Andrew Grey's Blog, page 58
November 3, 2010
A Taste of Love - Releasing Monday
On Wednesday November 10, I will be chatting online at The Love Romances Cafe from 6 to PM Eastern. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe/
I look forward to talking with all of you.
October 30, 2010
New Short Story
Yaoicon
What an amazing experience it's been so far.
October 28, 2010
A Troubled Range
It's drafted!!!! Last night I finished the draft of the follow up to A Shared Range. For all of you who asked, A Troubled Range is Phillip's story. I know it took long enough. You'll also see some old friends and hopefully make some new ones. Here's a sneak peek excerpt. This is completely unedited, so you must forgive my mistakes. (There are bound to be plenty)
Chapter 1
“Haven! What in hell are you doing there watching nothin’?” His father’s sharp voice carried across the quiet rangeland to where he was standing near the gurgling water. “There ain’t nothin’ over there for you boy.” His father’s voice got louder and Haven turned around, sighing softly before walking away from the fence that formed the border between his family’s land and the neighboring ranch. Moving toward his father as the tall man strode across their rangeland toward the small river, Haven stopped himself from taking one last look. “Come on, there’s no use lookin’ cause what’s over there don’t matter,” His dad added sharply and Haven ducked the half-hearted swipe his dad took at his head.
“I was just looking, wondering why their land looks so much better than ours.” Haven made sure he was well away from his father when he said that. If he were close enough his dad would take another swipe at him and this time it he’d be aiming to hurt.
“You know why. Them fags take more than their fair share of the river and don’t leave enough water for us. Sides, I won’t have you looking and watching them. Whatever Jefferson Holden did wrong with his son, I don’t intend to do with you. “
Haven fell into stride beside his father. Nearly the man’s height and almost as broad, Haven knew he shouldn’t have anything to be afraid of when it came to his father. “What makes you think Mr. Holden did anything wrong?”
“You reap what you sow And Jefferson Holden must have sown something pretty bad to be struck down sick like he was and to have his son turn into some kind of sissy.” Kent Jessup turned away from Haven spitting out a wad of his chewing tobacco before hauling out the can from his back pocket. “You sure you don’t want some?” Kent asked offering Haven the tin. “It’ll make a man out of you.”
Haven shook his head, keeping the disgusted look off his face. He’d tried that stuff once and nearly threw up. Arriving in the yard near the barn, his dad said nothing as he peeled off for the house and Haven continued on toward the barn. There was plenty to be done. “Don’t be shirking your chores,” his dad called as he walked up the steps into the house.
“Ain’t me shirking chores,” Haven said under his breath as he walked into the barn. At least it was clean and all the horses were out in their paddocks, not that there were many of them. Opening the tack room door, he went inside, grabbing Jake’s bridle, checking the leather to make sure it was still sound. Something he now did habitually after the reins broke on a set a month ago. Looking around, he saw how old everything looked and he realized that was because his dad hadn’t bought any replacement equipment in years. Even the trucks the ranch loved and died by were almost two decades old..
“Haven, that you?” A deep voice called from outside the door.
“Yeah, Kade, it’s me,” Haven called as he finished gathering what he needed.
“Thank goodness,” Haven heard the relief in the man’s voice. He knew that tone well. Everyone on the ranch walked on egg shells around his dad, it wasn’t just Haven. “You heading out?”
“Gonna ride fence for the afternoon.” It was one of the chores he liked. It got him away from the house for hours, even an entire day at a time. “Need to check the western borders. In the spring, I noticed that some of the posts might be weak and we’ll need to move some of the herd down there in a few weeks, particularly if we don’t get any rain.” He knew he was testing the fences that bordered the Holden Ranch and if his dad found out he’d probably be angry as hell for some stupid reason.
“You want me to ride the range, check for any weeds.”
Haven smiled, “Sure. Grab your gear and I’ll meet you in the yard, saddled and ready in half an hour.”
Kade grabbed his gear and hurried away. The kid had energy and a real will to please and when his dad wasn’t around, he did great. Setting his gear on pegs outside the stall, Haven followed Kade outside. Whistling for Jake the chestnut gelding came right over, tossing his head excitedly. Taking him by the halter, Jake led his horse into his stall and started the grooming process. Jake loved to be groomed and moved into every stroke of the brush almost like it was a lover. If the big baby had been a cat, he’d have purred.
