Space is cold, the sex it
hot, and the rebellion is right on target.
Blurb
Earth is dead. Humanity survives by selling the only
resource available—themselves. 2689 has signed away his rights as a living being and
become décor, living artwork that rich aliens use to decorate their homes. It’s a stable
existence but a boring one. Until one day his owner plays host to three unexpected guests.
Large, loud, and more potent than anything 2689 has ever experienced, this trio of ship-
dwellers from the wrong side of the universe awakens a desire he can’t ignore. However, blissful days of sex and companionship
with Brog, Desmodian, and Xavis come to an end when 2689 discovers a plot that could land
the trio in jail…or worse. 2689 will have to make a choice—stay silent and allow three
innocent lives to be ruined or give up his stable life to protect the ones he loves.
Excerpt
Pet fumbled his drink, creating a clink of glass against glass
and spilling pink droplets onto the table’s surface. He had encountered Décor Preservation
Services once before, at his first auction, when they evaluated his quality and determined
what price to charge his buyers.
“And what does DPS want with us?”
Desmodian sounded too calm, considering the tremor Pet
felt running through the hand on his head.
Vige scoffed. “Really? A trio of dirty ship-dwellers running
around with one of their precious décor, and you don’t think they’re going to
intervene?”
“We’ve done nothing wrong.” Xavis ruffled his feathers
again, filling what little space remained in their alcove. “Pet was transferred to us legally.
Anyone can check the license.”
In a different situation, Pet would have stroked the feathers
back down, but he was too scared to do more than stare dumbly from person to
person.
BOOK 2
Book Title: The Use of
Heavy Water
Author: D’Arcy
Arden
Publisher: The Wild Rose
Press
Cover Artist: Jennifer
Greeff
Length: 89 000 words / 360
pages
Release Date: October 12,
2022
Genres: Sci-fi, M/M Romance, Menage, Space Opera, Aliens
Tropes: Beach vacation, the past returning, capture, rescue /
escape
Themes: Relationships, betrayal, deception, personal strength,
communication
It is not a standalone story,
but does not end on a cliffhanger.
Décor don’t usually go on vacation, but after their
adventure in the Iota Cloud, Pet is looking forward to a week of relaxation on the planet
Syzygy, an ideal vacation spot for aliens from all corners of the galaxy. The fancy resort they’ve chosen isn’t welcoming to
ship-dwellers, but defying societal expectations has always been a favorite pastime for
Desmodian, Brog, and Xavis. However, a divide is sparked in the trio when
shadows from Brog’s past make an unexpected appearance. Distracted by their conflict, the
three are left vulnerable to an enemy who knows their weaknesses. The trio can’t save Pet this time. It’s up to him to
rescue the ones he loves and return them all to their true home among the stars. If he fails,
their freedom and maybe even their lives will be forfeit.
Excerpt
Desmodian turned sharply back to Brog. His hand, which
had been holding the card, opened and closed as if confused about its sudden emptiness.
“What? You’re keeping it?”
One of Brog’s hands held the card, and another gripped
Desmodian. That still left two arms free to cross over his chest in a challenging posture.
“Maybe. No reason not to.”
Desmodian gaped. “No reason…after what that man did to
you. There’s every reason to avoid him.”
The pair stared each other down, Brog with one set of eyes
and Desmodian with his whole body.
Pet’s foot slipped over wet rock, and he nearly tumbled off
the island. He had seen these emotions on his trio before, but rarely directed at each other.
On the rare occasion they fought, it usually ended as quickly as it started. He hoped this time
would be the same.
Xavis approached the argument with both wings
outstretched. “Hey, guys, calm down. This isn’t worth fighting over.”
Brog let go of Desmodian, practically throwing his hand
away. “If he thinks he can make decisions for me, then we got somethin’ to fight
over.”
Desmodian’s hammer planted in the sand again, hard
enough to sink several inches. “It shouldn’t even be a decision. It should be common sense.
Yaivin Vels is the reason you ended up arrested and in Unit 22 in the first place. You
shouldn’t want anything to do with him.”
About the Author
D’Arcy Arden grew up in
Akron, Ohio, where she attended creative art schools and was surrounded by beautiful
country landscape. This combination cultivated an interest in literature, art, and the natural
world around her. In college, she earned a Masters Degree in Fiction Writing, which primarily
taught her that there is no one way to tell a good story. So, she turned around and went
back for a degree in Animation as well. This love for both visual and written stories has given
her a preference for stories that are memorable, easy to picture, and, most importantly,
fun.
That was her main goal when
she started writing The Fourth State of Matter—to provide readers with a fun story featuring
the three S’s. Science, sex, and spaceships. It is her first published novel, but only the
beginning of a great adventure.
Mal’s first priority is giving his six-year-old son the best
Christmas ever, a goal made trickier by a recent move to New England after losing his job. As
a single dad, he’s not looking for romance—especially not with a blond California boy ten
years his junior. After being ridiculed at the family business, Luca
sets out to prove himself by opening an eco-friendly gift-wrapping store in a small town with
a hard-on for Christmas that’s about as far from LA as he can get. Out of his comfort zone in
snowy Maine, love is the last thing on his mind. But the magic of the season has other ideas. As Mal
and Luca collide on wintery streets, will they let their first Christmas in Lighthouse Bay lead
to happily ever after?
