That sounds something like “release the hounds!” but I hope my book isn’t a dog. Ha! Anyway, it’s being released today, and I hope you give it a try. This story went through about five major incarnations, and as it stands now it is one of my favorite stories.

Dawn in the Orchard:

Gary Winston is a professional musician with a debilitating problem: stage fright. Between his failing career and his failing relationship, Chicago has little left to offer him, so when he inherits his great-aunt’s pecan farm in North Carolina, it’s the perfect excuse to escape.

Nervous about being back in the deep South again, surrounded by small-town homophobia, Gary’s certainly not ready to fall in love. Then he meets local farmer, businessman, and fiddle player Chuck Everett, whose family has been contracted to harvest the crop of pecans. Chuck’s the perfect man for Gary… except for being deep in the Southern closet.

Life heats up quickly when they start making music together, and though both men have more than their fair share of baggage, neither can walk away from the relationship. If Gary rediscovers his muse and realizes being true to himself means moving past his comfort zone, will going forward mean leaving Chuck behind?