Today kicks off the first stop of my 7-day blog tour! I had a blast answering Annette’s questions at RomFan Reviews. Click here to read what I do to get ready to write and what my warning label and the title of my biography would be.
If you leave a comment at RomFan Reviews, you will be entered to win a free electronic copy of 3.
Thanks to Annette Stone and the Author’s Assistant Agency, I will be going on a blog tour to promote 3.
The tour starts tomorrow, and those who comment at the various blogs are entered to win a free electronic copy of 3. The winner won’t be picked until the end of the blog tour, so if you leave a comment at each of the stops, you have 7 chances to win a free copy!
Here are my blog tour stops and dates:
10/23 RomFan Reviews www.romfanreviews.com
10/25 Literary Nymphs http://literarynymphshotlist.
10/26 Mamma Kitty http://mamakittyreviews.com/
10/29 You Gotta Read Reviews http://yougottaread.com/
11/1 Romance Reviews Today http://www.romrevtoday.com/
11/5 Mantastic http://mantasticfiction.
11/9 Book Wenches http://www.bookwenches.com/
My gracious fellow author, Lou Sylvre, author of Loving Luki Vasquez and Delsyn’s Blues, interviewed me on my new novel 3 and my upcoming release tentatively titled The Gifted One.
Click here to read the interview.
I’ve posted a guest blog on the website of the wonderful and generous J.p. Barnaby. She allowed me to talk about the origin of my new novel 3 and the lesson I learned from the book. If you’re interested on how this novel came about, hop on over and take a look.
J.p. Barnaby–The Uncommon Trio: http://www.jpbarnaby.com/?p=906
The following excerpt from 3 details an important moment in the book–the moment two of the three main characters meet.
I hope you enjoy!
Excerpt:
“I think someone’s growing chicken wings,” Xavier said, clucking like a chicken.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Justin asked as his mind once again returned to the present. The DJ was spinning the latest mix of “We Like to Party” by the Vengaboys, and the gays were tearing it up on the dance floor. “And I’m no chicken.”
“Then go pick him up.”
“Pick who up?” Justin asked, aggravated. “Are you blind to how many people are here?”
Xavier laughed and took another gulp of his beer. “I’ll give you one minute to do it before I go get him and bring him to you. Which, as you know, is a penalty, punishable by—”
“Two tequila shots, I know,” Justin said, cutting him off. “Will you just point him out to me? And be more specific than ‘walking through the door’.”
“He’s the Mexican leaning against the wall on the right.”
“Really?” Justin asked. “Mexican is being specific? We live in San An-fucking-tonio!”
Xavier laughed like a fifth grader at recess, something he did whenever he teased Justin, which meant he heard the snicker on a daily basis. “He’s wearing a black muscle shirt and acid-wash jeans. Thick black hair. He’s also wearing a puka shell necklace that all the fags are wearing these days.”
Justin scanned the crowd and saw him, leaning against the far wall with a pink Cape Cod in his hand. He was muscular and rugged, and way out of Justin’s league. Well-sculpted arms and shoulders framed the black shirt. Even at a relaxed stance, his biceps and triceps were clearly defined. Justin hated him for that. He had been working on his arms for months and had yet to develop such muscle tone.
The muscle shirt also clung to his body as if the fabric was wet, and it revealed an absence of love handles on his tightly packed form. Small, perky nipples poked out from the cloth, and the shirt’s fabric ended about an inch before the jeans began. A treasure trail of hair started at his navel and disappeared beneath the waistband of the jeans. Just below the waistband was a package ready to be delivered.
“Do you see Puka Shell Boy?” Xavier asked.
“Yup,” was all Justin could say.
“Then go get him.”
Justin swallowed hard. This wasn’t going to end well. The image of a B-52 going down in flames flashed before him.
Then he noticed Puka Shell Boy’s friend.
His friend was a few inches taller than both Puka Shell Boy and Justin. If he had to guess, he would put him at almost six feet tall. Sandy-blond hair lay perfectly manicured and parted to the left. Longer strands of hair curled inward at his cheekbones and lightly kissed the most unbelievable alabaster skin Justin had ever seen. His skin looked smoother than silk, as if a sculptor had spent hours chiseling the precious stone into perfection. Draping his skin was a green short-sleeve button-down, neatly tucked into his dark-blue denim jeans. The shirt was fitted but not painted on him like Puka Shell Boy. His lean body resembled a dedicated runner and was neither waifish nor frail.
