Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Merry Christmas!

It's been a quite the year, hasn't it? There have been ups, down, bumps, and triumphs. Once more I was able to attend GRL and hang out with the wonderful folks who read and write my genre. I also attended Outlantacon, a Dreamspinner event in Portland, and met up with friends in different locations. Dreamspinner Press published A Matter of When, and Rocky Ridge Books published Manipulation, the fourth book in the Diversion series.

Corruption (Diversion 3) won Best Gay Mystery/Thriller at The Rainbow Awards.

All told it's been a pretty good year. From the bottom of my heart I wish you and yours lots of love, joy, peace, and laughter this holiday season.
 
Merry Christmas!
 
 

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Today Only! The Angel of 13th Street for FREE!

The Angel of 13th Street is FREE today at Torquere Press! Get your copy now!


The Angel. That’s what the young hustlers call Noah Everett, the man who’ll help them get off the streets. Once a hustler himself, Noah doesn’t take his own good advice, which is, “Don’t let this ruin your life.” Haunted by the past and those he couldn’t save, Noah carefully keeps others at bay until his self-imposed loneliness is shattered by determined, ambitious, but homeless eighteen-year-old Jeremy Kincaid.

A ruthless pimp has targeted Jeremy, but if Noah will fight to get anonymous young men out of the life, he’ll fight harder to keep Jeremy from getting in, even if it means a return to old stomping grounds to make a deal with the devil. To save Jeremy, Noah risks more than just his body. He risks his soul as well, because Willie Carnell, pimp, was once Billy Cordell, Noah’s lover.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Match for the Holidays Boxed Set

Looking for a Holiday romance? Why not three, all tucked up into one volume?



Match for the Holidays boxed set contains the complete texts of The Match Before Christmas, Fanning the Flames, and A Lie I can Live With, which are also available separately.
Adventures in computer dating.

What starts as Barry Richards’ desire for someone to share Christmas grows into an adventure in friendship and a little matchmaking of his own. Now the three-story set: The Match Before Christmas, Fanning the Flames, and A Lie I Can Live With have been combined into a single collection.

Follow Barry and his friends as they navigate the tricky (and often bizarre) world of Internet dating, in their search for love.


The Match Before Christmas


Candlelight, mistletoe, gaily wrapped packages beneath a trimmed tree, and someone to share it with. That's all Barry Richards wants for Christmas. Desperate for a traditional holiday, he creates a profile on "GetaDate.com," in hopes of finding the perfect man in a matter of weeks. One date after another goes sour, while all around him friends are falling in love, and Barry starts to lose faith.

The first snow falls and the world fills with seasonal cheer, all except for Barry, for whom time is running out. Facing the prospect of a lonely holiday, he tries just once more to make The Match Before Christmas.

Fanning the Flames


The man of Barry's dreams has gone from a sugarplum fantasy to sweet reality, thanks to the GLBT dating site GetaDate.com. Introducing a new boyfriend to the family and settling into coupledom aren't the easiest things in the world for a man with little dating experience, but the romantic demands of Valentine's Day are beyond Barry's imagination. His piteous cry for help brings all kinds of suggestions from family and friends. Fully believing he's found the perfect ways to charm his sweetheart, Barry isn't prepared to hear "Achoo " at every turn. Adam's allergic to what? And will sneezes and welts wreck Barry's painstaking plans for Fanning the Flames?

A Lie I Can Live With


A dating site profile faked up to make geeky gamer Otis Tucker more alluring hasn’t done much for his social life, so what does he have to lose by putting his real picture and honest interests online? His pal Barry swears there’s someone out there who will love Otis for himself, extra pounds and all.

Handsome Garret Mims sends “I’d love to meet you!” but takes things so slow Otis is quite sure they’re stopped. Is it really a date if there’s not so much as a kiss between them? Maybe he shouldn’t worry about Garret’s intentions and just enjoy every platonic moment. Instead, Otis could work on finding the missing ingredient for his pumpkin pies before Thanksgiving.

Garret’s up front in every way but one, and Otis may have found a lie he can live with.

Now available at your favorite booksellers.

Available at Amazon and ARe

For my friends in other countries: Japan, Canada, UK, Germany, Italy, Australia, Spain (I hope I didn't miss anyone.)

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Goodreads Reader's Choice Awards!

I'm thrilled that my work has received four nominations at this year's Reader's Choice Awards!


 
 
Allison Cassata's amazing cover artistry for Coffee Shops and Condoms was nominated for Best Cover Art. 

Ain't is purdy? Coffee Shops and Condoms is a part of The Real Story Safe Sex Project, and effort launched by award winning author Brent Hartinger to raise awareness about the important of safe sex. These stories are all free downloads, and written by some of your favorite authors. If you're an author and would like to contribute a story, please contact Brent on the site. Vote here.
 
