Interview With Douglas Black

By Cynthia Sax on October 19, 2014

I sat down (virtually) with Douglas Black for a short interview. Today, we’re talking about Douglas Black’s latest release Port In A Storm, a contemporary MM erotic romance.


Cynthia Sax: What makes Jake and Alex right for each other?

Douglas Black: Jake and Alex, the main characters in Port In A Storm, at first seem an unlikely couple – at least as far as Alex’s thinking goes. Sure, they experience an overwhelming lust at first sight, but Jake is about as different a person from Alex as Alex can imagine.

Alex is a recent university graduate stuck working in a coffee shop while he works out what he wants to do with his life. Jake is older, more worldly and seems to have spent his entire adulthood travelling. But as they get to know each other – their physical attraction and emotional connection making it impossible for them to stay apart for long – Alex comes to realise what Jake has suspected from the start. That he is a lot more like Jake than he initially thought, and if he opens up and accepts Jake’s offer of help, Jake just might be able to give Alex the answers he’s been looking for.

Cynthia Sax: What creates problems between Jake and Alex?

Douglas Black: As Alex tells Jake frequently throughout the course of the novel, his life is complicated. Alex has a bad relationship with his father and stepmum and that’s preventing him taking the job in the family law firm that should by rights be his. On top of that, Alex has an “ex-boyfriend” who hasn’t quite got the memo that it’s time to move on and he has an unhelpful desire to please people, often at the expense of his own happiness.

As much as Alex wants Jake, he’s frightened of walking away from everything he knows to be with a relative stranger who doesn’t seem particularly capable of standing still for very long. Being torn between wanting to make his dad proud and wanting to be happy in himself is what fuels Alex’s indecision for much of the novel, until finally it threatens to destroy both Alex’s chance at a future relationship with his parents, and with Jake.


Cynthia Sax: Does a character in Port In A Storm have a secret?

Douglas Black: Jake has a secret. Of course, I’m not going to tell you what it is. You’ll have to read the book to find out, but what I will say is it’s a secret that explains why Jake has spent so much of his adult life travelling, never settling down, never stopping to think. Jake’s running from his past and the last thing he wants to do is talk about it, no matter how often Alex asks him to.


Cynthia Sax: Is Port In A Storm a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?


Douglas Black:
Now, don’t tell my editor this, but I am toying with the idea of writing more about Alex and Jake. Jake is my favourite out of all the characters I’ve ever written and although he gets his happy ending in Port In A Storm – eventually! – I think there’s still life in the old dog yet. I’m certain Jake would agree with me, so we’ll just have to wait and see where this perpetual traveller takes me next!

Thank you, Douglas Black, for joining us today!

Douglas Black’s Website: http://douglasblackerotica.wordpress.com

*****************************************************************************

Alex’s world changes forever the day he meets Jake. It should be simple. Jake wants Alex. Alex wants Jake, but for Alex there’s this little thing called life that seems determined to get in the way.

Alex is stuck in a rut. He’s facing a big decision about his future, namely, what to do with it and so far he hasn’t managed to come up with an answer.

Until he meets Jake.

Jake blows through Alex’s world like a hurricane and Alex falls hard and fast for the perpetual traveller with a penchant for secrets and a perfect smile. Jake wants Alex, but life isn’t as simple as that.

Jake never settles in one place for long and already their long-distance relationship is driving a wedge between Alex and his family. With no compromises on offer, Alex’s decision about his future becomes a decision about Jake.

For Alex, the idea of losing Jake doesn’t bear thinking about, but choosing him looks like it will mean throwing away everything Alex knows, including his relationship with his parents. And so, Alex finds himself with another question to answer.

How much would you be willing to give up, to be happy?

Buy Now: http://www.loose-id.com/port-in-a-storm.html

Topics: Author Interviews | Comments Off on Interview With Douglas Black