Welcome to the blog, M.A. Church. Congratulations on you new release, Enemy Hands! *happy wiggles* I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy. Thank you for answering some questions for us!
How much research do you do?
Oh Lord, a lot. And that’s not as easy as it sounds, especially when you’re writing about things that don’t exist or haven’t been invented. If I’m doing shifters, then I read all I can about the type of animal I’m focusing on. I look at their habitats, mating habits, and diets, just to name a few.
If I’m writing about a Jaguar, then I try to keep my shifter in animal form as close as possible to a real animal. Sometimes I’m writing about an alien creature I created, and that can be both harder and easier. As with anything else you create, it has to make sense, even if it doesn’t exist.
Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?
I have, yes. Unfortunately, that first time didn’t go well, but I have talked to a couple of other authors about possibly co-authoring with them. I learned a lot from that first time, and I won’t make the same mistakes. Those authors also do a lot of science fiction and paranormal and are popular. I have high hopes eventually this will happen. Of course, it’ll be after I meet the deadlines I’ve promised to my publisher, LOL.
What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?
I was surfing the net looking for free short stories to read and ran across this site called Literotica There was this section called Gay Male. I was like… OMG, how have I missed all this? And boy, did I read every single story there! There were some very good ones, and some very, very bad ones, lol.
After reading for half a year, I decided to try my hand at writing a story. Later, I wrote A Tah’Narian Christmas and entered it in a contest at Literotica. It won first place. That success prompted me to try my hand at publishing. Not long after that, Dreamspinner contracted Priceless. That was in 2012.
Do you write full-time or part-time?
This is full-time for me. I treat writing just like any other job I’ve had through the years.
Do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when?
I try to, but it doesn’t always work out. Some things just can’t be ignored—like grocery shopping, lol. Other things come up too, plus my daughter moved back home, so we do things together. Then, of course, if there’s a football game on, I’m in front of the TV. But even if I have other things planned, I do try to spend a couple of hours writing most days.
AUTHOR: M.A. Church
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
COVER ARTIST: Anne Cain
LENGTH: 73006 words / 214 Pages
RELEASE DATE: December 30, 2016
BLURB: Two very different civilizations—one bathed in bright sunlight and the other veiled in shadow. Bad decisions, declining resources, and a king on the brink of madness force Prince Varo Kutchif, third son of the royal family and a starship captain, to attempt the impossible: barter for Black Phospolrock, an energy source the mysterious Helkan Kingdom has in abundance. Varo opens a line of communication with Adlar, an intriguing Helkan who seems to reciprocate Varo’s interest. He hopes so, because if negotiations collapse, Varo has orders to attack.
The Helkans preside over a planet shrouded in perpetual darkness. Several species have tried to exploit its natural resources through trade with them, but all have failed. Adlar Mondur is the older brother to the Helkan ruler. An assassin of the highest order, he’ll do anything to protect his king and his people—including tracking down the Yesri prince who crash-lands on their planet, leaving an ugly scar across its untouched beauty.
Thus begins a journey where two men from disparate civilizations grow from enemies to lovers.
A low moan came from Varo.
“Come on, then, open your eyes.” Adlar lowered Varo to the ground.
Varo’s eyes twitched, then he slowly blinked them open. “Who… who…?”
Adlar saw the confusion. His grin was as sharp as a knife’s blade as he stared into brown eyes—big, beautifully rich brown eyes. There was no doubt now this was the same Yesri he’d spoken with earlier during negotiations. By some odd twist in genetics, the males of the ruling Yesri family had brown eyes. They were the only ones. All other Yesris either had green or blue eyes.
Adlar waited until Varo focused on him. “Greetings, Prince Varo Kutchif of Yesri.”
“Wh-what? Why am I lying down? You’re using the Universal Language Standard to speak to me, right? You sound funny. Or is it me? And how… how do you know my…. You look like…. Who are you?”
“I’m Adlar Mondur, leader of the D’noir and older brother to King Omori, ruler of Helkan.”
“Helkan? But… how’d I get here?” Varo sat up.
Adlar grasped Varo’s chin. “My dear princeling, you crash-landed on my planet, remember?”
“I… I… yes?” Varo clenched his eyes shut and then opened them again. “Yes, that’s right. I had to make…. Oh goddess! You! I remember you.”
“Excellent. I claim you as my prisoner.”
“P-p-prisoner?” Varo stuttered.
He watched as the confusion cleared and… was that fear in those eyes? How delightful. “I’m sure you know my people do not release our prisoners.”
Adlar smiled at Varo, letting his fangs show. He’d prepared himself for many reactions; he wasn’t ready for Varo to headbutt him. The force of the blow rocked him backward, breaking his grip on Varo.
