K-lee Klein's Blog: Chaos in the Moonlight , page 5

Gratitude & Giving Day 1 - K-lee Klein

Happy December and welcome to 31 Days of Gratitude and Giving!
For the entire month, I'm going to be featuring a different author each day to talk about gratitude and offer up a little gift of the season. This is our way of thanking our readers for their support and enthusiasm in purchasing and reading our books. It's no easy feat to put ourselves and our babies out in the webisphere all vulnerable and alone like that, and I don't think it matters how many times we've has been published or how seasoned we think they are – we still have release day jitters.
So make sure you check the blog every day, answer the authors' question or just leave a comment if they've made it easy for you, and take in what they have to say. This blog event is about gratitude and if you want a little hint about what really makes writers' thankful, it's feedback about what they write. Sometimes even a simple note from a reader who has bought or especially won a book can make our day.
I'm going to be doing two posts because I'm greedy like that so I'll relay my first bit of gratitude in a short and sweet way, and go into my gratitudes of past, present & future on December 31st.
I'm grateful for my readers who take a chance in stepping into my world with each story I write. And I'm thankful for my author friends for accepting me for who I am and agreeing to do last minute things like this event at the drop of a hat. Hugs to you all. <3
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Before I let you head over to the comments and enter the giveaway (which I sneakily have not told you about yet,) I'm going to pimp a little novella I have coming out on December 6. Anyone who is familiar with my Unbreak My Heart series knows that Brett & JT are very dear to me and never far from my thoughts – and that also explains why they have a second story out this year. They never leave me alone. So, yes, they have a little story to tell for your/their holiday pleasure.
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Brett and JT are hosting Millie and Ray's wedding, but that's not the only love keeping this holiday season merry.
Brett and JT are having a good run. The animal shelter is working out just fine at the ranch, the four wiggling new additions to their family are thriving, and old Ray's operation seems to have been a success. Brett and JT are still in their own honeymoon phase and continue to have trouble with not ripping each other's clothes off at inappropriate times and places. 
Next on the ranch's agenda is Millie and Ray's Christmas wedding and whether it's the upcoming nuptials or the holiday spirit in the air, Brett's heart just won't settle down. He has so much love for his California kid that some days he feels like that schoolboy with a crush again. He's not sure how to tame all those feelings but he knows he has to try. 
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Now it's time to leave a comment. I'd like you to name one thing that you're grateful today. It doesn't have to be the most important thing in your life that you can think of, maybe just some simple thing that happened that made you feel thankful or special. Leave your email address with your comment and I'll choose a winner to pick an ebook from my backlist on December 7th.
Thanks for dropping by, and yeah, keep doing that all month, would ya?

"31 Days of Gratitude & Giving" starts tomorrow!

TUNE IN TOMORROW AND ALL OF DECEMBER FOR GREAT GIVEAWAYS & WORDS OF GRATITUDE.

GRL 2015 Pre-Orders & signed books to be shipped

Hi guys. This is my GRL 2015 Pre-Order form for print books. I missed Gay Rom Lit last year in Chicago because I was in the hospital so I'm eager to go to San Diego this year in October. I'll be a featured author and in hopes of trying to not bring more books than I need (which means shipping back to Canada) I thought I'd give this a try.

As you can see, if you order a book and pick it up from me at GRL there won't be any shipping. But I'm also offering signed books for those who can't be there. Obviously, if you buy more than one we can work out the shipping price so you're not paying double and I'll refund the difference. You'll need a PayPal account to order but this is very quick and easy to set up and it doesn't cost anything.

This is the first time that Moonstone - Stone Magic book 1 and Manny's Heart will be available in paperback, and as of the time I'm writing this, I haven't even seen the print versions. I'm very excited to get my hands on them. You'll notice that Manny has a Part 1 and Part 2 in paperback rather than just one long digital copy. This is because at 150,000 words, it was too long to be printed in one book.

If you could be so kind to leave the name I know you by when you order either in the order itself (on PayPal) or in a comment here. Many of us have different names than will appear in other aspects of our lives so I just don't want to get confused as to who has ordered. It would be better for me to do this sooner than later because I'll get a better idea of how many books to order from my publishers. I will have a few books on hand for those wanting to buy from me at GRL but this is really much easier and economical for me.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment or email me at kleemoon66@gmail.com. Have a great summer. :)

PS - if you try this and it doesn't work, please let me know. This is my first attempt so hopefully I haven't screwed it up. ;)






Unbreak My Heart (signed) GRL 2015 pick-up $15.00 USD Ship to Canada or US $25.00 USD Ship to Other $40.00 USD






Moonstone - Stone Magic book 1 (signed) GRL 2015 pick-up $13.00 USD Ship to Canada or US $23.00 USD Ship to Other $38.00 USD


Manny's Heart: Part 1 - Family of Misfits 3 (signed) GRL 2015 pick-up $14.00 USD Ship to Canada or US $24.00 USD Ship to Other $39.00 USD



Manny's Heart: Part 2 - Family of Misfits 3 (signed) GRL 2015 pick-up $14.00 USD Ship to Canada or US $24.00 USD Ship to Other $39.00 USD



Ali's Intuition - Family of Misfits 2 (signed) GRL 2015 pick-up $15.00 USD Ship to Canada or US $25.00 USD Ship to Other $40.00 USD



Lucius' Bite - Family of Misfits 1 (signed) GRL 2015 pickup $12.00 USD Ship to Canada or US $22.00 USD Ship to other $37.00 USD



Domestic Relations (signed) GRL 2015 pick-up $11.00 USD Ship to Canada or US $21.00 USD Ship to Other $36.00 USD

New giveaway! Stone Magic, book 1 - Moonstone

Stone Magic, book 1 - Moonstone came out on July 19 but I neglected to share a part of it or offer a giveaway because of the whirlwind that was Rainbow Con. So I'm offering one now. :) 

Leave a comment for a chance to win an ebook copy of Moonstone. And my question of the day is...if you see a cover with a guy you aren't especially attracted to (like some with this Blue on this cover right here) will you still give the book a chance? :) Contest will be open until Sunday, August 2.

