Guest Blogger - A.L. Bates

[jana_denardo]

Welcome A.L. Bates to my blog with the SF novella Deep (huzzah for some Sci-Fi)

Title: Deep

Author: A.L. Bates

Genre: Science Fiction, Gay Romance, Gay SciFi

Length: Long Novella

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Fleeing from a troubled past that left him feeling tarnished and used, Sean finds work as a medic aboard the deep sea mining ship Ariel, on a distant planet.

Under the leader ship of the infuriating, yet charismatic, Captain Joel Riley, Sean settles into his simple, but dangerous, new life. It’s a life he soon comes to love; albeit one in which he conceals his sexuality and avoids intimacy.

But Sean’s new world is turned on its head when an old face threatens to expose him for the man he used to be.

With Joel’s help, will Sean learn to come to terms with his past and become a man he can be proud of?

Buy Links

Don’t miss the Valentine’s Day Sale (February 11-17) 50% off on WIP’s website and 40% off on ARe!

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/deep-by-al-bates/

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-deep-1969763-177.html

Book Trailer

Giveaway

Prizes: $10 WIP Gift Card + $4.99 WIP Gift Card

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About the author

A.L. BATES has a keen interest in Sci-fi and adventure novels and enjoys writing stories with strong characters in imaginative backgrounds. Although an avid writer, Deep is the first published novella by A.L. Bates.

A.L. Bates can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralbates

And if you'd like to know how I felt about Deep here you go. Hint: I enjoyed it!
DEEP by A.L. Bates

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm a sucker for science fiction and for troubled men and Deep has both. Sean is the doctor of a deep ocean mining ship on a distant world, having left behind the man he once was back on Earth. They say if a person stays three years in the deep, they're there for life. Sean is completing his third year and he feels at home on the Ariel. The only real problem is he's attracted to the gruff captain, Joel Riley who is straight.

To complicate things further, during a rescue mission, Sean is forced to face his past head on in the form of a former companion in bad behavior and lover back on Earth. This man knows all his secrets and some of them could put the crew of the Ariel in a lot of trouble should it get out. These are people Sean has come to think of as family. Worse, he has gotten the attention of Joel but Sean fears if the man knew the truth about his former life - a truth he knows his former friend will have no trouble using against him to further his own cause - Joel will hate him.

The drama unfolds from there but since I want to keep it non-spoilery, that's all I'm going to say about that. I really like Sean and Joel (not to mention the supporting cast, especially Mia and Selena). I like the deep sea space mining worldbuilding as well. It's a world I wouldn't mind dropping back in on down the road.

The only thing that bothered me a bit was Sean hiding his sexuality because he was convinced the crew would hate him (his past I can see him hiding that). That's just a matter of my personal taste. I'm more of a Roddenberry happy future type of sci-fi woman. I would hope that by the time we're mining planets in space, we won't care about who's sleeping with who (though to be fair Sean seems to be the only one worrying about it). But like I said, that's just a matter of my tastes and Sean's fears are a part of him as he worries about a ton of stuff.

And in full disclosure, I did receive a copy in exchange for an honest review. It did not sway my review one way or the other.



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