KC Wells

Why they’re my favorite: K.C. Wells

To close out 2018, I want to talk about—or maybe introduce you to—one of my favorite authors.

Her name is K.C. Wells, author of the Collars & Cuffs series, the Learning to Love series, the Material World series, the Personal series (which features Will Parkinson as a male escort!)

There are many reasons to love KC. She’s my sister from another mister, and she gives some of the best hugs. She’s always personable, open, and friendly. She writes some of the hottest sex scenes, and the most beautiful love stories.

I first met KC when I was introduced to Leo and Alex, the main characters from the first Collars & Cuffs book, An Unlocked Heart. I was mesmerized by the intricacies of not only the two men in the story, but also the supporting cast, especially Thomas Williams, who would go on to star in book two with his sub to be, Peter.

The book drew me in immediately, and I found the love that grew between the two men to be organic and natural, not forced in the least. And each man had something in his history that molded them into what they were going to become. Leo lost his sub and never recovered. Alex had a crappy home life, especially as he was the target of harassment from his brother, Rob (keep Rob in mind, okay?) K.C. showed the strength of not only Leo, but the budding realization for Alex that he wasn’t weak in the least.

From there I was hooked. I reached out to KC and found her to be a true joy. She was sweet and I found that I very much enjoyed talking with her. When she told me she was going to be working on a book for Thomas, and asked if I wanted to hear some of it, I said yes. (To be honest, I would have begged to hear it as it was being written.) When she told me what she’d done, I offered a few suggestions, and she liked them. Then she asked me if I’d be willing to help beta read the book. Of course, I said yes.

Once Thomas and Peter found their happy ever after, KC asked if I would ever consider writing something with her. I said no. When she asked why, I told her that my writing standards weren’t up to hers, and with her being in England and me in the US, I didn’t think we could make it work out. I got to the hotel one night (I was working third shift at the time), and as I was doing my tour of the buildings, her question came back to me, and I started having a think about a young American man and the English Dom who would come to keep him. When I talked with KC next, I floated the idea to her, and from there came our very first collaboration, Someone to Keep Me.

Working with KC was a learning experience. I tried to absorb everything she taught me, and put it to use in my own writing. Once again, she was kind and patient, and I was grateful to have her as a friend.

Fast forward many years and many books later and we get to my very favorite book by KC. BFF is an unrealistic plot: two straight men realize they’re in love with one another. Except it wasn’t unrealistic at all. In fact, the plot bunny was based on the real life story of Mike and Garrett (https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14997/im-an-otherwise-straight-man-who-fell-in-love-with-his-best-friend.html) which she fell in love with and wanted to tell the story. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read it. I even own the paperback, which I rarely do. But this story has everything that I love, especially an amazing happy ever after.

And that’s what K.C. is all about. Making people happy. It might take time, it will definitely take work, but they’re going to get there. They’re going to find love, friendship, family. No, not just that, they’re going to find life.

That’s where she excels, bringing men together, and finding a way to make their imperfect worlds perfect together.

And that is why K.C. Wells is one of my favorites.

KC Wells hits #1 on Amazon!

My 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.

 

Collaboration is so different…

Writing is intensely personal. You’re building a world from the ground up. Every molecule, every atom, every bit of information bends to your whim. It’s akin to being a god.

What happens when you have two gods, each wanting to remake a world in their image? It becomes give and take.

Kc Wells and I are working on a story together called “Someone to Keep Me”. It’s about Scott, an American boy who is desperate to get away from his controlling parents. He finds someone who makes all the pretty speeches and tells him they need to be together and that Scott should come to England. Scott, blinded by an opportunity to live his dream, agrees and takes off. Upon his arrival, however, things are not what he was expecting them to be.

This story has taken many hours of Skype conversations between Kc and me. We discuss the plot down to the cellular level, each making sure the other is satisfied with the direction that the story is going. (Plus changing some words around because even though she’s from England, I question her English speaking abilities sometimes.)

It’s been a great joy to work with Kc. She brings compassion and character to our boys. I bring angst and hurt.

All in all, it works out beautifully.

 

We’re about 58,000 words into it and I’m having a blast.

