Interview with Andrew Harding, Erotic Paranormal Author

Steve and I welcome Andrew Harding to our blog this week. Andrew writes erotic paranormal among other genres. He is here to share how much he loves to write and his new release "Split Decision, Book 1" in The Hybrid Series.

Our location is the cafe where Alli meets Harvey. Beware if you stumble upon this area at night; the streets are not safe. There is a serial killer lurking about. Leave the cafe after dark at your own risk.

Brenda & Steve: Andrew, welcome to our blog! We’re so excited you could join us for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Andrew: I knew the genre I’d written the first fourteen chapters in, would be difficult to submit to a publisher as they were extremely explicit. I’d already heard a few gasps from people who’d had the odd paragraph read to them, by my sister, who couldn’t quite believe I’d written it. When she told me to write something with some guts to it, (I was two books in on a trilogy I was writing, at the time) she didn’t expect this book to be born. 

I had a dilemma on my hands; who the hell could I send it to. Six UK publishers in the Writers & Artists Handbook were bought up by a certain billionaire and the erotic side of their publishing was closed down. I know, as I rang them all and was told the same thing. That didn’t stop me…I carried on writing while I looked for somewhere to submit it. I wish I’d known about self-publishing at that time.

Brenda & Steve: Please tell us a little about your new release without giving too much of a spoiler away.

Andrew: Split Decision, Book 1 in The Hybrid Series is a melting-pot of genres and the two main characters are Harvey Burgess and Alison Grey (Alli). They are half human, half vampire, HYBRIDS, but they lead a more or less human life, although they both have certain gifts. Harvey is a detective and Alli has had a terrible life for as long as she could remember. Harvey offers her a home in his amazing house and he asks Alli to help him in his work as she sees the dead everywhere and knows when someone is lying – a great help to Harvey in his job. After a while they become a couple, though not your ordinary couple by any means. They feel no pain, only pleasure and as time goes on they delve more and more into BDSM and Fetish. Alli is taken on by the police to work with Harvey and they are on the hunt for a deranged serial killer. Everything about their lives is extreme, their work and their play, and all written in graphic detail. Believe me, I’ve gone beyond, beyond and held back with nothing. 

This is the first of 4 books in and counting. Each book has a great ending and is stand-alone, but they run on from one to the other, so it’s best to read the series from the beginning with Split Decision as you see their lives grow together with more quirky characters brought in to enrich the story and to make the books pack the same punch. Each book is around 130.000K words long and a thrill ride from beginning to end.

Brenda & Steve: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Andrew: They definitely develop as I write. I plan nothing about them as that would take the fun away for me. They’re all quirky characters and have been a joy to write. I don’t just stick to heterosexual couples either. A complete cross-section of people are brought into the story, including Gay and Lesbian; not only as close friends but to do with the horrendous crimes they deal with. The criminal back stories are thrillers, always sick and twisted serial murders and woven through their extreme and sensual lifestyle.

Brenda & Steve: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

Andrew: To be honest and we’re all adults here, I’ve seen porn movies, like many and been bored to tears with them. There’s nothing soft porn about this book, I can promise you that and if you shock easily, don’t buy it or the others in the series.

I didn’t actually look to see if anyone sold anything like the items I’d described in the books until I was writing the third one in the series – just curious. 

I have a damn good imagination and looked at the previous nights writing, nearly passed out, thinking I’d never get away with that, and left it all in. I’m surprised the proof-reader for the publishers had breath left to write his report because he was told not to change any of the sex scenes – poor man. His eyes must have been out like organ stops because a couple of days before it was sent to be printed, they admitted they’d never published anything like it before and called it a ‘Specialist book’.

I’m pleased to say, some things in the book are not on the market and if anyone manufactures any of it, I’d like a cut, please, although, they should all carry a Government Health Warning as you could possibly die or be seriously injured. Don’t forget, they feel no pain.

The crime research was easy because I’d always been fascinated with anything to do with it, and medical things, along with the paranormal which is very close to home. I also have a policeman to ask, if I come across something I can’t find out, to do with their work and he knows about the series and how graphic it is. It took me a while to ask him as I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. All he did was laugh and offered his help if I needed it.

