In August 2024, I’m excited to combine two of the loves of my life: cruising and LGBTQ+ fiction and romance. I hope you’ll consider joining me on the first Rainbow Readers Cruise! Until then, I’d love to introduce you to one of the attending authors, Rory Maxwell.
About Rory Maxwell
Rory Maxwell discovered romance novels on her mom’s bookshelf when she was probably too young to be reading them — the reward for being a nosy kid with great reading comprehension. The magic of a dial-up internet connection led her to the wonderful world of MM fanfiction a few years later and she fell in love with the genre. In 2019 she woke up with a plot bunny, opened a word doc, and started trying to figure out how this writing stuff worked.
Rory grew up outside of Washington, DC, moved away, and then came back for reasons she doesn’t fully understand. An artist and writer, she always has too many exciting ideas and not nearly enough free time. One day, she hopes to escape to the mountains and where she can work from home and write as much as she wants. In the meantime, she splits her time between her day job and writing MM romance with endearing characters, lots of feels, plenty of heat, and a dash of kink.
Interview
If drinks by the pool are already a given, what are you most looking forward to about the Rainbow Readers Cruise?
I’ve never been on a cruise before, so one thing I’m excited about is exploring the ship and seeing what it’s like! I also can’t wait to meet everyone. I’m an introvert, but this sounds like the perfect, low-pressure environment to get to chat and hang out with people who love the same things I do!
Which of your books would you recommend as the best way for readers to get to know you before meeting you on the cruise?
I’m a newer writer and I’ll have about 5 books out by the time of the cruise. They are in the same series so I recommend either starting with book one, Something Undeniable, which introduces many of the characters in my universe, or book three, Something Unintended, which is a standalone novella. All of my books are age gap, small-town romance, with a little bit of kink. Book one leads into book two where the couple becomes a triad. Book three is the first of several daddy-kink books in the series.
Which of your characters (from any story) would you most like to go on a cruise with?
I would absolutely go on a cruise with any of them, but if I had to choose it would be Archer. He’s low-key and responsible but still tons of fun. He would be easy to travel with. He’s popped up a few times so far in the series but his book is still a little ways off.
Even if you don’t use this trip as fodder for a future project, most stories require a bit of research. Can you tell us the coolest thing you’ve learned while researching for your work, regardless of whether it made it into the text?
For my last book, I did a little bit of research on how private planes work. I thought it was very interesting that the flight attendants are called cabin attendants, and if you fly on the same plane often you don’t have to listen to the safety speech anymore.
Hey, this is supposed to be a review blog! Recommend your favorite book that I should read and review by another author joining us on this high-seas adventure.
We already know I’m going to recommend my favorite, Cara Dee. I’m not going to pick Auctioned this time since that’s not the kind of cruise we’re hoping for 😅 (though it’s an AMAZING series). I’ll choose Uncomplicated Choices. There’s a boat, an accidental “kidnapping,” and a super sweet and sexy romance!
| Note from J.L.: Read my review of Auctioned. I can confirm that we do not want that sort of cruise! |
Finally, what other projects are you working on currently?
My fourth book, Something Unforgettable, just released on January 1st and I’m so happy with it! Everything just came together in this one and I got to write some of my favorite tropes including daddy-kink, hurt/comfort, and first times.
Next up will be Ev’s book, Something Unprofessional. It’s going to be a blast to write and has boss/employee, daddy-kink, secret identity, and only one bed! I’ll have that out in time for the cruise, barring any unforeseen setbacks.
Connect With Rory Maxwell
Website | Sign Up For Rory’s Mailing List
Reader Group | Instagram
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub
About the Rainbow Readers Cruise
The Rainbow Readers Cruise celebrates the readers and creators of LGBTQ+ fiction and romance. The cruise departs from the Port of Fort Lauderdale on August 19, 2024, and returns August 23, 2024, with stops at Key West and Coco Cay (Celebrity’s private island). Along the way, meet and mingle with some of your favorite LGBTQ+ fiction and romance authors and creators, as well as attend panels, meet and greets, small group social activities, and the Signing at Sea. Plus, the cruise itself, with fabulous destinations, food and drinks, entertainment, and more. You can find all the details about the Rainbow Readers Cruise on our website: https://rainbowreaderscruise.com.
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