Guest Post and Giveaway: Happy by Chris Scully

We’re so pleased to welcome author Chris Scully today, on the tour for her new novella, Happy. Enjoy Chris’s guest post and then be sure to check out the Rafflecopter giveaway below, where you can enter for the chance to win a $10 Dreamspinner Press Gift Card and the choice of any Chris Scully e-book.

Good luck!

Hello! I’m Chris Scully. Welcome to the blog tour for my new novella, Happy, from Dreamspinner Press. Join me at various tour stops, where I’ll be sharing some guest posts, excerpts and more. Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway to win a gift certificate and ebook of your choice. Thanks for stopping by and joining me on the tour! And a very special thanks to my hosts today.

At some point, a writer has to decide where their story will be set; will it be busy mid-town Manhattan, or a sleepy hamlet in the English countryside? The choice of locale can be central to the storyline, or it can mean nothing at all. It occurred to me not too long ago, that in my thirty years of romance reading (from Harlequin to historical to erotica), I could count on one hand the number of books I’ve read that featured a Canadian setting. As my own writing continues to evolve and be influenced by my surroundings, I began to wonder why this was the case? There are plenty of Canadian mainstream romance writers out there, so what’s the excuse?

Sometimes I think Canadian writers suffer from an inferiority complex. We think we’re too boring and polite, and nobody could possibly be interested in reading about us.

A couple of years ago, as I was agonizing over whether to make my Toronto setting front and centre in Nights Like These, I wondered why I was even hesitating. Did other writers debate the merits of their hometown? American and British writers never seem to think twice about basing stories in their countries, so why should I? Why does setting even matter? In romance especially, the focus is on the universal experiences of relationships and falling in love. Happy is set in “GreekTown” Toronto but it could just as easily work in the Greek enclaves of Chicago. Love is love, right? Whether it’s set in Australia, or South Africa or even someplace as foreign and strange as Canada.

For me, the best thing about writing in this genre is the freedom. Of course if you’re open-minded enough to want to read same-sex love stories, I would expect you to be open-minded enough to explore new territory. It’s only in this genre that I’ve seen other Canadian writers openly embrace their homeland and it’s given me the courage to do the same. No one, reviewers or publishers, has ever urged me to change my settings—in fact it’s rarely commented on.

My last two books have had openly Canadian settings, and the next one will too. I’m not out to wave the flag and convert the masses to hockey worshipping, coffee-drinking weather-watchers. I have set stories in other locales and will do so again, but it’s nice to know I can go home again when I want to.

Blurb: Growing up Greek-Canadian, Peter Georgiou always knew his duty was to his family, for whom twenty-first century rules don’t apply. In his early thirties, Peter still lives at home, dates who his parents tell him to, and works at the family restaurant. But watching his two best friends find happiness in each other’s arms has made him worry over his destiny.

When Louie Papadakis returns home to nurse his broken heart and start a new life, he can’t believe his sister is dating his high school crush, Peter. There’s a sadness behind Peter’s eyes that draws him in, and a chemistry he wishes he could ignore. After his closeted ex broke his heart, Louie is afraid to fall in love again, especially with a man who’s keeping secrets.

As Peter finds himself drawn to Louie in unexpected ways, old and new worlds collide. Then a family crisis forces Peter’s hand, and he must decide if he’s willing to sacrifice his happiness for family duty.

Buy Links: Dreamspinner Press || Amazon || ARe

About the Author: CHRIS SCULLY lives in Toronto, Canada. She grew up spinning romantic stories in her head and always dreamed of one day being a writer even though life had other plans. Her characters have accompanied her through career turns as a librarian and an IT professional, until finally, to escape the tedium of a corporate day job, she took a chance and began putting her daydreams down on paper.

Tired of the same old boy-meets-girl stories, she’s found a home in gay romance and strives to give her characters the happy endings they deserve. She divides her time between a mundane 9-5 cubicle job and a much more interesting fantasy life. When she’s not working or writing (which isn’t often these days) she loves puttering in the garden and traveling. She is an avid reader and tries to bring pieces of other genres and styles to her stories. While her head is crammed full of all the things she’d like to try writing, her focus is always on the characters first. She describes her characters as authentic, ordinary people—the kind of guy you might meet on the street, or the one who might be your best friend.

Although keeping up with social media is still a struggle given her schedule, she does love to hear from readers.

Connect with Chris: Website || Facebook || Goodreads || Email: cscully@bell.net

The Giveaway

Follow the Tour:

March 24: MM Good Book Reviews
March 28: Open Skye Book Reviews
March 29: Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
March 30: Hearts on Fire
March 30: Divine Magazine
March 31: Love Bytes
March 31: The Novel Approach
April 1: Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

The Fine Print:

*Entrants must be 18 years or older to qualify
*All comments must be relevant to the author’s prompt to be eligible (when applicable)
*The Novel Approach will not be held liable for prize delivery unless otherwise specified
*Void where prohibited by law