Title: Astray
Series: Wavesongs #1
Author: Elvira Bell
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Length: 99,500 words
Genre: Romance, Historical fiction, LGBT, M/M, Coming of age, Pirates, Age gap
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Synopsis
Nick Andrews has grown up in poverty in a tiny village. All his life he’s been told that he’s useless. After getting one scolding too many he decides to go far away, off to sea. But his experience as a farmhand has done little to prepare him for the hardships of a sailor’s life.
When his ship is attacked by pirates, Nick’s life is miraculously spared by the notorious pirate captain, Christopher Hart—a man in charge of a crew feared for their brutality. Nick is forced to join the pirates, and he dreads finding out for what reason the captain has saved him.
But Hart is nothing like his reputation suggests, and Nick soon finds himself entangled in a relationship that could endanger both their lives. Unless Nick can help Hart on his quest to find a long lost treasure, their forbidden love may tear his new life apart.
Warning: This book ends with a cliffhanger, and it does not have a happy ending. The series as a whole will have a HEA ending.
Content note: This book contains dark themes and depictions of torture, murder, and rape.
Elvira Bell – Astray
If you could travel forward or backward in time, where would you go and why?
I would go to the beginning of the 20th century and meet some of my ancestors. I’ve heard so much about them and seen them in photographs, but it would be interesting to see what their lives were actually like.
We’ve all got a little voyeurism in us right? If you could be a fly on the wall during an intimate encounter between two characters, not your own, who would they be?
Seregil and Alec from Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner series. An amazing series, and one of my favorite fictional couples.
If I were snooping around your kitchen and looked in your refrigerator right now, what would I find?
Lots of vegetables.
If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Telekinesis.
If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
Nick, my MC. Since he gets to be with Christopher, my other MC, and Christopher is my fave.
If you could sequester yourself for a week somewhere and just focus on your writing, where would you go and what would the environment be like?
Some calm place in the countryside, with the woods close by and lots of narrow dirt roads where I can go for walks when not writing.
What’s the one thing, you can’t live without?
Books – those I read, or those I write myself.
What internet site do you surf to the most?
Tumblr.
If you had your own talk show, who would your first three author guests be and why?
Hugh Howey – I’ve read most of his books and he’s one of my favorite writers. It’d also be interesting to get some advice from him when it comes to self-publishing.
Charlotte Brontë – basically, I’d love to just squeal about Mr. Rochester with her. And have tea.
Poppy Z. Brite – because this is the author who meant the most to me when I was in my teens, and I don’t think anyone else has combined m/m and horror quite as deliciously. (There’s definitely nothing romantic about those books, though!)
When you got your very first manuscript acceptance letter, what was your initial reaction and who was the first person you told?
I was shocked at first, then ecstatic. I told my boyfriend first, and texted my friend/first reader immediately after that.
Nick enters the cabin to find Hart sitting at the table. A book is open in front of him. Red-tinted sunlight floods the windows, casting a burnt orange glow over his hair and coat. He doesn’t look up as Nick steps inside and closes the door behind him.
“What did you want with me, sir?”
Hart sighs. Gives Nick a brief glance. “Ah, yes. My boots need a cleaning. Over there.” He points to the boots, neatly placed next to the door. “You should find what you need in that chest opposite them.”
Nick glances at the clogs on his own feet. Hart has not just one pair of footwear, but two—on his feet instead of the jackboots are black leather shoes. Sinking down to his knees, Nick gets to work. He grabs one of the boots, reaching for the cloth he’s found. His stomach clenches. All he can think of is that pool of blood around Stubbs’ head. He worries that Hart’s soles will be red, stained with the cabin boy’s blood. Thankfully, they aren’t. In fact, there’s not a trace of blood on them—almost as if they have been cleaned before.
Nick glances over to Hart. Did he clean his own boots before calling Nick in here? And if so, why? It makes no sense that he has wiped away the blood himself, when he could have made Nick do it.
Hart sighs and scribbles in the book. It’s unnerving to be alone with him and Nick feels relief surge through him when both boots are spotless and shiny.
“All done, sir.” He puts the boots back by the wall and stands up, turning to face Hart again.
The Captain doesn’t look at him. “Thank you.” Outside the window, the glowing sun has turned to just a sliver on the horizon. “That will be all.”
Available to purchase at Amazon
Elvira Bell lives in Sweden and spends most of her time writing, reading or watching movies. Her weaknesses include, but are not limited to: vintage jazz, musicals, kittens, oversized tea cups, men in suits, the 18th century, and anything sparkly.
Elvira writes m/m fiction with a touch of romance and has a penchant for historical settings. She adores all things gothic and will put her characters through hell from time to time because she just loves watching them suffer. It makes the happy endings so much sweeter, after all.
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5/2 Love Bytes
5/4 Joyfully Jay
Looking forward to reading this book, as it’s just my kinda read, but am not great with cliffhangers, so… (and I know this is a horrible question)… When will the further parts be out & how many books will there be in this series? Thank you!