 
 
I'm currently working on book five in the Diversion series, so Lucky has finally, FINALLY admitted that he and Bo are a couple, just in time for them to be nominated as Best Established Couple for book four in the series, Manipulation. Way to go, guys! The Diversion series can be found at Rocky Ridge Books. Vote here:



 
A Matter of When Received a nod for Best Performance/Visual Arts. Henri and Sebastian are thrilled. Vote here.
 

 
I am humbled and flattered that the Diversion series is up for Favorite All-Time M/M Series. Thank y'all so much! I'm so happy you're enjoying Bo and Lucky's stories. And by my calculations, there are four more books to come in this series. The Diversion series can be found at Rocky Ridge Books.
 

Sunday, December 7, 2014

OMG! Corruption Won a Rainbow Award!

I just got the best news! Corruption (Diversion Book 3) won for Best Gay Mystery/Thriller at the 2014 Rainbow Awards.



In honor of  the win, from now until January 1, 2015, you can pick up your copy for $1.99 at Rocky Ridge Books. Be sure to click on the special "Rainbow Awards sale price" link.

Happy reading!

 
Renegade biker. Drug runner. Recovering addict. Wanted by the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. But he isn’t a crook, he’s the law.

SNB Agent Bo Schollenberger’s solved his cases using his brains and not a gun, and with his partner, not alone. Now he’s handed a tough new case involving designer drugs that turn users violent. One false move could end his life as he immerses himself into a motorcycle gang to locate the source. His fate depends on how well he can impersonate someone else. Someone named Cyrus Cooper.

Cyrus is everything Bo Schollenberger isn’t, including the badass enforcer for a smuggling ring. He establishes pecking order with his fists and doesn’t take shit from anybody, not even the undercover agent who comes to help his case.

Simon “Lucky” Harrison’s always been the best, whichever side of the law he was on. Former trafficker turned SNB agent, he damned well ought to be undercover in this motorcycle gang, instead of hanging around the office going crazy with new policies, new people, and “inter-departmental cooperation” that sticks him in a classroom. Yet he’s passed over for the SNB’s biggest case in decades in favor of the rookie who shares his bed. A man Lucky thought he knew.

When survival depends on a web of tangled lies, lines blur, worlds collide, and a high stakes game turns friend to foe. Lucky knows the difference between Bo the agent and Cyrus the outlaw, but does Bo?

***

Now excuse me while I happy dance!

Friday, November 28, 2014

A Review that Made My Day!

Melanie at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words had this to say about my latest release, Manipulation:

If you haven’t discovered this series yet, please, please, don’t start here.  The pleasures and joys that come from the character growth and relationship dynamics is best enjoyed if you start at the beginning and Lucky and Bo’s first meeting in Diversion.  I have a list for you below.  Make it your check list of stories to read. Eden Winters is a remarkable author, and the creator of Lucky and Bo is certain to find her way onto your automatic buy list if she is not there already.

Read the entire review here:


Find Manipulation at Rocky Ridge Books and your favorite booksellers.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Guest Post by Z. Allora

You may be aware that the talented Z. Allora is a world traveler, a friend, and a crit partner, but did you also know that she uses her travels and experiences to educate others about what life is like for GLBT individuals in other countries? With her novel, Made in China, we peeked in on a quartet of hot young rocker boys, but we also toured key sites in China, and learned about  the culture and why the protagonists couldn't just hold hands and march down the streets.

In her latest offering, Illusions and Dreams, she presents us with a view of Thailand and Thai people that you may not have even considered. But now, I'll let her explain in her own words.

***
Greetings!!!!! I’m going to tell you a tale of how my sweet but demanding Southern belle helped me shape Illusions & Dreams.

It was a usual Friday morning and I was hanging out with my buddy Eden Winters at Starbucks.

Shit, she re-read the first page of my WIP at least ten times. God, what did I screw up this time? This had to  be the fourth time she’s gone through this first chapter.

She glanced up from Illusions & Dreams. Fuck! Did she hear my thoughts?  She sipped her decaf and asked, “Z. what’s Bangkok like?”

Oh, well okay. That’s easy! I LOVE Bangkok. I’ve been there four or five times. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. “It’s awesome. The people are so friendly. Even when they bargain they laugh and joke. The sites are specular and the architecture… ”

“Is it hot?”

I nodded. “Oh my God, yes! It’s always boiling, even late at night. The air is so thick it’s almost like you can smell the heat. You’re always a sweaty mess, but the air con feels like Heaven.”

She nodded. “Is the food as good in Bangkok as it is at our favorite Thai restaurant?”

“Nah, it’s so much better in Bangkok. The taste is fresher and more flavorful.”

“What do you think your characters would order in Illusions & Dreams?”

Hmmm, I’m blonde, but she’s going somewhere with this…  “Um, Basil chicken?”

She leaned forward to further the interrogation. “Would they smell it as they walked into the ladyboy club?”

