Love Unlocked Anthology Blog Tour, Interviews, Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Hi guys we have the anthology Love Unlocked and it’s authors popping in for a quick visit today, we have short interviews with Al Stewart and Ofelia Gränd, a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~

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Love Unlocked

by

Claire Davis and Al Stewart, Victoria Milne, Dawn Sister, J.P. Walker, Caraway Carter, Ofelia Gränd, Debbie McGowan

Love Unlocked is a collection of seven short stories and novellas – unique LGBTQ romances inspired by the Love Lock Bridge.

THE STORIES:

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THE TRAP by CLAIRE DAVIS AND AL STEWART

New job – sexy boss – fate – Art…

When Sal attends an open exam for an apprentice artist to work alongside the infamous Matthew Picard, the last thing he expects is to be the winner. But then his role is revealed and nothing is ever the same again. As he toils day and night on the unique sculpture, strange sensations begin to affect both him and the watching master artist.

Matthew Picard thought he was through with men and love. What he wanted was for Sal to help him create one final monstrous masterpiece – The Trap.

But as he observes his young apprentice, his focus shifts, and so do the very walls of the gallery.

Is it the beauty of art, or something more magical at work?

As the sculpture is created, a power is unlocked.

Can love save them, or will they be trapped forever?

Beaten Track Publishing

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WRITER’S LOCK by VICTORIA MILNE

Spending a month in Paris to write his romance novel had seemed like the perfect plan, but one week in, Phil Pearson is suffering from a severe case of writer’s block. With barely a word written, he’s fed up and ready to cut his trip short.

When Laurent Marceau sees Phil in his café, it sends him hurtling into the past, opening old wounds and reminding him of the love he lost. But, after watching the aspiring writer struggle for inspiration, he surprises himself by offering to show him Paris through the eyes of a true Parisian.

Finally bursting with ideas, Phil is delighted to put pen to paper, albeit badly at first. As the writer finds himself falling in love for the first time, Laurent knows he needs to decide quickly if he’s strong enough to return his affections, or whether it would be better for them both if he walked away. He knows he may not have a choice, once Phil finds out the truth.

Beaten Track Publishing

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LOCKED IN THE MOMENT by DAWN SISTER

Due to a misunderstanding, the troll that lives underneath one of the most romantic bridges in Paris inadvertently unlocks every single padlock lovers have left there over the years. L’Authoritié de Fée Folklorique are up in arms. He has no idea what all the fuss is about. The noise was driving him mad. He just wanted a bit of peace and quiet.

A spell is cast, leaving the troll in a bit of a predicament. He is charged with the seemingly impossible task of fixing the locks before the spell can be reversed and he is allowed to return to his home. There are other complications, the least of which is the insistence and persistence of a fairy who is determined to help him against the wishes of his own people.

Now the troll has a dilemma. What is more important to him? The only home he has known for two thousand years, or a fairy he has just met?

Beaten Track Publishing

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THE WEEKEND by J P WALKER

Nat’s been through a rough breakup and trust does not come easily. When she accompanies a group of friends to Paris for a hen weekend, she finds a connection she wasn’t looking for, in the form of beautiful, passionate Morgan. They quickly fall into a wonderful weekend fling and even engrave their initials into a lock and attach it to the most romantic bridge in the world, Love Lock Bridge.

But was that weekend fling all there was, or will news of the bridge being taken down lead to something more?

Beaten Track Publishing

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THE SCARLET LOCK by CARAWAY CARTER

Brandon Marshall, in Paris for his twin sister’s wedding, has a fling before the big day. At the end of a whirlwind week of discovering each other, Brandon and his lover place a scarlet lock on the Love Lock Bridge.

Follow Brandon through six years of letters – to the citizens of Paris, on everything from how to make love, to eating passionate fruit – and to the lover, who is now his brother-in-law.

The locks are being removed, the bridge refitted… What will be the fate to The Scarlet Lock?

Beaten Track Publishing

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HE MELTED US by OFELIA GRÄND

All Delron wants is to live his life with Phillipe, but when their love lock is stolen from Pont des Art, their relationship is in jeopardy. Without the lock holding them together, Delron is convinced they’ll crash and burn. The only way he can save their relationship is to find the stolen lock, and that is just what he plans to do, no matter what.

Phillipe loves Delron, he really does, but it’s driving him insane that Delron can’t see that a padlock is simply a piece of metal. The lock has nothing to do with them, not really. Up until the night the lock was stolen, their life was great, but Del’s crazy behaviour has Phillipe wondering if he has ever really known his boyfriend.

Delron’s search leads him through art-filled Paris, but will a symbol of love ever be enough to soothe the mistrust his quest has planted in Phillipe? Phillipe always thought he’d spend the rest of his life with Del, but who can live with anyone willing to break the law just to find a padlock when they can buy a new one in just about any shop?

Beaten Track Publishing

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CHAIN OF SECRETS by DEBBIE MCGOWAN

Josh and George have always shared the special bond of friendship. From days in primary school, to holidays spent riding their bikes along the canal, theirs is a promise to remain best friends forever.

But can that promise withstand the trials of adolescence, and the changes in their feelings towards each other?

Beaten Track Publishing

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Interviews with Al & Ofelia 

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Al Stewart of The Trap (Love Unlocked).

Hi Alberto, thank you for agreeing to this interview.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

There is a small but cameo role by a cat. Most of my books feature cats J

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

The Trap is the name of the sculpture, but also it refers to how the MC feels about love.

Have you ever given one of your characters the personality of someone you know?

All the time!! But we don’t always tell them.

What do you think makes a good story?

I like to feel. Boring old same as does not interest me.

Tell us about your pets – past or present.

I have a very shy, sweet cat who I adore with all my heart. He is black with a white bib, and he steals ribbons and anything that glitters.

~~~

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Ofelia Gränd author of He Melted Us.

Hi Ofelia, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hi, and thank you for having me.

I’m a thirty-something year old Swedish woman who spends far more time in front of the computer than any sane person should. I live with my husband, our four children, two cats, one dog, and a various number of fishes in a house in the middle of nowhere. If you’ve ever read any Astrid Lindgren books you might have heard of Småland, that’s where I live. When I’m not at home taking care of children I’m a teacher. I teach Swedish as a Second Language to teenagers and adults, but while that can be an interesting job I would much rather be writing.

My current book is called He Melted Us and it takes place in Paris. It’s part of the Love Unlocked anthology, an anthology about love locks, or rather about the stories behind the love locks. In He Melted Us you’ll meet Delron, a rather uncharismatic young man, and Phillipe, his more level-headed partner. Delron believes their relationship will fail without their padlock and is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back once it’s been stolen from Pont des Arts. Phillipe, on the other hand, can’t see how a stolen lock could have any impact on them whatsoever.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

I don’t know if it’s a fun fact, but when the call for the Love Unlocked anthology came I googled ‘love locks’ and read about how approximately 2.000 locks were stolen from Pont des Arts in Paris on the night of the 11 May in 2010. The locks were estimated to weigh about 330 pounds.

It was while reading that my brain started to make up Delron and the story of their stolen lock.

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

I actually did a last minute title change. I wrote it before the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and had it named We Exploded, but as one of my proofreaders pointed out, that might not be the best title for a story taking place in Paris at the moment.

Titles are one of the hardest things for me. I’m very pleased when one comes to me in the beginning of the writing process but all too often I’m sitting there with an almost finished story and no title.

Have you ever given one of your characters the personality of someone you know?

No, never. I think every author borrows things from around them, consciously or unconsciously, but I would never take a whole person and put in a story. I’m not very comfortable with that thought.

What do you think makes a good story?

That is actually a rather hard question. We all know that a story should contain certain elements, but if it leaves the reader unaffected it doesn’t matter if the author has followed “the formula”. For me, a good story is one that makes me feel. I want to live through hell with the character, or laugh with him or fall in love as he does. If a book can make me do that then it’s a good story.

What does your family think of your writing?

They want me to get a real job *laugh*. No, my husband is very supportive, he reads what I write, critiques, and comes with ideas. My sister is my sounding board, if I’m uncertain about something I give her call, and she usually tells me that what I have so far is shit and that I need to work on it. My mother is probably still waiting for me to “find a new hobby” and my father doesn’t know that I write.

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Excerpt

Excerpt from He Melted Us
by Ofelia Gränd

Delron was alone on Pont des Arts. The light drizzle made it hard to see over to the cupola of Institut de France. Behind him the lamps outside of the Louvre only gave a dull glow. But it didn’t matter—none of it mattered.

The metal railing dug into his palm as tiny water droplets coated the back of his hand. He couldn’t look down, couldn’t force himself to take in the empty grate on the side of the bridge one more time. Below, the Seine’s water ran black and cold. Delron looked at it whirling and rippling. He could almost feel it swallowing him, even as he stood firmly on the wooden deck on the bridge.

It was gone—their lock was gone.

Delron couldn’t breathe. A group of young men staggered over the otherwise deserted bridge. They were too busy talking and joking to notice him. How could anyone joke at a moment like this?

Once they’d passed, he sat down on one of the benches. The wet seat soaked his trousers, but he didn’t care.

He had known, or assumed, but seeing it with his own eyes made the reality hit home. Their relationship was over. A part of him had still hoped. They’d said on the radio that about 2000 locks were missing, a few dozen had been left untouched. He’d hoped theirs would be one of those few. It wasn’t.

He remembered the day they’d stood there two years ago. The weather had been warm, the sun reflecting off the water below them, and Phillipe had been absolutely gorgeous. His short dark hair had come to life in the sunshine, and his warm brown eyes had held so much affection, Delron felt a warmth fill him every time he thought about it.

