Why Is Coming Out Such a Powerful Theme? A GuestPost By Katie Porter with a Giveaway!!!

Born to old Virginia money, film producer Kyle Wakefield’s conservative upbringing kept him in the closet. Only once did he venture outside: for a tempestuous teenage affair with Nathan Carnes. When Nathan’s self-destructive streak landed him in prison, Kyle slammed the door on youthful hopes. Despite Hollywood successes, he still hides his true self. 

He thought he’d moved on, until his production company hires Nathan and his Second Chances stunt crew to work on the London set of a big-budget action flick. Watching Nathan risk life and limb with fellow ex-cons looking for a fresh start makes it tough for Kyle to keep his desires hidden.

 Thirteen years have passed since Nathan’s teenage self-doubt led him to sabotage any chance of a future with Kyle. He’s come a long way since then, but despite their explosive sexual chemistry, Kyle treats their attraction like a deep dark secret. 

Their matched Hollywood ambitions and a pain-in-the-ass director make cooperation essential. As the London holiday season casts its spell, the two men find themselves on the verge of falling in love again—even as old secrets and pain keep them shackled. The only hope of unlocking their hearts is a Christmas miracle. 

Warning: This book features a snowy London Christmas, sex on a pool table, a hot-and-dirty gay nightclub, and naughty references to candy canes.

When Carrie Lofty and I sat down to write Came Upon a Midnight Clear we sketched out the two heroes first, Nate and Kyle. Then we decided on their past together…and it became rapidly apparent that Kyle’s character hinged on the fact that he was very, very deeply in the closet. So naturally in order for them to have a happy-ever-after, he’d have to come out of that closet. We worried for a little bit. Was that storyline overdone? Is it boring by now?

 No. We really don’t think it is. Maybe it’s been written in lots of variations, but I think there’s a reason for that. Coming out stories are compelling because they’re a full and distinct affirmation of self. Kinda like self-affirmation on steroids—way more than just chanting in the mirror and saying “Doggone it, people like me.” It’s standing on the street corner and saying “You know what, I’m awesome and I don’t care if you like me.”

The thing is, coming out feels good, in the best sorts of circumstances, of course. There’s plenty of people who’ve come out to less than pleasant results. But we’re dealing in romance here. The good stuff about how we want the world to be, and the kind of love we want to fill it up.

Romance novels are a hopeful genre as a whole. They’re all about things getting better and people who want better lives and who have giant dreams. So what’s the biggest dream of all? Being one’s own, true, full and complete self. Everything you were born to be. So that means coming out—and coming out in a big way, often. Because big gestures are sexy, yes? Kyle makes a very, very big and dramatic coming out at the end of their book. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, because I suppose it could be considered a spoiler, but the beauty is in the details of how Kyle does it. Which is totally worth it. 

What the critics are saying: Came Upon a Midnight Clear has been described as “masterful,” (Publisher’s Weekly), “a complex gift,” (Library Journal), and “the perfect piece of erotica: nuanced, complex, dirty, loving, and intimate (RT BookReviews). Not only did the folks at RT make Came Upon a Midnight Clear a 4½ Star Top Pick, they’ve selected it as a Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best Erotic Romance Ebook of 2012—the first gay romance to receive that honor!

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For more about Katie Porter, the co-writing team of Carrie Lofty and Lorelie Brown: Don’t forget about our “Amazing Race to a Kindle [http://katieporterbooks.com/amazing-race-to-a-kindle/]” contest, which is going on now. Review Double Down on Amazon for your chance to win a gift certificate or even a Kindle Fire! In January, Lead and Follow [http://katieporterbooks.com/books/club-devant/lead-and-follow/] will launch the five-part “Club Devant [http://katieporterbooks.com/books/club-devant/]” series of erotic romances set in a glitzy New York City burlesque club. RT BookReviews gave Lead and Follow 4 Stars and raved, “Fans of erotica will be left breathless as they cha-cha straight into a cold shower.”

Where to find us: http://KatiePorterBooks.com
Twitter: @MsKatiePorter
Or individually: @carrielofty and @LorelieBrown

We'd like to give away a copy of CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR in any digital format. Just answer the question:

Do you think coming-out stories are over done, or are you can’t-get-enough? 

Thanks again to Scorching Book Reviews for featuring Katie Porter and Came Upon a Midnight Clear!