Hey y’all. It’s Joel Leslieeeeeee. You’re favorite shirt-impaired narrator! xo

One of these days I promise to learn how to put one of those things on properly.
Sorry it’s been a while since we had quality time. Sometimes I’m locked in the booth and they just don’t let me leaveeeeeee. lol.

BUT this month we have a real treat. I sit down (electronically) with the brilliant Alice Winters, who wrote “Hidden in Darkness”, one of the bestest books that has ever been written ever. No. For reals.

Here is the blurb…

When Felix lands a job taking care of a man recovering from severe injuries, he thinks his life may have just turned around. Anything has to be better than the place he’s leaving. There’s something about Lane that draws Felix to him and makes him question if this place could finally become a home for him. But when someone begins stalking Felix, he is left to question who Lane is and what actually happened to him. Together, Felix and Lane will be forced to see just how far they will go to protect each other. Being chased by cops, kidnapping a man, and breaking into a drug operation seems to be his normal since arriving in Lane’s life. Felix may be out of his element, but one thing he is sure about is that he doesn’t want to leave, even if it costs him his life.

So full disclosure… when the great folks at Tantor sent this book to me, I had never heard of Alice (shameful), and I looked at the cover and thought, ‘oh, yah… ok… Alpha Male ex-cop angsty hotness… yadda yadda, got it’. I WAS SOO wrong. This book turned out to be the biggest surprise delight I’ve had in years. I was blown away. By the writing, the humor, the characters… It’s so good. And so FREAKING FUNNY. So, I’m a little obsessed with Alice now… and if you haven’t met Lane and Felix – you simply have to. Felix is like twinky, gay Scrappy-Doo with an MFA in snark. (#gimme)

And it turns out, Alice is about as hard to make behave as Felix is… so let the interview begin:

JOEL: So, first of all, thank you for the gift of these characters. When the book offer came to me I had no idea what I was in for and it knocked my socks off. It’s surprising and wild and wacky and wonderful. So tell me where the idea for these two guys came from. How did you come up with the scenario?

ALICE: Great, so you basically start off with the hardest question ever. You better be paying me good for this…wait…you’re not paying me? Huh… Well, the idea came from the deepest, darkest part of my brain. A place that should never have been opened. As I read your question, all I could think was, “How did I come up with the plot and characters?” I actually started the beginning quite a few years ago, tossed it to the side and thought I’d never pick it up again. Then, as I was trying to think of something to work on, I read through it and realized that Felix could turn out to be a great character if given some time. The key to enjoying the plot is not taking it too seriously. I mean, we have a badass blind guy, a nosy pickpocket, and an ex-police dog, Copper. I can only imagine what Copper thinks as he stares at these two men. Poor Copper.

JOEL: You’re so right. If you take it too seriously, the first chapter can kind of leave you a little unbalanced… if you are reading it as a super-serious angsty story and Felix is acting like the least competent care-giver EVER. But then when you realize you’re in for a crazy ride… it’s like a roller coaster and you can’t wait to get on again and again! Felix is SUCH a unique character. I’ve narrated over 110 m/m titles now… and he’s is in a class by himself. How did he speak to you?

ALICE: Felix came naturally. When I sit down to write a book I generally only know a few things about the character. Their name, which I usually change five million times in the first page, and their age, which I usually forget and have to fix later. Felix started off being ninety-eight-year-old Jimmy John. At some point, Felix dropped quite a few years as well as the Jamaican accent he started with. For those of you who don’t get written humor, that was a joke. His name was Fernando. Alright, I’ll be serious. Felix’s character molded itself as I wrote it down. In the beginning, he says a few snide things, and they just fit him. They complimented the gruff and tough Lane.

JOEL: (absolutely, they have that classic double act chemistry. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Hope and Crosby. It’s the perfect balance between them.)

ALICE: I wanted Felix to use his humor as a way to hide his insecurities, but I didn’t want him to get lost in it if that makes sense. Someone mentioned to me that I should let Felix learn how to shoot and become amazing with a gun. But that’s not Felix. He battles with his wit not weapons. Well, unless he can find that battle-ax he always wants.

JOEL: Do you have anyone in your life you sass like Felix does to Lane?

