When you’re brainstorming for a new story, what usually comes first for you, the plot or the characters?
It’s usually the characters first. I normally have one or two who pop into my head and I start wondering about them, who are they, what is their personality like, who will they meet? That starts me off and I worry about the plot later.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Mostly pantser. The only book I ever wrote with a plot outline was Drowning Rapunzel, which is a whodunnit with a hint of the paranormal. I had it all planned out, even down to who the killer was and why, and yet when it came to that scene, they weren’t the killer, it was someone else. It surprised even me, but I think the book worked out stronger for it.
When you’re writing, who is more in control, you or your characters?
I like to think I’m in control, but really it is the characters. I’m just chanelling what they do!
Can you write sex scenes at any time or do you have to be “in the mood?”
No, I definitely need to be in the mood to write sex scenes. I can’t write sex scenes if I’m ill with a cold for example, you can’t think of anything sexy when your nose is running and you’re coughing and sneezing all over the place. Sunny days are best for me, when it’s grey and cloudy, I don’t feel in the mood to write about sexy stuff at all.
What three words would the hero of your story use to describe his love interest?
Hmm, that’s a tough one. They are two hereoes as The Chosen is a Male/Male romance. I think Havyn would say of Severin that he’s noble, proud and protective.
And Severin would say of Havyn that he’s kind, beautiful and loving.
Would you give us a sneak peek at one of your upcoming releases?
A sneak peak at one of the scenes of the M/M romance I’m currently writing (very slowly!):
“A date?” Gavin sat up straight. “Who’s the lucky girl? Anyone I know?”
“No. You don’t know him.” And if Marcus had his way, Gavin wouldn’t know him either. Gavin had a habit of scaring away anyone Marcus was interested in and Marcus didn’t want that to happen with Ethan. Marcus had never believed in love at first sight – how could you love someone you didn’t know? But there had certainly been a spark of something between them. Lust, definitely. Chemistry, possibly. But love? It was too early to tell, but Marcus was willing to see where things led.
“Him? Since when were you gay?”
“Since always,” Marcus said stiffly, mentally preparing himself for a homophobic rant. They had the same father after all, but he should have given Gavin more credit. Gavin wasn’t their father.
“But you’ve gone out with girls.”
“A few, yes, but it was all very casual. I just did it because it what was expected of me, but I knew it wasn’t what I really wanted.”
“Does Dad know?”
“Yes. Why do you think I haven’t been home for months? He didn’t take it well.”
“I can imagine. He nearly had a stroke when I moved in with Lydia before we’d had the wedding. Don’t worry about it. He’s just out of touch.”
Marcus thought there was a lot more to it than that. “Does it bother you?”
“Of course not! What do you take me for? It just leaves more of the ladies for me, doesn’t it?” Gavin grinned and waggled his eyebrows.
“Is that why you and Lydia are fighting? Are you seeing someone else?”
“I can’t believe you even asked me that! I’m not cheating on her, I never would. No, I think it’s just wedding jitters. Less than a month now and she’s panicking a bit that nothing will go right. So, who’s this bloke and how did you meet?”
“Oh.” Marcus paused. The birthday cake was a surprise and he didn’t want to spoil it. “He’s a baker. He runs a bakery. I went in for some lunch the other day.”
“A baker? You mean people still do that? Make bread and cakes and stuff? Why, when you can get it from a supermarket?”
“Tell me something, how would Lydia feel if your wedding cake was from a supermarket?”
“Point taken.” Gavin lifted up the tie and tossed it aside. “Lose the tie.”
What are a few of your favorite book covers that have been done for your books?
I really, really love the cover for The Chosen, which was done by the artist Ravven. I’d tried for months searching stock photo sites for a man with long white hair. It was nearly impossible. A lot of the time I kept getting photos of long-haired cats! Not what I was going for. So I searched the web looking for fantasy cover desingers and I found Ravven’s site. She had a very detailed request form as to how I would like my characters to look. When she sent me the sample files back I was amazed, it was like she’d been inside my head and plucked Severin and Havyn out of it to place on the cover. And because she was an artist, she painted the long hair 😉 No nore long-haired cats!