Slipping the bit into Jake’s sensitive mouth, he finished saddling the horse, checking the girth twice before leading him out into the yard. “You ready Kade?”
“Yup,” he answered excitedly, climbing into the saddle. They headed out across the range, through the shallow water before heading west toward the ranch border fence. “Haven.”
“Yeah,” he answered as he made for the line of fence posts.
“Why’s your dad hate Dakota so much? He’s never been anything but nice to everybody far as I know. Helps everybody out when they need it and more that most from what I hear.” Kade didn’t look up as he watched the pasture land around him, looking for anything that could make the cattle sick.
“The only thing I can figure is because Dakota’s queer.” Haven saw Kade’s head jerk up at the word. He knew he shouldn’t have used it, especially with the feelings he himself had had for as long as he could remember. Haven knew Kade was looking at him and he needed to cover somehow. “Not that it matters to me, but them dad always held with that church stuff. I never paid it no mind.” He added as nonchalantly as he could. Haven made his way toward the fence line with Kade a little ways away watching the ground. “Maybe it’s just cause dad’s jealous or something. Everything that happens, he tries to blame it on the Holdens, always has. God himself could sweep down in a blaze of glory and he’d blame the Holden’s that God’s brightness hurt his eyes.”
Kade snickered, but said nothing more before riding off to continue checking the range. Haven moved closer to the fence, watching the wire and posts as Jake made the route he knew well. A few of the posts looked as though they might be ready to give and Haven dismounted, holding Jake’s reins as he checked, but they held fine and he remounted, continuing on his way. In a few placed, he saw where posts had already been replaced and he made a note to thank Dakota the next time he saw him. There was no way he’d tell his dad, he’d only yell that Holden had been on his property rather than being grateful that the man had actually fixed the fence for them.
At the far end of the range, Haven looked back along the line before starting down the back section. He saw Kade weaving through the range and let his thoughts wander. He liked it out here alone where he could think away from his father’s stiflingly vocal, self righteous convictions. Fencing and posts passed by as he and Jake slowly made their way along the back of the range. Post after post, acre after acre passed by them. A few times, he pulled Jake up to check posts and to help keep his eyes sharp.
At the far corner of the range, he dismounted and fished in his saddle bags for pliers. Jake lowered his head, feeding, looking content as Haven worked to fix a break in the fence. Twisting the barbed wire back together, Haven worked carefully, keeping his gloved fingers away from the barbs, but as he repaired one break, another section of wire pulled away from the post. “Damn it!” Haven swore, there just wasn’t quite enough wire left to really fix it. After working a while, Haven finally managed to knit the break back together.
Crack! The sound had Haven jumping out of his skin. Looking around he saw the dark clouds of a storm rolling in fast from the west. “It’s okay Jake. Let’s go home.” Haven could feel the horse’s nerves and he opened the saddle back to put his tools away. Crack! Boom!! The thunder rolled through the air, making the ground shake. Jake reared and Haven found his butt bouncing on the ground as Jake raced away in a complete panic, hooves tearing up the ground as he got smaller and smaller, galloping fast back toward the barn.
“Shit!!!” Haven hollered as the wind picked up. With nothing else to do, Haven began walking the fence line back the way he came. If he were lucky the storm would be dry, bringing wind and noise, but no rain. But that he doubted as the next gust of wind carried the scent of water on it and he picked up the pace, practically running.
Haven looked around, but knew what he’d see; nothing at all for miles in any direction except open range and fence. There had once been a range cabin just beyond the fence, but it had fallen down in a storm a few years earlier and his dad was too cheap to rebuild it. So he had no choice, he had to walk and pray.
Another crack followed instantly by a clap of thunder that had Haven holding his ears and clamping his eyes shut. He swore he could almost feel the heat, he sure as hell could smell the crackling in the air. Looking up, he saw smoke rising from the range just to the west. “Holy fuck,” he said to himself, eyes wide in fear, “The range is on fire!” Haven hurried, racing along the fence line as the smoke grew in intensity, spreading in the nearly dry grass.
The first raindrop splatted against his shoulder, dig and full, followed by another and another. Looking up at the nearly black sky, Haven checked for swirls, but saw none. Continuing to hurry along the fence line, the wind picked up again as the sky opened up, sheets of rain wetting him to the skin in an instant. At least he didn’t have to worry about the fire, but the rain picked up even more, sheets of water driven past him by gale force winds, his wet shirt flapping in the wind.
With no shelter at all, his only choice was to continue trying to get home. Haven knew it wasn’t safe out in the weather, but he didn’t have a choice.
Finally, he reached and began the turn toward the house. He could barely see, the water blowing into his eyes. “Haven.” Hearing his name in the wind, he tried to call back, but just got a mouthful of water. Peering through the gloom, he saw a figure on horseback materialize on the other side of the fence. “Haven, is that you?”
“Yes,” he called into the wind as a horse and rider came closer on the other side of the fence. “Dakota?” He couldn’t see who it was the yellow rain gear.
“Climb through the fence.” Dakota got off the horse and carefully spread the wire. Haven did the same, gingerly threading himself between the sharp barbs before standing next to the snorting horse. “Get on behind me and we’ll get you inside.” Dakota mounted the huge horse before pulling Haven up behind him. Haven held on tight as the horse began to move.
“How can you see in this?”
October 26, 2010
Yaoicon
Just a quick note to let you know that this Saturday October 30, I'll be at Yaoicon in San Francisco. If you're going to attend, please be sure to stop by the Dreamspinner Press booth to say hello. It would be great to talk and if you have books, I'd be happy to sign them.
Hope to see you there.
October 23, 2010
Sneak Peek Excerpt of Accompanied by a Waltz
As promised, here's an excerpt of Accompanied by a Waltz. I hope you enjoy it. This story will be released on February 14, 2011.
Please forgive any mangling of the english language, the editors have not had a chnace to fix my mistakes.
Excerpt:
Two years ago…
“Happy birthday!”
He cracked his eyes open to see his lover standing over him, carrying a tray and wearing nothing but a smile. “You know I hate birthdays, and turning forty-five is nothing to celebrate,” Jonathon responded to Greg’s cheerful voice. “What are you doing here anyway?” he added, as sleep fell away and he remembered that Greg was supposed to be in Los Angeles on business, not standing in their bedroom with breakfast in bed. Sitting up, the covers pooling on his lap, Jonathon made room on their bed.
The mattress dipped as Greg sat down, placing the tray over his legs before slipping beneath the blankets next to his lover. “I’ve never missed your birthday, not in seventeen years together, and I don’t intend to start now. I finished the infernal meeting yesterday and even got Harry Jenkins, the world’s most persnickety actor, to sign the damned contract before catching the redeye. I landed at Kennedy a few hours ago and drove right here.” Jonathon smiled, reaching out as Greg leaned closer, their lips touching lightly. “Happy Birthday, Boo.” Jonathon sighed softly against those familiar and loved lips, the very private nickname Greg had for him warming his heart just like it had for over a decade. Shortly after they met, Greg found out that Jonathon’s middle name was Beauregard and he’d loved it. Greg had started calling him his Beau and eventually shortened it to Boo and it had been that way ever since. “We have lunch with the kids today, and after that I’m off for the next three days. Where would you like to go?” Greg kissed him again before leaning back against the headboard with a smile.
Jonathon looked over the breakfast tray, pulling his gaze away from Greg. He’d been so sweet, he didn’t want to do anything to spoil it. “You know where I want to go,” was all he said, doing his best to push the thought of lunch with Greg’s three children out of his mind.
“I do, and after we finish breakfast,” Greg leaned close again, lips tugging on an ear, the sensation had Jonathon moaning again, “you can pack while I make sure everything is all set at the office. Then we can drive to the lake. I already called the service and they said they’ll have the house opened up, stocked, and ready. We won’t have to leave the entire time unless we want to.”
Jonathon looked up from the tray, feeling a little choked up. “Thank you.” He replied softly.
