Monday, April 1, 2013

2013 A to Z: A Hard Habit to Break

Monday, April 1, 2013
It's All About the Books

Day 1 of the 2013 A to Z Blogging Challenge


Welcome to the 2013 A to Z Blogging Challenge! This is the third year I’ve participated in the challenge and participation is A Hard Habit to Break. I hope to once again make it through on time, but it’s not easy - it takes a lot of organization - but it’s worth all the effort to reconnect with bloggers from last year’s challenge and to meet new people and make new friends.


This year, It's All About the Books. In previous years I resisted a major promo blowout -tooting my own horn, as it were, but this year I’m going for it. It could be pure promo or it could be the story behind the story. There might even be an interview with a character or two. Maybe a character has the same hobbies or something like that. I’m not sure just how it will shake out, but I think I’m going to have a lot fun this year. 


So come ‘walk’ with me on my winding path to Z in the 2013 A to Z Blogging Challenge.


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When my publisher put out a call for stories of best friends turned lovers, I was lucky enough to have a story on my plot board I could easily adapt to that theme. I had the characters - Heath and Travis - and all I had to do was write a few more details into their backstory. Halfway through the actual writing, I realized I had the first book of three in the setting of the fictional town of Marionville.

The Men of Marionville series currently numbers six and is on a brief hiatus. It would be too easy to place every story in the world of Marionsville so I won't do that. I'd get bored. You'd get bored. Not a good thing, BUT...I'm set to revisit Marionville later this year and again in mid to late 2014. Until then, you can get a jump on the series with A Hard Habit to Break - a very apropos place to start the 2013 A to Z Blogging Challenge. Enjoy!


A HARD HABIT TO BREAK(book one of the Men of Marionville series)

Available now at AmazoniTunesBarnes and NobleKobo, and other online booksellers. 

As the reigning stud of the local gay club scene, every guy in the county knows Travis Templeton, and vies for his attention. Travis wears his crown lightly, careful not to break any hearts. He knows what it’s like to really love someone who doesn’t love you back-at least, not in the way you want.

Heath Kelley made the biggest mistake of his life the night before his best friend Travis left for college. One small action snowballed into years of silent misunderstanding and empty distance. When Heath accepts a transfer that sends him to his hometown, he doesn’t know Travis has moved back home, too. It doesn’t take long for the men to reconnect.

Admitting they never stopped thinking of each other as “best friends” is easy. Forgiveness of past sins is easy, but confessing their secrets comes harder. When Heath discovers the truth about Travis’ private life, the newly repaired bonds of friendship are stretched taut.

It’s time for Travis to choose – the love of his best friend, or a life of being second best.


EXCERPT:


The ghost of his lips slid coolly over mine like they had so many times over the years, a phantom whisper that raised gooseflesh on the back of my thighs and buttocks. Travis fixed me with a stare far colder than my memories. His angry, hurt voice froze my insides.

“You had what I wanted, Heath. You were normal. You dated girls. You fucked girls.” He sucked in a deep, difficult breath. When he spoke again, the anger was gone, but not the hurt.

“Then you kissed me and brought the very thing I hated right to my bed. How could you do that to me? Why didn’t you tell me you were really gay?”

Stunned, my knees wobbled, and I leaned back against his car before they gave out and I ended up on the pavement. Never had I imagined he felt such self-loathing. I hadn’t seen it, but then I’d been just seventeen. Liking some girls muddied the water for me, and I never thought of myself as anything but straight, back then.

What I felt for Travis was special, outside everything, and everyone, else. He was my best friend. I was a senior in college before I dared put a name to my sexuality, and begin to accept what it meant.


My chest ached. Thirteen years lost.

A HARD HABIT TO BREAK
Available now at AmazoniTunesBarnes & NobleKobo, and other online booksellers. 



Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

9 comments:

Elise Fallson said...

Excellent excerpt. I could feel the hurt in Travis's voice. Hope things work out between them. Glad you're doing A-Z and looking forward to more of your posts. (:

KC Kendricks said...

Thanks for stopping by Between the Keys. The A to Z is great fun :)

Angelica French said...

An interesting series. I'll have to check it out. I'll pop back some other times.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like an intriguing series.

KC Kendricks said...

Thanks for stopping by Between the Keys! With almost 2000 participants in the A-Z Challenge it's going to be an even bigger challenge to get around to as many blogs as possible so I appreciate you coming by :)

Unknown said...

I love the theme, your books and all books rock! I can't believe we've been doing this for three years. And I could not have asked for a better blog buddy and friend to do this with. I could linger in all the fascinating worlds you create and I do, returning every now and again when I need to. Your stories are comfort to me when I am hugely stressed. Thank you!

KC Kendricks said...

Hi Mel! Three years - I know! I'm already thinking about my theme for 2014. Thanks for stopping by :)

Jennifer Wells said...

Great idea to post a new book for each day of the challenge! You can never have too many books!

KC Kendricks said...

I figured since this is my third time I can do some blow-out promo and get away with it:) Thanks for stopping by the blog today!