Racheline Maltese's Blog, page 16

Unlikable Advent Day 6: Charley Descoteaux

The Unlikability of Doug

Thanks, Erin and Racheline, for inviting me to be a guest at your unconventional holiday celebration!

When I learned Erin and Racheline were planning a series on unlikable characters I jumped at the chance to join in. I love unlikable characters. Yes, I really do, even in—or maybe especially in—Romances. So many Male-Male Romances are full of characters that are almost too perfect: chiseled hunks, pretty young guys, rich guys and famous guys and literal heroes like cops, soldiers, and firefighters. Those books are great—I read them too. But what about the rest of us?

Maybe you fit one or more of the “almost too perfect” types to one degree or another, but maybe not. In all honesty, I can’t say that I do. One of the things I love most about Queer Romance is that I can see myself, my experiences and my attitudes, in some of the stories. And that includes the faults and the flab, and the person who picks up pennies from the sidewalk hoping they’ll find enough for a meal.

One of my characters in Cascades is fairly unlikable. When we first meet Doug he’s living on the streets of Vancouver, BC, selling pot to get by. Not exactly a heroic line of work, but at least he eats every day. JB isn’t a prince either—he’s nursing both his broken heart and an intense dislike for the holidays with no plans to let either condition change anytime soon. But I love both of them because even though they’re not perfect, they haven’t given up. Both men do what they have to in order to get through the days and nights, but they’re not so jaded to pass up a second chance when it comes along.

Here’s a short, exclusive, excerpt from Cascades. This is from Doug’s point of view, after he’s stormed out of a…discussion…with JB.

I found a spot where I used to hole up before I started working for Rafe. Decriminalization was the best thing that ever happened to a bunch of us. No real threat of jail and no state-run places to get weed. My gig was just like those traveling snake oil salesmen, except my product really did cure what ailed most folks. A temporary cure is more than anyone can reasonably expect most days.

That wasn’t really the best thing that ever happened to me. No. The best thing that ever happened to me just got accosted by a dirty street bum and then abandoned. Again. That it happened in a cheap room meant for backpackers and mules probably didn’t make it feel any better than waking up in your own bed alone.

I crawled up onto the abandoned loading dock, into the warehouse, and collapsed in the corner. The best thing to do would be to find Rafe and see if he had any work, but I felt like someone had just pushed a blade up under my ribs and twisted it. And I’d thought my heart had shriveled up into nothing years ago.

But no. It remembered JB too well. It still held pictures of him silhouetted as the light slanted through the trees on a cold, misty morning, how powerful he looked wielding a chainsaw more than half as long as he was tall. I almost cut my own leg off more than once while watching him work, half forgetting the live chainsaw in my own hands. Maybe that would’ve been better—if not a clean break, at least a quick one.

I hadn’t realized what it meant when he said it, but if JB was working at the bar, something must’ve happened in the woods. He wasn’t one of those guys who wanted to raze the world, but he came from a logging family, and the money clinched it. For both of us.

Or maybe something had happened to Pete so he couldn’t run the place by himself anymore. I hadn’t regretted being out of touch this bad in decades. At least that’s what I decided to tell myself.

One thing I knew, though: JB didn’t take care of anyone he didn’t like, didn’t love. He might have been cursed with a big, soft heart, but he wasn’t anybody’s bitch.

At least that used to be true. He also used to love me, but sometimes a man doesn’t deserve a second chance.

By the time I finished my pity party and pulled myself together, it was dark. Which worked out perfectly. All night, I moved Rafe’s best product from one end of the city to the other. Instead of using my cut to blur the sharp edges of the life my mistakes added up to, I sold it to a guy I knew wouldn’t pass it to any kids.

The next morning I showed the barber cash, and he cut my hair and shaved my face.

I waited outside the hostel for two days and didn’t see hide nor hair of JB.

