Shae Connor

Movin' on...

2011-03-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

I'm in the process of moving my blog to a new location and building a website to go around it. It's still a bit under construction, but check it out at shaeconnorwrites.com! I may do some cross-posting for a bit, but most new posts will appear there instead of here. :)

Sold!

2011-02-21T10:23:00.001-08:00

My cop short "Discovering Columbus" has been accepted for Dreamspinner Press's Uniform Appeal anthology. Release date is April 11. :)

Release Day! Yes, again!

2011-02-16T04:37:00.000-08:00

My short story "The Cabin on the Hill" is now available from Dreamspinner Press! A blurb to whet your appetite:

Jesse hadn’t planned for anything more than a break from the noise and heat of Atlanta when he returned to the cabin he rented each year in the Smoky Mountains - but that was before he met Eli, the handsome man renting the other side of the cabin. Eli’s plans to mix a little hiking with his relaxation match Jesse’s perfectly, and before long the two men are sharing more than just a wall and a view. Jesse’s not one to let an opportunity like this pass him by, though it remains to be seen whether the weekend encounter can turn into something more permanent.

Enjoy!

Release Day!

2011-02-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

Silver Publishing's Never Say Never Anthology is out today, with my story "Stripped" along with stories from RJ Scott, BG Thomas, and Xavier Axelson. Check it out! Ebook || Print || Kindle

Upcoming releases, submissions, and conventions

2011-02-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

I've been falling down on the job around here. A few updates:

Silver Publishing's Never Say Never Valentine's Day anthology, which includes my short story "Stripped," will be out Saturday, February 12.
My standalone short story "The Cabin on the Hill" will be out Wednesday, February 16, from Dreamspinner Press.
I've just submitted a short story for an upcoming Dreamspinner anthology and have another in the works.
My first novel, "Sand and Water," is progressing through editing and revisions. I'm shooting for a March submission.
I plan to attend two conventions here in Atlanta with Dreamspinner. Gaylaxicon/Outlantacon is May 13–15, and Dragon*Con is September 2–5. Hope to see you there!

Coming soon: "Stripped" + "The Cabin on the Hill"

2011-01-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

Silver Publishing's Never Say Never Valentine's Day anthology is now up on the coming soon page. The collection of four stories includes my short story "Stripped," my first publication with Silver. Release date is Saturday, February 12!

Also, my short story "The Cabin on the Hill" is now up on the coming soon page at Dreamspinner. Release date for this one is Wednesday, February 16!

And... done!

2011-01-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

This morning I finished the first draft of my first novel (originally my NaNo project). I still have a long way to go, of course, but it's such a relief to have finished the story! Plus it gave me something to mark off my "bucket list." (Writing a novel is separate on that list from getting said novel published, because I'm a bit of a smart-aleck, if you haven't figured that out already.)

I'm working on a second draft now and heading full-tilt into the revisions phase, but I'll be taking some time to work on other projects, too. Switching gears is always a bit of a challenge!

"Never Say Never" anthology cover art

2010-12-31T18:55:00.000-08:00

Just got the beautiful cover art for Silver Publishing's "Never Say Never" Valentine's Day anthology, which will include my story "Stripped." Release date is February 12, 2011.

Model Student review at Fallen Angel

2010-12-23T05:43:00.000-08:00

Teresa at Fallen Angel Reviews has posted a very happy-making review of Model Student. Things I particularly love to read: This is the first book I have read by Ms. Connor and it won't be the last.

Thank you, Teresa!

Updates, get your updates ...

2010-12-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

I'm offering a free copy each of Model Student and "Sharing Christmas" through Santa Authors 2010 at Reviews by Jessewave.
I'm also auctioning off free copies of all three of my Dreamspinner stories ("The Cabin on the Hill" will be out in February) through The Purple Dove Project.
I'm currently reviewing initial edits of "Stripped" for Silver Publishing (out in February as part of their Valentine's Day set).
The novel in progress (my NaNo project) crossed the 70,000-word mark last night. I'm now estimating around 80,000 for the final word count on the first draft, which I hope to have finished by mid-January latest.
Most of the rest of my time is going into finishing up some fanfiction projects right now, but after the novel, I'll be diving back into my in-progress original fiction folder!

Dreams Come True promotion at Dreamspinner

2010-12-12T05:44:00.000-08:00

My publisher's having a pretty cool contest this month! Each day from December 26–31, Dreamspinner will draw one name from all the customers who have purchased during the month of December. Each winner will receive every eBook on their DSP wish list. If you haven't made a purchase yet this month, you can use the code HolidayDreams to get 20% off through the end of 2011. Each customer can use this code for two separate purchases.

Goes off to load up the wish list ...

Sold!

2010-12-09T04:54:00.000-08:00

Happy to say that my short story "Stripped" has sold to Silver Publishing, for the "Never Say Never" Valentine's Day anthology. It will be out, naturally, in February.

A "4-Cherry" Review for Model Student

2010-12-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

Very happy to say that Whipped Cream Reviews has given Model Student 4 Cherries. A brief excerpt:

There is a lot going on in this short story, but it’s not short on detail or emotion. Shae Connor writes with such fluidity that I didn’t want to stop reading, even after the last page.

Thank you so much, Tiger Lily!

Now Available: Sharing Christmas

2010-12-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

The NaNo insanity is out of the way (well, mostly), just in time for a new release!

"Sharing Christmas," my contribution to the Dreamspinner Press 2010 Advent Calendar Set, Naughty or Nice, is now available for purchase. The full set of 31 stories, one for each day in December, is also on sale, offering a discount off the combined individual selling prices.

As a bonus, Dreamspinner is offering a 20% discount on all items from now until the end of the year. The discount code is HolidayDreams, and each customer can use it twice. Clear off your wish lists and get your holiday shopping done all at once! :)

Purchase links:

Sharing Christmas
Naughty or Nice

Enjoy!

NaNo: Goal #2 Met!

2010-11-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

Today I crossed the 60,000-word mark on NaNo. That was my secondary goal, after the base 50k required to "win" NaNo.

Final goal: finish the book! I doubt that'll be 100% done by the end of the month, not with only 2 days left. But I'm hopeful that I can finish a first draft by the end of the year, and maybe even get into revisions. My current estimate is around 70k to finish, but that's been fluctuating a lot as I go. It depends on how chatty the guys get!

NaNo: WON!

2010-11-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

Just crossed the 50k mark! The story isn't finished, and I'm still hoping to get to at least 60k before the end of the month, but the official word count is DONE! Go me!

NaNo: Closing in ...

2010-11-20T19:32:00.001-08:00

Broke the 45k mark on my NaNo project today. Hoping to get in the last words tomorrow, so everything after that will be gravy. Appropriately! :)

Excerpt: Sharing Christmas

2010-11-17T15:14:00.000-08:00

Taking a short break from NaNo for a quick reminder that presales for the Dreamspinner Press 2010 Advent Calendar Set, Naughty or Nice, run through Thanksgiving Day, November 25. You get a pretty good discount by ordering in advance; the individual stories—31 of them in all—will be available starting December 1.

As a little appetizer, here's an excerpt from my contribution, Sharing Christmas (adult content, m/m).

Rick hummed along with Bing Crosby wishing him a happy holiday as he slapped together a ham sandwich to take to work the next day. It wouldn’t exactly be a festive lunch to celebrate Christmas Eve, but he’d be nearly alone in the office, so it didn’t matter much.

Stuffing the sandwich into a lunch bag along with an apple and a can of Coke, Rick turned to put the bag into the refrigerator. The brightly colored flyer advertising free Christmas dinner at a homeless shelter nearby, stuck to door with a cheesy snowman magnet, caught his eye. His next-door neighbor, Steven, had dropped it by a few days earlier, along with an explanation and an invitation to a group dinner the next night.

“There’s a group of us who’ve gotten together on Christmas Eve the past few years to have dinner and put together care packages for the homeless,” Steven had said, his smile somehow a little nervous. “You’re welcome to join us if you’ll be around. And then we take the bags down to the shelter on Christmas Day. Some of us help them out while we’re there. It’s a pretty cool way to spend the holiday if you can’t be with family.”

Rick had been noncommittal at the time, but the idea had grown on him. He’d been in Atlanta a scant three months, after being offered a combined promotion and transfer from his company’s Dallas office that put him at the management position and the salary level he’d been wanting. Moving away from his family and friends had been difficult, but he’d lived in the Dallas–Fort Worth area all his life, and he was ready to try out something else for a while.

The downside was that, even as manager, he now sat at the bottom of his department’s totem pole, leaving him stuck babysitting his company’s servers over the holidays. The rest of the information technology team he supervised would be with their families, but Rick had none nearby and knew almost no one in town. He’d met a few neighbors here and there, not just Steven, but he hadn’t really gotten to know any of them beyond their names. Steven’s invitation would definitely beat sitting home alone. He’d be on call, of course, but the likelihood of anything going wrong when everyone else was off work was low.

