#RainbowSnippets 2017-Nov 18 – Closets Are for Clothes

Posted on by Addison Albright 26 Comments

I’ve joined the Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook. From their description: “Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).” Pretty cool, eh? Don’t forget to “Like” my Facebook page and/or my Facebook profile while you’re over there checking out this fantastic group!

Rainbow

Still snipping from Closets Are for Clothes (I finally got around to naming it) featuring Mike & Wes. I’m picking up where I left off last week. Wes is Mike’s new roommate. Whether or not that’ll be “with benefits” is still up in the air. This thread takes place early on their first morning sharing an apartment.

Told from Mike’s 1st-person POV.

Click to expand refresher scenes from this thread:

Part 1 – Posted 4-Nov-2017

I looked up with a start when Wes strolled into the kitchen, running his fingers through some wild and crazy bedhead, wearing sleep pants that hung so low it had to be deliberate, and no shirt whatsoever. Payback was a bitch.

I was dressed in standard “business casual,” wearing a bright blue polo shirt over khakis, so he had a decided and unfair advantage. Decided, anyway, although the fairness was in question since, although I’d taunted him last night, he was kicking it up three notches. Plus, I was on my way to work without the option of another shower to take the edge off.

My face heated, but I managed to say, “Stuff’s still on the counter if you like oatmeal,” in what I hoped was a normal voice, but I was pretty sure it sounded a bit strained—or maybe choked, as in choking on my tongue while trying to speak.

Part 2 – Posted 11-Nov-2017

His mouth quirked into a grin that he quickly checked. Bastard. “Good morning. And thank you, yes, oatmeal’s fine.” His head swiveled as he seemed to be searching for something.

Oh. “Looking for coffee?”

This week’s new snippet:

(Payback's a Bitch) Part 3 – 18-Nov-2017

He turned hopeful eyes in my direction. “Please?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, I don’t drink it. The coffee maker was Amber’s so she took it with her.” I kind of felt bad as his eyes widened in apparent alarm. “This tea’s got caffeine, if that’ll help. Probably a little less than half of what’s in a cup of coffee, though.”

His face scrunched, lessoning the appearance of alarm and replacing it with an air of dubious conviction, but he looked around again and I took pity on him despite—or maybe because of—the way his chest heaved.

Dream On – Book 1 – Closets Are for Clothes

43,199 words

Coming in February, 2018 to JMS Books, LLC

Mike’s life is carefully compartmentalized. He’s deep in the closet to his family back in Kansas, but lives life honestly and openly in Austin. He’s unnerved when Wes, his old university crush, turns up at his door in answer to a roommate advertisement, but quickly sees the potential…benefits of the arrangement. Wes has never doubted nor denied his sexuality. With the support of his family he’s an out and proud LGBT activist.

On the scale balancing his self-esteem on one side, and the love of his family on the other, Mike has to decide which weighs more. Is Mike being fair to his parents by not giving them the chance to know his real self? When the delicate balance of his life is disrupted, he decides he’s tired of living a lie. Will Wes understand his concerns, or will their fledgling relationship crumble under the strain of Mike’s uncertainty?

NOTE: Closets Are for Clothes  is a from-the-ground-up comprehensively rewritten and reedited version of A Dream Come True. While the theme of the original story is the same, and many important scenes remain (albeit retold), much of the story’s background has changed. The earlier editions were told in alternating 3rd-person POV. Closets Are for Clothes is told entirely from Mike’s 1st-person POV.

#RainbowSnippets

26 thoughts on “#RainbowSnippets 2017-Nov 18 – Closets Are for Clothes”

    1. Hahaha! Aww, thanks! I’m not sure. I’ve already got the next two scheduled to run with snippets from Captain Jack and the Snack Attack since that’s a holiday story. Might do even more from that one—haven’t decided yet. I was planning to pick back up here after that since this one will be out in February.

      I’m still on chapter one (not quite 7k in) with the new one. I wouldn’t mind an opinion of the likability of the POV character if you’d wouldn’t mind taking a look. Converting to 1st-person can make that tricky.

      Reply

      1. I’m gonna snippet from Yuletide, too. That’s great. More potential readers!! 🙂

        Of course I can take a look. I’m never too busy to help you out. (Maybe on Christmas Eve, but that’s about it 😉 ) Send it over.

        Reply

        1. Yay! I was all set to snip from that today, but Amazon is still being a slowpoke dropping it to free, and I wouldn’t want to drive anyone there until they do. There’ve been 104 downloads so far on Smashwords, though, without even promoting it. 🎉

          Reply

  7. I can do without coffee, but this is why you always keep really good instant coffee or coffee bags (like tea bags) in your house. I have family members who’ll tear my head off if I don’t have some stowed away for them. It’s called self-preservation.

    Reply

    1. I’ve kept coffee bags before. I still have a Keurig from when I had family living with me that drank coffee. I have the reusable pods for when they visit. It’s handy just for quick hot water to make cocoa, too.

      Reply

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