All He Needed

All He Needed - book #19 in MLR's Holiday Release is now available from MLR Press.

He had everything he wanted, they would give him everything he needed.

Successful photojournalist Chase Hansen is summoned to Dallas, Texas when his estranged sister is killed and informed that he is now the sole guardian of his sister’s newborn daughter. On the eve of the funeral, his partner of several years breaks up with him. Once home, Chase must adjust to being a single father, something he’d never thought he’d be, as well as the demands of his profession.

Eric Zimmerman is a highly skilled, in demand computer geek, whose new job came with a six-month lease in a high-rise apartment. Now that his professional life is in order, he’s willing to start dating again. But, no matter how hard he tries, no one measures up to the one man he can’t forget, the one he can’t have. Poaching your friend from another man is never a good idea.

Magic and chaos are often travel companions in the stark barrenness of winter. Under the full moon of the Winter Solstice, love is rekindled.

A Christmas To Remember

A new December Release from Total-E-Bound




Coming December 12th from Total-E-Bound

Blurb --

In effort to deal with the death of his partner, Daniel Hoffman turned to work, burying himself amongst the old books and records of the archives. Years later, he is comfortable in his isolated and insulated life.

For years Jared Lont and Chance Devlin watched their closest friend withdraw into himself and his work. A couple for a decade, their mutual desire and love for Daniel prompted a Christmas getaway spent in northern Michigan in a cabin near Lake Huron.

Desire and need heat up, even as the ice and snow swirl about them in an effort for love to heal old wounds and melt the walls built by grief.

They say time heals all wounds, but is love enough to heal what time didn’t?




Blurb

All He Needed

I have new a pretty -

Coming Dec 8th from MLR Press -

Blurb

He had everything he wanted, they would give him everything he needed.

Successful photojournalist Chase Hansen is summoned to Dallas, Texas when his estranged sister is killed and informed that he is now the sole guardian of his sister’s newborn daughter. On the eve of the funeral, his partner of several years breaks up with him. Once home, Chase must adjust to being a single father, something he’d never thought he’d be, as well as the demands of his profession.

Eric Zimmerman is a highly skilled, in demand computer geek, whose new job came with a six-month lease in a high-rise apartment. Now that his professional life is in order, he’s willing to start dating again. But, no matter how hard he tries, no one measures up to the one man he can’t forget, the one he can’t have. Poaching your friend from another man is never a good idea.

Magic and chaos are often travel companions in the stark barrenness of winter. Under the full moon of the Winter Solstice, love is rekindled.

MIdsummer's Dreaming

As We Like - Six Authors, imaginagtion and Shakespeare like you've never seen it before....

Coming November 16 - Midsummer's Dreaming and the As We Like It Anthology from Resplendence Publishing

Blurb -

Hayle St. James’ refusal to continue living a lie when he is confronted by his family about being gay finds him on the back of a motorcycle riding through a forest in the middle of the night. What he finds will either make everything worthwhile or break his heart.

Leife O’Neill has finally found the perfect man. A man who loves him for him. Hayle is everything he could want in a partner. Too many things stand in their way. On the night that Leife wants to declare Hayle is his, reality and responsibility collide with anger and jealousy and more than one heart is on the line.

Stopping in the middle of the forest to make love under a full moon seemed romantic, however, Hayle and Leife quickly learn that they are not alone and not everything is as it seems. One man watches and waits for the opportunity to confront the man he loves, while another is forced to face the consequences of his actions and fear. In the span of one night everything changes, no one is certain of anything anymore and everyone’s lives are changed.

Excerpt:

“Is it true?”

Hayle St. James blinked and looked across the dinner table at his father. Anger and hatred washed across his father’s normally stoic face. Hayle’s stomach bottomed out, dread weighing him down. Dread rushed through his veins as he processed his father’s question and hoped he was wrong. “Is what true?” Hayle asked, swallowing around the lump in his throat.

“Don’t play dumb with me boy!” Elliot St. James shouted, pounding his fist on the table. “You know what I’m talking about. You’re the same as the Royce’s oldest boy. An abomination!”

Fear settled in Hayle’s chest and made breathing difficult. “I’m not an abomination,” he replied, trying to keep the apprehension and pain from his voice.

“Are you one of those sex-craving deviants? An affront to God?” Elliot demanded. “Get down on your knees and swear you are not a homosexual—that the rumors I’ve heard are false.”

“Being gay isn’t wrong or evil,” Hayle answered, hedging his answer. He didn’t want to admit to his father what he’d known since practically the beginning of puberty, but hadn’t accepted himself until a couple of years ago. His father’s reaction was most of the reason he’d never came out to his family. Why he’d never planned on coming out to his family. Why only a handful of people knew the truth about his sexuality.

“It is a sin against God and nature,” Elliot said. “Confess it and repent, or deny it, and we will forget about it.”

Hayle stared at his father then turned his attention to his mother and his younger brother and sister. How easy would it be to deny the truth? To remain hidden, to keep the love and affection he had from his family. What would it cost him? Hayle squeezed his eyes shut. His lover’s words came back to him. Never be ashamed of who you are, of who you love. Being gay isn’t evil or wrong. If anything it’s different, but not wrong. Leife O’Neill had captured his heart and had won his trust. Taking a deep breath, praying he was making the right choice, Hayle shook his head. “No.”

