Andrew Grey's Blog, page 28
October 22, 2012
Burnished by Fire Releases Wednesday Morning at Midnight
Blurb:
Firefighters Lee Stanton and Dirk Krause need a vacation. Work seems to have other ideas: they spend the day before their holiday begins battling a fire that claims three lives. Thankfully, Lee and Dirk will have a whole week on the high seas to recover.
They’re having a wonderful time—until they spot Dirk’s miserable, closed-minded father on the ship. Between his father’s presence and his guilt over the lives he couldn’t save, Dirk feels sure his romantic cruise is going to tank. But then he saves another passenger’s life— and maybe he can salvage something else too.
Add to your Dreamspinner Wish List: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3299
Excerpt:
The drive to Baltimore and then the flight and trip across Florida to the port went off without a hitch, and to top it off, Dirk had seen a alligator sunning itself along the way. How cool was that? As they approached the port, the bus wound around and pulled up alongside the biggest ship he’d ever seen. “Good God,” Dirk said softly, before letting out a whistle. “I had no idea the thing was going to be that gigantimous!”
“When it was built, Freedom of the Seas was the largest cruise ship ever built,” Lee explained as he too leaned across to get a better view out the window. They sat on the bus for a few minutes as their luggage was unloaded, and then they were instructed to get in line for boarding. It was quite a process. The bags had to be X-rayed, and then they stood in a line where they signed papers, had their pictures taken, presented credit cards, and received the SeaPasses that would act as their credit cards, room keys, and identification. “Have a good cruise,” the lady said as they walked away, holding onto their carry-on bags.
They wound through the port building’s hallways and eventually found themselves on the gangway and then aboard the ship. Dirk could hardly believe it. They were here and ready to start their vacation. “Staterooms aren’t quite available yet,” one of the crew members explained, “but please go up to the Windjammer on eleven and have some lunch. By the time you’re done, they should be available.” She motioned them inside, and they found the elevators and pressed the call button.
They rode up in the glass elevator car to the eleventh deck and followed the other passengers into the large buffet. Lee found a table and they set down their bags. “Go ahead and get something to eat. I’ll sit with the bags.”
Dirk thanked him and got some lunch before returning to the table. “They have everything you can think of,” Dirk told Lee as he set down his plate.
“A waiter came by and I ordered something to drink,” Lee explained as he got up. “I’ll be right back.” Somehow Dirk doubted that. The place was huge and there was food everywhere. He began to eat, and the waiter returned with water and coffee. When Lee got back to the table, he was carrying two plates and had a boggled look on his face.
“What do you want to do first?” Lee asked as he began eating.
“I say we change into bathing suits and hit the pool deck or maybe the FlowRider thing,” Dirk said. “I wanna get wet and then lie in the sun.”
“Sounds like a plan, but we have to watch the time. There’s a muster drill at four, but other than that, the day is all ours.” Lee looked like a teenager when he said that, and Dirk couldn’t help returning his smile. For months, they’d both worked hard, taking extra shifts so they could start their lives together on a solid financial footing. It was paying off, but had been exhausting for both of them. Dirk wanted to reach across the table to squeeze Lee’s hand, but he wasn’t sure how it would be received, so he simply smiled at him and ate his lunch, anxious to get started on the fun.
Excitement seemed to be everywhere as they finished eating. People hurried around them, talking spiritedly. Dirk couldn’t hear what anyone was saying, but the anticipation had everyone on an excitement high that he found contagious. “Look at the other ships,” Lee said as he pointed around the harbor. “There’s a Disney ship and a Carnival ship. Those things look small compared to what we’re on.” Lee grinned as he took a bite of his chicken. “This is going to be great.”
“There you are,” Marshall, the travel agent who’d booked the cruise for them, said as he approached their table. “We sort of lost track of you two. The rest of the group is meeting on the helipad for sail-away if you want to join. That way you can meet everyone. We had to travel in two groups, and some people came down yesterday.”
