Guest Blogger Brynn Stein: Through the Years

TTYPlease welcome fellow Dreamspinner author Brynn Stein today! Brynn is here talking about her brand new release, Through the Years. Congrats on the release, Brynn! -Shira

Thanks Shira, for hosting me today. This is the fourth stop on blog tour for Through the Years.

On my last stop, I talked about Edward. I’d like to talk about my other main character, Gene.

The story is told in first person, through Gene’s eyes. He gets a full scholarship to an Art Institute in 1967 and piles everything he owes in a beat up Chevy and heads to Maryland. He meets Edward on his first day they and they become fast friends. We follow them through their college years and are just as befuddled as Gene when Edward leaves unexpectedly, not only the area, but the entire state. Gene goes through his senior year basically on autopilot, not understanding why Edward will correspond with their mutual friend, Robbie, but not with him.

When Edward comes back to Maryland years later, he has a wife and little girl in tow. Gene knows he’s back because he sees him from time to time, but they have little else in the way of contact until tragedy strikes and Edward finally reaches out to Gene again.

Immediately Gene is back in his life. He loves Edward’s wife and becomes “Uncle Gene” to their little girl and another one when she comes along.

Gene has always had little to no sex drive. He even thinks he might be completely asexual until he meets Edward. But even with him, it’s not an all-consuming desire. He’s content to just be friends and be included in his life.

Gene is there through all the celebrations and hardships that comes along with life. He unconsciously waits for Edward for years, but finally finds another man who peaks his sexual interest. Nick is good to Gene and more importantly, doesn’t think a relationship with him is wrong, like Edward did.

Lots of other things happen, but I’ll leave it vague for now.

Have you ever been attracted to someone you can’t have? Is there a friend who has stuck by you through the years, no matter what life has thrown at you? Comment below to be entered into the raffle.

Here’s how the raffle works:

I’ve listed the tour stops below and have given either the link to the blog in general or to my post specifically. Feel free to stop by as many as you want. For each stop that you comment on, you will receive one entry to the giveaway. I’ll check all the stops numerous times throughout the tour and will draw five winners on Thanksgiving Day, so even if you come in late to the tour, you can go back through the list and comment on past stops.

I’m giving away five prizes. 1) a signed paperback copy of Through the Years; 2 and 3) electronic copies of Through the Years, 4) your choice of either a signed paperback copy or an audiobook of Living Again (the audiobook won’t be available until December), and 5) an electronic copy of Haunted.TTY2

Blog Tour Stops for Through the Years

Blog Stop Date Blog Owner Blog Address
1 October 6 Anne Barwell http://annebarwell.wordpress.com
2 October 7 Grace Duncan http://www.grace-duncan.com/
3 October 8 Jessica Skye Davies http://jessicaskyedavies.blogspot.com
4 October 9 Shira Anthony www.shiraanthony.com
5 October 10 Emma Tett http://emmy-j.blogspot.co.uk
6 October 11 Kim Fielding
7 October 12 Bike Books Reviews bikebookreviews.blogspot.com
8 October 13 Tempest O’Riley http://tempesteoriley.com
9 October 14 Sean Michael http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca/
10 October 15 Allison Cassatta Allisoncassatta.blogspot.com
11 October 16 Jana Denardo http://jana-denardo.livejournal.com/
12 October 17 Louise Lyons http://louiselyonsauthor.wordpress.com
13 October 18 PD Singer http://pdsinger.com
14 October 20 Shae Connor http://shaeconnorwrites.com
15 October 21 Suki Fleet http://sukifleet.wordpress.com
16 October 27 Charlie Cochet http://purpleroseteahouse.charliecochet.com
17 October 28 Elizabeth Noble http://www.elizabeth-noble.com/my-blog
18 October 29 Tara Lain http://taralain.com
19 October 31 Sophie Bonaste http://sophiebonaste.blogspot.com
20 November 4 Kit Moss http://kitmossreviews.blogspot.com
21 November 10 Lane Hayes lanehayes.wordpress.com
22 November 13 Mike Rupured http://rupured.com

 

Thanks again Shira, for letting me stop by today.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5539

Blurb for Through the Years

Edward and Gene were instantly drawn to each other when they met at college in Maryland. Fast friends, they developed a “closer than brothers” relationship. But then Edward began to feel more for Gene. In 1967, those kind of feelings would not be tolerated. Not even by Edward himself.

Gene always thought he was asexual. He had never been attracted to anyone… until he met Edward. He dreamed of Edward as more than a friend throughout college, but he knew Edward would not welcome that kind of attention. So Gene wasn’t surprised when Edward reacted badly to a drunken kiss just before Edward’s graduation. He was surprised when Edward moved to Florida and had little to do with him for years afterward.

