Jet Mykles tagged me for this blog hop… Here’s how it works. Each author answers ten questions about their book — either a work in progress or an upcoming release — and tags five other authors who talk about their own books the next week, link back to the author who tagged them and tag five new authors. And so on, and so on, and so on. I don't normally do blog hops but I worship Jet Mykles. You really should check it out her work in progress is Indigo Knights 3: Lance and if you haven't read Heaven Sent I highly recommend it. So back to me...
1: What is the working title of your book?
Made in China: The Great Wall by Z. Allora
2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
I lived in Suzhou China for six years. Gay doesn't exist openly in China. The choice is either to deny your sexuality or simply follow the social norms: get married, have a child and have a second life that remains hidden from family and friends.
3: What genre does your book fall under?
Gay Romance about hot rockers written in the Yaoi-style.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I know they don't hail from China but they're adorable and their personality's fit my characters.
Jin would be played by the shy but talented Yoshiki Hayashi from X Japan.
Styx would be played by Mike He Jun Xiang.
Okay, so I write about pretty boys… I live in the land of Yaoi!!!
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
There's no gay in China, so how can Styx love his best friend, succeed as a drummer in a new struggling rock band and not be disowned by his family?
6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Made in China will be published by MLR Press. The release date is scheduled for April 2013.
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I had a very rough draft after a few months. Then I let it sit for several months & thought about it… and now I am rewriting sections of it. So all in the better part of a year.
8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
It fits the sub-genre of gay romance's hot rockers but in this first book of the series it is almost half the book before the stumbling band even has a name. It's more about China, life there and the impossibility of being gay there.
9: Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to share some of my experiences after living in China for six years. It was a wonderful and a terrible experience. I loved it and hated in equal measure. It compelled me to give some Chinese men happily ever afters even if it is only in the pages of my romance.
Going to the only gay club in Suzhou forced me to publish this book. Witnessing so many men and women hiding who they are, sadden me. Several of my friends from China were forced by their families to marry and they truly saw no other option. Going against society's expectation isn't something that's in the realm of possibility in the average Chinese person's thought process.
In Made in China, Styx struggles. He wants desperately to be a good Chinese son and to make his family happy by marrying the girl-next-door even if it makes him miserable. However, through his experiences in Suzhou, with Jin and with his band mates, he's able to acknowledge he wants more out of life. Styx wants to be the drummer in a rock band but most of all he wants to be with Jin. But even with the admission of his own desires from his perspective, it seems heartbreakingly impossible.
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
How does Jin ensure Styx doesn't play with Autoerotic asphyxiation ever again? How the hell does the band expect to get through a performance without a singer? What are the most requested songs sung in Suzhou bars? Why is celery dyed blue? What happens at a traditional Chinese wedding in China? Why are green hats never worn? How does Styx overcome the great obstacle of being gay in China without breaking Jin's heart? I know things I wish I didn't and I share them with my readers.
People who will be carrying on The Next Big Thing Blog Hop Next Wednesday:
The lovely Clancy Nacht. She has five solo works out and is co-author of many delicious books including Black Gold (hot rocker boys). She's working with her co-author on Black Gold 2 and I am hoping she'll share some of the yummy details with us. Check out the lovely Clancy at http://www.clancynacht.com
William Cooper was my first line editor and the boy made me cry (seriously almost stopped writing). When I met him all he did was make me laugh! He's got a number of works in process and several published. He enjoys playing with the wicked end of gay romance. You can find out all about him at
Hugs my Pretties,
Z.
To read more about Made in China and for interviews with characters and other books written by Z.Allora go to : www.zallorabooks.com
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