Saturday, September 29, 2018

Interview with author Sean Kerr




The Man Inside Me


1. What really inspired you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book?
As a middle-aged gay man, I wanted to write a book about an older gay couple, rather than the muscle studs so prevalent in the genre. I wanted to explore the angst and the grief that accompanies age, because as a middle-aged gay man myself, I no longer feel attractive or as vital as I once was. Attraction is a difficult thing to maintain over a long-term relationship, and it takes effort and consideration, and that is what this book is about. The two leads are older and feel that love has passed them by. Set in the 1800’s, it also deals with their struggle to be gay in a British society that condemns them. It’s emotive stuff, but it is a story that means a lot to me, because as I approach fifty, I feel that I am invisible. At the end of the day, we all have the right to love whom we want, no matter how old we are, and that is essentially what this book is about.

2. What is it about and whom do you believe us your targeted reader?
Believe it or not, a vast army of really rather wonderful women reads Gay Literature. I know, it was a shock to me as well, especially as I presumed I was writing for a gay male audience. No, oh no. It is my hope that this book will appeal to those wonderful female fans of the genre, but I really hope that I may gain some gay male readers, especially in my age group, as this book is so pertinent to the middle-aged gay man. Heck, its pertinent to every middle-aged person, because I have tried to show that there is hope, no matter the circumstances.

3. What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them long after putting it down?
I want people to walk away feeling thrilled and moved, but more than that, to feel inspired. Age, no matter sexuality, is a cruel thing, and so many of us give up because the world makes us feel unworthy. Well, I wrote this book to say ‘NO!’ Age means experience…and we have that in abundance, together with as much love as anyone wants. That should not be overlooked just because of a number.

4. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?
I am very lucky, because I am part of a traditional publishing house, and I am also an Indie Author. I was lucky enough to meet the most amazing Editor who works with me both at my publishers and on my Indie books, and we have a very close and trusting relationship. She has helped me grow and improve as a writer no ends over the last three years. If you are self-published, it is vital you find an editor you can trust and that you love working with, because they make all the difference in the world.

5. What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
It is so good to see bricks and mortar book shops starting to appear again. As wonderful as Amazon is, they have, to a degree, laid waste to a great number of outlets and publishing houses. We are starting to see Indie Authors hitting mainstream, which again is partly due to Amazon’s influence, and as a result, Indie Authors are no longer looked down upon as we once were.

6. What great challenges did you have in writing your book?
There was a huge amount of research needed to be able to write this book, and I love that part of the process. Believe it or not, it was the ‘naughty’ scenes that proved most troublesome. While I knew they needed to be there to help drive the story forward, trying to keep them interesting and varied was a challenge! There is also a huge twist that takes place about half way through the book, and that was tough because I had to be very careful how I wrote the first half! But, I am so pleased with the final result, and ‘The Man Inside Me’ has turned into my favourite book so far.

7. If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours?
It is a very different type of read, and very different to anything else I have read in the Gay Literature genre. Set in the 1800’s, I wrote the book in a very specific manner and style to reflect that. It is a shocking read, and also moving and thrilling at the same time. It is a very unique book, and something that I hope will haunt you long after you have read it.

Sean Kerr is a 48-year-old man living with his husband of 30 years in Cardiff, Wales. With ten books under his belt so far, Sean has a passion for Gay literature and horror, and may be found most days glued to his laptop. A big film buff, Sean has a massive film collection and when not writing, he loves nothing more than to watch a good film with a bar of chocolate or two. Trained in art and interior design, Sean is also a keen crafter and loves to create hand made cards in his spare time.  For more info, see: www.deadcamp.com

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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America and participated in a PR panel at the Sarah Lawrence College Writers Institute Conference.

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