Chrissy Munder's Blog, page 46
December 12, 2014
Adding to the "Big List of Website & Blog Updates for 2015"
... go to my resource/fun links page and check links. Hell, go ahead and check my sidebar links while I'm at it. I'm all sniffly because I had to remove the good ol' Transgender WebRing and YooperGay.Net as they were no good anymore. And I loved YooperGay.net.
December 11, 2014
Start your New Year w/a little sweat, and a lot of smiles
The end of the year is creeping closer, which means my craving to plan is getting larger. You'd be horrified if I shared all I've been doing. Truly. But I'm happy to share this link from my gal,
Yoga with Adrienne
. I've been practicing yoga in one form or another since ... jeez, am I really going to say it? ... 1983, and I love trying new classes. If you want to do something a little different this New Year why not sign up for her 30 Days of Yoga, FREE online classes? She's fun, festive, and with her slogan of "Find what Feels Good", allows you the freedom to work with your body, not fit yourself into a static pose.
Welcome Guest Bloggers. Come on in, the door is open for 2015.
As part of my blog reboot for 2015 (and as a sneaky way to keep me posting more), my virtual door is open for anyone interested in guest blogging. Newbies looking for a place to get their feet wet are more than welcome. Want to do a quick promo for a new release? Or just beat the drum on an old one? Send me an email: chrissymunder@yahoo.com and we'll put something together.
December 10, 2014
Homonym Hump Day - Into or In to?
Here's a set of words I have to look up Every.Single.Time. You'd think I'd get it by now. But every time I get deep in edits I always twist myself around on this pair and end up second guessing my choices. Let me pause and send a big kiss to anyone who ever had to edit my work *smooch*.
Time spent on the Grammarbook.com blog shows me I'm not alone. (Yay! solidarity!) After I read their first post on into-vs-in to I found a second post on the subject. Apparently the 247 questions they received on the first post made them think they should spend a bit more time beating this into our skulls. For that, I thank them. :)
As I will, Every.Single.Time.I.Look.This.Up.Again.
Do you have a homonym nemesis?
Time spent on the Grammarbook.com blog shows me I'm not alone. (Yay! solidarity!) After I read their first post on into-vs-in to I found a second post on the subject. Apparently the 247 questions they received on the first post made them think they should spend a bit more time beating this into our skulls. For that, I thank them. :)
As I will, Every.Single.Time.I.Look.This.Up.Again.
Do you have a homonym nemesis?
December 8, 2014
Baby, it's cold outside! Have you tried our Winter Warmers yet?
We seem to be spending our December dashing here and dashing there, with little time to sit and reflect. No surprise then to hear how shocked I was the
Winter Warmers
anthology release is three years old. Wow! In honor of the occasion I'm pulling out an older post that's just as true now as it was then. And before you ask, yes! we have added a few more hats to our collection. :D
It's December 13th, and as I look out my window there is not a single snowflake to be seen. The yard is still a vibrant shade of green and the squirrels are happily streaking through grass that needs a mow instead of bounding over drifts and sliding on the icy deck in search of the sunflower seeds our cat insists we put out for them. Is this really Michigan? Looks like we'll have to drive north to the 45th Parallel, that halfway point between the equator and the North Pole, if we want to have a white Christmas.
You might think we'd be glad not to have to deal with all the fluffy white stuff, wouldn't you? But without it, there's little call for Chez Munder to pull out our collection of wild and woolly knitwear and head to the nearest toboggan run. That's a shame as in my contribution to the anthology, Butterscotch Kisses, both Adam's occupation and assortment of character hats were inspired by some of our family's real life snow adventures. I had a lot of fun sharing our winter fun (and favorite warming drink) with Adam and Matthew, and it's no surprise to us the two of them ended up together. You try resisting a man in a moose-head hat.
(Psssst. I'll tell you a secret - it's all in the horns!)
It's a tradition to find a new hat each year and we are looking for our latest addition. So what design do you think would top a moose, a sock monkey, a lizard, and a Pikachu when it comes to headgear? Leave me a comment and share a link to the winter hat you think we should buy for 2012!
WINTER WARMERS - a seasonal anthology
Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you...
Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men from Clare London, Chrissy Munder, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
One thing's for sure—it's going to be a red-hot Christmas!
Available here on Amazon UK , Amazon US , and All Romance Ebooks .
Lucky Dip by Clare London
Andy Jackson always knew that class 2C’s help in preparing for the annual Christmas Fair would be a mixed blessing. Then he’s paired up on the Lucky Dip with Greg, the man who dumped him but now can’t keep away, the pupils are either lecturing him on his lovelife or losing bladder control, and no one’s fixed the broken handle on the storage room. It may all be one whoopee cushion too far for him.
Butterscotch Kisses by Chrissy Munder
Matthew Morrison is determined to conquer his fear of heights and achieve a winning outcome. At least, that's what the best-selling, self-help book he's listening to promises. Being stuck on a three-story tower in the middle of a snowstorm wasn't part of the plan. With no St. Bernard in sight, it's Cute Ticket Guy Adam to the rescue, and an outcome Matthew never anticipated.
Wintertide by Lou Harper
May meets December when Jem and Oscar chance on each other at the Santa Monica Pier, only weeks before Christmas. The two men are separated by age, social status, and their taste in candy, yet if they are both naughty and nice, they might just find holiday cheer together.
When in Amsterdam... by Josephine Myles
Brandon is on his first visit to new boyfriend Jos's home country, just in time for their Sinterklaas celebrations. But an unexpected detour into a sex shop leads Brandon to new discoveries about himself, and a whole new dynamic to their relationship. The weather may be cold and damp, but Brandon and Jos soon heat things up!
A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow
What's the best gift a young man could get for Christmas? Mohawked saxophonist Liam wouldn't have picked the hideous collection of knitwear he's presented with by his mum and his aunties. He'd rather have the gorgeous older man he sees every day while busking at King's Cross. But with a little Christmas magic in the air, maybe those garish garments are just the thing for attracting a silver fox...
( original post: http://chrissymunder.livejournal.com/162689.html )
It's December 13th, and as I look out my window there is not a single snowflake to be seen. The yard is still a vibrant shade of green and the squirrels are happily streaking through grass that needs a mow instead of bounding over drifts and sliding on the icy deck in search of the sunflower seeds our cat insists we put out for them. Is this really Michigan? Looks like we'll have to drive north to the 45th Parallel, that halfway point between the equator and the North Pole, if we want to have a white Christmas.
You might think we'd be glad not to have to deal with all the fluffy white stuff, wouldn't you? But without it, there's little call for Chez Munder to pull out our collection of wild and woolly knitwear and head to the nearest toboggan run. That's a shame as in my contribution to the anthology, Butterscotch Kisses, both Adam's occupation and assortment of character hats were inspired by some of our family's real life snow adventures. I had a lot of fun sharing our winter fun (and favorite warming drink) with Adam and Matthew, and it's no surprise to us the two of them ended up together. You try resisting a man in a moose-head hat.
(Psssst. I'll tell you a secret - it's all in the horns!)
It's a tradition to find a new hat each year and we are looking for our latest addition. So what design do you think would top a moose, a sock monkey, a lizard, and a Pikachu when it comes to headgear? Leave me a comment and share a link to the winter hat you think we should buy for 2012!
WINTER WARMERS - a seasonal anthology
Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you...
Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men from Clare London, Chrissy Munder, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
One thing's for sure—it's going to be a red-hot Christmas!
Available here on Amazon UK , Amazon US , and All Romance Ebooks .
Lucky Dip by Clare London
Andy Jackson always knew that class 2C’s help in preparing for the annual Christmas Fair would be a mixed blessing. Then he’s paired up on the Lucky Dip with Greg, the man who dumped him but now can’t keep away, the pupils are either lecturing him on his lovelife or losing bladder control, and no one’s fixed the broken handle on the storage room. It may all be one whoopee cushion too far for him.
Butterscotch Kisses by Chrissy Munder
Matthew Morrison is determined to conquer his fear of heights and achieve a winning outcome. At least, that's what the best-selling, self-help book he's listening to promises. Being stuck on a three-story tower in the middle of a snowstorm wasn't part of the plan. With no St. Bernard in sight, it's Cute Ticket Guy Adam to the rescue, and an outcome Matthew never anticipated.
Wintertide by Lou Harper
May meets December when Jem and Oscar chance on each other at the Santa Monica Pier, only weeks before Christmas. The two men are separated by age, social status, and their taste in candy, yet if they are both naughty and nice, they might just find holiday cheer together.
