Showing posts with label mm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mm. Show all posts

Monday, 8 July 2019

Hot Summer Nights - a charity MM Romance anthology

Hot Summer Nights was born as a project of love for summer stories! I personally think there aren't enough of them. There are plenty of Christmas stories, Valentine's Day, even Halloween, but not enough stories that you can relax with on the beach, in your cosy cottage in the mountains or anywhere else you'd decided to spend your summer holiday.




If you decide to buy the anthology - or read it in KU - you'll be supporting a wonderful charity. All proceeds from the anthology are going to The Trevor Project, an incredible charity dealing with suicide prevention in LGBT+ youth.
So far, for the few weeks the charity has been on sale, we've managed to raise over $800 for The Trevor Project, and I'm hoping we can make it to over $1000 by the end of the sale term. 
The anthology will be on sale from June 20 to September 20, so don't miss your chance to grab a copy!

It was a real pleasure working with the authors of Hot Summer Nights! I know I'm biased because it's my own project, but I can safely say this anthology is one of the best I've ever read! Every story brings its own charm to the anthology, and no two are similar! 

Full anthology synopsis:

Butterfly Wishes by Teodora Kostova

In school, Nico and King are best friends, and each other’s first love. But their lives take a different path and they lose touch.
Now, King is a famous musician and Nico is trying to make a name for himself as a journalist. When King’s life starts falling apart, fate brings them together on a private island, and reignites old feelings.
Can they make it work this time? Or are their worlds too far apart?

Alpaca My Bags by JL Merrow

Silver fox Scott Riley is holidaying on the Isle of Wight with his newborn granddaughter and her parents following the breakup of his relationship. A bit of fun in the sun with rugged alpaca farmer, Ryan, could be just what the doctor ordered. But when both men realise this holiday fling could be the start of something more, they’ll need to work hard to counter Scott’s family’s misgivings—not to mention their own.

Alpha Mine by Aimee Brissay

Away from home and its escalating conflicts, the last thing Andrei needs is to fall for the newest member of the pack. But he can’t help lusting after Sorin.
As the alpha, he can’t afford to be distracted, but neither he nor Sorin seem able to resist the burning attraction between them. Will this connection prove to be too much of a risk?

Everybody in the Place by Suki Fleet

Alfie Adams comes at life sideways.
After unexpectedly losing his job in television, and having the script he’s worked so hard on unceremoniously dropped, Alfie turns up at his oldest friend, Jam’s, birthday party drunk, pretty sure his world has ended, and that he’s about to hit rock bottom with a bone-cracking thud.
But it’s funny how Jam’s little brother, Benji, seems to know exactly what Alfie needs. For the past twelve months Alfie has thrown himself into his job and tried hard not to think about beautiful punk-loving Benji—tried not to see how the sweet kid he used to look out for, and who used to trail so adoringly after him, has grown up into a big lad with an even bigger heart. As Alfie sobers up, he begins to see things with a new perspective, and Benji has his full attention.
If only Alfie can admit what it is he wants.

Good Boys Don’t by K.A.Merikan

Nate doesn’t fit in with his friends from church. He isn’t all that religious. He likes music his parents wouldn’t approve of. He’s gay. He’s determined to stay under the radar, but a chance meeting with a handsome biker who flirts Nate out of his modesty might throw those plans out of the window.

Heart of the Dragon by Alina Popescu

When a power-hungry king threatens to drown the world in blood, a bastard prince and a prisoner suspected of hiding mythical beasts find themselves in an unlikely alliance. Driven together by loneliness and undeniable attraction, they struggle to trust their choices and each other. Should they fail, neither will survive.

Not so Predictable by Jessie G

Oliver Tryst yearns for excitement, fun, and a reprieve from the endless winter blanketing Upstate New York. But when a cruise with his best pals turns into a solo trip to paradise, Oliver finds himself mustering with the winter fling he wished hadn’t gotten away. With his cautious heart thawing in the Caribbean sun, Oliver will have to decide if he can leave stability behind for a chance to turn his holiday hookup into a happily ever after.

Thursday, 17 January 2019

Grounded is OUT!




Hi, guys!

My new book Grounded is LIVE on Amazon and available on KU! It's the sequel to Cookies, Shane and Greg's story, but can be read as a stand-alone novel.



This book took so long to write mainly because it was so emotional that, at times, I found it hard to keep going. I adore Shane and Greg and wanted to do their story justice, and write it the best way I can.
I'm so excited for the world to finally meet those guys, and hopefully, fall in love with them too. They've been through so much, but it's worth it in the end, I promise ;)



If I had to describe this book in 2 words they'll have to be angst and sex LOL. It's got a ton of both. And it also features the happiest, most over-the-top HEA I've ever written.



Sounds like something you'll enjoy? Here's the full book description:


 A chance encounter.
A passionate night.
An intense connection.

When medical student Shane Sanford and RAF pilot Greg Becker meet the air between them sizzles with mutual attraction. There’s nothing holding them back as they give in to their desire. But once their paths lead them into a different direction, neither of them can forget the intense connection they’d shared.
When fate brings them together again a year later, they have a choice to make: try and make a long-distance relationship work or let this be a one-night stand again.
With war, tragedy and fear standing in their way, can Shane and Greg overcome the challenges life keeps throwing their way? Is their bond strong enough to survive?
Is love enough?







x

Sunday, 28 January 2018

✨ Cover Reveal ✨

Guys! I'm so excited to show you the cover for my upcoming novel, Ten Mile Bottom! Jay Aheer from Simply Defined Art did an outstanding job, as usual, I love her work! I adore this cover, it captures the mood of the books so well! 



Book Description:

Hitting rock bottom is just the beginning...


I’m a son, a brother, a friend. 
A writer.
An addict.
Dead.
Cardiac arrest isn’t enough to keep me dead, though. The doctors brought me back, but for what?

At twenty four I’ve already achieved what most people do in a life time. I’m a successful author, own a flat in the heart of London and drive my dream sports car. 
Or at least that’s what people see.
Once the spotlight fades, I’m left alone with my overactive mind, alcohol and drugs the only way to quiet down the noise.

Until an overdose nearly kills me and drags everyone I love down with me. 
With the help of my best friend, I leave London and its toxic influence behind, moving to a small town in the outskirts of Cambridge to try and put my life back together again.

If only it were that easy.

Ten Mile Bottom is a stand alone contemporary romance novel. 
Release date: 22 February



Tuesday, 16 January 2018

2017 in books

In terms of books, 2017 was a "love it or hate it" kinda year, with very few in-betweeners. I'm not complaining, though, because the ones I loved, I loved with passion well beyond what's considered healthy. Or sane.
I live by the mantra that we should focus on the things we love instead of clogging our brains with negative feelings, so in this post I'm going to talk about some of the books I absolutely adored in 2017. I've divided them in four sections for easier reading: fiction, manga, audio books and non-fiction. Check them out!

๐Ÿ“š Fiction

๐Ÿ“— Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman

I have to start with this book because it's been sitting at the back of my bookshelf long enough! I've had it for years, I even remember buying it from a vintage bookshop in London, but for some reason I never got to reading it, always getting distracted by newer, shinier things. This year, when I heard the movie will be coming out in the UK in November, I dug my vintage paperback from the back of the bookcase and started to read. 
I was blown away by Aciman's prose. I loved every second of that book! Even if it broke my heart a little. 
(The book is also mentioned in the audio book section because when I found out Armie Hammer was narrating the audio edition I had to get it!)

๐Ÿ“— The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Guys, this book!!!! It's so so good! One of the best written novels I've read in a while! It's funny, it's witty, it's emotional, it's action-packed.... It's everything a brilliant novel should be! If you haven't read it do yourself a favour and run to the nearest bookshop! You can thank me later.


๐Ÿ“— The Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare

There's two books currently out of the trilogy, Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows, with the third book scheduled for release towards the end of 2018.
I have to say, I'm a huge fan Of Clare's and I've read all her books, but this series is probably my favourite! I loved Lady Midnight, and I adored Lord of Shadows! I'm stupidly excited for the last book in the series, especially considering how LoS ended! If you're into fantasy/paranormal YA you can't go wrong with this series, or any of Cassandra Clare's books for that matter.


๐Ÿ“— Bonfires by Amy Lane

I put off reading this book for ages and I don't even know why. I love Amy Lane, the books I've read by her always make my heart ache, sometimes with fuzzy feels, but most of the time with not so fuzzy feels. (No, I'll never get over Beneath the Stain, don't talk to me about it.)


๐Ÿ“— The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish

I don't often read holiday romance mainly because I'm not a huge fan of Christmas, and also because they tend to be a bit samey-ish after a while. But when I found out Roan Parrish has a holiday book out I jumped on it straight away! And, of course as always with Roan's writing, I was blown away! The Remaking of Corbin wale is a gentle, sensual book that grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go till the last page. Loved everything about it and can see myself rereading it every Christmas.


๐Ÿ“š Manga

2017 was definitely the year of the manga and anime for me. I rediscovered my love for the genre and devoured everything I could get my hands on. So here are my top picks of 2017:

๐Ÿ“™ Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

With the release of season 2 in 2017, the AoT fandom was jolted back to life! I've seen the first season ages ago when it was released (in 2013 I think) but I'd honestly lost hope of any more of the manga being animated. When season 2 was released I had to rewatch season 1 and fall in love with the characters all over again.
After that, I had to continue reading the manga and find out what was going on. It's an ongoing, torturous process, but AoT is hands down one of the best manga series out there.

๐Ÿ“™ Black Butler by Yana Toboso

I got that manga on a whim, and to be honest it took me a while to get into it. But when I did I became completely obsessed! It's a fantastic series, undoubtedly very eccentric and, at times, mind-boggling, but brilliant nonetheless. 

๐Ÿ“™ Noragami by Adachitoka

My Gosh, I'm so in love with Yato I can die! Amazing manga series, the art is incredible but so is the story. Loved everything about it! 


๐Ÿ“š Audio Books


๐Ÿ“˜ Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman

I have to start with Call Me by Your name again because Armie Hammer's narration is incredible! His voice compliments Aciman's words like seas salt in caramel. The only way this book could have gotten any better is with a brilliant audio narration and that's exactly what happened!

๐Ÿ“˜ The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater has been a favourite author of mine for years. Her books are always entertaining, but with a touch of something else. She manages to find a twist in every story without being obvious about it.
I've wanted to read The Raven Cycle for ages, but when I started book one, The Raven Boys a few years ago when it came out, I couldn't get into it. So I put it aside and nearly forgot about it. But then the series because super popular and audio books were produced, and I had to have them. 
The narration, by the awesome Will Patton, is spot on! He manages to inject just enough drama and intensity to suit the story without making it melodramatic. And his Ronan voice is just dreamy!

๐Ÿ“˜ Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

I read the book ages ago but now with the movie coming out I wanted to reread because I remember I liked it a lot. I decided to get the audio because I've heard good things and I'm so glad I did! The narration by Michael Crouch is perfection and made me love the book even more! 

๐Ÿ“˜ When All the World Sleeps by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock

Mr Greg Tremblay (who I met at Euro Con in Berlin this year and who is an amazing human being) did a fantastic job with this very difficult book. The book is dark and grim and very, very sad, but the narration made it bearable. I honestly don't think I'd have been able to keep on reading if it wasn't for his brilliant performance.
Don't get me wrong, the book is brilliant and I loved it, but I didn't enjoy it, if that makes any sense. I highly recommend it, but be warned that the story goes to some pretty dark corners of the human mind.

๐Ÿ“˜ Catch my Breath by M.J O'Shea

Catch My Breath is the exact opposite of When All the World Sleeps above. It's fluffy and cute and teeth-rotting sweet, but I loved every second of it. Tyler Stevens' fantastic narration has a lot to do with that positive experience. I definitely recommend the audio over the ebook/paperback, trust me on this!


๐Ÿ“š Non-fiction


๐Ÿ“’ Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli

What a gorgeous book! The cover, the illustrations, the thought process that had gone behind the scenes... All of it is gorgeously done, making the book a must read for anyone, not just rebel girls. 


๐Ÿ“’ Literary London by Eloise Millar and Sam Jordison

I've lived in London for over 15 years and I still can't say I've seen everything this beautiful city has to offer. This book focuses on the literary sights in London, meaning the places where famous authors liked to hang out, lived or frequented. I've already bookmarked half the book, waiting for the weather to get a bit warmer so I can explore them without freezing. (I'm a summer person, don't judge me.) It's written with humour and holds many interesting facts about the sights and the authors themselves. Definitely recommend for any literary fan living in London or visiting for a few days.


๐Ÿ“’ Being a Writer by Travis Elborough and Helen Gordon

This is an inspiring collection of essays from some of the most famous writers in the world about their struggles with their craft, their joys, as well as musings on how they even became to identify as writers. It's fascinating, really, to read that someone who has achieved world-wide fame and whose writing I admire has struggled with similar self-doubts and insecurities as I have, but has managed to overcome them and keep writing. Definitely recommend for anyone who aspires to be a writer.



Thursday, 1 September 2016

Cookies audio book is LIVE on Audible and iTunes


Hi, guys!!!


I'm super excited to announce that the Cookies audio book is now LIVE on Audible and iTunes!



It's brilliantly narrated by Alexander Doddy who was an absolute pleasure to work with and who made my story and my characters come to life with his sensual narration. I hope you love his performance as much as I do!

Cookies on Audible.com
Cookies on Audible.co.uk
Cookies on iTunes
Cookies on Amazon

To celebrate the release of my new audio book, I'm giving away an audio book - any book, any genre, winner's choice. To enter simply leave a comment under this post with with your Audible email address and the book you'd like to have.

Hope everyone has a great week ahead!

Thursday, 11 February 2016

Valentine's Day SALE


Dance is on sale for $0.99/£0.99 for a limited time (11-15 Feb) to celebrate Valentine's Day. After all, snuggling with a sexy book and a cup of hot chocolate is the best way to celebrate any holiday, right?
I pondered which book of mine to do a promotion on considering they're all love stories and decided to go with Dance for many reasons. It was my first MM romance novel and will always be special to me. I also wrote a short story with the characters from dance - Fenix and Jared, which you can all download for free from Smashwords. I'm trying to get it price-matched on Amazon, but for now, get your free copy in any format from Smashwords


And the cherry on top? The Dance audio book is whispersynced so you can get an ebook and audio book combo for less than $3!

Here's all the links you'll need:

Dance ebook on Amazon: http://goo.gl/8BcjpV
Dance ebook on Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/kH7sC8
Dance audio on Audible: http://goo.gl/VQVwGM
Dance audio on Audible UK: http://goo.gl/6nupVr
Free short story: https://goo.gl/gz1sYx


I rarely do any sales on my books, so get it while you can!
I hope everyone has an amazing Valentine's Day, however you'll be celebrating!



Tuesday, 9 February 2016

Book of the week - Kings Rising by CS Pacat

 

Kings Rising is the third and final instalment of the Captive prince phenomenon. It started out as an online series, but it got so popular that Penguin bought it and published it. The wait for Kings Rising has been excruciating! I'm talking years here, people! When it was finally released last week, the internet went crazy! Personally, I was excited for the book, but I was also anxious to see if the fact that it was written under big publishing contract would somehow influence the quality/storyline. It's incredibly liberating to write something for yourself and later on for the fans, without any expectation of sales, ratings and royalty statements. It's very different when you write for one of the biggest publishers. And it's even more difficult when you write a gay dystopian fantasy for one of the biggest publishers.
Having read the book 3 times since last Wednesday, I can report back and say that all my fears were for nothing! The book is absolutely amazing and everything I wanted! Damen and Laurent are even more intense together, and the love scenes were just as beautifully done as in the previous 2 books. I didn't feel any censorship at all in any aspect, and I'm incredibly happy about that!
The cover you can see above is the American/European edition cover.  I have to admit I'm not crazy about it.The cover below is the Australian edition cover. How pretty is it??


Here's the whole series together. In my opinion, the Australian ones are gorgeous and I ordered them all from Australia because I need to have them on my bookshelf!


 

Kings Rising didn't disappoint. It was absolutely amazing! I'm not one for rereading books, I can count the books I've reread, ever, on one hand. But this series... God, this series I can read every week. I reread the first 2 before the new one came out and I got the same book hangover as I got the first time around, 2 years ago. Days later, I can't stop rereading my favourite scenes in the whole series and can't seem to pick up anything else. My head is full of Damen and Laurent and I need an intervention.
What's more, I realised when I started rereading the first 2 books that I remembered nearly every scene to the letter! I read a lot and I forget a lot, most of the time I'm lucky if I remember the names of the main characters in a book I've read, but with Captive Prince I knew each scene play by play. The writing is that powerful.
What more can I say about the series? If you haven't read it, do it! You'll thank me later. Or maybe not... I can see a lot of obsessing and Tumblr browsing in your future...


Monday, 25 January 2016

February Reads

February is an awesome month, book-wise! Some amazing books coming out, books I've been waiting to get my hands on for quite some time. I see lots of late night reading in my future...

My hot picks for February are (click on each cover for blurb/info/preorder link):


Strong Signal
Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell
February 15th

Talk about author collaboration wet dream!!! I nearly peed myself with excitement when I heard the news two of my favourite authors have written a book together! And not only that, but it's the first book in a series! I know it'll be amazing, there's absolutely no doubt in my mind about that, and I can't wait to read it!


Kings Rising (Captive Prince 3)
C.S.Pacat
February 2nd

I've been waiting for this book for YEARS! I kid you not. The Captive Prince series phenomenon started as a free read but became so popular that it was bought and re-published by Penguin. In all honesty, I haven't read the republished version of the first two volumes, just the free version that was originally published, and I loved it! I'm a bit nervous about this new book considering it wasn't only published by a big publisher, but also written under contract. I'm afraid that all the freedom that comes from writing something simply for the joy of it will be gone and the magic will be ruined. 
Fingers crossed that's not the case!
On a side note, I'm kinda annoyed at how expensive the ebook is ($9.99). That won;t stop me from buying it, though. I've been waiting YEARS. I guess that's what Penguin are hoping all the fans will say... *sigh*


Catch a Tiger by the Tail
Charlie Cochet
February 5th

The THIRDS series continues with Catch a Tiger by the Tail, Calvin and Hobb's story. I'm looking forward to this book! Great series! I can't wait to read Calvin and Hobb's side of the story!



Out of Nowhere (In the Middle of Somewhere 2)
Roan Parrish
February 29th

In the Middle of Somewhere is one of my all time favourite books! Roan Parrish's debut novel was so amazing that I've lost count of rereads already! The second book in the series, Colin and Rafael's story is coming out soon and I'm so excited! Colin was a total douche in the first book and pretty much everyone who's read it hated him. I'm curious to see how Roan will turn people's perseption of him around. And I have no doubt that she will do just that.


So there you go. That's my list of February books I can't wait to read. Not bad, eh?

What book are YOU looking forward to read next month?


Monday, 4 January 2016

Favourite books of 2015

It's that time of the year again. It feels like yesterday when I typed my Best of 2014 post! This year flew by so fast it gave me a whiplash. Thankfully, I read a ton of amazing books which helped keep me sane when life was getting a bit too crazy.
Here's my absolute favourite books of 2015. Hope you can find something you like among these awesome reads, and super talented authors.


 
I have to start with one of my all-time favourite authors, Santino Hassell. I've been a fan of his ever since I read ICoS and I was looking forward to reading more books from him. In 2015 he published 3 full-length novels, and all of them were fantastic! I can't recommend Sutphin Boulevard (you can read my full review HERE) and Sunset Park strong enough! 



Santino's Gothic paranormal novel Stygian is an epic read! It's a stand alone, not connected to any series and is just brilliant!


In 2015 Leta Blake and Indra Vaugh wrote a book that blew me away! It's a love story about a priest and a rock star, and I have to admit that I was nervous to read it because religious themes make me uncomfortable. But, man, am I glad I did read it! It's phenomenal, one of the best books I've ever laid my hands on.


I never know what to expect from Heidi Cullinan. Her books are so different, both in writing style and theme. But Carry the Ocean came highly recommended from most of my friends, so I gave it a go.
I fell in love from the very first chapter. Such an amazing book! Everyone should read it at least once in the life.


Varian Krylov is one of the most talented authors I've ever had the pleasure of reading. She uses words to create feelings. Every time I read one of her novels I'm in awe with her talent. The words flow so beautifully... Transmundo: Escape is no exception. It's an amazing novel. You can read my full review HERE.


In the Middle of Somewhere is Roan Parrish's debut MM romance novel and it's fantastic! I fell in love with Roan's writing and I'm pretty sure I'll read anything she ever writes. I can't wait for the next book in the series!


True Brit was the pleasant surprise in the Best of 2015 collection. I read it without any expectations and I absolutely loved it! It turned out to be so much more than what the book blurb said it would be. I can't wait to read more from Con Riley.



Kim Fielding is another favourite author of mine. She's incredibly talented and I've never read a book of hers I don't like. She was represented on my Best of 2014 list with Brute - an incredible book that still haunts me. This year I read a lot of Ms Fielding's books, but the 2 that absolutely stood out were Rattlesnake and The Tin Box. Both are fantastic novels, and yet they's so incredibly different! I can't pick between the two to save my life!


I love Adrienne Wilder's writing! In the Absence of Light is an amazing book! Ms Wilder never shies away from difficult themes and this novel is no exception. Absolutely brilliant book!



I'm not a huge fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal fan, but this year I discovered two incredible fantasy series - Whyborne&Griffin is one of them. It's so good that I couldn't stop reading until I devoured the whole series! 


The other fantasy series I loved was Mermen of Ea. I've never read any books about mermen but let me tell you, this series is totally addictive! Highly recommend for fans of fantasy/adventure books!

I've probably - unintentionally - left out lots of books I loved this year, for which I'm sorry, but it was such a good year for the genre that it was difficult to choose just a handful. I'm so excited to see our little genre growing and so many talented authors getting more and more attention, and well-deserved recognition, outside of the MM romance clique. I hope 2016 will be even better and we'll see a ton of MM books in the Amazon Top100!






Monday, 2 November 2015

Indie Hour - Nicola Haken

I'm so happy to welcome Nicola Haken to Indie Hour today! She's an author of both contemporary and LGBT romance, and I'm a huge fan!

TK: Hi Nicola and welcome to Indie Hour! So glad to have you as my fabulous guest!
How are you? I know you had some heath trouble over the recent months and got us all worried! Glad to see you on your feet and writing again.


NH: Thank you for having me! Thanks to a cocktail of medications, I’m feeling way better than I was. I’m still waiting for some tests and appointments because I’m proving to be a bit of a medical mystery at the moment! But, now anything sinister has been ruled out, my head is back in the game. Woohoo! 

TK: Tell me about your new book The Making of Matt. It’s the third book in your Souls of the Knight series, right?

NH: It is and, for now, the end of the series, but I never say never to anything. Matt was never supposed to have his own story, but readers saw something in him that, at the time Being Sawyer Knight was released, I didn’t. Several asked for his story, which at first I dismissed because this was an M/M series and Matt was not only straight, but a complete whore! Once the seed was planted, however, it continued to grow, and, now, here we are. I can’t see any other way for Matt anymore.


His story, of course, stays true to the personality everyone fell in love with. Matt continues to be immature, sarcastic, unwittingly offensive, and sometimes downright stupid. I’m biased, obviously, but it’s hard not to love those things about him. He’s an arsehole, but an adorable one! In this book, though, we see Matt Carter is also so much more than that. Beneath the humour lies a sensitive, caring, sometimes vulnerable man. He has some pretty tough things to deal with in his story and he doesn’t always react to them in an ideal way at first, but the important thing is he learns as he goes along. As a person, I think he grows a lot throughout this book. I doubt he’ll ever ‘grow up’ so to speak, and really, I wouldn’t want him to. I kinda love him!

TK: Congratulations on the enormous success of the book – it’s been in the top 100 of the entire Kindle paid store ever since it was released, along with a few other MM romance books released around the same time. How do you feel about the success of the MM genre in recent months?

NH: Holy freakin’ crapballs is all I can say to that! Matt’s success has blown me away and I can’t thank everyone who helped get him there enough. Anyone who follows my posts will have seen that I’ve been just as excited to have my fellow m/m authors there with me last week! I’ve only been a part of this genre for 18 months and it’s already grown so much in that time, which is AWESOME! I’m so honoured to be a part of it. I’ve met some of the best people in it, made some incredible friends, and I’m beyond happy that more people seem to be finding us. Next step for the m/m genre? Take over the world! 


TK: I know you write both MM and MF romance books, which I think is awesome. There’s a stigma attached to authors who openly cross genres, however. Have you been affected by it?

NH: Oh there definitely is, for some people at least. When I released Being Sawyer Knight I had my fair share of ‘this is why mf authors shouldn’t write mm’ comments. I refused to give those kind of statements a second thought. I write about people falling in love. If I can write one man convincingly in an m/f story, I can write about two in an m/m/. If they didn’t enjoy the story, they didn’t like my writing style, they thought it was a pile of crap, I accept that. No book is for every reader. But what I’ve written previously shouldn’t come into it.

I’m of course only referring to a few people there. On the whole, this genre and the people in it – authors, readers, and bloggers – are amazing! I’ve gained so many new readers and discovered some fantabulous authors too. All in all, I’m surrounded by awesome people and I try my best to concentrate on them and ignore anything negative. 

TK: Do you plan to go back to writing MF romance or are you more likely to concentrate on MM in the near future?

NH: As much as I love my m/f characters, and the readers and friends I made while writing them, I feel like I’ve found my home. I’ve always written in dual POV and even when writing m/f, I always enjoyed writing from the guy’s perspective more. I connect with them better somehow, I always have. I tell people this all the time, I genuinely had no idea the m/m genre existed until around two years ago when I accidentally stumbled upon a Kindle Alexander book. As soon as I read it, I felt like I’d been searching for this genre all my life! But it does, and I love it, and I’m afraid you won’t get rid of me easily! 


TK: How do you manage to run your own business – because let’s face it, being an indie author is a business, and it takes a lot of time and effort to run it – around your family and your kids? I only have one kid and I can barely breathe some days, let alone find time to write! What’s your secret?

NH: My secret is very little sleep! I have four kids aged between 12 and 3 (yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking either!) so I do most of my work when the two smaller ones are asleep at night. I don’t often go to sleep before 2AM, but I’m lucky to have a husband who works nights and does the school run when he comes home in the morning so I get to lie in till a whopping 9AM some days haha! Also, I’m not what you’d call a domestic goddess. I make time for all things work related by ignoring all things housework related :D 

TK: Is your family supportive of your career choice?

NH: Very. I wouldn’t be able to do this alone. My three boys are at school during the day, so my mum takes my daughter during that time so I have those hours to do my author thing. She also helps out with the things I never get around to, like washing, ironing, and cooking at weekends lol. In fairness, I’d probably never do those things anyway even if I wasn’t busy writing, but don’t tell my mum that ;-) 


TK: Do you like being an indie author? Have you considered publishing with a publishing house?

NH: When I first started out, like a lot of new authors, it was my dream to be traditionally published someday. But now? I’m not sure. I like the control I have over my own things. I’m happy (and tremendously grateful) for the success I’ve had on my own so far, and I also don’t cope well with deadlines or being told what to do lol. But I guess I can’t say for sure without ever having a discussion with a publisher. I’ve heard good and bad stories from both sides of the fence. But for now, I’m happy and proud to be an indie author! 


TK: What can we expect from Nicola next? Do you have any publishing schedule planned or are you taking it in stride?

NH: I’m not good with schedules! I’m well over half way through my latest work in progress which I plan (or should that be hope?!) to release in March 2016. It follows my new boys, James and Theo, and is worlds apart from Matt’s story in so many ways. New characters, new country, my first time writing in present tense… Also, these guys have a difficult, emotional, story to tell and I can only hope I do them justice. 

Right, it’s all fun and games until the Lightning Round!!!!

·         Do you prefer to be right or liked? Whichever causes the least drama!
·         Superman or Batman? Superman (come on, the dude can fly!)
·         Do you sing in the shower? I sing everywhere (much to the detriment of others!)
·         Are you a night owl or an early bird? Night owl
·         Who’s your dream mentor? I admire such a long list of people I couldn’t possibly choose!
·         Your phone or your kindle? Phone (although I have a kindle too!)
·         What’s your favourite food? Potatoes (cooked any way!)
·         Did you ever read a book because everyone else was reading it? If yes, which one? The only book I’ve ever done that with is Fifty Shades of Grey because I needed to see what all the hype was about. For the record, I loved it!
·         Pizza or sushi? Veggie I’ll go with pizza because the idea of sushi weirds me out, but I don’t really like either.
·         TV series or full length movies? TV series. I usually end up falling asleep through movies, yet I can binge watch TV shows for hours!


TK: Thank you, Nicola, for being such a brilliant guest!

NH: Thank you for having me!

If you want to get in touch with the fabulous Nicola, or just stalk her for updates about her new books, here's how:

Saturday, 8 August 2015

Indie Hour - Varian Krylov

It's my immense pleasure to welcome Varian Krylov to Indie Hour today!
Varian is an indie author and photographer, and I'm a huge fan of her work. He latest novel, Transmundo: Escape is out now on Amazon. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the book and it's amazing! If you want to check out my review, where I gush about Varian's awesome book, click HERE





Hey, Varian. I’m very excited to have you over at my blog and ask you a few questions. Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of your work – both as an author and a photographer – and I’m glad my readers will get to know you a bit better, too.

Thank you Teodora! And thank you for the kind invitation. I'm happy to be here and have a chance to talk with you and your readers.


Your writing is beautiful and it’s always felt very personal to me. As if you’ve gone through what your characters are going through. How personal are your books – your stories, your characters – to you? How much of yourself do you put in a book?

What a lovely compliment, thank you. I don't think I'd know how to write a story that didn't feel deeply personal to me, though I admit I haven´t been through any of the harrowing things I put my protagonists through. I tend to write pretty high-stakes plots, where characters' well-being, freedom, even their lives are in peril. But even though I've never had to survive a war, or a kidnapping, or an apocalypse, or go up against human traffickers, when I'm writing how a character acts or reacts in a certain moment of danger or confrontation, I tap into the emotions we've all experienced. The dread that something bad is about to happen, self-doubt about rising to the occasion and doing the right thing, even when it's painful or scary. Fear the person you love won't love you back, or that you'll accidentally hurt the person who's trusted you with their love. And the euphoria of falling for someone amazing, and knowing they're falling for you, too.
  
Did you choose the genre you’re writing in or did it chose you?

I suppose it chose me. I'm more or less constantly dreaming up characters, scenarios, and stories, and the ones that take over my imagination and don't leave me time to dwell on others are the ones I write. If there are writers out there who choose genres or tropes based on how popular they are, I have no idea how they do it. If I don't get the little chest cramp that hits when a moment between two characters cuts me to the quick, I couldn't write their story. I'm just not that disciplined.



I’m very curious about your writing process. Can you describe a typical writing day for you? Any strange habits or quirks?

My process varies drastically from book to book. The moment I started writing Dangerously Happy, the novel just spilled out of me. I couldn't stop it. I woke up in the morning, wrote for a couple of hours “at home” (I'd just ended a long relationship and was slowly migrating from Amsterdam to Barcelona, so I was drifting from place to place), then head over to a cafe and work for a few more hours, then another cafe, then home, then a bar. All I did for four weeks was write. Bad Things took a bit more effort, and there was a lot more stopping and starting and stalling. Trasmundo: Escape was pretty different, for me, because it's the first book in a trilogy, and as I was writing, I kept thinking of scenes for the second book, Trasmundo: Exile. So I was popping back and forth between the two novels. Escape also involved a bit more research than my previous books. In particular, one book I read about the civil war in Yugoslavia inspired certain scenes and interactions. So, I'd read a chapter of The Bosnia List by Kenan Trebincevic in the morning, then get to writing.
 Maybe the one constant quirk is, I create a unique playlist for each new novel, and listen to it almost exclusively during the weeks or months of writing. The right songs evoke a certain mood, and catalyse the whole process, from daydreaming the characters and scenes I'll eventually commit to the page, to wrestling the words into order and refining through the editing process.


Your latest book, Transmundo: Escape, is the first book in a brand new series. I personally found it very different to your previous two mm romance books. What inspired it?

Oh, that's always a tricky question. Inspiration is so convoluted. But I always start from the kernel of a single encounter between two people, a moment of tension, often of danger and fear. In this case, it was the idea of a young, frightened man in the captivity of an enemy soldier. I like putting people together in situations where they ought to mistrust and fear each other, because for me, it's then all the more poignant when they get past those obstacles and start to care for each other.
In the case of this novel, from that initial inspiration, I started pondering why they were there, what the war was about. I'm certainly no history expert, but in my academic life I dabble in connections between literature and politics, and historical patterns and cycles fascinate me. I started thinking about the sad repetition of genocides and ethnic cleansing that happened in so many different parts of the world in the twentieth century. Of course the Holocaust is the most often discussed example, but there was also the Armenian genocide, Cambodia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia. And obviously all of these conflicts had their unique set of circumstances, complicated histories. But on a fundamental level, what happens again and again is, one person or a few people occupying positions of authority exploit the tensions, fears and frustrations of a population and use the energy and anger they whip up as a means to their own ends, which never benefit the general population. People die. Families are destroyed. Countries collapse in disaster.

I also wanted to set the story of two young men falling in love in a part of the world where it is still dangerous to be anything but cis and straight. Of course, even in countries that have adopted equality policies and where LGBT people have legal protections, there´s still further to go. But in the wake of big victories like marriage equality happening in Ireland and the U.S. these past months, it´s tempting to forget that in other places, police publicly beat same-sex couples with impunity.


When can we expect the rest of the series to come out? I’m very impatient to find out more about Tarik and Luka.

Well, I hate to make promises, but the second book is more than half written (and already longer than the first book).


Your covers are always gorgeous! I won’t hide the fact that the first thing that attracted me to the first book I ever read of yours – Dangerously Happy – was the cover. How important is the cover for you, both as an author and as a reader?



As a reader, I seldom notice the cover, because I'm usually after a book I've already decided to read, either because it was recommended by someone whose tastes are in line with my own, or because a book is on my “must read before I die,” list. The list is long, and life is short.
As an author, though, a cover is immensely important to me. Of course, I always hope a cover will do just what it did with you: attract and interest a potential reader enough that they give my writing a chance. And, it's also important to me on a personal level. When I see the image that represents the story I've poured myself into, I want it to be a reflection of those characters and what they go through together.

You used one of your own images for the cover of Transmundo, and I must say I absolutely love it. How did you get into photography? Was it spur of the moment thing or did you have some previous experience?



Writing is my first and most enduring obsession, but I've always needed visual creative expression, too. I had a period of painting (abstracts in oil), I dabbled in filmmaking for a couple years, but primarily as a writer and director, not a camera operator. The impulse to jump into photography was prompted by my desperation and frustration with finding good photos for m/m novels, and by the photographer who shot the cover images for Dangerously Happy and Bad Things. I admire her work so much, and thought rather than feeling envious of what she was achieving, I should take a shot at it for myself.

Your photos are stunning! There’s a certain sensual energy pouring out of them and I’m addicted to browsing your photography page for no reason. How do you find models who are willing to bare so much in front of the camera, and to look so affectionate with each other?



Believe me, there were months and months of trying to find models for m/m shoots, and in the meantime I did a few solo shoots. When I finally found two models up for a “couple” session, I was ridiculously nervous, and couldn't quite imagine how I was going to direct these two strangers who'd just met, to act like they were in love and turned on and into each other, especially because Sean was so young (just eighteen) and only spoke English, while Gerard only spoke Spanish. But I somehow managed to communicate with them both, and honestly, they just went for it, and all I had to do was shoot. They were awesome, and all the models since have been, too.


What can we expect from Varian next? Any other talent you’re hiding?

All I can say is, trust me, you don't want to hear me sing.


Right, it’s all fun and games until the Lightning Round!!!!

·                     Do you prefer to be right or liked? Ouch! That's a hard one. I admit, I need to be right and be liked. I'll find a way to make it work. If it's impossible, I'll weigh how important the particular person or people are, who might me alienated by my rightness, and decide whether or not they mean more to me than my ego, haha.
·                     Superman or Batman? As a lover for a hot night or two? Batman. He'd be good, dangerous fun. As a long-term thing? Superman (I don't need moody and damaged once we're shopping for groceries together). As the superhero I'd want to be? I'll take flying over all the cool hardware.
·                     Do you sing in the shower? I'm more of a car singer than a shower singer (maybe I need speakers in the bathroom).
·                     Are you a night owl or an early bird? Definitely night owl. I'm often still up when the birds start squawking about the sunrise.
·                     Who’s your dream mentor? Michel Foucault. Stunningly brilliant, wrote essays on history that read like sensual poems, and had a great sense of humor.
·                     Your phone or your kindle? Well, since I can technically read on my phone, I'll reluctantly yield my kindle.
·                     What’s your favourite food? Anything spicy and vegetarian. Saag Paneer, tamales, Tom Kha.
·                     Did you ever read a book because everyone else was reading it? If yes, which one? Actually, I don´t think so. I have a couple of close friends whose reading tastes have influenced me, though.
·                     Pizza or sushi? Veggie sushi! Love the wasabi!
·                     TV series or full length movies? I used to be such a cinephile, but TV series are getting so good! Six Feet Under, House of Cards, Sense8. I think I'm a series convert!


Thank you, Varian, for being such a fabulous guest!


Thank you have inviting me, Teodora! It's been my pleasure!


Varian's social media links:

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