Friday, January 31, 2014

Like Donna Summer, I'm On the Radio


Yesterday, I was interviewed on a Montreal, QC talk radio station (the Barry Morgan show on CJAD, 800 AM) about coming out, being married, both gay and straight, having a gay son, gay weddings, and more, all in conjunction with the release of my latest book, LEGALLY WED.

If you'd care to give it a listen (and, yes, I hate my voice, just like everybody else seems to feel about hearing themselves), just click here.


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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

LEGALLY WED Gets Another Rave Review!

Trish, at Mrs. Condit & Friends Read Books, gave 4-1/2 stars to my latest, Legally Wed, and had this to say about my gay romance revolving around marriage equality:

"Legally Wed by Rick Reed is a quirky, zany, lighthearted tale that also has its serious side. This is a character driven tale with a smooth plot flow, and characters who are vivid, three dimensional, and find themselves in a situation that all too many people can relate to. The author’s writing style is refreshingly original, crisp, and insightful, pulling you into the story from the first page and you find yourself caring for the MCs-laughing, crying, and cheering for them. I absolutely adored this story..."

Read the whole review here.

Blurb
Love comes along when you least expect it. That’s what Duncan Taylor’s sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants—a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn’t get the answer he hoped for. Tucker’s refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life—and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer.

Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister’s wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curveball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there’s a wedding in the future. But whose?


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Amazon Kindle Amazon Paperback
All Romance Ebooks


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Monday, January 27, 2014

Evolution of a Cover

One of the most exciting moments for me as an author, aside from writing that first sentence or the last one, is when you first get to see the cover for the book you created. At Dreamspinner Press, I give my potential cover artist some notes on what I have in mind. If I’ve located some stock art that might support my vision of the characters or setting, I’ll send that along, too.

In the case of my new book, Legally Wed, I worked with amazing cover artist Anne Cain, who has done the covers for Chaser, Raining Men, and Hungry for Love. She has really helped me build a look and brand for my contemporary romance novel.

In the case of Legally Wed, I provided Anne with some notes on what I wanted and telling her how Duncan, my main character, lived on a houseboat in Seattle’s Lake Union (for those of you who don’t know, the lake is very near downtown and the whole perimeter of the shoreline is dotted with various houseboats, ranging in size from tiny to huge, including the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat). I live just above Lake Union and had been out recently, taking photographs of houseboats and I sent Anne one of those, which she ended up using in the background of the cover. You can see it here.

Also, was different in that, in addition to my male/male couple who fall in love in the story, there was also a female character who plays a major role as the best friend of one of my boys (and potential wife! Oh, it’s quite a story! You’ll need to read it to see how it all plays out). Anne created a cover initially that included this female character, Marilyn, and I loved it. You can see it here.

I shared it quickly on Facebook. I was immediately surprised by the reaction it got. Many readers didn’t like the inclusion of a woman on the cover and many were confused, thinking the book was a ménage, which it most decidedly is not.

After a lot of deliberation and discussing the potential impact the current cover with Dreamspinner head, Elizabeth North, we in the end, decided to remove Marilyn. We simply didn’t want people to get the wrong idea from just a glance at the cover. This is a love story about two men finding each other, after all. Marilyn was removed, although her spirit stayed strong in the book itself. So here’s the final version. And, as much as I mourn poor Marilyn’s absence, I really think the final version is cleaner, simpler, and has more impact. What do you think?

Blurb
Love comes along when you least expect it. That’s what Duncan Taylor’s sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants—a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn’t get the answer he hoped for. Tucker’s refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life—and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer.

Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister’s wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curveball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there’s a wedding in the future. But whose?

Excerpt:
He hadn’t been going to do it, but on Saturday he was downtown and he couldn’t resist wandering into Ben Bridge, just to see what they had in the way of wedding bands.

And he saw it right away. He knew that the fact his eye fell upon it first thing was fate talking to him. Before he had even spoken to a salesperson or glanced at another item, he saw the simple white gold, diamond-studded band in the display case. “That’s for Tucker,” he had whispered to himself. He hadn’t really been expecting to buy an engagement ring and he certainly couldn’t afford its exorbitant price tag, but the thought of the light that would come into Tucker’s eyes when he opened the box was so thrilling and romantic, he couldn’t resist.

The clerk, a young woman whose dark hair, olive skin, and green eyes mirrored Duncan’s own, came up to him. “Can I show you something?”

And Duncan recalled being at a loss for words. This little side trip into the jewelry store had really been intended as only a fantasy, a sort of appetizer for the better things to come.

“I just love that simple band with the diamonds right there.” Duncan had pointed down to the ring.

“Oh, it’s a beauty. Would you like to try it on?” She was already stooping down to take the ring out of the display case.

“Oh, it’s not for me.” And suddenly, Duncan had stopped, unable to speak, so filled up with love for Tucker was he. He gnawed for a moment at his lower lip, looking away from the smiling and expectant face of the clerk, and drawing in a deep breath to compose himself. What did he have to lose, anyway? He smiled, looking down to see his hands trembling. “It’s for my, my—” His voice had trailed off. What to call Tucker? He was his boyfriend, he supposed, yet he seemed like so much more. But partner was so presumptuous, because they didn’t live together for one and had never registered as domestic partners in the state for another. “It’s for the guy I hope will be my fiancé,” he had finally blurted out, hoping the clerk didn’t notice the tear he could feel standing in the corner of one eye.

He wondered what she would do. Would she regard him with disdain? Would her attitude change? Would she laugh?

But her face had immediately brightened and her smile was as wide as his own. “That’s fabulous!” she exclaimed. “I’m so happy for you.” She had pushed the ring across the counter. “He’s a lucky guy. And I’m not just saying that because he’d be getting this gorgeous ring, but mostly because he’d be getting you.” She winked. “You’re a catch.”

Duncan had picked up the ring with one hand and had reached for his wallet with the other.

Buy Links
Dreamspinner Ebook Dreamspinner Paperback
Amazon Kindle Amazon Paperback
All Romance Ebooks

Note: This post originally appeared at the Guys Like Romance, Too! blog on January 24, 2014.

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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Cover Reveal: Sid Love's New Book from Dreamspinner Press

I'm excited to share Sid Love's new cover for Holding On to Hope by the amazing Paul Richmond and coming out soon from Dreamspinner Press. Read on for more details about the book. And if this whets your appetite, you can preorder here.

Blurb
Bradley Parker has waited twenty years for Mr. Right, and on Valentine’s Day, he finally finds him. It’s love at first sight, and Brad even loses his virginity to the man of his dreams. But when he wakes up the next morning unable to remember anything—even what the man looked like—his best friend, Leslie, is convinced he imagined the whole thing. Brad knows he didn’t make up the best night of his life, but he has no idea of the danger he’s putting himself in as he struggles to recall the details of his perfect man. His search may lead him to parts of New York City he never dreamed existed and a war being waged in the shadows.

Book Details
TITLE: Holding on to Hope
RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2014
AUTHOR: Sid Love
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 68 Pages
COVER ARTIST: Paul Richmond

About Sid Love
Sid Love grew up in one of busiest cities in the world, Mumbai, listening to the excerpts of Indian epics from his father every night. While it served as an inspiration back in time, he has always had an ambitious mind. In 2007, when he had just turned sixteen, he decided that he would make his lifelong dream come true—to become a well-known, respected author some day. Ask him and he would refuse to accept that he is obsessed with books. Or movies. Or TV shows. Addicted may even be the right word. He is a die-hard fan of Jane Austen's romance novels and loves to reread them time and again. You can find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sid.love.16?ref=tn_tnmn or tweet him anytime: https://twitter.com/FatefulMercy, or simply e-mail him at sidlovethewriter@live.in.

Preorder.


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Friday, January 17, 2014

The Romance Reviews Gives LEGALLY WED 5 Stars!


I woke up this morning to a wonderful review, not only positive, but well-written. The Romance Reviews book critic Susan MacNicol said that my latest book, Legally Wed, was "entertaining, side splittingly funny, tender, cute and so endearing..."

She went on to say that the book was "...sassy in places, pure genius in others and this is a book you definitely need on your bookshelf, virtual or not..."

Read the whole review here.

Blurb
Love comes along when you least expect it. That’s what Duncan Taylor’s sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants—a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn’t get the answer he hoped for. Tucker’s refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life—and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer.

Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister’s wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curveball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there’s a wedding in the future. But whose?

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Monday, January 6, 2014

NEW RELEASE: LEGALLY WED!


UPDATE: We have a winner. Tom Scruggs, your book is on its way. I have e-mailed you.

Got gay marriage? Got Legally Wed? If you want to win a free, signed copy, read on....

I'm thrilled to introduce you to my newest book, Legally Wed, which was inspired by my own historic wedding day, which took place on the first day same-sex couples in Washington state could marry.

BLURB

Love comes along when you least expect it. That’s what Duncan Taylor’s sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants—a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn’t get the answer he hoped for. Tucker’s refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life—and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer. 

Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister’s wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curveball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there’s a wedding in the future. But whose?

Read an excerpt
BUY from Dreamspinner Press in ebook or in paperback
Amazon Kindle

CONTEST
If you want to win a free, autographed copy of Legally Wed, you gotta play the game. Here are the simple rules:

1. Go to the Amazon Kindle page for Legally Wed and click on "Click to Look Inside!" just above the books cover image. Read the excerpt and answer the following questions.

A. On what month, day, and year could same-sex couples in Washington state first obtain marriage licenses?
B. What were the names of the first couple to get their marriage license on that day?
C. What was the name of the jeweler Duncan goes to to buy an engagement ring for Tucker?
D. What unusual type of dwelling does our main character, Duncan, live in?

2. E-mail me your responses at jimmyfels@gmail.com
3. If you're on Twitter or Facebook, send out a message to your followers, urging them to enter the contest. You could say: Rick Reed is giving away copies of his latest book, LEGALLY WED! Details: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/ 

That's it! I will pick draw one winner on Friday, January 10. Unfortunately, because of the prohibitive cost of mailing, this contest is open only to US residents. If you're outside the US and would like to win an ebook of Legally Wed, simply follow the steps above and I will enter you for the digital version.

Feel free to repost this blog!