Today I am so pleased to welcome Monika De Giorgi to Joyfully Jay. Monika has come to talk to us about her latest release, Where I’ll Be Waiting. She has also brought along some great giveaways. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!
Hi Joyfully Jay Readers,
Iโm Monika De Giorgi and visiting here today, to celebrate my recent release “Where Iโll Be Waitingโ with you. So I brought you a giveaway (you can win an e-copy of โWhere Iโll Be Waitingโ and an Adult Coloring Kit with Pencils and Pages for โWhere Iโll Be Waitingโ which a friend of mine drew and they are really beautiful). I also have one page with me you can download if like to color or just want to try it out, and of course an exclusive excerpt. But be warned: Once youโve started coloring youโre addicted. ๐
Today, I wanted to chat with you about conventions, beccause I’m headed to Euro Pride Con, soon.
Do you like to go to Conventions? I love to go, but didnโt have a chance very often. Last year, the first Euro Pride Con was in Munich, so really close to where I live, and I loved it. A chance to meet many authors I look up to and chat with them. It was amazing. So of course I will attend this year, too.
At Euro Pride Con I also found the publisher for โWhere Iโll Be Waitingโ and this year I will read from it already and look forward to chat with the listeners and other authors. Even if Iโm an introvert and will skirt around the edges at first, until I will be comfortable enough to speak without stammering ๐
For me the reading is something Iโm super nervous about, as Iโm always self-conscious of my German accent. Iโm not a native speaker and Iโm always afraid I pronounce words wrong or say something stupid without meaning to, while talking to other attendees.
I listen to many English audiobooks and watch TV Shows, so I hope I wonโt be doing too bad. ๐
I still canโt decide which part to read from but should do so soon, so I can prepare for the reading. I always do so by reading the text aloud several times, mark parts where I stumble. I have to train to read slow and loud enough, because I tend to get too fast, when Iโm already nervous. I think itโs my flight instinct kicking in: Get it over it, run and hide! ๐
How do you feel about speaking in front of others? Does it make you nervous, or do you enjoy the spotlight?
I once was at a weekend seminar for work and a teacher wanted me to go at the whiteboard and solve a problem in front of others. I was so shocked that I just blurted out, that I donโt work at an office of a film firm, because I enjoy standing in front of others, thatโs what the actors are for ^^
Are any of you, at Euro Pride Con? If so, stop by โ I look forward to meet you, even if this post maybe didnโt sound like it. I like meeting others. Iโm just shy.
I hope you enjoy the excerpt!
You can download the coloring page here: http://bit.ly/1WAMylq
All the best,
Moni
Excerpt
When his eyes flickered open, Jesse wanted to cry. He was definitely not in some hotel bed or at their vacation rental. He was still in that fucking gazeboโrain steadily tapping on its roof and chilling the air. At least it was not storming anymore, although he was still shivering with cold, and hurt all over. On the plus side, the pain was not as bad as he imagined it should be, remembering the last few hours. Which lead him to the question… why was he still there? Even if time in the dream world followed its own rules, several hours must have passed in reality. So, shouldnโt he have woken up in the real world by now?
Slowly he sat up, wanting to whimper at the flaring hurts.
The only comfort he could find in his situation was the thought thatโlittle wondersโnothing felt broken. Very careful he traced fingertips over his face and felt scabs on his lip and brow, but no swelling. So, he could deal with some injuries on his face and bruised ribs, heโd had to do that more often than he could count in his past. He knew from experience that the pain from his ribs probably disguised other injuries, but he was too out of it to care. Oh joy to these small mercies.
With a sigh he examined his hands in the silvery moonlight falling into the gazebo, taking in the dirt under his fingernails and scratches on his palms. What would he give for a steaming hot bath to get rid of the bone chilling coldness and grime? But it was not an option and if he liked it or not, he needed to move or the soreness would only get worse.
Gritting his teeth against the pains flaring through his body, he forced himself to his feet. Slowly he turned in place, staring into the darkness, listening. He found no trace of his father or Marcus. The only sound was coming from the rain pattering on the roof, splashing in puddles outside and dripping from the hedges and plants. Should he brave the weather and try to find his way in the dark? Or stay there like a sitting duck for more of the shadows to find him? None of the options sounded appealing.
He sighed and sat down again on one of the wooden benches. โWake up, Jesse. Come on. Wake up!โ he urged himself to wake for the umpteenth time and even pinched himself in the forearm. But the only thing that did was hurt. Great.
