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Solitude & Sea Glass
Since his discovery as a child star by a big Hollywood studio, Holland Faust has known he has no value beyond his pretty face. When a crazed fan with a knife ended his acting career, he withdrew to a secluded island off the coast of Maine. There he remains locked away, his solitary existence lightened only by his dog, his garden, and the rare sea glass washed up on shore, communicating only with his two estate keepers and his agent. Without his legendary face, what does he have to offer anyone? Especially someone as vital and beautiful as Ruby Keagan. The young man mistakenly hired as his personal assistant for the summer is the last thing Holland's fragile self-image needs.
Ruby never really thought about his teenage crush on Holland Faust. The poster on his wall had become nothing more than a memory until Ruby took a summer internship for the Faust Charitable Foundation. Hol far exceeds those youthful daydreams; a sensitive, caring man who deserves so much more than his lonely existence.
Now, if Ruby can just get Hol to realize he doesn't need to hide any longer...
Ruby never really thought about his teenage crush on Holland Faust. The poster on his wall had become nothing more than a memory until Ruby took a summer internship for the Faust Charitable Foundation. Hol far exceeds those youthful daydreams; a sensitive, caring man who deserves so much more than his lonely existence.
Now, if Ruby can just get Hol to realize he doesn't need to hide any longer...
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
T.D. McKinney
18 books65 followersT. D. McKinney was born with eclectic tastes. Author, artist, web designer - those tastes show in the careers she's chosen.
Growing up on the American Gulf Coast, she gained a great appreciation for all things Southern and a fascination with what the community around her termed the War of Northern Aggression. Frequent trips to New Orleans to visit relatives instilled an early love for that city and for the Cajun culture. One of her earliest memories is viewing Mardi Gras parades when she was three years old. She freely admits that at the tender age of six she fell in love with both Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows’ fame and Jonny Quest’s scientist-father, Benton. Sherlock Holmes followed soon after as one of the great abiding interests of her life. A long time fan of science fiction and horror, she met her husband while selling art at a science fiction convention.
These early influences doubtless explain a great deal about the author and her writings. There is very little she doesn’t find interesting whether it’s art, music, history, vampires, web design, or forensic science. Everything is there to be explored, investigated, and attempted at least once. This trait often carries over into her writing. She loves exploring characters that are not afraid to take a risk or step outside the constraints of society or family. And if the character doesn’t want to take that chance, she likes creating situations that require they do so.
T. D. lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of north Texas with her husband and young daughter. With so many careers, she keeps quite busy. In her spare time, she shares her husband’s interest in vampires, the internet, science fiction, collecting swords, and all things Japanese.
Growing up on the American Gulf Coast, she gained a great appreciation for all things Southern and a fascination with what the community around her termed the War of Northern Aggression. Frequent trips to New Orleans to visit relatives instilled an early love for that city and for the Cajun culture. One of her earliest memories is viewing Mardi Gras parades when she was three years old. She freely admits that at the tender age of six she fell in love with both Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows’ fame and Jonny Quest’s scientist-father, Benton. Sherlock Holmes followed soon after as one of the great abiding interests of her life. A long time fan of science fiction and horror, she met her husband while selling art at a science fiction convention.
These early influences doubtless explain a great deal about the author and her writings. There is very little she doesn’t find interesting whether it’s art, music, history, vampires, web design, or forensic science. Everything is there to be explored, investigated, and attempted at least once. This trait often carries over into her writing. She loves exploring characters that are not afraid to take a risk or step outside the constraints of society or family. And if the character doesn’t want to take that chance, she likes creating situations that require they do so.
T. D. lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of north Texas with her husband and young daughter. With so many careers, she keeps quite busy. In her spare time, she shares her husband’s interest in vampires, the internet, science fiction, collecting swords, and all things Japanese.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 26, 2010
A very sweet gay romance. T.D. McKinney & Terry Wylis always know how to tug on the old heartstrings.
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March 9, 2010This is the classical high emotional story, maybe not much realistic, but for sure romantic. Holland is a former baby actor who spent all his childhood and youth in front of a camera. He had not a normal life, and he believed his image was the only thing that counted. Holland was also gay, and he knew that, but gay was not something that matched good with his clean-face image and so he repressed his feelings. Out of his teenager years he had finally the courage to play the role of a gay kid struggling and winning, but the consequences was a mad fan who scarred Holland for life. I don’t know, but maybe that was a sign for Holland that coming out was a mistake, that there was no place in the world for a scarred actor whose only worth was his beauty, or maybe everything was too much for him to bear… Holland decided to retire like an hermit in an Maine island and managed his money from afar.
15 years later Ruby, a young personal assistant is sent to help Holland for the summer. Ruby is interested in the charity foundations Holland can finance, but it doesn’t hurt that he had a crush for the actor when he was a teenager. Only that, the man he finds is not the one he expected. It’s not Ruby, young and penniless, who succumbs to the handsome actor, it’s Holland who is like a virgin maid in front of temptation: not only Holland has had not human touch in 15 years, but he has always denied to himself the man touch he craved. Ruby is young, pretty and like fresh balm on Holland wounds.
Thanks also to a storm that isolates them for some days, Holland and Ruby tighten a bond that is almost visceral, it’s not only love, it’s need: Holland needs Ruby and he is totally open to emotions without any shield. Holland who was so good in hiding his feelings when he was a young man, now as an adult he seems unable to do that. Holland cries, asks for help, pleads for love; and Ruby is there, open arms for him. But the paradise can last only some days, and both Holland than Ruby have to go back to their lives: Ruby the one he left only some months before, Holland to the one he abandoned 15 years before.
At this point the story shift on romance; but you all know that this is not a bad thing for me. Probably the resolution is even too romantic, the acceptance maybe unrealistic, but it’s nice to dream of a perfect ending for a good love story, the type of ending that usually you have for heterosexual romance, and that I hope there will be for same sex relationship.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602728100/?...
15 years later Ruby, a young personal assistant is sent to help Holland for the summer. Ruby is interested in the charity foundations Holland can finance, but it doesn’t hurt that he had a crush for the actor when he was a teenager. Only that, the man he finds is not the one he expected. It’s not Ruby, young and penniless, who succumbs to the handsome actor, it’s Holland who is like a virgin maid in front of temptation: not only Holland has had not human touch in 15 years, but he has always denied to himself the man touch he craved. Ruby is young, pretty and like fresh balm on Holland wounds.
Thanks also to a storm that isolates them for some days, Holland and Ruby tighten a bond that is almost visceral, it’s not only love, it’s need: Holland needs Ruby and he is totally open to emotions without any shield. Holland who was so good in hiding his feelings when he was a young man, now as an adult he seems unable to do that. Holland cries, asks for help, pleads for love; and Ruby is there, open arms for him. But the paradise can last only some days, and both Holland than Ruby have to go back to their lives: Ruby the one he left only some months before, Holland to the one he abandoned 15 years before.
At this point the story shift on romance; but you all know that this is not a bad thing for me. Probably the resolution is even too romantic, the acceptance maybe unrealistic, but it’s nice to dream of a perfect ending for a good love story, the type of ending that usually you have for heterosexual romance, and that I hope there will be for same sex relationship.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602728100/?...
March 28, 2010
I will now give this book a one person standing ovation. :applauding T.D. and Terry:
As Holland quoted: A joyous journey. This story is exactly that in my opinion.
Take the journey from the moment Ruby stepped over the landing into Holland's home sopping wet, to Ruby bringing Holland out of his shell as a recluse to their bond although delicate at first from the travesty that Holland had to endure during his acting career, to ending in a bonded strength that no man or woman can tear asunder. This is a truly remarkable story.
T.D. shows you the sweet acceptance and surrender of two people coming together and the powerful interactions of the two. The details are incredible and makes you feel the story, their feelings and emotions vividly.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Holland and Ruby's story.
As Holland quoted: A joyous journey. This story is exactly that in my opinion.