Brenda & Steve: LOL We're sure your police friend has seen and heard about some pretty offensive stuff. What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Andrew: I’ll be a panster until I drop. Why spoil all the fun? I have no idea where the books are going from the first sentence and I thank God I don’t have to wait for ideas. I touch-type, which is a blessing as I’d never have kept up with the ideas that pour out when I’m writing. It’s the only way I can describe it and feel very fortunate.

Brenda & Steve: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Andrew: I’ve had MS for 16 years and slowly had to accommodate my work around that but kept going for 13 years and I’m pleased I did. Doing nothing was not an option for me. It would have driven me mad but manufacturing was tough and when the joint in my left thumb seized, I knew then I had to stop. I’m grateful to be able to write full time, but since the first book in the series was launched, I’ve had to include marketing, dealing with an editor for the trilogy, which started this whole thing off; the publishers too, as they haven’t a clue how to market it and need prodding every five minutes, and I’m on Twitter every day to promote my ebooks (I had them re-edited to ebook them). Plus, I keep in touch with my readers and the friends I’ve made on there. I work as hard, if not harder than I ever did in the real world, but it doesn’t feel like work as I love writing. 

                                     

Brenda & Steve: We hear you on that. Marketing is time consuming but we love it and the writing. Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Andrew: I have to sit in an armchair as I couldn’t sit at a desk for eighteen hours a day. I have my laptop on a small table I pull over my lap and I have the kettle on all day and most of the night. Around me, in every conceivable space are books for reference within easy reach. That is as much of a ritual as I have, really.

Brenda & Steve: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Andrew: I have to get up as soon as I open my eyes and it’s never a set time. I have breakfast and then turn on the pc to see what has changed with my books while I’ve been sleeping. The ebook of Split Decision has only been out of the top 100 in UK erotica once, since it was published by me, so I always like to check where it stands. Once I’ve answered emails I can concentrate on my writing and that’s usually at eleven am, UK time. I have twitter on when I’m writing but only go on there when on a break as I have to have silence to keep me focused – nothing else works for me. I program tweets to push my books out on twitter about every hour.

I’m so immersed in the book I’m writing, hours go by and I’m surprised when I look at the clock. I live my life in US time mainly as most of my follows are in the USA and I don’t hit the sack until 4 or 5 am, nearly every day. 

Brenda & Steve: Another night owl. Our friends don't understand the hours we keep; 12 PM to 3 AM EST. Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Andrew: Critical Moments, Book 2 in The Hybrid Series is released now. Devil’s Dyke, Book 3 will be out shortly as I’m waiting for my editor to finish the last book in the trilogy. Wet Daddy, Book 4, is written and will be launched after that and I still have a list of crimes and titles to intrigue, waiting in the wings to be written. They will have to wait until I have the last two books in the series published as ebooks. 

To get people interested in the hybrids and to satisfy my longing to keep writing, I began a hybrid book on my website that came from banter, in tweets, with a great advocate of my books. That was started mid April and last month, June, it received just over 8K hits. I have to keep it clean as I need to keep the search engines happy but it’s gaining more hits per month (5K + in May). Those figures don’t include almost 3K a month who tried to find the site and failed.

Brenda & Steve: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Andrew: I’ve had very weird reading habits, anything from Kafka to Stephen King, and every strange book I could lay my hands on in between. I suppose horror would round them all up and the reason the stories I write are so graphic. I’ve possibly read more of Stephen King’s books than anyone else but even his don’t read like horror stories to me, anymore. Perhaps that’s just me…  

Brenda & Steve: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Andrew: I have launched the Series as a film project on Stage32.com and have had a lot of interest in a very short time. It’s in the lap of the Gods if anything will come of it but there’s no harm in trying.

I’d like the thank you for offering me this platform for Split Decision and I’ve enjoyed all your questions, Brenda and Steve.

