Brigham Vaughn's Blog, page 8

WIP WEDNESDAY - THE BLAME GAME

We’re less than a month away from the Blame Game release! Keep an eye out for a trope and cover reveal later this week!

Here’s another teaser from early in the book when they have one of their Sunday night meetups.

Shea shifted onto his side, drawing the covers over them both. Dom didn’t even stir.

He took a moment to look him over, guiltily enjoying the opportunity to let his gaze linger without Dom noticing.

He was … God, he was beautiful.

Shea’s fingers itched to trace along his strong jaw and ghost over the short goatee he wore, skim his fingertip along his sharp nose and let the side of his knuckle linger in the hollow of his defined cheekbones.

Dom was overdue for a haircut and his brown hair fell below his ears, dusting his chin and curling up at the ends.

Shea smiled because when they’d begun this arrangement, Dom hadn’t had the small streak of silver just to the right of his part or the faint lines across his forehead.

And Shea had never dreamed he’d fall in love with him.

He wasn’t supposed to. Hadn’t meant to.

But no matter how many times he sternly told his heart no, it didn’t listen.

 

So here Shea was, in love with a closeted pro athlete who paid him for sex.

The Blame Game will release on August 30th so now is the perfect time to pre-order it!

TV SHOW REC - EAGLES SVT

Most of you probably know by now that I always face cast my characters. 

I always imagined August Manning, our beloved Auggie, as Swedish model/actor Filip Wolfe Sjunnesson. 

You can find his IG profile here. He doesn't post a ton on his feed but he regularly posts in his stories, so be sure to check him out. 

When I was writing The Head Game and learning more about him, I stumbled across a TV show he was in, called Eagles SVT. It's about a group of "teenagers living in the Swedish ice hockey town Oskarshamn while experiencing friendship, love, and rivalry on the ice."

I finally decided to watch it (probably because I'm going through hockey withdrawals in the off-season ) and I am having so much fun with it!

It's set in the real world of the NHL and there are references to a character playing in the NHL for the Bostin Bruins and mentions of real life hockey players, which I thought was really neat. 

Filip's character, Jack Barrett, doesn't arrive until season 2 (I'm about halfway through the season now) but I am enjoying the show a lot. The episodes are short so I've been tearing through them. Itt's high drama, lots of rivalries and backstabbing and making bad decisions. lol. It reminds me a little of some of the CW shows I've seen. 

The acting and writing are all very good and while most of the characters/couples are straight, Felicia is bi and they were very casual about introducing that, which I loved! 

Jack is an assistant coach for the team The Oskarshamn Eagles. 

What was wild is that there's a scene that felt a little bit too much like Nico's injury, because Jack watches one of his players lying on the ice injured and is yelling for a stretcher. Unlike Nico & Auggie, Jack and the player aren't involved (though he does date a player's sister) but it was weird to watch that scene after having written something rather similar in The Head Game!

Jack's character is, unfortunately, not a good guy like Auggie. He's a bit devious (and I suspect is going to get worse as the story goes on) but Filip is a very good actor and I'm enjoying the slightly sleazy charm. 

I swear, the man has the kind of smile that makes you feel like you've been hit in the face by a board. 

The show is available on Apple TV and is in Swedish, of course, but there are English subtitles.

 

So, if you're really missing hockey during the offseason, enjoy drama-filled, entertaining

shows, and/or want to get a better look at Filip Wolfe Sjunnesson, check out Eagles SVT here!

WIP WEDNESDAY - THE BLAME GAME

Dom & Shea’s book is written and off with beta readers, which means it’s time to start the teasers!

This is from very early in the book, during one of their standing Sunday night “appointments”.

When they were both nude, Dom let his gaze trail up and down Sawyer’s body, taking in the finely honed muscles and broad shoulders. The sight was simultaneously arousing and a prick to Dom’s ego. He’d never managed to put on muscle that way, not even at Sawyer’s age, and the twist of envy in his stomach was irritating.

Sawyer was younger, fitter, and better looking than Dom had ever been. The kind of guy Dom would only get because he was paying for it.

The Blame Game will release on August 30th so now is the perfect time to pre-order it!

