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Friday Five...late, but still up!

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This Tuesday is a HUGE book release day. I've been lucky in that I've gotten to read 'advanced copies' of some of the books. These are the ones that I've read that I've given 5-star ratings to...

Goodreads

Goodreads

Goodreads

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Found At the Jazz Club...

This has been on my coming soon page, but I haven't officially shared the cover blurb for Found at the Jazz Club on here. This book was supposed to be a novella, but it ended up being a full length 50,000 word novel (the same length as Found at the Library). It's with the editor right now, so the release date is still tentative, but it's planned for a November 30th release.

Found At the Jazz Club Story Description:

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...or does it? 

Emily Hodges went to Vegas for her best friend’s wedding. She was NOT looking for a husband. Been there, done that, never doing it again. She has enough scars on her heart, and doesn’t need or want any more.

Brady Gresham went to Vegas to find his musical voice again. Instead he found an inspiring muse in the form of Emily. But right now his musical career is his focus. He’s too young to want or need to be tied down.

Somehow their drunken get-together turned into a wedding that neither one of them can remember or explain.

Waking up married was never part of the plan, but you know what they say about best laid plans...

 Links to the Goodreads page

The good news is that this book revealed the next Found couple...or should I say threesome. 

Yes, Found at the Rock Concert will be an m/m/m story.

All the writing news...

Just released:

***Intertwined Hearts***

Amazon

***Smolder***.

..as part of the Children of the Night Anthology

(all proceeds go to the Rainbow Railroad)

Amazon

***Snowcroft Restoration*** 

(November 15)

Amazon preorder

***Found at the Jazz Club*** 

(November 30)

***Shiver***

(December 8)

These months are really busy getting all these books out, so I hope you'll forgive me if I'm hit and miss on my communication. 

November is coming...

Which means NaNoWriMo is coming!

Oh my.

I have BIG plans.

Originally, I planned to write When Love Comes Back this month.

This is book #5 in the When the Mission Ends series. 10k of it is written. So, I need to write 75k in November. Yes, that's a lot. But it's VERY do-able. That's only 2500 words/day.

And I am absolutely still planning to do that.

BUT...

I also have other plans, too.

An aside...

I have a 10 yo daughter. Kat writes, too. About a week ago, she came to me with a tagline that was pretty much brilliant. It's an intriguing sentence, but wide open with what can be done with it. So, I asked her if she wanted to join me in a challenge for NaNoWriMo.

The challenge....

*we each will write stories to her tagline

*we're both planning our stories right now

*we will write (longhand in our journals) for one hour each night during the month of November

*we won't get to read each other's stories until the month is over.

The goal...we'll each have a middle grade novel when it's done (or close to one being done).

As an incentive, I got with my incredible cover designer (AMDesignStudios) and she designed us covers. So, my daughter Kat and I will be writing these books in November...

An additional note on my book...this is going to be an experiment for me, but it will also spread to adult novels, too, if I can make it work. (and that's all I'm going to say right now).

I love the creativity of this so, so much...

I saw this video last week and then downloaded the entire album...it's INCREDIBLE!

A completely creative and wonderful twist on The Wizard of Oz called Straight Outta Oz.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

smiles,

Christi

Smolder is OUT!

Let me tell you a story...

About a year ago, Marc from Rainbow Gold Reviews approached me and asked if I'd be interested in writing an m/m novella for a charity anthology. I said, "Absolutely!" Then he told me, "Great. It needs to be a vampire story."

"Um..."

So, yeah, I wrote a vampire story called Smolder. I'll admit that surprises me as much as it surprises you, but that afternoon driving home from picking up my daughter at school, I was inspired. This story and the follow-up story (featuring a deer shifter) both take place in my hometown, San Angelo, TX...and they're both inspired by true events. :)

Smolder Story Description:

Zack Blackthorne had “dark, immoral” cravings long before he became a vampire. Born during the mid 1800’s, he grew up during a time when loving a man was wrong. But in a moment of weakness, he gave into that urge and life as he knew it changed forever. Now he lives a cursed existence and will never cross that line again. He earned his fate. Alone, he exists in the shadows of the world.

