Guest Post: Introducing L.J. Harris

YAY! Another one of the authors from the Second Chances anthology was coerced agreed to join me for a guest post!

Today, I'd like to give you the opportunity to meet L.J. Harris, someone I've been fortunate enough to call my friend for almost two years now. A fabulous author, and a wonderfully special lady, I'll let L.J. tell you a bit about herself, and her story Heart of Glass.

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Thank you Layne Faire for having me!

I’m very excited to let you all know about my contribution to the Second Chances Anthology, Heart of Glass.  

For the past 3 years, I’ve been an avid reader and author of fan fiction, and not only did being a part of the fandom improve my writing skills, I’ve made several life-long friends along the way.  I’ve written both het and male/male stories, canon and non-canon, and have had a blast writing stories around the Twilight characters, but now I feel it’s time to focus my energies on creating original fiction.  The novel I began before I starting posting to fan fiction is in need of reworking, and when that is complete I hope to submit it for publication as well, but in the meantime, I thought I’d dip my toe in the water by submitting a short story for publication, and that’s when I was inspired to write Heart of Glass.  

You never know when or where inspiration will hit, and the storylines I come up with are often based around often insignificant events, but events that capture my imagination and cause it to run away.  Heart of Glass came to me in that way, and was inspired by several window washers who frequent the busy intersections of the main road that leads into my home city, Canberra, Australia.

I often used to see them on my way in to work, toiling away, and it got me thinking. What were their lives like?  What led them there?  If they had been given other opportunities, would they still be there, braving all kinds of extreme weather conditions to make a living? I jotted down a few ideas, and it wasn’t long before the character of Heath Connors was born. 

Not long after that, I spotted a left hand drive Mustang (we have right hand drive cars here in Australia) driving down the highway and sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb among the luxury cars that normally travel into the city, and the story solidified. That car stood out so much that I just knew that one of the characters would own it, and that’s when I came up with the character of Zack Doherty.

Heart of Glass is a story about a man who has always lived his life to please others, and somewhere along the way he loses himself so much he finds he’s unhappy with his choice and can no longer continue travelling the same path. Heath’s journey of self-discovery finally begins when he breaks free of the shackles that have always tethered him to a life he didn’t want, and when he finally feels as though his life is going in the right direction, life throws Heath another curve ball, when he sees Zack for the first time.  

And when they encounter one another again…let’s just say the sparks fly. While Heath feels out of his depth, at the same time he’s unequivocally attracted to Zack…

Though he seemed nervous, there was no mistaking the fire in his deep blue eyes, so I decided to go for broke and whispered in a low, seductive voice, “I know we’ve only just met, but I really want to see you again. Can I get your number?”

“You don’t have to … I … mean, um … I don’t exactly have a number, and I’m sure you have more important things to do than waste your time with someone who can’t even afford to buy their own phone,” he stammered nervously, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed several times.

I wanted to lick it.

Instead, unable to resist touching him, I ran my hand up the smooth skin of his arm until the tips of my fingers touched the soft skin of his throat, then gently grazed them along the skin of his freshly shaven jaw.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. I’ve got nothing else to do, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than in your company, Heath Connors. So how about I call by your office in the morning and we take it from there?”

“You … want to go out? Wi-with me?” he asked, stumbling over his words, the apples of his cheeks turning a delicious shade of pink.

Adorable.

“I’d love nothing more,” I answered with a smile, my fingers gently caressing his beautiful, flushed face.

“I don’t … I don’t know what to say,” he blurted, his glorious smile almost taking my breath away as his body called to me, and his sweet breath wafted across my face. Without further thought, I leaned in closer until my lips were a hairsbreadth from the shell of his ear.

“Just say yes,” I murmured.

This is the story of how two people get their second chance to find happiness, and how important it is to live your life the way you want it, no matter what others think.  

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the very wonderful stories that comprise the Second Chances Anthology. 

L. J. Harris.

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Bottom Drawer Publications

 Thanks so much for taking the time out to drop by, L.J.! I'm eagerly waiting for the email with my copy of the anthology, but given the excerpts I've seen, this looks to be a great assembly of stories by new authors. Check it out! 

Guest Post: Introducing C.C. Lorenz

Today, I'd like to introduce you to new author, C.C. Lorenz, and her upcoming short story, Notice to Appear, scheduled for release today by Bottom Drawer Publications as part of their first M/M anthology.

