Kim Fielding's Blog, page 48

Blast from the Past: Violet’s Present

I’m starting several new features. Most Fridays will be Blast from the Past days. Other authors and I will highlight a book that was published at least one year ago. I’m hoping this will help you discover some overlooked or forgotten treasures.

“Violet’s Present” by Kim Fielding

When Matt’s Great-great-aunt Violet dies, she leaves him a precious gift: a photo album he loved as a child. Then Matt starts having dreams—very good dreams—about Joseph, one of the men in the pictures from the 1940s. One morning when Matt wakes up, the bruises are still there. Could there be more to Violet’s present than he thought?

Originally released June 2012.

Available from Dreamspinner Press and Amazon.

An excerpt:

Somehow, Matt wasn’t surprised when he looked up from his plate and saw Joseph standing beside his table, Aunt Violet at his side. “You don’t mind sharing with my bratty cousin, do you?” she asked.

Joseph’s eyes were even more amazing in person, in color. They were somewhere between gray and blue, a shade that Matt hoped he could reproduce with his paints. Joseph wore blue jeans and a red-and-white-checked shirt and looked both annoyed at Violet and intrigued by Matt.

“Sure,” Matt said, his mouth suddenly so dry that he had to take a quick swallow of the cooling coffee.

Joseph plopped down in the opposite seat and grinned. Matt’s heart almost stopped. “Pancakes and bacon,” Joseph said to Violet. “With the bacon done—”

“Really crispy. I know.” She cuffed him lightly on the shoulder before she walked away.

“Where are you from?” Joseph asked. His gaze was so piercing that Matt felt a little like an exhibit at the zoo. “And does everyone there have hair like that?” He gestured at Matt’s head.

Matt ran his fingers self-consciously through his waves. He’d never had the patience for goos and creams like Brandon used, and he tended to go too long between cuts. “California. And yeah, a lot of guys do, I guess.”

“California! I always wanted to visit there. Can you really pick oranges right off of trees? Do you know any movie stars? Do you lie on the beach all day?”

“Yes on the oranges but no on the celebrities. And the beaches near me are damn cold.”

Joseph leaned back in his chair, not even looking over when Violet plopped a glass of milk in front of him and then sailed away. “What’re you doing in the middle of nowhere? And how come you ain’t in uniform?”

“I’m… passing through. On my way home after a funeral in Omaha. And I’m… I’m disqualified from the military.” Which was true enough, he supposed. In 2012 they might be celebrating the end of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” but back in 1942 he would not have been welcomed into the military, wartime or not.

Arctic eyes narrowed in confusion, then widened in realization before narrowing again speculatively. “Disqualified, huh?” Joseph said.

“Yep.”

There was a brief pause. Joseph sipped his milk, giving himself a very faint mustache that Matt longed to lick away. Three farmers at a nearby table erupted into hacking laughs at some joke while Violet slammed plates down in front of an older couple who looked like they hadn’t smiled since the previous century.

“I’m going in next week,” Joseph finally said, very quietly. “Army.”

Matt’s heart clenched and his gut twisted. Could you puke in a dream? “I guess you have to,” he said.

“I wanted to get a deferment while I went to college, but Mom and Dad couldn’t afford the tuition and… and here I am. Ready to do my duty. I guess.”

“You’ll get to travel. See places way more interesting than California.” And bleed your life away onto foreign soil, he didn’t add.

Joseph’s eyes went dark, as if he knew exactly what Matt was thinking. Then he shrugged slightly. “Yeah.”

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Published on November 21, 2014 00:04

Ooh, That’s Interesting!: The Retired Emperor

I’m starting some new regular features on my blog. Most Wednesdays will be Ooh, That’s Interesting! days. I’ll post some bit of trivia or news or… something that caught my interest. Expect randomness.

Diocletian was Emperor of Rome from 245-311 C.E. He was born under very humble circumstances and worked his way up. He eventually delegated some of his authority, appointing 3 co-emperors. And when he became old and ill, he became the first Roman emperor to retire. He returned to his home in Dalmatia (on the coast of modern-day Croatia) and had a palace built.

After Diocletian died, he was buried there and the palace was abandoned. But several centuries later, some of the locals moved into the palace to defend themselves against invasion. Thirteen hundred years later, people still live in the palace, which is in the city of Split. Diocletian’s mausoleum is now a cathedral, which is ironic, considering he wasn’t fond of Christians.

I’ve spent a few days in the palace. It’s a beautiful and very vital place, full of cafes and shops and kids playing soccer on the ancient limestone sidewalks. Klapa groups sing in the peristyle. We saw a flower show in the cellars. My daughter chased lizards. You should go.

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Published on November 19, 2014 00:33

Please welcome Taylor Clavelli!

Title: Sleepwalking

Author: Taylin Clavelli

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Devastated by loss, Matthew sleepwalks through life, existing but not living.

Can someone rescue him from his waking nightmare and help him to live again?

Sleepwalking cover

Buy the short story:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ31UYO/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OJ31UYO/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00OJ31UYO/

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/sleepwalking-by-taylin-clavelli/

Excerpt

I stood there in the empty hallway, hearing nothing but the echoes of faraway voices as I faced the wall of fallen heroes. Looking upon his handsome face, he smiled into the camera, standing proud, his chest puffed out, showing off his uniform to its full potential. How I wished he were here now. Instead of just a photograph, with his badge below it.

Running the tips of my fingers over his outline, I remembered his strong muscles over my skin. How his body was so big he could totally encase me; it made me feel safe. How my splayed hand only covered half his shoulder. Hell, my thigh was the size of his bicep—and yet he handled me as though I was the most precious thing on earth, both in life and in bed.

I’d run my fingers through his cropped, straight black hair, scratching his scalp with my short nails, making him purr like a cat. He’d lower his lips to mine, devouring me before making passionate love to me. Even now, I can feel the strength of his body within me, and the feel of him between my thighs.

My heart ached. I couldn’t stop the tears. I couldn’t walk away. I stood, rooted to the spot, while all the stitches that held me together snipped open one by one, releasing all the memories, the pain.

“Sam,” I whispered, before I sank to the floor, sobbing.

About the author:

Taylin Clavelli lives in the United Kingdom, about 15 miles south of Birmingham, and a short journey from the world famous Cadbury’s Chocolate factory. She’s married with children and loves her family with all her heart.

Her love of books has been a long standing affair, with Taylin liking nothing better than to lose herself in an imaginary world.

Until she met Lily Velden, she never considered trying her hand at writing. However, after talking ideas, Lily encouraged her to put pen to paper—or rather, fingers to keyboard. Since, with a few virtual kicks in the right place, she hasn’t stopped. Her confidence eventually led to her writing an original work for submission.

Her first published work was Boys, Toys, and Carpet Fitters, developed for the Dreamspinner Press Anthology – Don’t Try This At Home.

Now she absolutely adores immersing herself into the characters she creates, and transferring the pictures in her brain to paper, finding it liberating, therapeutic, and wonderful.

Outside of writing, her interests include; martial arts (she’s a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-do), horse-riding, all of which facilitates her love of a wide variety of movies. Her action heroes include Jet Li and Tony Jaa—finding the dedication these men have for their art combined with their skill both amazing and a privilege to watch. If pressed, she’ll admit to thinking that the screen entrance of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean – Curse of the Black Pearl, and Shadowfax in LOTR, to be the greatest screen entrances ever. Her all-time favorite movies are Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

The simple things in life that make her day, putting a smile on her face are:

Laughter – especially that of her children.

The smell of lasagna cooking – it makes her mouth salivate.

The dawn chorus – no symphony ever written can beat the waking greetings of the birds.

Social links:

Website: http://www.taylinclavelli.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005234535413

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylinclavelli

What’s Kim Reading Now?: Sheep’s Clothing by Elin Gregory

I’ve decided to start some new regular features here. Every Monday (or, well, almost every Monday, because you know how it goes), I’ll post a brief bit on a book that I’ve recently read. Many will be m/m romance, but some will not. I just thought it would be fun to share with you guys an enjoyable read. I haven’t received review copies of any of these books, so they’re whatever I’ve bought, borrowed, or otherwise put my paws on.

My very first entry, then, is Sheep’s Clothing by Elin Gregory. This is a short story, which hit the spot just right during a busy week. And it features an unconventional werewolf. If you’ve read my Bones series, you know I love shifters who are unusual. Werewolf Darren Murchison moves from London to the Welsh countryside, hoping to put some distance between himself and a pack that’s not really his style. Thing is, though, the Welsh countryside is full of sheep.

This story was sweet and very funny, with a few unexpected but delightful surprises. And it was just plain well-written. I loved the setting too.

Sheep’s Clothing by Elin Gregory is available from Wayward Ink Publishing.

Have you read it too? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

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Published on November 17, 2014 00:02

New regular features

Far be it from me to claim that I’m regular… but I thought it would be fun to run some scheduled features here. I’ll still chat about my family, my travels, and my books, and I’ll still have guests. But I’ll also have some scheduled things for you to (I hope) look forward to.

Mondays will be What’s Kim Reading Now? I’ll give you brief recommendations for books I think you might enjoy, in a variety of genres.

Wednesdays are for Ooh! That’s Interesting! I’ll discuss some bit of trivia that’s caught my attention.

And Fridays we’ll have a Blas from the Past. Guests and I will highlight books from out backlists–treasures a year or more old that you might have missed.

I hope you enjoy these new features. I’d love it if you comment on them, and feel free to suggest topics as we go.

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Published on November 15, 2014 00:44

Please welcome Lily Velden!

Title: Written in the Stars

Author: Lily Velden

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Genre: gay romance, contemporary romance, MM

Pages: 26

Synopsis

Who needs a holiday when your destiny is Written in the Stars?

Written in the Stars is also a part of the BOLLOCKS! Anthology

Buy the short story:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJXZT2I/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OJXZT2I/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00OJXZT2I/

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/written-in-the-stars-by-lily-velden/

Buy your copy and get a bonus short story – Life According to Buddy! To get your complimentary story, email Wayward Ink Publishing after purchase.

WITS cover

Excerpt

“NOW, Sebastian, dear, I want you to promise me you’ll mind your Ps and Qs.”

“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about that, Mom. I don’t think they let you swear on prime time telly.”

“Well, I certainly hope not, dear, because I have not only Granny May coming but also Nanna Robson. And then there’s Uncle Phil and his wife, Delores, and you know how Old School she is. If she had her way, we’d still be living in the Victorian era. Honestly, I’m sure she has a pole lodged up… well, never you mind, you know how she can be. And Grandpa Robson would be most upset if he heard you blaspheming and making a mockery of the Queen’s English on the telly.”

“Mom—”

“Aunt Sue and Uncle Tom are coming up from Birmingham, and bringing the twins with them. Ned is coming, too. He’s bringing that floozie he’s been dilly dallying with since the divorce. I thought that would stop Cheryl coming, but, God love her, she says she doesn’t care and that she’s bringing a male friend. Is that what they’re calling a boyfriend these days? A male friend? God only knows who it is. She says we don’t know him. I do so hope he’s a nice lad, though. She deserves someone nice after the run-around Ned gave her. Between you and me, if he wasn’t my cousin, I’d give him a clip around the ears. I just hope your brother Jordy doesn’t say something to him. I don’t want them spoiling your night. And Carol—you remember Carol, don’t you? From bingo?—well, she’s coming with her new bloke, and—”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Mom! Who didn’t you invite?”

“Father Henderson, which is probably just as well if you’re going to take the Lord’s name in vain and swear like a trooper, Sebastian.”

I flushed—not even the ten or fifteen thousand miles and God only knew how many seas and oceans that separated Sydney from the UK managed to dim my mother’s ability to reduce me to feeling like a ten-year-old again.

“Sorry, Mom, but, jeez, it sounds like the entire extended family and half of Yorkshire are going to be watching.”

“Well, Aunt Peg said she can’t because she has to work, though I promised her we’d record it, but other than that….”

I groaned. I was going to shoot Declan. How could he run off and tell my mom about my going on Written in the Stars? How could he offer to livestream it to her? He knew what she was like. Come the fourteenth of February, my humiliation would be complete. I’d never be able to return to the UK.

About the author:

Lily Velden lives on the east coast of Australia, her family having emigrated from Holland when she was a child.

She’s both a left and right brain person, holding qualifications in both Finance and Fine Arts. She tells her friends that her way with numbers will make her a profitable artist and writer… one day.

Lily has always had a love of language and a beautifully crafted sentence, and admits to having a fetish for collecting quotes, poems, and song lyrics. What she won’t admit to is how many notebooks she’s filled with those quotes… Her fascination carries on into her artworks where she often incorporates text. When a shoulder injury slowed down her art practice she decided to explore her love of the written word more fully and began writing. “I’ll paint my pictures with words.”

Not that she’s abandoned artmaking in its entirety—Lily collaborates on the designs for all her book covers.

There are many things Lily loves, here are just a few of the PG rated ones: a good laugh (all the better if caused by a naughty joke), the smell of freshly baked goods and mown grass, a smile from a stranger, rainbows after the rain, and witnessing a promise kept.

Social media links:

Website: http://lilyvelden.wordpress.com/

Email: lilyvelden@live.com.au

Twitter Name: @LilyVelden

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lily.velden

Tumblr: http://lilyvelden.tumblr.com/

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Published on November 14, 2014 00:45

Bent-Con, part two

I’m sharing more pictures from Bent-Con!

There were great panels. This one made me totally fangirl: Jane Espenson and Brad Brell and Sean Hemeon from Husbands.

I had a blast. If you have the chance to attend Bent-Con, go!

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Published on November 13, 2014 00:23

Bent-Con report, part 1

Well, I had a fun weekend at Bent-Con!

One of the highlights was getting to hang out with a great group of authors:

From left to right: Venona Keyes, Morticia Knight, Rhys Ford (in the back), Piper Vaughn, Marilin (whose name I’m spelling wrong–sorry!!), Poppe Daniels, me, ZA Maxfield, Jordan Hawk, Rafe Haze, Gin Hale, Marshall Thornton, LE Franks, James Buchanan. Also there, but not pictured were Belinda McBride, Jet Mykles, Lou Harper, and Lou Sylvre.

Another highlight was the cosplay:

I met some great people, too:

That’s Merman Jax on the left (out of costume, but still very cute). And on the right, Jon Macy, author of Fearful Hunter, doing an awesome drawing when he signed my book.

I’ll post more pics later this week.

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Published on November 11, 2014 00:20

Please welcome LJ Harris!

Title: Just Like Pulling Teeth

Author: LJ Harris

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Short Story Blurb:

A trip to the dentist has never been so… interesting…

JUST LIKE PULLING TEETH is also a part of the BOLLOCKS! Anthology

Buy links

AMAZON US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ31N2I/

AMAZON UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OJ31N2I/

AMAZON AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00OJ31N2I/

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/just-like-pulling-teeth-lj-harris/1120558936?ean=9781925222067

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-justlikepullingteeth-1658979-145.html

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/just-like-pulling-teeth-by-l-j-harris/

Excerpt

“BOLLOCKS,” I groaned, failing at my attempt to chew on the wedge of pickle-covered cheese. It was only Tuesday, and yet, as I sat at the end of the bar at the Thistle and Lion, whining and moaning with every bite of my ploughman’s lunch, this particular week had already begun to drag. I’d had the mother of all headaches for two days, and throbbing gums for three, the pain so bloody awful I’d been driven to take some long overdue time off work. My bite had been out of alignment for weeks, thanks to the swelling in the back of my mouth, and everything above my shoulders hurt.

Even my sodding hair.

The ibuprofen I was taking was no longer helping, and I hadn’t slept well in days. Luckily my sister, Rachel, was able to secure an appointment with a new dentist near where she worked. Dr. Anderson had been looking after my teeth ever since I was a young lad, but retired earlier in the year. As much as I felt awkward around new people, I figured I’d give this new bloke a shot, considering my dear sister had been gushing about how wonderful he was non-stop for the past few weeks. It wasn’t as though I had much choice, anyway. The other dentists I’d contacted, including every one of them at the Holistic Solutions Clinic, were booked solid for months ahead.

I didn’t even give a toss if I had to get my teeth pulled, if it meant the pain would go away.

Unable to finish my meal, I downed the rest of my pint to help sate my hunger and perhaps give me a little Dutch courage before I left a tenner on the end of the bar and headed for the men’s to carefully floss and brush.

It was torture, yes, but no sense in grossing out the new dentist with my recently acquired mustard pickle and beer breath.

I made my way across the cobbled alleyway that was a stone’s throw away from the city centre, the London sun shining and the air brisk with mid-October winds, until I found myself standing in the lobby of the two-storey building. Quickly checking the directory located next to a small cafe, I made my way up the single flight of stairs, passing by everything from chiropractors to physiotherapists, acupuncturists to hypnotherapists.

I was certain the name on suite door number ten, Acacia Dental Spa, was a contradiction in terms.

About the author

L. J. HARRIS is a mother of teenage twin boys who she loves with all her heart. Her family is her life, her soul, and the very reason she gets out of bed every day. Coming a close second to her family is her writing.

She only just discovered a passion for writing in the past five or so years. She’d always written little poems in birthday cards for family members, but that was as far as her writing aspirations went…until she decided to write poems and give them to family members as homemade gifts.

It was then a spark was lit, and ever since, she hasn’t been unable to switch off the urge to write.

After a close family member fell ill, she began questioning what she wanted and searching for answers. Unable to sleep one night, she sat up and typed out her feelings on the laptop. Her husband read what she’d written and encouraged her to write more. It was then she knew she wanted to share her thoughts with others. She began with writing what she knew—her life story, but couldn’t get into it. Instead, she decided to write about something not based on fact, but fiction, and wrote a dream sequence which she showed to her family. They encouraged her to expand on it, and she hasn’t stopped since.

L.J. Harris discovered that as much as enduring pain, loss, betrayal, or any other negative thing in our lives can be devastating, if she hadn’t experienced them for herself, she not only wouldn’t have found some lifelong friends, she doubts she would have been able to write the feelings of anguish and loss that some of her characters have had to endure.

L.J. has been previously published and has shared several online stories and looks forward to continuing to share her work.

L. J. Harris can be found at:

Website: http://theworldofljharris.blogspot.com.au

Email: lisa.harris1965@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LJHarrisAuthor?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LJHarrisAuthor

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/heartofdarkess

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Published on November 07, 2014 00:42

Goodreads nominations

I’m off to Bent-Con. I will post pics and a report. But first I have to survive a really boring 300 mile drive. I have audiobooks. If you’ll be at Bent-Con, please stop by to say hello. I’ll be at the Inkslingers booth (along with some fantastic authors).

Some of you wonderful people have nominated me for several things at the Goodreads M/M Romance group’s Member’s Choice awards. Thank you so much!! If you’re a member (it’s free to join) you can continue to nominate your favorite authors and stories through November 22. Voting begins November 28.