Babes in Boyland

WIP Wednesday - I & L & U

2012-02-29T20:03:00.000-06:00

Howdy, y'all! We haven't done WIP Wednesday in a while, so I thought it was about that time. This is a little glimpse of a story I (Piper) am writing with my dear pal, Xara X. Xanakas. It's a contemporary romance set in Texas and written in alternating first, with me writing the character of Darcy and XXX writing Cyrus. We're about a third of the way done right now (or thereabouts).

Here is a little bit from Darcy's POV for your reading pleasure.

~*~

A few minutes later I was clocked out and trading the air conditioned bliss of the library for the sweltering heat outside. The moment my eyes adjusted to the sunshine, I could see Cyrus standing next to his motorcycle across the lot. My relief at seeing him was so strong it forced a sigh from my chest. I hadn’t realized how worried I’d been that he might not be there until that very moment.

Okay. Don’t mess this up, Darcy. Be cool.

I sucked in a deep, fortifying breath and started walking over to where Cyrus stood. I was grateful that I’d left my hoodie inside. I only brought it because the library kept the AC cranked up so high you would think we were working in a meat locker. That wasn’t a problem out here, though. The sun blazed fiery hot overhead, almost blinding in its intensity. Shimmery waves of refracted light rose from the blacktop, distorting the evenly-spaced white lines that marked the parking spots. It wasn’t even noon, but I knew the temperature had to be creeping up on one-hundred already.

And yet there Cyrus was, seeming somehow unperturbed by the heat in spite of his black bikers boots, skintight jeans, and clingy black T-shirt. I couldn’t understand it—even in my thin cotton button-down and loose-fitting khakis, I was roasting—but standing there next to his gleaming black-and-red Harley, with his black leather jacket hooked casually over his shoulder by one long finger, he looked cooler than frigging James Dean. All he needed was a cigarette and a Porsche at his side. God, he was so gorgeous he seemed almost unreal. How could I have ever thought I had any kind of a chance? Well, it didn’t matter either way. This coffee date was less about me and my impossible hopes than it was about helping him and his sister. Or at least that’s what I tried to tell myself.

When I reached him, I smiled up at him, feeling happy and unbelievably shy all at once. It was the first time we’d ever been alone, and the first time we hadn’t had the checkout desk between us. Standing this close, I realized that he was a good four or five inches taller than me, which was just another mark in the “pros” column as far as I was concerned. I’d always been attracted to taller men, maybe to compensate for the fact that I just barely cleared five-nine myself.

“Hey,” I said. “I only get half an hour. Thrice Café is up the street a ways. Are you okay with going there? They have great chicken salad sandwiches.”

Cyrus shrugged lightly. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

I led the way around the corner and down the block, extremely conscious of Cyrus at my back the entire time. It made me nervous to think of him watching me in my plain blue shirt and neat, serviceable khakis. The outfit wasn’t what anyone would ever call stylish, I’m sure. To top it off, I was ever-aware of the fact that he was long and lean and gorgeous, and I was short and pudgy and maybe cute on my best of days. He was a head-turner. I just…wasn’t. Most of the time I was okay with that. I hadn’t exactly been cursed in the looks department; it wasn’t as if I had people recoiling from me in horror when I walked down the street. Like the vast majority of the population, I fell into the wide gap between ugly and extraordinary—but no one had to tell me that guys who looked like Cyrus didn’t usually go for guys who were, well, average.

When we entered the café, the girl behind the counter grinned and waved at me. “Hi, Darcy.”

I grinned back. “Hi, Val.” I visited Thrice so often I was on a first-name basis with most of the employees. Half an hour didn’t give me time to go very far and I loved their food, so there wasn’t really a need to anyway. Other than their chicken salad sandwiches, their vegetable quiche was my favorite. There were weeks I had it every day.

“The usual?” Val asked.

“Yep. And a Filthy Chai, please.”

“Coming right up,” Val said. Her eyes moved to Cyrus and suddenly her shoulders went back and her breasts pushed forward. She smoothed down her shirt and smiled a bit wider. “And for your friend?”

I glanced over at Cyrus, wondering if he’d noticed the sudden change in her demeanor. If he had, it didn’t show. I wasn’t surprised. He probably got that sort of thing all the time.

Cyrus arched an eyebrow at me, and my heart stuttered in my chest. “Filthy Chai?”

I laughed lightly, hoping he couldn’t tell that the sound was kind of breathless, didn’t know how affected I was by his mere proximity. “It’s a chai latte with a double shot. I need the caffeine today.”

His lips quirked a little. “I’ll have one of those, too.”

Giveaway - Stroke! by M.J. O'Shea

2012-02-29T12:59:00.000-06:00

M.J.'s short story, Stroke!, comes out today! To celebrate we're hosting a giveaway. Please see the rules at the bottom of this post for details! :D

For Owen Peters, rowing is life—college classes are just an afterthought. So when Elijah Lukas, a hotshot sophomore, tries to take Owen’s rightful place on the varsity boat, he’s threatened, enraged, and needs a place to let off steam. The only person Owen can turn to is his online friend Davis, who he was randomly matched with on a game nearly a year before.

Davis is friendly, nonthreatening, and best of all he’s on the other side of the country and far removed from the politics of the crew team. Soon, though, Owen starts to feel more for his flirtatious online pal than simple friendship. Between the battle on the water and an impossible new crush, Owen is starting to wonder how he’ll make it through the school year.

~*~

Leave a comment on this entry with your name and email address. That counts as one entry. If you want to toss your name into the pot more than once, you can do one, or all, of the following:

-Be a follower of Babes in Boyland +1 (If you're already a follower, that counts too! Just mention it. :))

-Pimp this contest on your Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads status, etc., and provide us with a link to said promotion(s). +1 per link-Follow us on Twitter! (See the sidebar for our names and links to our accounts). If your Twitter name is different than the one you use here, please let us know. +1 for each of us

And that’s it!

Contest ends: 3/4/2012, Sun, at 9PM PST

Note: This contest is open worldwide. We will contact the winner via email. The winner will have 48 hours (until 9 PM CST, 3/6/2012) to contact us, or we will draw again. Winner will be chosen by random drawing. And I know it shouldn’t have to be said, but if you win, please respect the intellectual property of the author and don’t share the book or give it away to anyone else.

~*This contest is open to adults age 18 and up. Your comment confirms that you are of legal age.*~

Cold Moon Winner!!

2012-02-28T22:52:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the late notice! I just did my drawing for the Cold Moon winner today, and it's Adara:)

Congrats!

Tattoo Tuesday - Dawid Auguscik

2012-02-28T02:27:00.001-06:00

Ladies and gents, this is Polish model, Dawid Auguscik. I think he's quite lovely. These are pics of him at varying stages, so in some he has practically no tats and in others he has a bunch. Either way, he's pretty!

The Luckiest has cover art!

2012-02-27T18:27:00.000-06:00

Hey, y'all! We just got the finalized cover art for The Luckiest today, which means we are free to share it! Here is the cover, which was designed by the fabulous Fiona Jayde. Isn't it purdy? :D

The Luckiest is due out on March 27th! If you haven't read the Beyond Moonlight collection yet, you might want to check it out. It covers the events between Moonlight Becomes You and The Luckiest and is available for free from Goodreads and ARe.

Music Monday - Lana Del Rey

2012-02-27T02:07:00.014-06:00

So, Lana Del Rey is a relatively new discovery for me. I never listen to the radio and I hadn't even heard of her until MJ linked me to the YouTube videos for "Blue Jeans" and "Video Games." At first I wasn't sure if I liked her. She was interesting and I knew I liked the sound of her voice, but it wasn't an instant love kind of thing. It took a couple of listens for me to fall for "Blue Jeans" and a couple more for "Video Games," but I have to say that I've since purchased her entire "Born to Die" album and I've listened to it in its entirety several times. "Blue Jeans" is definitely my fave, but I do like the whole album. :)

"Blue jeans, white shirt
Walked into the room, you know you made my eyes burn..."

"They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you..."

"Do you think we'll be in love forever?
Do you think we'll be in love?"

"Every time I close my eyes, it's like dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side..."

Cold Moon released!!! (oh, and of course a contest:) )

2012-02-22T23:59:00.006-06:00

Charlie Fitzgerald is one stubborn hunter. X'andrien is his equally bullheaded dryad protector. Both of them may finally realize that years of friendship has turned into a love neither of them is willing to live without ... if they can stay alive long enough to do it.

Here's a little excerpt from the middle of the book. Their first kiss:)

.....I brought my hand up to cup his face, so familiar and somehow new at the same time.

“Charlie?”

“Yeah?” I knew what he wanted. I wanted it too. I nodded, a tiny movement—barely perceptible.

Xan’s hand slid up my back until he was cupping my head and threading his long gentle fingers through my hair. His nose brushed against mine and he trembled. It was scary, that place where I found myself, on the cusp of becoming someone’s lover. I hadn’t been there very many times, never really, not in the real sense of the word. And certainly not with someone like Xan, the person I was closest to in the world.

“I’m scared,” he admitted in a near-silent whisper. “It’s you.”

I knew exactly what he meant. “I’m scared too. But maybe we don’t have anything to be scared of.”

And then I did it. I pulled his face close to mine and brushed my lips across his, once, twice. He sighed and I had to kiss him again. It felt exactly like me and Xan should feel. The most comfortable thing in the world and yet so new and scary and exciting. Just like holding hands the night before, just like when I laid in his arms. My belly tightened and instinctively, I tried to get closer. He tasted like I would have expected him to taste, warm, wonderful, and sweet. I realized somewhere in the back of my mind that I’d been thinking about what it would be like to kiss Xan for weeks if not longer. It was like my body was saying, “Finally,” because it was getting something it had been missing all along....

Cold Moon is available here right now:

Republica Press (you can read a chapter one excerpt here as well)

AllromanceEbooks

And should be available on Amazon.com by this weekend!

AND.. now for the contest.

I know I owe a couple of people a copy of this already, and you will be getting yours very soon, but I'm guessing a few more people might like one! So BiB will be giving out another free copy of the book to a reader. I'm pretty sure you guys know our rules by now, but I'll add them below just in case:)

Leave a comment on this entry with your name and email address. That counts as one entry. If you want to toss your name into the pot more than once, you can do one, or all, of the following:

-Be a follower of Babes in Boyland +1 (If you're already a follower, that counts too! Just mention it. :))

And that’s it!

Contest ends: 2/27/2012, Sun, at 9PM PST

Note: This contest is open worldwide. We will contact the winner via email. The winner will have 48 hours (until 9 PM CST, 2/28/2012) to contact us, or we will draw again. Winner will be chosen by random drawing. And I know it shouldn’t have to be said, but if you win, please respect the intellectual property of the author and don’t share the book or give it away to anyone else.

~*This contest is open to adults age 18 and up. Your comment confirms that you are of legal age.*~

Giveaway - Twinsational by Jeff Erno

2012-02-22T22:15:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Jeff Erno, who generously donated a copy of his new release, Twinsational, to one lucky reader! Twinsational was released by Extasy Books back on the 15th, so this book has only been out for a week now. If you haven't bought it already, now is your chance to get it for free! See the rules at the bottom of this post for details about the giveaway.

The Blurb:

Tommy Cooper has just turned 21 and is getting his first exposure to the gay club scene when he meets Darren Maguire, a go-go dancer. Not only is Darren about the hottest guy that Tommy has ever seen, but he has an identical twin brother named Michael who is also a dancer

Things quickly heat up for Tommy and Darren, but Michael doesn’t exactly approve. Michael is more serious and wishes his brother Darren would focus more on his education. When Michael meets the man of his dreams, however, he begins to understand the power of romance.

Each of the twins becomes embroiled in relationships which are sure to affect their future, but in the party environment of a dance club, can any such relationship last? And what of the parade of hot guys that constantly come in and out of their lives? Only time will tell if Tommy has actually met the man of his dreams or if he’s simply allowed himself to be swept up by a passing sensation.

Giveaway details:

Leave a comment on this entry with your name and email address. That counts as one entry. If you want to toss your name into the pot more than once, you can do one, or all, of the following:

-Be a follower of Babes in Boyland +1 (If you're already a follower, that counts too! Just mention it. :))

And that’s it!

Contest ends: 2/26/2012, Sun, at 9PM CST

Note: This contest is open worldwide. We will contact the winner via email. The winner will have 48 hours (until 9 PM CST, 2/28/2012) to contact us, or we will draw again. Winner will be chosen by random drawing. And I know it shouldn’t have to be said, but if you win, please respect the intellectual property of the author and don’t share the book or give it away to anyone else.

~*This contest is open to adults age 18 and up. Your comment confirms that you are of legal age.*~

Thanks for playing!

Tangled

2012-02-22T13:02:00.002-06:00

Hey, y'all! Piper here. I'd like to announce a new upcoming release for me. It's a little story I started a long time ago, which I am only now revamping and finishing. Less Than Three accepted my pitch for it, and the release date is set for June 20th. This is a full-length novel, which I think should end up around 60K or so. Well, that's the plan at least. :P

Here is the blurb:

Aidan McTighe has never had any interest in sex. A disastrous first kiss in seventh grade was enough to put him off the idea for life. Unfortunately, his best friend has other ideas, and pressures him until he agrees to go on three dates. Desperate to get out of the arrangement, Aidan does what any guy would do: pretends to be gay and fakes a crush on his dorm’s resident iceberg.

What he didn’t expect was for his faked interest to be earnestly returned, or to find himself actually falling for the man he only pretended to like. Tangled up in a mess of his own making, Aidan doesn’t know what to do or how to get out of it without hurting the man who suddenly means everything. But secrets always have a way of getting out...

If you think it sounds interesting, add it to your Goodreads shelf!

Tattoo Tuesday - Harvey Newton Haydon (Semi-NSFW)

2012-02-21T01:26:00.000-06:00

Here we have British model Harvey Newton Haydon, owner of a killer bod and a spectacular pair of do me lines. I dedicate this post to you, Sue!

Music Monday

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

I know I've done dancing music before...lol, but here's an either little known (or perhaps well known) fact about me. I honestly don't remember if I told anyone. My computer, at least until I move to my new house, is in the corner of this huge room with a wooden floor and right now there's no other furniture. So when I'm feeling blocked or antsy that floor becomes my ballroom and I dance. When a book is particularly frustrating, I dance a LOT.

I was just dancing now since I have two chapters to write and only a day to do it. LOL. Great use of my time. But now, since I'm sweaty and out of breath and happy I can sit down and get my chapters done. I swear, writers, it works every time. I'm just going to do a literal playlist of what I was just dancing to. It might be old stuff that I've listed before, but that's okay. It worked for me today.

So, put your dancing shoes on:)

To warm up....

This one's fun to choreograph to:) My flashdance moment...hehe

This one used to get me in trouble at the clubs. It's a little too fun.

After this I decided it was probably time to get to work. Reluctantly.

Have fun, DANCE, and I'll see everyone next week. By the time this posts I'll be in Vegas. No trouble. I promise. (Actually, I'll be with my mom. It'll be a tame version of MJ this time.)

Have a great week!!

Suit Up Sunday swimmer style:)

2012-02-19T01:00:00.000-06:00

More swimming prettiness:)

okay, I'm usually not a fan, fifty gazillion medals and all, but he looks kind of hot in this picture...

I just thought this was funny. What's he digging for in there?

Pretty...

Tattoo Tuesday - The Valentine's Day Edition

2012-02-14T05:14:00.000-06:00

♥ This is a special Valentine's Day edition of Tattoo Tuesday, which means today is all about kisses! Boys kissing, girls kissing, the more the merrier I say. Enjoy! ♥

Until next time, y'all! ♥ Piper

Swimsuit Sunday -Ryan Lochte

2012-02-12T02:01:00.003-06:00

Gearing up for the Olympics this summer (yay! I can't wait!) I'm featuring another real swimmer who doesn't have the hype that Michael Phelps does, but is just as good and pretty damn hot:) This is Ryan Lochte....

It’s A Multicultural Thang - A Guest Post by Johnny Miles

2012-02-11T00:32:00.000-06:00

Last year, during an in-depth interview, I was asked by Sheila Gallagher what dimension I hoped to add to the main characters in Learning To Samba by having them be from two different cultures. I didn’t really think anything of it. Since the question pertained to that book specifically, I answered and we moved on.

Then, most recently, when Piper Vaughn invited me to guest blog for Babes In Boyland she suggested that since I’ve had Hispanics in my stories, perhaps I touch on the subject of interracial couples and minority characters in m/m romance. I was like, really? I do?

I thought back to each of my stories and realized Piper was right. Starting with my first, “Casa Rodrigo,” and including my latest release, “The Rosas of Spanish Harlem,” each of them is multicultural. I hadn’t even realized it! It wasn’t like I purposely set out to have my characters be culturally diverse or from two different worlds.

But I suppose it makes sense, given where and how I grew up.

You see, I lived in Brownsville, a section of East New York in Brooklyn. As it was the ghetto, I was surrounded by blacks and Hispanics. Outside of the teachers at school, the only Caucasians I ever saw were on television. Not surprisingly, for a first generation American, I grew up very aware of the unbalanced portrayals of minorities. There were no role models I myself could identify with or look up to on American television. In fact, back then, the only Hispanics on television that weren’t drug addicts, hoes or pimps, were on the telenovelas my mom watched; and even then, some of them were sketchy.

There was really no one for me to emulate except my mom and stepdad. And trust me when I say, theirs was a co-abusive and self-destructive love-hate relationship. I did NOT want to follow in their footsteps, that much was perfectly clear to me even at an early age. And that’s about as polite as I can be. The reality of it was far worse.

I think even as a child I knew instinctively -- though I wouldn’t have been able to put it into words -- that what little I saw on television of my fellow minorities, let alone gay people, was so perversely stereotyped I’d wish they didn’t have any minorities at all. Here’s an example of how sensitive I am about the subject of race. To this day I still have a hard time watching West Side Story.

Now here’s the irony. Because of where I lived, there was a time when I started to believe there was some truth to the stereotyping witnessed on television. All around me, it seemed people were devoted to perpetuating -- and in some cases surpassing -- every negative trait I saw. And yet, there was always a part of me that wanted to cry out: That’s not fair! I’m not like that! I’m just like everyone else; basically!

It wasn’t until I grew a little older and -- in junior high school -- discovered books written by, about, and for minorities that I realized I didn’t have to accept what I was being spoon fed on television. My soul rebelled against the stereotypes and I devoured books by Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Piri Thomas, and even Sammy Davis, Jr.’s autobiography, “Yes, I Can.” These are just some of what still stands out in my mind today.

Sadly, human nature being what it is, there will always be stereotypes. We will always laugh at ethnic jokes. There will always be racism. None of us are immune to it and, as a character in one of my favorite musicals -- Avenue Q -- sings, “Bigotry has never been exclusively white.”

I suppose if I had to psychoanalyze myself, I’d say that the subconscious choice to write about interracial couples is, on the surface, about adding conflict to the story. However, I have a strange inkling it might be my own way of showing the reader -- and myself -- that if we put our differences aside, we’ll discover we all want the same things. Taking it a step further, I’ll confess this to you. In the deepest, darkest recesses of my soul, I think I write about diverse characters because it’s my heart’s way of saying that love truly can conquer all.

~*~

Visit Johnny at his website or over at his blog, and be sure to check out his new release, The Rosas of Spanish Harlem.

Friday Update

2012-02-10T12:48:00.000-06:00

Hey, all! Piper here with a little update for our lovely followers.

General

1) In case you missed it, both my and MJ's Valentine's Day short stories are out from Less Than Three Press! In addition to being available in the LT3 book market, they're both up on ARe and Amazon already. Here are the linkies for that!

Giving In - Amazon / ARe

The Key - Amazon / ARe

2) Beyond Moonlight (Lucky Moon #1.5), which bridges the gap between Moonlight Becomes You and our forthcoming release, The Luckiest, is also available! This free collection contains all 3 vignettes that we'd posted here on Babes in Boyland, for anyone who skipped them because they don't enjoy reading online. It's available in EPUB, MOBI, and PDF on Goodreads, ARe, and 1 Place For Romance. If you intend on reading The Luckiest, you might want to check these stories out first. But, of course, you don't have to read them to understand what's going on in TL.

3) Our mega Valentine's Day giveaway is almost over! There are only three days left to enter, so if you want a chance at winning 1 of 22 great prizes, check out the contest post and be sure to leave your name/email address to enter!

4) Next month, I (Piper) will be at the Rainbow Book Fair in New York representing at the Less Than Three Press table! The lovely K-Lee Klein will be with me, so if you plan on being there, stop by and say hi to us! I'll be the one with a mop of black and gold curls looking nervous as hell. ;D

Writing Related

Both MJ and I are hard at work!

Currently, MJ is working on the sequel to her forthcoming (April) DSP release, Coming Home. I'd say she's about 2/3 of the way done.

I am working hard on a little contemporary project with the spectacular Xara X. Xanakas! Our goal is around 60K and we're about 10K in right now and that number is getting higher every day. We're both very excited about this project, which, miracle of miracles, is intended to be a complete standalone without any sequels in sight. Believe me when I say, friends, that this is extremely rare for me and XXX. I was dubbed the "sequel queen" by a member of my crit group, and with good reason. Books almost always come to me as series. I'm weird like that. :)

Valentine's Day Double Release - They're heerrrreeeee! :D

2012-02-07T21:14:00.000-06:00

Hey, all! So technically the release date for our Valentine's Day stories was supposed to be tomorrow (2/8), but LT3 has released the stories a little bit early! In case you forgot, we both wrote follow-up shorts to our Hot Summer Days stories, which were written for the M/M Romance Group over on Goodreads. Check out the deets below!

The Key is a follow-up to MJ's HSD story, Bridges, which you can download for free from ARe.

♥ Buy "The Key" here! ♥

The Blurb:

Brooklyn and Dallas have been together ever since the night six months ago when they kissed under the stars on top of Dallas' old trampoline. They spent that summer planning their life together in college. But things haven't quite gone as planned, and their relationship ... well, it kind of isn't going at all.

Brooklyn is terrified that Valentine's Day will be his last chance to convince Dallas to stay.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf!

Giving In is the follow-up to my story, Wanting, which you can download free here.

♥ Buy "Giving In" here! ♥

~*~Or, if you want them both, you can buy them together with 5 other V-Day shorts, including K-Lee Klein's Love & Patience, and save some money in Less Than Three's 2nd "Kiss Me Quick" bundle!~*~

The Blurb:

It's Jonah and Laurie's first Valentine's Day. What could be a better way to celebrate than with a little kinky superhero role-play? According to Laurie, pretty much anything. Bummed, but unwilling to pressure his boyfriend into something he doesn't want to do, Jonah resigns himself to celebrating a more traditional Valentine's Day. But Jonah isn't the only one who hates to see his boyfriend unhappy...

Add it to your Goodreads shelf!

Tattoo Tuesday - The Hot and Dark Edition

2012-02-07T03:07:00.000-06:00

Here at Babes in Boyland we appreciate men (and women ;D) of all colors. The other day I was putting together a Tattoo Tuesday post when it suddenly occurred to me that I'd never had a post featuring some of the fine tattooed brothers out there. Forgive me for that oversight, friends. I'm about to rectify that right now.

Enjoy! I'm closing the post with one of my all-time favorite rappers ever, who in addition to being majorly talented, was also super-hot and heavily tattooed. RIP, Tupac. You've got a forever fan right here.

♥ Piper

Keith Carlos

Beyond Moonlight (Lucky Moon #1.5)

2012-02-06T19:27:00.001-06:00

Hey, all! So, I have a bit of news to announce. Those of you who regularly read the blog know that we've posted three Moonlight Becomes You related shorts over the last several months. These three -- "Aftermath," "Affirmation," and "Allegiance" -- are now available in a free collection called Beyond Moonlight. You can download the ebook in MOBI, EPUB, and PDF formats at Goodreads, over at 1 Place For Romance, or from ARe. As you know if you've read them already, these books bridge the gap between MBY and our forthcoming book in the Lucky Moon series, The Luckiest, which is due from Loose Id on March 27th!

Music Monday - Piper's Techno/Electronica/Dance Tracks

2012-02-06T01:32:00.000-06:00

So, you've doubtless noticed by now that while I have strong alternative leanings, my musical tastes are all over the place. Now I'm going to share some of my favorite techno, dance, and electronica songs. Weirdly enough, I sometimes like to write to these songs, too.

Enjoy!

~Piper

Sylver - Turn the Tide (This song totally reminds me of my bro because we used to blast it and dance like a couple of dumbasses in our living room when it first came out. LOL.)

Paul Oakenfold fr. Brittany Murphy - Faster Kill Pussycat

September - Cry For You

Gabriel & Dresden - Dangerous Power

Cedric Gervais ft. Caroline - Spirit in My Life

David Guetta ft. Wynter Gordon - Toyfriend

Elena - Disco Romancing

Sunday Shortie - "Moonlight Becomes You: Allegiance"

2012-02-05T06:07:00.001-06:00

This is the final shortie in our Moonlight Becomes You series. The events in this vignette, along with Aftermath (#1) and Affirmation (#2), bridge the gap between MBY and our forthcoming "Lucky Moon" book, The Luckiest. I'd like to point out that it's not necessary to have read these stories before The Luckiest, but to make it easier for anyone who would like to, we'll be releasing all 3 in a collection called Beyond Moonlight sometime before next Saturday. It'll be available as a free download on both Goodreads and ARe in multiple formats (PDF, EPUB, and MOBI). We'll announce it on the blog once that goes up.

Again, I would like to warn that there are spoilers for Moonlight Becomes You (Lucky Moon #1) in these shorts.

Read more »

Suit up Sunday swimmer style:)

2012-02-05T02:56:00.007-06:00

I do have a few more hot actual swimmers in mind, but this week I thought I'd go straight for the guys who just plain look hot. They probably don't have any medals to go with their pretty wet torsos, but that's okay:)

Breaking Through Unmotivation - A Guest Post By Missy Welsh

2012-02-04T08:07:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, it’s just not there. Either you sit down and your mind goes blank or the idea of trying to write something again gives you hives. I’ve cried over my inability to get words on a page. Writing has always been one of my escapes from the crap of the world around me, so when it doesn’t happen there’s just crap.

I had a lot of crap in 2011 and it started in January when I lost my job. Depression squashes motivation and, despite knowing in my head that I can’t let it win, sometimes depression just does win. I’ve learned to try and float through it when I can’t move it, or help it on its way by doing what I can to rediscover my motivation.

My goal here today is to share with you some of my tricks to slog through that crap to the other side where the writing can actually happen.

Now enough crap already...

Don’t Think About It

Kirby Crow (http://kirby-crow.livejournal.com/322620.html) will have my undying devotion for what she wrote about putting your big-girl panties on, sitting your butt down, and writing already. The concept of turning off everything that distracts—including the internet in all its forms—and putting fingers to keyboard regardless of how painful that might be is the truest of advice.

Maybe you can’t apply it right away, and maybe knowing you’re not the only one struggling, could actually be what gives you the permission you need to stare at that blank document or unfinished scene all day long without feeling the least bit guilty for not filling it in today.

Guilt kills creativity, people.

But I’m Marketing!

Bullshit. Sorry, but it is. IMHO, being online instead of writing is just an excuse for not writing.

I didn’t find my first M/M romance story because the author said something on any social media site. No blog or tweet or update sent me scurrying to Amazon and banging on that 1-click buy button. I found that book because a recommendation off of a het romance I read by a well-respected author who had written a gay character everyone was talking about. I read more M/M romance books because they were well-written and engaging.

Did you see that?

I’m convinced a well-written and engaging story will do more for your marketing than a dozen tweets, blog posts, or updates ever will. One good story will be all a reader needs to have them seek you out. They won’t need a neon sign flashing in their face every few minutes to tell them you have a new book coming out because they already know. They’re waiting for it because they read that good book/free story/fanfic you wrote, found your website, and clicked on Coming Soon.

Yes, I’ve pounced on author’s pages and clicked every “like” and “fan” button available. Sometimes you just can’t help yourself. Can’t stop the squee! And yes, it’s still a good idea to have at least an up-to-date website for fans to find. But if you, the author, spend more time talking at the internet than you do writing, those readers are going to look somewhere else because you’re all talk and no story. There is a balance to the marketing thing and you really do need to find it.

Marketing is the business end of being an author. It’s the job interview that gets you hired. For me, that’s one of the hardest things to do because I have to tell you how great I am so you’ll want me around. I really hate that. On the days when I’d rather curl up in a ball and pretend the rest of the world doesn’t even exist, marketing is so not happening. On days when I’m feeling confident, marketing is actually the last thing I should do because I ought to take advantage of that warm, fuzzy feeling and write.

So don’t use the excuse of marketing to explain why you’re online instead of plugging away at your latest work-in-progress. Schedule the business aspects of your authorship for last and concentrate on writing first.

Character Interview

To spark your creativity or even get to know your character better, try interviewing them. Yes, this means you’re basically interviewing yourself, but I won’t tell your therapist if you don’t tell mine. So open a blank document and start off simple. What’s his name?

Missy: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Evan.

Evan: Whatever. And call me Mac.

Missy: Mac? Your name’s Evan Smith.

Evan: I want to be called Mac.

Missy: You know you were a lot easier to handle before I found that biker photo.

Mac: I was a beta hero cliche, woman. Now I’m a hot bad boy.

Missy: That’s a cliche too, dude.

Mac: But it’s a better one! Now what do you want? I’ve got a transmission to rebuild.

Missy: Who are you?

Mac: I thought we just established that.

Missy: Bite me.

Mac: Oh! Can that be my sex thing? Make me a biter!

See? Look at all the new stuff Evan—I mean, Mac—gave me to work with. Maybe shy, quiet Evan Smith wants to reinvent himself and be the exciting guy his latest ex dumped him for not being. Maybe he doesn’t know a thing about motorcycles or transmissions, but he’s got an eidetic memory so he just needs a few manuals to memorize and he’s all set to wow them all at the Quicky Lube down the street. Who does he meet? A true hot, biker, bad boy? Or a history professor who’s blown away by his new, fake self? Or does he get his ex back? Who is he at the end? Is Evan the real him? Is Mac? A little of both? Does his love interest change too? Who does his love interest really want?

What to Read

Sometimes it’s a good idea to put the writing aside and read. It engages a creative part of your brain, but doesn’t make you do any of the work. However, do NOT under any circumstances read that author who leaves you in total awe of their amazing talent every single time you read their books. I don’t care how shiny their newest release looks or how much you love that one favorite book of theirs that always makes you say, “I want to be just like him when I grow up.”

Don’t do it!

Why? Because when you’re in a slump, when you’re stuck, that sighing thought in your head will turn into a wail of utter failure as you say, “Look at how perfect he writes! I’ll never be that good! I suck! I should just give up now!” And that you do not need.

When I’m like this, I avoid Josh Lanyon’s books like touching my Kindle with his words showing might actually kill me. Any of his books, but especially his how-to book. Amy Lane, K. A. Mitchell, and Ethan Day are banned during these times of crisis as well. When I’m feeling lowly and utterly inferior, the last thing I need is to sit at the feet of the master and stare up at his perfection while he shares his wisdom.

Whomever it is that does it for you would no doubt hate to know their work makes you feel like you’re a waste of kilobytes, so spare everyone and don’t go there. You want to read their work when you’re confident and can actually admire that one sentence that’s still ringing in your head for its utter brilliance, not cry because you think you never could’ve thought it up. (And if I know anything about these authors, they’d rather have me sitting at the table as their equals than acting the puppy piddling on their shoes because I’m so excited to just be in the room with them. Therefore, I only visit with them on good days.)

Go instead and read those authors that make you say, “Good God, I can do better than that in my sleep!” That’s what you need right now. Be the girl who surrounds herself with fat chicks so she looks that much better. I know it sounds awful! But desperate times call for the unabashed and selfish building of superiority complexes. Let yourself be boosted up by knowing you would’ve gone so much deeper into that character’s psyche. You would’ve added another plot twist to foul everything up that much worse for the characters. You never would’ve faded to black as the bedroom door closed and deprive your readers of those two ornery characters finally giving in and loving each other. You never would’ve written whatever the heck it was because yeah, baby, you’re good at this.

Special note: Don’t, not for one single sentence, tell anyone who those authors are for you and shut down anyone who tries to tell you theirs. We all know they’re out there. They know they’re out there. But we do not make asses of ourselves by discussing them. Pretend it’s a matter of national security and you’re actually a good, loyal government employee who knows how to keep her mouth shut when faced with a room full of reporters. Because do you really want to find out that your bestie’s idea of perfection is your idea of drivel? Or vice versa? Keep it to yourself and let ignorance be bliss.

Creativity is Creativity

Whenever I see a tweet or whatever that starts off “Today, I wrote…” I stop reading and move on. No way do I want to know that someone out there wrote 5K today. I don’t even want to know they managed 1K. Not today. The important thing for me today is that I was creative, and any creativity is good creativity.

• You wrote a letter—long-hand—to your grandmother on actual stationary.

• You bedazzled a tote bag to use at the grocery store.

• You picked out a paint color with someone else without insulting them and still got the color you walked into the store knowing you wanted.

• You realized naming all your characters with names that start with “C” was only cute in your head and renamed everyone.

So what if you didn’t write two chapters and an outline? So what if you didn’t “win” at that thing in November. Your creativity is not dead. It’s resting. Recharging.

That letter is going to make Nana leave you her diamonds simply because you’re the only one who reminds her of a bygone era when people actually did write letters on stationary and my God is your penmanship gorgeous.

You know someone’s going to compliment that sparkling bag—just try not to think too many naughty thoughts if it’s the adorable bag-boy who says it because most of them know what that look on your face means and you don’t need to creep him out and ruin the moment.

Paint is expensive, requires hours or days to apply, and goes faster if the worker bees are happy. Being a master of home improvement manipulation is a serious skill requiring loads of creativity and fast thinking. And if you can get the worker bees to think it was their idea? I bow down to you, oh creative one.

And at least you noticed the goofball name thing before your critique partner beaned you with it or, God forbid, your editor did. Plus you saw your folly before you got so far into the story that you just can’t let Christopher, Crispin, and Christian go.

After these successes, you might just be feeling kind of puffed up and smiley from all the back-pats you’ve given yourself. Take advantage of that and see if you’ve got a few sentences in you that will let you add today’s date to your story’s “last modified” field.

You might even be one of those people who has a mind-boggling breakthrough in the paint isle that solves that ginormous plot problem that’s been killing you for the past week and a half. (This is why good authors carry paper and pens with them wherever they go. Either that or you’ll have to mug someone who does. Just remember to take the note out of your pocket before wash day.) I’ve seen it happen that doing something entirely unrelated to the problem lets your brain sort out the problem, so yes, you can go shopping provided you write—even an observation from people-watching—when you get home again.

Whatcha Got?

These are just some of my tricks for getting me out of the dark moments that steal my motivation. There are others, but they sound like something your shrink would tell you to do to combat depression and I ain’t licensed like that. I’m just a newbie author who sometimes thinks she sucks hairy donkey balls, eventually gets tired of that kind of thinking, and does something about it.

Do you have tricks of your own that help you leave unmotivation behind? What are they? Come on and share… It’ll count as creativity!

The Babes in Boyland Valentine's Day Lovefest

2012-02-01T06:07:00.023-06:00

It's that time, friends! Valentine's Day is fast approaching. If you're a lover of Valentine's Day, or maybe just a lover ;), celebrate with us! If you don't see what all the fuss is about, let us show you! Nothing's sweeter than Valentine's Day treats, and we're sharing the love 22 (Count 'em! TWENTY-TWO!) times.

That's right, we have 22 prizes up for grabs. We're about to spread man love all over the world, folks. If that's not something to celebrate, I don't know what is! So keep on reading. Be our Valentine. Or don't. Either way, peek into our (prize) box, and see just what we have in store...

The Prize Box (All links lead to the book pages on Goodreads, so you can read the blurbs.)

~~1) Piper Vaughn - Giving In~~

~~2) MJ O’Shea - The Key~~

~~3) K-Lee Klein – Love & Patience~~

~~4) Ellis Carrington - Immortal Valentine~~

5) ~~Serena Yates - The Cellar Hand~~

~~6) Marie Sexton – Cinder~~

~~7) Melanie Tushmore - A Bar Tender Tale~~

~~8) Tia Fielding – Lucky~~

9) DeShaun Walker – Chocolate Cupcakes and Mythical Creatures

~~10) Angel Martinez – Gravitational Attraction~~

~~11) SJD Peterson –~~ ~~Masters & Boyd~~

~~12) SJD Peterson – Ty's Obsession~~

~~13) Evie Kiels – Owen's Home and Garden~~

~~14) Andi Anderson – No Greater Love~~

~~15) Jaime Samms – Better~~

16) ~~TJ Klune – Burn~~

17) ~~Piper Vaughn – Promise in a Kiss~~

~~18) Xara X. Xanakas –~~ ~~Razor’s Cut~~

19) ~~Lee Brazil – Taking the Dare~~

20) ~~Less Than Three Press -~~ ~~The entire Kiss Me Quick collection!~~

~~21) Valentina Heart - Memories (PDF ONLY)~~

22~~) T.A. Chase – Bring Him Gold (Bonus! Whoever choose this prize will also get it's prequel, Embrace My Reflection, if you don't have it already.)~~

When do we open for entries? - Right now!
When does the contest close? - 9:00PM CST on Monday, 2/13.
What do you have to do? - Simple! Just leave a comment with your name and email address on this post.
And, as with all our other contests, you can get extra entries by doing one or all of the following:

-Be a follower of Babes in Boyland +1 (If you're already a follower, that counts too! Just mention it. :D)
-Pimp this contest on your Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads status, etc., and provide us with a link to said promotion(s). +1 per link
-Follow us on Twitter! (See the sidebar for our names and links to our accounts). If your Twitter name is different than the one you use here, please let us know. +1 for each of us

How will winners be chosen? - Random drawing, as always.
How will it work? - Winners will be drawn one at a time, starting at midnight on 2/14. First name drawn gets first choice and so on and so forth. We'll contact the winners one at a time to ensure that people get to pick in order. You will have 24 hours from the time of the email to get back to us and pick your prize or we'll keep moving down the list. (Sometimes this goes fast and we might be drawing more than one name a day.)

~*This contest is open to adults 18 and up. Your comment confirms that you are of legal age.*~

And that's it!

Before I close this post, allow me to just say one last thing...

This giveaway would not be possible without the amazing generosity of the authors listed below and our publisher Less Than Three Press, so thanks to everyone who donated. We and our readers appreciate it!

Tattoo Tuesday - Fredric Johansson

2012-01-31T03:37:00.000-06:00

Say hej to Swedish model Fredric Johansson, y'all. Isn't he pretty? I love the stars on his back/wrapping around to his hip. :D

Zombiecore - A Special Music Monday Guest Spot by Melanie Tushmore

2012-01-30T07:07:00.059-06:00

“If this blog post doesn't make your skin crawl…it's on too tight!”

Melanie Tushmore (“Be afraid! Be very afraid!”) guest posting on the horrifyingly excellent Babes In Boyland, and “Oh yes, there will be blood!”

Greetings, ghouls and boys! Zombies! And everything in between!

For this guest post, I am pimping my brand new release A Bar Tender Tale.

“Can a horror movie fan ever find true love?”

Thank you to Piper & MJ for allowing me to spread my zombie desease – er, I mean, my love of zombies. Ahem!

In A Bar Tender Tale, my delectable hero, Nathan, is a massive zombie, horror and B-movie fan. He also loves rock music, and some might find this a frightening combination!

For your ghastly entertainment, I am going to introduce you to ZOMBIECORE.

I guarantee you will go away infected. I mean, enlightened!

We all know what a zombie is (“They won't stay dead!”) so I'll quickly explain that the 'core' tagged on the end of 'zombie' is a genre of music (like your hardcore, grindcore, anything else core.... applecore!) that has derived from punk and is entirely zombie themed.

Aaahhh! Blood chilling scream...of delight!

Let's have a quick background of rock music (surely a horror film's best sound track!) before I amble my way onto zombiecore....

I'll start with the 'trad' rock. I can mention the usual suspects such as The Misfits, White Zombie, Alice Cooper, Kiss, and, more recently, Wednesday 13 (and do stop by my blog for more on these bands!) as your more shock rock, glam rock, as scarily good entertainment.

This genre of music was described by Murderdolls guitarist Joey Jordison as “vaudeville.”

It's supposed to be fun.

On the flip side, there is a whole swathe of 1950s enthusiasts who love B-movies, horror, and rockabilly music. The term Psychobilly has been thrown around since the 1980s, and I urge you to check out bands like The Cramps, The Meteors, and Demented Are Go!

Here's a little horror movie/rockabilly gem for you!

Jesse Dayton: American guitarist, rockabilly hero and collaborator / contributor to most things "awesome" (such as Johnny Cash, The Supersuckers, Willie Nelson, to name but a few).

Horror fan trivia: Dayton was asked by Rob Zombie to contribute to his horror movie sound tracks 'The Devil's Rejects' and 'Halloween II.'

Regardless of what you think of the film, it does have an awesome sound track! Dayton created a fictional psychobilly band, Captain Clegg & The Night Creatures.

Today we are going to view, Jesse Dayton as Captain Clegg - 'Zombie A go go'

“Now they’re dancing, even though they died, they do the hip shake and they’re ZOMBIFIED!”

More from the underground Psychobilly genre – because this is an awesome video and it's nice to see a girl fronted band for a change! – Canadian Psychobilly/Garage band, The Creepshow!

The Creepshow - 'Zombies Ate Her Brain'

And now, dear readers, we move onto 'the daddy' of zombie themed bands, the very band who coined the phrase Zombiecore –

“SEND MORE PARAMEDICS!”

Send More Paramedics (name in comedic reference to 1985's 'Return Of The Living Dead') are a band from Leeds in the United Kingdom, and they described themselves as “a fusion of 80s thrash and modern hardcore punk.”

So 'Zombiecore' translates as thrash/punk to the average human.

I remember watching the promo video for 'Zombie Crew' and laughing my arse off at the lyrics (“Three weeks dead, you smell like shit!”) while also enjoying their good, steady riffs. I heartily recommend 2006 album The Awakening, and 2005 Tales Told By Dead Men (split album with band Zombie Apocalypse).

With lyrics like this, how could you not love this band?

“Back from the dead, goin' to the show; I can't feel my pulse but I'm still gonna go!”

Sadly, Send More Paramedics are no longer recording or touring. As listed on their various sites, they stated that, “It's been 6 years, but our zombie corpses are finally rotting to the point at which we can continue no more. A million thanks to you all.”

Band Page Here: http://www.myspace.com/zombiecore

Now, go listen to Send More Paramedics, and spread the zombie love!

Here's floor filler 'Zombie Crew'!

“I'm clinically deceased, but I don't give a fuck, I'm a flesh-creepin' horror and I'm ready to rock!”

'Zombie Crew'

Thank you, Babes In Boyland!

And in closing, if I may quote 'Return of the Living Dead'....

“Braaaaaaiiiinnnnnsss!”

Melanie's website – www.melanietushmore.co.uk

Melanie's blog - http://cocktalesandhotsauce.blogspot.com

A Bar Tender Tale

Blurb:

Twenty-two year old barman Nathan is always the odd one out.

It's tough to get a date when his love of loud music, tattoos, and zombie paraphernalia usually sends potential candidates running for the hills.

Trying to find anyone who wants to spend time with him, let alone stay in and watch trashy horror movies, has always been a problem.

Then, on his day off, Nathan does a friend a favor by covering a shift at a pub, and in walks a handsome stranger who shares his love of horror.

It could be a match made in B-movie heaven, and Nathan is determined to pursue this new acquaintance, but—zombies aside—has Nathan got the guts to go on a real date?

A Bar Tender Tale - buy link on Dreamspinner Press

“To avoid fainting, keep repeating 'It's only an ebook...It's only an ebook'...”

~*~

It's always a ~~fright~~ delight to have you, Ms. Tushmore! You can share your music (and zombie!) love with us anytime.

Fair readers, if you'd love the chance to sink your teeth into A Bar Tender Tale, be sure to keep an eye out for our Valentine's Day giveaway post! We have it on good authority that a certain author might have generously donated a copy to our prize stash!

*smooches from The Babes*

Pimpage - Rock Star Week!

2012-01-29T22:40:00.000-06:00

Hey, everyone! I don't know if we've mentioned it, but there will be a kick ass event going on over at Joyfully Jay from Feb. 5 - 11. It's a little something called Rock Star Week and we've donated a copy of our rocker book, Moonlight Becomes You, to the prize stash. If you haven't read it yet, now is a great time to try and win it, especially with the second book in our Lucky Moon series, The Luckiest, coming out at the end of March!

Head on over to Joyfully Jay for a giveaway preview of all of the books that will be up for grabs!

Suit Up Sunday - Andrej Pejic

2012-01-29T07:07:00.021-06:00

Hey, he's wearing a suit jacket. It counts!

But for you sticklers out there, here are some of him in an actual suit. :P

Oh, Andrej...sigh.

SWIMsuit Sundays:)

2012-01-29T00:00:00.002-06:00

I'm starting a new tradition on BiB. Swimmer Sundays..hehe.

Okay, so I know Sundays are supposed to be for suits....but the three piece kind have never done much for me. I know, I know. Sorry. I do, on the other hand, loooove swimmers so I'm going to have to be the rebel.

Maybe it's because I used to be one -- ~~embarrassing~~ awesome proof below -- or maybe it's just the memory of the boys I used to date in high school that perpetually smelled like chlorine and Ultra Swim. Whatever it is, I have a thing for swimmers and I'm okay with that:)

I can't believe I'm showing you guys this....

And now for the boys. Far more entertaining than my swimsuited past:) I'm going to start with my old school crush. Gary Hall Jr. Sigh.... he sure looked hot in those medals.

Stay tuned for more next week :)

♥MJ

BTW, if anyone has a fun swimming picture of themselves (either on a team or not) feel free to send it to me and I'll put it up! I can't be the only one. LOL.

Coloring Outside the Lines: Defying Genre Conventions - A Guest Post by Rick R. Reed

2012-01-28T08:07:00.003-06:00

I admit it—I have never been one for whom the rules of genre apply.

Sometimes, I think that’s to my detriment as a writer because I know as sure as I’m sitting here in Seattle, looking out my window at a gray and damp January day, that if I would just play by the rules I’d sell more books.

Romances? Over and over, I’ve been told that it’s the happily-ever-afters that sell, or, for the love of God, if you can’t do that, at least give me a happily-for-now. And I can do that—sometimes—if my characters follow that course and it doesn’t betray my story line. I’ve been told that we need alpha males or certain types of heroes and I get that. Readers want to open a book and know what to expect.

So, writers who deliver the expected, like restaurants that reliably turn out the same food whether you’re in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Denver or San Francisco, are rewarded. They often see predictably good sales.

So why can’t I just say the hell with it? I want to make as much money as I can, so I’ll write m/m romances with heroic men who end up in the arms of their own true loves by the end of the story, with a sterling and bright future ahead of them. Why not do that?

You know what I wrote above? About characters? That’s why.

Here’s a little secret: I am batshit crazy. My characters come to complete and vivid life for me when I’m writing about them. They are just as real to me, sometimes, as my partner, who now sits in our living room reading. I often feel as though I am simply writing down what they say or do. I live them. I breathe them. I miss them when a project is over.

The truth is they don’t lead me down conventional paths. They are like life—messy, complicated, and full of surprises, some good, some godawful.

But that’s what makes the work interesting—I write the kind of books I want to read. I am not the reader who wants everything to be predictable. I want it to be logical, which is different from predictable. I want my characters and the ones I read about to behave in a way that’s credible, but I want to be surprised.

So I don’t write conventional genre fiction. Even my “romances”, books like Tricks, Orientation, Dignity Takes a Holiday, Out on the Net, and Caregiver are different from what you’d expect to find when you pick up a conventional romance. The characters in those books lead me to dark places, thought-provoking places, inappropriately funny places—places I don’t expect them to go, which is why they become real for me. People do not behave in conventional ways, which is what makes them paradoxically delightful and confounding.

I have come to terms with the fact that it’s difficult for me to write conventionally. I like to tell a good story and my cardinal rule is never to bore a reader (that goes for my own tastes in reading as well). While I do skirt the edges of various genres—thrillers, suspense, horror, and romance—I can’t quite allow myself to play by the rules.

And you know what? While the audience might not be as large for stuff that refuses to be pigeon-holed in a comfortable genre box, they are out there. And, along with myself, it’s for those people I write.

I close with a quote from a note I recently got from a reader, who sums up what I’m attempting to say in this blog quite well.

“I liked Dignity Takes a Holiday. Its funny and its different. It’s also a book which I can read over again and I don't generally do that with books.

“It is nice to read something different within that genre. I think one can only have so many handsome cowboys, firemen, marines and vampires etc. Not that I am complaining, :) but I think different kinds of characters and different kinds of writing raise the bar for the genre. I enjoy characters with depth who are different and I enjoy a good story. I don't enjoy 'same old' characters that can be found in any book and pages and pages of unrelenting sex scenes. After a while it gets boring. Having said that some readers do enjoy those books.

“Ignore the critics :) its nice to have diversity within the genre otherwise the genre will just become boring like Mills and Boon :(

“I suppose with writing as with anything else what is needed is some kind of balance between what you need to do to earn a wage (sell) and what you do for joy. It is nice when the two come together and you can follow your hearts desire and be paid for it.”

Indeed.

What are your thoughts? Are you more like the reader above—or do you prefer to kind of know exactly what to expect when you open a book?

Isn't She Pretty?

2012-01-24T23:52:00.004-06:00

Piper and I just got our gorgeous new cover, care of our friend and awesome artist (and author!!) L.C. Chase. We're super excited -- and both of us are already talking about getting it printed someday for our walls of fame. LOL. First we might have to work on that famous part ;)

Just in case you forgot which one this is, I'll add the blurb and the Goodreads link.

And I was really excited that it has pink on it...hehe. I actually have a valid excuse for coloring the blog post pink this time so it matches!

And here's the blurb:

“Daddy” was never a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father to a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies. But he can’t give her up. Trouble is, Rue needs a babysitter, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.

Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny, and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.

They’re as different as any two people could be, and Alice is probably the unlikeliest baby this side of the Mississippi, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. Until he receives an offer that finally puts all of his dreams within reach, and he’s forced to choose—the future he’s always wanted or the family he thought he never did.

Tattoo Tuesday - Bobby Hicks

2012-01-24T02:10:00.000-06:00

My crush on Bobby Hicks is surpassed only by my love for that little tattooed scrapper, Ash Stymest. I love his sense of style. He's so cute and boy-next-door, but at the same time covered in lickable tattoos. I love it. And that smile? Uh, it kills me. As a bonus, he cooks! (Like really cooks. He's in culinary school, and he even posts his own recipes on his blog! Check out his recipes for The Greatest Sandwich Ever, Mac 'n' Cheese, Flatbread Pizzas, and Parsnip Gnocchi with Chanterelle mushrooms and beurre blanc sauce.)

Sigh. He and his beautiful girlfriend and their cute little dog make the most adorable family.

Music Monday - Red Hot Chili Peppers

2012-01-23T07:07:00.003-06:00

Today I'm featuring one of my long-time favorite bands. Seriously, I (Piper) have loved the Chili Peppers since childhood. And, so, here are some of my favorite songs...

"I don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way..."

"What I've got you've got to get it, put it in you." ;)

"Hit me you can't hurt me
Suck my kiss
Kiss me please pervert me
Stick with this
Is she talking dirty
Give to me sweet sacred bliss
Your mouth was made to suck my kiss..."

"Soft spoken with a broken jaw;
Step outside but not to brawl.
And autumn's sweet;
We call it "fall".
I'll make it to the moon if i have to crawl."

"We are the red hots
And we're loving lots the love me nots
The flowers in your flower pot
Are dancing on the table tops
And now I see you in a beautiful and different light..."

"Deep beneath the cover of another perfect wonder
Where it's so white as snow

Privately divided by a world so undecided
And there's no where to go..."

And might I just end this post by saying, fuck yeah Anthony Kiedis! ♥

Suit Up Sunday - Ash Stymest

2012-01-22T17:56:00.002-06:00

Since a few of my Blogger pals have started doing a little something called Suit Up Sunday, I thought BiB could hop right on the train. A blog can never have too much hotness, right? And for our first Suit Up Sunday, we have my favorite model, Ash Stymest.

Enjoy!

Conflict: It Makes the Story Go ‘Round - A Guest Post by Heidi Cullinan

2012-01-21T02:07:00.002-06:00

Conflict: It Makes the Story Go ‘Round

All stories don’t just have conflict: they are conflict. Without it fiction becomes the equivalent of Aunt Margaret calling to tell you what she bought at the store today. Conflict is what makes story interesting. It makes story move. It makes fiction feel alive and real and exciting.

Back in seventh grade your literature teacher drew a diagram like this:

This handy graph shows you how conflict is supposed to move, starting simple and growing until it reaches a critical point, then starts to resolve. She also probably told you about three kinds of conflict: man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature. For the latter you probably read “To Build a Fire.” However you learned about it, the whole business seemed nicely laid out, even simple. Right?

Then you tried to write it, and you learned new levels of pain and suffering.

Creating that polite little mountain of rising action and resolution is not as straightforward as the diagram would lead one to believe. Some people are able to write out a tidy outline of what happens and follow it blithely, though most of them have probably sold their soul or something else of great value. Usually writing is a struggle, and usually that struggle is around setting up that damned conflict.

I could talk about conflict for days, there’s so much to address, so I’m going to boil it down to some basics, what to do, what not to do, and a cautionary tale for your muse.

Avoid the string-of-pearls.

String-of-pearls plots are plots where the conflicts are not connected but rather loosely arranged next to each other. There are published books with string-of-pearls plots, and some of them even do well. But a strung-together plot is flat and only as strong as the string holding it together, which has to fit inside those tiny balls of disconnected conflict. Unless it’s some kind of space polymer, it’s not going to have much staying power, and it won’t resonate with most people.

The key to rising action plots is that they connect each conflict to one another, and each conflict escalates to a conclusion. Now, at the end of my example a love interest appeared out of nowhere to provide a missing piece; I’m assuming he’d have come from a sub plot, that the romance would have been running in the background. This is why writing gets hairy, because that stuff happens at the same time you’re trying to keep everything neat and tidy. It’s sort of like those MRI machines: every now and again you realize where you are and how boxed in you are, and the urge to scream or run is acute. Which brings us to my next nugget of advice.

The reason your seventh grade teacher told you about that rising action mountain is because it’s the base of much stronger plots. Each bit of plot should connect to another.

Write the first draft without worrying too much about plot, unless worrying about plot makes you feel centered and good.

There are mountains of writers with amazing instincts and voices who have been silenced by worrying about how they don’t fit the mold and follow the rules. There are writers who never get started because they think they have to be artsy-fartsy and write by the seat of their pants, and the resulting mess is too daunting for them to finish. The only real rule is that you should write in the way that works for you. I’m a big advocate of trying everything once, and trying things again occasionally to see if you’ve changed. But I get really techy about people having to follow rules. I always want to know who made them, and then I want to strip the pieces off those who did to see why and under what authority.

The structure of conflict in a novel is core stuff, craft stuff. If your aim is to make your story very solid, if that’s what’s important to you, then yes, study craft, study the hard nuts and bolts. Plot out your rising action and then try to match it. But if doing that stresses you out, check it later, or better yet, come back to this only when it works.

Because for most writers, the real goal is to tell a satisfying story. And the thing none of us remember is that there is no award for being perfect, that the bestseller prize and most popular doesn’t go to the one with the perfectly outlined plot. It goes to the satisfying story. Breaking down your conflict is a tool. It helps you be a stronger writer and helps you grow, and helps you write stronger stories.

Try working out plot before you write. Try it during. Try sorting it after. Try outlining in clouds and bubbles and lists and with post-its and with labeled clothespins — whatever floats your boat. And then use what works.

Which leads us to my last bit of advice.

Protect your story and your muse, always, at all costs.

The story is your product, and your muse, be it real or theoretical, be it mystical or hard and logical, is your rudder. It’s tempting to hear other advice and want to rebuild your boat, to trick it out, and that’s fine. Just bear in mind you are on the fucking ocean while you do this. Minor adjustments are best. If you spring leaks, stop tweaking and get back to sailing.

Muses and stories get swamped sometimes of their own accord, and we need tools and help to get back to sailing or possibly just floating. But the thing we must all remember is that these are our personal boats, and only we can captain it.

Neil Gaiman said once, “Almost always when someone points out that something is wrong in a story, they’re correct. Almost always when they suggest how to fix it, they’re wrong.” I absolutely believe that. It makes sense. “Your boat is sinking slowly” is an easy

observation. “You could fix it by getting a completely different rudder” might be true, but maybe not for your boat. You built that boat. It’s your muse that lives in that rudder. Own it. Respect it.

Talking about conflict and rising action and the nuts and bolts of story is seriously gritty stuff. It’s simple and basic in a way that can make you look at your morass of story and feel nothing but despair. The reason your seventh grade teacher made so much hay about it is that it’s true, but what she failed to tell you was that it’s very difficult to be the author of the story and see it. Those who are good at spotting it in their own stories will tell you it’s easy and make you feel even worse if you’re not one of them. It’s okay. Just sail away when you get too freaked out.

I think all craft subjects are best absorbed slowly, like a dog gnawing on rawhide. If you’re into it, if it tastes good, rip that sucker in half and go for the gooey center. (I know rawhide doesn’t have a gooey center. Just work with me here.) If it’s too tough, if it hurts your teeth and makes your tummy upset, digest it slowly and on your own time. Or disregard it entirely and find a different chew toy.

The goal is always, always, to tell the best story you can. The secret is to not put the emphasis on best story but on you can. Go forth and find your beautifully connected, classically arched rising action mountain.

In your own time.

~*~

Visit Heidi at:

http://www.heidicullinan.com

Pictures...

2012-01-18T23:28:00.006-06:00

MJ's Day Stuck In Her House

(I think I'm going crazy. I feel a little bit of The Shining coming on)

This was taken by the news this morning in my neighborhood....OMG. For some of you, this might be yeah, every winter no biggie kind of stuff. For us, well let's just say I heard lots of snowpocalypse and snowmageddon today. Us west coasties can't handle the white stuff.

For a contrast, I took this picture with my phone when I walked to go get coffee since I was dumb and didn't go to the store last night. My roommate and I had both decided it wasn't really going to snow. Clearly, we were wrong. I like how peaceful it looks:)

That's All Folks!

It's coming...

2012-01-18T13:27:00.004-06:00

That's right, friends! We are two weeks away from the start of the Babes in Boyland Valentine's Day Lovefest! What is it, you ask? It's a giveaway. But not just any giveaway. Thanks to the generosity of one of our publishers and a bunch of our author friends, we have a total of 20 prizes up for grabs! All but one of them are brand new releases coming out between the end of January and the beginning of March.

Who do we have to thank for these prizes? Glad you asked!

Right now, aside from the prizes being offered up by MJ and myself, here are the peeps who've so kindly donated to our prize stash:

Less Than Three Press (Who are donating the entire collection of Valentine's Day shorts, which will be released throughout the month of February!
K-Lee Klein
Ellis Carrington
Valentina Heart
Serena Yates
Marie Sexton
Melanie Tushmore
Tia Fielding
DeShaun Walker
Angel Martinez
SJD Peterson (who donated not one book, but two!)
Evie Kiels
Andi Anderson
Jaime Samms
Xara X. Xanakas
(and last but not least) TJ Klune

The giveaway opens to entries on February 1st and closes on February 13th with the first winner to be announced on Valentine's Day.

Stay tuned!

Tattoo Tuesday - Keno Weidner

2012-01-17T00:47:00.001-06:00

Say hi to Keno Weidner, folks. I adore the tree tattoo on his side. And the rest of him isn't too hard to look at either. :P

♥ Piper

Spreading the love...of Zombies

2012-01-16T09:08:00.001-06:00

Hey, all! This is Piper popping in with a quick note! I was privileged to be invited over to the The Zombiephiles for an interview after the owner read my book, Zombie Wonderland (her first M/M romance!). If you want to check out the interview, click on the link below! :D

Vaughn Surprises in Zombie Wonderland

Music Monday -- MJ's turn:)

2012-01-16T07:07:00.001-06:00

So, since I had a song in my head all day driving me nuts, I thought I'd share it--and the rest of them as well.

Today's theme is: Songs That Get Stuck In My Head and Drive Me Crazy'. You're welcome:)

This is the song that started the whole thing...and I dont' even understand the lyrics. That's the worst part.

btw...can you say Michael? I was kind of horrified.

This one's been in my head for months on and off. Sigh...

kill me now. LOL.

I kinda liked this one...at first. A million radio plays later I was ready to scream.

This one is for Piper. You love it:)

I'm going to sign off for today! If you find yourself humming one of these later today, I'm sorry! Sort of:)

Sunday Shortie - "Moonlight Becomes You: Affirmation"

2012-01-15T06:27:00.001-06:00

Here it is, folks, the second Moonlight Becomes You followup vignette. If you haven't read the first one, Aftermath, you should probably check that one out first. But, beware, there are spoilers all over the place. If you haven't read Moonlight Becomes You yet, and you care about being spoiled, then don't read these first.

And because of said spoilers, this entire shortie is going under the cut. Read on, and be sure to let us know what you think! :D

Read more »

Writing Humor - A Guest Post by Z.A. Maxfield

2012-01-14T07:07:00.000-06:00

It's not all banana peels...

I've been thinking about writing humor lately for a lot of reasons. My daughter routinely sends me hilarious Cracked.com links or articles from the Onion, my sons enjoy doing a little standup with dinner because they like to be the center of attention, and I -- well. I write romantic comedy novels.

It's almost as if I have two speeds, laughing and pain, and really, most of the time my characters are going to hide pain with humor. I guess that's because that's what I do.

My husband likes to tell the story of the birth of our second child. The nurses were absolutely convinced that no woman imminently likely to give birth would be lying on the bed cracking herself up, but he pointed out that the one signal he never ignores from me is high energy humor or hysterical fits of laughter.

She didn't believe him, but a quick check of my circumstances had her running down the hall for the doctor. After a quick scrub up, fifteen minutes later my kid was born.

I guess what I'm thinking about this morning is that my favorite kind of humor comes out of something true. Pain is true. Physical and emotional pain are -- well, they're truly painful. Humor allows us to transcend that pain briefly in ways that are healthy and restorative.

People are at their most humorous -- at least in my humble opinion -- when they're at their most authentic. In films like When Harry Met Sally the comedy isn't situational, like a cartoon character slipping on a banana peel or Archie Bunker flushing a toilet after Edith says, "He's in the reading room." WHMS is composed of a deeper kind of honest humor. It comes from digging into the characters' emotions, it comes from understanding human nature and how that relates to romance and the many, many ways humans find to screw it up.

I think WHMS is probably the best example of the kind of romantic comedy I aspire to write. Obviously that film is a classic, so there's plenty of room for improvement on my part. The humor is based on the characters' personalities. It's predicated on the fact that they can't get out of their own way. They grope blindly toward each other while simultaneously sabotaging all the efforts they make to find each other.

The scenes runs the gamut from smart, funny, sexy, touching, sad, heartbreaking, uplifting, hopeful, and finally, triumphant. It has comic elements laced into every possible moment, from physical humor to word dueling to sight gags. The dialogue doesn't rely on any one flavor of humor either, it is by turns sarcastic, silly, intelligent and exaggerated.

The audience is dragged along on a particularly rocky road to love. They experience intense sometimes gut clenching empathy and humor softens the blow.

The greatest actors in the world are those that make comedy appear effortless. As in acting, writing comedy requires a deft hand. A light touch. Often it's a simple tweak to an existing situation.

From my own repertoire, I offer this very humble example. I could write this:

“What is this?” she asked, not too rudely, looking at Michael.

“It’s a meat substitute.”

“Like tofurkey? I have a lot of friends who are eating tofurkey today.”

“Well, yes, but since we were already having turkey, I thought I’d try something with a tofu substitute for duck instead.”

“Oh,” said Lily. “It’s actually very good. It does seem to taste like duck.”

Or I could write this:

“What is this?” she asked, not too rudely, looking at Michael.

“It’s a meat substitute.”

“Like tofurkey? I have a lot of friends who are eating tofurkey today.”

“Well, yes, but since we were already having turkey, I thought I’d try something with a tofu substitute for duck instead.”

“Oh,” said Lily. “It’s actually very good.”

“Um, you know,” said Randy. “If tofu turkey is tofurkey, then this would be...”

“Tofuck,” said Devon.

“Definitely.”

“Ah, yup,” said Randy. “This would definitely be tofuck.”

I've learned one other simple trick, and often it's the most difficult thing, and that's to let the reader experience the humor instead of the characters. It's one thing to throw down a terrifically funny situation, to create perfectly humorous characters, and to have them say magnificently insightful things. It's another to have them chuckle afterwards. Or chortle. Or laugh hysterically, because stage directions change the dynamic between the words and the reader.

The thing a lot of beginning writers do, myself included, is have the characters laugh. Actually, that slows down the dialogue enough that when I'm reading it, I get annoyed. I don't need a literary laugh track. I know when to laugh. So maybe I learned that a little too late for my earlier books, but it's that deft touch again. Something very simple that's also incredibly hard.

Let your readers experience your humor where they find it. Oddly, not all of them will find it in the same place, and forcing it on them by telling them how hilarious the characters find you... well. That's not funny.

That's just a little bit of experience from the writing cave of Z.A. Maxfield. Go forth and may you find humor in all you do!

~*~

Visit ZAM at:

http://zamaxfield.com

http://zamaxfield.blogspot.com

Coming Soon: Another "Moonlight Becomes You" short story!

2012-01-13T14:39:00.001-06:00

Ladies and gents, it's that time again. This coming Sunday, we'll be posting another Moonlight Becomes You related short. It's more like a vignette than a true short story, but like we did with More Than Moonlight, we will eventually be putting this, it's predecessor, Aftermath (if you haven't read MBY yet, beware of spoilers!!), and the last story we have planned, together into a collective to hopefully be released at least 2-4 weeks before The Luckiest comes out (which, if you missed our upcoming releases post from the other day, should be sometime in late March or early April, if not sooner).

Keep an eye on the blog for details!

We have a winner!

2012-01-12T01:25:00.002-06:00

Congrats to scj, who won the copy of K-Lee Klein's Finally Home. We'll be emailing you shortly. Please reply within 48 hours to claim you prize.

