Author Interviews

Author's Interview

A long time ago my father told me that writers write because deep in their hearts they are in search of a home. It’s probably the most profound thing he has ever said to me because I believe it’s true.

It’s something I have explored at length in my erotic romance novels. The fish out of water concept isn’t new. But it’s often how I have felt.

I’ve spent my life moving around, looking for that perfect place to call home. The problem is every city I visit, a piece of it leaves with me. I thought I could live in Half Moon Bay at one point and made many trips up there with my dog. I have family up there and it still thrills me every time I go, but something’s not quite…right.

I felt the same attachment to Ojai, a cowboy-and-orange-grove town in California and almost moved there. I settled in Los Angeles, bought my home and I’m happy but then many years ago, I developed a profound relationship with the Hawaiian Islands and I guess you could say I’ve found a creative home in it.

One of my favorite books, A Wizard in Waikiki, a paranormal M/M romance with a bit of a twist, came about by surprise. I thought I knew the islands well until I stumbled across four large stones on Waikiki beach one day, and then became obsessed with the mythology behind them.

Or did it really happen?

A Wizard in Waikiki is based on the story of a group of Tahitian wizards who visited the island of Oahu hundreds of years ago and eventually, when they returned to their home, they left behind four stones infused with their healing power.
 
It’s a legend I happen to believe, in but I am surprised so few Hawaiians know about it, or the stones, which were recently discovered on an old property left to the state of Hawaii. Now situated on the beach at Waikiki, they have an enclosure and pride of place under the watchful eye of Honolulu Police Department right next to them. I’ve spent hours sitting there observing and people walk by them every single day!

It got me thinking. What if one of the wizards somehow came back from the past and had to deal with the modern world? What if he was sent to heal us so we could find our way back to the things that we as a species once held dear?

I thought about this a lot. Of course Konu, the wizard, would have to find romance even though he is a man with a mind and soul to heal. A lot of people in our world don’t believe in miracles, or magic.

Or the power of stones…

I’ve had fun creating a world for Konu where he’s a fish out of water. He didn’t fit in back in the old days and doesn’t really fit in right now. Can he find the home his soul has searched for in modern-day Waikiki?

So far there are two books in the series, which has comic moments, dramatic moments, and seriously sexy ones. The second book, Peridot Dreams, expands on Konu’s budding relationship with Jason Gamble, and book three which comes out soon at Ai Press, has lots of twits, turns, surprises, laughter, and lots and lots of sex.

I hope you get a chance to check out this series. I hope the sense of wonder Konu feels about the islands finds its way to you. I’d sure love to know if it does. Thanks so much for having me here today!

A.J. Llewellyn lives in California, but dreams of living in Hawaii. Frequent trips to all the islands, bags of Kona coffee in the fridge and a healthy collection of Hawaiian records keep this writer refueled.

A.J.’s passion for the islands have led to writing a play about the last ruling monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili’uokalani, plus a non-erotic novel about the overthrow of her kingdom written in diary form from her maid’s point of view.

A.J. never lacks inspiration for male/male erotic romances and on the rare occasions this happens, pursue other passions such as collecting books on Hawaiiana, surfing and spending time with friends and animal companions.

A.J. Llewellyn believes that love is a song best sung out loud.

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