Andrew Grey's Blog, page 49
April 26, 2011
Seven Days Excerpt
I shared this excerpt on a blog and thought I would share it with you as well. Seven Days released yesterday and I have already received wonderful notes from readers telling me how much they loved it!!!!!
Available from Dreamspinner Press
Available from Amazon
Blurb: Can a person’s life change in just one day? How about seven?
This is the story of seven pivotal days in Evan Donaldson’s life. Evan was a teenage street hustler when Father Valentin talked him into coming to Saint Bartholomew’s Academy. In that one day, Evan’s entire life changed. That’s the day he met his roommate, Clay Mueller, and the day Evan began to live. But Evan’s life would change again and again, from abuse to first love, to separation and heartbreak, and eventually to starting his own family. Through it all, whenever a door closed for Evan, a window opened, and the window was Clay.
From the first day of finding faith and connecting with Clay through their relationship’s twists and turns, this is a glimpse into seven decisive days and the critical, amazing way a single moment can change destiny.
Excerpt:
All the boys finished their dinner, bussing their trays before leaving the room. Evan once again did as Clay did before following him back to their room. Clay turned on the light before stripping off his uniform. Changing into sweats and a T-shirt, he flopped on his bed with one of his books. “You want one?” Clay asked, lobbing a book at him. “This is our first class in the morning,” Clay explained before telling him the assignment.
Evan sat at his empty desk and opened the book. Clay passed him a sheet of paper, and Evan began to work his way through the problems. Math had always been easy for him, and this seemed familiar, but every few minutes, he found himself peeking at Clay. Finishing the problems, Evan turned to Clay to ask a question and saw him yawn, arms stretching over his head, shirt riding high, a strip of lightly tanned belly showing above his sweatpants. Evan turned back around, feeling himself react. He knew what that meant. He’d taken care of many other men with that reaction, but none of them had ever affected him like that. Clay handed him another book and explained the reading assignment. Evan plodded his way through it for a while until he yawned. “It’s almost time for bed check,” Clay announced, and he left the room, returning a few minutes later. “Bathroom’s two doors down on the left. You better hurry or you’ll wait forever.”
Evan grabbed the small bag of toiletries he’d been given and walked down the hall to the bathroom, hearing laughter drift out from the other rooms. In the bathroom, other boys hurried around, cleaning up and doing their business, most dressed for sleep. Evan did his best to ignore everyone, brushing his teeth before hurrying back to his room. Clay was already in bed, and Evan stripped off his clothes, folding them carefully.
Sliding between the sheets, he turned out the light. A soft knock sounded and then the door opened. Father Val walked in, saying good night to Clay before stepping to Evan’s bed. He looked up into the priest’s kind face and smiled, finally allowing himself to believe and hope this was all real. He saw the priest smile back before patting him lightly on the shoulder and leaving the room.
“Good night, Evan,” he heard Clay say as he rolled over.
“Night,” Evan replied softly with a smile.
April 25, 2011
Seven Days for Kindle
Here's a link for all you kindle users: http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Days-ebook/dp/B004XWFXXU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1303784888&sr=8-2
Seven Days - Release Party
Join me for the release party here: http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/
April 24, 2011
Release Party for Seven Days
Join me for the release party here: http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/
Starting tomorrow, you can also order signed paperback copies of Seven Days through the Dreamspinner Press Web site. Simply request a signed copy when you place your order.
Happy Easter
Andrew
April 19, 2011
Seven Days - Coming April 25
Can a person’s life change in just one day? How about seven?
This is the story of seven pivotal days in Evan Donaldson’s life. Evan was a teenage street hustler when Father Valentin talked him into coming to Saint Bartholomew’s Academy. In that one day, Evan’s entire life changed. That’s the day he met his roommate, Clay Mueller, and the day Evan began to live. But Evan’s life would change again and again, from abuse to first love, to separation and heartbreak, and eventually to starting his own family. Through it all, whenever a door closed for Evan, a window opened, and the window was Clay.
From the first day of finding faith and connecting with Clay through their relationship’s twists and turns, this is a glimpse into seven decisive days and the critical, amazing way a single moment can change destiny.