We’ll be ready to submit the story soon (fingers crossed), so if it gets accepted you’ll soon be able to meet Ben and Scott, and hopefully fall in love with them in our first collaborative effort.

500 Miles hits #9 on Amazon

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,847 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

#9 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Romance
#9 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Gay Romance
#10 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Gay

About a billion years ago (give or take a few months) I gave up writing. I was told I was wasting my time and what I was doing would never amount to anything. I listened to that voice (it belonged to my father) and let it quell my desire to tell stories.  For a time.

Then I met Eden Winters. She had published a book called “The Telling” and it was to be my first male/male romance story. I wrote to tell her how much I enjoyed the book and that started a friendship between the two of us. (BTW, never be afraid to write to an author. They’re amazingly receptive and appreciate hearing that you like their stuff.) One day she asked me if I wrote and I told her no, and then explained why. She convinced me that the voices in my head were more powerful than the ones I heard from my father and I needed to give them room to grow. So I did.

At first there was a story about a young man, Taylor, who is away at college with his best friend, Benny.  It speaks of Taylor’s unrequited crush for Jackson, an athlete they knew in high school that now attends the same college. This was just supposed to be a one-off. Something that came to me while I was sleeping and had to get up in the middle of the night to write it all down. However the characters refused to stay quiet and the story morphed. Now the boys are in high school and they are dealing with so many other things.

I loved writing this story.

Then after I submitted it (which took the combined efforts of several people, including KC Wells (Author of the Learning to Love series and who is currently waiting on the release date for the start of her Collars and Cuffs series, and self-publishing under Island Tales Press), Lis Craig, Taylor Rhodes, Marc Fabris, Seymour James, Sjd Peterson (author of  Plan B, Tuck & Cover, and more) Becky Condit, Mr. Webb (author of City Knight and Let’s Hear It For The Boy), and Laura Harner (author of The Willow Springs Ranch series and Triple Threat ) I read the call for Mixed Tape by MLR. My original song idea was taken, so I asked about the song 500 Miles by The Proclaimers. Kris Jacen, Supreme Overlord for MLR, said that it was available.

From that prompt came the story of Mark, who is in love with his brother Eric’s best friend, Jase. Mark’s world is shaken when Eric and Jase ship overseas to join the Army. While overseas, Jase sends Mark a tape that takes his already shaky world and crumbles it to dust.

I fell in love with these boys. They made me smile and cry as I told their story. When I submitted it, I never expected that it would be picked, especially when I found out there were several big names that were also going to try for the same anthology.  When Kris contacted me and told me I was receiving a contract (my first) I was stunned and maybe cried just a little.

The story came out on June 7 and the reaction was unlike anything I had expected.  People wrote to tell me how much they loved it. Someone wrote and told me what it meant to her. Several folks told me they cried for my boys and their loss. And one of my favorites came from Piper Vaughn and Kris Jacen who told me they wanted to smack one of them when he…well, I don’t want to give away everything.

That said, there are people I need to acknowledge for giving me the strength and encouragement to try because without them I would have given up. Every person listed above is part of that list. But there is also Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, Max Vos, Cate Ashwood, Mary Grzesik, Silvia Violet, Madison Parker, Lauren Lewis, Aj Rose, Amy Peterson, ZAllora Allora, Grace Santiago, Jayden Brooks and so many other people.

Without you people, my guys wouldn’t exist and I wouldn’t be celebrating with each of you today.

My deepest appreciation!

 

Someone to Keep Me

K.c. Wells and I are co-writing a book!

She is due to release ‘An Unlocked Heart’, the story of Leo Hart and his young lover, Alex. After that will be Trusting Thomas, another in the Collars and Cuffs world.

The following book is in the same world, but takes place separately. It’s the story of Scott, a young man from the United States, who has absolutely no world experience. His parents keep him on a short leash, not allowing him to attend public school, insisting that free time be used studying. When they gift Scott with a Nook he opens a world outside his small, enclosed life and meets Jeff, a young man from England who invites Scott come live with him. Scott wants this with all his heart. To finally be able to stand up and be himself.

When he arrives in England, though, Jeff isn’t there to greet him. Unsure of what to do, Scott sits and cries. He has no money. He doesn’t want to return home. Into his life walks Ben Winters, someone who will change Scott’s life forever.