Dirk looked at Lee to see if he was interested. He didn’t particularly care if they met everyone or not. All he wanted to do was relax in the sun for a while. “Maybe we’ll see you there,” Lee said with a smile that Dirk knew was pure placation.
“I’m in stateroom 6519 if you need anything,” Marshall said.
“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Lee said. “We’ve booked excursions at Coco Cay and St. Thomas. On St. Maarten we’re going to get off the ship and find the nearest beach. You have a great cruise, and enjoy yourself too. Don’t let everyone run you ragged.”
“I’ll try not to,” Marshall said, moving away from the table, and Dirk went back to his lunch.
“You have no interest in the sail-away thing, do you?” Lee asked, and Dirk rolled his eyes before shaking his head. “I didn’t think so.” Lee reached into his bag and began fishing around before removing a small bottle and handing Dirk a blue pill. “Bonine,” Lee explained as he swallowed one.
“You get seasick?” Dirk asked, and Lee shrugged.
“Don’t really know, and I’m not interested in finding out,” Lee explained. “I doubt it, but I’m not really interested in ruining the trip by woofing all over the place.”
Dirk looked at the little pill before handing it back. “I’m fine.” Lee put the pill away and packed up the things he’d pulled out. “Do we need to carry our dishes someplace?” Dirk asked, looking around.
“No. It looks like they clean things up.” Lee stood up and lifted his bag. “Let’s go have some fun,” Lee told him with a boyish grin that Dirk found both infectious and sexy as hell. “Hopefully we can drop the bags in our stateroom.”
They left the buffet and threaded their way out onto the pool deck. The warm, fresh breeze was wonderful, and Dirk immediately realized he was wearing too many clothes. He stripped off the sweatshirt he’d forgotten he had on, shoving it into his bag, and immediately felt more comfortable.
People were already swimming and relaxing in the bubbling whirlpools. Waiters roamed among the deck chairs with frozen tropical drinks in souvenir glasses. A live calypso band played on a small stage near the main swimming pools. It seemed like a tropical party, and they’d been invited. “This is going to be so cool,” Dirk said with a huge grin as he stopped and watched a group of kids already playing in the kid’s pool decorated with spouting figures and a waterfall.
“Shit, what’s he doing here?” Lee said from behind him, and Dirk turned, following Lee’s gaze.
“What are you…?” Dirk saw who Lee was looking at and nearly dropped his bag. “What the hell?” Dirk asked softly, seeing his relaxing vacation flying away on the wings of one of the birds gliding over the ship as his father made his way toward them. “Fuck!”
October 11, 2012
The Good Fight - 5 Stars from Joyfully Jay
The Good Fight was reviewed and awarded 5 Stars from Joyfully Jay.Thank you so much Crissy. I'm so glad you liked the book well enought to review it. Thank you so much.
Crissy said: One of the big points that this story makes – and one of my very favorites – is that there are two types of family, the family you’re born into and the family you choose. Jerry’s family turned their backs on him and there were times that he mourned that loss, but throughout this story he was creating his own family. Before he realized it, Jerry had a family that loved him and supported him – his two friends who acted as surrogate parents, Peter and Leonard; his other employee and friend, Bryce; John’s niece and nephew; of course, John; and even John’s mother and extended family. It’s a wonderful example to show that family is more than just the people we’re bound to by DNA.
The Good Fight by Andrew Grey is a great tale of two men from two different worlds who find that love can be strong enough to break down barriers in more ways than one. I adore this book and highly recommend it. Read the entire review: http://joyfullyjay.com/2012/10/review-the-good-fight-by-andrew-grey.html
October 9, 2012
Two Reviews in One Day - Love Comes Silently and Love Means... No Shame
Today I learned of a great new review for Love Comes Silently at On Top Down Under Reviews. Cindi said: This is not insta-love by any means. There are not a lot of sex scenes though the ones there are written beautifully. This is a story about illness, friendship, acceptance, healing, love and family.
