Looking for a great M/M romance, Keta Diablo is da; house - Part 1 of 2..

A: Today’s interview is with Keta Diablo, erotic fiction and male on male romance. I’ve been waiting to get to Keta since my budding interest in m/m romance started eight months ago.


Keta, welcome!!!!! I learned a lot about you from your website and I’m guessing you live in Minnesota!!!! That are the far west of Wisconsin. LOL… Okay, now onto the stuff everyone wants to know.

If someone were writing a story about Keta Diablo what would your blurb say?

Keta: Let’s see, what would a blurb say about me? Probably that I’m softhearted, but will hold my ground on things I feel passionate about. I’m obsessive to a fault at times; once I commit to something I’ll see it through good or bad. I adore my family, cherish my friends and like the saying goes, ‘hold my enemies close.

A: You know I love that saying but damn if I wouldn’t want to beat their face in --- it would take a better woman than me to keep enemies close :>. But I digress… For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.

K: Concept or ideas are never a problem; in fact I hope I live long enough to write all that’s rambling about in my head. I would have to say the plot is the hardest to get right—what comes next, are my characters deep enough that people can relate to them, and have I elicited emotion from the readers (good or bad)? Like many authors, I’m not fond of writing the “dreaded” synopsis or a query letter, and that’s probably why I haven’t queried agents or major publishers. I like writing for the publishers I’m with, but no doubt would like any new publishers I write for in the future.

One of the other things I find difficult about writing is managing my time. I’m working on that. Writing the book is only part of the equation. Promoting/marketing the writing is equally important and I get a little hung up on the latter at times. It’s one of those damned if you do and damned if you don’t things. You need time to write the next book, but you also need to get the current one out of the gait with a grand start.

A: I know there’s one book that you can’t say enough about. Tell the readers a little about The Sin Eater’s Prince?

A: Thank you so much for asking. The Sin Eater’s Prince was borne out a short story I wrote for an anthology called Boys of the Bite. Cecilia Tan edited the antho and it was released by Ravenous Romance last spring. Not long after its release, an editor at Ravenous asked me to develop it into a full-length story.

Of all the books I’ve written (11 so far) I really got into the research on this one. For those of you who don’t know what a Sin Eater is/was, I’ll be happy to tell you. During earlier centuries in England, Wales and Ireland almost every village had a sin eater who lived on the outskirts. Shunned by most of the villages, he was only called upon when Death called. Either shortly before the person passed or immediately after, the family would call upon him to take up the sins of the deceased. He did this by standing over the corpse, eating a small loaf of bread (called dead cakes) and say a specific prayer. The custom was so widespread and popular that many people left instructions in their Will and truly believed if the Sin Eater didn’t absolve them of sin, they’d wander the halls of oblivion forever.

In The Sin Eater’s Prince, Owen the sin eater, has loved the local physician, Andras Maddock, from afar. In return Maddock has loved Owen from afar, but has not acted upon his feelings because he was turned by a vampire five years ago. When Owen is attacked in the woods one night by the deadliest vampire of all, Traherne, the same vampire who turned Maddock, Andras saves Owen’s life. Traherne’s son, Dagan not only seeks revenge for his father’s death, but longs to possess the Prince’s sword that Maddock owns. So we have love (plenty of that) suspense, mystery, magick and lots and lots of Welsh superstition thrown into the mix.

You can purchase The Sin Eater’s Prince here: http://www.ravenousromance.com/

A: Ohhhh… a vampire m/m romance!!!! I think I know the answer to this next question myself but I’ll let you answer :>. Which of your Books would you like to see turned into a movie and who would play the main characters?

K: Funny you should ask. I was thinking about this the other day, and imagining The Sin Eater’s Prince as a movie. Because it’s a male/male, I don’t know that anyone would ever be interested in bringing it to the big screen, but I think it would make for a wonderful movie – suspense, thrills, mystery, Welsh magick and man love. What more could one ask for?

A: Of the books that you have written, which is your favorite or feel the most connection to?

K: I’ll bet you’ve had other authors tell you that’s like choosing one child over another; and it is in some ways. At the time I’m writing the book, I fall in love with the story and the characters, but then it happens all over again while I’m writing the next book. I like Decadent Deceptions a lot; feel connected to the characters and thought it turned out well. Today I was talking to another author about how one book just seems to flow out of your head and others you have to dig deep for ever scrappy word. Decadent Deceptions came easy for me, so I imagine that’s why I’m more attached to it. You can read more about Decadent Deceptions here: http://tinyurl.com/yfcfwpk

A: Wow, so many great things to look at, I’m not sure where to start. I want to read them all!!!! They sound really good.

On a different slant, if you could work with any author who would it be?

K: Work with? Well, I’d like to pick Harper Lee’s brain and see what makes her tic. I think her characterizations in To Kill a Mockingbird are stellar. The first time I read the book, I was in 5th grade and yet I knew I held something special in my hand. I could feel the sultry heat of the South, taste the prejudice in that town. If an author can accomplish that, she/he has done their job well.

I’m reading a book right now by Emma Wildes called An Indecent Proposal, and Ms. Wildes, you’re holding my interest and I’m impressed. Thank you for this wonderful escape into another world.

A: It would be rapture to spend just a few moments in those author’s presence—working with them would be a once in a lifetime event. Maybe one day people will say that about us.

I know I have so many things I want to write and so little time. I often wonder if I’ll ever capture all the ideas racing around in my head; other writers worry about running out of ideas. What advice would you give to people who are afraid they’ll “run out of creativity" when writing?

K: I can’t imagine that scenario. There are so many things on the Internet or in just our local mall (Ugh, I don’t like big shopping malls), but I go to people watch. It’s so fascinating. I like to watch them in conversation; watch them interact with a clerk, study their facial expressions and body language. I suppose one of these days I’ll be accused of stalking. (lol). Just kidding. During my surveillance outings, I’m seated on a bench and subtly observing.

I also like to surf the net (too much). I might set off to find out about a topic and before you know it, I have ten windows open and forgot what I started out for. One can find all sorts of topics that will spark their interest by surfing. The other day I began by looking for mythology in Scotland and ended up looking at what women wore in the Regency period. Don’t even ask me how I ended up there. Now, that sparked my interest in another area.

A: I'm like that too!!! I get lost. My husband even has "April Time" ... Five minutes are actually two hours. LOL.

Well, I'm almost out of space - come back next to learn more about Keta and get some more sneak peaks of her hot and spicy romances. Or check her out at your favorite location:

Author Home: http://ketadiablo.blogspot.com/

Keta’s Haunt: http://www.ketadiablo.com/
Keta’s Keep: http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com/
Gay Fiction Blog: http://thestuffofmythandmen.blogspot.com/
Keta on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ketadiablo