- What drew you to writing LGBTQ+ romance?
Representation matters, and I’m the biggest, softest marshmallow out there. I’ve always loved romance since I was in my early teens. I also absorbed whatever media I could that had gay characters in it. Given the time I grew up, there weren’t many gay characters on TV, and most of them fell victim to the “kill your gays” standard.
Then I found fan fiction and realized there were people writing stories about characters I loved, and those characters were now part of the LGBTQ community. And those characters didn’t die at the end. I was hooked.
- What do you want your readers to get out of your books? What can they expect from a Beck Grey Story?
I want readers to get a heartfelt, well-written story, with characters who are real, in situations that could or have actually happened, where LGBTQ characters get their happily ever after. I’m not here to write anything profound. It’s escapism that hopefully readers enjoy and makes them feel good at the end of the book. That’s it.
- Tell me about your writing process
I tend to write in layers. I get the initial story out: the basic story arc and almost all of the dialogue. Then I go back and add in layers: the feelings; descriptions of things I left out, etc.
Then I send it to my alpha and beta readers. When I get their feedback, I work through those edits. By then I almost always think the book is crap, so I let the story sit for a week or so and do other book related things like covers and marketing.
After that I go back and give it another once-over and read it out loud. You’d be amazed at how many issues I find during that part, even though the book has gone through two other layers of review.
After all of that is done I go back for the last time and add in anything that seems to be missing at that point.
- What is your favorite part of the writing process and why?
The initial story idea dump. The stream-of-consciousness writing of who the characters are, and what’s going to happen to them. I love the brainstorming. The “And then they could…”
It’s the most chill part of the process. There isn’t any pressure for the story to be anything yet. Nothing is set in stone and you don’t have to work around something you already wrote in chapter 5 that makes this new great idea impossible without rewriting the entire book.
- What is your least favorite part of the writing process and why?
The first draft of the story. It’s so hard to know where things are going and what to write next that won’t be boring or unnecessary. I know… make an outline. But then I feel obligated to stick to it even if things have taken a hard left at some point. The brainstorming and the editing are much easier.
- Tell us more about your forthcoming release? What’s this book about? What inspired you to write it? Why did you set it in the PNW?
Free Me is the story of Stef Evans, an out and proud genderqueer physiotherapist and meditation coach, and Blake McCarthy, a workaholic book publisher. It’s a low-angst, opposites attract, worlds collide, LGBTQ romance about a genderfluid cutie, a slightly older hottie, and a hookup gone right. It contains no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.
It’s book four in my Love in the Pacific Northwest series. All of my books can be read as standalones, but most of the characters make appearances in other books. So we’ve met Stef before in their brother Jules’ book, and in their friend Quinn’s book. But in the time between books three and four they learned they were genderfluid.
I would like to take credit for making Stef genderfluid, but they told me that in the first chapter of writing the book. They were very insistent, so what could I do?
But I love it, because having representation matters. I’m non-binary and it’s nice to put some of that representation in my books. Especially with what’s going on in the world right now with people’s civil rights.
I chose the PNW because it’s beautiful, it’s somewhere I’d always wanted to visit. It’s also very progressive politically, and still someplace people can be out and proud.
- Where can readers find out more about you and your work?
I’m on FB, Discord, TikTok, Instagram, BookBub and Goodreads. All of those links can be found on my Langtry: https://linktr.ee/beck_grey
Check out my website if you’d like sneak peeks of upcoming releases and lots of other stuff! https://www.beckgrey.com/
My Newsletter signup: https://www.subscribepage.com/beckgrey
A gender-fluid cutie, a workaholic hottie, and a hookup gone right.
Blake
No romantic relationship could ever compete with my dream job. Sure, it gets lonely, but that’s what occasional hookups are for. Work-life balance? Who cares? I certainly don’t. Until chest pains bring me to my knees and land me in the emergency room.
It’s a wake-up call I can’t afford to ignore.
When my well-meaning family encourages me to make some major life changes, like hiring a meditation and physiotherapist, whatever that is, I’m worried enough to agree.
Imagine my surprise when my practitioner turns out to be the hookup I haven’t been able to forget.
Stef
What’s a fabulously vivacious gender-fluid beauty to do when stress is high and Prince Charmings aren’t lined up at their door? Head to the club to recharge my sparkle on the dance floor. I have no intention of hooking up with anyone. Hookups are not my thing.
Usually.
Then I see the slightly older hottie in the Tom Ford suit, and all my self-restraint goes up in a blast of glitter.
When it turns out he’s my new meditation client and my friend’s older brother, I’m sure the universe is messing with me.
Because mixing business with pleasure is a huge no-no.
So why does my heart keep shouting yes?
Free Me is a low-angst, opposites attract, worlds collide, contemporary LGBTQ romance about a hookup gone right. It contains no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.
Warnings: Transphobia by a member of the LGBTQ community on a member of the community
About the Series:
Turns out, perfection isn’t a prerequisite for happiness.
Whether it’s risking your heart on a hookup, falling for your brother’s best friend, taking that second chance when it arrives, or pursuing a relationship that doesn’t look like everyone else’s — life is complex, but love doesn’t have to be.
Snarky, sweet and spicy, Love in the Pacific Northwest is a first person POV, low-medium angst, open door, contemporary LGBTQ romance series of interconnected standalones. No cheating and a guaranteed HEA every time!
Get It On Amazon
Beck is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:
“Put on a suit and come down. This is my big plan for the day.” He gestures to the pool area and waves his book.
I lean my elbows on the railing and grin down at him. “If you’re trying to seduce me, it’s working.”
“Excellent. Step one in my evil plan is complete. Now come down here. I missed you.”
“Be down in a sec!” I hurry inside, strip out of my work clothes, then lather myself in the sunscreen that smells like coconut. Blake loves the scent, and I love how he nuzzles my neck when I use it. I pull on my tiniest black and white print swim briefs, grab a beach towel from the closet and the food bags from the kitchen counter, and hurry down to the game room and out to the patio. “Should we eat at the table or on the loungers like heathens?”
Blake glances up from his book and his eyes lock on my tiny swimsuit. I do a slow spin, giving him a good view of my ass. “Like?”
He pulls his sunglasses to the end of his nose and peers over them. “That’s new.” His voice is thick with lust. Oh, yeah. Mission accomplished.
“It is! And it’s so adorable!”
Blake licks his lips. “And so tiny.”
“I had a feeling you might like it.” I skip past him to the table and deposit the bags.
Blake practically growls and grabs my hips the moment I put the bags down. “Come here.”
I laugh as he manhandles me, hauling me close and inhaling my skin. He drags his nose across my abdomen and my cock stirs, eager to join in the fun, but my stomach growls with hunger. “Mmm. I’m fully on board with whatever you’re planning here, Darling, but we should eat before the food gets cold.”
Blake bites my hip. “We can heat it up.”
My laugh quickly turns to a gasp as his tongue teases above the edge of my suit. It’s all I can do not to press his head a few inches lower. “Blake, Darling, I have souvlaki and Greek salad.”
He hums and sits back, waggling his eyebrows at me. “You know I love Greek.”
I snort at his double entendre. “As do I, my darling. So let’s eat.” I wink at him. “Then we can eat.”
His chuckle warms every part of me. He pushes to his feet with a sigh. “If we must, we must.”
“We must.” I press up on my tiptoes and pucker up.
He obliges me, but turns my expected quick press of lips into a lingering kiss that curls my toes and has me second-guessing my stance on eating first. As I’m about to give in, he lets me go and pats my backside. “C’mon. Let’s feed you so we can move on to other enjoyable things.”
Weekdays are spent working their day job, but nights and weekends are devoted to writing stories involving hot characters, favorite tropes, and happy endings. Any additional time includes reading, laughing with friends, drinking red wine, and playing D&D. If there’s cake involved at any point it’s a win!
Author Website: https://www.beckgrey.com/
Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/beck.grey014/
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Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21696745.Beck_Grey
Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/40899/
Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Beck-Grey/author/B09CZ69MTS
