Book Tour: Speakeasy by Suzey Ingold

Author: Suzey Ingold

Book Name: Speakeasy

Release Date: February 18, 2016

Pages or Words: 244 pages

Categories: Gay fiction, Historical, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/suzeysays

Publisher: Interlude Press

Cover Artist: Cover Art by Colin Moore; Cover design by C.B. Messer

In the height of the Prohibition era, recent Yale graduate Heath Johnson falls for Art, the proprietor of a unique speakeasy tucked away beneath the streets of Manhattan where men are free to explore their sexuality. When Art’s sanctuary is raided, Heath is forced to choose between love and the structured life his parents planned for him.

Paperback: http://amzn.to/1mGtvXF

Interlude Press: http://store.interludepress.com/search?q=speakeasy

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1T8QfMX

Apple iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/speakeasy/id1059517648?mt=11

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/speakeasy-suzey-ingold/1122958658?ean=2940152470123

All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-speakeasy-1972248-145.html?referrer=55feb862851f8

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/593328

Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781941530696?aff=Interludepress

Heath swallows, playing over an idea that had formed shakily in his head after he saw Frankie, since Art walked through that door and possibly longer without him being fully conscious of it. “Maybe it’s time I was honest. Tell them that I don’t want to marry Ginny or work with my father. Let the pieces fall where they may.”

“You would do that?”

“If it meant being with you, I would do anything.” Heath sits up and the sheets fall to pool around his waist. “I know what I want, now. And it’s you and whatever a future with you brings.”

Suzey Ingold is a writer, linguist and coffee addict, currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Brought up in a household where children’s books are quoted over the dinner table, literature has always had a strong influence on her life. She enjoys traveling, scented candles and brunch. Her short story, “The Willow Weeps for Us,” was included in “Summer Love: An LGBTQ Collection,” published by Duet, an imprint of Interlude Press (2015).

Homepage: www.suzeysays.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzeysays

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzeysays/

Today I’m welcoming Suzey Ingold to chat about writing, life, and their current project. Welcome! Let’s talk a little about Speakeasy.

What inspired you to write this story?

I’ve always loved the 1920s and the Jazz Age in New York City, and it’s something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. But Speakeasy really came to life from Heath, who started forming in my head before I had any idea where the story was going to go.

Is there a character you feel especially connected to? Why?

I do feel a strong connection with Heath. He’s living a life that is not quite his own: going along with the wishes of his parents’ and what they want for him, even if it’s not necessarily what he wants. There have been times in my life when I’ve let my parents guide me because I haven’t known what I wanted or needed from life, and it’s a really tough cycle to get out of.

What was the hardest part of writing this?

Usually I find starting any project the hardest but with this one it was actually an entirely unpredictable incident. Back in April 2015, I fractured my toe completely by accident and it led to me being housebound and almost immobile for a couple of weeks. That’s not that long, really, but I’d never had an injury like that and being stuck in one place unable to even really go outside affected my mood quite badly. That was right when I was in the midst of writing and, even though it would have been the perfect opportunity to write, I just couldn’t because I was so miserable. It was really tough getting back into it after that period of time.

Choose a favorite line or short passage. What do you like about it?

Art turns Heath until his hands rest at the small of his back as he pulls him into his chest. “Cash,” he whispers, the tip of his nose nudging against Heath’s. “Or check?”

“Cash,” Heath replies without a moment’s hesitation. He stands on his toes as he joins their lips with his heart beating so loudly he’s sure that Art must be able to hear it in the quiet of the subway station.

In researching this book, I found out about a whole lot of Jazz Age slang—most of which has fallen out of use today, although some still remain in other contexts. One of my absolute favorite ones was “cash or check?” which means “will we kiss now or later?” I used it several times in my book in the build up of Art and Heath’s relationship and I really love the romantic,’20s feel of it.

Tell us a little about any upcoming projects.

I’m currently about to start work on a contemporary short story set in London—so I’m coming back home after spending so much time (mentally) in New York writing Speakeasy! I can’t really say much more right now but I’m really excited about it and it’s giving me the opportunity to write about something I’ve wanted to for a while now…

How do you choose names for your characters?

Choosing names is one of the things I find really hard, because a lot of really good names I wouldn’t use because they might remind me of someone I know or once knew! For Speakeasy in particular, one of the things I did was find lists of popular baby names from certain years and try and find ones that I thought suited the kind of characters I had in mind. Some names got changed during the writing process: Amelia was originally Juliet, and Alfie was originally Oliver.

Where do you look for inspiration for new stories?

I wouldn’t say I look for inspiration in one particular place—I try to be open to the possibility of taking anything as an idea or inspiration. I’ll often write down random little things I see in my day-to-day life: anything that draws my attention, or makes me laugh, or makes me think. These might become entire stories in my head, or they might become little anecdotes in a larger story. For example, one time, I was on the tube in London, and a pigeon walked into my carriage and rode very calmly to the next stop and then walked off. I don’t know what I’ll do with that (if anything) but it was too entertaining not to make note of.

What else do you use to immerse yourself in the story (music, visuals, etc.)?

Music is my number one resource: for Speakeasy, I listened to a lot of jazz and swing and also more modern electroswing while I was writing. I’ll also try and read other books in that genre or set in that period, or watch films. During the summer, when I was in the process of editing Speakeasy, I was reading a collection of Fitzgerald’s short stories, to try and keep my head in the Jazz Age era.

Word Sprints!

Coffee or tea? Coffee is my life source.

Cats or dogs? Cats—we have all the same favorite activities.

What’s a charity/cause you support? Mind, a British mental health charity.

Do you have any body art? Five tattoos and a nose ring (much to my mother’s distaste!)

As a kid, were you a Goody-Goody or a Wild Child? Such a Goody-Goody; still am, a bit.