you're over 40, you're supposed to say, "I collect comic
books," so it sounds like this ridiculous hobby has this 'investment'
quality to it and you sound less like a big nerd, but nope, I read them for
pleasure. I love the way innovative art interacts with concise storytelling to
create something powerful. Favorites are:
The Unwritten, Sweet Tooth, the Walking Dead, X-men (uh….all of them),
Fables, Irredeemable, Locke & Key, Deadpool, and more.
Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think
the world isn’t ready to receive it?
I do. I have a
story on the back burner which requires a great deal of research. I intend to
write fiction about Jesus interacting with a gay man from the Bible (I'm not
revealing this Biblical character's name yet). I do not think the character
would describe himself as 'gay.' I am fascinated by how a gay man or woman
would have self-identified knowing as little as they did about what makes a
person gay, how it's actually fairly normal, etc. Did they know peace? Did they
accept their orientation?
Secondly, I'm
fascinated by how in today's culture, any religious nut who wants to make a
point uses Jesus to justify whatever they want. It's gross. But who was he
really? Did he eat toast? Did he ever complain that his feet hurt? I don't
intend to be sacrilegious (not exactly), but Jesus surely had real-world
problems. If he was half-man as well as half-god, then surely he got pissed
about stepping in donkey shit sometimes. Right?
I think this book,
intended for mainstream gay and straight audiences, will be a bit shocking.
(Jesus will NOT be having sex with the gay man in the story, so maybe not that
shocking.)
If you could be one of your characters - Who would you be?
And why?
The King of
Curiosity. I think it's the most awesome king name and I love that curiosity
applies to an incredibly wide range of topics. I myself am frustrated that
there's not enough time in this lifetime to have 12 different careers and read
every book on my list. In the series of books I'm writing, nobody truly
understands the King of Curiosity's power, it's quite a mystery, even to all
the Found Kings. I like that.
What do you do on a typical writing day?
Like a dog who
circles himself a few times before lying down, I take a while to settle down to
writing. I usually start by doing the dishes, putting clothes in the washer,
and removing piles of stuff from the dining room table. I invent a few chores
to complete while I'm thinking through the day's writing goals. By the time I
start writing, my house is clean. (Of course, perhaps three hours passed as
well.)
I write for an
hour, walk around the house, straighten things that don't really need
straightening, then sit down and dive back in for another two hours. I'm a fan
of frequent short breaks unless I am seriously in the groove and then I don’t
look up until I am spent. I can write for 10 hours if I'm in the zone. All I
need is a roaring fire, bruschetta, red wine, and some trancey house music
pumping softly. (Oh, and maybe some of those candied orange slices.)
Can you please give us an idea on what you are working on
for the future?
Right now, I'm
working on Book 2 in the series, the next man whom Vin kings. In fact, there
are clues throughout King Perry as to
who that next man will be…I'm halfway done with that book right now.
What’s better to write about-perfect characters or flawed
ones? And why?
Never trust a
perfect character: they're the worst. They are either badly designed, born of
an author who does not understand human nature, or they are immensely boring.
On a first date, one perfect character orders a decaf latte with cinnamon and
his perfectly handsome date says, eyes wide, "That's what I order every
single day." And now they know their soul mates? Please. It's a frickin'
latte. Love never feels quite magical when two perfect characters instantly
mean everything to each other.
I prefer men and
women who struggle as characters. I haven't met a single person who doesn't
struggle with their own issues. Money, looks, whatever. Even the most confident
among us have sore spots of low self-esteem where we are sorrowful and broken. Seeing
someone's brokenness is beautiful.
When you have writer's block how do you break free?
I blog. My blog
entries are about writing fiction, keeping my heart open, challenges in life, etc.
When I write for my blog, I remember to connect with that other part of me, the
part that is not rushed and hurried. Writing for my blog helps me open my heart
and since I tell myself, "It's just for my blog," that gives me a little
flexibility and freedom to take it less seriously. Of course, then I spent a
day polishing sentences, and getting exciting about writing something
heartfelt, so despite my nonchalance, I do take the blog writing somewhat
seriously. www.edmondmanning.com.
By the time a blog
entry is finished, I'm usually ready for fiction-writing.
Few fun ones:
If you could travel to any time period, where would you and
why?
I want to watch
the druids build Stonehenge. With me, I'm bringing toilet paper and Cheetos. No
ironic time-traveling twists: I don't want to be a slave who has to lift heavy
rock or the first sacrifice on Stonehenge. No whippings! If I get bored
watching them, I'd like to be able to come home to my time and get a snack. Yes,
I'm a high-maintenance time traveler.
Hollywood has come calling and is interested in King Perry. You get to pick the actors
to play Vin, Perry, and King Aabee. Who do you choose?
WAIT – have you
heard something? It's Spielberg, right? Oh my god. Oh my god. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Spielberg? Oh.
This is all hypothetical? Oh. Well. Gosh, Dawn, I kinda wish you hadn't phrased
the question in such a leading way. Humph.
Vin Vanbly – Taylor
Lautner* (wolf guy from Twilight)
Perry Mangin – Jeff
Stultz* (main star of the TV show, The Finder)
King Aabee – Lawrence
Fishbourne
I'm not sure that
either one of these guys is right for the part. Certainly not Taylor as Vin.
But I'd like to see these two actors have sex. I, of course, would be on the set
during the filming saying things like, "Taylor, babe, I think Vin would
give a little more of a tongue bath here…yeah, like that. Good. Go with
that."
What is your one favorite foods to enjoy?
Pace Medium chunky
salsa. I could eat it for every meal. Damn you, high sodium content! <shakes
fist>
Any weird cravings when writing?
Vin always loves
thinking about food, so I'm constantly hungry when writing. I will write about
Vin's craving for grilled cauliflower with garlic and olive oil and then
remember that it's MY craving, not his. I have to go back and delete a few
lines and then get myself the food I'm craving.
I also want
someone to massage my neck while I'm writing. Does that count as a weird
craving? What if I want the massage from former Saved by the Bell star, Mario
Lopez? Is that weird?
Anything else to add?
Yes. My favorite color is
periwinkle. There. Done.
King Perry by Edmond Manning
Buy at Dreamspinner Press HERE
In a trendy San Francisco art gallery,
out-of-towner Vin Vanbly witnesses an act of compassion that compels him to
make investment banker Perry Mangin a mysterious offer: in exchange for a
weekend of complete submission, Vin will restore Perry’s “kingship” and
transform him into the man he was always meant to be.
Despite intense reservations, Perry agrees, setting in motion a chain of events
that will test the limits of his body, seduce his senses, and fray his every
nerve, (perhaps occasionally breaking the law) while Vin guides him toward his
destiny as 'the one true king.'
Even as Perry rediscovers old grief and new joys within himself, Vin and his
shadowy motivations remain enigmas: who is this off-beat stranger guiding them
from danger to hilarity to danger? To emerge triumphant, Perry must overcome
the greatest challenge alone: embracing his devastating past. But can he
succeed by Sunday's sunrise deadline? How can he possibly evolve from an
ordinary man into King Perry?