Content warning: stillbirth. Although it took place off-page and in the past, it is
discussed on-page.
Excerpt
Mal slowed at the bottom of a driveway and nodded at the
house. “This is me.”
“I was wondering who lived here,” Luca said, taking in the
house’s boxy structure.
“Why? Because it’s hideous?”
That startled a laugh out of Luca. “Well . . . yes. It doesn’t
match the rest of the houses.” The area just west of Christmas Lane housed Lighthouse Bay’s
historic homes, but this modern construction was decidedly not historic. Luca had passed it a
couple of times on his evening gift deliveries and wondered what the owner had been
thinking. “Why’d you buy it if you don’t like it?”
“I’m not. I’m leasing.”
Even so, Mal had gone all out with the decorations. Icicle
lights hanging from the roof, flashing multicolored lights framed around each window, static
white lights around a nine-foot-tall pine tree, and a lit-up reindeer family. He even had some
sort of spotlights buried somewhere in the yard that swirled red and green snowflakes on
the house in an unidentifiable pattern.
“Which is probably another reason I haven’t unpacked,”
Mal continued. “I hate this place.”
“Why lease it, then?”
Mal blew out a breath that ghosted the air in front of him.
“The short version is that I was in a rush.”
“And the long version?”
“The long version is something I’ll have to give you another
time.”
Luca glanced at Otis. “I think he’s asleep.”
“Bet he gets a second wind as soon as I walk in the door.”
Mal’s voice was a disgruntled grumble that Luca shouldn’t have found as charming as he did.
“Thanks for walking us home.”
“Thanks for letting me. I like talking to you.”
Mal’s smile went lopsided. “I like talking to you too. Still
want to do it again sometime? I promise not to feed you ice cream while it’s below freezing
outside. Real food only. Scout’s honor.”
Luca’s armpits went damp despite the winter weather, and
butterflies took flight in his belly. He dug his toe into the sidewalk. “You must really want to
date me if you’ve asked me out twice in one week.”
“Or I just want an adult to talk to for once,” Mal said, a
teasing tilt to his smile.
Luca stuck his tongue in his cheek and backed down the
driveway, keeping his gaze on Mal’s. “Or maybe you like me.”
“Damn. And here I thought I wasn’t being obvious at all.”
The butterflies floated into Luca’s throat. “Text me?”
“I will.” The darkness enveloped Mal as he moved away
from the sidewalk and into the shadow of the house, but Luca could still see the quirk to his
lips. “Good night, Luca.”
“Night, Mal.”
Luca watched Mal and Otis head inside, waved at Mal
through the glass-fronted door, then turned toward his own home only a couple blocks
away, an extra bounce to his steps.
About the Author
Amy’s lived with her head in
the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages
means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade
when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates
eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She
writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the
planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.
An unapologetic introvert,
Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with
readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to
early teasers, find her on Instagram, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter.
Detective Quinn Hughes doesn’t have many regrets in life,
but Sebastian Devlin is the biggest. As a cop and a defence lawyer, the deck was stacked
against them to start with, but Quinn was the one who left a burning inferno behind him.
Missing his chance with ex-Special Forces Commando Peyton Sinclair is a close second on his
regrets list, but Quinn isn’t going to ruin the happiness Peyton has found with fellow police
officer Will McMahon for anything—not even a chance at his own happiness.
Best friends Will McMahon and Peyton Sinclair have been
hooking up for years, content with their arrangement and the comfort they get from it.
When Sebastian—the hot lawyer they picked up at the club the night before—stumbles over
a dead body in their kitchen on his way out, calling Quinn is instinctive for them. Years of
unacknowledged tension between Peyton and Quinn is a sore point, but Peyton trusts that
Quinn will figure out the mess they’ve landed in.
While Quinn tries to find answers, Peyton and Will quickly
find themselves tangled in the tension between Quinn and Sebastian. They’re hoping Quinn
can move fast—before one of them becomes the next dead body—but the situation
becomes even more complicated when another explosive night proves that Peyton and Will
aren’t done with either Quinn or Sebastian, just as much as the two aren’t done with each
other.
Between the mind-blowing night Sebastian spent with
Peyton and Will, and the fact that every time he turns around it’s either Quinn or the barrel
of a gun waiting for him, Sebastian has never had more regrets. If he can survive long
enough to get some answers, maybe the four of them together are going to be the catalyst
for a future that’s more wildly different than anything they’d ever imagined.
Catalyst is a 90,000-word MMMM romance that ends in
a HFN. It is Book 1 in an ongoing series following the same four men and their relationship. It
contains adult situations, gun use, references to murder and drug usage, suspense themes
and a character with PTSD
Excerpt
Will nursed his empty glass as he waited for Peyton to
come back with more drinks. Having some drinks and dancing at a club was their favourite
way to unwind after a long week. While they’d stopped pretending that they were looking
for anyone to take home years ago—since their casual sex arrangement worked for them
and meant they didn’t need to spend their weekends trolling for random hookups—it didn’t
mean they didn’t like going out. Sometimes it heightened things later, when they made
themselves wait before they went home to fuck.
