suspense – A. L. Lester

Guest Interview: Anne Russo

Today we welcome Anne Russo to the blog to answer some questions. Morning Anne! Thank you for dropping by.

Firstly, why are you doing this interview?

Hello! Thank you so much for letting me stop by today! I’m here to talk about my new release, The Dead Don’t Dream, the third book in the Dead Generations series which was released on October 1st.

What started you writing?

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I wrote my first short story sometime around the age of eight, and my first novel (though not a good one by any means) around sixteen. I have also written poetry, short stories, and many half-finished books off and on as well. But, the Dead Generations series is the first of what I hope to be many future published works.

Where do you write?

I have a home office that I retreat to, where I let my imagination run wild, and where I can be alone with my thoughts, and my characters, and just have the freedom to let go, and see where that takes me. Ideally, I’d love to retreat to a lake-side cabin deep in the woods. There is something about solitude, and nature that really fuels my creativity.

What do you like to read?

I read almost an equal mix of fiction, and nonfiction, biographies of historical figures being my go-to. I also enjoy most fiction genres: contemporary, historical, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror novels being what I vary between. If they have elements of romance, even better! I prefer stories with queer and/or diverse characters but I’ll read anything that makes me feel and fuels my imagination.

What are the three books you’d take to a desert island? Why would you choose them?

Oh boy, that’s a tough one! I’m going to go with pure entertainment reads since you know, stuck on a desert island and all. I would have to say The Stand – by Stephen King, The Passage – by Justin Cronin, and The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice. All amazing, super engrossing reads, and a great way to pass the time.

Writing is an intrinsically solo occupation. Do you belong to any groups or associations, either online or in the ‘real’ world? How does that work for you?

I do not, besides a few group chats which are enormously helpful, encouraging, and a fabulous support system. I love being part of the writing community, and lending my help where and when I can. It’s great to have a tribe, and while I’m still looking for mine, I’m going to try and be as helpful as I can. I especially love beta reading for other authors, and helping them with brainstorming projects they might be stuck on, it really helps my own work as well.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Besides writing, I love to read, bake and listen to podcasts (I’m especially into ones covering topics like true crime, history/science, and the paranormal.) I’m a huge movie buff and absolutely love classic films, so I’m big into that. I also love spending time outdoors, and in nature when I can. Traveling, and exploring new places is another love of mine. I love visiting local museums, and bookstores when I do. But mostly, I prefer being home with my partner, relaxing, I enjoy being a homebody.

Tell me a little bit about your most recent release. What gave you the idea for it? How long did it take to write? What did you enjoy about writing it? What did you hate?

My newest release, The Dead Don’t Dream is the third book in the Dead Generations series. Dead Generations tells the story of a complicated, and tortured assassin, Ian Abbott, and a idealistic, and brilliant doctor, Adam Morrow, whose chance encounter leads them both on a dangerous path, where they soon learn the connection they share is far deeper than mere attraction.

It’s a dark read, full of many twists, and turns, and while an emotional read, at its heart is a love story that is as equal parts beautiful as it is tragic. I’m immensely proud of it, and how far it’s come. It began as a small nugget of an idea, a few years back and it grew, and grew until I finally had no choice but to sit down and let Ian and Adam tell me their story. I’m so glad they did!

It’s been a crazy, wild ride, and what I’ve enjoyed most was creating a cast of characters, and a love story (however dark it may be at times) that readers seem to truly enjoy! I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of writing these two, and as I plan on writing six books total for this series, I hope that sentiment continues to hold true.

As for what I’ve hated about writing it, not much. Writing is my true love! But there have been a few periods of self-doubt throughout this process, as well as wondering if I made the right decisions with certain plot points, and characters actions. Not to mention struggling from time to time with the one thing every writer dreads, writer’s block. All and all the entire process has been incredible. I wouldn’t change any of it, even the tough times for anything in the world.

The Dead Don’t Dream

Sequel to The Dead Don’t Mourn

After Katherine foils Ian and Adam’s plans, Ian self-destructs, drowning himself in alcohol and murder while Adam fights to stay sane under Katherine’s watchful eye, biding his time as he plots his revenge. Determined to keep them apart for good, Katherine takes her evil schemes one step further, leaving Ian and Adam unable to separate reality from fiction, friend from foe.

Still seeking answers to who betrayed them, Ian’s quest for vengeance puts him on a brutal path of destruction, setting off a devastating chain of events that changes everything for the group and leaving him more alone than ever. Broken and losing hope, Adam deals with a vengeful face from the past, one who will stop at nothing to claim Ian for himself. Locked in a battle for survival, Adam must do everything in his power to stay alive.