“Boo,” Jonathon felt a finger slide under his chin, “I understand about the kids. I had a talk with all three of them and told them that they’re all adults now and it was time they started acting like it.” Greg picked up one of the berries off the plate, bringing it to Jonathon mouth, and his lips opened automatically, sucking in the berry and one of Greg’s fingers as well. “I love you, Jonathon Pfister, and I have almost since the day we first met—and nothing is going to change that. They need to realize it and get over it.” Jonathon heard Greg sigh softly. “I should have dealt with them a long time ago.”
“It’s not your fault, and you can’t make them like me.” Jonathon took a bite of egg, fluffy and light, before getting another forkful, feeding them to Greg with a slight leer. “I know they blame me for your divorce, and before you say it, I know it wasn’t my fault or their mother’s. I understand that, but they don’t or won’t.” He’d like to say it didn’t matter, but it did. His one wish was that Adam, Eric, and Jeana would see that he truly loved their father and did everything he could to make him happy. “That’s enough talk about the kids,” Jonathon ate another bite before drinking his orange juice, and placing the tray on the floor beside the bed. “I have something much more important to talk about.”
“And what is that, pray tell?” Greg asked, as Jonathon rolled into his lover’s thick arms, letting his head rest on Greg’s shoulder.
“You, Gregory Mansfield. I’d much rather talk about you,” Jonathon flirted as his fingers carded through the salt and pepper hair on his lover’s chest. “I missed you all week and I’m glad you’re here.” Leaning forward, he let his tongue glaze around a nipple, the familiar musky saltiness of his lover’s skin bursting onto his tongue. Shifting on the bed, he threw back the covers and Greg took him to his arms, pressing them together, starting a familiar, passionate dance they’d done together for going on two decades now. Of course over the years, their flamenco had changed into more of a waltz, but that didn’t seem to matter, all that really did was the way they felt for each other.
“You’re still amazing, you know that?” Jonathon whispered as Greg held him tight, spooned to his back, his lover’s breathing already beginning to even out.
“So are you, Boo,” Greg responded sleepily as a hand slowly rubbed circles on Jonathon’s stomach.
“Are you feeling all right?” Jonathon asked, rolling over in Greg’s embrace, stroking a hand over his forehead, petting him lightly while surreptitiously checking for a temperature.
“I’m fine,” Greg tightened his grip, winding a leg between Jonathon’s, “The flight was just long and I didn’t get much sleep. I’m not as young as I used to be.” Greg paused his eyes opening, “Or as handsome.”
“Stop it,” Jonathon smiled, “You’re just as handsome at sixty-two as you were the day I met you, and don’t you dare think otherwise for a second.” Jonathon saw Greg’s eyes close and he slowly got out of bed, dressing quietly before leaving the room to let Greg sleep for a few hours.
Wandering through the house, he stopped dead in his tracks in the kitchen, or what had once passed as the kitchen. It looked as though a bomb had gone off. How anyone could dirty every pan in the house as well as every inch of the granite countertops making eggs, toast, berries and juice was beyond him, but somehow Greg had managed. Checking out the sink, he picked up a saucepan with congealed oatmeal in the bottom and began to laugh. The man was a wizard in the courtroom, arguments a model of logic and order, and could write a contract so ironclad an atomic bomb couldn’t break it, but in the kitchen, the man could make a chaotic mess faster than a two-year-old on a sugar high. But none of that mattered as he opened the dishwasher and placing the pans in their racks after scraping out the remains in the bottoms.
October 22, 2010
Core Training Available on Amazon
For all of you with Kindles, Core Training is now available at Amazon. Please don't let the cover confuse you. The wrong cover was loaded for the story. It is currently in the process of being fixed.
Purchase from Amazon
News All Around
I have also finished and will be submitting the fourth story in the gym series in the next few days. Crunch Time is completed and reviewed. I just have to write the synopsis and submit it.
Also after much work, I am pleased to say that the follow up to A Shared Range is 75% drafter and I have finally settled on a title. A Troubled Range will be drafted by the end of October and ready for submission sometime in November.
October 19, 2010
Core Training is Now Available
I have just been informed that Core Training is now live and available for download at Dreamspinner Press.
Chapter 1
“Happy birthday,” the little blonde girl said perkily from behind the counter after scanning his membership card.
“Thanks,” Hugh responded, with absolutely no enthusiasm whatsoever. He gave her the best smile he could muster and moped his way toward the locker room, the noise, the banging, the grunting, the damn bouncy music that drove them all crazy, all of it adding to his sour mood. “Excuse you!” Hugh growled as a man hurried out of the locker room, nearly bumping into him.
“Sorry,” the man responded, looking Hugh over from head to toe like he was deciding if he was going to give him shit. He must have decided that at six-four and big as hell, Hugh wasn’t someone the musclehead wanted to mess with. Lumbering into the locker room, Hugh plopped his bag on one of the benches and began tearing open lockers, trying to find an empty one.
“What crawled up your butt?” Dan opened the locker behind him, and of course it was empty.
“Nothing,” Hugh huffed, and he willed his mood to lighten. His friends didn’t need to pay just because it happened to be his birthday… alone yet again. Granted, it was his own fault. He’d spent his entire life going from man to man. “It’s fucked getting old.”
“Quit your whining,” Dan scolded lightly as he pulled off his shirt, “I’m older than you are. And it’s all a state of mind, anyway.”
Hugh half watched as Dan lowered his pants. “Then I’m eighty.”
“Hey, Birdgazers!” Lonnie called as he walked in, taking the locker next to Hugh. “You look like shit, man.”
“It’s his birthday,” Dan teased with a little too much glee.
Lonnie smacked Dan’s bare ass, the slap resounding through the room. “You were moaning like a cheap whore about your birthday a few months ago.”
Dan glared at Lonnie as he rubbed his butt, pulling on his underwear and shorts. “You’ll pay for that.”
Lonnie shot him an “ooh, I’m so scared” grin and finished changing. “You gonna work out with us or be a pussy all your life?”
Hugh looked at Lonnie, trying to see if he was serious. He was about to respond when a kid walked into their bay of lockers and undid his lock, and Hugh found his gaze pulled to a blond-headed wisp of a man who looked like a stiff breeze would blow him away.
“Hey, you listening to me or looking at dick?” Lonnie would say anything, and Hugh almost retorted, but it would only draw more attention to the fact that he was indeed looking at the young bit of eye candy instead of paying attention to what was being said.
Hugh forced his eyes away from the smooth back that appeared when the little man slipped off his shirt. God, he was young—cute as hell, but way too young for him. “I don’t think I’m going to be very good company.”
“Okay, we’ll see you out there.” Lonnie ignored him and shut his locker, waited for Dan, and the two left.
With the room quiet, Hugh found his attention drawn to the small man, who was tugging on a fresh T-shirt. Pulling his attention to where it should be, Hugh closed his locker and followed the small man out to the weight floor, enjoying the bouncing globes in front of him the entire time.
Hugh walked as far as the stairs to the mezzanine and stopped. He really didn’t feel like lifting, and he didn’t feel like cardio. After a few seconds, a blur passed in front of him and up the stairs. Focusing his eyes, he saw that tiny, tight butt and followed it upstairs. What the fuck, at least he could enjoy the scenery.
Ascending the stairs, he found an elliptical machine, climbed on, and started moving, his mind going on autopilot, his attention turning inward. Hugh was always like this—he’d start his cardio workout and let his thoughts take over, the noise fade, and the time fly.
“Your friend is a real ass.” A soft voice cut through his thoughts, and the sounds of the gym assaulted him again. Looking at the machine next to him, he saw the man from the locker room looking back at him.
“That’s just Lonnie; he has a mouth on him like no one else.” Hugh got a good look at the man’s face for the first time. “Don’t I know you?” Then it hit him; he did know him, if he could only remember the kid’s name. “Max.”
The blond man smiled. “Yes, Max Pierce. You come into The Grill a few nights a week, but I don’t know your name.” Max looked a little embarrassed, but there was no need to be. It wasn’t as though they’d been formally introduced.
“I’m Hugh Douglas.” He returned the man’s smile. “I haven’t seen you here before.”
“This is my first day.” He indicated the woman working out next to him, and she smiled at Hugh briefly before stopping her machine. “Lila dragged me here.”
“I’m going downstairs, Max. I’ll see you tomorrow at work.” She touched his shoulder before leaving.
“Are you going to join?” Hugh asked, making conversation.
He seemed to be thinking about it. “Will that mean I’ll be able to look like you?” Max’s smile was huge, and Hugh wasn’t sure, but he thought the kid was flirting with him. “Because if it does,” Max went on, “I’ll join up today.”
Yup, the kid was definitely flirting. “I don’t know about that, but you already look just fine to me.” Hell, the kid looked more than fine, and he imagined how good it would feel to bury himself in that tight little body. And fuck a duck, if the kid could flirt, why couldn’t he? Besides if he’d been a girl, the little thing would be batting his eyelashes and swaying his hips. As it was, Max’s smile was enough to get him going, let alone the rest of the small, hot package.
“I am not,” Max argued, but Hugh could tell he was being playful. “I’m skinny and small, not all strong and, if you won’t punch me out for saying so, freakin’ huge like you.” Max’s eyes went appropriately wide just before those eyes raked over every inch of him. Hugh could almost feel them before they zeroed in on his crotch, which had definitely taken up a now somewhat visible interest. He saw Max lean in a little closer. “And you’re big all over.” That smile turned wry, and Hugh tugged involuntarily at the collar of his shirt. Was it getting hot in here or what?
It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him like he was laid out on the buffet of an all-you-can-eat. Well, happy fucking birthday to me. Maybe the day wasn’t going to turn out so bad after all. “You could get somewhat bigger if you lifted weights.”
“I don’t think everything could get bigger.” Max looked down again, and Hugh felt his dick jump and throb. “Not that some things need it.” Max’s voice seemed to wrap right around his dick and grab a good, tight hold. Taking a look at the man again, Hugh took a deep breath and reminded himself that the kid was probably half his age. And while he wouldn’t turn down a good old-fashioned fuck, Hugh had to ask himself what this kid could possibly see in him except the size of the bulge in his shorts.
Hugh heard beeps as buttons were pushed. Max’s machine came to a stop, and the man stepped off. Thank God—Max had had his fun getting him all riled up, and now that he was done, Hugh could try to get his dick under control and finish his workout. Closing his eyes, he tried to get back in the zone. He had to tell his body that there was no way the sexy little man was really interested in him anyway; Max had probably just been having a bit of fun with the old guy.
“Hugh.”
He opened his eyes and saw Max standing right in front of him, leaning on the machine, face just above the display. “You wanna go back to your place so I can ride you into next week?”
Hugh’s feet stumbled, and he nearly fell backward before regaining his balance and bringing the machine to a stop. “You serious?”
Max inclined his head once as he stepped off to the side, glaring straight at Hugh’s crotch. There was no mistaking what that meant. “You’re damn right.” Max stepped close enough that Hugh could smell his breath. “So let’s shower and get out of here. The sooner we’re at your place, the sooner I can ride you like the stallion you are.” With that final invitation, Max turned and walked down the stairs, looking over his shoulder, giving Hugh one last smoldering look before disappearing around the bend in the staircase.
He didn’t have to be asked twice. Grabbing a paper towel from the dispenser, he wiped down the machine before hurrying down the stairs and into the locker room. Racing to his locker, he carefully stripped down—it wasn’t seemly to be seen sporting wood—wrapped a towel tightly around his waist to hold everything in place, and made a beeline for the showers.
After what had to be one of the fastest showers in history, Hugh returned to the locker room, where Max was already dressing. He knew he was being watched, and since no one was around, he dropped the towel, giving Max a bit of a show before pulling on his briefs, adjusting himself properly, and then putting on his pants and shirt. He knew he saw Max swallow as Max watched him, and Hugh smiled to himself as he finished dressing.
In five minutes flat, he was dressed, packed up, and heading out toward the front door, where Max was waiting for him.
“Do you live close?”
“Just a few blocks,” Hugh answered, as he watched Max lick his lips invitingly.
October 18, 2010
Core Training
Dreamspinner Press