Take the journey from the moment Ruby stepped over the landing into Holland's home sopping wet, to Ruby bringing Holland out of his shell as a recluse to their bond although delicate at first from the travesty that Holland had to endure during his acting career, to ending in a bonded strength that no man or woman can tear asunder. This is a truly remarkable story.
T.D. shows you the sweet acceptance and surrender of two people coming together and the powerful interactions of the two. The details are incredible and makes you feel the story, their feelings and emotions vividly.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Holland and Ruby's story.
December 5, 2010
The title and cover attracted me, the blurb appealled and I added it to my wishlist. It took me a while to buy it because it wasn't available at my usual outlets. It was more than worth the wait.
The sea glass didn't feature as much as I'd hoped, but I really enjoyed the story. The characters were engaging.Hol's slow reaching for life after shutting himself away for so many years was very moving. Ruby had occasional moments of being too good to be true, but he had just enough internal worries to make up for it.
There is a hint of insta-love that might not appeal to some, but I felt that it fit the characters and situation. Trust takes a lot more time to build between them than love. The happy ending was in doubt until the final chapter.
I got through quite a few tissues while reading.
The sea glass didn't feature as much as I'd hoped, but I really enjoyed the story. The characters were engaging.Hol's slow reaching for life after shutting himself away for so many years was very moving. Ruby had occasional moments of being too good to be true, but he had just enough internal worries to make up for it.
There is a hint of insta-love that might not appeal to some, but I felt that it fit the characters and situation. Trust takes a lot more time to build between them than love. The happy ending was in doubt until the final chapter.
I got through quite a few tissues while reading.
February 5, 2010
Wow what can I say about this book. I loved it for one thing. I loved Holland and Ruby from the very first page. Holland needed Ruby. Holland and Ruby were so sweet and perfect for each other. I stayed up until past 3 a.m. finishing this book knowing I had to get up at 7 a.m. I was sorry the book ended, I wanted it to keep going on but at the same time I wanted to find out how it ended. That always happens to me when I read a great book. If you haven't read "Solitude &Sea Glass read it today!! It really is a great book!!
February 7, 2017
Please don't shoot me when I say that, for me, this story was way too "girly"! If I was a big fan of poetry, this book would have landed in my TOP 10 books... unfortunately, I am more of a "shoot em' up, bang, bang" kinda gal! Now, with that having been said... this WAS a wonderful story of self-discovery and finding "true love" that was beautifully written! Even though this isn't something that I would want to read on a daily basis, it was certainly well worth my time to spend a few hours with Ruby and Holland and feel the warm glow of knowing that good can overcome evil and true love can mean the difference between giving up and pushing through whatever life has thrown at you! The writing style of this story was quite lyrical and the words just flowed together!
The last 25% of the story really broke my heart and then the epilogue brought a huge smile to my face... I guess you just can't ask for more than that! :D
The last 25% of the story really broke my heart and then the epilogue brought a huge smile to my face... I guess you just can't ask for more than that! :D
November 21, 2011
I really liked Holland a lot. I felt sorry for him that he felt that his worth as a person was so tied up in how he looked, or maybe that was just how he was trained from such an early age. Ruby was so good for him and I'm sorry that things went so wrong or rather that circumstances moved so quickly. It was sad that they had to part without a chance to really work things through. But good things worked out and together they can make a difference. I enjoyed very much and recommend to others.
June 7, 2012
The best book I've read by these authors, it really pulled me in and made me want to read more by them. Though I thought Ruby's travails and return at the end could have been done better, more realistically.
February 7, 2010
Maine, "The Way Life Sould Be!" This is a wonderful book, I would recommend this to anyone who wants to escape into another world of inner beauty!
March 23, 2010
A little on the overdramatic/mushy side for my tastes, but enjoyable nonetheless (in that perfectly-happily-ever-after-with-hugs-and-kisses kind of way).
April 18, 2012
May - Comfort Zone
November 21, 2011
This is a feel-good book, the perfect hot chocolate read :)
March 3, 2011
Could not finish it, too slow paced.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews