Dreamspinner Press discussion

Shae Connor will be joining us today from 1-6 EST to chat about her new book, Sand & Water, share excerpts, answer questions, and otherwise keep everyone entertained!

And here I am, just like magic! :)

Thanks to Dreamspinner for inviting me to chat, and especially to Ariel for getting things set up. I'll have a few excerpts, from Sand & Water and possibly other things, and some links to share. The floor is open for questions!

Hey ho! So what is Sand and Water about????

Hey there Cooper! :)

Sand & Water is about a developing romance between John and Bryan. John (who's bisexual) is a widower raising a 5-year-old daughter; he meets Bryan at the park, where Bryan has brought his 5-year-old nephew. Friendship soon sparks attraction, but the two have to navigate their lingering grief, and some guilt, over the tragedies from their past relationships.

The story takes place mostly on Tybee Island, off the coast of Georgia, with some time in Atlanta. Guess that means it would make a great beach read! :)

Oh, I really like contemporaries. I'm interested in John being a bisexual -- a far too overlooked demographic in M/M romance!

An excerpt from the first chapter of Sand & Water. John and Bryan's first meeting, and some cute kids being cute. :)

~~~~

As soon as the playground came into sight, Beth tugged at his hand. “Come on, Daddy,” she urged. “I wanna see if Jeremy’s here!”

John laughed a little as Beth tugged him along. Once they were inside the park boundaries, John pulled them to a stop and squatted down to Beth’s level.

“Remember, stay in the playground unless you’re coming to where I am,” he said, holding her gaze, knowing he was looking into eyes exactly like his own. “No going anywhere with anyone else, not even another kid, okay?”

John wondered if Meghan had taught Beth to roll her eyes too. “I know, Daddy,” she said. “See ya!”

She ran for the swing sets, and John watched her for a minute or two, hands on his hips. He shook his head, smiling again, and crossed to one of the benches near the playground, where he sat and stretched his legs out in front of him, left arm across the back of the bench, face tilted up into the sun.

He didn’t know how long he’d been there, but it couldn’t have been long, because he’d only checked on Beth twice when a low laugh drew his attention. He looked up into a handsome face creased by a wide smile, white teeth shining in the sun.

“This seat taken?” the other man said, and John blinked in surprise for a moment before nodding toward the empty expanse of bench.

“Help yourself,” he said, lifting his arm off the back and waving it toward the seat. He watched as the man settled in at the far end, taking up a similar position to John’s but with his arms crossed over his chest. He had dark hair, cut shorter than John’s but straight instead of wavy, and he exuded a charm that made John like him without hesitation.

“Which one’s yours?” the man asked.

John looked over toward the playground and sought out Beth, who by then had moved to scrambling up the climbing set, a grinning boy about her age with her. Her honey-brown hair, pulled up into two ponytails, shone in the bright sunlight. “That’s her on the climbing set,” he said.

“Oh, with Jeremy?” The man grinned. “That must be Beth, then. Jeremy was crazy excited that he might get to see her again.”

John chuckled. “Ah, young love.” He turned in his seat enough to hold out a hand. “John McConnell,” he said.

The other man glanced at him for a second before reaching out to shake. “Bryan Simmons.”

Bryan quirked an eyebrow over deep brown eyes, and John smiled as they sat back. He returned his attention to the kids. “Looks like my daughter and your son really hit it off.”

Bryan laughed, drawing John’s attention back to him. “Oh, not my son. Nephew.” He grinned. “My sister and her husband own the Sea Breeze.” He named a bed-and-breakfast that was housed in an older house much like the one John lived in. “I’m helping them renovate the place, and I keep an eye on the munchkin for them sometimes.”

John nodded. “I’m glad someone’s doing that,” he said. “I mean, I know the place wasn’t exactly ramshackle before, but it was starting to look a little rough around the edges.”

“Yeah,” Bryan agreed. “Our cousins owned it. Our mom’s cousins, actually. But they were ready to retire, and Davis—that’s my brother-in-law—got a pretty hefty inheritance from his grandmother. So he and Karen bought the place, and they’re fixing it up.”

John nodded again, watching as Beth and Jeremy laughed and chased each other around the climbing set. Jeremy’s short, curly hair was a riotous mess, reminding John of what his own hair did when he let it grow out. “Been on the island long?”

“Six months.” Something in Bryan’s voice made John look over at him, but he couldn’t quite read the look in Bryan’s eyes. “I was in Atlanta before that, but I had to…. I left. Needed to get away for a while.”

Something in John’s chest twisted. He recognized the tone of Bryan’s voice now. He’d heard it from himself often in the past five years. “Bad memories?”

Bryan hesitated, but John had the feeling he needed to get something out. Finally Bryan gave a short nod. “Bad breakup,” he said. “I mean, not like yelling and throwing things bad. More like having to break up for reasons neither of you can control. Having to choose between him and me.”

It took a second for John to register the “him.” He blinked. “You’re gay?”

He winced immediately, knowing how the question sounded. Harsh. Accusatory. But he was only surprised, not put off. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Bryan’s face had already twisted into a scowl.

“Yeah, I’m gay,” Bryan challenged, glaring at John. “You got a problem with that?” He shook his head, starting to turn away. “Jesus, can’t even go to the fucking park without running into some homophobe—”

