Eden Winters's Blog, page 23
December 31, 2015
Heading Into the Home Stretch...
I'm putting the finishing touches on A Bear Walks Into a Bar, and have to admit to pre-release jitters. While I've written off-beat shifters before, I've never written anything involving three-somes and more-somes.
Look for a cover reveal on January 4th, and the book will release from Rocky Ridge Books on January 16th.
***
It takes one strong alpha with a tight grip to keep a mountain full of shifters under control. Sawyer Ballantine’s contending with an uppity wolf leader and a herd of shifter elk bound and determined to take over. He might be the lone bear on the mountain, but he’s not going to allow another four shifters to just move in, especially not when they whiff of power. They’ll either be his in all ways, or they’ll be gone.
Dillon, Jerry, Kevin, and Brad have no one but each other since their groups kicked them out. The young bear, wolves, and fox make a merry ménage, pooling their meager skills and serving beer. They’ve stumbled into more than they understand, caught in the dispute between the Urso of Ballantine Mountain and the elk. But winter’s setting in, and they don’t know how to keep Dillon safe for hibernation.
And then a bear walks into their bar.
***It's already gotten it's first review, and it's a lovely one!
Stay tuned for more release news and buy links.
Look for a cover reveal on January 4th, and the book will release from Rocky Ridge Books on January 16th.
***
It takes one strong alpha with a tight grip to keep a mountain full of shifters under control. Sawyer Ballantine’s contending with an uppity wolf leader and a herd of shifter elk bound and determined to take over. He might be the lone bear on the mountain, but he’s not going to allow another four shifters to just move in, especially not when they whiff of power. They’ll either be his in all ways, or they’ll be gone.
Dillon, Jerry, Kevin, and Brad have no one but each other since their groups kicked them out. The young bear, wolves, and fox make a merry ménage, pooling their meager skills and serving beer. They’ve stumbled into more than they understand, caught in the dispute between the Urso of Ballantine Mountain and the elk. But winter’s setting in, and they don’t know how to keep Dillon safe for hibernation.
And then a bear walks into their bar.
***It's already gotten it's first review, and it's a lovely one!
Stay tuned for more release news and buy links.
December 8, 2015
The 2015 Rainbow Awards
I'm thrilled that Manipulation (Diversion 4) and Redemption (Diversion 5) both placed in the 2015 Rainbow Awards for The Dorien Grey Award for Best Gay Mystery / Thriller.
Redemption tied for seventh place and Manipulation scored the number ten spot.
But more than placing, I'm honored to be a part of something that, in so short a time, has done so much good in our genre and in the community. Also, much appreciation to Elisa Rolle for naming awards after some our own who, sadly, are no longer with us.
Participation in the Rainbow Awards raised more than $17,300 dollars for LGBT charities.
Thanks to the judges who gave of their time for this endeavor. So many authors, myself included, have benefited from Elisa Rolle's site, reviews, and efforts to get the word out about the great stories available from both publishers and indie authors.
I'll post no links to Manipulation and Redemption here, as this isn't an ad; this is just my way of saying thanks to all the folks who have made this possible, of showing my admiration for my fellow authors, showing appreciation for readers and reviewers, and remembering dear friends.
Hugs to you all,
Eden
I'll leave you with Paul Richmond's Rainbow Boy.
Redemption tied for seventh place and Manipulation scored the number ten spot.
But more than placing, I'm honored to be a part of something that, in so short a time, has done so much good in our genre and in the community. Also, much appreciation to Elisa Rolle for naming awards after some our own who, sadly, are no longer with us.
Participation in the Rainbow Awards raised more than $17,300 dollars for LGBT charities.
Thanks to the judges who gave of their time for this endeavor. So many authors, myself included, have benefited from Elisa Rolle's site, reviews, and efforts to get the word out about the great stories available from both publishers and indie authors.
I'll post no links to Manipulation and Redemption here, as this isn't an ad; this is just my way of saying thanks to all the folks who have made this possible, of showing my admiration for my fellow authors, showing appreciation for readers and reviewers, and remembering dear friends.
Hugs to you all,
Eden
I'll leave you with Paul Richmond's Rainbow Boy.
December 3, 2015
What's in a Word: Mirror, Mirror
When you read, do you form a clear image of the characters in your mind? Do those images change the more you read? How, as a reader, do we learn this information, and how should authors impart it?
As an author, I could have a character stand before a mirror and give a complete description of themselves, or another character could say, "He had brown hair, blue eyes, was six foot tall, etc..." Firstly, my editor would send the novel back to me and say, "Work these details in organically." Secondly, that isn't how we, in our daily lives, become familiar with another's appearance, is it? Familiarity with a person's appearance doesn't happen for me that way, so it doesn't for my characters either.
When we meet people, we might make assumptions about height, age, basic body style or notice something like a chipped front tooth. And that information is based heavily on what we need to know. Meeting a new coworker who'll be sharing a huge project with us? We're more likely to pay attention to what they say and how knowledgeable they are than how they look. Meeting a blind date? That might be more about looks for a first impression.
The mail carrier who shows up at your door to deliver a package? Unless there's something striking about them, wouldn't you be too focused on the new iPad or whatever they just handed you to pause and absorb what they look like?
My mail carrier drives a....um.. a car! Yes! That's it! She drives a car. And she has brown hair. Um... she's somewhere between twenty and forty, and reminds me of the woman on the butter commercial...
Oh, and she says, "Here ya go!"
See what I mean?
When describing a person in a novel it's easy to overdo a peripheral character, thereby misleading the reader into thinking this is a key player because we've given so much detail.
But even when waxing poetic about a love interest's features, we must be careful to be realistic.
We may or may not register that a person we're just meeting is attractive, their hair color, if they have freckles, body type, tattoos, scars, or other things, and certain details could be hidden by clothing and later revealed when the new neighbor takes off the parka when warm weather arrives and dons a tank top to cut grass. And sometimes our first impressions are wrong. Have you ever been talking to someone you know fairly well and realize they're taller or shorter than you'd originally assumed?
Hmmm... what color are my mail carrier's eyes? For that matter, I have no idea how tall my neighbor is. I don't know about her eyes either, and her hair color changes.
Have you ever noticed something about a long term acquaintance that surprised you that you'd never noticed before? "What do you mean her eyes are different colors? Wow! I never knew that!"
When Lucky first meets Bo of the Diversion series, he's determined to hate him, so he hones in on characteristics that he sneers at and that don't fit into his own experiences, like the fact that Bo has blond highlights in his brown hair and manicured nails. And because he's Lucky he also notices Bo's bubble butt.
At this point in the story, Lucky doesn't want to know more, and given his inferiority complex about his short stature, he doesn't want to dwell on Bo's being so much taller.
At the gym, in the shower, he notices Bo's runner's-build, something he wouldn't necessarily have been aware of while they were dressed.
As Bo grows on him, Lucky begins to notice other things: "Brown eyes a man could get lost in" and "a smattering of freckles across his nose."
The same holds true for narrator Lucky's description of himself. He mentions that his dirty-blond hair and height mean people don't notice him, and later we find that he doesn't consider himself model material.
Later still we're privy to his workout routine and musculature that helps him, in his mind, protect himself from those who'd prey on him.
Aillil and Malcolm from Duet are similarly antagonistic at first, and like Bo and Lucky, they start out noticing bad things, mingled with firmly denied attraction, and move on until they're very familiar with each other.
Full descriptions of all four men are in the novels, but, as in real life, they're not given all at once.
When I pick up a book to read, I love to discover who the protagonists are, with a fact here and a fact there, as I would in real life.
And when someone shows me a picture of what they think one of my guys looks like, it makes me happy that I've written someone they can relate to and visualize.
As an author, I could have a character stand before a mirror and give a complete description of themselves, or another character could say, "He had brown hair, blue eyes, was six foot tall, etc..." Firstly, my editor would send the novel back to me and say, "Work these details in organically." Secondly, that isn't how we, in our daily lives, become familiar with another's appearance, is it? Familiarity with a person's appearance doesn't happen for me that way, so it doesn't for my characters either.
When we meet people, we might make assumptions about height, age, basic body style or notice something like a chipped front tooth. And that information is based heavily on what we need to know. Meeting a new coworker who'll be sharing a huge project with us? We're more likely to pay attention to what they say and how knowledgeable they are than how they look. Meeting a blind date? That might be more about looks for a first impression.
The mail carrier who shows up at your door to deliver a package? Unless there's something striking about them, wouldn't you be too focused on the new iPad or whatever they just handed you to pause and absorb what they look like?
My mail carrier drives a....um.. a car! Yes! That's it! She drives a car. And she has brown hair. Um... she's somewhere between twenty and forty, and reminds me of the woman on the butter commercial...
Oh, and she says, "Here ya go!"
See what I mean?
When describing a person in a novel it's easy to overdo a peripheral character, thereby misleading the reader into thinking this is a key player because we've given so much detail.
But even when waxing poetic about a love interest's features, we must be careful to be realistic.
We may or may not register that a person we're just meeting is attractive, their hair color, if they have freckles, body type, tattoos, scars, or other things, and certain details could be hidden by clothing and later revealed when the new neighbor takes off the parka when warm weather arrives and dons a tank top to cut grass. And sometimes our first impressions are wrong. Have you ever been talking to someone you know fairly well and realize they're taller or shorter than you'd originally assumed?
Hmmm... what color are my mail carrier's eyes? For that matter, I have no idea how tall my neighbor is. I don't know about her eyes either, and her hair color changes.
Have you ever noticed something about a long term acquaintance that surprised you that you'd never noticed before? "What do you mean her eyes are different colors? Wow! I never knew that!"
When Lucky first meets Bo of the Diversion series, he's determined to hate him, so he hones in on characteristics that he sneers at and that don't fit into his own experiences, like the fact that Bo has blond highlights in his brown hair and manicured nails. And because he's Lucky he also notices Bo's bubble butt.
At this point in the story, Lucky doesn't want to know more, and given his inferiority complex about his short stature, he doesn't want to dwell on Bo's being so much taller.
At the gym, in the shower, he notices Bo's runner's-build, something he wouldn't necessarily have been aware of while they were dressed.
As Bo grows on him, Lucky begins to notice other things: "Brown eyes a man could get lost in" and "a smattering of freckles across his nose."
The same holds true for narrator Lucky's description of himself. He mentions that his dirty-blond hair and height mean people don't notice him, and later we find that he doesn't consider himself model material.
Later still we're privy to his workout routine and musculature that helps him, in his mind, protect himself from those who'd prey on him.
Aillil and Malcolm from Duet are similarly antagonistic at first, and like Bo and Lucky, they start out noticing bad things, mingled with firmly denied attraction, and move on until they're very familiar with each other.
Full descriptions of all four men are in the novels, but, as in real life, they're not given all at once.
When I pick up a book to read, I love to discover who the protagonists are, with a fact here and a fact there, as I would in real life.
And when someone shows me a picture of what they think one of my guys looks like, it makes me happy that I've written someone they can relate to and visualize.
November 25, 2015
What I'm Working On
I'm embarrassed about how infrequently I've updated my blog of late, but now have been sharing plenty of news over the past two days.
But what have I been up to, writing-wise?
Last summer while I was waiting for Redemption edits, a friend challenged me to write something I'd never written before: erotica.
Sure, I could do this, right?
Wrong. The story grew a plot. And more plot. And yet more plot.
And spawned three more stories.
Now, instead of a short story, I had four novellas, but in marketing discussions, I didn't want to sell them as four novellas, since they shared a story arc and readers would be paying more for the individual stories than for a novel with the same word count.
I couldn't do that to them, so I pieced it together, smoothed the edges, and am now in the final stages of creation with A Bear Walks Into a Bar.
It's got shifters, lots of intimate scenes (many more than I normally write, but it's integral to the story) and, drum roll please....
A non-monogamous couple.
Oh, wait! Where are you going? Come back! I didn't say they were cheaters, but part of their shifter culture involves group sex with others, for comfort, discipline, bonding, etc.
Look for A Bear Walks Into a Bar to release in late December or early January, from Rocky Ridge Books.
But what have I been up to, writing-wise?
Last summer while I was waiting for Redemption edits, a friend challenged me to write something I'd never written before: erotica.
Sure, I could do this, right?
Wrong. The story grew a plot. And more plot. And yet more plot.
And spawned three more stories.
Now, instead of a short story, I had four novellas, but in marketing discussions, I didn't want to sell them as four novellas, since they shared a story arc and readers would be paying more for the individual stories than for a novel with the same word count.
I couldn't do that to them, so I pieced it together, smoothed the edges, and am now in the final stages of creation with A Bear Walks Into a Bar.
It's got shifters, lots of intimate scenes (many more than I normally write, but it's integral to the story) and, drum roll please....
A non-monogamous couple.
Oh, wait! Where are you going? Come back! I didn't say they were cheaters, but part of their shifter culture involves group sex with others, for comfort, discipline, bonding, etc.
Look for A Bear Walks Into a Bar to release in late December or early January, from Rocky Ridge Books.
Awesome News for Redemption!
Redemption (Diversion 5) has been named an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Rainbow Awards, which means a judge awarded it at least 36 of a possible 40 points! Yay, Bo and Lucky!
Here's what the judge had to say:
Find Redemption, and the entire Diversion series at Rocky Ridge Books.
Here's what the judge had to say:
I loved the bond between the guys. Excellent character development.
Find Redemption, and the entire Diversion series at Rocky Ridge Books.
November 24, 2015
Fun, Flash Fiction, and a Giveaway
Hurry on over to Boy Meets Boy Reviews for a Kerry/Armando (from Butt Riders on the Range) flash fiction--and hot guy pic. NSFW!
Enter to win a copy of Diversion (Diversion 1) while you're there.
Enter to win a copy of Diversion (Diversion 1) while you're there.
October 25, 2015
New Bio
It has come to my attention that my old bio is, well, old. Time for an update. What do y'all think?
You will know Eden Winters by her distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out, she hugs!
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures she has written fourteen m/m romance novels, has won several Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s a mild-mannered business executive, mother, grandmother, vegetarian, and PFLAG activist.
Her natural habitats are airports, coffee shops, and on the backs of motorcycles.
You will know Eden Winters by her distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out, she hugs!
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures she has written fourteen m/m romance novels, has won several Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s a mild-mannered business executive, mother, grandmother, vegetarian, and PFLAG activist.
Her natural habitats are airports, coffee shops, and on the backs of motorcycles.
October 10, 2015
Spirit Day - October 15
Do you know about Spirit Day?
Spirit Day began in October 2010, and is promoted by GLAAD. It is a day to wear the color purple and show support for LGBT youth who are victims of bullying.
Two years ago at GRL in Albuquerque, I had a purple butterfly tattooed on my shoulder to commemorate the day, and that was also the time when I wrote the song "Last Letter to a Son" as a tribute to the young lives that have been lost.
It’s the story of a woman who didn’t know her son was gay until it was too late.
What you can’t see in the words is what’s happening in the video in my head. During the verses she’s going through her son’s belongings, finding clues and slowly putting together all she didn’t know of her son’s life. During the choruses, when she asks, “Why couldn’t you tell me?” the scene flashes back. In one scene she’s chatting with a friend, laughing and making fun of a gay man. Her son turns away with horror in his eyes. In another instant, she angrily turns the TV off on a debate on marriage equality. In the third scene, her son approaches and wants to talk, but Mom is raving about the openly gay couple who just moved in down the street. The woman merely did as she’d seen done by her own family, or heard in her church and workplace. She never even paused to consider what her own feelings were. And without even realizing, she created a barrier that her son longed to cross, but couldn’t.
Last Letter to a Son
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
(Verse 1)
You left your bed unmade,
Like you’d be coming back today,
Shirt lying on the floor,
That you won’t wear no more.
I found a letter you wrote,
To someone that I didn’t know,
You told him that you’d love him so,
Until the end of time.
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
(Verse 2)
When I found your phone,
Read ugly words from your so-called friends,
The truth hit home,
Your pain just reached an end.
The kid from next door,<
Said you shouldn’t live no more,
Never listened to him before,
Why’d you do it now?
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
(Bridge)
I met the boy who wears your ring,
Such a sad and lonely thing,
I’d have approved of him,
And I do so now.
We had ourselves a good long cry,
Then we both kissed you goodbye,
You took your life ‘cause they called you wrong,
But, Baby, those folks lied.
(Verse 3)
And now you’re gone,
Sometimes I can’t go on,
The other one you left alone,
Says, “Live, and so will I.”
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel
so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
This last section was not a part of the original song, but added later.
When I said “fag” and “queer”,
I never thought you’d overhear,
Didn’t think I’d cause you fear,
Or you to turn away.
It breaks my heart in two,
You thought the taunts meant you,
I’d give up my life today,
To take back my words,
I, know why you didn’t tell me,
Please love me anyway,
And forgive my hateful ways.
Me. I’m why you felt so all alone,
And if you could only come on home,
I’d be better I swear.
Why, why couldn’t you tell me?
The next time peers laugh about someone for being weird or different, or you witness someone who may need a friend, think about this: he or she may need you more than you’ll ever know. Just one smile, one kind word, one “I understand.” You never know who may be watching.
I am Eden Winters, an author of gay romantic fiction, a mother, a PFLAG member, and I smile at strangers.
October 15 is Spirit Day, and once again I plan to wear purple to show my support. Won't you join me?
Find out more here:
Spirit Day began in October 2010, and is promoted by GLAAD. It is a day to wear the color purple and show support for LGBT youth who are victims of bullying.
Two years ago at GRL in Albuquerque, I had a purple butterfly tattooed on my shoulder to commemorate the day, and that was also the time when I wrote the song "Last Letter to a Son" as a tribute to the young lives that have been lost.
It’s the story of a woman who didn’t know her son was gay until it was too late.
What you can’t see in the words is what’s happening in the video in my head. During the verses she’s going through her son’s belongings, finding clues and slowly putting together all she didn’t know of her son’s life. During the choruses, when she asks, “Why couldn’t you tell me?” the scene flashes back. In one scene she’s chatting with a friend, laughing and making fun of a gay man. Her son turns away with horror in his eyes. In another instant, she angrily turns the TV off on a debate on marriage equality. In the third scene, her son approaches and wants to talk, but Mom is raving about the openly gay couple who just moved in down the street. The woman merely did as she’d seen done by her own family, or heard in her church and workplace. She never even paused to consider what her own feelings were. And without even realizing, she created a barrier that her son longed to cross, but couldn’t.
Last Letter to a Son
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
(Verse 1)
You left your bed unmade,
Like you’d be coming back today,
Shirt lying on the floor,
That you won’t wear no more.
I found a letter you wrote,
To someone that I didn’t know,
You told him that you’d love him so,
Until the end of time.
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
(Verse 2)
When I found your phone,
Read ugly words from your so-called friends,
The truth hit home,
Your pain just reached an end.
The kid from next door,<
Said you shouldn’t live no more,
Never listened to him before,
Why’d you do it now?
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
(Bridge)
I met the boy who wears your ring,
Such a sad and lonely thing,
I’d have approved of him,
And I do so now.
We had ourselves a good long cry,
Then we both kissed you goodbye,
You took your life ‘cause they called you wrong,
But, Baby, those folks lied.
(Verse 3)
And now you’re gone,
Sometimes I can’t go on,
The other one you left alone,
Says, “Live, and so will I.”
(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel
so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
This last section was not a part of the original song, but added later.
When I said “fag” and “queer”,
I never thought you’d overhear,
Didn’t think I’d cause you fear,
Or you to turn away.
It breaks my heart in two,
You thought the taunts meant you,
I’d give up my life today,
To take back my words,
I, know why you didn’t tell me,
Please love me anyway,
And forgive my hateful ways.
Me. I’m why you felt so all alone,
And if you could only come on home,
I’d be better I swear.
Why, why couldn’t you tell me?
The next time peers laugh about someone for being weird or different, or you witness someone who may need a friend, think about this: he or she may need you more than you’ll ever know. Just one smile, one kind word, one “I understand.” You never know who may be watching.
I am Eden Winters, an author of gay romantic fiction, a mother, a PFLAG member, and I smile at strangers.
October 15 is Spirit Day, and once again I plan to wear purple to show my support. Won't you join me?
Find out more here:
September 26, 2015
Fantastic Bargain on a Fabulous Novel!
Ever since I published Naked Tails, folks have been after me to write more unusual shifter stories, be they about possums, bears, or even the chipmunk/skunk medi-vac pilots from the book. I'm working on the bears now, and have marked the pilots as "one day."
That said, I've developed an affinity for lesser known shifter types, and when I chance upon the occasional story that doesn't involve wolves or big cats, I pounce. Okay, to be fair, I pounce on wolves and big cats too, but still...
Anyway, as I was saying, off-the-beaten-path shifters fascinate me, and I'm thrilled that dear friend and critique partner, literary hand-holder, etc., P.D. Singer has created a novel-length follow-up to her short romp Tail Slide. The short work is even included in the longer one.
I've been privileged enough to get a pre-read, and let me tell you, the book not only met my wildest little dreams, it passed them. Be still my shifter-loving heart!
Otter shifters! Woot! Cute, cuddly, mischievous, koi-pond-raiding OTTER SHIFTERS!
Lon Ewing snowboarded in and turned economist Corey Levigne’s life upside down, introducing him to a world he didn’t know existed. Corey’s still adjusting to a boyfriend who shifts into an otter and raids the koi pond—and now Lon says Corey’s department chair is a werewolf?
Wolves at the university, wolves in the bank—across Lon’s desk sits Professor Melvin Vadas and his hench-wolves, demanding a construction loan for the pack’s new lodge in the mountains. There’s just one little problem: the proposed building site is home to a breeding population of rare fish.
What do wolves care for stupid human rules, an otter who’d barely make a good snack, or one pesky man determined to protect the environment? Once they’re snout to snout with Corey and Lon there’s more than silverscale dace on the Endangered Species list.
Includes Tail Slide
Fresh powder snow and running water in the Colorado back country call Lon like the moon calls the wolves. Belly-sliding to a good time on the weekends makes up for a workweek at a desk, and meeting Corey adds a whole new level of fun to snowboarding.
It’s easy to slip away for time alone in the woods without raising suspicion, but how’s Lon to entertain himself when bad snow and a worse spill force them off the mountain too early?
Never give an otter a box of Cheerios.
***
And not only does Ms. Singer give us otter shifters, she's also made it really easy to get our paws on (pun intended). From now until the release date of October 9, get Otter Chaos for only .99 cents. That's right folks, less than a buck. But remember, the sale is only for preorder. After publication the sale is over.
Find Otter Chaos at Rocky Ridge Books and here:
Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords.
That said, I've developed an affinity for lesser known shifter types, and when I chance upon the occasional story that doesn't involve wolves or big cats, I pounce. Okay, to be fair, I pounce on wolves and big cats too, but still...
Anyway, as I was saying, off-the-beaten-path shifters fascinate me, and I'm thrilled that dear friend and critique partner, literary hand-holder, etc., P.D. Singer has created a novel-length follow-up to her short romp Tail Slide. The short work is even included in the longer one.
I've been privileged enough to get a pre-read, and let me tell you, the book not only met my wildest little dreams, it passed them. Be still my shifter-loving heart!
Otter shifters! Woot! Cute, cuddly, mischievous, koi-pond-raiding OTTER SHIFTERS!
Lon Ewing snowboarded in and turned economist Corey Levigne’s life upside down, introducing him to a world he didn’t know existed. Corey’s still adjusting to a boyfriend who shifts into an otter and raids the koi pond—and now Lon says Corey’s department chair is a werewolf?
Wolves at the university, wolves in the bank—across Lon’s desk sits Professor Melvin Vadas and his hench-wolves, demanding a construction loan for the pack’s new lodge in the mountains. There’s just one little problem: the proposed building site is home to a breeding population of rare fish.
What do wolves care for stupid human rules, an otter who’d barely make a good snack, or one pesky man determined to protect the environment? Once they’re snout to snout with Corey and Lon there’s more than silverscale dace on the Endangered Species list.
Includes Tail Slide
Fresh powder snow and running water in the Colorado back country call Lon like the moon calls the wolves. Belly-sliding to a good time on the weekends makes up for a workweek at a desk, and meeting Corey adds a whole new level of fun to snowboarding.
It’s easy to slip away for time alone in the woods without raising suspicion, but how’s Lon to entertain himself when bad snow and a worse spill force them off the mountain too early?
Never give an otter a box of Cheerios.
***
And not only does Ms. Singer give us otter shifters, she's also made it really easy to get our paws on (pun intended). From now until the release date of October 9, get Otter Chaos for only .99 cents. That's right folks, less than a buck. But remember, the sale is only for preorder. After publication the sale is over.
Find Otter Chaos at Rocky Ridge Books and here:
Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords.
September 20, 2015
Book Review: Falling Awake by Kage Alan
I don't normally review books I've critiqued prior to publications, no matter how badly I want to scream from the rooftops about an amazing story.
This time, I'm making an exception for Falling Awake by Kage Alan.
Imagine waking up in a place you can’t remember, with a face you don’t recognize, and a name that may not be your own printed on a ticket in your back pocket. And of the five people you meet during the next few hours, four of them hold clues to your past, present, and two possible futures.
The outcome of the encounter will determine your soul’s fate, and the only way out of the nightmare may be through falling awake.
***
I won't leave a star rating as I had the distinct pleasure of pre-reading and critiquing this work. Because of those reasons, I normally don't comment on any story I've had prior knowledge of.
That said, why would I break habit and review this book?
Because this story so moved me, touched me on such a profound level, that it needs to be shared.
What it's not: 1. A typical boy meets boy romance (and yet there is a deeper love here than in many romances I've read). 2. A showcase for Mr. Alan's quirky humor and tongue-in-cheek observations.
What it is: Amazing.
Good versus evil, cultural legends, soul connections, and an epic battle for the very existence of man caught in the middle of the struggle. And a cast of characters that each represent so much more than they appear at face value.
Are my words cryptic? Yes, sorry, but totally in keeping with the surreal nature of this work. It's like nothing I've read before, and I stayed up way into the night, glued to each word. Thousands upon thousands of novels and novellas have I consumed in my life, so it's getting very hard to find something unique, something so different, so unpredictable. And ending the book was just the beginning. Since reading (has it really been two months ago?), I still find myself revisiting a scene or concept, discussing the book with friends, and plotting out who'll I'd buy copies for.
How rare is it that you read fiction that affects the way you look at the world?
Oh, darn. I'd planned to finish edits on one of my own books today, but instead I think I'll make a cup of tea and re-read this one. A day well spent.
Read Falling Awake.
For a short work, it packs a punch.
Bravo, Mr. Alan.
Find it here at Amazon.com.
This time, I'm making an exception for Falling Awake by Kage Alan.
Imagine waking up in a place you can’t remember, with a face you don’t recognize, and a name that may not be your own printed on a ticket in your back pocket. And of the five people you meet during the next few hours, four of them hold clues to your past, present, and two possible futures.
The outcome of the encounter will determine your soul’s fate, and the only way out of the nightmare may be through falling awake.
***
I won't leave a star rating as I had the distinct pleasure of pre-reading and critiquing this work. Because of those reasons, I normally don't comment on any story I've had prior knowledge of.
That said, why would I break habit and review this book?
Because this story so moved me, touched me on such a profound level, that it needs to be shared.
What it's not: 1. A typical boy meets boy romance (and yet there is a deeper love here than in many romances I've read). 2. A showcase for Mr. Alan's quirky humor and tongue-in-cheek observations.
What it is: Amazing.
Good versus evil, cultural legends, soul connections, and an epic battle for the very existence of man caught in the middle of the struggle. And a cast of characters that each represent so much more than they appear at face value.
Are my words cryptic? Yes, sorry, but totally in keeping with the surreal nature of this work. It's like nothing I've read before, and I stayed up way into the night, glued to each word. Thousands upon thousands of novels and novellas have I consumed in my life, so it's getting very hard to find something unique, something so different, so unpredictable. And ending the book was just the beginning. Since reading (has it really been two months ago?), I still find myself revisiting a scene or concept, discussing the book with friends, and plotting out who'll I'd buy copies for.
How rare is it that you read fiction that affects the way you look at the world?
Oh, darn. I'd planned to finish edits on one of my own books today, but instead I think I'll make a cup of tea and re-read this one. A day well spent.
Read Falling Awake.
For a short work, it packs a punch.
Bravo, Mr. Alan.
Find it here at Amazon.com.
