Andrew Q. Gordon's Blog, page 71
April 3, 2013
Reviews, Are They Useful?
I apologize for not having a proper ‘Wednesday Brief’ to post, but life – better known as ‘lil q, Easter and a bit of a cold – got in the way and sapped my creativity. I’ll do my best to resume next week and there after. But since this is a group I belong to, I wanted to be able to promote those good souls who managed to keep with it. Those flashers are listed as usual, at the end of this post.
In addition to the Wednesday Briefs, I belong to a few author groups. One of the themes lately has been reviews. Good, bad, or just maybe not really a review at all. Different people have different positions on reviews, but I’ll admit that I read and react to reviews. I like good ones and I don’t like bad ones. That said, well written critical reviews do have some benefit. The trick, for me, is to look past the disappointment to find those benefits.
I’ve also noticed a pattern. On open post sites – those where authors post stories that can be read for free – the reviews tend to be almost uniformly positive. Negative ones can result in the reviewer being torched a bit. If you think about it, this would make sense. The authors are providing a free service and the readers would want that service to continue. The downside is it can lead to the ‘naked emperor’ syndrome – where the author believes all the ‘good press’ and doesn’t think there are any areas they can improve on.
On sites like Amazon or Goodreads, there is a much broader spectrum of reviews/ratings/comments, from gushingly good to attackingly awful. That is to be expected and also makes sense. You can’t please everyone. But it is in that diversity that my questions arise. How useful are reviews to a reader in choosing to buy a book? I’d like to see if I can’t generate a bit of feed back from readers (authors/readers included) on the usefulness of reviews and ratings so I’ll do a bit of an impromptu contest outlined below.
For me, as an author, I want as high a rating as I can get – it’s a confidence [dare I say ego] boost to be sure. And we all “know” that higher is better – right? Right? Maybe, maybe not.
Do textless ratings sway you? Do snarky reviews from people you don’t know scare you off? Do gushing reviews from people whose taste in books you don’t know make you want to buy the book?
I’m a ‘facts’ person. I love to look at things and see if I can’t find a connection. It’s part of being a lawyer/prosecutor I suppose, but I’ve always been this way. I’ll track things, kick the tires, look under the hood – you get the idea. So let me give some anecdotes to grease the wheels.
One book I was interested in had 8(eight) 5 star reviews a month before the book came out. Really?? One was from the author, another from the publisher, and 5 others from what would appear to be family and friends who didn’t offer so much as a word of explanation. (One had a detailed review) At least two of these ‘ratings’ were from people whose only rating was this book. Hmm. Last I checked – and it’s been a while – this book only had 14 ratings – of which 7 were what I’d call too biased to be of any use. Were those ratings of any use to anyone? Was anyone swayed by the books ‘high’ rating and never looked any closer?
Okay, so ‘naked’ ratings aren’t that helpful, but what about gushing reviews from people you don’t know? I understand that in the Amazon age, the ‘citizen reviewer’ is supposed to be more reliable as these are people ‘just like you or me.’ But fake, for purchase reviews aside, is that really true? Does Joe in Kansas really care what Sara in Rhode Island thinks when they’ve never met? I suppose here, the value is more long term. Readers can find reviewers who’ve read books the reader has, and then they look for patterns. I liked book “A” so did this reviewer, I thought book “B” sucked so did they. Then you can see what else this reviewer likes and used that to weigh buying it or not. At least that’s how I am. But in general, do you find reviews from people you don’t know useful? Or do you look at them all with a suspect eye – i.e. these are either written by the author using a different account, or they are close friends and family?
Another question is ‘rating inflation.’ One thing I’ve noticed – and I admit to being guilty of it myself – is that many authors do not give low ratings – ever. Makes sense because what the rater giveth, the receiver can giveth as well. Given how simple it is to open a ‘reader’ account, an author who received a low rating could easily rate the reviewing author equally low or lower (if possible). Never mind their friends and supporters. For me, if I can’t say something good or in all honesty give a book a decent rating, I don’t rate/review it. This leads to a very high average for the books I’ve rated. Being totally honest, I doubt there are too many 5 star books out there. a 3 or 4 should indicate the book is worth buying. But when authors can ‘collect’ seven 5 star ratings before their book has been finished, the clear pattern is for friends and family to dap the book up. Using me as an example, I’ve only rated 10 books and my average rating is 4.9. how useful is that? Have I never read a bad book? Of course I have, but if you didn’t know me and didn’t know I only rate books I like, would my rating – even with a written review- be of any value to you?
Contrast this with a 3 star rating I received from someone this week. At first blush, he probably didn’t like it much, right? But his average rating is 2.71. meaning out of the 1600 plus books he’s read and rated, mine is better than the average book. Is this 3 star rating from him better than a 5 from me? The real inches vs. web inflation debate. [some of you will get that reference. 
] So do you focus on absolute numbers or do you take them in context?
Along the lines of numbers to look at – I read a blog post that said the rating given wasn’t as important as the fact that someone gave you a review/rating because it shows they read it. Good point. Here’s a tale of two books I read recently. Both were okay in my mind. One has a Goodreads rating of 3.79 from 600+ ratings. Of those 600+ ratings more than 125 were 5 stars. The other book has a rating of 4.27, but from less than 90 reviews. Which is better? At least 125 people liked the first book well enough to rate it a 5, which is more than all the people who thought enough to leave any rating for the second. So, again, what matters more? A high absolute rating or a lower rating but a higher absolute number of positive reviews?
Last there are reviews from ‘review sites.’ In theory, these are people who have an interest in being fair and even handed. Yet here too, opinion vary – wildly. Much like the ‘citizen reviewers’, these reviewers each have their own likes and dislikes that earn them a following. So are these sites/reviews the holy grail of ratings for you? Or do you just read them for entertainment and sometimes use them to start your ‘research?”
So, what do readers think? {And authors, take off your author hats if you can and think like a reader} Do you find reviews helpful? What about average ratings? Overall number of positive reviews? Do you look for people whose opinions you trust and rely on those? Or is there something else you find helpful in reviews?
To give you all a bit more incentive to comment, I’ll give away a copy of either The Last Grand Master or (Un)Masked to one person who comments, drawn at random. To enter, you need to leave a comment telling me whether or not you find reviews, rating, comments, whatever, helpful. If you don’t read the reviews but focus on the synopsis, or whatever, that’s fine too, so long as you leave it in the comment section. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. I’ll pick the winner on Monday April 8th at 8 pm, Washington, DC time.
