M.A. Church's Blog, page 160
December 17, 2013
Wednesday Briefs - Nighttime Promises # 22
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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:"I saw Daddy kissing Santa Claus! or "Bah, humbug! Just call me Scrooge!" or "when did you become so mean?" or "a fire smoldered in his eyes" or use egg nog in your story, with or without alcohol or "Did I hear a reindeer on the roof?" or "My boss is so cheap...." or use: front, door, fox or have a character make hot chocolate with marshmallows or "Did I hear a waltz?" or use a poltergeist in your story or "To every day, there is a season" or mention the three kings or the three wise men or "Merry Christmas!" or make a Christmas Carol reference or "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings" or have your characters barbecue or make a Duck Dynasty reference or use swimming in some way or "he's a regular Jekyll and Hyde!"or "the power of love."
~ ~ ~
~Nighttime Promises is the 3rd book in the Nighttime series, which is published by Romance First. I'm using the prompts to help me get going on this book. Yes, this is a tentacle story lol.
Fair warning!
I'm going to pull this about 3/4th of the way through, expand it, and send it off. Most of the story will be shown on here though. I'm giving this warning so no one will be caught off guard when I pull the story.
Nighttime Promises # 22Bryan didn’t waste time. Two hours wasn’t much and he needed every spare minute he could get to put as much distance between him and Daroshi as he could. Night would blanket the land soon, making travel nearly impossible due to darkness. Moving at an easy jog, he covered the rocky and barren land. The sooner he could get to the forested areas, the better. He was at a disadvantage out here in the open.He smirked as the tree line came into view. Who am I kidding? He didn’t have a prayer and he knew it. That didn’tmean he wasn’t going to try. He slowed to a walk as he entered the tree line. The sounds of the forest echoed around him. The shrill call of some native animal screamed across the land. Bryan shivered. What the hell was that? Sounded like something being butchered…. alive. Fuck.The tree canopy blocked what little natural light there was on the damn planet. It was by no means dark… just dim. Gray. Ugly. Yeah, no point in revisiting that. He looked down. The floor of the woods was leaf mulch, some scattered rocks, and grasses.Bryan hitched his pack higher up his back and continued walking, scouting for anything that was edible, like nuts or berries. Off to the right was an odd, twisted shrub, with berries near the top. He made a quick sweep of the area for predators then swung his pack off his back. Where there was food, there was the threat of danger. Seeing nothing, he moved to stand in front of the shrub. Good thing the plant was only slightly taller than him. He studied the grape-sized reddish berry. Each berry had a small white spot on it. Relieved, Bryan opened his pack and found the small plastic container. He didn’t strip the bush; instead he circled it, careful not to take berries up too high. He gathered as many as he dared and packed the majority of them. Bryan studied the bush and nodded silently. Yeah, he couldn’t tell he’d even taken berries from it. Perfect—it wasn’t obvious he’d been there. Bryan returned to walking, taking his time to avoid breaking branches off bushes as he made his way deeper in the forest. He tossed a few of the berries in his mouth. He’d read they had a tart taste, and the comp was correct. They were tart and juicy. Huh, may have to tell Daroshi about these later. They’re good. The Maz’Rarians didn’t eat much of anything outside of meat, but he did. And there was something to be said for fresh food too. Bryan hiked for quite a distance, not sure how much time had passed. He ran through the list of things he had in his pack: a fire steel, matches in a small waterproof canister, 550 paracord, several thermal blankets, a signaling mirror, a plastic container, water purifying tablets, and a compass. Damn, why didn’t I think to pack something that would tell time? And… shit. Don’t really have a way to communicate, either, outside of the mirror. Wonder if Daroshi’s noticed that yet? Bet he’s kicking himself if he has. That was stupid on our part. Ah well, guess if he wants my attention he can just shoot one of his weapons. I’m sure that would get my—and anything else’s—attention around here. More time passed as he walked. His two-hour head start had to be up by now. He felt good, but his feet were beginning to ache a bit. That told him he’d been walking for a while. Plus, shadows were creeping across the land. Night was coming. With every step he took, the light faded. He needed to find somewhere to camp, and it needed to be as secure as possible. He’d like to find a cave, maybe an outcrop of rocks with a door-size opening… something that hid him and provided shelter. Luck wasn’t on his side. What he found was a clump of pyramid-shape trees with brown-green thick, plate-sized leaves. Right in the middle of the clump was a cleared out area, hardly big enough for him to stretch out, but the trees limbs did a good job of camouflaging the space. Bryan checked to see his weapon was close to hand and circled the tree. So far, so good. He found a stick and poked around. Nothing came out with fangs and claws bared. “Okay then, not exactly what I had in mind, but this works.”Bryan crawled into the opening. Once he was satisfied he’d arranged the limbs to hide him, he pulled a blanket out of his pack and spread it out on the ground. He pulled another one out in case he got cold. Stretching out on his back, he stared up at the sky, not that there was much to see. He wondered what Daroshi was doing now. Was he out there, hunting? Of course he was. Had he already honed in on Bryan’s trail? Was he even now close, hidden out there somewhere, watching him? Bryan dug out the berries and ate a few more. He wasn’t hungry yet, but that would come. He’d have to find more substantial things to eat tomorrow. And water. Definitely needed to find water. A yawn wormed its way loose, and Bryan rubbed his eyes. Damn, he was more tired than he thought. Maybe he’d take a short nap. Daroshi wouldn’t bring the hunt to an end this soon, so he should be okay. Closing his eyes, he tried to relax his body so he could sleep. Damn, I’ve gotten used to him sleeping next to me. I miss the big guy. He drifted, his mind clear and his body relaxed. Time slipped by as he rested.A low growl echoed across the forest and brought Bryan to a sitting position.TBC: Victoria AdamsJon KeysJC WallaceLily Sawyer Chris T. KatGrace Duncan Tali Spencer Nephylim Andrew Q. GordonShelly SchulzRob ColtonLily Velden Cia NordwellRenee StevensJulie Lynn Hayes
Nighttime Promises # 22Bryan didn’t waste time. Two hours wasn’t much and he needed every spare minute he could get to put as much distance between him and Daroshi as he could. Night would blanket the land soon, making travel nearly impossible due to darkness. Moving at an easy jog, he covered the rocky and barren land. The sooner he could get to the forested areas, the better. He was at a disadvantage out here in the open.He smirked as the tree line came into view. Who am I kidding? He didn’t have a prayer and he knew it. That didn’tmean he wasn’t going to try. He slowed to a walk as he entered the tree line. The sounds of the forest echoed around him. The shrill call of some native animal screamed across the land. Bryan shivered. What the hell was that? Sounded like something being butchered…. alive. Fuck.The tree canopy blocked what little natural light there was on the damn planet. It was by no means dark… just dim. Gray. Ugly. Yeah, no point in revisiting that. He looked down. The floor of the woods was leaf mulch, some scattered rocks, and grasses.Bryan hitched his pack higher up his back and continued walking, scouting for anything that was edible, like nuts or berries. Off to the right was an odd, twisted shrub, with berries near the top. He made a quick sweep of the area for predators then swung his pack off his back. Where there was food, there was the threat of danger. Seeing nothing, he moved to stand in front of the shrub. Good thing the plant was only slightly taller than him. He studied the grape-sized reddish berry. Each berry had a small white spot on it. Relieved, Bryan opened his pack and found the small plastic container. He didn’t strip the bush; instead he circled it, careful not to take berries up too high. He gathered as many as he dared and packed the majority of them. Bryan studied the bush and nodded silently. Yeah, he couldn’t tell he’d even taken berries from it. Perfect—it wasn’t obvious he’d been there. Bryan returned to walking, taking his time to avoid breaking branches off bushes as he made his way deeper in the forest. He tossed a few of the berries in his mouth. He’d read they had a tart taste, and the comp was correct. They were tart and juicy. Huh, may have to tell Daroshi about these later. They’re good. The Maz’Rarians didn’t eat much of anything outside of meat, but he did. And there was something to be said for fresh food too. Bryan hiked for quite a distance, not sure how much time had passed. He ran through the list of things he had in his