Gay Opera 101: Intro to Making Everything More Difficult Through Song

<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc05jMlzTloXRzBTWeBGGT3gfXX0CnmrZN8Ery9EURpNGmf3sLd67equYjAstw-Sx2tSri41cnYHmS1UDQLpcbLoLBBMYFy_4gOkCfeyt-CzQY5dkZYWqtEIhSEoEbPvqK3EJsAF5LA/s1600/opera1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc05jMlzTloXRzBTWeBGGT3gfXX0CnmrZN8Ery9EURpNGmf3sLd67equYjAstw-Sx2tSri41cnYHmS1UDQLpcbLoLBBMYFy_4gOkCfeyt-CzQY5dkZYWqtEIhSEoEbPvqK3EJsAF5LA/s320/opera1.PNG" width="187" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;">It was a day like any other just chilling in the basement with a good friend getting caught up as it’d been a while since we’d last talked.</span><br /><br />“So I heard you were writing an opera?!” He asked. <br /><br />“Oh yeah…” And I proceeded to walk him through the whole story. Once I finished I tried to read his facial expression. It wasn’t exactly what I’d hoped. It was kind of a mix of worry with a cocked eye and a tad bit of constipation. <br /><br />“What?” I asked. <br /><br />“So you’re going to try and put on an opera at your very conservative school that’s a bible story where the two main characters who are biblical heroes are gay for each other?” <br /><br />I felt my stomach drop. How in the heck had I not seen that one coming? <br /><br />I was already way too far into the process to stop now. I’d been working on the opera for almost four months! I had parts of the cast already waiting for music and a very patient music director nearly threatening the safety of my family to get a glimpse of the music I’d written. <br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">*~*~*</span><br /><br />The story of the opera, entitled David and Glass, in the shortest form possible is this. It is a modern retelling of the David and Goliath story in a fictional modern nation. The son of King Saul, Prince Jonathan, has been kidnapped and the nation is in darkness. David managed to save Jonathan from what could only be described as a Saw-esque nightmare (violence was another contributing factor to difficulties getting this thing performed).<br /><br /><br /><a name="more"></a>This is the first and shortest act of the opera. It’s difficult to swallow both musically and visually and I wouldn’t have been surprised if people had left. The second two acts, which are both considerably longer, chronicle the drama post Jonathan’s rescue. Jonathan falls for David and David finds he shares similar feelings. <br /><br />David becomes a national hero and King Saul becomes jealous of his popularity and begins to manipulate the two heroes into hating each other causing a rift in their relationship before banishing David into exile. Only I’m a sucker for happy endings and where the Bible sends off David alone I said that Jonathan realized his mistake and joined his lover in their uncertain future (according to the bible David would come back to rule). Thus the father is left without his son just like in the beginning of the story and he is crushed by what he’s done. <br /><br />There’s also significant drama in the discovery of who hired the kidnapping and things like that but that’s the basic outline (for a more complete outline you can check out <a href="http://chrislambmusic.com/David_and_Glass.html">here.</a>). <br /><br />And in case you were wondering this story is not a new idea. In fact many believe David was bisexual and Jonathan was gay and they were in love. Check out this verse: “As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” 1 Samuel 18:1. <br /><br />*~*~* <br /><br />I jumped through any hoop my rotund frame could fit and I somehow made it. By keeping certain higher-ups in the dark and being completely honest with others I managed to get the opera scheduled and somehow amidst all that I actually wrote the damn thing too! Then as if to add to the insanity the university did it’s first full live internet broadcast of a performance with the opera!<br /><br />After the scheduling it turned out that we simply did not have the time to produce the opera in full. We ended up doing what we called a “semi-staged concert production”. Concert productions of operas are not unheard of. They simply consist of performing the opera with the singers standing in front of the orchestra and no physical acting, just standing and singing. <br /><br />In the case of David and Glass our orchestra was still in the pit below the stage and the performers were actually costumed. They entered and exited as their characters would and some scenes were slightly acted. I was so proud of what we’d managed. <br /><br />The performance went amazingly! By my count there was almost one hundred people in attendance (not a huge number but pretty big for my modest production). The performers did an incredible job with the total two hours of music they had to perform. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9_jZSskFYjzZTSGF5zehahNBLLUe915D64RNiIaeOKKdGfJfRlOoPp3IHoEOk3HqjgcXn3FmTv-SgrqM4OpA2M6WP27mTe0qitZIBNGipDIjpSNmf2OgMPWsXS4Kdku-aaEYEqU5rw/s1600/opera2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9_jZSskFYjzZTSGF5zehahNBLLUe915D64RNiIaeOKKdGfJfRlOoPp3IHoEOk3HqjgcXn3FmTv-SgrqM4OpA2M6WP27mTe0qitZIBNGipDIjpSNmf2OgMPWsXS4Kdku-aaEYEqU5rw/s320/opera2.PNG" width="320" /></a>After the opera was finished the opera’s leading man approached me as I was hugging my parents and family. He led me to two older gentlemen who I’d not seen before. It turned out they were with the Hampton Roads Artsong Update (the only music publication in the area). The two men who turned out to have been partners for over twenty years were overcome with emotion at the show and were so blown away that they proceeded to write a very (thankfully) complimentary review of the opera. <br /><br />One of the main points of the review boiled down to one sentence “The commitment of his talented fellow students testifies to the enthusiasm of a new generation of young people who will be part of a new day offering equality to gay people in an ever expanding American dream.” It struck me then, the definitely controversial nature of this opera, the performers, singers and orchestra members alike had dove in without question to the project and dedicated a substantial amount of time and energy for NO PAY. <br /><br />While they may not have been doing it for gay rights or anything like that, they knew what the opera was about from the beginning and they had devoted themselves to the project, trusting in it’s composition and believing in its subject. <br /><br />*~*~* <br /><br />Selections from their amazing performance of the work can be heard on my youtube page <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisLambMusic/videos#http://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisLambMusic/videos">http://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisLambMusic/videos</a>. And more information on the opera and my other music can be found on my webpage <a href="http://chrislambmusic.com/David_and_Glass.html">http://chrislambmusic.com/David_and_Glass.html</a>.<br /><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />

Gay Opera 101: Intro to Making Everything More Difficult Through Song

It was a day like any other just chilling in the basement with a good friend getting caught up as it’d been a while since we’d last talked. ...

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Waves Break My Fall - Kendall McKenna

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRKkDMkIQSK_NEIP8jcDEakV1xoflMd3xwLjQB6Ng7b_3zJwixfzVrcA-KjQcD0WQ8kjDkYdMWLsnV7coRLQ2QqR1vFgJ-wnzB_7uVsFI_PGR4EvB-PhOEcgmu6bkst28UOpwYuycwkI/s1600/Brothers_in_Arms-Kendall_McKenna200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRKkDMkIQSK_NEIP8jcDEakV1xoflMd3xwLjQB6Ng7b_3zJwixfzVrcA-KjQcD0WQ8kjDkYdMWLsnV7coRLQ2QqR1vFgJ-wnzB_7uVsFI_PGR4EvB-PhOEcgmu6bkst28UOpwYuycwkI/s1600/Brothers_in_Arms-Kendall_McKenna200x300.jpg" /></a></div>Release Date: July 28th<br /><br />Waves Break My Fall<br /><br />by Kendall McKenna<br /><br /><a href="https://spsilverpublishing.com/index/book_authors_id/188/typefilter/book_authors/" target="_blank">BUY LINK</a><br /><br /><b><i>Blurb: Kage is a Marine, newly returned from Afghanistan and having difficulty adjusting to being home. He tries to decompress with a quiet trip to Puerto Vallarta. Zach is a new college graduate, facing the realities of adulthood. Will their hot summer fling grow into something more? </i></b><br /><br />Just before I sat down to put this post together, I received several comments on a post on my own blog all complimenting the cover of Waves Break My Fall, as well as my first book, Brothers In Arms.<br /><br />Once again, I felt so lucky because, like RJ Scott and all the other authors at Silver Publishing, my covers are created by two of the most talented artists in the biz.<br /><br />When Reese Dante put together the cover for Brothers In Arms, I was stunned at how she absolutely captured the essence of the story and the characters so quickly and easily, and beautifully.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKZ2K2Zd2NigyFwkw6hSv8YlX6q1ZIRHT7knphqvh-lNs_0LxVgiC8ldCaFW9X2FiRD4MAX0Nli8i61FfL4Qcx-AXpeBEjJUgFkCKr8mcVJayL33B8L94AgWgvTzGsRkx7JUaFbUrp7s/s1600/WavesBreakMyFall200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKZ2K2Zd2NigyFwkw6hSv8YlX6q1ZIRHT7knphqvh-lNs_0LxVgiC8ldCaFW9X2FiRD4MAX0Nli8i61FfL4Qcx-AXpeBEjJUgFkCKr8mcVJayL33B8L94AgWgvTzGsRkx7JUaFbUrp7s/s1600/WavesBreakMyFall200x300.jpg" /></a>Not long after, Silver posted that they were searching for another cover artist who was good with photo manipulation. I told my friend, Lee Tiffen, she should go for it. She’d been making gorgeous manips for my personal use for quite a while. She applied and Reese snatched her up!<br /><br /><br />Waves Break My Fall is part of Silver Publishing’s Summer Heat special release. All the books in the release share the same cover art, created by Reese Dante. And what a cover it is! It evokes thoughts of a hot, pleasurable summer getaway. Perfect.<br /><br />So, if you like RJ Scott’s Sanctuary series (strong men being heroic and falling in love), you might like Waves Break My Fall. And you’ll get some beautiful cover art in the deal!<br /><br />Title: Waves Break My Fall<br />Author: Kendall McKenna<br />Publisher: Silver Publishing<br />Cover Art: Reese Dante<br />Release Date: July 28th<br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div>

Waves Break My Fall - Kendall McKenna

Release Date: July 28th Waves Break My Fall by Kendall McKenna BUY LINK Blurb: Kage is a Marine, newly returned from Afghanistan and having ...

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Sex and Cocktails - Meredith Russell

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEDI-cPPEwekVQALINJue4Ily1yzwkRDS8Wm07ZZjxDYfd0-dFi0pYv4f-8Q9n7_NK3OT8EiK3FwLHXhc2g7_7O6P6LGRanFh8NSj7LN-EasU69YBg-55JDrSvjVpPg9WdiZbSi8i2cg/s1600/mr.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEDI-cPPEwekVQALINJue4Ily1yzwkRDS8Wm07ZZjxDYfd0-dFi0pYv4f-8Q9n7_NK3OT8EiK3FwLHXhc2g7_7O6P6LGRanFh8NSj7LN-EasU69YBg-55JDrSvjVpPg9WdiZbSi8i2cg/s400/mr.PNG" width="265" /></a></div><b>After cocktails, Daniel and Ty embark on a passionate encounter in sun-soaked Miami. Living a thousand miles apart makes being together hard, but the last thing they want is to have the heartache of saying goodbye over and over again.</b><br /><br />Daniel Rawlings is happy with his nine-to-five life in Chicago. He has an office job, a mortgage, and he's about to turn thirty.<br /><br />He's happy, or so he thought. During the last night of a sun-filled vacation in Miami, he meets wild-haired, free-spirited Ty.<br /><br />With the help of some summery cocktails, Daniel and Ty embark on a passionate one night stand, though neither man really wants it to be just one night.<br /><br />With a thousand miles between cities, it may be harder than either man could have imagined. In the end, Daniel and Ty have a decision to make:<br /><br />Is what they have when they're together worth the heartache of saying goodbye over and over again?<br /><br /><a href="https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/new-release-c-1/products_id/1167/" target="_blank">BUY LINK</a><br /><br /><b>Excerpt</b><br /><br />Kermit juice, Daniel Rawlings mused as he stirred his drink with a fluorescent pink drinking straw. He stared at the huge cocktail and admired its color. It was green, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. What made a drink green? He must be insane. It was the sun. That was it. He was suffering from one too many days of lying on the beach and the sun had finally fried his brain. He was sitting in some club with a cocktail mostly made up of straws, umbrellas, and crushed ice, and talking to some guy he didn't even know.<br /><br />Shit. Said guy was looking at him again.<br /><br />Ty, Daniel told himself, his name's Ty. Maybe. Definitely Ty or something close. Trey? Troy?<br /><br /><br /><a name="more"></a>He'd possibly had one too many green drinks, a couple of purple ones too, and should probably have stopped drinking two cocktails ago. Daniel narrowed his eyes as he sucked the ice-cold drink through the straw, and stared over the shoulder of the guy sitting in front of him and out toward the exit. It was definitely Ty, he decided. The guy was okay, but Daniel was supposed to be out with friends. He wasn't entirely sure how he lost the three of them, but somehow he'd ended up alone with this guy. This all seemed incredibly irresponsible of him and them. He glanced at Ty. Okay, so the guy was better than okay, all sun-kissed skin and tangled hair. Daniel smirked. He was totally having naughty thoughts about the guy. Focusing on his drink, he considered why he was in Miami. In a month he would turn thirty, and his friends somehow came to the conclusion the best way to see out his twenties was in a glorious blaze of sex and alcohol. Their one mission seemed to be to hook him up with some hot guy. Sure he hadn't been laid in nearly a year, but it seemed a greater concern to them than it did to him. As the alcohol in his glass slowly disappeared, Daniel began to think that this might just be the worst idea in the history of ideas.<br /><br />Subtly, or as subtly as he could after drinking several cocktails, Daniel looked around the room. The club was one of the nicer places they'd been in. The music was mostly recent, with the occasional crowd pleaser thrown in for its more stereotypical gay patrons. The interior was painted in bright colors and yet still retained the Art Deco feel of the South Beach area. He followed the painted line running around the bar--the sun and beach theme had a refreshingly modern and quirky feel about it.<br /><br />Taking another drink, he tried to spot his friends. He was slightly annoyed they had abandoned him so easily. Rick and Steve had vanished first. He should have known better than to head out with those two. They were as a good as married, and somehow they'd managed to make the so-called honeymoon period last into a seventh year. He rolled his eyes fondly. They were probably fucking in the bathroom as he sat here being eyed up by good old Ty. He wondered about Neil. His friend had quickly disappeared in search of some female attention. The lucky bastard had found a bachelorette party. The girls were probably trying to turn him straight. If only they knew.<br /><br />"Pterodactyl," Ty interrupted.<br /><br />Did he just say...? Daniel narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Either the guy just called out the name of a flying dinosaur, or it was definitely time to stop drinking.<br /><br />"What?" Daniel slurred and released the straw as he sat back in his seat.<br /><br />Ty grinned as he seemed to realize just how confused Daniel was. "Thought that would get your attention." He looked out from beneath his sweeping, dark bangs, and Daniel just wanted to reach out and brush them to one side. "Did I get it?"<br /><br />Daniel rolled his eyes and leaned forward, catching the straw between his lips. Sucking hard, he filled his mouth with more of the sugary liquid. He savored the taste before swallowing and looked across the table. Ty had gotten his attention, Daniel admitted to himself. The way the guy just kept staring back at him was kind of weird. Did he have something on his face? Instinctively, Daniel raised his hand and wiped at his mouth and cheeks. He met Ty's lustful eyes, admiring their beautiful shade of brown with golden flecks.<br /><br />Amber, Daniel guessed at the color.<br /><br />"It was always my favorite dinosaur," he continued, "with its big wings and a beak that could peck your eyes out."<br /><br />Now there's a pickup line, Daniel thought, and quirked an eyebrow. This guy was nuts.<br /><br />

Sex and Cocktails - Meredith Russell

After cocktails, Daniel and Ty embark on a passionate encounter in sun-soaked Miami. Living a thousand miles apart makes being together hard...

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And They Lived Happily Ever After – Earthly Desires by Keira Andrews and Leta Blake

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLEwIN5W-uCEP3QgYUtUwygeew_XX3H0nlDmelVi5nXbfwKDD5i2ljsmZK_yxFsM47ohjZjV4fwFEjPuYlq4f2wLXZVQkxOh9qH61etwgVJVincoMXLfbNraQWpNsk64PKyf63dc6Z14/s1600/earthlydesires_LJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLEwIN5W-uCEP3QgYUtUwygeew_XX3H0nlDmelVi5nXbfwKDD5i2ljsmZK_yxFsM47ohjZjV4fwFEjPuYlq4f2wLXZVQkxOh9qH61etwgVJVincoMXLfbNraQWpNsk64PKyf63dc6Z14/s400/earthlydesires_LJ.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>I recently read some comments from a writer decrying HEA (happily ever after) endings in m/m romance. Unrealistic! Pandering! Womanly! And so on. To these complaints, I blow a big ol’ virtual raspberry. There’s plenty of heartbreak out there in the real world. I read and write romance as an escape, and I don’t think there’s a single thing wrong with that.<br /><br />  <b>Once upon a time…</b><br /><br /> I’ve loved fairy tales since I was a kid. I’d get lost for hours in the stories of faraway lands, dashing princes, dastardly villains and happily ever afters. Last year when my friend Leta Blake mentioned the idea of writing a series of erotic gay fairy tales inspired by the original tales we all grew up with, I was thrilled to team up with her.<br /><br /> Our vision is that the original legends are a jumping-off point for stories that will take on lives of their own and not merely be the same tales with two male protagonists instead of princesses and damsels. Our versions will not be modernized, but in keeping with a historical/fantasy tone and style. Some will be whimsical and light, others darker. All will feature hot sex and — of course! — happy endings.<br /><br /><b>Earthly </b><b style="background-color: white;">Desires giveaway</b><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10192-earthly-desires.aspx" style="background-color: white;">Earthly Desires</a><span style="background-color: white;">, based on Scottish tale </span><i style="background-color: white;">The Light Princess</i><span style="background-color: white;">, is the first novella in our </span><i style="background-color: white;">Tempting Tales</i><span style="background-color: white;"> series. It’s something a bit different from your usual m/m romance, and we hope you enjoy it! We’re giving away a free copy here on RJ’s blog. To enter the draw, simply comment on this post. Contest closes Monday, July 30 at midnight EST; please provide your email address. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"></span><br /><a name="more"></a><span style="background-color: white;">So how about you? Are you a sucker for a happily ever after? </span><span style="background-color: white;">What’s your favourite fairy tale?</span><br /><br /><b>In the meantime, here’s the blurb and an excerpt from <i>Earthly Desires</i>.</b><br /><br /><i>Cursed as an infant with a lack of physical and emotional gravity, Prince Efrosin can’t keep his feet on the ground or his head out of the clouds. Laughing his way through life, he’s never been weighed down by love and lust. Then one fateful day, his tenuous tie to the earth is severed and he blows away on the wind. He’s rescued by Dmitri, a handsome young woodsman who suffers from a mysterious curse of his own, and the two strangers are irresistibly drawn together. They dive into a delightfully sensual and passionate affair. As the evil witch who cursed them plans her ultimate revenge, Efrosin and Dmitri must fight to find their fairy tale ending and live happily ever after.</i><br /><br /><b>Excerpt</b><br /><br /><br />Dmitri didn’t understand it, but as he gazed at Efrosin’s lips, he felt a heretofore unfamiliar, and yet compelling surge of need pulse through him, and before he could stop himself, he leaned forward and kissed those lips. The answering gasp, followed by more laughter that seemed to fill his own mouth and tickle against his palate, did not discourage him at all.<br /><br />Efrosin’s lips were soft and his tongue was slick and he didn’t pull away from Dmitri’s clumsy attempt, but rather deepened the kiss in a way that made Dmitri’s toes curl and blood rush to his cock. For a confused moment he thought he was kissing an angel before he remembered that he was only kissing a prince. A free-floating, beautiful, powerful, laughing prince. Perhaps “only” was not quite the proper word.<br /><br />“Lovely,” Efrosin exclaimed, pulling away and licking his lips. “I hope you intend to ravish me, because I have always imagined it would be quite fun to be ravished. No one’s ever tried it with me, alas.” Efrosin frowned a little and licked his mouth. “You taste like dirt. It’s delicious, though I’ve never enjoyed the taste of dirt before. How odd.”<br /><br />“You taste like clouds,” Dmitri said, hoping it was a compliment.<br /><br />“I ate quite a few during my journey to this tree,” Efrosin said. “I…feel a bit strange. Quick. Kiss me again.”<br />Dmitri, reminded of Efrosin’s perilous flight, came to his senses, and while he was not willing to say that he would not kiss the prince again, he did think there were just a few things that should be accomplished first.<br /><br />“We must get you down.”<br /><br />Efrosin frowned, seeming much less intent on getting back to the earth now that he had company in the tree. “But you will kiss me again?”<br /><br />“Once we’re safe.” Dmitri looked down to choose which limbs they should try, and immediately wished he hadn’t. His head swirled with the distance between his body and the earth below. He’d never before climbed so high.<br /><br />“Safe is such a thrilling state of being. I can’t remember the last time I felt safe. Grip my hands,” Efrosin said.<br /><br />“Don’t let go.”<br /><br />Dmitri took Efrosin’s smooth hands into his own, and Efrosin began to shake with amusement again. “Your calluses tickle. Now, hold tight. It will be fun.”<br /><br />“What will be?” Dmitri asked.<br /><br />“Jump.”<br /><br />“What?”<br /><br />“We are tied hand and foot, and you have hold of my hands. All will be well. Trust me.”<br /><br />It was surprisingly hard to trust laughing royalty. “We’ll die. It’s too far.”<br /><br />“Too far? What a silly notion.”<br /><br />Dmitri’s last thought when Efrosin kicked his feet out from under him with a strong swipe was, At least I got to kiss him. They tumbled into the air, crashing into branches below until Efrosin pushed off against the tree trunk, thrusting them both clear. It was only then Dmitri realized how slowly the ground rose up to meet them.<br /><br />“Your weight to bring us down,” Efrosin sang in his ear. “My levity to keep us from being quite smashed.” There was more laughter, and then a curl of words in his ear, which, coupled with the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins, made Dmitri’s cock stiffen against the hard bone of Efrosin’s hip. “And you will ravish me, won’t you? Once we’re on the ground. You promised. You’re so handsome, and your hands are so big. I’m aquiver at the thought of you on me, in me, touching me—”<br /><br />“Oh my God,” Dmitri choked. “Do you speak to everyone who gets you down from trees this way?”<br /><div><br /></div><div>* * * * *</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira Andrews discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction and – although she loves delicious angst along the way – Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.” You can find out more about Keira and her books at her </span><a href="http://www.keiraandrews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">website</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1550523085" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 10pt;">Facebook</span></a>, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/keiraandrews" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> and via</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><a href="mailto:keira.andrews@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">email</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Leta Blake's love of fairy tales and erotica has combined in the co-authored series </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tempting Tales</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> published through Ellora's Cave. Leta looks forward to writing many more books in the future, both in and out of the fairy tale genre. Leta lives happily with her husband, her kid, and one too many dogs. She hopes to continue writing sexy stories for many years to come. You can find Leta online at her </span><a href="http://letablake.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">website</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/letablake?sk=info" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/LetaBlake" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> and via </span><a href="mailto:leta.blake.author@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">email</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

And They Lived Happily Ever After – Earthly Desires by Keira Andrews and Leta Blake

I recently read some comments from a writer decrying HEA (happily ever after) endings in m/m romance. Unrealistic! Pandering! Womanly! And s...

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Dark Divas Reviews

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBftBbJp4PLjxZvXTDw5ywpyu2QVrOgTpUqkE-wKMFYAbtt_Z3hnTONSqd-zIOdVUalDsiWlPZoqR3XhhMjMn2S7w-oFZFbPtSTLrscwJNj8Cyt6jl6lGwHdTiOGf2c9q8uhrWqb_Z4A/s1600/fullcircle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBftBbJp4PLjxZvXTDw5ywpyu2QVrOgTpUqkE-wKMFYAbtt_Z3hnTONSqd-zIOdVUalDsiWlPZoqR3XhhMjMn2S7w-oFZFbPtSTLrscwJNj8Cyt6jl6lGwHdTiOGf2c9q8uhrWqb_Z4A/s400/fullcircle.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><b><a href="http://www.darkdivasreviews.com/?p=8488" target="_blank">Full Circle</a> 5/5</b> - <span style="background-color: white;">Once again, Ms. Scott has another winner to add to her ever-growing list of accomplished works. </span><i style="background-color: white;">Full Circle</i><span style="background-color: white;"> does not disappoint; with suspense, intrigue, as always, great sex, and a very interesting twist at the end of the story. Of course this twist leaves the door wide open for more of this hit series.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.darkdivasreviews.com/?p=8488" target="_blank">Read the rest of the review here »</a>

Dark Divas Reviews

Full Circle 5/5 -  Once again, Ms. Scott has another winner to add to her ever-growing list of accomplished works. Full Circle does not ...

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Love Mysterious and Divine by Silvia Violet

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Hy5GTZHEKOUJG3XmD8cTcbMctWS1xK8v3CbnChB-lJDaSLWFCqGP8Y___kD2dEgXvhk85kmlzerEdOsQ2MRgoFb6uevME5oe0POQL1-etInrBHlhTeXNtIqR5-40P4MTJSRLopSRnQ/s1600/FindingRelease200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Hy5GTZHEKOUJG3XmD8cTcbMctWS1xK8v3CbnChB-lJDaSLWFCqGP8Y___kD2dEgXvhk85kmlzerEdOsQ2MRgoFb6uevME5oe0POQL1-etInrBHlhTeXNtIqR5-40P4MTJSRLopSRnQ/s1600/FindingRelease200x300.jpg" /></a></div><b><i>Love Mysterious and Divine</i> by Silvia Violet </b><br /><br /> *****<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><div><span style="background-color: white;">Can you choose who you love? Coleman Wilder would say no. If he could have chosen, he would never have fallen in love with a man who was much too young for him or a horse shifter who smells like prey to the wolf inside him. Cole tried to resist the call of his heart because Jonah wasn't "right" for him. Now, looking back, Cole believes that fighting his attraction to Jonah was the biggest mistake he's ever made. </span><br /><div><br /> If Cole had imagined a mate for himself, which he hadn't since he didn't see himself finding a man he wanted to go out with more than once, much less a life partner, he would never have conjured up someone like Jonah. But once he allowed himself to admit how very much he wanted the young horse shifter, Cole came to realize that while Jonah might be younger, that didn't mean he didn't have wisdom to share with Cole, and the fact that wolves hunted horses didn't mean he couldn't stand up to Cole and put him in his place when he needed it. <br /><br /> <a name="more"></a>Cole can't define what first attracted him to Jonah beyond Jonah's beautiful brown eyes and killer body, but the longer they stayed together the more Cole has come to love Jonah's strength, his courage, and his willingness to do anything necessary to help the people he cares about find happiness. <br /><br /> When I think about couples that I know, some of them seem to fit. In other words, they are people I might pick out for each other, but some are mysteries to me. I wonder how the two of them ever got together. What was it that sparked their attraction? What keeps them together? <br /><br /> Love is sometimes strange and unexpected. And while a couple who has spent years together may be able list many things they love and admire about their partner, that initial moment of attraction may have baffled them both. I don't think we can always know why we have chemistry with certain people and not with others nor can we consciously choose to love one person and not another and make it so. But when love is mysterious, that often makes for the best stories. <br /><br /> You can read about Cole and Jonah's journey from initial attraction to loving partners in Finding Release. <br /><br /> ***** <br /><br /><a href="https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/894/"><i>Finding Release</i></a> by Silvia Violet (Wild R Farm Book 1) <br /><br />*****<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Excerpt </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Coleman Wilder is a half-breed werewolf. Some days he believes the tension between his human side and his werewolf instincts will tear him apart. But the challenge of running a horse farm as a gay man in a conservative Tennessee town keeps him focused until he meets horse shifter, Jonah Marks. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Jonah's family insist that using their shifter abilities is sinful, but Jonah finds freedom when he lets his stallion run free. And he's got another secret, he likes men, Cole in particular. Desperate to escape from his family's preaching, he asks Cole for a job. Cole turns him down, scared his desire for Jonah will make him lose control. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>When Jonah's brother threatens his life, Cole struggles to save him, forcing the two men confront their feelings for each other and their willingness to fight when running would be easier. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>*****<br /><br /> "That should be the last of it." Jonah tossed the final sack of feed on the back of Cole's truck parked outside his family's feed store. "You need anything else?" <br /><br />Jonah looked at Cole with his big brown eyes as if he needed something. Cole caught his scent, and his wolf stirred to life. He smelled like horse and sweat with an underlying citrusy scent, young and clean. Prey. Cole's cock wanted to fulfill all Jonah's needs, but Cole wasn't stupid enough to even flirt with an eighteen-year-old high school senior whose stepfather had been the most vocally anti-gay preacher in town. The only reason the Marks family deigned to sell him grain was because in these hard times they needed his money. <br /><br />Cole tried to ignore the fantasies playing out in his mind. "Nope. We're good." <br /><br />Jonah looked down at his dusty boots. "You got a minute?" <br /><br />Cole took a deep breath. He glanced around. They couldn't talk here, not openly. Jonah needed a friend, and Cole had once been young and different and scared. "Sure. You wanna get a cup of coffee?" He tilted his head toward the diner down the street. <br /><br />"Yeah." Jonah looked at his watch. "I'm due for a break." <br /><br />"All right. Mind if I leave the truck here?" Cole asked. <br /><br />"Nah, we're not expecting another big delivery until this afternoon." <br /><br />They walked to the diner in awkward silence. <br /><br />Cole couldn't let himself think about how gorgeous Jonah looked, staring at him with those puppy dog eyes. Jonah was off limits for too many reasons to count. <br /><br />They got a booth by the front windows, and Cole ordered coffee for them. Once the waitress brought the steaming mugs, Cole let himself look at Jonah. His red-brown hair was rumpled from finger combing. A combination of sunburn and embarrassment tinted his cheeks. His denim jacket hugged his broad shoulders and… No! Cole wasn't going to let his perusal go any lower, not even in his imagination. His wolf growled deep inside, his werewolf nature recognizing the equine inside Jonah, the shifter side his family forced him to deny. <br /><br />He concentrated on Jonah's strong, pale hands as they wrapped around the coffee cup, holding it tight for warmth and stability. Cole wanted to reach out and take Jonah's hands in his own, but that would be bad for both of them. <br /><br />Cole realized he'd made a mistake. He should have told Jonah he was in a hurry to get back to the farm, or something that would've kept him from sitting here alone with a very young horse shifter who was having an indescribable effect on him. <br /><br />"Mr Wilder?" <br /><br />Well, being addressed as 'Mister' certainly burst the lurid fantasy in his mind. He was only thirty, but now he felt ancient. "You know you can call me Cole." <br /><br />Jonah's cheeks got even redder. "I know… it's just… I was wondering if you'd consider hiring me. I know I don't have experience working in a barn, but, I… well… I'm kind of a natural with horses." He grinned as he said this. <br /><br />His cutely upturned mouth made him look even younger, and Cole cursed his inappropriate thoughts. The boy needed his help, not his perving. <br /><br />Jonah's home life had to be hell. His father had left them when he was little, and his mother and elder brother were both self-righteous Bible-thumpers. From what he could tell, Jonah couldn't do a damn thing right in their eyes, but Jonah working at Wild R Farm would be a disaster. Cole could smell Jonah's desire for him. Sooner or later, he'd give into his own desire and exploit that. Jonah deserved freedom and a man who had more self-control. <br /><br />Cole's wolf growled, the sound almost escaping Cole's mouth. If he put his hands on Jonah, he feared his wolfish instincts would take over. Jonah smelled like prey, like something to be consumed, possessed. Cole shuddered. No. He could never let those desires loose. "Jonah, I—" <br /><br />"Please…" He dropped his voice to a whisper. "My family… I can't live with them anymore." <br /><br />"Your mother's not going to let you work for me." <br /><br />"I'm eighteen. She can't stop me." <br /><br />Cole tried a different tactic. "You need to finish school. Didn't I hear you'd won a scholarship?" <br /><br />Jonah looked directly into Cole's eyes as if willing him to understand. "Yeah, but I can't take it anymore." <br /><br />"You'll graduate in four months. Then you can get out of here, go to college." <br /><br />He shook his head. "I won't last that long." <br /><br />He wouldn't last long on Cole's farm either, if Cole snapped and let his werewolf side take control. "Why ask me?" Cole thought he knew, but he wanted confirmation. <br /><br />Jonah glanced around the restaurant. Only a few tables were occupied, and no one sat nearby. In a voice so low even Cole's sensitive ears could barely hear, he said "Cole, I'm… different, like you. If my brother finds out…" <br /><br />If Nathan found out, he'd kick Jonah out, maybe beat him. Cole wished Jonah didn't stir him up so much. "I'm sorry. I've got all the hands I need right now." <br /><br />The eager light went out of Jonah's eyes. He sloshed coffee on the table in his haste to get out of the booth. "OK, I understand. I'm sorry." <br /><br />Cole grabbed Jonah's arm before he could run. Heat snapped between them, nearly making Cole let go. "I'm sorry for what you're going through." <br /><br />Jonah shook his head. "Not sorry enough." He pulled free and left. <br /><br />Jonah's condemnation hit Cole like a punch to the gut. Cole leaned back and closed his eyes, willing the thick, bitter coffee to stay down. <br /><br /> *****<br /><br />Buy it at Silver Publishing: <a href="https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/894/">https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/894/</a> <br /><br /> Learn more about Silvia at her website: <a href="http://silviaviolet.com/">http://silviaviolet.com</a></div></div>

Love Mysterious and Divine by Silvia Violet

Love Mysterious and Divine by Silvia Violet ***** Can you choose who you love? Coleman Wilder would say no. If he could have chosen, he wo...

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All The King's Men Reviews and Excerpt

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkBAQMVjT7Xx1ap0OoyXznGa_wywjSN-7SE05RTIUp2Zzk2R2LmDzGj8hD0XUpdtEK9WVHEN7pg-PSVPkjPWR1eDW2dj_ZsqbBZquFqAU7xgKo2AbHaes0gkU-WT2RnHYefInenv0-w/s1600/All_The_Kings_Men-RJ_Scott400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkBAQMVjT7Xx1ap0OoyXznGa_wywjSN-7SE05RTIUp2Zzk2R2LmDzGj8hD0XUpdtEK9WVHEN7pg-PSVPkjPWR1eDW2dj_ZsqbBZquFqAU7xgKo2AbHaes0gkU-WT2RnHYefInenv0-w/s320/All_The_Kings_Men-RJ_Scott400x600.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>All The King's Men</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/glbt-contemporary-c-53_54/products_id/213/" target="_blank">Buy on Silver</a> :: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Kings-Men-RJ-Scott/dp/1614953228/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1340541526&sr=8-7&keywords=All+The+kings+Men" target="_blank">Buy on Amazon</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>Ryan Ortiz and Nathan Richardson are estranged lovers who shouldn't be apart. When Ryan decides to go direct to LA to fight for a second chance he is caught up in the biggest earthquake to hit the city since records began.<br /><br />LA is destroyed, burning, people homeless, people dying, and fires are ignited high in the LA hills above Nathan's apartment. Nathan is trapped and Ryan is his only hope.<br /><br />It is a race against time and the powerful all consuming destruction of nature for Ryan to find Nathan, trapped in the ruins of his home in the hills, and to get both of them to help before the fire consumes everything.<br /><div><br /></div><div>*****</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/all-the-kings-men-by-rj-scott/" target="_blank">Top to Bottom Reviews</a> All the King’s Men is a perilous journey that’ll take your breath away as you turn the pages. Often poignant, endlessly entertaining, it will leave you with the faith that hope, perseverance, and the promise of love will always work its magic.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><a name="more"></a>*****<br /><br /><b>Excerpt</b><br /><br />"Oh yeah, I meant to tell you, I sorted your flights to LA."<br /><br />Jeez, that had been one hell of a change of subject and way out of left field. One minute Micah was discussing buying more land for the vineyard, and the next, his sister hit him with flights from Rochester.<br /><br />"I didn't say I was definitely going," Micah responded quickly. Damn it, every year Abbey brought this up in front of witnesses. He never had a chance to argue back. Alex, his brother-in-law, looked up at him from the piles of papers on the desk with an expression of sympathy, but didn't join in to defend or to encourage. He clearly knew to stay out of things when his wife was set on something.<br /><br />"You say that," Abbey pressed, "but when push comes to shove, you always end up getting on the flight, and then you have fun."<br /><br />"But I thought with Rosie having the baby and all... Doesn't that put a different spin on it?" The words tumbled out of him in a rush of defense. He really thought this year, with his other sister just having gifted the family with a new baby girl, and thus unable to work, he could get away with not going anywhere. There was so much to do here, grapes to grade, the new pages on the website to change...</div><div>"Seven nights is all. You need to get away, meet up with your friends and take the vacation, network with the winey-type people."<br /><br />"You won't be able--" he started to protest, but Abbey held up her hand to stop him.<br /><br />"We'll be fine. It's all taken care of. We've discussed this already. Alex is taking a break and will be here every day working with Zach." She indicated her husband. Alex was still very quiet but lifted his hand and waved it in agreement.<br /><br />"We'll talk about this later." Micah huffed. Surely, even though she said she had sorted the flights, she couldn't have booked everything yet? She seemed to read his mind. Damn sibling connection.<br /><br />"Flights are booked--ROC to LAX, with only one stopover. I booked you into the hotel where they are holding the conference. It's right on the beach, and I got your room upgraded. It's got a hot tub and shower with all kinds of fancy settings. Just what you need."<br /><br />"But--"<br /><br />"All you need to find is a hot man when you're there and you'll be all set."<br /><br />"Abbey--"<br /><br />"I'm not discussing this with you."<br /><br />"I'm a grown man. Alex, tell her." Micah pleaded for support, but if anything Alex slumped lower in his chair.<br /><br />"Yes you are. A grown man who needs a damn vacation," his sister said firmly.<br /><br />Later as the evening was rolling in and smudging the sky with a purple-gray, Micah stood at the fence, looking out over his grapes, feeling blindsided and completely out-maneuvered. He sensed Alex walk up and stand next to him. Alex would have known what Abbey and Rosie were planning and even though Alex and Micah had been friends since grade school, he couldn't be angry with the guy. His sisters were very persuasive.<br /><br />The two men stood in companionable silence for a while until Alex cleared his throat. Micah could sense the other man grinning from where he stood. Micah's week away was a standing joke and almost word for word he could guess exactly what his best friend was going to start in on. He wasn't wrong.<br /><br />"So your gay ass is going to the beach for your annual tail-chasing trip." Same old, same old, every year.<br /><br />Micah huffed. "If you weren't married to my sister, I would take you down right now." There wasn't really a lot of heat in Micah's tone; he was waiting for the rest of the same old joke Alex made every damn year.<br /><br />"Did you put lube and condoms on the house grocery list?"<br /><br />"Fuck off, Alex."<br /><br />"It's okay, buddy. Leave it to me and I'll get Abbey to add them."<br /><br />*****</div>

All The King's Men Reviews and Excerpt

All The King's Men Buy on Silver :: Buy on Amazon Ryan Ortiz and Nathan Richardson are estranged lovers who shouldn't be apart. Whe...

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Author Interview: Freddy MacKay

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCUILRH4vcfHK4wD2AXgZTIUY_p06EbNQqMrm6gv_lYkmvmngthBaDijojHigqWqD9hmfAbmsVErxEfs4C0JDIjzedqrQnbOLUDkjq9SgU-8IAwTwRs5Kf5mYl1gjUaVyU1wkG1eVoQ/s1600/Incubation400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCUILRH4vcfHK4wD2AXgZTIUY_p06EbNQqMrm6gv_lYkmvmngthBaDijojHigqWqD9hmfAbmsVErxEfs4C0JDIjzedqrQnbOLUDkjq9SgU-8IAwTwRs5Kf5mYl1gjUaVyU1wkG1eVoQ/s320/Incubation400x600.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Hello Everyone! And thanks RJ for having me! </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">I am Freddy MacKay. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">Some of you may know me already.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">Some of you may not. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">For those of you who don’t. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">Don’t worry, I’m only allowed out on special occasions. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Today is the day. </span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">The bestest day ever! </span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">All because TODAY </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">is the day </span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Incubation: Finding Peace 2 </span></b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">is released. </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">*Dances* </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">*****</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">It’s been a long journey, and the story is not over yet, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">But lots has been happening with my boys at CRU. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">It’s been 5 months since Beginning Again: Finding Peace 1 came out, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Leaving David surrounded with his friends, and Jun with Henry fixing up their old house to give him a home. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Now the boys are back, ready to fight David’s demons, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">And ready to become his family. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Problem is, he might not be ready. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Not only that, we finally get to meet so of our elusive characters mentioned in the first book! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>*****<br /><br /><div><b>'Waking Up' Excerpt.</b><br /><div><br /><div><i>David McCourt's makeshift family moves in together and forms a protective cocoon around him. But they don't know David's whole story and he finds the constant noise a distraction instead of a help. </i><br /><br /><i></i><br /><a name="more"></a><i>Bobby, Chris, and Austin want to help David however possible—but he needs to open up. </i><br /><br /><i>Jackson crossed a line he never thought he would. He wants to take a chance with David, even if his dreams of a normal life are firmly rooted with Alyssa. </i><br /><br /><i>The group has the makings of a rag tag family, but secrets—old and new—threaten their fragile bond. The community takes sides and David ends up where he doesn't want to be: the center of everything. </i><br /><br /><b>Content Advisories: This has references to rape or near rape, and has MF and MM scenes.</b><br /><br />*****</div><div>“Fucking hell!” <br /><br />Bolting straight up, David threw his arms out. Sweat dipped from his brow into his eyes, blurring his vision. His chest heaved and he gasped for breath, crying out. He fists found nothing but air and confused David. He stopped and tried to figure out where he was, looking frantically around the small, confined place. No lights were on but some buttons glowed in the blackness. David had to be inside, in a room, but what room? Just seconds ago Mike and his gang were bearing down on top of him. <br /><br />It took a moment for his brain to process he wasn’t being hurt. He wasn’t out in the courtyard. He knew that, but his heart raced from the adrenaline surging through his system. <br /><br />Mike and his gang aren’t holding me down and cutting me open. <br /><br />Everything had felt so real, so intense, so in the moment. David felt like he had been attacked all over again. But he hadn’t been, he was at the hospital. Safe. Unfortunately he didn’t feel safe. David looked down, noticing the trembling in his arms. His skin glistened with a thin layer of sweat. His hands, however, were pulling at his hospital gown, his fists curling into the fabric. <br /><br />When did I grab my gown? <br /><br />David tried taking a deep breath in and letting go of his clothes. His breathing was shaky and labored. His hands still clenched his sleepwear. David tried again, more successfully this time, and lay back against the bed. This time he could feel the air getting into his lungs, and his hands loosened around the fabric. <br /><br />He gasped. “Fucking hell.” <br /><br />His chest throbbed, hurting deep under the skin, more than when he first woke up in the hospital. He briefly thought about calling a nurse, but Nancy had gone home. He didn’t think he could handle having someone different in the room with him. <br /><br />David shifted his legs, uncomfortable in the bed and small room, and felt the sheets pull against his skin. He glanced down. The white sheets were drenched, soaked through with sweat, and David basically sat in the middle of it. Embarrassment flooded David. <br /><br />At least I didn’t piss myself. <br /><br />His jaw clenched as he sat there, furiously thinking of what to do next. The sticky mess was uncomfortable, but David didn’t want to call one of the nurses. They weren’t Nancy. He also didn’t want anyone seeing him in this state. David couldn’t have them pitying for him. He didn’t want that kind of emotion from anyone. <br /><br />Letting his head fall back, David rolled it back and forth on the pillow. He wouldn’t be able to sleep if he stayed in the bed. He stopped and tilted his face so he could look at the corner next to him. One of the chairs sat there, looking uncomfortable. David squinted at it then looked back down at his sheets. <br /><br />“Yeah, well, either way I’m not sleeping tonight,” he mumbled to himself, filling the deafening silence of his room. <br /><br />Lifting himself out of the bed, David pulled the chair as far into the corner as it would go and gingerly sat down in the seat. He sighed, resigning himself to a sleepless night, and reached for the light. He flipped it on and grabbed the newspaper Nurse Helena brought in for him during the afternoon. <br /><br />Maybe reading will calm me down. <br /><br />Even though he had woken up, his heart still beat hard in his chest, hurting. Fear crawled just beneath the surface of the façade he put up. His skin felt like it had cracked, or more appropriately, had been cut apart. There was no way he could go back to sleep now. <br /><br />*****<br /><br /><a href="https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/products_id/857/" target="_blank">Buy Link</a><br /><br />Writing the Finding Peace series has been a passion of mine. I wanted something that dealt with the struggles younger people face when they move out into the world and start to have to figure out life for themselves. In addition, I felt the need to deal with sensitive issues like David’s attack as well as sexuality, and to do so, a more realistic approach had to be taken. <br /><br />Each character has their own struggles and has to work to find their place in society, even when the culture around them might not be that accepting of them. But ultimately, what I would like for each character, is for him or her to find peace with him-or-herself, their lives and the choices they made in them, and be happy with who they are. </div><div>I do like that Jun – my crazy biochem professor – got more time in this book. He is an integral part in the story. And Jun and his friends have their own book, placed 30 years ago that is near completion, showing the start to CRU. J I hope to have that story wrapped up soon – I’ve been promising forever now! *laughs* </div><div>*****</div><div><br /></div><div><b>How to Find Me </b><br /><a href="http://freddysstereograph.weebly.com/">http://freddysstereograph.weebly.com</a> <br /><br /><a href="http://freddymackay.blogspot.com/">http://freddymackay.blogspot.com</a> <br /><br />http://www.facebook.com/freddy.m.mackay <br /><br /><a href="mailto:freddy.m.mackay@gmail.com">freddy.m.mackay@gmail.com</a> <br /><br />For my FREE flash fiction pieces, if you would like a taste, you can go to: <a href="http://freddymackaysshorts.blogspot.com/">http://freddymackaysshorts.blogspot.com</a> <br /><br />*****</div><div><br /><b>Contest! </b></div><div>Got your attention, no? <br /><br />If you would like to be entered to win a copy of Incubation (or if you have it, one from my backlist), then all you need to do is answer a question and leave your email addy below. <br /><br /><b>Question: What was your favorite class in school? (Doesn’t matter when or where)</b></div></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>*****</b></div>

Author Interview: Freddy MacKay

Hello Everyone! And thanks RJ for having me!  I am Freddy MacKay.  Some of you may know me already. Some of you may not.  For those of you w...

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M/M Romance Reviews

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLG0F_Pw1knrFbUCRybj0Mr0ASq95xSABe5hq2FkWtgELa1b-C3RYGpt5o89hL5X_bCmzKYhl69yZ2ZinqDwAHHgg_a0CjoE73toA4KtISdwxtuQCQtD8zNO3rGySFXJ5QOT-Ml2KDrQ/s1600/Back_Home-RJ_Scott200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLG0F_Pw1knrFbUCRybj0Mr0ASq95xSABe5hq2FkWtgELa1b-C3RYGpt5o89hL5X_bCmzKYhl69yZ2ZinqDwAHHgg_a0CjoE73toA4KtISdwxtuQCQtD8zNO3rGySFXJ5QOT-Ml2KDrQ/s1600/Back_Home-RJ_Scott200x300.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://mmromancereviewer.wordpress.com/2012/05/26/back-home/" target="_blank">Back Home</a> - Drama, angst, tension, desire, passion, corruption and love! This book had everything, in abundance. I loved it!<br /><br /><a href="http://mmromancereviewer.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/the-christmas-throwaway/" target="_blank">The Christmas Throwaway</a> - The Christmas Throwaway is definitely a feel-good story, although there are darker elements.<br /><br /><a href="http://mmromancereviewer.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/test-post-2/" target="_blank">The Gallows Tree</a> - A pleasure to read from the first page to the last, The Gallows Tree is a book I will certainly read again.

M/M Romance Reviews

Back Home - Drama, angst, tension, desire, passion, corruption and love! This book had everything, in abundance. I loved it! The Christmas ...

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Finishing your book

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-556r6hcQBX8XY74oFtwsVYYwYDSaF5_KTrykTs4oVS0D3I8PUOiogKDUg6BO7LNeQU3fWxgElBWIv7Q_zXhPfj-spemrA4ZCUKOUy6dB2rGNvjDIzspYFDN2N7LLn1hJBvKGto0LAAg/s1600/loldogs-funny-dog-pictures-im-seriousthis-is-my-serious-face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-556r6hcQBX8XY74oFtwsVYYwYDSaF5_KTrykTs4oVS0D3I8PUOiogKDUg6BO7LNeQU3fWxgElBWIv7Q_zXhPfj-spemrA4ZCUKOUy6dB2rGNvjDIzspYFDN2N7LLn1hJBvKGto0LAAg/s320/loldogs-funny-dog-pictures-im-seriousthis-is-my-serious-face.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">As writers we all need that hook which grabs the reader and doesn't let them go. My first ever writing that someone other than my husband saw was a fan fiction story and started:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jensen Ackles was fucked.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Well it certainly started dramatically enough and suited the tone of the whole story which was full of angst and passion and was the first incarnation of the Sanctuary idea.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When I first submitted Oracle the entire first chapter was set in Ancient Greece and was, for all intents and purposes, a telling of why the following story happened. That was deleted very quickly and instead we were taken into the main character's head where he had dreamed of some of the Greece details.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So I think I have a handle on what I need to write to pull a reader's attention to start, but what about giving </div><div class="MsoNormal">the reader a satisfying ending?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdaNVxKIoth4ScDJywacqu8CrF9V4hxg223ZRAcp3dnEeKU9kaBrMxYZEOyQQAzXzCThx9iHzmk0fc66HPtjgoEKKvfEPvLism2t4-_0VzbafBd1wIR8wIiKBn3tuTS9IktjU10NCeRU/s1600/One+Night+4x6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdaNVxKIoth4ScDJywacqu8CrF9V4hxg223ZRAcp3dnEeKU9kaBrMxYZEOyQQAzXzCThx9iHzmk0fc66HPtjgoEKKvfEPvLism2t4-_0VzbafBd1wIR8wIiKBn3tuTS9IktjU10NCeRU/s400/One+Night+4x6.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>I write romance. In fact to be more specific I write romance with a happy ever after, or in the worse case, a happy for now. 'One Night' was my first ever happy for now – something which I never even picked up on – even though to me the book was a HEA, as are all of my books. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In my head Liam climbed the stairs, went inside, and he and Micah lived happily ever after. I implied it, but I didn’t specifically say it and some readers were not happy. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In the Sanctuary books, the stories happen over a couple of days (except for Morgan and Nik in Guarding Morgan) and there was no way that I could write a specific HEA for those men without going down the path of <i>instalove</i> (which I am not that fond of). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, I wrote that they lusted, and felt like they had met their soul mates, but the specific happy ever after is something that is implied and not written. To me though, there is still a happy ever after.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It was while I was contemplating this issue that my brother in law passed me over a book he had been reading on the craft of writing. I have never read anything like it before but a lot of the messages inside it were one's I appeared to instinctively know or were instructions I had learned from my editors, proofreaders and my friends. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Things like story structure and specifically how to end your book.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the endings that the book talks about is 'closing the circle'. This is where 'the ending reminds us of the beginning by returning to an important place or re-introducing us to a key character'. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In 'Back Home' Kieran and Jordan are talking and I circle way back to the point of the book in the last page of the story:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kieran says:  "I never imagined when I came home that I would end up here with you."</i><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I mention the coming home part, which is essentially what this story is about, and reminds the reader of the journey they have been on.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9CE_TOhMe_O7gbgz3DE1JPIeUNXXCFORKBmS8k5jG_fqA84r1_KLIhmnfnKzmSywEmoYHNtaIY7RoHHAEW3tMpehBy9k42NfRcSn2Kp2Q2apSie3S4NmfMv_-m8CcHUgzJRCp2fSkfY/s1600/backhome_800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9CE_TOhMe_O7gbgz3DE1JPIeUNXXCFORKBmS8k5jG_fqA84r1_KLIhmnfnKzmSywEmoYHNtaIY7RoHHAEW3tMpehBy9k42NfRcSn2Kp2Q2apSie3S4NmfMv_-m8CcHUgzJRCp2fSkfY/s400/backhome_800.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>In Texas Winter the book starts with Riley finding out he is a father, and ends with a family vignette based around a Christmas ornament so I suppose that is another book where the end ties to the beginning. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Am I consciously doing this? No one has actually 'taught me' how to write down the story in my head. Editors and friends have helped me become better at what I do, but a satisfying ending is something I think I learned from a very early age reading LOTR or Narnia.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Another thing I read was that as a writer I should 'avoid endings that go on and on'. They suggest that 'just as leads can be buried, so can endings'. Good advice I think!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">They suggest we should have a look at the most recent stories we have written and 'place your hand over the last paragraph and ask yourself: "What would happen if my story ended here?" Is the natural ending for your story hiding?'<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">How do you finish a book? Do you link back to the beginning of the book? Do you prefer HEA or HFN? Do you struggle with endings? Or beginnings? <o:p></o:p></div>

Finishing your book

As writers we all need that hook which grabs the reader and doesn't let them go. My first ever writing that someone other than my husban...

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Author Interview: Edward Kendrick

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1_Uii36857P-uJmYvu22vPPC7-8HfgHixDsJQuIJFnRy9LymZ1LFJ_FKQGGb-9CWaDxh7bcH3lJwfAczOjkiQdYh1V7tijuwTg_FEvpB8tl287WjFbh6CEBZTJyGJ8ahhAbYCadEnQ/s1600/Weekends400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1_Uii36857P-uJmYvu22vPPC7-8HfgHixDsJQuIJFnRy9LymZ1LFJ_FKQGGb-9CWaDxh7bcH3lJwfAczOjkiQdYh1V7tijuwTg_FEvpB8tl287WjFbh6CEBZTJyGJ8ahhAbYCadEnQ/s320/Weekends400x600.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Thank you for allowing me to be here today, RJ. Shall we begin with your questions? I think—yes. –grinning-<br /><br />*****<br /><br /><b>What are the major themes of your work. What genre do you write in?</b><br /> I write primarily M/M, although I will have at least one M/F coming out at the beginning of next year. In general, my stories revolve around mysteries and/or PIs or police detectives. They are almost always romances with HEA or HFN endings. <br /><br /><b>What genre of books do you like to read? Do you limit yourself to only the genre that you write yourself?</b><br /> I’m a voracious reader of mysteries and detective stories at the moment. It used to be fantasy stories, urban and high fantasy, but I seem to have moved away from them at this point. All told though, I’ll read just about anything that catches my fancy, be it fiction or non-fiction. A good blub does wonders for making me want to pick up a book. <br /><br /> <b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>In your opinion, what are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?</b><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I think you have to follow your heart when you write if you’re going to remain sane. Write because you love it, not to meet a deadline or because someone has told you that you have to write such-and-such type of story even though it’s not within your comfort zone. On the other hand, don’t be afraid to try something new, but don’t get discouraged if you find it doesn’t work for you. Put it aside instead of forcing yourself work on it, and perhaps, someday, go back and give it another try. You might be surprised what happens when you do. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b></b></div><a name="more"></a><b>How much research do you put into your writing?</b><br /> A great deal when it involves technical details. If I’m going to make a crime and its resolution viable it had better sound real from the get-go. That’s the reason I have a bookshelf of crime and forensics reference books and enough spots bookmarked on the internet that Homeland Security might get a bit worried if they checked me out. –laughing- <br /><br /><b>If you could collaborate with another author who would it be?</b><br /> To be quite honest, I’ve written with other people in the past and have found out I work much better alone. I am a seat-of-the-pants writer which would probably drive most other authors up the wall if I collaborated with them. That said, if Jonathan Kellerman came knocking on my door, for damned sure I wouldn’t turn him down. <br /><br /><b>How do you feel about being interviewed?</b><br /> I rather like it actually. The questions make me think about why I became a writer in the first place. <br /><br />*****<br /><br />I’m also holding two contests as part of my ‘Weekends’ blog hop which is part and parcel of my being July’s Featured Author at Silver Publishing. One is on my blog - <a href="http://edwardkendrick.blogspot.com/">http://edwardkendrick.blogspot.com/</a> <br /><br /> The other one shows up on the blogs of those wonderful people who are hosting my blog hop tour. Today, obviously, that person is RJ. <br /><br /> My newest release ‘Weekends’, is a story which takes place over several holiday weekends. What is your favorite holiday, and why? On each one of the blogs, one commenter will be chosen at random to win an ARC of ‘Weekends’. Please be certain to leave an email address so you can be contacted if you win. <br /><br /> <br /><b> The list of hop addresses where you can find me: </b><br />Monday, July 9th – Lily Sawyer – <a href="http://lilysawyerbooks.blogspot.com/">http://lilysawyerbooks.blogspot.com/</a> <br />Wed. July 11th – Cheri Noel - <a href="http://talesfromthewritingcave.blogspot.com/">http://talesfromthewritingcave.blogspot.com</a> <br />Thurs, July 12th – Cheyenne Meadows - <a href="http://cheyennemeadows.blogspot.com/">http://cheyennemeadows.blogspot.com/</a> <br />Friday, July 13th – AJ Jarrett - <a href="http://ajjarrett29.blogspot.com/">http://ajjarrett29.blogspot.com</a> <br />Sunday July 15th – RJ Scott - <a href="http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/">http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/</a> <br />Tues. July 17th – Angel Martinez - <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/angelwrites/apps/blog/">http://www.freewebs.com/angelwrites/apps/blog/</a> <br />Wed. July 18th – Freddy MacKay - <a href="http://freddymackay.blogspot.com/">http://freddymackay.blogspot.com</a> <br />Thurs. July 19th – Amara’s Place (Cheri Noel) - <a href="http://amaras-place.blogspot.com/">http://amaras-place.blogspot.com/</a> <br /><br /> *****<br /> <br /> <b>Coming, July 21st. </b><br /><a href="https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/products_id/877/">https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/products_id/877/</a><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Excerpt of 'Weekends'</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Marcus Hampton is a staid forty-year-old bookkeeper and a confirmed bachelor. When Demitri Costas, a young photographer, asks if he can take some pictures of Marcus, the older man is surprised but reluctantly agrees.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>Demitri becomes infatuated with Marcus, despite the fact he believes the man is straight and married.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>Slowly they become friends until each realizes the other is gay, at which point Marcus begins to pull away, certain he is too old for Demitri.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>It will take everything within Demitri's power to convince Marcus he's wrong. If he can, and he is determined he will, one way or another, they just might find a future together.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">*****</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Weekend Before Thanksgiving</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Marcus stretched, checking the time before getting back to what he was doing. His fingers flew across the keyboard, his eyes following the scrolling information on the screen in front of him. It was all rote. Add this, subtract that, make certain part one equaled part two when he'd finished. He was sometimes tempted to move some of it to his own account just to see if he'd get away with it, but he was too honest to even try.<br /><br /><i>Honest as the day is long, and today seems very long.</i><br /><br />He checked the time again.<i><br /></i><br /><i>Why the hell do I care? It's not like I've got anywhere to go other than home.</i><br /><br />Running a hand over his short, graying blond hair, he sighed.<br /><br />I'm a creature of habit and boring as hell, the stereotypical bookkeeper.<br /><br />An hour later he jumped when someone tapped his shoulder.<br /><br />"Hey, you planning on spending the weekend here?" one of his coworkers asked.<br /><br />"Not if I can help it," Marcus told him with a small smile. He closed out the spreadsheet he'd been working on, shut down the file, and logged off. Grabbing his coat from the hook on one wall of his cubicle, he made it to the elevator just in time for the doors to close in his face.<br /><br />He shook his head, pressed the 'down' button and waited, thinking, <i>The perfect end to a perfect day, week, month, lifetime,</i> then snorted softly. Not.<br /><br />* * * *<br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br />Marcus arrived at his small house on the outskirts of the city to be greeted by a very petulant "Meow" from Daisy. She looked up at him and, her full fluffy tail standing straight up, stalked to the kitchen. When he joined her, she looked disdainfully at her empty food bowl then glared at him.<br /><br />"Okay, sorry," he told her. Opening the cupboard he took out a can of her favorite cat food, popped the top off and spooned it into her bowl.<br /><br />"Now for my supper," he muttered, checking the refrigerator to see what was available, if anything.<br /><br /><i>Leftover lasagna or second-day stew, decisions, decisions.</i><br /><br />The stew won out so he dumped it into a pan, set it on the stove to heat, and grabbed a beer before going to turn on the TV. The news was wrapping up, the weather report said it would be cold and snowy for the next few days, and his favorite team had just lost their best player to an injury.<br /><br />So much for making the end of my day any better than the rest of it.<br /><br />The smell of something burning had him rushing back to the kitchen. The stew was boiling over, the hot liquid hitting the burner. He rescued it, dumped the stew into a bowl and set the pan in the sink to soak with the hope he'd be able to scrape the burned residue off the bottom eventually.<br /><br />As he sat down to eat he felt something soft brush his leg and seconds later Daisy had jumped up onto the other chair. She watched him avidly; meowing piteously as if she hadn't just eaten a whole bowl of her own food.<br /><br />"I'm such a sucker for a pair of golden eyes," he grumbled, setting a small sliver of meat in front of her. She batted at it, sniffed it and then delicately ate it before looking at him beseechingly.<br /><br />The game continued through the rest of his meal. When the bowl was empty he got up to take it to the sink, at which point Daisy knew she'd had all she was going to get and jumped down, walking sedately into the living room.<br /><br />Marcus got there a few minutes later to find her curled up in her corner of the sofa grooming herself. He sat down at the other end, picked up the remote and flicked through the TV channels until he found something which might be worth watching.<br /><br />* * * *<br /><br />Halfway across the city Demitri Costas slammed his book shut, startling his roommate.<br /><br />"Problems?" Jack asked.<br /><br />"Yeah, no, I have no clue, which is actually the problem," Demitri replied. "I'm never going to understand this."<br /><br />"Then drop the class. You still can, you know."<br /><br />"And face the wrath of my father? Umm, no."<br /><br />"Damn it, Mitri, you're twenty-three. It's time you got out from under his thumb."<br /><br />"He's footing the bill."<br /><br />"Do you really want to be an engineer?"<br /><br />Demitri shot him a disgusted look. "What do you think?"<br /><br />"I know you don't, so drop the class. Hell, drop out of school completely. You're too talented to spend your life slaving away for him." Jack pointed to the photos which lined one wall of their living room. "Any one of those, sold to a gallery, could pay half the rent and then some and you know it."<br /><br />Demitri scrubbed a hand through his dark, curly hair. "You keep saying that but…" He shook his head.<br /><br />"But nothing. So help me if you don't do it, I will. Lacey knows several gallery owners, she can steer us to the right one."<br /><br />A glance at the book he'd been studying made Demitri wonder if Jack had a point. "All right, I guess I can at least try. Find out from her which one would be the best and I'll see what happens."<br /><br />Jack grinned. "They'll love them, you'll become rich and famous, and I'll be able to say 'I knew him when'."<br /><br />"That or 'Yeah, he's the fool who though he could make it' as you and your friends pass by me while I'm panhandling on a street corner," Demitri replied with a laugh.<br /><br />"Not going to happen, Mitri. So, when do you want to do this?"<br /><br />"As soon as possible before I lose my nerve."<br /><br />"I'll call her and we'll go tomorrow."<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">*****</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><b>Blog: </b><a href="http://edwardkendrick.blogspot.com/">http://edwardkendrick.blogspot.com/</a> <br /><a href="http://edwardkendrick.multiply.com/">http://edwardkendrick.multiply.com/</a> <br /><br /> <b>Facebook: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/edward.kendrick.5">https://www.facebook.com/edward.kendrick.5</a> <br /><br /> <b>Google+ </b><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/115527711406227698357/about">https://plus.google.com/u/0/115527711406227698357/about</a> <br /><br /> <b>Email: </b><a href="mailto:edward.kendrick002@yahoo.com">edward.kendrick002@yahoo.com</a> <br /><br /> Again, thank you very much for having me here. – E.

Author Interview: Edward Kendrick

Thank you for allowing me to be here today, RJ. Shall we begin with your questions? I think—yes. –grinning- ***** What are the major themes ...

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Calling all GLBTQ authors, editors, publishers, artists...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dR-wHqF49lo/UAFUNJyvh7I/AAAAAAAACCg/zYsBK6ND4KQ/s1600/Oracle400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dR-wHqF49lo/UAFUNJyvh7I/AAAAAAAACCg/zYsBK6ND4KQ/s320/Oracle400x600.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I've been a published author nearly two years now...back in August 2010 Silver Publishing published my first ever novel - Oracle.<br /><br /><b>As a way of celebrating what has been an amazing two years I will be having a two day weekend celebration of what it is like to become an author.</b><br /><br />I would like a blog hop from fellow GLBTQ authors, artists, reviewers, and publishers, about what being an author involves. From subbing that first manuscript to holding a paperback in your hand what are the ups and downs, the choices that need to be made, and the things every author needs to know. Were you excited? Terrified? Did you make the right choices? Would you do anything over again?<br /><br />Are you an author who would like to share your journey and give some advice to a newbie? Are you an editor who wants to share tips? Are you a publisher looking for new authors in specific genres? If you are interested in joining in this weekend of posts and help then please leave a name and email below.<br /><br />There will be a new Facebook page to collect together links to the posts and I am hoping it will be the start of a very useful resource for old and new authors alike.<br /><br />Signing this does NOT mean you have to take part - it simply gives me a place to start. I will be contacting you in a week with more details and some simple questions.<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="570" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFhEV1kyWDNkTnJYZU9ta0d0aE9IVEE6MQ" width="700">&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;</iframe>

Calling all GLBTQ authors, editors, publishers, artists...

I've been a published author nearly two years now...back in August 2010 Silver Publishing published my first ever novel - Oracle. As a w...

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Jessewave Reviews

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/2012/07/03/still-waters/">Still Waters</a> 4.5/5 - Along with a taut, action-packed mystery that continues to provide just enough twists and turns to keep the reader wanting to know more, Still Waters, is also a novel about healing, restoration of trust, and the strength of forgiveness. This was, in the end, a beautiful love story. <br /><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/2012/07/03/still-waters/" target="_blank">Read the rest of the review here »</a>

Jessewave Reviews

Still Waters 4.5/5 - Along with a taut, action-packed mystery that continues to provide just enough twists and turns to keep the reader wan...

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Texas Heat (Texas #3)

<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYvE3lK5LYzvrh4d_nPfCMoPpr_ytcvzBRPbsBt3Mjn1lxd7GuC2ENQhctjlguTZp3bRhrsgQToAvkk4gIDliXsdCBIvo31u4LMnlop62GTCPmtSRLnusGPNOsG0bYp_2UsqEtrsxCac/s1600/Texas+Heat+400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYvE3lK5LYzvrh4d_nPfCMoPpr_ytcvzBRPbsBt3Mjn1lxd7GuC2ENQhctjlguTZp3bRhrsgQToAvkk4gIDliXsdCBIvo31u4LMnlop62GTCPmtSRLnusGPNOsG0bYp_2UsqEtrsxCac/s640/Texas+Heat+400x600.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Texas Series</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b>Book 1 - <a href="http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/heart-of-texas.html">The Heart of Texas</a><br />Book 2 - <a href="http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/texas-winter-sequel-to-heart-of-texas.html">Texas Winter</a><br />Book 3 - Texas Heat<br />Book 4 - Texas Family (Coming Soon)<br /><b></b><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Book</b></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Riley and Jack Campbell-Hayes are in a good place. Jack is expanding the DD and training quarter horses, Riley is so close to his first ethical based contract that he can almost taste it and Hayley is nearly ten and happy as all out.</div></div><br />Jack hires Robbie, a man recovering from a great loss, to be his right hand man. Meanwhile Riley's flamboyant mischievous photographer friend, Eli, decides the DD is the perfect backdrop for a cowboy themed model shoot. Eli has secrets not even Riley knows about but despite what he is hiding he falls in lust with Robbie at first sight. Everyone except Robbie can see how perfect Eli would be for him. <br /><br />What happens when secrets spill and lies are discovered? And just how far will Riley and Jack go to play matchmaker?<br /><br />Against the backdrop of twenty half naked models on DD land, and in the midst of fighting the oil establishment that just won't give Riley a chance, Texas Heat is the story of one hot summer in Texas with a Gay Rodeo, a bar fight at the Rusty Nail, humor, angst and a love between two men that just grows stronger every day.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Buy Links - eBook</b></span><br /><b></b><br /><a href="https://www.lovelanebooks.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=18&products_id=33" target="_blank">Love Lane Books</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D8MVFC4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D8MVFC4&linkCode=as2&tag=rjsc-20" target="_blank">Amazon (US)</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00D8MVFC4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00D8MVFC4&linkCode=as2&tag=rjsc-21" target="_blank">Amazon (UK)</a> | <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-texasheat-1217017-149.html" target="_blank">All Romance</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/texas-heat-rj-scott/1112750681?ean=2940044573079" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Books/texas-heat-texas-3" target="_blank">Kobo</a> | <a href="https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/rj-scott/texas-heat-texas-3/_/R-400000000000001063708" target="_blank">Sony</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/306573" target="_blank">Smashwords</a><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Buy Links - Print Book</span></b><br /><b></b><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1484096800/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1484096800&linkCode=as2&tag=rjsc-20" target="_blank">Amazon (US)</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Texas-Heat-3-RJ-Scott/dp/1484096800/ref=sr_1_2_bnp_1_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1379431852&sr=8-2&keywords=texas+heat+rj" target="_blank">Amazon (UK)</a><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Reviews</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjZa9LPXz66epc8euploHLvtODn2BV5NmCkaknxmmiLVK665r0LQOn2b_QDdrfQRwFQTuycI0xZvBnMCeFUUtXs3hUkXjZIUPjYiUfIrkzg0uVKmjtcVieFUqIrRTGRQ_f1QfZlUGYos/s1600/reviewertoppick2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjZa9LPXz66epc8euploHLvtODn2BV5NmCkaknxmmiLVK665r0LQOn2b_QDdrfQRwFQTuycI0xZvBnMCeFUUtXs3hUkXjZIUPjYiUfIrkzg0uVKmjtcVieFUqIrRTGRQ_f1QfZlUGYos/s1600/reviewertoppick2.png" /></a></div><a href="http://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Reviews/Lilyraines-reviews-Texas-Heat-by-RJ-Scott"><b>Night Owl Reviews - Reviewer Top Pick</b></a> - Riley is working on a deal to get his business off the ground with a good contract, even though there is some back-handed opposition. Jack is expanding the Double D with horses that he will train for others and Hayley is almost ten and blossoming. New developments (in more ways than one) come in the form of Robbie - a new hire on the Double D - and Eli, a friend of Riley's from university who wants to do a photo shoot featuring twenty male models. In between all of that, Jack winds up as a judge at a gay rodeo, Riley winds up in a bar fight at the Rusty Nail and their relationship grows more solid as it progresses.<br /><br /><a href="http://joyfullyjay.com/2012/10/review-texas-heat-by-r-j-scott.html"><b>Joyfully Jay - 4.75/5</b></a> - What I continue to appreciate with Scott’s writing, no matter the series, is that even as our emotions are engaged with two couples at differing stages of their relationships, other events are swirling around the outskirts just waiting to come forward with a jump and a bang. Scott keeps juggling a number of plots in her story but never lets one drop. There are so many layers to appreciate and think about that when the end of the book comes the author has a structure in place for the next in the series without losing reader satisfaction with the current story.<br /><br /><a href="http://heartsonfirereviews.com/?p=11010" target="_blank"><b>Hearts on Fire Reviews</b></a> - <b>4/5</b> - "....Like the first two books, this one is filled with a myriad of emotions that just left me wanting to read the next book in the series.  Did you hear that Ms Scott?  This was an emotionally driven story that flowed very well even with all that was packed into it and ended with Scott’s trademark HEA.  I recommend this instalment to everyone who has been following the series and to those of you who haven’t gotten wrapped up in the saga it’s time you picked up The Heart of Texas and got into it...."<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH24m_q4w21VTJ8uS62IpkitcCGxyq-H5u22cUxWBd5ib0TDwU1o9zlpDcJZSeabgN9CVODlsq0ySZKq3MfE6FeRdFxiXLWA9aIzD_yscywpmQwUsX_fvyhjm2TRqyQ0A_hqjda7WiMsE/s1600/Texas+Heat+Print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH24m_q4w21VTJ8uS62IpkitcCGxyq-H5u22cUxWBd5ib0TDwU1o9zlpDcJZSeabgN9CVODlsq0ySZKq3MfE6FeRdFxiXLWA9aIzD_yscywpmQwUsX_fvyhjm2TRqyQ0A_hqjda7WiMsE/s320/Texas+Heat+Print.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><b><a href="http://gaylesbooknook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/texas-heat-by-rj-scott.html" target="_blank">Gayle's Book Nook</a></b> - <b>4/5</b> - "....I thoroughly enjoyed this new look into Riley and Jack's life. It makes sense and flows well. The guys have had rocky moments in the past but their relationship is now solid and growing stronger, and it's nice seeing how the author further developed their personal and family life. There are also good descriptions, lots of well placed returning secondary characters and some interesting twists and turns...."<br /><br /><b><a href="http://ohmygigi.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/texas-heat-texas-3-by-rj-scott.html?zx=5875f19eaa5049ef" target="_blank">Oh My Gigi!</a></b> - <b>5/5</b> - "....Is it bad that I loved this book more for the fact that it's mostly about Riley & Jack with a side couple thrown in? I had put off reading it thinking we'd only get a little bit of the hottest couple ever so I was really happy to be wrong. Jack & Riley have to be one of my absolute top favorite couples, their story is fascinating, incredibly well written, on top of being Hot as Hell...."<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Excerpt</b></span></div><br /><b>Chapter 1 </b><br /><b><br /></b>"Riley, can you please try to find Jack?" Donna asked. Unspoken in her words was the plea that Riley keep Jack's temper reined in. No one had to be a rocket scientist to know Jack Campbell-Hayes was not taking this whole wedding as well as he was making out. Up until yesterday Jack had been this growly guy who accepted the wedding was happening with as much grace as he could. Then yesterday happened. <br /><br />What exactly had gone down, no one was sure. Not even Riley could fully understand what was going on in Jack's head. Yesterday he had clammed up and refused to talk at all. Riley knew Jack was happy for his mom; he just couldn't get past the age difference and the money. Donna knew this. Hell, poor Neil Kendrick, Donna's husband-to-be, knew it. <br /><br />"He was here a minute ago." Riley peered around the kitchen door to the organized chaos beyond the window in the front of the Double D. Looking for the familiar figure of his husband proved fruitless. There was no sign of Jack. <br /><br />"Where's Neil?" Riley asked. <br /><br />Donna shook her head and Riley wished he had never asked. Whatever was happening between Jack and Neil was something Donna didn't need spilling over onto her wedding day. Donna laid a gentle hand on Riley's arm and instinctively he pulled her closer for a hug. She smelled of sunshine and home, and peace flooded him at the scent. Dressed in a robe, she wasn't in her wedding finery or whatever she was wearing today, but her hair was twisted up into a knot at the top of her head. When he stepped back he didn't think he had seen anyone more beautiful than the woman who had gifted the world with Jack Campbell. <br /><br />His job on this cool Valentine's Day was to keep the peace. Although Jack and Neil had made some kind of unspoken promise to not fight it didn't mean that Riley's hot-tempered husband wasn't off somewhere releasing tension on some poor unsuspecting caterer. <br /><br />"I'll find him," he promised. <br /><br />"Everything okay here?" <br /><br />Both he and Donna turned to face a concerned Beth. Emily, her daughter, was gripping her hand tightly. Walking now and with as much sass as her Uncle Jack, Emily was a breath of fresh air in the room. Donna immediately scooped her granddaughter up in her arms and squeezed her until she giggled uncontrollably. <br /><br />"Gramma, you coming?" <br /><br />Riley turned at Hayley's words. His daughter's voice was so familiar and gentle and he couldn't stop the surge of love for the nine-year-old that had put herself in charge of getting Gramma ready for her wedding. <br /><br />"Hey, pumpkin," Riley said. <br /><br />"Daddy, you shouldn't be in here," she said. <br /><br />Riley raised his hands in defense. "I'm going, I'm going." <br /><br />Somehow Hayley had Beth, and Emily had Donna moving away and out of the kitchen into the good room. The front room was where Donna's bridal party were readying themselves. <br /><br />Sighing, Riley left the kitchen and moved outside, down the steps to the front of the house. He cast a thorough glance around the area but couldn't see the strong figure of his husband anywhere. He could, however, see Neil who was standing to one side with a group of guys. The man looked to be unhurt and upright so Riley surmised Jack hadn't been in that direction. Exchanging waves with Josh, who was across the yard, pacing and looking down at cards in his hand, Riley weaved through caterers and visitors until he reached his brother-in-law's side. <br /><br />"Have you seen Jack?" he asked. <br /><br />Josh's eyes widened at the question and he looked behind him to where Neil was standing. He visibly relaxed that the bridegroom was still there and wasn't face-planted in the dirt at Jack's hand. Jack and Neil's uneasy truce had been tested more and more the closer the wedding came. <br /><br />"He said something a while ago about the caterers and their vans blocking the horses." <br /><br />"Are they?" <br /><br />"Are they what?" Josh was distracted. Being the man who was giving his mom away was not coming easily to him and he was way past nervous. <br /><br />"Blocking in the horses?" <br /><br />"No." Josh frowned. "They're over on the other side by the new barn." <br /><br />Riley turned on his heel and headed to the only other place that he thought his husband could be. Crossing to the old barn, their barn, he was relieved to see the still figure of Jack leaning on an old stable wall with his head tilted back and his eyes closed. <br /><br />"Jack?" Riley cleared the short distance between them until he was toe-to-toe with Jack. His husband was dressed and ready for the wedding and he looked so damn gorgeous. He was lucky Riley was on a mission or he would be out of those clothes in an instant. <br /><br />A soft gray suit fit Jack snuggly and the jacket hung perfectly on Jack's broad shoulders. A Western-style belt buckle was the only concession to cowboy that Riley could see, and tucking a finger behind the belt, he leaned into the man who owned him from his heart outward. Jack had shaved but it was a matter of a few hours before stubble defined his jaw and heat caused his unruly dark hair to fall in disarray around his head. Riley loved that hair and the stubble; the burn of it against his skin when they made love was exquisite. Questioning blue eyes, the color of a cloudless Texas sky, looked up at him and Riley smiled in reassurance. <br /><br />"Why are you hiding?" Riley asked. <br /><br />Jack pulled Riley the final inch until he was supporting his husband's weight. He was wearing aftershave and Riley could see a tiny nick in his tanned skin on his defined cheekbone. Carefully he placed a gentle kiss on the mark. <br /><br />"'M not hiding," Jack drawled. <br /><br />"You are hiding," Riley said. He knew his other half too well. <br /><br />Jack shrugged but said nothing. That was not a good sign. Jack clamming up and not talking was a recipe for disaster. <br /><br />"Jack? Talk to me?" Riley used his free hand to cup Jack's cheek and pressed firmly when Jack turned his head slightly into the touch. There was something in his cornflower eyes—uncertainty maybe? <br /><br />"Neil came to see me yesterday with a prenup he wanted me to take a look at." <br /><br />Riley wasn't surprised. Jack was not only worried about the age gap between his mom and the younger veterinarian but also about any and all money and property in his mom's name that the guy would have access to as her new husband. Riley, on the other hand, thought Neil was a good guy; he loved Donna to distraction, despite the twenty-year difference. <br /><br />Riley cursed that, with Jack increasing the horse training side of the D and with him so involved in the latest Hayes Oil project, they had lost track of each other over the last few days. Damn it. If he had been here when Neil visited to speak to Jack then maybe he could have smoothed things over. <br /><br />"A prenup is a good thing. Right?" Riley leaned in a little more and it felt right when Jack circled his waist with his arms, both of his large capable hands resting on his lower back. He could feel the flex of his lover's muscles in his broad chest and it didn't matter that a hundred people were only thirty feet away around the side of the barn; he really wanted Jack. <br /><br />"No," Jack responded simply. "He talked to me and he was defensive and I tried to tell him that I trusted my mom and her choices but he didn't listen. Just kept asking me to read the prenup and telling me I should get my lawyers to look at it to make sure." <br /><br />"He's gonna be defensive, Jack. He knows how you feel about him." <br /><br />"Well, what if I didn't?" <br /><br />"Didn't?" Riley wasn't following this change in direction. <br /><br />"What if I felt that he was good for Mom and that I even liked the guy a bit." <br /><br />Riley watched as Jack worried at his lower lip with his teeth. This wasn't Jack. Jack knew his place in the world and was certain of his feelings. He didn't wander from one point of view to another; he was black and white. <br /><br />"What did the prenup say?" Riley decided this was a better thing to focus on. <br /><br />"That he'd have me, Beth, or Josh sign off on anything financial with Mom, that at any time any one of us could call in an independent audit on her money." Jack stopped talking and leaned his head forward to rest his forehead on Riley's chest. <br /><br />"That's a bad thing?" <br /><br />"Yes." Jack's voice was muffled. "All I want for my mom is a strong man who will look after her and make her happy. If he signs that prenup then all that is left is half a man with no control over his life and sons-in-law who don't trust him. It just looks like we don't trust Mom to know her own mind and hell"—he lifted his head and his eyes were full of fire—"do you know of any woman anywhere who is stronger than Donna Campbell?" <br /><br />Riley shook his head. "So what happened then?" <br /><br />"He gave this speech about how he just wanted Mom to be happy and left me the papers. He's signed them; all I need to do is sign them, get Beth and Josh to do so, and then we can get the whole lot notarized. He assumed that is what I was doing and then he shook my hand and said he was proud to be a part of our family." <br /><br />"Did you get it notarized?" <br /><br />"No. I didn't show Josh or Beth and I didn't even sign the fucking thing. How can I do that and then look Mom in the face?" <br /><br />"So, wait, you haven't signed, you think Neil is good for your mom, and you trust him." <br /><br />With a groan Jack rested his forehead back on Riley's chest again. There was a muttered "fuck" and Riley thought on what he had to say here. Damn his obstinate husband. <br /><br />"Okay, cowboy. Where is the paperwork?" <br /><br />"Inthetruck." Jack ran his words together. <br /><br />"Get the paperwork then decide. Sign and it's done or don't sign and tell Neil what you really think." Riley checked his watch. "There's thirty minutes until the ceremony starts, plenty of time to get your head out of your ass and do something to make this right." <br /><br />Jack groaned again and Riley smiled. His cowboy may be a stubborn fucker but Jack knew what he had to do. He lifted his face again, but this time worry had been replaced by something else—something punctuated by the press of a hard and very interested dick against Riley's thigh. Jack quirked his eyebrows. <br /><br />"Have we got time for—" <br /><br />"No," Riley replied adamantly. As much as he wanted Jack out of the suit and bent over the nearest rail, they had things to do that were more important. <br /><br />"Not even a—" <br /><br />"No." <br /><br />"You're a fucking bastard, Riley Campbell-Hayes," Jack said with no heat. <br /><br />"It's why you love me." Riley smirked. "You have half an hour." <br /><br /><br /><br />* * * * <br /><br /><br /><br />Jack hated it when Riley was right. Inevitably Riley was always freaking right when Jack came out of his stubborn focused stage. The fucker. <br /><br />He readjusted himself and saw the lick of heat in Riley's eyes. If only they had longer then falling to his knees and wringing a noisy, messy orgasm from his suit-wearing husband would have been right at the top of his list. <br /><br />He chuckled and pulled Riley close for a kiss, a touch filled with the promise of later. Finally separating, Jack left to get the papers from the truck and with them safely in his hand he returned to the throng to find his soon-to-be whatever. Certainly not step-daddy, but something a little more official than the guy who was keeping his momma's bed warm at night. <br /><br />He saw Neil's eyes widen when he approached and guilt twisted in his gut. The man had a couple of other guys with him, two in suits and one dressed in Sunday-best Cowboy. Nice-looking guy, built like a brick outhouse, with short blond hair and dark blue eyes. This guy took a careful step forward to put himself closer to Jack. He wasn't actually between Jack and Neil but it was enough of a stance to be meaningful. They stood toe-to-toe for a few seconds and it was humiliating to think that this cowboy was feeling the need to protect Neil from him. <br /><br />"Is everything okay?" Neil finally asked. <br /><br />"Can we talk?" Jack asked formally. The other two men in suits moved away, leaving Neil and the cowboy in front of him. <br /><br />Neil shook his head. "Please don't. Not now. Can it wait until after?" he asked simply. <br /><br />The cowboy frowned at Neil's words. Hell, who wouldn't. Neil sounded resigned and just a little pissed. If this cowboy was a good friend then he probably knew everything. Jack wasn't going to let this lie. <br /><br />"I wanted to apologize for my behavior," Jack said firmly. He knew it was his imagination but he felt as if every eye of the waiting wedding party was on him. What the hell? He had told Neil what he thought of him in public before, it was only right to be telling the man now how Jack had changed his mind. "And I have a wedding gift for you." <br /><br />He thrust the paperwork of the prenup at Neil, and the man looked down at it with resignation on his face. <br /><br />"Thank you," he said carefully. He didn't immediately take the papers. Jack shook them a little to encourage Neil to take them and at first he didn't get why the guy wasn't snatching them out of his hands. Then realization hit him. Neil probably thought it was the signed and notarized paperwork. Fuck. When am I going to do things right? <br /><br />"I didn't—" he started. Then he thought maybe actions spoke louder than words. Taking the thick sheaf of papers, he ripped them cleanly down the middle and then ripped each half again. Finally, grasping the pieces in one hand, he held them back out to Neil who accepted them in his left hand. The man was obviously shocked, judging from his facial expression. Although he was quiet, his expressive eyes spoke volumes. <br /><br />"Thank you, Jack," Neil said. His voice was gentle and then he held out his right hand. Jack hesitated briefly in accepting the handshake. Didn't seem right welcoming the man into his family with a freaking handshake. With a single step forward he pulled the other man into a close hug that Neil returned immediately. <br /><br />"Welcome to the family, Neil," Jack said. He stepped back and inclined his head to the cowboy at Neil's side and then with what he was sure was every eye on him, he left to find somewhere to hide again until the wedding began. <br /><br /><br /><br />* * * * <br /><br /><br /><br />The ceremony was beautiful. Donna looked radiant in a lacy summer dress in a pale shade of blue and Neil was smiling so hard that Jack thought the guy could do permanent damage to his face. <br /><br />Hayley and little Emily were flower girls and Josh's daughter Lea made it three. Lea's older brother Logan was thirteen now and wasn't that keen on being labeled as anything except 'cool dude in a suit' but he did hold Emily's hand the entire service. <br /><br />Jack couldn't take his eyes off of Hayley. She was taller now, coming up on ten in September; she was the spitting image of her dad with the same blond hair and hazel eyes. He couldn't be prouder of Riley's daughter. She was his as well and she loved her Pappa as much as she loved Riley. <br /><br />The backdrop to this wedding was home. The beautiful ranch in the setting sun with the vista of their land spreading before him was where his heart felt most at peace. Feet planted firmly on Texan soil with his family around him, Jack was at rest. <br /><br />Riley slipped a hand into his. "This reminds me of when we renewed our vows," he murmured. <br /><br />"I love you, het-boy," Jack replied softly so no one could hear. <br /><br />"I love you too, cowboy." <br /><br />Jack was only one step away from letting an emotional sigh leave him. This land, these people, they were his and he was theirs. That was the way he was and the way he always would be. <br /><br /><b>Chapter 2 </b><br /><b><br /></b><b><br /></b>Robbie Curtis wandered away from the main gathering. Neil Kendrick, his best friend since grade school was now married to a woman whom he loved more than life itself and to Robbie that was a fine thing to have. Neil had made a good choice in Donna and forever-loyal-to-his-friend Robbie could have told the 'big and hulking guy' that Donna had made a good choice in the ever-loyal Neil. Apparently 'big and hulking' had a name. Jack Campbell-Hayes. Married to some guy called Riley. Married. Two dudes. <br /><br />Hard enough to take a step out of the closet in his line of work, let alone enter into a gay marriage. The guys who had beaten up his ex, well, they'd be on him quicker than flies on shit. <br /><br />He'd wandered past the general groups of well-wishers, inclining his head whenever he was spoken to, and eventually managed to escape the celebrations and make his way to the barns at the rear of the house. No one stopped him and anyway, he was much happier with horses than he was around people. He was curious; apparently this spread dealt with breeding and Neil spoke about how there was expansion into training good solid quarter horses. <br /><br />Leaning against the closest stall he was face-to-face with a beautiful bay. He crooned low and extended a hand to her in greeting and she snuffled his open hand before shaking her head and taking a step back. Robbie laughed, she was definitely flirting with him as she nudged up against him. <br /><br />"Hello, beautiful," he whispered. Her ears flattened and then perked up. "Why aren't you out on all this gorgeous space?" Unconcerned by what he was saying and instead intent on nuzzling him, he laughed at the horse's unashamed request for fuss. He'd only left Australia a week before, had only said goodbye to all he knew and loved there a simple seven days earlier. But the scent here, the horses and the hay, made him long for the place he used to call home. Neil was going to hook him up with some part-time work. Hell, his friend had said that at the end of the day he could learn to assist Neil. Robbie didn't do well with charity, even that offered by his oldest friend—the man he called his brother. He guessed though he didn't really have a lot of options and was glad to have at least one friend back here in the States. <br /><br />He glanced up the row of stables and counted a minimum of six spaces. The stables were clean and well cared for. In fact, the fencing, the stables, and everything to do with the ranch operation was a lot cleaner and sturdier than the ranch house itself, which was looking a little tired—not to mention the potholed road leading to the house. So many things here reminded Robbie of home. When a ranch put everything they had into the welfare of the horses and the livestock then you knew it was a good place to stand. <br /><br />"Solo-Alexandra." The voice from behind startled him. Robbie cursed himself for his inattention. It was things like this that got a man in trouble. He slowly turned to face the man whose voice he recognized. Hmmm. Big and hulking, aka Jack Campbell-Hayes, one of the married guys. <br /><br />"Sorry?" <br /><br />"Alex for short. Her momma is this beauty, Solo-Cal." Jack was indicating a gorgeous sorrel mare pushing at his arm for attention. <br /><br />"Beautiful horses." Robbie wasn't sure what else to say. Neil had tried his hardest with Jack, but Robbie had seen one too many drunken emails from his friend demanding to know why Jack hated him. Well, for Robbie, someone hurting his friend riled him. <br /><br />"Almost lost them both a while back in a fire," Jack continued. <br /><br />"Neil told me." No point in letting Jack think that Neil hadn't told him every damn thing concerning the Double D. <br /><br />"I'm not placing your accent." Jack was frowning. He was a good-looking guy, and a frown darkening his blue eyes wasn't a good look. He was everything Robbie avoided. First he was a cowboy, a stubborn one at that, and second he was a strong guy and could probably drop Robbie to the ground in a heartbeat. After everything that had gone down back home Robbie had learned his lesson. No cowboys. No big cowboys. <br /><br />"Wyoming born and bred, Australia for the past ten years," he finally answered reluctantly. Social skills escaped him. <br /><br />"Australia?" <br /><br />"As a buckaroo, a cowboy, working with quarter horses on a spread in the Northern Territories, some three thousand acres." <br /><br />"The D is eight hundred acres," Jack mused. "Australia, eh? That explains the accent, I guess." Jack lifted a booted foot and rested it on a wooden crossbar below Alex's stall door. "Definitely a tinge of something other than American in there." <br /><br />For a few minutes the two men looked in on the horses in a near companionable silence. Robbie wasn't entirely sure what to say. He had a lot of questions inside him. Neil had said Jack was expanding the training side of the ranch. Did that mean he was training horses for rodeo and show or for working on ranches? Robbie had a list of questions in his head and he was concentrating on how to word them when they were interrupted. <br /><br />"Hey, gorgeous." Jack turned with a grin and Robbie watched as way-tall-dude, the other half of the Campbell-Hayes couple, near pounced on Jack. Clearly Robbie hadn't been spotted if the way Riley was grinding up against Jack was any indication. "Knew you'd be hidin' out here." <br /><br />Was it Robbie's imagination or was Riley's voice a little slurred? <br /><br />"How much champagne did you swallow?" Jack asked with a grin. <br /><br />"Enough to fuck you here and now in front of everyone," Riley answered. His tone was deadly serious. <br /><br />"We have company," Jack explained. Riley didn't stop with the hugging and pulling but he did at least look over his shoulder at Robbie. His eyes widened and then he extricated himself from Jack with a rearrangement of his groin area. Robbie pretended not to notice. Riley was gorgeous up close. He'd seen photos, he had Internet, and he had followed the whole soap opera that was their lives from murder to barns being burned to marriages to hostage situations. Where Jack was all holy-hot-as-hell cowboy, Riley was wearing that suit like he'd been born into it. He was leaning into Jack and Jack wasn't moving away or keeping any distance between them. If anything, Jack had an arm around his husband and was pulling him closer. Riley certainly seemed to sober quickly and Robbie wondered how much was alcohol and how much was playing. <br /><br />"Don't mind me," Robbie said quickly. Silence. Fuck. What the hell had he just said? He was trying to be clever and funny and instead had come over as some kind of voyeuristic pervert. He waited for either man to say something, anything. In fact, he tensed in expectation of being beaten to the ground. Every muscle tightened in anticipation of the need to defend himself. <br /><br />Jack simply looked up at Riley, who was smiling broadly. <br /><br />"Nah," he said. "Let me take this big lug indoors. Nice to meet you, Robbie." Jack extended his right hand and Robbie rubbed his own on his best jeans before shaking Jack's hand. When Riley did the same Robbie shook and then took a step backward. He left the barn, walked around the corner, and leaned back against the wall. He wasn't far enough away not to be able to hear Jack and Riley talking but he couldn't make out whole words. Sighing, he turned to go find Neil and make his excuses. When he passed the open barn door he couldn't have stopped himself from looking in if he'd tried. <br /><br />Riley and Jack were locked so closely in an embrace you couldn't see light between them. Riley had his head tilted back and Jack was tracing a path of kisses from jaw to throat. When Riley let out a groan of need and pushed Jack away from him and back against the barn wall it was possibly the most erotic thing Robbie had ever seen. Flushed and harder than he had been in days he left the area as quickly as he could. Shame at his reaction conflicted with the lust inside him. <br /><br />He had never missed Paul more than he did today. <br /><br /><br /><br />* * * * <br /><br /><br /><br />Riley's gift to Donna and Neil was a week on the same island that he and Jack had been on when they first heard that Riley was a dad. When he initially broached the subject with Jack he had expected some kind of resistance, but Jack smiled and said that the whole idea was a good one. Not one word about the amount of money Riley was using on the gift. <br /><br />The guests were grouped around the limo that Josh had been responsible for organizing. It had been decorated with ribbons and balloons. Riley didn't envy Donna and Neil the trip to the airstrip, where the Hayes jet sat ready and waiting, with that much crap advertising their just-wed status. <br /><br />Everyone was waving as the car pulled away and no one moved until the vehicle was nothing but a trail of dust in the air to mark its passing. <br /><br />"That was a lovely wedding." Eden sighed. Riley pulled her closer for a hug. Her boyfriend, Sean, was a long-term partner but he had yet to pop any kind of question of marriage. As a journalist he was very seldom in Texas and their time apart was more and more frequent. He hadn't made it to the wedding today or indeed stepped foot anywhere near Eden for a month. Riley liked the guy. Well, he liked him as much as any big brother liked a sister's lover. But he couldn't be the only one who was wondering why he was away so much and why it was taking this long to settle down and propose to Eden. Maybe he had gotten cold feet? Maybe he had someone else? Riley didn't vocalize his fears. <br /><br />She turned in his arms and hugged him close. <br /><br />"Hey, are you okay?" Riley asked. <br /><br />"I'm fine. Can't a sister grab some brother time now and then?" <br /><br />Riley laughed and hugged her even tighter. He was a good foot taller than her and she was soon in a position of finding it hard to breathe. He released her when she punched him in the thigh with her free hand and in a flash brother/sister was normal and on an even keel. <br /><br />"Are you staying?" Riley asked. <br /><br />"I'm going with Mom and Jim but I'll be back tomorrow to help clean up." <br /><br />Riley glanced at his watch. The midnight hour was close and he stifled a yawn. <br /><br />"We have a crew doing that, but I know Hayley would love for you to come over." <br /><br />Jack stepped into their small circle and prized Eden away from Riley. <br /><br />"My turn, brother-in-law privilege," he insisted. <br /><br />Laughing, she cuddled in close. <br /><br />"Are you staying?" Jack repeated Riley's question. <br /><br />"She's going back with Mom and Dad," Riley answered for her. <br /><br />Jack raised his eyebrows over Eden's head. Riley knew exactly what his husband was thinking. With the Hayes side of the family gone and with the Campbells just down to Hayley and the two of them, it meant that for the first time in many weeks they had the ranch nearly to themselves. <br /><br />"Do you think Hayley would like a sleepover with her aunty?" Eden asked. Her voice was muffled against Jack's chest and she pushed away. "I don't want today to end and we could go shopping tomorrow." She brightened at the thought. <br /><br />Riley tried to be the responsible parent. The last he had seen of Hayley she had been running circles around her cousin Logan, who watched her with that tolerant patience only a family member could find. For some reason she had latched on to Josh's eldest boy and it was a hundred kinds of cute to see Jack's nephew so happy to be with Hayley. <br /><br />"I'll go find and ask her." Eden said this without waiting for an answer and quickly walked away to find her niece. <br /><br />In small groups the guests left, then Eden with a hyper Hayley, followed by the caterers, and finally the group of cleaners that had left the ranch looking nearly as normal as it could be after hosting an event like a wedding. <br /><br />Paparazzi had stayed away from the event, at least off of Double D property, and no helicopters had been seen, although Riley did wonder what kind of journalistic crowd people leaving had to get through to get off of the D. When finally it was just the two of them Riley felt relieved and expectant. A whole night with the buzz of champagne in his blood and his sexy husband within reach was surely a recipe for only one thing. <br /><br />In unison they turned to each other. <br /><br />"I'll check the horses—" <br /><br />"I'll be in the barn—" <br /><br />Jack gripped Riley's jacket and reeled him in for a hard kiss. <br /><br />"Gimme ten," Jack groaned. <br /><br />"Make it five, cowboy."<br /><div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></div>

Texas Heat (Texas #3)

Texas Series Book 1 - The Heart of Texas Book 2 - Texas Winter Book 3 - Texas Heat Book 4 - Texas Family (Coming Soon) The Book Riley and Ja...

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