AUTHOR INTERVIEW Part II: Joseph Lance Tonlet and Louis Stevens, 'Quillon's Covert'
LOOK FOR A SPECIAL MESSAGE AT THE END OF THIS TRANSCRIPT
Wow, it has been just under two weeks since Quillon’s Covert was released and the reviews coming in are AAAAMAZING! (As this girl had no doubt would be the case.)
Quillon’s Covert is a beautiful taboo tale of a father/son relationship, that over the course of several years, develops into something more…..sensual. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to see what the hype is all about click here for my review.
It comes as no surprise that through the magical collaboration of Joseph Lance Tonlet and Louis Stevens on this project, they have struck a chord with their readers. Which goes to show just how in tune to their audience they truly are. Having had the pleasure of a Skype chat with these two magnetic men, less than a month ago, I can attest to their passion, drive and desire to make Quillon’s Covert an approachable read, while at the same time staying true to, and highlighting, their favored taboo genre.
I am not ashamed to admit that I am a little “fan-girl” towards both these authors. In fact when they granted me the honor and pleasure of a video chat I went screaming and yelling through the house like my pants were on fire. This is not to say that if either of them put out a piece of work that I felt did not work for me I would neglect my honesty. Both these boys know I am blunt and true - to. A. Fault!
When we finally did sit down (and of course worked out the technical issues, cause nothing can go according to plan) and our three faces came into view together on screen - I was a little bashful - ME, bashful! Joseph and Louis quickly put me at ease though and I found myself wanting to know everything about them (and I mean everything). But, as I consider them to be my friends and I have the upmost respect, I kept it professional. Well…..most of the time.
In my previous excerpt from our Skype conversation (click here if you missed it) I highlighted how Quillon’s Covert came to be, how well Joseph and Louis collaborated long distance, why they write in the taboo genre, and revealed a little of their personal passions. As I share this second half of our chat I want to showcase how they both became writers, their aspirations as authors - and of course, some personal dish!
So - without further adieu!
NOTE: Joseph still allows me to call him “J” so we will keep it at that for ease of the conversation.
*J gets comfortable at the table with his coffee, as do I. While Louis plops on his bed.*
Kimmers: “We all know that I have had the pleasure of getting to know a little personal stuff about the two of you recently but I am sure your readers would like to know some too. Hmmmm…..what polite stuff can I ask you to share?” *sly, thinking smile* “Oh, I will let you start easy. Married, single, in a relationship, looking, or the ever popular: no time?”
Louis: *smiles shyly* “Confirmed bachelor, and happily so! I will probably be for life.” *eyes go wide* “Uhm, maybe that is not a good thing to say as a romance author!”
Kimmers: *giggling* “O.K. J, how about you?”
J: *big smile* “The hubz and I are approaching our 29th anniversary. He’s a very lucky man!” *winks*
Kimmers: “Wow J. What’s your secret?”
J: “Separate bedrooms!” *there are snorts of laughter all around*
Kimmers: *shaking my head* “Sooooo not going easy now! What sound do you love to hear or make?”
J: “I love the sound my mouth makes on his.....Uhm, wait, I’m getting the feeling that’s not what you had in mind for this question.” *hearty laugh* “Let’s see, the quiet of pre-dawn mornings is most often broken by roosting birds chirping as they wake up. I can’t think of a better way to usher in a new day. I also adore the soft snoring sounds of my Smooth Fox Terrier, Eve, as she sleeps cuddled up next to me. Oh, and lastly, I love the sound of one of my BFF’s, Teri, laughs. It’s always so genuine, and full-bodied, and it never fails to make me smile.”
Kimmers: “I have had people tell me that about my laugh. My hubs says he can identify me in a room just from my laughter.” *rolling eyes* “Anyway, Louis?”
Louis: *with a twinkle in his eyes* “Might sound sappy, but I love hearing my sister’s voice over Skype when she says her first hello to us. It’s always the same, long drawn out ‘hellooooo’ and I’m instantly in a good place, no matter what type of day I’ve been having. I also love hearing my mom’s squeal of excitement reverberate through the house when she has something exciting to tell me!” *awwwws ensue from J and I*
Kimmers: “I suppose we should get back to the book stuff. After all we wouldn’t be here today if not for that. Did you always want to be a writer?”
J: “From my earliest memories I wanted to work with aquatic wildlife, to assist in some way. Like in a sanctuary, or in a conservation or rehabilitation center. There’s something about aquatic wildlife that just pulls at me.”
