Allison Cassatta's Blog, page 5

Release Day: Dear Diary 3 - Relationships 101

"Dear Diary: Relationships 101" ~ Book 3Released 2013 from Dreamspinner Press
EDITIONS: eBook

LENGTH: Novella

GENRE: M/M, Contemporary

COVER ART: Allison Cassatta & Paul Richmond

Blurb
Chris Bishop graduated high school with Josh, the love of his life, by his side. Agreeing it's not wise to room together, the boys choose to live in the dorms—separate dorms. But their decision fails to keep them apart, and on day one they’re caught making out by Chris's devilishly handsome new roommate, Patrick—who happens to bat for the same team, athletically and sexually speaking.

As Patrick and Chris vie for the position of track team captain, Patrick unintentionally fills Chris's mind with doubts about Josh's fidelity. Young relationships are rife with painful bumps. Will Chris and Josh see it through?
Buy it now!Amazon
All Romance EBooks
Dreamspinner Press

Excerpt
“WE’RE so proud of you, honey,” his mom said, cradling Chris’s face between her soft hands. Her eyes glistened with the same pride she professed. She didn’t have to keep telling him, though. The way she treated him and looked at him more than proved the words she kept saying. Either way, it felt pretty damn awesome to know he’d done right by his parents, even with the bit of trouble he’d found himself in during his senior year.
She leaned in, across the giant box marked dorm in Chris’s arms, to kiss his cheek. He caught a glimpse over her shoulder of his dad and boyfriend grinning from ear to ear—almost teasingly smiling because they knew just about everything made Chris turn all red-faced and that so wasn’t a manly thing to do. He silently prayed for his dad to chime in with a “You’re embarrassing the kid, Nan,” but it never came.
When she pulled back, she firmly brushed her thumb over Chris’s cheek, probably wiping away her rust-colored lipstick. Chris couldn’t help but frown. The friction of her thumb against the hollowed part of his cheek hurt. It burned more than a little bit, but he didn’t complain.
His mom needed to take care of him apparently, even though Chris was all grown-up now. He could tell by the way she stared so deeply with her semiwatery eyes at that one spot on his face that she wasn’t exactly ready for Chris to rush off and be a man.
His father and boyfriend were obviously trying not to laugh. Cassie, Chris’s little sister, played by a group of trees in the distance—tossing dried brown leaves in the air and rushing to jump beneath them before they all dropped to the ground. The sunlight raining down around her made her tawny curls look like strings of silky caramel. Her laughter somehow broke through the sounds of cars leaving the parking lot and the myriad voices of fellow students and their parents saying good-bye and promising to see each other again over the holidays.
The oversized box in Chris’s arms grew heavier and heavier as the minutes passed, but he didn’t rush his mother. She seemed to need this moment, and after everything they’d all been through over the last six months, Chris could give her whatever time she needed.
After the beating he’d taken in the bathroom his senior year of high school, his mom had been leery to let go too easily. His parents had sent him off to his first Gay Pride parade, but she’d made sure to let Chris know how much she’d worried about him when he’d returned home.
“Mom,” Chris said in a soft, sympathetic tone. “I’m about to drop this thing.”
“Sorry. Sorry,” she said as she released his head from her unwavering grip.
She took a step back and joined his dad, and Josh stepped forward to take her place. He grabbed the box from Chris’s arms so Chris could give his father one last manly half hug.
“Call us once you get all settled, okay, son?” his dad said as he patted Chris’s back.
“Yes, sir. Hey, Cass,” Chris called out, and his little sister’s head popped up from a pile of leaves. A strong gust of wind blew through and kicked the pile up around her. She giggled again.
“You want to give me a hug before I go?” Chris asked.
Cass darted across the lawn and scampered across the pavement, running into Chris’s long legs with a force strong enough to make him take a step back. Laughing, he knelt down to pick her up and hugged her tight, maybe a lot longer than she would’ve liked.
Out of everyone in his family, Chris knew he would miss her the most. Even though she annoyed the hell out of him half the time, he knew he would miss those unexpected visits when she wanted him to play with her and Slobbers, or when she had one of those goofy, childish jokes she always liked to share, and the way she looked up to him as if he could do no wrong.
She kissed his cheek, then giggled again. “You’re not gonna miss my birfday, are ya?”
“No, I’ll come home for your birthday, I promise.”
“Yay!” she squealed so loudly the ear-piercing sound made Chris flinch. Josh lightly chuckled behind him.
“Good,” she said. “Ya better bring me presents.”
“I will. I will.”
“And Josh too?” Her little arm darted by Chris’s face, tiny finger stabbing in Josh’s direction. Chris followed her pointing and found Josh smiling.
“Of course, Cass,” Josh said. “Birthdays are my favorite.”
“Yay,” she squealed again. They all laughed.
“All right, Cassie,” his dad said. “Kiss your brother good-bye. He has to get ready for school.”
She immediately did as she was told, pressing her lips hard to the raw spot on Chris’s cheek where his mother had tried to rub his skin away. He practically had to pry Cass’s arms off him, and as he handed her over to his dad, Chris could hear her little pretantrum whimpers.
Cassie and Chris kept their eyes glued on each other. As long as he didn’t break his stare, she wouldn’t throw a fit. That was a little trick he’d learned over the last couple of years. And while nobody’s sense of hearing could survive her yelling and crying, it was kinda endearing—totally annoying, but really sweet—the way she never wanted to let Chris out of her sight.
They all waved to each other one last time. Though Chris knew there was nothing permanent about this good-bye, letting his family go, knowing he wouldn’t see them until November, really hurt.
Taking Josh’s side, Chris turned around and started toward the dorms. They crossed the parking lot, Chris looking back only once, long enough to catch his parents standing there watching with Cassie still in his father’s arms. His family wouldn’t leave until Chris was inside the building and well away from their sight, not that he minded. He understood. They’d done the same thing the night of his prom, and when he’d gotten his driver’s license, and when he’d gone into junior high school, and… well, they were proud of Chris. Clearly.
“I wish my family was like that,” Josh quietly admitted.
In the near year Josh and Chris had been together, Josh had never really talked about his family. He’d mentioned his coming out not going so well and how his folks never wanted to talk about his sexuality. Actually, they ignored it like it didn’t exist, according to him. The subject always felt really off-limits, but Chris had never and would never push. He’d never asked Josh anything about them, figuring his boyfriend would talk about his mom and dad when he was good and ready. The fact Josh had chosen to bring them up now came as a little surprise. Maybe he finally wanted to give Chris some insight into his family life. Maybe they’d finally gotten that comfortable with each other.
“Where is your family?” Chris asked as he reached for the door. The question seemed safe enough, not prodding at all.
Josh’s foot hit the bottom step without him answering the question. He started up the stairs with a confusing expression on his face. It looked like he was either remembering his past or thinking of some way to ease Chris into the truth of his relationship with his parents.
“If you don’t want to talk about it…,” Chris said quietly .
“Honestly, I don’t, but you deserve to know. We’ve been together long enough for me to talk about it with you, I think.”
“You don’t have to.”
“No, I will. Just… give me a minute, okay?”
Chris held the door, the one at the landing leading to his second-floor dorm room. He sort of hated not sharing an apartment with Josh this year, but they’d both decided it would be best not to for Chris’s first year away from home. Not only did Chris have the stress of being a freshman in college to deal with, but they hadn’t even been together a full year yet, and moving in together seemed a bit hazardous. Not to mention the fact Josh had never lived outside the dorms before, and neither one of them had jobs.
Watching the numbers as they made their way down the hall, Chris silently counted each door with a subtle nod until they reached room two nineteen—his first address away from home.
“We’re here,” Chris said as he reached in his pocket and fished out the tiny golden key.
When he unlocked the door, it sprang open, and the room was still empty save for the stuff he’d piled onto his bed during his first trip up with his dad. His mysterious roommate still hadn’t made an appearance, and Chris silently hoped he would end up getting to keep the room to himself.
Josh set the box down on one of the desks, then shook out his arms as if he needed to get the blood flowing right again. He gave Chris one of his infamous wicked smiles, then stepped closer. Chris knew the look in his eyes—the way they shimmered and the way he looked straight at Chris’s lips and nothing else.
Trailing the tips of his fingers over Chris’s inner arm, Josh leaned in to give him a quick kiss. “I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” Chris responded without hesitation as he twined their fingers together.

Havan Fellows

#Q {text-align: left; line-height:150%; font-style:italic;} #A {text-align: left; margin-left: 2em;} #Close {text-align: center; font-style:italic;} #Para {text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;}

It is my pleasure to introduce Havan Fellows, author of the Wicked's Way series Havan Fellows
Tell us a little bit about how Wicked's Way came to life. What inspired the story? Wick Templeton (Wicked's Way series in the Pulp Friction world) formed in my mind the moment Laura Harner started talking to me, Lee Brazil and Tom Webb about maybe doing a couple of quick M/M reads in the Pulp Fiction genre. Wick took the idea and five books later is still going strong.
Who is your favorite character and what makes them so memorable to you? Well of course I love Wick - he is the star of my series...but Banyu (his IT techie geek) is awesome! He makes and does the coolest stuff and his humor is so deadpan that you gotta laugh... here is a quick clip from Wicked Incarceration (bk #3) of an exchange between them over the phone (because you only ever see Banyu over the phone lol):

Wick waited for the completion of Banyu's thought, but never got it. "Um…Banyu?"

"Yes?"

"You do realize I'm in jail right now. I'm on a bit of a time crunch for how long I can pace in a utility closet talking on a contraband phone to a tech genius that could turn off the power to this whole facility in less than five minutes."

Banyu snorted. "Two minutes. Do you want the power brought down?"

"I like how you're thinking, let's keep that option open for now. But how about something a bit more tangible for me to wrap my hands around at the moment?"
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what made you decide to write? That's simple - I love entertaining people. I love when people are happy, mad, angry, upset or even turned on...I'm Italian so I love all emotions and to be able to draw them out of someone with a few words...well that's heady stuff right there. Not to mention it's good for my ego lol.
Any advice for aspiring authors? There are plenty of readers out there - there's enough pie for all of us - there is no reason for cutthroat tactics and negativity. Align yourself with true friends and just do what you love. :)
Soooooo...I just published book five in my Wicked's Way series...Wicked Truths. I'm telling you I'm darn proud of this series...the way the Pulp Friction authors have taken very distinct characters and interwoven them throughout four series in the Pulp Friction world is amazing and rewarding. For one lucky winner I'm giving out the first two books in the series...and if the winner already has them I'll definitely substitute for a book in the series you don't have. :)
So buckle up and take a ride through Atlanta with Wick Templeton...he's sure to make you laugh, and scream - he'll definitely make you shiver...lol. You can follow Havan Fellows on Blogspot, on Twitter, on Facebook. You can also visit Havan's Amazon list or aRe List. WIN THE BOOK NOW!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Wicked's Way book 1 & 2
From Appleton Publishing Avenue, released 2013-09-13
Blurb:A man from Wick's past knows Ned's secrets and is after their future…wicked truths are coming…Wick Templeton is not dating Ned. At least that's his story—period. But when someone decides that Ned's time on earth is over, Wick doesn't bother with the semantics of it…his boyfriend is in danger and that's unacceptable.What happens when the person targeting Ned just may be the only person Wick can't defend against?Secrets are revealed, people are hurt, and a very shaky relationship is tested. When the dust clears nothing in Wick's life will be the same.Caution: This is the fifth in the series, and while you can read this by itself...you know what? Forget it...no you can't read this one by itself and miss out on all the stuff that makes Wick so darn awesome, go back and start with the first one.

Slippery When Wet Blog Hop

img.noborder { border: 0px; -moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, .0); -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, .0); box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, .0); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px; background: none; }
WIN IT NOW!!! Released September 2013 Dreamspinner Press Anderson “Andy” Hartley Jr. lives the life of a playboy with Daddy’s money, but without love. If his father finds out Andy’s gay, the game’s over. So he restricts his sex life to the pool house and seems content until he meets the gorgeous new groundskeeper, who just might turn his life upside-down.

Merrick “Maverick” Washington is African-American, an ex-SEAL, and recently released from prison after his false conviction was overturned. Working for a rich white dude who looks down his nose at him is one more blow to his spirit. But any job is a step toward self-sufficiency, and Maverick’s not willing to risk that for a spoiled brat. Then Andy tugs at more than Maverick’s body, and he’s starting to wonder how things would shake out if they both overcame their fears and let their worlds collide. Buy it now!Dreamspinner Press
All Romance EBooks
Amazon
Barnes and Noble a Rafflecopter giveaway

DC Juris

#Q {text-align: left; line-height:150%; font-style:italic;} #A {text-align: left; margin-left: 2em;} #Close {text-align: center; font-style:italic;} #Para {text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;} It is my pleasure to introduce DC Juris, author of DC Juris Talks About Pudding Jones
DC Juris
Tell us a little bit about how Pudding Jones came to life. What inspired the story? "Pudding Jones" springs from a lot of sources - part of it is based on real life, part isn't. A lot of it draws from my own childhood. I actually started writing it several years ago, but put it aside when I realized how it would end - I just refused to finish it. But life being what it is...I ended up in an emotionally heavy situation, and this book resurfaced, and just demanded to be completed. Far be it from me to debate with my muse. Who is your favorite character and what makes them so memorable to you? In this story, I like the characters equally. Pudding is so tragic...there's just so very much potential there, and you're forced to wonder, had his childhood been different, where could he have ended up? What could he have accomplished? And Emmer has such a journey throughout this book. He goes from being this hot-shot to realizing he's not all that hot after all, and being very humbled. Many people don't take being humbled well, and I think Emmer accepts it with a kind of grace, which he certainly learned from Pudding. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what made you decide to write? I've been writing since I could hold a crayon - I wrote my first story on the walls of my bedroom in red crayon before I entered Kindergarten. Writing has just always been what I was meant to do. Otherwise, I'm you're typical, run-of-the-mill human: I love, love, LOVE (did I mention love?) Star Trek (TOS), drag shows, cupcakes, good food, good wine, reading, photography, Star Trek, long drives to nowhere, rummage sales, antiques, playing games on my iPhone...Oh, and Star Trek. I don't think I mentioned that. Any advice for aspiring authors? Read and write. Seriously - just read and write. Read everything - read the 5 Star books and the 1 Star books. You'll find some of them are alarmingly similar. But read them anyway. Learn what you like to read. Learn what you don't like to read. Figure out your own personal pet peeves and DON'T DO ANY OF THEM EVER! You'll be about 3 steps ahead of the game just by doing that. Do not look at writing magazines - they will only make you feel inadequate. Well, not really - they can actually be very helpful, depending, but points if you got the reference.
Thanks for having me, dahling! ::smooches:: And thanks to everyone who stopped by and took a moment to check out the post!
You can follow DC Juris on My website is www.dcjuris.com. I'm on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dcjuris or @dcjuris. I'm on Facebook at my author page of www.facebook.com/danielchristianjuris, and my personal page at www.facebook.com/dcjuris. My blog is http://dcjuris.blogspot.com. I'm on Tumblr, but only for the porn. ::wink:: WIN THE BOOK NOW!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pudding Jones
From Wilde City Press, released 2013-07-31

Blurb:
Award-winning reporter Emmer Richfield is the kind of guy who covers wars, the kind of guy who asks the hard-hitting questions. He is not—and he's certain about this—the kind of guy who does sappy human-interest stories about homeless people. But his newest assignment is not just any human-interest story, it's a mandate from the mayor: convince the people of Dodson that Foxton Industries' plan to build a mall—and oust the homeless population—is a bad idea by way of a feature on a homeless man named Pudding Jones. But Pudding quickly goes from just another story to a man who changes Emmer's life. The question is, can Emmer return the favor before it's too late?

Reader Appreciation Day!

The Sweet Spot
M/M Reader Appreciation Day When: Saturday, September 21st from 8 am - 8 pm EDT
Where: The Sweet Spot Yahoo Group
The following authors have generously donated these books or other prizes:
Lori Toland - ebook copy of THE REPLACEMENT GUITARISTAllison Cassatta - ebook copy of PATIENT PRIVILEGEAllison Cassatta - ebook copy of THREE LITTLE WORDSKaje Harper - ebook copy of LEARNING CURVE - LIFE LESSONS BOOK #4Tara Lain - ebook copy of F.A.S.T. BALLSWilla Okati - ebook copy of IN THE KEY OFAngel Rothamel - ebook copy of HANDCUFFS AND LACELynley Wayne - ebook copy of ROCKY'S ROADKendall McKenna - ebook copy of STRENGTH OF THE WOLFEvelise Archer - ebook copy of WE ARE DADDYJambrea Jo Jones - ebook copy of winner's choice from backlist Sloan Parker - winner's choice of $15 Amazon.com or All Romance eBooks Gift Card S.J. Frost - ebook copy of winner's choice from backlist

Tracey Michael

#HTML8 {display: none;} #Q {text-align: left; line-height:150%; font-style:italic;} #A {text-align: left; margin-left: 2em;} #Close {text-align: center; font-style:italic;} #Para {text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;} It is my pleasure to introduce Tracey Steinbach, author of Two Firemen and a Lady
Tracey Michael
Tell us a little bit about how Two Fireman and a Lady came to life. What inspired the story? Some voice I'd never heard before started whispering in my head. He got louder and more insistent the longer I tried to ignore him, until I gave up and started his story. Who is your favorite character and what makes them so memorable to you? Out of Mac, Travis and Grace, Grace is my favorite. She's a strong woman with a heart of gold. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what made you decide to write? I'm a wife and mother. I have a day job in the accounting department of a local manufacturing plant. I've always wished I could write. And I've read books where I got the WTF look and thought "Someone published this crap?! I can do better than this." Allison Cassatta (You might've heard of her. She rocks!) gave me an opportunity to put my money where my mouth was. I love to read. I joke I write to fund my reading habit. Any advice for aspiring authors? Go for it! Put yourself out there, if writing is your dream. Rejection hurts but authors, I've found for the most part, are a very supportive family. Someone will have your back and help you, should you need advise.

You can follow Tracey Michael on
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Tracey-Steinbach-also-writing-as-Tracey-Michael/255179941185173http://www.twitter.com/mamas449http://traceysteinbachtraceymichael.blogspot.com/http://traceysteinbachmichael.webs.com/ WIN THE BOOK NOW!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Two Fireman and a Lady
From Secret Craving, released August 16, 2013

Blurb:
Mac loves his wife, Grace and would do anything for her. Anything includes asking their best friend, Travis over so they can seduce her. After all, they'd done it before and they had all enjoyed it. But Travis's true feelings for the couple come to light after their night of passion. Mac is then forced to confront his own feelings for Travis.Grace gets some startling news that puts their new relationship to the test. Can they resolve everything and get back to being happy?When a fire threatens to destroy part of their family, they learn what family is all about.

THIS IS LOVE RELEASE

You finally get to read what Remmy and Allison have been whispering about...
NEW FROM DREAMSPINNER PRESS!
What happens when a bad-boy ex-SEAL and convicted felon crosses paths with a rich playboy who's been sheltered in suburbia his whole life?
Anderson “Andy” Hartley Jr. lives the life of a playboy with Daddy’s money, but without love. If his father finds out Andy’s gay, the game’s over. So he restricts his sex life to the pool house and seems content until he meets the gorgeous new groundskeeper, who just might turn his life upside-down.
Merrick “Maverick” Washington is African-American, an ex-SEAL, and recently released from prison after his false conviction was overturned. Working for a rich white dude who looks down his nose at him is one more blow to his spirit. But any job is a step toward self-sufficiency, and Maverick’s not willing to risk that for a spoiled brat. Then Andy tugs at more than Maverick’s body, and he’s starting to wonder how things would shake out if they both overcame their fears and let their worlds collide.

Buy it now!
Dreamspinner Press  All Romance EBooks 
Amazon

Serena Yates

#HTML8 {display: none;} #Q {text-align: left; line-height:150%; font-style:italic;} #A {text-align: left; margin-left: 2em;} #Close {text-align: center; font-style:italic;} #Para {text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;}

It's my pleasure to introduce Serena Yates, author of "Fighting for Love" Serena Yates

Tell us a little bit about how this story came to life came to life. What inspired inspired? When I was writing the first story in the Modern Battles series, "Fighting for Hope", one of the key secondary characters was Danny McBrae. He is Dr. Grayson Burrows's best friend, but we don't get to see him very much in that book - not beyond a few crucial interactions. Danny is an odd contradiction: a total playboy, very "out there" as a gay man, seemingly without a care in the world or a lot of depth, yet very good at helping Grayson sort out his love life. When some of my editors and fans started commenting on Danny, wondering whether he'd get his own story, I began to wonder. What made him the man he is? What would his story be? That was the beginning of "Fighting for Love".
Who is your favorite character and what makes them so memorable to you? I don't think I have a favorite character. I don't have a favorite book, either. There are too many cool, fascinating, compelling characters and stories out there for me to pick just one. No way!
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what made you decide to write? Once upon a time, long, long ago, my mother read me a fairy tale. I must have been about four years old, but I don't remember which one it was. When it ended I wasn't very happy - not because the story was over, but because I didn't like what happened. I thought to myself: "I want to change that story. I can tell it better." That moment, essentially, was what made me decide. I took a few "detours" before I became a full time writer, but that was the first time I remember realizing there was something interesting about telling stories.
Any advice for aspiring authors? Find your own way of writing in terms of timing (morning/evening, every day/certain times a week, etc.), figure out what works for you (planning or seat-of-the-pants). Get one or more beta readers and LISTEN to them! Be prepared to rewrite a story at any time. Don't give up after the first rejection - and not even after the first 10! Read, read some more, and then really read!
I love to hear from my readers! Please find me in any of the places listed below and I promise, I'll get back to you!
You can follow Serena Yates at...
http://www.serenayates.com
https://www.facebook.com/serenayates09
https://twitter.com/SerenaYates
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964333.Serena_Yates
Or email her at serena@serenayates.com WIN THE BOOK NOW!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Fighting for Love (Modern Battles 2)
From Dreamspinner Press, released September 2013 [image error]

Blurb:
Modern Battles: Book Two

Danny McBrae is a super-rich playboy, but his devil-may-care lifestyle hides an artist with a sensitive heart who gave up on love after years of hurt. When his beloved great-grandfather, the eccentric Sir Malcolm Witherspoon, dies and leaves a rare piece of land to Oxford Hospital Trust, Danny finds new purpose. He uses some of his inherited wealth to help finance the planned children's hospital, supporting his best friend, Dr. Grayson Burrows, who heads the project team.

When Grayson is seriously injured, Danny meets Dr. Halldor Magnusson, the neurologist who treats Grayson. Halldor has some weird ideas about keeping Grayson away from James, his lover, so Danny initially dislikes him. But Halldor also has his own deeply personal reasons for wanting the children's hospital to become a reality, and the initial mutual distrust changes into interest and attraction. When Danny's jealous ex-lover tries to tear them apart and someone is trying to get Halldor removed from the project team, they decide to join forces so they can win the battle.

Neither of the men is looking for love. Yet they discover it may be worth fighting for.

Will Parkinson

#Q {text-align: left; line-height:150%; font-style:italic;} #A {text-align: left; margin-left: 2em;} #Close {text-align: center; font-style:italic;} #Para {text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;} It is my pleasure to introduce Will Parkinson, author of "Pitch" Meet Will Parkinson


Tell us a little bit about how "Pitch" came to life. What inspired the story?Pitch actually came about as the result of a dream. I woke up from it and had to type it out. The original story was called "You're Kidding?" and was about the guys in college. A friend asked if I planned to expand the story and the idea intrigued me. When Eden told me that she thought I had a great voice for YA stories, I opted to take the guys back into high school.
Who is your favorite character and what makes them so memorable to you?Benny. He's a god, I swear. Everyone should have one of their very own. He's possessive of his friends and protective to a fault.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what made you decide to write?I'm 49 years old on the outside. Inside I'm still a kid. When I was fourteen I fell in love with writing. It was an escape for me, especially as I came to understand that I was gay. Writing was an outlet for me and helped me to deal with the feelings I had. Of course I could never show my writing to anyone, since I was still in the closet. When I finally wrote a story I could share, I took it to my father and handed it to him. I was so proud of what I'd done and having something I could finally share. He took it from my hand, looked at me, and said, 'What are you wasting your time on that shit for? It's never going to amount to anything.' I was crushed. Completely and totally. I took everything I'd ever written, "Free at Last", "The Triad", "Happy Endings" and some sci-fi stuff, threw them in a box and stopped writing. It took many years before I met Eden Winters who set me on the road to reclaiming what I'd lost - my dream that I could write something people would enjoy.
Any advice for aspiring authors?Never stop. It doesn't matter what others tell you. Keep working on it, hone your craft, find others who can help you.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to do this. It's been a wild roller coaster, and I'm a bit freaked out over the generosity of friends who have helped me get where I am.
You can follow Will Parkinson at http://www.willparkinson.com/ and on Facebook. WIN THE BOOK NOW!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Pitch
From Harmony Ink, released August, 2013
Buy it from Harmony Ink
Blurb:The day Jackson Kern walks into Taylor Andrews’s classroom is a momentous day in Taylor's life. He's had crushes before, sure, but as time goes on, this is starting to look a whole lot more serious. Still, Jackson doesn’t return Taylor’s feelings. Taylor has his own admirers, though. Kevin Richards is used to getting what he wants, and what he wants right now is Taylor, so when Taylor rejects him, Kevin retaliates. At first Taylor’s entourage rallies around him, but then Kevin takes his deception one step further and Taylor sees his support dwindle, teaching him the valuable lesson about who he can truly consider a friend.

Eden Winters

#Q {text-align: left; line-height:150%; font-style:italic;} #A {text-align: left; margin-left: 2em;} #Close {text-align: center; font-style:italic;} #Para {text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;} It is my pleasure to introduce Eden Winters, author of "Diversion"
Meet Eden Winters

Tell us a little bit about how "Diversion" came to life. What inspired the story?

In my short story Highway Man, I experimented with a new type of character, a gruff, not-very-lovable-on-the-surface kind of guy who has a good heart if he trusts you enough to show it. In the writing I discovered a love for growly, flawed heroes in need of a good man to love.

Part of my day job includes reading articles related to the pharamceutical industry, and one day I came across an account of a man stealing a tractor trailer full of medicine in two and a half minutes. Hmmm... Enter Diversion and its star Lucky Lucklighter, former drug trafficker now working off his sentence in service to the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. He's arrogant, cocky, and totally wrapped around partner Bo Schollenberger's finger--though Lucky won't admit it. Umm... because even I had trouble believing the two and a half minute thing, I increased Lucky's truck stealing time to five minutes, though he blamed his lousy performance on cold fingers.

Who is your favorite character and what makes them so memorable to you?

Actually, I love Bo and Lucky equally in this story (and in the sequels). Lucky says and does the things I wish I had the guts to say and do, and he's the brawn in the relationship--Bo is the brains and the heart. Bo sees the good in people whereas Lucky only sees the bad. Together they create balance.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what made you decide to write?

I've always written, even as a child, and hatched plot bunnies from listening to music or daily experiences even before I knew what they were. When I discovered M/M stories, I was hooked. While discussing a favorite book with a friend I'd met in fanfiction, she said to me, "We could do this, you know." The rest is history. That friend's name? P.D. (Pam) Singer.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

The biggest hurdle to writing a book, in my opinion, is the belief that you can't. Writing 8,000 words is easier than 80,000, so publish a short story. Hey! You're now a published author! You CAN do it! So go write!

Diversion is the first book in a series that follows the pharmaceutical crime-fighting careers of two very different men who each had a brush with the law and are now paying for their mistakes. Collusion continues their story as they tackle a very difficult case that pits them not only against the bad guys, but each other. Watch for the third installment, Corruption, this fall. Bo on a Harley, in chaps. 'Nuff said.
You can follow Eden Winters at www.edenwinters.com, edenwinters1 on Twitter, and Eden Winters on Facebook. WIN THE BOOK NOW!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Diversion
From Amber Allure, released March, 2012 Blurb:

Drug dealers aren't always on the streets; sometimes they sit in offices and board rooms, selling merchandise in official looking bottles instead of little cellophane bags.

When given a choice between eight more years in prison or using his "expertise" to assist the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau's Department of Diversion Prevention and Control, convicted drug trafficker Richmond "Lucky" Lucklighter takes the sentence with the illusion of freedom. Cynical and unwilling to admit he's begun to care about his job, he counts the days until his debt is paid. His sole obstacle to getting his life back is the rookie he's assigned to train before he leaves; a rookie who quotes pharmacy texts, hasn't paid his dues, and has the obnoxious tendency of seeing the good in everyone – including the target of their investigation.

Former Marine Bo Schollenberger dreamed of becoming a pharmacist and watched the dream turn into a nightmare of PTSD-fueled prescription drug abuse. Battling his demons daily, he wakes up every morning, wondering, "Will this be the day I give in?" To keep his license, he must now put his skills to use for a diversion control task force, deal with a crude partner with too much attitude and no brain-to-mouth filter, and take down a drug lord who reminds him of his favorite cooking show hostess.

The bad guys don't stand a chance -- if Lucky and Bo don't strangle each other first...