Today I am so pleased to welcome Isobel Starling to Joyfully Jay. Isobel has come to talk to us about her latest release, As You Wish, the second book in her Shatterproof Bond series (you can check out our reviews of both books here). She has also brought along a MASSIVE giveaway! Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

What is it About a Man in a Kilt?

Picture a Scotsman in Highland dress… a pair of finely shaped calves, strapping bare masculine thighs beneath a thin layer of Tartan, invoking the irrepressible urge in the viewer to take a peek. You know what I’m talking about!

The traditional kilt wearing Scotsman is a powerfully heady image that romance writers return to again and again, no matter if they write historical, fantasy or contemporary romances. What is it about a man in a kilt that makes us go all googly-eyed, weak at the knees, and wonder what lies beneath?

My journey into kilt adoration began with a story prompt…

Kilt teaserI had wanted to take part in the Goodreads M/M Romance Group ‘Don’t read in the closet’ event for a while. I was juggling the writing of two novels and convinced myself I had no time for another story. But then, author Kaje Harper put a post on Facebook, saying that a writer had dropped out and a prompt was looking for a new writer. Curious, I clicked on the link and as soon as I saw the accompanying prompt photograph I was smitten. I decided I would find the time, and claimed the story prompt straight away.

The photograph in question was of two men dressed in Blue Tartan Highland dress standing by the counter of a bar, captured in a celebratory pose. The man on the left was in his twenties, blond cropped hair, boyish, tall and slender, athletic. The man on the right was older, say, his early thirties, dark hair with a brawnier physique. The older man had his hand on the younger man’s shoulder, squeezing. He held a tumbler of whisky and gazed mischievously at the younger man, as if he had just said something provocative to him. The younger man held his own whisky tumbler to his lips and looked down coquettishly, his gaze avoiding the camera.

This delicious photograph set my mind aflame, and then, when I saw the prompt letter that accompanied the photo, there was no turning back…

“Two days before the wedding we met my brother’s bride’s family — including her handsome, smart, funny brother. I was immediately smitten, even if I wouldn’t have admitted it. It took us some time to come together. Could have been family, friends, relationships, culture, one of us was straight (or thought he was), jobs, distance — whatever you see.”

Immediately, I went to Google images and discovered that the Tartan the men wore in the photo was Ramsay, and thus my Scotsman was named Declan Ramsay.

In “As You Wish” the novella written from the story prompt, Scotsman Declan Ramsay and Englishman Samuel Aiken are enlisted to share best man duties at their sibling’s wedding, at a castle on the banks of Loch Ness, Scotland. The images that are conjured by that line alone, speak of spectacular, rugged wilderness and endless romantic possibilities. The story virtually wrote itself in three weeks, and I knew while writing the first chapter that Sam and Declan had a bigger, wonderful story to tell.

There is an erotically charged scene in the book, set around the ritual of donning Highland dress. Scottish aficionados will know there is a certain way a man must put on his kilt. It is deeply ritualistic and goes back hundreds of years. And so, in this scene, thirty-two year old Declan Ramsay teaches twenty-three year old Sam Aiken the ‘right’ way to put on and arrange his Ramsay blue kilt, Prince Charlie jacket, and all of the accessories. I had such fun teasing out the seduction. The slow, erotic way the men dress each other, and the resulting sex scene has inspired many readers to write messages to say how much they love that scene, and how alluring the vision of men in kilts — and removing them, is.

And so back to my question — What is it about a man in a kilt? Apparently, the allure of ‘what’s underneath’ and the ease of access is a big draw. Personally, I would never attempt to find out if a kilt wearer were a ‘true Scotsman’, but I have witnessed the ear-splitting frenzy that some women — and men exhibit when it comes to kilts and their wearers. For others, it’s the inches of bare hairy leg between the top of the stocking and the hem of the kilt that make them go weak at the knees. For me, it’s the whole package — the masculinity of the man, married with clothing that, to be honest is a little girly. And yet there is nothing androgynous or feminine about kilts or their wearers.

And so my story began with men in kilts, and I found, in Sam and Declan, two delightful, funny characters who, whether they have their kilt’s on or off, smoulder for one another. Their kilt-less story continues in the sequel novel Illuminate the Shadows released on the 9th May, and following on a month later on 6th June the novel Return to Zero.

A Scotsman in Romance tropes is more than the kilt he wears. He is a romantic hero, with a huge heart, and he doesn’t do anything by halves. He loves big, he battles big and will suffer and fight for his love. He will never give up and never surrender. And from that description, I can tell you that my Scotsman, Declan Ramsay is most definitely the truest of Scotsmen!

To celebrate the release of the sequel, “As You Wish” is available for FREE on All Romance ebooks

©Isobel Starling 2016


Blurb

As you wish book cover1 wedding, 2 best men, one hell of a love story!

Declan Ramsay’s brother Oliver was marrying Annabelle Aiken at a fairytale castle on the banks of Loch Ness in Scotland. The bride and groom decided, so that he didn’t feel left out, that Annabelle’s gay younger brother could share the best man duties with Declan.

Declan had never met the kid who was to be his joint best man. Sam Aiken was abroad, working as an interpreter and finishing his studies. He wouldn’t meet Declan until a few days before the wedding, so the best men communicated and planned their speech by email for more than a year. But on meeting Sam Aiken, Declan is surprised to realize the kid isn’t a kid at all, but a tall, blond and athletic young man. Declan is  alarmed by the ferocious attraction he feels for Sam. And as the attraction is reciprocated, the events at Dunloch Castle change everything Declan has ever believed about himself.
But is Samuel Aiken all that he appears to be?


Bio

isobel StarlingInspiration strikes at the strangest of times.

Born in Germany, Isobel Starling spent most of her twenty-year professional career making art.  She relocated to the UK and, faced with the dreaded artist’s creative block, Isobel started to write and found she loved it more than making art.

Isobel’s first novel “Schonling” was a best seller in the GLBT-Bisexual genre on the ‘All Romance ebooks’ site.  She has just completed her sixth book, and signed French translation rights for novella “As You Wish”.

She adores the M/M genre and enjoys writing about wounded souls and the complexities of personal relationships.  Despite not having found proof yet, Isobel believes in love at first sight and endeavors to give her men a thrilling journey and a satisfying ending!


Giveaway

Isobel has brought TEN ebook copies of Illuminate the Shadows (the sequel to As You Wish) of to give away to ten lucky readers. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Wednesday, May 25th at 11:59 pm EST.

  • 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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