If you follow me on Facebook (or Twitter, or MeWe) you may have noticed that I released my new book, Double Dutch Courage, two days ago.
Unlike
my previous full-length novels, this book was self-published, which turned out
to be both a terrifying and exhilarating experience. And, for the first time I’ve
set my story in Amsterdam, the city where I was born and raised. Exciting times
indeed. J
Below
you’ll find all you might want to know about Double Dutch Courage as well as a
new, never before shared, excerpt.
Word count: 63k approx
Cover images: Dan Skinner & Stephen
Cassidy
Cover design: Stephen
Cassidy
Blurb
Ronan
Collins has spent most of his life in Dublin hiding who he really is. Coming
out would hurt his mother, and Ronan isn’t going to be the second gay man to do
that. When he receives news the father he has never known has died, leaving him
both a house and a business in Amsterdam, he jumps on the opportunity to get to
know the man who fathered him and to discover what he’s been denying himself
for years.
Lucas
Brandt thought he had it all when Paul Kelly offered him a job and rooms to
live in. With Paul deceased he fears he may be about to lose both. He didn’t
even know Paul had a son, and now this stranger is on his way from Dublin to
pull the rug out from under Lucas’s feet.
The
two men don’t expect to like each other, never mind feel attraction. With
numerous reasons why hooking up would be a bad idea, why does giving in feel so
much better? And is Ronan’s back story really as he’s always imagined it to be?
Sudden changes
require great bravery. Can both men find the courage to be true to themselves
and each other?
Excerpt
Lucas checked how late it was for the sixth time in the space of twenty
minutes. He hated waiting. He detested it more now than he’d ever done before.
The next hour, day, week — he’d no idea how long it would take — would decide
his immediate future. Everything was up in the air. All he knew for sure was
that his life was no longer in his own hands. Some stranger was about to arrive
and, depending on what that man decided, Lucas’s existence could change beyond
recognition. If it wasn’t for the horrific reality of it he could have been
persuaded it was some cruel April Fool’s Day stunt.
He picked up his mobile again and cursed when he saw no more than four
minutes had passed since the last time he’d done so. He pushed his phone into
his pocket, hoping that keeping it out of sight would make it easier to stop
checking the screen every few minutes. He needed to keep busy. It would be at
least another hour before his visitor would arrive. Except that he couldn’t
think of the man — Ronan Collins — in those terms, of course. As soon as the
Irishman walked through the door, Lucas would be reduced to the status of a,
more than likely, unwanted guest.
He went to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. No! I’m not a visitor here either. Paul
named me in his will, he gave me part of his business. This Ronan will need my
cooperation almost as much as I’ll depend on him.
Carrying the coffee with him, he made his way to his bright and spacious
studio. He stopped on the threshold and studied the room in detail for the
first time since he’d furnished it almost three years ago.
This is mine! Everything from the clean lines, to the white walls,
and the bright splashes of color had been his idea, his design and his
execution. Paul had allowed him to get on with it, not putting any restrictions
or expectations on him.
‘You do exactly what you
want, lad. These will be your rooms and if you bring clients to your studio it
should show them what your style is, give them an idea of what to expect if
they work with you.’ A
lump formed in his throat and he lowered himself into his comfy chair. He
missed Paul, and the big hole in his life didn’t appear to be shrinking. Three
weeks had passed since the cremation and he hadn’t even come close to getting
used to the idea that the man who’d been so much more than his mentor for the past
three years was no longer around.
Blowing on his still too-hot-to-drink coffee, he
surrendered to the memories surging through his mind. He’d been so lucky. He’d
met Paul when he was in his last year of college. Paul had been a guest
lecturer and had given a month’s worth of lessons. Even now, almost four years
later, Lucas couldn’t believe that Paul had been so impressed with his ideas
that he’d offered him not only a job but also a place to stay once he’d
discovered Lucas’s predicament. Lucas had moved in and started working two
weeks after he’d received his diploma.
He stared at the mug in his hands as the loneliness
that had been his constant companion ever since Paul died, tried to engulf him
again. The house wasn’t the same without Paul in it. It was too big for him on
his own. At least once a day he’d find himself halfway up the stairs before
remembering that nobody awaited him in the rooms at the top. No more shared
coffee breaks, no more discussions of designs and clients, no more…
He forced himself to not get trapped in that
particular vortex of painful thoughts again. It hurt too much. There were
moments he feared he would drown in the loneliness, when he had to talk out
loud to himself to break the silence surrounding him. He missed Paul. He hadn’t
realized how used to his company he’d become until he was no longer around.
Forty-nine was too young for anyone to die. Lucas still had so much to learn,
so many unanswered questions, and now he’d never know.
I
can’t believe he never told me he had a son.
Early Reviews
“Trust me, with
writing like this you won’t want to miss a phenomenal story!” – OJ He Say
“One of the things I
really liked about this book was its setting. Amsterdam and the Netherlands
become almost a character in the book. I loved reading about the cultural items
throughout the book: the travel, the food, the holidays, etc. It was like I was
actually there touring the country with Ronan and Lucas. I've read a lot of
books set in other countries that could be anywhere. Ms. Stone made the
location a part of her book!” – Eric
McDermott
“I enjoyed this
smooth-moving story of discovery, redemption, and restoration so much I hardly
know where to begin. […] Romance novels are usually so predictable.
Everyone seems to follow the same script to attract and titillate the reader.
This is where Ms. Stone steps away from the pack. Her characters are
delightfully unpredictable. The surprises are artfully dispersed throughout the
story, using charm, humor, and emotion in such a way as to enhance your reading
pleasure.” – Sharon
“This was such a lovely story. Sweet, fun, and
charming. Low on sex, but high on feelings. […]This book is for
everyone who loves a well-written story with great characters, who loves a
laugh and sweetness without being sappy.” - Tanja