Brenda & Steve: Andrew, we are glad you could visit with us this week. Good luck on a possible film project! Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Andrew: You can find me on Twitter and my tag is:  @AndrewHarding4

My Web site 

Split Decision  

Buy link

Blurb:

  What appears to be a fortuitous meeting with Harvey Burgess, Alison Grey (Alli) begins a relationship with him that will not only open the door to her emotions, but will unravel the very being of her own existence. As Harvey’s seemingly innocent approach in her life becomes even clearer, she aids him in his own detective work to track down a deranged and merciless serial killer, a man that shows little remorse as he continues his quest for brutality.

      Andrew Harding delivers a compelling and seductive tale in his novel ‘The Hybrid Series: Spit Decision’, engrossing the mind with a world of eroticism and the hunt for a man that will stop at nothing to avenge his own demons that have haunted him throughout his childhood…and along with Alli’s psychic ability to track the killer down, lead to a compelling climax.

Excerpt:

“When we get home, I want you to go to your bedroom and not come out until I call you, Alli.”

“Okay, I’ll try on some of the things I bought.” He reached over for my hand and held it, most of the way home.

I did as he asked after getting some tea and emptied everything out on the bed. I drew the curtains and stripped.

The rubber things excited me the most and I tried several things on. They felt really good against my skin and when I touched the outside, the feelings passed right through. Because it’s rubber, it does something in your head; difficult to explain really.

I stripped off the rubber and stood in front of the mirror to look at the tattoo carefully, it’s quite beautiful. I picked up a small mirror to look at the back view and wondered if I could get some more put up my spine.

“I would.” Harvey was inside my door, naked and waiting for me. The thrill I felt was extraordinary.

Harvey put a hood over my head outside my bedroom door. This feels different.

It is.

Those were the last words he said in my head. He picked me up and did the speed thing he does. Now I’ve no idea where I am.

He put me down. I daren’t move in case I fall over, but where is he? I stood there for ages. I can’t hear anything, or see. I waved my arms around me and I can’t feel anything. I put my hands behind my head, to unzip the hood and I felt a padlock. Fuck!

Suddenly, something was being buckled around my ankle, then the other one. A wide strap was buckled around my neck. I was being touched down my back and something was wedged between the cheeks of my bum. When it was fed between my legs, a hard thing was pushed up my bum and something different up my fanny. What’s going on?

There was a sharp pull on the collar around my neck and the things in me rammed home and then whatever it was, fixed to the front of the collar. What the fuck have I got myself into?

I was too worried to be excited with the things in me, although they do feel good. I moved around a bit. They feel really good.

A strap was buckled on my wrist. I waited for the other one and nothing happened. It instantly got heavy on my bump ring and put my hand down to a heavy chain. The weight of it is lovely. My other wrist was strapped.

Harvey’s hands gripped on my shoulders and he made me walk somewhere.

The chain was dragging on the ground. Fucking hell, I like this. I was made to stop and turned a bit. My right arm was lifted and I can’t move it anymore, now the left. My right leg was pulled sideways and fixed and now the left. The collar was pulled up behind my head and my head was pulled up and fixed so I can’t move it from side to side. I waited for something else to happen and it didn’t.

The chain on my bump ring started pulling down more. I’m moving. The chain must be long and got heavier, the more I’m moved.

Suddenly my nipple rings were twisted and the shocks in my fanny made me clamp onto whatever is in there and my legs started shaking. I felt fluid running down to my bum. I must be on my back.

A sensation started in my bum, I couldn’t work it out. It got stronger and stronger until it made my whole body vibrate. My nipple rings were twisted again and the shocks met the vibration and it felt like my fanny was exploding. I loved it. Something changed; I still had the vibration up my bum but there was a hammering inside my fanny. This is fucking beautiful.

The hammering got stronger and the balls started vibrating on whatever is in there. I started moaning and shrieking for more. My nipple rings were twisted and that sent me over the top. I could feel fluid running out of me.

Everything stopped. Don’t stop, I’m begging you.

I stayed like that for a long time and then I felt something lightly touching the inside of my legs. It wasn’t his hands or his tongue – it felt soft.

Harvey’s mouth was on mine and he kissed me for a moment. A tube was put into my mouth; I smelled blood and sucked on it until it was dry. Another one and then another. When the feelings hit I changed and thrashed about. The hammering started in my fanny and the vibrating in my bum. My nipples were twisted and I came over and over until the feelings stopped.

Thank you, that was wonderful. I felt him do something at the front of my collar and the things were taken out of my bum and fanny. Something different was put in my bum.

He kissed me again and another tube was put into my mouth. I drank three more.

The feelings hit, I changed, my nipples were pulled hard and Harvey’s cock was rammed into me. My fanny clamped down on him like never before. Something started moving around in circles in my bum and Harvey pushed his cock in and out. I started moaning and squeezing my fanny on his cock. The sensations were amazing. Whatever is in my bum started moving faster and I felt myself pulled up by my nipples until all the straps were tight, everywhere. Harvey started rubbing my bump and I was going frantic. I started shrieking and screaming for more. Harvey pushed his cock in hard, I knew he’d come. He turned the thing in my bum up high and my fanny contracted on Harvey’s cock, over and over when I came.

He slowed down the bum thing and unhitched my nipples. He leant over, kissed my body and ran his hands all over me.

He pulled his cock out gently, unhitched the chain and took the thing out of my bum. I felt myself moving again and then whatever was holding my head was released and also the collar. The buckle was undone behind my neck and I felt things lifted off me. My legs were next to be undone and Harvey held me until I got some strength in them to take my weight. He undid each wrist and walked me away from whatever I was on. He picked me up and did the speed thing again and put me down. He fiddled behind my head and the hood was taken off. I fell into his arms, outside my bedroom door.

“That was different. I wasn’t expecting anything like that. I loved it all but I think you know.” He smiled and cuddled me.

Harvey laughed. “I wasn’t sure at first, if I’d gone over the top, but you started to like it.”

“What freaked me at first was the padlock, nothing else. I hope that wherever you have that contraption is soundproofed, or you’re going to be raided by the Vice Squad.”

Harvey picked me up and cuddled me. “I love you, soon to be, Mrs. Burgess. I think I’ll get the nod before they arrive, don’t worry about them. The room is soundproofed. I was going to put a recording studio in there at one time. Don’t go poking around because there’s lots I can do with that thing and it’ll spoil your surprises.”

“I won’t, I love surprises.”

He put me down. “Bring down the things you bought and we’ll look through them and have a glass of wine, while we wait for the food to be delivered.”

“When did you order that?”

“When you were hanging around.”

I hit his arm. “You bugger.”

“I’m not one yet.” He ran off laughing, before I hit him again.

I emptied the bag out on the sofa between us.

Harvey picked up the red rubber top. “Put this on, I like you in red.”

I smiled at him and pulled the T-shirt I had on over my head and put the rubber top on. He didn’t see this one in the shop. I found it when we got split up. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. My nipples were out, through holes in the front and the rubber stretched over the rest of me. It shined like it was wet and it was tight, right up my neck.

“Fucking hell, Alli, I love that.” He dropped onto his knees in front of me and ran his hands over the rubber. I loved it and shuddered at his touch. My fanny started twitching. I moaned and the door was knocked.

Harvey got up, reluctantly, to pay for the food.

When he came back with it, he looked disappointed because I’d changed out of the top.

“I don’t want to spoil it if I miss my mouth and I can’t put you off dinner, two days running. I’ll put it back on after.”

“No, don’t. What I have planned will spoil it. Wear it for me another time.”

“More plans?”

He giggled. “Oh yes.”

Critical Moments, Book 2 (Hybrid Series)

Buy link

 

Author Bio

 

Andrew Harding lives in London and has battled MS for 16 years. He used to travel the world, hunting out antiques and that gave him a broad insight into the unravelling of the human mind. His fascination with the paranormal, supernatural and also crime have inspired him to cross boundaries and write this series of books.

 The people who have crossed his path have covered such a broad spectrum that he’s realised that anything is possible and that there are no barriers to the depravity that could be hidden beneath the surface.