~~~~
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 :)

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

- “Time to Read” goat’s milk soap

- and a few more goodies!

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2872892

I’m also participating in my local RWA chapter’s basket: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2956236

And my wonderful editor and pal at MLR Press is offering an evaluation of a FULL m/m romance novel! Holy smokes! http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2835627

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.

***

And the song, for anyone who can’t place it :)

This is not Mexican Independence day, BTW.  That’s in September. It actually marks a minor battle in the Franco/Mexican war where the Mexican Army defeated the French at Puebla. Not so big a deal in Mexico, but exploited by American Beer Importers to put a picnic holiday in that long stretch between Easter and Memorial Day.

My family, from El Paso, the tradition is more of a casual barbacoa. A typical menu for us is: Fruitas, Salsa Fresca, Guacamole, Carne Asada, Frijoles, Elote, bunuelos and eggnog popsicles from the guys with push carts (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it)

Fruitas son mangos, melon, pina, jicama y posible un poco coco. Okay, slice into spears the mango, watermelon (you can add honeydew or cantaloupe as well), pineapple, jicama and maybe coconut if you like it. The traditional way of serving it is by jamming a variety of spears in a blue or red Solo plastic cup, drizzling the fruit with lime juice and then sprinkling it with salt and cayenne. My family uses a spice mix called Sabore which you can get in Mexican markets and some dollar stores (warning it contains MSG).

Que es salsa fresca? It’s just not a boiled down salsa. Juice of 1 lime, 1 diced Onion, 2 diced small tomatoes, cilantro and chilies to taste. I like a variety of different chilies in my salsa; home pickled jalapeños, fresh jalapeños, a Serrano, some sweet small peppers. This is about taste, not a hard and fast recipe.

For guacamole you’ll need at least three really ripe avocados (or one and a half if you have my mom’s tree where they’re the size of freaking softballs and have been known to take out windshields when they fall). Spoon out the meat from the rind and toss in a few spoonfuls of your salsa fresca before adding a little more lime juice. Mash it with a fork. Good guacamole should be chunky.

Tio always does carne asada. The trick is to marinade the shit out of the flank steak, a tough cut otherwise, for at least 3 days. The acids will break down the connective tissue and really flavor the meat. The marinade is pretty simple: lime juice (LOTS of lime juice), chopped garlic, minced onion, cilantro, a little cumin, maybe some Mexican beer, and diced chilies to taste (you can vary it from a little kick to ten alarm fire depending on preference). Throw it on the grill until done, dice it up and toss it in a warm corn tortilla with a little salsa fresca. chopped cabbage (not lettuce) and Mexican cheese (Cacique is a good choice if you can get it, otherwise Kraft has a “Mexican Shred” that will serve in a pinch) then drizzle with a little more lime.

I do beans…in the crock pot. A package of pinto beans, two smoked ham hocks (maybe more if they’re small), a few laurel leaves (bay), four cloves of garlic, three Anaheim peppers (whole), salt, pepper and half a gallon of water. Put it all in, set it on low, forget about it for eight hours.

Elote is grilled corn on the cob “buttered” with a thin coat of mayo and sprinkled with cayenne pepper and salt, while the cheap and easy version of bunuelos consist of flour tortillas cut into strips, fried and tossed in cinnamon and sugar (it’s Mexican cinnamon toast).

The popsicles are street food staples in So.Cal. We have la Cucaracha (our neighborhood, other neighborhoods have La Bandera  …based on the tune the van’s horn plays) that comes twice a day with candy, frozen treats, sundries and small amounts of staples and the guys with push carts who walk the streets when the weather is warm, they have the row of bells between the handle bars (the elote and shaved ice dealers have bicycle horns),

Of course, it’s not a party without booze. Beer is a standard. Dos XX if you like dark, Corona (Sol, Tecate, Pacifica and Trader Jose) if you like Budweiser of Mexico, best drunk with a good shot of lime and bit of salt…but I’d say, branch out at the local BevMo. Bohemia is a good malty beer, much better than Dos XX, it was the beer of choice in my high school days (yes, high school, that’s what happens when you grow up a bridge away from a place that doesn’t enforce a drinking age). Negra Modella (which is the beer of choice for my guys in Twice the Cowboy, Twice the Ride) carries chocolate notes that go well with a deep rich beer.

