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Not Quite Shakespeare – Megan Reddaway

Posted in Guests, New Release, tagged , , on May 9, 2014| 6 Comments »

Doesn’t Shakespeare have a way with words? I tell you who else does too – the authors who have contributed to the Not Quite Shakespeare anthology of British themed stories from Dreamspinner Press [cover and links to follow].

Don’t forget – I will put the names of all commenters to all of the interviews into a hat and pick a winner to receive a copy of the anthology in the format of their choice. Comment to win, that’s the ticket!

Today’s interviewee is Megan Reddaway.

Hello, Megan. Have you always lived in the UK?

Mostly. I’ve spent a year travelling and a year living in France. I remember arriving back at Heathrow airport after my travelling year and thinking how low and closed-in the sky over England seemed, like a blanket of cotton wool over my head, but at the same time knowing I was home and not wanting to live anywhere else.

In how many counties have you lived? Cosmopolitan or rural?

I’ve lived in six counties, all in south-east or central England – in three market towns as a child and three cities as an adult, one of them London. I’m happiest living in small to medium sized cities.

Is there any place that is a must-see for any visitor to the UK?

It may sound bizarre since I hated growing up in one, but I think it’s the small towns that are truly representative of the UK – in fact, I think small towns are the most interesting places to stay wherever you go in the world. You pick up on the attitudes and everyday life of the nation at a much deeper level than if you were visiting a big city or going round castles, museums and beaches.

This might be because I’m a writer – I’m more interested in observing people than sights. But I do also love the medieval buildings of Oxford where I live now and the landscape of the west coast of Scotland, among other places. Then almost every village has houses and gardens that are just lovely. To look at, I mean. Don’t make me live in a village. Please.

What inspired you to write your story for the anthology? Could you tell me a little about it?

Ha. I was hoping you’d ask that. My story, Wrong Number, is about a guy who phones his best friend – so he thinks – for sympathy about his lack of a sex life, telling him exactly what he’d like to have some guy do to him, and finds to his horror he’s called one of his bosses by mistake.

So, the inspiration. I live in an area of Oxford with a big student population. The house next door is always let to students and last year a group of gay guys moved in, which was interesting for an M/M romance writer – especially when one of them decided to make an explicit phone call from outside on the front step one night.

In my street all the houses are joined together and their front door is right beside the window of my living room, where I was sitting quietly reading. It was dark and my curtains were drawn so we couldn’t see each other, but when he started telling another guy exactly what he wanted in very graphic terms, I could hear every word.

Some people might turn on the TV or move to another room, but a writer grabs a notebook 🙂

From there, I started thinking about what might have happened before and after such an explicit call. In my final story the situation and the characters are completely different – it’s set in London, they’re not students and I changed some of his words, but it all grew out of that real phone call.

Could you please tell me about your other work?

I’m a freelance non-fiction writer in ‘real life’. In the M/M genre, I don’t have much else finished and published yet, but there are a couple of free stories available from my website at http://meganreddaway.com

My own favourite is The Luck of the Irish, a paranormal M/M comedy about a guy who’s been cursed by a leprechaun.

What are you working on at the moment?

I have two novels at the first draft stage. The one closest to being finished is a contemporary M/M romance set in Oxford (but not in the University). The main character is a man in his 40s who’s lost his much older partner and now finds he’s unexpectedly attracted to a younger guy.

Not sure when it will be published. I seem to have to leave things, do something else and come back to rewrite or edit them.

Excerpt from ‘Wrong Number’, Megan’s contribution to Not Quite Shakespeare:

I’d had a few drinks, to be honest. I’d had a few drinks, and I got home, and the cramped little studio flat in Croydon where I lived looked exactly the same as when I went out. Of course that was a good thing, really, because if the place looked a lot different, it could only be due to a burglary, flood, fire, unannounced landlord visit, or similar disaster. But there’s something so depressing about coming home and finding everything the same. Especially when you’re simply longing for your flat to contain another living creature such as a boyfriend, or at least a cat.

My landlord didn’t allow cats, or I’d have had one. There was no clause forbidding boyfriends, but unfortunately you can’t just grab the cutest-looking stray man from the nearest gay bar, take him home, feed him twice a day, and expect him to love you for it. All I had was pictures, of both cats and men. It wasn’t the same.

So I decided to call my best friend, Gavin. I knew he’d be awake and alone, because I’d only said goodbye to him ten minutes ago outside East Croydon station. I sat on the edge of my bed and opened the address book on my phone.

“I need to get fucked,” I complained as soon as the call was answered. “I want to feel cock plunging into me. I want to worship a big warm dick. I want to lick it all over and get it all wet and rock hard then take it in my arse, take it in deep and get fucked so hard I’m screaming!”

Then what was supposed to happen was that Gavin would be like, “Oh petal, I know, isn’t it awful to have nothing but silicone to play with at the end of the night, where have all the gorgeous hunks gone?”

Instead there was a short silence, and a dry voice that was definitely not Gavin’s said, “Well, Connor, this is unexpected.”

For a moment I was paralysed. Then I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at it. Where it should have said “Gavin,” it said “Gary Bayes.”

“Oh my God,” I breathed.

~~~

You can follow Megan at her website or on her Facebook page

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Not Quite Shakespeare – Sarah Madison

Posted in Guests, New Release, tagged , , on May 7, 2014| 9 Comments »

Happy humpday, and here is the second interview in a series from the list of terrific authors contributing to the Not Quite Shakespeare anthology of British themed stories from Dreamspinner Press [cover and links to follow].

Don’t forget to comment – I will put the names of all commenters to all of the interviews/posts into a hat and pick a winner to receive a copy of the anthology in the format of their choice.

Today we have a guest post from Sarah Madison. Welcome Sarah

~~~

I grew up reading stories set in the UK. Horse and pony books. Dog stories. Mysteries. Regencies. My love affair with England in particular was fostered by a steady diet of novels written during the Golden Age of Mystery–so lots of Josephine Tey, Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, and Dorothy Sayers. I suspect Lord Peter ruined me for many a man, especially considering that I grew up in the Southern US, where the Dukes of Hazzard was king. I find it highly amusing, therefore, that I ended up with a British boyfriend. Last Christmas he took me to meet his family in West Sussex, and I felt like I’d come home after a lifetime of wandering. It’s difficulty to explain the impact that trip had on me. Every footstep, every ‘familiar’ sight, spoke to me.

The towns were so picturesque. I loved how everyone lived among their history and it was just a way of life, not something to be cordoned off in a museum. You learn so much about a country by actually seeing it–the way the ground gives beneath your feet, the sweet mulchy smell of the wet earth and the slickness of white chalk. The cars are small because the streets are small, and they in turn follow the course of public right-of-ways and boundary lines of great estates that have been present for centuries. The choir at the Cathedral at Winchester transported us back in time, as their voices soared into the vaulted hall, and the pasty shop is a black-beamed and dark wooden building that has stood since the fifteenth century. Everywhere I turned, I saw something from my ‘past’, and I suspect my BF got tired of me punching him in the arm and saying things like “Look! A yew garden! Oh! It’s a twitten! A magpie! I saw a magpie!”

And yes, there were pheasants on the lawn.

At one point, my boyfriend pointed out that since our trip was of necessity a short one, that I wouldn’t be able to go see all the touristy landmarks. I know I must have gaped at him. “I’m in ENGLAND. Do you see that? That’s English mud! I don’t need to see anything else.”

We did, however. We walked the South Downs, toured Winchester, and took the train up to Oxford to meet friends (and I admit to a little bit of fangirling as I ran around pointing out places that Lord Peter and Harriet Vane met and did things in that city of dreaming spires). It was, without a doubt, one of the best weeks of my life. I would go back again in a heartbeat. I’d love to see more: go to Cornwall, and Yorkshire, and Wales. See Scotland. Go pony-trekking across Ireland. I loved every minute of it.

I loved my time there so much that when I saw the call for the Not Quite Shakespeare Anthology, I knew I had to submit a story–a love poem to the UK as much as a tale of two lovers separately by circumstance who reconnect again after many years. My UK memories were so vivid in my mind, even a year later. My main character, a young American named Denny, spent a summer as a young man with relatives in the South of England, where he met and fell in love with Tarquin. But they were hardly more than schoolboys at the time–and once the summer was over, Denny went back to the US and they had no further contact.

But Denny never forgot his first love. Over a decade later, circumstances bring him back to Chanctonbury Ring, where some of his fondest memories were made. When Tarq shows up almost like a ghost conjured from Denny’s imagination, Denny has to decide if there was more to that glorious summer than first love–and if there is enough between them to try again.

Bio:

Sarah Madison is a veterinarian with a big dog, a big horse, too many cats, and an extremely patient (and supportive!) boyfriends. She writes because it is cheaper than therapy.

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sarah-Madison-Author/106445646104338
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMadisonFic
Tumblr: http://sarahmadisonfiction.tumblr.com/
Website: http://www.sarahmadisonfiction.com/

Links and information for specific stories:

The Boys of Summer
Genre: Contemporary/Historical M/M Romance
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00CCUVR7G
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/306320

Blurb: David McIntyre has been enjoying the heck out of his current assignment: touring the Hawaiian Islands in search of the ideal shooting locations for a series of film company projects. What’s not to like? Stunning scenery, great food, sunny beaches…and a secret crush on his hot, ex-Air Force pilot, Rick Sutton.
Everything changes when a tropical storm and engine failure force a crash landing on a deserted atoll with a WWII listening post. Rick’s injuries, and a lack of food and water, make rescue imperative, but it takes an intensely vivid dream about the war to make David see that Rick is more than just a pilot to him. Will David gather his courage to confess his feelings to Rick—before it’s too late?
Finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards. Nominated Best Historical in the Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards. Selected as a Best Read in 2013 by Jessewave. Winner of Best M/M Romance in the 2013 PRG Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Crying for the Moon
Genre: Paranormal M/M Romance
Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2422
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B005DZPNYU
Blurb: Vampire Alexei Novik may have the teeth and the coffin, but he’s given up the lifestyle for an old fixer-upper in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Weary of his past, Alex plans to keep to himself, but it seems his sexy, new neighbor, Tate, can’t take the hint—a good thing, since it turns out he’s handy for all kinds of things around the house. Tate even gets along with Alex’s werewolf friends, though one of them pointedly reminds Alex that their friendship is a bad idea.

If a platonic relationship is a bad idea, the growing attraction between Tate and Alex is a disaster waiting to happen. Loving Tate will draw him into Alex’s dangerous world, and Alex is torn between having the relationship he’s always craved and keeping Tate safe. Tate won’t take no for an answer, however, and seems to handle everything Alex can throw at him without blinking. Just when he thinks things might turn out all right after all, Alex’s past catches up with him—forcing him to make a terrible choice.
Winner of the Coffee Times Romance Recommended Read Award. August 2011 Recommended Read by Reviews by Jessewave. First Runner Up in the Love Romances and More’s Golden Rose Awards for Best Paranormal of 2011.


Unspeakable Words (novella)
Genre: Contemporary/Paranormal M/M Romance
Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2058
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B004CRTD4G

Blurb: Special Agent John Flynn is everything Jerry Parker is not: dangerously handsome, coolly charismatic, and respected by his peers. Special Agent Parker is dedicated and meticulous, but his abrasive personality has given him a reputation for being difficult. When new information on a cold case appears, Parker is assigned to work with Flynn, and the sparks fly as their investigative styles clash. Contact with a strange artifact changes everything when it bestows unusual and unpredictable powers on Flynn… and the two men must learn to trust each other before a killer strikes again.
Part One of the (planned) four part Unspeakable Words series. Part Two, Walk a Mile, will be released by Dreamspinner Press in Oct 2014.

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Not Quite Shakespeare – Becky Black

Posted in Guests, tagged , , , , on May 5, 2014| 13 Comments »

Here we go with the first author interview of the roster from the Not Quite Shakespeare anthology of British themed stories from Dreamspinner [cover and buy links to follow when available!] And our first brave interogatee iiiiis Becky Black.

Hi Becky.

Have you always lived in the UK? If not what drew you back?

I’ve always lived here, and in fact I’ve never travelled far away from the place. I live in the north east now, which is where I was brought up. I did live in London for a few years as a student. But the north is much nicer!

Is there any place that is a must-see for any visitor to the uk? In how many counties have you lived? Cosmopolitan or rural?

London is the most obvious must see of course. But I think the best part of the UK is our amazing coastline. And it’s especially beautiful up here on the north east coast, with our golden sands and sights like Bamburgh Castle.

I think I’ve lived in six counties over my lifetime, all of them urban. I am a city girl at heart.

What inspired you to write your story for the anthology?

I’ve always wanted to write a story about rival ice cream sellers – right back to the days when I wrote fan fiction. When this anthology came along, called “Not Quite Shakespeare” then it seemed to fit perfectly to do a story about star crossed lovers of rival Italian families – who happen to sell ice cream. The fact there are a couple of famous Italian family owned ice cream firms in the seaside towns near to where I grew up and where my mother was from was in influence too, I must admit.

Could you tell me a little about it?

It’s called 99 Problems and is about two young men who have taken over the running of their family ice cream businesses, one of them very reluctantly. With their families having been rivals for years them having a romance would be a really tricky situation for them – so of course they fancy each other at once… It’s a story of forbidden romance and family rivalry, but nobody is going to stab or poison themselves at the end – because hey, it’s only ice cream!

Could you please tell me about your other work?

Mostly I write science fiction m/m erotic romance novels. I currently have eight published with Loose Id. I’ve also got another short contemporary published with JMS books. I’ve also self published a couple of non-romance science fiction stories, which are available free.

What are you working on at the moment?

Right now I’m drafting the third in my Red Dragon space-opera series. It’s planned to be the final book, but I do have a possible spin off in mind. And I can never leave characters alone, so who knows if more ideas for those guys might come up? But I’ve got lots of other plans on the go – including possibly a f/f story, which would be a departure for me.

Please could we have an excerpt?

Here’s a snippet from the first scene of my anthology story 99 Problems.

“Chez?” he said, approaching them, holding out his hand. “Is that you?”

“Rob?” Chez said.

A briefly startled expression crossed his face. His frankly gorgeous face. He had not been this pretty when Rob saw him last, almost a decade ago when they were both sixteen, and Chez had gone off to one sixth-form college and Rob to another. His skin had cleared up, for one thing.

“Mrs Bianchi,” Rob said to Liliana. “We have met before. Rob Catteneo.”

“Oh,” she said, eyebrows raised. “From the new firm.”

The new firm, yes, since the Catteneo family had only been selling ice creams in this town since 1973, a mere forty years. Unlike the old firm, the Bianchi family, who’d come over from Italy in the early 1950s.

“I was at school with Chez,” Rob reminded her.

“Chez?” She looked up at her great-grandson. “What is this ‘Chez’ he calls you, Cesare?”

“It’s what my friends call me, Nana.” Chez swept wavy black hair out of his eyes as the strong wind off the sea blew it across his face. “They called me that at school.”

“School? This is not school. This is church.” She looked at Rob again with recognition in her dark eyes. “Ah yes. Roberto. The cheeky one.”

“Nana!”

Rob grinned. “You do remember me.”

“It’s Robert, Nana,” Chez said. “Not Roberto.”

Her snort told Rob what she thought of that. The Bianchis hung onto the old ways, the old names, and, whenever they could, the old genetics. His last name might give him away, but since his dad had married a local girl, Rob looked as Anglo-Saxon as most other men in this town. Chez looked like he’d just stepped off his Vespa in Milan to go buy a cappuccino.

~~~

Many thanks, Becky for answering my questions.

Readers – don’t forget to comment for a chance to win a copy of Not Quite Shakespeare.

You can follow Becky at the links below:

email: beckyblackbooks@gmail.com
website: http://beckyblack.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/beckyblackbooks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BeckyBlackBooks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4557505.Becky_Black
Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/beckyblackbooks
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/beckyblackbooks/

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Saturday Recs

Posted in Saturday Recs, tagged , , , , on March 15, 2014| 3 Comments »

Sometimes my Saturday recommendations are books that I picked up on a whim. Books that I read with a growing sense that I was seeing something wonderful and special unfolding before my eyes. Sometimes they are books written by well loved authors so I am fairly certain that I am going to like what I see. Sometimes they are books with which I’ve had a bit more to do, yet are still eagerly awaited.

This week’s book is one of the latter. I saw it at first draft stage and was blown away with it, and I can assure you that the final version is even better.


The Reluctant Berserker by Alex Beecroft explores a period of history for which the records are regrettably murky, but the art and the poetry are sublime. The centuries between the departure of the Romans and the flowering of the great Saxon kingdoms are called the Dark Ages and to modern eyes appear to be a time of savagery as the people teetered in the balance between Christianity and paganism yet there was enormous grace, sensibility and faith as well.

That spirituality is important to the story is evident from the opening line which could have been taken directly from Beowulf or the Dream of the Rood. In hearing a breeze bourn run of harp notes Wulfstan is doomed, although it takes him a while to realise it. There’s this gorgeous sense of melancholic inevitability about it all – man is whirled by his fate as a leaf on a stream – which may not sit well with a modern reader raised to believe that anything is possible if you put your mind to it but was part of life to our Anglo-Saxon ancestors. Another thing that may not sit well with modern readers is the prescriptive attitudes to sex but this is a serious historical novel rather than an historical fantasy and, as such, reflects the attitudes of the time.

Wulfstan is a typical warrior, massive, agile, aggressive, the elite of his band. He is valued by his lord for his ability and feared by his fellows for his sudden uncontrollable rages. His closest friend is Cenred, the only man who can safely approach him when in the grip of his ire. He takes pride in his status and only he knows his darkest secret, his shameful urge to be more ‘womanly’. This is a secret that can never be told. For Wulfstan to desire other men is acceptable – women are in short supply and prone to die in childbirth so taking a male slave or servant lad is a good substitute – but Wulfstan MUST be the one to do the taking. Any suspicion that he desires to be the one taken would ruin him. Naturally the suspicion arises, with tragedy as a consequence and Wulfstan is left with a terrible choice to make.

On the other hand, the beautiful, delicate scop [itinerant musician and poet], Leofgar, appears to be everything a man might desire as a yielding and compliant bed mate but is actually an assertive and pride-filled top. A scop is both despised and feared. He is dependent on charity for bed and board but if angered can make a rhyme to flay the bones from a man’s pride. To humble himself to another man’s desire is beyond Leofgar. Naturally he is placed in a position where he either has to bow or be broken.

How both men deal with their choices, their burdens, their persecutors, makes up the rest of a book filled with delicious details and fancies expressed in the flowing language of a scop. Other beauties are period appropriate yet strong female characters following their own minds, the innocent faith in the goodness of Mother Church, the acceptance of the power of the unseen world over man’s fate and that the villains, even the most cruel and abominable villains by modern standards, are obeying the dictates of their own social status or natures. I really admire that.

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Today in the Comfy Chair – Jayson James.

Posted in Guests, tagged , , , , , on March 14, 2014| Leave a Comment »


My guest today is Jayson James who was born and raised in Washington State, where he currently lives and teaches. Whenever Jayson has the time (and money), he likes to travel, hoping to see most of the United States over the next 5 years.
His first novel, “Finding Our Way”, was published in September 2012 and released the follow-up novels, “Tormented Discovery” and “Drifting”, in 2013 creating what readers would identify as the “Finding Our Way Series.” Much to his delight, fans are eagerly waiting to read what happens next with Justin, Derrick and the rest of the gang.

His new release is T.E.D. and he is offering a terrific giveaway. Please keep reading for the link.

Elin: Can you tell me a little about yourself? For instance, do you have to have a day job as well as being a writer?

Jayson: Yes, for the sake of bills and living, I do have a day job.
My life is full, especially now that I have, as one friend put it, “a doghter” (dog daughter) named Cooper. I’d wanted to adopt a dog for the past two years but I did not think the time was right. It was my mom who reminded me that there never really is a good time to have kids. I am so glad that Cooper and I fell in love with each other the minute I picked her up. She has truly enriched my life.
I enjoy spending time writing, reading, watching movies and socializing. As I said before my life is full and I am always busy. Sometimes more than I would like to be. Recently I read that people are happier when they have something to look forward to. I think this is why I like to keep myself busy. Although I’ve been looking forward to having a weekend home, where I do not go anywhere. I get close, however something always comes up. It will be a real treat when I finally get those two full days off.

Elin: When you aren’t writing, is there any other creative activity you enjoy? Have you ever written about it?

Jayson: Drawing is what comes to mind when I consider this question. It is something that I get inspired to do, typically with pencil. I will draw practically every second I can for weeks on end in all sorts of mediums. Then all the sudden, as if a switch gets turned off, I quit drawing all together. I’ve drawn all of the cover images for my books with much prompting from my friends. As I go along I get more creative and think the images look better. In my writing, I’ve had a few characters that are artists and they have talked about experiences I’ve had when it comes to creating art.

Elin: What are you reading? Can you recommend something that you wished you’d written yourself?

Jayson: I’m reading Nick Nolan’s “Wide Asleep.” This happens to be the third book with two of my favorite characters, Jeremy and Arthur. Within the first few chapters, I was crying and had my hopes up for things to work out. Nick writes real characters who are people who act like people, meaning not everyone sees or reacts to things in the same way. Nick’s books are each based upon a different fairytale, which I’ve always found clever.

Elin: In that crucial inspiration stage of a new story which comes first? Plot, situation or character?

Jayson: That’s a tough question! When I plan out they all come to mind. As I quit overthinking the question I realized that it is the character. Actually, all I had to do is glance over at my white board with my current work in progress on it. The characters are on the board: 1) The individual details of the characters are all each worked out underneath them, 2) Their storyline gets outlined underneath, 3) The story gets written, 4) Once the details are down everything below the characters is erased, 5) More outlining, such as chapters and other details, 6) This cycle repeats several times throughout the course of the book. The characters stay on the board typically until the second or third round of edits.

Elin: Do your characters arrive fully fledged and ready to fly or do they develop as you work with them? Do you have a crisp mental picture of them or are they more a thought and a feeling than an image?

Jayson: My characters are never ready to fly. I like to write them as real people, thus they are changing and growing and even sometimes going in a downward spiral. I do have set ideas in many ways though. Such as with Derrick and Justin from the “Finding Our Way Series,”with each tellingl the story from their own perspective. Something I did with them (which drove some people nuts) was Derrick would use possessives such as “my dad” while Justin referred to them as “dad.” Derrick spoke with less contractions in his dialog while Justin used many and frequently swore.

Elin: Villains are incredibly important in fiction since they challenge the main protagonists and give them something to contend with beyond the tension of a developing relationship. The cruel sea. The serial killer. The society itself. Your hero’s inner demons. What sort of villains do you prize?

Jayson: I enjoy writing characters that are both lovable and flawed. Such was the case with “T.E.D.” Each of the three characters that make up this book are real people that readers can identify and relate to on some level. Tim is the kid you feel sorry for and you want to give him advice on how to better his life, yet you also want to tell to suck it up and quit being a wimp. Eric picks on others to keep himself from being discovered. Delsin is dealing with his own monsters and struggles, yet is supportive and does what he can. Their lives are intertwined, having an effect on each other.
This is similar to “Finding Our Way” with Derrick Wilson being the one thing keeping Justin Parker, whose home life was falling apart from going too far on the self-destructive path his was traveling down.
Then there is Kristian Kirkpatrick who is my own villain. He is handsome, charming, cunning and just plain evil. Everything about him is someone that I cannot stand. Yet, I would like to write a book with him as the main character.
As far as other villains, I have always wanted to write a book told from the point of view of the killer. The closest I think I have ever gotten was a book I started writing a couple of years ago about this guy who decides to kill his wife.

Elin: What are you working on at the moment? Can you discuss it or do you prefer to keep it a secret until it’s finished.

Jayson: A new book called “Pieces of Us.” When completed, this will be only my second novel to have a title from the beginning of the writing process. It is about a guy and girl who are best friends in high school, growing and learning about themselves and others. I’m quite excited about this novel, as it will be different in many ways from my previously published works. Typically, I will not talk much about a book until it is in what I call, “the downhill stretch”, known as the last third of the book. This one I’ve been discussing quite a bit with my friends and I think the storyline is developing wonderfully.

Elin: Could we please have an excerpt of something?

Jayson: Gladly! This comes from my new release, T.E.D. This is the scene gives the reader’s insight to Eric, who is bullying Tim.


Sheila had been partially correct that he was hiding something. There was no way in hell Eric was going to ever let anyone know what that was though, especially not his two best buddies. Conrad was the meanest person he’d ever met and would no doubt kick his ass, and without much effort. Keifer would be more subtle, slowly not hanging out with him or returning his calls.
Definitely not his family either. Eric’s parent s made no qualms about expecting their youngest son to provide them with at least one grandchild. He could remember a long time ago when his older brother Ethan lived at home. He missed Ethan and wished that he could see him again.
Eric was thirteen years younger than Ethan. When he was six, he remembered waking up to shouting. Ethan was standing in the living room, with his parents. His mom was holding the door open and his father was face-to-face with Ethan. They all looked angry. Eric’s dad bellowed, “There is no way any son of mine is going to be into this shit. If you want to get involved with those kinds of people, than you can get the hell out of my house.”
Ethan looked to their mom, “Are you going to let him just throw me out?”
She didn’t even hesitate, “Your decision is why we are asking you to leave. If you decide to make the right choices, you can come back. Until then I’m afraid you are basically dead to us.”
“It is not a choice!” Ethan shouted. He kept on repeating that as their dad shoved him out the door and their mom closed and locked it.
Eric was crying, not wanting to see his brother go, “Where’s Ethan going?”
His father walked past him, “He doesn’t live here anymore.”
His mother picked him up, holding him and looking him in the eyes, “Ethan is doing something very, very bad. It is something that if he doesn’t stop doing, he will eventually die from. I know this is hard for you to understand, but Ethan is no longer a part of our family.”
Eric cried and cried, wanting his brother back. Ethan was the only person Eric ever felt a family bond with. His father put his arms around his mom and him, “You’ll understand when you get older.”
Nearly nine years later, Eric still ached to see his brother. His parents told him that Ethan had a bad drug problem and they feared for his safety and the wellbeing of the family. They sent him to a counselor who explained things like tough love and coping with the loss of a family member. This guy pretended to care about Eric and get him to tell him things that were supposed to be kept private between the two of them. Once Eric learned the counselor was telling his parents everything they talked about and how mad his parents got, he started saying the things he thought he needed to say, which worked and a couple of months later he did not have to go anymore.
Years later Eric would overhear his mother on the phone with her sister, “I’ve been hoping Ethan would get over his homosexual tendencies for years. I know now that he never will. It’s been so long I often forget I have another son. He died to me the night he told me that he was gay.” Eric never let her know that he’d heard what she said. Several years later Eric would learn what gay was and what homosexual tendencies were.
Eric’s eyes were starting to tear up as he thought about Ethan. There was a guy in the magazine he was reading who looked very much the way he remembered Ethan had. He hoped that his brother was okay and that they could be a family again someday. He planned on tracking him down the first chance that he could.
His father walked in the room and said, “What are you crying about? Is there a sad article in your Women’s Day?”
“Ha ha! I got something in my eye.” Eric closed the magazine and quickly left the room.

###

Many thanks to Jayson for answering my questions so sportingly. Here are the details of his latest release and at the bottom of the post you will find a link to his giveaway.

T.E.D. by Jayson James

TIM is being bullied. No one in high school wants to be known as a tattle-tale and to do so would only make things rougher for him. The repercussions would most likely make him an outcast, and without any friends.

ERIC is frustrated with life. His parents are overbearing and if they ever knew the person he really was, they would throw him out of their house. His friends are not much better, they only like him when he is who they expect him to be.

DELSIN is gay and ready to come out. Unfortunately, life at home is on the brink of falling apart with his parents constant fighting. Admitting the truth could bring his whole world crashing down around him.

Each of these three needs to decide whether the risks of being honest about who they are outweighs the importance of being true to themselves. This could mean ruining life as each of them knows it. Maybe it is better to remain miserable in order to play it safe. On the other hand, doing nothing doesn’t seem to working either.

You can buy T.E.D. on Amazon here: http://amzn.com/B00IC0NX7W

Jayson’s contact details are below.
Blog/Website: http://www.jaysonjamesbooks.blogspot.com
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJaysonJames
Twitter: @jaysonjamesbook

Click to join in a Rafflecopter giveaway

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New Release – The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick

Posted in New Release, tagged , , on February 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Description:
One October morning, high school junior Bryan Dennison wakes up a different person—helpful, generous, and chivalrous—a person whose new admirable qualities he doesn’t recognize. Stranger still is the urge to tie a red sheet around his neck like a cape.
Bryan soon realizes this compulsion to wear a red cape is accompanied by more unusual behavior. He can’t hold back from retrieving kittens from tall trees, helping little old ladies cross busy streets, and defending innocence anywhere he finds it.
Shockingly, at school, he realizes he used to be a bully. He’s attracted to the former victim of his bullying, Scott Beckett, though he has no memory of Scott from before “the change.” Where he’d been lazy in academics, overly aggressive in sports, and socially insecure, he’s a new person. And although he can recall behaving egotistically, he cannot remember his motivations.
Everyone, from his mother to his teachers to his “superjock” former pals, is shocked by his dramatic transformation. However, Scott Beckett is not impressed by Bryan’s newfound virtue. And convincing Scott he’s genuinely changed and improved, hopefully gaining Scott’s trust and maybe even his love, becomes Bryan’s obsession.

With a foreword by C. Kennedy

Book Links:
Dreamspinner ~ Goodreads

Excerpt:

I’D NEVER hidden in the high school boys’ bathroom, or any other bathroom, come to think of it, before. Not even once—from anybody or anything. I guess already being six foot two, and sharing no resemblance to a rack of bones, in my freshman year had kind of relieved me of the burden most ninth graders suffered of needing to hide from the terrible seniors—I’d already towered over most of them. But in more general terms, I didn’t hide because: A) I was too big to find any sort of a decent hiding spot in a men’s room, and B) everybody else was too busy hiding from me so all possible hiding spots were occupied. Nonetheless, here I was, cowering in a bathroom stall.
I needed to be alone for a few minutes. I needed to figure out what the fuck was happening in my life. I’ll put it this way: I was starting to get a sneaking suspicion that this weird personality change that had come over me went well beyond a desire for a red cape. Yeah, this was something far more complicated.
Inside the stall, the toilet had no lid to sit on, so sitting down on the toilet seat in a dignified manner, with my pants up, did not seem to be an option. On TV, I’d seen plenty of crafty characters hide in bathroom stalls by standing on top of the toilet seat so that if anyone looked under the stall to see if somebody was in there, no feet would be dangling down. But if I was to try that tack, I’d put my head right through the ceiling, as I’d grown at least two inches since freshman year. I guess six foot four wasn’t always an advantage. So I went with sitting cross-legged in front of the toilet. Unsanitary? Yes. Pathetic? Quite possibly. But it was the best I could come up with in the heat of the moment.
Strangely, when I finally got my long body folded into that bent-up position on the floor in front of the toilet, I could see that there was already someone curled up on the floor in the stall next to mine. So much for my solitary thinking time.
I directed my question to the lifeless body. “Excuse me… um… are you feeling okay?” I had no choice. I was called to respond to an insatiable drive within me to help those in need. And this guy had to be in major need or he wouldn’t be crumpled up into a fetal ball on the filthy bathroom floor. “Like… dude, want me to go get the nurse or something?”
I couldn’t see his face, as it was covered up by his arms. He didn’t make a sound.
“Is it your stomach? There’s a lot going around right now, I’d say. My mom is a nurse at County General Hospital and she told me that….” I let my words trail off, suspecting the guy wasn’t listening to me anyways.
“Just leave me alone.”
Well, that was a start, wasn’t it? I mean, we were communicating now.
Positive thinking, Bry.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” I was afraid too. I was afraid the new chivalrous part of me wasn’t gonna let me leave the bathroom until I had gotten this guy onto his feet and smiling up at me. And class started in ten minutes, which didn’t leave me a hell of a lot of time to accomplish my lofty goal. “At least tell me what’s wrong.”
“Like you don’t already know.” His response was both muffled and pissed-off sounding, but, again, it was communication, so I felt thankful.
Thankful to whom? I had no idea. I was just thankful, period. (Try to hold off on the fucking analysis at this point, okay, reader?)
“Call me clueless, but I have no idea what is troubling you.”
He slid to the edge of my stall and stuck his head in. I saw a flash of blond hair and wire-rimmed glasses perched on an adorable nose—it was Scott Beckett, the kid from the cafeteria.
“It’s you.”
“Yeah, asshole, it’s me. So, go ahead, do what you came here to do. You going to give me a swirly? Make me lick the urinals…. What’s it going to be this time, Dennison?”
I had no idea how to respond. I’d never so much as laid eyes on this kid before, and he was acting like I’d been in on some kind of a bullying brigade directed solely at him. Either I had missed something major, or he had a very vivid imagination. “Refresh my memory, Beckett. Tell me what I did… uh, the last time.”
Still sprawled out flat on the floor beside me, directly underneath the stall divider, his pretty face screwed up into a tight knot, he squealed, “Fuck you, Dennison! Acting like you forgot is even more insulting than what you did to me in the first place. Like, I can believe that you and your buddy torture any kid who looks like an easy target, so you can’t remember all the evil details of each individual case, but what you did to me? Saturday night? Just… just fuck you!”
I nodded and then shook my head. I was clueless and confused… and starting to feel guilty. For what, I didn’t know.
Plus, Scott Beckett was just so… so interesting. So appealing.
Why would I ever try to hurt him?
“God, you’re an even bigger asshole than I thought you were… and that’s sure saying something.” Scott dragged himself up off the floor. Once he was standing in the stall beside mine, he asked me, “So, other than last Saturday night, you usually play the role of the evil sidekick when you’re out in public. Where’s your buddy Wilson—the instigator?”
“Brandon Wilson?”
“Ya think? Let me guess… five, four, three, two, one… looks like he’s late, isn’t he? But I know he’s going to burst in here, conveniently, at any second now, right? Or maybe he’s waiting outside the door for an audio cue or something?”
I stood up too. What this dude was implying about my personal character was highly disturbing.
“Should I scream? Is that the signal—or are you going for the tears again, you fuckwad-asswipe?”
Signal?
Tears? Again?
Fuckwad-asswipe? Me?
“No, Brandon’s back in the cafeteria. Now listen, buddy, just do me a favor—”
“Did you just call me ‘buddy’?” He asked me so loudly that his voice echoed in the tiny stall.
“Just tell me what I did to you.”
His stall door slammed, indicating he was now out in the main part of the bathroom. So I came out of my stall as well. And Scott Beckett was just standing there in front of the sink, glasses in hand, looking up at me with round bright eyes, his pretty pink-skinned face saturated with the purest fury I’d ever seen, and it was all directed my way. I mean, this kid fucking hated me… and I didn’t know him from Adam. “I’m not about to do you any favors, Dennison.” His thin top lip curled up in disgust, and then he added in a low voice, “Besides, we both know what went down.”
With one last scathing look, he fled the bathroom. And I was even more flabbergasted than I had been five minutes before when I’d come into the men’s room to think.
That kid is completely full of bull.
Yeah, that had to be it: Scott Beckett was messing with my head. Right? But… but back in the caf, hadn’t Brandon suggested that we had done something to this kid… and that he seemed to be looking forward to the two of us finishing the job we’d started on him? And, for that matter, Jack had referred to the fact that Brandon and me had made more than one trip to the principal’s office in regard to bullying this kid.
I grabbed a hold on the sink, because the entire bathroom was suddenly spinning all around me. I was dizzy, but I was sure it wasn’t because of the shocking realization that I may have done something seriously nasty to Scott Beckett (that I somehow couldn’t remember) to make him hate me this way. No, it wasn’t that at all… convenient memory lapses don’t just happen. Most probably, I was dizzy because I was exhausted. I guessed that maybe I’d drunk more than my fair share on Saturday night, because, in truth, Sunday was mostly a blur too. Or maybe somebody had slipped me a roofie, which could definitely be the reason I was sick and dizzy and I couldn’t remember shit. All I had to do was just make it through the rest of the day, and then serve my detention, go home, and get a good night’s sleep. I’d tell Mom I was sick… that I wasn’t up for a big dinner. That was the truth too—I really wasn’t up for food or conversation.
Rest was all I needed… and tomorrow when I woke up, things would be crystal clear again.
But, shit, I hope Mom brings home those sheets.

Book Links:
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4726

About the Author:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.
Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled men and their relationships, and she believes that sex has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.
Mia is proud of her involvement with the Human Rights Campaign and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.
My themes I always write about:
Sweetness. Unconventional love, tortured/damaged heroes- only love can save them.

Author Links:

Home


https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick

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New Release – The Bridge on the River Wye by Adam Fitzroy

Posted in New Release, tagged , , , on February 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »

The Bridge on the River Wye
by Adam Fitzroy

Blurb:

Chef Rupert’s picking up the pieces after a catastrophe; he’s lost his love, his business, his home and even his dog, and he’s trying to make a fresh start. Linking up with Jake almost on a whim he soon finds himself involved in a strange tale of organic farming, migrant workers, greed and even possibly murder – in the midst of which the attraction is still there, but Rupert’s not sure whether the feeling’s mutual or if he’s ready to try for a proper relationship again just yet …

70,000 words/256 pages
£3.75

Go here for an excerpt.

Available from Manifold Press.

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Today in the Comfy Chair – Patrick Nelson Childs

Posted in Guests, tagged , , , on February 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »

comfy chair

My guest today is Pat Nelson Childs, who was born and raised in Rumford, ME. Prior to becoming a writer, he has been a shop owner in Provincetown, a funding coordinator in Fort Lauderdale, and a computer support technician in Ann Arbor. He currently lives in Maine with his faithful cat, Bo, and has just released “Numen’s Trust”, the hotly anticipated finale of his “Chronicles of Firma”  trilogy.

###

Elin : Can you tell me a little about yourself? For instance, do you have to have a day job as well as being a writer?

First book of the Chronicles of Firmin, currently reduced to $1.99!

