More about Matthew Stewart

I’ve already posted some of my original character details and pictures for Luke and Richard (from More). Now I’m sharing about Matthew.

These are directly from the original character sketch sheet, including the photos I used for inspiration before writing the book.

Matthew Stewart

Photos for Inspiration
The final result of what a character looks like may be nothing like the photo, but an image gives me something to visualize, making him a bit more real.

(c) istockphoto, RobertDodge, 2007

Sampling of Character Sketch & Personality Traits

  • Full name: Matthew Stewart
  • Nickname: his mom calls him Matty.
  • Works at a music/book store in the mall.
  • Lives with his mom whom he adores.
  • His parents are divorced. Hasn’t seen his father since the man left, when Matthew was in high school.
  • Came out in high school.
  • Doesn’t like Chinese food. Loves Italian.
  • Doesn’t have much in the way of a savings account.
  • Strengths
    • Lively, energetic, funny (despite his shyness)
    • Always has a smile
    • Laughs a lot
    • Empathetic
    • Inquisitive. Curious. Asks questions.
  • Weaknesses
    • Shy, nervous, self-conscious
    • Trusts too easily, even when others have failed him
    • Doesn’t speak up when he should
    • Speaks with uncertainty
    • Has issues with people who drink alcohol around him.
  • Zodiac Sign: Scorpio (Source)
    • Life Pursuit: To survive against all opposition
    • Scorpios lead fate filled lives and have intense and dramatic personal relationships.
    • Old and wise beyond the average, Scorpios often know all the answers, except sometimes; they too often have difficulty finding what they need to develop their own happiness.
    • Coming to grips with their extraordinary emotional depths and sensitivity isn’t easy for those around them.
    • They are different from all other zodiac signs and this difference has them walking, working and loving to a different beat.
    • Their eyes often blaze with feelings that words never express, and beware on the days or nights they hide their feelings behind dark glasses, there is likely to be a storm of some kind brewing.
    • They often wear a mask. Too often they say “no” when they really mean “yes.”
    • Once they find true love they can be the most faithful dedicated of all partners.
    • When they are negative about something or someone, or critical of themselves, they can tend to get in their own way.

All my blog posts with behind the story information are also archived on my website at www.sloanparker.com

Hope you enjoyed a look at some of my initial ideas for Matthew.
Sloan

 

Image source (first picture): I can’t recall from where I purchased or downloaded this one. If you hold the copyright and wish to have it removed, please contact me.

Quote I Love: Connecting in a Rush

Just realized I haven’t posted any of my favorite quotes from MORE. Thought I’d share one this week.

Here’s a moment between Luke and Matthew. This is just before Richard joins them on their third night together.

I unbuttoned his pants, then started on my own. He slid his off in an effortless motion, never moving with any awkwardness. My pants and underwear tangled at my feet with my shoes, and I had to give a few good kicks to get them off and onto the floor. Next to him, my writhing and kicking made me look like a finalist for the ten thousand dollar cash prize on America’s Funniest Home Videos. Beautiful was the best word to describe him.

Once we were naked, our bodies connected again in a rush, like sex-crazed teenagers given the go-ahead on prom night, diving for each other. Six days must have been too long for either of us to wait to be together again. How did I think I was ever going to give him up? Either of them?

The idea of never having Richard again twisted my gut into a rigid knot. When he came back to the club, we’d hook up with him again.

We had to.

If you want to check out more of MORE you can read the first two chapters here (PDF).

Have a good one,
Sloan

Excerpts: Breathe by Sloan Parker

I’ve posted a couple excerpts from Breathe on my website. The links are below.



Breathe

Coming November 16, 2010 to Loose Id
Length: Novel Plus
Genre: Erotic Romantic Suspense (m/m)
Publisher: Loose Id
Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs
Format: ebook
ISBN: 978-1-60737-890-7

Strangers Lincoln and Jay are lost in guilt and despair until passion sparks between them. Can they face the tragedy of their pasts and stop the threats that are conspiring to keep them apart?

Read the first two chapters (pdf)
Read another excerpt (html)

I had such a great time writing this story. I hope you enjoy it.
Sloan

Sloan’s Writing Update

Happy Friday! Boy, this was a long week, but I made some wonderful discoveries on one of my stories so I’m feeling good (even if I’m a bit exhausted as I head into the weekend. It’s a good kind of exhausted.) I thought it was time to post an update on my writing progress:

  1. My new Friends-to-Lovers Story I still don’t have a title for this one. The outline is complete and the rough draft is at 45,000 words. I’m planning (or shall I say hoping) for this one to end up around 70-80,000 words (quite a bit shorter than my other two novels). As it stands now, it’s got a lot of sexual tension, a minor suspense thread (not even sure I’d call it suspense, but I’ll see how it turns out), and is the fastest I’ve written anything so far. I’m really excited with what I’m coming up with that wasn’t even in the original outline.
  2. Walter’s Story This one features Walter Simon from MORE, although it’s a stand-alone story that does not require the reader to have read More. It’s a full-on erotic suspense, and the first draft is currently at 31,000 words. I’ve been taking a short break from it while I flush out the draft for my friends story, then I’ll be back to Walter’s. I had a tentative title, but there is already another Loose Id book with that title, so I’m rethinking it.
  3. Breathe The final edits have been completed for BREATHE. Last I heard, we were still on schedule for a November 16 release at Loose Id. I’ll be posting an excerpt to my site this weekend. When I do, I’ll post a link here on the blog too.
  4. Short Stories  For anyone who may have missed it, I posted a free short story to my website. It’s titled “A Lesson in Truth“. It’s an erotic m/m romance featuring graduate student David and his advisor Michael as they discuss their future during a late night in Michael’s office.I’ve also completed another short titled “The Break In.” I’m either going to post it as a freebie or expand it a bit and submit to some of the epubs that take shorts. I’ll let you know when I decide for sure.
  5. More MORE Books Two additional stories for the guys of MORE are in the planning stages, but I’m not currently working on those.

I’m hoping to have either my friends story or Walter’s ready to go during the first half of 2011, and the other finished later in the year. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Sloan

MORE is an EPIC finalist!

></p> <p>I'm pleased to announce that <a title=MORE is a 2011 EPIC finalist in the Mystery, Suspense, and/or Adventure Erotic Romance category. The EPICs are an annual award given by the Electronically Published Internet Connection. Winners will be announced at the annual EPICon Convention, March 10-13, 2011.

Congrats to all the finalists, including several fellow Loose Id authors! I’m honored to be included in the finals with such amazing writers.

Click here to read sample chapters from More (PDF)