Archive for the ‘Dreamspinner Press’ Category

Unwind

by Tia Fielding

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

ISBN:  978-1-61372-039-4

Pub owner Sam and detective Jared have been together long enough to know each other through and through, so when the usually wordy Jared sends a clipped text message to Sam saying he’ll be late, Sam knows something’s wrong. If Jared is in a foul mood and wrapped up in a case that’s gone to court, he’ll be insufferable for who knows how long! Without some serious unwinding, their upcoming anniversary celebration might be ruined, so Sam plans something completely different for the evening: a foray that will take their lovemaking farther than ever before. With some luck and a little gentle coaxing, Jared should be unwound in no time.

Buy “Unwind” by Tia Fielding:  Dreamspinner Press

Message from Tia:

Hello – I’m Tia Fielding, a newbie author, nice to meet ya’ll.

I’m excited to give you this taste of my short story Unwind, which is part of Dreamspinner Press’s Daily Dose for June 2011. Unwind is a (hopefully) sexy, sweet, fun, and a bit daring story of two men in a long-term committed relationship. This story is about knowing someone’s buttons, and how to push the even ones you haven’t touched before. It’s also about how to stretch the limits, when it is something your spouse needs.

I’m hoping you enjoy this little excerpt and check out the rest of the story too.

Excerpt: Unwind

I moved closer to the bed smoothly, until I was practically stalking towards his naked form, which now lay on the bed. I had placed a towel on the bed, and he moved obediently on top of it, curious about what I was going to do. Every thought in his mind, I could tell. Poor thing; he was in for a surprise.

“See, I came to a conclusion today,” I said as I crawled on the bed toward him. “I’m not going to take any attitude before our anniversary. It’s almost here, and I want to stay in a good mood.”

We both knew that his mood affected me whether I wanted it or not.

“I get enough of that at the pub; the drunks are merry this time of the year,” I pointed out as I stopped next to him, kneeling close, but not touching. It was true; somehow the beginning of summer always brought out the local crazies. My grandpa had loved his patrons, but sometimes I wished the pub was located in a bit nicer neighborhood. It wasn’t easy for me; I hadn’t been born to run a pub, and it had taken adjustments. I could get really stressed at times, and I was lucky to have a partner who understood me.

Jared nodded, swallowed again, and looked down where my hand was now hovering over his erection. He was excited, even though I knew a situation where he didn’t have the control wasn’t exactly easy on him. My darling detective wanted to hold all the power in his hands at all times. He was a top, mostly, but I did top him too when I really wanted to. Usually there was no question; I enjoyed bottoming too much, but today….

“I think we’ll start by you showing me exactly how much you appreciate having your man waiting for you when you come home from work,” I stated and shifted closer to his head.

I wasn’t touching him, which for some reason made this even more interesting. Usually my hands were all over him as soon as I got him to the bedroom. Not tonight. He swallowed, thinking, trying to figure out what I wanted. I must have seemed a bit cocky, kneeling there next to him, waiting to be serviced in some way, but I didn’t really care. In fact, I liked this power play more than I had expected.

Sighing, I pulled the tank over my head. “This better? Give you any ideas?” I asked, and he looked at my body. The expression on his face made my cock twitch into full length. The jeans left nothing to imagination; they were so worn one could tell which way I normally dressed (left) and that I was now hard as rock.

Hesitantly, Jared reached his hands to my button fly and looked at me as if to ask for permission.

“Go ahead,” I nodded, and he tugged the buttons open, one by one.

He knew already I was going commando; the jeans rode low enough for him to see that. The lick of his lips that followed when my erection was freed was involuntary, but it made me groan a little bit. The cheeky man flashed me a smirk before licking my cock once, as much as he could with the jeans on.

“Wait,” I said and shifted back. “Lay back down, I’ll get rid of these.”

He did as told, though the glance he gave at my cock told me he wanted more of it. Perfect.

Buy “Unwind” by Tia Fielding:  Dreamspinner Press

About Tia Fielding

Tia Fielding is a 30-year-old Scandinavian. She is a self-proclaimed “queer girl”, lover of everything pretty, witty people, words, cats, sarcasm, autumn, and caffeine. Despite never having had any sort of age crisis and loving getting older, she vows to never grow up completely, because where’s the fun in that?

Website: www.tiafielding.com

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

Twitter: @tiafielding

NSFW Tumbr: http://tiafieldingwrites.tumblr.com/

In Dreams He Came

by Trina Lane

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

ISBN: 978-1-61581-883-9

With a very active imagination and passion for all things history, University of California senior and veteran on the swim team Gabriel Mason often finds himself traveling to distant lands and times. There’s always one constant in Gabe’s dreams: a nameless man whose love completes Gabe’s soul. Gabe is waiting for someone special in his “real” life as well, and his best friend Phil is determined to find Gabe his elusive knight in shining armor.

Nick Jackson, a university alum and Olympic swimming champion, immediately recognizes the quiet young man from the swim team and convinces Gabe to give them a chance at building something special. Considering the palpable attraction between them, Nick surprises himself by quickly agreeing to take their budding relationship slow. Unfortunately, real life is not a fantasy, and Nick’s demanding schedule as a professional athlete and Gabe’s obligations to the swim team and his degree make finding time to spend together difficult.

Have the two men found everlasting love, or will it all prove to be just another dream?

Buy “In Dreams He Came” by Trina Lane from Dreamspinner Press:  Ebook / Print

From Trina:

Hello Readers! I’m so excited to have to opportunity to have In Dreams He Came featured on Naughty in the Backseat. This book is special to me for several reasons, but a couple of them are that it takes place in Berkeley, CA only a stones throw away from one of my favorite cities San Francisco. I’ve visited northern California a couple times in my life and have wonderful memories and mementos. I wanted to write a book that took place there as a sort of tribute to my friends and family that call the California coast home.

The characters of In Dreams He Came are some of the most fun I’ve taken on. Gabe’s love of history is not simply his choice of academic study. It’s an elemental part of who he is as a man. But he also has a very romantic side to his nature. These two aspects combine and result in vivid dreams of castles and knights and finding his one true love. I loved writing Gabe and really getting to know the many layers that make up this unique young man. In a time where so many are concerned with the latest and greatest and driven towards instant satisfaction; Gabe is quite happy to watch the world go by drifting away in his daydreams, while still ducking his head down and focusing on his goals of being the best collegiate swimmer he can be and becoming a history professor so he can spread his love of the past to future generations.

I think my favorite part of the book is pretty much any time Phil, Gabe, and Nick are together. Phil’s personality is so much the antithesis of his best friend that the two of them together usually ended up being rather amusing. Some of the things that Phil said even surprised me as I was writing! Nick on the other hand is about as patient as one can find. He not only gives everything back to Phil, but is staunch in his protection of the man he loves. A man he calls “his sweet prince” Which is by no means a fluffy sentiment. To the couple, Nick’s term of endearment is very meaningful as it pays tribute to not only their love, but Gabe’s desire to find his one true knight in shining armor. Specifically the chapter in the book that makes me laugh each time I read is when the three of them are working out in Nick’s gym and when Gabe and Phil are in Nick’s apartment. The interaction between the three of them let’s you see them for the individuals they are, but still the closest of friends.

Thank you for the opportunity to talk you to you a little about the book and I hope the book takes you on your own magical journey. Who knows you may meet a knight of your own.

Buy “In Dreams He Came” by Trina Lane from Dreamspinner Press:  Ebook / Print

In Dreams He Came

by Trina Lane

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

ISBN: 978-1-61581-883-9

With a very active imagination and passion for all things history, University of California senior and veteran on the swim team Gabriel Mason often finds himself traveling to distant lands and times. There’s always one constant in Gabe’s dreams: a nameless man whose love completes Gabe’s soul. Gabe is waiting for someone special in his “real” life as well, and his best friend Phil is determined to find Gabe his elusive knight in shining armor.

Nick Jackson, a university alum and Olympic swimming champion, immediately recognizes the quiet young man from the swim team and convinces Gabe to give them a chance at building something special. Considering the palpable attraction between them, Nick surprises himself by quickly agreeing to take their budding relationship slow. Unfortunately, real life is not a fantasy, and Nick’s demanding schedule as a professional athlete and Gabe’s obligations to the swim team and his degree make finding time to spend together difficult.

Have the two men found everlasting love, or will it all prove to be just another dream?

Buy “In Dreams He Came” by Trina Lane from Dreamspinner Press:  Ebook / Print

Message from Trina:

Hello and thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to escape with me into the land of romance, friendship and ever-lasting love. In Dreams He Came is a tale of two men who manage to fight their way through all the frogs in the world, and end up kissing the right one to find their prince. I hope you enjoy their story, and it helps you to dream up a fairytale of your own.

Excerpt: In Dreams He Came

Gabe pushed at the heavy wooden doors to the pavilion and jogged down the steps. The lowering sun was bright over his left shoulder, and Gabe dug his shades out of his bag. He took a deep breath. Despite the shower, the lingering scent of chlorine clung to his skin. At this point, the chemical was probably bonded to the structure of every cell in his body. His times in the pool today weren’t bad, but not fast enough to be on target to reach his goal for the season.

His performance at their first meet against Nevada was disappointing, and their second meet against Cal Poly was in a couple of weeks. He was driven to step up his game. Gabe was determined to nail the backstroke spot on the two hundred and four hundred meter relay teams this year. A top eight placement in the two hundred yard freestyle and backstroke at the NCAA championships would be icing on the cake.

He would have loved to spend the night lazing around the apartment, but with taking twelve credit hours this fall, and practices and meets, his schedule was jam-packed. As with the tangible objects he often desired but his meager bank account refused to support, free time was a luxury Gabe couldn’t afford. He needed to visit the library and do some research for his paper in the Medieval England course he was taking this semester. As he took one step forward, his stomach rumbled loudly. Maybe some dinner first would be a good idea. He almost always stopped in the ProShop after practice to grab a bite, but Phil had gotten him so flustered in the locker room Gabe had stomped off in a huff, forgetting to grab his usual meal.

Gabe spun around and slowly trudged back up the steps. As he passed through the massive concrete portico of the building, Gabe paused with his hand on the handle to the door. Phil was still inside, and Gabe would most likely run into him. He didn’t relish having another one of their debates on Gabe’s lack of social life, but it was probably better to get it over with now versus waiting till tonight when he got back to their place. At least this way Gabe could concentrate on studying, and not fret over his friendship with his much more outgoing and charismatic room and teammate.

He made his way through the halls of the sports complex. When he reached the ProShop, Phil was standing next to the juice cooler with a furrow in his brow.

“What took you so long? I’ve been waiting here for five minutes.”

“I was on my way to the library when―”

“Your stomach reminded you that we spent the last two hours slogging through the water and demanded sustenance?”

Gabe ran his hand over the back of his still-damp hair. “Maybe.” He walked over to the row of glass door chillers. “Move over, will you? I want a―”

“Peach mango V8 Fusion?”

A low growl rumbled in Gabe’s chest. “That’s really annoying.”

Gabe shoved Phil to the side and picked out the juice bottle. He almost went for the pomegranate blueberry just to show Phil he wasn’t that predictable, but in the end he figured wasting meal plan credits on a disgusting drink wasn’t worth making a point.

“What can I say? I know you, Gabe. After practice you always have a V8 and chicken Caesar salad, hold the Caesar of course.”

Gabe took his items up to the counter and had the attendant swipe his Cal Card. Phil stood next to him, fiddling with the energy bars sitting next to the register.

“Tell me, why do they make energy bars with names like double fudge brownie and nutty butter crisp? Isn’t the whole point supposed to be that you are eating healthy? Not snacks full of saturated fats, sugars, and chemical preservatives I wouldn’t even use on my canvases.”

Gabe’s lips twitched, but he didn’t allow the smile to blossom completely. He was still annoyed with Phil. “Maybe even health-conscious people like to think they’re indulging every now and then.”

“I guess, but I still think they taste like processed chalk.”

Phil dropped the offending colorfully wrapped piece of chalk back into the display box. Gabe retraced his path toward the entrance, Phil walking beside him in silence. Gabe pushed open the doors for a second time, and slid his sunglasses down from the top of his head. Phil casually walked beside him, hands shoved loosely in his cargo shorts and flip-flops flopping on the pathway.

“So, are you going to give me the silent treatment all night?”

“No.”

“Are you mad at me?”

“Not really.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m going to the library. You know that place that holds all the books?”

“Hey, I’ve been there once or twice in the last three years. My life hasn’t been all about pretty colors and arts and crafts playtime you know.”

Gabe laughed. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. He never could stay mad at Phil. The man was a genius with a paintbrush, and his sculptures were undeniably mesmerizing. The first time Gabe had seen one of Phil’s bronze sculptures during freshman year, his breath had gotten lodged in his chest. The two-foot high idol had depicted a man in the throes of an orgasm. It was at that point that Phil had told him the inspiration for the piece had been a memory from the night of his high school graduation. His friend could frequently be found working alone in the studio till the witching hour, but Gabe still loved to give him trouble for his seemingly lackadaisical schedule.

“Name one class you’re taking this semester that requires you to actually crack a text book.”

“I’ll have you know that I’m taking American Art 1800-present.”

“Fine. Meanwhile I’m cramming together a course on the Ottoman Empire, a research seminar, a medieval England course, and History of the US: World War II to the Vietnam Era.”

Phil skipped ahead a few steps and spun around so he was walking backward, facing Gabe. He pointed at Gabe. “You are the one who wants to be a smarty-farty history professor. I, on the other hand, dream of a world filled with the feel of cool clay beneath my fingertips and endless splatters of paint staining my skin till I become a living rainbow.”

They were approaching the main building of the library system, and Gabe noticed that Phil was about to run into one of the stone balustrades that surrounded the classical revival structure.

“Hey, Michelangelo? Turn around.”

“Wha―”

“Now, Phil!”

Phil spun around, and ended up ass over teakettle as he flipped over the wide railing. Gabe burst out into laughter when Phil’s head popped up over the railing as if he were a prairie dog and looked around to see who had witnessed his elegant tumble. Gabe’s stomach hurt he laughed so hard, and tears tracked down his cheeks from beneath his shades. He clutched the plastic container holding his dinner, but his bottle of juice landed on the walkway and rolled several feet.

Buy “In Dreams He Came” by Trina Lane from Dreamspinner Press:  Ebook / Print

About Trina Lane:

If you look up the word conundrum in dictionary, there should be a photo of Trina Lane. A scientist with a passion for history, music, and photography, she loves to travel and experience new places but is terminally shy around people she doesn’t know. Trina has been devouring romance novels since her tender teenage years, although she only began writing a little over three years ago. Her choices in reading and writing material are as diverse as her iTunes library, which contains music from Mozart to Metallica. Her one concession is all stories must have a happily ever after ending—did we mention she’s incurably romantic? She lives in Missouri with her loving and indulgent husband and an orange tabby cat affectionately referred to as Houdini for his stealthy escape attempts.

trina@trinalane.com

www.trinalane.com

www.facebook.com/trina.lane.books

Twitter:@TrinaLane

Bless Us With Content

by Tinnean

Dreamspinner

ISBN-13: 978-1-61581-740-5

Ashton Laytham came to Fayerweather, his uncle’s estate, as an orphan at the age of seven. Family and servants alike perceived Ashton as an unlovable child and shunned him; as an adult, the occasional illicit rendezvous aside, Ashton remains aloof and alone. When his uncle dies, yet more abuse falls upon Ashton’s shoulders: the estate is bankrupt and Ashton must make good on his uncle’s gaming debts.

With the family talisman stolen and the suspects fled, Ashton faces certain ruin until the arrival of Geo Stephenson, who holds all of Sir Laytham’s IOUs. Geo proposes a solution: Ashton will accommodate him in his bed, thereby paying off the debt. Attracted to Geo in spite of himself and desperate for any human kindness, Ashton agrees… never expecting to lose his heart to a man who claims he will never give his.

Buy Bless Us With Content: (It’s on sale!) Dreamspinner Press / Amazon / Borders

Message from Tinnean:

Hi there! I’m Tinnean. Bless Us With Content is my first novel with Dreamspinner. It was a true labor of love, and I hope you’ll give it a try.

Excerpt: Bless us With Content

I was a child of seven the first time I saw Laytham Hall, too young to realize the country was in mourning for the passing of our monarch, King George III. I thought everyone was grieving the loss of my parents with me.

Laytham Hall was a large and sprawling pile of grey stone, with a small portico shielding the double doors that opened into the Great Hall. Nestled at the heart of Fayerweather, its somber facade was covered with ivy, and wintry sunlight sparkled on the frost that etched the numerous, paned windows, but lovely as it was, at that time it was not my home, and I did not want to be there.

The Laytham line had dwindled along with the family fortune until there were just three sons. Eustace, the eldest, would one day inherit the baronetcy. He had an unpredictable temper as well as a tendency to bully those who dared not fight back, and was not much liked by anyone, even his own parents.

Osburt was the youngest. In the normal course of events, he would have been destined for the church, but he was reputed to be wild to a fault and had been cast out of the family by the old baronet. After the passing of many years with no word from him, it was considered that in all likelihood his rake-hell ways had led to his death.

Archibald, the middle son, was my Papa. Grandpapa would have bought him his colors, but the military held no appeal to him, and instead, because his godfather left him a tidy sum, he moved to London and chose to spend his time trying to set the newest fashion in neckcloths and waistcoats and in racketing about Town.

There was still a goodly amount left of his inheritance when he met Mama whilst visiting with friends in the Cotswolds.

Mama was a vicar’s daughter, sweet-tempered and sweet-faced with the most lovely brown eyes, sadly hidden behind the frames of her thick spectacles, the last woman on earth one would think to attract my father. He persuaded her to elope with him to Gretna Green, and while his elder brother Eustace, who by that time had become 6th Baronet and the only surviving family member, shrugged indifferently, Mama’s father was livid – her destiny was to care for him, the vicarage, and his congregation, not marry some rakehell, and so he predicted gloom, doom, and penurious misery for her and her offspring and disowned her.