 

Justice “JB” Bishop tells himself he’s satisfied with life in the small town of Upright, Oregon. He was born and raised there, and has settled into a comfortable, if lonely, routine working at his uncle’s bar. JB doesn’t expect anything to change after he turns fifty, until an old friend drops in. She suggests he get out of town for the holidays, and soon JB finds himself on an Amtrak to Canada. JB expected to feel different in Canada, to see things he couldn’t see at home. He never expected to find the one who got away.

Buy Cascades:

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | All Romance eBooks  

Charley Descoteaux has always heard voices. She was relieved to learn they were fictional characters, and started writing when they insisted daydreaming just wasn’t good enough. In exchange, they’ve agreed to let her sleep once in a while. Charley grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during a drought, and found her true home in the soggy Pacific Northwest. She has survived earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods, but couldn’t make it through one day without stories.

Rattle Charley’s cages:

Blog | Facebook | Dreamspinner Author Page | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | e-mail

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: December 9, 2015

17,453 words

Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Unlikable Advent Day 5: G.G. Andrew

Today we’re happy to have G.G. Andrew, fellow author of stories with premises readers might just hate, talking about her book Somewhere Warm.

There’s a long history of jerks in romance. From standoffish Mr. Darcys who reform themselves to cold players who change their ways for the love of the right person, we adore a guy who’s initially hard to love.

But there’s one type of jerk who’s really, really hard to love–or even like. You friend’s ex. Especially one who hurt her. That guy is your enemy, strictly off-limits unless you’re pinning needles into his voodoo doll likeness. 

That’s the guy I wrote about in my short story SOMEWHERE WARM.

I must be a jerk too, at least to myself, because when I come up with a story idea and think, “I can’t possibly pull that off,” I obsess over it until I figure out how to write it in a way that makes sense. And so it was with the premise of a woman falling for her best friend’s awful ex, the one she’s heard nothing but bad things about.

In SOMEWHERE WARM, Zoe goes to retrieve the last of her best friend Haley’s things from Haley’s ex, Evan, whom Zoe understands to be controlling and mean. And when Evan opens the door of his Maine cabin, he’s just that: gruff, unshaven, wanting Zoe off his property as much as she wants to leave.

But then a snowplow backs into Zoe’s car and she’s stuck inside Evan’s cabin with him, forcing her to confront who he really is… and her growing attraction to this mean guy with the Boston accent. The truth, as it often is, turns out to be stranger than fiction. 

If you like your guys gruff and wearing flannel, check out SOMEWHERE WARM for yourself. It’s currently free at Amazon and other major stores through New Year’s Eve. 

 

About SOMEWHERE WARM:

What if you fell for your best friend’s ex—the one that had made her life a living hell? 

All Zoe had to do was pick up a box of her best friend Haley’s things from Haley’s brooding ex-husband, Evan. 

She didn’t expect her car to get hit by a snowplow. She didn’t expect for the icy Maine blizzard to start early. She didn’t expect to be stuck inside Evan’s warm cabin—alone with him—on New Year’s Eve. 

And, most of all, she didn’t expect to come undone by the heat in Evan’s eyes. 

Want to read more? Click here for an excerpt. 

 

G.G. Andrew writes quirky romantic comedy–stories about people who fall in love with the most unlikely person, and stumble through some awkward conversations, mistaken identities, and ill-advised kisses along the way.

She hosts the Writers Who Read interview series, which features a writer each week geeking out over books and reading.

An avid book nerd, she also enjoys British comedy, black licorice, neon pink, frozen concoctions, monster movies, and any type of rom-com. She’s probably drinking tea right now.

If you’d like to find out more about G.G. Andrew’s writing, you can visit her website at http://ggandrew.com/ and join her mailing list for more free stories and other treats. She’s also lurking on Twitter (@writerggandrew) and pinning recipes she’ll never cook over on Pinterest.

 

Unlikable Advent Day 4: Shira Glassman

Here for another post in celebration of unlikable characters is Shira Glassman, here to chat about the sexy villain phenomenon.

