Thought I’d give you a little bit of a scene that didn’t make it into the book.
Panguitch Lake lay, technically, totally within the boarders of Dixie National Forrest. However, a lot of private lots and resorts had sections of land right around the lake. Those were all my department’s problem, because they contracted to be. The highways fell to the sheriff’s office to patrol, although most of the roads off it belonged to the Parks Service. Patchwork didn’t even begin to describe the situation.
And then, we’re looking back more than three decades. Who owned what back then…only Heavenly Father really knew. It’d all been in the confines of the national forest since the nineteen-forties. Jurisdiction on this case would be far more a wish and a prayer than any actual reality based estimate. That’s why I’d invited Nadia along for this little outing. Continue Reading »
This morning Andre found a baby bluejay hopping around on our lawn. The neighbor’s cat got him and knocked him out of the nest. So he put the little guy in a hanging planter to keep him away from the cat. I went and bought some worms from the pet store, but by the time I got back the little guy was dead. And apparently the mama had been feeding him. We saw here several times when I got back going to the planter, so the cat killed him. Stupid damned cat. I know I know, that’s what cats do. circle of life and all that. But I can’t help wanting to let Odin, my German Shepherd) out and letting him continue the circle to avenge that little bird. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate cats; I’ve had a few cats in my life that I’ve loved dearly but it still makes me sad and pissed at that f-tard cat. I went ahead and disposed of the baby and I left the open bowl of live worms in his place, so hopefully the mama will use the worms to feed her other babies. And I will resist the urge to let Odin get even with the cat. I will also protect the little murderer from Tyson. Ty already has a beef with that cat, because it skulks around our pond. and Tyson being the future marine biologist that he is takes exception. I suspect when he finds out about the baby bird I’ll have to sit on him to protect that cat.
Hell’s End (Hellscape series book 1) was released from Samhain Publishing this morning. Yay! This is my first real science fiction novel and I’m crazy excited about it :) You can buy it directly from the publisher (it’s on sale right now!), from Amazon, from AllRomance ebooks, and I’m sure lots of other places.
Tuck’s a Gutter, one of a gang of violent orphans running level thirty-six of Hell’s End, the solar system’s outermost space station. There’s only one way out of this brotherhood of blood—grow up and be killed and eaten by other Gutters.
Tuck barely escapes his death sentence, only to fall prey to the powerful L’arisian family. Rescue from a L’arisian whorehouse never happens, but rescued he is, and by Gov soldiers no less. Alone among the enemy, Tuck trusts only one person—the man who risked everything to pluck him to safety.
Ivan’s a soldier. No more, no less. But the disquieting things he learns about the Government’s plans for the Gutter kid have him doing the one thing a soldier shouldn’t do. Think about doing what’s right instead of what he’s told. All for a guy he can’t get out of his head.
Getting involved in a rebellion that might get them killed is a problem. Falling in love? That’s a disaster in the making.
(Warning: This book contains rebels, spies, soldiers, bad guys, love, sex, betrayal, fights to the death, and robot spiders. Really.)
Hey all! I missed last week because it was my birthday and I completely spaced! So, here’s a few things on my mind this week :)
1. The diabetes auction is still going strong and they’re ahead of where they were last year in bids. If you haven’t checked it out, there are a ton of fabulous items up for auction! http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com
2. I’m coming up to just over a month until my big trip and I’m not even close to ready. Argh! I’m getting there, but things have been so hectic lately.
3. Broken Wings now has a release date! It will be coming out at MLR Press on June 21st. Pretty sweet :)
4. Hedgehogs Delight is making me laugh like a lunatic to write.
5. I’ve just been informed that there are costume parties at GRL this year and I’m trying to decide whether I should consider a costume or just go as is. Hmmm… Decisions decisions.
And that’s it for today! Hope you all enjoy your weekends! It’s a long weekend for me, so I don’t have to work tomorrow. Yay!
Today, I’m pimping an anthology due out without the next week or so from Featherweight Press, called Lost and Found. Royalties are going to benefit GLBT youth. I’m not in this collection, but I know some of the authors who are and trust me, anyone who picks up this book will be in for a treat. And with the proceeds going to such an excellent cause, how can you go wrong? Here’s the editor’s note from editor goddess Mama Kris Jacen, telling you all about the book and the charity it benefits:
~~~~
In the Fall of 2012, DH Starr approached me about Featherweight publishing an anthology that he was a part of. It was a special project he told me. All the authors wanted to donate their royalties from the anthology to charity. They wanted the monies to go to a specific cause—they wanted the money to go to a charity that worked with LGBT homeless teens.
The inspiration for the anthology was a picture that they had seen with the text over the image that said “40% of homeless youth are LGBT. The #1 reason they’re on the streets in family rejection.”
Once we got to final editing stages we realized, we didn’t know WHICH charity to donate the monies to. There are so many great charities out there working with LGBT youth that we weren’t sure which to chose. We wanted to make sure that no matter how much, it would make a difference. So the search was on.
I was pleasantly surprised to come across one that had the name of the anthology almost exactly—Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc. It seemed like fate talking to me and after speaking with one of the board members, I was convinced of it. You see the board member told me that the day before we spoke, they received a call from a teen that had been on vacation with his parents and when they found a gay romance on his eReader, they left him on the side of the road. Yes, you read that correctly, abandoned him for reading a gay romance.
Our hope is that with these stories, these teens realize that there are many out there that care about them. That no matter what anyone says—THEY MATTER.