Flipping off the kitchen light, Rick padded down the hallway in socked feet toward his bedroom. The apartment, in a high-rise along the city’s famed Peachtree Road, gave him a view of downtown from the living room and bedroom, both rooms with doors opening onto a small balcony. He’d rented the place sight unseen, based on pictures and the word of a real estate agent recommended by a colleague, and he’d been thrilled by it so far. If nothing else, the view he was afforded three mornings a week when he took advantage of the heated pool to run laps was worth it: beautiful women and even more beautiful men working their bodies hard as they sliced through the water.

Rick’s thoughts wandered as he stripped out of his clothes, dropping them into the basket in the bottom of his closet before walking naked over to his bathroom. He took only a few minutes to finish getting ready for bed, working on autopilot, mind offering up images from that morning’s workout. He mentally discarded the two overly muscled men as not his type, and the too-thin woman with the obvious fake breasts who’d seemed to spend most of her time batting her eyelashes at those two men. Rick preferred long and lean, and men in particular, although more than one woman had gotten his attention over the years.

He smiled at his reflection, watching his hazel eyes start to darken as he thought of Steven, who’d appeared poolside just as Rick had been leaving and who certainly fit the long and lean category. He had dark, wavy hair, much like Rick’s but a few shades darker, smooth, lightly tanned skin, and an elegantly Roman nose sprinkled with freckles. He was just about Rick’s height of five-eleven, and his deep brown eyes had been behind frameless glasses when he’d stopped by Rick’s apartment. Rick had never seen Steven with anyone else in the few times they’d run into each other in the elevator or hallway, and the fact that he was getting together with friends for Christmas seemed to indicate he was single. His nervousness during the invitation pointed toward possible interest.

Rick felt his cock twitch and swell at the thought. He hadn’t had time to so much as go out on a weekend since he’d moved, too busy settling into work and his new place. He didn’t know much yet about his next-door neighbor, except that he was pretty much Rick’s physical ideal, and just thinking about possibility of having that body pressed up against his sent a shudder through Rick.

Giving in to the inevitable, Rick reached for a clean washcloth, dampening it and heading back toward his bed, flipping off the bathroom light as he went. He let his free hand wander as he walked, fingers sliding up his thigh to sift through the wiry brown curls between his legs. His cock stiffened further and Rick let out a soft sigh, setting the washcloth on his nightstand and reaching for the bottle of lotion, squirting a little into his palm. He climbed into bed, curling onto his side, shivering in anticipation.

His eyes fluttered closed and he wrapped his hand around his cock, stroking softly and slowly, slicking up his skin as he gradually brought himself to full hardness. He pictured Steven’s smile and the lines of his body in his snug swim trunks from the brief look Rick had gotten that morning. Rick lifted his other hand to his mouth, wetting the thumb and forefinger and bringing them down to pinch at a nipple, imagining the wetness was Steven’s mouth. He let out a soft moan and tightened his hand around his throbbing cock as his fingers moved to tease his other nipple, pinching tight.

In his mind, his hands became Steven’s, the other man touching and stroking, exploring his body, bringing him closer and closer to the edge. Rick wet his fingers again, sucking strongly, this time sliding his hand over his hip and down the cleft between his cheeks. He teased his opening, dipping a fingertip inside, circling lightly, then sliding two fingers in to the knuckle.

“Yeah,” he groaned, back arching, fisting his cock harder as he fucked himself on his fingers. As Steven fucked him hard, driving his cock against Rick’s prostate, and that thought was enough to push him over. He groaned again, louder, his body tightening down on his fingers, and his cock erupted, come ribboning out onto the sheets.

It wasn’t until his mind started to clear that he felt guilty. Masturbating to nameless, faceless bodies was one thing; fantasizing about someone he knew, even on a superficial level, wasn’t usually his style. He reached for the washcloth, wiping come from the sheets and his skin, and silently told himself he wouldn’t do it again.

For the third time that week.

NaNo: 40k and counting!

2010-11-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

Crossed the elusive 40k barrier today and made it all the way to 41k before my momentum ran out. That was a very tough scene to write, and it's still going to need some revision in later stages. But the main points are in there, so I can move on. :)

My next goal is to hit 50k by the end of the weekend. That will leave me a solid week to try to get to my own goal of 60k. I don't think that'll finish the story, but we'll see how it goes!

NaNo: Pushing Forward

2010-11-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

Hit 36k today before I hit the wall. I'll try to eke out the other 4k tomorrow for my 40k goal, but I'm not too concerned about it. I've got quite a buffer built up, and the biggest scenes still to go. I'll be fine. :)

NaNo: Breaking Through

2010-11-12T19:02:00.000-08:00

So far, so good on the writing retreat. Nearly 10,000 words my first full day, bringing me up to 30,300 words total. Still shooting for 40k by weekend's end.

It's beautiful in North Carolina. Think I'll sit in the sun by the lake tomorrow to write. :)

NaNo: Breaking Barriers

2010-11-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

Got it over 20k! 20,200 words. Let's see if I can double that by Sunday. :)

NaNo Day Nine: Ahead of the Curve

2010-11-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

I got down about another 1,400 words last night, bringing me up to 19,670 words total. I'm still ahead on word count for now, but I'm not expecting to get much done the next two days, between working and getting ready for my weekend trip. Starting Thursday evening, though, writing will be my main focus, and I hope to hit at least 40,000 words by the time I go to bed Saturday night. Having limited internet access will probably help on that front!

4-star Review for Model Student

2010-11-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

Michele~N~Jeff Reviews has given Model Student a 4-star rating! Thanks so much! :)

Also check out my author interview: Shae Connor

Interview up at Michele~N~Jeff Reviews

2010-11-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

A new interview with me was posted this morning at Michele~N~Jeff Reviews: Shae Connor. The questions were a lot of fun to answer, so I hope you enjoy reading it! :)

NaNo Week Two: Travel and Write

2010-11-08T04:38:00.000-08:00

I'm surprised at how much writing I got done over the weekend. We had a pretty packed-full schedule, but with two other NaNo-ers on the trip, we managed to get some time in here and there. Current word count: 18,230.

My writing retreat trip is this coming weekend. Three-day workweek and then it's write write write!

NaNo Day Whatever: Writer's cramp

2010-11-06T01:57:00.000-07:00

I wrote longhand today for the first time in, um, a very long time. Between the airport and the airplane, I wrote about 3,100 words, which I typed in partly while waiting for my ride in Chicago and partly after I got back to my hotel room late last night. That brings me up to a total of 14,850 words.

When I first started, I was pretty worried about whether I'd have enough story to get me to 50,000 words, much less my secondary goal of 60,000 words. I'm now 25% to the latter goal, and I'm probably not that far into the story. So I think I'm gonna be just fine. :)

New Author Feature at Erotic Horizons

2010-11-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

I'm being featured on the E.H. on Books 'N More website as part of the With These Words new author spotlight. I talk about my journey as a writer, including giving a little explanation about why I don't plan to make writing a full-time career.

Thanks to E.H. for the support!

NaNo Day Three, Part Two: Breakthrough!

2010-11-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Got past 10k! I'm at 11,450 now. (I also wrote about 800 words of timeline/outline notes, but I'm not going to count that unless I end up with 49,200 words or something. Hee.)

I expect the next few days to be pretty sparse. I'm taking my laptop on my trip this weekend, but writing time will probably be limited to airports. Never seems to work well on the plane, and I don't expect to have any free time during the visit itself. I'll be okay anyway, since I'm close to the minimum seven-day word count already!

NaNo Day Three: Chugging Along

2010-11-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

I got up early again, although not quite as early as the past two days. Got down a few hundred words, which added to the ones from last night puts me at 8,715 total. I'm hoping to break 10,000 tomorrow, if not tonight.

I'm resisting the urge to go back and add/revise. I know the earlier parts are going to need more description than I'm giving (I haven't even clearly described the main characters yet!), but that can wait until the story is done. I'm pretty sure I'll get to 50k without that, and maybe even to my secondary 60k goal.

Off to the day job!

NaNo Day Two: Another Early Morning

2010-11-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

I like this early morning thing: 1,430 today, bringing me to 6,820 in two days. If I kept up that pace, I'd be done with NaNo (by official word count) sometime the middle of next week. This is not going to happen, of course. LOL

Next week, I'll be taking a long weekend and going up to the mountains for a few days. Just me and my laptop, limited internet access, and a lot of calm and quiet. I'm hoping to get about 20,000 words down then.

I should also note that all these word counts I'm throwing around are going to be estimates. So please don't check my math; it'll just give you a headache. :D

NaNo Day One: Done!

2010-11-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

Final word count for today: 5,385. It's flowing pretty well so far. Plus the characters are turning out to be talktative, which is a big help with word count!

I'm going to try the wake-up-at-6AM thing again tomorrow. It probably won't last (I love sleeping late), but I'll take it as long as it lasts, especially if it keeps the word count going. It's always helpful to have a few extra days' worth in the bank for when you're too busy or too brain-dead to write. :)

NaNo is a GO!

2010-11-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 6 this morning to try to get in my NaNo word count before work. I'm shooting for 2,000 words a day instead of the 1,667 required to get to 50,000 words, in part because I know I'll have some days I won't have much time (if any), and in part because I have a secondary goal to reach 60,000 words.

This morning, I wrote 3,300 words in just under an hour. With the 200 words I had pre-written, I've already introduced five characters and had the two main characters meet for the first time. Not too shabby!

Free Fiction: Life After

2010-10-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

A little ghostly romance for your Halloween week enjoyment...

“So you don’t know how it happened?”

Will shrugged one translucent shoulder. “Nope,” he said from where he stood at the end of Brandon’s bed. Their bed, the one they’d shared until four weeks and three days earlier. “One minute I’m alive; the next, I’m this.” He waved a see-through hand to indicate his current form. “No idea what happened in between. Or why I don’t remember it.”

Brandon shifted his legs under the covers, sure this must be a dream but unable to bear the thought of waking up. Even in death, Will was gorgeous, especially considering the shimmering aura that surrounded him.

“You were in a car accident,” Brandon said, reluctantly. Maybe he shouldn’t say? He didn’t know the rules for this kind of thing. He didn’t know if there were rules.

Will frowned, and his glow seemed to fade a little. “It wasn’t my… I didn’t hurt anyone, did I?”

“No! No,” Brandon said, sitting up straighter. “It wasn’t your fault. You were blindsided. And it wasn’t the other driver’s fault either. He… he had a heart attack. He was probably already gone before his car even hit you.”

Will relaxed and brightened, literally. “That’s good,” he said. “I mean, not the other guy, that’s terrible, but it could’ve been a lot worse.”

Brandon surged forward at that. “Worse than losing you?” he demanded. “I don’t think it could get a lot worse than that.”

Will’s expression dropped and he walked (not floated, some part of Brandon’s mind noted) over to the side of the bed nearest Brandon. “It’s okay, Brandon,” he said, gently. “I’m okay.”

“But I’m not.” Brandon’s voice broke, and he felt as if all his energy spilled out onto the mattress. “It’s been a month, and I don’t know what I’m doing any more. I can’t think about anything else. I try to move on, try to get back to what I was doing before you… before, but I can’t.”

“Oh God. Brandon.”

Brandon was surprised to feel the bed shift as Will sat down. His gaze flicked to meet Will’s, who looked as surprised as he did. They both looked down, and as Brandon watched, Will reached out a shining hand to touch his.

He felt it.

Will was touching him, and he could feel it.

Brandon surged forward again, this time with arms and legs and mouth, wrapping himself around Will and kissing him hard. Will met his every move, hands skimming over Brandon’s body, tongue dipping in to taste him.

When they finally broke apart, it was Brandon’s need for oxygen that demanded it. Will looked like he was breathing, sounded like he was breathing, but even with their foreheads touching and Will’s face inches from his, Brandon felt no air coming from Will’s mouth.

“I don’t understand,” Brandon murmured, his fingers still exploring Will’s body, gaze raking over him. He didn’t look completely solid, but he felt that way. “How is this possible?”

Will laughed, a little shakily. “You expect me to know?” he asked. “I didn’t even know how I ended up like this. I didn’t know how long it had been. Like I said, I was driving, and then I was here. With you.”

He lifted his head, hands cupping Brandon’s face. “This is where I want to be,” he whispered, urgent. “This is where I always want to be.”

Brandon bit back what might have been a sob or a laugh and kissed Will again. He still didn’t know if this was a dream, or how long it might last, but he intended to take full advantage of it, no matter what.

It seemed Will felt the same way. He lowered Brandon onto the mattress, never breaking their kiss, hands skimming down to push away the boxers Brandon wore. Will’s clothes, the loose t-shirt and jeans he’d been wearing the day he died, simply disappeared, and he seemed to be touching Brandon everywhere at once. Brandon moaned into Will’s mouth, eyes filling with tears of joy and pleasure.

Will settled between Brandon’s legs, his skin cool and dry against Brandon’s. Brandon frowned and pulled out of the kiss, running his hands up and down Will’s back.

“You’re cold,” he said.

Will looked confused. “I feel fine,” he said. “I mean, I feel like I always did. Normal temperature.”

Brandon shook his head. “Your skin is cold,” he said. “Not freezing, but not warm.” He wrapped his arms and legs around Will, holding him closer. “I don’t know if I can warm you up?”

Will smiled and touched his lips briefly to Brandon’s. “It’s okay,” he said. “If it’s not too cold for you, I’m fine.”

Brandon grinned, relieved. “You feel a lot better than fine to me,” he said, pressing his hips up so their hardening cocks slid together deliciously, thrilled to feel that Will could harden against him, even like this.

“God.” Will kissed him hard. “I love you so much. I don’t ever want to be without you.”

Brandon did sob then, the tears taking them both by surprise. He couldn’t stop, and Will softened his touch, softened his skin, it seemed, and gathered Brandon up, holding him close. “Shhhh,” he crooned, rocking Brandon gently. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

“But you won’t be,” Brandon gasped against Will’s smooth chest. “I’ll wake up, or you’ll fade away, or something, and I’ll be alone again.”

“No.” Will’s voice was firm, his lips brushing Brandon’s temple. “You’ll never be alone. Even if you can’t see me, even if you can’t feel me, I’ll be there with you. Every step of the way.”

He kept holding Brandon close, soothing him, and gradually Brandon’s crying slowed and trickled off. He took in a shuddering breath and let it out, then another, and another. Will kissed his temple again, still holding him close.

“I can’t do this without you,” Brandon finally whispered. “I don’t know how.”

“You do,” Will replied. “You’re strong. You’ll grieve, and you’ll hurt, but you’ll recover. You’ll move on.”

“No!” Brandon insisted, holding Will closer. “No one else. You’re it for me.”

Will smoothed his hand down Brandon’s back. “I don’t want that,” he said softly. “I don’t want you to live the rest of your life without love. You have too much life left. Too much love to give.” He pulled back, but just far enough to look into Brandon’s eyes. “It would make me sad to see you live like that, Brandon. I want you to love again. It won’t hurt me. I want to see you happy.” He laughed a little. “I don’t know if I’ll see you at all, but if I do… that’s what I want.”

“Why are you so okay with this?” Brandon knew how harsh the question sounded but couldn’t help himself. “I feel like I’m dying, but you’re already… and you’re okay?”

Will paused at that. “I… don’t know,” he said. “I just feel… calm, I guess. Like everything’s fine. Maybe not happy, exactly, but settled. Content.”

He brought one hand up to Brandon’s cheek. “I know you’re hurting, baby, and I’m so sorry about that. That hurts me too. But I’m okay. I’m worried about you, but I’m not worried about me.”

Brandon studied Will’s face, seeing his sincerity, his concern, but most of all, his love. He nodded, slowly, not sure what he believed, not sure of anything except that Will was there, holding him, and he tried to push back everything except the feel of Will’s arms around him.

“Now,” Will said, wiping the last of Brandon’s tears from his cheeks. “Let’s not worry about all that, okay? We don’t know how much time we have together.” He smiled and raised an eyebrow. “I vote we make the most of it.”

Brandon smiled back the best he could, knowing it was still a little tremulous. “What did you have in mind, Mr. O’Donnell?”

Will’s smile widened into a wicked grin. “I think I could come up with an idea or two, Mr. Whittier,” he replied, hands already starting to wander. “Why don’t you just relax and let me do the heavy lifting?”

Brandon laughed and let Will lay him back against the pillows, his mouth covering Brandon’s, kissing him deeply, tongue coming out to slick along Brandon’s, wet and rough. Brandon sighed, hands kneading Will’s shoulders. His skin might be cool, but the muscles beneath were still firm and pliable, flexing and twisting as Will moved from Brandon’s mouth to his neck. Accustomed to the heat of Will’s lips, Brandon found the slight chill very different, but not in a bad way. Nothing about this could be bad, not with Will back in his bed, touching and kissing him like he had so many times before.

Like he never would again.

No, Brandon ordered himself, pushing the thought away. He’s here now. Enjoy what you have and forget everything else.

Will’s lips closed around one of Brandon’s nipples, and Brandon couldn’t think of anything else anyway. He cried out when Will bit down lightly, and Will soothed the small sting away with his tongue, rough surface rasping over the taut peak. He moved to the other side, bringing one hand up so he could rub his thumb over the abandoned nub while he licked and nibbled the other.

Brandon writhed under Will’s attentions. It had been a month since he’d felt any of this. His libido had died with Will, and the few times he’d made a half-hearted effort at masturbation ended only in frustration and longing. No one had ever touched him the way Will did, not even himself.

Will’s mouth wandered lower, kissed and licking his way down Brandon’s stomach, dipping into his navel, tongue twirling through the dark hair leading to his cock, which bumped against Will’s chin, hungry for his attention. Will laughed lowly and paused to give the tip a quick kiss, which sent Brandon’s back arching off the mattress, a growling moan coming from his chest.

“Shhh,” Will soothed again, rubbing his palms against Brandon’s hips. “Relax. Don’t think. Just feel.”

Brandon tried to relax, he really did, but everything Will did to him felt so good that he couldn’t help himself. He twisted on the sheets, moaning almost constantly, skin on fire despite the chill of Will’s touch. When Will took Brandon’s cock in his mouth, Brandon almost came on the spot, so high on arousal and Will.

“Oh God, baby,” Brandon rasped out, hands coming up to rake through Will’s hair, soft brown curls winding around his fingers. “So good. You’re always so good.”

Will hummed, the vibrations sending shivers out over Brandon’s skin, and he cried out from sheer bliss, overcome with happiness at having Will one more time and with pleasure from his ministrations.

Will slipped a finger into his mouth, slicking it up with the saliva that still came even though breath didn’t. Brandon’s mind focused just long enough to realize what Will was about to do before his finger circled Brandon’s entrance, pressing lightly. Brandon spread his legs automatically, and Will slid the finger inside, crooking up, searching for the spot that would send him into the stratosphere. When he found it Brandon jerked on the bed, unable to control his body’s reactions, and Will pushed in a second finger, rubbing hard as he sucked Brandon’s cock deep into his throat and swallowed.

Brandon broke with a shout, pulsing into Will’s mouth, coming so hard and long he thought he’d never stop. He collapsed against the mattress, boneless and empty, hearing soft rustling sounds but not having the strength or brain power to investigate.

Soon Will answered that question for him, his fingers returning to Brandon’s entrance, this time slick with more than saliva. His lips touched Brandon’s. “Want to be inside you,” Will whispered, and Brandon opened his eyes to stare into Will’s, wide and dark and full of love and desire.

“Yes,” Brandon whispered back. “Please. Make love to me.”

Will kissed him gently and pushed inside slowly, never pausing along the way, Brandon’s body opening to let him in as if he belonged there, because he did. He stopped only when he was buried all the way, breaking the kiss to catch Brandon’s gaze again.

“Okay?” he asked, his voice low but urgent, betraying the state of his arousal.

“Yes,” Brandon breathed, lifting his legs to hook around Will’s waist. “Yes.”

Will moved then, slowly at first but picking up speed quickly, long, even thrusts that brushed across Brandon’s prostate every time, filling him up and then leaving him empty and yearning before filling him again. They kissed over and over, wet and messy, every snap of Will’s hips driving a groaning grunt from Brandon’s mouth into Will’s.

Will finally pulled away, burying his head against Brandon’s neck and fucking in hard and fast, driving both of them toward release. He wrapped cool fingers around Brandon’s cock, jerking him roughly, until everything inside Brandon broke again and he spilled with a loud moan, just as Will stiffened and groaned out Brandon’s name, grinding inside, coming hard.

Will collapsed onto Brandon’s chest, driving the breath from his lungs with a soft “oof,” but he didn’t care. He twined arms and legs around Will, holding him close, running his hands over Will’s skin, slick now with a light sheen of sweat from their lovemaking.

It took Brandon a moment to realize that the words he was hearing were coming from him. “I can’t,” he was saying, over and over. “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.”

Will shifted, pushing himself up on his forearms and kissing Brandon to stop the flow. “You can,” he murmured against Brandon’s lips. “You can do anything, Brandon. Anything you put your mind to.”

“I love you.” Brandon’s voice broke. “I’ve never loved anyone or anything the way I love you. I never will again.”

“I love you too, with everything I have,” Will said, pushing Brandon’s hair back off his forehead where it had stuck in sweaty strands. “I loved you until the day I died, and I’ll go on loving you forever.”

He fell silent, and then started to push away, but Brandon pulled him tighter. “Don’t leave me,” he whispered, and Will smiled and kissed him again.

“Just getting something to clean you up,” he said. “Just your chest, though. Saliva and sweat may come standard in this model, but apparently breath and semen don’t.”

He grinned, the wide, happy smile that he had on his face the first time Brandon laid eyes on him, and Brandon’s heart broke and healed in the same moment. He smiled back and let Will go, and Will sat up on the side of the bed, pulling a handful of tissues from the box on the bedside table. He cleaned off Brandon’s chest carefully, almost reverently, laying down a last kiss just above his navel before tossing the tissues into the trash can nearby. Climbing back into the bed, he wrapped himself around Brandon, both of them lying on their sides, heads on the same pillow, faces inches apart.

“I don’t want to go to sleep,” Brandon whispered, tears starting to well up again as he searched Will’s eyes. “I don’t want you to leave me.”

“Shhhhh.” Will smoothed Brandon’s hair back again, kissed his forehead. “It’ll be all right. I’ll stay with you as long as I can. As long as whoever let this happen will let me stay.”

Brandon pressed his face against Will’s neck, ignoring the chill of his skin in favor of the smell of it, musky and sweet. “I don’t want to wake up alone,” he whispered.

“You won’t, remember?” Will said, his hand cupping the back of Brandon’s head. “I’ll be with you every step of the way. I want you to believe that. And when you need me, just close your eyes and remember this, and know that I’m there.”

Brandon shook his head. “It won’t be the same.”

“I know.” Will lifted away a little and reached down to tip Brandon’s head up with a finger under his chin. “It won’t be like this, or like it was before. But I’ll be in your memory and in your heart, even when I can’t be anywhere else.” He ran the backs of his fingers down Brandon’s cheek. “And remember what I said, too. I want you to find someone else one day. Seeing you be happy again will make me happy.”

Brandon nodded. “If it’ll make you happy,” he agreed, not knowing if he’d ever be in that place again but resolving to try if Will wanted him to.

Will kissed him, slowly, lingering, drifting to his nose, his cheeks, his chin but always coming back to his lips. Brandon relaxed under the gentle touches, against the mattress, into the pillows, until finally he couldn’t fight any more, and sleep claimed him.

When Brandon woke up, Will was gone, just as they knew he would be. But the sheets and Brandon’s skin smelled like him, and for the first time in a month, Brandon didn’t feel alone.

He knew Will was right there with him.

Hey! Reviews!

2010-10-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Tam at Tam's Reads reviewed Model Student yesterday (second one on the list). Things I particularly like to read: "It's the first story I've read by the author and I would definitely try more." Thanks, Tam!

Ami at Goodreads rated Model Student 3.5 of 5 stars. "The 0.5 stars is given for an inventive erotic email and a drugged cat named Bernie." I kind of like that email, and Bernie too, Ami. Thanks!

2010 Advent Calendar Set on sale!

2010-10-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

Dreamspinner's 2010 Advent Calendar Set Naughty or Nice, which will include my story "Sharing Christmas," is on sale now! For $39.99, you get a holiday-themed story every day in the month of December.

Price goes up on November 1, so act fast! :)

Sold! and a new title

2010-10-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Happy to announced that my short story "The Cabin on the Hill" has been picked up by Dreamspinner! Publication is tentatively set for February 2011.

Also, my holiday short has a new title: "Sharing Christmas." I'm much happier with this one than the original. :)

My first interview!

2010-10-13T05:58:00.001-07:00

Janey Chapel interviewed me for her blog. You can read all about it right here!

Now Available: Model Student

2010-10-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

Model Student is now available from Dreamspinner Press. The gorgeous cover art is by the amazing Paul Richmond.

Hope you enjoy it! :)

Two more days!

2010-10-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

Model Student is out on Wednesday (October 13) from Dreamspinner Press. Needless to say, I'm very excited! :)

A holiday treat!

2010-09-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

Shameless stealing from Rachel West's announcement, I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be publishing another story with Dreamspinner Press!

My short story "Home for the Holidays" will be published as part of Naughty or Nice, the 2010 Advent Calendar. This is a holiday-themed collection in which readers get one new m/m romance, each with a holiday twist, for every day in December. I'm so happy to be included!

Will provide more info as it becomes available. But for now, yayyyyyyyyyy! :D

Seven Questions With Janey Chapel

2010-09-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Get What You Need
By Janey Chapel
eBook, Dreamspinner Press, September 2010

The basics first: what’s your new book about, and how can readers get their hands on it?

Get What You Need is a novella-length story about a cop named Patrick who meets up with Jay, an ex-con, at a bar; a simple enough premise, I suppose! The cop’s in the middle of an investigation, with a lot of pent-up frustration looking for an outlet, and Jay gives him exactly what he needs. For all that, it’s more a character study than a drama, and I hope readers will love Patrick and Jay as much as I do.

Readers can get their hands on the book at the Dreamspinner Press website.

Where did the inspiration for your story come from?

I love my men tender on the inside, tough on the outside, and that describes both of the main characters. In terms of exploring the dynamic between them, I have to admit I was inspired by the FX series Justified, which features a U.S. marshal and his old friend/foe, a possibly reformed criminal. That gave me the jumpstart I needed to dive into the story.

How long did it take you to write and revise the story, start to publication?

The whole process took from May to September. I wrote and revised the story in about six weeks, submitted it to Dreamspinner in June, had it accepted in July, and published in late September.

Do you write just one story at time, or do you usually have several works in progress?

I’m a monogamous writer—I can really only work on one thing at a time. I’ve got an idea or two percolating on the back burners, but I seem to only be able to focus on one story until it’s done. What I find is that if an idea’s going to work, that happens pretty quickly. If not, then there’s just no forcing it. I’ve yet to get characters to speak to me on command! I know a number of professional writers set aside specific times or word-count goals for each day, and more power to them; it just doesn’t seem to work that way for me.

Other than simply finding the time, what’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you, and what comes easiest?

