Five or ten random facts about the book/series.
- Robin, the first book in the series, is the first book I’ve written in a long time that had an actual cliff-hanger. I don’t usually like to write them unless I can be 100% certain I can get the next book out quickly. Which, this one is going to have the second book out in less than two weeks. It was needed, however, because of how everything went down and how the next part of the story was going. The next parts of the two main characters stories were going in totally different directions, and in their own separate places, so adding to the first book wouldn’t fit well.
- I wrote this novel being inspire by the many series of V.C. Andrews, especially the older ones, which she, herself, wrote. I recently watched Flowers in the Attic, and saw so many things I wanted to bring to my own story. A family that was divided, and members of that family who were downright evil. A home or estate that loomed over them all, and a main character that had to overcome so much to find small bits of happiness that didn’t last long, but that carried them through their difficult lives.
- I used the Sims game to create the house and the island that is in the first book, the looming estate and all that went with it, even the ruins of an old church where our main characters spent so much time, and ultimately fell in love. I would have never thought of the ruins until I made the island, which included the stables, a big guest home, their chapel, so it actually lent a big part of the book I wouldn’t have thought of. I still have the house and island saved in my game, in case I forget where a certain room or area is, I can go back and have my very own map to the place. It’s worked so well, I may keep doing it that way for other books!
- The book is not present day, but set in the late 1990s. I wanted it that way so my characters could grow through times that I have already been through, music that was popular, movies, etc. And, like V.C. books, if the children have their spinoff or a book in the series, it’s not set so far in the future that I’d be lost.
- The book series is very soap-opera like, in there are many twists and turns, surprises the reader may or may not see coming. Just when the main characters feel safe and happy, BAM, they are thrown another bit of drama. It keeps me as the author on my toes, because a lot of them actually come along and surprise me, like they come into my mind as I’m writing, so it’s as fun for me as I hope it is for the reader. Though…fun may be a strange way to describe trauma and drama…haha!
- One of the hardest parts about getting this book out there are figuring out the warnings! Okay, putting warnings in to tell people what is in the book that they may become anxious or triggered by, but then it may give away pieces of the book itself! My PA is coming up with many of them, thankfully.
Will Robin ever find the love he’s been denied his entire life?
Book Title: Robin (Birds of a Feather 1)
Author: Rain Carrington
Publisher: Self-Published
Cover Artist: Rain Carrington
Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance
Trope/s: Forbidden love
Themes: Poor little rich boy falls in love with his “brother”
Length: 70 000 words
Book 2 pre-order will be available on release day.
Buy Link
Blurb
Coming from wealth but neglected emotionally, Robin Pavasaris flies to Connecticut, in search
of what he’d missed all his life. The love of a parent.
What he got, however, was a wicked stepmother that would rival those in fairy tales and a father succumbed to guilt, silent as he watches his son hurt by another mother figure. Filip Pavasaris is helpless to act. In fact, Robin fears he’ll have no ally in the huge, cold manor.
That’s until his half-brother, Alex, comes home from graduate school. The first time they see one another, it was like Robin had found every dream he hadn’t known he had. Then, he learns their relation and his heart is sore once again.
It doesn’t matter, however, as Alex takes Robin under his wing, teaching him how to survive in the home. The more time they spend together, the more Robin fears he’s falling for his own brother. On top of that, he can never let anyone at Dove’s Landing know he’s gay. Their religion wouldn’t allow a gay son, and he’d lose the millions his mother coveted from his trust fund.
A confession and a kiss breaks everything apart, and Robin runs for his life, and from his heartbreak.
This is an ongoing series, with temporary resolutions at the end of each, along with a few cliffhangers.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: dubcon/noncon, drug use, and more! Please read the warning inside the book.
Robin Pavasaris was hurrying to the den near his room where Troy waited, ready to give him his lessons for the day and something else. Troy was tall and handsome, in a geeky way, but still, Robin thought he was perfect. Not to mention he loved the guy.
