Author Name: Becca Burton
Book Name: Something Like a Love Song
Release Date: November 19, 2015
Pages or Words: 308 pages
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance
One tragic night left Landon and Dylan’s dreams of happily ever after in apparent ruin. Forced to overcome physical and emotional trauma, the young lovers turn to a network of family and friends as they attempt to rebuild their lives. But can their one constant—their love—survive the changes both undergo on the road to recovery?
I loved this book, and could not put it down. This is also quite an emotional book too, and the author has a way of getting Dylan’s feelings across to you, and to me, it was like you are living through things right alongside him. I will also admit, that at times I got really angry with both MC’s and really wanted to shout at them!
I really felt for Dylan, as he just didn’t know what to do. He had his life that he shares with Landon, and suddenly one evening that all changed. For quite a while Dylan seemed to think that he had to do everything himself, and I think this is due to the fact that he blamed himself for what had happened.
When Landon and Dylan are finally reunited, it is not without difficulties, and at times I did wonder if they would actually be able overcome everything with their relationship intact – especially as they were having to get to know each other all over again.
You could say that this is fiction, but sadly events like this do happen each day in normal life, and I really have to praise the author for telling it all like it is, not glamourizing it up or trivialising things either. This is also heart wrenching at times too, but there is just something in the way the author has written this that means you have to keep going, it is impossible to put down.
I really felt for Dylan, as he just didn’t know what to do. He had his life that he shares with Landon, and suddenly one evening that all changed. For quite a while Dylan seemed to think that he had to do everything himself, and I think this is due to the fact that he blamed himself for what had happened.
When Landon and Dylan are finally reunited, it is not without difficulties, and at times I did wonder if they would actually be able overcome everything with their relationship intact – especially as they were having to get to know each other all over again.
You could say that this is fiction, but sadly events like this do happen each day in normal life, and I really have to praise the author for telling it all like it is, not glamourizing it up or trivialising things either. This is also heart wrenching at times too, but there is just something in the way the author has written this that means you have to keep going, it is impossible to put down.
Landon's bed is in the center of the room, and Dylan’s heart begins to pound in his chest as he takes a step forward, hesitates. Landon looks so small, tucked into the middle of the bed, and everything about the scene is unnatural and wrong. His head is wrapped with thick bandages, for which Dylan is grateful—he isn't sure he could handle that. Just the thought of what's happening to Landon, to his fiancé, is enough to make his throat constrict, his chest tighten.
A ventilator tube parts Landon's lips, and his chest rises and falls in equal, rhythmic whirrs. IVs line his arms; the wires snake from under his hospital gown. His freckles stand out starkly against the unnatural pale hue of his skin, except where the deep purple of a bruise creeps from under the bandages and swells down to his left cheekbone. It seems impossible that only hours ago they were laughing in the park, holding hands and eating ice cream from the small corner stand; it’s like some distant memory, a fading dream. But the ache deep in Dylan’s chest, the way his stomach is knotting itself, the too-clean smell of the hospital burning his nose, Landon's face, battered and bruised—Dylan can't look away—all this is too real to be a dream, no matter how badly Dylan wants to just wake up, wants all this to go away and everything to be okay.
"You can touch him, if you want," Brittany says, her voice soft. "We need to make sure to reduce extra stimulation, to allow his brain time to recover, but it's okay to hold his hand."
Dylan looks up at her. Her smile is kind and understanding. Then he turns back to Landon and takes a small step forward. Landon's hand is right there, resting above the covers, and Dylan doesn't know why he's so nervous; he's held Landon's hand more times than he could begin to count. But, surrounded by machines and tubes, Landon has never looked so utterly fragile, as if he could shatter at the lightest touch.
"It's okay," Brittany says from behind him, and Dylan squeezes his eyes shut, tears pricking behind his eyelids. "You won't hurt him."
Landon's skin is cold; his hand is unnaturally still. Even in sleep Landon's hand would always find Dylan's, their fingers would curl together like a reflex.
Not now.
"I'm so sorry," Dylan whispers, holding on a little tighter. "I'm so..."
His voice catches, the words bottling up in his throat, unable to escape. Landon's chest rises, falls, in, out.
In, out.
"You're so hurt, and it's my fault," Dylan manages, his voice barely audible above the machines keeping Landon alive. "It's all my fault and I'm..." He exhales slowly. "I'm so sorry."
He swipes his thumb across Landon's knuckles, over the dips and grooves, and vaguely notes that Brittany has left them alone. He sinks down into the small chair beside the bed, not letting go of Landon's hand.
"You need to fight, okay? I need you here, with me, and I can't..." There's nothing left inside him except an empty, hollow feeling and the knowledge that Landon can't hear him. Landon’s engagement ring is in a dish on a table beside the bed, along with his watch, and Dylan fishes them out and tucks them into his pocket.
A ventilator tube parts Landon's lips, and his chest rises and falls in equal, rhythmic whirrs. IVs line his arms; the wires snake from under his hospital gown. His freckles stand out starkly against the unnatural pale hue of his skin, except where the deep purple of a bruise creeps from under the bandages and swells down to his left cheekbone. It seems impossible that only hours ago they were laughing in the park, holding hands and eating ice cream from the small corner stand; it’s like some distant memory, a fading dream. But the ache deep in Dylan’s chest, the way his stomach is knotting itself, the too-clean smell of the hospital burning his nose, Landon's face, battered and bruised—Dylan can't look away—all this is too real to be a dream, no matter how badly Dylan wants to just wake up, wants all this to go away and everything to be okay.
"You can touch him, if you want," Brittany says, her voice soft. "We need to make sure to reduce extra stimulation, to allow his brain time to recover, but it's okay to hold his hand."
Dylan looks up at her. Her smile is kind and understanding. Then he turns back to Landon and takes a small step forward. Landon's hand is right there, resting above the covers, and Dylan doesn't know why he's so nervous; he's held Landon's hand more times than he could begin to count. But, surrounded by machines and tubes, Landon has never looked so utterly fragile, as if he could shatter at the lightest touch.
"It's okay," Brittany says from behind him, and Dylan squeezes his eyes shut, tears pricking behind his eyelids. "You won't hurt him."
Landon's skin is cold; his hand is unnaturally still. Even in sleep Landon's hand would always find Dylan's, their fingers would curl together like a reflex.
Not now.
"I'm so sorry," Dylan whispers, holding on a little tighter. "I'm so..."
His voice catches, the words bottling up in his throat, unable to escape. Landon's chest rises, falls, in, out.
In, out.
"You're so hurt, and it's my fault," Dylan manages, his voice barely audible above the machines keeping Landon alive. "It's all my fault and I'm..." He exhales slowly. "I'm so sorry."
He swipes his thumb across Landon's knuckles, over the dips and grooves, and vaguely notes that Brittany has left them alone. He sinks down into the small chair beside the bed, not letting go of Landon's hand.
"You need to fight, okay? I need you here, with me, and I can't..." There's nothing left inside him except an empty, hollow feeling and the knowledge that Landon can't hear him. Landon’s engagement ring is in a dish on a table beside the bed, along with his watch, and Dylan fishes them out and tucks them into his pocket.
Today we're very lucky to be interviewing Becca Burton, author of Something Like a Love Song. Hi Becca, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
Thank you for having me. Something Like a Love Song is my first novel, a story about two long time boyfriends who find themselves facing a life changing tragedy and have to find the courage and love for each other to fight through.
While this is my first novel, I have posted many stories online, and have been writing ever since I learned how. I currently work as a nurse in a Neonatal ICU, and medicine has been a big interest in my life, and always seems to find a way into my writing. I am passionate about diverse, LGBTQ fiction, and am very excited to contribute to this genre.
1. When did you write your first story/book? How old were you?
I’m not quite sure how old I was, probably first or second grade, and this might not be the first story I ever wrote, but it’s the first one I have a memory of. I wrote it with crayons on colored paper that I made into a book with yarn binding, and it was about a ladybug who lived in a barn and had to move a hat to save all her bug friends. It was very thrilling.
As a child, I would write stories about everything. Nothing was safe. My mom likes to tell about when my third grade teacher had a meeting with her because for my science test in which I had to write about the life cycle of a frog, I wrote an entire story about the frog and his life and his hobbies living among the lily pads.
2. Are you a plotter or pantser?
I’m a little bit of both, but mostly I’m a pantser. I try and plot out a little bit before I write something so I’m not completely lost, but often my writing takes on a complete mind of it’s own and too much plotting will just lead to frustration. I think there’s valid points to both.