“Yes, of course.” The basil and spices would scent the air and make every customer hungry, even if they’d just eaten.

“Make me feel it! Make me smell it!!! Take me to Bangkok. I’ve never been. Most of your readers have never been… bring us there. Make us feel it.”

 OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Got it.

That was how Eden Winters taught me the importance of making my readers feel it. I have the keys to a Bangkok experience and I learned to share.

In Illusions & Dreams I take you to a ladyboy club and allow you to watch a show. You’ll visit Ayutthaya where you’ll stroll the grounds of temple ruins and come face to face with the Buddha head in the bodi tree. You get to play with baby tigers at the Tiger Temple and experience the Grand Palace without overheating. You’ll stroll through the infamous Pat Pong and stop at a bar for our characters to have some kinky fun. You’ll shop until the characters drop down at the Weekend Market. You’ll explore parts of Bangkok without ever leaving the comfort of your house.

Apart from making the reader ‘feel it’, I hope Illusions & Dreams gives the reader a better understanding of ladyboys and transgender issues. I want to show there’s not one way to express being transgender, and as always, love isn’t about gender. Love is love.
 
 
Illusions & Dreams Blurb:

Randy Camster failed at being married. His life now centers around work, TV sports, and listening to his friend Jake complain about how Randy’s lack of a sex life will be the downfall of mankind. Not true! Well, not totally. He’s just never understood the fascination with sex until… ladyboy performer Lalana Dulyarat shimmies into his world via an Internet ad for Thailand tourism.

Jake O’Neil’s open pansexuality yields him interesting bedmates, but he’s never chased after the mythical illusion of love. He focuses on others, like his best friend Randy, who needs a Bang-Cock vacation. Finding an adorable little imp named Boon-nam wasn’t on the itinerary. Gay, straight, and undecided, Jake has had ‘em all, but never a virgin aching to take a walk on the kinky side after having her affirmation surgery. Talk about pressure. And what’s with everyone warning him not to break her heart? His is the one in danger.

Buy Links:

 
 

 
Author Bio:

Z. Allora thinks everyone deserves a happy ending, and she makes sure they get one. Her stories are about love and romance and are tied together with erotic sex. She utilizes her time overseas and travels to bring you to places you've yet to visit. She introduces you to cultures you've yet to explore. But with every word she writes she tries to convey love is love.


Facebook: ZAllora Allora

Twitter: @Z.Allora

E-mail: Z.Allora@yahoo.com

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Why I Am a PFLAG Ally


Some of you may know that I’m a member of my local PFLAG (Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), and do what I can to support equality. I currently have a book at Amazon, The Telling, that all proceeds support the local chapter. Recently I’ve had to honor to serve on the council.
I don’t attend to gain support or learn how to talk to my gay family member. I’m there to lend my strength to those who may need it. I’m referred to as an ally.
The other night during a meeting the question arose as to why I’m an ally when I don’t have gay children or close family members, and to be honest, I was a bit shocked and couldn’t think of an answer on short notice that encompasses all my reasons. So here I’ll attempt to put my feelings into words.
I am a mother who loves her kids dearly. I will not disclose their orientation, for that is not my story to tell. However, I fully realize that my kids could be gay, straight, bi, asexual, or any other color of the rainbow. Would that change how I feel about them in any way? No. But my maternal instinct doesn’t extend to my kids only. If a child cries in the store, some people will get annoyed, some will try to tune out, and others will seek the source to ensure the child is okay. Guess which group I’m in?
I’ve comforted other people’s scared kids on airplanes, amused them, even held them to give Mom a break. I've fed other folk's young ones, and made sure they had warm coats. In short, I am a mother. And kids who are facing coming out as gay are mine to worry about too. If my son or daughter identify as GLBT, I want anyone who comes in contact with them to be caring and understanding. I’ll lead by example.
I am blessed with many friends. Some identify as straight, some as gay, and some do not disclose their orientation and know that’s not important to me. They are…my friends. I don’t like labels applied to me, and imagine others don’t either.

I believe in a higher power, equality, caring for your fellow human, and that we’re all interconnected. If one of us falls, the rest should stop and lift up the fallen. Hurt one, hurt all. And most importantly, I believe in love. Love is love.
So if I must give a short answer of why I’m an ally, attend meetings and Pride parades and offer my time and support, it can all be summed up thusly:

It’s the right thing to do, and my heart would allow no less. 

Thursday, November 6, 2014

A Stunning Review for Manipulation at Reading Reality

Reviewer Cryselle has bestowed an Escape Rating A on Manipulation at Reading Reality, and had this to say about the story:

"The entire series is good reading, with action, law enforcement, a reluctant romance between two guys who love each other desperately and are terrified of needing each other, and plot twists through the drug trade going in unexpected directions. With this fourth book, the author seems to have found an even higher gear, with death breathing down Bo and Lucky’s necks at all times, and their reliance on each other both the stuff of strength and the stuff of heartbreak.

With this fourth book, the author seems to have found an even higher gear, with death breathing down Bo and Lucky’s necks at all times, and their reliance on each other both the stuff of strength and the stuff of heartbreak."


Read complete review here: 

Joyfully Jay Reviews Manipulation

It never fails. Each and every book publication is followed by days of shaking in my boots, wondering if readers will like the story, or if I've treated series characters right for the fans. 

And then a review comes in like this one, from Joyfully Jay:
Truly, if you are not reading this series, you should be. I absolutely love it and highly recommend Manipulation and the whole Diversion series. 
P.S. While this could maybe possibly stand alone, it is much richer for all the history from the first three books. Plus, they are SO good. Read them all. 

Thanks, Joyfully Jay!


Sunday, November 2, 2014

A Manipulation Excerpt and Giveaway at The Novel Approach

Hey y'all!

The Novel Approach is hosting a drawing for a copy of Manipulation, the latest installment of my Diversion series.

Just leave a comment at their site to get in on the contest, here:

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Manipulation (Diversion 4) is Now Available!

It's been nearly a year since I jotted down the first notes for Manipulation, the fourth book in the Diversion series, and a lot of work has gone into the story since then, not to mention a very enlightening weekend spent at the Writer's Police Academy. My betas and crit partners held my hand throughout the process, and finally, finally, the book has been launched.

I'd like to acknowledge the folks who had a hand (and kind words) in this story:


Many thanks to P.D. Singer, John A., John R., Lynda B., D.H. Starr, Feliz Faber, Z. Allora, A.B. Gayle, Kayla Jameth, Becky Condit, and Will Parkinson, for handholding and critique. And to David Sullivan for his police expertise. Big hugs and lots of love to Nurse Sarah, for sparing Bo too much pain with her medical details. I’d also like to thank the instructors at the Writer’s Police Academy for helping me “get it right”, especially when it comes to questions like “What does a dead body look like if it’s left in a Mexican drug tunnel for six months?”Also hugs to L.C. Chase, for creating such a lovely cover, and to Jerry L. Wheeler, who had the unenviable task of being my editor. More hugs and a bottle of wine for P.D. Singer, the formatting wizard at Rocky Ridge Books. 

Huge thanks to the readers, who love Bo and Lucky and asked for more of their story. 

I know, I know. You're wondering what I'm doing hanging around my blog when I should be working on the next book in the series: Redemption.  






Lucky Lucklighter has a new life. His old life wants him back.

He traded trafficking for taking down criminals with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau, and a drug-lord lover for a man on the right side of the law. Bo Schollenberger found the way past the thorny defenses of Lucky’s heart, and made Mr. I-Get-Along-Fine-Alone think about his and his closets, stevia in the sugar bowl, and a picket fence—with a good lock on the gate.

Now Bo is missing, and a voice long silenced asks, “Did you miss me?” Lucky must deal with a devil from his past to get Bo back.

And if Bo isn’t willing to come? A drug ring needs its back broken before flooding the US with a designer high, seductive and undetectable. But there’s a fine line between good and evil, and a truckload of temptation urging Lucky to cross.


Excerpt:

Lucky entered “Victor Antonio Mangiardi” into the computer’s search engine. Pages of social media sites appeared. Dang! Lots of Victor Antonio Mangiardis in the world. Hopefully, the rest weren’t as lawless as the one Lucky sought.

Nothing new. He tried “Victor Mangiardi arrested,” “Victor Mangiardi court,” and “Victor Mangiardi trial.”

“Victor Mangiardi hearing,” paid off in the form of a news article he hadn’t read before. He struggled to breathe even before the image came clearly into view. Victor, smiling, happy, and standing on the courthouse stairs.

The article read: Suspected drug trafficker Victor Mangiardi appeared before Judge Tyson Levinson…

His arraignment. This photo was taken at Victor’s arraignment. But he was laughing. An image came to mind of this same man in court, in rumpled clothes, disheveled and gaunt. During all their time together, Lucky had never seen his former lover looking less than perfect. Victor had even managed to pull himself together during the flu, while Lucky had lain in bed too sick to move. The haggard appearance in court had to have been an act to win the jury’s pity. 


Here he was, with no apparent care in the world. Victor’s lawyer stood to one side, a uniformed cop on the other. Several other people trudged behind him, none of whom Lucky recognized, except for…
Lucky jabbed the magnifying button again and again. The enlargement distorted the face, but he’d know this man anywhere. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t.

Standing a few feet behind Victor Mangiardi was none other than Walter Smith.

***

“But I thought you needed to speak with Mr. Smith,” the receptionist said as Lucky stormed past her desk.

“Something came up.”

“He’ll be in later this afternoon.”

Lucky jabbed the down arrow button on the elevator. “I changed my mind.”

Holy fuck! Walter and Victor. Walter swore there’d been no deal made to get Victor out of his charges, yet Victor didn’t seem at all worried in the picture. And the reason might have been who stood behind him, both literally and figuratively.

But Victor was dead. He’d hanged himself in his cell.

All the way home Lucky dredged up details he’d sworn to forget. He’d returned from a run to find certain items missing from the house he shared with Victor, the painting of Victor’s mother being the most noticeable. And damning.

Victor loved that painting.

And then there were airline tickets to Rio: one for Victor, one the feds led Lucky to believe was for another plaything Victor planned to drop Lucky for. Only after Victor died, at Lucky’s own trial, did the bastards reveal the passport made out in that name, with Lucky’s picture.

The feds had started closing in, and Victor planned to leave the country and take Lucky with him. As in most aspects of their relationship, he’d kept the details to himself. Besides, Lucky wouldn’t have willingly run and left his family behind. Victor hadn’t intended to offer a choice. Manipulative bastard.

They’d been arrested before they could leave. Or had they?


Lucky recalled the picture. What if Victor made the deal before his arrest? What if, instead of a drug trafficker and a narcotics agent, the men in the photo were merely actors? Walter made one hell of a leading man, as he’d proven time and again in boardroom showdowns.


Arranging a fake death wasn’t hard; Walter had done the same for Lucky. In fact, Walter suggested the plan.

“Fuck. What if he isn’t dead?” Lucky asked himself out loud. He waved an impatient hand at his landlady’s greeting and marched into his house. She sat on the porch much of the day. If anyone stuck anything in the mailbox, she’d know. She had to have seen who delivered the picture yesterday. And yet she’d lied about seeing anyone. With no postmark, the mail carrier sure hadn’t brought the damning piece of evidence. Never again would he trust Mrs. Griggs beyond fixing faulty plumbing and feeding cats.

He’d pack a few things, stay in a motel, and avoid all contact with the SNB until he figured out what was what. What about Bo? How did he figure into the equation? If Bo came to harm because of Walter…
Lucky dragged a duffel out of the entryway closet and charged into his bedroom. A few pairs of jeans, underwear, T-shirts. He crossed into the bathroom for his shaving kit.

Scrawled in red marker across his bathroom mirror: “Did you miss me?”

A face appeared over his left shoulder. A blur swung down. Blackness. 


Now available at Rocky Ridge Books.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Manipulation Giveaway Contest

Enter to win a copy of my upcoming release, Manipulation (Diversion 4) at Stumbling Over Chaos. And don't forget to check out the Linkety and pics of the lovely Mayhem and Chaos while you're there.

Awesome site with great information, lots of fun stuff, and best of all, BOOKS!

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Manipulation (Diversion 4) Now Available for Preorder

Manipulation (Diversion 4), is now available for pre-order from Rocky Ridge Books at All Romance eBooks, and at Amazon. Lookie at the lovely cover by talented cover artist L.C. Chase!

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-manipulation-1656451-153.html

Lucky Lucklighter has a new life. His old life wants him back.

He traded trafficking for taking down criminals with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau, and a drug-lord lover for a man on the right side of the law. Bo Schollenberger found the way past the thorny defenses of Lucky’s heart, and made Mr. I-Get-Along-Fine-Alone think about his and his closets, stevia in the sugar bowl, and a picket fence—with a good lock on the gate.

Now Bo is missing, and a voice long silenced asks, “Did you miss me?” Lucky must deal with a devil from his past to get Bo back.

And if Bo isn’t willing to come? A drug ring needs its back broken before flooding the US with a designer high, seductive and undetectable. But there’s a fine line between good and evil, and a truckload of temptation urging Lucky to cross.


Excerpt:

Lucky entered “Victor Antonio Mangiardi” into the computer’s search engine. Pages of social media sites appeared. Dang! Lots of Victor Antonio Mangiardis in the world. Hopefully, the rest weren’t as lawless as the one Lucky sought.

Nothing new. He tried “Victor Mangiardi arrested,” “Victor Mangiardi court,” and “Victor Mangiardi trial.”

“Victor Mangiardi hearing,” paid off in the form of a news article he hadn’t read before. He struggled to breathe even before the image came clearly into view. Victor, smiling, happy, and standing on the courthouse stairs.

The article read: Suspected drug trafficker Victor Mangiardi appeared before Judge Tyson Levinson…

His arraignment. This photo was taken at Victor’s arraignment. But he was laughing. An image came to mind of this same man in court, in rumpled clothes, disheveled and gaunt. During all their time together, Lucky had never seen his former lover looking less than perfect. Victor had even managed to pull himself together during the flu, while Lucky had lain in bed too sick to move. The haggard appearance in court had to have been an act to win the jury’s pity. 


Here he was, with no apparent care in the world. Victor’s lawyer stood to one side, a uniformed cop on the other. Several other people trudged behind him, none of whom Lucky recognized, except for…
Lucky jabbed the magnifying button again and again. The enlargement distorted the face, but he’d know this man anywhere. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t.

