Wednesday 28 November 2018

A Miracle in the Library - Out Today!!!



A Miracle in the Library and an Abundance of Inspiration

The writing of A Miracle in the Library was exactly that: a miracle.

I already had a Christmas story releasing with Dreamspinner Press this December (more information to follow shortly) and had no intention of writing another one, until one day early November, while I was in the middle of working on something else, inspiration struck with such force, I couldn’t not write the book.

What inspired me you ask? Well, quite a few things in fact.

The setting in A Miracle in the Library is pretty much a carbon copy of the old-fashioned, part-time library I work in one afternoon every other week. As the pictures show, the one room holds nothing except books, a collection of chairs, and a desk for the librarian. I had to modify the place a tiny bit to make it a better fit for my miracle, but it’s safe to say both the library and its location in the book are firmly based on my bi-weekly reality.




While I don’t name them, I had two very specific books in mind for Mitch to read while visiting the library. Having read both of them myself, I highly recommend these books for younger people coming to terms with who they are, of course, but also for all others wanting to gain insight into what that might mean. I reviewed one of them some time ago, and you can find my thoughts here: This Book is Gay

 

Mr. Nichols, as described A Miracle in the Library, had the face, kindness, and wisdom of my good friend Tim O’Rahilly from the moment he sprang to life in my mind. The image below gives you a good idea why.



And last but by no means least, there is this video. Yes, I’m well aware it is an advert for an alcoholic beverage but, while I’ve been known to indulge on occasion, that is not the point here. Panti Bliss, in this short clip, says exactly what I’ve been hoping to convey in my story. Why don’t you take a look?



Blurb
Seventeen-year-old Mitch McCann has been trying to dodge his bullies for eighteen months. He isn’t out, but that hasn’t stopped the popular gang at school from tormenting him for being gay. Three weeks before Christmas, in a desperate attempt to shake his pursuers, Mitch flees into the abandoned community hall, only to discover the building is far from empty; inside he finds a fully stocked library as well as Mr. Nichols, the very welcoming librarian.
The library turns into Mitch’s refuge of choice, where he can read books that answer his endless questions, without fear of encountering abuse. His peace of mind is shattered when nineteen-year-old Cian Leavy enters his sanctuary. Cian is the boy who made Mitch realize he’s gay, and he’s more attractive now than he was eighteen months ago, when Mitch literally ran into him.
Will Cian unwittingly disrupt Mitch’s life again? Or has the scene been set for a miracle in the library?

Available to read in KU