Six Sentence Sunday: Terms of Release

“Love you.”

“I love you.” Three little words, simple as fuck. They made everything in his body stand up and take notice. Whoosh.

Sage loved him.

***

*sniffles*

Much love, y'all.

BA

What I Worked on this Week

Man, it was a busy week for writing this week. Yay!

Active Writing:
The Terms of Release -- climbing out of the angst now, thank goodness.
Catnipped (working title) -- m/m/f shifters. Car sex. Mating. This one's toodling along nicely. :D
New West -- m/m, post-apocalyptic Western. Chugga chugga. I'm having a ball
Cereus: Training (co-write with Julia) -- Little Bear. Did I mention blind BDSM bear shifters?
Bartender Rescue -- Galen/Shane story for the anthology with Kiernan, Julia and Sean. Going well. They're like putting on your favorite pants.

On hold:
m/m/f novel (co-write with Julia) -- fun, sexy menage. This one doesn't have a home or a deadline, so it keeps getting pushed back.

In edits/rewrites:
Hammer and Tongs: At proofing.
The Four Horsemen: Ace and Kitty: in my in-box, waiting for Fais Do Do to be sent to editing.
Fais Do Do: In rewrites. I'm about 1/3 done. I know what I'm doing Tuesday.

Next week's plan?
Finish Terms of Release and get it to beta.

Much love, y'all.
BA

What I Read Last Week

Still Santining. Still loving it. :D

Next week, Julia bought me two new books -- a thriller and a romance -- that are in the bathroom. I intend to explore them. :D

Wayback Wednesday -- Instinctive Harmony

Instinctive Harmony was a challenge piece involving were dogs.

Not werewolves.

Were Dogs.

Blame Julia, I do. Still, I had a ball writing it and Connor still makes me want to snuggle the hell out of him.

***

Excerpt

Connor arrived in the United States the way countless other Irishmen had over the last century. On a boat.

Luckily for him, the freighter he was on paid well for unskilled labor, and he had a handful of the unfamiliar paper money in his pocket as he wandered into the city. Baltimore had seemed like it would be smaller than Boston or New York, but it looked huge to Connor, who had rarely even been let out of his cage long enough to see a tree or some grass.

The noise...the noise was like the pit on the busiest fight of the year. It made him wince, made him hunch down in his sweater and peacoat, his watch cap pulled low over his eyes, hiding his scarred face in the dark.

People paid him no mind, for which he was grateful, but he still had no idea where he would lay his head this night, or how to put food in his rumbling belly.

The pubs were scattered along the street, some bright and busy, others dim, people slinking in and out, smelling of ale and grease and flesh. The further he walked, the fewer dim taverns he saw and the more bright lights poured out on the street.

People were coming and going, laughing, giddy with food and drink and the hope of fucking and...

Damn it straight to Hell!

A door swung open, nearly catching him right in the face, rocking him back on his heels. A tall, lanky bastard hurried out, dark hair flying, something in his hand, completely ignoring him.

A growl rose in Connor's chest and he took a step forward without even thinking, his hands clenching and unclenching as he invaded the man's space.

"Oh. Oh, shit. Man, I'm sorry. I tripped on the stairs and hit the door going ninety to nothing. I didn't hit you, did I?" He got a visual of long arms and legs and huge dark eyes, long coat fluttering like a dying bird.

The voice seemed too quiet for the loud street. Too gentle. Connor didn't think he'd ever heard the like of it. "No. No, you didn't. Sorry."

"Oh, good. I hit that crooked stair and whoosh. Too long legs and too short stairs." He got a quick grin, a wink, a nod.

Connor backed up two steps, staring at the man's face. A wink. Well, that was... Huh. He shook his head like he'd been hit. The little nuances of human kindness still escaped him.

***

43 pages / 15700 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-169-3

Connor arrives in Baltimore with little more than the clothes on his back and the scars on his skin. Compared to where he's been the last few years, the city seems loud, busy, and almost frightening. Literally bumping into violinist Adrian gives Connor a new lease on life, though, and the immediate connection they forms helps him learn to trust again, a difficult feat for a shapeshifter who's been used and abused. When Connor's former owner shows up, though, it could ruin everything. Can Adrian deal with the truth?

Available at Torquere Press and All Romance Ebooks.

Much love, y'all,

BA

My Mountain

People ask why I moved out to the high desert. 

Simple.

This is the view from my front porch.

That's why. :D

Much love, y'all.

BA

Six Sentence Sunday: Bartender Rescue

From an upcoming anthology from me, Julia, Sean, and Kiernan. :D

***

Shane came over, like his soul was on a string. Nothing on earth was good as this. Galen straightened up when he got close, reaching out with one long arm and snagging his shirt. Quick as a wink, Galen had Shane backed up against the Jeep, pressing against him, all up and down.