3. What do you think makes your book stand out from the crowd?
I often find that a hate crime or injury like Landon’s happens at the end of the story as the climax. I wanted to explore what happens after that – how the characters recover, grow, and continue on with their lives. So I took that event and put it at the beginning of the story, and dealt with the aftermath throughout the novel. Something Like a Love Song isn’t just a typical romance story. It explores a couple – Dylan and Landon – who are victims of a hate crime and find themselves in a caregiver/dependent relationship, and how they put themselves back together over time.
4. How do you find or make time to write?
I work full time so it can be difficult to find writing time some weeks, but I try and find a few hours a week I can escape to a coffee shop or a library to write. It’s harder to write at home with distractions and my needy cat always at my feet, so I find I’m way more productive away from home. And it helps me plan my time a little more so I have some scheduled writing time. It helps to have other writer friends who inspire and motivate me to write!
5. What do you like to read in your free time?
I’ve been an avid reader since I learned how to read, and I’ll pretty much read anything that I think looks interesting. I have a special love for young adult fiction, especially LGBTQA+ YA fiction. A few amazing books I’ve read recently are I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson and The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, both of which I highly recommend. I think possibly the best LGBTQA+ book of the year is Small Wonders by Courtney Lux, which you should read immediately if you haven’t.
Thank you for having me. Something Like a Love Song is my first novel, a story about two long time boyfriends who find themselves facing a life changing tragedy and have to find the courage and love for each other to fight through.
While this is my first novel, I have posted many stories online, and have been writing ever since I learned how. I currently work as a nurse in a Neonatal ICU, and medicine has been a big interest in my life, and always seems to find a way into my writing. I am passionate about diverse, LGBTQ fiction, and am very excited to contribute to this genre.
1. When did you write your first story/book? How old were you?
I’m not quite sure how old I was, probably first or second grade, and this might not be the first story I ever wrote, but it’s the first one I have a memory of. I wrote it with crayons on colored paper that I made into a book with yarn binding, and it was about a ladybug who lived in a barn and had to move a hat to save all her bug friends. It was very thrilling.
As a child, I would write stories about everything. Nothing was safe. My mom likes to tell about when my third grade teacher had a meeting with her because for my science test in which I had to write about the life cycle of a frog, I wrote an entire story about the frog and his life and his hobbies living among the lily pads.
2. Are you a plotter or pantser?
I’m a little bit of both, but mostly I’m a pantser. I try and plot out a little bit before I write something so I’m not completely lost, but often my writing takes on a complete mind of it’s own and too much plotting will just lead to frustration. I think there’s valid points to both.
3. What do you think makes your book stand out from the crowd?
I often find that a hate crime or injury like Landon’s happens at the end of the story as the climax. I wanted to explore what happens after that – how the characters recover, grow, and continue on with their lives. So I took that event and put it at the beginning of the story, and dealt with the aftermath throughout the novel. Something Like a Love Song isn’t just a typical romance story. It explores a couple – Dylan and Landon – who are victims of a hate crime and find themselves in a caregiver/dependent relationship, and how they put themselves back together over time.
4. How do you find or make time to write?
I work full time so it can be difficult to find writing time some weeks, but I try and find a few hours a week I can escape to a coffee shop or a library to write. It’s harder to write at home with distractions and my needy cat always at my feet, so I find I’m way more productive away from home. And it helps me plan my time a little more so I have some scheduled writing time. It helps to have other writer friends who inspire and motivate me to write!
5. What do you like to read in your free time?
I’ve been an avid reader since I learned how to read, and I’ll pretty much read anything that I think looks interesting. I have a special love for young adult fiction, especially LGBTQA+ YA fiction. A few amazing books I’ve read recently are I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson and The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, both of which I highly recommend. I think possibly the best LGBTQA+ book of the year is Small Wonders by Courtney Lux, which you should read immediately if you haven’t.
Becca Burton penned her first Nancy Drew fan fiction at the age of nine and has been an avid writer ever since. Currently working as a Neonatal Intensive Care nurse, Becca is a recent Oregon transplant from the Midwest. Becca has a weakness for coffee, the smell of old books, rainy days and her cat, Luna. Something Like a Love Song is her first novel.
