Tempeste O'Riley's Blog, page 42
July 8, 2013
The Story Of Lon And Jim: Torn Apart After 34 Years By The Hidden Evils Of Marriage Inequality | The New Civil Rights Movement
In this exclusive interview, Sarah Beach tells the story of Lon Watts and Jim Heath, who met at church in 1979. It was love at first sight. They went on a date that lasted four days, moved in together on day five, and were torn apart by an unscrupulous relative and the law because they couldn’t marry.
In 2005, citizens in Texas lined up in record numbers to vote on Proposition 2, a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage –- and banning the creation or recognition of any legal status identical or similar to marriage. Supported by obscene amounts of money from conservative right-wing Christian groups, and by such local luminaries as Governor Rick Perry, Focus on the Family, and the Ku Klux Klan, Prop 2 passed by a huge — more three-to-one — margin….
To read the complete story - The Story Of Lon And Jim: Torn Apart After 34 Years By The Hidden Evils Of Marriage Inequality | The New Civil Rights Movement.
July 3, 2013
The Equal Rights Blog Hop
What does being a member of the GLBT community mean to me?
So QTA asked the question “What does being a member of the GLBT community mean to you?” and I had to stop and consider all that it means to me before I could even begin to write this post, lol. For me, being part of a community where I’m accepted and equal is very important, for so many reasons. I struggled with being who I am when I was younger, but most would think being Bi would be easier… Not so in my case. The first real exposure to ‘community’ I had was, sadly, not a group really into equality, not for the “wannabes” and “fence sitters” like me. Mind you, I don’t see being Bi as being a fence sitter, I just don’t base relationships or desires on gender. I don’t have a preferred gender, simple as that.
So when I got a bit older and again tried to dip my toes into the GLBTQ community where I moved to, I was thrilled and blessed with finally finding a home where I fit. I know I’m not the only one out there to suffer the bias against bi’s (I was once told all bi’s cheat. Really? Huh? Guess I’m a bad bi then, lol.) and am now so glad to have found a GLBTQ community where I am free to be who I truly am.
For me, the biggest thing it means is being equal and having an extended family who knows me for me, and loves me just the way I am! Now if the laws could just figure out what equality truly means …
*Note: The wins against DOMA and Prop8 are wonderful, now to get the rest of the country on the equality bandwagon. Where I live marriage is still only for het couples :*(
GRAND PRIZES:
Queer Town Abbey is providing 3 Amazon Gift Cards of $25.00 each and winners will be picked at random
Bold Strokes Books 5 Free ebooks
Less Than Three Press 2 $25.00 gift certificates
Less Than Three Press A 6 month subscription to Less Than Three Press serial site
Rainbow eBooks 2 $25.00 gift cards
How to Enter: To enter both the site and grand prize drawings, answer the following in your comment – What is my preferred gender?
SITE PRIZE: Tempe is offering a $5.00 Gift Card to All Romance!
Please visit each of the blogs, read the messages, leave comments and remember to leave your e-mail address on each post.
Each writer will be hosting their own giveaway on their blogs and offering their own prizes in addition to the grand prizes.
July 2, 2013
Guest Author Wednesdays’ ♥ Angel Martinez
Hello everyone. Today I’m thrilled to have Romance Author Angel Martinez stop by. She’s talking about Living Between Worlds, so keep reading, lol. Don’t forget to leave her a little love below!
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The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez still has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.
She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes. Her work currently lives at Amber Quill Press, Mischief Corner Books, and Silver Publishing.
♥ Site ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Goodreads ♥ Blog ♥
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Hell For The Company
by Angel Martinez
(Part of the Horns and Halos Anthology
Shax, the exiled demon prince of thieves, is more or less content with his life. Banging about the galaxy, pilfering as he pleases, only occasionally being shot at—life is good. Until he finds a pretty, wounded angel crash-landed on a nightmare of an alien island. Life in Hell was never this strange…
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Living Between Worlds
It’s been a bit since I wrote my first novel – that dreaded first, should never see the light of day one that every author has. I realized the other day that it’s close to fifteen years. (Which means I wrote my first novel at the age of ten, Yeah. Let’s go with that.)
While there are many genres I won’t write, there are many aisles I’ve straddled over the years. I write GLBT and mainstream, Science Fiction and Fantasy, genre mashing and straight, have at it single genre stories, full length, sprawling novels, and short stories.
Does it get confusing? Never. But there are distinct differences between writing SF and Fantasy, for instance. It feels as if it actually uses a different part of the brain. So to put them together? Ah. That’s when the world gets weird.
When my co-conspirators over at Mischief Corner Books decided we should do and Angels and Demons anthology, I hesitated. Not really my thing, I said. But my friend, muse and instigative spark, Freddy Mackay, said “write space pirate cowboy demons, like Firefly. With demons.”
Well. Who could resist such a challenge? So Shax was born and the SF novelette romp “Hell For The Company” – a Science Fiction/ Fantasy/ Humor M/M Romance.
How many sub-genres does it take to get to the center of the universe? The world may never know…
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Excerpt
Bullets pinged off the rock beside Shax’s head.
Projectiles? Really?
He ducked lower and tapped frantically at his link, hoping it hadn’t taken damage. “Verin! You there, bud?”
A low growl came back through the link. “This better be—fuck! Is that gunfire?”
“Maybe,” Shax conceded as he flattened himself in the dust.
“What in Lucifer’s name did you do now, bonehead?”