AUTHOR REC - EMILY SPADY

I don't do book recs very often and that's mostly because I don't have as much time to read as I'd like to. Often, when I do read, I read fanfic.

There's probably a ton of reasons why but a big part of it is that it's super easy to just browse for something in the length I have time for and then I don't have to worry about getting sucked into something before bed and lose precious sleep.

But a few weeks ago, I ran across a super cute edit on Instagram. It was a lovely aesthetic collage for Duke for the Summer by Emily Spady.

The post must have been from a reviewer because it doesn't show up on the author's IG but man, it hooked me! I hunted down the book and bought it immediately.

The funny thing is, I'm not a huge royalty romance reader or illustrated cover fan (no shame to them, just not my jam) so I probably would have skipped over the book covers if I saw them but this collage edit was *chefs kiss*

I wish I could link you to it!

I bought the book just before I went to Toronto so I had a little time to read while I was there and I absolutely devoured it. When I realized there was another book set in the same world, I grabbed The Hot Mess Prince and devoured that too.

They are both lovely books with a royalty/ordinary guy angle and are full of lots of humor and incredible setting descriptions. There are complex, interesting characters and a ton of depth to the story without it feeling heavy.

It's rare that I get sucked into a story or invested in a new author that way so I wanted to be sure to share them with you. It seems like Emily Spady is a new-ish author but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of her work!

If you want to check out her books, click the link below!

COME HOME WITH MATTY & ANTONI - READ THE HOME GAME NOW!

GUESS WHAT? It's Matty Day!  throws confetti

Note:

Before I say anything else, I have to give a big shout out to author Shea Michaels because without her, this story wouldn’t exist the way it is now. 

Way back in October of 2022, she messaged me to say that she apologized if this was weird, but she’d read Noah's story, Bending the Rules, and had gotten a plot bunny for Matty. She said I could ignore the idea or, if I liked it, I was welcome to use it.

The premise involved a real estate mixup with a guy who had inherited some kids and Matty offering to rent out his big empty house to them.

I was so intrigued by the idea and it just felt PERFECT for Matty so I thanked her and said I definitely thought I'd use it. I had to wait a while to get to his story but I eventually ran with this premise and I am so glad I did. 

At this point, I can’t imagine any other HEA for Matty than this and I am so, so glad she messaged me to share her idea for him. Thank you again, Shea! I love this idea so much and I had a wonderful time writing the story!

I know how much you all love Matty and I am confident you're going to love Antoni and the kids too! Since you've been waiting for Matty's HEA for such a looong time, I won't make you wait any longer. Here is all of the info.

Tropes:

Hockey player/teacher

Single dad

Marriage of Convenience

Out for You/Bi Exploration

Insta-Family

Demisexual Rep

Blurb:

Matty Carlson Playing House with Local Schoolteacher?

Toronto Fisher Cats enforcer, Matt Carlson, was recently spotted in the park with a hot mystery man and four children ranging in age from pre-teen to infant.

A close source indicates that the man is prep school English teacher, Antoni Bianchi, who has been spotted with Carlson in public recently.

Following the cozy park outing, Carlson was photographed with his arm around Bianchi as they returned to Carlson’s home, adding fuel to the speculation that the men are dating and, perhaps, living together.

Just friends or is something else heating up their late summer nights?

Since Carlson’s acrimonious divorce five years ago, he has not been romantically linked to anyone but rumors swirled of involvement with a man prior to the split.

Is the enforcer ready to “switch teams” for good?

When asked to comment on her ex’s sexuality, aspiring actress Courtney Quinn stated, “I don’t know why everyone is surprised. It’s not like it’s the first time he’s been with a man.”

Sour grapes from a jilted lover or secrets from his past revealed?

Check the JockGossip blog for all of the latest developments in this intriguing new chapter of Carlson’s life.

Trigger Warning:

The story contains discussions about the death of background characters in a car accident, children being orphaned, and grieving. Mentions of biphobia, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and violence against non-binary characters.

The Home Game is available in ebook, paperback, or through Kindle Unlimited!

WIP WEDNESDAY - THE HOME GAME

Can you believe it, Book Nerds? This is your final teaser before I release The Home Game! Matty & Antoni's book will be in your hot little hands this Friday, June 7th!

