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Enchanted Ink : LGBTQ Fiction Romance by Robin Lynn ➱ New Book Release with Author Interview & Rafflecopter
Book Title: Enchanted Ink
Author: Robin Lynn
Cover Artist: Art by Gio Guimaraes, Design by Katie Marlin
Release Date: June 1, 2023
Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy
When it comes to transformation, magic only fixes what's skin deep…
Blurb
In a world where an artist's magic brings tattoos to life, ink gone wrong can spell lasting heartache for those unlucky enough to experience it. Jaded and cynical on both life and love, tattoo artist Ashton is about to find out that even the most deeply-etched scars can be transformed into something beautiful when the right person is holding the pen.
“Enchanted Ink” is a ground-breaking romance that showcases how, with a bit of ink, some love, and a whole lot of trust, even the ugliest scars can be transformed into something impossibly beautiful.
Using the art of tattooing as a metaphor for life, “Enchanted Ink” makes it a mission to show even the most cynical and scarred of us that it’s possible to heal, to find love, and that it’s never too late to start all over again.
Excerpt The twelfth annual “Enchanted Ink” Tattoo Convention has been in full swing for hours, but Ashton has yet to venture inside. It’s not as if he doesn’t know what he’ll find there: a fairly standard convention space, divided using equally standard black curtains hanging from predictable portable frames creating both booths and stations offering displays that are anything but ordinary. Various tattoo artists and their work, in the flesh—the best of the best, by both fact and opinion.
In addition to the booths, there are always several centralized showcase stands, right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. Elevated platforms where human works of art strip down to their underwear and pose, proudly displaying full-body and wildly colorful tattoos boasting some of the most intricate and beautiful imagery that probably exists in the entire inked world.
This particular convention admits artists by invitation only, and while Ashton isn’t technically here to work this year, it’s an event he’s enjoyed immensely in the past. It’s bittersweet—perhaps a touch heavy on the bitter—hovering on the outskirts, wondering whether he’ll ever find himself behind a booth and promoting his work again. While that remains to be seen, there’s plenty here to worry about in the meantime.
The thought of Whitaker working somewhere inside the building behind him crosses Ashton’s mind and makes him grimace. He can practically feel the tentative nerve he’s so painstakingly gathered, the courage to finally wander through the front door, trickling away like water through a sieve.
Again.
Good thing it’s a nice day out, today. Sixty-eight degrees and sunny, not a cloud in the sky, and Ashton brought a book. He can wait. The courage to go inside will come.
Probably.
Sighing, Ashton rubs the sleeve of his too-dressy collared shirt across the backs of his eyelids. The button on the cuff pokes his eye, and it feels like a call-out. He’s too dressed up, he looks out of place. Too covered, if nothing else. Which isn’t to say that tattooed folks can’t be modest—naturally, that’s false and would be a terribly judgemental view to hold. Either way, the whole point of a tattoo convention is to show off one’s body and as much art decorating skin as possible. It’s supposed to be a positive, empowering experience.
That’s definitely the point, and his body is aesthetically pleasant to look at, both sculpted and toned—yet here Ashton is, buttoned up solidly from head to toe. Acting like he cares more about looking the part of a corporate stooge rather than flaunting the walking canvas he is. Lame. So lame.
Lame, but necessary, he reminds himself.
Author Interview
Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi there! I’m Robin, sometimes I go by Wings. I’m a thirty-six-year-old queer mom of two with a background in emergency nursing and paramedicine. I’ve always loved storytelling, but shifted to writing novels with the intent to publish after becoming unexpectedly disabled several years ago. My passion is crafting engaging and emotional love stories with queer audiences in mind and with the goal of reflecting our experiences in mainstream media. I believe that everyone deserves to see themselves mirrored in relatable, imperfect characters simply existing and living out their happily ever afters!
What would people be most surprised to know about you?
Perhaps that I’m adopted! I went no contact with my adoptive parents and my feelings about the topic aren’t usually in line with the popular opinion, so I don’t talk about it much. It’s definitely shaped my entire life, though.
Do you have a favorite quote (either from your own books or ones you’ve read)?
My favorite quote is from a somewhat obscure TV show that’s been off the air for two decades, four times longer than it was on, but my love for this saying has never been replaced.
“We live as though the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be.”
It’s a kickass motto for life, but also embodies the energy I strive to bring to my stories. The character quoted is speaking about monsters, but I view this in terms of the “Schitt’s Creek”-style worlds that I play in, universes in which queer characters simply are; existing and living and loving; where acceptance and tolerance are the baseline expectations.
Too often in media we only see queerness being used to showcase homophobia and pain, centering the struggle of queerness itself instead of treating someone’s identity as exactly that. Books and other media normalizing acceptance is the path to creating a society that does the same.
How long have you been writing and what made you fall in love with writing?
I’ve always written stories, but never thought I could craft something worth sharing. If I’m being honest, it was joining a fandom and reading a lot of my friends’ fanfiction stories—some of which were over two hundred thousand words, better written, and more intoxicatingly brilliant than any novel I’ve ever opened—that made me truly fall and love and want to create the same type of experience for others.
I am definitely aware that some literature aficionados look down on fanfiction, but I would counter with the fact that a lot of published books and media are transformed versions of something that came before, and that doing so with respect and love for the source material is the greatest compliment a fan can give. Aside from that, fanfiction creates accessibility and builds both skill and confidence in aspiring writers. I want more amazing and empowered authors in the world—I don’t care for the gatekeeping.
Did you always want to be a writer?
Not exactly! I have always written for fun, but I went to school to become a nurse (R.N./B.S.N., and later, to get my paramedic certification), but I was badly injured on the job and required surgery to fix it. The surgery failed, and after that, I had to come to terms with my altered abilities and restrictions, with the fact that I was too disabled to function in the career I had built. It was a tough adjustment, but I chose to see it as an opportunity, and now I have a whole backlist of books waiting to be published!
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I’m still figuring that out. I really just want to create stories that other people enjoy, so I would say that my greatest ambition is reaching my target audience. With indie publishing, that’s not a given! I’d love to be able to make a passive monthly income that could cover a chunk of my bills, for sure.
What’s your favorite part of writing?
Sharing it! Specifically, when someone says that a piece I wrote moved them or resonated emotionally, or helped them through a tough time.
When/where is your favorite time/place to write?
I am the worst about scheduling—I will write anywhere if the mood strikes me, but I do have a very specific chair that I sit in every night to get some work done. Unfortunately for me, I do my best volume writing very late at night.
Why did you choose to write LGBT romance/fiction?
I think I’ve touched on this a bit, but as a queer author, it feels incredibly important to me that I add to the supply of LGBTQIAA2S-friendly literature in the world. M/M just happens to be my favorite canvas, for several reasons. In my experience, there are a lot of pervasive and problematic stereotypes and fetishization when it comes to M/M relationships and men who love men in general. I enjoy breaking those issues down via subversive characterizations, expectations, and dynamics, both inside the bedroom and out.
I also really enjoy creating spicy fiction, but due to my own past trauma, I struggle with spicy sapphic scenes. Using M/M characters creates a distance that allows me to write explicit romance and even work through my own trauma and struggles while doing so. The adult version of “Enchanted Ink” has some hints toward this particular struggle when the main character thinks about intimacy in his past relationships.
Give the readers a brief summary of your latest book or WIP. What genre does it fall in?
I’m obsessed with my new release! If I could live inside any universe of my choosing, it would be this one, in a heartbeat. “Enchanted Ink” is a gay contemporary fantasy romance that follows Ashton Andrews, fresh out of a terribly unhealthy relationship, on his somewhat accidental journey through processing his experiences, accepting himself, and the excitement and fear that come alongside learning to trust and fall in love again.
The story is set in a modern fantasy world where magic is plentiful but intrinsically infused into daily life, where the skill to use it must be cultivated and honed in the same way as an artist’s talent. With charms existing for nearly everything but each one only as useful as the person wielding the power has developed it to be, magic is more of a tool and less of a cure-all.
“Enchanted Ink” explores that magical infusion into the otherwise mundane, doing so specifically through Ashton’s chosen field of augmented tattooing, using the charmed designs themselves as metaphors for life. As not only an artist but a person in possession of a tattoo gone severely wrong, Ashton has a particular perspective on the technical aspects of fixing his ink but is almost painfully naive when it comes to fixing his damaged psyche and broken heart.
Enter Link Remington: magical tattoo artist extraordinaire, devastatingly handsome media darling, and co-owner of the famed tattoo studio, Soul Survivor. Ashton knows that Link has the artistic chops to repair his skin, but is completely unprepared for the charming, persistent, and impossibly understanding man to find a place inside his heart.
As his unwanted, intentionally-ruined art undergoes a transformative journey toward becoming what it was always meant to be, so in kind does Ashton’s perspective on love, life, and himself. Even more surprising, Ashton discovers that he’s not on that journey alone. While Link pushes him to step outside of his comfort zone, Ashton manages to convince Link to share some closely-guarded secrets of his own. Together, they begin to discover that healing isn’t linear and that self-acceptance isn’t about becoming flawless, but instead choosing their own scars and learning to wear them proudly.
Will we be seeing these characters again? Is this book part of a series?
No specific plans as of this moment, but I do think the world has series potential. Link’s sister, Sam, is this badass, punk tattoo artist and one of my favorite minor characters that I’ve ever created. We definitely don’t see her enough. I feel like she could carry her own entire sequel!
What genre/s do you enjoy reading in your free time?
I’m not so picky about genre, so long as I’m swept away! I do find that type of immersive and engrossing worldbuilding is easiest to find in fantasy and magical realism stories, so I would say those are my favorite. I strongly prefer a book to have some lgbtq+ representation and romance, as well. I definitely write what I want to read! Aside from fantasy, I also really enjoy apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, I’ll read pretty much anything in that realm. Give me a lonely gay finding their happily ever after once society has disintegrated—let’s not look too closely at why that’s so appealing.
How do you relax?
My guilty pleasure is trash reality TV and I often hate myself for it, but sometimes there is nothing more relaxing and mind-numbing than manufactured and pre-recorded drama.
What hobbies do you have outside of writing?
My family has a bit of a “Last Chance Ranch” for senior shih tzus with health issues, dogs who have been abandoned and are at risk for euthanasia. (Meaning, our friends in rescue send us photos they know we can’t resist, and suddenly we have another family member.) So that takes up quite a bit of my time! Right now, the ranch is at capacity with five doggies; several have lost various senses, one has three legs, one has dementia—the goal is just to give them a wonderful, comfortable sunset period of life, for however long that might be. I don’t get out very much, and my dogs keep me busy and bring a lot of joy!
About the Author
Robin Lynn is a 36-year-old queer, autistic mother of two, an unabashed fangirl sometimes known as “Wings,” and a disabled former firefighter, paramedic, and registered nurse. She writes for queer audiences with the goal of reflecting and centering the lgbtqia2s+ community in more media, because everyone deserves to see relatable, imperfect main characters who mirror themselves simply existing and getting their happy endings.
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