GUEST POST: TA Chase
TA Chase is visiting Two Men as part of the blog tour for the newly released anthology, Semper Fidelis.
Thank you for having me here at Because Two Men Are Better Then One. I love the name of your blog. It’s so true.
My name is T.A. Chase and I write m/m romance. In case some of you didn’t know that. I have a new story out in the Semper Fidelis anthology called Always Ready. All the stories in this particular anthology are about Marines, the Navy or the Coast Guard.
Always Ready is the Coast Guard motto, so obviously my story features a man serving as a rescue swimmer out of the Guard station on Kodiak Island in Alaska. Dean Jacobson loves saving people who get caught in the unpredictable weather of the Bering Sea. There’s only one person he loves more than his job and that is Phillip Rhodes. Phil Rhodes’s family has been crab fishermen on the Sea for generations. He knows the dangers, but he also knows his lover will be there to save him if things go wrong.
I’ll admit to watching too many episodes of Deadliest Catch. I love watching those guys battle the elements to bring in their quota and have had this idea for a story set in that place for a long time. Being a crab fisherman on the Bering Sea has long been considered the most dangerous job in the world. They have to deal with negative temperatures while being pummeled by storms that reach hurricane strength. I never knew there could be hurricanes in that stretch of the world.
Crabbers have to worry about being crushed by their crab pots while huge waves crash over the sides of the boats. They have to worry about being swept out into the freezing water or their boat capsizing. Once they go into the water, they have a short period of time to be recovered before hypothermia sets in.
Plus I’ve thought the Coast Guard has kind of gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to romances being written about them. Yet they deal with some of the most dangerous situations our military gets involved in. They must confront drug smugglers on the high seas as well as go into hurricanes to save people. I decided to write a story about unheralded heroes. Those men—and women—who don’t always get the publicity and accolades for what they do, but they still do their jobs, keeping our shores safe.
What better way to show my appreciation of both types of men than to have them fall in love with each other. A man in uniform who risks his life every time he climbs into the helicopter and the captain of his own fishing boat who risks his life each time he leaves the docks at Dutch Harbor for the season.
For both men, their jobs are dangerous, but they wouldn’t do anything else. Doing something else wouldn’t make them who they are.
Thank you again for letting me talk about my obsession with crab fishermen and Coast Guard rescue swimmers. I hope you take a moment to check out Semper Fidelis and the other stories in the anthology.
About TA Chase:
There is beauty in every kind of love, so why not live a life without boundaries? Experiencing everything the world offers fascinates TA and writing about the things that make each of us unique is how she shares those insights. When not writing, TA’s watching movies, reading and living life to the fullest.
Blurb for the Semper Fidelis anthology:
‘Anomaly’ by S.A. McAuley
Staff Sergeant Galen Welc is known for his uncanny ability to spot improvised explosive devices and so he’s pitted against the latest in defense technology. He trusts his instincts and his training, but they may just be leading him somewhere—and to an explosive reaction with someone—he could never see coming.
‘Always Ready’ by T.A. Chase
Making a living on the Bering Sea is hard enough, but throw love into the equation, and things can blow into a hurricane. Dean and Phil must always be ready to love each other because life can be taken so easily when one works on the sea.
‘A Ring and a Vow’ by Devon Rhodes
Every promise must someday be fulfilled, and the best way Owen knows how to reward Cary’s faith is with a vow. It’s been nearly five years since Owen went down on one knee with his Academy ring and promised Cary he’d someday do it for real. With Cary being a Naval aviator and Owen a Marine officer serving in Iraq, they’re rarely on the same continent, let alone together. Cary has been waiting for Owen for years—there was no chance he’d ever say anything but yes. Owen is coming home at last, and wants to make a home with him.
‘My Marine’ by LE Franks and Sara York
Marine Captain Sean Kelley loves his country and the men he serves with, but when he meets Akim, he’s tempted to throw it all away for the mysterious man. Akim Bijan has a secret of his own—one large enough to get more than just himself killed if it’s revealed. But from the moment he first lays eyes on the handsome Marine, he’s tempted to do just that. When tragedy strikes, Akim is afraid he’s lost Sean for good and he’s forced to make a decision that will change both their lives.
‘Soul Sick’ by Kendall McKenna
Jamie thought he made it home to Tucker, leaving war behind. Now, each day he battles to fit into his own life, and save the love that saved his life. Jamie is a captain in the US Marine Corps who carried a photo of Tucker with him throughout his deployment. Tucker is a reformed bad boy who has an advanced degree and an important job but still sports long hair and tattoos. Now, they’re struggling to learn to live with each other again, and things are going downhill fast.
‘Safe Shores’ by Morticia Knight
Kirk’s Coast Guard lover, Shane, is the only person who can save his son from a vicious storm—if he’s not too late. Shane and Kirk’s joyful reunion is interrupted when an unusually vicious gale storm threatens the coast. Kirk has to stand by helplessly and wait while his lover battles the raging seas to save his son. In an instant, Kirk could lose everyone he holds dear.
Like the sound of the Semper Fidelis anthology? Buy it here.
Enter Totally Bound’s February blog competition for a chance to win an eBook of your choice!
https://www.totallybound.com/competition/february-blog-giveaway-2015