Oct
2015
A.M. Arthur’s The World As He Sees It
I am a huge fan of A.M. Arthur’s books. If you haven’t read one by her you absolutely must. Her newest book, The World As He Sees It, is out now and I cannot wait to read it! It’s the second book in her Perspectives series, but can be read standalone. I loved the first book and am so glad Tristan and Gabe get their story! Today she joins me for an interview and I worked extra hard not to fan girl all over her. Though it was immensely difficult. Afterwards, read all about the book and an excerpt that will leave you wanting more. At the very bottom, enter for a chance to win a huge prize basket filled with some pretty exciting things.
Amanda C. Stone: Good morning! I am so freaking excited to have you here today. I’m sitting on my hands so I don’t flail around in excitement. *deep breath* Ok, I can do this. Anyone can buy the rights to name a star. What would you name a star bought for you?
A.M. Arthur: Stratton. I’d name it after my fictional small town in Pennsylvania, because at least then I’d know Stratton was an actual, real place, and not just in my mind (and books).
ACS: I have to remind myself sometimes that I can’t just go to Stratton and see all of the places and people you write about. They come off so real in your books. Who would you want to have as a stripper at your birthday party?
AMA: Oh my God, this one is easy, even though he’s a gay porn star, I’d flip my shit to have Ricky Roman strip for me. I mean, he is insanely gorgeous, and from what I’ve seen online, he’s a truly sweet person. With killer hips. Oh my God, his hips….
ACS: I had to Google him and holy moly that man is attractive as anything! Yup, the hips. Name 3 things on your Bucket List
AMA: 1, visit Germany, because that’s the bulk of my heritage, plus it looks beautiful. 2, attend either NYC or San Diego ComicCon. 3, attend a mega-romance conference like RT or RWA.
ACS: I would love to go to ComicCon in either of those places as well. As long as John Barrowman is there. That’s my only requirement. What song do you love to dance to?
AMA: This is going to sound weird, but I regularly attend a local SFF convention, and on Saturday night when a DJ opens up the ballroom to dancing, my favorite thing is to do the Macarena to the Imperial March from Star Wars. Listen to it and do the dance. It times out perfectly!
ACS: Holy moly that absolutely does work! For all the readers out there giving a skeptical face right now, look for it on YouTube (because EVERYTHING is on YouTube), you’ll see a little clip with it. What is the worst birthday/holiday present you have ever received? And who gave it to you?
AMA: Worst Christmas present was actually this past year, and it was from my sister (who will never read this, thank God). My niece ruined my living room ottoman while visiting, and my sister bought a replacement for me (as a Christmas present) and it was hideous. Ew. So my sister kept it. And I never got an ottoman.
ACS: Wow! That’s such a shame that you weren’t allowed to pick out your own ottoman. And to still not have one? Dang! Thank you so much for stopping by today. I loved having you here.
Blurb:
Love knows no limits…but fear could keep them from seeing it.
Gabe lives a double life. As Gabriel Henson, he works multiple jobs to support his remorseless, alcoholic mother. As Tony Ryder, he does internet porn for extra cash and regular safe sex without complications.
Yet when he encounters a scared young man freaking out in a night club, he’s compelled to reach out. Ever since then, the memory of that young man has haunted him.
Tristan Lavelle lives his life thirty minutes at a time. After a traumatic brain injury three years ago, he gets through his day recording his life in spiral notebooks and sticky note reminders.
A month after Tristan’s embarrassingly public meltdown, another chance meeting with Gabe sparks a warm, emotionally fulfilling email relationship. Both men crave more, but fear of the next step stands between them.
Until Tristan gets the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial that could improve his memory—if the side effects don’t kill him. But for Tristan, the possibility of a real life with Gabe is worth any risk…
Excerpt:
The late hour didn’t diminish the sweltering August heat, and Tristan worked up a good sweat walking. Shane and Noel both looked crazy sexy in their club clothes, and even sexier walking side by side. He was happy for Noel. Happy his best friend was in love and enjoying himself.
He was also stupidly, insanely jealous.
He stuck close with his stupid, insane jealousy because the streets were teeming with people of all ages, heading into and out of the different restaurants and clubs. They turned down a quieter side street that was more like an alley. Halfway down the block a few guys hung out against a stone wall, most of them smoking cigarettes. An industrial door with no sign or markings was being guarded by a big, burly bear of a man in a black leather vest.
“Hey, Officer Carlson,” the bouncer said. He had a deep voice to match his broad body. “Nice to see you again.”
“Hi, Mr. Henson,” Noel said.
“Bear, son. Everyone calls me Bear.”
“Right. This is my friend Tristan Lavelle.”
“A right pleasure.”
Tristan shook Bear’s hand, surprised by the gentle grip. “Hi.” He glanced at Shane, who didn’t seem at all annoyed at being left out. “Um, that’s Shane. Noel’s boyfriend.”
Bear grinned. “Yeah, I know that one all right.”
“You do?” He reached for a notebook he didn’t have, then looked at Noel for answers.
“Shane dances here once a week,” Noel said. “He got the job through Bear’s son Gabe.”
“Oh.” He didn’t bother asking if he’d already been told that. Probably. Every single piece of information that was mildly important to his life had been repeated to him at least, oh, eighteen times. Minimum.
“Enjoy yourselves, boys,” Bear said. “First drinks are on the house.”
“Thank you,” Tristan replied.
Noel pulled the door, and what had been a distant bass became an impressive thumpa-thumpa in Tristan’s chest. The interior of the club was wide and deep, with a high ceiling decorated in strands of red and blue lights. Strobes and other lighting flashed around the dance floor, which seemed to make up most of the floor space. A small U-shaped bar stood to the right. In the rear were what looked like raised platforms. Two hot guys in red short-shorts were gyrating together on one of them.
This is the kind of dancing Shane does? Shit.
He was probably twenty kinds of hot up there.
Someone jostled past them, reminding Tristan to keep moving forward. Noel was hustling them straight for the bar. Tristan couldn’t drink alcohol because of his antidepressants and anxiety medications, and Noel was driving so the only person able to drink much was Shane.
Lucky bastard.
Not that Tristan was going to mourn his dry night. Men. Everywhere around him, a sea of hot men. All kinds of eye candy. Every age, height, weight, shape and body hair amount. He observed and mentally drooled over the flesh on display. The air smelled of liquor and sweat and sex, and good Lord he was starting to get lightheaded from it all.
Noel nudged them closer to the bar. A middle-aged man with gray hair and a pink sequined vest gave them all a big, toothy smile. “Noel and friends,” he said. “Richard Brightman, pleased to officially meet you, Tristan.”
“Hello,” Tristan said. Officially meet you implied they’d interacted before, but the man’s name meant nothing to him.
“I’m Bear’s husband. We own the place.”
“Oh. It’s a great place. I’m pretty sure this is my first time. I like it.”
Noel flinched.
Okay that was wrong. When was I here before?
“So what are we drinking tonight?” Richard asked. “First round on the house. Samuel Adams for you, Shane?”
“Yeah, thanks,” Shane replied.
Richard knows because Shane works here.
“I’ll have a vodka tonic,” Noel said. “Tris?”
“Virgin margarita,” Tristan said. He loved margaritas, and while a virgin wasn’t as good as one with Patrón, he couldn’t mix with his meds.
“Coming up,” Richard said.
The music changed to a faster, sharper beat. Tristan’s hips rolled in tiny motions, instinct bringing out his love of club dancing. Of getting into it with another dude, all writhing bodies and gyrating hips. Arms and legs. Sweat and heavy breathing.
Wonderful arousal stirred in his gut, heating his blood already. He might not be getting laid tonight, but damn it, he was going to have some fun.
“Hey, you guys made it,” said a sexy, sultry voice.
Tristan glanced over his shoulder to see who the voice had spoken to, only to find himself staring into a pair of kind, dark eyes. Kind, dark eyes belonging to a stunningly handsome face. Black hair. Tan skin. Tall and well-built. A walking wet dream who was smiling like they were old friends.
Holy fucking hell, he’s gorgeous.
“Hey, Gabe,” Shane said.
Gabe.
Those kind, dark eyes never broke from his, and Tristan couldn’t look away. Gabe was a stranger, and yet somehow familiar.
His eyes. The eyes I see. We’ve met.
“We’ve met,” Tristan said before he could think twice.
Gabe’s eyebrows twitched. “Yes, we have. Do you remember that?”
“I remember your eyes.”
About A.M.:
A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories.
When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.
Contact her at am_arthur@yahoo.com with your cooking tips (or book comments).
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AM-Arthur/491929737588757
Twitter: http://twitter.com/am_arthur
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/annearthur/
Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/am-arthur
Blog: http://amarthur.blogspot.com/
Buy Links:
Samhain Publishing: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5605/the-world-as-he-sees-it
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/World-As-He-Sees-Perspectives-ebook/dp/B015PMEGLQ/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theworldasheseesit-1857908-149.html
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-world-as-he-sees-it-am-arthur/1122685089?ean=9781619230132
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-world-as-he-sees-it-1
Tour Stops:
20-Oct: Love Bytes, Mikky’s World of Books, Hearts on Fire, The Novel Approach
21-Oct: 3 Chicks After Dark, Bayou Book Junkie
22-Oct: Prism Book Alliance, Just Love Romance
23-Oct: Bookaholic Confessions, TTC Books and More
26-Oct: MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
27-Oct: Velvet Panic, Michael Mandrake, Amanda C. Stone
28-Oct: Happily Ever Chapter
29-Oct: Inked Rainbow Reads
30-Oct: Book Reviews and More by Kathy
2-Nov: Dawn’s Reading Nook, It’s Raining Men, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat
3-Nov: Iyana Jenna, My Fiction Nook
4-Nov: Bike Book Reviews, Foxylutely Book Reviews
5-Nov: Jessie G. Books
6-Nov: BFD Book Blog
9-Nov: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
10-Nov: Cathy Brockman Romances, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy
11-Nov: Kimi-Chan
12-Nov: Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Joyfully Jay
13-Nov: Rainbow Gold Reviews
16-Nov: Molly Lolly, Nephylim
Giveaway:
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Congratulations on the new release A. M.! I can’t wait to read it!