Autumn Musings

So, it has been some time since I posted to the blog. It has been a year since I posted, November 2020 to be exact. There is so much life that gets in the way. Covid-19 was one of the biggest things. You’d think since you have all that time, you’d have your stuff together, right? Nope. Not me, Covid quarantine made it hard for me to do much other than quarantine. Made through that, then getting used to going to work and pushing the fog from my brain to get back into writing. I love writing. I absolutely love it and it does feel good to be back at it.

By back at it I mean I finally found my groove and wrote outside my normal genre of romance and wrote a short piece for an anthology called Unbreakable Ink, called “Fly.” The anthology is packed with twenty-nine stories by twenty-nine authors! The absolute cool thing is that, that anthology is going to the moon, I mean literally, going to the moon on the MoonBox 2.0, which will contain the Lunar Codex’s Polaris Collection (including UnBreakable Ink). That really is something, to know that something I wrote is going to the moon.

Travel to the furthest reaches of space, traverse time, delve into the darkest parts of the mind and beyond in this collection of speculative fiction shorts.

Curated by Shebat Legion and presented by Indomitable Ink, Unbreakable Ink boasts twenty-nine stories and is the first installment in a series of anthologies designed to provoke the unbreakable imaginations in us all.

Amazon here: https://books2read.com/u/4EK21O

Page count: 261 pages

Publisher Indomitable Ink: https://www.facebook.com/IndomitableInkPublishing

Let me know if you read my story in the anthology and what you thought of it. As always Live in beauty!

Turn The Page…. An LGBTQ Anthology To Help Prevent Real-Life Tragedies

That was only the end of the chapter, not your whole story….

Turn The Page…. a donation anthology

by Tempeste O’Riley, Dianne Hartsock, Nikki Prince, Grace R. Duncan, Sue Brown, Aine P Massie, Carole Cummings, Hope Ryan, Mark Zubro, Antonia Aquilante, D. Zander Crane

M/M F/F Transgender Genderfluid 
Contemporary Urban Fantasy Paranormal BDSM Romance
(Each story is unique and special, so the genre varies wildly. All are LGBTQ)

Publisher: Abbey of the Brew City Sisters
Cover Artist: Jess Small
Release Date: October 7, 2016 (ebook/print)
Length: Novel / 270 pages

PreOrder: Amazon  Create Space   B & N  Smashwords Kobo 

 

Description:

Turn The Page…. began as a simple idea and grew from there. No matter how bad things seem to be, just turn the page, there’s more—better—things to come. This is only one chapter in your life. It’s not the whole story. With this simple idea, Novice Sister Eroti-Quill—whom most know better as Tempeste O’Riley—began their quest to help Suicide Prevention and Awareness programs in their area. They managed to con (excuse me, convince) other authors to donate their time and stories to the project, and now, many months later, Turn The Page is born!

The authors in this anthology donated their talent as a way to support Eroti-Quill’s hope for others, to help bring strength to programs that so desperately need funding. It will allow them show those that need support but may not have it, or that may be afraid to reach out, just how much love and understanding surrounds them. Turn The Page…. is a diverse range of stories about the journey of love, hope, and acceptance.

 

Individual Blurbs:

Happy Birthday to Me by Tempeste O’Riley

When Dave’s best friend drags him out for his birthday—nearly kicking and screaming, he finds more than he expected at Sovereign, the BDSM club he half owned but had refused to step foot in for two years other than for administrative things while it was closed. He didn’t go to clubs. He didn’t sub anymore. Period.

Well… until he sees Master Nicky. Then his plans for his birthday change and he decides that maybe giving himself a present, might not be quite such a bad idea after all.

Robin’s Confession by Dianne Hartsock

How can Robin find true love without accepting himself first?

Purr by Nikki Prince

Sasha’s love was in imminent danger. All she wanted was to keep Tori safe. Stay at the cabin wait for the verdict from the council. That’s all they had to do. One little dip in the lake couldn’t hurt could it?

Lockdown by Grace R. Duncan

Gylam’s never been that great at communication and this time he’s gone too far. His penchant for keeping his mouth shut resulted in a disastrous trip to the local dungeon. Jackson, his partner—both cop and at home—and Dom, is well familiar with Gylam’s tendencies. The punishment he gives Gylam is just shy of his limits, but Gylam knows he’s earned it. It remains to be seen if it teaches him anything, though.

Ducks in a Row by Sue Brown

David spends his afternoons feeding the ducks, a peaceful activity until the day Jeff and his Labrador dog burst into his life. David and Jeff get to know one another, punctuated by Bozo’s mishaps, but David is unwilling to share all his secrets. Will Jeff give him the time he needs?

