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Character Sketch: Cal from Semper Fi by Keira Andrews @keiraandrews #RLFblog #LGBT
Semper Fi Title: Semper FiGenre: Historical m/m romanceAuthor Name: Keira AndrewsBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RBlurb:The war is over. The battle for love has just begun.As Marines, Cal and Jim depended on each other to survive bloodshed
and despair in the Pacific. Relieved to put the horrors of war behind him, Jim went
home to his apple orchard and a quiet life with his wife and children. Knowing Jim
could never return his forbidden feelings, Cal hoped time and an ocean between them
would dull the yearning for his best friend.But when Jim’s wife dies, Cal returns to help. He doesn’t know
a thing about apple farming—or children—but he’s determined to be there for Jim,
even as the painful torch he carries blazes back to life. Jim is grateful for his
friend’s support as he struggles with buried emotions and dark wartime memories.
Then Jim begins to see Cal in a new light, and their relationship deepens in ways
neither expected. Can they build a life together as a family and find happiness
in a world that would condemn them?Buy This Book
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-semperfi-1674263-340.htmlBarnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1120558834iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id930202997Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/semper-fi-5Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/484996About the Character
Name: Cal CunninghamAge: 29Gender: MaleBirthplace: New York CityProfession: Former banker and newbie apple farmerEthnicity/Species (if not human): CaucasianDescribe his/her body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include
any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: Around 6 feet, 200 lbs.
Lean and muscular. Dark eyes and dark, thick hair. Dimples.Who is the significant
other in your character’s life?Best friend Jim Bennett is definitely Cal’s significant other,
but their relationship has always been platonic, much to Cal’s anguish.How does your hero dress?He’s in a WWII Marine uniform in the flashbacks to the war, and
at the orchard he wears jeans or khakis with button-front work shirts or T-shirts.How educated is this character?
Is he book smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?Cal is a Princeton grad, and is very intelligent. He could have
easily had an officer’s commission in the war, but joined the Marines to rebel against
his father.Does he scrape by, live
comfortably, live extravagantly?He’s very wealthy, but is content living a simple life at the
orchard with Jim.What special skills does
your character rely on?Probably his people skills. Cal’s charismatic and funny, and
is a smooth talker.What is your character’s
family like?Oy vey. His parents are rather cold, and he isn’t close to his
much-younger sister. He’s clashed with his father—and his father’s expectations—his
whole life.Does he have children?No, and when Cal moves to the orchard to help Jim, he has no
experience dealing with children. Eight-year-old Sophie isn’t as easily charmed
by Cal as most people, and he has to learn how to deal with the complexity of kids.Can your hero keep a secret?
If not, why not? If yes, why?Definitely! He’s kept his deep love and attraction for Jim secret
since their days at boot camp.Author Bio
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration,
Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes
contemporary, historical, fantasy and paranormal fiction, and—although she loves
delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar
Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what
Fiction means.” You can find out more about Keira and her books at her website, and on Facebook
and Twitter.Author Social Media
Website: http://www.keiraandrews.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/keiraandrewsAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Keira-Andrews/e/B005SWX15G/ -
Character Sketch: Isaac from A Forbidden Rumspringa @keiraandrews #RLFblog #LGBT
A Forbidden Rumspringa About the Book
Title: A Forbidden RumspringaGenre: M/M contemporaryAuthor: Keira AndrewsBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RWhen two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?In a world where every detail of life—down to the width of a
hat brim—is dictated by God and the all-powerful rules of the community, two men
dare to imagine a different way. At 18, Isaac Byler knows little outside the strict
Amish settlement of Zebulon, Minnesota, where there is no rumspringa for exploration
beyond the boundaries of their insular world. Isaac knows he’ll have to officially
join the church and find a wife before too long, but he yearns for something else—something
he can’t name.Dark tragedy has left carpenter David Lantz alone to support
his mother and sisters, and he can’t put off joining the church any longer. But
when he takes on Isaac as an apprentice, their attraction grows amid the sweat and
sawdust. David shares his sinful secrets, and he and Isaac struggle to reconcile
their shocking desires with their commitment to faith, family and community.Now that they’ve found each other, are they willing to lose it
all?Buy This Book
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MTUG3NMBarnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-forbidden-rumspringa-keira-andrews/1120198155ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-aforbiddenrumspringa-1611117-149.htmlKobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-forbidden-rumspringaSmashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/470302iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id912267447About the Character
Name: Isaac BylerAge: 18Gender: MaleBirthplace: Red Hills, OhioProfession: Apprentice carpenterEthnicity/Species (if not human): n/aDescribe his/her body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include
any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: Caucasian, slim and just
under six feet tall. Isaac has sandy hair and amber eyes, as well as freckles across
his nose.Who is the significant other in your character’s life? David
Lantz, a 22-year-old mysterious carpenter Isaac is going to work with.How does your hero dress?In a very regimented way! As a Swartzentruber Amish man, Isaac’s
clothes are very strictly governed by the rules of his community. The brim of his
hat (straw in the summer and black felt in the winter and for church) must be exactly
four inches wide, and the band five-eighths of an inch. No more, and no less. He
can’t wear bright colors, and dresses in simple fabrics in black, navy, brown and
gray. There are three hooks at the top of his shirts, and two buttons to do up the
flap over the fly of his trousers. He doesn’t wear underwear and wouldn’t know a
boxer brief from a hole in the ground.If you could only hear
this character’s voice (but not see him) what characteristic would identify him?When Isaac’s nervous (which happens a lot around David) he laughs,
and according to him he sounds like a braying donkey.How educated is this character?
Is he book smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?Like almost all Amish, Isaac only went to school through eighth
grade. In a one-room Amish schoolhouse, one of the young unmarried women taught
him basic math and how to read, write and speak English. He learned a tiny bit of
science (Creationist-compliant only, of course), and some Amish history. He knows
very little about the world outside his small community.What does he have a knack
for doing?Isaac’s always had a knack for woodworking. He’s not keen on
farming, so his father has arranged for Isaac to apprentice with the best carpenter
in Zebulon—David Lantz. David puts Isaac on edge for some reason he can’t figure
out. Maybe it’s the way David looked at him that day at the barn raising like he
was seeing right into the most secret part of him…Is your character involved
in his community?Absolutely. Isaac’s life revolves around his family and his community.
God and the community are everything to the Amish. It’s the only way of life Isaac’s
ever known.Does this character see
morality as black-and-white, or with shades of gray?He sees it as black and white, but as he comes to terms with
his sexuality, he begins to see more shades of gray. Reconciling his homosexuality
with the Amish rules of morality is not easy to do, to say the least.Can your hero keep a secret?
If not, why not? If yes, why?He can—out of necessity. If Isaac told the truth about who he
really was and what he felt for David, he would be an outcast in his community,
and his family would be devastated.What inner doubt causes
your character the most difficulty?Now that Isaac’s 18, the pressure is building for him to officially
be baptized and join the Amish church—after which he’ll naturally get married to
one of the local girls. But Isaac isn’t sure the plain life is what he truly wants.
When he tries to imagine his future as a good Amish man with a wife, he can’t seem
to. This doubt that he wants to remain Amish only intensifies as he gets to know
David and their connection grows.About Your Writer: Questions for your character to answer about you.
Why do you think your
writer chose to write about you?Because there are hardly any books out there about gay Amish
people, and we have a lot of stories to tell.What do you wish your
writer had not told others about you?*blushes* I wish she hadn’t told them about how much I like being
intimate with David!Was there anything your
writer discovered about you that was a surprise to one or both of you?*blushes again* It was a surprise just how flexible I can be
when David and I are…you know.What do you wish your
writer would write next?I wish she’d write about what happens to me and David next. Lucky
for me that’s what she’s working on!Author Bio
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration,
Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes
contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves
delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar
Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what
fiction means.”Author Social Media
Website: http://www.keiraandrews.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/keiraandrewsAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Keira-Andrews/e/B005SWX15G/You May Also Like
Is It True: Behind the Bench by Linda O’Connor @LindaOConnor98 #RLFblog #sportsromance #hockey
Character Interview: Link Jacks from Loving Link @tdhassettauthor #RLFblog #contemporary
Read the series: You Can’t Hurry Love (Jukebox Collection Book 2) by AN Verebes #RLFblog #ContemporaryRomance
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RLF Gem Award: Top Bloggers March 2014 Romance Lives Forever #RLFblog #blogging
RLF Gem Last month, Romance Lives Forever had 31 posts in a 31 day month.
There was a tie for fourth place, and if we had six spots, there would have
three names listed. I’ve noted them as an honorable mention.Top Five Bloggers for the Month
(judged by page views). Congratulations to each author!1. Vicki Batman2. EM Lynley3. Keira Andrews4. Carly Carson4. MQ Barber5. Jessica E SubjectHonorable mention: Mary Marvella, Katheryn Lane, and I tied for what would
be sixth place.Romance Lives Forever features authors and new books. It has a
blogger’s FAQ page with a downloadable guide and optional interviews. Readers
can follow via Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, Bloglovin’, Linky
Followers, email, an RSS feed, and there’s a blog button readers and authors
can grab. RLF takes up to three images per article, so authors can share
previous books. The blog uses author or publisher names as SEO tags on posts,
and author Twitter handles in the titles. The site is broadcast over Triberr
with a potential reach of over a million readers via its Twitter-linked
network. Twitter mentions are also gathered in several Paper.li ezines, giving
the author additional opportunities for promotion. The Romance Lives Forever
Paper.li ezine features guest authors on its front page every day.Share your book cover on Romance Lives Forever
Limited spots to share book covers are available. Cost is $3
per month, with discounts for covers posted for one quarter and up to one year.
Covers can be changed monthly.Sign Up for a Future Post
Sign up form http://is.gd/rlfblog_requestGuest calendar http://is.gd/rlfdatesMy thanks to all who took part this month. You made Romance Lives
Forever a great place to discover new books and authors.Other participants this month in alphabetical order by first
name are:
Angela Smith, Beth Barany, Elysa Hendricks, JJ DiBenedetto, JoAnne
Myers, Kathy Kulig, Lauren Linwood, Lisa Carlisle, Liza O’Connor, Naomi Bellina,
Nicky Penttila, Rachel Firasek, Romy Gemmell, Susan Mac Nicol, Tina Donahue, Ute
Carbone, Virginia Kelly, VS Nelson -
Character Sketch: Dev Avira from Cold War @keiraandrews #RLFblog #Olympics #LGBT
Cold War Book Title: Cold WarGenre: Contemporary m/m romanceAuthor Name: Keira AndrewsBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RAfter an explosive locker room confrontation with his Russian
rival ends in the most surprising and intense sex of his life, American pairs skater
Dev Avira needs to refocus. He’s worked for years to win Olympic gold, and he can’t
let himself–or his partner–down. Distraction in the form of steely and smoldering
Mikhail Reznikov is the last thing he needs as he prepares for the biggest competition
of his life.But with the Games only days away, they can’t keep their hands
off each other. Dev soon learns that beneath Mikhail’s arrogant and aloof exterior
is Misha, a passionate man who warms Dev’s heart and scorches his bed. They’re both
determined to win, but for Misha his freedom could be on the line. Can Dev put his
deepening feelings on ice as he goes for gold?Buy This Book
Publisher: http://www.loose-id.com/cold-war.htmlAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cold-War-Keira-Andrews-ebook/dp/B00I8XWFPO/ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-coldwar-1411670-149.htmlAbout the Character
Name: Dev AviraAge: 29Gender: MaleBirthplace: BostonProfession: Pairs figure skaterEthnicity/Species (if not human): South AsianDescribe his/her body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include
any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: Around 5’10, 190 lbs. Lean
and muscular. Dark skin and curly black hair. (He looks quite a bit like actor Sendhil
Ramamurthy.)Who is the significant
other in your character’s life?When the story begins, it’s Dev’s platonic figure skating partner
Bailey. But then he falls hard for his Russian rival.How does your hero dress?Dev spends most of his time in spandex and body-hugging figure
skating costumes. Off the ice he’s usually in jeans and T-shirts.How educated is this character?
Is he book smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?Much to his parents’ initial disappointment, Dev did not go to
university. Instead he chose to focus on his figure skating career. He is intelligent,
but athletics are where his passion lies.Does he scrape by, live
comfortably, live extravagantly?Dev does okay with prize money and the odd endorsement. Figure
skating is an expensive sport, so he doesn’t live extravagantly.What special skills does
your character rely on?Definitely his figure skating skills! He’s worked his entire
life to become the best pairs skater he can be, and finally has the chance to win
gold at the Olympic Games.What is your character’s
family like?Dev is an only child. His parents are originally from Kerala
in the south of India,
and he has a big extended family of aunties and uncles. His mother, who he calls
Ma with frequent exasperation, is brash and opinionated — but very loving and supportive.
Dev’s father, a doctor, is the yang to his wife’s yin. Dev is close with his family,
but spends most of his time away from them due to training and traveling for competitions.Does he have children?Not yet. As an elite athlete working toward the Olympics, children
haven’t really crossed his mind yet. But perhaps in the future!Can your hero keep a secret?
If not, why not? If yes, why?Dev can definitely keep a secret, and he keeps a very big one
from the people around him after he hooks up with his chief skating rival in the
locker room!What is your character’s
biggest need at the beginning of the story?To win gold at the Olympics. But he realizes along the way that
winning may not be the most important thing.About Your Writer: Questions for your character to answer about you.
Why do you think your
writer chose to write about you?Because she is obsessed with figure skating! Keira lives and
breathes the sport every season, not just every four years.What do you wish your
writer had not told others about you?The details of my sex life with Misha get pretty explicit! She
made me blush a few times.What do you wish your
writer would write next?I want her to write about what happens to me and Misha after
the Olympics when we try to settle into real life together.What other character from
your book do you think your writer should write a book about? Care to tell us why?I think my skating partner Bailey deserves to find her Mr. Right,
although Keira only writes m/m at the moment. But Bailey is my best friend in the
world and I want her to find true love.Author Bio
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration,
Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes
contemporary, historical, fantasy and paranormal fiction, and–although she loves
delicious angst along the way–Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar
Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what
Fiction means.”Author Social Media
Website: http://www.keiraandrews.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/keiraandrewsAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Keira-Andrews/e/B005SWX15G/ -
Lovelight Gleams #GayRomance @keiraandrews #RLFblog
Where the Lovelight Gleams Keira Andrews, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
your book, Where the Lovelight Gleams.Genre: M/M contemporary holidayPublisher: Loose IdCover artist: April MartinezLength: 22,000 wordsHeat rating: ExplicitTagline: Can these Hollywood
actors take their romance offscreen?Blurb: This Christmas, actor Ryan Drake is pining. He may get
to kiss gorgeous Cary Holloway on the set of their hit TV show, Space
Academy,
but he knows it’ll never happen in real life. Charming Cary–the son of Hollywood royalty–is straight, as evidenced by his starlet
girlfriend. But Christmas is a time for unexpected gifts, and Cary accepts Ryan’s invitation to leave the palm
trees behind and spend the holiday with his family at their cabin in the Great White
North.Amid the snow and mistletoe, Ryan struggles to keep his longing
under wraps. Little does he know, Cary
wrestles with his own unspoken desires and his very identity. Surrounded by family
and holiday joy, their warm friendship deepens. Will these two co-stars have the
courage to brave Hollywood pressures and take their
romance offscreen–or will it be only in their dreams?Buy links:
Loose Id: http://loose-id.com/where-the-lovelight-gleams.htmlARe: https://allromanceebooks.com/product-wherethelovelightgleams-1366219-149.htmlWhat are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?Ryan and Cary are both twenty-five-year-old actors. They are
co-stars on a CW-esque sci-fi show called Space Academy.Interview
What inspired you to write this book?I’ve always loved the holidays and I thought it was high time
I wrote a Christmas romance. I have fond memories of Christmases at my family’s
cottage on Georgian Bay in rural Ontario,
and it was the perfect setting to convey the cozy warmth of the holiday. I’ve long
wanted to write about actors, and it was the perfect opportunity to juxtapose Hollywood with this peaceful
setting far away from the glitz. I love the snow and mistletoe, family and friends–and
of course food!When you write, what things do you want close at hand? (Coffee,
water, chocolate… pictures of gorgeous hunks for inspiration…?)Water or Diet Coke if I need some caffeine. Also my white noise
machine if my neighbour is belting out Britney, as she is wont to do from time to
time. (I give her an A+ for effort, but it’s not so fun to listen to!)When you’re not writing, what would we find you doing?You’d find me catching up on my favourite TV shows and movies,
at yoga class, or curled up with a good book.Are you a plotter, or do you prefer to make it up on the spur
of the moment?I’m a mix of plotter and pantser. I always know where the story
will end up, and I have a general idea of how to get there. But I need the characters
to come to life and fill in the details and twists and turns.What’s your writing schedule like?I aim for 3,000 words per day, five days a week. I get up by
eight a.m. and work for a few hours before going to the gym for a class at noon.
Then shower, lunch, and back to work until around seven p.m. Although sometimes
I’ll keep going if I’m on a roll! I usually work through the weekend so I can take
some time off mid-week to run errands or perhaps sneak in a cheap Tuesday matinee.What other jobs have you held besides writing?I was a waitress from the end of high school through university
and post-degree studies and travel. Until recently I worked as a marketing copywriter
before becoming a full-time novelist.Which of your books was the hardest to write and why?Semper Fi, my upcoming
WWII-era drama/romance. It’s the most ambitious book I’ve written, and I did a lot
of research on Marines in the Pacific and post-war life in America. It’s not
an easy era in which to set a realistic gay romance. Some people shy away from the
war, which I understand. But I loved writing it and I hope readers will respond
to it.What are you currently reading for fun? Anything for research?For fun I’m rereading
K.A. Mitchell’s An Improper Holiday (how
I love an M/M historical at the holidays!). I’m also reading The Naked Truth About Self Publishing, which
obviously isn’t research for a particular book, but general career research.Do you believe in luck?Definitely. Some of the best things in life are due to sheer
dumb luck! For example, I feel very fortunate to know some of my closest friends
because we happened to like the same TV shows and started talking about them online
in the same forum.What kind of music do you listen to while driving? Same question
when writing?When driving I listen to pop music or Broadway show tunes. I
generally never listen to music while writing since I find it distracting.What’s your favorite movie?It’s hard to choose, but I have to go with Strictly Ballroom. It makes me grin like
a fool every time. A life lived in fear is a life half lived!Are you the eldest, middle, baby, or only child?I’m the baby and I have an older sister named Wendy. As a child
I couldn’t say her name and called her “Girl” for years, much to her chagrin!Please complete the sentence
I love pizza with ham, bacon and pineapple.I’m always ready for an HGTV marathon.When I’m alone, I talk to myself an awful lot.You’d never be able to tell, but I’m a geek. (Actually, I don’t
hide that well at all!)If I had a halo it would be sparkly,
of course.If I could do a headstand in yoga I’d probably pass out in shock
that I actually kept my balance. And you should never pass out while doing headstands!I can never go bungee jumping because I’m too paranoid something
will go wrong.Find Me Here
Website: http://keiraandrews.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/keiraandrewsFacebook Author Page: https://facebook.com/keiraandrewsromance
