LGBT Fiction Event Day 28 : The Love Story Behind a “Missed Connection” by Sloan Parker

 

“Missed Connections” is categorization of ads on Craigslist where one person posts a message to try to find or engage with another. Often times the two are strangers whose paths crossed momentarily, with no names or contact info exchanged. Or they are acquaintances, but one is too shy to approach the other in real life. The content of these Missed Connections ads include anything from super sweet declarations of affection to erotically explicit offers of sex.

Here are a few examples loosely based on some of the ads I’ve seen in the m4m Missed Connections category:

At the Symphony last night… I was sitting in the row in front of you. We got to talking at intermission and I could tell you were into me. Should have given you my number.

Cute guy with red sunglasses on the E train… We both got on at Queens Plaza yesterday morning. I was reading a book, you were reading the paper. We made eye contact, but I was too nervous to say anything. I thought you were damn cute. Let me know if you’re into hooking up.

Delivery Guy who’s been watching me… You deliver to the store across from the tattoo shop I own. I see you several times a week. You’re always watching me as you walk by. I’d love to take you into my back room and show you what I could do to you once I got you all laid out in my chair.

When my publisher Loose Id asked me to write a story for this theme. They were looking for an erotic romance that resulted from a Missed Connections ad. It could be about the meet up of the two who’d previously “missed” each other. Or the story could involve a third person who liked what they saw in the ad and decided to respond even though it wasn’t written specifically for them. Or the story could show how seeing the ad prompted someone already in the poster’s life to make their move. Anything could work so long as it was an erotic romance that resulted from the ad.

The possibilities seemed endless. Two people who “missed connecting” at a comic book convention, at a library, on the train, at the gym, via the windows of their neighboring high-rises office buildings. My brain was in overdrive as I kept coming up with various settings where two people could have a missed connection.

But eventually I got down to business and really thought about the kinds of stories I enjoy writing and reading. Most of my books have emotional, romantic endings, and I wanted my MC story to be the same. That’s when I decided I wanted to write about two people who already knew each other. And not just two acquaintances or neighbors, but two friends who had grown up together but who somehow lost touch with each other and had been unable to find a happy ending together, despite their feelings.

I wanted to show how these two men had “missed connecting” as lovers once, and then, when it almost happened a second time, I wanted to take the more reluctant one and show how much he had changed since that first “missed connection.” I wanted him to realize his best friend was the person he was meant to spend his life with, and now that he knew this, he was going to do everything he could to keep from missing out on being with the love of his life a second time.

Once I knew those details, I was already in love with my heroes and their Missed Connections story, and that’s when the writing really took off for me.

Mateo and Grady’s Missed Connections story, I Swear to You, releases April 29th from Loose Id.

Thanks so much to Scorching Book Reviews for hosting this month-long LGBT event and allowing me to share about the theme of Missed Connections.

When roommates Grady and Mateo give in to their growing lust, it’s the best sexual experience of their lives. But are they really gay? Is this just sex or something more? It takes time for confused Grady to figure that out, but once he does, he’s determined to have all of Mateo. Too bad tracking down brokenhearted Mateo proves impossible.

So what’s a horny gay virgin who wants only one man to do? Grady posts an ad online to encourage his friend out of hiding and into his bed. Once he gets Mateo between the sheets, he’s sure he can convince him that what they had together was no college experiment. But Mateo’s been hiding from something—or someone. Grady is determined to tear down all Mateo’s walls so he can find out what happened to him and help heal his wounds, and in the process show his best friend that he won’t run. Not this time. He swears.

About the Author

Award-winning author Sloan Parker writes passionate, dramatic stories about two men (or more) falling in love. She enjoys writing in the fictional world because in fiction you can be anything, do anything—even fall in love for the first time over and over again. Sloan lives in Ohio with her partner and their neurotic cats. Her greatest moments in life are spent with her family, her friends, and her characters.

To contact Sloan, find out about her other books that are available for purchase, and read free stories, visit: www.sloanparker.com. If you’d like to be notified of new releases and get exclusive sneak peeks, be sure to sign up to receive Sloan Parker’s newsletter via her website.

 

For the Grand Prize Giveaway, I (Nix) will be giving away ten of my top LGBT books. These books will be gifted via All Romance as the books are available to readers on all the types of eReaders (you just need to sign up for a free account to access the books and you can send them directly). If you have any of the books and you win the prize, speak to me and I’ll see what else I can do. All of the posts have prizes atatched and a list of these can be found here

The books are (and there are substitutions available for people who have copies)…

With a Kiss by Kim Dare (MM)
Hot Head by Damien Suede (MM)
By the Book by Scarlett Parrish (MM)
The Dom With a Safeword by Cari Silverwood (FFM)
Starfish and Coffee by Kele Moon (MM)
How Sweet it is – Melissa Brayden (FF)
Fatal Shadows – Josh Lanyon (MM)
Faith and Fidelity – Tere Michaels (MM)
How to Love – Kelly Jamieson (FMM)
Cut and Run – Abigail Roux (MM)

Recently added

Paperback Tread Marks & Trademarks by SA McAuley
A eCopy of Bite Me Tender by Kate Lowell

a Rafflecopter giveaway