Patrick: Well, I was born and raised in Maine, and am living there now. In the past, I’ve lived in many other places – Massachusetts, Michigan, Florida…even Prague for a few months. However, I somehow always end up at my point of origin. It must be because of my family, because I hate the snow. As for work, I am retired on disability now, so my day job is looking out the window and taking care of my cat, Bo. I write for the pure enjoyment of sharing stories with other people…especially LGBT youth, who need all the heroes and role models they can get. If I happen to make a little money at it, so much the better.

Elin : When you aren’t writing, is there any other creative activity you enjoy? Have you ever written about it?

Patrick:  I used to travel a lot, but it’s such a nightmare now that I pretty much stay at home. Reading and writing allow me to see new worlds and meet new people. And of course there’s the internet. Five minutes without that and I’m completely lost.

Elin : What are you reading? Can you recommend something that you wished you’d written yourself?

This edition illustrated by one of my favourite artists, Chris Riddell.

Patrick:  I’m just starting Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. I love his work and can’t wait to sink my teeth into this one. The book (books) that I wish I’d written myself are Mercedes Lackey’s Last Herald Mage Trilogy. It was this trio of books that inspired me to dust off a twenty year old folder with notes about Firma in it and begin writing my own trilogy because it showed me that epic fantasy with a gay protagonist is not only possible, but also has a market. So if you’re reading this, Mercedes, thanks for the great series and for the kick in the butt.

Elin : In that crucial inspiration stage of a new story which comes first? Plot, situation or character?

Patrick:  Character. Always. I mean, I try to work up strong plots as well, but if I start out with strongly-developed characters, they will always help me drive a plot forward. IF I don’t, then all the clever plotlines in the world aren’t going to breathe life into my story.

Elin : Do your characters arrive fully fledged and ready to fly or do they develop as you work with them? Do you have a crisp mental picture of them or are they more a thought and a feeling than an image?

Patrick:  Well, it depends. I spent twenty years getting to know Rokey and Flaskamper before I even started to outline the plot of The Chronicles of Firma, but that’s an extreme example. Most other characters I’d say I know pretty well from the get go because they are usually either sides of me or composites of people I know. The few that I know very little about I get to know as they grow and are influenced by other situations and characters.

Elin : Is there any genre you would love to write, ditto one you would avoid like a rattlesnake? What inspired you to write about {insert appropriate subject here}?

Patrick:  I wish I could write mysteries…but I can’t. I mean, there’s a pretty good mystery story built into Scion’s Blood, but I think I just lucked out with that. I’ve tried for years to put a good murder mystery together, but I’m just no good at it. As far as I know, there aren’t any genres I’d consciously avoid. I respect them all. I just happen to be good at Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

Elin :  Do you find there to be a lot of structural differences between a relationship driven story and one where the romance is a sub plot?

Patrick:  I’m not sure I can answer that question based on my own experience. In The Chronicles of Firma, the romance element is inseparable from the main story arc. To some readers, it is the main story arc. At a guess, I’d say no, provided you write character-driven stuff like I do. The characters, romantically involved or not, will drive the plotline. That’s probably a terrible answer, but it’s all I got.

Elin : Put together your ideal team of men/women – drawing from all and any walks of life, fictional or non-fictional – who you would want to come to your rescue if menaced by muggers/alligators/fundamentalists?

Patrick:  Well, this calls for a multi-part answer. For muggers, I’d want Spider-Man. Why? Just look at him. For alligators I guess I’d have to have The Gator Boys. They know their way around ‘gators (hence the name), and one of them is kind of sexy. Fundamentalists are easy because God is going to kick their sorry asses anyway.

Elin : Villains are incredibly important in fiction since they challenge the main protagonists and give them something to contend with beyond the tension of a developing relationship. The cruel sea. The serial killer. The society itself. Your hero’s inner demons. What sort of villains do you prize?

Patrick:  Villains of any type for me need to be as complex as the heroes. I just hate one-dimensional characters of any sort. Villains need to act on and be acted upon just like everyone else in a story, and that involves the ability for them to feel, grow and change.  That doesn’t mean all of the villains need to be soft-hearted and squishy. It’s just better for the story I think when something relatable lies behind all their evil deeds.

Elin : What are you working on at the moment? Can you discuss it or do you prefer to keep it a secret until it’s finished.

Patrick:  Right now I am outlining a Sci-Fi / Fantasy novel called Starlander. The protagonist is a 6 foot 8 inch teenaged genius named Jonathan Starlander. If I had to compare it to anything, I’d have to say it’s a little like Horatio Hornblower meets Dune.

Elin : Could we please have an excerpt of something?
Patrick:  Of course. Here’s a bit of Numen’s Trust:

             

 
The roof of the hut burned like a torch, as Ellispon and the two scholars hurried to gather together the scrolls and all the notes that covered the table. A chunk of burning debris fell on Bantion, setting his tunic ablaze. In a panic, he screamed and ran out the door.
“Bantion!” Valengyll screamed, and ran out after him, dropping his pile of papers. Ellispon went quickly to gather them up, jumping to dodge another section of the burning roof as it fell. Rokey watched through the doorway as Valengyll tackled Bantion and forced him to roll around on the ground to put the fire out. The elf then leapt up and drew his sword to defend the two of them from a pair of attacking ogres. Groog flew outside and assumed his fiery dragon guise, then swooped down to aid Valengyll. Ellispon rushed over to Rokey, the precious documents clutched to his chest.
“I’ve got everything,” he yelled over the melee. “Let’s go!”
Rokey led the way outside, his sword drawn to protect the old mage. He looked around quickly. There were bodies everywhere, but he saw no other enemy fighters close by, so he hastened to aid Valengyll as he struggled against the ogres.
‘Ellispon!’ he heard Groog send, ‘there is a clear path to a large brush patch straight behind you. Take the documents and hide there with them.’
Though he felt guilty about leaving, Ellispon obeyed without hesitation. In this situation, he knew that he would only be a hindrance. The other three continued to fight, Groog distracting the ogres as the other two engaged them with their swords. The battle did not last long. Rokey’s swordsmanship had grown superb over the years, and Valengyll, though he lacked skill, fought ferociously to protect the injured Bantion. After one ogre had been dispatched and the other had fled, Groog returned to his normal size, while Rokey helped Valengyll carry Bantion, severely burned and moaning in pain, out of the clearing and into the brush patch where Ellispon awaited them. All around, they could hear the battle still raging.
“I’ve got to go find Flash,” Rokey said in a panic.
“Rokey, you can’t,” said Ellispon. “It’s too risky.”
“Master, what would you have me do…just leave him out there?” Rokey protested angrily.
“Rokey, if we lose you, we’ve lost everything,” Ellispon reminded him. “You’ve got to get out of here – open a door to No-When and go. Take these documents with you. If Flaskamper is still alive, he’s already heading this way. If not…if not, then you’d only be throwing your life away for nothing.”
‘Ellispon is right, Rokey,’ Groog sent. ‘You must escape. You are Firma’s only hope. I will fly out and try to find Flaskamper.’
Rokey was about to argue further when Valengyll spoke.
“Is there anything you can do to help Bantion?” he pleaded. “He must be in terrible pain.”
‘I’ll find Flaskamper and tell him where you’re hiding,’ sent Groog, and flew off before Rokey could argue.
Though sick with worry, Rokey found that he could not ignore the young elf’s plea for help. He crawled over to where Valengyll sat with Bantion’s head cradled in his lap. It took Rokey only a moment, though, to realize that Bantion was beyond all help. He broke the news as gently as he could.
“But he can’t be dead,” Valengyll sobbed quietly. “He can’t be. He was – he was my life.”
With these words, Rokey felt his own heart tearing in two, for he knew that Ellispon was right. All around them the woods were beginning to erupt into flames, and they could hear the cries of the dying everywhere. It would be suicide for him to go looking for Flash. On the other hand, just like young Valengyll, he couldn’t imagine going on without his love. A he sat there, stunned and unable to act, Ellispon suddenly seized him by the shoulders.
“You have to go now, son!” he insisted. “All of Firma is depending on you. You have to escape before it’s too late!”
A nearby tree exploded, showering their hiding place with flaming debris. As the dry evergreen needles around them began to smolder, Rokey suddenly felt all of his emotions draining away. Yes, there was only one choice. His own life might be over, but ‘The Scion’ had to go on. There was too much at stake to let his personal feelings cripple him now.
