Cardeno C.'s Blog, page 76
January 20, 2016
There's Nothing Worse... Andrew Grey
Let me tell you, there is truly nothing worse than being sick. God you have no idea how much I hate writing a post like this. Me blathering on about not feeling well is about as exciting as the pile of tissues I threw out this morning. I am not going to go into my list of symptoms because that would be gross and probably bring on a coughing attach of some sort. Yup!
Anyway what I really want to say is that I hope Ask Andrew will return next week if I get some more questions. So please send then on over. I should fell better by then and will actually be able to do them justice. Take care all! Be sure to send them too andrewgreybooks@comcast.net
Before I go I thought I'd leave you with some warm feelings. Everyone have a great day!
Anyway what I really want to say is that I hope Ask Andrew will return next week if I get some more questions. So please send then on over. I should fell better by then and will actually be able to do them justice. Take care all! Be sure to send them too andrewgreybooks@comcast.net
Before I go I thought I'd leave you with some warm feelings. Everyone have a great day!
January 19, 2016
Promo time with BA, Julia and Sean
When Kris Cerny walks back into Two Spirits, the art gallery he owns with Josh McPhee, all he wants is a clean break. Austin's booming real estate market means the building he bought years ago is worth a fortune, and with the sale he and Josh can finally go their separate ways. They won't be reconciling, right? Josh may be sober now, but an addict is always going to be an addict, and Kris can't take that chance again,Josh isn't willing to sell. Not yet. He's discovered a new artist in Santa Fe he knows will put Two Spirits in the black, and if he can just make a success of the gallery, maybe he can earn Kris's respect, if not recapture his love. He need Kris to give him time for one more buying trip, one more gallery show. Josh wants nothing more than a final chance to make things right. Kris agrees to let Josh have this last ditch effort on one condition-- he wants to go along for the ride. On the way Josh hopes they'll find the next big thing in the art world as well as peace, forgiveness, and a love he thought was lost forever.
BA: This book is my tearful goodbye to Texas, my passionate hello to New Mexico, and the start of a new series focusing on characters in different stages of recovery.
Purchase links:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
All Romance Ebooks
B&N
Rand never sets out to find trouble. He’s a lone wolf and he likes it that way. Too bad he always seems to attract the kind of jerk who wants to start a fight, even in a tiny Colorado town where he stops to have a beer. What surprises him when he wins this fist fight, though, is what kind of perks come with the victory.Tate knows he looks big and strong and that he ought to be able to overthrow the alpha of his tiny, damaged pack. Too bad he’s really more omega than alpha, or even beta, and all he wants it to be a strong wolf’s bottom boy. When the pack tells him about Rand, Tate thinks he might have found the solution to all of his problems. Now he just has to convince Rand to stay.
Julia: "I'm really excited because it's my first totally new self pubbed title and the start of a brand new series for me
Purchase links:
All Romance Ebooks
Amazon
Ten years after a terrible car accident left carpenter Andy Johnson dead, Steven Billings has yet to move on. Though he’s put aside his art to run his family's foundation—just like his parents always wanted—Steven has never been able to put Andy and the love they shared behind him.Except Andy’s not dead. And after a long, agonizing recovery—alone—Andy has come to hate Steven, believing Steven abandoned him when things got tough. When a chance encounter at a bar throws them back together again, it’s like the dead have come back to life and the past has come back to haunt them both.
Sean: I was really happy that Dreamspinner wanted to reprint this one. I loved writing Steven and Andy's story and am happy to be able to share it once again. It's currently available for pre-order and will be out tomorrow (Jan 20)
Purchase links:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
All Romance Ebooks
B&N
Got a topic you'd like us to tackle? Let us know!
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot and @batortuga.
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play
January 16, 2016
A Writer's Brain on Holiday, by Renae Kaye
A Writer’s Brain
What a life!I’ve always believed I think differently than others. I’ve always ignored it, because isn’t that how a teenager thinks? “No one understands me! I’m different from everyone else.” I thought it’s a rather immature attitude to have and tried to block the thought. But what if it’s true? What if my mind thinks differently to others.
What if I have a writer’s brain?
I’ve been on a personal journey for three years now. It started in January 2013 when I finally gave into the inner urging I had and decided to see if I could write a novel. It’s culminated with me being able to say now, “I’m an author.” I’ve allowed my inner freak to fly – and it’s amazing.
It’s also scary.
Today I write to you from a little town south of Perth called Busselton. A town steeped in history, being built on the coast and growing around the shipping trade. Busselton boasts the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere.
It’s a great holiday spot. The summer temperatures are about 3-5 degrees cooler than the city, there’s plenty of swimming and fishing, and if you venture to the surrounding towns, you can visit wineries, ice cream factories, fudge factories, candy factories and more. There are bushwalks, caves, and coasts to explore.
It’s a wonderful holiday… but the writer brain doesn’t turn off.
Recently Western Australia experienced a devastating bushfire. Two people lost their lives. The fire took out an entire town – burning over 140 houses to the ground. We had to drive through the middle of the western part of where the fire burned. Going through this region, the thought that continuously rotated through my head was “Oh wow – look at that!” But another part of my brain was clicking over.
Results of the bushfire“How would you feel if your boyfriend was a volunteer firefighter and you were both in the closet, so you couldn’t get information about whether he was okay with arousing suspicions?”
“What if this was Hank’s neck of the woods and his farm was burnt down?”
“What if you lost everything in the fire, and then the guy you’ve been crushing on for ages steps in with a helping hand?”
Once at our destination, the thoughts never stopped. We headed down to see sunset at the beach.
“Look at that group of 8 young men. They look about seventeen years old. What are the odds that one of them is gay or at least questioning? What if he has a crush on his best mate? Would his friends accept him?”
Fishing at sunset“Look at those two men fishing. What if they’ve been a couple for years, and this is now their life? Living in Busselton. Fishing every evening while sharing a beer. What could tear them apart and rock such a happy couple?”
“Listen to that South African accent. What if you fell hard for the guy visiting your town, and you knew there was nothing in it, because he had to go home sooner or later?”
The next morning we headed out to the Busselton Jetty.
“Oh, man. Look at that guy. He’s gorgeous… I could write a whole story just from the inspiration of him.”
Perfect conditions“Look at those men. They have triplets. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they were a couple and those boys are their surrogate-born sons? They’re probably just good friends out together with one of the men’s triplets. But actually they do look… huh.”
“There’s a motorcycle club that’s just rocked up. What if you’re a small town nerd with desires and wishes, and then a rough, tough biker comes into your town and really shows you how they party in the city?”
Then I had coffee with lovely Kathy (**waves to Kathy**) and more thoughts.
“I could totally write that guy serving coffee into a book. He’s cute. Look at his cut off jeans. I wonder if he did them himself? A fashion queen serving coffee in a small town coffee lounge.”
Pike at the Observatory“Why is that guy sitting alone in the corner? He has a brooding quality about him. I could totally write him into a book too…”
“Aww, look at that elderly gentleman taking care of his wheelchair-bound wife. I hope when all my guys are that old that they’re still so much in love.”
So you may say that a writer is never on holiday. And that a holiday is a wonderful source of information and inspiration for when a writer is not on holiday. Paradox much?
How to contact Renae:Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite: www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9Twitter: @renaekkaye
What a life!I’ve always believed I think differently than others. I’ve always ignored it, because isn’t that how a teenager thinks? “No one understands me! I’m different from everyone else.” I thought it’s a rather immature attitude to have and tried to block the thought. But what if it’s true? What if my mind thinks differently to others.What if I have a writer’s brain?
I’ve been on a personal journey for three years now. It started in January 2013 when I finally gave into the inner urging I had and decided to see if I could write a novel. It’s culminated with me being able to say now, “I’m an author.” I’ve allowed my inner freak to fly – and it’s amazing.
It’s also scary.
Today I write to you from a little town south of Perth called Busselton. A town steeped in history, being built on the coast and growing around the shipping trade. Busselton boasts the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere.
It’s a great holiday spot. The summer temperatures are about 3-5 degrees cooler than the city, there’s plenty of swimming and fishing, and if you venture to the surrounding towns, you can visit wineries, ice cream factories, fudge factories, candy factories and more. There are bushwalks, caves, and coasts to explore.It’s a wonderful holiday… but the writer brain doesn’t turn off.
Recently Western Australia experienced a devastating bushfire. Two people lost their lives. The fire took out an entire town – burning over 140 houses to the ground. We had to drive through the middle of the western part of where the fire burned. Going through this region, the thought that continuously rotated through my head was “Oh wow – look at that!” But another part of my brain was clicking over.
Results of the bushfire“How would you feel if your boyfriend was a volunteer firefighter and you were both in the closet, so you couldn’t get information about whether he was okay with arousing suspicions?”“What if this was Hank’s neck of the woods and his farm was burnt down?”
“What if you lost everything in the fire, and then the guy you’ve been crushing on for ages steps in with a helping hand?”
Once at our destination, the thoughts never stopped. We headed down to see sunset at the beach.
“Look at that group of 8 young men. They look about seventeen years old. What are the odds that one of them is gay or at least questioning? What if he has a crush on his best mate? Would his friends accept him?”
Fishing at sunset“Look at those two men fishing. What if they’ve been a couple for years, and this is now their life? Living in Busselton. Fishing every evening while sharing a beer. What could tear them apart and rock such a happy couple?”“Listen to that South African accent. What if you fell hard for the guy visiting your town, and you knew there was nothing in it, because he had to go home sooner or later?”
The next morning we headed out to the Busselton Jetty.
“Oh, man. Look at that guy. He’s gorgeous… I could write a whole story just from the inspiration of him.”
Perfect conditions“Look at those men. They have triplets. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they were a couple and those boys are their surrogate-born sons? They’re probably just good friends out together with one of the men’s triplets. But actually they do look… huh.”
“There’s a motorcycle club that’s just rocked up. What if you’re a small town nerd with desires and wishes, and then a rough, tough biker comes into your town and really shows you how they party in the city?”
Then I had coffee with lovely Kathy (**waves to Kathy**) and more thoughts.
“I could totally write that guy serving coffee into a book. He’s cute. Look at his cut off jeans. I wonder if he did them himself? A fashion queen serving coffee in a small town coffee lounge.”
Pike at the Observatory“Why is that guy sitting alone in the corner? He has a brooding quality about him. I could totally write him into a book too…”“Aww, look at that elderly gentleman taking care of his wheelchair-bound wife. I hope when all my guys are that old that they’re still so much in love.”
So you may say that a writer is never on holiday. And that a holiday is a wonderful source of information and inspiration for when a writer is not on holiday. Paradox much?
How to contact Renae:Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite: www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9Twitter: @renaekkaye
January 14, 2016
Don't Judge by Felice Stevens
I have a confession to make to you all. I love trash television. I hear some of my friends discussing the shows they watch and I know I should be watching Masterpiece and Mystery on PBS and, to be fair to myself, I do watch Downton Abbey and Selfridge's. But I haven't watched all the documentaries or BBC shows they talk about and I feel like I should.
When they ask me what do I watch, I squirm, hesitate and say "Umm, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills...Snapped....Say Yes to the Dress?
I get the wide eyes and "Oh that's niiiice," ..then they look away.
Honestly though, I don't really care that much. We all have our guilty pleasures, don't we? Some of us have our wine or junk food, other like to watch porn. I like trashy Bravo shows.
See, I have a high stress job; I deal with issues that are highly confidential and often times have to make decisions on whether or not people will keep their jobs. In case you think I'm a bad guy though, I've also helped people who are suffering from serious medical issues, domestic violence, homelessness and are struggling as caregivers to elderly parents and sick children.
As you can imagine, by the end of the work day I'm often physically and mentally exhausted, and want nothing more than to flop on my sofa with a glass of Malbec and watch...MasterChef or Chopped.
So as the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover; things and people aren't everything that they seem at first glance. Get to know a person before you judge them on superficial things.
In my next release, Second to None, the third book in The Breakfast Club series, Tyler believes all the negative hype about Marcus before he gets to really know him. When you read Second to None, you'll finally understand what makes our favorite bad-boy tick—there is so much more to Marcus than what meets the eye. Second to None releases on January 28th! You can add it to your Goodreads shelf here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Oh, and for the record, the one show I draw the line at and will never watch is the Kardashians. Even I have some standards. :)
When they ask me what do I watch, I squirm, hesitate and say "Umm, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills...Snapped....Say Yes to the Dress?
I get the wide eyes and "Oh that's niiiice," ..then they look away.
Honestly though, I don't really care that much. We all have our guilty pleasures, don't we? Some of us have our wine or junk food, other like to watch porn. I like trashy Bravo shows.
See, I have a high stress job; I deal with issues that are highly confidential and often times have to make decisions on whether or not people will keep their jobs. In case you think I'm a bad guy though, I've also helped people who are suffering from serious medical issues, domestic violence, homelessness and are struggling as caregivers to elderly parents and sick children.
As you can imagine, by the end of the work day I'm often physically and mentally exhausted, and want nothing more than to flop on my sofa with a glass of Malbec and watch...MasterChef or Chopped.
So as the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover; things and people aren't everything that they seem at first glance. Get to know a person before you judge them on superficial things.
In my next release, Second to None, the third book in The Breakfast Club series, Tyler believes all the negative hype about Marcus before he gets to really know him. When you read Second to None, you'll finally understand what makes our favorite bad-boy tick—there is so much more to Marcus than what meets the eye. Second to None releases on January 28th! You can add it to your Goodreads shelf here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Oh, and for the record, the one show I draw the line at and will never watch is the Kardashians. Even I have some standards. :)
January 13, 2016
Ask Andrew - Notes and Ideas - Andrew Grey
Dear Andrew
When writing, how do you keep track of timelines, ideas, inspiration and such? By notes on the computer, a notebook perhaps?
Dawn
Dear Dawn
My process is very low tech. I have a notebook that my sister gave me a number of years ago. Its loosely leather bound and its what I wrote my notes and ideas in for a long time. However I filled up that one and now I'm using the notebook that I got at the last Dreamspinner author conference. I know it sounds old fashioned in this age of Scrivener and all kinds of other online tools, but I like being able to simply write down my ideas, the process of writing helps solidify them in my head.
The thing is that I rarely refer to my notes. The writing process usually imprints them on my mind enough that they stay. In school I was always writing things down and for me, a large part of studying was to fill notebooks. It helped impress what was important into my mind and that process transferred over to my writing.
Hugs and LoveAndrew
Ask Andrew 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.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
When writing, how do you keep track of timelines, ideas, inspiration and such? By notes on the computer, a notebook perhaps?
Dawn
Dear Dawn
My process is very low tech. I have a notebook that my sister gave me a number of years ago. Its loosely leather bound and its what I wrote my notes and ideas in for a long time. However I filled up that one and now I'm using the notebook that I got at the last Dreamspinner author conference. I know it sounds old fashioned in this age of Scrivener and all kinds of other online tools, but I like being able to simply write down my ideas, the process of writing helps solidify them in my head.
The thing is that I rarely refer to my notes. The writing process usually imprints them on my mind enough that they stay. In school I was always writing things down and for me, a large part of studying was to fill notebooks. It helped impress what was important into my mind and that process transferred over to my writing.
Hugs and LoveAndrew
Ask Andrew 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.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
January 12, 2016
If I had a million dollars with BA, Julia and Sean
So you've just won a million dollars...
Who is the first person you call?
BA: my daddy
Julia: my accountant
Sean:my bff
What restaurant would you eat at to celebrate? (and what would you order?)
BA: I guarantee you I wouldn't be hungry.
Julia: Beau Jo's. I would fly to Denver. BA would eat a chicken and feta pizza with me.
Sean: The Black Dog for steak and scallops and sticky toffee pudding
What's the first purchase you make?
BA: I'd pay off the student loans
Julia: a GMC Acadia
Sean: pay off the debts
Do you quit your day job?
BA: No.
Julia: No.
Sean: No.
How much do you put in the bank?
BA: Everything left after paying off the bills.
Julia: All of it.
Sean: three quarters of it
Where's the first place you want to go?
BA: Denver, so we can head up to Estes.
Julia: Denver.
Sean: New Zealand
Will you buy a new house? (and if so, where will it be?)
BA: I would buy a condo in Estes Park for the summer, but I intend to die in this house.
Julia: No. I'd do improvements on this house.
Sean: Yes, I'd buy a house on the beach in one of the Maritime provinces.
Would you buy a new wardrobe?
BA: Nope.
Julia: It would see be yoga pants and t-shurts, but hell yes.
Sean:I'd probably just add to my wardrobe
Would you replace your computer?
BA: Yep.
Julia: God yes.
Sean: yes!
Would your answers be different if you won 10 million dollars?
BA: Nope.
Julia: Nope.
Sean: probably not
Got a topic you'd like us to tackle? Let us know!
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot and @batortuga.
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play
Who is the first person you call?
BA: my daddy
Julia: my accountant
Sean:my bff
What restaurant would you eat at to celebrate? (and what would you order?)
BA: I guarantee you I wouldn't be hungry.
Julia: Beau Jo's. I would fly to Denver. BA would eat a chicken and feta pizza with me.
Sean: The Black Dog for steak and scallops and sticky toffee pudding
What's the first purchase you make?
BA: I'd pay off the student loans
Julia: a GMC Acadia
Sean: pay off the debts
Do you quit your day job?
BA: No.
Julia: No.
Sean: No.
How much do you put in the bank?
BA: Everything left after paying off the bills.
Julia: All of it.
Sean: three quarters of it
Where's the first place you want to go?
BA: Denver, so we can head up to Estes.
Julia: Denver.
Sean: New Zealand
Will you buy a new house? (and if so, where will it be?)
BA: I would buy a condo in Estes Park for the summer, but I intend to die in this house.
Julia: No. I'd do improvements on this house.
Sean: Yes, I'd buy a house on the beach in one of the Maritime provinces.
Would you buy a new wardrobe?
BA: Nope.
Julia: It would see be yoga pants and t-shurts, but hell yes.
Sean:I'd probably just add to my wardrobe
Would you replace your computer?
BA: Yep.
Julia: God yes.
Sean: yes!
Would your answers be different if you won 10 million dollars?
BA: Nope.
Julia: Nope.
Sean: probably not
Got a topic you'd like us to tackle? Let us know!
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot and @batortuga.
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play
January 11, 2016
Ask CC (01.11.2016) by Cardeno C.
Happy Monday! It's time for an Ask CC post!
Question: I am just dying to know, with the Siphon series, will you be introducing the possibility of male pregnancy? I know not all writers even attempt to write male pregnancy, even with shifter series where it seems to be most popular, but there are a hell of a lot of signs that Johnnie is going to get pregnant.
CC: I don't have an issue with writing a male pregnancy, but no, Johnnie won't be getting pregnant. I think this question stems from one aspect of how Hugh's body reacts to Johnnie. I'll share the scene where the characters explain this phenomenon:
“Well”—Johnnie moved his hand to Hugh’s groin and gently fondled him—“this isn’t the first time your body reacted…” He tried to think of the right word. “Differently to sex with me.”“It isn’t only sex. You’re special, Johnnie.” Hugh traced his thumb over Johnnie’s jawline. “Talking is different with you. Sharing meals is different with you. Sleeping is different with you.” Hugh paused and gazed into his eyes. “I’m different with you.”“I’m different with you too,” Johnnie answered, his voice cracking. “I’m whole now. I’m happy.”Hugh wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug.“Maybe it’s as simple as that.”“What?” Hugh asked.“Maybe—” Johnnie licked his lips and thought over what he was about to say. Wanting something as much as he wanted Hugh, made objectivity impossible. “I mean, I could be wrong. It could be wishful thinking, but—” He sucked in air and then let the words spill out. “Maybe we were meant to be together. Maybe our bodies were made for each other. Maybe this is what we were supposed to be and do all along and that’s why it feels good and right and whole and…” He ran out of air, sighed, and whispered, “Maybe.”“Maybe,” Hugh repeated, his lips turned up at the corners and his eyes looking happy.“You’re not upset about that?”“Why would I be upset that an incredibly intelligent, handsome, sweet person was made for me?” Hugh shook his head. “That might not have been my… What did you call it? A wish? But that’s only because I’ve never thought about wishing for something for myself. Everything I’ve done or wanted has been for the pride. That’s what a Premier is for—the pride.”The only Premier Johnnie knew was Hugh and there was no doubt about his devotion to his lions. He worked to ensure their safety and happiness all day, every day. And Johnnie spent that time focused on Hugh, devoted to Hugh.“That could be true. A Premier could be for the pride,” Johnnie said. “And a Siphon could be for the Premier.” “Could be.” Hugh smiled at Johnnie, brushed his hair off his forehead, and leaned in for a kiss. “My brilliant Siphon.” Their lips met time and again, softly, tenderly. “My precious gift.”
Question: Will you be releasing more audiobooks from the Home Collection?
CC: Yes, Alexander Collins will be narrating audio books for the entire Home collection. Currently, we have available the following Home audio books: Walk With Me, He Completes Me, Where He Ends and I Begin, and Just What the Truth Is. The One Who Saves Me will be next.
Question (three related ones): (1) When is Red River coming out? (2) Did you discontinue the pack series? (3) Should we expect releases in January?
CC: Red River, the next freestanding story in the Pack collection, will be released January 19th. Here is the blurb:
Two Alpha shifters join together to lead their pack and build a family.
Commitment, loyalty, and strength aren’t enough to make Wesley Stone’s birth pack accept an Alpha with a physical imperfection, even if it’s a meaningless mark. Putting the safety of his pack above his own wellbeing, Wesley trades himself for another Alpha and agrees to mate with a stranger in a mysterious, insular pack.
Alphas from Jobe Root’s family have led the Red River pack from the first day shifters walked the earth. Now the time has come for Jobe to fulfill his destiny, but to do that, he needs his mate by his side. Spiritual, easygoing Jobe reveres Mother Nature and trusts in fate, yet he can’t help being nervous about how his mate will react to his new life in Red River, his new life with Jobe.
Two Alphas with contrasting personalities, different upbringings, and divergent beliefs come together for the good of their packs. But to stay together, Wesley and Jobe must see beyond the surface and embrace every facet of themselves and their union.
Question: How old are Ethan and Miguel now? Best couple ever!
CC: Thank you! The main part (not the epilogue) of Until Forever Comes is set fifty years before the end of Wake Me Up Inside. The end of In Your Eyes is set two years after the end of Wake Me Up Inside.
Thanks so much for the wonderful questions! If you want to ask me a question that I'll answer on a future blog post, you can let me know here. Have a great week.
CC
www.cardenoc.com
Question: I am just dying to know, with the Siphon series, will you be introducing the possibility of male pregnancy? I know not all writers even attempt to write male pregnancy, even with shifter series where it seems to be most popular, but there are a hell of a lot of signs that Johnnie is going to get pregnant.CC: I don't have an issue with writing a male pregnancy, but no, Johnnie won't be getting pregnant. I think this question stems from one aspect of how Hugh's body reacts to Johnnie. I'll share the scene where the characters explain this phenomenon:
“Well”—Johnnie moved his hand to Hugh’s groin and gently fondled him—“this isn’t the first time your body reacted…” He tried to think of the right word. “Differently to sex with me.”“It isn’t only sex. You’re special, Johnnie.” Hugh traced his thumb over Johnnie’s jawline. “Talking is different with you. Sharing meals is different with you. Sleeping is different with you.” Hugh paused and gazed into his eyes. “I’m different with you.”“I’m different with you too,” Johnnie answered, his voice cracking. “I’m whole now. I’m happy.”Hugh wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug.“Maybe it’s as simple as that.”“What?” Hugh asked.“Maybe—” Johnnie licked his lips and thought over what he was about to say. Wanting something as much as he wanted Hugh, made objectivity impossible. “I mean, I could be wrong. It could be wishful thinking, but—” He sucked in air and then let the words spill out. “Maybe we were meant to be together. Maybe our bodies were made for each other. Maybe this is what we were supposed to be and do all along and that’s why it feels good and right and whole and…” He ran out of air, sighed, and whispered, “Maybe.”“Maybe,” Hugh repeated, his lips turned up at the corners and his eyes looking happy.“You’re not upset about that?”“Why would I be upset that an incredibly intelligent, handsome, sweet person was made for me?” Hugh shook his head. “That might not have been my… What did you call it? A wish? But that’s only because I’ve never thought about wishing for something for myself. Everything I’ve done or wanted has been for the pride. That’s what a Premier is for—the pride.”The only Premier Johnnie knew was Hugh and there was no doubt about his devotion to his lions. He worked to ensure their safety and happiness all day, every day. And Johnnie spent that time focused on Hugh, devoted to Hugh.“That could be true. A Premier could be for the pride,” Johnnie said. “And a Siphon could be for the Premier.” “Could be.” Hugh smiled at Johnnie, brushed his hair off his forehead, and leaned in for a kiss. “My brilliant Siphon.” Their lips met time and again, softly, tenderly. “My precious gift.”
Question: Will you be releasing more audiobooks from the Home Collection?
CC: Yes, Alexander Collins will be narrating audio books for the entire Home collection. Currently, we have available the following Home audio books: Walk With Me, He Completes Me, Where He Ends and I Begin, and Just What the Truth Is. The One Who Saves Me will be next.
Question (three related ones): (1) When is Red River coming out? (2) Did you discontinue the pack series? (3) Should we expect releases in January?
CC: Red River, the next freestanding story in the Pack collection, will be released January 19th. Here is the blurb:
Two Alpha shifters join together to lead their pack and build a family.
Commitment, loyalty, and strength aren’t enough to make Wesley Stone’s birth pack accept an Alpha with a physical imperfection, even if it’s a meaningless mark. Putting the safety of his pack above his own wellbeing, Wesley trades himself for another Alpha and agrees to mate with a stranger in a mysterious, insular pack.
Alphas from Jobe Root’s family have led the Red River pack from the first day shifters walked the earth. Now the time has come for Jobe to fulfill his destiny, but to do that, he needs his mate by his side. Spiritual, easygoing Jobe reveres Mother Nature and trusts in fate, yet he can’t help being nervous about how his mate will react to his new life in Red River, his new life with Jobe.
Two Alphas with contrasting personalities, different upbringings, and divergent beliefs come together for the good of their packs. But to stay together, Wesley and Jobe must see beyond the surface and embrace every facet of themselves and their union.
Question: How old are Ethan and Miguel now? Best couple ever!
CC: Thank you! The main part (not the epilogue) of Until Forever Comes is set fifty years before the end of Wake Me Up Inside. The end of In Your Eyes is set two years after the end of Wake Me Up Inside.
Thanks so much for the wonderful questions! If you want to ask me a question that I'll answer on a future blog post, you can let me know here. Have a great week.
CC
www.cardenoc.com
January 9, 2016
Renae interviews Liam and Jay by Renae Kaye
RENAE: Today on my blog, I’m going to be interviewing some old friends – Liam and Jay from my first novel, Loving Jay. Welcome guys. Have a seat.
JAY: Thanks for having us here, and thanks for making a spot on your blog. Oh my Gawd! I’m so excited to be back and I’ve been looking forward to it for days.
Liam rolls his eyes behind Jay’s back.
JAY: Oh my Gawd! I mean, so much has happened since the end of the book that I just want share all the news with everyone and thank everyone for their kind support and tell them I’m so glad they loved our story and all. I mean, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and the story was kind of brief. I mean, I could’ve gone on and on and on about it more if I was the writer, but I wasn’t. You were. I know this. And that’s okay. I’m just saying that there's more to our story than just us kissing on the oval and declaring to everyone our love and…. **words become muffled as Liam places his hand over Jay’s mouth and whispers something in his ear. Jay’s eyes widen and he nods before Liam releases him.** Right. Yes. Sorry. Liam was just reminding me that this is your interview and that I shouldn’t be taking over. Even though I—
LIAM: Jay?
JAY: Oh, yeah. Whoops. Stopping talking now.
LIAM: That’ll be the day…
Jay glares at Liam.
RENAE: **trying unsuccessfully to hide a smile** Right. Now. Liam? We’ll start with you.
Jay pouts and slumps in his chair.
RENAE: People have described your story as a gay-for-you story. Is this correct?
LIAM: A what?
JAY: **sighs** You know? You remember – when you turn gay for just that one person? So did I turn you gay or were you gay before you met me?
LIAM: Ohh! Yeah. Umm…. **hesitates** Look – truthfully I think I was always gay. There just wasn’t anyone before Jay that I wanted to come out of the closet for. I’ve tried to assign labels to myself since coming out, but nothing really fits. I can’t say that I’m bi and if being gay is what Jay feels, then I don’t think I’m gay either. I’m just me. But yeah, I’ve probably always been gay. I’ve always felt the attraction to men, that’s true, but I was afraid.
RENAE: Afraid? Afraid of your father?
LIAM: No – not like you mean. Not afraid he would hurt me. More afraid of his reaction and disappointment in me. I was more afraid that people would treat me different because I said I was gay. I had this dumb picture in my mind of what a gay man looked like, acted like and behaved like. That picture didn’t represent me, so I assumed that meant I wasn’t gay.
RENAE: So what did you think a gay man looked, acted and behaved like?
LIAM: Well… umm…
JAY: **laughs** Like me?
LIAM: Well, babe. You can’t deny it…
JAY: Why would I want to deny being gay? Being gay is so much fun!
RENAE: So, Liam – now that you are a gay man, is life more “fun”?
LIAM: **chuckles** Truthfully, it’s about the same. I really don’t do anything different, apart from try to keep Jay out of trouble. Jay’s a lot of fun, I admit that. But I still hang out with my old friends and watch footy. I still go fishing with Aaron every second Saturday. And I know now to leave Jay at home when I go fishing…
JAY: Oh my GAWD! Can you believe he tried to take me fishing! He said it would be fun. He said I would have a great time. Then he hauled me out of bed at a ridiculous hour and made me forgo makeup and nice clothes. I couldn’t believe it when we arrived and he expected me to wade out in the water up to my knees. I mean, I was wearing my stonewashed skinny jeans. Those suckers are painted on and could not be rolled up. And then he made such a song and dance when I insisted he piggy-back me to the boat. I still can’t believe it. Oh my Gawd! Did he expect me to get wet or something?
LIAM: Jay…
JAY: Then! After freezing my arse off for ages while we rode out to the middle of nowhere in this tin can, they wanted me to bait a hook! Aaron just passed this bucket over and I looked in and there were all these little fish and prawns. Raw! Not like nicely cooked and presented with a salad or anything. They expected me to cut them up and put them on a hook. I know! It’s like inhuman or something. Then, when I thought I had done the worst possible thing ever—
LIAM: Babe…
JAY: —Liam actually caught a fish on the end of his line. Alive! I mean it was flopping all over the place.
LIAM: Oh, for goodness sake, Jamie. What did you think we would pull up on the end of our line? Nicely filleted fish? Perhaps a tin of tuna?
JAY: **crosses his arms** Well I just didn’t expect it to be alive alive. I thought it would be dead.
RENAE: **struggling to hide her humour** So tell me, Jay, is there any time you’ve taken Liam to do something gay-orientated and he’s not—
JAY: **squeals** Oh my Gawd! The Pride Parade!
LIAM: No—
JAY: I have to tell you about Liam’s first Pride Parade.
LIAM: No. Please don’t—
JAY: Hush! It’s my turn to talk now. So about two months after Ben’s wedding, we had the Pride Parade in Perth. I go every year. It’s so much fun! We always get this huge crowd together and dress up. I had these tiny white shorts that I had found and were so much sexy that I had to wiggle them on. I worked on my nails for ages and managed to make them rainbow coloured and even did my hair as a rainbow. Oh my Gawd! It was great. So Liam didn’t want to come, but he had this idea that I would get hit upon or something – haha, like that ever happens at a Pride Parade. **giggles** So he comes out of the bedroom dressed in these jeans and grey shirt, and I’m like, “No way, Jose. You have to dress up!” But he didn’t. He’s such a pain. Then we get there and he standing there with the huge shocked look on his face. Like he expected us to be fully clothed or something. **laughs** So then the parade starts and me and the boys are cheering from the side, but no Liam. I thought maybe he’d gone off to the toilets or something. An hour later I tracked him down inside this pub. He’s in the corner, talking to this old guy about beer.
LIAM: Beer is very important.
JAY: But you missed the parade!
LIAM: You guys didn’t stop shrieking enough to watch the parade. Besides, my leg was starting to hurt.
JAY: Awww.
LIAM: Shut up. You didn’t miss me for nearly an hour.
JAY: I did too. But we’ll discuss that when we get home. I want to tell Renae about the Queen. So then…
LIAM: Please Jay, don’t—
JAY: …we’re in the bar, and this big ole Queen comes over. Her name was Miss Gayleena, and everyone knows she is the biggest bitch in town. You don’t insult her.
LIAM: Babe—
JAY: Hush. It’s my turn to talk.
LIAM: **muttering** It’s always your turn to talk…
JAY: So this Queen is sashaying around, making rude comments and insulting everyone, when she spots Liam over in the corner of the bar, having a yarn to this old guy and ignoring the rest of it. She makes a beeline to him and I’m freaking out, wanting to rush over and rescue him, but not wanting Miss Gayleena’s gaze to find me. Oh my Gawd! That woman makes my balls shrink with the thought of her skewering me with an insult. So she taps Liam on the shoulder and he turns around and gets a look of this Queen in her finery. I mean, she was glittering from head to toe, had slapped the makeup on and had so many feathers in her hair she must’ve denuded three peacocks.
Liam sighs and covers his eyes with his hands.
JAY: I see Liam’s face, and I’m thinking this is not going to end well. Liam’s staring at this Queen like he can’t believe she’s moving and talking. She says to him, loud enough so everyone can hear, “So what’s a cute little straight boy like you doing in town on Pride night?” Now, we all know she’s trying to get a reaction from the crowd, and I’m almost pissing my pants in fear of how Liam’s going to react. He takes this big step back as if he’s afraid of her, and say, “I’m not bothering anyone. I’m just having a beer.”
LIAM: **muttering** I didn’t know why she was picking on me.
JAY: Because you look so straight! So anyway, she laughs at him and says, “We all know what the cute straight boys want on Pride night. How about you let me take you home and I’ll give you a piece of Gayleena’s meat?” And Liam looks shocked before saying, “I’m not into that.”
LIAM: Well, I’m not! All I was meaning was that I don’t bottom.
JAY: **laughing** I knew that. But she didn’t. She got all excited like she had a live homophobe on her hands. She turned to the crowd, who were ready for her pointed barbs. A homophobe in Northbridge on Pride night is like a rabbit at a party of foxes. She said, “Oh, darling. All straight boys are into that once they’ve had Miss Gayleena.”
LIAM: Does that line work? Like ever?
JAY: **ignoring Liam** And Liam says, “Thank you for the offer, but I have other plans.” Oh my Gawd! He was so polite, and I could see it was shitting her right off. So she says, “Tell us, cutie. What plans does a man like you have? After all, you’re hanging out at a bar filled with gay guys on Pride night.”
Liam rolls his eyes again.
JAY: Then Liam – the love of my life – turns to the biggest Queen in the whole of Perth, looks her up and down once, and says, with the biggest sneer, “It’s none of your business, but if you must know, I had planned on taking my boyfriend back to our home and fucking him senseless on our bed.”
Renae chokes with mirth while Liam shakes his head sadly.
JAY: Oh my Gawd! It was classic. Every single jaw in the room dropped, including mine.
RENAE: Then what happened?
JAY: Then he looks over at me and calls, “Babe? You ready to go home and be fucked?” And I’m standing there with my tight little white shorts on, my rainbow nails and matching tank top, with little fairy wings on my back. Suddenly the spotlight’s on me. So I just waved and said, “Ready when you are.”
Renae wipes at the tears of laughter.
RENAE: And then?
JAY: Then he pushed past Miss Gayleena, nearly mowed down these oblivious lesbians kissing in the middle of the room, and slides his arm around me. I swear I was the envy of every single gay boy in that room.
LIAM: What? Because I shot down that preening queen?
JAY: No. Because you shot her down, showed your alpha side, and then marched over and claimed me in front of everyone.
Liam rolls his eyes again. Renae is scared he'll go blind.
LIAM: So what was I meant to do? Scuttle away from her in fright? There’s nothing alpha about standing up for yourself. And claiming you? Pfft. I just didn’t want anyone else to take you home. You’re mine.
JAY: Aww. Liam…
Renae sees what’s coming a quickly interjects.
RENAE: Ahh, guys? Public interview? If you want to do more you need to go home.
Liam and Jay still make goo-goo eyes at each other.
RENAE: Liam? Jay? How about you tell me about your new home?
LIAM: **still holding eye contact with Jay** Home? Great idea. Let’s go home.
Liam and Jay stand up and make to leave.
RENAE: Wait? What? No! Guys, please. You were supposed to…. **realises she’s talking to an empty room** …. Right. Damn.
How to contact Renae:
Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.au
Website: www.renaekaye.weebly.com
FB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9
Twitter: @renaekkaye
January 8, 2016
One Week and Counting by Felice Stevens
It's officially the first full week of the New Year. How many of those resolutions you made, of course with the best intentions, have you managed to keep? If you say any, I applaud you. I'm trying to stick to my healthy eating and exercising more and so far, so good. But talk to me in February.
I've read two posts lately, one from Josh Lanyon, and the other, Chuck Wendig's Terrible Minds blog, in which they speak of the journey of being an author, of writing for the love of writing and not trying to be someone you are not. in other words, finding your voice, your comfortable place. It's such a hard lesson to learn because when we are new, we want to be all the things-Best Selling Author, #1 on Amazon, Beloved by all mankind!
So many times I've put down a book after I've finished reading it and said, "Wow. I wish I could write like that." So many times I've thought that. But I can't. If I did, I'd be a pale imitator, not a creator. So I will continue to admire authors like Josh, Mary Calmes and Amy Lane to name a few, for the way they put words down on a page, but I know I won't ever write like them. I can only be me. There are people who read me and those who don't and that's fine. I've learned I can't please everyone, but it was a hard lesson. Who doesn't want everyone to like them? Like me please!! LOL.
When I look back on my first book, Rescued, I think about how far I've progressed (in my opinion) as an author. Though that book was such a huge success, there are so many things I'd want to change about it now. And yet it brought me my most unbelievable joy: readers. That's who I write for—readers who know when they pick up my books, they will get a bit of conflict, and a whole lot of loving on the way to the HEA.
I hope the new year finds you healthy and happy and on the road to whatever you want to accomplish. I have a new release coming out at the end of the month, Second to None, which is the third book in the Breakfast Club series. I'm so excited about Marcus and Tyler's story. In the meantime, if you're on Instagram you can follow me there at: https://www.instagram.com/felicestevens/ or on Twitter at @Felicestevens1. I'm usually posting silly stuff.
I've read two posts lately, one from Josh Lanyon, and the other, Chuck Wendig's Terrible Minds blog, in which they speak of the journey of being an author, of writing for the love of writing and not trying to be someone you are not. in other words, finding your voice, your comfortable place. It's such a hard lesson to learn because when we are new, we want to be all the things-Best Selling Author, #1 on Amazon, Beloved by all mankind!
So many times I've put down a book after I've finished reading it and said, "Wow. I wish I could write like that." So many times I've thought that. But I can't. If I did, I'd be a pale imitator, not a creator. So I will continue to admire authors like Josh, Mary Calmes and Amy Lane to name a few, for the way they put words down on a page, but I know I won't ever write like them. I can only be me. There are people who read me and those who don't and that's fine. I've learned I can't please everyone, but it was a hard lesson. Who doesn't want everyone to like them? Like me please!! LOL.When I look back on my first book, Rescued, I think about how far I've progressed (in my opinion) as an author. Though that book was such a huge success, there are so many things I'd want to change about it now. And yet it brought me my most unbelievable joy: readers. That's who I write for—readers who know when they pick up my books, they will get a bit of conflict, and a whole lot of loving on the way to the HEA.
I hope the new year finds you healthy and happy and on the road to whatever you want to accomplish. I have a new release coming out at the end of the month, Second to None, which is the third book in the Breakfast Club series. I'm so excited about Marcus and Tyler's story. In the meantime, if you're on Instagram you can follow me there at: https://www.instagram.com/felicestevens/ or on Twitter at @Felicestevens1. I'm usually posting silly stuff.
January 6, 2016
The Year Ahead by Riley Hart
Hello. I hope everyone had a great holiday. We're still trying to come down from it all. My kids don't go back to school until this coming Monday (which is better than this coming Wednesday which is what I originally thought). It's not that I don't enjoy having them home, but three weeks is a long time. They get bored and our schedule gets messed up. We do really well with a schedule.
I'm looking forward to 2016 and I'm excited for some of the things I have in store. This is my plan...that's not to say all of these things will definitely happen, but they're my goal.
Writing:
Crossroads has become, The Crossroads Series. That doesn't mean a new Nick and Bryce novel, but it does mean you'll meet some new and old friends of theirs, so you'll be seeing Nick and Bryce again. Book two is titled SHIFTING GEARS. Remember Rod from the sex store? It's his book. His and Landon's. I LOVED writing their story. It's finished and currently in editing. You'll get it soon, and the cover reveal is coming soon as well. It's stunning and I can't wait to share it with you guys!
After SHIFTING GEARS, there should be one more novel in the series, and a novella which will be released on it's own first, and then part of one of the 1001 Dark Nights bundles along with novellas from Christopher Rice, Melissa Foster, Rebecca Zanetti, and Liliana Hart.
I really hope to write the second Rock Solid book this year as well. I'm doing my best on that one. I promise. I'm so sorry it's taking so long!
I also have a novel that I started for NaNo, which is sitting at 32,000 words. It's an angsty one. That's high on my priority list to finish.
There might or might not be a secret project in the works, too. :)
As for Nyrae I would love to write Xavier's book. He's the roommate of Toby from A HUNDRED THOUSAND WORDS.
Book Releases:
I have a Nyrae Dawn YA releasing Fall 2016 from Harmony Ink titled TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN. It deals with mental illness and is really close to my heart. Some of the books mentioned above will obviously be releasing this year as well :)
Reading:
I want to read more in 2016 than I did in 2015. I didn't set a goal for the number of books, but I didn't read nearly enough last year. I plan to change that this year.
Signings:
I'll be at Apollycon in Savannah this February.
Romantic Times in Vegas this April.
I hope to add more singings.
Lastly, you have a couple more weeks to order signed books from the Apollycon virtual signing. I'm about halfway down the page. There's a drop down menu for Nyrae Dawn/Riley Hart.
That's it from me. I'm curious, do you sent New Year goals? If so, what are some of yours?
I'm looking forward to 2016 and I'm excited for some of the things I have in store. This is my plan...that's not to say all of these things will definitely happen, but they're my goal.
Writing:
Crossroads has become, The Crossroads Series. That doesn't mean a new Nick and Bryce novel, but it does mean you'll meet some new and old friends of theirs, so you'll be seeing Nick and Bryce again. Book two is titled SHIFTING GEARS. Remember Rod from the sex store? It's his book. His and Landon's. I LOVED writing their story. It's finished and currently in editing. You'll get it soon, and the cover reveal is coming soon as well. It's stunning and I can't wait to share it with you guys!
After SHIFTING GEARS, there should be one more novel in the series, and a novella which will be released on it's own first, and then part of one of the 1001 Dark Nights bundles along with novellas from Christopher Rice, Melissa Foster, Rebecca Zanetti, and Liliana Hart.
I really hope to write the second Rock Solid book this year as well. I'm doing my best on that one. I promise. I'm so sorry it's taking so long!
I also have a novel that I started for NaNo, which is sitting at 32,000 words. It's an angsty one. That's high on my priority list to finish.
There might or might not be a secret project in the works, too. :)
As for Nyrae I would love to write Xavier's book. He's the roommate of Toby from A HUNDRED THOUSAND WORDS.
Book Releases:
I have a Nyrae Dawn YA releasing Fall 2016 from Harmony Ink titled TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN. It deals with mental illness and is really close to my heart. Some of the books mentioned above will obviously be releasing this year as well :)
Reading:
I want to read more in 2016 than I did in 2015. I didn't set a goal for the number of books, but I didn't read nearly enough last year. I plan to change that this year.
Signings:
I'll be at Apollycon in Savannah this February.
Romantic Times in Vegas this April.
I hope to add more singings.
Lastly, you have a couple more weeks to order signed books from the Apollycon virtual signing. I'm about halfway down the page. There's a drop down menu for Nyrae Dawn/Riley Hart.
That's it from me. I'm curious, do you sent New Year goals? If so, what are some of yours?
