I’m very happy to have ManLove author, AK Kinley join us for the week’s Wednesday Words. Tomorrow his latest book, Something Beautiful, will be released by Siren-Bookstrand. Andrew was kind enough to stop by today to answer a few of my questions.
Meet Author AK Kinley
Lynne St. James: First off, thank you so much for joining us today and congratulations on your new book, Something Beautiful. Can you tell us where you got the idea for this story?
AK Kinley: Thank you, Lynne. Also, thank you for having me as a guest today on your blog.
Something Beautiful began as a short story titled, Playboy28. The short was published on the ManLove Authors Website in July, 2013. During that summer, my partner and I were discussing publicly coming out that fall. With that realization, I decided to turn Playboy28 into a full-length book, including the short story as the prologue. There is not a great deal of literature written about transgender characters, particularly gay transmen such as myself. I wanted to show a transgender hero in a real situation of life and love.
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Lynne: Do you base any of your stories on parts of your life?
Andrew: I infuse not only my stories, but characters, with small bits and pieces of myself and parts of my life. Still yet, my characters are original creations.
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Lynne: Who would you say is the one person outside of your family that influenced your life the most?
Andrew: A university professor, which I studied under, once said that institutional marks hold little value in the true knowledge that an individual holds. He believed that an educated person was one who, ten years from now, would be able to meet him at a sidewalk Paris bistro, sit down for a cup of espresso, and have an intelligent conversation about life. His classes weren’t the usual stylized lectures, but interactive experiences between teacher and student, where ideas and theories were discussed as a group. Formal exams were not given, as he preferred to assign grades based on student opinions and interpretations of the material. As a result, I believe that this professor taught others to think outside of the box, nothing is as it seems, and to quote him, “the woes of tortured academic matters.”
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Lynne: When you’re writing, do your characters ever surprise you? If so, do you allow them to have their way with the story or do you try to reign them in?
Andrew: My characters write their own lives, or so to speak. While I provide them with literary direction, they ultimately make their own decisions. Once an idea for a book begins to form, I feel compelled to see it through to completion. The characters that I write about demand that their stories be told as uniquely as they are forming in my memory.
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Lynne: What has been the hardest part of being an author? When did you first realize it was your calling?
Andrew: I don’t believe I ever had an epiphany that writing was my calling. I began my career as a freelance journalist and photographer, and became a ManLove erotic romance author in November, 2012 upon the publication of my first book Ripped with Siren-BookStrand Publishing. So, in a sense, I’ve always been a writer, in one form or another.
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Lynne: Which of your books is your favorite, and why?
Andrew: My favorite book is my upcoming release, Something Beautiful. The story is complex, intense, and mysterious, but tender and passionate. All of which are traits that I use to describe myself.
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Lynne: Have you ever learned anything from your characters?
Andrew: I have learned that love and eroticism are two very important and powerful emotions that drive not only my characters, but my style of writing as well. In their purest forms, I have seen those concepts transform my characters into better individuals.
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Lynne: Do you spend a lot of time on research for your books?
Andrew: To date, all of my books have been set in Arkansas, my home state. The individual towns are either places I have lived or visited. This has helped in terms of setting descriptions. As far as character occupations, I have spent some time in research. However, ninety-percent of any story that I create focuses on the romance between the characters. I try to make setting and occupational descriptions more of a secondary aspect.
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Lynne: Have you ever gone back and read one of your books and wished you could change it?
Andrew: I try not to go back and read any of my books in their entirety. As I continue to grow as a writer, I am almost certain that I would find flaws, as any of us would, within my words.
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Lynne: Do you have a favorite author? A favorite book?
Andrew: I consider poets to be authors. I am fond of the Romantic Poets: Wordsworth, Keats, Bryon, Coleridge, and Shelley. The favorite works among them would be far too many to list.
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Lynne: Do you ever get writer’s block? If so, how do you deal with it?
Andrew: I get writer’s block all the time. In addition, I am a slow writer. My theory for coping is when a story is ready to be told I will write it. I cannot force the process.
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Lynne: Do you have any routine for writing, like listening to certain music, or total quiet, snacks, etc.?
Andrew: I like routines, but I also enjoy spontaneity. I’ve written under different circumstances and surroundings so it would be hard to pinpoint just one.
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Lynne: What advice would you offer to new authors?
Andrew: The first step is getting published. The next? Promote, promote, promote! Also when writing, don’t be afraid to share your thoughts. There will be people out there who respect you, not only for your ideas, but for your honesty.
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Lynne: Can you share with us what you’re working on now?
Andrew: All of my upcoming WIP are ManLove erotic romances. They include the second book in the Rock Stars series, which continues the story of the 80’s style glam band, Rock Hard. In addition, I am writing Midnight Angel. This title will explore the story of two men, both angels, and the love they had experienced for fifty thousand years. Finally, I am working on The Confessional. Father Anthony Rossi has created a world of romantic fantasy in the hopes that it will be enough to satisfy his desires for a romantic relationship with another man.
Something Beautiful – The Blurb:
Warning: This book is for mature audiences only and contains scenes of double anal penetration.
Transman, Reed Collins and his partner, Levon Kruger, an openly gay drummer for the heavy metal band Hardcore, have been in a committed relationship for eight months. The couple is continuing to explore the love and passion that began in an online chat program a year ago. Recently, they further defined that commitment as a marriage.
While on their honeymoon, Avery Gaines walks into their lives in what he calls, “a chance meeting.” The couple is immediately attracted to the tall, dark-haired stranger, with deep green eyes. Reed is the first to admit his love for Avery, but Levon holds his emotions in check. Avery wants the trio to share love and a commitment, not readily understanding Levon’s reservations.
The romantic triangle goes through a period of conflict and turmoil, until Levon finally reveals a promise that he made to Reed, and how loving Avery would call into question the very foundation of the marriage he shares with his partner.
Something Beautiful – The Trailer:
Where to find AK Kinley:
Friend Andrew K Kinley on Facebook
Like Andrew K Kinley on Facebook
Following Andrew K Kinley on Twitter
Subscribe to Andrew K Kinley on YouTube
A K Kinley on Siren-BookStrand
Andrew K Kinley on Manic Readers
I want to thank you again, Andrew, for joining us today. I hope you all will take the time to check out his new release Something Beautiful. If you have any questions Andrew will be with us today to answer them.
♥ ♥ ♥
Lynne St. James 