ALICE: Hmm…Not to the extreme that Felix does with Lane. I have people that I pick on and enjoy joking with (they usually leave crying, which I have always thought was strange). My mom and I probably joke with each other more than I do with anyone else. Just the other day, after reading my Felix and Lane Halloween short story, my mom asked me why I wasn’t as funny in real life. Wait… maybe she’s just savage. I am an introvert who suffers from social anxiety, so you have to know me really really well for me to joke with you. I’m constantly thinking of comebacks like Felix does, but I usually keep them to myself. I do have two male friends that work well off my jokes, though. I think my mom pays them to laugh if I’m being honest. That’s alright. It makes me feel good about myself.

JOEL: It will probably come as a surprise, but I couldn’t find the voice for Felix at alll at first. I was determined for him to be something I hadn’t done before… he was so special and so unique. And I struggled and struggled until we discussed that the book is set in and around Chicago. That was the key. And in my head this very clear wise-cracking Chicago (not sexy at ALLLL in a traditional romance book) voice came to me. So, why Chicago? Is that where you live? It’s obviously an incredibly rich setting for any kind of crime fiction.

ALICE: No, I don’t live in Chicago. I live in a village. Yeah, that’s right, my town is so small they call it a village. We have one red light in the whole village. Isn’t that amazing? Even though I love Chicago, I wouldn’t want to live there. Can you imagine me trying to stuff my horse in one of those apartments? Then where would I put my duck? The bathtub? But I love Chicago, which is probably my main reason for picking it. I also thought the setting would give a lot of area for them to move around and do all the ridiculous things they needed to do.

JOEL: How did you get into the M/M genre – who were you big influences? And your inspirations outside of the genre?

ALICE: I started writing around ten. I was horrible back then, and let’s be honest, I’ve barely improved. The only difference now is that people pay me for it. I switched to this genre in high school (although I write a bit of everything). I didn’t read many books in this genre when I was younger since I didn’t have access to them. There was something about the genre that drew me to it. It might have been because for many years (and still to this day), I have struggled to understand my own sexual identity. A part of me felt like I could connect to these characters who could be happy with themselves and understand a part of themselves that I’ve always struggled to understand. Alright, I’m getting off topic now. Inspirations outside the genre? Hmm… I honestly read a little bit of everything and anything. I care more about characterization and dialogue than anything else. I want to feel the character, know them, and grow to love them. When I do my first edit of my books, I always have to add more description. I rely on good dialogue and require it in any book I read.

JOEL: That is so evident and special in your characters. They feel so fully formed and rich.  So, in HIDDEN IN DARKNESS, you weren’t afraid to mix up tropes, which I love. The book has the feel of a classic buddy comedy (plus hot sex!), but within a genre that is normally more gritty. How did you navigate that?

ALICE: For me, it’s easy to do. For my beta reader, I think it drives her crazy. After she reads every book, she sends me an email along the lines of, “What genre is this book? You never pick a genre!” I don’t like conforming to just romance or just action. I think what some m/m books suffer from is plot. Some have amazing, fun, and unique plots, but some fall short in that area. (Now, I know, I know, Hidden in Darkness has a ridiculous plot). I don’t want to pick up a book and know, from the first chapter, how the book will end. I want surprises! I want shock! So that’s what I try to do. I want to balance my plot and romance so my readers are given, for example, a comedic thriller woven with a romance. You’ll find that, especially with my upcoming books, I love to rely on deeper plot points to move the romance. Not have the romance move the plot. We already know they’re going to fall in love. Now what’s the crazy antics they will get caught in along the way that will move them closer? I mean, Felix always loves a chance to hang onto Lane’s muscular arm, I have to give him that chance!

JOEL:  I love the ‘comedic thriller’ idea. Give the world more of those, please!!!! So. Are you a fan of audiobooks in general?  This was your very first audiobook, yah? How was the journey of giving the book over to Tantor for production? You approved my voice, but you never heard me read a single word from the actual book until after it was released!

ALICE: I do enjoy audiobooks. I work a very monotonous job (no, not my writing) that allows me to listen to them. Well, technically I’m not supposed to have headphones in, but I’m trying to get fired, so I walk around listening to them all the time. They just won’t fire me! This was my first book to have made into an audiobook! It blew my mind when they asked if they could make it into an audiobook. The first thing I asked was, “Can I approve the narrator?” I was terrified of who they’d pick. I already had it in my head that no one would be able to properly portray Felix. They sent me three samples of yours which I listened to as I tried to think of what Felix would sound like. Then, I proceeded to listen to about thirty of your samples on Audible. It wasn’t that I didn’t think you’d be right for Felix and Lane, it was that most of your work is very serious, and I wanted to see how you handled something lighter. Eventually, I realized that I was going to go crazy if I listened to another seventy renditions of your voice and decided that you were clearly quite diverse and amazing at what you do. You’d figure out how to do it perfectly, and you did just that!

