As Big As the Sky is an m/m romance about a couple of guys who don’t start out as friends, but who eventually turn into much more. It has a little bit of an enemies-to-lovers feel, and I say “little” because even though Sam and Bo have been at odds for the entire month Bo has lived next door to Sam, it doesn’t take long once the story starts for them to become friends. (This is a novella, so I didn’t have time to dilly-dally!)
This story came about one day when I was trying to write something else, something completely different. It was about a young man who volunteers at an animal shelter as he patiently waits for his military boyfriend to come home from overseas.
Anyway, that particularly story wasn’t quite working, but the animals stuck with me, and I thought “Ooh, what if one of my MCs takes over running an animal rehabilitation center and his incompetence irritates his hunky neighbor?”
Thus, Bo and Sam were born.
Bo: he means well, he really does, but running an animal rehab center is no small job and he makes mistakes, which piss off said hunky neighbor.
Sam: in his defense, he’s being sued so he’s a little stressed.
Sam and Bo’s story was a joy to write and I loved getting to know these characters as the story progressed. Bo’s a bit of a spitfire, but Sam has just what it takes to be a great balance for him.
As Big As the Sky—as well as The Play of His Life, my first novella with MLR Press— is fairly low-angst. If you’re looking for push-and-pull, for misunderstandings and arguments, for conflict that keeps Sam and Bo apart…you won’t find it here, so As Big As the Sky may not be for you. This is a sweet story about a couple of guys who fit, who are there for each other, and who help each other grow amid a background of a law suit, family problems, and some animals I couldn’t resist throwing in, including a tiny pig, horses, and mischievous chickens.
As an avid reader, I love sweet, low-angst stories that make me want to “aww” all the time. So that’s what I write. And I hope you enjoy it.
Length: 37,000 words
Publisher: MLR Press
Blurb
Sam McAuley is having a rough start to the summer: Not only is he being sued, but the new guy running the animal rehabilitation center next door has no idea what he’s doing and his runaway chickens constantly end up in Sam’s pristine yard.
Everything is temporary for Bo Novak. For as long as he can remember, it’s been one town to the next, one school to the next, one job to the next. Even his current job—running his sister’s animal rehab center while she’s away on a four-month leave—is temporary. And he does know what he’s doing, thank you very much. Sure, things don’t always run smoothly, but the stick-in-the-mud next door could be a little nicer about it.
One overheard conversation, an olive branch, and a baseball game might show these guys that being at odds isn’t really what they want, and that what they want might just be each other.
August 4 - Xtreme Delusions
August 7 - The Geekery Book Review
August 8 - Bayou Book Junkie
August 9 - Millsy Loves Books, Cupcakes and Bookshelves
August 10 - MM Good Book Reviews
August 11 - Au Boudior Ecarlate, Sarandipity, Making It Happen
August 14 - Diverse Reader, Books Lovers 4Ever, Bayou Book Junkie, Nicole's Book Musings, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wicked Faerie's Tales & Reviews, Jessie G Books
August 15 - Love Bytes
August 18 - My Fiction Nook
Author Bio
Amy started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in the suburbs of Toronto, Amy is a marketer at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, Amy's interests are many and varied, including travelling, astronomy, ecology, and baking.
Amy loves connecting with readers! You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Twitter or sign up for her infrequent newsletter at www.amyaislin.com/signup
Amy started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in the suburbs of Toronto, Amy is a marketer at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, Amy's interests are many and varied, including travelling, astronomy, ecology, and baking.
Amy loves connecting with readers! You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Twitter or sign up for her infrequent newsletter at www.amyaislin.com/signup
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