First Royalty Payment

I must really be a writer now, as I have received the first royalties for my short story Out of Left Field. :)

Great review for Out of Left Field on Rainbow book reviews

Out of Left Field by Raine Norman at Dreamspinner Press

Genre	Contemporary / Gay Romance
Reviewed by	Lena Grey on 17-June-2013

Book Blurb

Concierge Jake Wentworth rues the day he got involved with Mikey, his coworker and cheating ex-lover. Already in a foul mood, a rude guest further puts him off his game. Jake realizes there is more to Billy Smith than his first impression when they accidentally meet while jogging the next morning. When they hit it off over coffee and sightseeing, Jake worries his battered heart will be in for more pain, but Billy is determined to make something more of their relationship.


A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Daily Dose package "Make a Play".

Book Review

"When least expected, fate stumbles in. Bringing light to the darkness. Ohh, what a friend. I needed someone to call my own. Suddenly, out of left field, ... love came along." ~ Percy Sledge

Jake Wentworth came to the U.S. seeking a new life and, hopefully, someone to share it with. He's dazzled by Mikey, one of the guys at work; then he's completely disillusioned when he catches him cheating. Shortly he meets a mysterious guest named Billy and, at first, is not impressed because of his brusque manner. Jake isn't expecting to fall in love with anyone anytime soon, but love has a way of opening one door when it closes another and the mystery man is very determined.

Billy, beside his evasive nature, is a good guy with an excellent reason for hiding who he is. He and Jake find that they have a lot in common when they spend the day together, but Billy still keeps his identity secret. The issue of sex comes up, but Jake doesn't want just a quickie, so he hesitates. Billy is not deterred by Jake's holding back. He tells Jake that he's thinking of moving to L.A. and assures Jake that he wants a relationship as well. True to his word, Billy keeps in touch with Jake via text, calls, Skype, and however else they can electronically. When Billy comes back, he invites Jake to a baseball game and reveals his big and wonderful secret.

This is a short, but satisfying love story, concisely written, packing a lot of information into just a few words. That alone, is quite a feat. The characters are very likeable and it was easy to become emotionally involved with them. Jake broke my heart when he found Mikey cheating on him. I wanted to comfort Jake and throttle Mikey. I guessed Billy's story almost right away, but Jake's reaction to it was charming. I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting a short, but entertaining read in which love conquers all adversity. Thanks, Raine, for a great job.

Click on the link below to buy.
 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3937
 

Out of Left Field, my short story is now available for purchase via Out of Left Field @ Dreamspinner Press or Out of Left Field @ Amazon UK

Please give it a try!

Musings on a spring day

Was a beautiful spring day today. Hopefully winter is over and done with now, though I won't hold my breath. I managed to make the deadline for another short story submission - just. Not sure if this one will be picked up as it is a bit of a twist on the anthology topic. Time will tell, I guess. :)

Out of Left Field

The blurb for my short story due to be published in June by Dreamspinner Press

Concierge Jake Wentworth rues the day he got involved with Mikey, his coworker and cheating ex-lover. Already in a foul mood, a rude guest further puts him off his game. Jake realizes that there is more to Billy Smith than his first impression when they accidentally meet while jogging the next morning. When they hit it off over coffee and sightseeing, Jake worries his battered heart will be in for more pain, but Billy is determined to make something more of their relationship.

Published!

Had some great news over the weekend.  One of my short stories has been accepted by a publisher for inclusion in an anthology.  Absolutely delighted.  Was my first submission to them, and hopefully they will like some of my other work in the future.

Looking for other writers

Hi there!

New blogger signing in and seeking other writers or avid readers to chat and swap tall tales with.