Thursday, December 31, 2015

Heading Into the Home Stretch...

I'm putting the finishing touches on A Bear Walks Into a Bar, and have to admit to pre-release jitters. While I've written off-beat shifters before, I've never written anything involving three-somes and more-somes.

Look for a cover reveal on January 4th, and the book will release from Rocky Ridge Books on January 16th.

***

It takes one strong alpha with a tight grip to keep a mountain full of shifters under control. Sawyer Ballantine’s contending with an uppity wolf leader and a herd of shifter elk bound and determined to take over. He might be the lone bear on the mountain, but he’s not going to allow another four shifters to just move in, especially not when they whiff of power. They’ll either be his in all ways, or they’ll be gone.

Dillon, Jerry, Kevin, and Brad have no one but each other since their groups kicked them out. The young bear, wolves, and fox make a merry ménage, pooling their meager skills and serving beer. They’ve stumbled into more than they understand, caught in the dispute between the Urso of Ballantine Mountain and the elk. But winter’s setting in, and they don’t know how to keep Dillon safe for hibernation.

And then a bear walks into their bar.

***


Stay tuned for more release news and buy links. 


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

The 2015 Rainbow Awards

I'm thrilled that Manipulation (Diversion 4) and Redemption (Diversion 5) both placed in the 2015 Rainbow Awards for The Dorien Grey Award for Best Gay Mystery / Thriller.

Redemption tied for seventh place and Manipulation scored the number ten spot.

But more than placing, I'm honored to be a part of something that, in so short a time, has done so much good in our genre and in the community. Also, much appreciation to Elisa Rolle for naming awards after some our own who, sadly, are no longer with us.

Participation in the Rainbow Awards raised more than $17,300 dollars for LGBT charities.

Thanks to the judges who gave of their time for this endeavor. So many authors, myself included, have benefited from Elisa Rolle's site, reviews, and efforts to get the word out about the great stories available from both publishers and indie authors.

I'll post no links to Manipulation and Redemption here, as this isn't an ad; this is just my way of saying thanks to all the folks who have made this possible, of showing my admiration for my fellow authors, showing appreciation for readers and reviewers, and remembering dear friends.

Hugs to you all,

Eden

I'll leave you with Paul Richmond's Rainbow Boy.






Thursday, December 3, 2015

What's in a Word: Mirror, Mirror

When you read, do you form a clear image of the characters in your mind? Do those images change the more you read? How, as a reader, do we learn this information, and how should authors impart it?

As an author, I could have a character stand before a mirror and give a complete description of themselves, or another character could say, "He had brown hair, blue eyes, was six foot tall, etc..." Firstly, my editor would send the novel back to me and say, "Work these details in organically." Secondly, that isn't how we, in our daily lives, become familiar with another's appearance, is it? Familiarity with a person's appearance doesn't happen for me that way, so it doesn't for my characters either.

When we meet people, we might make assumptions about height, age, basic body style or notice something like a chipped front tooth. And that information is based heavily on what we need to know. Meeting a new coworker who'll be sharing a huge project with us? We're more likely to pay attention to what they say and how knowledgeable they are than how they look. Meeting a blind date? That might be more about looks for a first impression.

The mail carrier who shows up at your door to deliver a package? Unless there's something striking about them, wouldn't you be too focused on the new iPad or whatever they just handed you to pause and absorb what they look like?

My mail carrier drives a....um.. a car! Yes! That's it! She drives a car. And she has brown hair. Um... she's somewhere between twenty and forty, and reminds me of the woman on the butter commercial...
Oh, and she says, "Here ya go!"

See what I mean?

When describing a person in a novel it's easy to overdo a peripheral character, thereby misleading the reader into thinking this is a key player because we've given so much detail.

But even when waxing poetic about a love interest's features, we must be careful to be realistic.

We may or may not register that a person we're just meeting is attractive, their hair color, if they have freckles, body type, tattoos, scars, or other things, and certain details could be hidden by clothing and later revealed when the new neighbor takes off the parka when warm weather arrives and dons a tank top to cut grass. And sometimes our first impressions are wrong. Have you ever been talking to someone you know fairly well and realize they're taller or shorter than you'd originally assumed?

Hmmm... what color are my mail carrier's eyes? For that matter, I have no idea how tall my neighbor is. I don't know about her eyes either, and her hair color changes.

Have you ever noticed something about a long term acquaintance that surprised you that you'd never noticed before? "What do you mean her eyes are different colors? Wow! I never knew that!"

When Lucky first meets Bo of the Diversion series, he's determined to hate him, so he hones in on characteristics that he sneers at and that don't fit into his own experiences, like the fact that Bo has blond highlights in his brown hair and manicured nails. And because he's Lucky he also notices Bo's bubble butt.

At this point in the story, Lucky doesn't want to know more, and given his inferiority complex about his short stature, he doesn't want to dwell on Bo's being so much taller.

At the gym, in the shower, he notices Bo's runner's-build, something he wouldn't necessarily have been aware of while they were dressed.

As Bo grows on him, Lucky begins to notice other things: "Brown eyes a man could get lost in" and "a smattering of freckles across his nose."

The same holds true for narrator Lucky's description of himself. He mentions that his dirty-blond hair and height mean people don't notice him, and later we find that he doesn't consider himself model material.

Later still we're privy to his workout routine and musculature that helps him, in his mind, protect himself from those who'd prey on him.

Aillil and Malcolm from Duet are similarly antagonistic at first, and like Bo and Lucky, they start out noticing bad things, mingled with firmly denied attraction, and move on until they're very familiar with each other.

Full descriptions of all four men are in the novels, but, as in real life, they're not given all at once.

When I pick up a book to read, I love to discover who the protagonists are, with a fact here and a fact there, as I would in real life.

And when someone shows me a picture of what they think one of my guys looks like, it makes me happy that I've written someone they can relate to and visualize.











Wednesday, November 25, 2015

What I'm Working On

I'm embarrassed about how infrequently I've updated my blog of late, but now have been sharing plenty of news over the past two days.

But what have I been up to, writing-wise?

Last summer while I was waiting for Redemption edits, a friend challenged me to write something I'd never written before: erotica.

Sure, I could do this, right?

Wrong. The story grew a plot. And more plot. And yet more plot.

And spawned three more stories.

Now, instead of a short story, I had four novellas, but in marketing discussions, I didn't want to sell them as four novellas, since they shared a story arc and readers would be paying more for the individual stories than for a novel with the same word count.

I couldn't do that to them, so I pieced it together, smoothed the edges, and am now in the final stages of creation with A Bear Walks Into a Bar.

It's got shifters, lots of intimate scenes (many more than I normally write, but it's integral to the story) and, drum roll please....

A non-monogamous couple.

Oh, wait! Where are you going? Come back! I didn't say they were cheaters, but part of their shifter culture involves group sex with others, for comfort, discipline, bonding, etc.

Look for A Bear Walks Into a Bar to release in late December or early January, from Rocky Ridge Books.

Awesome News for Redemption!

Redemption (Diversion 5) has been named an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Rainbow Awards, which means a judge awarded it at least 36 of a possible 40 points! Yay, Bo and Lucky!

Here's what the judge had to say:
I loved the bond between the guys. Excellent character development.



Find Redemption, and the entire Diversion series at Rocky Ridge Books.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Fun, Flash Fiction, and a Giveaway

Hurry on over to Boy Meets Boy Reviews for a Kerry/Armando (from Butt Riders on the Range) flash fiction--and hot guy pic. NSFW!

Enter to win a copy of Diversion (Diversion 1) while you're there.


Sunday, October 25, 2015

New Bio

It has come to my attention that my old bio is, well, old. Time for an update. What do y'all think?

You will know Eden Winters by her distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out, she hugs!

Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.

She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures she has written fourteen m/m romance novels, has won several Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.

When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s a mild-mannered business executive, mother, grandmother, vegetarian, and PFLAG activist. 

Her natural habitats are airports, coffee shops, and on the backs of motorcycles.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Spirit Day - October 15

Do you know about Spirit Day?

Spirit Day began in October 2010, and is promoted by GLAAD. It is a day to wear the color purple and show support for LGBT youth who are victims of bullying. 

Two years ago at GRL in Albuquerque, I had a purple butterfly tattooed on my shoulder to commemorate the day, and that was also the time when I wrote the song "Last Letter to a Son" as a tribute to the young lives that have been lost.

It’s the story of a woman who didn’t know her son was gay until it was too late.

What you can’t see in the words is what’s happening in the video in my head. During the verses she’s going through her son’s belongings, finding clues and slowly putting together all she didn’t know of her son’s life. During the choruses, when she asks, “Why couldn’t you tell me?” the scene flashes back. In one scene she’s chatting with a friend, laughing and making fun of a gay man. Her son turns away with horror in his eyes. In another instant, she angrily turns the TV off on a debate on marriage equality. In the third scene, her son approaches and wants to talk, but Mom is raving about the openly gay couple who just moved in down the street. The woman merely did as she’d seen done by her own family, or heard in her church and workplace. She never even paused to consider what her own feelings were. And without even realizing, she created a barrier that her son longed to cross, but couldn’t.

Last Letter to a Son


(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.

(Verse 1)
You left your bed unmade,
Like you’d be coming back today,
Shirt lying on the floor,
That you won’t wear no more.

I found a letter you wrote,
To someone that I didn’t know,
You told him that you’d love him so,
Until the end of time.

(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.

(Verse 2)
When I found your phone,
Read ugly words from your so-called friends,
The truth hit home,
Your pain just reached an end.

The kid from next door,
Said you shouldn’t live no more,
Never listened to him before,
Why’d you do it now?

(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.

(Bridge)
I met the boy who wears your ring,
Such a sad and lonely thing,
I’d have approved of him,
And I do so now.

We had ourselves a good long cry,
Then we both kissed you goodbye,
You took your life ‘cause they called you wrong,
But, Baby, those folks lied.

(Verse 3)
And now you’re gone,
Sometimes I can’t go on,
The other one you left alone,
Says, “Live, and so will I.”

(Chorus)
Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?
I love you anyway,
No matter what others say.
Why? Why’d you feel so all alone,
I keep thinking that you’ll just come home,
Don’t leave me this way.

Why? Why couldn’t you tell me?

