Pressure Head: Coming in September

[jl_merrow]

I’m delighted to reveal the cover art for my next novel, Pressure Head.

And here’s the blurb:

Some secrets are better left hidden.

To most of the world, Tom Paretski is just a plumber with a cheeky attitude and a dodgy hip, souvenir of a schoolboy accident. The local police keep his number on file for a different reason—his sixth sense for finding hidden things.
When he’s called in to help locate the body of a missing woman up on Nomansland Common, he unexpectedly encounters someone who resurrects a host of complicated emotions. Phil Morrison, Tom’s old school crush, now a private investigator working the same case. And the former bully partly responsible for Tom’s injury.

The shocks keep coming. Phil is now openly gay, and shows unmistakable signs of interest. Tom’s attraction to the big, blond investigator hasn’t changed—in fact, he’s even more desirable all grown up. But is Phil’s interest genuine, or does he only want to use Tom’s talent?

As the pile of complicated evidence surrounding the woman’s murder grows higher, so does the heat between Tom and Phil. But opening himself to this degree exposes Tom’s heart in a way he’s not sure he’s ready for…while the murderer’s trigger finger is getting increasingly twitchy.

Warning: Contains a flirtatious plumber with hidden talents, a cashmere-clad private investigator with hidden depths, and an English village chock full of colourful characters with plenty to hide.

Due out in ebook from Samhain Publishing 18th September 2012.

And in other news: I’m also rather ridiculously chuffed about this:

You won’t be able to read the little plaque, but it says Verulam Writers’ Circle Fiction Prize, which I was thrilled to bits to win last night for a piece of short fiction! 

You may now colour me absolutely terrified I’m going to break the thing before I have to hand it over to someone else next year…

Comments

[sandra-lindsey.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I like the cover! Although it's making me wonder if I have a hidden liking for men in check shirts... I've already learned over the last few years that a man in a cowboy hat on the cover will always make me read the blurb...

And congratulations on the prize!

[jl_merrow]

I'm rather partial to his leather wrist thingy myself. ;)
And I do like a guy with rolled up sleeves - he looks like he's ready to go into action!

Thank you! :D

[sandra-lindsey.livejournal.com]

Mm, yes, maybe it's more the rolled-up sleeves?

I think I need to test this theory by staring at him for a bit longer ;-)

[magistra17sum.livejournal.com]

Congrats! And I'm very much looking forward to reading this; the blurb sounds excellent, and I love the cover. \o/

...is it September yet?

[jl_merrow]

*g* 3 months, 3 days.... Seems like forever!

Thanks, I'm very pleased with the cover - which of course makes the wait to see it in paperback seem even longer! ;D

[magistra17sum.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, how closely do your cover models tend to match up with your mental image of your characters?

[jl_merrow]

I have to confess I'm really not a very visual person, so I often don't have a precise image of my guys. I know the basics, of course - height, hair and eye colour, that sort of thing - but I don't have a picture of them in my head. It's more that I know them when I see them (so terribly helpful to a cover artist!)

Some of my covers have been spot on - Hard Tail, Pressure Head, Muscling Through, Pricks and Pragmatism - and others, less so. Obviously, artists are limited as to what they can obtain in terms of stock photos. I chose the cover model myself for A Calling for Pleasure, and he's close, but not 100% my Rael!

[magistra17sum.livejournal.com]

I'm not very visual either, so I often find myself looking at a cover after I've read the book and being surprised to see a face looking back at me. Sometimes I then think, "Oh yes! Of course!" while other times, "Huh. No, that's not what I expected at all." Glad to know you've had some success. I imagine it's difficult for anyone to find a stock photo of a real person that matches with a completely fictional one. ^_^

[melanietushmore.livejournal.com]

well done! \o/


blurb sounds great, btw! & v nice cover ;p

[jl_merrow]

Thank you! Yes, I'm very pleased with how it turned out! :D

[mangopip.livejournal.com]

Congrats!!!

[jl_merrow]

Thank you! :D

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

*sings like Cliff but in tune* Congratulations!

[jl_merrow]

Thank you! :D

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Go you on both counts!

The book sounds excellent.