meredith_shayne: ((default))
To my astonishment, Equilibrium has made it onto the novels list in the annual Preditors and Editors readers poll for 2011. I have absolutely no idea how the books get chosen/nominated, but if someone reading this did nominate it, thanks so much! I am truly honoured.

The poll is open until January the 10th, and honour aside, God knows it's not beneath me to give you the link in case you're seized with a sudden desire to vote for it, not that I'm twisting your arms or anything. :) You'd all be my most favourite people ever if you did vote for it, though. Internet hugs and kisses and puppies and kittens would abound, to be sure.


Crossposted everywhere, because come on, it's a poll! With my book in it! I really don't have a competitive bone in my body, except when I do.
meredith_shayne: ((default))
Tinsel & Dust is now on sale at Dreamspinner! You can get it here. I hope those of you who do buy it enjoy another glimpse into how Michael and Ryan are doing.

I'll be giving away one copy each of Tinsel & Dust, Equilibrium and Rust Red: Galvanized at Reviews by Jessewave's huge Christmas book giveaway, which I believe will start on December 22nd, so look out for that post to go up over there for a chance to win those and many other fabulous books. At some stage soon (when I can stop doing something other than counting down the days until I finish work for this year) I will probably run a little Tinsel & Dust giveaway here too.

In lieu of all that for now, here's another excerpt from the book:

***

Jack thinks that if we stay in a motel for Christmas, Santa won’t be able to find us )
meredith_shayne: ((default))
Tinsel and Dust is now officially classed as Coming Soon on the Dreamspinner website, yay! If you follow this link, you'll be able to put it on your wishlist over there, and on December 14th you'll be able to actually buy it.

Here is the official blurb:

Michael Stone has returned to Burreela and has just started to settle back in and look forward to Christmas when his sister Jen rings him with a problem. His nephew Jack is convinced that Santa won't find them if they're staying in Burreela's only motel. With Michael's flat way too small to accommodate Jen and her family, he has no alternative but to take Ryan Mitchell up on an offer to let them stay at his house. After all, Ryan argues, they’re going to be there for Christmas Day anyway, so it's not much extra trouble. Though Michael is still wrestling with internal demons, the holiday will prove to Ryan that there's a core of strength and courage to Michael that few people ever see.
meredith_shayne: ((default))
Music is very important to my writing process. I only write without music if I absolutely have to, which thankfully isn't often. The music I listen to while writing has an impact on the mood of the story: a dark story has to have a soundtrack full of dark music, while a more lighthearted story can have a more lighthearted soundtrack. Each of my published stories has a soundtrack, either a mix of songs from different artists, or a single artist; for Equilibrium it was a mix of songs, for Reasonable Force it was Velvet Acid Christ, for Eyes Wide Shut and Rust Red: Galvanized it was Midnight Oil. For Tinsel and Dust, my upcoming Equilibrium sequel, it was the John Butler Trio. Music actually plays a larger role in Tinsel and Dust than it ever has before, in that the music of the John Butler Trio actually features in a scene.

Now, I'm not going to give away what that scene actually is, because that would be telling. :) But what I will tell you is what songs I was thinking of when I wrote it. To me, they fit Michael and Ryan's situation to a tee.

Both of these songs are off the album Sunrise Over Sea. The first is called Peaches and Cream:

For so long I've sung this sad ol' song,
And it feels like my time is up.
For she came and landed in my arms,
And she filled my half empty cup.
Yes she filled my half empty cup.

There you are right in front of me, 
A brand new day sunrise over sea.
No longer my cup half empty cause there you are...



and the second is called Seeing Angels:

Why do I deserve such a visit
From the one I thought I'd never meet.
Beyond my greatest expectations.
You exceeded everything. 
Well here I am 

Take me for what you see
For I'm transparent in the light of you. 
And look inside,
See that fire burning bright
The same one you rekindled inside me 

My mouth was dry
only you quenched my thirst
I thought I was last
You told me I was first. 




So there you have it, two great songs for my boys. Tinsel and Dust should be released mid-December, I have a tentative release date of December 14th for it. That's not set in stone at the moment, but if I learn any different I'll be sure to let you all know.

 
meredith_shayne: ((default))
I am back in New Zealand after my sojourn in the US, via a week in Hawaii for a conference. Hawaii was hot, it had excellent pineapple and outstanding bacon, and I spent a lot of money there. I'm delighted to be back home, mostly because of getting to sleep in my own bed and having more options for clothing than what fitted into my suitcase 7 weeks ago.

I bought some incredibly snazzy Doc Martens while I was away, I am ecstatic about those. But I didn't really start this post to talk about all of my new swag. I started this post to talk about the weather. Sort of.

When I got home on Friday morning and did my laundry, all of my clothes had dried on the clothesline by that afternoon. Today, there was not a cloud in the sky, and I was quite unpleasantly warm and sweaty (oh, sorry, "glowing") by the time I'd finished pulling up 7 weeks worth of weeds from my backyard. This is the time of year when I start avoiding going out into the sun for too long in the middle of the day, lest the pale, delicate flower that I am gets burned to a crisp in the ozone layer-depleted Southern Hemisphere sunshine.

All that means that summer's coming. And in this hemisphere, that means that Christmas is coming too. About six weeks ago I mentioned that in December I will have a short story coming out from Dreamspinner entitled "Tinsel and Dust"; it's a coda to Equilibrium, which picks up a couple of weeks after the novel ends and describes Michael and Ryan's first Christmas together in Burreela. I don't have a blurb for it yet, but now that we're six weeks closer to release what I do have is an edited version, so I'm going to share a little bit of it with you now. I hope you enjoy it.

***

Michael first became aware of the warmth of Ryan at his back. He sighed, snuggling back into Ryan's body and settling back down. But after a moment he realized that something felt wrong, or odd, not right; he rubbed at his eyes and blinked awake, to be confronted by huge blue eyes in a pale face just inches from his own in the before-dawn grayness of the room. He gasped and jerked back violently, elbowing Ryan hard in the ribs. Ryan grunted and curled in on himself, pulling away, but all Michael could do was put a hand on his chest so his hammering heart wouldn't pound right out of it.

"Fu—udge, Jack, what are you doing?" he whispered fiercely. He looked at the clock. "It's five in the morning!" They'd only been asleep for a few hours.

Jack smiled at him, not seeming to notice his mood. "Santa's been!" he said, and ran out of the room.

Michael stared after him, then slammed his head back on the pillow. "Unbelievable."

"Ow," Ryan said from behind him, his voice muffled by the pillow. "Rudest awakening ever."

"Sorry," Michael said over his shoulder. "He scared the shit out of me."

"What did he want?"

"Didn't you hear? Santa's been!"

Ryan groaned. "Christ almighty." He rolled onto his stomach, shoving his face further into the pillow. "Santa wants to go back to sleep. There aren't enough Tim Tams in the world to make up for this."

Michael reached back and patted Ryan on the backside. "Don't get too comfortable, Saint Nick. If I have to get up, so do you. That's the deal."

Ryan groaned again and put the pillow over his head.

***
meredith_shayne: (handstand)
banner


From September 15-30, All Romance ebooks are offering a 25% rebate on all Dreamspinner titles. The rebate comes in the form of ebook bucks, ARe's in-store currency, which get credited to the customer's account. If you click on the banner above you'll get to all Dreamspinner's titles; if you want to pick up a copy of Equilibrium, you can go here. :)

Speaking of Equilibrium, I'm pleased to announce that I've sold a short story that's a mini-sequel to Equilibrium. It's a Burreela-based Christmas story called Tinsel and Dust, and it will be out in December, just in time for Christmas. :)
meredith_shayne: ((default))
I've got some posts up at The Romance Studio talking about Equilibrium, and anyone who comments to one of those posts will go into a draw to win a copy of the book. The posts are here and here, and I hope to see you there!
meredith_shayne: ((default))
At the end of this week I'm going to have quite a lot of work to do, because I've got publisher edits on a novella due and I'm also trying to write something new in time for a deadline of September 1st. So of course I'm procrastinating like my life depends on it. I do have a cover art questionnaire open even as I speak, but I keep getting distracted by pictures of the West Australian outback and lovely panoramic photos of Perth. But if I don't write down anything about these photos I'm looking at one the questionnaire, then I won't get them on my cover, will I? No. No, I will not.

But mostly I'm thinking about getting a puppy. An opportunity has presented itself, and while it's the absolute worst time for me to be getting a pet I am seriously considering it. Because I am the least practical person in the world when it comes to tiny, supercute little puppies. And I haven't had a dog in a long time and I'm finally starting to miss it.

Anyway. I'll make that tomorrow's problem.

Today's problem, which is not a problem at all, is that Equilibrium has gotten a lovely review on Amazon. Greek Reader gave it 5 stars and said:

I liked this one a lot. Both main characters and those surrounding them are described in well-rounded and lively detail. Michael has flaws and issues, some of which he'll always struggle against, but he tries not to wallow and ultimately won't be defined by them. Ryan has led an easier and more charmed life, but he has a streak of realism that allows him to understand Michael and to stand by him.

It's a rather quiet and tender love affair, as they often are in real life, but never boring. Highly recommended.


So that's got me all warm and fuzzy today! Puppies and a good review = a pretty good day, really.
meredith_shayne: (Default)
In its first non-Goodreads review, Raine from Reviews by Jessewave gave Equilibrium 3.75 stars out of 5. In her very fair and balanced review, she describes Equilibrium as having "Great Australian background detail with a real sense of place", and says:

This book displays a very good breadth of view in beautifully recreating an unusual environment filled with details of different social lives. For me the main hero wasn’t appealing enough to lift the book onto another level. However there is a lot here that is enjoyable and other readers had none of my particular problems with Michael.

Yeah, she didn't like Michael very much, but that's totally OK! Everyone's entitled to their opinion, and I am fully aware of the potentially unlikeable aspects of Michael's personality, so it's no surprise to me to find that someone doesn't like him. She loved Ryan, which is great because I love Ryan too; in fact, my favourite Goodreads review describes Ryan as a "superfine outback cowboy", which just makes me laugh like a lunatic every time I think about it.

So, yes. Reviews! They never get old, and I appreciate every single one I get.
meredith_shayne: ((default))
I've been posting a little bit over on Dreamspinner's blog today to celebrate the release of Equilibrium. So far we have:

The beautiful cover, which I can't get enough of, plus the blurb

Excerpt #1, and a contest to win a copy of Equilibrium in ebook format

An explanation of why I set the book in Australia, and the origins of Burreela

Excerpt #2

An explanation of campdrafting and tent pegging, with a few illustrative videos

Excerpt #3


The contest will run for quite a while, to give everyone who might actually be having a life on a Northern Hemisphere Friday night a chance to comment, so. There's still a chance to win something.
meredith_shayne: ((default))
Equilibrium is now for sale! You can buy it at the Dreamspinner Press store in ebook or paperback, and I hope that if you do buy it you enjoy it, because it has a special place in my heart. You always remember your first, as they say.

To celebrate Equilibrium's release, I will be hanging out at the Dreamspinner Blog tomorrow, posting excerpts and various other things, and hosting a competition, where an ebook copy of Equilibrium will be up for grabs. So hopefully I'll see some of you there!

Speaking of giveaways, Chris from Stumbling Over Chaos is giving away a copy of Equilibrium even as we speak, so if you'd like to put your hand up for that, go here and put your name in the hat.

And now I disappear in a flurry of book-related activity.
meredith_shayne: (Default)
To celebrate the release of Equilibrium on the 24th, only a few days away now, I've got a little freebie story for you all. This one starts about a week before Equilibrium does, and continues on through the first meeting of our heroes, Michael and Ryan. This time, though, we get to see things through Ryan's eyes. We also get to meet Murphy the Labrador. :)

Thanks to [personal profile] misslj_author and [profile] empty_tea for the read through.


These Days, an Equilibrium short

---

Eleven o'clock was too early for lunch, but Ryan had been up since five and he was starving. There were no parks in front of the pub when he drove past, and the supermarket was his final destination anyway, so he parked there instead and walked down Burreela's main street to get back to the pub. It was a stupid decision, because it was stinking hot, like it always was in January, with the new year barely a week old. There wasn't a cool breath of air to be had, and he was only saved from the beating sun by his battered old Akubra hat and the shop awnings shading the footpath. Even with the shade, by the time he reached the door of the pub his face was damp and he could feel his t-shirt sticking to his back. He closed his eyes when he opened the pub door, stepped inside, and was hit by a blast of cold air from the air conditioners. He took his hat off and swiped the back of his arm over his forehead before walking toward the bar. At that time of day there was only a handful of patrons scattered around the bar, and there wasn't a single stranger among them.

"Well, well, Ryan bloody Mitchell."

"Jonesy," Ryan said as he took a seat at the bar. Peter Jones had played on the footie team with Ryan at school, almost ten years previously; when Ryan became a policeman and moved to Sydney, Jonesy had stayed to help his dad run the family pub. He was built like a brick shithouse, a volunteer fireman when he wasn't at the pub; he was also one of the most heterosexual men Ryan had ever known. Sadly. "How's it hanging?"

Jonesy grinned. "Down to my knees, matey, down to my knees."

At the other end of the bar, Alison, Jonesy's wife, made a disbelieving noise as she wiped down the bar.