You know who was pretty damn popular in ‘shippy and slashy fanfiction when I was in college and the Harry Potter books/movies were current? Severus Snape. Yet how many of us really want a man who’s rude to powerless children and has questionable loyalties? More recently, the Avengers franchise showed us that Loki could attract just as much sexual attention as the All-American soldier, billionaire, and even actual Viking god characters fighting against him. But we don’t really want violent, lying men who are really just angry children in our lives, do we?

Of course we don’t! But Snape and Loki have things that fiction doesn’t always give to the good guys: they have style. They have long, flowing dark hair, they’re snarky, they’re unpredictable. They have capes.

The attraction some women have for “bad boys” is legendary, but I’m not even talking about that. I’m talking about – why can’t we have more good guys who dress and talk like the bad ones? After all, if it’s truly Loki’s treachery and destructive powers that make him evil, not his cape or cool horned helmet, then let’s have more good guys with capes and cool horned helmets.

I consciously set out to do this when I created the main guy in my book series, because I, too, was one of those women perpetually crushing on the “bad guys” – starting with an evil wizard in an opera and going on up through Darth Vader and yes, Snape – not because of their villainy but in spite of it. All while desperately wanting them to actually Be Good. Not “reformed”, not “changed by the love of a good woman” (or man, or nonbinary person) but already good. In other words, someone in a black cloak with a goatee and a deep voice and a snarky sense of humor who was safe to love.

Otherwise, we’re gonna keep winding up in the position of finding the characters we’re not supposed to like more appealing than the ones you are.

And it doesn’t help that various phenotypic traits are often coded into heroes and bad guys based on racist and otherwise bigoted tropes, especially in fantasy, where the coding is  buried so deeply most modern creators don’t even realize where the tropes they’re drawing on even come from.

Are you attracted to a sexy villain? If it’s the dangerousness you like, cool; if not, think for a moment about what elements of their style it is that draws you in. What would that look like on a good guy? Or maybe on a “grey hat” character who works with the good guys—as opposed to an actual villain? Would it work? Maybe you should write it.

New contract – Snare

We’re pleased to report that Snare, our novella about bureaucracy, NYC as a vampire prison island, and a snowbound Gramercy Park just sold to Torquere Press. Release sometime TBD in 2016!

This book is strangely personal for me. I lived on Gramercy Park for a few bad years in my 20s. During that time, I was particularly fascinated with 34 Gramercy Park, which I only ever entered once and has an energy to it so strange that I know several people who refuse to walk on the sidewalk in front of it, preferring to cross to hew closer to the gated park which is opened to the public just one a year.

Many of 34’s apartments have been renovated/modernized in recent years, but when I saw it, it was still a warren of strangely broken up rooms and corridors. While the building itself is unnamed in this alternative version of New York, know that it is the setting for the bulk of this story, which, while sexual and about relationships, is not a romance.

Snare was written listening to Vienna Teng’s “Goodnight New York” on repeat and is about the heartbreak of living here and leaving here, even if it’s only in death and myth.

Unlikable Advent Day 3: Amanda Gale

Today we’re delighted to have Amanda Gale, author of the Meredith series, here to share an excerpt from her book Meredith Against the Wind:

Meredith Beck is a high school English teacher who recently has started teaching in a new school. Meredith knows her principal hasn’t liked her since day one, but she doesn’t (yet) know why. In this excerpt, from Meredith Against the Wind (book two of the Meredith series), the two butt heads over how to handle a problem student.

***

Nancy’s eyes met Meredith’s. She said, “Meredith, can I speak candidly with you and assume the conversation that takes place in this room stays in this room?”

“Of course.”

“Then in that case I’m going to tell you something I probably shouldn’t.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Dr. and Mrs. Richter generously tithe large gifts to the school every year. They have five children. Jason is their fourth child, and all three of the older children have matriculated through the academy. The fifth is due to start with us next fall. What this means is that they need to be kept happy. Perhaps you can discern where I’m going with this.”

