Night Moves by KC Kendricks

Sometimes I forget I've been published for a while now. I'd be totally embarrassed to admit how loudly I squealed when I first saw the cover for Night Moves. (Dignity? What dignity?) Let's just say when I was Impressed. The cover guru at AQP does a great job, but he far outdid himself on this one. Just like the batter, and the writer, he can't hit a grand slam every time he steps up to the plate, but he scored this time.

Being in too much of a hurry to wait for my author copies, I ordered a copy of Night Moves through Amazon. The cover is just as gorgeous in real life as on the screen. I'm gushing like it's my first cover. (Jeez. Still no dignity.)

Gushing aside, I'm very pleased to have Night Moves available. It was well worth the wait.

KC



NIGHT MOVES
A Collection of Gay Erotic Romance

Available now at Amazon.com


Just one night can change a life.

Mix misty evenings out on the town with four men in need of second chances, and let the night make its move to bring them together. Night Moves - two stories about finding love when it’s least expected.


Tango in the Night

Jubal Graham is back on the job after a shooter took the life of his long-time partner, and sent him into a coma followed by months of rehab. Determined to have justice, Jubal is focused on finding a killer, not a new romantic entanglement. Ellis Banks, with his smoldering blue eyes and denim-clad swagger is a distraction Jubal can’t afford – or ignore.

Ellis Banks came to Philadelphia to bust a drug operation; one that connects to the same case agency legend Kentuckian Jubal Graham is working. Ellis finds himself drawn to Jubal, but Jubal holds him off. Sure that Jubal is interested, even though he wears his slain lover’s ring, Ellis mounts a determined siege.

Jubal’s surprise at having a suitor develops into a growing affection for Ellis, one clouded with old fears. Fate ripped one lover from his arms, and now Ellis is in the line of fire. Jubal’s courage can protect Ellis, but is it powerful enough to love him?


Give Me One Night

Brody O’Connor joins the revelry of the yearly pub crawl hunting a like-minded man for night of fun and frolic with no strings attached. When a mystery man in an emerald shirt engages Brody’s interest, it doesn’t take long for the hunter to become the prey.

Well-matched with his mystery man, Brody regrets his ‘no strings’ approach to a night of shared passion that leaves him hungry for more. The morning after, Evan is gone as agreed. Brody knows it was a mistake to let him go, and vows to find him.

Evan never expected to meet someone like Brody. Now Brody wants to change the rules, and Evan agrees. He’ll give Brody one more night to convince him to stay.

NIGHT MOVES
ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-814-1 (Paperback)


Tango in the Night and Give Me One Night are also available individually in ebook format from Amber Allure.

TANGO IN THE NIGHT
ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-621-5
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/TangoNight.html

GIVE ME ONE NIGHT
ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-490-7
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/GiveMeOneNight.html


KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Join my mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
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Sneak Peek at Maxie Briscoe:Werewolf

Happy Thursday, Everyone!! Hope this post finds you all happy, warm and well. Especially warm since it is winter and I am sitting here in 7 degree temps. I wanted to hang out today and give you all sneak peek at my newest tale. Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf, is arriving on February 28th, just four short weeks away. I’m really excited because this is not only my first novel-length fiction, it is also my first attempt at writing something I’ve never written before…first person point of view erotica with a mystery twist. As a writer, I want to constantly push my personal boundaries and when I first conceived Maxie in my brain last year, she came roaring in and I found that I wouldn’t be telling her story in the usual way. No way, no how. She is the strongest heroine I’ve written, both physically and emotionally, and I fell instantly in love with her. I know you will, too. Enjoy…

Synopsis
The name's Maxie Briscoe and I am a werewolf…

That’s right, a real live, full moon-loving, Halloween icon. It’s hard out here for girl like me. To survive, I hide my true self and act the part of a normal human, all while discreetly indulging the Beast within. Talk about walking a narrow ledge. And that’s not even the worst part. Sex is. You see I can bench press a pick-up truck and that spells disaster in the bedroom. You can’t have any real fun knowing you might accidentally crush a lover while in the throes. Kind of kills the mood.
When a friend’s murder shatters the careful existence I’ve carved out, I come face to face with Damien and Noah, two of the hottest men I’ve ever laid eyes on. They are also the first werewolves I’ve run across since my conversion. The attraction is instant, but complicated, the sex… explosive.

Too bad there’s a killer out there with his sights on me …

Excerpt
Maxie meets her two hot as hell male wolves for the first time…

They materialize from the darkness, ancient hunters intent on their prey. Me. My breath hitches, the animal inside rippling beneath my skin. I’m nervous, but I refuse to let them see. This bitch rolls belly up for no one. I stride out onto my front porch, prepared to defend my territory. Dressed in loungewear, I am hardly the picture of a strong alpha female, but you go with what you got. I look them both dead on.

I fold my arms over my breasts. “What do you want?” I growl, my voice a low rumble.

