Good news/bad news

The good news is:

Nikki's Secret is now out at ARe and Bookstrand!!!
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nikki039ssecret-1355643-341.html

http://www.bookstrand.com/nikkis-secret

Soon to be followed by Amazon.


The bad news is:

Wilde City Press and I have elected to part ways, so I cannot tell you when the first book of my Rimalian series, Adam, will come out.  I've received formal reversion of rights, so now I'm looking at other options.  When I have got that figured out, I'll let you know.  In the meantime, does anyone want a excerpt or two from Adam, or any of the other stories from the series? Comment here or on my Facebook to let me know. :)

Nikki's Secret is out!!!

TA DA!!! Nikki's Secret has just been re-released by Rooster and Pig Publishing!!

I think i mentioned before that I got the rights back to Nikki back in July, and Rooster and Pig snatched her up for expansion and re-release.  I added a considerable to the original short, and it turned out quite well, and Nikki has a gorgeous cover to boot. :) Here's the link and an excerpt, hope you guys enjoy!

  http://www.roosterandpigpublishing.com/new-releases.html

She knew the moment Ritchie saw her, a huge grin crossing his face and he nudged Cody, pointing her out. An equally huge and happy smile crossed Cody’s face and they quickly maneuvered to reach her. Cody grabbed her first, kissing her gently as he held her close. Nikki sighed into his mouth, savoring the first taste of him after a week of them both being gone. Then Ritchie drew her close and kissed her, his taste different, but just as familiar and wanted. Nikki noted a couple of startled looks, but mostly they weren’t even noticed in the crowd of travelers. She smiled up at them.

“Let’s get your bags and go eat,” Nikki suggested. “I didn’t have time to make dinner, the meeting with the Sloyers ran over a bit.”

Cody and Ritchie both frowned. “I take it from your tone it didn’t go well?” Cody asked as they headed towards the luggage pick-up. Nikki smiled as Ritchie guided her with his hand on the small of her back. They allowed her the space she needed for her control issues, but she had learned to accept their protectiveness. They’d had some pretty rough patches over the years, but family support from Abe and Jane, and a willingness to get counseling for help, had gone a long way to letting them working those problems out to their benefit. Her wedding rings glinted in the light as she reached out for Cody’s hand and she smiled. The fine gold bands matched the rings her husbands wore almost exactly. The only difference were the birthstones: one of her rings held Cody’s birthstone, flanked by diamonds, and the other held Ritchie’s birthstone, flanked by diamonds. Theirs were just like hers, except they both wore a band with her birthstone, then the other held the other man’s birthstone.

“What’s the smile for, prettiness?” Ritchie asked.

“I was just thinking of our wedding rings,” she answered him first, then answered Cody’s question. “And no, it didn’t go well at all. Unfortunately. None of us were surprised though. It’s not the first time Pat has fixated on a teacher, I learned today. So Vincent has not only removed Pat from my classes, his schedule is being altered to keep him as far away from my class as possible during the day.”

Neither man said anything, but Nikki could sense from the stiffness of their bodies that they weren’t happy. She wasn’t happy either, but what could be done, had been. There wasn’t anything else they could do. Cody’s hand briefly tightened on her, while Ritchie’s hand on her back rubbed briefly, each man telling her silently that they were there for her.

After getting their bags, the threesome went out to one of their favorite restaurants for dinner, a place they could sit and even indulge in a slight bit of PDA without being hassled. None of them were very demonstrative in public, but they didn’t care to totally go without touching each other just because they were out and about, either. The food was perfect, and they shared the details of their respective weeks. She shared some of the hijinks her classes got up to, including short segue into trying to find proof that Hitler had had a crush on Stalin, that was why Hitler was so determined to bring Russia down. That had led to a discussion of the current topics regarding Russia, and it’s suddenly more virulent anti-LBGT laws, and the ramifications of them. There was even a discussion on the effectiveness of boycotting or moving the Olympics, or if it would be more effective embarrassment for Russia to deal with actually arresting so many internationally known people, if the athletes themselves acted to show their support of LBGT people and their rights. That had led to the discussion of whether or not embarrassment was an effective tool in changing any country’s political behavior, in particular countries such as Russia and the United States, both notorious for doing whatever they both damn well felt like, as evidenced by the Cold War.

Cody and Ritchie regaled her with a story about the utter confusion their new client displayed as they worked to explain to him exactly how their systems worked. The young man admitted to being, in his words, “a techno-idiot,” but was willing to learn, if somebody was willing to sit down and teach him. So Cody and Ritchie had done exactly that, helping him to learn how to use not only their systems, but helped him better understand other programs he had for his online business. They settled back to enjoy their dessert, sharing heated glances, letting the anticipation of getting home and getting naked get them revved up. Nikki smirked at her husbands as she mentally thought about where her favorite turtleneck was…from the looks she was getting, a scarf around her neck wasn’t going to cut it tomorrow.

  

* * * *

Nikki sighed and yawned as she dropped her bag beside her desk. It had been a long, very satisfying night, her husbands making sure that she had no doubt that they had missed her. Her body was pleasantly sore in all the right places and she'd had to search out her turtleneck to wear, to hide the marks on her neck, just as she’d thought at dinner last night. She chuckled to herself as her body tightened a little in remembrance. The only sour note in the entire evening was another phone call from Pat that Cody answered. Pat’s enraged reaction to Cody’s claim on Nikki, as well as his telling Pat not to call anymore had been unpleasant. Having to call the police and Vincent again had been just as bad, with the detective that came around, Muncy, questioning whether or not Nikki’s behavior or dress was giving an impressionable young boy the wrong idea. Nikki had glared at him, informing him that he could either take her concerns seriously, and respectfully, or she could file a formal complaint against Muncy as well. She wouldn’t take harassment from a young boy, she certainly wouldn’t tolerate it from a grown man who should know better.

 Her phone beeped at her and she pulled it out of her purse, laughing as she saw that it was a sext from Ritchie, although it was obviously taken by Cody: Ritchie, in their shower, lathered head to toe and coyly hiding his bits and pieces.

What do ya think, sexy beast, isn’t he? The text read.

Very… just as sexy as the other beast who got him to pose for us, she replied. I’ll call you at lunch.

Love you oodles and bunches, and Ritchie says to tell you he wants to go down on you for lunch. Personally, I think that’s a smashing idea…Can we come to see you? *wicked eyebrow waggles at sexy smexy wife*

Nikki laughed out loud, shaking her head. NO!!! LOL There are innocent eyes here!!! And some of them even belong to the kids! You both can have me for a snack when I get home this afternoon.

I love working from home…

She sat down, put her phone away, and booted up her computer. The room was a nice pleasant green color, but only because she’d paid for the paint herself three years ago. Some of her fellow teachers had a week long painting party, painting their classrooms out of their own pockets, but the district allowed them to choose the colors. Books of all kinds were stacked on shelves around the room, including many of her own private collection. The students were free to borrow one at a time, but they couldn’t borrow another until they returned the first, and it was completely on the honor system. So far in the four years she’d been here, she’d only had to replace one book, proving her theory that if you act as if your students have both intelligence and honor, they tend to prove you right.  

The first hour of the day was her free period to do anything she needed to, so she got caught up on school news and answered a few emailed questions for some of her students. Then she began setting up the lesson for next period on the blackboard. The discussion over the current social and political situation with Russia and the Olympics had been so successful with her last period class yesterday that she wanted to introduce it to her other classes today. A short report from her students about their families and friends reactions to it would make a great homework assignment, especially from those students who still had relatives that lived during WWII. The views of parents and grandparents that grew up in the influence of the Cold War would give her students an eclectic, and very personal, set of reactions that could be discussed in class. Two weeks would be enough time for them to get their stories, and write a report from them. A soft sound had her turning around, smiling at first. Her welcoming smile faded as she saw who her visitor was.

Pat Sloyer stood six feet away, dressed, as usual, in dark jeans and a band T-shirt, with his jean jacket on. What made her blood run cold was the gun pointed at her, and the unhinged glint in his brown eyes.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! My Blog has been updated!!!!

Lookie lookie!!! Jenny Steel took pity on the hapless technodufus that is I, and updated my blog for everybody. :)  WOOHOO!!!

Not much to report otherwise... Nikki's Secret is currently in edits, and still on schedule to be re-released Nov. 29th, by Rooster and Pig Publishing, and Adam is due to go back into edits in a couple weeks.  I might actually have a new story finished here in the next few weeks, and then just next to sort out where that one is being subbed...

What's new with y'all?

TAG!!! You're it!!....a bit late...

ACK!!!! I’m late! I’m late!!! Got hit with a blizzard and it froze my brain…. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it…well my tongue is.. will somebody find some warm water to help?

 I was invited by an author friend, Princess SO, to participate in a “blog hop interview.” In order to participate, I answer interview questions, and I tag three other authors. They post interview questions on their blog pages. The folks they tag, will post their interview questions and answers on their blogs, and so forth. A lot of hopping! You can find Prin’s interview questions and answers here: http://talon-ps.com/?p=1788

Here are my answers to the interview Q&A:

1.     What are you working on right now?

Well… I’m aaaalllllmost finished with the expansion of Nikki’s Secret, due to be re-released by Rooster and Pig Publishing, in late November.  Also, Adam: Tales From One World is still to come, hopefully before the end of the year.  I have twelve, yes twelve other WIP’s I’m working on, including three in the One World series, and a few plot bunnies nibbling at my brain….I hope they aren’t starving or something.

2. How does it differ from other works in its genre?

  Well…The series I hope does kinda set people on their back feet a little…nothing like a bit of role reversal to make you look at things with fresher eyes, but in the end, it’s just how their world is, and how they talk to me.  Rimalians are a little odd, but they like it that way.  With Nikki… well… that’s her secret… you’ll have to read it to find out J

 3. Why do you write what you do?

Because they talk to me.  They are stories that just sorta meander through my head…and bite me in the small of my mind if I don’t give them due attention… those characters can be…fussy, lol.

 4. How does your writing process work?

There’s a process? Really? I am not a planner-much.  I can get an idea for how the story is going to go…and end up somewhere else entirely.  For instance, in Adair, I thought I was going to have a nice wedding, a frisky, kinky wedding night, and then the next day a simple assault by the villain on our heroic threesome.  Somehow I ended up with a full scale invasion. *blinks* now just how did that happen?  I’m pretty much a tangential pantser…but, it seems to work for me.  Except the sex scenes…. Those love to leave me hanging.

Here’s a small excerpt from Nikki’s Secret:

Brahms raised an eyebrow as she strode around the table to the court reporter.  “Not another word, any of you.”  Nikki watched as the reporter allowed the DA to read the record so far.  The older woman’s face tightened a few times, but otherwise remained impassive.  When she was done, she nodded to the reporter, who readied everything to continue recording the meeting.  “Mr Slate, you are excused from this case.  I want your report on my desk by the end of the day.”  She stared at Slate until he stood, taking his notes with him.  He glared at all of them before leaving.  As soon as the door closed behind him, Brahms sat down and looked at Nikki, Reis and Mash.  “My apologies, but I must ask the three of you to return next Monday, so that I can assign another ADA to this case.  I would continue this deposition if I were not expected in court in forty-five minutes.  Mrs Marnell, I assure you, this office will pursue all charges against Patrick Sloyer.  I would not have filed them if the evidence did not support them.”

Nikki nodded.  “That’s all I expect, Mrs Brahms.  To be treated with respect and that my assailant be made to pay for his crimes.  His actions have blown a hole in my life and I will not tolerate it.  I and the school did everything we could have done to deal with this, and I don’t appreciate being threatened by the ADA that is supposed to be pursing justice on my behalf.”

“A baseless threat, Mrs Marnell. I apologize for that, and I assure you that I will be speaking with Mr Slate on the proper way to deal with crime victims, particularly sexual assault victims,”  Brahms told her, her voice stern.  Nikki sensed however that her anger was towards Slate, not Nikki.

“Perhaps a little sensitivity training is in order, Mrs Brahms.  The local rape crisis center has a very good program for law enforcement,” Mash told her, a sly grin on his face.

Brahms smiled reluctantly.  “Yes, that’s not a bad idea.  I cannot tell you how many times I’ve learned of other victims of a rapist after one was brave enough to come forward, and every single one of them said the same things-they weren’t believed, or they were blamed by the cops, or they didn’t even bother reporting the rape because they feared those things.  It’s even worse with the LBGT community.”

“There was a time I wouldn’t have reported it either,” Nikki admitted, remembering all the times she had not reported the rapes she suffered.  Brahms’ eyes met hers and Brahms nodded.

“Oftentimes, with age comes strength,” she commented.  “I will contact you when I have reassigned the case.”  She swept back out after nodding to all of them. 

In addition, I am tagging the following authors: Toni Griffin, Monique Thompson and Ethan Stone.

Make sure to check out their blog posts on the following date: October 07, 2013 I am tagging three authors —you’re it:

Answer time...

Weeelllll.... the answers I was looking for were the discovery of Eris, and and Europa, Ganymede, Titan, and Enceladus.  *hangs head*   I complete spaced Mars, I had moons on the brain :)

But Trix is you'd sent me your email addy, I'll send you a copy of Loving the Astrophysicist for at least playing along... Alison, I hope you're enjoying your copy... :)

Catching up, a bit of bad news, aaaannnndd....a CONTEST!

First some catching up...I'll post the links for The Healing of Idrys, and Two Silent Cries, and when I figure out how to get them on the side with the other three, I'll get them there too...

https://spsilverpublishing.com/the-healing-of-idrys-ebook-p-1409.html?zenid=ca99473ba7fdfbad9dc65bfa2e2de8a7

https://spsilverpublishing.com/two-silent-cries-ebook-p-1431.html

Nikki's Secret is on track to be re-released by Rooster and Pig Publishing in late November, for those of you who wanted to get it, and now can't find it.  Have no fear, it won't be forever, and I am expanding the story as we speak...have so far added more than 10k to her story... And Cody and Ritchie are adding their own views this time :)

I am also planning an otter-napping of Mistress Otter, otherwise known to her many fans as Princess SO for a blog post.  I just have to figure out how to torture her, showing her porn just gets her wound up, lol.

For those who may have missed it, here's the link for when she and Talon PS kidnapped ME....

http://talon-ps.com/?p=1470

That's the catching up news... now for a bit of bad news... Due to unforeseen circumstances, Adam: Tales From One World, to be released through Wilde City Press, has been pushed back a couple of months.  Don't worry though, it's coming, and as soon as I have a new release date, I'll let you guys know.

Now, for the FUN news...

Loving the Astrophysicist is coming Sept. 14th!!

Here's the link for the sequel to Absent-minded Astrophysicist, which include a short bonus story that introduces Princess, daughter of Empress.

https://spsilverpublishing.com/loving-the-astrophysicist-ebook-p-59065.html?zenid=1187af723edce2ebc8adc66d4c0ba012

That means contest time....*evil cackles* Now what shall I do in order to give some lucky person a chance of getting the book before Saturday?  Hmmm.....

I know!!! Trivia!!!

I'll choose a random winner for their own copy of Loving the Astrophysicist Thursday afternoon from those who can answer me these two questions, in honor of one of our favorite astrophysicist:

Where are the four most likely places in our solar system to harbor life, beside Earth?

What discovery led to the demotion of Pluto to dwarf planet?

That should have some of you having a grand time following tangents...

Leave your answers in the comments below, and I'll post both the winner and the answers on Thursday afternoon!

On Talon PS, Prejudice, Grief and a miracle....

It's been a year since I stared in disbelief at Tom's brief post on Facebook, announcing Talon ps' death.

I was still at work, waiting out the last half hour before the next person came in, to relieve me at the post, so I could crawl onto the bus, catch a nap, and be ready to get all the stuff done that gets put off when I'm on shift.  Let's face it, 16 hour days just don't leave much time for anything else.

I'd been satisfied that morning.  I'd typed "The End" to a manuscript that was for me an emotional train wreck only a few hours before, oblivious to the fact that literally as I have typed those final words, Talon was leaving this world.  Also as Talon passed, a litter of kittens were born to a close friend of mine, that by all logic should also have died earlier that night.  I only learned these things later.  My mind was only filled with satisfaction and relief that a difficult, painful story had been told, and that they had gotten a happy ending that they had worked hard for.  And a small (okay huge,) amount of glee that I had finished it in time to meet the submission deadline.

My friend was driving home in her car, an extremely low to the ground sports car, when she hit the fresh remains of a deer in middle of the interstate.  She had nowhere to go but right into the carcass, yet instead of it being flipped up and into the windshield, which would most likely have killed her and her passenger, by some miracle, the car actually went over the carcass.  Maybe some mathematical genius can give you the odds against that outcome, but my friend made it home, shaky but okay. Then she had the happier drama just a couple hours later of three newborn kittens joining the family.

I cried all the way home, somehow not lashing out at the people around me who appeared to think it ridiculous for me to be upset over the death of a man I'd  never met in person.  Maybe I'm the weird one, but it seemed incredibly callous to me.  I get that they didn't know Talon in any way shape or form, but they knew ME, and could have at least had enough respect and compassion to accept MY grief as valid.

Then later that day, my boss called, asking me to work a special detail the following two days.  He asked if I was okay; I guess I sounded off. A slightly rambling explanation followed along with my concerns for Tom, as Talon's partner, and Prin, as his twin, as well as his niece.  My boss, the idiot extraordinaire of the day, made a very prejudiced comment, assuming Talon had died of AIDS.  Because of course, what else might a gay man die of, right?  By then, someone had posted some information about the disease that ultimately took Talon, and I admit I took a certain amount of pleasure in correcting my boss' bigoted assumption.  There was an embarrassed "Oh," and a hurried change of subject, but it was a reaction that still makes me angry.

I'm a little older than the AIDS epidemic.  I've spent years listening to how it started, how it's transmitted and to whom.  By far the best thing I was taught was how to protect myself, which was so simple: use condoms.  Be careful who you sleep with and use condoms.  Of course, this was back when real sex education was taught in school, and a week before, you were sent home with a little permission slip your parent had to sign, allowing you to go, or stating specifically that the parent did not want you to attend it.  My mother, pregnant with me at 16, made sure I went every year from 4th grade until graduation.   But why is it, 30 years later, with everything that has been learned, was my boss' immediate assumption that Talon had died of AIDS?   How was that at all logical?

It comes down to prejudice, I believe.  The long and the short of it is prejudice.  A person who happens to be gay couldn't possibly die of anything else, right?  Cancer, heart disease, stroke, environmental poisoning, couldn't possibly be a factor in the death of any gay person.  Not even old age claims those who are gay…  These things, these ailments, are a curse only the straights bear.  AIDS is the gay disease...according to ignorance and prejudice.  Ignorance and prejudice that after 30 years can only be deliberately willful, not merely existing through a lack of education.

I can't speak for what anyone else felt that day beyond shock and grief.  For me, there was also anger, understanding, and resentment.  There may be those who might think I don't have the right to those emotions, because I only knew Talon through Facebook, and only for a short few months. Those people can take a long walk off a short pier.  Nobody gets to tell me what I'm allowed to feel. 

Grief is obvious.  Talon had been unfailing kind to me, accepting of my tendency to just jump into conversations.  I was still new to Facebook myself, at least as an author, and Talon had been welcoming and encouraging.

Shock again is obvious, but tied up with it was anger.  Anger that I had no idea that Talon had been dying.  I'd known from some of his posts that he endured a lot of pain, but never felt it was a good time to ask what was wrong.  Understanding, because of course Talon would not want to tell everybody that he's been severely injured, and losing the fight with his illness.  No one wants to be the dying guy.  Talon just wanted to focus on as much of the positive as he could and even with a few months friendship, I could understand it. 

Anger that so many people could be so uncaring in the face of anyone’s grief, and just plain angry that Talon was gone.