This last section was not a part of the original song, but added later.

When I said “fag” and “queer”,
I never thought you’d overhear,
Didn’t think I’d cause you fear,
Or you to turn away.

It breaks my heart in two,
You thought the taunts meant you,
I’d give up my life today,
To take back my words,

I, know why you didn’t tell me,
Please love me anyway,
And forgive my hateful ways
Me. I’m why you felt so all alone,
And if you’d could only come on home,
I’d be better I swear.

Why, why couldn’t you tell me?

The next time peers laugh about someone for being weird or different, or you witness someone who may need a friend, think about this: he or she may need you more than you’ll ever know. Just one smile, one kind word, one “I understand.” You never know who may be watching.


I am Eden Winters, an author of gay romantic fiction, a mother, a PFLAG member, and I smile at strangers. 

October 15 is Spirit Day, and once again I plan to wear purple to show my support. Won't you join me?

Find out more here:

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Fantastic Bargain on a Fabulous Novel!

Ever since I published Naked Tails, folks have been after me to write more unusual shifter stories, be they about possums, bears, or even the chipmunk/skunk medi-vac pilots from the book. I'm working on the bears now, and have marked the pilots as "one day."

That said, I've developed an affinity for lesser known shifter types, and when I chance upon the occasional story that doesn't involve wolves or big cats, I pounce. Okay, to be fair, I pounce on wolves and big cats too, but still...

Anyway, as I was saying, off-the-beaten-path shifters fascinate me, and I'm thrilled that dear friend and critique partner, literary hand-holder, etc., P.D. Singer has created a novel-length follow-up to her short romp Tail Slide. The short work is even included in the longer one.

I've been privileged enough to get a pre-read, and let me tell you, the book not only met my wildest little dreams, it passed them. Be still my shifter-loving heart!

Otter shifters! Woot! Cute, cuddly, mischievous, koi-pond-raiding OTTER SHIFTERS!


Lon Ewing snowboarded in and turned economist Corey Levigne’s life upside down, introducing him to a world he didn’t know existed. Corey’s still adjusting to a boyfriend who shifts into an otter and raids the koi pond—and now Lon says Corey’s department chair is a werewolf?

Wolves at the university, wolves in the bank—across Lon’s desk sits Professor Melvin Vadas and his hench-wolves, demanding a construction loan for the pack’s new lodge in the mountains. There’s just one little problem: the proposed building site is home to a breeding population of rare fish.

What do wolves care for stupid human rules, an otter who’d barely make a good snack, or one pesky man determined to protect the environment? Once they’re snout to snout with Corey and Lon there’s more than silverscale dace on the Endangered Species list.

Includes Tail Slide

Fresh powder snow and running water in the Colorado back country call Lon like the moon calls the wolves. Belly-sliding to a good time on the weekends makes up for a workweek at a desk, and meeting Corey adds a whole new level of fun to snowboarding.
It’s easy to slip away for time alone in the woods without raising suspicion, but how’s Lon to entertain himself when bad snow and a worse spill force them off the mountain too early?
Never give an otter a box of Cheerios.
 

***

And not only does Ms. Singer give us otter shifters, she's also made it really easy to get our paws on (pun intended). From now until the release date of October 9, get Otter Chaos for only .99 cents. That's right folks, less than a buck. But remember, the sale is only for preorder. After publication the sale is over.

Find Otter Chaos at Rocky Ridge Books and here:

 AmazonAll Romance eBooks,  and Smashwords.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Making It Work - The Best Writing Advice I Can Give (Yes, I used the dreaded 'it")

In looking back on my earlier work, I have to say I'm appalled at all the "newbie" mistakes I made. Since that time I've immersed myself in learning how to be a better writer. Each bit of writing advice I grasped with both hands, screaming, "This is the greatest thing ever!"

Until the next concept came along.

In some cases, what I learned was pure gold, and enhanced my writing, in others, I had to rip out all the changes I'd just made after spending two days crying over how the story was no longer mine. All that torrential downpour of advice and ideas becomes overwhelming for a writer determined to give readers the best work she can produce.

But... post A seems like the answers to my writing prayers... until I read post B, that entirely negates post A's advice. Each poster, each "how too" author firmly believes in their methods, and others do too, to the point where the message that comes across is: "This is the ONLY correct way to do this, and if you DON'T do it exactly this way, you're wrong and your writing will suck."

Then I further muddied the waters with an editing course, and thus perpetuated my own version of "do it this way."

Yesterday something happened to me that hasn't happened in a very long time: I fell for a book based on cover and blurb, that is not something I normally read. In fact, I can't understand why I wasn't put off by the concept, as I usually am. Against my better judgement, I bought the book, fully intending it to be a DNF.

I stayed up until 3 AM reading. I don't stay up until 3 AM unless there's a medical emergency. But I did. And I woke at 7 AM to read more.

A few minutes ago I breathed a satisfied sigh when I finished the story. Know what I read?

Autonomous body parts
Invalid simultaneous action
Head hopping
Shallow POV
Lots of showing instead of telling
Telling what should have been revealed in dialog
Repeated word usage
"Looked"
"Knew"
"Felt"
Internal thoughts that were both italicized and then "she thought to herself"
Typos
Inconsistent dialect
Several "big misunderstandings"
Poorly educated prairie settlers who sounded just like the local wealthy former professor
Multiple POVs
Inconsistent pacing
Sentences ending in "it"

In short, I muddled through just about every single situation I've had grilled into me that you cannot do and have a successful story.

You know what?

I COULDN'T PUT THE BOOK DOWN!

You know why?

Because the characters were so endearing, and I became so invested in them, that none of that mattered. Then it occurred to me to check the date the book was published and cross reference other books from that period.

Guess what, folks? The books I grew up reading were pretty much all written this way. And I loved them.

Now when I write, I'm so focused on word choice, sentence structure, etc. that I'm in danger of losing the reason why I began writing in the first place: because I love books, have stories inside me, and love sharing the people living in my brain.

I myself have, with the best of intentions, offered writing advice on this blog. But the best advice I can give is this:

Follow your heart. Tell the story that's in you to tell. Continue to read the blogs that help you improve your craft, but remember that you do not have to take every bit of advice offered. Do what works for you. If we all listened to and heeded the exact same advice, we'd have 40,000 authors who all sounded the same.

Write what's in your heart. Create awesome stories about people readers can relate to, be they everyday folks or superstars. But all the writing advice in the world cannot take the place of a dedicated, passionate writer, who follows their vision.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Exciting News for Duet

First Dreamspinner Press translated Duet into Italian, and on September 1 the story of the bold Scottish Highlander and the reserved English tutor will be available in French!


Aillil Callaghan est un Highlander et, malgré le décret anglais, il refuse de renoncer à ses traditions. Bravant l’interdit, il porte donc fièrement le tartan rouge et vert de son clan en attendant de devenir laird, de rétablir l’honneur de son nom et de libérer l’Écosse de la tyrannie. Un Anglais sous son toit ? Quelle abomination ! Pourtant, l’enseignant engagé par son père pour ses plus jeunes fils a un talent que convoite l’héritier Callaghan.

Malcolm Byerly, professeur et musicien, a fui son Kent natal pour protéger un secret dans un emploi tranquille. Il n’avait pas prévu de rencontrer le frère aîné de ses jeunes élèves, un barbare écossais qui hait les Anglais – et cache un cœur d’or et une âme d’artiste sous son aspect abrupt.

Rapprochés par leur amour de la musique, deux hommes venus de mondes différents aplanissent les obstacles existant entre eux. Le père d’Aillil menace de les séparer, mais ils sont finalement vaincus par un autre ennemi, bien plus implacable. Leurs noms accolés entrent dans la légende.

Deux siècles plus tard, Billy Byerly, violoniste en tournée, arrive au château Callaghan où il se sent étrangement chez lui. D’après la légende, un fantôme hante les murs en attendant le retour de son amant. Billy ne croit ni aux contes de fées ni à l’amour éternel.

Mais le Laird Disparu l’a déjà revendiqué pour sien.



Find Duo now on Dreamspinner Press's Coming Soon page!



Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Redemption Made the Bestseller List at All Romance Ebooks!

I received a very nice e-mail from All Romance Ebooks, telling me that Redemption (Diversion 5) is a bestseller!


Find Redemption at All Romance Ebooks.


There Are Reviews, and Then There's This!!!

Every time I release a new novel I worry how readers will like it. Redemption (Diversion 5), is no exception. Lucky and Bo have quite a fan base now, and if I treat the guys too badly, I'll hear about it. 

So far reviews have been positive, and then there's one from Sinfully Sexy Reviews. Here is some of what reviewer Alan had to say: 

"There is absolutely no question that this beautifully-written evocative book is a five-star read and a page-turner. I read it in one sitting and miss it already.
Therefore, I recommend it from the very depths of my heart and soul. Ms. Winters’ writing is one of the top reasons that I read gay fiction, or, in fact, any books at all."
Wow. Just...Wow!

Thank you, Alan, and Sinfully Sexy Reviews.

Read entire review here.  

Redemption, now available from Rocky Ridge Books and your favorite ebook sellers.


Saturday, August 8, 2015

Redemption Release Day and Review!

Today is release day for Redemption (Diversion 5), and it's gotten it's first reviews!




Living is the easy part.

Agent Lucky Lucklighter and his partner escaped Mexico alive, only to plunge into bureaucratic fallout from their mission. Hell, maybe Lucky should have stayed south of the border. Especially when the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau places Bo into rehab, and Lucky’s facing both therapy and an inquiry into a fatal shooting. Watching over his shoulder for a vengeful drug lord or a cartel don calling in favors leaves him scarcely able to imagine a future for them as agents, or as a couple.

Bo Schollenberger once had a vision for their life together, but he’s bowed beneath the weight of his undercover work. Lucky’s hanging on by his deeply chewed fingernails, clinging to hope by making Bo’s dreams of a home into reality. The last thing he needs is a phone call from a dangerous man who knows too much, summoning him back to Mexico for “an early Christmas present.”

Not when the SNB brass asks tough questions, like “How well do you know your partner?”

***

Melanie Marshall awarded five stars and had this to say at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:
"I am so in love with this book that if I had a copy in paperback I would be drawing little hearts all over it like a schoolgirl.  You know, those big fat ones drawn with pink or red markers.  Silly?  You bet.  Heartfelt?  Absolutely."
Wow! What a great endorsement. Thank you, Melanie.

Read the review in its entirety here:

 Renee at Reviews by Jessewave awarded 4.2 stars and had this to say:
"Those of you who are a fan of this series will close this book with a happy sigh and look forward to the next chapter." 
Read entire review here:

Find Redemption at Rocky Ridge Books, and other e-tailers:

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon DE
Amazon FR
Amazon IT
Amazon CA
Amazon AU
Amazon JP
All Romance Ebooks

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Redemption (Diversion 5) Now Available for Pre-order and a Giveaway Tour!

At long last I get to say that Redemption (Diversion 5) is available for pre-order at Amazon and All Romance Ebooks. I also get to show off the purdy new cover from amazing artist L.C. Chase.

Living is the easy part.

Agent Lucky Lucklighter and his partner escaped Mexico alive, only to plunge into bureaucratic fallout from their mission. Hell, maybe Lucky should have stayed south of the border. Especially when the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau places Bo into rehab, and Lucky’s facing both therapy and an inquiry into a fatal shooting. Watching over his shoulder for a vengeful drug lord or a cartel don calling in favors leaves him scarcely able to imagine a future for them as agents, or as a couple.

Bo Schollenberger once had a vision for their life together, but he’s bowed beneath the weight of his undercover work. Lucky’s hanging on by his deeply chewed fingernails, clinging to hope by making Bo’s dreams of a home into reality. The last thing he needs is a phone call from a dangerous man who knows too much, summoning him back to Mexico for “an early Christmas present.”

Not when the SNB brass asks tough questions, like “How well do you know your partner?”

A cover real book tour and rafflecopter raffle is going on now at these fine blogs:

Tour Dates & Stops: August 1, 2015
Parker Williams

Book Reviews and More by Kathy
 BFD Book Blog
Mikky’s World of Books
MM Good Book Reviews
Wake Up Your Wild Side
Bayou Book Junkie
The Hat Party
Jessie G. Books
The Jena Wade
Christy Loves 2 Read
Inked Rainbow Reads
Molly Lolly
TTC Books and More
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
Iyana Jenna
Andrew Q. Gordon
Boy Meets Boy Reviews
Ogitchida Book Blog
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
Reviews by Jessewave
Velvet Panic

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon DE
Amazon FR
Amazon IT
Amazon CA
Amazon AU
Amazon JP
All Romance Ebooks

Diversion Sale!

In honor of the upcoming Redemption (Diversion Book 5) release on August 8, from now until August 20 you can get Diversion (Diversion Book 1) at the discounted price of .99 cents. So if you haven't yet read the series, now is a good time to get started.



There are good guys, bad guys, and then there’s Lucky.

Former drug trafficker Richmond “Lucky” Lucklighter flaunts his past like a badge of honor. He speaks his mind, doesn’t play nice, and flirts with disaster while working off his sentence with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. If he can keep out of trouble a while longer he’ll be a free man–after he trains his replacement.

Textbook-quoting, by the book Bo Schollenberger is everything Lucky isn’t. Lucky slurps coffee, Bo lives caffeine free. Lucky worships bacon, Bo eats tofu. Lucky trusts no one, Bo calls suspects by first name. Yet when the chips are down on their shared case of breaking up a drug diversion ring, they may have more in common than they believe.

Two men. Close quarters. Friction results in heat. But Lucky scoffs at partnerships, no matter how thrilling the roller-coaster. Bo has two months to break down Lucky’s defenses… and seconds are ticking by.
 

Find Diversion here at Rocky Ridge Books, with links provided there for other e-tailers.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon DE

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Amazon FR

Amazon IT

All Romance Ebooks

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Enter to Win a Copy of Redemption (Diversion 5)

It's getting close to book release time, and that means contests for giveaways!

Hurry on over to Stumbling Over Chaos and get your name entered in a drawing for an ebook copy of Redemption, set to publish August 8. And while you're there, say "Hi" to Chris and the kitties!


Living is the easy part.

Agent Lucky Lucklighter and his partner escaped Mexico alive, only to plunge into bureaucratic fallout from their mission. Hell, maybe Lucky should have stayed south of the border. Especially when the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau places Bo into rehab, and Lucky’s facing both therapy and an inquiry into a fatal shooting. Watching over his shoulder for a vengeful drug lord or a cartel don calling in favors leaves him scarcely able to imagine a future for them as agents, or as a couple.

Bo Schollenberger once had a vision for their life together, but he’s bowed beneath the weight of his undercover work. Lucky’s hanging on by his deeply chewed fingernails, clinging to hope by making Bo’s dreams of a home into reality. The last thing he needs is a phone call from a dangerous man who knows too much, summoning him back to Mexico for “an early Christmas present.”

Not when the SNB brass asks tough questions, like “How well do you know your partner?”

Redemption, available August 8 from Rocky Ridge Books. 

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Awesome Sale on P.D. Singer's Spokes!

Any Tour de France fans out there? Well, in honor of this year's race, my dear friend P.D. Singer has marked down her m/m romance cycling novel to a mere .99 cents.

