Today's CSR discussion is all about Robert Rex's story, Joe the Welder. A very popular story from one of our newer authors, I thought this would be a great start for CSR's 2015! Did you guys like the contemporary romance? Make sure you share your comments below, as well as questions for Robert. He'll be here 'live' to talk with readers from 7 to 9 PM, CST, if you can make it. If not, remember, just leave your comments below and Robert will answer!

Who do you like best, Jerry or Tom?
Hm....Starting off with a tough question! Tom, I think. He's like me and lots of us: despite our plans and schemes and best efforts, things rarely go as planned. He's the lovable klutz who, despite his rivalry with Jerry, still maintains a solid relationship with him.

The truth is, it takes both of 'em to make it work. So I may hafta rethink my answer!

Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
Yes. I grew up in a small rural town in north Louisiana. My family had an interest in a small farm, and it was easy access to good fresh stuff. Spoils you, though. Once you have truly fresh food, grocery store items will never do it for you again! Thankfully, I live in a rural area just north of New Orleans, so still have pretty easy access to the good stuff. Try a fresh, vine-ripened tomato, still warm from the sun, and tell me it can get better than that!

Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
Yup, bed is made as soon as I roll out of it. Kinda forces me to keep the rest of the room a little neater if the bed is made. I'm not a neat-nic by any means, but it kinda helps me think the day has started out a little more organized. And it's a luxury for me to climb into a made bed at night—like it's waiting just for me.

What first brought you to GA?
“Joe” is my first story based on a dare from a drinking buddy, and I'd published it on another site—one far more erotic than GA. It's a good site, but I wanted more. I wanted stories that focused on the story, and treated sex as an integral part of the story—not it's exclusive focus. I'd gotten 40 or 50 emails from readers at that site with generally positive reviews, but I wanted more. I wanted to be able to find out how many people had viewed/read the story, and that let them have easier ways of commenting than just by email. (Yeah, we're lazy, and creating an email isn't something most people will do. And yeah, I'm like most writers on here who crave input.) Finally, although I was pretty much happy with “Joe”, I certainly realized that I needed help and resources to nurture what I'd discovered to be the rewarding and challenging experience of writing.

GA offers all of that. I get to read great stories where the plot matters and characters become real, not just rough outlines for sexual purposes only. I get to have metrics on my writing and an easy way to get reader feedback—or give my feedback. And God knows, help is available from every direction if I'm smart enough to take advantage of it—from editors, to beta readers, to friendly people who'll point me in the right direction for research. And most of 'em aren't “word Nazis” who beat you over the head with their knowledge—they're really here and eager to help!

As an aside, I'd be in heaven if all the folks that read here on GA would start leaving feedback. The likes, the comments on the chapters and stories—all that makes a difference to the writers (especially me!). The “newbies” may feel intimidated by the quality or volume of the work here, but they got to GA with a love of reading and the reading skills that authors appreciate—and a newbie voice matters.

Do you have an author you consider a mentor?
Unfortunately, no. But it's like winning a Screen Actors Guild award on those occasions when I get reviews (critical comments included) from authors here. The opinions of the heavy hitters, those prolific, incredibly talented writers here provide both encouragement to keep writing, and motivation to “up the game” in terms of writing quality—and the fact that they're commenting on your work (especially if they point out good things) is a thrill. It's the recognition of what you hope will be a peer group.

I have gotten encouragement from several writers here....and Carlos Hazday had read “Joe” on the other site, and encouraged me to port it here—so blame him! <grin> I'd been concerned that “Joe” was far more erotic than the usual fare here, but Carlos reassured me to press on. And OKFlash735 and I had built a friendship from the other site, and when I discovered GA, he encouraged me to publish it here, too.

I'd hope that all the authors here would make a point to not just read, but comment on, works of new writers here. Based on my own experience, you'll never know the impact you'll make to encourage a “newbie” writer!

Is there anything you find particularly challenging when writing?
Yes—sex. Although I've “been around the block” (stop those giggles!), and I like to think I pretty much know what I'm doing, there's a world of difference being doing and describing. And sexual descriptions without bringing in emotions or all of the senses is dull to do, and dull to read about.
I'd hope that sex scenes are hot because they're a complete picture of what's happening between partners; not just “insert tab A into slot B” descriptions.

The other issue is that I tend to write the way I talk/think. So as a result there are lots of commas, lots of parenthetical remarks, and lots of dashes and semicolons to break up the sentences. Hey, maybe it's indicative of ADD? Oh look, there's a squirrel... Anyway, the current trend in most writing seems to be to eliminate as much punctuation as possible, and that's not the way I speak or was taught to write.

Do you have any writing rituals?
Generally write in the mornings after a night at the bar. (I sell real estate full time, work in the local gay bar a couple or three nights a week. I'll take the following morning off from real estate to “recover” from the previous long day/evening at the bar.) Lots of coffee and a few cigarettes are critical to get the heart pumping and clear the head—I'm not a morning man even in the best of circumstances—and have got to happen if I'm gonna attempt to have something approaching quality writing. (If I could just set up a coffee IV, I'd be far more productive!)

I also take regular breaks—my brain runs faster than I can write—so I'll make notes on thoughts at the time, then walk away to get more coffee, grab a smoke, feed the washer, whatever. The writing seems to flow better if I give ideas time to “percolate”.

Was the choice of using the character’s name “Joe the Welder” deliberate instead of using another type of title?
It was deliberate. I used it as a tentative title, and it seemed right, since it was about the development/changes in Joe, and it stuck. As it turns out, it told a story of changes between Joe and Rex, and how they explored their emotions both verbally and sexually.
Looking back, I might not do it again. I think if you use a name/title in the story's title, your character has to be so compelling it drags the readers along through the end of the story. I'm not convinced my writing of a character is that good, so I'd seriously consider renaming the story.

Did the main character or a plot scene from the story come to you first?
The dreaded “chicken or the egg” question! I'm an observer of people, and it's especially fun in a bar. People will come in, I'll make up stories in my head about 'em from time to time. A guy stopped in the bar one night when I was bartending; nice guy and totally straight. (It's a bar kinda like a gay “Cheers”--everyone's welcome!) So my character was the starting point. Then later that night, when having an off-duty drink with a buddy there at the bar, he dared me to write a story. (“You always tell good stories, you need to write 'em!” Yeah, I'm the old-time bartender in the dark bar that everyone talks to, tells everything to, and interacts with as a friend/buddy.) The plot developed pretty quickly on its own from there.

What was your favorite part of the story?
I'm a sucker for a happy ending—so the last chapter really did it for me. I'm especially proud of the epilogue, since it really filled in the “ever after” part.

Having said that, the scene in the hospital with Rex standing by, helpless but faithful, was also a high point. Interesting to see this hard-boiled business guy reduced to base emotions—and to see how he allows his more human side to come through.

What are you currently writing?
I'm currently working on “Landfall”, in progress exclusively here on GA. It's the story of a straight guy, who after the accidental murder of his wife, falls for his FBI “handler”. It's a totally different story from “Joe”, far less erotic, far more nuanced, as the straight guy works through his emotions. Is he now gay? Is he bi? Is he straight, but gay in the circumstances? Is he only gay for his FBI handler? It's been an interesting story to write! And the characters are real enough to me that I feel like most of the time I'm not creating a story, I'm merely reporting it! I'm hoping the readers here will check it out, and give feedback on how I'm doing—I'm hoping they'll find my writing has improved since “Joe” was first published a few months ago and find the story interesting.

And Joe and Rex will appear in “Landfall” shortly, and may play a big role in the story line. You'll hafta read “Landfall” to find out the details.

What are your future projects?
I actually have several I'd like to explore.

1. I'd love to do a story on a May/September romance between an early/mid-30s professional guy and his newly-found late 50s/early 60s or older lover. Ageism is rampant in American culture, and especially pronounced in LBGTQ culture. Think that story would offer lots of options for plot/character development, and be interesting to see the hurdles they have in building a long term relationship, including varied life experiences, expectations, and the range of emotions each man brings to the table. I've kinda got a working title, thinking at this point of “Lion's Lair”. (If older women are “cougars”, are older men “lions”?)
2. I've got a science fiction story I've batted around—and it's so far beyond my comfort level it's intriguing to me. (Love sci-fi and have been an avid reader, but never attempted to write it, obviously, since “Joe” is my first story.) What happens when a disc (say from Voyager or another probe from a later time) is discovered in the ruins of a bombed out library on a far-distant world—and it's filled with music. What if all the music is trapped in the damage disc, and their disc reader can only read just a few bars of a haunting melody and vocal? What does the music say about the people of its originating planet? How does the music's discovery affect the people who discover it? And what does the storage of music say about those who curated it into the library? In my mind's eye, it'll be called “Earth Songs”, but still thinking that through—and trying to find the courage to start on it. And yeah, it'll have both action and romance in good measure.
3. The other story line is set maybe 10 years down the road when gay marriage is fully in place. How does marriage affect the dating rituals of gay men? Does Grindr go away? What takes its place? If marriage is acceptable as adults, is there a simultaneously mutual change so that gay dating in high school becomes commonplace? Are there other impacts on society when two men (or two women) legally partner? Think there's a bunch of impacts to gay marriage we haven't really explored. This is still in the rough sketch stage, but you get the idea.
   

There are a couple of other ideas out in play, but those seem to be bubbling to the top right now. I'd love input on what readers think about those.

Thank you for such a great interview, Robert. Okay folks... I asked my questions, now share yours!