Guest author Patrick Wendling Markwell
Patrick is another excellent egg I met through Facebook. I'm delighted to have him as my guest today. (And I agree with him entirely about wanting to strangle one or both of the lads!)
What inspired you to start writing?
Well, I love to read and as a child it was an escape from the torture I dealt with at the hands of family and bullies at school, so I decided to start writing myself in order to get away from it all and create my own little worlds.
Do you have another job (paid or otherwise) apart from being an author? If so, how do you juggle your time?
I used to. I used to be a Paramedic, but my husband Rondal wanted me to stay home and write full time so that I could fully realize my dream. The one job I do have though is running Lazy Beagle Entertainment with him. I juggle the time a bit precariously; I write for about two hours after I wake up, then I work on the website for a couple of hours before I go back to writing for the rest of the day. However, sometimes there is a LOT to be done with the website so the writing gets put off for a day and I do nothing on the weekends usually unless I feel like writing or working the website out of boredom. However, I work all weekend if I have a book coming out or if one of the authors on the website has a new release then I will put their page information up and spread it around the social media sites to help them out.
What does it feel like watching your first book fledge and leave the nest?
I feel very little gratification honestly. I am excited yes, but I am more nervous than anything because each time a new book comes out I always worry whether or not it is going to do well.
Are you character or plot driven? What do you do if one of your characters starts developing at a tangent?
To be honest, it depends on the book. On occasion I feel the story is more about the character than the plot and vice versa. I have had characters start developing past a plot and it doesn’t always work, but I was writing a book a few months back and realized it was perfect for the story so I developed the character in a different way and the plot on a different line and let it be at that. The second book developed along what the character had done in the first one and left the original plot behind and the third book brought both together.
If you were in a tight corner and had to rely on one of your characters to save you, which would it be and why?
If we are talking literal here as in one of my characters came to life and I needed them to save my life, then I would have to say Matthew from Bloody Shadows, my first book in the Vampires of Mowrashaled Series. He keeps his friends very close to him, treats them like his true family, loves them, and goes to the ends of Earth and through time to chase down those who need to be stopped and punishes them. Not to mention who he is in the book, which I cannot say here because that would ruin it for those that have not read it. Let me just say, not the person you want to mess with. An extremely dangerous man and very loyal and loving.
If you had no constraints of time and a guarantee of publication, what book would you write?
Well, I have no constraints of time and always a guarantee of publication since Lazy Beagle Entertainment is moving into the publishing arena now. We already have our first author outside of me and we just started. But let me say this; I would write a book pointing out the flaws in religious organizations and beliefs.
Is there a classic book you started and simply couldn't finish?
Easy answer to this one; no. I pick up a book and I read it all the way through without fail. I do not stop reading ever.
What’s your favourite gay romance/other genre book? And why?
Okay, I cannot pick one as I have three favorite series in this arena. First is the Infected Series by Andrea Speed. As to why, it is just so brilliantly written and the characters are all so alive and real. I have never read anything quite like it in my life. Second is the With or Without Series by J L Langley. I love Shifters and this series brings you a brilliant mess of Wolf Shifters with such a superb story and the sex is smoldering, the love is unique, the characters are just phenomenal! Third, is your series of Cambridge Fellows Mysteries. I have found it very difficult myself to write anything considered historical, and mysteries are just as difficult to write. The love of Jonty and Orlando is beautiful, sweet and at times I want to strangle one or the both of them, especially Orlando. They are alive and I feel like I am right there with them or that I am in the middle of the story and it plays around me.
Okay, there is one more and that is a solo book for the moment, but as I understand it, the first in at least a two book series. Hot Head by Damon Suede. All I can say about that is HOLY SHIT! That book is so beautiful and heart breaking and warming and everything in between all at once. I have read it at least a dozen times.
What's your next project?
I have 18 books that are just mine in the works right now, so I will just tell you about the Charity Book that LBE is doing. Actually, it is easier to just give you the http://www.lazybeagleentertainment.com/charity-book.html as anyone is welcome to take part in it. (NOTTE - last day for submissions is today!)
The book I would really like to promo at the moment is called ‘Back to His Roots: Crimes of Passion Series Book One’ by myself and author Kimber Kahn with cover art done by Jeff Adkins. This is the first in a four part series. It is NOT erotica, but it is a Romantic Thriller.