Butterflies by Aine P Massie

Kyndra visits Jaiden’s shop for a little birthday shopping but is there for more than the pretty blown glass designs she makes—lovely though they are. What she really wants is a date with the beautiful craftswoman. But can she push her fears aside and ask, or will her past get in the way? With Jaiden’s help, can who Kyndra is inside finally shine?

Once Step Back by Carole Cummings

When Sahir is busy running for his life, it never occurs to him that the being in wrong place at the wrong time might turn into the right place at the right time. Not until he literally collides with Nicholas and salvation comes by way of magical intervention. But when Nicholas ends up being the one who really needs help, Sahir has to decide the best way to give it—and how to offer it to someone who can’t even figure out if he wants it.

Superheroes by Hope Ryan

Many people reach a point where they think life can’t get any worse. Rock bottom, where the future is so bleak, they begin to ask, “why bother?”

When homeless gay man Wayne Kent reaches that point, standing on a Pittsburgh bridge on a cold Tuesday in April, the last thing he expects is to get stopped—especially by a man named Bruce Clark.

But Bruce has been there, he’s seen that, he’s thought and felt the things Wayne is now and he refuses to see the beautiful, hurting man become another statistic. Coffee and a sandwich is a first step and Bruce hopes it’ll lead to a permanent step up for Wayne. And maybe even a step toward more together.

Unworthy by Mark Zubro

A love lost over half a century ago. Is there really redemption for all of our regrets, or at least perhaps for one regret? A chance to change the decision you made over half a century ago, or at least a chance to say what was unsaid, to say what could be said now? The love you missed so long ago, and if you could have one moment again, once last chance.

Love and Hope and Magic by Antonia Aquilante

Once each century, a ritual is performed, the magic of which sustains the land and protects it and its people for the century to come. But the person who performs the ritual never survives. This time Ailill is chosen. He is honored and content with his fate, but his best friend Lorcan is not. Lorcan can’t accept the loss of Ailill and can’t see a life without the man he thinks of as his other half. But Ailill knew Lorcan perhaps better than Lorcan knows himself, and he knew a life of love and magic is waiting for Lorcan after Ailill is gone, if only Lorcan can find the courage to reach for it.

Façade by D. Zander Crane

David struggles with his gender identity as he searches his city for a woman-murdering madman in his female alter-ego, Façade. Can he overcome his depression and confusion long enough to stop the Grinning Reaper?

 

Programs Helped:

   

 

About the Authors:

Tempeste O’Riley

Homo-Erotic Romance Author, Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud pansexual genderfluid whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what they couldn’t – defy the hate and come out. He has been their hero ever since. Tempe is a hopeless romantic who loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. They count their friends, family, and Muse as their greatest blessings in life.

Tempe is also a PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Rainbow Romance Writers, and WisRWA.

Website: http://tempesteoriley.com/

Dianne Hartsock

Dianne is the author of paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, m/m romance, and anything else that comes to mind. She lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee warming her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Website: http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/

Nikki Prince

Nikki Prince is a mother of two, who’s always had a dream to be a published author in the romance genre. Her passion lies in raising her children as readers, gaming, cooking, reading and her writing. Her mother can now breathe easy about the child who used to get in trouble because she was hiding books everywhere and reading when it wasn’t appropriate.

Nikki’s a multi-published author with several epublishing houses. She loves to write Interracial romances in all genres, but wants to let everyone know to not box her in, because there is always room for growth.

Nikki’s also a member of Romance Writers of America National chapter and is president of the OCC/RWA local chapter. She is also a member of the online chapter Passionate Ink RWA, The Beaumonde RWA, and the Rainbow Romance Writers (RRW).

Website: https://authornikkiprince.com

Grace R. Duncan

Real, erotic, forever… Grace Duncan grew up with a wild imagination. She told stories from an early age – many of which got her into trouble. Eventually, she learned to channel that imagination into less troublesome areas, including fanfiction, which is what has led her to writing male/male erotica. A gypsy in her own right, Grace has lived all over the United States. She has currently set up camp in East Texas with her husband and children – both the human and furry kind. As one of those rare creatures who loves research, Grace can get lost for hours on the internet, reading up on any number of strange and different topics. She can also be found writing fanfiction, reading fantasy, crime, suspense, romance and other erotica or even dabbling in art.

Website: http://www.grace-duncan.com

Sue Brown

Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn’t following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact, she hides so she can plot, and has become an expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. She had an Aha moment and put pen to paper that same day. Sue may be late to the party, but she’s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

Website: http://www.suebrownstories.com/

Áine P Massie

Áine is a proud member of the Rom-Critters, the Romance Writers of America®, WisRWA, and Rainbow Romance Writers. Áine has always had a particular fascination with vampires, mythology, and the unusual. When she can escape from her children and books, she enjoys… oh yes, reading, playing, ritual, a good cappuccino, and working with her healing stones.

