press releases

everyday vampire is alive(ish) still - coming june 2022

Chris Cole has once again delved back into the erotica scene with his latest book, Everyday Vampire: The Story of Silas. The book is a horror erotica, and takes a darker turn than his first story, Everyday Vampire, as it focuses on one of the characters from the first book, Silas.

“As I wrote Everyday Vampire, I had this whole idea in my head of Silas’s background and why he is so vile,” Cole said. “Seriously, I was inspired to write him because I’d been gaslighted by someone close to me, who was kind, and charming, and made me feel like I was absolutely unreasonable and insane.”

Cole says The Story of Silas is darker than the first because it deals with trauma, in addition to questioning standard vampire tropes.

“I mean, when it comes down to it, we are food for vampires,” Cole said. “I know some people write vampires as this ‘oh he’s going to bite me, oh that’s so hot,’ and it definitely can be - when it’s consensual.”

In his latest book, Silas explores his journey of becoming a vampire while being pushed by the man who turned him to come out in a new way - as a vampire, in public, for the whole world to see.

“I can see continuing this series with other characters who have been mentioned in the previous book, and in this book,” Cole said. “I have a lot of ideas surrounding characters who maybe created the vampire cure, or how the first vampire came to be, or even Dracula. But, as for Silas, there’s a reason this is probably going to be the last book to involve him.”

This will be the fifth book Cole has published through JMS Books. Cole is currently working on a queer science fiction series, has developed ideas for a queer soft fantasy series, and is also looking to write a queer action-adventure series. He says his books all revolve around queer characters for a reason.

“First, I know some people in the LGBTQ+ community don’t like to identify as queer, but I’m using the word to try and be all-encompassing and not leave out people who are intersex, demisexual, or asexual, and so many others,” Cole said. “But so often people in the queer community are portrayed as always struggling with their sexuality, or persecution, and those are the obstacles they overcome. I want to write stories where queer people have to deal with real, moral quandaries, where they’re the hero, and where they are making a difference and are important in the world - because they are.”

As for Cole himself, he continues to work hard in graduate school, taking an average of 15 credits per semester while participating in two volunteer activities to advocate for those in need, specially focusing on queer people in the area he lives. In the little spare time he has, he works on his books.

“I have so many freaking ideas,” Cole said. “It’s ridiculous. I want to write so much, but this stupid thing called life and bills keeps getting in the way. But, I know the stories I tell mean something to people - thank you to those who have left reviews and provided me feedback. It’s inspired me to keep plugging along.”

SECOND BOOK SIGNING SET

TWO ROMANCES, ONE SIGNING, ONE NIGHT

December 20, 2021

Since we have last caught up with him, Southeastern Idaho author Chris Cole has been working hard in many ways. He has been volunteering in several capacities, including on his city’s Human Relations Advisory Committee, a board to advise the mayor on human rights in the city. He began graduate school, taking on 14 credits in his Masters of Counseling program (and his grades are “shocking,” according to him, especially when he spent three days in the hospital after two weeks being sick.) He helped interview candidates at a four-day discernment retreat who were looking to be the next Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho… and he published two books and wrote a play.

Describing all this, Chris says, “I’ve honestly always taken on too much, but I’m proud of the things I’m doing. It’s important work. I know I’m a little eager to do all the things, and my mom says I’m burning the candle at both ends and several places in the middle, but I’m actually really happy.”

Focusing on his books, Chris says he’s very excited to hold a book signing for both of them, and is excited for friends, family, and strangers to learn more about his characters through merchandise he is creating.

“I’m no illustrator or artist in that regard,” he says, “but I’ve got a few quotes from the books that can go on shirts, mugs, stickers, coasters, whatever. And if anybody wants a quote that I haven’t made, they can contact me through my website or on Twitter (@christafuzz89) to request it. I don’t expect it to become a big thing with everyone wearing the shirts, but I wanted to make them available.”

His first book, Avoiding Aiden, was published in July and went to print on December 5. The story revolves around Aiden Lawrence, a college senior who gets dumped by a complete narcissist, and then meets Jude Matthews. Sparks fly, but love isn’t always easy, especially when you avoid your feelings like Aiden.

“I really love Avoiding Aiden,” Chris says. “I really feel like the characters are fleshed out and unique, and while I took some inspiration from my personal life, the characters have really become their own individuals in my eyes.”

This book also inspired Chris to write a play with many of the same characters and same storyline, but obviously changed for a staged setting.

“The play debuted in July 2021 as a reader’s theater production,” he says. “Honestly, I was shocked at the reception. Then, with some intensive time working on the things that didn’t play well, I changed it and am moving forward with it. As for where it’s going, I don’t know yet. As soon as I do know, however, I’ll be shouting from the rooftops.”

