If you're wondering what "The Stolen Suitor" is like, check out the lovely review from Boy Meets Boy. Click here or below.
Desktop: The Stolen Suitor
Today, Feb 1 2016, is the release day for "The Stolen Suitor", a contemporary romance novel in the Dreamspun Desires line. Dreamspun Desires is a line of unrelated short novels that are all category romance (think the old Harlequin labels) but done as m/m. Very tropey, fun, short romances!
"The Stolen Suitor" is set in the same universe as my Christmas novella "A Prairie Dog's Love Song". Clyde's Corner, Montana is small town USA with a Western/ranch/folksy feel. The story is light-hearted, humorous, and, hopefully, hot! Both Prairie Dog and Stolen Suitor were inspired by Pamela Morsi's "Marrying Stone" series of folksy romance.
So what is "The Stolen Suitor" about?
The story begins when Mabeline Crassen (Mabe) makes a plan. Mabe and her two sons live in a trailer home on the wrong side of the tracks in Clyde's Corner, Montana. They've been looked down upon ever since Mabe's husband, Frank, landed himself in jail years ago. The name 'Crassen' has had a bad rap ever since. But Mabe is determined to help her two sons achieve better place in the world. We have....
Jeremy Crassen -- Jeremy is a shy dreamer who works in the back of Nora's diner as the short-order cook and spends the rest of his time scribbling store is in his notebooks. He grew up hiding behind his long auburn bangs. Pretty much everyone dismisses Jeremy if they notice him at all. (The photo below is stock. He's a bit too 'built' for slender Jeremy, but his face and hair are perfect.)
Eric Crassen -- Whereas Jeremy turned inward after his father's arrest, his older brother Eric decided that if he were to be labelled bad, he'd be as bad as they come. Known in three counties as a good-looking, womanizing, partying, n'ere-do-well, Eric never rouses himself to do much of anything useful until Mabe's plan pushes him to. (The dimple-chinned photo below was as close to Eric as I can find. It's Tom Brady of the New England Patriots).
Mabe's plan is simple: The young widow, Trix Stubben, owns the best ranch in town. An ex-beauty queen, all around excellent horse-woman, hard-worker, and mother to young Janie, Trix is the ideal woman to set Eric on the path to domestic responsibility at last. (The below photo of 'Trix' is stock.) Mabe doesn't even know that Eric and Trix were middle school sweethearts years ago, until Frank Crassen's arrest drove Eric to embrace his inner devil.
Mabe pushes Eric to go work for Trix's ranch and win her heart. After all, he's good-looking enough to turn Trixie's head, and he can charm the skin off a snake. There's just one small problem....
Chris Ramsey: Unfortunately, Trix already has a beau, Chris. His dad owns the town's mercantile and he's therefore 'rich' and also went away to Denver for a few years and has a top notch education. He's clearly a much better catch than Eric, but Mabe thinks there may be a crack in that rosy picture. Chris has always been known as the local dandy, being teased for his fussiness with fashion and his looks even in high school. Mabe is pretty sure Chris plays for the pink team, and his courtship of Trix has no more depth than a puddle. Chris was Trixie's dead husband's best friend. Could he be courting Trix out of a sense of duty? She sets her younger son, Jeremy, to lure Chris's attention away from Trix so Eric can steal her away.
If you think that sounds like a plan that's bound to cause any number of misunderstandings and complications, you'd be right. (I'll give you a hint--it works out in the end.)
Here are a few images of the setting, Clyde's Corner, Montana (which is fictional).
And here are a few key places in the story:
Above: The river bank where Jeremy and Chris go fishing (among other things)
Above: The bridge where the dramatic ending takes place
Joshua and Ben from "A Prairie Dog's Love Song" are also in the book quite a bit because Chris, Jeremy, and Eric all end up taking riding lessons on their ranch. It was wonderful to write more scenes with these characters! I adore them.
And finally, the theme of the story is that sometimes what we think we want in life is not what will truly make us happy. Inspired by the Joseph Campbell quote below.
That's it for this desktop. I hope you enjoy the story. You can read an excerpt and find purchase links on my page for The Stolen Suitor.
Eli
New Year Post on RJ Scott's blog - GIVEAWAY
Visit with me on RJ Scott's blog. I'm sharing what my writing plans are for 2016 and there's a giveaway! http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/new-year-new-read-eli-easton.html?zx=7243a358c30e344f#
Review and giveaway on Joanna Chamber's site
Check out this new review of "Midwinter Night's Dream" and enter the giveaway by leaving a comment with your favorite Shakespeare character. Click here.
Second half of "Fielding's Fa La La" posted!
I've finished my little Christmas freebie, "Fielding's Fa La La". You can now find the entire story here! http://elieaston.com/fieldings-fa-la-la/ This Christmas story features Mick and Fielding from "Blame it on the Mistletoe".
Merry Christmas!
Eli
Out
Jane Jensen aka Eli Easton
Since I started publishing m/m romance in April 2013, my "Eli Easton" has been a name without a face and without a background. At times I wanted to be able to talk about the other parts of my life on my blog or twitter or with my goodreads friends. But I kept Eli separate from my 'real life' identity, as many m/m romance authors do.
In my case, it wasn't about my family, employer, or community disapproving. It was simply that I had another professional persona with its own audience and projects in the works. I didn't want assumptions made about my other work, or for it to be colored by m/m romance glasses, or, indeed, for that brand to get garbled or dissed for reasons not associated with the work itself.
But recently I decided to just be open about it all so I could talk about anything anywhere.
Past
In real life, I have been a long-time computer game designer writing under the name of Jane Jensen. I got my big break in game design in 1989 when I was hired by Sierra Online, a popular maker of adventure games like King's Quest and Leisure Suit Larry. With Sierra I got the chance to create my own game series, a paranormal mystery series called Gabriel Knight. There were 3 GK games, 2 novelizations, and a host of other work done under Jane Jensen, including two original novels.