Her first published work came in high school where she was part of a writing and drama group. However, she has been reading the likes of Shakespeare and Poe since late elementary school and enjoys most forms of fiction.

Website: http://apmassie.com

Carole Cummings

Carole lives with her husband and family in Pennsylvania, USA, where she spends her time trying to find time to write. Recipient of various amateur and professional writing awards, she is the author of nine published speculative fiction novels, two series, and… more short stories than she can keep track of.

Website: www.carolecummings.com

Hope Ryan

Young adult/new adult author who loves to write the tough stuff…but always with a happy ending.

Hope Ryan is an out and proud bigender, bisexual, wife of a loving guy and mother to three, including an amazingly brave genderfluid son. She loves to write about the tough stuff, but also wants to see her characters happy in the end. She feels strongly about showing there is hope for everyone, no matter where you come from, how you identify your gender or who you love. Hope likes to play board and card games and can often be found playing God with her Sims or running around, fighting monsters in a virtual version of Middle Earth. Her TV and movie preferences lean towards anime, sci-fi and fantasy, though she’ll never turn down a good happily ever after love story, either. As long as there are explosions or action, she’s happy. She loves to read books of all kinds, though prefers stories about love in its many forms.

Website: http://www.hoperyan.com

Mark Zubro

Mark Zubro is the author of thirty-four novels and five short stories. His book A Simple Suburban Murder won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men’s mystery. His latest young adult mystery, Gentle, is just out. His science fiction trilogy, Alien Danger, continues to outperform expectations. He spends his time reading, writing, napping, and eating chocolate.

Website: http://markzubro.com

Antonia Aquilante

Antonia Aquilante has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and at the age of twelve, decided she would be a writer when she grew up. After many years and a few career detours, she has returned to that original plan. Her stories have changed over the years, but one thing has remained consistent – they all end in happily ever after.

Born and raised in New Jersey, she is living there again after years in Washington, DC, and North Carolina for school and work. She enjoys being back in the Garden State but admits to being tempted every so often to run away from home and live in Italy.

She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the New Jersey Romance Writers.

Website: www.antoniaaquilante.com

D. Zander Crane

D. Zander Crane is an aspiring, if occasional author, computer troubleshooter, and semi-professional putt-putt golf commentator. He resides in West Chester, Ohio, with the ghost of his mother, a Manx named Hae Yu, and a dozen unfinished manuscripts. His inspiration is long-time friend Tempe.

eMail: donovanacrane@gmail.com

Book Spotlight & Excerpt: Alpha’s Claim Anthology

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alphas-claime1mAbout Alpha’s Claim:

Strength. Power. Domination. 

The shifters in our Alpha’s Claim anthology have one thing in common – they won’t take “no” for an answer. Whether they lead packs of their own, or whether they walk a solitary path, these alphas won’t let anyone stop them from claiming their women.

Lose yourself in these ten sinfully delicious love stories. After all, who could deny an Alpha’s claim?

“Panther Ridge” by Jessica Jayne

Panther Ridge Blurb:

Nathan Thorne is many things. Confident. Proud. Strong. Ruggedly good-looking. And a firefighter. But what really makes him different from most men is that he’s part animal… literally…he shifts into a Florida panther. Nate has spent most of his life a loner, finding satisfaction in random women and roaming his one hundred fifty acres of Florida flatlands in Panther Ridge that his mother left him. He was content. But when Ciara Black enters Nate’s favorite hangout he doesn’t know what hit him. She’s everything he’s ever desired and he knows without a doubt that she’s his mate.

Ciara is on the run trying to escape her father and step-brother’s attempts to steal her Momma’s money. Life is hard and full of disappointments until she meets Nate Thorne. He turns her inside out with just a few words and a smile.

When someone threatens Ciara, Nate can’t do anything but protect what’s his. Can Ciara love him and the animal within?

Buy Links:

Evernight |  Amazon |  Are  |  Bookstrand

 

Excerpt:

“What brought you to town, Ciara?” Nate asked. His gaze wandered over her face. Her nose dipped just slightly giving her a delicate look. Her lips were full and pouty, perfect for wrapping around his cock. Fuck! I need to get my head on straight. It hasn’t been that long since I’ve been laid. But it had been that long since he’d wanted so desperately to be laid by a particular female. In fact, this may have been the only time he could remember feeling only one female could bring him the release he needed, and that female was her. Every ounce of him, body and soul, told him Ciara was his mate.

“A change,” she said, softly, finally looking away from him.

“A change from what?” he pushed.

“A change from my family,” she said, opening the cooler and apparently checking the stock.