Their precarious situation takes an even more dangerous turn when Adam runs off and Katherine tasks Ian with bringing him back. It is a journey that will lead both men on a collision course with the ghosts of their shared and twisted past, and ultimately, each other, as they struggle to protect a future worth fighting for.

NOTE: This story contains scenes of torture, violence, death, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and a brief scene of bullying and hate speech. This book ends on a “happy for now” ending with the promise of more to come.

Amazon US : Amazon UK : JMS Books

Find Anne on Social Media.

Jackson Marsh: Researching and Portraying a Deaf Character in Victorian Fiction

This week we welcome Jackson Marsh to talk about his lead character in the Larkspur Mysteries. Welcome, Jackson! Take it away…

Hi, I’m Jackson Marsh, author of the 11-part Clearwater Mystery series set between the years 1888 and 1890. I am now writing the follow-on series, the Larkspur Mysteries, and one of my main characters is deaf. I’m here to tell you why I chose to write a deaf lead character, what research I did to help create him, and how I write him into the romantic, MM mysteries.

Why Write a Lead Character who is Deaf?

My interest in the deaf world began several years ago when I worked as the composer for a deaf/hearing children’s theatre company. Recently, I was watching ‘The Amazing Race’ and found myself fascinated by the team of Luke Adams and his mother, Marj O’Donnell. Seeing Luke, who is deaf, compete in the race and work his way through triumphs and frustrations is what (and who) gave me the idea to create Joe Tanner, my 19-year-old, deaf-from-birth character in the Larkspur Series. I’ve since written to Luke and thanked him for his inspiration—it was the first time I had ever written fan mail.

Most stories I had read that featured a deaf character had him/her portrayed as a victim. Someone to be helped by others, someone to be pitied, and, particularly in historical fiction, someone who was stupid. My mission was to reverse those misconceptions, and create a young, gay, deaf man who would not only be heroic but would also become educated. Joe’s story starts with an abusive father, takes him to seven years in a workhouse, and on to become one of the Clearwater men at the Larkspur Academy. It is a story of survival through MM love.

What Research was Involved?

For Joe’s initial story, ‘Guardians of the Poor’, I had two main areas to research. Firstly, and easiest, was the history of the Hackney Workhouse in London, and life in workhouses in the late 19^th century. Books, online research, the National Newspaper Archives… I was able to use my usual resources, as well as my memory, as I had visited the actual buildings many years ago when I lived nearby.

Secondly, more challenging but infinitely more practical, was learning sign language. I researched the history of British Sign Language (BSL) as best as I could and used that to inform Joe’s wider world. Joe is a deaf character who speaks, but because he’s never heard words, he can only imitate lip movements, and that’s why people think he is, in Victorian wordage, an imbecile. However, he signs, and so that I could understand what that entails, I took a course in basic BSL. My husband joined me, and now we can communicate in sign if we choose to. It’s great fun talking about people without them knowing what you’re signing. Seriously, though, it gave me a massive insight into how to write Joe’s thought process.

How do I Write a Deaf Character?

It’s not only Joe’s thought process that I needed to consider when writing ‘Guardians of the Poor’ and the books that follow. Joe is the hero in book two of the series, ‘Keepers of the Past’, and as half of the narrative is from his point of view, I had to be in his head for much of the time. Sign language is constructed differently to spoken languages, and if I wrote purely as Joe would have thought and signed, it would be hard to read. For example, his dialogue would be, ‘You me go London when? Before me London rubbish, now, so-so.’ (When are we going to London? I used to hate the place, but now, it’s alright.)

Another consideration was understanding how Joe would have thought. When hearing people think or read, we hear the words in our head, but what if you’ve never heard words? What then? Joe, like many deaf-from-birth people, thinks visually. Again, I had to cheat to a certain extent, because otherwise the text would be impossible to read. It would be a jumble of memories and images that would only make sense to Joe.

More importantly, behaviour was a consideration, and for that, I remembered Luke’s frustrations on The Amazing Race, his, to us, over reactions, his use of body language for emphasis, other people’s reactions, and his heroism through daily adversity. All those trains have informed the character of Joe Tanner.

One day, I’d love to speak, sorry, sign with Luke, and give him a copy of the books, as a thank you for the inspiration. He’s become a bit of a hero of mine, and Joe can be yours if you follow the Larkspur Mystery Series.

The Larkspur Mysteries : The Clearwater Mysteries

Guardians of the Poor: The Larkspur Mysteries Book 1

“The greatest gift one man may give another is his trust.”
Barbary Fleet, 1890.

Standing stones, messages written in symbols, and the language of the deaf. It falls to Lord Clearwater to unlock the mystery of Dalston Blaze and his deaf friend, Joe Tanner, two young men arrested for committing ‘unnatural offences’ at the Hackney workhouse.

Dalston hopes for a prison sentence. It’s the only way to save his life. Instead, he is bailed to the Larkspur Academy on Lord Clearwater’s Cornish estate, where there is only one rule: honesty above all else. For Dalston, this means confronting his past, learning to trust, and admitting his secrets. Joe is the key, but Joe is missing, and his location is locked deep inside a memory seen in sign language, and clouded by eighteen years of workhouse life.

If Dalston remains silent, the immoral workhouse master and his sadistic schoolteacher will continue to inflict pain and suffering on all inmates of the Hackney workhouse. If he tells the truth, he and Joe will die.

The Guardians of the Poor is a combination of mystery, adventure and male romance, set in 1890. It draws on first-hand accounts of workhouse life at the time, and is the first of a new series of mysteries set in the Clearwater world.

The Larkspur Mysteries

Beginning in 1890, The Larkspur Mysteries follow on from The Clearwater Mysteries series of 11 novels. It’s not necessary to have read the Clearwater books before you embark on the Larkspur series. However, if you enjoy mystery, romance, adventure and a mix of historical fact and fiction, then begin the journey with ‘Deviant Desire.’ (Or the non-mystery prequel, ‘Banyak & Fecks.’)

Lord Clearwater has created a unique academy for disadvantaged young men. The Larkspur Academy is, ‘A non-academic institution with the aim to provide deserving men the opportunity to expand talent, horizons and knowledge for the betterment of the underprivileged and general society.’ It’s not a school. There are no lessons, no teachers, no schoolboys and no rules. The series exists in the established Clearwater world of the late 1800’s where homosexuality is a crime everywhere but on Clearwater’s country estate in Cornwall.

The series is ongoing. Each story involves male bonding, bromance, friendship and love. Mystery, adventure and a little comedy play their parts, and every story is inspired by true events from the past.

Buy The Guardians of the Poor

About Jackson

Jackson Marsh was born in 2017 as the pen name for James Collins so I could publish my new gay fiction independently from my other writing work.

I was born on the south coast of England during a blizzard in 1963, but now like to warm thing up with MM romance novels, gay mysteries and some occasional erotica. In 2007 I was awarded an EGPA award for my erotic short stories, and I have won three Best Screenplay awards for my film scripts. I am a diverse writer with thrillers, comedies and horror stories under my James belt, and now romance and mystery under my Jackson belt.

Although I spend most of my time researching and writing, I do have other interests. It’s a strange collection of playing the piano, building classic horror model kits and, when I can, travel. Past interests, which I still follow but no longer pursue so much, include rock climbing, musical theatre and genealogy. That’s probably why my books tend to involve characters who are musicians, writers, mystery-solvers and rock climbers; there’s a bit of me in each one of them.

I live on a Greek island with my husband, and we have been here since 2002.

You can keep up to date with my monthly newsletter and be the first to know about my publications. The isn’t one of those newsletters that simply advertise other people’s books for sale, it’s more personal than that, and you can unsubscribe anytime.

Jackson Marsh Amazon : Jackson Marsh website : Jackson Marsh Facebook

Am Reading

This week, a climate-driven dystopia by Premee Mohamed, a spooky gay romance by Isabelle Adler and a murder mystery with a background gay romance by C. S. Poe.

The Annual Migration of Clouds by Premee Mohamed

Wonderful novella set in a world ravaged by climate breakdown. Millions have died. Those remaining scrape out an existence in the remaining cities, spinning fibre out of reclaimed plastic bags, getting their protein from eggs twice a week, scavenging through what once was in the Back Then, about eighty years ago, as far as I could work out. A percentage of people are infected with Cad, a sort of symbiote that can manipulate its host in a limited sort of way…through fear or excessive caution to improve survival. Our hero is Reid, a young woman who has been contacted by one of the domes, centres where knowledge and tech is supposed to have survived. She’s offered a place at the University. But it’s days travel away. And no-one ever comes back.

I’ve read Premee Mohamed’s Apple Tree Throne and loved both her writing and storytelling. Similarly this…it’s delicate and thoughtful and the worldbuilding and attention to detail is beautiful. Reid’s world is completely believable. The shadow of ours hangs over it–its a howl against what we’ve already done to our descendants as well as a fantastic story. It’s a beautiful dystopia, with hope. Recommend.

