BLOG TOUR: Cold Day Dawning by Thom Collins (Excerpt & Giveaway + Q&A with Author)
BLOG TOUR
Book Title: Cold Day Dawning (Jagged Shores #4)
Author: Thom Collins
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Release Date: August 22, 2023
Genres: Contemporary MM romance, thriller, suspense
Tropes: Small town romance
Themes: Family, rivalry, revenge, overcoming PTSD
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 63 223 words
Although it can be read as a stand-alone, this book is best read as part of a series.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links
Available from Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, Pride Publishing,
First For Romance, B&N, and Kobo
Danger comes in the cold of morning
Blurb
It should be the perfect weekend away. Dalton Caine makes the long journey to Nyemouth to attend a party hosted by his sister. Catherine is estranged from most of the family, but Dalton feels the time has come to build bridges between them. Things don’t turn out how he wants, however, when Catherine gives him a cold reception at the party. But the evening is not a complete waste of time when he meets local photographer Antoni.
Following a near-fatal attack six months earlier, Antoni has struggled with his physical and mental recovery. Catherine’s party is the first time he has been out at night since then, and he’s ready for an early exit when he meets Dalton. The stranger is warm, friendly and incredibly handsome. When Antoni overcomes his reservations and accepts a drink at Dalton’s hotel, it could be the start of something new for them both.
Despite the joy of fresh romance, things soon take a darker turn. The morning after the party, Catherine’s boyfriend reports her missing. Dalton isn’t initially concerned. Catherine has disappeared of her own will before, and he’s more interested in getting to know Antoni, but the men soon find themselves at the centre of a twisted mystery, one that puts both of their lives at risk.
Reader advisory: This book contains violence, murder, PTSD, memories of a child in danger and mental illness. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, this book is best read as part of a series.
Excerpt
A few moments later, a door on the right opened and a man stepped out. He caught Dalton’s attention straight away. Dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt and a dark overshirt, the man looked nothing like the pretentious people he’d encountered so far this evening. He was also very handsome, which didn’t hurt. He was naturally good-looking, with brown hair, slightly wavy on the top and cut short at the back and sides where it was starting to turn grey. He had a serious-looking face, and Dalton’s initial impression was of something quite sad about his eyes and downturned mouth.
“Hi,” Dalton said cheerfully, hoping the guy wouldn’t turn out to be like all the other guests.
“Hello.” The man didn’t return the smile, but seemingly noticing Dalton’s interest in the photographs, he came closer. “Do you like them?”
There was a trace of an accent there. Dalton couldn’t quite place it. Eastern European, he guessed.
“Very much,” he replied. “They’re remarkable. I’ve never seen Catherine like this before.”
The man looked between Dalton and photographs. “I’m glad you like them. I took all of these.”
Up close, he was even better looking than his first appearance. His eyes were dark grey and there was stubble on his square jaw, also flecked with grey.
“Wow,” Dalton said. “They are sensational…really.”
At last, his mouth turned upwards into the smallest suggestion of a smile.
“Thank you.” He held out his hand. “My name is Antoni.”
Dalton accepted the handshake. The party had finally improved.
Q&A with Thom Collins
Tell us a little about yourself and your writing goals.
I was born and raised on the Northumberland coast in the northeast of England and now live a little further in land in County Durham. I live with my husband and our cat Gambit. We met when I was 21 and will celebrate 28 years together in September. My writing goals have always been pretty loose. I keep coming back to the old standard of “write what you know” and for me that’s always been stories about gay men, sex and relationships.
Congratulations on your new release. Please tell us a little bit about it. What’s your favorite aspect or part of the story? Do you have a favorite character? Who/Why?
Cold Day Dawning is the fourth book in my Jagged Shores series – a sequence of linked standalone novels set in the fiction coastal town of Nyemouth. It’s contemporary romance with lots of suspense and mystery with the relationship between two guys, Dalton and Anotni, at its heart. My favourite part was crafting the mystery elements and deciding exactly how and when to reveal the secrets. I love all my characters, even the bad ones, so couldn’t possibly pick a favourite.
Do deadlines motivate you or block you? How do you deal with them?
I’m pretty good with deadlines. Even if I don’t have one, I’ll set a target for myself. When it comes to writing a novel, I give myself six months to do three drafts and submit to my publisher. It’s great to be flexible too and I don’t stress if I get a little behind, but on the whole, I like to focus and have an end date in sight before I start anything. I set myself a minimum word count each week of 5,000 words and anything more than that is a bonus.
How do you develop a story idea? Do you always use the same method? Specifically, which do you develop first in your story building, the characters or the plot?
They usually evolve together. I’ll have a vague idea of the kind of story I want to write, and then as I develop the characters, their lives and their backstories, the other elements will reveal themselves. I always make full bios for the main characters and a chapter by chapter outline before I start. I like to get the problems ironed out before I begin rather than trying to fix them midway through a first draft or with a difficult edit.
What are your favorite genres when it comes to your own pleasure reading? Do you prefer to read ebooks or print?
Variety is key when it comes to my own reading. I usually revolve around a mix of genres: horror, thriller, romance, biographies, literary novels. I read almost anything apart from sci-fi and fantasy. I love all formats. Ebooks are wonderful for travelling and being on the move, but if I’m reading at home, I prefer physical books. One of my favourite authors is Stephen King, so I always buy his new releases in hardback.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
Social media is a massive distraction. It’s too easy to waste time on Twitter and Instagram. My writing time is limited so it’s something I’m aware of. I leave my phone in another room when I’m writing to avoid the distraction and notifications.
What is the best money you ever spent as an author?
I did a creative writing diploma in my early thirties which was amazing for my confidence. I’d already had two books and dozens of short stories published at the time, but I felt I lacked the skills I needed to be the kind of writer I wanted to be. I left school when I was sixteen and spent years thinking I’d missed out on my education. I couldn’t change the past, but I could make a different going forward and I’m so glad that I did.
What did you edit out of this book?
Nothing. Because I planned the whole book in advance, I’d worked out all the plotting issues and character development. I know a lot of authors dislike planning but the benefit for me has always been a clean and satisfying first draft. My rewrites are only to improve the grammar and language.
What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?
I like listening to the news, talk radio shows and podcasts in the car, so it depends on the subject: movies, music, politics, books, health. I don’t like driving so anything that enriches the experience is great.
What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
This is a boring answer, but I’m trying to avoid ultra-processed foods for health reasons and ice cream is one of the worst. I’ve discovered that even the most expensive brands are full of emulsifiers, so I’ve started making my own. For the sake of ease, I usually make a big batch of vanilla, though I love Baileys flavoured ice cream and rum and raisin if I can be bothered to make the effort. I recently made a great batch of lime and bitter lemon ice cream.
Thank you.
About the Author
Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.
Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook, The Night.
Other links
Twitter: @thomwolf | Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up
Giveaway
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win
one of five ebook copies of Cold Day Dawning.
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