In many families there is a special book that a mother passes on to her daughters once they reach a certain age, and mine was no different. However, the book I was given was not “My Body, My Self” or even a classic Judy Blume, it was the first book in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. It seemed that reading these books was not a choice or even an expectation, it was an obligation. At that point, my mother had read what my family simply calls “The Tolkien” at least thirty times. When we were little my sisters and I were read to from the illustrated version of “The Hobbit” (which was terrifying by the way! Trolls and orcs populated my nightmares) and we had seen the animated versions of the books on VHS at least a dozen times.
When I was passed these books—I’m tempted to call them bibles because of the sacrosanct way they were treated in my family but I won’t —at thirteen I was filled with a sense of responsibility. I knew I had to get past the tiny type, the epic length and the frankly quite alienating prose and LOVE these books. The copies I was given were copies that my father had read in university. They were well worn and obviously much loved. When I finally made my way through all three I felt…ambivalent. I raved about them to my parents, I mean, I appreciated having a roof over my head, but I couldn’t help but feel that I was missing something. When I finally confessed this to my mom she assured me that you only really “got it” after you’d read them a few dozen times. I think I shuddered.
The thing was, she was right. I re-read the books a few years later and then again in my early twenties and I confess that now that I’m pregnant with a daughter I am tempted to hand them down to her when she hits her teens (a terrifying thought—how can this bump become a teenager??).
In between reading “The Tolkien” I devoured other fantasy and sci-fi novels and I’m still a huge fan of the genre. In particular, I fell in love with Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar series. I think what drew me to Lackey’s work was not only her amazing gift for world building but also her romanticism —especially The Last Herald Mage Trilogy which, incidentally, was the first male-male romance I ever read.
It was inspiring, obviously as twenty odd years later and my first fantasy inspired novel, and my first male-male romance, “Someone to Depend On” has just been released by Dreamspinner Press (fist pumps!).
It’s the first book in a series called The Binding. It tells the story of Bero Halvorsen, a Felan and David Whitaker, a struggling writer with a broken heart. The Felan are sort of like guardian angels or fairy godfathers—they’re sent to Earth to bond with individual humans and help them through personal crises. The problem is that Bero is burned out, tired and no longer wants to spend all his energy bonding with needy humans. He decides he wants some time “off” and develops a plan to sabotage his next assignment. Unfortunately for Dave, he happens to be that next assignment.
Here’s a little taste of the book, this is the scene where Dave and Bero first meet:
“DAVE was still crouched on the floor, back against his front door, head down, when he heard a crash come from the living room. He started and his heart pounded in his ears as, slowly and quietly, he got to his feet.
His mind raced. A burglar!
Dave’s mind, for some reason, seized on the word “burglar,” and he giggled to himself in delirious panic as he pictured a man, all in black, tiptoeing through his living room with a large burlap sack….
He shook himself and grabbed the only weapon within his reach—a table lamp that had lost its shade. He made his way over to the living room, stopped as he approached the doorway, and peeked in.
Someone was definitely in there. A man. A really tall man. A really tall, really pale man. The man was standing in the middle of the room, wiping invisible specks of dirt off his dark jeans, and looking around curiously and expectantly. He didn’t look particularly dangerous, though he definitely looked strong—his arms and chest were well built, exposed by the tight cut of his thin cotton T-shirt.
He’s… he’s actually really hot.
As soon as Dave thought it, he cringed inwardly. He recognized the sheer patheticness of wanting to jump the man who’d just broken into his apartment and probably wanted to kill him.
He decided his best bet was to take the guy by surprise. He took a deep breath and launched himself at the man, lamp swinging wildly in his hands, a bloodcurdling cry coming out of his mouth.
“Raaaaagghhhhhh!”
He had his eyes tightly squeezed shut the whole time, so when the lamp seemed to have met a target of some sort, he thought maybe he’d got the guy. He opened his eyes only to find himself standing right in front of the man, still tightly gripping the base of the lamp, which was being easily held in place (despite Dave’s full weight bearing down on it) by one of the tall guy’s hands. The guy hadn’t moved a muscle other than to grasp the lamp. He was looking down at Dave with an amused smile on his face.
“Hello. You must be David. Or is it Dave? I’m Bero.”
Dave froze.
What. The. Fuck.”
I really hope you enjoy my first foray into fantasy, but there’s no pressure — I promise 
I’d love to do a giveaway of an ebook copy of “Someone to Depend On”, so please leave a comment below to enter the drawing making sure to include your email!
Link to buy Someone To Depend On
Leora’s Website: Leora Stark
Leora’s Email: leorastark@gmail.com
Heidi Cullinan
Evaine
Marie Sexton
Shawny
Hah! it wasn’t like that in my family, but my mother did have these really old, really well loved copies that I read around age thirteen.
I JUST discovered Valdemar last august–they’re great. I adore them. I hope I win your book so I can see if I love that one too!
the_ebb_ster@yahoo.com
It’s funny that it’s our mothers who had these books isn’t it? Fantasy (especially epics like LOR) is so often portrayed as this male thing that girls don’t get..obviously not true!! Enjoy Valdemar, I wish I was reading them for the first time again, so many memories…
I have loved Valdemar since forever, but I still can’t, for the life of me, get into Tolkien. I have tried several times, but nope. Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen.
On the other hand, my 8YO son is writing (very very sloooowly; he loses interest periodically & has to get back in the mood) a sort of space opera type thing starring himself, his younger brother, and their best friends. Each new page or so generally has me *literally* Rolling On Floor, Laughing My A$$ Off.
tracykitn AT yahoo.com
Okay, I really, really want to read that space opera! That’s so cool. Obviously a writer in training! LOR was definitely not one of those books that you immediately get into (or at least not for me) but now I find it really comforting to read and re-read. The movies help too (oh god, I’m probably not supposed to say that right? People are so touchy about the movies but I loved them!)
I really didn’t want your excerpt to end. Always a good sign of a great story.
Stacey-Krug@comcast.net
Thank you! You just made my day
Seriously!
Loved the excerpt!
I read Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as a teenager and loved them, then the Last Herald Mage series several years later – they’re still some of my favourite books. I have my battered paperback copies of LOR for reading when not at home and a lovely, illustrated hardback that stays at home because it’s so heavy!
pointycat@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks!! So many fantasy fans out there, and so many of them women, it makes me so happy. When I was young I thought I was the *only* girl reading that stuff. I used to hide it from my friends because I thought it was too weird. It’s sad in retrospect because those books are such a comfort and they allow you to escape momentarily from the hell of teenage-hood (or, now, from work and adulthood!)
LOR was what got me hooked and Sci fi and Fantasy all those years ago. I still have my first copy of the Hobbit (dog-eared though it is) and boxed set of LOR as well as illustrated editions and ebook versions. I’m trying to pass on my love of the books to my daughter as well. Lackey’s Valdemar series is one of my all time favorites. The Last Herald Mages series was my first introduction to M/M as well. Again, I still have all of her books on my shelves and have no plans to ever part with them. I go back and re-read both series every couple of years and always come away with something new. I think that’s a sign of a well-written book.
Your books sounds very interesting and I’ll definitely be picking it up soon.
Thank you for sharing!
LisaG
I agree! If you can re-read a book that frequently and still get something from it, it really means something. How’s your daughter taking to the fantasy? Mine is currently too young (being still in my tummy!!) but I hope it’s something we can share when she gets older. Or, at the very least, I hope she likes reading, if she didn’t that would be heartbreaking for me. Reading is still my favorite thing to do hands down.
My daughter is 12 and will read when forced to turn off the tv. When we find something she truly enjoys, she will pick up the book on her own. Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books are some of her favorites. I’ve told her that I’m giving her a summer reading list this year and The Hobbit will be first on the list. Her father and I both like to read. I’m never without a book (in some format, be in on my phone, my tablet or an actual hard copy)! My daughter and I try to sit down together and read for at least 30 minutes every night before bed.
I didn’t include my e-mail, so here it is:
lisaguertin at yahoo.com
Thanks Lisa, got it!
Funny thing is, The Last Herald Mage was my first MM book as well. I still love her writing, and I’ve been reading her for almost 20 years. Yours looks really good, and I’m hoping I win a copy!
kforester AT embarqmail DOT com
Thanks Kristie! I’ve spoken with quite a few people who’ve said that those books were their first experience of m/m romance, I wonder if Lackey knew what a big impression she was making? Such a great coming of age story too!
My parents weren’t much into fantasy, but luckily for me I had an uncle who started reading The Fellowship of The Ring to me and my cousins one Easter. I was nine years old and totally hooked. When Easter came to an end he went back to Uni and took the book with him. We were in the middle of chapter 12, Flight to the Ford. Argh! I spent months and months trying to get my older brother to go to the library for me, as I was too young to check it out myself. Imagine the pain!
Nedless to say I was soon hooked on Fantasy.
I have never thought of Lackeys novels as M/M, but they really are, aren’t they? I absolutely loved Vanyel…..and those covers! Yummy!
Talking of beautiful covers: I’d love to try and win your book!
blackcat1@hotmail.no
I can feel your pain!! I didn’t realize that the Last Herald Mage trilogy was my first exposure to m/m romance until recently because when you read it you just didn’t think about it overtly, which is the way it should be really – romance is romance right? But a few months ago I was trying to think of what my first m/m romance read was and it popped into my head. I think I had a huge crush on Vanyel…I mean who didn’t?
Shame on me I suppose but I have never read Tolkien. When I was about 13 I read Gone With the Wind and began my foray into romance and here I am today enjoying the heck out of every mm book I can get my hands on. I wonder what my old librarian would think of that, she was constantly steering me away from books she thought were inappropriate, this was in the late 50s early 60s. I did discover scifi in my 30s and love it to this day, Phillip K Dick was the one to hook me. Loved the excerpt and cannot wait to read more.
Shame on me actually, because I’ve never read Gone With the Wind! I have meant to a few times and then somehow or other it hasn’t happened. Phillip K Dick is great – though I’ve only read a few of his works. That’s the great thing about reading though, you’re never “done”! I’m glad you liked the excerpt!
I have a deep love for TLOTR since I first read them at age 11. I read a lotoffa tasy growing up so this brings me back! Congrats on the release.
OceanAkers@aol.com
Sorry about the typos, my touch screen is confused! * a lot of fantasy
Thanks!! Actually, I just figured “lotoffa tasy” was elvish or something
I was kinda impressed…
Ok, the series is properly abbreviated LOTR. I read The Hobbit like 50 times before my mother bothered to mention there were more books. I still have the family’s hardback set, plus a paperback set for lending, plus my husband has the all in one book version. I once met a boy in the mental ward of a hospital. He had just found the first book, but could not find the others so I went and bought him his own set. I will never forgot the look of amazement that they were his. That someone had bought him something just because.
The Last Herald Mage trilogy is one of my favorite rereads. Makes me cry every time.
Okay, I could just keep going– a topic dear to my heart! Can’t wait to read your series.
Thanks! You’re right, LOTR is the correct acronym, very true! I can’t imagine how heavy the all in one edition is. That’s fantastic that you bought that boy his own set of books, I hope they brought him some joy.
While reading your post something dawned on me…The Last Herald Mage was my first m/m read too…no wonder I’m such a big m/m fan!
The Binding sounds like a great series…please count me in on the contest. Thanks
I think it might have been a lot of people’s first m/m read. So tragic and heartbreaking wasn’t it? Send your email so I can put you in the contest pool!
oops…I knew i forgot something!
chellebe@comcast.net
I come from a family of non-readers (gasp!). Granted, they read to me as a child and facilitated my trips to the public library as far back as I can remember, but my passion for the written word was not a trait passed down from my parents. I discovered my favorite genres and authors through trial and error (both Tolkien and Lackey eventually found their way onto that list). I’m just lucky that my parents indulged me and my voracious appetite for books.
Your cover intrigued me initially and I’m glad I was able to read a little excerpt as I now want to read more. melora.derryth@gmail.com
That’s great that your parents fostered your love of reading even if they didn’t share it. I think I mystified my parents a lot of time time with some of the things I was into and frustrated them by not being into some of the things they hoped I would be (violin, oh god, what torture!). The cover to the book makes me sooo happy, it’s by Anne Cain who is a fabulous cover artist, I feel lucky to have had her work on the book.
I’m honestly not the least bit surprised to learn it’s an Anne Cain cover. I’ve realized, after investigating some of my favorite covers that’s she’s behind the majority of them.
I know, me too! I requested her but wasn’t sure if I would get her. So happy I did!
I admit, it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I really appreciated “The Tolkien”
Thanks for the giveaway!
smaccall AT comcast.net
No problem! Thank you! And better late than never right?
Sounds great would love to win.
Have to say not much reading in my house as a kid, well my mom actually did read all the time just nothing I considerd good. I didnt start reading for myself until aboyt 5 years ago…started amd i havent looked back since.
That’s awesome – think of all the years of pleasure reading you have to catch up on now! You didn’t include your email, so send it along!
I Loved your Excerpt & went to Dreamspinner Press, The Binding: Someone to Depend On by Leora Stark sounds like such a Fantastic Read I would very much appreciate the opportunity to be considered in your very generous giveaway. Thank You.
Take care & Stay Naughty,
PaParanormalFan (Renee’ S.)
paranormalromancefan at yahoo dot com
Thanks! I’ll certainly include you. I love your sign off
This was an interesting read. My family is full of readers of all kinds of books, but LOTR was never a big one until my brother forced me to read it. I enjoyed it, but at this point, I can’t say it’s one of my favs. That being said, The Last Herald Mage is one of my favorites. I raced to buy it after reading it at the library. Finally a main stream fantasy novel where the main character was gay. A book I could identify with. But it always makes me cry. Reading about your new book definitely has me interested. It sounds like a great book and can’t wait to read it. I’d love the chance to win it, but will happily buy it if necessary. Really does sound great.
Jase G.
jada76@gmail.com