Awesome book. Awesome price. Now's the time to buy!



Pro cyclist Luca Biondi lives for the race. For the star of Team Antano-Clark, victory lies within his grasp—if he can outdistance 200 other hopefuls, avoid suspicion from race officials, and keep his lieutenant more friend than foe. Luca also has secrets, and eyes for amateur cyclist and journalist Christopher Nye.

Christopher understands Luca’s need to keep their relationship under wraps, but chafes at hiding in the shadows of his lover’s career. He’s ready to cheer Luca’s victories, but he knows too well how triumph can turn to tears. While Christopher’s heart sees Luca the man, his inner journalist—and his editor—sees the cycling world’s biggest scoop.

From the jagged curves of the Colorado Rockies to the viciously steep Belgian hills, Luca can ride out any bumps—except rumors.

A few words in the wrong ear could crash everything. With miles between them, hints of scandal, and Luca’s fierce need to guard his reputation, a journalist might have to let go of the biggest story of his career or risk forcing his lover to abandon the race. Christopher and Luca face a path more treacherous than any road to the summit in the Italian Alps.


New Release! Duetto!

Today Malcolm and Aillil of Duet speak Italian, courtesy of Dreamspinner Press's awesome translating department.


I decreti di un conquistatore non possono separare Aillil Callaghan dal suo retaggio scozzese. Indossa con orgoglio il tartan del suo clan – ora proibito – aspettando il giorno in cui diventerà Laird, restaurando così il buon nome della sua famiglia e combattendo per liberare la Scozia dalla tirannia inglese. Un inglese nella sua casa? Un abominio! Eppure, il tutore che suo padre ha assunto per i suoi fratelli può avere qualcosa da insegnare anche all’erede dei Callaghan.

Il violinista e letterato Malcolm Byerly ha lasciato il Kent spinto dalla paura, cercando solo un impiego tranquillo, menti curiose a cui insegnare e un luogo ove mantenere celati i suoi segreti. Non sa che tra i suoi studenti vi sarà anche il fratello maggiore dei ragazzi – un barbaro che odia gli inglesi – e che il suo tartan rosso e verde nasconde un cuore affine. Il comune amore per la musica rompe le barriere tra due mondi.
Il padre di Aillil minaccia il loro amore, ma un pericolo più grande li divide. I due svaniscono nella leggenda.
Due secoli dopo, il violinista Billy Byerly arriva a Castle Callaghan e si sente stranamente a casa. Le leggende parlano di un Laird perduto che infesta il castello in attesa del ritorno del suo amante, ma Billy non crede alle leggende, ai fantasmi, o all’amore che dura oltre la vita.


Il Laird perduto, però, sa cosa gli appartiene.
 



Find Duetto at Dreamspinner Press.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Ode to a Stranger

The year was 1979, I was far from home, didn't fit in, was homesick and ill. My refuge was a local park not far from where I was staying. My favorite picnic table shielded me from the world I'd grown tired of dealing with at the ripe old age of seventeen, behind a cluster of bushes and trees.

I'd lie on my table, dreaming of better times, as much of the future as I could imagine--miss my home.

That's when I met... him.

I guess "met" is a bit of an overstatement, for I never even saw him, nor he me, but his mere presence was a comfort.

On the other side of my shield of trees I'd hear him. First the warm up, the inevitable throat clearing, and then he'd play his guitar and sing. Every few minutes he'd stop mid-sentence, and in my mind's eye I saw him scribbling on a notepad. Then he'd start again, sometimes from the beginning, sometimes the line he'd just sung. I never heard voices or signs of others with him, and during the week the park was pretty much deserted except for a homesick teenage girl and an aspiring singer/songwriter.

He gave me something to look forward to on my morning walks, in a time when I needed something, anything positive to cling to. Would he be there today?

I never dared to interrupt him by making myself known. Besides, he'd come to the park for privacy. Was I wrong to eavesdrop?

Then days went by, and weeks when my health kept me from the park. I recovered and moved away, and I'd never once laid eyes on my favorite musician.

And he never signed an autograph for his biggest fan.

So to the young man who practiced his songs in a park in Milton, Florida thirty-six years ago, I hope that I've heard you on the radio, maybe even seen you on TV. Who knows, maybe I've bought your CDs. I certainly hope so, and I hope you made it big.

You never know what kind of impact you can have on others without realizing. A smile, holding the door, a kind word... or a song.

To a stranger--well, maybe not a stranger, after all, I was privy to some of his deepest thoughts though his music--thank you.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

News About Redemption

Redemption (Diversion #5) is now in the hands of my editor, and I'm optimistic about an August publish date.

In the past some reviewers have asked for less case, and more relationship, while others want more case, less relationship. The first group will be thrilled to know that Redemption will be character driven, rather than action driven, and will definitely see Bo and Lucky jump a few hurdles in their relationship.

The loose ends of their last case will be tied up, and Victor fans will finally get answers.

On a sad note, Redemption is not a standalone work, and it's not very likely that a reader will be able to pick up this book and understand what's happening without prior knowledge.

