Win a copy of Varian Krylov’s New Book: Hurt Me

Look who's back... and with a brand new book! Welcome to my blog, Varian. What do you have for us today?


Hi friends and fans of Bey! And thanks, Bey, for inviting me to visit!

I'm excited to be giving away three ebook copies of my latest novel, Hurt Me, which is the third book in my Fault Lines trilogy, and the prequel to Dangerously Happy. Don't worry if you haven't read the other books, this one stands alone just fine, and also works as a launch into Dangerously Happy, should you feel inspired to read more about these guys.

Bey asked me to say a little about what inspired this book, which is the first in four years… at least the first romance book. I've been working on a big YA fantasy series since 2017, but a couple summers ago I fell into ruminations about Dario (one of the main characters of Dangerously Happy), and Xavi (one of the main characters from Bad Things), and their backstory. They have an intense dynamic in the first two Fault Lines books, but their time on-page together is brief, and only hints at their bond and their history.

The seed of this idea really took root in my brain while I was in Shengen “exile” in Andorra for a couple of months while I was between visas (I was living in Spain, and have now landed in Germany). I stayed in a tiny cabin in the mountains during the off-season (most folks go there for winter skiing, and the area's a dead zone the rest of the year) and there was nothing to do but wander the mountain trails, and write. I guess my brain needed a break from the fantasy series… or it just really needed to delve into this history between Dario and Xavi.

And whew, the delve got deep and dark!

In Dangerously Happy, we discover Dario's need to surrender control and even safety, to cope with his demons, and in Bad Things, Xavi makes it clear he's more than up to the job of taking people's control and safety. In Hurt Me, their relationship is a vortex churning around that dynamic. But Hurt Me also turned into a fun, twisty, slightly bloody thriller revolving around a trans kid named Feerz.

And now, it's back to YA fantasy! Or is it? ;)


Sounds fantastic - I can't wait to read it!

Check out the giveaway here:

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Varian Krylov stops by to chat about The God of Jazz: Fugue, Concord ♪♪ + Giveaway

interviews

See below for a chance to win a copy of The God of Jazz: Fugue, Concord

I had the extreme pleasure of reading your upcoming book, The God of Jazz: Fugue, Concord and I was curious to know what prompted you to write it. I remember you were working on something else entirely and you switched tack and were suddenly halfway through writing this book. What triggered that?

goj-cover-200x300Hey Bey, thanks for having me over! Hi, Bey's readers! Waves hola.

Well, I've been working on the sequel to Trasmundo for about a year, and to be honest, it’s the most difficult book I've ever written. I keep thinking it's done, or almost done, but I know deep down it's not quite right yet. The Trasmundo series is also a deeply dark, painful story, in some ways—it's a really beautiful love story, but it also deals with civil war, ethnic cleansing, and exile—and being immersed in that world non-stop, month after month was taking a pretty heavy emotional toll on me (more so that I even realized, while I was in the thick of it).

Then back in May I was visiting my best friend for a week. This woman and I have been best buds since we were ten years old, and luckily she moved to Europe just a couple months after I did, so we still get together all the time. And inevitably, when I go stay with her, I get mentally roused and kind of fired up creatively because she's an incredibly clever, stimulating person, and also we just have our bestie dynamic—you know, joking around together, playing off each other's weird sense of humor and slightly warped brains. And out of that euphoric reprieve from my writing slump, I decided I wanted to write a FUN story. Sexy and sweet and playful. And I wanted to set it in Barcelona, since I've been living here for a couple years now and I'm madly in love with the city.

 

One of your two main protagonists goes through a period of adjustment when he first arrives in Barcelona. Were his observations inspired by your own experiences?

Absolutely. Certain things are so striking about European cities, if you're used to living on the west coast in the U.S. where I spent my whole life before moving abroad. Centuries of history are on display in the architecture. Once you get off the main boulevards and highways, you get into these mazes of incredibly narrow streets that were laid out when the biggest vehicle was a horse-drawn cart laden with commercial goods (I seriously don't know how truck drivers do it, here!).

And then there are the cultural differences, like how much more generationally-diverse public life is. In the U.S., it seemed like almost everything is so segregated by age. Here, extended families are much more integrated, and older people aren't so hidden away. Life is also lived much more publicly—in the plazas, in the back streets among the apartment buildings. It can get a bit boisterous at times, but it also feels more like a community. And then, of course, there's the casual disregard for swimming apparel at the local beaches. I'd heard all about women running around topless, but I wasn't expecting the full monty when I went for my first dip in the sea. But you won't hear me complain.

 

Jazz music features prominently in the story, and I remember feeling like I was right there in the club. Is jazz popular in Barcelona? and, is the setting inspired by a real place?

Yeah, jazz is pretty popular. There are quite a few dedicated jazz clubs, and then there are performances going on all the time in different bars and cafés, as well as plenty of little pop-up events in the plazas, at the beach, etcetera in the warmer months. All the venues I mention in the novel are real places that I frequent.

 

What was the most satisfying part about writing The God of Jazz?

It's funny, like I was saying, I set out to write something fun, almost fluffy. I was more focused on escaping the mental and emotional labor of my other work-in-progress than a story or idea that needed to be told. But as soon as I started, really from the very first page, the story felt so real and true to me. It surprised me how quickly and deeply I got invested in Godard, in the professional frustration he goes through, and then the heartbreak that leaves him wounded and adrift at the start of the novel. Pretty quickly I realized that instead of a fluffy little romp, The God of Jazz had turned into something deeply meaningful to me, personally. And not just for the love story. Actually, the parts that hit me the hardest were the ones dealing with Godard connecting with a new family of friends—finding the people who come together to take care of each other in moments of crisis, and who gather together to celebrate each other's joys and successes.

 

And finally... what five words would you use to describe the book?

Eesh, that's a tough one! Ummm...

Playful. Sexy. Sunny. Wet. Sultry.

Thanks so much for the chat, Bey and friends. Good luck to everyone on the giveaway!

Yes, those are definitely five good words to describe this book. Thanks Varian, always a pleasure.

giveaway-goj

Folks, I loved this book and I want you all to read it... and Varian's offering an ebook to one lucky person! All you have to do is comment below with either your favourite jazz song OR your favourite beach destination. :)

I'll pick a random winner at 10am EDT Monday, Sept. 26th - Good luck!

❂ Coming soon: Fugue, Concord by Varian Krylov + Giveaway ❂

To start off this week, I asked one of my favourite authors to come on over to speak about her upcoming novel.

Let's give a warm welcome to the very talented Varian Krylov!

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Hi everybody! And Bey, thanks for having me back!

It's kind of funny, I'm a writer, but when I step away from my tall tales and try to write a blog post, I never know what to say. But today, after chasing my tail for a bit,  I decided it would be fun to talk about one of the inspirations for my upcoming novel, Fugue, Concord.

 

0 FE2A0564I'm from California, but for the last two years and change I've been living in my favorite city in the world—Barcelona. It's a fabulous place for lots of reasons: it's part of Spain's sunny Costa Brava, but in addition to being a beach city on the Mediterranean, it's also got mountains, and its urban center is studded with amazing architectural gems, with Roman walls, neogothic cathedrals, and beautiful modernist buildings by the whimsical genius Antoni Gaudi and others. Barcelona is also a culturally vibrant cosmopolitan hub, with fabulous art museums, galleries, and a thriving music scene.

So, when I decided to write something a bit lighter and more playful than Bad Things and Trasmundo,  I thought, hey, why not take my readers on a little vicarious holiday to Barcelona?

Raval El Jardi  FE2A3074Unlike most of my novels, much of Fugue, Concord is rooted in my own experiences venturing into the realm of independent filmmaking for a few years before I moved to Europe, and also my life living as an expat in Spain. I had a lot of fun taking these characters to my favorite beaches (where bathing suits are always optional), on evening strolls through the winding, narrow streets of the labyrinthine Gothic neighborhood, and out to savor the local night life amid a few of my favorite jazz clubs.

jazz en la playa _E2A2452eAnother of my favorite things about Barcelona is the Spanish men (I know, huge surprise, haha). And I'd love to introduce you to Ángel, the god of jazz.

If you want a sneak peak at Fugue, Concord before the novel comes out next month, you can read a long, juicy, NSFW excerpt at my website: http://variansfiction.wix.com/variankrylov

I'll also be posting updates and announcing giveaways on my Facebook page. If we're not already friends, don't be shy! I love talking to readers and fellow writers!

Besos!

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This book... oh this book. I want to visit Barcelona more than ever now :)

For a chance to win an ebook copy of Varian's book, Fugue, Concord (when it comes out), comment below and tell me where in the world you'd love to travel to. I'll pick one random winner on Monday, July 4th at 7pm EDT.

Good luck!

Do you like things dark? Massive spotlight post and giveaway!

