To borrow from Harry Caray, "Holy cow!" I wrote the following column a month or two ago about the link between romantic fiction and sports. Today, it was published on The Cauldron, a blog run by Sports Illustrated. I am (almost) without words.
Books
It's All About the M&M's
No, not M/M’s. We’re talking candies, not genre fiction, even if I am at #RT16 right now. Now, it was the delectable little morsels, and a conventioneer’s reaction to them that put a smile on my face this afternoon.
You see, I had made a giveaway basket for Sotto Voce, since it will be several months before Luchador—which was announced just yesterday—will be released. There’s some Syrah I had bottled, of course, and a second bottle filled with dark chocolate M&Ms and sealed with my brand corks—the same logo you see on the cover of Sotto Voce, a Claddagh made of inverted treble clefs.
I was strolling along this line of basket after basket, and a stranger, a reader according to her conference name tag, puled alongside me and said how much she liked one basket with bottles. “Booze?” I asked. “Yes, but I don’t drink. But someone bottled some M&M’s!”
She struggled to remember the author’s name. I told her not to worry. I had a pretty good idea who it was.
Sotto Voce is currently available in the Goody Room at #RT16.
Coming in November: "Luchador"
in Luchador
A busy, busy, busy week at RT16, so I’m just catching up, including on a big announcement — the remainder of the IP 2016 calendar, which includes my next book, “Luchador”.
More details to come, but it’s one I’ve been tinkering with for a few years, and I’m excited to set it free: a story of identity, and a man’s coming of age as a gay exótico wrestler in Mexico City’s professional lucha libre leagues. It’s a fascinating world where sport, storytelling, performance art, and business collide. I can’t wait to share it.
“... the immediate chemistry and tension between these two characters is powerful. They are adults, each a little lost in their own way, and the author believably has them drawn to each other - kicking and screaming at first. I stayed up late to read and read until the tension breaks. And then I stayed up late to watch these adults grow up and figure out how to make it work. ”
Review: "Their Chemistry is Intoxicating"
in Sotto Voce
My thanks to blogger Gleekto for the amazing review of Sotto Voce today. This means more to me than I can say.
Sotto Voce Giveaways: Books, More Books and Wine Tasting!
in Sotto Voce, Interlude
Between now and its release date on October 21, Interlude Press is hosting two giveaways of Sotto Voce! (And because I have ZERO HTML SKILLS, I'll post pictures and links...)
On Goodreads, US readers can enter for one of five print editions being raffled off.
And on Rafflecopter, anyone can enter to win a free, multi-format eBook edition of Sotto Voce, ready to load on your computer, Kindle, Nook, iPad, phone or other mobile device!
And don't forget, I'm sponsoring my own giveaway! If you pre-order Sotto Voce from the IP Store, Amazon, or any other book retailer (here's one in Australia!), you can win a tour of the wineries, restaurants and locations of Sonoma and Napa that inspired Sotto Voce. You have to be 21 to enter and you will have to get yourself to California (sorry, airfare not included), but one you're here, you'll join me on a day of chauffeured wine tasting and site seeing in Sonoma and Napa.
The Characters of Sotto Voce
When I sat down to think about Sotto Voce as a novel instead of a work of fan fiction, I had to ask myself some tough questions about what worked and what didn't in this little story about love and wine. Things were destined to be cut. Other details needed to be added. Others simply needed a rewrite, stat.
Sotto Voce was never a story that followed canon, so it made decisions about the plot easy. I was satisfied with the story, and its structure. If you know the story from its fan origins, then you pretty much know the story of the novel.
What needed work? The characters.
From the day I finished writing the original draft of Sotto Voce, I knew I wanted to do better by the characters by giving them more detail and reason for their actions, and by removing some cringe-worthy cliches. There were a couple of secondary characters, in particular, that I wanted a second crack at. And for the lovers, Tom and Greg, it was a chance to write more detail about who and why they are who they are, from the little physical characteristics like freckles and chest hair to memories of sweaty summer childhood afternoons watching minor league baseball.
Every little detail should say something new about them, and it was a joy to go back and fill in the blanks.