Now the easiest Margarita on the planet. Ice. A shot of Good Tequila (Don Julio is actually drinkable, Jose Cuervo will do…but any shit that won’t make your head pound will work in a margarita). Fill the rest of the cup up with Trader Joe’s Limeade (you can play with the varieties they offer). A little salt and you’re done. Simple and you’re done. Better than the mixes and so much easier than futzing with triple-sec and crap.

The rest of it is just friends and patio furniture. Ease back and have fun.

Oh, and be sure to play Sex Club Clue for a chance to win a free ebook from Jessica’s backlist. Details are at the bottom of the post.

Alex in Wonderland Buy Link: http://is.gd/alexsite

Blurb: What can go wrong in a sex club? Plenty, as Alex is about to find out. Still, when morning comes, the worst night of his life might just turn out to be the best after all.

Excerpt:

He headed for the lobby but somehow he made a wrong turn and wound up in the steam baths instead.

Billowing clouds of warm mist surrounded him. Everywhere bodies were in motion—fucking, sucking. It was like a dream. The steam played hide-and-seek with butts, legs, faces, cocks. Moans and cries echoed off the tiled walls.

Arousal wound through his body, sinuous as the steam. What was he doing, chasing after one fantasy when a smorgasbord of pleasures surrounded him? Hadn’t he focused on one man long enough?

As if in answer to his thoughts, two men beckoned. They leaned against the wall, trading languid kisses. One of them, a Hispanic man with a big, uncut cock, looked him up and down and smiled. His partner, a white guy with a shaved head, nodded. They held their hands out to him.

He joined them.

“I’m Joe,” the Hispanic guy said, “and this is my partner, Reese. We like to get a big guy like you between us and finger cuff him. Are you into that?”

“Finger cuff? I…don’t know what that is.”

“You suck my cock,” Reese said, “while Joe fucks you.”

Alex’s cock throbbed. “Oh. Yeah. That…” He’d often fantasized about being taken by two men at once. So why the hell not? “I’m into that.”

“Great.” Reese pulled him close and plundered his mouth. Those firm lips, that mobile tongue. Alex couldn’t remember when he’d been kissed so thoroughly as this. It awakened every cell in his body.

Joe pulled Alex’s briefs down. He wrapped his arms around Alex and pressed close, making every contour of his muscular chest known. His cock nestled in the cleft of Alex’s ass, hot and hard.

Reese broke their kiss.

Alex moaned—a sharp, urgent sound.

“Oh yeah.” Joe breathed hot in Alex’s ear. “You want more. You want it so bad.” Reese palmed Alex’s straining erection.

Cheeks aflame with desire, Alex admitted the truth. “Yes.” He looked over his shoulder at Joe. “Got a condom?”

“I do.”

“Good.”

Slowly, gently, Reese pushed Alex’s head down.

As he bent at the waist, Alex ran his tongue down Reese’s chest. He pushed his ass back against Joe’s hard-on. He heard the tearing of the condom packet, and Joe moved away for a moment. This was going to happen. Finally. His cock throbbed just at the thought of it.

Reese’s erection jutted up tall and proud. Alex licked his lips.

Joe parted Alex’s ass cheeks. Hard fingers pushed cold lube into him. Oh God.

Alex wrapped his lips around the big, round head of Reese’s cut cock and sucked. The salty-sweet taste of precum exploded in his mouth and made him hungry for more.

Joe’s hot cock nudged at his entrance.

How long had he been waiting for this? He pulled off Reese, gasping. “Yes. Do it.”

