Interview with Mychael Black

Today I am interviewing a very special friend of mine, author Mychael Black. We are doing it live via Yahoo Messenger and I have Mychael’s websites and blogs here for all you readers to contact Mychael if you like after you have read the interview.

Welcome to my interview with Mychael Black. Hi, Mychael, how are you today? I was given your new release Kitten 2 prior to this interview so I wanted to chat a bit about that today.

Not bad. Just doing the usual dance with the deadlines. *grins*

Now this is a sequel, I know, and I was not lucky enough to read the first, but I have found that Kitten 2 is so well written it is a stand alone good enough to fill me in and hopefully everyone else who might not have read the first.

Thanks. Yes, it’s the sequel to our best-selling Kitten. Delves more into Shaun’s past and introduces a new secondary romance as well.

Now this is not only written by yourself but your writing partner Shayne Carmichael. How is it working with a partner on a story? Can you tell me what the writing process was like for this story? Do you write together or maybe switch off chapters since, as you say, there is a secondary romance? Did you write one and Shayne the other or all of it together?

It’s wonderful! Chemistry is key, and Shayne and I have that in spades. When we first started writing together, we just knew we had something serious happening. It sort of snowballed from there and it’s been an awesome ride. We write in a roleplaying style. We each have a character (or characters), and we basically RP back and forth via Yahoo IM. In Kitten 2, I wrote Ashley and Élan. Shayne had Shaun and Cain. Any other characters, we share.

Oh very nice and can you tell our readers a bit about the book for us and the roles they all play in it?

Sure! In this world, shapeshifters are seen as property and nothing more–literally, pets. Ashley is the exception to most humans in that he does not treat Shaun like a pet, but like the beloved partner he is. Shaun is kidnapped, however, and whisked away to another continent and finds out about a life he never knew he had. Ashley literally crosses entire continents to find him.

Élan is a were lord–ruler of a land where weres are the nobility and humans are the peasants, so to speak. Cain is the son of a noble who once served Shaun’s family. When the Wars destroyed many were houses, Cain went to live in Élan’s, and they become lovers as time goes on.

Now I have a quick question. Is there anything in the works for a trilogy?

Yes, there will be a Kitten 3. It’s on the backburner, but the story is there. Kitten 3 will delve into Shaun’s coming-of-age in his new position. Not all were houses are happy about it, though, and a war is brewing.

That sounds great. How did the concept of this story, Kitten, come to you by the way? What idea or influence maybe was there for you to bring it to life?

The initial idea for Kitten (which was intended to be one book) came about through our conversations about wanting something that focused heavily on the romance and less on the sex. We wanted to build the relationship and trust over time, and somehow, Shaun (as a were) popped up. Ashley quickly followed, and the rest just sort of fell into place. *laughs*

I have another question for you that some readers who have not read about Kitten yet might not know. This is mainly M/M romance, though true, you have relied heavily on the relationships and not the sex, which is well done. But is this world a place where M/M is as commonplace as M/F since in the case of Shaun, his parents were together and married? Does this world show both types of relationships as commonplace as mates, be it as M/M or M/F?

Yes, Shaun’s parents (his TRUE parents) were mates and loved each other dearly.

At least I think that’s what you asked…*laughs* Yes, couples are M/M or M/F, maybe even F/F, although we haven’t gone there. We go wherever it goes *laughing* I’m even contemplating a M/M/F story at some point.

So tell me what genres you usually write and prefer above others. Also, is there a genre you have not tried yet that you may want to in the future?

My primary love in terms of genre is fantasy–always has been, always will be. I’ve written a little bit of everything, though. Paranormal is a close second, then urban fantasy, historical, the list goes on. As for one I haven’t done that I want to do… Well, I have a couple horror stories out with Torquere, and I’m working on a third. So I’d have to say that, even though it’s not one I haven’t tried, I’d like to write more in it. I also plan, at some point, to try my hand at M/M/F and I’ve got the woman already–just need the guys. *laughs*

Now tell me what do you have going on your plate right now. Any new releases, book signings, conventions, chats, or anything of interest for our readers?

Oh, Lord. The better question would be: What do I NOT have going on? Let’s see… …gathering notes…*laughs*

Chats: I host the Torquere Social LiveJournal every Tuesday, so I’ve always got that going on. Every other Thursday, I have the Slash & Burn blog. I also have a day on the CTR Exotic group on April 1st.

New Releases: Tons. March 19th, I have a Taste Test coming from Torquere with a medical kink theme. April 1st, Shayne and I have Realms of Fantasy due out–our angel/demon anthology from Samhain. April 16th, I have a story coming out in the Nipple Clamps Toy Box from Torquere. May is the release of a new Chaser series, still set in the Hearth & Home world, but with Jack and Ty. That’s from Torquere, too. July is the release of the sequel to The Prince’s Angel, from Torquere. It will be out in E-book, but also in print, along with The Prince’s Angel in print. And our novel, Magic & the Pagan, comes out in print in July from Samhain. Lord have mercy. *laughing*

OK, now I have a fun question to ask. If you could trade lives or switch bodies with anyone for 24 hours–be it a character in your book or a real person–who would it be and why?

*grins* Johnny Depp’s wife. Why? Because she goes to bed with HIM! Granted, there wouldn’t be any sleeping…

OH yeah. Well, that would definitely perk up most anyone in the world to be able to go to bed and sleep with Johnny Depp. *grins* Now is there anything I have not touched on that you want our readers to know about you or what is going on in your life?

One quick note: be on the lookout for an announcement within the next few months about a BIG contest. Shayne and I have our 3-year writing anniversary in August and I’m currently working out the details, but the grand prize includes FIVE signed paperbacks for one lucky winner. Plus a few things for 3 runners-up. *winks* I love running contests and can’t wait to get this one out there.

That will be fantastic and I know I enjoyed our time together here today. It was fantastic and a lot of fun. Now I hope your readers will enjoy this time with you, too, once they get to read this. Thank you so much, Mychael, for chatting with me here live via Yahoo IM, by the way. And we will be looking for all your new releases and also for that wonderful contest you are sponsoring.

Thanks! I had a great time. *smiles*

So I will let you get back to all that writing and work ahead of you and wish you a wonderful night, Mychael. Thanks again.

Thanks, Lainey!