Standing a few feet behind Victor Mangiardi was none other than Walter Smith.

***

“But I thought you needed to speak with Mr. Smith,” the receptionist said as Lucky stormed past her desk.

“Something came up.”

“He’ll be in later this afternoon.”

Lucky jabbed the down arrow button on the elevator. “I changed my mind.”

Holy fuck! Walter and Victor. Walter swore there’d been no deal made to get Victor out of his charges, yet Victor didn’t seem at all worried in the picture. And the reason might have been who stood behind him, both literally and figuratively.

But Victor was dead. He’d hanged himself in his cell.

All the way home Lucky dredged up details he’d sworn to forget. He’d returned from a run to find certain items missing from the house he shared with Victor, the painting of Victor’s mother being the most noticeable. And damning.

Victor loved that painting.

And then there were airline tickets to Rio: one for Victor, one the feds led Lucky to believe was for another plaything Victor planned to drop Lucky for. Only after Victor died, at Lucky’s own trial, did the bastards reveal the passport made out in that name, with Lucky’s picture.

The feds had started closing in, and Victor planned to leave the country and take Lucky with him. As in most aspects of their relationship, he’d kept the details to himself. Besides, Lucky wouldn’t have willingly run and left his family behind. Victor hadn’t intended to offer a choice. Manipulative bastard.

They’d been arrested before they could leave. Or had they?


Lucky recalled the picture. What if Victor made the deal before his arrest? What if, instead of a drug trafficker and a narcotics agent, the men in the photo were merely actors? Walter made one hell of a leading man, as he’d proven time and again in boardroom showdowns.


Arranging a fake death wasn’t hard; Walter had done the same for Lucky. In fact, Walter suggested the plan.

“Fuck. What if he isn’t dead?” Lucky asked himself out loud. He waved an impatient hand at his landlady’s greeting and marched into his house. She sat on the porch much of the day. If anyone stuck anything in the mailbox, she’d know. She had to have seen who delivered the picture yesterday. And yet she’d lied about seeing anyone. With no postmark, the mail carrier sure hadn’t brought the damning piece of evidence. Never again would he trust Mrs. Griggs beyond fixing faulty plumbing and feeding cats.

He’d pack a few things, stay in a motel, and avoid all contact with the SNB until he figured out what was what. What about Bo? How did he figure into the equation? If Bo came to harm because of Walter…
Lucky dragged a duffel out of the entryway closet and charged into his bedroom. A few pairs of jeans, underwear, T-shirts. He crossed into the bathroom for his shaving kit.

Scrawled in red marker across his bathroom mirror: “Did you miss me?”

A face appeared over his left shoulder. A blur swung down. Blackness.

Same Time, Next Year

"Same Time Next Year" by Eden Winters on Ganxy

Friday, October 24, 2014

Wanna Spooky M/M Story for Halloween?

Looking for a sexy yet spooky story, perfect for Halloween? Look no further than the newly re-released Same Time, Next Year from Rocky Ridge Books.



Jerome and Greg played on the dirt road halfway between their homes when they were kids, and found much better games to play there when they grew older. It's their special spot, the perfect place for Greg to propose, and the worst place possible for the accident that takes his life.

Devastated by the loss, Jerome visits that lonely road on the anniversary of Greg's death, only to discover that not all endings are permanent.


Excerpt:

Drawn by some unseen force, Jerome turned right. One foot followed the other down a lonely road—the road that used to lead to Greg’s house. Leaving the street lights behind, Jerome squinted into the darkness, barely making out the shapes of trees. The wind, quiet until now, played a mournful tune through the topmost branches, and a light drizzle began to fall. Jerome looked back over his shoulder. The rain didn’t reach the well-lit intersection, just this road. Were the fates trying to turn him back?

Cool mist brushed his face but he wouldn’t be deterred. Next, the heavens sent fog, thick and heavy, nearly blinding. He followed the white line at the edge of the road, the only thing visible in the gloom. The sound of an engine gearing down caused him to turn, jumping away from the asphalt in case the driver couldn’t see him. How odd that in the black of night there were no headlights shining. The motor revved, closer this time. The mist parted and the shadowy shape of a sports car appeared.

A fist clenched Jerome’s heart and he shook his head, willing himself sober. It couldn’t be! It just couldn’t! The car purred like some sleek, black predator waiting for him to run so it could give chase. The passenger door swung open.

A joke. That’s what it had to be. A cruel, sick joke.

Jerome stared at the door for what felt like an eternity. The rain fell harder. When it began to trickle under his collar, curiosity got the better of him. One slow step at a time he approached, gazing into the darkened interior. Just like outside the vehicle, inside there were no lights, not even on the instrument panel. When he placed his hand on the car’s canvas top, a jolt traveled up his arm, and he’d swear the damned thing leaned into his touch.

