Excerpt Post for Valentine's Day

V-Day, an erotic romantic comedy 

By Anne Holly

It all started with a serenade…

A family like Daniel’s and the solitary pursuit of musical excellence is enough to make a young man crazy. No wonder all Daniel Vouks dreams of is getting away. He knows his violin will take him places in life, but the only place he really wants to be is next door. He’s been in love with his neighbor since he was fourteen, but can he ever make her see him as more than just a lovesick kid?

V-Day is the story of a Valentine's Day weekend Daniel fears he may regret, but will never, ever forget.

Excerpt:

Daniel retreated to the music room, thankful he didn’t have a class or a practice scheduled on campus today. He didn’t even have to give any lessons until next week. The weather really didn’t look all that welcoming and he was grateful he could huddle inside as his family bustled off to their various destinations. After school, his parents would be off for the weekend, dropping his sister and her flotilla of luggage off at Kayley’s so the girls could get ready to go to the dance together, which meant leaving Daniel officially on his own until at least Sunday afternoon. Glorious.

Allowing the noise of their departures to roll off him as he sat absently at the piano, he plucked out a few strains and watched the sun glint off the fresh snow in the backyard. It was really beautiful when you could view it from a cozy place.

Blah! Another Valentine’s Day. His nineteenth one as a single guy. And, he thought ruefully, his nineteenth year as a confirmed virgin.

Jesus, even his baby sister had more going on than he did. Selby, his girlfriend in tenth grade, had been about as close to any action as he’d ever gotten. Her pathological fear of pregnancy made it absolutely essential that he keep his pants on at all times. Other than that, any girl he’d ever liked had tossed him into the “friend” basket and never bothered to reassess him.

Kelly, his best friend, did that. After Daniel followed the cute redheaded soprano around for weeks like a puppy, she finally took pity on him and explained he was simply too nice to attract her. After that, they formed an easy relationship through which both had a pal, and a no-fuss “emergency date” when necessary.

Flipping open his phone, he hit Kelly’s number.

“This better be good,” she grumbled after the fifth ring.

“Hey early riser,” he chuckled.

“Well, if I had my mom bringing me my morning coffee in bed…”

“Okay, truce,” Daniel winced. “And my mom doesn’t let me drink coffee.”

“Why not? Afraid it'll stunt your growth, stretch?” Kelly asked with a crystal clear laugh despite having just woken up.

“Something like that,” he said, flecking a flower petal off the top of the piano. “Listen…You’re probably…I dunno…busy tonight, right?”

“Are you trying again, Danny?” she groaned.

“Well, no. I just thought if you weren’t, maybe we could do something.”

“I have a date.”

“Right,” he forced a chuckle. “Yeah, I figured you would.” He straightened in his chair. “Being Valentine’s and all. No problem, just wanted to check.”

“Ahhh, Danny,” she sighed. “What about you?”

“I got a hot date all weekend,” he said over a grimace. “With that friggin’ tango, I guess.”

“Danny, do yourself a favor,” she said firmly. “Go get yourself laid. I told you that’s what’s missing from your tango.”

“Well then,” he quipped. “Support the arts and break your date. I can be there in an hour.”

“Har har har,” she said and then laughed for real. “Seriously, go fall for someone. Preferably someone who will fall for you back.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “For you, I'll try my best.”

Daniel hung up and pounded out a few more notes on the keyboard in front of him, contemplating Kelly’s method music theory that said you could only sing or play what you’d experienced. If that were the case, his tango would remain a virginal one if his luck so far was any indication.

*

For more information about my adult (18+) Valentine’s Day erotic romantic comedy, V-Day, please see my holiday stories website: http://annehollyholiday.webs.com/valentinesdaytales.htm

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Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and teacher. You may visit Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and Twitter  (@anneholly2010). Sign up for her newsletter here. Email: anneholly2010@gmail.com.

Baggage Check!

I not sure I want to know what this says about me, but I love characters with baggage. Not simple rainy-day baggage, a crummy job or a lame sidekick. I’m talking the truly deep, heavy baggage that takes a whole novel to unpack. The kind that makes for a multi-faceted characters and really good drama. The kind that I probably wouldn’t tolerate for a moment in real life, but that I utterly revel in when it comes to books.

Mr. Rochester, in my opinion, is and ever will be the tortured hero against whom all others should be measured…though Edmund Dantes, the titular Count of Monte Cristo, certainly comes close…but that might very well be a blog post for another day…. In terms of more modern novels, however, there really is only one place to start: Loretta Chase’s continually shocking and always entrancing Lord of Scoundrels.


It’s a rare event when this book isn’t included toward the top of a list of ‘Best Romances’, and it is because Loretta Chase created a hero the likes of whom had never been seen before, and has been hard to best ever since. Sebastian, Lord Dain, seemingly born unattractive and unlovable, was left to fend for himself and to survive the beatings and bullying of the world alone. Unsurprisingly, by the time he is in his thirties, he commands all the fear and approbation due to the Devil himself. Having lived a lifetime without love of any kind, it’s doubtful whether Dain has any idea what hit him when he first sets eyes on Jessica Trent (he tries to convince himself it’s merely indigestion from some rancid butter). And though she is everything Dain has publicly disdained, she is, in fact, the one person on earth that he needs—and one of the very few who isn’t afraid of him or his reputation.