I suggest having tissues close by. I'm not one to get too emotional by the stories I read but I found myself teary-eyed often.
Read the entire amazing review: http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot.com/2012/10/love-comes-silently-andrew-grey.html?zx=ed8d8f47faa85d62
I also learned of a Dual Review at The Paranormal Romance Guild for Love Means... No Shame. Both reviewers gave it 4 1/2 stars. Read both reviews here: http://www.paranormalromanceguild.com/reviewsandrewgrey.htm They are really amazing reviews by two wonderful people. Thank you both so very much.
October 4, 2012
Interview and Excerpt
A few weeks ago I was at a writer's conference in Maryland and I met Sharon Buchbinder a fellow author and the President of the Maryland Romance Writers. The conference was great and Sharon was wonderful. We talked during one of the breaks and she invited me to be a guest at her blog. Sharon is a great hostess and spending time with her was alot of fun.
Read the interview and excerpt here: http://sharonbuchbinder.com/blog/2012/10/04/interview-with-andrew-grey-author-of-love-comes-silently/
October 2, 2012
Accompanied by a Waltz Won a Golden Rose!
Love Romances and More has an annual contest called The golden Rose. This year I entered Accompanied by a Waltz in the Contemporary category and I’m please to announce that it won!!! (Does the dance of joy!) I can hardly believe it. This isn’t the first contest I’ve entered, but it is the first I’ve won where the entries were read by a panel of judges as opposed to internet voting. The judges had wonderful comments on the story:
Accompanied by a Waltz is an incredible read! I ran the gauntlet of emotions with this book. As far as I can remember this is the first perfect score I have awarded since started Judging for Golden Roses. An absolute wonderful, beautiful story. Would list Mr. Grey as an auto-buy/auto-read.
The author has a strong voice and penned the characters well.
Accompanied by a Waltz can be purchased from Dreamspinner Press. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2185
5 Sweet Pea Review for Love Comes Silently
Mrs. Condit at Mrs,. Condit and Friends Read Books reviewed Love Comes Silently. Mrs. Condit said: When I saw that Andrew Grey had a new book coming out and read the blurb for it I was both delighted and a little bit worried. I love Mr. Grey’s books but a father in danger of losing his child to cancer? LOVE COMES SILENTLY has tragedy and rebirth on several levels and is an astonishing book about love in many forms.
Read the entire review: http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index.php/?p=8050
Love Comes Silently is Available Everywhere
Caring for a loved one with cancer is tough. Doing it alone is overwhelming—especially when that loved one is a child. But ever since Ken Brighton’s partner left him, Ken has spent his days at the hospital with his daughter, Hanna, hoping for a miracle. Maybe the mysterious care packages that appear for Hanna don’t qualify, but they bring a spark of hope into his and Hanna’s tired life—and so does Ken’s neighbor, former singer Patrick Flaherty.
For two years Patrick hasn’t been able to focus on anything but the life he should have had. An injury robbed him of his voice, and the idea of introducing himself to new people intimidates him. But over the past months, he’s watched as his neighbor nursed his sick child, and once he meets Ken, Patrick starts to crave a life with him—a life he isn't sure he can have.
Ken doesn’t realize he’s fallen in love until the doctors send Hanna home, saying there’s nothing more they can do: Hanna will either recover or succumb. Ken’s heart is set on a new beginning—with both Patrick and Hanna. But Patrick's silence leaves Ken wondering what Patrick wants.
Purchase from Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3252
Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Comes-Silently-ebook/dp/B009JXNXS0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349090037&sr=8-1&keywords=love+comes+silently
Purchase from Rainbow eBooks: http://www.rainbowebooks.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=8981
Purchase from All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lovecomessilently-964612-145.html
October 1, 2012
5 Drop Review and Award of Excellence for Love Comes Silently
Mistress Anya at House Millar reviewed Love Comes Silently and awarded it 5 Drops and an Award of Excellence.
