GLBT Madness Hop 2012!

Welcome to the GLBT Madness Hop! I’m going to be talking about my series Water Waltz and why I love writing it. Book one, Water Waltz, is available now. The second, Fire Tango, will be released in November.

The type of fantasy novels I love to rear are ones set in alternative universe of the world we all know. (I think that’s the allure of steampunk.) In Water Waltz I created a world using all the bits of history I find appealing. It might be the dress, culture, etiquette, or the lack of certain technology, but it all lumps together to create a new, alternative world to what we already know.

In fantasy I also have the ability to erase the parts in our world I don’t like. In the Water Waltz universe, there’s no prejudice against sexual orientation. In fact, there are no titles for sexual orientation among the creatures. They love any gender freely. Taking out the “am I gay?” aspect to the romance allows the lovers to find each other and fall in love free of the social constraints.

Varun and Triste is the main couple in Water Waltz. Varun is a demon with control over water, and Triste is an angel. Triste’s caring heart weighed down by life was fun to write. He has prejudices against humans created from his culture, and struggles at first to see the lost human, Elden, as more than the lower species the stronger ones must protect. Triste’s inner conflicts drive his decisions and his actions push the plot along its course. Characters developed enough to be the cause of plot movement is what pulls readers into a story. I love writing a story controlled by strong characters because I fall in love with them and let them guide the writing.

There are many side characters as well and each adds their own spice into the mix. Zephyr is Varun’s rival with control over wind. Fremont is a devil living in the country of demons and angels. I fell in love with Fremont and gave him his own love story tucked away at the end which transfers into the second book, Fire Tango.

I had played with the idea of a series but hadn’t convinced myself it was going to happen until the characters drove the idea of a sequel and I got behind it. Water Waltz was set up to continue into another story so Fire Tango was able to pick up where the first book ended. The second novel expands the universe into the devil country and includes a large cast of new characters.

Leave a comment below and tell me why you prefer to read or avoid fantasy novels. Include your email address with your comment, because I’m giving away a signed paperback copy of Water Waltz to one lucky commenter! The contest ends Sunday evening. Good luck!

(Don’t forget to visit the hop’s main page and read other posts about great GLBT romance titles!)

Thank you for your comments. The winner has been picked from random.org number picker. Congratulations, Tracey D!