Q&A with Riptide Publishing Author Rhianon Etzweiler
Thanks for joining us on the Riptide Publishing First Anniversary Blog Hop Bash! All month long, we’re bringing you guest posts and interviews from your favorite authors, artists, and Riptide staff. As a thank you for helping us celebrate, we’re also giving away $10 in Riptide store credit to one lucky commenter at every stop! Simply leave a comment below by 11:59pm on Sunday, October 14th to enter. Be sure to check out our complete tour schedule to find out where else you can enter to win—one Grand Prize winner drawn from commenters at all the stops will also win a Kindle that we’ll load with every book we publish in 2013!
Plus, check out our anniversary sale—All October long, backlist titles are 15%-50% off.
Today we have an interview with Rhianon Etzweiler, author of Blacker Than Black. Get your copy of this title for 50% off this week only in Riptide’s Perfect Prose Bundle!
Hi, Rhi! What draws you to romance? M/M romance?
Romance in general is fascinating to me, regardless of genre. I enjoy exploring various layers of relationships that exist between people. Romantic interest is one of those. And while I’ll admit I usually plan romantic interest or attraction between characters in a story – it’s often the only aspect of a plot that doesn’t change in the course of a story’s evolution – I don’t overtly focus on it. There are so many layers of interaction to explore, for one. And I like to explore the natural progression of those interactions.
If one of your titles could be made into a movie, which would it be and who would play the lead roles?
Oh this is a tough one. I have to pick just one? It’s like trying to choose just one favorite song. But I have so many! Oh, fine. I’m snarky, I’ll pick Blacker Than Black. I’d want Andre Pejic (international runway model sensation) for Black, Camui Gackt (the Japanese pop rock star) as Monsieur Garthelle, Stav Strashko as Blue—that would take a bit of a makeover, but it would for anyone—and, well, Jhez is difficult. While I can picture Jhez in my head just fine, the closest I can come is a cross between Bryce Jameson and Kate Beckinsale. It’s not quite the same in my head, but Kate would fit into Red’s argyle socks and Dr Martins with ease and do them justice.
Do you have a favorite character out of all the ones you’ve written? Why is he/she your favorite?
This is difficult. To be honest, they’re all my favorites for different reasons. Every last one has some aspect or facet of their personality or character that I find fascinating. Mike is a quiet, solid strength learning to fight for what’s most important to him. Garthelle has a heartless vicious streak. Black has an inappropriate sense of humor. Blue sees the world differently than everyone else; people are music, to him. Jhez has an argyle fetish. Only red argyles, she reminds me. Then there’s Adagi, who I’m still struggling to figure out. Don’t think anyone’s met him just yet.
Along with about a dozen or so others that very few people know yet. Like Hamm, who doesn’t wear clothes, and Marc, whose best friend is his sniper rifle.
How could anyone expect me to choose one from a list like that?
What’s your current book list and where can we buy them?
Dark Edge of Honor was co-written with Aleksandr Voinov and released in August of 2011 by Carina Press. You can get it straight from Carina, Amazon, or through your favorite book retailer.
Blacker Than Black was my debut solo work and released in January of 2012 by Riptide Publishing. It’s available in electronic and paperback formats. You can get it from Riptide, Amazon, or through your favorite book retailer.
Do you have any special writing rituals?
I have to have coffee. When I’m struggling through something particularly difficult—which is often, since it isn’t worth writing unless I’m challenging myself and the reader in some way—I light a bit of incense and burn some sage. My local grocers think I’m strange for all the fresh sage I buy.
What made you publish with Riptide?
Serendipity. I was trying to find a home for “Blacker Than Black” around the time Rachel and Aleks began plotting to take over the world. It was not well received at a few different publishers, for various reasons. Trans* content and artistic style were the two largest factors. Aleks invited me to send it to Riptide for consideration.
Can you believe Riptide is one year old already?
It feels like they should be hitting the five-year mark. Has it really only been one year? I’m looking forward to seeing what they do in the next year!
What does it mean to be a Riptide author?
It means being one big happy family! …Complete with estranged weirdos, slightly creepy second cousins, and emo teenagers with black nail polish and unlaced combat boots.
Strangely enough, it works. Riptide is very much about embracing what makes an author’s works unique and celebrating the quality and talent that each brings to the table. You can’t get that kind of authenticity just anywhere.
Thanks for stopping by! Where can your readers find you?
You can send me a direct email at Rhianon.etzweiler@gmail.com
My author website is http://www.rhianonetzweiler.com
My writing blog is http://rhianonetzweiler.blogspot.com
You can follow me on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/#!musefodder
Check out my Goodreads author page http://www.goodreads.com/rhianonetzweiler
Or friend me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/rhianon.etzweiler
I’m also The Curator of #soldierporn http://soldierporn.tumblr.com and All Things Trans http://allthingstrans.tumblr.com
About Rhi Etzweiler
Rhi Etzweiler spent her formative years seeped in military culture, and many of her writing inspirations bear that mark – with a definitive twist. Her main genres are science fiction and fantasy, but she enjoys spicing things up with a speculative mixture that sometimes defies an easy label. Next to Elizabeth Moon and Meredith Ann Pierce, she still counts Jane’s Defense and Popular Science among her influences. “I used to read these articles about cutting edge technology and science, and wonder what impact it would have on society and culture. How it would change us.”
Her biggest failing is the inability to write a “short” story – they may begin that way, but they rarely stay small. “It’s like asking someone to tell you about their life,” Rhi says of her muses. “Like any real person, once you get them talking, it’s unlikely they’ll shut up any time soon.”
October 10th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Your Blacker Than Black movie has a intriguing cast. I always like to find out an author’s interpretation of who best represents their characters.
melora.derryth(at)gmail(dot)com
October 10th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Loved the interview; it was an interesting and entertaining read. I thin it is time to re-read Blacker Than Black.
Thanks,
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
October 10th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Dark Edge of Honor is one of my favourite books and Blacker than Black is sitting in my tbr pile
I also follow both Tumblr accounts – thank you for posting what you do; they’re both interesting and although sometimes I find an article hard to read emotionally I’m always glad I did.
October 10th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
What an awesome contest you have going on and all of the discounts are great as well!! luv2scrap22 at yahoo dot com
October 10th, 2012 at 8:00 pm
I enjoyed the interview.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
October 10th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
@Melora Part of the magic I tried to weave into Black was the freedom to let the reader really define what the character looked like. I know that some readers enjoy the author’s perception, but for many readers they get a conceptual image of the character and by the end of the story, nothing the author does can shake that. I hope it worked.
@Tracy I hope you love it again a second time!
Do let me know what changes or seems different…
@Sarah I’m very glad you enjoy the content of both the books and the tumblrs. I sometimes choose content for the specific reason of challenging people’s labels and perceptions and microcosms. I hope you find enjoyment in reading Black’s story when it reaches the top of the pile!
@Chris Thanks for stopping by, best of luck!
October 11th, 2012 at 10:14 am
LOL! Love the description of the Riptide family.. XD
And what a great list of “actors”! Now I’ll now whom to picture when I’ll reread BTB. ^^
October 11th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
@Aija Let me know if it changes how you “see” the characters in your head at all while you’re reading. I’m curious
And so much thanks to Romance Junkies for hosting me and joining in celebrating Riptide’s anniversary.
October 13th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
I’ve got to check out Pejic, I know he’s inspired Tara Lain as well! And yes, I do find it hard to believe that Riptide’s only been around one year–their level of professionalism is astounding. BLACKER THAN BLACK looks amazing!
October 13th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
@Trix Well the story of how Pejic became the face of Black isn’t so much a case of inspiration… BTB was in the throes of edits at the time. Since Black’s appearance isn’t included anywhere in the story itself, I felt it might be important to give the reader some sort of anchor in the cover art. And the representation of Black became rather important. So I went hunting… and that’s when I discovered Pejic. I didn’t even know who he was when Black chose to inform me that was the best model I’d find. The more I read of Pejic, the more I realized… Black was right, there couldn’t be a better model if I searched another ten years.