Delron had always thought Phillipe was handsome—handsome in an ordinary way. He didn’t look like a model; he looked real, and Del wanted a real man. That day he had thought Phillipe was the most beautiful creature on this Earth. They’d been standing there, holding hands—not giving a damn about what people would think. And they’d attached their lock to the bridge. Both of them had held on to the lock as they attached it, their hands touching as Delron pushed down the shackle and Phillipe pulled out the key. Instead of throwing it into the Seine like Del had wanted to, Phillipe had attached it to his other keys.

Delron had never been happier. It was like everything had finally fallen into place. That lock—it meant everything. As long as their lock hung on the bridge, he knew they would be all right. It was the closest they’d ever come to marriage—the lock was their wedding ring, their promise to themselves and the world that they would be together for eternity. And now? He looked around at the sad-looking grate; the occasional lock decorating the ugly metal grid only made it worse.

It was gone. It was over. Delron might just as well go back home, pack his things, and move out of the flat they’d shared for the last five years. No lock, no relationship—he had no say in this. Someone had stolen his happiness.

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About Claire, Al, Victoria, Dawn, J.P., Caraway, Ofelia, Debbie

Claire Davis and Al Stewart

Al Stewart and Claire Davis write about people who are not perfect. Claire embraces the dark side, and Al the good side of the force. Their work is there for a fusion of both, mixed often with kink and humour.

Contact and Media

Website Facebook | Beaten Track Author Page

Victoria Milne

Many years ago, Victoria chose the words ‘watch this space’ to accompany her picture in the school yearbook and had no dreams of being a writer. Sixteen years later, after someone joked that she should be an author, she began the first page of her very first novel and realised how perfect those words had been.

As a latecomer to the world of creative writing, Victoria is now making up for lost time and enjoying every second of the experience.

In the rare moments these days when she’s not writing or dreaming up new plots, she can usually be found at either the ice rink or the dojo and all of these activities are done listening to loud music.

Victoria would love to hear from anyone who shares her passion for writing; and in particular from anyone who has tips on how to tame the editing fetish she has unwittingly acquired along the way.

Contact and Media:

Facebook | Beaten Track Author Page

Dawn Sister

Dawn is from the North East of England. Her life is spent juggling.  The juggling balls are: children, husband, work (occasionally), voluntary work, professional knitting (notice she doesn’t class this as work), and writing. When she has time she actually sleeps.

The whole point of writing for Dawn is just to get it all off her chest and out of her head. If she doesn’t write it down then she ends up having long conversations with the characters out loud and her husband thinks she’s crazy.

Contact and Media

 Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook Fiction Press | Fan Fiction

J P Walker

Jem Roche-Walker was born in Norwich and moved to the Northwest in order to attend Edge Hill University, studying Social Work Studies. After studying, she began working in rehabilitation for patients with acquired brain injuries and spent seven years writing her first novel, Knights of the Sun, (2013, Beaten Track).

She lives in Burscough with her wife and baby girl and loves spending family time with them.

Contact and Media

Facebook  | Beaten Track Author Page

Caraway Carter

Caraway Carter has worn numerous hats. He’s been a furniture salesman, a dresser, a costumer, an actor/waiter, a rabble rouser, a poet and most recently a writer. He married his husband on Halloween and they are the loving parents of two rambunctious cats. He loves words and stringing them together, he loves sex and sexy men. He loves seeing how far his muse will take him and he’s looking forward to entertaining you.

Contact and Media

Website | Beaten Track Author Page | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Ofelia Gränd

Ofelia Gränd is Swedish, which often shines through in her stories. She likes to write about everyday people ending up in not-so-everyday situations, and hopefully also getting out of them. She writes contemporary and paranormal, and dreams about one day writing a post-apocalyptic story—if that ever happens we’ll see.

Her books are written for readers who want to take a break from their everyday life for an hour or two.

When Ofelia manages to tear herself from the screen and sneak away from husband and children, she likes to take walks in the woods. She’s recently discovered the miracle of podcasts and spends her strolls listening to wise people talk. 

If you want to know more, subscribe to Ofelia’s Mailing List:

Mailing List | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Website

Debbie McGowan

Debbie McGowan is an author and publisher based in a semi-rural corner of Lancashire, England. She writes character-driven, realist fiction, celebrating life, love and relationships. A working class girl, she ‘ran away’ to London at seventeen, was homeless, unemployed and then homeless again, interspersed with animal rights activism (all legal, honest ;)) and volunteer work as a mental health advocate. At twenty-five, she went back to college to study social science—tough with two toddlers, but they had a ‘stay at home’ dad, so it worked itself out. These days, the toddlers are young women (much to their chagrin), and Debbie teaches undergraduate students, writes novels and runs an independent publishing company, occasionally grabbing an hour of sleep where she can.

Contact and Media

Twitter | Facebook | Facebook1 | Youtube | Tumbler | LinkedIn | Google+ | Pinterest | Website

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Giveaway!

Win an e-copy of the Love Unlocked anthology!

(Just click the link below)

Love Unlocked Rafflecopter giveaway!

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4 thoughts on “Love Unlocked Anthology Blog Tour, Interviews, Excerpt & Giveaway!

  1. I’ve read two of the stories and loved them — looking forward to reading more.

    And fascinating to find out Ofelia lives in Småland, as I do read Astrid Lindgren.

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