When in Amsterdam... by Josephine Myles
Brandon is on his first visit to new boyfriend Jos's home country, just in time for their Sinterklaas celebrations. But an unexpected detour into a sex shop leads Brandon to new discoveries about himself, and a whole new dynamic to their relationship. The weather may be cold and damp, but Brandon and Jos soon heat things up!
A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow
What's the best gift a young man could get for Christmas? Mohawked saxophonist Liam wouldn't have picked the hideous collection of knitwear he's presented with by his mum and his aunties. He'd rather have the gorgeous older man he sees every day while busking at King's Cross. But with a little Christmas magic in the air, maybe those garish garments are just the thing for attracting a silver fox...
( original post: http://chrissymunder.livejournal.com/162689.html )
December 3, 2014
Homonym Hump Day - Bear or Bare?
Let's jump right in with a homonym I never gave much thought to until it popped up in my rewrite of Third Times the Charm (for those with a wondering bent - I'm *this* close to having this sucker finished).
As Nick and John struggle to save John's contractors from the collapsed building site, I must ask my readers to bear with me as I struggle with the revised ending - or do they need to bare with me
See what I mean? Bare can't be right, that's more like a let's-get-naked spelling. But bear? Why does that spelling make me twitch? (Really, I'm twitching just looking at it. Are you?) Right there is the true joy of homonyms - the realization that I don't know as much as I *think* I know. Riding to my rescue are the lovely folks at Daily Writing Tips with the definitive answer to the age old question ... Bare or Bear?
As Nick and John struggle to save John's contractors from the collapsed building site, I must ask my readers to bear with me as I struggle with the revised ending - or do they need to bare with me
See what I mean? Bare can't be right, that's more like a let's-get-naked spelling. But bear? Why does that spelling make me twitch? (Really, I'm twitching just looking at it. Are you?) Right there is the true joy of homonyms - the realization that I don't know as much as I *think* I know. Riding to my rescue are the lovely folks at Daily Writing Tips with the definitive answer to the age old question ... Bare or Bear?
December 2, 2014
Happy Holiday Discounts from @DreamspinnerPress
From December 1 through 17 @DreamspinnerPress 's
Facebook
page and
Twitter
feed will host daily coupon codes for 25% off specific authors' backlists. Hurry because coupons will only be valid for 48 hours after the initial post on social media.
Don't forget to check the Dreamspinner Press website all December for special discounts on paperbacks, ebooks, novellas, audiobooks and more! Each week in December the DSP website will host new discounts so you can fill your e-reader or bookshelves this holiday season--enjoy!
Don't forget to check the Dreamspinner Press website all December for special discounts on paperbacks, ebooks, novellas, audiobooks and more! Each week in December the DSP website will host new discounts so you can fill your e-reader or bookshelves this holiday season--enjoy!
Just in time for Holiday Shopping. 160 LGBTQ Romances!
Awesome! Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese have taken the hard work out of finding the perfect LGBTQ Romance for your gift-giving joy. Grab your wallets and check out their list of 160 titles here: http://avian30.com/2014/12/01/lgbtqromanceshopping/
December 1, 2014
Let the Holiday Pimpage Begin! First up, The Reason for the Season
December 1, baby! Ready or not the Holiday season is upon us and I'd be remiss if I didn't do a little pimpage of my Holiday-themed titles.
The Reason for the Season
is one of my favorites as I wrote it during one of our first (and sadly, now all too commonplace "snowpocalypses"). A little bit road story, a little bit sweet romance, I was thrilled when it was offered in a Japanese translation last year by the magazine Dear+.
The Reason for the Season
by Chrissy Munder
available from Dreamspinner Press
Publisher's Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_128&products_id=2092
Like Reviews? Click here to read.
The Reason for the Season : All college student Adam Everett is trying to do is get to his sister’s house for holiday break. First his car breaks down, then his ride takes off to Vegas with his gas money, forcing Adam to come up with a Plan C. His last hope is a campus ride exchange, where he ends up with the reluctant Michael Brennan. When a “snowpocalypse” forces them to share a motel room, they soon find out there's more than one reason for the chance happenings of the season.
