1. What made you decide to be a writer?

It wasn’t a decision, really. It was something I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember. Even my school essays turned into adventure stories whenever I was given a free rein. And sometimes when I wasn’t…

 2. What do you write?

Strewth – um, practically everything. Mysteries, gay fiction, contemporary stories, historical fiction – all plus Sci Fi, fantasy, and paranormal novels… And any combination thereof. My mainstream fiction is written in the name of Chris Power, and for family situation reasons, my male/male fiction is under the name of Chris Quinton.

 3. Why do you write what you write? And what’s your favourite type of story to write?

I write because I have to. There are these scenes, people, situations, all kaleidoscoping in my head, and I want to tell their story. I suppose mysteries are my favorite basic genre, and they mesh with the other genres perfectly. My stories are strongly character and plot-driven, and one day I’d like to write a whydunnit rather than a whodunnit. So, for me the perfect recipe is mystery, relationships [gay and straight], danger, humour, angst, a bit of romance, a bit of sex, and either a Happy For now or a Happy Ever After ending. The setting could be anything from fantasy and historical to Sci Fi, whichever the characters seem to fit into.

 4. If someone was going to buy just one thing that you’d written, what would you advise them to buy and why?

Difficult. I haven’t got that much out there, yet.

Okay – Argent Dreaming (Chris Power) is a paranormal contemporary mystery romance set in Glastonbury, UK, one of my favorite places. Cat and her problems with her psychic abilities, Philippe and his cold case murder, plus the setting, all flowed together and drew me in. I think [and hope] it’ll do the same for anyone who reads it. I even managed to create a book trailer for it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3B29ooUloI

 I’m going to cheat and ask for a second choice… Another novel I’m particularly pleased with is Aloes, written as Chris Quinton. It’s a male/male contemporary mystery romance that’s due to be released this May by Manifold Press, a new e-publisher. “Perry can tell truth from lies. This, with the new client who is too attractive for Perry’s peace of mind, the dilapidated mansion Perry has to restore, not to mention the anonymous threats that escalate to attempted murder, ensure Perry’s life won’t be the same again.”

5. What do you like to read/ who do you like to read?

Sci Fi is my first choice, and for me, no one can beat C.J. Cherryh. Her ‘Faded Sun’ trilogy is a masterpiece So too are her ‘Foreigner’ series and the ‘Chanur’ series. Dorothy Dunnett’s historical novels, especially the Lymond series, are wonderfully intricate and vivid. I also go to Georgette Heyer’s Regency romances for comfort-reading.

 Richard Stevenson and Josh Lanyon both write m/m mysteries, and I love their work. Again, believable, complex characters and fascinating mysteries. I also love the English classic writers – Dorothy L. Sayers, Marjorie Allingham, Agatha Christie.

 6. Tell us three odd or quirky things about you.

When I was seventeen, I was part of a team excavating a small Romano-British cemetery, and it cemented for life my love of archaeology.

I have been known to dowse water.

 I’d love to be able to draw the people I see in my head and write about – one day I might be able to develop the skill to do so :)