Category Archives: m/f

Glancing Back, but Moving Forward

2019 year pop art comic book text speech bubbleLike a lot of you, I’m ready to see the back of 2018. Sure, I had some great moments—buying a house, releasing a new novella and my first M/F story, taking some great trips, visiting with awesome friends—but overall, 2018 was one dumpster fire after another. I’m already side-eyeing 2019: you better behave yourself.

I had a list of things I wanted to do in 2018, but as it turned out, life had ideas of its own. I did get some things marked off the list. I bought a house and moved me and my parents into it. I upped the percentage of income I’m putting toward retirement. I paid off some debt. I attended three romance conferences (Spring Fling, RT, and RWA) and presented panels at two of them. I oversaw the Daily Dragon for Dragon Con. I submitted a partial and got a full request.

But some other things had to fall by the wayside. I didn’t finish the novel I wanted to finish (though I’m closing in on THE END). I cancelled two trips because I ran out of time. We still aren’t unpacked. So some things are definitely carrying over to the new year.

I’m not writing out a long list of resolutions or whatever this year. I just have a few goals:

  • Finish the novel that’s nearly done and submit the final.
  • Finish unpacking and getting settled into the new house.
  • Go to NECRWA and RWA.
  • Do the Dragon Con thing again.
  • Get into better writing habits in general.
  • Move more. I spent wayyyyy too much time sitting in front of a computer.

There we go: short and sweet. Looking forward to a better year in 2019 for everyone!

 

Rogue Nights Is Now Available!

It’s here! Rogue Nights, the sixth in the Rogue series of resistance-themed romance, is now available.

Rogue Nights cover

My story is “The Coffee Shop Around the Corner,” my first M/F pairing. A brief description:

Political discourse is Madeline Maloney’s jam. Social media manager for a progressive mayoral candidate, she finds her interest piqued by an email exchange with a local businessman—but also by the cute guy at the coffee shop where she buys her morning cup. Palmer Harrison spends his mornings smiling at the beautiful woman who orders a caramel latte every day and his off hours emailing with a mystery woman who works for a mayoral campaign. Their parallel relationships intersect on Election Day…

I am super excited about the other authors and their stories, too! Check out this lineup:

Resisting Desire by Talia Hibbert

Activist, womanist and journalist Nina Chapman is in love with her brother’s best friend. Oops. When her attempt to seduce calm, reliable James Foster backfires, Nina’s mortified—but as much as she’d like to avoid him, she can’t. No; she literally can’t. Because Nina’s latest article has made her public enemy number one, and now the man who broke her heart just might be her only protection…

Dropped Stitches by Annabeth Albert

When activist knitter Bea goes to vote, the last person she expects to run into is her high school crush. The two women forge an unlikely election day connection, but can they see a future beyond the victory party?

Parking Lot Cowboy by Rebecca Crowley

Margot Dunn has spent months making up an elaborate fantasy about the tall, silent cowboy who serves as her fellow volunteer escort at a family planning clinic in Topeka. Then one morning he speaks, and the complicated reality of ranch-hand Tyler Olsen is better than any story she could make up.

Dare to Dream by Hudson Lin

After the 2016 election, Derek Lam kicked his political activism into high gear—it’s what anyone with half a conscious would do. Which is why he doesn’t understand how Diego Ortega, a classmate from law school and a Dreamer, could be so politically disengaged.

For Diego, pursuing law had never been about social justice. His priority has always been providing for and protecting his undocumented mother and his kid sister. Getting political did nothing but draw attention his family didn’t need.

Working on a class assignment together, Diego and Derek’s mutual attraction bubbles just under the surface. But any potential relationship will have to survive the sparks that fly from their clashing political views.

Love Your Face by Ainsley Booth

Fifteen years ago, Fred left the Midwest behind and moved to New York City. Return visits have been rocky, and this Thanksgiving promises more family drama Fred really doesn’t want to deal with it. Her best friend’s surprise appearance smooths over a difficult holiday, but raises new, complicated personal feelings when the very straight Ami confesses she’s not very straight after all.

Sacred Son by Robin Covington

Adam Woodson has dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of Native Americans in court and in the legislature, a career that has kept him too busy to regret the man who got away. Judah Nighthorse is rebuilding his life after prison, fighting to regain custody of his son from a non-Native foster family so he swallows his pride and asks the man he left behind for help. When fighting the good fight together sparks desire they can’t resist, they must decide if their future holds a second chance or a final goodbye.

Rogue Nights is currently at the special release price of just 99 cents. Grab your copy today!

Amazon
B&N
Kobo
iTunes
Google Play

What’s Coming Down the Pike

A few updates on what I’ve got cookin’…

Weekend after next, I’m heading over to Birmingham for the Southern Magic Romance reader luncheon. I’ll be co-hosting a table with the fabulous Aidee Ladnier. There’s still time to sign up if you’re in the area!