Mistress Anya said: Love Comes Silently is a true 5 drops story and earns my Award of Excellence for sweet passion and a true heart! Thank you for sharing this story with us, Andrew.
Read the entire review: http://apmassie.com/release-day-promo-and-5-%e2%9c%af-review-love-comes-silently-by-andrew-grey-w-excerpt/
Purchase from Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3252
Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Comes-Silently-ebook/dp/B009JXNXS0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349090037&sr=8-1&keywords=love+comes+silently
Love Comes Silently is now Available!!!!
Love Comes Silenty is now available. Dreamspinner Press released it at mignight. I'm so excited about this story I can barely sit still. For some reason this story got under my skin. My partner says its because I'm a huge softie, but I think its because I love writing about love.
So, how do you tell someone 'I Love You' when you can't say the words? Read Love Comes Silently and find out.
Caring for a loved one with cancer is tough. Doing it alone is overwhelming—especially when that loved one is a child. But ever since Ken Brighton’s partner left him, Ken has spent his days at the hospital with his daughter, Hanna, hoping for a miracle. Maybe the mysterious care packages that appear for Hanna don’t qualify, but they bring a spark of hope into his and Hanna’s tired life—and so does Ken’s neighbor, former singer Patrick Flaherty.
For two years Patrick hasn’t been able to focus on anything but the life he should have had. An injury robbed him of his voice, and the idea of introducing himself to new people intimidates him. But over the past months, he’s watched as his neighbor nursed his sick child, and once he meets Ken, Patrick starts to crave a life with him—a life he isn't sure he can have.
Ken doesn’t realize he’s fallen in love until the doctors send Hanna home, saying there’s nothing more they can do: Hanna will either recover or succumb. Ken’s heart is set on a new beginning—with both Patrick and Hanna. But Patrick's silence leaves Ken wondering what Patrick wants.
Purchase from Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3252
Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Comes-Silently-ebook/dp/B009JXNXS0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349090037&sr=8-1&keywords=love+comes+silently
Excerpt:
Patrick Flaherty had seen the little bald girl’s reaction to the box of hats he’d placed outside the front door of the house she shared with her father. Patrick had found out the man with the beatific smile and eyes so deep it looked like the worries of the entire world would fit inside them was named Ken, and that he was some sort of artist. He hadn’t heard much else about him, other than he was new in town and that his daughter had been very sick. Patrick did know from watching him that the other man who’d lived in the house had been Ken’s boyfriend, but he appeared to have moved out, and now it was just Ken and his daughter. That was fine with Patrick. He’d noticed the other man the very first day he’d moved in two houses down the street from the small house Patrick had inherited from his mother. Not that he had any illusions that Ken had noticed him, other than to see him outside working.
People in town had been talking about Ken and his daughter for months, their tongues flapping like a flag in the wind off Lake Superior. Apparently, Ken Brighton was some really famous artist, with his paintings hanging in museums and selling for big bucks all over the country. That was one thing Patrick had found out very quickly after the accident that left him nearly completely silent—people figured that since he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t hear, either, or think. Patrick clenched the handle of the snow shovel as his anger and hurt welled inside. He was the same person he’d been before the accident, and he wished he could make others see that.
After watching the front of the house for a few seconds more, Patrick let the squeal of joy he’d heard drifting on the wind bring a smile to his face as he returned to his chores. He had to get these done before the snow that had begun to melt hardened into ice he’d never get off the sidewalk.
Patrick worked for nearly an hour, and he was about to put his shovel away when he saw Ken and his daughter come out of the house. He couldn’t suppress a grin when he saw the little girl was wearing the poofy pink hat he’d given her. She held her father’s hand, and Patrick walked closer, waving at both of them. He saw the little girl wave back at him before she pulled her hand from her dad’s and walked down the sidewalk toward him.
