Eden Winters's Blog, page 52

Where the Story Came From, a Guest Post by Shae Connor

Today I have the honor of hosting a guest post by Shae Connor, a fellow southerner that I had the privilege of hanging out with at last year's Outlantacon in Atlanta, Georgia. We had the best seats in the house as the booth across the way sold videos, which the sellers played non-stop throughout the con. Hee. 
Anyway, Shae is here to tell us how her new release En Fuego came to be written.


En Fuego: Where the Story Came FromBy Shae Connor
En Fuego, released yesterday by Dreamspinner Press, is a novella about a firefighter, a veterinarian, and the cat who brings them together. But as is often the case, there’s a story behind the story.
Way back in 2007, Boise, Idaho, firefighter Dana Brown rescued a cat from a house fire. Two pictures from the scene, of him carrying the cat from the fire and then the cat looking up at him (adoringly!), have been making the internet rounds ever since, and one day, they showed up on my Tumblr dashboard.

 I couldn’t get the image out of my head. I wondered what happened to the cat after the rescue. Did she stay with the family? What if she was a stray? Would someone take care of her, get her to a veterinarian, make sure she was okay?
So I sat down, and I started to write. And what came out was En Fuego.
Brown was definitely the inspiration for Brad, and the cat he rescued for Fuego. The story itself didn’t come from either of them, though. It came from Marsh, the veterinarian who’s taken off guard by the sudden appearance of a sooty (but hot) firefighter at the door of his clinic. But Brad and Fuego offered up their own surprises along the way. Characters do tend to have minds of their own—even the four-legged, furry ones!
Like a lot of writers, I have more story ideas than I have time to write. Almost anything can prompt an idea. Heck, I passed two window washers at work on my way to the office one day last week and immediately started wondering about them. What if one of them was injured on the job and, say, fell for his physical therapist? Or what if one of the guys had a crush on the other one but was afraid to say anything, until an equipment failure left them stuck high up the building for hours?
My plotbunnies overfloweth.
But sometimes, no matter how many stories you have in the works, an idea comes along that just won’t wait. En Fuego was one of those. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
(A funny coda: Late last week, Elizabeth North, the head of Dreamspinner Press, emailed me a set of pictures she said reminded her of the story. It turned out to be the ones that inspired it!)
And now, the giveaway part! Here’s the story blurb:
Marshall Ramirez isn’t looking to fall in love, but from the moment firefighter Brad Flannery walks through the doors of Marsh’s veterinary clinic, he’s smitten. Marsh treats Fuego, the cat Brad rescued from a house fire, and convinces Brad to take her on as a foster—along with the three kittens Marsh helps her deliver. What Marsh really wants, though, is for Brad to keep him too.
Want to win a copy? Cool, I want to give you one! Just comment and I’ll pick a winner to receive an ebook of En Fuego (via the Dreamspinner Press website), as well as some story-related swag by mail. Be sure your email is included so I can contact you if you win!
Find En Fuego here:
Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she works for the government by day and reads and writes about pretty boys falling in love by night. She's been making up stories for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to figure out that maybe she should start writing them down. Now, she usually has far too many stories in progress, but when she does manage to tear herself away from her laptop, she enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and traveling, not necessarily in that order.
 
Shae posts snippets, updates, and thoughts on writing and editing at her web site, http://shaeconnorwrites.com. You can contact her at shaeconnorwrites@gmail.com.

Holiday Stories!

It's the holiday season, and what better way to get into the spirit than to read a Christmas themed book? And one is conveniently on sale now!


Candlelight, mistletoe, gaily wrapped packages beneath a trimmed tree, and someone to share it with. That's all Barry Richards wants for Christmas. Desperate for a traditional holiday, he takes drastic measures. Creating a profile on "GetaDate.com," he hopes to find the perfect man in a matter of weeks. One date after another goes sour, while all around him friends are falling in love, and Barry starts to lose faith.
The first snow falls and the world is filled with seasonal cheer, all except for Barry, for whom time is running out. Facing the prospect of a lonely holiday, he tries just once more to make The Match Before Christmas.

Now on sale at Torquere Press!


The last time Tony danced, he wore the spangles and tights of the Nutcracker’s Prince and the audience threw roses at the stage. One career-ending accident later, he’s dancing again, and he’s not proud of hoping that the audience will reward him with twenties.

Frost, the big, pale bouncer, has reasons of his own for keeping a watchful eye on Tony. He keeps his distance, too, until he has to bounce an aggressive customer who takes things with Tony too far. They have a short, shared walk home but a huge divide between their lives. Do Tony and Frost have more in common than they believe?

Find Tinsel and Frost at:

Amazon:

All Romance:


Happy Holidays!

Musical Influences Part II - A Guest Post by Amelia Gormley

Please welcome Amelia Gormley back this week with part two of Musical Influences, expounding on the music that shaped her writing. 
***



Musical Influences — Dan Fogelberg and Bluegrass

I’ve written elsewhere about Jim Croce and in particular, the song “I Got A Name” and why I chose to use it in Acceleration. But one question that is probably outstanding is why, of all instruments, did I choose to have Derrick know how to play the banjo.


