I’m excited to announce that I’ve completed a full draft of the first in a three-part series of gay detective novels. The book has lots of romance and is set in Calgary, Alberta. I’ll spend the month of July doing more tweaks before sending it on to my editor later in the summer. Stay tuned for details.
You are the very first to see the first few paragraphs. Let me know what you think! Does this intrigue you?
The working title of the book is Mann Hunt.
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Friday, July 10
Declan looked down at his coat, frayed at the edges and covered with grime. His toes poked through the ends of his shoes, and as he stumbled down the street, he weaved around the people who walked past him. Occasionally he mumbled an apology. It was around two in the morning, and the street was poorly lit thanks to several burnt out street lamps. Declan knew the city hadn’t bothered to spend its tax dollars on this part of town—a part where most people earned very little money, and those that did, rarely did it legally.
He leaned up against a lamppost and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, holding it in his shaking left hand. He tried to light it but the match went out before the cigarette took light. Declan saw a large man moving along the street towards him. He was tall—about six-foot two—and built like a brick wall.
“Hey buddy—got a light?” Declan asked.
Brick Wall stopped and looked at him, then pulled out a fancy gold lighter, lit it and held it up to the partially-smoked cigarette.
“Thanks.”
Brick Wall grunted an acknowledgement and moved on down the street, entering a building a few doors down.
Declan waited a few seconds and then snubbed out the cigarette and put the butt back into his coat pocket. He didn’t smoke and at fifteen bucks a pack he wasn’t going to just throw one away. It might come in handy later.
After a few moments he headed towards the building where the guy had gone in. It was a two-storey wood-framed structure that looked like an old store that someone had converted. An alleyway ran down one side.
‘How convenient’ he thought.
Declan hurried around the corner and down the alleyway. The wall of the building was punctuated by a single window, too high to reach. A small dumpster had been pushed up against the wall under the window, right next to a door.
He hoisted himself up, making as little noise as possible and gradually stood up high enough to look in.
Inside he saw Brick Wall talking to another guy seated at a desk. Declan couldn’t see the face of the second man as his back was towards the window. The two of them seemed deep in conversation and the man who was sitting, gesticulated wildly with his hands. Brick Wall took him by the shoulder and led him out of view. Declan surveyed the room. It appeared that it took up the entire first floor. On a table, along the back, was a large model of a grand old building. Other than the desk and the table with the model, the space was empty. If Attwal was here, he must be in the basement.
Declan leaned a little further to the left to get a better view. Suddenly it seemed the building was moving upward and he was heading down. His body hit the dumpster lid and the sound was like a mallet pounding on a giant kettle drum. As the dumpster continued to roll, he looked up and saw the high-mounted alleyway lights, and the face of Brick Wall staring down at him.
“Whadda we got here?” he asked. “A little late to be sightseeing.”
Declan rolled himself off the dumpster and hit the pavement. He intended to run, but before he could get to his feet, Brick Wall grabbed him by the jacket and hoisted up his one-hundred and eighty-five pounds without effort. Then he slammed him back down on the edge of the steel dumpster. Declan crumpled to the pavement.
“A guy’s gotta learn not to poke his nose in another fella’s business,” Brick Wall said, before sending the toe of his sizeable right shoe crashing into Declan’s ribs. Several kicks followed before Declan felt himself being picked up again. He heard the sound of the dumpster lid being opened, then felt himself falling into a pile of rotting waste as the lid slammed shut and he was surrounded by darkness.
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A PREQUEL TO THE WOODCARVER’S MODEL
In August, I’ll be working with First For Romance on a promotion that will include a giveaway of a brand new Peter E. Fenton short story called The F-Road inspired by our recent travels in Iceland.
This prequel is set ten years before Rob’s later adventures in the full-length novel The Woodcarver’s Model. It’s filled with action, and it’s a bit … spicy. Stay tuned for details next month. Here’s the description.
Travel writer Rob Hanson loves adventure, but a trip with his handsome guide Kristján deep into the highlands of Iceland gives him more than he bargained for. What will he find when they go up the F-road?
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Speaking of Iceland, if you’re interested in reading about the adventures my partner and I had at the end of May and early June, check out my other blog that has lots of pictures and fun stories. You can look at it and find out how to subscribe by clicking here.
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AN UPCOMING READING AND BOOK SIGNING IN CALGARY
I’m also happy to let you know that I’ll be in Calgary in late August, and plans are underway to take part in a reading and a book signing. If you live in Calgary and haven’t picked up a copy of the paperback (or just want your copy signed), you can do so in August. The location is still a secret, but stay tuned for more information in next month’s news.
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HAVE YOU REVIEWED THE WOODCARVER’S MODEL YET?
If you have read the book and have time, please review The Woodcarver’s Model on Goodreads or Amazon. The links are below. Every review makes a big difference. A new review on Goodreads can reactivate interest in readers who put the book on their list of books to read in April, but have forgotten about it. And Amazon reviews have been shown to directly link to sales.
To review on Amazon.com click here.
To review on Amazon.ca click here.
To review on Amazon.co.uk click here.
And if you have a Goodreads account, you can go to this link and leave a review by clicking here.
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Thanks for reading, and I look forward to sharing the specifics of next month’s promotion with First For Romance and the details of the book signing.
Until then, thanks for your support.
Peter E. Fenton
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The Woodcarver’s Model is published through Pride Publishing.
To buy a copy click below
Peter E. Fenton 