When fate finally brings them back together, Edward is married and has a little girl. Gene gladly accepts the role of “Uncle Gene,” happy to have Edward in his life in any capacity. Together, they face all the trials and tribulations life throws at them, including the death of Edward’s wife, and as each grows and matures, their life views change. The relationship they’ve secretly wanted all along is closer than ever, and if Edward can break free from his homophobic upbringing and admit his feelings for Gene, there might still be a chance for them to share their lives in the way they both desire.

A Bittersweet Dreams title: It’s an unfortunate truth: love doesn’t always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.

 TTY3

Brynn Stein has always loved to write. Fan fiction, original fiction, whatever. While Brynn wrote in numerous genres – everything from mystery, to contemporary, to supernatural – she had always tended toward strong male characters. And then she discovered ‘slash’, male/male romance, and all those strong male characters were finally allowed to express their love for one another. It seems that there are always at least two characters clamoring to tell Brynn their story.

Brynn lives in Virginia with one of her two two-legged children, and two four-legged ones. Her supportive family encourages her writing and provides a sounding board for fledgling stories. When she isn’t writing, Brynn teaches children with special needs. In free time, when such a thing exists, she reads anything she can get her hands on, and haunts bookstores. She draws and paints, and enjoys the outdoors—especially if she can get to the beach—and is always thinking about her next story.

Please feel free to contact Brynn at any of the following:

https://twitter.com/BrynnStein

http://brynnstein2.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/

or

brynnstein2@gmail.com

 

12 comments

  1. Xena - Reply

    I’m fascinated by your story, particularly by the idea that the sexual attraction and the emotional attachment are altogether separate entities, in other words divorcing passion from sex – something I have been advocating my entire life. I think we have a meeting of mind here. I also can appreciate all the anguish Gene feels when Edward leaves unexpectedly and then keeps in touch with someone else, not Gene – a person supposedly closest to him. A lot of people have experienced something like this (and I’m among them) and can emphasise with it. It happens far too often in life that someone close to you walks out of your life suddenly, leaving you completely bewildered. He ignores you as though you don’t exist, at the same time engaging with other people around you, who don’t mean much to him. You know the bond you share is larger than life, yet you’re not even afforded a nod. This attempt to shrink your mutual space can be pretty suffocating. It can be absolutely soul-destroying. It’s a great project! I’ll definitely get a copy of it, even at Dreamspinner’s prices.

  2. Zeoanne - Reply

    I don’t have any ‘friends’. I have acquaintances. I lost the confidence in allowing people to get too close to me, inside my heart when my so called friend back in the 80’s took off my my kid’s father. Also, no, I have never met anyone who I wanted to have but couldn’t. I’m content to been by myself. Thanks for the giveaway and so far, the blog tour has been fantastic!
    Z.

  3. Ardent Ereader - Reply

    I am lucky to have several great friends who have been with me thorough my life ups and downs and who I am fortunate to be able to count on. I feel very blessed. I am looking forward to reading Through the Year. Thanks for the giveaway. ardent(dot)ereader(at)gmail(dot)com

  4. Trix - Reply

    I’ve definitely longed for unattainable guys. Even though I’m not the most gregarious person in the world, my handful of longtime friends are certainly cherished!

    vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com

  5. brynn stein - Reply

    Thanks so much for commenting, everyone. I think one of the things I like most about the blog tours is the discussions I have with the readers and other writers. It’s really great hearing what you all think.

  6. H.B. - Reply

    I think at one point or another most people if not all, experience wanting something that is unattainable. I can’t say I have friends who have stuck by me through thick and thin. I use to think I did have one but accusations at me which weren’t true and the relationship just deteriorated.

    humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com

  7. brynn stein - Reply

    Thanks so much for commenting, everyone. The tour is winding down. Only two more stops. I’ll draw the winner on Thanksgiving. Stay tuned.

  8. Julie Small - Reply

    I have a couple of close friends but not lifelong ones! I think everyone has seen someone that is unattainable. This is sounding like a great book!

  9. Carly Rose - Reply

    Lately I’ve been looking for books that talk about asexual characters so it’s interesting that you should mention it here. I’m a strong believer that love is based on an attraction of the heart and that the body your soul inhabits is secondary to the emotional connection lovers share.

  10. brynn stein - Reply

    And the winners are:
    Julie Small – Signed copy of Through the Years
    HB – electronic copy of Through the Years
    Zeoanne – electronic copy of Through the Years
    Lee Todd – Signed paperback or audiobook of Living Again
    Xena – electronic copy of Haunted
    Please send your email address to brynnstein2@gmail and I will get your prize right to you. Winners of electronic copies, it’s easier if you have an account with Dreamspinner so I can just move them to your bookshelf. For signed paperback copies, I need your physical address (you can email it to me so it’s not visible to anyone else, and please let me know if you want me to write anything in particular. Lee Todd, let me know if you’d rather have the signed paperback copy or the audiobook.

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