“Remember this, darlin’?”

Oh, sweet Jesus and all the choirs of angels.

***

;-)

Much love, y'all.

BA

What I Worked on this Week

So, solid writing week this week. Feels good to be at a normal keel. :D

Active Writing:

The Terms of Release -- angst, angst and more angst

Catnipped (working title) -- m/m/f shifters. Spanking is happening as we speak.

New West -- m/m, post-apocalyptic Western. This one is cracking me up.

Cereus: Training (co-write with Julia) -- Little Bear. OMG, bear shifters. BDSM BEAR SHIFTERS. Somebody hold me.

 

On hold:

m/m/f novel (co-write with Julia) -- fun, sexy menage. This one doesn't have a home or a deadline, so it keeps getting pushed back.

 

In edits/rewrites:

Hammer and Tongs: At proofing.

The Four Horsemen: Ace and Kitty: at beta

Fais Do Do: In rewrites.

 

Next week's plan?

I'm hoping to round the corner on Terms and break 20K on New West.

 

Much love, y'all.

BA

What I Read This Week

I'm rereading Sean Michael's Push, because it's in the bathroom. ;-) I also started Melissa Schoeder's Santini series, which was my reward for making word count. I'm loving it. The first one is set in Texas and is making me homesick. 

Next week I'll be reading on the Santinis, I imagine. I bought all four books to indulge myself. :D

What are y'all reading?

Much love,

BA

Wayback Wednesday: Working Jerusalem

So I decided to start featuring a backlist title on Wednesdays -- I mean, I've been publishing for almost ten years. Some of these books I don't ever talk about and I want to be able to share them. :D

For instance, this one:

I wrote this book for Julia -- hot, a little kinky, and a little angsty, it was a hoot to write and I admit, I was in love with Todd from the get go.

 ***

Business was booming.

Todd McPhie loved the coffee shop business. He really did. The smell of coffee made him happy, the people were five minute friends, and the voyeurism factor was huge.

Friday evening at the Jerusalem Coffee Company was like the McDonald's of yuppie neurosis. Supersized drama for all. The clientele Todd catered to tended toward closet cases or flaming queens with little wiggle room in between, and watching the two factions dance around each other fascinated him.

Especially since they were all so desperate to hook up.

His barista, Victor, grinned over at him while foaming a skim milk double shot mocha caramel something, shaking his head. "What do you want to bet that Mr. Cinnamon Bun and Two Creams hooks up with Mr. Soy Chai Cinnamon?"

Todd shook his head, watching Victor's earrings bob. "No bets. Mr. Bun wants to beat Mr. Chai until he's bloody."

Victor hooted, swirling a little heart into the foam. "Oh, yeah. You know, boss, it's been awhile since you tanned someone."

Todd let Victor get away with shit like that because the guy had been with him since he opened and all he could pay was the meager tips they got. No one else was allowed to comment on Todd's personal life. Or lack thereof.

He shook his head mournfully, giving Victor a fake as hell hangdog look. "I scare 'em all off, honey. But thanks for thinking of me."

"Anything for you, boss."

Todd headed to the floor to clean some tables, rolling up the sleeves of his turtleneck and pondering on how it might be time to hire some more help. With Alan quitting he was short-handed, and that left him little time to play.

He chatted with a couple regulars, working his way around the joint. When he got to the tiny corner in the back, all he saw were stacks of books, a faded ball cap, and a regular mug a quarter full on the wood.

Okay. Working? On a Friday?

Now that was a novelty. Todd made his way over, peering into the depths of the booth. "You need a refill?"

"Hmm?" The brim of that cap lifted, a pair of big bright-blue eyes meeting his, electric enough that they sparked.

Lord, that was pretty. Suddenly even more intrigued, Todd gestured to the mostly empty cup. "A refill. What's your poison?"

***

108 pages / 37000 words

ISBN: 978-1-60370-431-1

Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc

 ***

Official type blurb:

Todd McPhie thinks that running the Jerusalem Coffee company is a lot easier than what he used to do for a living. He gets plenty of people watching time, and occasionally picks up someone for a little more than observing.

Then JD comes along, getting Todd more hot and bothered than he's been in a long time. He convinces JD to play, but JD might just have the most conservative job on earth, and the man is kind of a workaholic. Can Todd convince JD he's worth more than a one night stand?

Available at Torquere Press, Amazon, and All Romance Ebooks.

Author's Note: Sometimes, I just want to write hot guys having hot sex and falling madly in love, you know?

