How long have you been
writing?
I
started writing in the fall of 2003 when I was 60 years old.
How do you choose which
genre and flavour your story line will take, and what influences your choice?
That’s
hard to answer. So far, I’ve only written about gay men. My first two books
were very tame sexwise. The gay men I know told me I needed to stop writing
like a straight grandmother and more like a gay man.
The
last story is somewhat different in that it deals with Paganism, reincarnation
and historical fact. I’m not sure where it even came from.
What is your specific
writing style, if any?
I
have a tendency to write in sections. I’ll write one scene and then think of
something that is going to happen later and write that scene then tie the
various sections together.
Is there anything you
find particularly challenging about bringing a story to life?
Naming
the characters and deciding on a title. I tend to name everyone with the same
first initial.
Who is your favourite
character you‘ve written to date and why?
I
think that would have to be Andrew in my first book. I based his personality on
a couple of guys whom I’ve never met but who were part of the group that got me
into writing in the first place. When Alex meets him, Andrew is an ornery
teenager who teases him unmercifully. Alex nicknames him Imp for his
personality and for the tattoo on his shoulder.
Although,
Danny in the book I’m working on is fast becoming a favourite.
Which character in your
body of works was the hardest to write?
I
think Carol, Alex’s wife in Acceptance. I know the sex scene between the two of
them was the hardest.
Which stories have you
enjoyed working on the most and why?
I
think First Impressions. Because of the research into the geography of
California I had to do.
What will people come
away with after reading your books?
I
hope they’ll understand that gay people are just people. Like straight people,
they want to love and be loved. Contrary to a lot of stereotypical beliefs,
they can form lasting loving relationships.
What are you currently
reading?
A
book of short stories about gay men by a composer named George Robb. He’s a
member of the Heartland Men’s Chorus of Kansas City. The book is called Why
Not.
I’ve
also been following the adventures of Tal and Alex in A. M. Burns Yellow Sky
series.
What music is in your
stereo at the moment? And does it influence the way you write?
I
don’t listen to much music – I like it quiet.
When
I do, it’s usually Matt Alber or something old by Neil Diamond or John Denver.
Are you still as
passionate about writing as you were when you first started?
Probably
even more so. When I started, I never expected to write more than one book.
Name three Authors you
read over and over again?
Nora
Roberts
Jude
Deveraux
Anne
McCaffery
Can you share any of
your current WIPS?
Right
now I’m working on an untitled work about a high-school senior who comes out by
breaking the nose of a soccer teammate. Shortly after graduation, he goes to
Pride and meets the man of his dreams.
For those readers that
have yet to know you please tell us something about yourself.
I’m
a mother of four, grandmother of ten, and great-grandmother of one (so far). I
live alone with my cat, Cleo, in an apartment building for the elderly. I don’t
feel I’m elderly, but the Government says I am. I was married for twenty-three
years and have been divorced for twenty-seven.
I
attend church at Spirit of Hope Metropolitan Church of Kansas City where I am
one of a handful of straight people.
I
sing, play the autoharp and love to read. I spin wool into yarn and like to
weave. Although since taking up writing, the spinning and weaving have been
pushed aside.
Find A.T. Weaver at:
EMAIL: alixtheweaver@yahoo.com
