erastes

Some great news!

I've been keeping quiet about this project because.. I dunno... superstition or something. But I'm thrilled to hear today that my Regency novella "Hard & Fast" has been accepted by Linden Bay Press to be part of a trilogy this year. Or rather a book with 3 novellae in, whatever that's called.

The other two contributors are a newly published writer (Charlie Cochrane) who has penned a lovely story about post-world war One university gentlemen, and the marvellous Lee Rowan,(Ransom, Winds of Change, Walking Wounded) who has written a great Victorian mystery/romance called "Gentleman's Gentleman"

This will be my first foray with Linden Bay and I've heard nothing but good about them. They publish in multi-formats too, which is great for everyone, and which means that the book will be eligible for an EPPIE award. (ha ha) In fact, they have so many gay historical titles on their books (compared with other publishers) that they are probably the leading publisher in that genre as we speak.

I admit that I thought my story might be the Jonah as it's written in an homage to the Regency style, but they loved it anyway, despite my protagonist using 50 word sentences.

Anyway, here's the gist:

Major Geoffrey Chaloner has returned, relatively unscathed, from the Peninsula war and England is at peace for the first time in years. A Major's half pay is not enough for him to set up his own establishment, so he is forced to live with his irascible father who has very clear views on just about everything-including whom Geoffrey will marry. The trouble is Geoffrey isn't particularly keen on the idea, and even less so when he meets Adam Heyward, the enimatic cousin of the lady his father has picked out for him...

And the first section of the first chapter can be read on my newsgroup - (ETA: and on my website) so go and look!