Author Interview & GIVEAWAY: Trusting Thomas by K. C. Wells

Thank you for coming over to the blog of Sid Love to answer some questions! It’s a great pleasure having you here ! 🙂

Well, it’s lovely to be here! Thanks for having me.

When I look at your bio I notice you started writing not too long ago but wanted to for quite some time before that. What made you take that final step?

Being so stressed in my job that I had to do something.  I’ve always been creative – I paint, sew, play the clarinet – but I haven’t been able to do those things for a while because the demands of my job were simply too much. Then when the job became so stressful that my health suffered, it was time to do something. My doctor actually said that I needed an outlet, something to focus on. So I thought about that idea for a book I’d had a year previously….

Now you’re writing full time did it change your life ? And if it did, was it all positive or were there also negative sides to that?

Oh WOW – has it changed my life.

Well, losing the EDJ certainly changed my life. My friends comment these days that I look so much happier. But as for writing full-time, I love it! It’s wonderful to spend a day on the laptop and at the ned of it, I can read it over and think, “YES! It was a good day.”

There’s only one negative that I can see. I have to be VERY self-disciplined. When I go down to my little writing room by the sea, it’s easy. There are no distractions and I just get on with writing. When I stay at home? That’s another story. It’s SOOOOOO easy to get distracted… the Internet, friends on Facebook (Yeah, Max Vos, I mean you… 🙂 ) stuff round the house, the Internet, shopping, the Internet… Yeah, you get the picture…

You self-publish some stories as well as publishing with Dreamspinner. Is there a reason why you use both?

When I submit a book to Dreamspinner, there’s a waiting time till I find out if it’s been accepted, then five-six months before it comes out. When I self-publish, once I’ve finished the book, it’s off to my beta readers. That’s usually about a week – damn, they read fast! – then off to Sue, my editor, and then I sit down and run it through the software before uploading it onto Amazon, All Romance, etc…

It’s a faster process and I get to see the results of my labor faster, too. Especially as now my writing pays the bills..

But publishing with Dreamspinner is wonderful. They take care of everything – covers, publicity…

I like having the best of both worlds.

Looking over your backlist I see an impressive list built in a short time. I see for starters the ‘Learning to Love’ series that has three books so far, all with very different personalities in them. In part one we meet freshman students Michael and Sean and we are introduced to their friend Evan, who gets his own story with Daniel in part two.

Did you know when you started the first book and introduced us to Evan that there would be a part two where he would be chasing his own happily-ever-after? Or was it something that came to you as you write Michael and Sean’s story? And then part 3 with Cris and Josh who also are introduced in an earlier book?

I was half way through Michael & Sean when I realized there would be a sequel. I mean, Evan HAD to have his Happy Ever After! But by the time I ‘d started Evan and Daniel’s book, I’d already worked out that there would be four books in the series in total.

And from my own opinion I am very much looking forward to a part 4 in this series as I really would like to find out how you will continue this and I kind of need you to make it alright (without spoiling too much). Is it coming and when?

Ahhhhh… Part 4 is on my To Do list, and will be submitted to Dreamspinner early next year, so hopefully it should be out by the summer. It’s the final year of studies for Michael, Sean, Evan, Daniel and Chris – Josh will still have Medical school, of course – and a lot happens. I cannot tell you how many people have messages / emailed me about Sean, wanting to know if he’s going to be alright.  I love that boy – would I let anything bad happen to him? Hmmm…..

But part 4, Final Exam, is a pulling together of different storylines. Evan and Daniel take time to explore another side to their marriage, one which has been emerging throughout parts 2 and 3. Josh and Chris are still a fairly new couple, and there are bumps in the road to contend with. But Michael and Sean have a tough time ahead, and they’ll only get through it with their friends and family to support them.

Continuing through your backlist, we see the ‘Island Tales’ a series you are self-publishing which has different characters in each story but centres on the Isle of Wight. Can you tell me why you decided to write this series using separate and non-related characters?

Interesting question. Just because Mark and Sam (from Waiting for a Prince) didn’t turn up in the next tale, September’s Tide, please don’t assume that’s the last you’ll see of them. In fact, they turn up in the third tale, which should be out before the end of the year. And Andy and Richard, at the Beach Shack café in Steephill Cove, turn up in both books – and will be in the third. (They’re real people, by the way. They’re waiting for the day when someone ask them “Are you the guys in the books?”) And they’re straight, before anyone asks.  🙂

I liked the idea of setting lots of different stories on the Island. I love this place. It’s beautiful, tranquil and definitely an inspiration.

I have at least three more books planned for the Island Tales series.

