Authors Shira Anthony
and Aisling
Mancy have teamed up to write a red-hot action-packed thriller!
A Solitary
Man now at Dreamspinner
Press, ARe,
Man now at Dreamspinner
Press, ARe,
Like A Solitary Man on Facebook
About A Solitary Man
and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do
repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word.
Two months later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance”
Fairchild meets Dare’s Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine,
Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.
Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting
to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an
election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the thirteen-year-old witness
who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together
as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in
heat of a swelteringNorth Carolina
summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.
to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an
election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the thirteen-year-old witness
who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together
as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in
heat of a sweltering
summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.
NOW HERE I WILL TURN IT OVER TO AISLING MANCY! HE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT WRITING SUPPORTING CHARACTERS, YOU DON'T WANNA MISS IT!
A Solitary Man by Shira Anthony and Aisling Mancy
Writing Supporting Characters
A very special thank you to Bec and all the folks at Bike
Book Reviews for hosting Shira Anthony
and me for the release of A Solitary Man!
It’s great to be here!
When Shira and I set out to write A Solitary Man we didn’t only set out to tell a story, raise
awareness about important issues, and entertain readers. We set out to write a
well-fleshed-out story.
One of the primary components to fleshing out a story is to
have interesting, three-dimensional characters—not only interesting
three-dimensional main characters,
but supporting characters as well.
When writing supporting characters, the primary rule to
remember is: your supporting characters
will never steal limelight from your main characters if you’ve written your
main characters well—they’ll only enhance your storytelling.
Our main characters, Chance and Xav, are well-rounded,
fleshed-out characters and we had the luxury of creating an entertaining cast
of supporting characters. Here are a few places where supporting characters
played a big role in further enhancing our main characters and the story:
The introduction of people Xav Constantine works with at the
FBI when he’s being discharged from the hospital: Benson, Xav’s penultimate
boss, is the typical smooth bureaucrat. Ward, Xav’s direct boss, is the
peacemaker. Reggie is the evidence guy—the guy who really knows the
nitty-gritty of a case. Theo is non-descript but has an incongruous temper. And,
then, some woman Xav has never met before. WTH?
These supporting characters give identity and purpose to the scene and,
thereby, Xav as a main character. They also lend to fodder for later scenes. When
we see these characters at Xav’s office, they’re further enhanced and become
people to us. Ward isn’t only a peacemaker, but sage in his demeanor, and a
good guy. Theo’s temper shows, but he’s willing to help Xav any way that he
can. Reggie has blonde dreads, a couple of badass ultraviolet tattoos, and is a
smart-ass comedian, but don’t mess with him or his evidence. And the woman
fades off the radar only to pique the reader’s curiosity for the future. All of these supporting characters helped
flesh out who Xav is without stealing an ounce of limelight from him.
Later, when Xav is at the pier mulling over his life choices, the angler who offers him a beer, and the kid on the skateboard who almost takes a header off the pier, not only add local color, but give us a chance to see Xav’s easygoing side. Even the seagull that mars the celestial sky has a purpose. He shows us that nothing is perfect and Xav accepts that.
Later, when Xav is at the pier mulling over his life choices, the angler who offers him a beer, and the kid on the skateboard who almost takes a header off the pier, not only add local color, but give us a chance to see Xav’s easygoing side. Even the seagull that mars the celestial sky has a purpose. He shows us that nothing is perfect and Xav accepts that.
When we first read of Chance Fairchild, we meet him in a stressful political meeting with a seedy but smooth politician for a boss who is an expert prevaricator not only by commission, but by omission—and Chance isn’t fooled for a second. Yet Chance is on a mission and isn’t about to change his mind: he will do whatever it takes to get drugs off the streets. But we also see that Chance has yet to ‘come into his own.’ We see there is an angry ruthless side to him which is barely contained because he has yet to mature in certain aspects of his life. He’s damaged. We know this from the outset, yet we know he’s determined to do the right thing no matter the cost. Shira adds to Chance’s ‘personal scenery’ by giving him a historical home that he lives in and has been restoring for five years. Enter Thunder, a stray cat that Chance is not about to admit he cares for, yet he does care for almost lovingly. As with the seagull, and though not characters, these supporting elements speak to who Chance is.
Then we have Winston, Xav’s new boss in North Carolina; John,
Xav’s new partner in North Carolina; Twyla-Fay, the administrative assistant
who all but runs the Sheriff’s Department; and Xav’s limited coping skills in
dealing with Southernisms. These supporting ‘characters’ are a hoot in myriad ways
and we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed writing them. Here’s
an excerpt to give you an idea of just how entertaining Twyla Fay is without
stealing an ounce of limelight from Xav Constantine:
An hour later Xav had hauled the box of files on the
missing boys back to the office. He turned at the front glass doors and backed
through one of them with his hands full. When Twyla Fay saw him, she came to
his rescue. Together, they carried everything to his desk.
“Thanks,” Xav said.
“My pleasure,” she said formally.
“You okay?” he asked.
She gestured nonchalantly to the kitchen. He nodded and
she walked away. Hardly anyone was in the office, so he wondered why she had a
need for secrecy. He organized a few things on his desk and headed to the
kitchen.
He entered and she quickly slid the pocket door home.
“We got trouble,” she said quickly.
“Tell me,” Xav said as he reached for his mug and poured
a cup of coffee.
“Ryan called and said Mr. Fairchild stopped by the
coroner’s office yesterday morning to get the preliminary report on Winter
Haverty’s autopsy.”
“Who’s Ryan?”
“One of the clerks at the coroner’s office.”
“Did he give the report to Mr. Fairchild?”
“He did, and Sheriff is not goin’ to be happy about it,”
Twyla Fay said in a huff.
“Why would he give it to him?”
She gave him a curious look.
Xav looked at her, having no idea what was on her mind.
“Am I missing something?”
“Am I allowed to talk about, um, well, you know….”
Xav raised his brows in query.
“Gayness,” she whispered fiercely. “’Cause, I mean….”
She flushed crimson and turned away. The dirty mugs in the sink suddenly needed
washing. “Y’all know I don’t mean to be rude, right?”
It was all Xav could do not to burst into laughter.
“It’s okay to talk about gayness with me. I believe everyone in the office
knows that I’m gay,” he said gently.
“But is it okay to talk about it?”
She was distraught, and Xav felt bad for her. “Others
may mind it, but I don’t. You can talk to me about it anytime.”
“Oh, thank God. I was so afraid I’d upset you.”
Xav shook his head once. “Not at all. Is Ryan gay?”
She turned from the sink and reached for a paper towel
to dry her hands. “He is and he’s made no secret about likin’ Mr. Fairchild.
Why, at last year’s Christmas party, it was plain as day that Mr. Fairchild was
not happy about Ryan’s behavior. Worse yet, one of our deputies had to drive
Ryan home ’cause he was drunker than Cooter Brown and–”
“Than who?”
She pursed her lips. “He was drunk! What’d y’all think I
meant?”
Xav was dying inside trying to keep a straight face.
“Got it. Go ahead,” he said patiently.
“That’s what y’all get for not bein’ from around here.
Anyway, he was drunk and all he did was talk about Mr. Fairchild! Imagine
that!” Her whisper was harsh.
Xav chuckled. “Ryan has a crush on Mr. Fairchild?”
“Now, I’m not sayin’ Mr. Fairchild is gay, you
understand, but yes, Ryan likes Mr. Fairchild.”
“I understand. And Ryan gave Mr. Fairchild a copy of the
medical examiner’s preliminary report on Winter Haverty’s autopsy. Do I have it
right?”
“Yes. And Sheriff’s going to be mad about it.”
“Why would Ryan call here and tell you about it?”
She gave him a sardonic look. “That’s just it, isn’t
it?”
“He’s been rebuffed by Mr. Fairchild and wants to get
him into trouble?”
“Yes. He is not
a nice man, and Mr. Fairchild is a
nice man. It’s as simple as that,” she said adamantly.
Xav made a mental note to stay the
hell away from Ryan.
Thanks for celebrating the release
of A Solitary Man with us! Go grab the
book! We hope you enjoy it.
THIS QUOTE IS SIMPLY PERFECT FOR THIS BOOK AND ANYONE WHO HAS EVER HAD TO PICK UP THE BROKEN PIECES! HERE IS MY REVIEW:
A Solitary Man by: Shira Anthony & Asling Mancy
reviewed by: Becky
my review:
I could tell you that this book is amazing and you will be changed after you read it, and while that is true, it is so much more than that!
Strength comes in so many different forms, the ability to overcome unspeakable horrors, and the ability to be there for someone who needs you are just a couple of examples of strength we see in this book, and the lesson I took away from it is, though you think you are strong, you can be so much stronger when you let yourself lean on someone who truly wants to help you.
Xav tried to forget Chance after their hot night together, but that goes out the window when the Assistant D.A. he is working with turns out to be none other than Chance! Can Xav learn what makes Chance tick while they work on the most important case of their lives? Will Xav have the strength it turns out Chance will need to keep him from falling apart?
Chance has a painful past that keeps him from getting attached to anyone, but when he starts working with the guy who he has off the charts chemistry with will he change his mind? Most importantly, will he finally let someone into his guarded heart to help him deal with the nightmares that refuse to let him go?
This book will bring you to tears and some of the characters will have you steaming mad and wanting to punch something (trust me you will feel like that :P)! Though reading it is sometimes hard, it is a brilliant, candid look at things we don't want to believe happen and the people behind the scenes who want to save the lost, the hurt, and the neglected.
