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On June 16th, the Many Shades blog will be closed.
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Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Book and the Rose


By A.J. Llewellyn

The Book and the Rose, my next release with Amber Allure, the GLBT imprint of Amber Quill Press comes out on April 25, exactly a month from now. I am already jumping up and down with excitement.
I love the cover (I think Trace Edward Zaber is not only an awesome publisher but an incredible artist who puts his heart into our covers) but I am ecstatic because I asked especially for this release date - and I got it!
The Book and the Rose comes out on a day that may not be especially significant in the US but in Europe is celebrated as St. George's Day.
In Barcelona (where the book is set), it is an especially significant day. It is Diada de la Sant Jordi - a festival dubbed the Book and the Rose.
Last Thanksgiving, I met and befriended a wonderful couple, Marisa and Jason. When they found out what I do, they told me how they met in Barcelona 54 years ago.
I was agog when they told me about the wonderful tradition of the Book and the Rose. It is a bigger holiday in Spain than Valentine's Day and culturally, it is wonderful.
All the book stores open for a week, non-stop. It is tradition for women all over Barcelona to shop aggressively for the most wonderful, perfect book to give their men. The men meanwhile, shop equally aggressively for the perfect rose to give their women.
In a society where we are actively closing down our beloved brick and mortar bookstores, I am over the moon about anything that celebrates books.
Created over a hundred years ago by an innovative bookseller, this festival draws thousands of tourists to Barcelona every year.
I love that romance, the spirit of St. George, slayer of dragons and that books, beautiful books are celebrated. I also love that it is not commercialized, like Valentine's Day.
I learned so much from Marisa and Jason who encouraged me to 'borrow' their love story. Since mine involves too hot guys, a whole different world emerges.
Stay tuned next month for an excerpt of The Book and the Rose, but in the meantime, I will say this.
The Book and the Rose is about Evans McCoy, a Hollywood TV producer who meets a mysterious, hot Barcelona businessman, Mio Alejo-Cortez. Invited to spend Diada de la Sant Jordi with Mio, Evans soon learns that Mio isn't your garden-variety successful businessman. He's a recently retired gay porn star working has a high-priced rent boy.
Can their love survive The Book and the Rose?

Aloha oe,

A.J.

1 comment:

Erin Sinclair said...

Nice cover AJ, very vintage romantic to me.

Erin

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