Looking for Guest Authors for Tuesdays

If you're interested in pimping a book, goofing off, doing an interview or just showing off, drop me a line at batortuga at gmail

:D

Much love, y'all,

BA

Who I Saw Thursday

Yeah, I was that close. 

:D

Much love,

BA

Six Sentence Sunday

From New West, a dystopian western, coming in November from Resplendence. :D

***

Jess fascinated him, drew him, made him want things that he shouldn’t oughta wish on. Hell, if nothing else, those things would be right dangerous on a trail drive. Ezrah made himself turn away, made himself get moving.

He could feel Jesse’s eyes on him, following him, trailing along behind him.

It was as comforting as it was itchy.

Jess had come.

***

Much love, y'all.

BA

What I Worked on This Week

Eee!

I'm home and unpacked and working!

;D

Active writing:

 

Tag Team: Fais Do Do -- m/m novel. WROTE THE END!

 

The Terms of Release -- m/m novel. I'm rounding the end of this one. It's still amazing. 

 

m/m/f novel (co-write with Julia) -- fun, sexy menage. This one's still on hold until J and I hit some deadlines. Still. :P

 

Catnipped (working title) -- m/m/f shifters, bdsm. I'm at the 2/3 done with these guys. The angst is coming.

 

New West -- m/m, post-apocalyptic Western. Just started.

 

 

In edits/rewrites:

 

The Four Horsemen: Ace and Kitty -- still waiting, but I intend to work on it Wednesday. Ha.

Hammer and Tongs -- edited and at proofing

 

 

Next up:

 

Edits on Fais Do Do, write like a fiend. 

 

 

Much love, y'all.

 

BA

New Short Stories Out!

Hey, y'all! I have a Roughstock short and a Markus/Sebastian short out!

I wrote a first time with Sterling in Fever: In the Pocket and then Markus and Seb demanded a short, so I had to give in. :D 

I love writing the shorts, because I get to revisit old boys and I get to let the ones that don't have a whole novel in them a place to get out of my brain.

Remembering to Breathe -- a Markus/Sebastian story

When Markus sees Sebastian’s performance on TV, he knows they’ve been apart too long. These two semi-retired country stars need their alone time, and Markus is happy to provide it. He intends to give Sebastian just what the man needs, and it has nothing to do with pineapple.

Markus and Sebastian also appear in the novel Fighting Addiction.

Buy it here.

Sterling loves being a bullfighter, and he's good at it, too -- even his hero Coke Pharris says so. So what if maybe he has a crush on Coke, it's not like it's affecting his job or hurting anyone. Someone should tell that to Dillon, the clown and Coke's partner.

Colby Tyburn has been watching Sterling for months and hankering to meet the man. When Dillon introduces the two of them, sparks start to fly and just maybe, Dillon's not only distracted Sterling from his Coke, but done a fine bit of matchmaking while he was at it.

Also available in the Fever anthology.

Buy here.

New Life, New House, New Schedule

So, I live in the high desert and that means that at six o'clock in the morning I am up and tending to my plants for an hour, whether I want to greet the dawn or not before the sun is so hot I can't bear it.

This morning I installed the soaker hoses. Tomorrow will be weeding. Wednesday, sweeping the patio and treating ants, Thursday, repotting cacti, Friday, trimming the volunteers around the apple tree.

And so on and so on. 

Gardening is exercise, right?

;-)

The real down side to this is by 10pm I'm going... BED.

Bed bed bed.

This is leaving poor night owl Julia in the lurch.

Y'all will have to amuse her deep in the night.

Much love, y'all.

BA

Six Sentence Sunday!

From my m/m/f WIP, Catnipped. ;-)

***

 

“Really?” Maybe she’d test him a little. Emma wiggled, trying to get away, and Bowie’s hand wrapped around her leg and tugged. He smacked her with his other hand, really letting her have it. “Bowie!”

 

Her yowl filled the air.

***

Much love, y'all. 

BA

(who is *so* glad to be back to normal life...)

Happy Monday!

Good morning, y'all!

So, what to talk about? 

The last month has been nothing but packing and moving and, while I know that the next month will be all about unpacking, unpacking is way easier. My new house is older and wild and goofy, one of those places where it's grown organically and it's all mismatched and odd and old and fabulous.

I love it.

The best part is the view. I have mountains out my front window.

Maybe the best part is the backyard. I eat outside for every meal.

But then there's the kitchen...

:D

Now, if I could only find the silverware...

Much love, y'all.

BA

So, guess what!

I moved.

That's right, Julia and I are packed up and are loving the mountains and the high desert. It's lovely, we're happy, and there are boxes everywhere. 

Hopefully that means that I can get back to normal life/writing/visiting and things will settle. 

Right now I have two bassets sleeping on my feet and life is a little messy, but good.

:D

Much love, y'all.

BA