Check out A Closed Door by Andrew Q. Gordon!

From time to time I get to host people whose stories I really enjoy, as they publish them into eBooks. Today is one of those days! Today, Andrew Q. Gordon is in the spotlight with his new release: A Closed Door!

by Andrew Q. Gordon

Book Blurb:

Outted at thirteen, Orin Merritt left home after high school hoping to escape the hell his life had become. Ten years later when a tornado destroys his childhood home and kills his parents, Orin finds himself in an entirely new nightmare. One he can't run away from.

Blaming himself for failing the two people who always loved and supported him, he returns home and confronts his past in the person of his one-time best friend, Thomas Kennett.  Thomas not only rejected him when Orin came out, he led the group that tormented Orin into leaving.  

As he struggles to deal with his grief, Orin also labors to fulfill the pledge he made to his parents before their death.  In the process, Orin learns that sometimes when you go away to find yourself, you leave the answers you're looking for behind.

Buy Links:

Wayward Ink Publishing.

Amazon US:

Amazon Australia:

Amazon UK:

Amazon DE:

Amazon Canada:

Cover Artist: Lily Velden and Jay Aheer

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing.

Book Excerpt:

"Orin, I won't." Thomas stood a bit straighter and his eyes lost the sad, pleading shine. "I won't hurt you again."

"You can't promise that. Things happen." Orin watched as his words dragged Thomas back from the brink of hope.

"If you truly believe that, then there's nothing I can do. You have to believe there's a chance or else I can't prove it."

"That's not what I'm telling you." He locked his gaze on Thomas's. "If I say yes, I'll have to take down the walls I surrounded my heart with to keep it safe. Once it's gone, I won't be able bring it back if I get hurt. Not now.

"So what I'm saying is, think about what you’re asking me to risk. If you really love me, ask yourself if are you willing to risk what will happen to me if you can't keep your promise."

He knew how unfair he'd been, but self-preservation had been a skill he'd honed over the past fifteen years. He needed Thomas to know just how serious the repercussion could be for his actions.

"Orin, I . . . I . . . how . . .?" Their faces were inches apart, and Thomas moved in for another kiss.

This felt different than the first—less urgent, but no less intense. Orin trembled at the leap he was about to take. When they stepped back, Thomas rubbed his thumb across Orin's cheek.

"I do love you, Orin. More than I can say. So much, that I'm not willing to risk what will happen if I fail you again. I don't have that right."

Thomas's lips quivered and the tears welled at the bottom of his eyes. He kissed Orin's forehead gently.

            "Good-bye, Orin. Please be happy." Without looking back, Thomas walked to the front door, opened it, and walked away.

Author Bio: 

Andrew Q. Gordon wrote his first story back when yellow legal pads, ball point pens were common and a Smith Corona correctable typewriter was considered high tech. Adapting with technology, he now takes his MacBook somewhere quiet when he wants to write.

He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his partner of eighteen years, their young daughter and dog.  In addition to dodging some very self-important D.C. 'insiders', Andrew uses his commute to catch up on his reading. When not working or writing, he enjoys soccer, high fantasy, baseball and seeing how much coffee he can drink in a day.

Author Contacts:

Website: www.andrewqgordon.com,

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/andrewqugordon,

Twitter:  @andrewqgordon,

Email: andrewqgordon@gmail.com

Other Books:

The Last Grand Master:  (Champion of the Gods – Book 1);

Purpose:

(Un)Masked:

Ashes of Life:

Wednesday Briefers... New Story! Fortitude



So, the commenters have spoken. On GA and here I listened to my readers. The story of Benny and Yuri's Clan is far from complete, but I think their tale has come to an end for now. Plus... a lot of people want more to read with each update--those 1k limits were killing them, lol. So, I thought I'd start something new. This is a different kind of story than I've tried before, so we'll see where it goes.

This newest story was inspired by a photo prompt, both for the setting of the story and a specific plot idea. Enjoy!!

FORTITUDE Part One

 





“The lantern changed.”

“Noted. Your point being?” I continued deeper into the cavern, my lantern held high above my head to ensure I did not fall prey to any holes. The last thing I needed was a turned ankle. My boots were already hampering me enough.

Pride does go before a fall—one of my mother’s favorite sayings. Heels were not conducive to my explorations.

“A flame turning blue usually means a ghost is about.”

I scoffed at Theodore. “You are being superstitious. Ghosts? Have you been chatting with the servants again? I simply sent a wave to increase the light.”

“Oh.”

