Let’s welcome Isabelle Adler to the blog today to talk about her recent release and answer some nosey questions!
I’m very happy to be here today to talk about my newest release, The House on Druid Lake. It’s a Halloween-themed M/M romance, sweet and emotional with just a tiny bit of spooky thrown into the mix, which I believe is the perfect fit for the autumn season. The story follows Oliver Foster, an aspiring young architect embarking on a successful career in Baltimore, who rents an apartment in an old Victorian house overlooking Baltimore’s Druid Lake. As he gradually meets his quirky neighbours and develops feelings for Nym, his enigmatic, gruff landlord, Oliver becomes convinced there is more going on at Lakeside Lodge than meets the eye, and Halloween might be just the right (or the wrong) time to unearth some supernatural secrets.
Where do you write?
I’m very lucky to have my own little writing nook with a built-in desk and shelves. It’s not very private, but I rely on my noise-cancelling headphones to filter the sounds of a busy household when I want to focus on my work. Sometimes, when I feel I need an even quieter space and a change of scenery, I take my laptop to a coffee shop or a library.
What do you like to read?
I used to read across different genres of speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, historical adventure), but in the recent years I almost exclusively read romance, leaning heavily into queer romance. What can I say, with the world being currently the mess that it is, I feel like I need the assurance of a happy ending in my reading. Besides, the romance genre, and even LGBTQ romance in particular, is so broad, encompassing every kind of plot and setup one could wish for – mystery, paranormal, historical, etc. – that I’m never stuck for choice, depending on my mood and current interests. In my writing, I also dabble in a variety of different subgenres, which allows for a larger creative freedom.
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 don’t currently belong to any writer groups, though I know authors who absolutely swear by them. I’m a very private and solitary person, and I’m rather shy when it comes to talking about myself or asking for opinions about my work – and I’m even worse about offering my opinion to others, unless specifically asked to do so. I tend to let ideas percolate in my brain until I feel they’re ready to become stories, and then it’s all about fleshing them out on my own.
That being said, I really enjoy interacting with readers and other authors on Twitter, sharing snippets of works in progress and bits of inspiration. That has become a huge part of my author experience, and I’m very glad that modern social media (as bad as it can be sometimes in other respects) has allowed me to be a part of a large writing community.
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 recent release is called The House on Druid Lake. It’s a Halloween-themed M/M romance, published October 4th, 2021, with NineStar Press. I simply adore holiday romances, and have written several stories centred around Christmas in the recent years, but I’ve always wanted to write a Halloween story. I’m not a huge horror fan, so I aimed for it to be more comedically spooky than truly scary. I had this initial idea about an old house inhabited by strange and mysterious creatures that are doing their best to blend in with human society (not always successfully), and it all developed from there. The thing is, because of my busy schedule, I didn’t have a lot of time to draft it before the fall release, so I had to complete the entire thing in about three months, which is an incredibly tight timeline for me! It was difficult, but also fun and challenging, and certainly made for an interesting experience. Still, I think I wouldn’t choose to work on such deadlines again!
The House on Druid Lake
A new city, a new job, a new home—things are definitely looking up for Oliver Foster. An aspiring young architect, embarking on a successful career in Baltimore, all he wants is to put the pain of a broken heart and broken trust behind him. The last thing he needs is another ill-advised romantic entanglement. But despite his best intentions, Oliver can’t help his growing fascination with Nym Brown, the mysterious owner of Lakeside Lodge.
When Oliver rents an apartment in an old Victorian house overlooking Baltimore’s Druid Lake, he expects it to be quaint and shabbily charming. But as Halloween draws near and all things spooky come out to play, Oliver becomes convinced there is more going on at Lakeside Lodge than meets the eye, aside from the faulty plumbing. His neighbours are a whole new definition of quirky, and his enigmatic, gruff landlord is both intimidating and dangerously attractive.
Dark and sinister secrets lurk behind the house on Druid Lake’s crumbling façade. Unearthing them might yet put Oliver’s future—and his heart—on the line.
Buy from Nine Star Press : Amazon US : Amazon UK : Kobo : B&N : Add on Goodreads
Meet Isabelle
A voracious reader from the age of five, Isabelle Adler has always dreamed of one day putting her own stories into writing. She loves traveling, art, and science, and finds inspiration in all of these. Her favorite genres include sci-fi, fantasy, and historical adventure. She also firmly believes in the unlimited powers of imagination and caffeine.