A warm welcome to author Morgan James joining us today to talk about new release : “Love Conventions”.
Love Conventions is told from the point-of-view of Ashland Wells, an actor of sci-fi cultish fame, who meets and falls for an average joe. While the decision to tell the story from a single POV always felt right for this novel, I have at times thought it a shame that Remy never got to share his side of the story. (This is perhaps why he’s being a media hog during my release tour and hijacked so many of my guest blog posts.) So here I share with you Remy’s point-of-view of one of the scenes featured in the novel.
This moment takes place during their first series of meetings. Ash is only in town for a convention, and both of them know this day will end with them parting ways and never meeting again.
Remy stared at Ash. The other man had hunched his shoulders, somehow making his six-foot-plus frame almost disappear. As Remy watched unashamedly—hey, when else would he ever get a close-up view to such physical perfection?—Ash lifted a fry and munched on it distractedly. He was probably, Remy thought regretfully, unaware that the oil smearing over his lips and fingers could fuel a man’s fantasies for months.
Remy’s crush on Ashland Wells had begun years ago, when his stepfather’s interest in BBC costume dramas brought Edwardian country life into Remy’s. During one Christmas break, they had binged several episodes of Highclere, and Remy fell madly in love with the young, temporary footman. When his pretty ginger face showed up on Remy’s favorite SyFy drama the following summer, Remy had practically skipped around the room in joy—even if the ginger was MIA.
Now, as he studied Ashland Wells in this down-scale restaurant, Remy figured out a few things. One: Ash was more beautiful in person, which clearly wasn’t fair. Two: Despite his beauty, Ash managed to somehow disappear in public. Remy had no idea how he managed it, but Ash projected such strong don’t-mind-me vibes, that people were apparently happy to oblige. Or maybe they simply wished to avoid the mountain of a man…. Three: Ash was shy.
And not just in the sense of wanting to protect his privacy from public viewing. Ash was awkward. He blushed and got tongue-tied. Remy wanted to pinch his cheeks.
Both sets.
God, that butt was more impressive IRL. There were corners of the internet dedicated to the beauty of that behind on HDTV. Odes had been written about it. Seeing it in person had nearly overwhelmed Remy. It deserved to be worshiped. Well, Remy could happily worship all of Ash. Not that he thought worshipping was an option for him.
A few times since yesterday, he’d thought he got a ping off Ash, but…. Remy gave his head a mental shake. Thoughts like that would get him nowhere.
But then Remy would run his mouth—like he always did—and mentioned being gay again, and Ash sort of twitched and stared and then poked morosely at his fries, and Remy wondered all over again.
Remy’s mouth opened again, and suddenly it was giving gentle non-advice for a suspected closet case.
Ash didn’t meet his eyes.
Huh. Well, that was… interesting.
Thank god he was saved from himself by Nisha and her stupid ringtone.
“Nisha!”
“Remy,” she said flatly.
“Hi! How are you?” Unnamed guilt began to creep up his spine.
“Oh, good, fine. Sitting at the bar, drinking a beer, waiting twenty minutes for my BFF to show.”
Shit. “Oh? Twenty…. That late, huh?” Fuckity fuck.
“Yes. Where are you?”
On a maybe date with the hottest man on the planet. “Um, so the thing is, uh, remember how I went to the ROM this afternoon? Well, I kinda—”
“Don’t tell me you ditched me to get laid.”
“What!” I wish! “No! Of course not. I met someone”—don’t wince, don’t wince—“from out of town, and they were kinda… lost. So I gave them a hand, and then I guess I lost track of time.” He winced at that.
“Uh-huh. So he’s cute, right?”
He’s Ashland freaking Wells, Nish, ZVI! “Yes. But that’s not why—”
“Uh-huh,” she drawled. Dammit she could read him too well.
“It isn’t!”
“Hm.” Then, proving she was the best BFF ever with mind-reading powers, “There’s more to this than you’re telling, isn’t there?”
“Yes.” He licked his lips. Hopefully Ash could hear NONE of what Nish had said.
“Ugh, fine. I’ll let it drop for now, but you owe me. You owe me a beer—two beers! And an explanation, tomorrow night.”
“Yes, tomorrow, I promise,” Remy agreed eagerly. “I’ll make it up to you.”
He slid his phone into his pocket and looked at his plate. Ash must think he’s the worst friend ever, not to mention the very real possibility of Ash having overheard things. God, did he think Remy was the type to skip out on a friend just for meaningless sex? Did he need to do some recovery here?
Remy lifted his gaze again and looked Ash right in the eye… and found no judgement, only understanding.
Which was probably for the best considering Ash got nearly the same phone call three minutes later.
Two peas in a pod.
In any other circumstance, Remy might think this was the start of a beautiful friendship, but he wasn’t foolish enough to think that Ashland Wells would want to keep in touch with him.
Title: Love Conventions
Author: Morgan James
Release date: May 7
Tag: A happy ending worthy of a TV fantasy… in real life?
Summary: Ashland Wells is an actor of sci-fi cult fame but with little direction for the future, when handsome grad student Remy Beaumont lands in his lap at a fan convention. Remy is everything Ash ever wanted and wished he could be—including out and proud. For twelve hours they’re the best of friends. But the convention ends, and saying goodbye to Remy might be the biggest mistake Ash has ever made.
A few months later, they’re reunited on a new production—Ash as an actor, Remy a writer—and though Ash doesn’t plan to let him go twice, being with Remy means going public about being gay. He’s not sure that’s a risk he—or his career—can handle, no matter how great the temptation.
If only they could write themselves the romantic happily ever after they both need…
Author bio: Morgan James is a clueless (older) millennial, who’s still trying to figure out what she’ll be when she grows up but is enjoying the journey to get there. Now, with a couple of degrees, a few stints in Europe, and more than one false start to a career, she eagerly waits to see what’s next. Morgan started writing fiction before she could spell and wrote her first (unpublished) novel in middle school. She hasn’t stopped writing since. Geek, artist, and fangirl, Morgan tends to pass free hours with imaginary worlds and people on pages and screens—it’s an addiction. As is her love of coffee and tea. She lives in Canada with her massive collection of unread books and acts the personal servant of too many four-legged creatures.
https://twitter.com/MorganJames71
Buy link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/love-conventions-by-morgan-james-10433-b