Heart and Soul

It's nice to be back for a while. While I am wrapping up finishing the final chapters of Book Nine, I thought I'd begin posting it.

For those readers who are new to my work, I should let you know that Emory was a secondary character created in Coffee at 9, my fifth book. If you haven't read any of my work before, that's fine. You'll catch on easily. If you happen to like Emory, you can get a better sense of who he is by reading that book.

Click here to read Coffee at 9.

For my longtime reader friends, I'm excited that Heart and Soul takes me in new directions. Since most of my writing appears in Adult Friends, this is the first time I have written about men of retirement age. I'm hoping readers slightly younger than that — more aligned with Cooper, Laramie and Mitch — can still feel the love and life challenges of their ages. I hope to portray them authentically.

Men in their 60s and 70s can still be sexually active, so I won't be shying away from that. But, obviously, there are differences between college-aged, middle-aged and more "mature," if you will.

More importantly, I want these characters to be seen as real people. They have warmth and heartache and a life full of moments to share. I hope you are ready to dig in. I think Emory's story is a heartwarming one to tell, one that comes with different subject matter than I have tackled before.

If you happen to like Heart and Soul, other stories posted by me are:

[1] Extracurricular
[2] If It Weren't For the Two of Us
[3] Hi, I'm Lance
[4] Ascension: Jakob's Ladder

[5] Coffee at 9
[6] Laramie
[7] Say Goodbye to Sparkleland
[8] A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate

plus the one-chapter stand-alone story in Encounters, Uber.

I've created a fictitious city called Jackson Bend. While all the books overlap in their own way, each book has its own protagonist with his personal story to tell.

I enjoy connecting with readers, either in the comments here or via email: timothylane414@gmail.com

Uber

This story was very different for me. Most of my regular readers know I'm a sucker for a love story — and I absolutely love crafting tales of men finding their right person. Uber wasn't that kind of story.

To read Uber, click here: Uber

As I was taking a break after my eighth book, the idea for this story struck me, and I started writing it on a plane. Fleshing out the details and the conversations was fun. In my mind, I'd love to see it play out on film.

When Blake asks Nathaniel if he had a high school experience with a boy, he said, "Kind of." It's fun to wonder if after the Uber ride, if someone asked him if he ever had sex with a man, what would he say? They didn't really. But ... kind of?

I hope after readers finish Uber, it stays with them for a while. Will Blake improve his marriage? What will the first 24 hours upon his return be? What will Nathaniel think about his sexual experience? Will the two men think of each other from time to time? These are the questions I want to resonate with each reader.

Both characters admit their shortcomings during the drive. Somehow through their connection, they come out with a better understanding of themselves, unlikely that such a drive would cause such a result. Your thoughts?

If this is your first introduction to my work, my first eight stories can be found under my author tab. They all intertwine with multiple characters crossing over from book to book, but each story has its own protagonist. All but one can be found in Adult Friends on Nifty, Book Eight is in College.

[1} Extracurricular
[2} If It Weren't For The Two of Us
[3]  Hi, I'm Lance
[4]  Ascension (Jakob's Ladder)
[5]  Coffee at 9
[6]  Laramie
[7]  Say Goodbye to Sparkleland
[8]  A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate (posted as My Unfortunate Soulmate)

For my regular readers, you know I have more books planned in the Jackson Bend series. However, do you like these short ones as well?

Farewell

It is bittersweet when I come to the end of a book. I’m pleased that I have managed to complete it and tell the story I wanted to tell, but it is also a little bit like saying goodbye. Deep down, I feel we never truly say goodbye to these characters. They always seem to turn up in future stories. But this was Mitchell’s story, and each book has its own protagonist that allows us to see inside them.

I’ve mentioned that when I started Say Goodbye to Sparkleland that it would be my most challenging book. So many people didn’t like Mitch and didn’t want to give him a chance. I set out to build a story that would let readers see all sides to Mitchell. Maybe everyone didn’t warm up to him, but they got to see him as a human being and not just a “cheater.” Like all my characters, he’s deeply flawed.

If you haven’t read the final chapter, stop reading this post here. Click: Say Goodbye to Sparkeland, Chap. 29

Several things happened in this final chapter that I didn’t see coming. Originally (weeks ago), I debated the Christmas gathering when Mitch turned down Arlo’s and Seager’s proposition to be an opportunity to just have a new sex scene. I felt stronger about the plotline when Mitch turned them down. In this concluding chapter, it made more sense, bringing the story’s “search for sparks” to its conclusion. I felt it was full circle, even though readers might be appalled that the two of them did it. The pair’s reaction to it was something I decided I wanted to write.

There was a slight (very slight) temptation to have Mitch see sparks with Carter when they got home after the party. But that seemed too cliché. I wanted to keep it grounded. I liked the tear-filled lovemaking scene better.

Having Cruz, Logan and Arlo in the finale also made it all seem to tie together nicely. The book really is in two halves: the black book and Mitchell moving forward. This tied it all together.

Something I did know I wanted to do was the epilogue. I had written the wedding a few months ago in A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate, Chap. 4. We didn’t know who L.B. was then. That telling was seen through the eyes of Corey then, not Mitchell’s. I really liked this variation.

It’s funny, when I wrote the first Friendsgiving back in Book Two, who knew it would become a continual plot point in so many subsequent books?? See If It Weren’t For the Two of Us, Chap. 39 here if you wish to review.

Also: "How's Ross?" Hmm. I'll just leave that there.

Some of you may recall — in my time-hopping universe of Jackson Bend — that Emory’s stroke was first written in Larami.e, Chap. 21 I will let this be my segue in telling you that the next book will be Emory’s. It will be called Heart and Soul. Many of my characters will be in it, and I'm excited that it is the first story I've done with a "mature" protagonist (meaning older). Book Eight is college kids and Book Nine will be retired men. That's a jump.

However, I have a big BUT here. But I don’t know when that will be. For a few months, this is farewell. This last story was challenging in two ways, it’s content and the deadline. I started Soulmate and Sparkleland at the same time. I thought I could stay ahead. I couldn’t, and eventually I was consumed with deadlines from work and a crazy travel schedule. I don’t want to feel that pressure again. I liked how the first six books were finished before I began posting. I want to go back to that. So, even though I have a few more books planned, I need time. I want to finish each one before I begin posting. That takes a lot of weight off my shoulders.

If you want to be notified when it starts, drop me a message. timothylane414@gmail.com And if you liked the book (or hated it), let me know that too. While I am taking a break, I hope to hear from many of you. I know I will miss you.

With that farewell, I will look forward to the day when I get to reach out to you again.

Until then …

L.B. - Q & A

Well, this chapter answers a lot of questions.

If you haven't read Chapter 28 yet, stop reading this right now and do that first.

Say Goodbye to Sparkeland, Chapter 28

Want to relive the night where Laramie got drunk at The Black Stallion that so embarrassed him in this chapter? Click here to read Chapter 19 of Laramie.

The biggest news here was finally finding out who L.B. was.

The first appearance of L.B. was in Chapter 3 of A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate. At the time, readers didn't know who Mitch's new love was. If this was a television series, I wouldn't have been able to have the "reveal" I did in this last chapter.

So now that it is out in the open, let's answer some questions.

* Way back in June of 2023, when I posted Carter's first appearance, did I have plans for him then?

The answer is "yes." Believe it or not, I had started figuring out how to make a book for Mitchell. I knew Cooper didn't choose him because of the final chapter of Coffee at 9. But I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could write Mitchell's story and make readers like him. It has been the hardest book to write, actually.

* When you first used the initials for Mitch's boyfriend/partner, did you know what they stood for?

Yes, I had that figured out too. All of this has been in my head for the past year. It was just a matter of the story getting to the right timing.

* There's a note at the end of this chapter that there is only one chapter left. Will we see Carter after that?

I think so. So often, (duh), I write a story and a secondary character develops. It happened with Lance and Jakob, which then led to Cooper's and Laramie's stories. They all organically flow into something of their own. I wasn't sure Carter would need his own book because he revealed so much in these past chapters. BUT! In the past weeks, I have a story working in my head that once again challenges me to do something different. Hopefully I can get around to it one day.

* If that is still a long way away, what's next for our characters? 

No one knows for sure what the future holds. I could be in a plane crash or suddenly become paralyzed and can't type. But if life is kind, I have a few more books in the works. I'll share more in the next post. Emory will be the protagonist of Book Nine. I'm trying to make a story about Brad gel. Then I'll return to our boys in college. (I'll be writing for the rest of my life.) Something different with Carter will surface following all that. Again, if life cooperates. Four years ago, I never thought a little stay-at-home diversion during a pandemic would keep me this busy. Seriously!! I thought I was only going to write for a few weeks.

Thanks for joining me.

Dating Carter

 I wasn't sure when I wrote Chapter 25 if I ended it appropriately. I thought the request to not come back to the bar would have been a good cliffhanger tease. But I decided to set up the date with Carter instead.

And here we are, with that date and following ones in place.

Click here to read Say Goodbye to Sparkleland, Chapter 26.

I liked this chapter. With the sexual content reined in, I enjoyed the mental aspects of the two characters figuring each other out. Some of the readers on my notification list have seen pictures I have found online that I use for reference for my characters. I had the picture of "Carter" on my screen as I wrote a few of the scenes. It helped me get certain descriptions on target. It is amusing that when I see those pictures now, I usually call them by their "name."

Carter and Mitchell (and even Layton and Mitchell) are not the only ones on the planet that have challenging work schedules. I'm friends with a couple that don't even live in the same city, but somehow they make it work. You are probably aware of couple who can't see each other as often as they'd like. These are the challenges that truly test strong relationships. And Carter and Mitch aren't there yet.

I think my favorite part of this chapter is how both characters made assumptions about the other and their "types." I enjoyed them revealing the truth, particularly Carter's softer side.