Millennium Rising aka Judgement Day came out in 1999 from Del Rey and Dante's Equation from Del Rey in 2003. My other games include Dying for Daylight (done with Charlaine Harris), three Agatha Christie hidden object games, three Women's Murder Club games (with James Patterson), Gray Matter (my own original story) and, recently, Moebius: Empire Rising.
I've had many wonderful professional experiences working in games, including the joy of casting voice-over actors and listening to them read my dialogue, working on a live film production (for GK2), travelling to research story lines, meeting fans, and working with great artists, engineers, and producers. It was also the ideal place to hone my writing skills, particularly dialogue since there are acres of that in my games.
Present
Why do I write m/m romance? Because I love reading it. I began reading the m/m genre during a particularly stressful period in 2012, and it was my magic bullet in terms of relaxation and escape. I love writing books, but I'd given up on it after Dante's Equation in 2003--a hugely ambitious book that took three years to write and was a disappointment to me critically and sales wise.
While I've enjoyed reading m/f romance since I was a teen, I never was very good at writing it. I'm drawn to the idea of how two people meet and decide to spend their lives together--the give and take of personalities and relationship dynamics. But I find it challenging to write a typical man/woman relationship. I think it's because I've always rather sucked at writing very feminine characters. My own personality has many traits that would be considered masculine, and I've never been one for pink and lace. I think we are all a balance of masculine and feminine in our deepest selves in ways that go beyond gender and sexual identity. It's possible to be a woman with masculine personality traits who loves men (that is, not a lesbian), just as you can be a man with 'feminine' qualities who is nonetheless straight. We need a name for those categories, please!
I dipped my toe back into the water in 2011 writing a few stories for submission to m/m anthologies. By now, I've published 10+ stories in m/m including the novel The Mating of Michael, which was released in Jun 2014. I've gotten a lot of pleasure from writing in this genre, and encouragement from some very lovely people who enjoy reading it.
One thing is clear: being Eli Easton has given me back my pure fiction writing--my confidence in it and my productivity. And I'm grateful for that.
I also want to say that I have no embarrassment about what I write. I am a full supporter of gay rights, including the right to marry. So to me, romance is romance, no matter what the gender is of the protagonists. And as a life-long reader of romance, I know the pleasure it brings people. Unlike horror and mystery (both of which I've written), at the core romance is about passion and love, not fear. Plus, there's always a happy ending. And sometimes, we just fucking need a happy ending.
Future
I plan to continue to write m/m romance as Eli Easton. I will also likely continue to write for games. There are also some "Jane Jensen" books in the pipeline. I recently sold an Amish-themed murder mystery called "Kingdom Come" to Berkely and it will be released on the "Prime Crime" line under Jane Jensen. Now that I'm 'out' I'll be freer to talk about any and all projects as news pops up.
If you like games at all, you might want to check out one of my recent titles. Both of these have a free 1 chapter demo.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary remake -- an all new HD remake of my first big game. This is the first game in a paranormal mystery series with some similarities to Supernatural or X-Files. Also on Steam and GOG.
Moebius: Empire Rising -- A Dan Brown-ish conspiracy thriller involving a new theory of space and time. Includes a slashy bromance that will develop over the series.
That's it for this confession. I will be at Romantic Times convention next year in Dallas in May and also the Rainbow Con in Tampa in July. Hope to meet some more of you there!
Eli
"Superhero" and "Heaven Can't Wait" -- June Prism Recommended Reads
Check out some great books on this "Recommended Reads" post for June from Prism Book Alliance: http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2014/07/june-prism-recommended-reads-congratulations-authors-with-giveaway/
There are a number of titles here I need to read, and I'm thrilled they have "Superhero" and "Heaven Can't Wait" on the list. Thank you!
Eli
What I'm Working on: Kingdom Come
I haven't posted for a bit, so I thought I should give you an update. I have a few things coming up and a new novel in the works. COMING UP:
APRIL: an anthology of 4 novellas called "Stitch" is coming out from Dreamspinner Press. The anthology includes novellas by myself, Jamie Fessenden, Kim Fielding, and Sue Brown. All the novellas have a Frankenstein/created man theme. I'm excited about this and hope it does well. Here's the cover.
JUNE: I'll have a story in this year's Dreamspinner's Daily Dose, a novella called "Heaven Can't Wait". Also in June or July, "The Mating of Michael" comes out. It's my first full-length m/m novel (73K words) and is the 3rd in the Sex in Seattle series. It stars Michael Lamont, a sex therapist, and I hope you all love it as much as I do!
IN PROGRESS:
I'm working on a novella for the next gothika anthology that's a m/m romance and gothic Voodoo-themed story. It's tenatively called "The Bird".
"Kingdom Come" -- I'm also currently writing a novel that's a bit different for me. It's a murder mystery with a m/m romance. I have written and published mysteries before, in my 'past life', but I haven't done one in a few years, and never with a m/m romance element to it. The book is set in contemporary Lancaster County, PA, where I currently reside. The plot involves the Amish culture. One MC is a homicide detective and the other is a young Amish widower. The mystery is quite heavy and dark. I hope to see it published in 2014. Here's a little taste of a visual I have been using to inspire myself. (NOTE: This is not a book cover, just a little wallpaper I made for myself.) Click for a closer view.
That's all the news for now. Enjoy the early spring and I'll post more about "Stitch" soon!
Eli
Cover reveal: Stitch
We have a cover for Stitch! Stitch is the first volume of a new series called Gothika. I personally love dark, gothic-romantic stories, and I love m/m. I was a bit disappointed last year when there didn't seem to be many new things out in m/m for Halloween that were, well, Halloween-y. So Jamie Fessenden and I started talking about doing an anthology together. And we had so many ideas that turned into a series of anthologies. We were fortunate enough to get Sue Brown and Kim Fielding to agree to participate. Et voila.
Each volume of Gothika has a theme and includes four novellas. The theme of Stitch is Frankenstein/Pygmalion/Robot type creatures. In other words, one of the MCs is a man-made man. I have always loved stories like this and there aren't many in the m/m category.
The stories in this volume include:
Made For Aaron -- by Sue Brown
Reparation -- by Eli Easton
The Watchwork Man -- by Jamie Fessenden
The Golem of Mala Lubovnya -- by Kim Fielding
I'll be posting more about this anthology later. It is slated for April 2014 publication. We'll have a second volume of Gothika out for Halloween 2014.
Eli
Oh, Michael!
On December 31st and 5pm EST, I submitted "The Mating of Michael" to Dreamspinner. This is relevant why? Because I promised myself (among other people) I'd get it done in 2013 and turn it in in December. Talk about under the wire! I'm very exited about "The Mating of Michael" for a few reasons:
1. It's my first full m/m novel at 73K words, so it will be in paperback too. Yo.
2. I think it's pretty good.
3. One of the MCs is Michael Lamont, who had some fun scenes in "The Trouble With Tony" and "The Enlightenment of Daniel". People have commented that they're looking forward to Michael's story.
4. I am *in love* with Michael Lamont.
Of course, I love all of my characters to a greater or lesser degree, but I am really gone on Michael. Physically, he is based on the L.A. model Isaiah Garnica. Below are a few of my favorite pictures that I put on my desktop while writing.
Personality wise, though, Michael is very different from any other character I've written before. He's a R.N. and a licensed sex surrogate for Expanded Horizons, the sex clinic that the Sex in Seattle series is based around. Michael was such an interesting character to write. He's extremely empathetic and compassionate and very sensual. When someone is hurting, he wants to make them feel better, and he does that using his sexuality. He works with clients who really need help for various reasons. You will meet a few of them in "The Mating of Michael".
I found it fascinating to research sex surrogacy and tried to represent the field accurately (whilst being entertaining, of course).
What Michael wants most, though, is a love of his own. Will he ever find a guy who can appreciate his gentle, giving nature and not be freaked out about the surrogacy? It will take someone very special, that's for sure. I discarded several options for the other MC--until I found James. You'll learn more about him later.
Estimated publication date: April-June 2014
For now, here's an excerpt -- Michael working with a new client, Lem Peterson (Note: Lem is NOT the other MC. Just to be clear!):
EXCERPT (The Mating of Michael, unedited):
When Michael opened the door of his apartment, Lem Peterson looked like he was on the verge of expiring from mortification. His milky blue eyes dropped immediately to stare at his shoes and his round face went an alarming shade of tomato pink. He looked seconds away from fleeing and Michael steeled himself to prevent that at any cost. He’d just have to be the sweetest, most innocuous little damn ray of sunshine Lem Peterson had ever seen.
“Mr. Peterson? It’s so lovely to meet you. Please come in. It’s drafty in the hall, isn’t it?”
Michael’s apartment was on Capitol Hill, Seattle’s gay neighborhood, and it was in a converted old house. Michael loved the high ceilings and 1900’s mouldings, but it was a bit cold. Nevertheless, the nudge was meant more to give Mr. Peterson a good reason to step inside. Thankfully, he did.
“I…” Mr. Peterson said, before his throat apparently closed up. He was still looking at his shoes.
“Do you like hot tea? I made a nice pot of chamomile. But I can also make you a cup of coffee if you prefer.”
Choices. Give the man something to agree to.
“Tea is fine. I like tea. Thank you,” Mr. Peterson said in a very soft voice. He dared a glance at Michael’s face before blushing harder and looking down again.
Well, that was progress.
“Good. I’ll go get the tea. You can toss your coat on that chair and take a seat on the sofa in the living room. I’ll be right there.”
Michael stepped into his little kitchen, giving Mr. Peterson a chance to hopefully decide to take off his coat and sit down. Michael’s living room was cozy and warm, with deep orange and red Oriental prints, an electric space heater, low lighting and a few lit candles and incense. He hadn’t gone all out with the candles, didn’t want to scare Mr. Peterson off, but a few were always nice to create a relaxed ambience. Soft instrumental Hindu music played in the background.
When Michael brought out a tray with a pot of tea and two Japanese cups, Mr. Peterson was sitting at the far end of the couch, pressed up against the side. He’d removed his coat but not his scarf. Michael put the tray down on the coffee table and took a seat in the middle of the couch. He poured tea into both cups.
“Cream or sugar?”
“No thank you.”
Michael held one of the cups out to Mr. Peterson. The man hesitated, then took it quickly, as if afraid to get too close to Michael’s hand. Michael made no comment.
“So you’ve been working with Dr. Halloran. What do you think of him?” he asked, sitting back casually.
Mr. Peterson sat with his thighs close together, leaned forward with both elbows on his knees. He was not a small man, at least two hundred pounds, and the position looked uncomfortable, poor guy. He held the small teacup with two beefy hands.
“I like Dr. Halloran,” he said quietly. He darted a glance at Michael. “I’m very nervous. I’m s-sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Michael said softly. “You can be whatever you want with me. You’re safe here.”
“But, I mean, you’re so….”
Mr. Peterson chugged his tea in a single gulp, then turned redder. Damn, the tea was hot. That probably hurt.
Michael spoke lightly. “I’m just me, and you’re just you. I hope we can be friends.”
Peterson darted a look at him and nodded once. “That would be nice.” He shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. “I’m really sweating. I’m sorry.”
“Are you hot? Sorry about that. I get chilled.” Michael got up and shut off the floor heater.
“It’s okay, I—”
“Can I take your scarf or would you like to keep it on?” Michael stood in front of Mr. Peterson, smiling.
Mr. Peterson’s eyes got stuck at Michael’s waist, darting back and forth as if fascinated by his sweater.
“Okay.” He swallowed loudly and took off the scarf and handed it to Michael. Michael put it on the chair with Peterson’s coat and sat back down where he’d been before.
“What exactly makes you nervous about being here? Would you like to talk about that, Mr. Peterson?”
“Please call me Lem.”
“Thank you, Lem. You can call me Michael.”
“Okay. Michael.” Lem reached out and poured himself more tea, which Michael counted as a win. “You’re very… handsome. It makes me nervous to be around… men. I mean any man who…. you know, isn’t really old or a child or something. My parents… they were wonderful people, but they didn’t approve of s-s-sexual feelings of any kind.” Lem blushed again. “Not that I have sexual feelings for you,” he said hurriedly. “I just get nervous around anyone when it’s even a possibility.”
Michael could tell Lem had been working with Jack. He seemed to have a handle on what the issue was, at least.
“I understand. But I think that’s sad, that your mom felt that way about sex. Sex is a part of love, and love is the nicest part of being a human being.”
“That’s what Dr. Halloran says.” Lem looked down at his cup. “I’d like to get better. I’d like to be able to maybe… m-meet someone. Or maybe be with someone I’ve already met.”
Michael perked up. “Oh? Do you like someone now?”
Lem tittered nervously. “Not exactly but… I have a client named John. I do his taxes. He… he seems to like me. I think. But I have no idea how to… I mean, I get like this when he comes to my office, and it’s….” He trailed off weakly.
“That’s good though,” Michael smiled. “It’s so much easier to work at therapy when you have a specific goal in mind, don’t you think? Have you talked to Dr. Halloran about John?”
Lem nodded. “He thinks it would be a good goal for me to be able to go out on a d-date with John. But I have a lot of work to do before I would feel comfortable doing that. I mean, look at me. I’m a mess.” He chuckled nervously.
He was, poor thing. His voice shook, his face was still red, and he had sweat gleaming on his temple. He couldn’t meet Michael’s gaze for more than a second at a time and he looked about as uncomfortable as a Lutheran in a flop house. But he was still here, bless him, and he was talking. That took heart.
“Well, I think you’re doing great. Tell me what kind of guys you find attractive.”
“I don’t know. I don’t really care about that. Just someone nice I guess.”
Lem seemed put off by the question. Well, that topic was a no go. Michael made himself take a breath and try to get a read on the situation. He wanted to make Lem feel less anxious, and Michael sensed he was scared to death about what might be coming, about the possibility of contact. It was like being worried about a first kiss on a date. Maybe it would be better to just get it over with and make sure Lem knew the game plan.
“We’ll take this slow, Lem, don’t worry. For today, I’d love to just talk to you and get to know you better. And maybe we could try having you touch my hand. Would that be okay?”
Lem sort of shuddered and studied the cup in his paws. “I… how would that....”
“Do you have a pet?”
Lem smiled and glanced at Michael. “I have a Pekenese. Her name is Margaret. She’s a really sweet dog.”
“I love dogs! Do you pet Margaret?”
“Oh, yeah. We watch TV together at night, and she sits on my lap. I pet her a lot. That doesn’t bother me,” Lem said in a rush.
Michael’s heart ached for Lem, but at least he was getting some affection in his life. Thank God for animals.
“Then maybe you could try touching my hand the way you pet Margaret. See what you think of it.” Michael carefully placed his hand, palm up, on the sofa between them.
Lem glanced at it and then away. “You have a n-nice hand.”
“Thank you.” Michael left it there.
Lem put the cup down and rubbed his eyes. He turned his body, which was stiff with tension, slightly on the couch toward Michael. With his eyes fixed on Michael’s hand, he licked his lips and then reached out and touched Michael’s palm. He kept his fingers tightly together and petted Michael’s palm three times before putting his hand back in his own lap.
“That was nice,” Michael said gently. “It felt good. You doin’ all right?”
“I’m okay.” Lem whispered.
“Good. Would you like to try it again? And this time, I’m going to give you an assignment, all right? I want you to describe for me how it feels—the texture, the way it looks, anything that comes into your mind.”
Lem took a deep breath and licked his lips nervously. He reached out and stoked Michael’s palm again, this time with his index and middle finger taking a more active role.
“Your… your skin is cooler than mine,” he said. “But then, I’m, uh, I’m really w-warm right now.”
“Your fingers do feel warm. What else can you tell me about how it feels?”
“It’s softer than I thought it would be. Softer than my hand. Maybe you use lotion?”
“I do use lotion. What else?”
“You have a lot of lines in your palm.” Lem stroked them lightly. “Is that supposed to mean you’re an old soul or something?”
Michael smiled. “I’ve heard that. I don’t know if I believe it. Do you?”
“I don’t have much of an imagination, I’m afraid,” Lem said self-depricatingly.
“Being practical is good. Sometimes I wish I was more practical. Is there anything else you notice about my hand?”
“You have very l-long fingers. Long and thin.”
“Do they feel boney to you?” He elevated his index finger so Lem could get around it.
“Um…” Lem felt it cautiously.
“It’s okay. You can say whatever comes into your head. I won’t be insulted.”
“Maybe a little boney. But not in a bad way. More like, I dunno, a bird or something.”
Michael smiled. “That’s a lovely image. How do you feel inside when you touch my hand?”
“All right.” Lem kept petting Michael’s hand as if it was, indeed, a Pekinese. “But I’m not really thinking about it like… like… you know.” He couldn’t get the words out, and just thinking them made him blush scarlet again and pull away his hand as if he’d been caught doing something wrong.
“Like something sexual? That’s okay. It would be awesome for you just to get used to touching someone. You don’t have to think about it in a sexual way right now.” Michael left his hand on the couch.