Then Justin noticed his eyes. Dark-green tinted eyes decorated his features, magically cutting through the dimly lit bar and outshining the sparkling disco ball. They weren’t a green he had seen before. He had seen light green and even olive green eyes, but these eyes looked to be made of jade. They were a deeper, richer green hue than he had ever seen before in his life. They looked exotic and expensive, found only in jewelry from a faraway Asian country like China or Japan.
They were breathtaking. Justin didn’t understand how people were walking by him and not staring into those eyes. He could stare at them for the rest of the night.
“What’s the matter with you?” Xavier asked. “You’re standing there with your mouth open like a fucking retard.”
“He’s so beautiful.”
“No shit!” Xavier exclaimed. “Think of him as my New Year’s present to you. You just have to close the deal.” Xavier put his arm around Justin’s neck, Xavier’s sign of friendship and love. “By the end of the night, Puka Shell Boy will be on his back looking up at you, or you know, looking down at you on your back.” Xavier then pushed Justin forward. “Now, hurry up. It’s almost midnight.”
Justin didn’t know what came over him. All it took was a simple shove, and he was crossing the room toward the stranger with the perfect skin and the amazing green eyes. He felt drawn to him, as if he were caught in an unbreakable gravitational field.
Puka Shell Boy noticed Justin coming first. He elbowed his green-eyed friend and flashed a disinterested grin, most likely thinking Justin was coming to talk to him. He wasn’t. Puka Shell Boy no longer existed in his world.
As he approached, the crowds around him got louder. Apparently, the stroke of midnight was approaching. Someone was speaking on a microphone, most likely the drag queen hostess for the night’s festivities, but he couldn’t make out what she was saying. All he could see were the green eyes and the white skin pulling at him like the moon pulls on the ocean.
“Ten, nine, eight…”
Closer still he drew, passing by couples with their arms around each other, preparing for their New Year’s kiss.
“… seven, six, five, four…”
Six feet from the most beautiful man he had ever seen, Justin found he was holding his breath. He had to remind himself to breathe for fear that he would pass out only a few feet away from his intended. Up close, his eyes were more radiant than from across the room. Flecks of gold glinted within the green irises.
“… three, two…”
Then he was standing before him. Puka Shell Boy leaned next to his friend, amazed that he wasn’t the object of Justin’s attention. He whispered something in his friend’s ear, but his friend wasn’t paying attention. He, too, was staring straight at Justin.
“… one ….”
Justin reached up and put his left hand around the green-eyed beauty’s neck. Pulling his head toward him, Justin crossed the remainder of the distance.
Their lips met, and the world suddenly came crashing back to life. Noisemakers exploded throughout the club. People were yelling “Happy New Year,” and confetti and glitter were tossed about. The DJ began playing “Auld Lang Syne.”
Through the noise, the revelry, and the singing, the two never stopped kissing. Their tongues jostled in each other’s mouths as they each inhaled the other’s hot passionate breaths.
Never had Justin been more excited about a new year.
I can’t believe that the release of my first book from Dreamspinner Press is less than a week a way. The word “excited” just doesn’t adequately define how I feel.
I’ve created a book trailer for 3 that I wanted to share with everyone. I hope you enjoy it!
Today, I’ll be concluding my three-part interview series with characters from 3, which releases October 15, 2012, from Dreamspinner Press. I interviewed Justin Jimenez and Spencer Harrison in Parts 1 and 2 of the series. Those interviews can be found here and here.
Joining me today is struggling photographer Dutch Keller.
Dutch, I’m glad you were able to make it to the interview today.
Dutch: Thanks, buddy. I appreciated being asked, but then I read the interviews you did with Justin and Spencer, and I thought about canceling.
Really? I thought the interviews went rather well.
Dutch: Oh, they did. You just asked some pretty tough questions. You have me kinda worried about what you’re gonna ask me.
Good. I was concerned I offended either Justin or Spencer.
Dutch: (laughing) Not at all. They’re big boys, although not as big as me (winks).
Why do I get the feeling you’re a bit of a flirt?
Dutch: I guess I kinda am, but it’s all in good fun.
Does that get you in trouble? Being such a big flirt?
Dutch: Hmmm, I’ve never really thought about it. I’m not much of a thinker. I’m not saying I’m stupid or anything, but I act mostly on impulse, with what feels good or right to me, whether it is or not. So, yeah, I guess it can get me in trouble. I’m a lot like Yosemite Sam in that way, at least that’s what my dad used to say.
Yosemite Sam? The angry little guy from Bugs Bunny with the red hair and a mustache?
Dutch: That’s the one.
Would you mind elaborating on that, please?
Dutch: Well, you remember how stubborn Yosemite Sam was? If he wanted to do something or go somewhere, he kept on trying to do it. No matter what Bugs did to stop him. That’s kind of the way I live. I charge through life with both barrels ready. Life’s short after all, so I try not to waste time weighing pros and cons on whether I should or shouldn’t do something. If I want to, I usually just do it. If not, then I don’t.
If I remember correctly, Yosemite Sam also possessed a pretty hot temper. Are you similar in that way too?
Dutch: Not really. I’m an easy going guy. I’m not quick to anger or anything like Sam was, but if someone’s intent on poking this bear, they better be prepared to deal with the consequences. Just because I may not want to fight doesn’t mean I won’t.
You mentioned earlier that your dad compared you to Yosemite Sam, and I couldn’t help but see the smile in your eyes when you mentioned him. Were you two close?
Dutch: Oh, man, my dad was my best friend. I could always count on him to be there for me. As a kid, we always hung out together, just tossing the football or eating pizza. Those were good times. He also had no trouble showing me affection. Most dads are kinda distant with their sons. To try and teach them how to be a man, I guess. But not my dad, and I’m a better man for it. If I needed a hug, I got it, and he just knew I needed it. When I told him I was gay, I was worried how my big, man’s man dad would react, but he didn’t care. Didn’t miss one beat. He just nodded his head and laughed, saying how he should’ve bought me a Playgirl instead of a Playboy. He was my rock, you know? When he died, it was hard on us all.
He sounds like a great man, and it’s easy to see that his death still affects you deeply. What about the rest of your family? Are you all close?
Dutch: Yeah, we are. My mom recently passed away too, so it’s just me and my sister Heidi and my crazy niece and nephew. But they’re still living in Boston, and I’m here in San Antonio. It’s tough being so far away from my family, but Heidi and I talk at least twice a week, if not more.
It’s very obvious that your family dynamics differ greatly from Justin and Spencer’s. Spencer barely speaks to his family, and Justin hasn’t spoken to his father in years. But you seem to come from a loving family, who knew exactly how to show love and to remain together.
Dutch: Yeah. Justin and Spencer both had pretty tough childhoods. I feel for them sometimes.
Okay then, here’s my first tough question. You ready?
Dutch: Do I have a choice?
Not really. You come from such a loving family, with two parents who obviously loved each other and provided a good role model for a loving relationship, yet your love life is a veritable disaster. You became involved with Justin, who was for all intents and purposes a married man. How does someone who comes from such a functioning household fall into such dysfunctional relationships?
Dutch: Ouch.
I meant no offense, but you have to admit it’s a valid question.
Dutch: It is, but ouch all the same. I don’t know if I have an answer that’ll satisfy you, or anyone else. It’s true that I’ve gotten into some pretty bad relationships, and Justin wasn’t the first. Well, he’s the first “married” man, as you would say, that I’ve become involved with, but I approach my love life the same way I do everything else. Like Yosemite Sam. I wasn’t thinking about consequences or anything else. It just felt right, and I went with it. I don’t want anyone to think I intentionally set out to hurt anyone because that’s so far from the truth. I know that people did get hurt, and that’s part of what the book is about. Dealing with that guilt and what the consequences of my actions helped do to Justin and Spencer’s relationship. As well as to me.
I assume you’re referring to the fact that you “sought solace in a bottle” as the book’s blurb mentions?
Dutch: Yeah. Now that was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, and I paid the price for that too, but I won’t go into too much detail because that’ll be revealing more than I’m supposed to.
I understand. As the final question, the book blurb also mentions that “friendship, passion, and betrayal” are key components to the journey you, Justin, and Spencer undertake. With such a complicated dynamic already, can there really be friendship amidst the passion and betrayal that causes such heartache?
Dutch: Wow. Let me see if I can answer that without once again giving too much away. The three of us made some pretty big mistakes, individually as well as collectively. Those mistakes, or betrayals, rocked all of our worlds. We each paid a price for them, but I think that the reader will see three very flawed man, trying to survive the crapstorm that their lives have become. Granted, it’s one of their own making, but who hasn’t made a mistake? Who hasn’t done something they shouldn’t have and then tried to make it better? Whether it’s made better or not, we all try and that attempt comes from a good place, whether it’s motivated by love or friendship. The three of us aren’t any different really from anyone else. Justin, Spencer, and I are just trying to fix what we are all responsible for breaking. Whether we fix it or not, well, that I can’t say.
Dutch, thank you for stopping by. It’s been enlightening, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know you better. I wish you, Justin, and Spencer the best, and I also hope that there is happiness in your futures.
*blog post image from FreeDigitalPhotos.com by imagerymajestic
Today, we move to part 2 of our 3 part interview series of the main characters from the soon-to-be released novel 3 from Dreamspinner Press. Last time, I interviewed Justin Jimenez. If you missed it, you can read the interview by clicking here.
Today, I’ll be sitting down with Spencer Harrison, Professor of Spanish and French at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas.
Spencer, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us here.
Spencer: Thank you for asking me to be here. I’m really quite excited!
That’s quite a difference from Justin. He told me he was extremely nervous and that he got lost trying to get to the interview.
Spencer: Yes, well, Justin gets lost in our neighborhood. I’ve never met anyone with such a poor sense of direction. Even though he’s lived in San Antonio his entire life, he asks me how to get somewhere.
So, I take it you have a much better sense of direction?
Spencer: (laughing) Oh, God, yes! Justin says I’m like a homing pigeon because I just instinctively know where to go. I’ve always been that way. Maybe it’s from growing up as an army brat. I’ve lived all over the country. Germany and England too. I guess when you live in so many different locales, you have to get used to finding your way around.
Tell us about your family life. What was your life like growing up? Do you have brothers and sisters or are you an only child like Justin?
Spencer: I have an older brother and younger sister, and we’re not close. My brother Brandon and I have a general loathing for each other, which is sad to say, but the truth nonetheless. I think Brandon knew I was gay before I did. He resented me for that. For not being the alpha male dad wanted me to be. In their eyes, I was weaker because I wasn’t good at sports and because I actually expressed emotions that I was feeling. Harrison men are reared to be cold, heartless killers, which makes them perfect soldiers but awful human beings.
What about your sister?
Spencer: Carolyn and I aren’t close either. She at least makes attempts, at times, to reach out, but she’s such a bitch that I rarely expend energy to deal with her. You see, the Harrison women turn into shrews as a defense mechanism. They have to find a way to cope with the dominance the Harrison men impose upon them. The men in my family expect women to be subservient and they treat women like property rather than people. It’s quite sad and embarrassing for me to be a part of a family still living in the 1950’s.
That sounds like quite the tough up-bringing. How has your family affected the person you are today?
Spencer: Truthfully? It’s screwed me up. I grew up not feeling close to anyone, as if I was on my own. Most people feel as if their families have their back. That no matter what they go through, they can go home or call mom or dad and get whatever support was needed to get through the tough times. I don’t have that, and I proceeded through life with that mentality. The only one I could ever count on was me.
So, how does that affect your love life? Does it present problems with your relationships?
Spencer: Most certainly. It’s very difficult for me to let people in. I tend to keep barriers between me and everyone else just because I’ve grown accustomed to doing that with my family. If you have to protect yourself from family, then why would anyone else be different? That’s why personal relationships have been so difficult for me. To be in a good, healthy relationship, you have to expose yourself to risk. You are literally placing your heart in someone else’s hands, and the prospect terrified me. It was something I really wanted to try though, especially once I went to undergrad at Rice, and I was surrounded by all these people who were exploring their young lives to the fullest while I holed up in my room, studying.
College is a transformative time for many people. It’s where we take our first tentative steps as adults, so it makes sense that you would make progress in your personal relationships. What happened?
Spencer: I met this guy named Mike in English class. He was gorgeous and really in to me. I wanted to let my guard down for him, but it was hard for me to lower walls I had spent years fortifying around my heart. Mike persisted though. He chipped away until I finally broke down; I fell head over heels in love with him. The feeling, however, wasn’t mutual, something I didn’t learn until a few years later. It left me devastated and more determined than ever to not let another person inside where they could hurt me.
Heartbreaks are a part of falling in love though, and we all open ourselves up to pain when we give ourselves to someone else. As agonizing as it may be, we learn from those failed relationships and carry those lessons with us into the relationships that follow. Mike may have hurt you, but you recovered and grew from it. All of which prepared you for falling in love with Justin.
Spencer: I suppose that’s true, but nothing could have ever prepared me for the pain of Justin’s betrayal.
I doubt anything can ever prepare us for that kind of pain. You and Justin had been together for ten years when you learned about his affair with Dutch. In fact, the two of you had been rebuilding your relationship, which had almost fallen apart the previous year. And it was during that time of separation that Dutch entered Justin’s life.
Spencer: Is there a question here?
Yes, sorry. I know this is painful to talk about, but what I want to ask is this: can a relationship recover from this?
Spencer: I suppose it’s possible for some people to work through this, but our situation is unique in so many ways. I don’t want to give too much information away, but as much as I would love to make Justin the scapegoat, I can’t. We both broke our relationship. We did things as a couple we shouldn’t have done. But even beyond that, I hid secrets of my own, secrets that I thought were better kept to save our relationship, but they only made things worse.
And these secrets somehow included Dutch?
Spencer: Yes, but I can’t share those with you here. That would definitely be giving too much away!
Well, Spencer, we have reached the end of our interview. I appreciate the fact that you stopped by today and shared some rather personal information. You have me, and possibly some readers out there, wondering just what these secrets might be, but I wish you the best on a happy resolution to the recent problems in your life.
*blog post image FreeDigitalPhotos.net by Africa
I’m thrilled to announce that in celebration of the upcoming release (October 15, 2012) of 3 from Dreamspinner Press, I will be conducting a three-part interview series with the three main characters from the novel on “From Gay to Z.” Here, readers will get a chance to meet the characters and learn a little bit about Justin, Spencer, and Dutch prior to the book’s release.
To give everyone some background information, here’s the official blurb for 3:
Justin Jimenez has loved his partner, Spencer Harrison, for ten years. He’ll do anything for him—including bury his feelings for a man he met while he and Spencer were separated last year. Justin never planned to fall in love, and he certainly never planned to tell Spencer about it—but when a phone call wakes them in the middle of the night to inform Justin that his former lover, Dutch Keller, has been in an accident, he doesn’t have a choice.
Justin’s revelation shatters the fragile relationship he and Spencer were trying to rebuild. The weight of his guilt—both for hurting Spencer and for leaving a heartbroken Dutch to find solace in a bottle—crushes him. But what Justin doesn’t know is that Spencer and Dutch guard an explosive secret of their own. All three men are tangled in a communal web of lies, and unless they find the events in their lives that ultimately led them to friendship, passion, and betrayal, they won’t see the love at the heart of the pain.”
Today, I’ll be kicking off the interviews with Justin Jimenez, a high school principal at Burbank High School in San Antonio, Texas.
First of all, Justin, thanks for joining me here at “From Gay to Z.” I hope you didn’t have any difficulty finding the place.
Justin: Thanks for having me, and, well, I get lost pretty easy. I have no sense of direction. I always want to turn right for some reason!
It can’t be that bad, can it?
Justin: I wish it wasn’t, but it is. I don’t know if I’m just not paying attention to my surroundings or what, but I can get lost coming home from work. Now keep in mind, San Antonio always seems to be fixing itself. Detour here. Road construction there. If you miss your exit, you go for a mile or two in a completely different direction and then have no clue how to get back to where you need to go. It gets really confusing! Plus, today, I’m nervous, and when I’m this distracted, I’m pretty hopeless when it comes to going somewhere I’ve never been before.
Why are you so nervous?
Justin: Are you kidding me? This is my first public appearance. I’m not used to being put out there on display. It’s a tad overwhelming. It took me an hour just to do my hair!
Okay, so you have no sense of direction and a touch of vanity?
Justin: Hey! I’m not vain. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good. Is there?
No, I guess not. But an hour?
Justin: My hair doesn’t always want to behave. I have a pretty wicked cowlick, and when my hair gets longer, it’s more difficult to tame. If you want to talk vanity with someone, ask Spencer. Vanity and Spencer are best friends.
I’ll be sure to ask him about it, but we’re talking about you, not Spencer. So, tell us about yourself in three sentences or less.
Justin: (groaning) I’d rather talk about Spencer’s vanity. I hate talking about myself, but if you insist, here goes: I tend to be pretty focused on whatever I’m trying to accomplish. It’s what helped me move out of the barrio and create a different life for myself. Unfortunately, it had some side effects; I can be pretty darn stubborn and a tad selfish, as a result.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting more out of life. And being stubborn and selfish can sometimes help someone achieve those goals. But, what problems have those character traits created for you?
Justin: Wow, that’s pretty deep! But I have to say that I sometimes ignore the needs of others in my life in pursuit of what I want. It’s funny really. In order to achieve the life I always imagined, I had to stay focused on my ultimate goal. Nothing could stand in my way. Not people who thought I would never climb my way out of poverty or boyfriends who wanted me to ease up on my education or career to spend more time with them. I was a man on a mission. I had a path before me, and I had to walk it at my own pace. With or without anyone else. But now that I finally have the life I envisioned, a good job, financial stability, and a relationship, I need to work on opening my eyes more to the needs of those I love. I can’t have the only-child mentality anymore. The world is bigger than me and my wants.
That’s a pretty common conflict for only children, so I’m sure you’re not alone there. But since you bring up your family, tell us about them. How have they helped shape the man you are today?
Justin: They’ve had everything to do with the man I am. My mom and I are pretty close. As long as I’m happy, she’s happy. Same goes for everyone else in my family. They all support me unconditionally. Having that in my life has made me think that anything is possible.
Now, I know your father is a sensitive subject for you, but what about your relationship with him? How has that affected you?
Justin: The man is non-existent for me. He abandoned me and my mom a long time ago.
And it’s had no affect on you as an adult?
Justin: Well, it’s certainly created trust issues. One of my biggest fears is that someone I love will leave me the way he did. I mean, if a father can abandon his son, why can’t a lover just as easily pack up and walk out the door? That’s why I don’t do well with confrontation. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem wading into a disagreement, I can even provoke them, but on the inside I can’t help but wonder: is this it? Will he leave me after this fight?
That’s a pretty tough way to approach a relationship. Does it affect how you fall in love? Is it at first sight or does it happen over a period of time?
Justin: You know, you’d think it would be something that would happen over a period of time for me, but it hasn’t worked that way at all. When I fall in love, it’s like the universe has presented me with a gift that I just reach out and grab, not thinking about the consequences at all. For someone who lives on a pre-set path, that seems weird, I know, but for me falling in love has been, well, magical. Both times that it’s happened to me, that’s how it’s been. One minute I’m going about my life like usual, then BAM! I’m in love. That’s weird, right?
I don’t think so. How people fall in love is fascinating to me as a person and a reader. It’s not something we can control. If we could, I doubt love would truly exist. But since we’re on the subject of love, 3 is about your relationships with Spencer and Dutch, which seems quite complicated to the every day person. Without giving too much away, tell us about those relationships.
Justin: That’s a tough one. All I’ll say is that our relationship goes beyond people’s preconceived notions of m/m/m fiction. It’s not about men who are led around by their, um, manhoods. I’m not saying we don’t have sex. We are human! But sex is really a minor part of our relationship. Our story is about the events that led us to a pretty difficult point in our lives. How we as men screwed up a lot of things, by lying to others but more importantly to ourselves. What we had to do was evaluate those mistakes and take a good hard look at our actions. It’s more of a journey, really. As for where we might end up, well, who ever knows how things will work out. All of us, readers included, will just have to wait and see.