No words were said, none were needed. The invitation was clear. He sucked in a cool, deep breath and exhaled slowly, fogged breath mingling with the chilly mist, stooped, and slid into the car. The door closed without his help. The Mustang accelerated, barely crawling down a side road. Something swung from the rear view mirror. Even without seeing clearly Jerome recognized the tassel from a graduation cap. There was no other explanation; he must be hallucinating. How much had he drunk?

When the car came to a full stop, Jerome spoke. This was their spot, where they’d come every Saturday night throughout high school to make out, and where they’d spent their last night together. “I’d like to see you.” The instrument lights began to glow, creating a surreal landscape of shadows and light on the driver’s face. Dear Lord. There was no way it could be who it looked like. Could there?
A husky, well-remembered voice drawled, “How have you been?”



Same Time, Next Year, now available from Rocky Ridge Books.

More Love for A Matter of When

The Novel Approach has shown love to A Matter of When:

Reviewer Jackie had this to say about Henri and Sebastian's story:

I did like this book immensely. Ms. Winters did a great job with the opposites attract theme. Henri’s growth and maturation was well written and, for the most part, believable. Sebastian’s life really was a hot mess, but he finally grew himself a back bone and learned to stand on his own two feet. Of course, they got their happily ever after, and they totally deserved it. I highly recommend taking this journey with Henri and Sebastian. I don’t think you will regret it for a second.
Thanks, Jackie, and The Novel Approach Reviews.

Read entire review here: 

Wealth. Fame. Gold record. Hookers and Cocaine front man Henri Lafontaine has it all…including a control freak manager, band members who smile as they sharpen blades for his back, and last but damn well not least, a fan out to steal his heart. Literally. Trying to write hit songs and plan a comeback in the midst of the hi-fi white noise of LA feels more like watching his world implode, until he’s offered a month in the Colorado Rockies for vocal coaching.

Sebastian Unger’s rich, classically trained tenor inspires wicked thoughts. More than a pretty choir boy, he cracks the whip without hesitation to drive tattooed bad-boy Henri to give his all to his music. Working, fighting, and finally establishing a fragile peace, they find inspiration and perhaps more in each other. But the clock is ticking. Time will pull Henri back to the grit and gold of LA’s mean streets and fame machine, while Sebastian must return to the opera circuit, where a mysterious man known as “the patron” holds far too much sway. Only the trust they've built on a handful of notes bridges their two worlds...and shields them from malice.


A Matter of When is now available at:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
All Romance eBooks

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Five Hearts for A Matter of When!

Barb, of Hearts on Fire Reviews had this to say about A Matter of When:

"I highly recommend this to lovers of contemporary m/m romance, those who enjoy a slow burn-ust, those who enjoy a musician theme, and those who just want to see the good guys come out ahead. Kudos to Eden Winters for an amazing and wonderful story that will make your heart sing."
Read entire review at Hearts on Fire Reviews:


Wealth. Fame. Gold record. Hookers and Cocaine front man Henri Lafontaine has it all…including a control freak manager, band members who smile as they sharpen blades for his back, and last but damn well not least, a fan out to steal his heart. Literally. Trying to write hit songs and plan a comeback in the midst of the hi-fi white noise of LA feels more like watching his world implode, until he’s offered a month in the Colorado Rockies for vocal coaching.

Sebastian Unger’s rich, classically trained tenor inspires wicked thoughts. More than a pretty choir boy, he cracks the whip without hesitation to drive tattooed bad-boy Henri to give his all to his music. Working, fighting, and finally establishing a fragile peace, they find inspiration and perhaps more in each other. But the clock is ticking. Time will pull Henri back to the grit and gold of LA’s mean streets and fame machine, while Sebastian must return to the opera circuit, where a mysterious man known as “the patron” holds far too much sway. Only the trust they've built on a handful of notes bridges their two worlds...and shields them from malice.



A Matter of When is now available at:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
All Romance eBooks

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Just in Time for Halloween!

Want a m/m romance with a paranormal twist for Halloween? Naked Tails, Duet, and The Wish are on sale now at Dreamspinner Press!

Friday, October 3, 2014

I'm in USA Today!

Talk about something lovely to wake up to! A review of A Matter of When and an interview with yours truly in USA Today! Woot! Thanks to the lovely Becky Condit.

Here's some of what she had to say:

"The combination of music, an angst-driven mystery, and a tender love story make A Matter of When a page-turner that I will read again, and which I recommend to all lovers of romance."

Read the article in its entirety at: :Love and Lust: A Matter of When by Eden Winters

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Manipulation Update... and Blurb!

Great news, Bo and Lucky fans! I've just gotten Manipulation edits back from my editor, Jerry L. Wheeler, and the super-talented L.C. Chase is polishing up the cover.

Now, for the blurb! (Drum roll, please!) 

Lucky has a new life. His old life wants him back.

