Zoe Perdita's Blog, page 15
September 29, 2014
Thar Be Dragons! Dragon & Flame (Haven City Series # 6) is here!
I only publish books freestyle! Uh, yeah, that doesn't make a lot of sense. *shrugs*
But you didn't come here for my wit! Oh no, loyal reader -- you came for the book. Amiright? And get the book you shall. Wink wink, nudge nudge, know what I mean, say no more!
Check it out on:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo (Coming soon)
All Romance
Google Play
Rory Sullivan thinks he has it all, until his boyfriend breaks his heart and the new landlord raises the rent on his bar. A chance meeting with Jin Yue, a rich dragon, gives Rory hope. Jin promises Rory he can save the bar and get even with his ex – for a price.
All Rory has to do is pretend to be in a relationship with Jin. Rory’s bad boy nature, and the desire for some no-strings-attached sex make the idea way too intriguing. Even if Rory’s brain thinks it’s a bad idea, his cock heartily disagrees.
Problem is, Jin Yue might be all kinds of hot, but he’s also Haven City’s one and only crime boss – sexy, powerful and deadly. Now Rory is tied to Jin until the dragon’s mission is complete, regardless of assassination attempts, hunters or the cops.
Jin Yue won the gang war, but the battle for Haven City isn’t over.
Enter Rory Sullivan – the tatted up fire mage who can help Jin lay claim to his rightful territory. However, things don’t turn out the way Jin plans. Rory pushes all the right buttons and riles up Jin’s dragon instincts. The fire mage is the farthest thing from Jin’s type, but the heat between them sets Jin’s blood on fire.
They’re playing a dangerous game that puts both of their hearts and lives on the line. While the passion between Jin and Rory sizzles, can a relationship built on deceit grow into something more?
Warning: contains violence and graphic gay sex scenes.
Sexcerpt:
When they left the restaurant, Jin took him downtown to go shopping.
Rory stopped outside the store and raised his eyebrows at the name. “Armani? Isn’t that last season or some shit?”
Jin chuckled and stepped inside. “The label is all certain people care about. The tux should work for your sister’s wedding as well.”
Rory forced himself not to glower and followed.
His patience came to an end when no less than three sales people walked up and started asking stupid questions. Jin answered, and Rory wondered if these three women spent all their income on designer clothes. What a ridiculous waste of money. They pulled out three tuxedos, which all looked the same to Rory, but the sales vultures insisted they were different in cut or style.
“Do I have to try all three of them on?” Rory asked and shoved his hands into his pockets. Too bad his bartender getup wouldn’t pass at a fancy gala.
“Yes. I want my money’s worth, and you’re the best model I can think of,” Jin said with a delectable smirk and headed toward the fitting rooms.
Heat flared in Rory’s chest, torn between annoyance and lust. Why did Jin always fall right on that line? This weird place between wanting and wanting to punch.
He stalked after the dragon.
“You’re coming in with me?” Rory asked as he walked into one of the palatial dressing rooms. It was the same size as his bedroom and had a damn couch, for fuck’s sake. Yeah, it wasn’t anything like the dressing rooms at the places he usually shopped.
Jin stepped inside after him. “I wouldn’t want you getting lonely in here all by yourself.”
Rory doubted that eventuality, but he didn’t kick Jin out either. “And here I didn’t put on my fancy underwear.”
Jin smirked.
A sales woman brought in the tuxedos and shut the door as she left.
A dare lit up Jin’s eyes as he settled on the couch.
What did he expect? That Rory wouldn’t actually strip? He slipped the leather jacket off his shoulders and set it aside. “You want to watch me take off my clothes?”
“Very much. You’re an attractive man. I can see what Richard loves about you, but I can’t see what you liked about him,” Jin said evenly.
Love. Ha! Dick never loved him. Rory knew that, and Jin used that word on purpose.
Rory yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it on his jacket. Then he stepped forward. “Like what you see?”
Jin’s eyes crinkled at the edges, and Rory wondered how old the dragon was. Older than Rory.
Jin’s dark eyes drank in Rory’s firm chest, the tattoos that wound over his arms and taut pectorals, and the little black rings that pierced his nipples. But Jin didn’t reach forward and touch him, like Rory assumed he would. Hell, from the look of hungry fascination on Jin’s face and the flick of Jin’s tongue over his lips, Rory expected a hell of a lot more.
“I said you were attractive,” Jin purred.
“So take off my pants,” Rory said and moved so close his legs straddled Jin’s thighs. Perfect position for a suck job, and he smirked at that thought. If the sex was on his terms, he sure as hell wouldn’t mind.
“Is this how I earn my kiss?” Jin asked and leaned forward.
“Maybe,” Rory said. How the hell did this go from a power play to flirting? Fuck. He didn’t know. The heat building in his balls told him not to worry about it.
“Hmm,” Jin hummed, and his rough hands wound down Rory’s chest. They flicked and pulled, ever so carefully, at the rings on Rory’s nipples.Rory bit back a groan.
Jin smiled and roamed lower. His fingers caught on the top of Rory’s jeans, and he undid the top button. His dark eyes burned as he grabbed the zipper, and eased it down like this was all some great big act of seduction.
It worked.
Rory’s breath hitched in his throat as Jin’s fingers brushed Rory’s bulge. It twitched and stiffened, and Rory fought the urge to thrust his hips into those hands.
“You want me to keep going?” Jin asked.
The dare still burned in his eyes, but something else flickered alongside it. The same flame that burned inside Rory – the thing that urged him closer and closer to the edge between what was safe and what was possible.
He didn’t trust himself to speak, so Rory nodded instead.
Jin complied. He hooked his thumbs in the side of the jeans and inched them lower and lower. They slid over Rory’s black jockeys, down his legs and bunched there. He forgot about the boots. Well, since Jin was in the neighborhood.
“Those too,” Rory said, his voice gruff.
“Oh, you’re going to pay for this later,” Jin said with a dangerous smirk.
Rory returned it with one of his own. “Sure thing.”
Jin made quick work of the laces, and Rory stepped out of the boots and jeans with a minimal amount of hopping. The jockey’s hung so low on his hips the dark red curls popped out of the waistband, but he didn’t bother yanking them up.
It gave the dragon a good look at what Rory had in store for him.
“Do I have to dress you too or can you manage?” Jin asked, his voice rich with amusement. A spark shone in his eyes.
“I think I can manage,” Rory said and picked up the first tux.
He put on the pants, shirt and jacket without a problem, but the bowtie was another issue altogether. However, one of the sales women came in and righted it for him. Then there was a whole lot of ‘turn left’ and ‘turn right’ before he finally got to put on the other two.
Even looking at himself in the mirror, Rory couldn’t see the difference. He chose the first one out of spite, and Jin didn’t argue with that decision.
“I’ll box this up for you sir. And I’ll set out some suitable shoes. Size twelve?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Rory said and waited for her to shut the door before he looked at Jin again.
Jin’s eyes lingered on Rory’s bulge. “Do I get to take that off too?”
“Maybe after the gala,” Rory said and tossed the shirt at the dragon. Jin caught it and stood up in one swift movement.
Right. Shifter. They were fast – faster than he was.
Rory barely registered that thought as Jin’s body met his, pressed him against the wall and took a long, slow sniff of his neck.
“You smell like sex,” Jin purred.
Rory’s heart jumped into his throat, and his cock responded to the sudden proximity. “Do I?”
“Mmm,” Jin said. His lips vibrated against Rory’s flushed skin. “You most certainly do. And I want my kiss. I think I’ve earned it.”
The cuff on Rory’s wrist felt heavier than normal, thick and tight. If he said ‘no,’ maybe Jin would have to stop. He’d need to back off until the situation was all on Rory’s terms. But Rory couldn’t find the words. They bunched up in his throat and came out as a groan.
Jin sucked at Rory’s skin and fire rose across his flesh with it.
“Earned it? Not quite,” Rory whispered. “Get me off, and I’ll consider it.”
Jin’s fingers dug into his shoulders, and he smiled against Rory’s flesh. “You’re going to pay for that too.”
Rory didn’t see how that could be a bad thing.
But you didn't come here for my wit! Oh no, loyal reader -- you came for the book. Amiright? And get the book you shall. Wink wink, nudge nudge, know what I mean, say no more!
Check it out on:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo (Coming soon)
All Romance
Google Play
Rory Sullivan thinks he has it all, until his boyfriend breaks his heart and the new landlord raises the rent on his bar. A chance meeting with Jin Yue, a rich dragon, gives Rory hope. Jin promises Rory he can save the bar and get even with his ex – for a price.
All Rory has to do is pretend to be in a relationship with Jin. Rory’s bad boy nature, and the desire for some no-strings-attached sex make the idea way too intriguing. Even if Rory’s brain thinks it’s a bad idea, his cock heartily disagrees.
Problem is, Jin Yue might be all kinds of hot, but he’s also Haven City’s one and only crime boss – sexy, powerful and deadly. Now Rory is tied to Jin until the dragon’s mission is complete, regardless of assassination attempts, hunters or the cops.
Jin Yue won the gang war, but the battle for Haven City isn’t over.
Enter Rory Sullivan – the tatted up fire mage who can help Jin lay claim to his rightful territory. However, things don’t turn out the way Jin plans. Rory pushes all the right buttons and riles up Jin’s dragon instincts. The fire mage is the farthest thing from Jin’s type, but the heat between them sets Jin’s blood on fire.
They’re playing a dangerous game that puts both of their hearts and lives on the line. While the passion between Jin and Rory sizzles, can a relationship built on deceit grow into something more?
Warning: contains violence and graphic gay sex scenes.
Sexcerpt:
When they left the restaurant, Jin took him downtown to go shopping.
Rory stopped outside the store and raised his eyebrows at the name. “Armani? Isn’t that last season or some shit?”
Jin chuckled and stepped inside. “The label is all certain people care about. The tux should work for your sister’s wedding as well.”
Rory forced himself not to glower and followed.
His patience came to an end when no less than three sales people walked up and started asking stupid questions. Jin answered, and Rory wondered if these three women spent all their income on designer clothes. What a ridiculous waste of money. They pulled out three tuxedos, which all looked the same to Rory, but the sales vultures insisted they were different in cut or style.
“Do I have to try all three of them on?” Rory asked and shoved his hands into his pockets. Too bad his bartender getup wouldn’t pass at a fancy gala.
“Yes. I want my money’s worth, and you’re the best model I can think of,” Jin said with a delectable smirk and headed toward the fitting rooms.
Heat flared in Rory’s chest, torn between annoyance and lust. Why did Jin always fall right on that line? This weird place between wanting and wanting to punch.
He stalked after the dragon.
“You’re coming in with me?” Rory asked as he walked into one of the palatial dressing rooms. It was the same size as his bedroom and had a damn couch, for fuck’s sake. Yeah, it wasn’t anything like the dressing rooms at the places he usually shopped.
Jin stepped inside after him. “I wouldn’t want you getting lonely in here all by yourself.”
Rory doubted that eventuality, but he didn’t kick Jin out either. “And here I didn’t put on my fancy underwear.”
Jin smirked.
A sales woman brought in the tuxedos and shut the door as she left.
A dare lit up Jin’s eyes as he settled on the couch.
What did he expect? That Rory wouldn’t actually strip? He slipped the leather jacket off his shoulders and set it aside. “You want to watch me take off my clothes?”
“Very much. You’re an attractive man. I can see what Richard loves about you, but I can’t see what you liked about him,” Jin said evenly.
Love. Ha! Dick never loved him. Rory knew that, and Jin used that word on purpose.
Rory yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it on his jacket. Then he stepped forward. “Like what you see?”
Jin’s eyes crinkled at the edges, and Rory wondered how old the dragon was. Older than Rory.
Jin’s dark eyes drank in Rory’s firm chest, the tattoos that wound over his arms and taut pectorals, and the little black rings that pierced his nipples. But Jin didn’t reach forward and touch him, like Rory assumed he would. Hell, from the look of hungry fascination on Jin’s face and the flick of Jin’s tongue over his lips, Rory expected a hell of a lot more.
“I said you were attractive,” Jin purred.
“So take off my pants,” Rory said and moved so close his legs straddled Jin’s thighs. Perfect position for a suck job, and he smirked at that thought. If the sex was on his terms, he sure as hell wouldn’t mind.
“Is this how I earn my kiss?” Jin asked and leaned forward.
“Maybe,” Rory said. How the hell did this go from a power play to flirting? Fuck. He didn’t know. The heat building in his balls told him not to worry about it.
“Hmm,” Jin hummed, and his rough hands wound down Rory’s chest. They flicked and pulled, ever so carefully, at the rings on Rory’s nipples.Rory bit back a groan.
Jin smiled and roamed lower. His fingers caught on the top of Rory’s jeans, and he undid the top button. His dark eyes burned as he grabbed the zipper, and eased it down like this was all some great big act of seduction.
It worked.
Rory’s breath hitched in his throat as Jin’s fingers brushed Rory’s bulge. It twitched and stiffened, and Rory fought the urge to thrust his hips into those hands.
“You want me to keep going?” Jin asked.
The dare still burned in his eyes, but something else flickered alongside it. The same flame that burned inside Rory – the thing that urged him closer and closer to the edge between what was safe and what was possible.
He didn’t trust himself to speak, so Rory nodded instead.
Jin complied. He hooked his thumbs in the side of the jeans and inched them lower and lower. They slid over Rory’s black jockeys, down his legs and bunched there. He forgot about the boots. Well, since Jin was in the neighborhood.
“Those too,” Rory said, his voice gruff.
“Oh, you’re going to pay for this later,” Jin said with a dangerous smirk.
Rory returned it with one of his own. “Sure thing.”
Jin made quick work of the laces, and Rory stepped out of the boots and jeans with a minimal amount of hopping. The jockey’s hung so low on his hips the dark red curls popped out of the waistband, but he didn’t bother yanking them up.
It gave the dragon a good look at what Rory had in store for him.
“Do I have to dress you too or can you manage?” Jin asked, his voice rich with amusement. A spark shone in his eyes.
“I think I can manage,” Rory said and picked up the first tux.
He put on the pants, shirt and jacket without a problem, but the bowtie was another issue altogether. However, one of the sales women came in and righted it for him. Then there was a whole lot of ‘turn left’ and ‘turn right’ before he finally got to put on the other two.
Even looking at himself in the mirror, Rory couldn’t see the difference. He chose the first one out of spite, and Jin didn’t argue with that decision.
“I’ll box this up for you sir. And I’ll set out some suitable shoes. Size twelve?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Rory said and waited for her to shut the door before he looked at Jin again.
Jin’s eyes lingered on Rory’s bulge. “Do I get to take that off too?”
“Maybe after the gala,” Rory said and tossed the shirt at the dragon. Jin caught it and stood up in one swift movement.
Right. Shifter. They were fast – faster than he was.
Rory barely registered that thought as Jin’s body met his, pressed him against the wall and took a long, slow sniff of his neck.
“You smell like sex,” Jin purred.
Rory’s heart jumped into his throat, and his cock responded to the sudden proximity. “Do I?”
“Mmm,” Jin said. His lips vibrated against Rory’s flushed skin. “You most certainly do. And I want my kiss. I think I’ve earned it.”
The cuff on Rory’s wrist felt heavier than normal, thick and tight. If he said ‘no,’ maybe Jin would have to stop. He’d need to back off until the situation was all on Rory’s terms. But Rory couldn’t find the words. They bunched up in his throat and came out as a groan.
Jin sucked at Rory’s skin and fire rose across his flesh with it.
“Earned it? Not quite,” Rory whispered. “Get me off, and I’ll consider it.”
Jin’s fingers dug into his shoulders, and he smiled against Rory’s flesh. “You’re going to pay for that too.”
Rory didn’t see how that could be a bad thing.
September 27, 2014
Print Cover Reveal: Dragon & Flame (Haven City Series # 6)
So fall started this week, and Free! Eternal Summer came to an end. I shed a tear or two. What am I supposed to do with my Wednesday nights now? Arrow isn't going to cut it anymore after all those beautiful animated abs. But at least I got to see my pretend boyfriend Makoto in glasses. *le sigh*
I'm kicking fall off with an awesome new release in just a couple more days (September 29, 2014!!!). Jin and Rory get in some damn sexy situations while they pretend to be in a relationship in order to throw off Rory's jerk ex-boyfriend (there's more plot stuff, but you'll have to read to find out what it is - I promise it makes sense!).
For the time being, feast your eyes on this lovely print cover. The tattoos! The nipple ring! So yummy! *drool*
I'm kicking fall off with an awesome new release in just a couple more days (September 29, 2014!!!). Jin and Rory get in some damn sexy situations while they pretend to be in a relationship in order to throw off Rory's jerk ex-boyfriend (there's more plot stuff, but you'll have to read to find out what it is - I promise it makes sense!).
For the time being, feast your eyes on this lovely print cover. The tattoos! The nipple ring! So yummy! *drool*
September 22, 2014
Chapter Sneak Peek: Dragon & Flame (Haven City Series # 6) - It's hot. Also, lame fire pun is lame.
Mwahaha! The time has finally arrived. Another Haven City book is on the horizon. I'm not sure why that needs an evil laugh, but it does. It so does. Word from the betas and my editor were good. One beta said this is her favorite Haven book so far. That's cool! Maybe other readers will feel the same. I aim to please.
I know everyone has been waiting for Jin's story (right?), so here is a look at the first chapter of Dragon & Flame. Like usual, I'll put the second chapter in my mailing list. If you want to read it first, please sign up here! I don't send spam, and I only send out an email when I have a new release!
The book will be out next Monday, September 29, 2014!
Nagisa's so excited he ate all the pizza. Bad Nagisa.
1
A broken heart is a bitch, especially when the person who broke said heart is a total dick. Dick Hayward to be exact. Rory glowered as he straightened his bowtie – one of the pre-tied clip-ons because fuck that shit – and ran his fingers through his flame red hair. It stayed in place, mostly, and he left it as he trotted down the stairs. Rory paused at the door that separated the upstairs apartment from Sullivan’s, the bar Rory and his twin sister, Ruby, owned. Well, they owned the name and the business, not the location. His chest constricted. That was the kicker. They were renting the building and the new landlord (a bastard they hadn’t even met yet) just upped the price. Yeah, the greedy asshole thought this part of Haven City – the nice part – could stand to be more expensive. And with business as usual at the bar, as in they made enough to get by and not go under – that left Rory and Ruby short on cash for things like a goddamn roof over their heads. Oh, and that broken heart? Still there. Still fucking there. Rory took a deep breath, plastered a shit-eating grin on his lips, and went out to face the world. The bar hummed with music from the jute box and the clink of balls on the pool table. The gentle murmur of conversation hung in the air – typical of a Thursday night. A group of regulars filled the bar, shadow folk who lived in the neighborhood, a healthy mixture of people with magical powers or shifters. Pretty much anyone who wasn’t too good to be seen at a place like Sullivan’s. Obviously, Richard Hayward hardly ever set foot in the bar. Ruby spotted Rory first. Twin thing. Or she was just waiting to give him a goodbye hug. Probably the latter. “You clean up nice. Fancy pants,” she teased and bumped her shoulder against his. She had the same red hair as Rory, but Ruby’s was a mess of crazy curls she kept piled in a bun at the top of her head. Rory held out his arms to show off the monkey suit. “Yeah. It’s that kind of place. At least that’s what your fiancé said.”Ruby pursed her lips. She didn’t say a damn word about Josh, her fiancés, offer to help with the current financial situation. He didn’t make much either as a line cook, but he did offer Rory some extra work as a bartender at catering gigs hosted by the restaurant where he worked. Only problem was it left Ruby to tend the bar all by herself. Not like anything could be done about that at the moment. They needed the money. “Hey. I’ll be fine. Tell Josh to call me when he gets off,” Ruby said. Her amber eyes caught the light and flared like a flame. Rory nodded and stepped out into the bar proper. Seth and Conner, two of his best friends, lounged at the bar. “Look at you. All dressed up. Wedding?” Seth asked and leaned back in his stool. He was drinking an Old Fashioned. Must’ve been a rough day. Rory didn’t envy him. If he thought working two jobs while trying to stay afloat was bad, being a cop in Haven City was even worse.“Nope. Picked up some extra work as a stripper. Want me to put on a show, Conner?” Rory asked and winked at Seth’s boyfriend and partner. The snug black slacks and white shirt looked the part. The black vest and bow tie topped it off. Rory even had those arm garters – or whatever the fuck they were called – on his biceps. The catering company dress code insisted he doll himself up like that for fancy events. Luckily, they didn’t object to the tats on his arms or the ring through his left eyebrow as long as he wore the proper clothes.Conner, a wolf shifter, quirked his lips at the suggestion. The scarred side of his face crinkled. “No thanks.”“Hey. Why wouldn’t you put on a show for me?” Seth teased and sipped his drink. His violet eyes sparkled. Like usual, his pale blond hair was tied back into a ponytail. Rory smiled. “You’re not my type, Alwen. No matter what I said in high school.”Seth snorted. “Yeah. Now your type is guys who are totally unavailable. How’s that working out for you?”Rory clenched his jaw and fought to keep his expression even. Calm. Unlike his useless, stubborn heart. Nothing he could do about the heat singeing his cheeks or the tips of fire begging to jump out of his hands and dance along his fingers. He held it all back. “Not good. Not good at all,” he mumbled. “Oh, shit. Sorry. I didn’t mean that,” Seth said and moved toward him. Rory took an involuntary step away. He didn’t want a seer touching him at the moment, and that’s what Seth Alwen was. “Yeah. No problem.”“Insensitive ass,” Ruby said and flicked Seth’s ear as she slunk out from behind the bar. “Keep your boy in line, Conner. Really.” When she reached Rory, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Yeah, the whole bar was watching. No, Rory didn’t care. His reputation preceded him. Getting hugged didn’t fuck with that. “It’ll get better,” she whispered, so low that only Rory or a shifter could hear. “Hey. I’m fine. Great. It’s been two months. You don’t think I’m over it yet?” Rory said and smiled. He smiled so wide it hurt his cheeks. Ruby rolled her eyes. “I could always burn his house down if you want,” she said and let a little flame settle in her palm. “Hey. Detectives. Right here,” Conner said and held up his badge. Ruby laughed. “I’d make sure no one was inside when I did it. Plus, I don’t think Seth would mind.”Seth shrugged and downed his drink. His face paled. “Go ahead. The Hayward family is full of dicks. Literally.”Rory snorted.Ruby and Seth were kidding, Rory knew that, but the thought had crossed his mind. Only Richard Hayward wasn’t just a typical rich kid with a big ass house and a fancy career at his father’s prestigious company. He was one of the Old Families – an enchanter. His house was sure as hell protected against the likes of simple fire mages like Ruby and Rory. In the back of his mind, Rory still couldn’t figure out why someone like Dick wanted anything to do with him. Rebellion didn’t make sense – they were too old for that shit. Attraction? Check. They had that in spades. At first, Dick seemed . . . different, like Seth. He might’ve been a member of the Old Families, but he didn’t act like he bought into the whole, I’m holier than thou, attitude. Only, in the end, he did. “Do you expect me to spend my life with you? A tatted up bartender who can’t get his shit together? Oh, and a guy? My family has expectations for me.”Yeah, Rory had thought that. Shame on him for being stupid and blind and absolutely ridiculous about the whole thing. Now Dick was engaged to someone else. Someone female and totally within his family’s expectations. And Rory was going to kiss some rich people’s assess for the next few hours just to make enough to barely (fucking barely) scrape by. In short, life sucked, but he needed to carry on. No, he wasn’t in that ‘oh, I want you back’ stage of the mourning process. But he wasn’t at the ‘I accept this and have moved on’ stage either. Rory was right in the middle of the ‘I want to make my ex suffer’ stage. Ruby squeezed his hand one last time and gave him a tight smile. “Oh, and don’t stay out too late. The meeting with the new landlord is tomorrow morning, but I have a fitting and—”“I know! I’ll be here. No problem,” Rory said and pulled away. Just one more thing to worry about. But, if he was lucky, he’d be able to talk some sense into the landlord and get the rent lowered. With one final wave goodbye, he slipped outside and into the night. Fall swept into Haven early that year, and the cool night air brushed over Rory’s face and through his stiff cotton shirt. He didn’t bring a jacket; fire mages created their own internal heat. As long as he wasn’t in sub-zero weather, he’d stay warm enough. He rode the tram to the gig to save money on gas and a parking meter. Ruby would be proud. The party was in one of those new high rises, all glass and metal on the outside. It didn’t blend with the rest of the art deco buildings downtown, but no one really seemed to care. Rory slumped into the elevator and rode it to the penthouse. Some kind of real estate thing. Rory didn’t actually give a shit. He just hoped the attendees tipped well, though he doubted it. Josh grinned when Rory stepped into the room. “Hey. Looking good. The bar’s over there. It’s open so you know what to do. If you run out of booze, there’s more in the kitchen. Ask a server to bring it. You get two breaks. Fifteen minutes each. Just let someone know you’re going to be gone so we can get another caterer to cover for you.”Rory knew the drill, but he listened to Josh’s instructions anyway and patted the cat shifter on the back. “Got it. I’ll get set up.”Josh stalked after him, set his elbows on the bar, and leaned forward. He dropped his voice as he spoke. “So did Ruby pick out a dress yet?”Rory sighed. “Why don’t you ask her. She’s your fiancé.”Josh shrugged. “She said you were helping with that stuff. She won’t let me near any of it. You’re going to give her away, right?”When Josh and Ruby decided to tie the knot, Rory didn’t expect to be roped into the whole planning process with his twin. And if he ever got married, he decided not to make a big deal out of it. Who gave a shit what the font on the invitations looked like? Or if there was a color scheme involved? The color for his wedding? Black. Because he was never going to get married. Rory fiddled with the tumblers and organized the alcohol in the way that suited him best. He tested the soda gun and thought about aiming it at Josh’s face – who was still talking about the wedding – and decided against it. Josh was way too excited about the whole thing. But he was in love and had a right to be, at least that’s what the nice side of Rory’s mind told him. The bitter broken hearted part still wanted to squirt Josh in the face. Rory promised Ruby and Josh the apartment above the bar. It was big and roomy with three bedrooms and two baths. Perfect starter home. He’d have to find someplace else. A studio close by, if he could afford it. Rory got through most of the conversation with a series of grunts and nods that could’ve meant anything. Josh didn’t seem to mind, or notice, and he finally wandered back to the kitchen. A slim Chinese man with a braid gave orders to the caterers setting up. Rory checked him out – too pretty but he wouldn’t mind a one-night stand with someone like that. Hell, Rory wouldn’t mind a one-night stand with almost anyone to get his mind off Dick. Once the party started, Rory was too busy filling drink orders to pay attention to the crowd. Scotch on the rocks here. Gin and tonic there. Cranberry vodka. Martini. He went through the motions. Smiling when he had to, but it quickly fell off his lips once he realized the partygoers didn’t give a shit whether he was happy or not. He was just a bartender. Who would?The music was a kind of light jazz that had more in common with something you’d hear in an elevator than actual jazz. Rory pretended it wasn’t obnoxious. Too bad he couldn’t pop in some earphones and listen to something of his own. Something that suited the mood. When everyone had their drinks and the party got into full swing (and Rory was using the word party liberally), he leaned back and crossed his arms. He watched the suits mingle throughout the crowd. He caught snippets of conversation here and there. Something about the Flats. Property for sale. Rory didn’t know who would want to build anything in the Flats besides a slum lord. From what Seth and Conner said, crime had gone down after the huge raid during the summer which got rid of a bunch of big name drug lords and gang leaders. It looked like Haven’s poorest neighborhood wasn’t as bad as it used to be. Rory frowned. He might end up out there if he couldn’t get his shit together, as Dick so kindly put it. The scotch on the rocks guy, a handsome blond, leaned in the corner with a brute of a bodyguard. A hot bodyguard, Rory decided, but the man didn’t pay attention to him. Probably straight. Or involved. Or both. Rory sighed. “Cognac,” a deep voice asked and startled Rory from his stupor. “Right away, sir,” Rory said and glanced at the man who ordered the drink. He was taller than Rory by an inch or two and broader in the shoulders. Asian. Strong jaw. Sharp cheekbones. Deliciously dark eyes locked onto his. The man’s black hair brushed his temples. Rory swallowed involuntarily and pulled out the bottle. The man watched him pour the drink and a flash of his pink tongue darted over his lips. “Enjoying the party?”“Sir?” Rory asked and pushed the crystal tumbler forward. The man fingered the rim of the glass before he took a sip. “You look bored.”Shit. Was he some important bastard who was going to tattle on Rory for not kissing ass? He forced a stupid smile, but it faded into a smirk. What the fuck did he care? “Do I? Well, this party, as you put it, sucks.”The man laughed. It rumbled from his chest, deep and charged with energy. “So it does. Not really your speed? What would you prefer?”Rory shrugged and rinsed a glass, just to do something with his hands. “Better music for one. If you want jazz, then play actual jazz. Dancing wouldn’t hurt. Maybe a stripper. I’m not sure this is the right crowd for that kind of thing.”The man sipped his drink, lips kissing the glass. “What kind of stripper?” “Like a man or a woman? Man. Someone with a big dick and loose morals,” Rory said before his brain could stop his mouth. He shouldn’t talk to a customer like that, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. It was almost flirting and, well, it was better than nothing. “Two of my favorite things,” the man said and lifted his glass. Shit. Mr. Handsome was flirting back! Rory dipped his eyes and let his gaze wander over the man’s powerful shoulders and his strong chest. The fabric strained around his biceps. Nice. Before Rory could come up with something else to say – or a nonchalant way to invite the guy to bed – a familiar voice caught his ears. “Charlie! It’s been awhile. Dad says you beat him again last weekend. Been working on your swing?” Dick Hayward said. He patted an older man’s shoulder and smiled his stupid handsome smile, his row of white teeth perfectly straight. A little too white and too perfect. What the hell was he doing there? Rory’s fingers closed around the glass in his hand, and heat danced across his skin. The fire he kept inside begged to jump out, burst free and burn him to nothing but ash. The worst part was the stupid jolt that went straight to his chest – the way his heart cracked a little more when he saw that asshole’s face and thought about the eleven months they spent together. Eleven goodmonths. Or so Rory thought. “Hmm, Richard Hayward. You know him?” the man asked, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Rory caught the hint of gold around the man’s irises, shining in the darkness. The sign of a shifter, only Rory had no clue what kind. “Yeah,” he said, voice gruff. “My ex, if you can believe it.”Why was Dick at this particular party? Then it hit him. This was some sort of real estate party, and the Hayward family ran a land development firm. Mother of fuck. “I can believe it,” the man said and set his empty glass down. Rory reached for it and their fingers brushed. A spark, electric and sharp, shot through him at the contact. “Sorry, sir,” Rory said. “No need. Pour me another drink.”Rory did, one eye on Dick and the other on the tumbler. The man took it and glanced at Dick. At least the Hayward heir was here alone. Rory didn’t want to see his ex and his ex’s fiancé tonight. Seeing one of them was bad enough. “Are you still in love with him?” Rory blinked and took a sharp breath. “What?” His whole attention was back on the man – whoever he was. “Are you in love with your ex?” He leaned against the bar in a pose that looked almost lazy, but his shoulders bunched with tension. “Uh, no. Well, I thought I was, at first. But now. . . . Why are you asking me this?” Rory said and frowned. The man didn’t answer that question. He pressed forward and smirked. “Want to dance?”Rory felt his cheeks burn bright red. Part of the problem with fair skin and ginger hair. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’m working!”The man shrugged. “I don’t think Richard has noticed you yet. He’s too busy kissing ass for his father to pay attention to the help. Like usual, right? If we get one of the waiters to fill in, I can spin you around the room.”“And get everyone’s attention on me. No thanks,” Rory said and gritted his teeth. “On us. If Richard sees you with me, he’ll be less than pleased. I guarantee it.”Rory balled his hands to keep from grabbing that handsome bastard by the lapels. Okay, so Rory wanted revenge, but pissing off Dick for a few minutes didn’t cut it. “That’s it? You help me piss off my ex at this shitty party? Big deal. Why the hell would you do it anyway?” “Because I was planning to take you home and fuck you after this,” the man said so nonchalantly he may as well have commented on the weather. A jolt of heat shot to Rory’s groin. And now they were back to flirting. He leaned across the bar, so close he could make out the lines of age at the edge of the man’s eyes and the sharpness of his wide cheekbones. Fuck, he was gorgeous in a handsome come-hither-and-do-me kind of way. “Oh yeah? Maybe I’ll fuck you.”The man chuckled. “Sounds fun. We could wrestle for dominance.”If he was a shifter, the man probably thought he could win. Rory would’ve smirked if Dick weren’t moving closer to the bar. Any second he’d saunter up, and they’d be face to face for the first time in two horrifically long months. “What’ll it be?” the man asked. Rory swallowed the lump in his throat. It felt as large as a cue ball. “Fine.”In a flurry of movements Rory didn’t quite follow, the man raised his hand and a waiter slipped behind the bar. Then the man pulled Rory against his side, and they walked into the crowd together. Oh hell. What the fuck had he agreed to?