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.