Monday, September 12, 2011

Cocktails and Cock Tales with JOHNNY MILES!

Today we have JOHNNY MILES at the cyber bar!!! Whoo-hoo!!! Welcome!!

Just a little background on Johnny, he has been writing gay erotica since 1985. After a long break, where he experimented with different careers – from graphic designer, to massage therapist, and a brief interlude with the adult industry – Johnny eventually got back to writing with a “it's now or never attitude.” He's self-published several erotic titles, as well as a dramatic work that focuses on the power of words and the damage they can cause. Johnny's also had three e-books published by Loose Id, the latest being LEARNING TO SAMBA, released August 16, 2011.

He's currently editing THE ROSAS OF SPANISH HARLEM, a trashy, smutty, yet romantic love story of a young cross dresser who discovers that you can find what you're looking for, even if it doesn't always look like what you anticipated.

He's also working on his next gay romance, HAVE BUCKET, WILL TRAVEL, a light, fun piece about a young man who starts his own cleaning business after losing one of his biggest scholarships, then winds up falling in love with one of his clients.



WHAT WE ARE DRINKING

Mojitos

10 fresh mint leaves
4 wedges of lime (half a lime)
2 tbs sugar
Smash in the bottom of the glass with a muddler
Fill glass with ice
Add 1 1/2 ox white rum and top off with club soda




Deanna: Jeesh, its a damn good thing you brought a pitcher!!! I don;t think I could make these one by one once I get my drink on! LOL
Now, without further ado, Johnny...Where are you and what are you wearing?

Johnny: I'm in bed, wearing a fresh, clean white tee-shirt and red silk boxers. (((extends legs and crosses them at the ankles)))

Deanna: Well, aren't you sexy...and me in my jeans and frumpkin t-shirt!!! So these mojitos, they are your poison, eh?

Johnny: I'm afraid I don't know how to make then, but I love Mojitos. It's a citrussy drink and very refreshing for these hot and humid South Florida days. I see you made a batch. A few of these babies and you won't give a damn about the heat.

Deanna: (((pours a round))) Don't mind if I do! Now that we’re comfy, I want you to tell me about your new book. BTW,I have to say you made me cry, dammit, and I hate to cry. LOL, but all kidding aside, LEARNING TO SAMBA was a real tear jerker!!! I didn't expect that, but I loved it! It was so beautiful! Bravo!

Johnny: For what it's worth, I am sorry you cried.

Deanna: (((holds up her glass in a toast)))DO NOT BE SORRY!, you goof! That means the writing was great and i cared about your characters. :) Who knew...a sweet, tear jerker, D/s story....but I digress...LEARNING TO SAMBA...you were saying?

Johnny: (((takes sip))) Ah, yes. LEARNING TO SAMBA. The book is about the things we lose alone the way and what we can gain by letting go. Brian Oliver, a romance novelist widowed seven years, returns home to reconnect with his sister and falls in love with João da Silva, a 25-year-old Brazilian bombshell who teaches Brian how to love again.
It's about passion and lust, family and acceptance, sprinkled with some kinky sex throughout; rather explicit actually. There's voyeurism, exhibitionism, restraints and several other buttons that are pushed.

Deanna: But all done so romantically!!! Seriously!! (((refills their drinks...has no clue she has a mint leaf in her teeth)))

Johnny: Thanks, Deanna! I think ultimately the reader will get out of it what they wish, obviously. For me, however, it's also a huge love affair with one of my favorite cities in the world, the possibilities life can bring and learning to love yourself.

Deanna: Where did the idea for this story come from?

Johnny: Kayla Jameth posted a picture in her Facebook group “Inspired Writing.” The picture spoke to me for some reason and I couldn't shake the feelings it invoked until I started writing what was coming. I suppose the Muse just wanted to play with me.

Deanna: And look who I found! João!!!

Johnny: That's him!

Deanna: I can even see the little veins on his abdomen you described in your books...if i squint....funny how pics can become so real to us writers!

Johnny: I know, right? But....I just can't do this any longer...(((points at his teeth))) you have something...just there..

Deanna: (((pulls the mint leaf from her teeth))) Well, shit! Guess I'll just stick to the plain rum. You can drink the rest of the pitcher.

