Jay Bell Books

September Sidelines

September has been a busy month for me, but a lot of good things have happened. Here are some of the highlights:

Something Like Summer is book of the month over on Goodread’s M/M Romance group. Readers have been chiming in on their opinions of the book, and I’ve been sharing some insights into the plot and the choices I made. If you’re not a member of Goodreads, I highly recommend it since there’s no better site to share and rank what you’re reading. The M/M Group over there is a wonderfully friendly place to chat about gay fiction.

Something Like Summer has also been the book of the month over at YAMM Books, a new site reviewing gay fiction that is young at heart. Many readers ask me for book recommendations. This site is the perfect answer. It’s a great source for books and authors you might not have discovered.

After a marathon of hunching over my laptop, I’m happy to announce the completion of a new novel. I’m not ready to release a title or synopsis yet, since this is only a first draft, but fans of Something Like Summer should be pleased as it’s another contemporary romance novel. And no, it’s not the oft requested sequel, but I think you’ll fall in love with these new characters just as much. Along with From Darkness to Darkness (The Cat in the Cradle sequel), I expect these two books to be released sometime next year.

There’s a new interview with me over at Diary of a Gay Erotica Author where I talk about satisfying myself (huh-huh-huh) and how readers have the power to make or break a book.

On a more personal note, today (September 27th) is my wedding anniversary. Andreas and I tend not to make a big deal out of it. We prefer to celebrate the day we first met, but since I love the big guy, I thought it was worth mentioning here. We plan on going out to eat to celebrate, because getting fat together is one of the coolest things about being married.

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Inspiration – Hell’s Pawn

It’s hard to pin down just when and where Hell’s Pawn took root in my mind. When I was a kid, Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality series introduced me to the concept of Purgatory and a contemporary take on the afterlife. I later made a study of mythology and religion in my teens which was obviously a huge influence, and in my twenties, my best friend shared with me his idea for a story. His story must have sunk into my subconscious, because when I emailed him excitedly about my “brand new book idea,” he very patiently pointed out that I had rehashed many of his own ideas. Embarrassing but true. That’s just one of the many reasons the book is dedicated to him.

Those were the cornerstones of Hell’s Pawn, but there were plenty of inspirations that came while actually writing the book. Music is always an influence. Every book I’ve written has its theme—a song I play to get me in the right mood. I discovered the song for Hell’s Pawn halfway through writing and while binging on a German group called Alphaville. Their song, For a Million, is every bit as weird as my story and some of the lyrics fit all too well.

“For a million years they dream
And the fog conceals and hides
and eats our souls
Before they open up their eyes again
How far we’ll be”

 
I mentioned weird, right? This verse reminds me of the foggy hidden underbelly of Purgatory, or the poor souls trapped in the dome surrounding it, sleeping until someone can free them. Then there was this verse:

“Oh I love to dance
Under an alien sun
Along the dunes with you
I kiss you in the sand”

 
I had already finished writing the Egyptian part of the story, but I liked the idea of Rimmon and John dancing along the dunes together and added it to the narrative. Did they kiss there? Man, I don’t think they did, but you know John wanted to. And then there are lines about time running out, about refusing to stop loving someone, even if you have to leave them behind… but the story does a better job explaining that than I could here.

Speaking of love, check out that handsome angel up there! That’s Archangel Uriel. Although his part in the story is small, I stared long and hard at this image while thinking about angels. I loved that his wings are colored instead of boring white, which encouraged me to make all the angels that way. Just think how pretty they would be if they had feathers like tropical birds instead of boring old white.

And finally, down the street from our apartment in Berlin was a small copy shop. Bobby the English Shepherd worked there. Okay, so his owners did, but I would often make an excuse to have something printed, hand the files over, and spend the next ten minutes rolling around on the floor with him. I’ve always loved dogs—even though it’s been awhile since I had my own—so I was very happy to give John some animal companionship in the form of Bolo.

As you can see from these few examples, there are all kinds of inspirations that contribute to a story’s creation. Every sexy demon, little ceramic soldier, or seedy coffee shop in Amsterdam has their own anchor to the real world, which just goes to show how strange reality can be when you tell the story in the right way.

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The Cat is back… with kittens!

Er, I’ll explain the kitten thing in a bit. The most important thing is that the revised version of The Cat in the Cradle is now out! What’s so new and exciting about this? Well, for you eBook lovers, all of Andreas’s art is now included. That means twenty-five gorgeous illustrations that complement each chapter. Some are of exotic locations, others of strange or terrifying creatures—and if that’s not enough—there are even a few cute boys in there as well. The print version is also looking sharper than ever. The previous font was much too small. I suppose my former publisher wanted to save paper, which is a noble cause, but now the book is much easier on the eyes. That’s not the only way the layout has improved. I’ll spare you the details, but you should find the entire reading experience much more pleasant.

