Unquietly Me

 

Unquietly Me welcomes author S.C. Wynne for the Starting New blog tour!

Hi, I’m S.C. Wynne and I write M/M romance with a little humor and generally a healthy serving of angst. Welcome to my blog tour for Starting New!

For the next week I’ll share some posts about writing and my story Starting New. Join in the fun by leaving comments and enter to win a $30 Riptide gift card!

 

STARTING NEW

By: S.C. Wynne

Release Date: August 8, 2016

Publisher: Riptide

 

Life hasn’t been good to Francis Murphy. He’s survived twenty-one years of homelessness by hooking and taking handouts where he can find them. When the local shelter is vandalized, he’s forced to seek food at the Grace and Light Church, where he runs into the pastor’s son, Randy.

Randy Wright believes the best in others. He’s immediately drawn to Francis, even though Francis is hardened and wary. When Francis is attacked by one of his johns, Randy and his family take him in and offer him temporary work. Randy always thought he was straight, but something about Francis has him yearning for more than just friendship, and realizing he might be bisexual.

Francis is attracted to Randy too, and Randy and his parents say they’ve always believed in gay rights. But talk is cheap. What are the odds that these Christian parents will remain open-minded when it’s their own son in a relationship with another man?

 

ABOUT S.C. WYNNE

S.C. Wynne started writing m/m in 2013 and did look back once. She wanted to say that because it seems everyone’s bio says they never looked back and, well, S.C. Wynne is all about the joke. She loves writing m/m, and her characters are usually a little jaded, funny, and ultimately redeemed through love.

S.C loves red wine, margaritas, and Seven and Sevens. Yes, apparently she is incredibly thirsty. She loves the rain and should really live in Seattle, but instead has landed in sunny, sunny, unbelievably sunny California. Writing is the best profession she could have chosen because she’s a little bit of a control freak. To sit in her pajamas all day and pound the keys of her laptop, controlling the every thought and emotion of the characters she invents, is a dream come true.

If you’d like to contact S.C. Wynne, she can be found amusing herself on Facebook at all hours of the day, or you can contact her at [email protected].

 

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of Starting New, S.C. is giving away $30 in Riptide credit. Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on August 13, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

 

EXCERPT

Chapter One

“Hi.” I forced myself to sound cheerful. It was important to fit in with this church group and not look like I was just here for the free pastries. Even though, let’s admit it, I was.

“Oh, I remember you, young man.” The blue-haired lady paused to wipe muffin crumbs from the front of her lacy floral shirt. “I saw you here the other day. I have a good eye for faces.” She seemed quite pleased with herself. Damn. She recognized me?

I swallowed the spit gathering in my mouth as I eyeballed the muffin she held. “‘With a keen eye for details, one truth prevails.’” I guess not eating brought out the poet in me.

“Oh, did you make that up?” she asked right before she bit into her second fluffy pastry. Was her goal to single-handedly eat all the treats?

“No, that’s from Gosho Aoyama,” I said.

“Hmm.”

God. I’m starving. Just my luck I’d been hijacked by Mary Poppins before I could grab a chocolate muffin and leave. My stomach growled loudly enough to be heard across the room. This was what I got for visiting the same damn church twice. I’d hoped nobody had noticed me last time I was here, and it would be safe. If I wasn’t desperate, I wouldn’t have come back. But the shelter I usually frequented had been vandalized and was closed, so here I was visiting with Chatty Cathy.

I eyed the group clutching their Bibles and interacting with each other as if they actually enjoyed being here. What would motivate these people to give away their entire Saturday afternoon to reread the same lame verses they’d probably read a million times over?

“I’m Polly.” She held out her hand. “And you are?”

About to eat the tablecloth if you don’t stop talking and go away.

“Francis.”

Her face brightened. “Oh, like Saint Francis of Assisi?”

If he was homeless and a hooker, then sure.

“Not exactly.” I attempted a smile, but my face felt tight as I eyed the silver coffee urn. Maybe if I inched over slowly, I could snag a cup.

She put a hand to her lips as if telling me a secret. “These meetings are a lot more crowded now that the pastor has decided we need to be inclusive of the LMNOP community.”

“That’s LGBT, Polly.” The husky voice came from behind me.

I turned and met the curious, blue eyes of a redheaded guy about my height and age. He had pretty, full lips, which momentarily distracted me from my empty gut. A little buzz of attraction stirred in me, but I stamped it down. Last thing in the world I needed was to get involved with a Holy Roller. I had enough problems.

“Thanks, Randy.” Polly tossed her coffee cup in the trash nearby. “I can never keep it straight.”

“No pun intended?” It slipped out before I could stop myself.

Randy’s laugh sounded heartfelt, and the corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement. “You’re funny.”

I was beginning to feel light-headed, I was so hungry. I cleared my throat and pointed to the pile of amazing-smelling pastries. “Mind if I grab a snack?”

Randy nodded and moved so I could get to the muffins. “Of course.” He grabbed a Styrofoam cup and filled it with piping-hot coffee. “Do you drink coffee?”

It took everything I had not to grab the cup from his hand and guzzle it down. “Yes. Thank you.” With slow, deliberate movements, I peeled the paper off the baked good, and waited what I hoped was the appropriate amount of time before biting into it. Oh Jesus. The first bite was sugary and warm, and I had to work really hard not to moan. How could a muffin taste this good?

I don’t know if Randy suspected how much I liked my snack or not, but a smile hovered on his lips as he watch me consume the treat. “My mom makes those. She also makes a killer blueberry scone.”

I nodded as if I cared, but I really didn’t. All I wanted was to be left alone with my beloved muffin and coffee. I sipped the strong, dark brew and sighed as it warmed my gut. About that time I noticed people starting to take seats near the podium. The long, dingy room was separated into two areas. There was the recreational space near the entrance, where the food was on display, and then the lectern and folding chairs toward the other end of the building, where all the religious nonsense happened.

Since the prayer meeting was about to begin, I inched toward the exit, hoping I didn’t appear too obvious. I was here to get something in my stomach, not have my soul saved.

“Are you leaving?” Randy had fastened himself to my elbow without me noticing. He seemed disappointed at the idea of me going, and I had no idea why.

I didn’t want to look like I’d only come in for the free food. I knew from experience church people might pretend they wanted you to partake of the food they’d set out, but the truth was there were always strings attached. Usually a long, boring lecture was hooked to baked goods of this excellent quality.

“I’m gonna go grab my wallet. I left it in the car, and I want to make a contribution to the basket.” Pulpit people loved donations.

“Oh, well, stay and study the word with us. You can always go out and get your wallet later.” Randy put his hand on my arm, and an electrical pulse ping-ponged through me. I decided it had to be static from the vinyl flooring. After all, I’d kind of been dragging my feet since I was weak with hunger.

“Um . . . I . . .” Son of a bitch. This do-gooder just had to latch on, didn’t he?

“I’d love to get to know you.” Randy’s gaze was warm and inquisitive. He had to be one of those social individuals who actually liked people. Me on the other hand? Not so much.

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