Available from Dreamspinner Press
Excerpt:
Evan stepped out of the warm car with its leather seats, vents blasting warm air and clean scent. He thought of looking back at the man driving, but he didn’t really matter. Evan knew that—at least he did now. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, nearly slipping on the slushy snow, he closed the door and jumped back as the dark blue Mercedes sped away in a fountain of water, dirt, and half-melted slush. Looking around to get his bearings in the early morning gloom, he backed further away from the street, running into someone who simply shoved him away with a grunt. With another stumble, he reached the brick building, leaning against it, taking stock of what he had and where he was, hands sliding instinctively in his pockets as they sought some sort of warmth. The hardest thing to get used to and get his mind around was the near-constant cold.
His hands slid along the folded bills, and Evan breathed a sigh of relief. Those small slips of paper, vital for everything on the streets, were a lifeline to a warm night and maybe even a bath or shower to wash away the scents of others on his body. Pulling out the bills, he slipped off a tattered shoe. Rolling down a sock, he shoved the bills deep under his arch with the others before rolling the sock up again. The sound of ripping fabric made him groan, and he looked down as the top of the sock, a few inches above his ankle, came away in his hand. Sliding his shoe back on, he left the tattered piece of fabric just above his ankle for warmth, letting his pant leg slide back down. His money hidden, Evan relaxed a little, looking around for that signal, the look that would indicate another man who might be willing to pay for what he was selling. Pulling his thin jacket around his body, Evan huddled against the building, his skin prickling, legs beginning to shake, arms aching as the cold seeped in through the jacket and his thin shirt.
Watching passersby, he caught the eye of a man in a business suit and long woolen coat sauntering down the street like he owned the world, and to Evan it looked like he did. The man, who might have been on his way to work, passed and continued walking before stopping, looking through the glass of a shop window. Evan knew he wasn’t really looking into the shop. That was one of the traits he’d already picked up on. No one ever approached him right away; the men were usually shy or cautious. Evan watched as the man turned and walked back toward him, stopping just a few feet away without looking directly at him. “Sure is cold,” the man said, looking around the street.
“Yup,” Evan replied, trying to stay out of the wind.
“Bet it’s warmer between the buildings,” the man commented, a not-so-subtle hint at what he wanted.
Warily, Evan pushed himself away from the building, taking a few steps and looking around before following the man’s line of sight, saying nothing more. He heard the man’s footsteps behind him and braced himself. He hated this, he really did. A few months ago, he was a normal kid with normal parents and a normal life, and thoughts of what he was about to do had never entered his mind. Now it was an almost daily occurrence just to eat and maybe have a warm place to sleep. “Fifty,” Evan said and waited to see what the guy would do.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” the man said, and Evan moved back toward the street. He already had some money, and with it, he knew he’d eat. The man’s hands slipped into his pocket, pulling out crumpled bills. Evan took them, shoving the bills deep into his own pocket. The man pushed down on his shoulders, and Evan felt his knees buckle, pain shooting through his legs as his knees hit the slush-covered pavement, even more cold seeping into his skin. The teeth of a zipper sounded, and Evan began to retreat, his conscious mind pulling away, sheltering himself from the implications of what was about to happen—it was the only thing that stopped him from gagging, stopped the reflex to bite, to get away, or even to hurt. The only way he could bear the man’s voice as he called Evan every disgusting name in the book. Evan heard these, though; they penetrated his defenses because he’d said them to himself. He knew they were true because, after all, he was a “dirty fucking whore.”
Tears welled, as they always did, and he blinked them back as the man’s calls became more urgent. Pulling away, he could take no more. Jumping to his feet, legs wet, prickling with cold, Evan forced himself to move as the man howled his frustration. Evan peeked back and saw him pumping himself as Evan turned the corner, heart pounding. Realizing he wasn’t being chased, he slowed and stopped in front of a bright department store window, puddles of water glistening with reflected light. Evan looked down, and catching a glimpse of his own reflection, he actually looked over his shoulder wondering if someone was behind him. He took a second look and realization dawned: the thin, drawn, old-looking face staring back at him was him.
Stepping away, out of the light, Evan huddled beneath the awning of a dark window. His knees aching, he slid down the marble-tiled wall. Arms encircling his knees, body curling into a tight ball, forehead resting on his knees, Evan felt the tears that had threatened multiple times come to the surface. “Mom… Dad… why’d you leave me?” he asked for what seemed like the millionth time as his throat tightened. Shoulders bouncing, Evan couldn’t stop the emotions that he’d held at bay for months. As they burst to the surface, he murmured, “I miss you both,” and he felt his face contort into the near-universal display of grief. He could see them saying goodbye that last Saturday morning as they’d left the house to go shopping. He’d asked to stay home, and as the tears ran down his cheeks, Evan wished with all his might that he’d gone with them. That way, the semitruck that had skidded on the ice, crushing his parents’ lives and his entire world, could have taken him too.
