K.C. Kendricks's Blog, page 55
August 2, 2016
Triple H (how far do you go?)
August 3, 2016
The Insecure Writer's Support Group
Here in the Mid-Atlantic states, we often refer to our summer weather as being triple-H. That’s hazy, hot and humid, and not a reference to a wrestler. We also call the weeks from approximately July 15 to August 15 the Dog Days of Summer, so named by the dog star Sirius’ helical rising.
In other words, if you live in Maryland, it’s hot outside.
But is it hot between the pages of the latest work-in-progress?
A writer friend once told me, when I mentioned the phrase triple-H, that she’d never heard it applied to the weather before. Her triple-H was hot, hard and hung. Writing romance, I certainly get that in a big way.
Writing hot is a topic those of us in the romance genre frequently discuss. What’s too hot? What’s not enough? What are readers looking for right now, today? Maybe it’s all about trends, and maybe not. If I write the next story and move one way or another, will it impact readership?
I’ve second-guessed myself more than a few times on that question. I’ve flip-flopped back and forth on just where I think the line is between romance and nothing more than “triple-H.” It’s difficult to define a line that keeps moving. (And please don’t think I’m not a fan of the purely triple-H story. I’ve read some excellent stories that easily fall into that category.)
Trends generally take a few months to develop in the writing world, which is why it’s so important to study the part of industry you’re in, and the industry in the whole. At the time of the writing of this blog entry, Dreams to Sell had just been on the All Romance eBooks best seller list. That was quite a surprise as the book has been available since 2014. What suddenly lifted it to that list?
So how far into triple-H should a writer go? I say go as far as you’re comfortable with going within each story (stay true to the characters). If you’re not comfortable writing hot, hard and hung, then your reticence will show in your work and disappoint your readership. Trust your instincts and you'll get it right.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
The Insecure Writer's Support Group
Here in the Mid-Atlantic states, we often refer to our summer weather as being triple-H. That’s hazy, hot and humid, and not a reference to a wrestler. We also call the weeks from approximately July 15 to August 15 the Dog Days of Summer, so named by the dog star Sirius’ helical rising.
In other words, if you live in Maryland, it’s hot outside.
But is it hot between the pages of the latest work-in-progress?
A writer friend once told me, when I mentioned the phrase triple-H, that she’d never heard it applied to the weather before. Her triple-H was hot, hard and hung. Writing romance, I certainly get that in a big way.
Writing hot is a topic those of us in the romance genre frequently discuss. What’s too hot? What’s not enough? What are readers looking for right now, today? Maybe it’s all about trends, and maybe not. If I write the next story and move one way or another, will it impact readership?
I’ve second-guessed myself more than a few times on that question. I’ve flip-flopped back and forth on just where I think the line is between romance and nothing more than “triple-H.” It’s difficult to define a line that keeps moving. (And please don’t think I’m not a fan of the purely triple-H story. I’ve read some excellent stories that easily fall into that category.)
Trends generally take a few months to develop in the writing world, which is why it’s so important to study the part of industry you’re in, and the industry in the whole. At the time of the writing of this blog entry, Dreams to Sell had just been on the All Romance eBooks best seller list. That was quite a surprise as the book has been available since 2014. What suddenly lifted it to that list?
So how far into triple-H should a writer go? I say go as far as you’re comfortable with going within each story (stay true to the characters). If you’re not comfortable writing hot, hard and hung, then your reticence will show in your work and disappoint your readership. Trust your instincts and you'll get it right.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
August 1, 2016
Give Me One Night
August 1, 2016Another new cover, and another second edition in the midst of being re-issued. Give Me One Night is the fourth contemporary gay romance I wrote. You may have noticed I've re-issued newer works first and am now down to my first novels, with the exception of Undeniable.
I loved the original cover for Give Me One Night. I could have recreated it, I did in fact try to do that very thing. It didn't work to my satisfaction, so I kept looking for the right guy and background.
Give Me One Night is available at Amazon and will be up at All Romance eBooks sometime this week.
Enjoy!
_*_*_
Brody O’Connor joins the revelry of the yearly St. Patrick's Day pub crawl, hunting a like-minded man for a night of fun and frolic with no strings attached. When a mystery man in an emerald green shirt engages Brody’s interest, it doesn’t take long for the hunter to become the prey.