Resentment might be a little harder to explain.  At first, it was because of little things, like the odd looks I got.  "What's wrong with you?" My friend died. "Oh, well how long had you known him?" Only a few months. "Well, why are you crying then?" Not important, I know, in the grand scheme of things. 

But as the first days and weeks went by I became very angry and resentful of the behavior of many in Facebookland and their behavior towards Talon and his loved ones and friends.  Many were attacked as fake.  Some were stalked.  I've never witnessed such appalling behavior in the wake of death for any but some scandalous celebrity.  Talon was well known, but certainly no Marilyn Monroe or even Anna Nicole Smith, who at least made her living by inviting scandal.

Grief is an odd emotion, and in some ways an oddly unique one.  There's no rules to it, really.  People react so individually to it. Some retreat within themselves to try to hide from the pain, and others attack the world, gnawing their own limbs off in frustrated fury. Some perceived as weak, stand tall and unbowed, carrying on, taking care of others, and some, perceived as strong, crumple in heaps, lost and bewildered.  Some people need things to stay exactly as the person who died left it.  Others need to bring things up, talk about it, show other things that loved one would have wanted to show everyone.  There is no right or wrong to grief.  There’s no way to know how any of us will react until we’re in that moment.  Perhaps some of the...misbehavior...is a result of that, but the rest was purely the need of some to enjoy the pain of others, and therefore simply unacceptable.  

In the year since, I've watched some people grow apart, when they should have grown closer.  I've seen friendships destroyed because of acrimonious jealousy.  The nastiness even reached a point wherein a piece of work that Talon had tried so hard to finish before his death had to be removed from availability because one individual threw lawyers into the mix, and those who worked their butts off to finish Feral Dreams withdrew it rather than let that person further defame somebody they love and themselves. 

People whom I used to speak with regularly, never speak to me at all anymore. Some have even unfriended me, either because they thought I chose a side, or because I didn't, I don't know.  To this day, I don’t understand if there was a fight, or even if there was a right or wrong “side” to choose.  To me there was only those grieving Talon and those attacking people in pain, and if that was the fight, then my lot was amoung Talon’s friends.  Hell, for all I know, these unfriendings were simply because a person didn’t like my hair color, or a book I wrote.  Without having been talked to about the matter, I can’t say.  In some cases, it was a case of *shrug* "whatever.”  In other cases, it's been rather hurtful.  Either way, there's little to do about it.  But it all adds to the resentment, resentment that I invested anything in people who invested nothing in me, even if it was “just” online friendship.  What, because it’s online, it’s less important? Less valid?

So tonight at work, sitting here, looking pretty, waving to people as they drive by, and left with entirely too much time to think, I thought about this past year.  It’s dangerous to give me time to think, I start ranting.  There have been a few friendships that have grown in the aftermath.  A few misunderstandings that have been resolved, and a few that I fear never will be.  Some things Talon would have laughed his little furry black cat ass off about, such as a recent food fight Prin started.  Some of it he would have hated, such as the accusations leveled against those he cared about, of fakery and whatever other nonsense.  Some of it he would have been so proud of that nobody would hear the end of it for at least six months…okay we would never hear the end of it he’d’ve been so proud.

Maybe I’m not the only thinking of any of this.  For me, it still hurts, not so much for me, but because I still see the hole Talon left in so many lives, and some of those lives belong to friends I’ve gotten to know even better.  Because I see people who are struggling to carry on, and thinking that they are failing, or doing it wrong, when nothing could be further from the truth.  They are still here, celebrating, teasing, grieving and PeaCOCKING about.  Sounds like a good time for friends to remember the man who showed us all a thing or two about it.

Warm Winds my friend.

  https://www.facebook.com/Talonps?fref=ts

*Waves* Hiya...I'm a terrible blogger...

So sorry...I am a terrible blogger, but I am going to do better, I promise.  In that vein, I have something fun from some of my fellow authors at my new Publisher, Wilde City Press.  I'll post that in a minute.

In a really quick rundown, I signed a contract with Wilde for Adam: Tales From One World, which will be releasing soon, and for those of you who are fans of Liam and Jareth from Absent-minded Astrophysicist, or are simply happy slaves to Empress, you'll be happy to know I also just signed a contract with Silver for the sequel, Loving the Astrophysicist.  No release date on that yet, but I'll let you know when I know.

I'll let you play with the others now, and and enjoy your Fourth of July!!!

Summer is all about fun, adventure and making great holiday memories. What do the Wilde City authors get up to? Find out when they were asked about some of their favorite summer traditions ... past, present, and future.

Help Wilde City Press celebrate the start of summer and July 4th. Enjoy 25% of your entire cart from Wednesday July 3rd through Sunday July 7th with the coupon code: WildeFreedom.

What is your favorite July 4th / Independence Day memory or tradition?

Shae Connor

My favorite July 4th tradition is putting the watermelon in the pool.

See, my extensive extended family mostly lives in and around a small Georgia town, and the main gathering place for as long as I can remember has been the house of one of my grandmother’s sisters. (Both my grandmother and her sister are gone now, but some things just don’t change.)

