Saturday, June 24, 2017

Excerpt: Coach's Challenge


WELCOME TO THE BLOG, AVON! 





Avon Gale wrote her first story at the age of seven, about a “Space Hat” hanging on a rack and waiting for that special person to come along and purchase it — even if it was a bit weirder than the other, more normal hats. Like all of Avon’s characters, the space hat did get its happily ever after — though she’s pretty sure it was with a unicorn. She likes to think her vocabulary has improved since then, but the theme of quirky people waiting for their perfect match is still one of her favorites.

Avon grew up in the southern United States, and now lives with her very patient husband in a liberal midwestern college town. When she’s not writing, she’s either doing some kind of craft project that makes a huge mess, reading, watching horror movies, listening to music or yelling at her favorite hockey team to get it together, already. Avon is always up for a road trip, adores Kentucky bourbon, thinks nothing is as stress relieving as a good rock concert and will never say no to candy.

At one point, Avon was the mayor of both Jazzercise and Lollicup on Foursquare. This tells you basically all you need to know about her as a person.

Avon is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary Agency.





Where to Find Avon:





Coach's Challenge by Avon Gale
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (June 26, 2017)
Series: Scoring Chances, 5
Genre: M/M Romance -- Contemporary


It’s been decades since blackmail forced Troy Callahan to retire from playing professional hockey, and he’s built a successful career behind the bench. When he’s offered the opportunity to coach the Asheville Ravens—the most hated team in the ECHL—he’s convinced that his no-nonsense attitude is just what the team needs to put their focus back on hockey. But Troy is disheartened when he finds that the Ravens have signed Shane North, a player known for his aggression—especially when Shane’s rough good looks give Troy inappropriate thoughts about a player, even if Shane’s set to retire at the end of the season. 


Shane’s career in the majors never quite took off. Wanting to quit on his own terms, Shane agrees to a one-year contract with the Ravens and finds himself playing for a coach who thinks he’s an aging goon and with a team that doesn’t trust him, the coach, or each other. Despite his determination to not get involved, Shane unwillingly becomes part of the team… and is just as unwillingly drawn to the gruff, out-and-proud coach. As the Ravens struggle to build a new identity, Shane and Troy succumb to the passion that might cost them everything.




Where to Buy*:
More Info:






Coach's Challenge by Avon Gale
Excerpt


He was just thinking about how to put his hard-on to good use—jerking off in his room with Xavier passed out on his couch was totally acceptable—when someone knocked at the door.

That time, it was a scowling, dark-haired head coach. Shane frowned at him and stepped aside so Troy could come in. “It’s one in the morning, Cally.”

“And I told you I wanted to put you on your knees and fuck your mouth with my—” Troy stopped, and his light eyes narrowed as he took in Xavier’s sleeping form. “You got company?”

“Yeah. Xavier Matthews. He got sad and drunk and passed out on my couch.”

Troy brushed past him, immediately headed to Shane’s room, and barely spared Matthews a glance on his way. But once Shane followed him in and closed the door, Troy took off his coat and asked, “Why’s he sad? Do I want to know?”

Did he? Shane had no idea. “He’s got a thing for Drake. The Spitfires’ goalie, not the Canadian rapper.”

“There’s a Canadian rapper named Drake?” Troy carelessly tossed his coat on the floor. “There are Canadian rappers?”

“You’re so out of touch.” Shane moved in closer, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized he should probably tell Troy that he’d just come out to Xavier. “So, uh…. Matthews was hung up on Drake, figured out I was gay, and came here to make a pass at me.”

“What?” Troy’s eyes snapped. “The fuck he did.”

Surprised at the vehemence of his reaction, Shane was momentarily robbed of his ability to respond with a quip. “Uh… I said no, obviously.”

“Why obviously? Maybe he’s passed out because you blew him.”

Shane stared so hard at Troy that his eyes started to water. “Are you jealous?”

Troy’s glare hit Shane with the same force as Matt Huxley’s fists. “Fuck.”

“Since it’s you, that probably means yes. I didn’t do anything with him, and I wouldn’t. Okay? And yeah, fine. Some of that is because we… haven’t had that talk, but—”

“What talk is that?” Troy interrupted. “The one where we say we’re not sleeping with other people?”

The one where we say this isn’t just about sex. Shane didn’t know how to say that. “I’m not sleeping with anyone else, Troy. Jesus. I don’t have the time for that.”

That was maybe not the right thing to say. Troy’s eyes flashed at him. “That the only reason?”

“Are you kidding me with this?” Shane buried his face in his hands. “No, of course that’s not the only reason. It’s not even a reason. I’m not sleeping with anyone else because of this thing we have, is that what you want me to say?”

Troy gave a short laugh. “I don’t know what I want you to say. Which, it wouldn’t matter anyway, because if I wanted you to say it, you wouldn’t out of spite.”


“That is how we do things,” Shane agreed.







Troy and Shane’s story was a joy to write – I loved writing about two characters who were so confident in what they wanted and determined to get it no matter what. These are two stubborn, opinionated and passionate men and their interactions were so much fun to write.  ~ Avon Gale



I have this one on my Kindle, hope to get to it very, very soon -- especially after that excerpt! :) Have you read Gale yet?



Enjoy!



Until Next Time,

Photobucket

  *TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

No comments :