You just can't miss it! Thanks Shira and Aisling, for giving us a great love story, but more importantly a great story of strength and the will to survive!
the 5 inner strength symbol rating
BELIEVE ME GUYS, YOU WILL TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE RATING, PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!!
HERE ARE THE BIOS AND SOCIAL LINKS FOR SHIRA AND AISLING, THESE TWO ARE AWESOME CLICK ON THOSE LINKS :)!
About Shira Anthony
Shira loves a great happily-ever-after and never writes a
story without one. She’s happy to write what her muse tells her, whether it’s
fantasy, sci fi, paranormal, or contemporary romance. She particularly loves
writing series, because she thinks of her characters as old friends and she
wants to visit them even after their stories are told. Shira writes about the
things she knows and loves, whether it’s music and musicians, the ocean, or the
places she’s lived or traveled to. She spent her middle school years living inFrance ,
and tries to visit as often as she can.
story without one. She’s happy to write what her muse tells her, whether it’s
fantasy, sci fi, paranormal, or contemporary romance. She particularly loves
writing series, because she thinks of her characters as old friends and she
wants to visit them even after their stories are told. Shira writes about the
things she knows and loves, whether it’s music and musicians, the ocean, or the
places she’s lived or traveled to. She spent her middle school years living in
and tries to visit as often as she can.
In real life, Shira sang professionally for 14 years, and
she currently works as a public sector attorney advocating for children. She’s
happy to have made writing her second full-time job, even if it means she
rarely has time to watch TV or go to the movies. Shira and her husband spend as
many weekends as they can aboard their 36′ catamaran sailboat, “Lands Zen,” at
theCarolina Coast
to write about pirates and mermen, her sailboat is her favorite place to write.
And although the only mermen she’s found to date are in her own imagination,
she keeps a sharp lookout for them when she’s on the water.
she currently works as a public sector attorney advocating for children. She’s
happy to have made writing her second full-time job, even if it means she
rarely has time to watch TV or go to the movies. Shira and her husband spend as
many weekends as they can aboard their 36′ catamaran sailboat, “Lands Zen,” at
the
to write about pirates and mermen, her sailboat is her favorite place to write.
And although the only mermen she’s found to date are in her own imagination,
she keeps a sharp lookout for them when she’s on the water.
About Aisling Mancy
Aisling is an author who lives,
most of the time, on the West Coast of theUnited States . Aisling writes adult
fantasy, adult LGBTQIA romance, and fiction for gay young adults as C. Kennedy.
most of the time, on the West Coast of the
fantasy, adult LGBTQIA romance, and fiction for gay young adults as C. Kennedy.
Raised on the mean streets and
back lots ofHollywood by
a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Aisling doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic
awkward, and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In
a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Aisling contemplates such
weighty questions as If time and space are curved, then where do all the
straight people come from? When not writing, Aisling can be found taming waves
on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the
much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling
at all things ordinary.
back lots of
a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Aisling doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic
awkward, and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In
a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Aisling contemplates such
weighty questions as If time and space are curved, then where do all the
straight people come from? When not writing, Aisling can be found taming waves
on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the
much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling
at all things ordinary.
Aisling does respond
to emails because, after all, it is all about you, the reader
to emails because, after all, it is all about you, the reader
Now at Dreamspinner Press, ARe, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble
Thursday, October 29th Aisling is at The Novel Approach Reviews
with A Brief and Frank Discussion of A Solitary Man
with A Brief and Frank Discussion of A Solitary Man
Friday, October 30th Aisling is at Jo & Isa Love Books
with the Notes Behind the Music Playlist for A Solitary Man
Tuesday, November 4th Aisling is at Bike Book Reviews
Wednesday, November 5th
Aisling is at Joyfully Jay Reviews
Shira is at Prism Book Alliance
Friday, November 6th RELEASE DAY CELEBRATION!
Yarning to Write Kermit Flail with lovely Amy Lane!
Aisling is at Divine Magazine
Aisling is on Dreampsinner's Blog
Saturday, November 7th Aisling is at Love Bytes Reviews
Sunday, November 8th
Shira is at My Fiction Nook
LIVE FACEBOOK CHAT with Shira & Aisling 2-5pm EST
Monday, November 9th Aisling is at My Fiction Nook
Tuesday, November 10th Shira is at Bike Book Reviews
Wednesday, November 11th Shira is at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
TWEET, COMMENT, AND VISIT A SOLITARY MAN'S FACEBOOK PAGE
TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A TOTE BAG,
SIGNED BOOKS FROM SHIRA & AISLING,
AND SWAG!
TWEET, COMMENT, AND VISIT A SOLITARY MAN'S FACEBOOK PAGE
TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A TOTE BAG,
SIGNED BOOKS FROM SHIRA & AISLING,
AND SWAG!
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