Other Side of the Line

So I'm one month away from submitting my interracial romance set in the 60s and 70s. It's been quite a ride with Caleb and Hal. I truly love these two. It feels like I have a ton left to do, so each day I'll post a snippet, or a picture, or both, maybe some progress to keep everybody in the loop. I didn't get much done today. I'm working on a Christmas scene, but work has been quite insane. I've clocked in a lot of overtime since I came back from vacation. But I expect that it'll die off by the end of the week. In the meantime, here's a snippet from the opening scene where Caleb and Hal are eight.

I'm Sorry For the Long Silence

Wow, I haven’t blogged in eight months. It’s crazy how fast time goes by. I’m sorry I’ve been so quiet. It has been a crazy, crazy year so far. On my way to GRL last October my husband and I stopped by his hometown in Alabama to visit his Grandmother. We were very grateful that we did because she passed a few months later. She was a wonderful gentle spirit and she is greatly missed by all who knew her.

My middle sister gave birth to her first child this March. After a little scare and a little time in the neonatal center Atticus came home. He’s absolutely beautiful and definitely knows his own mind, what he wants and when he wants it. I had the chance to go visit him back in May and there were many songs sung and lots of snuggling from his auntie.

Rainbow Awards and Reviews

Hello everybody, I'm so excited it's not even funny. I can't believe that both Ghosts in the Wind and Make Me Whole are finalists in the 2013 Rainbow Awards!

There are so many other wonderful books that are listed and I am so honored to be among them.

Now if only I could find the patience to wait till December. It's not my strongest suit, but GRL is around the corner and I'm so excited. This year I get to introduce my husband to some of the madness. Since we're going to be near his family, he's coming with me.

On other notes, I've received some fabulous reviews for Make Me Whole. I'm so happy, I fell in love with Galen and Nick, but I wondered if them working through their relationship issues would get to be tiresome, because they do work and then talk about it often. But I like to write about relationships that feel real to me and sometimes that means hashing it out.

So if you're of a mind to check it out and hear a little more about the boys, check them out.

Life Your Life, Buy the Book
Jessewave
Joyfully Jay

It's Release Day! Playing Ball is Available Now!

Whoohoo, I'm so excited. Putting this anthology together has been one fun ride. I had so much fun with Shae Connor, Kate McMurray and Kerry Freeman. Without further ado, here are the links:

Ebook
Print Book

And don't forget today's stop on the blog tour. Today Kate and I are at The Armchair Reader discussing our love for rival teams. :D

The Yankees and The Red Sox

And don't forget to enter our Rafflecopter contest!

CLICK HERE TO WIN

Playing Ball Contest!

To celebrate the release of PLAYING BALL and our blog tour, Shae, Kate, Kerry, and I have put together a pretty awesome giveaway.

Grand prize: A print copy of PLAYING BALL signed by all four authors, a unisex BBQ apron featuring hot athletes from Originals by Lauren, and swag from all four authors.

 

Runner-up prize: An ebook copy of PLAYING BALL and swag from all four authors.

The giveaway will run from 12AM Central on September 21, 2013 to 12AM Central on October 11, 2013. To give an opportunity for the authors to get together to sign the book and gather swag, the winners will be picked and the prizes shipped after the end of GayRomLit 2013.

But there are some rules:

You must be a resident of Earth, 18 years or older, who lives in a place where the viewing of adult material is legal. By entering the giveaway, you are indicating your agreement to the rules. Winners must provide a physical mailing address to receive their prizes. If a winner does not respond to the prize notification within 48 hours, the prize will be re-awarded.

Good luck!

CLICK HERE TO WIN

Launch of the Playing Ball Blog Tour!

Hello everybody. I am sorry for the late update. I didn’t have internet access this morning like I thought I would, so this is the first chance I had to get online. For the first several days of the Playing Ball blog tour, Shae, Kate, Kerry and I are posting excerpts to introduce our respective stories. My story, Wild Pitch, is about two best friends who played together for years and now that they are retired, they are finding themselves dealing with emotions they thought they left behind them.

Ruben Martell fell in love with Alan Hartner during their years playing baseball. They stepped over the foul line once, but the encounter left them struggling with heartache and guilt, turning away from each other to focus on their families. Now retired from the majors, they run a batting cage together and coach rival Little League teams as they juggle fatherhood and being single again. Though Ruben has never given up hope that Alan might look at him as more than a friend, Alan seems determined to keep things the way they’ve always been. But long-buried feelings and desires have a way of resurfacing, and Ruben can't wait forever.

In this excerpt Ruben heads to Alan’s house against his better judgment and finds himself in a situation that immediately eases his mood. I hope you enjoy.

* * * * *

FROM the backyard, Ruben heard the roar of a major battle taking place, the high-pitched gleeful shrieks of young boys mixed with Alan’s shouts of defiance. He grabbed the six-pack from the passenger seat and went around the side of Alan’s house to investigate. It might be safer to take refuge on the deck and watch the chaos until they noticed he’d arrived.

Ruben slipped through the gate and stopped with a laugh at the sight of the full blown water war taking place. Alan had barricaded himself behind the picnic table turned on its side, and his three older sons were attempting to swarm him with water guns. None of them saw Ruben come in. The boys were too intent on getting to their victim and Alan in holding them off.

Alan jumped up with a roar, water balloons in both hands, and Brett, Mikey, and Seth scattered with another round of shrieks. Alan tossed his first round of ammunition, catching both Mikey and Seth, though Brett danced out of reach with a taunt before reaching down to grab more ammunition.

Ruben grinned and set the beers on the deck with a wicked sense of bubbling anticipation. It pulled him out of the downward spiral of nagging regrets and the sense of hopelessness that had dogged him for the past couple of weeks. It was impossible to remain depressed around Alan and his sons.

The youngest boy, Matt, was with Alan, attempting to carry the water balloons off one by one. He was soaked to the skin, breaking most of the balloons as he hugged them to him while trying to toddle away. The only one not wet was Alan, and that couldn’t be allowed.

Humming to himself, Ruben unwound the garden hose from its neat coil under the back faucet. Matt grabbed another water balloon, caught sight of Ruben, and let out a crow of delight. Ruben held a finger to his lips and beckoned to him as he turned on the water. Oh this was going to be so good.

“Unca, Unca!” Matt yelled, dropping the water balloon and waving his chubby hands as he toddled toward Ruben as fast as his short, fat legs would take him.

Alan twisted around, looking for Matt, and his gaze fell on Ruben as he pointed the hose at him. He had just enough time for his eyes to widen before Ruben turned the nozzle on full blast with a wicked laugh. The stream of water caught Alan square in the chest, and he shouted as the boys whooped in delight.

“You double crossing—” Alan cut himself off before he let loose the slew of curses that would’ve once dominated his tirade. Ruben snickered and kept the hose on him as Alan’s boys came in with their water guns to finish him off.

Alan grabbed a water balloon and threw it at Ruben, who sidestepped it with a chuckle. “Your pitching sucks, Hartner,” Ruben taunted.

“Yeah? Dodge this.” Alan grabbed more ammunition and barreled forward with the burst of speed he’d once used to steal bases.

“Whoo-hoo!” Brett shouted, turning his water gun on Ruben. “Get Uncle Ruben too!”

Ruben cursed under his breath and took a step back even as he knew it was too late. Alan pelted him with the water balloons and then tackled him to the ground. Of all the fantasies he’d had over the years of Alan taking him down like this, none of them had involved water balloons or four shrieking boys in the background.

He stamped on his libido and pulled the trigger of the nozzle as Alan tried to wrest the hose away from Ruben. Water, just above freezing, went everywhere, soaking them both and Ruben let out a startled shout from the shock. He relinquished the hose and shoved Alan off him with a laugh.

“You do realize I’m the only one at this madhouse without a change of clothes, right?”

“You’ll dry out in the sun. There’s a nice breeze coming off the lake.” Alan sat up and gave him a friendly shove back. “You should’ve stayed out of it if you didn’t want the consequences.”

“Please. You all would’ve involved me the moment you saw me, unless I took refuge in the house.”

Alan grinned, his entire expression engaging, and for a moment the familiar camaraderie was there, the kind they’d had before things had gotten to be so complicated. Ruben missed that, the friendship without old guilt, the enjoyment of being in Alan’s presence without his feelings being muddled by sexual tension and longing for more.

He only had himself to blame for any awkwardness between them. He never should’ve kissed Alan that night, no matter how much the memory of that kiss had been seared into his brain.

“Hey, you okay?” Alan nudged Ruben’s elbow with his own.

Ruben pulled himself out of his depressing thoughts and met Alan’s concerned gaze. “Yeah.”

“It’s not your shoulder, is it?”

