Book Name: Most Beautiful Words
Author Name: Raine O’Tierney
Tell us a bit about Most Beautiful Words, what inspired you to write this story?
Most Beautiful Words is about a man caught between life and death. On one side of the door, he has his family—his great-granddaughter especially—who all want him to stay. On the other side, there’s a mysterious valley with an even more mysterious man from his past… The original concept was just a little short I told my husband aloud one day about a young girl whose neighbor had lost his husband. The neighbor shared stories of his one great love with the little girl. I expanded on that concept in Most Beautiful Words with Tommy Johnson sharing stories of his one great love, Roy, with his great-granddaughter.
What is your favorite type of character to write? (Young, old, bold, shy, sweet, strong, etc.) Why?
Characters lacking in self-confidence who grow and learn to trust in themselves. That or sweet—can’t ever go wrong with sweet!
Do you like activity or quiet when you write? Where is your writing space?
Quiet—I’m easily distracted otherwise. My ‘official’ writing space is the whole back room which is filled with things that inspire me: my 1940s Royal Arrow typewriter, my absinthe, my dried roses, apothecary set, etc.
How did you come up with the title for this book?
When I was trying to decide what to write for NaNoWriMo 2013, I was inspired by Dr. Robert Beard’s 100 Most Beautiful Words in English. Ultimately, my story took the concept of beautiful words in a whole different direction—not beautiful and disjointed words—but the things we say to each other that etch themselves permanently on our hearts.
What is your favorite treat? Dessert, salty snack, drink….
Sushi. Sushi’s a treat, right? ^_~ I don’t know, but I sure do want some!
Are you working on your next book? What is it about?
Absolutely! I’m actually working on two books right now—one is a novella for an anthology the lovely LJ LaBarthe, Cate Ashwood, and I are putting out together about healing. I’m also working on a sequel for Bowl Full of Cherries (which is a Christmas novel I have coming out this December).
Called “Queen of the Sweetness” (well, two or three people said it anyway!) Raine O’Tierney loves writing sweet stories about first loves, first times, fidelity, forever-endings and…friskiness?
Raine O’Tierney lives outside of Kansas City with her husband, fellow Dreamspinner Press author, Siôn O’Tierney. When she’s not writing, she’s either asleep, or fighting the good fight for intellectual freedom at her library day job. Raine believes the best thing we can do in life is be kind to one another, and she enjoys encouraging fellow writers. Writing for 20+ years (with the last 10 spent on M/M) Raine changes sub-genres to suit her mood and believes all good stories end sweetly. Contact her if you’re interested in talking about point-and-click adventure games or about which dachshunds are the best kinds of dachshunds!
Author Contact:
Raineotierney.com | Dreamspinner Press Author Page | The Hat Party (LGBT Author Interviews!)
Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Buy Links:
Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Autumn’s world is shattered when her beloved Great-Pop, Tommy Johnson, suffers a stroke that leaves him comatose. With everyone around her resigning themselves to the inevitable, Autumn is the only one not willing to give up. She and Great-Pop have more secret stories to share with each other, after all. More stories about Roy McMillan—the great love of Tommy’s life whom he lost fifty years ago.
Autumn struggles to keep Great-Pop on this side of death’s door. But how can she compete with the beautiful and mysterious Valley—a place of surreal magic where the sun never fully sets? Especially when there’s someone familiar in the Valley who will do everything he can to keep Great-Pop from returning to her.
But Rook had no interest in waiting for permission. He’d come forward, snaking his arms around Toren’s sheet-covered waist and pulling him hard against his body. “It’s just a kiss,” Rook breathed before he put his lips against Toren’s. Should he protest? Had he protested? Toren couldn’t remember. In that moment there was nothing but Rook’s firm lips, gently teasing his own apart. Toren kissed back, tasting the other man, sucking at his bottom lip. Rook’s mouth was intoxicating, and quite suddenly, Toren forgot why he’d ever resisted. He liked kissing Rook. But after only an appetizer’s worth of his mouth, Rook pulled away. The sensation of their mouths pressed together lingered, and Toren was dumb with the moment. Lost on it. Uncertain what they’d even been talking about.
“Do you remember me now?” Rook asked.
“Mmn,” Toren agreed, warmth lingering on his lips. “Rook.”
Silence was his reply. The arms around his waist fell away, leaving him feeling cold.
Toren slowly opened his eyes to find he was standing alone, clutching his sheet, as Rook walked away from him toward the staircase.
Tour Dates/Stops:
October 10: Angel Martinez, My Fiction Nook, Up All Night, Read All Day
October 13: Amanda C. Stone, Decadent Delights
October 14: Jade Crystal, Nephylim
October 15: LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Velvet Panic
October 16: Full Moon Dreaming, Dawn’s Reading Nook
October 17: Wake Up Your Wild Side, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
October 20:Parker Williams
October 21:Cate Ashwood, Love Bytes, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
October 22:Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Emotion in Motion
October 23:EE Montgomery, MM Good Book Reviews
October 24:Iyana Jenna, Prism Book Alliance
Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card
The most beautiful word I’ve ever heard is the first time I heard “Mommy”
What an amazing concept! I can’t wait to see how this one turns out!
For me, it was “You’ve been accepted” at college application time…
The most beautiful words I ever heard were “I love you” from my first & greatest love.
Maybe, You’re Hired, when I had been unemployed for months.