Monday 11 April 2016

Anthology Author Interview


MEN FOR HIRE 2 ANTHOLOGY AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Today we have the last of the four Men for Hire 2 anthology author interviews and I am delighted to welcome Helen J Perry. Over to you…

Thanks for hosting me, Jen. I'm an almost 50-year-old woman, and I live at a seaside town on the English south coast. When I'm not reading, I like eating and daydreaming.




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?

The theme couldn't have been better for me. I lived in London for years before moving out to Kent, and I work with men in the construction industry, so I drew on real life experience. A man who really does that sort of work was able to verify the finer details of my story. Specifically, I wrote about men renovating an apartment.
(it helps enormously to draw on your own experiences, doesn’t it! JD)


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.

Four Days’ Work is the title of my story in Men for Hire. I've had a couple of other stories accepted into anthologies. One was in an obscure science fiction book that sold about two copies the other was in Who Thrilled Cock Robin, an erotica collection inspired by folk songs. Though I say it myself, it's an excellent set of sexy short stories.

My Cock Robin story also featured a bisexual man. He who was in a relationship with a gay man they were seeking a woman to join them in a threesome.
(interesting… JD)


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

Because there aren't enough hours in the day to write everything I'd like to write, I am concentrating on writing M/M romance, published under H J Perry. I've stuck with the young British construction workers theme in my latest book, Streets Apart, which is a sexy light novella.

I like science fiction and speculative fiction. Especially if it challenges ideas about gender roles, therefore, the F/M romance and erotic that I write are a little strange.




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

Writing this length of story, which takes about an hour to read, you have to focus on strong sentences and not waste words. I read fiction of all lengths. I'm currently working on short M/M romance novels of about 60,000 words.

Even when I write a short story, I have an elaborate back story for the character in my mind. In Men for Hire 2, my story is about two bisexual guys who get together. I touch on the unique prejudice that bisexual people may experience from lesbians, gay and straight people. 

There is only so much back story you can fit into a short, sexy, fun romance, so some of the blanks are left open for the reader's imagination.


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).

Both as a reader and a writer, I'm less interested in physical appearance and more interested in personality and back story. Why do the characters behave as they do.

Craig is quiet and contemplative. He has moved to London to get away from the negative experiences of a small town. He is concerned that his bisexual identify will turn off prospective future lovers.

Todd is a stunning blond with an outgoing, carefree personality. Life is for enjoying.


Blurb for ‘Four Days’ Work’:

It’s his first job for Jennifer Archer’s Men for Hire Agency. Carpenter Craig is new to London and will be working alone with a gorgeous guy who sets his pulse racing. But is Todd gay or straight? They’ve got four days renovation work together and for a sexy female client who has the hots for at least one of these men.

After an acrimonious breakup due to his bisexuality, Craig is hesitant about coming out but Todd makes all the moves when a new bed is delivered.

A humorous tale of men who aren’t afraid of getting dirty together on top of the dust sheets.


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 English, I live in Kent, and have lived in England all my life.


When was your first book published and with whom?
 
My first two books were self-published in 2015. They are speculative fiction romances set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian future. Deviant and Arrival. 


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

Only one! I wish I could take my body back to when it was fit and 30.
(haha! Don’t I know it. JD)


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

I have no practical skills so I'd need someone who could build us shelter and source edible food. Someone entertaining to while away the hours with music or stories would be good.

James Cameron is someone I admire. As a film director, he created Terminator, The Abyss and Avatar so I think we'd have lots to talk about, I suspect he's big on day dreaming. He also owns (or owned?) a vegan farm and he's an expert in deep sea diving. So he just might have useful knowledge and skills.

I loved the Percy Jackson series of kid's books so it would be great to spend time with the author Rick Riordan and see if some of his magic could rub off on me. And just maybe our fellow castaway, James could be tempted to make those books into amazing films.

As a group, I'm sure we'll talk through changing the world so my third choice would be one of the many great politicians. I'm most tempted to say, Diane Abbott, who was a fabulous local member of Parliament when I lived in London and the first black woman MP.
(great selection! JD)


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

Strange and funny. I performed stand up comedy at the Edinburg Fringe Festival.
(wow! I’m impressed. JD)


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

My blog:

On Facebook:

My amazon author page:



Thank you so much, Helen. It’s been great having the four anthology authors with me over the last few weeks.

1 comment:

  1. Great post! I love Helen's wit - I wish I'd seen her stand-up routine!!!!

    ReplyDelete