Rick R. Reed's Blog, page 55

An Open Letter to Clean Reads and Its CEO Stephanie Taylor

UPDATE: I wrote this post yesterday for posting today. Since that time, a significant change to Clean Reads submissions policy has come to light. As of this evening, April 20, there is no longer any prohibition against LGBTQ+ characters on Clean Reads submissions page. I'm very happy to hear this, but the letter to Stephanie Taylor below still applies. I want to stress that my urging her to remove the prohibition against LGBTQ+ characters was written before I knew she would remove it. I just wanted to make it clear that she came to the conclusion before I urged her to do so. And for that, I'm so, so grateful.

Dear Stephanie,

We don't know each other. Would it surprise you to hear that I would like to know you? That I would love nothing more than to sit down face-to-face and have a chat with you? I really would.

I want to apologize to you.

I wrote a blog post the other day about your company, Clean Reads. The post was far more widely read than I ever imagined it would be. And that hurt you. And it outraged some of your supporters, some of whom commented on the blog and some of whom wrote to me personally. Some were diplomatic and some were downright frightening, causing great worry for myself and my family.

So I'm sorry if I've caused you pain. I'm sorry if my words caused you any hardship personally or professionally. I believe we are part of the same fabric. All part of the same human race. I would never deliberately set out to hurt you, your business, or anyone.

My post was not an attack, but voicing my opinion on a policy you have that I feel--and still feel--is discriminatory. We can go around and around about this and I doubt we'll ever change each other's minds. Still, I hope that maybe something I say might cause you to think just a little bit about inclusiveness and love and how the stories of all people can be eye-opening and a joy for us all.

I'm not writing to preach at you though. Your feelings are yours as mine are mine and I don't seek to invalidate your feelings, which is why I offer you my sincere apology.

There was a comment left yesterday from an anonymous poster that may or may not have been you. I deleted the comment because that day was reserved for a blog post from a fellow author, touting her new book, along with a personal love story. I offer up my blog space at least once a week to my peers to promote their work because I think when we raise each other up, we raise ourselves up. I thought it was inappropriate to hijack my fellow author's day with this discussion. If the comment was from you, feel free to post it again below. I hope, though, what I say in this letter will put our minds at least in a little more accord.

The anonymous poster tried to get me to understand that Clean Reads means no harm, no homophobia by disallowing LGBT characters in their books. "Anonymous" said that the publisher simply doesn't have the contacts or expertise to properly promote a book with LGBT characters. And that seems noble, at first glance. "We don't hate you; we just can't do your stories justice," is what "Anonymous" seemed to be saying. And I believe that's the heartfelt belief (or at least I hope it is). What I don't think you realize is the message sent by excluding a single group of people from your submissions. The message could be taken to mean, quite reasonably, that gay people are not welcome. That our stories are somehow different so would require different promotional tactics. I urge you to consider that gay characters represent human characters. And their stories are not so very different from the stories of straight people. Gay people, like straight people, love, fight, experience disappointment, revel in joy and, in short, have the same wants and desires as everyone else.

Would it be so terrible to allow submissions that have LGBT main characters, provided they met your other criteria for "clean reads?" You may not even get any submissions of this sort. You may get submissions that aren't up to your editorial standards, which is fine. The bottom line is: you could allow submissions with LGBT characters and still choose not to publish them. But what do you lose by denying simple access to the submissions process? It seems to me you have something to gain and that you could send a message of inclusivity and openness, whether you ever publish a story with LGBT main characters.

Would you please consider maybe removing this prohibition from your submissions policy? Again, not having it there doesn't mean you are going to be flooded with LGBT submissions or that you even have to publish a book with LGBT characters. It just means your heart and mind are open to the possibility of there being a book that might be "clean" by your definition and that could contain people who love the same sex (a quite large and diverse part of the population). That way, you wouldn't send the message that I and other founds hurtful...and it doesn't seem as though it would cost you anything.

Yes, you have the right to publish whatever what you want. You have the right to limit what kind of material and even what kind of people appear in the books you put out. I accept that and accept our differences. I only ask that you respect my viewpoint in return and not try to invalidate my feelings. At the end of the day, it's your business, your choices, and we're all free to make those choices.

