Who is Embry Carlysle?

Well, that would be me. Still confused? LOL First let me start by saying I am so honored to be invited here today by Gabrielle Evans. To hopefully not bore you to death as I ramble on about myself, which is a lot harder than I thought it would be, not the rambling, I’m rather good at that, but the talking about myself…not so much. So I’ll just give you a little bit of my background.

I grew up in the south in the seventies, where I was very blessed with a loving family, who encouraged learning something new every day. We didn’t live in the cyber-world back then so we had to rely on a four station television and the library. Damn I’m old. I can still visualize my dad sitting in his well-worn lazy-boy, book perched on his chest, glass of wine on the end table.

I remember as a small child reading, See Spot Run, and Dick and Jane Play.  Soon those early readers gave way to larger words, longer sentences, several chapters and amazing storylines.  I can’t recall all the books I read back then. Around the time I started college I was cleaning out some of my things in my bedroom at home and came across a large box my mother had kept of every report card, popsicle stick picture frame, and of course the gold painted noodle ornament, I had ever made.  In the box I found a story that I had written in the third grade. It was about an elephant and his tennis shoes. On the top of the page in bright red letters, were the words: Wonderful use of an over-active imagination, but should only be used when playing games with friends not in the classroom. Wow did teachers have major dream-breaking skills back then. 

I cannot begin to list the multitudes of books I have read. From romance fit for a nun to erotic so hard core, my fingers burned from touching them. From Harry Potter to The Black Dagger Brotherhood I loved anything paranormal. My deepest desire to write had never really ever gone away. Like a gigantic light-bulb over my head I knew what I was going to do. I was going to write paranormal romance and I was going to create worlds no other author had. I was going to rule the world! (insert evil scientist laugh). LOL But my vampires weren’t going to be sparkly or print ad models for Abercrombie. I was going to create ass-kicking heroines and uber-heroes that didn’t screw around when going for the bad guy or the girl. So I took pen in hand and I began writing every single free moment I had. I literally filled dozens of journals, ever changing my stories, because something was missing and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Then a friend of mine introduced me to a whole new eye opening world; the world of men who love men, and I have been hooked ever since. I never knew there were stories like these out there.  

Now I am a fan of e-books for their convenience, but there is just something about a printed book, sitting on one of my bookshelves, like an old comfortable friend.  So whenever I found a book I wanted and it had a print edition I knew I would rather have them. Some of the bookstores, I would unfortunately learn; hid gay/lesbian books in the erotic/porn section way in the back so “decent” people didn’t have to look at them…Yes I was actually told this by a snot-nosed kid at a well-known chain of bookstores, like he knew the definition of what is decent. Though he took me to them, albeit reluctantly; he still made me feel like I was dirty or perverted. I had never had this happen before and it not only made me feel uncomfortable but it also angered me. Who was he or anyone else to judge me for the books I read? Luckily that kid didn’t deter me from going back.

While I struggled with writing my own story, the same friend who showed me the books, suggested I try writing m/m; was she insane? How could I ever write about men together when I was just a woman? What did I know about the gay male? I had a hard enough time with writing a hetero relationship. But she was persistent, said I could do it (still tells me that). I needed more than that to convince myself though, so I read every m/m book I could get my hands on. 

I also follow some of my favorite authors and even tweet with them and talk to them online. It is so surreal to me to actually “know” them. Everyone is so kind and helpful. It’s like they are one big family. But it’s the relationships I have built with some new authors that mean the most to me. Authors I look up to and respect and appreciate for their constant support. It is one such author that I am now writing with, NJ Nielsen. As you know from her post here, our friendship and subsequent partnership all started with a joke and has grown from there. Our world and characters have been so much fun to create; we can’t wait to share them with you.

I do have on my blog a weekly story called Finding Will, if you would like to see some of my work. I also have my story Saving Jamie which will be the first story in my Saving Souls Series which is about my two main characters, Jamie and Corey and how sometimes, opposites really do attract.

Well I hope that I haven’t put any of you to sleep, and that you now know a little about me. I also want to thank Gabrielle again, for allowing me to spend my day here with all of you.

I may have started with Dick and Jane, but now I’m all about Dick and Dan.

Way more fun….

Happy reading everyone,

Embry  

www.embrycarlysle.blogspot.com

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