AE Ryecart's new book is live!

My friend AE (Ali) Ryecart's new book, Loose Connection (Book 1, Urban Love Series) is live! Check out my interview with Ali below...

Falling in love was easy, making it work is the hard part…
There has never been a time when Rick Taylor hasn’t been out and proud. With his Kylie ringtone and rainbow coloured clothes he’s poster boy gay with a capital G, and determined to live by the mantra bright and loud, stand out in a crowd.
When he accidentally outed himself, Matt Connell’s life went into freefall. Estranged from his family and carrying a ton weight of emotional baggage, Matt strives to forge a new life for himself as he comes to terms with the man he truly is.
It may be lust at first sight, but Rick and Matt know they crave more from each other than just a one night stand as they tumble, head first, into an all-consuming and passionate love affair.
A star-crossed couple, a charismatic city and an irresistible supporting cast, Loose Connection is the first in the Urban Love contemporary gay romance series.

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View on Amazon (US)

View on Amazon (UK)

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The Interview

Tell us something about yourself that only you, your nearest and dearest and now the rest of the world knows:
Ha! Too many things to tell… I have to think carefully, as I don’t want to get arrested or blacklisted… Ah, I know. A few years ago I was on a skiing holiday in Switzerland. I was with a friend on top of a mountain but wishing I was on a beach. We were concentrating so hard on trying to get to the bottom without breaking our necks that we took a wrong turn and went off-piste – and found ourselves on a part of the mountain that had been closed due to bad conditions. The piste was churned up and icy and we were on the mountain for so long that the light was starting to fade. It was terrifying. We got down, but it took us hours. We were black and blue from the many falls. And very embarrassed. I’ve not been skiing since.
Why have you chosen to set your books in London?
I was born and grew up in London and I know parts of the city very well. I now live just outside but I frequently go back, and I always feel a rush of excitement when I do. London is endlessly fascinating. I love that the old and new are cheek by jowl, every area has its own unique character and there’s always something – usually odd and quirky – to discover about the city. Having London as the backdrop to my stories was the obvious choice.
The characters in your first book, Imperfect, spent a lot of time in pubs and cafes. Is it fair to say that food and drink are important to you?
Yeah! I love everything there is to love about good food and wine. For me, they are as important as the air we breathe – and a whole lot tastier. The boys in Loose Connection have carried on the tradition, as they are constantly tucking into pastries, biscuits (cookies for my US friends!) and cake.
The cover art for Loose Connection is very striking. How did you decide on the design?
I wanted something very modern and punchy. My books are contemporary stories, so the cover art needed to reflect that. Loose Connection is the first in a series called Urban Love and as all the action takes place in London I wanted to include a visual of the city which will link all the books in the series.
The main characters in Loose Connection, Rick and Matt, are so different to each other. Did that make them fun to write?
Definitely. Rick is out and proud and lives his a life according to the mantra bright and loud, stand out in a crowd. Matt is his polar opposite as he carries a ton weight of emotional baggage due to his upbringing and… well, I won’t say what else because that would be a spoiler! The fact that they are so different forms the central tension in the book.
What’s coming next?
More in the Urban Love series, which will hit the electronic book shelves in early 2016. Three key support characters in Loose Connection are Archie and Zack, who are a couple, and Jake. I think I’m going to write Archie and Zack’s story first – they’ve got some tough times ahead of them…