His second book, Puppy Love, was published in August and made available in print on December 10. Also a romance, this book is very special to Chris as it addresses many of his fears.

“It starts out with Ash McGowan dealing with the death of his husband,” Chris says. “The story goes on to address my fears about love, losing love, my family, my life in general. It was really cathartic in a way, and I’m glad I did it.”

Both books are going to be available at his book signing on February 4th, 2022 at Cassy’s Caring Paws, 123 S. Main St. in Pocatello, Idaho. He will be signing copies of his books there, have some free swag to grab, and will also have a few copies of his first book, Porch Light, just in case.

“I had a great turnout from the community at my first book signing, and I’m so excited to hold another one, especially just ten days before Valentine’s Day,” Chris says. “I know I’ll be doing grad school and my practicum stuff for counseling, but I feel very inspired to keep going with my writing. I’ve been getting good reviews and good feedback, even from people I don’t know. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all goes.”

The book signing will take place during the First Friday Artwalk hours, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for additional questions, you can contact Chris through his website here, or on Twitter.

romance novel coming June 2020

April 9, 2020

Chris Cole’s second book to be published is Porch Light, set to come out in June 2020 through JMS Books LLC.

Q: Another book? Congratulations! How do you feel?

It’s wonderful. I’m still kind of reeling. Most authors don’t just send their book to one publisher and have them agree to publish it. I’m loving working with JMS Books LLC.

Q: So, tell us about the book.

Porch Light is the first romance that I’ve written. Well, it’s not the first book with romance I’ve written, but it’s the first book that is exclusively about the romance. We follow our main character, Nick, and his friends and band mates as they get discovered and make it big. His childhood best friend, Casey, is the bass player, and has always been there for Nick. As the band makes its way through this unfamiliar territory, Nick and Casey grow closer. But, obviously, it can’t just be that simple. They face obstacles, including substance abuse and their own mistakes.

Q: This is a bit of a departure for you from your first book. Can you tell us what inspired you to write Porch Light?

I love love. My first book was a journey of love, but more like self-love, mixed in with steamy bits. This time around, there’s going to be less steamy bits and more heartfelt issues. I also find it really important to talk about the struggle with coming to terms with your sexuality, and both these characters face that. In the beginning, Nick knows he’s gay and has a boyfriend, but still isn’t out to his parents. That's directly from my life. My coming out was very different than Nick’s, however. I feel representation of queer romance has been so much about the journey of coming out and then, once you’re out and in a relationship, everything’s fine. Queer people still have regular issues, and we see that very clearly in this book. Nick’s struggle is not with sexuality, but Casey’s is, and he turns to substances. But he also uses substances to cover for any feelings in general, so it’s not just about his sexuality. So, it’s complicated and messy - just like love!

Q: The publication of this book is going to be different than the first one. Can you explain why?

The difference comes down to word count. My first book was under a certain word count to qualify for print publication, but this one meets that qualification. Porch Light will be available digitally and in print, which I’m very excited about.

Q: Any book signings planned?

None so far. I just got word that it’s going to be published! But, I would love to do a book signing. I need to look into how it’s done, as that is entirely new territory for me and I have a lot of questions. But it would be really fun. I would love to do something at our local Marshall Public Library.

Q: Do you have plans for publication of any upcoming books?

For the first time ever, I have a plan when it comes to my books! So, I have another romance that is still in the final editing stages, and (drum roll, please) I have a sequel to Everyday Vampire! I think I’m going to submit the sequel first for publication, then the romance. I’m excited for both of them.

Q: Can you tell us about them?

The sequel follows a character from the first book - I’m sure you can guess which one, if you really think about it. It was fun to write such a complex character who doesn’t seem like a bad guy, but does really bad things. And the romance is another queer romance. Coming out is really not the issue in this book, but there are multiple issues our characters face as the story progresses. I’m excited about this romance as well, as I was able to include several other queer characters around the main character.

Q: When can we expect to see them?

I’m looking at later this fall for the first one and early next spring for the second book. I’m thinking four books in the space of about a year is a pretty good accomplishment. It also tells me I need to be looking into other ways to publish my other books, as they don’t fit with the JMS Books purview.

Q: So we have at least two more books that we’ll be seeing from you. Anything in the works right now you can tell us about?

I wouldn’t say that I’ve stalled when it comes to new books, but I’m just looking for my next idea. I have two ideas I’ve been mulling over, and I can’t quite figure out how to make them work. But right now I’m heavily focused on editing rather than creating new work. Which is very different for me. I’ve gotten very used to editing one book while writing another. And who knows when inspiration will strike? Maybe tomorrow I’ll have an idea and start writing my next book.

