Romance Author Julie Lynn Hayes discusses her new Male/Male book 'Sweet Dreams, My Love'

Scribal Love Welcomes Julie Lynn Hayes!


Julie Lynn Hayes is an author of romance, among other genres.  Her newest work 'Sweet Dreams, My Love' is available from Dreamspinner Press available  now!
 
What is the name of your latest book?  And how did you come up with the title?


My latest book is Sweet Dreams, My Love.  It is one of the Fairy Tale titles at Dreamspinner, and it's my take on Sleeping Beauty.  The m/m slant, if you will. 


What is this book about?  And what genre is this book in? 


Sweet Dreams is about finding one's love and believing in Fate and what is meant to be, and not being afraid of what - or who - you might find in your dreams.  It's a m/m fantasy/paranormal romance, set in Paris, France - past and present.
 
Who is/are the main characters?  And why did you choose them?


The main characters are Damien, who is the adopted son/protégé of a group of twelve French artists who call themselves the Dreammongers, habitués of the infamous Moulin Rouge, in turn-of-the-century Paris.  Jakob Kohl is a young German, studying music in Karlsruhe, whom Fate decrees that he become a paid companion for a distant cousin, and interrupt his studies to do so.  I don't think I chose them, rather they chose me.
 
What is the coolest or best part about your book?  (Any Favorite scenes, the world-building etc..) 


I think I'm partial to the setting, the Moulin Rouge, being an aficionado of the film.  It's such an exciting place, and so full of history, and fun, and was once frequented by some very famous people - it is simply full of life! I love the interactions between the people there, and the scene that is the climax of the first part of the book. 


Do you have a favorite character in the book?  If so, why?  


I love both my boys, but perhaps I identify with Jakob just a little more.  He's a bit more tightly wound, more literal in how he sees things, and how he reacts to them - very Germanic.  It's not that he doesn't dream, but he is a practical dreamer.  Yet he yearns for the same thing we all do - a perfect love of his own. 


Is this book part of a series?  If so? What can we expect in future books? 


No, this is a one-time story.  It's part of Dreamspinner's Fairy Tales series, but is not connected to any of the rest. 


If not?  Are you considering expanding it?


I think it's complete as it is, to be honest.  I'm not sure where I would go from there. 


If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?


Not a thing. 


Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?


I think that you should always be learning as you write. I think that from Sweet Dreams I learned more about plotting, and from my betas I learned how to tighten my writing, cut out the fat. 


Do you have a publisher?  And if so, why did you choose them?   


It's being released through Dreamspinner.  It wasn't a choice I made, so much as they chose me - the Fairy Tale covers are shown to the DSP authors, and the author makes a claim for one they would like to write.  One writer is given that cover, and the chance to write that story, although there is no guarantee of acceptance or publication.
 
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?


By mentor, do you mean influences?  If so, then I think two of my greatest mentors are William Faulkner and P.G. Wodehouse.  From Faulkner, I think I get my long windedness, and my desire to write about people that are perhaps overlooked by others.  From Wodehouse, I like to think comes my quirky sense of humor.  He never fails to make me laugh. 


What books are you reading now? 


Right now I am reading Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard, Abigail's Cottage by Margaret West and Black Butler 3 by Yana Toboso. 


What are the current writing projects that you are working on?


I have an ongoing series at Wicked Nights, called Captivations, that I am working on, as well as a prequel to the series.  I am also writing a YA series, and co-authoring a book set during the St. Louis World's Fair with a fellow St. Louisan. And I have sequels to work on for two series - To The Max and Dark Love. 


Do you write full time?  If not, do you hope to do so one day?


Not in the sense that it supports me, no, but in the sense that I'm unemployed and I'm home all day.  That is indeed my dream, to support myself with my writing some day.
 
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?


When I was a child, back when teachers read stories aloud to you in school, I remember hearing a story that fired my imagination - about children, danger, dinosaurs, and an island.  I think that is when I saw down and started to write one of my own, about the age of 9. 


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?


The challenge is to find time for all the ideas that live in my brain, especially when my plotbunnies are breeding like bunnies - and I never know when something will inspire me.  For right now, I write the ideas in a file and promise them to deal with them later.  My challenge is to get as much done in my lifetime as possible. 


Do you have any advice for other writers seeking to get published for the first time? 


Write and rewrite.  Find a critique group to have your work beta'd.  Study the markets, study the publishers. Before you sign anything, google the publisher, and talk to people, and check out Preditors and Editors. Never be afraid to ask questions. Most of all, keep writing and never give up on your dreams.