Thom Collins – Cold Day Dawning

Today, I have author Thom Collins in the interview chair. We’re discussing his latest release Cold Day Dawning, book four in the Jagged Shore series, a m/m romantic suspense. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

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1. Hi, Thom. First off, readers have an idea of the writer you, but what about the everyday you? Can you share about your personal life?

Thom: I split my time between writing and my day job in the criminal justice service. I work Mon to Thurs as part of a court team, then Friday is my writing day. I do try to write a little on the evenings after the day job, but don’t beat myself up too much if I don’t have time or I’m wiped out, knowing I always have my Fridays free. It’s quite a demanding job at times and I know a lot of writers dream of quitting their day job, but I like the balance of having a part-time job alongside my writing. I need that human interaction to be inspired. In a few more years I might reduce my hours to just three days a week, but we’ll see.

I live with my husband and our cat. We’re both pretty busy and don’t get a lot of downtime but when we do I like to relax at home. After lockdown we built a bar on the back of our house that we call Bassey’s, so I like to unwind in there on Friday and Saturday nights with cocktails, wine and snacks.

2. I’ve been perusing your Goodreads page and noticed you are drawn to thrillers. What is it about this genre that makes you want to write about it?

Thom: I love thrillers. I’m drawn to the suspense, the tension, the motives. On the whole I think the Jagged Shores books are quite sweet, but I still want to have a thriller element to each book. My next series after this will go into much darker, erotic thriller territory. I wrote the first book for that in the gap between Cold Day Dawning and the fifth Jagged Shores because I wanted to explore a much darker world and characters.

3. Your latest book is Cold Day Dawning. Can you tell me what inspired you to create this novel?

Thom: So, it’s the fourth Jagged Shores book, but I always want each story to work as a standalone title as well being part of a continuing series. I don’t want readers to be disappointed by a cliff-hanger, and each book has to satisfy in its own right. I wanted to do something a bit different to the previous three instalments and sibling rivalry was a theme I had not explored before. My fictional town of Nyemouth is so clear in my mind now, that once I knew the characters – the story and how it would unfold arrived almost fully formed.

4. Let’s talk about the main characters. What do you think readers will love most about Dalton Caine?

Thom: Dalton is a real sweetie. I think he’s the one readers will love straight away. He’s cute and focused and has a huge heart. At the start of the story, he is visiting his estranged sister Catherine. Catherine has alienated her entire family, and despite some issues in the past, Dalton is the only one still on speaking terms with her. He arrives with the best intention of building bridges and healing the family rift, but quickly realises that will be a lot harder that he thinks.

5. The same for Antoni. What do you believe readers will love most about him?

Thom: Antoni is a returning character from the previous book Deep Waters. He has a relatively minor role in that story but is changed forever by the end of it. We meet him again several months later and he’s struggling to put his life back together after what has happened. He’s probably one of my more personal characters. Like Antoni, I’ve had first hand experience of PTSD and the struggle it entails. I hope readers will relate to his strength and resilience.

6. Without giving away any spoilers, what was your favourite scene to write, and why?

Thom: That’s a tough one. I like all of the scenes set in Nyemouth itself. The town has become such a strong element of the series now. I feel I know it better than the place I really live.

7. You have quite the backlist. So you can only recommend one of your novels to a reader who is new to your works. Which would you recommend, and why?

Thom: My absolute favourite book to write was Anthem of the Dark. I love the characters and the setting. Unlike a lot of my books, it’s set in a real place, Blackpool, and I loved getting into that world. However, it’s the second book in a trilogy, so I’ll have to recommend book 1: Anthem of the Seas. Unlike Jagged Shores, the Anthem Trilogy has to be read in order, but if you’re prepared to invest in a three book story, it’s a great ride.

8. Which novel was your personal favourite to write, and why?

Thom: Anthem of the Dark. It was my first sequel and had to act as the middle book in a trilogy. I had no idea at the time if I could pull that off, but I loved writing it and I love the finished book.