Q: Anything you want to add?

I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of my family and friends, and my job. I’m really lucky to have a job where I can write a little while I work, and then my second part-time job helps me refine my writing skills even more. I’ve had lots of wonderful feedback from my friends and family on my first book, and I think this one is more accessible for them - erotica isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so I’m hopeful this book will have a few more readers.

debut novel coming february 2020

October 23, 2019

Chris Cole’s first book to be published is Everyday Vampire, set to come out in February 2020 through JMS Books LLC.

Q: First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to have a book accepted for publication?

It’s like a dream come true. I’ve been writing books for almost ten years now, and I’ve finally written something that caught the attention of a publisher. It’s the dream for any author, I imagine.

Q: Tell us a little about the book.

The story is about a young man who has finally accepted being gay, and has his first sexual encounter with a man named Silas, who turns out to be a vampire. The main character is bitten and turned into a vampire. From there, he has to learn how to navigate life after death and all the things that go with that - grief, loss, all that stuff, but since he’s also still alive, he gets to experience love and sex, too. It’s also kind of a book within a book, as Silas has written a kind of vampire self-help book called The Basics of Being a Bloodsucker.

Q: Fascinating. So what kind of vampire tropes are we looking at? We’ve seen a lot of vampires lately, after all.

I kept that in mind as I wrote this book. As the title suggests, he’s just an every day guy who becomes an everyday vampire. There aren’t really special powers. I made a whole science behind vampirism to explain advanced healing and lack of aging, but there’s no super speed or super strength and definitely no sparkling.

Q: You talked a little about our main character experiencing love and sex. Can you expand on that?

I mean, the novel is an erotic novel. The sex scenes are described in detail. I decided not to shy away because, so often, sex for pleasure is frowned upon, and I don’t agree with that. Combined with the fact that he’s actually turned into a vampire while having sex, I feel there’s a kind of predator/prey thing to address when it comes to vampires. They’re traditionally sexy, so I just went with it. And, of course, I decided to write about gay vampires because it isn’t very common.

Q: Did you draw inspiration from any other sources that deal with vampires?

Yes and no. I’m kind of a sassy person, so I had to have my own voice in there. But it begins right when Buffy the Vampire Slayer first came out, so I had to include a reference to that. I love Buffy. And Blade was around at that time, too. But a lot of the other, more recent takes aren’t included or addressed. There’s so many out there, I didn’t want to address them all. This is just my take, like so many others out there.

Q: Will we be seeing any more from these characters or this world you created?

Maybe. I think there are a lot of stories to tell in this world, so I might write something more. I’ve got other projects on the front burners right now, so it probably won’t be for a while. I have to admit, I think Silas is an intriguing character, and his story isn’t fully told in Everyday Vampire. I wouldn’t mind fleshing that out a bit.

Q: What other projects are you working on?

I tend to juggle work. I’m editing a few books in a series called Fragments, a sci-fi superhero kind of book series. I’ve actually been working on that series for years. I’ve been rejected for publication for the first book over 70 times, so I know there’s work to be done. So I’m still editing that. Then I’ve got a gay romance that I’ve been powering through - it’s less descriptive than Everyday Vampire, and I’m going to make it a little longer as well. That’s my main focus right now. Then I’ve got my light fantasy series. That’s a big one. I’m hoping for shorter books with a longer series run, like 40 books. It’s still in development, so the writing really needs polished. Let’s see… I’ve got a paranormal murder mystery as well, and I’ve also written a children’s book. And I have some more ideas I’m mulling over, including a dark superhero book and some kind of situation escaping purgatory or something.

Q: It sounds like you have a full plate. How do you manage your projects?

I don’t? It’s like juggling, and I’m terrible at juggling. So I’m really focused on one while the others fall to the wayside. Sometimes, if I do get stuck, I turn to write something else for a little bit to see if that gets the juices flowing.

Q: Any advice for authors out there who are still searching for a publisher?

Keep going. And make connections. I found JMS Books through a connection on Twitter. I never would have known to submit there if I hadn’t made that connection. I think social media has really been helpful in making writer connections. Also, I know it’s an investment in time and money, but go to a writer’s conference. I went to one and it was amazing. I met other writers in person, got a critique on my work and query letter from an experienced agent, and attended workshops to help me navigate writing. I gained new tools to help me become a better writer. And the last thing I’ll say is that practice makes you better. Your work may suck, or, you know, not be very strong right now, but if you keep working at it, it will get better. It’s like playing an instrument. You get better with practice.