Next stop on the Escaping From Him blog tour. Here's a wonderful review from Diverse Reader, which I've copied below too. Comment in the blog's website for a chance to win one of my back list of ebooks. Here's the review:

This book made me vibrate with anger and it also made me laugh. The anger though...I want to seriously wanted to hit a certain person in the head with a 2x4. Namely Darryl's boyfriend Chris, soon to be ex.
 
Nowm human beings can only be pushed so far before they snap. Darryl starts off in this book with Chris; a controlling jerk! Seriously! The scary kind of relationship. With all the rules set for Darryl, when the AC goes on the fritz he goes loco and beats it to death! < I laughed there! Then he packs up and leaves Chris and steals his car. There's an accident and now he's running.
Now, I fear Chris and I fear for him through Darryl, who changes his name to Ford for protection and to be a new him.
 
We spend the entirety of this book rediscovering Darryl/Ford. This is a young man grown up through foster care and into an abusive relationship. Finally he's taking his life into his hands and living.
 
It's refreshing and he's amazingly strong. You cheer for Ford and you become invested in his success.
I enjoyed this story and recommend it.

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Smashwords AllRomance

Here's the lovely 4 star review from Books Laid Bare Boys about Escaping From Him. I've also copied Sue's review below:

When Darryl finally kills Dave, he knows it's the end.....

Dave was an annoying air con unit that dried out his eyes, made funny noises and deserved all he got with the large hammer.

Knowing his older, controlling, OCD boyfriend Chris would go mad yet again, he packs what belongings he has into a holdall and escapes to start a new life.

He didn't know where he would be able to hitch a lift to but ending up in Glasgow was perfect, as far away from Chris as he could manage.

Starting his new life meant a new name so Ford was born.

A lucky break with a job and a whole new group of friends meant that he settled in fairly well....

Meeting a new man wasn't something he had planned on but when Callum came in to the photographic studio where he worked, it seemed like his life was about to change for the better.

This was a really sweet story about a young man, trying to find his way in life and being lucky enough to escape the one thing that was holding him back.

The way the new relationship developed ( get it!!!! photo humour ) was just perfect.

Not too much of the all in, lets get it on, but a slow coming together and starting of a new life.

The whole 'family' thing was really nice as well with all the friends looking out for each other.

A lovely read.....

4 out of 5 stars.
Sue x

Buy Links: Manifold Press | Amazon US | Amazon UK | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords

Here's what Bike Book Reviews made of Escaping From Him, with its 5 'Wallace Monument' review. And I've copied it below too:

I love this book, and I was drawn in by sweet Darryl, I mean anyone who names his air conditioner is alright in my book :P! Darryl got out of a bad and controlling relationship, but can he escape his ex for good? What will happen when he finds someone he sees himself falling for? 

You will have to buy the book and see, cause no spoilers here! I can't wait for you guys to read this one! 


                                                    the 5 Wallace Monument rating :)

I DID THAT RATING IN HONOR OF A NEW BEGINNING FOR DARRYL! MAKE SURE YOU GRAB IT WITH THE BOOK LINKS ABOVE!!

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Smashwords AllRomance

I'm over at Prism Book Alliance being interviewed about Escaping From Him, talking about characters, planning, which books I have by my bed and how important my secondary characters are to storytelling. I've copied the interview below. To win a chance of getting a $25 gift voucher, comment on the Prism Book Alliance website.
We are here today to talk about Escaping From Him.  What can you tell us about it?
It’s about Darryl escaping a controlling relationship with Chris to find himself a new life, new friends and eventually a happy ever after, far away in Scotland. It’s about control, being suppressed from living the life you’re meant to life, and having the courage to fling yourself into the unknown and hope that someone, something, catches you.
Please tell us more about our main characters.
Darryl is creative, a dreamer, wants to do something artistic with his life. He grew up with not very much in the way of family and so he creates his own family of friends when he escapes from Chris’s clutches to live in Scotland. His best friend Lena, is Swedish and very matter-of-fact about people simply living their life how they want, and not for others. Chris is an estate agent who is obsessed with money and what it can buy him. He likes everything in his life structured and ordered which Darryl finds quite restrictive. Darryl meets a cast of others in Scotland but I don’t want to tell you too much about them because you’ll have to read the family to meet them properly!
What is next for these characters?  Is there more to this series?  If so who will we hear from next?
There may be more to this series. At the end, there is a HEA, but I’ve started to think about what can happen to disturb that and how settled things really are in Scotland. Any relationship has its ups and downs and Darryl’s is no different. I may write a sequel focussing on Darryl and his new boyfriend, or there’s another character from the Scottish group of friends who I think deserves his own HEA too, so watch this space…
What part of a new story comes to you first? Characters? Plot? A scene? A theme? Or does it vary from book to book?
I sometimes have an opening scene and I’ll use that as a jumping off point for the rest of the story. I may create a character from something I’ve heard or seen and then start wondering what if, how would they react if put in a certain situation and then the story grows. I think most of my books seem to focus on the theme of trying to find the true self and living the life you’re meant to live. I didn’t realise that until I looked back at a few of my stories. There’s people leaving jobs, leaving boyfriends, leaving home – all in search of their true selves. Evidently it’s an important theme for me to write about so much.
What tool do you use to plan scenes? (such as index cards, white board, ouiji board, etc)
I either use Post It notes or I write notes long hand on paper. The notes can include a few lines of dialogue, or a brief description telling me what happens in that scene, where it is, who is in the scene. I plan what the characters do while referring to my character notes which includes their background, relationship history, goals, vulnerabilities etc. These things influence what they do in each scene I’m planning. During planning I generally have a rough map of what I think should happen, but as I’m planning scene by scene I let the characters decide what happens.
Do you take a break from a first draft to get distance from it, or dive right into editing, or edit heavily as you write?
I like to leave a first draft at least a month before I go back to self-edit it. I find this means I can read it more as a reader than as someone who’s just written it. I don’t edit as I write, I find that stops my flow from actually telling the story, one scene at a time. I like to write my first draft as quickly as possible because this means I stay in the world, remember what’s just happened and stay in the characters’ heads easier.
How important are secondary characters to your story telling? Do you actively try to have women characters in your M/M to balance the male focus of the MCs?
Secondary characters are important to story telling – they should show us something about the main character by their behaviour / relationship with the secondary characters. They also allow the main character to discuss issues and bounce ideas about. This is much more interesting to read than a main character gazing out of the window wondering in his head about what to do. The exchange of dialogue between characters is where we get to know them better. I tend to have female friends for my gay main characters because I think it’s important to balance out all the men. Also, this is pretty typical of gay men in real life. Yes, gay men have other gay men as friends, but all gay men have women in their lives through colleagues, relatives, friends. I think a female character can often offer a different perspective on something that a man may not have considered.
What book do you keep by your bed?
Whichever book I’m in the middle of reading at the time and my diary. I’ve kept a diary since 1997 about my day, what I’ve done, who I’ve seen, what I’ve thought about, what’s worrying me, what I’m looking forward to. It’s part of my daily routine when I get into bed that I write my diary before reading, and then I go to sleep.
If you had to be a cat, dog, or a rat, which would you choose and why?
A cat because they’re so much more nonchalant than dogs. A dog is wonderfully enthusiastic about everything, but I enjoy how when a cat sits on your lap it’s because he really wants to, not because he always will. This makes it more special.
Favorite Color? Red. I have red jackets, red trousers, red jeans, red shoes, shirts with red in them. I don’t have a red car because I thought having a red sports car (Mazda MX5 / Miata as they’re called in the US) it was a step too far, so it’s blue. But generally I like bright colours in everything I wear – stripes, flowers, patterns, I love them all. Put me in a grey suit, white shirt and grey tie and I feel part of my soul leaving my body.
Windows or Mac? Windows. I refuse to pay double the price for a Mac laptop that will do the same basic things as a Windows one will. I used to have an apple phone but refused to spend a small fortune upgrading so have now gone over to Samsung and am very happy with it. I can think of things I’d prefer to spend my money on than electronic hardware that’ll probably only be useful for 3 years or so anyway.
Read or writing? I love both. I don’t think you can be a writer without also reading voraciously. I tend to prioritise writing over reading because I am busy and want to fit it in. I write during the day and then, only when I’m too tired to write more, I read in bed.
Cook or eat out? I love both. Aren’t I being contrary today? I love cooking and would never eat anything out that I can make well at home. For me, cooking is a sort of therapy; it relaxes me. And I love eating too! Eating out is fun on occasions but I don’t like eating out all the time because it’s then less of a treat and more of a chore.
Sweet or Sour? Sweet all the way. Given the option of potatoes / pasta with a main course, or having a dessert, I would always pick the dessert. I sometimes eat 2 desserts in a restaurant if I don’t like the look of the mains. Sweet tooth is my middle name!
Favorite flower? I have a few. Tulips – we drove to The Netherlands a few years ago and were surrounded by fields of yellow and red tulips as we made our way to the accommodation. It was magical. Also I like Aquilegia  (granny’s bonnet or columbine) because they come in a wide range of bright colours and look so pretty. And finally, Fuscias – they remind me of earrings, they come in loads of different bright colours and they’re very dressy. Can you see a pattern here?
Multiple choice questions or essay questions? I prefer essay questions because it’s less restrictive and gives me more space to express myself. Also, my responses rarely seem to fit with the multiple choice options available.

