GUEST POST: Coming Out Twice by Sydney Presley

Coming Out Twice is a mixture of a few things that have been sitting in my brain for a long time. Vampires—I kind of dig them quite a bit, no idea why. It’s not the blood, because that gives me the creeps, but just the whole living-throughout-the-night thing and being alive for a really long time. The idea of seeing several centuries firsthand and how the world has evolved over that many years must be fascinating to experience. And it brings a whole new level when a vampire says, “Back in my day, lad…”

The other thing is not crossdressing per se but being able to go onto the stage of life dressed in whatever you want and feeling comfortable doing so. I’ve always struggled with the way I look, and there are times when I see something in a shop and wish I had the guts to wear it. With Ruby in the story…there’s a bit of me in him, where I live through him in order to get on that stage and wear a lovely dress. There are quite a few echoes of me in Ruby, actually, but we won’t go there…

Of course, I had to have my baddies in the story, people I can thwart—ahem, I mean, people my characters can thwart—and know that the day was saved in the end. I do so like a happy ever after, don’t you? And being able to get the naughty folks caught and dealt with is immensely satisfying. Besides, who doesn’t like to see Beastly Bob or Repugnant Rita getting their just desserts? Plus, the sigh at the end when the characters have come out tops and go off into the sunset together—or in a vampire’s case, into the darkness, muhahaha—is one of the best things about writing romance.

I have a different story involving vampires coming out soon with Pride. That’s a novel, and it swept me away. I dealt with another issue close to my heart in that book, but that’s a separate article altogether. But the vampires…I like to give them a break, you know? They’re seen as bad sometimes, but I like to think everyone can redeem themselves if they really want to—and those who don’t or can’t, well, I just kill them off in my books, as you do. So, yeah, I like to create a good vampire, and along with them always comes my descriptions of the moon—for some reason they go hand in hand for me. Mist, fog, murky shadows, they all feature in my head alongside a vampire. And to have vampire-wolves like I have in Coming Out Twice was just Heaven for me, because I do love a shifter. They’re my main focus, my wolfies, and I love them.

Last but not least, we have love. I’m a massive supporter of people loving who they want. Life is too short not to fall for someone who knocks your socks off, and for those who feel they can’t do that, my heart breaks for them. So I create worlds where love always wins the day no matter what. Oh. Crafty. Did you see what I did there? I said No Matter What. Just happens to be another new story of mine coming out with Pride soon. The other one involving vampires is called No More Pocket Change. Dear me, would you look at that? I just did it again. I’ll just sidle off now for name dropping titles. Gosh, I’m so bad… Wink!

Have a great day! 🙂

Blurb:

Trapped in their closets, the only thing to do is come out twice.

Salford and Ruby, vampire-wolves, have been born into The Clan, into the Level where killing is expected. Hating their jobs eliminating humans who have discovered vampire-wolves exist, they long for better times, where bloodshed isn’t the order of the day. But that isn’t about to happen any time soon—not while Albert, one of The Clan’s twelve Leaders, oversees everything they do.

Ruby, a cross-dresser, has spent many of his previous centuries trapped in the closet. Lately, though, he’s been able to wear what he wants and can express his love for Salford in public. Knowing how freeing that has been, he wishes The Clan laws were different and that he and Salford didn’t have to kill, freeing them from that dreadful closet, too. But it would take a strong person to ask The Clan to consider a vote that would allow Ruby and Salford to be exempt from having to kill, and Ruby isn’t sure he’s the right man for the job.

With a London gang discovering vampire-wolves exist, and Salford having dreams that tell him what they must face next, Salford and Ruby must eliminate the men who are after them. But someone else is also a danger—someone closer to home. Someone who should have vampire-wolves’ best interests at heart, but doesn’t…

Link:

https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/coming-out-twice

About the author:

Sydney has always enjoyed writing. “There’s something about losing yourself in another world, where the real one ceases to exist and all your dreams and wishes can be placed on the page—dreams for a better planet where love isn’t questioned but accepted by all.”

When Sydney isn’t writing, there’s plenty of reading to be done. “I can’t imagine not reading every day. It would be weird not to have a book to hand because I’ve always had one nearby. Life without reading isn’t something I’d like to contemplate. The thought brings me out in hives.”

Sydney lives in a peaceful area where the hustle and bustle of the city doesn’t figure. “I left city life years ago. Too stressful for me. I prefer listening to the swish of leaves on the trees instead of tyres on tarmac. The twittering of birds instead of the chatter of people. Alone time to reflect and ponder is a must. A small portion of every day spent by myself is vital to my sanity and soul.”