I Remember You is a collection of five m/m stories, ranging from action/adventure to mystery to straight-up contemporary, all centered around the theme of reunions. Stories include:
Sunday, 23 December 2012
If you liked That Old Gang of Mine...
One of the best parts about the AmberPax collections is the wide variety of stories that can arise from a single theme. If you liked That Old Gang of Mine, there's even more at Amber Allure that might interest you.
I Remember You is a collection of five m/m stories, ranging from action/adventure to mystery to straight-up contemporary, all centered around the theme of reunions. Stories include:
Who knows? You just might discover a new-to-you author, writing on a theme that you love.
I Remember You is a collection of five m/m stories, ranging from action/adventure to mystery to straight-up contemporary, all centered around the theme of reunions. Stories include:
Saturday, 22 December 2012
That Old Gang of Mine winner
It's the end of our first full week, which means it's also the end of our giveaway. The winner of the complete That Old Gang of Mine pax is...
Tiggybubba!
If you could please email me at vivien_dean@yahoo.com, we'll get that to you as soon as possible!
Tiggybubba!
If you could please email me at vivien_dean@yahoo.com, we'll get that to you as soon as possible!
Friday, 21 December 2012
More about Wallflowers
This was my first time participating in a
PAX (yes, amber got one of the few cherries I have left!) and I enjoyed it.
It’s a neat concept – having five authors writing from a common theme, but
obviously the stories wind up being quite different.
Adult excerpt:
He dumped his bag in his room, pocketed the key, and knocked on DJ’s door.
“Yeah, it’s me.” It was a little unreal, being in a hotel room with DJ.
“Come on in.” The lights were off and the curtains closed, the room super dark. Walter woofed at him, softly, the sound almost friendly.
“Hi, Walter. Is it okay to pet him?” He knew it wasn’t always okay to pet a working animal. “And can I turn on the light?”
“Absolutely. He’s not working and sure. I couldn’t find the switch.”
“It’s over here, on the wrong side of the door.” He took DJ’s hand and showed him where the switch was and they flipped it on together. He told himself he was ignoring the way his hand seemed to tingle where their skin touched.
“Thanks, Ry.” DJ smiled, and the man was right there, so kissable.
He blinked at the thought and froze for a half second. Then he groaned, and pressed their lips together. DJ went stiff, hands flailing for a second before they found his shoulders. His own hands found DJ’s trim waist, slid around it. Oh, fuck. He was kissing Daniel James Delout. Again.
It was just as hot as he’d remembered, on those nights where he jacked himself in the dark, lost in memories. Moaning into the kiss, he slid his tongue along Daniel’s lips, begging entrance. Those sweet, hungry lips opened up to him, let him in, let him taste. That had him moaning again; no one had ever tasted as good as DJ.
DJ’s hands moved, slowly, down his arms, the touch burning, heated, and he felt like he was starving for it. He leaned forward, gently pushing DJ up against the wall, his prick firming up quickly.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” DJ murmured the words against his lips, so soft.
“Yes.” It was the first thing that popped into his head, and out of his mouth. It was the truth. No matter what else happened, he still loved DJ and he still wanted the man. Badly.
And what if DJ didn’t?
Gasping, he took a half step back. “But if you don’t…”
“Honey, I’m willing to have a nice, friendly fuck. I won’t out you.”
“Shh.” He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to think about it. He just wanted to feel, he wanted to touch and to kiss and to have DJ in his arms. He closed their lips together again, hands moving around to grab DJ’s ass. DJ dived in, the kiss sure and confident, hands cupping his face. He pulled DJ to him, the long, slender body fitting just like he remembered.
DJ’s fingers moved over him, like the man was mapping him. A part of him wanted to hump madly against the wall, but a bigger part wanted him to take his time, to explore and enjoy, so he started slowly walking them back toward the bed.
“Don’t let me fall.”
“Won’t.” He had DJ.
DJ nodded and held onto him until they hit the mattress.
They sat together and he started working DJ’s clothes off, fingers finding the man’s buttons and pulling them out of their holes. DJ’s fingers traced his lips, his jaw. He chased them with his mouth, nipping at them. Oh, fuck, this felt better than anything had in so long.
“Stop it, man. Let me see you.”
“What?” It took him a minute to figure out what DJ had meant by that. “Oh. Sorry.” God, he kept screwing up.
“Don’t apologize. I just…I want to see if you look the same.” DJ winked. “You’ve gotten more nervous.”