“Jason’s midterm.”

“Yes. Jason cannot receive a D on his midterm.”

Meredith stared at her, unsure of what to say.

When Meredith didn’t respond, Nancy said, “What do you think you can do about it?”

Meredith waited to answer, her mind working furiously. She had thought she was going to be reprimanded today; instead she was being asked for help by the woman who had disliked her from the beginning and had made clear to her that she was being scrutinized. Meredith realized she had the power to turn the tables, that she could instantly get on Nancy’s good side by conceding whatever request she was about to make, thereby saving the day. On the other hand, she was certain that she would have to sacrifice her integrity to do so.

“I’m not sure, Nancy,” she said. “What exactly did you have in mind?”

“Can you re-administer the midterm?”

“The same midterm he already took, so he can look up the answers to the questions he knows will be on it? Absolutely not.”

“Can you write another midterm, then?”

“Right now it’s all I can do to grade my other exams and papers, written by students who are not receiving any special treatment.”

Nancy sat in thought for a moment. She nodded. “I understand that I’m asking a lot of you, Meredith,” she said. Meredith wondered if Nancy truly had softened toward her, now that they had a common problem, or if she was trying to mollify her so she would accommodate her request. “Here’s what I propose. Exempt Jason from the midterm, and calculate his semester grade without it.”

Meredith stared at her. “I’m sorry, Nancy; I’m not sure I understand.”

“It’s just what I said. Grade him without the midterm. Then you don’t have to write another exam, and Jason doesn’t have to retake the old one.”

Meredith was dumbfounded and was sure her shock registered on her face. “Nancy, I. . .” she began, but faltered, never having imagined that such a solution should actually be suggested to her.

“Meredith, I’m not sure you understand the seriousness of this situation,” Nancy said, her tone turning stern and anxious. “Do you have any idea how much pressure I’m under from the board? Do you think I’m proud of myself, asking you to curve his grade like this?” She shook her head. “It pains me to do it. I know it isn’t fair, and I know it isn’t teaching Jason the right lesson. But the fact is that the school cannot function as it does without the Richters. And if I am responsible for their displeasure, then it’s my head on the chopping block.”

Meredith thought, but did not say, that it was quite convenient that now Nancy was transferring the responsibility to her, putting her head on the chopping block instead.

“You’d be doing me a huge favor, Meredith, and the school a great service.”

Meredith’s eyes turned downcast. “Nancy, there aren’t any words I can say that can possibly express how much I want to do this for you and for the school. But it’s not right. It isn’t fair to any of the other students. I sit and watch them work, and I’m so proud of them. What does it say about their vigorous efforts if we do this for Jason, just for the money?”

“I agree with you. But I’m asking you to do it anyway because that’s the game we’re playing.”

Meredith sat for a minute in thought, her eyes lowering to the bottom of Nancy’s desk as her mind drifted into consideration. Finally she looked at Nancy again. “I’m sorry, Nancy, but I can’t approve this. I couldn’t go to sleep at night knowing I had done such a thing.”

Nancy’s face turned dark with disapproval. “If you don’t do this, you will appear uncooperative and insubordinate, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to look past it.”

Meredith suppressed a smirk. So Nancy had resorted to playing that card after all. Meredith had wondered when the honeyed words would make way for Nancy’s usual hostility.

She studied Nancy, thinking quickly. Deep down she knew that Jason would never receive a D on that midterm, whether she approved the change or not. She was tempted to tell Nancy no and force Nancy to be the one to change his grade. But she couldn’t lose her job. She somehow felt that Nancy was looking for reasons to reprimand her, that she was keeping tabs on how many times Meredith had displeased her so she might drive her out. But on the other hand, she couldn’t live with herself if she fulfilled this request. Changing Jason’s semester grade might be the difference between acceptance to and rejection from Princeton. If he was accepted, that spot would be taken from a student who truly deserved it.

Suddenly Nancy said, “You’re concerned about what it teaches the other students, but think of the effect on those students when their programs are cut and their textbooks aren’t updated.”

Meredith softened and looked at Nancy, who was smiling in triumph. Meredith frowned as she realized that she couldn’t argue with what Nancy had said.

“All right,” she said, practically forcing the words from her throat, so distasteful were they for her to say. “I’ll do it.”

“Wonderful,” Nancy said, and stood. “Please take care of that right away. You can send the new grade any time before the end of midterms.” She walked Meredith to the door. “I appreciate your help, Miss Beck,” she said as she opened the door, closing it behind Meredith as she stepped out.

 

 

Amanda Gale taught high school English before she began writing romance and women’s fiction. She is a lover of history and an incurable night owl. She lives outside Philadelphia, where she enjoys taking her three young boys to the art museum and hiking on the Wissahickon trail.

About the Meredith series:

Meredith Beck, a teacher from Philadelphia, must redefine herself after she is shaken by tragedy. The series chronicles the remaking of her life and her relationships with three men, each struggling with his own journey. Carrying her experiences with her, Meredith emerges stronger, wiser, and at peace as she discovers the beauty of an imperfect world.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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amazon.com/author/amandagale

facebook.com/AmandaGaleBooks/

twitter.com/AmandaGaleBooks

instagram.com/amandagalebooks/

Unlikable Advent Day 2: Tellulah Darling

Today we’re delighted to have Tellulah Darling with us as we continue our series in defense of unlikeable characters.

AUTHOR FILES FOR MORAL BANKRUPTCY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VANCOUVER – Due to the findings of a three-year audit, in a move that has shaken the comfort levels of writers everywhere, YA romantic comedy author Tellulah Darling was forced to file for moral bankruptcy Tuesday, sources confirmed.

Formerly known for her fervent belief in happily-ever-afters and the intersection of where love meets comedy, Darling looked bewildered as she met with reporters at her home. “I thought I was writing a funny book about teens having sex,” Darling said, staring helplessly as repo men took away the vowels from her keyboard. “Fictional teens. I had no idea they weren’t supposed to do that.” With a burst of speed, the author snatched the “Y” key away from repossession hell, pressing it to her cheek. “Y? Y?” she chanted.

It all started with the release of her debut young adult romantic comedy novel in 2012 entitled Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls. While many praised the book for “speaking and acting the way teens actually do,” another segment of its readership was outraged at what they called the characters’ morally bankrupt actions. In a modern twist on My Fair Ladymeets Frankenstein, or as Darling puts it “Why the hell can’t girls be more like guys” meets a monster of a make-over, Sam Cruz turns his female best friend from doormat to player. Hilarity–and sexual hijinks ensue. 

As a result of growing pressure from outraged readers, an audit was started, and now, thanks to its findings, Darling has been forced to file for moral bankruptcy, the first case of its kind.

 

Author Tellulah Darling in happier times

While it’s not clear what effect, if any, this move will have on the YA writing community, or Darling’s career, she’s determined to keep writing. “For me, Sam Cruz was always about the journey of best friends, forced into an extreme situation that makes them reassess their feelings for each other. Sex was just the comedic vehicle to get the m to an HEA.”

When asked if she’ll play it safe with her characters from now on to avoid future audits, Darling gives a mischievous grin. “Probably not. To quote Katherine Hepburn, ‘if you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.’ And my books are all about having fun.”

 

Why the hell can’t chicks be more like guys?

That question plagues high school senior Sam Cruz. Sam is perfectly happy being a player. He just wishes girls wouldn’t change the game from sex to relationships. It makes him look like an asshole. But when Sam’s best friend, Ally Klinger, gets dumped, she begs him to transform her into someone who can screw around then screw off. No risk of heartbreak that way. It’s Sam’s chance to create the perfect female AND cheer up his best friend. Armed with Sam’s Three Step Guide to Backseat Success, Ally gets the game better than Sam thought she would and before long, Sam has his wish: the female version of himself. Too bad it’s driving him nuts. Told from Sam’s and Ally’s alternating POVs, Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is a fast-paced YA romantic comedy that follows these teens as they navigate the minefield of sex, love, and friendship. 

This contemporary teen romance contains strong language, drinking, euphemisms, and lots of “bow chicka wow wow.”

Lex Chase: Checkmate Ever After

Today we’re pleased to have Lex Chase here to talk about her latest novel, Checkmate Ever After, which is out December 15th!

 Hello Internet! I’m Lex Chase and Erin and Racheline was kind enough to let me drop by! I’m here to share a bit about my upcoming anthology Checkmate Ever After from DSP Publications. It’s a story about the dizzying highs, the terrifying lows, and the creamy middle of disgraced superhero Memphis Rook and his rise to redemption alongside his sidekick/boyfriend Hogarth Dawson.

The story is about gay superheroes, and how we are all not what we seem on the outside. So today’s topic is “Why Superheroes?”

The facetious answer? Why not?

The serious answer? There’s a ton of reasons and I hope to get through a few of them.

I grew up reading comic books, and it was something that just clicked with me. X-Men, specifically Wolverine and Gambit, were my guys. Of course, this was back before it was Wolverine Guest Starring Those Other Guys.

Simon Bisley’s fantastic take!Wolverine back then was honestly interesting. Dealt a completely crappy deal in life, could have easily been one of the nastiest villains ever, but kept on trying to be a good guy in his own way. He’s lived, loved, lost, and kept on living for the better day. It’s admirable really. It’s admirable in a way of in-between these newsprint pages, even if you are having an utterly shitty day, it’s a promise that Wolverine is totally having a crappier day than you. He just sucks it up and keeps going.

I think for me, I needed that growing up. I think a lot of kids of my generation before it was safe to come out of the closet (or should I say safer) needed something they could hold onto.

They were holding out for a hero, as it were.

In the Marvel Universe, the mutants are reviled for what they are. They’re hated, hunted, spit upon, and shot at. Even if they are capable of saving the world, they are condemned. They do their jobs thanklessly. They’re seen as a menace. Still, they keep on going that tomorrow will be better. They keep going that with a secret identity they can fit in. But when wearing blue and yellow spandex, they are amazing, uncanny, even astonishing.

X-Men and Marvel in general were pretty much spearheading the It Gets Better campaign before there ever was an It’s Get Better campaign, the Laramie Project, the Trevor Project, or even You Will Rise. What’s even funnier is Marvel in those days suffered from severe homophobia in their ranks. While they had gay heroes in their roster, in the 80’s and 90’s they were marginalized, killed off, or not major players. But yet the heroes in general, even Wolverine, they were the saviors of many gay teens, and Marvel didn’t even know it. They were mine.

Alpha Flight’s Northstar who had been perpetually shat on by writers is finally married.

Astonishing X-Men #51 Variant Cover Art by Marko DjurdjevicX-Force’s Shatterstar and Rictor can now be an open couple after the storyline to out them in the 90’s was pulled soon as editors realized where it was going.

X-Factor #207, Writing by Peter David and Art by FiumaraAnd Wolverine continues to have a bad day.

So why superheroes? Because in a world filled with endless streams of bad news, we’re all holding out for a hero.

So, it’s time to think creatively! If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Drop your comment below and click the giveaway banner to enter for a chance to win a 25 USD Amazon Gift Card!

 

Genre: Sci-Fi Superhero Comedy

Length: Novel Anthology

Published: December 15, 2015

Publisher: DSP Publications

ISBN: 978-1-63476-462-9

Buy: Paperback (and get the eBook for free!) or only the eBook

Blurb:

2nd Edition (Books One – Three)

The day disgraced superhero Memphis Rook literally fell into Hogarth Dawson’s lap, you could say it was fate. But the brawny Rook did nearly crush Garth’s pancreas. What started as two ships passing in the night ended on the weirdest adventure of their lives. Together, Rook and Garth form Checkmate, a daring super duo that keeps Axis City safe from a rogue’s gallery of nefarious villains, dastardly masterminds, and a coalition of calamity. Fighting evil wherever it appears—from reality shows to comic book conventions—Checkmate serves up knuckle sandwiches of justice. But by day, they’re a couple of broke losers who can barely afford a burger and navigating a weird thing called a relationship. Ain’t true love grand? Rook and Garth may be in over their heads, and even super heroes fail sometimes, but they’re ready to take a stand when no one else will. Don’t hate the players, because Checkmate owns the game.

1st Edition of Pawn Takes Rook published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.

1st Edition of Cashing the Reality Check published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.

1st Edition of Conventional Love published by Dreamspinner Press, 2014.

And the all new fourth novella Miracle in Axis City and bonus short What The Water Gave Me, exclusive to the anthology!

 

About the Author:

Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “We’re all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now, she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.

Weaving tales of cinematic, sweeping adventure—and depending on how she feels that day—Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.

Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, and unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldn’t last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.

She is grateful for and humbled by all the readers. She knows very well she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them and welcomes feedback.

You can find in the Intarwebz here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LXChase

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lex_Chase

Tumblr: http://lexiconofkittens.tumblr.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/lexachase

Site: http://lexchase.com

One lucky winner will walk away with a $25 USD Amazon Gift Card!

 

Follow the Checkmate Ever After Tour!

12/1 – Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House

12/3 – Tali Spencer

12/5 – Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

12/5 – Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese

12/7 – Aidee Ladnier

12/9 – Genre Talk on The Novel Approach

12/12 – Gaylist Book Reviews

12/15 – Checkmate Ever After Release Day!

Starling just $0.99 until December 9!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starling is just $0.99 (in ebook format) on Amazon.com and all its international sites from now through December 9th. If you haven’t read this tale of navigating the not-so-fun fairy tale that is fame, we hope you’ll take advantage of this sale to check it out. And if you have read Starling, we hope you’ll tell your friends about it.

http://www.amazon.com/Starling-ebook/dp/B00NH0MFOO

Cardinal, book 4 in the Love in Los Angeles series, will be coming in 2016!

Unlikable Advent, Day 1: Christopher Moss

Here we have an excerpt from Christopher Moss’s novel An Involuntary King: A Take of Anglo-Saxon England. The two main characters are “both mercenaries, who make life miserable for each other,” so we thought this was a good pick to kick off our Advent of unlikeable characters!

A force of O’Donnell’s men formed a turtle defense. The outermost men in the formation held shields before, behind or on their sides, and those within this shell held shields above their own and the outermost men’s heads. Confronting Ruallauh and his brothers was a solid mass of shields, thick wood with iron bosses and a plenitude of clan symbols.

Ruallauh went to meet his two brothers in front of their forces. “They are pretty well safe from my archers for the nonce,” the eldest brother observed.

Ioruert strained to see the opposing forces. “Before they got behind their shields I made out foot soldiers with about half axes and shields and half bows and swords and shields. I may be mistaken but I thought there were more than I can see now. Those men a-horse may be a communications line. Or they may be planning a separate wave of attack. They’re Irish so they will dismount to fight. But why spread out like that?” He wrinkled his brow.

“Well, at least we have equal benefit with him with this open terrain. Ioruert, take the fields with your mounted troops. That way you can match any influx of the same. He must have more horsemen than that. Cingen, take the side by the river, but stay this side of bowshot from the fortress. I will put my archers behind a shield-wall right here in the middle. Make sure your runners stay safe so we can communicate.”

“We will need to hold this position, Ruallauh. We can’t risk being backed into bowshot,” Cingen cautioned.

His older brother nodded grimly. “We have to do this. The king needs his forces to take the fortress. Once that is done, I warrant these mercenaries will give up the fight.” He sighed. “How I wish Rory was here. He would know the Irishman’s tactics.” He made the sign of the cross.

Ioruert saluted his two brothers. “God be with us.”

MacDhui returned to his commander, seeing he was making small gestures with his hands as he considered his attack options. The Scot looked back at the enemy, seeing the formations that came together on the center, left and right. He waited.

O’Donnell began to think aloud, making the meaning of the gestures clear. “I could send the turtle straight and fast for the fortress, beat off the king and join with Malcolm’s forces in the stronghold. Or I could entice them into the village or the woods by the river. Whatever I do, we will keep these farmers busy while the king’s men attack the fort and fail.”

“My lord?” MacDhui inserted. O’Donnell turned to look at him. “What if Malcolm is losing?”

O’Donnell barked a derisive laugh. “If he is losing, what are we doing here? Nay, I know Malcolm. He would not let victory come to the king so easily. But you are right to pose the possibility. Scratch the first plan. No sense getting ourselves locked up in the fortress if it is about to fall.”

“We seem to be equal in force, my lord, but we are all trained mercenaries,” MacDhui began.

“And they are all farmers barely able to wield a pitchfork, no less a sword. If we can draw them into attacking us, we will have few losses and many kills.” O’Donnell looked at his companion and grinned. He struck him hard on the shoulder and said, “That is what we shall do. Give the orders.”

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AN INVOLUNTARY KING A TALE OF ANGLO SAXON ENGLAND

Written as Nan Hawthorne,

2008 by Shield-wall Books

Available as a book or ebook from Amazon.com and Smashwords

Kit Moss is particularly devoted to fostering a sense of heritage and history among GLBTQ people both through his own and other’s writing.  He likes to say, “We were here, we were queer!”  His eras are the Middle Ages and the 19th century in America, but nothing can limit him.  He is transgender and also committed to encouraging understanding of all gender variant people.  He lives with his husband in the Pacific Northwest along with their two doted upon cats. 

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In celebration of “unlikable” characters

Two years ago this weekend, we sold Starling to Torquere Press. Erin was in a bar, and I was staring at my spam folder in disbelief (pro-tip: always check your spam folder). At the time, we were too excited to wonder in any specific way about what readers would think of the book.  And even if we had, I think we still would have missed something key. Which is that a lot of people find Alex, one of the book’s heroes, unlikable.

Now, don’t get us wrong, Alex is not easy. When we meet him in Starling, he’s volatile, taciturn, and in way over his head both professionally and personally. And while he grows up and gets a handle on some of those things as the series continues, he’s a difficult person who feels like he’s living a difficult life.

Because Alex is famous. And he doesn’t like it one bit.

Some readers aren’t real comfortable with Alex’s lack of gratitude. And, they’re not wrong. Not just because readers are never wrong (a book is what it is for you), but because Alex is prickly and isn’t particularly enamored of the money and opportunity that come with his unexpected stardom. Frankly, the money makes him hate himself and the opportunities terrify him.

In a world where a lot of us dream about fame, or are at least told that we should, Erin and I have come to totally get why Alex is not everyone’s cup of tea. But the fact remains that we love Alex, because we apparently love the characters labelled “difficult” and “unlikable” in general. Maybe that’s because we’re contrary. Maybe that’s because we’re difficult ourselves; we’re not really sure.

But starting on November 30 and through the holiday season, we’ve decided to bring you a series of guest posts from authors talking about the difficult and beloved characters in their own books.

So if you have a habit of liking the unlikable, or of being a difficult soul yourself, we hope you’ll join us for a diverse assortment of cranky and contrary  heroes and heroines from a romance writers across a range of subgenres because everyone really does deserve a happy ending.