Today I am so pleased to welcome Jane Davitt to Joyfully Jay. Jane has come to talk to us about her latest release, Closing the Loop. She has also brought along a great giveaway, Please join me in giving Jane big welcome!

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Two Heads Are Better Than One

Head hopping is bad, naughty, wicked, and wrong. We all know this. Well, okay, when I began writing I didn’t, but the Buffy fandom had some stellar beta readers and one kindly pointed out that having Buffy and Spike’s POV in the same paragraph was a total no-no. I took it to heart and went and sinned no more.

But it’s perfectly okay to alternate POVs chapter by chapter. Expected, even. Talking specifically about the books I write, m/m romances, it allows the reader to get a complete picture of the romance from both sides (or more if it’s a ménage) of the romance. Inexplicable behavior from one character can be addressed in the next chapter when he gets his say. Nothing important has to happen off screen. Hero One is off rescuing kittens from trees when the bank is robbed? Not to worry; set the robbery during Hero Two’s chapter when he’s depositing a check.

Life isn’t like that, of course. We go into a romance unable to see ourselves through our partner’s eyes. When they come home and tell us they had a good day, we can guess from their tone and actions that they might be covering up something, but a guess is all it is unless we ask and even then the answer might not be complete or truthful. But the reader doesn’t need to be locked inside one head for the duration of the book. They can flit back and forth, unable to share their knowledge with the characters (or the story would be considerably shorter (“Inspector! Hey! The butler did it!”)) but often able to satisfy their curiosity on a burning question within a page or two, a few chapters at most.

In ‘Closing the Loop’, a romance set partly on a tropical gay cruise, partly in a Toronto winter, I chose to tell the story through Lee’s eyes only. That’s partly because Cole has secrets he doesn’t share at once and I wanted the reader to be as in the dark as Lee. The reader learns with him, perhaps guessing at the truth, perhaps content to wait, but either way, with no more or less information than Lee. Share Cole’s secret with the reader immediately and the tension is lessened.

I generally alternate POVs but not always. Is it frustrating for me as an author to stay in one head? Sometimes. When Lee first meets Cole, he’s attracted.

The guy was hot. Older than him by a few years, and, judging by the tailored suit under a cashmere overcoat, with more in his piggy bank than air, but a cat could look at a king.

Lee looked his fill. Tall. Wide shoulders and a trim frame, long legs and hands in—oh God, black leather gloves. Total kink of his. Skin over skin and touching his skin… Bareheaded and hair cut so close to the skull that at first glance, Lee had taken him to be bald. Dark skin, smooth over sharp cheekbones, good-looking enough that the tiny mole at the end of his left eyebrow came as a relief from perfection.

Is Cole equally impressed? We don’t know because Cole’s too buttoned-up to give much away. And darn, we lose the chance to see Lee through Cole’s eyes and avoid the awkwardness of inserting hair, skin, and eye color into the text (brown, white, blue for Lee) without Lee staring into a mirror and contemplating his reflection.

That’s another no-no.

Someone needs to make a list…


Blurb

ClosingTheLoop_200x300A week on a tropical gay cruise is just what Lee needs after a bad breakup and a Canadian winter. It’s a shame his ex is on board, but Lee is sharing a cabin with Cole, a hot lawyer who—as luck would have it—is actually from Lee’s city. So when Cole unexpectedly awakens Lee’s kinky side, Lee begins to dream that they can actually take their shipboard romance home with them.

But Cole is keeping secrets involving a troubled young man on board the ship. And Lee, after his recent brush with betrayal, finds it difficult to trust Cole when he says Justin isn’t a rival.

Then he learns the truth and is also drawn into the tragic story. His dream vacation is in danger of turning dark, but he’s determined to navigate Cole and himself to a safe harbor before their blisteringly hot romance is lost at sea.


Bio

Jane Davitt is English, and has been living in Canada with her husband, two children, and two cats, since 1997. Writing and reading are her main occupations but if she ever had any spare time she might spend it gardening, walking, or doing cross stitch. She’s recently taken up yoga and loves discovering her ability to bend.

Jane has been writing since 2002 and wishes she’d started earlier. She is a huge fan of SF, fantasy, erotica, and mystery novels and has a tendency to get addicted to TV shows that get cancelled all too soon.

She owns over 4,000 books, rarely gives any away, but is happy to loan them, and is of the firm opinion that there is no such thing as “too many books.”

Connect with Jane:


Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a signed print copy of Lucky Strike. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 30. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to add your email so we can contact you if you win! 

  • 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.
  • All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
  • 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.  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.
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