Acceptance Issues and the Gay Romance Novel: An Interview with Author M. J. Pearson - Page 3

How long did it take you to write it?

I wrote the bulk of it last winter, between January and the end of March. I sent the draft to my agent, who suggested some changes, and worked on the revisions for a month or so. Then, once it was sold to Seventh Window, Ken Harrison of SW had additional suggestions. So figure three months writing, and another two or three on revisions, for five or six months total.

When and where was it published?

My publisher is Seventh Window Publications, a gay press in Rhode Island. The official release date was October 31, 2006, but it takes some time after that to make its way to the distributors, and from there to bookstores.

Which aspects of the work that you put into the novel did you find most difficult?

The challenge of writing any romance is to introduce two people you know are perfect for each other, then keeping them apart until the end, without seeming too contrived. Pacing was at times difficult when I was writing Discreet Young Gentleman - is it too early for Dean to realize he's attracted to Rob? Is there too much tension between them? Not enough? When should it be clear that they're becoming friends, and then falling in love? Hard to nail.

Which did you enjoy most?

I'm a lifelong history buff, so the research is always a lot of fun for me. In this one, I incorporated several real-life ghost stories from the places Dean and Rob visit (as well as making up one or two to fit particular circumstances), and tried to use them to reflect the way the two men were feeling at the point in the story where they hear about the ghosts. I hope it makes it a more interesting read for people who pick up on what I'm doing, and I really love weaving stuff like that into my books.

What sets the novel apart from the others that you have written?

I'm more confident with my writing now, so in addition to telling a story, I can try to say more beneath the surface, if that makes sense. One example is what I mentioned above about using the ghost stories to reflect the main characters' feelings.

Another is that there's a subtext concerning the creation of identity: it's perhaps most obvious with Rob, who deliberately chose his first name to honor a very romantic story someone once told him, and in doing so makes it clear that love is very important to him. Later, it turns out that Dean is also choosing to use a particular variation of his own name, and once readers understand Dean's family history, they should be able to puzzle out why. There's a little more to it, but I don't want to give any more away.

Article Author: Ambrose Musiyiwa

Ambrose Musiyiwa has worked as a freelance journalist, book reviewer, and a teacher. One of his short stories has been featured in an anthology of contemporary Zimbabwean writing, Writing Now: More Stories from Zimbabwe (Weaver Press, 2005.) He is a regular contributor to OhmyNews International. …

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