My best friend was a Gamma. They weren’t slow-witted, exactly, but he was prone to fugues. I really shouldn’t have let him come with me. I was on a mission, and I would not fail. I was a singular being; success was my destiny.

Not even in my darkest moments of self-doubt did I consider not finding the Dresfrei Codex. All my life, from the first time my father told me the tale until now, I’d known I would find a way to fix Schvesla’s machine. No one could fix it, though the King said he had men worked on it continually.

With it, I could bring back the golden age of beta power. My lineage would be elevated to Peer status, and no longer would I be looked down upon. My mind emitted beta waves, giving me an unparalleled intellect as my brain worked at a feverish pace compared to gammas, alphas, and thetas, but my personal power meant very little because of my station in life to those who mattered—the powerful nobles. I was viewed as an aberration.

I’d prove I had the will, not just the strength, to make the journey and decipher the clues Schvesla left behind. His codex was the key, and I’d finally, finally, discovered its location. The first step was getting through the natural caverns below the city. I was the first Beta born in a hundred years, and by damned, I would prove my mettle.

“Where exactly are we going, Will?” Teddy asked.

“My name is William-Henry. We’re not children anymore, Theodore.”

He snorted, as vulgar as can be. “You’re Willy, and I’m Teddy, and we are not children. That doesn’t mean you need to take on such airs.”

I stopped. “Don’t you want to be somebody important? Don’t you want to be more than “Teddy, the printer”? My father was an inventor, but his devices were child’s play compared to what I could be if I get Schvesla’s machine running. Why should I be forced to remain as I am? I want something more. I want to understand my power and use it in a way that would truly matter.” I spread my arms wide and grinned. “I could be a hero.”

Teddy smiled wryly. “Grown up. Oh yes, you’ve definitely left behind the imaginings of childhood.”

I waved off his amusement. “I want my name to be remembered,” I said passionately.

“Well, I will always remember you as, Willy, who dragged me along on dangerous adventures and got us lost in dark caverns because he used up too much of the lamp power.”

Scowling, I turned away. “I’m the power. At least call me Will.” As long as I was conscious, and holding on to the metal handle, my mind would make enough energy to keep the spark in the lantern going.

“I can see it now—in print, no less—The Misadventures of Two Youths, Long Since Forgotten.”

“Very funny, Teddy.” He always came up with the most outlandish stories, though all he was allowed to print were pamphlets and bills his father approved. “C’mon, it’s still a ways to go.”

We walked into a tunnel on the far side of the cavern, moving farther from the city center. It was amazing the underground way was undiscovered. No one had probably been in the tunnel for a long time. It smelled like dirt and damp, but the air was strangely clean compared to the city where buildings and vehicles belched black smoke.

If Schvesla’s machine worked again, we could have clean energy again. Damn it, I was a Beta, the only person alive with brain waves strong enough to power it up. What else was I born for?

“It’s cold.”

I looked over at my shoulder. Teddy was right behind me, staying in the sphere of light. “Buckle your jacket.”

He looked down. “Oh.”

Gammas. I swear, half the time they daydream through life. At least he’d grabbed his wool trench coat like I’d told him.  “So tell me, where are we going?” Teddy asked as he tightened the buckles on his coat, cinching the chest tight.

“The tunnel continues under the walls of the city and out into the wilds.”

“We’re traveling outside the walls?”

“Yes. That’s why I brought my gun and my sword.” I patted my silver plated pistol. “We’ll be fine, don’t worry,” I assured him.

“Worry? Are you kidding?” Teddy skipped and then stumbled into me. “Oops, sorry.” I braced myself with one hand on the wall.

“Ew.” The rock was slimy. “You okay?” I hoped he hadn’t hurt himself. It wouldn’t be wise to leave the city if he were unable to run—the wilds weren’t safe at the best of times.

“Fine.”

I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a starched handkerchief. I wiped the muck off my palm. Gross. I sighed and folded it back up and stuffed my handkerchief back in my pocket. I had more in my pack, but I knew we wouldn’t find a laundress out in the wilds.

“How do you know where to go, Will?”

“That’s the secret I wanted to tell you.” I pulled out a locked metal box from the inner breast pocket of my coat. He crowded close. The gears clicked slowly as I spun the bottom cog five turns left and two right. The box popped open.

TBC

 

Oh yeah, I'm leaving it there! LOL So, what do you think of the new story? Something different, right! Okay, go check out the Briefers website or use the links below to check out the other great updates this week.

