Elin Gregory

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My guest today, Alexa Milne, isn’t known to me personally but I would so love to rectify that. How about it Alexa? Do you think you might make Queer Company 3 in 2018?

Meantime, many thanks for playing along and answering my questions.

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Can you tell me a little about yourself? For instance, do you have to have a day job as well as being a writer?

I was born in Wales in the area where my latest book, While You See a Chance is set. I’ve lived in the north of England for a long time but am still passionate about being Welsh and supporting my national teams. I’m retired after teaching for thirty years which means I don’t have an evil day job.
I started writing in 2009 when my favourite character was killed in Torchwood, my favourite show. I’ve written over a million words of fanfiction. I decided to try to write something original, and as I’d written m/m stories in fanfics, kept to that genre with my first novel, Sporting Chance.

I try to write most days but I’m not the most disciplined of writers and often have times when I write a lot or a little. I plan a little and create an A3 sheet for each story which I jot down things about the characters, backstories, events, motivations and friends and family.

When you aren’t writing, is there any other creative activity you enjoy? Have you ever written about it?

I’m not sure whether this counts as a creative activity but I like researching family trees. I started doing my own way back in the eighties when you had to go to London and shift around their huge volumes or to local record offices which is my case took me to Cardiff, Newport, Worcester, Warwick, Taunton and Stafford and Lichfield.

I’ve since done a lot of other peoples’ trees and it can be fascinating. You’ll find a bit about genealogy in While You See a Chance as Sion Goff has returned to Wales to help solve a family mystery he has discovered. What he finds astonishes him.

In that crucial inspiration stage of a new story which comes first? Plot, situation or character?

I’m very much a punster with minimal plotting. Usually I get an idea of a meeting and the characters develop after that. Sometimes, there’s a setting as in another new book, My Highland Cowboy. The idea for that came from a TV programme and my love of Scotland. My WIP came from watching kitten cams as one of the MCs fosters kittens and this MC is based on a documentary I saw of a person who was adopted searching for his birth mother.

As I write romance the end is the same but how I get the MCs together is another matter. Sometimes I throw in obstacles or the characters do it themselves. Some stories are more about keeping them together than tearing them apart. I love a bit of hurt/comfort and angst.

Do your characters arrive fully fledged and ready to fly or do they develop as you work with them? Do you have a crisp mental picture of them or are they more a thought and a feeling than an image?

Sometimes a character arrives fully formed at other times they reveal themselves. I’ve changed what a character looks like often when it simply doesn’t fit. The physicality of a character matters to me. I tend to write about ordinary men rather than those with the perfect abs. I keep a spreadsheet of characters which often gets edited in order to remember about eye and hair colour or height and size as well as notes on their backgrounds.

Is there any genre you would love to write, ditto one you would avoid like a rattlesnake?

I taught history and I’d love to write a historical story but so far a plot has eluded me except for one set around the murder of Lord Darnley which maybe I’ll write one day. I’d also like to write some f/f romance. I’ve written a few fanfiction stories and have a few ideas. I doubt I’ll ever write m/f. I’ve tried on occasion and my beta readers say it’s awful.

What inspired you to write about older characters?

I have two books out soon. Once thing I’d noticed about the m/m genre was the lack of older characters and heading towards sixty myself, I decided to write a second chances story about two men who had been childhood friends meeting again nearly forty years later. The story While You See a Chance, out on general release from 1^st May with Manifold Press, came from that and developed into exploring being gay in three different generations.

The inspiration for my other story, My Highland Cowboy, out on general release with Pride Publishing on 6^th June, came from a report on the programme Countryfile about five years ago which discussed diversity in farming. I came up with the idea of an American style ‘dude’ ranch set in the Highlands of Scotland near Glencoe, an area I love. As I love opposites attract and MCs who’ve had to hide their feelings for some reasons, these ideas formed and drove the story.

When writing series, what measures do you take to keep track of those annoying little details – eye colour, car type, name of ex-spouse’s dog – that are so easy to drop into text and so easy to forget about?

I have a list in which I try to include everything about each character in the story. My main problem is continuity of story. In the edits, I always end up having to rewrite events. Perhaps I need a chapter spreadsheet for this as well.

Put together your ideal team of men/women – drawing from all and any walks of life, fictional or non-fictional – who you would want to come to your rescue if menaced by muggers/alligators/fundamentalists?

My ideal team would be Captain Jack Harkness, The Doctor, The Winchesters with Castiel and more surprisingly Crowley, any of the Avengers, Canary and Snart from Legends of Tomorrow, Buffy and Miles, and lastly, Hermoine and Peggy Carter. I’m a bit of a geek.

