QSFers Carole Cummings and Andy Gallo have a new MM urban fantasy romance out, Learning to Breathe book 1: A World Away.
Nathan Duffy knows how to keep things locked down so tight even he doesn’t know they’re there. Like his childhood trauma over the near-catastrophe he almost caused when his power manifested. His adolescent resentment over the near fatal injury he still hasn’t really accepted. His futile not-so-platonic love for his best friend Cam. And that one pivotal moment when the love and the power had merged to save Cam from the accident that left Nathan unable to walk. Nathan figures losing the use of his legs was a fair exchange for Cam’s life. He just can’t ever let Cam know why.
For Cam Almenara, life has been an ongoing cycle of questioning reality. What if his mother hadn’t died when he was ten? What if that drunk driver hadn’t almost killed him and Nathan? What if Nathan’s powers hadn’t protected Cam at the cost of Nathan’s ability to walk? What if Nathan had never convinced himself that Cam’s feelings for him are nothing more than attachment and survivor’s guilt? And what if Cam can never convince Nathan otherwise?
When Nathan is suddenly stricken by seizure like nightmares, his power slips its leash—again. Fearful his rogue abilities will hurt—or worse, kill—Cam, Nathan comes to the conclusion that it’s him or Cam. Nathan knows who he’ll choose. Trouble is, so does Cam. And he’s just as willing as Nathan is to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the best friend he loves… and prove they belong together.
A World Away is 130k friends to lovers, slow burn romance with a guaranteed happily-ever-after. This book includes parallel universes, a chance to see “what if,” extreme selflessness, and two very snarky main characters who can’t seem to see they belong together.
NOTE: A World Away was previously published as Relativity: Lateral Parallax Book One. There is a new 8K plus ending that shows what happens when they allow themselves to act on their feelings.
Warning: Main Character was partially paralyzed off page.
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Excerpt
Nathan thought you had to be twenty-five to rent a hotel room, but that didn’t stop Cam. He booked two. Normally Nathan would’ve demanded details, but it didn’t seem important. He tried to sound hopeful when Cam told him Summers was getting them information on dimensional travel, but first there was the Dimensional travel? Really? Did we fall into a comic book? thing, and second… well. It wouldn’t help and they all knew it. Still, everyone pretended it was great news.
When Cam wouldn’t let him pay for dinner, Nathan snatched the check and said, “Look, I’m not going to need money after Monday anyway,” before he realized he really shouldn’t say things like that out loud. Certainly not where Cam could hear them. In Nathan’s defense, he was kind of half-joking, that sort of thing where you put voice to the worst possible thing in the hopes it would lose its edges when it was out there in the open. It didn’t. In fact, it rather killed any conversation thereafter.
That sent Cam to the bar and Nathan back to their room. Chuck stayed with Cam, but despite all polite hints and then blatant huffs and eyerolls, Andi followed Nathan back to the hotel.
“Nathan, stop.”
He kept moving, his useless glare aimed at the cracks in the sidewalk as he hobbled along. Once he had his things he’d call his parents to pick him up. They deserved an explanation before he disappeared.
“Nathan, stop acting like a child.”
He spun and pointed a crutch at her. “A child? You think I can ever be a child again? Really? Go back to Cam and Chuck. Have a night out for your troubles.”
“I’m sorry. I just meant—”
“Just don’t, Andi, okay? Don’t be sorry, don’t be… anything.” He softened his tone. “Tell Cam I went home to see my parents and I’ll call him tomorrow.”
“Home? Why?”
“Why d’you think? It’s over. Summers can’t help and those who can won’t. I want to sleep in my own bed and remember what it was like to be normal one more time. I want to hobble around the house and remember how Cam and I used to run around until my mother nearly throttled us both. And I want to say goodbye to my parents and thank them for everything they did for me. Is that so terrible?”
Author Bio
Award winning author Carole Cummings lives with her husband and family in Pennsylvania, USA, where she spends her time trying to find time to write. Besides various collegiate and amateur awards she won for her writing back in the dinosaur days, she’s also the recipient of multiple professional prizes, including a Rainbow Award, and an EPIC eBook Award. Several of her individual works and series have been voted reader favorites on multiple review blogs. Details, news, sneak peeks, and free reads can be found at www.carolecummings.com.
Andy Gallo prefers mountains over the beach, coffee over tea, and regardless if you shake it or stir it, he isn’t drinking a martini. He remembers his “good old days” as filled with mullets, disco music, too-short shorts, and too-high socks. Thanks to good shredders and a lack of social media, there is no proof he ever descended into any of those evils. Married and living his own happy every after, Andy helps others find their happy endings in the pages of his stories. No living or deceased ex-boyfriends appear on the pages of his stories. Andy and his husband of more than twenty-five years spend their days raising their daughter and rubbing elbows with other parents. Embracing his status as the gay dad, Andy sometimes has to remind others that one does want a hint of color even when chasing after their child.