Jonesy laughed. "Take no notice of my missus, she just doesn't want you to be jealous. What can I get you?"

Ryan laughed. "Just a Coke and a menu. The kitchen's open, right?"

"Yep," Jonesy said, and handed him a laminated menu. "Coke coming right up."

Ryan studied the menu until Jonesy brought him his drink. "Thanks." He picked it up and took a large mouthful.

Jonesy watched him. "You met the new vet yet?"

Ryan put his glass down and shook his head. "No. The only thing I've heard is that there is one." Ryan tried not to involve himself in gossip. "Girl or guy?"

Jonesy leaned on the bar. "Guy. I heard he came up from Sydney."

Ryan's stomach flipped, but he ruthlessly shoved down any spark of hope he felt. The likelihood of the guy being gay was slim. Not everyone from Sydney was gay, or even open-minded about gays. He took another mouthful of his drink. "What's he like?"

Jonesy shrugged. "Dunno. Okay, I suppose."

Alison, who'd moved closer with her cleaning cloth, rolled her eyes. "Honestly, babe, God help us all if you ever have to give evidence in a court case." She looked at Ryan. "His name's Michael, and he seems nice enough. A bit shy, maybe, and nervous, like he's just about to bolt for the door all the time, but I suppose it's hard moving somewhere like here when you're used to Sydney." Her gaze sharpened, turned calculating as she sized Ryan up. "He's a little shorter than you, I reckon, about six foot, and he's got dark brown hair and eyes that are that blue-grey colour. He's a little on the thin side, and kind of nerdy-looking, like he's done nothing but study chemistry all his life. Even if he hasn't, I don't think he's spent much time outside, because he's as pale as pale can be." She smiled. "He's pretty though. Really pretty. So he's just the sort of fresh meat we want around here." Her smile turned into a grin. "Anything else you want to know?"

Ryan felt a little wide-eyed, and when he looked at Jonesy, he looked that way too. "Ah... No. I don't think so. That's... Wow. He's only been here a few days, hasn't he? That's a lot to notice in such a short time."

Alison shook her head at him. "No, it's not, it's just that you men don't notice anything at all about anyone. If it were up to you lot, we'd have to get around in total ignorance." She gestured at the menu he held. "Decided what you want yet?"

"Oh. Ah..." Ryan looked down at the menu again, and chose the first thing that he saw. "I'll have the steak sandwich, thanks. Medium rare."

"Medium rare steak sandwich," she repeated, taking his menu and walking through the door to the kitchen.

Ryan and Jonesy stared at each other for a minute. "Wow," Ryan said again. "Fresh meat, huh?"

Jonesy nodded. "Be afraid. Be very afraid."

Ryan took another mouthful of Coke, suddenly wishing it was beer. "Mate. You can say that again."

Read more... )




---

Copyright © 2011 by Meredith Shayne – All Rights Reserved
meredith_shayne: (handstand)
Equilibrium will be out in print and ebook on June 24th, yay. Since the blurb and cover are now up on Dreamspinner's Coming Soon page, and my author page, I figured I can post it here too so you can all have a squizz at the lovely cover. Catt Ford did a great job on the cover, I love it.






Welcome to Burreela, New South Wales. Population: more animals than humans. Although most (human) occupants are trying to get out of Burreela, the tiny town is the perfect place for veterinarian Michael Stone to break out of the bad habits that almost cost him the most meaningful part of his life: his profession.

Michael is struggling to regain his balance after hard personal losses and two years of promiscuity and drug abuse. He’s not prepared to meet Ryan Mitchell, a nice guy who won’t take no for an answer, whose patient pursuit leaves Michael less and less inclined to keep refusing. But Michael’s bad habits aren’t that far behind him. Can Michael hold himself together enough to be the man Ryan needs, or will he lose his equilibrium while trying to be man enough to hold on to the one he loves?

Sale

Feb. 12th, 2011 10:53 am
meredith_shayne: ((default))
Thanks for all your comments about titles guys, it was interesting to see how everyone approaches them, from a writer's and a reader's perspective. I ended up calling the story "Equilibrium", for reasons that will hopefully become obvious once I've got an official blurb to share with you. It definitely satisfies my need for the short and the snappy, and like I said, it even has something to do with the story, so it ticks the boxes on all counts, yay.

Happily I will have an official blurb to share with you eventually, because Dreamspinner have accepted it, with publication slated for June. I am very, very happy about this, since it will be my first novel-length publication, and it'll be available in paperback as well as ebook. Very exciting!

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