Johnny: (((grins as he pours himself a double))) Don't mind if I do!

Deanna: (((tosses back the straight booze))) What was the hardest part of writing this story for you?

Johnny: I think the hardest thing about writing this particular story was having to imagine myself without my life partner of 15 years. In order to make the story more real, to understand what Brian was experiencing, I had to force myself to look at the possibility that I could lose the only other person I love more than my mother. The man I'd lay down my life for. I saw myself calling his parents, his friends, our friends. I saw myself going through his things and getting rid of them. It broke my heart.

Deanna: Jeez, babe, no wonder the book made me cry! You really bore your heart!

Johnny: I know it was just an “imagining” – I mean, he was with me every night – but it was no less difficult because I just can't imagine my life without him. (((takes a huge gulp of Mojito)))

Deanna: (((wipes at her eyes, not sure if its her sentimentality she tries to pretend not to have or the rum))) Oh stop!!!! Lets get back on track, or I might blubber!!! What’s the easiest thing about writing this book?

Johnny: I'd have to say that the easiest thing about writing LEARNING TO SAMBA was that I based it where I was born and raised; Brooklyn, New York. The infrastructure was already there. The Big Apple has millions of untold stories. This just happened to be one of them.

Deanna: I could tell the setting came from experience. I loved all the rich layers about the city. I felt like I was there! Now, what is your dream story, your opus, if you will? The one you dream about writing but haven’t don’t it?

Johnny: Hmmm. I don't know that I can share that one yet because I'm going to attempt it and don't want anything leaking out. At least, not that anyway. (((wicked grin)))

Deanna: (((swats his arm))) Oh you are naughty! Here (((tops his glass off with straight rum))))You're not drunk enough, yet!

Johnny: You are quite the alcohol pusher, aren't you?

Deanna: (((shrugs))) Calories don't count at the cyber bar! Tell, me Mr. Miles, when did you first discover you were a writer? Were you like sitting on the toilet and just said, “Ya know, I think I’m gonna write a book.” Or was it more profound?

Johnny: (((spits drink out his m=nose))) LMAO! Thanks for making me spit my drink up. OMFG! What a waste of alcohol. Now who's gonna suck this all up?

Deanna: I could get my dog, but she prefers beer. Guess you have to sit there all wet and glisteny in your red silk boxers (((wicked grin)))

Johnny: All licking aside, it feels like I've known I was a writer a very long time. I just never really did a whole lot about it. I mean, I wrote porn stories back in the '80s but they were the only things that were published.

Deanna: (((raises her glass in a toast after refilling Johnny's glass))) Here's to porn!!!

Johnny: (((clanks glasses, shaking his head))) You're not right.

Deanna: I know, I hear that all the time

Johnny: Everything else I have written, the “legit” stuff, has never seen the light of day. However, the funny thing is that most of my life, I've sent stories out and always got rejected. I don't have a very strong ego. I'm easily discouraged and immediately start believing that I'm no good. So, when I was laid off two and a half years ago, I'd pretty much decided I was going to give my “dream” one last shot. I'd decided that if it didn't work this time, I would give up. I mean, to keep dreaming something for more than 30 years and hanging on to the possibility when it was likely I'd choke? Not wise. Sooner or later you have to give up certain dreams and find others. However, I'm grateful to the Universe, or whatever is out there, because it stuck. This time, it really happened and I've never been happier. I'm not looking back and I'm going to keep on writing until my fingers can't move anymore.

Deanna: What helps you when you are stumped on a scene in a manuscript? I usually have a cocktail … or three…LOL But that’s just me.

Johnny: (((pours another Mojito...which is mostly rum by now... and takes a slurp))) Yeah, I'm with ya, doll. Want another one?

Deanna: (((holds out her glass))) Does the Pope shit in the woods?

Johnny: Don't you mean a bear?

Deanna: Nope....he's the Pope he can shit wherever he damn well pleases!

Johnny: (((laughing))) How about a stiff one?

Deanna: Fill 'er up, hoss!

Johnny: There ya go. A good stiff one never hurt anyone. Much.
Seriously, though? I try to step back from what I'm doing and ask myself why I'm stuck. I ask myself, what don't I like that's keeping the story from moving forward or taking it down a path that doesn't make sense? Did the characters make a decision I don't like? Did they meet someone who will pull them away from the path? Am I being safe in the events happening to the characters? Am I taking risks? Are they? Usually, something has just gone terribly wrong and I either have to go back and review what I'm unhappy about that doesn't make sense, or I step away and leave the story alone. That's not easy to do, sometimes it can take a while. So, I clean house, pay bills (yes, they frequently go unpaid because I forget to)

Deanna: (((sits up excitedly))) Oh my god! I do that too! I thought I was the only flake writer!

Johnny: Nope! You're in good company. (((clinks glasses))) Sometimes I just do something else that takes my mind off the problem at hand with my latest book. But when that block blows, watch out! It's like racing for the john cause you really gotta pee or you'll wind up pissing yourself; which is a totally different fetish I'm not sure I want to explore at the moment.

Deanna: (((spits up drink))) Sorry, Johnny! Just was having a moment where I am seeing a musical number about dancing in golden showers.....I swear to god, whoever is the first to guess the name of that movie I will give away a free copy of one of my books.....LOL

Johnny: Do I get to guess?

Deanna: Sure, why not....drip drop, drippity drop! But only if you answer my next question!

Johnny: Deal!

Deanna: Most of my stories have a theme song, do you do that for your characters?? If so what is it?

Johnny: That, I'm afraid, I don't. Which is interesting because I listen to a lot of music when I write. The only one that I suppose had a theme song, if you will, was LAUDERDALE HEARTS. I kept hearing Bette Midler's “Do You Want To Dance” over and over and that's how the ending came about actually. I played that song repeatedly until the final scene was done!

Deanna: (((eyes him sternly))) Bette Midler? Oh Johnny, so cliche!!! But I love it! Now tell us about a scene that you have written then afterwards, when you read it, you shocked yourself? You know I want a dirty answer (((hint hint)))

Johnny: I'd have to say that the scene that really shocked me was the scene in LEARNING TO SAMBA, which takes place in the men's room of a Manhattan restaurant with Brian and João. I can't tell you more than that but I will confess I had a hard-on throughout the entire scene. (((takes a long, savory gulp)))

Deanna: You old dog!!!! I love it! And I always say, if you don;t get hot from the sex scene you are writint...YOU AIN'T DOING IT RIGHT!!!!

Now all you readers out there, If you wanna find out more about Johnny, you can check out his links here:
LooseId
Johnny Miles
Blog
Yahoo Groups
Facebook

And you can buy his books, here:

Lauderdale Hearts
Learning to Samba
Casa Rodrigo

Deanna: Thanks so much for coming to the cyber blog today...in your undies...and telling us a little bit about yourself and your latest book!

Johnny: Thanks for having me Deanna! I hope you enjoyed the Mojitos.

Deanna: They were great! Tell your 'bartender' thanks for sending along a pitcher!

Johnny: Will do! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and…uh…thank my bartender. Yeah. That's it. Thank him.

Deanna: Yeah right.....

Monday, September 5, 2011

Cocktails and Cock Tales with John Godfrey and Grace Witlzer

Today at the cyber bar we have John Godfrey interviewing his sister Grace Witlzer!

Who are they, you may ask?

Well, John is the hunk from story BEAR IT ALL and Grace is his sister from Wendy Burke's story THE ONE HE CHOSE!



What We Are Drinking

Rosin Bag

2 pts whipped cream vodka
splash of cream
Shaken and served straight up





Grace: Where on earth did you get this drink from?

John: (((laughing))) My buddy Garret from over at The Fourth Base in Detroit came up with it and he sent me the recipe to try out. You like?

Grace: Oh yeah, they're really good. A gal could get into trouble drinking these things.

John: I'll pass that along to him. Now that I have you liquered you up, lets get to the questions. What was our favorite thing to do together when we were kids?

Grace: (((finishes her drink))) Well, pour me another one baby bro and I'll answer.

John: (((tops off her glass)))

Grace: You mentioned camping in the last interview and yes, that was great fun. You left out the best part though, John, how we would walk through the woods together and you would point out all the different trees and flowers. You taught me how to navigate by compass, something which I still really enjoy to this day. The best part is you always held my hand and no matter how big the leap across a creek or drop down a gulley, you encouraged me to take the risk and never let me fall.

John: Awww, you're such a sap. Did you ever 'cover' for me when I got into trouble? What kind of 'trouble' was it?

Grace:(((smacks his hard arm))) You never got into any trouble, you shit!

John: (((laughing and shying away from her))) I can't help it if I'm perfect

Grace: Whatever. Since you’re the son, Mom and Dad I think expected you to be a bit more responsible. Until you wrecked Mom's car, that is

John: (((winces))) Yeah, there was no covering for that one

Grace: Aside from that, I think spending most of your savings on that long, leather Western duster and then having to hide it from them was about all the trouble you got into. I ‘outed’ you on that one. I thought it was such a great coat I had to borrow it. Then they wondered where I got the money for it!

John: What is the best/worst part about having a gay brother?

Grace: Best part---well, DUH---the decorating gene! No matter what color I pick out for something, you pick a better color! You have always had impeccable taste- I would imagine you would even if you weren’t gay.

John: I did make your living room (((does an exaggerated hand flip))) fab-u-lous!

Grace:(((looks at him very sternly)))Don't ever do that again. You soooo cannot pull it off. At all. No.

John: (((laughing))) I think I'm okay with that. Now what was the worst part of having a gay brother?

Grace: Having my girlfriends drool over you, then pine for hours that there is no way in hell you would be interested in them! And, at this point in life, you being too old to have children. I always wanted a niece or nephew to spoil rotten!

John: Who says children are totally off the table? There is such a thing as adoption, ya know?

Grace: Don't tease me!

John: (((shrugging mischievously))) Now tell the truth, did you ever have the hots for any of my boyfriends?

Grace:(((shrugs))) Um, not really. I hate to tell you this, my brother, but even though Kurt was handsome, he was too serious to have fun with. And before him, the others weren’t all that ‘manly,’…and you know I mean no disrespect. Now, Travis…if I weren’t engaged and he weren’t gay….I’d go cougar on him in a minute!

John: (((snorts with laughter)))Thank god for small favors. And I have it on good authority my Travis prefers bears to cougars

Grace: TMI! TMI!

John: (((laughing))) I didn't say anything. Now, what is one thing that only YOU know about me?

Grace: How you got that long, thin scar on your back.

John: Oh, man I had a feeling that was the story you'd pick. Go on tell it, big mouth.

Grace: Well, you didn't get it from a minor surgery. You played football for the University of Michigan football team for two seasons, until the ‘team’ collectively decided it couldn’t have a gay man in its midst. You were basically forced to quit and got jumped on your way back to your apartment that night. Brawn and strength is no match for a knife.

John: (((rubs his shoulder absently))) You should've seen the other guys.

Grace: No, I just got to see you and clean up your pretty face from that gusher of a bloody nose. You made me swear not to tell Mom and Dad, too, which I still think was crap

John: (((pours another round))) They didn't need the worry. Besides you're a nurse and you fixed me all up. You can barely see that scar. That whole thing drew us closer, too, which was a good thing

Grace: We got closest when I took care of Kurt for awhile when he was ill. I didn’t know at the time it would be a pre-cursor to what would happen with Ben.

John:(((holds up his hands))) Now don't get too heavy on me, Gracie.

Grace: Well, mister, you told me I wasn't allowed to get sappy in your interview but this is my interview, so I'm going to do it anyway. We spent a lot of time together before Kurt died, but seemed to spend even more time with one another after. You and Ben were always like brothers, but it seemed the two of you ‘bonded’ even more after Kurt’s death.

John: (((raises his glass in a toast)))To two damn fine men

Grace: Here, here.(((clinks glasses)))I tried to keep my chin up and ‘rationalize’ what was happening to Ben with his illness, and even being an RN I knew what was happening, but throw in the emotion of it being your husband and all the background and training kind of goes out the window. If it wouldn’t have been for you, and my neighbor, Jake---I would have never come out of the funk I was in after Ben died. Then when you found Travis, well seeing the two of you showed me it was completely all right to move on – I could still love Ben, but needed to live and be in the ‘now’ of my life. I thank you for that.

John: (((gets up and gives her a bear hug, lifting her off her feet))) No problem, Gracie.

