Broadway Babe by J.C. Long
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anne Cain
BUY LINKS:
Hi Everybody, I’m J. C. Long, author of Broadway Babe! Thanks so much for joining me, and thanks to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me today! In preparation for my novella Broadway Babe coming out tomorrow I did a little interview for you guys! Enjoy!
Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from? A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?
It really depends on the story. Broadway Babe came from my personal life more than anything else. I was a huge theatre geek in high school, and even now have an immense love of musicals. I performed in a lot of shows, and though I never made it to Broadway I can imagine what it’s like, and have a few friends who actually did and helped provide a little insight for this story.
Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And why?
Again, the answer is it depends on what I’m writing. For a mystery, I’m a planner—I need to be so I can lay the scenes properly, leave the right hints and clues in the right places. With contemporaries I’m a bit of a pantzer in that I know where I’m starting and where I’m ending, but only have a vague idea of the middle bit.
Contemporary, supernatural, fantasy, or science fiction narratives or something else? Does any genre draw you more than another when writing it or reading it and why does it do so?
Scifi and fantasy were my first loves as a reader. These stories provide true escapism, with real, easy to recognize heroes and villains that are pretty black and white. It’s fun as a reader and a writer to fully immese yourself in a fantasy world where you get to make up the rules of the game. Recently, though, contemporaries have drawn me as a writer, because they provide me a way to show people around me that there is still happiness out there, and love really does win.
Can an author have favorites among their characters and do you have them?
I definitely think it’s possible to have favorites—some characters come from a very real experience for an author, a very raw emotional center. For me my favorite in any given book I’m writing is the character that is the easiest to write, the one who’s voice I hear the strongest. In Broadway Babe that’s definitely Annabelle—though of course I love my boys. Annabelle just spoke so strongly to me, even when Tate or Mike didn’t want to.
If you were to be stranded on a small demi-planet, island, or god forbid LaGuardia in a snow storm, what books would you take to read or authors on your comfort list?
Oh God, I’ve been there—minus a snowstorm, and it was LAX instead of LaGuardia—after a hellish return trip from Japan (where I now live) that should have been 21 hours total that evolved into a 3 day odyssey thanks to bad flights and an unexpected overnight stay in China. I go to old favorites at that point, comfort reads, and high atop that list is Rhys Ford—I adore her work, particularly her Cole McGinnis series.
How early in your life did you begin writing?
I started writing actual coherent stories in the 6th grade for my English class. My teacher assigned us weekly vocab, and we had to use each word in a sentence. I found that boring, so I started writing a story where each word came up in the prose or dialogue somewhere.
Were you an early reader or were you read to and what childhood books had an impact on you as a child that you remember to this day and why?
I was raised by my grandmother, and I wanted to be just like her. She was an avid reader, so I forced her to teach me to read. By 4 years old I was sitting next to her on the couch with a book in my lap and read. As for the books that impacted me, I’d say the work of Alexander Lloyd. His were my first introduction to fantasy, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Also, Chris Wooding’s Broken Sky series showed me that not all fantasy has to look the same.
What question would you ask yourself here?
What would I ask myself? I’d ask myself why the hell I didn’t bring ranch dressing to Japan from the states! Dumb move, really dumb move. Oh—you mean about writing? Hmm. Why is it impossible for me to get any work done without cartoons from my childhood in the 90s playing in the background—or Bob’s Burgers; I love that show. Answer: Who knows?
If you were writing your life as a romance novel, what would the title be?
My life as a romance novel? That would be boring, guys. I wouldn’t want to read it. I guess I’d call it Mistakes Were Made. Oh my God, there’s an idea! The plot bunnies just started racing! Thanks, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words! I really hope that you enjoy Broadway Babe and the sweet story between Tate and Mike! It’s out tomorrow!
BLURB
Tate O’Connor has worked hard to realize his dream of dancing on Broadway, and it’s about to pay off with a premier in his first show. He doesn’t expect the distraction of sharing the stage with his celebrity crush: Broadway superstar Mike Chang. Drama ensues both onstage and off as Tate and Mike work closely and realize there could be something between them. However, there are those who don’t think an up-and-coming dancer is good enough for someone with Mike’s talent and fame, and rumors and misunderstandings might lead to broken hearts if Tate and Mike can’t work through their confusion and insecurity.
AUTHOR BIO
J. C. Long is an American expat living in Japan, though he’s also lived stints in Seoul, South Korea—no, he’s not an Army brat; he’s an English teacher. He is also quite passionate about Welsh corgis and is convinced that anyone who does not like them is evil incarnate. His dramatic streak comes from his lifelong involvement in theater. After living in several countries aside from the United States, J. C. is convinced that love is love, no matter where you are, and is determined to write stories that demonstrate exactly that.
His favorite things in the world are pictures of corgis, writing, and Korean food (not in that order… okay, in that order). J. C. spends his time not writing thinking about writing, coming up with new characters, attending Big Bang concerts, and wishing he were writing. The best way to get him to write faster is to motivate him with corgi pictures. Yes, that is a veiled hint.
Darwin Michaels is living his dreams in the Mile High City. While Denver offers the perfect job, scrumptious dining, and whirlwind dating options, Darwin is losing hope he’ll find the right man to spark his interest for more than a one-night stand—until he sets eyes on Cody Russell.