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I'd like to start this post with a big thank you to Layne Faire for asking me to be a guest on her blog and discuss my contribution to Second Chances, an anthology of male / male short stories about finding love again.

I draw heavily on real life experiences in my writing, both my own and others, and this story is no different. When I was younger, I was pulled over at a checkpoint and had to go to court for having an expired driver’s license (everyone pull out your license and check the expiration date. Trust me, it’s not worth the hassle to let that date slip past you!). In court, I spotted someone that I had gone to high school sitting a few rows over. Personally, I slumped down in my seat and hid from them, but when brainstorming for this story, I thought it would be a fun way to spark a reconnection.

A lot of my characters are also based on people that I know in real life. I like characters that are flawed in some way and looking around me is the easiest way to tap into traits that can coexist while still allowing a person still be likeable, or interesting. For example, a friend of mine is a lot of fun to spend time with, but flighty and self-centered. Another one is gorgeous and successful, but incredibly insecure. The characteristics may or may not be blatantly written into a story, but just knowing what they are when developing a new character helps me understand how they would react to different situations.

Notice to Appear is the story of Josh Campbell, a charmingly neurotic and somewhat awkward recent college grad who reluctantly travels home for a court date following a traffic violation. He spies a familiar face in the courtroom that day – Carter Sullivan. Back in high school, while he was still coming to terms with his sexuality, he nursed a massive crush on Carter, a tanned and toned lifeguard who quickly became the object of Josh's fantasies. However, Carter was older and had already graduated high school, and Josh was pretty sure he didn't know that he existed. Upon seeing him again, Josh finds that Carter is a more mature version of the gorgeous man he remembered from high school.

Carter Sullivan had played a starring role in Josh's fantasies starting in the summer following ninth grade. Josh had just started realizing that he liked looking at boys a little more than he cared to look at girls, and Carter was one of the finest male specimens Josh had seen. Josh, who didn't even particularly like the beach, spent almost every day there with his friends to see the older boy who was working as a lifeguard before leaving for college. Josh remembered ogling the lean muscles he was a long way from developing; his body had been that of a growing boy, while Carter’s had been anything but. Back then, Carter’s dark blond hair was worn in a closely cropped buzz cut. His skin was covered in a golden tan from hours spent in the sun working, followed by more hours in the sun surfing.

Little does Josh know that he’ll actually get recognized. Upon leaving the courtroom, he hears the door open behind him.

It was Carter.

Josh gasped in surprise and his mind went completely blank. Thankfully, Carter spoke first.

“Hey, uh, Josh, right?” Carter rubbed his hand along the back of his neck, and it almost looked like a nervous gesture.

It was an easy question. He could respond to an easy question like a normal human being.

 “Yea-up.”

Or not. What the hell was that? Josh’s brain had clearly turned to mush in the last ten seconds. He had to try to salvage the situation. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “I mean, yes, that’s me. Carter, right?”

Holding his hand out, Carter’s face broke into a warm, genuine smile. “Yeah, man. How’s it going?”

They make plans to get together, and their age gap becomes painfully apparent to Josh.

“He’s here. Please don’t embarrass me, Mom.”

She looked affronted. “I would never—”

“Okay, okay. I’m just gonna …” Josh pointed over his shoulder to the door before spinning around and walking toward it. Taking a deep breath, he twisted the doorknob and pulled the door open to find Carter Sullivan on his doorstep.

His eyes crinkled as his lips curled up into a smile. “Hey,” he said.

Carter dressed in casual clothing was quite a sight. He wore dark jeans and a black tee, along with some chucks. From under the right sleeve Josh could see a hint of a tattoo peeking out.

“Um, hi,” Josh responded, his eyes drifting over Carter until a throat cleared behind him. He opened the door wider and gestured inside. “Come on in.”

“Thanks,” he said, stepping past Josh into the hallway and coming face to face with his mother.

“Hello, dear, I'm Josh's mom.” Of course, she introduced herself in a way that made him sound as if he was five years old and going on a play date.

 

From there, the boys begin spending more time together, but are plagued by prolonged separation and bouts of insecurity. Will Josh be able to move past his self-doubt and make his schoolboy fantasies come true with Carter?

