Blog Tour: That Darn Muse Vol II by Dan Skinner (Author Guest Post + Exclusive Giveaway)

Blurb

He's a middle-aged, newly single, gay photographer starting life over. Along comes a freshly out nineteen-year-old, irreverent free spirit who wants to be his apprentice. Mismatched by more than a generation, what could possibly go wrong? Everything! And it's AWESOME!

A "Muse" ing: Most authors struggle with the voices or "muses" in their head when writing. Tuning that voice out becomes a little more challenging when your muse is a real-life nineteen-year-old who inhales espresso and turns out ideas at light speed. Danger Will Robinson!

Daddy and The Rent Boy: In selling something, advertising is half the battle. That can become hazardous when you're in the company of an irreverent walking billboard.

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I believe we all have two types of friends: the first type that prefers to control the situation; everything has to be just so, make plans and stick to them. This type of friend is great for planning trips or vacations, making an agenda and keeping us to it so that everything gets accomplished. Their fun is scheduled like buying a ticket and boarding a rollercoaster. You can anticipate your enjoyment. They're organized and they teach us that if we're that way we, too, can get our goals accomplished. And that's a great thing to learn from a friend.

The second type of friend is the antithesis of the first. They are pure chaos. They whirlwind into the room like a cartoon Tasmanian devil, you're caught in their traction and they pull you wherever. You never know where you're going to end up until you're there. This is Dirk, my friend, former apprentice and current muse. I've described his Modus Operandi as a roll of the dice... without the dice. It's all just up in the air. The only way to determine if he's going to stay or pull you outside the door on a random adventure is if, when he's through the door his clothes start to hit the floor. If you see skin, he's staying. If the clothes remain on, buckle up, you don't have to stand in line with your ticket, this kid is the rollercoaster.

This is always different for me, because by nature, I'm the first type of friend. I've rarely done anything on a whim. Walking out the door one day with my muse, the excursion began as a trip to a coffee shop where he met a childhood friend who taught rock wall climbing at facility down the street. Soon, a man with a natural fear of heights was rock wall climbing. And I enjoyed it, even though it would never have made my bucket list. Then a stroll through a supermarket for a quick lunch was cut short when he spied a sale on bulk dog treats. Soon thereafter, we were at a dog shelter feeding the dogs still waiting for homes. His brain works like that. An idea latches onto him and drags us where it needs to go and he thinks we need to be.

Truthfully, sometimes it can be tiring, but it is never dull. I'm now a willing participant because I consider myself to be an eternal student of life. Our teachers can sometimes come in surprising guises. Mine, a hyperactive, nerdish twenty-year-old muse. I can't believe I'm going to says this, but...

"YOLO!"

ABOUT DAN SKINNER

I’m a single gay man living in the Midwest. I write because I consider myself to be an old-fashioned storyteller. I’ve been a photographer for half my life, specializing in male romance cover art. My dream is to one day live on the beach with my dog and continue to tell tales that inspire and entertain.

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Giveaway

Dan has very kindly offered a copy of this book to one lucky reader, you just need to comment on this post and leave us your e-mail address so we can contact you in case you win. You have up until Monday, Sept. 19 at around 7pm CST to enter.