What I found so incredible about Dain was the fact that he managed to be so duplicitous. On the outside, he is completely implacable, meeting every situation with ruthlessly calm disdain. But on the inside, he is totally unsure of himself, especially around Jessica, and constantly compares her physical beauty and smallness to his own bulk and brawn (While I don’t think I’d want to meet Dain in a dark alley, I tend to believe a bit more in Jessica’s description of him than his own). And though he tries terribly hard not to show how much her concern and her tolerance—not to mention her love—mean to him, Dain needs Jess more than oxygen. Jess gives as good as she gets, of course, and watching these two navigate their way to a happy ending (believe me, it’s quite the journey) is one of the most memorable experiences of my literary life.

Though my devotion to Dain is long-standing, there is no one for me who can quite compare to Lucian Knight, the hero of Gaelen Foley’s Lord of Fire.


Like Dain, Lucien has come to accept that he is alone in the world, both because of his profession as a master spy for the Crown, and because his decision to abandon his career in the army for a life of espionage has estranged him from his twin brother, Damien, the only friend he’s ever truly trusted. Never mind that the reason Lucian took up spying was in order to keep his brother safe by any means necessary. He shoulders that burden, along with so many others, and determines to live a life of notorious depravity in order to keep the respectable world that abandoned him at arm’s length. Lucien’s life is one of thwarted ambitions and heartbreaking setbacks, culminating in his ongoing battle with Claude Bardou, a French spy, and the man responsible for breaking Lucien, and for killing his mentor. Bardou’s appearance in England (with characteristically dastardly motives) coincides with the arrival of one Alice Montague, sister-in-law Lucien’s most recent conquest. And, like Dain, from the moment he sees the lady, Lucien’s life is irrevocably changed. In her, Lucien sees his last chance at redemption, an antidote to the blackness of his life and the one person he refuses to learn to live without.

If Dain’s charm is in his self-deception, Lucien’s is found in his absolute, heart-rending simplicity, and the lengths that he goes to hide that sincerity from a world he can no longer trust. But as layer after layer of this complex man is peeled away, it becomes obvious that, more than being a ruthless opponent, and a savagely clever spy, Lucien is a fundamentally good man who wears his heart on his sleeve, and that heart belongs to no one but Alice. I loved that she wasn’t the paragon of virtue that her sister-in-law makes her out to be, but rather, she is honest and loyal and unpretentious, while Lucien, despite his own reputation, is weary and careworn and terribly, terribly lonely. I’ve read this book over and over, and I still can’t past one specific scene without going all to pieces, usually on the shoulder of a stranger on the subway, or cheering in triumph at the books explosive ending.

Naturally, it’s not only historic characters that get the entire collection of emotional luggage; even immortal demons get the blues sometimes.


Michelle Rowan’s Living in Eden series features a wonderfully tortured demon, Darrak, who through no fault of his own, obviously (ahem), finds himself in possession of one Eden Riley, a somewhat forlorn young woman who has inherited one half of a failing private detective firm. Together, our leading lady and demonic anti-hero have enough issues to open a news stand: Eden’s mother passed away just before the series’ opening, after a lifetime of poor decisions and bad behavior, leaving Eden without a family, no information at all about her father. Darrak, on the other hand, has spent millennia trying to free himself of the human bodies he is forced to possess, after being cursed during particularly bad breakup with a very powerful witch. But after finding Eden, Darrak finds he is increasingly unwilling to leave, even though his presence might be doing her far more harm than good. Both are Hell bent (pun intended) on finding a way to “cure” Eden and her soul of Darrak’s influence, but as their impromptu partnership develops and their personal relationship heats up, it looks as if Darrak might just be willing to defy Hell itself to stay with his troubled beloved. These two work spectacularly together, and their snarky banter (made even better by the fact that they inhabit the same corporeal space) is topped only by those moments of tenderness when we get to see just how close these two have truly become. For those of us who hate cliffhangers, the last book in this trilogy (That Old Black Magic) was released in December, so you can enjoy the entire story without pesky interruptions.

A bit closer to reality, Drew in Blue, one of my favorite reads last year, features two characters whose baggage isn’t nearly as visible as some of our above-mentioned heroes and heroines, but carry an incredible amount of emotional punch.


Drew Doyle’s childhood was less than memorable, spent in a number of foster homes after his mother’s sudden death. As a result, he’s become a confirmed loner as an adult, with few close friends outside his high-school love and lifelong best friend, Kristina. When an ex-girlfriend drops by unexpectedly and leaves Drew with a son he didn’t know he had, his entire world is suddenly upended. Not only does he have to learn the intricate rituals of feeding and changing and walking, but he has to face his own fears of being a father, of learning to love this child in a way he never was. Thankfully, he has Kristina, who stays by his side even through his less-than stellar attempts at relationships. But when Drew at least realizes that she could very easily be the woman to fill the void in his and Nick’s life, it might be too late. Drew broke Kris’ heart by walking away from their budding romance, and convincing her that he is willing to change now might be his biggest challenge of all.

Like Eden, Drew’s family life has left its marks, and, like Lucien, he has learned that hard way that showing your vulnerabilities will get you terribly hurt. His childhood pain and misconceptions have colored his whole outlook, and the idea not only of relying on someone, but on being responsible for someone, is genuinely terrifying. But, as we’ve seen, sometimes true love can conquer the most improbable of situations. This story faces the biggest of issues with simple honesty, and every scene is all the more powerful for it, especially as the real magic between Drew and Kristina is let loose. From heart wrenching loss and gut-twistingly awkward (and painfully funny) mishaps, these characters begin beautiful transformations. This is one of those love stories against which I tend to measure all others, and no matter how many times I go back to it, Drew in Blue continues to tug at my heart.

The list could go on from here, of course, but what do you think? What kind of characters keep you coming back for more? Recommendations are enormously appreciated!

Excerpt Post: Strings Attached by Anne Holly

As promised, taking up where the snippet left off in my featured book interview...

When Canadian rancher Josie Sergeant gets a call from her brother announcing his impetuous decision to marry, she has her reservations. But, when her brother’s would-be brother-in-law swoops in from Australia to stop the wedding, Josie has no choice but to defend the family.

Theo Sabich is bull-headed and dangerously sexy, but also damaged beyond repair… or so he thinks. He enjoys getting on Josie’s nerves, but when he finds her getting under his skin he must decide - face his demons and grab this last chance for happiness or bury himself in his lonely Outback ranch once and for all.

Under the northern lights, their attraction ignites beyond their control, and Josie finds that a one-time “no strings attached” release of passion is easier said than done when love is hanging by a thread.

But how will they bridge the difference between two worlds, let alone conquer the wounds of the past and find the courage to live again?

An excerpt of Strings Attached.

Josie looked at the tall Australian. He was obviously displeased there was no smoking in the restaurant, judging by the way he occasionally fidgeted with his lighter. But then again, she conceded, if she’d ever taken up the habit she wouldn’t choose tonight to quit, either.

The tension was palpable, though she couldn’t really find impoliteness in his manner. Rather, deep unhappiness emanated from him in an elemental and animalistic way. Whether it was over the present situation or otherwise, she couldn’t tell. She wished desperately that she wasn’t seated between the large man and her brother in the crescent-shaped privacy booth, but there’d been no way to back out without being obvious about it, and she was determined that Theodore Sabich find no fault with their family.

Josie had felt shivers when their eyes had met that first time, and she was shocked to realize that he was, quite possibly, the most attractive man she’d ever seen. Before he’d found out that she was his future sister-in-law, she’d glimpsed a small spark of interest in his intriguing emerald green eyes. However, once he’d found out who she was, a titanium force field had slammed shut over his features, closing off any further communication. Josie felt an inexplicable sense of loss at the barrier and was angered at the realization that he’d already decided to hate Richard, along with anything or anyone connected with him.

“So, Josie,” Julie’s charming outback tones cut through her thoughts, “you still run the family ranch, is that right?”

“Yes, indeed,” Josie confirmed proudly, with a cheeky smile.

“Six hundred and forty of the best acres in northern Manitoba, producing some of the finest sheep north of the Dakotas.” Josie, despite any modesty she felt about herself, was never slow to praise the land she owned or the high quality stock that sprang from it. She achieved great pride from the place, and always enjoyed the interest it inspired in others. She looked to Theo, but saw shocked amusement rather than admiration in his face.

“What? A woman?” Theo smiled crookedly. “Girl, more like! You can’t be any older than this little mite here,” he scoffed, jabbing a thumb to his right, indicating his twenty-four-year-old sister.

Josie felt her hackles rise immediately, and heard Richard’s expulsion of breath. This hadn't been the first time Richard had witnessed someone make the mistake of questioning Josie’s abilities based on her gender, age or looks, and, undoubtedly he pictured his fiancée’s brother’s body laying dismembered on the perfectly groomed forest green rugs. He shot an apologetic look at Julie, as if to tell her that he could do nothing to save her beloved brother, but she was looking at Theo with a horrified look on her face.

Josie, who felt the flush spread up over her fair cheekbones and turn her face an outraged rose, tried to remember that it was important that she be nice to Theo. Despite this, her desire to stab the big gorilla with her salad fork overrode her inner critic, and she found a mature middle road: name-calling.

“Well,” Josie shot back in measured tones, “I’m glad to know that the image of the Australian male as conceited, cocky, and chauvinistic is no mere stereotype, but is really based on you.”

Theo and Josie stared each other down. Josie’s eyes shot ice daggers, but Theo’s face revealed his barely restrained amusement.

Finally, the dam broke, and Theo almost fell out of his chair laughing.

“Put your claws back in, kitten,” Theo quipped, voice dripping with condescension, “you got me.”

“Listen, jerk,” Josie growled and threw her napkin onto the tabletop, glancing around at the neighboring tables and keeping her voice low. “I am perfectly able to run circles around you or any man in the ranching business, and I am definitely not your ‘kitten’. You may not think that a dozen women have a brain between them, but I can assure you that women like your sister and I are more than capable of doing just about anything we set our minds to.”

All good-humor fled from Theo’s face, this being the second time some snippy girl barely out of her teens had hinted that he was butting into his sister’s life uninvited.

Watching his handsome features tighten into a mask of extremely male annoyance, Josie would have been fascinated had she not been so intimidated. His presence seemed to swell next to her as resentment heated the air between them.

“You listen to me,” Theo shot back. “Why don’t you calm down and try to act as grown up as you think you are?” He ignored her annoyed snort and reasoned with her. “My ranch takes me, my two brothers, and our father to run it, and we still have to hire out in some seasons. You have to realize it’s unusual that a ranch be run by a young woman alone.”

Said like that, in even tones and with rationality, Josie’s ire deflated against her will. The damned Aussie caveman was trying to diffuse her, and she didn’t enjoy being ‘handled’ by him. She sat back and paused a moment.

“Sheep,” she attempted to inject brightness into her tone. “They’re easier to deal with, and they keep your hands soft.”

“Hands soft?” Julie went along with the attempt at normalizing the conversation.

“The lanolin in the wool,” Josie explained lamely.

