Uncut (Unexpected Book 4)
Uncut
Copyright ©2015 by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Cover Design
by Hang Le
Edited by Vanessa L. Bridges,
PREMA
Copy edited by Marion Archer,
Making the Manuscript
Interior Design & Formatting by Christine Borgford,
Perfectly Publishable
Butterfly Graphic: Alleskelle
http://givinglifetomybooks.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, photocopying, mechanical or otherwise, without express permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, brands, media, places, story lines and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, brands, and-or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The use of these trademarks is not authorized with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Date Night for the Decker Family
Dedicated to everyone who pursues and fights for their rights to dream, to love, and to live their happily ever after
You’re not alone.
W
hen I planned this book, I was so sure about one thing, it was the story about Matthew Decker. Writing a triad was a new challenge, a special one too. And how lucky am I to have met one person that has so much knowledge and held my hand as I walked through this treacherous journey. There are many, many people behind the scenes that have helped me through these three amazing years. Readers, bloggers, friends. My fellow writers, thank you for being there for me. The list is big and trying to remember each name will be close to impossible, as my memory is terrible.
However, I want to use this space to thank a few who by some miracle didn’t maim me during the process. Thank you all for your patience.
First and foremost, Vanessa L. Bridges, without you I’m not sure where Thea, Matthew and Tristan would’ve gone, but you gave me the compass, the map and kept me going until I found the right place. She not only did the content editing, she coached me, patted my back and boy did we cried. Thank you for answering every question, every text, every hang out and for encouraging me to continue.
To Paulina, who listened to me every time I had to discuss the book, I treasure the time you spend facetiming, texting or over the phone to listen to me, or to go through a scene with me. You’re the best daughter and I wouldn’t have you any other way.
My beta readers: Manda Mettlach, Judy Brown, Gloria Herrera, Mary W Jolly, Melissa Taegel Parnell, and Debbie Devita-Rappaport.
Anita Turner Corwin, she beta reads and listens to my book rants and throws great ideas too over a glass of wine, margarita or whatever we had in front. Or during a PTCO event or whenever we get a chance. Thank you for your friendship and your support.
Christine Tovey, who beta read, heard my rants, stayed with e every step of the way and heard my changes from beginning to end, while answering my questions and also helped me with some of my research. Thank you for everything, most of all for being a friend.
A huge thank you to my babes, who help a little with the content, and are such a lovely group.
Big thank you to Angie Bartley, she helped me proofing the book. 130k words isn’t easy to proof. You’re amazing, and I appreciate the support you’ve given to all my books.
Kaila Eileen Turingan-Ramos, where do I start? She’s starting to become my outside brain and it’s not a joke. Thank you for your support, friendship and for the little reminders, they mean a lot. Thank you also for setting aside some time to go through Uncut and find the little and the big typos.
Last, but never the least. Thank you to my family. For your love and understanding. To my very special children. Andie and Sebastien who despite their personalities are so patient with me; and who teach me every day that everything is possible. The hubs, who keeps up with my mood swings.
As some of you know,
Unlike Any Other
and the
Unexpected
series began with a simple thought—more like a question.
Have you ever watched a movie, a favorite television series, or listened to a band play some music, and seemed to connect with the artist? Believed they are a part of your life?
But, do we really know them?
And this is where I was stumped. We don’t, and that led me to thinking about how many secrets they must harbor.
What is behind closed doors?
After many revisions, our
Unexpected
series goes as follows:
SERIES ORDER:
Unlike Any Other
~ Gabe’s story
Unsurprisingly Complicated
~ Mason’s story.
Uncharted
~ Jacob (JC’s) story
Uncut
~ Matthew (MJ’s) story
Undefeated (name changed from Unable to Forget)
~ Porter’s story
From the beginning of this project, I knew that Matt’s story would be fun, yet complicated. He’s his own person, and he likes who he likes. What a dilemma. Matt doesn’t define his sexuality. Of course, with such complexity, it took me longer than usual to write Uncut. Writing under three different first person POV’s was something brand new to me, and challenging. And I wanted to get the story just right.
As you all know, I like to give the reader and my characters the right air time to tell their side of the story. Imagine how that worked out with three different personalities. The journey was fun. I love them so much. And yes, it’s a little long, but the final product has the story of three different souls that found each other and are trying to understand what is that they share. Matt, Thea and Tristan are unusual, as is their story—and the length of the book is long because of that. In a few words, this is a tale where three hearts collide.