On the writing front, my next novella, Heart & Soul, is all set to release on November 14. It’s a contemporary M/M about a jazz pianist and a former pro football player. Links are in the sidebar over to the right.

Next is Graphite & Glitter, my first F/F story, which I’m revising now for a release date in January. It’s a contemporary about an artist/architect and a bass player/violinist. I’m eagerly awaiting the cover!

In November, I’ll be working on Help Wanted: Boyfriend, my first M/F category romance contemporary romance. I’m not officially signing up for NaNo this year, but I’m hoping to finish the first draft by the end of the month anyway. (I’m about 8k into it already.) I’ll be going the publisher route with that one, so it’ll be a while before I have any idea of a release date.

A college sports series is next on my list, though scheduling is always subject to change. I have a backlog of story ideas that’ll keep me going for a while—and that’s not counting the new plotbunnies that always crop up!

My Favorites of 2013

I spent part of my (very, very slow) last day at the dayjob for the year working on a list of favorites for the year. Because I’m perpetually behind on my TBR list and I don’t always keep close track of what was published when, these are stories that I read for the first time during 2013, not necessarily ones first published during 2013 (though most of them were). In the case of series, I read at least two books of the series during 2013. I’ve linked to the publisher site where possible (Dreamspinner’s having a sale!), and for series, I’ve linked to either the author’s series page or the first book to get you started.

(Also, don’t assume that if a book is listed but not the story that I didn’t like the story. For one thing, I had to stop SOMEwhere, but also, some favorite covers are for books that are still on my TBR list!)

M/M
Bound: Forget Me Knot—H.B. Pattskyn
Collars & Cuffs series—K.C. Wells
Golden Collar series—Grace R. Duncan
Grumble Monkey and the Department Store Elf—B.G. Thomas
Heart of Stone—Ari McKay
Lang Downs series—Ariel Tachna
Love Lessons—Heidi Cullinan
Love, Like Water—Rowan Speedwell
Painting Fire on the Air—J.P. Barnaby
Scrap Metal—Harper Fox
Storm Season—Nessa L. Warin

Ménage/Poly
Fitting In—Silvia Violet
The Hot Floor—Josephine Myles
Tag Team—SJD Peterson

M/F
Lumberjack in Love—Penny Watson
Lucky Harbor series—Jill Shalvis
Take Me Home—Inez Kelley

YA
Collide—J.R. Lenk

Book Covers
All published during 2013 (for series, at least two books published during 2013). 

Credits
Paul Richmond: Bad Idea, Evolution, Grumble Monkey and the Department Store Elf, Guards of Folsom series
Kanaxa: Love Lessons
Jordan Taylor and L.C. Chase: Market Garden series
Pride Media: Painting Fire on the Air
Anne Cain: Raining Men

BadIdeaLGEvolutionLGGrumbleMonkeyLGFolsomSeriesMarketGardenSeriesLoveLessons72lgpaintingfireRainingMenLG

My Favorites of 2012

I was going to get all fancy with this and give reviews and kudos and all that, but things kind of came to a head all at once the past couple of weeks, so I’m keeping it simple. Here’s a list of the favorite things I read and the best book covers I saw in 2012 (all books published this year). I’ve included a link for each author and/or book,  so you can find any you might have missed.

(Do keep in mind that I have yet to read several well-regarded books, mainly some I have in paperback. I’ve been having problems with my wrists that make it painful to hold a hard-copy book for any length of time, so those are taking me some time to work through!)

M/M
Aaron—J.P. Barnaby
Burning It Down—Christopher Koehler
Campus Visit—Stella Huerto
A Cowboy’s Heart—J.M. Snyder
Ethan, Who Loved Carter—Ryan Loveless
Frat Boy and Toppy—Anne Tenino
Inherit the Sky/Chase the Stars—Ariel Tachna
Knitting series—Amy Lane
Mountain series—P.D. Singer
The Nothingness of Ben—Brad Boney
One True Thing/One Small Thing–Piper Vaughn & M.J. O’Shea
Paradox—Chris Quinton
Red+Blue—A.B. Gayle
Seattle series—Con Riley
Speechless—Kim Fielding
Technically Dead—Tia Fielding
Wake Me Up Inside—Cardeno C.

M/M/M
3—Jacob Z. Flores

M/F
The Rancher and the Rock Star—Lizbeth Selvig

Book Covers
I’ve mentioned it elsewhere, but I’m a big fan of book covers that break the romance mold. While I have nothing against bare-torsoed hot men, I generally prefer something different. That’s mostly what you’ll see here. 🙂

Cover credits
Shobana Appavu: Naked Tails, Sidecar, Tattoos & Teacups, Technically Dead
Anne Cain: The Cool Part of His Pillow, Saving Sean, Speechless
DWS Photography: 3
Pride Media: Aaron
Jordan Taylor: Dark Soul Vol. 1

3aaroncoolpartofpillowdarksoul1nakedtailssavingseansidecarSpeechlessTattoos&TeacupsTechnicallyDead