pack: a fire steel, matches in a small waterproof canister, 550 paracord, several thermal blankets, a signaling mirror, a plastic container, water purifying tablets, and a compass. Damn, why didn’t I think to pack something that would tell time? And… shit. Don’t really have a way to communicate, either, outside of the mirror. Wonder if Daroshi’s noticed that yet? Bet he’s kicking himself if he has. That was stupid on our part. Ah well, guess if he wants my attention he can just shoot one of his weapons. I’m sure that would get my—and anything else’s—attention around here. More time passed as he walked. His two-hour head start had to be up by now. He felt good, but his feet were beginning to ache a bit. That told him he’d been walking for a while. Plus, shadows were creeping across the land. Night was coming. With every step he took, the light faded. He needed to find somewhere to camp, and it needed to be as secure as possible. He’d like to find a cave, maybe an outcrop of rocks with a door-size opening… something that hid him and provided shelter. Luck wasn’t on his side. What he found was a clump of pyramid-shape trees with brown-green thick, plate-sized leaves. Right in the middle of the clump was a cleared out area, hardly big enough for him to stretch out, but the trees limbs did a good job of camouflaging the space. Bryan checked to see his weapon was close to hand and circled the tree. So far, so good. He found a stick and poked around. Nothing came out with fangs and claws bared. “Okay then, not exactly what I had in mind, but this works.”Bryan crawled into the opening. Once he was satisfied he’d arranged the limbs to hide him, he pulled a blanket out of his pack and spread it out on the ground. He pulled another one out in case he got cold. Stretching out on his back, he stared up at the sky, not that there was much to see. He wondered what Daroshi was doing now. Was he out there, hunting? Of course he was. Had he already honed in on Bryan’s trail? Was he even now close, hidden out there somewhere, watching him? Bryan dug out the berries and ate a few more. He wasn’t hungry yet, but that would come. He’d have to find more substantial things to eat tomorrow. And water. Definitely needed to find water. A yawn wormed its way loose, and Bryan rubbed his eyes. Damn, he was more tired than he thought. Maybe he’d take a short nap. Daroshi wouldn’t bring the hunt to an end this soon, so he should be okay. Closing his eyes, he tried to relax his body so he could sleep. Damn, I’ve gotten used to him sleeping next to me. I miss the big guy. He drifted, his mind clear and his body relaxed. Time slipped by as he rested.A low growl echoed across the forest and brought Bryan to a sitting position.TBC: Victoria AdamsJon KeysJC WallaceLily Sawyer Chris T. KatGrace Duncan Tali Spencer Nephylim Andrew Q. GordonShelly SchulzRob ColtonLily Velden Cia NordwellRenee StevensJulie Lynn Hayes
December 15, 2013
The Harvest: Taken giveaway
Or, are we? Grab a group of people and ask if they believe aliens have visited Earth. Then sit back and watch what happens, lol. If all you end up with is a heated discussion, you’re lucky. No matter what people believe, they defend their opinion vigorously. Ever watch those TV shows that talk about the pyramids and how they were built? Or Stonehenge? What about Aztec temples? It does get you to thinking, does it not? How did they moveDale Michael thought he was safe since he was under the legal age limit. He was wrong.
Blurb: In the year 2050, humanity finds out they are indeed not alone.Massive space ships appear without warning above the capital cities of all major nations. The planet Tah'Nar is dying. Chemical warfare has reduced the once-intersexed warrior race to sterility. They need fresh DNA in order to reproduce and have an idea for a harvesting program... and so they turn to Earth.
Earth governments negotiate a lottery, and Dale Michael assumes he's safe since he's under the Harvest age limit. How wrong he is. He's illegally harvested and claimed by Tah'Narian starship captain Keyno Shou. From the moment Keyno sees Dale, he knows he must claim the spirited human male for his own. What he doesn’t expect is a spitfire with a mind of his own—and a deadly disease that will require a risky procedure to cure.
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Open to US folks only. So, to enter the giveaway, comment with an email addy, and tell me if you think aliens have visited Earth. The giveaway runs from now to Friday, December 20th. I'll email the winner for their home address. You get a signed print copy and a notebook I had made. The notebook has the cover of Harvest on it. It's pretty cool lol. There's also a few surprises I plan to throw in lol. Just some swag I have. ;) After Christmas I'll do an eBook giveaway for everyone inside and outside the US. Then in Jan I have another book coming out and more giveaways planned for that.
December 13, 2013
My Sexy Saturday - Priceless
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 Priceless, the first book in the Gods series. Enjoy! And don’t forget to visit the rest of Blog Hop!Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3095
Blurb:
Sparks ignite when Cupid takes aim at two mortals in Las Vegas: Randy Jones, an average guy on a company vacation, looks into Garrett’s eyes at a craps table and time stands still. Throwing aside everything he believes, Randy engages in a torrid two-night affair with Garrett—only to panic when he realizes he’s fallen in love. Cynical billionaire Garrett Shiffler has everything money can buy, and most of his dates can’t see past the dollar signs. Life has taught him that innocence and love are figments of the imagination. But when Randy disappears, taking with him feelings Garrett thought he’d never know, Garrett wages the most important battle of his life to win Randy's love—but this time he fights with his heart, not his bank account. Meanwhile, Cupid wonders what happened. His golden arrows never fail unless the Fates interfere. If Garrett wants to win Randy back, he’s going to have to do it on his own, because the Fates have other plans for Cupid.~ ~ ~
Randy’s breathing increased as he chewed his lip. His heart sped up as Garrett leaned into him. Would the kiss be hard and brutal, his mouth claimed by an onslaught of passion that would leave him breathless and bruised? He moaned in surprise as Garrett’s mouth sweetly moved on his.From one heartbeat to the next, pleasure exploded in Randy’s mind. He hadn’t expected such gentleness. Throwing caution to the wind, he grasped Garrett’s hips and pulled him closer. Garrett’s tongue explored his mouth, that sinful goatee tickling his chin. When Garrett nudged his head to the side and nibbled a path down Randy’s neck, he willingly bared his throat. And moaned again when Garrett sucked hard on the tender skin near his collarbone.Randy, squirming from the sensations, rubbed his leg up and down Garrett’s thigh. One of Garrett’s hands drifted down and lifted Randy’s leg higher, palming his ass as he kneaded the firm flesh. The electricity that jumped between them had Randy shaking.“Garrett,” Randy gasped as Garrett found a particularly good spot, “there’s gotta be cameras in here.”Garrett held Randy tightly for a moment, their bodies crushed together, before he released him and moved away. He mumbled under his breath about how could Randy think, much less clearly, at that moment. Randy leaned against the elevator wall, eyes closed, and tried to bring his rampaging body under control. The elevator dinged and lurched to a stop, causing Randy to stumble into Garrett.He slid his arm around Randy to steady him and didn’t let go when the doors parted. Garrett pulled Randy toward his suite, throwing the door open. Once inside he slammed the door shut, spun Randy around, and trapped him against the back of the door. He slammed his mouth over Randy’s, picking up where he left off in the elevator until Randy was gasping for air.“Let me be very clear,” Garrett panted into his mouth. “I want you in my bed. I want you desperate, wild, and begging.”
Wrapped in Leather is on the Coming Soon page at Dreamspinner and on SALE!
Hey guys! Wrapped in Leather is ready for pre-order. Since DsP is running a sale on Mystery, BDSM, and Historical, the ebook is on sale for $5.24 until the 14th. This is novel length and the Cover Artist is Paul Richmond. I'm very excited to have him doing this series. :)
ebook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4567
print:http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4568
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.”
December 10, 2013
Wednesday Briefs - Nighttime Promises # 21
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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: rule with a rod of iron- That's none of your business- you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs- more dead than alive- my whole world collapsed about my ears- That won't kill you!- one good turn deserves another- never look a gift horse in the mouth- it's a matter of life and death- I'm damned if I know!
~ ~ ~
~Nighttime Promises is the 3rd book in the Nighttime series, which is published by Romance First. I'm using the prompts to help me get going on this book. Yes, this is a tentacle story lol.
Fair warning! I'm going to pull this about 3/4th of the way through, expand it, and send it off. Most of the story will be shown on here though. I'm giving this warning so no one will be caught off guard when I pull the story.
Nighttime Promises # 21
“I fully intend to.” Bryan took the weapons, slung both over his shoulder, grabbed Daroshi by the arm, and jerked him close. Bryan’s lips crashed down on Daroshi’s.
Tentacles writhed on Daroshi’s back. The aggressiveness in Bryan turned him on. He wanted… by the stars, he wanted to force Bryan to submit, see that needful desire in Bryan’s eyes. Nothing was more beautiful than Bryan in his submission.
He buried his hand in Bryan’s hair and jerked his mate closer. He took control of the kiss, dueling Bryan’s tongue into submission. A low growl enveloped them as Daroshi’s other hand dropped to Bryan’s groin. Daroshi broke the kiss, his hand rubbing the trapped bulge. The temptation to haul Bryan back in the house and to the bedroom was enormous.
Daroshi tightened his hold in Bryan’s hair, forcing Bryan to lean his head back to meet his eyes. “I will find you, mate. I’m going to hunt you down and fuck you until you scream. You are mine.”
Bryan rolled his hips; the pressure on his cock made his eyes roll. “Bring it, mate,” Bryan whispered.
One last kiss and Daroshi let Bryan go. Bryan flashed a grin and took off.
“Be careful, mate,” Daroshi whispered.
This worry he felt for another was… new. And disturbing. He still wasn’t sure how to handle what Bryan made him feel. Uneasy with that train of thought, he focused instead on their hunt. His heart rate increased as he planned. He’d hunted other species on numerous planets before, but this… this had his blood thumping far more than any other hunt.
Daroshi stood outside, staring at the spot where Bryan once stood. He’d left quickly, an easy jog that surprisingly covered the barren land rapidly and shouldn’t wear him out. Daroshi nodded. That was smart. He also knew Bryan had headed to the more forested part of the land. Again, that’s exactly what he’d have done.
Feeling rather foolish standing, Daroshi went back inside and checked the time. Only ten Earth minutes had passed. Growling, he dropped down into one of the comfy chairs Bryan had insisted they ‘do something’ with. Only ten minutes? He’d promise Bryan he’d wait two hours. This was taking forever.
He rubbed the arm of the chair. Nice. Okay, he’d rather hunt Bryan blindfolded and weaponless than admit he liked the softness Bryan had brought to his life. He tapped his fingers on the chair arm. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. He huffed out a breath and checked the time again.
“Only two minutes? Gods.”
Why had he offered Bryan two hours? What had he been thinking? He was going to lose his mind. He was ready to go now. Just as he stood up, his comm beeped. Glad of the distraction, he opened the unit on his wrist and tapped the comm link.
Ziang’s voice rang out. “Greeetings, Daroshi. How are you and your mate?”
“We are both well, thank you for asking, Ziang.”
“Shawn wants to know if you and Bryan would like to join is for a meal this evening. Also, comp and link messages will be sent out tomorrow to the crew so make sure to confirm receipt. We have a mission coming up.”
“Ah, we’d like to, but Bryan and I have plans tonight. But thank you for the invitation. When do we leave?”
“Four Earth days.”
Daroshi nodded his head. That would be ample time. It was a good thing they weren’t being called back sooner or they’d have to end the hunt. Then he frowned. He hadn’t given Bryan a comm. Good thing they hadn’t been called back sooner. He had no way to get in touch with Bryan. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Damn Bryan and his primitive devices.
“Excellent. We should be done by then.”
“Done?”
Daroshi squeezed his eyes closed. Damn, he just had to say that out loud, hadn’t he? Now he had to explain. What would Ziang think? “Ah, Bryan and I… We are… I have two days to…”
“Are you stuttering, Daroshi?”
“No Sir! I’m hunting Bryan.” No stuttering there, by the gods. “I have two Earth days from now to find him.”
Silence.
Daroshi tightened his muscles. He refused to squirm like an untried warrior. Bryan was his mate and he’d do what he wanted with him. Gods, he should’ve told Ziang to mind his own business.
Finally, Ziang spoke. “Interesting. And Bryan isn’t… afraid?”
“Not at all. He was very much for this. I trained him, made sure he was knowledgeable about the environment, and provided a survival kit for him.”
“Again, interesting. You don’t need me to tell you to be careful as you hunt him. Humans are more delicate than us. Bryan isaware you are trained to do this, yes? The odds of him avoiding you for two days are… not good.”
Daroshi shrugged. If this was a real hunt, Bryan wouldn’t last ten minutes. “That is true, but this is more about… fun.”
“Fun. I guess I can see that… for you. What does he get out of it?”
“I… I presume the thrill of the hunt. He’ll be pitting himself against me. And I plan to give him a fighting chance. He won’t beat me, of course. I have… plans for him.”
Ziang snorted. “I imagine you do. Nothing like a good hunt to get the blood boiling.”
“Exactly.”
They spoke for a few more minutes before disconnection. Daroshi checked the time again. Only fifteen Earth minutes had passed.
With a growl, he stood to pace. Bryan had better be grateful of the head start.
TBC. Make sure to drop by the other flashers!
Jon KeysLily Sawyer JC WallaceChris T. KatRob ColtonNephylim Lily Velden A.R. VonGrace Duncan Renee StevensAndrew Q. GordonTali SpencerCia NordwellElyzabeth VaLey Julie Lynn Hayes
Victoria Adams
~ ~ ~
~Nighttime Promises is the 3rd book in the Nighttime series, which is published by Romance First. I'm using the prompts to help me get going on this book. Yes, this is a tentacle story lol.
Fair warning! I'm going to pull this about 3/4th of the way through, expand it, and send it off. Most of the story will be shown on here though. I'm giving this warning so no one will be caught off guard when I pull the story.
Nighttime Promises # 21
“I fully intend to.” Bryan took the weapons, slung both over his shoulder, grabbed Daroshi by the arm, and jerked him close. Bryan’s lips crashed down on Daroshi’s.
Tentacles writhed on Daroshi’s back. The aggressiveness in Bryan turned him on. He wanted… by the stars, he wanted to force Bryan to submit, see that needful desire in Bryan’s eyes. Nothing was more beautiful than Bryan in his submission.
He buried his hand in Bryan’s hair and jerked his mate closer. He took control of the kiss, dueling Bryan’s tongue into submission. A low growl enveloped them as Daroshi’s other hand dropped to Bryan’s groin. Daroshi broke the kiss, his hand rubbing the trapped bulge. The temptation to haul Bryan back in the house and to the bedroom was enormous.
Daroshi tightened his hold in Bryan’s hair, forcing Bryan to lean his head back to meet his eyes. “I will find you, mate. I’m going to hunt you down and fuck you until you scream. You are mine.”
Bryan rolled his hips; the pressure on his cock made his eyes roll. “Bring it, mate,” Bryan whispered.
One last kiss and Daroshi let Bryan go. Bryan flashed a grin and took off.
“Be careful, mate,” Daroshi whispered.
This worry he felt for another was… new. And disturbing. He still wasn’t sure how to handle what Bryan made him feel. Uneasy with that train of thought, he focused instead on their hunt. His heart rate increased as he planned. He’d hunted other species on numerous planets before, but this… this had his blood thumping far more than any other hunt.
Daroshi stood outside, staring at the spot where Bryan once stood. He’d left quickly, an easy jog that surprisingly covered the barren land rapidly and shouldn’t wear him out. Daroshi nodded. That was smart. He also knew Bryan had headed to the more forested part of the land. Again, that’s exactly what he’d have done.
Feeling rather foolish standing, Daroshi went back inside and checked the time. Only ten Earth minutes had passed. Growling, he dropped down into one of the comfy chairs Bryan had insisted they ‘do something’ with. Only ten minutes? He’d promise Bryan he’d wait two hours. This was taking forever.
He rubbed the arm of the chair. Nice. Okay, he’d rather hunt Bryan blindfolded and weaponless than admit he liked the softness Bryan had brought to his life. He tapped his fingers on the chair arm. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. He huffed out a breath and checked the time again.
“Only two minutes? Gods.”
Why had he offered Bryan two hours? What had he been thinking? He was going to lose his mind. He was ready to go now. Just as he stood up, his comm beeped. Glad of the distraction, he opened the unit on his wrist and tapped the comm link.
Ziang’s voice rang out. “Greeetings, Daroshi. How are you and your mate?”
“We are both well, thank you for asking, Ziang.”
“Shawn wants to know if you and Bryan would like to join is for a meal this evening. Also, comp and link messages will be sent out tomorrow to the crew so make sure to confirm receipt. We have a mission coming up.”
“Ah, we’d like to, but Bryan and I have plans tonight. But thank you for the invitation. When do we leave?”
“Four Earth days.”
Daroshi nodded his head. That would be ample time. It was a good thing they weren’t being called back sooner or they’d have to end the hunt. Then he frowned. He hadn’t given Bryan a comm. Good thing they hadn’t been called back sooner. He had no way to get in touch with Bryan. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Damn Bryan and his primitive devices.
“Excellent. We should be done by then.”
“Done?”
Daroshi squeezed his eyes closed. Damn, he just had to say that out loud, hadn’t he? Now he had to explain. What would Ziang think? “Ah, Bryan and I… We are… I have two days to…”
“Are you stuttering, Daroshi?”
“No Sir! I’m hunting Bryan.” No stuttering there, by the gods. “I have two Earth days from now to find him.”
Silence.
Daroshi tightened his muscles. He refused to squirm like an untried warrior. Bryan was his mate and he’d do what he wanted with him. Gods, he should’ve told Ziang to mind his own business.
Finally, Ziang spoke. “Interesting. And Bryan isn’t… afraid?”
“Not at all. He was very much for this. I trained him, made sure he was knowledgeable about the environment, and provided a survival kit for him.”
“Again, interesting. You don’t need me to tell you to be careful as you hunt him. Humans are more delicate than us. Bryan isaware you are trained to do this, yes? The odds of him avoiding you for two days are… not good.”
Daroshi shrugged. If this was a real hunt, Bryan wouldn’t last ten minutes. “That is true, but this is more about… fun.”
“Fun. I guess I can see that… for you. What does he get out of it?”
“I… I presume the thrill of the hunt. He’ll be pitting himself against me. And I plan to give him a fighting chance. He won’t beat me, of course. I have… plans for him.”
Ziang snorted. “I imagine you do. Nothing like a good hunt to get the blood boiling.”
“Exactly.”
They spoke for a few more minutes before disconnection. Daroshi checked the time again. Only fifteen Earth minutes had passed.
With a growl, he stood to pace. Bryan had better be grateful of the head start.
TBC. Make sure to drop by the other flashers!
Jon KeysLily Sawyer JC WallaceChris T. KatRob ColtonNephylim Lily Velden A.R. VonGrace Duncan Renee StevensAndrew Q. GordonTali SpencerCia NordwellElyzabeth VaLey Julie Lynn Hayes
Victoria Adams
2013 Member Choice Awards in the M/M Romance group on GoodReads
The Harvest: Taken was nominated in three categories for the 2013 Member Choice Awards in the M/M Romance group on GoodReads. Wow, how cool is that??? I am so thrilled, lol!Categories are:
Best Cover
Best Book of the Year
Best Slave/Dub Con/Kidnapped
Shadows in the Night was nominated in the Best Paranormal category.
December 6, 2013
My Sexy Saturday - Nighttime Dreams
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 Nighttime Dreams, the second book in the Nighttime series. And… I am so close to being done with the last book, Nighttime Promises, I can taste it, lol! Enjoy! And don’t forget to visit the rest of Blog Hop!
Bryan sat at the table, waiting for the cookies to bake, when he heard a low growl, quickly smothered, outside the window. He’d heard something very similar, and not long ago. It wasn’t a sound he’d ever forget. Every hair on his body stood up, adrenaline spiked, and his heart kicked into high gear. A cold flush spread though his body. From the corner of his eye, he caught the blurry shape of something moving under the window. He glanced at the back door and his stomach cramped. It was unlocked. There was no way he could lock it before the intruder busted through. And if he was right, and what was out there was what he thought it was, a wood door wasn’t going to stop it. Plus, the window was open.Calmly he stood and reached for the drawer by the stove. His off-duty weapon was stored there. He grabbed the taser, too. Why was the alien back and sneaking around his house? If it was the alien that Shawn left with, why not just show itself? He’d seen it before, so why act like this? He’d seen lights in the nighttime sky shortly after Shawn left with his alien, but he assumed they were monitoring the situation, to make sure all was okay before they left. It never crossed his mind they were watching him. Why would they be watching him? Another unsettling thought hit Bryan. Had something bad happened to Shawn? If that was Shawn’s alien, and he wasn’t sure it was, had it returned to let him know? But that was silly; he couldn’t communicate with it like Shawn could.
What the hell was going on?
The handle on the back door turned slowly. Bryan tried to slow his breathing; he was sucking air and that wasn’t good. The door eased opened, an inch at a time. He held his ground as the door opened and he found himself staring at a seven and half foot alien… again.
It looked like the one Shawn left with, but he wasn’t sure. Bryan brought the gun up and the alien quickly put his hands out. It appeared to be doing its best not to frighten him out of his ever-loving mind. If the alien had slammed the door open and rushed him, he would have fired on it, no questions asked. In his experience, only someone up to no good snuck around. But then again, it couldn’t walk up to the front door, either.
“Stop right there and don’t make any sudden moves.” Bryan kept the gun leveled at the alien. “Are you the one Shawn left with? Think he called you Ziang, is that right?”
The creature nodded his head, his palms out.
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nighttimewishes-790160-143.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nighttime-Dreams-Wishes-ebook/dp/B00A4DKP3U/ref=sr_1_24?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1352488594&sr=1-24&keywords=nighttime+dreams
December 5, 2013
Goddess Fish presents Exposition by Kyle Taylor
Please welcome Kyle Taylor to Decadent Delights. I hope you enjoy the blurb, excerpt, and the short interview. :) Kyle will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and as a special prize, Kyle's previous book, Billion Dollar Dreamer, will be given away free on Amazon the last day of the tour.
Please follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/10/virtual-book-tour-exposition-by-kyle.html
~ ~ ~
~How do you come up with a title?
When I started laying out the book, I kept thinking that I wanted a one word title. And I wanted a word that looked good graphically. Exposition had a nice sort of double meaning too – It’s about a world’s fair but it’s really about the main character’s true self being exposed. I suppose the revealing nature of the word could be interpreted in a steamier way too!
~Which character caused you the most difficulty to write?
Walter Wyatt, the father of the main character, Benjamin, was tough in one respect. He’s cut from the same cloth as another character in the story, real-life architect Daniel Burnham. They’re both brash, eager to take on a challenge and insatiably ambitious. So I had to make sure they each had defining sorts of characteristics. Burnham is more aloof than Walter Wyatt. Walter Wyatt grew up as a boxer and street fighter. He never lost that unrefined quality, even when he built his fortune. He’s more of a barbarian millionaire. Burnham has finesse.
~When do you do your best writing… morning, afternoon, evening, night?
I learned a while back that my writing is best in the mornings. Typically, when doing a book like this, which requires a great deal of research, I like to research in the evenings, let it ferment overnight and then write the actual scenes in the morning.
~Out of all the stories you’ve written which one are you most proud of?
I give the edge to Expositionbecause of the interweaving of various subplots into the whole. The story not only follows the relationship of the hero Benjamin and his lover Spencer, but it also reveals the story of the building of the fair. Plus, there is this sibling rivalry between Benjamin and his impulsive younger brother, Jamison. The novel has an epic sort of feel to it, but it moves. It doesn’t get bogged down.
~Do you plan your stories and, if so, to what extent?
Exposition started with an inspiration from a conversation I had with an old apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wrights’ coupled with my desire to write a lush, gay period piece akin to The Age of Innocence. Because of the interweaving of plotlines and historic details, I worked a lot on the front end – creating an outline of the events and trying to set them into specific moments of the fair’s construction and aftermath.
I like to lay out my stories generally using one note card per scene. I separate books into five acts and plot out the whole thing on my living room floor. It gets messy when my golden retriever, Winston, decides he is in desperate need of a belly rub and plops down in the middle of all the cards! (By the way, Winston makes a guest appearance in human form in Exposition as an ancient butler for the Van Buren household. He also played himself in my first novel, Billion Dollar Dreamer.)
~How many stories do you work on at any one time?
I also write articles for architectural magazines, so I always have that going on – but normally, I just do one novel at a time. I’m so impressed by writers who can write several stories at once.
~Is there anything you’d like to tell? Maybe something in the works you would like to promotion? Feel free!
I just finished the manuscript for my next novel. It’s another historical fiction piece about a real-life aerialist drag queen named, Barbette. It’s called: Wildflower: The Dramatic Life of Barbette – Round Rock’s First and Greatest Drag Queen. The research on the piece almost killed me! I follow sixty years of his fascinating life – from growing up picking cotton out in the fields of Central Texas at the turn of the last century, to his salacious high wire/trapeze drag performance – headlining in some of the most famous night clubs and theaters in the 1920’s and 30’s in Europe. He collaborated with Orson Welles, Cole Porter, Vincent Minnelli and Judy Garland. He helped Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon with their female impersonations in Some Like it Hot. I don’t want to disclose more, but it’s a gritty, exalting and yet tragic story I felt needed to be told. I’m just starting to shop for a publisher. I’ll keep you posted.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to be interviewed! I appreciate your time and thoughtful questions! Best wishes to you!
Expositionby Kyle Taylor
BLURB:Meet Benjamin Wyatt, a handsome young architect helping create the magnificent 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. While immersed in work at the famous architectural firm of Burnham and Root, Benjamin’s pugnacious, social climbing father, Walter Wyatt, pushes him to marry the stunningly beautiful debutante, Evelyn Van Buren—thus securing the family’s position in Chicago society. Yet, when Benjamin meets the cocky young electrical engineer, Spencer Bowles, who is also working on the fair, his world and its ambitions are forever shattered.
Set amidst the opulent splendor of Chicago in the late Victorian Age, Benjamin Wyatt must confront the perils of accepting his own true love and risk destroying everything he worked so hard to achieve. Meticulously researched and filled with lush images of the Gilded Age, Exposition, tells the epic story of a love that dare not speak its name…
EXCERPT:
“Where is Evelyn?” Genevieve Wyatt looked about.
At that instant, Evelyn descended the grand staircase, wearing a sumptuous, pink silk gown accentuating her full bosom and tiny waist. A diamond choker adorned her neck and matched her teardrop, diamond earrings. Her auburn hair was now upswept like the other ladies in the room, an indication she was no longer a girl, but a woman, an eligible one at that.
Benjamin watched the heavenly, young creature glide down the staircase, like a cherry blossom softy floating to the ground from a springtime tree. The closer she moved towards the party, the lovelier she appeared. He marveled at the perfection before him: her figure, her hair, the construction of her face, lips, cheeks, nose, and brilliant blue eyes.
“Good evening,” Evelyn said.
“Evelyn,” Benjamin stepped forward, “you are looking lovelier than ever.” He kissed her gloved hand.
“Why, thank you, Benjamin,” she replied. “I see time has been good to you as well.”
Jamison also took in the ravenous beauty Evelyn Van Buren had become. It was impossible to advert his eyes from her.
Winston reentered the grand foyer and announced, “Dinner is served.” His footmen slid back ornately carved, pocket doors revealing a grand gallery hung with oil paintings in golden frames of long lost scions of Van Buren heritage. To the other end of the gallery, another set of carved pocket doors were opened revealing a sumptuous dining room with a table brilliantly set.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kyle Taylor is the author of both Exposition and Billion Dollar Dreamer. The Kyle Taylor character debuted in Billion Dollar Dreamer as a journalist who was assigned to write a story about high school history teacher cum overnight billionaire John Driskil. Kyle has begun his next book, tentatively titled Wildflower. He resides in New York -- and of course he is a work of fiction!
Author Web Page: www.billiondollardreamer.com
Purchase: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55&products_id=1142
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Exposition-ebook/dp/B00EK8N1KE
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xvW01V732E
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002247108853&fref=ts
December 4, 2013
Welcome Julie Lynn Hayes - A Special Christmas release
Thanks for letting me visit again! I love stopping by your blog because I know I’ll get a large dose of Southern hospitality!
I saw my first episode of The Untouchables when I was a teenager, when some station started showing re-runs of it. I’d never seen it before and I was totally enthralled. I’d already developed an interest in gangsters and Prohibition, so this totally fed into it. Watching Robert Stack as Elliot Ness going up against Chicago’s baddest hoods was satisfying on many levels. To this day, I retain a love for that era, and the Noble Experiment known as Prohibition.
If you watch the show, you get the impression that Ness and his men brought Al Capone to his knees by busting into speakeasies, breaking up illegal stills, and having wholesale shootouts. But such was not the case. Actually, Capone was brought down for something far less bloody and even mundane. He was sent to prison due to income tax evasion, because Ness couldn’t make anything else stick. Afterwards, smart gangsters employed savvy bookkeepers who knew who to keep an extra set of books—one for the boss and one for the IRS—and knew how to cook them.
Al Capone is one of my very favorite gangsters from that era. A very complicated man who was actually well-liked and respected by many people, he led a rags to riches story, one that proved that in America you could do anything if you worked at it. Even if it was illegal. The Volstead Act (which brought Prohibition into being) was ambitious but foolish, and like many foolish laws was largely promulgated by the religious right. It was doomed to failure because let’s be honest, people like to drink, and they don’t like being told they can’t. So they were willing to do what it took to have a good time. Plus it wasn’t the drinking of it that was illegal, it was the transportation and sale and manufacture.
Capone has figured in a few movies over the years. Jason Robards Jr. played him in The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (a star-studded cast that also brought us George Segal, among others). The actual massacre took place in a garage in Chicago and was meant to be a hit against rival gangster Bugs Moran (Ralph Meeker), who escaped by a simple twist of Fate. Capone himself could not be brought to account for the crime for at the time it was going down, he was inside a police station in Florida. Talk about an unshakeable alibi! Of course he had it planned that way, and purposely went to the police station at just the right time. What could the authorities do? Not a whole lot. He wasn’t there, and they couldn’t prove he masterminded it.
The massacre was used to a more comedic effect in another film starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon—Some Like it Hot. They play two musicians who accidentally walk into the garage at the wrong time and see what they shouldn’t have. In order to escape the wrath of the mob, they join an all-female band—in drag, of course—and end up in Florida. The lead singer of the band, Sugar, is played by the beautiful Marilyn Monroe, who falls for Tony Curtis’ fake male persona (with definite overtones of Cary Grant!), while Jack Lemmon finds himself pursued by the wealthy Osgood Fielding III (played by Joe E. Brown). The best line of the film comes at the end when Osgood proposes to Hildegarde (Jack Lemmon) and he pulls off his wig and confesses that he’s a man. Osgood’s response? “Well, nobody’s perfect.”
Side note: George Raft played Spats Columbo in Some Like it Hot, the gangster who is trying to catch our heroes, so called because of the shoes that he wore. As a result of that film, I became fascinated by spats and wanted a pair. Alas, no shoe stores sold them anymore, and most clerks didn’t know what I was talking about lol.
As I said, Capone was sentenced to prison for tax evasion and was eventually sent to Alcatraz. But his sentence was cut short and he was released early. They sent him home to Florida. Why? Because he was dying of syphilis. All because of a fear of needles. It was treatable by then, but he didn’t do it, and was probably well out of his mind by the time he died in 1947.
I started to write a story set during Prohibition as a teenager, influenced by The Untouchables, and by books I read, but I never finished it and it got lost over the years. That story was m/f, and I hope it would have been good, but we’ll never know. A few years ago, thanks to my daughters, I began to write m/m fiction, and when I decided to write a Christmas story, suddenly my ideas began to center around Prohibition and Chicago. And A Special Christmas was born.I hope to visit the era again someday. So many stories. So little time.
Thanks for having me here, Ms. Church! As always, it’s been a real pleasure!
Blurb: Florian Donati has an almost childlike innocence in the body of a god. Unaware of his charms, he enjoys his life, working in his family’s drycleaning business in Prohibition-era Chicago. He loves his job, loves singing Italian opera, and loves the people in his life, including his friend Loria and the notorious gangster Alphonse Capone. Still, he dreams of having adventures and finding love.
Nick Giannakopoulos is a young Greek immigrant who’s come to America to live with his uncle’s family, working with his cousin in the family pharmacy. There are many things he’d love to do, including going to a party in a speakeasy that he and his cousin Milo have been invited to. But it’s on Christmas Eve, so family obligations preclude their going. Until Fate intervenes and Nick and Florian end up at the same speakeasy in Romeoville and find themselves sitting at the same table.
Is instant attraction a basis for a long term relationship? Or is this just a passing Christmas fancy?
Excerpt:A moment later, a vision appeared before Nick's eyes. He had never seen anyone so lovely in his life before, male or female. He watched dumbly as the dark-haired beauty with the hypnotic blue eyes smiled at him, taking the chair next to Nick. Nick felt weak just watching him do it.
"You are sure we are no trouble?" the man -- Florian, Nick remembered -- asked in the most melodious voice, possessed of a slight accent. Nick couldn't quite place it. He wasn't even sure how he could hear it so clearly with the crowd noise in the background the way it was. It was as if he were attuned to it somehow. He found that he didn't even really care how as he returned the man's smile.
"Sure, is no trouble," he replied. He held out his hand to the angel... that is, man. "My name is Nick. Nick Giannakopoulos."
Florian took the soft hand within his own. "I am Florian Donati."
"I'm Frank." Frank introduced himself, although no one had asked. And no one responded. "Hey, Flor, I see the fella I'm supposed to meet. I gotta go finish some business. See you around!" Using his finger and thumb as an imaginary gun, he aimed it at Florian and pretended to shoot, then leapt up from his seat like his pants were ablaze, disappearing quickly.
"Your friend, he is in a hurry?" Nick asked, as Frank melted into the crowd around them. He leaned closer to Florian to make himself heard.
Florian nodded. "We've been very busy today," he said proudly. "Frank let me help him work. We made many deliveries."
Nick refrained from asking what sort of deliveries. It wasn't his business, and he didn't wish to be rude, or overly curious. His eyes flitting over the handsome man, he couldn't help but admire the suit that Florian wore. He reached out one hand, running his fingers over the soft silk. "That feels very nice."
Florian glowed at his praise. "It does, doesn't it? It is... how do you say?" He struggled to find the right word, one he'd heard used by some of the men that came into the dry cleaner. "Tight... that's it. It's very tight, don't you think?" He took Nick's hand, pressed it against the double-breasted lapels.
Nick stopped breathing for a moment, before taking his hand back, reaching for his drink. "It is, very tight," Nick agreed in a husky voice just before he took a good swallow of the sweet liquid.
"What is that you drink? It looks very good," Florian commented.
"I'm not sure of the name. Joe get it for me," Nick admitted. He held the glass toward Florian, offering it. "Here, take a drink, see if you like it." He found himself making a conscious effort to prevent his arm from trembling too much.
Florian took the glass with a nod, his fingers brushing against Nick's in the process. Nick's heart stopped for just an instant at the contact. He was amazed at how much of a reaction such a slight touch had wrought in him. He was suddenly grateful for the table that kept it hidden from view.
Bio:Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. She enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, knitting and needlepoint and loves to cook. While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, MuseitUp Publishing, Torquere Press, and eXtasy Books. She has also begun to self-publish and is an editor at MuseitUp.
You can find her on her blog at http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.com, and you can contact her at tothemax.wolf@gmail.com.
My Links:My blog: http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.comMy facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527332074My Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3442231.Julie_Lynn_Hayes
My Publishers:Museit Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.phpDreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_222eXtasy Books: http://www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=979Torquere Press: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=516
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShelleyRunyon
I saw my first episode of The Untouchables when I was a teenager, when some station started showing re-runs of it. I’d never seen it before and I was totally enthralled. I’d already developed an interest in gangsters and Prohibition, so this totally fed into it. Watching Robert Stack as Elliot Ness going up against Chicago’s baddest hoods was satisfying on many levels. To this day, I retain a love for that era, and the Noble Experiment known as Prohibition.If you watch the show, you get the impression that Ness and his men brought Al Capone to his knees by busting into speakeasies, breaking up illegal stills, and having wholesale shootouts. But such was not the case. Actually, Capone was brought down for something far less bloody and even mundane. He was sent to prison due to income tax evasion, because Ness couldn’t make anything else stick. Afterwards, smart gangsters employed savvy bookkeepers who knew who to keep an extra set of books—one for the boss and one for the IRS—and knew how to cook them.
Al Capone is one of my very favorite gangsters from that era. A very complicated man who was actually well-liked and respected by many people, he led a rags to riches story, one that proved that in America you could do anything if you worked at it. Even if it was illegal. The Volstead Act (which brought Prohibition into being) was ambitious but foolish, and like many foolish laws was largely promulgated by the religious right. It was doomed to failure because let’s be honest, people like to drink, and they don’t like being told they can’t. So they were willing to do what it took to have a good time. Plus it wasn’t the drinking of it that was illegal, it was the transportation and sale and manufacture.Capone has figured in a few movies over the years. Jason Robards Jr. played him in The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (a star-studded cast that also brought us George Segal, among others). The actual massacre took place in a garage in Chicago and was meant to be a hit against rival gangster Bugs Moran (Ralph Meeker), who escaped by a simple twist of Fate. Capone himself could not be brought to account for the crime for at the time it was going down, he was inside a police station in Florida. Talk about an unshakeable alibi! Of course he had it planned that way, and purposely went to the police station at just the right time. What could the authorities do? Not a whole lot. He wasn’t there, and they couldn’t prove he masterminded it.
The massacre was used to a more comedic effect in another film starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon—Some Like it Hot. They play two musicians who accidentally walk into the garage at the wrong time and see what they shouldn’t have. In order to escape the wrath of the mob, they join an all-female band—in drag, of course—and end up in Florida. The lead singer of the band, Sugar, is played by the beautiful Marilyn Monroe, who falls for Tony Curtis’ fake male persona (with definite overtones of Cary Grant!), while Jack Lemmon finds himself pursued by the wealthy Osgood Fielding III (played by Joe E. Brown). The best line of the film comes at the end when Osgood proposes to Hildegarde (Jack Lemmon) and he pulls off his wig and confesses that he’s a man. Osgood’s response? “Well, nobody’s perfect.”Side note: George Raft played Spats Columbo in Some Like it Hot, the gangster who is trying to catch our heroes, so called because of the shoes that he wore. As a result of that film, I became fascinated by spats and wanted a pair. Alas, no shoe stores sold them anymore, and most clerks didn’t know what I was talking about lol.
As I said, Capone was sentenced to prison for tax evasion and was eventually sent to Alcatraz. But his sentence was cut short and he was released early. They sent him home to Florida. Why? Because he was dying of syphilis. All because of a fear of needles. It was treatable by then, but he didn’t do it, and was probably well out of his mind by the time he died in 1947.
I started to write a story set during Prohibition as a teenager, influenced by The Untouchables, and by books I read, but I never finished it and it got lost over the years. That story was m/f, and I hope it would have been good, but we’ll never know. A few years ago, thanks to my daughters, I began to write m/m fiction, and when I decided to write a Christmas story, suddenly my ideas began to center around Prohibition and Chicago. And A Special Christmas was born.I hope to visit the era again someday. So many stories. So little time. Thanks for having me here, Ms. Church! As always, it’s been a real pleasure!
Blurb: Florian Donati has an almost childlike innocence in the body of a god. Unaware of his charms, he enjoys his life, working in his family’s drycleaning business in Prohibition-era Chicago. He loves his job, loves singing Italian opera, and loves the people in his life, including his friend Loria and the notorious gangster Alphonse Capone. Still, he dreams of having adventures and finding love.Nick Giannakopoulos is a young Greek immigrant who’s come to America to live with his uncle’s family, working with his cousin in the family pharmacy. There are many things he’d love to do, including going to a party in a speakeasy that he and his cousin Milo have been invited to. But it’s on Christmas Eve, so family obligations preclude their going. Until Fate intervenes and Nick and Florian end up at the same speakeasy in Romeoville and find themselves sitting at the same table.
Is instant attraction a basis for a long term relationship? Or is this just a passing Christmas fancy?
Excerpt:A moment later, a vision appeared before Nick's eyes. He had never seen anyone so lovely in his life before, male or female. He watched dumbly as the dark-haired beauty with the hypnotic blue eyes smiled at him, taking the chair next to Nick. Nick felt weak just watching him do it.
"You are sure we are no trouble?" the man -- Florian, Nick remembered -- asked in the most melodious voice, possessed of a slight accent. Nick couldn't quite place it. He wasn't even sure how he could hear it so clearly with the crowd noise in the background the way it was. It was as if he were attuned to it somehow. He found that he didn't even really care how as he returned the man's smile.
"Sure, is no trouble," he replied. He held out his hand to the angel... that is, man. "My name is Nick. Nick Giannakopoulos."
Florian took the soft hand within his own. "I am Florian Donati."
"I'm Frank." Frank introduced himself, although no one had asked. And no one responded. "Hey, Flor, I see the fella I'm supposed to meet. I gotta go finish some business. See you around!" Using his finger and thumb as an imaginary gun, he aimed it at Florian and pretended to shoot, then leapt up from his seat like his pants were ablaze, disappearing quickly.
"Your friend, he is in a hurry?" Nick asked, as Frank melted into the crowd around them. He leaned closer to Florian to make himself heard.
Florian nodded. "We've been very busy today," he said proudly. "Frank let me help him work. We made many deliveries."
Nick refrained from asking what sort of deliveries. It wasn't his business, and he didn't wish to be rude, or overly curious. His eyes flitting over the handsome man, he couldn't help but admire the suit that Florian wore. He reached out one hand, running his fingers over the soft silk. "That feels very nice."
Florian glowed at his praise. "It does, doesn't it? It is... how do you say?" He struggled to find the right word, one he'd heard used by some of the men that came into the dry cleaner. "Tight... that's it. It's very tight, don't you think?" He took Nick's hand, pressed it against the double-breasted lapels.
Nick stopped breathing for a moment, before taking his hand back, reaching for his drink. "It is, very tight," Nick agreed in a husky voice just before he took a good swallow of the sweet liquid.
"What is that you drink? It looks very good," Florian commented.
"I'm not sure of the name. Joe get it for me," Nick admitted. He held the glass toward Florian, offering it. "Here, take a drink, see if you like it." He found himself making a conscious effort to prevent his arm from trembling too much.
Florian took the glass with a nod, his fingers brushing against Nick's in the process. Nick's heart stopped for just an instant at the contact. He was amazed at how much of a reaction such a slight touch had wrought in him. He was suddenly grateful for the table that kept it hidden from view.
Bio:Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. She enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, knitting and needlepoint and loves to cook. While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, MuseitUp Publishing, Torquere Press, and eXtasy Books. She has also begun to self-publish and is an editor at MuseitUp.
You can find her on her blog at http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.com, and you can contact her at tothemax.wolf@gmail.com.
My Links:My blog: http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.comMy facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527332074My Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3442231.Julie_Lynn_Hayes
My Publishers:Museit Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.phpDreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_222eXtasy Books: http://www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=979Torquere Press: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=516
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShelleyRunyon
December 3, 2013
Wednesday Briefs - Nighttime Promises #20
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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:
"The whole thing was swept under the carpet."
or have one character give another character the 'hairy eyeball'
or use: display, note, local
or "nothing to write home about."
or use: First, morning, score
or "It's cold, but it's a dry cold!"
or use a football term in the story
or "He had all the manners of a surly bear"
or use a hotel in your story
or "peace be with you" ~ ~ ~
~Nighttime Promises is the 3rd book in the Nighttime series, which is published by Romance First. I'm using the prompts to help me get going on this book. Yes, this is a tentacle story lol.
Fair warning! I'm going to pull this about 3/4th of the way through, expand it, and send it off. Most of the story will be shown on here though. I'm giving this warning so no one will be caught off guard when I pull the story.
Nighttime Promises # 20
Daroshi narrowed his eyes at Bryan, a stare that had been known to make other males squirm in dread. Was he serious? Did Bryan really think he’d agree to a reward without knowing what it was? He’d have to be crazy to do that. “I repeat, what would you want?”
Bryan rolled his eyes. “And I repeat, I’ll hold that in reserve for now. You can stop giving me the hairy eyeball, too. That doesn’t work on me. I’m not afraid of you.”
They stared at one another for a full minute until Daroshi finally threw his hands up in the air. He really isn’t frightened of me. “Do I even want to know what ‘hairy eyeball’ means?”
“Probably not.” Bryan shrugged. “Look, there’s nothing right now I really want, so I’ll just hold on to this until there issomething I want. It’s not that big of a deal.”
Daroshi rubbed his eyes then finally let out a deep breath. Not that big of a deal? Of course it is. “I’m going to regret this, but fine.” Apparently, I am crazy.
“Chill out, big guy. It won’t be too painful, I promise.” Bryan snickered as he finished packing his gear in the backpack Daroshi had provided.
“And that comforts me even less.”
“Ha-ha.” Bryan settled the pack on his back, testing the weight. “Yeah, this is good. I can handle this. It’s not too heavy. By the way, you’re not wearing your exo-suit, are you? There’s no reason for you to go invisible.”
Daroshi smirked. “Thought you didn’t want allowances made for you.”
“Shut up. Having you sneak up on me because you’re invisible isn’t fair.” Bryan pointed a finger at Daroshi. “Remember what happened the last time you and Ziang did that? I tased his ass and you stunned me. Not one of my most pleasant experiences. Besides, you said that suit was for protection. You really don’t need that during this, do you?”
“I would feel better having it.” Daroshi held up his hand. Bryan already had his mouth open to complain, he was sure. “But I won’t use it. Being invisible would be an unfair advantage.”
“Right, primitive weapons, remember? Do you have all your stuff together?”
“I am ready, yes.” Daroshi looked at Bryan’s pack. “I won’t need as much equipment as you.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It’s simple. I don’t eat as much, I don’t need as much rest, I can regulate my body temperature better than you… And don’t give me that look. That doesn’t mean I’m better than you. I am stating facts, Bryan, nothing more.” Daroshi pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t want to argue. Let’s just go to bed. It’s late and you need to rest… and you know that’s true, so stop glaring at me. This might be the last time you get to sleep uninterrupted for several days.”
“Don’t remind me.” Bryan yawned then stretched. “Okay so yeah, ready for bed?”
“After you.” Daroshi followed Bryan to the bedroom. “Sleep well, mate.”
Bryan turned the sheets back on the bed. “You just staying until I fall asleep?”
“No, I’ll be here all night. I won’t get to hold you again for a few days and… Well, I’ll be here all night.”
Bryan snuggled down in the bed. “Missing me already?”
Daroshi smoothed the hair off Bryan’s face. “I’ve gotten used to having you in my arms. I will miss you these next few nights.”
Bryan petted the arm over his chest. “Aw, that’s sweet.”
Daroshi grunted. “Ah gods, sweet? You did not just call me sweet. Bryan, I am not sweet. I am a warrior and warriors are not sweet. Stars above, don’t call me sweet around any of my kind. I don’t want to have to kill someone because they challenged me.”
Bryan nodded. “I know that, Daroshi. I’m not stupid. There’s no way I’d call you sweet out in public. And maybe ‘sweet’ isn’t the right expression I was looking for. What I meant was that you’re good to me.”
Daroshi rolled closer to Bryan, pulling his human flush to his chest. “Of course I am. Your happiness is important to me. I’ve told you this before.”
“Yes, you have. Sometimes I need to hear it again. Good night, big guy.”
The next day went quickly. Late afternoon approached and the sky was quickly turning an ugly purplish gray. Ominous clouds rolled overhead and a warm, humid breeze blew across the land.
Bryan stood outside, staring up at the sky. “Huh. Is this something to be concerned about? I mean, jeez, it looks like it’s going to storm its ass off.”
Daroshi stood next to Bryan, staring at the sky. “I saw the clouds coming in and comm-linked the weather posting for today. No rain, no storms… just nasty skies. It’s okay.”
“Good. I don’t want to do this and deal with bad weather.”
“Neither do I.” Daroshi glanced down at Bryan. “Are we still on?”
“Yeah, if you’re sure it’s safe.”
“It is.” Daroshi motioned for Bryan to enter the house ahead of him. “Well then, get your pack and do whatever last minute things you need to do.”
Bryan walked in the house. “Wow, just had an attack of the butterflies.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just got nervous.”
In a move too quick to follow, Daroshi pinned Bryan against a wall. “Fear… just that slight edge… can enhance so much. You know I’m not going to hurt you.”
Bryan sighed. “I know. I’m not used to being the prey.”
Daroshi nipped Bryan’s bottom lip. “But you’re sexy prey, and you’re all mine. Are you ready?”
Bryan stepped back and picked up his pack. “Yeah.”
“Good.” Daroshi handed the high-tech weapons Bryan had used and like. “Yes, I know these aren’t primitive, but I want you armed for safety reasons. I’m giving you a two hour head start. Make the most of it, Bryan.”
TBC. Make sure to visit the other flashers!
Jon KeysJC WallaceRob ColtonElyzabeth VaLey Cia NordwellAndrew GordonLily Sawyer MC Houle Tali SpencerJulie Lynn HayesChris T. KatGrace Duncan
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:
"The whole thing was swept under the carpet."
or have one character give another character the 'hairy eyeball'
or use: display, note, local
or "nothing to write home about."
or use: First, morning, score
or "It's cold, but it's a dry cold!"
or use a football term in the story
or "He had all the manners of a surly bear"
or use a hotel in your story
or "peace be with you" ~ ~ ~
~Nighttime Promises is the 3rd book in the Nighttime series, which is published by Romance First. I'm using the prompts to help me get going on this book. Yes, this is a tentacle story lol.
Fair warning! I'm going to pull this about 3/4th of the way through, expand it, and send it off. Most of the story will be shown on here though. I'm giving this warning so no one will be caught off guard when I pull the story.
Nighttime Promises # 20
Daroshi narrowed his eyes at Bryan, a stare that had been known to make other males squirm in dread. Was he serious? Did Bryan really think he’d agree to a reward without knowing what it was? He’d have to be crazy to do that. “I repeat, what would you want?”
Bryan rolled his eyes. “And I repeat, I’ll hold that in reserve for now. You can stop giving me the hairy eyeball, too. That doesn’t work on me. I’m not afraid of you.”
They stared at one another for a full minute until Daroshi finally threw his hands up in the air. He really isn’t frightened of me. “Do I even want to know what ‘hairy eyeball’ means?”
“Probably not.” Bryan shrugged. “Look, there’s nothing right now I really want, so I’ll just hold on to this until there issomething I want. It’s not that big of a deal.”
Daroshi rubbed his eyes then finally let out a deep breath. Not that big of a deal? Of course it is. “I’m going to regret this, but fine.” Apparently, I am crazy.
“Chill out, big guy. It won’t be too painful, I promise.” Bryan snickered as he finished packing his gear in the backpack Daroshi had provided.
“And that comforts me even less.”
“Ha-ha.” Bryan settled the pack on his back, testing the weight. “Yeah, this is good. I can handle this. It’s not too heavy. By the way, you’re not wearing your exo-suit, are you? There’s no reason for you to go invisible.”
Daroshi smirked. “Thought you didn’t want allowances made for you.”
“Shut up. Having you sneak up on me because you’re invisible isn’t fair.” Bryan pointed a finger at Daroshi. “Remember what happened the last time you and Ziang did that? I tased his ass and you stunned me. Not one of my most pleasant experiences. Besides, you said that suit was for protection. You really don’t need that during this, do you?”
“I would feel better having it.” Daroshi held up his hand. Bryan already had his mouth open to complain, he was sure. “But I won’t use it. Being invisible would be an unfair advantage.”
“Right, primitive weapons, remember? Do you have all your stuff together?”
“I am ready, yes.” Daroshi looked at Bryan’s pack. “I won’t need as much equipment as you.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It’s simple. I don’t eat as much, I don’t need as much rest, I can regulate my body temperature better than you… And don’t give me that look. That doesn’t mean I’m better than you. I am stating facts, Bryan, nothing more.” Daroshi pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t want to argue. Let’s just go to bed. It’s late and you need to rest… and you know that’s true, so stop glaring at me. This might be the last time you get to sleep uninterrupted for several days.”
“Don’t remind me.” Bryan yawned then stretched. “Okay so yeah, ready for bed?”
“After you.” Daroshi followed Bryan to the bedroom. “Sleep well, mate.”
Bryan turned the sheets back on the bed. “You just staying until I fall asleep?”
“No, I’ll be here all night. I won’t get to hold you again for a few days and… Well, I’ll be here all night.”
Bryan snuggled down in the bed. “Missing me already?”
Daroshi smoothed the hair off Bryan’s face. “I’ve gotten used to having you in my arms. I will miss you these next few nights.”
Bryan petted the arm over his chest. “Aw, that’s sweet.”
Daroshi grunted. “Ah gods, sweet? You did not just call me sweet. Bryan, I am not sweet. I am a warrior and warriors are not sweet. Stars above, don’t call me sweet around any of my kind. I don’t want to have to kill someone because they challenged me.”
Bryan nodded. “I know that, Daroshi. I’m not stupid. There’s no way I’d call you sweet out in public. And maybe ‘sweet’ isn’t the right expression I was looking for. What I meant was that you’re good to me.”
Daroshi rolled closer to Bryan, pulling his human flush to his chest. “Of course I am. Your happiness is important to me. I’ve told you this before.”
“Yes, you have. Sometimes I need to hear it again. Good night, big guy.”
The next day went quickly. Late afternoon approached and the sky was quickly turning an ugly purplish gray. Ominous clouds rolled overhead and a warm, humid breeze blew across the land.
Bryan stood outside, staring up at the sky. “Huh. Is this something to be concerned about? I mean, jeez, it looks like it’s going to storm its ass off.”
Daroshi stood next to Bryan, staring at the sky. “I saw the clouds coming in and comm-linked the weather posting for today. No rain, no storms… just nasty skies. It’s okay.”
“Good. I don’t want to do this and deal with bad weather.”
“Neither do I.” Daroshi glanced down at Bryan. “Are we still on?”
“Yeah, if you’re sure it’s safe.”
“It is.” Daroshi motioned for Bryan to enter the house ahead of him. “Well then, get your pack and do whatever last minute things you need to do.”
Bryan walked in the house. “Wow, just had an attack of the butterflies.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just got nervous.”
In a move too quick to follow, Daroshi pinned Bryan against a wall. “Fear… just that slight edge… can enhance so much. You know I’m not going to hurt you.”
Bryan sighed. “I know. I’m not used to being the prey.”
Daroshi nipped Bryan’s bottom lip. “But you’re sexy prey, and you’re all mine. Are you ready?”
Bryan stepped back and picked up his pack. “Yeah.”
“Good.” Daroshi handed the high-tech weapons Bryan had used and like. “Yes, I know these aren’t primitive, but I want you armed for safety reasons. I’m giving you a two hour head start. Make the most of it, Bryan.”
TBC. Make sure to visit the other flashers!
Jon KeysJC WallaceRob ColtonElyzabeth VaLey Cia NordwellAndrew GordonLily Sawyer MC Houle Tali SpencerJulie Lynn HayesChris T. KatGrace Duncan
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