It’s August and as hard as it is to believe, some of you have already started school. Wow! That’s not the case here in Michigan, unless your school gets a special waiver. Did you know it’s the law that public schools cannot start until after Labor Day? That’s because tourism is such a vital part of Michigan’s economy.
Whether your kids are already in school or not, The Summer Read Blogshop is in still in full swing (courtesy of Clare London!) and I thought it would be fun to do a little behind-the-scenes for my stories with a summertime bent. You can visit me here on the blog every Thursday to follow along.
Today I’m having fun going behind the scenes of Fair Winds. This novella follows Rudy Haas as he navigates one momentous weekend. Rudy dreams of becoming an “old goat,” a sailor who’s completed twenty-five races from Port Huron to Mackinac. But when his crew throws him off the team for being gay, Rudy must find another boat and crew to have any chance of making his dream come true. Blind luck leads him to the men of Devlin’s Due and a test run where Rudy’s toughest battle isn’t winning his place on the team–it’s fighting his attraction to team captain Ike Ujarka.
Michigan’s Great Lakes have played a huge part in both my upbringing and my idea of great summer activities and I had so much fun with this story. Fair weather or foul, there’s nothing like being out on the water and I hope I was able to bring a tiny part of the experience to life in this novella.
The excitement and enthusiasm of those involved in the sport of freshwater racing creates an atmosphere like no other. Don’t just take my word for it! There’s still time to find a race and experience it yourself.
I’m often asked whether Rudy and Ike’s story will continue. The answer is a resounding yes! But the timing is still uncertain.
In the meantime you can stop by The Summer Read Blogshop and scroll through wave after wave of authors and titles featuring sun, fun, and plenty of hot men. Dive in and find your new favorite.