“Oh frack!” Adlar yelled as he sprawled on the ground. Pain exploded in his face, spreading quickly.
Varo was on his feet and running.
From off to the side, he heard a rolling chuff. He lifted his hand and gently touched the tender, swollen area. He bet a bruise was already forming. He glared at Dar. “Too busy laughing at me to help, I take it?”
Dar yawned, showing off huge canines. He licked his lips, his whiskers twitching as he stared in the direction Varo fled. Then he laid his head between his paws.
Well, he had his answer. “Fine!” Snarling, Adlar launched to his feet and stumbled slightly as he followed Varo. Maybe his head wasn’t as hard as he thought.
Even with the pounding in his ears, he could still hear the harsh breathing of Varo as he crashed through the jungle. And crash he did since Varo couldn’t see as well as Adlar could. Adlar needed to end this before Varo broke a leg or something.
“Stop!” Adlar yelled. Then a new thought hit him. “All this noise will draw predators straight to you!”
Receiving no answer, he dug deep, pushing his body to move faster. That was his prey, and when he caught Varo, he was going to…. A sudden flash of purple streaked past him. Oh, so now the temperamental batar decided to help?
Adlar growled as Dar’s long strides ate up the ground as he closed in on Varo… then flew past him. He didn’t bother to question why Dar bypassed Varo—the irritating feline must have a reason.
A low moan came from Varo.
“Come on, then, open your eyes.” Adlar lowered Varo to the ground.
Varo’s eyes twitched, then he slowly blinked them open. “Who… who…?”
Adlar saw the confusion. His grin was as sharp as a knife’s blade as he stared into brown eyes—big, beautifully rich brown eyes. There was no doubt now this was the same Yesri he’d spoken with earlier during negotiations. By some odd twist in genetics, the males of the ruling Yesri family had brown eyes. They were the only ones. All other Yesris either had green or blue eyes.
Adlar waited until Varo focused on him. “Greetings, Prince Varo Kutchif of Yesri.”
“Wh-what? Why am I lying down? You’re using the Universal Language Standard to speak to me, right? You sound funny. Or is it me? And how… how do you know my…. You look like…. Who are you?”
“I’m Adlar Mondur, leader of the D’noir and older brother to King Omori, ruler of Helkan.”
“Helkan? But… how’d I get here?” Varo sat up.
Adlar grasped Varo’s chin. “My dear princeling, you crash-landed on my planet, remember?”
“I… I… yes?” Varo clenched his eyes shut and then opened them again. “Yes, that’s right. I had to make…. Oh goddess! You! I remember you.”
“Excellent. I claim you as my prisoner.”
“P-p-prisoner?” Varo stuttered.
He watched as the confusion cleared and… was that fear in those eyes? How delightful. “I’m sure you know my people do not release our prisoners.”
Adlar smiled at Varo, letting his fangs show. He’d prepared himself for many reactions; he wasn’t ready for Varo to headbutt him. The force of the blow rocked him backward, breaking his grip on Varo.
“Oh frack!” Adlar yelled as he sprawled on the ground. Pain exploded in his face, spreading quickly.
Varo was on his feet and running.
From off to the side, he heard a rolling chuff. He lifted his hand and gently touched the tender, swollen area. He bet a bruise was already forming. He glared at Dar. “Too busy laughing at me to help, I take it?”
Dar yawned, showing off huge canines. He licked his lips, his whiskers twitching as he stared in the direction Varo fled. Then he laid his head between his paws.
Well, he had his answer. “Fine!” Snarling, Adlar launched to his feet and stumbled slightly as he followed Varo. Maybe his head wasn’t as hard as he thought.
Even with the pounding in his ears, he could still hear the harsh breathing of Varo as he crashed through the jungle. And crash he did since Varo couldn’t see as well as Adlar could. Adlar needed to end this before Varo broke a leg or something.
“Stop!” Adlar yelled. Then a new thought hit him. “All this noise will draw predators straight to you!”
Receiving no answer, he dug deep, pushing his body to move faster. That was his prey, and when he caught Varo, he was going to…. A sudden flash of purple streaked past him. Oh, so now the temperamental batar decided to help?
Adlar growled as Dar’s long strides ate up the ground as he closed in on Varo… then flew past him. He didn’t bother to question why Dar bypassed Varo—the irritating feline must have a reason.
When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.
She is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
You can also email the author at - nomoretears00@hotmail.com
Winner’s Prize: $5 Amazon GC.
Thank you for stopping by and reading!!
Have it on my wish list. Please don't enter my name in the raffle as I live in Canada and cannot use the gift card.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting the excerpt. Looking forward to reading it.