When I posted last week, I nudged readers on the notification list to send me a question. I've assembled my favorites here. Enjoy.
If you would like to be on the notification list for when new chapters drop, send an email to: timothylane414@gmail.com
What do you think makes for a "good" secondary character in a story — in your own writing or otherwise?
I love this question. Secondary characters are useful in aiding the protagonist’s journey through the plot of the story. However, I find secondary characters to be far more than just two-dimensional. When I see a movie or watch a television series, one of the most important things for me to love it is that I need to like somebody. I’ve watched some critically acclaimed (Oscar) films, Broadway productions and TV series, but if I don’t really like any of the characters, I always leave feeling “meh.”
If I care about the characters, then I’m drawn in. The protagonist is the lead, but I find caring about the secondary characters to be very important too. Not everyone can necessarily relate to the main character, but they might be able to feel the emotions of a secondary one.
The best examples are Lance and Cooper. Lance was just an
extra player in Chapter 1 of Extracurricular. A simple plot device. By
the time I was fleshing out If It Weren’t For the Two of Us, Lance
became more complex. Soon, he was my favorite character, and I knew he needed
his own book. Quite honestly, Books Three, Four and Five (soon to be Six) all
materialized when secondary characters became relatable. All of us feel certain
emotions. That’s key.
Is it
enough just to be non-heteronormative? Or do we need ill-treatment and
suffering to really attain goodness and nobility of character?
Okay, this
question is deep. Although that actual term is only 30 years old, people have
felt it since the beginning of time. I’m certainly no therapist or theologian,
but I don’t think people have to suffer to be achieve their best self. Those
that do triumph over adversity are certainly inspirational, but I think
heterosexuals and homosexuals can live fulfilled lives and have strong
character just by being their best selves and doing the most they can for their
fellow man.
Is it
narratively more fulfilling for Corey to discover himself to be a gay boy
or a straight boy?
While I
can’t say I have devoted much thought to the possibility to Corey being gay, I wouldn’t
rule it out 100 percent. Personally, it isn’t where I am heading. To answer
your question directly, either way could work, but it is more fulfilling to me
for Corey to be straight. When two people are different and learn to accept
each other as they are, then that is much more rewarding as an author.
What is the purpose of the loud sex scene with Cooper and
his older friend?
Oh, how to answer this question. There are a few directions I can take, so let me try two.
First, just as if someone were writing for a sitcom, it is expected that there would be jokes. Likewise, when writing for a gay erotica site, there is somewhat of an implied mindset that the reader can find sexual content. That there are no requirements — whether minimal or over-the-top explicit — is freeing, but I do feel self-pressured to offer at least “something.” After 2,000+ pages, you don’t want the sexual scenes to become old or predictable. So with the scene between Emory and Cooper, there is a new dynamic for Cooper and lots of tension it creates. (I can work with that.)
I find the sex works best when it helps move the plot, even
if it is loving affirmation. I think by Cooper learning to love loud sex, it
helps advance his character (and relationship with Mitchell) and create a
freshness to that plot thread. At the same time, it created conflict, which is
good for a story.
Some of the events described were filled to overflowing in true emotions, strong loving emotions and sad memories. I hope at least part of the true emotions are from your personal experience and the sad memories are mostly healed if they too are part of your own past. So what is true?
Trust me, I’m not writing an autobiography. None of the characters are me. But I’m a little part of each one. Most of that comes from raw emotion. Everybody has self-confidence issues; everyone feels insecurity. Look at Lance — beautiful and the “big dick” character. Yet, he is a mess on several levels. I think everyone feels whatever their weaknesses or flaws are makes them feel unworthy. We all have felt that.
The closest to my own
personal experiences are some things I’ve written about high school. Multitudes
of young men — gay and straight — experiment. When it happened to me, we didn’t
talk about it. We just … “explored.” The fact that we never spoke of it
probably messed me up in my late teens and 20s. I always questioned if it
“turned me gay.” But I know looking back that I always was.
My question is about your process. Is the whole
book actually written at this point? Or is it outlined and you write a
chapter a week and submit it? I'm curious how the inspiration, writing,
editing, and publishing all come together.
I don’t start posting a book until it is completely finished. I have to be happy with it. That said, when a story is posted a week at a time, that lets me go back and refine a chapter — add some details or dialogue here, reword something there. If proofreading errors get by me, that drives me crazy. I respect the reader enough to offer a quality product in that regard. And I sincerely apologize for any typos that get by.
So far, I am always working on the following book before one begins its appearance on Nifty. I’m not sure how long I will keep that up. However, I’ve enjoyed many stories on Nifty, but the chapters come so erratically that I sometimes wonder what happened in the previous chapter and have to go back. I don’t want that with my stories. One that is exceptionally written started 13 years go … and never got finished, which is frustrating to the reader.
If you want a tease, Book Six will be about … drumroll, please … Laramie. By the time I finished Coffee at 9, I found a deep story there. I wanted to tell it. I’m telling it in a completely different way than the first five stories. That’s all I will say for right now. I expect it to be finished by winter, and hopefully will follow Book Five, once that is wrapped up.
I feel like I know your characters. Do they ever feel like real people to you?
If I were to say “yes,” then I’d probably need to be on a
psychologist’s couch. Ha. I realize they are fictional individuals I created,
but I have a fondness for my characters, so in a way … possibly. I feel this
the most when I am working a lot and just don’t have time to devote to the
writing. I miss being with them, if that makes any sense. In my heart, I have
created people who I would like to socialize with if they actually existed. I’m
not sure if that really answers the question.
Do you have a connection to Eureka, Kansas?
No. Not exactly. I was born in Kansas, but I only lived
there for a few years before our family moved to another state. We had
relatives there, so we drove there often. Growing up, I found it boring. Today
I would probably appreciate the lack of absolute masses of people in big
cities, even though I like being a city person. Pros and cons. I just chose
Eureka because I needed a very small town.
Is there anything you WON’T write about?
It’s not that I won’t write about a topic, but some I don’t think I should. For instance, someone once had a fondness for Ophelia’s character (and we all love her) and suggested I give her a story of her own. I quickly pointed out that as much as I liked the character, there was no way I could offer an authentic full story of a Black, straight woman. I would probably wind up making it indirectly offensive in my attempt. The same with Evan when Hi, I’m Lance was being posted. A reader felt for him and wanted to see his story. But, as the name of my blog says — not to mention Nifty’s demographic — I write love stories about gay men. I wasn’t going to suddenly make Evan turn gay.
I’ve delicately touched upon suicide and rape, so I don’t mind tougher issues. But the drug culture isn’t my world, so I couldn’t write realistically about it. Nor S&M and such stuff. If I don’t think I can do a scene justice, I’m not going to insult the reader by doing a bad job.
Who does Cooper end up with?
Ha. Like I would tell. You’ll see in “January.” (But does he
have to end up with anybody? Hmm.)
I love hearing from you. Never hesitate to drop me a line.