Well, that’s all the time we have for today, Justin. Thanks for stopping by. I wish you good luck on your journey.
*blog post image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net by photostock
As you may know, I haven’t posted on my blog since March, and some of you might be wondering why. Well, here’s the skinny.
I’ve been working on getting my novel published that I began working on last year. Thankfully Dreamspinner Press has agreed to publish my book, which is slated for release in September. Obviously, I’m very excited about the opportunity. Right now, the book is in the editing/galley stage. Basically, that means an editor is currently scouring through the manuscript, looking for areas that I will need to address/fix, and a Dreamspinner artist is working on the cover. I can’t wait to see what the artist comes up with. When I get the final rendering of the cover, I will definitely be sharing.
If you’re wondering about the book, it’s tentatively titled 3, and is a m/m/m romance. Just what the hay is a m/m/m romance, you ask? It’s about a relationship between three men, hence the m/m/m, and if you think a relationship between two people (whether gay or straight) is complicated, adding another person to the mix quadruples the complication factor.
Here’s a tentative blurb for the book:
Justin loves Spencer, his partner of ten years, and would do anything to keep him, even burying intense feelings for another man. He never planned on falling in love with someone else, but last year, during a time of romantic upheaval and separation, he did. Now, the “other” man he fell in love with has been in a car accident. The news rouses his suppressed emotions as well as shatters his current relationship.
While Justin works to rebuild his life with the once carefree Spencer, he also feels responsible for Dutch’s injuries, inflicted by the car accident and their terminated affair. What Justin doesn’t know, however, is that Spencer and Dutch also have a secret, a past relationship that started as a friendship but quickly grew into something much more.
Can Justin make amends with the men in his life and forgive their sins? Will Spencer and Dutch absolve Justin or themselves? Or will their lies and betrayals prove that three is most definitely a crowd?
Told from all three men’s points of view, readers travel not only on a journey of discovery but also on a voyage through memory. These men find in their past and their present the events in their lives that ultimately led them to friendship and love, passion and betrayal, but more importantly to each other.
I’ve had some people ask: why switch to romance when your last book was dystopian gay fiction?
Well, the answer is quite simple. When I was making the rounds trying to get Moral Authority published, I was told by several publishers that the idea was great, but that my reading niche wanted books of happier fare and with more sex. Books without them didn’t sell well from new authors with no previous publishing success. Apparently, the combination of romance and sex pulls in the readership and brings in the sales, which is obviously extremely important to both publisher and author.
Well, I can do romance and sex–quite well, in my most humble opinion. But I had to find an angle, something that made my book different from others. I didn’t want to write the standard boy meets boy, boy falls in love with boy, boy screws up relationship with boy, boy and boy separate, and then boy and boy reunite.
I needed something meatier (if you pardon the pun), so when I was coming up for ideas for this new novel, my mind drifted to a trio that I know. (For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a trio is a committed relationship between three people.) I began to speculate how that relationship came about, and my rumination culminated in my novel 3.
It has romance and sex, but there’s more to it than candlelit dinners and between-the-sheets action. The novel explores the concept of a trio, which believe it or not, is becoming more common than you might think, and it delves into the deep psychological and emotional conflict such intense emotions churn to the surface.
I enjoyed writing this novel so much, I have already completed another manuscript. The new one is a m/m romance, but more paranormal than contemporary like 3. It explores Christian mythology and lore while the budding relationship ignites and weathers some dark waters. This new novel is tentatively titled The Gifted One, and is currently being reviewed by my friend and personal editor (and good luck charm) K. K was instrumental in 3 becoming published thanks to her eagle eye and hard-hitting but accurate criticism, so naturally I humbly asked K to look at this new manuscript, which I also plan to submit to Dreamspinner Press.
So as you can see, I’ve been pretty busy behind the scenes that something had to take a backseat. Since my family and full time paying job could never be placed on the back burner, the blog had to, but I’m back for now, and I hope you come back too.
See you in the blogosphere!