“No, you aren’t gay. Good then you can stay away from--”

“No, I’m not evil. I won’t confess to something that isn’t wrong.”

“You’re making no sense boy,” Elliot ground out, hatred and disgust evident.

Hayle took a deep breath and prayed for strength. “I’m gay, not evil.”

His mother gasped, his siblings broke down crying and his father’s face turned red with rage.

“You--how--what--” he sputtered.

“I’m gay. I’ve always been gay,” Hayle said quietly. “I’m not evil or sex-craving. I simply prefer men over women.”

“He can be fixed, can’t he?” Hayle’s ten-year-old sister Anya asked. “Can’t he, dad? You can fix him.”

“I’m not broken, Anya, I’m different,” Hayle replied.

“Don’t you speak to her! You’ll corrupt her. Turn her from the church and the family,” his father said before turning to his siblings. “Anya, Kyle, go to your rooms. Now!” he ordered.

“God will fix you,” Kyle said with all of the belief and confidence of a twelve-year-old as the pair left the kitchen.

“You will renounce it this instance!” Elliot demanded.

“Renounce it?” Hayle asked incredulously. “This isn’t citizenship or religion. It’s biology. My beliefs haven’t changed. Nothing about me has changed. I’m still the same person I have always been.”

“You will renounce this abomination or you will get out of my house! I will not have a sin against God in my house!”

“I am not a sin. I’m a person. I’m not evil or an abomination,” Hayle exclaimed, standing. Why couldn’t his family accept him? It wasn’t like he was serial killer or child molester or did drugs or alcohol.

“Get out of my house!” Elliot St. James yelled, leaping up from his seat, the chair clattering to the floor behind him. “If you don’t straighten out and ask for forgiveness you’re no son of mine.”

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” Hayle protested.

Pain shattered his face, taking his vision out of focus. The force of the blow sent him stumbling back into the corner of the kitchen counter. Wood pierced his skin through his t-shirt. His dad stepped closer, trapping him. Blood trickled down his back as the countertop dug farther into his flesh.

“Elliot, stop!” his mother Laura screamed.

Hayle’s hand automatically covered his eye and cheekbone where his father had hit him. Hayle squeezed his eyes shut and slowly opened them. His world was crumbling around him. Hatred showed in his father’s eyes before he retreated to the living room.

“Give him a couple of hours to cool down. Pray about it, pray for God to rid you of this,” his mother said. “How could you do this to him? To me?” She looked from him to the direction his father had gone.

“To you? Do you honestly think this is a choice?” Hayle asked. “Do you think I wanted this? That I haven’t prayed to be straight? But I’m not. Nothing is going to change that. And I haven’t done anything to you. I didn’t renounce you, dad, the church, or anything else.”

“You have to leave. I can’t have him angry and hurt. And this,” she waved a hand over him “needs to remain clear of Anya and Kyle. Go see the pastor. He will know what to do,” Laura said, looking back to the living room.

“I’m not broken mom,” Hayle said quietly.

“You need to leave. This is his house.”

Author's After Dark - Thursday Recap

Yesterday was the first day of Authors After Dark and it was amazing! Just before the Welcome Event, I met William Cooper, who turned out to be a lot of fun. The workshops were fun and informative. I went to one titled "You Don't Know Dick" - a GLBT panel about keeping sex fresh through out a series with Mia Watts, James Buchanan, William Neale, Arial Tachna, and Ally Blue, which was informative and absolutely hilarious. There was lunch and hanging out in the ARe Digital Cafe with Carol Lynne and Ethan Day and everyone who wandered through. My roomie went on the Scavenger Hunt and had an absolute blast.

The ARe Reception was a great chance to meet people and talk with them and see the vendors and publishers. Spent several minutes talking with Andrew Grey and Arial Tachna from Dreamspinner Press. It was great being able to put faces to names of people I 'see' and talk to online.

Dinner was at the Second Floor Restaurant in the Hotel - had a burger, fries and a Coke because there was no way I could eat a whole Philly Cheesesteak.

After a short rest, there was Resplendence Publishing's Karaoke Party - which was an absolute blast. They gave away an i-Pad and books and stuff. There was alcohol, but not everyone was drinking, but everyone there was having fun. The hosts - Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Greene, Jen Armintrout/Abigail Barnett, Jess Jarman, Gwendolyn Cease, and Mia Watts - sang and did back up dancing. And over the half time everyone was singing along with the people who were brave enough to sing in front of everyone. I did not sing, I can't sing. I did however, pull ticket duty.

Talked with Mia, Brynn, and Bronwyn and others until way late into the night. The night ended on a higher note with some cool emails.

On the phone with Sister By Another Mother because my niece is in labor. I can't wait to see pictures of her. Either way, my brain is now engaged with other thoughts.

Author's After Dark - Wednesday Recap

We left Michigan at 1am in order to make it to the hotel by 3pm. It's a 12 1/2 hour drive and well, you have to stop and eat, walk around and do the restroom thing.

There are workshops, panels, and editor/agent interviews, but it's also pretty much a big party for readers. This is my first conference as an author, and I'm super geeked.