Over at Diverse Reader there's a big giveaway happening featuring such authors as Nicholas Bella, R Phoenix As Raissa, Joseph Lance Tonlet, Louis Stevens, Jenna Johanis, Varian Krylov, Brina Brady, Jack L Pyke, Wulf Francú Godgluck... and myself! Seriously a fun spotlight post of Dark Erotica: each author had the choice of providing an excerpt, telling you about one of their books using one of their characters, or telling you why they chose to go dark.

PLUS there's a giveaway. The prizes are:

  • Don’t Series (4 books: Don’t, Antidote, Breakdown, & Backlash) by Jack L Pyke
  • Signed paperback copy of Better the Devil You Know by me
  • ebook copy of Of Gods and Monsters books 1 and 2 (Menoetius and Hades) by Wulf Francu Godgluck
  • ebook copy of Owned by R. Phoenix
  • 2 winners will win blacklist books by Brina Brady
  • One CID Audiobook or ebook by Nicholas Bella
  • ebook copy of Drago Star and Slash Op by J. Johanis
  • ebook copy of Bad Things by Varian Krylov
  • Signed paperback copy of Quillon’s Covert from Joseph Lance Tonlet

Go check it out now

 

Trasmundo: Escape ★★★★★ | guest post, review, and giveaway

I'd like to welcome Varian back to my blog and wish her a very happy launch day of her new book Trasmundo: Escape

Read Varian's guest post about the link to art in Trasmundo, stay to take a look at my review of the book, and then comment for a chance to win an ecopy of the novel (winner will be chosen randomly on Monday, Aug. 10 2015).

 Without further ado... bestselling author, Varian Krylov!

Art and Trasmundo

KO by Zdzisław Beksiński
KO by Zdzisław Beksinski

Thanks for inviting me for a chat. *Waves to Bey and friends.*

Bey asked me to talk a bit about the importance of art in Trasmundo: Escape. First off, for those who don't know, Bey not only designed the beautiful book cover, but also created the wonderful pieces of Luka's art that appear in the novel. I was elated when Bey said he was up for creating some paintings to go in the novel, and I love how they turned out.

Probably because I identify with the need to solve life's puzzles by playing with words and images, and that compelling urge to connect to the people around me by sharing the alternate realities that hatch in my imagination, the protagonists in my novels are often creative souls: musicians, writers, photographers. Luka, the main character of Trasmundo: Escape is an artist. Largely because of how people have treated him all his life, he's a solitary and introverted person, so in some ways, his drawings and paintings are Luka's way of reaching outward and communicating. But art is also an escape from a cruel and violent world. The surreal landscapes he creates are worlds he retreats to when his reality becomes too lonely, painful or scary.

Apart from the importance of art as an aspect of Luka's character, I wanted to use references to other artists as a way of expanding and layering the tropes of war, exile, and identity in the story. A few years ago, I read an essay by Milan Kundera, and there's a line where he calls literature a silvery bridge linking distant lands and strangers, “the last observatory from which we can embrace human life as a whole.” That line really resonated with me. Since I first started reading literature from other parts of the world, it's been my way of trying to understand other cultures, and people from different places and times. Unlike reading a history book, or a newspaper, when I read a novel set in nineteenth century Russia or France, or contemporary Iran or India, novels show me how like me these people are, despite our unique cultures, languages, and historical circumstances.

Trasmundo by Remedios Varo
Trasmundo by Remedios Varo

In Trasmundo: Escape, I wanted to use the quotes that head each chapter, as well as a lot of other borrowed phrases that are woven into the story itself, and the works of the artists Luka admires, as a way of tying Luka and what he goes through, with the horrors of twentieth century history that happened decade after decade, all around the world. Because, even though Trasmundo takes place in a fictitious country, it reflects atrocities that really took place, like the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, what the Khmer Rouge did in Cambodia, and the genocides in Rwanda, and Yugoslavia. Some of the artists who are inspirations to Luka are people who lived through similarly traumatic moments in history. Uruguayan-born Remedios Varo fled Franco's Spain during the civil war and remained in exile in Paris; German artist Edgar Ende had his paintings confiscated and destroyed by the Nazis; Zdzisław Beksiński endured the Nazi invasion, and later the Soviet occupation of his native Poland.

I wanted to bring references to these artists, along with quotes from people like Walter Benjamin and Czesław Miłosz, together like threads, and weave them together into a unifying tapestry in Trasmundo: Exile, because when we are lucky enough to live in a time and place where we feel safe, conflicts that happen in places like Rwanda or Yugoslavia can feel so remote. Like they have nothing to do with us, who we are as individuals, and as a society. But unfortunately, I think the frailties that allow people to fall under the spell of the Hitlers of the world are universal, and we all need to be vigilant against those who are constantly circling, watching and waiting for a chance to use our fear and resentment of those who appear different from us, to expand their own power.

De Profundus by Edgar Ende
De Profundus by Edgar Ende

For me, this issue meshes perfectly with an m/m romance that also touches on homophobia. Ethnic cleansing focuses a population´s anxiety on religion and culture, but the hatred it foments is intimately twined with the same weakness that drives people to ostracize and persecute LGBT people. And Trasmundo: Escape is about two men, on opposite sides of an ethnic conflict, who look past the pointless hatred stirred up by leaders on both sides of the war, and find a friendship that slowly turns into something else. Something Luka, the young artist, never thought would be his.

 

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My Review - ★★★★★

trasmundo-final-900x1350I was so chuffed to collaborate with Varian and do the cover and other art for Trasmundo: Escape because this was such a great read for me. I haven’t read many books where one of the central MCs is an artist—as an artist myself, that alone made the book a fascinating read. However there is so much more to it.

For one, the tension in this book was very thick at times, which I loved—the stress of waiting to see whether war’s grasping claws would reach Luka, the worry over whether the risky escape would succeed… even the very precarious beginnings of the main relationship were all driving me forward, the words of the story compelling, and imagery vivid. However, the tension was tempered by Tarik’s calm confidence and the wonderful way that the two MCs came to find solace in each other.

luka-treeYep. I liked it even though it was romantic. No… wait… maybe because it was romantic.

Don’t get me wrong, the book is set against the dark, terrible backdrop of war and the ruthless, degenerates who are drawn to take part in it—but what Luka and Tarik have together spreads warmth and light across that sombre canvas, shaping a story that is both wonderfully sexy and beautifully touching.

I can’t wait for the next one.

 

 

A Heartfelt Thank You!

Sometimes the most fulfilling experiences are born out of spur-of-the-moment ideas. The Hot Reads for The Trevor Project was just one of those ideas.

A group of indie authors got together, at the eleventh hour, and decided to do something which expressed our appreciation to our readers for the holidays, while also doing something which embodied the essence of the holidays: the spirit of giving. Hot Reads for The Trevor Project was born.

In less than 24 hours the details were hammered out; additional indie authors were contacted to join in, a charity was selected, books were collected, an online store was created, digital art was developed, and bloggers were solicited to aid in promotion. Again, all this took place in less than 24 hours.

We, the six indie authors, had no expectations regarding the number of sales. However, the package went up for sale, and you showed up; you purchased the bundle AND, in doing so, supported an awesome charity. For that, we are extraordinarily grateful.

The success has cemented our decision to make this an annual event. In fact, we are already kicking around ideas for improvement. Some of which include: a selection of smaller bundles, genre specific bundles (BDSM, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Contemporary, etc.), and work by a greater number of indie authors.

Again, none of this could have been done without the amazing support of you, the m/m readers. You guys are nothing short of wonderful and you have our most heartfelt thanks.

Last, but certainly not least, we’d like to express our sincere gratitude to the blogging community* (listed below**). We approached you at the busiest time of the year—at the last moment—and your support was unwavering and instantaneous.

Our warmest regards and best wishes for a happy new year,

- Rain Carrington
- Bey Deckard
- Varian Krylov
- Matt Ortiz
- Joseph Lance Tonlet
- Brad Vance

 


 

* Alphabetically Listed
** We made every attempt to record every supporting blogger and website. However, we have likely overlooked a few. Our most sincere apologies if you are not listed.

 

6 Awesome M/M books for $10 – All proceeds to the Trevor Project

So Rain Carrington, Varian Krylov, Matt Ortiz, Joseph Lance Tonlet, Brad Vance and I got together to offer everyone something for the holidays. We're calling it "Hot Reads For The Trevor Project" and all proceeds go to The Trevor Project*

Get ready to lower your thermostat because your winter is about to get hot! For a limited time only, get SIX great reads by some of the hottest authors in M/M! A guilt-free guilty pleasure at an incredibly low price with all proceeds going to The Trevor Project!

So... what are you waiting for? Buy some books for a good cause!

Buy Now

 

*What is The Trevor Project?
Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

Varian Krylov – Author

Today we have Varian Krylov, author of Dangerously Happy and the recently published and highly-acclaimed Bad Things

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Howdy Varian and welcome to my blog!

Why don't you describe yourself as a writer in ten words or less.

Intuitive, selfish, indulgent, seeking, probing, hopeful, despairing, provocative, problematic, improving.

 

Why do you write?

