Lainey: HELLO WILL, I am glad to introduce our featured author for our live Coffee Time Romance here on Yahoo. I have Will Belegon with us today and he will be giving us the scoop on his newest works.
Will Belegon: Hi Elaine, how are things?
Lainey: Doing ok here even if it is an unexpected rainy weekend in Southern California *grins*
Will Belegon: I’m In So Cal too, but a we never really got any moisture this weekend..
Lainey: Lucky you, want to trade since it is STILL raining here?
Will Belegon: That’s alright, you can keep it…there’s a reason I don’t live in Seattle *grin*
Lainey: Well we can begin here if you like by telling our readers a little bit about yourself and how you got into writing and in fact becoming an author. Since in your case I know there is a bit of a difference.
Will Belegon: Well, I’ve always been a storyteller…but not necessarily a Professional writer. I did look into sports writing and journalism once, even going so far as to apply to New Mexico State’s Journalism school in my senior year of high school…but it wasn’t until around 2003 that I started writing fiction. At least, writing it down on paper. I always like to spin a tale though. * I always DID*
Lainey: And now you are spinning tales for all of us to read and enjoy!
Will Belegon: Well, I hope people enjoy them anyway…
Lainey: Why don’t you tell us about your latest works and maybe a little background on them?
Will Belegon: My two latest things are both coming out this spring from Phaze. The first is part of a compilation called ArtiFactual. It compiles three previous stories set in or around an adult toy shop in Philadelphia. The owner of the shop and her life partner are the main protagonists. In addition, there is a brand new novella which is our longest and most ambitious to date (Our, because the Erotique stories are written with Ms. Alessia Brio.) Mandy (the owner) and Bruce have been to South America and have encountered Magic at home, but this time things are getting more personal. In prior stories, they have faced physical danger but nothing that ever threatened their relationship and how they felt about each other. In Closing Arguments, things are much more emotionally dangerous. My second work of the spring will be part of an anthology from Phaze called Phaze Fantasies 2. It features Stella Price, Petula Cesar and Leigh Ellwood as well as a solo tale from me. That one is tentatively titled Mixed Blessings, with a “tagline” of … “His Dream Came True….Right After His Dream Came True.” It explores what happens when a man who thought that he had given up on love finds out that love has not given up on him. I actually am just finishing that piece. I wrote the epilogue Friday night.
Lainey: That sounds like a great story. I want to just let our readers know we referenced your new book coming out with Alessia Brio titled ArtiFactual: Tales of the Erotique Mystique which is centered on the Erotique you just mentioned.
Will Belegon: Yes…Erotique was the title of the first story, which was Alessia writing solo then Switch and Amichu were co-written ad now Closing Arguments.
Lainey: Congratulations on it winning the Pre-Editors & Editors Poll though I am not suprised. I loved Switch as you know *laughs*
Will Belegon: Thank you…it was a very intriguing piece to write.
Lainey: Storming here but no Lightning and my other is away *grins* and if anyone wants to understand they can read the book.
Will Belegon: Ahh…but do you have the other piece of the puzzle handy? Sorry…inner flirt coming out.
Lainey: I specifically left that artifact out but you may now mention it if you like. In fact maybe you can say why artifacts are the basis of Erotique.
Will Belegon: The theme that switch was written for was centered around electricity. The title refers to something that happens when an electrical storm interacts with the natural “magic” that seems to surround the Long family. ( Amanda Long is Mandy.) Erotique is a toy shop in the most adult of ways. And Bruce and Mandy are “testing” a set of electric nipple clamps when the magic, the toy, the storm and another factor create the title event. Erotique’s magic is all centered around the way that sexual energy impacts our world. And how that magic can leave a very lasting imprint indeed.
Lainey: I guess we should tell our readers what genre you actually now write since this has a most adult theme *grins*
Will Belegon: I write Erotic Romance. I do lean heavily on the erotica side, and I certainly have no fear of exploring that, but romance is a key component as well. I find that while sex is powerful, love is far more so…
Lainey: I also know you said the story is just as key in your writing.
