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Trusting Thomas by KC Wells

TrustingThomasTrusting Thomas is coming to Dreamspinner Press on October 7th, 2013. You can click the picture to pre-order the book!

Many mornings about 2:00 am I sat on the couch in Wisconsin talking with Kc who was at her computer in England. We discussed the nuances, the characters, the plot, the feels.

Kc has a system of doing things. She plots out the entire timeline of the story, and adjusts it as necessary. We worked so many hours on Trusting Thomas, bouncing ideas off each other, talking about bits and bobs, fleshing out each person, their reactions, and their lives.

In the end, Kc put it all together. She continued the world that she started in An Unlocked Heart and I got to watch it unfold. I really wanted to review this story, but figured I was biased so I had to let one of my fellow reviewers have it.

This story was incredible to watch unfold and in introduces a character who becomes the focal point of the story that Kc and I wrote together, Someone to Keep Me, which is coming in January from Dreamspinner Press.

I do reviews and would have LOVED to review this book, but seeing as how I’m intimately aware with the subject does give me an unfair advantage, so it was decided that someone else should do the review for Mrs. Condit’s site. That doesn’t mean I can’t do one on my own. It does begin with a disclaimer so I can avoid any impropriety.

 

 

My Review For Trusting Thomas by K.C. Wells

Before I get to the review of this wonderful story, I do want to preface this with an admission. I was involved in the planning of the story. Many hours I spent with KC talking about different scenarios, scenes, people, and situations.  That said, I am just amazed by this second installment of the Collars and Cuffs world.

 

The thing about K.C. Wells is that she writes people beautifully. If you’re expecting this story to be a hardcore BDSM tale, please look elsewhere. This is a love story with BDSM elements woven in, something that Ms. Wells excels at. She touches your heart by portraying people who need each other to feel complete. This is where she’s an expert. Her people are real and caring. Doms come in many varieties, as do submissives. At Collars and Cuffs, all are treated with respect. This is important to remember as we turn our attention to this book.

 

At the end of book one, Thomas is in a hurry to get out of the club that he runs with his partner Leo Hart. In this book we find out why. There is a man, Curtis Rogers, who plays a pivotal role in this story and the repercussions are felt throughout several other books. He claims to be a Dom and has a submissive named Peter. The young man has suffered horribly under the tutelage of Curtis Rogers and when someone at the club finds out, he makes it a goal to try to help the beleaguered Peter. To do this, he has to enlist the aid of Thomas.

 

A daring rescue of the terrified young submissive brings him to Thomas’s house where he will be safe. Peter, however, has no idea what’s happening to him. A call by Thomas to Leo and Alex brings some much needed support, but also shows the depths that Peter has sunk to.

 

Slowly and with the help of Dr. Laura Herne, Thomas attempts to pull Peter out of his shell. To show him the joy in submission and to prove to him he’s worthy of love. The problem?  Peter’s issues run very deeply and Thomas is in a fight to save the young man so that he can be placed with another Dom. Unfortunately Thomas’s heart doesn’t agree with his brain and it wants to claim Peter as his own.

 

Darkness is still out there, however. And soon Peter must step up to decide for himself the life he wants. Will he be able to find the inner strength to save not only himself, but his friends as well? Or will his past abuses leave him incapable when they are all depending on him?

 

He has a long way to go, but ever so slowly he begins to realize that the first step on his journey will be Trusting Thomas.

 

What’s on tap for Kc Wells & Parker Williams?

Scott Keating - AmericanBen WintersKC Wells and I were lucky enough to get a contract for Someone to Keep Me from Dreamspinner Press. It’s the story of Ben & Scott and also features characters from An Unlocked Heart and her upcoming book, “Trusting Thomas”.

Scott Keating is American. He’s stifled at home. His parents have his life mapped out and won’t accept any deviation from their plans. Scott wants more from life. He wants to be loved and belong. He meets ‘Jeff’ online. Jeff is everything Scott is looking for. He’s attentive. He’s friendly. He knows all the right things to say. Scott thinks he’s too good to be true. When Jeff invites Scott to come live in the United Kingdom, Scott jumps at the chance. The problem? Jeff isn’t there when Scott shows up. He’s alone in a foreign country. No phone. No friends. No Jeff. He’s afraid and doesn’t know what to do.

Enter Benjamin Winters. He finds Scott on a bench and is drawn to help the young man. He takes Scott to see his bosses, Leo and Thomas, who offer to help Scott find a way to stay in the UK. The thing is? When Leo’s submissive, Alex, talks to Scott, he believes the lad needs more than someone to help him. He needs someone to keep him.

 

Writing this book with KC was simply incredible. I have to be honest, I wasn’t sure we’d mesh well when we were writing, but that wasn’t a problem at all. She’s an amazing partner in crime. So much so, in fact, that we decided that we were going to write a new book together. Damian’s Discipline is also part of the Collars and Cuffs world. Not directly, but more like an offshoot of it.  We’re still working on the plot and details, so I won’t say too much about it. It’s going to be something different than either of us has tried before. Damian is mentioned in Someone to Keep Me, as is the person he’s going to need to deal with. (Won’t say who just yet. You’ll need to read STKM to find out.)

Then while we were putting everything together, I got the idea for a THIRD book. This one is hush-hush so I won’t say anything other than the characters are Eli and Jarod and this one will be something we haven’t really seen before in M/M BDSM stories.

Finally, there’s another story that I asked KC if she’d like to write with me. It’s not BDSM and it doesn’t have a title yet, but it’s going to be a ghost story. We’re trying to create a world different from anyone else.

I think that’s what I like best about working with KC. Things go in many different directions when we put our minds to it. In Someone to Keep Me we had the whole story plotted out, beginning to end. Then while I was at work one night I had an idea for a different direction for the characters. I thought for sure KC would say ‘no, we have it already planned out’, but when I got home I was so excited I had to write it out. I showed it to her and she loved it and we added it into the story.

I hope you’ll join us on our adventure. It’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun. In fact, here’s a bit from Someone to Keep Me just to tantalize you. (Remember this book is unedited as yet so this may change.)

SOMEONE TO KEEP ME

KC Wells & Parker Williams
Copyright 2013
Dreamspinner Press

“Excuse me, but are you all right?”

The voice was low and firm. I lifted my head and saw a man, possibly in his late twenties, looking at me anxiously, deep brown eyes filled with concern. Swiftly I straightened, wiping my face.

“I’m fine, thank you,” I reassured him, pasting on a fake bright smile. No way was I about to discuss my personal affairs with a complete stranger. I met his gaze, hoping I could bluff him.

No such luck.

Those brown eyes narrowed. “Sorry, mate, but I’m not buying it.” It was difficult to follow what he was saying. His accent was kind of flat and the words sounded funny. Well, funny peculiar to my ears. “I think you’re in trouble.” His expression softened. “Want to talk about it? Maybe I can help.”

I shook my head vigorously. What I wanted was for Jeff to turn up like he’d promised and take me home. The thought of Jeff brought fresh tears to my eyes. I couldn’t hold them back any more. I couldn’t help but think that maybe even being back home would be better than this.

“Where are your parents?” he asked.

I huffed a quick breath before almost looking him in the eyes. “I’m eighteen.” I sighed.

He put his hands up. “Sorry. You just look so much younger. I thought you might be lost.”

I tried to give a smile, but I don’t think it came out very well. “I get that a lot.” I was really fighting the urge not to cry. The guy would think I was a real basket case. I swallowed hard.

“Okay, that’s enough.” His voice dropped even lower. “You can’t stay here. Come with me.”

I dragged my sleeve across my eyes and nose, and stood up. For some inexplicable reason, I found myself doing what he said. I couldn’t help myself. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“What have you done to be sorry for?” he asked me, looking perplexed.

“You don’t even know me.” I snuffled. “I’m a mess, but you’re still being so nice about it.”

“That’s enough of that,” he said, hand stretched out toward me. “Come on, let’s go.”

“W-where are we going?” I stammered. He looked around and his eyes lit up.

“There’s a café just over there. Why don’t we go sit inside, I’ll get you something to eat and drink, and you can tell me everything.” Something in the tone of his voice made me think he wasn’t about to take no for an answer. And to be honest? I didn’t want to say no. My stomach grumbled loudly and he laughed. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea. I sneaked a peek at the café. It was public, so he’d be less likely to try anything funny, not that I thought he would. And he was definitely growing on me. I didn’t have a clue why he affected me the way he did, but I somehow knew I could trust him. I nodded tearfully and he grasped my arm. He glanced around. “Where’s your luggage?”

I gestured to my body. “No luggage—just me.” I tried to smile, but the situation was still too raw. A flicker of surprise flashed across his face, and then it was gone. He gave me a lopsided grin.

“I can’t wait to hear this.” He held out his hand. “The name’s Ben Winters, by the way.”

I took it, his fingers folding around mine in a warm but firm clasp. “Scott Keating.”

I can’t believe the company I keep…

Williams_FInal_Front_cover_5_13_2013

This has been a simply amazing journey for me. 500 Miles was my first published work and it garnered a lot of support from friends and readers. When I found out I was nominated for book of the month at Sid Love’s blog, and the company I was keeping? Holy hell.

Mr. Webb, Laura Harner, Rhys Ford, SJD Peterson, Amy Lane,  Poppy Dennison. I admit to a fangirl moment. Or five.

Stop in and vote today. You can vote for two books daily, so make your choices count!

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KC Wells hits #1 on Amazon!

KC#1My co-writer for Someone to Keep Me hit #1 on Amazon today with her story Making It Personal.

Blake Davis is in the closet. And he’s going to stay that way. Because if his father finds out he’s gay, Blake could lose everything he’s worked so hard to achieve during the last six years as CEO of Trinity Publishing, the fastest rising star in the publishing firmament. Not that coming out wouldn’t solve a couple of problems. Maybe then his father would stop trying to set him up with yet another empty-headed, social-climbing girlfriend. And better still, Blake could stop using that escort agency when he wants a night of hot sex with a cute guy…

Will Parkinson has had a tough life so far, but he’s back on his feet. Okay, so he’s working as an escort – with ‘benefits’– to pay off his student loans, but that does have its advantages, such as the really hot guy who hired him. Yeah, Blake rocked his world last night – several times. So imagine how Will feels when he arrives to be interviewed for his dream job as PA in a publishing company, and the guy who’s hiring is….. Blake.

And then things get really complicated….

Mardee Condit, Max Vos, and I are SO freaking proud of her!

Congratulations KC.

 

Mr. Average to be published by MLR!

MrAverage

 

 

Lucas

 

Today I got a contract for a story that I did for MLR Publishing called Mr. Average.

 

The story of Lucas Manetti, an attorney who has always had his pick of sex partners. He realizes one day he’s got the hots for his garage mechanic, Kyle. He hopes to woo Kyle and get him into bed. The thing is that there is nothing special about Kyle. He’s okay looking, but nothing great. Lucas has no idea what draws him to Kyle.

When he makes his move he finds out that just because something is average doesn’t mean it’s not worth having.