Slash & Burn

Orlando :'(

noreply@blogger.com (Maia Strong) — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 23:35:00 +0000

Beauty follows pain.

It's time to get shit done.

Love must win in the end.

New Sci-fi Anthology

noreply@blogger.com (Maia Strong) — Tue, 17 May 2016 15:37:00 +0000

Hey everyone! Torquere's sci-fi geek anthology Theory of Love releases tomorrow, 18 May! While my own contribution to this collection is f/f, there is no shortage of yummy m/m stories to choose from. Read what the publisher has to say below.

In Theory of Love, we wave our geek flag high! Tales from deep space, sci-fi realities, technology, academia, and cosplay are brought together in this collection. In Dale Cameron Lowry’s Far From Home, long-distance spouses fan the flames of passion while fighting to save humanity. Meat Space by Lynn Townsend, brings virtual space and the real world crashing into a new reality. Asta Idonea’s Captive shows us that love can form in any manner of situations. Beta Tester by Charles Payseur immerses the reader—and the characters—in a virtual reality that brings a friendship to a whole new level. K.S. Trenten’s A Symposium in Space, love is a different meal to every guest. Unexpected Dilemmas by Jessica Payseur long-distance lovers face hijacking and natural disaster to be together. Kayla Bashe’s Medic to the Hivemind a stranded student is saved by a mysterious voice with secrets. Being Jake by Lila Mathews shows readers that smart is sexy. In DC Juris’ Torn Apart, love provides the will to survive. Shattered Space by Alain Bell shows how love can grow from destruction. Maia Strong’s All ‘Ships May Sail connects cosplay, fandoms, and something more. Trash and Treasures by M.D. Grimm gives us a deal made in interstellar space that could be more than either party bargained for.

In theory, love is easy.

Hop on over to Torquere Books to read more about this collection, including excerpts!

Theory of Love Anthology

Coupon code!

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 18:09:00 +0000

Happy Sunday, Slashers. Just letting you know about a coupon code available for 25% off from Torquere Press! You can use it to buy the final installment of the Never Too Early series, which is getting rave reviews all over the place. Chris and I are so grateful!

Michelle at Joyfully Jay's review

This review from Susan65 at The Blogger Girls is incredibly honest, which Chris and I really appreciate. We knew that pairing up two already established couples would be a difficult thing for some people to read, but we took a chance anyway. (Ha, Chance.) Susan did a great job of articulating her concerns and her feelings, while still remaining as objective as possible.

Susan65 at The Blogger Girls' review

And finally, the coupon code you've been waiting for.... VAMP2015. Use and enjoy!

Oh PS -- if you're on Goodreads and you've read Never Too Early: Full Circle, would you mind leaving us a review? Good, bad, or indifferent, doesn't matter. We appreciate them all.

Goodreads -- Never Too Early: Full Circle

New gay Christmas romance!

noreply@blogger.com (Keira Andrews) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 12:39:00 +0000

I'm super excited to share Charlie and Gavin's holiday romance with you all. I wanted to write a holiday story that has angst and emotion and isn't solely fluff. My goal was also to make it sexy and hot, but to include those warm and cuddly holiday feels as well. I hope I've succeeded. :)

To be home for Christmas, they must bridge the distance between them.

Charlie Yates is desperate. It’s almost Christmas and his flight home from college has been delayed. For days. Charlie promised his little sister Ava he’d be home for her first holiday season since going into remission from leukemia. Now he’s stuck on the opposite coast and someone else grabbed the last rental car. Someone he hasn’t even spoken to in four years. Someone who broke his heart.

Gavin Bloomberg’s childhood friendship with Charlie ended overnight after a day of stolen kisses. With years of resentment between them, they don’t want to be in the same room together, let alone a car. But for Ava’s sake, Gavin agrees to share the rental and drive across the country together.

As they face unexpected bumps along the road, can Charlie and Gavin pave the way to a future together?

Buy now:

All Romance | Amazon.com | Amazon global
Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

3 more days...

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 22 Nov 2015 17:13:00 +0000

... until release day! That's right, November 25 is just around the corner. The day before American Thanksgiving, in fact, so believe me when I say that Chris and I are EXTRA thankful this year!

(Ignore the fact that she's actually Canadian and doesn't celebrate American Thanksgiving. She will celebrate it through me.)

We have three gorgeous new covers for all the Never Too Early books, and you can now get them IN PRINT! Links here:

And the cover for Never Too Early: Full Circle (currently available for preorder) is just as beautiful as the other two. Huge props to Kris Norris for her hard work!

Be sure and tune in to the Romance for the Rest of Us blog on Wednesday. Chris and I will be hosting, sharing some stories about writing this series together, divulging tidbits about Jake and Tor and Chance and Tucker, and answering questions. Looking forward to seeing all of you there!

Motivation Monday & good news

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 20:24:00 +0000

I hope everyone is having a good November so far. I can't believe that we are already into the second week of the month. Time is flying by!!

I have some good news. My Christmas themed M/M story "Under Wraps" is currently in the works to be released by the end of the month. No exactly release date yet, but I'm excited it's found a new home and the upcoming adventure of semi-self publishing. :)

It's almost release time!

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 21:34:00 +0000

Another beautiful autumn Sunday here in southern California! At least the nights have finally turned cool, if not the days. All those meteorologists keep warning us that El Nino's on the way, but we're stil waiting.

It's finally release month for Chris Owen and me and we couldn't be more excited! The final installment of the Never Too Early series will be out on November 25. All three books will be released in print with all new covers! Our cover artist is super talented and did an amazing job and we can't wait to show them off. Stay tuned here or to our Facebook pages over the next few days for the reveals.

I'll leave you with the last little tease you'll get before Never Too Early: Full Circle comes out on November 25.

Chance was quiet for several minutes. A woodpecker in the front yard tree gave its high-pitched tweeting call before busily getting back to work.

"I definitely was not prepared," he finally said. "And I know Tuck wasn't. I'll have to really sit and talk with him to see what he thinks. I can't decide if us leaving today is a good idea or a shitty one."

"I'll miss you either way," Jake said. "I don't know Tucker well enough to know how long it takes him to think things through, and he might be uncomfortable being here. Which would suck. But you guys leaving and not being here to sort it all out sucks, too."

"There isn't much of a choice," Chance sighed. "Our flight is at two. If I didn't have to attend a meeting at headquarters tomorrow, I'd try and change it. But we -- well, at least I -- need to get home."

"I know." The distance sucked, and the fact that everyone had responsibilities they couldn't shake off was both a good thing and a bad thing. It made for good people, but it made it difficult to handle issues as they came up. "Maybe the four of us can make this morning a good one, and everyone will feel better by the time you leave. Even if things aren't completely settled, maybe they'll be better."

"It'll be better right now if you kiss me like you mean it."

Jake smiled and set his coffee mug aside. "Like I mean it?" He touched Chance's cheek and kissed his mouth softly. "More?"

"More." Chance smiled against Jake's lips and kept his eyes closed.

Jake gave him more, the smiles fading as the kisses deepened and Chance's mug was put down as well. They turned to each other, and Jake would have happily let his coffee go cold if he could stay right where he was for an hour or so.

Chance didn't seem inclined to go anywhere, either. He put both hands on Jake's face and held him gently as he pressed light kisses to Jake's forehead, cheeks, and bridge of his nose before returning to Jake's mouth with a sweep of his tongue and a slight nip. "I'll miss you," he murmured into Jake's ear, then sucked Jake's earlobe into his mouth for a split second.

"One of these days I'll ask you not to go," Jake whispered back. "Someday we'll stay together." Jake had no idea how that would work, but he knew that he wanted it.

Chance pulled back and looked at him, eyes soft. "Maybe someday we'll work it out."

Jake nodded and kissed him again. He was about to say something even more honest and probably embarrassing when the door opened and Tor said, "So, you two don't need more coffee, then?"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 17:21:00 +0000

Wow, it's hard to believe that October is almost over, which brings Halloween just days away, thus bringing in full blown holiday season.

Lots has been going on in my world. With my husband's recent retirement my world and schedule has been more wonky than ever. I also visited the "Big Apple" for the first time. For a small town woman like me it was a bit overwhelming but I had a great experience. I was also able to meet most of the cast of my favorite TV show, "Supernatural" & get some photos with them. *swoon*

As for my writing world, that too has made a turn. As of Sept 1st Secret Cravings Publishing closed. This publisher housed my M/M Christmas themed story "Under Wraps". With Christmas coming up it is unhoused. This led me into researching self publishing. I'm just a day or two away from making my final decision as to where to begin. I'm hoping to have my Christmas book back out, as well as another than has been unpublished for several years soon. I'm also very close to finishing the long awaited second book to my "Fallen Angels" book. Hopefully it will be submitted to my publisher by the New Year.

So you see, busy, busy, busy. Most days I don't mind, it's just a matter of making a schedule and keeping to it.

Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a happy Halloween. Stay safe.

We have a release date...

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 16:20:00 +0000

We finally got a confirmed release date from our publisher for the final book in the Never Too Early series! Mark your calendars for....

NOVEMBER 25.

It's the day before American Thanksgiving, so don't tell me you have nothing to be thankful for. ;) Although it seems far off, it's only 45 days out. Chris and I are really, really pumped for this last book and we truly hope that readers enjoy the direction we took the story. I'll leave you with a small snippet, and if you haven't picked up the first two books yet, you can get a 25% rebate on them later this week from All Romance eBooks! They're having a great sale on Torquere books from October 15-31.

I'll leave you with this little tidbit. Happy Sunday, slashers!

The playful joking continued all the way back to Tucker's truck, much to his delight. It was more challenging to spar with three others instead of one, and not for the first time, Tucker wished wistfully that Jake and Tor didn't live thousands of miles away. It was clear that Chance needed the quiet grounding Jake gave him, and although it pinged a tiny bit of concern, Tucker would much rather know that Chance was getting something he might have been missing.

They finished lunch and sat on the blanket for a while, just chatting. Tor and Chance had a mutual love for music and baseball, it turned out, so Tucker and Jake had a serious conversation about horses and the raising of them.

The sun was low over the ocean and the air had chilled by the time the four of them gathered up their belongings and piled back into Tucker's truck. He slid behind the wheel and smiled as Tor sprawled in the front seat next to him, looking as natural as if he'd been doing it for years. A glance in the rearview mirror showed Jake and Chance leaning against each other, fingers tangled.

Tucker felt warm and contented as he drove. The little niggling feelings of jealousy were normal, he thought. He'd get used to seeing Chance so cozy with someone else, right? Besides, he and Tor were pretty cozy themselves, and it couldn't be easy for Chance to watch that. On the other hand, Jake and Tor seemed pretty comfortable with it.

Yup, Tucker thought as they headed for home, it was definitely time to figure out what was going on.

Autumn, Halloween, and a Ghost

noreply@blogger.com (Pia Veleno) — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 04:03:00 +0000

I love this time of year. The nights grow cooler, and the mornings crisp. I can sleep with the windows open, wear tall boots and a leather jacket, and leave the door open for the kittens to come and go as they please. The leaves change, splashing my backyard and my morning commute in bright vibrant colors. Football season is in full swing. The weather slowly shifts to perfect running temps with the risk of suffocating humidity or blistering, cloudless heat.

Autumn is my season. And best of all, it culminates in Halloween.

With an informal invitation already delivered in August, when I turned the calendar to September, I already had three different ideas for a costume. I can't decide. Should I play the sassy belly dancer? The curious woodland fey? The wary pirate? I have costumes for each, but why is a story (or stories) for another time. I'll decide that week. Or perhaps even that night.

In the meantime, to celebrate the season and the upcoming Samhain, I've created a sale for My Ghost on AllRomanceeBooks.com. Now through November 1st, My Ghost will be on sale for 60% off. If my calculations are correct that means the story is only a dollar for the entire month of October. And what better month to read a ghost story??

Here's all the info you need...

A ghost of my past haunts me already, so running into another in the same graveyard where it all began is almost more than I can stand.

Almost.

So why the hell did I bring him home?

~*~

On Sale at AllRomanceeBooks.com:

My Ghost on sale at ARe

Also available at Smashwords, Amazon, and B&N, though I make no promise to explore how to make sales work at other sites.

Happy October and Blessed Samhain, dear Readers!

Pia Veleno

piaveleno.com

Forbidden love in the White House!

noreply@blogger.com (Keira Andrews) — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 15:09:00 +0000

My contemporary gay romance about forbidden love in the White House is now available!

He’d give his life to protect the president’s son. But he never expected to risk his heart.

Growing up gay in the White House hasn’t been easy for Rafael Castillo. Codenamed “Valor” by the Secret Service, Rafa feels anything but brave as he hides in the closet and tries to stay below the radar in his last year of college. His father’s presidency is almost over, and he just needs to stick to his carefully crafted plan. Once his family’s out of the spotlight, he can be honest with his conservative parents about his sexuality and his dream of being a chef. It’s definitely not part of Rafa’s plan to get a new Secret Service agent who’s a walking wet dream, but he’s made it this long keeping his desires to himself. Besides, it’s not like Shane Kendrick would even look at him twice if it wasn’t his job.

Shane’s worked his way up through the Secret Service ranks, and while protecting the president’s shy, boring son isn’t his dream White House assignment, it’s an easy enough task since no one pays Rafa much attention. He discovers there’s a vibrant young man beneath the timid public shell, and while he knows Rafa has a crush on him, he assures himself it’s harmless. Shane’s never had room for romance in his life, and he’d certainly never cross that line with a protectee. Keeping Rafa safe at any cost is Shane’s mission.

But as Rafa gets under his skin, will they both put their hearts on the line?

Buy now:

All Romance | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

September? Wow.

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 16:17:00 +0000

I really hate letting so much time pass between posts, but the day job is exceptionally time-consuming right now. I do like trying to get in at least one post a month, so let's see if I can keep that up. (Spoiler: maybe.)

The release month for the third book in the Never Too Early series is November! No exact date yet, but I'll be sure and let you know as soon as I get the word. In the meantime, have a little excerpt. See you next month!

***

Tucker shut the water off just as it was starting to cool and tossed Tor a fluffy blue towel. "Can fix you guys omelettes for breakfast. Or if that's too fancy for your cowboy asses, I'll let you have some of my Corn Pops."

"Hell, toast is about all we really need, but I'm not going to turn down eggs." Tor couldn't remember the last time he'd had a breakfast cereal that was coated in sugar; Jake had forbidden it from the house shortly after Jacob had moved in. Now that the kid was off to college and not even coming home for summers, maybe Tor could sneak some back in.

Probably not.

"Good. Wasn't really gonna give you my Pops. If you want Chance's healthy stuff, be my guest." Tucker laughed and gave Tor one more kiss. "Mushroom and avocado omelettes, comin' up."

They toweled off and parted in the hall, Tucker going to his own room for clothes, and Tor back to the guest room. Jake hadn't even moved, as far as Tor could tell. He was still buried in a blanket, his eyes closed.

"Time to get your ass up," Tor told him, rummaging around for his clothes. "The day is getting old."

"Coffee?" Jake sounded only slightly more awake than he looked.

Tor snorted and grinned. "It'll happen. C'mon, up you get."

Jake rolled over and stretched, long and hard, then melted back onto the bed. "You've been up long enough to mess around in the shower and make coffee."

Jeans found, Tor pulled them on and nodded at Jake. "Yep. But only one got done." He could almost feel the endorphins in his bloodstream like little glittery bits of happy. "Come on, don't let Chance come home and find out how lazy you are."

It was both adorable and amusing how quickly Jake scowled at him, growled that he wasn't lazy, and got up. "You are mean and rude, and I'm going to clean up," he mumbled, heading out and toward the guest bathroom. He was wearing pale blue boxers and his hair was all stuck up on one side. It was almost enough to entice Tor back into the bathroom. "Coffee. You go make."

Tor's urge to go maul Jake dissolved in a fit of laughing. "Yes, yes. Coffee. Chance will be home soon."

Jake waved a hand in the general direction of the hallway wall and left.

Shaking his head, Tor sat on the bed to pull on his socks. So far this surprise visit was going along great -- he'd had time with Tucker, he'd woken up around Jake, and aside from the overly thoughtful look on Tucker's face, things were smooth and wonderful.

That look, though. That was something to find out about. Tor had a feeling that this thing they were building was too important to let things slide for long. Maybe Chance being home would help conversations happen.

Two to tango

noreply@blogger.com (Maia Strong) — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 00:04:00 +0000

I got nothin', so I offer this short video from Objective Tango's Facebook page:

Men's Tango

Enjoy. :-)

Get-Up and Write

noreply@blogger.com (Pia Veleno) — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 23:02:00 +0000

I haven’t written since the editing rounds required to get Fallen back to the market.

Sad statement. Yet, I’m not devastated. Sure, I want to write. I crave it. But I also have to pay the bills, and my royalties weren’t anywhere close to that kind of value. So, the day job – the day career – has been the priority, and rightly so.

Some writers would give up sleep to write, getting up early or staying up late. I’ve done that, and I’ve seen the difference of seven to eight hours of sleep. Some writers go from working in an office job all day, right to the laptop. I have arthritis in my neck and understand the benefits of exercise, so I go from the office to the box, and I don’t regret a single minute of it. Even when I pull muscles, feel like I’m going to vomit, or curse the owners for avoiding the excessive cost of air conditioning.

Could I find the time? Sure, I’m working on it. I’m shooting for quality time so the result will be a quality story, but for now I’ll settle for time. Drop by my blog for more on that. I will warn you, however, that since it seems that all I do is work, exercise, and sleep, you’re likely to get more than a handful of health-related blog posts. For security reasons, I can’t write about work, and sleep, well it’s not all that restful and my dreams don’t make sense, even to me, so yes, what’s left is an attempt to eat clean while still enjoying good food, and the challenge and tribulations of pushing my body to its limits.

I’m a Crossfitter. You’ve been warned. But if you’re at all curious, drop on by next weekend. My goal is a blog post every Sunday. I’m just you’re average Joe(tte). I’m not super strong. I’m not flexible. I’m certainly not fast. I just want to pass through this decade with painless grace. Let’s see how it goes. And if writing returns through the need to write something besides blather on a blog, then that’s the icing on the gluten-free non-GMO cake.

Pia Veleno
http://piaveleno.com

View image | gettyimages.com

An anti-social werewolf and snotty college freshman face the zombie apocalypse

noreply@blogger.com (Keira Andrews) — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 20:48:00 +0000

Man, I have fallen down on the job when it comes to blogging here! I'm excited to say that I have a new release coming September 9 called Valor on the Move. In the meantime, here's the info on my last book from late May.

To live through the zombie apocalypse they have to survive each other first.

College freshman Parker Osborne is having the worst day ever. He humiliated himself trying to pick up a cute guy, he hasn’t made any friends at school, and his stupidly hot jerk of a TA gave him a crappy grade on his paper. He’s going to drop Adam Hawkins’ film class and start fresh tomorrow after he’s had a good sulk.

But Parker’s about to find out what a bad day really looks like—if he can survive the night.

A virus is unleashed, transforming infected people into zombie-like killers. After these quick and deadly creepers swarm campus, Parker only escapes thanks to Adam swooping him onto the back of his trusty motorcycle. Now they’re on the run—and stuck with each other.

When they’re not bickering, they’re fighting off the infected in a bloody battle for survival. Their only hope is to head east to Parker’s family, but orphaned Adam has a secret he’s not sure Parker will accept: he’s a werewolf. Can they trust each other enough to find some light in these dark days?

Buy now:

All Romance | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

New Gay Erotica collection from Amanda Young

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda Young) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 18:08:00 +0000

I am so thrilled to announce the release of Secret Pleasures. This little collection of gay erotica stories is packed full of 45,000 words worth of kinky goodness.

Secret Pleasures includes nine burning hot stories of lust between men. There’s a little something for everyone in this anthology, including naive virgins, scheming jocks, innocent freshmen, sexy frat boys, and seasoned daddies on the hunt for satisfaction.

The following stories are included: Tutoring Jocks, Manhandled By The Boss, Double Teamed, Study Break, Cruising, Seducing Mr. Robinson, Pool Boy Seduction, After Sunset, and Punishing The Peeper. Each story was originally released individually (some under a pseudonym) but have now been compiled for this collection.

The collection is for sale at all major retailers, including the ones linked below.

Paperback release

noreply@blogger.com (Maia Strong) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 23:46:00 +0000

Client Privileges, my second m/m fantasy erotic romance novel, is available in paperback at long last. I got the rights back on it longer ago than I care to think, and after republishing it in ebook format, I've now also released it with pages you can feel and smell and turn. You can find it on Amazon.com.

Here's an excerpt:

Micah sat on the bed. "What do you think?" He gestured expansively around the small room.

"It's n-n-nice." Jonas silently cursed his stammer. It always came out in stressful situations, and while he'd sought this one out, that didn't make it any less nerve-wracking. If his parents should find out… He forced away the unpleasant notion. How would they ever know unless he told them? And there was no way that would happen.

He took a cleansing breath and let it out slowly. For the first time, he looked directly into the eyes of the whore he'd just hired. They were moss green, smiling, rimmed by thick lashes, with tiny smile lines at the corners. His hair is the color of beaten copper. It was unlike anything he'd seen before, and it set off Micah's eyes so perfectly that Jonas wondered if it was natural or contrived.

"So, Jonas, how would you like to spend the time we have together?" Micah smiled, and it was such a warm, giving expression that Jonas balked.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I have to go." He took a step backward toward the door, only to be stopped by Micah's gentle voice like a tug at his heart.

"Stay. Please." Micah held out a hand.

Jonas hesitated. He wanted to stay. Physically, he longed to stay and take advantage of this professional's willingness to please him. Despite his emotional diffidence, his body was eager. His cock was hard and had become so at his first sight of Micah leaning against the brothel's bar. Jonas was glad for the thigh-length coat he wore; it was far too heavy for the hot weather, but it kept his aroused state hidden.

Unaware of making the decision to do so, he sat on the foot of the bed at right angles to Micah. His heart raced. He wondered if Micah could hear it, then chided himself for such foolishness. I can do this. Jonas shot a nervous glance at the other man, looked away swiftly. If I just don't have to make eye contact again. It was absurd. What was he thinking?

"There's no need to rush," Micah continued.

"B-but there is," Jonas said quickly. "I-I'm expected… s-somewhere."

"That's all right. I'm ready for whatever you'd like."

Micah shifted on the bed and Jonas' gaze was drawn to him. The whore leaned back against the pillows at the headboard, one long leg stretched out, and the other bent at the knee. Jonas could see that he was erect, his cock tenting out the loose fabric of his pants. His arms were folded behind his head as if he knew he needed no help drawing attention to his engorged condition.

Jonas stared openly at the protruding fabric, eager for what it hid and uncaring whether his hunger was obvious on his face.

"I take it you like what you see."

Jonas could hear the smile in his voice, the teasing but tender tone. Jonas' gaze was inexorably pulled upward, over Micah's flat and muscular belly, across his smooth chest, up to his handsome face. Square, clean jaw; smiling lips; wide cheekbones; and soft green eyes. Micah's expression was open and without judgment. He was so beautiful that Jonas' breath caught.

"I--" He inhaled, said in a rush, "I've been alone a long time. Years, and he was… Anyway. I want to… take you. Fuck you. May I? Please?"

Micah laughed, a rich, warm sound that Jonas couldn't help but join in on ever so slightly. "When you ask so politely, how could I say no?"

Hello world, it's me again

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 20:26:00 +0000

*peeks head around corner* Hello out there. I’m still alive, though you haven’t seen me in … geez I don’t know how long. Due to real life issues, I had to mostly leave the world of writing and publishing several years ago. I thought that I took my name off most everything but recently discovered that I still remained listed on this blog. I debated whether or not to even return to the publishing world. It had been so long. There have been so many changes. Publishers have come and gone, as well as other writers. In the long run, I couldn’t completely stay away. The end of last year I managed to re-release “Under Wraps” (formally known as “enWrapptured”) at another publisher. It’s a Christmas themed M/M story. Though it’s slow going, I’m getting emerged into writing once again and hope to have at least one story a year submitted (realistic goals).

However, I’ve decided it’s been a bit harder this time around than the first time. So I’ve put a list together of some of things I’ve noticed since my first book was accepted in 2007.

Hardships of re-entering the world of published writing

** Getting back on track with writing: There are many, many WIPs that sat in folders for ages. The plots are weak in your mind so time is spent browsing the characters and outlines/ideas. Also applies to published works and possible follow up stories sitting in those WIP folders. I’ve read the stories before moving on to sequels. So where do you start? Which story should you pick up again? What genre do you want to work in? So many choices. But then the muse can be very strong and lead you to the right place. Though I will still write M/M romance at times, the stories I’m currently working on are M/F & M/M/F

** Setting a writing schedule: I’m still struggle with this. But then, even before, I struggled with this little bit. You would think now that my kids are college age I would have more time. Think again. I’m still a wife and the one that keeps the household going, as well as mom when needed and a grandmother. There just always seems something on my calendar. Don’t even get me started on the fact my husband is finally retiring. He really needs a hobby. LOL But slowly, I’m working on finding that perfect time that my mind is clear and the muse is happy to be tapping away at the keyboard.

** Promotion/Social Media: OH MY! Has things changed in just a few years. The main promoting venues when I was publishing books were Yahoo groups, blogs, and MySpace (I’ve recently deleted all of mine). I thought I had a handle on it all with a nice schedule of when and where I could promote myself and it was easy to get onto blog hops and promo promo promo. Now…well, there’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and I’m sure tons of other stuff I haven’t even wanted to try. I only know these because I use them on a personal basis. Yahoo groups are mostly dead, though there are some still somewhat active with promotions. MySpace .. what’s MySpace? There’s still blogs out there as well, but some of the ones I frequented in the past haven’t been used in a few years. There’s so much more ways to get the word out and to interact with reader/potential readers. But again, this all takes time to learn. Especially when you finally get them linked up, then your computer updates, and boom, it doesn’t work and so again, posting on every area until you can figure out how to re-link them all again. Oh, and then there’s Tweet Deck that just confuses me more.

** Changing Newsletter from Yahoo group to newsletter service & rebuilding list: I took the leap. Though I only had 150 people on my Yahoo newsletter, I changed to MailChimp. After playing around with it for a few days & watching some tutorials (I’m all about research) I figured most of it out and mostly like it. But then, I had no one to send it to. So like building followers on Twitter and Facebook (another struggle) you’ve got to get people to subscribe to your newsletter. Not as easy as it sounds sometimes, because again, it’s time consuming and I don’t want to hound my social medias about it.

** Other writer friends: Some have fallen off the grid like I did :( , others are still around but I don’t have a clue if they will remember me (and I’m bit of a shy person), and then others have soared and become best sellers with mass market books (yay for them :) ). Needless to say, I guess I need to just man up and try to contact or reestablish relationships. Another thing to put on my to-do list.

** Updating Site/Blog/etc…: Yep, working on updating everything. Newer look that fits me and my upcoming stories. I’ve been working on these while my muse is being stubborn.

** Blog – Keep or get rid of? : I’ve got a blog on Blogger. With all the social media do I really need a blog? Granted Twitter only allows a certain amount of characters, but if I put it on my Facebook first, I can get all the characters I need. However, I like a blog. Believe it or not, there’s still people out there not totally plugged into social media and still read blogs. And I like the fact I can schedule posts in advance. Nope, haven’t figured out if any of the others can do that. But this allows me to plan more and less worry if I have a month’s worth of my Motivational Mondays ready to go.

Okay, I think I’ve babbled on enough. I’m hoping to get back into blogging here again, though I may only be able to do so once a month, so I’ll see you next time.

Oh, and there's still time to get in on my "Christmas in July" Contest. To enter, just join my newsletter on the front page of my site.

All my currently available books can be found at my site

Site: www.martyrayne.com

Or check out my blog - http://martyrayne.blogspot.com/

Follow me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/marty.rayne

or Twitter - https://twitter.com/MartyRayne13

Finished!

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 16:57:00 +0000

We didn't make deadline, but we finished the third book in the Never Too Early series! It ended up being about 20k words longer than the other two, which is why we turned it in late, but both Chris and I figured we should give it the attention it deserves. Now it's been submitted and we're waiting for edits. To those of you who have stuck with us, we think you'll love this last book as much as we do. And we know that many of you had reservations about the series in general!

(Come on, we're not blind or deaf. We know what you've all been saying. ;)

No release date yet, but likely October. Will let you know asap when we find out. Here's an excerpt to keep you tuned in........

"Chance, hey." Trey Donovan stuck his head through the doorway. "Was just about to page you. Tucker's here."

"Yeah? How come?" Chance collected the papers and checked his personal phone to see if he'd missed a text. Nothing there. Which was strange on two counts, really. Tucker usually texted when he was stopping by the station, and Chance had texted Jake earlier in the day with no response. That was also unusual.

"I can't come by and say hey?" Tucker appeared in the doorway next to Trey. His grin was wide and his eyes were bright, a sure sign that he was up to something.

Trey disappeared and Chance leaned against the printer table. "What do you want?" he asked wryly. "Don't ask for money. I have no cash on me."

"Aw, shoot." Tucker crossed the room and plastered himself on Chance's body. "Okay, then maybe I just wanted a kiss."

Despite having a preference for rule-following while at work, Chance often found it hard to resist Tucker at his most flirtatious. Chance kissed him twice, quickly. "That's all you get." Any more and Chance would have a hard-on to hide.

"Good enough for now." Tucker detached himself and strolled back to the door that led to the short hallway. "Got a sec? I got something to show you."

Chance checked the time -- 2:30 p.m. His crew would want to take the engine and go grocery shopping for dinner soon. "Yeah, few minutes. What's up?" He followed Tucker down the hallway, pausing briefly to toss the paperwork he'd collected on his desk.

"Out back in the lot." Tucker pushed open one of the side doors that led to the station's parking lot. Several pickup trucks and cars, all with firefighter's union stickers on the back window, were parked in their usual spots. Tucker's truck was off to the side.

Chance squinted in the bright March sunshine. They'd had three days of rain and gloom, so the sun was a nice change, but his eyes sure weren't used to it.

"Over here, baby." Tucker started toward his truck, and it was only then that Chance saw two other people leaning against the tailgate. Jeans, boots, and… cowboy hats? As his gaze traveled upward, Chance blinked against the sun and then stopped right where he was. No way.

"Well, come on," Tucker laughed. "Don't stop there. Come say hi."

Tor's hat dipped and he gave a finger wave that looked completely ridiculous coming from someone geared up to move cattle. Well, over-dressed to move cattle, Chance had to admit. Those were clearly Tor's good jeans.

And Jake took a step toward him and stood, his feet planted apart, like he was bracing himself. Then he swept his hat off and into his hand, and grinned at Chance, his hair mussed and his eyes as bright as Tucker's were. "Howdy."

"You're kidding me." It was the only thing Chance could think of to say. Well, "I want to fuck you," had also flashed into his mind, but decorum was important.

Tucker was nearly dancing from foot to foot. "Lookit who came to see us!" His smile was infectious and Chance felt a grin of his own tugging at his lips.

"Yeah, I see." Chance crossed the last few steps and stood in front of Jake. "Hello there. Didn't know you were dropping by today." It was only sheer willpower that kept Chance from seizing the front of Jake's shirt and dragging him closer for a kiss. His eyes were still that dazzling shade of blue, made even bluer in the California sun.

"We made a point of it." Jake rocked closer, then back on his heels, hands going to his back pockets. "Surprise."

So close!

noreply@blogger.com (Maia Strong) — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 23:51:00 +0000

You guys, I am *this close* to being able to say "Now available for the FIRST TIME in PAPERBACK!" that I'm going a little crazy. Soon, soon...

Triplesex is FREE July 6-8 on Amazon!

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda Young) — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 15:12:00 +0000

Free July 6-8 on Amazon!

Triplesex

Caleb worked hard to get where he’s at in life. Recently offered tenure at the college where he works, Caleb has let his personal life slide in favor of impressing the powers that be. Now that a much-needed summer vacation is finally at hand, Caleb fears his long hours may have been detrimental to his long-time partner’s happiness.

An appreciative eye for the male form is perfectly natural, but Zaki’s preoccupation with other men is cause for concern. Even though Caleb trusts his lover, he’s suspicious of Zaki’s motives. While Caleb isn’t above a little recreational sex by mutual consent, he wouldn’t be able to forgive Zaki for screwing around behind his back. His only hope is to turn back the tide of discontent before it’s too late.

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0059JE1DY

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0059JE1DY

Love Wins

noreply@blogger.com (Maia Strong) — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 20:02:00 +0000

I hope everyone has had a wonderful time this Pride Month! Festivities here were extensive. Even the crosswalks got into the celebration.

And then there was this:

Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriage Legal In All 50 States

There's still work to do and battles to fight, but for now we celebrate, we dance, we cheer. Love is love! Love wins! Happy Pride, everyone!

Aaaaand another one for you...

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:36:00 +0000

I got two of the nicest comments recently, both asking for another excerpt of Never Too Early: Full Circle. Since Chris and I reached 50k on it yesterday and still have at least another 10k to go, there is no shortage of good snippets to choose from. Here's a little piece for you, and happy Sunday.

***

"Where's the paper targets?" Tucker crouched down to the blanket and searched around. "These can go on the trees." Three or four tall oaks were a good bit of distance away.

Chance jogged to the trees and fastened the targets, then returned and squinted at them. "Good enough?"

"Yep. Tucker, go for it. Make Kentucky proud." Tor leaned against the truck to watch, liking the sun on his shoulders. "Chance, are you good with handguns?"

He nodded. "Better than with a shotgun, actually. I never shot a rifle until a few years ago. The ones you have are nicer than anything I've used."

Tor stage whispered, "Jake can be a little tight, but he invests in good guns." He ignored the dirty look he got for that. "You're doing fine. Shoulder it again for me, let me see your stance. Just don't try Jake's. It won't work for anyone but him."

Chance did as requested. He brought the gun to his shoulder, and Tor was amused to note that Chance had a stance that, if not identical to Jake's, was strangely similar. Then he realized why.

"Okay, surfer boy. I'm going to get up close and personal." He smiled and slotted himself behind Chance, hands on Chance's hips. "No wonder Jake didn't suck on a surfboard. Okay, move your hips back, like this, and let your lead foot come on back." He used his hands to square Chance's hips a bit and pulled him back tight to his own body. "Oh, hello there. Jake's right -- you smell good."

Chance turned his head to the right and looked over his shoulder at Tor. Their eyes were just about level, although Chance may have been slightly taller. Jake had also been right about Chance's eyes changing color, Tor noted. They'd been a soft hazel this morning, but now they matched the bright green of the patchy grass around them. "Jake put some stuff in our shower. It says it smells like ocean, but I don't think whoever made the soap has actually been to the beach."

"Well, whatever it is, it smells good on you." Tor winked at him and went on. "Now, hips back here, feet firm on the ground. Rifle to shoulder. How does that feel?" He didn't step back. The sun was warm on his back, and Chance was warm on his front.

Chance cleared his throat. "Good. It feels… good." He didn't move either. "But I feel like I could step off balance as soon as the gun kicks. Should I try a shot?"

"Go for it, I've got you." Tor was braced, mirrored like Chance, hands still on Chance's hips. "Just aim and squeeze."

Tor felt Chance tense a moment before pulling the trigger. The blast was loud in his ears. The back kick of the barrel rocked both of them, and Chance nearly took a step to the side. He managed to keep his balance at the last second, but in doing so, pressed himself even more firmly against Tor's chest. He lowered the rifle and stared straight ahead at the target. "Like that?" he asked, his voice low.

"Mmhmm. More or less. Want to try again? Find your balance?" Tor was feeling more than a little off balance himself. He took a breath and tightened his grip on Chance's hips. "Careful now." He might have been talking to himself.

Excerpt: Never Too Early: Full Circle

noreply@blogger.com (Tory Temple) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 15:15:00 +0000

Wow, June. How is it halfway over? Every time I blink, another month has passed. The curse of getting older, I suppose.

Chris Owen and I have been hard at work for the past few weeks on the third novel in the Never Too Early series. We have a deadline, so we're hoping to have it finished by the end of June. This novel is different from the others for various reasons; not the least of which is that Tor and Tucker get their turn to speak. The other differences will just have to be a surprise, ha.

Here's an excerpt for those who have been waiting so patiently.... happy Sunday!

***

It hadn't occurred to Tucker that Tor thought he and Jake were alike at all. "Different, sure. And we both like horses." He shrugged. "Other than that, me and Jake don't really match up the same."

Tor laughed. "You're both thoughtful, can cook, listen really well, pay attention to what people feel as well as what they say, wake up happy, don't whine unless it's actually worth it, and are tough as nails. Trust me, you're alike in a bunch of ways. But you laugh easier, play easier, and see the point of games. You don't stress, and you don't take on everyone's problems as your own to worry about."

"Jake carries other people's weight, huh? A guy can break his back that way." Tucker smiled and tried another taste of his hot chocolate. There, perfect. "Well, him and Chance sure get each other." It still made Tucker wonder a little. Did it mean Chance and Jake were better suited?

"Same thing there," Tor said after a mouthful of hot chocolate. "There's, like, some kind of balance of needs. You and Chance are necessary for each other in really great ways, and Jake kind of... fills in some gaps, is all."

"I didn't know there were gaps," Tucker mumbled. Until now.

"They're not really gaps. You know the difference between an accidental baby and a surprise baby?"

The analogy made Tucker laugh. "Sure, I guess. But the surprise baby is still a surprise."

"But you wouldn't give it up. You just didn't know you were missing it." Tor kissed him again. "He's not looking for anything you haven't got. He just found something that's extra. That's all. He wasn't missing anything, he just got chocolate sauce on his sundae."

"Oh yeah?" Tucker looked up at him with a smile. "And what about you and me? Chocolate sauce, or something different?"

taps mic Am I on?

noreply@blogger.com (Maia Strong) — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:11:00 +0000

Is it my blog day? I think it's my blog day. OMG, it's been so long. I'd like to say I've spent my lengthy absence in a frenzy of writing and publishing, but I would be lying. There has been some little writing. There has not been publishing. I am aiming to improve the former and change the latter. To that end, I'm finally going to release a paperback edition of my m/m fantasy novel Client Privileges. I'm also working on getting Rose & Thorn (m/m/f) re-released in both print and ebook formats. While I'm chipping away at those granite blocks, I've also submitted a contemporary paranormal story to a publisher. That one's not a romance, per se, although it does have m/m romantic elements to it. It's the first in a series--or will be once it's published. I'll let you know when there's anything to update on that. Here's hoping it will be good news.

Slash & Burn

Orlando :'(

New Sci-fi Anthology

Coupon code!

New gay Christmas romance!

Buy now:

All Romance | Amazon.com | Amazon global Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

3 more days...

Motivation Monday & good news

It's almost release time!

We have a release date...

Autumn, Halloween, and a Ghost

Forbidden love in the White House!

Buy now:

All Romance | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

September? Wow.

Two to tango

Get-Up and Write

An anti-social werewolf and snotty college freshman face the zombie apocalypse

Buy now:

All Romance | Amazon | Barnes & Noble iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

New Gay Erotica collection from Amanda Young

Paperback release

Hello world, it's me again

Finished!

So close!

Triplesex is FREE July 6-8 on Amazon!

Free July 6-8 on Amazon!

Triplesex

Love Wins

Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriage Legal In All 50 States

Aaaaand another one for you...

Excerpt: Never Too Early: Full Circle

*taps mic* Am I on?

All Romance | Amazon.com | Amazon global
Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

All Romance | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

taps mic Am I on?