Nash Dixon is a new vampire who’s used to living his life in the light. A photographer by trade, he has no idea how to deal with his new reality. He hasn’t mentioned his latest medical condition to his best friends, only that he needs a safe place to land. Bringing danger to their door was never part of the plan.

Nash also didn’t count on Zack, his sexy new mentor. Zack is an enigma...grumpy, gorgeous, and completely off-limits. At least that’s what Zack’s mouth says. The heat in his eyes says something else entirely. As a photographer, Nash sees that deeper need. But how does he convince a 150-year-old vampire that sometimes the light is exactly where he needs to be?

For now, the only way you can purchase Smolder is as part of the Rainbow Gold anthology. This antho also features 3 other novellas from Tinnean, Joanna Chambers, and Maris Black.

The best part...ALL the proceeds from this anthology will go to the Rainbow Railroad, a Canadian non-profit that is helping to get gay men out of Chechnya.

Less Than Three Press link
Amazon link

Shiver Story Description:

A year ago Corey Abbott’s life entered the realm of the bizarre when he discovered the things that go bump in the night are real. But working for the local vampire council didn’t prepare him for were-deer shifters.

Nine months ago Dare Buckley’s herd abandoned him. Now, he’s slowly going mad from Lyme disease...something that doesn’t hurt normal deer, but for were-deer is fatal.

On one snowy, sleet-filled night, the two collided...literally.

This Christmas two men find love in the most unexpected place...a lonely, desolate highway.

It’s definitely not your typical meet-cute, but it’s a twist of fate that would even make Santa happy.

COMING---December, 2017

An excerpt from Smolder...
(note: my vampire story is pretty hot, if you can't tell from the following excerpt)

Oh, wow, this guy was a vampire, and Nash had just royally ticked him off.

Nash lifted both his hands in supplication. "Whoa, man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Maybe we can try this again." He reached out his hand. "Hi, I'm Nash. I really appreciate you coming to help me with all this. What's your name?"

The guy raised an imperious eyebrow at Nash's outstretched hand like it was covered in sewage, but then reluctantly he reached forward and grabbed hold. "My name's Zack."

Whoa. Electricity and awareness zinged up Nash's arm. Not that he hadn't been aware of the guy before—because he definitely had been. But this... no, this was something totally different... new... freaking HOT!

Zack jerked his hand back. His eyes widened and then became incredibly darker.

Oh, fuck. Nash was totally going to orgasm without a touch to his cock. He moaned, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to find some control. But that didn't help. Now Zack's scent, his arousal filled Nash's nasal passages like the most perfect ambrosia. His fangs dropped.

At that moment, Damien walked into the house. "Hey, Nash, who was at the door?"

Zack slammed Nash against the wall, restraining him. Right now it was a toss up of what smelled better: Zack's arousal or his roommate's A-positive blood. His mouth watered and his cock leaked all over the front of his shorts.

"Tell him you're going out for the evening," Zack hissed at Nash while somehow managing to keep both Nash's fangs and groin from pressing against his body.

"Want you." Nash was beyond any rational thought.

"Do it before someone gets hurt. You don't want to hurt your friends, do you? I have some blood in the car, but you have to get there to get it."

Do the things...

Friday Five is Back! More news....

Honestly, I'd planned to write a whole Friday Five on Intertwined Hearts last week (which released last week), but I simply didn't get it done with the release also happening. So, instead I'm going to write a modified version of that plan today...and then I have a couple of fun announcements at the end.

Amazon

All other retailers

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The most pure love story I've ever written...

Talking about Intertwined Hearts...

I know that this book looks like kinky erotica from the cover. That couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, I would hazard to say that this is the purest love story I've ever written. At its heart this story is about three characters who never would have fallen in love if life had stayed on the course they expected it to. 

But each of them had a truly significant thing happen to them on May 27th that changed the courses of their lives. None of those three events were tied to the others, but they significantly changed the trajectory the characters were moving on and brought them to one another.

This is truly a story that embraces the idea that...

love is love.

We don't control where love happens or with who.

Sometimes the right people just enter our lives and they complete us. 

For these three, that love was made up of three people, not two.

And that was completely unexpected.

 *****************************

The Characters...

Name:

Leigh Vaughn

How she fits in the Snowcroft world...

