Any Which Way You Like It
I’m starting this blog with a confession. I’m writing while impaired. No, not drunk or hung over, though it feels close. I’m goofy from a move which doesn’t seem to end. Three weeks, I’ve been packing and moving, then unpacking, then going back across town to do it again. Somewhere in the shuffle, the cord to my Kindle vanished, lost in the depths of an as yet undiscovered box. This of course means I can’t recharge my beloved Kinny and read. All my print books are still boxed, too. So not only am I exhausted and sore, I’m bookless.
Pity me.
Without books to read, the next best thing for me is usually writing, but with edits due, I have to settle for the not-as-fun fixing on my third angel book. I supposed fixing isn’t so bad. It gives me a chance to visit my characters again. And I do like the characters.
This book marks the first time in the series I’ve dealt strictly with a het couple… which is weirder when you know that when I started the first book, I had no plans to do anything except het. I’d never considered doing m/m in any form. I didn’t read it, didn’t write it, never had it even fleetingly cross my mind. Then boy kissed boy and suddenly I had no idea what I did and didn’t write. Calling me confused would be an understatement.
Well, that unplanned kiss opened me up to reading more than just boy meets girl. I picked up several books with m/m and what do you know, I did like it. I liked it a lot. But I didn’t fall head-first in love with m/m.
My why is pretty simple. I like men who are manly, and there is usually one partner who isn’t. By manly, I don’t mean an alphahole who is overburdened with testosterone. I mean the character comes across as a strong, purely male in thought and action. I’ve never been a fan of the effeminate guy.
When I wrote the second book, I knew going in that it would be an m/m and that both men would be on even ground in size, intelligence, and in in that elusive manliness scale. Equal partners in all ways… well, except one of them was a college professor and the other an angel on a mission from the Most High. That bit kinda blew the curve.
Even though I loved Ren and Adam, I will still say my heart is with het romance. What about you? Do you read gay romances? Do you like m/m, m/f, f/f… or a little bit of everything? What do you like or hate about them?
One lucky commenter will win a copy of Forsaking Eternity, the second book… that’s the m/m one… in the Heavenly Lovers series, now available from Ellora’s Cave. The third book in the series, Embracing Eternity, will be available this fall.
You can find Voirey online on her website, voireylinger.com, or on Twitter as @voireylinger.
Her books can be found at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever ebooks are sold.
Excerpt from Forsaking Eternity
“Is it too bright for you? I can close the blinds if you’d like.” Adam took a stack of books from a battered chair and set them on his overfilled desk. He began shuffling papers, straightening the desk. “I like the light so I keep the blinds up most of the time. Natural light is much better for working, at least it is for me, but if you don’t like it…”
Adam stood still as a statue for a hesitant second. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
“Perhaps a little.” Ren ducked his head and smiled.
“Please, make yourself comfortable. I don’t have much time, unfortunately.”
Ren didn’t move. He couldn’t. His feet were firmly planted on those aging boards, held captive by this man, this simple human. After an eternity of living among wonders beyond this or any man’s comprehension, how was it that Adam, in all his base humanity, could fascinate him so?
“I don’t really wish to sit.” He peeked up at Adam and his gaze caught on the expression on the human’s face.
Adam slowly circled the desk once more until he stood close in front of Ren, closer than socially acceptable, closer than comfortable. Something deep in Ren’s chest responded. It pulled at him, tugged him toward Adam until he swayed.
“Why did you come, Renatus?” The words were a whisper, their speaker so close Ren could feel them ghosting over his own lips.
“I wanted to be with you, if only for a few more moments.”
Ren couldn’t say which one of them moved, or if maybe they both had. He just knew that in the next moment his jacket brushed against the tweed of Adam’s, the near-contact of their bodies so overwhelming that he could feel every fiber as they caught and clung. Adam’s breath fell hot and fast against his face. Ren’s lids grew heavy, his head tilted and he began to lean in.
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Thanks for having me today, Delilah. I’m still in the middle of my move, but I’ll check in on comments as often as I can today.
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I so understand your surprise with m/m. I am het all the way, but the first time I came across some m/m action, I found it so hot. However, w/w turns me off. Consequently, I have now added some m/m to my reading lists. Through a female in the mix for some m/m/f menage, and well, things can get really hot. Mostly, I think romance in any form is wonderful. I just prefer there be only 1 woman in the mix, but really doesn’t matter how many men. As long as everyone is happy and they make it work. Good luck with your move. I am there with you. I am actually in the middle of my second move this year. Should be the last one for a long time. I sure hope so.
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I think i was just like you until i read on of Delilah books with m/m, m/w/m. I have yet to read a w/w but I found that I actually like the ones where they are “manly” guys. Like you I am old school in that I believe a man can be a man without the a-hole personality or having to be controlling. When the characters display this kind of personality I get more in tune with what I’m reading and part of it is because those traits seem to have gotten lost in translation somewhere along the way with men today. NOT ALL men but in general per say. I love the type that will take care of you, stand up to you, but will make you feel protected and loved at the same time. 😛
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Becky,
I’m much like you in that I like it better when there is a woman in the mix. f/f isn’t my thing but I can always appreciate a good story. I’m all about the character and story.
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Jackie,
I’m lucky enough to be a small-ish town Southern gal. There are a lot of men around here are very male and treat their women like queens. I’m all for being coddled and protected. 🙂
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Being Coddled and protected! Yep that is my fantasy. Maybe that is why I read so much. That is the only place I have found strong men who “treat their women like like queens”, are strong and secure in themselves, but like to cuddle and protect. I want one.
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I see myself as a reader of all types of romances, I guess I was raised to not see sexual prefernce but rather the romance that got me to the HEA. Being raised in a family that has many homosexuals it has always been about ‘are you happy?’ I, myself, am in a happy hetero marriage of 11 years but that has never stopped me from appreciating same sex romances and even erotica. I have tried my hand at writting both types and have found it can be beautiful regardless if its m/m, m/f, f/f, or even m/f/m etc. I love the authors who aren’t afraid to swing either way such as the upcoming BDB m/m book evem after numerous m/ books. So Ms. Linger I commend you for writting what in your mind regardless of the sex of your characters!
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My preferred reading material is M/F/M, but I also adore M/M/F and of course, M/M. I can’t quite get my head around FF. I think it is because I am just WAY too enamored with the male form. *blush*
Thank you for posting here for us to read! I always love finding new authors!
Stacy Wilson
dragn_lady at yahoo dot com
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I was not in to the m/m until I read a book by Delilah. Now I pretty much read them all. 😉 My favorite is m/f/m or m/m/f. I like the threesomes for some reason. 😛
On the charger for your kindle. I found out my HTC cell phone charger works for it. My kindle died when I was at work. I had my phone charger in the car so I tried it. I was glad it worked. If you get desprate for your kindle to get charged WalMart carries the car chargers for about $10.
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I read a little bit of just about everything. I have found that I don’t like the m/m/m/m/f/m/m/f/…. You get the picture. There is a point where there are just too many bodies to make sense of it all. The first time I read a m/m book I was surprised. I thought I might focus on the fact it was m/m. Instead, I focused on the blossoming relationship.
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I read a little bit of everything but f/f. Like Stacy, I’m too enamored by the male form. One or more male forms with one female. Or just the male forms. My preference for m/m is for both to be on equal footing. One of my favorite m/m books is Breaking Cover by Sean Michael. Talk about 2 strong characters!
suz2(at)cox(dot)net
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Laura,
I’m looking forward to the BDB book, too. I’m very interested in seeing how it goes over. My friend, Louisa Edwards, has a secondary m/m couple in her series whom I would love to see have their own story. (Hinthint, Lou)
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Stacy,
There’s something intriguing about the idea of all that male attention focused on one lucky girl, isn’t there?
Thanks for the tip on the charger! I might be reunited with my beloved Kinny soon.
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Jen, I’ve decided that when a gal has more available penises than orifices, it’s overkill. Fun overkill, though.
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Susan,
I find I enjoy f/f in a different way than m/m or het books. my brain doesn’t read them as being sexy. Pleasurable, yes… but not in a sexy way. Het reads sexiest for me.
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Here’s hoping you find everything that got tucked away for the move…if not, time to get a library card, lol. Thanks for sharing the entertaining excerpt.
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Winner!
Melissa, please email me at voireylinger@gmail.com to claim your book. Please include preferred format.