Blog Tour: Michael, Reinvented (Delta Restorations, #2) by Diana Copland

Welcome Diana Copland! She's here today to talk about her inspiration for her latest in the Delta Restorations series!

ICYMI check out our Buddy Read review HERE!

I’m so excited to be here today to talk about my new book, Michael, Reinvented!! I always wonder who other writers use as inspiration for their characters. I’m a very visual person, and I thought I’d share with you the pictures I used as I wrote the book. Since the cover for Michael and Gil has been out for a couple of weeks, you’ve had an opportunity to see Michael and Gil.

There are some other characters that feature prominently in ‘Michael, Reinvented’ who were first introduced in ‘David, Renewed’, starting with David and Jackson.

Michael lives in a studio apartment downtown, and until the events of this book has no idea where Gil lives. When he finds out, he’s stunned to learn that Gil lives in a quintessential mid-century modern, his own favorite era and design style.

During the course of Michael and Gil’s story, their company Delta Restoration Renovation and Design is hired to do the restoration of a turn of the century mansion. Named the Paddy O’Banyon Mansion for the book, the venue actually exists in downtown Spokane, Washington. The Glover Mansion, begun in the 1880’s and completed near the turn of the century, is a popular wedding venue. The house first appears in the book in winter, so I was delighted to be able to find a picture of the Glover Mansion with snow on the ground!!

This is where my reference photos are probably going to be different than what appear on eventual book covers, but it’s always kind of cool to see how the cover artist see the characters!! Here is a picture of how I see Vern, Gil’s grizzled and sarcastic best friend and assistant.

Emanuel Estevez, also known as their good friend Manny, is a partner at Delta and a talented journeyman plumber. Manny lives in an apartment above his Uncle Tony’s garage, has a large and gregarious family that is very protective of him, and healing scars both physical and emotional after nearly being killed by a former lover.

And now, here’s a glimpse of a new character that won’t make his appearance until Book Three. His name is Dylan, and that’s all I can tell you for now!!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this small photo album of reference pictures, and I hope you enjoy ‘Michael, Reinvented’, too!

Our resident Unicorns, JL & Peach sure did and you can see their buddy read review HERE!

Blurb:

Cute hipster and interior designer Michael doesn’t do love—not after his ex screwed him over. Sex is a different story, though, and the gentle giant who’s painting the mural in the old mansion they’re restoring might be perfect hookup material. Gil is just Michael’s type with his solid muscle, wicked sense of humor, and the hazel eyes that seem to see into Michael’s soul.

Trouble is, Gil does do love. He wants romance and forever, and he’s set his sights firmly on Michael. Michael’s not going there again.

Yet when Michael is the victim of a vandal who’s been plaguing the men working for Delta Restoration, Renovation, and Design, Gil is the first person he tells. No matter how he fights it, it’s becoming harder and harder to deny he’s crazy about the guy—even if that thought terrifies him. But the true fear sets in when the criminal behavior escalates, and Michael realizes he might have lost the chance to tell Gil how he feels—forever.

Cover Artist: Anne Cain

Buy Links: 

Dreamspinner Press
Amazon

Buddy Read Review: Michael, Reinvented (Delta Restorations #2) by Diana Copland

Cute hipster and interior designer Michael doesn’t do love—not after his ex screwed him over. Sex is a different story, though, and the gentle giant who’s painting the mural in the old mansion they’re restoring might be perfect hookup material. Gil is just Michael’s type with his solid muscle, wicked sense of humor, and the hazel eyes that seem to see into Michael’s soul.

Trouble is, Gil does do love. He wants romance and forever, and he’s set his sights firmly on Michael. Michael’s not going there again.

Yet when Michael is the victim of a vandal who’s been plaguing the men working for Delta Restoration, Renovation, and Design, Gil is the first person he tells. No matter how he fights it, it’s becoming harder and harder to deny he’s crazy about the guy—even if that thought terrifies him. But the true fear sets in when the criminal behavior escalates, and Michael realizes he might have lost the chance to tell Gil how he feels—forever.

Michael, Reinvented is a perfect buddy read story and my brain sharing Unicorn, Jenni Lea and I saw horn to horn throughout.

Jenni Lea: 4 Hearts

Michael and Gil have been dancing around one another since they first met, way back in the first book, David, Renewed. Though they had an immediate attraction to each other, Michael has no plans of ever being in a relationship. Hiding behind snark and cynicism, Michael tries his best to keep Gil at arm's length. But Gil is determined to get to know the man behind the glasses and he's not going to let a little thing like a cold shoulder from Michael get in the way.

Now, I know that sounds a bit Creepy McCreeperson, but I can assure you that there is nothing about Gil that is creepy or domineering. Gil may be massive in size and stature, but that's only because he needs the extra strength to carry around the gigantic heart he has. Gil is the quintessential 'gentle giant' and I absolutely adored him.

Michael took a bit more to warm up to but, once I was able to see through his facade and gleaned that his insecurities and the hurt from the past he still held onto were the reasons for his tendency to lash out, I understood why he would act the way he did and grew to love him as well. He did frustrate me at times though, but not enough to make me not like him. And, though it took a near tragedy for him to pull his head out of his ass and admit how he felt about Gil, I admired his courage and dedication. 

This was a lovely addition to the Delta Restorations series. Diana Copland writes with a simple eloquence that makes reading seem effortless. I was never bored, never rolled my eyes and not once did I have to suspend my disbelief. These characters are realistic to the point I could see myself bumping into Michael at Starbucks or hiring the team to do some restoration work on my home. The scene with the Velveteen Rabbit brought tears to my eyes even though I've never read the book and I knew then and there that this story was going to be a win for me.

I really enjoyed the ending as well. Some stories need to end with a bang. Some stories need a cliffhanger to make you gasp and salivate for the next book. Some need the over-the-top, mushy gushy HEA as a grand finale. But sometimes... sometimes all you need is a quiet reaffirming of the love between two people that fought tooth and nail to get where they are. These types of endings tend to resonate with me more than the flashy HEA.

All told, I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a realistic story with likable characters and an interesting plot. I do suggest reading book one, David, Renewed, first though, as this book continues the storyline that was introduced there.

Ann: 4 Hearts

I was such a happy Peach when I found out that David, Renewed was going to be turned into the series Delta Restorations. There’re way too many great characters for them to be done. I was so anxious to read Michael’s story, he’s such a snarky little brat on the surface, I wanted to know more about him. It’s pretty obvious from David, Renewed that Michael is going to be pairing with Gil, it’s the perfect opposites-attract setup. That all being said, Michael, Reinvented shouldn’t be read as a standalone. This isn’t one of those series that moves from couple to couple with just a little mention here and there about past characters. This is a series about a group of men finding their happiness on their terms.

Michael, Reinvented is romantic but it’s also so much more. There is a heavy emphasis on friendship and community and there is an element of crime-drama that we got a taste of in David’s story. The vandalism that started in David continues in Michael and it does play a large part in the story. And while I would have loved more Michael and Gil time, the way the story was told it put the real emphasis on the friendships and motivations among all the characters. There was a lot of strength in that telling and it laid more groundwork for additional stories in the series organically. A lot more information about each character was revealed as Michael was integrated into the Delta Renovations crew more fully. We learned more about Michael too and his reticence in entering into a new relationship no matter how much he longed to climb Gil like a tree and cuddle him all night.

I loved that David and Jackson were a big part of Michael’s story and the beginning was delicious and just soooo, them. They set a good example for the rest of the guys. The continuation of their HEA and the big part they play in one another’s lives flowed throughout the story and as the story is told from Michael’s perspective we get plenty of his snark but also a glimpse into how much he’d really like a relationship of his own. Michael is the only one standing in his own way so the angst level is actually pretty low. Gil is a patient, patient man and it’s obvious he’ll be waiting for Michael as soon as Michael pulls his well-coiffed head out of his ass.

It takes a tragic event for that to happen, which while unfortunate, makes sense for Michael. Once he does realize what he could have, the relationship between Michael and Gil moves pretty quickly and by this time the book is just about over and that would be my only gripe. I want more Michael and Gil together. The series is pretty rational in its setups and the flow so the guys don’t necessarily talk about forever, but it’s implied. As a reader, I want to be a part of that journey, much like I was in David and Jackson’s story. I don’t feel like I know Gil enough and I really want to. Michael admits he doesn’t know Gil well since he’s never given him the chance and since we really only know Gil through Michael, we don’t know enough yet and I want to know. So, I hope the next installment of the series continues on with Michael and Gil’s story, I really like Gil and I want to know about his murals (don’t even get me started on the Velveteen Rabbit – there will be tears), his art, his dad and so much more. I also want to see more of Michael’s softer side and to see him settle into some happiness.

I love Diana Copland’s writing, it’s so easy to get caught up in her stories and characters. Everything just flows so well and I feel like anything I might be missing isn’t actually missing, it just hasn’t been addressed yet which is what is making the Delta Restoration series such a treat. It’s a whole world I get to see come together and evolve with characters I want to know in RL. I feel invested in their happiness which makes me all kinds of happy along with them.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Review: David, Renewed by Diana Copland

When interior designer David Snyder buys a beautiful century-old house in eastern Washington, he is reeling with heartbreak and looking for somewhere to put down roots. Unfortunately his new home comes with a laundry list of problems: electrical, plumbing, heating… things David knows nothing about. When his mother offers him the business card of a local handyman, David pictures an overweight, balding man in his fifties. But Jackson Henry couldn’t be further from that stereotype.

Dark-haired, muscular, and handsome, Jackson left a large construction firm in Seattle to take care of his sick mother. However, his hometown still has an active “good old boy” network, and finding employment in construction is almost impossible for an openly gay man. Determined to persevere, Jackson takes odd jobs as a handyman. He’s exactly what David needs—in more ways than one.

David isn’t ready for his attraction to Jackson, not considering the way his last relationship ended. But as the two men get to know each other, it becomes clear that the heart often knows best, and it rewards those willing to listen.

I loved this character driven story and it wasn’t just the MC’s driving the bus. The entire cast had a real purpose with unique personalities and they all added to the pacing of David’s renewal.

David has left his boyfriend of five years after the Cheating Bastard got caught with his dick down a twinks throat and David comes to the realization that the Cheating Bastard was always a bastard on some level and his self-confidence has taken a hit. He impulsively buys a beautiful Craftsman home in the neighborhood he grew up in and quickly realizes his beautiful home is a money pit. His mom (who is awesome, as is his sister) gives him the card of a local handyman, Jackson Henry.

David is expecting an older, overweight guy sporting a plumber’s crack and instead he is pleasantly surprised and flustered to be confronted with an Adonis in a toolbelt and flannel. The whole getting-to-know-you portion of the book was so yummy. Most everyone loves this part of a relationship and David, Renewed does not disappoint. It was flirty and charming and still read very real. During this part the author also introduced the cast of characters that make me wish with all my nuggets that this turns into a series. I need Michael and Vic’s story. That has to be a thing. And Manny? Manny needs his story told too.

There is some drama thanks to Cheating Bastard, but it wasn’t over the top and it moved the story along as these things do. It didn’t feel forced at all which was good because as I said earlier, great pacing. It did bring David and Jackson together probably a little bit more quickly, but that was a good thing. The story was going there anyway, so it flowed right along. I also liked that the two of them declared their extreme like for each other while there was still plenty of story to be had so I got to get invested in their relationship as well as their courtship.

Jackson is completely swoon worthy and naturally charming while David is so very relatable and genuine, I couldn’t help but want them together. It wasn’t a sugar fest though, there was enough snark, dirty talk and stress to keep the book grounded with the two MC’s as well as the supporting cast. The scene is set for a series and it wouldn’t be one of those where half the “small” town just happens to be gay and they hop from one couple to the next. This ending is unique and calls on the skills of the group and would make complete sense as a series.

Annnnnd, I can’t wait, so I need Ms. Copland to heed the Call of the Unicorn and give Peach what she needs in more stories for the wonderful guys.


For more information and to get your copy of David, Renewed, head over to Dreamspinner Press.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Check out our author visit here!

Blog Tour: David, Renewed by Diana Copland

Diana Copland is here today to talk about her much lauded release, David, Renewed.

Big Unicorn Welcome for her first clubhouse appearance! See our review here!

Hi!

My name is Diana Copland, and Boy Meets Boy has been kind enough to give me the opportunity to talk about my new book, David, Renewed, coming out through Dreamspinner Press on September 21! This is my first book in two years, and I’m so pleased to be back at Dreamspinner, where my career began nearly 8 years ago!

In this post , I thought I’d give you all some insight into Jackson Henry, my main character David’s love interest in David, Renewed. Jackson is very different than any character I’ve written before, and I think it’s one of the reasons I like him. Jackson is a blue collar man from a white collar family, and that comes with its own set of conflicts.

Jackson Henry grew up in Eastern Washington, in the town where the novel takes place. The second son of an affluent family, Jackson always seemed to be at odds with his attorney father, a high powered trial lawyer specializing in corporate law. Jackson’s father, a man who took pride in destroying hostile witnesses on the stand, simply didn’t understand the soft spoken, thoughtful son who preferred to work with his hands than declare his major in law . Close to his mother but unwilling to bend to his father’s demands, Jackson moved to the Seattle area to go to a trade school. Over the next few years he built a successful and lucrative career in construction, working as a job site contractor. Then he receives word that his mother, Shirley, has been diagnosed with MS. His father died years before and even though he has a brother and sister still in town, he also knows they’re both going to be ‘too busy’ to help her. Jackson doesn’t hesitate; he moves home to live with her.

There’s never a good time to learn a parent has a potentially crippling illness. For Jackson, the diagnosis is compounded by discovering his boyfriend isn’t willing to stay in a ‘long distance’ relationship. They break up, severing Jackson’s ties with the coast. Once he arrives home, he discovers something else he probably should have realized; the town where he grew up is in one of Eastern Washington’s conservative counties. He’s union with all of his licenses in order, but jobs for openly out, gay men are hard to come by. Unable to find a job with a company even with his expertise, Jackson begins to take jobs as a handyman. His first is with one of his mother’s dearest friends, newly widowed Beverley Snyder.

Mrs. Snyder’s garage door has slipped out of its tracks, an easy fix that takes him less than an hour. He refuses to take her money for something so minor, so she invites him in, insisting she can at least give him some cookies for his trouble. When he walks into her house, he can’t help but notice the photos on the wall of a handsome, fair young man with wheat colored hair, a beautiful mouth and pale green eyes behind wire framed glasses. She notices, and tells him that the man in the photos is her son, David.

Jackson is different than my other characters in a lot of ways. He’s quiet, for one thing, and thoughtful. I had no idea how hard writing a character who isn’t given to chatting would be. Especially when a book is written from the point of view of the character who’s trying to figure out what the quiet one is thinking! Jackson isn’t brooding, he just thinks before he talks. He knows he’s attractive. His eyes are a bright blue and his body trim and athletic, honed by hours of hard physical labor, but he doesn’t but much stock in good looks; his last boyfriend was gorgeous and turned out to be kind of a jerk. And even though he found David arresting even in his photos, it’s the real man who pulls him in. David Snyder is slender and graceful, and completely unaware of his own boyish appeal. David doesn’t know it, but Jackson is hooked almost from the moment he pulls him, coughing and gagging, from his own smoke filled house.

But that’s just the beginning of their story!!

Blurb

When interior designer David Snyder buys a beautiful century-old house in eastern Washington, he is reeling with heartbreak and looking for somewhere to put down roots. Unfortunately his new home comes with a laundry list of problems: electrical, plumbing, heating… things David knows nothing about. When his mother offers him the business card of a local handyman, David pictures an overweight, balding man in his fifties. But Jackson Henry couldn’t be further from that stereotype.

Dark-haired, muscular, and handsome, Jackson left a large construction firm in Seattle to take care of his sick mother. However, his hometown still has an active “good old boy” network, and finding employment in construction is almost impossible for an openly gay man.
Determined to persevere, Jackson takes odd jobs as a handyman. He’s exactly what David needs—in more ways than one.

David isn’t ready for his attraction to Jackson, not considering the way his last relationship ended. But as the two men get to know each other, it becomes clear that the heart often knows best, and it rewards those willing to listen.

Buy Link:  https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/david-renewed-by-diana-copland-7541-b

About the Author:

Diana Copland began writing in the seventh grade, when she shamelessly combined elements of Jane Eyre and Dark Shadows to produce an overwrought Gothic tale that earned her an A- in creative writing, thanks entirely to the generosity of an indulgent teacher. She wrote for pure enjoyment for the next three decades before discovering LiveJournal and a wonderful group of supportive fanfiction writers who encouraged her to try her hand at original gay fiction. Born and raised in southern California, Diana moved to the Pacific Northwest after losing a beloved spouse to AIDS in 1995. She lives in eastern Washington with four horribly spoiled cats, near her two wonderful adult children who swear she doesn't embarrass them. She thinks they're so cute.

You can reach me at:

My email: diana.copland11@gmail.com
My Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/diana.copland.7
My Website, www.diana-copland11.com
My twitter, @dianacopland
My blog, http://diana-coplands-blog.blogspot.com/
My Pinterest, including my inspiration page for David, Renewed, https://www.pinterest.com/blamb10421/david-renewed-blue-collar-book-one/

Review: Secrets of Neverwood Anthology

Three men with vastly different lives are called home to Neverwood, the stately Pacific Northwest mansion of their youth. The one thing they share is a promise to Audrey, the woman they all called mother—that upon her death, they would restore the house and preserve it as a home for troubled boys. 

But going home is never easy.

Cal struggles to recover from past heartbreak, while Danny fears his mistakes are too big to overcome. Devon believes he may never break down the barriers that separate him from honest emotion. And a benevolent spirit lingers in Neverwood's halls, intent on guiding her foster sons away from the mistakes of their youth and toward true love.

 On the path to brotherhood, they discover the old mansion holds more than dusty furniture and secret passageways. An old mystery stirs up a new danger, one that could cost the men far more than just the house.

My feelings were all over the place with these stories,  irritated, bored, angry, sad, happy, amused, intrigued.  My rating would swing from two hearts to five and back again, with stops at three and four hearts along the way.  Overall, though,  I cared about the characters, and I liked the storyline that connected the individual books.

One Door Closes by GB Leighton       3 hearts
The mood of the story is nostalgic, with a hint of melancholy.  It felt almost hazy, or dreamlike. There were some beautiful instances of showing, not telling, but they were mixed with confusing sentences I had to read a few times to determine the meaning.  That, plus a few odd word choices, threw me off several times in the story.

Calvin was a difficult narrator to understand, and to connect with. He wasn't very likeable, with words like annoyed, resentful and bitter associated with him.  He came across as self absorbed and petulant with illogical reactions.   He complained about people not helping, but didn't tell them what was needed or ask for help. Even with all that,  I ached for him.  He had so many problems and he was clueless how to solve them.

Calvin's POV didn't give me a good feel for the other characters, so I didn't connect with them, either.  There were some hints about Will, Devon and Danny through some nice examples of showing, but it wasn't enough.

