Today author Karen Stivai is visiting Love Bytes on her Moments of Impact tour
She talks about cliffhangers, shares an excerpt and there is a giveaway !
Welcome Karen!
Title: Moment of Impact (Book 1 of the Moments In Time Series)
Author: Karen Stivali
Length: 33.000 words / 140 pages (novella)
Genre: New Adult, contemporary romance, gay romance, M/M
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Blurb:
Outside Collin Fitzpatrick�s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he�s straight, as does his Catholic family who�d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he�s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D�Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner�s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin�s not sure he�s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.
Buy Moment of Impact
No Cliffhangers, ever!
One question I’ve been asked numerous times since I announced my m/m New Adult series is: “Three books? So the first two end with cliffhangers?”
No. No. No.
All three books in the Moments In Time series are about the same couple, Collin and Tanner, college roommates who’ve fallen in love and are experiencing the ups and downs of coming out, coming of age, and being in a serious relationship for the first time. Each book in the series is a complete story unto itself—I’m a romance writer—happy for now and happily ever after endings are a huge part of why I favor writing in the romance genre. Sure my couples may go through hell and back in the course of any given story, but I don’t believe in leaving readers hanging.
I read several genres of books—romance, memoirs, biographies, general fiction, women’s fiction, erotica—and I enjoy reading both standalone novels and series. But cliffhangers are among my biggest pet peeves. As a reader I love going on the roller coaster ride of the journey along with the characters, but when the book comes to an end I want the characters in a safe place. I’ve invested time with them and I want to know they’re all right, at least until the start of their new trials and tribulations in the next book.
Since I’m of the mind that you should write the books you’d like to read, I write books that bring the story to a close. That doesn’t mean every last detail is tied up with a neat little bow—real life is never like that so I don’t think fiction should be either. But I do need to leave my characters off in a safe place where I know they’re happy and content. Then in the next book I get to explore a whole new set of adventures for them.
MOMENT OF IMPACT, book one of the Moments In Time series, examines Collin and Tanner’s relationship when they first realize that the feelings they have for one another go way beyond friendship. It’s the story of them becoming a couple. The second book in the series, MOMENT OF TRUTH, takes Collin and Tanner away from the conservative small town where they attend college as they spend the summer working in the much more liberal environment of Fire Island. There they experience what it’s like to be out, as a couple—something they weren’t ready for in book one. MOMENT OF CLARITY, the third book, finds Collin and Tanner returning to college for their senior year, thrust back into a conservative setting after they’ve finally grown used to being public as a couple. The challenges they face are things they couldn’t have handled earlier in their relationship—and even so they struggle.
These books are glimpses of three different times in the life of this couple. Each with its own set of discoveries, experiences, angst and joy. And each with its own happy ending—not a cliffhanger in sight.
The bus was late, and I was certain I felt an ulcer eating away at my stomach. That was the only thing that could possibly explain the burning and twisting behind my ribs. There was no way I’d get back to the dorm before my mother arrived, which meant she’d either have to watch me beg my RA to key into my room for me or Tanner would have already let her in, which would mean she’d see God knows what on my side of the room. I desperately tried to remember what condition the sheets were in, but I didn’t have a clue. For all I knew, there were come stains on the pillow. The pain moved between my shoulder blades as I half jogged in the direction of the dorms.
By the time a bus came by, I only needed to ride it for one stop, but it was probably still faster than walking. My mother’s car was right there in the parking lot alongside the building. I held my breath as I scanned the lobby, but there was no sign of her. She must have gone straight upstairs. Dammit.
Taking the stairs two at a time, I tried to figure out what I was going to say. As I neared the door, I saw it was propped open. I heard laughter as I pushed it open. My mom was perched on the side of my bed—my completely made bed.
What the hell? Did she do my laundry? My hands went cold at the thought of her pulling crusty blankets and shorts out of my laundry bag. I could already hear her telling me quietly to get in the car so we could go talk to Father Thomas. It was a good thing I hadn’t eaten, or I’d have thrown up right there in the doorway.
Mom turned to look at me with what seemed to be a normal smile. “Oh, there you are, honey. I was just having a chat with Tanner and his lovely girlfriend.”
Wait, what? Glancing around the room, I saw that not only was my bed made, so was Tanner’s, and the rest of the room was straightened as well. Trash cans empty. No clothes strewn around. And Tanner and Wendy sat cross-legged on his bed, grinning like talking to my mom was some frigging amusement park ride.
“Thanks, Mrs. Fitzpatrick,” Wendy said. “These cookies are amazing.”
“They’re Collin’s favorite, but I know Tanner likes them too, so I always bring double. I know the cafeteria’s not like home cooking.”
She reached for the enormous tin on my desk and held it out to me. Oatmeal chocolate chip. She was right. They were my favorite.
And I couldn’t have eaten a bite if she’d paid me.
“Thanks. I ate at work, so I’m full.”
Liar. I didn’t like to think of myself as a liar, but I couldn’t deny I was one. A pretty damned good one, judging by how quickly she shrugged and set the tin down.
“What’s in the bag?” she asked.
I’d forgotten I was carrying one. “Just sandwiches from work. My boss is really good about letting me take food home. It’s subs. Anyone want one?”
Tanner’s eyes darkened when they met mine, but I couldn’t tell why. Was he hungry? Pissed that he’d had to entertain my mom? Trying to forget about last night? Wishing we’d leave so he could be alone with Wendy? Or was he like me, having flashbacks no matter what else he tried to think about?
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She�s also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary and erotic romances. Her lifelong fascination with people has led her to careers ranging from hand-drawn animator, to party planner, to marriage and family counselor, but writing has always been her passion. Karen enjoys nothing more than following her characters on their journey toward love. Whether the couples are m/f or m/m, it�s guaranteed that Karen�s novels are filled with food, friendship, love, and smoking hot sex�all the best things in life.
When Karen isn�t writing (and often when she is), she can be found on Twitter attempting witty banter and detailing the antics of her fruit-loving cat, BadKitteh. She loves to hear from readers (and other writers), so don�t hesitate to contact/follow/like her at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenstivali
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KarenStivaliAuthor
Website: http://karenstivali.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karenstivali
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KarenStivali
E-mail: karenstivali@gmail.com
Tour Shedule:
| 12-jan | Saguaro Moon Reviews |
| Nephy’s World | |
| V’s Reads | |
| 13-jan | Rainbow Gold Review |
| Queer Town Abbey | |
| 14-jan | MM Good Book Reviews |
| Smile Somebody Loves You | |
| 15-jan | multitaskingmommas Book Reviews |
| 16-jan | Alina Popescu, Writer |
| Twinsie Talk | |
| 17-jan | Prism Book Alliance |
| Carly’s Book Reviews | |
| 18-jan | Eyes on Books’ Next Favorite Reads |
| 19-jan | The Bitches of Eastwick |
| 20-jan | Cathy Brockman Romances |
| World of Diversity Fiction | |
| 21-jan | Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess |
| GGR-Review | |
| 3 Chicks After Dark | |
| 22-jan | Love Bytes |
| 23-jan | In The Pages of a Good Book |
| All in One Place | |
| 24-jan | Gay Media Reviews |
| 25-jan | LBM Book Blog |
| Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents | |
| TTC Books and more |