Call or text? Calls for a nice chat or to catch up with someone. Texts if it’s just to arrange or confirm something simple. I can go days without using my phone as an actual phone. I use it for social media, email, internet browsing, taking pictures, timing things, measuring how many steps I’ve walked, but sometimes forget it can be used to make calls too.

Buy Links: Manifold Press | Amazon US | Amazon UK | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords

Here's what Helena Stone thought about Escaping From Him, hop over there to enter the rafflecopter for one ebook from my back catalogue. I've also copied the review below:

My Thoughts

“It was the heat of the summer, my inability to be comfortable in my own home, remembering things we’d talked about properly, without Chris there to correct me on my memory. All these had combined to this one feeling that I had to go. I had to leave this place and run.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect before I started this book. The reference to a ‘controlling boyfriend’ in the blurb seemed to indicate this might be a tough and darker read. But then it also talked about a ‘deceased’ air-conditioner, which definitely pointed at a sense of humour. It is always wonderful when a blurb perfectly captures both the story and the tone in which it is told; this could have been a hard and heavy story, but thanks to Darryl’s way of addressing his reading audience, this book is anything but angsty.

Darryl is a wonderful main character. He’s fully aware of the shortcomings in his life but doesn’t obsess about them. Once he decides to make his break, he’s off into the unknown, trusting that something will come his way, and boy is he right. Not only does he find safety, he also finds a group of friends who will form the family he’s never really had. Glasgow was meant to be a hiding place as far away from Chris, his domineering and older boyfriend as he can get, but instead it turns out to be home.

The book is titled Escaping From Him and while getting away from Chris is certainly the catalyst to this story, I feel that ‘Finding Himself’ would have been as appropriate a title. In fact, to me this read as a coming of age / New Adult story. Darryl was only 16 when he fled the foster system and met and moved in with Chris. Young as he was he didn’t stand a chance against Chris’s dominance and manipulation. Four years later Darryl is ready to spread his wings, to become who he was always meant to be, to learn that he can take care of himself and find his own place in the world—assuming a new first name is only the start of it.

I loved the cast of secondary characters. From the ever practical and loyal Swedish Lena, to Charlie who first introduces Darryl to the people who will form his Glaswegian family, and from Devine, the glorious drag queen to the two Gavins who are each others’ opposites and all the more perfect together for it. And Callum was just perfection both as a character and as the person Darryl needed in his life.

There were one or two moments in this book that touched me deeply, but I’ll mostly remember this book for the smiles it brought me. The chapter about the Eurovision evening especially, had me giggling and laughing out loud. I also really want to throw a ‘naff nibbles’ party now.

In short, Escaping From Him was an utterly delightful and at the same time very touching story. It would appear I have found yet another author to add to my ‘must read’ list.

Buy Links: Manifold Press | Amazon US | Amazon UK | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords

Today is the first day of my Escaping From Him blog tour, details of where I'll be are in the graphic below. I'll also be reblogging interviews and reviews here for everyone who subscribes to my blog.
Happy Monday!

Buy Links: Manifold Press | Amazon US | Amazon UK | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords

Liam Livings xx

Listening to a podcast where three people compared thoughts on Dickens’ Great Expectations and Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, a point arose by a woman that TTL was hard and slow to read. GE was by contrast felt to be a broad sweep of canvas and written in vivid scenes which were easy to read.

Dickens will convince readers to read Dickens, was the message from the book’s advocate. She added that if new readers felt the need they could skip through slow parts to get to the action. Books shouldn't be hard work, she advised. They are entertainment and shouldn't be viewed with such reverence that one must studiously read every single word.

I'm guilty of skipping through books if confronted with a big wedge of narrative with no paragraph breaks or dialogue. My eyes search frantically for the next break. My brain scans for the next person saying something which, unlike a narrative section, is always something happening.

How do you feel about skipping in books? OK or must you read every single word?

Maybe I’ll revisit Great Expectations, because the last time I read it was for GCSE English, and then I may have skipped the odd scene.

Now I’ve submitted my MA dissertation, I have completed the year of studies that began in September 2015. During that time I’ve not written as much as I would normally have because...studying. I managed Nanowrimo 2015 which was the backing dancer story called I Should Be So Lucky (wonder which pop star inspired that story…) and the Hacienda story I wrote Feb to April 2016.

Although I’ve got quite a few other complete stories on my hard drive that need self editing, beta reading, deleting, whatever, I have really missed doing first drafts during the time I’ve been studying. For me, writing is a sort of therapy and escape for myself during periods of stress and mild depression.