Now, don’t forget to check out the briefs of these authors who are giving it away for free:
Lily Sawyer
Legalese. Each person who comments will be assigned a number based on when the comment. So first person is “1″ next person is “2″, etc. I’ll use Randomizer.org to pick a winner. I’ll email you if you win and you’ll need to email back and let me know which book if any you want. If you don’t want to be included in the give away, you can say so in your post or let me know when I contact you. If you decline the book, I’ll pick another winner.
March 30, 2013
Book Review: The Last Grand Master by Andrew Q. Gordon
An evil Wizard - the King of Zorgon - threatens Nendor and the Seven Kingdoms with the dark magic he has unleashed. One by one, he attacks each kingdom making his intentions clear - to conquer the whole of Nendor.
Prince Farrell of Haven, being the last surviving Grand Master, is destined to face him in future. He is handsome and his powers know no boundaries.
Sid is an author - his first book is due in July from RFP and an aspiring book critic. If you get a chance check out his site and his work.
March 28, 2013
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: ANYTA SUNDAY
Today’s spotlight is a bit late – sorry about that, just had a few things going on. Sadly, I’m late on my favoritist author. If I’m biased toward Anyta Sunday, it’s because she is also my good friend. We’ve written books together, won a contest together, our families shared the Fourth of July celebration together, we chat, we’ve talked, we’ve sat together. In short, she’s my friend. BUT, if that wasn’t enough, she is truly a gifted author. Her stories are imaginative, funny, sad, engaging and entertaining. Read one of her stories and you’ll be hooked. Character seems to jump off the page they’re so vibrant and real. So pull up a seat, read a bit about Anyta, then go buy a book or four. You won’t be sorry.
Author Profile: Anyta Sunday
1) You’ve written several books that you’ve published. Which one was your first?The first book I put out there for sale was ‘Veined’, the first in the Guardian of the Angels series, in 2011.
2) Lethed is the latest in your Guardian of the Angels series. Tell us a bit about Lethed and the series.
Gah . . . I hate summarizing. It takes me almost as long to do that than to write the novel. But . . . toregurgitate the blurb, basically this is a paranormal romance where the main character, Sylva Lark, finds herself in the middle of a supernatural war between Angels and Demons. She is one of the “Guardians” — like a soldier recruited by the Angels to protect them. The story revolves around the changes to her life and how she comes to accept/reject it.
3) Angel guardians, invisible boys, boys with cursed faces, dragons, child ghosts, not to mention a slew of men in love, that’s quite a diverse group of characters. Where does the inspiration for these characters come from?
Not sure exactly. A random thought comes to me and gets added on as I mull over it. Then I start hearing bits of dialogue or seeing parts of scenes. I take it from there.
4) You seem to like many different genres. Which is your favorite genre? And why? Is your favorite the same for reading as well as writing or are they different?
favorite is writing contemporary gay romance—but that can change as my next project comes along. When I was writing “Lethed” for example, I was thinking ‘how was it I can write anything other than Urban Fantasy?’Ohhh, that’s difficult. I go through phases, and I like to try new things. At the moment my
5) Born in New Zealand, then moved to Berlin, Germany, a brief stop over in Pittsburgh, United States, now back in Berlin, you’ve lived and seen a lot. What do you miss about the places where you used to live?
It’s more the people I miss than the place in itself. Usually the place becomes a series of memories I can remember having in it. For example, I loved going to the library in Pittsburgh up on Squirrel Hill. That was part of my daily routine—and where I wrote “The F Words”. So I miss that library, and the people I could travel to more easily to visit. Like one dear beta reader of mine.
From New Zealand I really miss my friends from Uni. I just loved how we used to meet up bringing each other coffee to our work places . . . Oh and all those study sessions in the Uni library, where we smuggled in our jug so we could make cups of tea in the girls bathrooms. . . . Gah, and don’t get me started on all the chocolate fish we had . . . Yum.
6) We all have favorite books what’s yours? Is there a writer or writers who inspired you to write or whose writing style you look up to?Childhood favorites: Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Tomorrow When The War Began, The Axis Trilogy, The Wayfarer Redemption, The Secret Seven, A Little Princess . . .
As an adult, well, this is harder. But here are a few:
Call Me By Your Name
Graceling/Fire/Bitterblue
Most of anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
7) Tell us about your upcoming book. What was the inspiration for the Book? Which character do you most connect to?
I am totally head-over-heels in love with the characters in this book—whether or not I portray them well is another matter, but their personalities are very much alive and kicking in my head.
Favorite? I don’t know I could pick. The Oma is very unconventional to say the least, and she makes me smile. The story plays over 18ish years and so I really get to know Lenny and his friends Karlo and Julien from childhood and into adulthood. Needless to say, they change quite a bit in that time. I think Julien ends up being my favorite character, because we see him through Lenny’s eyes, and though it takes him a long time to realize it, he loves—is in love with—his friend (also incidentally his cousin too—but that’s part of the conflict keeping them apart).
8) What is your favorite book that you’ve written and why?
It’s always the one I’m writing right now, lol. I think because I always want this book to be better, to work on the weaknesses of other books etc.
9) Marketing – yes, I said that dirty word. Talking about your approach to ‘selling’ your book and this impacts your writing?
I usually write a blog entry and post something on my Facebook wall and Tweet that a new book is out . . . then I hope for the best, and that there’s word-of-mouth. It helps that via Amazon I can put up my books for free from time-to-time. But, in all honesty, I really need to work on this part of things. My favorite is working on the actual novel. Once I publish the book, I get lazy.
10) What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
Easy. The first draft. The passion is in that one. The re-writing is when the “work” begins, lol.
11) Do you ever model characters after people you know? If so in what way? Looks? Personality? Life events?
Not really, but sometimes I’m inspired by the “feel” a person gives me (or a feeling I’ve experienced before). For example, if they are mysterious or bubbly or comical or lonely.
12) I know you like to travel, what’s next on the list for you? Do you ever go places and find inspiration for a new story in a new place?
I’m happy to settle in Berlin for the foreseeable future. With a kid soon to start school, I want to offer him a stable place of living. But at some point in the future, I really would love to try living in the UK.
13) If you could meet any of your characters, who would it be?
All of them—I’d be super curious to meet them in person. But if I could only choose one? Then . . . maybe Lethe from (Un)masked before his curse is broken, because I want to know if I see the real him or someone else.
Blurb for the book: Shane & Trey (Book I in the Enemies-to-Lovers series)
Shane is a little bit screwed. He has just started college and is stuck rooming with that bastard Trey. His sister’s boyfriend. His sister’s damn fine boyfriend. Uh-oh. This so wasn’t going to happen.
But try as he might, there’s just a little too much to ignore between the two of them…
Link:
March 26, 2013
Wednesday Briefs: Second Shot – The Senior Year – 4
Jason grabbed the cutting board and took the zucchini from Peter. “How do you want them cut?”
“In half and then in quarters.”
Searching for a knife, Jason heard his brother’s heavy footsteps.
“Hey Pete, Bro. What’s going on?”
Dean sounded as tired as he looked to Jason. “I’m trying to help Pete make dinner.”
Peter nudged Jason. “Actually, you’ve gotten much better at this since we met. I’ll make a cook out of you yet.”
“Please do.” Dean shook his head and opened the refrigerator. “I’ve had to eat his cooking when we were younger. I’m lucky I survived.”
When his brother stood back with a beer, Jason put the knife down. “What are you doing?”
“Getting a drink.” Dean twisted the top off and showed them the bottle. “Did you want one? There’s four left.”
“Dean,” Struggling to keep calm, Jason turned to Peter who nodded slightly. “Put it down.”
The confused look on Dean’s face told Jason all he needed to know. “What?”
“That’s a beer and you’re only eighteen.”
“No shit on both counts. Who are you? Dad?” Tilting the bottle back, Dean took a long pull on the bottle.
Resisting the urge to snatch the bottle away, Jason grabbed the edge of the counter. “Dean, I’m serious. Put the beer down.”
“What the fuck? It’s a beer and I’m in the house.”
Darryl appeared in the doorway, his lips pinched tight. He locked eyes with Jason and shook his head. “What do you think your doing, Dean?’
“Whoa, what the hell is this? I can’t have a beer in my own house?”
“No!” Darryl and Jason spoke together.
“Coach has a zero tolerance for underage drinking. ” Jason’s stomach twisted as he could see where the conversation was headed. “You weren’t supposed to drink last night and you did.”
“Holy shit, when did you turn into an old fucking man?”
“Dean this isn’t a joke. I didn’t ask you to live with us to make it easier for you to drink.”
“It’s one beer.” Dean gripped the bottle tighter. “I’m not getting drunk.”
“Right.” Jason leaned against the counter, arms crossed at his chest. “Just like at Easter when we were kids and you were only going to take ‘one bite.’ Next thing the chocolate bunny was gone and you had a stomach ache.”
“Whatever. This is different.” Dean looked like he wanted to go, but Darryl still blocked the doorway.
“We talked about this before the party. ” Darryl said. “You agreed you wouldn’t drink, remember?”
“What is the big fucking deal?” He slammed the bottle on the counter hard enough to slosh beer everywhere.
Darryl stood his ground when Dean tried to leave. “Listen up, Dean. You’re part of the team now. Today, next week, next month, whatever, you get caught drinking; you’re off the team – period. Coach won’t care that you’re Jase’s little bro or Raymond Henry’s grandkid. If you can’t live without a drink, then quit now.”
“What’s up your ass?” Dean glared at Darryl, clenching and unclenching his hands.
Jason moved between the two. “Dean, calm down. The reason is if you get kicked off mid-season you affect the whole team. I don’t get why this is such a big deal. You knew before you moved in we weren’t going to let you drink.”
“Fuck off all of you.” Dean pushed his way passed Darryl who started to follow.
“No, D.” Jason held his best friend back. “I got this.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. His brother, his responsibility.
Resisting the urge to look to Peter, Jason followed his brother upstairs. Dean’s door slammed before Jason got there. He knocked twice.
“Dean, let me in.”
“Go away, Jase, I’m not in the mood.”
“Tough shit, little bro, we’re talking now or I’m calling dad and telling him you’re not working out.”
He didn’t want to, but he would. This needed to end now. The door flew open and Dean walked back into the room and flopped on his bed.
“Look, I know you’re pissed, but I’m not doing this to be a dick.”
“Sure sounds that way. “
“I don’t get it.” He slapped his thighs and shook his head. “You knew this was the rule when you moved in. How many times did Dad and I tell you?”
“Jase, it’s one fucking beer! Why are you making a big deal of this?”
“Why are you?” Jason didn’t mean to snap at his brother, but he hadn’t signed up to be his Dean’s babysitter. “If it’s one fucking beer, why is it SOO important?”
Dean opened his mouth, then took a deep breath instead of speaking. Jason kept his focus on his brother for a sign he understood the situation.
“Look, if you wanna be a student athlete, there are rules. If coach kicks you off the team, I doubt you’ll make pro. Just saying.”
“He won’t find out.” Dean’s voice lacked the angry defiance of a minute ago.
“I’m not taking that risk. If you live here, the ‘no drinking’ rule is not optional.”
“Jase….”
“No, Dean. I’m serious. Mom and Dad will kill me if you get caught drinking.” He tried his best to lose his angry. “I want you here, but it’s not fair to put me in that position.”
Dean tossed a soccer ball up a few feet and caught it. After several more times, he smacked the ball hard. “I’m not trying to get you in trouble, but I can’t believe it’s that big a deal.”
“You’ll see.” Jason held out his hands until Dean threw him the ball.
“So you never broke the rule?”
“Well….” Of course he had. “Only on special occasions and between last night and today, you’ve used up your occasions already.”
Dean finally cracked a smile. “Okay.”
Flicking the ball back to his brother, Jason returned the grin. “So, we’re good?”
“Yeah, no more drinking.”
Jason could hear the unspoken, ‘for now,’ but let it go. None of them were saints, but hopefully Dean realized he needed to reign in his wild side. “C’mon. Another house rule; you need to help with dinner. Otherwise you get stuck cleaning up by yourself.”
Be Sure To Check Out The Briefs Of These Other Authors:
March 20, 2013
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: CATE ASHWOOD
It’s Thursday and that means I get to recover from my Wednesday meeting with the personal trainer. It also means a new author to spotlight. Today, Cate Ashwood joins me. Cate’s first novel – Keeping Sweets is already a top seller, siting at #3 on the Amazon list of Gay and Lesbian Fiction Romance. I’d say, not bad for a debut novel, but it’s so much better than ‘not bad.’ Cate’s too modest to say it, but we all know i lack modesty, so I’ll say it for her, It’s Kick Ass Awesome how well her book has been received. I made sure to get mine, adding to the hype that is well deserved.
Okay, enough patting Cate on the back, so let me turn things over to her so she can tell you a bit about herself and her book in her words:
AUTHOR PROFILE: CATE ASHWOOD
Andrew, thank you so much for hosting me here today. I wanted to mention that I’ll be doing a giveaway at the end of the tour. Every comment that is made on each of the posts will be put into a hat and two winners will be drawn at random to win e-copies of the book. I’ll announce the winners on my website on April 10th.