Reese took him by the hair and pushed him down on his cock again. It slid between Alex’s lips, filling his mouth, kissing the back of his throat. Joe gripped Alex’s ass tighter. Yes.

An alarm rent the air. Needles of icy water sprayed down on them. Alex flinched.

“Holy shit!” Joe released Alex.

“Fuck!” Reese wilted in Alex’s mouth as cold water from the overhead sprinkler system pelted down.

“Noooo!” Alex fell to his knees, shivering uncontrollably.

All around him men were screaming, running, grabbing towels, and shielding their shriveling cocks with their hands. The mist evaporated in the frigid deluge, revealing the Spartan, locker-room reality behind the dream.

“Sorry, sorry!” said a man in coveralls carrying a toolbox. “The boiler blew. Don’t be alarmed, there’s no danger, but it’s going to take me a while to fix the problem. This area will be closed off for the rest of the night.”

Alex’s fingers itched to throttle the man, but it wasn’t his fault. In fact, he was here to solve the problem, though it would be too late. Reese and Joe had fled. His long-dreamed-of threesome vanished with the mist.

Sex Club Clue Contest

Several couples were planning special rendezvous at Wonderland tonight, but somehow they’ve all gotten mixed up. To win a free book from Jessica’s backlist, just make your best (or funniest) guess at one of the planned hookups and post it in the comments along with your email address. You can post your entries here or, if comments aren’t working, over on Jessica’s blog at http://jessicafreely.com. Here’s an example:

Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson blindfolded in zero g.

Who with  Who    How     Where

Alex   Harry Potter  with a flogger   in the back room.

Charles X  Magneto  reverse cowgirl   on the stairs.

Brian   Aragorn  using latex condoms  on a trampoline.

Legolas  Sam   doggie style    in the lounge.

Severus Snape Dr. Toland  with a butt plug   in a vat of warm pudding.

Today’s contest stays open until 11:59 pm (EST) on April 28. For more chances to win, follow the Alex in Wonderland Blog Tour: http://is.gd/alextour

Jessica Freely Online:

Website & Blog: http://jessicafreely.com

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/jessicafreely

Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jessicafreely

Facebook: http://facebook.com/jfreely

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jessicafreely

Jessica Freely can’t resist a wounded hero. As a reader and a writer, her favorite stories are of soul mates finding redemption in each other’s arms. Married to the love of her life in a beautiful relationship based on mutual goofiness, Jessica also warps minds as an instructor in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program. Her dog, Ruthie, doesn’t seem to care that Jessica’s an award-winning and best-selling author in multiple genres. She just wants to play tug of war with Jessica’s pages.

Here’s the thing that’s making me nervous. Apparently, I am doing a panel ALL BY MY SWEET LITTLE SELF (at 11 p.m. on Saturday night, no less) called Erotica & Horror: The Perfect Combo. Now, this is a fabulous idea for a panel. I should know, since I thought it up. You’re welcome. And I do love to rattle on about stuff I think I know. But I did not realize I would have to talk ALL BY MYSELF! So, this is me right now: @_@

As anyone who’s ever read my blogs before has probably guessed by now, I am begging for help, OMG please!politely requesting your input. Any particular angle you think I ought to cover? Any particular reason you think erotica and horror are so compelling together? This con has a focus on GLBTQ culture so I’d like to include as much from that viewpoint as possible. I’m probably going to be re-reading some of my Clive Barker and Poppy Z. Brite collections in the coming days to try and figure out why and how those authors combine erotica and horror so well.

Thanks in advance, y’all :) By the way, if anyone is attending the con, PLEASE come say hi, any time and anywhere, I’d love to meet you! FYI I’ll be reading an XXX-cerpt from my upcoming futuristic sci-fi romance Hell’s End (Hellscape book 1) at Naughty Bedtime Stories on Saturday night at 11. Sock puppet theater is included, and the fabulous and always entertaining Kiernan Kelley has promises detachable penises *g*