Way back in 2012 when I began writing contemporary fiction, I was still very active in ballroom dancing. Perhaps not surprisingly, quite a few of the early stories focused on ballroom dancers. In most of this story universe, my dancers are semi-pro: they may perform or compete, but dancing is a beloved hobby supported by a day job. In RHYTHM, I bring together stories about professional dancers. Launched August 1 - click image below for product link!
Three key things about RHYTHM:
All three novellas feature M/F couples, in which one person is the professional ballroom dancer. The other main characters are costume designers and a filmmaker;
All three feature supporting characters found elsewhere in my universe (some are the stars of their own novellas or novels);
All three feature interracial/multicultural relationships. Of the six main characters, only one is a white American. The others are Americans of Japanese, Filipino, and Mexican descent, plus a white Italian.
Also, to be clear, these stories are set in Los Angeles. All three professional dancers train and work in West Hollywood. There are many LGBTQ+ characters. And there is really a lot of dancing.
There’s also a lot of bonus material! The novellas included are OVERSWAY (previously published as CHROME); THE CONTINENTAL; and WHEN IT’S TIME. The six main characters became part of a novel I wrote during the summer of 2019. That novel never saw the light of day, for several reasons, but I’ve used scenes from it to show each of the central couples in RHYTHM a little way down the road. On top of that, all three novellas have been substantially revised since their original publication.
Of the many connections within my universe:
the M/M novel BEAT stars Sam Lee and Mateo de la Cruz, who is the brother of Kristine, female lead of WHEN IT’S TIME;
the M/F novel FACE THE MUSIC is about a pair of semi-pro dancers who are heavily involved with my fictional company the Underground Cabaret; one of the founders of that company is Michelle, female lead of OVERSWAY;
and M/F novel LOST & FOUND concerns people who hire Tony, male lead of THE CONTINENTAL, to direct a documentary.
All of the above feature adult situations, themes, and language - and happy endings!