Renae Kaye's Blog

New Release from Renae Kaye

Sometimes love is a thunderclap… and sometimes love comes quietly, almost without us knowing.  How do you fall in love with someone you’ve always been in love with?

This is what the characters of Shane and Ambrose face in my new release, Knowing Me, Knowing You.  They have known each other since they were five and seven.  They grew up together.  Love grew from that.  And it seems that everyone around them knows… apart from them.

Their mothers always thought they had a special relationship, but just thought that they were best friends. Now, twenty-two years after that first meeting between them, Shane is attempting to move on.  He’s done with wishing for more and pinning unrealistic hopes on Ambrose. 

The story begins just seven months after Shane has decided it’s time to move on.  Ambrose, knowing he needs Shane in his life, is back – back with a vision of what he wants his future to be.  That future is with Shane.

What I love most about this story is that it doesn’t need that thunderclap.  Personally, if someone stood up in the middle of a family dinner and proposed to me, I’d smile stiffly, say yes, then tear strips off them later.  Those proposals at pop concerts where people get on stage to declare their love in front of 100,000 people?  Nope.  That is not me.  It would never be me.  And it’s not Shane either.

Shane is the bookworm.  He doesn’t like the spotlight.  He never wants to have Ambrose shout out his love.  He never wants everyone to be looking at the two of them.  He doesn’t want the thunderclap.  Shane’s love for Ambrose is quieter, like him.  And Ambrose’s love was just always there – an extension of his high regard for Shane.

Please don’t read this story expecting a huge scene at the end where undying love is declared and filmed, destined to be viewed thousands of times on Youtube.  No.  Because that’s not Shane.  And Ambrose knows that. 

Ambrose knows Shane.  Shane knows Ambrose.  Of course they do.  They’ve been together, but not together, for twenty-two years.
​
This is not the crushing on a stranger on the train type of love between Liam and Jay.  This is not the giving-up-my-life-because-I-can’t-live-without-you love that Liam thinks he has to have.  It’s not even the I-feel-safe-with-you love that Kee has for Tate, or the I-couldn’t-help-it love between Aaron and Vinnie.  Nope.  This is… Shane’s story. 

Dreamspinner
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU  ​
Released 30 October 2018
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Loving You #4
From Dreamspinner Press

​Blurb
Can friends turned occasional lovers move beyond past mistakes and wrong assumptions to build something that can last?

Quiet bookworm Shane has a big secret—one he’s kept for fifteen years. AFL superstar Ambrose Jakoby grew up next door to Shane. They were close friends, and Shane supported Ambrose through school.
​
One night, everything changed.

Before Ambrose left Perth as a scared eighteen-year-old to head to Melbourne and take up his new footy career, Ambrose and Shane slept together.

For the next nine years, they continued a secret friends-with-benefits situation whenever Ambrose was in town. Shane never knew exactly where he stood or how to define Ambrose’s sexuality—and Ambrose didn’t know either. Then last Christmas, everything changed again, and a disagreement strained their friendship. Shane vowed to get over his unrequited love.
​
But Ambrose is back, recovering from an injury and hoping to make amends. He claims he’s ready for a real relationship. But Shane has to decide whether Ambrose means it and whether his Hufflepuff soul can take the chance.

Are you set on your Easter reading?

Here's a quick post to remind you guys of our series - On a Night Like this.

If you're looking for some KU Easter reading, or you need to catch up on the series before the last two books release, then hop to it! 

(Yeah - okay - that was a little Easter pun.  Easter PUN... not bun.... mmm... Hot cross buns... what was I saying again?)

Anyway - this series has a little of everything in it.  It follows seven couples through their journey to be at a single night in Perth - the Pride parade.

Wow! - join drag queen Allotta as she reveals herself to Mark's new boyfriend, Joel
Confide in Me - what do you do when the guy you love just wants to be friends?
Come Into My World - firmly closeted Steve needs to choose between which life he wants to have
In Your Eyes - super hot Jordy Reynolds couldn't have been flirtying with Carrick all this time, could he?
Never Too Late - is it too late for love for Ari and Lee?
Wouldn't Change a Thing - Travis has a thing for bears... and his new employee is perfect for him!
​#7 - it's a secret!

Good luck and happy Easter!

Introducing my newest release

Only 99c for a short time

​BUY NOW on Amazon

​Available on Kindle Unlimited I'll have to admit this and hope that Sean Kennedy doesn't read it.  You see, Sean Kennedy is a Kylie Minogue fan.  I mean, like... BIG.

Me?  Not so much.  I love her!  I adore her!  I cheer her on!  I have no idea what her last album is called.  (Shh! Don't tell Sean!)

(If you don't know who Kylie Minogue is, I would stress for you to click this link and quickly update yourself, or maybe head over to this link and remind yourself of her songs.  Because saying to an Aussie you have no idea who Kylie is, is like saying to a Yank "What's the stars and stripes?" or saying to a Brit "What is Earl Grey?"  You're likely to be bopped over the head...)