“Hello,” she said with a smile. “Thank you for the mac-cheese, it was really good.” Patrick nodded and smiled, watching as the girl cocked her head curiously. Patrick touched his throat and shook his head. “Can’t you talk?” she asked, and he shook his head.
“Hanna, don’t bother the nice man,” Ken said as he came up behind his daughter.
“Daddy, he can’t talk,” Hanna said to him. Patrick was used to the pitying looks or even tsking sounds when people found out, but Ken smiled at him and extended his hand.
“I’m Ken Brighton, and this is Hanna,” he said as he firmly shook Patrick’s hand. Once Patrick let go, Patrick pointed to the embroidered name on his coat. One thing he’d begun doing after the accident was have his name added to his jackets and coats. It was the best way he could figure out to easily tell people his name. “It’s nice to meet you, Patrick,” Ken said with an ease that Patrick rarely saw in others. Most people didn’t quite know how to react to him. “We both wanted to thank you for the macaroni and cheese. It was fabulous,” Ken said, and Patrick began to shift slightly under the other man’s piercingly perceptive gaze.
Patrick smiled once again and nodded, placing his hand over his heart in a gesture that meant their thanks was appreciated.
“We’re going to the store, and then Daddy and I are going to paint,” Hanna told him excitedly.
“We need to get going,” Ken said. “You shouldn’t be out in the cold for very long.” Ken might have been talking to Hanna, but he continued looking at him, almost studying him. “Thanks again for the food. I’ll return the dish later today,” Ken added with a slight smile, and Patrick felt his insides jump a little. Patrick waved as the two of them walked back to the car, and after getting inside, Patrick saw Hanna wave as they drove away.
He’d been attracted to Ken since the first time he saw him. But he quickly found out that he had a boyfriend, so Patrick did what he usually did—pushed his interest aside and went on with life. Granted, he wasn’t sure if the boyfriend was really gone, and if the relationship had just ended, then his handsome neighbor probably wasn’t looking for someone else right away. Not that he’d be particularly interested in Patrick, but he could dream. He watched until the deep green car disappeared from sight before putting his shovel away in the garage and then opening the door to the attached workshop.
Patrick turned on the lights, looking over his woodworking shop and the chest of drawers that he’d been working on. He made his living making fine handcrafted furniture, and he had an order he had to get completed, so he put the way his neighbor moved beneath his clothes and the depth of Ken’s eyes out of his mind and got to work.
September 30, 2012
Love Comes Silently Releases Tonight at Midnight!!!!
Caring for a loved one with cancer is tough. Doing it alone is overwhelming—especially when that loved one is a child. But ever since Ken Brighton’s partner left him, Ken has spent his days at the hospital with his daughter, Hanna, hoping for a miracle. Maybe the mysterious care packages that appear for Hanna don’t qualify, but they bring a spark of hope into his and Hanna’s tired life—and so does Ken’s neighbor, former singer Patrick Flaherty.
For two years Patrick hasn’t been able to focus on anything but the life he should have had. An injury robbed him of his voice, and the idea of introducing himself to new people intimidates him. But over the past months, he’s watched as his neighbor nursed his sick child, and once he meets Ken, Patrick starts to crave a life with him—a life he isn't sure he can have.
Ken doesn’t realize he’s fallen in love until the doctors send Hanna home, saying there’s nothing more they can do: Hanna will either recover or succumb. Ken’s heart is set on a new beginning—with both Patrick and Hanna. But Patrick's silence leaves Ken wondering what Patrick wants.Add to your Dreamspinner Press Wish List: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3252
Excerpt:
Patrick Flaherty had seen the little bald girl’s reaction to the box of hats he’d placed outside the front door of the house she shared with her father. Patrick had found out the man with the beatific smile and eyes so deep it looked like the worries of the entire world would fit inside them was named Ken, and that he was some sort of artist. He hadn’t heard much else about him, other than he was new in town and that his daughter had been very sick. Patrick did know from watching him that the other man who’d lived in the house had been Ken’s boyfriend, but he appeared to have moved out, and now it was just Ken and his daughter. That was fine with Patrick. He’d noticed the other man the very first day he’d moved in two houses down the street from the small house Patrick had inherited from his mother. Not that he had any illusions that Ken had noticed him, other than to see him outside working.
