Beverly and Tamara: Welcome to SSLY. Thanks so much for joining us today. So first why don’t you tell us a little about yourself.
james crawford: Thank you for having me. Well to start I am an author of a young adult/ new adult paranormal adventure. It’s called Caleo: leech book 1. It’s about a 17 year old outcast who finds out he is part of a secrete magical race of human called Leeches. All of my stories are written from the prospective of a gay man/boy. It’s not a major part of the story or no more so than sexuality is a part of most stories.
Tamara: What do you HAVE to have when you are writing?
james crawford: Two major things I have to have are space and quite. I know most authors have to have their play list playing on full blast in their ears, but I am odd. I need complete silence and plenty of space to spread out on. (Bed, couch, floor with a blanket and plenty of pillows)
Beverly: When did you start to write?
james crawford: I started to write about 5 years ago after I read Perry Moore’s Hero and decided I wanted to write a book just like that.
Tamara: What do you think are the qualities that make up a “hero”?
james crawford: I am a big fan of the difference between your Hero and a hero. Your hero is someone who will love and protect you no matter the cost or if it would hurt others, he or she is there for you and you alone. Where a hero is someone who is out to protect everyone, and does things for the greater good of the world. I myself am a fan of the your hero type. There is just something about a man who will do anything necessary to keep you safe.
Beverly: Can you describe your favorite character? And which of your books is he/she in? How do you come up with your characters? I would have to say that my favorite character is
james crawford: I would have to say that my favorite character in my own books is Jack. He is the Normal Human in a world of superpowers, fighting for the love of his life. He seems to have the world against him but he continues to fight for the one he loves.
Tamara: What are the hardest scenes for you to write? Suspense? Sex? Dialogue? And why?
james crawford: I have a really hard time with fighting scenes. I always hated the fact that in twilight all the fight scenes seem to be missed. Bella is fighting the toxin of a vampire bit and misses everything. Bella runs through the woods and comes into the major fight scene just as it’s over. It wasn’t until after I was trying to write my own fight scenes that I realized how clever Stephenie Meyer actually was.
Beverly: What writer, if any, influenced how you write?
james crawford: I would have to credit Perry Moore for being my major influence. His book Hero showed me that you could write a young adult novel with a gay main character and not have the story be just about his sexuality. He opened my eyes to a genre that I didn’t even know existed.
Tamara: Who is you ideal woman, real or fictionary?
james crawford: Ideal woman? I’m gay so that being said I have always loved Tara Thornton from the True Blood series. Not the books but from the Tv show. (She is not the same character in the books) I love the wild, protective, and smart ass best friend she is and she makes me miss my best friend.
Beverly: What is the kinkiest thing you’ve ever done? Or would like to? What? We are all about the love!
james crawford: wow. I feel so ashamed in myself but the Kinkiest thing I have ever done was experiment with hot wax. It didn’t end well. Let’s just says burns, and extremely messy.
Tamara: What are your favorite types of heroines? Do you like the damsel in distress who needs saving or the kick-ass variety? Why?
james crawford: I love a good kick ass heroines. Whiny damsels in distress get on my nerves, I love to read about girls with backbones.
Beverly: What was your worst date ever?
james crawford: my worst date… well It was actually a first date. We were to meet at Waffle House for coffee. I wasn’t impressed by the choice of restaurant but I said okay what the hell. Well I showed up and waited for thirty min in the parking lot before I got tired of waiting and called him to cancel the date. He begged me not to go he was running late because of work. Well after 20 more min he showed up with his best friend. He sat on one side with her while I sat at the other side of the table. They kept having whispered side bar conversations and it felt very awkward. After an hour of conversation I paid the bill and left…. I have been living with that man for 7 years now. Lol I gave him a second chance.
Tamara: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you? (you have food, water, shelter, all the necessities, so nothing mundane)
james crawford: I would like to have the Inheritance cycle, all the Harry Potter books, and a life time supply of diet coke. I read both of those series every year and I cannot live without my diet coke.
Beverly: What is your “guilty pleasure”?
james crawford: peanut butter cups. That is my breakfast. Everymorning on my way to work I stop and pick a king-size bar up. I eat it on my way to work so that no one will judge me.
Tamara: What dream or goals have you yet to realize?
james crawford: Oh there is so much still there. I have books begging to be worked on and I want to prove that I can run with the big boy/girls in the book industry. It’s going to take some time and hard work but I believe it can be done.
Beverly: Okay, you’re a guy. What is the dumbest dare you’ve ever done?
james crawford: Now I have been very stupid when It comes to dares. Peed on an electric fence, answered the door naked for a church group, and even made snow angels wearing not a stitch of clothing but I would have to say the dumbest thing I have done on a dare is walk up to a giant of a man and try to hold his hand as he was walking in the store… Ended in a big bruise to my chest that made it difficult to breath for a few days.
Tamara: If you were a color what would you be and why?
james crawford: I would chose Green. To me it’s the color of life and nature. It’s just a calm go with the flow respectful kind of color.
Beverly: What is your dream car and why? What color? Me, I desperately want a Metropolitan Nash, hot pink and white. LOL! My own Barbie car!
james crawford: I have always wanted an green El Camino. As a kid I was attracted to the odd look of the half car, half truck and it’s just kind of carried over as an adult.
Tamara: What can we expect for you in 2013?
james crawford: In this year I am planning on releasing Book 2 of my Leech series (in the next month) and hopefully be completed with book 3 by December.
Tamara and Beverly: Okay. We are SSLY so I have to ask. Who loves you?
james crawford: I would have to say that I have a lot of love in my life but my mother I would have to give the most credit to. She is my support and is always there for me no matter what I do.
Now for some quick fun questions:
Bikini’s or thong? On me or on someone else? I actually don’t think I would wear either unless I was paid to do so. I prefer to be loose.
Coffee or Tea? Tea. I hate everything about coffee.
Blonde, brunette or red-head? Red-head.
Tits or ass?… Gay…. Lol I think I am going to have to pick ass.
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
Kinky or Sweet? Sweet
Fast or slow? Slow and playful
Public or private? Private
Top or bottom? I refuse to be boxed. Why chose when you don’t have to.
james crawford grew up in Foxbourgh, PA. He currently lives in Hornlake, Ms with his partner of seven years.
Website: http://jamescrawfordauthor.weebly.com/
Twitter: Jamescrawford_7
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/james-crawford/155595507827813
Blurb:
Every High School has their social outcasts. The band nerds, the math geeks, the chess club, the girl that chews her hair, but at Butler High, even the creepy nose picker in the chess club is more popular than Caleo Anima. No matter what he did, his pale skin, snow white hair, and piercing blue eyes always made him an easy target. He used to think that the only way things could get worse would be if someone found out that he was gay, but that isn’t even the tip of the iceberg of problems after a mysterious stranger shows up and changes Caleo’s life forever.
Hidden amongst our society, a secret and magical race of people known as ‘Leeches’, have been engaging in civil war for decades. Both sides are desperately searching for a weapon with unlimited power that will give them the advantage they need to rule their world. This wouldn’t mean anything to Caleo, except for one problem…He is that weapon!
Forget making it through High School. Caleo has bigger problems! As the search for him goes on, the world is quickly crumbling around him. He’s now fighting for his life and the life of what little family he has left. With the help of new friends, he has little time to try and master his newly found powers as he tries to figure out who he can trust, who is trying to use him, and who just wants him dead. One wrong step and being the awkward pale outcast will be the LEAST of his worries.
SSLYblog 
OK, your date story made me smile. I have to say my first date with my hubby was supposed to be for coffee (I was also unimpressed) and he cancelled last minute because he had an unexpected work trip. I told him it was fine, but he owed me dinner and flowers. Smart man listened and we will be married 7 years in May. I love how your story reminded me of mine and felt the desire to share. Bored yet tehehehe.