We’re so pleased to have author Jodi Payne joining us today to celebrate the release of her new novel, Creative Process, from Dreamspinner Press.
Welcome, Jodi!
Hello all!
My name is Jodi Payne, I’m a proud Jersey Girl, I love Broadway musicals, the beach, tequila, and I’m almost always caffeinated like whoa.
It’s release day for my new novel Creative Process and I’m thrilled to be here to tell you about it.
Reese Kelsey is a bestselling author living in New York City. He’s written a series of books that have been wildly popular, gained him respected reviews and rocketed him to the level of stardom with thriller fans. When the story begins, he is in the middle of publicity for book three and is working on book four, the last book in his series.
Reese is loner, having learned that his solo career path doesn’t lend itself very well to a serious relationship. He’s tried a couple of times before, only to have things fall apart when his muse – a detective determined to stop a depraved serial killer – consumed his thoughts, making him disappear into this laptop, sometimes for days at a time.
If it weren’t for Reese’s publicist, who also happens to be his best friend, confidant, cheerleader, task master, mother hen and reality check (though *not* love interest), Reese wouldn’t make it to anything on time, and it’s possible he’d also never get out if his pajamas. He also has a lively, active bunch of artist friends that meet regularly for dinner and cocktails. Fortunately, they are good friends, because they are also his only real social outlet.
Owen Mercado is equally busy with rehearsals and practicing, as he is a professional cellist with the symphony. Up until very recently he hadn’t been able to say that; he’d been teaching and playing gigs anywhere he could get them to make ends meet. Playing cello for a living is all Owen’s ever wanted to do and he’s worked very hard to accomplish what he has thus far. He defied his mother who wanted him to go to law school. He spent many a lean, hungry year putting himself through conservatory working several jobs and practicing long hours. And when he graduated, he tried not to get discouraged when he discovered what a competitive field music could be.
A holdover from his pre-symphony days is a band called Six Hands, which plays regular gigs three nights a week at a local coffee shop. The other members are friends from the conservatory, one of whom is Carla, their pianist, MC, and Owen’s best friend and confidant.
So, take a chance meeting, add a little flirty banter and stir. But wait – don’t add the garnish yet because these two have a lot to work through. Demanding careers, baggage from former relationships and repetition of old mistakes get in their way romantically (though never in the bedroom, where they burn each other up). They’ll have to learn how to navigate each other, get perspective, and steer clear of obsessions in order to find their HEA.
This is a romance after all, so of course, they will. Though not without the help of the lively cast of supporting characters mentioned above.
I hope you’ll give Creative Process a shot and I’d love to hear what you think.
Thanks again to The Novel Approach for the release day invitation!
Jodi
About Creative Process
Best-selling thriller author Reese Kelsey knows his career isn’t conducive to romance. He doesn’t work the normal nine-to-five, and sometimes his characters take hold and demand all his attention, causing him to neglect important appointments… and lovers. Rather than go through another heartbreak, Reese contents himself with his small circle of friends—fellow gay New York City artists—and his dedicated publicist, Chad.
Until he sees Owen Mercado lugging his cello toward the subway and impulsively offers him a ride.
Owen has worked long and hard for a career in the symphony, and success comes with a demanding schedule—something Reese understands. Their desires and lifestyles are surprisingly compatible, and Reese and Owen certainly set the bedroom on fire. They’re both carrying baggage, but they fit, and it’s hard not to hope for a future that once seemed impossible.
But when Reese’s work inevitably pulls him into its dark world and refuses to let go, Owen draws a hard line, and Reese discovers he can’t rely on good intentions alone. He will have to control the obsession that drove his other lovers away or risk losing Owen as well.
Buy the Book: Dreamspinner Press || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || iBooks || Kobo
About the Author
Jodi Payne spent too many years in New York and San Francisco stage managing classical plays, edgy fringe work, and the occasional musical. She therefore is overdramatic, takes herself way too seriously, and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her men are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likeable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can’t help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after.
For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi’s addictions include nonfat lattes, Malbec and tequila any way you pour it. She’s also obsessed with Shakespeare and Broadway musicals. She can be found wearing sock monkey gloves while typing when it’s cold, and on the beach enjoying the sun and the ocean when it’s hot. When she’s not writing and/or vacuuming sand out of her laptop, Jodi mentors queer youth and will drop everything for live music. She lives near New York City with her beautiful wife, and together they are mothers of dragons (cleverly disguised as children) and slaves to an enormous polydactyl cat.
Social Links: Website || Email || Facebook || FB Author Group || Twitter: @JodiPayne || Instagram: @jodipayne1800