Parts of the story dragged and I was irritated with the lack of communication between the brothers.  With the time crunch, they should have had a plan of action right away.  Between the miscommunication and Calvin's secrets, there was too much unnecessary angst. And that doesn't even cover the lack of romance. Nothing happened for too long, and then things happened so fast, and with no communication, that I wondered if I'd missed something.

Finally, though, some communication, some explanations, and I started to warm up to Calvin.  He had so many issues, but, underneath it all, he had such a good heart.  And Will, with his own feelings of regret and shame; I wanted to hug him so much. Unfortunately, just as I was enjoying the story, it ended.  Luckily, there was another story to read.


The Growing Season by Diana Copland       3.5 hearts
I really liked Danny.  The more I learned about him, the more I wanted to hug him, too.  So many fears, and hopes.  So many emotions he struggled to contain.

Sam and I got off to a rocky start.  I thought he was kind of a jerk, and then he did a 180 that seemed out of character.  The more I learned about him, though, the more I realized it was very much in character.  He was dealing with his own problems, but he was such a sweetheart.  And very sexy; oh, yeah, he and Danny shared some steamy moments.  Those moments, plus the sweet, romantic ones, made the story for me.  Oh, and they communicated!  I loved that.

The storyline from the first book continued here, with more information about Audrey, the house, and the town.  It wasn't especially complex, but I liked it.  I really liked Audrey's presence in this story, and the way she helped Danny. There were a few odd word choices, sentences, and some proofreading errors, but not enough to bother me overly much.

Side notes: I liked Cal so much more in this story.  Settling down with Will did wonders for his personality.  And Will?  Another sweetheart for me to love.  Devon's personality also came through a bit more and I looked forward to his story.

In an earlier post about Neverwood, Diana mentioned writing a story about one of the youth mentioned in this book; I'll be watching for it.


The Lost Year by Libby Drew       3.5 hearts
Devon was awesome.  I loved the man he was and the work he did.  I also liked his kink- his reaction to it was cute and his brothers' response to it provided a laugh out loud moment.

Nicholas was driven, so determined to find his son, and his exhaustion was clear, but even in his pain, he showed a sweetness that drew me in.  He was a little clueless, but some of that was understandable.  I really liked them as a couple, and the sexy times...holy crap, the sexy times...*hums in appreciation*

Most of this book centered around Nicholas and his son, and not much time was spent on the Neverwood mystery.  Not until the end, at least, and then it wrapped up fairly quickly. The very end was great, and I would love another story following that up.

There were some editing issues but I was able to skip over them, anxious for more of the story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An enjoyable collection of stories with an interesting storyline and engaging characters. I'd like to read more if the authors write stories about the other characters.

*Even though the three stories in this anthology are sold separately as stand alone books, I recommend reading all three for the complete story that weaves through the anthology.


Note: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Find more info on BookLikes and Goodreads

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Secrets of Neverwood Anthology

Today we shine a spotlight on the new anthology, Secrets of Neverwood.  Read on to learn more about the story and its authors, and enter to win a giveaway!

Three men with vastly different lives are called home to Neverwood, the stately Pacific Northwest mansion of their youth. The one thing they share is a promise to Audrey, the woman they all called mother—that upon her death, they would restore the house and preserve it as a home for troubled boys.

But going home is never easy.

Cal struggles to recover from past heartbreak, while Danny fears his mistakes are too big to overcome. Devon believes he may never break down the barriers that separate him from honest emotion. And a benevolent spirit lingers in Neverwood's halls, intent on guiding her foster sons away from the mistakes of their youth and toward true love.

On the path to brotherhood, they discover the old mansion holds more than dusty furniture and secret passageways. An old mystery stirs up a new danger, one that could cost the men far more than just the house.