When writing romance there are some unwritten rules (and some written ones) that writers are encouraged to follow. Some of the more concrete rules outline things that no one wants to read/write about anyway like: pedophilia, rape, incest, necrophilia, bestiality, and racism, but the unwritten ones are a little more fluid. Some of the ones I have come across are these:
HEA: The characters aren’t together at the end? Keep writing until they are. They must ride off into the sunset together happily forever or at the very least, happily for now
Hero as a villain: The main character can’t murder/rape anyone
Slut for a hero: The main characters should not have sex with anyone else.
Don’t kick the puppy: A group of orphans gunned down by a terrorist while on their way to deliver kittens and ice cream to a homeless shelter on Christmas Day. Too harsh.
Obviously, these are not hard and fast rules (okay, so maybe the first one is). There have been many authors who made the decision to fly in the face of convention and colour outside the lines. I’m not quite that brave, but I did bend one of them slightly.
Number three. The slut rule.
Can you successfully write a main character who is a slut? I sure hope so. Since Bran is a porn star, it’d be difficult for him not to have slept with numerous partners. It’s his job. It’s what he does. When I was writing Sweets, I had a decision to make about where the sex with other people would stop. Would it be the day he met Evan? That didn’t seem realistic to me. If they were on a porn set, there would be sex. There just would. I did my best to limit it, Bran receives a blowjob from one of the other boys, and Evan is there to watch. Some people might feel uncomfortable about that. Good. I wanted it to be a little uncomfortable, because I wanted them to experience what Evan was going through. He was uncomfortable. And turned on. And confused.
So, in Keeping Sweets I chose deviate from the rules. I knew that not sticking stringently to them might rub some people the wrong way, but that is where the story took me.
Rules were made to be broken (or bent a little, anyway).
Synopsis
Keeping Sweets:
Days away from high school graduation, with hardly a penny to his name, Evan Lowry needs to earn money for college. When he comes across an ad for modeling, he thinks his luck has changed—until he learns he’s interviewing for an adult film and will be expected to have sex. On camera. With other men.
For gay porn star Brandon Court, the shine has worn off of regular shoots. He and his producer, Les, decide to try something new: a reality-show porno set at a beach house. When he meets wide-eyed and naïve Evan for the first time, Brandon isn’t sure if he wants the kid to get lost or get naked. Naked wins.
On set, Brandon takes Evan under his wing, and over the next month, they are thrown together in every intimate way conceivable—except emotionally. Both Brandon and Evan are terrified of trying for anything deeper, and insecurities and doubts wear on their hopes, but the chemistry between them won’t let them slow things down.
Excerpt
And here is an excerpt from the book. This takes place at the beginning of the story when Bran takes Evan shopping with him for supplies. They hit all the innocuous places first, but Bran saves the best for last.
Evan gulped audibly. “Nipple clamps? What’s the draw of those?”
Bran laughed, his good humor returning despite his best efforts to remain impartial and distant. He slid his hand through Evan’s hair, ruffling it slightly as he pulled the other man toward him. “We really do need to get you an education, don’t we? Now’s as good a time as any.”
They walked into the store, closer together than two platonic friends should be. Evan didn’t make any attempt to pull away with Bran so close. It made Bran feel warmer, happier. He was totally fucked.
Evan’s first foray into sex toys was quite the experience for him, or so Bran assumed. He had taken all the teasing and ribbing like a champ, smiling and laughing instead of freaking out every time Bran tried to shock him with a story or new toy.
They explored the world of cock rings first—something relatively innocuous—and picked out a few to use on set. For the most part, cock rings weren’t needed, but they came in lots of colors, and Bran let Evan choose a handful to buy.
The next destination on their journey of discovery was the dildos. Bran tried his best not to crack up at Evan’s expression. Bran of course had seen it all before, but watching Evan experiencing the different shapes, and especially sizes, was a sight to behold. He was like a kid at the zoo, seeing an alligator being fed close up for the first time. There was deep fascination thinly veiling sheer horror painted across his face.
In the end, Evan seemed to have made a smooth transition from naïve and innocent to curious and horny as hell. He wasn’t a small guy in the dick department, and he was visibly excited over some of their purchases. Although when you were an eighteen-year-old, it was tough to hide your enthusiasm over anything, so Bran tried not to put too much stock into his reaction. He remembered being eighteen. He might have even fucked a girl if one had let him.
E-Book: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3620
Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3621
Bio:
Cate Ashwood wrote her very first story in a hot pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily ever after.
Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.
Cate loves to hear from readers. You can find her here:
Website: http://www.cateashwood.com
Blog: http://cateashwood.blogspot.ca/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cate.ashwood
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cateashwood
March 19, 2013
Wednesday Briefs – Second Shot – The Senior Year – 3
Jason watched his right hand trace patterns in Peter’s fine chest hairs. Resting on Peter’s shoulder, Jason felt his boyfriend’s hand gently rubbing his lower back and butt. After a grueling ten plus mile run, he hadn’t planned on afternoon sex, but it didn’t take much for Peter to get him in the mood.
Peter kissed Jason’s still damp hair. “What’s going on in here, Soccer Boy?”
Jason snuggled a bit closer. “Just happy, and a bit sore. It’s been a while since you topped me.”
“Was I too rough?” Peter brought his left arm over and stroked Jason’s face.
“No, but it has been a while.”
“That’s because I like it better when you’re the top. But today I wanted to do both.”
“I’m not complaining—much.”
Peter chuckled and hugged him tighter. “Not much, eh?”
“Nope, not much.” Good thing he ran before Peter decided to ‘take care of him.’ “I love looking in your eyes when you’re inside me. I want you so bad that I want to pull you closer and never let go.”
“Yeah, I feel that way too, on either side of things.” Peter kissed the top of his head again. “I love you, Jase.”
Jason lifted his head and moved his lips to Peter’s. “I love you too, Pete.”
The small kiss he meant to give Peter turned into a deep, passionate one that shot blood back to his groin. As he rolled on top of Peter, he heard the front door slam. Stealing a last kiss, Jason rolled back to his right.
“They have wonderful timing.”
“It wasn’t that bad.” Peter wiggled his eyebrows and smiled.
Jason laughed, hoping his arousal would die down. “True. We should probably shower again before they use up all the hot water.”
“Or we could stay here and wait til they’re done.” This time Peter rested his head on Jason’s chest. His hand made lazy circles on Jason’s abs and chest. “I like the view and besides, you promised to tell me about Blake and Ethan if I took good care of you.”
He eyes remained transfixed on the patterns Peter’s fingers traced on his skin. Maybe talking about their friends would take his mind off flipping Peter on to his back and…yeah definitely needed to distract himself. “Blake’s kinda at a cross road. He wants to come out, but isn’t totally ready.”
“Who is ever totally ready?”
“True, but there’s no reason for him to announce it.”
Closing his eyes, Jason relaxed under Peter’s touch. Twice he felt Peter softly kiss his skin.
“So why does he want to do it then?” Peter’s voice was barely more than a whisper.
“I think he wants a boyfriend.” After stroking Peter’s hair, Jason rested his cheek on Peter’s head. “He mentioned wanting what we have.”
“And he thinks that by coming out he’ll find a boyfriend? “
“Not sure that’s the plan, but I think he realizes that he can’t have anything meaningful if he’s always trying to hide who he is.”
Peter’s fingers continued their feathery movements giving Jason goose bumps. The erotic feeling kept him at the edge of arousal, but their conversation prevented him from tipping over.
“So where does Ethan fit into all this? Aside from them fucking like bunnies last night.”
Opening his eyes, Jason let his hand slide down Peter’s back. “How do you know that?”
“Three used condoms—well wrappers—in the trash. They were good enough to dispose of the used condoms.”
Even though Peter couldn’t see it, Jason wrinkled his nose. “Thank God for that.”
“No kidding. So they had a great night and now Blake’s in love?”
“Love? He didn’t say that, but there is some serious likeage there.”
Likeage? When did that become a word?”
Jason smacked Peter’s bare ass. “Shut up. You know what I meant.”
“Mhmm. So they like each other. You did point out they’re three hours apart, right?”
“Why is that so terrible?” Feeling his boyfriend’s slightly furry butt started to break Jason’s resolve not to get too excited. “Blake’s got soccer to focus on this semester. Over the break they only live twenty minutes apart.”
“So they’re going to do the long distance thing?” From Peter’s tone, Jason could tell he didn’t approve.
“Who knows? Blake didn’t say what he was going to do next. But I don’t think the distance thing is such an issue. They can video chat or call any time they want.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s great, but nothing beats falling asleep with your boyfriend and waking up in the middle of the night because one or both of you is in a mood.”
Jason laughed at the image. Peter did wake up horny at night a lot. “I know, but given Blake is still trying to come out, maybe baby steps aren’t a bad idea. Besides, come spring, Blake can drive out there any weekend he wants if they’re still together.”
“You’re encouraging this?” Peter let his hand come to a rest on Jason’s stomach. “Even after the disaster that was Ethan’s last long distance boyfriend?”
“I’m didn’t offer an opinion either way. This is for Blake to decide. I just don’t think it’s a big deal that they don’t live on the same campus.”
“Fair enough. They’re both adults.”
“Exactly.” He heard Darryl and his brother stomping up the stairs. They were talking, but he couldn’t make out the words. “Well, we’re too late for that shower now.”
Peter let his hand drift lower, gently massaging Jason back to life. “Yeah, guess we’ll need to figure out something to do while we wait.”
Be Sure To Check Out The Briefs Of These Other Authors:
March 13, 2013
AUTHOR PROFILE: CHRIS T. KAT
Today Chris T. Kat has agreed to take over the spot light and let us have a peek into her world. Chris has published several books, her most recent being Too Good To Be True. I first got to know Chris’s work reading Special Chemistry, which was a bit of a twist on the normal shifter books. If you get the chance, take a look at both. With that, here’s this weeks Author:
AUTHOR PROFILE: CHRIS T. KAT
Andrew, thank you very much for having me on your blog! I’m excited to be sharing my new release Too Good To Be True, which is a sequel to Seizing It, with you and your readers. It released on February 27th.
Sequel to Seizing It
Buy link: Too Good To Be True
Blurb:
Three months after Kit falls in love with Dale, his epilepsy takes a turn for the worse and his nightmares and flashbacks about his abusive ex intensify. His work at the veterinary clinic and as a freelance translator only adds to the stress. As Kit’s life flies out of his control, his last tether of sanity frays as Dale grows frustrated with Kit’s stubborn independence.
Dale wants to be Kit’s rock—to step in to help—but the walls Kit builds may be too hard to break through.
Hey everyone! My name is Chris T. Kat. Since my first attempt at inviting myself into Kit and Dale’s living room wasn’t all that successful (see the interview at MJ and Piper’s blog: http://mjandpiper.blogspot.com) I called ahead this time.
Dale: Hi Chris, welcome back.
Chris: Hi Dale. Where’s Kit?
Dale: He’s walking Jackson and should be here any minute.
Chris: I take it he’s doing better? Since he’s walking Jackson alone?
Dale: *sighs* Yes, he is.
Chris: You seem… doubtful.
Dale: No! Well, okay, maybe. It’s the first time he’s off alone and it makes me nervous not to know how he’s doing. I just want to make sure he’s all right.
Chris: His epilepsy must be hard on you too.
Dale: Let’s not talk about his epilepsy when he’s back, okay? It’s a touchy subject for him and I’d rather do without a tantrum. Don’t get me wrong: I get why he acts the way he does, I really do. No one wants to be defined by something out of his control.
Kit: Honey, I’m back!
Jackson bounds into the room, sniffs my hand, then goes over to Dale to receive a pat before he reclines next to the heater.
Kit: Oh, you.
Dale: Kit.
Chris: Hey, Kit, nice to meet you again.
Kit: *plops next to Dale on the sofa* Hi, Chris.
Chris: You look much better than the last time I saw you.
Dale: *cringes*
Kit: Do I?
Chris: *looks around in embarrassment* Talk about putting your foot in, huh?
Kit: *laughs* Hah! Better you than me! What would you like to know? And before you ask: Dale is off-limit.
Chris: I thought so.
Kit: Just wanted to be clear.
Dale: Kit, what’s gotten into you?
Kit: Nothing.
Dale: I raise your nothing to a something. Shoot.
Kit: No.
Dale: Do you seriously want me to tickle you in front of an audience?
Kit: *blushes* Dale!
Dale: Yes?
Kit: I don’t want to talk about it, okay? Forget about it?
Dale: About you having a jealousy fit? No way!
Chris: Here we go again. Do you need time to settle your argument?
Kit: Yes.
Dale: No.
Chris: *narrows eyes* Is this a ploy to get rid of me?
Dale: No!
Kit: *mumbles* Yes.
Dale: *stares at Kit in disbelief*
Kit: Don’t look at me like that! Dale? Come on! Okay, okay, I’ll answer all her questions! Just stop looking at me like that.
Dale: *keeps staring*
Kit: Would it help if I said I love you really loud?
Dale: *snorts* You’re unbelievable!
Kit: *climbs onto Dale’s lap and kisses him*
Chris: *rolls her eyes* All right, guys. I get it. Kit really doesn’t do interviews. I’ll rest my case.
Kit: *grins and winks*
Chris: *gets up* No, no, you two stay where you are. I know my way out.
