Today we have erotic romance writer Joey James Hook. He writes gritty m/m romance novels that are already causing quite a stir. One Two Three, Shatter, which is published with Silver Publishing, has just received a Top Pick award from The Romance Reviews! So read on to find out more from this highly talented author.
Q. Where did you get the idea for One Two Three, Shatter?
I got the idea for One Two Three, Shatter… actually, I’m not quite sure where I got the idea for that novel from. Kaleb just came to me as such a complete being, with a solid but tragic backstory, and as a muse, he just kept pressing me to write his story until I finished it.
Q. Tell us a bit about the hero and heroine in One Two Three, Shatter.
Well, Kaleb’s a tortured guy. He grew up in an abusive home and he’s sort of more like an anti-hero. He does things he doesn’t understand out of a fear he can’t quite comprehend, and to be candid, he screws up royally, but there’s just something about him that you just can’t quite hate. Knowing what he’s been through, you sort of empathize with him. At least, I do. You just want to see him have his happy ending, which I promise you, he does end up getting.
As far as the heroine, there really isn’t one unless you count his lifetime friend Sid, but there’s another hero in Trent. He’s sort of the unsung hero, especially from Kaleb’s point of view. He’s a sweet guy, eager and dedicated, and he’s exactly what Kaleb needs to find stability. He’s never-wavering and stays by Kaleb’s side through everything even when Kaleb tries to push him away and even when things get rough with his addiction and his trust issues. He’s the epitome of devotion, and that’s something Kaleb needs.
Q. What are you working on right now, and what can we expect from you next?
Currently I’m working on the fourth and fifth installments in the Xander Series, about Kaleb’s adopted son, Kay and a character you’ll meet in Kaleb’s story, Jer, as well as a M/M zombie apocalypse novella. What should be up next for me publishing-wise is the second in the Xander Series, which my acquisitions editor is looking over right now, as well as a crime noir M/M romance novel featuring an assassin. I’m always working on so much!
Q. Do you prefer stand-alone books or series (As a reader or a writer) ?
As a writer, I prefer series because there’s always something more to write about in a story. As a reader, I also enjoy series, because with my favorite stories, I always want more!
Q. If you could have dinner with any one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
This is a hard one! I can’t just choose one. I’d have to say it’s a tie between J.K. Rowling, J.R. Ward and Friedrich Nietzsche, the former two because I love their stories and would love to hear their thoughts on everything writing and pick their brains for series-building, and the latter because his work is just so fascinating. I’d love to see how he was as a person.
Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I knew when I was in the eighth grade. Well, I knew before then, but that was the first time someone encouraged me, told me I had talent, and entered me into a competition. I didn’t win it, but it had successfully spurred me on to continue to write.
Q. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? (Some write with a glass of wine, or others listen to music, what do you do?)
I can’t write without listening to music. I just can’t do it. I also tend to write through the entire draft without going back and editing, and there are a lot of errors because I rarely go back and fix them, aside from glaring typos and such! It probably drives my editors insane. 🙂
Q. Tell us a little about your writing day?
A typical writing day– right now, anyway– is just keeping my word processor open and pulling it up five to ten times a day, writing a anywhere from a few hundred to a thousand words each time, until it ends up totaling up to at least four thousand words a day.
Conversely, I just sit down and write consistently for most of the evening, depending on what else I’m doing that day. When I’m by myself, I write consistently all day, but when my girlfriend’s here, we either write together, or we set aside times to write when we aren’t watching TV together or running errands or working/studying for classes.
Q. How do we find out about you and your books?
The best place to find anything out about my writing is my Facebook author page (https://www.facebook.com/
Q. How may readers contact you?
You can either contact me via my Facebook or Twitter above, via email at joey.jade.fox (at) gmail (dot) com or through my blog 🙂
Excerpt from One Two Three, Shatter:
“Don’t apologize, man. It’s
“I guess it’s just how I am,
“I can stick around if you
“If you’re willing, sure, but
“Not with you around it’s not,
“Thanks, but I’m really not
“I think you are,” Trent
“What are you saying exactly?”
“Just that I like you,” Trent
“Well, thanks,” he replied,
He took a deep breath after
“How exactly do you like me?”
“Just about any way,” Trent’s
Thanks for being my guest today, Joey. I love your writing, it gives a real insight into the emotions of the characters.
12 Comments
Hi, Joey, and welcome. One Two Three, Shatter, has a fabulous cover.It has so much drama.
Jan x
Thank you so much for hosting me today, Jan. It was a real pleasure. Thank you for the compliments as well, they mean a lot to me 🙂
Hi, Joey! You are one of the writers I most definitely have at the top few of my picks to read. I like your style–the intensity, the candor, the blips of humor wilthin the bleakness.
I want to wish you tons of success. You sure deserve the very best, and you have my support always.
Great interview, intriguing excerpt. You have a compelling 'voice'. On my TBRs.
Thanks, Erin! I'm glad you like my style 🙂 you too deserve the very best and thank you for the support– you have it back tenfold
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Nice interview, Joey and Jan. Hey that sounds like a great title. Sorry, digressed for a moment. Great excerpt. I like doing series too. They keep you in that world you love, both as a reader and writer. Thanks for sharing.
Nice interview, Joey and Jan. Hey that sounds like a great title. Sorry, digressed for a moment. Great excerpt. I like doing series too. They keep you in that world you love, both as a reader and writer. Thanks for sharing.
I agree with Cynthia. The interview was impeccable along with the excerpt.
Thank you, Cynthia! I'm glad you like the title. 🙂 Series are my favorites haha.
Wow, thank you so much Mike 🙂
Thanks for being a great guest, Joey!