I've always written, because I've always felt the urge to write. Well, I shouldn't exaggerate—I started when I was five or six. There always seems to be a seed of a story sprouting in my head, and once I feel it tickling my brain, writing it down is like scratching an itch.

I also love playing with language. There were a few years where I wrote nothing but poetry, and those notebooks fill up two copy paper boxes in my storage unit.

But I also write my novels because I enjoy exploring my ideas about relationships and sexuality through the characters I dream up. More and more, I realize that in some ways I'm two people, sexually, and there's a side of my sexual psyche that can only be satisfied through fiction. That side of me absolutely thrives on dynamics and practices that I don't really enjoy in my personal life. And even though it's infinitely more laborious, I enjoy writing these kinds of stories more than reading them.

 

Have you ever hated one of your characters?

Not any of my main characters, but there are a few secondary characters—especially in After—that I'd like to put in an iron maiden.

 

Any thoughts about the occasional and surprising vitriol when there’s a little F inserted into M/M?

Haha, it's a perplexing phenomenon. When I wrote my first three novels, I was always anxious readers were going to stone me for spicing up a primarily hetero romance with a side serving of manlove, but I never heard a word of complaint. I confess I was startled when I got schooled in the dangers of letting a lady in on the action in a gay romance. It's not so surprising to me that a gay man wouldn't want to read that, but what caught me off guard was how many female readers of m/m are adamant about not wanting any sex scenes to include women. Personally, I'm very drawn to menage stories, and I find a three way dynamic not only exciting, but in many ways it feels like the ideal balance, at least in fiction. And I write a lot of M/M/F menage. But as sexual beings and as readers, we all have things that repel us, emotionally and erotically, and I've come to understand better that for a lot of readers of M/M, the appearance of a vagina destroys the fantasy they're immersed in.

 

What made you go indie instead of going through a traditional publishing model?

I had a brief brush with a publisher, who approached me years ago, before self-publishing was so accessible, about publishing Abduction. But during the negotiation of the contract, I came to feel that I was being left with too much of the risk, for how much share in the reward I was handing over to the publisher, so ultimately I declined their offer.

Nowadays, it seems to me that if you're willing to do a bit of tedious work, like formatting your manuscript and hiring an editor and someone to do a decent cover design, you're better off self-publishing and keeping all your royalties. Because publishers seem to do very little, considering what a huge percentage of your royalties you're giving up.

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers on how to cope with bad reviews?

Be professional. Event the best writers in the world have critics, and no book is going to be universally liked. Let it sting for a second, then think about it calmly, and see if there's anything in the review that can help you be a better writer.

My first novel, Abduction, is one I still get long and heartfelt notes about; something about that story really struck some people. But a couple reviewers were pretty brutal in criticizing it as being wordy, redundant, and way too long. I was so in love with my story that for years I shrugged off those critiques. But recently I went back and read it, and had to admit they were dead right. So I edited the hell out of it, and I think it's a much better book, now.

 

Since this is for National M/M month, what do you feel you bring to the genre?

Enthusiasm! Haha.

I'd say a distinguishing characteristic of all my novels is that the central characters confront and overcome their fears through sex. I think I'm a bit notorious for how extensive and explicit the sexual encounters are in my writing, and they're always twined up with the characters coming to terms with something that's holding them back from fulfillment and happiness. My novels are all dark, to different degrees and in different ways; they express my perspective that in life, on both the individual and societal level, fear is omnipresent and corrosive. So I thrive on exploring people struggling through their fear, taking terrible, beautiful risks, and clawing their way to joy.

 

What are you working on now?

I have a massive three-novel work in progress: these three new novels will be set in the same world—a fictional, present-day region in the chaos of civil war. So, it's a dangerous, complex story world, with high-stakes conflict that will go far beyond the perilous dance of eroticism and romance.

 

Thank you, Varian!

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Wondering which retailer pays me the most?

#1 is Payhip. Not a retailer, but an online shop that I've set up myself. This is where I make the most return on my books.

Then after that it gets a little complicated, but these are the three best choices:

At Eden Books*, I make 70% royalties for all titles.

At Smashwords, I make 60% royalties for all titles.

At Amazon, for books OVER $2.99 (USD) I make 70% royalties and for books UNDER $2.99 I make 35%

So... if the book is under $2.99, buy from Eden Books or Smashwords.

If the books is over $2.99, buy from Eden Books or Amazon.

But best of all, buy from my Payhip store :)

Questions? Contact Me!

*Not all my titles are available at Eden yet as of 25/09/23 - I'm working on it.

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