The most challenging part for me really is finding the time to devote to it. I know we’re all trying to wear multiple hats, so I’m not unique, but when I’m writing, other things fall by the wayside, and it’s not fair to the people in my life to neglect them for too long. Once I start to write, I tend to dive in headfirst, and I have trouble doing anything except that, so I wait until I know I’ll have a chunk of time that I can dedicate before starting a project.

What comes easiest is the simple logistics of spelling, grammar, and sentence structure (with the unfortunate exception of commas, which still routinely defeat me!). I’ve got degrees in English and journalism, and I come from a very “wordy” family, so the basic structure of dialogue, for example, isn’t difficult for me. I enjoy the process of editing as much as the process of writing.

How do you write, physically speaking? Longhand, laptop, desktop, inside or out, at a desk, comfy chair, in bed?

I write at a desktop computer in my study at home, usually while my kid is in school and my spouse is at work and the house is quiet. I’m not one who can write while the TV is going or people are chatting in the background. I immerse myself in the writing “zone” so deeply that I learned to set the kitchen timer so I wouldn’t miss going to the bus stop!

In order to edit, though, I have to print out the project and read it through on paper, with red pen in hand. I catch so many more things on paper than I do onscreen. There’s something really satisfying about combing through a piece under construction and finding ways of improving it.

What are your long-term goals as a writer?

Considering how detailed I am in some areas, it feels a little strange to say that I have no long-term goals as a writer. I still find myself a little bemused when characters start to “speak” to me, and I’m always convinced the latest project will be the last project. But if I have my druthers, I’d like to write more about Eli Jones and Cooper Fitch, the Navy SEALs featured in Maritime Men and Anchors Aweigh.

Model Student release information

2010-09-22T10:37:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to announce that my novella Model Student is slated for release on October 13. You can view the cover (which I love!) and blurb on the Dreamspinner Press "Coming Soon" page here.

Thanks for your support!

Seven Questions With Dawn Kimberly Johnson

2010-09-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

Home
by Dawn Kimberly Johnson
Paperback & eBook, Dreamspinner Press, September 13, 2010

The basics first: what's your new book about, and how can readers get their hands on it?

Home is the sequel to my first novel, Broken, and it’s about what happens after Eli and Alec get together, after they take that step or leap to give it a try. They had a lot to get through in the first book, but there’s always more trouble ahead, plenty of doubt, fear, and secrets to go around. Luckily, there’s also plenty of love. You can find both books at Dreamspinner Press [link to author page] primarily, but [my books are] also available at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and Rainbow eBooks.

Where did the inspiration for your story come from?

Home really came out of not wanting to let these characters go, once Broken was finished. I began toying with the idea for Home right after Broken was published. I would find myself wondering what they were up to, as if I could somehow drop by their house and hang out with them. It was strange. I really missed them. Also, I had several readers tell me that one complaint they had with Broken was that it wasn’t longer, and I wanted to try to improve on the first novel. Taking those things into account and me realizing that, with Eli’s history, it was unlikely that it would be smooth sailing after he hooked up with Alec, I wrote Home.

How did you get started writing fiction?

I have no idea. I studied journalism in college and worked as a copy editor for a daily newspaper for eight years. I wrote columns about things like meeting kd lang, buying my first car, and watching Ellen’s coming-out episode with other lesbian friends. I remember having a ridiculously active imagination. I used to make up stories for my best friend about a band we both liked in high school—sort of verbal fanfic, if you will. She seemed to really enjoy them, but I never wrote anything down. But after becoming an avid reader of m/m fiction, Eli and his story came to me.

How much time do you spend writing—by the day, week, month, however you define it?

Not nearly enough. Because of poor health, I’m living with my parents and younger brother, so there’s always something going on around me. I couldn’t begin to give you an estimate because I write when the mood strikes. I’ve never set deadlines for myself, and if I’m not “feeling” a story, I won’t work on it until I do “feel” it. The bulk of my time is spent on the Internet (it’s how I connect with the outside world) and freelance editing other people’s work.

Do you write just one story at time, or do you usually have several works in progress?

I used to think I could only write one at a time, but I now have two m/m romance pieces in the works and a sci-fi thriller that needs to be rewritten. That’s the one my mom wants me to get published so she can “properly” brag about me.

Other than simply finding the time, what's the most challenging part of the writing process for you?

Research. Most of the time it’s fun and helps the world in the story come alive for me, but when I’ve missed something, it’s like a kick in the gut, and no matter how much praise I may get for my work, it’s the mistakes that linger in the back of my mind. But that’s a problem within me.

What are your long-term goals as a writer?

The dream would be to make a living with my writing, but the satisfaction of writing comes in hearing from readers who have enjoyed my work. I’ve had that recently, and it’s the most wonderful experience. It’s almost surreal when someone tells me how affected they were by my characters, how touched they were by the story. That’s priceless.

Accomplishments and Ongoing

2010-09-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Galley proofs for Model Student have been returned, and my holiday short is complete and off to beta!

Shifting gears back to the novel. I got in a couple hundred words in notes and tweaking tonight, but not real progress. I'll probably go back and forth between that one and another short story for a while, unless new inspiration hits.

I'll have a new author interview up in the next couple of days too, and I've been invited for my first when my publication date gets here. It'll be interesting to be on the other side of the questions for a change!

Lost Weekends

2010-09-07T20:45:00.001-07:00

I spent a long, busy weekend at Dragon*Con, having a lot of fun and getting not nearly enough sleep. Not much writing got done, needless to say, but I did manage to double the word count on the holiday-themed short story I'm writing and flesh out the few remaining scenes, so I actually have hope that I'll finish it in time for the submission deadline next week.

No progress on anything else. The accepted novella is moving along quickly, though, with cover art in the works, a galley proof waiting for me in my email inbox, and a blurb ready to go. Very excited to see the finished product!

Drabble: Peaches and Cream

2010-08-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

Peaches and cream stretches out under him, smooth and soft and flushed with desire.

All for him.

A burbling laugh draws his eyes up to take in the dimples and curves, brown swooshes of brow and lash, white flashing in mouth and eyes. Blue-edged black pulls him in, in to hot pink Cupid's bow and strong muscle darting out to meet his, rough and wet. Tasting of happiness.

Tousled strands slide between his fingertips, alive with warmth and color, caressing his knuckles. Coarse hair scratches his hips, toes tickle his calves, fingernails scratch his back.

His senses open to forever.

Submitted!

2010-08-24T07:36:00.001-07:00

Short story (~11k) submitted this morning. One more off the table for now.

My remaining priority projects are the holiday-themed short, the novella/novel, and revisions/galleys on the accepted novel as needed.

I think I need to set up a better tracking system so I can keep up with all this!

There's A Reason It's Called A DEADline

2010-08-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've completed a new short story (currently out for reading before revision/submission) and am tackling my first real challenge: writing to a deadline. I have a month to write and submit a holiday-themed short story. Thankfully, inspiration hit yesterday, so I have a solid idea that should easily fit within the length guidelines. I'm shooting to have it finished by Labor Day, giving me about 10 days for reading/revision before submission. I've never been much for deadline writing, so whether the story is completed or accepted, it'll at least be a good exercise!

Drabble: Paper Heart

2010-08-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

A hand tugged at Alan's pants leg. He looked way down into brown eyes looking way up at him.

"Hey, Mikey." Alan squatted to Mikey’s level. "What's up?"

Silently, Mikey held out a construction paper contraption. Alan unfolded pink into a lopsided heart with shaky red-crayoned words.

"I'm sorry again. Forgive me again?"

Alan raised a hand to the back of Mikey's head and kissed the crown. He didn’t turn toward the figure leaning against the doorframe.

"Using your brother as a go-between now?"

Ryan laughed softly. "Just helping Mikey learn his letters."

He moved closer. Alan met him halfway.

Sold!

2010-08-03T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announced that my novella Model Student has received a contract offer from Dreamspinner Press. I'll follow up with publication date and details as soon as possible. :)

Drabble: Once Upon A Time

2010-07-23T04:31:00.000-07:00

She stands waiting, watching him shuffle up to the chair on the other side of the scratched plastic barrier. Orange is a bad color for him, she thinks, not for the first time.

Sh pulls out the hard vinyl chair to sit, picks up the phone while the guard helps him with his. "Hi," she says, trying to smile in response to his blank look.

He doesn't know her. He hasn't known her since she was six, when he pulled the trigger and took away her mommy.

She visits him anyway, because once upon a time, he was her daddy.

Setting Goals

2010-07-17T15:56:00.001-07:00

I'm trying a word count goal for my current work in progress. I'm now at 6,100 words (give or take) and am going to shoot for 50,000, the usual NaNo goal. I'm not going to set an end date yet, just the word count goal, but we'll see how it goes.

Word count widget from Writertopia

Seven Questions With Sullivan Wheeler

2010-07-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

Billionaire’s Row
By Sullivan Wheeler
Paperback & eBook, Dreamspinner Press, July 2010

The basics first: what’s your new book about, and how can readers get their hands on it?

My new book, Billionaire’s Row, is about a closeted police detective named Michael Weiss. When the body of a wealthy defense lawyer turns up on the front lawn of Sam Christiansen, a former television star, Michael is assigned to investigate the murder. Things quickly get complicated, though. Before Michael knows it, he’s being drawn into a world of money and fame, unsure of who to trust, and finding himself drawn more and more to the handsome and enigmatic Sam. The book is available at the Dreamspinner Press website (see links above), Amazon.com, and AllRomanceEbooks.com.