What inspired you to start writing?
Well, I love to read and as a child it was an escape from the torture I dealt with at the hands of family and bullies at school, so I decided to start writing myself in order to get away from it all and create my own little worlds.
Do you have another job (paid or otherwise) apart from being an author? If so, how do you juggle your time?
I used to. I used to be a Paramedic, but my husband Rondal wanted me to stay home and write full time so that I could fully realize my dream. The one job I do have though is running Lazy Beagle Entertainment with him. I juggle the time a bit precariously; I write for about two hours after I wake up, then I work on the website for a couple of hours before I go back to writing for the rest of the day. However, sometimes there is a LOT to be done with the website so the writing gets put off for a day and I do nothing on the weekends usually unless I feel like writing or working the website out of boredom. However, I work all weekend if I have a book coming out or if one of the authors on the website has a new release then I will put their page information up and spread it around the social media sites to help them out.
What does it feel like watching your first book fledge and leave the nest?
I feel very little gratification honestly. I am excited yes, but I am more nervous than anything because each time a new book comes out I always worry whether or not it is going to do well.
Are you character or plot driven? What do you do if one of your characters starts developing at a tangent?
To be honest, it depends on the book. On occasion I feel the story is more about the character than the plot and vice versa. I have had characters start developing past a plot and it doesn’t always work, but I was writing a book a few months back and realized it was perfect for the story so I developed the character in a different way and the plot on a different line and let it be at that. The second book developed along what the character had done in the first one and left the original plot behind and the third book brought both together.
If you were in a tight corner and had to rely on one of your characters to save you, which would it be and why?
If we are talking literal here as in one of my characters came to life and I needed them to save my life, then I would have to say Matthew from Bloody Shadows, my first book in the Vampires of Mowrashaled Series. He keeps his friends very close to him, treats them like his true family, loves them, and goes to the ends of Earth and through time to chase down those who need to be stopped and punishes them. Not to mention who he is in the book, which I cannot say here because that would ruin it for those that have not read it. Let me just say, not the person you want to mess with. An extremely dangerous man and very loyal and loving.
If you had no constraints of time and a guarantee of publication, what book would you write?
Well, I have no constraints of time and always a guarantee of publication since Lazy Beagle Entertainment is moving into the publishing arena now. We already have our first author outside of me and we just started. But let me say this; I would write a book pointing out the flaws in religious organizations and beliefs.
Is there a classic book you started and simply couldn't finish?
Easy answer to this one; no. I pick up a book and I read it all the way through without fail. I do not stop reading ever.
What’s your favourite gay romance/other genre book? And why?
Okay, I cannot pick one as I have three favorite series in this arena. First is the Infected Series by Andrea Speed. As to why, it is just so brilliantly written and the characters are all so alive and real. I have never read anything quite like it in my life. Second is the With or Without Series by J L Langley. I love Shifters and this series brings you a brilliant mess of Wolf Shifters with such a superb story and the sex is smoldering, the love is unique, the characters are just phenomenal! Third, is your series of Cambridge Fellows Mysteries. I have found it very difficult myself to write anything considered historical, and mysteries are just as difficult to write. The love of Jonty and Orlando is beautiful, sweet and at times I want to strangle one or the both of them, especially Orlando. They are alive and I feel like I am right there with them or that I am in the middle of the story and it plays around me.
Okay, there is one more and that is a solo book for the moment, but as I understand it, the first in at least a two book series. Hot Head by Damon Suede. All I can say about that is HOLY SHIT! That book is so beautiful and heart breaking and warming and everything in between all at once. I have read it at least a dozen times.
What's your next project?
I have 18 books that are just mine in the works right now, so I will just tell you about the Charity Book that LBE is doing. Actually, it is easier to just give you the http://www.lazybeagleentertainment.com/charity-book.html as anyone is welcome to take part in it. (NOTTE - last day for submissions is today!)
The book I would really like to promo at the moment is called ‘Back to His Roots: Crimes of Passion Series Book One’ by myself and author Kimber Kahn with cover art done by Jeff Adkins. This is the first in a four part series. It is NOT erotica, but it is a Romantic Thriller.