“It’s been seven years and I was an ass. Plus I did slam your head against the car window back there…” He was lucky DJ wasn’t calling him a fucking coward asshole and kicking him to the curb.
“I learned that you can’t make someone come out. Kiss me again.”
Ryan decided to just shut up and do as DJ asked. He brought their mouths together and focused on how good the kiss was.
Sean Michael
The theme of That Old Gang of Mine was
appealing to me, because I enjoy the trope of old lovers meeting again
unexpectedly and maybe not being as over each other as they’d assumed they
were.
Wallflowers also has a blind character in
it and it was really neat imagining what effect that would have on all the
other senses – would sex be better because you weren’t looking, just feeling
and smelling and hearing?
Ryan Coulter is a sports science graduate,
who's deep in the closet. Returning to his college town to be in a frat buddy's
wedding, he discovers he still has feelings for his old college lover, Daniel
James Delout. Too bad he's still in the closet and DJ most definitely is not,
the main reason why they broke up in the first place. To complicate matters
further, DJ is now blind, and is, somehow, almost maddeningly Zen about the
blindness, Ryan, everything.
Can Ryan ignore his stronger than ever
attraction to DJ and just get through the rehearsal, wedding and reception?
Does he even want to? And what happens if he and DJ do reconnect? After all,
he¹s still in the closet, right?
*_*_*_*
Adult excerpt:
He dumped his bag in his room, pocketed the key, and knocked on DJ’s door.
“Ryan?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” It was a little unreal, being in a hotel room with DJ.
“Come on in.” The lights were off and the curtains closed, the room super dark. Walter woofed at him, softly, the sound almost friendly.
“Hi, Walter. Is it okay to pet him?” He knew it wasn’t always okay to pet a working animal. “And can I turn on the light?”
“Absolutely. He’s not working and sure. I couldn’t find the switch.”
“It’s over here, on the wrong side of the door.” He took DJ’s hand and showed him where the switch was and they flipped it on together. He told himself he was ignoring the way his hand seemed to tingle where their skin touched.
“Thanks, Ry.” DJ smiled, and the man was right there, so kissable.
He blinked at the thought and froze for a half second. Then he groaned, and pressed their lips together. DJ went stiff, hands flailing for a second before they found his shoulders. His own hands found DJ’s trim waist, slid around it. Oh, fuck. He was kissing Daniel James Delout. Again.
It was just as hot as he’d remembered, on those nights where he jacked himself in the dark, lost in memories. Moaning into the kiss, he slid his tongue along Daniel’s lips, begging entrance. Those sweet, hungry lips opened up to him, let him in, let him taste. That had him moaning again; no one had ever tasted as good as DJ.
DJ’s hands moved, slowly, down his arms, the touch burning, heated, and he felt like he was starving for it. He leaned forward, gently pushing DJ up against the wall, his prick firming up quickly.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” DJ murmured the words against his lips, so soft.
“Yes.” It was the first thing that popped into his head, and out of his mouth. It was the truth. No matter what else happened, he still loved DJ and he still wanted the man. Badly.
And what if DJ didn’t?
Gasping, he took a half step back. “But if you don’t…”
“Honey, I’m willing to have a nice, friendly fuck. I won’t out you.”
“Shh.” He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to think about it. He just wanted to feel, he wanted to touch and to kiss and to have DJ in his arms. He closed their lips together again, hands moving around to grab DJ’s ass. DJ dived in, the kiss sure and confident, hands cupping his face. He pulled DJ to him, the long, slender body fitting just like he remembered.
DJ’s fingers moved over him, like the man was mapping him. A part of him wanted to hump madly against the wall, but a bigger part wanted him to take his time, to explore and enjoy, so he started slowly walking them back toward the bed.
“Don’t let me fall.”
“Won’t.” He had DJ.
DJ nodded and held onto him until they hit the mattress.
They sat together and he started working DJ’s clothes off, fingers finding the man’s buttons and pulling them out of their holes. DJ’s fingers traced his lips, his jaw. He chased them with his mouth, nipping at them. Oh, fuck, this felt better than anything had in so long.
“Stop it, man. Let me see you.”
“What?” It took him a minute to figure out what DJ had meant by that. “Oh. Sorry.” God, he kept screwing up.
“Don’t apologize. I just…I want to see if you look the same.” DJ winked. “You’ve gotten more nervous.”
“It’s been seven years and I was an ass. Plus I did slam your head against the car window back there…” He was lucky DJ wasn’t calling him a fucking coward asshole and kicking him to the curb.
“I learned that you can’t make someone come out. Kiss me again.”
Ryan decided to just shut up and do as DJ asked. He brought their mouths together and focused on how good the kiss was.
Sean Michael
Smut fixes everything
www.seanmichaelwrites.com
*_*_*_*
Available now at Amber Allure.
If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all five, and that's five chances to win!
If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all five, and that's five chances to win!
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
The Story Behind the Story: DOORS OF TIME by KC Kendricks
One of the biggest blessings in my life has been living in a small community. Life in the country has made me who I am today. Maybe city slickers would consider me a “hick” because I still ride my bicycle and I still play in the creek, but simple country pleasures are deeply ingrained in my way of life. That's not to say that we don't have our share of culture. There are several larger towns within easy driving distance of my home. In fact the District of Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland, are each about an hour and a half drive away, depending on traffic.
When I was growing up, my parents were more than willing to drive my girlfriends and me into town on Saturday afternoons for a movie, and the place we frequently went was the Maryland Theatre. My friends and I were bad moviegoers- we talked a lot - and I’ve noticed teenage girls haven’t changed much since the 1970s. But all that aside, the Maryland Theatre was a special place for all of us.
I remember the day in 1974 the Maryland Theatre burned. Living on the side of the mountain way we do, we could see the smoke as it blanketed the town. A few quick phone calls to relatives living in town got us the story on what happened. An arsonist did the dirty work in the night. We weren't sure how badly the theater was damaged but as it turned out the fire had burned to the front of the building. What came after when the building sat empty and open to the elements was just as destructive as the blaze. For all intents and purposes the Maryland Theatre was gone.
But now remember when I said what a blessing it is to live in a small community? A local funeral director bought the building to save it from being demolished for the one million bricks the structure held. A community group got to work on restorations, and in 1978 the Maryland Theatre reopened in all her neoclassical glory and she remains open to this day. She is now home to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, and the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, as well as hosting musical productions and shows such as Ron White's Comedy Tour.
The creative process is often a mystery. I don't know why I thought about the Maryland Theatre when I sat down to plan the story, Doors of Time. But like with many of my stories all I needed was that one little kernel for the characters to spring to life. So there's a little bit of real life in this one, and at the heart of it sits the old movie house and the echoes of friendships forged that have lasted a lifetime. I hope you'll enjoy Doors of Time.
*_*_*_*
Calvin Lawson arrived in Clear River to rebuild bridges with his ailing father, not hook up with Emory Fleming, although being an honest man, he has to admit Emory’s on his mind. But first things first, and before he goes looking for his boyhood friend, he needs to find a restoration project to generate personal income so he’s not sponging off his father. Gutted by an arsonist, the Clocktower Theatre, affectionately called the Time by everyone in town, is in dire need of his special skills.
As an on-the-air journalist, Emory Fleming is making a name for himself and getting noticed. He’s back in Clear River at the local network affiliate, preparing for the move up to a major market in a few years. When Calvin Lawson rolls back into town, Emory’s stunned. The old pal he worked with at the Time kept a big secret - he’s gay. All the fantasies Emory had as a teenager about Calvin suddenly become real as he and Calvin reconnect and quickly become lovers.
Calvin’s planned restoration of the Clocktower Theatre may not be a practical possibility. He has to secure a lot of funding to do the job properly, and money is tight everywhere. When Emory’s big break comes faster than anticipated, Calvin sees only one option - step aside so Emory will accept the job he’s always wanted. It doesn’t take for Emory long to figure out why Calvin walked out, and put in action a plan to win him back before the doors of time close between them permanently.
*_*_*_*
Available now at Amber Allure.
If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all five, and that's five chances to win!
KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1989106.K_C_Kendricks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kc-Kendricks/1439574042
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks
When I was growing up, my parents were more than willing to drive my girlfriends and me into town on Saturday afternoons for a movie, and the place we frequently went was the Maryland Theatre. My friends and I were bad moviegoers- we talked a lot - and I’ve noticed teenage girls haven’t changed much since the 1970s. But all that aside, the Maryland Theatre was a special place for all of us.
I remember the day in 1974 the Maryland Theatre burned. Living on the side of the mountain way we do, we could see the smoke as it blanketed the town. A few quick phone calls to relatives living in town got us the story on what happened. An arsonist did the dirty work in the night. We weren't sure how badly the theater was damaged but as it turned out the fire had burned to the front of the building. What came after when the building sat empty and open to the elements was just as destructive as the blaze. For all intents and purposes the Maryland Theatre was gone.
