Broken byNicola Haken
Buy It Here at Amazon
Today Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words welcomes Nicola Haken, author of Broken to sit down and talk a little about herself and her latest release broken. Hi, Nicola, thanks for answering some questions for our readers today.
Why did you make the jump from M/F romance to M/M romance? (Being Sawyer Knight is your first MM I believe)
I’ve always written the kind of stuff I like to read. When I first started writing, MF New Adult stories were my favourite and they remained that way for a long time…until I discovered MM! I genuinely had no idea the MM genre existed and became really curious after reading Freeing by EK Blair – an mm novella spinoff in her MF Fading series. Something about that story resonated with me. In intrigued me so much I read it again almost straight away. I wanted more, but didn’t know I could get it. Then I accidentally stumbled upon Double Full by Kindle Alexander and one-clicked it without knowing what the story was about. That was the day I discovered this whole genre of MM goodness existed and I haven’t looked back since.
Deciding to write MM myself was really scary! It’s a much smaller (although growing) genre and the readers in it know exactly what they like to read and I had no idea if I’d be able to give them that. But I took a deep breath and gave it a go, did my thing, and was completely blown away by how well Being Sawyer Knight was received.
I feel like I’ve found my home. MM is my favourite thing to read, and to write. I love the chemistry between the leading characters. I love being in the heads of ‘my’ guys. I love seeing struggles they shouldn’t even have to face being resolved, seeing them in love and accepted, all the while hoping this will be real life for all people one day. Most of all I love the community feel of the MM genre. I’ve made some incredible friends here, gained amazing readers and support.
I did jump to MM romance, and I’m pretty sure I’m here to stay (if they’ll have me lol).
Souls of the Knight was set in the US. Being British, was it difficult to acclimate to US slang, etc?
Yes! This is where American beta readers come in handy to put me in my place. Like most people, I knew the basics – trunk/boot, chips/crisps, elevator/lift, etc. – but there are so many phrases and words that I had no idea weren’t used across the pond! As with all aspects of writing, learning the lingo is something I’ve got better at with each book, although I’m sure if you look hard enough there will no doubt be telltale signs that I’m a Brit at heart.
Broken is set in London, any reason for the switch back “home”?
It’s actually set in Manchester, and my reason for that is simply because I live there. This book focuses on mental health and I know how the services and support offered works in my area. It’s something I have a lot of experience with, and I’m sure things work differently in the US. They also differ in the UK, depending on which area of the country you live in, so that is why I stuck with my hometown, because I know the facts to be true of someone who lives here. It was also really refreshing to not have to worry about language and slang mistakes. I could use words that spill out of my mouth every day, like skint, minging, and tosser, and know that they wouldn’t be out of place!
Will Broken lead to a series? (this may get deleted after I finish the book because it might answer the question
No. Broken is a standalone. James and Theo’s story is complete, which makes me a little sad because I love those guys.
Do you set certain hours or times to write or do you write when you can or when the mood strikes?”
With four children it’s very much a case of whenever and wherever I can! There aren’t many times where I can sit down with my laptop so I write everything the old-fashioned way, with a pen and a notepad which I carry around everywhere with me in a carrier bag (not very glamorous, I know!) and then type it up when I get the chance.
Blurb
When Theodore Davenport decides to switch his mundane job for a career, he walks into Holden House Publishing with enthusiasm and determination to succeed. As he settles into his new role, makes new friends, and dreams of making it to the top, everything is going to plan.
Until he meets James Holden, CEO of Holden House.
James Holden hasn’t been able to stop thinking about his encounter with the timid man he met in a club bathroom last week, and when he discovers the one haunting his dreams is an employee, he can’t seem to stop himself from pursuing him.
Just a little fun – that’s what James tells himself. He can’t afford to care for someone who can never reciprocate, not once they find out who he really is. James believes nobody deserves the burden of being attached to him. He’s a complicated man. Damaged. Difficult. Demanding.
Broken.
Is Theodore strong enough to confront James’ demons? More importantly, is James?
Please note:This book contains scenes of self harm, mental illness and suicidal ideation which may be uncomfortable for some readers.
Bio:
Nicola lives in Rochdale, England with her husband and four children (seven if you include the dog and cats!) She is the author of Broken, the MM romance Souls of the Knight series, and the New Adult/Contemporary MF romance novels Missing Pieces, Saving Amy and the Take My Hand series. When she is not busy playing with her imaginary book friends (or talking about them with real life friends!) she can usually be found carrying out her ordinary mum/housewife/all round slave duties. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping…
Contact Nicola at
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 