People in town had been talking about Ken and his daughter for months, their tongues flapping like a flag in the wind off Lake Superior. Apparently, Ken Brighton was some really famous artist, with his paintings hanging in museums and selling for big bucks all over the country. That was one thing Patrick had found out very quickly after the accident that left him nearly completely silent—people figured that since he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t hear, either, or think. Patrick clenched the handle of the snow shovel as his anger and hurt welled inside. He was the same person he’d been before the accident, and he wished he could make others see that.
After watching the front of the house for a few seconds more, Patrick let the squeal of joy he’d heard drifting on the wind bring a smile to his face as he returned to his chores. He had to get these done before the snow that had begun to melt hardened into ice he’d never get off the sidewalk.
Patrick worked for nearly an hour, and he was about to put his shovel away when he saw Ken and his daughter come out of the house. He couldn’t suppress a grin when he saw the little girl was wearing the poofy pink hat he’d given her. She held her father’s hand, and Patrick walked closer, waving at both of them. He saw the little girl wave back at him before she pulled her hand from her dad’s and walked down the sidewalk toward him.
“Hello,” she said with a smile. “Thank you for the mac-cheese, it was really good.” Patrick nodded and smiled, watching as the girl cocked her head curiously. Patrick touched his throat and shook his head. “Can’t you talk?” she asked, and he shook his head.
“Hanna, don’t bother the nice man,” Ken said as he came up behind his daughter.
“Daddy, he can’t talk,” Hanna said to him. Patrick was used to the pitying looks or even tsking sounds when people found out, but Ken smiled at him and extended his hand.
“I’m Ken Brighton, and this is Hanna,” he said as he firmly shook Patrick’s hand. Once Patrick let go, Patrick pointed to the embroidered name on his coat. One thing he’d begun doing after the accident was have his name added to his jackets and coats. It was the best way he could figure out to easily tell people his name. “It’s nice to meet you, Patrick,” Ken said with an ease that Patrick rarely saw in others. Most people didn’t quite know how to react to him. “We both wanted to thank you for the macaroni and cheese. It was fabulous,” Ken said, and Patrick began to shift slightly under the other man’s piercingly perceptive gaze.
Patrick smiled once again and nodded, placing his hand over his heart in a gesture that meant their thanks was appreciated.
“We’re going to the store, and then Daddy and I are going to paint,” Hanna told him excitedly.
“We need to get going,” Ken said. “You shouldn’t be out in the cold for very long.” Ken might have been talking to Hanna, but he continued looking at him, almost studying him. “Thanks again for the food. I’ll return the dish later today,” Ken added with a slight smile, and Patrick felt his insides jump a little. Patrick waved as the two of them walked back to the car, and after getting inside, Patrick saw Hanna wave as they drove away.
He’d been attracted to Ken since the first time he saw him. But he quickly found out that he had a boyfriend, so Patrick did what he usually did—pushed his interest aside and went on with life. Granted, he wasn’t sure if the boyfriend was really gone, and if the relationship had just ended, then his handsome neighbor probably wasn’t looking for someone else right away. Not that he’d be particularly interested in Patrick, but he could dream. He watched until the deep green car disappeared from sight before putting his shovel away in the garage and then opening the door to the attached workshop.
Patrick turned on the lights, looking over his woodworking shop and the chest of drawers that he’d been working on. He made his living making fine handcrafted furniture, and he had an order he had to get completed, so he put the way his neighbor moved beneath his clothes and the depth of Ken’s eyes out of his mind and got to work.