Villains are incredibly important in fiction since they challenge the main protagonists and give them something to contend with beyond the tension of a developing relationship. The cruel sea. The serial killer. The society itself. Your hero’s inner demons. What sort of villains do you prize?

I’ve not written any out and out villains but I love them in my favourite programmes. I love the characters who do good while retaining an element of being bad like Spike from Buffy, Loki from the Avengers, and Crowley from Supernatural.

What are you working on at the moment? Can you discuss it or do you prefer to keep it a secret until it’s finished?

I have two WIPs. Half Full is about an MC who fosters cats, is mixed race and was adopted when little. There are other things I won’t disclose. The other MC provides the title. Jonah was thrown out of a home ruled by his grandfather when he was fourteen for being gay. Luckily, he got help and inspiration for his career from the people who found him and he’s always been one of nature’s optimists and loves helping people, especially children and amateur dramatics and is somewhat larger than life. There is a romance but also a lot about discovery. This one is at 70K words and getting towards completion.

The other WIP is about two younger men in their twenties, one a student and the other just graduated who meet on a bus. One has never considered himself interested in men but finds himself drawn to the other. There are lots of secondary characters and a secret one MC discovers which throws out every idea he’s ever had about his family. This one is at 20K and near the middle.

Could we please have an excerpt of something? 

Here is an excerpt from While You See A Chance.
While You See a Chance

“D’you want help with packing your shopping, sir?” the girl on the till asked in a sing-song voice typical of the area.

“No, thanks, I haven’t got much.” He pulled off a few plastic bags, a difference from the usual brown paper of American supermarkets. In a hurry, he didn’t pay much attention to the people around until a voice, that came from so long ago, distracted him. He lifted his head.

“You have to pay five pence each for those, sir. New rules.”

Sion turned his attention back to the girl. “That’s fine. Don’t worry.”

“You could get a bag for life, sir.”

“Whatever’s easiest.”

He glanced over to the other till in the direction of the voice where a large man stood stuffing his purchases into a bag. He stood well over six feet, with broad shoulders, which Sion supposed tapered down to narrower hips. A heavy suede coat covered the man’s rear, making it hard to tell. His luxuriant salt and pepper locks reflected the many shades that older ginger-haired men often had when mixed with grey. Strands curled over the fur collar of his coat. Something familiar about the man made Sion’s senses tingle.

The assistant at the other till spoke to the customer. “That’ll be eighteen seventy-four please, Mr Price, and I’ll see you at parents’ evening tonight. I hope Jamie’s been behaving himself this term.”

Sion’s breath hitched, and the girl on his till gave him a puzzled look as he turned away. The noise he’d made must have been more audible than he’d intended. Now he was absolutely certain of the man’s identity, even if he hadn’t seen his face. He leaned on the counter and took a deep breath, hoping to slow his racing pulse.

“Are you all right, sir?” the girl asked. “I guess with that accent you’re not from around here. On holiday, is it? It’s a lovely part of Wales, even at this time of year. Lots to do.”

“Yes, sorry, and no, I’ve just moved here,” he said, raising his head to meet her concerned gaze, but keeping his face down. “How much do I owe?”

The girl told him and he handed over the money in a hurry, not wanting to lose sight of the other man. Sion followed his childhood friend until he stopped behind a Land Rover near the entrance. Shaking slightly, Sion moved nearer.

“Phil?” he asked quietly, not wanting to make the man jump.

“What the – ?” Phil stared at him then rubbed his eyes as if he couldn’t quite believe them.

The shock on his friend’s face made Sion step back for a moment. He took in the figure in front of him. Phil had turned into a huge bear of a man, complete with beard. He’d always had the height, but now he had the breadth as well. Sion imagined his size might intimidate the small children in his charge. Now, Phil simply stared, his eyes wide with shock, then took a step backwards as if he’d seen a ghost.

“It’s me, Phil,” Sion said. He supposed he’d also changed over the last thirty years. His hair, now grey, was cut short at the sides but longer on top. He’d put on a few pounds since his teens, but remained lean and wiry, although more through luck and genetics, than diet and exercise.

“Bloody hell.” Phil continued staring, then put out his hand. Sion took it, and they stood shaking and saying nothing for an awkward moment. “My God, Sion, hmm, I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting … What on earth are you doing here? Are you here for Christmas?”

“I’ve just bought a house locally. I’m back to stay. I guess I’m the last person you expected to find out shopping. Mind you, I could say the same for you. I thought you lived up north.”

“I’ve been back four years. I’m head at a local primary school. When Helen and I got divorced, I decided to come home to Wales. So, why on earth are you here of all places?”