He traded trafficking for taking down criminals with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau, and a drug-lord lover for a man on the right side of the law. Bo Schollenberger found the way past the thorny defenses of Lucky’s heart, and made Mr. I-Get-Along-Fine-Alone think about his and his closets, stevia in the sugar bowl, and a picket fence—with a good lock on the gate.

Now Bo is missing, and a voice long silenced asks, “Did you miss me?”  Lucky must deal with a devil from his past to get Bo back.

And if Bo isn’t willing to come? A drug ring needs its back broken before flooding the US with a designer high, seductive and undetectable. But there’s a fine line between good and evil, and a truckload of temptation urging Lucky to cross. 

Comments? Suggestions?

Monday, September 29, 2014

Fantastic News!

I've just received some fantastic news! Corruption has won an Honorable Mention at the 2014 Rainbow Awards!

Happy dance with me, and follow the link for more details.


  

Sequel to bestselling novels Diversion and Collusion.

Renegade biker. Drug runner. Recovering addict. Wanted by the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. But he isn’t a crook, he’s the law.

SNB Agent Bo Schollenberger’s solved his cases using his brains and not a gun, and with his partner, not alone. Now he’s handed a tough new case involving designer drugs that turn users violent. One false move could end his life as he immerses himself into a motorcycle gang to locate the source. His fate depends on how well he can impersonate someone else. Someone named Cyrus Cooper.

Cyrus is everything Bo Schollenberger isn’t, including the badass enforcer for a smuggling ring. He establishes pecking order with his fists and doesn’t take shit from anybody, not even the undercover agent who comes to help his case.

Simon “Lucky” Harrison’s always been the best, whichever side of the law he was on. Former trafficker turned SNB agent, he damned well ought to be undercover in this motorcycle gang, instead of hanging around the office going crazy with new policies, new people, and “inter-departmental cooperation” that sticks him in a classroom. Yet he’s passed over for the SNB’s biggest case in decades in favor of the rookie who shares his bed. A man Lucky thought he knew.

When survival depends on a web of tangled lies, lines blur, worlds collide, and a high stakes game turns friend to foe. Lucky knows the difference between Bo the agent and Cyrus the outlaw, but does Bo?


Find Corruption at Rocky Ridge Books.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

What's in a Word - It's in His Kiss

It's been a while since my last "What's in a Word" post, where I examine single words that I feel are lazy and should learn to work harder. Today's word: kiss.

"What's wrong with kiss?" you ask? Like "walk" and "look", it's a perfectly acceptable word...that conveys minimal information.

There are so many different kinds of kisses. The worried mother imparting a peck on the forehead to her nervous first-grader; that shy, fleeting connection of lips and cheek beneath the mistletoe; that drive-by, barely there, absent-minded morning kiss that leaves a sinking feeling in the heart, because you know, sense in every ounce of your being, the relationship you're reading about is on the skids. Then what about that toe-curling, heart-clenching, soul-searing tongue-to-tongue connection of two lovers reunited? Although all of these circumstances involve lips and are indeed "kisses", they are vastly different and short-change a story by being reduced to the lowest common denominator.

Let's use Henri and Seb from my latest release "A Matter of When" to make a point, shall we? Rocker Henri is self-assured, even as an emotional mess. Opera tenor Sebastian is shy and reserved, dedicated to his craft, and needs a bit of coaxing for kissing.

Henri kissed Seb. 

Okay. Yeah. They kissed. So what?

Henri dragged his lips down Sebastian's nose and across both cheeks before finally seeking out his lover's mouth. 

Slow, unhurried. These guys have time. And don't you think this is just the start of something that may continue all afternoon?

Henri took advantage of his lover's gasp, plunging his tongue into Sebastian's mouth. Sebastian hesitated but a moment then dropped his inhibitions, matching Henri stroke for stroke with a passion normally reserved for the stage.

See, very different circumstances. And "kiss" just wouldn't have set the mood. This also has added impact in that Seb is acting out of character, venturing out on a ledge and displaying trust with this one simple gesture.

Not all kisses are loving. In the story, Henri is placed in a situation where his freedom rides on his ability to prove he's crazy. Here's the scene:

He had to do something, anything, outrageous. Beyond rehab stints, trashed hotel rooms, or drunken brawls in seedy clubs. What to do? What to do? Escape lay at his fingertips if he could push his manager a fraction of an inch further. What the hell could he do to piss her off?
Gaze falling on the cop, Henri muttered, “Sorry, pal.” He brought both hands up to hold the officer’s head and slammed his lips down, initiating a game of tonsil hockey with a surprised opposing team.
Some authors have the ability to take the simple act of kissing to new heights and impart intimacy into the meeting of lips to rival any sex scene, to leave the reader breathless.

Like all other words I've mentioned in these posts, sometimes "kiss" is the right word to use. But others? Get creative. Or as the folks I beta for often hear, "Make me feel it!"