Nic has a couple of novellas out - It's Not Easy and Waiting, Hoping, Wishing - which I loved, so I'm very happy to host Nic on my blog today.
Thanks for joining me Nic, to talk about your new novella A Day at a Time which will be released on the 29th of October.
Blurb: Sean Vargos is quiet, well respected, and dedicated to his job. But Dave Simpson sees Sean as more than a coworker. He's fought his attraction to Sean for months but can't get him out of his thoughts.
They tentatively embark on a relationship, but Sean isn’t all that he seems. He struggles to put his past behind him and overcome his fears.
Dave, with his good looks and open nature, accepts that sometimes Sean’s doubts get the better of him and he runs. Dave just wants the chance to show Sean he can be trusted and the past doesn't have to dictate their future.
Hi Renae! Thank you so much for having me visit. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Tell me about your new novella.
A Day At A Time is a contemporary romance. Dave and Sean, work together in the marketing department of a large company. Dave has a crush on his colleague and the story starts when he decides to act on his feelings. It’s a story about taking things slowly, overcoming past hurt and learning to trust.
How would you describe this romance? Dark and angsty? Sweet and romantic? Hot and erotic?
I write on the sweeter side. I love an emotional story and definitely have a soft spot for romance. Sean has a lot of baggage. He needs to come to terms with aspects of his past which prevent him from trusting other people. So there is a bit of angst but there’s also a dash of romance and some sweet loving.
I‘ve had a few good laughs over the titles I’ve chosen for my books – they could well reflect my writing/publication journey! My next release is called More Than A Superstar so I’m hoping that’s prophetic. *grin*
Overcoming life’s challenges, good rising over evil, finding true love, happy endings – it’s the stuff of fairy tales but also real life, and where my stories seem to head. I haven’t made a conscious decision to place my characters in these situations but I am comfortable there. I enjoy taking my characters on a journey— experiencing their pain and their happiness, watching them grow and rise above all obstacles, and eventually bringing them together. I love big happy endings, public declarations of love…I’m very much a romantic.
Give us a brief description of each of your characters – Sean and Dave.
Sean is very focused at work. He’s a high achiever, a good leader and a loyal friend. However Sean is shy and reserved when it comes to relationships and he struggles to trust after experiencing heartache. He’s a good looking guy but he lacks confidence and has let his past tragedy alter his enjoyment of life.
Dave’s career has been his focus but he’s now looking for love. He’s naturally outgoing but prepared to take things slowly with Sean. Dave has movie-star looks and is confident but doesn’t give his own appearance a second thought. It’s what’s inside that’s more important to Dave.
Check out the cover if you want a glimpse of these gorgeous boys look like. Don’t you just love a man in a suit? *grin*
I started to write this story in response to a submission call for stories with a hurt/comfort theme, although it’s being published as a stand-alone novella. I have many ideas for stories just waiting to be told, and Sean and Dave seemed to fit the theme perfectly.
This is your second novella. Do you have another one coming? What is that one about?
More Than A Superstar is long novella length story soon to be published by Dreamspinner Press.
In this story, Sam has lost his parents and spent the last few years establishing a catering business with his aunt. He wants to give back to the aunt who supported him, and dreams of having a family of his own. When his aunt is hospitalised for an extended period, he struggles under his responsibilities. Sam meets Rob and it is Rob who provides him with support.
Rob has secrets. His life in the public eye has taken its toll and he now lives with the repercussions. But when he falls for Sam, he thinks things are finally going his way. But just as Sam and Rob find their happiness, another secret threatens to tear them apart.
So keep an eye out for the book which is expected to be published 17th December 2014.
Is a novella length story your choice of word count? Do you think you will write more novellas in the future?
I don’t set a word count at the start of the process, novella length is just how the stories have evolved. It’s not until I’m part the way in, with a clear idea of the story outline, that I get a true sense of how long the story will be. The stories come to their own natural conclusion.
That being said, A Day At A Time was limited somewhat by submission criteria. It was written for a submission call with an 18k word limit. But I don’t think additional words were required to tell Dave and Sean’s story, and I planned the story to make sure I would be able to do it justice at that length.
So in answer to your question, yes, I do think I will write more novellas in the future. However, my current WIP, has reached over 60k words. So if all goes well, expect a full length novel sometime next year!
Thanks, Renae!
My absolute pleasure, Nic.
Dreamspinner
Amazon
You can contact Nic Starr on any of the following:
Website: www.nicstarr.com
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