Silence fell for a time. Forks clanked and each person struggled to think of something to more to say. Except for Theo. He still simmered, and appeared to have no desire to save the others from their discomfort. He downed the dregs of his third beer, instead, and stared at his steak as if someone had written the meaning of life on it.

Available now on Kindle, Nook, epub, etc.

Romance Books: What makes a hero a hero?

Romance Books: What makes a hero a hero?

The first thing many people think of when they think of a hero whether it be real life or a hero from a romance book is someone who has either saved  someone’s life or the entire world from destruction. These kinds of things can definitely make someone a hero, but there are other seemingly small or insignificant things that I myself believe makes a true hero. For example by helping someone through a troubled time, spending time with an elderly woman/man at the local nursing home,  or even volunteering at the humane society can make someone a hero.

Conquering some inner demons can be as hard as and many times harder than conquering some villain. Not all heroes’ have to be perfect do gooders. Some may not have done much good at all, but by trying to turn themselves around and making a fresh start for their self it makes them truly hero worthy.   Many people have suffered through alcoholism, depression, or addiction to cocaine or other narcotics. The few that are able to battle these problems and come out a better person for their family or friends, or especially themselves are what I consider to be true heroes’.

Characters that were once the villains of the story can become the hero if they really wish to. As well normal everyday people can become heroes by simply being good people, friends, and family member. Simply by making someone smile even for a moment just because is what I believe can make someone a hero.

What makes someone a hero to you?

No Sex, Please, I’m Canadian

Guest Post by Anne Holly

I grew up reading romances. Adult romances, mind you – there didn’t seem to be such a thing as YA romance when I was a teen. There might have been, but since I swiped most of my books off my mom, that’s what I read. And I adored them. I still do. But, as I look back, I notice that nearly all of them took place in the US, or possibly Australia or the UK. Very few romances were set in Canada in the nineties. Aside from some Mounties, who were far more heroic than they were sexy, Canadians don’t seem to be very thick on the romance landscape.

I’m not sure this has changed, but perhaps that is my niche – Canadian romance. Is there such a thing? As a people, are we at all romantic or, gasp, sexy? Well, we’re polite. I’m not sure that is conducive to dramatic novels, though.

Nevertheless, Pierre Burton, the famous Canadian writer and TV personality, defined a Canadian as someone who can make love in a canoe without it tipping over. I’ve also heard the quip that we are so sexy we reproduce despite layers of wool. Perhaps Canadians are sexy, despite the Dudley Do Rights of the world – after all, we have a lot of cold months here to fill up.

Maybe it’s just a case of writing what I know. I have travelled a bit, but Canada is what I know inside and out. But I think it’s more than that. The wilds of Canada, the snow, the northern lights, the history, and the people all inspire me, and I think romance comes just as naturally to Canadian stories as any place else. Body heat and trusting partnerships seem rather important when facing a cold world, right?

My contemporary romance Strings Attached takes place in the Canadian north, on a bison ranch. So it’s sort of like a western romance, only a bit more northern. But, in case you don’t buy the sexiness of Canucks, I’ve also added a little southern exposure, as well, in the person of a nice Australian hunk to keep my Canadian heroine warm.

Josie Sergeant has learned one thing by carving out her living from the wilds of the Canadian north: perseverance, optimism and the willingness to do what has to be done can overcome even the harshest of obstacles. Life has taught Theo Sabich, a fellow rancher from Australia, that optimism is a fool’s hope.

When their beloved siblings’ impetuous marriage plans pit Josie and Theo against one another to defend their families, they find more than they bargain for. And when they start seeing each other as more than enemies, they face their greatest challenge – finding the courage to reach out for happiness.

Under the northern lights, their attraction ignites beyond their control… The trouble is a one-time “no strings attached” release of passion is easier said than done when love is hanging by a thread.

*GIVEAWAY*

I’d like to give away a copy of Strings Attached today, so here’s what we’ll do. Visit the book’s website, or the TRR featured interview, and leave a comment here telling me something you’ve learned about the book that interests you, and I will draw one name at random to win a copy of Strings Attached in PDF. (Contest closes Monday, Jan 9, 2012, at 8am EST, after which I will contact the winner if they’ve left their email address or post the winner here with my contact info.)

All the best for the new year, and be sure to keep warm with a good book this winter!

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Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and teacher. She is the author of the novel Strings Attached, which was described by The Romance Reviews as “a classic contemporary romance.” She has been published by Wild Horse Press, Decadent Publishing and Rebel Ink Press, and in 2012 by Pink Petal Books. Anne’s work is characterized by its unusual heroes, sweet/spicy balance, witty dialogue, responsible citizenship, and its positive, optimistic nature. She has found a particular niche in holiday romance. You may visit Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and Twitter  (@anneholly2010). Sign up for her newsletter here. Email: anneholly2010@gmail.com.

Bryl R. Tyne Revisits Christmas Past

What is your most memorable Christmas/Holiday? Second Christmas with JR (sugar daddy) and the man still speaks little but "guy grunt"… Anyway, I'm helping his boys put together a desk he bought for them while he watches from the sofa. "Open yours," he says, so I do. I can't even remember what he'd gotten me, nothing memorable, but I gave him my best smile (because damn it, even if he doesn't say much, to put up with me and make it work, the man's gotta be a fucking saint!) and I set my stuff to the side to finish the desk… When suddenly, he bursts into tears. Not a trickle, not a few stray tears… no, full out wailing picks up within seconds, and I'm sitting on the floor, screwdriver in one hand, a wooden chair with only two legs on it in the other. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"You don't like them"—and before I can fully understand that he's talking about the few gifts he'd got me, he continued, "I wanted to get you the lamp…the glass one…the red one at Cracker Barrel"—(hiccups, sn

ot, tears)—"When I went back…they were… sold out, and they wouldn't be reordering them, and I’m so pissed—so fucking pissed! that I didn't get that lamp for you that night we were there—(more hiccups, snot, tears)—I know you liked it and wanted it, and—"

And I knocked the wind out of him with my hug, and then I started crying too. I don't think I've ever had a better present than to know someone watched my actions close enough to know just how badly I wanted something without me having to say a word and then to be so disappointed because he thought he wouldn't be able to make me happy.

