It’s time for another Author Spotlight and I’m very excited to be joined by new-ish MM author, B. Harmony! We talked being a pantser in denial, writing on her phone and wrapping up her debut series.
Take it away Bree…
First things first, please introduce yourself!
Hey y’all, I’m B. Harmony. A newbie-ish author in the queer romance world with a few books under my belt and many more to come. My survival instincts include iced coffee as a substitute for all other nutrition, the ability to outshine any sailor with my sassy mouth and love of four-letter words, and an all around need to supplement my mood with loud music; especially of the hard rock variety. I live in Northern Texas with my spouse, two kids, two fur pups and my favorite human (niece).
Tell us a little bit about your writing style.
I am a Panster in denial. Which is to say, I plot books based on characters who show up in my head at the most inopportune moments of my life (sexy dialogue in the middle of a work meeting, anyone?) and then scrap everything when they take over. I don’t have a character to date who allowed a single plot point from my planning to make it to the final version. *shrugs*
Describe your books in only three words.
Steamy, fluffy, sweet.
What’s your next book about and when is it coming out?
This question is perfect timing, I just wrapped up the third and final book of my debut series. Smoke Signals is planned to release on July 1st. It’s an age-gap romance with out-for-you themes and a sexy as sin salt-and-pepper firefighter, and of course, a wild line-up of supporting characters. This of course does not include the short story, Sterling Silver, which was released FREE as part of the MM Class of 20/21 giveaway over on ProlificWorks.
Out of all your books, which one are you most proud of?
The B-Side. Without question, it will be the book that means the most to me as an author because it’s my debut. The book that thrust me into the world as an author. Tyler and Chance will forever be the ones I can look back to and say, “we did it, and it’s all because of you”.
What or who (or both) has influenced you most as a writer?
A two-fold answer really. My favorite human, the person I dedicated my debut to, inspires so much of my writing on a daily basis. Outside of MFH, this community is inspiring. Interacting with other authors, bloggers, PAs and more in the queer romance community is amazing. The outpouring of love and support for one another, on top of the occasional humor and forceful motivation to stop procrastinating, really fills my soul.
What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve written on and off for years, but never published anything before The B-Side. I’ve always been a heavy reader and something inside of me just said it was time to quit hoarding my written words and share them with others.
What’s your writing process like? Do you have a typical “writing day”?
*giggle snort* The word typical and my writing process should never be used synonymously. Working full-time on top of the trillion other mom duties I have every day makes it hard to write on a schedule without sacrificing basic self-care like sleep and showering. So, I write whenever I find time (at work, on my phone, at the baseball fields). Fun fact: The B-Side was mostly written at a bar on my phone.
I’ve learned that the harder I try to focus my attention, the worse my writing becomes and then I tend to scrap. Instead of trying to sprint, or commit a timeline, I write when I feel inspired. Sometimes it’s as simple as a scene playing out in my head that I translate onto the page later. Other times, a song will be playing and I know the words are ready to flow.
What comes first for you – the plot or the characters?
A single idea comes first. It could be a scene I imagine. I never have a real plot as I pants my way through The characters. They are the only ones in charge around here, a fact my readers will tell you I complain about often. I have no control over a single thing other than their names. I do try to stick to certain tropes I feel fit the characters’ personalities, and plot some elements of the storyline. For the most part, nothing sticks and I have been known to scrap versions of my books when they hit the 30-40k mark. It’s painful, but based on the finished works I do have, a necessary evil.
What’s a book that you wish you’d written?
For Real by Alexis Hall. Easily one of the best books I’ve ever read; so hot and hilarious.
If you could only write one trope for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Second chance. Although not in any of my published works, it’s a trope I will be writing more of. I’ve always loved the angst with this one.
What would be your three desert island books?
Rocket Science by KM Neuhold, Lovers by Fiona Cole, & Dual Destruction by Kate Hawthorne.
If one of your books could be made into a movie/TV series, which would you choose and who would you cast?
This is the dream right here. I’d have to say Smoke Signals because this is my favorite book of the series. I’m going to go off the deep end here and say Rourke (as in Zilv & Rourke, IYKYK) since he was a bit of inspiration behind Dylan. As for the rest of the characters? No idea. This seems like a game I should play in my head more often.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Do you have a secret passion or hobby that we don’t know about?
When I’m not at my job I’m at the baseball fields. My life is nothing but kids’ sports. Although, if and when I can (other than in the middle of this pineapple panini we’re in) I do love concerts. I have a bucket list of bands I must see live, and I’ve been working about six or so a year since I was twenty. A few hundred down, thousands to go.
Finally, what’s your favourite dinosaur?
Velociraptor. Tiny and feisty, so basically my spirit animals.
Bree Harmony, or B. HARMONY is an MM romance author with a penchant for rock music, headbanging, and writing about boys who kiss boys. Pretty obvious with the last name Harmony, right? With survival instincts fueled by iced coffee and far too many swear words to rival any sailor, B. Harmony somehow manages to produce (mostly sweet) contemporary MM romance, with plenty of steam.
For more information on Bree and her work you can find her on Bookbub, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Goodreads and her website, and you can sign up for her newsletter. You can also join her Facebook reader group, B’s Harmonizers, for more news and updates.
