Guest Blog: "Wrote What?" by H.C. Playa

In case you haven’t read the disclaimer on my publisher’s website, Fated Bonds contains erotic scenes. If my book ever appeared on television, it would be on HBO. 

Aside from the usual hero and heroine romance, there’s a secondary romance. It just happens to be between two males. Since I wrote the love scenes between Tala and Alexander explicitly, it was only fair to do the same for Kevin and Derrick. In both cases, the sex is a part of the character growth and an expression of their affection for the other person. 

Some readers may think, “ick” at the idea of reading about two men, but the love of those two characters was no less “right” than the main characters. They deserved the same stage as the main characters. I’m well aware that there are people out there who disagree. They can read something else.

Of course, there’re logistical differences to consider. In the rough draft, I basically took my best guess and then passed it to a fellow writer who could comment from firsthand experience. I spoke with others and accepted critiques in order to portray something outside of my experience. 

Writers research all sorts of things. This was just one more thing which required research. I didn’t know anything about guns or police codes, or cars for that matter. It’s important to point out that the individuals I spoke with volunteered to help. It is never okay to poke into someone’s private life for writing fodder without permission.

I’ve heard some people claim that as a cis hetero female, I have no business writing anything outside of that. They are welcome to their opinion. For one, I’m writing fiction. I don’t know what it’s like to be a werewolf either, or a man for that matter. Writing is about portraying people. Their habits and preferences are simply pieces of the character, but people are people. Society likes to shove everyone into little labeled slots, but there is really no such thing as a typical woman or a typical male. 

When I write characters, I try to envision each as individuals and let them tell me who they are rather than slot them into a predefined “male,” “female,” or “other” stereotype. While I cannot pretend to speak of another’s experience, I can look deeper and explore the human experience we all share.

As a treat, here’s an excerpt from Fated Bonds, my newly released novel:

For a year, he’d mooned and dreamed about this man, and now that he’d finally met him, it turned into a lecture. Kevin shook his head and stood. “Look, thanks for distracting him, but I don't need a lesson on magic. Professor Applegate is my adviser, so I can't afford to make him my enemy.” He proceeded to pack up his laptop and set aside the reference books for the library staff to reshelve. He went out of his way to avoid looking at the man as he prepared to leave. He paused after slinging his backpack over his shoulder, recalling what the man had said to Professor Applegate. “What did he mean by 'your kind'?” 

The man flashed him a grin which revealed pointed incisors. 

“Oh.” 

“Going to run away from the bloodsucker?” 

Kevin's head snapped up. “I am not one of those types of people.” 

He tilted his sunglasses down and peered over them, revealing the faintest red-rimmed crystal blue eyes. “So why are you avoiding looking at me?” 

Kevin blushed as he tried to think of something innocuous and ended up staring at his feet. “Uhmm- I gotta go,” he finally blurted. He spun around. 

“Well, I'll be damned.” 

He took no more than two steps before the guy grabbed his arm, jerking him to a stop. “Want to go get coffee?”

You can find Fated Bonds on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or order from InkStained Succbus. Also, feel free to check out my blog (hcplaya.wordpress.com), find my on Facebook (HC Playa), or follow my on Twitter (@HCPlaya). If you’ve read the book and liked it, consider leaving a review on Amazon.