There was a tentative pause before Lem reached out and touched Michael’s palm again. By his elevated breathing, and the blotchy affect appearing on the back of his own hand, Michael would put money on the fact that Lem was thinking about sex this time. Michael felt a little touch of arousal as Lem stroked his palm. He could go with it and get hard if he wanted to, not because he found Lem physically attractive, but because the man was sweet and he tugged hard at Michael’s empathy. But Lem was far from needing an erection from Michael, and if he sensed there was one, it would probably scare the poor guy to death. Michael took a deep breath and willed it away.
“That feels really nice,” Michael said gently. “Would you like to talk about how it makes you feel when you think about sex?”
Lem huffed. “Bad.”
“Bad how?”
“G-guilty. Like it’s wrong to think about it. To want it. Like I’m a bad person.”
“When you pet Margaret, do you feel guilty about that?”
Lem looked insulted. “No. But I don’t feel that way about her. I mean, she’s a dog.”
Michael smiled. “I know. But it’s affection. You give Margaret affection and she gives you affection in return.”
“I guess so.”
“Do you think she likes it when you show her affection?”
“She loves to be petted.”
“And you feel happy when she licks your face and shows you she loves you?”
“Sure. She’s my best friend.” Lem smiled at the words. He really did love that dog.
Lem was petting Michael’s palm, calmer now, and Michael let his fingers curl up just a little so they brushed against Lem’s hand as it moved.
“That’s not something to feel guilty about, is it? Giving affection to your dog and getting it in return.”
“No. But that’s different.”
“It is different. But when you really like a person, and they really like you, then it’s natural to want to show each other affection. And sex is a great way for two people who really like each other to show affection and make each other feel good, feel happy. You don’t need to feel guilty about making someone happy, or even making yourself happy.”
“That’s what Dr. Halloran says. He says my body was made for it, or I wouldn’t have those feelings. I wouldn’t be able to… you know, if my body wasn’t made to do that. It’s just like it was made to breathe or eat and digest food and eliminate waste. That means it is by definition natural and being natural means it’s not wrong.”
Michael could tell Lem was a logical thinker, and this reasoning brought him some comfort.
“Well, Dr. Halloran is a hella smart guy.”
Lem frowned, looking conflicted. “I know that’s all true in my head. That is, I know it now, but it’s hard to change your thinking. I was always taught I shouldn’t… t-touch myself and stuff because it was a sin and God found it disgusting.”
Lem’s voice shook a little and Michael knew there was a tidal wave behind those words, years of rants, years of belittling. He felt so bad for Lem. He just wanted to hug him tight, but Michael had to take this slow.
“It is hard to change your way of thinking, but you’re your own person, not your parents, and you said you’d like to have a relationship someday?”
Lem swallowed. “Yes. I really do. I don’t want to be alone.”
“Then you can do it. I have faith in you. Dr. Halloran is a really good doctor. And I’d like to help.”
“Thank you,” Lem said to Michael’s hand. “You seem like a very nice person. This is….” He expelled a heavy sigh. “This is the first time I’ve ever touched anyone like this. I’m still nervous but… it’s not bad.”
“Yeah?” Michael felt a swell of pride and pleasure. God, he was such a basket case. It meant more to him to hear someone like Lem say holding his hand was ‘not bad’ than having some good-looking leather daddy plow him in a club’s bathroom. By a million miles.
He tried very hard not to sound as moved as he was. “Well, I think you’re doing great, Lem. Would like to hold my hand now? We can just sit here and chat while we do that. I’d like to hear more about what you like to do for fun.”
Lem froze, his hand hovering over Michael’s. “I guess that would be all right.”
It was clear he wasn’t sure how to go about it, so Michael interlaced his fingers with Lem’s and placed their paired hands on the couch.
“There. Okay?”
Lem gulped. “Okay.”
“So tell me what TV shows you like to watch…”
Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014
A year's end summation post about my writing life in 2013 and my goals for 2014. 2013 IN RECAP
1. Launched Eli Easton
In March I paid my favorite web designer to help me create an Eli Easton website. I also got a URL, email, facebook page, and twitter account for Eli.. At the time I wondered if it was sheer folly. My first m/m romance book written under Eli Easton hadn't even come out yet, so perhaps I was jumping the gun. But I had a number of books accepted and lined up for publication. More importantly, my heart was in it--I was committed and excited.
I have written under a different name before, but Eli was all about male-male love. Whether or not she/he/it had any future was a mystery.
2. Published 10 titles
This was way more than I had in mind! But I began writing in the fall of 2012 and it just so happened that the pub dates fell within the 2013 year, starting with my first story as Eli Easton, "A Kiss In The Dark", which appeared in the Closet Capers anthology in April 2013, and ending with "The Enlightenment of Daniel", published Dec 18, 2013. It helped that many of these were shorter works. All in all, I published 3 short stories ("A Kiss in the Dark", "Caress", "Before I Wake"), and 7 novellas ("The Lion and the Crow", "Superhero", "The Trouble with Tony", "Puzzle Me This", "A Prairie Dog's Love Song", "Blame It On The Mistletoe", and "The Enlightenment of Daniel").
3. Self-published for the first time
In November, I self-pubbed "Blame It On The Mistletoe". This was a happy accident. I submitted both "A Prairie Dog's Love Song" and Mistletoe to Dreamspinner's advent. Prairie Dog got a contract. What then to do with Mistletoe? I could have submitted it to another xmas anthology, but I decided to experiment and self-pub it. I got a lovely cover from Reese Dante (perhaps my favorite all year) and paid an editor. Would Mistletoe even earn back what I spent? It did, and it showed me that self-publishing was possible and rewarding.