He was quite surprised when I did not arrive until two years later and grudgingly tried to make amends, but by that time the rift between him and Mama was too deep. She rebuffed his half-hearted attempts, and so I grew up with no contact with him.

That was why, when my parents were drowned in a boating accident while crossing the Channel when I was seven, I was sent to Laytham Hall.

“Oh, you poor child!” Aunt Cecily, Uncle Eustace’s wife, did not have children of her own. She enveloped me in a fragrant embrace, but it was not my Mama’s scent, and instead of returning her embrace, I held myself stiffly. Her enthusiasm dampened, she released me, and I could only be relieved.

“Well, you would insist upon taking him in,” Uncle growled at her. “Rude brat. Not much to look at either, is he?” A frown furrowed his brow, and he flicked a fingertip against the spectacles I perforce had worn from the time I was a tot and Papa realized it was not clumsiness that caused me to fall down stairs or walk into walls but my poor eyesight that was at the bottom of it.

Aunt Cecily sighed.

No, I was not a handsome child, but I had been loved. Would I ever be loved again?

Uncle snorted. “If it were not for the Laytham mark… ” On my forearm, it was the shape and size of a penny, and the deep red colour of the Flame. He’d roughly shoved up the sleeve of my shirt, and then had thrown my arm away from him in disgust, although I didn’t know why.  “… I would have wagered that Maria played my brother false. If we must have a brat about the house that is not mine, you will at least keep him out of my sight.”

Uncle took pleasure in blaming Aunt Cecily for the fact that after ten years of marriage, they were still childless.

Her mouth tightened, but she said nothing. Mama, as sweet-tempered as she was, would have taken Papa severely to task for speaking like that to her.

Mama… Papa… I missed them so much and wanted them back.

Aunt Cecily tugged the bell-pull, and within moments Colling, the butler who had come to Laytham Hall with her upon her marriage to Uncle Eustace, entered the room.

“M’lady rang?”

“Yes, Colling. Master Ashton will be residing with us. The nursery has been prepared. See to it that one of the maids has a care to him until we can find a nurse or a governess.”

I was too unhappy to protest that I was too old for a nurse and that I would much prefer a tutor to a governess.

Colling peered down at me from his great height, and I could tell he did not care for me. However, he nodded. “If you’ll come with me, Master Ashton?”

“Please,” I turned to my uncle and aunt, “I want to go home.”

“Do not snivel, boy! This is your home now,” Uncle Eustace growled. He was altogether too fond of growling, and I cringed away. “I do not wish to see him when I am at home, is that plain, Colling? You will inform the rest of the staff in this matter.”

“Yes, Sir Eustace. Master Ashton?” He took my hand and tried to lead me from the room.

Buy Bless Us With Content: (It’s on sale!) Dreamspinner Press / Amazon / Borders

About Tinnean:

I got my start posting fanfic stories online since ’99, gradually shifting first from m/f to m/m (hot boys! yum!) and then to all original!all the time. I have stories archived on Nifty, CRVBoy, and BoNN – Best of Nifty on the Net, and have been nominated for both Rerun and Light My Fire Awards. A New Yorker at heart, I reside in southwest Florida with my husband and two computers.

I can be contacted at tinneantoo@gmail.com, and can be found on Live Journal: http://tinnean.livejournal.com/ and on Facebook.

Final Encore

by Scotty Cade

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

134:  978-1-61581-657-6

When hunky aspiring country singer Billy Eagan heads to Nashville in search of his big break, a relationship and love are the furthest things from his mind. Taking a foreman’s job at the Lazy H ranch and not knowing how he will be accepted, Billy decides to fly under the radar and stay as closeted as he can without denying who he really is. It’s immediately confirmed that he made the right decision when he discovers that homophobia is still alive and well in Tennessee.

Then Billy gets his break and meets gorgeous record label executive Ian Dillon. Their worlds collide both professionally and personally, and Billy falls hard. But Ian is still haunted by the mysterious betrayal of his one and only lover, and knowing Billy possesses the power to emotionally destroy him, Ian decides to cut his losses and simply walk away. Determined not to give up on the man he loves, Billy secretly starts to unravel the past and quickly finds that it’s not what it appears. Can Billy rescue Ian’s heart, or will bigotry and hatred win over love?

Buy “Final Encore” by Scotty Cade:  Dreamspinner Press / Amazon

Hello – I’m Scotty Cade

Excerpt: Final Encore

BILLY‟S drive from New Orleans to Nashville was long and uneventful. The uninterrupted hours of interstate, with country radio stations fading in and out, gave him a great deal of time to plan a strategy, at least a short-term strategy. The first day he arrived he would find a hotel, look for a day job to help with expenses, and then look for a more suitable place to live.

As the first few days passed, he missed his family terribly but was nonetheless energized with the infinite possibilities of the unknown. Nashville was his new home, and for as long as it would have him, he was happy to be there. The first week, as planned, he searched the want ads for a position that would sustain him financially. He answered several ads and, within a few days, had a great lead.

The position was for a foreman at a large horse farm in Mount Juliet, just outside of Nashville, called the Lazy H Ranch. He set up an appointment to meet the owner at ten o’clock the next morning. It wasn’t his dream job, of course, but it would pay the bills until he found something in the music business.

When Billy turned in under the large iron arch etched with “The Lazy H Ranch,” he looked down at his watch to confirm he was right on time, nine forty-five. Billy drove down the dust-covered road, and after a half mile or so, he saw two large barns on either side of the drive with what looked like an old farm house that he assumed was used for command central. When he got out of his truck, he was looked over, more than greeted, by a rough and unfriendly looking sort. The man was short and stocky, carrying about thirty extra pounds on his frame. His skin was scarred from years of acne, and his teeth were stained from what appeared to be chewing tobacco, as indicated by the Styrofoam cup he spit into. Hoping this wasn’t the owner; Billy introduced himself and learned the man was a ranch hand named Buck Stevens. Buck directed him to wait near the east barn and someone would be with him shortly.

Billy waited around for about forty-five minutes, and no one approached him. He was about to go back and remind Buck that he was still waiting when he saw a tall, ruggedly handsome man walking in his direction. The man, who reminded him of an older version of the Marlboro Man from the old cigarette commercials, walked up and offered his hand.

