M.A. Church's Blog, page 142

Wednesday Briefs - To Touch the Sky #9

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefs flash group (click to go to the site). The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. If interested in joining us, drop me a line and I'll tell you how. :)Prompts for this week:

“Have you lost your mind?”

or "I’m not really surprised that he/she…"

or "Today is one of those days."

or "I did what I came to do."

or "No matter where you are, I’ll be there."

or "I’m all business, baby."

or "Stop flopping around."

or "I know nothing about..."

or "That’s what they all say."

or use: money, bottle, ribbon

or use: green, shoe, check

or use: earring, fence, nail

or have your character get a ticket

or have a fire in the story

or have a character with a toothache


Chapter NineOver the next few weeks, Simon stopped by the bar. Sometimes Hawk was there, and other times he wasn’t. They exchanged a few words, but nothing major. Another week passed, and the weekend arrived. He was back, but this time he and Chip planned to meet there, in case one of them wanted to leave early. Chip was late, and he was starting to worry. Finally he called. Just as he was getting ready to hang up, Chip picked up.“Hey, Simon.”“Where are you at, Chip? You’re late.”“Tonight’s not good. I think I’m just going to hang out here.”“On a Friday night? Have you lost your mind?”“I’ve lost something, but it’s not my mind.”“Explain, dude.”
 Simon found out Chip had lost his job. For the next two weeks, he helped Chip job-hunt. After he got off work Sunday, he called and talked Chip into going fishing at his apartment’s pond. Chip had just pulled through the gates to Simon’s apartment building. Simon parked next to him.“Hey.” Simon locked his truck and tapped on Chip’s window. “I grabbed some tacos on the way home.” He moved out of the way as Chip’s truck door swung open. “You hungry?”“You didn’t have to do that.”“Trust me, I did. There’s nothing to eat in there, and I’m hungry.” Chip couldn’t complain now. “How about we eat, then get some fishing in?”“Okay, that sounds like a plan to me.” Chip followed Simon to the apartment. “Have a good day at work?”Simon shrugged as he unlocked the door. “I got called in. What a way to wrap up the weekend. How was your last day?”“A couple of coworkers took me out for lunch. That’s about it. Just been looking through the want ads.” Chip sauntered inside. Simon stopped in the doorway, his mouth hanging open. “Dude, when’s the last time you shoveled this place out?”Simon rolled his eyes as he hunted in the cabinets for paper plates. “Hey, I’m a single man living alone. What do you expect?”“So am I, and I don’t live like a pig.” Chip shuddered at the mess. “I’m going to the bathroom—if I’m not back in ten minutes, send out a search party.”Simon threw a dishtowel at Chip. “Asshole.”Chip made it back before the ten minutes were up. They ate lunch—after Simon cleaned off a place to sit on the couch.Simon rubbed his flat belly. “Ready to go?”“Absolutely. Give me the storage room key, and I’ll get the poles. Are the tackle boxes in there too?”Simon tossed his key ring to Chip. “The key is the orange one. The tackle boxes are in the bedroom. I’ll get those and meet you outside.”Once they had everything gathered up, they made their way over to the pond. Benches were set around the water, and the play area for kids had been finished since the last time Chip had fished there. The pond easily took up five acres of land. They picked an area that had a group of trees close by for shade.“Finally. Been looking forward to this all day.”Chip baited his hook and shut the tackle box. “Yeah, me too. Wish my apartment had a pond like this.”“You know you can come over here and fish anytime you want.”“Yeah, I might. Especially since it looks like I’m going to have the time now.” Chip sat down on one of the benches near the pond. Chip barely cast out when he noticed a shadow fly across the ground. Looking up, he searched for what bird caused the shadow. A hoarse, screaming kee-eeeee-arr cut through the air.“Well, Jesus,” Simon yelped. Laughter from Chip had him looking over his shoulder, glaring. “Shut up, you country hick. What was that?”Still chuckling, Chip shook his head. “Well, if I had to guess, I’d say a red-tailed hawk.”“How do you know this shit?”“Um”—Chip pointed at a telephone pole across from them—“that usually helps.”Simon turned to look where Chip pointed. “Oh wow, what a beautiful bird.”The hawk was a rich brown above and pale below, with a streaked belly. On the wing undersides, there was a dark bar between the shoulder and wrist. Its tail was cinnamon-red.“They’re pretty common, but usually they hunt in open fields. It is a good looking bird, isn’t it?”Simon watched the bird watch him. “Yeah. Is it me, or is it staring at me?”“Well, they do hunt mammals.” Chip snorted as Simon’s eyes bulged. “But usually smaller mammals. So unless you’re a mouse in disguise, calm down.”“Smartass.”“Takes one to know one, buddy.” As dusk settled on the land, they packed up their fishing gear and headed back to Simon’s apartment. The hawk took one last swoop above them as they left the pond. Chip left shortly thereafter.
Once again, Simon was back at the bar, but this time by himself. Hawk was behind the bar, serving customers. “Well hell, that’s a problem.” He couldn’t see Hawk coming out from back there to dance. Now what was he going to do? He craned his head, peeking around the bodies between him and the bar. Jeez, half these people needed to find a chair and sit their asses down so he could see, dammit. Tapping his fingers on the table, he scowled at some longhaired dude who sat his rather fine ass down at the bar. It looked like the one he and Chip noticed from before. Wow, all the guy needed was some feathers in his hair and leather, then he’d be good to go. Was this a friend of Hawk’s or maybe a family member? He glared at the nicely shaped back that blocked his view, then glanced around the room. He’d move, but all the tables were taken. As he sat and ate, he noticed several men stopped by to talk to Hawk. They were all tall men with good builds.Not small, slender men like him. And not a one of the men were blonds. Hawk was sexy, but there were other sexy men out there. Not once did Hawk glance around the place to see if Simon was there. Simon was nothing more than some guy who nearly caused a fight. Easily forgotten, apparently. He certainly didn’t need to hook up with a player and get his heart broke. Who had time for that kind of shit? Not him. Hawk didn’t do blonds? Well, that was him all over, so why was he sitting here lusting after a man who ignored a whole group of guys based on hair color?“Fuck it, I don’t need this.” He caught the eye of the waitress, and waved for his bill. He saw her nod and head toward the back. Good. The sooner he got out of here, the better.

TBC
Jim DunawayChris T. KatJon KeysCarol PedrosoYvonne HillNephylimMatthias WilliamsonVictoria AdamsJohayanTali SpencerElyzabeth VaLeyRob ColtonCia NordwellJC WallaceShelly SchulzRavon SilviusJulie Lynn Hayes

PAS Presents Salty Aftertaste by Jason Lloyd and a Giveaway!

Boys, beaches and bad decisions…
In this nonfiction tale, Jason and his hilarious and crude motley cast of friends leave their mundane suburban jungles and flock to the mecca that is Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for vacation. They are in search of a little rest and relaxation; aka beach, bars and boys, lots of hot boys.
Jason is just looking for a little attention. He just wants to feel wanted, and a little summer passion would not hurt either. Jason is the self-proclaimed hopeless romantic of the group. Will he find his summer love or is romance really scarce?
Kevin is the complete opposite of Jason. He feels that romance is only alive in stories. Kevin's love for a teenage drama goes too far, and his obsession turns into more than he expected. Did Kevin finally stumble upon some romance or does his fascination finally get the better of him?
Bobby is looking for a connection. Any kind of connection. He meets a new guy every night and shares his bed with him. What is really going on behind Bobby's bedroom door? Will he ever be able to fill this insatiable void for closeness?
Benjamin sneaks out every night. He disappears into the night and reemerges the next morning as if nothing had happened. He is quiet about his extracurricular activities. Where does Benjamin go? What is he doing?

In this beach oasis, where there is an endless sea of sexy men with perfect bodies, will Jason and his friends actually find love or just one night stands? One thing is for certain, it is an epic vacation that none of them will forget.


Sandy Cracks – A Look into Salty Aftertaste
Our daily routine on vacation was always wake up, have some coffee or some Bloody Mary’s (my personal favorite), snack on the pizza from the night before, lather up with sunblock and head down to the beach.I’ve seen many interesting things on Poodle Beach, a small gay beach next to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Once there were men dressed as nuns playing volleyball and a drag queen dressed as Little Bo Peep whose lost sheep just happened to be a hot Latin man wearing a speedo. I’ve seen a few porn stars and some leather daddies. You would think leather would be a “no” on the beach, but the daddies pull it off in their leather speedos and harnesses. There is never a shortage of eye candy. Every single type of man is represented.
The gay beach is about a 10-minute walk from our beach house and this scene from my book Salty Aftertaste is what you would normally run into while walking.
***
The closer we got to Poodle Beach, the gayer our surroundings got. Families turned into muscular bears, silver-haired foxes, hairless twinks with two percent body fat (lucky fucks), and homos that were somewhere in the middle. Too old to be considered a twink, not hairy enough to be a bear; a twank, perhaps?A huge tan hairy bear walked past us. He was wearing a black leather harness across his hairy chest and a black speedo. He had each nipple pierced, and silver aviator glasses adorned his face. They matched his nipple jewelry. As he strolled by, Haley and I stopped, looked at each other and then proceeded to check out the leather daddy’s backside. His back was as hairy as the front and hair protruded out from the band of his speedo. He reminded me of a porn star I saw in a fetish porn about fisting.“Only in Rehoboth would we see Jon and Kate Plus Eight styled families and a hairy leather daddy ready to punish some poor hairless sub,” I said.“It is rather eclectic,” Haley expressed as she ran her fingers through her golden locks. “See anything you like Jason?”“Lots! I’ve been basket shopping this entire time!” I exclaimed.“Basket shopping?” Haley inquired.“You know when you stare at hot guys’ packages and try to figure out how big they are.”“That’s funny,” Haley laughed.“Yeah, it’s like swaying pork sword heaven here! I just want some balls in my face.” Haley just rolled her eyes at me.“That’s too much info, Jason!”
When Haley and I finally arrived at where our boys were, they had everything already set up. I set my towel on the hot sand and glanced around a little. The weather was nice, and the beach was not crowded at all. A salty breeze went up my nose, and I let nature sink in.Kevin got up out of his beach chair that he placed under the umbrella he brought and ran down to the water with his arms flailing. I watched him splash around as if he was a little kid. He looked so happy and innocent. Haley and I watched him as he rode the waves to shore. He went back and forth without a care in the world.“Look at him go!” Haley exclaimed.“Awe, he looks like he is twelve,” I laughed.“It’s cute.”As a wave came crashing in, it knocked Kevin over and made his swim trunks fall a little. As he rolled onto shore, I saw a sandy ass crack roll in our direction. All Haley and I heard was Kevin yelling “Ouchie.” He then pulled his swim trunks up and got right back into the water like nothing happened.Benjamin was lounging in a beach chair reading a book. He was completely disregarding everyone and everything. When I said hello, he did not even flinch until he finished a chapter. Then he glared up from his book and winked at me. Benjamin had his chair completely in the sun, and although he had not been on the beach long, I could tell he was already getting color.Bobby was laying on a tribal print rug. His long body barely fit on the oversized rug. He was flat on his back directly in the sun. His body glistened in the sunlight as if he was just at a bukkake orgy. The ocean breeze could not budge his perfectly coiffed hair. Only Bobby would come to the beach with his hair styled to perfection.Haley sprawled out on a towel next to me. She applied sunblock and laid down. I positioned myself down on my stomach with my head propped up so I could look at the ocean. I wanted to watch Kevin to assure that he did not drown, or a shark would not snatch him up. By shark, I meant the older men that were trolling around. They treated every pretty thing as if it were their prey.The gay beach amused me. You see all different types of bodies. Some big, some small, some average, some fit and every gay man has a different kind of swimsuit on, from board shorts to barely there speedos in every color and pattern you could think of. Men flaunting their bulging packages in banana hammocks and army square cut swim trunks accentuated every ass. I spotted a few hardons and got glimpses of a lot of crack from board short wearers that were going commando.The big men looked all tough and rugged running on the beach as if they were straight out of an episode of Baywatch. However, when they hit that water their arms flailed out and when they went to speak glittery rainbow purses came flying out of their mouths.I heard many guys screaming “Hey girl, hey!”One tight and toned guy ran down into the water and then he squealed with the gayest voice he could muster, “Oh my god it feels fabulous!”It just goes to show never judge a book by its cover. Just because he appeared macho does not mean there is not an inner queen dying to get out when your fun noodle hits the cool water.Kevin clambered back to our towel setup. He looked exhausted from the waves tossing him around. He grabbed his Power Ranger beach towel, toweled off and then plopped down in his beach chair.Kevin let out a sigh of relief, “Well, that was fun, but my boy taint is sandy!” “Yeah, I saw. How many times did you pee in the ocean?” I inquired.“Two times,” Kevin answered. “The world is my urinal.”
***
Want to win an ecopy of Salty Aftertaste? Use Rafflecopterbelow to enter. Five winners will be randomly selected.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
A special thank you to my talented publicist, Joleen, from Parenthetical Author Services. I would have been lost without her help. She’s a promoting guru. If you’re an author and need help promoting your work, email her at PAS Promotions.
Anniversary Edition tour hosts: 3 Chicks After Dark, Attention Is Arbitrary, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Boys On the Brink, Decadent Delights, Gay Media Reviews, GGR-Review.com, Hearts On Fire, Joyfully Jay, Love Bytes, MM Good Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, The Novel Approach, On Top Down Under Book Reviews,  Prism Book Alliance, The Purple Fantasy Den,  Rainbow Gold Reviews, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words, Sinfully Sexy, and Smoocher's Voice


Bio
Jason Lloyd is the author of hilarious m/m romance featuring an array of interesting characters. Salty Aftertaste (Ginge Publishing, 2013) was his first creative non-fiction novel. It reached Smashwords Top Best Seller list in Gay & Lesbian Fiction and was the #5 best seller in the New Adult genre on All Romance eBooks (ARe).
His second book, Queer Dirty Laundry (Ginge Publishing, 2014), is a creative non-fiction novella and is based on his popular blog by the same name. In 2011, QueerDirtyLaundry.com was nominated for The Best of Gay Philadelphia under Best Gay Website/Blog. Jason’s blog was also in the top ten numerous times on Best Male Blogs.
Jason is currently working on an m/m romance and mystery/suspense fictional novelette series called Filthy Fibbers. Filthy Fibbers is centered on five friends and the scandalous secrets they keep. The book takes place in a small Pennsylvania town called New Hope.
Jason grew up in a small town in Bucks County, Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia. A majority of his writing takes place in Eastern Pennsylvania including Philadelphia. He currently resides in a small town in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Social Contacts
Email | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads and Ask the Author | Website
Buy Links
Amazon | ARe| B&N| Google Play | iBooks| Smashwords

Pride Promotion Presents Death Gets a Boyfriend by Sophie Bonaste and a Giveaway!

Book Name: Death Gets a Boyfriend
Author Name: Sophie Bonaste
Author Bio: Sophie Bonaste is a novelist who never set out to be a novelist. As a child, she wanted to a Broadway actress and spent her childhood in numerous productions. But when adulthood set in and reality took over, Sophie chose to give up the theatre for a steady paycheck and instead turned to writing as a creative outlet. She stumbled into the M/M genre through fanfiction and never looked back. Sophie is quite happy with her change in artistic expression and doesn’t plan to stop writing for a long time.A self-proclaimed nerd, Sophie is an avid fan of all things Star Wars and Harry Potter. (Sophie is a member of the Slytherin house, for those who were wondering.) Sophie also spends many hours watching and re-watching nerdy television shows. When she is not obsessing over the latest and greatest in nerdy entertainment, Sophie can be found screaming at her television during American football games. (Go Pack Go!) Sophie currently lives in Pennsylvania, about twenty minutes from her childhood town of The Middle of Nowhere.
Author Contact:Sophie loves to hear from readers! You can reach her by e-mail at sophiebonaste@gmail.com, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SophieBonasteor on Facebook as Sophie Bonaste. You can also check out updates on Sophie’s writing and other musings on her website at sophiebonaste.blogspot.com.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christy Caughie

Blurb(s): Death is in a lonely business. Since the beginning of time he’s been reaping souls then returning home to his little condo in the sky. It’s not a bad job. There are perks. But Death would kill to meet his soul mate, no pun intended.
Tommy Neilson is the next human slated for death. But when he can see Death, Tommy turns his whole world upside down. Curious, Death seeks Tommy out. The chemistry between the two is immediate and soon an unlikely romance starts to form. While Death may not be lonely anymore, he isn’t allowed to interact with humans. Consequently, he must make a choice: billions of souls or the one that makes being immortal worth it. 




Excerpt: I am Death.   Well, that’s one of my names anyway. I’m also known as the Grim Reaper, the Angel of Death, Azreal, and the list goes on. Some people have even called me Satan, but I would like to say right now, that’s a lie. I am not Satan. I know Satan. He’s not as bad of a guy as you would think. Sure he can get a little violent if you get out of hand, but as long as you stay on his good side, you’ll be fine.    And there I go getting off track again. You’ll have to forgive me. I’m not very good at staying focused. I guess that comes from the fact that I can jump around the world at an alarmingly fast rate. Thankfully that’s not very hard. Well, at least not for me. I guess, in the human population, that’s a skill many people want for some reason. I don’t know why, though, considering how scattered it makes your brain. It really does. That’s why I try to avoid using that skill. Causes headaches.    Anyway, this is a story about me. Don’t worry, though. It’s not too gruesome or anything like that. This is a story about how I fell in love. Yes, I know that’s kind of hard to believe. Death falling in love. Believe me, it shocked the hell out of me too. (No pun intended.) But it’s true. After thousands of years in existence, I finally found someone whom I wanted to spend my time with.
Tour Dates/Stops: 9/15: Prism Book Alliance9/16: Hearts on Fire9/17: Love Bytes9/18: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words9/19: Book Suburbia, Nephylim9/22: Decadent Delights9/23: Havan Fellows9/24: MM Good Book Reviews9/25: Wake Up Your Wild Side9/26: Amanda C. Stone9/29: Fallen Angel Reviews9/30: The Novel Approach10/1: SA McAuley10/2: Velvet Panic10/3: LeAnn’s Book Reviews10/6: Book Reviews and More by Kathy10/7: Louise Lyons10/8: The Blogger Girls10/9: Up All Night, Read All Day10/10: Dawn’s Reading Nook

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rafflecopter Prize: 2 copies of ‘Death Gets a Boyfriend’

Sales Links: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5469





Death Gets a BoyfriendSophie Bonaste5 stars

“You are nothing like what the Grim Reaper is supposed to be.” ~Thomas Neilson

I loved how this opened. It grabbed my interest right away.How the author portrayed Death in this book was genius. He’s just a guy doing a job. He dresses like us, talks like us. No skeleton in a black robe here, lol. It’s not even a job he enjoys, truth be told. Killing people makes him uncomfortable. Maybe part of the reason he’s uncomfortable is because he doesn’t know why some people have to die. God makes up the list and Death carries it out. (Okay yes, how the author portrayed God cracked me up.)Then Death is supposed to claim one Thomas (Tommy) Neilson. And, oh boy, this immortal’s world is turned upside down. Death can’t take this man’s life. Even when the time comes, Death can’t do it. He’s more than a little freaked. For the first time ever, he fails to carry out his purpose. But more than that? Tommy can see Death. Concerned, disturbed, and completely confused, Death tries to carry on with his job while he waits for God to yell at him… but it never happens. Instead, Death finds himself at the hospital where the man he was supposed to kill is recovering. Unbelievably, a friendship starts.*snicker* I have to say I had a blast watching Death figure out he had feelings for Tommy. The humor had me rolling in laughter, even if you stop to think about this being about Death. And that’s the kicker. This is Death we’re talking we’re about. Nothing is as clear-cut as it seems, and sometimes hard choices have to be made.I laughed and I cried. What more can a reader ask for, lol! I’d have no trouble recommending this book.
~M

Welcome Chris T. Kat - Tidal Change

The recent popularity of mermenMichelle, thank you very much for the opportunity to be a guest on your blog—again. What can I say? I like to be here. :)Dreamspinner Press published my new release, Tidal Change, on September 17th. Tidal Changeis a shape-shifter story but it also has fantasy/fairy tale elements because the main character, Marty, is a merman.Call me naïve, but when I wrote Tidal Change, I thought mermen story weren't very popular. Even when I submitted my novella, I still didn't realize that mermen seem to be a rather popular topic at the moment. Dreamspinner Press accepted my manuscript in a little bit over three weeks, which surprised me (and made me stupidly happy) , even then, I didn't catch on that the topic must be cool.A few months ago, I suddenly saw mermen books pop up everywhere. I haven't read any of those—yet. I'm curious about them, but I wanted to wait till my edits were done, so I wouldn't be influenced by the takes of other authors on merfolk myths. What is it that fascinates people so much? Is it the mythical component? Or the beautiful images of mermaids and mermen? Or is it the attraction to the ocean?For me it's all of the above, plus water has always been my element, and since childhood I dreamed about writing a story that included merfolk. What's the attraction for you? 
 Buy link:Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5446 
Blurb:Something draws history teacher Rick Grady across the school hall to German teacher Marty Lindson. Maybe it’s their shared love of the ocean. Maybe it’s just that Marty is so hot, but maybe it’s something more—something mysterious. All Rick knows is that every time he gets close, Marty pulls away. After another cancelled date, Rick goes to Marty’s apartment to demand an explanation. And what Rick discovers blows his mind. The ocean calls to Marty because he’s a merman. He’s been afraid to get close to Rick, not just to keep his world a secret, but because Rick is his mate. And to claim his mate would change everything about Marty. No matter how much he loves Rick, he doesn’t know if he’s ready to alter his entire life.
Excerpt:They explored the aquarium, petting the rough skin of the sharks and watching the displays of multicolored fishes. Once in a while, Rick gave Marty an uneasy glance. Was that a light humming sound emanating from him? Or maybe he was suffering from some sort of hallucinations? Hell, at one point he could have sworn Marty’s arm vibrated. But when he stared at him, Marty simply smiled and pulled him toward another exhibit, and the moment passed.As they stood in front of the clownfish exhibit, Rick observed, “Flashy little things.”Marty nodded but he didn’t comment on Rick’s remark. Surprised, Rick turned to his usually chatty companion and frowned. Marty’s gaze was fixed on the orange bodies striped with white as they flashed through the water, sometimes seeking shelter behind an anemone.He nudged Marty. “Hey, what’s the wistful look for?”Marty flinched and then tried to hide his reaction. Before Rick could address it, Marty said, “They’re pretty, aren’t they?”“Yes, and interesting too. Did you know that all clownfish are born as males and that they’re able to change their gender to female?” Rick had been fascinated by the information he’d read on these unusual fish.“Ah, yes, fascinating. How about getting something to eat? I’m starving.”Rick’s stomach rumbled. He linked arms with Marty. “That’s fine. I need to sit down anyway.”“Just no seafood,” Marty said as they made their way to the restaurant.Rick shook his head. “Not even a bite of crab?”Marty grimaced and pretended to retch. “Stop teasing me about it!”“I’m not teasing you. I want to help you expand your culinary horizon.”Marty shot him a smile. “I really appreciate your kindness, but my culinary horizon can’t take an expansion. It’s very narrow-minded and wants to stay that way.”They had to wait to get past a crowd of people and Rick seized the moment to whisper, “How about expanding another horizon instead?”Heat rose in Marty’s cheeks and his eyes gleamed silvery. All the sound around them receded into the background, and Rick became aware of the same odd humming he’d noted earlier. Rick bent his head, intent on kissing Marty, but Marty broke the moment with a jerk of his head.“The restaurant is calling my name… and now there’s actually room for us to get there,” he said in a hoarse voice.Rick sighed. He still allowed Marty to lead him through the aisles, even though his engorged cock pressed against his jeans, demanding attention. Why did Marty play hot and cold all the time? It always went like this, always. He hated that.
Chris T. KatChris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there's any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.
Links:Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/christi_katGoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKatFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisTKat
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-T.-Kat/e/B008FQQH2Q

Wednesday Briefs - To Touch the Sky #8

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefs flash group (click to go to the site). The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. If interested in joining us, drop me a line and I'll tell you how. :)


Prompts for this week:

“It’s already been a long day, and you want to…"


or "Could you possibly be jealous?"


or "The lights are on, but nobody’s home."


or "I always need more shoes."


or "Who does that?"


or "It’s all red and swollen."


or "It's the second best thing you can do by yourself."


or "Get a move on."


or "If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?"


or use: wallpaper, fish, wood


or use: stove, ladder, leaves


or use: pumpkin, wax, duck


or use: fax, lunch box, nail


or have tree fall in your story


or have a character dunking oreos in milk


or “I am no man’s bosom”


or “Color me confused”


or “You can’t win if you don’t play the game”


or use stop, drop, and roll


or “Halt or I’ll shoot!”


or “Taste what rainbow?”
Chapter Eight He ignored his totem as Larry drove them to his home. He’d promised to help Larry’s oldest with the new bow. After that, he wanted nothing more than to be alone. He drove Larry home and spent the day with him and his family. He’d enjoyed it, but seeing how Larry and his wife interacted bothered him. The little touches, the familiarity, the closeness—it was maddening. Funny, it never had before. But now, it was like an irritating itch he couldn’t reach, and his temper was on a short lease. Again, that just wasn’t who he was. Damn mate business.Could you possibly be jealous?That brought him to a standstill. Was he? He stood there and tried to analyze his… Great Spirit help him, he was going to try to explore his feelings. The world didn’t end, now did it? “Shut up,” he muttered. He wasn’t going there with his totem. He’d lose, he knew that. Plus, the damn spirit was right. He wasjealous. He wanted what Larry had, and he couldn’t believe he just admitted that.That, ladies and gentlemen, was an example of personal growth.“Again, shut up.” He imagined flipping his totem the bird.Really? You flipped a bird the bird. Nice.“No comment.” Hawk rubbed a hand over his face. Personal growth can be hard on a body, especially if said body isn’t used to it. Let’s soar, Chetan. You need to connect with nature. “You’re right.” Hawk walked to the bedroom. He needed to shed his human skin and all the worries. After opening the French doors in his bedroom, he stripped quickly. Chanting, he relaxed as the change took him. He shook out his feathers and stretched his neck. Oh, oh yes, that felt good. He crouched and flapped his wings, getting the air to move over and under them. With a thrust, he leaped, taking to the air. Up, up, up, the wind lifted him higher. Soaring, he scanned the area, looking for threats. What he wouldn’t give to have his mate beside him, the both of them enjoying the warm air currents, hunting together. He’d teach Simon to hunt, how to swoop down through the skies and catch prey. He’d bet it wouldn’t take Simon long to learn how to use his talons and beak. But he’d still provide his mate with a juicy rabbit. They’d feed, then find a nice tree to hang out on and survey their territory. Red-tailed hawks mated for life. He stayed on his land, checking things out. Several mammals fled as he flew over. He wasn’t hungry, so they were safe, but it was still good to see the wildlife flourishing. Turning, he soared north, toward the pond on his property. There he saw the ducks and geese. He landed on a branch and watched them. Granted, they weren’t happy he was there, but he wasn’t interested in them as prey. At least, not right now. It was nice to see them, though. The geese were hanging around, and the ducks were too. Nesting pairs led to babies. Babies were young and tender. The pond was healthy too, the fish abundant. Healthy pond equaled healthy ecosystem. Satisfied with what he saw, he took to the air again, heading toward town. Being a hawk, people didn’t pay much attention to him, unless they were bird watchers. Now, if an eagle showed up, that would probably catch attention. He landed on a telephone pole. There was a gas station nearby with plenty of undeveloped wooded land. Human and shifter scents drifted to him. He saw several shifters he knew and even more humans. A mockingbird flew past, squawking at him. Yeah, yeah, yeah, damn thing ought to be glad he wasn’t hungry. Normally, they didn’t attack him when he was around as they did with most raptors. Maybe the human scent mixed in with his hawk scent threw them off. Whatever it was, he didn’t have to deal with them dive-bombing him. A predator could only take so much temptation.The honk of a horn caught his attention. A huge, black SUV damn near hit another driver in its rush to leave. Just as he was ready to leave also, a scent caught his attention. There was something on the air, a scent he couldn’t place. It was a shifter, but something was off. The smell of wrongness penetrated the air, but mixed in with that was a scent that teased his senses. One that he knew he should be familiar with, but he just couldn’t place it. A feeling of unease coursed through him. His heart rate increased. He slapped his wings against his body and hissed. A loud Kee-eeeee-ar cut through the air. He couldn’t help himself. That scent was just… wrong. Dangerous. Was whomever he smelled outside of the gas station or inside? He couldn’t tell. He watched the people come and go, but couldn’t pin down that scent to one person. So, he must have missed the shifter. Maybe it was someone passing through. They weren’t far off the Interstate. He wished he knew who that was he smelled.The puzzle fled his mind when he took to the air once more.
Hours later he arrived home. After shifting, he took a shower. Puttering around in the kitchen, he made a quick call to the bar to check in. Being reassured that all was well, he decided not to go to the bar tonight. They probably couldn’t bankrupt him in a single evening.
Probably.


TBC
Matthias Williamson NephylimSarah HayesCarol PedrosoJon KeysTali SpencerJohayanJC WallaceCia NordwellJim DunawayRavon SilviusShelly Schulz Julie Lynn Hayes
Avery Dawes

Pride Promotions Presents Love and Punishment by Susan Mac Nicol and a Giveaway

Book Name: Love & Punishment
Author Name: Susan Mac Nicol
Author Bio: Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000. Currently, She lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family.
Sue is a PAN (Published Author’s Network) member of Romance Writers of America and a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. Also, she is a member of a rather unique writing group, called the Talliston Writer’s Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell. She has written nine novels, two novellas and a screenplay since February 2012 and clearly believes in keeping herself busy. She has found herself wanting to stay in the sub-genre that is M/M Romance so more can definitely be expected.
Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to make enough money to give up the day job and get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.
Author Contact:website: www.susanmacnicol.comblog: susanmacnicol.wordpress.comfacebook: www.facebook.com/susiemax77twitter: www.twitter.com/SusanMacNicol7pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susiemax777/... http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/susanmacnicol/48/a44/602tumblr: http://www.susanmacnicol.com/my-tumblr-blog/
Cover Artist: Boroughs Publishing Group
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group


Blurb(s): On the search for a serial killer, Detective Anthony Parglietto and Flynn Parker learn that every man must make a choice: to kill, to live, to love.FROM DARKNESS AND LIGHT
Someone is leaving a trail of bodies throughout London, and Detective Anthony Parglietto is determined to end the violence. Then he’ll return to the man he loves.
Tough, street-savvy, and used to dealing with lowlifes, Flynn Parker is the last person Anthony thinks he has to protect. Then the Bow-Tie Killer strikes close to home and the world turns upside down. Right is wrong, black is white, and a policeman might become a monster. But in the name of love, justice must be served. In the name of love, pain can be endured. In the name of love, a man can taste the very essence that defines him.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdXz28HGWGQ





Excerpt: Anthony walked down the hall. He reached the bedroom and gently pushed the door open. He saw Flynn framed in the light of the lamp shining from the lounge. He lay, apparently asleep, on the leather and wood divan Anthony had brought over from Italy. Its dark burgundy colour contrasted with what Flynn wore, which was nothing but a black thong lying stark against his pale skin. The divan was under the window. The bed covers were rumpled, as if Flynn had been sleeping. His robe was draped across the foot of the bed. Anthony moved towards the gleaming body of his supine lover.Flynn’s face was turned away towards the back of the sofa. His dark hair was tousled and his arms stretched above his head to the right. He wore a blindfold. Anthony felt a stir in his groin seeing those lean, hairy legs stretched out wantonly, inviting him to run his hands up and over his groin. Even appearing asleep, Flynn had the power to excite him, to make Anthony hard and ready. He stepped towards him, watching the rise and fall of Flynn’s chest with their already hardened nubs. Anthony wanted to run his tongue over that chest, with its smattering of fine hair, to take Flynn’s nipples in his mouth and suck them until Flynn groaned in pleasure. As he got closer in the dim light he saw the hands with their bonds of silk. Green bonds lay dark against Flynn’s wrists, fastened to the wooden struts of the upright chair arm. His hands were tight fists. Anthony chuckled softly, a noise that sounded loud in the stillness of the room.“Been waiting long?’ he whispered as he took off his jacket. ‘I tried to get home as soon as I could.”Anthony knew the bonds would be loose so Flynn could break free if needed but he also knew he wouldn’t. It was the way the game was played.



Tour Dates/Stops:8/29: The Hat Party, It’s Raining Men9/1: My Fiction Nook, Tara Lain9/2: MM Good Book Reviews, EE Montgomery, Sarah Madison Fiction9/3: Love Bytes, A_TiffyFit's Reading Corner9/4: Parker Williams, Amanda C. Stone9/5: Full Moon Dreaming, Andrew Q. Gordon, Penny For My Thoughts9/8: Hearts on Fire, Rainbow Gold Reviews9/9: Jade Crystal, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves9/10: Prism Book Alliance, Fallen Angel Reviews9/11: Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Book Suburbia9/12: Havan Fellows, Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings9/15: Decadent Delights, 3 Chicks After Dark9/16: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Because Two Men Are Better Than One9/17: Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Joyfully Jay9/18: Louise Lyons, Foxylutely Book Reviews, 
Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rafflecopter Prize: One copy of each of Double Alchemy and Double Alchemy: Climax.

Sales Links: www.BoroughsPublishingGroup.com




Love and PunishmentBy by Susan Mac Nicol
5 stars
Manic Monday Review
Now that’s how you get the reader’s attention, lol. Right off the bat the author throws you into the action. Flynn, a reporter, makes a very unwise statement to the press. He tells the serial killer, named the Bow Tie Killer (BTK), he wants to tell his story. Well, get certainly gets the killer’s attention. BTK abducts Flynn. The killer doesn’t physically hurt Flynn, but he scares the crap out of him, that’s for sure. Seriously, that part will make you hair stand on end. Well, after having a little talk with Flynn, the killer lets Flynn go. Then the scary stuff starts: BTK starts sending messages to Flynn about himself and tells Flynn he can’t tell his lover. Want to guess who the lover is, lol?Detective Anthony Parglietto is in charge of the case. And yup, you got it! He’s Flynn’s lover. Once BTK abducts Flynn, Anthony is a man possessed. He’s determined to bring the killer justice. Problem is, Anthony’s idea of justice doesn’t necessarily fit with the law… and his fellow cops.
This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. The pacing is excellent. It’s suspenseful and keeps you turning the pages wanting to know more. While the story revolves around a killer and finding him, the relationship between Flynn and Anthony is just as important. It plays an important part in the story. So, we get an excellent murder mystery and a love story. It’s worth the money. J

Wednesday Briefs - To Touch the Sky #7

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefs flash group (click to go to the site). The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. If interested in joining us, drop me a line and I'll tell you how. :)

Prompts for this week:
“What about a tip?"

or "It’s my treat."

or "Game over!"

or "Get in, hold on, and shut up."

or "Don’t be a backseat driver. "

or "I’ve finally caught a break."

or "Let’s get the party started."

or "Don’t type at me in that tone of voice!"

or "You’re a guaranteed ticking time bomb."

or use: list, pool, tree

or use: table, glass, beast

or use: tire, money, shampoo

or use: vase, video, book

or use: a crying baby

or use an auction in your story

use a bar in your story
Chapter Seven Simon did his errands and came home. He thought of Hawk and frowned. Something sent the damn man running every-freaking-time he got within a mile of Simon. It was annoying. Discouraged, Simon did the only thing he could think of—he called Chip. Sprawled on the couch he replayed everything he knew about Hawk. Which wasn’t much, granted. “So, any ideas?”“Simon, are you even sure the guy is gay? Or at least bi?”“I, yeah. Douglas—remember the guy I told you about?—he said Hawk takes guys home. I’d say that makes him gay.”“Okay, point. I assume those guys are seen again? Alive and whole?”“Funny,” Simon said.“Yeah, har-har, but I’m not kidding. You don’t know Hawk. Hell, you don’t know Douglas, either. Douglas might be lying to you, did you think of that? You told me the two of you were scoping each other out, then you met Hawk and suddenly Douglas is shit out of luck.” Simon thumped a pillow next to him. “But, why would he do that? He knew I was… Okay, he did know I was attracted to Hawk. That’s when he offered to be friends instead. We even made plans to meet for lunch. Did I misread Douglas, you think?”“I don’t know. You don’t know him, and that’s the point I’m making. You just met the guy. Not everyone is as nice as they seem. Then the first thing I’d do was find out if the man liked dick. Then go from there.”Simon sat up and glanced at the clock. “Feel up to going out tonight?”“I’d like to, but I’d don’t get paid until next Friday. Let me get paid then I’ll go and check this sexy hunk of man meat who’s got you twitching. How’s that?”“Deal! Gotta go. I need to wash some jeans for tonight.” A shower and three loads of laundry later, Simon was dressed, keys jingling. It was only eight, so he was early for the bar scene, but it was a damn long drive out there. He needed to stop and get gas too. The bar was too far out in the middle of nowhere to start off on a nearly empty tank.He arrived at the bar. Damn place was already full, so once again he ended up near the woods. When he entered the place, the pounding rush of music and aroused male swamped him. Whoa, he didn’t know there was a live band on Saturdays. Someone had moved most of the tables back, making the dance floor bigger. He found a table and grabbed it. A quick glance of the place confirmed his first impressions. This was a guy’s night type thing. On the second sweep of the room, he didn’t see Hawk. For the next few hours he fended off guys, played a little pool, and hunted for Hawk. Near midnight, he gave up. He assumed since Hawk owned the bar, he’d be there. He never stopped to think Hawk might go elsewhere for fun. Discouraged, he left, and the drive seemed even longer going than coming. God, was this even worth it? Finally home, he got ready for bed.

The weekend ended, and Monday rolled around. On the way home, Simon stopped at the local hunting and fishing warehouse. He was lost in all the colors of baits when he smelled the sweet scent of cut grass, rich earth, wildflowers, and the clean, delicate odor of rain. His cock went from uninterested to blazing hard so fast his head spun. “What the hell?”He enjoyed the spinner baits he was looking at, but they didn’t get him hard. Maybe it was time to get laid if bait was giving him wood. He turned and looked straight into Hawk’s surprised eyes. “Um…” Hawk cleared his throat. “Hey.”“Well, hey,” Simon said. “How’s it going?”Hawk glanced at the all the shelves of bait. “Pretty good.”“On your way to your bar?”“I, ah, shortly.” Hawk’s gaze strayed to Simon, moved down, then snapped back up. “I just stopped by for a minute.”“Oh. Well, looking for anything particular?” Hawk just stared at him. Simon took mercy on the poor guy. “There are a lot of good brands here, but I like these spinner baits better.” He held up the one he was looking to buy.“I’m just looking. I don’t really fish all that much.” That was a just a shame. “I love fishing. There’s nothing better than sitting there, holding a pole while waiting for that bobber to go down, you know? That rush of knowing you have a bite—it’s the best thing ever.”“I don’t have that kind of patience. I’m an avid bow hunter.” “So, you like to hunt?”Unexpectedly, Hawk smirked. “You could say that.”Something heavy weighted on the air. Suddenly breathless, Simon licked his lips. Hawk’s golden eyes traced the movement. “And I’m damn good at it too. Hunting, that is.”“I bet.”Hawk shrugged. “I—”“Hey, Hawk, what about this bow for…? Oh. Excuse me.”Simon wanted to scream. Who was this? Where did he come from, and could he please go back from wherever?  “Simon, this is Larry Addler. He’s one of the partners of Addler and Addler Law Firm.” Hawk nodded toward Simon. “Larry, this is Simon Carter. I met him not long ago at my bar.”“Hello, Simon. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”“Yeah, nice to meet you too, Larry.” Simon took stock of the older man. Going by his facial features and coloring, Simon assumed Larry had ties to one of the tribes that populated the area. He couldn’t honestly say it was nice to meet Larry, especially when Hawk was paying the older man so much attention. Larry held the bow out to Hawk. “Hawk? What about this bow for Fletcher?”Hawk took the bow, looked it over, and smiled. “This would be perfect for your son. I’ll be over later to help Fletcher.”“Excellent. Let’s get it and go. Nice to meet you, Simon.”Hawk nodded at Simon. “See you around.”Simon managed to stop his sigh. “Yeah, nice to see you too.”And there they went. Simon put the bait back and left. Simon stopped by a fast-food restaurant on the way home. He didn’t feel like cooking tonight. Not that it really mattered, he wasn’t hungry. Frustrated, he went to bed.

TBC


Carol PedrosoLM BrownAvery DawesJon KeysJohayanCia NordwellRavon SilviusNephylimVictoria AdamsShelly SchulzElyzabeth VaLeyJC WallaceTali SpencerJulie Lynn Hayes 

Pride Promotions Presents Black Hurricane by Erica Pike and a Giveaway!

Book Name: Black Hurricane
Author Name: Erica Pike
Author Bio: Erica lives in Iceland with her adorable little twin boys. She often says that her real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners. Seriously, if “Eyjafjallajökull” looks like a random strings of characters, it’s nothing in comparison to Erica’s name.
She’s been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession. Aside from a business degree, Erica has taken English courses at the University of Iceland and gulped down anything that might help her in her career as an author. She takes great interest in English, but will break every single grammar rule for the sake of The Voice.
Author Contact:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEricaPikehttps://twitter.com/EricaPike https://www.goodreads.com/EricaPikehttps://www.goodreads.com/group/show/94436-gay-romance-by-erica-pike
Cover Artist: Scarlet Tie Designs
Publisher: MLR Press

Blurb(s): Twenty-three year old Jasper Jones fell in love with Dean McQueen at fourteen, but after a disastrous relationship, Jazz would like nothing better than to see the rock star choke on his own vomit.
After a catastrophic reunion, Dean seems bent on destroying Jazz’s life. It all started when an impromptu bar performance ended up on YouTube and Jazz became an internet sensation overnight. The name “Jazdean” keeps popping up in headlines and the paparazzi stalk his every move. To make matters worse, Jazz is about to end up on the streets for the second time in his life.
In a desperate attempt to keep his home, Jazz signs a deal with Dean’s band, Black Hurricane, to perform at a couple of concerts. It feels like one of Dean’s feeble attempts to get Jazz back, but painted into a corner like he is, Jazz has no choice.


Excerpt: 
“Jazz, take pictures!” Eric pokes me hard in the side with his bony elbow.
I wince and raise the camera, clicking a shot.
“Go to the front, like they’re doing.” He points at the photographers running to the front and clicking madly on their cameras.
Heaving a sigh, I drag my ass off the chair to walk forward. I rake my hand through my hair before I glance back at the monstrosity on the platform. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be in this position. Suddenly oil paint and new guitar strings don’t seem all that important. I just wanna get out, but Eric needs these pictures for the magazine and I’d rather die than let one of my friends down.
My heart thuds when I see Dean looking right back at me as I approach. His brow furrows as if he’s trying to place me. Typical. Of course he wouldn’t remember me. Why would he? My heart hammers a fast beat as my body breaks out in sweat. The inside of my throat thickens, stopping half of the oxygen from reaching my lungs. And still, I’m having the hardest time looking away.Am I nervous under his green-eyed gaze? Or is it just the hate? It’s been years since I last saw him.Not wanting to give the wrong impression of an adoring fan, I narrow my eyes and spew out all the venom I feel for this man into one, hateful glare, just before I raise the camera and snap my shots.
Tour Dates/StopsAugust 11: Because Two Men Are Better Than OneAugust 18: Full Moon DreamingAugust 25: MM Good Book Reviews, Hearts on FireSeptember 1: Velvet Panic, Fallen Angel Reviews, Havan FellowsSeptember 8: Decadent DelightsSeptember 15: Up All Night, Read All Day, Love Bytes

September 22: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Smoocher’s VoiceSeptember 29: Prism Book AllianceOctober 6: It’s Raining Men, Michael MandrakeOctober 13: Cate AshwoodOctober 20: The Novel ApproachOctober 27: The Hat PartyNovember 3: Tara Lain, Dawn’s Reading NookNovember 10: My Fiction NookNovember 17: Emotion in Motion, Kimi-ChanNovember 24: Amanda C. Stone
Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway




Rafflecopter Prize: A $50 Amazon Gift Certificate and signed paperbacks of A Life Without You, Hot Hands and The Walls Have Ears. One (international) winner for the lot.































Sales Links: MLR Press:  http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=EPBLKHUR
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-blackhurricane-1271227-149.html?referrer=5314fed11fb4f

Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EQM5AOE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EQM5AOE&linkCode=as2&tag=pridepromo-20&linkId=LWZUYCMEJN5WRSWQ




My Favorite GenreErica Pike

My all-time favorite genre is easily M/M post-apocalyptic. I understand that a lot of romance readers aren’t very fond of this genre, but a romance in such a setting? The possibilities are endless.
What I like the most about the post-apoc setting is the survival aspect. There’s limited food, they have to find water, they have to evade attacks from humans or zombies, they may have to live in a society that’s anything but kind. I like the roughness, how the rules change when you have to do whatever you must to survive, and how people change. Your friendly florist is suddenly wielding a machine gun to protect his kids; the bank teller is running out on dangerous missions to scavenge food; the high school English teacher joins a group of marauders because he figures he’ll never make it on his own. After a complete breakdown of society, it’s an eat or be eaten world. At least for a while. We’ve all seen what happens when panic and desperation takes over: people group together to protest, violence breaks out, and people break into stores to loot and burn down cars and buildings. It doesn’t take a complete breakdown of the system for this to happen - it happened in New Orleans during and following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and it happened in Ferguson this year (although most of the protesters were peaceful, there were some who looted and vandalized). Imagine that times a million if the whole system goes down.
After an apocalypse, there are so many possibilities to build up new civilizations, with new rules and new morals. Some post-apoc stories take place in the far future where people have risen up from the ashes and the brutality of the first years of the apocalypse. Maybe the people have reverted back to basics, living in small tribes, and hunting for food. Or maybe there’s new science, a new world order with new laws. As things are now, people try to learn from the past but people also tend to forget, so even if we know what breaks down our society we either ignore it and don’t stop it from happening again or we try to grab the reins, but sometimes it’s too little too late. Today, the human creature has the tendency to live in the present and often forgets the long-term goals. But what if, in the future, the new society thinks of nothing BUT the long-term goals to prevent another systematic breakdown? What if they tighten the leash so much that the people need a hero to step up? What if that hero has to go against the society, and what if that hero falls in love with another man during his struggles, preferably someone in the inner circle of the regime to make things even more impossible? But it’s the post-apoc, so anything is possible.
Some post-apoc stories contain zombies or other supernatural beings. Naturally, there’s going to be blood and gore if there are zombies. Except if the zombies are written by Z. Allora, in which case they’re after a different kind of fluid from the human body. Zombie stories become even more focused on the survival aspect, because people tend to be on the run all the time. There’s often little downtime in between zombie attacks, and finding safety to sleep for more than hour at a time is always in the forefront of a zombie survivor. That and food. Just imagine having your whole world yanked from under you and you don’t know if this moment is going to be your last. These kind of stories excite me, but there has to be more than just violence. There has to be survival and a good plot.
I’ve often wondered if I should write a zombie novel set in Iceland, but it would be so boring. They’d never be able to break through the thick concrete of our houses and double/triple glazing of our windows. There are very few guns in Iceland, so the characters wouldn’t be able to go out on a decent killing spree. However, survival without running water and electricity would be very hard, because getting food in Iceland isn’t easy. We can’t grow anything in the winter and our summers are short. That, along with the danger of zombies lurking around would make getting food even more challenging. That’s why I decided to go with Florida in the young adult m/m zombie novel I’m writing (under the YA name Erica Archer - if you’re interested). There’s plenty of guns and the climate is warmer. Maybe it also had something to do with how rainy, windy and cold, the month of July was, when I was writing the novel. We did get two sunny weeks in August, but that was it. Sometimes Iceland sucks.
Anyway, as you can see, the first years of post-apoc, and possibly even the far future, is all about the survival. But what if you were to fall in love with someone on the run? Suddenly it’s not just you anymore. In fact, if you love the person enough, you might be ready to sacrifice yourself to save them. Now, there are many ways to prove your love in contemporary romance, but being ready to sacrifice your life to a hoard of zombies to save the person you love? That’s romantic.
So, I’m here to promote Black Hurricane, which has absolutely nothing to do with this topic. It’s a contemporary rocker book, but I was asked about my favorite genre and that’s post-apoc. I do enjoy sexy rockers, too, or else I wouldn’t have written this book. If you’re interested in reading a short story version of the zombie novel I’m writing, you can read it on Goodreads (you have to be a member of the M/M Romance group to read it, but membership is free). The story is called The Shopping Mall Massacre: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1926469-the-shopping-mall-massacre-by-erica-pike-7-24 I didn’t publish it on ebook because I’m extending it into a novel.
Thanks for having me over! It’s been a pleasure to share my love for post-apoc, and if I’ve managed to convince at least one person that post-apoc is awesome, then I’ve done a good deed. Oh, and check out Black Hurricane while you’re at it ;)

Come Comment!! Top 10 comments will be included in my guest blog post about Be My Human!!!!!

WHAT ARE THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF YOUR MOUTH?

Okay. That day has come. You know the one... the day that answers whether or not we're alone.
Guess what? We aren't.

Indeed we are not alone, obviously, since there's an alien standing in front of you, lol. So... what do you say?


The best 10 comments are going in a guest post about Be My Human, which will be released Halloween. So make sure you leave some kind of name with that comment so I can credit you! This will run until September 20. :) So, come on guys, hit me with your best shot! LOL.

~M

Welcome Jon Keys - Home Grown

Hi MA, thanks for letting me visit! I’m excited about the release of Home Grown from Dreamspinner Press. Home Grown is all about conflicting worlds and how sometimes they don’t matter. But the characters in the novella are pretty hard-core foodies. So as part of the blog tour, I’m going to talk about some of the food from Home Grown as well as share recipes. Food and hot guys, what could be better! To begin the tour, here is the first recipe. Wilted Lettuce Salad. Tart and tangy, great with fresh harvested leaf lettuce and of course it has bacon in it. I never said these were low cal recipes. JWilted Lettuce Salad. Ingredients4 strips of bacon1/4 cup apple cider vinegar2 to 3 green onions, including tops, sliced thin1 teaspoon sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper8 to 10 cups leaf lettuce, tornDirectionsCook the bacon in a large skillet until very crisp. Remove and let drain on paper towels.Add vinegar, onions, sugar, salt and pepper, to the hot drippings. Stir until sugar is dissolved.Put the lettuce in a large bowl and immediately pour hot dressing over. Toss lightly. Serve right away. ~ Jon ~
Blurb Peter Stevens believes nothing tastes better than a vine-ripened tomato tended by a farmer’s hands. The craving for heirloom tomatoes leads him to his local farmers’ market and his favorite vendor, Ethan Hart. As Peter becomes a regular customer, the two find they have more in common than a love of good food. Just as Ethan begins to relax, Peter's ex, Jay, appears and is all the things Ethan is not. A perfect storm of mistakes and poor choices, as well as Ethan’s haunted past, has him ready to admit defeat. With the guidance of friends and a goat far too smart for her own good, Ethan realizes he needs to have a tender hand and patience to grow a home for Peter.

Amazon 
Bio:Jon Keys’ earliest memories revolve around books; with the first ones he can recall reading himself being “The Warlord of Mars” and anything with Tarzan. (The local library wasn’t particularly up to date.) But as puberty set in he started sneaking his mother’s romance magazines and added the world of romance and erotica to his mix of science fiction, fantasy, and comic books.A voracious reader for almost half a century, Jon has only recently begun creating his own flights of fiction for the entertainment of others. Born in the Southwest and now living in the Midwest, Jon has worked as a ranch hand, teacher, computer tech, roughneck, designer, retail clerk, welder, artist, and, yes, pool boy; with interests ranging from kayaking and hunting to painting and cooking, he draws from a wide range of life experiences to create written works that draw the reader in and wrap them in a good story.
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