Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

Today I have a fantastic interview with Daniel, who lives in Canada but is from Perth originally. Thank you Daniel for coming along.

I understand you have a gay romance out with Escape Publishing. Can you tell us a bit about it?

It’s called Beckoning Blood and is about twin brothers, Olivier and Thierry, who are made into vampires in medieval France. Olivier is obsessed with his brother, while Thierry’s heart belongs to another. Olivier isn’t exactly one to take no for an answer so their path through the centuries is littered with plenty of corpses and misdeeds.

Daniel, tell us a bit about yourself (where you live, how long you’ve been writing, previous publications etc.)

I’m a Perth boy, born and bred, but at the moment I’m living in Toronto with my soon-to-be-husband. It was while in Canada that Kate Cuthbert from Escape Publishing accepted Beckoning Blood for publication. I wrote the book at the end of 2009 but it’s gone through a number of edits since then, and then took time to find a home. It’s my first published novel so I’m pretty excited about it.

Prior to that I worked as a professional writer, amongst other things, and studied creative writing and journalism at university.

Daniel, what draws you to the romance genre?

It’s not so much that I was drawn to the romance genre, just that that’s where I’ve found a home. I love reading paranormal and fantasy novels, but a lot of them have straight romance in them (a lot of the ones I read in high school anyway). The male/male market has boomed so I feel there’s more opportunity to write (and publish) the paranormal stories I like. As a result, they’ve usually got a gay love interest in them, which is integral to the plot.

What are you working on at the moment?

I recently finished writing the first draft of the sequel to Beckoning Blood but it’s nowhere near ready. I have a feeling there’s going to be almost a full rewrite. I’ve already rewritten the opening chapter and showed it to my critique partner. She loved it so I think I’m moving in the right direction.

What is your writing process? (planner, panster, write every day, write sporadically, writers block etc).

I’m more a pantser than a planner. I start with a general idea about what’s going to happen but once I start writing, things can change quite a bit. Often in new and previously unthought of ways. That’s what I love about the writing process: the discovery. Especially when one element at the beginning, that you thought was innocuous, ends up playing a significant role by the end (and saves the plot).

When I’m writing a new book, I try my best to write every day, and I can usually do it. Once it’s done though, the thought of editing it is almost too much. It takes a lot of effort to get into the mindset to edit my own work.

What do you prefer: drafting the story or revising and reworking?

Revising and reworking. My first drafts are always hideous, but I treat them like a first sketch of a painting. I’ll then go back and flesh out the detail, or rub sections out. It’s a long process. But like nearly every author, I wish the first draft came out gleaming.

What part of writing do you find hardest?

Not using clichés. When I’m doing the first draft, I’ll put them in as it gets the words down on paper (unless I’m feeling particularly inspired). Then later, I’ll rewrite as many as I can into something a bit more original. It’s hard to overcome the almost subconscious use the first time around.

What do you plan to work on next?

After I get the sequel together, I’ve got two more books to edit. The sooner I get them polished and published, the better. I will have to work on something new somewhere in there, otherwise I’ll feel like I’ve forgotten how to write. I have a few ideas (including one new one that has struck me) but I’m keeping them close until I make a decision.

Here is the cover and the book blurb.

The cover of Beckoning Blood

Book Blurb

A gripping, blood‐drenched saga about twin brothers, the men they love, and the enduring truth that true love never dies — no matter how many times you kill it.

Thierry d’Arjou has but one escape from the daily misery of his work at a medieval abattoir — Etienne de Balthas. But keeping their love a secret triggers a bloody chain of events that condemns Thierry to a monstrous immortality. Thierry quickly learns that to survive his timeless exile, he must hide his sensitive heart from the man who both eases and ensures his loneliness…his twin brother.

Shaped by the fists of a brutal father, Olivier d’Arjou cares for only two things: his own pleasure and his twin. But their sadistic path through centuries is littered with old rivals and new foes, and Olivier must fight for what is rightfully his – Thierry, made immortal just for him.

Here are Daniel’s contact details on the web.

Beckoning Blood is available on Kindle (http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00JD7EYX0), iBooks (https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/beckoning-blood/id852042874?mt=11) and Kobo (http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beckoning-blood).

For a free short story, introducing the heroes of Beckoning Blood, head to Daniel de Lorne’s website (http://www.danieldelorne.com/the-boys).

Facebook: www.facebook.com/danieldelorne

Twitter: www.twitter.com/danieldelorne

Google+: http://plus.google.com/+DanieldeLorne

I can’t wait to read this Daniel. Best of luck and thank you for appearing on the blog.