An Interview with Renee Stevens

Tell us a little about yourself!
I live in Wyoming with my husband and while we don't have any two legged children, we have plenty of the four legged variety. I first started writing during my teen years and then stopped, but picked it back up again about 10 years ago. 

I'm a Site Administrator, Anthology Coordinator, and Signature Author over at GayAuthors.org. You can find a lot of my free fiction on Gay Authors as well as some on my personal blog. 

Outside of writing, I spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer, either camping or fishing usually. During the winter months, I spend a lot of time in my sewing room. Despite having many interests, most of my free time is spent trying to coax the characters in my head to cooperate, which sometimes proves quite difficult. In the end, I love seeing the story come together and nothing thrills me more than to hear from readers.



You can find Renee here:
https://www.facebook.com/renee.stevens.9843
http://reneestevens.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/Renee_Stevens

In Thirty Things, Nate and Finn check of a list of 30 things to do before Finn turns 30. What would be on your list?
Well, I'm already over 30, but just the same... 

I really want to go to Yellowstone National Park. My husband and I have both lived in Wyoming for over 16 years and neither of us have ever been there.

I want to visit Las Vegas. I've had so many people tell me that it's not all it's cracked up to be, but I want to at least go there once. 

I'd love to visit someplace exotic. If not exotic, at least some type of island place. Maybe I'll have to talk to the hubby about that one.

I want to have a couple of rugrats. I think my husband would make an amazing father and I already find myself using the same saying my mother always used on me and my brothers. 





Tell us about something you've already checked off your list. Was it everything you thought it would be?
Traveling the west coast of the US. It wasn't everything we were hoping, we seemed to spend most of our time driving and it seemed to do nothing but rain. My husband and I want to do it again, but this time we plan to give ourselves more than a week so that we actually have time to stop and enjoy things. Plus, next time we hope to have time to actually go and take the tour of Alcatraz rather than just look at it from the pier in San Francisco.


While traveling the country, Finn and Nate visit some amazing places. Where have you been that has stuck with you?
It's only been in the last couple of years that I've done much traveling. Before that, I'd only gone on a couple of major trips. I think the one that I remember the most though was when I visited Canada. I saw some beautiful country and I'll never forget seeing three little bear cubs playing at the side of the road while their mama kept watch from the tree line. Though, the fact that I ended up with a severe sprain (partly stemming from my own stubbornness) might have something to do with it being a memorable trip.


If you could only do one of the things on your list, which would it be?
Kids. I think that one actually tops my bucket list. If it doesn't happen, I'm okay with that, but it's the one thing I'd want to happen most. Until then, and if it doesn't happen, then I've got plenty of the four-legged kind.


What items would be on your writing bucket list?
It used to would have been to have one of my stories accepted by a publisher, but now that's happened, I guess I need to think of something else. 

I have probably a dozen stories in various stages of completion on my computer. I'd love to finish at least half of them within the next year.

Another thing I'd love to do is do a collaboration with a fellow author and great friend, Alicia Nordwell. We started a collab a couple of years ago but it fizzled out. 


Which books are on your TBR Bucket List?
There are so many out there that it's hard to keep a list. I keep an eye out for anything that sounds intriguing. There are very few categories I won't at least give a try. 

So, while I don't really keep a bucketlist per se of stories, I'm sure there are plenty of stories out there that I'll come across and just have to get. I could give a list of the stories waiting to be read on my iPad, but that would take a while. 

I mentioned that I have had a story accepted by a publisher. No More Hiding, a contemporary novel of just over 80K, will be released with Dreamspinner Press early this summer. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the final cover design ends up being and I'm way excited to have had it picked up.


Is there an excerpt you'd like to include?
Sure, he's just a bit of an excerpt from No More Hiding: 

“Just tell me the goddamn truth.” Janice stomped her foot and glared at him as their two kids sat wide-eyed on the couch watching the scene unfold. 

“Please Janice, don’t do this in front of the kids.” He’d known when they’d divorced it could come down to this, but he’d hoped to put it off as long as possible. If it hadn’t been for Janice’s busybody mother, they wouldn’t even be having this discussion now.

“Were you or were you not walking down the street, holding hands with another guy?” 

Phillip flinched at the fury in her voice before walking over to crouch down in front of his three-year-old son.

“Jacob, why don’t you go outside with Sam and play with your trucks.”

“Okay, Daddy.” Jacob’s gaze, glistening with unshed tears, shifted to his mother before sliding back to Phillip’s.

Phillip’s heart was nearly bursting with love as he watched Jacob take Samantha’s hand and lead her outside. Only once they were gone did Phillip turn his attention back to Janice.

“Answer me, damn it!” 

“You want an answer? Fine! Yes, your mother saw me walking hand in hand with another man. You happy now?” Phillip had gone over this conversation dozens of times in his mind, but Janice had him so rattled, it was impossible to try to follow any type of a script.

“How dare you!” Janice slapped him across the face. “We were married, Phillip! You promised to love me until death do us part, and all the time you were lying to me?”

“I thought it would be okay. That I would be able to keep that part of me buried deep inside.” Phillip sighed, unable to meet her eyes. “I didn’t lie to you; I lied to myself. I tried to be something I’m not, and it blew up in my face. Robert warned me when we first got married that something like this could happen, but I didn’t listen to him.”

“Robert knew? All this time and Robert knew you would rather be with some guy?”

“Yes, he knew. I’m not proud of what I did, but I wouldn’t change it. If we hadn’t gotten married we never would have had Jacob or Samantha.” 

“Get a good look at your kids, Phillip, because this is the last time you’ll ever see them.” Janice didn’t wait for a reply before striding towards the back door. Phillip watched as she stormed out, only to come back a few seconds later with Samantha’s wriggling body clutched in one arm and dragging Jacob with the other.

“Wanna stay at Daddy’s!” Jacob screamed as he pulled against his mother’s harsh grip.

“You’re not staying in this house one minute longer.” Janice dragged Phillip’s son out the front door.

“Daddy!” Jacob screamed and jerked his hand as hard as his little body could. He managed to tear himself away from his mother, and Phillip crouched down just as his son flung himself into his arms.

“It’s okay, Jacob.” Phillip tried to soothe him as he rubbed his back. He could see Janice storming back towards him and whispered reassurances to his son. “Go with Mommy, and I’ll see you really soon, okay?”

“Wanna stay,” Jacob cried. Huge tears rolled down his sons face.

“I know you do,” Phillip whispered, “but I need you to be a good boy and go with your mommy. I love you, Jacob.” Phillip was struggling to hold back his own tears as Janice reached out and pulled Jacob from his arms. He stood helplessly as she carried Jacob to the car and buckled him in, his son still screaming for him. 

He just needed to give Janice time to cool off, then he could go talk to her. Once she calmed down he was sure they could work through this and figure out a way for them both to be there for their kids.



Anything else you would like to add?
I post free fiction on my blog and here in the new future I hope to do occasional giveaways to my blog followers. Plus, the best way to keep up with story news is going to be through my blog. I've been somewhat lackluster in the past about keeping up with blogging, but I will be posting more and will be posting whenever I receive news about No More Hiding and/or any other stories that I submit. 

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