Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 3


Not too much intro today. You all know my flash group, the Wednesday Briefers. Fortunately, even though life is kicking my butt, yet again, I managed to finish this (It's 11:20 PM right now, but I got it done, darn it!) nice little update to my flash story inspired by one of this week's photo prompts. Enjoy!

 
Take Flight Part 3


“Fuck.” Birch stared at the aspen groves … or where they used to be. There’d been a huge a huge stand of the gorgeous trees all along this small valley. He’d seen their leaves changing, from green to bright orange and red, on a last hike before he went off to college.

Now they were gone.

Half the stream was choked by broken off logs and mud that slid down the sloping banks. The sun beat down on his neck as he stood within the devastated area. He’d been home just a week, thrown into the field by his bosses to assess the environmental damage done by a logging company that had violated their agreements and logged in areas they shouldn’t.

Judicious pruning kept the forest healthy; the companies took out dead trees, thinned thickly forested areas, and made room for new, younger trees. These guys had taken healthy groves and decimated the tree population, allowed mechanical equipment too close to the pure water streams, and created an ecological mess that was impacting a much wider area downstream.

Birch took his camera out of his backpack and documented the area visually, then sat down on a rough stump and began writing up his report. He could do it back in the office but why? He’d rather be outside, though Birch wished he were sitting against the smooth white bark of an aspen tree enjoying the shade.

The town had changed almost as much as the forest. No longer quite so small and sleepy, they had two Starbucks and a mall was being built beside the newly widened interstate that was just five miles outside town limits.

It almost made him sad. He’d avoided coming home after the first summer when he’d been unsure if he hoped Sayer would be there, though he’d never stayed in town during the summers, or if he wanted to avoid him entirely.

He hadn’t been there, and no one had seen him. He’d looked each year during registration, but he never found Sayer. He’d completely disappeared, as if he’d fallen off the face of the planet without a trace.

Birch drove back into town, one arm resting out the window. His back was sticky with sweat; the sultry air didn’t cool the cab of his truck at all, but he enjoyed the feeling of the wind caressing his skin until it suddenly died. He pulled into his driveway, already looking forward to a shower and a cold beer, and then frowned.

Someone was sitting on the porch.

He was suddenly cold.

That long, white hair couldn’t belong to anyone else.

“Son of a bitch.”

***

The fireworks lit inside Sayer as their eyes met. He’d watched Birch reacquaint himself with the town and then, as always, spend as much of his time as possible in the forest. That, at least, hadn’t changed.

Those dark blue eyes glared daggers at him. Birch’s teeth sank into the pink softness of his bottom lip. Sayer wanted to tug it out and kiss away the marks left by Birch’s anger.

He didn’t move. He’d waited so long, he could wait a few more minutes as Birch found the angry words that Sayer knew he deserved—even if it wasn’t his fault. He’d lived like a human, for Sayer, but his magical heritage had taken him away.

How the hell was he going to explain that?

Birch finally moved. The old truck, the same one he’d bought before their senior year after working his ass off to earn the money, was filthy and the door hinges shrieked in protest as the driver side door was thrown open.

He walked methodically up the walkway to the porch steps. Sayer expected him to stop, to say something. Instead, Birch didn’t pause or stop. He kept walking, skirting into the grass to leap up and grab the railing of the porch in front of the door. He clambered over and was inside with the door shut and locked, quite audibly as Sayer hard the bolt and chain lock.

Well, fuck.

Sayer stood up and knocked. No answer. He didn’t want to shout at Sayer, conscious of the humans around them. Sighing, he stepped into the recess of the porch beside the door that was visible only to someone right in front of him, and then he was gone.

The window into the second floor bedroom, which was apparently an office, was open a crack. Sayer easily flowed inside.

Oh man, the water was running; Birch was in the shower again. Sayer slipped into his bedroom down the hall and gently deposited a gold box on the pillow, then retreated to the corner.

Birch’s hand fumbled with his towel when he stepped out of the bathroom and he spied the box.

“Sayer!” He stormed over and picked it up.

“I’m here,” Sayer said as he solidified and materialized in his corner. The air made the curtains bell out for a brief second.

“Mother fucking Christ on a god damn cracker!” Birch’s face went deadly pale. “It … you ….” He shook his head.

Sayer knew he had let it all go, including his glamor. His hair was pure white. He was taller, thinner, but just as strong as his stocky human form suggested. Strangest of all, at least to Birch, would probably he his outfit … and the fact that Sayer was royalty.

“Your wings.” Birch stared, his mouth open. He blinked, tears filling his eyes.

Shit. Sayer had forgotten about those. He tucked the rainbow wings against his back.

“What are you?”

Sayer ran a hand over his hair. “I’m a fae, Birch, like an elf, or fair folk.”

“When?” Birch’s questions were breathless.

“When did I become a fae?” Sayer flinched inwardly at the question, and what his beloved was going to say when he told him, he prayed Birch wouldn’t ask that. He was not that lucky. He swallowed hard, bile making his throat burn.

“Always.”

His earlier anger was nothing like the incandescent rage that sparked in Birch’s eyes.
TBC
Now check out the other great Briefers!
Lily Sawyer      
Nephylim    
Cia Nordwell    
Tali Spencer     

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 2


Oh, here it comes again! The Wednesday Brief brings another flash update to my new story. This week I chose another photo prompt out the many offered by the wonderful Julie Hayes. Please enjoy!

Take Flight

Birch froze. The water bottle fell from his nerveless fingers. He’d long ago come to the conclusion that his treasures could have only come from one person, though he had no idea how.

“Sayer?” he whispered.

His advertised as ‘efficient’, which meant ‘tiny’, apartment couldn’t hide anyone. If Sayer had been there Birch would have smelled him. He’d always known when his best friend was close; his scent, like sharp ozone filled the air like a crisp breeze rushing through the room after a storm. It smelled … cool, somehow. Biting.

The air was thick and smelled like disturbed dust and cardboard, plus a bit of sweat. There wasn’t the faintest hint of Sayer. Yet the package was still there, almost glowing against his white sheets. Birch skirted the bed and rushed into the bathroom.

A shower. He needed a shower. Shucking off his shorts, Birch started the water then shut the shower door. The burst of heat against his face made him gasp. He hurriedly turned the hot water down. When he stood up he banged his elbow against the inside of the shower door. It went numb for an instant and then ached fiercely.

“Damn it.” The tiny space was almost impossible for him and he was still on the small, slim side. Birch didn’t envy the next guy to get this housing assignment. He fantasized about his dream bathroom; the large soaking tub inside a glass enclosure, the taupe and bronze tiles with old-fashioned light fixtures. He turned to rinse his hair and grunted when his already sore elbow grazed the door again.

He’d probably have a permanent bruise on the bone after living in the miniscule apartment for his senior year. Still it’d been better than the dorms.

The shower wasn’t nearly long enough to prepare him for facing that box. Padding into his bedroom naked he tried to avoid looking at it while getting a pair of shorts to wear. Freshly showered and dressed, sweat beaded on his forehead as Birch gingerly sat down on the bed and reached for the box with one shaking hand.

***

Sayer waited motionless though it was hard when Birch said his name. The shower was an excruciating wait until Birch came out naked. That took what breath he might have had away.

Finally, Birch untied the ribbon on the box. Inside lay a gift that would finally begin the end of their courtship. The slim man’s nimble fingers slowly slid aside the black silk padding. Birch gasped when he pulled the feather from the box. Tiny, the down was exquisitely soft, a smoky gray, and the flat oval at the top had colors were more brilliant than any found in the mortal realm.

Sayer’s back still stung at the base where his wings joined between his shoulders. That feather was his first; grown during his first year of life, it proclaimed his status among the Fae as a sylph. Born of an Air sylph and an Earth gnome—the Earth gnome, leader of all Fae—his wings had been a source of great pride to his mother just as his solid build and analytical mind had been to his father.

“Wow,” Birch said on a soft breath. He plucked the feather out of the box and twirled it in the afternoon light. It threw a rainbow swirl of color against the wall as if it were made of stained glass. Gingerly Birch brought it up to his face, lightly stroking it down his cheek. His eyes fell shut. “Oh.”

Unable to wait any longer, Sayer swayed forward. The curtains along the window belled outward and he flowed across the room from the window to where Birch sat on the bed. The massive amounts of modern architecture prevented him from taking human shape but he stroked his face along Birch’s slightly raspy cheek.

“I’ll be waiting for you when you come home.”

***

Sayer slumped into the blood red throne carved from a giant ruby. Magic warded their home dug high into the side of the highest peak in the area. Transformed with all the Fae races in mind, it layered through the hill from the airy top to the deep center where a pool of magma welled up from the center of the earth surrounded by an underwater lake that was so still it reflected the glittering stalactites so well one could hardly tell it was truly water and not a solid surface.

“What happened?” Croll asked.

“Nothing.”

“Finally tired of waiting, are you?” He smirked and leaned against an opal pillar. “You know, any other Prince would have just let his parents trade out a changeling for their beloved and never let them out of their sight.”

“The old ways are not the right ways. Our magic is powerful but the human world is growing wise. Many of them have discovered us. It will only be so long before we are revealed. That is why I spent so many years growing alongside my Birch as a mortal.”

“And why you let him go off to college without you?” Croll raised a sculpted eyebrow.

“I would have gone with him had we not lost my parents. I had a plan.”

Croll’s grimace was out of place on the smooth, unlined skin of his face. “I apologize, my liege, for reminding you of their loss.” He bowed with a flourish.

Sayer rolled his eyes. “Damn it! Don’t call me that and stand up.”

“It is what you are.” Croll rose smoothly to face him again. “Besides, it annoys you.”

“Ass.”

His best friend tutted. “Such language! The human realm has clearly had an uncouth effect on your manners.”

“Oh ancestors preserve us.” Sayer laughed. “You’re going to keep needling me as long as I sit here, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps.” Croll studied his manicured nails painted purple to match his iridescent hair. “You know you shouldn’t stew. He’ll be here soon.”

“Okay, fine. Let’s go for a flight.”
 
TBC

Okay, so quite a few answers there ... but still more to come! In the meantime, check out the other great updates by the other Wednesday Briefers.

Lily Sawyer      
Nephylim     


Friday, July 19, 2013

Weekly Review: Blood Signs by Amber Kell

Blood Signs (Blood, Moon and Sun, #1) My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this novella. An older release, I've still read and re-read Blood Signs. It's short, it has paranormal elements that I enjoy, and it has some serious alpha male loving going on. I really liked the character dynamics built in between Sasha and Randy.

The variety of characters were nicely done to add all different personalities but were a bit predictable. We had the powerful, scary, yet sweet for you alpha male in Sasha. The fun loving protective friend in Liam, the ubiquitous second in command in Tian, the smart ass in Dustin, his cocky would be mate in the beta, the creepy subtle villain and the bad boy obvious villain. (not naming due to spoilers-I hate those)

My biggest complaint is two fold. One, this was a bit too predictable and formulaic. It also wasn't as expanded on as it could be. I got that Randy's lack of knowledge about vampires was deliberate but I'd have liked to see more of the supernatural elements. That could have corrected my first issue with the story, if the common paranormal tropes had been avoided and something inventive had been shared, which would have extended the book too-something I'd always like to see more of with Amber Kell works.

All in all ... this eBook still hit a lot of my favorite themes. I enjoyed it, and it's a nice quick read for when I don't have anything new and want to read something with a paranormal/contemporary theme.

View all my reviews

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Contract Signed! The Experiment coming to Dreamspinner Press!

Release the balloons!!

I just wanted to share the news! I signed a contract with Dreamspinner Press tonight to publish The Experiment. I'm so excited to be joining their group of authors! The initial release date is early 2014.

Contest Winner!


 Congratulations Tasha M!

She won a free copy of my eBook, Burden of Secrets, in the contest hosted on M.A. Church's Blog. I hope you enjoy your gift!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Wednesday Briefs: A New Story! Take Flight

 

So, the Wednesday Briefs group is a hodge-podge of writers that all agree to be bound by a set of writing and photo prompts, and a creatively challenging word limit of 500 to 1k. Led by our intrepid prompter, Julie Hayes, we endeavor to bring you a variety of free fiction each week on Wednesdays.

This week I chose a photo prompt. I know not where this story leads ... so I am almost as much in the dark as you until more comes to me. I love mythology and a recent talk with a fan led to a request for angels. Whether or not they show up, well ... something otherworldly certainly is. Read on to find out more and then check out the other Briefer's stories!

 
Take Flight
 
“Always racing as fast as you can,” he muttered under his breath. He remembered the first time he saw Birch running.
They’d been young. He was tall and muscular in ways most kids his age weren’t. Birch was new, a whip-cord thin boy so fast with his bright blond hair flying. The smaller boy had kicked his butt at the dash on field day. Shocked, never having lost a race before, Sayer marched up to Birch and announced they were going to do the three-legged race together.
A few kids had laughed but Birch had glowered at them and they’d quickly shut up and turned away from his glare. On his nearly perfect face the expression became evil. Tied together, Birch’s shoulders barely came up to Sayer’s ribs.
They’d run together, Birch counting the steps in a sing-song voice. Sayer’s wings had fluttered behind them to the tune of their bodies moving in sync. Even after they won he could feel it. The shoelace might not have been around their ankles anymore but they were bound.
***
 A tiny gold box tied with a clumsy knot on top showed up on Birch’s pillow when he went to bed that night, the first of the long summer vacation stuck at home. Inside was a rock that glittered in the setting sun.
“Wow.” Birch knew it wasn’t from his parents. He glanced out the window, cracked to let in whatever breath of air the sultry night might offer to cool the small space. The rock, nestled into his palm, was only about the size of a dime. He could hide it.
It was his special treasure. His secret.
Summer passed as slow and dreary as he expected it to, as it did the year before and the years after. But though Birch stayed small and quiet, he was no target. He was the fastest of all the boys, which earned him some playground respect. Those who might have cornered him where his speed couldn’t save him soon learned no teacher could keep them safe from Sayer.
Birch soon had a small collection of trinkets join his rock. Each appeared on his pillow in a gold box tied with the same clumsy bow. He found a wood box with a lock and small round key at a garage sale one day when he’d earned two dollars weeding for Mr. Wallird and the kerfed edges had fascinated him with their incomplete cuts showing the lighter inside wood under the clear stain.
He’d even talked the old lady selling it, her blue eyes twinkling as they haggled, down to a dollar so he could buy himself a lemonade icy pop. He’d buried his treasures, worried his mom would find them otherwise, the wood box in a bag, safely in the roots of an oak tree with a gnarled branch just right to sit on. He never told anyone of his treasures, not even Sayer.
***
“What in the hell did you do to your hair?” Sayer asked. He was frowning, staring at the short dark strands that took the place of Birch’s flaxen curls.
Birch shrugged. “Just wanted something different.”
“I don’t like it.”
The smaller teen looked up at him with an open mouth. “What?”
“I like your color and your curls. You don’t look right without them.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Birch frowned up at him. “When did you become so critical?” An air of hurt hovered between them. The boy tightened his lips into a harsh line.
Sayer felt his wings tremble against his back. He wanted to take Birch in his arms but he wouldn’t. As much as he coveted the other boy, he couldn’t capture him yet. New times called for new laws. A changeling could never fool anyone.
“Come on, let’s go pick up our caps and gowns.”
Four more years. Just four.
He could wait.
Birch was worth it.
***
“A full ride!” Sayer blinked down at him. “You didn’t tell me!”
“I wanted to surprise you. I wasn’t sure if I could get the housing and work study worked out, but I can’t let you go away with me.” His parents had never cared what he did. Birch had only one person who gave a rat’s ass about him.
Sayer.
Now he and his best friend would be attending the same college. Birch licked his lips. Maybe they’d even get to room together. Birch ran his hand over his hair, now back to its original golden hue, though the lack of curls couldn’t be fixed as easily as washing out dye.
“I’ll work this summer and then head up this fall. Are you going home again?” Summer always dragged without his best friend’s company. Birch looked up when Sayer sighed.
“Yeah, no choice. We have to head back to the old country, as always.”
“You’ll be there though. August twenty-fifth, right?”
Sayer pulled Birch into a hug. They’d both seemed to grow so that Birch was never any taller compared to Sayer than always. His head always nestled against his friend’s chest.
“I’ll always come back for you.”
***
But Sayer hasn’t come. Not that September or any of the following three while Birch got his environmental biologist degree. The city seemed like a lonely place in a way the slim young man had never experienced before, even surrounded by people.
Birch never stopped looking for him though, hoping each year only to be disappointed. Now he was leaving the city to move back home and start his first post-college job.
He’d packed all morning. His jitters, wondering if he’d run into Sayer in the small town nestled in between the rolling hills, finally got the better of him. A run was just what he needed, then he’d finish packing up the bedroom and bathroom of his tiny apartment.
Dripping with sweat from the harsh sun, sucking at the nearly empty water bottle, Birch didn’t see it at first.
A gold box was nestled on his pillow.
 