But now remember when I said what a blessing it is to live in a small community? A local funeral director bought the building to save it from being demolished for the one million bricks the structure held. A community group got to work on restorations, and in 1978 the Maryland Theatre reopened in all her neoclassical glory and she remains open to this day. She is now home to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, and the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, as well as hosting musical productions and shows such as Ron White's Comedy Tour.
The creative process is often a mystery. I don't know why I thought about the Maryland Theatre when I sat down to plan the story, Doors of Time. But like with many of my stories all I needed was that one little kernel for the characters to spring to life. So there's a little bit of real life in this one, and at the heart of it sits the old movie house and the echoes of friendships forged that have lasted a lifetime. I hope you'll enjoy Doors of Time.
As an on-the-air journalist, Emory Fleming is making a name for himself and getting noticed. He’s back in Clear River at the local network affiliate, preparing for the move up to a major market in a few years. When Calvin Lawson rolls back into town, Emory’s stunned. The old pal he worked with at the Time kept a big secret - he’s gay. All the fantasies Emory had as a teenager about Calvin suddenly become real as he and Calvin reconnect and quickly become lovers.
Calvin’s planned restoration of the Clocktower Theatre may not be a practical possibility. He has to secure a lot of funding to do the job properly, and money is tight everywhere. When Emory’s big break comes faster than anticipated, Calvin sees only one option - step aside so Emory will accept the job he’s always wanted. It doesn’t take for Emory long to figure out why Calvin walked out, and put in action a plan to win him back before the doors of time close between them permanently.
Available now at Amber Allure.
If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all five, and that's five chances to win!
KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1989106.K_C_Kendricks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kc-Kendricks/1439574042
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Another taste of Choices
Here’s another glimpse into my novella, ‘Choices’:
Everything seemed to have come to a head in his life over the last few weeks, with a promotion at work, a new place to live and the acceptance he most definitely and exclusively liked guys.
With a contented smile, James pulled open the drawer in the hall table and started sorting through it, tossing stuff he no longer wanted into the waste bin and placing things he wanted to keep in the small cardboard box. Stuffed under the take-out leaflets at the right side of the drawer, he found an envelope. He frowned, not remembering how it got there. He was surprised to see it was unopened and, turning it over, he immediately recognized the writing as Ben’s. He glanced at the post date and realized he’d had it for over six months and had never even opened it.
He remembered coming home from work late one evening, with just enough time to get changed and meet a date for dinner. There had been a few letters waiting for him and he’d just chucked them in the hall table drawer to read the next day. Which he had done, or thought he had. Somehow, when he removed the envelopes, this one had been left behind and it must have eventually become mixed in with the menus, until it ended up at the bottom of the pile.
With a sense of guilt, it occurred to James he hadn’t received any more letters from Ben. He had written regularly since James had left, tailing off to once a month over the last year, clearly in response to James’ increasingly dilatory letter writing habits. With a twinge of guilt, James admitted he could hardly remember the last time he had written to Ben. Obviously, Ben had had enough and stopped writing. James’ guilt jumped up a notch.
Available now at Amber Allure.
If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all five, and that's five chances to win!
Monday, 17 December 2012
Have you played CHASE THE ACE?
That Old Gang of Mine was the first theme to catch my eye. It's always been fascinating to me to see how people I knew long ago have ended up today. Many are still totally recognisable, the same as they always were, following the dreams and plans they had as teenagers. And some have changed so significantly it's a shock - either pleasant or disturbing.
Time moves on for us all, but I've dedicated this novella to "everyone's happy memories" and that's what the story is about. Dan is looking for adventure and thinks he might find some answers in following up his friends from a teenage sports club, many summers ago. He has fond memories from that time - and maybe a few questions, too. With the support and companionship of his new - and attractive - friend Nick, he sets out on his Quest :).
And Chase the Ace? It's a childhood card game that I used to play, that I imagined Dan and his friends played at that sports club on rainy days. It's all about chasing the lowest card around the group so you never end up with it, thereby losing the game. And if you read the story, you'll find out why Chase the Ace is a critical part of Dan's Quest - and one particular game has strong and secret memories for him!
Have you ever wondered what happened to particular friends or acquaintances from long ago? And more interestingly - have you ever acted on that curiosity? Feel free to share it with us!