A few drinks, an up close and personal dance, and they
were ripping each other’s clothes off when they got home.
Peyton had been in a foul mood when he’d gotten home
and Will had sucked him off in the shower, but it hadn’t helped much. It had eased some of
the tension, but Will knew it was still there. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what Quinn’s problem
was. They both wanted each other, so why didn’t they? Peyton had asked Will once if it
bothered him, and maybe it should have—they’d been exclusive fuck buddies for years—but
thinking of Peyton with Quinn had never been a turnoff. The thought of it had spurred on
some of their hotter sessions together.
Will figured Quinn had to have his reasons, whatever they
were. He would have appreciated it if Quinn had let Peyton know what they were so he
could move on, but he didn’t know Quinn well enough to approach him directly. Their
relationship was purely professional.
“A guy that looks like you shouldn’t be sitting alone,” a
voice to his immediate left said.
Will smirked in amusement as he looked up, and then
almost swallowed his tongue. Well, hello there.
Dark blue eyes—that reminded him a bit of Peyton, though
Peyton’s were a little darker—that were shaped by sleek black glasses and long thick lashes.
His bow-shaped lips were drawn up in a smug smirk. It should have been off-putting or
smarmy. But coupled with the plain silver barbell piercing in his left eyebrow, it was making
Will’s dick stand up and take notice.
He was bulkier than Will—which wasn’t hard, since Will
was toned, but lanky—and filled his suit out in all the right places. He was wearing form-
fitting black slacks with shining dress shoes. No suit jacket, which was absolutely fine with
Will, considering that he had rolled up his sleeves to reveal smooth tan forearms. It was
kryptonite to any human being with a pulse.
It was too bad that Will’s only plans included getting Peyton
home and naked. Because damn, he was fucking sexy. Will couldn’t even remember if he’d
been into piercings before. He was now. Piercings, glasses, exposed forearms. Will might as
well have stamped “fantasy issue” on the guy’s forehead.
“Name’s Sebastian.”
Will smirk widened as he took the hand that Sebastian
offered. “Will.”
“Is this seat taken?”
“Well, it’s—”
Peyton returned then, two glasses of whiskey. His eyebrows
raised at Sebastian as he slid the glasses on to the table.
“Peyton, this is Sebastian,” Will said, smiling playfully.
“Hi, Sebastian,” Peyton said, in the same voice. He glanced
between them curiously as he sat on the tall stool next to Will. He reached a hand over and
placed it in Will’s lap, feeling the growing hardness in his jeans.
Sebastian put one hand in his pocket, smiling sheepishly.
“Pleasure. Have a nice night, you two.”
“No, stay,” Peyton said. He gave Will’s dick a gentle squeeze
and Will swallowed, heat rushing over him. He put his hand over Peyton’s but didn’t move it.
“Have a seat.” Peyton used his free hand to gesture at the empty seat opposite them.
Sebastian stared at Peyton as he did. Will couldn’t blame
him. Peyton was stunning to look at. All sultry eyes and delicate features. His shoulder-
length dirty blond hair was pulled up in a messy bun, with wisps of it falling over his temple
and forehead. The low lighting of the club only made his midnight blue eyes look darker, and
his cheeks were still flushed from their earlier dancing.
“You can share my drink,” Will said. He took a sip of his
drink and then pushed it across. He made a show of arching his neck back and swallowing,
so Sebastian could see he’d drank some himself.
The Road to Rocktoberfest 2022 – A multi-author
series
Hot rockstars and the men
who love them, what more could you ask for?
Each book can be read as a
standalone, but why not read them all and see who hits the stage next? Hot rockstars and
the men who love them, what more could you ask for?
Kick back, load up your
kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!
1 – Hidden Blade by Kaje Harper
2 – Blinding Light by BL
Maxwell
3 – Feel The Noise by Aria
Grace
4 – Changing His Tune by
Blake Allwood
5 – Three of a Kind by Nic
Starr
6 – Midnight Reunion by Lynn
Michaels
7 – Bleeding Dawn by Layla
Dorine
8 – Syncing Rhythms by Kris
Jacen
9 – Muted Chords by Samuel
York
10 – In Tune by Elle Keaton
11 – David’s Disaster: Embrace
the Fear 2 by TL Travis
Social anxiety’s been my constant companion for twenty-
three years, sometimes in the background, sometimes silencing me and yanking my guts out
in the nearest trash can. No matter how much I love playing music, I’m never going to get up
on a stage and perform in front of a crowd. But since I met Erik, and was asked to join his
band Hellsbane, that knowledge hurts worse.
No heart (even Erik’s) or dick (even Erik’s) is big enough to
carry me past my limits, but God, I wish there was a way.
Erik
Life’s damned unfair when a guy with the voice of a hard-
rock angel and a songwriting talent like Cam’s can only post anonymous videos online. But
you can’t cure anxiety with wanting, or willpower. My drummer needs to quit trying to push
Cam onstage with us before he breaks.