“Hey!” John interrupted him with an upheld hand, and Bryan’s face turned back toward him. “Not how I meant it, Mr. Jump-to-Conclusions. Not a homophobe, just surprised. I mean, not that many people are so casual about it in this neck of the woods. Trust me, I’m not bothered at all.” He hesitated before taking the plunge. “Hell, the last person I dated before I met my wife was a guy. Okay?”

Bryan studied him for a moment before blushing and dropping his head. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I do tend to jump to conclusions sometimes. And a lot of guys seem to think I’m going to, I don’t know, try to convert them or something.”

John nodded. “Apology accepted.” He shrugged as he relaxed against the bench. “I can understand it, really. A lot of people don’t react well, especially in the South. But I’m not one of them.” He shot Bryan a look out of the corner of his eye. “And even if I hadn’t dated guys, I know that just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you’re going to try to hit on every guy you meet.”

Before he could say anything else, Beth and Jeremy came running up toward them. “Daddy!” Beth exclaimed. She never seemed to do anything at a normal volume. “Jeremy said his mom is baking cookies and wants me to come have some!”

John frowned. “Bethy, honey, you know you’re not supposed to invite yourself over to somebody’s house.”

“I didn’t, Daddy!” Beth was insistent. “Jeremy invited me!”

John threw Bryan a sheepish look just as Jeremy intervened. “Can she come, Uncle Bryan? Pleasepleaseplease?” He bounced up and down, and John had to laugh. He’d thought it impossible for another child to have more energy than his own, but Jeremy might just prove him wrong.

“We’ll see, okay?” Bryan’s voice was soft but firm. “We can’t go back right now. I told your mom we’d give her an hour. But we’ll see after that, okay?”

Jeremy nodded so hard John thought his head would bobble right off. “Okay!” He turned back to Beth. “Race you!”

Cooper wrote: "Oh, I really like contemporaries. I'm interested in John being a bisexual -- a far too overlooked demographic in M/M romance!"

So far, I'm writing all contemporaries (and reading almost all contemporaries too). And I agree on bisexuality. I see a lot of "gay for you" plots (which I love, don't get me wrong) but not many bisexual characters. I just let the characters tell me what they like. :)

Hi from Texas Shae - I'd like to know when you realized you wanted to write and what was the first thing that you wrote and shared with others. I think your fantastic by the way and I'm very happy for your success!

Oh, I really like the story so far! You have a good ear for dialogue.

I'm with you; I can enjoy the "gay for you" stories, but generally (especially with contemporaries) I prefer a bit more realism and self-awareness to the characters. I really like how comfortable John is with himself and his past. Great character building!

Hi Barbara! Gosh, I can't remember not wanting to write. I wasn't that focused on it to start with, but I always enjoyed creating stories of different types. I wrote my first short story in high school, but I never did anything with it, or with the handful of others I wrote after that. A few friends read things, but that was all.

It wasn't until I discovered fanfic online about 15 years ago that I started writing regularly and sharing my stories. I know some people look down their noses at fanfiction, but my point of view is that it's a great training ground and an excellent source of support and help for aspiring writers. Even so, I hadn't put all that much thought into writing original fiction, since I like having writing as a hobby, until a fanfic friend was published and I thought I'd give it a shot.

Writing is still a hobby for me, and since I like having regular income too much to give that up, it'll likely will stay that way. The only difference is that now I make a little money off of it! :)

What draws you to contemporary stories, as both a reader and a writer? What kind of story is your favorite 'comfort' story and does that differ from what you prefer on a day to day read?

Hi Sarah! I think I'm drawn to contemporaries for the same reason that I read mostly nonfiction when it comes to mainstream books. I like reading about our world and the people in it more than I do other universes. Not that I haven't and don't read in other genres too, but I'm most interested in the people around me, and characters who are like them. At this point, one reason I'm concentrating on reading mainly contemporaries is that there are just SO MANY stories out there! I've got years to catch up on! :)

My favorite comfort stories are just my favorite stories, no matter what the type. For general reading, I'll read almost anything (contemporary) if it looks interesting, but I have a folder marked "favorites," and that's where I go when I want comfort reading. The stories there are all contemporaries, mostly standalones (or if series, ones that work on their own), and nearly all focus on characters starting relationships and learning how to make them work. I love reading about first meeting, first attraction, first touch, first kiss... and yeah, first-time sex too!

Cooper wrote: "Oh, I really like the story so far! You have a good ear for dialogue."

Thank you! Dialogue is usually the part that comes easiest for me. I tend to get bogged down in what I call "connective tissue," the parts that lead from one Important Moment to the next Important Moment. I spend a lot of writing and revising time getting the connective tissue parts to come out right!

Meant to mention this with the earlier excerpt: You can read the entire first chapter of Sand & Water on the purchase page at the Dreamspinner website. Just scroll down about halfway and click on "expand"!

A few of my favorites...

Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton
Accompanied by a Waltz by Andrew Grey
Once in a Lifetime by Ariel Tachna
Another Enchanted April by Eric Arvin
Special Delivery by Heidi Cullinan
Touch Me Gently by J.R. Loveless
Shying Away by Kate Sherwood
True North by Bethany Brown & Ashlyn Kane
Unexpected Guest by Andy Eisenberg

My favorites folder has about 50 stories and counting, though, so that's only a drop in the bucket. :)

Like a lot of other authors, I listen to music sometimes to get into the mood to write. The title of Sand & Water (and part of John's backstory) came from the Beth Nielsen Chapman song, and most of the other things I listened to had the same wistful, melancholy feel. This story isn't full-bore and fast-paced, and the soundtrack I put together while I was writing reflects that. I've uploaded the songs to 8tracks.com, if you'd like to listen. Because of licensing restrictions, the song might not play in the order intended, so here's the full playlist:

Sand and Water—Beth Nielsen Chapman
Lullabye—Mike Grutka
Carries On—Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
I Don’t Know—Lisa Hannigan
Waves—Holly Miranda
The Sky Is Broken—Moby
In the Deep—Bird York
The Rescue—Sam Harris
Flood—Welcome to the Numb
Safe and Sound—Sheryl Crow
Come On Come On—Mary Chapin Carpenter
Nightswimming—R.E.M.
Jeax d’eau—Francois-Joel Thiollier
The Shining—Badly Drawn Boy
Come On Get Higher—Matt Nathanson

Very interesting comments on the challenge the 'connective tissue', as you put it, can provide. Thus far I've only done fic writing. Though I want to try my hand at an original story, it's the narrative outside the dialogue that I struggle with. Since this is something you've triumphed over, do you have any tips or tricks that help you with that 'tissue', so to speak?

What do you find attractive in a hero? Do you find that you have recurring themes in the stories that you write, and if so, how would you describe them?

You ask great questions!

I like heroes who are real people with good hearts. They can screw up and be screwed up a thousand different ways, but I want there to be a core of good under it all. Flat-out bad guys just don't do it for me at all, and some attempts at "antiheroes" miss the mark and end up in the bad guy category instead.

On the other hand, saints are boring. People make mistakes, do stupid things, have bad attitudes, deal with terrible situations. No one can be cheerful and happy and perky all the time, and if a character seems to be, I start looking for the internal machinery. LOL

Themes in my stories... well, the "first time" thing that I already mentioned, which I love. I have a lot of characters who like to cook, and eat, which is totally stolen from me! I also love to travel, which I think comes through in the locations I use. Nearly everything I write uses places that are very familiar to me, either directly or indirectly, whether it's a big city or a local business. If it's in the story, it likely exists somewhere! :)

Cole wrote: "Very interesting comments on the challenge the 'connective tissue', as you put it, can provide. Thus far I've only done fic writing. Though I want to try my hand at an original story, it's the narrative outside the dialogue that I struggle with. Since this is something you've triumphed over, do you have any tips or tricks that help you with that 'tissue', so to speak? "

Hi Cole, thanks for stopping by! It took me a while and quite a bit of trial and error to figure out how to overcome the narrative issues. I worked first on using better description, focusing on the settings and actions around the characters, and then on solidifying the plots.

What helped the most, though, was character development. That, of course, is the biggest difference between fanfiction and original fiction: you're working with brand-new characters that you have to build from the ground up. You can work some on that by inserting original characters into your fanfic, but it's very different when you're out here totally on your own!

For Sand & Water, before I started on the story, I wrote a full character "bible" for all of the main characters: age, appearance, background, job, education, likes/dislikes, and so on. I added characters and details (or changed details) as the story developed, but for the most part, the characters in the bible were the same ones who appeared in the story. I got to know then well enough before I started writing the story that I didn't have to think about how they'd react. It just came automatically.

I also don't worry about writing the story in order. I do, for the most part, write from start to finish, but if I hit a scene that I'm not sure yet how to write, or if I need to know more about what happens after that, I'll just put in a paragraph or two of "and then this happens" and move on. There's a scene near the end of the book with John and Meghan talking, and I knew what they were going to say, but I couldn't get the scene started. So I just wrote that they were in the living room and started talking and then I wrote the second half of the scene first. Once that was done, it was easier to go back and write the first half. :)

Hope that helps!

Sarah wrote: "Ah, that's what lends authenticity to a story--I like that! What is the most exotic place you've been to on your travels--and have you used it in a story yet? :-) "

LOL, well, I haven't exactly been anywhere all that exotic. I've only been to Canada and Mexico outside the US, and I still have a pretty long list of places here I want to visit! One of my favorite trips was when we went to Denver a few years ago and drove through Rocky Mountain National Park, up over the Continental Divide and down the other side. I have notes for a story that would cover that ground, and the Christmas story I'm finishing up is set in Denver, though there isn't much local detail in that one. :)

I'm also a big fan of New York--Manhattan, specifically--and I've set two stories there so far. I'm sure I'll revisit it again!

A second snippet from Sand & Water for those who've hung around this long! Not their first kiss, but shortly thereafter. :)

