Rick R. Reed's Blog, page 56

Gay for You or Out for You?

I ran across this gem of logic on Gay Book Reviews. And surprisingly, this was originally published in 2011. Given the controversy recently making the rounds over GFY recently, I think it definitely bears repeating.

Wise and common sense words from Damon Suede on the whole GFY trope:

I don’t believe in “Gay for You” actually, either as a trope or a designator; the popularity of the term within the genre always makes me laugh because only someone who had never come out or seriously questioned their sexuality could think that same-sex desire works like a rigid boolean switch. We know that’s bullshit.

I tend to think of it as “Out for You” as Marie Sexton calls it. The thing is, “Out for You” is how most gay men figure themselves out sexually, at whatever age they come to terms with their sexuality. They meet someone who arouses feelings that make them question their self-image.

Desire exists along a very complicated four dimensional spectrum. What we want over the course of our lives changes radically, and that’s only one set of desires!

Gay For You is an outdated label we give stories when men who are “straight” fall for one special guy….who “makes” him “gay”. As if this character would have been happily straight for the rest of his days EXCEPT for this accidental meeting that realigns his existence and his heart.

There’s another term for that in the gay community: it’s called COMING OUT.

When a man realizes that he has romantic and erotic feelings about another man and acknowledges those feelings as part of his identity, he COMES OUT of the closet. He isn’t Gay-For-Anyone-But-Himself! He is Out-For-You (as Marie Sexton puts it so beautifully). I’m not talking about extreme circumstances like prison romance or military canoodling… but for the record that is the way 80-90% of GLBT people discover their sexuality. Duh! Actually that’s how ALL people explore sexuality in their adolescence: they meet someone that makes them feel differently than they have before.

Of course this means the term “Gay For You” HAD to have been coined by someone who had never faced that kind of radical realignment of their assumptions about gender and identity. Gay For You is a relic of another time in M/M and I’m praying to all the gods that it finally falls out of favor. I’m trying to not even USE it anymore because of the lie at its heart as a designator.

Only a person who has never questioned their erotic preconceptions could point at that situation and call it “Gay-For-You” because (again) to do so implies that sexuality is something you put on like a hat, and can take off just as easily. Or worse, love is something that you can only find with one person, no matter how evil, abusive, or disinterested. And as the genre has grown, it has lingered like an idiotic mole that we don’t address because it’s too entrenched or benign.

For that matter, this is why it is now considered unacceptable to use the phrase Sexual Preference  as opposed to Sexual Orientation when discussing GLBT issues. “Preference” implies that Gayness is a choice made of a menu of possibilities. Or that straight people simply obeyed society’s wishes and “picked” correctly. Again, not how sex works for anyone of any gender.

If anyone doesn’t think “Gay-For-You” is a stupid, vicious term, imagine if I started asking heteros who married their first love if their spouse had made them straight… or worse, consider rapists who argue that victims seduce them. Love and sex involve mutual participation.

So I don’t hate what is popularly referred to as Gay For You in books, I hate that it is CALLED Gay For You because the term is literally moronic and misguided. It’s something coined in ignorance that persists out of familiarity

On the other hand I love a beautifully written coming out story in which a man who had assumed things about himself makes life-changing discoveries that transform his future. What’s more romantic than that? :)

Good Karma, Good Books: The Prince's Consort by Antonia Aquilante

Every Wednesday, I put on my pimp clothes (zoot suits, feathered hats, platform shoes, and the like) and introduce you to something new and wonderful in the literary world. This week, I’m excited to shine a spotlight on The Prince's Consort by Antonia Aquilante. 
AUTHOR COMMENT
"The Prince’s Consort will always be special to me because it is my first published novel. I had been writing and pitching for a long time, and to finally have a book accepted for publication was an amazing feeling. I still feel giddy about it sometimes. 

