My Obsession

Recently, I got back in touch with an old friend from college and she was really happy to hear that I was now a published author. Of course, a discussion on books and writing ensued, during which she asked me why I write. I thought about it for a few minutes and then I answered, “It’s an obsession.” She looked at me kind of strangely, as if she hadn’t heard me right, so I repeated myself. Writing is most definitely an obsession with me.

I carry a notebook and pen with me everywhere. My brother told me I should keep a small recorder with me. If I did that, though, people might get the idea I was crazy or something. My head is constantly filled with what if scenarios. I see a movie or read a book and something, maybe a snippet of dialogue or a plot point, sprouts ideas in my mind’s eye and the old imagination is off and running. People watching is also a source of inspiration for me. I stare at them(discreetly of course) while at the mall, the museum, the train station, etc. making up stories about them in my head; who they are, where they’re going, what they’re doing.

I don’t remember exactly how or when this compulsion to tell stories started. When I was a kid, I whiled away hours reading books, getting lost in the pages of C.S. Lewis, Georgette Heyer, Judy Bloom and other authors. Novels were my friends and helped me escape. In my mind, I could travel far away from the noise of my over-crowded house. The churches and steel mills of my neighborhood gave way to exotic locations as I turned the pages. One day I found myself wanting to create my own fantasies, to be the captain of my journeys rather than tagging along on someone else’s. So I began writing tales for personal enjoyment, never imagining that someone else out there might read them one day.

Fast forward about twenty years and here I am with my fourth release, Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf. I am definitely getting to live a dream and I couldn’t be any happier or more grateful. I’ll leave with you with a little snippet. 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 is out with friends, looking for some fun…
Meat market is, in fact, the only term that comes to mind when
I step through the doors of the Red Dragon four hours later. The DJ
spins the latest club tune, its bass-heavy beat thumping through my
veins like a seductive, primal mating call. My blood heats, and my
nipples start to chafe against the silky lace of my strapless bra. It’s
been a couple of weeks since I’ve had the pleasure of a man
between my thighs.

Of course, the intensity of what I’m feeling right now is
nothing compared to what I experience on the night of a full moon.
That’s when it’s a real bitch, no pun intended, to be me. I go into
super monster mode. I’m so crazed, so animalistic, I want to hump
anything that moves. Unfortunately, I could hurt or kill any human
man I have sex with.

Mom and Drea have to lock me away all night because I am so
strong. My mother came up with the locking-me-away thing after
my first full moon, when I ripped through the walls of my room,
tore a hole in the ceiling and threw her car across the driveway.
Thank God we lived on a farm at the time. And you thought your
PMS was a nightmare.

I scan the crowd, checking for some possible action. Men are
like parts of a cow, really. First you have your obvious top
sirloin—men who are cut and fit, with lots of stamina, confidence
and great personality. Then you got your round steak—guys who
can keep up, but are a little too much on the beta side of things.
Rump roasts are your basic teddy bears…cute geeks and others
who’ll let you do whatever you want to them because they can’t
believe they’re going home with you. Finally, you got your ground
chuck. You know the type: total dorks, octopuses, Hoovers who
suck your face off when they kiss. These are guys you don’t even
want to think about until you’ve had four or five shots of tequila
and a Jagermeister chaser.

Melissa Bradley
Visit me at My Space

The Book and the Rose

By A.J. Llewellyn

The Book and the Rose, my next release with Amber Allure, the GLBT imprint of Amber Quill Press comes out on April 25, exactly a month from now. I am already jumping up and down with excitement.

I love the cover (I think Trace Edward Zaber is not only an awesome publisher but an incredible artist who puts his heart into our covers) but I am ecstatic because I asked especially for this release date - and I got it!

The Book and the Rose comes out on a day that may not be especially significant in the US but in Europe is celebrated as St. George's Day.

In Barcelona (where the book is set), it is an especially significant day. It is Diada de la Sant Jordi - a festival dubbed the Book and the Rose.

Last Thanksgiving, I met and befriended a wonderful couple, Marisa and Jason. When they found out what I do, they told me how they met in Barcelona 54 years ago.

I was agog when they told me about the wonderful tradition of the Book and the Rose. It is a bigger holiday in Spain than Valentine's Day and culturally, it is wonderful.

All the book stores open for a week, non-stop. It is tradition for women all over Barcelona to shop aggressively for the most wonderful, perfect book to give their men. The men meanwhile, shop equally aggressively for the perfect rose to give their women.

In a society where we are actively closing down our beloved brick and mortar bookstores, I am over the moon about anything that celebrates books.

Created over a hundred years ago by an innovative bookseller, this festival draws thousands of tourists to Barcelona every year.

I love that romance, the spirit of St. George, slayer of dragons and that books, beautiful books are celebrated. I also love that it is not commercialized, like Valentine's Day.

I learned so much from Marisa and Jason who encouraged me to 'borrow' their love story. Since mine involves too hot guys, a whole different world emerges.

Stay tuned next month for an excerpt of The Book and the Rose, but in the meantime, I will say this.

The Book and the Rose is about Evans McCoy, a Hollywood TV producer who meets a mysterious, hot Barcelona businessman, Mio Alejo-Cortez. Invited to spend Diada de la Sant Jordi with Mio, Evans soon learns that Mio isn't your garden-variety successful businessman. He's a recently retired gay porn star working has a high-priced rent boy.

Can their love survive The Book and the Rose?

Aloha oe,

A.J.

A little Give and Take

I'm very pleased to say that my GLBT erotic short story, Give and Take, is now published by Amber Allure Press. The blurb is:

David has spent two years grieving for the loss of his partner to cancer. When he decides to move on, he visits a gay bar for the sole purpose of hooking up with someone – in spite of his concerns that, as he’s in his mid-forties, he might be too old. There he meets Jeff, a young barman, and realises that Jeff is in fact the one he wants to take home most of all. During their evening together, David discovers a side of himself that he never knew existed but, when the morning comes, can he persuade Jeff that it could be more than a simple one night stand?

You can enjoy the book trailer and find more information, together with an erotic extract, at Amber Allure Press

To whet your appetite, here's a brief extract:

Outside, the relative silence of the city felt like the cool touch of water. It was after four, but the summer air was still warm enough for David not to need his jacket. He slung it over his arm and stepped out to watch for a passing taxi, but the next moment Jeff pushed him back against the wall, took hold of his face with both hands, leaned in and kissed him.
David barely had time to gasp before Jeff’s tongue was exploring his mouth. He hadn’t expected this, not so soon, though God alone knew what he had been expecting. They were going home to have sex after all, weren’t they? Heat fired up in his body and he sucked avidly on the other man’s tongue. He tasted so good. Better than all the other kisses he’d experienced this evening put together. He pressed his groin into Jeff’s, pulled up his T-shirt in order to touch warm skin, and was rewarded with the younger man’s soft groan.
Finally, Jeff stepped back. When he spoke, his voice was lower, unsteadier than before. “I thought we should do that before we got home. I’ve waited a while for it anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wanted to kiss you—and more—the moment you walked in. I mean, God but you’re hot, aren’t you?”
David felt his prick push against his pants and another surge of heat flooded his body. “I’m twenty years older than you.”
Jeff laughed. “So? I’m not asking you to live with me. I just want to have fun with you tonight. Or rather this morning. That’s what you want, too, isn’t it?”
David nodded. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
“In that case,” Jeff said, threading his fingers though David’s, “let’s go home. Where do you live?”
David told him. Jeff shook his head. “No good. Can’t wait that long. My flat’s nearer, so let’s go there.”
It took ten minutes by taxi, compared to the half-hour it would have taken to get to David’s. During that time, Jeff stroked his cock, now at half-mast, and David had to stop himself groaning aloud at least twice. What he really wanted to do was get Jeff’s tongue into his mouth again, but the thought of what the taxi driver might say held him back, and several times when Jeff leaned in toward him he turned away, heart pounding. He made do instead with touching the other man’s skin where the driver couldn’t see him.


For further details, please visit my website Give and Take page.

Happy Sunday!

Anne Brooke

Coming soon - In the Limelight

Spring has arrived, overnight it seems. Just two short weeks ago, snow left over from the two big storms that slammed the Mid Atlantic region in February blanketed my yard. Now the crocus are in full bloom. With all the sunshine and warmer breezes, it wasn’t a surprise to arrive home from work yesterday to find my guy in the shed, lubing bicyle chains and pumping up tires. I fear he’s serious about heading out for the first ride of the year. (I suppose this is better than yard work, but that, too, looms on my horizon.)

Today’s bike ride comes at a perfect time. Amber Allure has put out a call for submissions for a series theme called, “Working Stiffs,” and I tossed my keyboard into the ring. For the first time ever, a call came out that perfectly matched a story I have on my plot board. While I pedal, I’ll think about the two lead characters, and see what I learn about them.

Thanks to everyone who picked up a copy of Shine A Light, and helped put it on the February 2010 Top Ten list at Amber Allure. I enjoyed leaning back and re-reading this story on my new Kindle2. I’m not ashamed to admit it’s a real kick to read one of my own stories on that gadget – and it’s helpful, too, to see the words in the way a reader might see them.

I worried about getting the Kindle2, but all the ebooks I already owned transferred over via a USB hookup with my computer. I just highlighted, dragged and dropped them. Sweet.

Shine A Light is also half of a new paperback that will be out soon. Entitled, In the Limelight, the paperback pairs Shine A Light and Seducing Light into one volume. Having the stories available in a paperback anthology is one of the nice things about working with a publisher who sees the bigger picture. Some folks just aren’t comfortable with ebook technology yet, and the anthologies give them the opportunity to read our stories. In the Limelight will be available at Amazon.com any day now. Watch my website for more details, or sign up for my mailing list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys to receive the announcement. Or if you prefer, you can subscribe by sending an email to betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

That’s it for blogging today. The sun is shining, the coffee is ready, and I have to go through my bike pack to make sure all my *stuff* is in order. Have a great Saturday, everyone!


KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
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Join my mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
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LURE - 2007 EPPIE FINALIST

AVAILABLE NOW AT AMBER QUILL HEAT
March was the month for EPICon, the annual conference sponsored by the Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC), the only organization in the world dedicated to e-books. The top awards for the books entered in the EPPIE contest are issued there, and since LURE was a 2007 finalist for a Best Erotica in the JUST THE BARE FACTS, MA'AM AMBERPAX, nostalgia is causing me to visit it again.

I love all the covers Trace Edward Zaber designs, but this one is a special favorite of mine. My readers love it, too.

THE STORY

To lure the killer of two women into the open, and find evidence of illegal gun sales by the owner of Pinky’s Club, ATF sends Special Agent Karin Woodhall undercover as an exotic dancer. Unfortunately, Angelo, her new back-up finds her too sensual to resist.

Anguished over her safety in the seedy world of bikers, drugs and weapons, Angelo demands she withdraw from the job. Karin adamantly refuses, setting up a tension between them that heightens the danger as they work this assignment.

EXCERPT

. . .No one had ever comforted her that way. No man had ever cared about her feelings this much before. Karin turned toward Angelo, grateful for being warm and calm again, grateful for his body, big and solid against hers, and for him.

He groaned.

Surprised, she looked up at him, watching as his mouth descended on hers. Excitement sprang up in her, and she opened her mouth to him greedily, welcoming his tongue, pressing her body tight against his, relishing the arousal she felt pressed against her belly. He was vibrant and warm and alive. Thanks to him, she was alive too.

He tugged at her shirt to free it from her jeans, and pushed her bra up above her breasts. The heat of his hand seared her as he let her breast settle into it. He moaned at the back of his throat as he massaged it in wide circles.

Her heart pounded in her chest. Desire swept through her, and moisture formed between her thighs.