“We’ve come for you, Little One.” His voice like muffled thunder, the taller of the two moves forward onto my lawn. Twisted steel with sex appeal about sums him up. His dark hair is pulled back in a tail, tee shirt molded to his cut frame. My nostrils flare, catching his scent, fresh like a mountain spring at first thaw.

Things down low quiver in anticipation, I want to coil myself around him like a python on a kapok tree, hugging every hard inch of flesh…I shove the urge down ruthlessly. It’s dangerous. Ulterior motives are written all over them and I just know one of them is to dominate me.

“It took us a long time to find you, Maxie.”

The whisky baritone draws my attention and I watch the other one emerge, lean and graceful, his muscles liquid precision. There was definitely hotness woven into the male half of the werewolf genetic code. His scent is warm and dark, like night in a jungle. My nipples bead with excitement as he lopes toward me, brushing past the larger wolf. He stops at the base of my stairs, conqueror etched in every line of his body. This was definitely the alpha of the pair.

“Didn’t know I was lost.” I widen my stance, ready to spring. If he’s looking for a challenge, he’s got one.

He smiles, teeth bared, the faint light from the scimitar moon exposing the predatory glint in his eyes.

I can feel the hunger resonating through them, matching my own deep desire.

“We can smell your craving, Little One.” The taller one rumbles as he joins his partner.

I hate arrogant assholes. “Is this the part where I’m supposed lay back, spread my legs and say ‘Do me like Red Riding Hood, you Big Bad Wolf’?”

They chuckle in that knowing, masculine way, the sound like tropical waves lapping along my insides, teasing and inviting.

“She’s more than we imagined, my friend.” The dominant wolf smiles over his shoulder at the other one as he starts up the first step.

“Stop right there, Romeo,” I snap.

He stops, huffs out a breath and moves back to his original position.

“The name is Damien Black. And this is Noah Rayburn.” He jerks a thumb toward the larger guy who inclines his head with a gleaming look in his eyes.

They stand there, watching me, probably wondering when I’m going to quit being so difficult and invite them inside to fuck. Maybe I will and maybe I won’t. All depends on their explanations.

Hope you liked this. Have a great day!
Melissa Bradley

Online Workshop - PASSION, HEAT AND ECSTASY: WRITING THE EROTIC ROMANCE

Enroll by Sunday 01/31/2010 for this online workshop taught by EPIC and Orange County California RWA members CAROLINA VALDEZ and LYNDI LAMONT and sponsored by the new Yosemite Romance Writers chapter of RWA.



DETAILS

Class 2/1 - 2/26

Register by Jan. 31st


$20 Yosemite Romance Writers members
$25 non-members
To register, click on "Workshops"
and scroll down to this one at
http://www.yosemiteromancewriters.com

Instructors: CAROLINA VALDEZ and LYNDI LAMONT, Amber Quill Press authors

Erotic romance! How do you capture the heat and passion of it? How do you build sensual tension in your characters that explodes in ecstasy? Join us for tips on this, including writing for readers of BDSM and GLBT stories, and what markets are open to submissions for erotic romance. Also includes

History of erotica and erotic romance
Defining erotic romance
Creating a story concept
Words to use and not to use
Male and female erogenous zones
Research for erotic romance
Writing for BDSM and GLBT readers
Markets for erotic romance

Note: We’ll answer questions and discuss your concerns, but won’t critique any writing.

For more information, contact Carolina at keen3849@mypacks.net or Lyndi at lyndilamont@yahoo.com
http://www.CarolinaValdez.com
http://www.LyndiLamont.com

LYNDI LAMONT sold her first romance novel in 1997 to Kensington Precious Gems. Since then she has written historical and Regency romance for Amber Quill Press and erotic romance, including male/male, for the erotic imprints of AQP.

When she started thinking about trying her hand at erotic romance, she talked to a friend who said writing it was freeing, and she was right. Since becoming Lyndi Lamont, she has discovered that writing erotic romance is a license to be naughty, and at her age, those opportunities don’t come along very often!

Her historical erotica, LILY AND THE GAMBLER, was nominated for a 2005 CAPA Award. FINDING JASON, her gay Regency short story, finaled in the 2008 EPPIES contest for Best Erotica in the GLBT category.

CAROLINA VALDEZ was a multi-published, award-winning freelance writer prior to selling her first romance to an electronic publisher. For fun six years ago, she dared herself to enter Amber Quill Press’s contest for erotic short stories. DARK STRANGER was a winner, and she’s been happily writing for their Heat and Allure imprints ever since. DARK STRANGER and WHERE VESUVIUS SLEEPS placed in The Lories, and all of her gay stories have been Amber Quill Press Top Ten Best Sellers.

TIE ’EM UP, HOLD ’EM DOWN, her first gay story, finaled in the 2009 Passionate Plume Contest–Novella Division. LURE, a romantic crime novella, was a 2007 EPPIE finalist, Best Erotica.

A Stranger's Touch by Anne Brooke

Happy belated New Year to all! I’m pleased to say that my latest short story, A Stranger’s Touch, is now available at Amber Allure Press. This tells the story of male prostitute, Red, who is given an assignment by his pimp and lover, Robbie, with a very unusual client. Red meets the stranger in a darkened house in London and, during their sessions, he learns more than he ever knew about lust, love and his own personal history. How will his curious and life-enhancing encounters with the stranger affect his relationship with Robbie and his clients, and can love ever be part of a hooker's life at all?

I first started writing this story when I’d given an assignment to the writers’ group at the University where I work. One of the choices was to write about someone in a darkened room waiting for something to happen, and I was astonished at exactly how inspirational I found the task. It was as if Red had sprung fully formed into my mind and I could hear his bleak, strong, surprisingly measured voice very clearly. Prostitution is a profession I've written about in the past, and I suspect I’ll write about it again.

Here’s an extract from the beginning of A Stranger’s Touch:

The air felt heavy as if there was something weighing down on my shoulders that I couldn’t shake off. It might have been my own fear. I didn’t know. Odd how dark everything was, in spite of the torch I’d remembered to bring. It was shining at my feet. The narrow band of light only increased the sense of darkness. I could hear the sound of my breathing, though sometimes I fancied there was a faint hiss behind it, as if someone else might be in the room with me. Someone who was echoing the rhythm of my breath, pacing their pulse to mine. It made me shiver and I forced myself to regulate my breathing again.

I couldn’t remember why I agreed to any of this.

No. I did remember. It was what Robbie had wanted. And the money. That always helped. The chair beneath me pressed into the back of my legs and I shifted my position to try to get a little more comfortable. This assignment wasn’t turning out to be quite as straightforward as Robbie promised me it would. And he tended to tell me the truth. Which wasn’t bad for a pimp. In fact it was one of his great strengths. He was pretty stylish in bed as well, I had to say. He was so damn good at knowing what tricks broke me open, every time.

Whereas my great strength was doing whatever I was told to do.

Robbie had ordered me to dress sexy and tight—it had pissed me off to hear him as I always dressed sexy and tight. That was my job, wasn’t it? But I hadn’t let any of that show. I knew my trade, knew when to act pretty. He’d told me to come here, an empty house at the west of London. He’d said the door would be open but the lights would have been cut off. He’d been right, too. I had to admit I’d been spooked as I’d followed his instructions—using the torch he’d given me to find my way upstairs and into the first room on the right, where as he’d promised there was a chair in the middle to sit on. I even wondered whether some crazy guy might leap out at me with a knife, or worse, but I kept telling myself that some clients liked the weird stuff, and Robbie checked everything out. In the four years I’d been working for him, he’d looked after me and he’d never let me down. So I got on with the job and here I was.

Waiting for whatever was going to happen next.

And waiting.

It struck me that I had no idea how long I’d been waiting. Maybe the client wasn’t going to show? That happened sometimes. Oh well, I’d chalk it up to experience, ring Robbie when I got out into the street and see if he had anything else for me tonight.
With a small sigh, I began to reach down for the torch at my feet, and it was then that someone spoke.

“No, don’t move,” the voice said, and I froze.

Male, soft-spoken. Confident, too. I hadn’t had any idea there was someone else here, not really. I hadn’t seen him when I’d come in—he must have been in the shadows at the edge of the room. I thought the breathing had been my imagination. I’d been wrong.

Slowly, I returned to my sitting position.

“Hello,” I said into the blackness. “My name’s Red. I’m named for my hair, though it’s more golden than red. Robbie sent me.”
“I know who you are.”

I licked my lips. “What would you like me to do? I’m here to please you.”

A sound almost like laughter. “I’d like you to sit. And wait for me.”

“As you wish.” I tried to stare into the corner to my right where the voice came from, but I couldn’t make out his shape. No light at all came from the blacked-out window. I’d known from the outset that this job was going to be weird, but I hadn’t realised how weird.

What happened next was the strangest of all.

Something in the air shifted, and when I next heard his voice, he was standing right in front of me.

“Open your legs,” he said, “as wide as you can.”

I did so. He moved in closer, so he towered over me, between my legs. I breathed in deeply, catching the spicy smell of him. He reminded me of the sort of herbs my mother used to cook with, a long time ago. And limes, too. He smelt of limes. Another memory.

“Do you like the way I smell, Red?”

“Yes,” I said, my heart beating faster at the way he’d guessed at my thoughts. “Yes, I like it very much.”

“Good. I spent a long time choosing it. I chose it for you.”

Questions crowded my tongue, questions it would, of course, be impossible to ask him. What he did next took them all away.
Slim fingers began to massage my skull. To my surprise, I groaned and my cock tightened in my jeans, straining against the zip. I thrust up toward the man. Our legs rubbed together. I shifted to keep the contact.

Another sound like laughter. “Are you hard? Already?”

Mesmerised by the slow and regular stroke of his hand through my hair—back and forth, back and forth—I nodded before I realised he couldn’t see the gesture, though, of course, he could feel it. “Yes.”

“Are you always so easily turned on?”

“Yes. I like my job very much. I enjoy sex.”

“But I don’t intend to touch your genitals today, or allow you to touch mine.”

A throb of disappointment powered through me. “Can I touch you anywhere else? Please?”

This time his laughter was obvious. “A prostitute begging to touch a client? You are already doing so in any case, though not with your hands, so your question is unnecessary. You’re an unusual man, Red. Robbie was right about you.”



Yesterday, I received my first review of the story from Jessewave Reviews who rated it 4.5 stars and said:

There are two themes running through this story. Firstly there are the encounters that Red has with the stranger, who through touch allows Red to deal with some of the things in his life, such as being a sex-addict and having a troubled past. This part of the book was a little confusing, deliberately so, as we never discover who the strange man is, and what his reasons are for wanting to help Red. There’s a lyrical and dreamlike quality to the writing in this section that I found quite beautiful and, like Red, I began to look forward to the encounters between Red and the stranger to see what other changes it would bring in him ...

You can read the rest of this review at Jessewave Reviews.

You can also view the book trailer at YouTube.

And further information and extracts can be found at Amber Allure. For more information on my other m/m novels and short stories, please feel free to visit my website and browse!

On Writing Gay, On Living Gay

"Years ago it would have caused me great pain to even write the word gay on paper to describe myself... Writing has allowed me to change my self-hatred and doubt into true self-esteem and self-love."
--The late E. Lynn Harris in his 2003 memoir, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted

Wow. I was just having a little breakfast, a copy of Entertainment Weekly devoted to celebrities who has passed during 2009 open before me on the table when I came across that quote. To say it resounded would be putting it mildly. It was like someone had stepped into my own mind and eloquently sorted the emotions, memories, fears, joys, and hopes brewing there and instilled them into a few spare, eloquent words.

I am like E. Lynn Harris. Beyond being gay men and writers, I don't know how much else we have in common. But I have traveled that same territory of self-loathing Harris describes. For so many years, I wore a mask and hid my true self in a closet. For most of my young adulthood, I was a married man, associated only with other straight people, and did not know what the inside of a gay bar looked like. I pondered checking out those vile groups that profess to change gay people into straight. I saw therapists, one of whom told me I could change and that my attraction to my own sex was simply my longing for the loving father I never had. My journey told self-acceptance was long and rough, and it pains me to think I was not the only one hurt on that journey. It now either makes me shake my head, laugh, or cry, when I hear people talk about the gay "lifestyle" or that being gay is a choice or a preference. When I think of how hard I struggled not to be gay, it's hard for me to fathom how someone could view this as a choice. These narrow-minded souls have only themselves to ask the question: when did you make the decision to be straight?

Harris's quote made me think about all of the above and why, today, my stories revolve almost exclusively around gay characters. And, with one exception, most of those stories show gay characters for whom sexuality is simply a part of their lives and not their exclusive reason for being. I try, with my work, to affirm my gay characters and to give them lives worthy of respect. It is only my gay villains--twisted, tortured souls--do I demonstrate not that being gay is unhealthy or wicked, but that not loving oneself can be incredibly damaging. I think that's why some of my gay antiheroes, such as serial killer Timothy Bright in IM, want so much to be understood because they are beyond understanding themselves.

In my ebook short, Through the Closet Door, I write about a young man who was, very much like myself, in a straight marriage with a woman he loves (emphasis here is important) who struggles to accept something he doesn't want but can't escape. Toward the end of that story, he begins, just barely, to love himself for who he is and not who he thinks he should be.

It's been about twenty years since I was a young man similar to the one in that story, and I think the reason the quote I began this blog with resounds so much with me is that I never realized until today how much the things I write have enabled me to grow and develop not only as writer, but as a gay man. I can see how my increasingly turning to gay themes and characters has mirrored my own self-acceptance. I am lately writing a lot about love, and romance has taken a huge role even in my horror/suspense stories. That, I think, is more of a statement than I realized.

I have finally cast aside the chains of self-loathing that once bound me. I no longer hide that I am a gay man. And maybe, just as important, I can stand proud and say, "I write gay fiction...exclusively. Because these are my people..."

Adult Excerpt--Schnickelfritz In Love

This one has not been posted anywhere yet so you lucky readers are the first to see it unless you have already bought the book. This one is explicit and adult so be forewarned. Enjoy!