~~~~

Bryan leaned into the touch, just enough that John could feel it. He took the invitation and moved in closer, touching his lips to Bryan’s again. After a moment, he felt Bryan smile against his mouth and drew back, lips curving up in an automatic response. “What?”

Bryan smiled wider. “I was just thinking about what you said a little while ago,” he said, “about how I made a pretty big assumption about you the day we met.” He tilted his head and lifted an eyebrow. “I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to be wrong in my life.”

John laughed and wrapped his arms around Bryan, pulling him in close and kissing him again. He slid both hands into Bryan’s hair so he could tilt his head into the kiss. He felt Bryan spread his hands across John’s back, and as their tongues met between their open mouths, Bryan let out a soft moan deep in his chest that set John’s entire body on fire.

He forced himself to back away and look into Bryan’s wide, dark eyes. “I’ve always been an upfront kind of guy.” He could hear the arousal in his own voice. “So I’m going to be perfectly clear here. I like you. A lot. I want to follow this wherever it goes. But I don’t want to rush you. Hell, I don’t want to rush me, either.”

Bryan grinned, and before John knew what was happening, he was on his back on the sand, Bryan lying half across his chest with his hands holding John’s head, kissing him like his life depended on it. It was John’s turn to moan, from surprise as much as from the taste of Bryan’s mouth and the feel of his body. When Bryan broke the kiss, John stared up at him, stunned.

“I agree,” Bryan said, his rapid breathing and flushed cheeks the only obvious sign that the kiss had even happened. “Slow and steady. We both have things to work out. But I gotta say, I really, really like kissing. So can we do a lot of that, at least?”

John laughed and lifted his hand to grasp the back of Bryan’s neck. “All signs point to yes,” he replied, and then they didn’t talk again for a while.

I've been working on revisions for a new submission this afternoon (a novella), and the Q&A here has me paying more attention to things like the connective tissue. I should carry you guys around in my pocket to remind me while I'm working! :)

*waves at Shae* Hey, baby! I know why *I* like to write about kids-- have four, they spill over. What inspired you to write about kids in Sand & Water?

Hi Amy! *waves back*

I love kids. I think it's fascinating to watch how they learn to navigate the world. They have such enthusiasm and wonder about everything! Not to mention their energy; boy, do I wish I could bottle that... ;)

I've never had a huge maternal urge, and it's highly doubtful that I'll ever have kids of my own. But I love spending time with other people's kids, and I love to read about them. It does bug me sometimes when the writer doesn't seem to grasp age-appropriate behavior and language, but most do a great job. I tried to pay very close attention to that with Beth and Jeremy and hit that 5-year-old mark. :)

And, of course, it's pretty much impossible for me not to swoon at the image (visual or mental) of a big, strong guy tenderly carrying a small child. *happy sigh*

Oh! And also, one of my other top favorites is Christmas with Danny Fit, which I've read probably a dozen times. But of course, I'm a total hypocrite and don't leave nearly enough reviews/ratings (or send enough feedback!). Ain't that always the way...

Shae wrote: "Hi Amy! *waves back*

I love kids. I think it's fascinating to watch how they learn to navigate the world. They have such enthusiasm and wonder about everything! Not to mention their energy; boy,..."

Yeah-- my dad raised me after he and my mom split-to me, it simply seems logical that men can raise children as well as women:-) (And a pair of ANYONE is always better at it than one:-)

Shae wrote: "Oh! And also, one of my other top favorites is Christmas with Danny Fit, which I've read probably a dozen times. But of course, I'm a total hypocrite and don't leave nearly enough re..."

*g* Thanks, hon! That's lovely of you to say! (And I don't review nearly enough myself:-)

Last weekend, I wrote a blog post about my experiences on Tybee Island and some of the local feel I tried to incorporate into Sand & Water. Writing the book has made me long for another visit! Jekyll and St. Simons Islands are also favorites, further south on the Georgia coast.

I was thrilled that the artist for my GORGEOUS cover art, Reese Dante, was able to incorporate two pictures I took at Tybee, one of ocean and beach and one of the pier. The pier shot is included in the blog post above.

I don't have any other beachy stories in the works right now, but I'm sure I will eventually. Maybe something about real surfers...

Shae wrote: I do, for the most part, write from start to finish, but if I hit a scene that I'm not sure yet how to write, or if I need to know more about what happens after that, I'll just put in a paragraph or two of "and then this happens" and move on.

Ahh thanks, that is a GREAT tip. I can see how just moving on to write what is coming more easily would help me go back later and fill in the blanks.

Sarah wrote: Sometimes I have to abandon linear storytelling when writing a first draft because if I'm not careful, I get bogged down in getting my characters from point A to B. They get stuck in the bathroom, or making breakfast, or pottering around the house when I need them to just get out the door and go to the next scene!

When that happens, I will write scenes out of sequence but as I see them in my head--when they are their most powerful and vivid. I worry about the connective tissue later and hope it doesn't show too badly. :-)

Also good advice. I haven' abandoned anyone in the bathroom yet, but there've been some close calls. ;)

All right kiddies, it's time for me to sign off. Sister and I are headed to IKEA, wheeee! :)

I'm pretty much always around for questions, silliness, goofing off, or whatever you like. My website is shaeconnorwrites.com, my email is [email protected], my Twitter is @shaeconnor, and my Facebook is here. Information and buy links for Sand & Water and my other stories can be found on the Bibliography page on my website.

Thanks to everyone who participated today! I hope you'll enjoy reading Sand & Water, and I'll see you all around again soon. :)

this sounds really interesting. I love that he'll have a young daughter to consider in this relationship

Shae wrote: "An excerpt from the first chapter of Sand & Water. John and Bryan's first meeting, and some cute kids being cute. :)

~~~~

As soon as the playground came into sight, Beth tugged at his hand. “..."

Jana wrote: "this sounds really interesting. I love that he'll have a young daughter to consider in this relationship"

Hi Jana! I'm glad to see your comment. I know some readers don't like stories that involve children, so I knew I'd take a bit of a hit on that front. But like you, I enjoy reading stories where children are a consideration. Kids are cute, and as I said in a previous comment, guys with kids are even cuter! ;)

Hope you enjoy reading!