She ached for him not just to play with her nipple, but to lick and suck and even nip it gently with his teeth. She arched toward him, reaching to pull his T-shirt up and run her hands over his broad, solid pecs and play with his nipples, kissing his chest as she felt them tighten beneath her touch.

He stopped and pulled her blouse down.

“Don’t,” she said, her lips against his.

“Don’t?”

“Don’t stop, Angelo. Don’t stop.”

A low, lion-like growl escaped from him.

She whimpered. Hungry for him, her body taut with urgency, she drove her tongue into his mouth, tasting him in the same way she wanted to be explored and tasted. She loosened his belt and worked at the metal buttons on his Levis. She slipped her hand down inside his boxers and found his cock, as large and hard as she’d expected, as it sprang free of the nest of curls and into her hand. She fondled him, delicately stroking him and playing with the tip, knowing from the way he writhed that he couldn’t resist her.

Suddenly she felt as powerful as she had standing at the pole that first time she’d danced to him.

“Oh, God, Karin. Magnificent Karin with her HK in hand.” He feathered her face and neck with kisses, moaning with pleasure at her touch. His hands fumbled at the button and zipper to her jeans.

She heard the whisper of the zipper as it slid down, and she reached to help him free her buttocks and sex. “Touch me. I want you to touch me there. Rub me here,” she whispered into his mouth as she guided his hand to her clit and set it in emotion while she lifted her hips so her mons pressed hard against his palm as she melted into his body.

“Are you sure you won’t be sorry about this tomorrow, Agent Woodhall?” His voice was rough from excitement.

“Maybe, but tonight it feels too good to forego, Agent Santini...

Download available http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/Lure.html

JUST THE BARE FACTS, MA'AM AMBERPAX
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/JustBareFacts.html

Carolina Valdez
http://www.CarolinaValdez.com

Passion-Heat-Ecstasy
Romance touches all the senses

NEW RELEASE - THE BLUE MOON CAFE

This release, at least for me, is something to really howl about (I can hear you groaning, but c'mon...it is a werewolf book, after all). But why am I excited?

First off, I have sort of been writing two genres for the past several years: horror and romance. Often there's an element of each in my work, but with The Blue Moon Cafe, I think I managed to successfully combine both genres in one book.  The Blue Moon Cafe is as much a romance as it is a chilling horror novel. I think (hope) that it will satisfy readers of both genres equally.

Second, it's the first full-length novel I've set in my new hometown, Seattle (and even in my current neighborhood, for the most part). It was very hard for me to break away from the inspiration of Chicago, where I lived for sixteen years, and I have done that with The Blue Moon Cafe. Seattle is the perfect setting for both a scary story and a love story.

Third, I think I grew to love these characters perhaps more than any others. For the first time, I have created people (and a feisty little chihuahua named Edith) that I think I will write about again.

So here's a little bit about the book, along with an excerpt.

And if you're ready to buy your copy, go here.

Blurb:
Someone—or something—is killing Seattle’s gay men.

A creature moves through the darkest night, lit only by the full moon, taking them, one by one, from the rain city’s gay gathering areas.

Someone—or something—is falling in love with Thad Matthews.

Against a backdrop of horror and fear, young Thad finds his first true love in the most unlikely of places—a new Italian restaurant called The Blue Moon Cafe. Sam is everything Thad has ever dreamed of in a man: compassionate, giving, handsome, and with brown eyes Thad feels he could sink into. And Sam can cook! But as the pair’s love begins to grow, so do the questions and uncertainties, the main one being, why do Sam’s unexplained disappearances always coincide with the full moon?

Prepare yourself for a unique blend of dark suspense and erotic romance with The Blue Moon Cafe, written by the author Unzipped magazine called, “the Stephen King of gay horror.” You’re guaranteed an unforgettable reading experience, one that skillfully blends the hottest romance with the most chilling terror...

Excerpt:
Sam leaned back against the headboard and lit a cigarette. The room filled with the acrid stench of burning tobacco and paper and instead of being repelled as he normally would be, Thad moved close to Sam again, taking up his newly claimed spot on the man’s chest. He stared up at him, watching him smoke. Lazily, he traced circles in the hairy mat covering Sam’s chest. His fingers stopped when he caught sight of a design on Sam’s left pectoral, something he had hadn’t noticed in the dim light or perhaps because it was all but hidden by the forest of hair. Thad got up on one elbow.

“You have a tattoo?”

In the dark, Sam nodded. “I’ve had it for years, way before tattoos were all the rage like they are these days.”

“Especially here in Seattle.” Thad often wondered if there was some requirement that all citizens of Seattle must have at least one tattoo. “What’s it of?” Thad strained to make out the design’s contours in the dim light and couldn’t.

Sam leaned forward to switch on the bedside lamp. Thad squinted at the sudden light source, then directed his gaze down at the muscled chest before him. “What is it?” Thad traced the design with his fingers, lowering his head to peer more closely at it. He nipped at Sam’s nipple and Sam laughed.

“It’s Lupa, the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus, the twins who founded Rome in mythology. Cool, no?” Sam flexed his chest so the wolf seemed to move. Two cherubic twin boys below the figure suckled at her teats.

“It’s kind of weird. But it suits you.” Thad reached over Sam to turn off the light again.

“What brought you to America?”

Did Thad detect a slight stiffening when he asked the question?…


BUY The Blue Moon Cafe

NEW RELEASE - FRENCH TWIST

One of my most favorite cities is Paris, France, and I love to set stories there. The famous landmarks, the narrow, winding old streets, and the constant feeling of love in the air--even in February when it can sometimes be cold enough to freeze your breath, you still believe that, just maybe, your soul mate is waiting for you around the next corner. You'll hesitate, your eyes will meet, and then...who knows?

FRENCH TWIST
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/FrenchTwist.html
Release Date: Mar.14, 2010

Blurb:
When the markets collapse and Sean Hannesay loses everything, including his job as a financial advisor, he considers himself lucky to find work as a delivery boy for The House of Lost Treasures. It pays just enough to keep a roof over his head and food in his stomach.
But suddenly being a delivery boy becomes so much more than just a low-paying job in the antique business. It takes him to Paris, France, the city he’d always dreamed of visiting, to take possession of a 17th-century cross pendant. The assignment soon whisks him from what seems like one cloak-and-dagger adventure to another, and finally into the arms of the sexy Raoul Dassin—a man who instantly captures Sean’s attention and refuses to let go.
Just one look, just one touch, and both Sean and Raoul know it’s game over. Or is it?

Excerpt:
…Sean had known the moment they shook hands at the hotel what effect Raoul had on him. He wanted Raoul, and he knew only too well the feeling was mutual. If he’d had any doubts they disappeared the moment he’d thoughtlessly touched Raoul’s hand back in the office. It had been like sticking his finger in an electrical outlet. And, that being the case, given the right circumstances, such as a place like this, keeping a clear head would be difficult if not impossible. As for using willpower to deflect any moves Raoul might make, well good luck with that! Raoul had been checking him out, giving him the eye the moment they sat down in his office. Despite his anger and the seriousness of what Bobby had done, Sean knew he was guilty of a little checking out himself. He would have needed to blind not to notice Raoul’s erection, and have ice water in his veins not to be affected by it. Everything about Raoul excited and intrigued him, and from the word go, he’d hoped that initial attraction could be a prelude to something else. But now?
Yes, he wanted Raoul. Although whether or not it was a good idea…
He tried to shift focus by concentrating on Raoul and the waiter, but their conversation was too rapid for him to catch even one word in ten. He turned his attention to the vase of flowers, stroking his forefinger down the petal of a rose and…he closed his eyes for an instant, imagining it was Raoul’s skin.
Damn! Damn! Damn! His cock had started to ache like a bad tooth. If only…if only he could just get his mind off Raoul and back to business. Concentrate on getting his hands on that fucking cross, and concentrate on hoping Bobby spent the rest of eternity burning in hell he’d be fine…

www.chrisgrover.ca

Only In His Dreams by Shawn Lane, Book 1 in Only Forever Series

This weekend, Only in His Dreams, releases which is the first installment of my new series, Only Forever. The series will be four related but stand-alone stories. The next story, Only For Him, will be released April 18, 2010, and the third one, Only His Heart, will be released May 23, 2010. Finally, the last installment, His One and Only, will be out probably in June or July.
So, without further ado, here is the blurb and excerpt for Only In His Dreams.






