Alexa's New Beginnings

Monday, 9 February 2015

Valentine's Day Blog Hop

Many many thanks to D P Denman for organising this blog hop to celebrate love in all its forms and fashions. Below you will find links to all the terrific authors who are taking part and also a link to a major Rafflecopter giveaway – enter it and you can win not only a Kindle but a whole load of ebooks to put on it.

Shapes and sizes - Forms and guises

Heroes, like love, come in all shapes and sizes and all forms and guises. When I started to write, I made no decision about which genre to write it in—I’ve always loved gay romance. I began writing fanfiction in 2009, and in these stories I wrote about heroes like Captain Jack Harkness, the Doctor, Dean Winchester and Castiel. My first book, Sporting Chance, features a six foot six inch tall, blond rugby player. Don’t get me wrong—I love hero as much as the next person. Many m/m romance novels feature hero occupations—police, agents, firefighters, soldiers, cowboys, doctors, lawyers. But what about men with ordinary jobs? Don’t they deserve to find love too? What about the pest controller, the binman, the window cleaner, (or is that too like a Confessions film and you have to be as old as me to remember them) the roofer, the hospital porter, the shepherd, the archivist, the bus driver, the surveyor, the railway guard or the taxman? All of these are necessary jobs, but not very glamourous. I don’t think I’ve read a m/m romance which had characters with any of these jobs, and I’ve read a few.

When I came up with the basic idea for my story Rainbow Connection, I decided to give my main characters occupations that didn’t dominate their lives—they didn’t go home with their jobs, but left them behind when they left the building. These aren’t jobs which keep you awake in the middle of the night, or give you bad dreams.

I originally intended to write a story about the theme of finding love again after you’d lost your first love, and to a certain extent that theme remains, but then I read two stories in the same week—one about someone who dyed their hair the colours of the rainbow and another about a family, but I can’t say much about that story without giving spoilers. Thus Ceri and Mick were born. Two men looking for love but who presented a challenge to the artist who designed the cover below.

Ceri dyes his hair every week. He dreams of being a professional skate boarder and he fills the vending machines and water dispensers in various offices to pay his rent. Mick works in one of those offices as a night time security guard. He fills the long hours watching his favourite programmes and reading books. Then, one night, a new person comes to deliver the water bottles and vending supplies and Mick can’t help watching him as he does his rounds. When they meet for the first time, it’s not really a case of instant love more instant curiosity. Ceri sees his life as an open book, while Mick keeps his life under lock and key, but maybe they can find something they have in common something they both love which brings them together.

I’d love to read more stories about men with ordinary, unglamorous jobs and maybe a few more when the men don’t have perfect bodies and six packs. Everyone has their story to tell and everyone deserves to be loved. We are all somebody’s hero.

BLURB

Two men, one with a past, and one determined to give them a future, together.

Mick Flanagan has kept himself hidden since his only lover died three years before. He works at night, keeps to his routine, has impressive facial hair and avoids contact with other people as much as possible. He lives in his imagination, where he is part of a crew of space pirates roaming the universe, spending his spare time writing long stories about his heroes. Enter Ceri Llewellyn, with his constantly changing rainbow-coloured hair, who for reasons Mick doesn’t understand, seems determined to talk to him. Ceri has been living a happy-go-lucky lifestyle since he was let down by his first long-term boyfriend, Jules, but something about Mick calls to him. His twin, Megan would say that it’s because he loves a cause, and perhaps she’s right to begin with. They find they have a mutual love of Doctor Who and this gives Ceri an insight into Mick’s personality and brings them together. Ceri suggests that they visit Doctor Who’s Cardiff locations, and Mick can’t resist the temptation of visiting places he has only seen on the screen. Gradually, Ceri introduces Mick to new experiences, but Mick has a past that contains more than a dead lover. Can Ceri show him that he deserves to be loved but, above all else, help him find his true self?

And now the big cover reveal. I hope you like it.

Ebook Prizes:

Aidee Ladnier	The Break-in
Amanda Young	Winner chooses from author's available titles
Bronwyn Heeley	Winner chooses from author's available titles
C. J. Anthony	Heaven
Charlie Cochrane	Something from my back list - winner's choice.
David Connor	Tidings of Comfort and Joey Down Under
DP Denman	Winner chooses from author's available titles
Elin Gregory	Alike As Two Bees
Ethan Stone	Winner chooses from author's available titles
Eva Lefoy	Love is a Mess anthology
H.B. Pattskyn	Hanging by the Moment
J.M. Dabney	When All Else Fails
Jessie G	The Protector
Julie Lynn Hayes	When Will I See You Again
Lisabet Sarai	Necessary Madness
Lynley Wayne	Winner chooses from author's available titles
M.A. Church	The Harvest series (book #1 and book #2)
Morticia knight	All Fired Up (Sin City Uniforms 1)
N.J. Nielsen	Winner chooses from author's available titles
Sibley Jackson	Private Performance
Sue Brown	The Next Call
Tali Spencer	Dangerous Beauty
Tara Lain	Canning the Center
Thianna Durston	The Blake/Dusty Chronicles: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Alexa Milne	Rainbow Connection (due out 13th Feb) or Sporting Chance.
Anne Barwell	Winner chooses from author's available titles
April Kelley	Whispers of Home
Brandon Shire	The Love of Wicked Men - Episode One
Catherine Lievens	Jamie
Cecil Wilde	Defying Convention
Christopher Koehler	Poz
Draven St. James	Scent of a Wolf
Elizabeth Noble	Winner chooses from author's available titles
Hayley B James	Undercover Addiction
Jennifer Wright	All 3 Finding Home Series books - Pavarus, Morvea, & Airos
Karen Stivali	Moment of Impact
Kendall McKenna	1) Strength of the Pack 2)Waves Break My Fall
L M Somerton	Rasputin's Kiss
Lily G Blunt	Paint the Sky
Megan Linden	Running Off the Edge
Stephen del Mar	Dark Love
TM Smith	Opposites
Tracey Michael	Pretty Please

Hop sites:

Here is the Rafflecopter giveaway but if you'd like to win a copy of Sporting Chance or Rainbow Connection when it's out (which might be a little while) please comment below.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

2014 - A YEAR OF CHANGES

2014 – The year so many things changed

Maybe my New Year’s resolution should be to blog some more, but I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. You see I’m already good at feeling guilty for things I haven’t done, so adding failing to achieve my resolution isn’t something I want to do. Therefore, I hope I will put some of my thoughts down more often, but maybe I won’t.

This year has brought major changes in my life. After being made redundant because my school, where I’d worked for 28 years, was being closed, I applied for early retirement because my arthritis made many things impossible. My old school had worked around me, but I argued, successfully, that another school wouldn’t want to be so generous to an old and expensive history teacher, no matter how good her references. To begin with my application was refused, but many things changed for me in March. As well as my retirement, I also was offered a contract for my first novel by Totally Bound Publishers.

Sporting Chance, the story of teacher, Iestyn Jones and out, gay, rugby player, Dan Morgan, came out in November and has done reasonably well, hitting the top 100 in gay romance in the UK and Australia. Looking back, I’m amazed the publisher took on such a raw manuscript. I’ve learnt a heck of a lot since then about editing and, indeed, writing. Reviews of my fanfiction had told me I could tell a tale, but I’ve discovered there’s so much more to this writing lark than the story, and my admiration for writers has grown immensely. I’ve read over 150 books this year, mostly mm romance to find out how other authors do it. Now, instead of just reading the story, I look at how the story is told, even down to the placing of commas.

In March, buoyed by the success my first contract, I submitted another story, Rainbow Connection, the tale of Mick Flanagan, a social outcast and Ceri Llewellyn, his knight in not so shining armour, who persuades him to step out into the world, to MLR Press. They turned it down, but suggested some revisions, so I did as they asked and sent it back and heard nothing. Then, out of the blue, I received an e-mail offering me a contract. More editing and several months later, the novella comes out next February.

Since then, I’ve written a short story for Goodreads, and discovered the no-no of adultery in mm stories, and had another short story rejected for an anthology. My experience of editing has taught me why, and I’ve rewritten the story intending to submit it again somewhere as a ‘light bite’ story. I’ve finished writing the sequel to Sporting Chance about Aron, Dan’s first boyfriend, which is called Comfort Zone, and written another story about two older men, entitled No Place Like Home. I’m hoping someone will take a chance on John and Jamie’s story of finding love after over thirty years apart, as they deserve to have their story told, and older people need love too.

I have other ideas waiting to be made into stories; Emlyn Williams is particularly keen to tell me about himself, usually at around five in the morning. His story will be the third, after Comfort Zone, and already has the provisional title Half Full, because he’s that sort of a guy. In the meantime, I have another Scottish story to finish, but it’s been tough going.

All of this hasn’t been achieved without the help of others. My friends and family have put up with me going on about the men in my head. They’ve listened to and read my words and not batted an eyelid at my choice of genre. My online friends, both authors and in fandom, have also given me invaluable encouragement and advice. My editors have done the same. It’s been a real team effort.

So, that was 2014. My arthritis has good and bad days, and so does my writing. It's funny, when I was young I used to walk home from school day dreaming about what life would be like in the year 2000; now, we’re fifteen years into the new century. One thing I never dreamed was that I’d be able to call myself an author, but, finally, in 2015 I can give myself that description. 2014 was indeed a year of changes. I wonder what 2015 will bring.

Saturday, 15 November 2014

Prism Book Alliance Give away

The winner pulled out of the TARDIS mug

- and when you read the book you'll find out why that's relevant IS .........

So Lisa G if you let me know if you want an EPUB, PDF or signed print version let me know and thanks for entering the draw.

Friday, 14 November 2014

Giving Generously

Every year when I was writing fanfiction I used to write a story for Children in Need. This is one of those stories. Now I'm retired I don't have the fun day anymore in school. I thought I'd just put this on my blog. It is the story of where the idea for Pudsey came from according to Torchwood.

Giving Generously

“Please tell again why I’m doing this, Jack,” Ianto asked rather plaintively.

“It’s the best way of fooling them and the general public, Ianto,” Jack replied.

“And it gives the rest of us a day off and a good laugh,” Owen added sarcastically.

“Aww, doesn’t he look cute?” Tosh added.

“I do not look cute! And you can say goodbye to any coffee today, all of you. I can’t use the machine wearing this.” Ianto waved his paws.

“Rift alert, Jack. Looks like it’s beginning. I’m getting spikes all over Queen Street. It seems we’ve got about twenty this year, spread across several shops.” Tosh kept her eyes on the screen logging the exact locations.

“Come on, Ianto; time to go and round them up. Owen, are you ready to fix their eyes before we send them back?”

“Yeah, here are the bandages to put over them until you bring them back here. Why you used spotty ones the first time I’ll never understand.”

“We had to improvise. Spots were in that year and you know it’s a nasty eye injury. And talking of spots, what d’you all think?” He slipped the braces from his shoulders. “These were so worth the over £3000 I paid for them.” Jack pulled off his trousers to reveal his spotty boxers. “Now, I can be a John Barrowman look-a-like and nobody will bat an eyelid when we take the bears. Gwen, as a special treat, you can drive the SUV. We’ll let you know when we find one and you can bring it round. The container is in the back with the food. The pesky blighters are always hungry. Just let the police know we’ll deal with them.”

Gwen nodded. “I’ve already alerted Andy and he’ll let us know if any of them go rogue. We can’t have a tiny cuddly Pudsey running rampant through M&S again like last year.”

“You should have been here the year they got into the Woolworth’s canteen,” Jack said.

“Not to mention when they raided the Brains brewery. You really don’t want to ever see what they’re like when they’re drunk!” Tosh added.

“But that still doesn’t explain why I have to dress like this,” Ianto pleaded.

“Look, you know the ones who come through the Rift are infants. You’ll look like their parent and it’ll keep them quiet. You know they’re dangerous if they get the smell of food in their nostrils. And, anyway, you look cute. I promise I’ll make it worth your while later.” Jack winked.

Ignoring him Ianto began to feel about the fur. “I’d like to know how as there are no zips in this thing. And how do I go to the loo?”

Jack reached towards Ianto. Finding an opening he hadn’t realised was there, Jack released him from the confines of the suit. From behind, the others just saw Ianto lurch as he whispered, none too quietly to Jack: “We are so using that later on.”

“I don’t believe it,” Owen snarked. “Please don’t let me be anywhere near here for that!” Jack just grinned and took Ianto’s paw. “Come on Ianto, work to do.”

It took them all day to round up the bears. Jack was mobbed several times by women who thought he was a certain well known entertainer. Ianto lost count of the kids he had to cuddle, not to mention small bears who cooed in his arms. The kids loved it when the bears moved and parents kept asking where they could buy such a toy because they were so lifelike. They also made a shed load of money in their collection tins. By late afternoon all the bears were gathered in the SUV and returned to the Hub.

Ianto collapsed onto the sofa totally exhausted. He didn’t even have the energy to remove the suit. Owen had repaired all the bears and checked them over. They were all sitting happily in the cells, waiting for the next day when the Rift would open for them to return home, as it did each year.

Tosh put a coffee in front of Ianto, who took off the bear’s head so he could drink it. Jack came down from his office.

“Right you three, you can go now. Ianto and I have plans, and I’ve a promise to fulfil. I don’t think you want to be around for that!”

All three left as instructed. Tosh knew she and Gwen would be able to watch later, if they chose to and nudged each other, giggling as they left.

A short time later Jack sat astride Ianto, who was making the growling noises Jack had suggested.

“Sorry, Jack,” he gasped. “I know you wanted me to but I can’t do this with the head on.” He looked down and wondered how he was going to explain those stains to the dry cleaners. It would probably cost a fortune to get the suit cleaned. Jack put his hands together and licked his lips.

“Oh well,” Ianto said. “I’ve always believed in giving generously to a good cause. How much did you say you’d donate, Jack?” he asked. “Wanna give it another go?”