Anyway, when Sean and I first started floating the idea of a series together, there were so many ideas rejected because they'd already been done.  We were both very passionate about showcasing the wonderful city we live in and it being Australian.  Then Sean mentioned a Kylie tribute, and from the sparkles in his eyes I was afraid not to agree!

So we embarked on our journey.  Seven stories written that give tribute to Kylie in some way, surrounding the theme of going to Pride Night in Northbridge.

The stories are all standalones.  They can be read in any order - apart from the last one.  The last story takes place on the night of the parade. You will see ALL the couples from the other six stories there.  You will find a little more of their romance.  And you will meet another couple whose love got a little off track.
​ So this is the fourth story in the series - remember you don't need to read them in order, so if you start with this one, that's okay.

In Your Eyes
By Renae Kaye
On a Night Like This, Book 4

On a night like this, magic can happen. Seven couples. Seven stories. One night. A night for love. 

Physiotherapist Carrick Cartwright has a big crush on rehabilitation nurse, Jordy Reynolds. Only Carrick isn’t out at work, and even if he was, Carrick tends to blend into the wallpaper.

But suddenly Jordy is working closely with Carrick and appears to be flirting. When Jordy admits he’s known for a while that Carrick is gay, Carrick gathers his courage, and with the help of the most impossible patient he has and a bit of bad Italian, Carrick scores a date.
​
But Jordy wants more than just a man who hides in the shadows. He wants a man who will stand up and dance proudly with him on Pride night.

Available for a short time at 99c on Amazon.  Available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

Introducing, Book 3 "On A Night Like This"

The series between Sean Kennedy and Renae Kaye is racing ahead.  We're up to book THREE already.

The brand new release of Sean's, Come Into My World is now on sale at Amazon.  Only $0.99.  

Be sure to pick up #2 - Confide In Me - because it will only be on sale at $0.99 for another week.

Each story stands alone, and follows a different couple as they make their journey to be at the same Pride Night parade in Perth.  The last story is best read knowing all the other stories behind it, but you can confidently read all the others in any order you wish.

#1 - Wow! by Sean Kennedy
#2 - Confide in Me by Renae Kaye
​#3 - Come Into My World by Sean Kennedy

​Enjoy!

Come Into My World
By Sean Kennedy
On a Night Like This, Book 3
Released 13 February 2018

On a night like this, magic can happen. Seven couples. Seven stories. One night. A night for love.

Steve Colvin, ex-reality TV star, is trapped in a world of his own making. Refusing to let himself be outed on television, he has lived a lie ever since. It doesn't help that his brother is also gay, out and proud with a drag queen boyfriend to boot. Logically, this would make coming out easier, but it doesn't.
​
His self-defence mechanisms are wearing down, and Steve is in danger of losing everybody close to him as he shuts them out. But Dev, the kind-hearted nurse, keeps sticking around. And he’s the one Steve is most scared of losing, although he doesn't want to admit to himself why….

Cover Reveal, Book 2 of On a Night Like This

And here is the cover of Book 2 of my new series with Sean Kennedy.  The series called, On a Night Like This, is about seven couples who will all be at the Pride Parade in Perth.  Book 1 was released last week - "Wow!" by Sean Kennedy.  (link)  It's only 99c so go and grab it at this great price before it's too late.

So the second book in the series will be released on the 30th of January... with me as the author this time!  

Blurb:

On a night like this, magic can happen. Seven couples. Seven stories. One night. A night for love.

What do people do when the man of their dreams tells them they “just want to be friends”? If you’re me, you agree. Stupidly.

Ed’s on Tinder looking for a boyfriend. He’s out of luck until he gets swiped right by Callum Brown. After just one date, he’s sure he’s found the one. Unfortunately Callum doesn’t feel the same but asks if they can remain friends.
​
Being friends with Callum is not easy, especially when Callum confides in Ed about all the other disastrous dates he’s going on. Now Ed just needs to hang on until Callum sees what Ed knew from the first date—that they would be perfect boyfriends.
 

New Release, Book 1 of On a Night Like This

INTRODUCING the new series between
Sean Kennedy and Renae Kaye!

"On a Night Like This"

Yes - we've teamed up and brought you a special series, set right here in Perth, Western Australia.  Seven couples, seven stories.

​Culminating on Pride night - watch their love unfold...


Book 1 is now available on KU or at Amazon for only 99c
(link to Amazon)

Wow!
By Sean Kennedy
On a Night Like This, Book 1

On a night like this, magic can happen. Seven couples. Seven stories. One night. A night for love. 

Mark is a respectable banker during business hours, but on a Saturday night he becomes the fabulous Allotta Moxie, drag queen extraordinaire. Allotta is everything Mark is not—confident, bold, sassy, and well-loved.

He wishes he had a quarter of her self-assurance, especially when it comes to Joel, the new hire at work. Most men run a mile when they discover Allotta hiding in his closet. She's a lot to take on. So what will be Joel’s reaction when he meets Allotta for the first time? And more importantly, will Allotta like Joel?

New Release: Hard Feelings

Exciting News!

I've just released my new story, Hard Feelings.  It's only 99c on Amazon and free to read on Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
​Amazon Aus


Blurb:
Joe "Moe" Mitchell spends his days surfing and working with his grandfather breeding stud bulls.  Sam Carstairs is a photographer who hires Moe as a model.  The two guys hit it off.  But Moe is all about casual relationships with no hard feelings.

​But what if those feelings change?

​**This short story originally appeared in Queermance II as an anthology submission.  It has been extended for publication as a standalone**
​ This story is just a taste of what is to come.  More aussie adventures are on the way.

The 9th of January is the day same-sex marriages in Australia will start happening all over!  Following the December 2017 law change, same-sex marriage is now legal in my country.  Couples wishing to tie the knot had to give one month's notice.  So far around the country, several marriages have been performed under special circumstances (such as the couple involved having a terminal diagnosis and not expected to survive until the 9th of January) but otherwise, there will be a rush of rainbow marriages starting next week.

As a celebration, I will be letting you all know some super exciting news about my new series on this day....  So please check back!

Until then, I hope you all enjoy Moe and Sam's adventures - and Stuart.  Who is Stuart, you ask?  Let's keep it a big surprise.  Read to find out.

Nano, Day 18, 6pm

Nano, Day 18.... If you're attempting Nanowrimo (aiming to write 1667 words daily for the month of November) you should be on 30,000 words by the end of today.

I'm currently 479 words up on that.  And I'm a happy lady.

I'm also a stone's throw from another big total - 60,000 words on my manuscript.  Authors may know this "magic" number.  For a lot of publishers, 60,000 words is the minimum word count for a book to be considered a novel.  Below that and it's a novella.  Why is this a big deal?  Pricing and categorising.  Dreamspinner (my publisher) will put any story above 60k into paperback.  If your story comes in at 59k, then it doesn't.

I started Nano with just under 30k on the dial of my story.  I now have 60k.  I have a book.  I'm happy.  Now I just have to finish the book and get Shane his happy ending.  Of course, the hardest bits are yet to come.  The self-editing, the submission to a publisher, the anxious wait for a yay or nay, the editing and the release.  But for now, I'm happy to reach that 60k.

Nano total:  30,479
Today's mantra:  Yes, yes, yes

Nano, Day 5, 9pm

You may notice that my Nano blog went from Day 2 to Day 5... that's because I didn't do much Nano-ing on Day 3 and Day 4.

Day 3 was a long awaited coffee date with a couple of the M/M Perth crowd.  No way am I missing that!  A chance to have cake and coffee without the calories - everyone knows that coffee and cake shared with friends is calorie free!  And to top it all off it was a beautiful spring day and we had some of the best views in Perth.

Day 4 wasn't a good day for writing.  My husband invited his parents over for an hour... and they ended up staying just shy of 5 hours.  My writing hours.

Today I was stressed and behind in the word count, so I sat down to get it done.  In the two hours following that sitting down in front of my computer, I planted out three plants, weeded the front garden bed, repotted several plants, pruned some other plants, filled up the compost, picked up some fallen branches... basically anything my brain wanted me to do - apart from writing.

The good news is I buckled down later and added 1400 words.  Not the 1667 required, but on my way to get there.  It's now 9pm and hopefully I have another hour in me to work before bed.  Another 300 words and I'll do the total for today, but I need 900 words to catch up to where I should be.

Nano total: 7391
Today's mantra:  Write or weed, that is the question

Nano, Day 2, 7pm

So after I posted yesterday (see blog post below), I did get on my bicycle and get some words on the screen.  I'm above the required Nano count for Day 2, and that's all that matters, right?

Today's Nano total was crap though.  I spent some time doing Mummy duties this morning, then switched to the Housewife cap and brought an atrocious amount of vegetables at the shop.  (Note to self: this is supposed to be spring!  Where are all the spring veggies coming out of the garden?  You've been lazy.)

By the time I got around to putting my Author cap on, read through yesterday's work, deleted some of it, added to some... I was then a whole 173 words up.  The Housewife cap came back out while I vacuumed the house, then I dashed off to pick up a child.  (Interesting note: I was pulled over by police on horseback today... random breath test.  Not something that happens regularly to me. The guy was an arse though.)

Other good news?  I've washed the grey out of my hair tonight.  Dinner was quiche, which contained eggs from the chooks, and spring onions and carrots from the garden.  Score.  And my characters are finally talking.  I'm doing well.  Hopefully I can get this misunderstanding between them sorted tonight after the kids go to bed.

Nano total: 3833 
Today's mantra: Chill!  It will be okay.