Well-matched with his mystery man, Brody regrets his "no strings" approach to a night of shared passion that leaves him hungry for more. The morning after, Evan is gone, as agreed. Brody knows it was a mistake to let him go, and vows to find him.
Evan also never expected to meet someone like Brody. Now Brody wants to change the rules, and Evan decides he’ll give Brody one more night to convince him to stay...
July 29, 2016
My Sexy Saturday - The Right Brew
July 30, 2016
When I wrote the first story set in Marionville, A Hard Habit to Break, I knew I had the foundation for a trilogy. What I didn't know at the time was that in Marionville, all things are possible. I've written science fiction under another name and enjoyed creating my own universe. Marionville is much the same thing. It's my town. I know its highways and byways, its restaurants and its nightclubs. And while Marionville is small town enough that our heroes are acquainted with each other, every man deserves his own story be told. This might take awhile!
Today for My Sexy Saturday #152, I've gone back to Marionville and its newest resident, Hollis, and its newest business - The Right Brew microbrewery.
Here are seven sexy paragraphs from The Right Brew you won't find anywhere else. Enjoy!
*_*_*_*
I stared at the old brass bed. “I bet that makes a lot of noise.”
A slow smile spread across his features. “It does, but no one else is around to hear it.” He stepped in front of me and laid his palm flat against the center of my chest. “I even changed the sheets for you.”
Really? That was a sure sign tonight was equally important to him. I wrapped my fingers around his and brought his knuckles to my lips. I watched his eyes widen in surprise and then darken with longing.
“Take your shirt off, Caleb.”
He grinned and yanked his shirt over his head without opening the little pearl snaps. I noted the lean but well-defined muscles. I bet his workout was in the brewery, and not the gym.
I laughed softly and peeled out of my shirt the same way. He perched on the edge of the bed and patted the spot beside him before toeing off his shoes.
I moved to stand in front of him, between his knees. I put my hands on his shoulders and he grasped my hips and unbalanced me until I fell me to the mattress. He kissed me again, unhurried as he fumbled getting my belt undone. I surged up and away. With an easy roll, he was on his feet to unsnap his jeans. He let them drop and then stepped out of them. I grinned at the large bulge his black hip-hugger underwear couldn’t contain.
THE RIGHT BREWBook IX in the Men of Marionville collectionContemporary gay romanceAn All Romance eBooks Best Seller!
Available at All Romance eBooks iTunes/Apple Amazon
For more information and excerpts, please visit: http://www.kckendricks.com/TheRightBrew.html http://www.kckendricks.com/MarionvilleSeries.html
Hollis Milnor didn’t think twice about moving to Marionville. His ailing cousin needed his help running his nightclub, Frolic, and Hollis needed to put some space between himself and an ex-boyfriend determined to make his life miserable. Management skills he has. Experience running a nightclub, not so much, but he’s a quick learner.
Caleb Brewer is a steady, hard-working man establishing a microbrewery. He’s got a great product and demand for it is growing. When a new manager takes over the hottest nightclub in Marionville, Caleb is determined to maintain his prior arrangements.
What starts out as business quickly heats up the summer nights. Hollis hesitates, reluctant to step over the legal line. Caleb isn’t just a vendor. He works part-time at the nightclub. Becoming involved puts them both in murky waters, waters that become crystal clear when the past catches up with Hollis and puts everyone he loves in danger.
*_*_*_*
Be sure to visit all the My Sexy Saturday blogs on the list below for more great excerpts.
KC Kendricks
When I wrote the first story set in Marionville, A Hard Habit to Break, I knew I had the foundation for a trilogy. What I didn't know at the time was that in Marionville, all things are possible. I've written science fiction under another name and enjoyed creating my own universe. Marionville is much the same thing. It's my town. I know its highways and byways, its restaurants and its nightclubs. And while Marionville is small town enough that our heroes are acquainted with each other, every man deserves his own story be told. This might take awhile!
Today for My Sexy Saturday #152, I've gone back to Marionville and its newest resident, Hollis, and its newest business - The Right Brew microbrewery.
Here are seven sexy paragraphs from The Right Brew you won't find anywhere else. Enjoy!
*_*_*_*
I stared at the old brass bed. “I bet that makes a lot of noise.”
A slow smile spread across his features. “It does, but no one else is around to hear it.” He stepped in front of me and laid his palm flat against the center of my chest. “I even changed the sheets for you.”
Really? That was a sure sign tonight was equally important to him. I wrapped my fingers around his and brought his knuckles to my lips. I watched his eyes widen in surprise and then darken with longing.
“Take your shirt off, Caleb.”
He grinned and yanked his shirt over his head without opening the little pearl snaps. I noted the lean but well-defined muscles. I bet his workout was in the brewery, and not the gym.
I laughed softly and peeled out of my shirt the same way. He perched on the edge of the bed and patted the spot beside him before toeing off his shoes.
I moved to stand in front of him, between his knees. I put my hands on his shoulders and he grasped my hips and unbalanced me until I fell me to the mattress. He kissed me again, unhurried as he fumbled getting my belt undone. I surged up and away. With an easy roll, he was on his feet to unsnap his jeans. He let them drop and then stepped out of them. I grinned at the large bulge his black hip-hugger underwear couldn’t contain.
THE RIGHT BREWBook IX in the Men of Marionville collectionContemporary gay romanceAn All Romance eBooks Best Seller!
Available at All Romance eBooks iTunes/Apple Amazon
For more information and excerpts, please visit: http://www.kckendricks.com/TheRightBrew.html http://www.kckendricks.com/MarionvilleSeries.html
Hollis Milnor didn’t think twice about moving to Marionville. His ailing cousin needed his help running his nightclub, Frolic, and Hollis needed to put some space between himself and an ex-boyfriend determined to make his life miserable. Management skills he has. Experience running a nightclub, not so much, but he’s a quick learner.
Caleb Brewer is a steady, hard-working man establishing a microbrewery. He’s got a great product and demand for it is growing. When a new manager takes over the hottest nightclub in Marionville, Caleb is determined to maintain his prior arrangements.
What starts out as business quickly heats up the summer nights. Hollis hesitates, reluctant to step over the legal line. Caleb isn’t just a vendor. He works part-time at the nightclub. Becoming involved puts them both in murky waters, waters that become crystal clear when the past catches up with Hollis and puts everyone he loves in danger.
*_*_*_*
Be sure to visit all the My Sexy Saturday blogs on the list below for more great excerpts.
KC Kendricks
July 27, 2016
The Right Brew by KC Kendricks
July 27, 2016
THE RIGHT BREW
Book IX in the Men of Marionville collectionContemporary gay romanceAn All Romance eBooks Best Seller!
Available at All Romance eBooks www.allromanceebooks.com/product-therightbrew-2080055-145.html
Available at iTunes/Apple itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1136994239
Available at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Right-Brew-Men-Marionville-Book-ebook/dp/B01J0BMOJO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1469487116&sr=8-4&keywords=the+right+brew
Hollis Milnor didn’t think twice about moving to Marionville. His ailing cousin needed his help running his nightclub, Frolic, and Hollis needed to put some space between himself and an ex-boyfriend determined to make his life miserable. Management skills he has. Experience running a nightclub, not so much, but he’s a quick learner.
Caleb Brewer is a steady, hard-working man establishing a microbrewery. He’s got a great product and demand for it is growing. When a new manager takes over the hottest nightclub in Marionville, Caleb is determined to maintain his prior arrangements.
What starts out as business quickly heats up the summer nights. Hollis hesitates, reluctant to step over the legal line. Caleb isn’t just a vendor. He works part-time at the nightclub. Becoming involved puts them both in murky waters, waters that become crystal clear when the past catches up with Hollis and puts everyone he loves in danger.
EXCERPT
“Caleb. Come in and sit down.” I motioned at a chair. “Something wrong?”
He eased down in the wing chair and stretched out his long denim-encased legs. “Did we sorta get off on the wrong foot here? I can’t afford to have that happen.”
I gave him points for directness. He didn’t aim to come off as being abrupt. He simply kept everything right out front. I liked that.
“I know. It’s my fault, Caleb, and I’m sorry. I’m here to manage the nightclub, not get personally involved with any of the men working within the business end of things.”
He studied me for a moment, and then nodded. “Fair enough. I thought that might be it, but I wanted to be sure that’s all it was. Now I need to ask you this.” He took a deep breath. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I’d like to talk about some business.”
He would, would he? I admit getting involved with the hired help wasn’t a good idea and he comes back with an invitation to dinner?
We could talk ideas and possibilities for our respective ventures right now. We didn’t need food, wine and the privacy of a crowded restaurant, but what better way to learn more about him? A wave of goosebumps fluttered over my back.
“I guess I do need to eat sometime.”
His blue gaze locked on mine. “I think I like that you had to consider it. Too much impulse can lead a man astray.”
Oh, hell, yeah. “Is that where you’d like to go? Astray?”
A smile teased the corner of his mouth. His eyes sparkled with humor. “I’ve been there before so I know which road not to take.”
“Same here. Tell me something. How long have you been connected with Frolic?”
“Not long. Maybe a year. Why?”
I grinned at him. “You might have information useful to me.”
He rolled his eyes and lifted his gaze to the ceiling. “And that, Caleb Brewer, is why the man agreed to have dinner with you.”
I chuckled. “Talk to yourself often, do you? I like to keep things above board, too. So, yeah, I’m going to ask you a bunch of questions, but I think I’ll really enjoy having dinner with you.”
“I get it, and it’s okay. So how about I meet you about seven o’clock? At The Wharf? It’s the best place in town.”
“I’ve heard about the place. Give me your phone number in case something happens and I can’t get away on time. I can at least let you know I’m running late and why.”
We exchanged cell numbers and he held his hand out as he stood to leave. I reached out and his fingers closed around mine. The shock of his warm palm against mine turned my arm to lead. He let go of me.
“It’s not a date, Hollis. Not if you don’t want it to be.”
He walked out of the office while I stood watching his retreating backside. It wasn’t until he’d disappeared I realized I rather wished it were.
KC Kendricks www.kckendricks.com http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
July 22, 2016
December Promise - My sexy crush for My Sexy Saturday
July 23, 2016
Welcome to another My Sexy Saturday blog hop. Today the theme is all about My Sexy Crush. I think we've all had one of those. That one person we just ache to stand next to. Forget about anything else. We just want to breathe the same air as they do!
In keeping with the theme, here are seven sexy paragraphs from December Promise. Paul and Lee were college roommates, and lovers. There's a lot of time and distance between those days and now, and they wonder if the magic they shared can be rekindled. Enjoy!
_*_*_*_
Quick as lightning, Paul wrapped his arms around Lee. Desire, swift and sweet, swept through him, jumbling his memories, as Lee’s mouth moved over his. His lips opened, and Lee’s tongue licked into his as he backed Paul against the car. His cock responded, swelling rapidly as a delicious urgency seized him. He inhaled sharply, and Lee’s spicy scent exploded in his memory, refreshed, better now for holding him again. Paul stroked his lover’s back, his hands going down to cup Lee’s firm ass. Lee pressed closer and flexed his pelvis to his. Paul gripped tighter, needing to feel every inch of the steel rod rubbing against his. This was nuts. They couldn’t just pick up where they’d left off. Could they?
Nothing had changed. They lived on separate coasts. They’d made separate lives. It should be easy to stop kissing him and explain why this was a bad idea, and friendship was the best they should hope for. He spun Lee around and slammed him flat to the car door.
Paul shivered as Lee yanked his shirttail out of his jeans, his hot palms sliding across the planes of his chest. Paul made a sound of encouragement as Lee’s finger teased his left nipple. Trust Lee to remember how he loved to have his nips touched. He thrust his tongue into Lee’s mouth. Lee pushed against him, breaking off the heated kiss.
“Hey, easy. We need to cool down a bit.”
Paul grabbed at him, but Lee gently swatted his hands away. “I mean it, Paul.”
Behind him, people spoke. A car engine started. He shivered as the testosterone haze cleared and Lee smiled at him. “Best we not get tossed onto the street for lewd and obscene behavior.”
He was right. Paul took a deep breath and tried to ignore the tightness in his balls. Thank heavens Lee had his wits about him. “So you think me going to my knees in the parking garage would be a bit much?”
_*_*_*_
About DECEMBER PROMISE
A lot can happen between one December and another.
Paul Macy moved heaven and earth to get a reluctant Lee Kendall for his college roommate. Giving up his free-and-easy lifestyle for the sexy new guy on campus had been the easiest decision Paul had ever made. Walking away from Lee had been the hardest.
Now, years later, Lee Kendall’s made it to the top of his field by working hard, and playing harder in the right circles. Yet he has also come to realize that success is empty when you have no one with whom to celebrate it. But as luck would have it, an invitation to visit his alma mater brings Lee face-to-face with his first lover, and a chance for the reconciliation he never thought possible.
The sparks fly when Paul and Lee reunite, fulfilling long-denied dreams for both men. But passion isn’t a pledge, and it takes more than promises made in the dark to forge a shared future between two lonely hearts...
DECEMBER PROMISE
Available at All Romance eBooks, Apple/iTunes, and other online book sellers.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Be sure to check out all the My Sexy Saturday blogs today! If the list fails to display (thanks, blogger!) visit mysexysaturday.blogspot.com to view it.
Welcome to another My Sexy Saturday blog hop. Today the theme is all about My Sexy Crush. I think we've all had one of those. That one person we just ache to stand next to. Forget about anything else. We just want to breathe the same air as they do!
In keeping with the theme, here are seven sexy paragraphs from December Promise. Paul and Lee were college roommates, and lovers. There's a lot of time and distance between those days and now, and they wonder if the magic they shared can be rekindled. Enjoy!
_*_*_*_
Quick as lightning, Paul wrapped his arms around Lee. Desire, swift and sweet, swept through him, jumbling his memories, as Lee’s mouth moved over his. His lips opened, and Lee’s tongue licked into his as he backed Paul against the car. His cock responded, swelling rapidly as a delicious urgency seized him. He inhaled sharply, and Lee’s spicy scent exploded in his memory, refreshed, better now for holding him again. Paul stroked his lover’s back, his hands going down to cup Lee’s firm ass. Lee pressed closer and flexed his pelvis to his. Paul gripped tighter, needing to feel every inch of the steel rod rubbing against his. This was nuts. They couldn’t just pick up where they’d left off. Could they?
Nothing had changed. They lived on separate coasts. They’d made separate lives. It should be easy to stop kissing him and explain why this was a bad idea, and friendship was the best they should hope for. He spun Lee around and slammed him flat to the car door.
Paul shivered as Lee yanked his shirttail out of his jeans, his hot palms sliding across the planes of his chest. Paul made a sound of encouragement as Lee’s finger teased his left nipple. Trust Lee to remember how he loved to have his nips touched. He thrust his tongue into Lee’s mouth. Lee pushed against him, breaking off the heated kiss.
“Hey, easy. We need to cool down a bit.”
Paul grabbed at him, but Lee gently swatted his hands away. “I mean it, Paul.”
Behind him, people spoke. A car engine started. He shivered as the testosterone haze cleared and Lee smiled at him. “Best we not get tossed onto the street for lewd and obscene behavior.”
He was right. Paul took a deep breath and tried to ignore the tightness in his balls. Thank heavens Lee had his wits about him. “So you think me going to my knees in the parking garage would be a bit much?”
_*_*_*_
About DECEMBER PROMISE
A lot can happen between one December and another.
Paul Macy moved heaven and earth to get a reluctant Lee Kendall for his college roommate. Giving up his free-and-easy lifestyle for the sexy new guy on campus had been the easiest decision Paul had ever made. Walking away from Lee had been the hardest.
Now, years later, Lee Kendall’s made it to the top of his field by working hard, and playing harder in the right circles. Yet he has also come to realize that success is empty when you have no one with whom to celebrate it. But as luck would have it, an invitation to visit his alma mater brings Lee face-to-face with his first lover, and a chance for the reconciliation he never thought possible.
The sparks fly when Paul and Lee reunite, fulfilling long-denied dreams for both men. But passion isn’t a pledge, and it takes more than promises made in the dark to forge a shared future between two lonely hearts...
DECEMBER PROMISE
Available at All Romance eBooks, Apple/iTunes, and other online book sellers.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Be sure to check out all the My Sexy Saturday blogs today! If the list fails to display (thanks, blogger!) visit mysexysaturday.blogspot.com to view it.
July 16, 2016
December Promise
July 16, 2016
I'm very happy to say that December Promise is once again available to you, my readers. I toyed with the idea of waiting until the end of the year to release the book, but December is truly a busy time for everyone. Peace and quiet for reading time vanishes in my world in December.
December Promise is a story of two people reconnecting after many years. Who hasn't had a few "what if" moments in life? I have, although I rarely confess them. I hope you'll enjoy December Promise.
KC
*_*_*
December PromiseContemporary gay romance available now at
All Romance eBooks www.allromanceebooks.com/product-decemberpromise-2076523-145.html
A lot can happen between one December and another.
Paul Macy moved heaven and earth to get a reluctant Lee Kendall for his college roommate. Giving up his free-and-easy lifestyle for the sexy new guy on campus had been the easiest decision Paul had ever made. Walking away from Lee had been the hardest.
Now, years later, Lee Kendall’s made it to the top of his field by working hard, and playing harder in the right circles. Yet he has also come to realize that success is empty when you have no one with whom to celebrate it. But as luck would have it, an invitation to visit his alma mater brings Lee face-to-face with his first lover, and a chance for the reconciliation he never thought possible.
The sparks fly when Paul and Lee reunite, fulfilling long-denied dreams for both men. But passion isn’t a pledge, and it takes more than promises made in the dark to forge a shared future between two lonely hearts...
_*_*_*_
To read an expert, please visit http://www.kckendricks.com/DecemberPromise.html .
December Promise will also be available at Amazon and other online book sellers.
I'm very happy to say that December Promise is once again available to you, my readers. I toyed with the idea of waiting until the end of the year to release the book, but December is truly a busy time for everyone. Peace and quiet for reading time vanishes in my world in December.
December Promise is a story of two people reconnecting after many years. Who hasn't had a few "what if" moments in life? I have, although I rarely confess them. I hope you'll enjoy December Promise.
KC
*_*_*December PromiseContemporary gay romance available now at
All Romance eBooks www.allromanceebooks.com/product-decemberpromise-2076523-145.html
A lot can happen between one December and another.
Paul Macy moved heaven and earth to get a reluctant Lee Kendall for his college roommate. Giving up his free-and-easy lifestyle for the sexy new guy on campus had been the easiest decision Paul had ever made. Walking away from Lee had been the hardest.
Now, years later, Lee Kendall’s made it to the top of his field by working hard, and playing harder in the right circles. Yet he has also come to realize that success is empty when you have no one with whom to celebrate it. But as luck would have it, an invitation to visit his alma mater brings Lee face-to-face with his first lover, and a chance for the reconciliation he never thought possible.
The sparks fly when Paul and Lee reunite, fulfilling long-denied dreams for both men. But passion isn’t a pledge, and it takes more than promises made in the dark to forge a shared future between two lonely hearts...
_*_*_*_
To read an expert, please visit http://www.kckendricks.com/DecemberPromise.html .
December Promise will also be available at Amazon and other online book sellers.
July 15, 2016
Casual Fridays
July 15, 2016
It's taken many years, but the atmosphere at my place of employment has relaxed. With a new CEO came a new set of much-needed office "rules." He made it clear from day one he wasn't here to win a cover on GQ. The dress code relaxed.
I can certainly embrace that. As I approach the end of my years of gainful employment, I don't want to spend any more money on dresses. Now it's more about buying separates that will be wearable as I settle into a new, more home-based lifestyle.
But today I wonder if I took a step too far. Knowing I would be in the office by myself the entire day, I delved deeply into what used to be known as the casual Friday look.
Shorts, an okay button shirt, and Reeboks. Maybe a bit..... I don't know.... too far. It's not my usual office attire.
Then again, the city is working in the street outside my office. They hit the water line and now there's no water. Maybe it's a good thing I'm wearing walking shoes. I may have to visit the local gas station.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
**Coming soon! The Right Brew. Our hero owns a mircobrewery.**
It's taken many years, but the atmosphere at my place of employment has relaxed. With a new CEO came a new set of much-needed office "rules." He made it clear from day one he wasn't here to win a cover on GQ. The dress code relaxed. I can certainly embrace that. As I approach the end of my years of gainful employment, I don't want to spend any more money on dresses. Now it's more about buying separates that will be wearable as I settle into a new, more home-based lifestyle.
But today I wonder if I took a step too far. Knowing I would be in the office by myself the entire day, I delved deeply into what used to be known as the casual Friday look.
Shorts, an okay button shirt, and Reeboks. Maybe a bit..... I don't know.... too far. It's not my usual office attire.
Then again, the city is working in the street outside my office. They hit the water line and now there's no water. Maybe it's a good thing I'm wearing walking shoes. I may have to visit the local gas station.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
**Coming soon! The Right Brew. Our hero owns a mircobrewery.**
July 8, 2016
Catching Fireflies and building sand castles
July 9, 2016
The theme for this My Sexy Saturday is castles. I don't have any castles of stone, but I have a couple who might just be in the market for sand castles. It'll have to do!
My Sexy Saturday is a weekly blog hop that brings the reader brief excerpts from a wide variety of romance writers. Be sure to visit the My Sexy Saturday page for the list of this week's participants.
Here are seven sexy paragraphs from Catching Fireflies. Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~
Our laughter died quickly as he shifted his position enough to wrap his arms around my neck. He rested his head on my shoulder.
“Chad, being the nice guy he is, was willing to put up with Sidney to get me here. He warned me about Sid, how much he’d changed over the years, but I didn’t listen and got involved with him again. Big mistake. So I came to the island to get some breathing room. I don’t think I’m going back to Boston.” He pulled back and cocked his head to the side to search my face.
“But we’re both guests here, and I’m not sure it’s not the best thing for either of us to get too friendly.”
Even as he said the words, I heard the hope in his voice I’d disagree. Maybe we were just what the other needed right now. We could give each other a chance to take a few steps back to those parts of ourselves we needed to recapture. It would be a way to begin to trust again.
I cupped his chin and kissed him. Aubrey moaned softly into my mouth, then his silky tongue licked over mine. Arousal shrieked along my nerve endings and my waning erection reasserted itself in a wonderful, throbbing rush. My pure intentions fled and I toppled us over, pinning him beneath me. His legs rose and his thighs gripped my hips. Every cell in my body needed to get inside him, to feel his flesh open to mine.
Two seconds later, I was on my back staring up at him. The breeze blew his hair across his face as he raised an eyebrow at me.
“Now, hon, you shouldn’t get ahead of yourself like that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
ABOUT CATCHING FIREFLIES:
Dale Langley longs for some triple R time - rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. He accepts his cousin’s invitation to winter over on Ocracoke Island, far away from the hustle and bustle of life on the mainland. He’s always loved being a rolling stone, traveling for his job without the worry of a place to call home, but it’s time for something different. Now Dale anticipates several blissful months to learn how to be still with no demands on his time while he prepares for the next phase of his life.
Aubrey Zimmerman came to Ocracoke to attend a friend’s commitment ceremony. Never one to settle down, Aubrey’s had enough of involvements that took him from man to man without a place to call home. He needs a break - and a little solitude. House sitting while his friend is on his honeymoon is the perfect way to clear his head and catch up on his sleep. At least it seemed that way until Dale arrived and Aubrey realized sleep is the last thing he needs.
Fate has changes in store for Dale and Aubrey, the sort neither one knew they wanted. Sometimes the more you wander the closer to home you get.
CATCHING FIREFLIES Contemporary gay romanceBook five in the Southern Cross series
Available at All Romance eBooks, Amazon and other online book sellers.
KC Kendrickswebsite at: http://www.kckendricks.comblog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com (you are here!)Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricksmailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeysPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kckendricks
July 5, 2016
Independence (July IWSG)
July 6, 2016http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
As a citizen of the United States, I enjoy what are unparalleled freedoms. Generations back, in 1751, the seven-times great-grandfather whose name I carry landed on these shores in Philadelphia. A few short years later, he signed the Patriot’s Oath of Fidelity and Support. I wonder if he marveled at the changes in the world around him as much as I do? I think it’s safe to say he valued personal freedom else why make a patriot’s pledge to the new country?
Writers have always been a seditious bunch. Just read the Declaration of Independence line by line and you’ll be amazed at the audacity of writers. Writers have a unique and powerful talent. Writers can change the world. Writers HAVE changed the world.
For the most part, writers are a sensitive, introverted and insecure bunch. What we need to remember is the impressive heritage we share. We are the keepers of history and visionaries of the future. Words are our tools, our magic carpets, even our weapons. This is our gift.One of the reasons I signed up for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group was to hopefully impart some pearl of wisdom that someone struggling would find. Am I egotistical enough to believe what I write in a blog has special merit? Not really, but the universe works in mysterious ways. What leads me to write leads another to read. I don’t question - or tempt - it too far.
So if I have one thing to share this month, when in the United States we are celebrating our independence, it's that every writer remember to embrace their gift and use it wisely. Don’t be afraid to be independent in your writing, and you might just change the world.
KC Kendricks www.kckendricks.com www.twitter.com/kckendricks facebook.com/kckendricks
July 4, 2016
The red, white and blue of it
July 4, 2016I'm as patriotic as the next girl. Really, I am.
I know the laws and rules that govern how we display the American flag.
But you know, every once in a while I just have to put on blinders and enjoy a photograph for what it is. I know I've shared this one before, but he's definitely worth a second viewing.
Enjoy your Independence Day!
KC
