Cardeno C.'s Blog, page 22

Dammit Jim... I'm a Snowclone.

I'm a fan of the New York Times' "Morning Briefing" email. This is not a sales pitch, that's just a Jodi factoid. I read it every morning. The beginning of the email starts with the headlines, summarized with links if you want to read further. Then there's a "Smarter Living" section and a "Noteworthy" section that also have links about life and pop-culture kind of stuff. But what I really enjoy is the "Backstory" section at the end. 
Backstory is just interesting "did you know" kind of stuff. Stories about who was the first to reach the North Pole or about that day in 1930 when the BBC evening bulletin on the radio reported "Good Evening, Today is Good Friday. There is no news." and followed that with fifteen minutes of piano music since there was, apparently, nothing to report.
Friday, there was a black and white picture of General Douglas MacArthur, who coined the phrase, "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away." But the Back Story wasn't about MacArthur, it was about something called "Snowclones".
I had never heard the term "snowclones", but I've certainly used them. You have too. They gave a couple of examples but I also tried to come up with one or two of my own.
Everyone knows the phrase, "What happens in Fight Club, stays in Fight Club." So to snowclone that, replace "Fight Club" with "X" and then fill in the blank. What happens in book club, stays in book club, or the already popular "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas".
Another one: "These are not the droids you are looking for." Could be what I often say to my kids, with a Jedi gesture, "I am not the mother you are looking for."
They are everywhere:
X is the new Y (as in Orange is the New Black)Keep X and Y on (as in Keep Cool and Rock On)X? We don't need no stinking X! (seems clear)I'm not an X, but I play one on TV (also clear)
Feel like playing along, or have a favorite? Drop it in the comments below!
Happy Sunday all!
Jodijodipayne.net

Chapter One of My Work In Progress by S.C. Wynne

Good morning all!

I apologize for missing my post last week. My only excuse is I was deep in the writing cave and I literally forgot! I'm so sorry and I will do my best to not be such a ninny in the future.

I thought I'd share the first chapter of a new mystery series I'm working on. I like to move around a lot. I have my psychic series, and the new Dr. Maxwell Thornton mysteries and also this series which I tentatively call The Hollywood Detective Mysteries. It keeps it fresh for me and my readers when I allow myself to write different things. You want me happy, right? :D I'm more productive when I'm happy!

Okay, here is the first chapter and blurb of Reality Kills:

Blurb:

Detective Cabot Decker is a man who deals in reality. He’s tough, tenacious and some might even say obsessed with his work. When he’s called to a TV film set because a man has been mauled to death by a tiger, he’s confused about why he’s there. He hunts murderers for a living. He doesn’t babysit uptight Hollywood producers because their pet cat misbehaved.
Lex Barrington deals in reality TV. He’s a rising star in Hollywood, but something horrible is happening on the set of his hit show Don’t Die. Tigers are eating contestants and pythons are mysteriously escaping their cages and trying to strangle people.

Even though the two men butt heads, they also share a strong attraction. And the more Decker hangs around Lex’s world the clearer it becomes that someone wants the Hollywood superstar dead.
Chapter One
My phone always rang when I was juggling a cup of coffee and a bagel with cream cheese. It was like the universe waited for me to leave the damn coffeehouse before pressing send. I clamped my teeth on the paper bag that held my food and clumsily pulled my cell from my pocket.“Decker here,” I growled.“We’ve got a weird one for you, detective.” Lieutenant Bartlett sounded distracted.As I opened the car door, the plastic lid on my coffee popped off and java spilled down the front of my white shirt. “Shit.” I hissed as the hot liquid burned my chest.“Did I get you at a bad time?”“Not at all. I was just taking a bath in my coffee.” I set the half full cup in the holder and tossed the bag onto the passenger seat. I slid behind the wheel and wiped at the big brown stain on my shirt to no avail.“Anyway… you know that new reality show Don’t Die?”“No.” I didn’t watch a lot of TV, reality or otherwise.“Seriously? It’s a huge hit.”“Did you call to rag on me for not watching enough reality TV?” I started the car. “Where do I need to be?”“Zecker Studios down in North Hollywood. One of the contestants on Don’t Die got eaten by a Tiger.”I winced. “What the hell?”“I know.”“Shouldn’t you call Animal Control instead of me?” I pulled onto the street and headed in the direction of the studio. “What am I supposed to do, arrest the tiger?”“Very funny.”“I’m serious. Why am I going there?”“Because Lex Barrington is in charge of the show and he’s a big deal right now.” There were muffled voices in the background. “Look, I have to go. Treat the guy nice.”“Wait. Do not hang up until you tell me why a man being killed by a tiger is a murder investigation,” I grumbled.“Barrington seems to think there’s been foul play.”I tried not to laugh. “Did you seriously just use the term ‘foul play’?”“Decker, get your ass over there and talk to the guy. That’s an order.”“You’ve got it, boss.” I rolled my eyes and hung up. Thankfully it was a Saturday, so the traffic wasn’t as bad as it could have been. I managed to stuff down most of my cinnamon raisin bagel, minus the cream cheese, by the time I reached the front gate at Zecker Studios. I flashed my credentials, and the guard waved me in. There were already several black and whites and a forensic team at the scene. I gulped the last of my coffee and headed into the big building.The first thing that struck me as I entered the hangar was the strong smell of urine and the five hundred pound tiger pacing back and forth in a long steel enclosure. Outside the cage was a body covered with a black tarp. The animal seemed agitated as it chuffed and growled with its giant head hung low.“He’s a magnificent beast isn’t he?” A woman with a large felt hat approached. “Look at him; it’s like he knows he’s in trouble.”I showed her my badge. “I’m Homicide Detective Cabot Decker.” I studied her as I tucked my ID away. Her hat was crooked, and she had strands of auburn hair hanging messily around her shoulders. “Mind if I ask you who you are?”She grimaced. “Sorry. Lucinda Pinwheel.” She held out her hand. “I’m Benji’s handler.” Up close the deep lines around her eyes and forehead were obvious. She’d looked much younger from a distance with her long hair and slender build. “Benji wouldn’t hurt a fly usually.”I glanced at the covered corpse. “Maybe he was having a bad day.” I moved to the body and lifted the tarp slowly. I held my gag reflex in check as I studied the bloody torn mess in front of me. There were obvious teeth marks around the throat and the head was almost severed from the neck. The smell of blood made my stomach roll, but I kept examining the corpse looking for anything that might be inconsistent with an animal attack.“Hey, Decker.” Officer Eugene approached. “This is some grisly shit.” He looked a little queasy as he spoke.“Yeah.” I dropped the tarp back over the body and pulled out my note pad and pen. “What can you tell me?”He put his hands on his hips. “That some people will do anything for money?” He shook his head. “How desperate would a man have to be to spend the night in a cage with a wild animal? Jesus.”“I didn’t mean I needed you to get philosophical. What do you know about what happened here?”“It’s pretty cut and dried. The guy was in the cage and the tiger went after him.”“Was he alone?”“You mean other than the tiger?”I sighed. “I mean were there any witnesses?”Officer Eugene pursed his lips. “He was alone when it happened. There’s supposed to always be a camera man with the contestants. But apparently the guy assigned to our victim had severe intestinal issues and was on the toilet when the attack occurred.”“I’ll need to talk to the camera man ASAP.”“He’s at the hospital.”I frowned. “Why?”“Dehydration and hysteria. He found the body.”“Got it.”Lucinda shifted uneasily. “I still can’t believe this has happened. It doesn’t make any sense. I’ve worked with Benji’s for ten years and we’ve never once had an incident. He’s never even looked weird at a human before.”“Something triggered him.” I noticed a guy in an expensive suit standing a few feet away. He had his phone glued to his ear, and he emanated an air of confidence that told me he might be in charge. He was tall with broad shoulders and jet black hair, and as he hung up, he lifted his chin and strode toward me, holding out his hand.“I’m Lex Barrington.” His grip was firm and his palms felt smooth against my calloused hands. His cologne was spicy, masculine and probably way out of my budget.“Detective Decker.” The intensity of his gray stare was unsettling. I didn’t get unsettled easily, but he radiated power and confidence like a convection oven. When his gaze dropped to the dark stain on my shirt heat filled my cheeks. “I had a run in with a cup of coffee.”“Looks like the beverage won.” His voice was deep and his gaze enigmatic.Something about him made me feel like Oliver Twist in front of the head master begging for more pudding. “I’m not really familiar with the concept of your show. Could you maybe fill me in? Why was a man inside the cage with a tiger to begin with?”He exhaled roughly. “Dale was one of ten contestants. Each week one of them is randomly assigned an animal and then they either spend the night in the cage or they decline and leave the show.” He flicked his gaze to the corpse. “Dale didn’t decline.”“Why would he do something so crazy?” I scratched my head.“Money. If they spend the whole night, they get lots of money.”“Wow. I think I’d rather be poor and alive.”Lex smirked. “Looks like things are working out for you then, detective.”Smart assI narrowed my gaze. “So why’d the animal attack him?”“Somebody must have provoked Benji.” Lucinda spoke up brusquely.Lex turned to her with a grim look. “I hope you’re not suggesting me or any of my employees did that sort of thing?”She sniffed. “All I know is ratings are everything to you people.”He pulled his dark brows together. “Having one of my contestants eaten by a wild animal isn’t good for ratings.” He slid his gaze to mine. “Besides, ratings are already through the roof.”“I’m happy for you and all, but I need to figure out why I need to be here.” I tried not to sound heartless, but I still wasn’t sure why an animal attack was my problem.Lex glanced at Lucinda. “Would you mind if I spoke to Detective Decker alone?”She shrugged. “No problem.” She pressed her big hat firmly on her head and wandered over to the cage where her tiger still paced.He turned to me and the pulse at the base of his throat beat swiftly. “The premise of Don’t Die is people take a huge risk and if they pull it off, they get a lot of money. The risk is exaggerated.”“Obviously not.”He winced. “What I mean is we take great care in picking animals that are gentle and have never been involved in anything violent.” He swallowed. “We take precautions like making sure the creatures are well fed and exercised.”“I’m no expert in animal attacks, but it was pretty clear from the body the animal didn’t just maul the victim. He… he ate parts of him too.”Lex blanched. “But why would he? We feed the cats constantly to keep them satiated.”“Obviously this cat wanted seconds.”He gripped my arm which surprised me. “Listen, I don’t want to be dramatic, but as I told your Lieutenant; something seems off lately.”The feel of his fingers on my arm was oddly distracting. I ignored the fluttering in my gut and said, “Off how?”“I don’t know. Things keep happening.”“Elaborate, please,” I said gruffly.“One of the Burmese Pythons got out of its cage last week and almost strangled a camera tech. The snake’s cage is a double lock type of thing. How would he get out?”“Okay. But my pet iguana got out when I was ten. Shit happens.”He twisted his lips. “I want to believe this is an accident. I really do. But I have a bad feeling.”I chuffed. “Well, just because you have indigestion I can’t open an investigation for murder. This could easily just be a tragic animal attack.”His mouth tensed. “I understand you don’t want to waste your time. I don’t want to waste your time either. That’s why I hesitate to even mention the letter I got a week ago.”“What kind of letter?” I perked up.“You have to understand I get mail from kooks all the time.”I leaned in. “What did the letter say?”He crossed his arms. “That we needed to stop using animals for greedy profit or there would be consequences.”“Where’s the letter?” I sounded breathless. A mysterious threatening letter was something I could sink my teeth into.He closed his eyes and clamped his jaw.“Tell me you still have the letter.” Even I could hear my frustration.“I’m afraid not.” When he opened his eyes, he looked embarrassed. “People say shit that they don’t mean to a man in my position all the time. If I paid attention to every threatening phone call and letter, I’d never get anything done.”“Damn.” I exhaled roughly. “Do me a favor; if you get another note, hang on to it.”“I will.”I looked around. “So you had a camera man with him but he was in the bathroom. Are there other cameras too?”He nodded. “Yes. We have eight cameras always rolling.”“That’s great.” I straightened. “I need to see that footage.”“Of course.” His brow wrinkled as he held my gaze. He was close enough I could see the dark ring around his slate colored eyes and how thick and long his lashes were. “One thing keeps bothering me…”“What?”“Why didn’t Dale go to his shelter?”I cocked my head. “His what?”He sighed. “The rules of the show are you spend twenty-four hours in the enclosure with the wild animal assigned to you. You must be in the area with the animal for at least twelve of those hours. But if you ever feel unsafe, each person has a protected cubicle that they can retreat to.” He tugged me toward the enclosure where the tiger was. “See behind that screen? There’s a safe room if they actually think their life is in danger.”I squinted through the steel mesh. “I’d have been in there in a flash.”There was a deep line in his smooth forehead. “That’s what I’m saying. The second he felt threatened he should have retreated back to his safe spot.”“But he didn’t?”He glanced toward the corpse. “Apparently not.” He seemed to shake himself mentally. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m being paranoid and this really is just a horrible accident.”I looked at the tiger panting across from us. “You say you feed the animals well, but I have to be honest Benji looks a little gaunt.”“He does?” He peered closely at the animal. “Huh. Maybe you’re right.”“Shouldn’t his handler have noticed that?”“You would think so. She’s paid well enough,” he grumbled.“I’m guessing starving a wild animal would definitely change its disposition.”“If the tiger was hungry someone needs to explain how the hell that happened. The show pays through the nose for high quality meat for Benji.”“Who’s actually in charge of feeding the tiger?”“Lucinda.”“Interesting.” I rubbed my chin. “Listen, I’ll take a look at the footage and depending on what I find we may or may not proceed with an investigation. I need something more concrete that Dale might have been murdered, and this wasn’t just a random animal attack.” I glanced over at Lucinda who was cooing to Benji through the cage. “She certainly doesn’t look like a killer.”“No. She doesn’t.” He chuffed. “But in your line of work, how often does the bad guy waltz up to you holding the murder weapon screaming how much he enjoys killing people?”My lips twitched. “Not often.”“There you go.” He stared at Lucinda with a blank expression. “Perhaps beneath Lucinda’s cool exterior lies the heart of a cold blooded maniac.”I lifted one shoulder. “If it was murder, it could be anyone who had access to this space.” I glanced at him. “It could just as easily be you.”He widened his eyes and his lips parted. “I beg your pardon?”It was hard not to laugh at how nonplussed he looked. “It’s not unusual for the real bad guy to try and help.” I used air quotes on the last word.“You think I’m fake helping?” His mouth was a straight, angry line.I pulled a stick of gum from my pocket and pushed it in my mouth. I hadn’t really meant any offense, but he was so touchy it was kind of amusing. “Maybe you’re just tossing out a bunch of red herrings. You know… to throw me off the scent.”He opened his mouth as if he was about to defend his honor and then he snapped his lips shut. He narrowed his eyes. “You’re an absolute riot, Decker.”I laughed outright at his snippy tone. It wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t like me. Uptight suit types and I didn’t usually get along; even when I didn’t accuse them of being psychopaths. “Ah, come on. Lighten up, Hollywood.”“Right. Because there’s nothing more hilarious than a man being eaten by a tiger.”I grimaced. “I meant no disrespect to the dead. I take every case seriously.” I popped my gum. “I’m a professional.”“I can tell.” His gaze dropped to my stained shirt and then ran over my rumpled coat.His snooty expression annoyed me, but I ignored it. “I’ll need a copy of the surveillance footage including before and after Dale and the cat entered the area, right away. Also give me a list of everyone who has access to this set. That includes the biggest bigshot or the gofer that picks up donuts for the crew. I want everybody on that list.”“Whatever you say.”I glanced over at the tiger who watched us silently. “What’s gonna happen to Benji?”“I’m not sure,” he murmured.“It’d be a shame to put him down. He’s a beautiful animal.” I studied the tiger’s sleek orange and black fur, marveling at how huge he was. I couldn’t imagine anything that would motivate me to spend the night in a cage with a wild animal.“I wish I’d never dreamed up this damn show.” His voice was raspy.“Well, at least you’ve gotten famous off the idea.”He wrinkled his brow and slid his cool gaze to mine. “Do you resent men like me, Decker?”His candor surprised me. “Why would I?”“It’s just a feeling I get off of you.” He started to walk away, and he stopped. “I’m not shallow if that’s what you think.”My face warmed, and I didn’t speak. I wasn’t sure how to respond. If I was honest, I had assumed he was just interested in making a name for himself.“I’m just doing my job same as you.” His smile was tight.I lifted a shoulder. “Who cares what I think?” His jaw hardened and his vulnerability evaporated. “Good point.” He strode away with his head held high.
Hope you enjoyed that little taste! It should be coming in 2018 in the near future. In the mean time, if you want to be kept abreast of my new releases, feel free to join my newsletter here: Sign Me Up
Talk to you soon!S.C.www.sc-wynne.com

New Release and excerpt by Felice Stevens

Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to provide you all with an excerpt from my new release, Rhoades—Undeniable. Actually, it's more than an excerpt. It's the first chapter! I hope you enjoy.

My Emphatic Search for Empathy

This week we hear from our newest narrator, Colin Darcy.
His debut narration, "High Test," by Elizabeth Noble, should hit the spot for cafe goers,with its romance of mistaken identities set against the rich
and steamy backdrop of the gourmet coffee business. Enjoy!

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“We thought you were the gay one,” my mom offered one afternoon, not quite a decade ago. I wished at that moment I had my wife’s ability to raise just one eyebrow. When aimed at me at least, it speaks volumes, and has the innate ability to judge and question at the same time, cutting me to the core. But I can’t raise just one eyebrow, so I was forced to use words, plain and simple, fruitless and ineffective words to to explain to mom that while she has a gay son, and it’s not me, that some families have more than one, and others don’t have a gay child at all. We discussed the various ‘signs’ she missed: the love of musical theater, and fashion, and so, just...so….emotional. Those descriptions however, were all directed toward me, thus explaining the misplaced judgement and excusing my mom’s most recent failed ‘gay-dar’ attempt.



I’ve always been very emotional. When I was in seventh grade my favorite song was “One Last Cry,”
by Brian McKnight. A lot of days it still is my favorite. I was a  twelve-year-old kid listening to a man singing about saying goodbye to his lover, until the cassette tape wore thin and stretched and poor Brian sounded like even more of a bumbling crying mess.

I played the trumpet in school and prided myself not on my ability to play the right notes, and in tune, which is a lot to ask, but that I tried to discover what the composer was trying to say, to convey. I tried to empathize with the composer, perhaps Beethoven pressing a deaf ear to his piano as he attempted to compose the sound of his heart breaking for Elise.

I find that as a narrator I find a lot of joy and take a lot of pride in my ability to empathize with the characters. I look forward to exploring the emotionality of each of the characters.

I know I’m going to lose a lot of respect here, but I am not, in any way, a fan of science-fiction or wizards, hobbits, talking foxes, fighting robots, or post apocalyptic epochs. But I can watch or read within those genres because, if they are written well, the characters are as vivid as the landscapes in which they trudge, and as evocatively emotional as the other-worldly circumstances they find themselves in.

I love ‘The Walking Dead’ series because it is exactly that: a character study on the emotional arcs of the highly relatable characters that go through impossible circumstances. I cannot relate to watching my friends get their faces eaten off. But I know struggle. I know pain. I understand loss and heartache and wanting more, aching for more, searching and clawing and digging your fingernails into the dirt for just one more inch.

I love exploring the ‘whys’ behind the actions of the characters that I read. It’s tempting to read or watch or simply observes others’ actions and somehow convince ourselves that we would act differently, choose differently. Being honest with myself can be difficult, but I think it’s incredibly important, for me, to really explore, dive in naked and vulnerable and come out scarred and battered and bruised by the circumstances of my characters.
I’ve put such a slant towards the negative emotions of the characters to make my point, but understanding the pain and the past, allows me to understand the joy. How much sweeter is the victory when it is hard won. After years of training and struggle, early mornings after sleepless anxious nights, broken bones, scar tissue, dehydration, the aching and burning in your lungs, and perhaps worst of all that voice in your head telling you to stop, to slow down, that it doesn’t matter - it’s that experience that makes the success feel - at all.

Attempting to understand the characters’ actions, very quickly leads me try to understand their emotions.



Beethoven’s Fur Elise is beautifully written, and I am not quite arrogant enough to ever suggest he add or subtract to the piece at all. But what about it’s interpretation. A pianist is given notes on a page. That’s it. And the occasional word in Italian to instruct whether slow or fast, loud or soft. But I’ve heard it played as if the piano was creating tears. I’ve felt the pull and push of the notes in such a way that my own heart sped and hurt and longed, as if the pianist broke the hearts of each of the 88 strings encased within the long body of the piano, and then coaxed, stroked and caressed the ebony and ivory keys, pressing violently and lovingly, manipulating them to produce human emotion, want, fear, desire.

How can notes on a page do that?

How can words?


Can I coax the emotions from the characters? Can I manipulate syllables, pause at commas, and interpret emphasis as effectively as a pianist poring over Beethoven? I enjoy trying. I hope you enjoy listening.

Colin Darcy





Find Falcon Sound Company on Facebook or at

www.falconsoundcompany.com

And check out Colin's newest narration, "High Test," by Elizabeth Noble.

Check out a Modern Fairy Tale from Andrew Grey

Title: Redeeming the Stepbrother
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: A Tale from St. Giles Book 2
Genre:  M/M Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: April 10 2018
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Family can be a blessing and a curse, but for artist Florian, it’s a nightmare he longs to escape.
As chief designer for Bartholomew Artist Porcelain, Florian specializes in painting birds. He also watches them in the wild to distract himself from his short-tempered mother, at least temporarily. Florian’s heart is too soft to leave his stepsister, Ella, to suffer alone. Still, he can’t help dreaming about one day finding happiness and love.
When Count Dieter von Hollenbach arrives in town to visit a friend and present an award, he isn’t looking for romance. Then again, he doesn’t expect someone as perfect as Florian to come into his life. To make sure Florian is all he seems and that their connection is genuine, Dieter keeps his title to himself.
But he isn’t the only one with a secret.
At a masquerade ball to celebrate the award, some of the masks fall away, but those that remain in place could destroy the love beginning to grow between them.


Book Links
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Dreamspinner Press




Excerpt 1
This area was marshy during part of the year and I had to be careful where I walked so I didn’t sink into the muck, but it was perfect for birds of all kinds.
I wasn’t disappointed. I emerged from the tall reeds to spot a great blue heron about twenty feet away. It was beautiful, and I didn’t want to scare it, but I also wanted a picture. I had ideas for a series of works featuring the impressive bird—tall, statuesque, shining in the sunlight.
I slowly moved back into the reeds, lifted my camera to position it between the long grass stems, and began snapping pictures. It was stunning, and I’d gotten enough to be able to represent the detail I wanted when a splash startled the bird and it flew away, darting over the water.
“Scheisse,” a deep voice swore. I knew the word from my high school class as a version of “shit,” but wondered why I was hearing German. Another splash came, louder than the first, so I slowly worked my way forward to see what the trouble was.
“You scared the bird,” I scolded and then saw a man, taller than me. He had to be well over six feet and was dressed like someone out of a forties period movie, with a wool hat, a coat complete with elbow patches, and puffy pants. His boots and legs stuck in the mud almost to his knees. An old pair of binoculars hung around his neck. I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing.
“Will you help me?” he asked, and I slowly made my way closer.
“Got yourself in a mess, didn’t you?” I was careful not to get caught in the same bog. “You have to feel before you step.” I managed to get close enough to take his hand. “Pull up one foot and try not to lose your boot.”
“I am.” He lifted his foot, the sucking sound loud in the stillness. He got the foot loose and stepped toward me.
“Hold on.” I bent down a bunch of the reeds. “Step on those.”
He did and got his other foot loose, though this time the mud nearly got his boot. It hung on his foot as he swung around, and he tugged it back on and stepped onto the grass.
“Come this way.” I led him through the reeds, back toward dry ground and the cars.
“I think you come here often,” he said, swatting cakes of mud off the knees of his pants.
I wondered if that was some German version of the old pickup line for a second, but tossed the thought away.
“Yes. I’m familiar with the area. I watch the birds so I can paint them.” I took a step onto solid ground, mud all the way up my boots but sparing my pants. Good. There would be hell to pay if my pants were caked with mud. “I’m Florian.” I held out my hand.
“Dieter,” he said as he shook my hand.
I stomped my feet to get some of the mud off my boots. They would dry soon enough and the mud would flake off pretty easily. “On vacation I take it? Judging by the accent and all.”
“In a way.” Dieter pulled off his hat, exposing light blond hair down to his shoulders that would make a model green with envy. “I’m here on business and decided to take some time to see the sights.” He held up his binoculars. “I study birds back in Bavaria and wanted to get a look at some of yours here. I didn’t realize there would be hazards.” He smiled a little, and I relaxed. At least Dieter had a decent sense of humor to go along with an amazing smile and eyes the color of the sky. My cheeks heated as thoughts of what I’d like to do with his full pink lips went through my head.

A flash fiction bit from Sean Michael

Hey y'all! Sean Michael provided the flash fic this week! Just a random set of boys that popped into Sean's head!

Grant flopped onto his back next to Angel, panting hard. He felt rung out, boneless, breathless, and utterly spent. Which was kind of what you wanted out of an orgasm. He patted Angel’s belly, smearing the cooling come that was pooled there. Not even that was enough to bring him to reality.

“You good?” he asked. It would suck if Angel didn’t feel the same way.

“God, yes.” Angel laughed and turned onto his side. Grant could feel those pretty brown eyes looking at him.

He managed to turn too, because sharing this post-orgasmic feeling made it that much better. He pushed Angel’s hair off his face and smiled. Angel smiled back.

Grant held onto the feeling for as long as he could, but eventually his body cooled, the breeze from the window growing colder, and he became aware of the noise of construction coming in along with the wind. And there was a ticking coming from somewhere. His alarm clock maybe or possibly the fridge.

No, no, he wasn’t ready to let go of this yet, but it was too late. Angel’s smile made him a promise, and then Grant blinked and Angel was gone.

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Cover reveal and an Excerpt by Felice Stevens

Happy Friday! We made it through another week. And this brings us one week closer to the release of     Rhoades—Undeniable on April 20th. I thought I'd also show off my pretty cover again because it's my favorite of all Reese has done for me and give you an excerpt from the book.


I walked out and down the hallways back onto the club floor. The dancers entertained the crowd, and I watched as the muscular blond cowboy play-roped a patron onstage with him to bump and grind their hips, while the tall, mysterious dancer wearing a mask and cape swung around the pole, the silky material sailing after him to wind around his lean, half-naked torso. A large crowd gathered by the stage and threw bills at him in encouragement. The iridescent lights picked up the gleam of his raven hair, while the majority of his features remained hidden beneath his black mask.I didn’t want them. I wanted Austin. Fuck. No, I didn’t. I couldn’t.Without him dancing, I had little reason to stay, and yet knowing how scared both he and Frankie were with Frankie’s ex lurking about, I couldn’t leave. As I made my way to the bar, I listened to bits of conversation from the men I passed.“The futures were shit today.”“What the hell are they thinking in DC?”“I’d give a paycheck to fuck that guy’s ass. Did you see him dance up there?”Those last words stopped me in my tracks, and I found myself glaring at an older man with a lascivious glint in his eye and a glass of scotch in his hand. Imagining that pig with Austin—touching all that soft skin, running his pudgy fingers through the silk of Austin’s dark waves, licking his ripe mouth—made me sick. My hands itched to wrap around his jowly neck and squeeze tight.Disgusted, I stomped over to the bar, and José, immediately sensing my foul mood, poured me a double shot of Macallan 18. The amber liquid called to me, and I tossed it down and pushed the glass back. “Another, please.”With a raised brow, he did as I requested and kept the bottle at his elbow. “What’s wrong?”“What makes you think anything’s wrong?” I downed only half this time and licked my lips, welcoming the burn as it ran through me. The resulting warmth did little to dull the ache in my chest. I should never have started coming here. I was better off at home. Alone.“Because a while ago I saw you leave the dance floor with Austin. Now you’re out here slamming down shots, and he’s nowhere to be found. So I’ll ask again, what’s wrong?”“I, uh…” Embarrassed, I rubbed my chin. “I may have gone too far with him.”The smile on José’s face faltered. “Meaning?” He leaned his arms on the bar, and I saw the tension in his corded muscles. José had worked in the mailroom of my father’s company before James scooped him up and enticed him to work here. I’d noticed the dancers congregating around the bar, talking to him like a confidant, and had no doubt he’d take their side over mine.“Meaning I let him get to me.” I hesitated, then confessed, “I kissed him.”Realization mixed with surprise dawned in his eyes. “Did he kiss you back?”“I didn’t force him—if that’s what you’re asking.” My attention was drawn to the opposite side of the room where James had entered flanked by Austin and Frankie. After a few murmured words to both, they climbed onstage, and with huge smiles on their faces, began to dance with each other as if the past three quarters of an hour hadn’t happened. Frankie had even placed a crown on his head and a royal purple cape around his shoulders.“Looks like everything’s back to normal. But Rhoades?” A man waved an empty bottle of Patron at José from the opposite end of the bar. José picked up the bottle of scotch, placed it back on the shelf, and before taking care of the customer, said to me, “Don’t fuck with Austin. He’s been hurt enough.”Haven’t we all?I scowled into my drink, not bothering to respond, and studied Austin dancing up onstage. He’d also changed and no longer wore the little gold shorts with my jock peeking out. Now, red, sequined shorts hugged his peach of an ass and molded to every sinewy dip and curve. His freshly oiled body shone under the lights, and when he twisted himself around the pole, the men went wild, tossing bills at him like confetti. But I knew better. I hadn’t spent all this time watching him not to recognize his heart wasn’t in the dance. His eyes searched the crowd, flicking over me as if I was another stranger and not the man he’d kissed with such passion and intensity, we’d both almost taken a risk neither was prepared for. They were haunted eyes, brimming with loneliness and fear. He kept himself between Frankie and the outside of the stage as if protecting him.James appeared at my shoulder. “I had the bastard removed and told him I was calling the cops.”“Good.” I nodded with approval. “Maybe you should hire some backup security. It couldn’t hurt.”“You know what?” James leaned against the bar and gave me that infuriating, snide look he’d perfected when we first learned we were brothers. I hated it then, and now, years later, nothing had changed. “I don’t need you to tell me how to run my business.”“Then step up your game. Keep your employees safe.”“From what I can tell, the one person Austin might need to be safe from is you, big brother.”My face flamed, and I was never more glad to be shielded by the colorful, flickering lights. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I gave James my back and drank more of my scotch, hoping like hell he’d go away and leave me alone. In an alarming show of affection, something we’d never allowed ourselves, he took the empty space beside me, nudged my shoulder, and joined me, José having already poured him a glass of the same scotch I was drinking.“That’s not true. Whenever you see Austin, you come alive.” He nudged me again, forcing me to face him.“You think because I come here, I’ve forgotten? News flash, baby brother. Looks can be deceiving.”The unexpected sympathy in James’s eyes proved too much, and I wouldn’t be responsible for my actions if he said something comforting, so without another word I pushed my way out of the bar area, leaving James behind. I couldn’t resist one last glance up at the stage at Austin, who frowned when our eyes met. My rigid body tingled with awareness, the taste of his silky tongue and sweet breath still hot in my mouth. After picking up my coat from the checkroom, I hurried out into the night and slid into the back seat of my black car, staring blindly out the window at the streetlight-washed people.My driver wisely left me alone, and in less than twenty minutes, pulled up in front of my West 82nd Street brownstone. Before I had a chance to place my foot on the first cement step, the front door swung open, and Edgar’s relieved face peered out.“I wondered if you were coming home tonight.”“Where else would I go?” Irritated, I passed by him and entered the brownstone, welcoming the warmth. I dropped my coat on the hall chair and headed straight to the library. This room—all dark wood, brass, and leather—was a “real man’s retreat,” as my father used to say, but its rich interior and the fire crackling in the grate offered no panacea for my thoughts. I poured myself a glass of scotch and took a seat by the window, staring out into the darkness, torturing myself with questions I could never answer.Until tonight, I’d thought myself capable of holding back, merely entertaining myself with thoughts of Austin and what he might feel like in my arms. But now that I’d tasted the forbidden fruit, instead of retreating back into the shadows, I craved to kiss his soft mouth, to feel him twist in my arms, and to experience again the rush of passion I’d buried years ago.And that scared me more than anything.

Adventurous April

T.S. Eliot called April "The cruelest month," because it forces growth in Nature whether the world is ready or not. It is a fearful breath-freezing moment of brave beginnings in the face of Winter's weakening grasp, but necessary for the Spring to follow. It is also a great time to make a change, take a chance; Nature is heading that way.  In that spirit, we have a new voice in the Cafe for your Thursday! Narrator Kenneth Obi talks Zombies to Audiobook Awards in his adventure as both an author and a narrator. Enjoy!

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Hitting my fifties, I thought my career path was fairly decided. Old dogs…new tricks. You know that saying, right? I certainly thought so. Back in 2012, I found myself quitting my day job to write full time. I was finding better than average success as a zombie author. To be honest, I was into that scene long before Kirkman jump-started interest in the undead with his Walking Dead franchise, but he certainly helped it become popular in the mainstream, so I always give him a tip of my hat.
Fast forward to 2016 and my toe was just about ready to dip into narrating. I was about to launch a new series, and I’d seen my DEAD series do well in audio format. With a background in theater and radio, I felt I was equipped to make the move as a narrator. It wasn’t long before I felt like I was in over my head, but I kept swimming and kept turning to
the Falcon Sound Company team for advice and pointers. Eventually, I felt I was making some slow progress. Then I got an offer to narrate…from FSC.
“This is a gay romance…I’m gonna tell you that straight up,” John said during our conversation.
Hmm…well, I am a pretty straight dude, but I am also married and with a mortgage. Money spends the same no matter what, so I said yes. Being absolutely honest, I struggled with that first love scene. It was simply not anywhere close to my comfort zone. Still, it was a job…it was acting. I am married, and the only person I need to prove my sexuality to is my wife. Once I made that realization, I dropped into it with a new attitude.

Still, I felt sort of relieved when that job was over. Horror is my wheel-house. Only…being a one-trick-pony is not going to get you far. And when an unsolicited offer came for me to 
voice another M/M romance, I checked the sales figures on Amazon and blinked my eyes. It was rockin’ the charts as they say. I agreed…without reading the full description of the book’s content. Sure…it was a M/M romance, but it was an “age-play” male romance. I discovered that about a quarter of the way in to the read.
If I was out of my comfort zone before…now I was in a whole new universe. But, I am nothing if not a man with at least some form of professional standards. This story deserved all my attention and needed to sound right. There needed to be love and tenderness in the intimate scenes.

Fast forward a mere six months and I have now done a handful of titles under my M/M romance screen name of Kenneth Obi for the Falcon family as well as signing on three prolific authors in the M/M romance genre for my own little production company. I have over thirty titles solely in this genre now and have seen the best sales months in my short career this year, 2018.

Is this where I saw myself…or what I thought I would be doing? Absolutely not. But I now have a small foothold in the genre and believe that my presence will only increase this next year. The topper came when one of my narrated titles made the cut as one of five finalists in the Erotica category for the Audio Book Listener Awards…and is the only title in that category to represent the LGBTQ community.
Side note…they say it’s nice to just be nominated, but I say to heck with that…I’m looking to win.


There's still time to vote for your favorite audiobook finalists at audiobookreviewer.com

Find Kenneth Obi and Falcon Sound Company on Facebook or at www.falconsoundcompany.com

And check out Kenneth's newest narration, "Teaching Ben," by Shae Connor.

Talk to you next week with more on audiobooks! 

Flash fiction from Julia Talbot

Hey y'all! I forgot to ask the other Risquers for something, so here's a tiny flash fiction from me! It's Jaxon and Sebastian from The Wolf's Man Friday, out now from Dreamspinner Press.

"Fox! Where the hell did you leave my good belt?"

Jaxon glanced up from his nap spot by the fire, his tail still over his nose. What was Sebastian blathering about? When Seb stalked into the room, Jaxon yawned, deliberately showing his sharp teeth.

"Damn it, Jaxon, you're supposed to be my personal assistant. I have a meeting at the Stanley in like, half an hour." Sebastian looked so handsome in a dark blue shirt and gray trousers. Rawr.

Jaxon stood and stretched, arching his back so his tail fluffed.

"It's impossible to argue with you i fox form"

Why would you want to argue? He sent the words mentally. Come pet me.

"And get red fur all over me? No way. Belt?"

In the closet on your belt rack. His mate left shit on the floor, which made Jax twitch.

"Oh. Well, I'll go get it. If you get human come see me, and I'll pet you." Sebastian walked off.

That had possibilities. Jaxon followed, thinking distinctly man thoughts. Petting was worth braving the cold Colorado winter naked for... Even if they didn't have much time!

XXOO

Check out Wolf's Man Friday here!

Check next week for more fun!

Julia

www.juliatalbot.com

New Release Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries by S.C. Wynne

Good morning!

Anyone who knows me knows I love to write many different things. I write mysteries, Gay romance, Mpreg. I love variety in what I read, watch and write. Lately I've been in the mood to write mysteries. I've released two the last few months Shadow's Edge, the second book in my Psychic Detective Series and the most recent Strange Medicine (Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries Book one)

Here's the blurb and and excerpt for you for Strange Medicine!

Blurb:

Maxwell Thornton isn’t really a people person, but that never mattered to him because he’d lived for his career. After losing a patient during a routine hysterectomy, he’s shaken and afraid to pick up the scalpel again. He resigns his position in the city and takes a job as sole GP in the isolated town of Rainy Dale, Texas, population 1001.

Rainy Dale is populated with eccentrics who test his patience and seem to think he’s not only there to treat their illnesses, but that he’s also there to hold their hand and be their therapist. When one of his most annoying patients ends up dead and floating in Maxwell’s pool, he has some explaining to do to the local sheriff.

Sheriff Royce Callum is intelligent, determined and more attracted to the new doctor than he would like. He can’t imagine Maxwell is a murderer, but he also can’t exactly ignore a corpse in the sexy doctor’s pool. 
Excerpt:
I wanted to somehow get to my cell that was in my pants pocket and call the police. But I knew the night was so quiet the intruder would definitely hear me climbing from the pool, no matter how quiet I was. I stayed where I was, as my fingers and toes became waterlogged and wrinkled. The intruder would occasionally move down a few feet and start digging in a different location.After what felt like an eternity, the person straightened and looked around. I tried to study their shape, hoping I would somehow recognize them. But the shadows cloaked them just enough that I couldn’t make out any details. I knew they were tall and thin, and that was about it. They crept off into the dark, heading away from my house, and I breathed a sigh of relief.My muscles were stiff as I climbed cautiously from the pool. Dripping and rattled, I dried my hands on my pants and pulled my phone out. I dialed 911 and spoke to the operator, who promised to transfer the call to the local authorities. I pulled on my pants and went inside, where I proceeded to go around to every door and window and double-check they were locked.After about ten minutes, my doorbell rang. Through the blinds I could see the flashing of blue and red lights. I opened the door and found Sheriff Callum standing on my doorstep looking a little sleepy, but serious.“You had an intruder?” His voice was even.I nodded. “Yeah.” I hadn’t put my shirt back on, and I felt conspicuous. But I ignored that and stepped aside to let him in. “I was in the pool, and I saw them creeping around the house.”“Inside?” He sounded alarmed.A chill went through me. “Oh, God no. Sorry. Outside.”He released a long breath. “Okay. Good.”“I know this sounds nuts, but they were digging at the foundation.”“Really?”I nodded.He strode to the back porch and then outside. He walked the length of the house, staring down at the foundation with his flashlight. “Yeah, someone was definitely digging.”“That’s so weird.”“I wouldn’t have noticed it if you hadn’t told me and I wasn’t looking for it though.” He sounded puzzled.I hugged myself, relieved that I wasn’t alone at the moment. “I can’t figure out why anyone would do that.”He shook his head. “You and me both.” He approached me, his mouth a grim line. “We don’t have many break-ins around here.”“Okay.” I wasn’t sure what he was trying to say.“Are you sure it wasn’t just an animal?”I laughed, feeling confused. “What?”He shrugged. “It’s dark out back. Maybe it was an animal rooting around for food.”“The only thing tall enough would be a bear, and as far as I know, bears don’t dig with shovels.”He didn’t smile. “Maybe there was no shovel.”“There was. I heard the metal hitting the dirt, clear as day.” I chuffed. “Not to mention bears and people don’t really look alike. Not even in the dark. This was a human. A very quiet, stealthy human. Not a bumbling bear, looking for food.”“Okay.” His voice was agreeable.I relaxed a little since he seemed to believe me. “I mean, I’d rather it was a bear. But it wasn’t.”He pulled his hat off and ran a hand through his hair. “What the heck could they have been up to?”“No idea.” The scent of his coconut shampoo reached my nostrils. It annoyed me that I felt attraction to him, even as I was terrified about someone trying to burgle my house. I cleared my throat. “So, what happens next?”“Well, he didn’t try to get inside. Right?”“Not that I’m aware of.”“That’s good.” He flicked his flashlight to the base of the house again. “But whoever it was, they tried to cover their tracks.”“Bears probably wouldn’t bother.”His mouth twitched. “Probably not.” His expression became more serious. “At most this would be trespassing, and that’s if I had anyone to charge.”I sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t have bothered calling you.” I bit my lip. “But I was pretty rattled. The way the person moved…” I shivered.“No. It’s good you called.” He sighed. “I wish I had more to go on. I mean, if they’d left the shovel I could look for prints maybe.” He grimaced. “But I don’t really have a trail to follow.”“I get it.”His gaze dropped to my bare chest, and then he looked away.I glanced around the yard uneasily. “This has me all agitated. Not sure how I’m going to sleep now.”He pursed his lips. “If you make me a cup of coffee, I’ll hang out with you for a while. Just until you feel a little calmer and we can be sure the person isn’t lurking.”Usually the last thing I wanted was company, but right at that moment, his offer sounded like heaven. I was still nervous and confused about why anyone would even bother with my house. There were tons of houses in the area… why mine?I nodded. “Yeah. God, that would be great. I mean, you don’t have to stay all night or anything. But I am still nervous.”“I would be too.” His expression was sympathetic.I led the way into my kitchen, and I moved to the coffee maker. “You’re in for a treat. I don’t have anything but Kona coffee right now.”He chuckled as he lowered himself into a chair at the table. “Sounds good.”I ground the beans, poured water into the coffee maker, and turned it on. Then I faced him, leaning against the counter. “It concerns me that of all the houses in the area, this person picked mine.”He narrowed his eyes. “It’s possible they thought the place was still empty.”“I guess.”“Which would rule out anyone local because I think it’s pretty clear every single person in town knows you’re here.” He grinned.I smirked. “Yeah, and I think they all had an appointment today too.”“You’re a popular guy.”“That can’t be right. I’m not popular-guy material.”He twisted his lips, looking doubtful. “I find that hard to believe. From what I gather, you were a superstar in your field.”I looked away, heat warming my cheeks. “That was then. This is now.”He leaned toward me, his gaze intense. “I get the feeling you’re running from something.”I stared at him blankly.“But it’s very obvious you don’t want to talk about it.”“I don’t like to, no.” I avoided his gaze.We fell silent, but I could still feel his eyes on me. I knew he wanted to ask me questions, but he didn’t. Finally I got the courage to meet his curious gaze. “Have you ever shot anyone?”He widened his eyes, obviously shocked by my question. “Um…” He frowned and his expression became guarded. “Why are you asking me that?”“Have you?”He hesitated, and then he lifted his chin. “Yes.”I swallowed. “Did… did they die?”I could see he was as uncomfortable with my questions, but for some reason he still answered. “Yes.”There was something about him that made me want to dig deeper. It was surprising to me. Maybe it was exhaustion from the busy day I’d had, or from being scared for hours in the pool. Perhaps it was his vulnerable expression as he shared himself and answered questions I could tell he loathed answering. Whatever the reason, he made me curious.“Did they deserve to die?” I sounded breathless to my own ears.He clenched his jaw, but he held my gaze. “I don’t know.” His answer surprised me, and I guess I showed it because he asked, “Do you think that should be a yes-or-no question?”I wasn’t sure what to say.He sighed. “The guy I shot pulled a gun on me first. He was a crook. But whether he deserved to die, I have no idea.” He hung his head. “It took me a while to accept that maybe I took a life I had no business taking. I had to come to terms with that and move on.”I nodded, feeling his pain and confusion from across the room. “I took a life,” I whispered.He didn’t speak. He just watched me with those warm brown eyes that seemed to hold no judgment.I swallowed hard, but I didn’t say anything else.“Did you mean to kill them?” His voice was hesitant.“God, no.”“Okay. That’s good.”“It was a patient.”“Oh.”I felt breathless as I asked, “What if I never get to the acceptance stage?” The coffee maker beeped behind me, but I ignored it. “What if I get stuck and can’t get there?”He leaned back in his chair, his expression frank. “Then only you can get you unstuck.” Maybe I’d hoped he’d have a magical answer that would heal all my wounds. He didn’t. Of course he didn’t. But I got the feeling he understood what I was going through. And that was something. That was everything for now.
Hopefully you enjoyed that little taste! I'll drop buy links below and have a wonderful weekend. :)
S.C.www.sc-wynne.com
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