How to Research Your Story Before Writing Your Book…
There are many places and methods that can be used to research for a story. The moat common one is the internet, but information there can be unreliable because anyone can put anything out on the net. So I always take internet research with a grain of salt, make sure I use reliable sites, and check my facts.
My favorite type of research is to talk to others who have the expertise I’m looking for. Not only do I get some really good insight, but it’s a chance to talk to others and maybe meet some new people. That in itself is rewarding and people love to talk about their passions. I’m always nice and understanding if someone doesn’t want to talk or isn’t comfortable, but so far everyone I have approached has been so unbelievably helpful.
Author: Andrew Grey
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance, Law Enforcement
Publisher: DreamSpinner Press
Release Date: Sept 11 2018
Edition/Format: 1st Edition/Format ~ eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
The only path to happiness is freedom: the freedom to live and love as the heart wants. Claiming that freedom will take all of the courage one young man has, but he won’t have to face it alone. In small, conservative Sierra Pines, California, Reverend Gabriel is the law. His son, Willy, follows his dictates, until he meets a man in Sacramento and reunites with him in his hometown—right under his father’s nose. Reggie is Sierra Pines’s newly appointed sheriff. His dedication to the job means not flaunting his sexuality, but when he sees Willy again, he can’t escape the feeling that they’re meant to be together. He’ll keep Willy’s secret until Willy is ready to let the world see who he really is. But if going up against the church and the townspeople isn’t enough, the perils of the work Reggie loves so much might mean the end of their romance before it even gets off the ground.
Willy kicked at the ground, slightly slouched, refusing to look up. “Okay, I guess. But there is no one….” He seemed so lost.
“There will be. Don’t make the same mistakes I did and rush into it. I got hurt pretty bad.” Why Reggie was going into this with someone he barely knew was more than he could understand. The guys knew the truth about what happened to him and that was all. Not even his parents knew all the details. “Not that I would hurt you, but you don’t know me at all. You deserve more than that.” With what he hoped was an encouraging smile, Reggie turned away and headed to Vick’s car. The other two were in the back seat, so he folded his large frame into the front of the small car, buckled up, and closed his eyes.
“Struck out?” Casey teased.
“No. He wanted to. But… I backed away.”
Casey groaned and Bobby snickered. Vick was the only one who said nothing, backing out of the space and getting on the road to the freeway.
“Why not? You would have been good to him. Right?”
“Of course I would have,” Reggie growled. “But he was so scared, and this was his first time venturing out anywhere. I told him to wait and make his first time special with someone he cared about.” He turned to the back seat, where the other two sat, looking at each other. “Do you remember your first time?” he asked both of them. “Was it special or something fumbling and ridiculous?” He already knew the answer because they’d shared their first-time stories years ago.
“But you would have made it special for him, and now some other guy is going to come along and probably be a dick to him, big-time,” Bobby piped up.
“Shut up,” Vick said. “You’re being an ass, and Reggie was being nice and did the right thing. Half the people in that bar kept looking at that kid like he was a piece of meat.” Vick patted Reggie’s leg gently. “I’m proud of you. Yeah, you could have gotten laid, but you took the gentlemanly way and not only helped the kid, but maybe gave him something to think about. That was pretty cool.”
“Yeah. Reggie was nice. The perfect hero. So as a reward, he’s going home with his right hand instead of that tight, hot little body that could be wrapped around him like a pretzel right about now. Oww!” Casey groused when Bobby smacked him on the shoulder. “What are you hitting me for?”
“You’re being an ass,” Bobby told him. “Now stop it.” He patted Reggie’s shoulder. “You’re right. You were nice to him. It would have been nice to have had someone older to help us when we were trying to figure shit out. Because, man, did we manage to fuck things up bad so many times. It’s a miracle we didn’t all die of broken hearts and end up with permanent appointments at the clap clinic.”
Yeah, Reggie knew he’d done the right thing, but still, Casey was right, and it bugged him that his mind flashed images of just what he might have missed.
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.
Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
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Andrew Grey
I’m about to start on the Carlisle Deputies series, so can’t say which title is my favorite yet. 🙂
I have not read them as yet but shall start them soon.
I still haven’t started them, but I own most of them. My TBR is crushing me!
I still haven’t started them but have a good amount of them just sitting on my computer.
Congrats and thanks for the post. I liked the one that started it all, Fire & Water.