Notice to Appear will be released as part of the Second Chances anthology on August 31^st 2012 by Bottom Drawer Publications. Second Chances can be purchased here: Second Chances

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C.C., thank you so much for dropping by and telling us about Josh and Carter! I can't wait to pick up my copy later on today! 

Guest Post - Trails of Love I Crawl by Ciaran Dwynvil

 Today I'd like to welcome author Ciaran Dwynvil to the blog to tell us about her new release -Trails of Love I Crawl.

 

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First of all, I'd like to thank Layne for giving me an opportunity to come to her blog to talk about my writing and my book Trails of Love I Crawl, a recently published gay erotic fantasy romance. Now, where do I put the word paranormal? The genre description is already four words long...

Hmm, let's leave the genre as it is and move onto what you can expect in my books: I always say that the characters in my novels lead their own lives and I’m their happy scribe. It's true. At the quiet midnight hours they come and speak to me. They have a story they want to share and I'm the lucky one who they have chosen to write it for them. The way me and them narrate their fortunes will best resonate with thoughtful readers for whom plots and emotions are just as important (if not more) than the erotic aspect of the tales. The way my characters speak tends to use poetic, figurative language which is best suited for times long passed.

If somebody asked me why I've chosen to write gay romance, there are two answers for this question. I believe that love between two men is equally beautiful and deserves the same rights as love between a man and a woman; including the right to be portrayed in books written with skills and so passionately that they will never be forgotten. That's my belief as a person. And me as a writer must say that I write gay romance because many of my beloved characters are gays. It's a part of their lives and the stories they want to tell.

The reasons and circumstances under which characters come into my life can have their triggers in everyday events around us. When it comes to Trails of Love I Crawl, it was a case when a distant acquaintance of mine searched for a cure for her gay son. That night Amédée and Lucien first came to me to with their story. Both me and them thought it would be a short one, but then High Demon Belial, the Prince of Trickery, the Lord of Lust and the Antilight, made his appearance and things changed for all of us. We've been thinking hard how to describe the book without giving spoilers. Hopefully, we've succeeded:

What happens when a guardian of two young men in love is misguided in his beliefs about gay relationships and sends his charges to a reformatory? Amédée's and Lucien's first reactions are shock and fear but they have no other choice than to submit to their guardian's will. Viktor, a first class impostor and the co-owner of the fearful institution, is ready to subject them to all kinds of painful reformations. Or?

The story of two star-crossed lovers soon picks up the pace when Viktor realizes that he is not entirely immune to Amédée's charms. And when High Demon Belial, the Prince of Trickery, the Lord of Lust and the Antilight, takes an interest in the innocent youths, events gather even more momentum. Are the mortals ready to walk and crawl the trails of love? And what effects will Belial's plays have on their destinies? Find out in this epic story about the lust for life and love.

You can get your copy here: Trails of Love I Crawl

For information about the sequel to Trails of Love I Crawl, please, follow my blog at  http://ciarandwynvil.wordpress.com/ or visit my web at http://www.ciarandwynvil.com/

 

 

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 Thanks so much, Ciaran, for stopping by!

Trails of Love I Crawl will be on a free promotion on Amazon on Thursday, August 24, 2012. Check it out and be sure to leave Ciaran a review when you do! 

 

N. R. Walker Guest Post

Today, I'd like to welcome N.R. Walker, author of Taxes and TARDIS,  to my blog! Not only is she a fabulous writer, she's also a dear friend, and I consider it an honor that she graciously agreed to join me for a post on the day of her new release. Without further ado, I'll turn it over to her:

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I’d like to thank the lovely Layne Faire for inviting me to do a guest spot on her fantastic blog!

I’m here to discuss my new release Point of No Return, which comes out August 18th. 

So let me start with how the idea of this story came to life.

I’d had the idea of a boxing story in my head for while.  I love the idea of having strong, tough, kick-ass gay guys and that’s where this story started.  I had the original plot idea, but as I started writing, the characters took the story in a different direction.  Instead of being a boxing based story, Point of No Return ended up more of a cop/detective story. 

Before I’d started writing, I knew my main character Matthew Elliott was a cop, and I knew he was blond and handsome, but I was somewhat stuck on his love interest. So I started trawling the web for internet pictures, and I found him.  Needless to say, he wasn’t exactly difficult to have in my head. ;-)

OMG He's delicious!

