Eli Easton's Blog, page 25

Book Rec: Know Not Why by Hannah Johnson

 

 

I *adored* this book so much. It’s definitely going to be in my best reads of the year list. I’ve been in the mood for a good, solid, straight-up, slow build contemporary–no shifters or magic in sight–and this was exactly what I needed. There are so many things I loved about it.

First, the first person POV narrative voice was so witty and funny. It reminds me of a kinder, gentler “Tell Me It’s Real”. It took me a chapter or two to get into it, but then I just floated all the way through, often laughing outloud. I highlighted favorite passages like a wild person.

Second, I love gfy-coming of age stories and this one was ideal. The main MC, Howie, is 22 but he’s been living at home helping out his mom after his father’s death and he is still a virgin. He thinks he likes girls–until he meets Arthur. At first there’s a lot of antagonism between the two, but Hannah places lots of hints that Howie’s feelings are mixed, to say the least.

There’s a slow-burn romance, which I love, and some lovely UST. Howie and Arthur are very cute together and crazy (obnoxious, funny) Howie helps stiff Arthur come out of his shell.

I loved the setting of the yarn shop and all the secondary characters were fully-fleshed and lovable. Kristy was hilarious and I loved the Mitch/Amber subplot. Lots of sweet, adorable feels and snarkiness. It doesn’t get any better than that!

If there was one thing I would have liked more of, it was the sexy times. Other than a few kisses, all of it was off-page. Which, you know, it doesn’t need to be endlessly explicit, but when it’s an MC’s first time, and first time with a guy, I at least would like to be present for it, even if it’s described in a high-level way, because it is rather transformative. But compared to the joy this book gave me, that’s a minor nit.

I hope Hannah Johnson writes more. I’ll be first in line to buy it. Some of my favorite quotes:

My mind turns back on gradually, clunkily, the way lights go on in a warehouse, row after row, click-buzzz – click-buzzzz – click-buzzzz.

Every piece of me — every nerve, every hair, every damn cell — sings out one matching song in perfect harmony, and that song is FUUUUUUUCK.

…all of a sudden it’s like, here he is, in the flesh, he’s still a flesh-type creature that exists, and it’s flesh that’s been in contact with my flesh, I wish I would stop thinking the word ‘flesh,’ you know what’s a gross, creepy, weird word? ‘Flesh.’ I think my brain is melting. I think I’ve having a stroke. Or a coronary. Or porphyria. I KNEW HE WOULD GIVE ME PORPHYRIA.

“Um,” Arthur says. He’s looking at me dead-on, like he’s forcing himself to do it. God, I wish he would knock it off. I also wish he’d lose his eyelashes in a freak eyelash fire incident. And his lips, too, because all of a sudden I’m looking at them, what is that?”

I miss Lindsay, and we have, like negative chemistry. Innocent bystanders cringed when they saw us within five feet of each other.

“Come in,” Arthur says brusquely in response to my knock — the softest, reluctantest, unknockiest knock in the history of that long, complicated relationship betwixt doors and knuckles.

Well, I could quote this book all day. If you like humor and romance at all you should read this book. I wish I could send it a zillion readers.

Eli

Cover reveal: Stitch

 

 

We have a cover for Stitch!  Stitch is the first volume of a new series called Gothika.  I personally love dark, gothic-romantic stories, and I love m/m.  I was a bit disappointed last year when there didn’t seem to be many new things out in m/m for Halloween that were, well, Halloween-y.  So Jamie Fessenden and I started talking about doing an anthology together. And we had so many ideas that turned into a series of anthologies.  We were fortunate enough to get Sue Brown and Kim Fielding to agree to participate.  Et voila.

Each volume of Gothika has a theme and includes four novellas.  The theme of Stitch is Frankenstein/Pygmalion/Robot type creatures. In other words, one of the MCs is a man-made man.  I have always loved stories like this and there aren’t many in the m/m category.

The stories in this volume include:

Made For Aaron — by Sue Brown

Reparation — by Eli Easton

The Watchwork Man — by Jamie Fessenden

The Golem of Mala Lubovnya — by Kim Fielding

I’ll be posting more about this anthology later.  It is slated for April 2014 publication.  We’ll have a second volume of Gothika out for Halloween 2014.

Eli

Where Do Stories Come From: Guest Post by BG Thomas

“Where Do Stories Come From?”  or  “It All Started With This Really Cute Guy at Church”

In all honesty, my new novel “Hound Dog & Bean” really didn’t start with a guy. But he certainly was the water that started the seeds to germinating!

Ever heard of the author Connie Willis? I hope so. She is amazing, and if I’m correct, she still holds the record for being the most awarded writer ever. She’s won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards.

Several years ago I was extremely fortunate to be her liaison when she was Guest of Honor at ConQuest, Kansas City’s big SF&F convention. That meant I got to spend a ton of quality time with my idol over those three days and I will never be the same. I owe so much to Ms Willis. She not only encouraged me to pursue writing, but she gave me tons of advice that helped shape me into the writer I have become. She used to teach the Clarion Workshop, so believe you me, I received extraordinary guidance! And I didn’t even have to take the six week class!

One thing she taught me was that sometimes a writer will get an idea for a story and then discover it’s just not quite idea enough to be a story. But then sometimes they are lucky enough to have two such ideas that can be married together to create a truly great story.

Such was the happenstance with her multi-award winning novella, “The Last of the Winnebagos.”

Ms Willis is a Colorado resident and that can mean mountainous roads. And if you’re driving in the mountains and you get trapped behind a motorhome, it’s a frustrating situation indeed. You might be in a rush, but believe me, you’re not going anywhere fast with that thing lumbering in front of you. You’ll be lucky if you’re going thirty-five miles an hour.

So she got an idea for story about a not too distant future where such slow-moving gas-guzzling vehicles have been made all but illegal. Sadly though, it wasn’t enough to be its own story.

Sometime later with an idea about another near-distant future where all the dogs in the world had died and the laws against hurting an animal are frighteningly severe. Don’t even get caught hitting at animal if it runs out in front of your car or who knows what the punishment might be.

And suddenly she saw that both ideas went perfectly together and thus was born “The Last of the Winnebagos.” I won’t tell you how the two ideas fit together or I’ll ruin it the story. So read it. Just read it. You’ll be glad you did.

It is Ms Willis’ advice that brought “Hound Dog & Bean,” my new novel, into existence.

My husband and I adopted a sweet little dog from the Great Plains SPCA. We named her Sarah Jane and she has become the light of my life. As I began to talk to the people who work and volunteer their time for no-kill animal shelters, I came to realize I wanted to write a book about these heroes.

I also fell in love with coffee. I used to hate it. Then I got an education from coffee connoisseurs and discovered that Maxwell House and Folgers are hardly what coffee lovers would ever call coffee in the first place. I learned about the difference between Arabica beans and Robusta beans. About the First Wave, Second Wave and Finally the Third Wave of coffee. The small cafés that often roast their own coffee in small batches and purchase their beans from tiny farms are a part of the “Third Wave.”  They pay the farmers a good earning wage to grow high quality beans and get them to harvest over days instead of all at once to insure more of the crop is ripe.

People who really love coffee will pay more for a cup because they know what has gone into the process of bringing them the best drinking experience possible. I have gotten to know Gregory Kolsto, the man who owns Oddly Correct in Kansas City and he fell head over heels in love with coffee and I soon knew that it was something I wanted to write about.

Since in the MM Romance field we obviously need to have two men to fall in love with each other, I suddenly realized that I had an opportunity to take the advice of Ms Willis. My new novel would be about both a man who runs a no-kill animal shelter and a man who owns a coffee roasterie and café.

And here’s the blurb!:

There’s been little love in H.D. “Hound Dog” Fisher’s life since the death of his beloved mom when he was a boy. Bounced around the foster care system, he ran away as soon as he could… and took the foster dog with him. As far as he’s concerned, only dogs have no ulterior motive, never hold a grudge, and offer unconditional love. Now he helps run a no-kill shelter and leaves relationships where they belong: in the back room.

   “Bean” Alexander settled in Kansas City to open his coffee shop after years of traveling. He never expected to open his heart too. When a man with a grudge takes a swing at H.D. while in line at Bean’s shop, Bean jumps to intervene.

  So taking a hit for H.D. gets Bean noticed, and H.D. feels obligated to pay a debt. But then the unexpected happens. A series of misadventures causes H.D. to open up—but falling in love makes him turn tail and run. Trust is a tough road to travel. Will good friends, a dog named Sarah Jane, and a bit of folk magic be enough to bring Hound Dog and Bean a happy ending?

I hope I have done justice to both the wondrous people who run no-kill animal shelters and to fine coffee.

Oh. Gregory, who owns the café Oddly Correct, is heterosexual. Sad for us gay guys. Good news for all the straight ladies! He really does make what is known in the trade as “God in a cup.” His beans are extraordinary. You must try his coffee if you can. I am even going to give you the opportunity—for free!

But lastly I should probably tell you about the cute guy I began this whole thing with, right?

So there I was at church when—Cowabunga! I saw the sexiest and cutest guy I’d seen in a long time. What’s funny is that he wasn’t my usual type, which is bearded and broad and hairy-chested. No. This guy was actually shorter than me (!), slight, and had blond dreadlocks. I’d never thought the hairstyle was particularly sexy, but on this guy? WOOF!

I quite suddenly knew he was my Hound Dog! So over the next several weeks I built up the courage to ask him if he would consider posing for the cover of the book. I am learning the art of photography and dreamed of having one of my photographs serving as a cover for one of my books. What’s more, with this dude, I could have him hold my own sweet dog—Sarah Jane—and she would be on the cover too!

I asked…and he agreed!

And then weirdly vanished. Into thin air. It’s been months and months and months and I have never seen him again.

Luckily the incomparable Paul Richmond came to the rescue and created a cover and a Hound Dog that out-hound-dogged the original inspiration! Needless to say I am a very happy camper even if I never got to drool…I mean, photograph that cute guy.

Okay!  That’s it folks. I hope you will buy my new book. I think you will love it, I really do, and not just because I wrote it. Find it right here!:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Hound+Dog+%26+Bean&osCsid=bfqvecgkr8opvdmaerpdv7s4f6&x=0&y=0

And here’s the promotions!  There will be three—count them—three prizes…

One, an ecopy of Hound Dog & Bean. Comment to qualify.

And Two!—a bag of premium roasted coffee beans donated by Oddly Correct! This is from Finca Sinai – Alfredo Boas. It is a “Best of Huila Winner,” with bright raspberry & lime tones, along with savory cocoa and herb character and a silkier “mouthfeel.” It is not flavored. The description is coffee-language, and you will be amazed at the taste!

For this one you must email me at BGThomaswriter@aol.com, and sorry—you must be in the continental United States for this one. I don’t want to have to take out a second mortgage on my house to pay for mailing this outside the country!

Thank you for taking the time to read me today, Thank you so much to Eli Easton for having me as a guest.

Please (!) check out Oddly Correct’s website! You’ll be glad that you did.  http://oddlycorrect.com/index.html

And finally!! Please—if you are thinking about getting a dog or cat, please consider adoption. They make the best pets and companions. They really do know somehow that you rescued them. I didn’t believe it until I got my own Sarah Jane.

Love and Light to you All.

And Remember!  Leap and the Net Will Appear!

About BG Thomas

B.G. loves romance, comedies, fantasy, science fiction and even horror—as far as he is concerned, as long as the stories are character driven and entertaining, it doesn’t matter the genre. He has gone to literature conventions his entire adult life where he’s been lucky enough to meet many of his favorite writers. He has made up stories since he was child; it is where he finds his joy.

In the nineties, he wrote for gay magazines but stopped because the editors wanted all sex without plot. “The sex is never as important as the characters,” he says. “Who cares what they are doing if we don’t care about them?” Excited about the growing male/male romance market, he began writing again. Gay men are what he knows best, after all—since he grew out of being a “practicing” homosexual long ago. He submitted a story and was thrilled when it was accepted in four days.

“Leap, and the net will appear” is his personal philosophy and his message to all. “It is never too late,” he states. “Pursue your dreams. They will come true!”

Visit his website and blog at http://bthomaswriter.wordpress.com/ or contact him directly at bgthomaswriter@aol.com.

“Superhero” Wins A Best YA of 2013 award from GR

“Superhero” won 3rd place for Best Young Adult book of 2013 from the Goodread’s m/m romance group.  That is so amazing!  Thanks for those who voted for it. You can see all the winners here:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1642136-2013-member-choice-awards-winners-list

 

Oh, Michael!

On December 31st and 5pm EST, I submitted “The Mating of Michael” to Dreamspinner.  This is relevant why?  Because I promised myself (among other people) I’d get it done in 2013 and turn it in in December.  Talk about under the wire!

I’m very exited about “The Mating of Michael” for a few reasons:

1.  It’s my first full m/m novel at 73K words, so it will be in paperback too.  Yo.

2.  I think it’s pretty good.

3.  One of the MCs is Michael Lamont, who had some fun scenes in “The Trouble With Tony” and “The Enlightenment of Daniel”.  People have commented that they’re looking forward to Michael’s story.

4.  I am *in love* with Michael Lamont.

Of course, I love all of my characters to a greater or lesser degree, but I am really gone on Michael.  Physically, he is based on the L.A. model Isaiah Garnica.  Below are a few of my favorite pictures that I put on my desktop while writing.

 

 

Personality wise, though, Michael is very different from any other character I’ve written before. He’s a R.N. and a licensed sex surrogate for Expanded Horizons, the sex clinic that the Sex in Seattle series is based around.  Michael was such an interesting character to write.  He’s extremely empathetic and compassionate and very sensual.  When someone is hurting, he wants to make them feel better, and he does that using his sexuality. He works with clients who really need help for various reasons.  You will meet a few of them in “The Mating of Michael”.

I found it fascinating to research sex surrogacy and tried to represent the field accurately (whilst being entertaining, of course).

What Michael wants most, though, is a love of his own.  Will he ever find a guy who can appreciate his gentle, giving nature and not be freaked out about the surrogacy?  It will take someone very special, that’s for sure.  I discarded several options for the other MC–until I found James.  You’ll learn more about him later.

Estimated publication date:  April-June 2014

For now, here’s an excerpt — Michael working with a new client, Lem Peterson (Note: Lem is NOT the other MC.  Just to be clear!):

EXCERPT (The Mating of Michael, unedited):

When Michael opened the door of his apartment, Lem Peterson looked like he was on the verge of expiring from mortification. His milky blue eyes dropped immediately to stare at his shoes and his round face went an alarming shade of tomato pink.  He looked seconds away from fleeing and Michael steeled himself to prevent that at any cost. He’d just have to be the sweetest, most innocuous little damn ray of sunshine Lem Peterson had ever seen.

“Mr. Peterson? It’s so lovely to meet you. Please come in. It’s drafty in the hall, isn’t it?”

Michael’s apartment was on Capitol Hill, Seattle’s gay neighborhood, and it was in a converted old house. Michael loved the high ceilings and 1900’s mouldings, but it was a bit cold. Nevertheless, the nudge was meant more to give Mr. Peterson a good reason to step inside. Thankfully, he did.

“I…” Mr. Peterson said, before his throat apparently closed up. He was still looking at his shoes.

“Do you like hot tea?  I made a nice pot of chamomile. But I can also make you a cup of coffee if you prefer.”

Choices. Give the man something to agree to.

“Tea is fine. I like tea. Thank you,” Mr. Peterson said in a very soft voice. He dared a glance at Michael’s face before blushing harder and looking down again.

Well, that was progress.

“Good. I’ll go get the tea. You can toss your coat on that chair and take a seat on the sofa in the living room. I’ll be right there.”

Michael stepped into his little kitchen, giving Mr. Peterson a chance to hopefully decide to take off his coat and sit down. Michael’s living room was cozy and warm, with deep orange and red Oriental prints, an electric space heater, low lighting and a few lit candles and incense. He hadn’t gone all out with the candles, didn’t want to scare Mr. Peterson off, but a few were always nice to create a relaxed ambience. Soft instrumental Hindu music played in the background.

When Michael brought out a tray with a pot of tea and two Japanese cups, Mr. Peterson was sitting at the far end of the couch, pressed up against the side. He’d removed his coat but not his scarf.  Michael put the tray down on the coffee table and took a seat in the middle of the couch. He poured tea into both cups.

“Cream or sugar?”

“No thank you.”

Michael held one of the cups out to Mr. Peterson.  The man hesitated, then took it quickly, as if afraid to get too close to Michael’s hand. Michael made no comment.

“So you’ve been working with Dr. Halloran. What do you think of him?” he asked, sitting back casually.

Mr. Peterson sat with his thighs close together, leaned forward with both elbows on his knees. He was not a small man, at least two hundred pounds, and the position looked uncomfortable, poor guy. He held the small teacup with two beefy hands.

“I like Dr. Halloran,” he said quietly. He darted a glance at Michael. “I’m very nervous. I’m s-sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Michael said softly. “You can be whatever you want with me. You’re safe here.”

“But, I mean, you’re so….”

Mr. Peterson chugged his tea in a single gulp, then turned redder.  Damn, the tea was hot. That probably hurt.

Michael spoke lightly. “I’m just me, and you’re just you. I hope we can be friends.”

Peterson darted a look at him and nodded once. “That would be nice.”  He shifted his shoulders uncomfortably.  “I’m really sweating. I’m sorry.”

“Are you hot? Sorry about that. I get chilled.” Michael got up and shut off the floor heater.

“It’s okay, I—”

“Can I take your scarf or would you like to keep it on?” Michael stood in front of Mr. Peterson, smiling.

Mr. Peterson’s eyes got stuck at Michael’s waist, darting back and forth as if fascinated by his sweater.

“Okay.” He swallowed loudly and took off the scarf and handed it to Michael. Michael put it on the chair with Peterson’s coat and sat back down where he’d been before.

“What exactly makes you nervous about being here? Would you like to talk about that, Mr. Peterson?”

“Please call me Lem.”

“Thank you, Lem. You can call me Michael.”

“Okay. Michael.” Lem reached out and poured himself more tea, which Michael counted as a win. “You’re very… handsome. It makes me nervous to be around… men. I mean any man who…. you know, isn’t really old or a child or something. My parents… they were wonderful people, but they didn’t approve of s-s-sexual feelings of any kind.” Lem blushed again. “Not that I have sexual feelings for you,” he said hurriedly. “I just get nervous around anyone when it’s even a possibility.”

Michael could tell Lem had been working with Jack. He seemed to have a handle on what the issue was, at least.

“I understand. But I think that’s sad, that your mom felt that way about sex. Sex is a part of love, and love is the nicest part of being a human being.”

“That’s what Dr. Halloran says.” Lem looked down at his cup. “I’d like to get better.  I’d like to be able to maybe… m-meet someone. Or maybe be with someone I’ve already met.”

Michael perked up. “Oh? Do you like someone now?”

Lem tittered nervously. “Not exactly but… I have a client named John. I do his taxes. He… he seems to like me. I think. But I have no idea how to… I mean, I get like this when he comes to my office, and it’s….” He trailed off weakly.

“That’s good though,” Michael smiled. “It’s so much easier to work at therapy when you have a specific goal in mind, don’t you think? Have you talked to Dr. Halloran about John?”

Lem nodded. “He thinks it would be a good goal for me to be able to go out on a d-date with John. But I have a lot of work to do before I would feel comfortable doing that.  I mean, look at me. I’m a mess.” He chuckled nervously.

He was, poor thing. His voice shook, his face was still red, and he had sweat gleaming on his temple. He couldn’t meet Michael’s gaze for more than a second at a time and he looked about as uncomfortable as a Lutheran in a flop house. But he was still here, bless him, and he was talking. That took heart.

“Well, I think you’re doing great. Tell me what kind of guys you find attractive.”

“I don’t know. I don’t really care about that. Just someone nice I guess.”

Lem seemed put off by the question. Well, that topic was a no go. Michael made himself take a breath and try to get a read on the situation. He wanted to make Lem feel less anxious, and Michael sensed he was scared to death about what might be coming, about the possibility of contact. It was like being worried about a first kiss on a date.  Maybe it would be better to just get it over with and make sure Lem knew the game plan.

“We’ll take this slow, Lem, don’t worry.  For today, I’d love to just talk to you and get to know you better. And maybe we could try having you touch my hand. Would that be okay?”

Lem sort of shuddered and studied the cup in his paws. “I… how would that….”

“Do you have a pet?”

Lem smiled and glanced at Michael. “I have a Pekenese. Her name is Margaret. She’s a really sweet dog.”

“I love dogs! Do you pet Margaret?”

“Oh, yeah. We watch TV together at night, and she sits on my lap. I pet her a lot. That doesn’t bother me,” Lem said in a rush.

Michael’s heart ached for Lem, but at least he was getting some affection in his life. Thank God for animals.

“Then maybe you could try touching my hand the way you pet Margaret. See what you think of it.” Michael carefully placed his hand, palm up, on the sofa between them.

Lem glanced at it and then away. “You have a n-nice hand.”

“Thank you.” Michael left it there.

Lem put the cup down and rubbed his eyes.  He turned his body, which was stiff with tension, slightly on the couch toward Michael. With his eyes fixed on Michael’s hand, he licked his lips and then reached out and touched Michael’s palm. He kept his fingers tightly together and petted Michael’s palm three times before putting his hand back in his own lap.

“That was nice,” Michael said gently. “It felt good. You doin’ all right?”

“I’m okay.” Lem whispered.

“Good. Would you like to try it again? And this time, I’m going to give you an assignment, all right? I want you to describe for me how it feels—the texture, the way it looks, anything that comes into your mind.”

Lem took a deep breath and licked his lips nervously. He reached out and stoked Michael’s palm again, this time with his index and middle finger taking a more active role.

“Your… your skin is cooler than mine,” he said. “But then, I’m, uh, I’m really w-warm right now.”

“Your fingers do feel warm. What else can you tell me about how it feels?”

“It’s softer than I thought it would be. Softer than my hand. Maybe you use lotion?”

“I do use lotion. What else?”

“You have a lot of lines in your palm.” Lem stroked them lightly. “Is that supposed to mean you’re an old soul or something?”

Michael smiled. “I’ve heard that. I don’t know if I believe it. Do you?”

“I don’t have much of an imagination, I’m afraid,” Lem said self-depricatingly.

“Being practical is good. Sometimes I wish I was more practical. Is there anything else you notice about my hand?”

“You have very l-long fingers. Long and thin.”

“Do they feel boney to you?” He elevated his index finger so Lem could get around it.

“Um…” Lem felt it cautiously.

“It’s okay. You can say whatever comes into your head. I won’t be insulted.”

“Maybe a little boney.  But not in a bad way. More like, I dunno, a bird or something.”

Michael smiled. “That’s a lovely image.  How do you feel inside when you touch my hand?”

“All right.” Lem kept petting Michael’s hand as if it was, indeed, a Pekinese. “But I’m not really thinking about it like… like… you know.”  He couldn’t get the words out, and just thinking them made him blush scarlet again and pull away his hand as if he’d been caught doing something wrong.

“Like something sexual? That’s okay. It would be awesome for you just to get used to touching someone. You don’t have to think about it in a sexual way right now.” Michael left his hand on the couch.

There was a tentative pause before Lem reached out and touched Michael’s palm again. By his elevated breathing, and the blotchy affect appearing on the back of his own hand, Michael would put money on the fact that Lem was thinking about sex this time. Michael felt a little touch of arousal as Lem stroked his palm. He could go with it and get hard if he wanted to, not because he found Lem physically attractive, but because the man was sweet and he tugged hard at Michael’s empathy. But Lem was far from needing an erection from Michael, and if he sensed there was one, it would probably scare the poor guy to death. Michael took a deep breath and willed it away.

“That feels really nice,” Michael said gently. “Would you like to talk about how it makes you feel when you think about sex?”

Lem huffed. “Bad.”

“Bad how?”

“G-guilty. Like it’s wrong to think about it. To want it. Like I’m a bad person.”

“When you pet Margaret, do you feel guilty about that?”

Lem looked insulted. “No. But I don’t feel that way about her. I mean, she’s a dog.”

Michael smiled. “I know. But it’s affection. You give Margaret affection and she gives you affection in return.”

“I guess so.”

“Do you think she likes it when you show her affection?”

“She loves to be petted.”

“And you feel happy when she licks your face and shows you she loves you?”

“Sure. She’s my best friend.” Lem smiled at the words. He really did love that dog.

Lem was petting Michael’s palm, calmer now, and Michael let his fingers curl up just a little so they brushed against Lem’s hand as it moved.

“That’s not something to feel guilty about, is it? Giving affection to your dog and getting it in return.”

“No. But that’s different.”

“It is different. But when you really like a person, and they really like you, then it’s natural to want to show each other affection. And sex is a great way for two people who really like each other to show affection and make each other feel good, feel happy. You don’t need to feel guilty about making someone happy, or even making yourself happy.”

“That’s what Dr. Halloran says. He says my body was made for it, or I wouldn’t have those feelings.  I wouldn’t be able to… you know, if my body wasn’t made to do that.  It’s just like it was made to breathe or eat and digest food and eliminate waste. That means it is by definition natural and being natural means it’s not wrong.”

Michael could tell Lem was a logical thinker, and this reasoning brought him some comfort.

“Well, Dr. Halloran is a hella smart guy.”

Lem frowned, looking conflicted. “I know that’s all true in my head. That is, I know it now, but it’s hard to change your thinking. I was always taught I shouldn’t… t-touch myself and stuff because it was a sin and God found it disgusting.”

Lem’s voice shook a little and Michael knew there was a tidal wave behind those words, years of rants, years of belittling.  He felt so bad for Lem. He just wanted to hug him tight, but Michael had to take this slow.

“It is hard to change your way of thinking, but you’re your own person, not your parents, and you said you’d like to have a relationship someday?”

Lem swallowed. “Yes. I really do. I don’t want to be alone.”

“Then you can do it. I have faith in you. Dr. Halloran is a really good doctor. And I’d like to help.”

“Thank you,” Lem said to Michael’s hand. “You seem like a very nice person. This is….” He expelled a heavy sigh. “This is the first time I’ve ever touched anyone like this. I’m still nervous but… it’s not bad.”

“Yeah?” Michael felt a swell of pride and pleasure. God, he was such a basket case. It meant more to him to hear someone like Lem say holding his hand was ‘not bad’ than having some good-looking leather daddy plow him in a club’s bathroom. By a million miles.

He tried very hard not to sound as moved as he was. “Well, I think you’re doing great, Lem. Would like to hold my hand now? We can just sit here and chat while we do that. I’d like to hear more about what you like to do for fun.”

Lem froze, his hand hovering over Michael’s. “I guess that would be all right.”

It was clear he wasn’t sure how to go about it, so Michael interlaced his fingers with Lem’s and placed their paired hands on the couch.

“There. Okay?”

Lem gulped. “Okay.”

“So tell me what TV shows you like to watch…”

 

 

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014

A year’s end summation post about my writing life in 2013 and my goals for 2014.

2013 IN RECAP

1.  Launched Eli Easton

In March I paid my favorite web designer to help me create an Eli Easton website.  I also got a URL, email, facebook page, and twitter account for Eli.. At the time I wondered if it was sheer folly. My first m/m romance book written under Eli Easton hadn’t even come out yet, so perhaps I was jumping the gun. But I had a number of books accepted and lined up for publication. More importantly, my heart was in it–I was committed and excited.

I have written under a different name before, but Eli was all about male-male love.  Whether or not she/he/it had any future was a mystery.

2.   Published 10 titles

This was way more than I had in mind!  But I began writing in the fall of 2012 and it just so happened that the pub dates fell within the 2013 year, starting with my first story as Eli Easton, “A Kiss In The Dark“, which appeared in the Closet Capers anthology in April 2013, and ending with “The Enlightenment of Daniel“, published Dec 18, 2013.   It helped that many of these were shorter works. All in all, I published 3 short stories (“A Kiss in the Dark“, “Caress“, “Before I Wake“), and 7 novellas (“The Lion and the Crow“, “Superhero“, “The Trouble with Tony“, “Puzzle Me This“, “A Prairie Dog’s Love Song“, “Blame It On The Mistletoe“, and “The Enlightenment of Daniel“).

3.  Self-published for the first time 

In November, I self-pubbed “Blame It On The Mistletoe”. This was a happy accident. I submitted both “A Prairie Dog’s Love Song” and Mistletoe to Dreamspinner’s advent.  Prairie Dog got a contract.  What then to do with Mistletoe?  I could have submitted it to another xmas anthology, but I decided to experiment and self-pub it.  I got a lovely cover from Reese Dante (perhaps my favorite all year) and paid an editor.  Would Mistletoe even earn back what I spent?  It did, and it showed me that self-publishing was possible and rewarding.

4. Had a #1 hit on Amazon 

After seeing a number of my releases get lukewarm response (or so it seemed), I was a bit discouraged by October. Was this m/m romance genre really going to make sense for me?  Or was I publishing mediocre work into a glut of other titles?  I was not convinced.  Then “Blame It On The Mistletoe” came along. It hit #1 on Amazon’s gay romance list on Thanksgiving day and stayed in the top 5 for 4 weeks and has gotten over 500 ratings on GR.  Okay, then.  Maybe I can do this.  Maybe not every single time, but at least I’m capable of having a hit.

5. Made some ‘best of’ lists:

A few of my books, mostly “Superhero”, and “Mistletoe”, made some ‘year’s best lists’ and/or were nominated for such on forums.  In the overwhelming sea of constant releases, this kind of recognition is so invaluable, not only to my soul and self-confidence, but to my long-term sales.  THANK YOU.

6. Completed my first full-length m/m novel:

“The Mating of Michael”, Sex in Seattle #3, is 73K words.  It was finished and turned in Dec 31st!

7.  Learned a lot

I’ve learned alot about the m/m romance genre.  Some key points:

*  It’s a small and crowded market.  Not many books sell even a thousand units.  So as a way to make a living, it’s a tough road.

*  The other authors are very friendly.  I’ve made a few valuable friends this year and been supported by a lot of my own favorite authors.  Thank you.

*  There’s not a lot of content editing.  So far, my experiences with my publishing partner, Dreamspinner, has shown me that the editors mostly focus on grammer and punctuation. If a character sucks ass, or a scene doesn’t work, I’m not likely to hear about it.  GOOD, HONEST BETAS ARE KEY.

*  You have no fucking idea what will hit.  Honestly, books I thought people would love they didn’t so much, and books I thought were just okay seemed to strike a communal chord.  Timing seems to be part of it too.  If I figure it out, I’ll let you know.

* Readers want longer book and other Extreme Prejudices. Through the feedback from reviewers, I’ve learned what things readers complain about and what things they like. It’s an ongoing learning process.

* New releases have a very, very short window.  It’s discouraging, but there are so many new titles coming out that you have a week or two of getting readers’s attention, and then you are off the radar forever unless you’re lucky enough to make some ‘best of’ lists.

2013 in sum:

I loved publishing m/m in 2013 and I feel like I’ve made some in roads.  I so much appreciate everyone who gave a new author a try this past year, gave an encouraging review, paid for a book, rec’d my books to friends, or sent me an email.  Without that kind of feedback, a new author is likely to dry up and blow away.  MUCH APPRECIATED.

 

2014

My goals for 2014:

1. Avg 2100 words/day when writing new content, twice that when editing

2. Release 3 novels in 2014 (The Mating of Michael, The Lion and the Crow expanded novel, plus one more TBD)

3. Release 4 novellas in 2014 (2 in the gothika anthologies, 1 in Daily Dose, 1 Christmas novella)

4. Achieve another #1 at some point.  On goodreads have a book with 800+ ratings.

5. Write another YA for pub in 2014 or 2015

I’m still working at a full-time job outside the writing, and one I enjoy, so writing fiction continues to be a heavy side job for me.  But I hope to be able to spend at least a month FT on it at some point late in 2014.

ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR NEW YEAR’S GOALS THIS YEAR!

Eli Easton

 

 

My Favorite M/M Romances read in 2013

I've gone through all my 5 stars reads from 2013 and pulled out the ones that were particularly memorable. You can read through my list here:

http://elieaston.com/elis-favorite-bo...

NOTE: These books weren't all published in 2013 but all were read by me in 2013.

Eli

Eli’s Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 — Christmas/Holiday

Favorite Christmas Stories (read in 2013):

Also see my post on my fav Christmas romances of all time.

I love Christmas romances!  I read a ton of them.  Here are my favorites that I read this year.

Gaudete by Amy Rae Durreson – Childhood friends run into each other years later at the Aylminster cathedral Christmas market.  Lovely language and an Anglophile’s dream.

The Healing Power of Eggnog by Jamie Fessenden – A young man returns home for Christmas for the first time in years after his parents kicked him out for being gay.  He finds they’ve taken in a young, gay boarder.

Let It Snow by Heidi Cullinan – A take off on Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  Hair stylist Frankie gets stranded in a snow storm and is taken in by three gruff lumberjacks.  Funny and sexy.

Merry Gentlemen by Josephine Myles  — Lovely and hilarious story about two ex-lovers reunited at the Bath Christmas market.

Mistletowed by Tara Lain – A screwball rom com in which some magical mistletoe wrecks havoc on the lives of three established couples, mixing them up.  m/m, m/f and m/m/f couples.

Sweet and Sour by Astrid Amara – A man who owns a pickle and relish deli falls for a detective who is undercover as an employee.

The Trouble With Elves by Therese Woodson – A grumpy ex baseball pro who works in a sports store falls for a holiday-loving Santa’s elf. Very cute.

 

That’s it for 2013.  On to the next year of books….

Eli

 BACK to first entry – favorite books of 2013 — Hurt/Comfort.

PREV:  Favorite M/M Romances with Historic / Fantasy / Sci-Fi themes

Eli’s Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 — Historical / Fantasy / Sci-Fi

The majority of what I read is contemporary, but there are exceptions. Some books are just so highly rated and recommended you have to check them out.  Here are some I really enjoyed this past year.

 

Historical M/M Romances

The Gentleman’s Keeper by Sumer Devon and Bonnie Dee – A noble returning to his family estate falls for the estate manager.  Nice regency m/m romance.

The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles – Set in regency England with a paranormal twist, Lord Crane inherited an earldom and a curse and magician Stephen Day is the only one who can help.   Excellent writing.

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk  — Repressed scholar Percival helps Pinkerton detective Griffin decode a mysterious book that may endanger them all. Paranormal/mystery/romance – very well written.

M/M Romances with a Fantasy or Sci-Fi Setting

The Englor Affair by J.L. Langley – Sci-Fi/AU fantasy – This series revolves around a planet where homosexuality among nobles is the norm and young men are sheltered like virginal regency ladies.  A great series and this was my favorite.

Nor Iron Bars A Cage by Kaje Harper (free story from the LHNB event) – Fantasy hurt/comfort. A reclusive, damaged wizard is coerced by his old love to go on a mission for the king.

Truth In The Dark by Amy Lane – A fantastic beauty-and-the-beast type fantasy story.

Worthy by Lia Black (free story from the LHNB event) – There’s sort of a ‘disability’ / My Fair Lady theme here which works for me. Set in a fantasy world, Seven was born with a birth defect that puts him in the lowest dregs of society. He’s rescued by a wealthy master who sees Seven’s potential.

NEXT:  Favorite M/M Romances that are Christmas/Holiday Stories

PREV: Favorite M/M Romances with Sexy Tropes & BDSM

Eli’s Favorite M/M Romances Read in 2013 — Sexy Tropes & BDSM

M/M Romances with a Sexy Trope

What I call a ‘sexy trope’ is a well-used plot hook that leads two men to end up having sex–hypothermia, two detectives pretending to be a gay couple for a case, stuck in a closet, etc.  Typically the sex is very hot.  Here’re my favorites for 2013 (that aren’t on other lists):

The Art of Touch by Dominique Frost – A tough, acerbic business guy reluctantly falls for his annoyingly perky masseuse.  Funny and sexy.

Not His Kiss To Take by Finn Marlowe – I have a thing for medical kink and this book is the best I’ve found. An agoraphobic doctor takes in an abused young straight man.  Very kinky and sexy.

Two Man Team by Jet Mykles – Two friends start having threeways with women, which turn into twoways by themselves.  Sexy friends-to-lovers , gfy story.

M/M Romances with BDSM themes

I’m not a big fan of heavy BDSM as the main plot of a book, but there are some books that combine it with other elements and/or do it so well I have to love them.  Here’re my favorites from 2013.

Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan – Adam is a bookish twink with OCD. He meets Denver,  a big, buff bouncer.  Adam finds relief in surrendering to Denver’s control.

His Roomate’s Pleasure by Lana McGregor – A virginal gay college student comes across his roommate’s porn stash and is fascinated by his first glimpse of BDSM. The two begin to experiment together.

Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan – A young man who picks up some work at a ranch runs into his foreman at a gay bar and they start playing together.  This book is both kinky (as in hot) and sweet.

Training Season by Leta Blake – A flamboyant figure skater spends a winter in Montana and falls in love with a rancher.  Loved the gorgeous character of Mattie Marcus and the BDSM sex is very hot.

NEXT:  Favorite M/M Romances with Historical, Fantasy and Sci-Fi Settings

PREV:  Favorite M/M Romances with Humor