JOEL: What surprised you the most listening to it in audio? (It actually took me way longer than usual to record because almost every paragraph has a laugh line… and those take time to get right. I would constantly stop myself and say “not funny enough” and redo a take. I had such respect for the comedic skill and craftsmanship that I really wanted to try and live up to the potential of every line.

ALICE: That I was still able to laugh at the craziness of Felix and Lane! Honestly! The moment I started listening, I knew you did a perfect job with my boys! I have read the book so many times to edit and revise that it’s not funny to me anymore. But listening to the audio, I have honestly laughed out loud so many times by how you have delivered the lines. It’s like you understood perfectly how I wanted the words to be said. Never once have I thought, “No, that was supposed to be said this way.” You gave it even more life, and I love it! It’s amazing that you put so much work into it, it really shows that you did!

JOEL: So – book two is releasing in audio this week. (muppet flail) I have to say it’s best sequel I’ve EVER read. I couldn’t believe that it was FUNNIER than the first one. And the relationship isn’t remotely stale. At what point did you decide to continue their story?

ALICE: That is very kind of you to say! It’s probably funnier because I tried harder. When I released the first one, while I knew some of it was funny, I didn’t think people would find it as funny as they did. So when I decided to write a second, I knew I needed to make something that made people laugh even more. I decided to continue their story when I began to see how much people really liked Felix and Lane. I’m greedy, I wanted more of my audience’s love and how else to get it but give them more of what they want? I’d never written a sequel to a book before, so it was fun (and a little scary) continuing a story I’d already started. I was able to flesh out their characters more and didn’t have to worry about all that falling in love nonsense. They were already in love and comfortable with each other which helped make the story work. I was worried that people would think it was also a little darker than the first, but clearly the comedy must have cushioned it!

JOEL: So, are we gonna see more from these boys (please God, say yes!).

ALICE: Yes! I already have two short stories out that tease book three (you can find out about them on my website or reader group). But I’m working on book three now. Who knows what will happen to them. I mean Felix has already been involved with kidnapping people, stealing multiple animals, and holding up a bank, so what other farfetched ridiculous thing can I involve him in? I guess you’ll have to wait to find out! Let’s just say it’ll involve more horrible meals, stealing of animals, and they may or may not break into a police station. Oh, and Lane’s muscles. Book three starring: Felix, Lane, and Lane’s muscles.

JOEL: Amen!!!!!!!!!!! That makes me so freaking happy, and I know a whole bunch of readers are going to squeal.  So, I always cast my characters. And in my head I had really specific people playing Lane and Felix. But, since this would make such a freaking GREAT tv series… who would be your dream cast?

ALICE: I lied. This is your hardest question. Can I get away with saying that my characters are so unique that there is no one else like them in the entire world? No? Are you sure? Alright, if I have to. Danny DeVito for Felix and Chris Hemsworth for Lane. Oh… you wanted a serious answer? You wanted people that actually look like the characters? You should have stated that in the question. It’s too late now. The author has spoken. Now excuse me while I laugh about the image of Danny DeVito as Felix stroking Chris Hemsworth’s arm. I’ll play Copper, so I can sit on Hemsworth’s lap.

JOEL: OMG. You’re bonkers and I love it. Well, I’m so so so excited to share book two with folks any day now on Audible, and I’m gonna hold my breath and bounce up and down like a toddler on Christmas morning waiting for book 3. I better get to narrate that sucker!!! Thank you Alice for a fun chat and some of the best hours I’ve ever had in the recording booth!

Guys… please, please please try these books! If you don’t like them you can track me down and personally shove sauerkraut up my nose. I have no idea why I picked that particular punishment… but it probably has to do with the fact that I don’t get out much and my booth doesn’t have adequate ventilation 🙂

You can find out more about Alice here!

And you can grab yourself a copy of this ridiculously addictive book on Audible!
And BOOK 2, is up for pre-sale as well!!!!!

Also out this month I have HUG IT OUT, our second book for Meredith King, which I narrated with the super talented Phillip Alces. I have a bunch of other titles coming out soon for Tantor, and I’ll let you know as soon as I have release dates.

I love hearing from you guys. And feel free to give me ideas for next months blog!

Thanks for letting me whisper in your ear!
xo

jojo.