Today we’re so pleased to welcome author R.J. Jones on the blog tour for You’re the One That I Want and Hopelessly Devoted. Be sure to click on the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for the chance to win a gift from Wayward Ink Publishing.
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Musicals
My mum used to love musicals. She also used to sing and dance with the local theatre group. To a young teenager it was pretty embarrassing when you’d have a friend over after school and your mother would be singing at the top of her lungs.
But then there were the weekends Mum and I would sit on the couch together and watch the Saturday afternoon movie and share a block of chocolate. Nearly every weekend there would be a musical on and we’d lap them up like greedy beggers. Our favourite was The Great Race with Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood and Jack Lemmon. Even now, almost twenty years after Mum’s death, I still watch this movie whenever it comes on with a block of chocolate and a secret smile. My husband thinks I’m weird. He doesn’t understand the appeal of musicals. Some of my mum’s favourite were the classics. The Sound of Music, Victor Victoria and The King and I. If it had singing and dancing, Mum and I were all over it.
I loved Grease and my girlfriend had it on VHS when it first came out. I remember having a sleep over and we watched that sucker again and again and again. I think we counted eighteen times in one weekend. It was safe to say we were fairly obsessed. I mean, who didn’t want to be Sandy and get swept of their feet but a handsome Danny?
So when I saw the submission call for an MM musical themed anthology, I knew I had to write about Grease. Let me be honest here. If I watched Grease now, I’d be rooting for Danny and Kenickie to get it on.
Who wouldn’t?
Blurb: Jason escapes into the magic of a Broadway play every weekend. Musicals always have a happy ending and for a few hours he can believe there’s a happy ending waiting for him, too. When the tall drink of water who works on the top floor of Jason’s building, wants to take him on a date, Jason is surprised. After all, Jason is awkward and skinny, and sees himself as a boring accountant, while Paul is tall, dark, and incredibly hot.
Despite Jason’s reservations, Paul and Jason start dating and attending the shows Jason adores. But if Paul likes musicals as much as Jason, why does he always doze off? Is Paul leading a double life? Does he have a wife tucked away somewhere?
Jason knows Paul is hiding something and when the secrets come out, Jason finds his fantasy comes to life, right there on the stage.
Buy Links: WIP || Amazon US || Amazon AU || Amazon UK || Amazon DE || ARe
Blurb: One year on from Paul’s proposal, Jason is living a life he never dreamed of. As he fusses with his tie and readies to walk down the aisle, he reminisces about the previous twelve months. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the happy couple in the lead up to their wedding, with obstacles big and small thrown in their way.
Marrying one of New York’s most eligible bachelors has Jason’s stomach in knots. Expectations of their society wedding are high, but out of love for Paul, Jason goes along with the grand plans because he understands Paul’s family has a reputation to maintain. But Paul has a surprise up his sleeve that just may see Jason getting the wedding of his dreams.
Follow Jason on his journey as he prepares to marry one of the most eligible bachelors in New York and find out just how Dave got his name.
Buy Links: WIP || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Amazon AU || Amazon DE || ARe
The One That I Want
Excerpt
“I HAVE a delivery here for Mr. Jason Jennings.”
“That’s me. Thanks,” I said, signing the slip for the enormous package.
Once I closed my apartment door, I put the box on the counter and read the accompanying card.
Put these on. All of them. I’ll pick you up at 1:00 p.m. P xxx
Pushing aside the enormous amounts of tissue paper, I pulled out the items one by one. Black jeans, white T-shirt, and black boots. A black leather jacket with T-birds written on the back. Finally, a black wig, complete with sideburns and Danny Zuko big hair.
It occurred to me then that Paul wanted me to go out—in public—looking like this. Oh no. Where the hell was he taking me dressed like this?
My phone buzzed with a message.
Stop thinking and start dressing. P xx
I did as I was told and stopped thinking about it, but when I looked in the mirror after dressing, I looked ridiculous. I sure hoped Paul was dressed as Sandy. That would be the only way he’d look even remotely as ridiculous as I did.
But when I opened my door to Paul, my heart stopped.
Kenickie Murdock was standing in front of me. Complete with cigarette behind the ear. Paul was dressed in blue jeans and sky-blue T-shirt, just like Kenickie. His wig was the same as mine but brown instead of black. He wore a pair of aviators, chewed gum, and had slung his leather jacket over one shoulder.
I was going to come on the spot.
He snapped his gum. “Hey, baby, you wanna hickey from Kenickie?”
“Ungh.”
Paul chuckled. “I see words have fled your company again. Come here, I need to kiss you.”
I put my hand on his chest, stopping his advance. “Uh uh. If you touch me I’ll come in my pants.”
Paul laughed so loud, Dave ran off down the hallway. “Okay, I’ll try not to touch you. C’mon, I want to get there early.”
“There? You actually want to go out looking like this?”
“Don’t worry, we’ll blend right in.”
About the Author: R.J. Jones started as a reader and eventually made the progression to reviewing. It wasn’t until two men popped into her thoughts, insisting on telling her their story that she started to write.
It started with one scene. A hot and dirty one in the shower…
R.J.’s initial thought was if she could write their scene then they’d shut up and allow her to concentrate on other aspects of her day. Not so. That shower scene ended up being 3000 words long and three hours of work. And still, they didn’t shut up. They told her their entire story and she didn’t sleep for days. Sometimes she couldn’t keep up with what they were telling her and she had to keep a notebook by her bed.
Whilst she was writing their story a side character decided he needed his story told too. Then other characters followed suit.
You see the problem? If she ever wants to sleep again then she needs to write.
R.J. is a wife and a mother to two boys. She is surrounded by males. Even her dog is a boy.
R.J. Jones can be found at: Website || Facebook || Twitter || Tumblr || Pinterest
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