Escaping From Him by Liam Livings, Guest Post, Review & Giveaway!

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Hi Guys we have Liam Livings stopping by today with his newest release Escaping From Him, we have Liam answering some great questions, we have a fantastic giveaway and we have Lisa’s review for you to check out. So enjoy the post and to enter the giveaway all you have to do is answer his question in a comment. <3 ~Pixie~ 

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 Escaping From Him

 by

Liam Livings

Darryl’s on the run – from controlling boyfriend Chris, an air-conditioner called Dave (deceased), an intolerable, claustrophobic situation and a person he just can’t be any more. The trouble is, he doesn’t have a plan – or any money – and all he knows is he needs to get away from everything. That’s where a lucky lift to Glasgow comes in, which turns out to be just the beginning of a whole new life …

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Liam Livings 

Do you feel the need to apologise for writing genre fiction, or are you all, “kiss my romance writing arse”?

I never apologise for writing romantic fiction. I am a proud member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. I’m not against literary fiction, or other fiction genres, I think anything to encourage people to read more and do less of passive forms of recreation (watching TV etc) the better. By reading you use your imagination, by watching TV you don’t need to imagine anything as it’s all shown to you on the screen.

People read romance for a variety of reasons: escape from real life, comfort during periods of stress, to experience a happy ever after etc. And these reasons are just as valid as wanting to read for all the reasons people read other types of fiction: to be challenged, to expand vocabulary, to read beautiful words, to be thrilled/scared, to learn about someone’s life. They are just different reasons for reading. The magic about books – all books, is it gives you the option to live other people’s lives, to travel through time, and experience feelings of other people. So if my books give someone comfort or escape during a difficult period of their live, I am pleased to have helped in a small way.

Can you write with other people around?

If I only wrote when I was alone I would write about 100 words a year. I write when my BF is in the house doing other things. I write on trains, I’ve written on planes to Australia and from Australia. I’ve written in departure lounges in train stations. I write wherever I have time to write. I like to make the most of these little bits of time to write. So yes, I can write with other people around. When writing in public places I have Enya music on my headphones to block out the noise, but the presence of other people around me doesn’t bother me. I can’t let it bother me, or I’d never write. And I love writing.

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Excerpt

We arrived at The Birdcage cabaret bar. It had a large red door in the corner of a Victorian building which had probably at one point been a department store, or part of a hospital, such was its air of faded grandeur. At the top of the steps, a drag queen in blue sequinned evening dress, slit to the hip, and glass stilettos checked our names against a list on a clipboard she held. “Who’s the chicken?” she asked, before making clucking noises at Charlie.

“Never you mind, D. Sit anywhere, is it?” Charlie handed some money to the drag queen door whore, and led me down the stairs, through silver tinsel curtains into the club.

As we arrived, I tried to hand him some money for my ticket, but he wouldn’t have any of it. He kept pushing it back into my hand. In the end, I said it didn’t feel right and I didn’t want any treatment as if we were dating, ’cause we were most definitely not dating. And that I’d had enough of older men paying for me, so if he wouldn’t take my money, I would leave.

“Older man was it?” Charlie raised one eyebrow. “The ex? Older, was he?”

“Dunno what you’re on about.” I looked away and tried to occupy myself by searching for a good seat, not too near the stage.

About Liam

Liam Livings lives where east London ends and becomes Essex. He shares his house with his boyfriend and cat. He enjoys baking, cooking, classic cars and socialising with friends. He escapes from real life with a guilty pleasure book, cries at a sad, funny and camp film – and he’s been known to watch an awful lot of Gilmore Girls in the name of writing ‘research’.

He has written since he was a teenager, started writing with the hope of publication in 2011. His writing focuses on friendships, British humour, romance with plenty of sparkle.

You can connect with Liam

Twitter @LiamLivings Facebook https://www.facebook.com/liam.livings Blog http://www.liamlivings.com/blog

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Giveaway

Win an ecopy of Escaping From Him or an ecopy of one of Liam’s published books

(Just leave an answer to the question below in the comments)

Do you apologise for reading romantic fiction, or are you all ‘you can kiss my romance reading arse’?

(Ends 16th February 2015)

Review

Liam Livings - Escaping From Him 300x450Title: Escaping From Him

Author: Liam Livings

Genre: Gay Romance, Contemporary

Length: Novel (188 Pages)

ISNB: 978-1-90831-228-0

Publisher: Manifold Press (February 1, 2015)

Heat: Low

Heart: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Lisa

Blurb: Darryl’s on the run – from controlling boyfriend Chris, an air-conditioner called Dave (deceased), an intolerable, claustrophobic situation and a person he just can’t be any more. The trouble is, he doesn’t have a plan – or any money – and all he knows is he needs to get away from everything. That’s where a lucky lift to Glasgow comes in, which turns out to be just the beginning of a whole new life …

Product Link: http://www.manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/01/escaping-from-him/

Review: I was not too sure what to think of this book at first. It is not something that I would probably read again though. It has way too much description for me to stick with. It was easy to begin, but did not keep my attention though. It was well written, with characters that can draw you out and have you wishing for the best with them. It was missing something that would make it a better story. I want a story that pops out, keeps my attention and leaves me panting for more and this book did not do that.

Darryl had been with Chris for sometimes, basically giving up his joy to the man. He gave up his dream and did what Chris wanted. Putting up with the man’s anger and attitude for too long, he had finally had it and left. Although on the way out, he wrecked Chris car and knew he had to get away from Chris for sure then. He gets to where he is going and meets people that become his friends and soon to be family.

Not a family like most people have, but a family he could call his own. Although they could be a strange group, he liked them. After a short time of deciding not to have tie ups, he did end up meeting Callum. Callum had come in for pictures and Darryl was really good at it. They start talking and things heat up.

I can’t even do this review like it should be done, because it seemed like just a long story with no actual story to it. Although that is not the case, but it just comes off that way to me. Other than the fact that he is a photographer and damn good at it, it seems to me like he is just floating there. I don’t know what it was about this story but it just did not satisfy me at all. I must admit when he beat up the air conditioner I did have a good laugh over that. The tone of the story is just dry to me though. I think basically it was just not my kind of story.

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14 thoughts on “Escaping From Him by Liam Livings, Guest Post, Review & Giveaway!

  1. I read what I feel like reading, and do not put up with my friends’ snarky comments about it. I don’t accept anybody criticizing my choice of books the same way I would not accept anybody criticizing my clothes or my way of living/thinking. If you do not like them, that’s your problem, not mine.

  2. I don’t care what people think I can read what I like!! And I like Romance!!!

  3. I don’t apologize: I promote! There’s no such thing as “valuable” literary reading and “pleasure” genre reading to me: what’s important is if the book hits me, makes me reflect.

  4. I don’t “advertise”, but everyone knows I like a happy ending, and romance is just about the only way to ensure this. 🙂

  5. I don’t advertise…but I don’t back down if someone asks. Most of my family know what I read, so I don’t worry about it too much.

  6. I do get fed up with book snobbery, as I am quite eclectic in my reading material and even though I do read more contemporary literary books, mysteries and text books, I also read romance. Most of my close friends and family are not bothered by it, but I often find those at work or in another social situation questioning my reading material with a little bit of disdain. Smile and deflect is my best route of action, other than that finding a quiet place to read my ebook without any rude interruptions.

  7. I also don’t advertise but my family and friends that matter know what I read and buy the gift cards so further my addiction to it. But I also do not apologize either!

  8. Thanks everyone for entering. Glad to see there’s little ‘romance book shame’ about here! Book snobbery is boring and a bit pointless I think. It’s like arguing about whether an apple or a banana is better – they are what they are and they are both different. Anyway, good luck everyone in the ebook comp!

    Liam Livings xx

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