Jason Wadsworth is finally headed to university. Leaving behind his father's cattle ranch in favor of the posh, gaslit streets of Perdana, Jason is determined to climb the social ladder and forget his country roots. If only his father had gifted him with a more upscale slave.
Kale's been a country slave his whole life. All he wants is to keep his head down and live as comfortable an existence as possible. Unfortunately, his dramatic master despises him and makes life difficult at every turn.
Humbled by his first breakup, Jason grows to appreciate his ever-faithful slave and soon discovers that Kale is everything he's ever wanted. Now he needs to prove to Kale that his love is genuine.
Kale, meanwhile, tries to convince himself that he simply feels the devotion of a slave to his master, but his actions prove what his mind is unwilling to accept: he's falling in love. When Jason's future happiness is in jeopardy, Kale sets himself on a course to make Jason's dreams come true, even if it means facing up to the fact that, for the first time in his life, he loves someone else more than he loves himself.
Follow Jason and Kale as they rely on the strength of their devotion to each other to weather the storms they unwittingly enter in their quest for peace.
Measure of Devotion is a bittersweet love story that contains sexual content and adult language.
AMAZON / AMAZON CA / AMAZON UK / BARNES & NOBLE / KOBO
It was beginning to get too cool for comfort, so on the rare days when the weather was nice, Jason would sit in the back garden with Kale. Kale had a strong suspicion that this was a kind gesture toward him. Jason rarely chose to be outdoors. For Kale, it was an especially relaxing time, and he was grateful to Jason for making the effort, even though Jason often used these times for awkward conversation.
“Would you ever run away, Kale?” Where did this boy come up with these questions? They were in their usual position, side by side on their backs, eyes closed, trying to absorb as much heat from the sun as they could.
“No.”
“Are you just saying that because I’m the one asking?”
Kale kept his eyes closed, but he smiled. “It is a dangerous question.”
“No it’s not. I can understand why you’d feel that way, but I’m just curious. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to be you. If I was in your position, I think I’d try to run away.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You had parents who love you. The first thing they would teach you if you were a slave is that hoping for freedom is the quickest way to get yourself killed. Focus on what you can change, on what you can control—which is precious little—and don’t let yourself worry about the rest.”
“Your mother teach you that?”
“Yeah.”
“What else did she teach you?”
Kale opened his eyes and looked at Jason. All his life he had kept his personal thoughts secret. Why was it so easy to surrender them to Jason? He tried to summon the healthy apprehension that kept him safe, the instinct that told him to keep his mouth shut. It was nowhere to be found. He wanted to share with Jason. “To act more like a gentleman than a slave. She wanted me to be a valet from the start.”
“What did your dad want?”
Kale turned his face back to the sky and closed his eyes. “Never met him.”
“What?”
“Most slaves don’t know who their fathers are. It’s hard enough keeping a mother and child together; no use making it harder on a kid by introducing a father they’ll hardly ever see and will most likely be separated from.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. That’s the point: I can’t feel bad over something I never had.”
“Still, no one should have to go through that. Especially a child.”
Kale could feel the intensity of Jason’s stare. Opening his eyes, he met his gaze. “Thank you. I appreciate your concern, really, but don’t worry about it.” Kale knew Jason did worry about it, and it baffled him. “Believe me when I say I never think of it.”
“What about your mother? And your brother?”
The familiar pinprick hit his heart, and he pushed the feeling away before a similar pricking hit his eyes. Any other time, Kale would have immediately withdrawn, but that was before he saw the sincerity in Jason’s face. This was not idle talk. Jason was reaching out to him, and a part of Kale that he had thought buried with his childhood wanted desperately to cling to what Jason offered.
“I miss them. The worst part is not knowing whether they’re even alive, not knowing what work they put my brother to. But that’s one of the things I can’t control, so I don’t think about them much.”
Jason reached over and grasped Kale’s hand. Before he even realized it, Kale squeezed back. The silence between them was peaceful, but Kale didn’t like the way his personal thoughts lingered in the air. He wanted the conversation to turn back to Jason. “What about you? Do you ever think of your mother?”
“Yes, all the time. The woman was pure love. The way she acted with me, you would have thought everything I said was genius. I always knew I could tell her anything, and she would understand. She’d get as excited as I was about whatever idea or story I told her. I often wonder what she would think of me now.”
“She’d be proud.”
A few moments passed as Jason pondered something. Then he focused back on Kale. “Thanks, I hope so.”
When the chilly air chased them back inside, their hands were still warmly interlocked.
***
Caethes Faron is a bisexual, genre-queer writer. Her books are equal opportunity, featuring gay, straight, and bisexual characters. Her bittersweet tales of love and loyalty are just as likely to leave readers in tears as smiles, and her love scenes don't fade to black. She enjoys empowering the powerless and exploring the nature of human relationships, especially in differing power dynamics. All of her books feature adults in adult situations. Foul language, diverse sexual situations, aspects of BDSM, and other things that are sure to offend some people make regular appearances in her novels.
Caethes's writing is influenced by her observations of this imperfect world and the flawed characters who inhabit it. She's lived in seven states and is always looking for the next place to call home with her husband and two dogs. She currently resides in Florida.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
It’s always a challenge to get the story that is in your head onto the page. In my head, I can see the story, the world it takes place in, and feel the emotions of my characters all perfectly. That’s the ideal I reach for. Once the story goes from my head to the page, then it’s subject to my skill as a writer, which isn’t perfect. Naturally, the end product can’t ever be a perfect representation of what I'd imagined. It’s hard to accept that and eventually say, “I’ve done the best I can do. Now it’s in the hands of the readers."
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite. I learn something from every author I read. I love Oscar Wilde’s wit, Hugh Howey’s world building, Suzanne Collins’s suspense, Markus Zusak’s prose and style, and I could go on and on. I love Philip Pullman, the Brontë sisters, C.S. Lewis, Lois Lowry and many more. I find that the books and authors I read as a child retain a special place in my heart.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
No. I did travel to Rainbow Con last month which was a lot fun. Writing is a solitary endeavor, so it was great to meet readers and fellow writers of LGBT fiction. I would love to travel more, but my days are mostly spent at home in front of my laptop, typing away. Now that I’m a full-time writer, I’m looking forward to traveling more next year. Gotta start taking advantage of research and marketing trips as tax write-offs!
Who designed the covers?
They were all done by the folks at Streetlight Graphics (www.streetlightgraphics.com). Their designers were amazing to work with and really captured each book well.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
I really wanted the reader to “get” Jason and Kale. I’ve grown to love them so much through this whole process. Authentically telling their story from their point of view is hard because their point of view is not necessarily the same as mine. The third book in the trilogy, Measure of Peace, was the easiest technically to write, but at the same time the most emotionally difficult. I often found myself in tears at my computer as I typed.
What would you like my readers to know?
Some people find it interesting to know that Measure of Devotion was originally going to be a standalone book. One day the last scene of the book just came to me and I knew I wanted to tell Kale’s story. I needed to know how he got where he was. Once he told me his story, I thought I was done. My best friend begged me to write a second book, but I was adamant that was where Jason and Kale’s story ended. However, I promised to stay open to inspiration, and sure enough, right before Measure of Devotion was published, I saw Jason as he appears in the opening scene of Measure of Strength. He told me his story and what happened next. I had the inspiration for Measure of Peace at the same time but didn’t think readers would be interested. Luckily, I was wrong. I have amazing readers who were very indulgent in allowing me to write the third book.
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AMAZON / ITUNES / KOBO
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