Lisa: We’re so pleased to welcome author Brigham Vaughn to TNA today, on the tour for her newest novel, Three Shots.
Hi, Brigham, thanks for dropping by! How about if we start with having you tell us a little bit about you: what are a few things we may not know about you?
Brigham: Thank you so much for having me! I am delighted to be here. Let’s see … things you may not know about me …
I love being in the water. I am happier in it than out of it and I often have to be dragged out of the lake when I go swimming! I want to be a mermaid when I grow up.
I have been to Canada, Australia, France, and most of the 50 states (somewhere in the 42-45ish range, I’ve lost track a bit). My mom and I are talking about hiking across Ireland this fall, which I really hope we’re able to do.
Growing up, I had cats, rabbits, horses, sheep, and a demonic goat! After I tried showing the goat for 4-H at the fair and it ended in disaster, I wasn’t’ too crazy about her, but the other animals were great! I doubt I’d ever go without pets. Cats are my favorite at this point (low maintenance) but I’ve thought about getting a big dog.
Lisa: I’ve heard some authors say they’ve always told stories, in one form another, from childhood; while others have said they didn’t work up the courage to start writing until they were much older. When did the writing bug bite you, and what inspired you to take a chance and put yourself out there?
Brigham: I’m kind of a mix. I’ve always been a voracious reader, and I did some writing as a kid. My parents still have a handful of those blank white books that I filled with stories and pictures. I know there was one about a vacation I wanted to go on. I think most of the time, I acted out the scenes in my head (with dolls or animal figures) rather than wrote them down but the stories were definitely there.
I was in a lot of honors and AP English/lit/comp classes in high school but I did far more essay writing than creative writing. I have actually never taken a creative writing class. *laughs*
I studied psychology in college, but after, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I enjoyed psychology but I knew it wasn’t my passion. I got a job at a hospital doing patient registration and it was tolerable but it wasn’t a career. Somewhere along the way I stumbled onto fanfiction and started writing. It was the spark I needed because the words just poured out after that. I wrote like crazy and it was a fantastic way of learning to write. It gave me some structure to begin with while I honed my skills.
Eventually my betas and readers pushed me to consider writing and publishing original fic. I submitted Pain Management to Dreamspinner Press for their Dr. Feelgood Anthology and it was accepted immediately (the rights have reverted to me and I am going to re-release it this spring). Around that time, I also began self-publishing some short stories and eventually transitioned to novellas and novels. Right now, I am a hybrid author, self-publishing and working with Totally Entwined’s Pride Imprint along with a fellow writer and friend named K. Evan Coles. Our first two books will be out in May and August.
Lisa: Reeve Jenkins, one of the MCs in Three Shots, is a musician. Why the hell are musicians so damn sexy, at least in your opinion?
Brigham: I think anyone who has something they’re passionate about is sexy. When you add in being talented at that passion, it just adds to it. Plus, there’s a certain amount of vulnerability in performing. You’re opening yourself up to your audience and it’s a very intimate feeling.
And voices are incredibly sexy. Think about Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. He isn’t bad looking but he’s not extraordinary until you hear him sing. He has the kind of voice that makes me want to slide out of my chair.
So you combine the passion, talent, vulnerability, intimacy, and a sexy voice and it’s just irresistible.
Lisa: This book being a ménage romance begs the question, how does writing a throuple (or more) differ from writing a story with a couple? Are there different dynamics to the writing, especially when, say, choreographing a sex scene?
Brigham: In general, it’s more difficult to write about a trio than a couple. There are more emotions and reactions to consider in every scene. It’s not just how one character will react to something happening, but how both will.
Choreographing a sex scene with three people is COMPLICATED. There are so many parts! *laughs* And I’m always having to go through and mentally position them to be sure that everything is possible. For example, Rachael is about 5’3” and the guys are over 6’. There is no way in hell she could kiss them while they were inside her, so logistically it makes things a little more interesting.