Every year on the 4th of July, everyone who’s in town gathers at that house for a cookout. There’s a big grill out back, where the manly men types cook the meat. There’s also a pool, and every year, there’s a watermelon that goes in the pool. The kids play with it in the water most of the day, and then after everyone eats, the watermelon gets fished out, washed off, and sliced for everyone to dig in. The water in the pool chills it perfectly, not too cold like it would be from the fridge.

Now I want some pool-cooled watermelon!

I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember, but it took me a long time to figure out that maybe I should start writing them down. I started out writing fanfic well over a decade ago, and in 2010, I moved into original fiction. (Though I do still get waylaid by a fanfiction plotbunny now and then.)

Shae is new to Wilde City. Look for Fringes, her Charlie Harding Presents erotic sci-fi short due out later this summer. Visit her at: shaeconnorwrites.com

Owen Keehnen

I am not sure if it was the exactly the 4th of July, but I do recall the fireworks. I was probably 20 or so and felt very grown up. I was in my first real apartment with my first real boyfriend. It was night and to escape the heat we climbed out my bedroom window onto the roof. We spread a sheet on the graveled tar and were lying there just holding hands and watching the stars. There was heat lightning to the south. The small town fireworks began about a half hour after dusk and probably lasted a total of five minutes. When they ended, I turned to him and said, “I love you.” I didn’t know exactly what those words entailed, but I knew how I felt and at that moment there wasn’t a doubt in my mind. It was such a feeling of complete contentment. We ended up falling asleep out there on the roof and climbed back inside around 3 a.m. He’s gone now, but whenever I see fireworks I think of him and that rooftop and that moment. It always brings a smile.

In addition to the four poems he contributed to Falling Awake, Owen has two other projects coming soon to Wilde City. The LGBT Book of Days is a fun and comprehensive guide to thousands of the most important dates in LGBT history - it’s great for reference and trivia and a real treat to compile. The second is a humorous novel called Young Digby Swank, a gay coming of age story about growing up Catholic which is hilarious and heartbreaking and heroic all at the same time. Visit Owen on facebook.

Hank Edwards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpF90OVoRi8

Meet Josh Stanton, orphaned at a young age in the mid-1800s, he has always been considered an outcast in Belkin's Pass. Now he’s grown into a quiet, well-educated young man full of secrets, the least of which is his love for his best friend, town deputy Dex Wells. But when the ancient vampire Balthazar begins feeding on the residents of Belkin's Pass, Josh's secrets prove to be the turning point in a battle for the souls of the townspeople—but at what personal cost? ---- Cowboys & Vampires, available now at Wilde City Press.

Visit Hank at hankedwardsbooks.com

What is your favorite Summer memory or tradition?

Geoffrey Knight

My favourite Independence Day moment has to be when Will Smith socks that mean old alien in the chops after they have the dogfight in the canyon and he says something bad-ass like, “You aliens just wrecked my July 4 barbecue and now I’m gonna have me some E.T. burgers because you guys suck!” Oh ... you mean a real Independence Day memory, not a scene from the movie! I guess I’ll answer the Best Summer Memory or Tradition question instead.

I don’t think I have one particular memory or tradition that stands out because I love everything about Summer. Being Australian, Summer means lots of public holidays: Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Australia all happen in the space of a month or so, so January pretty much means lots of delicious seafood and days at the beach and your skin feels dusty with sea-salt the whole time, which is a feeling I love. Now that I’ve moved to an island it’s even better; Sydney beaches can get really crowded but up here I can walk from one end of the beach to the other with my dogs and not see a soul. And yes, of course I go in for a skinny dip! ;)

“I want to see.” ... “Nash, we’re in Egypt, in the ruins of an ancient city, standing in front of a secret door! Aren’t you curious?”
“Curiosity killed the - ” ... “No, I’m not curious.”
The lie was unconvincing enough to give Ryan the confidence to sway him.
Sway him with a kiss. ...
“Curious yet?”

You can read Nash’s answer in Cairo Curse, book two in the Vampire Lair series. Visit Geoff at www.geoffreyknightbooks.com

Lloyd Meeker

My favorite summer tradition is honoring the solstice. In one old tradition, Midsummer Night was the time to leave a small dish of brandy in the garden as a gift to the fairies, which I’ve always thought was charming. Inviting the goodwill of nature is always a sensible idea!

I mark the solstice by honoring extremes – the dark of winter in the southern hemisphere and the light of summer in the northern – and the inevitable swing of the one toward the other. It is the wisdom of the Tao, the dance of light and dark, each with the spark of the other in its core.

This idea may seem pretty dry, but try this little experiment: sit on a playground swing and build momentum. Make the point furthest back winter solstice, when movement forward begins, and make the point farthest forward summer solstice, when graceful retreat begins. Feel the delicious centrifugal force as you move, your weightlessness at both far points – and remember the earth, held in her arc by the sun.