“Very well,” he told Ellispon, “but I need you with me, and you must make Valengyll come too. I need you both to help finish translating the scroll.”
When Ellispon agreed, Rokey closed his eyes and began to reach out to the nearest articulation. He found it nearly impossible to concentrate, but he had performed this task so many times now in practice, it was now much less difficult for him. Still, the process required him to harness and manipulate a tremendous amount of energy, so once the process was underway, Rokey found himself becoming more and more focused on the job at hand. Soon he had constructed a stable doorway for them between two nearby trees.
“Go now, Master,” he told Ellispon. “Take Valengyll.”
The High Mage stood, still holding the valuable papers in his arms.
“Valengyll, you must come with us now,” he commanded gently but sternly.
“No!” said Valengyll defiantly. “I won’t leave him!”
“There will be a time to avenge him, Valengyll,” Ellispon tried. “I swear to you there will be. But now is not that time, son. We need you now. Firma needs you now.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking, Ellispon,” Valengyll said.
I know, Valengyll, Rokey thought, desperately scanning the trees behind them for any sign of the dragon or Flash. I know.
As Ellispon continued trying to persuade the young scholar, Rokey spied a person running toward their burning hut. For a moment, he dared to hope, but as the figure drew closer, his heart sank. It was the Princess Alengra – alone.
“Princess Alengra!” he yelled, shaking off his growing feelings of dread. “This way!”
Alengra turned and ran toward him.
“Where’s Flash?” he asked when she reached him.
“I don’t know!” she cried. “He and Briander went someplace to talk. I was supposed to meet them here, but then the attackers came and –”
Her knees began to buckle. For a moment, Rokey worried she might faint. He could not risk destroying the doorway in order to catch her. Fortunately she recovered herself.
“Leni,” he said, “we have to get out of here. Go through the doorway with my two friends there.” He gestured toward Ellispon and Valengyll.
“Doorway?” said Alengra. “What do you mean?”
Just then Rokey saw a group of enemy fighters break from the trees and start running toward them. There was still no sign of Groog or Flash, but now he could wait no longer.
“Come on!” he yelled, grabbing her arm. Though clearly confused, she accompanied him willingly. “Ellispon! Valengyll! Inside now!”
Ellispon entered the shimmering doorway just ahead of Rokey and Alengra. Valengyll, however, did not follow. Rokey turned back, only to find him rushing, his sword drawn, toward the pack of encroaching soldiers. There was no way any of them could stop him. Valengyll had chosen to stay and fight – to give his life avenging his slain lover. It was a supremely selfish act, and yet, as Rokey pulled the doorway closed, watching the young elf charge fearlessly into the overwhelming onslaught, the emotion he felt most keenly of all – was envy.

###

The next in the Chronicles of Firmin series:

Numen’s Trust

Seven years have passed on Firma since Rokey’s narrow escape from The Order of the Bone. All of Firma is now at war. The living god, Cyure, and his merciless hordes have succeeded in conquering all other realms save two – the kingdoms of Iceberg and Glacia, far up in the Northern Expanse. As refugees pour into these kingdoms from all over Firma, Rokey, Flash and their companions are working constantly to stay one step ahead of Cyure, who still wants ‘The Scion’ alive in order to steal his awesome, but still largely latent power. Just as things look blackest, High Mage Ellispon and his fellow scholars happen upon a key which at last will enable them to translate the ancient scrolls taken from Moribar years before. It is from these scrolls that they learn of a magical object known simply as “The Heart”, which offers them the means to finally unlock Rokey’s enormous power. The only problem – The Heart is not even in Firma! And so the final quest begins – a race to find this fabled object and to give Rokey the power he needs to confront Cyure at last, saving both the people he loves, and the land that he has already given so much to defend.

Please note: To celebrate the new release Orphan’s Quest will be available from 1st to 7th February at the reduced price of $1.99

The man himself

Buy links:

Orphan’s Quest (Kindle): http://amzn.to/1efkev7
Scion’s Blood (Kindle): http://amzn.to/1lu83wS
Numen’s Trust (Kindle): http://amzn.to/19CrS2S

You can buy hardcover or softcover copies of all three on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or in Patrick’s COF web store (http://bit.ly/1dPiUyz). Here’s a tip: They are MUCH less expensive in Patrick’s web store AND they come signed by the author.

Websites & Social Media:

http://www.patnelsonchilds.com
http://www.chroniclesoffirma.com
http://www.facebook.com/patnelsonchilds
http://www.facebook.com/chroniclesoffirma

 

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Today in the Comfy Chair – Larry Benjamin

Posted in Guests, tagged , , , on September 20, 2013| 6 Comments »

comfy chairMy guest today is Larry Benjamin, Bronx-born wordsmith for whom writing is a way of life. Author of romance What Binds Us and short story collection Damaged Angels, Larry has agreed to visit today to talk about his new release Unbroken, a book with a very special meaning for Larry. I’ve been lucky enough to read it and can say that it impressed me very much.

Thanks, Larry, for visiting and for answering my questions.

###

Elin:  Can you tell me a little about yourself? For instance, do you have to have a day job as well as being a writer?
Larry:  While I’ve always been a writer—that is, I would write and stick my stories in a drawer (or later, a folder called “Larry’s writing” on my computer) —I got serious about it as a career a few years ago when both my partner and I ended up unemployed at the same time. I began to panic thinking I’d never get another job which lead me to wonder what else I was qualified to do. I dusted off the manuscript for What Binds Us and I was on my way. Returning to writing was like returning to a first love long lost.
Yes, I have a day job. I work in Corporate communications for a global chemical company. So writing is both my vocation and my avocation.

Elin: When you aren’t writing, is there any other creative activity you enjoy? Have you ever written about it?

Larry:  Besides writing, I’m absolutely passionate about houses. We’re 6 years into the 5-year renovation of our current house (the 5-year plan on our previous house actually took eight). And most weekends you can find us attending open houses in our favorite neighborhoods. Realtors don’t even make us sign the visitor’s book anymore.
Readers can pick up on my obsession with houses and their furnishings in my descriptions of both in my books.

Elin:  What are you reading? Fiction or non-fiction?

Larry:  I’m currently reading Gerald Durrell’s My Family and other Animals, which is unusual for me because generally I tend to stick to fiction as I find reality to be overrated and often grim. I’m loving the book, though, because the story is quite hilariously told and the writing is very fine.

Elin:  In that crucial inspiration stage of a new story, for instance Unbroken, which comes first? Plot, situation or character?

Larry:  Because my stories are heavily character-driven the characters tend to come first. However, I started writing Unbroken, just after I came across a tweet that asked: when was the moment you first knew you were gay? For me the moment occurred when I was in seventh grade. I was 12. He was the new kid. Jose. One look at him and I knew, absolutely knew I was gay. So in the case of Unbroken, the situation came first. Everything else was built on that defining moment.

Elin:  Do your characters arrive fully fledged and ready to fly or do they develop as you work with them?

Larry:  It depends. Dondi in What Binds Us arrived in my head fully formed and he never really changed. Unbroken spans 40 years. Lincoln, the main character, is first introduced as a 6-year-old so he definitely developed as I wrote. Same with the other main character, Jose. Lincoln first meets Jose when they are both twelve. He is the new kid in school so a complete unknown. As the story progresses, Jose’s personality is revealed and we watch him grow and mature as struggles to understand himself and the world around him. For me the most astonishing character in Unbroken was Jose’s sister, Maritza. She was meant to be a very minor character but she kept nagging me and whispering her story. I was routinely getting up in the middle of the night and writing out more of her story, which surprised me at every turn. In the end she became the first fully formed female character I’ve ever written.

Elin:  Do you have a crisp mental picture of them or are they more a thought and a feeling than an image?

Larry:  I generally know what the characters look like but little else at the beginning. I have a feeling for who they are as people but I find by relaxing and listening really hard they will tell me who they are as they reveal their story to me. I don’t outline, or plot out my stories in detail, in advance of writing, I just sort of write. For me writing is an organic—and chaotic—experience.

Elin:  Is there any genre you would love to write, ditto one you would avoid like a rattlesnake?

Larry:  You know when I was submitting Unbroken for consideration for publication, I had to identify its genre. That was a struggle because I tend not to think about what genre I’m writing in. I just write because I have a story I want to tell. Unbroken is part gay romance, part coming of age novel, part love letter to the boy I fell in love with at twelve.
