Sloan Johnson: Friday Five-Ish Good Questions and a Big Surprise!

1. What was your inspiration to write a baseball themed series?
   I was working on another project and looked up just in time to see a really nasty hit on the sports highlights. The story for Wild Pitch started brewing as I wondered how it’d be if the pitcher and the batter were friends. Since I write m/m, it morphed to what would happen if one of the players were gay and had a crush on the other. I wrote one scene and put the story away. Then, someone was talking about how she wished there were more baseball m/m books, and I pulled it out and showed this one scene to her. From there, the book took on a life of its own, including a complete rewrite when I was almost done because my vision of the characters changed.
2. Friends to lovers is a trope you often see in the m/m romance genre. What makes this story different for these two men?
   Sean and Mason have some unique challenges in their relationship. Mason is bisexual and in the midst of a divorce while Sean is gay and in the closet. Not only does baseball keep them from being open about their relationship, it keeps them apart much of the time. 

3. Sex scenes are not easy to write. And if writing is your full time gig, life sometimes gets in the way. What is your “method” to “get in the mood” to write a sex scene? Do you need some Luther Vandross on the radio? Maybe some low candlelight? Or do you just need the kids out at Chuck E. Cheese so you have the house to yourself?
   Typically, I hide out from the rest of the family. Kids tend to kill the mood for writing sex just as they do when they come knocking on the bedroom door. Luther Vandross is on one of the playlists I have, specifically for when I’m writing a “love-making” scene as opposed to a good, hard screw. I’m heavily influenced by music, and each type of sex has its own set of songs.

4. At the end of Wild Pitch you included the first chapter from book 2, which is Jason and Cam’s story. What do you see ahead for the Homeruns series?
   Right now, my plans are somewhat fluid. I am already planning Drew’s story as the third book in the series. You meet him briefly at the very end of Wild Pitch and he’s Cam’s best friend in Curve Ball. Then, the fourth book will be Eric’s story. I felt bad for the guy, trading him away at the very beginning of the book, and I want him to have his HEA after everything he’s gone through! Beyond that, I’m not sure where it’ll go. I might do more books directly in the series, or I may spin it off to something different. As much as I love series, I don’t want to tie myself into writing this one line indefinitely.

5. Gotta get my fun question in! You get one choice of vacations: either a beach resort, sitting sipping mai tais, and getting massages or camping, muddin’ and cooking hot dogs over a fire pit. Which one do you choose and why?
   As nice as the beach resort sounds, I’m much more of a muddin’ and fire pit girl! Some of my best memories are times spent around the fire, kicked back with a beer in one hand, listening to everyone tell stories. 
6. One last thing before you go. When is Wild Pitch coming out?
   Well, originally it was going to come out on the 18th of this month. Then, I finished the book, got it back from my editor, went through formatting and everything else. That’s when Johnny Kane (the model portraying Mason) started taunting me. He’d stare back at me from the cover and I could hear him whispering, “Do it. You know you want to…” I’ve always said I’m at the mercy of my characters, so Wild Pitch is live RIGHT NOW! Readers can pick it up on Amazon, and it will be on all other outlets as soon as they approve the files.

Thank you so much to Sloan Johnson for stopping by, and bringing us her special surprise! 🙂 Grab the book now! I hope you love Mason and Sean as much as this reviewer does!

**Giveaway: Sloan has offered a signed paperback of Wild Pitch to one commenter on this blog post! So, tell us what you think!

Synopsis:

There’s never been any question in Sean Tucker’s mind that he’d do whatever it took to make it to the major leagues and be one of the best pitchers of his time. The day he acknowledged to himself that he was gay was also the day he vowed to stay in the closet in order to chase his dreams. The problem is, he never counted on Mason Atley.

Sean showed rookie short stop Mason Atley the ropes, both on the field and off. The two forged a friendship which continued as both of them moved through the ranks of the farm system and into the majors. Unfortunately, there’s always been one secret Mason never felt he could share with Sean. Until now.

For seven years, Sean lived with the fact that he loved a man who would never reciprocate. When Mason admits that he’s always known he’s bisexual but has never allowed himself to pursue a relationship with a man, will Sean be able to put aside his reservations about starting a relationship with the friend he’d always assumed was straight? And more importantly, will they be able to find a way to stay together when their careers keep them apart more than they can be together?

Buy Wild Pitch on Amazon