Saturday, January 23, 2016

Back to the Book Talk

Tonight I will move to the more recent end of the list and cover two titles from 2013 and 2014. These are both gay romances since the last m/f one I wrote came out early in 2012.

Wrenching was a story I enjoyed writing. The first hero to appear to me is a young man with a handicap who has been living a tough life. I greatly admire people who never give up and continue to work to improve their lot and life and to overcome a lot of obstacles. Mal is definitely one of those! Then, his hero, rancher Dan, has troubles of his own even though he seems to have the world in his hands, owning a big, successful ranch. The title not only refers to Mal's trade of mechanic but also to some of the events and issues that the two men have to deal with. Betrayals and danger can be wrenching experiences!

Here is the blurb and cover:

Malachi Dunbar has not had an easy life. He’s struggled to overcome numerous roadblocks and hardships as he built himself a life as a mechanic, despite a serious handicap. He’s admired rancher Daniel Winslow from afar but never dreamed events would play out to land him in the amazing spot of being able to do a real service for his secret hero. Can Mal maintain his cool and a safe distance from Dan when they’re sharing a house and working to resolve a dangerous mystery?
Daniel Winslow says he does not have employees but friends who help him run the ranch he inherited from his father. Challenged by his younger stepbrother and facing perilous sabotage to his truck, he enlists the young mechanic to help solve the puzzle. He’d always wanted a real brother or a partner he could trust, but his stepbrother is not the right guy to fill that role. How about Mal, who brings some fine but rare qualities to the Flying W Ranch?

Last Train to Clarkdale was one of those heart stories, one very close and personal in some ways. Although my brother is not gay, otherwise he could almost be the inspiration for Clay, the first hero. Clay found solace in trains and railroad people as a kid and turned to that industry for a career. Noted photographers of wildlife and scenery were household names when I was growing up since my dad was in the second or third tier down of this career field for a time so it was easy to write about Jon and his lifestyle. There really is a town called Clarkdale and it was home to me for my teen years. And there now is a Verde Canyon Scenic Railroad that I have ridden and used as background for this story! 
Here is the blurb and the cover: 
For Clay, always a shy misfit who was bullied at school, contact with the railroad and railroaders in the small town where he grew up was a lifeline. He went on to a career in the industry, although not out on the track. Now, some odd compulsion draws him back to his long-departed home, despite the painful memories he has of the place.
A chance meeting with Jon, a famous world-traveling scenic and wildlife photographer, results from Clay’s impulse, and the men end up sharing an afternoon’s tourist rail trip. Clay develops an instant crush on the beefy man, but what can a geeky clerical-type rail-buff offer a hunk like Jon, a self-professed and footloose lone wolf? Can Clay be satisfied with a brief, hot vacation fling? Or can mutual interest in trains and photography provide enough common ground to form something more between them?

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