Will Belegon: Absolutely…fit tab A into slot B isn’t a story…it’s instructions. Why, other than lust, do they want to fit tab into slot? What are the obstacles? How will it impact the characters lives? Those are the fun questions to answer. And none of us live in a vacuum. So life outside of sex is an integral part of my storytelling.
Lainey: A slice of life in your writing with everyday things included so to speak make it believable and much more enjoyable.
Will Belegon: Much more enjoyable! And if the other things the protagonists are involved in are interesting, even better. Amichu involves Bruce and Mandy going to Easter Island to retrieve an artifact, for example.
Lainey: So sort of adventure and romance with an erotic twist to it would you say?
Will Belegon: Yes, very Indiana Jones. No whips though. At least….not yet.
Lainey: *laughs*
Will Belegon: Seriously, I know so much more about Easter Island and Incan royalty now. Amichu involved a lot of research, 90% of which never saw the pages of the narrative.
Lainey: So a lot of research also goes into your time then too?
Will Belegon: Yes. I like to keep my reader in the world. If I am writing a western and I write about a Colt pistol. I tell you the year is 1869 and then I reference a kind of gun that came out in 1889 and you happen to know it? I’ve lost you. I don’t want to lose readers that way.
Lainey: That makes a lot of sense and speaking of readers… I know you are scheduled to go to the Romantic Times Convention this year and MEET your readers in person *grins*
Will Belegon: Yes. Big gut check time for me. I have only made a couple of public appearances. And both were very unlikely to see me meeting anyone that I might run into at home. But RT is apparently THE convention. So, who knows? My privacy is a key concern because of the nature of our current political and moral atmosphere.
Lainey: Now might be the time to also mention writing and using a nom de plume or pen name. Many authors write under one or more names to keep their genres separate.
Will Belegon: My day job is in a very conservative industry. Plus, I’m a father and active in youth sports. In today’s climate, that’s dangerous. My sports writing is under my real name and I make no attempt to hide it. The CEO of my company has read baseball and football articles I’ve written and commented on them.
But my more erotic work would never fly there. I’ve even done radio interviews centered around my sports writing. But can you imagine this: A very conservatively minded little league parent hears her son’s coach on the radio discussing erotica…and she doesn’t like him, because he doesn’t let her kid pitch or something.
What do you think she is going to do? She is going to tell the other parents…talk to her pastor…talk to the board of directors of the little league. I’ve seen it happen with other things
Lainey: That is also another reason to use a pen name, to keep your lives separate and private and safe.
Will Belegon: Exactly. Writing about adult subjects has nothing to do with a ten year olds batting average. Nor should it. So, I use a pen name and I keep my face off the internet. When I’m asked for a picture of the author, I use a nonfacial picture at the urging of a couple of my mentors, it’s usually of the same subject…*blush*
Lainey: Let me mention that book covers are done that way also with a more body type shot and will add WITH clothes on *laughs* but then again that is now your SIGNATURE type pic so why not. It actually makes more sense with the writing you do.
Will Belegon: yes, clothed…actually, the “Signature” is jeans…I became identified with a couple of pictures of blue jeans early on when I was writing only at Literotica.com, they were my “avatars” and they were often requested. Plus, my male characters have a fondness for wearing 501’s…and without anything else that is, I admit, the author projecting on to the character.
Lainey: I should add that anyone mentioning 501’s knows EXACTLY what that means *smiles*
Will Belegon: Well, zippers are dangerous. And not just in Ben Stiller movies. And the “Pop, pop, pop, pop” is a great ‘sound effect’ for erotica…Ladies who have dated a man who wears 501’s will know what sound that is *grin*
Lainey: I daresay everyone can “imagine” that one.
Will Belegon: Book covers sometime buy into something I believe also…that you should let the reader fill in the detail. Alfred Hitchcock knew it too…I rarely get too descriptive with my characters for that reason.
Besides, the biggest early warning sign of bad erotic writing is a reference to a D cup above a 20″ waist or a mention of anything between 10″ and 15″. Those people rarely exist outside of surgery.
Lainey: Keep it real then you are saying and let our imaginations sometimes fill in those blanks?