Kit: Hey, Chris?
Chris: *turns back around* Yes?
Kit: Will Too Good to be True? be the last book about Dale and me?
Dale: *pulls Kit closer* Shh, kitten, it’ll be fine.
Chris: Honestly? I’m not sure. There’s still some stuff you need to work through, isn’t there?
Kit: I guess.
Chris: Give me some time to mull it over, okay?
Dale: That’s fine. I already got him, that’s all I need.
Kit: You’re making me all teary-eyed.
Dale: *kisses Kit again*
Chris: *walks to the door and furiously scribbles notes*
Excerpt from Chapter Four:
My head snapped back to look at him. His face was grim, his eyes blazing. I couldn’t keep up the eye contact.
Apologizing wouldn’t do it anymore, I realized. Shivers surged through me, and I wrapped my arms around my torso, not for the first time wishing I would think before speaking.
“Oh for crying out loud! Kit!”
Strong arms engulfed me, lifted me off my feet for a moment, and I clung to him like I had never clung to anyone before. “Don’t leave. Don’t leave. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, please, Dale, I swear, I didn’t!”
“You accused me of causing you to have a seizure if I want to talk to you, Kit.”
I heard Jackson yipping before a wet tongue licked over one of my hands that fisted Dale’s shirt. My hand shook when I pried it away from Dale’s shirt and instead patted my dog’s head. In a trembling voice, I said, “Yeah, you got one stupid owner.”
“Don’t.”
“But I am. I never want to act like I do, and yet I still do. Isn’t there some kind of training I can try?”
“You’re always snapping when you feel threatened. It’s what you do. I wish you’d finally trust me enough to know that I’ll stick around and will never hurt you. Never. No matter how much you try to rile me up, I’ll never beat you. I’m not Hutch. You can stop testing me,” Dale said.
For a moment I froze. Was that what I was doing? Challenging him? Trying to see if he really wouldn’t lift his hand against me? “You think that’s what I’m doing?”
“Yes, I do. I understand why you’re doing it, but it gets exhausting after a while. If I was like Hutch, don’t you think I would’ve beaten you up by now?”
“I suppose so.”
“Oh, and there’s another detail. You act extremely bratty before and shortly after a big seizure. You haven’t acted this way since we first met, probably because you took your medication on time and stuck to a well-thought-out daily schedule.”
“I….” I trailed off, frowning. “We’re having exactly the talk you wanted us to have. How did you do that?”
“I’m a tricky bastard.”
“I love you,” I blurted. Suddenly it was of utmost importance to tell him that, not to placate him or anything, but to voice my feelings for him aloud.
“Love you too, kitten.”
“Even if I’m a pest?”
“You’re a good-looking pest.”
Chris T. Kat
Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross-stitch.
Links:
Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisTKat
DSP author page: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=605
March 12, 2013
Wednesday Briefs – Second Shot – The Senior Year – 2
A few years ago I wrote Second Shot, and posted it for free over on Gay Authors. It was my first – novel that is. In the two years since I posted the last chapter, I’ve received quite a few emails asking if I was going to do more with the characters. I never really saw a new ‘story’ per se, so I always said I had no plans. Then I was asked if I wanted to join the Wednesday Briefs group and I found a vehicle to return to the characters and story. My expectation is you won’t really need to read Second Shot to understand these ‘briefs’ but it wouldn’t hurt. But be warned, Second Shot is not edited and is very long.
Wednesday Briefs - Second Shot – The Senior Year -2
Sweat dripped down Jason’s face as he dug out his key. He’d wiped his face so often during the run that his shirt felt five pounds heavier. It took more work – a lot more – to leave Blake gasping for air by the end of their run.
At least Blake hadn’t let up on his training. Jason knew his brother and Darryl were going to suffer when practice started in three days. Too bad. He’d tried to get Dean to work harder, but his little brother had always coasted because of his talent. Darryl never worked hard over the summer, but he always caught up by the end of the first week.
Turning the key, he paused at the silence that met him. Even they should be up by two p.m., party last night or not. The image of his brother, drunk and loud forced his lips to squeeze tight. Living together was supposed to keep him out of trouble, not help him get drunk.
He sighed as he walked toward the kitchen. The idea of them living in the same house, with Darryl and Peter seemed so awesome when it came together. Now, he felt like…like an adult.
Sorting through the left over beer and soda in their refrigerator, he found the water pitcher shoved to the back. The urge to drink from the container nearly overwhelmed his good sense. He caught a whiff of himself when he shut the door and quickly found a glass, drank and headed for the shower.
Passing his brother’s room first then Darryl’s, he confirmed he had the house to himself. ‘His’ room, empty unless they had company, looked well used from Ethan and Blake’s over night romp. Ethan half-heartedly offered to clean up, but Jason felt better if he did it himself.
Shucking his sweaty shorts, tee shirt, jock and socks, he dumped the lot on the bathroom floor. He’d take them to the laundry room after he took a shower. And since Pete wasn’t home, he couldn’t get upset.
Jason twisted the taps, keeping his hand under the flow until it warmed up. Once in, he directed the spray onto his head and leaned back to relax. After several minutes, he reluctantly decided he couldn’t stay all day. Grabbing the body wash he aimed the bottle toward his hand just as the back of the curtain slid open.
“Holy Shit! You scared me!” His racing heart rate slowed when he saw Peter—a very naked Peter—smiling as he stepped into the tub.
“I heard the water and thought I’d surprise you with some company.”
Running his eyes up and down the body he knew almost as well as his own, Jason felt himself react to Peter’s visible arousal. “Depends on who the company is.”
He moved closer until their bodies pressed together. Peter’s lips sought his and Jason nearly hit his boyfriend in the back of the head with the bottle of soap as their kiss deepened.
Peter’s hand snaked up until it rested on the side of Jason’s face. “I guess I’m the right company?”
“The only company who’s welcome.” Jason kissed him again, running his hands across Peter’s firm butt. “But I really need to get washed, Blake and I ran for close to an hour.”
Taking the soap from Jason, Peter squirted a glob into his hand. “Turn around, I’ll start on your back.”
Jason turned and moved the water away from his face. “What did I do to deserve this treatment?”
“Do you want a list or is being my incredibly hot boyfriend enough?”
The fingers rubbing his body caused Jason to roll his head back. When he felt Peter begin to massage his butt, Jason let out a soft moan. “A list would be better, but I’ll take being your boyfriend as reason enough.”
“You left out incredibly hot.” Peter now ran his hands up and down Jason’s back.
“Damn, that feels great.” Jason reached behind himself and tried to pull Peter closer, but couldn’t reach him.
