Please welcome Keira Andrews to the blog, author of Voyageurs. Thank you for agreeing to answer my nosy questions and share them with everyone visiting today.

Q: To begin, please share which genre(s) you write in…
A: I write m/m romance.

Q: How long did you write before you received your first contract for publication?
A: I’ve been writing since I was a kid, but had never really considered being published a possibility. However, after being laid off from a hated job (a blessing in disguise to be sure!) I took some time and decided to write a novel. That was Love Match, which was published by Loose Id. It was my first submission and I was thrilled when it was accepted.

Q: Out of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite?
A: Hmm. That’s a tough one! I love all my stories for different reasons. If I had to go with just one, I think it would be Daybreak. Writing it was a challenge that I really enjoyed.

Q: Do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?
A: Yes, I generally need to be alone. Ideas will come to me anytime and I’ll jot them down in a notebook I always carry in my purse. But to sit down and write, I need peace and quiet.

Q: Do you have an evil day job or do you write full time?
A: I do have a day job, but it’s thankfully not evil. I’m a writer for a charity, and it’s very rewarding work.

Q: What’s your favorite dirty word?
A: Hmm. Probably “cock” because there’s just something satisfying about it. Saying it, I mean! Although it’s certainly satisfying in other ways, too.

Q: If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend the money on?
A: Travel! Without a doubt. I have a huge list of places to visit.

Q: Which household chore do you abhor and why?
A: Doing the dishes. I hate it because it’s the eternal chore. At least you only have to vacuum once a week! Dishes are every day.

Q: What’s your favorite comfort food?
A: Probably what we Canadians call “Kraft Dinner,” otherwise known as macaroni and cheese.

Q: In closing, tell us a bit about your latest release (& share a yummy excerpt for those who aren’t yet familiar with your work)
A: My latest book is called Voyageurs and is a historical tale about two men from different worlds who have to work together as they canoe a thousand miles through the harsh Canadian wilderness. This was my first historical and it was great fun to do the research. It definitely won’t be my last.

Here’s an excerpt:

There would be no fire that night, so they quickly ate a cold dinner. Jack couldn’t wait to reach Grand Portage and have proper meals again. When he returned from relieving himself in the woods, he saw that Christian had pulled the canoe farther up the riverbank. One end of the overturned canoe was perched on a low rock. Christian unrolled a large, oilskin tarp over it. He glanced over at Jack. “This will keep the rain off.”
Jack’s heart skipped a beat. “We’re sleeping under there? Both of us?”
Christian’s expression hardened. “I’m not sleeping out in the rain.”
“Oh, no! I wasn’t suggesting you should.” Jack felt so flustered and dim-witted. “It just looks… small.” He was always saying the wrong thing. The thought of sleeping next to Christian in such close quarters set his pulse racing. They’d slept under the stars until this point, with plenty of ground between them.
Christian grunted a response and disappeared into the forest. The rain had slackened a bit, but Jack was still eager to take cover. He crawled under the tarp and the canoe. Although the ground was sodden, it was a relief to be out of the elements.
A few minutes later, he heard Christian’s approach. Jack couldn’t see much under the shelter, and he tried to squeeze himself over to one side. Christian shimmied in beside him, and although Jack had been practicing a deep breathing technique he’d picked up in India, his body still reacted. Christian was mere inches away and it was as if Jack could feel the heat of Christian’s body.
Jack took a ragged breath. Christian’s voice was loud in their little shelter. “Are you ill?”
After clearing his throat, Jack replied, his voice shaky. “No, no. I’m fine. Thank you.”
Christian rolled over, his broad back so close to Jack. If Jack shifted only a tiny bit, his shoulder would press into Christian. He wondered if Christian would move away. Soon Christian snored lightly, and Jack reminded himself that he needed to rest. He was exhausted, and yet sleep refused to come. He listened to the rain on the tarp and Christian’s deep, steady breathing. He could reach out so easily…

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To learn more about Keira Andrews, please visit www.keiraandrews.com.