Grace: Put me down! (((laughing)))

John: (((plants her back int he chair, to cover over his misty eyes then brushes at his face))) Now, if you don't mind, let's drop the sappy stuff.

Grace: (((sniffs))) I should have known you'd try to make me change the subject. Heck, you even left the movie theater twenty minutes before the end of Marley and Me

John: (((pours another round)))If you could use only ONE WORD to describe me, what would it be?

Grace: I thought about this one for awhile, and I wanted to say ‘wonderful,’ ‘honest,’ ‘reliable,’ and any other great word to describe a wonderful man like you---but SEXY is the only word that truly describes you!

John: (((reddens with embarrassment))) What?

Grace: SHIT---have you LOOKED in the mirror lately!? Crap…if you weren’t my brother…())shakes herself from the thought)))…well, and gay….

.....I would have to agree!

(((both John and Grace turn as Travis joins them)))

John: (((face lit up with a smile))) Hey, babe!

Travis: Hey, gorgeous!((tosses an arm around John's broad shoulders and plants a smooch on his cheek)))

John: (((pulls Travis into his lap)))

Grace: (((fakes a gag)))

Travis: (((situates himself comfortably in John's big lap, with one arm around his neck then steals John's drink and takes a sip))) How come I wasn't invited to the party?

Grace: Because of that. (((she points with mock annoyance at the way her brother suddenly looks pie-eyed and smitten as he stares at his partner)))

Travis: (((gives Grace a head bob over his/John's glass))) I don't see the problem here. (((looks at John))) Do you?

John: Nope! (((grins and gives Travis a squeeze before turning his partial attention back to Grace)))

Travis: (((looks at his glass with approval))) This is good. What is it?

Grace: A Rosin Bag

Travis:(((sniffs))) Yeah and that doesn't sound dirty. Its even white and creamy

Grace: Oh no, its all going downhill now. You better go Travis

John: (((hugs Travis closer))) No. He can stay. It's fine. I can do two things at once.

Grace: Genetic impossibility.

John: (((ignoring that)))If I could live anywhere, where would it be?

Grace: (((laughs aloud))) Nashville! You could take the pressure off Trace Adkins when it comes to signing autographs

John: No way! I don't look like him.

Travis: (((busts up laughing))) Um, babe, yeah. You do. I don't even like country music but I gotta love Trace because you looks just like him. Only hotter.(((he adds with a kiss)))

Grace: (((refills the drinks for herself and Travis))) Like he hasn’t passed himself off as him in the past!

John: Just that one time!

Travis: (((pausing his drink at his lips to say in a silly voice))) This one time at band camp...

Grace: (((looks strangely at Travis then shakes her head in dismissal))) Well, John if you didn't live in Nashville, I'd say, somewhere where it’s always warm and you can hear the ocean at night.

Travis: (((turns to John in shock, his cheeks reddening))) Oh my god, did you tell your sister about what we did? In Grand Turk?

John: No.

Grace: Do I even wanna know?

Travis: No!

John: (((laughing, he hugs an embarrassed Travis)))One last question, Gracie? Who is my best friend?

Grace: I want to say ‘me,’ but the guy sitting in your lap I believe has usurped me. And that’s the way it should be.

Travis: (((gives her an unapologetic smile))) Sorry, Gracie.

Grace: No you're not, you shit.(((grinning))) And neither am I. I've never seen John happier. Ever. (((raises her hand on point))) But I will have you know, I run a close second. Because there are still things we share as siblings that the two of you don’t or couldn’t.

John: True dat!

Grace: (((laughing she rolls her eyes))) Jeesh, now you're even starting to sound like Travis! Let's forget all this talking and have another drink!

Travis: I like the way you think, Grace. I need to get my bear drunk so I can take advantage of him!

Grace: (((laughing, covers her ears))) TMI! TMI!

********

Thanks John and Grace for stopping in at the cyber bar and sharing a little bit more about yourself....and Travis for crashing the party.

Don't go just yet!!!!

If you leave a comment below you cane win a copy both John's story and Graces

BEAR IT ALL and THE ONE HE CHOSE

Now available from Decadent Publishing

All you gotta do is say hi and leave an email!

C'mon! Don't be shy!