Jake heard Boz's soft steps, muffled by the throw rugs that padded the bedroom floor. He heard Boz say his name softly and then more loudly. He kept his eyes shut and did not stir.
"Damn it, man, what's wrong? Wake up." Boz's voice held more than a trace of concern.
Then Boz reached down and caught Jake's shoulder, shaking him, although not hard.
Quick as lightning, Jake reached up and caught the other man with both hands, gripping his upper arms tightly. Caught off balance, Boz sprawled down on top of Jake, emitting a gasp and then a woof as he scored a solid hit on Jake's chest.
"What the..."
Jake's mouth muffled Boz's startled exclamation. The detective recovered from his surprise quickly and returned Jake's kiss with equal ardor and enthusiasm.
Boz wore only a short terry robe, loosely belted at his waist. Jake made fast work of the tie and soon had the robe open. His questing hands roved over Boz's sleek, muscular torso, tracing every line and angle, familiarizing himself with the smaller, leaner man's frame. Boz lost little time in returning that attention. His nimble hands charted the territory of Jake's chest, combing through the thick mat of dark hair. He found the flat tan nipples nestled in the curls and tweaked them into hard points.
They rolled together on the bed, bodies straining for contact on as much of their surfaces as possible. Jake had been half-hard before he pulled Boz down on top of him. It took only seconds before he had a real boner. The way it felt, Boz was in the same state.
Reaching down between their twisting bodies, Jake wrapped his hand around Boz's cock. It pulsed and twitched in his grasp, while Boz sucked in a hard breath and let it out in a hiss. "Sweet mother..."
"Tell me what you want, what you need." Jake's voice came out in a hoarse, muted tone, rife with urgency and hunger.
"You, us, everything," Boz ground out. "Damn it, I wasn't going to let this happen. It's too fuckin' late to back out now, though. I want to taste you, feel you ramming into my ass, and then take my turn getting your best. I want you to suck and fuck my brains out right after I do all that to you."
Then he stopped for a moment, reared back on extended arms and looked down at Jake with a sudden concern. "How's your head? Are you sure you're up to this?"
Jake laughed. "Hey, I started it didn't I? If I didn't think I was able, I'd have had more sense than that. The only head that needs attention now is the one you're about to take hold of."
"All right. You're going to pay for scaring me shitless last night when you didn't show up at the time we'd set. Until I found you--then it was as bad or worse when I did. Oh, hell, I was afraid I'd have to take that shittin' little dog of yours to raise."
Jake hesitated a minute. "Fuck! Snick. I need to go home and let him out."
Boz chuckled. "Been there and done that, right after the second time I checked on you this morning. Swiped your keys out of your pants to get in. He and Athena are out in the back yard right now having themselves a two-dog riot. He's fine. Thank the gods they're both fixed. They'd make some crazy puppies."
"Man, I think I love you! How many buds would make the time to take care of my dog? Quit fooling around then and make good on your big words."

What's In A Name

Titles and names for characters can be a real challenge to a writer at times. As Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name..." But I wonder sometimes, is that really true? If a rose was called something totally gross and disgusting for some reason would we still find the beauty and aroma as pleasing?

My stock in trade as a writer is "realistic stories" and an effort to make realism a key component in all my work. With that in mind, I tend to avoid the more exotic names and the cliche names such as "Rafe" for heroes of my romances and erotic romances. Now and then something a bit out of the ordinary will sneak in, maybe a name that is distinctly ethnic or perhaps one I feel fits the era in which a tale is set but otherwise you will find more Bill and Rick and Jack guys and women with names like Mary or Susan or Kate. I normally steer clear of the more off-beat spellings of common names as well. Of course there are no rules that are made not to be broken so if you hunt around you can throw exceptions in my face but anyway that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Titles are another issue. If an author writes for the larger traditional publishing houses, she can expect to have little to no control over the word or phrase under which her book appears. With small independent presses and e-publishers, this is not the case. I have close to thirty works in my back list here at AQ, two regular romance novels under my Gwynn Morgan pseudonym and the overall Amber Quill banner and a raft of shorter works as Deirdre O'Dare in the Heat and Allure erotic lines. I can recall only one or two times when a title I suggested had to be tweaked, and that was usually because it was too similar to another piece that would be released before mine.

I can't speak for other authors but my titles usually seem to come out of the story itself. In a few cases, the title comes first and suggests the story, though. An example of that is Armed and Amorous. I'd just watched the two Sandra Bullock flicks where she played an undercover FBI agent at a beauty pageant and another twist on the old "armed and dangerous" phrase just popped into my mind. I knew the heroine there would also be FBI but a character vastly different than Sandra's.

My latest release in the ongoing Canine Cupids series about gay men and their dogs who work the magic to get them hooked up with just the right partner is titled Schnickelfritz In Love. That's a mouthful I must admit but again the title came first along with the canine character of "Snick" who was inspired by the pet of a friend. The lady to Snick's tramp, Athena, was about the broadest contrast I could imagine--a retired racing grey hound. Natually the two owners were very different too, but found they had more in common than one might expect after an encounter at the dog park!

My current WIP which is going to be submitted in the next day or two is a menage story that grew out of my brief sojourn in New Mexico where my rented house was subjected to a make-over by a couple of handymen hired by my land lady. The two guys, fwiw, are named Jerry and Tim. The lady is Keely, a name not found too frequently but yet not too exotic. She is an artist and the two guys were primarily painters so "Paint A New Scene" evolved out of their occupations. More on that later when we have a release date and so on!

Stay tuned for some excerpts later today and I welcome comments from both readers and fellow authors about "what's in a name." In honor of my great fondness for the K9 species and the success of the Canine Cupids series, I'll pick one lucky respondent to win a year's subscription to Dog Fancy which is a really neat magazine with lots of good data for dog owners and featured breeds each month that have helped me in creating my canine characters!

Luck n Love,
Deirdre O'Dare

Online Workshop - PASSION, HEAT AND ECSTASY: WRITING THE EROTIC ROMANCE

AMBER QUILL PRESS authors CAROLINA VALDEZ and LYNDI LAMONT invite you to their online workshop sponsored by the new Yosemite Romance Writers chapter of RWA

DETAILS

Class dates 2/1 - 2/26, 2010
Deadline to enroll: 01/31/2010
$20 Yosemite Romance Writers members
$25 non-members
Enroll at http://www.yosemiteromancewriters.com

Instructors: CAROLINA VALDEZ and LYNDI LAMONT, erotic romance authors

Erotic romance! How do you capture the heat and passion of it? How do you build sensual tension in your characters that explodes in ecstasy? Join us for tips on this, including writing for readers of BDSM and GLBT stories, and what markets are open to submissions for erotic romance. Also includes

History of erotica and erotic romance
Defining erotic romance
Creating a story concept
Words to use and not to use
Male and female erogenous zones
Research for erotic romance
Writing for BDSM and GLBT readers
Markets for erotic romance

Note: We’ll answer questions and discuss your concerns, but won’t critique any writing.

For more information, contact Carolina at keen3849@mypacks.net or Lyndi at lyndilamont@yahoo.com
http://www.CarolinaValdez.com
http://www.LyndiLamont.com

LYNDI LAMONT sold her first romance novel in 1997 to Kensington Precious Gems. Since then she has written historical and Regency romance for Amber Quill Press and erotic romance, including male/male, for the erotic imprints of AQP.

When she started thinking about trying her hand at erotic romance, she talked to a friend who said writing it was freeing, and she was right. Since becoming Lyndi Lamont, she has discovered that writing erotic romance is a license to be naughty, and at her age, those opportunities don’t come along very often!

FINDING JASON, her gay Regency short story, was a finalist in the 2008 EPPIES contest in the GLBT category.

CAROLINA VALDEZ was a multi-published, award-winning freelance writer prior to selling her first romance to an electronic publisher. For fun, six years ago she dared herself to enter Amber Quill Press’s contest for erotic short stories. DARK STRANGER was a winner, and she’s been happily writing for their Heat and Allure imprints ever since. She’s had novellas place in The Lories, and her first gay romance, TIE ’EM UP, HOLD ’EM DOWN, finaled in the Passionate Plume 2009 Contest–Novella Division. SMOLDERING EMBERS, her latest paperback release, is a collection of her Passionate Plume finalist, its sequel, HANGIN’ WITH MY WINDOW MAN, and HOLE IN ONE, a stand-alone.

LURE, her erotic heterosexual crime novella, was a 2007 EPPIE finalist. So far, all of her gay stories have hit Amber Quill Press’s Top Ten Best Seller lists.

Amber Allure December 2009 Top Ten Best Seller List

“The mysterious isn't mysterious to you today at all. You know all the secrets.”

If only.

I’m not sure why I started reading my daily horoscope. It was so long ago I can’t remember. Maybe it was sheer boredom when I first went on the Internet circa 1994 or 1995. At that time, my friends didn’t have computers in their homes, much less Internet. Maybe I just needed to get an email every day. Who knows? What I do know is, most of the time, my daily horoscope isn’t much help to my daily life.

Today, however, it is a help, but perhaps not in the way you may think. A few days ago, the blog schedule made the rounds between the Amber Quill Authors and in a semi-senior moment, I signed up for today. I say semi-senior because I don’t yet truly qualify, but this is proof that the real thing is coming for me.

Did I not realize that January 9 was mere hours away? It’s a mystery to me why that didn’t sink in, but when I checked my email this morning, there it was, big as life - the reminder to blog right below the daily prediction. A perfect pairing: blog and opening topic. Something to fill up some space and segue to the real purpose of blogging this morning.

What I really wanted to bring to the blog today was the December 2009 Amber Allure Top Ten list. You can find this information on the right side banner of every page on the Amber Allure website, but I think it bears posting here as well. Every month, I realize how blessed I am to be in the company of such talented people - those who names we see on the covers, and those behind the scenes who receive no public acknowledgement. It takes both groups to produce this list, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.

