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Spotlight on Author Les Joseph

8/10/2014

1 Comment

 
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Welcome Les!

Les is the author of the story Tidewater, a free read currently found in the m/m Goodreads group. She is also the author of A Fragile Love. I am so very excited that she agreed to a little interview and visit!

So, let me flail a little bit. I am pretty much so excited about this post... ridiculously excited. Not only is Les Joseph one of my favorite authors, but I'm lucky enough to call her one of my best friends. She's my writing partner, soul sister, and my regulator. Without her, I wouldn't be writing today. I just wouldn't. 

I met her through her writing. I became a super fan, a squeeing, card-carrying fangirl of the highest order. We became friends and partners, and six years later, we've never looked back.

So, that said, I can't tell you how stoked I am that Tidewater has finally found it's way out of hiding and into the eyeballs of the masses. I have to tell you, when Les first shared this idea with me, and then a chapter, and then another... I was instantly in love. It's such a beautiful concept, full of wonderfully complex characters, and at the heart of it is love. Basic, do the core of what we are love. Forgiveness, acceptance, and adoration.

This story will appeal to all romance lovers, not only readers of m/m. I am truly hoping that you as readers will give this a peek. You will not be disappointed. Trust me. 

And as a side note... this woman is the Wonder Woman Write of the blow job. j/s.

So, thank you for coming by Les.  Thanks for answering a few questions about Tidewater!

1. What drew you to writing M/M romance?
Mostly it was the strength and courage found in most M/M books. Whether it is facing their sexuality, coming out, standing up to prejudice, overcoming abuse, or finding the one person that accepts them and loves them, faults and all--these themes appeal to me. It's a challenge to write characters that go beyond stereotypes, but it's one I enjoy. I hope I'm successful at it, or at least, make my characters real and genuine. 

2. Tell us an interesting or unusual thing you did in the name of research for Tidewater? 
 I don't know about interesting, but Tidewater, SC is a fictional place so I looked up the names of all the city's and towns in North Carolina to make sure there wasn't already a place named that. 

3. Where did you get the idea for Tidewater? 
My husband has played golf for most of his life; it's a huge part of my reality since that's what he does for a living. Tidewater is a result of some of his experiences and things he's seen and done. 

4. What is your biggest motivation to write? 
 It probably is a little cliche' to say that I have stories I want to share with people, but that's really the truth. I love to read, I read every chance I get, because I love to experience feelings and emotions through words and to be able to let someone do the same with words I write is a feeling unlike any other. 

5. What is something you'd like the readers to take away from reading Tidewater? 
That sometimes a wrong road winds up being the right one. 

6. What made you chose the location for Tidewater? 
I needed someplace with lots of sun and where golf is popular. My husband helped me choose South Carolina and then I made up the town.

7. What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring writer of M/M romance?
To try to see beyond stereotypes and write characters/stories that challenge the readers to see things in a different way. 

8. Do you have any other projects you'd like to tell us about? 
I'm working on expanding Tidewater into a full length novel. This story has been with me a long time, three years, and seeing it come to life is super exciting. I have another novel that is about 4 chapters from being complete and  I just mapped out a third story (thanks to you!) 

9. What is something you have to have while writing? 
Music (usually turned up really loud), my headphones (so no one can hear how loud!) and a glass of Coke with lots of ice. Can't have a Coke without ice.  

10. If you could have dinner with any character from any book, who would that be? 
 I should try to be deep and say something intellectual like Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird (my favorite book) or maybe even Dumbledore from Harry Potter (I would have a million and one questions for him!) but honestly, I want to sit with Walter Lucas from Heidi Cullinan's (one my favorite authors of all time) Love Lessons series. He's my favorite book boyfriend of all time and makes me swoon like no other. I really just want to sit and listen to him talk, and maybe call me baby or sweetheart a time or ten. 

11. Anything else you'd like to tell the readers? 
if you haven't given M/M a chance, do it. You'll be surprised at how incredible the stories are--from paranormal, to YA, to contemporary--there's something for everyone. I promise you won't be sorry you did.

Thank you so much for stopping by Les! You know I can't wait for what you have to offer us in the future, and that's not me being biased! I just know good writing when I read it!





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You can read my review of this story here: 

You can read Tidewater here: 


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Tidewater on Goodreads
Sometimes the wrong path turns out to be the right one. When Cord McKenzie and his boyfriend Brandon West left Jacksonville, Florida for the bright lights of New York City, neither of them either anticipated a blown transmission would wind up with them detouring to Tidewater, South Carolina. Going home wasn’t an option. A year and a half later, and they’re still stuck. Without enough money to leave, Cord and Brandon try to make the best of their situation, while keeping The Big Apple a dream, a glimmer, to work toward—even if it’s slowly fading. Cord finds himself working at Tidewater Country Club—a job he NEVER would have dreamed of having. Golf used to be Cord’s passion, a golf course the place where he found his joy … but not anymore. Now he works from sun up to sundown, and it never seems to be enough to get them ahead, to get him and Brandon out of Tidewater and to New York City. Brandon West is the total opposite of Cord—small in stature but large in attitude, a positive outlook to Cord’s cynicism, and a believer in fate versus Cord’s steadfast belief in the here and now. With no reason to stay in Jacksonville and every reason to leave, Brandon joined Cord, certain of their path. When Cord makes a decision to veer of that path, Brandon will have to decide if he wants to follow or make his way on his own.

More about Les Joseph


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Les Joseph lives in Texas with her husband and children. She’s been an avid reader ever since she can remember and enjoys erotica, YA, paranormal and everything in between. Basically, she’ll give anything a try. Les has always had a passion for writing. It began when she was little and she and her friends would write short stories and plays and it’s continued to grow from there. She’s finally ready to take the leap and put her words to print.

There have always been stories in her head and multiple characters at a time trying to talk to her, and it’s just a matter of which voice is the loudest. She’s working on her first novel and hopes to have it ready to print in the very near future.

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1 Comment
Ohio Ladyboy link
4/24/2021 10:39:17 am

I eenjoyed reading this

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