9. I enjoy doing random questions, so humour me:

What’s your favourite movie?
You’ve started with a tough one. I love so many but if I’m forced to choose it’s Basic Instinct. That film had a profound effect on me when it first came out. I went to the cinema to see it six times back in 1992 and have no idea how many times I’ve watched it since. Such a shocking, sexual mainstream movie would never be made today.
What book is currently in your e-reader?
At the last count I there were 398 titles in my Kindle library. I’ve got the biggest to be read pile. The last book I read was a horror novella called Witching House Theatre by Jonathan Janz.
Who’s your favourite musical group?
10cc. I have all their albums, but their golden period was 1975 to 1978. I’m a sucker for old music and rarely listen to modern stuff, unless it’s a new release by an older artists.
What song puts a smile on your face?
Another oldie. Dance Yourself Dizzy by Liquid Gold.

9. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thom: Thank you very much for your interest in my books and the opportunity to appear on your site. I sincerely appreciate it.

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Title: Cold Day Dawning
Series: Jagged Shores, book #4
Author: Thom Collins
Genres: Contemporary MM romance, thriller, suspense
Tropes: Small town romance
Themes: Family, rivalry, revenge, overcoming PTSD
Release Date: August 22, 2023
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 63 223 words
Publisher: Pride Publishing

Danger comes in the cold of morning.

Blurb: It should be the perfect weekend away. Dalton Caine makes the long journey to Nyemouth to attend a party hosted by his sister. Catherine is estranged from most of the family, but Dalton feels the time has come to build bridges between them. Things don’t turn out how he wants, however, when Catherine gives him a cold reception at the party. But the evening is not a complete waste of time when he meets local photographer Antoni.

Following a near-fatal attack six months earlier, Antoni has struggled with his physical and mental recovery. Catherine’s party is the first time he has been out at night since then, and he’s ready for an early exit when he meets Dalton. The stranger is warm, friendly and incredibly handsome. When Antoni overcomes his reservations and accepts a drink at Dalton’s hotel, it could be the start of something new for them both.

Despite the joy of fresh romance, things soon take a darker turn. The morning after the party, Catherine’s boyfriend reports her missing. Dalton isn’t initially concerned. Catherine has disappeared of her own will before, and he’s more interested in getting to know Antoni, but the men soon find themselves at the centre of a twisted mystery, one that puts both of their lives at risk.

Reader advisory: This book contains violence, murder, PTSD, memories of a child in danger and mental illness. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, this book is best read as part of a series.

Note: Although it can be read as a stand-alone, this book is best read as part of a series. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

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Available from Amazon Kindle Unlimited, Pride Publishing, First For Romance, B&N, and Kobo.

A few moments later, a door on the right opened and a man stepped out. He caught Dalton’s attention straight away. Dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt and a dark overshirt, the man looked nothing like the pretentious people he’d encountered so far this evening. He was also very handsome, which didn’t hurt. He was naturally good-looking, with brown hair, slightly wavy on the top and cut short at the back and sides where it was starting to turn grey. He had a serious-looking face, and Dalton’s initial impression was of something quite sad about his eyes and downturned mouth.

“Hi,” Dalton said cheerfully, hoping the guy wouldn’t turn out to be like all the other guests.

“Hello.” The man didn’t return the smile, but seemingly noticing Dalton’s interest in the photographs, he came closer. “Do you like them?”

There was a trace of an accent there. Dalton couldn’t quite place it. Eastern European, he guessed.

“Very much,” he replied. “They’re remarkable. I’ve never seen Catherine like this before.”

The man looked between Dalton and photographs. “I’m glad you like them. I took all of these.”

Up close, he was even better looking than his first appearance. His eyes were dark grey and there was stubble on his square jaw, also flecked with grey.

“Wow,” Dalton said. “They are sensational…really.”

At last, his mouth turned upwards into the smallest suggestion of a smile.

“Thank you.” He held out his hand. “My name is Antoni.”

Dalton accepted the handshake. The party had finally improved.

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Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.

Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.

Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook, The Night.

Follow Thom: Twitter: @thomwolf | Instagram: thomcollinsauthor | Newsletter Sign-up

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