Clare London
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a Release Day treat, here's another glimpse of the story that you saw here FIRST! :D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“So tell me about Gerry. You met him at SSSC, right? What was he like?”
“Gerry?” The idea of describing him was intriguing. “He was very good at football but he was always messing around so he got left as a reserve for most of our local matches. But he was a good supporter and kept us entertained with jokes. He had a really wicked sense of humour. Everyone liked him, or if they didn’t, he never seemed to care. When we had more artistic sessions—music, drama—he was always the best. He was very bright. But apparently he’d been excluded from school several times, and he wasn’t going back after that summer. He told us he was dating an older man, who was getting him a great job in show business.” I glanced around the Sea Spray bar with its slightly dusty picture rails and scuffed chair legs. “Maybe that’s still a work in progress.”
“He was out, then?”
“I think he was trying, if you know what I mean. We were sixteen. We didn’t talk frankly about things like that, so he never got to put a name to it. I’m not sure he was bothered about that, anyway. He was just…Gerry. But we knew Gerry with his older boyfriend was closer to us than the other boys and their lusting over the female netball coach.”
Nick grinned and gestured at my glass. “Another drink?”
I was surprised to find we’d finished the bottle between us already. We ordered a selection of bar snacks including nachos and mini samosas, ordered more wine, and agreed to split the bill. I hadn’t realised how hungry I was—we demolished the lot while we went on chatting about school, and the SSSC, and what Nathan was doing nowadays, and how Nick had built up his business after doing work experience with a local architect. Before I was even aware of how much time had passed, we started to see bustling behind the curtain. The spotlights clicked on and off in testing, and we heard a hum of excitement building around the room.
The music started, a fanfare on the PA system. I had to lean over toward Nick to see between two large men at the table in front of us, one of whom was wearing a huge blonde Marilyn Monroe wig for some reason. A young man in top hat and tails slipped through the opening of the curtains at the back of the stage. He wore a dress shirt and bow tie over a pair of sparkling green shorts—perfectly named for their brevity over a very fine, tight pair of buttocks—and he called the room to order.
“Gentlemen, ladies, and our very awesome others! Welcome to the Sea Spray tonight for our much maligned yet persistently praised floor show. And tonight’s mistress of ceremonies will be—”
“We want Dina!” yelled a squeaky-voiced young man in a mesh shirt from the other side of the room. Everyone laughed and the announcer bowed in his direction.
“And you shall have her. May I introduce the star who will shine your way through the programme tonight.” He waved his hand back toward the curtain. Someone tweaked it from behind, getting ready to sweep it open.
Nick put his hand on my arm and whispered, “Dan…”
“The lovely, the lascivious, the loquacious diva—our own Burly Chassis—our darling Dina!”
The star of the show swept through the curtain, dressed in purple sequins from neck to toe, the sumptuous dress fitting closely over high, shapely breasts, skimming over the waist and down over slim hips to a swirl of feathers around her feet. Down one side was an outrageous split from thigh to ankle, showing a strong and shapely leg. Her makeup was stage-heavy but sexy, her mouth a wide pout and her eyes sparkling under thick lashes. Her hair was a high pile of artfully-styled dark curls, a la Bassey herself. The crowd was cheering, some of them on their feet and whistling appreciation. Dina was obviously a popular favourite.
“I know,” I whispered back to Nick, who’d obviously guessed a few seconds before I did. “I can see.” The way that Dina tossed her head at the audience’s adulation; the way she winked and blew a kiss to the young man in the mesh shirt… I recognised the gestures even though I hadn’t seen them for twelve years. Gerry had come out in a rather spectacular and star-spangled way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Available now at Amber Allure.
If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all five, and that's five chances to win!
Sunday, 16 December 2012
LATEST PAX RELEASE - That Old Gang of Mine
 That Old Gang of Mine An AmberPax™ Collection of Reunions Gay Erotic Romance Genre: Gay (M/M) Erotic Romance Cover Copyright ©2012 by Trace Edward Zaber |
(For more information on each title, or to purchase separately, click on the book covers below!)
Chase the Ace by Clare London Novella (Gay/Contemporary) | Choices by Stevie Woods Extended Amber Kiss (Gay/Contemporary) |
 Doors of Time by KC Kendricks Novella (Gay/Contemporary) |  Just Between Us by Aislinn Kerry Extended Amber Kiss (Gay/Contemporary/Menage) | Wallflowers by Sean Michael Extended Amber Kiss (Gay/Contemporary) |
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