MLR Press is giving away free books this month. Starting on December 13th, the first book in a different series will be free for 24 hours. Below are the books that will be featured throughout the month. See www.mlrpress.com for more details. Enjoy!
Tag Archives: lgbt fiction
I SWEAR TO YOU Release Party: Behind-the-Story Tidbits
I SWEAR TO YOU is now available at Amazon!
Here are some behind-the-story tidbits from my writing of Grady and Mateo’s story:
- In the original premise I pitched to my publisher, Mateo and Grady’s roles were reversed. As the story unfolded, it became clear Mateo should be the one who had no one in his life after he thought he’d lost Grady, and Grady should be the more reluctant one when it came to the two of them first being together.
- In an early draft, the first kiss between Mateo and Grady happened at a frat party in a bedroom upstairs. I wanted them to stop thinking and give into everything they were feeling, ultimately having sex in that bedroom at the frat house. But as I started working on that scene, I decided I wanted them to be at the lake and to not go “all the way.” That one decision was the moment everything started to fall in place for this story.
- Much of this story’s first draft was written by hand in restaurants and a local coffee shop.
- I Swear to You was probably one of the most linear stories I’ve ever written, meaning I started at the beginning and basically worked my way toward the end. I did have outline notes for some of the later chapters, but I wasn’t quite sure what the final scene would look like until I got farther into the story. Usually I know how each story ends very early on in the process, sometimes going so far as to write the ending before 3/4 of the book is drafted.
- I had several ideas in mind for what Mateo had witnessed in his past, and until I wrote the scene in the bathroom where he tells Grady the truth, I wasn’t certain which version I was going to use.
Remember, if you haven’t done so yet, enter my release party giveaway for a chance at one of this week’s giveaways of a $10 e-gift card to All Romance eBooks. If you’ve already entered, you’ll be included in all of this week’s giveaways until you win a prize or the party ends. You only need to enter once. Good luck!
I SWEAR TO YOU Release Party: I SWEAR TO YOU is now out at Loose Id (and a Preview in Pictures)
I SWEAR TO YOU is now available for purchase at Loose Id. It should be arriving at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and other retailers before too long.
Buy at:
If you haven’t already, enter my release party giveaway for a chance at a $10 e-gift card. Winners are drawn daily from all entries received thus far.
BEHIND THE STORY: A Preview in Pictures
Here are a few pictures that visually represent Grady and Mateo’s story and the lake where much of the book takes place.
Photo credit: each image is licensed through istockphoto.com or fotosearch.com
Story Description
When roommates Grady and Mateo give in to their growing lust, it’s the best sexual experience of their lives. But are they really gay? Is this just sex or something more? It takes time for confused Grady to figure that out, but once he does, he’s determined to have all of Mateo. Too bad tracking down brokenhearted Mateo proves impossible.
So what’s a horny gay virgin who wants only one man to do? Grady posts an ad online to encourage his friend out of hiding and into his bed. Once he gets Mateo between the sheets, he’s sure he can convince him that what they had together was no college experiment. But Mateo’s been hiding from something—or someone. Grady is determined to tear down all Mateo’s walls so he can find out what happened to him and help heal his wounds, and in the process show his best friend that he won’t run. Not this time. He swears.
Excerpt
Mateo moved in closer. His mouth was turned up at the corners in a teasing smirk Grady had seen from him a lot over the years. “Is it locked? Knowing your family, they’d just barge right in.”
“What?”
He took another step, and his voice dropped lower. “Is the door locked?”
“Yeah.” Grady’s brain was having a hard time keeping up with him. Mateo was so close to him now, their bodies almost touching, Mateo’s mouth mere inches from Grady’s own. So close that when Mateo spoke, Grady could feel that warm breath on his lips again.
“Good.” Mateo shifted on his feet, bringing them even closer. Their jean-covered thighs brushed one against the other.
What the hell were they doing?
Mateo bit his bottom lip and slowly released it. Then in a quick move, he cupped the back of Grady’s neck and leaned in. Just like on the couch. Only this time he didn’t stop.
The first press of his mouth to Grady’s was a soft touch that grew more urgent, more desperate with every second. He turned them and backed Grady out of the kitchen area and up against the closed door of the guesthouse, bringing his full weight into him, rocking against him, holding Grady’s head in his strong hands.
A minute into that kiss, and Grady’s body was ready to explode with a release he never thought could come from just one kiss.
Then their tongues connected.
An electric current shot through him. He grabbed on to Mateo in return, holding him by the hips, forcing Mateo to move against him again, to brush that lean, hard body against his cock over and over. He couldn’t help but notice how very strong and masculine Mateo felt in his hands—and how fucking good that felt.
The door rattled behind them with their movements. There was nothing slow or easy about the kiss, about the way they rocked against each other.
A primal need had erupted inside Grady, leaving him unable—and unwilling—to stop the desire blazing through him.
“Teo,” he said around a moan as Mateo kissed a path down his neck. “What are we doing?”
“Christ, Grady. I don’t know, but I don’t want it to stop.”
Fucking hell, he didn’t want it to stop either.
He wanted more, everything he had pretended he wasn’t picturing during their past few jerk-off sessions.
Mateo pulled back. He stared at Grady’s lips again, licked his own. “Fuck.” He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Or maybe not. He propped a hand against the door beside Grady and leaned in once more.
Their mouths met again, and that was it. Grady gave himself over to the moment—over to Mateo.
Mateo’s lips slid to his earlobe, and he whispered, “I wanna suck your dick.”
Grady whimpered. He couldn’t keep the reaction at bay if he’d wanted to.
Mateo ran those lips down along the sensitive skin of his neck again, nipping and licking as he went, sweeping his hands up under Grady’s T-shirt, over the flesh of his bare chest. “I wanna fuck you all goddamn night.”
Grady forced Mateo’s head up so they were face-to-face. “Shut up and kiss me again.”
Only he didn’t really want him to shut up. He wanted to hear every word. He wanted exactly what Mateo was describing.
He wanted it all. Every fucking thing.
Preview the first 13 pages of Missed Connections: I Swear to You
He’s not going to run from his best friend this time. He swears. (Cover art by Syneca Featherstone.)
A preview of the first 13 “pages” of I SWEAR TO YOU is now available on my website. (That’s the page count from the final manuscript.)
Also, starting on Sunday, April 27th, I will be hosting a Release Party here on my blog with a week of giveaways, backlist sales, and special blog posts related to the book I SWEAR TO YOU. There will be loads of e-gift cards up for grabs, so I hope you can join in on the fun! You can sign up to receive the blog posts via email at www.sloanparker.com/blogsignup.htm
The release party starts April 27th. Sign up to receive the blog posts via email at www.sloanparker.com/blogsignup.htm
He wanted to hear those words
I need to do these more often. I always have a great time picking out these fave excerpts from other authors of m/m romance. This one’s from a BDSM erotic historical by Ava March. A great series to start out with if you’ve been wanting to try reading BDSM.
“Love you,” Oliver whispered.
Vincent’s lips curved in a smile, his blue eyes softening with genuine affection. Oliver’s heart leapt into his throat, pleading for the response he knew Vincent would not utter. He wanted to hear those words just once. One time. Even if Vincent didn’t feel them. He could at least have the sound of them as a memory and play them over in head as he lay alone in his bed and pretend they had come from Vincent’s heart.
Vincent cupped his jaw. Eyes drifting closed, Oliver leaned into his touch. A quiver of need shook his body. Soft lips brushed his, the lightest of touches, a mere whisper of skin against skin. Then that large hand slipped away.
– From Bound to Him (Bound, #2) by Ava March
You can find out more about Ava’s work at www.avamarch.com