Exclusive Cover Reveal: Ten Mile Bottom by Teodora Kostova #Excerpt Guest Post #Giveaway

Title: Ten Mile Bottom

Author: Teodora Kostova

Length: 80000, stand alone novel

Genre: MM Contemporary Romance

Expected publication date: 22 February 2018

Cover Art: Jay Aheer at Simply Defined Art

Blurb

Hitting rock bottom is just the beginning...

I’m a son, a brother, a friend.

A writer.

An addict.

Dead.

Cardiac arrest isn’t enough to keep me dead, though. The doctors brought me back, but for what?

At twenty four I’ve already achieved what most people do in a life time. I’m a successful author, own a flat in the heart of London and drive my dream sports car.

Or at least that’s what people see.

Once the spotlight fades, I’m left alone with my overactive mind, alcohol and drugs the only way to quiet down the noise.

Until an overdose nearly kills me and drags everyone I love down with me.

With the help of my best friend, I leave London and its toxic influence behind, moving to a small town in the outskirts of Cambridge to try and put my life back together again.

If only it were that easy.

Guest Post:

In 2017 I took a bit of a break from publishing. 2016 was a tough year for me, both on a personal and professional level, so after a bit of a meltdown during the Christmas holidays, I made myself a promise for the upcoming year – I’ll do what feels right and put *me* first.

So, I did. I kept writing, but not under the gruelling schedule I was used to; I kept being active in the community, overseeing the production of audio books and translations; I went to book conferences and hung out with authors I admire.

Even if the so called publishing hiatus went for a bit longer than I expected, it did wonders for me and my mental state. However, I’m more than ready to hop back in the saddle.

Ten Mile Bottom is a deeply personal book. Working on it has helped me overcome issues on my own, and the grumpy writer MC Finn is closer to my alter ego than any other character ever was. It’s been a weird process working on it, at times I couldn't wait to sit down and write about Finn’s shenanigans, but other times it was hard being in his head for long periods of time. He battles a lot of demons, some born in the darkness of his own mind, others enabled by external factors or even the people he loves. His relationship with his mother is an especially difficult one. It doesn’t help that sometimes he thinks he’s not strong enough to face any of it and gives up before he’s even started.

Despite all that, Ten Mile Bottom is not a dark book. It’s full of hope and laughter, maybe a few tears here and there, but as a whole I wanted to write a story about love, hope, family and finding your way in the dark.

Excerpt:

The music cut through my insides like a hot knife in butter, melting the edges and seamlessly sinking into me, leaving me open and raw. Every thump of the bass punched me in the gut; every high electronic screech shocked my nerve endings making my limbs twitch. Nobody noticed my movements were a bit unnatural, or if they did they didn't care. I danced and shook and shuddered on the crowded dance floor, time slowing down to an agonising crawl. The colourful beams of light passed over sweaty faces slowly, carefully, as if they were flashlights carried by rescuers, lingering on people’s features, trying to locate someone in need.

The thing was, everyone was in need here. In need of a release, of a good time, of a quick, uncomplicated fuck in the back. Everyone was chasing a high, one way or another. In my case, I wanted to forget; to silence the constant flow of thoughts and images chasing one another in my mind, fighting for dominance every damn second.

You killed him. You fucking killed him.

I was shouting at my mother as my father’s casket was lowered into the hole in the ground. Everyone was staring at us. Renee was holding me back. I couldn't see, my eyes were blind from rage and pain and tears.

I blinked.

It took a fraction of a second but felt like I closed my eyes for hours. When my heavy lids finally lifted I saw time had resumed its usual speed. A wall of noise hit me making me stagger backwards. I didn't go too far, half a step at the most, bumping into bodies moving to the fast rhythm. They jostled me back and forth for a while until I found my footing again.

I smiled. Raised my arms over my head and let the music take me again.

It felt good.

It always felt good.

I needed this, today more than ever.

You killed him.

You fucking killed him.

Stop!

“Finn,” Someone shouted in my ear, too loud even for the club. “Finn!”

Instinctively, I put my arms around the body currently invading my personal space. I let the familiarity of it, the closeness, the scent, wrap around me like a soft blanket on a cold day, and shivered.

“Don’t,” he said when I placed my lips on the pulse point of his neck. Strong hands gripped my shoulders, but didn't push me away.

About the Author

Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband and my son. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job a few years ago when I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do what I've always wanted to do, but never had the guts to fully embrace. I've been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among other things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Nintendo Wii game by a very inventive kid.

Don't be shy and get in touch - I love connecting with my readers.

Blog: www.teodorakostova.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Teodora_Kostova

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teodorakostovaauthor

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/245720345600711/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/teodorika1

Newsletter: https://goo.gl/gwytxF

Giveaway

Teodora will gift one person their choice of 

a backlist ebook.

Contest ends January 29th

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