Wanting to make me that happy, despite myself… now, that's gotta be love. No words needed.

What is the best present you ever received? Sincerity in the form of tears. (see previous answer).

What is the worst? A pocket calculator. (For figuring out the checkbook so I didn't bounce another check—thanks).

How do you spend your holiday now? Sleeping.

Do you have any special traditions? That would require planning, and caring, and most likely some kind of ground rules… no. Not for me.

Here’s a little gift for the readers. An excerpt from my Riptide release, Divinity:

"Do it."

Martin came to, prick hard, fangs elongated, brain fogged, hands splayed across the ass of the man bent over the desk before him.

The man smacked the desk and pled from over the uniform shirt scrunched to his shoulders, “Don’t stop. Just do

it!”

Mesmer? Backing away in a daze, Martin regained the present and registered the man as Spire Industry’s latest night janitor—a fiery carrot-top who’d stolen Martin’s attention from the moment he’d walked through Spire’s doors and into Martin’s realm.

Though tucked away in a long-abandoned corner of the basement by day, Martin took his duties as Spire’s security guard by night seriously. So why was he in this third-floor office, taking the new night janitor over a desk?

Fuck, if the man hadn’t felt and looked so damned good beneath him, down to the freckled skin Martin had had under his palms . . . It was all Martin had thought of, night and day, since setting eyes on Dylan Mesmer and the shock of carrot-orange hair that poked out in all directions from under his work cap.

Groaning, he pulled his pants up and over his painfully hard cock. What in all hells is wrong with me? Buckled his belt. All on one drawn-out exhalation.

Mesmer made a weak attempt to stand, smacking the desk again. “Damn it.”

“I don’t know what came over me . . .” And he didn’t. He would’ve used any other janitor as a light snack, lured him to the basement and satiated his more base desires weeks ago. Exhibiting control enough to do so seemed impossible around Mesmer. Lately, Martin had found himself in one compromising position after another.

“I’m not sure—” Martin met a disappointed scowl as Mesmer turned and leaned against the desk. “Look, this isn’t happening. We shouldn’t do it here, anyway. I must be out of my mind.” He had no intention of losing a job that fit his vampiric lifestyle as perfectly as working night security for Spire Industry did. Where else could he pass as human while having his meals delivered on a regular basis?

Naked from the waist down and in an obvious state of arousal, Mesmer crossed his arms with an exasperated sigh. He finally broke his glare to fix his own uniform. “It is what it is,” he said, tucking in his work shirt. “Here.” He tossed Martin a sucker.

Orange. Another sucker? Like the last two times he’d blanked out and came to seconds from driving both cock and fang into the smartass. Did the man carry a bottomless bag of delicious candy in his pocket to taunt Martin? Delicious? He held back a gag. Why the fuck had he accepted the suckers in the first place, and worse yet, why’d he eaten them? And with haste? And he’d enjoyed them!

Blood coursing through Mesmer’s body drew Martin to the here and now. What would the drawbacks be if for once he actually went through with it? Stuck the man, took his fill, like he’d done to countless others. If he didn’t hesitate, didn’t hold back or change his mind. A shudder raced over him. When had he become so fickle?

He watched Mesmer dress, wondering how this man had knocked him so far off-kilter. Normally, he’d have had the guy for a little stick, a little prick, and have deposited him back into his world, neat and tidy. But he’d been stalking Mesmer since the night the man had started at Spire . . . not to mention the repeated attempts to satisfy the man’s by-now predictable pleas for attention. Martin scoffed internally. He didn’t want to think about the strange places his mind disappeared to each time he saw Mesmer . . . or the rooms or offices he’d come back to his senses in, with Mesmer beneath him, wondering how he’d gotten there. How did this man get Martin to lose all sense of space and time?

Mind half in the past, half in the now, he adjusted his fly, eyeing Mesmer doing the same, then unwrapped the sucker and stuck it in his mouth. “What’s with you and always giving me orange candy, anyway?”

Mesmer snorted, kneeling to re-tie one of his work boots. “If you don’t want it, give it back.”

He held out his hand as he stood.

Martin gave it three seconds’ thought, his mind and body warring over whether to keep the candy or not. Giving it back would end the senseless questions, end this lack of control. Yet, no matter the logic in his thoughts, he couldn’t will his hand to remove the sucker from his mouth.

Not this time.

To purchase Divinity, click here.

Find Bryl at any of these places:

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My Way column at The Pagan and The Pen

Merry Christmas from the Tyne family to yours

Angel in the Shadows (book 1) Free on Amazon Kindle

Take a break from vampires and check out the new rising star of paranormal romance, Angels!

From Tuesday December 13th - Thursday, December 15th

only "Angel in the Shadows (book 1) is free for kindle on Amazon.

Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Megan Laughlin has a gift--or what seems like a curse at times. Megan sees angels and demons.
Megan knows her destiny is to protect her friends against dark angels who try to sway them into situations that can destroy their lives, their souls, and their eternity.
At school, she recognizes Judas, an über popular boy, as an evil angel hell-bent on destroying her and everyone she loves. As Judas spreads horrible rumors and overdoses two of her classmates at a rave, Megan realizes the enormity of his power. While classmates die, Megan, with the help of an angel, Johnny, and a team of friends will face the fight of their lives as they battle Judas.

Aleks Voinov and Rachel Haimowitz talk Riptide Publishing

Hi Rachel and Aleksandr, thanks a lot for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions that we have about your new venture, Riptide Publishing.

AV: Hi Carole, thank you for having us over, it’s great to be here.

In a previous post, we've heard about how you both came to establish a publishing house--Riptide Publishing--together. Please give us a short introduction to Riptide Publishing and the books it offer.

AV: In short, Riptide Publishing offers gay and trans* fiction – so we publish a huge range of stories, from traditional m/m romances to literary fiction, because we believe that readers are ready and willing to read outside the box if the stories are good. So we’re offering good stories in that spectrum. Riptide is small, invitation-only, but we do have op

How has the experience (of managing a publishing house) been so far, since you opened your doors on October 2011?en submission calls and our authors range from old hands to hot, young talent.

AV: It’s been a ride. Things I thought would be easy turned out to be really hard, and things that I thought would be hard were no challenge at all. Basically, whatever we expected, this wasn’t it, it has surprised me personally at every turn.

In terms of the business, we were surprised by our own success, very much, but it’s a huge team effort with everybody working stupid hours especially in the set-up stage. That said, our models and ideas and concepts have held up pretty well, all told.

For me, personally, it’s a huge rush to build a business and see how everything works and I do like to think on my feet and reach out to people and juggle a million balls – something I know from my time in journalism, but it’s so much more satisfying if you’re working for yourself and so closely with the other partners and authors.

RH: Absolutely amazing. In a lot of ways it feels like always juggling five balls at once, even in your sleep, and desperately hoping not to drop them. But there’s tremendous satisfaction in managing that, and your partners can pick up the slack when your arms get tired. We’ve all been surprised and humbled and awed and just so grateful for the response Riptide has received from readers, bloggers, and authors. Makes it all so, so worthwhile.

How is it like working together managing a publishing house? I'm sure it must be very different from co-authoring a book!

AV: Actually, it’s like co-authoring fifty books that are all due next week. Communication is absolutely key. Thankfully, all partners are very good at that. Overall, we all have the same vision, and everybody brings their own individual strengths to bear. Rachel is a natural businesswoman, I wouldn’t want to have anybody else doing her job. Chris and I are both people people – she’s amazing in her network on the marketing side and I’m doing a decent job, I hope, on the author and editor side. Still, writing a book looks really easy now, like something you do in your lunch break.

RH: Yes and no. On the one hand, it’s a lot like co-authoring in that, as Aleks said, communication is key. We all basically live on our gmail accounts, probably exchange upwards of a few dozen emails each day that basically function like

office memos, since none of us share a physical location. As in co-writing, it’s all about talking things out, reaching shared understandings, and making compromises. Unlike co-writing, there’s often a lot less creative freedom and a lot more drudge work: you don’t get to flex your writing wings doing a proofing pass or spending eight hours uploading files to sell at third-party sites. But even those things move very smoothly between us. Certainly there have been some bumps in the road, some times when we didn’t all agree, but in the end, the shared vision and shared passion trump all, and have carried us through every obstacle and difficulty.

What does Riptide Publishing offer that other publishers don't?

AV: Other publishers offer great covers, very good royalties, developmental editing, close contact to the editor and a personalized marketing plan, too. But there are very few that offer all of those. Also, we are very open-minded about what we publish – we take shorter works than many, and we are also interested in trans* fiction and literary fiction, which in some houses might sit a bit oddly right next to the other offerings.

RH: While we certainly offer our share of more “traditional” M/M romances—Cat Grant’s contemporary Once a Marine, for example, or Brita Addams’s Romeo Club erotica shorts—we also see ourselves as a destination for the different. Like Aleks said, we have a particular interest in trans* fiction, which is notoriously difficult to place with a publisher. We take some very short stories—vignettes that do one particular thing exceptionally well, like Andrea Speed’s Josh of the Damned series, most of which are under 5,000 words. We take some very untraditional heroes, like Aleks Voinov’s unrepentant mafia killers in the Dark Soul series. We delve into the deeply literary and creepy, like with Peter Hansen’s First Watch (a.k.a. “Tentacles!”). It’s scary to move outside the traditional mold, to do something very different from what’s already out there, because you don’t really know if there will be an audience for it. But among the founders, those are the kinds of stories we love the most as readers—and also very often the stories we write as authors—and we wanted to create a home for things like that, a house willing and able to take all kinds of risks. Having the right editorial staff, the proper funding, and the right marketing strategies make that possible. So too does having strong traditional pieces that we know will pay the bills, even if our risks don’t. And that’s such an amazing position to be in—to have the luxury of exploring, of bringing tremendous new voices and styles and stories to folks without having to fret quite so much about the bottom line.

What can authors expect when they publish with Riptide Publishing? How about the readers?

AV: Being small, we respond very fast – the whole process is very transparent, and authors work closely with their editors. Stories that are submitted and accepted (and we turn down a lot, or send R&R letters) will get edited a lot. This includes things that many publishers out there don’t touch – we’re looking at characters, plot, pacing, tension, satisfying emotional arcs, and making sure that the book has no fatal craft issues left. This means, often, that the manuscript goes through five or seven editing passes. It’s a lot of work for authors and editors both, but the results are worth it.