Then suddenly, warmth spread from the place he had just pinched. It was like a warm hand placed there, soothing away his pain. His skin prickled and he shivered slightly, but not from the cold that time. It felt like… like… โCameron?โ he asked hesitantly, feeling stupid then slightly panickedโremembering the last time he had thought… but no one was there. He just felt a presence, a caring, loving presence. Fingers seemed to caress his arm and then curl gently around it. His panic subsided and he felt held, not so alone anymore. It was the strangest sensation and oh so soothing at the same time. He didnโt trust it. He rubbed his arm, frowning at his skin as if it was betraying him. If he had learned one thing since he was caught in the dream, it was that nothing and no one could be trusted. Everything could turn against you in a second.
โJesse?โ
It was Cameronโs voice.
โOh please, not again!โ he thought and bit his lip to keep a noise of fear in. Frantically, he jumped up and pressed against the column beside the entry to the gazebo. His shelter once more had turned into a cage, because there was only one way out. It was impossible to break through one of the other five sides of the hexagon, which were closed by trellis, overgrown with roses and other climbing blooms.
โJesse, are you here?โ Cameron sounded so anxious… concerned, but Jesse did not dare to call out for him. He wanted to believe it was really Cam, but the nightmare surely wouldnโt allow him help. He had to get out of it himself, or did he? If there was a way out…
No! He couldnโt allow himself to think like that. He just had to find his way through the maze and then… then he would wake up. The maze was what trapped him there. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply and repeated it to himself as an inner mantra…โStay calm, get out of the maze, wake up.โ โJesse?โ Cameron called out again.
What if it was really Cam? What if Cam was caught there just like him? Living through nightmare after nightmare? Should he really leave him out there because he was afraid?
Could he do that? He sank down the column, curling up as much as his hurting body allowed.
No, he couldnโt! So Jesse gathered his courage, borne out of the worry for Cam.
โCam!โ he tried, but it was a mere hoarse whisper that fell from his cold, chapped lips. He cleared his throat, tried again. That time, he found his voice.
โCam?โ It came out shaky but loud. Cam seemed to hear him, because soon the wooden stairs creaked under Cameronโs hasty steps and the other man fell to his knees in front of Jesse, enveloping him in a fierce hug.
Jesse whelped in pain when Cameron made his bruised ribs protest under the affection and Cameron pulled back, his eyes roaming Jesse while he stuttered, โSorry, sorry. Are you hurt? Where? Fuck, what happened to you?โ
Cameron cupped his face, his gaze flickering over Jesseโs features, and for a second, Jesse asked himself what kind of picture he made. He felt like a bruised and battered mess.
โJesse? Are you… ? What happened? Tell me, baby.โ
โBaby?โ Jesse mumbled, pressing his face into Cameronโs shoulder and inhaling his comforting summer scent. And thank god, the scent was right.
Instead of giving an explanation for the use of the endearment, Cam pressed a kiss into his hair and stroked his big hands over Jesseโs back. They were so warm and Jesse couldnโt help but lean into them while trying to burrow closer to Camโs body heat. He felt so good and warm. Jesse allowed himself to calm down and hope for safety.
For a short while Cameron indulged him, Jesse thought, because he tightened his hold and hummed lowly in his throat, while he nuzzled Jesseโs temple. But then he let go, looking apologetic.
โYou have to wake up, Jesse,โ he begged, then hesitated, clearing his throat before he sought Jesseโs gaze, his eyes getting big and imploring. โWeโre worried sick about you. The doctors say you are in a coma,โ he explained lowly, reaching out for Jesse again, stroking his hands up and down Jesseโs biceps.
Jesse shook his head, not really comprehending. Cameron pulled him into his arms again, this time mindful of Jesseโs hurts, and Jesse found himself sinking into the embrace while the word coma echoed in his mind like banshee cries.
Cameronโs crooning words of comfort were a mere background noise, like the still falling rain. Still, it felt good to be held and rocked. Cameron let them sink back to the floor again and pulled Jesse into his lap. Stroking his hair, kissing tears from his cheek Jesse hadnโt even noticed were falling again. The touch of Cameronโs warm and soft lips on his skin was what finally pulled him back out of his thoughts. He drew back slightly from a kiss to the corner of his mouth and looked up.
โI have to get out of here!โ
โYes, Jesse. You have to wake up. Come back to us,โ Cameron urged, cupping his face.
โI have to get out of the maze!โ Jesse said, too cold and in pain, to find better words.
Cameron frowned at him.
โYou mean you canโt wake up before you get out of here?โ
Blurb
Facing your fears, inner demons, friendship and a love to dream of.
