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Did
you choose your genre or did it choose you?
In a way – it
chose me! I’m a new author and have several forthcoming releases due between
now and November in the Science Fiction/Fantasy, Paranormal Thriller genres.
However, I’m the rare kinda guy who actually pays attention.
I’ve noticed
that erotica is a very popular genre. It has a huge following and – despite
what people might think – it’s very difficult to write well. As some of my
paranormal projects touch on sexual topics, I thought I’d better learn this
side of my craft thoroughly. I dipped my toe into erotica with “Fairy Tail”. It
seemed to create the right impression, so I decided to develop this side of
myself further under my pen name – Alexander West – and use what I learn to
enhance my overall standard to a much more desirable level.
Its
five o’clock somewhere…Let’s have a drink! What cocktail best describes you and
why?
I think I’d have
to choose a Vodka Martini.
Why? Let’s just
say – I’ve had a colourful past. I’ve done things that “normal people” only
ever see or experience in films or books. I’ll give you a clue. I was in a very
special branch of the military that saw me travelling to all sorts of exotic
places of the world to say “hello” to those who would dare to threaten our
peaceful and secure way of life. Then I was a police officer for a number of
years in Crime Intelligence. Those experiences moulded both my way of life and
thinking into a very realistic
outlook. You’ve got to grab life while you can and enjoy it...Enough said! J
Do
you have one of those pesky day jobs, or are you a full-time writer? If you do
have another career what do you do and do you enjoy it?
Although I retired
early, I’m currently working briefly as a security officer at an exclusive
holiday centre. It’s providing some very entertaining
distractions that I intend to incorporate into my next erotic story based on
the island. The “goings-on” are something you wouldn’t believe, (or perhaps you
might?), and I’m looking forward to fictionalizing them...watch this space! Ha
ha.
From next year –
I hope to be a full time writer.
I’ve
been asked, as has my husband, if we do “all that stuff in my stories.” Do you
get asked this and if so how do you handle it?
Yes – I’ve been
asked that.
How can I answer
this...simply? I’m a firm believer in the adage “write about what you know”. I
firmly believe that, if you write about aspects that touch on what you’ve
experienced...well, it reflects in your writing. As I said, I’ve had a
colourful past. I endeavour to include an element of real life experience in all my stories...ALL of them! Including the erotic ones! J
Do
your friends, family, and neighbors know what you write and what is their
reaction?
Yes, everyone
knows!
My friends know
I’ve got a broad sense of humor, but they were surprised I’d actually written
something like this at first! Then they read my 1st attempt at
adding some spice to their lives and everyone wanted a copy! Now they can’t
wait to read A Fresh Start, or for the follow up to Fairy Tail to come out.
My family are
really supportive, especially my young adult children! They’re in their early
twenties and proudly thrust examples of my work under their friends’ noses!
“Buy my Dad’s book!” It’s quite funny really. Sometimes, they’ll have visitors
round and they look at me as if I’m one of the coolest dad’s on the planet!
(It’s great)...
Believe it or
not, my wife doesn’t read my work. But then again, she doesn’t have to, eh? J
My neighbours?
Let’s just say they’re discreetly shocked.
Wine or beer? ...
Neither. Vodka! Yee-ha!
Satin or cotton?
... Living as I do in a hot country – cotton.
Fries or tots?...
I love fries. (sigh)
Cake or pie? ...
Cheesecake! The more the better!
Steak or
burgers? ... Steak, served on a bed (without lettuce) with someone hot and saucy.
Candle light or
pitch dark? ... Definitely Candle Light.
I’m an
ex-military, ex-cop, adrenaline junkie forced into an early straightjacket
because I was injured on duty by a particularly vicious and cutting remark! I’m
permanently stuck on ‘fast forward’ and focus my ‘out of this world’
imagination into the here and now.
But seriously…I
was born in the city of Birmingham, in the UK, and grew up in the towns of
Bearwood and Edgbaston. I loved competition and was an active sportsperson for my
school/college and a variety of rugby, martial art, swimming and athletics
teams throughout the city.
On graduation I
enlisted in the Royal Marines and served in a number of roles both in the UK
and abroad, before joining the Devon & Cornwall Police in 1985, serving as
an officer in a variety of uniformed and plain clothed departments until my early
retirement in 2008.
Over those
years, I wrote and illustrated a selection of private books for my children,
gained further qualifications in Law and Religious Studies, and continued to be
an active sportsperson, providing lessons free of charge to local communities.
An unfortunate
accident received on duty meant I had to retire early from the police force,
but after moving to the sunny Greek island of Kos to speed up my recuperation,
I was at last able to free my warped and fragile mind and devote myself to
writing – something I’d always wanted to do.
Current/Upcoming
work
My first
endeavour into the spicier side of life, (published under my real name), was
“Fairy Tail”. A graphically blunt “Noir” paranormal erotic thriller, it
concentrates on the experience of a cop investigating the antics of a serial
killer who always strikes in the week coming up to Halloween. It’s brutal, sexy
and gritty and the dark humour it contains seems to appeal to many readers.
Let’s just say, when he gets an unexpected break with his enquiries, things
take an unexpected – and shocking turn...yum yum!
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
Website
Blog
My first work
for Secret Cravings – A Fresh Start – (Due for release November 2012) involves
a softer but equally spicy story set on the island where I live, involving some
real life locations!
Paul and Ann were made for each other, sharing a passion for sports and having identical views and opinions on just about every aspect of their lives. When tragedy struck, six years into their marriage, Paul was left alone, devastated and without a purpose in life.
Three years later, he eventually
attempts to make a fresh start, returning for the first time to the place his
wife used to love them to go on vacation.
Incredibly, he meets two
vivacious, liberated and sexy women from the other side of the world who change
his life in an amazing way.They help him
discover a broken heart can be mended and he does indeed find the opportunity
to make - "A Fresh Start"
Thank you so
much for having me here today Lila. It was great fun and I thoroughly enjoyed
myself.
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