GayRomLit— or as some refer to it as GRL— truly is the must-attend event for
people who create and celebrate LGBT romance. For those who are unfamiliar with
what GRL is I can try and summarize it. Every year in October (this year it’s
the 17th to the 20th with pre-events on the 16th)
the LGBT community consisting of authors, narrators, readers, and professionals
gather to share in their love of LGBT romance. There are signings, author
lounges, many events, spotlights, it really is hours of fun.
The location
changes every year and on the opening night of each year the spot for the next
year is announced. During this time at
GRL there are two signings. One for Registered Authors and one for Featured
Authors.
At these
signings you can go to the authors’ tables, talk, have them sign swag they
have, books you’ve brought, pick up pre-orders, and they will even sign
something you brought from home.
Lounges are
set up as well these are outside the signing times. Registered authors have one
and featured have two lounges.
There will
also be spotlights with readings, Q&A’s and so much more.
Now until
October 14th Diverse Reader is spotlighting authors that will be at
this years GRL. And if you want to know more about it simply head over to the
site by clicking here:
Now for our
Spotlight Author of the day!
First of
all, let me thank Meredith King and Diverse Reader for this incredible
opportunity. I have been incredibly
humbled by the amount of support this community, and this website, have given
me. So, thank you.
For those
that don’t know, GRL is an acronym that stands for Gay Romance Literature. It’s a convention that is held once a year,
usually in a different city. It gives
the readers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet their favorite authors,
and the authors a chance to meet their readers and network with each
other.
But it’s so
much more than that.
In a great
many ways, it’s like one giant family reunion.
We all talk online, either by way of responses to Facebook posts or
Facebook Messenger. But because we’re
all spread across the country (and some on the other side of the world), we
don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like. GRL is our once a year chance to reconnect
with our chosen family.
This will be
my third GRL. I went to my first two as
a reader even though I had already released my own novels. I was asked on multiple occasions why I
hadn’t gone as an Author. For me, GRL is
the pinnacle event of the genre. As
such, I wanted to earn my way in with a few novels under my belt.
I even met
the love of my life face-to-face at my first one. I say “face-to-face because we had been
chatting online for months leading up to the event.
This year, I
decided to take the plunge and go as a Registered Author. At the moment, I have two novels and a
novella out, and hope to have my third full length novel out by GRL. Am I nervous?
ABSOLUTELY!!!! For
multitude of reasons.
You see, I
grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, just as HIV and AIDS was coming to the
forefront. Nothing like this genre
existed when I was growing up. Media
often portrayed members of the LGBTQ community as predatory, degenerates, or
virus carriers. We were unworthy or
undeserving of our Happily Ever After.
It was in the midst of this that I wanted a change. I wanted people to see that we were just like
everyone else, and deserved to be treated as such. At the same time, I started to write. Short little stories about my own hopes and
dreams, but in a fictional setting. My
current work is directly informed by my own personal experiences.
So, imagine
my delighted surprise when, decades later, I stumble upon this genre that is
not only telling “my” stories, but is also thriving. Thriving enough to hold a convention to
actually celebrate those stories.
So, yes, I’m
nervous. Because I want people to
understand how much of myself I put into my work, how much of my own story has
influenced my work, and I want to represent that work in the best way
possible. If only one person comes away
from a book I’ve written and either been touched by it or been able to relate
to it, I consider that a success.
But I’m also
excited. I have the chance to meet
people that have been touched by my work, or have found it
relatable. I get to meet all of
you. And that is an absolutely irreplaceable
experience.
~*~*~*~
Looking In –
David Barrows world fell
apart at the age of eleven after his mother died. Years of physical and
emotional abuse followed, leaving him scarred in body and mind, mired in the
belief that he is unlovable. He spends his days working in a comic shop, and
his nights alone wrestling with the ghosts of his past.
As a Marine, Adam Duncan has sworn to protect and serve, and there is no one he is more protective of than his brother and nephew. When tragedy strikes, threatening the security of his family, his protective instincts kick in. But how can he fight an enemy he can’t see?
David and Adam feel the connection between them, but David has built walls around his heart that no one has bothered to break through, until Adam. Adam can see what a special man David is, and is willing to do whatever it takes to break down those barriers. Can he make David see he doesn’t have to keep living his life…Looking In?
As a Marine, Adam Duncan has sworn to protect and serve, and there is no one he is more protective of than his brother and nephew. When tragedy strikes, threatening the security of his family, his protective instincts kick in. But how can he fight an enemy he can’t see?
