This story was written several years ago. I had a friend at the time who was a popular author of m/m fiction, and they asked to see it, which I allowed. They laughed at my work and said no one would ever accept it because that's not m/m publishers were looking for. Hm. Well, I write gay fiction not m/m fiction. LL's doesn't contain graphic sex contain, it focuses on the dynamics of war relationships as much as it does on the individual men.
As I was in another professional with a busy schedule, I put it aside although I was confident that there were readers (and publishers) who would like my work. On the spur of the moment thought, in the late summer of 2009 I decided to submit A Lieutenant's Love after a short research of houses. Dreamspinner Press accepted it within a short period of time, and my first review by Rainbow Reviews was everything I could have hoped for:
“A Lieutenant’s Love” will not be the last story by this author I read. Haircrow’s magnificent command of language, skill in showing events using a minimum of words had me spellbound from beginning to end.--Rainbow Reviews
Author Sarah Black did an interview with me, which was posted to her blog, "Romance on the Lunatic Fringe." Please visit her website for the full interview, but here are some high points:
I really enjoyed your first story for Dreamspinner Press, Lieutenant’s Love. Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to write the story?
Almost ten years ago, I read Maria McCann’s debut novel, “As Meat Loves Salt”, for the first time. It was an outstanding work of historical fiction set during The War of the Roses in England, which combined flawless time period details and vivid images with a same-sex love story that transcended genre. It stayed in my mind: the meeting of the two men at the fireside, after a battle. I created “Lieutenant’s Love” based on my vision of such an occurrence and what might happen afterward.
To me, this author was very much proof positive that a female can write a love story, a gay story, involving two men in a relationship together, and do so in an extraordinary way in some ways equaling or surpassing anything a male writer has ever done.
Are the historical battles/army/war modeled after a specific time in history? Is this a time period you are interested in? Do you have any other historical stories in the pipeline?
I would say my vision of battles and war are somewhat based on the grit and blood of the early Middle Ages of Europe. It’s a period I’ve studied: castle building, siege engines, strategies of war, arms and armor, societal and cultural issues. I collect swords and enjoy archery, and can occasionally be seen at a renaissance festival. It’s all of a piece.
I have quite a few historical fantasies in the works, outlined or partially written, some are complete. It’s just a matter of following through, creating the time and mood to finish them. One in particular is of novel length, in an alternative medieval setting, part mystery, part love story and all drama. It’s complex but I am enthusiastic about it.
You mean alternative history/ alternate world? That seems very popular right now. What’s it called?
Alternative world, comparative early Middle Age European history. The tentative title so far, “The Fires of Saminthana”, but that likely will change because it relies too much on the reader already knowing something of the story. It is not a very intriguing title in general I feel, but that’s what I think of it in my head currently.
The setting seems to be Europe. Have you lived in Europe? Are you interested in European history?
I was born and lived my early years in Germany, before coming to the USA and spending young to mid-adult life. I returned to Germany around a decade ago, and very much consider it my home country. I’ve traveled throughout Europe generally, and always been interested in its history.
I noticed on your bio that you are learning to speak Finnish. What’s behind this choice? Do you speak any other languages?
I spent a few weeks vacation in Finland last summer and really loved it. Any place I travel I try to learn the language. The interest in this one stayed with me so I bought a number of courses to help me improve. Otherwise, I speak English, German, some Russian, Cherokee and Chiricahua, a few words of Japanese, French, Swedish and Italian. It might seem a lot, but living in Berlin, which is a hugely multi-cultural city, you pick up other languages by necessity…such as if you’re dating someone from another country.
Is your ethnic heritage Cherokee and Chiricahua? I am used to seeing Chiracahua as Chiracahua Apache. Is that the term you use? And how did you end up in Germany? Military?
Yes, Cherokee and Chiricahua Apache. Ironically enough the latter is in the family of languages shared with tribes in central Siberia and northwestern America, a variety of Athabaskan.
My father was in the military, the Army, but by the time I was born and a small child he had finished his commission. I never knew that life, so I don’t consider myself an “Army brat”. When we moved back to the USA I had difficulties adapting and soon returned to Germany and Europe, which I’ve always preferred. No one else from my family ever returned here except for an occasional visit.
I thought the emotions in your characters were particularly well written- very powerful and painful, and very masculine. Was it easy for you to write those emotional scenes, such as when the Lieutenant was remembering his first lover?
Remembering events in my past while working in law enforcement, having nearly lost my state trooper former lover in a deadly attack, listening to his distress and entreaties for back-up over the radio and I couldn’t get there in time…. I called upon my memories, let myself imagine how I’d have felt if I’d lost him that way.
I always have a hard time writing scenes where one of my characters get hurt. Was there any part of the story that was hard for you to write?
Actually, the ending was hard to write. How to end it cleanly, emphatically yet satisfyingly for the reader and still keep the bittersweet mood of the story.