“I aim to please.” Slipping his soapy hands around Jason’s chest, Peter drew them together. He ground his hips, rubbing himself between Jason’s cheeks. “Turn around and let me wash your front.”
Jason couldn’t hide—not that he wanted to— the effect of Peter’s ministrations and he knew from what he felt moments ago that Peter was in the same condition. The silence lingered even when Peter spent extra time on Jason’s groin. When he finished, Peter gently turned Jason around to rinse off.
“Did Blake and Ethan have fun last night?” Peter asked.
That’s what Peter wanted to know? If their friends had fun spending the night together? “Um yeah, but do we need to talk about that now?”
“Yup.” Peter slid the back of the curtain open. “This is just the warm up. I want to make sure we make it to the bedroom and I know you well enough to tell you’re getting too close.”
Shaking the water from his face, Jason snorted. “Bloody tease.”
“Hey,” he poked his head around the curtain. “A tease would leave you high and dry, I plan to take good care of you now that you’re clean.”
Quickly washing his face, Jason shut off the water, and found Peter waiting with a towel ready. “To answer your question, yes they had fun.”
Peter’s smile faded into his ‘there’s a problem’ face. “You to need to talk to Darryl and Dean. Ethan was rather vocal about who he spent the night with.”
Nodding, Jason continued to dry off. “Yeah I know. But I don’t think it’s going to be an issue much longer.”
“Really?” Peter arched an eyebrow. “Do tell.”
“How about I brush my teeth, you make good on your promise to take good care of me, and then I’ll tell you all the dirt?”
A big grin stretched Peter’s lips. “I like your thinking, Mr. Tellerman.”
Be Sure To Check Out The Briefs Of These Other Authors:
Wednesday Briefs – Second Shot – The Senior Year
A few years ago I wrote Second Shot, and posted it for free over on Gay Authors. It was my first – novel that is. In the two since I posted the last chapter, I’ve received quite a few emails asking if I was going to do more with the characters. I never really saw a new ‘story’ per se, so I always said I had no plans. Then I was asked if I wanted to join the Wednesday Briefs group and I found a vehicle to return to the characters and story. My expectation is you won’t really need to read Second Shot to understand these ‘briefs’ but it wouldn’t hurt. But be warned, Second Shot is not edited and is very long.
Wednesday Briefs - Second Shot – The Senior Year -2
Sweat dripped down Jason’s face as he dug out his key. He’d wiped his face so often during the run that his shirt felt five pounds heavier. It took more work – a lot more – to leave Blake gasping for air by the end of their run.
At least Blake hadn’t let up on his training. Jason knew his brother and Darryl were going to suffer when practice started in three days. Too bad. He’d tried to get Dean to work harder, but his little brother had always coasted because of his talent. Darryl never worked hard over the summer, but he always caught up by the end of the first week.
Turning the key, he paused at the silence that met him. Even they should be up by two p.m., party last night or not. The image of his brother, drunk and loud forced his lips to squeeze tight. Living together was supposed to keep him out of trouble, not help him get drunk.
He sighed as he walked toward the kitchen. The idea of them living in the same house, with Darryl and Peter seemed so awesome when it came together. Now, he felt like…like an adult.
Sorting through the left over beer and soda in their refrigerator, he found the water pitcher shoved to the back. The urge to drink from the container nearly overwhelmed his good sense. He caught a whiff of himself when he shut the door and quickly found a glass, drank and headed for the shower.
Passing his brother’s room first then Darryl’s, he confirmed he had the house to himself. ‘His’ room, empty unless they had company, looked well used from Ethan and Blake’s over night romp. Ethan half-heartedly offered to clean up, but Jason felt better if he did it himself.
Shucking his sweaty shorts, tee shirt, jock and socks, he dumped the lot on the bathroom floor. He’d take them to the laundry room after he took a shower. And since Pete wasn’t home, he couldn’t get upset.
Jason twisted the taps, keeping his hand under the flow until it warmed up. Once in, he directed the spray onto his head and leaned back to relax. After several minutes, he reluctantly decided he couldn’t stay all day. Grabbing the body wash he aimed the bottle toward his hand just as the back of the curtain slid open.
“Holy Shit! You scared me!” His racing heart rate slowed when he saw Peter—a very naked Peter—smiling as he stepped into the tub.
“I heard the water and thought I’d surprise you with some company.”
Running his eyes up and down the body he knew almost as well as his own, Jason felt himself react to Peter’s visible arousal. “Depends on who the company is.”
He moved closer until their bodies pressed together. Peter’s lips sought his and Jason nearly hit his boyfriend in the back of the head with the bottle of soap as their kiss deepened.
Peter’s hand snaked up until it rested on the side of Jason’s face. “I guess I’m the right company?”
“The only company who’s welcome.” Jason kissed him again, running his hands across Peter’s firm butt. “But I really need to get washed, Blake and I ran for close to an hour.”
Taking the soap from Jason, Peter squirted a glob into his hand. “Turn around, I’ll start on your back.”
Jason turned and moved the water away from his face. “What did I do to deserve this treatment?”
“Do you want a list or is being my incredibly hot boyfriend enough?”
The fingers rubbing his back caused Jason to roll his head back. When he felt Peter begin to massage his butt, Jason let out a soft moan. “A list would be better, but I’ll take being your boyfriend as reason enough.”
“You left out incredibly hot.” Peter now ran his hands up and down Jason’s back.
“Damn, that feels great.” Jason reached behind himself and tried to pull Peter closer, but couldn’t reach him.
“I aim to please.” Slipping his soapy hands around Jason’s chest, Peter drew them together. He ground his hips, rubbing himself between Jason’s cheeks. “Turn around and let me wash your front.”
Jason couldn’t hide—not that he wanted to— the effect of Peter’s ministrations and he knew from what he felt moments ago that Peter was in the same condition. The silence lingered even when Peter spent extra time on Jason’s groin. When he finished, Peter gently turned Jason around to rinse off.
“Did Blake and Ethan have fun last night?” Peter asked.
That’s what Peter wanted to know? If their friends had fun spending the night together? “Um yeah, but do we need to talk about that now?”
“Yup.” Peter slid the back of the curtain open. “This is just the warm up. I want to make sure we make it to the bedroom and I know you well enough to tell you’re getting too close.”
Shaking the water from his face, Jason snorted. “Bloody tease.”
“Hey,” he poked his head around the curtain. “A tease would leave you high and dry, I plan to take good care of you now that you’re clean.”
Quickly washing his face, Jason shut off the water, and found Peter waiting with a towel ready. “To answer your question, yes they had fun.”
Peter’s smile faded into his there’s a problem’ face. “You to need to talk to Darryl and Dean. Ethan was rather vocal about who he spent the night with.”
