Chris T. Kat's Blog: Love despite the odds, page 55

Silver Lining Giveaway

Only two more days till the release day of Silver Lining! I'm very excited and also very happy that Darien Moya at Pants Off Reviews is hosting a giveaway for my new book. Make sure to enter to win a copy here.

Silver Lining by Chris T. Kat
Dreamspinner Press
Novella: 73pgs

Blurb:
Riley doesn’t understand
why his relationship with Scott went downhill overnight. For weeks,
he’s been

Guest post at Michael Rupured's blog

I'm blogging at Michael Rupured's blog today. Drop by if you like to read about how fan fiction helped me become a writer.

Here's the link:  http://rupured.com/2012/09/20/meet-ch...

Thanks, Michael, for the opportunity!

What's up?

I'm thinking about moving my blog from livejournal to blogger. I'd still look at my friends page but blogger is easier to work with and a lot of the blogs I follow are there too. Also, having two blogs is high maintenance and I'm always neglecting one of them. I only started the blogger one to post my domestic discipline fiction but blogger also allows longer posts and the upload of pictures is way easier there.

What service do you use? Why? I'd really appreciate some input on this topic.

As you've seen I've hosted a guest blog from newly contracted author Michael Rupured a while ago. I'm very pleased to announce that H.C. Brown will do an interview here on November 5th. Before that H.B. Pattskyn will guest blog. I don't have the exact date yes, but I'm very excited to host these interviews / posts.

As I'm learning more about the publishing business the more confused and sometimes frustrated I get. How do all the other authors (exaggerating a bit here, bear with me) find the time to promote their books, interact on Twitter, Facebook, goodreads, write blog post three times a week, work their day job, take care of their family, do the usual chores and still find time to write? I take my hat off to all of you. I wouldn't mind some advice on how you manage to stay sane either...

Wishing everyone a great weekend!

Release date for Silver Lining & a giveaway

Silver Lining will be released on September 26th. A giveaway will go live on September 24th at Pants Off Reviews. I hope you'll try to win a copy there. :)

Here's the blurb for Silver Lining:

Riley doesn’t understand why his relationship with Scott went downhill overnight. For weeks, he’s been trying to get the other man to talk to him, but Scott is distant—most of the time he just ignores Riley completely. It isn’t until a mutual acquaintance arrives at their home that Riley understands the pressure Scott has been under—and the danger they’re both in.

A Bittersweet Dreams title: It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.


You can purchase it from Dreamspinner Press here.

Silver Lining

Silver Lining will be released from Dreamspinner Press soon. I don't have the exact date yet as the manuscript is still in editing stage but I want to show off the lovely cover art Anne Cain created, so here it is:

Melting (Ben / Joey)

Ben and Joey: Melting(Beta: Dizzy)
Ben woke up in an empty bed. Frowning, he struggled out of the confining bedding, staring at the piled up comforter in disgust. He wasn't sure they'd ever use it again. The temperatures had been unbearable and the fans only swirled the hot air around helplessly.
He stumbled out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, disappointed not to find Joey in there. After relieving himself and splashing some cold water on his face and neck, he went off in search of his lover.
“Joey?”
On autopilot he walked into the kitchen where he almost stumbled over Joey. He caught himself just in time and crouched down. The small black spaniel puppy slept, sprawled on his belly. Cautiously, Ben reached out and scratched the soft skin behind Joey's ears.
“Sweetheart? Time to wake up,” Ben said softly.
The pup's dark eyes blinked open slowly, his gaze unfocused at first. When he saw Ben, he wagged his tail, stretched his limbs, and yawned widely.
Morning.
Ben lifted the puppy into his arms to kiss his nose. Joey whined and struggled immediately.
Put me down!
Surprised, and also a bit hurt, Ben held the puppy in front of him. “Sweetheart? What's going on here? This is the third morning in a row I find you sleeping in the kitchen instead of our bed.”
Put me dooooown!
Instead of obliging, Ben cradled the panting puppy close to his chest. “Don't you dare scratch me.”
I won't. But pleeeease let me down.
“I want you to shift when I let go of you. Will you do that?”
Yes!
Still irritated, Ben carried Joey into the living room before he put him on the floor. Joey shifted swiftly but instantly took two steps backward. A crease appeared between Ben's eyes while he willed himself to stay calm. Joey's rejecting behavior began to worry him more and more.
He sat down on the sofa and patted the seat next to him. Reluctantly, Joey followed the invitation but kept a safe distance from his lover.
“Joey, would you like to explain to me why you have suddenly developed such a fetish for sleeping on the floor in the kitchen? Or why you don't want me to touch you anymore?” Ben asked, concern and frustration obvious in his voice.
Joey squirmed but kept his eyes averted.
“Joseph.”
Joey's bursting into tears came completely out of the blue for Ben. Instinctively, he scooted closer to the younger man and lifted him on his lap. Joey's sobs increased in volume and he struggled against Ben's hold. Nothing Ben said calmed Joey down. On the contrary, Joey became more and more agitated.
Eventually, Ben brought his hand down sharply on one of Joey's ass cheeks, eliciting a loud yelp.
“Stop that and talk to me! Whatever it is, we will find a solution.” Inwardly, Ben applauded himself for how confident he sounded when he felt anything but it. Joey's behavior was so completely atypical that it frightened him.
“You won't understaaaand!”
“Try me.”
“I can't sleep next to you at the moment.”
Ben breathed through the sharp pain in his chest, tightening his grip on his lover. “Why?”
“It's so hot and you're like an octopus in your sleep. You keep spooning behind me or dragging me closer to you and it's too hot to cuddle but you keep draping yourself all over me,” Joey babbled.
“Um,” Ben stammered.
“It's too hot to touch, Ben, and you keep pulling me into your arms and I'm meeeelting.”
Ben couldn't help it—he laughed. In a strangled voice he said, “Damn Joey, I thought something was serious amiss with us.”
“Amiss? I don't understand. Wait! Before we talk some more, can I please get off your lap?”
Chuckling, Ben lifted Joey off his lap. “Sweetheart, I thought you might have had enough of me. Your rejections hurt. Why didn't you just tell me?”
“W-Wait! You were... you did... seriously? I'm sorry, Ben! I just... I can't think clearly in this heat,” Joey replied, pushing sweat-soaked curls from his forehead. Hesitantly, he added, “You're not going to spank me for not talking to you, are you? I mean, that would involve a lot of body contact and it's too hot for that!”
“Not to mention how hot your backside would feel afterward,” Ben said, smiling. He held out his hand for Joey, who took it with a defeated sigh. Ben pulled him up from the sofa and toward the bathroom.
Confused, Joey asked, “What are we doing?”
“Taking a bath.”
“What?” Joey cried out, outraged. “Do you want to kill me?”
“We'll take a bath in very tepid water. It'll be like in a pool. It'll kill two birds with one stone.”
Ben opened the taps, and checked the water temperature, all the time keeping a firm hold on Joey's hand.
“What do you mean?”
Ben straightened up, trailed his thumb over Joey's right cheekbone and smiled. “Youwill be able to cool down and Iwill be able to touch you. Win-win for both of us.”
Joey's features softened. “That sounds great. You're... are you mad at me?”
“Sweetheart, it's too hot to stay mad at you.”
Grinning, both men stepped into the tub and enjoyed the cool water as well as the possibility to touch and be close to each other.

Celebrations

Yesterday we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. ^_^

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This morning I received two new contracts from Dreamspinner. One is for the sequel to "Seizing It", titled "Too Good to Be True?", scheduled for release in February or March 2013. The other one is for a novel titled "A Purrfect Match", scheduled for release in December 2012 / January 2013. I'm so, so excited!

In case you're still interested in winning a copy of "Animal Magnetism" -- I will give away another copy at the Literary Nymphs chat on Saturday, August 18th.

Animal Magnetism Anthology - Winner

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Congratulations to

srsly_yes !

Please let me know the email address associated with your DSP account so I can forward your information to the publisher. If you don’t have an account with DSP that's okay too, just let me know which email address to use and the book format you want.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Back home & Animal Magnetism Anthology

So, we're back home from our vacation. We had great weather most of the time and really enjoyed our time at the beach:

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It was a very relaxing vacation and I even had time to write, so now I'm halfway through with another story.


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On Monday the 13th the Dreamspinner Press Anthology "Animal Magnetism" will be out. It includes my short story "Cuddling Up". Here's the blurb for it:

Cuddling Up by Chris T. Kat
It\'s bad enough zookeeper Paul Myers can\'t leave work because of a thunderstorm, but when he seeks refuge inside the big cat house, he\'s greeted with a sight that chills him to the bone. The new keeper Paul happens to have a crush on, Noah Collins, is sitting in one of the compounds—and he\'s not alone. Noah is cuddling with a full-grown snow leopard and her two small cubs. But that\'s not the only surprise Paul is in for that night....

You can still enter the give-away here or here. There will also be a chat at Literary Nymphs on Saturday, August 18th. Drop by if you like. :)

Giveaway for "Animal Magnetism Anthology"

For a chance to win an e-book copy of the “Animal Magnetism Anthology”, which also includes my short story "Cuddling Up", please leave a comment to this entry. I'll choose one winner using Random.org on Monday, August 13th. The winner will be notified at the same day. Good luck!

ETA: Giveaway extended to Tuesday, August 14th!


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 Description:

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Whether it's a dog, cat, or something more exotic, the animals in this collection of romantic m/m stories serve as the catalyst for bringing lovers together. No matter how the encounter begins, by the end of each story, with a little help from their finned, furred, or feathered friends, our heroes have discovered some animal magnetism of their own.

Stories included are:

A Few Too Many by Heidi Champa
Having a Ball by Cari Z.
Along Came Spiders by Matthew Vandrew
Cuddling Up by Chris T. Kat
New Tides by Avery Vanderlyle
Care and Rehabilitation by Kim Fielding
Butterbean and the Pretty Princess Make a Home by R. Cooper
Jonno by Emily Gould
On an Eagle's Wings by A.J. Marcus
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? by Skylar Jaye
Tears for a Broken Sun by Minerva Wisting
Stripped Bare by Lily Velden
Wild Horses by Kate Pavelle
Show and Tell by Liz Makar
The Conch Republic by G.S. Wiley

Here's the buy-link: Animal Magnetism Anthology

Cross-posted here. In case I don't reply to your comment it's only because I'll be without internet connection for a while. I'll catch up on comments as fast as possible.