Monday, January 28, 2013

Wonderful News!

If you follow my blog you've probably heard me speak of dear friend and talented cover artist, Jared Rackler, who created the covers for The Telling, Night Watch, Tinself and Frost, What You Can't Live Without, Boy Under the Bridge, Flame, and In Dreams. Since creating those lovely works, he's signed a contract with a publisher as an artist. Whoo-hoo! Go, Jared! And as if that wasn't news enough, he's had a short story accepted for publication with Torquere Press, The Celestine Room. I'll post more when he has a publish date.

Congratulations, Jared Rackler!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Weekend With D.H. Starr and Ally Blue

This past weekend I had the distinct priviledge of hanging out with D.H. Starr and Ally Blue in Asheville, N.C. We wined, dined, relaxed at a spa, enjoyed incredible sweets and coffee at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, and talked a lot of shop.

Ally and I arrived a few hours before Doug, had dinner, and went to a wine shop to stock up for the weekend. Back at the hotel, we discovered neither of us had brought a corkscrew, so we wound up with a cheap plastic one from the front desk. Then... well... Ally and I did our darnedest, but couldn't get the cork to budge.

Authors are nothing if not creative, and I remembered having seen a gym on our floor. I figured, if we needed someone strong, we'd find them there. So away Ally and I went, traipsing down to the gym and nearly scaring a poor young man out of his wits when he turned around to find two grinning women holding a bottle of wine. It made us both feel better than he had some difficulty removing the cork, too. But... we got our wine! And we also recorded our first "dirty slip of the tongue" for the weekend. The first of many. Ally, Doug, and I decided that we all had to work that line into our current WIPs. The line? "Would you uncork my bottle?" The line must be full of innuendo, and fluttering lashes are a plus. Hee. Can you imagine Lucky from Diversion using that line on Bo? Of course, Lucky would be more like, "Shut up and uncork my fucking bottle already!"

Several more noteable lines followed. Remember, all these were said in perfect innocence:

"Your little thing doesn't squirt very well" (room deodorizer)

"And it shoots up in there?" (no idea)

"I like it to be done fast" and "They make 'em loose here" I will tell you that the second quote is in regard to scrambled eggs.

"This is too hard" (butter) and "I like a dollop of butter in every single crevice" (waffles)

"Were they originally detachable?" (I forgot the context)

"Yeah, that's what I was looking at too!"

"I can't be over him because I was never under him."

"Everything gets harder" (getting older)

"I don't have the patience to not use my teeth" (opening pill packets)

"Y'all don't mind if I take off my pants, do you?" (taking off pants)

"I don't know what I did that got me up there."

"Ok, I've got. It's in."

"It just comes out all over the place!"

"Did you put it in?"

"Was he as good as last time?" (massage therapist) 

"That one protrudes more" (wine cork)

"The expensive ones are bigger" (wine cork)

"We're not giving nothing away for free!" (on leaving things behind in the hotel room.)

"The guy who does me in New York" (referring to massage therapist)

"I don't like huge stacks of meat" (Carnegie Deli sandwiches)

 "It got stuck and I broke it" (a piece of chewing gum stuck in the pack)

My goal is to write a PWP, incorporating all those sayings from this weekend. Wish me luck!

We had an incredible time, and decided to make our Martin Luther King, Jr. weekends an annual event. 

Here's a link to the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, where they make their own chocolate. I had a mint brownie, and molasses ice cream. Yummy! If you're even in Asheville, I highly recommend stopping by. 

Next up, Shoji Spa! Ahhh... what a way to relax! One hour in a hot tub, and a fifty minute massage!

Thank you, Doug and Ally, for an awesome weekend. My muse has now returned and I'm ready to work on Corruption, the sequel to Diversion and Collusion. 

While I was there I got sneak peeks at Doug and Ally's upcoming releases. Watch closely, readers, you're in for a real treat! I hope to post more about their novels a bit closer to release day. 





Dreamspinner Books Now on Sale!

Have you had your eye on The Wish, Highway Man, or Naked Tails? Now is the time to buy. Right now Dreamspinner has all three titles marked down 20%, for ebooks and prints. They've also posted Duet for pre-order at this fabulously reduced price.

And while grabbing this link, it seems I found books I've been wanting, too, and now my TBR pile has grown even more.

Ready to shop for books? Click here!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Duet - Now on Dreamspinner's Coming Soon Page

Historical/contemporary/paranormal story Duet is now on Dreamspinner Press's Coming Soon page for preorder, and will release on February 18.


Find it here:

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Coming Soon - Duet - February 18

Duet 2nd Edition will be publishing from Dreamspinner Press on February 18. I've learned a lot in the time since its first publication, and hopefully that knowledge shows in this more polished version of the tale, complete with epilogue!

And I'm loving the cover. As soon as the novel reaches Dreamspinner's Coming Soon page I'll post a link. Until then...


A conqueror’s decree can’t separate Aillil Callaghan from his Scottish heritage. He wears his clan’s forbidden plaid with pride, awaiting the day he becomes Laird, restores his family’s name, and fights to free Scotland from English tyranny. An Englishman in his home? Abomination! Yet the tutor his father engaged for Aillil’s younger brothers may have something to teach the Callaghan heir as well.

Violinist and scholar Malcolm Byerly fled Kent in fear, seeking nothing more than a quiet post, eager minds to teach, and for no one to learn his secrets. He didn’t count on his charges’ English-hating barbarian of an older brother, or on red-and-green tartan concealing a kindred soul. A shared love of music breaks down the barriers between two worlds. 

Aillil’s father threatens their love, but a far more dangerous enemy tears them apart. They vanish into legend. 

Two centuries later, concert violinist Billy Byerly arrives at Castle Callaghan—and feels strangely at home. Legends speak of a Lost Laird who haunts the fortress in wait of his lover’s return. Billy doesn’t believe in legends, ghosts, or love that outlasts life. 

But the Lost Laird knows his own.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Cover Art for Duet!

I don't have the official blurb yet, but I couldn't wait another minute to share the gorgeous new cover art for Duet, my upcoming historical/contemporary/paranormal novel.

Fabulous cover artist Anne Cain created this lovely work, and I couldn't be happier! Look for this sexy Highlander on Dreamspinner's New Releases page on February 18.

What you y'all think?

Goodreads Giveaways--A Cautionary Tale


If you post giveaways on Goodreads, or plan to, please read!

Would you send your XXX, BDSM, menage book to a twelve-year-old? Of course you wouldn't! Or... would you? If you post giveaways on Goodreads, the answer is... maybe.

I write M/M, and though I don't consider my work erotica, it does contain explicit scenes between two consenting adults—both men. My work is not for children. 

Recently I posted a giveaway at Goodreads, trusting that their rule, listed below, meant that of all the members requesting the book, only those suitable would be selected: i.e. had books of similar genre on their shelves and were over legal age to possess such material. 
"Goodreads will collect interest in the book, and select winners at our discretion. Our algorithm uses member data to match interested members with each book." 
I stand corrected. Concerned with what I'd read on the profiles of my two winners, I contacted them to ensure they knew what they were getting. One didn't and declined the book. Believing that the other might be underage, I also messaged a Goodreads spokesperson.

The spokesperson replied:
"...it is against our rules for you to contact the winners of the giveaway. It is considered SPAM and is not allowed."  
What? I can't ensure that the winner is old enough to read my book? I stated that I thought only adults were allowed to request books tagged "Gay Romance".

I received the following response: 
"I think you might misunderstand a bit about how winners are selected. We select the winners at our discretion and you have to send the books. You are welcome to put a disclaimer at the top of the giveaway description (18+ material) but once someone enters to win the giveaway they are eligible to win regardless of age. After the winners are selected you must send them the books." 
Do what?! Their policy states that I have to knowingly send adult material to a minor if they enter and win?

I wrote back: 
"My concern is this: if the winner of my book is under 18, I will be in violation of law if I send them adult material. I want to abide by your rules, but again, I misunderstood that only adults were permitted to request books tagged as mine was." I also asked how I could avoid this situation in the future. 
Here's their response: 
"The next time you list a giveaway that has adult subject manner, include a line in the description that says "Intended for adult audiences only 18+". However if someone under 18 enters and wins you have to send them the book."  
This post is not intended to bash Goodreads or their policies. Those who follow my blog know that I've met many wonderful people (and books!) there. Their existence has helped me promote my work and interact with readers. The purpose of this writing is simply to make others aware of this situation.

The bottom line for me is that providing a minor with adult material is illegal, immoral, and unethical. And I most certainly wouldn't knowingly send one of my books to a child. In this case, the winner contacted me to confirm they were adult. But what if they hadn’t? 

With no guarantees that only adult readers will get my books, I can no longer in good conscience post giveaways on Goodreads. There are sites where I offer ebooks, and again, I can't know the age of the entrant, but they have to hit an "I'm over eighteen!" button just to get into the site.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

More Book Honors!

Cryselle at Cryselle's Bookshelf has announced the top books that she read in 2012. Diversion and The Wish both made the list! They're keeping good company with the likes of works from Carole Cummings, P.D. Singer, Amelia Gormley, E.M. Lynley, and many more.

Check out her full--very creatively presented, I might add--list:

She also posted a lovely review for The Wish, awarding it Five Marbles!