Six Sentence Sunday: Candles

Posted on January 8, 2012 | Comments Off on Six Sentence Sunday: Candles

I haven’t been around to play in Six Sentence Sunday for a while, but I’m trying to get back in the habit. Here’s a snippet from a series of shorts I’m working on for a commission project. Enjoy!

“I have to say, Jared, I haven’t seen you this relaxed and happy… well, probably not in all the time I’ve known you.”

Jared couldn’t help it. He looked over at Cameron again, this time just as Cam turned his way, and their gazes caught and held, time stretching out like taffy around them. Jared didn’t know how long they stood like that, but someone finally spoke to Cameron, pulling his attention away, and Jared forced his back to his conversation with Bill.

“I’ve never been this happy,” he said. “I feel like anything I could say would just be a cliché, but he’s just… he’s not perfect, and neither am I, but we’re perfect for each other.”

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The Required End of the Year Post

Posted on December 31, 2011 | Comments Off on The Required End of the Year Post

So, 2011 is ending. Like many years, it’s been quite a rollercoaster, but for me, at least, it ended up on the plus side overall. I published my first novel, along with a half-dozen short stories, met a bunch of great people online and at three different conventions, read a lot of great stories, and got a hell of a lot of writing done. And that’s just on the writerly side of things.

Here are some random thoughts about random things.

In 2011, I published approximately 138,250 words. I can’t even attempt to estimate how many words I wrote (well over half of those published were written in 2010), so this is the best litmus test I have. I also made a bunch of great new friends through the writing community, many online and many in person (and some both!), and that’s worth more than any royalties, in my book. 🙂

GayRomLit was an absolute blast, and I can’t wait for year 2 in Albuquerque. I also had a great time with author friends at Gaylaxicon/Outlantacon and at Dragon*Con.

A few favorite M/M romance books from this year, not even close to exhaustive and in no particular order except that’s how they occurred to me…

Caregiver by Rick R. Reed
Another Enchanted April by Eric Arvin
Accompanied by a Waltz and Seven Days by Andrew Grey
By Any Other Name by Tia Fielding
What We Deserve by Kerry Freeman
Clear Water by Amy Lane
Hot Head by Damon Suede
Dance with Me by Heidi Cullinan
Between Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton
Once in a Lifetime by Ariel Tachna
Rocking the Boat and Tipping the Balance by Christopher Koehler
In Dreams He Came by Trina Lane
All Bets are Off by Marguerite Labbe
Love at First Sight by Cardeno C.

For 2012, my main goal is simple: keep writing. But I’m going to spend the first few days/weeks making some more concrete goals. I have the NaNo project to finish, another novel undergoing heavy revision, and a series (three books minimum) that keeps nagging at me. I have a novella coming out in February, but I want to concentrate more on long stories, especially novels, for a number of reasons, but mostly because, well, why not? I did it once, so I can do it again, right? 😉

More than anything, though, I want to keep having fun with all of this. If I push too hard, it becomes, well, work. And for now, at least, I’d rather stick with just the day job feeling like work!

Happy New Year to all, and hope we all have a safe, healthy, happy, and successful 2012. 🙂

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Posted in musings

It’s Raining Me at It’s Raining Men

Posted on December 24, 2011 | Comments Off on It’s Raining Me at It’s Raining Men

It’s Raining Men has an interview with yours truly up today. Find out about my secret fandom vices, whether I’m a boxers or briefs girl, and even a few serious comments on serious subjects. (No, really!)

And a happy Christmas to everyone. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, whether you celebrate or not. 🙂

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Posted in interview

All About Food (And A Recipe!)

Posted on December 22, 2011 | Comments Off on All About Food (And A Recipe!)

I’m a guest at Michael Mandrake’s today, gibbering on about my foodie-ness, but making up for it by sharing an amazingly good cookie recipe for the holidays. Stop by and say hi! 🙂

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Release Day!

Posted on December 22, 2011 | Comments Off on Release Day!

My second Christmas story for this year, “In From the Cold,” is out now from Silver Publishing!

Blurb:

When Jeff Young walks into the rural Georgia lodge Neal Owens runs, he’s looking for a room to escape a frigid December night. What he finds is a new friend, a lover, and maybe more, all wrapped up in one hot package.

Buy link: “In From the Cold” (Ebook)

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Posted in 2011 25 Days of Christmas, in from the cold, short story

Thank You, thankyouverramuch

Posted on December 16, 2011 | Comments Off on Thank You, thankyouverramuch

Thanks to all who sent lovely birthday wishes this week. I’ve been overwhelmed in the very best way! Here’s hoping the new year treats us all well. 🙂

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25 Days of Christmas

Posted on November 28, 2011 | Comments Off on 25 Days of Christmas

Silver Publishing is offering a package deal of all the Christmas stories that will be released as part of the 25 Days of Christmas set in December. Each story will be added to your bookshelf on the day it’s released. My contribution, “In From the Cold,” is coming on December 22.

The set is $60.99, 14% off the individual story prices. A few of the other titles (full list available on the page linked above):

The Best Christmas Ever by Anel Viz
White Rain by JR Loveless
One Kiss by Silvia Violet
Solace by Scarlet Blackwell
Jesse’s Christmas by RJ Scott
Secret Santa by Rebecca Leigh
Rudy’s Red Nose by Sui Lynn

You’ll also be able to order the full Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar set on December 1, if you didn’t get to pre-order already. I’ll put up a link again on Thursday! 🙂

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Posted in 2011 25 Days of Christmas, 2011 advent calendar, in from the cold, short story

Good News & Bad News

Posted on November 21, 2011 | 2 comments

Good news: I received a contract offer yesterday from Amber Allure for my college-roommates novella Accidental Love. It will be published as part of the “Hot College Daze” theme. Tentative publication date is February 2012. 🙂

Bad news: I think I’m going to have to give up on NaNo this time around. Not the story; I’m going to keep working on that. But various real-life events are going to make it impossible for me to pile up the word count I’d need to hit 50k this month. Disappointing, sure, but the story itself is still in good shape, so it won’t be too terrible. (Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself…)

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Posted in amber allure press, novella