TBC!
Okay, sorry, can't share more til next week. Check out the other Briefers, though, for some great stories!
Lily Sawyer    
 
P.S. This is the last day of the contest for my newest novella eBook running on M.A. Church's blog, so check that out while you're there too! Then keep checking back here for more Adverse Effects this week, a review, and a little sensual snippet on Saturday.



Monday, July 15, 2013

Contest to Win my eBook!!!

Want to bit of a treat this morning and a chance to win my latest eBook? Check out my visiting blog post at M.A. Church's blog and leave a comment!!


Saturday, July 13, 2013

MA Church with Shadows in the Night

Please welcome M.A. Church with her latest release, Shadows in the Night!


Grandparents, like heroes, are as necessary to a child’s growth as vitamins.

~Joyce Allston

 

Hey everyone! I’m M.A. Church and I’m here to talk about my latest book called Shadows in the Night from Dreamspinner, which will be released July 12th.

One of my main characters is Jason, a Native American shifter—a black cougar. Here are a few facts about cougars:

~The cougar (Puma concolor)also known as the puma, mountain lion, panther, or catamountis native to the Americas. Its range extends from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of South America and is the greatest of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.

~The cougar is an adaptable, generalist species and is found in most American habitat types.

~It’s also the second heaviest cat in the Western Hemisphere, after the jaguar.

~The cougar is solitary by nature and nocturnal; it’s closely related to smaller felines and is genetically closer to the domestic cat than true lions.


Now here’s the interesting part lol.

~There are no authenticated cases of truly melanistic (a development of dark-colored pigment in the skin or appendages and is the opposite of albinism) cougars. Melanistic cougars have never been photographed or shot in the wild and none has ever been bred. Unconfirmed sightings, known as the “North American black panther”, are currently attributed to errors in species identification by non-experts, and by the memetic (an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture) exaggeration of size.

In other words, according to the experts, there is no such thing as a black cougar. Huh. Guess someone should tell my black cougar shifter that, lol. ;) And someone may want to tell Jason he’s involved himself with a guy, Chip, who is a modern man with modern ideas. *grin* The fur is sure to fly when these two, from such different times, come together.

Oh, and let’s not forget there’s another shifter out there who has Chip in his sights and has murder on his mind.
 
 

Blurb:

When Chip Riley's beloved granny passes away, she leaves him all her money, her land, and a house that needs some tender love and care. She never mentioned the legacy comes with a Native American shifter who intends to claim Chip as his mate.

Jason Sky has lived since buffalo roamed the land. When his totem spirit, a black cougar, saves a little girl, he doesn’t realize that generations later, her grandson will become his mate, leaving him to take on a modern man with modern ideas. But that’s the least of his problems.

Garon, another shifter with a long-held hatred for Jason, plots to kidnap Chip and lure Jason to his death. Soon Chip finds himself in an untenable position between a rock and a hard place. A leap of faith may be the only way to save himself and the man he’s learned to love.

Pages: 200

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase



 

Excerpt:

A DULL strand of coppery red hair worked loose from the haphazard bun at the back of her neck, and with a sigh, Eva brushed it back behind her ear. It was early morning, but the heaviness of the air promised another scorcher.

“’Ranny! ’Ranny!”

A delighted smile lit Eva’s face as the precocious three-year-old came running around the corner of the house. He couldn’t quite pronounce the “G” sound, so instead of Granny he called her Ranny. The bright morning sun hit the little boy, and his light auburn hair once again reminded her of a living flame. He had inherited her red tresses and moss-green eyes.

“Over here, Chipper.”

Her grandson was her pride and joy… and more special than anyone knew. It was a shame his mother and father couldn’t see that, but her daughter didn’t care for anyone but herself. Their relationship was stilted, at best. Chip’s father was more concerned with making money than having anything to do with his son. Eva hated to admit it, but she didn’t have much use for either of her grandson’s parents. As a result of both parents neglecting Chip, the older the little boy became, the more time he ended up spending with her. Which, secretly, relieved her. Fate had big plans for the little guy; she had seen that firsthand in one of her visions.

“Go fish now?”

She had promised him last night they’d fish in the pond close to her house. It was just the two of them now; her husband Ed had died of a heart attack a year ago. The man had been in his late fifties, active, didn’t drink or smoke—and one morning had dropped dead of a heart attack. Eva grieved that Chip would never remember his grandfather.

“Yes, sweetie, we’ll go to the pond and fish for a while.”

Eva had the poles, a small tackle box, and a picnic basket ready to go. With any luck, they’d be having catfish for dinner. Of course, that depended on how soon the little bundle of energy dancing around her tired out.

“Ride horsey?”

“Oh, sweetie, remember? I told you that Horsey may or may not show up today.” Eva glanced at the tree line as the animal Chip called “horsey” moved toward them. “Although something told me he’d be here.” The large, black cat moved nearer with a grace that belied the strength and deadliness he possessed. Keen, humanlike intelligence showed in his eyes. Eva was unsurprised. She knew full well this animal was more than what he appeared. “Horsey!” Chip squealed and raced in the direction of the animal.

“Had a feeling you wouldn’t miss this.” Eva, a smile on her lips, shook her head as a happy rumble sounded from deep within the animal’s chest. He lowered himself to the ground so Chip could climb on his back. “Okay, come along you two. Daylight’s a-wasting.”

Eva followed the huge cat, her grandson babbling merrily to the animal about whatever hit his fertile mind. The trip to the pond was a short one, and soon they arrived. But even with the small child riding on his back and talking nonstop, the creature never lowered his guard. His ears twitched as he listened to the woodland creatures, alert for any signs of danger. Eva trusted his instincts—in fact, trusted him with her and her grandson’s lives. Without him, she wouldn’t be alive. The beast had proven his loyalty to her and her parents a long time ago, and a friendship had been born.

Eva found a shady spot by the pond and laid out an old sheet she’d brought. There she laid the picnic basket, along with a few towels. After she cast out her line, she turned to watch as the animal and Chip played by the bank.

“Go get it!” Chip hollered as he threw a small ball she had brought.

The creature chased after the ball, and Chip ran after the beast. They pursued each other, the animal allowing the small child to catch him. He was always careful to keep his claws retracted as they played. Giggles and an occasional yip drifted to her.

Chip made his way to her side after he grew tired of the game. “Ranny, go swim?”

“Sure, sweetie.” Eva reeled in her line and helped the little boy take off his shoes, socks, and shirt. The beast waited patiently as she readied Chip, then followed the youngster to the water. “Have fun, boys.”

The water wasn’t deep where they splashed and frolicked. Anytime Chip wandered too deep, the cat herded him back to shallower water. Eva giggled like a young girl when the beast splashed Chip with his paw.

Chip wiped the water from his eyes. “No fair!”

“Oh, you’ve done it now.” Eva chuckled.

The beast turned his head to look at her and a sound rumbled from it that sounded amazingly like a laugh. When he turned back to the little boy, his greenish-yellow eyes widened. Chip floated on his back, kicking furiously. A tidal wave of water crashed down on the animal. Soft, playful growls and shrieks of laughter could be heard echoing through the woods as the beast and the small human child mock-fought. With a gentle nudge of his head, the animal ushered Chip from the water.

“Think it’s rest time, Chipper. You hungry?”

“Uh-huh.”

Chip rubbed his eyes with his fists as Eva dried him off. To the side, the beast licked his coat dry. Eva laid out the sandwiches and poured a cup of juice for Chip. A bowl filled with fresh water sat near her grandson’s plate. Chip and the creature settled down on the sheet to eat lunch. The animal took breaks from slurping water from his bowl to eat bits and pieces of the sandwich Chip fed him. Soon the little boy was curled up next to the creature.

“I’m going to try to get a little fishing done,” Eva whispered as her grandson slipped off to sleep. Purring softly, the beast nodded his head. “I won’t be far.”

When Eva returned a short time later with her catch, she stopped and watched the huge, black animal and the little boy sleeping next to each other.

“I’m back.” Eva sat down next to the beast. A long black tail rested across Chip’s legs, and greenish-yellow eyes focused on Eva. “You know this can’t go on much longer, my friend. He’s smart for a child his age, and soon he’s going to ask questions about you.”

The creature rumbled in agreement.

“I know it’ll be hard for you. But another year—maybe two—and you’ll have to disappear from his life. The time isn’t right yet for you to make yourself known.”

The creature rumbled again, sadness in his eyes.

Eva ran her hand over the thick black coat. “I know, dear. But the time will come. You and I both know that. It will come, and he’s going to need you. Take care of him for me, okay?”

The beast nodded his head again. His time would come, but not for many years yet. The little boy had to grow into a man first.

 

Author bio:

M.A. Church

M.A. Church lives in the southern United States and spent many years in the elementary education sector. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have two children. Her hobbies are gardening, walking, attending flea markets, watching professional football, racing, and spending time with her family on the lake.

But her most beloved hobby is reading. From an early age, she can remember hunting for books at the library. Later nonhuman and science fiction genres captured her attention and drew her into the worlds the authors had created. But always at the back of her mind was the thought that one day, when the kids were older and she had more time, she would write a book.

By sheer chance she stumbled across a gay male romance story on the web and was hooked. A new world opened up and she fell in love. Thus the journey started. When not writing or researching, she enjoys reading the latest erotic and mainstream romance novels.

 

My links:


Twitter @nomoretears00


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Now Available: Burden of Secrets by ... ME! Check it out!

Available Now!!
 photo BurdenofSecrets200x300_zps44f7d6aa.jpg
Synopsis
 
They both have secrets they want to hide. Chris isn't out and his break-up with a waitress at the restaurant his father owns, and he's interning at, results in a lot of pain for someone else. He feels the need to take care of Niel and is unable to hide how much he wants him. There's something about him that draws Chris in. But will he risk people finding out that he's gay, disappointing his dad and everyone he knows?

Chris isn't the only one hiding who he is though. Niel's hiding too, only he's got a bigger secret than his sexuality. He's hiding from some very bad ... people. Telling Chris would never be enough; he'd have to show him. But if Niel does that, if he shares his truth, he'll put them both at risk.

Can they stay together with those obstacles between them? Will Chris ever be willing to admit he's gay to anyone? Will Niel get the chance to tell Chris who he really is, and will Chris still want him afterward?

Excerpt:
"Damn it, Julie, I said not now! I'm working, which is also what you’re supposed to be doing," Chris snapped. He grimaced as he looked over at her. Could her skirt be any shorter? Her white shirt any tighter or a shade more see-through? Her red lips worked a bit as she ground her teeth. They were in the middle of a busy kitchen, though most of the other chefs were working on the other side of the kitchen and pretending they couldn't hear anything.

Chris knew every one of them was listening to Julie yell at him. Their relationship had gotten so bad that she didn’t even hesitate to harass him in the middle of the kitchen, where they both worked! What had he been thinking?

"It's my sister's wedding. I need a date; we've been seeing each other for a few months now. I'm not dating anyone else. What I am supposed to do? Just take some random guy off the street? You're my boyfriend!" She stabbed one manicured finger in the air at him.

"I'm not going away for the weekend with you to some supposedly romantic B&B for your sister's wedding. I can't. I have to work," he said stubbornly. “And I never said I was your boyfriend.” He was busy stirring a pot on the stove so he couldn’t move away from her, as much as he wished to just get away from this conversation. He’d known it was coming and had been avoiding her.

"You’re the son of the owner, you can take time off." Both of Julie's hands had landed back on her hips and she was giving him a stare that clearly said either give in or be prepared to pay the consequences.

"It's not like that, Julie, and you know it. My working here isn't just helping out my dad. It's an internship and it counts as credit for school. I won't mess that up, especially not for the wedding of someone I don't really like anyway." Chris kept stirring the pot, checking the thermometer on the side. He saw the way Julie's mouth dropped open in shock from the corner of his eye. It took her a moment before she could speak.

"That's a shitty thing to say!" she snapped. "My sister is always nice to you."

"She’s only nice if you count looking down her nose at me and being a snobby bitch ever since she came sweeping back into town with her well-off prig of a fiancée as being nice. I don’t.  I'm not going Julie; take one of your girlfriends or something. I'm too busy."

Julie's body was stiff and her entire face was red. "You asshole!" she hissed. "You're going to have more free time now because we’re through! God, I don't know what I ever saw in you!"

"You saw your chance to get out of this place and decided to use me to do it," Chris shot back. "I've known since we were in high school that you only wanted me because you thought I was leaving to go to State on a soccer scholarship. You heard about that job offer in New York, didn’t you? That’s why you’re always trying to get me to go away on weekends, I bet!”

Chris shook his head. “Well I like it here; I'm going to finish my cooking school degree and then work with my dad, maybe run the restaurant for him one day. I'm not going anywhere and we both know that neither were we. You won't be happy here, raising a family with me, and knowing my fucked up luck you’d get pregnant. You'd turn into a massive bitch and make my life a living hell. No thank you!"

"You have to actually have sex to get pregnant. And that sure as hell wasn't happening," Julie swore. "No matter what I did you never took the shot, never went all the way. We could have a whole weekend away together and you tell me no? You're a bastard and I've wasted enough time on your useless dick. I'm done." She started to storm off but stopped when Chris snapped at her.

"Maybe we never had sex because my dick would freeze and fall off if I stuck it in a frigid bitch like you!" He glared at her, wishing he’d done the smart fucking thing and stayed the hell away from Julie Amery.

Julie gasped and whirled on him. She grabbed the nearest object, a thick dinner plate, and flung it at his head.  When Chris dodged the plate he jerked the pot of sugar he was still stirring sideways and the thick liquid in it flew out in a wide arc. It landed on a busboy walking down the aisle toward the dishwashers. His scream and the crashing noise as he dropped his bin full of dishes were so loud everyone in the kitchen stopped working and stared.

"Shit!" Chris froze for a second as the younger man danced in pain.

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Previously published:
Heated Blood

Saturday, July 6, 2013

My eBook Update!

Just wanted to let you all know that you can now download a copy of my free novella, Needing You, at GayAuthors. There are epub, mobi, and pdf versions available there. You do need to be a member, but it's free, and you'll find millions of free words there! I'm an admin so I can safely say your info is never used against you as a member, either. :)

On another awesome note, I've had RFP contract One Night. It's with the editors now, but it will be expanded (not sure how much yet), cleaned up, and published sometime next fall! So, don't get upset when the free version disappears, because a better one will be coming.