"The Prince’s Consort is a fantasy romance and the first book in the Chronicles of Tournai series. I loved creating the world of Tournai, and I love continuing to explore it and its people as I write more of its stories. It’s a world of magic and intrigue, but I wanted it to be filled with people who feel real, who seem relatable and who readers could sympathize with and cheer for as they overcome obstacles and fall in love. I wanted to create characters who balance and complete each other, make each other better.
"The Prince’s Consort tells the story of Philip, a prince who came to the throne too early and is isolated, lacking in someone of his own, and Amory, the good-hearted son of a merchant who has been so pushed down by his father he struggles to make a place for himself. The second book in the series, The Artist’s Masquerade, is the story of Cathal, the prince’s duty-bound cousin, and Flavian, an artist who disguises himself as a woman to escape the dangerous and restrictive empire of his birth. The third book, The Scholar’s Heart, will be out later this spring, and there are many more tales of Tournai to tell. Each book does stand alone, but I hope you’ll want to spend more time in Tournai."
BLURBLegends tell of large cats defending the principality of Tournai, but such creatures have been lost to time.
Or have they?
Prince Philip inherited the throne at a young age, and since then, his life has centered around ruling his country and resisting those pressuring him to take a wife and conceive an heir—forcing him to hide his attraction to men. When kind-hearted Amory is offered to the prince in exchange for more time for Amory’s father to complete a commission, both Philip and Amory are horrified. But Philip agrees to keep Amory at the palace, where they gradually become friends, then lovers. For the first time in his life, Philip is free to share not only his heart, but the magical shape-shifting ability that runs in the royal bloodline.
Neither Amory nor Philip imagined falling in love, and they certainly don’t expect the lengths those who oppose their relationship will go to keep them apart—maybe even resorting to murder.
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AUTHOR BIO Antonia Aquilante has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and at the age of twelve, decided she would be a writer when she grew up. After many years and a few career detours, she has returned to that original plan. Her stories have changed over the years, but one thing has remained consistent - they all end in happily ever after.
She has a fondness for travel (and a long list of places she wants to visit and revisit), taking photos, family history, fabulous shoes, baking treats which she shares with friends and family, and of course reading. She usually has at
 least two books started at once and never goes anywhere without her Kindle. Though she is a convert to ebooks, she still loves paper books the best, and there are a couple thousand of them residing in her home with her.
Born and raised in New Jersey, she is living there again after years in Washington, DC, and North Carolina for school and work. She enjoys being back in the Garden State but admits to being tempted every so often to run away from home and live in Italy.
She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the New Jersey Romance Writers.
Website: www.antoniaaquilante.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/antoniaquilanteFacebook: www.facebook.com/AntoniaAquilanteAuthorGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14431299.Antonia_Aquilante

RAVES for BIG LOVE!

One of my best gay romances, BIG LOVE, is already garnering some 5-star reviews and 'recommended reads'!  The latest comes from Gay Book Reviews . In part the reviewer said:

“Big Love” gets 5+ stars from me plus a “Recommended Reading” banner. I could probably write at length about why the book touched me so deeply, but simply put, Rick R. Reed writes from the heart...." 

Read the whole review here.

Officially,  BIG LOVE  debuts on April 4, but you can pre-order now from Dreamspinner Press. Go here for the ebook and here for the paperback. Need to order for Amazon Kindle? Go here. 

BLURB
Teacher Dane Bernard is a gentle giant, loved by all at Summitville High School. He has a beautiful wife, two kids, and an easy rapport with staff and students alike. But Dane has a secret, one he expects to keep hidden for the rest of his life—he’s gay.
But when he loses his wife, Dane finally confronts his attraction to men. And a new teacher, Seth Wolcott, immediately catches his eye. Seth himself is starting over, licking his wounds from a breakup. The last thing Seth wants is another relationship—but when he spies Dane on his first day at Summitville High, his attraction is immediate and electric.

As the two men enter into a dance of discovery and new love, they’re called upon to come to the aid of bullied gay student Truman Reid. Truman is out and proud, which not everyone at his small town high school approves of. As the two men work to help Truman ignore the bullies and love himself without reservation, they all learn life-changing lessons about coming out, coming to terms, acceptance, heartbreak, and falling in love.

New & Notable: COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK by Joe Cosentino

BLURB
On Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey shore, handsome Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are open for summer and love. Mario and Harold are brothers and college students who happen to look alike, but couldn’t be more different: Mario is searching for love, and Harold is searching for lust. Josh and Greg, a wealthy older couple, are matchmakers for their son, Christopher. When it comes to Connor, the maid, packed with muscles and a roving sponge, anything can happen. Opposites attract as wild Tim with the secret past meets shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin romance novelist. And what will happen when computer-game designer Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman? Even married Cal faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something quite unexpected. What secrets and passions lie in magical Cozzi Cove?

