UPDATE: The winner is…Kaje!
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Many authors are banding together these days to write in shared worlds. Where the authors create a unifying feature—often a location or a trope—and all write within set parameters. I’d written in a shared world before, and I enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with the experience of working closely with other writers. When I had the opportunity to write in the Single Dads of Gaynor Beach series, I leapt at the chance.
At first, I signed up for summer 2023. As the series launched, though, my excitement grew. When a spot opened up for book 4, I was all-in. Hugh released in July. But that wasn’t enough for me. I’d created a character who was a bit of a jerk but who had reasons for being that way. I knew I needed to write his redemptive arc, so when an opening for December became available, I nabbed that. Anthony is out now and it has a great redemption story—a trope I’ve written before.
My biggest issue was differentiation. With twenty books over two years, all with single gay dads, I wanted my books to be different. So, for Hugh, I chose to have a single grandfather. Hugh’s daughter, whom he never knew about, has died and as the only living relative, he’s summoned to care for his granddaughter. Only his daughter named a guardian—her friend Oscar. Both men want what’s best for Marilee, the nine-month-old, and as they join forces, they also fall in love.
Sigh.
For Anthony, I again wanted something different. The social worker appeared in Hugh and was a driving force for Hugh and Oscar to get together. I quickly realized Anthony needed his own story. I knew the child wasn’t going to be his but…what about the librarian? I’d created Scott as just a friendly person Hugh encountered, but I quickly saw Anthony and Scott would be perfect together. And the child? Well, how about babies? Two, to be precise. Nine-month-old twins. Because Scott would definitely need help with two…and how was he involved? Well, what if he was the sperm donor? So he’d have a solid connection to the twins. I won’t go into the details—I want you to read the story, after all—but Scott taking custody isn’t a simple process. He needs all the help he can get. This situation gives Anthony a chance to do better. Since this is a Gabbi Grey romance, I promise a bit of angst, instalove, slow burn, and a happily ever after.
I’ve enjoyed being part of this shared world so much that I’ve signed up to write another story in another world that’ll come out next year. I love the collaborative approach that comes with working with other writers. Naturally, I’d love readers to select and read my books—but I’m just as thrilled when they discover the other books in the series and get to see the interconnectedness of the stories. So, head on over to Gaynor Beach—I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Finally, do you have a favorite shared world or unifying trope? Let me know in the comments. One lucky commentator will win a $5 gift certificate from Amazon.
Anthony
Anthony
During my seven years as a social worker in Gaynor Beach, California, delivering orphaned twins to their unsuspecting father is the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced. These babies lost their mother and they need a loving parent, but is adorable Scott Wexler up to that challenge? Transferring custody is one thing—walking away is something entirely different, especially with the stress of Christmas bearing down on Scott too.
Scott
After escaping a miserable childhood, I’ve made a fresh start in California. I’m in charge at the Gaynor Beach Public Library, I love helping people, and I’m feeling like an actual functional human being. Then social worker Anthony Rodrigues shows up on my doorstep with twins I fathered through a sperm donation, and suddenly I’m responsible for two tiny lives. Accepting help from the gorgeous social worker is a no-brainer—admitting I want him to stay is going to take a lot more courage.
This 74k word gay romance is a slow burn, mid-angst, instalove with a geeky librarian, a by-the-book social worker, adorable twin-toddler terrors, and a beleaguered cat named Crumpy.
Links:
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/AnthonyGB
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Anthony-Single-Dads-Gaynor-Beach-ebook/dp/B0BJQL39SZ
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/anthony-24
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anthony-gabbi-grey/1142694635
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/anthony/id6444502148
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Gabbi_Grey_Anthony?id=lG2cEAAAQBAJ
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179503
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63340423-anthony
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.
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Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
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One of my favorite shared worlds is Brotherhood Protector World, created I believe by Desiree Holt (who we just lost to pancreatic cancer). My favorite unifying trope is the individual stories of a group of people that have been through a shared experience.
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I know I’ve read stories set in shared worlds in anthologies, but don’t think I have in a full book series. Interesting concept – I’ll have to get into that.
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I am really enjoying this Gaynor Beach series and Gabbi’s two books in particular. I think the single dad trope is a great unifier for a shared world. I don’t normally read a lot of shared world books since there are usually too many for me and my TBR is usually overflowing.
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I read books here and there from different connected series, but never end up getting them all… I jump around a lot in my reading… lately I have been on a big Sigle Dad kick.
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The shared world is always interesting. I have found many new authors that way. I love when the unifying factor is a humor and some sort of location, for example, a karaoke bar.
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I like the single dad trope too. Always emotional.
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no
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I’m usually not one to read books with a unified world. I usually get bored after a while or theres just too many for me to keep up with that I just give up.
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I have read these but it has been a bit. I shaLL Have to look for more
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I have a few series that several authors have written in and they are usually closely related to their series but have a character that connects them to each other.
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I definitely enjoyed your stories in this series, Gabbi, but haven’t picked up the others in the series yet. I have read some multiauthor continuities, including some in the Brotherhood Protectors, Sarina Bowen and Annabeth Albert’s True North and Vino and Veritas, and also a bunch from Harlequin, such as the Texas Cattleman Club and its many spinoffs, for example. It’s fun to see how authors include characters from each other’s stories, and how they’ll pick up various elements to incorporate into their own stories. I imagine it’s fun but sometimes tricky!
Out of curiosity, Gabbi, did you all have a shared series bible or something along those lines? Did you read each others’ stories as you went along?
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Hello flechen1 and all the other great commenters!
We do have a series bible. Everyone contributes as they write their stories. I know, for me, that I’m reading all the books in this series.
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I’m a fan of shared worlds, both writing (to my surprise) and reading them. The Vino & Veritas series is one favorite,but I have many others. (And I loved seeing my guys in Anthony)
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I have to admit, I’ve only read one multi-author, shared world series. It was interesting and now that you mention it and the Gaynor Beach series, I think I need to explore a little deeper. Love this piece. Anthony sounds fabulous!
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Both of your books sounds so good Gabbi. I can’t wait to read them. Also… Single dads! Yay. I’m working on a shared World series right now and really enjoying the collaboration. Hive mind is the best for creativity and problem solving, making for a richer world and more layered, nuanced stories.
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Shared worlds are so much fun. It’s great to discover new authors. My favourite ones tend to be connected via the setting.
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I’m new to shared worlds. Until recently, I didn’t even know they existed. What a wonderful way to find out about new authors!
I’m really looking forward to reading Anthony!
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Chosen at random, the winner is…Kaje!
Congrats to Kaje, and thanks so much to Gabbi for sharing her book with us!