Blog Archives

Honorable Mention in the Rainbow Awards!

10/31/2017

Happy Halloween! I hope you're having a fun holiday!

I found out today that The Sorcerer's Guardian received an Honorable Mention in this year's Rainbow Awards. The words of the judges just made my day. Winners will be announced on December 8th, but I'm so excited just to have gotten this far and in such wonderful company.

The Sorcerer's Guardian is on sale through the 31st, along with all my other books (and so many other great books too). You can find them at Dreamspinner and NineStar.

I'm also visiting the NineStar Press blog today to talk about baking and writing (and procrastination...), and I'm sharing a favorite cookies recipe: Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip. Yum!

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Halloween Sales!

10/30/2017

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I have a couple of sales to share with you today!

First off, Dreamspinner is having a storewide sale through Halloween. All books, including my Dreamspinner titles, are 31% percent off in ebook and paperback.

NineStar Press's paranormal sale is still going on as well. Lots of great books are on sale there, including The Dragon's Devotion, which is 50% off in ebook through the 31st.

Happy shopping!

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Rainbow Snippet October 28-29

10/28/2017

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your tbr. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+.

How is it the last weekend in October already? I don't have anything Halloween appropriate, so I'm just going with one last snippet from The Dragon's Devotion before I start mixing in some other things. For now though, here's a little more Bastien and Corentin.

“I don’t even get a kiss hello?” Corentin’s smile turned slightly wicked as he stood and came around the desk, without bumping into any of the furniture. Bastien thought it quite a feat, or perhaps he was just trying to distract himself from the sound of that deep, smooth voice washing over him. “I think I deserve that, don’t you?”

“If we kiss now, we won’t make it to lunch in a timely fashion.” Snatching quick kisses always seemed to turn into something far more. He smiled up at Corentin, a bit surprised at the flirtatiousness he put in it. “And I’m hungry.”

If you'd like to know more about The Dragon's Devotion, you can find it here. Through Halloween, The Dragon's Devotion is 50% off at NineStar Press (only $3.50!). Lots of other great books are on sale there too if you're looking for some weekend reading.

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In Case You Missed It (And a Sale)

10/27/2017

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I've been so focused on getting to the end of Tournai 6 (so close...) that I've been less than good about keeping you updated about everything else! Sorry!

So, in case you missed it, last week, I visited Jackie Keswick's blog with a post about The Dragon's Devotion and an excerpt, and this week, I visited Kim Fielding's blog to participate in Interview Roulette.

And for the sale part, The Dragon's Devotion is 50% off (along with lots of other great books) at NineStar Press through Halloween. $3.50 is a great price for the ebook, so if you haven't given Bastien and Corentin's story a read, now may be a good time.

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Rainbow Snippet October 21-22

10/21/2017

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your tbr. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+.

I'm going back to The Dragon's Devotion for another snippet this weekend, but I'll probably start mixing in some other stories soon, since I've been snippeting The Dragon's Devotion for a while now. We're in Bastien's point of view in this snippet. (I think I actually hit six sentences without going over this time!)

Corentin’s pursuit—was that the word? was he being pursued?—was, if nothing else, a novel distraction from his recent frustrations and the growing tension between him and Griffen. But it was more than a distraction; Bastien had to admit that, even if it was unclear exactly what it was or what it could ever be.

He’d assumed after the play—after Corentin had spent much of it tormenting him in quite a pleasant way—that Corentin would invite him home, but he had only asked if Bastien wanted to have a drink somewhere. He’d agreed, rather dully, and they’d sat together in a quiet tavern sharing a bottle of wine and talking, about the play—what they remembered of it—and others they’d seen, books they’d read. It was a rambling and enjoyable conversation, and there had been a few long kisses in shadows on the walk back to Bastien’s house, which left him feeling rather warm.

He wondered if Corentin was trying to make him crazy.

You can find out more about The Dragon's Devotion here. Thanks for stopping by and reading this weekend!

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Rainbow Snippet October 14-15

10/14/2017

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your tbr. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+.

I'm taking a break from The Dragon's Devotion this weekend to share a snippet of The Prince's Consort, my first published book, which will have been out two years on Monday. To celebrate the book's anniversary, here is a snippet of a kiss. (I think I went one sentence under this time, but someday I know I'll get six sentences!)

The second kiss still wasn’t more than the tender slide of lips over lips, but it wasn’t as brief, nor as innocent as the first. Amory’s lips were soft against his, his body warm and fitting just right against Philip’s as he pulled Amory closer. The kiss was perfect, as the first had been. It felt as if he’d been waiting for the kiss, for the man, for years, and at that moment everything had fallen into place. It felt as if they were the only two people in the world for those moments, and the feeling was wonderful.

If you'd like to know more about The Prince's Consort, you can find it here. Have a great weekend!

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September Reads

10/12/2017

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I've been pushing to finish writing Tournai 6, but I still read some great books in September (we all need an escape from reality these days, right?).

Permanent Ink by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn: A slow burn age gap romance between a graffiti artist with some growing up to do and his father's best friend, a tattoo artist.

Off Base and At Attention by Annabeth Albert: I've had both of these books on my Kindle for a while, and I don't know why it's taken me so long to read them since I always enjoy Annabeth Albert's books. These have Navy Seal heroes and they're fun. I have to catch up with the next book in the series.

The Pages of the Mind by Jeffe Kennedy: This book starts a new series, but it is connected to her Twelve Kingdoms series. I've only read the first book in the Twelve Kingdoms (I'm going to read the rest!), but I didn't have much trouble getting into this one. It's a fantastic fantasy world, and there's a librarian heroine!

Recovery by Amy Rae Durreson: I love this series. I've had this book for a while, but I kept not wanting to read it because then I wouldn't have another book in the series to read for a while. I finally gave in, and it's just as good as every other book in the series. If you enjoy fantasy and dragons, give this series a try. I'd start at the first book (Reawakening) to understand them all better.

Fae Out of Water series by E.J. Russell: This is a fun paranormal romance trilogy. They're light, quick reads, and while they probably stand alone, I'd read them in order to get the most out of them. My favorite is probably still the first, Cutie and the Beast (David is a sweetheart).

Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb: There are over forty books in this series and I keep reading because they are always reliably good and I love checking back in with Eve, Roarke, and the rest of the gang. This book was no different.

Into the Mystic Vol. 2: Into the Mystic is an anthology of f/f paranormal stories that will be out next week from NineStar Press. Laura Bailo, a friend and author of one of the stories in the anthology (The Holy Company with its intriguing roots in Spanish folklore), gave me an ARC. There are so many different paranormal stories in this anthology—witches, selkies, vampires, ghosts, and mermaids just to name a few. As with any anthology, I have stories that are my favorites more than others, but overall, it was a great book, and perfect for the lead up to Halloween.

What have you been reading lately?

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Guest Post: The Stark Divide by J. Scott Coatsworth

10/10/2017

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J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer sci fi book out. Read on for more about The Stark Divide and an excerpt.

Some stories are epic.

The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed.

Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her.

From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.

Humankind has just taken its first step toward the stars.

Book One of Liminal Sky

DSP Publications (eBook) | DSP Publications (paperback) | Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Smashwords | Goodreads

Excerpt

“DRESSLER, SCHEMATIC,” Colin McAvery, ship’s captain and a third of the crew, called out to the ship-mind.

A three-dimensional image of the ship appeared above the smooth console. Her five living arms, reaching out from her central core, were lit with a golden glow, and the mechanical bits of instrumentation shone in red. In real life, she was almost two hundred meters from tip to tip.

Between those arms stretched her solar wings, a ghostly green film like the sails of the Flying Dutchman.

“You’re a pretty thing,” he said softly. He loved these ships, their delicate beauty as they floated through the starry void.

“Thank you, Captain.” The ship-mind sounded happy with the compliment—his imagination running wild. Minds didn’t have real emotions, though they sometimes approximated them.

He cross-checked the heading to be sure they remained on course to deliver their payload, the man-sized seed that was being dragged on a tether behind the ship. Humanity’s ticket to the stars at a time when life on Earth was getting rapidly worse.

All of space was spread out before him, seen through the clear expanse of plasform set into the ship’s living walls. His own face, trimmed blond hair, and deep brown eyes, stared back at him, superimposed over the vivid starscape.

At thirty, Colin was in the prime of his career. He was a starship captain, and yet sometimes he felt like little more than a bus driver. After this run… well, he’d have to see what other opportunities might be awaiting him. Maybe the doc was right, and this was the start of a whole new chapter for mankind. They might need a guy like him.

The walls of the bridge emitted a faint but healthy golden glow, providing light for his work at the curved mechanical console that filled half the room. He traced out the T-Line to their destination. “Dressler, we’re looking a little wobbly.” Colin frowned. Some irregularity in the course was common—the ship was constantly adjusting its trajectory—but she usually corrected it before he noticed.

“Affirmative, Captain.” The ship-mind’s miniature chosen likeness appeared above the touch board. She was all professional today, dressed in a standard AmSplor uniform, dark hair pulled back in a bun, and about a third life-sized.

The image was nothing more than a projection of the ship-mind, a fairy tale, but Colin appreciated the effort she took to humanize her appearance. Artificial mind or not, he always treated minds with respect.

“There’s a blockage in arm four. I’ve sent out a scout to correct it.”

The Dressler was well into slowdown now, her pre-arrival phase as she bled off her speed, and they expected to reach 43 Ariadne in another fifteen hours.

Pity no one had yet cracked the whole hyperspace thing. Colin chuckled. Asimov would be disappointed. “Dressler, show me Earth, please.”

A small blue dot appeared in the middle of his screen.

“Dressler, three dimensions, a bit larger, please.” The beautiful blue-green world spun before him in all its glory.

Appearances could be deceiving. Even with scrubbers working tirelessly night and day to clean the excess carbon dioxide from the air, the home world was still running dangerously warm.

He watched the image in front of him as the East Coast of the North American Union spun slowly into view. Florida was a sliver of its former self, and where New York City’s lights had once shone, there was now only blue. If it had been night, Fargo, the capital of the Northern States, would have outshone most of the other cities below. The floods that had wiped out many of the world’s coastal cities had also knocked down Earth’s population, which was only now reaching the levels it had seen in the early twenty-first century.

All those new souls had been born into a warm, arid world.

We did it to ourselves. Colin, who had known nothing besides the hot planet he called home, wondered what it had been like those many years before the Heat.

About the Author:

Scott spends his time between the here and now and the what could be. Enticed into fantasy and sci fi by his mom at the tender age of nine, he devoured her Science Fiction Book Club library. But as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were in the books he was reading.

He decided that it was time to create the kinds of stories he couldn’t find at his local bookstore. If there weren’t gay characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

His friends say Scott’s mind works a little differently – he sees relationships between things that others miss, and gets more done in a day than most folks manage in a week. He loves to transform traditional sci fi, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something unexpected.

Starting in 2014, Scott has published more than 15 works, including two novels and a number of novellas and short stories.

He runs both Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, sites that bring queer people together to promote and celebrate fiction that reflects their own lives.

Website / Facebook (personal) / Facebook (author page) / Twitter / Goodreads / QueeRomance Ink / Amazon

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The Prince's Consort on Sale

10/9/2017

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The Prince's Consort is 30% off in ebook and paperback at Dreamspinner through October 12th! It's a great time to meet Amory and Philip if you haven't yet!

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Rainbow Snippet October 7-8

10/7/2017

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your tbr. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+.

Today's snippet is from The Dragon's Devotion again and follows not long after last week's. Bastien agreed to go to the theater with Corentin, and they're watching the play from a private box. (I really went over the sentence limit this week. I'm sorry! I'll get back to six sentences next time. Promise.)

With a small smile, he waited a few moments as they watched the actors on stage and then began to play with Bastien’s fingers—running his fingers over each of them, drawing slow patterns on the back of his hand, caressing his palm with deliberate provocativeness. Neither of them looked away from the stage below, but Bastien’s breathing sped up. Corentin loved that small indication of Bastien’s interest, that he wasn’t indifferent to his attention.

Everything blurred except the warmth of Bastien’s hand in his, Bastien’s presence at his side as he kept up his slow exploration of Bastien’s hand.

They were still sitting that way when the play ended and applause exploded from the audience, swelling to an almost deafening sound. Corentin jumped; Bastien did as well, and they looked at each other and laughed. Corentin reluctantly released Bastien’s hand so they could add their appreciation to that of the rest of the audience. His only consolation was that Bastien seemed disappointed, perhaps as disappointed as Corentin.

As the curtains closed on the stage and the theater brightened, Bastien leaned over, closing the distance between them. He whispered, “I shouldn’t admit this, but I have no idea how that ended. Do you?”

Corentin laughed. “I like that you admitted it. And I have no idea either.”

Bastien huffed out a laugh. He looked out over the theater as people began to move around again and shot Corentin a quick glance out of the corner of his eye. “We may have to see it again.”

“Perhaps we will.” Corentin paused for a moment. “I can’t promise that the same won’t happen again.”

“I would be very disappointed if you did.”

If you'd like to know more about The Dragon's Devotion, you can find it here. Thanks for reading!

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