Author Spotlight with John C. Houser and his newest book Billy Goat Stats

The Author Spotlight will focus on a different author every few weeks – it may feature an experienced writer who has a long history of published books, or a new author who is destined to be a future star. Today our Author Spotlight will be on  John C. Houser. You can keep in touch with  John at the links following the interview! Please be away that this post contains affiliate links.

Author Spotlight:  John C. Houser

First off, I want to thank John for taking the time to answer these questions for me. Please feel free to leave any questions you may have in the comment section below!

ABOUT THE BOOKS:

What is the title of your newest or upcoming book?

Billy Goat Stats

What publisher is this book being published by?

Dreamspinner Press

What is the publication date?

5/25/2015

 Billy Goat Stats by John C. Houser

Purchase links: Amazon

THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

John C. Houser’s father, step-mother, and mother were all psychotherapists. When old enough, he escaped to Grinnell College, which was exactly halfway between his mother’s and father’s homes—and half a continent away from each. After graduation, he taught English for a year in Greece, attended graduate school, and eventually began a career of creating computer systems for libraries. Now he works in a strange old building that boasts a historic collection of mantelpieces–but no fireplaces.

Can you give the readers a brief summary of your latest book?

Back from summer basketball camp and starting at Hoosier State on an athletic scholarship, Billy is looking forward to playing basketball free of pressure from his overbearing, bigoted father. Too bad he’s trading one set of problems for another. His boyfriend Jonah dumps him, expecting he’ll want to spread his wings now that he’s away from home, and the basketball program at State proves harder to navigate than he imagined. Despite his hurt at Jonah’s treatment, Billy is not ready to give up on a relationship with the out-and-proud musician. Their geographical distance isn’t Billy’s biggest problem, since it makes it easier for him to stay in the closet. In fact, when the press starts sniffing around the basketball team, it turns out he’s not the only one with a secret. Every member of the team must choose where, and with whom, they stand. The success of Billy’s season may depend as much on the depth of his character as his physical endurance.

What genre does it fall in?

Contemporary Romance

Will you share a few words about your latest book, other than the usual blurb?

This one took me a little out of my comfort zone and required me to research the colleage basketball scene.

Give us a little insight into your main characters! Who are they?

Billy Preston is relieved to escape his overbearing father and start college on a basketball scholarship. He’s gay, but hasn’t yet come to terms with it, and is afraid of what will happen to his athletic career if he comes out. Jonah is one of two openly gay boys in his senior class. He’s looking forward to a career as a musician, but he has to get through the entrance audition first.

Will we be seeing these characters again any time soon? Is this book part of a series?

DIY Family

Tell us a little bit about your writing style. When and where is your favorite time/place to write?

I write in coffee shops all over Philadelphia: Center City on Tuesday evenings with a co-work group, in Jenkinstown, Manayunk, Roxborough, or Center City on weekends.

What sort of book do you enjoy reading in your free time? What was the last book you read? Did you enjoy it?

I recently finished Jim Grimsley’s Kirith Kirin. I thought it was great, totally absorbing and unique.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? Have you held any interesting jobs while you worked on your books?

I was educated as a librarian, but I’ve spent my entire career doing systems work. My current title is chief information officer. But I’ve always been a reader. It just didn’t occur to me that I could be a writer, too, until around 2008, when I wrote the first draft of my first novel, in two months and four days. Unfortunately, I’ve never achieved that level of productivity since!

What does your writing process look like?

A lot of my ideas come from dreams or from that dream-like state I can achieve only when I first wake up in the morning. I prefer to write in the mornings, but will do it at night as well. Editing always involves reading the story out loud—our subvocalizing in a coffee shop. Until I hear the sounds of the words, I don’t really know what I’ve got. The sound of a character’s voice is really important to me.

Why did you choose to write GLBTQ romance? Why not another genre?

I want to write stories about people like me: gay men.

One last questions…totally unrelated to books! I am a passionate foodie. Is there one thing in your pantry that you would be horrified for people to know that you eat?

Boxed macaroni and cheeze.

Thankyou so much for answering my questions. I think my readers will enjoy learning more about you! Good luck in your future writing!

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE AUTHOR:

Find out more about John by visiting the author’s website. You can also check out their profile on Goodreads or follow on Facebook or Twitter.