What? It’s only been a month since the last one! Yes, but I started writing this one back in May of 2020. The first 32000 words were written by the end of June. It took till the end of December to complete the full 78000-word first draft, mostly due to writing other books. Then I left it alone for three months before doing a rewrite.
And then I left it alone some more. But I finally did a solid edit, we made a cover for it, and now it’s here! INTO YOU launches November 1 - click the image below for a product link.
Cover image by Nasik Lababan @nasiklababan unsplash.com
Three key things about INTO YOU:
It’s an age-gap, slow-burn M/M Hollywood romance featuring Manuel Figueroa, a Mexican-American aspiring actor, and Irving Morton, a mixed-race porn director.
Manny and Irv work together on a few projects for the porn company, but both of them know from the start that porn is no more than a stepping stone (or a training ground) for Manny.
When Manny decides to risk changing their relationship after more than a year as colleagues and friends, things move fast.
The age gap isn’t much of an obstacle here, but ambition could be. Irv expects to be left behind. He’s also got a bit of a crush on his new model right from the start. Reconciling desire and expectation is an undercurrent.
The ‘star is born’ phenomenon is a real thing in every industry, not just entertainment. When an established star helps a newcomer shine, there’s a tension between gratitude and obligation. When you care about someone and want them to succeed, knowing that at some point you have to let them go, there’s potential for disaster.
Manny and Irv face a couple of moments that could derail their relationship. Ultimately, it’s choosing to be vulnerable that keeps them reaching for each other.
Irv helps Manny get his first real breaks as an actor; Manny helps Irv reimagine his professional life. It’s a partnership based on doing right for (and by) each other.
Adult situations, themes, and language; 80,300 words and a happy ending.