Today is a first for me. Lily Velden has asked that I do a book give away for her first book – Gay as Mardi Gras which will be released on March 6th from Dreamspinner Press. To enter it’s simple, just leave a comment after reading. For those of you like Lily and myself who never know what to write in the ‘comments’ section, she’s given you something to help. See the end of the post for details.
Every so often you ‘meet’ people on line and you know you just like them. Lily is one of those people. Although her children are ground she understands the demands of being a new parent and has offered an encouraging word whenever I needed from one, who while not older, is a bit wiser. I was really please when she agreed to come on the site and even happier to be the one to host her first book give away. If you can’t wait the release of Gay as Mardi Gras, Lily has posted excerpts on her site that you can check out now.
A pre-release review by The Scarf Princess gave Gay as Mardi Gras an “A” calling it “delightfully romantic” and that there is “depth to both the characters and storyline.”
Author Profile: Lily Velden
First things first; thank you very much for having me Andrew! I’ll try to behave myself! I do warn you, a lot of the time I’m busily extracting my mint-flavored shoe so that I can replace it with my chocolate flavored one!
My second note should be I’m new to all this blogging, guest blogging, Facebook, Twitter—in fact, the whole social media thingy—oh sure, I’ve had a profile set up on various social network sites for a year or so, but anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a bit of a phantom ninja, making sporadic appearances at best.
I’m confessing my ignorance in the hope you will smile indulgently when I screw up! I warn you all; I’m a what you see (or in this case, what you read) is what you get person. I’ve always longed to be mysterious and enigmatic, but I’m afraid my heart is, more often than not, on prominent display on my sleeve.
Okay, now that I have my confession out of the way, let’s get on with what I actually intended to chat about today—inspiration for Gay as Mardi Gras, which is being published by the wonderful team at Dreamspinner Press and will be released on 06 March, 2013.
Generally speaking, I get inspired from the simplest and oddest things. It could be seeing someone cross the road in front of me while I’m pulled up at the traffic lights, or one line in a song, or the way two people give each other that special intimate look. I’ve been inspired by movies, books, colleagues, neighbors, my daughter’s parrot, and even seeing a man walking his ever-so-well-trained dog!
In the case of Gay as Mardi Gras, it was by my retired parents! Yes, you heard me right, my retired parents inspired a gay love story!
There’s a bit of a story to it (surprise, surprise, a story from an author!)
Mum and Dad (or as they are known to the grandkids, Opa and Oma) had just returned from their first ever cruise on the Holland America Line. We were out as a family at a local Chinese restaurant. By family, I mean: Mum and Dad, my brother and his family and me and my children—eleven of us in total. On a side note; we are a typical European family despite having lived in Australia for many years—we all talk at once, and at any given time, there are at least four different conversations happening around the table, and being Dutch, our arms are waving like windmills. Get the picture?
So there we were; a noisy bunch of expat Dutchman with Mum and Dad waxing lyrical about their cruise. They’d had a fabulous time and couldn’t sing loudly enough the praises of the cruise line. The wine was flowing freely, and me, well, by that time, I confess I’d partaken in a glass or two… and here comes another confession—I admit to being a cheap drunk (thank the Lord, my daughter was the designated driver… hey, twenty years of ferrying around three kids to various sporting and social events entitled me to a night of passing the gauntlet on to the younger and prettier contestant! Well, that’s my argument and I’m sticking with it!)
I turned to my eldest son who was seated beside me and stated, “Opa and Oma’s cruise has just inspired my next story.”
You wouldn’t credit it, but my statement came out during what I swear was the one and only lull in the conversation the whole night.
“That’s wonderful, dear,” my father said with a smile, looking beyond pleased. “So you’re going to write a normal love story at last, and about an older couple too.”
I have to admit, I felt bad that I was about to prick his bubble.
“Um, no, Dad. I think I’ll make it a gay cruise, and have a young straight guy somehow end up on it. Could make for an amusing scene or two.”
Dad, looking a little disappointed. “Can’t you write about a man and a woman for a change?”
“Sorry, Dad, it just doesn’t get my creative juices flowing.”
“You do realize that with you having been single for so long and writing about gay men, people will think you’re a lesbian.” (I know; I don’t get the logic either!)
Cue smirking children and sisters-in-law—my failure to ‘date’ is an ongoing family favorite topic of conversation.
“So what? It doesn’t matter. As long as two people love each other it’s all good. Right, Dad?”
“Um, yeah, it doesn’t matter.”
Please don’t judge my Dad too harshly—he’s pushing eighty, and God love him, at least he tries!
As it is, he’s pleased my work is being published—so am I!
So that night, over Chinese food and awkward conversations, the seeds of Jesse (my straight boy!) and Daniel’s journey was sewn, and yes, some amusing moments occurred during their cruise. So did some sweet and tender ones.
Before I copy in an excerpt from Gay as Mardi Gras, I’d like to announce I’m giving away one e-book of the boys’ adventure in honor of this being the first time I’ve guest blogged (I hope it wasn’t too boring or onerous for you all!)
The (lucky!) recipient will be the commenter who makes creative use of the following word in their comment:
scripturient
Full details after the excerpt. Good luck!
Gay As Mardi Gras
SYNOPSIS
After the demise of his relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Janey, Jesse needs to get away. His nan has just the thing: a month-long cruise around Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. It seems perfect—until Jesse realizes what kind of cruise it is.
A gay cruise.
Since Jesse’s roommate, Daniel, is recovering from a broken heart, the two decide to buddy up. They hit it off, and with Daniel now Jesse’s partner in crime, they explore the boat and participate in all the fun activities on offer—with some, ah, interesting results for straight boy Jesse.
EXCERPT
Don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with homosexuality. Absolutely none at all—that guy just made me a bit paranoid. He made me feel so out of my depth.
Me, I’m all for ‘make love not war’, and I really couldn’t give a shit who loves who as long as both parties are consenting. Live and let live is my motto. Hell, being Nan’s grandson and partner-in-crime for all her little adventures put paid to any possible prejudices I might have developed growing up, but at the same time, my idea of fun isn’t spending a month on the high seas protecting the sanctity of my butt hole from a handful of overeager suitors.
To make matters worse, I’m going to have to share a cabin with an unknown quantity of one. God, I hope he’s not the horny sort. I don’t think I can keep up sphincter guard duty morning, noon, and night for thirty odd days straight. God, what if he wants to bring guys back to the room? I could be sleeping out in the corridor!
Sighing, I turn away from the railing and make my way to my cabin.
Expecting to find it empty, I do a double take to see my cabinmate sitting on the end of one of the beds, contemplating his suitcase as if it holds the answer to all of life’s riddles. I have to admit I gape at him. To say the guy’s good-looking would be like saying the Mississippi is only a creek. He’s fucking gorgeous. Any man, woman, or child with a set of eyes could see that.
“Umm, hi,” I murmur, standing in the doorway and feeling a warmth creep up my neck and into my cheeks. “I’m Jesse, your roomy for the next month.”
He looks up, and I feel the warmth in my face turn to a furnace. His eyes are mesmerizing. They are impossibly blue, but what really strikes me about them is the look of defeat they’re expressing.
“Oh, hi. I’m Daniel,” he replies, giving me a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
Maybe its Nan’s influence—I mean, the lady has the softest, kindest heart of anyone I know. She never judges anyone, and God only knows how many times she’s told me that we’re put on this earth to help each other, not tear each other down. Whatever the reason, I can see this guy is hurting, and I find myself wanting to know why and help.
“Dude, I know we’ve just met, and it’s none of my business, but you look like you’re being sent to the gallows instead of embarking on a month-long cruise.” As I make my observation, I step into the room and park my butt on the end of the other bed.
He looks at me long and hard for a few tense minutes, and I can see he’s taking my measure, deciding what, if anything, he’s going to tell me. With a shrug that’s more a collapsing of his shoulders, he murmurs more to himself than me, “What harm can it do?” Straightening, he inhales deeply. “In a nutshell, I booked and paid for this cruise months ago, and someone was supposed to be on it with me. Someone who seduced me, took my cherry, and for whom I came out, someone I thought cared about me, but it ends up I was only another notch on his belt.”
I open my mouth, not really knowing what I’m going to say, but Daniel continues before I can get my tongue and brain to communicate with each other.
“How do I know I was just another conquest to him, you ask?”
I haven’t asked, but I nod anyway.
“Well, walking in on him in bed with not just one, but two other men kind of made that fact self-explanatory, even to someone as stupid and naïve as me.”
“Oh shit, that sucks,” I blurt, and somehow I find myself on the bed beside him, putting my arm around his shoulder and giving him a reassuring squeeze. I can’t help thinking the guy who did this to him has to be not only the biggest prick in the world, but also the dumbest one.
“Yeah, it does, but I don’t know why I’m so upset right now. I mean, it was months ago. I thought I was over it, but just knowing we’d originally planned to take this cruise together kind of brought it all back.”
“Well, the guy is obviously a bastard and an idiot to boot,” I offer in support.
“Thanks. What makes it so tough is my Dad is still looking at me and the whole gay issue with fucking terror in his eyes, and I feel like I need to check in the mirror to make sure I haven’t suddenly sprouted a second head. My sister keeps telling me he just needs more time to get used to the idea, but….” he trails off, dipping his head. His hands lift from his thighs, palms up, seeming to be offering themselves to me in supplication.
“God, that’s awful, but maybe your sister’s right. I mean, he didn’t disown you or toss you out or anything.”
I can’t really explain it, but I feel a need to protect this guy, which is probably really stupid as I don’t know him from Adam, despite what he’s just confided in me. But there it is, whether it makes sense or not. I do feel protective. I want to take that “someone just kicked my dog” look off his face.
“Thanks, yeah, she probably is. At least I hope she is. But enough of my depressing crap. What about you? What’s a good-looking guy like you doing cruising alone?”
A quiet snort of embarrassment escapes me. “Well, umm, my nan is convinced I’m gay, so she bought me this trip as a gift. I’m thinking she’s a wannabe fag-hag.”
He stares at me, disbelief written all over his face. “You’ve got to be kidding! You’re straight? And your grandmother wants you to be gay, so she bought you a ticket on a gay cruise?” At my nod, he doubles over with laughter. “Oh my God, that is so funny.” Daniel’s laugh is good to hear, and suddenly I don’t mind what Nan has done.
He looks at me again and immediately collapses into another fit of laughter, and suddenly I’m laughing with him. Every time one of us thinks we have ourselves under control, we look at each other, only to have another fit of hysteria overtake us. By the time we finally calm down, we are both wiping tears from our eyes.
Daniel smirks at me. “This is fate, man. Okay, so I’m not looking for love and, um, neither are you, it seems, so how about you cover my ass, ah, metaphorically speaking, and I’ll cover yours?”
“Sounds good to me.” I grin at him.
***
Now the boring stuff!!!!
You can find me at the following places:
WEBSITE: www.lilyvelden.com
TWITTER: @LilyVelden
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/lily.velden
EMAIL: [email protected]
PS: Keep an eye out for Book 1 and 2 of How the Light Gets In (Book 1, titled, Same Page, with a tentative release date of June/July and Book 2, titled, The Race is On, for Aug/Sept)
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Remember to leave a comment using the word Scripturient – but if can’t (or won’t) use the word, just leave a comment. Either way leave your email address. Make sure you enter by March 5, 2013 8:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time. I’ll use Randomizer.org to select the lucky winner will notify you on March 6, 2013, the day the book is released. You’ll have 48 hours to get back to me to confirm you want the book. Thanks so much and good luck – AQG
3-6-13 Update. The winner of the book giveaway was Skylar1776. Lily will contact you and arrange for Dreamspinner to provide you with your copy of her book. Congrats and thanks to everyone who commented and entered. – AQG
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