Antonia Aquilante
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Rainbow Snippet February 18-19

2/18/2017

8 Comments

 
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 continuing with first kisses again this week. Today I have Lorcan and Dallen's first kiss in Love and Hope and Magic, my short story in the Turn the Page charity anthology. Well, this isn't technically their first kiss, but it's their first on-page kiss and the first one that means something more to Lorcan.
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​Lorcan stopped too and faced him. “What is it then? What happened?”

Not that long ago, he might have asked what else had happened, because there was only one event that had any meaning for him. He’d figure out what the change meant later.

“Nothing. Really.” Dallan watched him for a moment. “It’s this.”

Before Lorcan knew what was happening, Dallan had stepped forward and pulled him into his arms. Soft lips came down on Lorcan’s, coaxing him into a deep kiss.

You can find more about the anthology here. Also (and unrelated!) today is the last day the Tournai books are on sale at Dreamspinner. Thanks for stopping by and reading today!
8 Comments

Rainbow Snippet October 22-23

10/22/2016

4 Comments

 
​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+.

This weekend, I'm sharing another snippet from my story "Love and Hope and Magic" from the Turn the Page... charity anthology. The anthology benefits suicide prevention programs and contains a diverse group of stories of journeys of love and hope, all about LGBTQ+ main characters. This week's snippet takes place right after the one I posted two weeks ago. 
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​“Lorcan.”

​
His name brought him to a halt, and he blinked back tears to see Dallan standing in the lane. Tall and strong, with his handsome face set in deep lines of worry. Lorcan stared at him, unable to clear the confusion in his mind enough to understand why Dallan would be there. 

Dallan glanced away and shifted from foot to foot, then stood straight and looked back at Lorcan. “I heard, and I thought you might need someone after you spoke with Ailill. I thought you might not want to be alone right now.”

Thanks for reading!
4 Comments

Rainbow Snippet October 8-9

10/8/2016

5 Comments

 
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+.

This weekend, I'm sharing a snippet from my story "Love and Hope and Magic" from the Turn the Page... charity anthology. The anthology benefits suicide prevention programs and contains a diverse group of stories of journeys of love and hope, all about LGBTQ+ main characters. My story is a fantasy romance (unconnected to the Tournai series). Here's the blurb:

Once each century, a ritual is performed, the magic of which sustains the land and protects it and its people for the century to come. But the person who performs the ritual never survives. This time Ailill is chosen. He is honored and content with his fate, but his best friend Lorcan is not. Lorcan can’t accept the loss of Ailill and can’t see a life without the man he thinks of as his other half. But Ailill knew Lorcan perhaps better than Lorcan knows himself, and he knew a life of love and magic is waiting for Lorcan after Ailill is gone, if only Lorcan can find the courage to reach for it.

This snippet takes place just after Lorcan last speaks with Ailill.
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​The tears he’d tried—mostly unsuccessfully—to hide from Ailill began to leak from his eyes as he broke into a run. The yawning emptiness of loss opened up within him, and Ailill wasn’t even gone yet. Only he was, because Lorcan wouldn’t see him ever again. 

Lorcan couldn’t be here anymore.

By the time he reached the doors, he was running full out, heedless of whoever might be watching. His tears came hot and fast, and he stumbled down the lane to the gates. He had to get away.

For more about Turn the Page... including descriptions of the other stories, a longer excerpt of "Love and Hope and Magic," and buy links, go here.

Thanks for reading! Hope you all have a lovely weekend!
5 Comments

Turn the Page... Charity Anthology is Out Today!

10/7/2016

0 Comments

 
The Turn Page... anthology to benefit suicide awareness and prevention programs is out in the world today! I'm so happy to have been able to contribute a story to this anthology. I hope you enjoy it and all the other wonderful stories in Turn the Page...
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Turn The Page.... began as a simple idea and grew from there. No matter how bad things seem to be, just turn the page, there’s more—better—things to come. This is only one chapter in your life. It’s not the whole story. With this simple idea, Novice Sister Eroti-Quill—whom most know better as Tempeste O’Riley—began their quest to help Suicide Prevention and Awareness programs in their area. They managed to con (excuse me, convince) other authors to donate their time and stories to the project, and now, many months later, Turn The Page is born! 

The authors in this anthology donated their talent as a way to support Eroti-Quill’s hope for others, to help bring strength to programs that so desperately need funding. It will allow them to continue to help others, and to show those that need support but may not have it, or that may be afraid to reach out, just how much love and understanding surrounds them. Turn The Page.... is a diverse range of stories about the journey of love, hope, and acceptance. 

Happy Birthday to Me by Tempeste O’Riley 
Robin’s Confession by Dianne Hartsock 
Purr by Nikki Prince 
Lockdown by Grace R. Duncan 
Ducks in a Row by Sue Brown 
Butterflies by Aine P Massie 
Once Step Back by Carole Cummings 
Superheroes by Hope Ryan 
Unworthy by Mark Zubro 
Love and Hope and Magic by Antonia Aquilante 
Façade by Donovan Alekz Crane 

Buy Turn the Page...:
Amazon
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Kobo
iBooks
Create Space

The release party for Turn the Page... will be tomorrow, October 8, at Outwords Books in Milwaukee. Sadly I'll only be able to attend in spirit, but if you're in the area, check it out. Find out more information about the party here.

Individual Story Descriptions

​
Happy Birthday to Me by Tempeste O’Riley

When Dave’s best friend drags him out for his birthday—nearly kicking and screaming, he finds more than he expected at Sovereign, the BDSM club he half owned but had refused to step foot in for two years other than for administrative things while it was closed. He didn’t go to clubs. He didn’t sub anymore. Period.

Well… until he sees Master Nicky. Then his plans for his birthday change and he decides that maybe giving himself a present, might not be quite such a bad idea after all.


Robin’s Confession by Dianne Hartsock

How can Robin find true love without accepting himself first?


Purr by Nikki Prince

Sasha’s love was in imminent danger. All she wanted was to keep Tori safe. Stay at the cabin wait for the verdict from the council. That’s all they had to do. One little dip in the lake couldn’t hurt could it?


Lockdown by Grace R. Duncan

Gylam’s never been that great at communication and this time he’s gone too far. His penchant for keeping his mouth shut resulted in a disastrous trip to the local dungeon. Jackson, his partner—both cop and at home—and Dom, is well familiar with Gylam’s tendencies. The punishment he gives Gylam is just shy of his limits, but Gylam knows he’s earned it. It remains to be seen if it teaches him anything, though.


Ducks in a Row by Sue Brown

David spends his afternoons feeding the ducks, a peaceful activity until the day Jeff and his Labrador dog burst into his life. David and Jeff get to know one another, punctuated by Bozo’s mishaps, but David is unwilling to share all his secrets. Will Jeff give him the time he needs?


Butterflies by Aine P Massie

Kyndra visits Jaiden’s shop for a little birthday shopping but is there for more than the pretty blown glass designs she makes—lovely though they are. What she really wants is a date with the beautiful craftswoman. But can she push her fears aside and ask, or will her past get in the way? With Jaiden’s help, can who Kyndra is inside finally shine?


Once Step Back by Carole Cummings

When Sahir is busy running for his life, it never occurs to him that the being in wrong place at the wrong time might turn into the right place at the right time. Not until he literally collides with Nicholas and salvation comes by way of magical intervention. But when Nicholas ends up being the one who really needs help, Sahir has to decide the best way to give it—and how to offer it to someone who can’t even figure out if he wants it.


Superheroes by Hope Ryan

Many people reach a point where they think life can’t get any worse. Rock bottom, where the future is so bleak, they begin to ask, “why bother?”

When homeless gay man Wayne Kent reaches that point, standing on a Pittsburgh bridge on a cold Tuesday in April, the last thing he expects is to get stopped—especially by a man named Bruce Clark.

But Bruce has been there, he’s seen that, he’s thought and felt the things Wayne is now and he refuses to see the beautiful, hurting man become another statistic. Coffee and a sandwich is a first step and Bruce hopes it’ll lead to a permanent step up for Wayne. And maybe even a step toward more together.


Unworthy by Mark Zubro

A love lost over half a century ago. Is there really redemption for all of our regrets, or at least perhaps for one regret? A chance to change the decision you made over half a century ago, or at least a chance to say what was unsaid, to say what could be said now? The love you missed so long ago, and if you could have one moment again, once last chance.


Love and Hope and Magic by Antonia Aquilante

Once each century, a ritual is performed, the magic of which sustains the land and protects it and its people for the century to come. But the person who performs the ritual never survives. This time Ailill is chosen. He is honored and content with his fate, but his best friend Lorcan is not. Lorcan can’t accept the loss of Ailill and can’t see a life without the man he thinks of as his other half. But Ailill knew Lorcan perhaps better than Lorcan knows himself, and he knew a life of love and magic is waiting for Lorcan after Ailill is gone, if only Lorcan can find the courage to reach for it.


Façade by D. Zander Crane 

David struggles with his gender identity as he searches his city for a woman-murdering madman in his female alter-ego, Façade. Can he overcome his depression and confusion long enough to stop the Grinning Reaper?
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Turn the Page... Charity Anthology Sale!

9/29/2016

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The Turn the Page... charity anthology is available for preorder now, and there's a special sale going on too! If you preorder/purchase from Smashwords through October 10th, you can get the anthology 25% off with coupon code HL43L. 
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Turn The Page.... began as a simple idea and grew from there. No matter how bad things seem to be, just turn the page, there’s more—better—things to come. This is only one chapter in your life. It’s not the whole story. With this simple idea, Novice Sister Eroti-Quill—whom most know better as Tempeste O’Riley—began their quest to help Suicide Prevention and Awareness programs in their area. They managed to con (excuse me, convince) other authors to donate their time and stories to the project, and now, many months later, Turn The Page is born! 

The authors in this anthology donated their talent as a way to support Eroti-Quill’s hope for others, to help bring strength to programs that so desperately need funding. It will allow them to continue to help others, and to show those that need support but may not have it, or that may be afraid to reach out, just how much love and understanding surrounds them. Turn The Page.... is a diverse range of stories about the journey of love, hope, and acceptance. 

​Happy Birthday to Me by Tempeste O’Riley 
Robin’s Confession by Dianne Hartsock 
Purr by Nikki Prince 
Lockdown by Grace R. Duncan 
Ducks in a Row by Sue Brown 
Butterflies by Aine P Massie 
Once Step Back by Carole Cummings 
Superheroes by Hope Ryan 
Unworthy by Mark Zubro 
Love and Hope and Magic by Antonia Aquilante 
Façade by Donovan Alekz Crane

For more about the anthology—including an excerpt of my story, Love and Hope and Magic, and links to other places you can purchase Turn the Page...—go here.

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Turn the Page... Charity Anthology

9/20/2016

0 Comments

 
A few months ago, Tempest O'Riley contacted me and invited me to contribute a story to a charity anthology they were putting together to benefit suicide prevention programs. I was honored to be asked and happy to be able to help this important cause. The anthology, called Turn the Page..., will be out on October 7, 2016 and is now available for preorder.
​
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​Turn The Page.... began as a simple idea and grew from there. No matter how bad things seem to be, just turn the page, there’s more—better—things to come. This is only one chapter in your life. It’s not the whole story. With this simple idea, Novice Sister Eroti-Quill—whom most know better as Tempeste O’Riley—began their quest to help Suicide Prevention and Awareness programs in their area. They managed to con (excuse me, convince) other authors to donate their time and stories to the project, and now, many months later, Turn The Page is born! 

The authors in this anthology donated their talent as a way to support Eroti-Quill’s hope for others, to help bring strength to programs that so desperately need funding. It will allow them to continue to help others, and to show those that need support but may not have it, or that may be afraid to reach out, just how much love and understanding surrounds them. Turn The Page.... is a diverse range of stories about the journey of love, hope, and acceptance. 

Happy Birthday to Me by Tempeste O’Riley 
Robin’s Confession by Dianne Hartsock 
Purr by Nikki Prince 
Lockdown by Grace R. Duncan 
Ducks in a Row by Sue Brown 
Butterflies by Aine P Massie 
Once Step Back by Carole Cummings 
Superheroes by Hope Ryan 
Unworthy by Mark Zubro 
Love and Hope and Magic by Antonia Aquilante 
Façade by Donovan Alekz Crane

​Preorder Turn the Page... at Amazon.
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    Antonia is a writer and a reader. She loves books, travel, art, photography, baking, pasta, and shoes.

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