Today I am so pleased to welcome Charlie Cochet to Joyfully Jay. Charlie has come to talk to us about her latest release, Catch a Tiger by the Tail, the newest THIRDS book and one that I totally loved. She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving Charlie a big welcome!
Hello all! Thank you for joining me today at Joyfully Jay’s as we continue to celebrate the release of Catch a Tiger by the Tail, the 6th book in the THIRDS series.
On our last stop we talked a little about our supporting heroes taking center stage. How they have to be engaging enough for readers to want to hear more about them. So what happens when they get their own book and your main characters suddenly become your supporting characters?
The THIRDS series centers around Destructive Delta, with Dex and Sloane being the main pairing aside from books 5 and 6. Dex. As most of you may know, Dex is anything but a wallflower. Reigning him in is tough. As happy as he is to give up the limelight to his friends and family, he is still, and will always be, Dex. I can’t make him any less Dex simply because he’s not center stage, so Dex continues to be himself.
In Catch a Tiger by the Tail we get a good deal of Calvin and Ethan with the team while on the job and off. Through Dex, I could better explore Calvin and Ethan’s personalities. They’re such a reserved couple, both very private, and quiet. We see Dex’s shenanigans through their eyes, and see how they react.
For the most part, Calvin is very calm and collected around Dex. The guy doesn’t even faze him anymore. Whatever insane situation Dex gets himself in, Calvin’s not surprised. Then there are times when he’s on his own with Dex where Calvin let’s go a little. Throughout the book we discover little instances in which Calvin and Dex have been talking, having serious conversations about the men they love. We discover Dex has been seeking advice from Calvin on how to deal with hostility directed at him for having a Therian boyfriend.
Then there are the rare moments when Calvin allows himself to get swept up in Dex’s boyish shenanigans. Like this scene:
Dex turned to Calvin with a wicked smile. Uh-oh. He should have known Dex wouldn’t remain quiet for long.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Probably not,” Calvin replied with a laugh. He doubted anyone thought what Dex did.
Dex held his arms out at his sides and fell onto his back, his body compressing the snow under the weight of his equipment. Calvin laughed as Dex moved his arms up and down and his legs open and closed, declaring cheerfully, “Snow angels!”
It was official. His friend was a nutcase. “How old are you again?”
“Old enough to make some awesome snow angels. Come on.”
Calvin arched an eyebrow at him. “You want me to roll around in the snow wearing eighty pounds of tactical gear?”
“Yes! No one’s watching. We have a few minutes before someone comes looking for us.”
Calvin couldn’t believe he was even considering it. What the hell. Why not? He walked close to Dex, turned, and spread his arms before dropping back into the thick layers of snow. The two of them laughed like a couple of schoolboys as they wiped the snow with their limbs. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done this. Actually, he could. It was with Ethan, back when they were a couple of lanky, awkward teens. They’d make snow angels in the empty parking lot near their old apartment building and lie there together laughing, watching the clouds go by. Speaking of his best friend, Ethan pounced into the snow next to Calvin, his tail twitching before he started rolling around in the snow.
“What in the hell are you three doing?”
Shit. Calvin sat up, feeling his cheeks burning. Ethan leaped behind him to hide. Like Maddock wouldn’t be able to spot his huge tiger Therian butt sticking out from behind Calvin. Dex, on the other hand, was unfazed by their sergeant’s scowl. He smiled widely up at Maddock. “Snow angels.”
“Let me rephrase that. Why in the hell are you two making snow angels?”
“Because it’s fun. Remember when you used to do them with me and Cael?” Dex turned his head to Calvin. “We lost my brother in the snow once. I shit you not. Dad had to excavate him.”
Calvin burst out laughing. “What?”
“It’s true,” Maddock grumbled. “The boys jumped into this huge mound of snow in the backyard despite my telling them not to a hundred times. Dex dug his way out the side of it, but Cael got lost. He was so small, wearing this puffy coat onesie.”
“Didn’t help that his onesie was white.” Dex sat up with a chuckle. He shook his head at his dad. “Not the brightest idea.”
Maddock shrugged. “Hey, I told him that, but it’s the one he wanted.”
Dex laughed. “He looked like a marshmallow.”
With a laugh, Calvin got to his feet. He helped Dex up, smiling as Dex and Maddock walked off, reminiscing about the brothers’ childhood shenanigans. Calvin followed, holding onto Ethan’s tail as his partner walked ahead of him. Felids hated having their tails grabbed, but Calvin had been holding onto Ethan’s since childhood. It had been their security blanket back when it was just the two of them.
Ethan on the other hand fully embraces Dex’s personal brand of crazy, and isn’t afraid to go along with it. Where Dex tends to draw out Calvin’s more playful side, he has a way of drawing out Ethan’s more mischievous side:
“What’s going on?”
“Cael’s asked Ash to join him in the box,” Calvin replied with a chuckle.
Sloane wrapped his arms around Dex. “You think he’ll do it?”
“Are you kidding me? Cael’s about to bust out the sad puppy face. Not even my dad’s immune to that shit. Ash is finished, and he knows it.”
“Please, Ash?” Cael jutted out his bottom lip. “It’s not fun if you’re not with me.”
Damn, he’s good. Ethan turned to Calvin, his bottom lip jutted out. Please can I play in the box?
Calvin didn’t hesitate. “Still no. If I let you shift now, you’d never get out of the box, and we both know it.”
Well, it was worth a try.
“Cael….”
“It’s okay,” Cael sighed. “I can have fun on my own.” Cael flicked a Styrofoam peanut. It fluttered pathetically down in front of him.
“Really? You’re really going to make me get in there?”
Ash looked pained, like the thought of getting into the box physically pained him. How could Ash resist? Ethan had spotted Sloane eyeing the box earlier. As if sensing his thoughts, Sloane met his gaze. They peered at each other.
No box for you, Brodie. Sloane looked like he might challenge him on that. With a wicked smile, Ethan petted Dex’s cheek. Sloane straightened.
“Um, that was weird,” Dex murmured. “Did you pet me?”
Ethan grinned.
Sloane narrowed his eyes at Ethan. “Did you just leave your scent on my boyfriend?”
“I’m not sure what’s happening here,” Dex murmured. He took hold of Calvin. “Help me.”
“Sloane was eyeing the box, and Ethan knows you’d let him shift and play, so he’s trying to wind Sloane up.” Calvin shook his head.
I had to do find the right balance making sure Dex didn’t eclipse everyone else, especially Calvin and Ethan, yet remained true to himself. Hopefully that’s come through in the book. Happy reading!
Blurb
Calvin Summers and Ethan Hobbs have been best friends since childhood, but somewhere along the line, their friendship evolved into something more. With the Therian Youth Center bombing, Calvin realizes just how short life can be and no longer keeps his feelings for his best friend a secret. Unfortunately, change is difficult for Ethan; most days he does well to deal with his Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety. Calvin’s confession adds a new struggle for Ethan, one he fears might cost him the friendship that’s been his whole world for as long as he can remember.
As partners and Defense Agents at the THIRDS, being on Destructive Delta is tough at the best of times, but between call-outs and life-threatening situations, Calvin and Ethan not only face traversing the challenges of their job, but also working toward a future as more than friends.
- Dreamspinner Press eBook
- Dreamspinner Press Paperback
- Amazon
- All Romance eBooks
- Barnes & Noble
Bio
Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From Historical to Fantasy, Contemporary to Science Fiction, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!
Currently residing in South Florida, Charlie looks forward to migrating to a land where the weather includes seasons other than hot, hotter, and boy, it’s hot! When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.
Giveaway
Charlie has brought a great tour-wide giveaway. Just follow the Rafflecopter link below to enter.
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6/5 shining stars from me for this book and series! Can’t wait for the audio, to relive it all again.
Great post I’m so looking forward to reading the book.
Loved this book- Ethan and Calvin are so perfect for each other
I’m looking forward to reading this series. Congratulations on the latest release!
I haven’t read this series yet but am adding to my wishlist. As for favorite chacter, sounds like Dex might be the one.
I haven’t started this series yet, but I soooooooooo have to. This blog tour is killing me!
New series to me so I can’t answer the question but “Dex’s personal brand of crazy” makes Dex sound like a great character. 🙂
Loved the series. I’m already looking forward to the next installment =)
Can’t wait to find out what happens next! So glad we’ll be seeing more of Dex and Sloane, as much as I love the other characters those two will always be my favorite couple in the series.