End of year writing catch-up

This last week, the 2013 Rainbow Award winners were announced and I am humbled by my placing in the two categories I finaled in.

The cover for For Men Like Us, brilliantly done by Anne Cain, placed sixth in the Rainbow Awards Cover Contest.

I am particularly fond of that cover, I even have it frame and hung over my fireplace. Anne created that cover from the specs and photos I sent in and it so perfectly depicts one of the first scenes in the book.

I'm also fond of the book, and the two men who are the main characters. The reviews have been good, but in some cases, the book has been misread.

One incidence in particular is when a reviewer said that it seemed like everyone in Regency England was gay.

What I did in the book was create a cloistered residence, which Ben owns. There, he has closed off much of the estate and lives in a very small portion of it. The reason for this was that he employs men who are "men like us." In total, there are six gay men in the book, two in main character roles. No large staff is wanted, so none is on page. This is an artistic choice I made as the author. For me, this was a reasonable and compassionate turn of events and in no way eats up story real estate.

In other news:

Tarnished Gold made a wonderful showing in the 2013 Rainbow Awards. Up against some fierce competition, TG placed fifth place in the Historical category. I am more than pleased with the outcome of the voting. I was up against some of my favorite authors and, being new to the genre, I didn't expect to place high on the list. Fifth is very exciting.

I have gotten some wonderful reviews for the book, and each one humbles me. This story is extensive, a saga of sorts, and one I worked very hard on. I love the idea of a young man setting out to make his fortune and then have years pass in his quest. Combine the two, and I'm in.

One review questioned whether homosexuality was widely accepted in Hollywood in the 19teens, '20s, and '30s. To set the record straight: In the early days of Hollywood, homosexuality was indeed accepted, even revered. Gay men and lesbian women occupied position in every facet of the movie industry.

The point of the book was to depict how that acceptance diminished as time went on. With the implementation of morals and production codes in the late '20s and well into the '30s, gays were marginalized and pushed deeper into the closet. This situation existed until the late 1960s, and then it took many years after to change old attitudes.

I am proud that readers have nominated Tarnished Gold for Best Book of 2013 and for Best Historical in the Goodreads M/M Romance Group.



Tarnished Souls: Frankie and Gent is quite different from Tarnished Gold, in that it tells the story of two New York City gangsters, but this book was one that I had to write.

The next in the Tarnished series will be Tarnished Souls: Mac and Gray. Both those characters appear with Frankie and Gent and the novel (part two) will not only give Mac and Gray their story, but will diverge with the rest of Frankie and Gent. My hope is to have the novel written in the early part of 2014. Release depends upon Dreamspinner production, of course. I look forward to finishing Mac and Gray's story, and giving Frankie and Gent an ending as well.

After Tarnished Souls: Mac and Gray, I going to start Tarnished Hearts, the story of the gossip columnists in early Hollywood and the power they wielded. They could make or break careers. More, everyone feared them.

Getting that book done is my priority after the holidays. Before January 1, I am rewriting Demands of the Heart, preparing it for submission. This book was published and I received the rights to it when Noble Romance folded. As I can, I am rewriting all the books I had with them, eight in all.

New Release
I'm pleased to announce the release date for Freedom in His Arms, my lone contemporary. January 3, 2014 is release day. I hope my readers will enjoy this story of two guys who meet on a cruise and find the hope of a life together. I actually wrote part of the story on a cruise.

Here's the blurb:

On a whim, Boston doctor Bryan Newcastle books a Caribbean cruise for gay men, hoping for two weeks of sexual exploration with someone who’ll bring out the daring soul inside him.

With a simple slide of a keycard across a table, newspaperman Phil Sanderson plunges Bryan into world of sexual freedom where longing for more comes as naturally as breathing. As Phil takes Bryan to new heights, the cruise ends with so much unexplored.

During a visit with Phil in Des Moines, Bryan receives a call that changes everything. Together, they travel back to Boston, but Phil’s protective nature gets in the way of Bryan’s need to handle tragedy in his own way. While Bryan struggles to come to terms with all he thought real about his past, Phil must trust that Bryan is strong enough, or he might lose the best thing that's ever happened to him.

Portions of this novel originally published as separate stories: Free Me published by Amber Allure, June 2011; In His Arms published by Amber Allure, August 2011.
This book is available now for pre-order on Dreamspinner Press. 
I look forward to the next year, as a writer and in my real life. I hope you do as well.

From my house to yours, I wish you Happy Holidays.

Hugs,
Brita