Hooked on Books Promotions: Claddagh Author Interview With James Grey

Welcome James and thank you for joining us to do our questionnaire.

Book Questions

Tell us your latest news?

I published Escort Unleashed, the second book in the Emma series, back in May. Right now I'm trying to buy a house and figuring out how I can sustain my writing habit.

What book are you reading now?

'A land of Two Halves: An Accidental Tour of New Zealand' - A brilliantly written hitch-hiking travelogue by Joe Bennett. I aspire to be as good with metaphor and exploit words as well as he does.

Are the names of the characters in your novels important?

More to myself than to the reader. My names are often based on a real-life inspirations, so using them helps me imagine that person's face and body and character as I writer. Latifa in Escort in Training is a great example.

What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Tracking down a rich aunt to sponsor you so that you don't have to worry about making enough money. Writing is great, but as soon as you try to do it for a living the insanity sets in.

What is the most demeaning thing said about you as a writer?

Almost everyone says great things all of the time. I've only had a couple of bad reviews, but far less in percentage terms than Fifty Shades of Grey so I don't think I can complain.

How do you react to a bad review of one of your books?

I don't worry about them any more. They're very rare for me, and one person's 'bad' can be another reader's hook. I've had people say that a certain 'bad' review can make them even more keen to read my book. 'This book is about the descent of a woman from normalcy to decadence and hedonism' was written as a negative...but some of my other readers thought that was quite a selling point for Escort in Training!

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Finding the time around a full time job. That's the only hard part for me. Time is the eternal challenge. Imagination certainly isn't.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I've learned that I need to make time for a plan, even if I don't necessarily stick to it. I've also learned that it's definitely good to lock yourself away in a barn for a month and just power through it as quick as you can. Leaving three weeks between writing chapters isn't good for flow. You forget who your characters are!

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Often. In Hot Wet Touches I've tried to convey the sheer power of a woman's beauty and what that can do to a man. In The Raven and Hot Wet Touches Amsterdam, I've mixed that with the power she has to destroy a man, and the rarely-reported ruin he may feel when that happens. In the Emma series, I'm trying to communicate how I would like a woman to think and feel about sex, and how good that can be for her when she lets it happen.

Have you ever read or seen yourself as a character in a book or a movie?

No, although I imagine I would love life as a porn actor!

Describe in 5 words, your writing:

Hot, erotic, honest, raw, sexy

What do you use to write your book?

Most recently I've taken to hand-writing, which slows me down and makes me think about each word more. Then, chapter by chapter, I'll type it up on laptop, tweaking a few bits as I go.

Do you listen to music while you write or read?

Sometimes classical music. I can't listen to anything with lyrics whilst trying to write words.

If you could write with any other author(s) who would it be and why?

I can't imagine how that would work, and don't think of it much. But I'd like the challenge of writing hot erotica with a best-selling female author. I certainly could use a lady to help with describing the men in my stories!

NON- BOOK QUESTIONS

When you were a child what did you want to be when you grew up?

Astronaut, professional sportsman

Did/Do you have a nickname?

Not really

What are your pet peeves?

Texting. Email. I get enough of that at work. Just call me - let's talk like human beings!

What is your favourite coffee shop drink?

Latte

What's your favourite tv show?

Big Bang Theory

What is your favourite kind of cookie?

Chocolate Chip

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you have and why?

A beautiful woman

A neverending writing pad

A book on how to fish on a desert island

Where would you go if you had a time machine?

Back to the days when travel meant real adventure, instead of a slightly different McDonald's menu. The 1800s perhaps.

Which is your favorite quote?

"Those who speak the most have the least to day" - that's my own quote. Also just about anything Marcus Aurelius said.

If you were an ice cream what flavor would you be?

Definitely not vanilla!

What song best describes you?

Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game

THIS OR THAT

Pepsi or Coke

Coke

Cows or Sheep

Sheep

Castle or Town house

Castle

City or Country

Country

Lover or Fighter

Lover

Pop or Rock Music

Rock

80’s or 90’s

90's

Singing or dancing

Depends who's doing it....

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & LINKS

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I am a red-blooded male bent on writing honest erotica. I am the real deal. I lay my innermost lusts, hottest experiences and darkest disappointments on the line for all to see: passion, ecstasy, angst and unsugared failure. If you want to know what a man thinks, feels and desires, I am an open book. And if you'd like a hint of how I like my women to be, delve into my work. And read the biography at the end of my ebooks - I'm told it has quite an effect on people.

I also write female point of view stories, which focus on a woman's experience, adventure and pleasure. I would love you to tell me how I'm doing!

I've even narrated my own Audiobook. Get a little preview of my voice here and buy the real deal here.

Want to talk to me? The best place to connect is Facebook. Join my Fan Group here and friend me here. You can also join my mailing list at this link. And I'm on Twitter @jamesgreyerotic.

With me, what you see is what you get. My mind is yours to comb. I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

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