Publisher: Carina Press

The anthology and the separate stories will be available at Amazon on June 30:

Secrets of Neverwood: One Door Closes\The GrowingSeason\The Lost Year 

The Lost Year 

The GrowingSeason

One Door Closes

About the authors:
G. B. Lindsey was born and raised in California, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Literature and Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz. Her first love has always been writing: as a child, she cultivated such diverse goals as becoming "a cowgirl and a writer" or "a paleontologist and a writer."

Aside from her salacious and ongoing affair with the horror genre, she loves to write sci-fi, romance, historical fiction, and short stories. Other hobbies include playing the piano, reading voraciously, the occasional period drama movie night, and devouring scary film after scary film. She recently moved back home from Newcastle upon Tyne, where she earned her Master of Arts in Creative Writing, and now lives in Sacramento.

Diana Copland began writing in the seventh grade, when she shamelessly combined elements of Jane Eyre and Dark Shadows to produce an overwrought Gothic tale that earned her an A- in creative writing, thanks entirely to the generosity of her teacher. She wrote for pure enjoyment for the next three decades before discovering LiveJournal and a wonderful group of supportive fanfiction writers, who after gifting her with a "Best New Author" Award encouraged her to try her hand at original gay fiction.

Born and raised in southern California, Diana moved to the Pacific Northwest after losing a beloved spouse to AIDS in 1995. She lives in eastern Washington with four obnoxious cats and her ninety year old Dad, near her two wonderful adult children.


Libby Drew glimpsed her true calling when her first story, an A.A. Milne /Shakespeare crossover, won the grand prize in her elementary school's fiction contest. Her parents explained that writers were quirky, poor, and often talked to themselves in supermarket checkout lines. They implored her to be practical, a request she took to heart for twenty years, earning two degrees, a white-collar job, and an ulcer, before realizing that practical was absolutely no fun.

Today she lives with her husband and four children in an old, impractical house and writes stories about redemption, the supernatural, and love at first sight, all of which do exist. She happens to know from experience.

Libby's STATE OF MIND received rave reviews for being fast, clever, and relentless and was nominated for a Bookie Award for Best M/M Novel of 2011. 40 SOULS TO KEEP, Libby's third novel, has been described as intense and heart-poundingly good and was praised by Publishers Weekly for maintaining a high level of suspense.

An avid supporter of gay rights, Libby donates her time to the Trevor Project and organizations that work to support marriage equality.

 ******************************************

We asked one of the authors, Diana Copeland, about her writing experience with the anthology.

Thank you, Diana, for joining us today!

What made you decide to participate in this particular series?

I was lucky in that I’ve known both G.B. Lindsey and Libby Drew for years.  We were all part of an amateur writing group on LiveJournal, and I’d admired their work for a long time.  When our agent suggested the three of us write an anthology, I was sold from the word go.  And I really liked the idea of melding out three styles.  They’re very different.

How much collaboration was there to make sure the main storyline synched between the three stories?

Oh, we talked almost daily for months!  There is no way to do something like this without open lines of communication. 

Did the main storyline evolve as you all started writing?  If so, what changed from the initial storyline?

Yes, it evolved quite a bit. We each had our romantic plot lines, but finding the overall mystery plotline took a bit more doing.  And I can’t really say too much more without giving away more than I want to!

Do your characters ever take over your writing and make the story go somewhere you didn't originally have in mind?

All the time.  And Danny, in particular, didn’t want to toe the line.  He’s…complicated.  So writing his story was equally complicated.  And he kept doing and saying things that made it even MORE complicated.  Sometimes I felt like I was just the conduit, and he was doing all the talking!

Will you write more about these characters?

Yes.  In fact, I have a story featuring one of the young people who is mentioned in The Growing Season all outlined.  

Good luck with that new story, Diana, and thank you for stopping by!

There is a giveaway that will be available throughout all blog tour stops. The prize is an E-Book copy of Secrets of Neverwood. Enter with the Rafflecopter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and thank you for stopping by!

A special thanks to Will at Pride Promotions for providing the Rafflecopter and graphics used during this tour.