Welcome Guest Blogger Erastes!!!!
Good Morning and a Happy Tuesday to one and all in Blogland. Today Erastes is joining us. Erastes has a new anthology out and one lucky poster can win a copy of SPEAK ITS NAME.
So come and help us welcome Erastes and post for a chance to win!
Trilogy No. 111: Speak Its Name
By: Lee Rowan, Erastes, Charlie Cochrane
ISBN # 978-1-60202-125-9
Word Count: 71,949
Gay Historical Fiction
Trilogy No. 111 – Speak Its Name was released on 1st June. It’s a three-author, three-novella anthology published by Linden Bay Romance with stories that are all gay historical fiction.
Aftermath by Charlie Cochrane is based in 1920’s Oxford, England
Gentleman’s Gentleman by Lee Rowan is a Victorian Spy Romance
Hard & Fast by Erastes is a Regency, Jane Austen on Viagra.
Expectations riding on young Englishmen are immense; for those who’ve something to hide, those expectations could prove overwhelming.
Aftermath
When shy Edward Easterby first sees the popular Hugo Lamont, he’s both envious of the man’s social skills and ashamed of finding him so attractive. But two awful secrets weigh Lamont down. One is that he fancies Easterby, at a time when the expression of such desires is strictly illegal. The second is that an earlier, disastrous encounter with a young gigolo has left him unwilling to enter into a relationship with anyone. Hugo feels torn apart by the conflict between what he wants and what he feels is “right”. Will Edward find that time and patience are enough to change Hugo’s mind?
Gentleman’s Gentleman
Lord Robert Scoville has lived in a reasonably comfortable Victorian closet, without hope of real love, or any notion that it’s right there in front of him if he would only open his eyes and take notice of his right-hand man, Jack Darling. Jack has done his best to be satisfied with the lesser intimacy of caring for the man he loves, but his feigned role as a below-stairs ladies’ man leaves his heart empty. When a simple diplomatic errand turns dangerous and a man from their past raises unanswerable questions, both men find themselves endangered by the secrets between them. Can they untangle the web of misunderstanding before an unknown attacker parts them forever?
Hard and Fast:
Major Geoffrey Chaloner has returned, relatively unscathed, from the Napoleonic War, and England is at peace for the first time in years. Unable to set up his own establishment, he is forced to live with his irascible father who has very clear views on just about everything—including exactly whom Geoffrey will marry and why. The trouble is that Geoffrey isn’t particularly keen on the idea, and even less so when he meets Adam Heyward, the enigmatic cousin of the lady his father has picked out for him… As Geoffrey says himself: “I have never been taught what I should do if I fell in love with someone of a sex that was not, as I expected it would be, opposite to my own.”
We are all dedicated writers of gay historical fiction and find the past – particularly in light of homosexuality and the way things might have been managed – fascinating to research, explore and write. Lee specialises in Age of Sail fiction and her two nautical novels “Ransom” and “Winds of Change” have salt in their veins and a real understanding of Nelson’s navy and the men who worked under him. This is Charlie’s first publication but Linden Bay have recognised her talent and have contracted her for more work. My first novel was “Standish” – another Regency – but I have published over 20 short stories and novellas, in many different ages. My second novel, “Transgressions” has been picked up by Perseus Books which bodes well for the genre as a whole, as mainly it’s only been published by smaller publishers. That’s due for publication next Spring.
Please feel free to ask us anything about gay historical romance, our writings, research or whatever and we’ll do our best to answer.
We’ll be giving away a print copy of the book to one lucky commenter, together with various little presents like magnets etc so please don’t be shy!
Thanks for listening
Erastes, Lee Rowan and Charlie Cochrane
www.erastes.com
www.lee-rowan.net/
charliecochrane.livejournal.com/
Hi Erastes! Thanks a lot for your answer:-D. No fault of yours, or even Linday Bay, if Amazon is slow! They have to be pretty busy :).
Unfortunately, while Linday Bay books are indeed listed on Amazon.ca, I’ve never seen any that was actually available – neither Lee, nor Alex Beecroft or even G.A. Hauser. They’re all listed as out of print (no matter that both Amazon.com and the publisher have it in stock) or available only used, at ridiculous prices ranging from 20 to over a 100$ (not kidding! A copy of Heroes Unwrapped is listed used for 107,83$).
Anyway. I’ll make a note in my diary to check the Linden Bay site again in a week or two and buy it directly from them. I believe the shipping fees are already included and it comes up to a perfectly reasonable price. I know print books are made of dead trees, but I can’t help it: I just prefer the smell of fresh ink and the tangible weight of a book in my hands :). Plus, I can read them in the subway or outside :-D.
I’m so sorry, Mary M – I was told it would be up on Amazon within 2 weeks, but it’s taking a bit longer than anticipated. Linden Bay’s books (most definitely Lee’s) are on Amazon CA so I would imagine that this one will.
Sorry for the delay!!
I tried to pre-order this in print everywhere but it’s not even listed on Amazon US, so I bet it won’t ever be on the Canadian site. Amazon.ca is really late in catching the manlove boat at times. Half the books I want to buy aren’t available. And I’m not even talking about Chapters, our biggest retail bookstore chain. So for now this book is scribbled somewhere near the top of my Wish list in my day planner :-D. I’ve been waiting for the release of this book for several books already and I WANT to read it! Lol.
I would like to win a copy. Lol
Mara
I think Erastes has said it all. It was amazing how we ended up with three stories which dovetailed together so well.
I like working to a deadline too – helps me to plan my life.
Charlie
Hello Mara!
We aren’t sure yet about the release of the print book *checks Amazon again* No – not up there yet. We have been told “about 2-3 weeks after release of the ebook, so round about the last part of June, we hope. It’s bound to be up on Amazon pre-release and will be available for pre-order.
I didn’t have much of a deadline with this one, because Lee had the idea to get the three stories together and then present them to Linden Bay Romance as she was an author there. But they’ve asked me for another novella which I’m working on now, and that’s due in by the end of June and that’s the first time (other than for short stories, which always have a closing date) that I’ve had a strict deadline to work to and yes, it’s quite intimidating. I still have 25K to write. Eek.
For Speak Its Name we decided on our own time zones, yes, and for the next one too, they asked me pitch my plot outline and then they said if they liked the idea or not.
I actually like deadlines because I am the world’s best/worst procrastinator, and it keeps me focussed, there’s pressure, yes, but it means I get things finished which I might not do if I didn’t have to have the work in by a certain date.
What day will the book be available in print? Can it be pre-ordered?
Did you three write your stories under a deadline? Did Linden Bay leave you free to write any type of story, as long as it was m/m and historical?
I’ve always thought writing under a deadline must be horrible pressure, but have heard some writers enjoy it. Did you?
Congratulations on the release! Historicals are always a welcome genre for me. This one sounds appealing and unique.
Jennifer
Thanks!
Yes, you’ve hit the nail on the head with the point about being able to skip over threads that don’t interest you, or are perhaps between two people chatting over something interesting but a bit esoteric.
Charlie, Lee and Erastes… the book sounds awesome.
As for Lee’s question… I tend to shy away from most chatty Yahoo groups because of the volume of e-mail and more often than not the topics of conversation don’t interest me. I liked Charlie’s answer about blogs. It is easier to follow a thread about a subject you like and skip over those that don’t interest you. I’ve never really gotten into the message board thing, and I think it’s how they are set up that are generally a turn off for me.
That’s interesting – I’ve always found the Yahoo groups easier and still haven’t got the hang of message boards. Blogs, to me, are sort of in between the two. I guess it’s a matter of individual preference.
I like blogs but I have a bit of a problem with the Yahoo! Group chats. I think the best interactive format is a message board, where you can see the threads and even get an e-mail every time someone else replies to the thread if you subscribe to that particular thread. My link leads to a message board that I think is very easy to follow and learn about.
I have to admit – as a total newbie – that I find blogs just a bit less ‘wieldy’ than yahoo chats. Several reasons, one being that you can’t follow a comment/subject thread and another that you can’ talways (depending on the blog) be notified of who’s commented.
I have a question for folks reading this. It seems to me that blogs are not as interactive as other formats such as the various yahoo chat groups. Am I mistaken? What sort of forum do readers prefer – or would you rather we just shut up and write?
Thank you Ivette!
Good morning–just. Car stuff, my apologies!
Welcome Erastes and congratulations on the book!
*pipes you aboard*
Reporting for duty!