Leigh is the younger sister to Jamie (hero from Snowcroft Lost). 

She's volunteered to serve as surrogate for Jamie and Trevor.

Career...

She runs and owns Vaughn Construction with Jamie. 

She grew up around the construction crews and curses like a sailor. 

Things to know about Leigh...

She's pretty fanatical about bacon, coffee, and cursing. I kind of adore her. She's rough around the edges, but when a person finds themselves in her care, she's all-in. You become part of her tribe, and she's not going to give you up...not without a fight. She identifies as heterosexual, but having an older gay brother, she's been exposed to gay porn a bit more than most women, so she's not opposed to two guys together...at all. 

Name:

David Warner

How he fits into the Snowcroft World...

David is actually a new character to this book.

Career:

David is the new police chief for Snowcroft. 

He's been hired from the Albuquerque police department. 

Things to know about David:

He grew up on a commune outside of Taos to very loving, but laidback, hippie parents. His need for more discipline and rules in his life is what drew him to police work. But his upbringing comes out in other areas. David believes in love for a person, not a certain sex, but identifies as bisexual. This guy is a caretaker in every sense of the word. He also sees more than most.

Name:

Hudson Richmond

How he fits into the Snowcroft World:

He's one of Jamie's best friends. He made an appearance in the beginning of Snowcroft Lost because before Trevor came on the scene, he had a friends-with-benefits deal with Jamie.

Career:

He's a chef. Six months before the book begins, he owned his own restaurant in Austin. 

Things to know about Hudson:

His life came crashing down when a horrific assault left him suicidal and unable to work in a commercial kitchen or stand a man's touch anymore. After he's checked out of the mental institution, Jamie convinces him to come to Snowcroft to recover and help feed Leigh who is a bio-hazard in the kitchen and pregnant, so she needs to eat more than bacon she gets at the local diner. He identifies as gay, but after his attack, a man's touch terrifies him on a subconscious level. He and Leigh develop an amazing, gorgeous friendship that slowly changes things for all of them.

****

It's so hard to explain the dynamics of these three, but I will say that I am more proud of this book than anything else I've ever written. I think their story is amazing. The love is PURE and that makes my heart go pitter-pat. I love this book.

****************************

Coming this week...

*eeps*

OMG, there is another new release coming from me this week. 

How the heck did that sneak up on me?

Releasing WEDNESDAY!!

So...ahem...this book is a bit of a departure for me.

Yes, I'm dipping my toes into the paranormal world.

About a year ago, Marc from Rainbow Gold Reviews approached me to see if I'd be willing to write a charity m/m novella. I immediately said, "YES!" Then he told me it needed to be a vampire story.

Ummm...vampires.

Not exactly in my normal wheelhouse, so I started backpedaling...fast. 

Then I was driving home from dropping off my daughter at school and looked at a house that I drive by every day...and a story was born. 

It's a normal house, in a normal middle-class subdivision, but I swear to you...it's weird. There are some sort of full-coverage shutters over ALL the windows in the house. You literally can't see any glass at all. So, of course, I'm a writer.

What if a vampire lived there?

And Smolder was born. 

Smolder...Texas Paranormals #1

(m/m paranormal romance novella)
coming October 25, 2017

This book is part of the Children of the Night Charity Anthology from Less than Three Press. 

All the proceeds will go to the Rainbow Railroad, an organization in Canada helping Chechnyan gay men escape persecution.

Story Description:

Zack Blackthorne had “dark, immoral” cravings long before he became a vampire. Born during the mid 1800’s, he grew up during a time when loving a man was wrong. But in a moment of weakness, he gave into that urge and life as he knew it changed forever. Now he lives a cursed existence and will never cross that line again. He earned his fate. Alone, he exists in the shadows of the world.

Nash Dixon is a new vampire who’s used to living his life in the light. A photographer by trade, he has no idea how to deal with his new reality. He hasn’t mentioned his latest medical condition to his best friends, only that he needs a safe place to land. Bringing danger to their door was never part of the plan.

Nash also didn’t count on Zack, his sexy new mentor. Zack is an enigma...grumpy, gorgeous, and completely off-limits. At least that’s what Zack’s mouth says. The heat in his eyes says something else entirely. As a photographer, Nash sees that deeper need. But how does he convince a 150-year-old vampire that sometimes the light is exactly where he needs to be?

