Pablo Michaels: The Romantic

Today Pablo Michaels has returned to tell us about the changes to his blog and writing style. What prompted you to switch the focus of your writing from sex to romance?

Actually I never switched to romance, but I have toned down my fiction with much less erotica. My erotic writing always dealt with romance. I try desperately to have happy endings or at least leave it open for the reader to fantasize the characters living and loving contentedly. I found the erotica I wrote was becoming repetitive and boring. When I first started writing with more sex, I was turned on. After a while I found I was writing, using similar words and scenes to describe the sex, which became redundant and boring. I see my failure with erotica in my published novel, Catnip, Rosemary, Rage and Time. A writing coach and editor wanted me to write more explicitly about sex. When the book was almost finished, I had feedback from my husband, saying it had too much graphic sex; he preferred the first draft. So I rewrote the erotic scenes with analogies and symbols to tone it down. In the end it turned out to be purple prose. With my unfinished novel, The Deer in the Forest, I’m currently editing and rewriting, dates back to 1990 for a period piece that begins in the late 1960’s evolving to the present. It is sheer romance with little sex involved. I thought by working on this book, I could bring myself back to the style and emotions I truly enjoy, which is romance without erotica.

One of the things I hear most often is write what you want to read. I'm glad to hear that's what you're doing. Do you have a publisher in mind for your less erotic work?

A friend, who shares a relationship with me since 7th grade, gave me a publisher in London for The Deer in the Forest. If and when I finish this piece, I will probably try them first, but that is a long ways off. I am committed to rewrite two books and send them to a publisher. The first one, Leather Sweat, Semen and Blood, has too many graphic erotic scenes, but this first delve into paranormal, romance is a powerful story. So I have a publisher in mind. The second book, Passionate Silver Paradise, is a novella, dealing with the problems older gay men face. It is the last sequel to my novel, Catnip…. The first sequel, Pagan Knights of Cambria was actually published a year before the novel. Passionate Silver Paradise has a limited audience, since it is targeting older readers. For this book I have a publisher in mind. Both of these books will have tame erotica when I am finished.

Will your love stories still be M/M focused? Do you have plans to delve in any other pairings? Lesbian subplots perhaps?

I am broadening my fiction to all LGBT people. For instance I had three friends who were in an m/m/m ménage. I have notes from the two surviving members. I would like to explore their relationship, writing a fictional account of their lives. I also have a close transsexual friend, who is close to my heart. I want to ask her if she would mind me writing about her life in a fictional fantasy. She has lived a fun-filled life and has adjusted to her lifestyle comfortably. Her story must be told.

See the author in his natural habitat.

Those sound like terrific stories. Do you expect your work to be longer or shorter than in the recent past? Will you still write short stories or are you aiming for full novels?

I will be aiming for longer stories, novellas and novels. The three books I mentioned before are long short stories, actually two novellas and a novel. I want to write poetry again. I find romance is best written from a structured format like a poem. I have all kinds of ideas I am exploring. I just have to find the time.

We will keep watching for all the wonderful new work coming from you. If you have any questions for Pablo, please leave a comment!