Today I am so pleased to welcome Rebecca Cohen to Joyfully Jay. Rebecca has come to talk to us about Reagalos and Modern Crofton.  Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

 

Seven Year Itch – or how long it took Rebecca to get her groove back.

Seven years seems an incredibly long time, especially to leave a series dangling, and even worse when it’s done more than once. Which I have to hold up my hands and say I’m guilty of doing this not once, but twice.

It wasn’t deliberate. I didn’t think back in 2014, that’ll do, I’ll leave the Reagalos series and the Modern Crofton books there, but life has a habit of getting in the way. Before I knew it my plans were derailed and I got further behind. By 2017 my writing had had taken a hit, the real me was busy with the day job and my young son, and then the decision in 2018 to move back to the UK from Switzerland. Throw in the chaos that came with the Dreamspinner Press hoo-hah that saw countless of us authors leaving that publisher and it was a perfect storm. I eked out a couple of books between 2018 and 2020, and worked getting my back catalogue out but the words weren’t playing game, and in 2020 I barely wrote 5K words – gah!

But in early 2021, something changed. I opened my File Explorer and saw the REAGLOS folder. I had to make the decision whether I would republish Servitude and Idolatry or leave it be… but Lornyc and Methian had been in my head over 20 years one way or another and I couldn’t let them go. By September the series had been completed… meaning a deep re-edit of the first two books, and writing two new ones and a sequel (that’s 250K of new words or there about). The second edition of Servitude (https://smarturl.it/Servitude) came out in September and from monthly onwards I released the rest of them – the series is complete with the prequel (written initially just to get the juices going) released 13th Jan 2022. https://smarturl.it/CollegeDaysReagalos

But the flood gates didn’t close end there, I found myself wanting to write more of everything! And I finally returned to my Modern Croftons. Saving Crofton Hall was published first in 2014, with the 16th and current Earl of Crofton, Ben Redbourn, launching into the world as a spin off from my historical series, and I had great plans that had stalled, but it was time to bring it back to life! The second in the series is Making History at Crofton Hall is due to be published 24th Feb (pre-order link: https://smarturl.it/makinghistoryatCH) and the next is currently sitting at 35K in my WIP folder. I’ve love my Crofton Men, and being with Ben and Ashley with new characters, the hall’s new historian Irishman Dara and TV producer Nathan, was a joy to write!

Fingers crossed I never need seven years to continue a series again! I’ve several more novels in various stages of completion, so it you’ll be hearing from me again soon…

As a bit of thank you for your patience, I have a Freebie available (through sign up to my infrequent newsletter) – grab a FREE copy of my m/m romance meets magical realism story Life in the Land here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/g6xh4q8a8v?fbclid=IwAR1LyrYtmEt6ms7FOiLcNORtiuFXNVkM59WhAFXnKpPkb_q13-P0UDK6CCk


Excerpt

Excerpt for College Days: Reagalos Prequel

Lornyc didn’t like the way Methian was trying to order him about. “If we had let you continue, this whole experiment would have been a mistake. And since I got it wrong the first time, perhaps you should make sure I don’t do it again.”

Methian took a step closer, he was taller than Lornyc, so Lornyc assumed he was trying to loom over him to intimidate. “I think you should get the gauge. You’ve demonstrated that you now know what you’re looking for—it would be a learning opportunity for you.”

Lornyc glowered back. Methian was a bit too close, and as well as the waves of anger, Methian was also warm, and smelt extremely good. He swallowed, his body reacting to having such an attractive man so near. Discretion would be the better part of valour. “Since you are clearly not capable, I’d best do it myself.”

He refused to run, but he did walk quicker than normal, and once inside the equipment room, and he was sure he was alone, he let out a long breath. Counting to twenty in his head, he chased away the physical stirring he felt in response to Methian. If it wasn’t for his appalling behaviour, Methian would be a very fine specimen, but his attitude to classes and his activities on campus meant he was not someone Lornyc should respond to.

But he was flesh and blood, and his cock was not good at listening to common sense. He’d already had to force Methian out of his thoughts the last time he’d pleasured himself, and today would not help matters. He would need to keep this locked away in his mind, remind himself that attractiveness was more than a muscular torso and soft hair. And even if Methian wasn’t a complete pig, he wouldn’t look twice at Lornyc.

Finally composed, he collected the correct gauge and returned to their lab bench. They were the only ones left, the other pairs had already finished their set-up, and had headed out. All they needed was to fit the gauge and Lornyc could escape, he hoped Gannis would be free, because a few beers would be required this evening.

Methian was scribbling away as he got back to the bench, several lines of calculations were written on the back of the instruction sheet. He shouldn’t be doing calculations, everything was already done for this part. He’d seen to that himself, and double-checked. “What are you up to?”

“I wanted to make sure we came to the same answer for the base power levels needed.”

“My workings are correct.”

“I’m not saying they aren’t, but for my own peace of mind, and to demonstrate my understanding to Yanga, I’m doing them as well.”

“And?”

“We agree within a five percent margin of error. You forgot a minor correction to the Kelka constant, but nothing that would have given us an issue.” Methian stared at him, and Lornyc thought he was waiting for a reaction.

Lornyc bristled, but another argument would not get them out of the lab any quicker. He attached the gauge to the reinforced tubing and clipped everything in place so the connection was secure. “Right, we’re done for today.”

“One moment.”

Methian spent several minutes painstakingly checking every connection, bolt, and fastening on the base unit they had assembled. He twiddled needlessly with one of the legs on the tripod and gave one of the screws an extra half turn.

“You did not need to do any of that,” Lornyc growled, his anger getting the better of him. “You are just being a pompous arrogant sloth toad!”

Methian laughed, picking up his bag. “Now, now, Lornyc, you wanted me to pull my weight. No need to resort to name-calling.”

“I wanted you to be helpful. That was not helpful.”

“Contrary to your own beliefs, you are not in charge of this lab or of me.” Methian poked him in the chest. “This sloth toad has had quite enough of your bitching and sniping for one day.”

Methian left the lab without a backwards glance, leaving Lornyc seething but unable to any have recourse.


Blurb

College Days: Reagalos Prequel

Lornyc is good at keeping secrets, because secrets can get you kicked out of College.

Lornyc considers the undergraduate course, and most of the people on it, beneath him. He just needs to get through this year and then he can start his doctorate. Methian might be attractive enough, but he’s an annoying, fat-headed, sloth toad, and Lornyc doesn’t want him as a lab partner. In fact, Lornyc doesn’t want anything to do with him.

Prequel to the Reagalos novels: enemies to lovers, new adult, gay romance fantasy. A stand-alone novel in the Reagalos universe that charts how Lornyc and Methian got together, despite their best efforts not to.


Bio

REBECCA COHEN spends her days dreaming of a living in a Tudor manor house, or a Georgian mansion. Alas, the closest she comes to this is through her characters in her historical romance novels. She also dreams of intergalactic adventures and fantasy realms, but because she’s not yet got her space or dimensional travel plans finalised, she lives happily in leafy Hertfordshire, England, with her husband and young son. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and sloe gin with lemon tonic in the other.

With contemporaries, historicals, sci fi and fantasy in her back catalogue, there should be something for every taste in Rebecca’s work.

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