Lex Chase's Blog, page 11
December 14, 2015
Welcome Charlie Cochet with Loving Blitz!
Hello all! Thank you for joining me on the next stop of the Loving Blitz blog tour! A big thank you to Lex Chase for hosting me, and to all the fab folks dropping by! I’m here to celebrate the release of the fourth novella in the North Pole City Tales series.
Each North Pole City Tales story brings us a different type of adventure. In Mending Noel, Tim and Noel overhear a nefarious plot by some corrupt Toy Soldiers working for the Mouse King, putting their lives in danger. In The Heart of Frost, Rudy’s plane is sabotaged, sending Jack on a mission to find those responsible for hurting his true love. In Vixen’s Valor, we have our roguish Vixen inadvertently putting the whole kingdom in danger, and he sets out to right the wrong he created. Loving Blitz throws Cupid and Blitz on a whirlwind adventure as they’re tasked with finding a very special item.
The whole of the North Pole is celebrating a royal announcement, and Cupid is given a most important mission by his captain and friend, Rudy Rein Dear. Blitzen of course is accompanying his best friend Cupid. The two have been best friends since their days at Claus College.
As the only Rein Dear who is part winter faery, Cupid is small and fair, with wispy hair and rosy cheeks. He’s always smiling and cheerful, full of grace and kindness. Blitz is the biggest of the Rein Dears. He’s dark haired and often bristly, except when it comes to Cupid. The two are often found snuggled together on a loveseat drinking some tasty cocoa over at the Rein Dear’s local watering hole the White Hart.
During their adventure, a menacing darkness threatens their hearts and their lives by revealing secrets. There’s something sinister lurking in the shadows, and it’s up to Cupid and Blitz to save the day.
I love a good adventure! What’s your favorite adventure story or movie?
Loving Blitz
North Pole City Tales: Book 4
Genre: Gay Fantasy Romance, Holiday
Length: Novella
Published: Dec, 2015
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781623809492
From North Pole City to Winter Wonderland, preparations are underway after a royal announcement sweeps everyone into a frenzy of festivity. At the heart of the celebration are the city’s most beloved elf pilots, the Rein Dears. Once the Big Flight is behind them, the pilots prepare for the royal event. Assigned a special task of finding an Elska rose, Cupid and Blitzen are unaware of how their friendship is about to change forever.
Yet not all that glitters is gold. The sweet, angelic Cupid hides a dark secret, one that threatens to destroy his Rein Dear status, his friends, and the elf who’s captured his heart. It’s up to Blitzen to help Cupid see the light in the darkness and show him that together they can mend broken hearts.
Loving Blitz can be read on its own, but for maximum enjoyment, it’s recommended the series be read in order as characters from previous books make appearances and previous events are mentioned.
Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Kobo| International Buy Links
Check out the North Pole City Tales series board on Pinterest!
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 adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!
Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. 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.
Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram | Charlie’s Newsletter
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BLOG TOUR DETAILS
Dec 14th – It’s About the Book
Dec 15th – Lex Chase
Dec 16th – Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance
Dec 17th – The Novel Approach
Dec 18th – Joyfully Jay
December 9, 2015
The Super Comedy of Checkmate Ever After!
Hello, Internet! We’ve got quite a few stops on the Checkmate Ever After Blog tour! Today, I’m at The Novel Approach for Genre Talk where I discuss my complicated relationship with LGBT representation in comic books. Over at Anne Barwell’s place, I was discussing of all character types, why superheroes? And at Aidee Ladnier’s place, I was chatting about why comedy in which I discuss sex with balloon animals. Yeah. It’s like that.
Previously I was at Sinfully Book Reviews where Garth took the wheel to share a day in his superheroic life playing sidekick to the baddest of badasses. What’s it like when you’re on an awkward first name basis with some of the most iconic heroes in history? Garth dishes the dirt!
Haven’t pre-ordered your copy?
You can snag the eBook or Paperback from DSP Publications here!
And now you can get Checkmate Ever After these fine places!
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Omnilit
Google Play
And don’t forget! I’m having a fantastic giveaway to make your holidays a little more merry with a 25 USD Amazon Gift Card!
Genre: Sci-Fi Superhero Comedy
Length: Novel Anthology
Published: December 15, 2015
Publisher: DSP Publications
ISBN: 978-1-63476-462-9
Buy: Paperback (and get the eBook for free!) or only the eBook
Blurb:
2nd Edition (Books One – Three)
The day disgraced superhero Memphis Rook literally fell into Hogarth Dawson’s lap, you could say it was fate. But the brawny Rook did nearly crush Garth’s pancreas. What started as two ships passing in the night ended on the weirdest adventure of their lives. Together, Rook and Garth form Checkmate, a daring super duo that keeps Axis City safe from a rogue’s gallery of nefarious villains, dastardly masterminds, and a coalition of calamity. Fighting evil wherever it appears—from reality shows to comic book conventions—Checkmate serves up knuckle sandwiches of justice. But by day, they’re a couple of broke losers who can barely afford a burger and navigating a weird thing called a relationship. Ain’t true love grand? Rook and Garth may be in over their heads, and even super heroes fail sometimes, but they’re ready to take a stand when no one else will. Don’t hate the players, because Checkmate owns the game.
1st Edition of Pawn Takes Rook published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.
1st Edition of Cashing the Reality Check published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.
1st Edition of Conventional Love published by Dreamspinner Press, 2014.
And the all new fourth novella Miracle in Axis City and bonus short What The Water Gave Me, exclusive to the anthology!
About the Author:
Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “We’re all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now, she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.
Weaving tales of cinematic, sweeping adventure—and depending on how she feels that day—Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.
Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, and unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldn’t last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.
She is grateful for and humbled by all the readers. She knows very well she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them and welcomes feedback.
You can find in the Intarwebz here:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LXChase
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lex_Chase
Tumblr: http://lexiconofkittens.tumblr.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lexachase
Site: http://lexchase.com
Follow the Checkmate Ever After Tour!
12/1 – Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House
12/3 – Tali Spencer
12/5 – Sinfully Book Reviews
12/7 – Aidee Ladnier
12/7 – Anne Barwell
12/9 – Genre Talk on The Novel Approach
12/12 – Gaylist Book Reviews
12/15 – Checkmate Ever After Release Day!
December 6, 2015
Urban Fairy Tale Coming In Summer 2016!
You heard that right! Next summer, hit the road one last time with Taylor, Corentin, and Ringo in Urban Fairy Tale! In the final installment of the Screw-Up Princess and Skillful Huntsman Trilogy, the last journey will be the most treacherous!
Want a peek at what it’s about? How will the unedited blurb do for you?
Urban Fairy Tale: The Screw-Up Princess and Skillful Huntsman Trilogy #3
Modern day fairy tale princess Taylor Hatfield has problems. One: he’s a guy. Two: he’s an insomniac Sleeping Beauty. With his true love, the huntsman Corentin Devereaux, they face their most tragic quest of all.
The Library, a clandestine organization, seek to write “The End” on Atticus Hatfield’s reign of terror as the corrupt Snow White and Taylor’s own brother. When Taylor’s family endorses Atticus’s demise, Taylor is chosen to carry out the heartbreaking task. But Atticus is ready for them.
The journey ends with how it began. But instead of a quirky road trip through Americana, they must contend with the insanity of metropolitan freeways and the modern marvels of architecture. An unexpected ally may prove their greatest asset in returning Atticus to himself. But the Library was very specific about Atticus’s death.
With the world of Enchants in jeopardy, Taylor knows what he must do… Go pick an apple.
Coming Summer 2016 from Dreamspinner Press
December 5, 2015
[Flash Fiction Friday] Anne Barwell with “Call Waiting”
Hello, Internet! Anne Barwell drops by for today’s installment of Flash Fiction Friday. She’s here with a little prequel treat from Opus, the spin-off to the Sleepless City series. Meet Simon and Ben, perfect together, that is until Ben’s mother Abby puts the pressure on Simon to meet the family. Things are a little more than complicated just to make the trip to New Zealand when there’s something supernatural afoot.
Call Waiting
by Anne Barwell
“When you write an essay about the war, at least get the right war,” Simon Hawthorne muttered.
He glared at the offending essay, and reached for the teapot to pour himself another cup. With each batch of students, there was always at least one or two who stretched his patience to the limit. History was not that difficult a subject, and it wasn’t as though he was teaching about some obscure border skirmish. WWI was supposed to have been the war to end all wars.
He shuddered, shoving away his memories of it. Most of the time they didn’t bother him, but Christmas brought memories of everyone he’d lost since he had been turned into a vampire nearly a hundred years ago.
It didn’t help his mood that his partner, Ben, was working late and they’d had to reschedule their plans.
The opening bars of Danse Macabre began playing on the stereo. He’d forgotten it was the next CD on the stack. Simon stalked over and changed the CD to something a little more uplifting. He couldn’t help but smile as a much more modern tune, Dancing in the Moonlight, took its place. He’d forgotten Ben had left the CD on the stereo after they’d danced to it the night before. Simon closed his eyes, remembering the feel of Ben in his arms and the way they’d moved together with only a few candles to illuminate the room.
His telephone rang and he answered it, not quite hiding the annoyance in his voice. This had better not be the Supernatural Council wanting help with yet another problem someone else could handle. “Simon Hawthorne speaking. How can I help you?”
“Good evening, Simon. It’s Abby Leyton. I hope I’m not disturbing anything.”
Simon checked the caller ID on his telephone, wondering why Ben’s mother would be phoning this late at night, then realised it would be much earlier in the day for her. Why would she call his telephone? She usually rang Ben directly. “Hello, Mrs. Leyton,” he said cautiously. “I’m sorry, but Ben’s working late tonight. I can get him to telephone you when he gets home if you’d like me to.”
“I know Ben’s working late. I rang to talk to you, Simon.”
“You did? Umm, I mean, it’s lovely to hear from you. How can I help?” Simon hoped he hadn’t sounded too impolite. That last thing he wanted was to upset Ben’s mother.
Abby chuckled. “I know this is probably a little unexpected but I thought it was time we had a decent conversation without my son around to act as a go-between.”
“We’ve spoken directly before,” Simon reminded her, “but yes I agree it is a good idea.”
No, it really wasn’t, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. Was this Ben’s idea? Simon sighed. Surely Ben realised how awkward this was?
“I rang Ben about something earlier, and he told me he was working late,” Abby said, answering the unspoken question. “Can I be direct and get to the point?”
“Of course. I would expect nothing less.” Simon had noticed very quickly that Abby was like her son in that they were both very direct. He liked the quality in Ben, but wasn’t so sure about it being a good thing in this situation.
“Ben talks about you a lot, and I can tell he’s very much in love with you.”
Abby’s voice was warm, which was a good sign.
“I’m very much in love with him too,” Simon said waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“That’s why I’m concerned about something,” Abby continued. “Ben takes photos of everything he loves, and yet he doesn’t send us many photos of you. Why is that, do you think?”
“We sent a picture home with Ange when she came to visit.”
“Yes, and it was lovely to see you and your friends, and I loved the picture of you and Ben your friend Declan gave him. You and Ben look good together.”
“Thank you.” Simon hadn’t known Ben had sent a copy of that to his mother, but it wasn’t surprising. Ben had had a variation of this conversation with her before. “I’m a little camera shy.”
He wasn’t about to tell her he was a vampire and couldn’t be photographed. Luckily, Declan’s portraits were photographic quality and could be passed off as a snapshot. Most people couldn’t tell the difference.
“Hmm, so I’ve heard. We are going to meet you soon, aren’t we? I know Flint is on the other side of the world, but you’re more than welcome to come visit us in New Zealand. Our home would be your home while you’re here.” Abby paused for breath, but it was obvious she hadn’t finished yet. “Ben talks as though he wants to spend the rest of his life with you. I know not everyone gets married these days, and we’re fine with that, but it’s made me realise how little we really know about you.”
Simon took a deep breath, trying to remember what they’d told Ben’s family. “What would you like to know?”
“Don’t worry, Simon. I’m not about to have the future mother-in-law conversation with you.”
It seemed a strange thing to say, as Simon could have sworn they were having one now.
“I love Ben, and I’d protect him with everything I am,” Simon said. “I’m not about to break his heart, and I want to spend the rest of his…our lives together too.” He kicked himself for the slip, and hoped she hadn’t noticed. Being human, Ben’s lifespan was far less than Simon’s, although with their soul bond, that might not be an issue in the end.
“I can hear that you do in your voice.” Abby sounded apologetic. “I guess that was what I wanted to hear, but I would like to get to know you better, especially as you’re going to be a part of our family. Ben’s a good judge of character, but he often thinks with his heart, and it’s difficult when we’re so far away. Having Ange spend some time in Flint with you both was great, but perhaps we could arrange to meet in person sometime?”
“Of course.” Simon didn’t know what else to say. He wasn’t fond of long trips, and it had been decades since he’d been out of the country. Still, better that than Ben’s parents visiting Flint and getting caught up in their world, the way his friend Ange had. “We’ll see if we can arrange to come visit you.”
“Brilliant!” Abby sounded relieved, but also excited. “You must talk to Ben about it, and when we can expect you.”
“It might be a while,” Simon warned her. “I have teaching commitments, and….” He’d also have to arrange for someone to take care of any supernatural business while they were away.
God. What he had just agreed to? How was he going to stay in their home without them finding out he was a vampire?
“Quite a while,” he amended hurriedly. He heard Ben’s key in the front door. “Ben’s home. I need to go. It’s been lovely talking to you. We’ll keep in touch, Mrs. Leyton.”
“Abby, please. After all, you’re part of the family now. It’s been great talking to you too. See you soon, Simon. ’Bye.”
“Everything okay?” Ben kissed Simon lightly after he walked into the room. He took the telephone from Simon and placed it on the table. “What happened?”
“Your mother rang me.”
“Oh. Crap.” Ben sat down next to Simon. “The convo was that good, was it? Should I be worried, or relieved that you two have finally talked, instead of you handing me the phone when things get awkward? Mum didn’t give you that much of the third degree, did she?”
“No. That part went quite well, I thought. She didn’t ask any of the questions I thought she would.”
“That’s good then, right?”
“She wants us to visit with them, and she wants to meet me.”
“Yeah, I thought she might. She’s been going on about it for a while now.” Ben linked his fingers through Simon’s. “We can’t put her off forever, you know.”
“We can’t?” Simon ignored the way Ben rolled his eyes. “Why not?”
“Because I want you guys to meet. They’ll be fine with it. I promise.”
“If you say so,” Simon said.
“You won’t be alone this time, Simon. You’re my family now too.” Ben pulled Simon into an embrace. “We’ll do this together, and when you’re ready.”
“I love you, Ben.” Simon had meant it when he’d told Abby he’d protect her son with everything he was. He’d have to find a way to ensure they never found out about him being a vampire. He’d already had one family turn their backs on him. He couldn’t do it again, nor would he let Ben go through that experience.
“I love you too.”
Superheroic Sidekicks at Sinfully Book Reviews!
Hello, Internet! The Checkmate Ever After Blog Tour continues today at Sinfully Book Reviews! Today, Garth takes the wheel as he shares a day in his superheroic life playing sidekick Memphis-Goddamn-Rook. He goes toe to toe with some very familiar faces, and it’s not a bird, or a plane. If you know what I mean.
Previously I was at Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House with a lovely nostalgic post about the decade of decadence, none other than the 1980s!
Then I was chilling at Tali Spencer’s lovely blog dishing on the top geeky places where superheroes go to have a little…private time. Hello, Twede’s Cafe! Coffee and damned good pie! Don’t forget, the owls are not what they seem.
Haven’t pre-ordered your copy?
You can snag the eBook or Paperback from DSP Publications here!
And now you can get Checkmate Ever After these fine places!
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Omnilit
Google Play
And don’t forget! I’m having a fantastic giveaway to make your holidays a little more merry with a 25 USD Amazon Gift Card!
Genre: Sci-Fi Superhero Comedy
Length: Novel Anthology
Published: December 15, 2015
Publisher: DSP Publications
ISBN: 978-1-63476-462-9
Buy: Paperback (and get the eBook for free!) or only the eBook
Blurb:
2nd Edition (Books One – Three)
The day disgraced superhero Memphis Rook literally fell into Hogarth Dawson’s lap, you could say it was fate. But the brawny Rook did nearly crush Garth’s pancreas. What started as two ships passing in the night ended on the weirdest adventure of their lives. Together, Rook and Garth form Checkmate, a daring super duo that keeps Axis City safe from a rogue’s gallery of nefarious villains, dastardly masterminds, and a coalition of calamity. Fighting evil wherever it appears—from reality shows to comic book conventions—Checkmate serves up knuckle sandwiches of justice. But by day, they’re a couple of broke losers who can barely afford a burger and navigating a weird thing called a relationship. Ain’t true love grand? Rook and Garth may be in over their heads, and even super heroes fail sometimes, but they’re ready to take a stand when no one else will. Don’t hate the players, because Checkmate owns the game.
1st Edition of Pawn Takes Rook published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.
1st Edition of Cashing the Reality Check published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.
1st Edition of Conventional Love published by Dreamspinner Press, 2014.
And the all new fourth novella Miracle in Axis City and bonus short What The Water Gave Me, exclusive to the anthology!
About the Author:
Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “We’re all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now, she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.
Weaving tales of cinematic, sweeping adventure—and depending on how she feels that day—Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.
Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, and unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldn’t last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.
She is grateful for and humbled by all the readers. She knows very well she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them and welcomes feedback.
You can find in the Intarwebz here:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LXChase
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lex_Chase
Tumblr: http://lexiconofkittens.tumblr.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lexachase
Site: http://lexchase.com
Follow the Checkmate Ever After Tour!
12/1 – Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House
12/3 – Tali Spencer
12/5 – Sinfully Book Reviews
12/5 – Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese
12/7 – Aidee Ladnier
12/9 – Genre Talk on The Novel Approach
12/12 – Gaylist Book Reviews
12/15 – Checkmate Ever After Release Day!
December 4, 2015
Checkmate Ever After Blog Tour Kicks Off!
Hello, Internet! Turkey Day is over and I had an awesome vaycay with my lady fair. Which I…promptly flat fell over with Death Cold 2015. Blergh! But the Checkmate Ever After Blog Tour kicked off on December 1st!
In case you missed it I was over at Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House talking about how much I love the ’80s. Going back to the future, and brooding to The Cure, come on by and get your nostalgia on!
And then I was over at Tali Spencer’s place chatting about the geeky locales where superheroes like Rook and Garth go to make out. Twin Peaks? Lost? The Breakfast Club? You don’t want to forget about this one!
…SeewhutIdidthar?
#LexBeShamless
Haven’t pre-ordered your copy?
You can snag the eBook or Paperback from DSP Publications here!
And now you can get Checkmate Ever After these fine places!
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Omnilit
Google Play
And don’t forget! I’m having a fantastic giveaway to make your holidays a little more merry with a 25 USD Amazon Gift Card!
Genre: Sci-Fi Superhero Comedy
Length: Novel Anthology
Published: December 15, 2015
Publisher: DSP Publications
ISBN: 978-1-63476-462-9
Buy: Paperback (and get the eBook for free!) or only the eBook
Blurb:
2nd Edition (Books One – Three)
The day disgraced superhero Memphis Rook literally fell into Hogarth Dawson’s lap, you could say it was fate. But the brawny Rook did nearly crush Garth’s pancreas. What started as two ships passing in the night ended on the weirdest adventure of their lives. Together, Rook and Garth form Checkmate, a daring super duo that keeps Axis City safe from a rogue’s gallery of nefarious villains, dastardly masterminds, and a coalition of calamity. Fighting evil wherever it appears—from reality shows to comic book conventions—Checkmate serves up knuckle sandwiches of justice. But by day, they’re a couple of broke losers who can barely afford a burger and navigating a weird thing called a relationship. Ain’t true love grand? Rook and Garth may be in over their heads, and even super heroes fail sometimes, but they’re ready to take a stand when no one else will. Don’t hate the players, because Checkmate owns the game.
1st Edition of Pawn Takes Rook published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.
1st Edition of Cashing the Reality Check published by Dreamspinner Press, 2013.
1st Edition of Conventional Love published by Dreamspinner Press, 2014.
And the all new fourth novella Miracle in Axis City and bonus short What The Water Gave Me, exclusive to the anthology!
About the Author:
Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “We’re all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now, she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.
Weaving tales of cinematic, sweeping adventure—and depending on how she feels that day—Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.
Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, and unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldn’t last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.
She is grateful for and humbled by all the readers. She knows very well she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them and welcomes feedback.
You can find in the Intarwebz here:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LXChase
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lex_Chase
Tumblr: http://lexiconofkittens.tumblr.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lexachase
Site: http://lexchase.com
Follow the Checkmate Ever After Tour!
12/1 – Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House
12/3 – Tali Spencer
12/5 – Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews
12/5 – Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese
12/7 – Aidee Ladnier
12/9 – Genre Talk on The Novel Approach
12/12 – Gaylist Book Reviews
12/15 – Checkmate Ever After Release Day!
December 1, 2015
New Release! Loving and Loathing Vegas!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Internet! The wait is over! Loving and Loathing Vegas is now available to purchase for your lovely little Kindles and tablets!
Loving and Loathing Vegas is one of the few paranormal stories included in the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar, and I’m honored to be among them. Everyone needs a little literal holiday magic. What’s it about? Have the blurb!
Jackson has loved Vegas since God created Man, literally. As demonic incubi hailing from the Seventh Circle of Hell, Jackson and Vegas have never been anything more than roommates. Now living among humans, they run Eaven, a TripAdvisor recommended detour-worthy diner famous for their devilishly decadent pies. Business is dead on the holidays, and Jackson will gleefully stab himself with a spatula if he has to clean spotless pots and pans one more time.
For fun—or torture—Vegas makes him a bet that should Jackson win, they take a much needed vacation. Should he lose, he’s doomed to clean out grease traps for all eternity. When the challenge is to fall in love with other people by Christmas, it proves Vegas isn’t the least bit interested. But when they find an abandoned baby in the trash, she could be the Christmas miracle to warm Jackson’s cynical heart.
Included in the Dreamspinner 2015 Advent Calendar package, if you didn’t get the package you can still pick it up individually.
November 26, 2015
[Flash Fiction Friday] J.J. Lore with “Tight Spaces”
Hello, Internet! Happy Black Friday! Wait…I mean happy Flash Fiction Friday! Today I have J.J. Lore with me with an awesome sci-fi piece “Tight Spaces.” We meet Shiro, a nervous man with a serious phobia. But sometimes the risk is worth the chance to conquer it.
Tight Spaces
By J. J. Lore
Shiro faced the bright orange decompression suit and wished his palms would stop sweating. The life-saving unit hung against the side of Station Eighteen’s airlock like an insect carapace, but large enough he’d never want to meet the creature that shed it. Against his will he inspected the surface, taking in all the scrapes and dents as well as the overbuilt joints and heavy armoring, all as he was helpless to slow his breathing. Being stuck inside, with all that metal and resin squeezing against his arms, legs, chest… It was too much. Stuck space phobia was stomping all over his ability to function.
“These drills are a real drain, aren’t they?” Veda, his assistant, spoke up at his side before she bent to strip off her outer garments. “I’m not getting my clothes wrinkled in that thing. In a real emergency I won’t care, but this is just for fun. Last year my tunic got caught in a seal and ripped a huge hole in it. I patched it but it still looks like a razor-beaked lorikeet was at it.”
“Right. A hole.” Shiro wished his voice wasn’t so shaky. He was a capable and experienced dock overseer at one of the busiest space stations in this quadrant. He was capable of coordinating myriad dockings and debarkations along with making sure shipments were inspected, tariffs applied, and lifters were on the spot. But the thought of a hole, coupled with being trapped in a decom suit as everything around him was sucked into the void of space, was unnerving. A bead of sweat rolled down his back and he shivered. These emergency drills were necessary according to his intellect, but his gut was shrieking at him to flee.
The hatch clanged behind them and Shiro spun on his heel, glad of the distraction from impending doom. Entering the airlock were two station security officers, imposing in their blue garb and heavy equipment belts. They were deep in conversation, and as they turned to greet the civilians who waited for them, Shiro’s already upset stomach did a deep dive. One was a woman he didn’t recognize, and the other was Maner. Of course it had to be Maner. Full lipped, black haired, muscular Maner, the subject of many fantasies. The officer had arrived on the station three months ago and Shiro hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since. He blamed his single-minded interest on the good luck of wandering into the physical fitness pod when Maner had been finishing up a workout several weeks ago. The vision of Maner’s soaked shirt defining every line of straining muscles still invaded Shiro’s mind at inopportune moments.
Veda called out a happy greeting to the woman and they soon were deep in discussion of a party they’d both been invited to but were unsure about attending. Maner smiled and Shiro wanted to sink into the deck. Maner was just that gorgeous, and now the first time they’d speak to each other, Shiro would be a shaking mess.
He glanced at a handheld display, then glanced at Shiro, his dark eyes alight with interest. “Hello. You’re Shiro? You work in the shipping unit, don’t you?”
With a stiff nod, Shiro agreed, his mouth too dry to speak. Maner peered at him and moved closer. Shiro got a whiff of heated scent tinged with musk and his knees went weak.
“Are you all right?”
All the nerves he’d been suppressing jittered through his body as if he was caught up in a catastrophic resonant yaw. Maner glanced over at the women and angled his broad shoulders to block their view. “Feeling queasy?”
Was it that obvious? Shiro opened his mouth to speak but all the polite words stuck in this throat. He’d better confess his problem even if it meant any chance of impressing Maner was going to flame out like a bad reentry. At least Maner would know if Shiro vomited all over the deck, he wasn’t the cause. “I hate this.”
“Lots of people do. Stuck space phobia is common. I promise to make it as quick as possible.” Maner gave him a small smile and made a few notations on his pad. “Now I understand why you weren’t certified last year. How’d you manage to avoid it?”
“I scheduled dental surgery for that day and never reported back.”
Maner’s dark brows swept up as he gestured at Shiro’s knitted pullover. “I’m impressed. Going to the dentist scares me worse than live fire. You want to go in with all those clothes or strip down?”
The unintentional innuendo jolted Shiro’s imagination and he wished he could erase the sudden image of Maner tugging at his pants or of Shiro returning the favor and pulling at Maner’s belt. His face heated and he pulled up the hem of his shirt, the better to hide himself from Maner’s gaze, if only for a moment. The idea of having even slightly more room inside the suit was motivation enough. As soon as he’d removed his sweater, self-consciousness chilled him as much as the cool airlock. Not meeting Maner’s gaze, he kicked off his shoes and clumsily dropped his trousers, wishing his socks rolled all the way up his legs.
“I like your shirt,” Maner said as he nudged Shiro closer to the decompression suit. His hands were warm.
Shiro glanced down and realized he was wearing one of his old concert commemoratives. “You like Skiride?”
“Love them. Haven’t seen them live since Academy days though. Too far away from their tour stops with remote postings like this one.” Maner’s low, rumbling voice was distracting. With a jolt, Shiro realized he’d already stepped into the bottom half of the suit, his feet sliding easily into the stiff boots. When Maner pulled the inflexible apparatus up to Shiro’s waist, it offered a brief distraction as Maner’s quick fingers ventured near his body. As the weight of the suit clamped around his legs, Shiro’s breath heaved in and out even as his heart pounded.
“Take a look over my shoulder at what your friend is doing.”
Maner’s quiet suggestion pierced through Shiro’s rising anxiety and he glanced over his shoulder at Veda laughing as the helmet settled over her head. A little of the tightness in his chest eased. “She’s fine and you will be too.”
The jacket opened up at the chest like it was going to eat him and Shiro flinched, not caring if he looked like a coward in front of Maner.
“It’s an easy fit.” With that reassurance, Maner had Shiro’s arms in the sleeves and the chest plate clicked shut around his torso like a clenched fist. He sucked in a shallow breath and sweat beaded his skin as the cold metal pressed against his flesh. Shiro’s fingers twitched inside the gloves, looking for an escape but finding only tight sheaths.
Maner drew closer, filling Shiro’s shrinking field of vision. “You’re almost done. Just put on the helmet, activate the seals, and turn them off. Then I’ll get you out.”
Shiro tried not to notice Maner lifting up the bulbous helmet that would soon suffocate him. Maner’s brown eyes twinkled and Shiro stared at him. “What?”
“I was wondering about something.”
“If this thing was going to squeeze me to death?”
Maner shook his head. “Not going to happen. But I’m thinking about something that might.”
Shiro wracked his brain for another terrible fate, but could only imagine being trapped inside an ever-shrinking metallic coffin. Maner raised the faceplate on the helmet and checked the internal sensors. Shiro’s stomach skittered.
“I was thinking we might go out after this.”
“Go where?” Shiro couldn’t tear his gaze from Maner’s even as he settled the helmet over the neck seals.
“Out. For a meal. Or a drink. A Skiride concert would work too, but their next show is about forty-five million light years away, so that will have to wait.” A dimple suddenly appeared in Maner’s cheek as he quirked a grin. A kissable dent in smooth skin and Shiro couldn’t look away. “I’ve been hoping to meet you for a while now.”
Hoping to meet him? Was Maner asking him out socially? One on one? As that idea settled into Shiro’s brain, his body took up a whole new reason to thrum with nerves. “Sure. That’s good. A meal or a drink. Or both.”
A clicking sound filled his ears as the helmet engaged with the suit. Now the open face plate was his only access to air but Maner’s riveting presence seemed to be making all the difference.
“Great.” Grinning broadly, Maner rolled his shoulders like he’d put down a heavy load. “I got half your clothes off, so it only seems right that I take you out before we get started on the other half.”
Excitement at Maner’s blatant invitation made Shiro’s blood race. He barely noticed the faceplate closing, or the way the air pressure altered as the suit’s system calibrated. All he cared about now was studying Maner through the scuffed little window and anticipating whatever came next.
Copyright by J. J. Lore 2015
November 21, 2015
[Flash Fiction] Aidee Ladnier with “True Love at the Fortune Teller’s Tent”
Hello, Internet! Welcome to a special Sunday edition of Flash Fiction Friday! Aidee Ladnier is here with a special piece of girlhood crushes and what lengths would one girl go to hide her affections. But maybe her affections are for the wrong girl.
True Love at the Fortune Teller’s Tent
by Aidee Ladnier
Sarah detoured into the tent, and Evie almost face-planted into one of its support poles. Strung crystals ringed it, glittering thorns on a wooden stem. Tiny lights, like tethered fireflies, twinkled across the ceiling. Sarah giggled, hiding her braces behind her fingers. Evie hated when she did that.
“In here, dolls,” an abrasive New Jersey accent beckoned from further inside.
Sarah dashed through a gauzy curtain and a beaded doorway before Evie could catch her.
The candlelit room beyond exploded with color. Bright pillows cradled a woman in a dark blue caftan. An unnaturally red curl punctuated her forehead below a rhinestone-covered turban. It dappled the ceiling with the reflected light of fat candles scattered about the room.
“I am Madame Irina. Come sit by me, dolls.” She patted a couple of overstuffed satin pillows in front of her.
Sarah plopped cross-legged on the red one, bouncing on the cushion. Evie eyed the strange candles, the many open bowls of water around the room, and a statue of a cat that stared at the fraying hem of her jeans. She dropped to her knees on the green pillow and settled her hands atop her thighs, her sneaker clad feet curled under her.
Madame Irina nodded, and her hands disappeared into the huge sleeves of her caftan, mirroring the frog meditating on the shelf behind her.
“Interested in the future, dolls?”
“Yes.” Sarah leaned forward, the gloss on her lips glinting in the soft light. “Tell us about our husbands. Who are we going to marry?”
The fortune teller remained silent for a long moment, and Evie realized they hadn’t paid her yet. Fortunes ten bucks, the sign outside had read.
Evie levered up to fish the bill from her jeans pocket, and laid it on the gold pillow in front of the woman. “Okay, I paid twenty bucks. What do the cards say?”
Madame Irina folded the bill, and reached behind her to place it in the frog’s lap.
“I’m a palmist, doll. Now one of you give me your hands.”
Sarah thrust hers out, the short rounded nails tipped a delicate pink. The fortune teller peered at her palm.
“Ah, you’re going to do well, doll. Look here,” Madame Irina pointed to a crease and then drew a red painted fingernail up Sarah’s palm. “He won’t be your first choice. That’s a bad one. But this guy, he’s the keeper.”
“Details. Is he tall? Blond? A doctor? A lawyer?” Sarah nearly fell off her pillow as she leaned in.
Evie’s stomach sank. She didn’t want to hear about the man Sarah would marry.
“Nope. He’s a plumber. He’s tall, but not blond, and his name is Sam. You’ll meet him after your 22nd birthday.”
“Unngh.” Sarah sat back with a groan. “I can’t wait that long. Do plumbers make good money?”
Madame Irina smirked. “This one does.”
“Now you, doll.” Madame Irina grabbed Evie’s hand before she realized it. The fortune teller’s hot fingers clutched her hard when she tried to pull away. She opened her mouth to tell the woman off, but the fortune teller’s gaze slammed against the back of Evie’s skull.
And Evie realized, she knew.
The fortune teller knew about the carefully erased search engine history on her laptop. Of the growing realization that shook her shoulders and wet her pillow at night, though she denied it to herself each morning. Knew she had a crush on Sarah. That she wanted to kiss her best friend more than she ever wanted to kiss Danny or Eric or any of the boys Sarah flirted with at school.
Madame Irina’s dark eyes crinkled at the edges. She turned over Evie’s hand and cradled it.
Evie coughed. “So what does it say?” Her dry mouth cracked around the words. “About my husband, I mean.”
“You want me to tell you about the one you’ll love, doll?”
Not husband. The fortune teller didn’t say husband … only love. And Evie ached for Madame Irina to speak, to soothe all her worst solitary fears.
“Yes, the one I’ll love.”
Madame Irina’s gaze pierced her for moment, and then she released her hand.
“The one you love will be worthy, will be enough. You’ll be happy the rest of your life.”
The fortune teller never said “he will”, just “the one”. She kept her secret. Evie released the breath she held.
“Don’t you want more? Like whether he has a big house or one of those ugly classic cars you drool over?” Sarah’s impatient voice startled Evie, and she jumped.
“No.” She didn’t want anything to tarnish the warm feeling in her stomach … someday, someone would love her.
“Well, I do.” Sarah turned her hard gaze to the fortune teller.
“It’s not your fortune, doll.” Madame Irina’s eyebrow rose, and she drew her lips together like the drawstring of a purse.
Sarah huffed, scrambling to her feet. “She’s probably a fake anyway. Come on, Evie, I need cotton candy.”
And the beaded curtain swung behind Sarah before Evie could rise to her feet. She looked at Madame Irina, unsure if she should apologize for her friend’s behavior or just go.
The fortune teller’s eyes glittered and she tucked her hands back into her caftan sleeves.
“It’s you, doll. Learn to love yourself.”
At first, the gravelly, nasal words didn’t register.
And then she understood her fortune. The person she’d love. Was. Herself.
No future girlfriend, no future wife, or even a future husband. She was the only person that would ever love her.
The words gutted Evie.
She whirled to follow Sarah out, blinking at the stinging burn in her eyes.
But as she pulled aside the beaded curtain, and Sarah called for her to hurry, Madame Irina’s hushed voice spoke behind her.
“Love yourself, and then you’ll find her. She’ll be beautiful, doll, and kind, and your children will be, too.”
And Evie’s heart swelled with hope.
November 19, 2015
[Flash Fiction Friday] Ravon Silvius with “One Word”
Hello everyone! Ravon Silvius here with a flash fiction for Flash Fiction Friday! This takes place in the universe of the Enforcers series, in a world run by mages where those without magic—the talentless—live hard lives.
For more of my work, check out my blog at ravonsilvius.blogspot.com!
One Word
by Ravon Silvius
“He can’t speak?”
“Well…that’s not entirely true.” Patrys, clad in the green robes of an apprentice healer, looked down at his notes. He wished he had written them more clearly, the letters curving and jumping indexes of his own nervousness. “He does say one thing.”
“So it’s not a medical problem. It sounds like a psychological one.” The master healer waved a hand, dismissing the entire issue. “And he’s not noble. He can’t pay anyway. Choose a different patient for your case study.”
“But he’s…” Patrys closed his mouth when the master healer raised an eyebrow. “I mean, please, master. It will be an interesting case. An explosion resulting in near-mutism? Perhaps there’s heat damage. I’m good at healing burns. It would be a fine first year project.”
“He’s not even a mage, Patrys. He can’t pay, and the medical college will have no interest in his outcomes. If you want to impress nobility and earn respect as a healer, you have to work with one of them. There’s no shortage of young nobles with various psychological ailments, either, if that is truly what you want your focus to be.”
Patrys frowned, reading the subtext of the master’s words. Don’t waste your time with talentless. Focus on healing some noble mage’s minor problem, and you’ll earn a patron and be on easy street. Nobility is where the money, and the respect, had always been.
Patrys grit his teeth against what he wanted to say. A noble had caused the explosion in the first place, fooling around with magic while drunk.
“Get rid of him and work on bettering your career.” The words, even though Patrys predicted them, stung.
“Very well, Master,” Patrys said. He didn’t stick around to see the master’s nod.
The stark white stone hallways of the medical college suddenly felt confining as he headed toward the examination room. A young man, close to his own age, unharmed after an explosion save for the one strange symptom. It should be a great first year project.
But more than that, Patrys thought as he entered the room where the man waited, is that he wanted to help this man, a talentless man who couldn’t pay any other way.
The man in question looked up as Patrys entered the room. After much arguing with the dormitory official, Patrys had gotten permission to let the injured man stay in his own room, far from the other patients who filled the waiting rooms and the entranceway outside the building. As the best hospital in the nation, located on the outskirts of Arktaine, the capital city, many mages and nobles alike flocked here. Most talentless stayed away.
But not this one. The victim of an explosion in a residential building in the slums, he had been taken in and then left to linger on one of the benches outside the hospital. Patrys had found him there, smelling of smoke and barely able to breath, but he couldn’t resist the silent plea for help he had seen in his dark eyes.
“Feeling any better?” Patrys asked. The man gave a careful nod. Patrys whished he knew his name, but he couldn’t write. Many talentless living in the area were uneducated after the war, their parents having been killed and mages unwilling to allow schools governed by non-mages near the capital.
“That’s fine. I cleared out your lungs, so its no surprise you’re feeling better.” Patrys leaned against the doorway, his heart picking up. “I, uh, haven’t quite made any headway on your voice. My master says its likely psychological.” He swallowed hard. He didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t want to admit he had failed, and that he would have to ask the man to leave.
The man cocked his head, giving Patrys a careful smile. He looked to be Patrys’s age, just 22. A talentless, a man who couldn’t use magic, in a world ruled by mages. Living outside the capital city and unable to read and write. His life must have been so difficult.
“Um, let me do one more exam?” Patrys asked. The man’s brows furrowed, but he nodded.
Patrys was very aware of the other man’s nearness as he approached, of the dark lashes and powerful muscles when the man settled himself on the examination table. Soon enough the awkwardness gave way to professionalism, though, as Patrys ran his hands over the man’s face and throat. He was a healer, and couldn’t be distracted by things like beauty, even if the one before him was very beautiful.
He used his magic as well as his training, focusing on the body in front of him. Old scars from what must be childhood injuries stood out in his mind, but the burns from before, the muscle tears from surviving the explosion, were gone. Patrys had done good work.
But no pride came over him when he stopped the exam and looked into the other man’s eyes.
“My master says…you’re fine now.” The words came out like shards of glass. “Its time for you to go.”
He expected anger, a look of shock, for those beautiful brows to come together in confusion.
But instead he got a shrug as the man hopped off the examination table, and that one word, in the soft voice and tone where Patrys had first heard it when he stopped by the waiting area and leaned down to save his life.
“Thanks.”
That was the only word he could say. Patrys could only assume it was due to the explosion.
Patrys paused, watching as the man headed down the hall. A talentless man, used and thrown away by mages. He may be a servant, or a merchant, or just an illiterate worker down on his luck. Patrys would never see him again.
Patrys would never be able to help him.
As a child, he had wanted to be a healer ever since he had used his first bit of magic to heal a baby bird’s wing. It had been a small thing. But it was beautiful.
Since joining the hospital as an apprentice, he had been told to develop his skills and to win favor with everyone else. Teachers, professors, until he had finally won his apprenticeship with the master healer of the hospital, a man who told him the importance of winning a patron, his next step.
He had lost sight of his goal.
“Wait!” Patrys called.
The man stopped, turning. A small smile came over his face.
Patrys came closer, pausing when he could sense the other man’s body heat. “I still want to help you,” Patrys said. “My master said you should leave. But I’m your healer. I say you can stay, if you want to work with me to figure out what went wrong. I can help you. I want to help people. That’s my goal as a healer.”
The man smiled. “Thanks,” he said. Patrys had to smile back.