Readers can expect tasteful covers that won’t embarrass them when they read them on public transport or if somebody finds their e-reader, well-edited text, and a wide range of quality stories. I’d say there’s something for everybody in our catalogue.

What’s your submission process? How long do the authors have to wait before they hear from you on their submissions?

AV: Since we invite our authors, the process is very short. At the moment, we’ve accepted stories in anything from half an hour (yes, that good, but of course short!) to about two weeks. As all partners have to okay an acquisition, it can take longer in some cases, but we’re usually fast.

RH: We did just start some open calls when we opened at the end of October, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes over the transom, so to speak. We’ve given ourselves six weeks or thereabouts to respond to those submissions, and we’re likely to need every last second of that time. We also have some folks with long publication histories reaching out to us, and we try to get back to them within a few weeks. But as Aleks says, for those authors we invite, we’re quite eager to work with them, and we don’t like to keep them waiting.

What genres and heat levels are you looking for in the submissions?

AV: All sub-genres of gay/trans fiction, all heat levels – that includes no sex at all. We do do pure erotica, but once it has a certain length, we want more than strung-together sex scenes.

RH: To me, a good story’s a good story regardless of genre or heat level, but we all certainly do have our hobby horses. Aleks is particularly interested in military and historical fiction. I’m particularly interested in fantasy, soft SF (but not hard SF; I have no taste for the dense high-tech stuff), cyberpunk, magical realism, westerns (please, someone, get me some gay Deadwood!), and 100% realistic BDSM. Our editorial intern, Callie, has a particular soft spot for steampunk—and yes, she can absolutely pitch a manuscript at an acquisition meeting. We’re all hoping for more trans* submissions. I suspect we’re developing a reputation for the dark and the strange, which is fine—I don’t mind being known as the place you go to look for something off the beaten path—but we do want people to know there’s plenty of room for lightness and humor and exceptionally well-done traditional pieces at Riptide as well. Humor especially, actually; we have a surprisingly large percentage of humorous stories in our initial offerings.

Which debut authors from Riptide Publishing should look out for in the future? Please tell us a little about their works.

AV: Well, I have two favourites: Peter Hansen’s “First Watch” is creepy, literary and sexy, and he’s definitely somebody to watch, not only for the marvelous worlds he creates, but just for everything. Characters, intelligence, and sheer brilliance of style and execution.

Rhi Etzweiler is pretty new and should be mentioned, too. While we did co-write one book for Carina, Blacker than Black is Rhi’s first solo book, and it’s going to make waves; it’s lyrical, sincere, engrossing and atmospheric, with very strong characters.

Both writers are stylistically so good that they could give anybody else in the genre a very good run for their money, so both are extremely hot in my view.

How do you foresee the world of epublishing?

AV: It’s going to grow. The big publishers might catch up eventually, but indies have up to ten years of experience in the space and are navigating these waters extremely well, so I would imagine that the cutting edge remains with the indie publishers for the foreseeable future. People will attempt to cash in (like Penguin’s freshly-launched e-publishing service shows), and all the rules that we thought were sacred and hewn in rock will be changed. It’s extremely dynamic, really interesting, a game-changer.

With the advent of technology, it becomes increasingly easier for authors to self-publish. Why should an author submit her manuscript to you (or to other epublishers) instead of self-publishing her work?

AV: Self-publishing is absolutely a valid option. I’ve looked at it, Rachel has done it, and many people are using that channel extremely well (like Josh Lanyon, who is publishing his backlist via Amazon direct).

Basically, however, every author needs editing (both for content and spelling/grammar). You need a good cover, ideally a marketing plan, and the book needs to look professional or it might be rejected by the reading public. This costs money and is also pretty time-consuming. A good editor charges more than many are willing to pay, a good proofer too, and uploading the files everywhere and maintaining a publisher account at all the big e-tailer sites is just a load of hassle. A publisher takes care of all that, which makes it definitely the easier option. But of course there are many self-published authors who do an excellent job on all counts.

What advice do you have for authors wanting to publish with Riptide Publishing?

AV: Be ready to be edited. Some authors have never had any content editing and are surprised, even shocked, when their clean manuscript comes back with hundreds of comments. I started in traditional print publishing, so having a comment like “these three chapters are weak, because… Please rewrite!” was normal business for me, I never thought it could (or should!) be different. In our space, few people look that deeply into a text, so we’ve had authors receive their very first set of developmental edits from us and were surprised. Some loved it, others didn’t love it quite as much. But it’s inevitable – we do have an old-style editing process.

RH: What Aleks said, times a billion. Editing is not a fuzzy lovey process. It is by its nature inherently critical, sometimes stunningly so. Just remember we loved your book enough to buy it in the first place J For those who are hoping to get in via an open submission call, bring your best game. Polish to a high sheen. Stories with craft issues are auto-rejects. Stories with developmental issues may be worth taking on anyway if the writing is pristine and the voice is strong.

What amazing thing or lesson have you discovered/experienced in the course of establishing and/or managing Riptide Publishing?

AV: I just love the people involved in this. From our authors to our blogger contacts, to readers leaving comments and encouraging us, and last but not least the other partners – it’s all about the love of books and stories, so working together like this toward an ambitious, idealistic goal is just really good fun.