The House on Druid Lake by Isabelle Adler

This is kind of a cosy mystery and also a Halloween story, which I find counter-intuitive but turns out not to be at all. Oliver’s a bit of a mess–his last relationship was abusive and he’s moved from Florida to Baltimore for a new job and a fresh start. He moves into a flat in an interesting old house, sight unseen except for the photos in the listing on the internet. The very attractive landlord is a bit odd as are the rest of the tenants. It was such a set-up…creaky old house, mysterious tenants…I loved it and immediately began working out what particular kind of entity each person was. The house turns out to be the target of an unscrupulous developer and Oliver and his new landlord have to outwit them. Nym, the landlord, has his own secrets and hang-ups and I found their relationship development satisfying and well-rounded. There are some pleasingly inexplicable little bits…I don’t like my magic systems to be spoon-fed to me and they were little loose threads independent of the main story that gave me things to ponder on once I’d finished. It’s a very happy book and I recommend it. Also, I love the cover!

Madison Square Murders by C. S. Poe

This is the opener of a new series by C. S. Poe. Everett is a desperately unhappy cold case detective who’s marriage is on the rocks, in part because a traumatic brain injury means he has memory issues. He can’t remember small things–he has to write everything down. Big things, he can’t forget.

A body found in the roots of a tree in the eponymous Madison Square Park begins a professional partnership with facial reconstruction artist Ira that soon turns into something more. Ira makes his interest in Everett clear, not realising he’s married. Both the emotional plot and the murder plot are complex and very well drawn. I love Poe’s stories and the way her characters often have disabilities they are living with as best they can. Disabled people live fulfilling lives centred around things other than dealing with their disability; and her writing embraces this. I’m looking forward to the next in the Memento Mori series.

#AmReading

This week, two gay mystery romances (one in audio) and an absorbing fictionalisation of the story of the first Black women officers in the US army in WW2.

Prodigal by T. A. Moore

A satisfying story about a boy who disappeared fifteen years ago. Morgan can’t remember anything before he was eight and his memories of being passed from pillar to post in foster care are really messed up. Is he Sammy Calloway? Boyd was Sammy’s best friend and he doesn’t know either.

There’s angst, vulnerability and pushing people you’re falling in love with away before they can hurt you. There’s a rich backstory and cast of secondary characters and I like how some of the sub plots are left to spin themselves out in your head…you’ve got enough clues to work out what’s going on, but it’s not spoon fed to you. I recommend.

Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson

The story of the first Black women officers in the US army in WW2 through a fictionalised lens. An utterly absorbing story from the creation of the first Black unit in the WAAC, through recruitment, training and deployment to serving in France.

The women faced racism and sexism at every stage and came out triumphant. This book left me smiling– the two main characters are skilfully woven in among the historical figures of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and are sympathetic, flawed and very real. Just up my historical street and a joy to read–the writing is beautiful. Plus there’s a list of source material at the back which delighted my inner historical nerd.

P. S. I Spook You by S. E. Harmon (audio)

This is already a comfort re-read for me and the audio lived up to my expectations. If you like your detectives with a side-order of sass and talking to dead people, this is definitely worthwhile, however you read it.

The narrator, Noah Michael Levine, hit the same note for the characters that I had given them in my head and I was able to go along for the ride. I often find I pick up details in the audio that I miss reading on the page and this was the case here…description of surroundings and what people are wearing that add depth and colour to the plot that I sometimes don’t absorb, as I read fast. I’m looking forward to listening to the other two in the trilogy.

That’s the lot for this time!

Release Party Roundup!

No party is complete without a dissection of who was there, what they were wearing, who did what, and with whom. All these lovely authors dropped in to Lester Towers at the weekend and they are all very cool, nice people who write fantastic books. Here’s a round-up of their latest releases so you can check them out easily.

Thank you so much to everyone, readers and authors, who came along. It was my first facebook party and I had terrible nerves…you all made it good fun and I actually enjoyed myself, so I can see myself doing it again at some point!

The Best Corpse for the Job, Charlie Cochrane

Comes a Horseman by Ann Barwell — Comes a Horseman,
Ann Barwell

Soul Eater, Ofelia Grand — Soul Eater,
Ofelia Grand

There Will be Aliens, Holly Day — There Will be Aliens,
Holly Day

The Meet Cute Chronicles Box Set, Nell Iris — The Meet-Cute Chronicles, Nell Iris

When Are You? by Addison Albright — When Are You?
Addison Albright

More Than This, Alexa Milne — More Than This,
Alexa Milne

Stage Struck, Ellie Thomas — Stage Struck,
Ellie Thomas

Trench Warfare, Fiona Glass — Trench Warfare,
Fiona Glass

Magician, K. L. Noone — Magician,
K. L. Noone

A Poison Apple, C. L. Cleppit — A Poison Apple,
C. H. Cleppit

The Vampire Guard, Elizabeth Noble — Codename Jackrabbit,
Elizabeth Noble

Trapped by Greed, Kaje Harper — Trapped by Greed,
Kaje Harper

Club 669, Amy Spector — Club 669,
Amy Spector