“Hi, I’m Jules James. I’m the owner of the ranch. Are you William Eagan, by any chance?”

“Yes, sir, but I go by Billy.”

The two shook hands and looked each other over for a few seconds before Jules broke the silence. “I had just about given up on you, son. I thought your interview was at ten o’clock.”

“It was, sir,” Billy replied. “I arrived at nine forty-five, and Buck told me to wait at the east barn and someone would be with me in a minute. I was just about to go back and see Buck when I saw you walking over.”

“That’s funny,” Jules said. “I told Buck to have you meet me at the west barn. I have a mare about to foal and I want to be there in case there are any problems.”

“I’m sorry about the confusion, sir,” Billy said. “Would you like me to come back?”

“No problem,” Jules answered. “Why don’t you walk with me to the west barn and we can have a chat along the way.”

Buy “Final Encore” by Scotty Cade:  Dreamspinner Press / Amazon

About Scotty Cade

Scotty Cade left Corporate America and twenty-five years of Marketing and Public Relations behind to buy an Inn & Restaurant on the island of Martha’s Vineyard with his partner of fourteen years.   He started writing stories as soon as he could read, but only recently for publication.  When not at the Inn, you can find him on the bow of his boat writing male/male romance novels with his Shetland sheepdog Mavis at his side.  Being from the south and a lover of commitment and fidelity, most of his characters find their way to long healthy relationships, however long it takes them to get there.  He believes that in the end, the boy should always get the boy.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/scotty.cade

http://www.scottycade.com

http://twitter.com/#!/ScottyCade

http://scottycade.com/wordpress/

Wings of Love

by Scotty Cade

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13:  978-1-61581-732-0

Devastated after losing his partner of fifteen years to cancer,  Dr. Bradford Mitchell tries to escape the emptiness and loss by leaving his life in Seattle behind. Traveling to the Alaskan mountains where he and Jeff often vacationed, Brad reconnects with Mac Cleary, the ruggedly handsome and very straight float plane pilot who had flown them to Hyline Lake many times in the past. Brad and Mac form an unlikely friendship and buy an old log cabin together, and as he and Mac begin to bring the old cabin back to life, Mac watches Brad come back to life as well, stirring emotions in him he’s never felt for a man before.

When fear, confusion, and a near tragedy threaten to force the two men apart, they’ll face some tough questions. Can Brad let go of Jeff and the guilt he feels about beginning to care for another man?  And can Mac deal with his fears of being gay and accept the fact that he is in love with Brad? It will be a struggle for both men to keep their heads and hearts intact while exploring what life has to offer.

Buy “Wings of Love” by Scotty Cade:  Dreamspinner Press / Amazon

Excerpt: Wings of Love

Renowned oncologist Dr. Bradford Mitchell sat hopelessly in the cold, sterile Seattle hospital room, clinging to the hand of the man he loved more than anything in this world, more than life itself. The man he couldn’t save—no matter how hard he tried—from the terrible cancer eating away at his body. As Jeffery Owen, his partner and lover of fifteen years, lay unconscious and seemingly peaceful, Brad watched him draw in and exhale short, steady breaths and listened to the constant blip-beep blip-beep blip-beep of the heart monitor, the only sign that Jeff was still alive.

He tried to remember happier times when their lives didn’t involve daily doctor’s appointments, harsh rounds of chemotherapy, and the many other experimental treatments he’d selfishly forced Jeff to endure. He tried to remember back to when Jeff was a healthy and strikingly handsome young architect with a client list envied by every other architect in his firm. A time when his own thriving practice, now sold, his research, and Jeff were all he needed in this world. They were happy and had the rest of their lives to look forward to.

Then that dreadful day came, with the news of stage four colon cancer. Their entire world was turned upside down in one day. After two years of fighting and enduring one experimental treatment after another, Jeff made the decision to stop everything. Brad had tried unsuccessfully to convince Jeff to keep fighting, but Jeff had had enough. Brad knew that the side effects of the treatments were probably worse than the effects of the cancer, at least early on, but he just thought that if they kept trying, something was bound to work. In the end, however, it was Jeff’s life and his decision, and like it or not, Brad had to accept it.

Everyone at the hospital knew Dr. Mitch and gave them as much privacy as Jeff’s medical needs would allow, which had been a blessing over the last couple of months. Before Jeff slipped into the coma, they’d had long hours just to be together and enjoy the time Jeff had left. Although Brad did his best to hide his breaking heart and grief, he knew Jeff was brutally aware of what he was going through. Jeff had once told him that if their positions were reversed, he couldn’t imagine how he would cope. Jeff had done the best he could to prepare and calm Brad, and to assure him that he was at peace with his decision. Jeff had also made him promise to go on with his life, to eventually accept the love and happiness that would surely come his way if he was open to it. He reluctantly promised, as he could never deny Jeff any request no matter how big or small, but he knew the promise was as empty as his heart. He couldn’t go on; he couldn’t imagine a life without Jeff, nor could he fathom falling in love again.

As Brad sat in the same uncomfortable hospital chair in which he’d sat for the last two and a half months, he didn’t feel anything but the empty world around him. Hand in hand and with his head on Jeff’s lap and his ear listening to as much as feeling his breaths, he noticed that Jeff’s breathing was becoming more and more unsteady and knew that his time on this earth was running out.

Suddenly, as if Jeff were forcing memories of happier times into Brad’s defeated body, events of their fifteen years together started to flash before his eyes. The smile on Jeff’s face when they moved into their first home together, that he had designed. How every Christmas morning Jeff made them wear goofy flannel pajamas and sit cross-legged around their Christmas tree, opening gifts. How funny Jeff looked at their Halloween party two years ago when he was in a wheelchair and insisted they dress up as Blanche and Baby Jane Hudson from What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? How hot he looked in his scuba gear on their last diving trip to Bermuda. How happy and relaxed he was when they were on their yearly trip to Alaska. They’d had such a full, wonderful life, until …. They both thought they had a lifetime together, but fate had other plans. So here they were, Jeff unconsciously fighting for every breath and Brad not knowing which breath would be the last. God, how did it all come down to this and how will I ever survive?