"A Lieutenant's Love" is being added to Kindle by DSP, with a new cover design I created. Please look for it, coming soon....
As I was in another professional with a busy schedule, I put it aside although I was confident that there were readers (and publishers) who would like my work. On the spur of the moment thought, in the late summer of 2009 I decided to submit A Lieutenant's Love after a short research of houses. Dreamspinner Press accepted it within a short period of time, and my first review by Rainbow Reviews was everything I could have hoped for:
“A Lieutenant’s Love” will not be the last story by this author I read. Haircrow’s magnificent command of language, skill in showing events using a minimum of words had me spellbound from beginning to end.--Rainbow Reviews
Author Sarah Black did an interview with me, which was posted to her blog, "Romance on the Lunatic Fringe." Please visit her website for the full interview, but here are some high points:
I really enjoyed your first story for Dreamspinner Press, Lieutenant’s Love. Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to write the story?
Almost ten years ago, I read Maria McCann’s debut novel, “As Meat Loves Salt”, for the first time. It was an outstanding work of historical fiction set during The War of the Roses in England, which combined flawless time period details and vivid images with a same-sex love story that transcended genre. It stayed in my mind: the meeting of the two men at the fireside, after a battle. I created “Lieutenant’s Love” based on my vision of such an occurrence and what might happen afterward.
To me, this author was very much proof positive that a female can write a love story, a gay story, involving two men in a relationship together, and do so in an extraordinary way in some ways equaling or surpassing anything a male writer has ever done.
Are the historical battles/army/war modeled after a specific time in history? Is this a time period you are interested in? Do you have any other historical stories in the pipeline?
I would say my vision of battles and war are somewhat based on the grit and blood of the early Middle Ages of Europe. It’s a period I’ve studied: castle building, siege engines, strategies of war, arms and armor, societal and cultural issues. I collect swords and enjoy archery, and can occasionally be seen at a renaissance festival. It’s all of a piece.
I have quite a few historical fantasies in the works, outlined or partially written, some are complete. It’s just a matter of following through, creating the time and mood to finish them. One in particular is of novel length, in an alternative medieval setting, part mystery, part love story and all drama. It’s complex but I am enthusiastic about it.
You mean alternative history/ alternate world? That seems very popular right now. What’s it called?
Alternative world, comparative early Middle Age European history. The tentative title so far, “The Fires of Saminthana”, but that likely will change because it relies too much on the reader already knowing something of the story. It is not a very intriguing title in general I feel, but that’s what I think of it in my head currently.
The setting seems to be Europe. Have you lived in Europe? Are you interested in European history?
I was born and lived my early years in Germany, before coming to the USA and spending young to mid-adult life. I returned to Germany around a decade ago, and very much consider it my home country. I’ve traveled throughout Europe generally, and always been interested in its history.
I noticed on your bio that you are learning to speak Finnish. What’s behind this choice? Do you speak any other languages?
I spent a few weeks vacation in Finland last summer and really loved it. Any place I travel I try to learn the language. The interest in this one stayed with me so I bought a number of courses to help me improve. Otherwise, I speak English, German, some Russian, Cherokee and Chiricahua, a few words of Japanese, French, Swedish and Italian. It might seem a lot, but living in Berlin, which is a hugely multi-cultural city, you pick up other languages by necessity…such as if you’re dating someone from another country.
Is your ethnic heritage Cherokee and Chiricahua? I am used to seeing Chiracahua as Chiracahua Apache. Is that the term you use? And how did you end up in Germany? Military?
Yes, Cherokee and Chiricahua Apache. Ironically enough the latter is in the family of languages shared with tribes in central Siberia and northwestern America, a variety of Athabaskan.
My father was in the military, the Army, but by the time I was born and a small child he had finished his commission. I never knew that life, so I don’t consider myself an “Army brat”. When we moved back to the USA I had difficulties adapting and soon returned to Germany and Europe, which I’ve always preferred. No one else from my family ever returned here except for an occasional visit.
I thought the emotions in your characters were particularly well written- very powerful and painful, and very masculine. Was it easy for you to write those emotional scenes, such as when the Lieutenant was remembering his first lover?
Remembering events in my past while working in law enforcement, having nearly lost my state trooper former lover in a deadly attack, listening to his distress and entreaties for back-up over the radio and I couldn’t get there in time…. I called upon my memories, let myself imagine how I’d have felt if I’d lost him that way.
I always have a hard time writing scenes where one of my characters get hurt. Was there any part of the story that was hard for you to write?
Actually, the ending was hard to write. How to end it cleanly, emphatically yet satisfyingly for the reader and still keep the bittersweet mood of the story.
"A Lieutenant's Love" is being added to Kindle by DSP, with a new cover design I created. Please look for it, coming soon....