My second release from JMS Books is a novelette (just under 16,000 words) featuring two musicians in Las Vegas. Click the image below for a link to Queeromance Ink, where you can find an excerpt and retailer buttons:
Three key things about IN TUNE:
it’s a second-chance romance. Main characters Mars and Pax were friends in college, but went their very separate ways. When they’re both contracted to work on a recording, almost twenty years later, sparks fly.
it’s a M/M gay/bi story with a twist, which is a big fat spoiler so I’m not gonna tell you here. Ha!
it’s unique for me and unusual in the genre in that Mars and Pax don’t move in together. Mars is based in Las Vegas, Pax in New York City; for many reasons, including their careers, they negotiate a living-apart-together arrangement. I’m mentioning that here because some readers might hate the idea.
IN TUNE was written in response to a submission call, which is uncommon for me. Working from somebody else’s story prompt has occurred only a couple times, notably with my novella A SECRET CHORD. In that case, it was ‘how about a story in which the romance doesn’t work;’ in this case, it was a prompt labeled ‘with the band.’
It occurs to me to point out that A SECRET CHORD (F/M) is also about a musician! If that’s your jam, you might be interested in TAKE A NOTE (F/M), where you’ll meet Scott Easton, the jazz trumpet player on whose album Mars and Pax are working, or HERE TO STAY (M/M), featuring singer Gino Corsetti and his flame Sergei Kotov. (click the highlighted titles for product links)
Mars and Pax aren’t in a band, exactly - not the way I expect many people would anticipate, i.e. a rock or pop combo. Mars is a jazz clarinetist and Pax is a producer. But once the musicians are all in the studio to work on the recording, they quickly gel - thus, becoming a band.
I had a great time figuring out how Mars and Pax could get together and stay together. Happy reading!