Lisa: What was your favorite scene in the book to write? What makes it a fave?
Brigham: I have two, actually. The first is when Reeve and Grant go back to Reeve’s place for the first time. The sex scene really just clicked for me when I wrote it. I remember it flowing so easily and I just loved their interactions. They had a good sense of humor through the whole thing. It’s intense, there’s lots of really heated moments, but there’s humor there too. Especially because Reeve is pretty lighthearted and that’s exactly what Grant needed that night.
The second favorite scene is when Reeve and Grant make dinner at Rachael’s house. It was a nice opportunity to show their interactions outside of the bedroom. It also flowed easily as I wrote it and I felt like it was a great glimpse into what their future relationship would be like.
Lisa: Of your three MCs, which would you most likely get along best with? And, on the flip side, which would you probably not get on so well with? You know, if this were a real life scenario.
Brigham: That’s a tough question. I think I would get along with all of them, to be honest. I think Rachael would be a great friend. She seems really laid back but still a very strong woman and she’s definitely the kind of person I make friends with. I definitely think I’d get along with Reeve, but I might find his tendency to be kinda flippant a little irritating. There’s a couple of times when Grant gets mildly annoyed with that and I think in the end I’m probably the most like Grant.
Lisa: If I were to sit down and interview Reeve, Grant, and Rachael, what do you think they’d say about you?
Brigham: Oh dear! That’s an alarming thought. Hmm, I hoped they’d say they enjoyed working with me. And that they like our uh, voyeuristic relationship. *grins*
Lisa: What’s the one book you’ve read in your lifetime that you wish you’d written? Why did this particular book leave such a lasting impact on you?
Brigham: “The Blind Assassin” by Margaret Atwood. That book was the first of hers that I read and her prose is just so beautiful. It’s such a complex, layered story and I was blown away by the way she wove together three different stories into one. It’s really stunning. I was so disappointed when I realized my writing would never sound like hers, but I’d like to think that maybe I’ve at least learned a few things from her example!
Lisa: Let’s end on some silliness, because I love the silly. Here are five silly questions. And, go!
- If you had to choose between becoming a superhero or supervillain, which would you choose and why?
- What would your super power be?
- If James Corden invited you to Carpool Karaoke, what song(s) would you insist on singing?
- Star Trek, Star Wars, both or neither? Explain.
- If you could be any fictional character in the history of literature, who would you like to be and why?
Brigham:
- Probably a supervillain. I wear a lot of black so it seems like a logical choice. Although I could go for being an antihero.
- Pretty sure my super power is already reading speed. I’ve been accused of being “unnatural”.
- Probably something by Madonna. Her vocal range lines up really nicely with mine. “Hanky Panky” is such a fun, tongue-in-cheek naughty song that I’d really enjoy doing that. But I can do a pretty decent rendition of “Don’t Cry for me Argentina”.
- I would have said neither before the remakes came out, but I really enjoy the new Star Trek. They’ve done a lot to get rid of the hokeyness and amping up the dramatic tension while keeping the fun little nods to the older shows.
- I am going to have to say Hermione. She’s a really wonderful mix of tough and smart and sweet and lovely.
Lisa: Brigham, thanks again for taking the time to be here with us today, it’s been a pleasure! Will you tell us where we can find you on the internet?
Brigham: Thank you so much for having me! I really enjoyed your questions. I am pretty much everywhere online!
Website || Email || Facebook || Facebook Author Page || Facebook Fan Group (Brigham’s Book Nerds) || Twitter || Google+ || Pinterest
About Three Shots
Genre: M/M/F erotic romance (contemporary)
Length: Novella – 35,949 words/94 pages
Release Day: January 31, 2017
Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press (self-published)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Amazon UK || Amazon Canada || Barnes & Noble || iTunes || Kobo || Payhip || Smashwords || Goodreads Link
Blurb: Reeve Jenkins is an amateur musician playing in a dive bar. Grant McGuire is a man drowning his sorrows in beer after a painful breakup. When Reeve charms a reluctant Grant into coming home with him, they begin a three-year friendship with some very nice benefits.