“Son.” A hand touched his shoulder, and Evan jumped up, bouncing on his feet, arms bent, hands already clenched in tight fists. The man simply looked at him, his face calm, hands remaining at his side. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said levelly, almost serenely.
April 14, 2011
Win Seven Days Before You Can Buy It
Seven Days releases Monday April 25 and I am giving away 2 copies of Seven Days on the evening of Friday April 22. All you need to do is comment on my entry at the Sweet N Sexy Divas blog. So say hello, tell me your favorite Andrew Grey story, whatever you'd like, but your comment could win you a copy of Seven Days.
Can a person’s life change in just one day? How about seven?
This is the story of seven pivotal days in Evan Donaldson’s life. Evan was a teenage street hustler when Father Valentin talked him into coming to Saint Bartholomew’s Academy. In that one day, Evan’s entire life changed. That’s the day he met his roommate, Clay Mueller, and the day Evan began to live. But Evan’s life would change again and again, from abuse to first love, to separation and heartbreak, and eventually to starting his own family. Through it all, whenever a door closed for Evan, a window opened, and the window was Clay.
From the first day of finding faith and connecting with Clay through their relationship’s twists and turns, this is a glimpse into seven decisive days and the critical, amazing way a single moment can change destiny.
Add this story to your Dreamspinner Press Wish List
April 8, 2011
Review from Amos Larson
A review of A Troubled was posted on Amos Larson's blog.
The book continues the story begun in “A Shared Range” and it is packed with emotion. Haven has long held his desires within himself because his father is so strict. We see a different side of Haven and I love the way we are exposed to Haven questioning his father’s feelings and we see him as a very sweet and loveable guy despite the monster of a farmer. The romance between Haven and Phillip is erotic and powerful and I could not help but love them and root for them.
Purchase from Dreamspinner Press
April 2, 2011
My Gym Inspiration
I wrote this as a guest blogger a while ago and thought I'd share it with you. I hope you enjoy it.
Sometimes when I’m searching for a topic to write about I look at elements of my own life for inspiration and one place that has provided a lot of that is the gym. When I threw my father’s seventieth birthday party, everyone there kept commenting on how much I looked like my father. Later that evening, I looked at myself in the mirror and realized I truly did look like my seventy year old father and not in a good way. So that week I joined a gym and began losing weight. A side benefit of that decision is that I’ve met a number of people who’ve become good friends and I’ve also seen a number of inspirational men. Each of my gym stories, Spot Me, Pump Me Up, Core Training, and Crunch Time is inspired by someone I’ve met or seen while working out and if that isn’t enough motivation to join a gym, I don’t know what is.
However in these stories, there is only one character that is truly based on a real person and that is Lonnie. If you’ve ever read any of the stories than you know that Lonnie is a kind, supportive man, with a mouth the size of the grand canyon, who’ll say absolutely anything. Lonnie is based on my workout partner. He really exists and he’s fairly close to the way I wrote him. For example, he has a number of nicknames for me: Cockhopper, Dances with Dick, Captain Cock. You can tell there’s a theme. As I said, the man will say anything to almost anyone. The truth is that I had to tone him down for the stories because the real Lonnie is totally unbelievable.
So whether you work out, or just want to enjoy the view, stop into Andrew’s gym and check out the scenery. Oh, and while you’re at it, you may pick up some very interesting vocabulary.
Check out the gym stories.
March 31, 2011
Review for A Troubled Range
Dawn (a real sweetheart) posted an amazing review at Dawn's Reading Nook for A Troubled Range. In her review Dawn said:
A Troubled Range is a perfect story to heat up your afternoon with especially as it was gray and cold outside my window. A Troubled Range delivers sexy cowboys, romance and mystery all rolled up within its pages. Andrew Grey has another winner with his follow up Range story and I, for one, want to know when he will be back to the wilds of Wyoming again.
She also said something about being afraid her computer would start smoking, but I'll let you read that part.
Read the entire review
