Kayelle Allen is on the couch talking "50 Gays of Shade"

At Shady Business, the hottest gay BDSM club in town, no good deed ever goes unpunished.

Fifty Gays of Shade, Gay BDSM Anthology

Kayelle Allen is taking a seat on our couch today to talk about her newly released short story "Bill Me" in the Fifty Gays of Shade, gay BDSM anthology, among other things.  Kayelle is one of the busiest women I know, so I'm thrilled she managed to find the time to join us.  I tidied up the place a bit, but we're very informal here, and we love comments and questions, so don't be shy.

Thanks so much for being here, Kayelle.

Kathryn, thank you for interviewing me. I'm delighted to hang out with you and your readers. I placed my contact info at the end, if anyone has questions, but doesn't like posting comments on a blog.

My first question is one that writers aspiring to be published usually want to know.  How long did you write before you were published?

I wrote all my life, and often created stories for friends, and my children. People said I had a way with words and that I should write a book. I figured they were being polite. Finally, I submitted a short story to Writer's Digest as part of a contest, and it gained an honorable mention. That gave me the confidence to work on a novel. It sold within two months of being sent out. It took me years to get started -- but I've been going strong ever since.

So, what inspired you to write your first book?

At the Mercy of Her Pleasure came out of notes that I'd made when trying to write a story years before. It was about a brother and sister who'd been raised as thieves. I altered it to two brothers, used the notes from the one scene I'd written, and developed an entire story around one brother trying to free the other, who was a slave. I brought in a sexy older woman to seduce the one trying to do the rescuing, and the story almost wrote itself.

What or who inspired your main characters in the 50 Gays of Shade anthology?

The characters in my short story "Bill Me" in this anthology were inspired by a discussion I had with my friends Kiernan Kelly (the editor), and author Kage Alan. We'd all gotten to know each other at Outlantacon, a gay Scifi convention held in Atlanta. This time, we were at DragonCon (also Atlanta) hanging out before a panel. Kage joked that everyone knew someone named Bill. Later, Kiernan mentioned the anthology, and when I heard the title -- a takeoff on Fifty Shades of Grey, I knew I wanted to be a part. The story came to me on the way home that night on the train. One would be named William, but couldn't decide whether to call himself by that name if he joined the BDSM club. So in a sense, they were inspired by hanging out with friends at a convention. I think if I write them a sequel, I will have them attending a con. Hmmm. Maybe Outlantacon! They're hosting Gaylaxicon this year. That could be fun.

What genres do you write besides gay BDSM?

Science Fiction Romance, erotica, fantasy, contemporary romance, and non-fiction.

Did you learn anything special from writing this story and what was it?

That I can write good short stories. That they don't all have to be massive books with layer upon layer of character and plot like my usual books. ;)

Good point.  I still haven't mastered the short story.  What books have influenced your writing most?

One strong influence was the Foundation series, by Isaac Asimov. Another was Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein. Both made huge impacts on my ideas.

What about people?  Name one entity (person, place, or thing) you feel supported or inspired you outside of your family members.

Jean Paquin is the moderator for my yahoo group, Romance Lives Forever. She beta reads for me. She's listened to me talk about my characters. I've known her since my first book came out. I ask her advice on everything with my writing, and she is always supportive. I dedicated books to her. I also have a reader named Teoh who lives in Malaysia, who is about 12 hours different from me time wise, but we manage to talk frequently. She sends me research info, articles she thinks I might like, and fun recipes. I named a character after her. I've dedicated books to her too. So that's two people -- you get a bargain today. ^_^

So, if you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

For writing excellence -- Janet Elizabeth Jones

For writing as a business and savvy marketing -- Karen Coté

For Science Fiction concepts -- the late Barbara Karmazin

I'm fortunate to be (or to have been) friends with each of these amazing women, and to have learned from them personally.

In regards to your writing style, are you a plotter or a pantser?

I'm both. I plot plot plot to the finest detail, and then write whatever comes to mind when I get started on the actual story.

I tend to do the same.  Where do you write?

I prefer to stay in my office - a very tiny space (it's literally a renovated closet). But if I do wander away, it's with paper and pen. I use a desktop computer, not a laptop.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Never let anyone steal your dream.

Great advice.  So, to wrap things up, have you anything specific you'd like to say to your readers?

I listen to you. Talk to me. Email me. Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or wherever, and tell me what you like. I am listening.

A Gay BDSM Anthology

At Shady Business, the hottest gay BDSM club in town, no good deed ever goes unpunished.

From Kayelle Allen: "Bill Me"

When an old member of the Shady Business BDSM club returns from a hiatus, he meets a new member searching for a proper identity -- and a master who'll help him find it.

Buy links:

Torquere Press http://is.gd/50gaysofshade

Amazon http://amzn.com/B00BFFPK86/

ARe http://is.gd/50gaysofshade_ARe

Coffee Time Romance http://is.gd/50gos_ctr

Author website http://kayelleallen.com/exc-fifty.html

The book is edited by Kiernan Kelly, with stories by Kiernan Kelly, Kayelle Allen, KC Burn, Lydian Harker, CR Guilano, Sascha Illyvich, Wt Prater, Emily Moreton, CC Bridges, Wade Kelly, CB Conwy, DC Juris, Amelia June, KC Wells, Winnie Jerome, PT Walden, and Sean Michael.

About the Author

Multipublished author Kayelle Allen runs Marketing for Romance Writers, the Romance Lives Forever blog, and a graphics company called The Author's Secret. She swears she also sleeps, eats, and writes, and not at the same time. Usually.

Find Kayelle here online:

Homeworld http://kayelleallen.com

Blog http://kayelleallen.blogspot.com

Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

Facebook http://facebook.com/KayelleAllen.Author

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/kayelleallen/

Goodreads http://goodreads.com/author/show/710889.Kayelle_Allen