Interview with Author Chris Burrows:
Hi Chris. Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...
- Please tell us about your latest book.
Well, Porn’s Stars is the fourth book in a sort of series which began with City Of Angels early last year. Originally, I hadn’t intended to continue writing with Porn and Chris as the main protagonists/story tellers but this first book became very popular and I followed it up with A Tranny’s Nine Wishes and Confessions of a Transvestite Prostitute, both of which have sold well – hence the further continuation of the series. Essentially of all of my books are about the ‘sexperiences’ of people from Transgenderland whom either I or Porn have met over the years.
City of Angels was my first TG book although I’ve written regularly for around 2-3 years for Roses Repartee CD/TG Magazine, Frock Magazine, Transliving and several other Tranny magazines – it was really writing for those magazines which inspired me to put the stories and experiences I’ve had together in one place.
- What can we expect from you in the future?
In the immediate future, Book 5 in the series, which I have not yet titled, will, I hope, will be available late June/July time. I’ve also just become co-editor of Frock Magazine and am getting more involved in TG issues in Hong Kong where I currently live, plus we have been looking at some other projects in the LGBT sphere; all in all a lot going on. There’s definitely more awareness of TG matters in Asia and I hope we can capitalise on my experiences to help some of the other ‘girls’ in the TG community in some way. The whole TG community is so diverse that it is almost worthy of its own book trying to unravel the different types of people who frequent it….
- How do we find out about you and your books?
You can check out my blog, or see my books at Club Lighthouse Publishng or even at Bibrary Blog which contains another interview I did recently.
- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?
They encourage me to keep writing! I do so enjoy getting email and blog posts which thank me for highlighting the myriad aspects of the TG world.
People write to me asking for repeats of certain themes and I find it a challenge to decide which ‘sexperiences’ to include and which not to! I guess I’ve been lucky but, along the way, I have had some incredible experiences, or things happen to me quite unexpectedly, which, when I look back I find hard to believe myself. In fact, some of my stories, I daren’t relate as people would just think I was making things up!
- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
You’ll see from my answers to some of your other questions that these books come from my heart, portray my personality and reflect many of my or my friend’s experiences (even though some are hard to believe upon first read). I am honoured to be what I call ‘gender gifted’, and believe that diversity is one of the spices of life; the fact that some people can be both male or female, at different times, as they choose and without anyone else realising their true gender is to me, quite amazing. History records evidence of such people from time immemorial. If I’m really honest, I think I am latent TG; sure, I present most of the time as male (by necessity) but I do feel comfortable as a female – the ‘lady’ on the cover of my last three books is, in fact, me and I have been on the covers of several TG magazines as a female over the years!
- Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I’m one of those authors who writes in ‘torrents’, it all comes out at once, then I might have a period of time when the interest or the desire to write is just not there; so I just take it as it comes and don’t have any set schedules for my books.
- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Has to be Cross Dressing or trying to live a low-key Transgender lifestyle (a passion not a hobby!); anything arty, photography, exercise, keeping fit (so as I can still fit a size 10 dress if I have to!)
- What truly motivates you in general? In your writing?
I’m a very self motivated person; don’t like to rely on other people. With regard to my writing, the more I write in the ‘series’ the more I realise, subconsciously, that I am trying to get the message across that being TG is a fact of life, not a perversion, not something shaped by social or family matters – it’s within people, they are simply ‘hard wired’ that way from birth and it’s something to be proud of, not detested. I know this is not a particular scene or story from a book but it’s a recurring theme when I write.
- Would you like to write a different genre or sub-genre than you do now?
Actually I do write books in several other genres, it’s just that TG matters are, as you gather, close to my heart!
- Please tell us about yourself.
Essentially, I am professional in the banking industry with a penchant for writing books, stories and articles (first book published some 20 years ago) and a serious interest in Transgender and cross dressing issues. My writings on TG matters try to encapsulate my experiences but also try to highlight the fact that there is a ‘third sex’, all of whom have been born with a high level of male and female characteristics, and who can enjoy seeing gender from both sides.
- Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?
That’s a very good question – maybe it’s because I am relating ‘sexperiences’ which either myself or my close friends have had, I find it so easy to slip into the minds of my characters, examine their thoughts, foresee their actions that, on balance, I think they sort of control me. But maybe that’s also like one of the enchantments of being a Cross Dress, the ability to totally transform oneself into a different persona and go out and about unrecognisable by anyone who knows you, walk differently, act differently and generally present an image 180 degrees at odds with one’s normal day to day life. It certainly teaches you some acting skills…
- What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
The fact that other people take time (and pay money) to read one’s art (after all writing books is an art). My books have been well received by the TG community although I did have some concerns initially that they might be seen as simply ‘sex books’. I’ve also have quite a few readers write and tell me that the books are quite unlike others in the market as they are based on true ‘sexperiences’ and deal with TG issues in a way others do not. Sales have been very pleasing too, so I guess the buying public views the books positively.
- A few of the questions from Chris' BiBrary Interview:
- 
You published your first work, City of Angels, almost a year ago now. Looking back, how did you feel when you first saw it in print?
Really great! It’s was my first TG book although I’ve written regularly for around 2-3 years for Roses Repartee CD/TG Magazine, Frock Magazine, Transliving, and several other TG magazines – it was really writing for those magazines which inspired me to put the stories and experiences I’ve had together in one place.
- 
Rather than coming from inside yourself, your first exposure to the transgender community came about through your travels and the friends you met. What was it about the community that so fascinated you?
Really the fact that some people can be both male or female, at different times, as they choose and without anyone else realising their true gender. It’s certainly a gift and history records evidence of such people from time immemorial. Although, as you mentioned, I’m sort of coming from outside of the TG community, if I’m really honest, I think I am latent TG; sure, I present most of the time as male (by necessity) but I do feel comfortable as a female – the ‘lady’ on the cover of my last three books is, in fact, me!
- For some authors, it's coming up with a title, and for others it's writing that first paragraph - what have you found to be the most difficult aspect of writing a new work?
Deciding which ‘sexperiences’ to include and which not to! I guess I’ve been lucky but, along the way, I have had some incredible experiences, or things happen to me quite unexpectedly, which, when I look back I find hard to believe myself. In fact, some of my stories, I daren’t relate as people would just think I was making things up!
- When writing, do you ever consider how a reader or reviewer will react, or do you write primarily for your own satisfaction?
Yes, I try to read my work as if another person was the reader, hopefully injecting some sort of realism into the thoughts and spoken words of the characters. You know, when writing books that deal with sexual issues, it’s hard to find speech that might be classed as ‘intellectual’ as I feel that when most of us get sexual urges in mind, our actions and words become outside of our normal behaviour, and we over indulge in trite phrases like ‘Oh my god, oh my god’ for example….
- All other considerations aside, when you're looking to escape into a really good book (the kind that makes you miss appointments, forget about dinner, and stay up way too late), which authors do you generally reach for, and why?
If I have time, I actually like Peter James (author of the Grace detective series), he tells it like it is, realistic dialogue, great attention to detail and great plots; quite a contrast to my own writing.
Here is the link to the full interview: Chris' Bibrary Interview
Thank you very much for taking the time with us and answering our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
Author Links:
Chris' Website Email
RaH Links:
Interview Review
Purchase Links:
Buy Porn's Stars at Club Lighthouse Publishing
Buy Confessions of a Transvestite Prostitute at Club Lighthouse Publishing
Buy A Tranny's Nine Wishes at Club Lighthouse Publishing
Buy City of Angels at Club Lighthouse Publishing
Buy Club Lighthouse Publishing's Books