Nodding, Jason continued to dry off. “Yeah I know. But I don’t think it’s going to be an issue much longer.”
“Really?” Peter arched an eyebrow. “Do tell.”
“How about I brush my teeth, you make good on your promise to take good care of me, and then I’ll tell you all the dirt?”
A big grin stretched Peter’s lips. “I like your thinking, Mr. Tellerman.”
March 10, 2013
Guest Author – Grace R. Duncan
Today, in a break from the usual Author Profile, I’m letting Grace R. Duncan visit to talk about ‘her gypsies from her new book Choices. To get you all in the mood, and since I can hear gypsies without thinking Cher and her Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, I’ve embedded a link to the video if you want some theme music while you read. [Click it, c'mon, you know you want to. It is Cher after all]
Also, Grace is giving away a ‘bag of swag’ to one lucky commenter. Easy to enter – leave a comment and email address and Grace will pick one name out of a hat to get a winner.
Okay, so having put you all in the mood, let’s see what Grace has to say.
Grace R. Duncan:
When I sat down to write Choices, I’d had a really good idea already of Teman’s background.
I knew that freedom was exceedingly important to him and I knew the basics of what he did before the story started. But the why of this was something I hadn’t decided yet. Where did his need for freedom come from? What led him to being a thief-for-hire? What went into making him the person that he was?
We have heard over the years, many times, about gypsies. They’ve made appearances in so many different movies as to almost be beyond countable; everything from Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (not the same as Victor Hugo’s version by a long shot) to Sam Raimi’s horror “Drag Me to Hell” and everything in between. A friend of mine recently wrote a novel with the Romani people – the classic gypsies – called Înflori, a m/m romance. But the Romani gypsies are far and away not the only gypsies out there and pretty much every representation of them in fiction takes their own liberties. The range of realistic portrayal runs from “fairly close” to “grossly wrong.” And I’m not talking about Esmerelda here, either.
Like any group, there is a lot of misinformation about the gypsies, more assumptions and still further bigotry. Some of the “articles” (I use that term loosely) I read were worse than a KKK rally. It was disgusting to see people lump everyone in a group together. The gypsies are no better or worse than any other ethnic group out there. There is good and bad in everyone – individually and whole groups.
What I think frightens people the most is that there is much about them that isn’t understood. And let’s face it, we write and read m/m fiction, right? We understand what fear does to people because there ARE (whether it’s ridiculous or not) people who fear homosexuality. But just as we shouldn’t accept that kind of fear when it comes to sexuality, we shouldn’t accept it from people over someone’s ethnic group, either.
A.F. Henley did a great job of showing just how good the Roma people can be in Înflori. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. He definitely showed both sides of the coin. But his MC’s love interest, Nicholæ, despite a few character flaws, was an amazing character and most definitely the good side of the coin.
I have done insane amounts of research for Choices. My beta often shook her head (in a very indulgent way) at just how much I read over things that never even made it into the book. I spent hours researching the different types of gypsy (most coming back to the aforementioned Roma people). And what I read about the attitudes about gypsies just made me more determined to create a type of character —a cultural group that showed only the positives.
Don’t get me wrong, no group is perfect, I know this. Even my gypsies aren’t. Freer than most peoples, they still live on the edge of what is considered “legal” in my world, roaming, going where the wind takes them. Teman’s mother Kaya – the head of their clan along with his uncle – make a point of saying as much. That while they do skirt the law by going where they will, they obey the laws of whatever land they inhabit, even paying taxes, as required.
So I like to think of them as something between the free-spirited hippy and the mysterious Romani people. That said, there is so much to them, like there is to any other aspect of my world, that I had to decide what was important and what isn’t. For instance, my gypsies weren’t specifically Gifted. Teman did have an instinct for when things were about to go wrong. He learned to listen to it but not depend on it. But this wasn’t so much a trait of their group, but rather something individual to him.
The other thing that makes my gypsies stand out is that, not only were they different culturally than the rest of my world, they have marked differences from the Romani people, as well. Kaya is the head of Teman’s clan. In Neyem, women were not allowed positions of power. Even in the Romani peoples (what I understand of them) women were not regarded the same as men. Mind you, Teman’s uncle is also part of the clan leadership (though we never meet him and, in fact, I haven’t even named him!), it is more for appearances when they meet people who won’t deal with Kaya.
Kaya. Now there is a woman that, if I could spend some time with one of my characters, I would love to sit with her. The things she has seen, the places she’s been must have been amazing. She’s an open, caring person with good humor and a core of steel. She believes firmly in no only their freedom but freedom for all people and will be very vocal about it. It is, in fact, one or her flaws. She won’t keep quiet, no matter who she’s talking to (be it the Neyemen amir or the Tiantang empress).
I spent a good deal of time working through the many possibilities when making up my gypsies. In the end, I went back to focusing on who Teman was: a caring, strong, capable man who loves freedom and I made my choices from there.
I think in a lot of ways, my gypsies ended up having quite a bit of me in them. I’ve always been one who liked to go and see and do. My views on the laws have been fuzzy in many ways, though I abide by them. And I’ve been accused on more than one occasion of having a sixth sense about some things.
I just hope that the group in my book comes across as the open, free, good group that I wanted them to be. What do you think?
* * *
Many thanks to Andrew for hosting me today! I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about my gypsies and Teman’s family. Please remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a swag bag of Choices goodies! Winner will be chosen randomly from those who commented next Monday. Thank you for reading.
* * *
Blurb:
Born and raised a gypsy in the late eleventh century, Teman values freedom over everything. He and his best friend, Jasim, are thieves for hire—until one night they’re caught and their precious freedom is revoked. Given the choice between the dungeons or palace pleasure slavery, they become slaves, but Teman vows to escape someday.
Bathasar doesn’t want the throne. He supports his brother instead, which suits their sadistic father, Mukesh. When Teman, the handsome slave Bathasar has secretly been watching, saves his life, Bathasar requests a slave for the first time. Before long, Bathasar and Teman fall in love. But all is not well. One day Mukesh brutalizes Teman before the court, angering the empress of a neighboring nation. To appease her, he then offers her Jasim as a gift, and Teman decides to stay with Bathasar for now—despite the abuse he may suffer.
The peace doesn’t last. Mukesh plans to invade Jasim’s new country, and Bathasar must find a way to stop the destruction. But if he succeeds, he’ll ascend to the throne and have the power to grant Teman his liberty. Then Teman will surely leave him. What other choice could a gypsy make?
Website: http://www.grace-duncan.com/
Blog: http://gracerduncan.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorgraceduncan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gracerduncan
E-mail: duncan.grace.r@gmail.com