BUY
From the publisher
From All Romance


Praise for COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK
“I loved this story. It carries you through the full range of emotions, from joy to sadness, from happiness to anger.  The characters are beautifully written. I look forward to a return visit to the Cove.”
--TBR Pile 

“Heartbreaking and heartwarming, sweet beginnings for some, sour endings for others, emotions jumping off the page as you turn eagerly to read more, welcome to Cozzi Cove. The author measured his scales to perfection in delivering the perfect balance of love, laughter and tears in this sexy, fun filled holiday romance entwined with some sadness. Summer magic waved it's wand at all who visited and stayed at Cozzi Cove and I was one of those who wanted to stay.”
--Three Books Over the Rainbow


ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (NineStar Press), Drama Queen and Drama Muscle Nicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press), An Infatuation, A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll and Porcelain Doll (Wild Rose Press) Jana Lane mysteries, and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (Nine Star Press), Drama Cruise Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and Satin Doll and China Doll Jana Lane mysteries (Wild Rose Press). Joe was voted 2nd Place for Best MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015. Find Joe on the web.

Now Available for Pre-order: BIG LOVE

So excited that release day is coming close for what I consider to be one of my best gay romances, BIG LOVE . Officially,  BIG LOVE  will be out widely on April 4, but you can pre-order now from Dreamspinner Press. Go here for the ebook and here for the paperback.

BLURB
Teacher Dane Bernard is a gentle giant, loved by all at Summitville High School. He has a beautiful wife, two kids, and an easy rapport with staff and students alike. But Dane has a secret, one he expects to keep hidden for the rest of his life—he’s gay.
But when he loses his wife, Dane finally confronts his attraction to men. And a new teacher, Seth Wolcott, immediately catches his eye. Seth himself is starting over, licking his wounds from a breakup. The last thing Seth wants is another relationship—but when he spies Dane on his first day at Summitville High, his attraction is immediate and electric.

As the two men enter into a dance of discovery and new love, they’re called upon to come to the aid of bullied gay student Truman Reid. Truman is out and proud, which not everyone at his small town high school approves of. As the two men work to help Truman ignore the bullies and love himself without reservation, they all learn life-changing lessons about coming out, coming to terms, acceptance, heartbreak, and falling in love.

Good Karma, Good Books: If I Were Fire by Heloise West

Every Wednesday, I put on my pimp clothes (zoot suits, feathered hats, platform shoes, and the like) and introduce you to something new and wonderful in the literary world. This week, I’m excited to shine a spotlight on If I Were Fire by Heloise West. 
AUTHOR COMMENT
"I originally wrote this for the Dreamspinner Press short story anthology Kindness of Strangers, but the editors wanted more. I love Tuscany and Siena in particular, and it was easy to give the story more history and plot. I hope to return to this story in the future and pick up where they left off.
BLURBIn 18th century Siena, Count Salvesto Masello has returned home to find the family villa and his father's estate deeply in debt. In order to save it, he sells off valuable family heirlooms, but he is running out of silverware. Somewhere in the villa, his deceased father has hidden the art treasures that will pay the debt--but Salvesto can't find them anywhere.
Amadeo Neruccio has been on the run from the vicious pimp, thief, and pawnbroker Guelfetto, whose toughs finally catch him and bring him to the cellar where Count Masello is selling off his silver. When the count learns what fate Guelfetto has in store for Amadeo, he intervenes and trades the last of his mother's dowry for the young man's freedom.
Salvesto had left home over ten years ago to live the life of adventure he craved and leave his broken heart behind. When he rescues young Amadeo, he does not expect to find love again--or the start of his next adventure.
BUYDreamspinner Press Amazon Kobo Barnes and Noble Google Play All Romance 

AUTHOR BIO Heloise West, when not hunched over the keyboard plotting love and mayhem, dreams about moving to a villa in Tuscany. She loves history, mysteries, and romance of all flavors. She travels and gardens with her partner of 10 years, and their home overflows with books, cats, art, and red wine.
FIND HELOISE ONLINEDreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/heloise-westBlog: https://velvetpanic2.wordpress.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heloise.west.1Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heloisewest/Email: heloisewest@hotmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/velvetpanicTumblr: http://heloisewest.tumblr.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8188216.Heloise_West

Blog Tour: Check out SC Wynne's ASSASSINS LOVE PEOPLE TOO

TITLE:Assassins Love People Too

SERIES: Assassins in Love
AUTHOR:S.C.Wynne
PUBLISHER: Loose Id LLC
COVER ARTIST: Garrett Leigh
LENGTH:105 Pages approx.
GENRE: Contemporary, M/M, LGBTQ, Suspense
RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2016
BLURB:Dillon Carter's boyfriend, Marc Francis, is a paid assassin. That little fact makes having a normal relationship very complicated. Especially when there are people out there in the big bad spy world who hate Marc so much the last thing they want is him to end up happy.

Obsessive enemies, ex-lovers and poisoned espresso do nothing to make Marc and Dillon's trip to Italy relaxing. In fact, they'll be lucky if they survive at all.




“Of course Ronin had to look like a damned supermodel: raven hair, moss-green eyes, perfect muscular body, and high cheekbones. I hated him immediately. The only redeeming thing was he seemed surprised and disgruntled to see me tagging along with Marc.

Marc smiled warmly at the other man as they bumped fists, and my heart tightened. I’d never seen him smile at anyone but me like that before. With a sinking feeling, I realized he actually liked Ronin. As a person. I hugged my body, feeling like the outsider.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had anyone with you.” Ronin’s gaze was curious, and I noticed a faint Irish accent.

I’d have been in heaven if Marc had yelled joyfully, Yes, this is Dillon, my one true love. But Marc simply grunted. “This is Dillon.”

My cheeks warmed at the confused scan Ronin gave me. “Hello,” I mumbled. 

He held out his tanned hand, and we shook. Of course his skin was smooth and firm. I’d have expected no less from Adonis.

“Julio knows who he is,” Marc said as if that statement should be sufficient. He and Ronin both studied me, and I squirmed in silence.

“Then you had to bring him.” Ronin smiled suddenly, and pretty dimples appeared. He slapped my back, and I tried not to fall sideways from the force. “Welcome.”

Better late than never, I guess.

“Thank you.”

Ronin turned his back on me and leaned in toward Marc. “I didn’t make up the guest room because I thought it was just you.” He laughed, and I imagined he probably winked. “I’ll go do that now.”

Marc cleared his throat. “We’ll both be staying in there.”

Ronin’s smile faded, and he shot me an inquisitive look. “Is that right?”

Nodding, Marc grimaced and gestured to me. “Yeah, uh… We’re together.” It was the first time I’d ever heard Marc say that out loud, and I’d have preferred he sounded happier about it. But I guess it was very awkward to announce that to your ex-lover.

Raising his brows, Ronin froze. “Oh.”

Running his hand around the back of his neck, Marc frowned. “It’s suddenly occurring to me maybe this wasn’t the best idea in the world.”

Ronin crossed his arms in front of his wide chest and sighed. “No. It’s fine.” It wasn’t lost on me that he shot me a vaguely resentful look. “I didn’t realize you were in a relationship.”

“It’s new.” Marc’s tone was brusque.

“Wow.” Ronin rested his hands on his narrow hips. “You’re a secretive bastard.”

“We can find a hotel.” Marc spoke curtly and moved toward the door.

Ronin stopped him by grabbing his elbow. “No. That’s not safe. You’re staying here.”

Marc bit his lower lip. “You sure?” His jaw was tense.

Ronin lifted one shoulder. “You never made me any promises, my friend. I’m honored you thought of me when you needed help.”

“You’re one of the few people I trust.” Marc’s voice was gruff, and his gaze locked with Ronin’s.

“Goes both ways.” Ronin grinned and put his arm around Marc, causing my stomach to churn.



Loose Id


S.C. Wynne started writing m/m in 2013 and did look back once. She wanted to say that because it seems everyone's bio says they never looked back and, well S.C. Wynne is all about the joke. She loves writing m/m and her characters are usually a little jaded, funny and ultimately redeemed through love. 
S.C loves red wine, margaritas and Seven and Seven's. Yes, apparently S.C. Wynne is incredibly thirsty. S.C. Wynne loves the rain and should really live in Seattle but instead has landed in sunny, sunny, unbelievably sunny California. Writing is the best profession she could have chosen because S.C. is a little bit of a control freak. To sit in her pajamas all day and pound the keys of her laptop controlling the every thought and emotion of the characters she invents is a dream come true. 
If you'd like to contact S.C. Wynne she is amusing herself on Facebook at all hours of the day or you can contact her at scwynne@dslextreme.com
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Winner’s Prize: $10 Amazon GC + E-copy of Book 1 & Book 2 in the series
Runners Up Prize: E-copy of Assassins Love People Too
a Rafflecopter giveaway

March 15: Rick R. Reed 

March 16: Bayou Book Junkie 

March 17: Sue Brown 

March 18: Gay.Guy.Reading And Friends 

March 21: Prism Book Alliance 

March 22: Divine Magazine 

March 23: Love Bytes Reviews :: Diverse Reader 

March 24: Rainbow Book Reviews :: MM Good Book Reviews 

March 25: MM Book Escape   

My Top 10 Gay Books

No, smart ass, these are not books that are attracted to other books.

These are books that have gay people and/or gay themes in their stories. It was a tough job to narrow them down to a mere 10. When I move, the worst part of it is packing up and moving all the books. I am buried under books. I have read more books than I can count.

I am a true book slut, moving restlessly from one to the other, finding satisfaction here, disappointment there…and sometimes magic.

So, I used the following criteria for this list. First, and most obviously, I wanted my choices to at least reflect gay themes, even if only in a tangential way. Second, I wanted to be spontaneous and simply give you the very first books that came to mind when I thought of my very favorite “gay” books. I’m a great believer in going with one’s gut. So here they are (in no particular order):

1. Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith. Highsmith has long been one of my literary icons. When it comes to probing the darkest sides of human nature, no one does it better than she. Strangers on a Train is a much better novel than the Hitchcock movie of the same name (although that was not without its charm, among them the very lovely Farley Granger) and has a much darker resolution. Its homoeroticism, too, is much more explicit than in the sanitized Hollywood film that bears the same name.
2. The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren. How many other gay men have had the same experience as I did? I discovered this book on a trip to the mall when I was in high school, surreptitiously bought it when my friend wasn’t looking, and took it to home, hid it between my mattress, and box springs…and absolutely treasured it. It opened my eyes to so much (yes, two men can really love each other—it’s not a sickness or an abnormality) and made me realize I was not alone.
3. No Night is Too Long by Ruth Rendell (writing as Barbara Vine). No contemporary mystery/psychological thriller writer does it better than Ruth Rendell. She plays with gay themes in several of her novels, but in this tale of psychological suspense, she most successfully blends homosexual themes and characters with heart-pounding suspense and shines a light into our darkest fears and compulsions.
4. Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim. This was Heim’s debut novel and it’s weird, wonderful, and disturbing, combining alien abduction, memory loss, and child sexual abuse in a compelling, lyrical, and thought-provoking narrative. I’m sad to say that none of his subsequent work had the sheer power of this one.
5. In a Shallow Grave by James Purdy. Purdy is one of the most underrated American writers. I believe he is one of the masters of 20th century literature and this gem, about a disaffected and disfigured war veteran and his love for a hired male caretaker and the fugitive who comes into both their lives is spiritual, carnal, and profound. And Purdy’s command of the language and his use of American colloquial speech is nothing short of poetry.
6. The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst. A perfectly rendered portrait of England in the 1980s and the rise of the new right, this story about young gay Nick Guest and his social and sexual awakening is harrowing stuff, since we know that tragedy lurks just around the corner for not only our naïve young—and often selfish—protagonist, but for a whole segment of society.
7. Was by Geoff Ryman. This revisionist take on my favorite movie of all time, The Wizard of Oz, is simply brilliant literature. In its parallel stories of a “real” Dorothy Gale, a “scarecrow” dying of AIDS, and the plight of a child star named Frances Gumm combine to form a narrative that is nothing short of literary brilliance.
8. Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin. The Tales of the City books, like The Front Runner, were eye-openers and touchstones for me as a young gay man coming to grips with his own identity. Reading this last entry in the series really resonated with me and touched me, since I am not far behind Michael himself and have experienced many, if not most, of his same joys and sorrows.
9. The Lost Language of Cranes by David Leavitt. This was Leavitt’s first novel and, while I wouldn’t say it’s his best, I would say it’s his sweetest and most satisfying. So much of the story resonates with me personally (the closeted father with a gay son) that it simply touches my heart more than his other work.
10. Raining Men by Rick R. Reed. You didn’t think I’d compile this list without putting myself on it? But people always ask which of my books is my favorite and this one is clamoring for a mention. I love it because it shows, perhaps more than any other book I've written, the power of love for redemption.