Having written eight books now, it is a bit of a challenge to create characters that are distinct, particularly when we all know they are going to have sex at some point. But I liked "creating" Carter. Even fleshing out Mitchell to where he is more than just a cheater has been rewarding. I'm grateful to the readers who have come along and given him a chance to be a human being.

Which may make some readers question: Timothy, did you cheat on someone? The answer is "no." I'm quite faithful and loyal. I pride myself on it. 

With each new book, there are new characters. Heaven knows Soulmate virtually had an entire new cast. At some point, I'm going to need to make myself a "bible" to keep everyone straight. And I'm not kidding.

In a previous post, I mentioned Carter's secret. In this chapter, he tells Mitch that he had meet Laramie and Cooper back in the fall.

Click here to review Laramie, Chapter 19.

What are your thoughts on Carter and Mitch as a couple? Those glimpses into the future from previous posts (and other books) all come into play in the next two chapters, so ... as always, stay tuned.

And one last thing, I'm grateful. I appreciate people who simply read my work, but those that take the time to drop me a note, proofread, comment, etc., I hope you know that you are a bright spot in my world. 

Layton

I'll start this by saying I hadn't intended to do a post on this chapter. But since it turned into a longer-than-expected chapter (again), I felt compelled to share.

First, a request: Don't hate Layton. I'm sure most of of us have friends that are not monogamous. In gay circles, that's very common. Not that Layton ever acted on anything while seeing Mitchell. He just asked.

But that was the plot point. Now out of therapy (mostly), Mitchell has come to terms of who he is, or more importantly, who he wants to be. And life, being the fickle bitch it is, is throwing temptation, curveballs and a slew of mirrors in his face.

For the Mitch-haters, this was an easy chapter to go, "Ha! You deserve this." For those readers who see Mitch as a human being, Chapter 25 was an opportunity to know all people hurt sometimes.

Click here to read Chapter 25 of Say Goodbye to Sparkleland.

When I started Chapter 25, I wasn't expecting it to be as sexually charged as it was, but the steamier scenes seemed to have a purpose. It drew the two of them closer together.

Overall, I like Layton. He was good for Mitch — to a point. He never wanted to hurt Mitchell; he just didn't feel ready to be tied down to one guy. And again, there are a LOT of people like that in the world. But Layton served his purpose in the next step of Mitch's journey — and he's not going away.

I've teased bits and pieces of Mitch's future in both Laramie and A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate. We'll see those weave in soon.

Like I said, I hadn't planned on a post for Chapter 25, but it was the last lines that influenced me to do one. I almost stopped at Carter saying, "I don't want you to come back to The Black Stallion." It was the perfect stopping point for a good cliffhanger. Some of you might think, "You should have!" But, clearly, I have set up the next chapter. I think you're going to love it. It will be filled with a lot of soul-searching (as if Mitch's life hasn't already).

Stay with me.

Mitch's Christmas

Holy cow, there is so much to unpack with this chapter.

If you are a fan of long chapters ... ta-dah. If not, I'm sorry. I didn't expect this to be quite the huge chapter it turned out to be. Sometimes the story takes on a life of it is own. There are easy places to break this chapter into pieces.

Click here to read Chapter 24 of Say Goodbye to Sparkleland.

But I love it. Coming out of therapy, Mitchell is open and ready and vulnerable. He's all sorts of emotional uncertainties, and he is hit with so many things in December. Some people may think of it as "moving on," but he thinks of these temptations as tests.

I could have written about him taking Lorenzo back to his place. And if I'm honest, when I made the outline, I DID pencil in a three-way with Arlo and Seager. I knew it would be hot to write. But I thought the narrative would be more engaging with him wrestling with what could have been ultimate sex (remember Chapter 8 with Arlo?) and what he felt he needed to do. I think the story is stronger as a whole this way. (Many of you may be cursing me that I didn't write that scene! I get it.)

This chapter lets us see a different side to Logan too. He's been "professional" up to this point. Now we see him from a "personal" perspective. Do you have thoughts of how Mitchell has impacted his friend's life?

Ohhh, and there's Laramie. We all love him, but as much as Mitch dreaded seeing him, I thought it was interesting to write in how Laramie felt about it. Put yourself in his shoes. If you were the victor in a love triangle, you had to understand the loss of the one who wasn't as fortunate. Do you feel I portrayed him as authentic?

And finally, after almost a year, Mitch finds himself in the arms of another man. Do you approve of Layton? Do you want him to be Mitchell's new love? Or is he just a step toward Mitch's future? We have a few chapters left.

People wonder if I put myself into my stories. Maybe bits and pieces. The Christmas card silliness is totally me. My other half and I send out more than a hundred. We have the cards we received taped down our staircase each holiday season. I love it. So ... yeah ... that's me.

Threads of Mitchell's (Cruz, Arlo, Kenneth) past are now interwoven in the second arc of the book and him finding what his future is. You, as the reader, have seen small glimpses in my other stories.

The important thing is that Mitchell has finally worked at forgiving himself and is making steps to move on.