4. Had a #1 hit on Amazon
After seeing a number of my releases get lukewarm response (or so it seemed), I was a bit discouraged by October. Was this m/m romance genre really going to make sense for me? Or was I publishing mediocre work into a glut of other titles? I was not convinced. Then "Blame It On The Mistletoe" came along. It hit #1 on Amazon's gay romance list on Thanksgiving day and stayed in the top 5 for 4 weeks and has gotten over 500 ratings on GR. Okay, then. Maybe I can do this. Maybe not every single time, but at least I'm capable of having a hit.
5. Made some 'best of' lists:
A few of my books, mostly "Superhero", and "Mistletoe", made some 'year's best lists' and/or were nominated for such on forums. In the overwhelming sea of constant releases, this kind of recognition is so invaluable, not only to my soul and self-confidence, but to my long-term sales. THANK YOU.
6. Completed my first full-length m/m novel:
"The Mating of Michael", Sex in Seattle #3, is 73K words. It was finished and turned in Dec 31st!
7. Learned a lot
I've learned alot about the m/m romance genre. Some key points:
* It's a small and crowded market. Not many books sell even a thousand units. So as a way to make a living, it's a tough road.
* The other authors are very friendly. I've made a few valuable friends this year and been supported by a lot of my own favorite authors. Thank you.
* There's not a lot of content editing. So far, my experiences with my publishing partner, Dreamspinner, has shown me that the editors mostly focus on grammer and punctuation. If a character sucks ass, or a scene doesn't work, I'm not likely to hear about it. GOOD, HONEST BETAS ARE KEY.
* You have no fucking idea what will hit. Honestly, books I thought people would love they didn't so much, and books I thought were just okay seemed to strike a communal chord. Timing seems to be part of it too. If I figure it out, I'll let you know.
* Readers want longer book and other Extreme Prejudices. Through the feedback from reviewers, I've learned what things readers complain about and what things they like. It's an ongoing learning process.
* New releases have a very, very short window. It's discouraging, but there are so many new titles coming out that you have a week or two of getting readers's attention, and then you are off the radar forever unless you're lucky enough to make some 'best of' lists.
2013 in sum:
I loved publishing m/m in 2013 and I feel like I've made some in roads. I so much appreciate everyone who gave a new author a try this past year, gave an encouraging review, paid for a book, rec'd my books to friends, or sent me an email. Without that kind of feedback, a new author is likely to dry up and blow away. MUCH APPRECIATED.
2014
My goals for 2014:
1. Avg 2100 words/day when writing new content, twice that when editing
2. Release 3 novels in 2014 (The Mating of Michael, The Lion and the Crow expanded novel, plus one more TBD)
3. Release 4 novellas in 2014 (2 in the gothika anthologies, 1 in Daily Dose, 1 Christmas novella)
4. Achieve another #1 at some point. On goodreads have a book with 800+ ratings.
5. Write another YA for pub in 2014 or 2015
I'm still working at a full-time job outside the writing, and one I enjoy, so writing fiction continues to be a heavy side job for me. But I hope to be able to spend at least a month FT on it at some point late in 2014.
ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR NEW YEAR'S GOALS THIS YEAR!
Eli Easton
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- Christmas/Holiday
Favorite Christmas Stories (read in 2013):
Also see my post on my fav Christmas romances of all time.
I love Christmas romances! I read a ton of them. Here are my favorites that I read this year.
Gaudete by Amy Rae Durreson – Childhood friends run into each other years later at the Aylminster cathedral Christmas market. Lovely language and an Anglophile’s dream.
The Healing Power of Eggnog by Jamie Fessenden – A young man returns home for Christmas for the first time in years after his parents kicked him out for being gay. He finds they’ve taken in a young, gay boarder.
Let It Snow by Heidi Cullinan – A take off on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Hair stylist Frankie gets stranded in a snow storm and is taken in by three gruff lumberjacks. Funny and sexy.
Merry Gentlemen by Josephine Myles -- Lovely and hilarious story about two ex-lovers reunited at the Bath Christmas market.
Mistletowed by Tara Lain – A screwball rom com in which some magical mistletoe wrecks havoc on the lives of three established couples, mixing them up. m/m, m/f and m/m/f couples.
Sweet and Sour by Astrid Amara – A man who owns a pickle and relish deli falls for a detective who is undercover as an employee.
The Trouble With Elves by Therese Woodson – A grumpy ex baseball pro who works in a sports store falls for a holiday-loving Santa’s elf. Very cute.
That's it for 2013. On to the next year of books....
Eli
BACK to first entry - favorite books of 2013 -- Hurt/Comfort.
PREV: Favorite M/M Romances with Historic / Fantasy / Sci-Fi themes
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- Historical / Fantasy / Sci-Fi
The majority of what I read is contemporary, but there are exceptions. Some books are just so highly rated and recommended you have to check them out. Here are some I really enjoyed this past year.
Historical M/M Romances
The Gentleman’s Keeper by Sumer Devon and Bonnie Dee – A noble returning to his family estate falls for the estate manager. Nice regency m/m romance.
The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles – Set in regency England with a paranormal twist, Lord Crane inherited an earldom and a curse and magician Stephen Day is the only one who can help. Excellent writing.
Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk -- Repressed scholar Percival helps Pinkerton detective Griffin decode a mysterious book that may endanger them all. Paranormal/mystery/romance – very well written.
M/M Romances with a Fantasy or Sci-Fi Setting
The Englor Affair by J.L. Langley – Sci-Fi/AU fantasy – This series revolves around a planet where homosexuality among nobles is the norm and young men are sheltered like virginal regency ladies. A great series and this was my favorite.
Nor Iron Bars A Cage by Kaje Harper (free story from the LHNB event) – Fantasy hurt/comfort. A reclusive, damaged wizard is coerced by his old love to go on a mission for the king.
Truth In The Dark by Amy Lane – A fantastic beauty-and-the-beast type fantasy story.
Worthy by Lia Black (free story from the LHNB event) – There’s sort of a ‘disability’ / My Fair Lady theme here which works for me. Set in a fantasy world, Seven was born with a birth defect that puts him in the lowest dregs of society. He’s rescued by a wealthy master who sees Seven’s potential.
