Interview & Giveaway with Rhys Ford

Today J9 is interviewing author Rhys Ford. Welcome to The Book Vixen Rhys!

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J9: What made you decide to have Cole be a private investigator?

Rhys Ford: I decided to have Cole be a PI because it seemed to allow him to be a snope without being an amateur sleuth. I already knew I was going to write the books a little bit over the top as far as action went so it was imperative I could have everything I’ve done to Cole be a little bit believable. Somewhat. *grins*

It also let me have him shoot things once in a while.

J9: Was there ever a question about this series featuring an MM romance?

Rhys Ford: No. No questions whatsoever. So much of this series hinges on Jae’s being trapped between what he wants and what he needs to be. Also, Cole is just so male but is gay. I wanted to portray his little boy/man personality and show him fall in love. It was important for me to show them as a growing relationship.

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J9: Jae is Korean-American and his culture plays a huge role in his life and his relationship with Cole. Why did you choose this cultural identity for Jae and did you have to research it?

Rhys Ford: I chose the Korean culture because it’s a bit more restrictive than the Japanese. There’s an internal conflict there. The Korean culture is extremely pressed in between larger and more visible cultures but they are in fact quite unique. I wanted to show that. Did I have to research? Somewhat but really more to verify what my gut is saying. I wanted to make the Korean culture approachable yet at the same time, maintaining its uniqueness.

Cole is half-Japanese but he has no connections to his mother’s culture. I did this on purpose. The reader is going to be exposed to the Asian cultures from his point-of-view and they learn as he learns. So the series is kind of a journey for the main character as well as the reader.

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J9: This series setting is LA's Koreatown and being a native New Yorker, I'm very intrigued by this setting. Can you share why you choose LA and how you evoked this great sense of place?

Rhys Ford: Ah, Koreatown. I love Koreatown in Los Angeles. It really is a huge area and steeped in the culture. It’s also a place that suffered during the riots and still struggles to balance between its cultural identity and its Americanism. I try to capture the flavour of Koreatown. It really is an analogy of Jae in some ways. That conflict that is just below the surface yet we are all comfortable in it.

It’s a personal point a lot of us who are Asian-American struggle with. We try to pick and choose between tradition and contemporary society. There are things we will never shake off because it’s just who we are inside. Much like taking our shoes off at the door. It feels odd not to.

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J9: Are any of the amazing cast of characters based on real people?

Rhys Ford: I would say there are slices of people but not whole people. Scarlet for instance pretty much is every kick ass sleek elegant aunt the family has… the one everyone’s a bit scandalized by but oh don’t we love her. Bobby’s well… he’s an Alpha male but has some softness. I think we all know someone like that.

J9: What's next for this series?

Rhys Ford: Ah, Dirty Deeds will have a bit of a reboot. There will be a time jump but Dirty Laundry will really defines Cole and Jae’s relationship. They are strong and definitely have fallen in love with one another. Their relationship will be solidifying, most definitely. I will be exploring why Ben shot Cole and Rick as well as Cole dealing with his new brother. And then there’s Bobby.

J9: Any other projects you'd like to share with us?

Rhys Ford: I am currently working on Fish and Ghosts. I wanted to take a break from mysteries and mayhem so of course I’m doing a paranormal contemporary with well… a bit of mystery and mayhem but not as much. It’s pretty much about a man who sees ghosts and the investigator hired to prove they’re not real.

J9: We find most authors are readers, is that case for you? And if so, what genres do you like and what books/authors are on your TBR pile?

Rhys Ford: Oh God, so many authors to read and like. Seriously, I’m going to get into trouble for forgetting people. Josh Lanyon, I want more from him. I just finished Creature Feature by Poppy Dennison and Mary Calmes. LOVED it. I also finished Jordan L. Hawk’s Master of Ghouls. Have to read Bolt Hole by Amy Lane. Jacob Z. Flores just dropped a new book called the Gifted One. Elizabeth Noble has Collared Souls which I should be grabbing shortly. God… and there’s TJ Klune. Mercy Celeste has a great one coming out, Behind Iron Lace. I’ll be stalking her. See? I’m going to forget someone. I read a lot.

I also read a lot of non-gay genre. Urban fantasy, mysteries and regency romances. Seriously, it’s good to wash the brain of stuff.

J9: Thanks so much for being our guest here on The Book Vixen and answering my questions about this great series.

Rhys Ford: Thank YOU for letting me do this. Seriously, I am so grateful for the chance to babble. I appreciate it. Thanks so much!

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Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the world. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain.

Rhys admits to sharing the house with three cats, a black Pomeranian puffball, a bonsai wolfhound, and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and a red Hamilton Beach coffee maker.

Find the author online: website | goodreads | twitter | facebook

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Title: Dirty Laundry
Series: Cole McGinnis, Book 3
Author: Rhys Ford
Genre: Romantic Suspense, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy from author
Published: April 19, 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

For ex-cop turned private investigator Cole McGinnis, each day brings a new challenge. Too bad most of them involve pain and death. Claudia, his office manager and surrogate mother, is still recovering from a gunshot, and Cole’s closeted boyfriend, Kim Jae-Min, suddenly finds his teenaged sister dumped in his lap. Meanwhile, Cole has his own sibling problems—most notably, a mysterious half brother from Japan whom his older brother, Mike, is determined they welcome with open arms.

As if his own personal dramas weren’t enough, Cole is approached by Madame Sun, a fortune-teller whose clients have been dying at an alarming rate. Convinced someone is after her customers, she wants the matter investigated, but the police think she’s imagining things. Hoping to put Sun’s mind at ease, Cole takes the case and finds himself plunged into a Gordian knot of lies and betrayal where no one is who they are supposed to be and Death seems to be the only card in Madame Sun’s deck.

 

 

J9’s reviews for the books in this series:
Dirty Kiss – 4 frogs
Dirty Secret – 4 frogs
Dirty Laundry – 4 ½ frogs

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Thanks to Rhys Ford, one lucky winner will receive an ebook copy of one of the books in her Cole McGinnis series: Dirty Kiss, Dirty Secret, or Dirty Laundry. Good luck to all who enter!

• No purchase necessary.
• Must be 18 years old or older to enter.
• Giveaway open Internationally. Void where prohibited.
• Odds of winning depend on number of entries. Many will enter, however, only one will win.
• Comments are appreciated, however, you must fill out the Rafflecopter form in order to enter this giveaway.
• Please read TBV's Giveaway Policy before entering.
• Giveaway ends 9:01 pm (Pacific Time) on 5/3/2013.

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