For that reason I am aiming to draft three stories between now and the end of 2016. They are: a m/f romance of 50000 words, a m/m Christmas romance of 60000 words and a mm romance set in Ibiza of up to 50000 words. That’s a total of 160000 words.

Given there are 15 weeks between now and the end of the year, that’s just short of 11000 words per week. If I round this up to 12000 words, to be on the safe side, in theory, using my usual rate of writing and once I’ve planned, that’s about 6-10 hours of writing per week to write the first draft.

Is this realistic?

Is this achievable?

Am I going to drive myself into a meltdown with this self-imposed deadline?

Who knows, but I’m going to give it a damned good try anyway.

Also, the Ibiza story has to be self-edited, beta read and self-edited again in time for submission. The Christmas story has to go through the same process so I can try to self-publish it before I miss the Christmas boat. The m/f story doesn’t have a specific deadline, it’s just something I want to write, having been mulling it over and researching it for a while.

So, I'm fastening my seat belt and getting ready for writing a lot of words between now and the end of 2016. Wish me luck!

Liam Livings xx

When I tell people I write books and work full time people usually ask two questions:
1) are your books published, like, on Amazon and stuff?
2) how do you find the time to write?

My answers are yes to the first one and then I explain that everyone has the same number of hours in the day and it’s about making time for what’s important.
If you want to write a book and you’re waiting for the right time to write it – for an expanse of time when you can close your eyes slowly and wait for the muse to join you so you can write – then, believe me, you’ll be waiting a long time.
Plus, if you’re waiting until you’re in the perfect room, with the perfect light, and the perfect sounds around you so you can write, again, you’re pretty much screwed if you work full time, or have any other life responsibilities (caring etc).
I know it takes a while to boot up a laptop and open up the document so you can write, and by then someone’s shouting for you, or you’ve got to get back to life. However, a paper notebook and pencil / pen can be opened and allow you to write instantly. Try writing in the little bits of dead time:

• waiting for a bath to run
  
• while something is cooking in the oven
• while on hold on the phone
• get up 15 mins before you need to
  
• while waiting to collect kids from school
• while on public transport
• write for 15mins in bed rather than reading
  
• Whenever you are tempted to look at your smart phone to check social media or news websites, instead, turn to your notebook and pencil and write for a few minutes
  

I wrote 24,000 words while travelling to and from Australia, on some internal fights and in gaps during the holiday in late 2014 and early 2015. All I used was my post it notes plan for the book and a paper notebook, two pencils and a sharpener. OK, so I had to type it all up when I got home – which took me two 6hour days, but that was loads quicker than it would have taken to actually WRITE 24,000 words.

Another tip is to allow this first draft to come out as it comes out. Don’t agonise over each and every word. That’s for the editing stage. Just let it flow out of you and tell the story. Most importantly, get to the end of the story. Leave it and you can fix things in the edits. You can’t edit a blank page.

If you’re waiting for the perfect environment to write you can create this for you, wherever you are:

• Listen to certain music
  
• Wear a certain item of clothing
• Be accompanied by a certain drink of choice
• Read an inspirational writing quote to get you ‘in the zone’
  

I always write listening to Enya on all songs shuffle. It completely shuts out any external noise no matter where I am. I don’t hear the lyrics any more because I’ve listened to the songs so many times they’re simply background I can nod along to.

With all this technology crying at us for attention pinging away and beeping, it’s easy to forget that writing is about creating words and putting them down on paper or electronically. Try a few different ways that help you focus on simply that, and you’ll be surprised how much you write when you’d have been wasting the time otherwise.

I wouldn’t use a notebook and pencil on a flight now – despite it being one of the best bits of writing advice I’ve read – I’d now use my Alphasmart Neo. Check these out for more on why I bought it and living with it. This weighs 900g (less than 2lbs) only writes, doesn’t connect to the internet and has a battery that lasts more than 700hours.

I’ve some other writer friends who’ve bought one based on my experiences and they’ve told me it has allowed them to write in places a laptop wouldn’t have. Just like a paper notebook the Neo is ready to write instantly. Just like a notebook it has no distractions like the internet or games. Just like a notebook it can only be used for writing. Just like a notebook it is light and portable. Better than a notebook it will type up your words for you after you’re done! In short, for an author who needs to write when out and about, it’s pretty much unbeatable in my opinion.

It’s not for everyone – I lent my spare one (yes, really I have a spare, because they’re not making them any more) to an author friend and she didn’t get on with it. We think this was because everywhere she writes she can and does prefer to use her laptop, in which case the Neo wouldn’t add much.

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They're also on my Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk home pages.

Love and light,

Liam Livings xx