David and Adam feel the connection between them, but David has built walls around his heart that no one has bothered to break through, until Adam. Adam can see what a special man David is, and is willing to do whatever it takes to break down those barriers. Can he make David see he doesn’t have to keep living his life…Looking In?
Looking
Forward –
Owen Hannity was nineteen
when he lost almost everyone he thought he could trust. Each loss more painful
than the last.
With the unwavering support of his best friend, Andy, Owen put the pieces of his life back together. Now, more than two decades later, Owen owns and operates a successful comic shop. Despite his modicum of success, he still feels like a shell of a man, carrying the emotional scars from his past.
Without warning, Owen’s past returns. Secrets come to light. Secrets that could either destroy Owen or finally give him the strength to re-evaluate everything he thought he knew about Andy, himself, and the way in which he views the world.
To see that he is truly worthy of loving himself and finally begin…
…Looking Forward.
With the unwavering support of his best friend, Andy, Owen put the pieces of his life back together. Now, more than two decades later, Owen owns and operates a successful comic shop. Despite his modicum of success, he still feels like a shell of a man, carrying the emotional scars from his past.
Without warning, Owen’s past returns. Secrets come to light. Secrets that could either destroy Owen or finally give him the strength to re-evaluate everything he thought he knew about Andy, himself, and the way in which he views the world.
To see that he is truly worthy of loving himself and finally begin…
…Looking Forward.
Reunion –
Thirty years ago, Charlie
was a high school nobody, more comfortable with fading into the background than
being out and proud.
Thirty years ago, Noah was a star high school athlete, more comfortable with running the baseball diamond than admitting who he really was.
Thirty years ago, Charlie and Noah had a secret relationship. No one knew they were friends, let alone lovers. Pressures from home, from school, and their own self-doubts ended things before they could really begin.
But that was thirty years ago.
Now?
A lot can change in thirty years. Noah now works in sports medicine after an injury derailed his baseball career. And Charlie is attempting to open his second restaurant.
A chance encounter, a hotel screw-up, and two meddling friends may be all it takes to bring these two back together. If they can only deal with the past, and one huge secret. They may get their…
Reunion.
Thirty years ago, Noah was a star high school athlete, more comfortable with running the baseball diamond than admitting who he really was.
Thirty years ago, Charlie and Noah had a secret relationship. No one knew they were friends, let alone lovers. Pressures from home, from school, and their own self-doubts ended things before they could really begin.
But that was thirty years ago.
Now?
A lot can change in thirty years. Noah now works in sports medicine after an injury derailed his baseball career. And Charlie is attempting to open his second restaurant.
A chance encounter, a hotel screw-up, and two meddling friends may be all it takes to bring these two back together. If they can only deal with the past, and one huge secret. They may get their…
Reunion.
~*~*~*~
About Michael
I'm the oldest of three,
from the Glass Capital of the world, Toledo Ohio.
Don't laugh too hard.
I've dreamed of writing since I was eleven years old when I wrote a truly awful Choose-Your-Own-Adventure. It sold exactly zero copies. I think my mother may have a copy lying around somewhere. Mothers keep that kind of thing.
Through junior high and high school, I wrote a number of short stories, one actually published in the first (and only) issue of his high school's literary magazine.
Life took control shortly thereafter, as it often does, and the dream of writing was put on hold. Then, in November of 2016, I took a leap of faith, and began writing my first novel as part of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) competition. The goal of the competition is to write a 50,000-word novel in a thirty-day period.
I failed.
However, on the advice of a friend, I "pushed through". And so, in September of 2017, my first novel was published.
Don't laugh too hard.
I've dreamed of writing since I was eleven years old when I wrote a truly awful Choose-Your-Own-Adventure. It sold exactly zero copies. I think my mother may have a copy lying around somewhere. Mothers keep that kind of thing.
Through junior high and high school, I wrote a number of short stories, one actually published in the first (and only) issue of his high school's literary magazine.
Life took control shortly thereafter, as it often does, and the dream of writing was put on hold. Then, in November of 2016, I took a leap of faith, and began writing my first novel as part of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) competition. The goal of the competition is to write a 50,000-word novel in a thirty-day period.
I failed.
However, on the advice of a friend, I "pushed through". And so, in September of 2017, my first novel was published.
~*~*~*~
Where to find Michael at GRL
Signing:
Thursday the 17th
~ 10-Noon
Lounge:
Friday the
18th ~ 11:00-11:45
Here is the pre-order form for Michael's books! If you're attending GRL make sure to order by August 31st that's when he's closing the form down.
Great post! Can't wait to see you in ABQ!
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