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Moonstone - Stone Magic book 1

Ky’s a fighter, Blue’s an artist, but together they are truly magical.*****Ky’s fought his way to the championship for the third time, but the fight of his life isn’t against an opponent in the boxing ring. He’s fighting a darkness within himself that he can’t ignore and can’t control. If he fails, everything he’s spent his life working for will be gone, and he can’t see a way to win. Only a hint, a hunch, sends him out looking for help in unusual places.Blue’s a quiet guy, living for his family and the art of his tattoos. He’s built up his shop, Blue’s Dungeon, to be a place for the celebration of art on skin. Simple, friendly, and mostly uncomplicated. He likes it that way. But when Ky shows up in his shop, searching for a lifeline, it’s the beginning of something magical.Buy link:Amber Quill PressAmazonAll RomanceAdd to your To be read list here. ;) GoodReads~ * ~ * ~ExcerptIt was like a maze of hallways, one leading to the next, with the odd fork in the road here and there. Ky felt like he was being sucked into some weird dimension with a whole lot of portals but no actual people or even signs of life. When the end of the hall was finally in sight, he released an embarrassing sigh of relief.The last door was painted with the most extraordinary mural Ky had ever seen—two small naked figures with no discerning gender standing beside a flowing river of shimmering waves in bright blues and dark purples. Their arms were extended over their heads, as if they were reaching for the stunningly beautiful sun shining above. Iridescent stars, hearts, and wisps of electric color shot from the points of the sun, the sky a scramble of light purple and turquoise. Ky had never seen anything like it.But the most stunning part was the dark blue that Ky would have sworn actually beamed with light. It was everywhere in the painting—outlining the sun and bursting from its rays, initiating waves and whirlpools in the water, even shading the landscape in brilliance. The color was mesmerizing, and Ky couldn’t tear himself away from it. He could have stared at it all day, until a painful flash of light and a wave of dizziness swept through him. He slapped a hand on the wall to steady himself, forcing his eyes closed and swallowing a cottony lump in his throat.“Hey!” Blake’s voice broke through Ky’s reverie. “You okay? Look like you’re gonna pass out or something. Why don’t you come in and sit down? Just drop the box anywhere.”He followed her voice into the room, his vision blurred and eyes teary, but not before he brushed his fingers over the brilliance of the door’s artwork. It felt warm and gave him a pleasant spark from his fingertips to the top of his shoulder.“I’m…I’m okay.” He squared his shoulders again, straightening his body to its six-foot form. He struggled to return to reality, squinting as Blake finally reappeared in front of him. “So you, um, you don’t work here?” Blake turned to look at him, reaching for the box he still clutched to his chest. “Naw. Blue’s a solo act. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body, at least in that way. I live close, so I help out all the guys. One of them’s been teaching me yoga so at least I look like I have a purpose around here. You sure you’re okay? You look kinda pale.”Ky ignored her worries, breathing deeply and swallowing the last of the cotton in his mouth. “I do yoga.”It was a matter-of-fact statement and totally random, especially since he wasn’t sure TV yoga counted as real yoga. Blake didn’t seem to notice though. She smirked, hoisting the box onto the dark blue counter that appeared to pave the way into the shop. Ky felt like he needed to explain.“They made us do it in one of my group homes. It’s relaxing.”“No explanations necessary, man. Just because you’re big and muscly doesn’t mean you can’t have some Zen in your life. We should totally do a session sometime. Oli loves to have new people in his class.” Blake turned away from Ky, and a big voice soared out of her tiny body. “Blue! Get your lazy butt out here. You have an actual customer.”Ky stepped back at the abrupt change in Blake’s tone and volume. He tripped on the mat by the door, catching himself from completely falling on his ass by grabbing the edge of the counter. He was obviously still a little dizzy but had no idea why.“Fuck. Sorry,” he said to Blake, as she incredulously looked on at his antics.“Blake, you aren’t supposed to damage the clients before they pay.”Ky glanced to the side, and discovered the most incredible sea-blue eyes he’d ever seen. “Um…no, that was my fault.”Mr. Blue-eyes—Ky assumed his eyes matched his name—flashed a sweet smile, holding a hand out to Ky. “No problem, dude. I’m Blue.”“Kyle—Ky Adamson. I guess I’m late. Sorry about that.”Blue grinned crookedly at him with a teasing wink. “We’re not too strict on time around here. Wanna come on through and have a chat?”Ky could only nod, his heart thumping out a strong bass line in his ears. He wasn’t sure if it was the prospect of the tattoo itself, or the open friendliness of Blue’s handsome face that had him suddenly on edge. Electrified nerves skittered under his skin, trickling down his spine, his palms instantly clammy as Blue tipped his head for Ky to follow him.There was something about the slighter-framed man that sent a little series of jolts straight to Ky’s gut. It might have simply been the knowledge that he was there so Blue could purposely inflict pain on him—surely not that much though. He hoped. It could also have been the weighty issue occupying three-quarters of his mind. Strangely enough, it was more of a this guy couldn’t possibly be making my dick hard feeling.Of course, watching Blue bend down to pick up an errant pen, his low-riding jeans sliding down just enough to see the shadows of tattoos sticking up alongside the top of his butt crack, might have revved his engine a little, too.“Have a seat, Ky.”The instant familiarity of Blue using his nickname made Ky relax into the big-cushioned couch he’d been directed to. “Thanks,” he muttered when Blue settled beside him, tucking one leg underneath his bottom as he reached for a clipboard on a small table beside the sofa.Everything in the small room was well used, or in a lot of cases, Ky surmised, just used period. Once he’d finished checking out the decor and necessities, not much more than the couch and table really—and no tattoo machines, needles or bottles of ink. He turned back to Blue, who listed his head to the side.“You nervous? Not too late to change your—”“Yeah, I know. Just getting used to my surroundings.” Ky shifted farther back into the worn leather, hoping he gave the appearance of being more relaxed than he actually was. “Interestingplace you’ve got here.”He forced a pathetic grin, looking to Blue for a reaction, which he received in the form of a low chuckle. Heat seeped into Ky’s cheeks, so he quickly continued, “That…that painting on the door is amazing. I don’t know much about art, but it looks pretty cool.”Blue’s vibrant eyes lowered beneath long, dark lashes and peeked out from beneath a fringe of messy hair. He had shaggy, dark brown, out-of-control curls, but as he pushed his hair back, Ky saw the distinct tracks where his hair had been shaved close to his scalp on one side. He had an interesting look, to say the least. Not to mention the full beard and mustache that Ky was honestly not sure how he felt about. He’d never been one for facial hair, and found himself wondering if it itched.“I did it on a whim. Turned out okay, I guess. So, yeah, thanks.” Blue drew Ky out of his pondering, gazing determinedly into his eyes again. “You ready to start?”Ky twisted so he was facing Blue dead-on. There were still faint flutters of anxiety in his belly, but Blake had been right, Blue made him feel more comfortable than he’d expected.“Let’s do it. Shoot.”“Cool.” Blue grinned at him as he clicked the end of his pen, then bowed his head again. Ky caught himself wanting to reach out and touch the dark mop of hair that Blue kept trying to sweep away from his eyes. “Just gonna ask you a few questions. Let’s see…are you high?”Unable to keep his jaw hinged, Ky gaped at Blue, his eyes wide and burning a little with the effort. “Am I…am I what? High?” “Around here it's question number one. Sorry, but I’ve worked on enough stoned people to know it’s not a good idea. If you’re tweaking you don’t tend to feel the pain as much, but at the same time, you’re more likely to not have put much thought into the art you want on your body. No offense, man.”Shifting a little in his chair, Ky furrowed his brow. “Not high or drunk. Not offended either.” He definitely couldn’t take offense since he’d asked Blake if Blue tattooed while he was high before even meeting him.“All right. Ever been inked before?”“No.”“How are you with pain?”“High tolerance.”Blue lifted his head, his icy blue orbs skating over Ky’s face. “That shiner looks like it could have caused a little discomfort. Bruise on your cheek looks fresh, too.”He paused, as Ky concentrated on his lap, then looked back up, a slow heat starting from his ears and running into his cheeks again. He’d forgotten about the current state of his face, and suddenly everything felt awkward.“Not on the run from some mob guys or the law, are ya?”The sweet smile that accompanied Blue’s teasing put Ky at a little more ease. He forced a half-grin. “Nope. Just a hobby.”“Dangerous hobby,” Blue said with a low whistle.Ky immediately wanted to disappear into the concrete floor. Since when did a pair of pretty blue eyes and a sexy voice make him want to do anything but dismiss whoever was behind them? He didn’t blush for anyone or anything—usually. And he definitely didn’t need the distraction to his real purpose for being there.

Manny's Heart Ebook Winner!

Hey, y'all. I apologize for this being so late but I totally got lost in Rainbow Con and in having two big releases at the same time. Yikes!
So anyhow - the winners in the Manny's Heart contest are...drumroll...
Eloreen Moon
&
Ann Anderson 
Congrats!
I'm going to email you both to get your preferred format option. (or if I'm too slow, message me with info ;) )And thanks to everyone who commented. If you get a chance, I hope you let Manny tell you his story.
HugsK
PS These are the print books for Manny's Heart. It had to be broken into two books because it's 150,000 words long. They're pretty, right? : I love that LC put the Roma wagon wheel in both parts.

Win a copy of Manny's Heart - Family of Misfits 3!

Happy Almost Release Day to me!
Manny's Heart, the third Family of Misfits books, comes out Friday, July 10 from MLR Press, but I'll be traveling to Tampa, Florida for Rainbow Con that day. If you're familiar with my Family you'll know Manny is the sweetest member of the clan. He's spoiled by everyone especially Ali, but it doesn't go to his head. The little lion had a tough start to life but fortunately found a place where love and adoration runs rampant for him.
This was the longest book I've ever written by at least 40,000 words. At 150,000, it will be available in ebook in its entirety but will be split in two for print copies that will be released at the same time. It was a hard choice and I fear the retail price for the ebook might turn some readers away.
All I can really say is it's 150,000 words of love, sadness, and rejoicing. It was a emotional book to write in some places and I have to say I wrote a character that I totally didn't like for the first time ever. Plus, y'all know I have to break my boys before I can put them back together, right?
I'll leave you with the blurb and an excerpt, plus a chance to win your own ebook copy of Manny's Heart. Leave your name, email address and tell me who your favorite Family of Misfit character is to enter the draw. I'll leave it open until Friday, July 17. Also, I'd appreciate it to the moon if you'd spread the word about Manny. 
Peace.
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Manny's willing to do anything it takes to be loved by the spirit mate of his dreams, but there's a fine line between dreams and nightmares.
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Manny's life has improved in so many ways since moving to Romania, but he's unhappy that the last essential piece— finding his spirit mate— hasn't happened yet. He's more than ready, willing, and able to make that dream come true. If only the match for his birthmark would finally show up, because he's determined to be the best damned spirit mate anyone ever had.
Mika's always been relieved to not have a birthmark like his twin. He's never going to end up stuck with some fate-ordained mate he doesn't even know. The rock & roll bachelor life, with friends and hook-ups he chooses for himself, suits him perfectly.
But Mika's never had a friend quite like Manny, and he's never been as angry about the whole fated mate nonsense as he is when it becomes Manny's only goal. All Mika can do, though, is offer Manny his support—as his friend.
* * * * *
Manny’s new life was different from anything he’d ever imagined. Not in a bad way, because his old life with his misfit family had been just fine, and so was this one, but just different in a differentway. He’d never dreamed he’d be able to travel around the world, experience so many new things, be part of something as exciting as a rock band that sold out every show, and even get hit on by boys and girls just because he was with the band. But then Kalo had found Ali and they had been bonded to each other, and bam, suddenly Manny and the rest of his family were jetsetters. He wasn’t sure if that was the right word for flying around the world in a private jet, visiting more countries than Manny had really known existed, and living in two places at the same time. Well, not exactly the same time since there was still only one of him. But be it jetsetter or high-flying roadie, it definitely wasn’t the path he’d ever expected his life to take.He’d liked his job at the auto body shop, and he’d been treated well by the few acquaintances he’d had in town, but quitting hadn’t been any big deal for him. Answering the phone and filling out paperwork wasn’t something he wanted to do for the rest of his life, anyway. He had no real clue what exactly he didwant to do, but Ali always told him he had time to figure it out. Manny knew that was true, plus, there was another part of his life he needed to get straightened out before he made any long-term commitments. This new life might be just the way to get there, and losing a few quasi-friends was more than worth it.

With all the changes, at least they’d kept the family’s secluded cabin in the mountains. Manny was happy to be able to still live there part of the time, since it had been his only real home for so long and held almost every good memory he had. He admitted it was a little confusing going back and forth sometimes, especially when he woke up and didn’t remember which one of his rooms he was in or even what country for that matter, but it was an adventure. It was as if he was on a journey like the one in his favourite movie The Hobbit, except his goal wasn’t to reclaim something that had been taken from him.Instead, Manny’s singular hope was that spending half his time in Romania would be just what he needed to do to find his spirit mate. It was logical, really. It was where both Lucius and Ali’s mates had come from, so hanging around them ought to be some sort of good luck charm for him. He was also pretty sure Bunica, or Anca as Ali preferred Manny and Kristof call her, had said something about all spirit mates being related to her family.So for Manny, this new life was a win-win situation. He got to travel, have fun, and be with the people he loved while he searched for the last piece of the puzzle that was his life. And he hadn’t even had to give up anything really important to pursue it since his family was still together almost each and every day.It had been nine months since Ali and Kalo had been married, or handfasted as Ali told him it was called, and Manny couldn’t have been happier with his new family. He’d loved his life when it had been the four of them—Lucius had said they were the four musketeers—but having more people to love and care about him was a plus in Manny’s book. It was true that he didn’t see Ali as much as he used to, or maybe it was just that they didn’t have as much one-on-one time now. He was still trying to understand the whole mating thing, but sometimes he missed the old days of Ali being able to spend more time with him. It didn’t bother him though, at least not much.He’d grown up in a big family, and even though, ultimately, they hadn’t been very nice, he still liked to have people around, as many as possible to make him feel secure and wanted. The occupants of the big house in the Carpathian Mountains numbered seven now, since Anca had also moved in—eight when Kristof was there.He thanked God or whoever listened to his prayers that Romania existed at all, because the place had brought so much happiness into his family’s lives. Kalo was besotted with Ali. Ali didn’t come right out and admit it very often, but Kalo was everything he’d ever really wanted, too. He brought a pretty light to Ali’s eyes whenever they were in the same room—Ali smiled more, was less snippy, mostly, and the way he looked at Kalo made Manny’s heart warm. And Kalo treated Manny like a brother or maybe even a son, since Ali still liked to mother him. Lucius, of course, was joined at the hip with Nicu, who had to be the sweetest person ever. Lucius still hung around with Manny, and Manny knew they would always be close, but sometimes he felt like the third wheel. He found himself thinking a lot about the day he could double-date with the couples in his family. The day he might have a mate of his own to spend all his time with and who loved him more than anyone else. If he ever found that special person who made his eyes sparkle all the time, Manny would be the luckiest man in the world.Besides his spirit mate, the other thing missing in Manny’s new life was Kristof, who was off working in the woods in Canada. He still came to Romania sometimes, but he hadn’t wanted to give up his job and friends in the mountains so he wasn’t with them as much as Manny would have liked. It was always the best kind of reunion when Kristof came off the job and crushed Manny like some tiny mouse in his strong arms. Manny didn’t even mind being squashed so much anymore since it was part of the big bear’s emotional homecomings, and he loved seeing that wide grin. Not that he’d stop complaining. It wouldn’t do for Kristof to get too cocky.When Manny came up for air at the shallow end of the Carpathian house pool, he was greeted by Mika’s friendly face and the tantalizing aroma of coffee. “Hey! There’s my lean, mean, swimming machine.” Oh yeah—then there was Mika. “Don’t you ever get tired of going back and forth, little one?” Manny still couldn’t believe he had a pool that he could use whenever he wanted; even his mountain lion had stopped whiningabout hating the water. Manny had started swimming every day. He did it mostly because he liked it, though Ali kept telling him he had a beautiful swimmer’s body and was toned to perfection, but that was just Ali being Ali. Manny did think he’d gained a little previously non-existent muscle in his upper body. Not like Ali said, but maybe it was a bit of an improvement anyway.After shaking his wet hair, Manny took Mika’s proffered hand and let himself be yanked from the pool. He accepted the towel Mika wrapped around his shoulders, slipping it down around his waist to cover the swimsuit he thought was far too small to be paraded around in. Ali had bought it for him, saying it would look adorable. Like Manny really wanted to look that way to his family. It made him more than a little self-conscious, especially around Mika.“You must have been up early. It’s only eight o’clock and you’ve already done your laps for the day?” Mika grinned at him as he blew on his steaming cup of coffee. “I should bottle some of that energy, little one.”Little one. It was a nickname Manny would never admit to liking, but he really did. Mika had nicknames for everyone, but they usually changed from week to week, day to day, hour to hour, while Manny’s always stayed the same. It made him feel like he had a special place with Mika, one where he felt safe and happy. Of course, he didn’t know if Mika was just using it all the time since Manny wasthe littlest one in the family, so he tried not to take too much stock in just how lucky it made him feel.Manny squinted at Mika as he rubbed a second towel over his wet hair, carefully choosing his words before he spoke. “De obicei, sunteți de dormeza.”Mika burst out laughing, slapping his hand on his knee as he tried to stifle his amusement, almost sloshing his coffee all over himself. He shot an apologetic glance Manny’s way.Manny huffed a sigh. “What did I say this time?”“Pretty sure you just called me a couch.”* * * * *
I don't have the exact buy link but here's my author link at MLR. You'll be able to find it there on release day.
Manny's Heart - Family of Misfits 3

Interview with actor Jared Allman - HAHBAT post #3

Welcome to my third post for the Hop Against Homophobia, Bi- & Transphobia 2015. One of my favourite things to post on my blog has always been interviews and today I have a special one. It's no secret that I have an extensive gay film collection and am a huge fangirl when it comes to these movies so I'm very excited to welcome Jared Allman to my blog.
Jared is an out actor, model and up-and-coming author known for a couple of movies I adore - Scenes From a Gay Marriage and More Scenes From a Gay Marriage. You can see his full bio at the bottom of this post. But now without further ado, please welcome Jared Allman to my blog.
~Hey, Jared, welcome to Chaos in the Moonlight & the Hop Against Homophobia, Bi- & Transphobia. I really appreciate you stopping by. Congratulations on your Best Supporting Actor win at the TLA Gaybies. How awesome is it that More Scenes From a Gay Marriage won 4 awards?
It's pretty incredible to think that the film and my friends/actors swept the awards when you think about all the notable talent that was also nominated. I was both surprised and humbled to have won. To be honest I did not expect it.
~Would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Do you have any siblings? Pets? Did you sit in the front row of your school classroom or did you prefer the back? Were you into sports or drama or band? Basically anything you'd like to offer up would be awesome.
I do have siblings. I've got 3 brothers and one sister. No pets. Def a back of the room kinda guy in every way. I like to go unnoticed. Haha, that’s the shy boy in me.
~As I've explained a little above, the hop is working in conjunction with the International Day Against Homophobia to spread the word about hope for a prejudice-free world—specifically regarding homophobia & transphobia. How did homophobia affect you in your younger years? I understand you came from a religious family, did that affect how or when you came out?
Coming out for me was a challenge and something that haunted me for most of my youth. I was terrified of being rejected by my family and being truly alone in the world. I got called “fag” and “gay” pretty regularly in high school. Because it was obvious I wasn’t interested in girls. Becoming aware of yourself is a task and loving yourself when you feel alone and misunderstood is even harder. 
Having grownup Mormon and in the South, I used to pray every day to have a desire and attraction to women. I just wanted to be like everyone else and not be different. Well, that prayer went unanswered or was it answered? I don’t mean to quote Garth Brooks, but it certainly fits in this context…“I think some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers” and I thank God for that unanswered prayer. He made me just the way he intended.
~I think you already know I'm a big fangirl for your movies, Jared. I adore Scenes From a Gay Marriage and More…" How did you get into acting? And your more recent accomplishment - modeling? Congratulations, by the way.
Well I have been acting/modeling for probably about ten years or so. It was always a hobby I enjoyed. Intially, I liked it because I could be someone else. I hated myself. I hated living a lie. I hated not being honest with myself and my family. I hated feeling dirty and unworthly of love. And if I was acting I didn’t have to be myself.
~I'm a sucker for a Happily Ever After ending in the movies I watch and in my books. That's one of the things I really like about your films. They take a more light-hearted approach to life. There's been a trend toward sad endings in a lot of gay films and I've read articles about the importance of dealing with reality in the gay community. Don't get me wrong, one of the most powerful films I've seen recently (& with a box of Kleenex at my side) was The Normal Heart. Do you believe both ends of the spectrum are important to portray and if so, why? 
I love a good happy ending too. But the older I get, I realize that true happy endings are just a fairytale, and it's up to us to grow and learn from the disappointments that is life on many levels. I think Leonard Nimoy said it best when he said, “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.” So I think that both endings offer a version of the truth. We all want the fairytale. I want the fairytale. J But reality is that tragedy is very much the end. And for us to learn from history, sadly, we have to be reminded or we forget and make the same mistakes that end in the same way.

~Does homophobia still affect you in your day-to-day life or your chosen profession? Do you think society has changed its attitude over the years? Is acceptance more common now?
I don’t deal with it in my day-to-day life.  Luckily, my profession is pretty open and accepting. In the artistic world differences are celebrated not shunned. But I think the overall climate is changing.  People are much more accepting because people are living more honest lives. I'd say that nowadays everyone has someone that is LGBT in their family. It's hard to hate when it's yours. Love usually wins.
~I live in Calgary, Alberta and over the past few years more mentoring programs for gay teens have sprung up in the city. Have you ever been involved in mentoring, either for yourself or as a mentor? Do you think these programs are a good step toward helping the youth of today?
I can't say I have been involved directly as either, but any time I can speak and make a difference I do. Whether it goes noticed or unnoticed. I think those programs are vital especially in the rural communities that are off the beaten path.
~I believe it's important to speak about homophobia in a positive way since the more people that read, hear or see, and become aware of the cause, the better chance one day we won't need days like The International Day Against Homophobia anymore. Do you have any words of wisdom or just plain words to offer on the subject of homophobia? Anything you'd like to say to young men who haven't come out yet or are struggling with doing so?
I think coming out is your own story to tell. I think it should be respected and no one should pressure you or take that away from you. In many ways I would compare it to running a successful Presidential campaign. First you have to decide you want to be president and come to terms with it yourself. Then you have to build a team of supporters—your close family and friends—before you can start winning over key states—be open to the world. And now you're not alone. Reach out to someone you look up to. Someone you admire. Tell them you feel alone and ask them for help. I can nearly promise with 100 percent certainty that they won't let you go through it alone.
~Now, before I let you off the hook, I like to do a little game with my guests at the end of an interview. Here we go.
Beach or mountains - Beach
Coffee or tea - Coffee
 Apple or orange - Orange
Long-stemmed roses or wildflowers – Long-stemmed roses
Pecs or abs - Abs
Smile or eyes - Eyes
Dog or cat - Cat
Top or bottom J - Top

Thanks so much for stopping by. I look forward to seeing more of you on the silver screen.
~*~*~*~
Jared Allman's easy, Southern charm and killer, good looks are just two of the reasons his film career continues to rise. A favorite of indie director, Matt Riddlehoover, Allman has garnered acclaim with leading roles in the filmmaker's recent titles, West Hollywood Motel, Scenes from a Gay Marriage, and the sequel More Scenes From a Gay Marriage - all of which played to rave reviews on the film festival circuit. (EDIT - Jared won Best Supporting Actor for More Scenes...) Allman has rounded out 2014 co-starring in the feature film, Les Wolf (renamed Dark Moon Rising), and the upcoming short film, King Simon, from director Richard Norman.
In the TV world, Allman has appeared in several country music videos and docu-series on the Travel Channel and Disney Channel. He made his biggest small-screen splash as a key player in season two of the Sundance Channel's reality series, Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys: Nashville -- the highest-rated original series in the network's history.
Allman relocated to Atlanta in 2012 following a year-long stint working at WME's office in Nashville. An East Tennessee native, Allman is also in the final stages of turning his unique life story into a memoir, Kinda Good at Everything: Growing Up Southern, Mormon, and Gay.
~*~*~*~
Thanks for joining Jared and I, everyone. My giveaways are still up for grabs so check out the Rafflecopter instructions and leave me a comment if you're so inclined. 



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Families aren't always blood. A personal post for the HAHBAT.

Hi and welcome to my second post of the Hop Against Homophobia, Bi- & Transphobia. This is the actual third day of the hop and I hope you've found some interesting posts to promote awareness. Today my topic is a little more personal.

If you know anything about me, you'll know I'm open about the fact that I suffer from clinical depression and have for over twenty years. My illness has forced me into hospital many, many times, and it was during one of those stays that I met John* (name has been changed).

I hadn't been published yet but by the end of the year my first book, Finally Home, would be sailing through the webisphere. It was several months before that when I made a friend in the hospital - yes, on the psychiatric ward. I'll call him John for now. If you've ever been in a psych ward, you'll understand it's usually not the most comfortable of places, there can be little to occupy your mind, and there are some people who scare the hell out of you while others you might just leave a lasting impression on you.

John was in his late 20's early, had been admitted into the unit before me, and at first we merely said hello in the dining room and maybe watched television together just to get out of our rooms...until we found the stash of puzzles. We started out slow, easier ones to just get our brains accustomed to being used again between bouts of changing meds and emotional stress. You never want to bite off more than you can chew after all, and I'm pretty confident that neither one us wanted to get stuck on our first time out.

In the beginning, we had helpers. Patients and even staff who would wander by and add the odd piece or just give an opinion on what and how we should put it together. But that puzzle and all the ones following belonged to John and I. Eventually, we tried bigger and more difficult ones. We had even arranged a special table with two chairs facing across from one another, and we spent more than just puzzle time together. We were usually the nighthawks of the unit, just sitting with each other, sorting the puzzles into at first edges/border pieces then sectioned off groups of colours or recognizable objects. I'd found someone with the same organizing-OCD as myself and I was ecstatic to have also made a friend who I really, really liked.

Our conversations began as light and casual, two people trying to make the best of an uncomfortable situation and environment. I felt like I could tell John anything and I did. I starting talking about what books interested me and how I read and wrote fan fiction that was a little out of the norm. I told him how compassionate I was about all things related to gay rights. I talked about a roommate I briefly had in college who was more flamboyant than not, about how he had to stay as butch or manly as possible because of the redneck, Alberta town we lived in.

Revelation happened one night as John and I sat across a puzzle from one another, snacking, drinking pop, chatting, laughing, and basically just basking in the friendship we'd been lucky enough to forge in a place that could be less than friendly. We both had our heads down, carefully inspecting puzzle pieces as we neared the end of a very difficult puzzle. It was a comfortable silence but suddenly, John whispered something. His voice was low and barely audible, plus he kept his head down so I had trouble hearing him.

"Did you say something?"

"I said I have something to tell you."

I instinctually froze, my mind whirling into many different possibilities for his statement. And being the person that I am, I immediately thought I'd done something wrong, something to upset him.

"I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"


"I'm a trans-man."

John kept his eyes glued to the puzzle but his breathing became audible to me, his knee shaking a bit under the table where it touched mine.

"I don't want to sound stupid...and I don't want to offend you, but does that mean you are transitioning male to female?"

He shook his head, finally looking me in the eye. "No. I'm female to male. I used to be girl."

Now please understand that I'm not a naive or uninformed person with regards to what John shared, but I will admit it freaked me out a little. Except not for the reasons most people might think. His sexuality or gender wasn't an issue for me. He was my friend. What surprised me though was that I honestly couldn't tell and had no clue whatsoever, and maybe that just showed my arrogance or naiviety. 

Let me tell you about John. He wasn't tall, around 5'6" maybe. His frame was average but not slight. He walked with a confidence and swagger, and to be honest, I'd admired how nicely his butt filled out his jeans. I'd seen him in a hospital gown which definitely didn't hide whether the wearer had breasts or not. He was good-looking, none of his features screamed female, but he did have the most beautiful, wide green eyes and gentle smile. I'd even witnessed his five o'clock shadow.

We were silent for a while and I could see the nervousness in John's face. I reached across the puzzle, took his hand and held it for a few moments.

"Are you freaked out?"

I shook my head. "Just a little surprised that I didn't know."

He laughed, squeezed my hand and said, "I guess the hormones are doing a good job then."

After that, I found myself checking him out whenever we were together, looking for little hints that this man I'd become attached to had at one time been a woman. I never found any. I also did a little politically incorrect questioning - did he prefer to date men or women? 

"Women," he replied with a smirk. "I guess I'm sort of a lesbian in a man's body." You can probably see that despite John's tumultuous time in the outside world, he was a very giving and gentle person.

Then something happened that made John panic. He had been switched to another room, one that housed a patient that was a little more intrusive and ill than the others. He had become violent on more than one occasion, been strapped to his bed. I believe he had some brain damage because he just really never knew where he was. He was also known to have no sense of privacy and would barge in the bathroom door in the room he was in.

You see, John had traveled to the US to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery, but he hadn't yet decided whether to have genital reassignment surgery. In other words, he didn't urinate standing up and he was terrified that his new roommate would walk into the bathroom when he was in there. And that had been known to happen.

During the same week something else stressful happened to John. A new nurse appeared on the unit and when John saw her, he practically bolted from our little puzzle oasis and into his room. John had gone to nursing school as a woman and this new nurse had been one of his friends. Can you imagine the circumstances of him seeing her again after everything that had happened? Add that to the fact, John had been admitted to hospital after trying to hang himself and the whole situation was almost surreal

At one point, he was in a state of complete anxiety and panic. I took him into one of the private family rooms and we sat there a long time. It was obvious that his reason for being certified (forced to stay in hospital) was on his chart, as well as all the other information he'd only shared with a handful of people - his male to female transition. Together we decided it might be best for him to take the bull by the horns and speak to the nurse. He asked me to sit with them, and I did. It went well and I was so proud of my friend for speaking about his fears and anxiety.

Another week past and John was moved to a different room again, one that was far more stable for him. The calm was short lived though as John received a phone call that his parents were in town and would be up to see him. The anxiety returned, the panic visible in his eyes as he sat across from me again. John grew up in a small town, a farming community, and had moved to the big city for nursing school. He'd gone through his transitioning there with minimal contact with his parents. Minimal contact until John finally came out to them.

They traveled to the city then, too, and John admitted the horrific way they treated him, the things they said, the names they called him, the understanding that he wasn't part of their family anymore. These things had been the catalyst for John trying to hang himself. Of course, his parents were listed as his personal contacts when he was admitted to hospital and it took them 5 weeks to finally make the trip.

John was mere weeks away from being discharged. He'd been networking with a social worker to join a transgender group amongst other things to help support him once he was out. But the day his family visited, I saw a change in John. I saw him crawl into a shell I hadn't witnessed before. I watched him become insecure in talking to anyone, his eyes directed at the floor, his stance nervous and unstable. I listened to him breakdown when his family would call him. You have to understand that there isn't much in the the way of privacy in a psychiatric unit, especially if you're using the phone in the dining room.

He never talked much about what happened with his parents and I didn't ask anything to make him relive it. I do remember him saying his life had been easier without them in it and that he thought he'd never get what he truly wanted. We talked about that, about how he just wanted to live as a man, do his own thing, be his own person, but the shadow of his parents was always hanging over him. He'd tried to cut them out on more than one occasion but their hold was tight. And let's face it, your family is supposed to be there for you over your entire life. That's hard to just throw away.

A week after his family had been there, John started being allowed to take day passes to leave the hospital for a few hours at a time. He did really well at first, coming back at his assigned time and seeming to be at peace with leaving the hospital for good. He'd been back to his apartment where his suicide attempt had occurred and that was something we both worried about. His parents had cleaned it up, made the rope and other things associated with that fateful day disappear. John had succumbed to the depression he'd suffered since their rejection. He said the place still creeped him out a bit, still held a little of his old insecurity inside its walls, but that he was getting treatment to overcome that and looking for a new place as well.

One day John was late getting back from his day pass and several hours after he was supposed to be there, he called on dining room phone to speak to me. He was crying, despondent, barely able to speak but what I did manage to understand was that his parents had shown up during the day without warning. I told him to get in a taxi and come back. I'd pay for it when he got there even if I had to break out of the damn unit myself.

He said he had a way to get back so I shouldn't worry. He asked me to not tell the nurses I'd talked to him, said he'd get himself under control then be back to finish the puzzle with me. I sat there for another hour, my mind twisting this way and that - should I tell, should I wait a little longer, what the hell was the right answer? I chose to tell the one nurse I trusted implicitly on the unit. She tried calling John's phone, then with my information and the fact John had missed his curfew so to speak, a crisis team was sent to his apartment along with the police.

I wish I could say this story ends like the ones I write - with a happy ending. But I can't and I apologize if revealing the truth upsets anyone who reads this post. John died that day, his apartment not quite as clean and clear of his previous suicide attempt as his parents had thought. He used the same rope.

I'm not entirely sure what to write about this now. I suffered a bit of a breakdown when I was told and had to be sedated. I asked the nurse to take the puzzle we'd been working on away because I couldn't bear to see it. I'm pretty sure I woke up every day after that expecting to see John in the dining room, having saved a place for me if I was late. But that never happened, and as far as I'm concerned John became another notch in the strangling belt of homophobia/transphobia.


He became another casualty to the disgust, disrespect, and lack of understanding that takes the lives of so many in this fight for simple acceptance. He became one of the reasons I was so passionate about starting this blog hop, one of the reasons I write the books that I do. 

This is the fourth year of this event and until now I haven't been able to share John's story. I hope you understand why I've been so blunt and also why I've shared the sweet moments along with the tragic ones.

I barely knew John for 5 weeks but I know he changed my life. He made me become even more aware and compassionate towards those who don't have a support system like they should be blessed with. John was strong. He was trying to get on with his life, but going against everything his family believed in, hearing them say they'd never accept him for what he was, beat him down to the point he couldn't get back up.

It's my wish that promoting awareness about these issues, about all the suffering the Johns in the world go through, will help other Johns who are still questioning themselves. I just want them to know there is help and support and love that they don't need to get only from their families. Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not saying all families are bad because I know that's not anywhere near the truth, but I believe the following quote is something we can all try to remember.

"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and love you no matter what." ~~Anonymous

John will always be part of my life and he's definitely one of the reasons the Hop Against Homophobia, Bi- & Transphobia is so important. It's like the picture I've posted here says...


"With more visibility comes more understanding."
Thanks for letting me share this with you. Thanks to everyone for keeping this event going. You can check out the giveaways I'm offering in the Rafflecopter link, and leave me a comment if you can. I'd love to hear how you feel about my post. 

Tomorrow I'll have an interview with actor, model, and up-coming author Jared Allman (from the movies Scenes from a Gay Marriage & More Scenes from a Gay Marriage) about homophobia as he grew up Southern, Mormon, & gay. Make sure you hop by. Peace



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Hop Against Homophobia, Bi- & Transphobia has started!

Hi y'all. Welcome to the Hop Against Homophobia, Bi- & Transphobia. Thanks for hopping along with us. Today is the International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia http://dayagainsthomophobia.org/and this is our fourth year participating.

This will be the main post for my blog, but to be perfectly honest, I'm not prepared. So rather than trying to use my own brain, I thought I'd share a favorite author, poet and playwright of mine whose story is applicable to the cause we've all come together to promote awareness for.

Oscar Wilde was a man living far beyond his period in time. He was born in 1856 in Dublin, Ireland, and the way he lived and died have made him infamous throughout the world. Many people know Wilde for his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the various plays and movies that have been made about it. One of the more well-known films in recent years was Wilde starring the fabulous Stephen Fry. If you haven't seen it, check it out.


In 1891, homosexuality was classified as a crime in England. Wilde had been having an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, the son of a marquee. The young man's father accused Wilde of being  a homosexual and Wilde in turn sued him for libel. His suit didn't go well, and the accusations snowballed until Wilde was arrested then judged guilty on the charges of gross indecency and sodomy. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour.

Prison was the beginning to the end for Wilde and after being transferred from one prison to another, he wrote this:

From two o'clock till half past two on that day I had to stand on the centre platform at Clapham Junction in convict dress and handcuffed, for the world to look at.... Of all possible objects I was the most grotesque. When people saw me they laughed. Each train as it came in swelled the audience. Nothing could exceed their amusement.... For half an hour I stood there in the grey November rain surrounded by a jeering mob.

Wilde was released from prison in 1897. He moved to France and rekindled his relationship with Douglas, and wrote what to me is one of his most powerful poems about his time in prison, The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Once released, his health deteriorated rapidly and he eventually died from cerebral meningitis at the age of forty-six. I think he would have been appreciated for his talent and uniquenss if he was alive today, plus he was always ahead of his time in his fashion sense, too.

His remains were moved in 1909 to Père Lachaise in Paris where a large winged stone figure adorns his grave, inscribed with lines from The Ballad of Reading Gaol:

And alien tears will fill for him
Pity's long broken urn.
For his mourners will be outcast men,
And outcasts always mourn.

I guess my reason in sharing this is the fact that as far-fetched, disgusting, and barbaric Wilde's treatment was both in and out of prison, the thing to consider is that there are countries around the world who still create just as much chaos, pain and sometimes death for homosexuals. We see the news reports, read the articles, yet those things seem so far removed from the world we live in.


One of the goals of the HAHAT is to promote and spread this sort of awareness in any way we can. So when you're reading, listening, or seeing things that you love, there's always an opportunity to reach back into history to see what's applicable today. In closing I'm going to add a few links to some of my fave Wilde works.

The Ballad of Reading Gaol - http://www.neuroticpoets.com/wilde/poem/gaol/
A Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)
The Canterbury Ghost (1887) - http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/CanGho.shtml#2
Flower of Love - http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/wilde/350/

Les Ballons

Against these turbid turquoise skies
The light and luminous balloons
Dip and drift like satin moons
Drift like silken butterflies;

Reel with every windy gust,
Rise and reel like dancing girls,
Float like strange transparent pearls,
Fall and float like silver dust.

Now to the low leaves they cling,
Each with coy fantastic pose,
Each a petal of a rose
Straining at a gossamer string.

Then to the tall trees they climb,
Like thin globes of amethyst,
Wandering opals keeping tryst
With the rubies of the lime.

~Oscar Wilde




"I have nothing to declare except my genius."

~Oscar Wilde~
Now don't forget to visit the other blogs on the hop and visit them often. Most will post more than once this week. As for me, I can promise a few more posts including an interview with an actor I adore who has starred in the gay films from Scenes from a Gay Marriage and More Scenes from a Gay Marriage. 

Don't forget to check out and enter my Rafflcopter giveaway. 

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New release giveaway! Love Between Peace & War

Greetings - the pic is a little misleading because release day is actually tomorrow - March 29, 2015 at Amber Quill.

But...

Love Between Peace & War

...is almost live and I'm offering up an ebook copy for a giveaway.

Just leave your name, email address, and tel me what comes to mind when you think about the 1960's (whether you were born or not). ;) Contest will be open until Saturday, April 4, 2015.


Love Between Peace & War.
Release date March 29 from Amber Quill

Blurb

Philip Dunlop grew up in a traditional family with a strict former-military father and a full-time homemaker mother. Now he’s graduated from the Air Force Academy with a promising military career ahead of him. 

Dusty Baxter’s upbringing was far more unconventional, with a free-spirited single mother who encouraged Dusty to follow his heart and forge his own path in life. So he does, wearing his hair long, writing songs of peace, and going with the flow in a world at odds with itself. 

In spite of their different backgrounds, Phillip and Dusty formed a firm bond of friendship as kids, a friendship that inevitably grew into love as they, and their relationship, matured. Now, Phillip’s family wants him to focus on his military career and settle down with a nice girl. They’ve known Dusty forever, but he’s still the very definition of everything they think is wrong with the turbulent world of 1970. 

As Phillip’s friend, Dusty’s politely tolerated. But if the truth of Dusty and Phillip’s relationship comes to light, the revelation just might be the wedge that tears apart not only Phillip’s family, but Phillip and Dusty as well. 

In a time of war-mongering and peace signs, can best friends find enough common ground to save their love and move forward together into the future?

Buy link and excerpt at...
http://www.amberquill.com/.../2156-Love-Between-Peace-War...