If I Were Fire By Heloise West

Author Name: Heloise West

Book Name: If I Were Fire

Release Date: September 16, 2015

Blurb:

In 18th century Siena, Count Salvesto Masello has returned home to find the family villa and his father’s estate steeped deeply in debt. In order to save it, he has been selling off valuable family heirlooms, but he is running out of silverware. Somewhere in the villa his deceased father had hidden the art treasures that will pay the debt, but Salvesto can’t find them anywhere.

Amadeo Neruccio has been on the run from the vicious pimp, thief, and pawnbroker Guelfetto, but his toughs finally catch him and bring him to the cellar where Count Masello is selling off his silver. When the count learns what fate Guelfetto has in store for Amadeo, he intervenes and trades the last of his mother’s dowry for the young man’s freedom.

Salvesto had left home over ten years ago to live the life of adventure he craved. He had also hoped to leave his broken heart behind. When he rescues young Amadeo, he did not expect to find love again, or that his adventures had yet to end.

Pages or Words: 19,000 words

Categories: Fiction, Gay Fiction, Historical, M/M Romance

Excerpt:

Everyone knew everyone’s business in the small hilly honeycomb town of Siena. The house the Masello had once occupied for short periods during the year belonged to a rich merchant now. The eldest Masello had died in a hunting accident in the countryside, and his father, it was said, died of grief a year later. This event had brought the new conte home to the villa with the leaky roof, the broken-backed barn, and massive debt. Yet perhaps Conte Masello was not as bad off as they said, for he had paid Amadeo’s debt to Guelfetto.

Likely Amadeo was wrong about that, too, as the conte had traded for his freedom with silver dishes and spoons. Amadeo swallowed hard but could not dislodge the lump in his throat, a combination of gratitude and resentment. Life in a Florentine bathhouse and sexual slavery to the traditional enemies of Siena was no life at all. He shuddered. He had meant it about throwing himself on the tender mercy of the river.

What kind of master was the new Conte Masello? He glanced at the man beside him and found warm hazel eyes gazing down at him. His new master’s hair was as brown as chestnuts and touched with gray strands. Whatever he’d been doing while the family fortunes dwindled—soldiering, sailing, perhaps even tramping about in the New World—had made him a man with a face weathered by the sun and muscles that strained the seams of his fine clothes. He was broad-shouldered and a forearm’s length taller than Amadeo, who felt like a willow tree beside such an oak.

“We have another stop to make,” the conte whispered. “Finish your prayers.”

The hard press of the conte’s velvet-clad shoulder and the intimacy of his warm breath on Amadeo’s neck sent a small shock through him, and his cock stirred restlessly in response.

Oh no, you don’t. You are not to ruin this chance for me either. Pardon me, dear Saint Catherine. I pledge to you I will stay away from the gaming tables and this man’s bed.

Interview:

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Heloise West author of If I Were Fire.
Hi Heloise, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
1) What genre is your book and what drew you to this genre?

This is a romance, specifically an historical gay romance. The first book I read in the genre was Erastes’ Muffled Drum. I had read the Outlander series, and then the Lord John Grey spinoff series—I loved his character, and I was looking for something akin to that. I had no idea the subgenre, M/M romance even existed. I hadn’t read romance steadily for a long time with the few notable exceptions.
2) How many days a week do you write?

My goal is to write every day, but if I’m revising, I haven’t been able to manage both. Nano is coming up as I write this, so I’m hoping to get back to a place where I can get 2000 to 3000 words out a day.
3) On average, how long does it take to write a book?

Ugh, too long. After the first 20-30,000 words it’s like pushing an elephant up a hill (thank you, REM). If I Were Fire is the exception as it pulled together without much struggle, though writing a shorter work (so glad the novella returned to publishing) is a heck of a lot easier. Ironically, I can’t write a short story to save my life.
4) Do you have a trailer for your book? If yes, give us the link. If not, do you think you’d like to have one done at some point?

I’d love a book trailer, but they say they don’t do much to sell books, or as much as they used to, so I haven’t bothered. I might do one just to see what happens, at some point, more a creative project than a marketing one.
5) If I could be a character in a book, I would be _______?

Someone from Suze Brokmann’s universe, and if I had to pick, then Jules the FBI man :D. Or Claire Fraser from Outlander. They’re not clichéd romance characters, but break the mold.

Buy the book:

 Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6854

About the author:

Heloise West, when not hunched over the keyboard plotting love and mahem, dreams about moving to a villa in Tuscany. She loves history, mysteries, and romance of all flavors. She travels and gardens with her partner of 10 years, and their home overflows with books, cats, art, and red wine.

Where to find the author:

Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/heloise-west

Blog: https://velvetpanic2.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heloise.west.1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heloisewest/

Email: heloisewest@hotmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/velvetpanic

Tumblr: http://heloisewest.tumblr.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26120099-if-i-were-fire

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: LC Chase

Tour Dates & Stops:

15-Sep Bayou Book Junkie, Mikky’s World of Books, Velvet Panic,

22-Sep Happily Ever Chapter, The Novel Approach

29-Sep Bike Book Reviews, Cathy Brockman Romances, Hearts on Fire

6-Oct Prism Book Alliance

13-Oct Wake Up Your Wild Side, My Fiction Nook

20-Oct MM Good Book Reviews

27-Oct Divine Magazine

3-Nov Love Bytes

10-Nov V’s Reads

17-Nov Emotion in Motion

24-Nov Parker Williams

1-Dec BFD Book Blog

8-Dec Amanda C. Stone

15-Dec Inked Rainbow Reads

22-Dec Molly Lolly

29-Dec Jessie G. Books
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