The other day, I came across a reader’s review of What Binds Us and she said, “Yes, it’s love story but really so much more than that. More like a life story.” A life story. I absolutely love that description.

Elin:  When you were writing Unbroken, was there a point where you felt you should pull back a little because you were putting too much of yourself into it?

Larry:  Oh yeah. I tend to reach that point with all my books. My books are all fiction but they are firmly rooted in my experiences. I’m an emotional writer and that emotion is grounded in truth.
With the writing of Unbroken, I had to revisit my past: the bullying, my parents’ disappointment, the innocent longing for a boy I barely knew─It was a painful part of my history and documenting it was to revive that long-forgotten pain, to show a side of me—part hopeful, part stupid—I wasn’t sure I wanted anyone to see. In the end the struggle to share the truth won out.
When I set out to write the book, I didn’t want to just tell the story of one boy’s love for another, I wanted to share details of a first crush and what it’s like to discover the world thinks you’re wrong in that love, thinks that you’re broken. So yes there’s a lot of me in Lincoln, a lot of my own truth in Unbroken. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Elin:  Put together your ideal team of men/women – drawing from all and any walks of life, fictional or non-fictional – who you would want to come to your rescue if menaced by muggers/alligators/fundamentalists?

Larry:  That team would consist of William Morgan—Gar—from my friend Andrew Q. Gordon’s remarkable fantasy novel, Purpose. Gar is strong, extremely rational and practically bullet-proof. Plus he can read and manipulate minds. Second on the team would be Toby, my 9-year old silky terrier.

Toby the Fierce

He’s small but fiercely loyal and extremely protective. And finally Matt Damon. He was, after all, Jason Bourne in the Bourne trilogy; I’m sure he picked up some useful skills from playing that part. Plus he looks like…well…like he does. 😉

Elin:  Villains are incredibly important in fiction since they challenge the main protagonists and give them something to contend with beyond the tension of a developing relationship. What sort of villains do you prize?

I prefer villains who aren’t purely evil, who have some trace of humanity. I also like to believe that every character can become a villain for a moment in a particular situation. In Unbroken, there are many, many villains but only in the sense they give the main protagonists something to contend with, they are the people Lincoln and Jose must battle in their journey to be their authentic selves—parents and petty bullies. And for that reason the villains are unexpected, people well meaning in their own way but narrow minded, some are cruel, others, afraid.
Sometimes though, at least for me, villains aren’t people. In What Binds Us, the main villain was the HIV virus. In Damaged Angels the villain was drugs and desperation and mental illness. In addition to the “people villains” in Unbroken, there is also the villain of internalized homophobia which can makes Lincoln believe he is broken.

Elin:  What are you working on at the moment? Can you discuss it or do you prefer to keep it a secret until it’s finished.

Anyone who knows me knows I am terrible at keeping secrets. When I’m working on something I start talking about it right away. I’m not writing anything at the moment. When I finish a book, I find I need a “fallow” period to rest, to recover, to just be. Then at some point, an idea will form, or a character will introduce himself and I’m off.

Elin:  Could we please have an excerpt of something?
Here’s an excerpt from Unbroken


Brainiac
They hurled words like stones: “Brainiac. Sissy. Faggot.”
I sat on the ground, surrounded by a circle of boys bigger and tougher than I. They’d taken my glasses so I couldn’t see. I could only sit there helplessly, trying not to cry, trying not to hear the names they called me.
I let myself go silent in defense, refusing to acknowledge the hateful words: Brainiac. Sissy. Faggot. I refused to acknowledge their hostility, this hostility, this constant hostility, which seemed to be driven less by the fact that I was almost certainly gay, than by the fact I had never denied their accusations. I knew instinctively that to deny, to lie, was to agree they were right, I was wrong, I was broken. That I would not, could not, do.
Looking back, I realize I’d let them, those savage boys whom I did not know or care about, silence me, take my voice away. It would take years, but I would find my voice. I would learn to make myself heard over the sounds of war.
“Hey,” Jose shouted suddenly. “Hey!” I couldn’t see him through the circle of boys, but I recognized his voice, that deep, thunderous rumble.
“Come on,” I heard Elsie say. “It’s just that faggot. This happens to him all the time. He’ll be fine.”
She’d known me since fourth grade yet still, to her, I was “just that faggot.” “My name is Lincoln,” I wanted to shout. “You’ve known me since fourth grade.” Instead I remained on the ground fighting new tears.
Jose pushed through the circle of boys. “Leave him alone.”
He must have seen my raw, naked face for he turned to the boy holding my glasses. “Are those his?” he asked, pulling them out of his hands. “Get lost!”
The boy, surprised, shrugged as if it made no difference to him, and he and his posse of tyrants turned and walked away.
Jose crouched beside me; bouncing on the balls of his feet, he looked at my scattered books, my knapsack open, empty. His eyes went soft, dark with concern. He turned, and said something to Elsie. Then to me, “You okay?”
I nodded, tried to smile, cried instead.
“Hey,” he snapped.
“What?” Elsie popped her gum, stared at him.
“I said, give me a tissue.”
She sucked her teeth, reached into her purse and handed him a single tissue as if it were her last dollar. He glared at her, dark eyes flashing. She reluctantly handed him a handful more which he gave to me. “Dry your eyes and blow your nose,” he instructed me.
I did as I was told.
“You okay?” he asked again, handing me my glasses. I took them from him, put them on.
“Better now,” I said trying to smile.
The boys gone, Elsie moved closer, hovering at the edge of our interaction. Her eyes darted around; she looked everywhere but at me. She appeared less concerned about returning danger than about witnesses to this.
“Okay,” Jose said. “Let’s get your books, and we’ll walk you to the bus stop.” He glanced at Elsie who said nothing.
At the bus stop, Elsie sulked on a bench, again looking everywhere but at me. Jose talked to me of little things: did I understand that Shakespeare passage we’d read in English today? Why does the cafeteria always smell of fish?
Finally the bus came and we were each released from his prison.
“Thanks,” I said as the bus drew to a halt. I was reluctant to leave him, my dashing young hero, but happy to put the day’s events behind me.

###
Unbroken

Blurb:
My parents, unable to change me, had instead, silenced me. When they’d stilled my hands, they’d taken my words, made me lower my voice to a whisper. Later I remained silent in defense, refusing to acknowledge the hateful words: Brainiac. Sissy. Antiman. Faggot.

Lincoln de Chabert’s life is pretty unremarkable until he comes home from kindergarten and announces he will marry his best friend, Orlando, when he grows up. His parents spring into immediate action, determined to fix him―his father takes him to baseball games and the movie “Patton”―igniting an epic battle of wills as Lincoln is determined to remain himself, and marry whom he chooses, at all costs.

Unbroken is available now from Amazon in paperback and Kindle. Barnes and Noble in paperback and Nook, and from Smashwords in all ebook formats.

You may follow Larry here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLarryBenjamin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterLarry
Blog: http://authorlarrybenjamin.blogspot.com/

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Saturday Recs

Posted in Saturday Recs, tagged , , , on September 14, 2013| 4 Comments »

Sweet Saturday, how I love thee. It’s so nice to wake up with the knowledge that I don’t actually HAVE to get out of bed other than for purposes of comfort ALL DAY if I don’t want to. In fact I would jolly well stay in my pit and read until lunchtime only the other half tends to get testy. Anyhow – I have been reading. What have I been reading? Something very good!

My rec is a bit of a different format this week because not only am I recommending a book but I’m offering a copy of it to a commenter as well. Just don’t comment HERE. Please follow this link and comment on that post for a chance to win a lovely copy of Junk by one of my favourite authors,  Jo Myles.

Junk tells the story of Jasper, a university librarian with a compulsion to love and take care of old and unwanted books. He cherishes them and the information they contain, placing them reverendly in the proper places in his house. He is a bibiophile in the purest sense of the word but, hoo boy has it taken over his life. When a book avalanche blocks his living room and he is reduced to living in his bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and the teensy corridors between tottering piles of books he decides to get help.

Enter Lewis, professional declutterer, upon whom Jasper had his very first school boy crush, Lewis’s spikey sister, Carole and a cast of memorable secondary characters.

The book is warm, funny and hopeful, with a message that the first step to recovery from a BIG problem is to admit that you have one.

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