B.A. Tortuga's Blog, page 106

Man, I had *such* plans

I was going to blog about Halloween. I was going to blog about Vegas. Yeah, yeah.

I'm sorry, y'all. Julia and I were very very busy becoming great aunts.

I'm tickled to welcome C.L. into the world, four weeks early. Mom went into labor Halloween afternoon and Mr. C. was born on 11-1-11 (great birthdate, huh?).

We've been busily buying and sending and looking and doing stupid auntie things, but I swear, I'm back on track. ;-)

I swear.

*snogs all around and passes out fake cigars*

Bewitching Trick or Treat Blog Hop!

Hey y'all! :D

I'm tickled to be participating in the Bewitching Trick or Treat Blog Hop. There are more than 50 authors participating and there are some neat prizes to be had.

I'm offering a signed copy of my best-selling novel, Just Like Cats and Dogs, as well as a vampire piggy bank and some fun Halloween goodies.

Just comment here and I'll choose a winner on All-Saints Day.

Please don't forget to click on the graphic and see the other fun prizes my fellow authors are offering! :D

Thank Y'all SO Much!!!

Three Best-Seller Stars for Just Like Cats and Dogs, Cereus: The Building, and The Mind's Eye!!!

You all rock my world!

*smooches all about*

As a thank you, I have Gus and Sam trading cards, just email me (batortuga at gmail dotcom) with your snail mail addy and I'll send you some! :D

*bounce*

*bouncebouncebounce*

New m/m/f paranormal out today! :D

Climbing the Ladder (Shifting Streams, Book 1)

ISBN: 978-1-60735-416-1
Ebook zipped file contains - Adobe PDF, HTML, Microsoft Reader, and Palm file formats. BONUS: Sony(LRF), EPUB(OCF), and MOBI formats included in zip file!

Mesa has a lot on his plate since he became his pack's Alpha. With another clan on the brink of self-destruction, he knows he has too much to take care of to go running off, but he also knows what he needs to do in order to run his pack, and that's go get his mate.

Kody left Mesa years ago, knowing they could never be together the way Kody really wanted. Making a life for himself seemed like the best idea, and when he found Samantha, he knew he'd found the woman he wanted to marry. Kody never forgot Mesa, but it still comes as a shock when the big, growly man shows up on his Los Angeles doorstep.

Between Sammy's rage at what she sees as Kody's betrayal, pack politics hitting the boiling point and the amazing chemistry between the three of them, Kody, Mesa and Samantha have their work cut out for them. Can they climb the ladder to love?

Available at Resplendence Publishing.

Author's Note: Welcome to Shifting Streams! :D Mesa and Sammy and Kody were a blast to write and I'm working on book 2 right now. I love the wolf dynamic, especially when one of the pairing doesn't even know.

IT'S OUT! Just Like Cats and Dogs (m/m, paranormal)

Just Like Cats and Dogs

203 pages / 50000 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-560-7

If there's one thing Sam knows for sure it's that you can never go home again. As a feline shifter who grew up in a family of wolves, he's used to being a freak. He stays in the city and tries to get his family to visit him, but when a loved one passes away, Sam has to go back to the New Mexico desert for a last goodbye.

Gus only comes back to the pack at gathering time, once in a blue moon. He's usually a wanderer, but he's with the pack when Sam comes home. Gus and Sam have never gotten along, but this time around Gus is surprised by the attraction he feels for this new, slinky version of his high school nemesis.

Sam and Gus may not be able to resist each other, but finding time to be together and overcome their differences might be too much for them, especially when danger lurks just around the corner, and all around the world. Can cats and dogs live to learn together, or are Gus and Sam destined to fail?

Sam, who shifts into cat form and was, quite literally, raised by wolves has never fit in. Openly gay, he lives in the city, working as a dancer and choreographer. On the death of his father, he returns home and clashes immediately with a childhood enemy from the pack, Gus. As adults, the two of them have more in common than they realize and the tenderness that Gus shows toward the bereaved and vulnerable Sam really comes through. There are some wonderful scenes with the men in their animal forms that really rang true.

Gus is content, more or less. He mines gems, travels, gets on with his family. Sam doesn't fit in anywhere and as the story unfolds we see how precarious his life is because his own kind, the cats, see him as tainted by the wolves, and to the pack he grew up with, he's the enemy, barely tolerated. The lines are drawn; the city is run by the cats, the wolves like the countryside. 'West Side Story' is referenced in the book and this story does have 'Romeo and Juliet' overtones, the classic forbidden love story taken to a whole new level.

The love between the two men unfolds beautifully, their doubts and reservations, their primal antagonism, swept away by a stronger force. As we see a new order evolve around them, as if they're the focal point for change, the reader's left optimistic that things can get better.

