FLASH ME
A Heathens Ink Novel
K.M. NEUHOLD
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 09.03.18
Blurb
Liam
I was kicked out at sixteen for being transgender, but it turned out to be one of the best things to ever happen to me. At twenty-one, I have a fantastic new family made up of my brother and a handful of wonderful friends, I own my own photography business, and I’m happier than I imagined possible. There’s just one thing missing… Okay, maybe two…
Wyatt
When I took the position volunteering as a therapist at Rainbow House, I knew I’d found my place in the world: helping teens who had been rejected by their families. What I didn’t expect was the friendship I formed with Liam or how it would grow over the years into a crush I just couldn’t shake. I’m happy to see him finally opening himself up to dating with someone he trusts like Owen. But when he comes to me and asks if I can help his boyfriend, I feel like there’s more to the request than just a few therapy sessions. The more I get to know Owen, the more I like him, too.
Owen
I’m not sure why I believe so much in fate when she’s dealt me nothing but crappy hands—a stint in prison and enough childhood horrors to fuel all my adult nightmares. But I still hold on to the idea that everything happens for a reason. What I can’t figure out is why fate would plop me naked into Liam’s bed under the pretext of helping him with a photo series for a gallery showing. Or why my stomach goes funny every time he smiles at me. Liam is too sweet to be exposed to my demons, but I don’t know how to protect him…Maybe that’s why fate gave us Wyatt.
***This is the seventh book in the Heathens Ink series. Each book in the series CAN be read as a stand-alone, but characters do re-occur so it’s more fun to read them all!
Writing a Transgender Main Character
My latest release, Flash Me (Heathens Ink, 7) is a MMM romance between a sassy, transgender man, a mysterious tattoo artist, and the bowtie wearing therapist who completes them. When Liam first came on the scene as a the younger brother of a main character in Going Commando (Heathens Ink, 2), I didn’t expect to write him book. For one thing, he was only sixteen. And for another, he’s transgender, which frankly was a little intimidating. I’ve read and loved several books with transgender main characters, but it’s not difficult to notice that it’s not easy to find many. Which meant, if I was going to write this, I knew I had to make sure I did the research and portrayed Liam properly.
It was intimidating at first as I started learning about different surgical options, reading blogs and talking to some transgender individuals about their experience with feeling gender dysphoria, how it has shaped their thoughts, and what it feels like. There were decisions to make about Liam as a character because most of the things I learned about were very individual, being experienced differently or based on personal preference— would he get bottom surgery, how does he think about and discuss his own genitals, etc. It wasn’t easy but in the end I think (I hope) I did Liam justice.
What I ended up loving in the end about Flash Me was the same thing I usually end up loving about all my stories, that these men love each other fiercely and need each other in a way they didn’t realize before they met. I’ve also loved that I’ve gotten so many messages from readers with questions about transgender issues and had the chance to educate and point so many people in the direction of learning more.
I would love to see more books in the MM romance genre with transgender main characters, so here’s hoping this is something that other authors dive into as well!
Holy fuck.
My eyes greedily memorize the way Owen’s soaked shirt clings to his muscles. The colorful skin of his arms glisten under the fluorescent lights of the coffee shop, and the scent of his sweat tickles my nose. I can’t say I’ve ever found anything particularly sexy about a sweaty man. Sex sweat is fine, but not something that revved my engine. Consider me a convert, because it’s taking all my willpower to keep myself from flattening my body against Owen’s and drenching myself in his sweat, licking it off his neck, and rubbing against his slick body until sweat isn’t the only thing he’s drenched in.
Fuck, I’m such a bad person. His date with Liam was last night and here I am imagining humping him like an unneutered dog.
“Out for an early run?” I guess, looking down at his running shoes.
“Yeah,” he answers without any further elaboration.
I’ve known all the guys from Heathens Ink for years now but Owen is the only one I’ve hardly talked to, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because he’s always come off as more standoffish than the other guys? That doesn’t usually stop me with people, but I don’t have any other explanation. It feels like an oversight I should rectify. If Liam’s going to be dating him, I should get to know him better.
My stomach clenches, hot with jealousy knowing I was too late. Not that I was even too late, that I never had a shot with Liam to begin with. How can it hurt this much to know I can’t have him, when I only just realized I wanted him?
“How was your date with Liam?” I ask conversationally as the line inches slowly forward. Owen looks surprised by my question. “Liam and I are close,” I explain.
“Oh, yeah, I guess I should’ve realized. I’ve seen you two together a lot. It was great, Liam is…” Owen trails off, seeming to try to think of an adjective to describe Liam. I could help him out with that— Smart, funny, adorably shy at times, flirty and playful others, sexy, perfect.
“Yeah, he is,” I agree with his unfinished sentence, knowing he must be thinking the same things I am based on the smile tilting the corners of his lips.
I’m an author of m/m and new adult romance. I have a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well.
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