Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Keeping It Real - Gale Stanley

Author, Gale Stanley talks about how keeping it real took her writing in a new direction.

Leave a comment below and Gale will randomly pick a winner for a free copy of her first MM romance, Silent Knights.

Have you ever been in a situation and thought – hey, this would make a great story?

My day job provided me with enough material for a book, a sitcom and a movie. I used to work on a survey party. Not that kind of party, believe me. We worked outside on construction sites. Before any work could begin, our crew staked out the points that told the contractor exactly where everything would be located.

When I was hired, women were a rarity in the field. In an office of fifty, I was one of four women – a secretary, a payroll clerk, a drafter and me. I wore a hardhat and steel-toed boots and worked outside with the guys. Needless to say they weren’t thrilled to have me – at first. Once they figured out, I wasn’t going anywhere, I became one of the guys. They were a fun loving rowdy bunch - an unbelievable cast of characters. I learned a lot about men and I found I enjoyed working with them much more than the women.

Because I’m a dreamer who loves horror, sci-fi and all things supernatural when I went back to writing I started a paranormal series about shape-shifters. By the time I finished the second book, I realized something about myself. I liked writing the male POV much more than the female. And in the back of my mind there was a story simmering about two men. Although that story evolved into Silent Knights, my first MM erotic romance, it wasn’t long before my past history came back to haunt me and I had to write about a surveyor and a CAD technician.

Point of Beginning is the first book in a series revolving around The Gentlemen’s Club, a place where wealthy men can live out their fantasies. Part of the story takes place in an office much like the one I worked in. Jack and Alex are fictional characters who bear no resemblance to anyone I worked with beyond their profession. And trust me, they’re much more believable than any man I worked with. Truth is stranger than fiction after all.

Does my reality influence my writing? For sure. I know some people are surprised that I write MM fiction but it never occurred to me that there was anything strange about it. After all I wrote a series about shape-shifting Lycans and I’m not a werewolf.

POINT OF BEGINNING Gentlemen’s Club: 1 Jack Monroe is bi-curious but after he falls for a certain curly-haired surveyor, he’s ready to admit he’s gay. Too bad Alex James is straight and has a girlfriend who keeps him on a short leash. When Jack has a chance to act out his fantasy at The Gentlemen’s Club with an Alex lookalike, he grabs it. But is Jack setting himself up for deep disappointment or will he figure out that there is no perfect romance until you create it.

You can read an excerpt at Silver Publishing:
http://silverpublishing.info/product_book_info/point-of-beginning-p-165

Also available at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/POB-kindle/

http://galestanley.net/
http://galestanley.blogspot.com/
http://booksblurbs.blogspot.com/



10 comments:

judiebabie said...

Hello Jadette and Gale,

I just started reading Gale's books and I've liked everyone of them that I have read. I work with a lot of men myself and me being a M/M junkie of book reading could think of several stories, but I'll leave that to Gale!

Gale Stanley said...

Thanks for coming by Judie. Working with men is a blast. I'd love to trade stories sometime.

Jadette Paige said...

I know what both of you mean. I work with nothing but men. Brings to mind a few incidents that might be scene worthy. :D! Thanks so much, Judie for stopping by.

Calisa Rhose said...

Love your story Gale. With a husband in construction I spent a lot of time on male only sites over the years. What most women don't understand, or probably believe but you know, is that it's fun. Reading M/M is hard for me only because I have a gay brother. It's just like reading about my brother in my mine. lol

Gale Stanley said...

I understand. My son encourages his friends and coworkers to buy my books, but he won't read them because his mother wrote them.

Anonymous said...

I downloaded a gay romance because I liked the excerpt and found I really enjoyed the story. Made me want to read more. I’ll look up your book.

Rachel Lynne said...

Hi Gale!
just stopping by to say I loved Silent Knights and am looking forward to Point of Beginning!
BTW: You write the male pov perfectly, and your not too bad with the female pov either! ;) LOVED Call of the Wilds.

Ethan said...

Gale looks like an author I need to check out.

Gale Stanley said...

Thank you all for stopping by! Ethan, I read your post and will be checking out your book as well.

Jadette Paige said...

And now for the winner of Gale's book!

Ms. Judie Babie!!

Congrats, love! Gale is going to send you a copy. Enjoy!!