Definitely a story that stays with the reader, thought-provoking and compelling.
"Are you coming, Gus?" His mom pushed her crazy red hair behind one ear. She was that way as a wolf, too, with a deep, reddish coat and one floppy ear. Pete was just the same way, and it used to pissed Gus off, when they were kids, that he looked like Dad, all shaggy and brown and shit.

"I'm not sure, Mom." He smiled wryly. "I didn't always get on with all the Finns."

"You don't say." Her lips twisted in a half grin. "It's been fifteen years. You're coming."

"Yeah." He shook his head. This wasn't about his issues. Pop Finn had been a good man, a solid man. Hell, that family had adopted every fucking stray that came across their land for the last forty years, up to and including a bunch of rowdy pups who just needed a place to blow off steam. He wasn't sure turkey casserole was an adequate expression of how they all felt, but he guessed it would do. He helped his mom carry everything out to the truck, getting it packed so it wouldn't slide around and spill.

"I'll take my truck, too, in case one of us needs to stay or something." Right, because baby brother Pete had a serious hard on for Lizzie -- the second to the youngest of Finn girls.

"Asshole." He grinned when Pete flipped him off. Gus did love fucking with people when he was home.

"You two behave or I'll beat you both." Mom hopped into the truck. "Get your ass in here, son."

Gus climbed into the driver's seat, bumping off toward the Finn's place.

"I want you to be nice to that boy while we're there."

"What boy?" All of the Finn kids were too old to be boys and girls.

"Augustus..."

"What?" He grinned. "Oh, you mean the pussy."

"Augustus Fieri, I will beat your heinie!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be good." He would. Unless pussy boy was an ass. In which case he'd kick the lanky little fuck into next week. Yeah, the beating sounded like a good plan. He grinned, which made his mom pop him on the arm. "Ow!"

"Stop it. You have evil in your eyes. That poor boy was Pete's best friend, even if he was different."

"You know, I want to know why everyone assumes it was my fault we didn't get along." It was offensive. Really.

She just looked at him. A lot. With her eyes.

Okay, so he'd bitten Sam. Chased him. Growled. Treed the little fuck once. They'd been boys. Boys did that. Just like Sam had scratched his leg so bad once that he'd had to get stitches. Had shredded Gus' favorite jacket in high school.

And that didn't even count the time someone who'd never been caught had put Nair in his conditioner.

God, he didn't want to do this. He hated funerals and gatherings for funerals and planning shit like that. He could be in a tourmaline mine somewhere...

"Thank you for coming out with me. I can't believe Michael died during the gathering."

"Yeah." Gus rolled his eyes. The gathering. It made it sound like a movie. They all got together during the harvest moon, once a year. It wasn't sinister or anything; it was a damned family reunion kind of thing.

"Do you... You and Petey, you'd be okay without me, right?"

"Don't even think it, Mom." He wasn't going to ponder it too hard.

"It's going to happen sometime, son."

"I know, Mom, but I could just as easily get smooshed in a cave-in." He shrugged. "We'd survive, but I won't lie and say it would be easy."

She vocalized softly, petting his arm. "Well, I hope not. You ought to miss me a little."

"Stop it." Gus couldn't help but growl some. It had been him and Petey and Mom against the world for a long time. He'd miss her like a lost limb.

"I think we should go to Burger King after we pay our respects."

"I think that's a great idea." Meat. Ketchup. Yum. He even liked fried potatoes.

"Me, too. Pete will be busy sniffing after that pretty little girl, so we can duck out." Mom winked at him.

"There you go." He patted her leg, knowing she needed contact as much as he did. "I'd miss the hell out of you, Mom."

She nodded, sighed softly. "Poor Mona."

"She has all those kids, huh?" What, eighteen? Lord.

"Yeah. Sam sends money home to her, so do Gray and Helena."

"She'll make it." She had to. The greater pack really wouldn't know what to do without Mona Finn.

They pulled into the drive, the place filled with trucks and cars and SUVs. Everyone had turned out. Gus felt a little queasy, but Petey was right there in front of them, and he came to help their mom out of the truck. "I'll be along in a minute, okay?"

"Sure, honey. I'll be inside with Mona."

He walked around the side of the house, needing some air, something. He turned the corner and ran smack dab into someone, the two of them crashing together.

"Shit!" He stumbled, but instinctively tried to catch whoever it was. Gus knew he was big. He could do some damage. "Sorry."

"No problem." The voice was soft, slinky, pure sex somehow, making his hair stand up on end.

He stepped back to look at the man, because it was definitely a male, and his eyes widened. "Pussy boy?"

One black eyebrow arched impossibly over a bottle green eye, then he was flying, back hitting the ground before his fucking chin started hurting from the kick it had received.

Shiny black boots appeared by his head, only for a second. "Indeed."

Then they were gone.

Holy fuck. Gus sure didn't know where Sam Finn had learned to kick like that, but damn. That was something.

Kinda hot, too.

Somehow the whole funeral thing had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.

Man, it's been that long?

I haven't had a novel-length m/m come out in how long?

Lord, have mercy. *grins*

Well, the wait is over. Just Like Cats and Dogs comes out tomorrow, it all it's cat and dogly glory. *grins*

Werewolves.

Werekitties.

Biting.

Snarling.

Kidnapping.

Sex.

Running.

Disneyland.

It's got something for everyone!

Wordless Wednesday (*sparkles*)

Co-writing, what the hell does Cereus mean, and what's next?

Hey, y'all!

So, all y'all have heard me go on and on about Cereus: The Building for days (weeks, months...)

It's so neat, now that it's out and I can yammer about it. I had a ball writing Marco, Stephan, and Faelan. I loved the dynamic, I loved the kitty-tude.

Hell, basically, I just let loose and had fun. *grins*

The neatest part of this experience was the co-writing parts -- the parts where Julia, Sean and I got to work together, got to say, "Dude, my boy would *not* say that!", and just got to create an entire world that was all ours.

Y'all know that I love Julia's Bloodrose universe, so this is a huge honor to be asked to play inside it, to help develop a piece of it. (Hell, I get the whole kitchen staff. *boogies*)

For those that have asked, a cereus is a night-blooming cactus. It's kind of amazing -- you can see it in the cover -- and Julia is the one that decided that was the name of the resort.

We are all currently working on Cereus: Opening. I'm writing Donovan and Mik -- the werewolf and vampire heads of security. It's one of my favorite things to write, former lovers who are estranged. *Too* fun.

I expect much fighting, much biting, and a hell of a lot of snarling.

You can find Cereus: The Building at http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=3323

Interview with Tory Temple

Hey y'all!
I couldn't be more tickled than to introduce Tory Temple, a great writer and one of my dearest friends. She agreed to do an interview for my blog. I love her deep knowledge of firemen, her details, and general hotness, so I'm pleased as punch to have her here today. :D
BA
I'd like to welcome Tory Temple, author of Fireline, Tabula Rasa, and Chasing Victory
Favorite celebrity couple?

My favorite celeb couple doesn't exist anymore, sadly. :( I was seriously on board with Brad and Jen before Angelina showed up as Homewrecker Extraordinaire. I'm still Team Aniston.

Dream vacation?

I want to take one of those six month round-the-world luxury cruises. A lot of people don't like cruise ships because they feel trapped, but cruising is my perfect vacation. If every trip for the rest of my life was aboard a cruise ship to a tropical location, I'd be in heaven.
Shoes -- an addiction or only a necessity?

I have 48 shoe boxes in my closet right now, and that is not counting my racks of flip flops and summer sandals. Or my gym/running shoes. Therefore, ADDICTION.
You have six free hours, $500 of fun money, and a teleporter. What do you do?

Oh man. Am I allowed to take other people with me? Never mind, it's my free time, I can do whatever I want. I'd teleport to a couple of different places and round up all of my favorite people, then whisk us all off to a poolside cabana in Vegas. Cabana boys would abound, naturally.
Do you use a playlist when you write? If so, how important is it?

I do not. I'm very visual (as opposed to auditory) and any other sound while I write is extremely distracting. I can't listen to music or watch television. That being said, I *do* have playlists that I've created for characters after the story is completed. I listen to those while I work out or when I'm in the car.
I know you've co-written Happy World (with Kiernan Kelly) and By the Numbers (with Chris Owen). How did that work? Is cowriting something you'd do again?

Both experiences were great, although different. Kiernan and I traded chapters and POVs back and forth and we sort of shared characters. Chris and I wrote together in Google docs and kept strictly to our own characters. I loved both ways and would happily write with either of those ladies again. I visited Chris this summer and we fleshed out an outline for the sequel to our book, so I'll get my wish soon enough.
When did you start writing professionally?

The summer of 2005. I didn't submit anything until later that year, but I clearly remember the time and place where my first story started to form. I was in Toronto airport, on my way home from visiting friends after Toronto Pride, and I started making notes in the back of my address book. A month later, the story was finished.
Tell us about your newest release and/or what you're working on now.

My last release was a short story with Torquere, Priorities. [http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_93&products_id=3107] It was a little glimpse in the life of my rodeo cowboys, Teagan and Cash. I liked visiting with them and may check in again soon. My next book is the co-written one with Chris and that's coming out at the end of September for Torquere Press' anniversary month! So excited about that. Fireman and a computer geek try to make it work. Oh yeah, along with six puppies. Fun times!

Thank you for the interview opportunity!

You can find Tory Temple at http://www.torytemple.com/
Thank you for stopping by sweetie! -- BA

TRS Release Party Tomorrow -- Win a Kindle!!!

http://www.theromancestudio.com/party/
Go. :D Look. Have fun.
I have goofy kitchen stuff to give away.
:D