Sebastian & Owen is book #3 in the Storming Love: Tsunami series from MLR Press. Three authors each contributed a story about a couple facing the same tsunami event.
Blurb
Owen’s eagerness to win Sebastian back turns to desperation as a tsunami threatens to tear them apart.
The last twelve months have been hard on Owen Hewitt and even tougher on his relationship. For six years, Sebastian Carmichael has been the love of his life, but that love is put to the test as Owen sinks into injury-induced depression.
Living with chronic pain and unable to do the things he used to do makes him feel like a failure, and causes him to believe he’s holding the younger Sebastian back.
When Sebastian takes some time out and leaves to stay at their holiday house, it could spell the end of the relationship. But as a tsunami bears down on the Tasmanian coast, it could spell the end of everything.
This book can be read standalone.
★ MLR Press ★ Amazon US ★ Amazon UK ★
★ Amazon CA ★ Amazon AU ★ All Romance eBooks
Sunset at my country retreat where I love to write
Please tell us all about yourself, Nic, and what prompted you to venture into the world of writing.
Thank you so much having me visit today. I was a reader well before I became a writer. I fell in love with the gay romance genre and met some fellow Australian m/m authors who encouraged me to tell my own stories. Not one to turn my back on a challenge, I powered up the laptop and gave it a go. I fell in love with the whole writing process and now I wonder why I didn’t start writing earlier.
Could you tell us a little more about the other WIPs and give DM readers a bit of an idea about your plans for the rest of 2016 and what’s coming, and when, in 2017?
The past twelve months have been a challenge for me in terms of being able to balance family life and writing, but I’ve been writing constantly. I’ve self-published three stories this year (my Rustic series and I’m so glad you enjoyed the first one), and managed to complete another two. Sebastian and Owen’s story, part of the MLR Storming Love: Tsunami series is being targeted for 7th October 2016 release. It’s a novella set in Tasmania and features a couple who are weathering a rocky patch in their relationship as well as facing a tsunami. The second story, Runaway, is about a couple reconnecting as they head to Sydney to search for the runaway nephew of one of the men. The expected publication from Dreamspinner Press is April/May 2017. As far as other books, I’m finalising Patrick’s Savior (the third in my Heroes series) and have two other books in progress. One is contemporary and the other is a paranormal shifter story, that is a total new thing for me. I’ll update my website when I have firm dates them.
What do you do, Nic, when boring old Corporate life tries to muscle in on the important stuff, i.e. family, relaxation ,and writing? What’s your secret weapon to balance all?
I’m lucky enough to do contract work. This means I can pick and choose when I want to work. This flexibility allows me to balance things. I also have a super-supportive husband which helps a lot. He understands when I don’t have time for silly things like housework, and he is a dab hand at doing the laundry and ironing. J My kids are older teens so fairly self-sufficient as well. Apart from regularly playing mum’s taxi and answering obscure homework questions (usually with the instruction to go look it up on Google), they don’t need a lot of hands-on mothering.
Could you ever see yourself writing a tale that doesn’t end in an HEA/implied HEA? Could you veer away from MM romance to MM erotica?
I’ve contemplated writing a ‘bittersweet’ story i.e. one without a happy ending, but I’m not sure I have it in me. I write sweet contemporary romances and I’m definitely a sucker for happy endings and wonderful declarations of love. This is probably why I don’t think I’d write pure erotica but never say never.
Are you open with friends and family about your writing? What does your hubs think of you writing MM and does he…help you in any way, lol?
A lot of my friends know what I write, at the least the close ones do, and are very supportive. As is my husband. He may not entirely understand why I chose the genre I write in, but so long as I’m happy, he’s happy. 🙂 Last year he was even happy to ship me off to GRL in San Diego, a long (and expensive) trip for a girl from Australia. I’m not sure if my hubby helps me in any way, but he totally gets the benefit from my writing with all the ‘research’ I do and all the reading of hot and steamy stories. He’s a lucky boy!
Can you see yourself collaborating with any other authors? Are you and your fellow Aussie authors (RJ Jones and NR Walker) anywhere near planning a laid back antho set in your beautiful country?
I have tossed around the idea of co-writing with RJ Jones. I even have an idea and title for a story. Our biggest stumbling block is our writing styles and how to blend them into a cohesive story. She writes angsty first person stories and I write sweeter third person, so I don’t imagine we’ll be writing the book any time soon. The anthology sounds a fabulous idea. No plans yet, but since you’ve raised it… 🙂
What are you most passionate about, Nic? What makes you happy, and what saddens you? And angers you?
Nic: I’m passionate about doing the right thing. I believe we all have a responsibility to make a positive difference in the world and this means setting a good example and speaking up about things that are important. I’m happy when I see people trying to change the world and make it a better place, saddened by short-sighted and selfish people, and angered by people who complain but make no effort to be a positive influence.
Will you be attending any author-fan conferences in 2017?
Living in Australia makes traveling to the US, UK, and Europe an expensive and time-consuming endeavour. I’d love to have the time and dollars to travel more, but alas, it’s not to be in the near future. The only commitment I have is to attend the Riveting Reads Australia event which is being held in Brisbane in October 2017. I’m hoping I’ll have a chance to meet lots of readers there.
Can you tell us a bit about what inspires you? Is it RL, music, personal events, topical stuff, all of the former?
My stories are inspired by a range of things. It might be a photo that provides visual inspiration, or a news article. I’ve had story ideas from watching YouTube clips, or listening to a song, or from just seeing a couple of guys standing in line at the supermarket checkout. Nowhere is safe J I use Pinterest to record my visual and musical inspiration for each book I’m writing. (www.pinterest.com/ nicstarr_author)
Thanks so much for having me. It’s been a blast 🙂
About Nic Starr
Nic Starr lives in Australia where she tries to squeeze as much into her busy life as possible. Balancing the demands of a corporate career with raising a family and writing can be challenging but she wouldn’t give it up for the world.
Always a reader, the lure of m/m romance was strong and she devoured hundreds of wonderful m/m romance books before eventually realising she had some stories of her own that needed to be told!
When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with her family-an understanding husband and two beautiful daughters-and is often found indulging in her love of cooking and planning her dream home in the country.
You can find Nic on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She’d love it if you stopped by to say hi.
Website & Blog: http://www.nicstarr.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Nic-Starr/e/B00MAWRRQG/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicki.nicstar
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NicStarrAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicstarr_author
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nicstarr_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8139967.Nic_Starr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nic_starr_author/
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