Please help us welcome Kimberly Beckett to the blog this week. Kimberly is here to share Lionel’s Leap of Faith, a M/M contemporary romance from her Horses Heal Hearts Series. Welcome, Kimberly! We are all excited to hear more about Lionel’s Leap of Faith.
Q&A with Kimberly Beckett:
Q: Where is your favorite place to write?
A: I write at home at my dining room table most of the time. It’s quiet and removed from the rest of the house, and far enough away from the TV that I’m not tempted to procrastinate by watching my favorite shows lol!
Q: What inspires you as an author?
A: My horses throughout the years are my inspiration for the horses that I feature in my Horses Heal Hearts series. Horses have been a significant influence in my life for several years, and I’m hoping through my books that both horse owners and lovers and non-horse owners will be able to understand better how horses and their human families complement and strengthen each other.
Q: Why do you write romance, and why your particular genre of romance?
A: I have read romance novels since I was very young, and have always appreciated the optimism and hope that a happily ever after ending creates. I work full time as an attorney, and for me contemporary romance writing is an escape from the strict factual writing world to the creative and uplifting world of romance. I purely enjoy it.
Q: What are you working on next, and when can we expect to see it?
A: The third book in my Horses Heal Hearts series is Lionel’s Leap of Faith, which is a gay male second chance at romance novella. It should be available for purchase in ebook format from Amazon and Barnes and Noble on September 25th.
Q: What would you do if you couldn’t write?
A: I can’t even imagine not being able to write, but if that ever happened, I would definitely spend more time with my horse.
Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: I actually don’t have a lot of free time lol! Seriously, though, I love to read, and when I’m not reading, I’m binge watching some of my favorite TV shows. Lately I’ve been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I missed those shows when they were originally on TV, and one of my author friends swears by them, so I had to give them a watch. Now, I’m addicted.
About Lionel’s Leap of Faith:
One fateful decision in a moment of weakness destroyed Lionel Hayes’ life as he knew it and led to the death of his long time partner and lover. At first, he blamed his friend Michael Stafford for his misfortune and sought revenge, but through his work rehabilitating abused horse, and the trust of one special horse, he realized that he had to take responsibility for his actions, and that he and he alone should take the blame. From that day forward, Lionel vowed to restore his image and resume the career that he loved. In the process, he found the horse of a lifetime, Gideon’s Rainbow.
Monty Campbell was a rising star on the international show jumping circuit until he lost his horse to injury. Desperate for a replacement mount, and with the support of the British Equestrian Team, he leaned of Gideon’s Rainbow and knew this horse was for him. To his surprise, the horse’s owner was also a perfect match for him, although the man stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. How could Monty convince Lionel they were meant for each other and would the sinister force that sought to destroy Lionel destroy Monty as well?
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Excerpt from Lionel’s Leap of Faith:
Lionel watched as a late-model black Range Rover traveled up the farm drive and stopped in the nearby parking area. As soon as the vehicle engine was shut off, two men exited the vehicle. He recognized the man exiting the driver’s side of the vehicle as Randall Bridges. Randall had always been a bit cagey when it came to admitting his age, but Lionel guessed that Randall was in his early sixties.
What Lionel knew for a certainty was that Randall always presented a distinguished appearance with his wavy salt and pepper hair perfectly styled. Today he was wearing a tweed jacket, crew neck sweater, and designer jeans with western boots, which was his usual uniform.
Lionel had a fondness for Randall because he was the first member of the British equestrian establishment that was willing to forgive Lionel’s transgression and give him another chance. For that, Lionel would always be in Randall’s debt.
The second man drew Lionel’s interest from the moment he exited the car. He was a couple of inches over six feet tall, with thick, wavy auburn hair that seemed to defy any attempts at taming. He was clearly young, which confirmed Rachel’s recollection that he was about twenty-five, and had an air of confidence bordering on arrogance Lionel rarely saw in someone that young. He was dressed more casually than Randall, wearing a polo shirt and breeches. Lionel noted with approval that he was already wearing his riding boots, meaning he was eager to climb aboard Beau and give him a try.
So, this is Monty Campbell. At that moment, Randall turned to Monty and said something that drew his attention. Lionel took advantage of the distraction Randall provided to look the young Scot over further. Lionel had to admit that he was incredibly handsome, tall, and fit, without being overly muscular. If only I were ten years younger. Lionel caught himself short. Where did that thought come from? Disconcerted by the direction of his wayward thoughts. Lionel mentally shook himself and fixed a smile on his face and stepped forward to greet the two men.
“Gentlemen,” he said as he shook hands with each of them in turn. “Welcome to Second Chance Farm.” He looked directly at Monty. “Mr. Campbell, I’m Lionel Hayes. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Randall has been singing your praises, and I must confess I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do with Gideon’s Rainbow.” Before the man could respond, Lionel turned and started to lead the two men to the barn. “My farm manager, Rachel, is in the barn tacking up Beau as we speak. He should be ready for you in a few minutes.”
“I’m really looking forward to seeing Gideon’s Rainbow in action,” Randall effused. “I’ve heard such great things about him.”
“He is special,” Lionel assured him. “You won’t be disappointed.”
Monty took the opportunity to interject. “If you don’t mind, Lionel, I think I’ll withhold judgment until I have to chance to try him myself. It wouldn’t be the first time an owner has puffed up a horse’s abilities to make a sale.” He then turned to Randall and said in a low voice, although not low enough that Lionel wasn’t able to hear him, “I hope you aren’t wasting my time here, Randall. I don’t have much time to find a replacement for All In, and this farm doesn’t impress me as the kind of place that would produce a world class jumper.”
Lionel’s temper flared. It took everything he had not to give this young man the set down he deserved. It appeared Rachel was right. This man was too arrogant by half. Not someone he would ever consider a romantic partner. Now he was really looking forward to Beau’s reaction to the man. This could be very interesting. Pointedly ignoring Monty’s rude comment, he turned to an embarrassed Randall and asked after his family.
About Kimberly Beckett:
Ever since she can remember, Kimberly Beckett has loved horses. She wore out 4 rocking horses before she was 5 years old, and as she got older, she read every horse story in print, from Black Beauty to My Friend Flicka. It wasn’t until she got her first job as an attorney for the federal government, however, that could afford to buy her first horse, and she hasn’t been without at least one ever since. She has been riding dressage for several years and has earned her United States Dressage Federation Bronze Medal. When she wasn’t reading about horses, she was reading romance novels, and her favorites always involve an alpha male Hero riding a magnificent horse. Kimberly has now found a way to combine her love of horses with her love of romance by writing her own version of equine-facilitated happily ever afters. She truly believes that Horses Heal Hearts. She lives in southwest Ohio with her warmblood horse.
If you loved Lionel’s Leap of Faith, please read the first book in Kimberly’s Horses Heal Hearts Series, Dressage Dreaming, where readers are first introduced to Lionel Hayes, his best friend Michael Stafford, and Michael’s love, Jessica Warren.
To find out more about Kimberly, and to keep up with her next release, please visit her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Author-Kimberly-Beckett-270784220060587/, and check out her website, www.kimberlybeckett.com and sign up for her periodic email updates.