For the record - the Appalachians or whatever mountain range we crossed was absolutely beautiful and I'm freaking thrilled to death I did not have to make that trip on horseback, foot, or covered wagon before 'civilization' crawled through. Beautiful though, stunning. Camera was safely in the trunk - not a smart place for it to be.

After walking through Philly for about an hour, we ended up having dinner at Tavern On Broad - I had the Philly Cheesesteak - was good - huge - good price too. I live in a city, not a big city by any means, what I've seen in Philly would never happen in either of the cities I've lived in Michigan. Right next to upscale restaurants, Starbucks and miscellaneous stores are adult 'gift' stores and a BDSM Leather shop. I counted 3 adult stores within a two block walk from the hotel. The traffic sucks though. Couldn't drive in a city like this, I'd probably develop road rage. :)

I haven't seen a lot of Philly, but I LOVE the old architecture of the buildings. The majority of the streets I've seen so far are narrow and one way with bike lanes.

I've met some great people and had dinner with Crymsyn Hart, Shannan Albright, Laura from Topaz Promotions, a wonderful reader named Jill, Bronwyn Green, and Brynn Paulin. I'm looking forward to meeting more great people today.

Lessons Learned

This week at Writers Evolution, we are talking about important lessons we've learned.

This Week At Writers Evolution

This week over at Writers Evolution we are talking about secret and not-so secret addictions we might have.

Farewell to Mia

Today over at Writers Evolution we are saying Farewell to Mia. We are sad to see her leave Writers Evolution.

Independence Day!

I'm talking about Independence Day over at Writers Evolution.

Today is our birthday, we are another year older and hopefully another year wiser.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a safe and wonderful day, take a moment to remember where we came from and how we got here.

Simone.

Guest Blogger KC Burns

Titles - The Bane of My Existence.

So, titles. Perhaps bane is a wee bit excessive, but seriously… coming up with titles for me is painful and vexing. Surprisingly, to this point, none of my titles have been changed by editors. Choosing a title is the very last thing I do when writing a book, and I find it agonizing. The problem with a title is that it has to catch a reader’s attention as well as provide some hint about the plot or characters or setting or genre… sometimes all four. Not a simple endeavor at all.

When I chose the title for my first book, MIA Case Files: Wolfsbane, I had a picture in my head of a nerdy bureaucrat typing up a report about a confidential investigation, and applying a ‘code name’ to the investigation. That particular case involved werewolves, hence Wolfsbane. Seemed a perfectly logical leap for my office worker.

The same theory worked for the sequel. I pictured my same boring clerk reporting on another agency investigation, this time involving vampires and two brothers. And so, MIA Case Files: Blood Relations was born. Imagining my clerk didn’t mean I agonized any less, though! Oddly enough, the third book in the series, which I’m working on now, my office worker was more proactive. It’s one of the few stories I’ve written where I had the title in hand before I even started. As soon as I knew what creature the MIA operatives were fighting, the name fell into my brain.

Spice ‘n’ Solace spent its creation days under a folder called ‘rent boy’. It’s the story of a brothel owner on another planet who gets mistaken for one of the escorts he employs. Even though I’d decided on the name of the brothel fairly early on in the story, it wasn’t until I was title hunting at the end when I realized I could call the book by the same name as the brothel!

My newest book, due out in late summer from Loose Id, is called Trompe L’Oeil. It’s an art term meaning trick of the eye, and despite how perfect I think the title is for the book, I thought for sure my editor would change it! But, if you consider the manuscript was filed under a folder called ‘cursed painting’, perhaps you can see why Trompe L’Oeil works.

The title of a book needs to do a lot of heavy lifting, and I’ve certainly chosen books based on title alone (heck, I’ve chosen books based on the font of the title and nothing more). One of my favorite titles is The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks by Josh Lanyon. Caught my interest immediately, with both the ‘ghost’ idea and the slight absurdity of a ghost wearing socks. Another title I like is The Good Thief by James Buchanan. The juxtaposition of someone breaking the law while remaining an admirable person is made utterly clear in the title, making you want to know what makes the thief good, or how he’ll redeem himself.

Do you have any favourite titles? Ones that grabbed your attention right away, demanding you buy the book? What about titles that make you scratch your head, wondering why that particular title was chosen?

I’d like to thank Simone for having me visit today, and I’ll leave you with a short R-rated excerpt from Spice ’n’ Solace (unfortunately I don‘t have any excerpts for my upcoming release yet). You can find me on the web at www.kcburn.com and I’m on Twitter and Facebook as well.

Buy Link: http://bit.ly/fL2efv
Blurb:

Every year, Jathan One-Moon faces increasing pressure that he marry and have children. What Jathan really wants is a male mate that can enjoy both playful sex and his more dominant nature. To tame his stress, Jathan orders a male escort from Spice 'n' Solace, the premier male brothel in the Galactic Alliance—and is thrilled to be sent a man whose air of innocence and obvious desire for Jathan arouse him like never before.

Jathan doesn't know he has mistaken Kazha Deinos, the owner of Spice 'n' Solace, as his escort. Kaz doesn't intend to pleasure Jathan personally, but his powerful masculinity is irresistible. Kaz has dreamed of a man who'd take charge and indulge his hidden cravings—a man just like Jathan.

With their explosive passion and unexpected tenderness, Jathan and Kaz soon want to stay together—if Jathan's position and Kaz's secrets don't tear them apart...

Excerpt:

The unmistakable lurch of a shuttle docking coincided with the chirping of Jathan One-Moon’s comm unit. Bram Hakers was beginning to piss him off. Jathan silenced the device, wondering what the alliance’s undersecretary would do if he turned it off. He’d talked to Hakers every day of his trip to Elora Ki, and he wasn’t doing it again. For some reason Hakers—and the rest of the alliance—treated this brief sojourn as nothing more than an exotic vacation for Jathan, with the alliance picking up the tab.

Jathan did charge the alliance an enormous amount, but they were the reason Jathan had been forced to become a negotiator in the first place. His other negotiations paid well, but they were on a much smaller scale. For the Ankylos negotiations, Jathan charged the alliance in proportion to the almost unimaginable consequences of failure. Because if Jathan failed, the human race could be snuffed out.

Every year he returned to Elora Ki, the site chosen because of its position as the farthest planet from the center of both the Ankylos Empire and the hub of planets ruling the Galactic Alliance. Every year he repeated the negotiations on behalf of the human race.

In truth he’d do the negotiations for free. Diabolical not to, since the Ankylos wouldn’t negotiate with anyone else after his father died. Without him the Ankylos Empire would renew the Wolframite War with the Galactic Alliance. But people didn’t respect things they got for free, and Jathan wanted the alliance to respect his services. Unfortunately Hakers acted as though the exorbitant fees meant Jathan was his slave for the length of the negotiations. With the Ankylos refusing to negotiate with anyone but a person in his father’s bloodline, he was a prisoner of sorts.

A knock sounded at the door to his quarters.
“Come in.” The military escort to his headquarters had arrived.
“Sir. We made good time. We’ve docked early.”
Dammit. Should he contact Spice ’n’ Solace? With his escort due to arrive the next evening, was it worth altering those arrangements? “Yes, thank you. I’m almost ready.”
Jathan fastened his bag and hefted it to his shoulder.
“Sir. Let me take that.” The well-put-together soldier moved into Jathan’s personal space, took the bag and smiled.
Jathan looked down at the man’s face, assessing his motives. The blond was good-looking, although broader and more muscle bound than his usual type.
The soldier used his firm chest to pin Jathan against the wall—under other circumstances a move like that would have made Jathan’s cock swell. Before the negotiations, though, the aggressiveness didn’t work for him.
“We’re on unexpected furlough for the night.” The soldier might have been making conversation, but the erection pressing into Jathan’s hip made his words an invitation.
“Tempting.” Jathan pushed all inflection out of his voice and painted on his most disdainful expression. This wasn’t what he needed. Not now. Military men weren’t equipped to give in, to submit. “But not a good idea.”
The blond quirked a brow. “Sure? Everyone knows how you spend your nights on Elora Ki.” His hips undulated against Jathan’s. Lies, clearly. If everyone knew what he did—he peered at the shorter man’s name patch—Williams would know this wasn’t the approach to take.
Although the forthright invitation was at odds with a man on duty, starfuckers were rather single-minded. He’d fucked others, but it made him uncomfortable. Still, the blond was quite attractive.
“You going to be part of my escort on the return trip?”
“Mmm, I think so.”
On the way home might be a different story. “We’ll talk then.”
“Yes, sir.” Williams stepped back before leading the way out of Jathan’s quarters. In many ways Jathan preferred to pay for his pleasure. No strings, no expectations on the part of the escort and Jathan could take what he needed to make it through another year of negotiations.
Jathan took out his comm unit, still unsure if he wanted to call for an escort. The unit chirped in his hand. Undoubtedly Hakers again, toadying little suck-up. Screw it. He’d had enough. Jathan turned the device off, determined to pretend that for at least one night no one relied on him to save countless human lives.

Text Copyright © 2011 by K.C. Burn
Cover Art Copyright ©2010 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Guest Blogger - PD Singer

Good morning, I'm PD Singer. Simone has very graciously invited me to post today, so thank you! I write gay erotic romance, very often set in the mountains of Colorado, though I've been known to wander into the Indian Ocean or Ireland.

I've been working on a short story where the two of the three main characters work in a warehouse store. These aren't crazy/sexy jobs, just useful, necessary, and many of us have done something similar. I need the store as a setting -- it's almost a character in its own right, but I'm going to have to find the dramatic tension in something besides what they do for a living.

Some professions just lend themselves to drama. Medicine is easy -- life, death, health. Doctors and EMTs, who plunge their hands into the blood as needed, have more inherent excitement, but there are other health care professionals who have stories to tell. Lawyers come with conflicts built in. Cops and firemen, where harm is part of the job description, have plenty to make their lives interesting. I admit to setting an entire mountain on fire just to keep a couple of forest rangers too busy to think about sex for a while.

Construction trades lend themselves to gay romance -- it's hard not to smile at the thought of a hunky guy wearing nothing but trickles of sweat between the hard hat and the tool belt. What these guys do is sexy -- build something or tear it down, repair it. Creating usefulness with a heap of materials and some tools is an automatic rawr, even before getting a look at the abs. Guys who work with their hands have the edge of knowing how to do something most of us don't. Knowledge is sexy -- it doesn't have to be rocket science. Add in a glimpse of butt crack when he's bent into the hood of a car or sticking out from under the sink, and I'm there. Thanks, Eden Winters, for giving me Joey Nichols and an old pickup truck to dream about.

Dancers and athletes are more aware of their bodies than most people -- their conditioning and health is their livelihood. Even if you don't follow the sport, the conflicts that arise from the characters' winning, losing, or even being able to play, can make the story memorable.

But not everyone is a doctor or a carpenter, a dancer or a sports star, closeted or not. The guy behind the video counter has a story, as Marie Sexton reminds us, with more going on inside his head than one night's rental or two. It's a different kind of story when the characters have low profile professions -- an accountant will be a different flavor of appealing than a baseball player, a truck driver will have another sort of story to tell than a rock star, but it's worth the read, as AKM Miles showed.

I've written stories about the pirate captain and also about the man who built the boilers for the steamship. I've written about the ski patrol and the man who runs the lift. And I'll read about everything from pilots to playwrights, from hookers to handymen. Give me something just a bit offbeat in a profession much beloved in our genre, because cops and cowboys can have fresh and interesting stories.

What kinds of jobs have you never seen in an m/m romance but would like to? Is there a profession that sets your pulse racing just by reading the blurb? Have you ever read a story featuring a character in a job that you didn't think you'd like, but did?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PD Singer lives in Colorado with her slightly bemused husband, two rowdy teenage boys, and thirty pounds of cats, all of whom approach carefully when she's in a writing frenzy. She's a big believer in research, first-hand if possible, so the reader can be quite certain PD has gone face first down a ski slope, been stepped on by rodeo horses, acquired a potato burn or two, and will never, ever, write a novel that includes sky-diving.

Her novels Fire on the Mountain, Snow on the Mountain, Fall Down the Mountain, related Mountain short stories and other shorts can be found at Torquere Press. Look for Prep Work, coming from Dreamspinner in late summer, and Maroon: Donal agus Jimmy from Torquere in the fall.

Follow the adventures at http://pdsinger.wordpress.com.

It's GAY DAY!!

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday, June 12th is Gay Day at my Yahoo Group. Gay Day is the one day a month when the best authors in GLBT Romance stop by to post excerpts of their new and upcoming releases.

The following authors will be generously offering giveaways you can enter to win:

Elizabeth Noble - Marked Yours

C. Zampa - Candy G.

Tara Lain - Volley Balls or The Scientist and the Supermodel

S.J. Frost - Natural Instincts

Belinda McBride - A signed Uncommon Whore poster

JL Merrow - Camwolf or Sex, Lies and Edelweiss

Jambrea Jo Jones - Tell Me Now & Saddle Up 'N Ride

Alan Chin - Haji's Exile

Ariel Tachna - Choice from Backlist

Pia Veleno - Man Whore

William Neale - A New Normal

Barry Brennessel - Tinseltown

Simone Anderson - To Love Again

Serena Yates - Saving Zeke

Sebastian Blade - Redeem Me

Jaime Samms - As Advertised

Kimberly Gardner - Dressed to Thrill

Lou Harper – Hanging Loose

Angel Martinez - Boots

Charlie Cochrane - An ‘I love Jonty and Orlando’ T-shirt

Devon Rhodes - Stranger In Black

Z.A. Maxfield - Rhapsody For Piano And Ghost

Gale Stanley - One Night in Bangkok

&

Geoff Knight & Dare Empire will be offering up FIVE books!

Winners Choice of either The Cross of Sins or Drive Shaft

The amazing Authors below will be popping in and out to chat & post excerpts from their latest books:

S.J. Frost - Black Heart Down

Alan Chin - Butterfly’s Child

Willa Okati - Make a Right

Geoff Knight - Curse of the Dragon God

Lynn Lorenz – The Hearts of New Orleans Series

Charlie Cochrane - All Lessons Learned

Z.A. Maxfield – All Stirred Up

The day will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST in the Ethan Day Yahoo Group where we’ll be posting excerpts, running contests for free books, and chatting about all the new and upcoming releases from your favorite authors.

I hope everyone will stop by to catch up with your favorite authors and join in all the fun!

Time Travel

This Week over at Writers Evolution we're talking about the eras we would like to visit.

There is no guest blogger this week, but you can find guest bloggers Jaime Samms here and Amber Green here.

The question now is do I want to start the week off with a free read or the weekend? Thoughts.

Guest Blogger - Jaime Samms

Thanks so much, Simone, for inviting me to your blog, today. Every time I sit down to write a new blog post, I find myself staring at a blank page wondering what I'm going to say that readers haven't heard a thousand times already. It's worse that actually writing, by far, becasue at least with writing a story, you get to make stuff up, have fun and tell someone else's story for a few hours, and people get that. As far as me and my life go, I'm pretty much an open book.

Unlike some of the characters in my latest release, I don't keep much back, and that means there's rarely anything new to say! lol! My guys, though, they can be full of secrets and half-truths.

Blurb: Tyler's life perked up when he met Jake. So what if long-time friend Marty can't stand him and his landlady has no use for his new beau. Tyler's determined not to see the dark side of his lover. It's his own fault for believing people don't go around keeping secrets and lying.

Tyler should know better. He's an ad executive. He knows the packaging is what sells, and Jake is quite a package. His lover is no slouch when it comes to false advertising, either, and when Tyler finds out the truth, It hurts. Weathering Jake's lies and secrets gets easier with the help of new friends, Libby and Steven. In fact, Tyler figures that maybe a lot of things would get easier with Steven.

Tyler should have known better. Not even someone as seemingly perfect as Steven Jessop is completely as advertised. This time, though, Tyler has to make a decision. After all, sometimes, even if what you see is not what you get, what Tyler's uncovered in Steven might just be what he's always wanted.

Buy Link: http://www.freyasbower.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10&products_id=267

Excerpt:

Tyler blinked at him. "Is there some reason I shouldn't want to go to a party?"

"Because it is a party." Jake perched on the arm of Tyler's couch and looked down on him. "You don't do parties. You're the one told me that."

"I know, but Maynard mentioned it. It sounds decent."

Jake studied the label on his beer, picking at the corner of it. "Now you go to parties because your boss tells you to."

"He didn't tell me to. He just mentioned it."

"Is he going to be there? That why he mentioned it to you?"

"Oh my god. You've got to be kidding me," Tyler chuckled and sipped his beer.

Jake just looked at him.

"Seriously? Are you jealous?" Tyler asked.

Still Jake said nothing.

Tyler grabbed Jake's arm and yanked him down. "Come here."

For an instant, Jake resisted, but Tyler licked his lips, lifted his eyebrows and pulled a little harder. Jake slid down, squeezed his cheeks into the crack between Tyler and the arm of the couch and took Tyler's chin in a loose grip. "Doesn't it bother you?" he asked after another swig, keeping his searching gaze on Tyler.

"What?" Tyler frowned.

"That he uses the fact you like dick to scope out new clients."

"What?" Tyler hitched back a few inches, putting some space between them.

"Think about it. You do know who's throwing this party?"

"Jessop. I don't know his first name. I don't even know what he does. Maybe Maynard just mentioned it because he thinks I've been working too hard lately. Unlike someone I know, who gets all the easy clients and the padded expense account." Tyler set his beer down and wiggled closer, hooking his finger into Jake's tie and prying it loose.

"If you think those clients are easy, my dear, you've got another think coming. I just have a knack for handling self-absorbed, insane people. You, though. Maynard's working you to the bone and not giving you enough credit. Jessop is a dream account. If he doesn't give it to you…." A hard edge visible just in the shadows of Jake’s expression told Tyler there was something he wasn’t saying, though what it could be, he had no idea.

"Anyway." Tyler gravitated a little toward Jake, touched his face, ran his fingers over the angles. "Not talking about work right now. It's a party. We never go anywhere. It's time, don't you think?"

Jake grinned, leaned close so everything blurred together. so that The sullenness turned to lust, and defensiveness to desire. "You never complained about that before."

The bass rhythm of Marty's music reverberated through the apartment. Tyler's heart sank. He did so much better when he slept.

Jake nearly growled as he grabbed hold of Tyler's chin and forced his attention away from the shared wall and Marty's insomnia. His face darkened, and his fingers tightened around the neck of his beer bottle. "You need to move."

"Jake—"

"Come on." Jake took his hand and stood. "Let's go into the other room." He shot a glare at the wall.

Without letting go, Tyler pulled him back down. "If it bothers you so much, we could just go to yours."

"I told you. They're renovating. The whole building is a mess." Jake cast a venomous glower at the far wall.

"Right." Still, Tyler didn't get up, and Jake sat back down next to him. Tyler was tired of his attitude towards Marty, his insistence they stay in all the time—everything. In four months, Tyler still hadn't seen Jake’s apartment. He was determined to get his way about something. He fixed his gaze on Jake. "About the party, then?"

"You just want to show me off, admit it." Jake puffed out his chest slightly and tilted his head.

The edges of his mood seemed to smooth over with the motion, though they didn't disappear completely. Tyler had yet to find whatever it would take to get Jake to really, truly relax.

"Come on." Jake trailed a few experimental kisses along Tyler's jaw. "Say it: 'I admit I want to show off my hunky new boyfriend.' You know it's true."

A slow smile spread across Tyler's face. "Maybe."

"Tell you what." Jake set down his beer and slid closer, fingering Tyler's collar, and undoing the buttons of his shirt at a slow but steady pace. "You let me have my way with you tonight, and I'll take you to this party tomorrow. You can schmooze Jessop to your little heart's content." He ended with fingers on Tyler's nipple and gave a sharp squeeze and tug.

Tyler gasped and jerked, hardening in a rush of hot blood. "You drive such a hard bargain."

The words rasped over a sudden need, and he licked his lips in anticipation. Jake might be a demanding lover, but he was also an attentive one, and he knew exactly how Tyler liked things. His heart sped up at the thought of Jake taking over and being in control for an evening.

"And yet…." Jake ran his tongue tantalizingly over Tyler's lips. "You’re such an easy sell."

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Memorial Day & Resolutions

This week at Writers Evolution we are talking about how are we doing on our resolutions, you can see mine there.

Beyond that, it is Memorial Day, a day to honor and remember the US's fallen soldiers. This weekend has become one of barbeques and the first step towards summer. And as we go about our day today, please take time to remember those who are gone and will never return.

This poem has come through my email boxes many times and I wanted to share.


IT IS THE SOLDIER

It is the Soldier, not the minister

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer

Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

----- Charles M. Province

(Photos top to bottom - Arlington National Cemetery, Deceased Soldiers coming home, Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier, Battlefield Memorial)

I wish everyone a safe Memorial Day.

I come from a military family and am surrounded by friends that I've made while in the service and afterward. I miss them when they deploy, I hurt for what they have seen and gone through, and I mourn when they do not return. Today is a day to remember the sacrifices that have been made by fallen soldiers throughout our nations history and to honor them.

Simone.

Guest Blogger - Amber Green

Amber Green is my guest blogger this week with a brand new book out!

Khyber Run is out this week.

Transplanted from an Afghani battleground to a Florida playground at age ten, Zarak Momand spent the next several years trying to remember Pakhtunwali, the Pakhtun Way, and instill the Pakhtun warrior spirit in his younger brothers. A generation later, he’s a burned-out Navy hospital corpsman who has lost touch with everything that matters: his brothers, his heritage, and possibly his soul.

Then he’s kidnapped by USMC scout-snipers hell-bent on seeing justice for a murdered brother marine. The murderer has deserted. They have ideas where to find him and plenty of unofficial support--but this is Afghanistan, where the easy answers are wrong and the best-laid plans don’t stand a chance. Codenamed Zulu, Zarak navigates the ambiguities of fourth generation warfare, where there are no front lines and where the moral high ground shifts from situation to situation. He can rely on no one but Oscar, a sexually compelling marine who is every bit the warrior young Zarak had once hoped to be.

When finally told the deserter murdered his estranged baby brother, Zarak sees his way clear. Pakhtunwali allows a man to pierce the wall of hospitality--even the code of sanctuary--to demand justice for a murdered son or brother. For the first time in years, his Pakhtun self and his American self are in full accord. With Oscar at his side, and with the memories roused by their travels in these legendary mountains, he finds his spiritual center.

Secretly crossing the border into the Khyber region of Pakistan, Oscar and Zulu lose their companions, their technology, and their horses. In compensation, they find Z's extended family, Taliban assistance, and gratified lust in the night.

But is Oscar’s rough passion a betrayal between brothers? And what happens when the deserter would rather die than go back?

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

I woke muddled, thinking the ship's engines sounded wrong. Red light glared on my eyelids. Breathing meant gagging on the seagull-shit taste of a hangover. And that sound was not my ship's engines. More like a sardine can's engines or…a plane?

Opening my eyes took effort. A plane. From the rear of the fuselage, I faced up an aisle between rows of knees hugging sea bags. Not sea bags: MOLLE-packs. Red lights in strips overhead barely illuminated a couple hundred hunched forms in desert camo, a row of males in body armor along each bulkhead, facing inward, and two rows of females jammed into back-to-back seats in the center. Male or female, each of them clutched one of those carbines the sponges called an assault rifle.

Why am I in a plane packed with camo-assed bullet-sponges?

The plane's deck angled down sharply. Screams rang in my ears, going dull. My ears cleared, painfully, and the shrieks sharpened.

Crashing. That's what we're doing.

The deck roller-coastered up, then yawed faster than physics should allow. Whiplash. I saw stars. The stench of vomit wrung my empty guts.

A dive and another yaw brought more screams ringing off the bulkhead, prayer in Spanish close by, retching farther away.

How did I stay in my seat, with gravity halving and doubling and snatching me starboard to port? When the plane steadied long enough to let me look down, I saw bands of dull silver duct tape strapping my thighs to my seat, and another red-streaked silver band over my belt.

Something hung on my lower face. I had some kind of mask. No. Somebody had duct-taped a puke bag to my face. It sagged obscenely against my chin, like a giant used condom.

Pulling it off hurt. The stench blasted from it.

Where do I put this? I looked around, blinking, trying to make sense. The screamers in the middle seats were mostly army. The hundred or so men squatting in the seats lining the bulkhead were marines. Some laughed at the women. Others hunkered down, as if waiting for shrapnel to find them. A few threw curious glances at me, the only squid in sight.

A cluster of pops rapped at the bulkhead, like popcorn in my mother's big pot. One of the sponges grinned at me. "Small arms fire. Welcome to Bagram."

Bagram? A map of the giant air base flashed in my eyes, then a dim memory of riding my father's shoulder, hiding my face in his turban while a trio of Shuravi -- Soviets -- stomped an ominously silent laborer. Couldn't be…

"He means hold on," added another sponge.

I dropped the puke bag to grab my seat. The plane tilted, again nose-diving but this time braking hard. Instead of falling to the deck, the bag shot forward, splatting against a female's ear.

"I'm hit! Aaah!"

"God! Brains! Oh, God!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"

The plane swerved and jinked, each jerk redoubling the shrieks. The smell of fear, sharp and sour, fought with the smell of vomit.

One of the marines chuckled, despite the sweat beading on his face, and pitched his voice low enough to hear under the shrieks. "You know you're going to have to police that up, Squidward."

"No-go, sir. The doc's our volunteer."

Volunteer? WTF? I twisted to see who'd called me a volunteer, but his rifle caught my attention first. A bolt-action rifle. A sniper's weapon.

Behind the rifle, teeth flashed in a grin. He didn't seem to exist, except as a rifle, a hint of helmet, and a grin. Then the grin vanished.

The deck flipped overhead. The unsecured marines bounced, sending bellows among the screams. I hung from my seat, still taped in place.

The deck flipped again, then slammed up at us. A marine fell across my lap. I caught his weapon before it could bean him. The cool metal slapped into my hand, rousing memories like an old lover's name.

Find a different excerpt here: http://www.loose-id.com/Khyber-Run.aspx

Buy it from Loose-Id today.

This Week..

This week over at Writers Evolution we are talking about if you're a closeted writer or not.

On Wednesday, author Amber Green will be my guest blogger.

Sometime this week there will be a retelling of the faire along with pics and most likely a delayed Monday Minute Fiction. Maybe I'll post that Friday to warm up the weekend.

What's In A Name?

I'm over at Grand Rapids Region Writer's Group talking about naming traditions among various cultures and how they can be used in writing.

It's Monday

It's Monday. I'm revamping my website, hopefully that will be done in the next 48 hours. Over at Writers Evolution on the men in our lives who got away - this should prove to be an interesting week.

The Chatting With Joyfully Reviewed crew were very welcoming on Sunday when we sat chatting about the upcoming GayRomLit Retreat in New Orleans this year. And the books - lots and lots of good books to read. I can't wait!

GayRomLit Retreat Chat

On Sunday, May 1^st, the first official festivities of the GayRomLit Retreat get under way as many of the participating authors gather together in the Chatting with Joyfully Reviewed Yahoo Group where we’ll be posting excerpts, running contests for free books, and chatting about all the new and upcoming releases from your favorite authors.

Organizers will be on hand to talk about the Retreat, which is being held in New Orleans, October 13-16, 2011. Reader registration will only remain open until June 15^th, so don’t wait! Stop by OUR WEBSITE for more information or to reserve your spot.

The thirty-six authors listed below will be participating in Sunday’s chat and have generously offered up the following e-books as giveaways which you can enter for a chance to win!!

WILLIAM NEALE - HOME ~ CAROL LYNNE - SPRING

RICK R. REED – HOW I MET MY MAN & HOMECOMING

PD SINGER – CROSS THE MOUNTAIN ~ MARIE SEXTON – PROMISES

HEIDI CULLINAN – THE SEVENTH VEIL

KATE MCMURRAY – THE BOY NEXT DOOR

JP BARNABY - ENLIGHTENED ~ KC BURN – SPICE ‘N’ SOLACE

BELINDA MCBRIDE – BLACK WOLF ~ AMBER KELL – KEVIN’S ALPHA

TD MCKINNEY – PAXTON’S WINTER ~ KIERNAN KELLY – CORNFED

ROWAN SPEEDWELL – KINDRED HEARTS

EM LYNLEY – EMERALD ~ ETHAN DAY – CHOICE FROM BACKLIST

EDEN WINTERS – SETTLING THE SCORE

BRYL R TYNE – FORSAKEN & TOUGH GUY

VIOLET SUMMERS – SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT

BRITA ADDAMS – SPLENDID CAPTIVITY & LOVE IMMORTAL

SIMONE ANDERSON – TO LOVE AGAIN ~ AMBER GREEN - TURNCOAT

LYDIA NYX – FROM MOROCCO TO PARIS ~ MISSY WELCH – KLT23

DC JURIS – WHAT THE LADY WANTS & NO PLACE LIKE HOME

DAMON SUEDE – HOT HEAD ~ VJ SUMMERS – UNDER THE INFLUENCE

CLARE LONDON – CHOICE FROM BACKLIST

ANGELIA SPARROW – HOWL AT THE MISTLETOE

JAIME SAMMS – FIX THIS, SIR ~ JAMBREA JO JONES – TELL ME NOW

TREVA HARTE – MAXXED OUT ~ TRINA LANE – IN DREAMS HE CAME

TD MCKINNEY & TERRY WYLIS – PORTRAIT OF A KISS

JP BOWIE – BLOOD LURE & TRIP OF A LIFETIME

LYNN LORENZ – ROUGAROUX SOCIAL CLUB

In addition you’ll be treated to excerpts from some of the latest releases like the ones provided by the following authors!

WILLIAM NEALE – A NEW NORMAL ~ TC BLUE – MANDARIN ORANGE

ANGELIA SPARROW – SWIMMING THROUGH THE NET

CLARE LONDON – THE TOURIST ~ BRYL R TYNE – AT DAY’S END

TRINA LANE – THE PERFECT BALANCE ~ BARRY BRENNESSEL - TINSELTOWN

CAROL LYNNE – CRIMSON MOON ~ PD SINGER – FALL DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

MARIE SEXTON – PARIS A TO Z ~ BELINDA MCBRIDE – BLAQUE/BLEU

KIERNAN KELLY – A WEAPON OF OPPORTUNITY

AMANDA YOUNG – PRECIOUS ACHE

EM LYNLEY – THIEF OF HEARTS

The day will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST in the Chatting with Joyfully Reviewed Yahoo Group. I hope everyone will stop by to catch up with your favorite authors and join in all the fun!

Can’t wait to see you there!

J.P. Bowie * Ethan Day * Lynn Lorenz * Carol Lynne * Amanda Young