I love Guadalajara, and this bench is just one of dozens of book benches located throughout the city. This place celebrates books like no other city I’ve lived in. While they do have so-called normal bookstores, my favorites are the creepy ones the size of a closet. Those wonderfully spooky bookstores are dotted throughout the city.
So, I’ve recently become more self-aware about my writing, specifically my voice, or style. Three years ago I started a series known as The Balcony Boys. The first book in the series was called Situationship, and I love the book and the characters, specifically the landlady, Dotty. She is a wise soul who counsels the tenants who live in her apartment building, and teaches at a ballet school in her basement. But, it was a difficult book to write and I couldn’t figure out why. Now, I know.
My typical novel is lighthearted, and fun, with both comedic elements and romance. Situationship is not that kind of book, and neither was the second book in the series, Max. They were so difficult to write, but at the time I believed I was stretching myself creatively. I was, but I’ve decided not to write such serious books in the future. It’s just not my style. I know many people who love serious dramas, but I’m not one of them, and I’m no longer forcing myself to write books I don’t enjoy writing. Let’s put it this way, if I’m not giggling during the editing process, the writing is off, and needs to be fixed.
Because of this self-realization I’ve decided to leave the series as is, and I’m not writing any more books in that world. So it’s a duet, not a full-fledged series. I worked my ass off writing them, and I love them. But from now on I’m staying true to my voice. You can purchase The Balcony Boys Duet in one volume at my personal bookstore, Apple, Kobo, Amazon, Nook, Google Play, and Smashwords.
Ian O. Lewis and Luke Jameson 