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

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

2011: A Remarkable Year on My Writer’s Journey

This has been a remarkable year for me as a writer.

2011 saw the publication of two of my novels — MONOGAMY SUCKS and DEAR HEF — and a paranormal erotica story Swinging with the Supernatural that was included in the Lazy Day Publishing print anthology INDULGENCE: Tales of the Cirque Romani.

However, the year started in a much darker place with me receiving hostile indifference toward my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS from some critics and readers. Yet through steady persistence of promoting my books in social media and in the mainstream press, I have been able to overcome a lot resistance to the explicit nature of my work.

MONOGAMY SUCKS continues to perform well in the Amazon Kindle sales rankings consistently placing in the top 50,000 out of 800,000 books. My others books are also slowly finding an audience.

I make no apologies. Frankly, I don’t write for the faint of heart. I try to depict sex without the rose colored glasses typical of mainstream erotica. I call it real life erotica with all the messy parts left in.

I must admit I do revel going into other areas that many other writers avoid — male sexual insecurity, disappointing swinging and casual sex encounters, the limitations of monogamy and traditional relationships, the honest  truth about the swinging lifestyle, and how the Internet distorts our sex and romantic lives. I try keep things humorous as means to engage my readers as I delve into thorny and uncomfortable issues.

Still, each day it seems I find new readers who embrace my vision. That support is priceless for a writer, and so rewarding when you can find it.

I will have more to offer in 2012 as I am half way through writing the sequel to MONOGAMY SUCKS which I hope to finish by this summer or fall. It will be just as sexy and controversial as its predecessor.

Take a chance on my three books.  You will not be disappointed. You might even enjoy yourself and find out something about how other people live.

Isn’t that why we read novels in the first place?

Happy New Year to all my readers, supporters and fellow authors, writers, bloggers, poets, artists, musicians, filmmakers and songwriters.

GP

Listen to my interview about Monogamy Sucks on the Mancow Muller Show

This morning I was a guest on the Mancow Muller Show to talk about my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS and the topic of monogamy. Mancow’s show is the No. 4 ranked radio in the country and reaches approximately 11 to 12 million readers in more than 200 markets.

You can listen the 11/29/11 show here. My interview starts at the last 4 minutes of the two hour show.

Enjoy. This was the 47th interview for my novel MONOGAMY SUCKS.

More to come as always.

GP

My Interview About MONOGAMY SUCKS on the Mancow Muller Show Tomorrow Morning

Tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m. CST I will be a guest on the Mancow Muller Show to discuss my novel Monogamy Sucks and the topics of monogamy, sex and relationships. The Mancow Muller show is the No. 4 ranked radio show in the country and reaches approximately 11 to 12 million listeners daily in more than 200 markets. The interview will run approximately 8 minutes long and should be a lively discussion.

This is the 47th interview for my novel Monogamy Sucks. More to come as always.

GP

My Interview About MONOGAMY SUCKS on First Word Radio Show 10/24

Today my blog tour for my novel Monogamy Sucks continued on the First Word Radio show hosted by entrepreneur and author Michelle Gamble-Risley and Sonja Fisher, an actress, model, entrepreneur and former Miss Corporate America. Our lively discussion which begins 15 minutes into the show focused solely on the topics of my book –  monogamy, swinging and relationships.

You can click the link below to listen. Enjoy.

First Word Radio Show 10/24 by First Word Radio | Blog Talk Radio.

This is the 46th interview in support of my novel Monogamy Sucks. More to come.

GP

My Interview about Monogamy Sucks on Casey Ryan’s Cutting Room Floor Podcast

Today I was an interview guest of Casey Ryan’s podcast The Cutting Room Floor. Our discussion covered my novel Monogamy Sucks and my upcoming novel Dear Hef, swinging, Internet hook ups, the intriguing celebrity angle of my next book (i.e., Hugh Hefner),  the writing process and future of publishing.

You can listen to my interview here.

I met Casey through fellow author Eden Baylee, who suggested I contact him for an interview. This was the 42nd interview for my blog tour for Monogamy Sucks, and my first in support of Dear Hef. Enjoy. More to come as always.

GP

Does Monogamy Really Suck? My Intriguing, Frank Interview with Patti Sommer on her blog Empowered Sex

Today I was featured on Patti Sommer’s cool and sexy blog Empowered Sex in an intriguing, honest and revealing interview entitled “Does Monogamy Really Suck?” Patti asked thoughtful questions about my novel Monogamy Sucks, swinging, monogamy, polyamory, tips for aspiring writers and my own writer’s journey.

You can read the interview  here. 

You can also find out what Patti thinks about my book in her thoughtful and excellent Amazon Kindle Review here.

I met Patti on Twitter where I have met so many awesome bloggers, writers and authors. You should follow her @empoweredsex. You will not regret it. Her blog tackles a number of interesting topics dealing with sex and relationships.

This is the 41st interview of my blog tour for my novel. Enjoy.

More to come as always.

GP

Listen to my Naked Talk Radio Interview about novel “Monogamy Sucks”

Today I got naked on the radio when I joined Elaina McMillan on her WKRP radio show Naked Talk Radio to discuss my novel Monogamy Sucks. It was an informative and even quite personal interview about my thoughts on swinging, monogamy, relationships, polyamory and the motivations behind writing my novel. I really enjoyed my discussions with Elaina, who I met on Facebook and Twitter. You can follow her at Twitter here.

You can check out our interview here.

This is the 40th interview on my blog tour for my novel.

More to come…as always.

GP