Anthology author interview

This month’s great author interview is one of the anthology authors from Men for Hire 2. Over to you, Dylan

My name is Dylan Damian McEwan, I’m fifty years old and live in the north of England. I love reading, writing, drawing, hiking, conservation work, philosophy, archaeology, natural history, meditation, watching anime, reading manga, and spending time with the family (still have a son and daughter at home).

Your Writing

The ‘Men for Hire 2’ anthology has a specific theme. That of a firm in London run by Jennifer Archer offering ‘men for hire’ to do any job from dog walking, house sitting, DIY, chauffeuring, etc…. How did you find this theme easy (or hard) to work with?

I really enjoyed writing my short story for Men for Hire. It was helpful to have a specific theme to focus on and I enjoyed the London setting as I know London so well.

This is Luminosity’s second anthology following the success of Men for Hire 1. Have you had any short stories accepted in an anthology before and tell us the title of your story in the Men for Hire 2 anthology.

My short story in Men for Hire 2 is Wyndersham Heights. It’s only the second short story I’ve written, I’ve previously only written novellas and short novels. My first published short story was Lynsey in the Downpour anthology published by Supposed Crimes last year. Luminosity is publishing my third short story, One Last Christmas, in May this year.

(congrats on new Luminosity story – can’t wait to read! JD)

‘Men for Hire 2’ is contemporary MM/MMM stories. What other genres do you normally write or are you solely an MM writer?

I also write FF and some FM and MMF but mostly MM/MMM. I also write non-erotica fantasy and sci-fi.

The stories in the anthology are all between 8-12,000 words. What is good (or hard) about writing a short story?

I’m used to writing around 30-50,000 words so such a short word count was difficult for me at first.  It was a steep learning curve, it’s a whole different ball park when you have to get across all you need to in so few words.

(too true! JD)

Tell us about the characters in your story (eg, a short paragraph describing them like Matt is 30 and he works as a plumber. He has dark hair, piercing blue eyes and is SOOO sexy).

Ethan is the foreman of a small construction crew. He’s 31, with wavy shoulder-length flaxen hair and piercing azure eyes. He’s laid-back with a flirtatious and slightly kinky nature and the (not totally undeserved) reputation of being a player.

Jason is 26 with hair the color of horse chestnuts and eyes the color of cinnamon. He’s cute, coy, boyish and far less worldly-wise than Ethan.

Blurb for Wyndersham Heights:

When Jason inherits Wyndersham Heights, he has no idea how much it will change his life. He uses Men for Hire to employ a work crew to renovate the derelict mansion and can't help falling quickly for the charms of ruggedly handsome hunky foreman Ethan. Ethan is older, wiser, more worldly, and introduces the boyish Jason to his first taste of BDSM. But Jason's troubled background threatens their budding relationship. What is the secret of Wyndersham Heights and will Ethan be able to help Jason let go of the past and embrace the possibility of a future with him? A steamy gay romance.

About You

Although Luminosity Publishing is based in the UK, we have had authors from several different countries in the two anthologies. Which country are you from (and name of county/state). Did you grow up there?

I’m presently living in Lancashire in the North of England. I was raised world-wide – I’d toured the globe before I was 12. I’ve lived in Hong Kong, South Africa, Calcutta, Australia, Athens and Scotland, amongst other places. There isn’t really one place I can pick out as my home town though most of my earliest childhood memories are of Athens and Melbourne. I’m officially an Australian, of Scots-Greek heritage.

(wow! I’m impressed. JD)

When was your first book published and with whom?

My first book was published by The Olympia Press in 2000

Give one thing about yourself that you would like to change?

I would change the fact that I’m not George Clooney or Leonardo Di Caprio! Seriously though, I wish I had more self-discipline and less of a temper, too, I’d change that if I could.

Name three people you would like to be shipwrecked with (and why)?

My partner Lynsey because he’s my soul mate. I can’t choose just two of my four off-spring so instead I’ll choose Meatloaf and Stephen Fry – I’ll be sure, then, of good music and witty, intelligent conversation.

What’s the strangest (bravest, funniest etc) thing you’ve ever done?

I’m rather eccentric (or just plain loony) so it’s hard to narrow it down. I’ll give you some of the highlights. I’ve slept in a 5000 year old rock tomb.  I’ve spent the night in a crop circle. I lived in an Iron Age round hut for a year. I sometimes do my supermarket shopping dressed as Baldrick from Black Adder. I once had a job where my official job title was Time Travel Guide.

(haha! I love it! JD)

Please give links of how fans can find you on the internet/buy your books.

My website address is: http://nazmcewan.wix.com/erotic-author

My twitter ID is: @DylanMcEwan65

Thank you, Dylan, for a great interview. Watch out for more interviews with the other anthology authors, Tatum Throne, Bella Settarra and Helen J Perry.