Preorder link 

Amazon

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Do we have time for a cover reveal?

I honestly don't know...this post is getting pretty long. 

But I hate not to share this one because I'm so in love with it.

Okay, okay. 

Here is the cover reveal for Found at the Jazz Club...

Remember Brady and Emily who had that surprise wedding in Vegas in Found at the Bookstore? This is their story. Oh, and some new characters show up which means that there's another Found book planned besides Found at the Gallery. There's also going to be Found at the Rock Concert. 

And don't worry...both of those books go back to the m/m format. Well, actually one is m/m/m....

There will be more details to come...probably next week, but just know this book is also going to be releasing SOON!!

Goodreads Link

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Speaking of Triads...

Speaking of triad relationships, have you seen the trailer for this new movie? Who knew that story was behind the Wonder Woman comic? I'm kind of excited to go see this one...

*************

Have a great weekend, everyone!

smiles,

Christi

Plan...don't wish

Intertwined Hearts is OUT!

Intertwined Hearts

 RELEASED TODAY!

Amazon

All other retailers

Story Description

Three people who’ve given up on love...

Hudson:

After a brutal, late-night attack in his restaurant left Chef Hudson Richmond too traumatized to even enter his restaurant again, he escaped to Snowcroft. Now he’s trying to find a new normal when the reality of his world is a man’s touch makes him sick and his dream has become his nightmare.

Leigh:

Leigh Vaughn lives in a man’s world running Vaughn Construction with her brother, Jamie. She’s tried to be feminine and failed over and over again. Growing up with only her brother, father, and construction crews to guide her, Leigh has no idea what a feminine wile is, much less how to deploy them. But when Jamie and Trevor begin to research finding a surrogate to carry their baby, she knows this is something she can do. Hell, it’s not like those parts are getting used for anything else.

David:

When this small town came looking for a new police chief, David Warner jumped at the chance. After a traumatic betrayal by his partner on the police force, he’s burnt out and jaded. And his love life has been even more depressing than his work life. He’s made one true connection in the last five years, but she disappeared without a trace the next morning.

Three people who have given up on love, may just find a new beginning where they least expect it...in Snowcroft. But love is only supposed to happen in twos. How can they make it work with three intertwined hearts?

Trigger warning: This book features story-lines that involve past assaults and betrayals, but has a guaranteed HEA for three people who couldn’t deserve it more. male/male/female.

Check out what reviewers are saying...

First, I gotta be honest here, menage is not my ‘go-to’ when I’m looking for a romance. I can’t tell you how much I loved these characters. Jamie and Trevor (Snowcroft Lost) had no idea what they were doing when they inadvertently brought these three together- Shirley from Goodreads

highly recommended please let there be more! -Dani from Goodreads

Oh, my heart! Leigh and Hudson and David worked so nicely for me. They all have baggage and they find one another when they need it most. -Kelly from Goodreads

The friends to lovers aspect that Leigh and Hudson bring into this romance was natural and just felt right. Gay for you happens to be one of my favorite troupes in the male male genre. This is a little different though. Hudson brings a het/bi for you to this sexy threesome. And then there is David. How can you not love a fun and flirty equal opportunity lover. Yes, very sext read to be devoured here! -Vanessa from Goodreads

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“Besides, I really love pizza, and there’s no place up here that serves really good, greasy pie.”

She looked back at the three pizzas set arranged on different tiers on the table and frowned. “Uh...Hud...” She wrinkled her nose and pointed. “Why does that one have plants on it?”

He’d hidden the mostly green pie on the lowest level so she’d missed it when she first glanced at the table.

David snorted. “I told you she wasn’t going to fall for that for long.”

She raised an eyebrow at the two men smirking at her.

Hudson sighed. “You can eat any of the pizzas on the table, but to do that, you have to eat a piece of the veggie one first.”

Her mouth watered as she gazed at the deep dish, meat pizza with perfectly golden brown cheese and then gazed back at the one with some sort of leafy green something sprinkled on top. “Seriously, you’re going to bribe me like a small child?” she whined. She really wanted that other one first.