December 2009 Top Ten Best Sellers at Amber Allure

1. Wanting - M. L. Rhodes (Gay / Contemporary)
2.* Ticket To Ride - Shawn Lane (Gay / Suspense)
3. No Good Deed - Lynn Lorenz (Gay / Mystery)
4.* Tango In The Night - KC Kendricks (Gay / Contemporary)
5. The Best Gift - Shawn Lane (Gay / Contemporary)
6. Sins Of Omission - India Harper (Gay / Suspense)
7.* Your Cheatin' Heart - Mimi Riser (Gay / Werewolf)
8.* Dead Man's Curve - Vivien Dean (Gay / Contemporary)
9.* The Devil Went Down To Georgia - Pepper Espinoza (Gay / Dark Fantasy)
10. Cy Gets A Sex Demon - Angela Fiddler (Gay / Paranormal)

The asterisks are mine. Those titles are also part of the “A Song to Remember, Vol. II” PAX. (Think “packs” of books.) So if you’d like all five of those titles, you can purchase the PAX, all five books, at a nice discount. You can still purchase them individually, of course, but the PAX is a good way to save some bucks, and a great way to try out a new-to-you author.

It’s time to move on with the day. My housemates are stirring. Man, dog and cat have emerged from their respective beds, and the early morning quiet of my house has been shattered. The secret to another mystery has been granted to me.

Those you love, even if they wear fur, make noise sound like music.


KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
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J.M. Snyder's January 2010 Newsletter

Hello everyone,

Happy New Year!

My January 2010 Newsletter is online and you'll find I've added a new feature with the new year ~ free fiction :) Every month will feature a FREE short story that will ONLY be available that month! So in addition to the information on my latest releases and contests, you'll get a free story to enjoy, as well!

To kick off this feature is a new piece entitled TAKE IT OUTSIDE, a quick visit to Vic and Matt. There is no mention of super powers in the story, so even those of you who don't follow the antics of those two characters can enjoy the story.

What are you waiting for? Check it out!

http://jmsnyder.net/news.html

J.M. Snyder
http://jmsnyder.net

No Good Deed

I love that saying. No good deed goes unpunished.

Sometimes, when we think we're doing something nice, it can turn around and bite us on the ass. We've all been there before; try to do something nice for someone and it backfires, leaving you swearing you're never going to do that again. Yet, if you're like most of us, you ignore your own advice and succumb to the urge to do good.

That's what happens to Mark Montgomery in No Good Deed. His good deed is a two-edged sword. The good thing is he saves a cop and meets police Captain Daniel Chan. And the bad thing is his deadly actions force him and Dan into the spotlight, a place he's been avoiding for almost ten years.

Dan's been avoiding the truth of his sexuality, but because of Mark's good deed, he's forced to clarify where he stands, not just to himself, but to everyone in his small Texas town.

Here's an excerpt...
“Please, take a seat, Mr. Montgomery.” I smiled, trying to get on his good side. It was probably the side Lopez hadn’t slammed into the pavement. He sat stiffly in the chair, glaring at me.

“Would you like to call someone?” I pushed the phone toward him.

“There isn’t anyone. Can I get some water?” He unclenched his fists and laid his hands flat on his thighs.

“Sure.” I went to the door, opened it, and called for Beth to bring in a bottle.

“My men told me you were asking to use the phone.”

“Well…I know my rights. I should’ve been allowed one call,” he shot back.

“Yes, technically, but the law doesn’t actually state a time frame for your call.” I tried to salvage some shred of dignity for my men.

“Oh? What does the law say about how long a person can be left in handcuffs, Captain?”

“Normally, you should’ve been processed sooner, I’ll admit. But, technically—”

He interrupted me, “Well, I’d like to ‘technically’ call my lawyer.”

Check. His smile was tight, but his blue eyes blazed. My move.

“I’d hoped that wouldn’t be necessary, Mr. Montgomery. Let’s just say the department would rather not be involved in any legal entanglements due to this unfortunate incident. We already have one man gravely injured. It would be a shame to ruin anyone else’s career.” Check. It was a low blow, and I felt awful about using guilt on him, making it sound as if it had been his fault some stranger decided to attack him or he was responsible for Hagan’s injury.

He sat back and looked at me, considering what I hoped would be a reasonable position.

“I’ll just bet you wouldn’t like to get involved with a lawyer. The news media either.” He let the threat hang in the air. He was tougher than I gave him credit for.

“No, that wouldn’t be my choice of outcomes. Again, what can we do for you?” I spread my hands out on the table.

“Nothing.” His chin jerked upward.

“Nothing, Mr. Montgomery? Are you sure?” I wondered what he meant.

“Yes, nothing.” His eyes met mine.

“Could you explain to me exactly what you mean?” I needed to be sure before I made a huge mistake, costing the department money or its reputation.

There was a soft knock on the door and Beth opened it. “Here’s your water, Captain.”

I stood and took it from her, then shut the door. I broke the seal on the top and put it in front of Montgomery. He picked it up, draining half the bottle before putting it down. I watched him drink, his throat as it moved, as if it was the most fascinating thing I’d ever seen.

It was certainly one of the most beautiful.

He licked his lips. “Officer Hagan was, as you said, injured trying to help me, even if it was his job.” He smiled tightly at me. Check again. He wiped his hand on his cheek, held out his fingers and stared at the blood. Hagan hadn’t been the only one injured. “However, it wasn’t my job to…do what I did.” The last part was followed by a long sigh.

“Yes, Officer Hagan was injured in the line of duty, and he’ll be recognized for his bravery. Still, I realize there were two heroes on the bridge today.”

His gaze darted away as he checked out one of my diplomas on the wall. He frowned and shook his head.

“For me, the only hero out there was Officer Hagan. That’s all I want anyone to know.” His gaze rested finally on his hands as his shoulders slumped. “I just want to go home now, Captain Chan. I want to go home and try to forget what I did.” His voice was so soft now, I could barely hear him.

He shook his head. “I don’t want a lawyer or to talk to the media. I’d just as soon no one knew about what happened.” His hopeful gaze flicked up to mine and held it.

Game over. I wondered if the right side had won.

“Of course. I’ll take you home myself. Let’s get you cleaned up first. Just wait for a few minutes. I’ll be right back.”

I stood and went down the hall to the locker room. I found a towel and a washcloth. After soaking the cloth in warm water, I grabbed a little soap and worked up a soft lather. Wrapping it in the towel, I headed to my locker, quickly dialed the combination, and pulled out a plain white T-shirt hanging from a hook. Then I stopped at Beth’s desk and asked that Mr. Montgomery’s belongings, including his cell phone, to be brought to me.

I came back in. He was on his feet, reading my diplomas and awards. My bachelor’s degree in Finance from University of Texas at Austin, my Houston police academy diploma, several commendations and a few pictures of me with local dignitaries seemed to interest him.

I didn’t know what to say, so I babbled a bit. “My family wanted me to take over the family business, but I wanted to be a cop.”

He turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “Do they know you’re gay, Captain Chan?” He tilted his head.

“I’m not gay.” Technically.

“Oh. Right.” He didn’t believe me for an instant. Seems I wasn’t the only one with gaydar.

I handed him the soapy towel.

“You can use the mirror here.” I closed the door and pointed to the full length mirror attached to the back of the door.

“Do you use this often?” He raised an eyebrow at me, barely hiding a smile.

“The captain before me had it put on the door and I never got around to taking it off,” I explained, but it seemed vain even to me to have a mirror. He didn’t say a word, just took the cloth from me, but winced and dropped the damp cloth on the floor. I bent to pick it up.

“Ow, that hurts like a bitch!” He shook his hands, but that must have hurt also. He glared at me, his eyes blaming me for his pain. I’d give anything to have been able to fix it.

“It’s from the handcuffs. It’ll stop soon, but until the circulation comes back, it’ll be pretty uncomfortable.” I’m terrible at apologizing—I knew it, and I wasn’t any better this time—but I was going to try really hard to make the best of this situation.

I approached him, holding up the cloth. “Here, let me do it, Mark. Can I call you Mark?”

“Yes.” He nodded, still glaring at me as I took his chin in my hand. He jerked away like a wild animal, nostrils flaring, trying to hold still, but quivering with fear and ready to bolt at the slightest movement.

“Sorry, I don’t like being touched.” He spoke quietly, but he raised his chin to me.

Trying again, without touching him, I began to wipe the dirt and blood gently away from the scrape on his forehead. He flinched, but this time he didn’t move away. I could feel his warm breath on my hand.

His forehead came level to my chin. He was the perfect height for me to tuck into my body, to keep safe. Bad, bad, bad idea.

As I worked the towel over the scrape, I couldn’t help but glance at his bare chest. He looked up and caught me. I glanced away; but he didn’t say anything. Silently, he studied my face as I worked, concentrating on the next scrape on his cheek. When that one was clean, I wiped off the blood on his neck. The cloth ended up covered in dirt and blood, but at last his face was clean.

Not really wanting to, I stepped away from him. I could smell the gun’s cordite in his hair and what must have been his shampoo, some flowery fragrance. I love how a man smells, his musk and his sweat, and I’m always amazed at how it affects me. My dick had certainly woken up and taken notice of the heat coming off the smaller body next to mine.

They say, whoever “they” are, that scent is the most powerful sense and can illicit powerful emotions and physical reactions. Right now, I was putting that theory into practice.

Our gazes met again, and I saw a flare of awareness in his eyes.

He cleared his throat gently. “How does it look?”

“Like clean scrapes now.” I smiled.

“I was going for just that look,” he shot back.

“It looks good on you.” He blushed and right then, I knew I wanted him. And I knew that wasn’t good. Not at all. The best thing to do for both of us was to walk away from this. It was a train wreck just waiting to happen, with the main casualty being me and the derailment of my career.


No Good Deed comes out December 21st.

Lynn Lorenz
When you open your heart, you open your mind.
www.lynnlorenz.com