Blog Tour - Otherworld

Hi, thanks for joining me on my blog tour. My name's Emma Jane and I'm one of the authors of Otherworld.

Archetypal English toff William "Liam" Barnes is in big trouble. He's borrowed money from Irish gangster Davey McGrath with one simple proviso: get the prism from Matthew Luttrell - seducing him if he has to - and bring it back to him. But the prism isn't with Matthew, and Liam makes a decision he can't undo, meaning he's now twenty thousand pounds in debt to a vicious gangster and has no idea where to find the prism.

That is, until he meets stoic Irishman Jim Henvey, the real owner of the prism, who has a cruel demi-goddess of a mother on the warpath for him. Liam and Jim quickly find themselves tied up in each other's messes, and with more than just the mortal world out to get them, is there any way they can find their way out of a battle between dimensions together and still have time to figure out their feelings for each other? Or will they sink deeper into trouble?

Today, I'm going to talk about Liam. Liam is a spoilt young man from a well-off English family. His father, Nicholas, thinks he's a waste of space. His mother, however, dotes on him. Openly gay and not short on confidence, Liam is definitely not backwards at coming forwards. He often speaks his mind and, even more often, acts before he thinks. Impulsive, passionate, and reckless, with a potty-mouth and a knack for inventive swears, Liam both frustrates and delights love-interest Jim. He has a vulnerable side and can be child-like. He thrives on being loved - love for his father and wanting his father's love being his initial drive.

Liam was hugely fun to write and his character formed quickly in my mind. One of my first inspirations for him was Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas - Oscar Wilde's lover, but he soon became his own character.

~

"I suppose you'll be wanting some candyfloss," Jim said, glancing over at him as they neared the entrance. "You look like the type with a sweet tooth."

"Candyfloss makes me horny," Liam said. "If you think you can handle that..."

Jim raised his eyebrows. "That's one way to ruin a childhood treat."

"My dear, everything makes me horny," Liam said, sticking a cigarette between his lips to hide his smile. "Everything."

"I should have guessed," Jim said with a grin. They stopped at a stall, and Jim bought them both a stick of candyfloss. "We're looking for my cousin, by the way. His name's Eoin. Looks like me except with black hair and a bigger nose."

"Handsome," he commented, flicking the cigarette away and peeling a strip from the candyfloss instead. He laughed. "This stuff tastes like shit. Crunchy, sugary shit, I love it."

"It reminds me of being a kid," Jim said, licking his fingers. "I used to save all my pocket money to come here. And if I did run out, I'd, ah, borrow it from some of the less observant patrons."

"You rotten bastard," Liam said, grinning. "I can just imagine it. I bet you looked adorable." They walked past the High Striker, where a weedy-looking man was struggling even to lift the hammer. Liam eyed the guy running the game, checking out his muscular arms, turning to walk backward so he could watch him a little longer.

"Eyes on the road, Buckingham," Jim said, his voice low.

"Look at his arms!" Liam said. "I have a thing for arms." He picked off more candyfloss and popped it into his mouth. "You should have a go at that game, I bet you'd win."

Otherworld is published by Torquere Press. Buy it here

You can follow Emma Jane on Twitter: @emizzy. Follow her blog: http://emmy-j.blogspot.co.uk or visit her website: ejtett.weebly.com

Also by Emma Jane:

The Queen's Guard - a short story published in Torquere's Men in Uniform anthology

Compulsion - a short story published in Dreamspinner's Hot off the Press anthology

Shuttered - a novel published by Dreamspinner Press, due for release December 2014

Also by Liz Powell:

Hunted - a novel published by Manifold Press