Still Here…Writing and Dreaming: Completed first draft of sequel to MONOGAMY SUCKS

I am still here…writing and dreaming.

Just wanted to leave a short update for the readers of my blog about my current writing and upcoming books. As I hoped, I was able to finish the first draft of the sequel to my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS before the close of 2012. This was a satisfying personal achievement for me considering I don’t have as much time to write these days since taking a full-time public relations job this past August.

However, I will never abandon my writing dreams as I don’t write for a paycheck. I write for me. I could never hope to explain the joy writing brings to my life and how it feeds my passionate and creative soul.

My sequel to MONOGAMY SUCKS I believe will be sexier and even funnier that the original. The narrative follows my protagonist Jake Dalmas’ continuing naughty journey exploring wild swinging adventures, including sexy interracial threesomes and other hot encounters.  Jake’s honesty diary and sardonic voice remains the constant as a humorous self-deprecating guide for the readers into these naughty worlds. And I promise you there will be shocking scenes you can’t read anywhere else.

Yet there is a serious side to my writing that rarely gets mentioned in reviews. My MONOGAMY SUCKS sequel also addresses the potential pitfalls of relationships, even open relationships and the limits of love. In the frank way my original novel questioned monogamy, the sequel will take aim at romantic and sexual relationships through the eyes of a male swinger who is a little more wiser but no less vulnerable this time around.

However, dear readers, don’t look for my sequel any time soon. I plan to spend 2013 editing and shaping my MONOGAMY SUCKS sequel toward a possible summer 2014 release. After that, I am planning a sequel to my novel DEAR HEF as well for the fans of that humorous book.

Although I have no plans for a third MONOGAMY SUCKS novel right now, you never know. I am also planning at some point to take on other non-erotica genres such as Science Fiction, work life novels, thrillers, etc.

Please check my blog from time to time for updates on my writing, interviews and the progress of my MONOGAMY SUCKS sequel and other upcoming books.

And thanks for coming along for the naughty ride so far. Get ready. You haven’t read anything yet.

GP

Am I the NEXT BIG THING?: Check out my author blog interview

Am I publishing’s NEXT BIG THING?

Well, fellow author and sweet friend Shannon MacLeod seems to think so. She has tagged me as the NEXT BIG THING on Nai’lah Carter’s blog tour. Shannon is a cool author I met on Twitter. If you aren’t already, you should follow her at @themacleod.

The purpose of this promotion is to be able to discover new books you may not have heard about or for works that are still in progress. This is week 22 of the NEXT BIG THING blog tour.

So what what follows is the NEXT BIG THING interview — 10 questions about my writing, novels, etc. At the end of the interview, I will include links of authors I think will also be the NEXT BIG THING. Enjoy

What is the working title of your book?

Well, I actually have four books out right now on Amazon, including novels MONOGAMY SUCKS, DEAR HEF, an anthology INDULGENCE: TALES OF THE CIRQUE ROMANI, and my first novel LETTERS FROM CYBERSPACE. And I am finishing up the first draft of my sequel to MONOGAMY SUCKS that will focus on the topic of open relationships. I am hoping to have my sequel out in early to mid 2014.

 Where did the idea come from for the book?

The ideas for my novels came from my own life and the lives of people I met or from close friends. Through writing we explore our true selves even if the characters are nothing like us. Our lives ultimately shape our words.

What genre does your book fall under?

Erotica. Or what I like to call real life erotica. One reviewer described my novels as “Tucker Max meets Sex in the City.” I think that is a pretty good description.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I would say either Jason Schwartzman or Luke Wilson would make an interesting Jake Dalmas, the protagonist of MONOGAMY SUCKS, or Jimmy Rausch, the protagonist of DEAR HEF, if  movies or TV series were ever made of my novels.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Novel MONOGAMY SUCKS is a provocative peek behind the scenes of a Long Beach, Calif. man’s mid-thirties lust crisis and his ensuing sexy, intriguing, humorous journey into the swinging lifestyle.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Three of my novels — MONOGAMY SUCKS, DEAR HEF, INDULGENCE  have been published by digital publisher Lazy Day Publishing.  I published my first novel first novel LETTERS FROM CYBERSPACE.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I started writing my novel Monogamy Sucks in March 1998, however, because of my fears and doubts that anyone would interested in my story, I kept my novel hidden in my computer for more than 12 years as I worked on many drafts. Early in 2009, I read an article on the Huffington Post about how a number of best selling books started out first as blogs. So I decided to launch my novel on a blog one chapter a time in May 2010. Several months later, digital publisher Lazy Day Publishing offered me a book deal. I seriously doubt if that would have happened if I hadn’t put my novel out in the blogosphere and tweeted about it on Twitter. I believe Twitter is an essential tool in promoting my books and novels, writing in general as is Facebook, blogs and the Internet overall.

 What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Charles Bukowki’s “Women,” Henry Miller’s “Tropic of Cancer,” Anais Nin’s “Henry and June,” to name a few.

Each of them bravely and uniquely explored controversial sexual and societal issues in a frank, unsentimental manner exposing truth and hypocrisy alike. I treasure novels that truly take me on a journey and challenge my preconceptions about life.

 Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The two most influential books on me as a writer are Henry Miller’s “Tropic of Cancer” and Anais Nin’s “Henry and June.” Miller’s and Nin’s eagerness to explore erotic subjects in a serious way that were considered taboo at the time (1930s and 1940s) has always impressed me. Miller’s frank and brutal honest prose and Nin’s sensual, erotic and insightful diaries and description of her own sexual awakening have impacted my own writing. I say this humbly, but I view my novels MONOGAMY SUCKS and DEAR HEF as my attempts to write modern versions of Miller’s and Nin’s seminal novels. I would also have to mention Charles Bukowski’s novel WOMEN as having a huge impact on me. His honest prose and humor really impacted me. Bukowski, like Miller and Nin, went places most writers would avoid.

I wanted to write honest books about swinging, monogamy, sex, Internet sex, but leave in all the troubling, shocking and funny encounters most other erotica books leave out. Despite its explicit content, I don’t consider what I write erotica.  I call it real life erotica or reality fiction without the erotic trappings of your typical erotica novel. I want to make you think and laugh not just turn you on.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I hope you’re readers will take a chance and read my provocative novels and won’t be put off by the controversial content. They are really like no other modern novels they have read.  My books have some relevant and interesting things to say about sex, relationships and monogamy, and are an intriguing exploration of the male sexual mind. I think my novels appeal to both sexes, but really have seemed to have struck a chord among women, which was unexpected. Yes, my books are explicit, but I believe its themes are more universal than one might think.

You can find me on Twitter at @gpwriter. 

I tweet a lot about my books, writing, sex and life.

Check out these amazing writers, who along with Shannon MacLeod, I believe could be the
NEXT BIG THING:

SID KALI

RANEE DILLON

PENELOPE JONES

AMBER GRAYSON VAYLE

Tomorrow Night at 7 p.m. PST I will be a guest on the NAUGHTY SLOT radio program to talk about my novels MONOGAMY SUCKS, DEAR HEF and INDULGENCE

Tomorrow night at 7 p.m. PST I will be a guest on the Naughty Slot radio program to talk about my novels MONOGAMY SUCKS, DEAR HEF, and INDULGENCE: Tales of the Cirque Romani.

I was invited on the show by Amber Grayson Vayle, who I met on Twitter — follow her @thenaughtyslot   She is also an author in addition to her role as the host of the Naughty Slot radio show and TV series.

This is the 50th interview on my blog tour in support of my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS.

Enjoy. It will be a sexy conversation without a doubt.

GP

MONOGAMY SUCKS Was Downloaded More Than 2,500 Times Last Week on Amazon Kindle

This past week my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS was downloaded more than 2,500 times on Amazon Kindle. My novel had 2320 free downloads in U.S and 210 in the UK as part of Amazon’s borrowing program.

Thanks to all who took a chance on my brand of wild real life erotica. You will not regret it. My novel will make you laugh, shock you and it may even turn you on.

I’m a little more than halfway through the sequel to MONOGAMY SUCKS, so thanks again for embarking on this opportunity to follow Jake Dalmas’ adventures from the beginning.

GP

Starting Today Don’t Miss the Chance to Take a Walk on the Wild side of Erotica for FREE all week: Download MONOGAMY SUCKS on Amazon Kindle

Don’t miss the chance starting today, if you dare, to download my sexy and controversial novel MONOGAMY SUCKS for FREE on Amazon Kindle.

You can get it here.

My book will be available to download for free for the next five days as part of Amazon’s book borrowing promotional program. I recently participated in this promotion with my current novel DEAR HEF,  and had an amazing response with more than 1,000 readers downloading my e-book.

So take a chance on my brand of wild real life erotica and find out how swingers really live.

Oh, and remember — Monogamy Sucks, too. Discover more about one man’s journey for sexual fulfillment. And I promise my novel’s ending will also surprise you.

I’m also halfway through writing the sequel to MONOGAMY SUCKS, so take this opportunity to follow Jake Dalmas’ adventures from the beginning. It is worth your time and you can’t beat the price.

GP

My Five Minutes Story of Books’ Blog Q and A About Future of Books & Erotica

Today I was featured on the Story of Books blog’s Five Minutes interview Q & A talking about the future of books, how e-books have sparked an erotic resurgence, and my favorite books. I was interviewed by Twitter friend and the blog’s editor Salina Christmas.

Story Of Books is a project that began life as a Twitter hashtag for Sojournposse Purpose’s London Design Festival 2011 event, “Whatever is to become of books?”.

Check out my interview here.

This the 49th interview of my blog tour for my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS.

More to come as always.

GP

Novel MONOGAMY SUCKS Featured on the INDIE SPOTLIGHT

This past week my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS was featured on the INDIE SPOTLIGHT blog. The blog is run by Gregory Bernard Banks, who is a graphic designer,  forum administrator, co-Webmaster for the Speculative Literature Foundation, author of six books, and owner the small press WheelMan Press (wwww.wheelmanpress.com), and the freelance graphic design company, BDDesign LLC (www.bddesignonline.com.)

Here’s a link to my interview and excerpt of Chapter 7 of my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS. This was the 48th interview of my blog tour for my novel.

Enjoy.

As always, more to come.

GP