The short answer is: the banjo is a brilliant instrument.
And a deeply under-appreciated one. I grew up exposed to bluegrass, being from a southern family originally from the Ozarks. We lived in Flint, Michigan in a community comprised of many other southern transplants who had come north to find jobs in the auto factories. I attended a Southern Baptist Church as a child where bluegrass gospel was the standard musical offering.
Of course, as I got older, I rebelled against that and rejected it as being hokey and outdated. Which is not an uncommon opinion. Bluegrass music doesn’t get much appreciation. But occasionally there are artists who try to give it its due recognition.
Dan Fogelberg, who passed away in 2007, wasn’t the only celebrity to attempt to elevate this under-recognized art form into the mainstream. The incredibly brilliant actor/comedian/writer Steve Martin plays banjo and has tried give public acknowledgment to a new generation of talented bluegrass and banjo players, offering an Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass award. 
Before that, back in 1985, however, Dan Fogelberg made an album called High Country Snows in which he brought together some of the world’s best bluegrass musicians to try to give bluegrass music a modern touch that would catapult it into popularity. I don’t remember how successful it was, or if it got much Top 40 play. What I do remember, however, is being in the car as a teenager with my aunt, who was a huge Dan Fogelberg fan, and having her exhort me to listen to the lyrics of “John Sutter’s Mill.”
(I’m leery about quoting lyrics because I believe, like in books themselves, one must purchase the rights to quote lyrics in blog posts. So I’ll just let you listen.)


I was hooked.
Admittedly, a lot of this is because I’m drawn to music that tells a story. This is why I gravitate toward musical theatre and pieces like “Driving the Last Spike” by Genesis. But as I got older, I began to listen to what was happening musically behind the lyrics and the banjo just blew me away. The skill it took, skill I didn’t recognize in church as a child or listening to the haunting story of John Sutter’s Mill as a teenager. It was absolutely amazing.
So, when I decided that Derrick would hail from the mountains of eastern Tennessee, I knew I had an opportunity to give him a trait that would be both a little quirky to the casual observer, and also one that said a great deal about him as a character. Bluegrass might not be terribly popular, but it’s an art form with depth and history, and an old soul like Derrick who feels so deeply tied to his roots would be drawn to it.
The piece I chose to highlight in Acceleration is “Mountain Pass” because of the marvelous banjo and fiddle featured in it. I appreciate that Mr. Fogelberg made a point of giving the instrumentals on his album moments to really shine, and as the opening piece, “Mountain Pass” exemplifies that.
Enjoy.