“When your palate is the equivalent of a three year old’s, then yes, I am. Just one piece...I think you’ll like it if you try it. The baby will like the nutrients.”

She scowled at him. “Now you’re just playing dirty.”

“Trust me,” he said as he dished her up a heaping slice of the vegetable pizza.

“What is that?” She picked up the tiny lettuce leaf that looked like a miniature cup.

“Nope.” He shook his head at her. “You finish it first and then I’ll tell you what’s on it.”

She sniffed at the tiny lettuce leaf before popping it in her mouth. “What if I’m allergic to something you put on it?” she asked mulishly, surprised to find the little lettuce cup was really crunchy and yummy.

Hudson rolled his eyes. “I know for a fact you don’t have any food allergies. Eat,” he growled, sounding more and more like a grumpy dad rather than her nice, friendly roommate.

So she took a big bite of her pizza. Flavors exploded on her tongue, and she closed her eyes and moaned. As soon as she swallowed, she took another big bite. Hell, this was so, so good. She chewed, trying to extrapolate the different flavors—a rich, buttery crust that was so thin it broke like a cracker when she bit into it, caramelized onions, a hint of garlic, chunks of fresh tomatoes, some sort of mushroom, cheese that seemed to melt in her mouth, and then that crisp lettuce that had been sprinkled on top. It was all so good.

She finished her piece and licked her fingers clean. The sauce had a hint of something...amazing. She opened her eyes to ask Hudson what that flavor was and found both her roommates staring at her with their mouths slightly opened and stunned expressions on their faces.

David said, “Watching you eat pizza is better than any porno I’ve ever seen.” His voice was low and husky and the arousal she heard there made her nipples tingle. “Hudson, we need to put pizza on the menu every other night. Or hell, every night.”

Hudson grunted his agreement, but he looked a little stunned.

She ducked her head, embarrassed. “Oh, stop it. It’s really good.” She cleared her throat. “The sauce...it’s... Something’s different, but I really like it.”

Hudson appeared to be recovering, because now he snorted at her. “Of course you do. I took a piece of turkey bacon and pureed it to add a hint of smoke to the sauce.” He shook his head sadly. “My skills are wasted with you. All it takes for you to like something is add bacon.”

She should probably be embarrassed by that fact, but it was true, so what could she do? She lifted up one of the little lettuce cups. “I do really like these, too. What are they?”

His eyes lit up and he gave her a huge smile that showed off his amazing dimples. “Those are brussel sprouts, raw, peeled in layers.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “No way. I just ate brussel sprouts and liked them?” she whispered, not sure if it was horror or admiration for what Hudson had done.

He chuckled. “Stick with me. There’s no telling what you might find that you like.”

That sounded so flirtatious, so downright scandalous that her cheeks heated with pleasure even though she knew that wasn’t the way he’d meant it.

****

There is another excerpt on my reviewer blog...

https://smittenwithreading.blogspot.com/

Amazon

All other retailers

*****

And Guess What?
You don't have long to wait for book #4...

That's right. Law's book is coming next month. In fact, Intertwined Hearts and Snowcroft Restoration are closely related. Their timelines and story lines cross over one another a little bit. In fact, you get a really good idea of what is going to be happening with Law and his hero, Ian, with the scenes in Intertwined Hearts. They each have several scenes in IH and it leads directly into their story. 

COMING NOVEMBER 15th

Snowcroft Restoration Story Description

Two years ago, Law Wyman went undercover for an FBI investigation that went sideways. It cost him both the love of his life and his sanity. The nightmare still haunts him, and so does some unfinished business...Ian Mayne, the son of the man who ruined his life.

Two years ago, Ian had to face the truth about how his father spent a lifetime torturing and trafficking LGBTQ teens. Ever since, Ian has done everything he can to make up for his dead father’s many sins through his law enforcement job. Too many paid in horrific, horrible ways at his father’s hands while Ian kept the truth about his own sexuality hidden.

Law is doing all he can to save Ian, but Ian doesn’t necessarily want to be saved.

Two men...both horrifically haunted by what happened. Is it possible they can find healing together? Only if they have the courage to face their demons and each other...

Trigger Warning: This is a hot story about two men who have both survived past abuse.

Amazon preorder
All other retailers preorder