Guest Author Lillian Grant

The Ancient Art of Procrastination


Every November writers all over the world get a rush of blood to the head and think they can actually write a 50,000 word novel in a month. Last year I was one of them and signed up for Nano. I knew what I wanted to write, a futuristic sci-fi I had started over a year earlier. When I say started, I mean wrote the first chapter. With great gusto, I began my project, but the trouble with sci-fi is the need to do research. I hate research. Added to that, I don’t plot, I just go with the flow, and my novel was quickly getting out of hand. Characters with foreign names were popping up all over the place, and doing things that seemed to make no sense, and no matter how much I told them to behave they just kept going. I was starting to feel like I was swimming in treacle. Then one morning on my way to work, I had a brilliant idea! Procrastinate! I mean start on this amazing new story that had just come to mind.

What if wrote a book about a heroine who had just lost her marketing job, lived on ice-cream and had a pile of sexual hang-ups. She could be persuaded to start a male escort business by her best friend. A male escort business offering more than just dinner and a movie. Then how about throwing in her mother who is such a prude she won’t even admit anyone has sex? A great-aunt who can’t keep her hands off men. Then my heroine needed a hero. Oh, a flat mate who she has seen more of than she ever intended. Even better, make him a personal trainer who takes it upon himself to help her get over her body image issues by taking her to bed, no strings attached. Toss in an Irish rogue from her past who seems intent on seducing her, and you have a recipe for some very erotic mayhem. And so was born Male Order.

When I finished the story, I read back through it. It reminded me of the line from Pirates of the Caribbean when Capt Jack and Will are walking under the ocean with a small boat upside down above them, trapping air for them to breath. Will says something like, “this is either madness or genius.” And Jack responds, “Funny how often those two coincide.”

Worried my book could be madness I submitted it and waited. Within days, I had offers from two publishers. Apparently, they thought it was a sexy, funny read. The book is now edited, has a hot, hot cover and is ready to be launched on the unsuspecting reading public. So, will they enjoy it? Or will they think I’m as crazy as Capt. Jack? Regardless of the response, I intend to write a sequel, if only because I had so much fun with these characters I have to play with them at least one more time.


To read an excerpt of Male Order, click here.
(Warning: some content may not be suitable for those under 18.)


Lillian Grant
http://www.lilliangrant.com/
Order Male Order at: http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/maleorder.htm