Acceleration, Impulse Book TwoISBN:(Print Edition) 978-1-4802216-6-6(SmashWords) TBA(eISBN) 978-0-9857082-7-6
Acceleration on GoodReads
Gaining Momentum
Gavin Hayes is everything Derrick could ask for in a lover. Gorgeous. Passionate. Great in bed. Derrick finds it very easy to just let himself go, to let Gavin guide him and teach him all the things he missed during a decade of celibacy. In the course of a single weekend, Derrick’s routine is transformed, his mornings and evenings filled with sex. Sweet, seductive, wild, or raunchy, Gavin offers Derrick all the pleasure he’s denied himself for so long.
But learning how to be a lover in bed is one thing. Learning to be one out of bed is another. For Derrick, being alone has become habit. Sharing his confidences doesn’t come nearly as readily as sharing his bed. And after so many losses, the last thing Derrick wants is to become dependent upon another person who might not always be there.
And Gavin always being there is far from certain. With an ex-lover lurking in the background, and the question of Gavin’s future health still outstanding, neither Gavin nor Derrick feel capable of asking for anything more than right now. But Gavin won’t be kept on the fringes of Derrick’s life. Can Derrick let someone in before the opportunity passes him by?
Purchase LinksSmashWords (FOR REVIEW COPIES: Coupon Code PX45C)Pre-Order at All Romance EbooksMore TBA. Links will be added to http://ameliacgormley.com/books-for-sale/ as they become available on release day.
Excerpt
It was nothing more than a simple peck of greeting. It had been easy. Effortless. Natural. But as he sat at the table, Derrick could still feel Gavin’s kiss on his lips. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. On only their third night together, he and Gavin were already developing the sort of comfortable and casual intimacies that came with relationships deeper than this undefined whatever it was.
Friday night had been an impulse. Derrick had been filled with wild need when he’d shown up on Gavin’s doorstep. Sunday had been more deliberate, planning to stay over at Gavin’s.Now it was Monday.
Maybe we should make a habit of this, Derrick had suggested earlier, before they’d each left for work. Gavin had taken him up on the offer.
Habit. Habit was a good word for it.
Could three nights be deemed a habit?
Gavin sniffed as he entered the dining room and closing his eyes as he sat down. “Ah, smells like Friday.”
Derrick just gave him a quizzical look.
“Shabbat.The Sabbath. My mother used to always make roast beef for dinner before we went to services.”
Derrick laughed softly. “Oh, right. Sorry. You’d think I’d have put that together given the number of times my friends have had me over to dinner on a Friday before Devon and I go to play pool… while his wife goes to service.”
Gavin shrugged, taking a sip of his beer. “I was a little vague.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for Fridays from here on out, though.” Derrick bit his tongue when he realized what he’d said.
Habit. Right. Like an addiction.
Derrick lowered his head and cut his roast, keeping his hands busy and his face from giving away his embarrassment. Luckily Gavin let the remark slide.
“I hope so. You know, it’s a good deed, practically a commandment, to have sex on Shabbat?”
Or maybe not.
Derrick felt his face flush. “Does that, um…apply to gay guys too?”
“It should.” He gave Derrick a smug smile, which made him fumble his knife. Gavin tilted his head, regarding Derrick with a slight wrinkle between his brows. “Are you nervous about something?”
Derrick frowned, puzzled at the extent of his raw-edged nerves. He’d been feeling short of breath and antsy even before Gavin arrived, and he couldn’t explain it any more than he could explain why the kiss hello had shaken him.
“Yeah, I guess I am,” he admitted.
“Why?”
“I have no idea.” He said, glancing across the table at Gavin. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”
Gavin smiled. “Good. So have I.”
“I—I mean, I guess it’s different, somehow. Here. In this house.”
“Oh? How so?” The wrinkled of concern turned to one of flat-out confusion.
Derrick shook his head, shrugging helplessly. “I’m not sure. Maybe because I’ve never done it before? Had anyone over here, I mean. Well, I’ve had company, of course — people have come to visit. Guests. Friends. That sort of thing.” He begun babbling, which was a minor miracle in itself, but he didn’t seem to be capable of shutting up and, dear God, why couldn’t he shut up? “But not like this.”
“You mean you’ve never slept with someone here.”
And now Derrick was blushing again. Great. Just great.
Gavin grinned, clearly delighted by the blush. He seemed to actually think it was cute.“Yeah. Exactly.” He and LeeAnn had made out up in his room all the time in high school, naturally, but by the time they’d begun having sex during her vacations from college, he’d been too immersed in taking care of his grandparents to ever consider having her over to the house for any length of time. Sex had been something they’d managed in the short, hurried interludes when Miss Ingrid had shooed him out the door and taken over the care of his grandparents for a couple hours here and there.
“Why does it feel different than at my place?”
“I don’t know.” Derrick shook his head again. He suspected he did know, but it wasn’t something he could say. Having Gavin stay overnight, in his home, made everything all the more real. This thing with Gavin wasn’t something that just happened elsewhere, outside of his normal existence. He wasn’t just bringing Gavin into his bed. He was bringing Gavin into his life.
And over-thinking it in the process.
Gavin cleared his throat quietly. “Are you still okay with this?”
Derrick nodded, meeting Gavin’s gaze as he reached for his beer. “Yeah, I am. It’s just all very new. But I meant what I said: I’ve looked forward to this all day. Just…now I feel like I can’t catch my breath. All I can think about is last night and this morning.”“In a good way?” Gavin asked, an edge of caution in his tone as he tipped back his own beer.
Derrick nodded, cutting his food nervously again. “It was incredible.”
“Which part?” Gavin shot an assessing look across the table. He ate calmly, as though whatever had such a profound effect on Derrick barely registered with him.
“I don’t know. The way you…the way you talked to me, for one.”
Gavin, kneeling over him on the kitchen floor. Gavin’s hand jerking him off. Gavin’s cock rocking against the cleft of his ass.
Gavin’s voice, commanding him.
Look at me! No. Don’t hide your face. Let me hear that voice of yours. You sound so sexy when you beg.
“You liked that?” A small smile crept to Gavin’s lips.
Derrick nodded, trying to eat slowly, to downplay just how hot the memory made him. “Good,” Gavin said, satisfied. He leaned back in his chair once he finished interrogating Derrick. “I won’t lie — I do enjoy doing that.”
Enjoy doing what, exactly? Derrick wondered. What had Gavin done to make the last twenty-four hours so amazing that Derrick craved more? He hadn’t said much, or even talked all that dirty. But what he had said, those simple commands, had driven Derrick wild.“I don’t think I’ll have a problem with that.” He wasn’t sure exactly what he’d agreed to, but whatever it was, he wanted more of it.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” They fell silent as they continued eating. When Chelsea finished her own food, she padded toward the archway from the kitchen to the dining room. The overhead light shone on her bristly, fawn-sable coat. Gavin shook his head with an amused smile.“I can’t get over it. She has enough loose skin to make another dog.”
“She’s a shar pei. Comes with the breed,” Derrick chuckled, glad for a distraction from the pounding of his blood in his ears and the tightness of his jeans. He gave Chelsea a look as she stepped over the line where the linoleum met the carpet.
“Uh-uh,” he said firmly, pointing the the kitchen floor. “You know better.”
Chelsea hung her wrinkled head and lay down on her belly with a heavy sigh, her paws just touching the threshold.
Gavin glanced over at her and smiled. “You’ve got her well-trained.”
Derrick quirked up one corner of his mouth in a half-smile, and murmured, “Keep an eye on her, but don’t make it obvious you’re watching. She likes to test me.”
They continued eating in silence. After a moment, Chelsea inched forward, creeping on her belly, just over the line. She did it again when no one reprimanded her. Soon her paws had crossed the threshold up to the joints, while her muzzle still rested on them, trying to appear as inoffensive as when she’d been laying where she was supposed to be.
Derrick snapped his fingers and her head came up with a start. “Back to your spot.”Obediently, she slid back, her brown eyes woeful, and Gavin chuckled. “She does this every time?”
Derrick shrugged with an affectionate smile. “Not all the time, but usually, especially when I’m cooking something that smells good to her. Or when I’m distracted by company. She likes to test who’s top dog, see if she can get away with giving herself a promotion in the pack.”Gavin grinned, and dropped his voice to a lower register. “So, you like being top dog?”Derrick’s mouth went dry and he took a long pull from his beer. Damn. He’d walked right into that one.
“Do you?” It wasn’t an answer, but it was better than How the hell am I supposed to know?Gavin’s grin spread, became a bit predatory. “I would’ve thought it was obvious. Though I can be versatile.”
Derrick cleared his throat, pushing aside his empty plate. “Good to know.”Gavin’s grin persisted, his gaze keen. Did he mean to make Derrick squirm? Because it was working.
As he wrapped up the leftovers and washed the dishes, Derrick wondered how long it would take before he stopped reacting that way. When would every moment he spent in Gavin’s company stop being filled with unnerving expectation, every action just passing time until the next touch? When would every word no longer be an opportunity for verbal foreplay?It felt good. Fun. Wild. Delirious. But terrifying and out of control, too. He was so used to standing on stable ground.
Gavin brought in the last of the dishes from the table, bowls with spongecake crumbs and remnants of blueberry juice and whipped cream clinging to the sides.“And what did you plan for us to do after dinner?” he asked with a smile.Derrick swallowed. Was he the only one who had expected they’d go straight to bed? Had Gavin planned to be entertained? Would Derrick be demanding — or worse, pathetic — to want to get right to it?
“I hadn’t thought very far ahead. I got to dessert, then my brain just sort of shut down.” It was about as close as he could come to admitting the only thing he could think of was sex.Gavin chuckled. “Well, what do you usually do in the evenings?”“Nothing very exciting, I promise,” Derrick murmured. “Hang out with Chelsea. Watch some TV. Play a game, if I’m not working on building something for a client.”“Well, we could start there,” Gavin suggested. “I don’t do much different in the evenings myself.”
Derrick stacked the last of the dishes on the drying rack and drained the sink, wiping it down. Then, with his head bowed over the sink, he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He gripped the edge of the counter, his knuckles whitening, the insatiable need to have Gavin growing. Was he the only one feeling it?
“I don’t wanna watch TV with you, Gav.” His murmur was calm and low, but honest.Gavin stepped close, the fabric of his dress shirt and suit pants brushing against Derrick’s simple t-shirt and jeans. Slowly, Derrick turned to face him.“I don’t want to watch TV with you, either.”
Gavin thrust his hands roughly into Derrick’s hair and kissed him, hard.Yes. Derrick groaned, all the eager expectation that had been thrumming inside him since they’d parted that morning finally breaking into action. His arms slid around Gavin’s chest, caressing the fine cotton of his shirt. Derrick’s body relaxed against Gavin’s with a low, grateful moan.
Each detail became its own knee-weakening point of focus. Gavin’s tongue in his mouth. Gavin’s hands clenching in his hair, then moving down to grip his shirt. Derrick’s fingers dug into Gavin’s back as Gavin reached to his waist and tugged his shirt up out of his jeans. Then those long, lean fingers were on Derrick’s skin, stroking across his stomach.“God, your hands…,” Derrick moaned between kisses.
He let his head fall back, offering Gavin more liberty to move down to his neck, nipping and sucking. Gavin’s teeth closed gently over the junction of his shoulder and neck, gradually increasing the pressure. Derrick sagged against the counter as Gavin rubbed circles around his nipples with his capable thumbs.
He panted as the bite on his neck edged closer to pain, drooping with relief and disappointment when Gavin eased off.
“We really…ought to get…to the bedroom,” he gasped as Gavin dragged his tongue along the impressions left by his teeth. “Before I can’t walk.”Gavin laughed softly and stepped back, looking satisfied with himself. “Go, then. I’ll be right behind you.”
Derrick nodded once, a brief, jerky movement, before bending to unlace his work boots and kick them off. He jerked his shirt over his head as he went, trying to walk at a normal pace down the hall. He wanted to give himself time, to draw back from the frenetic need welling up inside him, pushing him toward desperation.
Without warning, Gavin’s hands closed over Derrick’s upper arms. He propelled Derrick chest-first against the wall, pressing his own body along Derrick’s back. His voice rasped behind Derrick’s ear, “I’ve been wanting to do this all day.”A nudge of his hips against Derrick’s ass clarified just what he meant.“God, yes,” Derrick whispered, his eyes closing as he rested his hot cheek against the cool wall.
Gavin ground against him harder. “Have you been thinking about it, too?” he murmured. “Thinking about what I did this morning when I came all over your back? Were you distracted while you were working?”
Hard. Everything was hard, physically and mentally. He was caught between the wall and the pressure of Gavin’s erection. His own dick, trapped inside his jeans, found nothing yielding to ease the ache.
His thoughts came only with monumental effort. His pride resisted. His need to control this headlong plummet into… whatever this was… rallied one last desperate defense that was quickly defeated. He struggled with giving Gavin the admission he sought and trying to retain his dignity at the same time.
Truth and need won over reserve. He pushed his ass back against Gavin, seeking more.“Yes. God. All damn day. Couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
Gavin’s fingers slid down Derrick’s ribs, ghosting along the sensitive line of skin above the waistband of his jeans. “Tell me — what did you think about? Did you imagine more? When you got home after your morning job, did you jerk off to fantasies of us?” Gavin’s voice dropped lower, barely a whisper as his lips brushed the shell of Derrick’s ear. His hot breath blew strands of Derrick’s hair against his cheek. “Did you call out my name when you came?”The sound Derrick made was humiliatingly close to a whimper as he moved, urgent need driving him.
“I did.” The confession came in a thoughtless torrent, spilling from his mouth without any deliberation. “All day. You were all I could see. Couldn’t wait to get home.”Gavin rocked against Derrick’s ass again. His fingers quickly unbuckled Derrick’s belt and slipped into the snug gap between his jeans and his waist.
“What else did you think about, then?” he asked, nipping at Derrick’s earlobe. He drew one hand out of Derrick’s waistband to cup the bulge under his fly; the other slid up to pinch his nipple. “Tell me. I want to know just what dirty fantasies you spin up in that gorgeous head of yours.”
“Oh, God, please,” Derrick moaned, feeling mindless, delirious with wanting.
“Tell me.”
Derrick’s throat locked against the words he wanted to say. He fought against the verbal paralysis and tried to find a way to admit that he’d stopped by the adult bookstore today, where he usually bought porn, to make a different sort of purchase. Not just condoms, but a better brand of lube than the stuff he grabbed at the pharmacy for jerking off. He’d done it knowing this moment, this decision, might come. Possibly tonight.
Trapped between Gavin and the wall, his clothes hanging half-off and Gavin grinding against his ass, he wondered why the prospect of words made him feel exposed and vulnerable.What if the pantomimes of fucking they’d done were as far as Gavin was willing — or comfortable enough — to go? He didn’t think Gavin would reject him, not after the way he’d rimmed Derrick to within an inch of his sanity the other morning. But was it even a good idea? Or was it too soon, too big a risk?
How could he be willing to trust Gavin with the act, without being willing to trust Gavin with the confession that he wanted it in the first place?
“I…oh, God…” Gavin’s hands tightened, both on Derrick’s nipple and around the ridge of his cock beneath his fly. The words, when Derrick forced them from his throat, came out much more coy than he would have liked. “I wondered what it’d be like…if you’d…gone further….”“Further? You’re wondering what it would’ve been like if I’d fucked you this morning?” Gavin’s voice was smooth, steady, controlled. And yet it seemed to growl.
Derrick nodded, his cheek sliding against the wall.
“I admit, I’ve thought about it. Imagined the noises you’d make. How you’d move.”
Derrick moaned as Gavin’s hand slid up and down his bulge with deliberate intent.Gavin dropped his hand from Derrick’s chest to his fly and opened it quickly, pushing his jeans down his hips before pressing him back against the cool wall. The pressure of Gavin’s erection against his ass was even hotter without the extra layer of denim between them.“Is this what you want?” Gavin murmured in the same low, insistent tone. “You want me to fuck you until you can’t see straight?”
Derrick swallowed hard, nodding again, trying to pull himself back enough to make it clear he wasn’t just carried away.
“Yeah,” he said soberly. “Yeah, I want it.”
“You have what we need?” Gavin’s voice took on a serious note as well. “I won’t do it, otherwise.”
Derrick blinked at the question, surprised for a moment that Gavin wouldn’t have brought his own supply of condoms and lube, just in case. Or maybe Gavin was testing him, seeing if this was something Derrick had truly thought through. Especially with the question of Gavin’s health outstanding.
“Yeah. There’s a bag in the bedside table.” He glanced over his shoulder, seeking both to reassure Gavin and his own reassurance.
Gavin smiled, kissing Derrick. He started at Derrick’s mouth, gently, and moved down his neck, his teeth scraping. His fingers brushed teasingly over the length of Derrick’s cock, straining against the navy cotton of his briefs.
“Out of the pants,” Gavin murmured. His tone was soft, but it wasn’t a request. “Into the bedroom. Now.”
Derrick obeyed.

Find Amelia's Acceleration at:Amazon
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Amelia C. Gormley
Amelia C. Gormley may seem like anyone else. But the truth is she sings in the shower, dances doing laundry, and writes blisteringly hot m/m erotic romance while her five year old is napping. When she’s not writing, Amelia single-handedly juggles her husband, her son, their home, and the obstacles of life by turning into a everyday superhero. And that, she supposes, is just like anyone else. Her first novella from the Impulse Trilogy is available through Amazon, Smashwords and other retailers.
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Find Part 1 of Amelia's Musical Influences here:
Thank you, Amelia, for joining us here on the site! 

Happy Birthday to Me!

You'd think that at my age I'd either lie about how old I was, be sick and tired of birthdays, or modestly insist, "It's just another day." Nope. I'm very proud to be fifty-one today. I've had a few close calls over the course of my life, and each new year is a badge of honor, as is the white in my hair that I've fiinally decided to let show.

Turning a half century old was a major, very positive milestone in my life. I'm no longer expected to be a sweet, young thing. Any oddness of behavior is now overlooked because I'm "set in my ways". I have my own life, great friends, a rather small family that loves big, and a job I'm proud off. Plus, I get to write and publish books!

Looking back, I see moments of triumph and tragedy, shame and elation, all marking the road I have traveled. Sometimes I journied alone, sometimes others fell into step beside me. I've loved and been loved, laughed and cried, and learned never to hate--it destroys the soul.

My crowning achievement will always be the two wonderful human beings I was privileged to raise, and grandkids are amazing. I'm still a work in progress, but for the most part, life is good.

Here's to another great year.

Writing Update

I just want to give a little quick writing update. I've been very, very busy.

On December 17th, Dreamspinner Press will release Naked Tails, a novel of possum shifters.

In February, Dreamspinner will release Duet 2nd Edition. It's been revamped, and an epilogue has been added to this historical/paranormal/contemporary about a proud Scottish Highlander, a shy Kentish tutor, and a love that won't die.

The weekend of March 3rd, look for Collusion from Amber Allure. Lucky and Bo's story from Diversion continues.

I'm currently occupied with beta duties for several authors, and will then resume work on two novels. The first is tentatively entitled A Matter of When, and features a rising star of the rock world on the verge of burning out, and a voice-obsessed opera singer. If you like your heroes big and cuddly, you'll love Sebastian.  I'm also working on the third installment of the Diversion series, Manipulation. The skeletons in Lucky's closet start to rattle.

Broken Wing, the third novel in the Angel of 13th Street series still isn't talking to me.

Have Sites Like Goodreads and Amazon Changed How We Read Books?

Once upon a time I read a book. Okay, I read LOTS of books. Some I didn't finish, most I did. Many I loved, and some I didn't. Back then I didn't have anyone to discuss books with, so my likes and dislikes were all my own. I read for enjoyment and to escape my ordinary life. I read to learn of far away places, cultures different from my own, the famous and the infamous. Book after book I devoured, with little care for genre, or without even pausing to consider if I even had a favorite type of book. An epic sci-fi might lead to a tome on Norse gods, followed by an historical. Occasionally I'd obsess and read all I could on a single topic, but the beauty of it all was that I read what I wanted to, for enjoyment and enlightenment. End of story.

Now, with the advent of Goodreads, Amazon, and other such sites, I find myself subconsiously reviewing a book while reading. Sometimes, I'm so caught up in "Did I like that? How did it make me feel? Did it make me squirm half a star's worth, or a whole star?" that I have to reread the passage.

I mean, if I really enjoy a book, I want my friends to read it too if I think they'll like it, so I recommend it. I also want to help the author get the word out about the book, so I leave a review. The books I don't feel strongly about I simply read, file, and go on my merry way. One day I may pick one up again and find I love it, so I don't review books that didn't quite do it for me, for they may later.

Then I began writing, and learning more about the craft through betas, editors, and proofers. I beta others' work, helping them to find weak points and grammatical errors (though I can't seem to see my own). This provides an added burden that the proofreading has become ingrained, and I'm actively looking for weaknesses while I read, even while reading for pleasure, which isn't fair to me, the author, or the story.

Then, as though that's not enough of a worry, reading others' reviews prior to buying a book causes preconceived notions. Am I liking the book because reviewers said it was awesome, or am I judging it harshly because reviewers said it contained massive plot holes? Heaven forbid! I've caught myself taking mental notes while reading!!

Can this newly learned instinct be unlearned? Will I ever again curl up on a lazy Sunday with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book and simply lose myself in the pages, for however long it takes me to absorb the world an author painstakingly created? While I dearly love Amazon, Goodreads, and the other sites, how I miss those carefree days of simply reading for the pure joy of the written word.

I shudder in horror, fearing the day the simple act of reading turns into a scavenger hunt for typos and grammatical errors, and pray that time never comes.

What do you think? Have sites that encourage reader feedback changed how you read? If so, how?

Enter to Win a Copy of Naked Tails

The wonderful Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos is hosting a drawing for an ebook copy of my upcoming possum shifter novel, Naked Tails, to be awarded after publication on December 17. Simply leave a comment on her post (here), stating that you'd like to enter the contest. It's that simple.

And check out the linkety, Misadventures in Stock Photography, and images of lovley kitties Chaos and Mayhem while you're there. 


Seth McDaniel wasn’t raised among a shifter passel and has no idea what it’s like to turn furry once a month. An orphan, torn from his father’s family at an early age, he scarcely remembers Great-aunt Irene. Now her passing brings him back to Possum Kingdom, Georgia, to take up a legacy he doesn’t understand and reconnect with a friend he’s never forgotten. 

As Irene’s second-in-command, Dustin Livingston has two choices: assume control of the passel or select another replacement. Unfortunately, the other candidates are either heartless or clueless. Dustin’s best hope to dodge the responsibility is to deliver a crash course in leadership to his childhood pal Seth, a man he hasn’t seen in twenty years. However, while Dustin's mind is set on his task, his heart is set on his old friend. 

Seth’s quest for answers yields more questions instead. What’s with the tiny gray hairs littering his aunt’s house? Why do the townsfolk call each other “Jack” and “Jill”? Do Dustin’s attentions come with ulterior motives? And why is Seth suddenly craving crickets?
Naked Tails is available for pre-order at Dreamspinner Press. 

Musical Influences I - A Guest Post by Amelia Gormley

I've offered posts about literary influences in the past, but how about musical ones?

My guest today is Amelia Gormley, who found great inspiration for her characters in music.



Musical Influences — Jim Croce

I think if there is one character or personality trait which Derrick borrows from his author, it’s a love of music from before his time.

I grew up surrounded by people not in my age group. Not only did I have very little exposure to people in my age group, but I always related better to adults than I did to other children. As a result, it is the generation before mine which most influenced my musical preferences. I couldn’t name you more than a dozen songs and their artists from the last decade. But I could recite for you most of the entire songbook of several artists who died when I was still in diapers, if not before.

Jim Croce (Jan 10, 1943 – Sept 20, 1973) is one of those artists.

My mother is a huge fan of Jim Croce and when I was little, she used to make me swear to have “Time In a Bottle” as the first bride/groom dance at my wedding. I didn’t end up carrying through on that promise, but I did end up absorbing her love for Croce.
Most people are familiar with some of the standards released in Croce short, seven-year career: “Time in a Bottle,” “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Operator” and “I Have to Say I Love You in a Song” are quite well known, though where our generation is concerned, they’re mostly well-known because they’ve been turned into marketing jingles.

What I like are some of his less well-known pieces. I love his complex dual, sometimes even triple, guitar harmonies. I like that his upbeat songs are catchy and always make me tap my feet, and his mellow songs are relaxing and touch something inside me.

When he’s funny, he’s funny. “Roller Derby Queen” and “Rapid Roy, the Stockcar Boy” and “Don’t Mess Around with Jim” never fail to amuse me. But when he’s introspective, he’s heartbreaking. Listen to “Lover’s Cross” or “Photographs and Memories” sometime and really think about what he’s saying, that gentle examination of love that has been lost or is in the process of fading away, sometimes edged with bitterness or tragic grief. And all of it carried on a voice that feels almost fragile, it’s so tender.

His songs are simple, beautiful, and heartfelt. You can’t ask for more than that.

One thing I very much regret about the writing of Acceleration was that there was no way I could afford the licensing fees to get the rights to reprint any of the lyrics of Jim Croce’s “I Got A Name.” If I had, I would have worked a couple of the lines into the last chapter when Derrick plays for Gavin.

To me, that is the quintessential “Derrick” song, both in terms of where he’s been and where he’s going. It’s a song about a person who has a great deal of pride in where he comes from and the legacy that his family has left him. But it’s also a song about a man who is trying to find a way to keep moving forward with his life, so that he doesn’t become mired in the past and begin to stagnate. It’s a song about respecting one’s past and heritage, while moving into one’s future. And that is really what Derrick’s journey is all about.

Since it would probably be illegal for me to quote the lyrics in this post, just as it would be illegal for me to quote them in the book, I’m going to simply link to the song on YouTube. Let them get in trouble for having it.




Inertia, Impulse Book OneISBN:(Print Edition) 978-1-4793511-8-3(SmashWords) 978-1-4762679-4-4(eISBN) 978-0-9857082-6-9
Inertia on GoodReads
AN OBJECT AT REST

Quiet, down-to-earth Detroit handyman Derrick Chance has had enough loss for a lifetime and he has no intention of ever risking his heart again. Living alone in the old house his grandparents left him, with only his dog and a few close friends for companionship, he has written off the possibility of romance or even sex. He refuses to consider himself lonely, or wonder what he might be missing. His life is organized, predictable, and, best of all, risk-free.

Until the day he installs shelves for accountant Gavin Hayes. With his contradictory combination of confidence and self-doubt, Gavin draws Derrick in with an intensity he's never known. As undeniable as gravity, Derrick finds himself falling for Gavin in defiance of all his usual slow and methodical ways. But Gavin carries wounds of his own. Fresh from an emotionally abusive relationship that ended with a dangerous betrayal, his future is far from certain. Can Derrick choose passion over safety, and let himself believe that Gavin is worth the risk?

ExcerptIt wasn’t the idea of sex that scared him. He could handle that, and he could handle just being friends. It was the somewhere in between, where feelings could happen, that he wasn’t sure about.

But Gavin felt good against him. Right. Closing his eyes for a moment, Derrick drew a slow breath and laid his arm over Gavin’s shoulders, silently inviting him to make himself comfortable. And Gavin did, slipping down a little to make more room for Derrick’s arm, laying his head against Derrick’s chest, where his heart hammered within the too-tight confines of his ribs.

Derrick had no clue what show they were watching. He couldn’t hear over the drumming in his ears and he didn’t want to even look at the screen, nor could he stop glancing down at Gavin’s hair just below his chin. It took all Derrick’s willpower to keep himself from leaning down and nuzzling his face in Gavin’s hair to try to get a better whiff of him.

When Gavin lifted his head and tilted it back to look at him, Derrick’s eyes immediately went to Gavin’s lips. His fingers tightened on Gavin’s shoulder and when he finally managed to tear his eyes away from Gavin’s mouth to meet his gaze, he knew Gavin had seen the stare.
And then Gavin wet his lips with his tongue.

Derrick caught a nervous breath, torn between the impulse to act and that tiny, nagging hint of uncertainty that maybe Gavin wasn’t ready for that yet.

Gavin smiled, looking faintly amused. “You really don’t know an invitation when you see one, do you?”

“Guess I don’t. Look,” he said haltingly as he tried to form his racing thoughts into words that would actually be intelligible when he spoke them. “You know, it’s been a while. And I don’t really know what I should do here. What you need.”

Gavin looked up at him a while longer, his eyes wide, pupils large and dark, before he pushed himself up. He pulled his glasses off, his movement slow and deliberate as he laid them on the coffee table, giving Derrick plenty of time to back out. Then he turned and kissed him.

Derrick heard himself moan, his arm tightening behind Gavin, sliding down to wrap around his back and draw him closer. He tasted as good as he smelled, even the hint of beer on his breath. It was strange; fulfilling the promise of contact that had been hovering between them all day both relieved Derrick’s tension and made it ten times worse. It threatened to send something ravenous to the surface that he hadn’t known lurked beneath.

The touch of Gavin’s hand on his face, stroking his cheek and jaw, felt good. Gavin’s cool fingers against his skin both soothed Derrick’s nerves and brought them snapping to attention. And when they moved down to Derrick’s neck it was even better. Derrick gasped into the kiss at that touch on his sensitive skin. As his mouth opened on the inhalation, he felt Gavin’s tongue against his lips.

Oh, sweet Jesus….

Any thought he had of taking things slow promptly dissipated. He wanted Gavin’s body against his, and they shifted simultaneously. Derrick turned as much as he could without drawing his legs up onto the sofa, and Gavin drew his knees under him, the motion giving him a height advantage that he used to take control of the kiss. His hand buried itself in Derrick’s hair, his mouth covered Derrick’s. His lips urged Derrick’s open, his tongue sliding in, stroking.

Derrick’s other arm came around Gavin, trying to draw him even closer. He wasn’t sure how Gavin ended up in his lap, straddling his hips. Gavin loomed over him with a hiss of denim-on-denim as Derrick, without any thought or intention, shifted beneath him, seeking friction against the hard-on trapped beneath his fly.

“God, yes…”

He didn’t know he’d spoken, panting the words between increasingly urgent kisses. He rolled his hips again beneath Gavin, beyond self-consciousness, not caringif it was too forward, too suggestive. Gavin didn’t seem to mind; his own body moved to increase the pressure. As that first kiss had done for his nerves, the rubbing of Gavin’s cock against his beneath the layers of denim both soothed the insistent, throbbing ache in Derrick’s balls and made it far more desperate. He groaned, his hands clutching at Gavin’s back, the kisses passing beyond exploratory and heading straight into demanding.

When Gavin’s hands closed in his hair, gripping it, Derrick arched his spine, his hips lifting as he responded to the pressure drawing his head back. The pull on his hair was tight, good, skirting the edge of uncomfortable in an absolutely perfect way. He tore his mouth away from Gavin’s with a whimper as the pull became harder; overwhelmed, he tried to catch a panting breath and get a grip. With every response, every sensation, Derrick felt closer to the brink of flying completely, insanely out of control.

“Sorry,” Gavin murmured as his hands released Derrick’s hair and Derrick almost groaned at the loss. He shook his head in silent denial as his brain tried to remember how to make words.
“No… no… no need.”

ting felt intoxicating. He was high, beyond thought or reason, doubt or control.

Abandoning any further attempt at speech, he pulled Gavin back to him, taking over the kiss. Hard, urgent, edging toward rough as he tried to find an outlet for that plaguing need for more. He was aware, now, of the rise and fall of his hips, knowing full well what it suggested. He wanted Gavin. God, he wanted him, and just the wanting felt intoxicating. He was high, beyond thought or reason, doubt or control.

More, his body demanded, gripping fistfuls of the back of Gavin’s shirt, thrusting up against Gavin.

More.Gavin responded, pressing down to meet him.
Derrick leaned back, reclining as far as he could against the sofa, no more concerned with the message he sent by moving toward the horizontal than with the blatant grinding of his hips against Gavin. He drew Gavin down tighter above him, picking up the pace, rubbing against him urgently. The delirious thought occurred to him that he should be thankful he’d jerked off that morning, or this would already be over.

He didn’t want it to be over. Not nearly over. He wanted… God, he wanted Gavin’s skin. It didn’t occur to him to ask first; his hands simply obeyed the imperative without thought or hesitation, releasing their grip on Gavin’s shirt at the shoulders to seize it lower, pulling it up.

The way Gavin’s body tensed didn’t register, not at first, even when Gavin drew back and panted, “Oh, God. Wait… wait.”

Find Inertia at:
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About Amelia C. Gormley
Amelia C. Gormley may seem like anyone else. But the truth is she sings in the shower, dances doing laundry, and writes blisteringly hot m/m erotic romance while her five year old is napping. When she’s not writing, Amelia single-handedly juggles her husband, her son, their home, and the obstacles of life by turning into a everyday superhero. And that, she supposes, is just like anyone else. Her first novella from the Impulse Trilogy is available through Amazon, Smashwords and other retailers.

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One Perfect Score!

The results are in and this year's Rainbow Awards winners were announced yesterday. A big congratulations to all the winners! And a big thank you to host Elisa Rolle, and to the judges, for this massive undertaking.

Toward the end of the evening I received a delightful surprise of my own: Diversion was named in the the "One Perfect Score" category, receiving an honorable mention.

Here's what the reviewer had to say:

"Wow! This is definitely one of the best books I read this year. It has all the elements of the perfect read. This book is my first by this author but as soon I send this email I am off to check the on-line bookstore for more. –Tessa"

I'm thrilled by Tessa's assessment, and the kind words give me added incentive to get the sequel published and work on the third book in the series. Amber Allure is currently offering Diversion at a 25% discount, so if it's caught your eye, now would be a good time to buy.

Thanks to everyone who made this event possible.

Diversion

One Perfect Score!

The results are in and this year's Rainbow Awards winners were announced yesterday. A big congratulations to all the winners! And a big thank you to host Elisa Rolle, and to the judges, for this massive undertaking.

Toward the end of the evening I received a delightful surprise of my own: Diversion was named in the "One Perfect Score" category, receiving an honorable mention.

Here's what the reviewer had to say:

"Wow! This is definitely one of the best books I read this year. It has all the elements of the perfect read. This book is my first by this author but as soon I send this email I am off to check the on-line bookstore for more. –Tessa"

I'm thrilled by Tessa's assessment, and the kind words give me added incentive to get the sequel published and work on the third book in the series. Amber Allure is currently offering Diversion at a 25% discount, so if it's caught your eye, now would be a good time to buy.  

Thanks to everyone who made this event possible. 

One Perfect Score

Rainbow Awards Results