 

 

M.A. Church

Victoria Adams

Kazy Reed

Carol Pedroso

Chris T. Kat

Matthias Williamson

Tali Spencer

Nephylim

JC Wallace

Cia Nordwell

Jon Keys

TC Collins

Sarah Hayes

Ravon Silvius

Johayan

Tali Spencer

Shelly Schulz

Julie Lynn Hayes

Avery Dawes

Blog Tour: Project X and a contest!!

Welcome, Nephylim with Project X! Check out her cool book trailer as well as an excerpt of Project X, then sign up for her giveaway!

 

Title: Project X

Author: Nephylim

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsys

Morgan Bentley is a bastard. Always was and always will be.

At least that’s what Matthew Hopkins thinks. Unfortunately, Morgan is also a brilliant law student, and easily eclipses Matthew, academically and socially.

Matthew insists he hates Morgan. According to Matthew’s best friend, Cory, perhaps he doth protest a bit too much.

Cory has received the chance of a lifetime in the form of an internship with ITM—Information Technology and Medicine—the prestigious research company where Morgan’s father is the CEO. Too inquisitive for his own good, the naturally curious Cory stumbles on a deadly secret inside of ITM. What he has learned will tip the balance of everything, but for good or bad?

Just what is the mysterious Project X?

What is Morgan’s involvement?

Matthew has to sort fact from fiction, friend from foe, as his world is turned upside down and inside out, and nothing can be the way it was.

Book Trailer

http://youtu.be/TFBUMu4xp_Q

Buy Links

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/project-x-by-nephylim/

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NMHC4EI/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NMHC4EI/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/project-x-nephylim/1120380974?ean=9781925222005

About the author

Nephylim was born into a poor mining family in the South Wales Valleys. Until she was 16, the toilet was at the bottom of the garden and the bath hung on the wall. Her refrigerator was a stone slab in the pantry and there was a black lead fireplace in the kitchen. They look lovely in a museum but aren’t so much fun to clean.

Nephylim has always been a storyteller. As a child, she’d make up stories for her nieces, nephews and cousin and they’d explore the imaginary worlds she created, in play.

Later in life, Nephylim became the storyteller for a re enactment group who travelled widely, giving a taste of life in the Iron Age. As well as having an opportunity to run around hitting people with a sword, she had an opportunity to tell stories of all kinds, sometimes of her own making, to all kinds of people. The criticism was sometimes harsh, especially from the children, but the reward enormous.

It was here she began to appreciate the power of stories and the primal need to hear them. In ancient times, the wandering bard was the only source of news, and the storyteller the heart of the village, keeping the lore and the magic alive. Although much of the magic has been lost, the stories still provide a link to the part of us that still wants to believe that it’s still there, somewhere.

In present times, Nephylim lives in a terraced house in the valleys with her son and her two cats. Her daughter has deserted her for the big city, but they’re still close. The part of her that needs to earn money is a lawyer, but the deepest, and most important part of her is a storyteller and artist, and always will be.

Social media links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SevenPointStar

Facebook: Private: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.headford.1

Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Nephylim.author

Tumblr:  https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nephylim-author

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4462803.Nephylim

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=140237118&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Adult Blog: http://nephylim-author.blogspot.co.uk/

Young Adult Blog: http://cherylheadford.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday Briefs: Lost Inside Chapter 41



What do you do-oo-ooo on a Wednesday? Read some flash! This week my flash was inspired by 'Have a character make a promise.' So... Enjoy!

 

Lost Inside Chapter 41

Benny sat up straight. He’d never heard Carlit speak a full sentence. His voice was deep, but he hesitated and mumbled, still staring at the floor. Peten turned to Carlit and lifted his head.

“Hey. Look at me.” He waited until Carlit slowly listened, then continued in a soft voice. “That’s not you. What they did to you… to me. That isn’t our fault. You aren’t what they said.” He didn’t say breeder again. “We’ll never be hurt like that again.”

Yuri slid away from Benny and moved quietly to kneel by Carlit and Peten. Carlit shied back, but Yuri kept moving his hand slowly toward Carlit’s hands, still clenched in his lap. He gently laid his fingers over Carlit’s white knuckles and squeezed.

“You don’t have to be afraid anymore. I know how scary it is to trust again, but Benny is a good man. He’s not like other Tiger Alphas.”

Carlit flicked at glance at Benny. He did his best to stay relaxed and look harmless, his claws and fangs hidden and his ears lazily erect. He didn’t like his mate touching another male, but Carlit and Peten weren’t a threat to him; Benny was sure of that.

“I don’t think you’re really broken, either. I got hurt by my father, but my friend Ellis got me help. He works with a doctor here, and he knows other doctors, too.” Carlit whined. “Not bad ones. I mean, sometimes they like to do too many tests, but I promise they only want to help us get better. They did stuff to me here,” Yuri waved to his head. “It was really broken inside, and I couldn’t think right. I didn’t even know Benny was my mate.”

Benny tried not to think about that time. The year he’d spent apart from Yuri was more like a bad dream than something they’d suffered through. Even with all the crazy crap they’d been through since then, he was so thankful he had his mate back.

“I promise, on my bond with my mate, that we won’t let anyone hurt you. When you’re ready, I’ll introduce you to Ellis. But not until you say you’re ready.”

Carlit pulled his hands back, but he nodded. Peten leaned across him and opened his arms. “Thank you, Yuri. I can’t believe you’d offer to help us. After what we did….”

Yuri lurched up and wrapped his arms around Peten in a tight hug. “It wasn’t your fault,” he said fiercely. “You would’ve just gotten hurt. You couldn’t stop Sheshtun. No one could.” Yuri sat back on his heels. “I don’t blame you.”

“Your mate stopped him.”

“He did.” Yuri came back the couch with Benny and sat down. Benny lifted his arm, and Yuri snuggled into his chest. That felt good—just like it should.

“I had help. I never could’ve tracked him down and stopped his sick experiments if I hadn’t worked with Velaku. He cares about all Carthera, not just his own kind.” Benny stared at Peten. Would he be strong enough? “You said there are other Clans involved in Sheshtun’s plots. Do you know which one Carlit came from? Would you be willing to speak before the council about what you know?”

“I don’t know if Carlit can.” Peten wouldn’t look Benny square in the eyes. He fidgeted, rubbing Carlit’s thigh.

“The more they know, the better. Maybe the doctors can help him.”

Peten stilled. “That’s the price? We testify or they won’t help him?” He seemed oddly relaxed.

“No!” Yuri sat up. “Benny’s not like that. Caring about others in your clan doesn’t have to be tit for tat. We’ll help Carlit because we can.”

The way Yuri believed in him sent a warm wave through Benny. He loved the fact his mate trusted him. He’d thought they’d never grow that close again.

Carlit leaned down toward Peten. “Tired,” he mumbled.

“Okay. Umm….” He looked at Benny.

“Go ahead.” The way no one in the Clan would do anything in his presence without his express permission was probably the biggest annoyance. “We’ll talk soon.”

Yuri shut the door behind them. “Is that the kind of stuff you’ve been dealing with?” He straddled Benny’s legs, facing him and putting his hands on Benny’s shoulders.

Benny sighed. “Pretty much.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Benny groaned when Yuri dug his fingers in, kneading his sore muscles. He gradually relaxed, some of the ever present tension draining from his neck and shoulders. “Someone has to do it.”

Yuri slid his hands down, rubbing Benny’s pecs. “I get that. You are a great Alpha, even if you never thought you’d be one.”

It was true. He’d never had a real desire to lead, even if he carried the dominant genes. When Sheshtun merged their clans, Benny had expected to become a beta… but that was before he met Yuri, and they realized they were mates.

Yuri traced the ridges under Benny’s t-shirt, then pulled it up. Benny let him take it off and then groaned when Yuri tweaked both his nipples. His mate grinned. The more Yuri touched him, the more Benny felt like melting into the couch—except for one part of him.

“You know,” Yuri gasped when Benny pulled him closer with a strong grip on his ass, rubbing their groins together, “I could help you.”

Benny kneaded Yuri’s round ass, thrusting his hips up. “You are.” He was going to make a mess in his pants if they didn’t move to the bed soon.

“Let me help you with the clan.” Yuri hovered over him, their mouths a breath apart. “We’re better together.”

His mate was going to give him blue balls if he didn’t give in; Benny just knew it.

“Stop protecting me. We’re partners; I can do this.”

Maybe he could. Benny sure didn’t want to do it alone. Together they could heal the Clan—maybe even bring them into the 21^st century.

“Okay.” And it was a simple as that.

So, what do you think? The End? More to tell?

Okay, more stories are needed, right? Of course!!

Wednesday Briefers Site

Shelly Schulz

Avery Dawes

JC Wallace

Sarah Hayes

Victoria Adams

Jim Dunaway

Chris T. Kat

Matthias Williamson

Tali Spencer

Ravon Silvius

M.A. Church

Julie Lynn Hayes