So in the weeks leading up to (and past) Sotto Voce's launch, I'll be posting a series of little character sketches to help you get acquainted with the Tom, Greg, Carmen, Brooke, Diego, Tate and their respective worlds.
How about we drink some wine?
in Sotto Voce, Winemaking
From the day I first posted Sotto Voce online, I've been blown away by the support of its readers. And now that it's about to be published, I thought I'd offer up a special giveaway for those of you who have ordered up a copy (thank you!!).
I get a lot of questions about the locations in Sotto Voce—which are real, which are fictional, questions about good wineries to visit and restaurants to sample in Napa and Sonoma. I thought, How about I show you in person?
So, do you want to tour the sites that inspired Sotto Voce? Have drinks at the girl and the fig? Lunch at Mustards Grill? Wine tasting at Chateau Montelena? Or sample the vintages of some small, artisanal winemakers in Sonoma? I KNOW I DO.
I'll be hosting a giveaway for a tour of some of the locations (and wines) that inspired Sotto Voce.
I'll provide transportation for you from SFO, OAK or SMF airports (or nearby hotel) to wine country, where a driver will take us on a tour of the locations featured in or that inspired Sotto Voce. Along the way, we will nosh on some fantastic local food and, as luck would have it, sample some of California's finest.
So, my dear winos, what do you need to do to qualify? Here comes the fine print...
- Yup, you have to be at least 21 years of age to qualify for the grand prize. Liquor laws.
- You will need to show that you have pre-ordered a copy of Sotto Voce at the IP store, Amazon, or other book retailers.
- Transportation to California not included (Sorry, I wish I could...)
Awesome, Girlie! I'm of legal drinking age! I bought the book! I can get myself to Northern Cal. NOW WHAT?
Head your awesome self over to my author tumblr, erinfinnegan, to submit a copy of your receipt. It can be a photo, pdf or the e-copy sent by your book seller. While you're at it, please include the following info:
- tumblr URL (if applicable)
- Name
- DOB (Yes, I will have to verify this if you win the grand prize. I'm a former bartender. With great power comes great responsibility, or something like that.)
I will also have a few wine-inspired prizes to give away as part of the contest.
Winners will be selected by web-based random name selector.
The contest ends on the final day of my virtual book tour: October 31st.
There you have it! Want to drink some wine with me in beautiful Sonoma and Napa? Buy the book, submit your proof of purchase and keep those fingers crossed.
Good luck, and cheers!
It's Giveaway Time!
in Sotto Voce, Interlude
Interlude Press is hosting giveaways of print and eBook copies of Sotto Voce on Goodreads and Rafflecopter, and I'll be announcing a few giveaways of my own shortly. Hint: You need to be 21+ and be able to find your way to California. In vino veritas...
Want a book ... and a Book?
That’s right, two books in one. To say thanks for your support, I’m throwing in a signed copy of one of the print editions of my upcoming book, along with the multi-format, DRM-free eBook we’re raffling off as part of the Interlude Press 24-hour Launch Party.
Entering the raffling is as easy as following me on Twitter, Tumblr, Goodreads or Facebook, all through one convenient link.
I’ll be announcing the winner during the Noon ET/9amPT panel on 2014 Fall titles on Interlude’s Google+ channel. I hope to see you there!
Want to win my book?
It hasn’t been announced yet … but it will be, soon… and you have a chance to win an eBook copy during the Interlude Press 24-Hour Launch Party. You can enter the raffle here.
Join me and the other Fall 2014 Ip authors in our Google+ Hangout On Air next Tuesday, July 22 at Noon ET/9am PT. We’ll announce the books winners (and maybe have a few more freebies to give away) during the live broadcast!
Welcome to my new home
If you’re reading this, you’ve stumbled across my professional blog.
Maybe I should put that in quotation marks.
Nope. I’m going to own this thing. So “Professional Writerly Place” this is, and welcome!
My first novel will soon be published by Interlude Press, a new publisher of LGBTQ fiction dedicated to publishing original works by authors of fan fiction.
And though it will be a while yet before the book is announced, I will be using this blog to talk about it, and things that inspired it, and whatever other professional writerly things are worth sharing. As it gets closer to launch time, that will likely include Q and A’s and the distinct possibility of giveaways, so stay tuned.
Cheers!