Today I am so pleased to welcome Andy Gallo to Joyfully Jay. Andy has come to talk to us about his latest release, (Un)Masked. He has also brought along some books to give away. Please join me in giving him a big welcome!

 

When Anyta and I* began the process of re-releasing (Un)Masked, it reminded me of one of the elements of the story – friends come in many shapes and sizes. There are best friends and fake ones, work friends and non-work ones, on-line friends and real life ones, and real friends and fake ones.

Another kind of friendship is that which assumes a familial place. Although people are more accepting of LGBTQ family members, there are still plenty of kids being rejected when they come out. For those people, friends become their new family. It was that type of friendship we explored in (Un)Masked. Neither Jay, Gristle, nor Lethe (the main characters of the story) have any ‘family.’ So they make their own.  

Gristle and Jay have been friends since they were kids. They aren’t just mates, they’re brothers in every way other than the having the same parents. Their love is purely platonic – Jay is gay, Gristle is straight – but it is no less powerful.

Lethe is the last surviving member of a family that was cursed – magically cursed. His family has died and he inherited the curse that has left him very much alone.  But when he meets Jay, he has found someone who loves him for who he is and it gives him hope.

Finding ‘the one,’ can be hard on friendships, and Jay and Gristle’s is no different. Jay’s new romance with Lethe requires time and even the strong bond he and Gristle share gets tested. But true friends endure and step up when they are needed most. That ‘friends love’ is one of the true heroes of the book that helps Jay and Lethe try to find their own happy ever after.

In real life, Anyta and I don’t get to see each other now that she and her family moved back to Germany. Hopefully one day soon, me and mine will get there for a visit, but nothing is imminent. Work and family demands don’t allow us to communicate all the time anymore like we did when we were writing together, but when we do, it’s like time and distance don’t matter. We pick up where we left off, catch up on the important things we missed, and talk about the future knowing the other will be there.

True friends don’t let little things derail their bond; they find a way to stay connected. While our friendships are different, Anyta’s and mine shares the same underlying strength and endurance as Jay and Gristle. (Un)Masked will always be significant to me because it was my first published book, but it will be special because it will always remind me of the friend I made writing it.

*When (Un)Masked was originally published, I used my Andrew Q. Gordon pen name for both my MM Romance and Fantasy books. To differentiate between the two genres, I’ve chosen a new pen name – Andy Gallo – for this and all future MM Romance works.


Blurb

Un-masked-fWalker has two wishes: to perform the play of his dreams alongside his best friend at Wellington’s Tory Street Theatre, and to meet that special someone. Someone he’d go to the ends of the earth for. Someone who might only exist in fairy tales.

When Jay meets accordion busker Lethe Cross, it’s like living a dream come true. Lethe’s music captivates Jay, and he resolves to meet the man who plays so beautifully. But then he discovers Lethe’s life is more like a nightmare. The phrase “down on his luck” can’t begin to cover it. Determined to help, Jay does some snooping for answers—and winds up on the wrong end of a centuries-old curse. The good news is there’s a way to break it. The bad news is it might cost Jay his life.

This book was previously published by Dreamspinner Press. This updated 2nd edition has some rewritten parts and has been line edited again.


Bio

Andy Gallo’s stories capture how he wished he’d spent his formative years, instead of how it really happened. Unfortunately for his characters, they find themselves infused with some of Andy’s less noble qualities.

A hopeless romantic, Andy writes seated next to a hundred year old Smith Brothers typewriter he inherited from his grandfather. He also dreams of superheroes and wizards and sees no reason why two men with superpowers can’t fall in love just like everyone else. Although not all of his stories have a paranormal bent, a touch of the supernatural never derailed a good read in his mind.

Married and living his happy ever after, Andy helps others find their happy endings in the pages of his stories. He and his husband of more than twenty years spend their days rubbing elbows with other parents as they raise their daughter. Embracing his status as the gay dad, Andy sometimes has to remind others that one does want a hint of color even when chasing after their child.

Connect with Andy:  Website | Facebook

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Heart-stopping slow burn.

Anyta Sunday is a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. She loves to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of her favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

Anyta writes a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. Her books have been translated into German, Italian and French. 

Member of Romance Writers of America.

Connect with Anyta: Website | Twitter | Facebook | To receive a free e-book, sign up for Anyta’s newsletter here!


Giveaway

Andy has brought three copies of any back list book to give away along the tour. Just follow the Rafflecopter below to enter. 

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