Thanks for playing, everyone! We'll be having a BIG Valentine's Day giveaway next month, so keep any eye on the blog for details! :D

The Gay-Straight Alliance on Goodreads wants To Hear Your Story

2012-01-11T01:07:00.003-06:00

The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) on Goodreads.com is asking for true
stories from the LGGBTQI community and their supporters and loved
ones. The request for true stories is the first part of a project
called The Hope Collection.

For this first stage of the project please follow the guidelines below
and email or PM (through Goodreads) your entries to Laddie who is one
of the GSA's moderators. The subject line of your email or PM should
read "Entry for The Hope Collection - (Your Name Here)" The email
address is nail.nibbler@gmail.com

If you have any questions you can PM Laddie or email her at the address above.

Guidelines:
1. Name - This can be any name you choose. It does not have to be your
real name.

2. Age

3. General Location - This is optional and can be as general as the
country you're in or the continent you're on.

4. Connection to the LGBTQ community - Whether you are gay, lesbian,
transgender, etc. or if you have a friend or family who is.

5. Your True Story - Tell us about a defining moment in your life, in
5000 words or less, as it relates to the LGBTQ community. Examples: A
coming out story, supporting a loved one, finding love, etc.

Once your email or PM is received you'll get a conformation message in
return within the next 24 hours or so, letting you know that it was
received. The deadline to send your true stories in is January 31st.
After January 31st an email will be sent out letting you all know what
the second stage of the project is.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to send a true story in, so if you
know someone who you think would be interested please pass this
message on and let them know about the The Hope Collection project.

The Gay-Straight Alliance is looking forward to reading all of the
great stories that are just waiting to be told.

Tattoo Tuesday: Tyler Riggs

2012-01-10T14:06:00.000-06:00

This is Tyler Riggs. I like him. He has an interesting look. :) If you were wondering, the tattoo on his upper arm is part of Salvador Dali's painting of The Temptation of St. Anthony.

The Babes' Upcoming Release Schedule

2012-01-09T13:15:00.012-06:00

We've gotten questions about release dates here and there, so I (Piper) have decided to put together a release schedule, with blurbs included, so y'all know what releases we have coming out in the future, and more importantly, when. :)

Title: Cold Moon (Book #3 in MJ's Moon Series)

Author: M.J. O'Shea

Release Date: Jan/Feb, 2012

Category: Novel

Blurb: Charlie Fitzgerald is sick of being the kid who nobody takes seriously. His older brother Colin is off in New York City fighting bad vampires and other trouble causers and Charlie wants in on the action. He thinks it’s impossible until he overhears something that seems to be his perfect opportunity. The Lycan council is looking for a human emissary--someone to take a message of peace to a volatile werewolf who lives in the dark forests of Romania. Charlie decides that emissary will be him.

Xan, or X’andrien as he’s known to his people, is furious. His best friend, who also happens to be one of the Fitzgeralds his family has vowed to protect, has gone missing. When they find out where Charlie has gone, Xan has to chase him all the way to Europe and eventually save his stubborn butt in the middle of the night in the freezing cold Romanian forest. He never realized how much his best friend and charge meant to him until he was nearly killed.

Together, they end up stuck in the middle of a political mess that includes the lycans, the werewolves, and some very nosy vampires. If the two of them manage to make it out alive, they may realize that stuck together or not, years of friendship for one stubborn hunter and an equally bullheaded dryad protector can turn into a love neither of them is willing to live without.

~*~

Title: The Key (Sequel to MJ's HSD story, Bridges)

Author: M.J. O'Shea

Release Date: 2/8/2012

Category: Short story

Blurb: Brooklyn and Dallas have been together ever since the night six months ago when they kissed under the stars on top of Dallas' old trampoline. They spent that summer planning their life together in college. But things haven't quite gone as planned, and their relationship ... well, it kind of isn't going at all.

Brooklyn is terrified that Valentine's Day will be his last chance to convince Dallas to stay.

~*~

Title: Giving In (Sequel to my HSD story, Wanting)

Author: Piper Vaughn

Release Date: 2/8/2012

Category: Short story

Blurb: It's Jonah and Laurie's first Valentine's Day. What could be a better way to celebrate than with a little kinky superhero role-play? According to Laurie, pretty much anything. Bummed, but unwilling to pressure his boyfriend into something he doesn't want to do, Jonah resigns himself to celebrating a more traditional Valentine's Day. But Jonah isn't the only one who hates to see his boyfriend unhappy...

~*~

Title: Promise in a Kiss

Author: Piper Vaughn

Release Date: 3/7/2012

Category: Short story

Blurb: At the age of ten, Darren promised he would love his friend Adam forever, and that they would someday marry, and sealed that promise with a kiss. One month later, his friend was gone, and their promise lost to the passage of time.

Years later, Darren can't forget that long ago promise, and at the urging of a friend, decides to take a chance and track down the boy he once loved...

~*~

Title: The Luckiest (Book #2 in the Lucky Moon Series, after Moonlight Becomes You.)

Author: Piper Vaughn & M.J. O'Shea

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Category: Novel

Blurb: Rock star Nick Ventura has finally hit rock bottom. Jealous of his brother’s new love, he starts overindulging in his usual vices and winds up crashing his car into a department store in a drunken haze. Publicly humiliated and on the verge of jail time, he enters into a court-ordered rehabilitation program.

Nutritionist Luka Novak is flamboyant, effeminate, the type of gay man that bisexual Nick would normally sneer at. His sunny nature hides a deep hurt from a previous relationship. Luka knows he should be wary of Nick’s reputation, but he’s drawn to Nick despite himself. Their tentative friendship turns into romance, but Luka soon comes to realize that Nick's fear of losing his bad boy reputation means he'll probably never go public with their relationship.

Nick never thought he needed anyone, until Luka Novak came into his life. Now he has to reconcile his carefree past with the future he suddenly wants more than anything. And the first lesson he has to learn is how to become the man that both he and Luka need him to be, rather than stay the boy he always was. Alone.

~*~

Title: Stroke!

Author: M.J. O'Shea

Release Date: March, 2012

Category: Short story

Blurb: For Owen Peters, rowing is life—college classes are just an afterthought. So when Elijah Lukas, a hotshot sophomore, tries to take Owen’s rightful place on the varsity boat, he’s threatened, enraged, and needs a place to let off steam. The only person Owen can turn to is his online friend Davis, who he was randomly matched with on a game nearly a year before.

Davis is friendly, nonthreatening, and best of all he’s on the other side of the country and far removed from the politics of the crew team. Soon, though, Owen starts to feel more for his flirtatious online pal than simple friendship. Between the battle on the water and an impossible new crush, Owen is starting to wonder how he’ll make it through the school year.

~*~

Title: Coming Home

Author: M.J. O'Shea

Release Date: April, 2012

Category: Novel

Blurb: Dead broke and newly homeless, Tallis Carrington is on the walk of shame to end all walks of shame. Back to Rock Bay, where he’d once ruled as high school aristocracy with his band of jocks, and tormented a freshman named James Barry. Until a scandal reduced his family's name to little better than a curse word. He needs a job, and fast, so he can put the town in his rearview mirror once again. But the people of Rock Bay haven’t forgotten him, or the kid he used to be.

The only person in town willing to overlook his less than stellar reputation is Lex, the new coffee shop owner, who seems to despise Tally based on his reputation alone. Tally is desperate, so he takes the job, not understanding Lex’s hot and cold routine until he discovers that his gorgeous boss isn’t the newcomer he thought, but the very same kid he used to torture in school. Now he’ll pull out all the stops to prove he was never really the jerk everyone thought him to be. And if he can win Lex’s heart, the rest of the town should be a piece of coffee cake.

~*~

Title: One Small Thing

Author: Piper Vaughn & M.J. O'Shea

Release Date: May 4, 2012

Category: Novel

Blurb: “Daddy” was never a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father to a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies. But he can’t give her up. Trouble is, Rue needs a babysitter, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.

Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny, and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.

They’re as different as any two people could be, and Alice is probably the unlikeliest baby this side of the Mississippi, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. Until he receives an offer that finally puts all of his dreams within reach, and he’s forced to choose—the future he’s always wanted or the family he thought he never did.

Music Monday - Fiona Apple

2012-01-09T01:07:00.002-06:00

Fiona Apple has been one of my (Piper's) favorite musicians since she first appeared on the scene with Tidal back in the day. It's hard to narrow down my favorites, so I'm just going to pick a couple songs from each album and call it good. :D

Tidal

"I have never been so insulted in all my life
I could swallow the seas to wash down all this pride
First you run like a fool just to be at my side
And now you run like a fool
But you just run to hide
And I can't abide "

"And there's too much going on
But it's calm under the waves, in the blue of my oblivion
Under the waves in the blue of my oblivion..."

When the Pawn...

"All my life is on me now
Hail the pages turning
And the future's on the bound
Hell don't know my fury"

"You feed the beast I have within me
You wave the red flag, baby
You make it run, run, run
Standin' on the sidelines wavin' and grinning
You fondle my trigger, then you blame my gun..."

"So if you catch me trying to find my way into your
Heart from under your skin
Fast as you can, baby, scratch me out, free yourself
Fast as you can..."

Extraordinary Machine

"Those boon times went bust
My feet of clay, they've dried to dust
But it isn't the red we painted,
It's... just... rust. "

"This is not about love!
'Cause I am not in love
In fact I can't stop falling out
I miss that stupid ache."

"And from the first, to the last time, the signs
Said 'Stop' - but we went on whole-hearted
It ended bad, but I love what we started
It said 'Stop' - but we went on whole-hearted
It ended bad, but I love what we started..."