NEXT: Favorite M/M Romances that are Christmas/Holiday Stories
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- Sexy Tropes & BDSM
M/M Romances with a Sexy Trope
What I call a 'sexy trope' is a well-used plot hook that leads two men to end up having sex--hypothermia, two detectives pretending to be a gay couple for a case, stuck in a closet, etc. Typically the sex is very hot. Here're my favorites for 2013 (that aren't on other lists):
The Art of Touch by Dominique Frost – A tough, acerbic business guy reluctantly falls for his annoyingly perky masseuse. Funny and sexy.
Not His Kiss To Take by Finn Marlowe – I have a thing for medical kink and this book is the best I’ve found. An agoraphobic doctor takes in an abused young straight man. Very kinky and sexy.
Two Man Team by Jet Mykles – Two friends start having threeways with women, which turn into twoways by themselves. Sexy friends-to-lovers , gfy story.
M/M Romances with BDSM themes
I'm not a big fan of heavy BDSM as the main plot of a book, but there are some books that combine it with other elements and/or do it so well I have to love them. Here're my favorites from 2013.
Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan – Adam is a bookish twink with OCD. He meets Denver, a big, buff bouncer. Adam finds relief in surrendering to Denver’s control.
His Roomate’s Pleasure by Lana McGregor – A virginal gay college student comes across his roommate’s porn stash and is fascinated by his first glimpse of BDSM. The two begin to experiment together.
Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan – A young man who picks up some work at a ranch runs into his foreman at a gay bar and they start playing together. This book is both kinky (as in hot) and sweet.
Training Season by Leta Blake – A flamboyant figure skater spends a winter in Montana and falls in love with a rancher. Loved the gorgeous character of Mattie Marcus and the BDSM sex is very hot.
NEXT: Favorite M/M Romances with Historical, Fantasy and Sci-Fi Settings
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- Humor
Favorite Humorous M/M Romances Read in 2013
I love witty writing in romance. LOVE IT. I will always choose it over angst or a thriller plotline. Of course, many romances incorporate some humor, but these books/writers are particularly known for it.
Fire Balls by Tara Lain – Flamboyant, petite artist Rodney falls for hunky fireman Hunter, but ends up helping his best friend try to woo him in a Cyrano twist. Awesome.
Hard Tail by JL Merrow – Closeted Tim leaves London to take over his brother’s bike shop while he’s in the hospital and falls for Matt, a lovable klutz with an abusive boyfriend. Funny, sparkling writing.
Pricks and Pragmatism by JL Merrow -- A beautiful boy who’s used to being kept by sugar daddies ends up rooming with a geeky nerd when he’s kicked out of his most recent place. Merrow at her witty best.
Too Stupid to Live by Anne Tenino – A delightful rom com about two men who are sure they don’t belong together. They’re wrong.
Tell Me It’s Real by TJ Klune – Self-deprecating Paul can’t believe it when good-looking Vince woos him. Hilarious writing throughout.
NEXT: Favorite M/M Romances with sexy tropes & BDSM
PREV: Favorite M/M Romances with Mystery/Cop/Military themes
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- Mystery/Cops/Military
Books featuring Mystery/Thriller plotlines, Cops or Military Men
Gotta love an alpha male, right? These books all feature a cop, miliary man, detective, bodyguard, hitman, etc.
Basic Training by Marquesate – A closeted drill sergeant who has never allowed himself to be with a man falls for an openly gay recruit who is much abused on base. Fantastic.
Every Move He Makes by Barbara Elsborg – Wonderfully written, action-packed story about a bodyguard and a spoiled rich kid whose life is in danger.
The General and the Horse-Lord by Sarah Black – A lovely romance featuring two older, retired military men.
Latakia by JF Smith – Matthew is a push-over with a rather worthless boyfriend who gets kidnapped while overseas. He’s rescued by a US Special Forces team and ends up stuck with them for awhile. He learns self-worth and falls in love with a hot alpha male. Oh, yeah.
A Matter of Time by Mary Calmes – A detective tries to protect the witness to a murder who refuses protection. This classic series is just as good as everyone says it is -- very funny and hot. I rolled through the first four books in this series without coming up for air.
You Get Full Credit for Being Alive by Cari Z (LHNB free story) – A reclusive ex-mercenary rescues a young man beaten and left for dead. Exciting and sexy.
Zero At The Bone by Jane Seville – A hitman hired to off a witness to a crime instead goes on the lam with him. A sexy and an exciting thriller.
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- Young Adult
Books that are YA (Young Adult)
I love m/m romances set in high school and college, particularly when they don't shy away from sexuality. Here are my favorites from this year:
By The Creek by Geoff Laughton – A high school boy who moves to the country meets an Amish boy at the local watering hole. They become friends and then more. Interesting setting/theme.
#First Impressions #Second Chances by Heidi Belleau (free story from the LHNB event) – Set in college so it’s going in my YA bucket. Introverted, online fashionista Jonah is courted by an athletic jock. Very funny.
Play Me, I’m Yours by Madison Parker – Lucas is a brilliant, sensitive musician who is picked on in high school. His mom and best friend are determined to set him up. Lovely writing and characters.
Silent by Sara Alva – Heart-wrenching story of love blossoming in a group home between an abused latino youth and a boy who is mute and believed to be mentally deficient. Lovely writing.
Social Skills by Sara Alva – Set in college. Connor is a sensitive violinist with no social skills. Jared is a football player who’s in the closet. Lots of sparks and angst and excellent writing.
