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Gabbi Grey: Why gay romance? (Contest)
Wednesday, July 29th, 2020

UPDATE: The winner is…Barbara Bettis!
*~*~*

My journey to writing gay romances was full of twists, turns, and switchbacks.  I wrote my first book in 2012, the same year I bought my first e-reader.  I had no notion of books beyond those being traditionally published and the indie world opened my eyes to the possibility of writing for more than just a major publisher.  The collision encouraged me to open myself up to what else was out there.

I read my first gay romance in 2013.  It was an Ava March story, Pleasures of Somerville Park.  It was revelatory, but not earth-moving.  I had gay friends.  I’d seen Tony Kushner’s Angels in America plays in Toronto.  I’d enjoyed the movies Peter’s Friends and Philadelphia.  I thought I was enlightened.  What I had yet to discover is there was a whole subgenre of romance called gay romance that was about to really break out.  And it did so mostly by word of mouth.

A good friend insisted I try books by Tara Lain, Marie Sexton, and Kaje Harper.  I was just moving into audiobooks so I tried Kaje’s Into Deep Water.  My mind was blown.  Here were two gay men in the navy during the Second World War in the Pacific Theater.  I had no notion.  And not only did their new love survive the war, they went on to live together and love together well into their eighties.  I was moved, realizing for the first time just how difficult things had been for gay men and lesbians back then.  I supported marriage equality, of course, and was pleased that Canada was one of the first countries to adopt the legislation, but I still was naïve.

From there I moved on to Tara Lain’s Knight of Ocean Avenue from her Love in Laguna series, and I was hooked.  I’ve never looked back.  My first dip into writing gay romance was when I saw a call from a publisher.  There were certain criteria and I hit all of them, quite pleased with myself.  Then I asked a Beta Reader – a gay man – and he had plenty of feedback, including that the story was incomplete.  He was right and eventually I did tackle the edits for that book.  The call from the publisher had long closed but I had something I really loved.  That being said, the book is way too long and still in need of work.  I will publish it one day, I promise.

Another call from a different publisher caught my attention.  This was a general call and there was no specific mention of gay romance, yet I knew I wanted to be part of this.  The series is set in a small fictional Vermont town with an inn at the center.  Every book had to have a visitor from the inn meeting someone in town.  I went way out of my wheelhouse and chose a black Civil War soldier’s ghost who haunts the local cemetery and a history professor from Scotland who is in America to research untold stories of the dead.  I had my story, I had my conflict (because one of them is dead, how are you supposed to get a happy ending?), and I was off to write a story I believed in.  My first paranormal as well, but that was secondary to the love story between the two men.  The book, My Past, Your Future, was my first book published and I earned some great reviews.

The next call from the publisher was for beach-read books.  The only criteria was there had to be ice cream and a beach.  I ruminated over that for months before one day knowing the story I had to tell.  I wanted the book set in my city, Vancouver, Canada, and I knew I wanted something to do with the film industry.  A story coalesced and the next thing I knew, I had a book.  The edits moved swiftly as the publisher wanted to get the book out in time for summer.  Catch a Tiger by the Tail was released last month and I have to say I’m happy with the project.  And if you’ve never heard of tiger tail ice cream (orange cream with ribbons of black licorice), here’s your chance.  I call this book my fake-boyfriend age-gap gay rom-com.

Catch a Tiger by the Tail

Thomas Walsh knows the number one rule in the film industry. Don’t get involved with the talent. But resisting the urge to take the big screen to the bedroom can be hell when the lead actor on the set looks good enough to eat…one slow lick at a time.

Peter Erickson’s latest role as a gay man hits a little too close to home. He’s still in the closet and secretly grieving the death of his lover. Then an enchanting production assistant catches his eye, and he’s surprised by the instant attraction that stirs more than his wounded soul.

When the two men are caught on camera in a very intimate pose, both Thomas and Peter are afraid they’ve caught a tiger by the tail.

Excerpt from Catch a Tiger by the Tail

“The frown is back, Peter.”

Damn. “Just concentrating on the ice cream.”

“If you say so.”

I turned to him and stuck out my tongue.

His mouth gaped open. “Did you just stick your tongue out at me?”

Leaning over, I took another swipe at his ice cream. Little remained, only cone. Much the same as mine.

“You know, that licorice is growing on me.” The orange cream was becoming a favorite. “What’s it called?”

“Tiger tail.” The omnipresent grin was back. “Created by a woman named Morgan Carr back in the 1950s, it is very popular in Canada, Southern Ontario in particular. It is almost impossible to find in the United States.”

He said the words with faux officiousness, and I burst out laughing. “I find the flavor oddly compelling.”

“Ah, but here’s the real test—would you pick it all on your own if you had the choice?”

“Over the other hundred flavors?” Good question. “I’m not sure. I love cookies and cream, adore chocolate chunk, and have even enjoyed spumoni.”

Thomas gagged. “That’s disgusting. You obviously have no taste.”

“Says the man who believes black licorice belongs in ice cream.”

“You enjoyed it.”

“Probably more than I should have.” There, the honest truth. I had enjoyed it. I enjoyed the company even more.

Book Links:
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Catch-Tiger-Tail-One-Scoop-ebook/dp/B088QS34BX
KOBO:  https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/catch-a-tiger-by-the-tail-6
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/catch-a-tiger-by-the-tail-gabbi-grey/1137046121
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/catch-a-tiger-by-the-tail/id1517323369

About the Author

Gabbi lives surrounded by trees, raccoons, deer, and other woodland creatures, on a mountain in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin poo keeps her safe from nasty bears.

Working for the government by day, she spends her nights writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances…and while she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love.

Personal Links: 
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/gabbigreyauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M

Contest

Gabbi is happy to give away a $5 Amazon gift card. 
Just let her know what your favorite flavor of ice cream is (hers is pretty obvious…)!

 

18 comments to “Gabbi Grey: Why gay romance? (Contest)”

  1. charlotte
    Comment
    1
    · July 29th, 2020 at 7:29 am · Link

    I’m on a bit of a Gabbi Grey run. Keep writing, girl! I need more of your books.

    Is Tiger Tail a real flavor?

    (I find it impossible to choose a favorite ice cream but I have always loved almond fudge among so many others.)



  2. Susan Saxx
    Comment
    2
    · July 29th, 2020 at 7:31 am · Link

    Gabbi, I’m a Canuck too (though I’m central Canada). So my fave ice-cream is Kawartha Death by Chocolate! 🙂



  3. Debra Guyette
    Comment
    3
    · July 29th, 2020 at 7:36 am · Link

    I am boring as I have food allergies but I love chocolate chip.



  4. Delaine McLafferty
    Comment
    4
    · July 29th, 2020 at 9:42 am · Link

    Chocolate



  5. Sadira Stone
    Comment
    5
    · July 29th, 2020 at 9:49 am · Link

    Sounds like a fun story! It’s on my TBR pile.



  6. Barbara Bettiis
    Comment
    6
    · July 29th, 2020 at 10:29 am · Link

    Good luck with your books, Gabbi!



  7. Anna Taylor Sweringen
    Comment
    7
    · July 29th, 2020 at 12:45 pm · Link

    I’m history obsessed. Thanks for the heads up on your first book. Good luck with Tiger By the Tail.



  8. Colleen C.
    Comment
    8
    · July 29th, 2020 at 12:50 pm · Link

    Depends on my mood… sometimes cookie dough, sometimes vanilla, sometimes chocolate peanut butter, etc. 🙂



  9. Christine LaCombe
    Comment
    9
    · July 29th, 2020 at 1:08 pm · Link

    Love M/M romances. This sounds great. My favorite ice cream is coffee or mint chocolate chip. Thanks for the chance. ❤️



  10. Mary Preston
    Comment
    10
    · July 29th, 2020 at 4:45 pm · Link

    I do like chocolate/chocolate chip.



  11. ButtonsMom2003
    Comment
    11
    · July 29th, 2020 at 5:06 pm · Link

    I love MM romance and I’m happy that Delilah has had some MM authors posting recently.

    My favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip – but a very specific brand. I don’t know why but there is something different about Baskin-Robbins mint chocolate chip. I’ve loved it since I was a pre-teen when a store opened up near the local swimming pool. (I’m now over 60 LOL).



  12. ELF
    Comment
    12
    · July 29th, 2020 at 7:57 pm · Link

    And don’t forget the Joey Hill books that caught your attention as well, lol. I love several flavors of ice cream, but that definitely does not include licorice, lol. I loved this story and look forward to reading even more of your works!



  13. bn100
    Comment
    13
    · July 29th, 2020 at 8:23 pm · Link

    chocolate



  14. Gabbi Grey
    Comment
    14
    · July 29th, 2020 at 9:31 pm · Link

    Thank you for hosting me!



  15. flchen1
    Comment
    15
    · July 30th, 2020 at 3:04 am · Link

    I’ve got to go with fresh strawberry! Thanks for the intro, Gabbi!



  16. Jennifer Beyer
    Comment
    16
    · July 30th, 2020 at 8:42 pm · Link

    Dairy free mint chocolate!



  17. Celia Lewis
    Comment
    17
    · August 1st, 2020 at 1:53 pm · Link

    Rum’n Raisin – I was about 14 when our local ice cream store trialed this new ice cream flavour [Deep Cove, N.Vancouver]. I was hooked!



  18. Delilah
    Comment
    18
    · August 6th, 2020 at 5:00 pm · Link

    Thanks to Gabbi for being a great guest!

    Congrats to Barbara Bettiis! She’s won the gift card! I’ll send your email along to Gabbi!



Comments are closed.