Their affair had started months previous, right around his eighteenth birthday. Troy and he had flirted for the last couple years of Troy’s employment as his tutor, but he told Robin he could do nothing about it, since Robin was underage. Once Robin hit that magic, invisible marker, they’d kissed, made love, and since then, the lessons had been cut short in favor of spending hours in bed instead.
When he got into the room, there he was, his boyfriend. Well, technically he wasn’t allowed to call Troy that. Officially, he was Robin’s tutor, but he could have his secret.
“Hey,” he purred.
“Shh. Close the door,” Troy chided. After Robin did just that, he rushed to the table in the middle of the room, the big glass and chrome desk pushed to the back of the room near the oversized windows and sat close to Troy.
After a fast kiss on Troy’s succulent lips, Robin whispered, “I missed you.”
Troy was light skinned and marked with a thousand freckles, and Robin was in love with every single one of them. “Stop horsing around, Robin. You have three finals coming up and if you fail, your mother will kill me. She has to show your grades to your father.”
“I know, but I concentrate so much better after we…you know.”
Robin was terribly shy, but with Troy, he felt he could let his hair down a little. Not that his actual hair could be let down, as short as it was, never growing over the tops of his ears, like his mother liked it. The sandy blond color came from his father, as Chelsea’s was strict black, but he did inherit her cat-green eyes.
“Not now,” Troy told him, impatient. “Work first, and if we have time…then we’ll fuck.”
“Don’t say it like that,” Robin pleaded, his romantic sensibilities unable to see anything they were doing as less than the purest form of adoration.
“Fine. We can make love. Get that book open. I already have your assignments lined out from the website.”
After a long sigh of disappointment, Robin set his mind to task, wanting to do what he had to, to make Troy happy.
He didn’t care much if his grades suffered. He’d always been a straight-A student, so if his grades flagged some, it wouldn’t hurt him much. He’d been accepted into a top college, several, in fact, all far from home so he’d never have to visit if he didn’t want to.
The pages of the book were a blur as he read fast, taking in at least most of the information. He studied in his room at night, and thought he was likely ready for his finals, but he’d never disappoint Troy.
“Okay, finish up with that, study those last four pages, they’re big on the exam, then let’s get to trig.”
“Ugh. I hate trig. I have to think too much.”
He finally got laughter from Troy. “I used to say the same thing. It’ll all come in handy once you get to college.” He softened more and asked, “Are you excited? To go?”
“Yes. Very. I still hope you can come with me.”
“I live here, Robin. You need to go, start your life.”
Like every time he said things like that, Robin’s heart squeezed painfully, and he felt tears springing to his eyes, that he quickly blinked away. “You’re…you’re part of my life, Troy.”
“Right now, I am. Robin, I said we’ll talk about this stuff later. Okay?”
Time felt like it was ticking louder and louder in his head, his heart beating right along with it, faster and faster, until he felt like he couldn’t breathe. “It’s always later, Troy, and this is it! There is no more later! I’m going away after the summer and we’ll… we might never see each other again!”
Troy took his face into both hands and stopped Robin’s tirade with a kiss. At first, Robin tried to pull back from the kiss, but like always, Troy’s warmth, the most warmth he’d gotten from another human in his life, won over his pain. He let himself be kissed, tilting his head and letting his breathing finally slow.
When the kiss ended, Troy’s saliva drying on Robin’s lips, he was again lulled into a sense of love and need. “Let’s get back to work, and I promise, Robin, we’ll talk soon.”
I love writing, it’s been my dream for many years, and in October of 2013, when my first book went live on Amazon, that dream came true.
Writing love stories that are centered on flawed but lovable characters is my passion. Finding love between people isn’t easy, nor should it be. Even in a book, there have to be obstacles for the story to feel real.
I am a mother of three amazing people, and three adorable fur babies. I live in Colorado but love many other places besides my home. One state in particular is New Mexico, the state where I was born has always held a place in my heart.
People and places make my stories what they are. Each character I’ve written is a part of me in some way. Each place I write is as well. Adventures come in many ways, and each of my stories has taken me on an adventure that I treasure.
Come with me on my adventures and fall in love with my characters, as I have. I promise, you will love the ride.
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