Excerpt:
“DON’T do this to me, man.” Adam Everett stood in the lobby of his dorm, a small duffel bag at his feet, and stared at his cell phone in disbelief. Ridiculous as he couldn’t see the face of his friend in the matte black surface, but sometimes instinct won out over sense. “I’ve been waiting for almost an hour.”
“Sorry.” Jim’s laughter after the apology proved the words false. “But she gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse, or at least one hell of a blow job.”
“Don’t tell him that!”
Adam heard the indignant squeal in the background, the faint slaps and giggles audible over the crappy college radio station Jim listened to and thought made him cool. Enough to grasp that Jim’s girlfriend didn’t appreciate the comment. But he found it hard to be concerned about Lori’s injured feelings when not only would he bet the statement true, but he ended up being the one left hanging.
“What am I supposed to do now?” Adam didn’t know which made him madder: himself for whining, or Jim for screwing him over once again. He kicked his duffel to the side, trying to stay out of the way as the few remaining residents rushed around him, eager to head out and away from the grind of the semester.
“You can get a ride with someone else. Everybody goes home for Christmas break.” Jim’s voice sounded slow and lazy. Probably stoned again, and he had promised Adam he wouldn’t get messed up and drive.
“Yeah, and everybody’s already left.” Adam paced, his boots scuffing across the tile floor, and struggled to keep his anger from bleeding through into his voice. He should have known better than to count on Jim. They were the last ones out of their circle of friends still on campus, all because Jim had promised to pick Lori up after work. Mentioned how this would be his only chance to see her for two weeks, and she didn’t care to drive in the snow. Well, then why did she choose a college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula?
“S’not a big deal, just offer to pay for gas like you did me.”
A trio of girls pushed past him, bundled against the weather in colorful skiwear and talking a mile a minute. The blonde on the end hit Adam with her bag, knocking him in the shoulder as she passed, and she waved rather than stopped. “Sorry,” she called out, pulling a knit cap down over her curls. They climbed into the SUV waiting in the front circle and drove off. The vehicle’s tracks were quickly erased by a fresh powdering of snow.
“That’s the problem, asshole.” Frustrated, Adam ran his hand through his hair. Easy for Jim to act like this was no big deal. “I paid you already. I need my money back.”
“You snooze, you lose.” Jim laughed again, overpowering Lori’s voice, faint and questioning over the fragile connection. “The tank’s full and we’re on the road.”
“The car’s big enough for all three of us.” Adam hated having to ask, and didn’t want to be a passenger when the driver was under the influence, but he had promised his older sister, Sherry, he’d be home this holiday, and he couldn’t disappoint her. Of course, that had been before the transmission on his car had gone out, and he’d had to scramble for a ride. Maybe he’d be able to talk Jim in to letting him drive, at least until he came down. “Come pick me up.”
“Not happening. I’m a one-woman man, not a one-man man like you. Aren’t I, baby?” Adam fumed, forced to listen while Jim and Lori exchanged sloppy kisses. “Besides, change of plans. We’re heading west, not south. Leaving all this winter wonderland crap behind.”
“Vegas, here we come,” Lori yelled enthusiastically into the phone. “Woohoo.”
“Jim,” Adam had to shout over her voice. “Don’t you hang up on me. Jim?” Lori kept hollering even as Jim disconnected and left him hanging on to dead air. “You asshole.”
The Reason for the Season by Chrissy Munder
Available from Dreamspinner Press
Publisher's Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_128&products_id=2092
The Reason for the Season
by Chrissy Munder
available from Dreamspinner Press
Publisher's Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_128&products_id=2092
Like Reviews? Click here to read.
The Reason for the Season : All college student Adam Everett is trying to do is get to his sister’s house for holiday break. First his car breaks down, then his ride takes off to Vegas with his gas money, forcing Adam to come up with a Plan C. His last hope is a campus ride exchange, where he ends up with the reluctant Michael Brennan. When a “snowpocalypse” forces them to share a motel room, they soon find out there's more than one reason for the chance happenings of the season.
Excerpt:
“DON’T do this to me, man.” Adam Everett stood in the lobby of his dorm, a small duffel bag at his feet, and stared at his cell phone in disbelief. Ridiculous as he couldn’t see the face of his friend in the matte black surface, but sometimes instinct won out over sense. “I’ve been waiting for almost an hour.”
