Andrew Q. Gordon's Blog, page 56

Wednesday Briefs – A New Beginning – 5

A New Beginning – 5

Only the chief could see me as her subordinates entered the room. Odds were, one of them had let whomever bugged the chief’s office into the room. The rest, however, would be useful in finding who had Detective Griffin.

I didn’t listen as the chief started talking in vague terms about security and the need to be sure that information is kept confidential. Instead, I focused on the sound of the ten heartbeats in the room. When she started speaking about a potential leak of information that could only have come from her immediate office, I heard two hearts start to pound much faster.

Walking behind the men and women in the room, I noticed the chief’s eyes following my movement. When I stopped behind the first person, the already rapid heart rate increased to dangerous levels.

“Commander Guthrie helped someone gain entry to your office,” I said after reading his mind to confirm his participation. For a moment, I almost let him hear my words, but I decided to wait until we separated both accomplices from the others. “He doesn’t know who the woman worked for, but he got fifty thousand dollars to do it.”

The chief stared a hole into Commander Guthrie, and I could feel the heat rising from his skin. I let her twist the knife into the man’s soul as I searched the line for the second traitor.

Two places down from Guthrie, Captain Baker stood next to an assistant chief. Her pulse was so fast I feared she might pass out once she became the focus of the chief’s attention.

“Chief?” I waited until she tore her gaze away from Guthrie. “Captain Baker also helped with the infiltration. She also received fifty thousand dollars.”

“You?” There was more hurt than anger in the chief’s voice as she focused on the second person who had betrayed her trust.

All eyes in the room turned toward Captain Baker; everyone except Commander. Guthrie. If I hadn’t been standing behind her, Baker would have slumped onto the floor.

“Chief?” When she looked up, I circled the room with my eyes. “It would be best if the others waited outside.”

“Everyone except Guthrie, Baker and Harper please step outside and wait for me there.”

I raised an eyebrow at the inclusion of Assistant Chief Harper, but a quick scan of the chief’s thoughts told me that Harper was her most trusted colleague. I held my tongue using the time to search Harper’s thoughts. A thorough scan convinced me that Assistant Chief Harper could be trusted.

The other officials didn’t move immediately, appearing confused by what had just happened. I didn’t want this to drag on, so I ‘told’ them to follow the chief’s instructions immediately. As for Guthrie and Baker, I kept control of them so they didn’t try to leave.

After the six who were asked to go outside had left, I told the others in the room they could see me. Assistant Chief Harper, in a move reminiscent of her boss, pulled her gun in one motion pointed it at my head.

“Who the fuck….”

Chief Rawlings put her hand on the top of the slide and slowly pushed the gun down. “He’s with me.”

Harper stared at her friend, as if looking for some hint that the chief had been compromised. The chief shook her head, and walked back to the chair behind her desk.

“I’m fine, Jen. You’ll need to trust me until I can explain everything.”

To her credit, Harper didn’t question her boss’s request. That didn’t stop her from giving me a long hard stare.

“Like the lady said, I’m not the one you need to worry about.” I turned my head drawing all attention to the still bodies of Guthrie and Baker. “Your colleagues here decided MPD didn’t pay enough, so they accepted money from someone to allow them to bug the chief’s office.”

“What!” Any animosity Harper had towards me was quickly transferred to the two subordinates standing in the office. She seemed to focus her attention on Captain Baker. “How could you? After all Chief Rawlings and I did for you.”

“She can’t answer.” I moved over so I stood in front of the two suspects. “At least not until I release them.”

“Linda?” Harper turned towards her friend and boss. “What’s going on?”

She stood up and folded her arms across her chest. “I requested help trying to find who had taken Detective Griffin. If you remember, Danny made contact with an unusual informant.”

Harper’s eyes went wide as she turned her attention back toward me. “Him…?”

“In the spirit.” I open my arms wide and gave her a mock bow.

“Yes, this is that one.” She turned to me and I could tell she wanted me to explain.

“The chief asked me to help find Detective Griffin. I don’t like to announce my presence when I come and go, so I slipped into the chief’s office to wait for her return. Needless to say I was a bit surprised to find listening devices secreted throughout the office.”

Harper’s gaze went from me to the chief, to the two officers standing in front of the desk. “And how do you know these two are involved?”

Before I could answer, the chief spoke first. “Gar can read minds.”

“He can….”

“Read minds,” I completed her thought for her. No one said anything for several seconds. This wasn’t my fight. Oh, I was certain the two events were connected, but what she did with her traitors, was her business.

“Now what?” Harper asked looking between the chief and me.

“Now we use these two would be Judases to find who bugged the chief’s office.” I left out my hope that finding them would lead me to Griffin.

“What if they don’t cooperate?”

“Have no fear.” A wicked grin stretched my lips. “I’ll make sure they play ball.”

Be Sure To Check Out The Briefs Of These Other Flashers:

Victoria Adams

Chris T. Kat

MA Church

Nephylim 

Jon Keys

Rob Colton

Lily Sawyer 

Renee Stevens

JC Wallace

Tali Spencer

Shelly Schulz

Julie Lynn Hayes

Cia Nordwell

Guest Author: Bru Baker And eBook Giveaway

Bru Baker stops by today to talk about herself and her newest book – Island House. She’s also going to be giving away a free eBook copy to one lucky reader who leaves a comment at the end.

Guest Author: Bru Baker

Welcome Bru, why don’t you start by telling everyone a bit about yourself.

Thanks for having me, Andy! I’m a journalist by trade and training, so it feels pretty strange for me to be the one answering questions instead of asking them. It’s more fun on this side of the questions!

I’ve worked in newsrooms for more than a decade, and now I’m freelancing so I can focus on fiction. It’s a whole new ballgame, and I love it! When you work for a newspaper you cover what’s handed to you, and I’m definitely enjoying this freedom to pick what I want to write about. Even with my freelance work I’m in a position where I can pick and choose which projects to work on. It’s pretty liberating after so many years of covering whatever came through the police scanner while I was on call or whichever public meeting was scheduled for a night I was working.

Your first novel–Island House–was released yesterday, but this isn’t your first published work.  Tell us a bit about those and how they were different from this book.

My first published piece of fiction was Traditions from the Heart, a short that appeared in the 2012 Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar Anthology. It was also my first submission, so getting that acceptance letter was shocking. I’ve had a few rejections since then, but I’ve also been lucky enough to add a few more books to my Dreamspinner catalog. Diving In was another anthology short that came out in June, and my first novella, The Buyout, followed in July.

All three of those were fairly light-hearted romps. The Buyout delved a bit into corporate dealings, but like the other two the romance was easy and fun. Island House is a totally different animal because it’s pretty angsty. Niall is dealing with the loss of his partner and the feelings of guilt that arise when he finds himself interested in Ethan four years later. The entire novel is in Niall’s POV, so we get a front-row seat to his inner deliberations and guilt trips.

I love a dose of heartbreak along side my HEA, and Island House definitely delivers that. We really get to know Niall, the main character in Island House, and we get to see what drives him. It was fun to get that far into a character’s head while I was writing.

