More news on the Works In Progress soon!

On other news I’ve received my art work for my novel to be released at Musa this summer and I’ll be back to post the details this Friday.

As of today, ‘Space, Man’ is no longer available at Loose-id. No problems. I simply withdrew it having it in mind to rewrite for another market.

‘Toasted’ is released as part of Changeling’s Final Cut:Miami series this Friday: Armand is always cold. Little does he know he’s about to get “toasted” in ways he’d never imagined.

Released at Changeling first week in April. (Note: this story was originally released as Toasted Almond at AMP, was only available for approximately one month, but has been edited to fit the Final Cut Miami series at Changeling.)

In other news I’ve apparently written a good solid story for my steampunk offering although that’s based on the synopsis etc. Yes, it’s finally…drafted. Not finished. A draft isn’t a finished manuscript, but at long last I have a story ‘down’ and awaiting edits. I’ve set it aside for now as needed to clear my head. So right now I’m working on many other things while awaiting edits for Toasted from one publisher, and Acting Out from another. And I have another m/m novel to finish. Everyone is going to get tired of me saying it but busy busy busy.

Anne probably won’t be surprised to hear that I’ve heard a couple of comments that refer to some of her work as dark and moody, but the shame is if this is all those commentators have read of her work, it’s what they expect from all her titles. In those cases they’re missing out on some truly great reads.

Yes, my first ‘initiation’ into the writing world of Anne Brooke, was ‘A Dangerous Man’ and one can’t get more moody a read than that, but it befits the story and the book’s purpose. Since then I’ve read equally ‘dark’ tales by Anne, and others that broach a gamut of genres. From her first foray into fantasy via ‘The Gifting’ to the amusing, lighthearted romance of ‘Tuluscan Six and the Time Circle’, the erotic fun relationship between Liam and the Delaneys, the sexy and romantic ‘Tommy’s Blind Date’, and the more serious side of relationships explored to honest effect in ‘Brady’s Choice’, or ‘The Heart’s Greater Silence’, the last ending with just the perfect ‘frisson’ as befitting the story. In such titles as ‘The Heart’s Great Silence’ — her latest offering and first release from Riptide Publishing — Anne packs a lot of story in a short read, exploring the fact that the world, life and people aren’t perfect. In other titles such as ‘The Hit List’, she takes imperfect people and blends all these aspects, showing the reader the humour that often hides amidst the darkness.

Anne’s stories can be mean and moody, hysterically funny or flirtatious. It’s great to see a wider range of Anne’s work finding its way into publication, each proving that she’s a varied writer — a writer whose catalog of titles may not be for everyone, but most are sure to find something pleasing. The trouble is every title she releases has me wondering whether this will be another favourite so it proves very difficult not to read them all.

A big thank you to all who took part in the Musa Blog Hop, and a big thank you to ‘The Really Wild Nursery of Devon’ for doing the draw for me — the nursery has nothing to do with publishing but roped me in on a very special project a few years ago.

Viki, I’m sorry you’ll have to wait awhile for your prize, but I hope it’ll be a great summer read for you.

Welcome to the I Love Musa Blog Hop. I couldn’t let this opportunity pass without mentioning my great new publisher and just one favourite author of mine whose work is currently available to read at Musa Publishing!

Want something for the holidays? When I considered writing for Musa Publishing, I decided to ‘test’ some of their fiction. I wanted to see what standard of work they produced, and I was not disappointed. Among the titles I chose, the cornwall of L.B.Gregg’s Cornwall Novellas set in New England may be very different from the cornwall of my native England in the UK, but I have taken them to heart almost as keenly. The blurbs are taken directly from Musa:

College sophomore Alexander Strauss has one rule: no messing around with straight guys. Especially not his mouthwatering roommate, Shannon. When their ride share drives off the side of a mountain, the two young men find themselves deep in an uninhabited forest searching for their missing friend. Wandering the famously cursed grounds of Dudleytown, Alex figures something truly unholy must be at play, because only insanity could tempt him to break his cardinal rule.

If you like to mix a little romance with Halloween then Dudleytown: A Cornwall Novella 1 may be the read for you. Don’t expect true horrors, although the atmosphere of three college boys speeding down dark roads in the middle of the wilderness (or at least more wilderness than I’m used to), having an accident and then facing unknown dangers, contained enough of a thrill both in a spooky way and romantically. I found the description of Shannon and Alex wandering through, and hiding in, a dark forest while looking for their missing friend particularly haunting — memorable for all manner of reasons. I have to admit there was a moment that I have with many books and films when I wanted to scream at the characters: “You don’t have time for that!” but, in this story, they have and they do, and the reader is all the more happy for it.

The story is simply fun, yet the author manages to write believable characters as suiting their age, while providing enough tension and enough laughter and romance to see the characters and the reader through to the end. It’s an interesting blend well executed, and left me smiling.

Click cover to purchase directly from Musa:

Another reason to smile was Simple Gifts: A Cornwall Novella 2:

Some things are worth waiting for.

A former ward of the state, Jason Ferris is fiercely protective of his carefully guarded private life. When he’s felled by a rogue lawn ornament at a Christmas party, Jason finds himself in the care of his first and most devastating love– dark, dangerous, and equally damaged Lt. Robb Sharpe.

Newly returned from years away in the military, Robb’s homecoming isn’t exactly the stuff of fairytales. Now thrust together after a ten year hiatus, the Jason and Robb discover that perhaps some things are worth waiting for.

Something happened between Robb and Jason many years ago, but Robb left for the Army and Jason has always believed that what meant the world to him, meant very little to Robb. Now Robb is back, changed from his experiences, but still very much foremost in Jason’s mind.

What could be worse than being dragged to a party one doesn’t want to attend then to learn the last person you want to see is there? One of the most unforgettable scenes is Jason trying to make an escape across the lawn only to be felled by a floating ornament…and then by love. Yet even when things seem to be going right, there’s a chance they could go horribly wrong, and true love isn’t going to prove itself overnight.

Simple Gifts is a sweet romance that manages to be so without being sickly, which can be a tricky thing to pull off. The only slight complaint I have is the ending came a little too soon. I didn’t read Dudleytown in time for Halloween, but I did read Simple Gifts last Christmas. But no matter the time of year, if, like Jason and Robb, you find yourself caught in a snowstorm, these may be the books to keep you warm.

Click cover to purchase from Musa:

I can’t say much more on these books without giving away the plots, and I don’t want to do that — the surprises are worth waiting for. Mostly, I want to say that I loved these books because of the writing. They’re told in first person, a style that seldom sits well with me — reading or writing — but there is always an exception. Sometimes a story has to be told a certain way, and sometimes the writing is so good that the tense or point of view used doesn’t matter. L.B. also manages to pull off a blend of simple yet debatable plots and make the reader believe or at least enjoy every word. I immediately added L.B. to my list of favourite m/m writers — one of those I would read no matter the subject or genre, and that list isn’t extensive.

You can visit L.B.’s website or Facebook author page.

Look out for my own work at Musa this coming summer:

Nick and Alex have made a very successful movie together. Now they need to decide whether their next project is another joint venture or they go their separate ways creatively. Then the perfect manuscript arrives, offering financial security and future opportunities.

For Nick, the film is his dream: amazing effects, wonderful script, a part every actor aspires to play, and a director everyone’s begging to work with. There’s one snag: Nick and Alex will have to get to rather personal on set.

He has to refuse even though Alex isn’t willing to take no for an answer, and sets out to talk Nick into it. Nick finally agrees, despite a nosy reporter and his brother turning against him. After all, it’s just pretence. It’s not as if he’s gay and wants to make out with his friend…not until Alex kisses him. Then life gets even more complicated and interesting.

Want a chance to win a copy of my m/m contemporary romance, Calm and Chaos: Acting Out? It’s not due for release at Musa until August, but you can still win a copy to receive as soon as it’s available. Writer and/or reader, you’re all welcome. I’ll have someone independent make the draw. All you have to do is leave a comment between the 16th to the 19th when the blog hop ends. And should you like to double your chances all you have to do is leave a comment then if you have or do friend me on my ‘fan page‘ your name will go in the draw twice.

Once you’re done do ‘hop’ along to the other blogs taking part: