Hello everyone! Today I am pleased to welcome author T. Strange back to the blog. Â T is here to talk more about a new release, Amber. Â T is also sharing a great excerpt as a cover reveal. And if that is not enough, we also have a copy to give away! Â So please join me in giving T a big welcome!
Blurb
Anthony was a painter until he lost the ability to see color. Worse than color blindness, the edges of objects and people blur together, making it almost impossible for Anthony to interact with anyone or anything. After retreating from the world for decades, he sees a glimpse of yellow that leads him to a musician, Teague. At first Anthony is frightened and overwhelmed by the color, but he can’t stay away from Teague for long. He finds the courage to confront Teague and explain his unusual problem and Teague’s role in helping him. To Anthony’s relief, Teague believes him. Very quickly, they both suspect that getting the colors back is more important to Anthony than his relationship with Teague. If Anthony pushes too hard, he’ll lose Teague, and possibly the colors, forever.
Excerpt
The next day, the colors started to blur.
I hardly noticed at first. Just the odd purple or green, up to their usual mischief. I would frown at them, and they would pop back. They were usually a bit prone to frivolity and playfulness, so I paid them no mind. I didn’t connect what was happening to the fortuneteller’s words. Not yet.
Then a blue, usually so solid and dependable, would start to shift while I was in the middle of a brush stroke. Or worse, before I had even gotten it out of its tube and onto my palate. It would just be gone, going from cobalt or aquamarine to a nonsense color, like pajamas or garbage. And all the scowling in the world wouldn’t bring those blues back.
I kept painting, stubbornly ignoring the fact that I was becoming deaf to color. It was worse than being blind. It was a catastrophe.
But this painting was a commission. I had to finish it.
I watched as, one by one, every shade vanished from my eyes, leaving me with a soggy mess of random hues that clashed and jarred and upset me badly. By the end of the day, they were gone.
I wish I could tell you that I now saw in black and white. What I wouldn’t give for a glimpse of clean black or pure white. My malady was far worse. I saw only muddy, indescribable, jarring concoctions of brownish-grayish-primordial-muckish tones.
When the painting was finished, or at least the canvas was covered in paint, I called my patron. He said that he would send someone to pick it up. The man, when he arrived, looked down his long, aristocratic nose at the painting and gave me a look like I was something nasty and squelchy he had found stuck to the bottom of his shoe. He began efficiently packing the painting into a box. He was so offended by the painting that he could hardly bring himself to touch it.
Already, I would have given almost anything to see what he saw in the painting. Even the most brutal, discordant visual cacophony, the most lurid, vibrant, glorious mess of color would have been a relief.
Even the tiniest hint of crimson. An echo of violet.
Not an hour later, my phone rang.
It startled me half out of my wits. I had been sorting and resorting my paints in every conceivable order, with increasing desperation, hoping that something, anything, would jar loose whatever was clouding my vision.
I picked up the receiver with an odd sense of faith, as though it would be God on the other end, and He would give me some arcane ceremony, some act of penance. It would be hopelessly complicated, but once I had performed it to His satisfaction, He would restore my sense of color.
It was, of course, my patron. I managed to tune out the individual words he said, but his meaning was clear. What is this shit you’ve given me? If you think I’m paying you, you’re mental. By the way, you owe me money. Click.
That was nearly a relief. If other people could see what a mess I had made, what a mess I was in, then I wasn’t just crazy. I had a genuine Problem. I wasn’t simply having some sort of temperamental, artistic breakdown. Problems could be solved.
Giveaway
T is giving away a copy of Amber to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment below to enter. The contest closes on Saturday, January 11th at 11:59 pm EST.Â
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Â Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Thanks for the excerpt. Â Count me in.
This sounds just fascinating to me!
This makes me want to look this affliction up, is it a real problem or something the author created? Very interesting concept. Thank you for the post and the giveaway.
Really interesting concept, almost like synesthesia in reverse. Please count me in!
Sounds different! Thanks for the giveaway!
Please count me in. Â Thanks.
This is a rare topic and I love when I can read something different in the MM genre that has been redone over and over. This novel sounds smashing….
Interesting premise! Thanks for the chance at it.
This looks great. My husband is color blind and had to be able to adapt to reading blue prints for work. We don’t realize what we take for granted.
diamer13@yahoo.com
I’d like to participate, too, thanks for the opportunity! And the book sounds very nice. 😉
That cover is wonderfully striking. Count me in, please!
Please count me in. Thanks!!!
The premise is rather unique to me. How terrible for a artist to have this condition. Please include me too. Thanks!
Please include me in on what sounds like an interesting read.
I love the concept. Please count me in.
Sweet contest – throwing our hat in!!
This sounds interesting, please count me in!!
Sounds like it’ll be a emotional read. Please count me in. Thank you =)
Please count me in, thank you.
That’s a new take, I must say! Please count me in
Please count me in!
Sounds cool, count me in!
Interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story about a color blind person. Count me in, please. Thanks!
Hey guys, loved the blurb. Love that this one has a blind protagonist!!! Would love the chance to win this, but I’m really unsure if this contest is still open. It says open ’til the 11th here, but open ’til the 15th in the MM Romance group. Did you extend the window to win?