Fret; by Sandrine Gasq-Dion—Blog Tour Interview and Giveaway
Today please welcome Sandrine Gasq-Dion to the blog. She’s here to talk about herself, her writing, and her new release, Fret.
An Interview with Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Welcome Sandrine! Since Since this is your first time on the blog, please tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi!! I’m a mother of four and expecting two grandchildren within the next few months! I’ve been married to the military since the age of nineteen and grew up with Old scholl French parents. I’ve got a wonderful support system as my entire family is very supportive of my career. I guess I am extremely lucky to have such an open-minded family!
You’re quite the profilic author, when did you publish your first book?
A Marked Man was published in 2012 and I haven’t looked back!
You’ve written in multilple sub genres; Greek Gods, shifters, military men. How much research do you put into each new situation?
Tons. Luckily, I have a huge amount of military guys as friends, so they always weigh in on the stuff I write. The shifters and Olympians I spend countless hours researching Greek Gods and watching old werewolf movies.
Do you have any plans to branch off into a new direction any time soon?
I do! I am now writing a rock series and I also have 5 books in the Men of Manhattan that I write for Wilde City!
Your latest book, Fret. Tell us about that.
Fret came about when another author was thinking of writing an anthology that revolved around Actors/ Rock stars. Needless to say, my mind began an outline almost instantly and Axel and Gareth were born!
Is this part of a series or will it become one?
Fret is book one in the rock series, there will be four more after is. (There is a sneak peek at book 2 at the end of book one!)
What inspired Fret?
As I said, another author mentioned an anthology and my mind went off and running.
Tell us a bit about your main characters, Alex and Gareth.
Axel is your typical no-bullshit rough alpha male. As a former Navy SEAL now hired merecenary, he doesn’t have time for touchy feely. Gareth is the shy-quiet type that prefers to linger in the background. He’s extremely talented and also very sweet. He can also hold is own and can be quite fierce!
What part of the book was the most fun to write and why?
I think the best part and most fun was hanging out with the guys of “No Other Option”, A band I met and friended when I moved to Flagstaff, Az to write the books. I got to spend time with them and sit in on a few of their sets. They are awesome guys!
What part made you struggle the most?
I think trying to figure out how to end it. I know there are more books in the series, so there reallybisn’t an end to Gareth and Axel, you’ll see them throughout the next four books!
Tell us something interesting that is not in the blurb?
The guys go on tour in Europe, so the reader is treated to parts of Italy, Greece and Germany.
Since there is always another story to tell, what are you working on now?
Book two in the Rock Series, ‘Jinxed’!
What have you read lately that most people haven’t read but should?
Any of the Rock God series from Ann Lister!
If you could meet any writer, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
Stephen King. I love his work!
Besides reading and writing, what else do you enjoy?
Spending times with my family. They are crazy…
Last question is all yours – feel free to talk about anything you want your readers to know about you, your book, anything at all.
Thanks to the military and my parents, I was able to see much of the world. When I write a book, I’ve either spent time in that state/city/town/country or actually lived there. I’ve taken much of what the military guys tell me and put it in the book. I do, however, embellish. It is fiction ya know… J
Title: Fret
Author: Sandrine Gasq Dion
Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis
Length: 48,000 words
Release Date: September 01, 2015
Blurb: Former Navy SEAL Axel Blaze lives a solitary life. He doesn’t do emotions, and he doesn’t do babysitting. Used to being on his own, his job consists of Wetwork (a charming term coined by the KGB) for his former Master Chief, Mac. When an out-of-the-ordinary job lands on his doorstep, Axel heads down a path that includes a famous heavy metal rock band and one quiet, vulnerable, guitar-shredding virtuoso named Gareth Wolf.
Gareth Wolf’s life changed in an instant when a car he was a passenger in crashed, hurting his brother’s best friend and the band’s lead guitarist. They created the band, Skull Blasters, as kids. Gareth had always been happy in the background, playing roadie. With the lead guitarist’s injury, Gareth is suddenly thrust into the limelight and into a frenzied life he never imagined for himself. Finally fed up with living a lie, Gareth comes out as gay in a newspaper interview and finds himself in the bulls-eye of a crazed stalker. Somebody wants Gareth hurt – or worse – and Mac has been hired to be sure that doesn’t happen. Babysitting duty is NOT Axel’s strong suit, but Mac won’t be budged.
Enter Axel Blaze. Against his better judgment, the big man takes the job to protect the shy musician. The more time he spends with Gareth Wolf, the more he admires the man. Where’s a simple assassination when you need one? The situation becomes more volatile for each man as the attempts on Gareth escalate just as Axel finds himself falling for the quiet lead guitarist.
Strong, funny, smart-ass — and kinda sweet Axel is everything Gareth has ever wanted in a man. Too bad he’s off limits. As the stalker grows bolder, Gareth and Axel move closer emotionally – but is it too late? All Axel knows is that they don’t stand a chance if he can’t find the maniac trying to kill the man he’s come to care about. A lot.
Everyone knows that relationships that begin in pressured or volatile situations eventually fizzle out.
Or do they?
Thumping music was shaking the walls of the Dome as I headed for my designated spot. I guess I’m meeting Paul, the band’s manager.
I took mental notes as I passed through the crowd of screaming, jumping people. The band was rocking it out and I sought out Gareth Wolf. There were two guitarists, but I found him right away. Black hair touched his shoulders and his lean body moved with his guitar.
He was in his element.
The song was wrapping up and the floor was shaking from the bass drum. The floor-to-ceiling speakers pumped out the last notes of the song. The crowd immediately went wild as Ransom Fox leaned over the stage.
“Let’s hear it for the best lead guitarist on the planet!” he shouted.
Gareth shook his hair back and bowed with one hand out. Again, the crowd screamed, shouted and whistled. Ransom went on to give some love to the other members of the group.
I rolled my eyes and pushed my way through the crowd toward the side of the stage. A large man eyed me and then nodded as I walked by. Again, I could have been wearing a ‘Hello, I’m God’ tag and security wouldn’t have batted an eyelash. As it was, my tag faced backwards; he couldn’t even see my name or credentials.
Security for the Skull Blaster band was sorely lacking.
I sat through another hour of bone-jarring hardcore metal before the band finally left the stage. I scanned the area for their manager, but no luck.
I walked right behind the curtain and fell into step with the band members as they trudged toward their dressing rooms. They didn’t even notice me — and I’m really hard to miss.
They stepped into the dressing room; I followed and slammed the door shut behind me. Ransom turned and his eyes widened.
“Who the fuck are you?!”
“Nice of you to finally notice me,” I pointed out.
“Paul!” Ransom thundered. He immediately moved in front of Gareth, shielding him.
“Oh for fucks sake.” I arched a brow.
The door behind me opened and a startled man looked me over from head to toe. He flipped my name badge over and sighed audibly, clearly relieved.
“It’s cool, Ransom. This is the guy I was telling you about.”
“You could have mentioned he was a semi-truck.” Ransom’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t meet you,” Paul apologized to me. “I ran into some media and couldn’t get away.”
“Not that this isn’t fun — because, oh so much fun — but I’m here to do a job. So I need to speak to whoever is in charge of ‘security.’ Now.” I leaned very slightly — but effectively — in to Paul’s face.
“Why?”
I turned to see Gareth peeking out from behind his brother’s broad shoulders. His eyes were a shade of green I’d never seen before, and with his pale complexion and dark hair? The guy was a looker and then some.
“Because band security royally sucks. I walked right on back here with them and not one person noticed or stopped me. That is not acceptable.”
“Who are you?” Gareth gaped.
I pinned him with a hard look. “I’m your bodyguard.”
Ransom chuckled.
“What the actual fuck?” Gareth stepped in front of his brother. “Is this a joke?”
“Nope.” Ransom shook his head.
“Jinx, Harley, Rebel. Give us a few, eh?” Paul opened the door and tilted his head toward the hallway.
“Sure thing, boss.” Rebel tipped his hat and winked at me.
I leaned against the wall as the members walked out. I overheard one of them, not sure which, talking to another.
“Did you see the size of that guy?”
“How could you miss him?” another one answered.
Paul shut the door and turned to Gareth with an apologetic smile.
“I knew what you’d say if we told you beforehand,” he admitted.
“Oh, did you now? You had to get me Conan the Destroyer? Jesus Christ!”
“Gareth,” Ransom warned.
“What? This is stupid! I don’t need a human shield!”
“You’re going to play nice and allow this man to watch your back, Gareth!” Ransom shouted. “You’re getting threats since you came out! I insist you be kept safe!”
“Gareth, why don’t you go clean up? Then you and Mr. Blaze can get acquainted.”
“Seriously? Blaze?” Gareth snorted.
I narrowed my eyes at the kid. Well, to me he was a kid, after everything I’d seen in my life. Gareth was almost twenty-three and I was pushing thirty. We locked eyes for a few seconds before he turned away.
Best-selling author, Sandrine (Sandy) was born in Inglewood, California. Raised by “Old School” French parents, she later moved to Tucson, AZ. It was there that writing became a hobby. Always told she had a great imagination, Sandy wrote short stories for her friends in High School. In college, she took more writing classes while working on her Criminal Justice degree, but it wasn’t until a soap opera caught her eye that she got involved in male on male romances. On the advice of a friend, Sandy dipped her toes into the world of M/M Romance. Sandy takes the writing seriously and has had countless conversations with gay men as well as hours of research. She’s been involved with the military in one way or another for over twenty years, and has a great deal of respect for our men in uniform. She’s traveled the world, but has finally returned to Arizona.
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Winner’s Prize: FRET personalized T-Shirts!!
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The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat
August 29:
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Molly Lolly: Reader, Reviewer, Lover of Words
September 1:
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September 7:
Where can I email Sandrine Gasq-dion to send her feedback on Fret and her other books? I don’t have facebook.
Interested fan
Kathy
Kathy,
I’ll pass your note on to Sandrine.
-AQG