Fantasy, Romance, Queer fiction

Walking On Water Pubs today! November 13, 2017 from Matthew J. Metzger and Ninestar Press.

Identities: bisexual, transgender

Blurb:

When a cloud falls to earth, Calla sets out to find what lies beyond the sky. Father says there’s nothing, but Calla knows better. Something killed that cloud; someone brought it down.

Raised on legends of fabled skymen, Calla never expected them to be real, much less save one from drowning—and lose her heart to him. Who are the men who walk on water? And how can such strange creatures be so beautiful?

Infatuated and intrigued, Calla rises out of her world in pursuit of a skyman who doesn’t even speak her language. Above the waves lies more than princes and politics. Above the sky awaits the discovery of who Calla was always meant to be. But what if it also means never going home again?

We have a character interview today:

Doktor Karl Hauser has been a close friend and confidante to the royal family for over thirty years—but every man has a price, and for that price, he’s agreed to give us a little insider knowledge on the love affair between Prince Janez and an unknown foreign sailor. Welcome, Doktor. What’s your relationship like with the prince?

 He’s an idiot who gets himself into trouble, I’m the idiot who gets him out of it again and sews up the scars. For some reason, he’s a glutton for punishment and returns to my sickrooms whether he’s ill or not, just to talk my ear off and distract me.

So he confides everything in you?

 I doubt it. But he confides a lot. Doctor’s vows, you see. He trusts me not to break his confidence, and I’ve found it better to let a patient talk themselves out of a blue mood than to jump straight for the leeches.

Have you known the prince his whole life?

 Him and his brother both. I delivered them when they were babies, and have seen them through every fall and illness ever since, more fool me. Without my skills, Janez would have been killed half a dozen times over by now—although admittedly, perhaps Held had more to do with him being spared the last time.

Who is Held?

 Nobody really knows. He saved Janez from drowning, but nobody’s sure which ship he came from. Barely speaks, can’t read or write, barely seems to understand the concept of shoes, but he’s harmless enough. Janez is very…attached to him. For a number of reasons.

What kind of a man is Janez? Is it unusual to see him in love, or were you not surprised?

 A bit of both, I suppose. He loves easily—Janez is a romantic at heart, despite his dedication to duty, so it was hardly a surprise when he began to resist the idea of his inevitable engagement. I will admit that I didn’t see him falling so hard or so fast for a foreigner like he did, much less one who can’t speak a lick of German, but then, Held did save the prince’s life. That sort of thing does tend to affect one’s emotions.

It can’t have gone down well, the king’s brother having an affair with a commoner.

 There’s a certain amount of understanding about it. Even does a man’s reputation good, to have a bastard child or two scattered about the world. But once Janez started to try and get out of his engagement in favour of Held—well, that didn’t go down so well, no. Especially not with an alliance hanging in the balance. War isn’t the time to fall in love, I’m afraid, and the king is hardly a sympathetic man.

What about Held? Why did Janez trust him? Why do you trust him?

I wouldn’t trust Held to know which end of a spoon is which, but it’s patently obvious that he’s besotted with Janez. Man’s obviously simple, if you ask me. As for Janez trusting him, Janez is the type. He’d trust anyone who’d smile at him—and moreover, Held saved his life. Not much of an assassin from the north if he goes about saving royal lives, is he?

You mention the north, is that where Held is from?

 I’ve no idea. I’ve never heard his language before, and Janez can’t figure it out either. As long as it’s not the enemy tongue, what do I care? When they brought Janez up from the beaches, he was babbling about webbed fingers, so the little princess has it in her head that he’s a merman. Fanciful nonsense.

You don’t believe in merfolk?

 Of course I don’t. Utter drivel. No more real than ghosts and fairies.

What’s in store, then, if Janez has to marry?

 I’m no soothsayer, but Janez is as stubborn as the king. Alarik might insist on a royal wedding, but I’m sure Janez will find a way around the matter. And from what I’ve seen, so might Held. And who knows? If an opportunity presented itself, I might lend a hand myself. I’d rather the prince in a good mood—insufferable as he is—than the foul royal temper.

So will Janez get to live happily ever after?

 More fanciful nonsense. Show me a man who ever did!

Maybe we will. Thank you for your time, Doktor, and we’ll let you get back to your experiments now.

 

I’d like to thank Matt for providing the character interview and information on his book. 🙂

You can add the book to your digital TBR here on Goodreads Walking On Water

Or you buy the book from the publisher (where both the publisher and the author get more of the profit) Here: Ninestar Press Walking On Water

If you’d like it in print, you can get it from Amazon.

You can connect with Matthew via the following links.

Twitter

Website

Facebook

Author Bio:

Matthew J. Metzger is an asexual, transgender author dragged up in the wet and windy British Isles. He writes queer characters living all manner of lives, but especially likes to write the stories from the pub, the beautiful game, and the terraces where he lives and works today. Although mainly a contemporary romance writer, Matthew has recently been found straying out of his zone and playing in other genres’ sandboxes.

When not writing, Matthew is usually at his day job, working out, or asleep. He is owned by an enormous black cat, so should generally be approached with either extreme caution, or treats.

He can be primarily found on Twitter and Facebook or over at his website, and is always happy to hear from readers.