Today I am so pleased to welcome Addison Allbright to Joyfully Jay. Addison has come as part of the GRL Blog Tour. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

 

Attending the upcoming GayRomLit conference in Denver as a featured author is so far out of my usual comfort zone I can’t even see the edges of that cozy bubble. This will be the first conference I’ve attended in any capacity, so I’m jumping in at the deep end. Without a paddle. Or a life vest. Or anything.

To complicate matters, it’s not just a matter of inexperience behind my apprehension. By nature, I’m both shy and introverted. Although the two often go hand-in-hand, they aren’t entirely the same thing. As an introvert I would simply rather pursue calm and solitary activities. As a shy person, some of that preference is rooted in social anxiety, and concerns about being judged and deemed to be lacking. Picture George McFly in Back to the Future saying, “Well, what if they didn’t like them, what if they told me I was no good?” I’m afraid that’ll be me sitting in the corner with that refrain running through my mind.

I see posts and comments everywhere about how excited everyone is to be going back to another GRL so they can see all their conference friends again. That should be reassuring because it demonstrates how open and friendly the convention-goers are, but at the same time it adds to my fear, because I feel like I’ll be on the outside looking in. The friend-groups are already established, and that’s scarier to me than being a stranger amongst others in that same boat.

But, enough about my irrational reservations. GRL is a great opportunity to gain some exposure, so I’m going to do my best to shove those worries out of sight and cover them with a timid smile and awkward small-talk. Pretty, pretty please, go easy on me. Don’t be afraid to say “Hi!” even though I might l look like I want to crawl into a hole and die, because I really do want to be included, I’m just no good at being the person who makes the cold approach. I’m a funky combination of excited and hopeful yet terrified.

Cultivating_LoveSo, beyond being “a shy-introvert,” who is Addison Albright? By the time the conference rolls around I’ll be fifty-six. I’m a widow, a mom, and a grandmother (also a step-mom and step-grandmother). My early days were spent in upstate New York, and my teenaged years and life since then (except for a short stint in Texas) have been spent living in the USA Midwest. I’m a logical-thinking math and science-lover who sometimes wonders how she ever got into creative writing.

Snapshots_400x600Speaking of which, what have I written? Way back in 2008 and 2009 I released a bunch of short stories and a couple short novels at Torquere Press, and a novella at Loose ID. Then I took a long stretch of time away from writing. Kids and grandkids were boomeranging back to live with us, and real-life was happening. None of those stories are still available in their original form.

About a year or so after hubs passed away I started writing again. The short stories have all been overhauled and are now available through JMS Books as of February, 2017 in both ebook and print formats in a collection called Snapshots. The novella (Cultivating Love), originally published at Loose ID, was worked over, expanded, and rereleased at JMS Books in June of 2017 in both ebook and print formats. The short novels I mentioned are (at the time of my writing this post) being rewritten from the ground up, and I’m not yet sure if any will be available by the time GRL rolls around.

As for the fresh stuff I’ve completed since my return to writing in 2016, I offer readers my Vows Series:

Til-Death-Do-Us-Part’Til Death Do Us Part is the first book in that series. I’m immensely proud of how well it’s been received by most reviewers, and of its Runner Up status in the 2016 Rainbow Awards in both the Best Contemporary Gay Romance category and the overall Best Gay Book category! It’s a love story that first snatches their HEA away from the main characters (Henry & Sam), then takes them on a rollercoaster journey toward reclaiming it.

From-This-Day-ForwardFrom This Day Forward is a short story (or novelette, depending on your definitions) that picks up immediately where ’Til Death Do Us Part leaves off and gives our heroes just a little more drama and closure.

NOTE: From This Day Forward is included at the back of the paperback version of ’Til Death Do Us Part, so the entire series is available in print—they’re simply combined into two physical books instead of three ebooks.

To-Love-and-To-CherishTo Love and To Cherish spins off from ’Til Death Do Us Part, featuring Nash, an important side character who got the short end of the stick in that first book. But, he deserved a happily-ever-after of his own—although I’m afraid I didn’t make his path toward it overly smooth. I’m thrilled to be able to say it’s garnered an Honorable Mention so far in the 2017 Rainbow Awards.

The Vows Series books have now been bundled into a Box Set—a bargain for anyone intending to purchase them all—including a bonus short story titled Okay, Then (Vows 2.5 detailing Henry and Sam’s first date).

vows box set

At the time of this writing (July) I’ve contracted with David Gilmore via ACX to convert the Vows Series stories into audiobooks. I don’t yet know precisely when they’ll be released, but the dates when the finished audio files will be turned in for final review/approval is as follows:

  • ’Til Death Do Us Part – August 31
  • From This Day Forward – September 20
  • To Love and To Cherish – October 15
  • Bundled Series including the bonus short story, Okay, Then – November 8

So, the first book has either recently been released or soon will be. Woot woot!

I’ve scored a spot at the Indie Pub Authors’ Bookseller table at GRL, so the paperbacks I mentioned above will all be available for sale at the event. I’ll be optimistic and hope that advising readers that they might want to consider purchasing the paperbacks they’re interested in ahead of time and bringing them along for me to sign at the event (in case I underestimate how many I should take) isn’t a laughable suggestion.

Preorders are also an option, and I’ll be the one carting the books to the event for you. The deadline’s fast approaching (September 12) for GRL attendees to preorder my books at a discounted price (click here for the form).

All in all, rather than the “I can’t wait to see everyone again” I see all over social media, I’ll say instead that I can’t wait to meet the many readers, reviewers, and fellow-authors who will be there. Some of you I’ve interacted with on social media, and some will be totally new to me. I look forward to meeting all of you! Meanwhile, I’m having fun figuring out swag, etc. to have at the event.

Until then, you can find me here:

You can find my books for sale here: JMS Books, LLC | Amazon/Kindle Universal Link | iBooks | B&N/Nook | Kobo | Bookstrand | Blio | Google Play | BAM!-Books-a-Million | Smashwords

P.S., For fans of my stories (or simply for people wanting to check out my writing style), my website is littered with flash fiction and bonus scenes for many of the above-mentioned books. Look for the menu at the top of the site’s page. Buy-links, blurbs, long excerpts, and links to reviews of my stories can be found there, too.


Bio

Addison AlbrightAddison Albright lives in the middle of the USA with two peculiar cats. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance in contemporary settings. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, French fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.


GayRomLit is an annual retreat that brings together the people who create and celebrate LGBT romance for a one-of-a-kind, must-attend gathering of dynamic, informal, and diverse fun.

Each year, the retreat rotates to a new city and hosts tons of events from raucous parties to mellow tête á têtes while still maintaining a spirit of familiarity. GRL is the place to connect with old friends, find family you didn’t know you had, and meet with both newly published and established authors in the gay romance genre.

This year’s retreat will be held in Denver, Colorado on October 19-22, 2017 at the Denver Marriott Tech Center.

For more information or to register, please visit our website: http://gayromlit.com/