Cardeno C.'s Blog, page 31

Stepping outside the comfort zone by Felice Stevens

Write what you love.
I love writing about, well, love. But so many people have asked me why I decided to write a menage romance. Why write MMM when so many people don't like reading it? 
And all I can say is I had to listen to my heart. 
As authors we write not only for our readers but we must also write for and from our hearts. When I start a book, I immerse myself in my character's lives and emotions and try and understand why they act as they do. What brought them to that point and why.


When Christina Lee asked me if I'd like to co-write an MMM romance I never hesitated. We discussed the three men and their stories and as we are both pantsers, the story evolved as we continued to write. And as we wrote Quinn, Gray and Emery came to life and I fell in love with them and they became real to me. And when they realized they loved each other and it wasn't only about sex, I have to admit I cried for them.
Their struggle to find a place for themselves, to recognize that they loved each other captured my heart and most of all their story had to be realistic. That there would have to be highs and lows and bumps and bruised hearts and feelings was.
I hope you think about trying Last Call. If you've never read an MMM this might be the romance to try it for the first time. I'd love to know in the comments below why you're hesitant about reading one. If you read it and want to talk about it, feel free to email me and we can chat.
Here's the universal link on Amazon, and it's free on KU

myBook.to/Stevens_Lee_LASTCALL

Following Your Heart by Riley Hart

Follow your heart...it's just an easy thing to say but not always an easy thing to do. I've been working toward making myself do that lately and part of that journey has been writing exactly what I want to write. That's the case with JARED'S EVOLUTION and JARED'S FULFILLMENT.

JARED'S FULFILLMENT went live today. It was even scarier than the release of the first book. I broke some "romance rules" but those rules needed to be broken. Jared and Kieran's journey isn't an easy one or a traditional one but it was right for them. It was what they both needed and I'm so honored I got to tell their story.



Kieran

My relationship with Jared has lasted too long. He's mesmerizing, beautiful in his devotion, pure in his need. He reaches parts of me I thought no longer existed, places I'd never known were there. His submission is a gift. His cries of pleasure and pain call to the most primal parts of me. I want to inhale him, own him, mark him as mine. He's my boy and I need to be his Daddy, but my fear holds me back. I'll fail him like I've failed everyone else I've loved. Before that happens, I'll walk away.

Jared

I've never known security, love, or true pleasure before Kieran. With every touch, every command, every second of blissful, torturous pain, my heart grows and my soul is at peace. He protects me, spoils me, gives me what I need. Still, in some ways, he's closed off and won't let me in. But Kieran's given me strength. I've evolved, and won't accept less than I deserve...and I won't let Daddy accept less than he deserves, either.

It's a delicate balance: give and take, pleasure and pain. Together we can break each other down to our purest forms and build each other up again. Kieran always says I'm stronger than I think, but I know that together we're invincible...if only he'd believe me.

We have two choices: say goodbye or fight for what's always been out of both our reaches...fulfillment.

Warning: Jared's Fulfillment contains BDSM elements, domestic discipline, spanking, and daddy kink--without age play--between consenting adults. If any of those things offend you, reading this book might not be a good idea.

Jared's Evolution and Jared's Fulfillment must be read in order.

Available exclusively from Amazon. PurchaseHERE.

Ask Andrew - We All Have Our Limits

Dear Andrew,
I personally won't read BDSM or books referencing pedophilia as if it's ok. I also stay away from books that don't have a HEA or HFN if I read reviews pointing them out first. Is there anything you don't like to read or write? Something that's taboo for you? I know some writer's say they may read something but don't feel comfortable writing it.
Thx, Kendra
Dear Kendra

There are a number of things that I don't read or write.

I don't write BDSM because I have very little interest in it.  I don't read it either just because its something that isn't for me.  I know others write, read, and enjoy it, and that's great!  But its not for me.  I think that being able to say that something isn't for me is good, because not every story or book is for every reader.  

Like you I only read stories with a happy ending and I only write ones that end that way.  Life is hard enough and its filled with sad endings.  Yes I understand that not all stories can end happy because that's not how the world works.  But when I read, I want to escape a little and be able to relax and enjoy of love story that ends well.

There are genres that I read that I won't ever write: historical, steam punk, dystopian.  I like reading those kind of stories, but I think they take a very special kind of talent to write and I don't have it.  So I read them, love them, and appreciate them, but I don't write them.

Thank you for writing me
Hugs and Love
Andrew

Ask Andrew will return next week and is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author.  The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture.    I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.
So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net.  This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost.  I will answer one question a week.

Please remember this is meant to be all in fun.  (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.)    So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.

Visit Andrew on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks  and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.

A holiday and (some not holiday) food facts from BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean!

A Holiday Food Quiz from BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean

We all love to cook and bake for the holidays, so we saw this on the Food Network and had to try!

BA Tortuga

What's your Achilles' heel ingredient, one that you hate to work with or encounter in someone else's holiday dish?

Wheat. Wheat wheat wheat, devil wheat.

What dish or ingredient will we never catch you eating?

Rare meat. I can't cope.

What was your most memorable holiday meal? What, where, who? Details, please.

Oh, every year is a new memory. Seriously. Every year is the new best.

What's your guilty pleasure holiday food?

Chex Mix!

Non-holiday Qs.

Is there one dish that you always order out and never make at home?

Spicy tuna sushi

What kitchen tool can't you live without?

Assuming you don't count basics like knives and pans? I'd have to say my air fryer or my Instant Pot. I use them both constantly.

If you weren't a writer, what career would you like to have tried?

Gluten free baker

What's your favorite "food city" to visit?

New Orleans, baybee

What's your favorite late-night snack?

Pickles and sharp cheddar cheese.

What's one must-have at your last supper?

Green chile burger and fries

Who's your favorite person to cook with?

My wife, no question. Cooking with her is one of my favorite things on earth. We laugh so much.

Rapid fire: Think fast!

Ketchup or mustard? Mustard, please.

Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Burger or hot dog? Burger (although I love a hot dog)

Cream cheese or butter? Butter

Soda or water? Water

Sprinkles or jimmies? What the fuck's a jimmie?

Kiernan Kelly

What's your Achilles' heel ingredient, one that you hate to work with or encounter in someone else's holiday dish?

Liver. Because…ew, it’s liver.

What dish or ingredient will we never catch you eating?

Again, liver, and for the same reason.

What was your most memorable holiday meal? What, where, who?

I have too many to choose just one. Every holiday meal I had while growing up is a memory I cherish, as is every one I share with my family now.

Details, please. What's your guilty pleasure holiday food?

Leftover turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce. Boring, I know, but true. I look forward to leftover sandwiches more than I do the holiday meal.

Non-holiday Qs. Is there one dish that you always order out and never make at home?

Chinese food. I’ve tried to make it at home and failed miserably.

What kitchen tool can't you live without?

My Kitchen Aid mixer. I love it. I would have its little mixer babies if I could.

If you weren't a writer, what career would you like to have tried?

At one point I seriously wanted to be a paleontologist, although I also wanted to be an actor. Either of those, or some weird combination thereof.

What's your favorite "food city" to visit?

New Orleans. I love Cajun food and chicory coffee!

What's your favorite late-night snack? .

Grapes and sharp cheddar cheese.

What's one must-have at your last supper?

Steak. Thick, juicy, and rare, please, with fresh, roasted asparagus on the side.

Who's your favorite person to cook with?

The hubs. We make a good team, except when it comes to loading the dishwasher. Then he gets a little manic. He has a thing about loading the dishwasher. I’ve learned to just roll with it.

Ketchup or mustard? Mustard

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

Coffee or tea? COFFEE!

Burger or hot dog? Burger

Cream cheese or butter? Butter

Soda or water? Water

Sprinkles or jimmies? Sprinkles, unless I’m in New Jersey. Then it’s jimmies. LOL

Sean Michael

Oooo, cooking questions. I'm an enthusiastic cook rather than talented one, but I tend not to burn things. Most of the time.

What's your Achilles' heel ingredient, one that you hate to work with or encounter in someone else's holiday dish?

Fish - not seafood - if it has a shell I probably love it, but fish like salmon and halibut etc. No thank you, though I will eat it if cooked by someone else.

What dish or ingredient will we never catch you eating?

eggplant = GROSS

What was your most memorable holiday meal? What, where, who? Details, please.)

So when I was 10/11 we lived in Germany for a year and for Christsmas we went up to Denmark to visit my mom's relatives. We had been eating Danish traditional christmas every since I could remember, so we knew pretty much what to expect.

Except they served the rice poudding with the almond in it (the one who got the almond got the prize) before the rest of the meal instead of after. And they didn't put the almond in until the second round. The idea I guess is that everyone fills up on the cheap rice dish and so not as much of the expensive goose, etc would be needed. But I hated rice poudding and the only reason I would eat it was for a chance at the almond. And my mom always gave us little mini bowls. This was two huge bowlfuls of it. Blah. We also danced around the Christmas tree that had real candles on it - that was cool.

What's your guilty pleasure holiday food?

Isn't it all holiday food guilty pleasure food? And honestly, I can't think of anything I like that much better than everything else...

Non-holiday Qs.

Is there one dish that you always order out and never make at home?

Alfredo pasta - never made an alfredo sauce at home. I'm very picky about alfredo though and very few places don't do it right.

What kitchen tool can't you live without?

I love my salad dressing thing - put the ingredients in and shake, then use the hand spout to poor it over your salad. I also love the pizza wheel for cutting pizzas.

If you weren't a writer, what career would you like to have tried?

Astronaut or marine biologist.

What's your favorite "food city" to visit?

Montreal

What's your favorite late-night snack?

ritz crackers with cheeze whiz

What's one must-have at your last supper?

Steak.

Who's your favorite person to cook with?

BA Tortuga

Rapid fire: Think fast!

Ketchup or mustard? Ketchup

Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla

Coffee or tea? Tea

Burger or hot dog? Burger

Cream cheese or butter? Butter (depending on what it is, because for some things, cream cheese)

Soda or water? Soda, though I should have water and if it was all I could ever have, I'd have to go water

Sprinkles or jimmies? Is there a difference?

Julia Talbot

What's your Achilles' heel ingredient, one that you hate to work with or encounter in someone else's holiday dish?

Liver. I agree with Kiernan What dish or ingredient will we never catch you eating?

Anything with duck liver pate or conventionally raised veal

What was your most memorable holiday meal? What, where, who? Details, please.

There are two. The first was when I was 21 and my cousin Julie finally told our Aunt to hush and stop trying to ruin Thanksgiving, and then my first Thanksgiving at the BA family household, where BA and I cooked for hours and never got a bite of turkey. I had never seen so many people at one thanksgiving, and that includes the aforementioned Talbot Thanksgiving, where there were 12 people. BA says, "Amateurs"

What's your guilty pleasure holiday food?

Chocolate covered cherries. I only eat them at Christmas

Non-holiday Qs.

Is there one dish that you always order out and never make at home?

Sushi

What kitchen tool can't you live without?

a spatula

If you weren't a writer, what career would you like to have tried? archaeologist or sociologist

What's your favorite "food city" to visit?

Venice

What's your favorite late-night snack?

Chips and almonds

What's one must-have at your last supper?

Spaghetti and meat sauce

Who's your favorite person to cook with?

My wife, BA

Rapid fire: Think fast!

Ketchup or mustard? Mustard

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Burger or hot dog? both!

Cream cheese or butter? Butter

Soda or water? Diet Sprite

Sprinkles or jimmies? Sprinkles!

XXOO

Julia

http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com

Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com

BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com

Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com

Facebook:

Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelW...

Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbota...

BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga

Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly

Happy Sunday!

Hello, everyone!

I'm Jodi Payne, and I'm new to the Cafe Risque family. I'm super excited to be sharing my Sundays with you guys.

As I write this, I'm coming off of the apocryphal Tryptophan high of Thanksgiving Day. My family celebrated Thanksgiving at my cousin's house this year and all I came home with was the last remaining slice of the apple pie I'd brought with me, and nothing else.

But what is Thanksgiving without leftovers? So Friday morning, while many of you were out shopping for bargains, I was in my pajamas cooking a wee turkey breast, stuffing, and mashed potatoes to go with the make-ahead gravy, cranberry-apple sauce, and butternut squash that my wife and I had made on Wednesday, specifically so we could sit and watch TV and eat turkey sandwiches over the weekend.

Now it's Sunday, I'm on carb-overload and I'm not sure I ever want to see turkey again! And that idea inspired a Sunday Top 5.

The Top 5 things I won't miss about Thanksgiving:

1. Turkey - I'm just not that big a fan. My Thanksgiving plate is completely upside down, with the proteins and the veggies low on the priority list, and the carbs taking top billing. Gravy is a pretty good percentage of my plate, too.

2. Driving - I mean, I have to drive places, but holiday driving sucks, right? Traffic, nutjob drivers with questionable sobriety, people in too much of a hurry, people not in enough of a hurry (the worst!) Yeah. Not going to miss the Thanksgiving travel.

3. That relative - we all have one, right? At least? Enough said.

4. Football - I know, I know. Everyone loves football. NOPE! I don't love football. I don't love the TV being hogged by the football watchers when there are other amazing things on like... uh...  the Tom Hanks-giving on HBO. Yes! An entire day of Tom Hanks movies. Heh. Okay. Well, it's better than football.

5. Watching my mouth - What happens when you get a group of people together that otherwise only see each other twice a year? Stuff gets said. Child-rearing, how to make gravy, onions or no onions in the stuffing, that celebrity that did something stupid, the relative that didn't make it that year (oh, guys... never be that relative, or if you are, just know you're going to be discussed), politics OMG. This is all dangerous territory for Jodi. And when you add wine? Oh, so much potential for me to get myself in trouble. Having opinions sucks, huh?

Haha. I love Thanksgiving. I really do. I hope yours was everything you wanted it to be.

Until next week. Cheers!

Jodi
jodipayne.net



Check out my newest release,
Creative Process
from Dreamspinner Press!

Discount On Books! By S.C. Wynne

Hello, all,

I trust you're all recovered from your Thanksgiving holiday, if you celebrate that is. I spent the day with family and it was a lot of fun. Much wine was consumed, and there was plenty of laughter.

I've never been someone who stands in line on Black Friday. It's just not my thing. I'd much rather shop on line and maybe pay a little more. Besides, we all know there's really only one or two TV sets for $20, right? It's a come on, people! Don't fall for that line again this year.

But I know lots of people love to do that. They camp out over night and make new friends with the other people in line. They seem to really love it, and it's a tradition for them each year.

I think I like creature comforts too much to be that dedicated about saving money on a few things. Not that I don't like saving money, because of course I do. And that leads me to this sale that's going on as we speak.

Dreamspinner Press is having a sale right now. SHOP HERE I have four books with them and all four are 35% at the moment. So if you've been waiting to buy my books, now is a good time to go get them!

Also, the 35% is for all the books on their site, so, yeah, that's pretty great!

Well, hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend, and I'll check in with you again next Saturday.

S.C.
www.sc-wynne.com

Sale! Sale! Sale! by Cardeno C.

Tomorrow is Black Friday, which means sales! I want to offer readers something special on this shopping weekend so I've taken inspiration from the 12 days of Christmas and put 12 of my books on Kindle Countdowns at Amazon. I have something for everyone - novels and novellas, contemporaries and paranormals sexy and sweet!

The countdowns start at midnight on Black Friday and go through Cyber Monday with each book starting at only $.99.

1. He Completes Me
Amazon
Amazon UK
2. Wake Me Up Inside
Amazon
Amazon UK
3. Blue Mountain
Amazon
Amazon UK
4. McFarland's Farm
Amazon
Amazon UK
5. Something in the Way He Needs
Amazon
Amazon UK
6. Johnnie
Amazon
Amazon UK
7. In Another Life & Eight DaysAll of Me
Amazon
Amazon UK
8. Jumping In
Amazon
Amazon UK
9. Places in Time
Amazon
Amazon UK
10. A Shot at Forgiveness
Amazon
Amazon UK
11. Rough Edges
Amazon
Amazon UK
12. All of Me
Amazon
Amazon UK
[Please note that Amazon offers Kindle Countdowns only at Amazon U.S. and Amazon U.K.]

Have a great week and happy shopping!

CC
www.cardenoc.com

Happy Thanksgiving from Andrew Grey

Hello Everyone

I want to extend my best and warmest wishes for an amazing Thanksgiving to each and every one of you.  My earliest Thanksgiving memories are at my grandparents house.  My grandfather died when I was six, but I have vague memories of him carving the turkey at Thanksgiving and me sitting at the far end of the table, watching him, waiting for my plate.  Its one of the very few memories I have of him.

I hope this Thanksgiving gives you a host of memories that you remember for a lifetime.

Andrew

Ask Andrew will return next week and is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author.  The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture.    I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.
So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net.  This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost.  I will answer one question a week.

Please remember this is meant to be all in fun.  (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.)    So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.

Visit Andrew on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks  and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.

Happy Thanksgivng fro BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean

http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com

Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com

BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com

Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com

Facebook:

Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelW...

Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbota...

BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga

Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly

New to Audio? Try One of Mine Free! by Cardeno C.

Happy Monday! I got an email from Audible telling me how to set up codes that readers can use these to get a free audio book with a 30 day free Audible trial membership. I set up codes to each of my books - you can find them here: http://www.cardenoc.com/en/audio.

See the blue underlined "here"? That's where you can click for the link on each page:



If you've never had an Audible membership but have been thinking of trying - now's the time! Have a great rest of your week and for those in the U.S. happy Thanksgiving!

CC
www.cardenoc.com