“What’s wrong with your family?” Nate asked. “Jack’s a great guy.” Shutting the cooler door, she turned to face him. Placing her hands on the counter, she leaned in closer to him. Her scent enveloped him and he had to bite his lower lip to keep from growling.

“Uncle Jack’s not the problem. He’s the reason I stayed in Florida. Otherwise, I’d have headed out west to get clear of my money-grubbing father and stepbrother,” she said, looking him straight in the eye. “You’re quite the nibby-nose!”

“Just like to know who’s pouring my beer,” he said with a smirk.

“Are you going to look at me all night like you want to eat me alive?”

Nate’s hands shot out to grasp her wrist in such a quick fashion that Ciara looked stunned. Being a panther shifter made him more agile than most normal men. His quickness had saved his life on more than one occasion, but it also benefitted him in situations like this one where he wanted to make a point and catch someone off guard.  The feel of her skin against his was more than he could take, and the growl that he had been trying to stifle escaped.

“I am going to eat you alive,” he whispered, tightening his grip on her wrists. Her blue eyes widened. Though there was a hint of fear in her eyes, he also saw the desire, and that made him continue. “I’m going to bury my tongue in that sweet little pussy of yours until you come all over my face. I can’t wait to taste you.” She inhaled sharply at his words.

Buy Links:

Evernight |  Amazon |  Are  |  Bookstrand

Author Bio:

100_8255Jessica Jayne

I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!

In the journey of life, I got my law degree (and license) and also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure.

I love to read and write… obviously! I’m a huge sports fan, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes!  Go Steelers!  Go Rays! Go Lightning! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. Did I say I love to travel? I love to drink coffee in the morning and tea at night! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a founding member of that crazy group!  J I love hanging out with my family and my friends!  Music makes me happy. I’m a mix between country girl and city chic. But I love nothing more than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw or Eric Church belt it out!  I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat!  J

Favorite quote:  “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”

 

 

Her Type of Guy-Michaela Rhua

HTOGDo you think everyone has their perfect person out there?

What if you have a few peculiarities or kinks? Then what?

Well this anthology of short stories is all about finding the right girl who accepts you are special in your own way.

Her Type of Guy is available from Evernight Publishing right now. It features  10 sexy short stories that are perfect to read when you minutes rather than hours. Each story will leave you with that ‘ahhh’ feeling!

And who are my partners in crime? They are wonderfully talented ladies with rather wild ideas: Doris O’Connor, Raven McAllan, Ella Grey, Morgan King and me (Michaela Rhua – although I wouldn’t necessarily say I am wonderfully talented!)

 

 

Blurb

For every desire, there’s a man to meet it. Someone’s annoyance is another’s kink. In this naughty collection of short stories, indulge your fantasies, and follow our heroines as they find just the right type of guy or guys…

 

From bouncing cocks to virgins, slow coaches, true Scotsmen, and messy play partners, sex toy experts and their mischievous friends, these guys are in need of their ladies. Why is one guy too grumpy to believe, another always too early? And can there ever be a future with a hired killer?

 

Only one way to find out. You might just meet your ideal guy. 

 

 

Here are two snippets from my stories in this hot little collection.

 

Snail’s Pace.

Adam watched Sophie work from behind his glasses as he had done many times. He knew her routine well: tidying the shelves, restocking the popular titles, fluffing the cushions and sorting the toys. Her movements were swift; she brought order to whatever she touched. He longed for her slender hands to touch him and for those long legs to be wound around his waist as he ground into her. Her round breasts looked like they would overfill his hands.

The jangling of the bell awoke him from his daydream. That is all it was pure fantasy. 

 

 

Ready for another?

 

Only When Allowed.

Stopping right in front of him, she lifted a finger to his face. She traced the outline of his lips and slowly down his chin. Alex was rooted to the spot. Lillian leaned into him and her warm breath fanned his ear.

“Come,” she said before turning and walking away towards the lifts.

Alex did not need to think twice. He almost ran to follow his boss, ready to obey her every command. 

 

 

Why not check out this collection of naughty stories here:

www.evernightpublishing.com

 

Feel free to stalk me here:

Michaela Rhua

Website: http://michaelarhuaauthor.weebly.com/

Blog: http://www.michaelarhuaauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelaRhua

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/michaelarhua/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelaRhua

 

Michaela Rhua always dreamed of writing but this never happened until she met the lovely group of ladies known as UCW. Their passion for writing and encouragement inspired her to see if she could do it too. Now she is multi published and loves writing!

She has teenage children and a husband, who also keep her busy. However, it is whilst travelling into work that she has time to create her characters and imagine other places in which they exist as her world skims by the window. Conversations overheard often lead to the birth of new ideas that she scribbles down in her trusty notebook.