Sion had to collect his thoughts and process that information. Phil and Helen had split up? Come on, get your act together. “I decided to move back after … It doesn’t matter for now, it’s a long story. Look, why don’t you and I have dinner tonight and catch up? There must be a decent local restaurant – unless you’re busy, of course. Sorry, that was presumptuous of me.”

Phil lifted the bag into his car then slammed the boot closed. “No … I mean yes. I’m sorry, I can’t do tonight. I’ve got to get going. I slipped out at lunchtime to get a few bits and pieces for parents’ evening.”

Sion heard the shake in his old friend’s voice, but resisted the temptation to reach out and touch him again. “It’s okay,” Sion said, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. He took out a change-of-address card. “I live here now. Call me any time.”

Sion waited while Phil parked the trolley in the bay to the front of the building and returned to his car.

“I will, but I’m not sure when. It’s a busy time of year, leading up to the holidays.” Phil glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to go.”

Sion moved closer and this time touched the other man’s arm. “It’s so good to see you again.”

Phil continued to stare at the ground, obviously unable to look him in the eye. “You too, but I must get off. I’ll call as soon as I can.” Phil jumped into his car without looking back.

Sion watched the Land Rover pull out of the car park before returning to his SUV. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he reached for his wallet again. Tucked away inside, he found the photo he’d carried with him for over thirty years, taken the day before he went off on his own to Oxford University. Everyone had called them the Three Musketeers, himself, Phil and Helen, always together, sharing everything except their deepest darkest secrets. Sion had loved Phil with a passion, but had never told him. Phil and Helen had gone off together to Manchester University, and had married not long after they’d graduated. Not wanting to stay, Sion had emigrated to America to lecture in history at Yale.

Leaning back in his seat, he thought back to the conversation he’d had with Helen the day before he’d left for Oxford. He’d often wondered if she ever told Phil about his confession that, being gay, he could never feel that way about her. Sion hoped she hadn’t. He’d been surprised to hear of their engagement, but hoped she’d come to love Phil. For the truth and tragedy of Sion’s life was that he’d only ever been in love with one person, and he’d just watched him drive away.

While You See a Chance

Blurb

As children growing up in South Wales, Sion, Phil and Helen were known as the Three Musketeers, always together and never apart – but time moves on. Sion left to lecture in history at Yale. Phil married Helen because it seemed the obvious thing to do, and they settled down to life in Manchester.

Now all three are approaching sixty. After the death of his partner, and wanting to solve a family mystery, Sion returns to his childhood home to start again. When Helen announces she wants a divorce, Phil also returns home, to a new teaching job, and to renovate the ruin of a house he and Sion once dreamed of living in.

Neither man knows the other is back. Neither man knows how the other feels. With so much unsaid, and so many years apart, can Sion and Phil finally face the truth and take a chance on finding happiness together?

myBook.to/WhileYouSeeAChance links to all amazon but just in case

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XW5694F/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491058183&sr=8-3&keywords=alexa+milne

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XW5694F/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1491058376&sr=1-1&keywords=alexa+milne

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/714329

My Highland Cowboy

Blurb

Duncan McLeish owns a ranch. Unlike most ranches, this one is in the Scottish Highlands. Having inherited a failing farm from his grandfather, he turns it into a successful business. He has friends, he loves his home, but he’s lonely, and not even infrequent trips to Glasgow and Edinburgh slake that thirst to find someone. Then Drew Sinclair walks into his life.

Drew Sinclair is tantalizingly close to getting his clothes brand noticed in the industry. He and his business partner, Joy, design individual dresses, while on the side, Drew designs and produces a line of men’s lingerie. He visits Scotland to design dresses for his sister, Jenna, who is marrying Duncan’s best friend at Christmas.

Duncan and Drew have nothing except their Highland upbringing in common, but they say opposites attract, and the attraction is immediate. Is this simply a summer fling, or can two men who live such opposite lives, miles away from each other, find a way to love?

Publisher link for pre order from 25^th April – https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/my-highland-cowboy

Link to all Amazon – myBook.to/MyHighlandCowboy

Author Info:

Originally from South Wales, Alexa has lived for over thirty years in the North West of England. Now retired, after a long career in teaching, she devotes her time to her obsessions.

Alexa began writing when her favourite character was killed in her favourite show. After producing a lot of fanfiction she ventured into original writing. She is currently owned by two mad cats and spends her time writing about the men in her head, watching her favourite television programmes and usually crying over her favourite football team.

Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alexa.milne.5

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Alexa_Milne

Blog – http://alexamilne1234.blogspot.co.uk/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8306423.Alexa_Milne

Email – alexamilne1234@outlook.com

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