Dave was all smiles as he turned back to Matty and Antoni and said, “You may kiss.”

They both froze, then turned to look at each other. They hadn’t discussed this with each other and the officiant hadn’t asked. Maybe it was assumed that every couple getting married would want to.

Matty searched Antoni’s face for a sign that he wasn’t okay with kissing but he tilted his chin up and wet his lips. Matty curled his fingers around the back of Antoni’s neck and pressed their lips together.

It was soft and gentle, almost platonic.

And then Antoni sighed and opened his mouth a little, the tip of his tongue flicking against Matty’s in a tease that sent a bolt of lightning through Matty’s body where it settled like a low burn in his stomach.

Matty pulled Antoni more tightly to him, never wanting the kiss to end, but one of the kids giggled in the background and Antoni drew back.

They stared at each other for a moment, breathing shallowly, before Matty reluctantly stepped back, letting his hand fall to his side.

They were married now. There was no going back.

Eee! Are you excited or WHAT? If you haven't pre-ordered the book, now is the perfect time to do it!

ADVENTURE TIME - TORONTO EDITION

Last weekend, a friend and I made a super quick trip from Michigan to Toronto, Ontario.

 

We left Saturday morning, arrived in Toronto in the afternoon, checked into our hotel, got dressed up, then walked to met Amy Aislin for dinner at a cute little Italian place!

We had a lovely time chatting with her, then walked to see the show, Hadestown. We had second row seats and it was an incredible, emotional performance, especially because it was the second to last show for that touring company! 

As a former theater geek, I so enjoyed getting to see the costumes, sets, and characters up close. I know plays and musicals aren't everyone's favorite, but for me, there is nothing like a live performance. It always gives me chills!

The following morning, we had a quick breakfast at the hotel, checked out, then walked to the Hockey Hall of Fame. We were there when it opened and made a beeline for the Great Hall. It's where all of the amazing trophies, including the Stanley Cup, are housed and we had it all to ourselves for a while.

The Great Hall is a stunning room and I was so excited to examine the Cup up close and see all of the engravings, including five wins from the Pittsburgh Penguins, three of which are in the Sidney Crosby era.

The superstition is that if a player touches the Cup before they win it, they're cursed to never win the championship. 

Obviously, I'm never personally going to win the Cup, but I guess the superstitions of either the real life team I root for or the fictional players I write has rubbed off on me because I got close but I never actually touched it!

So funny. But I am incredibly glad I got a chance to see it up close and personal. 

There were a ton of other fabulous things on display, including Lord Stanley's Vault. 

It holds the history of the Cup, retired bands from it, stories of some of the shenanigans the Cup has been involved in over the past 125 years, the evolution of its shape, and a display of the championship rings given to winning teams.

We also saw the incredible display of goalie masks (which I've been dying to see since I wrote Noah's book), a reproduction of the Montreal Canadiens dressing room, tons of women's hockey history, and a Bruins Zamboni!

After the HoF, we walked down to the waterfront, enjoyed bahn mi sandwiches for lunch, then headed home. 

It was a short but sweet trip and I am so glad I got to experience it all. 

If you want to check out all of my pictures from my latest adventure, stop by my Instagram!

WIP WEDNESDAY - THE HOME GAME

We're getting so close to release day! Today I'll be looking over the proofreading round from my editor so let's celebrate with another teaser from the story. Isn't Matty the sweetest?

Oh lord. The way Matty held Reese … he was so careful. Careful but confident. Like he knew exactly what he was doing.

Shit! That shouldn’t be so attractive but it really was. And the happy, excited faces Matty kept making at Reese, it was like he’d been given the best gift ever.

Antoni’s mom lifted her eyebrows, shooting Antoni a significant glance as if to say “we’re going to talk about this later” before she excused herself.

“I’ll uh, help get the other kids ready if you can manage Reese,” Antoni said, face feeling a little warm at being caught shamelessly ogling.

“Oh, yeah, I’ve got this,” Matty said confidently. “Reese and I will be right here entertaining each other.”

He shot Antoni a smile, then made another silly face at Reese.

Reese, who already seemed completely charmed by Matty, grabbed at his beard, and laughed.