Louis: “Oh I remember this clearly. I wanted to be a chef, then a lawyer, then a preacher, then a songwriter, then, anything to get me out of school early so I could escape my bullies. Then a lawyer again, then I ended up in marketing. With my introverted personality, the universe has a sense of humor.”
Kimmers: *laughing* “I have to say you two boys give this extrovert a run for my money in relating with you. Plays on my insecurities.” *wink*
Kimmers: “Since your goal was not to be a writer initially, when did you both realize you actually wanted to write?”
Louis: *sits up straighter, prouder against his headboard* “I honestly never thought I was a writer, or could pursue writing as a career other than in journalism. I was always good at writing, and used to write all my friends’ papers in English class. The bullies’ too. Although I did make intentional grammar and spelling and continuity mistakes in their papers. A little evil? Absolutely! I realized that I wanted to write fiction when I was seventeen, after completing a certificate in Creative Writing. So I curled a pillow under my chin at night after work, sprawled out on my single bed, and wrote my first story, A Better Life. I wrote it by longhand in a 297-page binder for eight months. Then I spent a few months transcribing it onto the computer, and let it lie in my drawer for four years before sending it into a publisher. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a fiction and romance writer.”
Kimmers: “Knowing you Louis, I can so totally see you curled up on your pillow.” *Louis gives a proud smile* “How about you J?”
J: “I picked up my first M/M book, Now Let’s Talk About Music, written by whom many consider the forefather of the genre, Gordon Merrick, back in the early eighties, when I was just sixteen years old. I vividly remember repeatedly making my way to the local mall bookstore where I'd attempt to nonchalantly browse the salacious and alluring selection of his titles. It would take several trips, and countless hours of rather tormented indecision, before I'd finally work up the courage to actually pull one from the shelf and take it up to the register. And, once I had made the purchase, I was convinced I'd be found out. So much so that my first treasure remained secretly stashed beneath the bottom drawer of my bedroom nightstand. A totally original hiding place, right?” *chuckles* “Late in the night, after I was certain the house was asleep, I'd quietly remove it, conceal it in the folds of my robe, and steal myself away to the safety of a locked bathroom where I'd quietly, reverently, stare at the cover.” *with a huge look of reverence in his eyes* “Today, that very same thirty-year-old paperback copy sits proudly and prominently upon my office bookshelf alongside my own work and that of my favorite authors.” *shrugs* “Wow, that’s a really long winded answer.” *goofy grins* “The short answer is: I’ve known my entire life I wanted to write M/M.”
Kimmers: “I love hearing your histories. How magical it must be to see your words in print, and along side authors you have treasured for years. Wow! Wait, J, you said you were interested in aquatics. So you didn’t necessarily want to be a writer but you wanted to write M/M?”
J: *nods* “I also wanted to be a rock star, a stripper, a pool boy, a landscape designer, and” *pauses* “I mean, the list is endless. That’s why I’m a writer.” *winks*
Kimmers: “O.K., I happen to know you each have a day J.O.B. Would you like to share what that is?”
Louis: *goes back to relaxing on his bed* “I’m a copywriter by day and romance author by night; or by weekend, or early morning. My copywriting work has kept me extremely busy as of late with so many end of year deadlines.”
J: *saunters over to fill his mug with coffee* “My day job finds me working at a large software company. Thankfully I write purely for enjoyment and not for an income. I use the word thankfully because I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t be able to be creative knowing that if I didn’t write I wouldn’t be able to buy groceries.”
Kimmers: “I can totally understand that. My blog is for my soul, the day job pays the mortgage.”
Kimmers: “Aside from fitting writing in with the day job, what do you find to be the hardest part about writing?”
Louis: *pipes right up* “Coming up with good dialogue.”
Kimmers: “That’s it, dialogue?”
Louis: “Yep, dialogue.”
Kimmers: “Well, from what I have read you do just fine at that.” *Louis blushes*
J: *grins* “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to be open and honest here.”
Kimmers: “J, me worried about open and honest?” *we all bust out laughing*
J: *takes a drag from his cigarette and stares out the window* “For me, the hardest part of being an author is my obsessiveness with quality. At the end of the day, I’m asking people to spend their hard-earned cash on my work. To that end, I obsess, there’s no other word for it, at producing the highest quality book I’m able to. From the cover, to the formatting, to the story, to the editing. I want it to be the absolutely fucking best it can be. Indeed, when folks plunk down their cash and read my work, I want them to feel as if both their time, and their money were well spent. I’ll admit, there have been times when that obsessive need has stifled my creativity. But, I wouldn’t have it any other way!” *looks back at the camera and smiles*
Kimmers: “As a reader, thank you for that J.”
Kimmers: “I will be nice and give you a break and go back to the easy. How about, are there certain authors who inspire your writing?”
Louis: *sits up on the bed and crosses his legs excitedly* “So many! Kyle Michel Sullivan, Kol Anderson, Riley Hart, Martina Cole, PT Denys, KJ Harper, Pelaam. I can go on for days.”
Kimmers: “Well Louis, I think J needs a turn.” *giggles*
J: *adjusts himself on his chair* (I think to myself I know where this is headed.) “I certainly have authors whose work I adore, Jack L Pyke being at the top of that list. I’ve written countless times about how much of a fan I am of her work, so I won’t rehash that here. But, it’s more than simply her work. She possesses so many of the qualities that inspire me to keep writing. She’s incredibly supportive of new authors – something that I witnessed first hand. She’s genuine, and kind, and thoughtful, and she’s fucking brilliant! She not only inspires me to write, but also to be the best person I can be.”
Kimmers: “Well, I know that the three of us agree on Jack. But let me just say that you both are very talented writers as well. The reviews of Quillon’s Covert alone attest to how much you make readers think and feel, and that is important.” *both men go quiet and blush*
Kimmers: “As much as I hate to we should probably start winding this down. I know your hubz came home about an hour ago, J, and mine is hanging at the local bar with his dad to give me space, so probably should get him home.” *we all have conspiratorial grins* “How about we end with some fun stuff. Writing in this field how would you explain to someone the difference between erotic fiction and porn?”
J: *goofy grin* “Hmm, that’s an interesting question, and one I’ve never been asked before. I guess, the simple answer would be plot, or lack thereof? I’ve certainly read my share of print porn, so I’m definitely not gonna dis it. But, I gotta admit, at least for me, a good plot makes the on-page sex so much better.”
Louis: “Yes, there has to be a foundation for the story. The characters’ arcs need to be developed, and the human condition explored. You can have as much explicit sex on the page as you want, as experienced in countless mainstream movies and novels, and still have it considered art when you have three-dimensional characters that change by the end of the book.”
Kimmers: “I would have to agree. If I am into the characters, the on-page sex is so much hotter, even if it is only once or twice in the book.”
Kimmers: “Now, Louis, most played song on your playlist”
Louis: “That’s easy. Poison and Wine by The Civil Wars.”
Kimmers: “I love how your favorite music always tells a story.” *wink*
Kimmers: “Your turn J, your idea of a good evening.”
J: *takes a sip of his coffee* “My ideal evening is a good M/M book, a tumbler or two of scotch and a huge bowl of dark chocolate M&M’s.”
Kimmers: “Yes! Dark chocolate, the perfect sin.”
Kimmers: “Let’s wrap this with something sweet. Who would you say is your biggest supporter?”
J: “Without question, that would be Preston and Teri, my BFFs. We’ve been friends for years! Long before I started writing and their support is not only unfailing, but it also borders on scary stratospheric. I love you P & T more than I could ever put into words!” *winks* “Dog piles!”
Kimmers: “It is so wonderful to have lifelong friendships. What about you Louis?”
Louis: “I’m totally going the expected route here, and saying my mother, sister and brother. Yep. I truly couldn’t ask for a better family.”
Kimmers: “I love to hear this. Nothing beats the support of friends and family!”
As the three of us said our true good-byes in the first excerpt I will add in closing here that being able to have a live, face to face, chat with two of my favorite authors was surreal. It was definitely the highlight of my 2015!
With that said, there has been expressed interest, from you the readers, to view our live chat. Unfortunately we did not even think to record it, but Joseph, Louis and I have all spoken with regard to your interest and have agreed we would love to do another Skype interview - perhaps for their next collaboration?
We promise: We will share!
UPDATE * CAFEPRESS * THE TREVOR PROJECT * QUILLON’S COVERT
Please tell me you all remember how open and honest Joseph and Louis were during the first excerpt of our Skype chat. That you recall their passion to prevent bullying and make sure that no child ever has to feel ashamed of who they are.
If not, let me jog your recall and tell you that the CafePress site Joseph mentioned setting up, in which proceeds will go directly to The Trevor Project, is now LIVE!
That’s right. You can now purchase memoribilia, with the beautiful Quillon’s Covert cover embelished on them, while at the same time supporting a cause near and dear to your authors’ hearts.
