Today we've a special treat. Author of Comfort and Joy, Charley Descoteaux is visiting with her awesome sense of humor and wit.
Where were you born?Berkeley, California, and lived all over the Bay Area while growing up.
What book do you remember from childhood?
That’s a hard
one! I started volunteering in libraries
in the first grade and have always loved being surrounded by books. One that stands out is a collection of fairy
tales. I always loved the idea that
magic could be real, that if you turn over a rock or turn a corner you could
find something amazing that would change your life forever.
Did education play a big part of your decision to become a
writer? What do you vividly remember about being in school?
I always loved school, but most of my education has come directly
from books. I grew up in government
subsidized housing and the schools in those neighborhoods are sub-standard at
best. If not for a few stellar teachers
I probably wouldn’t have kept reading past the second grade—to say it was frowned
upon to always have your nose in a book would be as much of an understatement
as the condition of the schools I went to.
What prompted you to begin writing romance stories and why
did you begin?
I’ve always had characters in my head telling stories, and
from the age of about 12-13 most of them were interested in falling in love
along with whatever else they happened to be doing. Not all of my stories are Romances, but those
are my favorites. Happy endings just
make me happy. It’s as simple as that. J
Are you a plotter or pantser? Or combo? What works and
what’s difficult in the world of writing?Pantser all the way!
Once I’m finished with a draft I go back and map out the character arc,
because all of my stories are character-driven.
I just about never know how a story will end until I’m past the midway
point and sometimes not until the very end.
Once the draft is done I go back to cut repetition and fill in any weak
spots. It’s a lot of work, but if I try
to plot beforehand I never finish—it’s too boring for me to know too much ahead
of time. And the best stories are the
ones that take on a life of their own while I struggle to keep up.
That said, one of my current WIPs is a paranormal with
mystery elements, so I did a little more thinking about plot while writing that
first draft. I had to think about the
mystery as an arc of its own and how I wanted that to look. As usual, the guys sprung a few surprises on
me so when I go back to edit I’ll have to do a lot of front-loading to make sure
certain things are clear enough to spare readers any WTF moments. Susan---Sounds intriguing. Can't wait!
If you could be a character in a book, who would you be?
Well, it’s a toss-up but today I’m feeling a little girly so
I’ll say Sin from the Demon’s Lexicon
series. This series by Sarah Rees
Brennan is one of my all-time favorites and I love Sin. She’s tough and
smart, and extremely loyal—fierce loyalty gets me every time. Plus, the girl can dance.
After Comfort and Joy
released, how did your life change?
It’s changed a lot and that started even before Comfort and Joy was accepted for
publication. I’ve been a working writer
for many years, but this little story was the push I needed to get out into the
sea of social media. In my genre it’s
just not practical to expect any level of success without an online presence. I’ve been active online since 1995 (anyone
but me remember BBS?), but this is a completely different deal! In a little more than six months this
introvert has learned to navigate Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and GoodReads,
and have gotten into the habit of blogging regularly. (‘Scuse me while I take a moment to bask in
that accomplishment!) I started doing
all this when I sent in my first M/M Erotic Romance submission back in
September. I’ve been a reader in this
genre for years and loved how available the authors were, how genuinely happy
they seemed to be to interact with readers and now I see why. It’s fun.
Susan---I think a round of applause....clap-clap-clap.
Besides writing, what else keeps you busy?
I’m a full-time student in an intensive program for Legal
Assistants and that keeps me busy. When
I can, in addition to reading (which I do every chance I get) I love to knit
and crochet, take long walks fueled by cool jazz in my headphones, play with my
furballs (even though they’ve never actually LOL’ed), and hang out with my
kiddo. Whenever I can do any of these
things at the beach, I’m extra-happy. Susan---You're utterly amazing.. I worked for an attorney in college. The work is not easy. I give you so much credit for taking this educational route. HIGH
Now for
the shorts:
Favorite Number: Odd or
even. Odd, 13 to be precise.
Sports Fan: Loud or Quiet
& Stands or Sofa: Loud! Usually my
recliner, but I love going to a football game too.
Ride: Hardtop or Convertible or Motorcycle or
Bicycle: Dream ride = mid-70s Bay
Area-style chopped Knuck or Shovel (Harley Davidson).
Drink: Coffee or Tea: Coffee!
I’ll take my latte sweet, with cinnamon, nutmeg and a little Dutch cocoa
sprinkled on top.
Hike: Mountain or Beach: Beach.
Pets: Dog or cat or… Cats—because
one is never enough.
Atmosphere: City or country or… Country, as long as I can be a
hermit on my own land; if I have to deal with the locals it’s definitely City.
Writing instrument: Pen or computer: These days it’s a computer; my handwriting
has degenerated so horribly I can’t even read it anymore.
Audio: iPod or CD: I have a
cheapie Sansa clip that works just fine – no iAnything for me, thanks.
Thanks so much for having me, Susan! It was a blast.
How much
love does it take to heal the wounds of hate?
Sam and
Charlie have been together over a decade, and their commitment to each other
has only grown stronger through the years. But love isn't always easy, and
eighteen months after a violent assault, their fairy-tale relationship is still
struggling. Charlie can’t shake the lingering fear of attracting more violence
by displaying affection, and he's angry at himself for not getting past it. Sam
would do anything to help Charlie feel better—if only he knew what that was.
The
century-old farmhouse in Northwest Oregon is the perfect place to spend the
holidays with Sam’s family, but it was their refuge after the attack, and it
still holds painful memories of those difficult first months. Christmas should
be a joyful time, but even being surrounded by people who love him isn’t enough
to make Charlie feel safe. He could try to keep to himself, but even if Sam
agreed to give him the space he needs, Sam’s warm and loving family might not.
And even though they agreed not to exchange gifts, Sam has a surprise up his
sleeve that he hopes will make everything merry and bright. But he may end up
more surprised than Charlie before the week is out…
-Excerpt-
Sam
continued up the stairs, considering how to go about putting Charlie’s perfect
ass on a piano bench became entangled with the unfortunate fact that as long as
they slept upstairs they would be showering separately. He gave Charlie first chance at the hot water
and then sped through his shower as fast as he could. Sam stopped just inside the bedroom door and
closed it quietly. He toweled his hair
and let his gaze linger on Charlie, lying still on top of the quilt, bare feet
on the floor, partially covered with a green towel. A slice of moonlight filtered through the
curtain on the opposite wall and across Charlie's body, which was a work of art
even when not bathed in romantic mood-lighting.
After a few moments Sam realized Charlie was also watching him.
Charlie
flipped the towel up and away from his body and Sam felt as though someone had
just grabbed him by the throat. After
barely a heartbeat’s hesitation he strode to the foot of the bed and leaned
over Charlie to kiss him. Sam’s free
hand caressed his slender chest and shoulders.
When he felt goose bumps Sam lowered himself over Charlie but kept all
his weight on both knees and one hand.
Sam
moaned softly and moved his dark hand over the fair skin on Charlie’s abs. He hadn’t regained any of the bulk he’d lost
but made up for it with dizzying definition and a solidity he hadn’t had
before.
“Vanilla
ice cream.” Sam began to kiss his way
down Charlie’s chest and felt a cool hand on his head exerting a gentle pressure,
urging him lower.
“You’re
lactose intolerant.”
Sam
looked up and grinned for a short moment, then slipped down even farther. “I’ll just have to lick you instead.”
CHARLEY'S BIO: