A man whose entire livelihood depends on keeping the truth about his sexuality a secret finds an attraction to a young artist putting his entire future in jeopardy in this contemporary m/m romance. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of King of the Mountain by Aiden Ainslie, along with the author's thoughts on the reasons behind this genre's growing popularity, then learn even more about this book by visiting the other sites hosting this tour. In honor of this first installment in the Love At Lake Clyde series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC too!
TSP: Why do you think that the m/m genre is gaining in popularity?
AA: There are at least four key reasons: eBooks, the internet, evolving norms around sexual orientation and gender equality.
Some readers might be old enough to remember the days when school books had to be carefully covered in brown paper to protect them so they could be passed on from one cohort to another. If anyone wanted to read a “naughty” bodice ripper, they also gave it a brown paper cover. That way friends or family would be dissuaded from asking, “What on earth are you reading?”
With the advent of eBooks, it is so much easier to read what you want and do so privately. Only when you are squashed into economy class on a plane do you have to worry that your seat neighbor might peer over and look at what you are reading on your Kindle or other electronic devices. For the most part, eBooks have given us the freedom and privacy to read what we want without fear of judgment. That’s huge. It has allowed us to delve into topics that we might previously have felt a little embarrassed about.
The internet and social media have allowed us to find and engage people who share our interests. Any hobby or activity is more fun if you can share experiences and recommendations with others. But can you picture sitting with your aunt Muriel over a cup of tea and crumpets and discussing how much you are enjoying the explicit sex scenes in the MM Romance you are reading? I don’t think so. Yet you can have that discussion with virtual friends in cyberspace where you can choose exactly how much of yourself you want to share. Hence, social media have given authors of many genres a huge boost – everything from books on growing orchids or military history to shape-shifting MPREGs and conventional MM Romance.
Did I just say conventional MM Romance? Wow, who would have thought a few short decades ago that MM anything is conventional? There is obviously still a disheartening amount of discrimination against gays and other members of the LGBTQ+ community in the United States and abroad. But attitudes have changed significantly and hence, gay romance is coming out of the shadows and clawing its way into the mainstream. Recent movies like “Bros” and the Amazon Prime release, “Red White and Royal Blue” help to further normalize gay romance.
Finally, when I first started getting into MM Romance, I was surprised that the majority of readers of this genre were female. That puzzled me till I read the book, “Man, Oh Man! Writing Quality MM Fiction” by John Lanyon. The author explains that women like the gender equality of MM Romance. For centuries, love stories like Pride and Prejudice (which I think is a wonderful book) had set roles for men and women. Invariably, women were portrayed as “the weaker sex”. All they could do was use their wit and wiles to coax a man into showing them affection. And of course, ultimately, it was always the man who dominated in the bedroom.
With MM Romance that automatic gender inequality is eradicated. There can still be huge differences between the MCs. Differences in status, in wealth, in education, age, social background, etc. Those differences are essential for building tension and a good story. But, in terms of gender, the protagonists start out on an equal footing and more often than not end up in a partnership of equals. This equality resonates with modern readers and is far better aligned with our current worldview than the stereotypical bodice ripper set in the 18th century.
The genre will keep evolving, and I am grateful to live in a time and place where MM Romance is coming into its own. I hope you enjoy reading about my main characters as much as I enjoyed writing about them.
CLIFFORD
After years of hard work and training, I finally have the chance of fulfilling my lifelong dream of winning the Tour de France. Nothing can be allowed to distract me from this mission, especially not Gabe O’Reilly, the adorable art student from San Francisco.But he looks so vulnerable – all alone in France.
I would be failing in my patriotic duty to a fellow American if I didn’t take care of him, wouldn’t I? And what possible harm could come from spending twenty-four hours with him on the shores of the Mediterranean? I deserve that little break, don’t I?
GABE
I have never seen a human specimen as perfect as Clifford Du Frey. During our fleeting encounter in Paris, I saw a man who was funny, caring, and tender – so very different from the way the media portray him. He is everything I could ever dream of in a boyfriend.
But in what universe will an international sports superstar pay any serious attention to me?
Do not get involved, my brain yells; you can only get hurt again. But my heart is thrumming to a different tune.
EXCERPT:
GABE
Cliff stood in the shallows. His pale skin gave him the quality of a Michelangelo marble statue. His body had magnificent, classical proportions. Every muscle was clearly defined as though chiseled in stone and smoothed to perfection under the loving hand of a master sculptor. I wondered if he realized just how beautiful he was. And I still found it hard to believe that he was giving me the gift of his time.
He watched me as I strode toward him and, when I shook the water out of my hair, he warned, “Don’t you dare splash me. I like to get in slowly.”
“I won’t splash you,” I said as I stopped in front of him. His eyes were unbelievable. The aquamarine of the water reflected off his blue eyes. I had the sensation of looking into a kaleidoscope of colors yet to be invented. I placed my hands on his shoulders and kissed him on both cheeks.
He was startled but did not back away. “What was that for?” he asked.
“We’ve not had a chance to greet each other yet – the French way. The way you taught me. And,” I continued, “to say I’m sorry.”
I gave him my sweetest smile. “Sorry for wha....”
He didn’t get to finish the sentence because I folded one leg behind him and, in the most basic of wrestling moves, tipped him backward into the water.
The look on his face was priceless, and I burst out laughing when his head emerged, spluttering and cursing.
He reached out a hand and said, “You can at least help me up.”
I took hold of his hand and found myself yanked off my feet with Cliff dunking my head underwater. I shook myself free and rose from the waves to see Cliff making a run for the beach. I lurched after him, tackled him, and dragged him back into the water. He laughed and spluttered till he gained his footing and rounded on me, grabbing my waist, the most ticklish part of my body. He held me tight with one arm curved around my chest while his free hand tickled my hip bone without mercy. I giggled and squirmed helplessly in his arms.
We horsed around in the water like a couple of drunken teenagers. Drunk on sunshine, drunk on life, drunk on L... I didn’t dare to complete the thought. Who was I to think a man like Clifford du Frey would fall in love with me?
Cliff stood in the shallows. His pale skin gave him the quality of a Michelangelo marble statue. His body had magnificent, classical proportions. Every muscle was clearly defined as though chiseled in stone and smoothed to perfection under the loving hand of a master sculptor. I wondered if he realized just how beautiful he was. And I still found it hard to believe that he was giving me the gift of his time.
He watched me as I strode toward him and, when I shook the water out of my hair, he warned, “Don’t you dare splash me. I like to get in slowly.”
“I won’t splash you,” I said as I stopped in front of him. His eyes were unbelievable. The aquamarine of the water reflected off his blue eyes. I had the sensation of looking into a kaleidoscope of colors yet to be invented. I placed my hands on his shoulders and kissed him on both cheeks.
He was startled but did not back away. “What was that for?” he asked.
“We’ve not had a chance to greet each other yet – the French way. The way you taught me. And,” I continued, “to say I’m sorry.”
I gave him my sweetest smile. “Sorry for wha....”
He didn’t get to finish the sentence because I folded one leg behind him and, in the most basic of wrestling moves, tipped him backward into the water.
The look on his face was priceless, and I burst out laughing when his head emerged, spluttering and cursing.
He reached out a hand and said, “You can at least help me up.”
I took hold of his hand and found myself yanked off my feet with Cliff dunking my head underwater. I shook myself free and rose from the waves to see Cliff making a run for the beach. I lurched after him, tackled him, and dragged him back into the water. He laughed and spluttered till he gained his footing and rounded on me, grabbing my waist, the most ticklish part of my body. He held me tight with one arm curved around my chest while his free hand tickled my hip bone without mercy. I giggled and squirmed helplessly in his arms.
We horsed around in the water like a couple of drunken teenagers. Drunk on sunshine, drunk on life, drunk on L... I didn’t dare to complete the thought. Who was I to think a man like Clifford du Frey would fall in love with me?
FIND AT GOODREADS here.
AUTHOR INFO:
Aiden Ainslie lives in the Diablo foothills, east of San Francisco. He grew up in various small towns and loves to draw on that small-town feel for his romances: the sense of community but also the petty grievances, intrigue and rivalries. “An author has to draw on personal experience to create authentic stories.”
According to Aiden, setting and mood are critical parts of a romantic story, hence he is always taking pictures of romantic settings to be used in future novels. Check them out on his website HERE.
When Aiden is not writing or listening to audiobooks, he likes to cycle and hike. During those solitary pursuits, he dreams up the characters and plots for his MM Romance novels. He also enjoys zipping around town on his motor scooter, drinking coffee at the local coffee shops, and watching people to get inspiration for his writing.
According to Aiden, setting and mood are critical parts of a romantic story, hence he is always taking pictures of romantic settings to be used in future novels. Check them out on his website HERE.
When Aiden is not writing or listening to audiobooks, he likes to cycle and hike. During those solitary pursuits, he dreams up the characters and plots for his MM Romance novels. He also enjoys zipping around town on his motor scooter, drinking coffee at the local coffee shops, and watching people to get inspiration for his writing.
**********GIVEAWAY**********
Thank you so much for hosting today!
ReplyDeleteAlso a big thank you from me for hosting. I had great fun with the interview and would love to hear what your followers think.
ReplyDeleteIf you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. Sounds really good.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading todays post. Great excerpt
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good read.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great book!
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