The Opposite of Love by J.A Pace Interview

The Opposite of Love

When 37-year-old Melanie is challenged to find a mate by her overbearing mother, she finds herself in a relationship that pushes her sexual boundaries, and in a place like Sin City, that can be a precarious ride. 

An homage to Erica Jong’s Any Woman’s Blues, The Opposite of Love is a psychological/sexual ride through Las Vegas and its local sex scene as experienced by two lovers who will test each other’s ability to accept them as they are, as well as their own ability to accept themselves. 

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EXCERPT 1

James arrived at Melanie's door promptly at seven-thirty wearing a suit and carrying a bouquet of flowers. Melanie opened the door in a burgundy chiffon gown that draped modestly in front and dramatically in back, with a slit up to her mid-thigh on one side. She spun in a circle, modeling for him, and he let out a low growl in sincere approval. Without a single strap holding it in place, it seemed like the dress could just slide right off of her shoulders. The thought made his dick pulse.

"That is some dress, babe."

"Glad you like it," she said. Then, nodding at the flowers, "For me?"

"Who else?" He handed them over with a kiss on the cheek.

He’d had his truck washed and waxed and when he opened the door she climbed in gracefully, her leg sliding out of the open slit in her dress, then sliding back in before he closed the door. That visual image reminded him of what he’d be doing to her later.

James didn’t always bring a date to the policemen’s ball. The last time he had was three years before and his date had worn a short, silver sequined dress with porn-star cleavage and platform heels that looked like they’d just fallen off a pole dancer. She’d had too much to drink and giggled at everything anyone said. Did she make his dick hard? Sure. But she looked like she was paid for, and that didn’t help his image with the higher-ups. Melanie was the kind of woman who could be sexy without being trashy and manage interesting conversation and drinking without being silly or embarrassing him. She was the kind of date who could help him get promoted.

It was August and monsoon season was at its worst. Almost daily, black storm clouds materialized over the valley, looming like dark ghosts, dropping an inch of rain and hundreds of lightning strikes in the matter of an hour, downing trees and power lines and causing flash floods before moving on and leaving the residents feeling vaguely assaulted. But worse, the air had become the one thing locals couldn’t tolerate: sticky. Even humidity of thirty percent was likely to have a Las Vegan mopping his forehead and complaining of swampy weather.

They valet parked, and once inside the casino, they were safe. No matter the weather outside, the air-conditioned wombs of the casinos were always mild and dry. As they crossed the casino floor heading toward the banquet hall, men playing blackjack and craps twisted their heads around and leaned back from their tables to get a look at Melanie. With her high heels she was still about two inches shorter than James, but the way she held herself made her appear statuesque. She didn't have bombshell curves, but her femininity was palpable and what curves she had were classy. She held her head high and kept her arm threaded through his as they walked. James tried to remember ever feeling so proud to have a woman on his arm, and couldn't. The thought made him a little nervous, but more than anything, he felt like the man. His colleagues would be insane with jealousy and insatiable with questions.

Interview with the author

Where do you get your inspiration from?

The inspiration for The Opposite of Love came from a book I read when I was in my twenties called Any Woman's Blues by Erica Jong. The theme of the novel was the battle between control and love, and the concept was an interesting one to explore. The idea that you can't have both, that they are diametrically opposed to each other, is one that has solidified with me over the years, and I wanted to honor Ms. Jong for introducing the concept in her book.

Who was your mentor that inspired you to write?

My mother was a talented writer and she encouraged me in all things english/reading/writing. While she never got to write for a living (kids to feed, ya know) she wrote for the enjoyment of it and to keep her pen sharp.

Do you do any research for your books? If so, what do you research?

Sometimes the best research is just to listen. People are fascinating and everyone has a different perspective on the same problem, as well as a different reason for that perspective. We are all products of our experiences and to listen to someone is to start to understand what those experiences are and how they've shaped that person.

Do you have a favorite character? More than one?

I do have a special fondness for Catherine. She's nothing like my own mother, but I like her style.

Have you been to any of the places you write about?

I get a form of this question rather frequently. It goes more like this: Have you been to the Green Door? The answer is yes. A gal has to do her research, after all.

How do you choose if a novel becomes a series or even a novella?

N/A

Do you listen to music when writing?

No.

How did you choose what genre you are writing under?

I don't think anyone chooses a genre to write under. I think the book chooses the writer and the writer has no choice but to write it, because he or she is the only one who can.

Who is your favorite author? Have you met them yet?

Erica Jong. Haven't met her yet.

What is the one place you have always wanted to travel to?

N/A