Ruben forced a smile and got to his feet. “Despite last year’s surgery, my shoulder is faring better than my knees. I’m good.” The memory of being forced out by younger, stronger m

en had ceased to sting awhile ago. The rehab hadn’t helped him get his fastball back up to speed, and neither had the surgery. Alan’s offer of a partnership had given him something to work toward instead of pining for a career that had slipped away.

Besides, he couldn’t complain. He wasn’t the only one who’d had to quit playing professionally. At least his kids still had both their parents, even if one was in Florida and the other in Vermont. Alan had been forced to do it all on his own, and Ruben hadn’t heard him bitch once about how his life had been turned around inside out.

“Then what is it?” Alan asked in a low voice as he stood up as well. He shrugged out of his wet T-shirt and tossed the thin cotton over his shoulder. Ruben looked away from his broad shoulders and trim waist, squashing the familiar tug of longing. “You used to tell me everything, Ruben.”

There used to be a time when Ruben could tell him everything, but he wasn’t about to pressure Alan with the stupid, unrequited love whine. He knew where Alan stood when it came to the two of them and that was okay. Ruben’s “what ifs” were all his own. But if anybody would understand how much Ruben missed his kids, it would be his best friend.

“I will,” Ruben assured him. “Just not now. Later, when the boys are in bed. Right now I just want to chill and break out the grill.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Alan turned his gaze on Matt, who was attempting to run and hold onto his falling diaper at the same time. “First, I have a renegade to take care of before he decides to strip naked.”

* * * * *

Next up on the tour, the lovely Shae Connor! Now for everyone who comments on our blogs or follows us on Twitter or Facebook, they get entered into our Raffle with two fabulous prizes at the end!

9/21: Marguerite Labbe
9/22: Shae Connor
9/23: Kerry Freeman
9/24: Kate McMurray
9/25: The Armchair Reader
9/26: Literary Nook
9/27: Joyfully Jay
9/28: Elisa’s Reviews and Ramblings
9/29: Andrew Gordon
9/30: Paisley Smith
10/1: Southern Magic RWA
10/2: P.D. Singer
10/3: J.P. Barnaby
10/4: Naima Simone
10/5: Aidee Ladnier
10/6: The Blog of Sid Love
10/7: The Novel Approach
10/8: Zahra Owens
10/9: Tempeste O’Riley
10/10: Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

"Make Me Whole" - Release Day and Guest Posts

Cover art by Melissa Gay

Make Me Whole

 

 

My newsest book, a paranormal romance just came out with Dreamspinner Press today! I'm so excited. I hope you all enjoy Galen and Nick, Dexios and Lykon as much as I did.

 

 

Make Me Whole Ebook

 

Make Me Whole Print

 

 

After a grueling battle in ancient Greece, lovers Dexios and Lykon committed their lives to each other in the name of Goddess Cythera. After the war, fearing the strength of his love for Dexios, Lykon abandoned his vow and returned home. Heartbroken, Dexios called on Cythera, who changed him into four unfinished statues. In that form he would wait for his fickle lover to return, break the curse, and make him whole.

Thousands of years have passed when Galen Kanellis finds the disassembled pieces in the storeroom of a Seattle museum and makes them the focus of his new exhibit. Needing information, he contacts his ex-lover Nick Charisteas. Nick has a lifelong dream of finding the Dexios Collection, and the last thing he expected was for it to wind up in the hands of the man who broke his heart. As both men search for answers about the statues, worries of abandonment and fear of loss test their renewed relationship, threatening to separate them again—this time permanently.

And I'm on the lovely Joyfully Jay's website today with a guest post and maybe giving away a little something. :-D Stop on by and comment.

Joyfully Jay



Cover Reveal - Playing Ball

Cover by Aaron Anderson

The baseball collaboration with the wonderful Shae Connor, Kate McMurray and Kerry Freeman will be released on September 25^th! Look at the absolutely beautiful cover that Aaron Anderson did for us. I love the simplicity of it and the way it’s just about the best sport out there. I had a chance to read everyone else’s story, and let me tell you, you’re in for a real treat.

We all had a fabulous time putting this together even if it was a bit hectic at moments. So let me know what you think and tell me who your favorite team is, or favorite player, or position. I think you all already know who I favor.

:-D

 

Love,

Margie

Home Field Advantage by Shae Connor

Toby MacMillan, grandson of Atlanta Braves owner Ray MacMillan, lives for baseball and loves his team. When he meets new team member Caleb Browning, an innocent welcome-to-the-big-leagues dinner leads to a not-so-innocent night together. Toby quickly calls things off, afraid of the ramifications of their tryst, but the two men develop a friendship that soon becomes more. After Caleb takes a fastball to the head, their budding romance hits the news—and Toby’s grandfather hits the roof. When Ray MacMillan demands Toby deny the relationship, Toby must choose between the team he’s loved all his life and the man he could love for the rest of it.

One Man to Remember by Kate McMurray

It's 1927, and in New York City Babe Ruth and the Yankee's unstoppable batting lineup, Murderers' Row, is all anyone can talk about. Across town, the Giants' rookie infielder Skip Littlefield racks up hits, creating a streak to rival the Babe’s. Worried his secrets could get out, he avoids the spotlight, but he catches the attention of lauded sports reporter Walter Selby, a notorious dandy whose sexuality is an open secret. Skip reluctantly agrees to an interview, and mutual attraction is sparked. Skip can only hope the more charismatic stars will draw attention away from his romance with Walt. Otherwise, his career and everything he loves is at stake.

One Last Road Trip by Kerry Freeman

With the last game of his Major League Baseball career behind him, Jake Wilson hits the road. Years have passed, but he’s never gotten over the romance he shared with Mikko Niemi back in college. Finally, he's ready to do something about it. He starts with some crucial visits to his ex-wife in New Mexico, his son in Oklahoma, and his daughter in Tennessee. But his true destination is Mikko's home in Georgia, where he's hoping to get a second chance at love.

Wild Pitch by Marguerite Labbe

Ruben Martell fell in love with Alan Hartner during their years playing baseball. They stepped over the foul line once, but the encounter left them struggling with heartache and guilt, turning away from each other to focus on their families. Now retired from the majors, they run a batting cage together and coach rival Little League teams as they juggle fatherhood and being single again. Though Ruben has never given up hope that Alan might look at him as more than a friend, Alan seems determined to keep things the way they’ve always been. But long-buried feelings and desires have a way of resurfacing, and Ruben can't wait forever.

Ebook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4197

Print: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4198

 

Of Dreams and Plot Bunnies

My brain can give me some truly screwed up ideas for plots and my dreams sometimes scare the heebie-jeebies out of me. See this is the kind of plot bunny I'd like to visit me. Isn't he adorable? So sweet and innocent and unable to resist. I'm sure there are writers out there that get plot bunnies like that, but not me. No, my bunnies are a whole different ilk and they play very well with my muses who are demanding themselves, demanding, arrogant and OCD, and they never shut the fuck up. Now below, that's the usual kind of plot bunny I get.

One Week and Counting

Pre-Order Link, Cover Art by Melissa Gay

Hello everybody!

Whooohooo, Make Me Whole is going to be released one week from today. I don't know about y'all, but I'm wiggling with excitement. And during release week I'll be on Joyfully Jay that Monday and on The Armchair Reader that Wednesday giving away a copy each so stop by and check it out.

After a grueling battle in ancient Greece, lovers Dexios and Lykon committed their lives to each other in the name of Goddess Cythera. After the war, fearing the strength of his love for Dexios, Lykon abandoned his vow and returned home. Heartbroken, Dexios called on Cythera, who changed him into four unfinished statues. In that form he would wait for his fickle lover to return, break the curse, and make him whole.

Thousands of years have passed when Galen Kanellis finds the disassembled pieces in the storeroom of a Seattle museum and makes them the focus of his new exhibit. Needing information, he contacts his ex-lover Nick Charisteas. Nick has a lifelong dream of finding the Dexios Collection, and the last thing he expected was for it to wind up in the hands of the man who broke his heart. As both men search for answers about the statues, worries of abandonment and fear of loss test their renewed relationship, threatening to separate them again—this time permanently.

I have a few other things going on this week. Tomorrow I'll be talking about "Dreams and Plot Bunnies," Wednesday I have a surprise :-D so be sure to stop by and check it out, Thursday I'll be discussing Kim Knox's new m/m release Agamemnon Frost. If you've never read her before, I'm telling you she's awesome.

Ooooh, and if you're interested in contest, the amazing C.M. Torrens is doing a giveaway on her blog this week. She's giving away a copy of her spicy little short "One Night to Change." Plus at the end of the month she's giving away a gift card to a commenter so stop by. http://cmtorrens.com/.

I think that's all for today. Edits are done, whoohooo, vacation is coming double whoohooo! So maybe I'll stop running around like a maniacal lemming.

Love,

Margie