Eden Winters's Blog, page 57

Saturday Snark!

Sorry to inundate you with blog posts today, but there's just so much news to share, and....there's Saturday Snark!

Thank you, Marie Sexton, for hosting the Saturday Snark blog hop. Here's Marie's snark, taken from her book Cinder a m/m romance take on Cinderella.

Now, today's selection of my own snark comes from the my current WIP, Collusion, and once again spews from the rather uncouth mouth of Lucky, drug trafficker turned narcotics agent. Don't worry folks, it's a staged arrest.

Huffing and puffing from behind grew closer. Suddenly, a Mack truck slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. He rolled and came up swinging. The cop who’d hit Lucky staggered to his feet while his partner played decoy.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” the solid mass of muscle that hit him forced out between panted breaths. “Choice is yours.”

Lucky grinned. “Well, now, that’s mighty generous of you, but I ain’t ever in my life been accused of being easy.” The cop lunged at him and Lucky ducked, for once grateful for his small size. He wove past the other cop and took off again, this time aiming directly for the trees. A third cop came out of nowhere, tackling Lucky to the ground.

He landed two good kicks and a solid punch before the three teamed up and pushed him face-first in the dirt. “Police brutally!” he bawled, as they wrestled his arms behind him and slapped on a pair of cuffs. They hauled him kicking, screaming, and spitting out grass to his feet.

“Out of four of them, it has to be the runt that gives us trouble,” one cop sneered, wiping dirt from his face with a uniform sleeve.

“Hey! I resent that!” Lucky barked. “I’ll have you know I’m a good six inches taller than the girl!”

Clicks the links below for more snark!

Torquere Press Ninth Anniversary!

Torquere Press is celebrating their ninth anniversary, and you get the gift! Click on the icon above to visit the official site and register for one of many fabulous prizes.

Here's their official annnouncement:

ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE NINTH ANNIVERSARY GIFT TRADITIONALLY IS?
Leather, something near and dear to our hearts here at Torquere Press.
To celebrate our 9th birthday, we're having gift basket prizes, blog posts from some of your favorite authors, and our grand prize, a brand-new Kindle Fire to say thank you for all your support over the years and to highlight our wonderful authors who bring us such amazing stories. 

Check our blog,  http://glbtromance.blogspot.com/ where we'll be hosting a new author every day. We'll post excerpts, hang out to chat, and talk about our stories.

In addition to the grand prize of the Kindle Fire, we're giving away gift baskets every week! Some are silly, some are smutty, and all are fun.  

To help celebrate, they're also holding a Ninth Anniversary sale.

September starts the month for the 9th Anniversary of Torquere Press! The 9th anniversary traditional gift is leather! Well leather is something near and dear to our hearts here at Torquere Press.

So we are having a anniversary kick-off sale. Just put 'annivkick' in the coupon code box any time you check out at Torquere Books before Monday at midnight to get 20% off your order.

Sale good now through Monday, September 3rd at Midnight (est).  Stock up on books from Torquere Press today.

 Go celebrate with savings from Torquere Press!

Wonderful News to Wake Up To!

Coffee in hand, I checked my email before beginning what I hope will be a leasurely day of reading and writing. Here's what I found:

"Congratulations Eden! The Wish has been chosen as a Recommended Read for September." 

Here's some of what reviewer Lisa had to say:

"The Wish delivers a compelling, emotional powerhouse tale of redemption and love."

                                                                             and 

"The Wish has some moments of lusty eroticism but, it's the relationship between Alex and Paul, the emotional heartstrings that are tugged to the point of breaking that make The Wish so much more, so very special. I Joyfully Recommend The Wish."

Read the entire review at Joyfully Reviewed:

Find The Wish at Dreamspinner Press:

The Friday Review - Aisling by Carole Cummings

As a teen I'd often wait until the family had gone to bed, then I'd switch on my bedside lamp, reading late into the night. If I'd been recently busted for being up after lights out, I'd hide under the covers with a favorite read and a flashlight. The worlds created in the pages of books transported me to another place and time. Sweeping epics carried me away, and before I knew it, I'd stayed up much too late. Again.

Fast forward a few years. Okay, a lot of years. The words are viewed through bifocal lenses now, but the same all-consuming urge to stay up all night and read has overtaken me again. I've become engulfed in a world so foreign, and yet so familiar, that has pulled me in completely. I couldn't stop reading, and had to force myself to put this book down or else be late for work, thanks to the incredibly talented Carole Cummings. 

Aisling Book One is a young adult novel that introduces us to two very opposite men. Wil, living a life of fear and yet so determined to be free of those who'd enslave him; Dallin, whose stoic, analytical mind must bend to accept what he's previously believed to be myth. Thanks to very descriptive writing and a perfectly paced plot, I found myself in the shoes of both men, living in their world, and came to care for these two unique individuals and the allies they meet along the way. (I'd also like to hurt anyone who dares look at poor Wil with ill intent!) And while the book ends with our heroes yet to form a bond, the lead-up is riveting. 

Fabulous world-building and characterizations make this a must read. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I envy this author's way with words.

Want to get away from it all? Why not take an epic adventure vacation with Aisling. 

Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone

Hi y'all. You'd think that a M/M romance author who spends far too much time researching and writing hot and heavy erotic scenes (and gives her mom a copy of the book) wouldn't have problems with a "comfort zone". Well, I do, or rather, I did. I've come a long way in the past few years, and my evolution is reflected in my writing.

I'm being spotlighted at MANtastic Fiction, talking about my own personal boundaries as they pertain to my work. Stop and share your own view of stepping outside your comfort zone and get in on the drawing for an ebook copy from my back list.

Eden Winters Steps Outside Her Comfort Zone.

Author Spotlight at MANtastic Fiction

Whoot! I'm the featured author today at MANtastic Fiction. Come see how stepping outside my comfort zone helps me grow as a writer, and enter to win an ebook copy from my back list.

Eden Winters Steps out of her Comfort Zone

Early Literary Influences -- A Guest Post by Michael Rupured

Today on Early Literary Influences, I'm thrilled to have a guest poster, brand new author Michael Rupured. His novel, Until Thanksgiving, will be debuting soon from Dreamspinner Press. Michael's influence is not actually a book, but a person, a librarian, who made a huge impact on his formative years. 
Nothing makes me happier than to see an avid reader make the leap to author. Please welcome Michael to the site, and to the world of m/m romance author. 
***
Unless it came with crayons, there weren’t many books for children in our house when I was growing up.  Little Black Sambo was the one book I remember seeing. There were others, but for some reason, that’s the one I can recall.
The library in the parochial school I attended for first and second grade consisted of a tall bookcase with a shelf for each of eight grades.  Dr. Seuss dominated the two lowest shelves. I read every book I could reach.
We moved across town in time for me to start third grade in a brand new public school.  A full-time librarian reigned over a library bigger than our house. Be still my beating heart!
Our class went to the library once a week. Miss Littrell entertained us with a story, using different voices for the characters. She was great and could have made a fortune recording audiobooks for children.
The day we met, I was writing my name on the little card I’d pulled from a pocket on the back of the book to check it out. Everyone called me Mike—a name I’ve never especially liked. Inspired by Mary, Jerry, Fanny, and Lucy who’d checked the book out before me, I decided to give Mikey a try, adding the y with an extra flourish in the tail to make it mine.
Miss Littrell came up behind me, glancing at the card before she spoke. “Do you need any help, Mickey?” That was the end of Mikey and the beginning of a wonderful relationship. We’re friends on Facebook to this day.
Little green cards, each with a name printed in neat block letters with a black magic marker, covered the wall behind the checkout and return desk. Miss Littrell added a star sticker to my strip for every book I read. After fifty little stars, I got a new green strip with a big gold star. By the end of sixth grade, my strip sported dozens of big stars in a variety of colors, the additional hues needed after some of us got into competitive reading.
All those stars paid off. I became a library helper in fourth grade—one of the chosen few with full access to the sacred interior of the library.  While Miss Littrell read to a class, I sat behind the checkout counter returning little cards to the back pockets of books so they could be checked out again. Some days I got to read to the first graders. Heady stuff for a nine-year-old.
As I got older, Miss Littrell read excerpts from age-appropriate books to introduce us to various authors and genres. She taught us how to use the card catalog then gave us a tour of different nonfiction sections of the library, through reference books, and on to periodicals. In the absence of the Internet, the library was the door to an information super highway that in 1965, was still just a dirt road.
After Dr. Seuss, my first favorite author was Beverly Cleery. Scenes from her books stand out in my mind—Henry Hudson in a bedroom lined with jars of baby guppies, Louella the goat munching on his aunt’s prized gardenias. I couldn’t get enough and read everything she ever wrote.
My first favorite book was Champion Dog: Prince Tom, a true story about a boy and his cocker spaniel that made me want a dog of my own. I ordered the paperback from Scholastic Books and cried my way through the brown-inked pages dozens of times.  A few years ago I finally got a dog—Toodles, a long-haired Chihuahua who grieves when I’m out of sight. She completes me.
In grade school I read all of Jim Kjelgaard’s books about dogs and wolves, tore through Walter Farley’s series about horses, and continued with Marguerite Henry’s tales of Misty and Chincoteague. When that wasn’t enough, Miss Littrell turned me on to Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Series, the Boxcar kids, the Borrower books, and C.S. Lewis’s fantasy series, just to name a few.
She also directed me to shelves with more information about things that interested me. I checked out books on tropical fish to learn more about Henry Hudson’s guppies. An illustrated guide to blooming plants of the south provided my first glimpse of a gardenia bush in bloom. I could find out anything—as long as it happened long enough ago to make into print.
While other kids played baseball or took swimming lessons, I rode my bike to school to help Miss Littrell with inventory and other duties that kept her in the library all summer. Graduating to junior high didn’t stop me, either. I came back to help the next two summers.
When the superintendent transferred hundreds of teachers to integrate public school faculty, Miss Littrell ended up at an inner-city school. She told me it was closer to her home, but I could see she’d been crying. Her replacement said my help wasn’t wanted or needed. Fine. Be that way.
My elementary school librarian is my earliest literary influence. Without her encouragement and support, I’m not sure reading would have been as important to me as it was and is. Loving to read is an essential first step to becoming a writer. I hope third graders today have a Miss Littrell to inspire future generations of authors and an interest in reading and a curiosity for knowledge beyond the classroom for everybody else.
Dreamspinner Press will release Until Thanksgiving, my first novel, in December or January. The ink hasn’t dried on the contract so I don’t have a cover or anything.  
***
Gay and pushing forty, Josh Freeman knows his best years are behind him. After his partner of seventeen years has an affair with a younger man, Josh buries himself in a pile of take-out boxes, empty bottles, half-smoked joints, and self-pity. His best friend, Linda does what friends do—gently kicks his ass and encourages him to give the job he’s been offered in Washington D.C. a try—at least until Thanksgiving.
Thad Parker, a DC-based relocation expert, rarely dates and has never fallen for anyone. But when he meets Josh Freeman and shakes his hand, a spark hits him like a lightning strike. When Josh takes an active interest in someone else, Thad decides to wait.
While he waits, misunderstandings about Thad’s relationship with his older roommate, a reckless encounter with a serial killer, and a brush with death conspire against Josh and Thad’s chance at happiness.
***
Thank you, Eden, for this opportunity to meet your fans. I’ll let you know when I have a cover, the official blurb, and a release date. Until then, I invite your readers to follow me through the process of getting my first novel published.
My blog (http://rupured.com)Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichaelRupured)Twitter (https://twitter.com/CrotchetyMan) [image error]

MM Authors Exposed

I've been posting for two weeks now about a new project started with fellow authors D.H. Starr, Ethan Stone, P.D. Singer, Fyn Alexander, Sedonia Guillone, and artist Jared Rackler, who also happens to be an aspiring writer. Today we're launching our new site.

Here's how it works. Want to know how we got our start? What's our biggest writing obstacles? What we like to do for fun? Visit us at our Goodreads Group, on our Facebook Page, or at the site, and bring us your questions. They'll be posed to the group and we'll answer on the site.

Here's the first question and answers: "What's your process for getting your idea down on page?"

Official announcement:

Hello world!01AUGTo our devoted readers…welcome to MM  Authors Exposed  where authors and readers can interact in an honest and safe environment. We wanted to create a forum where we could interact with you, the reader, the most important people in our world.We’ve also created a Goodreads group for you to join where you can feed us your questions so please follow the link and join our group.As authors, our greatest desire is to allow those characters in our heads and hearts out so they see the world. But it’s just as important to us that our stories resonate with you, the reader. So please ask us anything from funny questions to serious and we’ll respond.Thanks for spending some time with us and happy reading.Authors ExposedVisit us at Facebook.Visit us at Goodreads.[image error]

Coming Soon -- Part Seven

Today I'd like you to meet the final member of MM Authors Exposed, Mr. Jared Rackler, of Jared Rackler Designs. If you recognize the name it might be because I've mentioned him before. He's the artistic talent behind my banner and the covers of my works: The Telling, Night Watch, Boy Under the Bridge, In Shadow, What You  Can't Live Without, and Tinsel and Frost. He's created countless covers for other authors as well.

Here's the link to his profile at MM Authors Exposed. 

And remember, if you're looking for quality graphics, he's your man. He's also been know to design trading cards, like the ones he did for The Angel of 13th Street.

Saturday Snark - Collusion

Today's Saturday Snark comes from the draft of Collusion, the sequel to Diversion. Lucky always has snark to spare. He's been "arrested" as part of a sting operation, by his nemesis, Keith. Their boss, Walter, looks on.

Grumbling under his breath, Keith got out and opened the back door, hauling Lucky upright. Lucky didn’t exactly fight him, being under their boss’s watchful eye, but he didn’t exactly help either. 

 The cuffs snicked free and Lucky jerked his arms in front of him, rubbing abused wrists. Out of Walter’s line of sight, Keith mouthed, “Fucker.”

Lucky replied, “Not that’ll do you any good. I do have standards, you know.”

 “Lucky, that’s enough,” Walter quietly intoned, handing a Starbucks cup over the seat. “Get some sleep, then report in this afternoon.” Lucky stepped out of the car while the man he’d never admit to admiring added, “You did good.”

 Keith gave him the hairy eyeball from the side mirror. Lucky stuck out his tongue. The car pulled away, leaving Lucky in front of his duplex.

“Another wild night, I see,” his landlady commented from the unit next door, where she sat on her porch swing stroking one of about seven cats. 

Saturday Snark is hosted by the Marie Sexton, on her blog. Click here for Marie's wonderfully snarky offering, and check out the links below for other participants. Happy Snark Day!