It's release day for Heart of the Steal and below I have a guest post from Avon, followed by a little sexy excerpt. Enjoy!
Five Paintings to Steal
Hi! I’m Avon Gale, and I’m here to talk about my newest release, Heart of the Steal, co-written with the amazing Roan Parrish! The book is about an FBI agent in the art crimes department who meets and falls for an eccentric, wealthy philanthropist…who has a habit of occasionally stealing art that isn’t his. Vaughn doesn’t steal art for the money, but let’s say that’s your plan and you want to finance your adventures with the money earned from stolen art. There’s a lot out there, right? So, here are five paintings that you might want to consider adding to your “to steal” list.
(I am not responsible for anyone’s legal fees if they get caught, FYI).
1. The Mona Lisa
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world.”
Look, if you’re gonna go, go big, right? This painting isn’t even physically that large, so all you’d need is a fool-proof plan and like, one of those recycled bags you can get at the grocery store. It was once stolen from the Louvre by a guy who hid in a broom closet, and then walked out during business hours with the painting in his coat. Of course, that was 1911. Now it’s under bullet-proof glass, and has survived theft attempts, someone throwing a rock at it and someone throwing paint at it (I don’t know). Of course, if you ask Italy, France stole it and that’s the only reason it’s in the Louvre in the first place. I’ve heard that every year, Italy sends a formal letter asking for it back and every year, the Louvre politely declines. Mind, I could be remembering this all wrong because I heard it in my Art History 101 class in college.
2. Black in Deep Red, Mark Rothko
This sold to a private collector for more than 3 million dollars. So you could probably make your money back, is all I’m saying. I really want to see the house where this painting ended up and if the rest of the room is also red. Wait, that is a terrifying idea, never mind. I like Mark Rothko and appreciate modern art, but 3 million for a painting of squares seems a bit much to me.
3. Monet’s Water Lilies
You’d need a pretty big bag to get this one out without anyone noticing. If anyone questions you, though, you can say you just watched a tutorial on YouTube and bought a really, really, really big canvas on sale at Michael’s. People will think you have undiscovered talent! It’ll be great. I’ve never really been a fan of impressionism, but I’m that person that has never once seen that sailboat or whatever in those 3-D paintings. Seriously, never one time.
4. Starry Night, Van Goh
Come on, you know you had a copy of this on your wall in college on your dorm room. Or in your first apartment. I think owning a copy of this is like a rite of passage into young adulthood or something. You can consider stealing it to be a rite of adulthood! And probably into prison. But maybe they’d let you get a print for your cell, and you’d come full circle!
5. St. Francis Contemplating a Skull
I love this painting. I’m not saying I’d buy it if you stole it, or anything, but I mean. Let me know. In a completely unrelated cute story, this is the painting that Mr. Gale took me to see in the St. Louis art museum when we started dating when I was 19. Anyone who was like, “Hey, let me show you my favorite painting that involves a robed guy looking at a skuill!” is a keeper. 20-something years later, and I was right.
Avon Gale
Publisher: Philtre Press (July 11, 2017)
Genre: M/M Romance -- Contemporary
Responsible, disciplined William Fox channeled his love for art and his faith in the rules into being an FBI Art Crimes agent. Right and wrong, justice and injustice—the differences are clear, and Will has spent his career drawing a line between them. Maybe his convictions have cost him relationships, but he’s not willing to compromise what he knows is right. Until the night he meets Amory Vaughn.
As the head of his family’s philanthropic foundation, Vaughn knows very well that being rich and powerful can get him almost anything he wants. And when he meets endearingly grumpy and slightly awkward William Fox, he wants him more than he’s wanted anything. Vaughn is used to being desired for his name and his money, but Will doesn’t care about either.
When Vaughn falls back on old habits and attempts to impress Will by stealing a painting Will admires, their nascent bond blows up in his face. But Vaughn isn’t willing to give up on the glimpse of passion he saw the night he took Will apart. Before Will knows it, he’s falling for the man he should have arrested, and Vaughn has to realize that some things can’t be bought or stolen. Love has to be given freely. But can a man who lives by the rules, and a man who thinks the rules don’t apply to him, ever see eye to eye?
Heart of the Steal is a standalone romance with a happy ending. It features a Southern gentleman who thinks he’s always right, a buttoned-up FBI agent who secretly likes his buttons unbuttoned, and wall sex. And desk sex. And picnic blanket sex.
As the head of his family’s philanthropic foundation, Vaughn knows very well that being rich and powerful can get him almost anything he wants. And when he meets endearingly grumpy and slightly awkward William Fox, he wants him more than he’s wanted anything. Vaughn is used to being desired for his name and his money, but Will doesn’t care about either.
When Vaughn falls back on old habits and attempts to impress Will by stealing a painting Will admires, their nascent bond blows up in his face. But Vaughn isn’t willing to give up on the glimpse of passion he saw the night he took Will apart. Before Will knows it, he’s falling for the man he should have arrested, and Vaughn has to realize that some things can’t be bought or stolen. Love has to be given freely. But can a man who lives by the rules, and a man who thinks the rules don’t apply to him, ever see eye to eye?
Heart of the Steal is a standalone romance with a happy ending. It features a Southern gentleman who thinks he’s always right, a buttoned-up FBI agent who secretly likes his buttons unbuttoned, and wall sex. And desk sex. And picnic blanket sex.
Where to Buy*:
More Info:
Heart of the Steal by Avon Gale + Roan Parrish
Excerpt
“So, Will, what brings you here?”
“My sister’s the event planner. Charlotte Fox.” I spread my arms out and smiled. “So I’m just here for the good whiskey, the free food, and moral support. You?”
“The asparagus quiche was delicious. Please convey my compliments to your sister. And I suppose you could say I am an investor, of a sort. I’m the head of my family’s philanthropic foundation, and that means I attend quite a few parties. Most of them are exceptionally dull.” He moved closer, and my heart rate kicked up another notch. “I’m finding this one unexpectedly enjoyable, however.”
“That because of the art collection?” I asked. Warmth curled in my stomach and spread through me, like the sunset from the Staunton had slipped directly into my veins. He smelled good, Vaughn. I caught eucalyptus and amber, along with something woodsy and natural, like pine. It made my mouth water.
“The Staunton is lovely, but I’ve seen better.” He reached out slowly, eyes still on mine, and drew a single long finger down the lapel of my suit jacket. It was one of the hottest things any man had ever done to me, dressed or undressed; in bed or out. I shivered, and my breath caught in a sharp inhalation. I could see how much he liked my reaction. There was something sly and challenging in his expression before he leaned down and kissed me.
His mouth was hot and his hands were suddenly on my shoulders, giving me a little push until my shoulders hit the wall. I slid a hand around the back of Vaughn’s head, fingers caressing the strands of braided hair. I slid my other hand down his chest as we kissed, feeling lean muscle, strong but sinewy. I rested my hand on his stomach as we kissed, as if I could measure the space between us, and I made a sound as we broke apart to breathe.
I did not make out with strangers at parties. I couldn’t even really blame the whiskey either. Vaughn was overwhelming, as bold as that goddamn Staunton, and so attractive that the second his mouth met mine I knew I wasn’t going to push him away. Vaughn dropped one of his hands and began to boldly rub me through my pants while his mouth did wicked things to my neck.
“You—” I didn’t know what to say, so I just pulled him back in and kissed him again. He nipped at my bottom lip with sharp teeth, and I widened my legs as his hands began to work at my belt. There was a momentary pause that I took as him asking for permission, and I gave it with a rough jerk of my head and a choked groan.
Avon Gale wrote her first story at the age of seven, about a “Space Hat” hanging on a rack
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:
Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.
When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.
She is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary Agency.
Where to Find Roan:
Have you read any of Avon or Roan's books before?
Oh! And if you want to see some quotes I highlighted while reading, check out my Twitter!
Oh! And if you want to see some quotes I highlighted while reading, check out my Twitter!
Enjoy!
Until Next Time,
*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!
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