Book Name: Here Without You
Book two of the Once Voice series. Can be read as a standalone, but not suggested.
Release Date: February
Author Name: Mia Kerick
Author Bio:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.
Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.
Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.
Where to find Mia:
Blog: www.miakerick.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick
Dreamspinner Author Arcade: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/mia-kerick/bio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474518.Mia_Kerick
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaKerick
Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.
Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.
Where to find Mia:
Blog: www.miakerick.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick
Dreamspinner Author Arcade: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/mia-kerick/bio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474518.Mia_Kerick
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaKerick
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond (Photograph by Dan Skinner)
Blurb(s):
With all of his scratched and dented heart, Nate DeMarco wants to be two places at once, but he’s been forced to make an unbearable choice. Having barely survived high school, Nate and his boyfriends, Casey Minton and Zander Zane, are ready to move forward in life. Casey and Zander have left home to attend Boston City College. Nate remains in New Hampshire to protect his volatile younger sister from their increasingly violent, alcoholic uncle. Nate suffers with anger, resentment, and loneliness as he battles what he wants against what he feels he must do.
Now separated, the young men fight to stay in contact. However, they’re each faced with their own separate issues. Casey must cope with residual fear from having been bullied in high school. Zander obsesses over the establishment of One Voice, the new gay-straight alliance at Boston City College. Nate fights for his sister’s very survival. Meanwhile, the intensity of the boys’ relationship increases, both sexually and emotionally, as happens in long distance relationships.
Nate’s futile effort to live two lives leads to tragedy, which blasts Nate, Casey, and Zander apart. Can the three young men find their way back to a united path before it’s too late?
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, New Adult, Romance
Excerpt:
2 NATE’S DIARY
August 23 (they only been gone about half a week now)
SO MAYBE this is a bit fucked up, but I’m gonna put it down on paper in black and white, and maybe when I read it back to myself, it’ll seem more normal.
Here’s the thing. Like Casey says, us three is a throuple. Three dudes in love. Whatever. Cuz I sure as shit love them guys, and nothin’s gonna change that. So, yeah. There’s two dudes in place A and one dude, alone, in place B. I just figured them two would be gettin’ busy in bed in their fancy dorm room whenever they had a chance—cuz that’s what guys do, right?
Well, apparently not so much. Last night they Skyped me. There them two were, sittin’ all cozy on Casey’s rainbow-colored bedspread. The floppy stuffed unicorn that me and Zander gave him for Christmas junior year was propped up behind ’em, starin’ at the computer, like it was lookin’ right at yours truly. I felt real alone and a little like a loser (fucked-up fact is they only been gone a couple days), but I leaned back on my bed and acted like I didn’t give a shit.
Casey said, in this adorable proper voice, “Nate, there’s a topic Zander and I feel it’s imperative we discuss. It’s a matter of great importance.” He already sounds like a doctor, and he’s only a freshman in college.
Zander was just starin’ into the computer at me, sorta studyin’ my I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-nothin’ expression.
“What’s such a big friggin’ deal, babe? Lay it on me.” That was pretty cool soundin’, I thought.
“Well, Zander and I want to have a discussion about.... Nate, we want to discuss physical intimacy. In that....”
Even on Skype I could see that two spots on Casey’s cheeks had turned bright pink. Looked like he was having trouble spittin’ this out. And he was the talker in our throuple.
“Zander and I are here together, without you, and we’ve talked about this—”
“I expect you two’ve been goin’ to town on each other every night since you got to college and are prob’ly itchin’ to strip each other down right now.” Both of my guys’ eyes popped open wide when I said that.
“Actually, Nate.” Zander spoke up cuz it seemed that Casey was suddenly at a loss for words. “We haven’t, and we’re not gonna.”
“Huh?” That just kinda flew outta my mouth. “Come again, guy?”
Casey found his voice. “We aren’t going to sleep together unless you’re with us. We discussed it, and neither of us think it would feel right.” He glanced at Zander, and them two nodded at each other. “We aren’t going to do anything in bed together until you’re here for a visit.”
August 23 (they only been gone about half a week now)
SO MAYBE this is a bit fucked up, but I’m gonna put it down on paper in black and white, and maybe when I read it back to myself, it’ll seem more normal.
Here’s the thing. Like Casey says, us three is a throuple. Three dudes in love. Whatever. Cuz I sure as shit love them guys, and nothin’s gonna change that. So, yeah. There’s two dudes in place A and one dude, alone, in place B. I just figured them two would be gettin’ busy in bed in their fancy dorm room whenever they had a chance—cuz that’s what guys do, right?
Well, apparently not so much. Last night they Skyped me. There them two were, sittin’ all cozy on Casey’s rainbow-colored bedspread. The floppy stuffed unicorn that me and Zander gave him for Christmas junior year was propped up behind ’em, starin’ at the computer, like it was lookin’ right at yours truly. I felt real alone and a little like a loser (fucked-up fact is they only been gone a couple days), but I leaned back on my bed and acted like I didn’t give a shit.
Casey said, in this adorable proper voice, “Nate, there’s a topic Zander and I feel it’s imperative we discuss. It’s a matter of great importance.” He already sounds like a doctor, and he’s only a freshman in college.
Zander was just starin’ into the computer at me, sorta studyin’ my I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-nothin’ expression.
“What’s such a big friggin’ deal, babe? Lay it on me.” That was pretty cool soundin’, I thought.
“Well, Zander and I want to have a discussion about.... Nate, we want to discuss physical intimacy. In that....”
Even on Skype I could see that two spots on Casey’s cheeks had turned bright pink. Looked like he was having trouble spittin’ this out. And he was the talker in our throuple.
“Zander and I are here together, without you, and we’ve talked about this—”
“I expect you two’ve been goin’ to town on each other every night since you got to college and are prob’ly itchin’ to strip each other down right now.” Both of my guys’ eyes popped open wide when I said that.
“Actually, Nate.” Zander spoke up cuz it seemed that Casey was suddenly at a loss for words. “We haven’t, and we’re not gonna.”
“Huh?” That just kinda flew outta my mouth. “Come again, guy?”
Casey found his voice. “We aren’t going to sleep together unless you’re with us. We discussed it, and neither of us think it would feel right.” He glanced at Zander, and them two nodded at each other. “We aren’t going to do anything in bed together until you’re here for a visit.”
Pages or Words: 216 pages
Tour Dates/Stops:
16-Feb
17-Feb
18-Feb
19-Feb
20-Feb
Rafflecopter Prize: $25 All Romance e-Books Giftcard
Rafflecopter Code:
Hi!! Thank you, Decadent Delights, for welcoming me as a
guest poster on your blog today! I hope many of your readers check out my One Voice Series: Casey, Nate, and
Zander’s love story. Coming out February 16th, Here Without You is Book
2 in the series, second to Us Three.
On with the interview…
1.What inspired you to start writing?
Much of my inspiration comes from pop music. My daughter Demi made a CD for me called “Writing Songs” and I listened to it every time I worked on Beggars and Choosers. All four of my kids accused me of liking only songs featuring “guys who sing with raspy voices”, which very well might be true. (Lifehouse was a particular favorite.) That was a long time ago.
Since then, I wrote Intervention that was about a young man who could only reach his love interest when he sang to him in the coffee bar they both worked at. I used many of my favorite, most inspirational songs within the book. And yes, many of the vocalists, male and female, had raspy voices. Not Broken, Just Bent was inspired by the song by Pink of the same name, and Here Without You was inspired by the song by 3 Doors Down. “She Keeps Me Warm” by Mary Lambert inspired Come To My Window, which I have yet to self-publish.
2. Who is your favorite author and why?
I know that this isn’t exactly the correct answer, but I
have several author faves.
Chris Owens- for
Bareback. My number one favorite book ever—it makes me cry every time. What
hurts to read is the loss of the comfortable familiarity—the family
life—between the two men, when one man makes a serious mistake that the other
cannot forgive him for.
Charlotte Bronte- for Jane
Eyre, and my very first favorite tortured hero, Mr. Rochester.
Amy Lane- for all the beautiful angst.
Stephenie Meyers- for Twilight’s
Edward Cullen. Enough said.
Abi Roux and Madeleine Urban- for Cut and Run. Intense, suspenseful, unpredictable. I write down the
dates of the next installment in my calendar. Sigh.
Michael Bowler-for the best YA action and adventure series
called Children of the Knight.
Tessa Cardenas- The
Strongest Shape, which illustrates the perfect love of three.
Cody Kennedy- for selfless and candid sharing of his life,
his pain, his heart in all of his books.
3. How do you come up with the titles for your books?
I find coming up with titles a combination of FUN and STRESS.
The fun part can be likened to smearing fudgy frosting on a chocolate cupcake. I thrive on anticipating how well the two parts (frosting and cupcake/story and title) will come together as a whole. I love searching key words for related idioms that might fit my story.
And sometimes I know the title from the very beginning of my writing, for example, Not Broken, Just Bent was named before the story was fully conceived, because I was inspired by the song to write it. So music is a great source of both inspiration and titles.
The STRESS part comes in when I start dwelling on how important the title is to the success of the book. I want the title to attract readers, and I want it to be true to the story. I also want it to have that perfect ring, but I don’t want there to be a hundred other books of that same title on Amazon. Sometimes I think I have come up with the absolute perfect title and when I search for it online, I realize I am not the only author who had that thought.
3. How do you come up with the titles for your books?
I find coming up with titles a combination of FUN and STRESS.
The fun part can be likened to smearing fudgy frosting on a chocolate cupcake. I thrive on anticipating how well the two parts (frosting and cupcake/story and title) will come together as a whole. I love searching key words for related idioms that might fit my story.
And sometimes I know the title from the very beginning of my writing, for example, Not Broken, Just Bent was named before the story was fully conceived, because I was inspired by the song to write it. So music is a great source of both inspiration and titles.
The STRESS part comes in when I start dwelling on how important the title is to the success of the book. I want the title to attract readers, and I want it to be true to the story. I also want it to have that perfect ring, but I don’t want there to be a hundred other books of that same title on Amazon. Sometimes I think I have come up with the absolute perfect title and when I search for it online, I realize I am not the only author who had that thought.
4.What is the hardest part about writing for you?
The answer to this question is twofold, and neither answer has anything to do with the creative aspects of writing, but more the technical and organizational aspects.
First of all, computers challenge me. I sometimes think I have been cursed by the gods of technology. The biggest challenge has been learning to use the computer effectively. The week before last I lost everything since Beggars and Choosers on my Mac Book Air. I thought it was backed-up by the cloud. I was wrong. And even several data rescue services could not recover the data. So yes, the technological aspect of writing is my biggest challenge.
On a positive note, my daughter taught me how to make folders, which has really cleaned up my desktop.
The other very difficult part for me is keeping track of all the details in the story. Names of schools, and uncles, and little sisters, and places they used to work. Who uses exactly which kind of slang, which characters curse, college majors, and details like that. I need to develop a record system that simplifies this, but I start writing, and I never get around to organization of the details.
5. If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them?
I would love to have met Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist of Queen. He was what my childhood dreams were made of, and in my opinion, the most talented of all male vocalists. I admire his vocal abilities that are unbelievable, his musicianship, and his stage antics. What an amazing entertainer!
And so… what will Freddie an I do on our amazing day together? I think we will go to a museum, like maybe MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City. I know that Freddie Mercury will have some fascinating insights and so I’ll bring him to the Picassos and the Matisses and the Toulouse Lautrecs, and with these classic works of art as conversation starters, we’ll have some incredible conversation about beauty and love and the way we see the world and music and change.
What would I ask him? I suppose I would let the conversation flow naturally, but I would love to know how he conceived of joining rock and opera, and the inspiration for some of his best songs, IMO, like “Love of My Life” and “You Take My Breath Away”.
6. If you were stranded on a desert island and were only allowed to have five modern conveniences with you, what would they be?
This one’s easy.
1. Coffeemaker
2. Latte maker
3. Computer with Charger (most desert islands have excellent wifi, from what I hear)
4. Cell phone and charger (gotta stay in touch with the kiddos)
5. Looks like I’m going to need a generator so I have a source of electricity
6. If I could have one more modern convenience, I’d really like to take my blow dryer… please.
7. What is your favorite meal?
A tuna melt at a NYC diner. Love me a good tuna melt, fries and pickles on the side!
Want one now.
8. What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
When I was young, and right through my teens, I truly wanted to sing. My interest
was in musical theater, and I wanted to be able to sing show tunes like those on The
Chorus Line. I took voice lessons and practiced a lot, and I will say I had some talent,
but I didn’t have enough. When it became clear that I just wasn’t good enough to
make it in show business, I decided that I’d pursue teaching not theater, but I was
the drama coach for years at the middle school where I taught.
I consider the ability to sing beautifully to be a gift, I wish I had it, and I admire
(envy) all who possess it.
But I’m a write of love stories. And I’m satisfied with that.
.jpg)