“Uhh, okay,” Antoni said, tearing himself away.

“What on earth is Matt Carlson doing in our entryway?” Antoni’s mom hissed when they were out of earshot.

Antoni blinked. “You know who he is?”

“Of course I do! Everyone in Toronto—oh, Antoni,” his mom said with a little laugh. “You didn’t?”

“I …” Antoni sighed. “You know I’ve never really watched sports and it’s not like I can afford to now.”

WIP WEDNESDAY - THE HOME GAME

We're in the home stretch for the release of The Home Game! (see what I did there??) I'm wrapping up edits and it'll be heading to proofreaders soon.

“I hate money,” Matty said with a sigh.

Antoni gave him a skeptical glance. “Yeah, easy for you to say, eh.”

He’d seen the price tag on this house. There was a massive home gym and a steam shower in the basement. A six-car garage for fuck’s sake! Matty was hardly hurting for money.

Matty grimaced. “Yeah, okay I know how it looks now but I didn’t grow up with it. My parents struggled. And I played in the minors for a long fucking time before I secured an NHL contract. I’m lucky now but I’ve been poor.”

“So why do you hate money?”

“Well, I don’t hate it, I guess. I just hate that people like you struggle while I make a boatload.”

Antoni shrugged. “Agreed but …”

“Yeah, that doesn’t change the fact that this is what we’ve got to work with, right?”

“Right.” Antoni nodded. “Wait, we?”

Matty nodded. “So, you’re probably going to think I’m crazy but I think you and the kids should move in here with me.”

“Uhh, what?” Antoni blinked at Matty, sure he’d just hallucinated Matty suggesting he and the kids move in with him.

“Look, I know this sounds kind of crazy. But I have a big-ass house I don’t know what to do with. You need a house. In this neighborhood. It’s perfect.”

Antoni felt faintly dizzy. “Right, but you can’t just—”

“It’s not like I’m giving you the house or anything,” Matty said with a little laugh. “I’m not that crazy.”

Antoni pushed his hair off his forehead. “Um, this is pretty crazy. I’m not moving my kids into a strange man’s house.”

Matty’s eyes were wide and earnest. “You can do a background check on me, talk to my teammates, check me out to be sure I’m not some weirdo.”

“You met me an hour ago and you just offered to let me move in with you. That’s pretty weird,” Antoni pointed out, rising to his feet, suddenly uneasy.

Matty grimaced. “You’re probably right. And I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be pushy. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I just … I don’t like seeing people go through hard times if I can make it better. I’ve got all the answers to your problems and it seems selfish to not offer.”

He looked miserable by the end and Antoni felt a little wash of guilt.

“I do appreciate the offer,” Antoni said slowly. Only because he didn’t want to hurt this guy’s feelings. Maybe he wassome sort of weirdo but he certainly seemed sincere enough. “I just don’t think it’s something I feel comfortable with. You understand, right?”

Matty looked crestfallen but he nodded. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

“You’ve been so nice,” Antoni said sincerely. “Really. The food, the offer … it’s so generous. I just can’t move in here. I had a rough afternoon and you saw me at my lowest but I’ll keep searching. I’ll find a good house for all of us if I try hard enough.”

WIP WEDNESDAY - THE HOME GAME

Matty & Antoni's book is written and with betas so we're on schedule for the June 7th release! Here's another little teaser from the story:

Antoni blinked because Matty had worded that in a way that made it sound like Antoni and Matty were dating. Like Dominic assumed they were. But that was crazy, right?

Matty was straight. Sure, he’d seen the rumors online that Matty had hooked up with a man once but that was probably either internet bullshit or wishful thinking on the part of fans. That happened all the time.

And any little crush Antoni was developing on Matty was just because he was … well, the total package.

Handsome and kind and generous and …

Okay, maybe Antoni needed to watch it because that little crush could easily turn into a big, inconvenient crush if he wasn’t careful.

It could make things awkward between them.

Clearly Matty was comfortable with gay people. He hadn’t blinked when they’d caught two of the guys stealing kisses in the kitchen—the blond guy and the referee, Antoni was pretty sure—but that didn’t mean he was okay with a guy having a big old crush on him.

Especially when he’d done nothing to encourage it.