I have a confession to make: I am vanilla. Hopelessly, terminally vanilla. I’m not into any kind of bondage or D/s or any of that, even as now-and-then play, never mind a real lifestyle choice. I don’t live it, I don’t write it, and I don’t read it either. I don’t want to stop anyone else from being a part of the lifestyle, or from reading/writing about it. It’s just not my thing.
Here’s what’s bugging me right now. Even though the majority of people respect the choices of others, there are always a few who don’t, and for some reason me saying I don’t care for BDSM seems to attract those few people like ants to a picnic. I’m not talking about reading and writing here. If someone else doesn’t like or agree with my choices in what I read or write, I really don’t care. What bothers me — even though I know it shouldn’t — is when people try to talk me into being okay with BDSM in my real life.
I am not okay with it. That ought to be the end of the discussion. Why it isn’t is beyond me.
I don’t like not being able to move. I don’t like being at anyone’s mercy, and I don’t care how much I’m supposed to trust them. Having anything over my face makes me panic. I hate not being able to get away from any situation if I need to. On the flip side, I have zero desire to have any kind of physical, mental or emotional control over another person.
As far as I’m concerned, what two (or more) consenting adults do together is no one else’s businesss. I’d never presume to tell anyone else that their own choices regarding their private sex life were not valid. All I want is the same consideration.
Thank you for listening. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming :)
My Calgary RWA chapter had an amazing workshop yesterday with Donald Maass and it was exactly what I needed to get my brain working again. In fact, I took so many notes that I used up a pen. Both of these were brand new when I unwrapped the package yesterday and check out much ink is left in the one! Holy smokes. Now I need to go over my notes and apply them! I’m feeling so inspired!
It’s that time of year again! May 1-31 is the annual Brenda Novak Diabetes Auction and I’m once again putting in a gift basket. My mom is an insulin-dependent diabetic after she had a pancreatectomy a few years ago, and I’m so proud that this auction has raised over 1.6 million dollars to help those with diabetes.
What’s more, one of my very close friends is being highlighted this year with the auction because her two year old son was just diagnosed with Type 1. Lauren Hawkeye Jameson has supported the auction in a number of ways over the years, from volunteering behind the scenes, to both donating and purchasing items. And her baby is just precious.
Here’s what I’ve donated:
Reader’s Delight Gift Basket by Jade Buchanan (with spicy reads!)
This gift basket includes autographed print copies of:
The Felidae Anthology
The Pridelands Anthology
Candy Kisses
Plus:
- Compact mirror: “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” – Oscar Wilde
- Smart Women Read Between the Lines Reader’s Journal
- Bookplates
- Handmade and one of a kind vintage pen nib necklace
I’m pretty excited to tell you guys that I’m going to have another story in the Broken Series. Nathan was one of my favourite things about Broken Silence, and when I heard that MLR Press was going to do a Mixed Tape set of short stories, I knew I wanted to steal Broken Wings by Mr. Mister as my song. I’ve been wanting to write a story for Nathan after the scene set in Vegas where Nathan is consoling Matthew and tells him that Andrew never liked his (ex)boyfriend. It was such a throwaway comment, but it was one that kept scratching at my muse, so I thought it would be fun if Nathan’s ex come back.
Excerpt:
Nathan didn’t know what to think when he saw Tim through the peephole. For a moment he debated not answering the door.
“I can see your shadow, Nate. Come on, I know you’re in there.”
Drat the man. Nathan huffed out a breath before smoothing a hand over his hair. He wasn’t even dressed right for this confrontation. It wasn’t fair. If he’d known his ex-boyfriend was going to show up today he would have put on something pretty. Or at least his power pumps. Nothing made a guy feel more confident than a pair of five inch platform pumps.
“Nathan?”
Ugh. Fine. He’d have to deal with this as is. All he had on was a pair of skinny jeans and his Dynasty sweater. Barefoot. No jewelry at all. Well, his sweater had a few sequins, but other than that it was just him. How plain. This wasn’t how he’d envisioned meeting his ex after a whole year apart.
Taking another breath, Nathan finally opened the door.
He looked up at the familiar face. They stared at each other for a moment, before he finally realized one of them was going to have to say something.
“Hi.”
Tim inhaled audibly. His hands clenched at his sides before relaxing. “Hey, Nate. Good to see you,” he said.
It was a sin how good he looked. Tim had always been tall, and he easily stood a head above Nathan without his heels. But, it looked like he’d gotten in shape while he’d been in LA. That, and he was sporting a nice tan. Apparently California agreed with him more than Toronto did. And didn’t that just suck.
The familiar mop of black hair was ever-present, as were his kissable lips. Damn the man.
He hadn’t expected Tim to show up now. To be honest, he hadn’t expected Tim to show up ever again. Well, that wasn’t quite true. It wasn’t as if Tim had slept with his sister and killed his dog. He’d left Hollywood North to work in Hollywood. Nathan really should get over it by now.
“What are you doing here?”
“What? Can’t a guy come and visit his favorite man?”
Nathan crossed his arms. “Remember how you were supposed to come to Vegas in February? Yeah, how did that work out?”
“Nathan. Come on. Let me in. We need to talk.”
Nathan wasn’t going to let him do this again. He wasn’t sure if he could deal with this a second time. He’d been heartbroken when Tim had left. His friends had even called an emergency intervention when Nathan had shown up for movie night for the third time wearing sweats and an old hoodie that had belonged to Tim.
“Is your movie finished?” Nathan asked, not willing to give an inch.
“Please.”
Well, shit. He never could say no when Tim gave him that puppy dog face. With a sigh, Nathan opened the door wider and ushered Tim inside.
Hell’s End (
Recent Comments