There’s a sweetness in the HEA that is consistent with my other works, though. For better or worse, I can’t seem resist going for a bit of fluff to wrap things up! That will continue with my next few shorts that are on tap. Rx for Sex is a short that will appear in the Dr. Feelgood anthology that Dreamspinner is releasing in February, and I’m also entering the editing stage on a story that will be part of the Dreamspinner Valentine’s Day celebration.

The cover art to Island House is really colorful and inviting, tells us a bit about your reaction when you got the final cover art?

I actually did a little dance in my seat when I saw it. While the book is set on Tortola and the island is integral to the storyline, it isn’t a beach romance. I didn’t want shirtless guys sunbathing or anything like that because it would have been misleading. L.C. Chase really got that, and the cover sets the perfect atmosphere for the tone of the book. She’s incredibly talented. I just absolutely fell in love with it the moment I saw it.

Okay, let’s talk specifics; tell us a bit more about Island House.

I like romances that are a little bit messy. We all have baggage in our lives, so when the main characters meet and instantly fall for each other and start issuing declarations of love, it usually doesn’t ring true for me. That being said, I also love HEA endings. I just want them to work for it a bit.

Island House is the story of Niall Ahern finally coming to terms with the death of his longtime partner, Nolan, and moving on after four years of hiding from the world on the island. He carries a lot of guilt and regret about Nolan’s death, and those are some of the obstacles he has to overcome before he can build a relationship with his love interest in the book, Ethan Bettencourt. A few misunderstandings and wrong assumptions also get in their way, mostly because both men are horrible at communication.

Where did the inspiration come from for these characters?

I started Island House in 2010 as my National Novel Writing Month book. It was my first time trying to write a novel and my first time participating in NaNoWriMo, so I was eager to jump in headfirst. I started with enthusiasm and excitement but no plot outline or character studies. So honestly, there wasn’t concrete inspiration for any of the characters in Island House. I was just flying by the seat of my pants, making things up as I went. It was a good learning experience, but it made for a lot more work in the editing process. I love the characters that Niall and Ethan ended up as, but wow did it take a lot of work to get them there. I definitely learned that I needed a clear picture in my head of who my characters are before I start writing.

Your book is set in the Caribbean, have you ever lived there or did you just visit and fall in love with the setting.

I was born in Hawaii, so island life isn’t totally foreign to me. Granted, most of my childhood was spent in the Midwest (there are hilarious and traumatic pictures of my first snow—it’s a toss-up for whether my dog or I looked more confused and horrified), but I we spent a lot of summer back on the islands.

I’ve never actually been to Tortola, but I have visited a few other Caribbean islands. Maybe it’s just a tourist thing, but I really liked the laid-back vibe. The Caribbean seemed like a good setting for Niall to hide himself away without him really admitting that he was punishing himself. I mean, who could be miserable in such a beautiful place? (Spoiler alert: Niall manages it!)

The death of a lover is an especially emotional theme – how did you prepare to write Niall’s character?

I’ve never experienced the death of a partner, but my father died when I was eighteen, so I do understand the grief and heaviness of dealing with death of a loved one. I’m sure it’s magnified when that loved one is your partner, and I tried to really put myself in that situation with Niall while I was writing. I’m sure my husband was totally baffled by the extra tight hugs he got those days.

Ethan is a wealthy tech guy – without revealing too much, do you have experience in this field or was it something you researched for the book?

The wealth, not so much unfortunately, but the tech industry, yes. My husband is a programmer who works for a start-up, so I’m pretty familiar with the ups and downs of working in tech, as well as how some companies are lucky enough to hit it big, like Ethan’s did.

Tell us something interesting that is not in the blurb?

Island House is actually the first book in a three-part series called Dropping Anchor. The next book is still being written so it can’t really be marketed as a series yet, but the if all goes well that book is tentatively scheduled for release in summer 2014.

Niall doesn’t have many friends on the island, but one of his closest is Ian Mackay. Ian is self-absorbed and hardly ever serious, but he’s there for Niall when Niall needs someone. We don’t get to know Ian very well in Island House, and I’m guessing that most readers aren’t going to think much of him because Niall’s interactions with him in the book center around a failed attempt on Ian’s part to get into Niall’s pants.

Their relationship is a lot more than that, though, and it’s a central part of the next book, Finding Home. So keep that in mind when you read about Ian taking Niall out on Romeo’s Rowboat (yes, even his boat is named something ridiculous!). I promise there’s a lot more to Ian Mackay than we get to see here.

Have you ever based characters on anyone you know?

One of the main characters in The Buyout is a software architect, and I did base a lot of his character on my husband. I try to never base a character entirely on someone I know, but a lot of small things tend to creep in. I actually like that—I think it makes the characters more genuine and believable if they have quirks.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

I love those first 20,000 words or so, where the story is new and I’m getting to know the characters. That’s part of the reason I enjoy writing shorts and novellas—they never really get out of that honeymoon stage for me. It’s just so much fun to craft a world and create characters.

What’s your least favorite?

As much fun as those first 20,000 words are, I’d say the last 2,000 are my least favorite. I don’t always write linearly, so going back and tying up loose ends and holes can be pretty arduous. That’s really the only part of writing that feels like actual work to me.

Since there is always another story to tell, what are you working on now?

This ties in nicely with my inability to let a storyline go! I’m working on the second book in the Dropping Anchor series now, Finding Home. It picks up about a year after Island House ends. Niall and Ethan feature heavily in the in the book, but they aren’t the main characters. We will get to see how their lives are going, and there may be wedding bells involved for them.

Finding Home focuses on Niall’s friend Ian Mackay, who we meet as an incorrigible playboy in Island House, and Ian’s realization that he’s finally ready to grow up and settle down.

The entire series centers around the theme of finding stability, and Ian has been hopping in and out of stranger’s beds for so long that he’s convinced himself that he isn’t cut out for any sort of real relationship. He meets Luke Keys, a man who seems impervious to Ian’s charms, and that really gets things started. At first it’s just Ian pursuing Luke because he’s a challenge, but it turns into something more when he actually gets to know Luke and finds himself falling for him. That completely rocks Ian’s world view and it’s a hard adjustment for him.

What have you read lately that most people haven’t read but should?

A book I go back to again and again is Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. Every time I read it I find a nuance or twist that I didn’t see before. It’s kind of a comfort read for me, since it reminds me of my childhood. My mother instilled a love of classic literature in me from an early age. When my elementary and middle school peers were reading Sweet Valley High and its ilk, I was cutting my literary teeth on books like Pride and Prejudice, The Fountainhead, Wuthering Heights, and  Rebecca. I still haven’t found anything that can supplant Rebecca or Wuthering Heights as my all-time favorite books.

If you could meet any writer, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise after my last answer, but I’d love to meet Daphne du Maurier. Her works had a huge impression on me when I was younger. It was really eye-opening to read books that had ambiguous or downright unhappy endings yet still felt satisfying. I’ve always been drawn to imperfect characters, and du Maurier’s work is full of them. I’d love to talk to her about how she managed to craft such compelling stories around the kind of themes and characters that most authors would run the other way from or gloss over as part of a larger overall plot. She apparently also really struggled with the manuscript for Rebecca, which never fails to give me hope when I’m stuck in one of my own manuscripts.

What’s a fun – non-writing – day for you?

