Author Interview with Gabbi Grey & New Release: If Only for Today (Deerbourne Inn) ~ #AHAgrp #Blog #WRPbks

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Gabbi Grey…

Good morning, Gabbi. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets? 

I’m a happy Canadian woman enjoying mid-life in beautiful British Columbia.  I live with a five-year-old bubbly happy Chinpoo named Ally, and a seventeen-year-old blind cantankerous Himalayan cat named Lady Arabella de Bergerac (better known as Bella).

Where did you get the idea for If Only for Today?  

The Deerbourne Inn series by The Wild Rose Press had piqued my interest a couple of years ago.  I wrote a book for the series, My Past, Your Future, which is a gay paranormal romance.  I encountered the character of the inn clerk Jared, and I just knew I had to tell his story.  That he deserved a happy ending.  I had to convince the publisher I could tell his story with heart and joy.  The book is a sweet gay romance, and I have to say I’m really proud of it.

What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand? 

Coffee.  Hands-down.  So many people love it and I can’t stand it.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time? 

I would answer flippantly that my day job would need to go.  Truth is, I love my job and helping people every day gives me purpose.  So if I could give up my addition to cable news, that would free up more time for writing.

What do you want readers to come away with after they If Only for Today? 

I know it sounds cheesy, but I’m hoping readers will come away seeing that love is love.  If a reader has never tried a gay romance, I encourage them to try this one.  The book is a sweet story about two men falling in love.  To be clear – there are high emotional stakes.  I don’t let my characters off easy.  That being said, the book ends in a true happy ending.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

Tough question.  I appreciate when readers take the time to let me know how they feel about a book.  That being said, a bad review can be tough to deal with.  You tell yourself that it’s just one person’s opinion, but it can hurt.

If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? (PG-13 please 🙂 

I would love to spend the day with Jared in Willow Springs, Vermont.  I’ve had the pleasure of writing about the town twice now, but I’ve never been to Vermont.  And if you’re going to get a tour, why not with one of the most well-loved members of the community.

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? 

The toughest criticism is always the first round of edits when the manuscript comes back with so much red ink.  I like to believe I’m good with grammar – my editor will attest I need more work.  The best compliment came from a reader who had never read a gay romance before and she loved my book.  The book resonated with her, and her comment was along the lines of love being love.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination? 

I’ve been known to warn friends that they might turn up in one of my books.  Do I ever base a character solely on someone I know?  Rarely.  My characters are composites of the people in my sphere.

What do your friends and family think of your writing? 

Most of my friends and extended family are extremely supportive.  They ask how the writing is going, and they follow each new release.  My parents, unfortunately, do not support or understand my writing.  They don’t understand the compulsion to write and the need to tell stories.  Needless to say, I stick to my supporters.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met? 

I don’t run in celebrity circles, but I did have lunch with Diana Gabaldon and I admit to being a little star-struck.

 Your favorite…

Movie – Grosse Pointe Blank

Music – Hamilton Soundtrack

Place you’ve visited – Nova Scotia

Place you’d like to visit – Scotland

Food – Mac & Cheese

Sports team – Toronto Blue Jays

Which do you prefer: Board games or television?  Trivia.  I love trivia.

 

Thank you, Gabbi. I enjoyed getting to know you. And, you’re right about coffee…I don’t get why you don’t like it. I’m drinking it as we speak. 😀 – And I love that you’re a baseball fan, but my team is the Cincinnati, Reds. I like the Blue Jays though! Now, please tell us about your book…

 

He came looking for solitude. He might leave after finding love

Blurb

Jared Langford is a happy man. The desk clerk at the Deerbourne Inn knows everyone in his cozy town in Vermont. He is accepted and loved by the community, but he’s missing someone special in his life.

Devastating news has brought journalist Xander Fortier to Willow Springs for some much-needed rest. He’s photographed every major conflict in the world for the last ten years, but being stateside has forced him to reassess the solitary life he’s been living.

Something in Xander’s gruff demeanor calls to Jared’s caring nature. Soon the men are spending time together, but Jared’s kisses might not be enough to keep Xander from leaving. Can the men find a happily ever after if they only have today?

 

Exclusive Excerpt

1. Fortier.

The name was familiar, but Jared couldn’t place it. A former guest? Oh, maybe someone famous. That’d happened a few times in town, and although he played it cool, celebrity spotting was fun.

He was switching over to People Will Say We’re in Love when the door opened. He exited the backroom and stopped short.

Holy hell.

Playing it cool was going to be a bit of a challenge. This was Xander Fortier. The Xander Fortier. The photojournalist. The winner of the Prix Bayeux-Calvados two years in a row. The man who’d been shot in Syria and, if rumors were correct, had stitched himself up and kept searching for the perfect shot to show the horrors of war.

That Xander Fortier.

A throat clearing brought Jared back from his hero-worshipping ruminations. He indicated Mr. Fortier should approach the counter. Should he acknowledge knowing who the man was, or pretend to be ignorant?

“I’m here to check in.”

The deeply resonant voice hit Jared square in the chest. His fantasies occasionally featured a deep voice. The reality was so much sexier. “Of course.” Did he just stammer? Damn.

“I know I’m early, but I’m hoping it might be all right—”

“It’s fine.” Jared ran a hand through his hair. “Uh, the room is empty, so once I confirm your information, you’re free to go up and have a shower. Or a nap. Or whatever it is you’re going to do.” Ramble much?

Bio

Gabbi lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black.

Links:

Amazon US:  https://amzn.to/3fOsviy

Amazon CA:  https://amzn.to/31LG1LP

KOBO:  https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/if-only-for-today

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-only-for-today-gabbi-grey/1138919955

iBooks:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/if-only-for-today/id1556170342

Publisher:  https://www.thewildrosepress.com/book-post/if-only-for-today

Add it to Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57730616-if-only-for-today

 

Personal links:

Website: https://gabbigrey.com/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey

Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/

Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey