Freedom Hop

Live. Love. Read.

ROMANCE BECKONS

As a book lover, don’t take for granted your freedom to read. In this era of technology, books are at our fingertips and reading is something we make time for. eBook, audiobooks, and good old-fashioned paperbacks give readers of all types the opportunity to enjoy reading.

As a celebration of our freedom to choose the books that make us happy without apology, I’d like to offer a giveaway of my eBook to those who participate and comment below. A winner will be selected by random.org and posted on Monday July 9th to allow everyone a chance, or you can pick up your own copy of Athan’s Kiss. Enjoy the blog hop and end every day with a kiss.

CHECK OUT ALL THESE GREAT AUTHORS for books you might enjoy! Enjoy the blog hop and end every day with a kiss.

Several years ago, a friend of mine walked up to my wall of books in my library and perused the titles. At the time, I had yet to enter the world of romance literature and, still, it was one of the most personal experiences I had ever had whilst completely dressed.

Once the doors of romance were open to me, I purchased a book cover. It was black, non-descript, with a red and silver dragon bookmark. It offered me privacy, I lied to myself, to read my book without anyone asking about what I was reading. This was a disservice to myself, embarrassed with my choice of literature, and my favorite authors, who weren’t allowed the opportunity to have free advertising.

My taste in literature has changed over time. Though I’m still a fan-girl of Hawthorne, Shakespeare, and Chaucer, it’s okay for me to admit my love of LA Witt, Kade Boehme, and Cardeno C as well.

The world of M/M romance is not something I need to hide: as a reader nor as an author. I am proud to have the freedom to choose books that make me happy, offer me a fantasy outside of my business-centered world, and give me the happy ever after that I work so hard for. Every tear and heartbreak within each story gives me the satisfaction that, in the end, it will all be worth the pain and struggle that each main character suffers.

I love to write in the paranormal genre. Perhaps I watched too many scary movies growing up or maybe I watch too much Buffy and Supernatural as an adult. Whatever the case, vampires have been an obsession of mine and Athan was the perfect embodiment of such a creature. In my next novel, Shifting Weight, I explored werewolves and a future world where they are trying to mainstream alongside humans. I’m contemplating a world of mummies in the future. Maybe we can bring sexy back like Arnold Vosloo did so well.

Our personal libraries say a lot about who we are. They are maps of our journey through life, a representation of who we were when a particular book opened its page and thrust us into a world of imagination, and our next book is a marker of the future and what could be. A book is never the same twice because we are not the same person once the last word is read on the last page. We’re forever changed.

Update (7/7): I hadn’t realized until now that I have the date wrong above. Since this is absolutely my error, I will continue until the 9th for comments before I select a winner. Good luck and happy reading!

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Today, May 17^th, is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia and many of your favorite M/M authors will be celebrating by sharing awareness and words of support and love at the Hop Against Homophobia And Transphobia blogspot. This day was created to coordinate efforts to aid in the awareness of LGBT rights and events worldwide. To participate in today’s event, I’d like to share how I started my passion.

I’m a reader, a voracious reader that can sometimes devour several books in a week. My love for reading started when I was a child but it didn’t become my passion until high school when I was introduced to a book that would change my view of the world: The Scarlet Letter. It was in the pages of this novel that I learned about ostracism, the world was no longer a safe place for everyone, and it. Blew. My. Mind.

Other classics followed this one and occasionally, I read classics to ‘cleanse my pallet’, even earning a minor in Literature to learn more. I didn’t read my first romance until about ten years ago and even more doors opened for me. Prior to that book, I would poke fun of women (I didn’t know men were reading them, too!) who would read this type of literature. I didn’t understand the need for fantasization or a happy ending.

Then, my boss handed me a copy of a M/M romance novel that she had purchased on accident. She said that it was something that I would enjoy…and truer words were never spoken. I consumed that book and read it several times. Then, I read everything else ever written by the same author, followed by a never ending stream of M/M romance novels. I could never get enough. I still can’t!

During this time, I had started my own novel and was in a rut. A writer’s block that was painful because I didn’t like my main character. In an epiphany, I changed my character from a female to a male and the writing flowed like a raging river. Dialogue flowed, the plot blossomed, and I fell in love with my men. I found out later that writing is the easiest part about creating a novel.

It’s important to me that I write in this genre. I have a political family and we’re involved in LGBTQ rights and activities because we want to and not because we have to. (Okay, we have to because equal social rights is fundamental.) It tears my heart when I hear of families ripped apart because of differences and here’s why those happy endings are so special to me. There’s enough hate and anger in the world and our children, friends, families…should never be pushed away because of fear.

I’d like to offer a giveaway of my eBook to those who participate and comment below. A winner will be selected by random.org on the 28th to allow everyone a chance or you can pick up your own copy of Athan’s Kiss. Just return back on the 28th to see if you’ve won. Enjoy the blog hop and end every day with a kiss.

Update (5/28): Ray has been randomly selected as the winner to receive my ebook Athan’s Kiss for participation in the HAHAT blog hop. Thanks to everyone for hopping for awareness and I hope to see you again. Much love!

Character POV

 

I imagine that one of my characters spends much of his free time on the tops of buildings looking over the landscape, avoiding detection and perhaps planning his next meal. Sprinkling images from his point of view into my manuscripts helps to get me into his mindset.