the food porn chronicles

Oh, Lee, you sexy, sexy beast.

Currently working on the sequel to See Right Through. Remember Lee, Sam and Devin's tall, athletic neighbor? No? Read the novella. It's free.

So, yeah. Working on the story now. Have finally figured out how most of it's going to happen, and I'm making a concerted effort to get it finished soonish. But there's an issue.

Bacon. Strawberry cream frosting. Peach eclairs. Chocolate ganache cupcakes. Chipotle chocolate crisps. In other words: Food porn.

In the (as of now, unnamed) sequel, Lee starts a new job at a bakery. It's a food porn romance. Just planning what my characters do at work makes me stop what I'm doing to search online for recipes and then I get lost updating my own recipe collection. Like this morning, I just thought, hm, for breakfast (for his love interest) Lee will be making bacon cinnamon rolls (or cinnamon roll pancakes with applewood smoked bacon on the side), fluffly scrambled eggs and strawberry-pomegranate tea.

This guy has to fall in love with him. I think I'm in love with him. And I realize writing this story is going to constantly make me hungry. Especially for sweets. How did I get myself into this? Now I'm wondering if I should include recipes in the book. Pictures. That would require lots and lots of testing. Help?!

Title suggestions (and recipes) are welcome.

friends and inspiration

I think as far back as my first attempt at novel writing (age 14, 1996 for those keeping track), I've always used my friends for inspiration for my characters and the situations in my books. That first book had some teen pregnancy, back stabbing, two week relationships, violence, kidnapping, secret videotaping, you know, because high school was boring that way. (Hey, at least 60 percent of that story was fiction.) Now, I've gotten a lot more subtle about writing people I know and things I've seen and heard into my stories. (Yes, I said I'm subtle. Don't let anyone tell you different.;-) )

The second book in my Savannah series is coming along well. It's a lot different than I expected it to be. Longer, for one thing. After I finished See Right Through in June, I thought the sequel would be done by August and I'd be well on my way to finishing the third story by now. Well, Derrick, one of my main characters, has a lot more to say to me than I'd anticipated. Apparently, he didn't feel my plans for a novella length story were doing him justice. Especially since he's quite slowly working his way towards the fun and sexy Lee, who featured prominently as one of Sam's friends in the first story. Let's see, See Right Through was a shade over 24,000 words. So far, the sequel is a little over 35,000 words and I think it'll reach 60-70,000 when it's done. It's been a while since I've written something that length (Hooked was 50,000 words), but I'm excited about the story I'm telling.

This story is different for me partly because I'm telling the people I've based the characters on that I'm writing about them. For some, their influence will be obvious to anyone who knows them, for others, the references are more subtle and something only they would notice. One of the people I'm using as inspiration for Lee is Cody.

Cute, right? I did create the basics of the character before I got to know Cody, but as I learn more about him, the more I realize he is quite like the way I'm developing Lee in the story. Now, he has nothing to worry about. I'm not actually planning to put his life story in my book. But he shares some great similarities with my character and I'm looking forward to drawing on that more. Plus (and here's the exciting part) if I'm lucky, Cody will agree to be on the cover for the sequel. Granted, I'm still trying to talk him into it, but I'm hoping he'll grant me the honor of agreeing once he sees the final picture.

Winding down and gearing up: a ramble

So, what's going on with me you ask?

NaNoWriMo was... interesting. Meh. I write at a snail's pace these days, so no, I didn't get 50,000 words in November. I did add nearly 26,000 to story, which is more than I've written on it since February of last year altogether. (Yes, I know that's a really long time, but technically I just wrote the idea down so I wouldn't forget it and actually started on the story this year before I put it down to write the first in the series.)

In other words, the second book in the Savannah series is coming along. See the little widget down the page there? --> I'm sure it's going to be longer than 50,000 words, but that's a good indication of how it's going so far. I'm in love with this one (aren't I always?) and I'll start posting excerpts as soon as I get a finished first draft.

What else? Rereading Daron's Guitar Chronicles. Falling in love with Daron's story all over again. Annoyed with Ziggy. Remembering things that happen in later parts of the story as I'm rereading and getting excited because I'd forgotten some of the details. Oh, and people? We're being blessed with Volume 4 ebook! Get it. Now. You like m/m? Music? You want your life to be sucked away while you catch up with the rest of the readers and anticipate the next chapter? Buy the ebooks, the paperbacks, audiobooks or just read the series online. (Oh, but take my advice, buy the ebooks from the website. You'll get more fan satisfaction out of that.)