Would you tell us about yourself?
I grew up in a small town in Northern Ireland which was so small it had no bookshops. It had a small library, which I quickly went through. I started writing so that I would always have something to read later. My writing started because I loved reading.
What are your favorite genres to read and write?
I love fantasy, as our overflowing bookshelves can testify, but so far I have only written one fantasy book. I hope to write more some day. Conspiracy thrillers are also a favourite of mine, my husband jokes I only read books with a red cross on the front. While that is not entirely true, I do have quite a few titles on my bookshelves with names like The Templar Code, Templar Secret etc.
Where can we visit you online?
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/252221.Annette_Gisby
http://agisby.blogspot.co.uk/
Where would you go on your dream vacation?
We’re lucky enough to have been on our dream vacationa already, New Zealand. We’d always wanted to visit there but life got in the way a bit and we never got around to it. Then we saw the Lord of the Rings films and it spurred us on even more to visit. It’s a wonderful country, breathtaking scenery and the friendliest people you could meet. We turned our trip into a book, New Zealand with a Hobbit Botherer. Poor John, I was dragging him around every film location but he enjoyed it too. We had a road atlas of the whole country which had little gold rings in it where all the Lord of the Rings locations were. By doing that, we found some really off the beaten track places that we would never have discovered on our own
Name three fictional characters (not your own) that you find hot. They can be from books, movies, or TV.
How about video games?
1)Fenris from Dragon Age 2. He’s an elve was an escaped slave and was very wary of trusting anyone. But as the game progressed, depending on how you, the character player, treated him, he could grow and let go of his hatred or he could become bent on nothing but revenge. I’ve only ever played the friendship path with him in the game, he just seemed a person who desperately needed a friend he could trust.
2)Legolas from Lord of the Rings. He’s just so noble and wants to help. I adore him, both book and movie versions. I have a crush on movie!Legolas, thanks to Orlando Bloom 😉
3)Harry Potter. Here is a normal person thrust into something he didn’t ask for, but he faces it with courage and doesn’t want to let people down.
What book are you currently reading?
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemesin
What is the last movie you watched?
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on DVD.
What is your favorite comfort food?
My homemade meatballs and pasta.
About the Book
Title: The Chosen
Author: Annette Gisby
Genre: M/M Fantasy Romance
The neighbouring kingdoms of Oscia and Arcathia have been at a tentative peace for three years after centuries of warfare. Prince Severin of Arcathia has been brought up to put duty before all else and as the only son of the King and Queen, it is his duty to marry and produce an heir. His parents want him to marry an Oscian princess to cement that tentative peace. Unfortunately Severin isn’t interested in princesses. Now, if he had his pick of princes that would be another matter.
Havyn has been a slave all his life. When his aptitude for wizardry is discovered, he finds himself purchased and freed by Prince Severin and apprenticed to the royal wizard, Ildar. His duty is to stay chaste to keep his powers strong, but his feelings for Severin sorely test his resolve.
With kingdoms at war, the throne hanging in the balance, magic in the air, and outside forces trying to keep them apart, can the two men find happiness together, or is duty more important than love?
Buy Links: Allromance | Amazon | Amazon UK | Smashwords | BN
Author Bio
Annette Gisby grew up in a small town in Northern Ireland moving to London when she was seventeen. Being a very small town there were no bookshops and a small library. When she’d devoured every book she could get her hands on in the library, she started writing her own stories so she would always have something to read later.
When not writing she enjoys reading, cinema, theatre, walks along deserted beaches or wandering around ruined castles (great places for inspiration!) She loves travelling to distant places to see different cultures first hand, even though she gets travel sick on most forms of transport.
She currently lives in Hamsphire with her husband, a collection of porcelain dolls, cuddly toys and enough books to fill a library.
Social Links:
http://annettegisby.weebly.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/252221.Annette_Gisby
http://www.amazon.com/Annette-Gisby/e/B002BLL62C/
https://uk.pinterest.com/annetteg2/
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