Quiet as a Mouse
Asta Idonea
1 June 2016
Dreamspinner Press
Short Story/MM
Heat Level: 1
Upon moving to a new town, shy shifter Paul is
instantly smitten by local choirmaster Cale. Wanting to spend as much time with
Cale as possible, he becomes the proverbial church mouse so he can enjoy Cale’s
music without revealing his feelings.
But when Cale sees him and traps are set, Paul faces a difficult choice.
What does he want out of life, and does he have the courage to go after it?
Will he be a man... or a mouse?
Audio Excerpt: https://soundcloud.com/nickijmarkus/quiet-as-a-mouse-mm-short-story-excerpt-by-asta-idonea
Excerpt
Religion wasn’t the
reason he was here. Every member of the group knew that, and he suspected one
or two judged him for it, but for the most part, he’d been welcomed into the
church choir with open arms. Believer or atheist, they could all agree on their
love for fine choral chants. What he hoped none of the others knew was the fact
it wasn’t only the music that kept him coming back week after week. Not God,
not music, but a man gave rise to his devotion. And that man was the choir’s
musical director, Cale Abbott.
Paul first saw Cale a
few weeks after he moved to the small town in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. A
lifelong music lover, he heard of a forthcoming organ recital at the local
church and decided to go along, partly for the performance and partly for
company. A close call had almost led to the discovery of his secret at his last
abode, and he had been forced to beat a quick retreat. He worked as a freelance
illustrator and could earn his living from anywhere with a decent Internet
connection, so he’d packed up his bags, dropped a pin into the map, and ended
up here. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to make an impromptu move, and it
wouldn’t be the last. It was a price he had to pay, given what he was, and yet
no matter how many times he went through it, the first few weeks were always
the hardest. Settling into a new place, trying to blend with the locals,
establishing a new routine; all these things required a certain fortitude that
went against his shy nature.
Buy links:
Author Bio & Links
Asta Idonea (aka Nicki J Markus) was born
in England, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has loved both
reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having
studied several foreign languages.
Asta launched her writing career in 2011 and divides her efforts not only between MM and mainstream works but also between traditional and indie publishing. Her works span the genres, from paranormal to historical and from contemporary to fantasy. It just depends what story and which characters spring into her mind!
As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theatre, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel; all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing.
Asta launched her writing career in 2011 and divides her efforts not only between MM and mainstream works but also between traditional and indie publishing. Her works span the genres, from paranormal to historical and from contemporary to fantasy. It just depends what story and which characters spring into her mind!
As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theatre, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel; all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing.
Blog: http://www.nickijmarkus.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NickiJMarkus
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickiJMarkus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickijmarkus/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4567057.Nicki_J_Markus
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolamarkus
Amazon
Author US: http://www.amazon.com/Asta-Idonea/e/B00RMGGVYO
Amazon
Author UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asta-Idonea/e/B00RMGGVYO