That said, I'd like to leave you with a snippet from the upcoming novel:

***

Dr. Bright-eyes cut off Lucky’s latest evasion. “Mr. Harrison. I can’t help you if you won’t let me. You’ve been coming here for weeks now and we haven’t even discussed the issue that brought you here.” Twenty more minutes of this week's torture session, give or take. Good thing Lucky’d stopped wearing a watch. Time checking every ten seconds prolonged the torture, watched pots and all.

Well, if the doctor wanted him to talk, he’d give her an earful. Starting with his name. “Lucklighter.”

“Excuse me?”

“Lucklighter. Richmond Eugene Lucklighter. That’s my name.” Once upon a time, a million years ago. “But folks call me Lucky.”

The therapist peered over the top of her glasses. “Your chart says Simon Harrison.”

“Anybody hunting me knows where I am. No use hiding behind a fake name no more.”

The therapist shrugged, her expression vacant. “Okay, Mr. Lucklighter.”

“Lucky, call me Lucky.”

“Okay, Lucky. Tell me what I need to know to help you.”

Where to start? When did his life go to hell? “I was a punk kid, fresh off the farm. Stole cars and resold them. I stole the wrong one and wound up with a choice: work for a crime boss or disappear.” On his knees, staring up at Victor Mangiardi for the first time, ready to kiss his ass goodbye. Victor let him live, gave him a job, shared his home and bed, and later, planned a life for them. If he’d gotten his way, even now they might be basking on a beach somewhere, enjoying the high life.

But then Lucky wouldn’t have Bo.

“I found myself on his payroll and in his bed for the next few years. He trafficked drugs until we got busted.”

No surprise, no squirming. The therapist simply regarded Lucky with casual interest as she had through all their unsuccessful visits.

“I testified against Victor in court, and for years I thought he’d killed himself after the judge handed down life sentence. Now, I’m not sure what happened. Turns out his nephew put a hit on him. There’s a chance he made a deal with DEA and is still alive.” Damn, South Bend Springs, soap opera extraordinaire, had nothing on the twists and turns of Lucky’s life.

“Are Victor and his nephew why you’re using an assumed name?”

“Partly, them and others. I made a deal too. The judge gave me ten years. I spent two in prison, then got recruited to work off the other eight with the SNB, rounding up folks like me, and sharing the tools of my old trade.” Patient old Walter always treated him like any other member of the team, even turning a blind eye to Lucky’s cockiness.

No, that wasn’t right. Walter set Lucky apart, but never treated him as less. He expected more of Lucky because Lucky was capable of more. Plain and simple. Funny how these things just now occurred to him.

“I did my time, my boss arranged a fake death, and now I’m Simon Harrison. I met my partner on assignment. You remember me telling you about Bo, right?”

One side of the woman’s mouth twitched, the closest she’d come to a smile all afternoon. “You might have mentioned his name a time or two, along with Cyrus Cooper’s.”

Two thousand might be more accurate. “Yeah. Well, he’s more than my work partner.”

Not a flinch from the doctor. Her upper lip curled into the barest hint a smile. “I guessed that part.”

She had? “How?”

“I deal with law enforcement personnel daily, Mr. Har—Lucky. While I’m used to them praising their partners, they rarely wax poetic.”

Wax poetic? Lucky? “I do not!” Well maybe. Sometimes. Gotta watch that. But in talking about Bo, he didn’t have to talk about himself. “He’s getting a hold on Cyrus. Still acts like him from time to time, but is more of himself lately. Going undercover as someone else for a year plays hell with your mind.”

“I’m glad he’s doing better. You’ve made it clear how much his well-being is important to you. You were telling me about your past, and how you met. What brought you here? Why did the department send you?”

“Oh, yeah.” So much for stalling. “Anyhow, Victor’s asshole nephew dragged me and Bo to Mexico, and I killed a man, so here I am.” Lucky rolled his shoulders and stared at the woman who’d turned showing no emotion into an art form. “Bet you wish hadn’t asked.”

***

Stay tuned for a cover reveal, real soon.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

And Now For Something Different: Eden Winters Writes Menage

As I'm mentioned in my posts, I constantly strive to grow as an author, and a dear friend recently helped with that by challenging me to write erotica.

I tried, really I did, but I'm a romance writer at heart, so I couldn't help leaning toward that theme. However, I should warn readers that my new novella will feature a non-monogamous couple who, for fun or to establish dominance in their shifter hierarchy, play with others, both together and alone.

I don't have an exact publish date, but look for A Bear Walks Into a Bar to release sometime this month. This is the first installment in a planned four-part series: Owned by the Biker Bear. And I love the cover, created by the incomparable P.D. Singer.



It takes one strong alpha with a tight grip to keep a mountain full of shifters under control. Sawyer Ballantine’s contending with an uppity wolf leader and a herd of shifter elk bound and determined to take over. He might be the lone bear on the mountain, but he’s not going to allow another four shifters to just move in, especially not when they whiff of power. They’ll either be his in all ways, or they’ll be gone.

Dillon, Jerry, Kevin, and Brad have no one but each other since their shifter groups kicked them out. The young bear, wolves, and fox make a merry ménage, pooling their meager shifter skills and serving beer. They’ve stumbled into more than they understand, caught in the dispute between the Urso of Ballantine Mountain and the elk. But winter’s setting in, and they don’t know how to keep Dillon safe for hibernation.