I did mention Daron and company inspired the serial I've been working on for eons. I'll have to give the story a shoutout in mine somehow. Ooh, maybe my characters can be Moondog Three fans. Let me write that down somewhere so I don't forget...

love, tears & inspiration

I've finally done it. I've finally written the first scene in this book that made me cry after I finished it.

NaNo is...going. I've have had some starts and stops, but mostly it's been success. There have been times when I want to pull my hair out in frustration, but then there are days when I just hit my stride and it all just falls together (like today!). I'll consider it a job well done if I can get this book finished by the end of the year. Shooting for an early March release.

So, what was I saying? Oh, yes. The tears. My main character's mother is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's and I have her sitting down with her son to discuss her wishes for him - finding love and enjoying life, etc. There's more to it than that, but I can't post it without crying again.

It's crazy. These heavy emotional scenes are so easy for me to write because I just open the document and let the emotions pour onto the page. This scene in particular is nearly word for word what I want to say to someone in real life, but can't because we're not that close anymore. Which is a shame because this person needs to hear it from someone, though it would be awkward coming from me.

So, there you have it. Carol Sharp, a woman who only exists in my imagination and in an unfinished document on my computer, made me do something I've been fighting off for over a week. I cried - over love, the lack of it and my wish to give it someone else though I'm not in the position to right now.

Ah, the life of an introvert has ups and downs. Pro: Being able to write fantastic emotion into a story and make readers feel it as much as I do. Con: The inability or difficulty of interacting with people in the real world. I suppose that's a good trade-off, if you're at least recognized for the brilliant writing that results.

Hot off the presses!

The Strength of a Man ebook is now available at a megaton of places (check my website for details about your favorite retailer) and it's now out in paperback!

See Right Through, my LiAW story and the first in my Savannah series, is also now available from CreateSpace. If you have an Amazon account, you can sign in using that.

See Right Through - free novella

My story for the M/M Romance Group's Love is Always Write Event is up. Click here to read See Right Through if you're a member of the group (and to read tons of other great, free stories). You can also download the novella from the book's page at Goodreads (you don't have to be a member), All Romance Ebooks and Smashwords.

Devin Salvo has always remained three steps ahead: in chess, on the pitch, and in his love life. His every desire is within arm's reach, except the one person Devin has always wished would be his in the end. All it takes is one conversation to open his eyes to a new possibility, one moment to change what Devin believes about friendship and love and one person to change the rules of the game.

Sam Marshall has been fighting his feelings for his friend and roommate for two years. When an opportunity presents itself, he makes his move, only to be faced with the very real fear that what he sees in Devin, the potential waiting to be realized, may be more than their friendship can handle.

a little tease

 Here's an excerpt from my upcoming story, See Right Through:

Sam watched Devin move another piece and then quickly moved his knight, taking it. “I want to know what part of this you have a bigger problem with. Call it curiosity on my part.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Sam began, “is your issue that Mike and I have talked about you a few times?”

Now it was a few times? Devin frowned.

“Are you bothered because he says he could see us together? Or is there something else?”

Sam's voice had grown quieter with that last question. Devin looked up from the board to see something he'd never thought he'd see from Sam. An expression that, on anyone else, would've been more than curious. It was open, vulnerable. A naked longing that disappeared as soon as Devin was sure he knew what it was, to be replaced by Sam pressing his lips together and looking down at the board again.

Wow. Okay. That made this conversation a hell of a lot more interesting. Maybe Sam had spent so much time analyzing Devin because he wanted to know if he had a chance. Devin wasn't sure how he felt about that.

“I'm not in love with the idea that you guys have talked about me,” Devin said. “It's strange.”

“I'm sorry our conversation made you feel that way,” Sam said. “I honestly wouldn't have said anything if you didn't want to know.”

“I know, I asked for it,” Devin responded. “About...us.” Dev looked up in time to see Sam's expression change before the mask slid back into place. “You don't think it's weird?”

Sam's lips trembled as he fought down a smile. “I think,” he began, reaching across the table, “life is full of possibilities.” He touched the back of Devin's hand with the tips of his fingers, gently stroking the skin. “If this isn't one you want to take advantage of, then you shouldn't feel pressured to do so.”

It wasn't Devin's imagination that the temperature in the room had risen. It was one thing when Sam was getting into his head on a purely academic level. It was another thing when Sam looked at him from beneath thick lashes as if he could unravel Devin from the inside out if given half the chance. And he so wanted that chance.

I may be getting my sanity back soon

I'll have to check with my muse, but I might be getting my sanity back sometime soon. (Or, some of it, anyway. I don't think I'll ever get it all back.) The extended version of  my short story, Starting Over, is finally finished. Again. Probably. Hopefully. Waiting to hear back from someone (and debating asking three more people to read it), but I think I've done it! Of course, I'm still high from the adrenaline rush from finishing yesterday, so I might go back and rewrite the last ten pages again in a fit of panic. Or not, if I can talk myself out of it.

Hopefully, it'll be out sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'm also trying to come up with a different title (since it is a very different story) and trying to work out the kinks in the book cover design. It'll come along, I'm sure.

In other exciting news, I did finish my cover for See Right Through. Isn't he beautiful?

 I can't wait until the story is posted at Goodreads. Only [censored] more days!

new series coming soon!

The Love is Always Write event by the M/M Romance group at Goodreads is almost upon us. I'm so excited, I can barely type. Why yes, since you ask, my story for the group is a large part of the reason I have disappeared from my blog lately. I rewrote about a third of my story twice and figured out how to tie it into an existing series I've been working on sporadically for over a year. Now? Now, the first (FREE!) story is going to be published soon (between the 15th of May and the end of July) and the pressure's on to finish the second story and really get the ball rolling. Also, I'm still working on the extended version of Starting Over, my free novella from last year's event.

What did I have for inspiration this year? A great photo chosen by one of the moderators of the group and this fantastic prompt by member Ami.

 

Dear Author,

See him? The one in the bottom of the pile? That’s me, Michael. And those two are my best friends, Dev and Sammy. My gay best-friends. I’m straight, by the way. I wholeheartedly love women. It’s just my fate that I have two gays as best-friends.

The trouble is, I KNOW that they are both crushing on me. That somehow they both wish I’m theirs. But what Dev and Sammy don’t realize, they’re actually perfect for one another. Now I just need help to make them see what everyone else see.

Sweet, right? I hope I did the prompt justice. I had so many ideas just from the first part of the prompt that I could barely get them down before I was swept in another direction. Ultimately, I went with something sweet and sexy with just a hint of southern spice, the perfect first story in my new Savannah series. Here's a taste of See Right Through:

Michael lifted two large pizzas in one hand. “Grabbed lunch. You guys hungry?”

Dev nodded, never taking his eyes off Michael. With six foot three inches of solid muscle and a smile that put the sun to shame, it wasn't difficult for anyone to figure out why his best friend was an occasional distraction. Whenever he walked into a room, Dev had trouble remembering his own name, never mind the best way to protect his queen from Sam's watchful gaze. All the attention was pointless, though. It didn't matter how many pointed looks he gave or the not-so-subtle flirting he did, he couldn't change the fact that Michael was straight. That didn't stop him from wishing for a sudden change of heart.

“Always. Just let us finish this game,” Sam said, drawing Dev's attention back to him and their game.

“Do you know if Lee's home?” Michael asked. “I was hoping we could play a pick up game after lunch.”

“He's not,” Sam said.

“We can still do that,” Dev said, his attention once again diverted. A chance to get Michael into some shorts and an excuse to tackle him repeatedly? Count him in.

“Granted, we've played rugby with four of us, but I don't think even we could pull off a three person game. One on one with a referee?” Michael asked.

“Two against one sounds better,” Sam suggested. He grinned, his expression turning lecherous as he eyed their roommate. Michael blushed and backed away a step, pizza held in front of him like a shield.

“I don't think two against one would be quite fair,” he said.

“I think you're big enough to handle both of us,” Dev put in. “I'd certainly be willing to give it a shot.”

“We promise it won't hurt,” Sam said.

“Speak for yourself,” Dev added.