We’re allowed to have non-writing days?! Someone needs to get that memo to my boss. As a freelancer, I find that I don’t have a lot of downtime. I’m actually harder on myself now than I was when I had an office to go to everyday. That’s the peril of working from home, I suppose.

On those rare days that I don’t have a fiction or freelance deadline looming, I usually try to get outside with the kids if it’s warm or hole up with them in a blanket fort and play games if it’s rainy or cold out. A few days ago it was chilly so we spent the morning at the library and then came home and built a big volcano that made a huge mess of the kitchen. That’s a pretty average day off around here.

Besides reading and writing, what else do you enjoy?

I try to carve out some time almost every day to go for a run or take a yoga class. Some of my best plot epiphanies have come four miles into a run or during Downward Dog!

I also love sketching and painting, though that usually takes a backseat to writing. I do a quick sketch on Post-It notes every night that gets packed in with the kiddos’ lunches, but that’s about as much art as I manage these days. The four year old is just starting to read, so hers are usually just the picture, but the sketches I tuck into the seven year old’s lunches are really just a veil for a daily reminder to behave at school. He doesn’t mind the note as long as it’s accompanied by a sketch of whichever character or subject has caught his fancy for the week. I try to never repeat a character during the school year, so I’m scraping the bottom of the inspiration barrel by May, let me tell you.

Last question is all yours – feel free to talk about anything you want your readers to know about you, your book, anything at all.

I always feel so much pressure to share something hip about myself in situations like this! I’ve been half-tempted to take up an arcane hobby just so I sound cooler than I am. The fantasy version of me (she always has an immaculate house, never feeds her family take-out, and her kids never curse in front of grandparents and teachers) wants to learn how to build furniture, but in reality I don’t even have time to match my kids’ socks when I put away the laundry, so carpentry is going to have to wait.

A year ago I’d have said the fantasy version of me was an author, but that’s become a reality. I really do feel incredibly lucky to be able to be a working writer. (Maybe there’s hope for furniture building after all!)

Thanks for being my guest, now it’s time to plug your work.

Blurb:

Unable to move on after the death of his lover, British expat Niall Ahern clings to Nolan’s dream of living in the Caribbean by moving to Tortola. Once there, he finds that not even the beauty of the island can fill the hole in his heart. Broke and spent in nearly every way imaginable, Niall wants out of the lonely, miserable, guilt-ridden life he’s carved out for himself.

When Ethan Bettencourt, a wealthy tech guru, shows up in British Virgin Islands looking to purchase a second home, he gives Niall hope that he can move on. Both men fall hard and fast, but Niall finds piloting his yacht in the midst of a hurricane is nothing compared to weathering life’s simple misunderstandings. As their troubles come between them, Niall is left to wonder if he and Ethan are over before they’ve begun.

Buy Link:

Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4365

Ebook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4364

Excerpt:

One of my favorite secondary characters in Island House is Clare, a woman Niall meets on a cross-country flight who somehow manages to get past his defenses and become a close friend in a relatively short amount of time. Here’s their first meeting:

By the time Niall had collapsed into the too-small airplane seat, sandwiched between an old man and a woman in her early twenties, he was sweaty and tense with the beginnings of a headache curling up his neck.

“Would you like one?”

Niall looked up, fighting the urge to shake his head to clear the fog in his brain. He’d been staring out the window through the half- opened shade, but apparently the woman thought he’d been looking at her.

“I’m sorry?”

“You were looking at my protein bar,” she said, gesturing with the beige-colored bar in her hand, which until that moment Niall hadn’t realized was food. It certainly didn’t look like food. “I have several, if you’d like one. I always bring extra on long flights.”

Niall studied her, eyes narrowed a bit. She was a slip of a thing, probably because she never ate any real food. He had a fleeting urge to feed her.

“That’s kind of you, but I’m fine.” He rifled through his bag, hoping to end the conversation by finding something to read so he looked occupied, but Camille hadn’t thought to pack any books or magazines. He supposed it would be even ruder to listen to his iPod, but he really wasn’t in the mood to talk.

“Are you sure? You look a little peaked. Have you eaten today?” The woman twisted in her seat so she could get a better look at him, her lips pursed as she took inventory of his flushed cheeks and tense shoulders. “We could probably get a glass of water or some juice for you from the flight attendant. You look dehydrated.”

Niall stared at her, not sure how to respond. She didn’t seem to notice his silence, barreling on with a diatribe about the importance of drinking enough water while on a flight and the general poor health practices that consumed today’s society.

“Airline regulations today make it so difficult for travelers to take proper care of themselves,” the woman was saying, her expression animated as she berated airport security for not allowing passengers to bring bottles of water with them through the

checkpoints.

“I always bring an empty bottle with me to fill up at a water fountain once I’ve reached my terminal,” she said, rummaging through her bag and coming up with a garishly pink aluminum bottle that was scraped and dented from heavy use. “I take it with me everywhere. Clips right on to my belt when I’m rock climbing, even, see?”

She pointed to the small carabiner clip, and Niall felt himself nod, completely caught off guard by the woman and her seeming ability to talk without stopping for breath. Rock climbing explained the dents in the bottle, at least.

“What am I doing? Oh, Clary Sage Smith, what is your problem? You’d think you’d never met a good-looking man, before,” she muttered to herself. Niall wondered if she’d intended for him to hear her quiet aside or not.

“I apologize. I get a little carried away sometimes,” she said, thrusting her hand into the space between them. He took it automatically, as surprised by her firm grip as he had been by her enthusiastic speech about hydration. “Clare Smith. Self-avowed

hydration

nut and soon-to-be naturopath, in case you hadn’t

guessed.”

—Island House

Contest:

To be entered for a chance to win an eBook copy of Island House just comment before 11:59 pm EST on November 14, 2013.  If you can’t think of what to say, list your favorite vacation spot.  A winner will be selected using Randomizer.org from all comments during the contest period.

Bio:

Bru Baker is a freelance journalist who writes for newspapers and magazines. She knew she was destined to be a writer by the tender age of 4, when she started publishing a weekly newspaper for her family. What they called nosiness she called a nose for news, and no one was surprised when she ended up with degrees in journalism and political science and started a career in journalism.

While reporting the news is her day job, fiction is Bru’s true love. Most evenings you can find her curled up with a mug of tea, some fuzzy socks, and a book or her laptop. Whether it’s creating her own

characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a book. She and her husband live in the Midwest with their two young children, whose antics make finding time to write difficult but never let life get boring.

Social Media Links:

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/bru_baker

Website: http://www.bru-baker.com

New Releases: Monday November 11, 2013

All authors face the same daunting task – how to get their book noticed. In an effort to help some of my fellow authors, every Monday I’m going to post some of the numerous new books that have been released. For the most part these will be M/M Fiction with a heavy bias on Romance. That will probably evolve over time, but for now that’s were it is.

I’ve not read everything that is listed, though I’ve probably read or will read many. Which means inclusion on the list isn’t an endorsement or suggestion. You should read the blurbs provided to see if you’re interested. I’ll post reviews to books I recommend under the ‘Books I Reviewed’ tab. This is just a partial list of what’s new for visitors of my site to check out. That said if you end up reading something listed here and want to comment – please do. I reserve the right, however, to delete nasty or personal comments.

If you’re an author and want to include a new release, email me your blurb, cover image, buy links and any personal links you want included. No excerpts, interviews, giveaways etc. Those are welcome, but can be discussed separately.

Housekeeping; by Kim Fielding
BLURB: 

When Nicky Hauser walks in on his restaurant-owner boyfriend having sex with a waiter, Nicky loses his lover, his job, and his home all in one night. Although he’s nearly thirty, he’s never settled on a true career, and he has nothing to show for his years with Tom. Depressed and unable to find work, Nicky ends up couch-surfing with friends until he lands a house-sitting gig for a wealthy family.

When Nicky’s clients discover that he loves to clean, demand for his services skyrockets. Word of mouth leads him to Spencer Cartwright, a busy computer consultant and a slob. Spencer and his wife divorced when he came out, but he’s never found the time or courage to settle down with a man. As Nicky sets Spencer’s house to rights, the two men find friendship. But Nicky’s past experiences make him wary of risking everything on love.

Author Bio: 

Kim Fielding is very pleased every time someone calls her eclectic. She has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and currently lives in California, where she long ago ran out of bookshelf space. She’s a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full time. She also dreams of having two perfectly behaved children, a husband who isn’t obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others.

My Links:

Website:

http://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/KFieldingWrites.

Twitter:

@KFieldingWrites.

Pre-Order Link:

Housekeeping, from Dreamspinner Press

Encore; by Shira Anthony:
Blurb: 

Cool kid violinist Roger Nelson doesn’t give a damn about anything. Wannabe conductor John Fuchs is awkward, effeminate, and just figuring out he’s gay. Despite their differences, they become friends—then lovers—and after college, they try to make it work. But it’s the 1970s, and Roger can’t bring himself to admit he’s gay. Worse, after his brother is killed in Vietnam, Roger tries to live up to his memory and be the perfect son. Then after suffering one tragedy too many, he makes the biggest mistake of his life: Roger pushes John away.

Through the years, they dance around the truth and in and out of each other’s lives, never quite able to let go. Twenty years later, Roger still carries the pain of losing his dream of a brilliant career with him, while John is a superstar conductor with a wild reputation. John’s off-stage antics get him plenty of attention, good and bad, though deep down, he wants only Roger. Finally determined to hold on to what really matters, Roger asks John for another chance, and when John panics and runs, Roger has to convince him to listen to his heart.

NOTE:  Encore is chronologically the first book in the Blue Notes Series and a great place to start if you’ve never read the other books.  All Blue Notes novels are standalone books that can be read in any order.

Buy Link: 

You can purchase Encore at Dreamspinner Press by clicking here.

Author Bio:

Shira Anthony was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 35’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Shira’s Blue Notes Series of classical music themed gay romances was named one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Word’s “Best Series of 2012,” and The Melody Thief was named one of the “Best Novels in a Series of 2012.” The Melody Thief also received an honorable mention, “One Perfect Score” at the 2012 Rainbow Awards.

Brokenhearted; by Cate Ashwood:
Blurb:

Oliver Parrish has been alone in the world since he was born. So when Sheriff Owen “Mack” Macklin shows up on his doorstep to deliver the news that Oliver’s sister has died, he’s beyond surprised. Still, Oliver returns with Mack to Hope Cove, Maine, hoping to get to know the sister he never knew he had. As he tries to snap these new elements into his solitary life, he’s not sure how they might fit.

His life is shaken up further as he falls in love with the irresistible town of Hope Cove, and with Mack, its equally irresistible sheriff. But when he receives devastating news about his sister’s cause of death, Oliver doesn’t know whether to stay and fight for love and a good life, or cut his losses and run.

Buy Link:
Brokenhearted:
Author bio:

Cate Ashwood wrote her very first story in a hot pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily ever after.

Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.

My links:

Website: http://www.cateashwood.com

Blog: http://cateashwood.blogspot.ca/

E-mail: cateashwood@gmail.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cate.ashwood

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cateashwood

Island House; by Bru Baker:
Blurb:

Unable to move on after the death of his lover, British expat Niall Ahern clings to Nolan’s dream of living in the Caribbean by moving to Tortola. Once there, he finds that not even the beauty of the island can fill the hole in his heart. Broke and spent in nearly every way imaginable, Niall wants out of the lonely, miserable, guilt-ridden life he’s carved out for himself.

When Ethan Bettencourt, a wealthy tech guru, shows up in British Virgin Islands looking to purchase a second home, he gives Niall hope that he can move on. Both men fall hard and fast, but Niall finds piloting his yacht in the midst of a hurricane is nothing compared to weathering life’s simple misunderstandings. As their troubles come between them, Niall is left to wonder if he and Ethan are over before they’ve begun.

Buy Link:

Island House From Dreamspinner Press:

Author Bio:

Bru Baker is a freelance journalist who writes for newspapers and magazines. She knew she was destined to be a writer by the tender age of 4, when she started publishing a weekly newspaper for her family. What they called nosiness she called a nose for news, and no one was surprised when she ended up with degrees in journalism and political science and started a career in journalism.

While reporting the news is her day job, fiction is Bru’s true love. Most evenings you can find her curled up with a mug of tea, some fuzzy socks, and a book or her laptop. Whether it’s creating her own

characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a book. She and her husband live in the Midwest with their two young children, whose antics make finding time to write difficult but never let life get boring.

My Links:

Website:

http://www.bru-baker.com

Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/bru_baker.

Email

bru@bru-baker.com.

The Impetuous Afflictions of Jonathan Wolfe; by Charlie Cochet:
Blurb:

Eight years after leaving the deserts of Africa and the French Foreign Legion behind, Jonathan Wolfe has settled into life at Hawthorne Manor in the English countryside. Johnnie helps his adopted family run the manor and provide a safe, loving home for a new generation of “brats”: boys mistreated and discarded for their homosexuality—something all too familiar to Johnnie.

Although no longer an unruly youngster, Johnnie is as stubborn, foul-mouthed, and troublesome as ever. His recent rash behavior becomes a concern for those closest to him, especially Dr. Henry Young, the only man ever to capture Johnnie’s heart. Instead of soothing him, their closeness brings Johnnie’s insecurities from an unsettling past to the surface, and leads to an explosive situation that threatens to tear them apart. Then Henry’s past catches up to them….

Buy Link:
The Impetuous Afflictions of Jonathan Wolfe; from Dreamspinner Press
Author Bio:

Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From Historical to Fantasy, Contemporary to Science Fiction, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in South Florida, Charlie looks forward to migrating to a land where the weather includes seasons other than hot, hotter, and boy, it’s hot! When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

My Links:

Website: http://www.charliecochet.com

Blog: http://www.charliecochet.com/blog

Email: charlie@charliecochet.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/charliecochet

Twitter: @charliecochet | http://www.twitter.com/charliecochet

A Girl And Her Dog

The weather in DC is beautiful today.  Mike took took this video of ‘lil q and Emma while they were out for a walk today. This is more proof that the expression – a girl and her dog – is every bit as true!

Wednesday Briefs – A New Beginning – 4

A New Beginning – 4

I told her mind she needed to shut the door once she entered her office. The office had enough ears already. Seated in her chair looking out the window as the sunset over DC, I made myself visible.

“The angle of your window captures the beauty of the sunset perfectly.”

As expected, Chief Rawlings reached for her gun and drew it. I spun the chair around and rolled my eyes. “Is that any way to greet me, Chief?”

“What are you doing here?” She didn’t lower the gun, but neither did she call for help.

“You asked me to come to DC.” I spread my arms wide. “Here I am.”

As she stepped to the side, I didn’t need to read her mind to see her alarm had dialed back. “And just who are you?”

“Are we really going to dance this way?” When she didn’t lower the gun or answer, I stood up. I let out a loud sigh and told her mind not to see me. “Very well, we’ll do this the hard way.”

Moving the gun side to side, she searched for me without success. Slowly, I made my way to her right side and changed my appearance. “I’m right here.”

I caught the gun as it swung toward me and pulled it from her hand. Before she could react, I holstered in back at her waist. “Can we stop this game? I came a long way at your request to help find Detective Griffin.”

“I have no idea who you are.”

“And yet you reached out to me and begged me to help.” Ryan might have been right and I shouldn’t have come. Anyone other than Daniel Griffin and I wouldn’t have.  “If you want me to go I will, but you should know your office is bugged.”

“What?” Her head darted all around as if being alerted to the problem she could find the source. “Where? How?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve made sure our conversation remains private.”

“How do you know this?” The question lacked any skepticism. She accepted my words as true.

“Chief, I know quite a lot. I’m a spirit.” I wasn’t sure how much Griffin told her, so I kept with the script.

Rather than continue the pointless banter, I walked over to the most accessible bug.  Using my index finger I called her over. I pointed to a button on a ceremonial uniform jacket that hung in a glass case on the wall.

At first she didn’t do anything, but after she moved closer, her eyes quickly went wide.

“Don’t worry, it’s not picking up anything.”

“You disabled them?”

“No, they still work.”  I moved the material of my trench coast aside and pointed to the black box. “This makes sure they don’t hear anything.”

“Can I get….”

“No, you can’t have one.” I let the greenish cloth fall back in place. “I didn’t neutralize them because I still need to find who planted them.”

“This is impossible.” She stared at the small microphone/camera again. “We sweep my office regularly and have never found anything.”

“Evidently these people have better technology than MPD.”

“But not better than you.” Her words held more than a hint of accusation.

“What benefit is there to me in telling you I’m the source of the bugs?”

“Maybe not you, but whomever you work for.”

I doubted she believed that, but I cut her some slack. Finding out her office had been compromised couldn’t be easy. “I don’t work for anyone, but even if I did, there would be no benefit to me in revealing their secret.”

I let that sink in while I made sure no one listened in person. Slipping into her mind, I found what I expected.

“We need to focus on finding Detective Griffin and not on trapping whomever bugged your office, Chief.” I tilted my head at her shocked expression. “I read minds.”

She experienced another moment of disconcertion as she realized you couldn’t bargain with the devil and without dealing with his machinations.  I knew she was a strong woman, but I suspected even she had a breaking point. Today couldn’t be the day she reached it.

“Chief.”  She seemed started by my voice. “Sit down and I’ll help you sort this out before we figure out how to find Griffin.”

“I thought you said we needed to focus on Danny?” Thankfully she didn’t need me to ‘tell’ her mind to take her seat. “Why the change of heart.”

“First, I don’t have a heart. Never forget that.” I needed to be careful with how I proceeded. Ryan and my new found privacy trumped anything or anyone – even Griffin. “But I’ve not changed direction. I’m convinced the two situations are related. How else would whomever took Griffin know I exist?”

“The FBI knows.”

“Yes, and the director also knows how to reach me.” I hadn’t ruled the bureau out entirely, but they didn’t sit high on my list of suspects. “He didn’t need to kidnap Griffin to make contact.”

“They could be the source of the information.” The hope in her voice needed to be squashed if we were to succeed.

“Also true, but even if they were, whomever took Griffin specifically wanted you to contact me. The director’s office might also be compromised, but that doesn’t mean Griffin’s disappearance isn’t linked to your office being bugged.”

Silence followed and she avoided looking at me. I nearly laughed that she thought eye contact was required to read her mind. But I didn’t want or need to know her thoughts. When she reached a resolution, she leaned back in her chair, trying to project an aura of confidence.

“What do you suggest we do next?”

The false bravado in the face of such alarming information added a degree of respect to my opinion of her. “First, I need to know who in your department you can trust?”

 

Be Sure To Check Out The Briefs Of These Other Flashers:

Chris T. Kat

MA Church

Shelly Schulz

Nephylim

Cia Nordwell

Renee Stevens

Elyzabeth VaLey 

Victoria Adams

Tali Spencer

Jon Keys

JC Wallace

Julie Lynn Hayes

Lily Sawyer 

200th Post

This is my blog’s 200th post. I wish I had something stupendous to announce, or wildly entertaining. Instead I figured I’d use it to do what I had planned to do today all along – post an update. Boring? Perhaps, but I try to make it mildly interesting if I can.

When I started this site/blog, it was meant to promote my first book and the others that would hopefully follow. I had no idea what that really meant – even if at the time I thought I had it all figured out.  In the 199 posts that preceded this one, I learned a few things that I hope will make the next 200 better.

I’ve almost finished Book Two of Champions – well the rough draft. I hope to have this finished by mid December and submit it and see what happens. Hopefully by next month’s update I’ll know for sure when I plan to submit it.

Right now it’s NaNoWriMo and I’m taking a stab at successfully doing it.  I’m writing a story I’ve titled Harp Strings. This is a contemporary story so it’s a bit of a new genre for me. Although I wrote Second Shot and Bettor To Lose, neither of those were submitted for publication. This one will be – hopefully it will get picked up.  I’ve posted the rough draft of the first chapter if anyone wants to take a peek and let me know their thoughts.

Harp Strings – First Chapter:

If you want a short synopsis, check out my home page on NaNoWriMo

Also, because this is post 200 and I promised something mildly interesting, I’ve also posted the first chapter of two other stories I’ve started – typically if I have a new idea that needs to be written, I’ll take a break from what I’m doing and write as much as I can of the new story. Some get more than others.  But here are two that I’ve started:

ArchAngel:  Chapter 1:

I’m quite sure how much to write about the plot – I don’t want to give too much away so I’d want to think about it a bit more before writing too much.  The basis of this is there are Angels living among us and we don’t know. The story revolves around Nick Fenton who is not all that lucky at love. He blames part of it on having a totally hot best friend/roommate who always seems to be the center of attention.  But things are never as they seem including Nick’s lack of a love life.

Dlgen: Chapter 1:

I’ll be honest, in some ways, this is the story I most want to write. But it is also another series and I really need to finish Champions before I start a new one.  Dlgen get’s it name from the warriors graced by the gods with special talent. There are 5 levels of Dlgen,  and I planned to have 5 books each one following Harlan as he progresses through the ranks.

Harlan is 18 when the book starts, his father – Telg is the only living Dlgen of the fifth order. Telg adopts Harlan after he comes upon Harlan being attacked by the other boys in his village. Harlan has been disowned by his family and cast out. But Telg saw something special in Harlan and claimed him as his own son.

Harlan is indeed special. The gods have chosen Harlan and  Stefrem, a prince of Gillum, as the ones to protect the world from a return on an ancient evil. But first these two need to figure out that they don’t hate each other.

My plan is to finish NaNoWriMo and then finish Champions – book two. The rest of Champions is written – in rough draft form – so I hope to get all those books out in rapid succession after book two.  Once that is over, I have to decide what to focus on next.

So here’s a quick Poll – what should I focus on after I finish The Eye And The Arm; Book Two of Champion of the Gods? Please vote and leave comments if you like.

Take Our Poll

‘lil q Teaching Us How To Make Pizza

As some know, I’m the cook in the family.  But this year is my first time doing NaNoWriMo so I felt I needed a little help in the kitchen. ‘lil q volunteered to help and she told her daddy how she was going to make the pizza for dinner.

Guest Author: M. A. Church

M.A. Church is stopping by to day to talk about her new release – The Harvest: Taken. I’d say more, but I think her post does a better job of explaining what her newest book is all about.

Guest Author: M. A. Church

Aliens?

Spaceships?

Breeding programs?

And life-changing events that’ll take me on a journey which will lead to the love of a lifetime.

http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/The-Harvest-Taken.aspx

Life changed for all of humanity in the year 2050 when the aliens first appeared. The name of their planet was Tah’Nar—and it was dying. Originally, the Tah’Narians were an intersexed warrior race. Chemical warfare had essentially rendered them sterile. Many scientists, from all over the world, eagerly volunteered their assistance to aid the alien race. The benefits to our own world hovered foremost in the mind of every government official present at the meeting.

The Tah’Narians required DNA for their harvesting program. Since we couldn’t duplicate their technology, those males who were to participate had to be transported to their world, which, of course, triggered all sorts of questions from people. If these aliens were so advanced, why couldn’t they extract the needed DNA? Why did humans have to be taken off-world? The story had more holes in it than Swiss cheese.

After about a week of this, a press release from our government stated that the two strands of DNA were too fragile to be frozen and transported through space. The release claimed that the nucleobases—the four molecules that form the genetic building blocks of DNA—would be damaged and might even disintegrate once the alien starships jumped to star drive, the method used to travel through time and space so quickly. People, however, could be protected in ways that extracted DNA couldn’t.

Agreements were reached with each government—and boy, didn’t that take a while—that these men would be returned to Earth once the program was completed. Here in the United States a lottery system was set up, and each young man between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-eight was assigned a number. Once a year, for the next five years, numbers would be drawn and a new set of one thousand men would be collected and escorted to holding centers.

Medical and psychological tests would be run on the subjects, and, if they passed the tests, they’d be transported to waiting spaceships. Other industrialized nations followed our example and set up their own lottery systems. Word soon leaked that only gay men were being targeted, but our government vehemently denied this accusation.

The media coined the expression ‘The Harvest’ for the times when the Tah’Narians would return to collect these young men. I was seventeen when the aliens first appeared, so my parents assumed I was safe. The final collection would be done before I turned twenty-three. I didn’t fall within the guidelines the aliens had established, so I thought I had nothing to fear.

I was wrong.

My name is Dale Michaels. A simple name, right? Nothing very memorable about it, that’s for sure. Or about me, either. I’m just a regular guy with average looks, a loving family who didn’t care I was gay, and good friends.

Just a guy.

Little did I know just how special I was to one Tah’Narian spaceship captain named Keyno Shou, or how he would change my life. *shakes head* Don’t think he swept me off my feet. He didn’t. What he did do was have me harvested below the agreed age limit, take me from my family, mutate my DNA so I could have kids, tell me I have a deadly disease, claim me as his mate, and destroy the life I knew.

I was not happy, to say the least. Pissed didn’t even cover what I felt. But what’s a guy to do on a spaceship orbiting Earth surrounded by a bunch of aliens with technology far more advanced than ours?

While I was still trying to figure out what to do or how to handle the attraction I have for Keyno, a bunch of men who were harvested revolted and tried to take over Keyno’s ship… and I got to see how deeply Keyno cared for me. I also met the person who staged the rebellion, the infamous gang leader, Colt 45.

And that was just the beginning of what was to come, lol. This is the beginning of my story; a story that’s action-packed, emotionally tough, and truly is the love of a lifetime.

Blurb:

In the year 2050, humanity finds out they are indeed not alone.

Massive space ships appear without warning above the capital cities of all major nations. The planet Tah’Nar is dying. Chemical warfare has reduced the once-intersexed warrior race to sterility. They need fresh DNA in order to reproduce and have an idea for a harvesting program… and so they turn to Earth.

Earth governments negotiate a lottery, and Dale Michael assumes he’s safe since he’s under the Harvest age limit. How wrong he is. He’s illegally harvested and claimed by Tah’Narian starship captain Keyno Shou. From the moment Keyno sees Dale, he knows he must claim the spirited human male for his own. What he doesn’t expect is a spitfire with a mind of his own—and a deadly disease that will require a risky procedure to cure.

Excerpt:

“Where the hell am I?” Soft sheets rubbed against my bare skin as I sat in the bed. My heart picked up speed. This wasn’t good, really not good. I was all alone and in a bed, someone’s personal bed. All sorts of horrifying images paraded through my head as to why I was there, but I wasn’t sore and there wasn’t any physical evidence, so rape wasn’t a concern. Yet. I needed to get out of the damn bed—that was top of the ‘do right-fucking-now list’. And God help me, I needed to get dressed—why offer up an easy target, after all?—and find a weapon.

I had worked up a good head of steam when another door in the room slid open. There stood the same Tah’Narian from before. Now that I wasn’t loopy from whatever they gave me, I remembered that these aliens had deeply tanned skin and were damn well tall. I wasn’t exactly small—I stood an inch or two over of six feet and weighed two hundred pounds—but most of them were bigger and taller than me, including this one. He had to be over six feet five inches of densely packed muscle—and my ass was still in bed.

“Dale, you’re awake. Excellent.”

The white-haired Tah’Narian slowly advanced into the bedroom with me, his movements cautious. My mouth fell open. Of all the things I had expected, and I had built up a horrible list, this wasn’t one of them. My nerves actually settled down to just jumping madly.

“I-I can understand you. But how…? Why…? Um, what do I call you? Who are you? Why am I here? I shouldn’t be here. Ah, and where exactly is here? And what the hell am I doing in bed?” Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have pointed out that last one.

“Please stay calm, Dale. I mean you no harm. My name is Keyno Landium Shou. I think it’ll be easier for you to call me Keyno. Let’s start with the easiest thing first. While you were asleep, a translator was surgically implanted in your brain.” He walked farther into the room. “It translates over ten thousand known languages.”

“You… you… you… put something in my head?” That was his idea of easy things first? My hand shot up to my head, fearfully searching for an incision as I watched him.

“There is no incision. We have medical equipment that can regenerate tissue and leave no scar. I have a mirror if you’d like to see, check and make sure there is no scar.” He reached for a drawer by the bed.

Suddenly it struck me why he was so familiar with this room. This was his room, his bed—and here I was, sitting in it unclothed and completely at his mercy. Fear slammed into me again as the implications of that sunk in.

“God, this is your room, isn’t it? Oh, please don’t—” Shaking, I pulled the sheet up to my chin. It wasn’t much of a barrier, but it was all I had. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“I won’t hurt you.” Keyno froze by the bed, horror showing on his face. “Dale, never would I hurt you. You’re safe with me, understand?”

I didn’t answer, just stared at him, unsure what to say or what to do. He called this safe? What was his idea of safe, anyway? Bet it differed from mine. Maybe he needed to switch channels on that communication thingy.

“Okay.” Keyno took a deep breath when I didn’t answer. “Why don’t we just… tell you what. Would you like something to eat or drink? You’ve been asleep for nearly twelve hours.”

Was he kidding me? Eat? Anything I put in my stomach was going to make a reappearance. “Can I get dressed? I don’t have… all my clothes are… Jesus.” I wanted out of his bed, the sooner the better.

I huddled beneath the sheets, terrified of this creature that had overseen me being forcibly questioned and who had admitted to sticking stuff in my brain, suspicious, and more than a little angry. Why was he acting so nice and concerned? I had no reason to believe he was nice. Was this a trap? Was he trying to trick me for some reason? That guard had told me that I’d been chosen, and I’d been harvested illegally. Then the human doctor had told me that this alien had called me ‘my chosen’.

I had put two and two together and didn’t like what I’d come up with. I had many questions I needed answers to, but I didn’t know which one to start with and wasn’t sure I could hold on to my temper. Then there was the little problem of stark raving fear. But one thing I knew for sure—I wanted to be dressed. Sitting here naked had me at a distinct disadvantage.

Author bio:

M.A. Church lives in the southern United States and spent many years in the elementary education sector. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have two children. Her hobbies are gardening, walking, attending flea markets, watching professional football, racing, and spending time with her family on the lake.

But her most beloved hobby is reading. From an early age, she can remember hunting for books at the library. Later nonhuman and science fiction genres captured her attention and drew her into the worlds the authors had created. But always at the back of her mind was the thought that one day, when the kids were older and she had more time, she would write a book.

By sheer chance she stumbled across a gay male romance story on the web and was hooked. A new world opened up and she fell in love. Thus the journey started. When not writing or researching, she enjoys reading the latest erotic and mainstream romance novels.

My links:

Blog http://machurch00.blogspot.com

Twitter @nomoretears00

Facebook: M.A. Church http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Chur…;

The Harvest FB fan page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/theharvest00

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141393.M_A_Church

Wednesday Briefs – October 30, 2013

Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the title and name to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

Sealed in Stone #19, byTali Spencer:

“Once you are inside the nom, we cannot protect you, not truly. We can only try.” Jayn sounded tired, and old. Lines of care creased the skin bracketing her lips.

Willem adjusted his work belt, glad to be wearing tools again. A sturdy chitin case at his feet held his larger tools. Though Jayn was certain he’d been included on the team for reasons other than to do stonework inside the nom, he still hoped for it. Humans had created works of wonder inside Pesht, most known only through drawings and rumor. Havar’s Folly. Vayna’s Chamber. The Throne of Kavra. 

A New Beginning – 3; by Andrew Q. Gordon:

I hung up the phone, and wished for the first time in months that I could swap Gar in and out at will. Then I saw Ryan staring at me. His lips were taut and he twisted a napkin so tight the tip of his finger had turned red. It didn’t take much to realize I never wanted Gar back–ever.

“So…..” Ryan unwound the paper and wrapped it back.

Controller, by Jon Keys:

Hello Kitty? Why in the hell would I want a USB drive that looked like Hello Kitty? The fact I had to pull off its head to plug it in was a step in the right direction though.  Stupid, just really stupid. I flipped through the other USB drives and found a Great Pumpkin drive. God, I loved Charlie Brown and the whole Great Pumpkin thing. I drove Mom nuts with my obsession over it when I was eight. I was determined to wait for the Great Pumpkin.


The Derkelyng, by M.A. Church:

There were myths handed down over the years, stories of another time when there were no Derkelyng. Only humans ruled the land, and legend said these humans didn’t hide from the night. They lived and loved without fear. They had organized schools, governments, banks, a written word, and they owned businesses. They even kept time differently, it was said. Those from the past were not afraid to go out at night; they were not hunted as food…or pleasure.

They had no idea how lucky they were, if that was true. Things were not like that now.

Noah’s New Plan: Chapter 9 by Rob Colton

Noah looked down at the bowl in his hand. Why the heck was he carrying a big bowl of candy corn?

Looking around, he realized he was at work. He had been daydreaming again. His mind wandered back to the thoughts that had occupied his mind seemingly every five minutes or so.

Eli on his knees.

Just the thought was enough to make his dick stiffen in his pants. Again. His underwear felt sticky, stained with pre-come.

Sunrise; by Victoria Adams:

J’dol stumbled back from Kiry’s small shove. She followed him into the little room. “These dressing rooms are small, aren’t they?”

She rummaged through the pile of clothes, picked up a package and ripped it open. “Don’t know whether you like boxers or briefs…” She glanced down. “I do get you like commando, but you can’t walk out into the store without underwear on.”

Twisting around, Kiry pulled the door open. “Put those shorts and running shoes on then come out.” She shook her head. “Gawd, I hope the security cameras didn’t catch you. I’d never be able to explain that.”

Take Flight – 16, by Cia:

“I can do that with my glasses! I’m sure I can.”

Vernon frowned. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this.

The Alchemist frowned. “What do you think will happen to me? I’m sure the king will bring guards, and you’ll be there.”

“What if we find the source of magic and someone becomes a Darkling? The very person who is supposed to keep you safe might put you in danger.”

Sayer couldn’t order the Alchemist to help him, or Vernon to not voice his very real fears. He had similar concerns for Birch, but growing up in the human realm

Darkest Before Dawn, by Shelly Schulz:

The sun was setting, the brilliant shades of orange and red illuminating the farmhouse from behind casting sharp shadows that spread along the mole-hill laden front yard. The porch sagged, paint peeling off, the screen door slammed in the slight breeze, two of panes in the massive bay window were shattered, and taped over with plastic grocery bags. Before she could stop him, Ben dashed from the car and up the rickety stairs to sit on the porch swing. It sank a few inches, the chain groaning with each enthusiastic push from the ten year old.

“This place is a shithole.”

Trapped in Time 2: Chapter 2 by Julie Lynn Hayes:

“Excuse me, sir.” I hear a voice behind me, but I refuse to turn to face the speaker. It’s not Vittorio and that’s all that matters to me. Perhaps I’m not being very sensible, considering we’re in a strange place, and there is no telling whether we’ve landed amid friends… or foes. At the moment I simply do not care.

A hand falls upon my shoulder. I whirl in indignation and shrug it off,  gathering myself to chastise this person. But before I can speak a syllable, my father has arrived upon the scene and he takes matters into his own hands. I bite my tongue instead.

Owen’s Story by JC Wallace:

Owen knelt in the grass, his forehead scraping against the hard ground as he cradled his stomach. He couldn’t breathe. He’d never experienced pain like this before. It was a piercing, ripping pain, penetrating muscle and bone and organs.

“Owen! Oh, God. What’s wrong?” Turk knelt next to Owen in the grass.

Turk’s panic laced voice rode on muffled waves beneath Owen’s heaving breaths. Owen wanted to answer Turk, but his lungs seized and his muscles clenched with unbearable agony. Thoughts raced and chased one another through his mind. Is this what dying felt like? Why was it happening so fast? He’d spent…

Catherine’s Revenge; by Nephylim:

Emma’s headlong dash brought her to the edge of a sparkling lake. She scanned the banks for any sign of her brother. There were none. Away to one side, the sun glinted off a building that seemed to be made of glass. The summerhouse.  Without hesitation, she sped toward it, determined to save Ash from whatever fate awaited him there.

Hope – 5; by Chris T. Kat:

The puppy licked my face with all the enthusiasm of a youngster, then decided it was done and squirmed out of my arms. For a second I feared it would run away, but the pup ventured back into the house, using his head to push open the screen door open.

I followed and made sure to close both the screen door and the front door, just in case the pup decided to stroll around on its own. Afterward, I stood in the hallway, my mind registering that I was swaying on the spot, and as I sniffed the air. It reeked of misery and… it smelled as if someone needed a good wash.

Lily Swayer:

Halloween was Tom’s favorite holiday, even more so than

Christmas.  When he and his older brother, Travis, were kids they would

dress up in the craziest costumes they could come up with. It would drive their

mother crazy, which was half the fun.

They

both looked forward to it every year. As they got older, you’d think the fun

and games would end as they became ‘adults.’   Well, they may have

gotten older, and real life may have been thrown at them and they had to be

‘responsible’, but it didn’t stop them from letting the kid inside shine

through.

A.R. Von:

“Isla, make haste woman! I want to enjoy every single moment of this night. I swear the parties get better and better every year.” I check my watch for the thousandth time, huff out an impatient breath and begin my pacing once more. I hear her moving around upstairs at a leisurely pace and it’s driving me bat shit crazy!

The house has gone silent. I know what’s to come. My darling sister always tries to best me on this night, the celebration of All Hallows Eve. She’s yet to succeed, but it’s a tradition of hers and I don’t think she even realizes it.

 

Wednesday Briefs – A New Beginning -3

A New Beginning -3

I hung up the phone, and wished for the first time in months that I could swap Gar in and out at will. Then I saw Ryan staring at me. His lips were taut and he twisted a napkin so tight the tip of his finger had turned red. It didn’t take much to realize I never wanted Gar back–ever.

“So…..” Ryan unwound the paper and wrapped it back.

“Griffin’s missing.” I knew he’d want more, but he needed to hear everything. Grasping his hands in mine, I removed the constricting wad of napkin and put it on the table. “Let’s go talk.”

“That sounds ominous.” He let me lead him to our small living room.

“It’s not good.” Sugar coating things never worked with Ryan. “The Chief said Griffin and his partner were the only two in the detective’s room. An officer came in to ask a question and found the partner unconscious and Griffin gone. His phone was on his desk with a note.”

I didn’t mean to pause at that point, but the message bothered me.

“So….” Ryan raised his eyebrows and flicked his hands up. “Is this a test? Do you want me to read your mind to find out what the note said, or are you going to tell me.”

“Sorry.” I sat next to him and rubbed his thigh. The muscle beneath the denim had been growing steadily harder. It said because of our proximity, Ryan’s abilities grew faster than any of the previous hosts. “The words were simple–bring me vengeance. I’m not exactly sure what it means.”

Ryan’s body tensed and I knew why. “Clearly it means they want you.”

“When did you get so smart?” Ryan flinched and I regretted the sarcasm. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

“It was, but you…you’re tense, Will. There’s more you’re not telling me.”

“No. I mean that’s all the note said.” Even the Chief didn’t have much to say beyond that except to babble on about how she wanted my help. “It’s the implications that bother me.”

“What do you mean?”

“First, there’s a leak at MPD, the Chief said as much. But, I’ve learned nothing is truly safe in a large organization. Either someone disapproves of something and blows the whistle or there’s one who’s willing to sell information for a price.”

I felt my right eye twitch–something I hadn’t had the tick since law school. My tai chi sessions didn’t fit in our apartment so I had to wait until I finished talking to go outside and unwind.

“Okay, so what’s really got your shorts in a wad?”

Ryan’s choice of words made me snort and I gave his leg a soft squeeze. “Nice image.”

“Figured it might help, you seemed anxious.”

“I am. It not that the information of my existence got out, it’s who wanted it. What I mean is – it’s one thing to want to know where the DUI check points are or who  the undercover agents are, those are things people know exist.”

“Barrington knows you exist, I’m sure he’s behind this.”

“Doubtful. At least not on his own.”

“Why not? I’ll bet he hates Griffin only slightly less than you.”

“They’ve had him under surveillance since the trial ended. The Bureau expected something like this from him. The director called Chief Rawlings and turned over their tracking records to prove it wasn’t him.”

“Oh.” Ryan didn’t say anything else and I knew he grappled with the import of what I’d said. Despite my unease, I didn’t want to rush him. Finally he turned toward me.  “That does make a big difference.”

“Yes, it does.” He wanted me to say more, but I didn’t have my thoughts set. Standing, I fixed my gaze on his. “I need to go do my tai chi. Come with me.”

“Now?”

“You know how it helps me find my focus. Something isn’t right. Worse, even if I can figure out who did this, I’ve no idea why they want me.”

“Can you really trust the director? What if he did it and doesn’t want the chief to know?”

Tugging his hand, I helped him from his seat. “Coming?”

“Will.” Ryan’ s lips curled down slightly – more pouty than mad. “You know I suck at tai chi.”

“And Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“Damn.” His smile – even in the serious moment – proved infectious for me. “You haven’t busted out an oldie but goodie in a while.”

“And you’re using my corny oldie but goodie lines now.”

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out at first. Shaking his head me tugged me toward the bedroom. “You’re making me so uncool, you know that?”

After two steps, I stopped, drawing a yelp from Ryan. When he turned, I pulled him closer before he could speak. Wrapping my arms around his body, I looked him in the eyes. “I still think you’re cool.”

“You don’t count.”

“No? Whose opinion matters more than mine?” I cocked my head and smiled. “I mean if there’s someone else you’d rather be with….”

“Of course not, Will….”

“….I’ll twist their arms off and use them to beat them silly.”

“Will!” He smacked my chest but didn’t make any effort to move. “You can spare me the Dr. Von Frankenstein shtick.”

Rather than answer with words, I leaned closer and kissed him. His lips on mine calmed me. Until it aroused me.

“Tai chi?”

Ryan sighed, kissed me again and nodded. “Yes, I’m coming.”

I let him go and gently pushed him toward our bedroom. “C’mon, it’s a beautiful day and you know how I get when I’m done.”

“Yeah, I know. Last time I was sore for the rest of the day.” Despite his words he smirked.

“Is that a complaint?”

“Nope.” He shucked his shirt and tossed it toward the hamper. “Just a reminder of where the bar is set.”

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