Today I am so pleased to welcome Brandon Shire to Joyfully Jay. Brandon has come to talk to us about his new serial, The Love of Wicked Men. It is being written with reader participation, so you can have a chance to help shape the story! 

Welcome Brandon!

Hello! Thanks for having me.

 

Ok, so this story is being written as a serial.  But the twist is that it is interactive and readers can participate in shaping the storyline.  Can you tell us more about how it works?

Sure. The idea is pretty simple. Any time before the final episode, readers can add their commentary, conjecture, thoughts or ideas about the story in our Goodreads thread for Wicked Men. (NSFW). I’m watching the thread and interacting with readers as comments are posted. I’m also changing the storyline based on reader feedback. Since this is a legal thriller, there are still a lot of twists and turns I haven’t revealed yet, so input from readers allows me to tweak the story before it’s fully written.

 

This is such an interesting idea! What made you think of it and decide to go this route?

Well, it’s done a lot in science fiction, but I have yet to see it done in m/m romance. Most m/m publishers require an author to have the story complete before submission, but I thought it would be fun to ask readers to get involved while I was still writing. As we know, m/m readers aren’t known for holding back in their opinions and I thought I could put those opinions to work. 🙂

 

How many episodes are out so far? And how many do you expect there to be?

The first episode has been released as an Amazon exclusive (It’s FREE for Kindle Unlimited users). I’m expecting Episode Two will be released before Christmas. In total there should be about six episodes, but that will depend on reader interaction. If they want to explore the characters in different ways than I have in my outline, then I’ll be adding more to the story.

 

About how long will there be between episodes?

Six to eight weeks, and that’s so readers have a chance to offer their input (and allow me time to add that input into the story). Fans have already demanded more of one character, so I’ve shifted the storyline somewhat to incorporate more of him later.

 

So can you tell us a little bit about the story that has been published so far, just to give folks a sense of what it is about?

This is a legal erotic thriller, so it involves corrupt lawyers, big corporate money and shady deals. One of our main characters is a lawyer. He’s rich, gorgeous, and he’s a complete a-hole. He needs to be chopped down a few blocks (which is where a lot of reader input has come in so far). Our second M/C is an ex-con. He has a shady background, a hot body and uses both to his advantage. He is still somewhat of a mystery. He’s one of those guys you crave even when every sense in your body warns you to stay away.

In the first episode, these two characters are just meeting, but it’s not quite as simple as that…

 

How much of the ultimate story will be determined by your readers? Do you have an outline of where you think things will go? Or is it all up in the air?

I have an outline of the main points in the story, and the answers to the questions. But the readers will ultimately determine how (and if) all of what I know is revealed.

 

When the story is finished, will you be releasing it as a full novel?  And in the meantime, how can readers get copies of the individual episodes?

Yes, when the story is complete I’ll be releasing it as one novel for those who dislike serials, but they miss out on the fun and intrigue. There’s a special email list for those who want the novel in its complete form.

 

When do you expect the entire story to be done?

Again, that depends on fans. If they offer great input, I’ll hold back until I can work it into the story. The complete novel should be released somewhere around Sept 2015, after all six episodes are released. But we’ll be having lots of fun playing with the characters between now and then.

 

Is there anything else you are working on that you would like to tell us about?

I have several more books in the pipeline for 2015. Fans are screaming for another installment of Afflicted (I’m working on it); I have another tear-jerker coming, and I’m in research mode for another hot m/m romance which deals with a young man coming to terms with the difference between sex and sexuality.

 

If readers want to know more about you or your work, how can they find you?

They can reach me almost anywhere on the internet (not Facebook). All the links to my social media sites are on my website at BrandonShire.com

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today Brandon!

Thanks for having me!


Blurb

The Love of Wicked MenSid Rivers and Jack Brown are two sides of the same coin. One is a lawyer with his own firm and dreams of money and power; the other is a criminal with a lengthy record and a quest for vengeance. When they meet, sparks fly. But was their meeting an accident? Or was it planned by the billionaires who want to control their destiny?

The Love of Wicked Men is an erotic journey into the underbelly of the legal profession, the corporate culture of profit-at-any-cost, and the secret world of industrial espionage.


Bio

BRANDON SHIRE is writer of contemporary LGBT fiction. Some of his writing touches upon serious subjects, but most is seriously smexy. (Choose carefully.) Mr. Shire was chosen as a Top Read in 2011, Best in LGBTQ Fiction for 2011 & 2012, and garnered several Honorable Mentions and a Rainbow Award for Best Gay Contemporary Fiction.

10% of the proceeds from the sale of any of Brandon’s books are donated to LGBT Youth charities combating homelessness.

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