Jesse meets a wonderful guy who is caring, attentive, lovable, and handsome to boot. Unfortunately, the only time he sees Cameron is in his dreamsโdreams that are never flimsy and fast forgotten in the morning, but feel very real. And the longer they go on, the more palpable they feel to Jesse.
But what happens when these dreams have a bigger and bigger impact on Jesseโs daily life? When they begin to take a toll on him and make it harder to wake up every day? And what if they turn into nightmares and Jesse canโt get out anymore, if he never wakes up?
One day Cameron finds a heartbreaking poem in a small notebook, hidden in a used book. From the first time he reads it, the handwritten words resonate somewhere deep within him and when he goes to sleep that night, he meets Jesse for the first timeโa sad young man who makes Cam want to give him reasons to smile and a shoulder to cry on. From that night on, Jesse is a nightly visitor in Cameronโs dreams.
But what happens when Cameron finds out that his Jesse is very much real? And what if a sinister presence takes hold of their shared dreams and Cameron wakes up? Can he get back to Jesse? Or will Jesse stay back forever in this dreamscape turned nightmare?
Bio
Monika De Giorgi is a nerd, bookworm and author of M/M-Romance. Her first book got published 2007, three more followed since then. Her favorite genres are Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy (with a healthy dose of Romance). She lives with two dogs and her cat in the suburbs of Rosenheim (near Munich) and works as assistant for a film team. Sheโs never seen without something to read and traveling without her laptop and several notebads is just not imaginable.
- Homepage: http://www.midnight-fairytales.de
- Mail: moni@midnight-fairytales.de
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monikadegiorgi
- Twitter: @monidg
Giveaway
Monikaย has brought a copy Where I’ll Be Waiting and 1ย adult coloring kit to give away (two winners). ย Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on June 12th at 11:59 pm EST.
For the giveaway Monikaย invitesย you to chat with her. Everyone can post a question about herย writing, the book or herย under this post and sheย will answer in herย best ability :).
- By entering the giveaway, youโre confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number.ย No purchase necessary to win. ย 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. ย 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.
Monika, thanks for sharing your thoughts and for the intriguing excerpt. I am not a fan of public speaking either, but I admire those who can and do. You have my congratulations both for writing a book and for speaking publicly in a language that is not your native tongue. Kudos to you.
Hi Kareni,
thank you so much ๐ I’m really nervous about it, but I’ll do my best to prepare for it. I’m happy you like the excerpt!
Hi Monika! Good look at the convention. I love public speaking, but there are other things that make my palms sweat (a solo karaoke performance, for example), so I can understand your nervousness. Congrats on your new release!ย
Hi Meghan,
Karaoke would lead to an empty room should I participate. But I don’t think I could bring myself to do so. ๐
Thanks for sharing. I don’t like public speaking either because I don’t like being the center of attention. I hope you enjoy EuroPride. I’ve never been to a con. Thanks for the excerpt, I really enjoyed it; the book sounds great!
Thank you, Lisa. I’m excited for the Con and look forward to see people again I haven’t seen since the last ๐ I don’t like being the center of attention either. So I hope I’ll do well.
The book sounds amazing, I can’t wait to read it. I have never attended a con…maybe someday!
Hi Sabrina,
thank you so much ๐
I hope you’ll have a a great time reading “Where I’ll Be Waiting” ๐
The book sounds fantastic. ย I have never been to a con either. ย Well I have been to science ones.
Hi Debra,
thank you. I’m glad :)) Before Euro Pride Con I’ve been to two smaller Book related ones and GamesCon in Cologne, which was fun, but overwhelming.
I can honestly say that I fear public speaking almost more than anything else in life. Don’t know why. ย I’m in awe of people who speak even though they’re scared. ย
Hi Barbara,
it is scary. I had to learn when my first german book came out in 2007 and now I have to re-learn, so to speak ๐
The funny thing for me is that I am fine speaking in public. I do it all the time for work (I’m an IT trainer) and have done lots of panels and stuff at cons. But I HATE talking on the phone and making phone calls to strangers. I am fine in person but something about the phone freaks me out!ย
Oh, I hate phone calls too. I feel most comfortable in writing ๐
Thank you for the post. The excerpts great and it’s already been added to my wishlist.
Thank you ๐ I’m glad you like it!
Good luck at the convention, Monika! I wish I could go, but it is quite far from my place and I cannot take so many days because of work reasons… I keep telling myself that next year I will be able to make it. Wishful thinking!
Hi Susanna, thank you. I’m already curious where Euro Pride Con will be next year. Maybe it will be closer to your place. *Fingers crossed*.