But when the two gorgeous men walk into Hawk Point Tavern—the bar Rachael Bradford owns—one evening and greet each other with a kiss, it sets off a chain of events that leads to a steamy night and maybe something more for the trio.
Excerpt
Rachael sighed and took a seat at her desk, forcing Reeve and Grant from her mind. They made for a fun fantasy, but had no place in real life. She had hours of work to do, and not enough time to get it done in. Hawk Point Tavern didn’t run itself.
She tackled the paychecks first. Her employees would want checks to cash soon, and it couldn’t wait. Thankfully, she had few employees and it didn’t take overly long to tally hours and make out the checks. She had moved on to sorting order invoices for the month when she heard a soft knock on her partially open door. Thinking it was Jenna or Tyler—the other bartender on tonight—she absent-mindedly called out, “Come in.”
“Excuse me,” a low, sexy voice replied.
Rachael’s head shot up and she was startled to see Reeve peering in the door.
“I, uh, hey. Um, hi Reeve,” She stuttered. She cleared her throat. “Come in.”
He stepped into the room and pushed the door nearly closed. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”
“Uh, sure.” She frowned, puzzled by what he wanted, but not entirely displeased to have him in her office either. She stood and walked around the desk—leaning back against it and looking up to meet his gaze. “Is there a problem with your bill? Or something else I can help you with?”
He gave her a slow, sexy smirk. “I certainly hope so.”
Rachael stared at him, waiting for him to continue, but he was silent. His gaze raked over her body and she felt heat building between her legs at the slow, frank perusal of her body. By the glittering, heated gaze of his eyes, Rachael could see that he liked what he saw. Her jeans and t-shirt were hardly high fashion, but Reeve didn’t appear to have any complaints. Besides, Rachael knew she had a tight body and the jeans showed off her ass nicely.
“What can I help you with?” she asked, her voice breathless.
“Well you see, I came here looking to have a drink with a good friend, nothing more, but I found something else I am interested in.”
‘I’m … I’m sorry?”
Reeve stepped closer until he was just a foot from her, and she felt her heart speed up in her chest.
“What’s that?” Rachael repeated when he didn’t reply immediately.
“You.” The word was simple, but it did nothing to clear up her confusion.
“But … but what about Grant?” she asked. “I mean, it looked like you two were together, and I—I don’t want to cause any problems or get in the way of anything.”
Reeve moved so he was standing in front of her, booted feet on either side of her crossed ones. He leaned in, breathing softly against her cheek and she wet her lips reflexively.
“It’s pretty simple actually,” Reeve purred in her ear. “Grant and I hook up occasionally and we are both very attracted to you.” His lips brushed the sensitive outer shell and she shivered.
Bi then. Her experiences with Tom made her a little leery of bi guys, but it’s not like she was going to get involved with them beyond a quick—or maybe not so quick—roll in the sheets, she thought. This was a one-off. It wasn’t like she was going to see them after tonight so she might as well enjoy it while she had the opportunity.
“You aren’t in a relationship with him?” she said aloud. The last thing she wanted was to get involved with another cheater. Jonah had been more than enough, thankyouverymuch.
Reeve shrugged. “We’ve been friends for a long time, but it’s nothing exclusive. We keep things fluid.”
“So how would this work?” Rachael asked, her voice going a little breathless as she imagined what could play out if she said yes. “We’d have a threesome?”
“That is entirely up to you. If you’re only attracted to one of us, the other will step aside, although we’d both be very disappointed. And I somehow don’t think that’s the case, is it?”
“No, I’m definitely attracted to you both,” Rachael admitted. Reeve wrapped an arm around her lower back and pulled her flush against his body.
“Then how we fuck—” he skimmed a hand down her back to cup the lower curve of her ass “—is up for negotiation. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”
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