Today I am so pleased to welcome Thom Collins to Joyfully Jay. Thom has come to talk to us about his latest release, Closer by Morning. He has also brought along a copy to give away. Please join me in giving Thom a big welcome!

Closer by Morning banner

 

Thank you for having me here at Joyfully Jay to talk about Closer by Morning on the day the book goes on general release. It’s very exciting. Closer by Morning is my first MM romance and I’m thrilled it’s out there now for people to read.

So what’s it all about? Well, the book is a contemporary thriller set in my home town of Durham, North East England. Durham makes a great backdrop for the story. It’s a wonderful small city with a rich history, going all the way back to 995AD. Like all old towns, it’s filled with the most incredible buildings, there’s a castle and a cathedral, and it’s very beautiful. The city is built on a peninsula with a river looping around it. A lot of authors set their novels in big cities, like London, Paris, New York etc., and often neglect the smaller hidden gems, which are just as exiting. There are a lot of dark narrow streets and hidden corners in Durham where anything could happen. And in Closer by Morning, they certainly do.

At the heart of the story we have two wonderful characters. As a writer you know something is going well when you fall in love with your characters and can’t wait to get back to them. Matt Blyth and Dale Zachery are the heroes and I hope readers come to love them just as much as I do. Matt is a local boy. He’s a successful lawyer, smart and very good-looking. When we meet him he’s not been long out of a stale relationship and is getting used to single life again. Dale is an actor from America. He’s in the UK to work on TV series which is filming in Durham. Dale is rugged and sexy but stuck firmly in the closet. He’s terrified his career will be over if his sexuality becomes public knowledge.

Dale and Matt meet and fall in love during troubled times, as a serial killer is stalking the ancient streets of the city. The murders bear a striking resemblance to the show Dale is filming and once the press make a connection, the production runs into big trouble. Protestors picket the studio and demand that the production is shut down. What nobody realises is that the killer is no random predator. He selects his victims carefully and already has Matt and Dale in his sights.

I had an absolute blast writing this book. Especially the thriller elements. It was exciting and surprisingly moving. I got quite upset when writing a scene towards the end of the book. I can’t tell you what happens but when you come to care for the characters, it’s a shock when they run into trouble. I hope readers react in the same way I did.

So now it’s out there. Today. This thing that I created by myself at the kitchen table is now a book. Wow. That will never stop being exciting.


Blurb

Closer by MorningWhen Matt Blyth, a handsome young lawyer, joins an early morning boot camp, all he wants is to get in shape. His 30th birthday is approaching fast. He’s ready to throw away the past and embrace a new future. The last thing he expects is to fall in love … or become embroiled in murder.

Dale Zachary, an American actor, is stuck firmly in the closet. He spent his 20’s playing good-looking jocks in a bunch of bad horror films and romantic comedies. But that boy next door act has a limited shelf life. Dale has landed the role of his career playing a sexy psychotic killer in a major British TV series. It’s a part that could make him a star. It’s no time to fall in love but when Dale meets Matt, the attraction is impossible to resist and they both fall hard.

Someone is killing young men in the city. A killer like no other. The murders bear an uncanny resemblance to the script Dale is shooting. A devious mind is at work. As their relationship becomes more complex, Matt and Dale find the murders intruding further into their lives. The killer is closing in on his next target … it could be either one of them … or both.


Bio

Thom CollinsThom Collins lives in Durham, North East England. He enjoys writing racy, romantic thrillers and creating strong, sexy characters. He is currently working on a new romantic trilogy. He lives with his husband and two cats.

Contact him at: thomcollinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter: @ realthomcollins or @thomwolf


Giveaway

Thom has brought a copy of Closer by Morning to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Friday, August 12th 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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