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And so, the story ends … 'Love on the Rocks' has been a work-in-progress for more than five years, a commitment I never anticipated, not even in a daydream. Yet, the proof is right here on the CRVBOY website. In all, the entire 'Love on the Rocks' story has run to 100 chapters in those five years; or if you like, 993,618 words! That I was even capable of producing such a huge work staggers me as much as it does that you've read it. If you've made it this far … well done, you! And thank you. What amazes me most is that this story could evolve into 100 chapters, especially since I originally intended it to be a quick 'holiday romance' that might run to five, maybe six chapters! When I first started writing this story, Mike Stewart was going to fall for Scott Hill, and they'd have an intense 'fling' over a couple of weeks before Mike returned to Melbourne and Scott to South East Queensland. I called the story 'Love on the Rocks' because Mike and Scott came together after Scott's accident on the rocks at Coolangatta beach! When that first chapter was posted, I got cold feet; I couldn't get comfortable with an adult man having a relationship with a teenager half his age. A quick fix was required, so I created an older brother for Scott … and a second one to have up my sleeve in case I ever needed him! The story already had a name, which didn't suit the new storyline … so Tyson Hill was either going to be an author, whose first novel was called 'Love on the Rocks,' or a singer, whose first album was called 'Love on the Rocks'. I stuck with the latter, only because it's an industry I know so well. So, the story shifted to Mike and Ty having a 'holiday romance,' and everything was still going to be tied up neatly in just a few chapters. All that changed when Lachlan Hill made an appearance backstage at Ty's Melbourne concert in chapter six. Suddenly, there was an ongoing storyline, and somehow, these characters I'd created became … people; people who more or less created their own destinies. Characters like George - who was originally intended to be a peripheral player - elbowed their way into much more pivotal roles - although in George's case, it was his hip rather than his elbow! Then there were the others … the ever-loving Frank and Dot; bad boy Steve; lovelorn Lynney; uptight Doug and Yvonne; larger-than-life Max; captivating Ellie; mighty Monique; vexatious Vince; Fran, Simon, Andrew, Aaron, Felix, Rob … as well as dear old Scruffy, Floppy, and Monty. And - of course - those beautiful kids; I didn't expect to become so smitten with little Archie, but writing him has truly been a joy. When I first started writing 'Love on the Rocks,' my own son was a young teenager … skateboarding every day, playing footy, trying hard at school, and eating me out of house and home. Today he's a strapping 18-year-old; an adult man who towers over me, and has now finished his secondary education and awaits university placement; and - yikes - he now has a license to drive! And he's still eating me out of house and home! The changes in my life over the past few years are reflected in the lives of the Hill and Stewart families. Time has not stood still for any of us. What hasn't changed is Mike and Ty's unwavering love for each other. My intent was always to show that two men could meet, fall in love, and forge a future together through all the obstacles that life might put in their path. In the synopsis for the sequel 'Five Years On,' I wrote: "… the more Ty's career flourishes, and the more high-profile he and Mike become, the greater the challenge becomes for them to stand united. Will outside forces push them closer to 'love on the rocks'? … or will they achieve the 'happy ever after' they yearn for …?" Well, friends … it's taken me almost a million words, but our boys made it! In the end, love has conquered all … and you've gotta love that, mate! * * * A Word of Thanks … Far from patting myself on the back for a job well done, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to a lot of people … and some in particular. Firstly, there's Rock Hunter, my tireless editor through every chapter of 'Five Years On.' What an extraordinary job he's done of targetting my continuity flaws; correcting my grammar and tenses; and putting those cursed commas where they need to go! I'm still shaking my head that Rock - one of the busiest editors in this genre - loved the story so much that he approached me and asked if I'd consider letting him edit the sequel, rather than me tentatively approaching him. I'd never have had the courage! There have been many times that readers have emailed and commented on the quality of the editing, and rightly so. Rock, mate, I couldn't have done this without you - what you've done for me, and our readers, is immeasurable. It seems so inadequate, but … thank you! Thank you! To Robb at CRVBOY for providing an environment for aspiring authors like me to share our stories with the wider world; your labour of love has given readers from all over the world free access to quality writing. And I thank you too, for never grumbling about my endless emails asking for commas to be shifted and typos to be corrected! And finally, you - the reader! The best stories ever written are the world's best kept secrets if nobody reads them! I always said I had a nagging doubt that 'Love on the Rocks' would find an audience, suspecting it might have been a bit too romantic to engage people in the long term. But tens of thousands of emails over the past five years have proved me wrong. I want to thank every one of you for taking the time and trouble to absorb yourselves in my 'little Aussie love story.' And especially those who've taken the time to write - sometimes once, sometimes many times over many years - to encourage me, and make me strive to write the best story I could. How I'd love to give some specific shout-outs, but honestly, there are just too many; I'm sure you know who you are. But I can't let the moment pass without a show of thanks for Bart V, Carlos H, Russ N, Dave M, Janet M, and Vann D, just for starters. And, as always, my heartfelt thanks to Tim Mead and Gil Galloway. They were there from the very start, and their early encouragement inspired me so much. It's unfortunate to end on a cliché - but this has been an incredible journey for me, and I'm grateful to have had you all along for the ride. Let's all look on the bright side … no more bloody cliff hangers! With love, and a huge vote of thanks to you all for reading … and for making the curly haired rock star and the hot lawyer part of your lives, Marcus |