RH: Miscommunication is terrifyingly easy and can be an incredibly powerful destructive force. I’m learning to slow down a little and be a lot more precise when conveying ideas. You might think an author would be inherently good at this—after all, we make our living conveying ideas—but it’s an entirely different animal in the real world and something that, as a bit of a loner, I wasn’t accustomed to at all. The second big lesson for me has been about time. Apparently, it’s quite fluid, and likes to squish and compress on you in direct correlation to the number of critical deadlines on your plate.

But beyond any of that, the amazing discovery, day after day, is our authors’ heart and talent, determination and hard work. It’s wild to joke on Twitter with Andrea Speed about a rampaging mustache and have her find enough inspiration there to turn that into her next Josh of the Damned monster (look for The Night of the Mustache this February). And on a similar note, it’s equally amazing to see the readers respond with such joy and enthusiasm to that talent and heart.

Any last thing you’d like to say?

We invite your readers to visit our Riptide website, read the blurbs and excerpts and hopefully they will find titles that pique their interest. Thanks so much for hosting us!

Thanks a lot, Rachel and Aleksandr!

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Rhianon Etzweiler on Blacker than Black

Flight of the Elementals Scene 1

The following is the first of four consecutive scenes that created a full chapter toward the end of “Blacker Than Black.” This content was cut in an early stage of developmental edits as a result of some character inconsistencies. Here, we’ll see Black let Jhez walk away—something that, given their long and close history, falls outside the parameters of a plausible dynamic shift. Especially given Black’s feelings about the current state and nature of the evolving relationship with Garthelle.

Jhez just walked into the room, interrupting a rather intense session of lip-locking.

###

Garthelle just studies her. Digesting her statement, reading her body language.

Disbelieving, judging from the tension in his body where he's still pressed up against my back.

He's as wary of Jhez as she is of him. Them. Whatever. I don't blame my sister – I know I still have my own reservations. For now, it's just a physical thing. What it will be beyond that, if anything, I can't say.

Don't want to say, either.

Which makes my sister's words as equally strange to me as they are to the lyche, now that I think about it.

She ignores the confusion all over my face and strolls past us as if it's the most natural sight in the world. “With your permission, monsieur, I’d like to escort Blue back to the district in the limo.”

I twist in the lyche's grip and he finally releases me, arm dropping away. His gaze flicks back and forth between us.

“Jhez, do you really think that’s the best idea? Garthelle is going to have a...task force of hitters scouring the district within five hours. It's not going to be the safest of places.”

“So say you, standing in the center of a vamp den?”

The derision in her tone brings me up short halfway across the room, and I stare at her.

Her eyes soften abruptly, her shoulders hunching as she shakes her head. “He can't stay here. You and I both know it.”

“You said as much last evening,” Garthelle interjects, strolling closer to where he has a good view of us both. “I have no intentions of keeping him under this roof. You may escort him wherever he prefers to go. The flat where you two have been staying should provide ample security.”

I shake my head. “Do you think he’d even stay there?”

She shrugs. “It's worth a try. Might keep him off the streets until tomorrow.”

The bathroom door swings open and Blue stumbles out with a towel tucked around his narrow hips, head hidden beneath another towel that he's rubbing over his hair with more vigor than strictly necessary.

He stops two paces from the door, studies the three of us with clear, icy eyes carefully hidden behind his rose-tinted glasses.

“Nice, Blue. You have no problem walking around in the buff, but I don't think I've once seen you without those glasses.”

Blue pauses his towel-scrubbing, glances down at his bare torso, and sticks his tongue out at me. “I'm more curious about why it is the three of you think I'm incapable of taking care of myself. I felt your entire conversation.”

The towel around his waist starts to loosen and slip. He rescues it with his free hand before huffing and retreating back into the bathroom.

The door bangs shut. Jhez and I share a look.

“That went well,” Garthelle comments from his reclined spot on the couch.

Spooky, the way he moves.

“I'll keep him safe. You just...” My sister trails off, frowning at me. She steps close and grabs my shoulders, feeling my aura briefly before pulling me into a hug. To whisper into my ear. “You just be careful. You're in more danger than me and Blue.”

Though I'm rather certain Garthelle can hear her, he says nothing. I return the brief hug and refuse to look at him. “I'll be fine,” I assure her, muttering. There's so much more I want to tell her. I have no idea what the lyche will do and it frightens me. I just hope she has the foresight to head for the flat if things get bad.

This feels like our childhood revisited, though on a hopefully smaller scale.

Releasing her, I chafe my arm to keep the chill bumps from standing up everywhere.

Here’s the blurb for Blacker than Black:

Apparently, my twin and I are two of York’s most notorious criminals. We’ve been Nightwalkers in the blue-light district since the vamps took over the world. Don’t know how many years it’s been. Long enough that a stream of fellow ’walkers have come and gone. Most don’t last long selling their chi. End up face-down in the gutter, or worse.

For us, one night and one sale change everything.

Monsieur Garthelle is the first john to hunt me down. He calls me a chi thief in one breath and offers absolution—servitude—in the next. Maybe I’m a sucker, but I like living and breathing. Strange that such a powerful vamp would show leniency to a mere human. And something’s not right with the chi I took from him. It won’t go away.

Neither will he, and he’s forcing us to spy on his peers. Then a vamp turns up dead, and we go from playing eyes and ears to investigating a murder. This isn’t what I signed up for. All I ever wanted was to sell a little chi, maybe steal some in return. I should’ve kept my damn hands to myself.

This is my story. Look through my eyes.

You can read an excerpt from Blacker than Black and purchase by clicking here

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Fan contact: Rhianon.etzweiler@gmail.com

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