“I don’t even know your name,” he whispered into the man’s ear. How many times had he said that at a club? He almost snorted.“Call me Jin, Mr. Sullivan.”It sounded like ‘gin.’Rory’s mouth dried out. He hadn’t given this man – Jin – his name yet. But that strong grip held him close. If he wiggled out of it then it’d look suspicious. Blow the whole point of whatever this was. Why did Rory agree to it? Because he made dumb (really dumb) decisions when it came to Dick. That’s why. No other explanation. Even worse, Dick was right there. Ready to turn and come face to face with his past. Rory wished he could’ve appreciated Dick’s expression, but his stomach twisted into knots, and he was sure if he’d eaten beforehand, he’d have thrown it up. Dick’s startlingly blue eyes widened. He gaped at them both before snapping his mouth shut. “Richard. I was afraid you’d come,” Jin said and didn’t move to shake Dick’s offered hand. Dick quickly pulled his hand back, eyes darting from Rory to Jin. “Of course I came. You sent me an invitation. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to get to know the competition.”Jin smiled, teeth bared and the hint of sharp canines visible at the edges. Not the flirty smile he gave Rory. He was a predator sizing up his prey, and not in a fun sexy way either. Rory was glad he wasn’t on the other side of that look. “Competition? That makes it sound like you have a chance with the zoning council.”Dick loosened his tie and kept his gaze locked on Jin. “I think we both have a chance. Might as well be civil about this, Mr. Yue.”Rory restrained the urge to set the bastard’s hair on fire. Which bastard, well, he wasn’t sure. Jin just shoved him into the middle of some weird business feud, and Rory had no interest in staying there. Then Jin’s strong hand settled on his hip. “We’ll see about that. Excuse me while I dance with my date.”Rory nearly squeaked a protest, but swallowed it as Jin twirled him into a waltz. It took a moment for Rory to find his feet. One two three. One two three. He’d never been more thankful for his mother than he was at that moment. She used to dance around the house with them when they were small, and told them everyone needed to know how to waltz. Jin smiled. The predator fell away. One of Jin’s hands rested on Rory’s back and the other held his in a powerful grip. Once they got the hang of it, Jin let Rory lead. The seething rage that burned in Rory’s chest subsided. A little. One two three. One two three. The beat was all wrong for a waltz, but the music was terrible in every way, so he didn’t bring that up. Plus, something else nagged at him. “I’m not a puppet in your . . . whatever the hell that was!” Rory hissed.“Of course you are. Everyone’s a puppet in my games until they prove they’re not. I’m very rich. It’s how we do things,” Jin said, his breath hot on Rory’s neck. It sent a rush to his cock and his toes curled up, just a little. Yeah, not the reaction he expected. Rory wanted to hate it, and dammit, he didn’t. He felt Dick’s eyes on the back of his neck (his ex was watching, and maybejealous). Score. More importantly, Jin’s strong chest pressed against Rory’s body. As Jin watched him, light burned around his irises. “How the hell did you know my name?” Rory whispered. Jin smirked. “You’re at my party. I know everyone here, even the help.”“I’m not the help,” Rory ground out between gritted teeth. He’d have pulled out of Jin’s grip right then, but Jin was strong. Crazy, scary strong. “What the hell are you?”Jin twirled him and leaned forward into a dip. Rory wasn’t leading anymore. “Dragon,” Jin whispered over Rory’s lips and lifted him up. “And you’re a fire mage.”The breath hitched in Rory’s throat. A dragon? He’d never met one of those before, but he’d heard rumors. They were the strongest shifters, by far, and Rory was pressed against one. “Oh,” Rory said and kicked himself internally. Jin’s lips quirked. “Now. Do you want to continue this charade or go back to the bar? I’ll pay you double what you were going to make tonight.”“Triple,” Rory said before his brain could point out he was bargaining with a dragon. “Oh. I like that. Triple. Now run off to the bathroom. I’m sure Richard is just dying to get you alone,” Jin purred, and he slowly released his hold on Rory. Rory took a step back, heart lodged firmly in his throat and walked away. He was halfway to the bathroom when he realized he was doing exactly what that asshole wanted. Fuck! Not a puppet. Right. But if he charged back into the main room and made a scene. . . Fine. A puppet for tonight and that was it. Much to Rory’s annoyance, Jin was right. As soon as he got into the bathroom, Dick stalked in behind him and shut the door.Rory glared at his ex in the mirror. “I was here first. Did you have to piss that badly?”Dick stared at him. His honey blond hair was perfectly styled, and his suit was navy blue and probably cost more than Rory’s car. He blinked. “You changed your hair.”Rory snorted and lifted a hand to his head. He ran his palm over the stubble on the sides and righted the hair in the middle. “Yeah. I do that a lot. I don’t have a bunch of assholes to impress on a regular basis. Remember? I’m just a tatted up bartender who doesn’t have my shit together.”“Rory,” Dick said, his voice laced with a plea. He sounded like that when he tried to explain why they had to keep their relationship on the down low. Why they couldn’t go to some restaurant in town. Why Rory wasn’t good enough for the Hayward family or their friends. Rory was not falling for that shit today. “What? Someone’s waiting for me.”Dick frowned. “Jin Yue is your date? Do you expect me to believe he’d go out with—”Fire brushed Rory’s fingers, and he let the flame spark to life. “With what? Me? Yeah. He did. Fancy that.”Dick grabbed Rory’s arm. “No. That’s not what I meant. He’s dangerous, and he’s probably using you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”Rory yanked his arm away and fought the urge to punch Dick in his perfect fucking face. Didn’t want him to get hurt, huh? Too late for that. “Oh, that’s rich. Using me? Remind you of someone? I can take care of myself, thanks. Now get the fuck out or I’ll take a piss on your shoes.”That got Dick’s attention. He slunk out the door. Probably didn’t want his nice Italian loafers soaked in pee. Too bad. Rory might’ve enjoyed that. He tossed himself a grim smile in the mirror. Yeah. That was worth it. Worth it to piss off Dick. Worth it to earn three times his pay for hanging out with a dragon. Better than kissing ass all night and sulking at the bar. Better than anything that happened in the last two months. Maybe, just maybe, things were looking up.
I know everyone has been waiting for Jin's story (right?), so here is a look at the first chapter of Dragon & Flame. Like usual, I'll put the second chapter in my mailing list. If you want to read it first, please sign up here! I don't send spam, and I only send out an email when I have a new release!
The book will be out next Monday, September 29, 2014!
Nagisa's so excited he ate all the pizza. Bad Nagisa.
1
A broken heart is a bitch, especially when the person who broke said heart is a total dick. Dick Hayward to be exact. Rory glowered as he straightened his bowtie – one of the pre-tied clip-ons because fuck that shit – and ran his fingers through his flame red hair. It stayed in place, mostly, and he left it as he trotted down the stairs. Rory paused at the door that separated the upstairs apartment from Sullivan’s, the bar Rory and his twin sister, Ruby, owned. Well, they owned the name and the business, not the location. His chest constricted. That was the kicker. They were renting the building and the new landlord (a bastard they hadn’t even met yet) just upped the price. Yeah, the greedy asshole thought this part of Haven City – the nice part – could stand to be more expensive. And with business as usual at the bar, as in they made enough to get by and not go under – that left Rory and Ruby short on cash for things like a goddamn roof over their heads. Oh, and that broken heart? Still there. Still fucking there. Rory took a deep breath, plastered a shit-eating grin on his lips, and went out to face the world. The bar hummed with music from the jute box and the clink of balls on the pool table. The gentle murmur of conversation hung in the air – typical of a Thursday night. A group of regulars filled the bar, shadow folk who lived in the neighborhood, a healthy mixture of people with magical powers or shifters. Pretty much anyone who wasn’t too good to be seen at a place like Sullivan’s. Obviously, Richard Hayward hardly ever set foot in the bar. Ruby spotted Rory first. Twin thing. Or she was just waiting to give him a goodbye hug. Probably the latter. “You clean up nice. Fancy pants,” she teased and bumped her shoulder against his. She had the same red hair as Rory, but Ruby’s was a mess of crazy curls she kept piled in a bun at the top of her head. Rory held out his arms to show off the monkey suit. “Yeah. It’s that kind of place. At least that’s what your fiancé said.”Ruby pursed her lips. She didn’t say a damn word about Josh, her fiancés, offer to help with the current financial situation. He didn’t make much either as a line cook, but he did offer Rory some extra work as a bartender at catering gigs hosted by the restaurant where he worked. Only problem was it left Ruby to tend the bar all by herself. Not like anything could be done about that at the moment. They needed the money. “Hey. I’ll be fine. Tell Josh to call me when he gets off,” Ruby said. Her amber eyes caught the light and flared like a flame. Rory nodded and stepped out into the bar proper. Seth and Conner, two of his best friends, lounged at the bar. “Look at you. All dressed up. Wedding?” Seth asked and leaned back in his stool. He was drinking an Old Fashioned. Must’ve been a rough day. Rory didn’t envy him. If he thought working two jobs while trying to stay afloat was bad, being a cop in Haven City was even worse.“Nope. Picked up some extra work as a stripper. Want me to put on a show, Conner?” Rory asked and winked at Seth’s boyfriend and partner. The snug black slacks and white shirt looked the part. The black vest and bow tie topped it off. Rory even had those arm garters – or whatever the fuck they were called – on his biceps. The catering company dress code insisted he doll himself up like that for fancy events. Luckily, they didn’t object to the tats on his arms or the ring through his left eyebrow as long as he wore the proper clothes.Conner, a wolf shifter, quirked his lips at the suggestion. The scarred side of his face crinkled. “No thanks.”“Hey. Why wouldn’t you put on a show for me?” Seth teased and sipped his drink. His violet eyes sparkled. Like usual, his pale blond hair was tied back into a ponytail. Rory smiled. “You’re not my type, Alwen. No matter what I said in high school.”Seth snorted. “Yeah. Now your type is guys who are totally unavailable. How’s that working out for you?”Rory clenched his jaw and fought to keep his expression even. Calm. Unlike his useless, stubborn heart. Nothing he could do about the heat singeing his cheeks or the tips of fire begging to jump out of his hands and dance along his fingers. He held it all back. “Not good. Not good at all,” he mumbled. “Oh, shit. Sorry. I didn’t mean that,” Seth said and moved toward him. Rory took an involuntary step away. He didn’t want a seer touching him at the moment, and that’s what Seth Alwen was. “Yeah. No problem.”“Insensitive ass,” Ruby said and flicked Seth’s ear as she slunk out from behind the bar. “Keep your boy in line, Conner. Really.” When she reached Rory, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Yeah, the whole bar was watching. No, Rory didn’t care. His reputation preceded him. Getting hugged didn’t fuck with that. “It’ll get better,” she whispered, so low that only Rory or a shifter could hear. “Hey. I’m fine. Great. It’s been two months. You don’t think I’m over it yet?” Rory said and smiled. He smiled so wide it hurt his cheeks. Ruby rolled her eyes. “I could always burn his house down if you want,” she said and let a little flame settle in her palm. “Hey. Detectives. Right here,” Conner said and held up his badge. Ruby laughed. “I’d make sure no one was inside when I did it. Plus, I don’t think Seth would mind.”Seth shrugged and downed his drink. His face paled. “Go ahead. The Hayward family is full of dicks. Literally.”Rory snorted.Ruby and Seth were kidding, Rory knew that, but the thought had crossed his mind. Only Richard Hayward wasn’t just a typical rich kid with a big ass house and a fancy career at his father’s prestigious company. He was one of the Old Families – an enchanter. His house was sure as hell protected against the likes of simple fire mages like Ruby and Rory. In the back of his mind, Rory still couldn’t figure out why someone like Dick wanted anything to do with him. Rebellion didn’t make sense – they were too old for that shit. Attraction? Check. They had that in spades. At first, Dick seemed . . . different, like Seth. He might’ve been a member of the Old Families, but he didn’t act like he bought into the whole, I’m holier than thou, attitude. Only, in the end, he did. “Do you expect me to spend my life with you? A tatted up bartender who can’t get his shit together? Oh, and a guy? My family has expectations for me.”Yeah, Rory had thought that. Shame on him for being stupid and blind and absolutely ridiculous about the whole thing. Now Dick was engaged to someone else. Someone female and totally within his family’s expectations. And Rory was going to kiss some rich people’s assess for the next few hours just to make enough to barely (fucking barely) scrape by. In short, life sucked, but he needed to carry on. No, he wasn’t in that ‘oh, I want you back’ stage of the mourning process. But he wasn’t at the ‘I accept this and have moved on’ stage either. Rory was right in the middle of the ‘I want to make my ex suffer’ stage. Ruby squeezed his hand one last time and gave him a tight smile. “Oh, and don’t stay out too late. The meeting with the new landlord is tomorrow morning, but I have a fitting and—”“I know! I’ll be here. No problem,” Rory said and pulled away. Just one more thing to worry about. But, if he was lucky, he’d be able to talk some sense into the landlord and get the rent lowered. With one final wave goodbye, he slipped outside and into the night. Fall swept into Haven early that year, and the cool night air brushed over Rory’s face and through his stiff cotton shirt. He didn’t bring a jacket; fire mages created their own internal heat. As long as he wasn’t in sub-zero weather, he’d stay warm enough. He rode the tram to the gig to save money on gas and a parking meter. Ruby would be proud. The party was in one of those new high rises, all glass and metal on the outside. It didn’t blend with the rest of the art deco buildings downtown, but no one really seemed to care. Rory slumped into the elevator and rode it to the penthouse. Some kind of real estate thing. Rory didn’t actually give a shit. He just hoped the attendees tipped well, though he doubted it. Josh grinned when Rory stepped into the room. “Hey. Looking good. The bar’s over there. It’s open so you know what to do. If you run out of booze, there’s more in the kitchen. Ask a server to bring it. You get two breaks. Fifteen minutes each. Just let someone know you’re going to be gone so we can get another caterer to cover for you.”Rory knew the drill, but he listened to Josh’s instructions anyway and patted the cat shifter on the back. “Got it. I’ll get set up.”Josh stalked after him, set his elbows on the bar, and leaned forward. He dropped his voice as he spoke. “So did Ruby pick out a dress yet?”Rory sighed. “Why don’t you ask her. She’s your fiancé.”Josh shrugged. “She said you were helping with that stuff. She won’t let me near any of it. You’re going to give her away, right?”When Josh and Ruby decided to tie the knot, Rory didn’t expect to be roped into the whole planning process with his twin. And if he ever got married, he decided not to make a big deal out of it. Who gave a shit what the font on the invitations looked like? Or if there was a color scheme involved? The color for his wedding? Black. Because he was never going to get married. Rory fiddled with the tumblers and organized the alcohol in the way that suited him best. He tested the soda gun and thought about aiming it at Josh’s face – who was still talking about the wedding – and decided against it. Josh was way too excited about the whole thing. But he was in love and had a right to be, at least that’s what the nice side of Rory’s mind told him. The bitter broken hearted part still wanted to squirt Josh in the face. Rory promised Ruby and Josh the apartment above the bar. It was big and roomy with three bedrooms and two baths. Perfect starter home. He’d have to find someplace else. A studio close by, if he could afford it. Rory got through most of the conversation with a series of grunts and nods that could’ve meant anything. Josh didn’t seem to mind, or notice, and he finally wandered back to the kitchen. A slim Chinese man with a braid gave orders to the caterers setting up. Rory checked him out – too pretty but he wouldn’t mind a one-night stand with someone like that. Hell, Rory wouldn’t mind a one-night stand with almost anyone to get his mind off Dick. Once the party started, Rory was too busy filling drink orders to pay attention to the crowd. Scotch on the rocks here. Gin and tonic there. Cranberry vodka. Martini. He went through the motions. Smiling when he had to, but it quickly fell off his lips once he realized the partygoers didn’t give a shit whether he was happy or not. He was just a bartender. Who would?The music was a kind of light jazz that had more in common with something you’d hear in an elevator than actual jazz. Rory pretended it wasn’t obnoxious. Too bad he couldn’t pop in some earphones and listen to something of his own. Something that suited the mood. When everyone had their drinks and the party got into full swing (and Rory was using the word party liberally), he leaned back and crossed his arms. He watched the suits mingle throughout the crowd. He caught snippets of conversation here and there. Something about the Flats. Property for sale. Rory didn’t know who would want to build anything in the Flats besides a slum lord. From what Seth and Conner said, crime had gone down after the huge raid during the summer which got rid of a bunch of big name drug lords and gang leaders. It looked like Haven’s poorest neighborhood wasn’t as bad as it used to be. Rory frowned. He might end up out there if he couldn’t get his shit together, as Dick so kindly put it. The scotch on the rocks guy, a handsome blond, leaned in the corner with a brute of a bodyguard. A hot bodyguard, Rory decided, but the man didn’t pay attention to him. Probably straight. Or involved. Or both. Rory sighed. “Cognac,” a deep voice asked and startled Rory from his stupor. “Right away, sir,” Rory said and glanced at the man who ordered the drink. He was taller than Rory by an inch or two and broader in the shoulders. Asian. Strong jaw. Sharp cheekbones. Deliciously dark eyes locked onto his. The man’s black hair brushed his temples. Rory swallowed involuntarily and pulled out the bottle. The man watched him pour the drink and a flash of his pink tongue darted over his lips. “Enjoying the party?”“Sir?” Rory asked and pushed the crystal tumbler forward. The man fingered the rim of the glass before he took a sip. “You look bored.”Shit. Was he some important bastard who was going to tattle on Rory for not kissing ass? He forced a stupid smile, but it faded into a smirk. What the fuck did he care? “Do I? Well, this party, as you put it, sucks.”The man laughed. It rumbled from his chest, deep and charged with energy. “So it does. Not really your speed? What would you prefer?”Rory shrugged and rinsed a glass, just to do something with his hands. “Better music for one. If you want jazz, then play actual jazz. Dancing wouldn’t hurt. Maybe a stripper. I’m not sure this is the right crowd for that kind of thing.”The man sipped his drink, lips kissing the glass. “What kind of stripper?” “Like a man or a woman? Man. Someone with a big dick and loose morals,” Rory said before his brain could stop his mouth. He shouldn’t talk to a customer like that, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. It was almost flirting and, well, it was better than nothing. “Two of my favorite things,” the man said and lifted his glass. Shit. Mr. Handsome was flirting back! Rory dipped his eyes and let his gaze wander over the man’s powerful shoulders and his strong chest. The fabric strained around his biceps. Nice. Before Rory could come up with something else to say – or a nonchalant way to invite the guy to bed – a familiar voice caught his ears. “Charlie! It’s been awhile. Dad says you beat him again last weekend. Been working on your swing?” Dick Hayward said. He patted an older man’s shoulder and smiled his stupid handsome smile, his row of white teeth perfectly straight. A little too white and too perfect. What the hell was he doing there? Rory’s fingers closed around the glass in his hand, and heat danced across his skin. The fire he kept inside begged to jump out, burst free and burn him to nothing but ash. The worst part was the stupid jolt that went straight to his chest – the way his heart cracked a little more when he saw that asshole’s face and thought about the eleven months they spent together. Eleven goodmonths. Or so Rory thought. “Hmm, Richard Hayward. You know him?” the man asked, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Rory caught the hint of gold around the man’s irises, shining in the darkness. The sign of a shifter, only Rory had no clue what kind. “Yeah,” he said, voice gruff. “My ex, if you can believe it.”Why was Dick at this particular party? Then it hit him. This was some sort of real estate party, and the Hayward family ran a land development firm. Mother of fuck. “I can believe it,” the man said and set his empty glass down. Rory reached for it and their fingers brushed. A spark, electric and sharp, shot through him at the contact. “Sorry, sir,” Rory said. “No need. Pour me another drink.”Rory did, one eye on Dick and the other on the tumbler. The man took it and glanced at Dick. At least the Hayward heir was here alone. Rory didn’t want to see his ex and his ex’s fiancé tonight. Seeing one of them was bad enough. “Are you still in love with him?” Rory blinked and took a sharp breath. “What?” His whole attention was back on the man – whoever he was. “Are you in love with your ex?” He leaned against the bar in a pose that looked almost lazy, but his shoulders bunched with tension. “Uh, no. Well, I thought I was, at first. But now. . . . Why are you asking me this?” Rory said and frowned. The man didn’t answer that question. He pressed forward and smirked. “Want to dance?”Rory felt his cheeks burn bright red. Part of the problem with fair skin and ginger hair. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’m working!”The man shrugged. “I don’t think Richard has noticed you yet. He’s too busy kissing ass for his father to pay attention to the help. Like usual, right? If we get one of the waiters to fill in, I can spin you around the room.”“And get everyone’s attention on me. No thanks,” Rory said and gritted his teeth. “On us. If Richard sees you with me, he’ll be less than pleased. I guarantee it.”Rory balled his hands to keep from grabbing that handsome bastard by the lapels. Okay, so Rory wanted revenge, but pissing off Dick for a few minutes didn’t cut it. “That’s it? You help me piss off my ex at this shitty party? Big deal. Why the hell would you do it anyway?” “Because I was planning to take you home and fuck you after this,” the man said so nonchalantly he may as well have commented on the weather. A jolt of heat shot to Rory’s groin. And now they were back to flirting. He leaned across the bar, so close he could make out the lines of age at the edge of the man’s eyes and the sharpness of his wide cheekbones. Fuck, he was gorgeous in a handsome come-hither-and-do-me kind of way. “Oh yeah? Maybe I’ll fuck you.”The man chuckled. “Sounds fun. We could wrestle for dominance.”If he was a shifter, the man probably thought he could win. Rory would’ve smirked if Dick weren’t moving closer to the bar. Any second he’d saunter up, and they’d be face to face for the first time in two horrifically long months. “What’ll it be?” the man asked. Rory swallowed the lump in his throat. It felt as large as a cue ball. “Fine.”In a flurry of movements Rory didn’t quite follow, the man raised his hand and a waiter slipped behind the bar. Then the man pulled Rory against his side, and they walked into the crowd together. Oh hell. What the fuck had he agreed to?“I don’t even know your name,” he whispered into the man’s ear. How many times had he said that at a club? He almost snorted.“Call me Jin, Mr. Sullivan.”It sounded like ‘gin.’Rory’s mouth dried out. He hadn’t given this man – Jin – his name yet. But that strong grip held him close. If he wiggled out of it then it’d look suspicious. Blow the whole point of whatever this was. Why did Rory agree to it? Because he made dumb (really dumb) decisions when it came to Dick. That’s why. No other explanation. Even worse, Dick was right there. Ready to turn and come face to face with his past. Rory wished he could’ve appreciated Dick’s expression, but his stomach twisted into knots, and he was sure if he’d eaten beforehand, he’d have thrown it up. Dick’s startlingly blue eyes widened. He gaped at them both before snapping his mouth shut. “Richard. I was afraid you’d come,” Jin said and didn’t move to shake Dick’s offered hand. Dick quickly pulled his hand back, eyes darting from Rory to Jin. “Of course I came. You sent me an invitation. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to get to know the competition.”Jin smiled, teeth bared and the hint of sharp canines visible at the edges. Not the flirty smile he gave Rory. He was a predator sizing up his prey, and not in a fun sexy way either. Rory was glad he wasn’t on the other side of that look. “Competition? That makes it sound like you have a chance with the zoning council.”Dick loosened his tie and kept his gaze locked on Jin. “I think we both have a chance. Might as well be civil about this, Mr. Yue.”Rory restrained the urge to set the bastard’s hair on fire. Which bastard, well, he wasn’t sure. Jin just shoved him into the middle of some weird business feud, and Rory had no interest in staying there. Then Jin’s strong hand settled on his hip. “We’ll see about that. Excuse me while I dance with my date.”Rory nearly squeaked a protest, but swallowed it as Jin twirled him into a waltz. It took a moment for Rory to find his feet. One two three. One two three. He’d never been more thankful for his mother than he was at that moment. She used to dance around the house with them when they were small, and told them everyone needed to know how to waltz. Jin smiled. The predator fell away. One of Jin’s hands rested on Rory’s back and the other held his in a powerful grip. Once they got the hang of it, Jin let Rory lead. The seething rage that burned in Rory’s chest subsided. A little. One two three. One two three. The beat was all wrong for a waltz, but the music was terrible in every way, so he didn’t bring that up. Plus, something else nagged at him. “I’m not a puppet in your . . . whatever the hell that was!” Rory hissed.“Of course you are. Everyone’s a puppet in my games until they prove they’re not. I’m very rich. It’s how we do things,” Jin said, his breath hot on Rory’s neck. It sent a rush to his cock and his toes curled up, just a little. Yeah, not the reaction he expected. Rory wanted to hate it, and dammit, he didn’t. He felt Dick’s eyes on the back of his neck (his ex was watching, and maybejealous). Score. More importantly, Jin’s strong chest pressed against Rory’s body. As Jin watched him, light burned around his irises. “How the hell did you know my name?” Rory whispered. Jin smirked. “You’re at my party. I know everyone here, even the help.”“I’m not the help,” Rory ground out between gritted teeth. He’d have pulled out of Jin’s grip right then, but Jin was strong. Crazy, scary strong. “What the hell are you?”Jin twirled him and leaned forward into a dip. Rory wasn’t leading anymore. “Dragon,” Jin whispered over Rory’s lips and lifted him up. “And you’re a fire mage.”The breath hitched in Rory’s throat. A dragon? He’d never met one of those before, but he’d heard rumors. They were the strongest shifters, by far, and Rory was pressed against one. “Oh,” Rory said and kicked himself internally. Jin’s lips quirked. “Now. Do you want to continue this charade or go back to the bar? I’ll pay you double what you were going to make tonight.”“Triple,” Rory said before his brain could point out he was bargaining with a dragon. “Oh. I like that. Triple. Now run off to the bathroom. I’m sure Richard is just dying to get you alone,” Jin purred, and he slowly released his hold on Rory. Rory took a step back, heart lodged firmly in his throat and walked away. He was halfway to the bathroom when he realized he was doing exactly what that asshole wanted. Fuck! Not a puppet. Right. But if he charged back into the main room and made a scene. . . Fine. A puppet for tonight and that was it. Much to Rory’s annoyance, Jin was right. As soon as he got into the bathroom, Dick stalked in behind him and shut the door.Rory glared at his ex in the mirror. “I was here first. Did you have to piss that badly?”Dick stared at him. His honey blond hair was perfectly styled, and his suit was navy blue and probably cost more than Rory’s car. He blinked. “You changed your hair.”Rory snorted and lifted a hand to his head. He ran his palm over the stubble on the sides and righted the hair in the middle. “Yeah. I do that a lot. I don’t have a bunch of assholes to impress on a regular basis. Remember? I’m just a tatted up bartender who doesn’t have my shit together.”“Rory,” Dick said, his voice laced with a plea. He sounded like that when he tried to explain why they had to keep their relationship on the down low. Why they couldn’t go to some restaurant in town. Why Rory wasn’t good enough for the Hayward family or their friends. Rory was not falling for that shit today. “What? Someone’s waiting for me.”Dick frowned. “Jin Yue is your date? Do you expect me to believe he’d go out with—”Fire brushed Rory’s fingers, and he let the flame spark to life. “With what? Me? Yeah. He did. Fancy that.”Dick grabbed Rory’s arm. “No. That’s not what I meant. He’s dangerous, and he’s probably using you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”Rory yanked his arm away and fought the urge to punch Dick in his perfect fucking face. Didn’t want him to get hurt, huh? Too late for that. “Oh, that’s rich. Using me? Remind you of someone? I can take care of myself, thanks. Now get the fuck out or I’ll take a piss on your shoes.”That got Dick’s attention. He slunk out the door. Probably didn’t want his nice Italian loafers soaked in pee. Too bad. Rory might’ve enjoyed that. He tossed himself a grim smile in the mirror. Yeah. That was worth it. Worth it to piss off Dick. Worth it to earn three times his pay for hanging out with a dragon. Better than kissing ass all night and sulking at the bar. Better than anything that happened in the last two months. Maybe, just maybe, things were looking up.
September 21, 2014
M/M Month: AJ Truman Author Interview
A.J. Truman writes college-set M/M romance, or gay new adult. Whatever you call it, he loves looking back on those awkward, exciting, emotional collegiate years. Check him out on his blog.
What was the inspiration behind OUT IN THE OPEN?
I love the romantic combination of uptight boy meets laid-back guy. I’m a huge fan of
witty banter! I wanted to explore the friends-with-benefits relationship, which was
so connected to my college experience. Nobody was dating the person they were
hooking up with, even though they wanted to usually. I thought a fun twist would be
friends-with-benefits, but only in public places. I’d loved writing these characters so
completely out of their comfort zone, while adding in little quirks I remember from
college.
What is the message that you want readers to get while reading your book?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. True friends will like the true you.
Do you have any authors that you look up to?
I really admire indie authors like Kindle Alexander and Alexa Land who’ve crafted
fantastic M/M romances and found an audience for their stories. Also Sara Alva,
whose book Social Skills is fantastic and inspired me to write gay new adult.
If you had to describe your book in one word, what would it be?
Sexy
Have you ever gotten frisky with a guy in public?
Umm...maybe...one time I got a little too handsy on the dance floor of a club. And then there was this other time when I got a little too intimate with a guy on someone’s front steps. If it makes it any better, I’d had a crush on him for a really
long time.
What was the inspiration behind OUT IN THE OPEN?
I love the romantic combination of uptight boy meets laid-back guy. I’m a huge fan of
witty banter! I wanted to explore the friends-with-benefits relationship, which was
so connected to my college experience. Nobody was dating the person they were
hooking up with, even though they wanted to usually. I thought a fun twist would be
friends-with-benefits, but only in public places. I’d loved writing these characters so
completely out of their comfort zone, while adding in little quirks I remember from
college.
What is the message that you want readers to get while reading your book?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. True friends will like the true you.
Do you have any authors that you look up to?
I really admire indie authors like Kindle Alexander and Alexa Land who’ve crafted
fantastic M/M romances and found an audience for their stories. Also Sara Alva,
whose book Social Skills is fantastic and inspired me to write gay new adult.
If you had to describe your book in one word, what would it be?
Sexy
Have you ever gotten frisky with a guy in public?
Umm...maybe...one time I got a little too handsy on the dance floor of a club. And then there was this other time when I got a little too intimate with a guy on someone’s front steps. If it makes it any better, I’d had a crush on him for a really
long time.
September 19, 2014
M/M Month: Barbara Elsborg Author Interview
Barbara Elsborg lives in West Yorkshire in the north of England. She always wanted
to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture,
she decided it was not for her. Her books feature quirky characters, and she hopes
they are as much fun to read as they are to write.
More about Barbara can be found on her website/blog .
1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A spy. I really wanted to join the foreign office and be an undercover operative. But I
told so many people, it sort of ruined my chances. Apart from which, I couldn’t cope
with being tortured. I used to think I could but husband pointed out, they’d only have
to threaten my kids and I’d say anything. Or tickle my feet.
2. Why do you write?
I write because the world in my head is far more interesting than the one I live in. I
write because without it, I’d go crazy with boredom. I write because it’s what I love
doing. I write because I hate shopping and cooking and cleaning.
3. Who (if anyone) has been instrumental in inspiring you as a writer?
More of a what. My first real memories of writing were in my teens – when I filled
notebooks with fan fiction. I was a TV addict and a movie expert. I still have the 200
or so stories I wrote. My first serious writing started when I’d left university. I wrote
about a girl who was abused by her step-father and ran away to New York only to be
snagged by a mafia boss and then seduced by his son. It’s a rip-roaring tale of sex,
drugs and violence and lies at the bottom of the closet for when I need a good laugh.
Apart from an obsession with television in my teens, which sparked off the fan fiction,
books in general have been my inspiration. Every book I’ve ever read has inspired
me in some way, though some authors are so good they make me think I can’t write
at all. (Compared to them I can’t) I can never say who’s my favorite author because
there are so many and I don’t always like everything they’ve written. I have maybe
20 or 30 that are automatic buys for me.
4. Do you ever read reviews of your books?
I’d love to say no, I never read reviews but I’d be lying. It’s lovely of course to hear
nice things being said. If I ever get down, I might browse GR or Amazon to read
something nice about one of my stories but of course, my eye inevitably gets drawn
to the comments that aren’t so kind. How I can be so gutted by one ‘didn’t like it’
or ‘you’d have to be mentally ill to like this trash’ comment when I can see ‘loved it’
or ‘best book I ever read’ above, I do not know!
I don’t let reviews influence my writing. If I saw comments that continually said the
same thing – such as – why does she always make her heroes so stupid – THEN, I’d
listen and rethink but I get completely opposite remarks about the same book. For
instance – for a recent book someone said there was no angst, and another review
said love the loads of angst in this story. Reviews are just opinions and everyone is
entitled to say what they think – but hopefully in a civilized way. I haven’t liked books
that others have loved so I have to expect the same reaction to my stories. I can’t
please everyone.
5. How important to you are your titles?
I can’t start writing until I’ve fixed on one and I can’t make the story work until I’ve
fixed on the right one. I suspect a lot of authors are the same. Sometimes I know
them before I sit at the laptop, other times, I’ll brood for hours.
It’s a good idea to choose a title no one else has used but not that easy with
romance books. Mackerchar’s ‘The Romance of Leprosy’ lacks that something – it
probably dropped off. Oops. Sorry.
I need to pick a title with zing! Not like Rossi’s ‘The Sex Life of the Foot and Shoe.’
Which I suspect is not sexy at all.
Plus choose something that appeals. Unlike Joseph’s ‘A Letter to the Man who Killed
my Dog.’ That doesn’t sound like it has a happy ending.
I don’t know how other authors come up with their titles but I find listening to lyrics
helps. Robbie Williams in particular. If that fails, I just ask my crit partner and she
comes up with something. Thanks, Arlene!
Cowboys Down – just popped into my head. I wanted something with Cowboys in the
title but it was hard to find one that no one else had used.
Every Move He Makes – inspired by a song Every Breath You Take by The Police
With or Without him – also inspired by a song – With Or Without You by U2
Bloodline – well that just popped into my head too. It’s a vampire and faerie story to
do with er - blood!
Check out Bloodline on Amazon.
to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture,
she decided it was not for her. Her books feature quirky characters, and she hopes
they are as much fun to read as they are to write.
More about Barbara can be found on her website/blog .
1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A spy. I really wanted to join the foreign office and be an undercover operative. But I
told so many people, it sort of ruined my chances. Apart from which, I couldn’t cope
with being tortured. I used to think I could but husband pointed out, they’d only have
to threaten my kids and I’d say anything. Or tickle my feet.
2. Why do you write?
I write because the world in my head is far more interesting than the one I live in. I
write because without it, I’d go crazy with boredom. I write because it’s what I love
doing. I write because I hate shopping and cooking and cleaning.
3. Who (if anyone) has been instrumental in inspiring you as a writer?
More of a what. My first real memories of writing were in my teens – when I filled
notebooks with fan fiction. I was a TV addict and a movie expert. I still have the 200
or so stories I wrote. My first serious writing started when I’d left university. I wrote
about a girl who was abused by her step-father and ran away to New York only to be
snagged by a mafia boss and then seduced by his son. It’s a rip-roaring tale of sex,
drugs and violence and lies at the bottom of the closet for when I need a good laugh.
Apart from an obsession with television in my teens, which sparked off the fan fiction,
books in general have been my inspiration. Every book I’ve ever read has inspired
me in some way, though some authors are so good they make me think I can’t write
at all. (Compared to them I can’t) I can never say who’s my favorite author because
there are so many and I don’t always like everything they’ve written. I have maybe
20 or 30 that are automatic buys for me.
4. Do you ever read reviews of your books?
I’d love to say no, I never read reviews but I’d be lying. It’s lovely of course to hear
nice things being said. If I ever get down, I might browse GR or Amazon to read
something nice about one of my stories but of course, my eye inevitably gets drawn
to the comments that aren’t so kind. How I can be so gutted by one ‘didn’t like it’
or ‘you’d have to be mentally ill to like this trash’ comment when I can see ‘loved it’
or ‘best book I ever read’ above, I do not know!
I don’t let reviews influence my writing. If I saw comments that continually said the
same thing – such as – why does she always make her heroes so stupid – THEN, I’d
listen and rethink but I get completely opposite remarks about the same book. For
instance – for a recent book someone said there was no angst, and another review
said love the loads of angst in this story. Reviews are just opinions and everyone is
entitled to say what they think – but hopefully in a civilized way. I haven’t liked books
that others have loved so I have to expect the same reaction to my stories. I can’t
please everyone.
5. How important to you are your titles?
I can’t start writing until I’ve fixed on one and I can’t make the story work until I’ve
fixed on the right one. I suspect a lot of authors are the same. Sometimes I know
them before I sit at the laptop, other times, I’ll brood for hours.
It’s a good idea to choose a title no one else has used but not that easy with
romance books. Mackerchar’s ‘The Romance of Leprosy’ lacks that something – it
probably dropped off. Oops. Sorry.
I need to pick a title with zing! Not like Rossi’s ‘The Sex Life of the Foot and Shoe.’
Which I suspect is not sexy at all.
Plus choose something that appeals. Unlike Joseph’s ‘A Letter to the Man who Killed
my Dog.’ That doesn’t sound like it has a happy ending.
I don’t know how other authors come up with their titles but I find listening to lyrics
helps. Robbie Williams in particular. If that fails, I just ask my crit partner and she
comes up with something. Thanks, Arlene!
Cowboys Down – just popped into my head. I wanted something with Cowboys in the
title but it was hard to find one that no one else had used.
Every Move He Makes – inspired by a song Every Breath You Take by The Police
With or Without him – also inspired by a song – With Or Without You by U2
Bloodline – well that just popped into my head too. It’s a vampire and faerie story to
do with er - blood!
Check out Bloodline on Amazon.
September 15, 2014
M/M Month Author Interview: Cameron D. James
Cameron D. James is a writer of both M/M erotic romance and M/M erotica. Cameron loves
to write about hot sex, but is naturally drawn to the deeper emotion of love, so even his
erotica short stories tend to have a romance element to them. You can find out more about
Cameron and his books by visiting his website.
What was it like to have your first book, Autumn Fire, released?
That was... odd. A lot of people knew I was writing in the M/M genre, so when the official
release date rolled around and my ebook was up for sale, there was a sense of joy and
accomplishment. A few days after release, though, I was at a writing convention and
was booked to do a live reading – this is where the dread set in. I soon learned that at
this convention, I became known as the smut writer. (There were other erotica / erotic
romance writers there, but I think because I had a sexy postcard floating around on the
swag tables, my name began to precede me.) When the reading came around, I was in a
small hotel room with two other authors who were reading, and about twenty women and
men, crammed together, hanging on our every word.
Autumn Fire opens with an anonymous bathroom blowjob. It was... awkward... reading
that scene aloud for the first time ever. I got over it pretty quick when attendees came up
to me afterward with positive feedback, and a couple people asked me to sign the smutty
postcards.
Which of your works was the most fun to write?
Gaymer – definitely Gaymer. I was attending a local comic con and wrote a short story in
honor of all the gay nerds out there. It was my first time writing through first person and
I just went with it and had a blast writing the whole thing. The story centers around two
college twinks playing some retro video games (specifically Super Mario Brothers 3 on the
original Nintendo, but I was careful to avoid naming it) and the dirty things they get up to.
Perhaps because it focuses on a simple but fun game, the story line is fairly simple but fun.
From what I’ve heard, readers have loved this one, especially with the twist at the end,
but the downloads of this one lag quite a bit... perhaps because the cover model is fully
clothed... I might need to find a naked gaymer for an updated cover. :)
Which was the most difficult to write?
I just released Going All The Way, the third volume in the Men In The Hot Room short story
series, about the lust between an older yoga teacher and twink yoga student. I’ve found
each of these stories (Go Deep, Go Deeper, and now Going All The Way) progressively harder
to write. I think it’s because I’ve centered it around hot yoga... so I need to always get some
yoga in there, some way or another, without it feeling forced. The first several drafts of
Going All The Way didn’t even have yoga, rather just some discussion about yoga, but my
editor helped me figure out how to put some yoga in there in a way that is both natural and
oh-so-sexy. Once I got that in there, the process got a little bit easier.
What do you have coming up?
I’m trying to both publish a lot more short stories on a regular basis and also get cracking
on a third novel. Starting in November, I’ll be releasing a series of five short stories under
the banner Go-Go Boys of Club 21, which will explore the lives of three go-go boys in a gay
club in New York City. It’ll be full of dancing, sex, and, of course, love.
Early in 2015, I’ll start writing my third erotic romance novel. It’ll be about a gay couple
who have been together for years and are finding their sex lives fizzling out. In an attempt
to rekindle some lust and add some spice to their sex lives, they decide to try a threesome.
While they sex is hot, the fallout is disastrous.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to try writing this genre?
Easy! Three things! One – read, read, read, both a ton of books in the genre and a ton of
books outside of it. Two – write, write, write, as you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t
start writing. Three – edit, edit, edit, both self-editing and by hiring a professional to scour
your work. Once all three are done, then you can look into submitting to a publisher or
venturing into the world of self-pubbing.
September 13, 2014
M/M Month Author Interview: Piper Kay
Piper Kay is a homegrown country girl straight from the outskirts of Houston, Texas. She’s the author of The Passion Series, Eight Second Cowboy, Twisted Cherry and both sets of The Naughty Box 1 and 2.
In Invicta Salvation, we are introduced to Kade and Holt. Will they be in the rest of the series?
Absolutely, the whole series is centered in and around them and their go-go club Invicta.
When you write a particular scene, like a scene in a kitchen, living room, etc. to you get a visual of the room in your mind to go with that? It’s weird, but I do. With every story, I can picture the characters in their house, moving around just like a movie. Is that strange?
How long have you been writing and how many books do you have published?
Since 2010. I have The Passion Series books: A Perfect Passion and Payce’s Passion (book three comes in December), then I have the Invicta Series: Salvation and Sanctuary (book three in 2015), then Eight Second Cowboy and Twisted Cherry. So that’s six, plus two of those are also solo books too, so eight, sort of. Lol
Panster or plotter?
Panster all the way. I tried to be a plotter and it really messed with me and killed off the muse in the process. I can’t plan it out, no matter how hard I have tried. My characters run off in the opposite direction from an outline. I just get a scene in mind or a partial scene, then sit down to type it out if possible, or jot it down on something. Plus I never know the ending, so I’m just as surprised as everyone.
Where can we find your books and other books from you?
Can find Invicta Salvation at Amazon.
In Invicta Salvation, we are introduced to Kade and Holt. Will they be in the rest of the series?
Absolutely, the whole series is centered in and around them and their go-go club Invicta.
When you write a particular scene, like a scene in a kitchen, living room, etc. to you get a visual of the room in your mind to go with that? It’s weird, but I do. With every story, I can picture the characters in their house, moving around just like a movie. Is that strange?
How long have you been writing and how many books do you have published?
Since 2010. I have The Passion Series books: A Perfect Passion and Payce’s Passion (book three comes in December), then I have the Invicta Series: Salvation and Sanctuary (book three in 2015), then Eight Second Cowboy and Twisted Cherry. So that’s six, plus two of those are also solo books too, so eight, sort of. Lol
Panster or plotter?
Panster all the way. I tried to be a plotter and it really messed with me and killed off the muse in the process. I can’t plan it out, no matter how hard I have tried. My characters run off in the opposite direction from an outline. I just get a scene in mind or a partial scene, then sit down to type it out if possible, or jot it down on something. Plus I never know the ending, so I’m just as surprised as everyone.
Where can we find your books and other books from you?
Can find Invicta Salvation at Amazon.
September 10, 2014
M/M Month Author Interview: Jamie Lake
Remember back in July when I posted a link to an interview? Me neither. I mean, good! Well, now I'm interviewing the author who interviewed me! Here's Jamie Lake!
For those who aren’t familiar with the Bad Boy series, tell us about it.
It’s the story of a really hot teacher who becomes desperate for money when his hours are cut and the only choice he has is to moonlight as an erotic masseuse for men. The problem is, he has to keep is profession a secret from the school and it’s right when he meets the guy of his dreams, who happens to be not only one of his student’s dads but also a cop.
In Book 3 of Bad Boy, Peter’s roommate Anton is so obnoxious but I had no idea what happened to him would happen. Are you worried about the fans reactions?
No, I wanted the readers to be shocked and also, sometimes we just want annoying characters to go away. This was one way to do it that I think made Peter’s situation, which was already complex, even worse.
Chip seems almost like the perfect guy, it almost makes me wonder why he ends up with someone like Peter, who although he’s sweet too, has such a complicated life. How did you manage to make both of them so appealing?
I think you can’t help fall in love with who you fall in love with. I say this, first hand. We all come with baggage, some more than others and I think in Peter, Chip sees right away that he’d make the perfect partner. He sees past all of Chip’s bullshit and the secrets he’s clearly hiding and sees who he could be if only with a little support from him.
Chip’s son Johnny is so cute and the fact that he starts out as Peter’s student was a nice twist. The thing I wondered about is that Chip is so open about his relationship and the fact that he loves men to with his son. Did you worry about that any?
I think a dream guy in the m/m world for me is someone who is totally comfortable with who he is. That’s Chip all the way. He’s a macho guy but he knows he’s gay and he doesn’t care if people don’t like it. He even says in the book that he’s very open with his son. I don’t think he wants Johnny to grow up ashamed of his son. Plus, if you look at the younger generation, no one really cares if someone is gay or not. That’s the world, I think that he hopes his son Johnny will grow up in.
You often write about very masculine men, rather than men that are more effeminate, why is that?
I personally am more attracted to masculine men than effeminate ones but there are some super hot effeminate ones too. Many of my readers are more into macho guys too, so I like to make them happy. There’s one series I wrote called Stay Always where the main character is more softer than than macho. So, you can be hot either way.
Where can we get a copy of Bad Boy? You can get it exclusively on Amazon.
For those who aren’t familiar with the Bad Boy series, tell us about it.
It’s the story of a really hot teacher who becomes desperate for money when his hours are cut and the only choice he has is to moonlight as an erotic masseuse for men. The problem is, he has to keep is profession a secret from the school and it’s right when he meets the guy of his dreams, who happens to be not only one of his student’s dads but also a cop.
In Book 3 of Bad Boy, Peter’s roommate Anton is so obnoxious but I had no idea what happened to him would happen. Are you worried about the fans reactions?
No, I wanted the readers to be shocked and also, sometimes we just want annoying characters to go away. This was one way to do it that I think made Peter’s situation, which was already complex, even worse.
Chip seems almost like the perfect guy, it almost makes me wonder why he ends up with someone like Peter, who although he’s sweet too, has such a complicated life. How did you manage to make both of them so appealing?
I think you can’t help fall in love with who you fall in love with. I say this, first hand. We all come with baggage, some more than others and I think in Peter, Chip sees right away that he’d make the perfect partner. He sees past all of Chip’s bullshit and the secrets he’s clearly hiding and sees who he could be if only with a little support from him.
Chip’s son Johnny is so cute and the fact that he starts out as Peter’s student was a nice twist. The thing I wondered about is that Chip is so open about his relationship and the fact that he loves men to with his son. Did you worry about that any?
I think a dream guy in the m/m world for me is someone who is totally comfortable with who he is. That’s Chip all the way. He’s a macho guy but he knows he’s gay and he doesn’t care if people don’t like it. He even says in the book that he’s very open with his son. I don’t think he wants Johnny to grow up ashamed of his son. Plus, if you look at the younger generation, no one really cares if someone is gay or not. That’s the world, I think that he hopes his son Johnny will grow up in.
You often write about very masculine men, rather than men that are more effeminate, why is that?
I personally am more attracted to masculine men than effeminate ones but there are some super hot effeminate ones too. Many of my readers are more into macho guys too, so I like to make them happy. There’s one series I wrote called Stay Always where the main character is more softer than than macho. So, you can be hot either way.
Where can we get a copy of Bad Boy? You can get it exclusively on Amazon.
September 8, 2014
Manuscript Monday: Nothing says romance like a shopping trip with sex in the dressing room.
It's that time again! Time for a little snippet from Dragon & Flame! This week, Jin and Rory are shopping for a tux. It's actually relevant to the plot. Plus, shopping equals fun times! At least when shopping with a rich and powerful dragon shifter it does.
Even Dean is excited about this shit.
Remember this is totally unedited. Enjoy:
Heat flared in Rory’s chest, torn between annoyance and lust. Why did Jin always fall right on that line? This weird place between wanting and wanting to punch. Fuck! He stalked after the dragon.
“You’re coming in with me?” Rory asked and walked into one of the palatial dressing rooms. It was the same size as his bedroom and had a damn couch, for fuck’s sake. Yeah, it wasn’t a anything like the dressing rooms at the places he usually shopped.
Jin stepped inside after him. “I wouldn’t want you getting lonely in here all by yourself.”
Rory doubted that eventuality, but he didn’t kick Jin out either. “And here I didn’t put on my fancy underwear.”
Jin smirked.
The sales ladies brought in the tuxedos and shut the door as they left.
A dare lit up Jin’s eyes and the dragon settled on the couch. What did he expect? That Rory wouldn’t actually strip?
Rory slipped the leather jacket off his shoulders and set it aside. “You really want to watch me take off my clothes?”
“Very much. You’re an attractive man. I can see what Richard loves about you, but I can’t see what you liked about him,” Jin said evenly.
Love. Ha! Dick never loved him. Rory knew that, and Jin used that word on purpose.
Rory yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it on his jacket. Then he stepped forward. “Like what you see?”
Jin’s eyes crinkled at the edges, and Rory wondered how old the dragon was. Older than Rory, that was for sure. He didn’t ask. Might ruin the moment.
Jin’s dark eyes drank in Rory’s firm chest, the tattoos that wound over his arms, and the little black rings that pierced his nipples. But Jin didn’t reach forward and try to touch him, like Rory assumed he would. Hell, from the look of hungry fascination on Jin’s face and the flick of his tongue over his lips, Rory expected a hell of a lot more.
“I said you were attractive,” Jin purred.
“So take off my pants,” Rory said and stepped so close his legs straddled Jin’s thighs. Perfect position for a suck job, and he smirked at that thought. If the sex was on his terms, he sure as hell wouldn’t mind one of those.
Even Dean is excited about this shit.
Remember this is totally unedited. Enjoy:
Heat flared in Rory’s chest, torn between annoyance and lust. Why did Jin always fall right on that line? This weird place between wanting and wanting to punch. Fuck! He stalked after the dragon.
“You’re coming in with me?” Rory asked and walked into one of the palatial dressing rooms. It was the same size as his bedroom and had a damn couch, for fuck’s sake. Yeah, it wasn’t a anything like the dressing rooms at the places he usually shopped.
Jin stepped inside after him. “I wouldn’t want you getting lonely in here all by yourself.”
Rory doubted that eventuality, but he didn’t kick Jin out either. “And here I didn’t put on my fancy underwear.”
Jin smirked.
The sales ladies brought in the tuxedos and shut the door as they left.
A dare lit up Jin’s eyes and the dragon settled on the couch. What did he expect? That Rory wouldn’t actually strip?
Rory slipped the leather jacket off his shoulders and set it aside. “You really want to watch me take off my clothes?”
“Very much. You’re an attractive man. I can see what Richard loves about you, but I can’t see what you liked about him,” Jin said evenly.
Love. Ha! Dick never loved him. Rory knew that, and Jin used that word on purpose.
Rory yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it on his jacket. Then he stepped forward. “Like what you see?”
Jin’s eyes crinkled at the edges, and Rory wondered how old the dragon was. Older than Rory, that was for sure. He didn’t ask. Might ruin the moment.
Jin’s dark eyes drank in Rory’s firm chest, the tattoos that wound over his arms, and the little black rings that pierced his nipples. But Jin didn’t reach forward and try to touch him, like Rory assumed he would. Hell, from the look of hungry fascination on Jin’s face and the flick of his tongue over his lips, Rory expected a hell of a lot more.
“I said you were attractive,” Jin purred.
“So take off my pants,” Rory said and stepped so close his legs straddled Jin’s thighs. Perfect position for a suck job, and he smirked at that thought. If the sex was on his terms, he sure as hell wouldn’t mind one of those.
September 4, 2014
Update: Plagiarism: Not Cool!
I got an email this morning from a concerned fan (thanks again, concerned fan!) who found one of my books on Wattpad. The book was Wild (Russian Wolf Pack 2), and it had been turned into a Teen Wolf fanfic.
I sent a cease and desist letter explaining the writer of the fanfic was infringing upon my copyright. The fic was removed from all offending sites. She did apologize to me personally in a letter sent this morning (September 7th) and posted apologies on her website. The other fics are her original work, but she removed them all because of this blog post. I'm sorry about that. I don't want to ruin her reputation. Ugh. I'm not that much of an asshole.
I'm not gonna go into a rant about how much time and effort writers put into producing original work (a lot!) and how stealing is wrong (it is!). People should know this by now.
However, here is a general warning:
Do not lift parts of text and use them in your work. That's copyright infringement. Even if you attribute it to the original creator, unless the work is in the public domain, you don't own it and have no right to post or publish it without the original creator's expressed consent. Even if it's just for a fanfic. The more you know.
Now let's go back to thinking about hot naked guys, okay?
I sent a cease and desist letter explaining the writer of the fanfic was infringing upon my copyright. The fic was removed from all offending sites. She did apologize to me personally in a letter sent this morning (September 7th) and posted apologies on her website. The other fics are her original work, but she removed them all because of this blog post. I'm sorry about that. I don't want to ruin her reputation. Ugh. I'm not that much of an asshole.
I'm not gonna go into a rant about how much time and effort writers put into producing original work (a lot!) and how stealing is wrong (it is!). People should know this by now.
However, here is a general warning:
Do not lift parts of text and use them in your work. That's copyright infringement. Even if you attribute it to the original creator, unless the work is in the public domain, you don't own it and have no right to post or publish it without the original creator's expressed consent. Even if it's just for a fanfic. The more you know.
Now let's go back to thinking about hot naked guys, okay?
