Paperback: 308 pages
Publisher: Interlude Press (November 19, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1941530494
Amazon: Something Like a Love Song
Amazon Kindle: Something Like a Love Song
Blurb: One tragic night left Landon and Dylan’s dreams of happily ever after in apparent ruin. Forced to overcome physical and emotional trauma, the young lovers turn to a network of family and friends as they attempt to rebuild their lives. But can their one constant—their love—survive the changes both undergo on the road to recovery?
Excerpt:
Landon's bed is in the center of the room, and Dylan’s heart begins to pound in his chest as he takes a step forward, hesitates. Landon looks so small, tucked into the middle of the bed, and everything about the scene is unnatural and wrong. His head is wrapped with thick bandages, for which Dylan is grateful—he isn't sure he could handle that. Just the thought of what's happening to Landon, to his fiancé, is enough to make his throat constrict, his chest tighten.
A ventilator tube parts Landon's lips, and his chest rises and falls in equal, rhythmic whirrs. IVs line his arms; the wires snake from under his hospital gown. His freckles stand out starkly against the unnatural pale hue of his skin, except where the deep purple of a bruise creeps from under the bandages and swells down to his left cheekbone. It seems impossible that only hours ago they were laughing in the park, holding hands and eating ice cream from the small corner stand; it’s like some distant memory, a fading dream. But the ache deep in Dylan’s chest, the way his stomach is knotting itself, the too-clean smell of the hospital burning his nose, Landon's face, battered and bruised—Dylan can't look away—all this is too real to be a dream, no matter how badly Dylan wants to just wake up, wants all this to go away and everything to be okay.
"You can touch him, if you want," Brittany says, her voice soft. "We need to make sure to reduce extra stimulation, to allow his brain time to recover, but it's okay to hold his hand."
Dylan looks up at her. Her smile is kind and understanding. Then he turns back to Landon and takes a small step forward. Landon's hand is right there, resting above the covers, and Dylan doesn't know why he's so nervous; he's held Landon's hand more times than he could begin to count. But, surrounded by machines and tubes, Landon has never looked so utterly fragile, as if he could shatter at the lightest touch.
"It's okay," Brittany says from behind him, and Dylan squeezes his eyes shut, tears pricking behind his eyelids. "You won't hurt him."
Landon's skin is cold; his hand is unnaturally still. Even in sleep Landon's hand would always find Dylan's, their fingers would curl together like a reflex.
Not now.
"I'm so sorry," Dylan whispers, holding on a little tighter. "I'm so..."
His voice catches, the words bottling up in his throat, unable to escape. Landon's chest rises, falls, in, out.
In, out.
"You're so hurt, and it's my fault," Dylan manages, his voice barely audible above the machines keeping Landon alive. "It's all my fault and I'm..." He exhales slowly. "I'm so sorry."
He swipes his thumb across Landon's knuckles, over the dips and grooves, and vaguely notes that Brittany has left them alone. He sinks down into the small chair beside the bed, not letting go of Landon's hand.
"You need to fight, okay? I need you here, with me, and I can't..." There's nothing left inside him except an empty, hollow feeling and the knowledge that Landon can't hear him. Landon’s engagement ring is in a dish on a table beside the bed, along with his watch, and Dylan fishes them out and tucks them into his pocket.
Meet the author: Becca Burton penned her first Nancy Drew fan fiction at the age of nine and has been an avid writer ever since. Currently working as a Neonatal Intensive Care nurse, Becca is a recent Oregon transplant from the Midwest. Becca has a weakness for coffee, the smell of old books, rainy days and her cat, Luna. Something Like a Love Song is her first novel."Thank you for having me. Something Like a Love Song is my first novel, a story about two long time boyfriends who find themselves facing a life changing tragedy and have to find the courage and love for each other to fight through.
While this is my first novel, I have posted many stories online, and have been writing ever since I learned how. I currently work as a nurse in a Neonatal ICU, and medicine has been a big interest in my life, and always seems to find a way into my writing. I am passionate about diverse, LGBTQ fiction, and am very excited to contribute to this genre."
1) Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing come from?
I think I can pretty much blame my obsession with all of that on my mom. My mom is a huge reader and has a massive collection of books, and as a lover of literature, has been both my enabler and my supporter. When I was little she shared her love of reading with me, and I was pretty much addicted to reading as soon as I learned how, and writing my own stories came shortly after. I don’t think I would have the love for literature and all of the arts if it wasn’t for her.
2) What were your goals when you started this book? Do you think you met them?
When I first started writing this story in its original format online, my goal was to bring awareness to the subject matter. Having worked as a caregiver, and with individuals with brain injuries, I learned how strong and incredible they can be, and how strong and courageous the caregivers have to be to care for someone they love in such a way. I really wanted to bring some awareness to subject, and I received so many kind and supportive messages from readers who have gone through similar situations, or could identify with the subject. My hope with this book is to bring a similar awareness to readers, and that maybe they will learn something new, or perhaps find a way to identify with Dylan and Landon’s journey.
3) Have you ever co-written with someone before?
I’ve attempted to co-write a silly story with someone before, but we were both very busy at the time and it never was finished. I would not be opposed to trying again some day!
4) Tell us about your favorite character in a book (yours or someone else’s).
Oh man, this is a hard question. I’m going to go to my default of Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings. When I was in college, I wrote paper on Samwise, and how, even though he is a side character, he is probably the most important character in the trilogy, and I still stand by that. He’s loyal, selfless, and does what he does out of his love for another. Also he loves potatoes, so that makes him pretty perfect.
I would say my other favorite character would be Trip Morgan from Courtney Lux’s Small Wonders. If you haven’t read Small Wonders yet, it should absolutely be next on your to-read list. Trip is one of the most complex, delightfully frustrating, vividly real characters I have ever read.
5) List five foods you can’t live without.
1. Potatoes (in any form)
2. Coffee
3. Pumpkin flavored anything
4. Popcorn
5. Ice cream
Where to find the author:
Facebook: facebook.com/missbeccaburton;
Twitter: @missbeccaburton
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26223074-something-like-a-love-song
Tour Dates & Stops:
19-Nov: Lee Brazil, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Velvet Panic, It’s Raining Men, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Hearts on Fire
20-Nov: Three Books Over The Rainbow, Mikky's World of Books, Happily Ever Chapter
23-Nov: Jessie G. Books, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Michael Mandrake, Boys on the Brink Reviews
24-Nov: Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Divine Magazine
25-Nov: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews
26-Nov: Bayou Book Junkie, BFD Book Blog
27-Nov: Alpha Book Club, The Blogger Girls, Elaine White
30-Nov: Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings, Dawn’s Reading Nook, QUEERcentric Books, Love Bytes
1-Dec: My Fiction Nook, Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews
2-Dec: Gay Media Reviews, Just Love Romance, Inked Rainbow Reads, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4757844.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.