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,

Iโ€™m Monika De Giorgi and visiting here today, to celebrate my recent release “Where Iโ€™ll Be Waitingโ€ with you. So I brought you a giveaway (you can win an e-copy of โ€œWhere Iโ€™ll Be Waitingโ€ and an Adult Coloring Kit with Pencils and Pages for โ€œWhere Iโ€™ll 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 youโ€™ve started coloring youโ€™re addicted. ๐Ÿ˜‰

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 didnโ€™t 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 โ€œWhere Iโ€™ll Be Waitingโ€ and this year I will read from it already and look forward to chat with the listeners and other authors. Even if Iโ€™m an introvert and will skirt around the edges at first, until I will be comfortable enough to speak without stammering ๐Ÿ˜‰

For me the reading is something Iโ€™m super nervous about, as Iโ€™m always self-conscious of my German accent. Iโ€™m not a native speaker and Iโ€™m 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 wonโ€™t be doing too bad. ๐Ÿ˜‰

I still canโ€™t 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 Iโ€™m already nervous. I think itโ€™s my flight instinct kicking in: Get it over it, run and hide! ๐Ÿ˜‰

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 donโ€™t work at an office of a film firm, because I enjoy standing in front of others, thatโ€™s 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 didnโ€™t sound like it. I like meeting others. Iโ€™m 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 gazeboโ€”rain 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, shouldnโ€™t 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 thatโ€”little wondersโ€”nothing 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, heโ€™d 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. โ€œWake 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… โ€œCameron?โ€ he asked hesitantly, feeling stupid then slightly panickedโ€”remembering 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 didnโ€™t 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.

โ€œJesse?โ€

It was Cameronโ€™s voice.

โ€œOh 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.

โ€œJesse, 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 wouldnโ€™t allow him help. He had to get out of it himself, or did he? If there was a way out…

No! He couldnโ€™t 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…โ€Stay calm, get out of the maze, wake up.โ€ โ€œJesse?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 couldnโ€™t! So Jesse gathered his courage, borne out of the worry for Cam.

โ€œCam!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.

โ€œCam?โ€ It came out shaky but loud. Cam seemed to hear him, because soon the wooden stairs creaked under Cameronโ€™s 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, โ€œSorry, sorry. Are you hurt? Where? Fuck, what happened to you?โ€

Cameron cupped his face, his gaze flickering over Jesseโ€™s features, and for a second, Jesse asked himself what kind of picture he made. He felt like a bruised and battered mess.

โ€œJesse? Are you… ? What happened? Tell me, baby.โ€

โ€œBaby?โ€ Jesse mumbled, pressing his face into Cameronโ€™s 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 Jesseโ€™s back. They were so warm and Jesse couldnโ€™t help but lean into them while trying to burrow closer to Camโ€™s 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 Jesseโ€™s temple. But then he let go, looking apologetic.

โ€œYou have to wake up, Jesse,โ€ he begged, then hesitated, clearing his throat before he sought Jesseโ€™s gaze, his eyes getting big and imploring. โ€œWeโ€™re 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 Jesseโ€™s biceps.

Jesse shook his head, not really comprehending. Cameron pulled him into his arms again, this time mindful of Jesseโ€™s hurts, and Jesse found himself sinking into the embrace while the word coma echoed in his mind like banshee cries.

Cameronโ€™s 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 hadnโ€™t even noticed were falling again. The touch of Cameronโ€™s 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.

โ€œI have to get out of here!โ€

โ€œYes, Jesse. You have to wake up. Come back to us,โ€ Cameron urged, cupping his face.

โ€œI have to get out of the maze!โ€ Jesse said, too cold and in pain, to find better words.

Cameron frowned at him.

โ€œYou mean you canโ€™t wake up before you get out of here?โ€


Blurb

"Where I'll Be Waiting"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 dreamsโ€”dreams 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 Jesseโ€™s 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 canโ€™t 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 timeโ€”a 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 Cameronโ€™s 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 GiorgiMonika 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. Sheโ€™s never seen without something to read and traveling without her laptop and several notebads is just not imaginable.


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.

Preview of Coloring pageFor 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, youโ€™re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
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