BLURB
The character you loved to hate in Chaser becomes the character you will simply love in Raining Men .

It’s been raining men for most of Bobby Nelson’s adult life. Normally, he wouldn’t have it any other way, but lately something’s missing. Now, he wants the deluge to slow to a single special drop. But is it even possible for Bobby to find “the one” after endless years of hooking up?

When Bobby’s father passes away, Bobby finally examines his rocky relationship with the man and how it might have contributed to his inability to find the love he yearns for. Guided by a sexy therapist, a Sex Addicts Anonymous group, a well-endowed Chihuahua named Johnny Wadd, and Bobby’s own cache of memories, Bobby takes a spiritual, sexual, and emotional journey to discover that life’s most satisfactory love connections lie in quality, not quantity.

And when he’s ready to love not only himself but someone else, sex and love fit, at last, into one perfect package.

BUY
Dreamspinner Press Paperback
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Good Karma, Good Books: Thank You, Ranch Romances by Dierdre O'Dare

Every Wednesday, I put on my pimp clothes (zoot suits, feathered hats, platform shoes, and the like) and introduce you to something new and wonderful in the literary world. This week, I’m excited to shine a spotlight on Thank You, Ranch Romances by Dierdre O'Dare. 

BLURB

Rancher Wade needs a helper to care for his home and two young children after their mother dies. He advertises in a pulp magazine and gets the surprise of his life when a young man responds. In 1949 the slurs and abuse a gay man receives are still almost medieval. Can Darnell overcome the stigma to win his new hero's love and stay with the children he soon takes to heart?BUY
From Amber Quill PressAUTHOR BIO

Deirdre O'Dare has been writing spicy romance for Amber Quill for over ten years and has a big back list in both the Amber Heat (M/F) and Amber Allure (LGBT- most m/m) lines. She loves to tell stories,.  especially those with adventure and happy endings where the lovers win.. Visit her blog https://deirdredares.blogspot.com 

True Confession: I Fell in Love with My Cover Model

Someone asked me recently not what my favorite cover out of all my books was, but who was my favorite cover model. She said, “You know, which one would you want to be with, if you could?” Of course, this friend knew my happily-married state and hastened to add, “If you weren’t already taken, of course.”
And I didn’t have to think long. The guy on the cover of Raining Men is, of course, super hot, but the first one I thought of us was Ollie on the cover of Dinner at Home . He’s the smiling guy in the forefront and there’s something about him, to me, that just seems so genuine and warm that I think, if he were real and I were in the market, he’d be someone I’d really go for. Cover artist Reese Dante and I went through looking at lots of male model images when we were trying to decide who would best represent my star-crossed foodie lovers, Ollie and Hank (tough work but someone’s got to do it), but when I saw Ollie, I immediately knew, that’s him. I also knew, in my heart, he was someone who could float my boat. See, the fact that he could cook, was kind, and had a little extra meat on his bones were all qualities I would ascribe to my perfect man.
Don’t you think he’s gorgeous?
And who are your favorite cover models? I’d love to know, so leave a comment below and let’s talk about it.
BLURBIt only takes a few days for Ollie D'Angelo to lose his boyfriend, his job, and his home. Instead of mourning what he doesn’t have, Ollie celebrates what he does: the freedom to pursue his real passion—cooking. He begins Dinner at Home, a home-catering business, and it takes off.
Late one night, Ollie catches Hank Mellinger, a streetwise hood down on his luck, about to rob his car. Ollie soon discovers that appearances aren’t necessarily what they seem. Hank isn’t a criminal caught red-handed, but a hungry young man trying to make a life for himself and the four-year-old niece he’s trying desperately to take care of.
Instead of calling the cops, Ollie offers Hank a job and a way to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Together, they discover they can really cook... and that their shared passion for food just might lead to a passion for each other.
BUYDreamspinner EbookDreamspinner Paperback Amazon Kindle Amazon Paperback AllRomance eBooks