Blurb:

Shy, conservative Darrell Lincoln has worked hard to get his job as billing manager for the law firm of Anderson, Llewellyn, and Stevens. For a conscientious worker like Darrell, the job is perfect except for one thing. He has a big-time crush on one of the partners, Travis Anderson. Darrell thinks a gorgeous, wealthy, hotshot lawyer like Travis would be interested in a guy like him only in his dreams.

Lonely after the death of his longtime partner, Travis isn’t the dashing, smooth playboy Darrell imagines him to be. In reality he’s just as interested in Darrell.

Both men are after the same thing—each other. Their relationship is the stuff of dreams...until Travis meets Darrell’s not-so-welcoming family.

Can Darrell convince Travis he’s still his dream man?

Excerpt:

...Darrell couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed an evening like this. They’d watched all the various Die Hard movies, laughing and commenting throughout them. They’d switched to beers and he’d made popcorn. Really he hadn’t wanted the night to end. At least Travis wasn’t going home.

But Darrell had always been a cautious man. Starting anything, even casual sex with Travis, could get complicated. Since the firm was Travis’s, if something bad happened between them it would be Darrell who’d be forced to find new employment.

That didn’t stop him from wanting to bend Travis over the sofa and fucking him deep and slow.

Forcing the tempting thoughts from his mind before it gave him an obvious boner, Darrell stood and glanced at the clock. Nearly one in the morning. “The spare room is all set up. The sheets are clean and I left a pair of pajamas in there for you if you’d like to change. They should fit well enough for you to sleep in them anyway.”

Travis stood and stretched, his rumpled white dress shirt straining across his biceps and abs. His mouth dry, Darrell stared openly. He’d found white guys attractive before, though he hadn’t pursued it, but never like this. Every move Travis made riveted him. Every curve of his sensual, slightly plump lips fascinated him.

“Great,” Travis said. “I’m bushed.”

He let Travis go in front of him down the hall toward the bedrooms, unabashedly gawking at the man’s perfect round ass. Really, his resolve to take things slow with Travis began to waiver. Maybe just a goodnight kiss would satisfy him. After all it had been sort of a date.

Travis turned to him as they reached the spare room, a small smile on his lips, and before he could lose his nerve, Darrell pushed him against the wall and ground his mouth over Travis’s, squelching the man’s gasp of surprise.

As soon as their chests melded together, as soon as his hands slid up Travis’s arms, as soon as his pelvis fitted against Travis’s, Darrell knew the goodnight kiss had been a mistake. Or the idea that it would satiate him had been anyway. His dick was so hard he thought it might tear through both his briefs and his slacks.

Travis moaned low and opened his mouth to allow the intrusion of Darrell’s tongue. For just a minute, second really, Darrell intended to pull away and return to his original plan, but then Travis’s hand crept between their bodies and cupped his erection.

Fuck.

And that’s just what he intended to do. He tore his mouth away with effort and asked the burning question in his feverish mind. “Do you top, bottom or both?”

It sometimes broke the flow of things, Darrell knew, but it was a question that would ultimately need to be asked.

Travis blinked, his sky blue eyes glazed with passion mixed with confusion. “Both,” he finally said.

Thank God.

“Great.” His lips returned to Travis’s now plumped lips from his kisses and he reached to the man’s pants to undo the zipper. His heart nearly stopped when he remembered he didn’t have the goods. “Damn it,” he growled.

“What?”

“You don’t happen to have a condom and lube, do you? Or even just the rubber will do.”

Travis’s cheeks reddened. “Um, no.”

“Well, damn. I don’t have condoms or lube.” Until that moment he hadn’t needed the supplies well…for a very long time. It was way too late to visit a store. He knew of a drug store nearby that was open all night but—

“Darrell.” Travis’s hand stroked his jaw, turning his attention back to the object of his lust. He raised a blond brow. “We still have our hands.”

Darrell grinned. “We sure do.” His fingers, which had stilled on the zipper of Travis’s pants, now got moving again. He quickly took care of the zipper, and pushed the offending garments, both pants and boxers, down far enough and closed his hand around the man’s large erect cock.

“Ah, God.” Travis closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall, breathing heavy. His long golden lashes resting on his pink-tinged cheeks was one of the sexiest things Darrell had ever seen. His cock pulsed in his own pants, reminding him it wanted some necessary attention, too...

Amber Allure - Call For Submissions

ATTENTION AUTHORS OF M/M EROTIC FICTION

~ CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS ~

For the first time in its history, Amber Allure (the GLBT imprint of Amber Quill Press) is pleased to announce a Call for Submissions. Although we’re not open to "general" submissions, we are looking for stories that fit very specific themes. For detailed information, please visit our website at...

http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/AA_submissioncalls.html

Thank you,

Trace Edward Zaber
Owner/Editorial Director/Creative Director
Amber Quill Press, LLC
The Gold Standard In Publishing!
http://amberquill.com

Adult Excerpt--Paint a New Scene

Here is a teaser from Paint a New Scene! After Keely has plied the guys with coffee and lemonade while they worked, they have begun to be friends. The two invite her out for a night at a local bar and dance hall. Enjoy!!

Keely sipped her beer and watched, not sure what the etiquette of the moment called for. Did she dare make the first move? She wasn’t even sure if Tim was able to dance, especially not the more lively and complex steps. Whether Jerry would or not was another unknown. They both sat quietly, watching as she was. Finally, Jerry made the first move.
He stood and held a hand out to her. “Can’t sit this out any longer. Come on, lady. Let’s go polish that dance floor.”
It turned out he was no slouch as a dancer. Keely wasn’t sure if she was surprised to learn that or not. Mostly she was too busy remembering steps she hadn’t practiced for quite a while, thankful her feet seemed to recollect what her mind tended to forget. Then there were the sensations, like how good it felt to have a man’s strong arm around you, feel a muscled shoulder under your fingers and be guided through the complex moves by a confident masculine touch.
It’s been too damn long, for sure.
A giddy delight flashed through her, followed by the unmistakable burn of desire, activated by the movements of the dance that brought her close to Jerry’s muscled body, along with the beer, the crowd and the excitement of being out on an almost-date. A three-way date? Well, why not? Most of all, though, she had to admit it was the good-looking man who held her.
When the band segued into a slow, seductive tune, she was as good as lost. Jerry tightened his arm around her, one hand settling just above the outward curve of her butt. He slipped two fingers into the hip pocket of her jeans, a gesture somehow incredibly intimate. He brought her close enough her breasts brushed against his chest, while the scent of his aftershave fogged her senses.
Her nipples peaked against the soft fabric of her bra and stretched the clinging knit of her top. He had to feel them. God knew she did. Every touch they made against his solid heat sent jolts of liquid flame darting through her body to settle in her pussy. With every move, the seam of her jeans rubbed the sensitized flesh between her legs, adding to her growing arousal. Oh, my God, I feel so damned hot I must be glowing!
By the time the band took a break and they made their way back to the table, Keely was ready to drag Jerry outside and have her way with him in the bushes edging the parking lot. She cooled down a little as they sat and she downed a second beer. That was about her limit—much more and she’d get queasy instead of buzzed.
Mike had always laughed at her limited capacity for alcohol. He could put away a six-pack and just be started, but then he’d been a big guy, six-foot-two and about two-forty. At his death, he was still looking like the high school football star he’d been when they started going together.
With a start, she realized she’d thought of him without the debilitating stab of pain this time.
He’d been her first love and would always have a special place in her heart, but she was still alive and deserved to live, not just exist. For the first time, she knew she really believed this and was ready to act on it. If living involved Jerry or Tim, or Jerry and Tim, or any of the miners and cowboys who had begun to eye her with some interest, that was all right, too.
When the band resumed after about twenty minutes, Tim stood and offered a hand. “I’m not good for the fancy footwork, but I can manage a line dance or a couple of slow numbers. Will you give it a try?”
Keely didn’t hesitate. ”Of course, Tim. It would be my pleasure.”
Despite the small drag or pause when he had to turn or move on his bad leg, Tim danced well enough. His touch was as sure and comfortable as Jerry’s had been and equally exciting. Before they returned to the table when the band switched into some quick salsa tunes, Keely would have been more than willing to go outside with him, too.
During the next several sets, a half-dozen of the other men in the place asked her to dance. They were all polite and made sure it was okay with Jerry and Tim, recognizing that she was with them. Most of the local men had a bit of old-fashioned courtesy she had to appreciate. Miners and cowboys were hard workers and most of them relied on one or more partners as they performed the dangerous and strenuous tasks of their jobs. You didn’t want to make any enemies by not treating someone’s lady with respect because tomorrow he might be your partner. It made sense, but it was nice to be one of the ladies!
In between the others, she danced two more times with Jerry and once more with Tim. Finally, people began to leave and the band started to pack up their amps and other gear. There was a jukebox, one of the traditional kinds, but it wasn’t the same as live music. The evening was clearly at an end.
They walked out as they had entered, three abreast, with Keely in the middle.
Tim handed her into her seat and scrambled in behind her. It took a couple of tries before the engine fired, but Jerry seemed to know the tricks to make the vehicle start. He only said a couple of cuss words before it began to rumble.
“Wanna come over to our place for a bit and look at the etchings?” In the dash lights, Jerry’s expression bordered on diabolical. Keely smiled to herself. He’s testing me. Am I up to the challenge? Damn straight!