Rocktoberfest’s our goal, and touring with Hellsbane was
my only ambition until I met Cam. Now I can’t have everything I love in one place, but
dammit, I wish there was a way.
A first-times, life challenges, coming out, rockstar
romance.
Easy Rian has been lead singer for Blinding Light since the band was formed.
Through the years many things have changed. Not all of them good. When the lead guitarist
leaves mid-tour, the rest of the band is left waiting to see if they’ll continue on to
Roctoberfest, or if this is where their tour ends.
Liam Tarrant has been playing guitar for as long as he can
remember. When he gets the chance to audition for Blinding Light, he jumps at the chance.
Meeting the band is surreal, especially the lead singer, Easy. Liam has always had a crush on
Easy, but he never thought he’d get the chance to meet him, let alone spend time alone with
him.
Easy is drawn to Liam, no matter how much he wants to
deny it. When the two are thrown together over practice and planning the upcoming tour,
attraction grows between the two of them that neither can deny. But falling in love on tour
could be what finally ends Blinding Light, and both of them will need to choose what’s more
important to them. Love or music, can they have it all? #Rockstar #mmromance
#grumpysunshine #friendstolovers
Larson Monroe is not a rockstar. Not by any stretch of the imagination. He’s
a newly promoted middle manager for the marketing department of a sports apparel
company…and he’s content. Mostly. But when Pitch, his identical twin brother, calls and begs
for help, Lars can’t resist indulging in the childhood game of pretending to be his
brother.
Reed likes being hired by stuffed suits and high society
types just fine. But when he gets the chance to work security for Rocktoberfest, the biggest
rock festival in the country, he’s eager to take the job. It’ll be a nice change of pace and a fat
bonus for being on-site during the event. What he doesn’t expect is the change of pace of
his heart when he spots Pitch Monroe, lead singer for a newbie band he’s never even heard
of.
The sparks are instant and quickly burn hotter than either
of them have ever felt before. But when Larson’s real identity is exposed, it doesn’t exactly
go as planned…
Tired of being lonely, Hayden decides to take his life
back, starting with changing his music and his identity. Will these transitions be worth the
risk, or will they destroy everything he’s worked for?
Hayden Koal’s life has been… different. One minute he’s a
young boy living on his grandpa’s Iowa farm, the next, his parents have whisked him off to LA
and thrust him into teenage stardom. Now that he’s an adult, he’s got a lot of choices to
make about his life, his career, and his love life.
Erik Anderson has it all. A great job, friends that he loves
like family, and… okay maybe it isn’t perfect, but finding the right guy isn’t easy. When he
meets his celebrity crush Hayden Koal everything changes.
Their love affair is fraught with trouble from the moment
they come together and both Hayden and Erik have tough decisions to make. Will they
choose to upend their lives or sacrifice their love?
What happens when friendship becomes love, and you’re presented with
seemingly impossible choices while the world is watching?
Harvey, lead guitarist with Australian rock band,
HyperOctane, thought playing at Rocktoberfest would be the highlight of his career. He
didn’t expect a performance that would shape the rest of his life.
Ravi
Admitting his feelings for Harvey was one of the hardest
things he’d ever done. Being rejected was crushing. He never thought he’d be living the
same heartbreak years later after finally finding love.
Bo
He broke Ravi’s heart but he couldn’t ignore the feelings he
had for Harvey. It wasn’t fair on Rav, and Bo knew it was for the best, but why did doing the
right thing have to hurt so much?
Harvey
He wasn’t sure which was his biggest regret—hurting Ravi
all those years ago, or more recently giving in to temptation and having a one-night stand
with Bo. He’d always been close to his younger brother’s best friends, and now it seemed
he’d messed things up with both of them.
Now all three of them must confront their feelings for each
other. Why do things have to be so complicated?
Three of a Kind is a gay rock star romance featuring second
chances, friends to lovers, and menage.
A Midnight Hunt Reunion is coming to Rocktoberfest
2022
Or are they? When Miami proposes getting the band back
together for the big rock festival ahead, it could mean everything to him – his career, his
life…and most importantly, a second shot with bandmate, Jinx.
Jinx isn’t sure what to do. He’d left Midnight Hunt and
Miami for good reason, but his life wasn’t turning out to be what he thought it was. Would a
reunion get him inspired, fulfill his desires? Would it lead back into Miami’s arms? Or would
everything bomb, falling right off the charts? Again?
Get ready for a rockstar reunion romance! It’s a slow burn
will they/won’t they filled with music and a killer rock festival!
Identical in appearance, twins Winter and Tripp are as different as night and
day when it comes to everything but the music they’ve spent the bulk of their lifetimes
composing. Now they’ve attained the fame they always hoped for, and it’s as empty and
meaningless as the remains of route 66, and about as broken too. Would help if Winter
could see it. Tripp’s sure he’ll lose his shit completely the next time some random groupie
leaps on the hood of his car and begs to take a selfie, but to Winter, every night is a party, he
lives for the crazy hookups, lives for the crazy, period.
Another place they differ.
Tripp would kill for one season to slow down. Just three
months where he and Zakk could melt into obscurity and be whomever they wanted,
together. Only Zakk’s band, Tattered Angel, is on fire too and it’s starting to seem like the
music he’s always loved is hell-bent on keeping him from exploring love of a different kind.
Last year’s Rocktoberfest was an amazing triumph, this year, it’s starting to feel like the road
to the desert is burning him alive.
Would be so easy to slip off across the sand, melt into a
dune on the back of some strange, psychedelic serpent, never to be heard from again. If only
there was a way to ensure Zakk took that last ride with him.
It’s taken years for Dawson’s band, AudioLock, to finally ‘make it’. Okay,
maybe they hadn’t made it yet but they were invited to perform on the big stage at
Rocktoberfest. Driving the beat of the band warmed his soul but Dawson really wished there
was someone to warm his heart and bed.
Ben Williams’ passion for music and theater is all-
encompassing but he doesn’t have a talented bone in his body. However, he does have the
mind and personality to manage everything that happens when the curtain goes up. His
ultimate goal of being a stage manager for a major rock band is in sight. He didn’t think
anything could change his focus until a certain drummer appeared on Ben’s stage.
Dreams within reach, are Ben and Dawson willing to change
so they can sync rhythms together?
Josh Shepard has an intense and strange connection to music,
considering he was born deaf. His bond with music is much easier than any relationship he’s
ever had with humans. Then he meets Branston ‘Bran’ Vale. Bran is the type of guy Josh
fantasized about meeting. With Bran in their band, traveling with them, Josh has a hard time
keeping it together.
Bran isn’t prepared for the impact Josh has on him. Bran
has had trouble with entanglements before, but this is different with Josh.
He’s ready to commit to more when a ghost from his past
comes back to haunt him. Bran might have to give up everything to save the band and
Josh.
Life is good for Dean Blanchett, lead guitarist of the
superstar rock band, the Lost Apostles. He’s got his music, he’s got his dog, he’s got his best
friend Luka and the girl he’s gonna marry. Right up until a few days before the biggest show
of the year, when his fiancé literally throws his ring in his face and leaves him for an
accountant.
AN ACCOUNTANT.
Dean quickly spirals out of control, knowing Luka will be
there to pick up the pieces. Again. It’s a good thing he has a friend like Luka.
Luka
How many more times will Luka have to put Dean together
again? Staying with the band, taking care of Dean’s dog – who’s really Luka’s dog – while
Dean chases after the next girl who is ‘the one’ and then crashes and burns. Again. It’s all
taking its toll.
And why does his stupid heart keep insisting Dean is the
only one it wants?
This time is IT. Luka is done with the Dean Drama, the soul-
mates-of-the-month, even the band. He loves Dean, he has since they met, but Dean is
straight as a ruler. And unless something changes, he’s going to self-destruct something Luka
can’t bear to watch.
When Luka throws down an ultimatum, Dean begins to
question everything—including his sexuality.
Can he live without his best friend? Does he even want to
try?
There’s only one way to find out; he has to live with him
first.
His band, Embrace the Fear, were living the rock ‘n roll
dream as an up-and-coming band under Masterson Management. They weren’t rolling in
the dough like the guys from Social and Maiden were, but things were good.
Outside of his love life that was.
David wasn’t a player, unless you count video games. He
grew up in a middle-class family. Both his parents worked and were supportive of him in
every way. To this day they were still head over heels in love with each other.
The one thing missing from David’s life was the same kind
of connection his parents had.
But David’s needs were a bit unorthodox and not always
welcome with guys closer to his age. Would an older man look past the number and trust
David to take care of them—body and soul?
Jordan Wright has a thriving business thanks to being
awarded the contract to manage the catering for Rocktoberfest for a second year.
He’s thrilled to be back at the venue again—maybe this is
the year something special will happen, although he’s not counting on it.
Since Jordan’s last failed attempt at a relationship, he’s
sworn only to engage in meaningless hook-ups.
But Jordan longs for a daddy of his own.
Will he ever be able to open his mind, and his heart, again?
Enough to trust another man, not only with his body, but to catch him when he falls.
Two teenage boys were certain they’d be best friends for life. With clear
paths planned for the future, they were ready to take on the world. All it took was one
deep—very adult kiss to throw them off kilter, and their plans turned to dust. One chose a
path toward stardom and stage lights while the other stayed behind in their hometown and
pursued his dream of being a cop. Although they hoped to see one another again, neither
thought it would ever happen.
No one can turn back time, but perhaps the future can be altered with a little luck—and a lot
of love.
Gamble: I was fifteen when I realized I was in love with
my best friend, Bix. Since then, not a day has passed when he didn’t cross my mind. I arrived
in L.A. at eighteen with nothing more than raw talent and a dream, then fell face-first into
drug addiction but not before my band hit it big, earning awards and million-dollar
paychecks. Success was one thing, but I still wanted Bix and the simple life we once had
growing up on Starfish Island.
Bixby: I spent a lot of years worrying about Gamble. The
entertainment news was great about airing his dirty laundry, which kept me aware of how
low he was sinking. Now I worried he might not survive. I’d wanted him since that one
perfect kiss we shared on graduation night, and I’ve wanted a lifetime of more with him ever
since.
Possible Triggers: Mentions of drug addiction, overdose,
recovery, and a gunshot wound.
“I swear to God it was Willoughby. My brother stood not
two feet away from me, called me Lina to my face, and pulled Harley into his arms, saying he
was sorry, sobbing, and calling him his boy.”
An apparition in Sydney’s fruit and vegetable market leaves
the mother of one of Clyde’s best friends believing that her brother, hanged for murder
twenty-four years beforehand, has somehow risen from the grave and confronted
her.
She is adamant that the visitation was real and visits Clyde
asking him to investigate the mass murder her brother was supposed to have committed.
She believes he was either set up or was covering for someone else’s crime.
Could this vision have been a folie à deux, a delusional
vision shared by both mother and son? As Clyde investigates, clues lead him to one of
Australia’s most famous silent screen actors, a man who, together with his murdered father,
becomes intrinsically linked to the mass murder, known as The Killing at Candal
Creek.
Wheels within wheels, lies, extortion, and coverups lead
Clyde to a bloody confrontation on a deserted beach in the tropics. This time, it’s not only
his own life at risk but also that of one of his most valued and closest friends.
Excerpt
I was in my “puzzle room” when I heard Harry’s cooee from
the front door.
I called it a puzzle room because that’s the phrase we’d
used during the war to describe a safe place where we could discuss plans, devise strategies,
and toss ideas around. Mine was my bathroom, lying on my back in the bath with the lights
out and the shower falling onto my legs, the only illumination from the flickering blue light
of the gas geyser. After eating dinner, I’d listened to Mama Lena’s Arrivederci Roma
radio programme then had got stuck into some research on Elwood Pearson.
I could hear Harry clunking around in the hallway. “I’m in
here!” I called out.
“I know!” he responded, then appeared in the doorway,
totally naked except for the black bow tie around his neck and wearing his socks and
garters.
“What happened to the master of the house looking for the
lazy footman?” I said, laughing because I could see he was more than three sheets to the
wind.
He climbed into the tub and sat between my legs, water
pouring over his head, grinning at me stupidly. “I changed it,” he said. “It’s master of the
house, pissed out of his skull, ravishing the naked footman in the bathtub.”
“Come here,” I said, and pulled his head down for a kiss.
“You’re not that drunk,” I added, my hand having found no evidence of brewer’s
droop.
“Shh!” he said, biting my chin. “Mark’s crashed in the spare
room.”
“What?”
“Too many cocktails, both of us. We caught a taxi and he
helped me up the stairs.”
“So, no noise then?”
“Nup,” he said, then pulled my legs around his hips and let
forth a loud wolf-howl.
I laughed then pushed my wet washcloth between his
teeth, which he spat out then attacked my mouth with his own. I really hoped Mark had
closed his bedroom door. When Harry was in this sort of mood, he could make a lot of noise
… not that I was complaining.
About the Author
From the outback to the
opera.
After a thirty-year career as a
professional opera singer, performing as a soloist in opera houses and in concert halls all
over the world, I took up a position as lecturer in music in Australia in 1999, at the Central
Queensland Conservatorium of Music, which is now part of CQUniversity.
Brought up in Australia,
between the bush and the beaches of the Eastern suburbs, I retired in 2015 and now live in
the tropics, writing, gardening, and finally finding time to enjoy life and to re-establish a
connection with who I am after a very busy career on the stage and as an
academic.
Book Title: O Deadly Night: A Dark MM Charity Anthology
Authors: Nicholas Bella, E.B.
Burns, Abrianna Denae, Elouise R East, Taylor J Gray, Mandy Greenwood, Rorie Kage, Leigh
Kenzie, Davidson King, Claire Marta, Faith Ryan
Cover Artist: Teased by
Antonette
Release Date: November 15,
2022
Genre: Dark M/M
Tropes: Various
Themes: Dark content featuring holidays. Includes topics from mafia to
erotic BDSM and more. Content warning for some pieces include non-con, dub-con, torture,
murder, and potentially other dark elements.
Heat Rating: This will vary.
Some will be 5 flames.
Length: approx. 165 000
words
As it’s an anthology, some
stories may end in a cliffhanger
Sometimes the happiest season of all is hiding the darkest
secrets.
Twinkling lights and festive songs are in every shopping
center and on every street corner. But what lurks in the dark alleys beyond the main street
decorations? Who hides behind the joyful enthusiasts with a dangerous bah humbug
attitude?
Join eleven dark MM authors as they explore the
darker half of the holidays while also spreading cheer and support to LGBTQ
youth.
*O Deadly Night is a Dark MM anthology with all proceeds
to be donated to The Trevor Project.
His band, Embrace the Fear,
were living the rock ‘n roll dream as an up-and-coming band under Masterson Management.
They weren’t rolling in the dough like the guys from Social and Maiden were, but things
were good.
Outside of his love life that
was.
David wasn’t a player, unless you
count video games. He grew up in a middle-class family. Both his parents worked and were
supportive of him in every way. To this day they were still head over heels in love with each
other.
The one thing missing from
David’s life was the same kind of connection his parents had.
But David’s needs were a bit
unorthodox and not always welcome with guys closer to his age. Would an older man look
past the number and trust David to take care of them—body and soul?
Jordan Wright has a thriving
business thanks to being awarded the contract to manage the catering for Rocktoberfest for
a second year.
He’s thrilled to be back at the
venue again—maybe this is the year something special will happen, although he’s not
counting on it.
Since Jordan’s last failed attempt
at a relationship, he’s sworn only to engage in meaningless hook-ups.
But Jordan longs for a daddy of
his own.
Will he ever be able to open his
mind, and his heart, again? Enough to trust another man, not only with his body, but to
catch him when he falls.
David’s Disaster is part of the multi-author The Road to
Rocktoberfest 2022 series. Each book can be read as a standalone. Hot rockstars and the
men who love them, what more could you ask for?
Excerpt
“Guinness in a bottle if you’ve got it?” I didn’t
want to risk someone trying to roofie me, not that I wasn’t down for almost anything though
I preferred to have my wits about me when it came time to perform. Sammie dug one out of
the freezer, popped the top, and slid it my way. “Place is packed for a Sunday night.”
“Yeah, Joe’s got the dancers working
Sundays now. They come in at nine,” Sammie said, wiping the counter between customers.
Joe was Sammie’s partner, and they owned the club. Sammie managed the food and
beverage staff while Joe oversaw operations, including the entertainment. Some of those
boys’ moves should be illegal. “Looks like your entourage is here,” Sammie nodded toward
the door. Following his line of sight, two very angry bodyguards shot daggers at me. “Here,”
Sammie handed me a pass, “take this up to the mezzanine.”
I grabbed the red disc, “Thanks.” Just as I
turned, two muscular hands gripped my forearms like vices.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Sikes
asked.
Flashing the red card, I announced, “To the
mezzanine, kind sir!” in the most terrible British accent I could’ve done. Accents clearly are
not my forte. Sikes and Snipe groaned in unison but relinquished their grips. Sikes walked in
front of me while Snipe held up the rear. Hehe, rear. If I made that joke to them, they’d likely
knock me on my ass.
The bouncer manning the upper VIP level, or
the mezzanine as Sammie had called it, nodded, snagged the card, then grunted. What was
it with these overgrown protectors and grunting? I’m waiting for one of them to grab a rock
and start drawing caveman-style all over the walls. How do they even understand each
other?
It was much easier to breathe up here with a
lesser body count though the music and vibrations still flowed. The view was fantastic,
staring down at every sweaty, writhing body on the dance floor. This was front-row seating
when the dancers hit the stage. “Would you like another drink, sir?” I turned to face the
flirty voice, and there stood a five-foot-nothing cutie chewing his bottom lip and eyeing me
like a lollipop. “Hello gorgeous, I’ll have one more, please.” He turned and winked over his
shoulder, swinging those hips like the moneymakers they were. He knew the value of
his…asset.
Maybe a dark, secluded storage room
cocktail server ass was in the cards for me tonight.
Leaning over the iron mezzanine railing, lost
in thoughts of the firm ass beneath the shiny black boy shorts fetching my drink, I scanned
the overcrowded dance floor. Memories of once being able to be a part of it that seemed
like so long ago when it really wasn’t. Our lives changed overnight by winning that Battle of
the Bands competition. Did I miss not being a part of our old scene? Meh, not so much. The
view from up here was much better, like having your pick of the crop. Lower level was all
sweaty, grinding bodies. Most of the time, you couldn’t see past the face in front of you. No,
I think I liked my odds from this angle much…
Better?
No, it isn’t.
“What the actual fuck?” I said loud enough
for Sikes and Snipes to hear. Instantly, each large body took its place at my sides. There was
no stopping this primal, animalistic need to seek and destroy. Alarms inside my brain
actived, yet I couldn’t stop myself.
“Where’s the threat?” Sikes asked. Both sets
of eyes scanned the floor for trouble.
Down the stairs I went, nearly bowling over
the poor guy with the full drink tray heading in the opposite direction. I knew I wasn’t alone,
though I couldn’t hear Sikes or Snipe’s footsteps. It amazed me how those two over-muscled
guards could move like the wind. I’d descended upon my prey in fewer steps than it
should’ve taken.
I swear, all life, all sound, all music stopped
when the three of us hit the dance floor. Bodies moved aside, primarily out of fear of the
two men who were with me, I’m sure. But I was locked on a specific target. Dumbass one
and dumbass two blocking my path weren’t too bright. They hadn’t even noticed that
everything around them had come to a stop as they continued to feel up the body tangled
between them. “Enough!” I ordered.
“Hey man, we saw him first,” dumbass one
said, coming toward me. Sikes and Snipe cut him off, and he threw his hands up in surrender.
“We don’t want any trouble,” he pleaded as he and dumbass two backed away. At that
point, said target turned, and our gazes met.
“What the fuck, David?”
About the Author
TL Travis is an award-winning published author of LGBTQIA+
contemporary romance and erotic musings that have earned “Best-Selling Author” flags in
the US as well as Internationally.
When she’s not busy spinning steamy webs, she enjoys
spending time with her family, going to concerts, wine tasting, and people watching. With
every face, there’s a story and half the fun is dreaming up what it could be.
TL is surrounded by her extensive 4-legged rescue family, her
sons, and adorable grandkids. She will continue saving furry friends in need for as long as
she lives. TL would like to remind you to “Adopt, not shop.” Saving that lost soul may very
well be the one you need.
What better Christmas
present is there than finding your fated mate?
Blurb
’Twas the week before Christmas
And all across Christmas Cove the elves were snowed
under.
Preparing presents for Santa’s sleigh
To deliver to children all around the world.
But Dash—Santa’s favourite reindeer—is missing.
Vanished.
In his place, Aubron, the elf responsible for looking after all
of Santa’s reindeer, finds a naked man in Dash’s stall.
A stranger he is inexplicably drawn to.
Can Aubron find Dash, and figure out who the mystery man
is before Christmas is ruined?
This M/M romance from Beth Laycock features fated
mates, a reindeer shifter, an elf definitely not left on the shelf, Santa, the North Pole,
lashings of Christmas spirit, and of course a HEA.
Excerpt
The workshop was abuzz with activity, even at this early hour,
but before I could unwrap my scarf, Santa waved me over. Dodging the elves already hard at
work, I followed him into his office, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling of déjà vu.
“Did you check on Dash?” Santa asked as he paced the length
of his small office.
“Yes. As soon as I left you yesterday. He was fine—even
managed to polish off a good helping of his favourite moss. Then I took him out for a walk
along the seashore once I’d finished all my jobs and he had fun splashing in the
shallows.”
Santa stopped and spun to face me, tugging on his white
beard. “Really?” I nodded and he dropped into his chair with a grunt. “I don’t understand.
When I went in last night before I went to bed, the other reindeer were sound asleep, but
Dash was pacing his stall, scraping his hooves across the stones over and over. Even when I
spoke to him, he didn’t settle but eventually lay down. He looked so sad though, and he was
still awake when I left.”
Santa sounded distraught, but I didn’t know what to say—Dash
had been fine when I’d left him.
“What if it’s something serious?” Santa’s eyebrows
disappeared beneath the white curls falling over his forehead.
I swallowed thickly at the thought.
“What if he can’t fly on Christmas Eve? What would we do
then? There’s no other reindeer that could take his place—none of them can fly.” Santa’s
eyes met mine across the desk. “Christmas will be ruined.”
I stared at Santa not knowing what to say. There was nothing to say, he was right, it would be. So, I did the only thing I could and hurried away
to check on Dash.
Christmas will be ruined. All the way to the barn
those words echoed through my mind. Christmas will be ruined. I yanked my
feet out of the snow—almost buried to my knee—hurrying as best I could over last night’s
snowfall. By the time I reached the barn, my chest was heaving, plumes of my breath misting
on the air, and I didn’t think it was just the exertion of rushing.
I grabbed the large iron handle and tugged on the
door—nothing. It didn’t move an inch and my dream flickered in full technicolour beneath
my closed eyelids. This could not be happening.
I heaved on the handle, putting my full weight behind it, and
was rewarded by the squeal of the wheels as the door slid open. Releasing a sigh of relief, I
hurried inside, dashing down the centre aisle of the barn, past the stalls with the other
reindeer, a couple of them lifting their heads to peek out at the commotion I was
making.
I reached Dash’s stall and pulled up short. It was empty. Huh?
The gate was bolted shut and Santa hadn’t said anybody else was checking on Dash. I leant
over the wooden slat to peer into the stall and almost fell over the gate and inside when I
spied the stranger curled up in the corner—the strange man who was butt naked.
About the Author
Beth Laycock’s books are
influenced by her time living overseas as well as the gritty, urban landscape of the north of
England where she grew up. She has been reading romance since she was old enough to tell
herself that line every book lover does—just one more chapter.
As a teenager, she attempted
to write her first novel, and many more since then are still gathering dust on her bookshelf. It
wasn’t until she discovered the M/M genre that her muse showed up and refused to quit
telling her stories about beautiful men finding love together. She hasn’t stopped scribbling
them down since. Beth’s muse usually shows up when she is in the shower, is allergic to
cleaning, rarely lets her watch TV, and insists she drinks copious amounts of coffee so she
can turn caffeine into words.
Beth’s books range from
sweet to sexy, long to short, contemporary to paranormal, but a HEA is always
guaranteed.
Easy Rian has been lead singer for Blinding Light since the band was formed.
Larson Monroe is not a rockstar. Not by any stretch of the imagination. He’s
Tired of being lonely, Hayden decides to take his life
What happens when friendship becomes love, and you’re presented with
A Midnight Hunt Reunion is coming to Rocktoberfest
Identical in appearance, twins Winter and Tripp are as different as night and
It’s taken years for Dawson’s band, AudioLock, to finally ‘make it’. Okay,
Josh Shepard has an intense and strange connection to music,
Dean
For David Jordan life was close to perfect. 
Two teenage boys were certain they’d be best friends for life. With clear
