Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me to discuss my new release! Love in Mission City: The Four Seasons is my fourth box set in the Love in Mission City world. The box set has five short stories that all appeared previously in other anthologies. Four seasons and five stories? Well, four seasons and a bonus story. I have a tale to share, though, about how this came about.
As you may know, 2024 was my year of saying Hell yes to every opportunity that came my way. Let me tell you, there were a lot. I joined some shared worlds, I poked my head down rugby rabbit holes, and I wrote about gay rockstars. I also signed up for about twenty anthologies. Yep! Twenty. That number was split between charity projects and for-profit ones.
I hit the ground running with several stories coming due within weeks. Undaunted, I had fun with Plot Whisperer as she whispered plots to me. I put my head down and wrote the stories. The second story I wrote was Christmas Courtship. The story of two men meeting — and falling in love — at a Christmas market. Okay, so winter.
At that point, I was starting to think about what I would do with the short stories once the anthologies were delisted and my rights reverted. To that point, I’d sort of been doing things haphazardly. Kind of all over the place. I had my first box set, which, of the five stories, only had two that were at all linked. Readers still enjoyed the five stories, but they lacked cohesion. My second box set was two novellas that were connected. So that worked.
My third box set started a little chaotically, but the final novella drew everything together nicely. Readers have appreciated that.
Which brings me to this latest. I had a Christmas story. I’d signed up to write an autumn/bonfire story. Okay, two seasons. Beyond that, I had two more planned in Mission City — an office romance and an instalove. Why not set them in spring and summer? Okay then…done. Except, I wrote: Christmas, Summer, Autumn, and then Spring. In my head, I had to hold what I’d written and what I was going to write. Plus, I had to integrate the stories into an existing world.
I managed. I did give the box set to a couple of ARC readers who are familiar with Mission City to ensure I did everything okay — which, apparently, I did. The bonus story was one I wrote for a charity anthology that didn’t have a home. Interestingly, I’m not even certain which season I set it in — that was one of the more rushed projects, and at only 5k words, I had to get in and out quickly.
The stories range from 5k to 15k. The total is about 55k — which is generally (although not planned) — the length of my boxsets. I want readers to feel like they’ve received some value for their hard-earned dollars.
That’s it! The story of how I got my stuff together and put out a cohesive box set. I have three more coming, and I’ve already sat down and mapped them out. The New Romance Café has moved away from anthologies and are doing multi-author themed series. My two rugby books were part of the first one. I’ve signed up for three more (because, of course I did) and we’ll see what my brain puts out.
Okay. Thank you for letting me visit! I love sharing the writing/marketing process with your readers.
Contest: As a special thank you, I would love to gift copies of my first two boxsets: Love in Mission City: The Shorts and Love in Mission City: The Boyfriends Duet. Just let me know – do you prefer themed anthologies or boxsets or does there have to be a cohesive throughline? Just drop a comment – Random will select a winner! Good luck!
Love in Mission City: The Four Seasons
Love in Mission City: The Four Seasons includes five short stories…
Mission City is tucked in the charming Cedar Valley in southwestern British Columbia. If you love heartwarming, contemporary small-town gay romances, then come home to Mission City and fall in love with the men who live there. Romance shows up in the unlikeliest places. And trouble has a way of finding them…
Christmas Courtship
Johnson takes great pride in his homemade apple cider, and the Christmas market is the perfect place to find new customers. As he scans the holiday craft booths, his eye is caught by some exquisite fairy figurines and he’s intrigued. But Henry, the artist, is excruciatingly shy. It will take all of Johnson’s charm, and a little holiday magic, to make this more than one fleeting encounter.
Christmas Courtship is a 12k gay holiday romance short story with a quiet artist, a boisterous cider-maker, some nosy matchmakers, the magic of Christmas, and a zany border collie named Zeus. The story previously appeared in the anthology Mistletoe and Markets.
Anything’s Pawsible
Carter can’t resist saying hi to every cute dog he sees, but his neighbor’s two, Sheffield and Rosebud? Totally adorable. So’s their grouchy owner, even if Byron seems to avoid human contact. Carter will just keep on being himself, and maybe even a man who has given up on love will find he has space in his life for some sunshine.
Anything’s Pawsible is a 15k instalove age-gap, opposites-attract, grumpy/sunshine gay interracial romance short story with a curmudgeon accountant, a Gen Z writer, and two of the cutest dogs ever. The story first appeared in the anthology Just Add Love.
The Office Hotshot
Successful architect Knight assumed he could trust his sister-in-law to complete the interior decoration on his latest project, as she always has. Instead, in walks a flamboyant, cheerful stranger who announces he’s her maternity leave replacement.
Orlando’s just out of school, and he wants to make a good impression in this dream job, but something about uptight Knight pushes all his buttons. Seducing the boss definitely isn’t a great idea, but he just can’t help himself.The Office Hotshot is a 15k word gay romance short story with a successful architect, a quirky younger interior designer, and a cantankerous photocopier. This story first appeared in the anthology On the Clock.
Pumpkin Spicy
Clay is at the Fall Market selling his super-secret pumpkin spice. When a handsome man keeps coming around to chat, he’s intrigued. Ashton is a mystery Clay definitely wants to solve before he sells his last jar.
Pumpkin Spicy is an 8k sweet gay romance short story with a shy stranger, nosy friends, and a chance meeting that might just lead to a happily ever after. This story first appeared in the anthology Light My Fire.
Returning to You
Cullen walked away from Gil to marry the woman he’d gotten pregnant, and Gil encouraged him to do the right thing. Now, years later, Gil answers the door and finds Cullen on his doorstep. The man Gil once loved is now widowed, a single dad, and ready to beg him for a second chance. Is it too late, or does Gil have the courage to risk his heart again?
Returning to You is a 5k gay second-chance romance short story with a single dad and a successful-but-lonely lawyer who find their way home. This story first appeared in the anthology Second Time’s A Charm.
Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mission-City-Four-Seasons-ebook/dp/B0FG13HX2P
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/FourSeasons
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237518407-love-in-mission-city
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.
Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile: https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
