B.A. Tortuga's Blog, page 107
September 7, 2011
New Book Today!
I'm so tickled -- the next few months I have some great new stuff coming out. :DThe Mind's Eye is a fun little romp -- brought about by a long discussion about the lizard brain, handguns, and waffles in a coffee shop in Vegas. :D Hot and sexy, with a nice bit of fighting. This one wrote itself. :DAvailable here. :D
Blurb:Jake likes Vegas, but it gets a little hot when he wins too much at one casino. So Jake has a choice; he can go to the middle of nowhere and try to kill this guy some mob boss wants dead, or he can die himself.
Keye is on vacation and minding his own business when Jake shows up. As a hitman, he thinks it's pretty damned funny that Jake is the man sent to kill him, at least until he starts to figure out what talents Jake has going for him. Can these two band together and stay alive?
Excerpt:
Keye sat in the back booth, the one on the side of the diner with no restrooms and no windows. He liked to be able to watch folks come and go, to know that he had nowhere to run. Being backed into a corner made him sharper, smarter. An easy escape route made for a lazy Keye.
The people coming in and out were regulars, for the most part, having coffee, saying hi, and eating chili sizes and hash and eggs. Normal. Easy. Good. He approved.
The guy walking toward him wasn't a regular. Keye knew it like he knew that he could crush the man's windpipe with one squeeze. His neck was only so big.
Of course, when said skinny little wild-haired freak sat down, looked at him with one light blue eye, one dark brown one, and said, "I'm supposed to be here to kill you. Weird, huh?" he knew he was absolutely right.
Keye sat back, hands flat on the table, and stared. "You want some coffee?"
"Absolutely." The little guy waved down the waitress, ordered a coffee with a smile, then turned back to him with a bright smile. "So, there's this guy -- Gianni de Marco? You know him? Ugly, broad, lots of nice hair, but way too much pomade? He's in Vegas. He has all my money and he's a big asshole -- wanted to cut my fingers off, what a turd, huh? Anyway, he's hiring people to kill you. Well, blackmailing me to kill you, but I always figure if a guy's willing to blackmail one man, he's willing to hire someone else. It's like a slippery-slope deal. Anyway, I thought about it, because seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money, but if I won it once in Vegas, I can win it a couple three times in Shreveport, and I have the weird feeling that murder would lead to blood and puss and stuff, so no. I decided to warn you instead."
"I think he needs to switch to decaf, honey," Keye told the waitress. She left again, and Keye stared at the guy some more. "De Marco, huh?"
"Uh-huh. He's a fuckmonkey. You're very broad. I was surprised, you know? All I had to work on was this little memory deal and a fuzzy picture like from the TV. All pixelated and shit from the security cameras. I guess that's what the hat was for, though, huh? Hiding your face?"
"Well, I wear a hat occasionally." Hell, he was from Texas. He wore a hat a lot, cowboy or gimme cap, whatever. "What's a fuckmonkey?"
The guy's laugh rang out -- and how it wasn't purely insane, Keye wasn't sure, but it wasn't. "I haven't the foggiest, but it's a great word, isn't it? Fuck. Monkey. Fuckmonkey. It's like asshat, but with more flinging poo."
Lord, have mercy. Some days a man just had to go with what was put in front of him. "So, you're not gonna kill me."
"God, no. That's creepy." The man drank deep from his coffee, then smiled. "I mean, I found you, which is good, I guess, but I'm a tracker, not a hunter. Did you really get that scar on your chin from falling out of a barn? I don't know that I've ever been in a real barn."
Keye kept his face immobile by force of will alone. How the hell did this guy know where he'd gotten his scar? "You been talkin' to my momma or something?"
"She died three years ago. She was..." The guy's nose wrinkled, one long finger sliding on his hand. "Oh, man. Yuck. I'm sorry, that sucks. Bad memory, huh? Let's not go there. That's bad. And you dealt with it all and I'm really glad my name's not Lionel, because you just... you don't like that name at all."
Keye felt his brow furrow, which meant this guy was really something. He didn't know what. His voice came out pretty even, though. "How do you know this shit?"
September 5, 2011
Praying for rain
Over 500 houses lost in 24 hours.
None of the fires are contained and 2 new ones were just reported.
There is smoke everywhere when you go outside.
Please everyone, be so careful. Watch. When you evacuate, let someone know you got out.
And pray for rain.
September 2, 2011
Torquere Press Anniversary Celebration!
I'm a participating author in Torquere's 8th Anniversary joy (duh -- it would be weird if I wasn't, huh? ;-) ).
We're giving away a Kindle, gift baskets, free ebooks, all sorts of fun stuff, so please, head over to http://www.torquerebooks.com/contest/contactmain.html and go play!
*bounces*
8 years, y'all!!!
August 31, 2011
New Book Coming on Wednesday, September 7
What happens when a mind-reader walks into a cafe and tells an assassin, "Somebody sent me to kill you..."?
Find out next week!
August 26, 2011
Blogging Over at the TRS End of Summer Bash through Sunday
:D
Come visit -- http://www.theromancestudio.com/party
August 24, 2011
August 22, 2011
Burning hands. Peppers. Fiery heat.
FIRE!!!
*whimpers*
Man, Julia told me halfway through to wear gloves...
August 19, 2011
Authors After Dark Con Report
Oh, y'all. I had a blast.
Julia Talbot and I got into the heart of Philly on Thursday. Straight away we ran into ZA Maxfield and got hugs, then we got to sit next to Jean Murray and hear all about her Egyptian thriller, Soul Reborn. (Julia got a little squeaky).
Joy from Joyfully Reviewed was in the Tease Tea Tasting when we got our badges, and it was fun to sit and visit, jabber a little and touch base, before heading up to the ARe Cafe to visit with Bronwyn Green, Elise Hepner, and Stella Price for a bit.
Then we set the Torquere Press table up with goodies -- I brought the winning goodie for us -- bandage holders with my logo!
Julia and I walked to find supper, which was a good deal because we had to come back for Karaoke with Jennifer Armintrout and friends. OMG -- what a blast! We sat with Carol Lynne and conned all the wonderful ladies (Bronwyn, Mia, Brynn, and others) to sing Kung Fu Fighting for us. Oh, y'all, what a blast.
I admit that we went back to the hotel room and crashed like lead balloons and didn't wake up until 11am Friday!!! So we added fun goodies to the Torquere table and then went sight seeing -- gluten free breakfast, the liberty bell, and a carriage ride around the city. Fun stuff!
Friday afternoon we hung out around publishers' row, visiting with Arielle from Dreamspinner and the gals from Ravenous Romance before heading to the Mythos Masquerade. Lorna and I went as the Lone Ranger -- after all, that's our mythos, right? Got interviewed for a documentary and had a long, fun discussion with our tablemate.
Saturday morning I remembered to set my alarm because I couldn't miss the Resplendence breakfast and getting my chance to talk to Jess. It was an amazing spread and, I swear y'all, you've never seen books disappear so quickly. :D
Saturday afternoon was totally taken up with the book signing, where I got to meet Ethan Day, hang with Carol some more and then, the most fun part of my job -- meeting fans! *Grins* Not only that, but I got to sit next to Julia, so we could enjoy each other and pimp each other's books.
After the book signing, Julia and I had to pack and run like fiends because the Torquere chocolate party started *right* after. We were so scared no one would come, but the party was an absolute hit. Tons of people came, two people won $100 gift certificates, books were given away and chocolate was devoured en masse. :D
The Steampunk Ball was the last event we attended. Julia made me a wild west costume and she was my saloon girl. We had a blast, danced a little, visited a little, but we couldn't spend near as much time as I wanted because our flight left for home at 5am. (and I tell you, the Philadelphia airport is insane in the wee hours!
So, we had a ball and met *so* many neat people. I've been adding them on my Twitter account all week as I slowly unpack and dig through the con bag. Free books. Eee!
Next time, I hope all y'all can come too!
August 16, 2011
New newsletter coming out tonight!
I'm still in a con fog -- I swear. I had a ball and I got to meet truly neat people.
I promise to do a con report on Friday and drop names like a mad thing. :D
Y'all stay cool.
BA
August 8, 2011
Heading to Philadelphia this Week
Julia Talbot and I are heading to the Author After Dark Convention, both as authors and publishers. We're hosting a chocolate party immediately after Saturday's book signing (and giving away $100 gift certificates, books, Torquere playing cards, and other goodies).
I'm looking forward to getting to visit with my old friends, excited as all get out to meet new faces, and honestly ready for a little fun.
I did make a Steampunk costume for the ball and I do have a masquerade costume as well. Pictures to come.
This is the beginning of a busy con season for me -- AAD, the Erotic Authors Association Convention in Vegas, then GayRomLit in New Orleans (one close enough to drive to, yay). I do hope, if y'all come to one (or more) of these cons, that you come say hi to the pink haired Texans.
We'd love to chat. :D