As for the story, I did another rewrite and had the book edited again to bring it up to par with my other releases. There’s even some new content! A few scenes have been flushed out, the story matured ever-so-slightly to get away from the Young Adult taboo that causes so many adults to tremble and flee. But wait, there’s more new stuff! Andreas designed a glorious fantasy map that covers the northern portion of the Five Lands. The southern map will be included in the second book.

That’s right! Now we’re finally to the kittens reference. The Cat in the Cradle is now part of the Loka Legends series. I wrote the second book earlier this year, and rarely have I ever been so excited about a project. For those that haven’t read the first book yet, much of it has to do with Dylan and Tyjinn and the love they feel for each other. I wanted to continue Dylan’s story and see where the growth he experiences in the first book would take him. I don’t want to give anything away, but believe me—if you don’t read the first book you’ll be missing out on an amazing sequel.

As always, buying options are to the right. You’ll find them below Hell’s Pawn, which is still king right now. Or you can learn more and read free chapters on the book’s product page. I hope you guys will join me for my first series. Something tells me it won’t be my last.

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Hell’s Pawn is out!

Take off your pants and celebrate, because Hell’s Pawn is out! For me this means fame, fortune, and living solely off champagne and vegetarian caviar. For you, this hopefully means a couple days of edge-of-your-seat entertainment. What’s it all about, you ask? A dead guy. No, not a zombie or a ghost, but a guy that finds himself in the afterlife. That’s a strange enough experience to go through, but John Grey discovers that the next world isn’t quite what he expected. He doesn’t start in Heaven or Hell, for instance, but with a little bit of luck, he might get to one of those places. … Oh, all right, just look at the cover. Obviously he gets to Hell, but hey, there’s one charming, sexy demon waiting for him there.

Sounds like a pretty weird book, doesn’t it? Well, it is, but you’ll find the same comfortable elements I put into all my stories. There’s romance, gay main characters, ill-advised humor, and most of all, adventure. This isn’t Something Like Summer though. I know you guys are hungry for more of that style and I won’t disappoint you, but for now, I hope you come along with me as I try something new.

Buying options are to the right. Tree friendly eBooks are the cheapest at only $2.99. Paperback costs a bit more at $12.99, but Amazon is always generous with a discount. You can find the cheapest paperback price over on the right.

Once you’ve read it, please come back and tell me what you think. If it turns out you love Hell’s Pawn, please leave a review to help spread the word. Many humble thanks in advance! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to pen more stories for you guys!

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Falling in love again

I’ve been working on a new contemporary romance novel and I’m struck by how similar creating a new character is to going on a first date. At first everything is awkward, the conversation stilted, and I’m a little more focused on how the person looks than who they are. Then words start to flow, some trivial, others revealing the truth about the person in front of me. As time passes, and if everything goes as it should, I begin to fall in love. This may sound odd, since we’re talking about people I make up in my own head, so I feel it’s important to explain just what kind of love I mean.

As I get older, I notice just how beautiful youth is. I mean more than just the physical. Being the terribly nostalgic person I am, when young people catch my eye I think back to how wild, stupid, dreadful, mysterious, and wonderful life was back then. For me, it also meant a lot of romantic adventures. When I look at these hot young guys, I’m not undressing them in my mind. Nor do I have any desire to see them in my bed. Instead I’m thinking of all the opportunities they have, all the fun waiting for them, and I hope they find someone their own age to experience this journey with. This is my wish for my characters too. I adore them, enjoy being in their heads or seeing them from the outside, but I want them to find their own way in the world. I love them, but they aren’t for me, so the most I can do is admire them from afar and try to guide them in the right direction.

As crazy as all of this might sound, the infatuation I feel for people that don’t exist is a good omen. If I write a joke that doesn’t make me laugh, chances are you won’t laugh either. If I don’t fall head over heels in love with my characters, then why would you? The days I’m too busy to write, I have a nagging feeling that tells me to call these characters, to check up on them and make sure they’re doing okay. With a little luck, you’ll feel the same way when you set the book down for too long. Speaking of which, just wait until you meet Connor. It’ll be awhile before you do, but believe me, you’re going to love him!

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Goodbye Cat in the Cradle

Farewell Kio, Dylan and Tyjinn. It was nice knowing you, but your story will no longer be told. *wipes tear from eye* Actually, I’m being a little dramatic. You may have noticed that The Cat in the Cradle is no longer on sale at all the usual places. Don’t panic, because Kio and company are only going on vacation. The rights for this book recently reverted back from my publisher to me, and instead of just republishing it as is, I’ve decided to give it another rewrite. I’ve learned a few tricks since writing this book and wanted to polish the prose. I also want to get those chapter illustrations worked into the Kindle and Nook versions. I have even bigger plans than that, but for now, rest assured that The Cat in the Cradle will be back. With a vengeance.

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