For me latest Author Spotlight, I’m joined by the wonderful V.L. Locey. We talked about life as a pantser, living and breathing Rangers hockey, and how Bryan Singer led to her career as an author.

Take it away Vicki…

First things first, please introduce yourself!
Hi! My name is Vicki Locey but I write under the super secret pen name of V.L. Locey. I’m a full time author of M/M romances that span all the genres and tropes but am probably best known for my queer hockey romances, both solo and with the bubbly RJ Scott. Huge thanks to Charlie for having me here today! 

Tell us a little bit about your writing style.
Hmm, this is a good question. I’m definitely a feelings based author, a huge pantser, and a lover of all things that end with that happy ever after or happy for now. 

Describe your books in only three words.
Passion. Humor. Emotion.

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest release?
My latest release is Reading the Play, the fifth book in my low angst MM hockey romance Watkins Glen Gladiators series. It stars two warring goalies who discover that they’re not quite as repelled by each other as they thought they were. *winks* 

You can preorder it as a KU Exclusive here: https://vllocey.com/Reading_The_Play

Out of all your books, which one are you most proud of?
Oh boy this is tough! The Point Shot Trilogy is what earned me a name in hockey romance and I still adore Victor and Dan, but of late some of my newer works are trying to nudge Vic and Dan aside. I am incredibly proud of Where the Pines Kiss the Sky as well as The Ballad of Crow and Sparrow. One is a contemporary MM romance and one is a historical MM romance so, as you can see, my writing truly does span a lot of genres. I’m currently working on an MM fantasy duet that I’m utterly over the moon about! That’s more than one isn’t it? *blushes*

What or who (or both) has influenced you most as a writer?
There are so many people. My mother who loved to read to me as a child is without a doubt the one person who influenced me the most. I always had a great love of storytelling. Even as a child I would weave incredible tales filled with fancy and my mother always encouraged me.

What inspired you to start writing?
This is a funny story. I’ll start out by saying that I’ve been a Marvel comics nerd for many, many, many years. At one time I was one of perhaps five or so female moderators on the old Marvel message boards, something that I took great pride in and still do. My writing career began when the first X-Man movie was released in 2000 and I was… shall we say a little disappointed in the flick. After a few days of grumbling someone said that I should try my hand at some fan fiction.

So I did. And people read it! And liked it! That was the start of my writing career. So now I like to say that Bryan Singer led me into my career as an author! 

What’s your writing process like? Do you have a typical “writing day”?
My day starts around 5 am when I log in, do a fast pass of social media and check in with my coauthor.

Around 6 am I workout or do yoga depending on the day then trot outside to do farm chores: let the geese out into the yard, free the chickens and turkeys into their pens for the morning, and check feed and water. Then I eat breakfast and shower, grab a cuppa Joe and head to work.

8 am sees me back at my desktop. I write until lunch, trot back up the hill to let the chickens out to freerange, and then return to work to either write or do admin work.

I usually work until my husband comes home then we have dinner. I’ll either read, puzzle, or play some Baldur’s Gate (the game that inspired my current MM fantasy tales) or chill with hubby. If there’s Rangers hockey on I watch that. After the game it’s time for bed where I read a bit more before I call it a day done.

What comes first for you – the plot or the characters?
Generally the characters. I tend to plot as I go, which can be really amazing or incredibly maddening, but such is the life of a panster. I will say that working on this fantasy world has made me a little less footloose in that I had to lay out a pretty detailed kingdom as well as drop some plot points down on paper before I even started. 

What’s a book that you wish you’d written?
Oh gosh, there are so many. Call Me By Your Name, Outlander, Diabolus Chronicles by DK Girl, anything MM that Merry Farmer writes, RJ Scott’s Lancaster Falls books. Yeah, I could go on and on and on….

If you could only write one trope for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
This one is easy. Age Gap. There is just something about the dynamic of an older man falling in love with a younger man that sends me over the moon. 

What would be your three desert island books?
Call Me By Your Name
Black Dagger Brotherhood *They all count as one book right?*
Something fantasy based by an author that I have never read before.

If one of your books could be made into a movie/TV series, which would you choose and who would you cast?
Oh my stars and garters, this is like picking your favorite child! I would love to see my current WIP fantasy MM romance on the big screen. I love, love, love those kinds of worlds and lush settings like in LOTR for instance.

As for casting I’d have to go with Jamie Campbell Bower as my young, virginal bosk elf. And for the older but still incredibly virile arch druid – see I told you I had a thing for age gaps – I’d love to see Clive Owen in the role. 

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?
Well, I’m sure most people are well aware that I live and breathe Rangers hockey when I’m not writing about hockey. I also love to play D&D, read, jigsaw puzzle, play high fantasy video games, hang out with my critters, and watch old reruns of Rockford Files or Columbo with my hubby. I also like to travel, walk, and collect chicken swag. 

Finally, what’s your favourite dinosaur?
A snorkasaurus aka known as Dino from the Flintstones.

V.L. LOCEY: I’m a full-time author who shares her life with her hubby of over years, my adult daughter and son-in-law, one dog, three cats, a flock of rowdy chickens, some turkeys, and a pair of geese named Jack and Diane. I call the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania home. My pronouns are she/her.

I write mostly MM hockey romance as it’s the genre of my heart, but I also dabble in contemporary, paranormal, fantasy, and historical queer romances. I’ve also been coauthoring gay hockey romances with this Rj Scott bird; you may have heard of her. *winks* We’re working away madly on yet more lush romance as I type!

For more information on V.L. Locey and her work you can visit her website, sign up for her newsletter, and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). You can also join her Facebook Reader Group for the latest news and updates.