M.A. Church's Blog, page 158

Paranormal Month at CMR and a Harvest giveaway

You're kidnapped by a paranormal creature. What kind would you prefer and why?

Most people probably think of vampires and werewolves when they think of paranormal creatures. There’s an air of danger, of mystery, that surrounds them. The proverbial bad boys who stalk the night looking for prey. And the sexual vibe they give off? *shivers* Oh my God, that vibe just demands their victims fall at their feet, lol… and hope for the best. What is it about Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy that gets to us, lol?
And of course, with any bad boy, there are those that want to redeem them.
I get that, I totally do. *laugh* But the first question that came out of my mouth was… Do aliens fall in that category? Crystal, bless her, said yes. *grin* Now we’re talkin’. While I’ve written vamps and weres, my first love are aliens. Oh yes, aliens. And not just any aliens. Oh no, these aliens are very special...

For the rest of the interview, and make sure to enter the giveaway too, go to Crystal's Many Reviews.

Wednesday Briefs - Trouble Comes in Threes Ch 2

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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. :) 

The prompts for this week are:
"I have a frog in my throat""I gave him/her the cold shoulder.""I got the short end of the stick.""Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." - Murphy's Law"Burning the midnight oil""One foot in the grave."or use: haircut, masochist, plateor feature a dust storm in your story.or use: bottle, robe, box or use a blow-dryer in some wayor use: Red, grass, lamp"You need coffee" or Mummers or "Don't they screen these people?"



Trouble Comes in Threes - Chapter TwoGiving up, I fixed the white cat the tuna. I received a quick ankle rub, then it deserted me, tail held high. Well, look at that. White kitty was another male. He pounced on the food, and good Lord, he inhaled what was on the plate, licking every morsel… and managed to sound like a 747 getting ready for take-off. Jesus, here I’d thought the black one was loud. And seriously, did cats normally gulp down their food like this? The white kitty nosed the plate around the kitchen, determined to get every scrap. Poor kitty. Had he never tasted tuna before tonight? But that didn’t make sense. Okay, maybe he hadn’t had tuna before, but I’d bet my last fifty dollars someone had been feeding him just like the black cat. Were they litter mates? They seemed to be comfortable with each other. It was odd that one was completely black and one was completely white, though honestly, I didn’t know. The plate scooted across the kitchen floor. It was funny in a sad kind of way. The cat had practically spit-cleaned the thing. “Jesus, when was that last time you ate? Look, you get sick I’m not going to be happy. Cleaning up cat puke isn’t my fucking idea of a good time, Snowball.” The black cat sat on the floor, staring at the white one. “Mmmmrrrh.”The white cat looked up, whiskers twitching. “Meerow.”  It stared at the black one, then returned to eating, but a bit more slowly.I, on the other hand, stood frozen. “Fuck a duck, I just named you too.” Hell, I’d slipped up and named the black one, but I damn sure hadn’t planned to repeat that mistake. Wasn’t there some old saying about if you names something it belonged to you? Fuck I hoped not because now I’d gone and named both of them. Tiger and Snowball. It wasn’t the most creative use of names, and the likelihood of me getting rid of them just plummeted to zero. I’d become attached… and I’d just fucked myself. Too bad I didn’t get to enjoy it.I shoved my hand through my hair, fingers catching a tangle. “Ow, shit.” A haircut was on the list of thing I needed too. Soon. At some point. Aw, fuck, who was I kidding? I couldn’t afford that. My hand dropped to my side. Now I really couldn’t. Instead of a haircut I’d probably be buying cat food.  Fuck.“Well, this is just fucking unbelievable. Like I don’t have enough problems, I just took on two more. I didn’t think I was a masochist, but I’m beginning to wonder.”Both cats abruptly looked at me.Damn. That certainly got their attention. Must’ve been my tone or something. Both cats continued to stare at me and that funny, neck-prickling sensation raced across my body. Shit, I wish they’d stop eyeing at me like that. I shifted from foot to foot, then frowned back at them. Damn if a couple of overly-large felines were going to get the better of me. I crossed over my chest and returned their stare. I never was very good at that game. Of course I blinked first.“What?” I demanded.Why were they still both staring at me like that? Okay, it was a little creepy how those weird blue eyes tracked my every move. I understood now why some people were afraid of cats… and I did a mental eye roll. Wow, it was possible I’d just passed wuss and headed into… What came after being a wuss? Well, whatever it was, I was there.“Okay, stop with the creepy stare thingy, guys. Please.”Tiger blinked, then strolled over to me and rubbed against my leg, back arched. His rumbling purrs floating up to me. When Snowball joined him, I had to laugh. They kept bumping into each other—which led to exchanging some impressive swats—while they tried to rub against me. [image error] Unexpectedly Snowball stood on his back legs, his paws resting on my right thigh. “Mmmmeow.”Those bright blue eyes gazed steadily at me. “What? You can’t possibly be hungry. But that does remind me. I need to clean that plate.” I was talking to them now as if they understood me. Yup, I was so fucked.The white cat dropped down and Tiger nudged Snowball toward the living area. While they investigated, I fixed them some water and washed the dirty dishes. Ten minutes later, beer in hand, I flopped down on the couch. I’d glanced out the window in the kitchen while straightening up. It was still snowing hard. Nothing I could do about it, so I clicked on the TV. One hour left until midnight. Hee-fucking-haw. I leaned my head back against the couch. Looked like I was ringing in the New Year alone this time. The invitations hadn’t exactly poured in, not that I wanted to go out. I took a swig of beer. Nope, I was more than happy to sit right here, get flat-out drunk, and watch a little telly with my two new friends. At least I didn’t have to worry about roadblocks.
Oh God, what had my life become?
(Yes, I added the pic lol.) TBC. Make sure to check out the other flashers:
Jon KeysGrace Duncan  Chris T. KatShelly SchulzRaine O’TierneyJC WallaceRob Colton Victoria AdamsElyzabeth VaLey Cia NordwellTali SpencerSarah HayesMichael MandrakeAndrew Q. GordonMC Houle  Renee StevensJulie Lynn Hayes

Did someone say... Birthday???

LOL.Yes, my birthday is coming soon. January 25th, as a matter of fact. I'm going to be 44 yrs young. I don't usually make a big deal of my birthday, but after October, I'm *very* glad to be here. Which got me to thinking—and I can hear the smart-ass comments coming from certain folks lol—about what I should do to celebrate. 

WELL...




Whoot! So... what's going on? A giveaway! Yay! Since my sign has to do with water, I'm going to pick three people and offer them a choice of one of these books:
Wrapped in Leather The Harvest:Taken    Shadows in the Night
All three have something to do with water, lol. To be entered, just tell me if you enjoy the water. I love the water. *shock* LOL, big surprise there. This contest is going to run from now to the 25th. Please make sure to leave me an email!


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While we wait for the 25th, lol, here are some interesting facts about  Aquarians, January 25th folks in particular lol. Some of this I agree with, and some is so out in left field, lol, it's not funny. ;)





January 25 Birthday Astrology
Despite a pleasing persona, Aquarians born on January 25 are difficult to know. They are cloaked in mystery, always holding something in reserve. Dreamy and introspective, they have magnetism and charm. They have a profound sense of their destiny. Intelligent and gifted, they may feel they are passed over by people who are less talented.

Friends and Lovers
People born on January 25 often become involved in the lives of others. Able to withhold criticism and judgment, they attract many friends. Finding love is a spiritual quest. Commitment is not easy; they tend to idealize love. To make romance work, they need to come down to earth.
Children and FamilyIt is not uncommon for January 25 natives to feel connected to their childhoods into their adult lives. As parents, they feel it's their duty to foster individualism in youngsters and to fiercely support their kids' creative interests.

Health
January 25 individuals have a tendency toward moodiness when their idealism collides with reality. To restore emotional equilibrium, they need to engage in vigorous regular exercise. They have a low tolerance for any pills. A high-protein, low-fat diet is best for these folks.




Career and Finances
January 25 natives are often unsure of their career path. They have many interests, particularly in artistic or creative fields, yet often lack confidence. They require encouragement to shoot for goals. They have unusual luck with money. They may receive money out of the blue but may occasionally struggle to make ends meet.

Dreams and Goals
January 25 individuals wish to retain their autonomy despite their personal and professional demands. Their air of mystery is a reaction to their need for privacy. They continually shuffle priorities so goals are likely to change. This is due to their need to take life as it comes.


Zodiac Signs and SymbolsZodiac sign: AquariusRuling planet: Uranus, the visionarySymbol: The Water CarrierBirth date ruler: Neptune, the speculatorTarot card: The Chariot (resilience)Favorable numbers: 7, 8Lucky days: Saturday and Monday, especially when these days fall on 7 and 8 of the monthLucky colors: Bright blue, sea green, mellow mauveJanuary Birthstone: Garnet

My Sexy Saturday - Trouble Comes in Threes

[image error] Happy Saturday and welcome to My Sexy Saturday!For this hop you post 7 paragraphs or 7 sentences or 7 words. It can be from a WIP or something published. For this week, I thought I’d do something from a WIP I’m working on called Trouble Comes in Threes. It’s about a guy who was dumped by his boyfriend during Christmas a year ago. Then all the all appliances in this house go out…. at the same time, along with a leaking roof. He’s already strapped for money, thanks to opening his own business, so he can’t replace anything. Know the saying about troubles comes in threes? Well, number thee is about to show up… times two, lol.Enjoy! And don’t forget to visit the rest of Blog Hop!
Trouble Comes in ThreesYeah, the cat was cute, but it had to go. I needed a pet like I needed a hole in the head. I was barely taking care of myself, so how the hell was I supposed to take care of a cat? I’d probably fuck that up too.“Okay, cat, let’s go.” I pointed at the open door, finger not quivering, voice strong and steady. Cool, check me out. I sounded commanding. Authoritative. I even impressed myself. The cat looked at me and flicked his tail. Then the damn thing shot out his back leg and started licking it. “Seriously?” The cat didn’t seemed half as impressed as I was with myself. Figures. I couldn’t even intimidate a fucking cat. Color me wuss. I shivered in the cold draft from the open door… Shit, the damn door was still open. Heat was gushing out in heaty-type waves while I tried talking a cat out the damn door. And he wasn’t having any of it, seemed like. I certainly didn’t have this problem with the humans in my life. Like Carson, they couldn’t wait to get out the door. And speaking of the door…“Here, kitty, kitty.” Again I called to the cat, and again the cat ignored me. Okay, it appeared we were at a standoff. I nodded my head at the open door. The cat licked its balls. Alrighty then. Guess that answered that. Ball licking won over stupid head nod any day of the week. I shut the door.
The cat stopped its grooming—okay, so maybe I was a little jealous—and stared at me. “Meee-ow!”

Wednesday Briefs - Trouble Comes in Threes #1.3

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Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers flash group. The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. The prompts for this week are:"Swear on our friendship." or "My mama always said some things are better left unsaid." or "Stop beating around the bush." or "What's good for the goose is good for the gander." or "The nice thing about standards is, there are so many to choose from." or use: pillow, wood, dishclothor feature a tornado in your storyor use: straw, knife, candle or have a character sneeze repeatedly.or "How do you mend a broken heart" or "Can things get any worse?"
Trouble Comes in Threes 1.3I ate at the kitchen table, my uninvited houseguest not far from me. Our meal passed quickly and silently. Guess he wasn’t the only one hungry. While I cleaned up, he prowled the kitchen, sniffing every corner. I smirked at the occasional sneeze. I wasn’t what anyone would call a great housekeeper. He followed me back to the living area and made himself right at home. I sat on the hearth, stoking the fire. I didn’t know much about cats, but he was a pretty kitty. I’d never seen eyes quite that color, much less seen one as big as him. He reminded me of those hybrids that were crossed with big cats… like a Savannah. But minus the spots. “So…”He lifted his head and stared at me.“I guess if you’re going to stay here, we need to do something about the bathroom situation. I don’t suppose you happen to know how to use the commode?”I got a lazy flip of his tail as an answer. And damn, did he have a long tail.“I guess not. I suppose that was too much to hope for. But we have to do something about a litter box for the night. Any suggestion, Tiger?”I received a yawn in reply. Good Lord, those were some extremely pointed teeth he had. Suddenly I was having childhood flashbacks to Little Red Riding Hood. Stupid, damn story had given me nightmares the first time Mom read it to me. “Meerow,” Tiger answered.Why in God’s name I’d taken to calling him Tiger I couldn’t say. He certainly didn’t have the coloration of a tiger. In fact, he was black as night. And I wasn’t keeping him. No way. I’d put him up for a few nights, and then he had to go. Which brought me back to the litter box situation. I didn’t have the money to waste on a box and a bag of litter, so it was time to get creative. “Okay, I think I have a large box around here, somewhere. I can use that.” I stood. I was pretty sure the box was in the shed. Out back. In the snow. In the cold. Damn. “Guess I can shred some newspaper and put that in the box. Kind of like potty training a puppy, right?” I was actually impressed with my idea. “Me-wow.” Seems like I was the only one. That sounded like derision, plain and simple. “Hey now, the alternative is me introducing you to the commode. There’s water in that, you know. And I’m not the most graceful thing around. Want to give that a whirl, buddy?” The cat rose—an elegant move of power and strength… and I took a step back before I caught myself. Flustered, I stomped to the door, grabbing my coat before bracing for the great outdoors. The damn thing eyed me as if I was fresh meat and he hadn’t eaten in a month of Sundays. I actually took a step back. What the fuck was that about? I was like a hundred times bigger than him. But, for just a second, there had been a prick of something at the base of my neck. Was I scared of a cat? Intimidated? Jesus, wouldn’t that would get my man card revoked in a hurry. Me, scared of a damn cat.So what if the thing looked like it could jump over my head, and had really pointy teeth.I threw open the door. Shit on a stick, had it gotten colder out here? And here my dumb ass was out in it. I hurried to the shed and found the box. It should work for the short time the cat would need it. I doubled-timed it back to the house, box clutched in my frozen hands. Fuck, buying gloves just moved to the top of the list of things to get from the store. [image error] I paused on the landing to stomp the snow off my shoes and yanked open the door. The sooner I got my ass back where the heat was, the better. I was in such a rush I nearly tripped over the white streak that flew pass me.“What the...?”There, next to the black cat, sat a completely white one. The color was probably why I didn’t see it in the first place. “Mrrrw!”I threw the box on the table. “I’m shutting the damn door already, just give me a—” Holy fuck, whatwas I doing? “Oh no. No, no, no. No way! I’m not putting up two of you. Just no! One was bad enough, but two?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “No.”Snow drifted in from the open door as the stare-off continued.  The newcomer was slightly smaller than the black cat. They sat there, side by side. The black one stared at me like I was nuts for standing there with the damn door wide open. Then the white cat turned sad eyes—damn, it had the same weird blue eyes—up at me and made the most pitiful, heartbreaking meow I’ve ever heard from any creature. “Shit.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. Scrubbed my hands over my face. Huffed out a breath. Leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling. Counted to twenty… None of it helped. That piteous sound had ripped me in two. I looked back at the two cats sitting there. It was awfully cold outside. “Jesus, I’m the biggest wuss walking. Fine! You can stay too. God.” I stopped beating around the bush and shut the door.The black cat strolled over to my pantry and jumped to the middle shelf. Moments later, a can of tuna fell on the floor. The black cat jumped down, looked at the white cat, then nosed the food toward me.“Seriously?” I shook my head. Well hell, it appeared the white cat was hungry. And I had two cats now. (I added the pic's again.) TBC.