“Um, there were pretties…”
Verin’s cussing became too heated and high-decibel for him to continue the conversation for a moment. Finally, he stopped the tirade. “Get back here, then! Fast as that damn horse you borrowed can manage!”
“About the horse…”
“What?”
“Got shot out from under me. I could, ah, use some backup out here, Ver.”
More grumbling came through but this time accompanied by the sounds of engine startup. “You at least get your damn pretties?”
Shax grinned despite the dire situation. “Oh, yeah. Show you when we’re off this dirtball.”
Engine noise drowned the next round of grumbling. Thank hells. Verin was coming for him. Not that a little thing like a gunshot was going to kill a prince of hell but damn it, being shot hurt. Maybe some demons got off on the whole pain thing, but he’d rather skip it, thanks.
“There’s nowhere to go, scum!” the local protector of law and order bellowed. “Give up now and we’ll most likely hang you all nice and humane instead of skinning you alive!”
Oh, yes, now there’s incentive for you. The shooting had stopped for a moment, so he dared to poke his head up above his rock cover. “How about a third choice?”
“You’re out of choices, boy!”
Shax rolled his eyes at the incredibly witty rejoinder. “How about I go away and you never, ever have to see me again?”
He offered his most charming smile, then dove for the ground swearing a black streak when bullets zinged around him. Ow. Shit. He pushed his hat back, probing gently at his scalp near his right horn. His fingers came away bloody. “I am never going into any bar that has a piano player, ever again. Cheap, shoddy, hick town. Stupid humans.”
The roar of the Brimstone’s engines briefly muffled the gunfire. Shax thought his partner would come in shooting but Verin often had more precipitous solutions. He simply set the ship down on the posse.
“Ew. Squish.”
The few townsfolk who were not under the ship galloped off, suddenly keen to be elsewhere. The loading ramp lowered with the bitchy whine of old hydraulics. Verin stood at the top, huge arms crossed over his chest, tapping one clawed foot on the deck plates.
Shax staggered out of his hiding spot trying hard for an annoyed expression rather than one of profound relief. He pointed to the hull as he stumbled up the ramp. “I am not cleaning that mess off.”
“Idiot.” Verin snorted. “The mess’ll freeze the second we leave atmosphere and burn off the next time we do reentry. So damn planet-bound still.”
“Shut up. Am not.” Halfway up the ramp, Shax stopped. “Why’s the ship crooked?”
“It’s not. Get in here. You don’t look so good, genius.”
Shax was about to admit he didn’t feel so great, either, when the loading ramp inconsiderately leaped up and hit him in the face. The last things he heard were Verin grumble-cussing and soft mooing.
Mooing?
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Semper Fae
by Angel Martinez
Zack thought he had a strange job before. Working as a Marine medic in a secret government installation was odd, but working as a human liaison to the fae and as the personal assistant to a sidhe prince is downright bizarre. Throw in the fact that he’s pretty damn sure he’s fallen in love with his boss, and things are close to unmanageable.
Of course, around the fae, a man learns never to say ‘things can’t possibly get any worse.’ Unexplained events have begun to plague the human world. Strange sightings, spontaneous explosions of magic, and odd bends in reality crop up. When Finn falls terribly ill and a monstrous creature attacks Zack one night, things quickly slide into disaster. Lycanthropy, loose-cannon mages, and Lugh conspire to make a hellish mess out of things – but the real peril begins when Diego loses an important piece of his mind.
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June 29, 2013
Designs of Desire Pre-Order Release!
Please help me celebrate the pre-order release of Designs of Desire, book #1 of Desires Entwined. DoD is available for pre-order in both ebook and print formats, and I couldn’t be happier! It will be available for download and/or shipping on July 29th 2013!
Pre-Order Link – http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4038
Goodreads Link – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18139107-designs-of-desire
Series: Desires Entwined, Book #1
Genre: M/M Contemporary (BDSM/Kink) Romance
Length: Novel / 200 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: July 29th 2013
Artist James Bryant has forearm crutches in every color from rainbow for fun to sleek black for business. He even has a pair with more paint splatters than metal. After his family’s rejection and abuse from a man he thought loved him, James only just gets through the day by painting. He lives in constant fear that he’s not worthy of anything, let alone love.
As CEO of his company, Carrington Enterprises, Seth Burns is a take-charge kind of guy, and he is instantly smitten by the artist helping with his newest project. When he witnesses James suffer a panic attack, a protective instinct he never knew he had kicks in. He truly believes nothing is unobtainable—including James—if he’s willing to put in the time and effort.
James is shy and confused by Seth’s interest in him as a person. With Seth’s support, can he work through his fears to finally find the true love he deserves, or will someone finally land the crushing blow he won’t survive?
June 25, 2013
Guest Author Wednesdays ♥ Andrea Speed
Hello everyone. Today I’m thrilled to have Romance Author Andrea Speed stop by. She’s sharing some about her wonderful Infected series, so keep reading, lol. Don’t forget to leave her a little love below!
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Andrea Speed was born looking for trouble in some hot month without an R in it. While succeeding in finding Trouble, she has also been found by its twin brother, Clean Up, and is now on the run, wanted for the murder of a mop and a really cute, innocent bucket that was only one day away from retirement. (I was framed, I tell you – framed!)
In her spare time, she arms lemurs in preparation for the upcoming war against the Mole Men. Viva la revolution!
♥ Site ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Goodreads ♥ Dreamspinner ♥
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Infected: Undertow
by Andrea Speed
In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.
Now Roan is locked in a coma as the struggle between his human and werecat sides reaches a new extreme. All Dylan can do is sit, wait, and think.
Meanwhile, Roan’s assistant, Holden, wants to shed his old street life and his relationship with Scott, but he can’t seem to do either. Holden doesn’t want a relationship with Scott but finds himself drawn to him all the same, even if he can never fully reveal his past.
With Roan out of commission, Holden looks into the murder of an old friend. At the same time, Fiona takes on a case about underground death matches between infecteds —one with connections to the Church of the Divine Transformation.
Finally Roan wakes only to discover that his shifts have new consequences. His lion’s strength is growing, and he can’t hide from it any longer….
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Infected & Conquences
By now, I’m sure it’s reasonably well know that the inspiration for the Infected series was an article on gene therapy. But there’s more to it than that as well.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say it’s my stealth superhero story. I’ve always wanted to explore what that might be like, to be a real one in a world where they don’t exist, and be a kind that basically no one wants (not even you). But there’s also been something that bothers me, about certain superhero tales and certain shifter tales as well.
Now this isn’t true of all of them, mind you. But in some, society looks so favorably on you (superheroes), or your abilities are so easy to use (mainly shifters, but superheroes as well), it pretty much begs the question why not use them all the time? I mean really, what’s holding you back exactly? While the X-Men are looked on as dangerous freaks, and Banner can’t control his Hulk, and Superman wants to pretend he’s normal, many heroes/shifters don’t have this kind of built in trigger guard. I mean, why not use your powers all the time? Life would be so much easier, in many different respects, and it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense that they don’t. Even the “regular person” argument is problematic, simply because their powers/abilities will always make them different anyways, and “regular” is an issue of self-perception more than anything else.
So – and is this a spoiler? Perhaps, if you haven’t read the first two books, so consider yourself warned – the Infected series is my answer to that as well. The virus that causes werecats doesn’t result in special abilities (except in Roan’s case). The virus inflicts a terrible toll, and those with it are stigmatized. In Roan’s case, he knows he’s different than most, but he isn’t aware of just how different he is until he starts testing those limits. So you’d think he’d use his abilities as much as possible. And sure, he does. But what a toll they take on him. It costs him physically and it costs him dearly, each and every time. In fact, the physical cost seems to rise, slowly but exponentially. And there seems to be a psychic/mental/emotional toll as well. This doesn’t even begin to take into account the toll it takes on friends and loved ones who see you suffering, but can’t do anything about it. Where do you draw the line on helping others when it hurts you to do so? For many, this is an easy question to answer, but, as I’ve established, Roan isn’t like most people.
I don’t mean for this to sound like a downer, although it probably is. But everything in life has consequences, and sometimes I long for a story where we see what those consequences are. After all, in the real world, there are no super heroes with super powers. But if there were, it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t be subjected to the same laws and rues of physics as the rest of us. In the end, it isn’t the powers that really make you special. It’s the choices you make.
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Infected: Freefall
by Andrea Speed
In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.
Conceived bearing the lion strain of the virus, Roan is the only fully functioning virus child in the country—maybe in the world. But that doesn’t mean he’s okay. He’s still struggling with the death of his husband and the guilt of finding new love; his old enemy, the Church of the Divine Transformation, is becoming increasingly hostile; and he’s taken on a tragic cold case involving a long-missing boy.
As Roan fights to control the lion inside him, his world explodes with all kinds of trouble. The leader of the church is ramping up the violence against him, calling Roan out as a traitor to his kind. There’s a loose Infected terrorizing the city. And Holden, male prostitute and Roan’s unofficial assistant, brings him a case involving the suspicious death of one of Holden’s clients, which puts Roan far too close to a murderer for his state of mind….
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Excerpt from Infected: Undertow
Campanelli, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles, drove a ’09 Lexus SC430 convertible, that silver color that automakers seemed to have embraced wholeheartedly in the last couple of years.
There was no fucking way a guy with his spotty employment record could have afforded this car, even if it was years old, but that’s probably where the gambling came in. But considering how fast the leaders of the church died, Roan wouldn’t have been surprised if he ran out and got a huge car loan he knew he’d never have to pay back, although most banks weren’t willing to take a risk on an infected.
Roan called Holden to let him know he didn’t have to infiltrate. Roan could just try and tail this motherfucker until he dropped, but of course, Holden had his phone turned off. The problem wasn’t getting Holden in a place, it was getting him out. If Holden was a true psychopath, he’d be the worst serial killer the world had ever seen, but if he were a true altruist, he’d be the greatest Human that ever lived. Somehow he slipped between all the categories until he was simply himself, a dichotomous, uncomfortable mix between saint and demon, a danger to himself and others. Was this really the sidekick he wanted? Well, it was the sidekick he deserved, so maybe it didn’t matter.
Roan had locked up his office and was in his car when his cell went off. He was hoping for Holden, but he got Seb. “Problem?” he asked, answering the phone.
“I don’t call to shoot the shit, do I?” Seb replied, although it was with a wry hint of humor.
“Not that I’m aware of. Address, nature of problem, severity,” he asked, putting the keys in the ignition and starting the car. Seb let out a slight scoff, but that was all. “Need you at the Bradford Academy, Bellevue. Damn, I wish you just got a GPS, old man. I could give you coordinates.”
“I don’t need another overpriced gizmo I’ll never use—wait, Bradford Academy? Isn’t that that private Christian school?” Since it was in Bellevue, you could also guess it was for rich folks as it was. Not as rich as the Medina folks, but certainly better off than the trailer-park denizens of Kent.
“Yep, and we got a kid who shifted in the bathroom. The school is mostly evacuated, but we have a few unaccounted for, although they may have just run off. The Chief wants this settled with the least amount of bloodshed and as quickly as possible. Get your ass down here. I’ve been authorized to okay an escort if you need it.”
“Holy shit, are you kidding me?” If they wanted all the lights and sirens going, it was a big deal indeed. But the immediate problem stuck in his throat. “Wait—there’s no way a kid could’ve shifted in the bathroom. It takes at least an hour.”
“I know, and the possible shifter is a kid who was marked absent, even though her sister said she’d come to school: a fifteen year-old named Salome Little.”
“Somebody named their kid Salome? The poor bastard.”
“You’re talkin’ to a guy named Sebastian, remember? Now get your ass down here.”
Roan did, driving as fast as traffic would allow, and since it wasn’t rush hour yet, he made decent time. Still, when he reached the school, it seemed like everyone in King County had arrived before he did. He even saw the Channel Six news van, and the cameraman must have known him, because as soon as he got out of the car, he heard the guy say to someone (probably the on-air talent), “Holy shit, I heard he was dead.” Nice to know the local press hadn’t completely forgotten him.
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Infected: Prey
by Andrea Speed
In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.
The murder of a former cop draws Roan into an odd case where an unidentifiable species of cat appears to be showing an unusual level of intelligence. He juggles that with trying to find a missing teenage boy, who, unbeknownst to his parents, was “cat” obsessed. And when someone is brutally murdering infecteds, Eli Winters, leader of the Church of the Divine Transformation, hires Roan to find the killer before he closes in on Eli.
Working the crimes will lead Roan through a maze of hate, personal grudges, and mortal danger. With help from his tiger-strain infected partner, Paris Lehane, he does his best to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind… and occasionally worships them.
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June 23, 2013
Man Up Monday!
An author friend of mine sent me a great poster and link this weekend. I thought I’d share it with everyone, just in case you need the reminder… ;c)
Call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) and ask for an HIV testing site near you.
June 22, 2013
Cover Reveal & Blurb for “Designs of Desire”
Series: Desires Entwined, Book #1
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Artist James Bryant has forearm crutches in every color from rainbow for fun to sleek black for business. He even has a pair with more paint splatters than metal. After his family’s rejection and abuse from a man he thought loved him, James only just gets through the day by painting. He lives in constant fear that he’s not worthy of anything, let alone love.
As CEO of his company, Carrington Enterprises, Seth Burns is a take-charge kind of guy, and he is instantly smitten by the artist helping with his newest project. When he witnesses James suffer a panic attack, a protective instinct he never knew he had kicks in. He truly believes nothing is unobtainable—including James—if he’s willing to put in the time and effort.
James is shy and confused by Seth’s interest in him as a person. With Seth’s support, can he work through his fears to finally find the true love he deserves, or will someone finally land the crushing blow he won’t survive?
I wanted to share the awesome cover Reese Dante did for me! I hope you enjoy it as well as the blurb for Designs of Desire, my first book. It is set to release July/Aug—I will update you all when I know the official release date (and with the preorder link for those of you eager to read the full story of James and Seth).
Thank you all for your support and love. Now, back to working on Desires’ Guardian (Chase’s story!).
June 18, 2013
Guest Author Wednesdays ♥ Nikki Prince
Hey gang! I’m thrilled to have Erotic Romance Author Nikki Prince visiting. She’s sharing some about her new book (Who doesn’t want hot shifters loving on you? Seriously…) and giving us a peek inside! Oh, and there’s even a giveaway! Don’t forget to leave her a little love below!
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Nikki Prince is a mother of two, who’s always had a dream to be a published author in the romance genre. Her passion lies in raising her children as readers, gaming, cooking, reading and her writing. Her mother can now breathe easy about the child who used to get in trouble because she was hiding books everywhere and reading when it wasn’t appropriate.
Nikki’s a multi-published author with several epublishing houses. She loves to write Interracial romances in all genres, but wants to let everyone know to not box her in, because there is always room for growth.
Nikki’s also a member of Romance Writers of America National chapter (http://www.rwa.org) and OCC/RWA local chapter (http://www.occrwa.org) and is a member of the board as Co-Programs Director. She is also a member of the online chapter Passionate Ink RWA.
♥ Site ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ EMail ♥ Goodreads ♥
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Ridin’ Red
by Nikki Prince
(Once Upon A Dream #3)
A race against biological time…
After being used to a life of luxury, Anastasia Trumane has the silver spoon ripped from her mouth. And she couldn’t be happier. Hard work fills her with unexpected pride, opening a world of new beginnings and hopefully redemption for her past. But when she sees her old Dom, Lucien Wolf, old hurts surface.
Lucien Wolf is a Dominant who gets what he wants. He’s found his mate in Bruno Hunter, but their bond isn’t complete. They both need Anastasia. Years ago, Lucien unknowingly started the mating bond with Anastasia. An unbreakable bond. One that would hurt them all if not completed.
One woman, two wolves, a triad forged in kink.
Be Warned: ménage sex (MMF), BDSM, m/m sex, rimming, anal sex, and spanking
Evernight Publishing / Amazon US / Amazon UK / All Romance
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First and foremost I’d like to thank Tempeste for having me on her lovely blog to talk about book three in my Once Upon a Dream series for Evernight Publishing’s Naughty Fairytale line.
Ridin’ Red is my Interracial Paranormal twist on the Red Riding fairytale. It’s all grown up for adults. When I first started writing the story it was only going to be a m/f tale, but then my character Lucien Wolf told me that no, he had a partner by the name of Bruno Hunter as well as Anastasia Trumane.
So when I finally wrapped my head around the fact that this would not only be a ménage but a story of two male shifters who were destined mates and had a wonderful relationship right along with them having a female counterpart the story just flowed.
I had so much fun writing this story and I do hope you all will enjoy Lucien, Bruno and Anastasia.
Note from Tempe: Later this month Taming Drew by Nikki comes out. It’s book #4 in the series and is F/F. Can’t wait!
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Excerpt
Another warning…this excerpt is HOT!
“You’re tense, Luc. Let me release some of that tension for you.”
Lucien knew full well what that meant. He’d give him a blowjob, one that was quick and fast, meant to satisfy him in this moment and get him through to the next. Bruno brought his hands down and undid the zipper of Lucien’s jeans. He freed Lucien’s thick cock from the confines of those pants and groaned.
“Bruno, you don’t have to do this.”
“Oh believe me, I know I don’t have to do it. I want to though. It’s been hours since I had your cock in my mouth. You’re all wound up. What kind of mate would I be not to fix that if I can?” Bruno used his free hand to cup Lucien’s balls then dipped his head to lick his tongue over the weeping tip.
“Mm, nothing like car sex to release some testosterone.”
“This is for you. Relax and enjoy this.” When Bruno gave another long swipe of his tongue over the head of his cock, Lucien hissed in pleasure. This wasn’t just sex; this was pure unadulterated need.
Unable to resist, he gripped the back of the other man’s head, forcing him to take more of his cock into his mouth. Bruno could take a lot. Luc had been with him long enough to know what his limits were along with his fetishes. Bruno prized himself as a connoisseur of cock and damn if he didn’t prove it each time.
The long swipe of Bruno’s tongue along his shaft and the tightening grip was a sure way to get him to come hard and fast. The alpha rose in him, and he started fucking Bruno’s mouth, he pushed more and more of his cock into that willing mouth until he was hitting the back of Bruno’s throat. Like a champ, Bruno took all of him and gave all of himself.
“Fuck!” He came hard, his cum spurting into Bruno’s mouth, and the man took it in stride, sucking harder and drinking down every last bit of cream that flowed until he’d sucked Lucien dry. Lucien sagged back against the seat, swallowing hard to try to get his breathing back under control. All the while Bruno readjusted Lucien’s pants and moved back into his seat as if nothing had happened. Fuck, he loved him.
“Better?” Bruno questioned.
“Much better, thank you, B.”
“I’d say ‘my pleasure’, but that went both ways.”
“That it did.”
“Now I’m sure you’re a bit more focused.”
“Unquestionably.”
Lucien reached over and stroked Bruno’s cheek. Looking into eyes as blue as his own, he could feel the wolf just beneath the surface calling to his. Bruno was of biracial descent, a striking male with olive-toned skin and a body that was rock hard and drool-worthy. Anyone would want him, but Lucien had been blessed to have him.
“She doesn’t know about me, does she?”
“No, it would have been too much to drop on her at once. She just now found out my true nature. She was afraid, but we were together a long while and I did her no harm. I think that’s what softened the blow.”
Bruno nodded his head.
“From what I’ve seen of her, we have our work cut out for us. She was quite a spitfire at the club a few weeks ago.”
“True, but most of that has to do with being led around by her sister Drusilla and my ill treatment of her. I should’ve kept her with me.”
“Luc, looking back like that isn’t going to change anything. When we get her back, you can apologize then.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, B. I love you.”
“I feel the same about you, and let’s hope you never have to think about doing without me.”
Luc dipped his head in agreement, righted himself in the seat, and then started the car. He had to speak with Doc Fairee. It was time to get the man of magic in on this. Everything Doctor Fairee touched turned to gold; he wanted the same to happen with his, Ana’s and Bruno’s lives.
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Giveaway!
Winner will be announced at he beginning of GAW next week. Good luck!
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Guest Author Wednesdays♥ Erotic Romance Author Nikki Prince visits, shares a HOT excerpt from Ridin' Red & a giveaway http://t.co/AZKBVsZDqU
— Tempeste O'Riley (@TempesteO) June 19, 2013
June 12, 2013
Guest Author Wednesdays ♥ Lily Velden
Hello everyone. Today I’m thrilled to have Romance Author Lily Velden stop by. She’s sharing some of her favorite quotes, her delicious book “Same Page: Book 1 How The Light Gets In”, and more! Don’t forget to leave her a little love below!
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Lily Velden lives on the east coast of Australia, her family having emigrated from Holland when she was a child.
She’s both a left and right brain person, holding qualifications in both Finance and Fine Arts. She tells her friends that her way with numbers will make her a profitable artist… one day.
Lily has always had a love of language and a beautifully crafted sentence, often incorporating text into her artworks. When a shoulder injury slowed down her art practice, she decided to explore her love of the written word more fully. “I’ll paint my pictures with words.” All artworks described in her stories are her own.
Lily is a single mum to three little treasures who aren’t so little anymore and when money was scarce she wrote and illustrated short stories for them, casting them as the central characters. The children enjoyed them so much that her daughter still calls her Meha instead of Mum, after one of the characters she created for them.
There are many things Lily loves; here are just a few: the smell of freshly baked goods and mown grass, a smile from a stranger, rainbows after the rain, and witnessing a promise kept.
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Same Page: Book 1 How The Lights Get In
by Lily Velden
He was like the only splash of color in a black-and-white photograph.
The man was beautiful.
At an exhibition opening in Sydney, jaded Hollywood heartthrob Jaxon Moncrieff lays eyes on publicity-shy artist Liam Lassiter for the first time and is immediately captivated. But he doesn’t get far into their first conversation before he realizes what he’s feeling is attraction, which brings him up short. Jaxon has always been a womanizer.
Despite his reservations, Jaxon makes a play for Liam, but Liam has his own issues. Unlucky in love and orphaned at sixteen, he is reluctant to open his heart to anyone, and dismisses Jaxon out of hand.
Driven by a need he doesn’t understand, Jaxon organizes a return to Sydney to film his next project. If he can’t be with Liam, maybe they can be friends. Of course, that creates a whole new problem. Now Jaxon is falling in love for the first time. How can he move their relationship from friends to lovers without destroying the trust he’s worked so hard for?
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Lily Velden
SHARING SOME OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES
I have to admit, I didn’t know what to write for this article. I feel shy to spout off about writing techniques, characterization, world-building etc., when I still blush when I tell someone I’m a writer! Anyone reading some of my recent interviews will laugh and say, “Lily, shy? No way.” But the truth is I am – I’m just one of those shy people who, when feeling nervous and uncomfortable, babbles at 100 miles per hour and feels duty bound to make you laugh so much your ribs will ache.
Rather than beat you over the head with more info about the inspiration for the HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN series, of which, Book 1: SAME PAGE is due out on the 14th June, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite quotes and why they resonate with me.
As I’ve recently confessed in a few interviews, I started filling little notebooks with phrases, poems, song lyrics, dialogue from movies and books, speeches, quotes, etc., when I was in my early teens. I always have at least one notebook on me—LOL, when I lasted visited my daughter in the UK, I took four with me. I’m convinced that’s why my luggage was overweight…
They cover a multitude of subjects, but the one thing they all have in common is that they speak to me. Some comfort me. Others inspire me. Some remind me of what’s important, while others challenge me.
I hope you enjoy the handful I’ve selected to share with you!
Okay, here goes!
CREATIVITY TAKES COURAGE
(Henri Matisse)
Creativity does take courage – particularly if you place your creative endeavors into a public forum. When you do so, you open yourself to a variety of reactions from the public—some will love what you do, some will hate it, and some won’t care either way. You have to be prepared for all three reactions and remember why you felt compelled to create in the first place.
THE SNOW GOOSE NEED NOT BATHE TO MAKE ITSELF WHITE. NEITHER NEED YOU DO ANYTHING BUT BE YOURSELF.
(Lao-Tse)
This sentiment has been expressed, using other words, by many great people, from Shakespeare to Eleanor Roosevelt. I love this version because the Chinese often have a beautiful, visual way of describing things, which appeals to the visual artist in me.
IF A MAN IS NO MORE THAN A COLONY OF CELLS; A MAN IS NOTHING. BUT WE KNOW INSTINCTIVELY THAT A MAN IS MORE.
WHAT HAPPENS, THEN, TO THAT PART THAT IS MORE?
(Anonymous)
Simply, the best argument for the existence of the human soul that I have ever come across!
ART IS MUCH LESS IMPORTANT THAN LIFE, BUT WHAT A POOR LIFE WITHOUT IT.
(Robert Motherwell)
I substitute the beginning of this quote with “The arts are much less important….” as our world would be a much poorer place without creative souls sharing with the rest of us the fruits of their labors. Fancy a world without music, art, books, movies, wonderful buildings and fashions? No thank you! In fact, I think the world needs more creative people!
TAKE RISK: IF YOU WIN, YOU WILL BE HAPPY; IF YOU LOSE, YOU WILL BE WISE.
(Anonymous)
I’m aiming for happy, but wise sounds pretty good too!
If something is worth having or achieving, then it must also be worth the risk of losing something in order to gain it.
TO TRULY LAUGH, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO TAKE YOUR PAIN AND PLAY WITH IT.
(Charlie Chaplin)
Ah, the tears of a clown. This I know and understand.
SEX IS A MOMENTARY ITCH, LOVE NEVER LETS YOU GO.
(Kingsley Amis)
How true are those words? I think it’s why, in my reading habits as well as in my own writing, I’ve always found it sexier when the main characters were in love rather than just hooking up. Love is sexy! Love is compelling. Love is mesmerizing.
WRITING IS A SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
(E L Doctrow)
The first time I read these words, I thought, hallelujah, someone else who has umpteen characters chatting away in his head! Thank God, I am not alone in my lunacy!
I’ll leave you with those words!
I hope you will join me in my lunacy and pick up a copy of SAME PAGE: Book 1 of HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN, which is due to be released by Dreamspinner Press as both an eBook and a paperback on June 14th, 2013. Book 2, THE RACE IS ON will be out over the summer as well!
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Excerpt
FROM SECOND SCENE
As usual, it was still early when I woke, so I closed my eyes and tried to slip back into the dreams I’d been having—dreams of soft auburn hair brushing over my torso and full, oh so kissable lips trailing moist kisses down my neck and chest. I twined my hands in the silky strands. Lower and lower went the kisses….
I sat bolt upright as the russet-framed face looked up at me from between my thighs, and my lust-filled gaze was met with the autumn eyes of Liam Lassiter.
Holy fucking shit! What the hell? I was panting, my arousal painfully obvious. Don’t panic. No need to panic, I chanted to myself in an effort to calm my pounding heart. Jesus, Moncrieff, one knock back, and now you’re obsessed?
Refusing to dignify my aberrant dream by jacking off, I imagined dead puppies and my grandmother naked in an effort to deflate my rock hard cock.
Forget it, Buddy. No way on God’s green earth am I going to give you a treat when you pull crazy shit like that! What the hell’s going on with you? You’re getting excited over a guy now? I muttered silently to my cock. Okay, now you really are losing it, Moncrieff. You are talking to your dick like it’s a real person… but fuck, go down, will you? Fucking wilt, you stubborn bastard!
I was a little horrified at the time it took me, and exactly how long I had to picture my nana naked, to will it away.
The best cure for my malady, I decided, was a strenuous workout. With a quick call, I ascertained that the hotel’s gym was currently empty and would remain that way for as long as I wanted my workout to last. Sometimes being a celebrity wasn’t so bad.
For an hour, I punished my body’s unconscious betrayal with a regimen of cardio and weights before heading back to my room to shower and dress in preparation for the first of six interviews I had to do before attending the premiere of my latest movie.
“Mornin’, Tinker Bell,” I said with a smile, using my nickname for her.
Ally’s reply was to throw a cushion from the armchair nearest her. Knowing her as well as I did, I was prepared for her reaction and ducked in ample time, and the cushion fell harmlessly in the doorway to my bedroom.
“Careful, Tink, or you’ll get me a reputation for trashing hotel rooms!”
“Coffee. Where’s my coffee?” she groaned. “You know I have no sense of humor until I’ve had my coffee!”
I chuckled and walked barefoot to the kitchenette and made a cappuccino for myself and a latte for Ally. This was my one “star request”—I always asked for an espresso machine in my suite, as I liked to make my own coffee. When you drank as much of it as I did, you wanted it to be good, none of that instant crap.
Alison held the cup to her lips, inhaling deeply, her eyes closed in bliss. “God, JJ, if you ever fail as an actor, you could always get work as a barista! You make the best coffee.”
“That’s why I keep you on; you’re so good for my ego. Okay, Tink, lay it on me. Who’s up first?”
Ally went through my schedule with me in detail. Internally, I groaned. Six interviews, each lasting forty minutes, with a twenty-minute break in between and an hour for lunch.
“Okay, so I’m free from four until seven, when I have to be at the premiere?”
She nodded as she noisily drained the dregs of her coffee. I watched, amused, as she darted out her little pink tongue to lick the last of the flavor from her lips. Seeing my barely suppressed grin, she quirked her eyebrow at me.
“What? So I enjoy a good cup of coffee.”
“Whatever, Tinker Bell. I want you to ring Garrett Flemington and organize for him to come here at four or four thirty, as I want to talk to him about buying a couple of pieces from last night’s show. Oh, and some sandwiches and cakes and things would be nice too, please,” I said, trying to sound casual.
“Consider it done, fearless leader!” She saluted me, making no attempt to hide her knowing smirk. “Rather delicious, that Liam Lassiter, wasn’t he?” she added slyly.
“What on earth are talking about, Tink? So I like his art!” I defended.
“Of course you do,” came back her overly innocent reply. It was Alison’s turn to duck as I threw a cushion at her. “Careful, JJ, or you’ll get a reputation for trashing hotel rooms!” she squealed, throwing my words back at me.
I couldn’t help but laugh; she knew me so well. No surprise, really, considering we’d known each other since kindergarten. We were more like brother and sister than boss and employee, and I knew I could trust her implicitly.
I chose not to examine too closely her obvious ease at the thought that I might have found Liam attractive, deciding to save that essay of internal debate for later…
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Gay as Mardi Gras
by Lily Velden
After the demise of his relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Janey, Jesse needs to get away. His nan has just the thing: a month-long cruise around Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. It seems perfect—until Jesse realizes what kind of cruise it is.
A gay cruise.
Since Jesse’s roommate, Daniel, is recovering from a broken heart, the two decide to buddy up. They hit it off, and with Daniel now Jesse’s partner in crime, they explore the boat and participate in all the fun activities on offer—with some, ah, interesting results for straight boy Jesse.
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And if you’re interested in reading another great excerpt and entering to win some excellent prizes, visit Lily’s site HERE!
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May 28, 2013
Guest Author Wednesdays ♥ H.B. Pattskyn
Hello everyone. Today I’m thrilled to have Romance Author Helen Pattskyn stop by. She’s talking about sci-fi conventions, her delicious book “Bound: Forget Me Knot”, and even offering up a $10 GC for Dreamspinner Press! Don’t forget to leave her a little love below!
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Helen Barbara Pattskyn lives with her husband and children (both human and four footed) in a quiet suburb of Detroit, MI. She is working on becoming a full-time writer as well as doing volunteer work and still trying to find time to putter in her garden, watch the stars, and paint.
Helen describes herself as a storyteller, a science fiction geek, and a bookworm; as introverted, but not shy. Her favorite jobs (besides being a writer) have been hawking left-handed mugs at the Georgia and Michigan Renaissance Festivals and painting polyurethane corpses for Gag Studio. She’s also waited tables, cut fabric, and worked as a library assistant. If anyone ever asks, she describes her life as “quiet”—but even she’ll admit that when you condense it into two paragraphs, it suddenly looks a little more interesting.
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Bound: Forget Me Knot
by H.B. Pattskyn
Jason Kennly needs to get a closer look when he spots a gray leather collar from across the dealers’ room at a science fiction convention, even if there’s no way he can afford it on his college student budget. After all, looking is free. But then he spots something he wants even more than the collar: leather booth owner Henry Durand, who insists Jason try it on. When Henry asks Jason to be his model at a bondage demo, Jason agrees despite his lack of experience as a sub and ends up spending a no-strings-attached weekend exploring his kinky side with a virtual stranger.
Then the con is over, Jason and Henry go their separate ways, and it’s back to real life. Coming to terms with his identity as a submissive and masochist isn’t easy for Jason. Suddenly he has to face fear, doubt, and a best friend who’ll do anything to get him away from “that creep” and back together with the ex-boyfriend who ignored him. All Jason wants is to be with Henry, but what if that means becoming his slave?
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Guest Post
I want to start out by saying a HUGE thank you to Tempeste for having me today!
This past weekend, I attended Media*West Con, a science fiction and fanzine convention here in Michigan, with fellow Dreamspinner authors Shira Anthony, Venona Keyes, J.P. Barnaby, and Thea Nishimori. Most of the ladies had never been to a con before. Me? I’m an old timer; I started going to cons when I was barely into my twenties (I’m 44 now.)
Fandom and con weekends meant something different to me when I was much younger woman, though. Back then, I went to a con to escape “real life” for a couple of days. I’m not saying my life was especially horrible, it wasn’t; but fen* are notoriously more accepting of people who color outside the lines than most other people. (*Fen is the “irregular plural” of fan—although I don’t suggest you try using it anywhere outside fandom.) At con, I could hold my girlfriend’s hand without anyone looking at me funny or making lewd comments. I could run around in a short velvet dress, bright floral leggings, and leather collar without anyone making stupid assumptions. Over the years, I got to meet some of my favorite authors, artists, and musicians and I learned that they were real people, just like me.
And even though attendees came to celebrate a wide variety of fandoms, we all had something in common: science fiction. In my case that meant a little more than people who knew why I was wearing an eighteen foot scarf and who laughed at my red shirt jokes.
See, science fiction authors were some of the first to write LGBT characters in (more or less) mainstream fiction. Back when I was in middle school, long before I had any inkling that I might like girls as well as boys, I was reading about gay, bisexual, and lesbian characters in Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover books. Later, Mercedes Lackey ripped my heart out when she gave me Vanyel, who meets the love of his life and less than a hundred pages later has him taken away. And that was in book one of the Last Herald Mage trilogy. More recently, I read the Mag Force Seven series by Margaret Weis. The Mag Force team includes a gay man and transgender woman. One of my favorite moments in the series is when Raoul turns to Darlene (formerly a man) and calmly states that if she’d been born on his home world, his birth defect (i.e. being born the wrong gender) would have been corrected before puberty.
So I guess it’s little wonder that when I wrote my BDSM coming of age novel (do those two things really belong in the same sentence?) Bound: Forget Me Knot that I set it at science fiction convention. The backstory is that I was sitting in the dealers’ room at PenguiCon and there was a leather booth in one corner—although unlike Henry, from Bound, this dealer was selling mostly steam punk stuff—and an adorable little fanboy wearing a fishnet shirt in another. Like me back then, Jason doesn’t feel like he fits in anywhere. My life wasn’t anywhere near as tough as his, but I had a father I’d never met, a mother who really couldn’t be bothered, and a grandmother who tried but didn’t understand me. (I have to take a little of the blame for that one; I sort of hit her with “I’m Pagan” and “I’m bisexual” in the same summer). I had one very best friend, one person I’d known and counted on since elementary school—but after high school, he went off to EMU and then moved to Chicago. I was kind of stuck because I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. (I certainly didn’t think I would turn into the kind of woman who could not only write BDSM but discuss it calmly and without blushing!)
The truth is that I think we all need a place where we belong, whether it’s a church, bowling league, a BDSM play group—or a yearly gathering of Time Lords, Elves, Vulcans (do not mix them up!), Storm Troopers, and Super Heroes. For me, cons aren’t the source of solace they used to be—I’m comfortable in my skin these days—but I still love going back, catching up with old friends and making new ones. I spent a good deal of time last weekend at Media*West talking to young (and not so young) authors and hopefully helped encourage at least one or two of them to pursue the dream of writing the same way I was encouraged twenty years ago.
If you’d like to read a little bit more about Jason and Henry, please visit my blog:
http://www.helenpattskyn.com/p/bound-forget-me-knot.html
Giveaway
If you’d like a chance to win a $10 Dreamspinner Press Gift Certificate and some super cool swag, sign up for my newsletter: (click stamp to the right)
I’ll be drawing a winner from my list of subscribers on June 15, when the first issue comes out.
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Heart’s Home
by H.B. Pattskyn
Outcast werewolf Alun Blayney is jaded, fearful of what could happen if even one human were to discover monsters are real. Police Constable James Heron is an idealistic young man convinced that love can overcome any differences. When they meet over the body of a woman murdered in the streets of 19th century London, they form an uneasy friendship.
As the murder investigation progresses, the attraction between them grows, but before they can see the case or their relationship through, there are obstacles to overcome. A sadistic pack leader is out to get Alun, a daemon has fallen in love with James, and James’s immediate supervisor is determined to pin the recent murders—and last year’s rash of Whitechapel homicides—on Alun.
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