Then I needed a name.  The character was half Japanese-half Spanish and I needed a name to reflect to this. The surname, Franco, being Spanish, was a great fit because the boys at the gym would know him as Frankie. But he also needed a first name that could be either male or female, so if the name slipped out, Matt’s co-workers wouldn’t realize Matt was actually dating a man. The name Kira worked for this very reason, and through some research I found Kira Takeo was Japanese for Dark Warrior.  It was perfect.

And so Kira Takeo Franco (aka Frankie) was born.  I fell in love with these two boys. I know that’s cliché, all writer’s love their characters. But I adored Kira. Yes, Matt is the main character, but it’s Kira who carries the story.   He is a complete paradox; he’s strong and resilient, yet completely adaptable. He can be brutal, lethal even, yet he’s gentle and soothing. He anchors Matt, yet completely sets him free.

The action is fast, and there is violence; Matt’s an LA narcotics detective, so it’s safe to assume it’s not a fairytale style story.  (Disclaimer: Fairytale, no. HEA, hell yes. I can’t read, let alone write, stories without the fluffy, tooth-cavity inducing sweetness of a HEA.)  LOL

Here’s a mashed-up version of the blurb, and an excerpt.  Enjoy…

Meet Matthew Elliot. Blond-haired, blue-eyed and rugged good looks, he’s one of LA’s best detectives, and portrayed by the media as the ‘Golden Boy’ of the Fab Four; a group of narcotics detectives who’ve shut down drug-rings all over the city. 

Matt works hard, and after losing his mom before he was just eighteen, he has dedicated his life to his job. His partner Mitch, is the closest thing to family he has, and along with Kurt and Tony, the other members of the Fab Four, there isn’t much hidden between them.

Except for the biggest secret Matt has. 

The secret he’s hidden from everyone. 

He’s not the playboy as they’d all believe. It’s not the women he wants at all.

Enter the half Spanish, half Japanese boxing coach at the gym, Kira.

He was in there warming up with a skipping rope.  His cocoa-colored torso flexed fluidly and his feet barely hit the floor.  He was agile for someone of his size.  He wasn’t huge, but he was tall with great muscle definition.

He smiled when I walked in and hung up the skipping rope on one of the hooks on the back wall.  I tried not to think about his smile or his body, and needing a distraction, I started to strap my hands.

Like he seemed to understand the effect he had on me, he was all business, though he still smiled. He was still fucking beautiful, but he wasted no time on putting me on the bag, only this time he didn’t hold it, so he wasn’t facing me.  Which was much better.

I found it easier to concentrate when I wasn’t looking directly into his eyes.

He stood at my side and corrected my footing.  Apparently my left foot turned in, when I stood in position, making my right swing overcompensate.

By the time my half hour was up with him, he had improved my focus.  I’d hardly had time to think about him.  He was good at what he did, of that there was no doubt. 

When I was done, he threw my towel at me.  “That’s better, Detective,” he said, with a one-dimpled smile.

He had a sheen of sweat over his shoulders, and his tank top barely covered him, his pecs, his shoulders...

“Yeah, it was.” I pretended to wipe my face with my towel to cover the fact I’d just checked him out. 

“More focused today,” he said.

I let out a nervous laugh.  “Something like that.” 

When I looked up at him, he was staring at me.  “Oh, I almost got a real smile,” he said with a smirk.

I could feel myself blush. Fucking hell. I couldn’t help smile a little. “Almost.”

“I think you should call me Kira,” he said, matter-of-factly.

“Why?”

“Because it’s my first name,” he said with a shrug.  “And everyone here calls me Frankie.”

He must have seen the confusion on my face, because he clarified. “See, if you tell your friends at work you’re having dinner with Frankie, they’ll know it’s me.  But if you tell them you’re having dinner with Kira, they won’t have a clue.”

Both men feel the immediate connection between them, and they soon start seeing each other outside of the gym. They also agree that to reveal their relationship, and sexual orientation, would be detrimental to their jobs. But as they fall in love, Matt finds this secret harder to keep, especially from his partner, Mitch.

He couldn’t have imagined being outted as a gay man would be the least of his problems.

Point of No Return is released on August 18^th 2012 with Silver Publishing.

You can buy it here:   BuyPoint of No Return

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Oh wow! this sounds fantastic! I can't wait to get my copy later on today! Make sure you check out N.R. Walker's blog for more details about her upcoming releases, works in progress, and an outstanding free read.