Sensing that the end was near, Brad removed his shoes, climbed into the bed, slid his arm under Jeff’s neck, and held him close. For the first time since the diagnosis, his tears fell freely. Then the rise and fall of Jeff’s chest stopped, and the heart machine indicated a long, flat beep. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmly reached over and turned off the heart machine. Stone-cold silence.

With Jeff still in his arms, he gently kissed him on the lips and whispered, “So long, my love, rest well.” He got out of the bed, picked up his shoes, and backed away from Jeff’s bed, never taking his eyes off his lover. When he reached the door, he stood there for what felt like hours; finally he turned and opened the door to what was left of his life.

The next few days were a blur. Friends consoled him, surrounded him, and tried to feed him, but he was just going through the motions. The memorial service and burial were exactly as Jeff wanted, simple and sweet; their friends saw to that. But as he thought back, he couldn’t remember a single detail or anything he’d said or anything that had been said to him. All he remembered was seeing a coffin holding the other half of his empty existence.

When the services were over and he’d forced his friends to go home, he was finally alone in the house he and Jeff had lived and loved in. He looked around and immediately knew he couldn’t stay in this house any longer, at least not right now. Everywhere he turned, something reminded him of his love and his loss.

He spent the next three hours packing his clothes, and he placed four suitcases at the front door. He wanted to take something to remember Jeff, but what? He took one last look around and decided to take the picture of him and Jeff on one of their many vacations to Hiline Lake in the Alaskan mountains. They both loved the wilderness and especially this spot; they often referred to Hiline Lake as their spot. They looked so happy then, and that’s all he wanted to remember. He put his suitcases on the front porch, called a cab, and closed and locked the front door. He didn’t know if he would ever be back, but he knew where he was going.

Buy “Wings of Love” by Scotty Cade:  Dreamspinner Press / Amazon

About Scotty Cade

Scotty Cade left Corporate America and twenty-five years of Marketing and Public Relations behind to buy an Inn & Restaurant on the island of Martha’s Vineyard with his partner of fourteen years.   He started writing stories as soon as he could read, but only recently for publication.  When not at the Inn, you can find him on the bow of his boat writing male/male romance novels with his Shetland sheepdog Mavis at his side.  Being from the south and a lover of commitment and fidelity, most of his characters find their way to long healthy relationships, however long it takes them to get there.  He believes that in the end, the boy should always get the boy.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/scotty.cade

http://www.scottycade.com

http://twitter.com/#!/ScottyCade

http://scottycade.com/wordpress/

Treasure of Love

by Scotty Cade

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13: 978-1-61581-946-1

Hunky Alaskan dive master and charter boat captain Jackson Cameron is absolutely sure he’s straight until openly gay treasure hunter Dax Powers calls him and offers him the adventure of a lifetime: Dax and his sister Donatella have found the Anna Wyoming, a ship that went down during the 1889 gold rush on return from Skagway Island—very possibly carrying a fortune in gold.

But real treasure is never free, and this one comes with some heavily armed strings attached. Jack and Dax struggle to keep their small crew safe from a powerful threat while they fight against the attraction they feel for each other. Between the danger of the hunt, the risks in the dive, and the thrill of being lost in passion, Dax and Jack are going to have a hard time holding on to their treasure… and to each other!

Buy “Treasure of Love” by Scotty Cade:  Dreamspinner Press

Excerpt: Treasure of Love

Safely docked in Skagway, Alaska, and awaiting his next charter, Dive Master and Captain Jackson P. Cameron was spending a leisurely afternoon lounging on the deck of the Lindsey C, his seventy-five-foot dive boat. Soaking up the warmth of the Alaskan summer sunshine and enjoying the gentle sound of the waves lapping against the hull, he was debating on making a big change in his life. He’d been diving and doing charters for the last ten years, and was hitting the burnout period. It wasn’t a bad life, and he did get to do what he loved—diving and captaining his own boat—but his heart told him it was time for a change. Unfortunately, his wallet told him otherwise.

Everyone needs a change every now and then, damn it. This is my time, he thought. Money or no money, when my next charter’s done, I’m taking a few weeks off and heading to a warm, sunny climate to decide what I want to do with the rest of my life.

His tranquility was suddenly interrupted by the voice of Johnny Horton singing the old country classic, “North to Alaska.” Why in the hell did I choose that stupid song as the ringer on my cell phone? God, I hope this isn’t another charter. He dug his phone out of the pocket of his khaki shorts, lifted it to his ear, and said, “Jack Cameron.”

“Is this the Jack Cameron who owns the charter boat Lindsey C?” the caller asked.

“One and the same,” Jack said. “And this is…?”

The caller said, “I’m Daxston Powers. I’m sure you’ve probably heard of me.”

Jack did a quick scan of his mind’s database. “Nope, can’t say that I have,” Jack responded. “But what can I do for you… Daxston, is it?”

“Yes, but you can call me Dax,” the caller responded in an annoyed tone. “I would like to meet with you to discuss securing your boat for a long-term charter,” he said.

“Really? How long is long-term?” Jack asked.

“I’m not completely sure. It depends on how long it takes you to find what I’m looking for. It could be a couple of weeks on the low end and up to three months on the high end.”

Dollar signs flashed in front of Jack’s eyes, and then the realization hit him. There goes my time off.

Not wanting to seem too anxious, he said, “I’ve got a pretty tight schedule, but sure, we can meet. When and where?”

“Where are you now?” Dax asked.

“I’m docked near the ferry landing in Skagway, he replied. “My next charter pulls away from the dock at two o’clock tomorrow afternoon.”

“I’ll be at your boat at ten am sharp tomorrow morning,” Dax said, and hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

“I’ll be he—” Jack said as he heard a click in his ear before he could finish his sentence.

“Arrogant bastard,” he said to himself as he looked at his cell phone.

He hit the “end” button and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He stretched out again for a second time and tried to place the name Daxston or Dax Powers, but nothing came to mind except arrogant bastard.

“North to Alaska, They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.”

Damn, I really have to change that. He immediately felt a flash of guilt: maybe the guy didn’t hang up on me after all. Without looking at the caller ID, he put the phone to his ear and started to speak.

“I guess we were disconnected.”

He heard a short pause on the other end of the line. “Nope, try again,” the caller said.

Jack immediately recognized the voice and smiled.

His former brother-in-law and best friend, Mac Cleary, was a floatplane pilot who now lived in Hiline Lake, Alaska, with his partner, retired oncologist, Dr. Bradford Mitchell. Mac had been happily married to Jack’s sister, Lindsey, until she had died of cancer eight years ago. After being alone for over five years, Mac had unexpectedly reconnected and fallen in love with Brad, a former passenger. Brad had recently lost his partner, Jeff, to colon cancer, and the two men had formed an unbreakable bond, which over time had turned into love. Jack had had a hard time dealing with Mac’s sudden change in lifestyle, but eventually he’d come to accept it, and if he was honest with himself, was a little envious of their loving relationship.

“Hey, Mac, what’s up, man?”

“Not much, Jackie, just checking in. I haven’t talked to you in over a week. Are you on a charter?”

“Not yet, but picking up a three-day run starting tomorrow afternoon.”

“Good deal,” Mac said. “Fishing or diving?

“Diving,” Jack responded. “Don’t do much fishing anymore, it really takes a toll on the boat, and it’s too damn messy. Hey, how’s Bradford?” Jack asked.

“He’s good,” Mac said. “We just landed in Anchorage for an overnight trip to pick up supplies. We haven’t left the lake since we got back from Europe, and we’re starting to get down to the bare necessities.”

“It must be nice to retire so young and have the means to go on one adventure after another, and then escape back into the solitude of the Alaskan mountains for weeks at a time to rest up,” Jack said, with quite a bit of envy in his voice.

“It is nice, no doubt about that,” Mac said. “But Brad’s the one with all the money. Who would have thought that at this stage of my life I would be married to a rich doctor.”

“I need to find a rich doctor to take care of me,” Jack added.

“Very funny,” Mac said. “Just like you, Jack, to make me sound like a gold digger.”

“I’m teasing,” Jack said.

“I know,” Mac admitted. “But we’ve been on the go for most of the last two years, and although I know he loves it when we get home, I can tell he’s already starting to get cabin fever.”

“You guys never let any moss grow under your feet, and I love that about you,” Jack said. Jack heard Mac start to speak again, but his words faded into the background as he zoned out and stared out over the horizon. It sure would be nice to have someone special to share my life with.

“Jack? Did I lose you?” Mac asked.

“No, no, I’m here,” Jack said. “Sorry, I zoned out for a minute, what did you say?”

“I was saying that I guess we’re both enjoying life again,” Mac confided. “Those five years after Lindsey died, I was barely going through the motions of living. And Brad, he was fighting so hard to cure Jeff’s cancer, he thought of little else. And when Jeff had had enough of the unsuccessful treatments and decided he was ready to give up, Brad supported his decision and never left his side. I think a piece of us died with each of our partners, and we’re just now starting to live again.”

“I think you guys have been really good for each other,” Jack shared. “It’s no secret that it took me quite a while to get used to the idea of you two, you know, being together, but now I can’t imagine you not being together.”

Mac chuckled. “Oh, you don’t have to remind me of how much of a pain in the ass you were,” he said.

“Come on, Mac, that’s water under the bridge,” Jack said. “You seem happy now, and that makes me happy,” Jack added, meaning every word.

“Thanks, Jackie,” Mac responded.

“Not to change the subject, Mac, but have you ever heard of someone named Daxston Powers?”

“Daxston Powers,” Mac mumbled to himself, certain he recognized the name. “Oh yeah, I think he goes by Dax,” he said. “He’s one of those modern-day treasure hunters.”

“Really—a treasure hunter, huh?” Jack asked.

“Yeah. Brad and I just saw a documentary a couple of weeks ago on the Discovery Channel about his last expedition.”

“The Discovery Channel. He must be pretty famous,” Jack said.

“More infamous, I think,” Mac responded.

“What do you mean?” Jack asked.

“Well, in a Geraldo-Rivera-finding-nothing-in-Al-Capone’s-vault sort of a way,” Mac responded.

“You lost me,” Jack said.

“Let me see if I can get this right,” Mac continued. “Last fall, Powers was off the coast of Cape Horn in search of a clipper said to be carrying a bounty of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. I think it was called the Sarah Maria. And according to the documentary, the information surrounding the Sarah Maria’s demise had been so vague that she’d eluded treasure hunters for the last one hundred and fifty years.”

Jack interrupted, “So I’m sure finding that wreck would help to validate his work and boost his career,” he said.

“Pretty much,” Mac continued. “He knew that if he found the wreck, he would garner some much-needed recognition and credibility to help him find investors for future expeditions.”

“And that’s why he invited the Discovery Channel to film the entire expedition,” Jack added. “So, did he find the wreck?”

“Much like Geraldo found the vaults, he found a wreck, but unfortunately for him, it wasn’t the Sarah Maria.”

“Serves him right,” Jack said.

“What?” Mac asked.

“Oh, nothing, go on,” Jack responded.

“Okay, it’s official, you’re very weird,” Mac teased. “But that’s not the best of the story.”

“There’s more?” Jack asked.

“Oh yeah, on the last day of the failed expedition, they were caught off guard by an unexpected fall storm, and Dax’s research vessel, Hunter’s Instinct, went down in very high winds and pounding seas.”

“No shit,” Jack whispered through a smile.

“Yep, and the really impressive thing is that he stayed on board until everyone was safely rescued, barely escaping with his own life.”

“The captain always goes down with his ship,” Jack said. “Not a new concept.”

“I still think it’s pretty impressive,” Mac added. “But once he was finally aboard the rescue boat, he swore, on camera, that he would get a new boat and he would continue his research until he found the wreck of the Sarah Maria.”

“Did he now?” Jack asked as his mind started to wander again. Did Powers want him to help them find the Sarah Maria?

Mac spoke again, “I know this is a stupid question after all that, but what’s this all about?”

“He just called me and wants to talk to me tomorrow morning about chartering the Lindsey C for as long as three months. And that’s who I thought was calling me back when you called.”

“No shit?” Mac said. “Certainly he doesn’t want you to take the Lindsey C to Cape Horn?”

“Who knows what the arrogant bastard wants?” Jack admitted.

“Wow, I can see that he really made an impression on you,” Mac said. “What did he do that has you in such a tizzy?”

Jack explained how their earlier conversation had started and abruptly ended.

Mac laughed and said, “They hinted in the documentary that he can be a little arrogant and somewhat difficult to work with.”

“We’ll just see how difficult he’ll be when he hears my price. The Lindsey C is my boat and I’m the captain, not Daxston Powers. And what in the hell kind of a name is Daxston anyway?” Jack asked.

Mac laughed. “Oh man, he’s in for it now. Give him hell, Jackie,” he urged.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Jack said.

“Okay, Jack. Gotta run, Brad’s waiting for me in the truck, but please give me a call after your meeting tomorrow morning. I’m dying to know what he has in mind.”

“Will do, Mac, and give my best to Brad.”

“I’ll do it. Bye, Jack.”

Mac hooked his phone back to his belt as he wondered if he should have mentioned to Jack that Dax was openly gay. Nah, he’ll figure it out sooner or later, and this could prove to be interesting.

He thought back to the many conversations he and Lindsey had had before she died, about how they thought Jack might be gay. He’d been married for a few months some fifteen years ago and would never talk about what went wrong. Since then, he’d not had anything close to a serious relationship, nothing more than a date here or there, and when he’d found out about Mac and Brad, he’d thrown a fit and threatened to never talk to Mac again. Eventually he’d come around, but not without some major coaxing. At the time, Mac was new to the lifestyle as well, and didn’t know the signs like he did now, but Brad’s gaydar was on high alert from the start, and Jack’s homophobia had only added to Mac and Brad’s speculations about his sexuality.

Yep, this could prove to be very interesting.

Buy “Treasure of Love” by Scotty Cade:  Dreamspinner Press

About Scotty Cade

Scotty Cade left Corporate America and twenty-five years of Marketing and Public Relations behind to buy an Inn & Restaurant on the island of Martha’s Vineyard with his partner of fourteen years. He started writing stories as soon as he could read, but only recently for publication. When not at the Inn, you can find him on the bow of his boat writing male/male romance novels with his Shetland sheepdog Mavis at his side. Being from the south and a lover of commitment and fidelity, most of his characters find their way to long healthy relationships, however long it takes them to get there. He believes that in the end, the boy should always get the boy.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/scotty.cade

http://www.scottycade.com

http://twitter.com/#!/ScottyCade

http://scottycade.com/wordpress/

Rocking the Boat

by Christopher Koehler

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

Nick Bedford, closeted coach of California Pacific College’s men’s rowing team, is struggling with professional ethics. He denies his attraction to Morgan Estrada, a rower on the crew, though the heated glances between them drive Nick wild. Then Morgan makes a move… and though Nick panics, Morgan gets what he wants: Nick.

Safely assured that he’s not preying on a younger man, Nick gives in to his feelings for Morgan. They take pleasure in sharing their daily routine, and the sex sets the sheets afire. Everything seems perfect until an anonymous complaint is filed against Nick right before the biggest race of the year. It’s exactly what Nick has feared most—and it may be enough to capsize the fledgling relationship.

Buy Rocking the Boat by Christopher Koeler:  Ebook / Print

Excerpt: Rocking the Boat by Christopher Koehler

First Timer Friday

with C. Zampa

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover your new favorite author.

1) How does it feel to be an Author Virgin?

CZ- What a good word for it, because it feels just like that…a virgin’s first time. All the excitement leading up to it, then THE event. And that wonderful high when the book goes live.

2) How well do you really know your characters?  Underwear preference?  Favorite flavor of ice cream?  Coffee or Tea?

CZ- Oh, I LOVE this question! Underwear? Oh, Candelario would wear NO underwear. If he did, he’d wear those nice white, tight briefs. Ice cream? Hmmm. He’s not really an ice cream fellow at all. And coffee. Definitely coffee. In fact, there’s a coffee scene in the book.

3) What music are you listening to lately?

CZ- Would you believe it? Hispanic music! Traditional, club techno. It started as inspiration for my novella, which is primarily Hispanic, but I grew to love the spicy, sexy music.

4) If you were going to cast the hero of your book, what actor would get the part?

CZ- Wow. These are fantastic questions! I would pick, without hesitation, the Hispanic actor, Eduardo Yanez.

5) How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

CZ- Giggling at this one. My entire office is practically in my book! They’ve even allowed me to use some of their names. But it is VERY likely.

About the Author:

Candy G.

by C. Zampa

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC

Buy at Dreamspinner

Buy at Amazon

Synopsis:

What kind of man drives a bulletproof Mercedes and carries a high-powered pistol in the glove compartment along with his boyhood teddy bear? Candy G does, that’s who. Once the exclusive attorney for the most powerful drug lord in San Antonio, he turned his back on Teirso Flores and walked away. But at what price?

Moving on with his life despite the threat of Teirso’s revenge, Candy meets gorgeous, streetwise Carlos Alvarez, and thus begins a passionate love affair rife with danger, secrets, and specters from the past that just won’t let go. When truths are revealed, will the one thing that brought their worlds together be the test that strengthens their love or the knife that severs their bond forever?

Wings of Love

by Scotty Cade

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy Link–Ebook

Buy Link–Paperback

Synopsis:

Devastated after losing his partner of fifteen years to cancer, Dr. Bradford Mitchell tries to escape the emptiness and loss by leaving his life in Seattle behind. Traveling to the Alaskan mountains where he and Jeff often vacationed, Brad reconnects with Mac Cleary, the ruggedly handsome and very straight float plane pilot who had flown them to Hyline Lake many times in the past. Brad and Mac form an unlikely friendship and buy an old log cabin together, and as he and Mac begin to bring the old cabin back to life, Mac watches Brad come back to life as well, stirring emotions in him he’s never felt for a man before.

EXCERPT:

About the Author: