This year, after a promise to myself to focus more on my fiction, I dusted it off and spent many, many hours re-writing, editing and cleaning it up.  I’m excited to share this story today on its release date as an eBook from Prizm Books, a line of gay and lesbian Young Adult fiction.  The process of working with a press and editor and getting something published has been galvanizing.  I’m happy to say that I’m balls deep in another manuscript right now and feel ridiculously happy to be writing.  (Which is why you see less of me around these parts.)

On to the goods!

Sunblood is a sci-fi/paranormal novella about psychic powers, friendships, screwed up worlds, love and cookies.

Caleb, sub-citizen 45201, is a psychic slave in the massive biodome known as the City—the only civilized community left on his wasted planet. He can’t remember his life before he was taken to the City and experimented on by scientists trying to control his unusual gift.

Despite having no rights, Caleb’s life isn’t all that bad. His Keeper, Daniel, secretly allows him to play in the minds of the City’s inhabitants. Caleb likes Daniel—probably more than he should—and once in a while the cafeteria has some delicious cookies.

Caleb’s small freedoms don’t seem like all that much until even those are threatened. When Caleb is targeted by those who fear his powers, he discovers exactly how much he has to lose.

You can pick it up from Omnilit or for your Kindle at Amazon.com.

You may be asking yourself why I wrote a novella for teens about gay characters.  I don’t have a clear answer for you there, other than to tell you that this is a genre I enjoy as a reader, and that these were characters that spoke to me.  I think other writers out there will understand that when your characters speak, you better listen.

If you’re on GoodReads, I’d love to connect with you, and if you pick up Sunblood and want to share it with others, please leave a review or rating.  It makes a huge difference.

© Mommy Melee, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments |
If you are reading this anywhere else, some douchenozzle has scraped my feed.

© Mommy Melee, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments |
If you are reading this anywhere else, some douchenozzle has scraped my feed.

1. Get rid of a quarter of your clothes. Go through your closets and drawers. Go through your spouse’s stuff. Go through your kids stuff. Pretend like you ABSOLUTELY MUST GET RID OF THINGS. No more sentimental bullshit. If you must, imagine those insensitive jerks from that fashion makeover show destroying your self esteem and wardrobe. Do what you have to do, but seriously fill up some trash bags for your favorite charity. Once you load that stuff to your car and unload it to someone who needs it you’re going to feel so much better. And your closet will look awesome.
2. Clean your filing cabinets and paperwork. What the hell are you still holding into that product warranty from 2007 for? It expired. Three years ago. Get out your electronic label maker (no shame) and re-label your filing cabinet folders. Trash the things you don’t need. Scan things you don’t want to lose or you’re not sure you need or not. Get the most important documents over to a safe deposit box or at least toss copies of them into one. It will probably take you an entire day, but that day will result in years of finally being rid of a bunch of junk paper that was just collecting dust. Also, you’ll feel better knowing you didn’t misplace your marriage license, passports and birth certificates. Phew.
3. Reorder your bookshelves. Be a hipster like me and arrange your bookshelves by color. Or be efficient and reorder them alphabetically or by genre or the Dewy Decimal System. Give away books you don’t touch anymore. This goes for your kids’ books too. If you have ten-year-olds and you’re hanging onto Goodnight Moon, it’s time to find a doctor’s office or preschool that will love that more than your big kids will. This is the part where you dust, too. Don’t worry, the dust bunnies won’t bite you. Much.
4. Make some tiny decorative changes. Keep an eye on sales sites or clearance racks at your local Target for a few little items that seriously will change the look of your room. A throw rug, new lamp shade or accent item can go a long way, and you don’t have to spend big bucks. Let the sales come to you. It’s like fishing… for style. Or something. Change out curtains if you find a good deal. While you’re at it, rearrange some furniture. Put your headboard on another wall or move the couch. Voila! Your room looks totally different.
5. Have a garage sale. You know that poker chip set you’ve had in storage for three years? Sell it. The same goes for the other stuff that’s been gathering dust in your garage and closets. Post a notice on Craigslist and pick up some signs and be prepared to get your stuff into the driveway by like 7 am. Bring a radio or paperback book out with you and sell some stuff for approximately 97% less than what you think it’s worth. Even if you sell a few things for a dollar each, you’re basically letting someone pay you to clear out your storage spaces. It’s a win. Good luck!

© Mommy Melee, 2012. | Permalink | One comment |
If you are reading this anywhere else, some douchenozzle has scraped my feed.

One of your friends broke the hat, and you cried, and when he got in trouble he cried too, and then he came and embraced you, and a bunch of your little girl friends wrapped you both in a group hug and I nearly stumbled, trying to hold onto all that love and you.

It wasn’t the easiest day for you, but you were so good at your allergy shots, even when your arms got itchy.  And later, you put up with having to hang out at your new house for a while.  You went to sleep in a mostly-packed room, spending your sixth birthday sleeping for the last time in the only room you can remember, where we’ve lived since you were 18 months old.

The future is bright, my son.  You are bright.  The night you were born, just after the first hour of the 11th, I stopped feeling tired and sore and only felt elated to meet you.   You stuck your tongue out again and again, and being a new mom, I stuck my tongue out at you in reply, and we made silly faces together.  I didn’t know you were hungry, that your tongue was saying feed me, feed me.  Even now, I’m still learning.  I don’t always know what you mean, and I wish I could make you happy all the time, but sometimes you’re unhappy and sometimes I’m unhappy but oh, little boy.  When you’re in my arms, all pokey and boy-shaped and starting to be kind of stinky, there’s nothing better.  When you reach for my hair to rub it every night before you go to bed, because you have to, I’m glad it’s my hair that you’re reaching for and that I’m your mama.

I love you, so much.

Happy Birthday.

© Mommy Melee, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments |
If you are reading this anywhere else, some douchenozzle has scraped my feed.