Paint A New Scene

Here is the cover for Paint a New Scene--yummy, eh??

And above is my little rental house in the 'before" and after status; the back and west side looked a lot worse before the repairs!! It faced north. I changed the color scheme a little bit for Keely's house.

Art imitates life imitates art!

Inspiration comes in strange ways sometimes. I know most writers are often asked, "Where do you get your ideas?" I can honestly say a lot of them come from living. That was certainly the case with my new release, Paint A New Scene, which will be out this weekend!

In the summer of 2008 I finally decided it was time to complete the reinvention of my life some four years after my husband's death. I upped anchor and relocated to southwestern New Mexico for a few months. And I did rent a run-down little house, just like Keely in the story. And the landlady did hire a couple of guys to do some work on it, just like the story. From that point on, art digresses in a big way from life but that was where the first seed of an idea began to take root. I did the first scene before I moved again, this time to Colorado, but then it sat for awhile as other issues came to the fore. In January I decided to finish it and here is the result at last!

Oddly I seem to be on an 'artist' kick here lately, I have two other WIPs with an artist heroine. Now where that comes from I am not sure. Maybe a suppressed desire of mine to paint with color and line as well as words. I have dabbled in water color and sketching a bit but never produced anything better than a couple of very minor prize winners in high school competitions so I guess I had better stick with writing. Anyway it is fun to slide into the artist's mindset and visualize the neat things my characters can create, even the hunks that Keely puts on canvas in Paint a New Scene, well inspired by the scenery at work around her house. Sometime later this year I hope to have a sizzling paranormal long novella length piece ready to go--another artist who becomes involved with the spirit of a denizen of ancient Lemuria and helps him come back to life!

Hang on here and I will pop up an excerpt or two and a couple of pictures since a picture is worth a thousand words. I wish I had one of Keely's works to share but sadly they just exist in my imagination. However Trace did a great job of giving you an idea!! Tim on the left and Jerry on the right?