NEXT: Favorite M/M Romances with Thriller/Mystery/Cop/Millitay themes
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- GFY / Gay Virgin
My love of GFY (gay for you) romance is a guilty pleasure. The spectrum of GFY can run from straight-and-gay-only-for-you, to has-been-in-denial, to closeted, but the key is that at least one MC resists the relationship due to his sexual identity and has never been with a man before. Good sexual tension is all about resisting temptation, and GFY is just one good reason why a man would resist. Here are my favorite reads in this category this year.
Books with Gay-For-You / Gay Virgin Themes
The Backup Boyfriend by River Jaymes – Straight guy Dylan pretends to be the boyfriend of gay Alec so Alec can show-up his obnoxious ex.
A Betting Man by Sandrine Gasq-Dion – A man makes a bet to get the ‘next person who walks in the door’ to fall in love with him. Of course, it happens to be a male which is a challenge since the betting man is straight.
Edward Unconditionally by Lynn Lorenz – A flamboyant young gay man is stopped for speeding by a straight sheriff—or at least one very much in denial. They’re both stuck in the same small town and desire overcomes prudence. This series has paranormal elements.
Handyman by Claire Thompson – Gay stockbroker hires an older, widowed handyman to fix up his new house. Major sexual attraction follows, much to the surprise of the widower.
My Cowboy Heart by Z.A. Maxfield – A gorgeous young cowboy stirs up all kinds of feelings when he starts working on a ranch with three older men. Just gorgeous writing and dialogue.
My Hero by Max Vos – A gay diver and a straight football player form a friendship that blossoms into love after the football player saves the diver’s life.
Taboo for You by Anyta Sunday – (also kids) – A friends-to-lovers story about two neighbors. Sam is raising a son alone (and is straight) and Luke is a closeted gay man who is in secretly love with Sam. When Sam makes a bucket list and taboo sex is on it, Luke sees his chance to test the waters. Sexy and sweet.
Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela by Felicia Watson – A social worker who works with women who are victims of domestic abuse falls for a mechanic who abused his wife because he’s deeply in denial about his sexuality. Serious issues are handled well in this story and there’s lots of UST.
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 -- Kids/Pets/Families
Books with Kids/Pets/Famillies
Another favorite sub-genre of mine are romances that feature men with kids, pets, or stories with family drama. These were my favorite this year:
Love Comes Silently by Andrew Grey – My favorite Andrew Grey. Ken is caring for his gravely ill young daughter and his neighbor, Patrick, who is mute due to an injury, becomes their knight in shining armor. Has so many elements I love in a good romance – hurt/comfort, disability, kids… Lovely book.
Family Man by Heidi Cullinan – Vince, at 40, is just figuring out he’s gay. With his big Italian family, it’s not going to be easy to admit, even after he falls in love with Trey.
Family Unit by Z.A. Maxfield – Lovely love story between two mature men – one is a liberal gay artist raising his grandson and the other is his new neighbor, a recently retired marine who is now free to be out of the closet.
Hairy Harry’s Car Seat by Sue Brown – Divorced straight man Peter loses his beloved dog Harry and is tempted into a relationship with the gay vet who helps him heal. Dogs and gfy!
DILF by twentysomething – This is actually free fan fiction, but since I don’t know the TV series, I just read it as straight romance. Wonderful slow build, USTy relationship between a man who is guardian to his two young nephews and one of their teachers.
Mannies Incorporated by Sean Michael – I’ve read a few books featuring gay male nannies this year and this was my favorite. Slayde is nanny to 3 small kids while their mother is overseas in the military. When her cop brother decides to move in and ‘help’ tempers are frayed and sparks fly.
Nothing Ever Happens by Sue Brown – Andrew is a gay man married and with a kid. He falls for his straight neighbor who has a baby on the way. An angsty, realistic, and well-written family drama.
NEXT: Favorite M/M Romances that are GFY or have 'gay virgins'
Eli's Favorite M/M Romances read in 2013 -- hurt/comfort
It turns out I read around 450 books in 2013. Crazy. Let's say it was a stressful year, and I found myself better able to relax with a cup of hot tea and my iPad than with TV or anything else. Losing myself in romance works for me! I went through all the books I rated 5 stars this past year and pulled out my favorites. I loved all these books and highly recommend them. Note these books were not necessarily published in 2013, that' s just the year I read them.
Books with Hurt/Comfort or Disability Theme
I love books in which love comforts and heals. These were my favorite this year:
Billy’s Bones by Jamie Fessenden – One MC is a therapist and the other is man with a deeply abusive childhood he’s buried but not gotten over. Everything about the story feels very authentic
Blind Faith by NR Walker – Acerbic, reclusive blind Isaac is wooed by the vet who cares for his guide dog.
The Boy Who Came In From The Cold by BG Thomas – A homeless youth is rescued by an older man. This trope has been done before, but I particularly liked this story.
Clear Water by Amy Lane – Patrick is a sort of ADHD spaz who is rescued from drowning by a marine biologist and is taught to love and accept himself. Brilliant Amy Lane writing.
Hidden Away by JW Kilhey – One of my favorites of the year. Kurt is a holocaust survivor, a gay musician who was in a concentration camp and now is a janitor at Berkely. The other MC, John, is a student there. A secondary storyline tells Kurt’s story as he went through the holocaust—educational and deeply moving.
How to Raise an Honest Rabbit by Amy Lane – Drifter and grifter Jeremy has never had a stable home until he finds one at an alpaca farm and fiber mill. Co-worker Aiden wants a relationship with Jeremy but will Jeremy stay?
Never A Hero by Marie Sexton – My favorite Tucker Springs novel. Two rather underdog MCs – one who is missing part of an arm due to a birth defect and one with a dark secret – find love. Wonderful.
The Tin Box by Kim Fielding – A man in denial of his sexuality takes over custodianship of an abandoned asylum and meets a local gay shopkeeper. There’s a heart-wrenching story-within-a-story of a young man sent to a mental asylum in the 30’s for being gay that underlines how our current ‘freedoms’ should not be taken for granted.