About Haunted
Written by Mike Shade
134 pages / 51000 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-059-7, 1-60370-059-5
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc
With his job as a woodworker and restorer, Tom gets to see all sorts of interesting buildings and meet lots of neat people. He’s never met anyone like Adam, though, a sweet little grad student with a gorgeous smile and tendency to be a klutz.
When a whole different reason for Adam’s bruises begins to appear, though, Tom worries that maybe Adam is crazy. Or that he isn't; one or the other. The truth of Adam’s situation is much worse than a little clumsiness, though, and Tom is determined to help him. Can they survive whatever it is that haunts Adam and protect their growing love?
Review
Kiernan Kelly, popular Torquere Press author, writes:
Tom Patterson has always been good with his hands and fascinated by architecture. A master craftsman, he’s restoring a library’s late 18th century woodwork when he happens across Adam Vernon, a grad student who shares his love of historic buildings.
Younger, Adam has a vulnerability about him that draws Tom, and the two strike up a close friendship. As time goes on, however, Tom notices signs that point to a serious problem – Adam sports the telltale marks of abuse.
Saving Adam becomes Tom’s mission as he finds himself falling in love with him. Adding to Tom’s problems is that possibility that Adam’s mind might be the cause of his injuries, a condition that may have been caused by a horrible tragedy in Adam’s past.
Mike Shade pens a fascinating and intriguing tale of love and survival in HAUNTED. From the start, Shade keeps readers on their toes, guessing at the cause of Adam’s injuries. Is he simply psychotic, or the victim of something much more sinister? Clues fall into place as more and more of Adam’s life is slowly revealed, until Tom makes a startling discovery, a breakthrough that will change his perceptions about life and death. Will Tom’s love be enough to free Adam from the horrors of his past? Find out in HAUNTED!
Sample
Tom worked on the puzzle chest he was putting together for a commission until two pm and then he put away his tools and cleaned up his work bench. He headed upstairs for a quick shower, washing away the dirt and grime and sawdust.
He checked out his face in the mirror, considering the mustache and goatee. It was starting to feel like maybe it was time to shave again. Though there wasn't any gray in the brown yet, so it wasn't making him look old. Just distinguished.
A glance at the clock said it was almost three, so he figured the beard was safe for today.
He couldn't find a damned clean pair of underwear, so he just pulled on his jeans, being careful as he pulled up the zipper. He had blue, red and black t-shirts clean, so he pulled on a red one, ran a comb through his hair and he was good to go.
Heading downstairs, he turned the radio onto his favorite classic rock channel. He straightened up, giving Woody a pat or two, the golden lab giving him a soft woof and a lazy lick before settling back under the coffee table.
There was a knock on the door at five to three, Adam standing there with bags in his hands. He looked good, dish-water blond hair down and loose at his collar, wearing black shirt and jeans. The only mar was the black eye, one green eye swollen almost shut. "Am I early?"
"Just on time actually. Come on in." He took the bags from Adam, looking at that eye. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah. It looks worse than it feels." Adam offered him a grin. "Pie and beer, as promised. How's it going?"
"Good, good." He led the way to the kitchen. He didn't know Adam well enough to push and ask how the black eye happened, though he was curious. "Lets get these in the fridge and then we'll start the tour, k?"
"Sure." Adam followed him through the house, looking avidly. "Oh, it's nice, Tom. Real nice."
He nodded, proud as anything. "Thanks. Just wait 'til you get a chance to see the detail." He put the beer and pie in the fridge, holding back a couple of the cans and offering one to Adam.
"Thanks." The top was popped and Adam took a drink. "How's the library job going?"
"Great. Right on schedule. Maybe even a little ahead. It's exciting work and I have to stop myself, make sure I get my other commissions done, too." He opened his own beer, took a mouthful and then nodded at the door. "Shall we just get started? I haven't had a chance to really show her off yet and I admit I'm a bit eager."
"Sure. You be the tour guide and I'll be the honestly fascinated grad student."
He chuckled and led the way, soon lost in his own enthusiasm. Adam asked intelligent questions and sure enough seemed honestly fascinated, chiming in with facts now and then.
Adam oohed and aahed over the shipboard molding, the gingerbread work. It was great having someone who really knew his stuff looking the place over. His other friends all nodded and smiled and wandered quickly out back into the yard. Adam listened, even wandering up to the attic to look at the stained glass keyhole window.
It was close to three hours later by the time he was done, his throat parched, beer long gone.
"Wow. I'm sorry, you should have stopped me from going on and on like that."
"Why? I'm going to beg you to come and speak at one of my classes. You're fascinating."
He blustered a little, pleased and a little embarrassed. "Me?"
"Oh, most definitely. You're obviously a master craftsman. It's glorious."
Tom beamed at that. "Thank you, Adam. It's my life."
Adam nodded. "I'd love it if you shared with my class in the fall. They need passion."
"Well I'm not sure I'd make a good speaker for a group of students, but I'm willing to give it a try." He was damn chuffed at having gotten asked actually. "Now is that for the class on Victorian lit, gay writers or the freshman comp one?"
"Tom, you'd have to be more interior decorator, less macho man with great skills for the gay writers." Adam winked, pinked.
"What being gay isn't enough of a qualification?" There, now Adam knew, too.
"Only to teach it. Speakers are completely different." Adam gave him a grin, a nod.