And then a bear walks into their bar.

Aillil and Malcolm Speak Italian!

I'm thrilled to announce that Duet, or rather, Duetto, is now on Dreamspinner Press's Coming Soon page, and will release on July 21.



I decreti di un conquistatore non possono separare Aillil Callaghan dal suo retaggio scozzese. Indossa con orgoglio il tartan del suo clan – ora proibito – aspettando il giorno in cui diventerà Laird, restaurando così il buon nome della sua famiglia e combattendo per liberare la Scozia dalla tirannia inglese. Un inglese nella sua casa? Un abominio! Eppure, il tutore che suo padre ha assunto per i suoi fratelli può avere qualcosa da insegnare anche all’erede dei Callaghan.

Il violinista e letterato Malcolm Byerly ha lasciato il Kent spinto dalla paura, cercando solo un impiego tranquillo, menti curiose a cui insegnare e un luogo ove mantenere celati i suoi segreti. Non sa che tra i suoi studenti vi sarà anche il fratello maggiore dei ragazzi – un barbaro che odia gli inglesi – e che il suo tartan rosso e verde nasconde un cuore affine. Il comune amore per la musica rompe le barriere tra due mondi.

Il padre di Aillil minaccia il loro amore, ma un pericolo più grande li divide. I due svaniscono nella leggenda.

Due secoli dopo, il violinista Billy Byerly arriva a Castle Callaghan e si sente stranamente a casa. Le leggende parlano di un Laird perduto che infesta il castello in attesa del ritorno del suo amante, ma Billy non crede alle leggende, ai fantasmi, o all’amore che dura oltre la vita.

Il Laird perduto, però, sa cosa gli appartiene.

Find Duetto at Dreamspinner Press. 

Monday, June 29, 2015

Bo and Lucky Now Speak French!

Diversion is now available in French from MXM Bookmark:


LLes dealers de drogue ne sont pas toujours dans les rues ; parfois ils sont assis derrière des bureaux ou dans des salles de conférence, vendant leur marchandise dans des flacons pharmaceutiques au lieu de petits sachets de cellophane.

Quand on lui donne le choix entre passer huit années de plus en prison ou utiliser son « expertise » pour assister le Service de Contrôle et de Prévention du Détournement du Bureau des Narcotiques du sud-est, le trafiquant de drogue Richmond « Lucky » Lucklighter n'hésite pas et choisit la proposition qui lui laisse une certaine illusion de liberté. 

Cynique et peu disposé à admettre qu’il a commencé à se soucier de son travail, il compte les jours avant que sa dette ne soit payée. Le seul obstacle avant de récupérer sa vie est le bleu qu’on l’a chargé de former avant de partir ; un bleu qui cite les textes pharmacologiques, n’a pas encore fait ses preuves, et a la tendance – détestable – à voir le bon en chacun... y compris chez la cible de leur enquête.

Avec eux, les méchants n’ont pas la moindre chance... enfin si Lucky et Bo ne s’étranglent pas d’abord...

Find it at MxM Bookmark:
                 Amazon US

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Breaking the Rules

As a writer, I'm constantly trying to improve, be it by taking online classes, doing tons of research, reading informative books and blog posts, or even buying a critiquing program to help me polish my work.

But you know what? Sometimes you just gotta break the rules.

I aspire to write deep third person POV, which means I'm doing all I can writing-wise  to make a reader feel they are the character. And you know what? Lucky Lucklighter splits infinitives. He cusses a lot, and he ends sentences with prepositions. And not just in dialog. That's how he thinks, so that's what appears in the narrative.

Yes, I take pains to form grammatically correct sentences to aid readability, but what if writing out the perfect sentence jerks the reader out of the story because my protagonist has just stepped out of character?

So while my program points out that "ain't happening" is probably not going to get me an A+ on an English homework paper, as long as it helps readers be Lucky for 247 pages, I'll be happy.

Yes, sometimes to tell the story that needs telling, you gotta break those rules.

And speaking of Lucky (and Bo) and rule-breaking, I'm in the home stretch of Redemption (Diversion #5) and am setting a tentative pub date of August 1. Sorry for the delay folks, but I want it to be right.

Also, the covers of the remainder of the series have been updated.





Watch for the Redemption cover reveal in the next few weeks, and I'll leave you with the tentative blurb:

Living is the easy part.

Agent Lucky Lucklighter and his partner escaped Mexico alive, only to plunge into bureaucratic fallout from their mission. Hell, maybe Lucky should have stayed south of the border. Especially when the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau places Bo into rehab, and Lucky’s facing both therapy and an inquiry into a fatal shooting. Watching over his shoulder for a vengeful drug lord or a cartel don calling in favors leaves him scarcely able to imagine a future for them as agents, or as a couple.

Bo Schollenberger once had a vision for their life together, but he’s bowed beneath the fallout of his undercover work. Lucky’s hanging on by his deeply chewed fingernails, clinging to hope by making Bo’s dreams of a home into reality. The last thing he needs is a phone call from a dangerous man who knows too much, summoning him back to Mexico for “an early Christmas present.”

Not when the SNB brass asks tough questions, like “How well do you really know your partner?”