Where did the inspiration for your story come from?

With this story, that’s actually a difficult question to answer. With this murder mystery, I worked backwards: I knew who did it before I knew how Michael was going to find it out. So, if I were to tell you how I came up with the story, I would be giving away the ending. Other things, though, I can say. For instance, the setting—Ponte Bonita, Florida—is based on an oceanside community I worked in near my house. One of the main characters, Deanna Davies, the victim’s very young, very beautiful wife, is based in part on a woman I worked for (who, for reasons that will be obvious to anyone who reads the book, shall remain unnamed). Certain things, like the house fire, came from experiences people I know have had: someone my husband worked for had his brand new McMansion burn to the ground in a possible arson. So, a lot of the details just come out of my life and my experiences, smoothed over with a lot of imagination.

How long did it take you to write and revise the story, start to publication?

I started thinking about the plot a few years ago. Actually, I never intended to publish it. I was just thinking that I would write it to entertain a friend of mine. I turned the plot over in my head for about a year and then I sat down and wrote the first three chapters. For some reason—I can’t really remember what it was, now—I got bored, and I put it away and started working on some other things. I had this other project that I was wrestling with and then it became obvious that that was never going to pan out, so I pulled the manuscript that would become Billionaire’s Row out of the drawer and got to work. It was about three months after that that I sent it to Dreamspinner Press, which scooped it up pretty quickly. That was in March. Alltogether, it’s probably been about four years since I first had the idea. But that’s how I work. There’s always about half a dozen potential stories floating around in my brain, just waiting for me to start putting them down on paper.

How did you get started writing fiction?

It was something that I’ve always done, even before I really knew why I did it. When I was a kid, I used to make up and act out stories in my back yard, just by myself (I must have looked like a lunatic to anyone observing). The first story I ever remember writing down was in kindergarten, and it just sort of went from there. I kept writing as I got older, and in college I was a writing major. That was a decade ago (boy, do I hate admitting that!), and I’m just now getting around to having a novel published.

You know, writing is one of those things that really, really takes practice. If someone says that the first novel they got published is the first one they ever tried to write, you can probably call them a liar (or you can call their novel not very good). Every time you write, even if you don’t necessarily finish the project, you learn something, and I think it takes a lot of these little lessons to have enough knowledge and experience to write 100,000+ words that people want to pay money to read. So, it’s all really been a journey to get from that first story in kindergarten (which was about a farm, in case you’re interested) to a full-length murder mystery.

How much time do you spend writing—by the day, week, month, however you define it?

I don’t really have any defined set of time that I use to write. It generally seems to be that I spend a lot of time thinking about a plot and then, all of a sudden, I will feel ready to start writing. Once I start writing, I’ll spend several hours a day (basically every minute when I’m not asleep or at my regular day job) writing. I shoot for 5,000 or more words per day. There’s a few months of that until I’m done, and then it begins all over again: think, think, think, write.

Do you write just one story at time, or do you usually have several works in progress?

Like I said, I usually have several stories cooking in my brain at any given time. But when it comes to actually writing, I’m generally just working on one thing at a time. Occasionally, I will take a quick break from a big project (novel or novella) that I’m working on to write a short story, but that’s never more than a few days.

What are your long-term goals as a writer?

If you had asked me this a few years ago, I would have said that I wanted to write mainstream novels, and I may still write mainstream novels. I never intended to write gay fiction, and just sort of fell into it backwards. Now that I’m in it, though, I’m finding it very rewarding. Not only do I appear to have some talent for it, but it’s a nice, laid-back kind of world. And Dreamspinner has been a dream to work with; they treat their authors very well and are really helping me to grow as a writer. Definitely for the time being, I will continue to write gay fiction. I think my biggest long-term goal (and I hope it’s not too long term) right now is to be able to make a living writing.

Drabble: Thirty

2010-07-08T15:35:00.001-07:00

Soot from the dying bonfire drifted past, carried by the last breaths of the windy spring day. Billy sat barefoot in the grass, gazing out across the pond, waiting for the promised private afterparty.

The birthday girl appeared in front him, late as usual, still just as beautiful at thirty as she’d been at eighteen. She straddled Billy 's lap, mouth reddened with dye from the fruit punch she'd been drinking. The color made Billy crave a taste.

They kissed, and Billy 's eyes fluttered shut as he felt time freeze again, as it always did when he lost himself in Anna.

Case of the Jitters

2010-07-04T04:27:00.000-07:00

I've finished the revisions on my novella and am ready to give it one more once-over and then resubmit.

I'm nervous.

Not to say that I wasn't nervous on the original submission. I was. But sending out a cold submission, I was prepared for rejection. I wouldn't have been happy about it, but I know good and well rejections are the rule, not the exception.

A tentative acceptance makes things more difficult. If I mess up the revisions, then I could easily lose out on the acceptance. And that would be more painful because I came so close.

I'm usually pretty good about having confidence in my abilities. I know I can write a good story. I know where my strengths and weaknesses are. I know I'm a good substantive editor and can pick apart holes in a story with the best of them.

But this whole process is new to me, as I've said before. I've never published original fiction before (other than drabbles). I've done a lot of things in the past year I've never done before, writing-wise: writing m/m, writing alternate universe fanfic scenarios, writing long stories. And now, writing original fiction for publication. It's a lot to cram into a fairly short period of time.

At any rate, I'll be resubmitting my story today, come hell or high water. Wish me luck.

Works in Progress: Winning the Lottery

2010-06-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Mark kept up his end of the conversation as they walked, laughing and joking, deliberately working to keep things light. Mark's stomach twisted a little tighter with every step, nerves trying to get the best of him. He liked Bennett a lot, and unless he'd been misreading everything that had happened since the day of the interview, Bennett felt the same way.

His thoughts were interrupted by the feel of Bennett's fingers wrapping around his hand. Mark jumped and barely stopped himself from pulling away. He turned his head and met Bennett's smiling face.

"You okay?" Bennett's voice held a note of amusement.

Mark laughed and tried to relax. "I'm fine," he said, twisting his hand to entangle their fingers. "Sorry. I know I've been a little ..."

"Jumpy?" Bennett grinned.

"Yeah." Mark shrugged. "It's just ... I told you it had been awhile." He shot Bennett a look out of the corner of his eye. "I should probably specify that 'awhile' means 'try over two years.'"

Bennett blinked. "Since you've ... been with someone?"

"By any definition," Mark said. "No dates, no one-night stands. A couple of makeout sessions that never went any further. So, I'm kind of out of practice with all of this."

"Well, no pressure," Bennett said, tugging Mark a little closer to his side. "But I'm really having a great time, and I don't want the evening to end quite yet." He stopped in front of a building and nodded. "This is me," he said, then grinned. "Wanna come up and see my etchings?"

Laughter burst out of Mark. "Please tell me you don't use that line with every guy you go out with?"

Bennett chuckled as he stepped closer. "Just the ones I really want to get to know better." He lifted his free hand, fitting his palm against Mark's cheek, as their laughter died away. "Especially the ones I really, really want to get to know better."

Red-Penned

2010-06-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

It's a strange experience being on the other side of the editorial red pen.

I'm happy to say that I have a tentative acceptance for a short novella, pending some fairly minor revisions to bulk up some backstory. The editors and I discussed a few different possibilities for how to approach the changes, and I've started the necessary work.

I have plenty of experience with beta readers in fanfic writing, but in that case, the author always has final word on what to accept and what to reject. Not so with professional publication, where the editors hold the cards.

My "day job" for years has been editing, so I'm used to managing publications from that side of the table. I don't have much experience from the author's side. In fact, this would be my first fiction publication if it goes through. Now, needless to say, I'm very excited about all of this, but it's definitely a new experience for me! I hope I handle it well. I'd hate to lose out on the opportunity because of some newbie error.

Drabble: Boo-Boo

2010-06-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

"Andy!"

Brandon flung his little body across the room, and Steve scrambled to keep his brother from barreling right into his boyfriend's lap. "Be careful," he warned gently. "Andy's got a boo-boo."

Brandon looked solemnly at Andy, who held up his elastic-encased wrist, victim of a sprain caused by a fall from a position he'd never describe to anyone. "Just watch out for this and we'll be fine, buddy," he said, smiling.

Brandon climbed onto the sofa, all hands and feet. "Make it better," he said, leaning over to press his mouth against the wrap of fabric covering Andy's skin.

Seven Questions With Rachel West

2010-06-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

The Cellmate
By Rachel West
eBook, Dreamspinner Press, June 16, 2010

Let's start with the basics: what's your story about, and how can readers get their hands on it?

The Cellmate is a novella about two men who find love in the unlikeliest of places. The story focuses on Andy Bingham and Jesse Cohen, two genuinely good guys who have made some genuinely bad decisions and end up sharing a prison cell. They quickly begin a relationship that starts out as just sex but, to their mutual surprise, turns into something more. It's available at Dreamspinner Press [link above].

How did you get started writing fiction?

Like a lot of other romance/erotica writers, I started in fanfiction. It began as nothing more than a fun hobby, but I found that I absolutely loved it, and it started taking up more and more of my time. After a while, I decided to branch out and try my hand at original writing. My first book, Everything Under the Sun, came out earlier this year.

Where did the inspiration for The Cellmate come from?

I never know how to answer inspiration questions. I had an image in my head of two guys in a jail cell having strictly physical sex, with no kissing, no false intimacies, and yet somehow, it meant something more than that to both of them. And I couldn't stop thinking about that image, and the story that might lie behind it, so one day I sat down and just wrote it out. But where did the image come from in the first place? I haven't the foggiest idea. Sorry, that's not very helpful! :)

How long did it take you to write and revise the book—start to publication?

The Cellmate happened very quickly; from start to finish, about two weeks. I didn't submit it for publication until much later, though. And it is not a full-length book—it's only about 21,000 words long. Still, that's much faster than I usually work. Everything Under the Sun, which was 58,000 words, took about six months.

How much time do you spending writing—by the day, week, month, however you define it?

Probably more than I really should. Heh. I pretty much am writing all the time, or plotting or planning my writing. Except for those times when my dang job gets in the way. Or, y'know, sleep, or food, or being married. :)

How do you write, physically speaking? Longhand, laptop, desktop, inside or out, at a desk, comfy chair, in bed?

Yes. Well, almost all of those—strike longhand and outside. But I've made thorough use of all the rest of those options.

Other than simply finding the time, what's the most challenging part of the writing process for you? What comes easiest?

For me, writing the sex scenes is the easiest. The most difficult is deeply emotional scenes, especially confrontations. But all of that is definitely eclipsed by the difficulty of finding the time.

Thanks so much again for having me, Shae!

Seven Questions With Mickie B. Ashling

2010-06-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Loving Edits
By Mickie B. Ashling
Paperback & eBook, Dreamspinner Press, June 14, 2010

Let's start with the basics: what's your new book about, and how can readers get their hands on it?

My latest novel is a m/m/m romance about three men in crisis. Don't let the blurb scare you [full blurb on the Dreamspinner website].

Loving Edits celebrates the joys and sorrows of true love while exploring the human spirit. When bestselling novelist Mick Henley contacts his editor and former lover, Paul Alcott, after a seven-year absence, hearing Mick’s voice reinforces what Paul has known all along—he still loves Mick—but his hopes are dashed when he learns Mick is in a loving relationship with Tono Garat. Mick soon reveals he’s been diagnosed with a fatal disease, and Paul and Tono must figure out if they can overcome their differences to provide the loving support necessary to sustain the man they love.

How did you get started writing fiction?

I had a mother who was a voracious reader. She always had a book in her hand, and it was a natural thing for me to gravitate toward her favorite pastime. English and literature were favorite subjects in school, and my vivid imagination just made for a great combination.

How much time do you spend writing—by the day, week, month, however you define it?

I write every day from 3:00 A.M. to 5:30 A.M. Then I get ready for my day job. I never take a break from my schedule, even when I'm on vacation. If nothing new comes to mind, I edit. I'm one of those lucky people who can survive on five hours of sleep.

What's the most challenging part of the writing process for you?

Finding the perfect words for what I want to say. For instance, it's always difficult to come up with fresh and different ways to describe a sex scene. There are certain key words that are used to death in this genre (m/m), and I find it challenging to come up with variations of the same.

What comes easiest?

Plotting. I never seem to run out of ideas. Having four sons is very helpful when you're writing about men. Our conversations usually start with my question and their reply which goes like this. "Eww, don't ask me that" or "Promise you won't put this in a book" or "You want to know how to say WHAT in a different way?" It's always fun to hear the shock, followed by the burst of laughter. I'm amazed I get anything done, but I must say that they have been very helpful with all the ick questions I throw at them.

How do you write, physically speaking? Longhand, laptop, desktop, inside or out, at a desk, comfy chair, in bed?

I use a desktop when I'm at home and a laptop when I'm traveling. I never write in longhand anymore. I can't write as fast as I create, and it's frustrating , not to mention difficult, to read my own scribble once I get done. I love computers. They've made a huge difference in the way I write. There's nothing more exciting to me than filling up a blank screen.

Do you write just one story at time, or do you usually have several works in progress?

One at a time. I can't move on to the next project until the one I'm working on is completed, edited, and submitted. Even after that, I'm on tenterhooks until I get word that it's under contract. Then I can relax and start on a new story.

What are your long-term goals as a writer?

Quitting my day job is something I dream about. I want to have more time to write, so I'm working toward that goal. As for the actual writing, I enjoy reading historical fiction but have never attempted that genre. I'd love to try my hand at it someday. And who doesn't dream of the movie deal? That's the ultimate fantasy for a writer, isn't it?

Find Mickie on LiveJournal and at her website.

Drabble: Carnations

2010-06-11T06:19:00.001-07:00

The peppery-sharp scent of carnations tickles her nose as she crosses the unkempt cemetery toward his grave.

She met him only once, at five to his ninety; she remembers the cracks in his skin and the gaps between his teeth. He gave her a Japanese doll wearing a kimono in vibrant reds and greens; she's treasured it for thirty years.

She replaces the faded plastic flowers with her bouquet, brushing leaves away from the headstone. She resolves to visit more often, to keep the area around the grave clean.

He lived his life alone. He shouldn't be alone in death.

Seven Questions With Anne Brooke

2010-06-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

New short stories by Anne Brooke:
Angels and Airheads
eBook, Torquere Press, June 12, 2010
Martin and The Wolf
eBook, Amber Allure Press, June 13, 2010

Let's start with the basics: what are your newest stories about, and how and when can readers get their hands on them?

I have two new stories coming out in June. First off, there’s Angels and Airheads, a gay comic short story. Ricky has been secretly in love with his best friend Jez forever, but he’s never dared confess his feelings as he thinks Jez is too high-class for him. One evening, a mysterious angel, Madred, appears to persuade Ricky to take a chance on love. But Ricky doesn’t believe in angels, and Madred is forced to take desperate measures in an attempt to show the reluctant Ricky the truth. When the angel leaves, can Ricky find the courage to declare himself to Jez and what will happen if he does?

My second publication is Martin and The Wolf, a gay fantasy short story. When lecturer Martin meets the mysterious Lucas at a neighbor’s midsummer party, the attraction is instant and hot. The two men soon start a relationship, but Martin is puzzled by Lucas’ behavior. He’s not like any other man he’s ever known, and Martin wants to find out why. But when one August night, he tracks Lucas to the depths of the local park, he realizes more eye-opening truths about his new lover and the pack of strange wolves he runs with than he'd ever before thought possible.

How did you get started writing fiction?

I’ve been writing poetry for years, but in 2000 I went through quite a difficult time and found I couldn’t write any more. I complained so much to my mother that she (bless her!) got quite snippety and told me to stop worrying about the poetry and just write prose instead. It worked! I started writing fiction, and found I enjoyed it so much I just kept on going. Even when the poetry came back.

How much time do you spending writing—by the day, week, month, however you define it?

I tend to write something every day, however small. On Mondays to Wednesdays, I write in the evenings, usually short stories, as during those days I work part-time for my local university. On Thursdays and Fridays, on my days off, I concentrate on the current novel, and I also spend some time over the weekend on it, too. In that case, I like to write about 1,000 words a day, just to keep it ticking over. It used to be 2,000 words, but that was way too much and it was driving me mad, so I scaled it down!

Do you write just one story at time, or do you usually have several works in progress?

I like to have several on the go, but only one in each genre. At the moment, I’m working on the third novel in my fantasy trilogy, The Executioner’s Cane. I’m also working on a lesbian erotic short story, Butterfly Girl. Alongside this, I work fairly regularly on a spiritual novel, The Prayer Seeker’s Journal, which I’m blogging on a fortnightly basis.

And, of course, the poetry pops up every now and then too!

How do you write, physically speaking? Longhand, laptop, desktop, inside or out, at a desk, comfy chair, in bed?

I write fiction straight on to the computer in my spare room. I have a terror of laptops, so it’s a desktop computer! In terms of poetry, I always write it out longhand in my living room or at the dining table, and then type it up onto the computer.

What's the most challenging part of the writing process for you? What comes easiest?

In terms of fiction, the most challenging part is working out what the characters are going to do next! As I don’t work to a definite plan, but only have a vague notion of where things are going, I sometimes find I write my characters into a corner and then have to try and get them out of the crisis—it does make it more exciting that way though, if tricky.

Strangely, the part of the process I do enjoy—where many don’t—is the editing. I like seeing the whole concept when it’s done and then making it work properly—I get a lot of satisfaction from that.

As for the poetry, the most challenging part is not being too wordy! I’m a great believer that less is more, so it does make cutting fun.

What are your long-term goals as a writer?

This is a question I always find hugely difficult to answer. I’m not sure I really have a long-term plan, though I’d like to keep writing and producing books that people enjoy. On a practical level, I’m looking forward to the publication of the first novel in my fantasy trilogy, The Gifting, which has just been accepted by Bluewood Publishing, so I’m hoping they might take the second and third of the trilogy, too, depending on how things work out. I’m also hoping to produce a chapbook of some of my haikus (I write one a week and include them in my blog) at some stage, but I suspect it won’t be soon.