Gay PI Russ Morgan doesn't mind being fifty but hates being single. He's made peace with being a psychic empath, and he’s managed to build a decent life since getting sober. As he uncovers obscene secrets shrouded in seeming righteousness, he might have to make peace with a sword of justice that cuts the innocent as deeply as the guilty. ---- Enigma, coming soon to Wilde City Press.

Visit Lloyd at lloydmeeker.com

Clare London

I wish the UK had July 4 celebrations as well! This summer so far, we’ve had sleet, flood rains, gale force winds and then occasionally a sunny, hot day. I think this is the reason most of our sentimental celebrations take place in the latter half of the year. Or why the British talk constantly about the weather.

It seemed sunnier in The Old Days, when I was young(er). One happy memory is of an annual trip with friends to Henley-on-Thames, for a barbeque/picnic beside the river. This was the irresponsible time before kids and mortgages! We always arranged a game of rounders (like baseball, but not), competing with way more enthusiasm than skill, and helped along (or hindered?) by huge amounts of alcohol.

We still have photographic evidence of the fun. A gal sitting in her bikini, draining the last cupful of fruit punch from a litre-sized jug. A chap with his younger brother hauled over his shoulder, running towards the river to throw him in. Various self-inflicted rounders-bat injuries on sunburned shins. Clare, clutching river weeds to her chest because she lost her tube top when she dived in…

Oh those lazy, hazy afternoons of summer!

Meet Freeman, a quiet man who’s not used to sharing his plans, his history, or his emotions. He's returned to the city on business, a case that has nothing to do with the people he once left behind: his ex-wife, his male ex-lover, and his ex-business partner. He has no plans to engage with any of them again – until he meets Kit, the provocative young man who’s going to pull Freeman from the safety of his shell, whether he wants to or not. ---- Freeman, coming soon to Wilde City Press.

Visit Clare at www.clarelondon.co.uk

Eric Arvin

I'm a big music slut any time of the year, but I especially love summer music or music that makes me think of summer. Every spring I make an awesome playlist for the warmer months. There be lots of frivolity and even some slower tunes in the mix. Here are a few from this year's playlist:

Boys on the Radio by Hole
Mad About You by Belinda Carlisle
Love This by Cosmo Jarvis
Love Profusion by Madonna (Madonna has a lot of great summer tunes)
Car Wheels on A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams

Midnight City by M83 (they're last album was a summer spectacular)
I'm Like a Bird by Nelly Furtado
Soak Up the Sun by Sheryl Crow
Summer Fling by kd lang (from her album Invincible Summer)
Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak
Spaceman by The Killers (again, they've got a lot of great summery songs)
Boys of Summer by Eric Himan (a great version of the Don Henley classic)
For the Summer by Ray LaMontagne
Summer Days by Norah Jones

Summertime by Ella Fitzgerald
Summer Moved On by A-ha
Freeway by Aimee Mann (Mann's voice just sounds like summer to me, other Mann Summer songs include 4th of July and Fifty Years After the Fair)
Free Falling by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
End of the Innocence by Don Henley

If I Ever Feel Better by Phoenix
Birmingham by Shovels & Rope
Ramona by Night Beds
Singing in My Sleep by Semisonic
Lightning Bolt by Jake Bugg

Eric Arvin resides in the same sleepy Indiana river town where he grew up. He graduated from Hanover College with a Bachelors in History. He has lived, for brief periods, in Italy and Australia. He has survived brain surgery and his own loud-mouthed personal demons. Eric is the author of The Mingled destinies of Crocodiles and Men, and various other sundry and not-so-sundry writings. He intends to live the rest of his days with tongue in cheek and eyes set to roam.

Visit Eric at ericarvin.blogspot.com

Patrick Darcy

Without a doubt, on a cold summer night in Dublin, I dream of being naked on an Ibizan beach. Preferably Playa Es Cavallet, the gay nudist beach. It’s a bit of a trek; you have to get past the German and Dutch naturalist before getting to the promised land of sexy, naked homos. I see it now, hot muscled hunks, with tattoos and great big.......

The beach is all white sand lined with cool beach bars, and the sound of funky music fills the air. Such a great relaxed vibe and beautiful people cruising each other. To say it’s sexual would be an understatement.

Summer is all about being naked, however, there are occasional problems. As a weak and feeble man, I am constantly being shown up by my hardon. I want to be dignified and European. But I’m Irish, I see a hot naked guy and, well, my cock just has to show its appreciation. Total nude beach faux pas. Oh the shame of it! The only saving grace is that my buns are rather pert. So I spend most of the day laying on my front, peaking through my Roy Orbison shades at all the beach talent.

OK. now I'm horny!

Hi! I’m Patrick Darcy. Rugby player, Irishman and writer of full strength gay erotica. Follow me at patrickdarcybooks.com, as I comment on life in Dublin, hot men and all the things that make me tick. There are two big passions in my life: great sex and rugby. Quite often, these are combined! I love the thrill of competition, the power, the intensity, the brotherhood of rugby.

Oh, and I love being naked!