Coming to the ‘Collars and Cuffs’ series that has had a very successful start with “An Unlocked Heart” with the second part “Trusting Thomas “ being released tomorrow (Are you nervous?)

You take the reader into the world of BDSM with this series. Is that a genre you always wanted to explore as a writer?

I’m ALWAYS nervous when a new book comes out, even after (*counts on fingers*) eight books.

I’ll be honest. I got half way through 50 Shades of…. and gave up. And then I thought, what would a gay version look like?  I love the BDSM books by Sean Michael, Anna Martin, SJD Peterson, Patricia Logan… so it was something I wanted to try. I loved the idea of making the books primarily a love story, with added BDSM. I often get reviews that say they’re not hardcore BDSM – they were never intended to be. But when I get readers telling me that they LOVE how different the book is, or that they don’t usually read BDSM but loved An Unlocked Heart – that is huge for me.

We get introduced to Thomas in the first part as Leo‘s Business partner so it is great to see he is getting his own story in this part. Can you share something with us about the new book “Trusting Thomas”?

I loved Thomas from the start. This is a kind, patient, gentle man who trains Doms and subs alike, but has never had his own submissive. He’s content with his life, rattling around in his big house, running the club, but when a friend asks him to help him by taking on a sub, Thomas can’t say no. He isn’t prepared for such a damaged young man, however. Peter has been through a lot, and it’s going to take him a while to trust another Dom.

The book is Thomas and Peter’s journey, and I loved watching them take those all important steps to realizing that they needed each other.

What does worry me is  the reaction to the age difference. At the start of the book, Thomas is 55 and Peter is 26. When I read Slow Bloom by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox (LOVE that book!) it didn’t bother me in the least that Jack was 48 and Ricky was 19 when they started… But I know there are readers out there for whom this will be an issue. Not an insurmountable one, I hope.

You’re already well known for your special way of combining smoking hot mansex with romance. Is this something you really have to work at, or does it come naturally for you while writing?

LOL. I see my books like a film in my head. And seeing as some comments were made in my earlier books that there was too much sex, I am now always careful to rein in my men. If the sex moves the story along, then yes, okay boys, off you go, the bedroom’s thatta way… If it doesn’t? Sigh…

Something else that worried me about Trusting Thomas is that there’s a lot less sex than in my previous books. When you read it, you’ll see why. And if you like less sex with your story? Come on in – you’ll like this one.

Knowing where in the story I want my characters to make love? That’s easy..

Writing the scenes? That’s harder. They have to be right. That’s why beta readers are so valuable. And to be honest? I love writing sex scenes. If i can read it back and see the action in my head, I’m pleased.

Time for my shorties I would say 🙂

Favorite food? OMG – I don’t really have one, I like food! (Though chocolate would be near the top of the list)

Favorite color? Gold

Favorite author? Can’t answer that one – FAR too many to choose from

Favorite book? See above!

Favorite way to spend a day off? Going down to the beach, walking along the shore, listening to the waves…. Happy sigh

Favorite movie?  Oh dear. Nope. Too many again.

Favorite music or song? I really like Classical music, but then there’s the Beatles…..

Favorite flower? Roses – preferably with a perfume

Favorite clothes? I love wearing dresses

Favorite season? Summer

At the end of this interview I would like to ask you your plans. What’s coming from K.C. Wells?

OOH! Just last week I had an idea for a short story, based around the characters of Blake and WIll from Making it Personal. That will be out very soon

And speaking of Making it Personal, I will be writing Rick’s story early next year.

Ideas are coming at all from all angles lately. I can’t keep up with them!

And in January Dreamspinner are releasing my first ever co-authored novel! Parker Williams (aka Will Parkinson) and I have written a book, Someone to Keep Me. It’s a BDSM story, which fits into the Collars & Cuffs world. At the moment Will and I are planning the next book, Damian’s Discipline, and there’s a third book in the pipeline. That will be it for the BDSM books – we DO have other ideas, however…  😉

And is there anything else you would like to share with us here?

Wow – I think I’ve covered everything – except I would like to thank all the readers out there who read my books. It’s been wonderful so far to share all these stories in my head. Thank you, all of you.

Thank you very much for this interview and your time.

Thanks – it was fun!

~ As told to Danielle

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In addition to participating in this interview Miss K.C Wells has generously offered a giveaway of her new novel “Trusting Thomas” coming October 7th.

Are you just as excited as I am to read this book? Let us know and leave a comment below

Goodluck!

CONTEST WILL END ON 10th October, 2013 @ 11:59 PM Central Time!!