Things we always wanted to know about Rick Reed but were afraid to ask

Today I'm in the underbelly of the beast with author Rick Reed, who has kindly consented to bare his soul and his psyche for us. I asked Rick a few probing questions, this is what he had to say: First I'd like to say thank  you and welcome to Rick Reed for being here and consenting to share himself with us.  Let's take a look at our victim. Er, I mean subject.

In their October 2006 issue, Unzipped magazine said: "You could call him the Stephen King of gay horror." And Dark Scribe magazine proclaimed: "Reed is an established brand - perhaps the most reliable contemporary author for thrillers that cross over between the gay fiction market and speculative fiction." In spite of this—or perhaps because of it—he has been lately turning more and more to writing romance and illuminating the emotional lives of gay men. To date, Reed has more than sixteen books in print, and his short fiction has appeared in more than 20 anthologies. His novel,ORIENTATION, won the EPPIE Award for best LGBT novel of 2008. He lives in Seattle, WA with his partner and a very spoiled Boston Terrier. Visit him on the web at www.rickrreed.com or at his blog at http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/

Now, on to the inquisition.  I mean, interview.

1)     You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?

My partner Bruce and my Santoku knife; I can't cook without it and we'd have to eat.

2)     Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?

Cabaret. Because you know what they say, life is a cabaret, old chum. I would be Sally Bowles...and maybe this time, I'll be lucky, maybe this time, he'll stay. I love Cabaret because its so dark, unlike many musicals. As you know, dark is my color.

3)     Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scenario using them:  formulator, tearless, neaten

I can't! I don't even know what a formulator is.

4)     You’ve just been let loose in the world of fiction, with permission to do anyone you want. Who do you fuck first and why?

Michael Tolliver from Tales of the City. And the truth is, I think we'd have a lot to talk about after...

5)     What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

I make a wonderful meal, open a nice bottle of wine, have some Oscar Peterson piano on the stereo and seeing where it goes from there. Where it would go really wouldn't matter because it would be with him.

6)     When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

Character...my characters lead me everywhere. It makes the writing as much of a journey for me as it will eventually become for a reader. I do, though, have a general idea of a storyline in mind, but the characters often end up changing my path.

7)     If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, because recently someone was nice enough to say I reminded them of him.

8)     Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?

Probably Hannibal Lecter, just because he's so clever and I can't resist a man who loves to cook.

9)     Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it?

More like a hysterical crush...on professional wrestler John Cena.

10)  Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to receive it?

I just did. It's called DIGNITY TAKES A HOLIDAY. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=rick+r.+reed&osCsid=3u68cdpukse2indnstle3fe5q3&x=0&y=0

Rick, your new book sounds very interesting.  I'm proud to say that I own a copy of Dignity Takes a Holiday myself.

Thank you so much for being here, Rick, it's been such a great pleasure!  Have a wonderful day!