“Sorry.” Jim’s laughter after the apology proved the words false. “But she gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse, or at least one hell of a blow job.”
“Don’t tell him that!”
Adam heard the indignant squeal in the background, the faint slaps and giggles audible over the crappy college radio station Jim listened to and thought made him cool. Enough to grasp that Jim’s girlfriend didn’t appreciate the comment. But he found it hard to be concerned about Lori’s injured feelings when not only would he bet the statement true, but he ended up being the one left hanging.
“What am I supposed to do now?” Adam didn’t know which made him madder: himself for whining, or Jim for screwing him over once again. He kicked his duffel to the side, trying to stay out of the way as the few remaining residents rushed around him, eager to head out and away from the grind of the semester.
“You can get a ride with someone else. Everybody goes home for Christmas break.” Jim’s voice sounded slow and lazy. Probably stoned again, and he had promised Adam he wouldn’t get messed up and drive.
“Yeah, and everybody’s already left.” Adam paced, his boots scuffing across the tile floor, and struggled to keep his anger from bleeding through into his voice. He should have known better than to count on Jim. They were the last ones out of their circle of friends still on campus, all because Jim had promised to pick Lori up after work. Mentioned how this would be his only chance to see her for two weeks, and she didn’t care to drive in the snow. Well, then why did she choose a college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula?
“S’not a big deal, just offer to pay for gas like you did me.”
A trio of girls pushed past him, bundled against the weather in colorful skiwear and talking a mile a minute. The blonde on the end hit Adam with her bag, knocking him in the shoulder as she passed, and she waved rather than stopped. “Sorry,” she called out, pulling a knit cap down over her curls. They climbed into the SUV waiting in the front circle and drove off. The vehicle’s tracks were quickly erased by a fresh powdering of snow.
“That’s the problem, asshole.” Frustrated, Adam ran his hand through his hair. Easy for Jim to act like this was no big deal. “I paid you already. I need my money back.”
“You snooze, you lose.” Jim laughed again, overpowering Lori’s voice, faint and questioning over the fragile connection. “The tank’s full and we’re on the road.”
“The car’s big enough for all three of us.” Adam hated having to ask, and didn’t want to be a passenger when the driver was under the influence, but he had promised his older sister, Sherry, he’d be home this holiday, and he couldn’t disappoint her. Of course, that had been before the transmission on his car had gone out, and he’d had to scramble for a ride. Maybe he’d be able to talk Jim in to letting him drive, at least until he came down. “Come pick me up.”
“Not happening. I’m a one-woman man, not a one-man man like you. Aren’t I, baby?” Adam fumed, forced to listen while Jim and Lori exchanged sloppy kisses. “Besides, change of plans. We’re heading west, not south. Leaving all this winter wonderland crap behind.”
“Vegas, here we come,” Lori yelled enthusiastically into the phone. “Woohoo.”
“Jim,” Adam had to shout over her voice. “Don’t you hang up on me. Jim?” Lori kept hollering even as Jim disconnected and left him hanging on to dead air. “You asshole.”
The Reason for the Season by Chrissy Munder
Available from Dreamspinner Press
Publisher's Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_128&products_id=2092
November 26, 2014
Homonym Hump Day Kickoff!
Howdy y'all. Welcome to a new feature I'm calling Homonym Hump Day. First I should check that it actually is Wednesday ... it is, right? Wonderful. What is this new feature on the blog? As you can guess from the catchy post name every Wednesday I'm going to share homonyms I come across in my weekly writing. Simple, right?
The goal is to reach back to the tried and true theories of Mrs. Wolf, my second grade teacher, who used to stand beside us in her very sensible and very polished black loafers and swear that if we "write it down we'll retain it". I really enjoyed her teaching and hope I can have as much fun with these posts as I had in her class. You can join me here every Wednesday for a glimpse at both my latest work and my latest homonym.
(For the more technically inclined let me mention I'm following the Wikipedia example of homonyms, where "In non-technical contexts, the term "homonym" may be used (somewhat confusingly) to refer to words that are either homographs or homophones.[1] In this looser sense, the word row (propel with oars) and row (argument) and row (a linear arrangement of seating) are considered homonyms, while the words read (peruse) and reed (waterside plant) would be considered homophones.")