Will Belegon: Yes. Let the readers project their desires. It’s then easier for them to imagine themselves in the scene. Also, I don’t like doing a laundry list of measurements. I’ll mention hair and eye color. A favorite color…maybe a body style. Athletic, or lean or voluptuous…at most. I can’t always do that….but I do try.
Lainey: That makes sense and I know I enjoy a more imaginative or rather interactive type story where you fill in those details, makes it more fun *grins* Hmm the less is more story works.
Will Belegon: Sometimes it is simply not possible. If you are writing a story about a Chinese immigrant, you can’t describe her with red hair…but whenever possible, I leave out the mirror scenes and measurements. To get back to RT…I’m nervous about the implications of seeing a client there or something. But I also am really, really looking forward to meeting my readers. Most of my fellow authors that I have been lucky enough to meet started as people who read my stories while I was reading theirs. And I have drawn a lot of enthusiasm and inspiration for them. Not only their work, but the appreciation for mine. Writing is a solitary craft, even collaborative writing and I don’t get to see the people that buy my work enjoying it. It’s not like being an actor, who gets applause at the end of a performance. So I am really hoping to meet some people who have read and enjoyed my work and will tell me why.
Lainey: Is there anything else you would like to talk about or cover that we have not already discussed?
Will Belegon: Alessia and I have another set of characters that garnered good reviews and decent sales. They had a home at Venus Press, but they are moving to Phaze this spring. Kevin & Cyndi are a couple in their thirties who star in Artistically Inclined and it’s forthcoming sequel, Bound For Success. I’m proud of our success with them because they don’t fit a lot of the stereotypes. They aren’t too young, they aren’t exotic. There entire story takes place in Pittsburgh, not your most exotic locale but the dynamic between the two of them is refreshing and wonderful. I’m forty-one, and I don’t always want to write about twenty year olds. (or two thousand year olds *grin*) I’m enjoying writing about a man and woman who are learning form the mistakes of divorce and such. I’m hopeful that they will find some new readers as a result of the move.
Lainey:: OK now to finish up here with you will you tell us what you are doing that is special for RT this year as a giveaway *snickers*
Will Belegon: Oh yes. I made a joke with a writing friend a little while ago and it’s turned into an actual promotion. She was joking about my jeans and how I should give away a pair as a contest prize and then it boiled down into, “I’d be happy with just the back pocket.” Anyway, I kept hearing that people like the idea. So I took a pair of my jeans and cut them into bookmark sized swaths. I’ll be signing them at RT, and they are not from the thrift store. They are my jeans. The back pockets are taken though. Gwen Masters has one and Alessia Brio the other *blush* If the idea continues to have legs *wink* I might have to cut up another pair. Honestly, the idea embarrasses me a little bit. But it will give me a brand identifier and everyone I’ve given one to so far has loved the concept. that list is still in single digits though.
Lainey: Well I can say Will you will definitely be making a splash with our readers at RT and for when your books come out soon at Phaze.
Will Belegon: I hope so. I’ve enjoyed this whole ride so far, and I would like for it to continue.
Lainey: I want to thank you so much for talking to me this afternoon and taking the time too enlighten our readers on your unique twist on erotica aka the adventurous parts *grins* and your research.
Will Belegon: Thank YOU. I’ve had fun.
Lainey: I am so glad it was a very enjoyable time for me, and definitely do not be a stranger, come into our Coffee Time Romance site and chat or post on our forum.
Will Belegon: I actually would love it…I really am a bit of a feedback slut. I love hearing peoples reactions.
- Web site URL: www.artistically-inclined.com is Alessia and I together
- Blog URL: http://willbelegon.blogspot.com
- Email for Readers: willbelegon@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/willbelegon/ (all those infamous av pictures are in the photos section there)
Lainey: I am sure this way our readers can get back to you immediately for FEEDBACK as you say you love that stuff *chuckles* Do you have a myspace too or no?
Will Belegon: yes, I have a myspace as well
Lainey: Alright Will I will now let you get back to the family and thanks again so much. I am sure our readers will be interested and you may end up with a few more at RT than you thought that want those bookmarks.
Will Belegon: Thanks, Elaine! I’ll talk to you soon! Bye.
Lainey: You are welcome and thanks again, bye.
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