Hi guys! Today I am so happy to welcome back author Kate McMurray. ย Kate is here to talk to us more about her new book, Show and Tell. ย She has also brought a copy to give away to one lucky commenter, so be sure to see the details at the end of the post. Welcome Kate!
Iโm a very practical person in lifeโI like lists and plans and outlines and Iโm totally that friend who calls eight times to confirm weโre still on for dinner Fridayโbut in writing I sometimes jump right into the deep end without thinking it all out first. That was what happened when I started outlining Show and Tell. I thought, โOkay, thereโs an antique shop and the owner is a reincarnated God. But… from where?โ
I thought at first that surely there was a myth in Greek mythology that fit the story I was trying to tell. I kept going back to Castor and Pollux. They were two brothers, one immortal and one not. When Castor, the mortal, is killed, Pollux asked Zeus if he could share his immortality. Zeus granted the wish by making both immortal in the constellation Gemini. I liked this idea, one immortal sharing immortality with a mortal. But Castor and Pollux were brothers and my characters were lovers.
I spent a lot of time poking around different pantheons, never quite finding a myth that suited my story. But this is fiction, right? Fiction is all about making stuff up. So I created a myth.
Sort of. I borrowed liberally from Celtic mythology. I started with Aengus, the god of love and youth, the Gaelic answer to Venus. In Show and Tell, Dan goes to see a professor who explains that the Celts had an oral tradition and what survives is filtered through the Romans and then later Christians who wrote down what they encountered. This is true. The stories also vary depending on which group of Celts youโre looking at; the Irish and the Welsh had different gods and origin stories. But Aengus was my jumping off point. Irish Celtic mythology is riddled with stories of Aengusโs romantic exploits. So I thought, well, itโs not completely outside of the realm of possibility that Aengus could have had a male lover.
Show and Tell tells the myth of Aengus and Caoimhin, a myth that exists entirely in my imagination. Aengus comes to Earth one day and falls instantly in love with a mortal fisherman. When the fisherman grows ill and dies, Aengus makes a bargain with his father, the Dagda, the (actual) leader of the Irish pantheon. The way that bargain plays out in the modern world is at the crux of Show and Tell, so I wonโt tell you much more. But my contemporary characters, Dan and Malcolm, do run into a handful of gods, both โrealโ (as in, from ancient mythology) and imaginary (as in, from my brain).
The best fantasy is plausible, even if it isnโt. Sure, dragons and wizarding schools and reincarnated gods donโt exist in our world, but the best stories about them are grounded enough in reality that we believe they do when weโre reading.
Bio
Kate McMurray is the author of several m/m romances, including the recent Rainbow Award winner Across the East River Bridge. When sheโs not writing, Kate works a nonfiction editor. She also reads a lot, plays the violin, knits and crochets, and drools over expensive handbags. Sheโs maybe a tiny bit obsessed with baseball. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with a pesky cat. Visit her on the interwebs at www.katemcmurray.com.
Blurb
One of the few joys in Danโs life is the TV show Junk Shop, a reality show about antiques hosted by the handsome and charismatic Malcolm Tell. Then an old music box turns up, and Danโs sister encourages him to try to get on the show and meet the object of his affection. He does, and his life changes completely.
When Dan and Malcolm first meet, they have a sudden vision of a couple from the past. Is it a glimpse at a past life or something else entirely? They agree to work together to figure out what is going on, and they stumble upon a forgotten Celtic myth that may explain everything. If the myth is true, then Dan and Malcolm could be a pair of lovers who have been reincarnated over and over again over two thousand years. That seems impossible, but itโs hard to deny that something very strange is happening.
As Dan and Malcolm work to find the truth, they fall for each other hard. But searching for who they really are puts them both in grave danger, and they find themselves racing against time to keep their happily ever after.
Giveaway
Kate has brought a copy of Show and Tell to give away to one lucky reader. Leave a comment for your chance to win. ย The contest closes on Sunday, January 13th at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the contest, youโre confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
Your first paragraph…I’m the exact same way! Plans and lists and double quadruple checking. This sounds great and I can’t wait to read. I’ll buy even if I don’t win…but I hope I win;)
I love reading stories of Mythology this one sounds exciting, would love to win this one
I’m a list person too – if it aint written down, it dont get done!
Myths are good, all those ancients ways of saying, be careul its a cruel world out there!
I’m curious how this mythical bargain plays out in the modern world of your characters! So, please sign me up for the giveaway. ๐
This looks interesting, like all of Kate’s books, so please count me in.
ย Thanks
I’m definitely no stranger to pro/con lists and excessive planning. Can’t wait to read this!
Please, can I read this, lol? I love modernized myths! (And television shows about…junk.) thank you!
Oh, now I want to know what happens to Dan and Malcolm!
Sounds pretty good to me ๐
This one is already on my wishlist and I would love to have my wish granted.
I’m a list person too. Thanks for the contest!
There is nothing I would like more than to read another Kate McMurray book!!!
Please pick me! would love to read this ๐
This sounds great. Count me in
Sounds like a great book. Please count me in. Thanks!
Congratulations on your recent publication, Kate! Please count me in. Thank you!
Show and Tell sounds so good. Souls who keep meeting again and again, life after life. LOVE it!! Thanks for the giveaway!
sounds interesting – please count me in ๐
Big fan of Kate McMurray and I’m looking forward to this book. Please count me in.ย
That’s fascinating! ย I love learning how authors come up with the ideas for their books ๐ ย This is definitely on my wishlist.
smaccall AT comcast.net
Please add me for this one ๐
I love mythology. Looking forward to reading this one.
Yvette
yratpatrol@aol.com
This sounds so interesting. Please count me in.
aunt_cori(at)yahoo.com
I love mythology! Even mythical… mythology. ๐ What’s the point of writing fiction if you can’t make a few thing up, eh?
Wow. Sounds well thought out and I would love to read it!
I like the blurb. Please count me in. Thank you ๐
Can’t wait to read this book. Very interesting concept. Plus, I just love Kate’s books.
If I’m not too late, please count me in!! <3
Judi
arella3173_loveless@yahoo(dot)com