Ten Questions With Nathalie Gray
Red Sage favorite
Nathalie Gray first dazzled Red Sage fans with her high octane story,
Unclaimed, last November. She was an instant hit, and readers have been clamoring for more Nathalie Gray stories ever since!
You can find Nathalie's most recent story,
Compromised, for sale on the
Red Sage website. In true Nathalie Gray fashion, this story is
jam-packed with action, danger, explosions -- and passion!
Now, just for readers of Red Sage Confidential, Nathalie lets us know
what makes her tick (and detonate!) and shares her favorite recipe for
Poutine.
Poutine is a great comfort food, and just what a reader might need after
one of Nathalie's roller-coaster-ride stories!
1. Red Sage: So what's with the guns and
explosions? What draws you to scifi settings and themes?
Nathalie Gray: Shiny metal. Phallic symbols. Loud
BOOMS and the smell of jet fuel. What’s not to like?!
No, seriously, I’m drawn to the “what if”. My
stories almost always start with a What If. Then I sit there and drool for a
bit, coming up with characters to inhabit my What If World... Even if I
enjoy the space setting, it’s always all about the people. Then it’s the
gear. Ahhh, got to have cool gear for my characters, you know. And clothes,
too. I’m a visual person and when I read, I must be able to picture
the settings, the people. I write what I like to read.
2. RS: Your heroes tend to be deeply damaged men
who never lose their personal dignity or integrity. Is that a hard balance
to achieve?
NG: My heroes?! Deeply damaged?! But! But! I object!
Ah, okay, okay, I guess assassins, soldiers-for-hire, tormented bodyguards
and deserters can be considered damaged men. Mmm, what does that say
about me?!
3. RS: Your heroines are always strong, smart and
brave. What draws you to this character type?
NG: Oh boy, my pet peeve. I love me some strong
female characters! Because I know a LOT more women like that than those
improbably proportioned, creamy-skinned, doe-eyed dolls that populate too
many books I’ve had the misfortune to read. I’d much rather complain that a
heroine is too loud and rough than one who’s a doormat. The women in my life
were and are feminine, strong, opinionated. They took care of large families
when the men went to both World Wars (also Korea, Afghanistan and everything
in between), survived recessions and sugar rations, housefuls of hungry
teenagers, heartaches and unemployment. So when I read about some bee-stung
lipped nymphette whose spine is made of Jell-O, I just can’t relate to that.
It’s not in me.
4. RS: Describe your super-secret plan for
intergalactic domination.
NG: Shhhh! *looking both ways and under the desk*
It’s not ready for full disclosure yet but will involve planetary
subjugation in alphabetical order, silver gogo boots, a Scepter of Doooooom
and a Throne of Doooooom. And legions of cabana boys.
5. RS: How old were you when you first started
writing?
NG: I wish I could say I’ve always wanted to write,
that I had a pen in my chubby three year old self’s hand and told stories to
regale my teddy bears. But nah, nothing so artistic. I started writing in my
late twenties during maternity leave from the army. Before I knew it, I had
this monstrous 600-page Thing. I figured, if I push it out the door,
surely there’s room for another. And another…
6. RS: What do you like to read?
NG: Stories with a lot of action. I get bored easily
and have a short attention span, two things that preclude me from going on
deep and psychoanalytical journeys transcending the metaphysical… Man, just
joking about it bores me. If nothing has happened by page, say, 10, then I
close the book and start another.
7. RS: Did you ever think you would be doing what
you do?
NG: You mean write stories that include but aren’t
limited to exploding spaceships and wild monkey sex in zero-g environment?
That? Never in a million years. I thought after my military career that I’d
become a translator since I had experience (learned English at 18 from army
guys…yes, that’s why). How wrong I was!
8. RS: How many times were you rejected before
you sold that first manuscript?
NG: Let’s put it this way: I have a two-inch binder
full of rejection letters that I can organize by publishers, genres and/or
years (from 2005 to 2008 and counting). That should give you an idea of the
sheer magnitude of my stubbornness. Pitt Bull anyone?
9. RS: What do you like to do when you are
relaxing?
NG: I travel. Well, not for relaxation that’s for
sure but for recharging my batteries. I’ve visited countries I can’t even
spell (thank goodness we have the Olympics’ parade of flags eh?) all over
Europe and North Africa. Next on my list are Asia and South America.
10. RS: Any advice that you think would benefit
newbie writers?
NG: Unless the advice comes from the editor who will
publish your manuscript, don’t take any. Especially not from the likes of
me.
Be sure to visit Nathalie's website at
www.nathaliegray.com, "Home of Nathalie Gray: Author, Goof,
Chocoholic, Future Empress of the Galaxy." In fact, you might want to
visit frequently -- it's the best way to keep up with Nathalie's
constant torrent of great news!
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Nathalie Gray's Poutine
You thought I was going to give you some
fancy-pants French recipe like crème brûlée
or something, eh?! Nahh, mine starts and
ends with fries.
Recipe for Poutine: or, How to Die
Young but Happy
-
Fries, about a cup (either frozen and
cooked or the kind you get form takeout
-
1/2 cup poutine sauce (they come in
cans, but hot chicken gravy is good too)
-
1/2 cheese curds (preferably gouda, but
mozza is good too)
In a bowl, dump half the fries, half the
cheese, then the sauce. Repeat until you get
a mound. Me, I put mayo on top of that. Yes,
sir, yes ma'am! Take a look at this bowl of
coronary goodness!
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