Interview with J. J. Collins

Great news! As of this writing, Lost and Found has made it onto All Romance E-books' Top 50 bestsellers list! I was able to get hold of writer J. J. Collins and sit her down at the keyboard for an email interview. Take it away, J. J. --

Collins: Hey! My name's Jen Collins and I live in northern New Jersey with my wonderful husband Chuck and a garden tortoise named Toby. No dogs or cats. We're holding off on kids.

I hear the tale of how you met your husband is quite the romance story in itself.

I'll say! We met at a science fiction convention. We were both in the costume contest. We're both fans of Elfquest. I was Ember, he was Teir. It was Recognition.

Have the Pinis okayed this?

We've never met them, but I'm sure they'd approve. After all, they met through the letters page of the old Silver Surfer comic. It has symmetry.

What got you into writing?

Oh my. I've been writing since I learned how to hold a pencil. My dad used to read to me from those Disney storybooks, only he'd do funny voices and go off script and make up his own endings. In his version of Snow White, the dwarfs opened a car parts dealership--Manny, Moe, Jack, Grumpy, Sneezy, Dopey and Al--and the Evil Queen got her own talk show. The Magic Mirror was her announcer. My dad was a storyteller. I wanted to be a storyteller too.

So you set out to make a living as a writer?

I set out to make a living. I've been a secretary, a costume designer for a local theater group, a proofreader for a small publisher and a telemarketer. A lot of you reading this have probably hung up on me. Fortunately Chuck has a great job so if I happen to be between employment opportunities we can still skate by.

Does he write?

He writes science fiction, but he hasn't been published yet. I keep telling him to get off the fan fiction sites and write his own stuff.

Why romance? And why M/M?

Because in all those comic books and all those fantasy stories I read, I was never happy unless there was a girl and a guy getting together while slaying dragons and saving the world from aliens. I didn't even think about writing M/M until Chuck pointed out all my favorite fanfics were slash. There's just something soooo sexy about two hot men falling for each other. I love writing about how they get together.

What does your husband think of that?

He thinks I should be writing lesbian porn. I told him if that's what he wants to read, he can write it himself. Then I told him if he ever did, I'd divorce him.

Do you have a novel in the works?

Not yet. I have a ton of unfinished books cluttering up the closet. For now, I want to concentrate on short stories. That way I can focus on the romance and not get distracted by subplots.

Is Lost and Found your first published story? How did it come about?

Yes, it's my first professionally published story! Yay! I saw Evernight was looking for anthology stories about bad-boy alpha shapeshifters and immediately thought, "That's for me." Unfortunately, the story I wrote was too long for their word count. I also missed the deadline. Finally I decided to heck with it, just finish it the way it wants to be and see what they say. They said yes. I have some ideas for M/M stories that I want to send to their Romance on the Go line. Maybe I'll think about a novel in the future. It's just that they take so long to write. Stories are quicker. I can plot a story during Dancing with the Stars if I get bored.

Any chance you and Chuck might collaborate on a book?

We've thought about it. It would probably be science fiction, He'd do the world-building, I'd do the relationships. I don't think he'd let me write an M/M SF novel. But none of the women in it are going to have huge tits. That's my only rule.

Any advice to the aspiring writers in the audience?

Never give up! Persistence and patience are two of the most important writing skills you can develop.

Lost and Found is available from Evernight Publishing at
http://www.evernightpublishing.com/lost-and-found-by-j-j-collins/

Release Day!

This is the kind of blog I like: when an author has a new release and wants to promote it, and all I have to do is run the article. Today I’m featuring J. J. Collins, who shares my love for M/M stories and all things Supernatural. Her first release, Lost and Found, comes out today from Evernight Publishing. Collins writes shorter works than my preferred novella/novel lengths, and if she’s smarter than I am, she’ll write faster.

Lost and Found is a paranormal tale of two shifters, an arrogant alpha wolf and a freewheeling hawk, who come together and learn to rely on each other. There’s sex between two guys in this one. Be warned.

This story had its start over on Shapeshifter Seductions; you can read the original opening here. You can check out the book page at Evernight at this link. Maybe next week I’ll have J. J. do an interview. Take two weeks off in a row. I am evil. And lazy.

Blurb

Injured and driven out of his forest pack, wolf-shifter Declan escapes to the prairies. Here he encounters hawk-shifter Killian. The hawk is snarky and annoying, but he's Declan's only hope for survival. Alpha Declan needs a pack. Solitary Killian doesn't need anyone. The two form a partnership, based on hunting and their unacknowledged mutual loneliness. The relationship quickly deepens into something stronger, maybe something lasting. Then Declan gets the chance to regain control of the wolves. Will he return to the pack he lost, and give up the love he's just found?

Excerpt

 After fish and mice and rabbits, the antelope—proper wolf food, finally—tasted like the venison of the gods. Declan crammed in as much as he could before he even thought about talking. “This is how a wolf pack eats.” He patted his belly contentedly. “How do you like it so far?”

Killian didn’t answer. He couldn’t, with his mouth stuffed with antelope. Declan chuckled and waited him out. Killian chewed hurriedly, gulped, and said, “I’ve never tasted anything like this.”

“Hell, this is nothing. There’s this herb in the woods…the she-wolves know where to find it. You get some of that, some mushrooms, make a sauce from the blood…damn.” He licked the drool from his lips. “Told you I wasn’t a savage.”

“No. No, you most definitely aren’t.” He leaned back against the earthen support of the bluff, where Declan already reclined with his legs stretched out before him. Their kilts made rounded humps over their full bellies.

Not only their bellies, Declan noticed idly. That little bump on Killian’s thigh wasn’t a twig. It wasn’t all that little, either. Declan had romped with wolves who had less, and wolves who had more but few ideas on what to do with their bounty. His own kilt tented as his wolf raised its head in a tentative howl.

“Your she-wolves cook for you, then? Of course they would. You’re the alpha,” Killian answered his own question. “Or does being alpha mean you cook for them?”

“The women do most of the preparation. Those who are good at hunting, hunt. The rest forage. Some have learned how to grow things. I think that’s a good idea. Even when there’s no meat, there’s still something. No, I don’t cook, but I can. I pay attention to everything the she-wolves do with the food. I like to eat, and I like to eat well.” He flashed a hearty grin. “Do you cook? You carry flint.”

“Not often. I just don’t take the time. Too hungry. Bird. High metabolism.” Killian whistled a happy sigh. “Though not just now. I won’t be flying for hours."

Grounded, eh? Good to know. Declan wondered if Killian was aware of how close he was sitting to the wolf. Or how absolutely lovely he looked—full-fed, his lazy smile at last devoid of snark, his nervous energy momentarily calmed. Even the wild ferocity in his eyes had mellowed. Perhaps he might be in the mood for a little after-breakfast fun. Nothing ventured…

Recalling how the man had flinched at even a casual touch, Declan made his move slow and easy. His tentative rub of Killian’s shoulder sparked another flinch, though not a violent one. Killian slanted a wary look at him through hooded eyes but said nothing. More importantly, he didn’t move away.

Emboldened, Declan slid his hand from Killian’s shoulder to the back of his neck. Dammit, he was stiff as rock back there. He rubbed and kneaded until he coaxed a bit of grudging relaxation out of Killian’s muscles. “So tense,” he teased. “I don’t bite. Not unless you ask.” He took a risk and leaned in closer. “Do you bite?”

For answer, Killian rested his hand on Declan’s leg. His nails pricked the skin of Declan’s thigh, even through the protection of the kilt. “I’m more of a scratcher. You might want to remember that.”

“Oh, I will. And you’re going to remember this for nights to come.”

Their lips were barely a breath apart. He closed that tiny gap and laid claim to Killian’s mouth.

Killian stiffened but didn’t pull away. Nor did he respond, not at first. Declan nibbled at his lips. Killian seemed to reach a decision and kissed back.

Great gods above and below. Kissing the hawk was like putting his lips to a lightning storm. The man was pure energy, electric and wild, like some primal god of the sky. Desire shot through Declan’s entire body as he drank it in, this fierce font of passion that was Killian. All of a sudden he wanted—no, needed—to climb aboard this feathered whirlwind and ride to its end, all the way to the clouds if need be.

Encouraged by Killian’s reaction, Declan pulled the smaller man into his brawny arms. His hands explored the angular geography of Killian’s narrow body, mapping every wiry inch. That downy not-hair covering extended from his clavicles downward, where it formed a dark, cozy nest for his dick. Similar down coated his arms, his legs, and—oh fuck yeah, his balls. Its enticing softness, contrasted with the rocklike solidity of Killian’s muscles, was driving Declan over the edge.

Most of all, he wanted to ram his mighty wolf into the hawk-shifter’s hole. He had no doubts what he’d find in there: wet heat and a grip like talons. He almost came right then just thinking about it.