The Photograhper’s Truth
Ralph Josiah Bardsley
Blurb
Ian seems to have it all – a career as a hotshot software programmer in Silicon Valley; a beautiful wife and family; a nice house in an upscale San Francisco neighborhood; and a past that he's mostly managed to forget. But life takes an unexpected turn for Ian when he finds himself in Paris for a three-month work project where meets the former fashion photographer Luca Sparks. The unlikely friendship grows and Ian sees a new side to life as Luca takes him on a journey through the glamorous and lustrous Paris nightlife. But something strange starts to happen during their adventures in Paris; the two discover an attraction that threatens to destroy their lives. Both men battle their own demons on the road to self-discovery, ultimately learning how to come to peace with their feelings and their pasts.
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Carra's Review
Ralph Josiah Bardsley has what I would call a very literary way of writing. It reminds me of the books I had to read for school-descriptive, with lots of exposition. That's not a bad thing, it actually puts you deeper into the main character's thoughts and feelings and gives you a greater understanding of what is going on. For me personally, it also makes some parts of the book go slower as all of the storytelling unfolds. Here in The Photographer's Truth, it was like that for me for about the first two-thirds of the story and then the last third is where things became more intense as the relationship between Ian and Luca becomes deeper and more complicated.
Ian is an average, everyday guy...not someone who stands out or would make you look twice really. But he finds himself becoming more and more entrenched in a situation he is unsure of, and is confusing and a bit scary for him--being attracted to a man for the first time...a bit problematic since he has a wife and family. Luca is the kind of man who everyone wants to be around and with, and who easily fits in everywhere. What develops between the two is complex and becomes difficult given Ian's family circumstances.
The story is beautiful and moving, my only wish would have been to have a more definitive resolution at the end. It leaves you thinking you know where things are headed, but honestly you can't really know for sure. It is because of this and the slower moving pace of the writing that this is a 4-star read for me instead of a 5...but these are personal preferences for me, and this is still a wonderful story. Recommended for M/M romance fans who like their stories told in a more literary fashion-you will find this to be a truly enjoyable book like I did.
Ian is an average, everyday guy...not someone who stands out or would make you look twice really. But he finds himself becoming more and more entrenched in a situation he is unsure of, and is confusing and a bit scary for him--being attracted to a man for the first time...a bit problematic since he has a wife and family. Luca is the kind of man who everyone wants to be around and with, and who easily fits in everywhere. What develops between the two is complex and becomes difficult given Ian's family circumstances.
The story is beautiful and moving, my only wish would have been to have a more definitive resolution at the end. It leaves you thinking you know where things are headed, but honestly you can't really know for sure. It is because of this and the slower moving pace of the writing that this is a 4-star read for me instead of a 5...but these are personal preferences for me, and this is still a wonderful story. Recommended for M/M romance fans who like their stories told in a more literary fashion-you will find this to be a truly enjoyable book like I did.
About the Author
A little bit more about me – I was born in a small town outside of Boston. My dad was in the Coast Guard and so I grew up in a lot of different places – New Orleans, Cape Cod, North Carolina and Sitka, Alaska. When I wasn't in school, I spent most of my time in Coast Guard hangers or reading. Today I live in San Francisco where my hobbies include writing, running and wine tasting! Like everyone else I wear a few hats. I work in the high tech industry in marketing. I hold a bachelor's degree from Greensboro College and a master's in communication from Emerson College.
When I read a writer's bio, I usually want to know why they write - what makes them sit down at a keyboard and what do they hope to accomplish. When I ask myself those same questions, it's more difficult to answer. I've always loved writing - in any capacity. For a long time, I got enough fulfillment out of the writing assignments I did for work. I've written white papers on software, airlines, mobile technology and advertising practices. These were (and continue to be) great assignments and I absolutely love them - I get to learn about all sorts of cool new things all the time. But eventually I wanted to do something more personal. So I started a blog called BrandFiller. I recruited several contributors and we had a lot of fun for a year or so writing short form articles and posts about everything from hockey to fashion. Let me say - for me blogging was A LOT of work. It was rewarding, but I wanted to do something bigger - something that expressed bits and pieces of my own life and feelings in a work of fiction. So that's when I decided to retire the blog and try a novel. I never expected anyone would publish it. But the team over at Bold Strokes Books saw my manuscript for Brothers and decided to take a chance on me. You can be the judge of if they were right, when the book comes out on December 1, 2015. So what makes me sit down and write now? I guess just the opportunity to express myself and share that expression.
My writing comes from a combination of experience and imagination. My family - especially my husband Dana - is a big part of my inspiration. They're always pushing me to do more and I love them for it. I also love to travel, and I manage to work the details from the places I visit into the stories and the books I write. Someone once told me that the only true value you ever get for your money is travel - and I couldn't agree more.
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