Apart from that, I’d like to go on developing as a writer and enjoying where this very strange but never dull vocation takes me!

Outside My Realm

2010-06-02T12:24:00.001-07:00

I'm in the midst of editing a novel for an online friend. Only trouble is, it's not my type of story. It's fantasy, which I've read at times but which I tend to find overwrought and overly descriptive. Still, I can recognize that my friend's done a good job avoiding the annoying parts of the genre while still staying true to the core. And I can edit almost anything for basic style, grammar, and sense, which is mainly what she wanted from me anyway.

This brings up some interesting questions. My "day job" consists of technical editing, and I've worked as a writer and editor in a number of different areas over the years: newspaper, magazines and journals, public relations. I've learnd two primary lessons—I don't want to write for someone else for a living (because then I lose interest in writing for myself), and I don't want to work with any subject matter that holds no interest for me, as writer or editor.

My current writing is gay romance. This is a spinoff from fan fiction I've written recently, but I've written fanfic in the past without crossing over into original fiction. I've tried, but it's never worked for me. I'm not really sure what made the difference this time. I'm also writing much longer stories now than I did previously.

For those of you who are writers or editors, do you stick with a specific genre, subject matter, even length? If so, how did you get started working with that type of material? How much do you experiment outside your usual "comfort" range? Have you ever tried something new and loved it? Tried something new and found it just didn't work for you? What do you think it is that makes the difference?

Drabble: In the Dark

2010-05-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

She has always hated noir. Pretentious and self-congratulating, it leaves her cold as a Chicago winter, empty as the spaces life has left in her heart. The outside world provides more than enough darkness and paranoia for her taste. She does not need it disguised as entertainment.

She watches now only out of apathy, unwilling to expend the energy it would take to argue her date’s choice. He is engrossed, enthralled, and she flinches as he reaches out in the darkness, his fingers wrapping icicles around her hand.

On the screen, the hero abandons the girl, and she shivers, remembering.

Seven Questions With William Cooper

2010-05-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

Broken Bones, Mended Hearts
By William Cooper
eBook, Dreamspinner Press, May 2010

Periodically, I’ll be featuring a short interview with an author here. My first victim ... er, guest is Dreamspinner author William Cooper. Special thanks to Rachel West for the e-introduction!

Let’s start with the basics: what’s your story about, and how can readers get their hands on it?

My story is about two college guys who’ve been best friends for years. After Noah, the main character, is attacked outside the library, Mark realizes how much he really cares for his best friend.

How did you get started writing fiction?

I started writing fiction back in middle school. My seventh grade teacher gave us an assignment—take one of our favorite novels and rewrite the ending to it. Ever since then, I’ve been writing non-stop.

Where did the inspiration for “Broken Bones, Mended Hearts” come from?

In part, it’s based on my own best friend. Like Mark, my best friend has always been there for me through everything. (Though sadly, he doesn’t have a romantic interest in me.)

The story was originally written for Dreamspinner’s A Brush of Wings anthology. When I read the prompt about stories about angels, I thought of a figurative angel, rather than a literal one. And Mark is Noah’s angel.

How much time do you spending writing—by the day, week, month, however you define it?

I try to write every day. Some days I only manage to get a couple paragraphs done, others I’m practically glued to my keyboard. I have a whole folder filled with random scenes and drabbles that I popped into my head that I had to write down. Some I’ll probably never use, but occasionally I go back through them and add to them or use them in a WIP.

How do you write, physically speaking? Longhand, laptop, desktop, inside or out, at a desk, comfy chair, in bed?

90% of my writing is done on my laptop. I write pretty much wherever I am—at home at my desk, in the middle of my Ancient Literature class, or even while I’m working at the flea market. I always have a notebook with me in case I need to jot down a quick scene or idea. A large part of “Broken Bones, Mended Hearts” was written during my British Literature class. (Sorry, Dr. Chuska.)

What’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you? What comes easiest?

The hardest part of the writing process is the waiting. I’m extremely impatient so I’m constantly pacing waiting for replies. It seems like a lot of the writing process is waiting—waiting for your beta reader, waiting for an acceptance/rejection, waiting for edits, waiting for a proof copy, waiting for a cover and then waiting for release. Sometimes I think I’m in the wrong field when I think about all the waiting I have to do.

The easiest part is coming up with the story. I’ve constantly got stories floating around in my head so it’s not hard to pick one and turn it into words. (Although it’s hard to stick to one very long sometimes.)

What are your long-term goals as a writer?

My long-term goal is to make my living as a writer. I’d love to be able to spend my days writing and get paid for it. Maybe then my friends will stop looking at me like I’m mental when I say I’d rather sit home and write then go out to a party.

Review: Everything Under the Sun by Rachel West

2010-05-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

Everything Under the Sun
by Rachel West
eBook, Dreamspinner Press, May 2010

Seth or Alex? Nineteen-year-old Chris has a choice to make—past versus present, old flame versus new—and it’s tougher than it seems. In her first novel, West has drawn three strong, sympathetic main characters, making the reader’s choice as difficult as Chris’s. Backed by an equally strong supporting cast, the three men navigate their way through physical intimacy and emotional timebombs, leading to an ending that leaves the reader with lingering sadness for the odd man out but just as thrilled with the final couple as they are with each other. And let’s not forget the sex, which is amazing, sensual and hot, with an astounding depth of feeling (whether good or bad) underlying the pure physicality.

Works in Progress: Summer Stock

2010-05-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

"So tell me all your secrets."

Ethan's gaze snapped back up to meet Jason's, sure he was caught checking out his new roommate, but Jason's face was relaxed and his eyes closed, lashes casting dark shadows on the ridges of his cheekbones. "You're supposed to keep me out of trouble this summer, right?" Jason continued, a note of humor in his voice. "Or do I have to go through some elaborate hazing ritual first?"

Ethan laughed a little at that and relaxed, too, settling onto his side on his bed, propping his head up with one hand. "I think rooming with me is enough punishment for anyone," he said, drawing a chuckle from Jason. "What do you want to know?"

Jason shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest, eyes still shut. "Anything that'll help," he said. "People to avoid? Food not to eat? Where the poison ivy hides?"

Ethan rolled onto his stomach, folding his hands under his head and resting his cheek against the backs of his fingers. "People to avoid, not many," he said. "Mostly Don doesn't put up with any nonsense. Some rookie usually gets full of their own worth within the first few weeks and gets put into place pretty quickly. It's kind of like boot camp, really. Not that bad, but they do kind of tear you down so they can build you back up."

Jason nodded, eyes finally opening, focusing on Ethan's face. "Got it," he said. "No ego trips." He shrugged again, grinning. "Not likely to be an issue anyway. I'm fully aware I'm pretty much a rank beginner here. I never even took a drama class until my junior year in high school."

Curious now, Ethan lifted his head and an eyebrow. "How'd that work anyway?" he said. "It's kind of hard for me to imagine. I've been acting since I was a kid in some form or another. How'd you get into it so late?"

Jason dropped his head forward and gave a lopsided smile. "My best friend wanted to do it," he said. "We both had an elective spot open, and she'd done some community theater stuff and liked it, so she talked me into it. And the rest--"

"Oh no no no," Ethan interrupted, waggling a finger. "No cliches! We'll get enough of that when we start reading scripts, trust me."

Jason grinned then. "Okay, okay, so let's just say I got my foot caught in the door."

Submitting

2010-05-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

I’ve just send in my second-ever fiction submission (not counting a handful of drabbles published in a long-defunct webzine). The first submission came many years ago, when I knew much less about writing and publishing than I do now. I chose an inappropriate market and didn’t put enough effort into editing, so naturally, it was rejected.

Everyone knows that rejection is difficult. Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life for an author, especially one who’s just testing the waters. It’s easy enough to find suggestions and recommendations for ways to improve the odds of success, but much harder to implement them. Writing workshops, critique groups, “beta” readers, professional editing; at what point does it become too much? When do you reach a point of diminishing returns?

The story I’ve just submitted was originally written as fanfiction, which means that it’s been edited and read in a different form already. For that reason, I chose not to go through the workshop/critique whirlwind this time, ready to accept a rejection if it comes. Call it impatience, but at this point, I’d rather expend the energy on stories that aren’t yet completed. If this submission is rejected, then I’ll decide whether to put in the additional effort to try again.

Eventually, I’ll probably also return to that first story and give it more polish than it had on the first try. It’s a learning process, and I’m fully willing to admit that I’m still a rank beginner.

Review: Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast

2010-05-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast
by Eugie Foster
Originally published in Interzone, February 2009
Reprinted in Apex, August 2009
Winner, 2009 Nebula Awards, Best Novellette

Fantasy, science fiction, fairy tale, or horror? No matter. "Sinner, Baker ..." invokes multiple genres as its protagonist navigates a world where every morning begins life anew and nothing is real. Each new face brings a new reality, none lasting to the next day. Foster brilliantly peels back mask after mask, revealing truth one layer at a time, until both protagonist and reader are stripped bare. Has the protagonist found a true calling, or simply a mind shattered like the masks left behind?