Saturday Author Spotlight: TJ Masters #Interview #Giveaway

I recently discovered TJ Masters by reading Bear Among the Books. It was such a wonderful read I wanted to devour all his works. So imagine how happy I was when he agreed to be my Author Saturday Spotlight. We will take a look at some of his books, do an interview, and of course end it with a giveaway. Let's get started!!

Forty-eight-year-old Ben Thompson is a librarian, a passionate book lover, and a man who embodies the definition of a bear. He’s also lonely after the loss of his long-term partner. Young ex-gymnast Jason Barnes piques his interest, but Ben quickly realizes there’s more to Jason than his good looks. While Jason visits the library almost every day, he never checks out a book.

With gentle persistence, Ben befriends Jason and learns the nineteen-year-old’s tragic secrets. After years of abuse at his father’s hands, Jason was kicked out of his family home for being gay. And despite his apparent love of books, Jason never learned to read. Ben offers to teach him, and the two men bond over their lessons. Ben can’t deny his attraction to Jason, but he wonders if Jason is too young and too handsome to return his interest. With the help of the close-knit library team and Jason’s growing self-confidence, they move beyond the books and into the bedroom, where their own story is just beginning.

The Gasman Cometh tells the story of sexy young central heating engineer Chris who is sent to the home of the older and more confident Colin Andrews to repair a fault. So far the lad's life has amounted to little but Colin takes a shine to his repair man and circumstances now lead him to want to help turn things around. Of course mistakes must be punished, but who says that love cannot start with a spanking?

There's 7 book sin this series : Check them out

Amateur rugby player Richard Doyle is injured in a match and after a visit to a hospital A & E he seeks the help of a sports therapist to get him fit to play again before the next important game. Physiotherapist Alan Jennings is a very fit, attractive and skilled man. Ex-army, divorced and gay, Alan is immediately attracted to his stunningly good looking new client and wastes no time in seducing the younger man and introducing him to the joys of masculine m/m sex. As Richard’s shoulder is treated so a powerful relationship develops between the two men.
The therapist’s powerful hands work their magic on the handsome rugby player and soon he is fit to play again. At the same time he has become a hungry submissive partner in their discrete but intense sexual adventures. The day of the semi-final arrives and Alan accompanies his lover at the request of the team coach in order to look after their star player. After winning a great game the team are ready for their traditional night of drunken celebrations but Richard just wants to get his sexual mentor back to their shared hotel room as soon as possible.

Interview

Thank you, TJ, for being here today as our author Saturday Spotlight! I am a huge fan and have recently been stalking you on social media. You are fabulous all around.  I have a few questions today to get to know you a bit for me and your fans J Hopefully I won’t scare you or make you run away. So let’s get down to it.

In your own words; what is the power of a book?

Books can mean many things to many people but for me the real power of a good book is it’s ability to take you on holiday. A vacation from your everyday life where to get to meet new friends in new settings and share their stories.

You were a teacher for 33 years, what subject did you teach or were you a grade teacher?

Most of my teaching career was spent in Primary schools and over the years I taught all age groups from 4 to 11 year olds. I started off as the science specialist but once computers started creeping in I ran with IT and spent the final 20 years developing that.

What’s one thing your readers might be shocked to know about you? 

I’m not sure that anyone who knows me would be shocked by anything but maybe some of my readers would be surprised at how much of a geek I am when it comes to all things scientific or technological.

Bear Among the Books was such a wonderful book. It was literally filled with so much information. Let’s talk about all the gardening in the book. Where does that love and knowledge come from?

I have loved gardens and gardening since I was a toddler. My family home in suburban north west London had a typical garden with a fine veg patch too. As a teenager I also worked as a part time gardener for local people and in a very large convent garden!

Jason Barnes has so much to overcome in this book.  His story is heart breaking. But I want to talk about his inability to read. How common is this and as a writer and teacher what resources can people seek?

For me there is no greater goal in education than the teaching of reading and it offends me that too many young people still fall through the net and are failed by the adults in their lives. There are many adult literacy schemes out there but at the end of the day it takes a good teacher (does not need to be a professional) who gets to know enough about the young person to find out what drives and motivates them. Once you have that you can choose or create the right materials to help them. Teaching is not about delivering information, it’s about creating an environment in which people want to learn.

Who are some authors that have ignited your love of reading?

From an early age I have been an avid reader of science fiction, especially the real story tellers like Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. I love some of the ‘less factual’ science from Anne McCaffrey and Terry Pratchett. Of course there were the great gay writers of the 1970’s and 80’s like John Preston, Gordon Merrick, Larry Townsend and my personal storytelling hero Armistead Maupin.

Can you tell us what you’re currently working on or what we have to look forward to in the future?

I have a feel-good Christmas story due for release in early December. My current WIP is an expansion of a short story called Hands of Power to a full novel about the relationship between a rugby player and a physiotherapist. That will be closely followed by a tale of intrigue and romance about a secretive international Master and slave organization.

You were at the UK Meet this year. Are there other conventions you’ll be attending this year or next?

I attended my third UK Meet this year and loved every minute of it. I try to support all the small local meets around the country if I can and next year I will be in Berlin for my third EuroCon but this time as part of the organizing team.

You have experience coaching people in bringing books to life so to speak. What is some advice you’d give people who are scared to publish their book?

Know who you are writing for and just write, write, write. Don’t get hung up on perfection, that’s the editor’s job. They will happily correct a rough draft page but they cannot edit a blank one!

How can your fans follow you? Facebook, Twitter, Website?

I am something of a social media whore!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tim.orahilly/

          And: https://www.facebook.com/tjmasterswriter/

Twitter: @timorahilly

      And: @TJMasters

Websites: http://www.tjmasters.com/

         And: http://www.timorahilly.co.uk/

What would you say has been your best accomplishment?

Teaching thousands of young people.

Fast Fire Questions:

Favorite color? Green

Favorite Holiday/vacation? Cocoa Beach, Florida

Ice cream or cake? Cake.

Coffee or tea? COFFEE

Favorite time of day? Early Morning

Dogs or cats? One of each please.

What is your birthstone? Amethyst

Favorite movie? The Hunt For Red October

Favorite smell? Home made bread.

Okay, TJ, you are free to go now. Lol. Thank you immensely for your time and answers! I can’t wait to read more from you.

Giveaway

One lucky commentator will win their choice of any Book in

TJ Master's Working Hard Loving Harder series to the best comment/memory about learning to read

So answer the question in the comments and please put your contact email in the comments!

Thank you