 Nephylim  Jon KeysJC WallaceChris T. KatLily Sawyer LM BrownRaine O’TierneyRob ColtonCia NordwellVictoria AdamsMichael MandrakeAndrew Q. GordonLily VeldenRenee StevensElyzabeth VaLey Tali SpencerJulie Lynn Hayes

My Sexy Saturday - Wrapped in Leather

Happy Saturday and welcome to MySexy Saturday !For this hop you post 7 paragraphs or 7 sentences or 7 words. It can be from a WIP or something published. For this week, I thought I’d do something from my latest Dreamspinner release, Wrapped in Leather. Enjoy! And don’t forget to visit the rest of Blog Hop!

Blurb:
To celebrate his decision to take the next step with his boyfriend Ian, Toshi Baylor plans a romantic evening at their favorite steak house. Toshi starts the special weekend with a bang by surprising Ian at home with lunch. There’s a bang all right, but it’s between Ian and another guy.

Jase Taylor’s auto repair shop and the BDSM club, Wrapped Up, keep him busy while he waits for Mr. Right, instead of Mr. Right Now. He’s a Dom, but playing with the club’s submissives isn’t providing the usual stress release. After a day from hell, he deserves a good meal at his favorite steak house.

Toshi and Jase find a mix-up with their reservations: a table for Baylor, not Taylor. When Toshi invites Jase to dine with him, they discover a mutual affection for leather and a shared belief that trust must be earned.

Before they can explore their common interests, Toshi suffers a series of attacks by vandals. Jase’s protective instincts kick in, but both wonder if it can lead to anything permanent.


Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4567Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4568Release date: January 3rd
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond


Wrapped in Leather“Tell you what, let’s exchange numbers and I’ll call you… well, hell.” Jase wasn’t letting Toshi go without knowing something. “Why don’t you meet me tomorrow at three? We can work out.”Toshi fiddled with his keys. “I, ah, yeah. That sounds good. Three it is. Just go easy on me, man. It’s been two weeks, at least, since I worked out.”Jase zipped his leather jacket, debating how to answer, then threw caution to the wind. Better to see how Toshi would react now than later. “Going easy isn’t in my vocabulary. That’s not who I am. I push—that’s what I do. But I won’t push you any harder than what you… need.”Toshi’s mouth opened slightly. “Oh. I, ah… I, oh. Three, right? Yes, I’ll be there.”There was no mistaking the look of lust that flashed in Toshi’s eyes, and Jase felt himself respond. “Give me your phone.” After Jase programmed his number, he handed the cell back to Toshi. “Dress in street clothes and bring whatever you work out in. After we’re done, we can shower there, then grab something to eat or… whatever. And Toshi, I enjoyed tonight. Very much. Call me if you can’t make it.”Jase put on his helmet and his leather gloves. He noticed the way Toshi eyed the leather he wore—that was promising—before he flipped the visor down. He looked at Toshi—both of them standing there, staring at each other. He made a point of glancing down at the front of Toshi’s pants, to where a nice bulge showed, before walking away.
Just as he started the bike, he saw Toshi hurry to his car. Jase pulled out and passed in front of Toshi’s car. He stopped, one foot on the road to balance himself. Toshi was just sitting there, doing nothing. Jase’s grin was hidden behind the visor. It looked like he had Toshi’s attention. He lifted his hand, making the motion of starting a vehicle. When Toshi’s car started, he nodded and drove off, very satisfied with what he’d seen so far.

Join The Power of Love Bloghop

Looking for a Valentine's Day M/M Bloghop? Then look no more, lol. Julie Lynn Hayes and I have started The Power of Love Bloghop. This is our first blog hop! The object of the hop is to have fun and find new readers. And guys, you don't have to be published. All you need is a blog/website. :) Click the name of the hop (above) and that'll take you to the sigh ups. :) 
So, the few rules lol:
Item #1: We will give you a graphic for the blog hop. The graphic must be put in the CONTEST blog post. Either the code or this link MUST be put in the contest post: http://powerofgaylove.blogspot.com/p/the-main-event-page.htmlYou are responsible for your own contest and picking distribution of your prize. We ask that you please put the graphic in the BLOG POST and not just on your blog page (if you put it on your blog page also, that would be awesome) but it needs to be in both places. We don’t want to confuse or anger the readers, that rather defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? Those who find they can’t or won’t do it will receive an email, and if the situation is not rectified, they will be removed from the blog. Sorry. Also BOTH the Link and Graphic are mandatory to have to join the hop. So please put them in your post.
Item #2: Please take off captcha, if you have it, for the duration of the hop. Again, it defeats the purpose as it tends to annoy people and some will just give up and leave.
Item #3: Contest/Giveaway Yes, it is mandatory that you have some sort of contest or giveaway. It’s what people want and expect, and since we’re going to the trouble and expense of setting this up, we don’t think it’s unreasonable to make this request. It doesn’t have to be a book, it can be anything, including GC’s, swag, or any fun item you can think of. Be creative! Michelle and I will be giving away candy hearts and crocheted pillows. Have fun with it! Did we cover everything? Probably not lol. Oh yes, content. What are you supposed to be blogging about? Well, it’s a Valentine’s Day hop about gay love, so what more natural than talking about love in some way? How you do it is up to you. You can write a post about Valentine’s Day, about gay love, about the love between your characters, or any other variation you can think of. You can promo your books to your heart’s content. Just don’t forget about the giveaway. And the link you sign up with cannot be a link to your books on Amazon or any other site. That goes against the spirit of the hop.
We appreciate each and every one of you for signing up for our first blog hop. We’re still learning, so please go easy on us lol. Hope you all have a great day! ~M

Wednesday Briefs - Trouble Comes in Threes #1.2

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Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers flash group. The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. The prompts for this week are:

“Are you kidding me?” or "Here, kitty, kitty," or "He stretched in a low feline fashion" or "He was gone for a month before it really sank in..." or "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" or use: a ruler, a bag and an urn or feature some sort of dance in your story or "What did you call me?" or "kill'em with kindness" or "Hit me with your best shot"or "I wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole."


Trouble Comes in Threes 1.2Yeah, the cat was cute, but it had to go. I needed a pet like I needed a hole in the head. I was barely taking care of myself, so how the hell was I supposed to take care of a cat? I’d probably fuck that up too.“Okay, cat, let’s go.” I pointed at the open door, finger not quivering, voice strong and steady. Cool, check me out. I sounded commanding. Authoritative. I even impressed myself. The cat looked at me and flicked his tail. Then the damn thing shot out his back leg and started licking it. “Seriously?” The cat didn’t seemed half as impressed as I was with myself. Figures. I couldn’t even intimidate a fucking cat. Color me wuss. I shivered in the cold draft from the open door… Oh yeah, the damn door was still open. Heat was gushing out in heaty-type waves while I tried talking a cat out the damn door. And he wasn’t having any of it, seemed like. I certainly didn’t have this problem with the humans in my life. Like Carson, they couldn’t wait to get out the door. And speaking of the door…“Here, kitty, kitty.” Again I called to the cat, and again the cat ignored me. Okay, it appeared we were at a standoff. I nodded my head at the open door. The cat started licking its balls. Alrighty then. Guess that answered that. Ball licking won over stupid head nod any day of the week. I shut the door.The cat stopped its grooming—okay, so maybe I was a little jealous—and stared at me. “Meee-ow!”If I didn’t know better, I’d think I just got told off by a feline. “Yeah, yeah, I heard you. I guess you can stay inside. It is cold out there.”Yup… wuss. What the hell was I doing? I said I wasn’t going to do this and here sat the damn thing like the Queen of Sheba. I scratched my head. Wasn’t that the name of some cat food? Or something like that? That reminded me, what was I going to feed this thing? Hope it liked human food because that’s all I had, and not much of that. It was healthy-looking, that’s for sure. Someone had been feeding it. Who did it belong to? Jesus, I hoped I didn’t manage to kill it before I found the owner. Shit, what if it was abandoned? Just dumped? Well hell, I could relate. Carson dumped me. And I really needed to stop trying to come up with a life story for a damn stray cat. The cat jumped off the table and walked over to me. Wow, it was big. And black. And wow, those were some freaky blue eyes for a cat. It rubbed against my leg, head-butted me—okay, I felt that—then made its way to the den and the fireplace. “Meow!” The cat made a couple of circles, tail held high—hello, that was a rather large set of balls—stretched, then dropped down on a small rug in front of the hearth.“Guess I’m not the only one who likes the fire, huh?” I sat and reached my hand out, letting it sniff me. I heard that was the thing to do if you didn’t want to get torn up. The only scratches I was interested in were those made by a lover.After I passed that test, I tentatively ran my hand down its back. “Your fur’s soft. I wonder who you belong to, boy.”I petted him, enjoying the heat from the fire and the unique scent of burning wood. Purring reached me. Man, he sounded like a damn truck engine I used to have. Really loud and growly. I liked it. We sat there, me petting and him purring, until I got tired.“Okay, cat, I have to put the groceries up since I left them on the damn counter. And ah shit, better see if I got anything you can use for a litter box.” I scratched my head again. Rolling my eyes at myself, I stomped to the kitchen. “Jesus fuck, am I really talking about a litter box?” The cat followed me. He jumped on the counter and pawed at one of the plastic bags. I slipped my finger under the bag and made it rattle… and neatly lost a finger when the cat swiped at it. “Whoa!” News flash—it wasn’t declawed.“Rawl.” The cat went after the bag again, batting at the plastic, jumping and pouncing… and having entirely too much fun mauling it. Bloodthirsty thing.It was kind of funny, though. The plastic made an odd sound and the cat jumped back, fuzzed up, and hissed. Damn. I caught myself snorting out a laugh and the cat stared at me strangely. Could cats give strange looks? I’d swear this one just did.More importantly, when was the last time I truly laughed? “Okay, Tiger, you killed the big, bad plastic bag, now how about backing off. I need to unpack the food without losing a limb.”A yowl greeted that statement, but the cat backed off and sat down.“I guess I shouldn’t let you on the counters, huh? Never had a cat before.” I put up the stuff I bought. I found an old bowl, filled it with water, and set it on the floor. Then I opened a can of tuna. “Meow, meeeow, meeooow.”I laughed at the big, black ball of purring kitty that was trying to knock me down. I grabbed a small plate and dumped the contents on it. “Well, I think we have a winner. Smells good, huh?”The purring was impressive.I managed to get the bowl to the floor and he attacked it with a vengeance. Wow, someone was hungry. While he ate, I fixed myself a ham and cheese sandwich. Looked like the cat and I were going to ring in the New Year together.
The pic wasn't part of the prompts, I added it.  :)~M
TBC. Make sure to visit the other briefers:
Jon KeysTali SpencerA.R. VonGrace Duncan  Raine O’TierneyMA ChurchChris T. KatLily Sawyer Nephylim  Shelly SchulzJC WallaceVictoria AdamsMichael MandrakeCia NordwellLily VeldenElyzabeth VaLey Andrew Q. GordonJulie Lynn Hayes

Wrapped in Leather has been released

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-wrappedinleather-1387382-147.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wrapped-Leather-M-A-Church-ebook/dp/B00HNXIW5W/ref=zg_bs_301889_69

Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4567

Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4568
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
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~Photo courtesy of Gregory Anton  http://rav-photography.com Many thanks to the model, Ben. J











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Blurb: To celebrate his decision to take the next step with his boyfriend Ian, Toshi Baylor plans a romantic evening at their favorite steak house. Toshi starts the special weekend with a bang by surprising Ian at home with lunch. There’s a bang all right, but it’s between Ian and another guy.

Jase Taylor’s auto repair shop and the BDSM club, Wrapped Up, keep him busy while he waits for Mr. Right, instead of Mr. Right Now. He’s a Dom, but playing with the club’s submissives isn’t providing the usual stress release. After a day from hell, he deserves a good meal at his favorite steak house.

Toshi and Jase find a mix-up with their reservations: a table for Baylor, not Taylor. When Toshi invites Jase to dine with him, they discover a mutual affection for leather and a shared belief that trust must be earned.

Before they can explore their common interests, Toshi suffers a series of attacks by vandals. Jase’s protective instincts kick in, but both wonder if it can lead to anything permanent.

Excerpt:TOSHI PULLED in the parking lot and found a place up front. Yanking the collar of his coat up, he hurried to the front door of the restaurant. Being a Friday evening, the place was already packed. Good thing he’d made a reservation. Just as he reached for the door handle, he heard the low, sexy growl of a motorcycle behind him. Damn, what a sound. Stopping to look, he noticed a well-built man on a Harley hunting for a parking place. He had a blacked-out face-shield helmet and wore a black leather jacket. Toshi watched as the guy parked and swung a leg off the bike, jeans tightening across what looked like a fine ass. Toshi gulped. Now that was some fantasy material. The guy stood next to the bike—oooh, he was tall too. The helmet, along with the leather jacket, gloves, and boots gave him a mysterious, dangerous look, with a strong side of kinky thrown into the mix. “Damn,” Toshi muttered, his dick twitching with interest. The stranger removed his helmet and leather gloves. Nice, short dark-brown hair and a sexy goatee—Toshi swallowed hard. His dick was doing more than twitching. Gods, everything about this guy screamed smoking hot, kinky sex. The leather alone was enough to rev his imagination. Which was unfortunate, since the man he was drooling over was probably straight. But hey, he could dream. He entered the restaurant before his interest was noticed, just to be safe. Wow, the biker guy really flipped his switches. He was more than a little surprised at how he’d responded—no one had stirred his interest like that since he’d started dating again. Not even Ian had gotten him this hot. Toshi sidelined his thoughts when he was greeted by the hostess. “Good evening, sir. One for dinner tonight?” Angie, the hostess, flipped her long hair over her shoulder, a smile on her face. “Yeah, I had a reservation under the name Baylor for eight.” A breeze swirled around Toshi as the biker guy walked inside the restaurant. “Great! We’re really slammed tonight. Dan will be here in a moment to show you to your table.” Toshi heard the hostess Angie start her spiel again. She didn’t get far. “Oh no, oh sir, I’m so sorry! We don’t have a Mr. Taylor listed.” “Look, I spoke to you, remember? I called and made a reservation at eight tonight for one. It was a little loud in here when I called.” Toshi shivered and slowed at the deep voice behind him. That sound reached right down to his balls. “I-I… I’m so sorry, sir. There seems to be a mix-up with the last names of you and the customer who was just here. But we should have a table coming up in about an hour.” “An hour? You’re kidding, right? You made a mistake, not me, but I have to wait? Jesus, can this day get any worse? Look, I’ll just sit at the bar until something comes available.” “I’m sorry, sir, but the bar is full. I’m so sorry for the mix-up, but there simply isn’t a table open. And there isn’t any room at the bar right now.” “I want to speak to the manager.” “Sir—” “Now would be good.” Toshi damn near panted at that commanding tone. Without thinking, he turned around and walked back to the scowling man. “Um, sorry, but I couldn’t help overhearing. If you’re okay with it, you can share a table with me. I’m by myself anyway.” “If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate that. It’s been a helluva day.” The stranger held out his hand. “Jase Taylor.”

Wednesday Brief - Trouble Comes in Threes

[image error] Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers flash group. The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. The prompts for this week are:"In for a penny, in for a pound..." or use cat, string, cottage cheese or "You're not the boss of me." or "Fiddle-dee-dee!" or feature some sort of musical instrument in your story or use puppy eyes or "He gives a new definition to flaming!"or have a New Year's Party or  use sunrise and/or sunsetor "Don't get your knickers in a twist..." or use line dancing in some way
~I’m using the prompt: cat, string, cottage cheese



Trouble Comes in Threes “Happy New Years Eve!”I flashed the Walmart greeter my best death glare. If one more person dared to speak that fucking phrase to me, I was going to string them up by their toenails. Yeah, happy fucking New Year Eve’s. Now kiss my ass. I hurried outside, my head down against the cold, my pitiful bag of groceries clutched to my chest. Lovely, it was spitting snow. Just shoot me now, please. I jumped in the truck, and thank you Jesus, the damn thing rumbled to life. With the way my luck had been running, the truck starting was nothing short of a minor miracle. Ever hear that saying about how trouble comes in threes? Boy, did they get that one wrong. Trouble started last year about this time and had rained down every month since. Rained? Ha, I misspoke. It poured down in fucking buckets. Rained cats and dogs. Or like my dear departed Ma used to say… A real toad-strangler.What a craptastic year. And please God, or whatever was listening, let this year be better. Seriously, I was due. It was to the point where I wondered if someone had it out for me. Nothing went right, and I was sick and tired of it. But the capper was earlier in December. My longtime partner broke up with me. In December. Right before Christmas. Yeah, happy fucking Christmas to me. The reasons were as asinine as he was. Something about how I was always working, I never had time for him, we never did anything… blah, blah, blah. Well Christ on a cracker, I’d started my own business and was barely keeping my head above water. What the hell did he expect?  On top of that, every fucking thing in the house had broken… at the same time. Of course all the appliances were all out of warranty. Then my truck wanted to get in on the act and blew the engine. Oh, let’s not forget the leaking roof that was out of warranty also. Sure messed up those pretty cottage cheese ceilings. Then a tooth went bad on me and I had to have bunches of dental work. I was hemorrhaging money, no fucking kidding.Want me to keep going? No? Don’t blame you. I pulled up in front of my house. Yes, it was old, and yes, it needed a coat of paint. Maybe several coats of paint. But it was mine, and I loved the damn ugly thing. Why? The fucker was paid for. I sat in the truck staring at my house. At least I managed to have the electricity turned back on before I froze to death. Yeah, money was tight. The last thing, the very last thing, I had needed was for the one constant in my life—Carson—to bail on me too. It hurt. Hell, I hurt. I rapped my fist against the steering wheel, still pissed and angry weeks later. I wanted to scream and yell, just rip something to pieces, dammit.I didn’t used to be such a detestable, hateful person. I, Kirk Wells, was the fun-loving, happy guy everyone befriended. I used to have a ready smile and a kind word. Laid back and easy-going were words that easily described me. I stuck by my friends through thick and thin. I had honor. I was trustworthy. People knew they could depend on me. Many people enjoyed my company.  I had, in the past year, succeeded in nearly running everyone off. Go me.And I didn’t care. With the dark mood that hung over me, it was too much trouble to make nice. Took too much energy to act all happy and shit. I was tired, tired of life and everything connected to it. I just wanted to be alone. I shut off the truck and made my way to the backdoor, groceries in hand. I got the door open and managed to set the food down on the counter before I dropped the bag. I slammed the door shut. Man, my hands were cold. Damn snow was coming down harder since I’d left Walmart. By morning it was going to be a winter wonderland of nut-grinding insanity. The forecast said we were due to get a foot, at least. Fucking lovely. Folks down here couldn’t drive on sunny days. Throw snow in the mix and you had accidents just looking for a place to happen. None for me, thank ya. I was very glad I decided not to open since tomorrow was New Years day. “Okay, so, groceries bought. Check. Next on the list, getting a fire going.”Which meant getting wood from outside. Taking a deep breath, I braved the outdoors again. Seeing snow piling up, I decided to carry several loads inside. After the second trip, I just left the door open. And hey, the flood light out back decided to work suddenly. What luck. Now I could actually see what I was picking up. After the fourth trip, I was panting like a wet dog, but had enough wood to last the night. I stomped the snow off my boots and headed toward the door when a streak of black raced passed me, making a beeline to the open back door. “What the fuck?” I glanced in the kitchen.“Meow!” On the table sat one of the biggest black cats I’d ever seen, giving me the eye.“Oh fuck me, I don’t think so.”
 TBC. 
Tali SpencerRaine O’TierneyJon KeysRob ColtonA.R. VonGrace Duncan  Chris T. KatLily Sawyer JC WallaceShelly SchulzElyzabeth VaLey Lily VeldenAndrew Q. GordonJulie Lynn Hayes