Anne Brooke

My favourite summer memory is my mother's homemade lemonade. She only ever made it in summer as she said it was an outdoor drink and needed a big dose of sunshine to make the bubbles pop. Apparently winter would make the whole drink go grey and flat, and as I was young I believed her – and in a way I still do. Homemade lemonade only ever appeared about three or four times a year and only when we were very good and she was pleased with us. It wasn't ever something she prepared for either but, in our family group, she would slip away quietly and after a while one or another of us would realise she was missing. From then on the excitement would mount and then - at last! - half an hour or so later she would reappear with a huge jug of lovely lemony-yellow bubbly drink and a selection of glasses. Drinking it meant you had enough sugar in your system to last you well into the next month, but it was like a blast of sunshine and citrus in the mouth, I can tell you. Sheer bliss!

The night I met Luke Milton, the last thing I was looking for was any kind of relationship ...

“What the hell are you doing?” ...
“Waiting for you ...”
“You’ve not covered up your mark.” ... “You must have taken some stick for it from the office.”
“Why should I cover it up? You gave it to me. That’s worth all the stick in the world.”

Read the rest of Luke and Alan’s interactions in The Beginning of Knowledge, available now at Wilde City Press. Visit Anne at www.annebrooke.com

Ewan Creed

I’ll set the scene for you - a rowboat, a bottle of wine, a low moon, and a good man. We had met on the beach that morning and clicked, so after hanging out all day I invited him out to dinner and then for a ride on the lake. There was just something about him. It was so easy to talk to him. I told him more about myself than I told my best friends and he shared just as much about himself. That evening was nothing special in the scheme of things, and yet perfect at the same time. It was one of those connections you just don’t forget. He was the first person I ever told that I wanted to be a writer.

Meet Alex, a man caught up in the leather bar scene of 1975, a man consumed by the feeling of sexual abandon and freedom. One night Alex gets more than he bargained for and is transported into a dark carnal wonderland of sexual abandon and perpetual desire, a world that can trap a man for all eternity. ---- The Leather Bar Mural, available now from Wilde City Press.

Follow all of Ewan’s release dates HERE.

If you could escape to anywhere in the world this summer, where would it be?

J.P. Barnaby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuMB8cbIqtU

J. P. Barnaby, an award-winning gay romance novelist, is the author of over a dozen books including the Little Boy Lost series, the Forbidden Room series, and Aaron. As a bisexual woman, J.P. is a proud member of the GLBT community both online and in her small town on the outskirts of Chicago. A member of Mensa, she is described as brilliant but troubled, sweet but introverted, and talented but deviant. She spends her days writing software and her nights writing erotica, which is, of course, far more interesting. The spare time that she carves out between her career and her novels is spent reading about the concept of love, which, like some of her characters, she has never quite figured out for herself.

J.P.'s new Rentboy series is coming to Wilde City press later this year. Visit J.P. at www.JPBarnaby.com

Pelaam

I live in New Zealand and summer here starts in December. For someone born in the UK, seeing bikinis and sun lotion next to Christmas trees and decorations just isn’t right. A holiday somewhere hot and sultry with exotic cocktails might be most people’s idea of summer bliss. However, I’d like to escape to celebrate my summer Christmas in Canada with snow, caribou, and lots of mulled wine.

Living in clean, green New Zealand, I am an author, foodie, wine buff and Art Historian. I write M/M romance, particularly paranormal, sci-fi and fantasy, and like to add passion, and a twist, to my tales. I grew up on Dr Who, Star Trek and The Night Stalker. I never leave the house without at least one notebook, ready to jot down anything the muse may whisper. Visit me on facebook.

Charlie Harding

I would scoop up my partner Scotty Rage and we'd meet up with our 10 closest friends at a beach somewhere. Seafood, cocktails, sand, sun and the people we care about... Our favorite combination!

Charlie Harding joined the ranks of adult performers in February 2012. He has won multiple awards including "Best New Cummer," "Best Daddy," "Best Ass Eater 2012" and “Manly Man”. Charlie has also put his multiple college degrees to work building network of business ventures including launching his own line of personally selected gay erotica at www.charliehardingpresents.com. Charlie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his partner and fiance, Scotty Rage.

Ethan Stone

I would love to go on a cruise to somewhere warm but not too hot. I want a place with a beach, cool clear water and some hot cabana boys. The hot cabana boys are not just for eye candy, they'd be there for inspiration. The whole trip would be for inspiration since I've been having a hard time with writing lately. Being in a relaxing environment with pretty eye candy all around me could really help with my writing block. Additionally, it would benefit my health as well. If I were to lay shirtless in the sun, soaking up all that vitamin D, I'd have all the energy I need for anything that happened to come up. :-)

Anyone wanting to contribute to the "Save Ethan's Mental and Physical Health" Cruise feel free to use Paypal.

“Did you like what you saw out there?” ...
“You’re a very ... talented dancer.” ...
“Anything else you liked?”
“You fishing for a compliment, Holt? You don’t seem the type to need your ego stroked.”
“Maybe it’s not my ego I want s...”

See if Jason Holt ever gets around to telling Quinn what he wants stroked, Past Tense available now at Wilde City Press. Visit Ethan at www.ethanjstone.com.