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[WARNING: This post may contain spoilers]
Today I am interviewing Hamen Cheese. He is the author of stories such as Adamagika: The Spirit Within, and Smoking is Gay.
Q. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Well, I’m often processed, sliced thinly, and place between buns… Oh wait, you didn’t mean that… Well, I’m 24 yrs old without vices (except an addiction to the computer). I currently live in the Philippines and will likely want to live the rest of my life here. I would like to travel though given the opportunity. Writing for me is a hobby, from which reviews are a guilty pleasure. 🙂
Q. What inspires you to write?
I’ve read a lot of modern fantasy stories and there were plenty of times when I wished the main character did this or the plot twisted in a certain way. Eventually, I decided to turn my thoughts to writing. That’s how my first GA story, Adamagika: The Spirit Within was born.
Q. What are your favorite books?
Honestly, I love children’s novels. The first book I ever considered a favorite was The Forgotten Door. Nowadays, I enjoy series involving magic like the Harry Potter Series and the Percy Jackson Series. I’m not so into classic though I did enjoy a few for awhile (every person goes through a classical phase).
Another book that stands out for me is Good Omens. It is rare that a book can make me really laugh out loud and that book did just that.
Q. What is the most thoughtful feedback you have received from a reader?
Wow, honestly I can’t pinpoint any particular one. There have been a lot of thoughtful reviews out there that have “made my day” after reading them that I feel they are all worth noting. However, I will say though that a certain reviewer motivated me to keep writing when i just started out. That would be Nephylim here in GA. When I was a newbie writer, I would eagerly await what she would say about a new chapter I posted. When it would take her awhile to post something, it used to drive me insane for awhile. 😛
As you can see, feedback does help in the writing process for me.
Q. Do your characters represent anyone in your life?
The main character in my short story Numbers on the Wall is somewhat reflective of a rough phase I went through back in college. His experiences are somewhat similar to mine (although I never actually dialed anyone’s number looking for a blowjob). All other characters I’ve written though are not based on anyone I know in “real life.”
Q. What’s your favorite cereal?
I prefer muesli in milk or yogurt. Cereals aren’t for me. 🙂
Q. Are you single?
Not by choice.
Q. What do you think of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer?
I haven’t read the books nor seen the movies. Vampires and werewolves is one genre I’m not too fond off.
Q. Tell us a little about Adamagika: The Spirit Within?
The story is told from the perspective of young Adam Lowry, a mage born into a world where magic is considered evil. It follows his experiences from being lost in a world that looks down upon his kind to finding himself and his place in the greater scheme of things. Along the way, he will meet friends and enemies that will inevitably shape the person he will become. It is a lighthearted adventure story that I hope people of all ages will enjoy.
Q. Is there another gay online author to whom you look up to, and if so, why?
I do like some of the works of Dan Kirk (sci-fi fantasy). However, I have not met him or even spoken to him so I can’t really say I look up to him. I enjoyed his stories the most though among everything I’ve read in GA.
My favorite online story though is “From the Heart” by Codey, who unfortunately is no longer with us. I’m sure he would have been a great author if he was given more time and more chances.
Q. Why do you say you’re not single by choice?
Oh, I was just kidding about that hehe… although, I am still waiting for my soulmate to to get on with the picture. I believe in destiny, somewhere out there is my other half. :2thumbs:
Q. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
I would like to say that I would donate it but honestly there’s so much corruption out there that it is not likely to reach people that would really need it. No, I would put it in a bank and earn off the interest. I don’t believe in living extravagantly. I am satisfied with “comfortable”. After all, a million dollars is NOT as much as I’d like to think it is.
Q. What is on your favorite iPod play list?
Pop songs mostly. Probably 80% of my play list falls under the pop category (usually the older variety). I am ashamed to admit that despite my (very) young age, I am starting to like newer pop songs less and less. Maybe they have less meaning. Maybe they just have a few words that are nice while the rest of the song is just bad. I’d like to think that it’s not an indication of a generation gap. Hehehe.
Q. Tell me a little bit more about what it is you do for a living.
As the peon emotes: “work, work, work.”
Q. When do you feel most out of your comfort zone?
Wow, this is a tough one, surprisingly. Well, I suppose it is when I’m in unfamiliar territory. I have a terrible memory for directions and can easily get lost. I sometimes zone out while driving and could easily miss my turn unless I always go there. I can easily be bothered not knowing where I’m going or exactly how I will get there.
Q. Does anyone in your every-day life know that you write?
Shamefully, no. As far as everyone knows I only love to read. No one knows I write during my free time – well other than the whole community of GA perhaps :lol:.
Q. What are the top 5 reasons you started writing specifically gay stories, when there are several other kinds of stories to write?
I actually started reading straight romantic stories on a different website before. Honestly, I didn’t even seriously consider gay fiction for the longest time. Curiosity got the best of me as I decided to check out a few gay stories and one thing lead to another until I eventually found myself posting here. I have no particular bias to writing gay stories. Honestly, I think some characters in my stories are gay because I’m posting them here. I guess to some extent, it felt necessary to make them gay even though it isn’t really required. I don’t mind writing from a straight or gay point of view as long as the main character is male. Somehow, I know I won’t be able to pull off a female main protagonist.
If I were to give reasons why I started writing though, they would likely be:
1. I ran out of things to read (I read through hundreds of novel length stories on GA, Nifty, Awesomedude, and a bunch of other sites).
2. Sometimes, I wish I could re-write the plot of some stories I’ve read. I finally just decided to write my own.
3. I had a LOT of free time when I started writing.
4. GA members on GA chat were encouraging me to write.
5. I love listening to songs and some songs inspired me to write (especially the instrumental kind).
Q. If you could work with any author who would it be?
I don’t know, honestly. It hasn’t really occurred to me as a possibility so no author comes to mind on or off GA.
Q. Do you have any little quirks when you are writing?
Music. I’m usually listening to music when I write. Also, the drafts I have on MS Word are formatted with heading, links, special fonts and colors. I even have a cover page. It’s silly cause no one, other than myself, will ever see the text in the format I write it in.
Q. Who do you think you are?
Sorry, I’m not into the Spice Girls. 😉
Q. Have you ever thought when a hearse goes by that you might be the next to die?
Not really. I’m not afraid of my own death. The whole uncertainty thing doesn’t bother me – I believe in life after death.
I am, however, afraid of the pain of death.
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Q. Who was your favorite author when you were young?
I guess I’d have to say J.K. Rowling. I was ten when the first book came out so Harry Potter is somewhat my era. Also, no other book series ever made me anticipate the next installment.
Q. If you could have one wish, would you give it to me?
Ask me again when I get my wish. 😛
Q. What’s your favourite board game?
Monopoly! I used to spend hours and hours and hours and hours playing that game when I was younger.
Q. Is there anything you’d like to plug?
That BlackBerry PlayBook that I’m sure you will be mailing to me after this.
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