Stephanie, I wish you the best, I really do. This is the last I want to say on this matter. If we never see eye-to-eye, I sincerely hope for you joy and happiness.


Best,
Rick R. Reed

LOVE STORIES: Dragon's Treasure by Qaida Hart

Welcome to my little exploration of love, how people fall in love, what keeps them together, and what keeps them apart. This week, we have Quaida Hart talking about young love and so much more. And please read on to check out her new book, Dragon's Treasure!

QUAIDA'S LOVE STORY
It’s a rare thing to find someone at a young age and still be with them several years later. I met the love of my life in middle school, at twelve years old. We were fast friends and became so close as to be the best of friends in school. Middle school passed into high school and we were still close to one another. Teenagers test the waters of love around this time, and Kyle and I were no different. We shared our first kiss at the end of middle school. I remember it clearly. He had been much shorter than me at the time and it was cute, his glasses and braces, my too tall and lanky body. The hall way had been deserted, the day before summer break started. We were both nervous, and the kiss was hardly a kiss at all. A quick peck on the lips and we awkwardly said goodbye. 
High school started. A new place, a new adventure. It was a world almost too big for us and our friends, but we made it through all the same. High school drama, silly fights, silly rumors, all the things that belong to a kid who’s growing up and trying to figure it all out still. We were still best friends, even after the kiss in middle school and I have to wonder if he still remembers that awfully awkward press of lips. 
We didn’t see each other all that much in our freshmen year, but as we grew and moved into the sophomore year, we found one another again. This time, we began dating. Called each other boyfriend and girlfriend and giggled about it later. We got to know each other on a more personal level. We fought, as couples do, we fell apart once or twice, but we always came back.  And in the midst of it all, we watched as friends and acquaintances ran circles around each other, never staying with one person, always on the move for someone new. 
The two of us were the anomaly in the equation. High school sweet hearts don’t make it very long together after graduation and moving into real life. Not many marry their high school sweet heart and keep going. We graduated in 2008 in June and right after his birthday—and before mine—he asked me to marry him in front of my entire family. I will never forget how my mother teased him and told him to say it again because they couldn’t hear him the first time. 
We moved in together after graduation and lived in California for six years. He loves me for who I am as a bisexual woman. His father is gay and is married to a wonderful man, and thus Kyle is a supporter of love and equality for all no matter the race or the gender. 

We are now in Reno and have been here for a whole year. And after eleven years of being together, we finally got married three weeks ago. Kyle is my best friend in all things. My companion in life, and my lover. He is my rock and the one person who keeps me going. 
DRAGON'S TREASURE College student Ahndrai has the ill fortune of falling into the grasp of an attractive, sadistic vampire. He encounters Eita, a vampire who lusts for Ahndrai's sweet blood and tears apart his world. Eita proves that every myth and legend ever written is only too real, and they are far darker than portrayed in any story.

Ahndrai must face a host of monsters that Eita allows to attack and kill him. Each time Ahndrai dies, Eita revives him so he can continue to feed off him. Ahndrai believes that every creature is as cruel and unforgiving as Eita. Then Nakiirn, a dragon prince, rescues Ahndrai. But even after Ahndrai overcomes his fears and falls in love with Nakiirn, they must both contend with Eita's cruelty again before the vampire succeeds in claiming Ahndrai once more.
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ABOUT QAIDA Qaida Harte is a new author with Dreamspinner, her first publication released December 2015.

Qaida has been writing for most of her life and has always dreamed of being published. Her preferred genres are modern fantasy and erotica. Action and danger are a must in the themes of her projects, as well as that steamy romance to help ease all the heart ache.

She currently resides in the beautiful town of Reno, Nevada with her wonderful husband. Days are spent pounding away on a keyboard with a hot cup of coffee and music blasting. There is an endless amount of characters and dark plots weaving and too little time to get them all done.

CLEAN READS, A Publishing House that Deems #LGBT "Dirty"

I was just at the Romantic Times convention in Las Vegas this past weekend. For those of you who might not be aware of the gathering, it's one of the largest romance reader/author cons in the country, attracting several thousand fans, authors, and industry professionals.

At the Giant Book Signing, which was mind-boggling, I started to notice a group promoting itself called Clean Reads.

I was curious, so I went to their website to find out more about them. They're a publisher and their tagline is "All story. No Guilt." Not a big fan of guilt, so that was good. And I love stories, so that was good. I did wonder--why would anyone feel guilty about reading a book?

I read their "About Us" and found this:

"Clean Reads (formerly Astraea Press) is proud to offer wholesome reading without compromise. We don’t believe a story has to have profanity, sex, or graphic violence to catch a reader’s attention. Our stories – rich and vibrant with life – leap from the page, welcoming readers to a world they’ll remember long after the last words are read. Life doesn’t exist in a single nuance, and neither do we. Clean Reads is excited to celebrate authors and readers of every genre."

Okay. That sounds like a reasonable premise. Not everyone wants "hot" or "steamy" or even profanity in their books. And that's fine; I was actually glad to see that Clean Reads filled a niche.

Then I checked their submissions page and was shocked. Offended. Felt, once again, discriminated against. Out in the cold. Worst of all, I felt " dirty ." Because, if you're not "clean", it follows that you're dirty. Here's the part of Clean Reads submission page that had me feeling queasy and bad for myself and everyone else who identified as LGBT:

What we are NOT looking for:

Erotica, homosexual characters, BDSM, fan fiction, poetry, screenplays and non-fictionManuscripts less than 15,000 words or more than 100,000 words
What? Seriously? No homosexual characters? Why? Can't homosexuals be included in a "clean" story? What if that story doesn't contain explicit sex, profanity, or graphic violence? Just the fact that people are gay (the way God made them, in my opinion) is a good enough reason to keep them far, far away from anything "clean"?

Shame on you, Clean Reads, for perpetuating the idea that gay people are "dirty" and not worthy of being included in your canon of "clean" literature. You perpetuate the mindset that gay people are deserving of discrimination, of being outcast, of being viewed as somehow less worthy than straight people.

Thanks for that.

RE-RELEASE: HIGH RISK, a Tale of Sexual Addiction, Compulsion, Murder & Madness

I'm happy to announce that my erotic thriller, High Risk , originally published by Amber Quill Press (who sadly recently went out of business), is now available in a brand new edition.

High Risk  is one of my oddest books because it features an anti-heroine, a damaged woman who's a sex addict and could be said to bring on the horror that befalls her in the pages of my book. Her journey is filled with terror, tension, and suspense, but even I will admit Beth Walsh isn't an easy character to like, to root for. But I hope that sympathetic and discerning readers will peel back the onion skin of Beth's personality and see her for who and what she is at her core--a damaged soul who's desperate for love, with no real knowledge of how to get it.

I encourage you to come along with Beth on her harrowing journey toward redemption in  High Risk . I like to think you won't soon forget her...or her story.

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A secret sex life... 

A handsome, twisted stranger... 

And a journey into a nightmare. 

 Beth Walsh seemed like such a demure housewife. But while her attorney husband was away at work, she engaged in countless encounters with strangers...until she met the one stranger who would change everything--for the worst. Abbott Lowery was every woman's dream; but the monster lurking inside his handsome, chiseled exterior was terrifying. And Beth's behavior is about to unleash the rage and madness inside.  High Risk  is a story of secrets, tainted histories, murder, and kidnapping--with an ending so searing and brutal, readers will be left breathless.

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My Holy Trinity: The BIG Characters in BIG LOVE

Big Love , which just came out, contains three of characters I think I’ve fallen in love more than any characters in any book I’ve ever written. I think that favoritism comes from the fact that:
My main characters, two high-school school teachers and a pivotal student, are capable of inspiring deep emotion but at the same time, they’re flawed human beings with whom I think we can all identify to an extent.They’re all, at least in part, me at different stages of my life and my coming out process. Big Love is not autobiographical, but I believe every writer leaves a personal stamp on each of his or her characters (and they on him!).So, in this post, I want to get you up-close-and-personal with three brave men whom I believe you'll love as much as I do and tell you about their relationship with me and with the delicate process of coming out.

 Our first character is Dane Bernard. Dane’s a little older than your average character in a gay romance, in his forties, and living a very settled life as a high school teacher, with a wife and two adolescent children, a boy and a girl. To look at him, you’d think he had the perfect, settled life. The American dream, the source of contentment. But look closer and you’ll see a man who’s hiding his most essential self under a mound of shame and secrets. See, Dane is in the closet and thinks that, because of the people he’d hurt if he were honest about his orientation, he can never come out of that closet.

Circumstances unlock the closet door, tragic circumstances (as you’ll see when you read Big Love ), but nonetheless Dane has no longer got a reason to keep his gay self a secret. Tentatively, he begins to come out. The events in the book force him to come out quicker than he might have wanted or felt comfortable with, but once he’s out and on the other side, he finds the air there is very much worth breathing and very liberating.

I was Dane at one point in my life. As far as I knew, no one knew I was gay. I was married to a woman, had a wonderful little boy, and was living the perfect suburban lifestyle. No one could see that I wore a mask every day and in my darkest hours felt that no one, not friend or family knew who I was. And if they did, my greatest horror was that they would no longer love me. Like Dane, I eventually emerged from my closet and as it was for Dane, it wasn’t always easy. Like Dane did, I found more people stuck by me and still loved me than I thought would, but some did fall away. So I understood Dane’s pain, his anguish and secrets when I was writing. I also understood how a gay man could successfully function—at least for a time and relatively speaking—as a husband and dad. But most of all, I understood and brought to you, dear reader, the joy Dane eventually found in loving himself and that one special man who comes into his life right when he needed him most.

Our second character is Seth Wolcott. Seth’s what I consider the perfectly evolved gay man. Although he’s not perfect, by any means! He’s still smarting from a recent breakup and he’s prone to falling on his ass, in more ways than one (as you’ll see when you read Big Love ). But I said Seth was perfectly evolved and that’s because he’s my counterpoint to the other two characters in the book, Dane Bernard and Truman Reid, who, despite a vast age difference, are both dealing with coming out for the first time.

Seth is the character I wrote who demonstrates what it can be like when you love yourself and live your life openly and honestly. With Dane, who’s facing the potential of his first romantic involvement with another man, Seth is not only an object of affection and desire, he’s a role model—one he can and does fall in love with. For Truman, our bullied freshman, Seth is somebody he can look up to and see that by embracing who you are with no shame, you can lead a normal and happy life.

Like Dane, our married, closeted man, I think I also have aspects of Seth. Like Seth, I’m now pretty settled in my gay existence. I’m actually neither proud nor ashamed. I just am. It’s kind of like my height or the fact that I have green eyes. It’s no big deal and yet it’s everything. It’s simply a fact of life.

So it is for Seth.

So it is for me.

Our third character is Truman Reid. It’s no accident that Truman and I share the same last name (albeit spelled differently). My teenage self and Truman have in common a lot of the same heartache growing up. It’s also no accident that Truman shares a first name of a celebrated gay author, Truman Capote. See the picture of the young Capote? In my head, my Truman looks very much like the beautiful young man Capote was at the time his first book, Other Voices, Other Rooms, came out.

Truman is the character I love most in the book. He’s a mess in some ways and in others, one of the most evolved characters. Like Truman at the start of the book, I endured teasing and bullying throughout most of my junior high and high school years. I know his pain. And when you read the opening scene of the book at the first-day-of-school-assembly and how Truman is terrorized, know that I was recreating something that happened to me when I was Truman’s age.

The difference between Truman and me is that I took a lot longer to deal with my shame and conflict over who I was than he did. I didn’t have his teachers, Dane Bernard and Seth Wolcott, to help me accept myself. I didn’t have Truman’s wonderful mom, Patsy, who said to him:

  “God made you just the way you are, honey. Beautiful. And if you’re one of his creations, there’s nothing wrong in who you are. You just hold your head up and be proud.” 

Although make no mistake—I did have a wonderful mom. She just wasn’t as evolved in her thinking as the fiercely loving Patsy. I suspect—and hope—that you will love Truman as much as I do. And I hope that you will help cheer him on his journey from being a bullied victim to an out-and-proud kid who loves himself fiercely and accepts no less from others.

BLURB
Teacher Dane Bernard is a gentle giant, loved by all at Summitville High School. He has a beautiful wife, two kids, and an easy rapport with staff and students alike. But Dane has a secret, one he expects to keep hidden for the rest of his life—he’s gay. But when he loses his wife, Dane finally confronts his attraction to men.

And a new teacher, Seth Wolcott, immediately catches his eye. Seth himself is starting over, licking his wounds from a breakup. The last thing Seth wants is another relationship—but when he spies Dane on his first day at Summitville High, his attraction is immediate and electric.

As the two men enter into a dance of discovery and new love, they’re called upon to come to the aid of bullied gay student Truman Reid. Truman is out and proud, which not everyone at his small-town high school approves of. As the two men work to help Truman ignore the bullies and love himself without reservation, they all learn life-changing lessons about coming out, coming to terms, acceptance, heartbreak, and falling in love.

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A.D. Ellis reveals the sexy cover art of her newest book BRYAN & JASE!

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A.D. Ellis reveals the sexy cover art of her newest book, BRYAN & JASE!It releases on April 28, 2016.
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BLURB
Jase Rafferty grew up hiding his sexual curiosities—until he meets Bryan Keating. Bryan’s sexual preference is no secret, and being deployed overseas together allows the two men to forge a solid friendship. The sexual attraction is undeniable, but after one lust-filled week, they must go their separate ways.
A year later, a chance meeting gives them one more weekend together, even though they know Jase can’t risk his military career or his family obligations to be with Bryan.
Several years pass before Jase finally accepts the desperate longing in his heart and body. But when fear and hatred threaten to tear them apart, Jase must make a tough decision, one that he isn’t sure he and Bryan can overcome. Together, they must choose to weather the storm or say goodbye forever.
**This is a male/male romance meant for ages 18+ due to adult language and adult situations.**
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PRESENTING
Cover Art by Andrea Michelle at Artistry in Design

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Cover Reveal Tour
Check out all the exclusive snippets from the book at –
MM Book Escape :: Frosty's Book Corner :: Up All Night, Read All Day :::: BFD Book Blog :: Alpha Book Club :: Daydream Believer Book :: Bayou Book Junkie :::: MM Good Book Reviews :: Loving Without Limits ::
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PRE-ORDER LINK
Amazon
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iBooks
Kobo
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A.D. Ellis spends the majority of her days loving and wrangling two school-aged children and a husband before heading to the inner city of Indiana to teach a challenging group of alternative education students in grades third through sixth. Most days she hits the gym after school in hopes of running and lifting away the stress and headaches of the day before picking up her children and squeezing a whole day’s worth of loving and living into the too-short hours before bed. It’s no wonder Ms. Ellis lives for the slower, easier days she gets to enjoy on breaks from school.
Growing up in a small farming town in southern Indiana, A.D. is grateful to her mother for passing along the love of reading. With her nose constantly stuck in a book, Ms. Ellis became accustomed to friends and acquaintances snickering and shaking their heads at her love of reading.
A.D. never dreamed of being anything but a teacher, although there are certain times of the year when she laments her career choice. Ms. Ellis had a story idea floating in her head for about a year. After persistent prodding from a friend, A.D. put pen to paper and began writing her first story in October 2013. From that moment on, she was hooked. Taking the people and stories from her head and sharing them with readers is a scary, exhausting, rewarding, and fulfilling experience which A.D. plans to continue until there are no more stories banging around in her mind.
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Good Karma, Good Books: Hard Times by Andrew Jericho

Every Wednesday, I put on my pimp clothes (zoot suits, feathered hats, platform shoes, and the like) and introduce you to something new and wonderful in the literary world. This week, I’m excited to shine a spotlight on Hard Times by Andrew Jericho. 
AUTHOR COMMENT
" Hard Times (Prison Masters 1) was inspired by a photo I made during a walk-though of the old county detention center in my hometown.  In the image, ‘Hard Times’ graffiti is visible on the ceiling above a top bunk.  This picture was included in a journalistic article I wrote, documenting overcrowding and the deteriorating architectural structure of the jail.  Since then, a new building has been constructed.


"As the story progressed, I also recalled a visit to a maximum security prison.  The facility, Tucker Unit, is located in southeast Arkansas.  I renamed the prison in the book, Tuckerville Unit.  It is loosely based on the Tucker facility.  During my tour, the prisoners wore white scrubs.  In addition, inmates had to walk near the walls and not cross painted lines on the floors.  More research led me to discover, since 2009 one-hundred inmates are allowed to live in a dormitory cell block.  These are prison workers.  While I haven't addressed detailed living arrangements in the book, I’ve shared factual situations.  Except, Arkansas does not allow conjugal visits. The prison I created does.  There was no other way to allow my characters’ stories to be told.   " Hard Times is my first book with characters in the BDSM lifestyle.  While edgier, it is filled with the same romance, passion, and eroticism readers have come to expect from my work.  In keeping with those themes, I wanted to express that finding love is one of life’s most treasured gifts, even in the hard times. Making connections with those we love, whether through touch or words, can make a positive difference."
BLURBAce Freeman is the president of Prison Masters, a BDSM club for gay males.  He’s in love with cellmate Tyler Chase and guard Paul Ryder.  Ace is Dominant, desiring to take both men as pets.
As an experienced sub, Tyler wants to give submission to two Masters. He slips an explicit drawing into Ace’s notebook. Later, he blurts out his affections for Paul. Tyler hopes his actions will gain collars from both men. 
Underneath Paul’s shy and soft-spoken exterior lies a man who lives the BDSM lifestyle. Paul is a switch. The guard desires a Master who can fulfill his need for no limits, and a pet to dominate. However, Paul knows his desires for Ace and Tyler have the potential to cost his job.

A good Master cares for his pets. Ace believes that principle. Once a triad begins to form, Ace needs to find a way to ensure their love will survive even in the hard times.

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AUTHOR BIOI’m a ManLove erotic romance author for Siren-BookStrand Publishing, LGBTQ rights activist, humanitarian, and freelance journalist/photographer.  My books explore gay men in real situations of life and love.  I blend romance, passion, and eroticism into all of my characters. 
Often, my characters select themselves, as I provide them with their literary voice. Once a story develops, I’m compelled to see it through to completion. My characters make sure of that fact. Love and eroticism are two very important and powerful emotions which drive not only my characters, but my style of writing, too.
Also, be sure to check out my author page at BookStrand! It contains my author bio, profile, and all title available: Andrew Jericho at BookStrand.
Through my activism it is my desire to provide a voice for those fighting to maintain their humanity, civil liberties, civil rights, and human rights. We’re all one.
I’m a gay transgender man, who lives with my partner, John Jericho, and family.  John, or Baby Doll, as I refer to him most times, is the inspiration for my Life With Baby Doll series. We have two children. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, photography, eclectic tastes in music and the arts, and browsing the local library and art galleries.

I enjoy hearing from all of you, and look forward to your e-mails. Remember Love is Love…Period.

It's Release Day! BIG LOVE Graduates to the Real World

BIG LOVE  is out! This is always an exciting day, one full of promise and hope. Please join me in celebrating the release of my 29th novel, and arguably my best-ever romance,  BIG LOVE.   

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BLURB
Teacher Dane Bernard is a gentle giant, loved by all at Summitville High School. He has a beautiful wife, two kids, and an easy rapport with staff and students alike. But Dane has a secret, one he expects to keep hidden for the rest of his life—he’s gay.

But when he loses his wife, Dane finally confronts his attraction to men. And a new teacher, Seth Wolcott, immediately catches his eye. Seth himself is starting over, licking his wounds from a breakup. The last thing Seth wants is another relationship—but when he spies Dane on his first day at Summitville High, his attraction is immediate and electric.

As the two men enter into a dance of discovery and new love, they’re called upon to come to the aid of bullied gay student Truman Reid. Truman is out and proud, which not everyone at his small town high school approves of. As the two men work to help Truman ignore the bullies and love himself without reservation, they all learn life-changing lessons about coming out, coming to terms, acceptance, heartbreak, and falling in love.

BUYDreamspinner Press ebookDreamspinner Press paperbackAmazon Kindle 
Amazon paperback (buy the hard copy and get the ebook for .99!)

Good Karma, Good Books: Drive Me Home by Chrissy Munder

Every Wednesday, I put on my pimp clothes (zoot suits, feathered hats, platform shoes, and the like) and introduce you to something new and wonderful in the literary world. This week, I’m excited to shine a spotlight on Drive Me Home by Chrissy Munder. 
AUTHOR COMMENT

"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. " - Carl Jung (1875-1961)
"DRIVE ME HOME was inspired back when I lived in Nevada. The dry, desert locale was the perfect place to illustrate the theme of the main character - Eric - coming back to life much as the desert itself blooms after a long drought. He has to learn how to make friends and trust others, and find somewhere in the barren landscape his life has become that bit of treasure we all search for in our lives – love for himself once again.

"Eric is an interesting character in that many readers seem to project meaning and emotion on to him. When I write a story I strive to place real people at its heart. People with thinning hair or expanding waistlines - not just romantic standards, and Eric’s struggle, his drive if you will, to find himself has resonated with my readers."
BLURBLas Vegas isn’t just a glamorous, glitzy playground for high rollers, Elvis impersonators, and blushing newlyweds. It’s also a seedy, worn-out dumping ground for the lonely, the broken, and the lost. Eric Moss is one of those drifters, just marking time, until he meets two very different men, both of whom could change his life.
Marc Evans is a rich casino owner. He offers Eric safety, security, and a chance to regain some of his ravaged past. Brad Torres is a garage mechanic. He offers Eric nothing at all.
The choice might have been easy, if Eric weren’t intensely attracted to both men. He has to choose between Sin City’s sparkling lights and a life in the shadows—will he be able to live with his heart’s decision?

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Available in print and eBook at Dreamspinner Press
Also available Amazon, ARe, and other eRetailers
AUTHOR BIOChrissy Munder writes a variety of romance filled with everyday people and extraordinary passion to transport readers into their personal world of love, laughter, and desire.
She is an avid reader, a wanderer of Michigan’s wilderness, and, while not in any particular order, a lover of lists, zombies, and bad sci-fi. She’s also perpetually behind on everything—except feeding the cat.
There are those who might tell you she started writing LGBTQ romance as a way to justify her office supply addiction, but shhhhh! don’t listen to them.
After too many jobs in too many states she’s eagerly awaiting a far too distant retirement and the chance to become a full-time Lake Michigan beachcomber. Until then, she’s excited to share her love of romance, laughter, and happy-ever-afters.
Website: http://www.chrissymunder.com
Blog:  http://chrissymunder.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chrissymunder
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChrissyMunder
At Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_128

Pre-Release Review for BIG LOVE & It's a RAVE!

The kind folks at the Book Unfunk blog just gave my upcoming April 4 release,  BIG LOVE  an unqualified rave review. I adored the fact that the reviewer, Sheri, loved my teenage main character, who's struggling to come out, so much. Truman Reid will always, I think, be one of my most favorite characters among all of my main characters.

In part, Sheri said:

"One of my absolute favorite things about reading is when a connection occurs. When something resonates from the story and touches you. A very special young man touched my heart while reading Big Love and I will always be grateful to Rick for bringing Truman into my life. Technically speaking, there are three main characters here. But it’s not a the type of threesome that you might be thinking. They each have their own story or path and when their paths intersect BIG things happen.
I’m a pretty devoted RRR fan. He’s an author that I can trust and rely on. I know what I’m going to get and consequently, I’m a repeat customer. The backbone of the plot was familiar but the meat of the story was fresh."

Read the full review here.I hope you'll check out BIG LOVE. I love all of my books, but this one stands out as one of my best.Officially,  BIG LOVE  debuts on April 4, but you can pre-order now from Dreamspinner Press. Go here for the ebook and here for the paperback. Need to order for Amazon Kindle? Go here. 

BLURB
Teacher Dane Bernard is a gentle giant, loved by all at Summitville High School. He has a beautiful wife, two kids, and an easy rapport with staff and students alike. But Dane has a secret, one he expects to keep hidden for the rest of his life—he’s gay.

But when he loses his wife, Dane finally confronts his attraction to men. And a new teacher, Seth Wolcott, immediately catches his eye. Seth himself is starting over, licking his wounds from a breakup. The last thing Seth wants is another relationship—but when he spies Dane on his first day at Summitville High, his attraction is immediate and electric.

As the two men enter into a dance of discovery and new love, they’re called upon to come to the aid of bullied gay student Truman Reid. Truman is out and proud, which not everyone at his small town high school approves of. As the two men work to help Truman ignore the bullies and love himself without reservation, they all learn life-changing lessons about coming out, coming to terms, acceptance, heartbreak, and falling in love.