Sunday Small Talk

Somehow it’s the end of the year and it doesn’t seem real. So many people had a terrible year and if I look at the political crap we all had it bad here in the states. Personally, however, it was a fantastic year for me. I became a full professor. I took a bucket list trip to the Canadian maritimes. I published a novel Blood Red Roulette, one that I’ve held near and dear to me for over 20 years (In case you missed it –
blood-red-roulette
Blurb Arrigo Giancarlo’s friends think he’s a rich young man with the unusual job of paranormal investigator, working with his psychic assistant in Las Vegas. In truth he’s a two-thousand-year-old vampire and member of the Chiaroscuro, a group of Supernaturals dedicated to keeping humanity safe from the more dangerous of their kind. He’s also openly bisexual… but alone.

When he spots Luc St. John in a bar, Arrigo is intrigued. What begins as an effort to repay the kindness shown to him in the past quickly turns into much deeper feelings for the suffering and displaced Cajun. For Luc’s part, he feels too poor, too uneducated, and too bound to his hateful family to ever be worthy of elegant and cultured Arrigo.

An old enemy, Eleni, blames Arrigo for murdering her true love. On the anniversary of that death, she’s back to take revenge. As Arrigo’s closest friends fall victim to savage attacks, he fears nothing will keep Luc safe. Should he break both their hearts and let Luc go, or is it too late? If Luc’s already in Eleni’s sights, Arrigo knows that like most things in Vegas, the odds are against him.

You can find it on Amazon here or at my publisher here)

I also published a Christmas short story with DSP Purrfect Holiday You can order it here at DSP purrfect-holiday AND I had a SF novella picked up by Ninestar Press what will be out in 2019. I also published a middle-grade steampunk short story that I’m very proud of (and frankly made more money from than almost anything else which shocked the living hell out of me).

Heck I even managed to get my blood sugar under some semblance of control and I’ve started dancing again (when I say dancing I don’t mean ballet or jazz tap or anything. I mean mostly just getting up and moving to the beat however the hell I feel like it and how the arthritis lets me move.) So I can’t complain about 2018. I’ve had WAY shittier years.

So what’s on deck for 2019? I don’t have much in the way of resolutions but I do have some goals. 1. FINISH These Haunted Hills. I think this is one of the best things I’ve written in years and I need to finish it. It’s two-thirds done. I would love to finish it by May.

2. Find a home for my solarpunk story. I just saw a solarpunk anthology but it’s set in winter and mine is most definitely fall and it’s such a part of the story I can’t really change it (so if you hear of any solarpunk places, let me know).

3. Fix the ending of the Cassadaga story and resend it (yeah I know I said that last year and I did not do it. Sigh).

4. Fix up my bear shifter story because it needs doing badly.

5. Consider a sequel to Blood Red Roulette. It didn’t sell as well as I’d hope from what I can tell but the reviewers have asked for a sequel.

That is a modest beginning for 2019 so I’m happy with that. Anything more will be sauce.

And here’s some writing links to take us into the new year.

How to Outline Your Novel

Story Planning Books: 3 Approaches to Consider

APODS – Priorities: The Four Ps (Part Two – SMART Goals) by Amanda Cabot

Seven Things Writers Get Wrong About Language

Can I Craft a Setting Without Bigotry?


Self-Publishing Is Not A Back-up Publishing Plan

What Binge-Watching ‘Stranger Things’ Taught Me About Storytelling


Transcription Software Can Be A Huge Time-saver


Avoid The Cliché “Strong Female Character”
(I’ll add being a bitch does not equal strong!)

Rainbow Snippets

I have to catch up with last week. I haven’t had a minute to myself. Sorry.

Here’s to a creative new year in 2019!

One last snippet from Purrfect Holiday. Tony and Javier are out at the Saint Augustine distillery and Javier is explaining what’s on offer.

They have tours and tastings, but I’d rather go to the bar for cocktails and a little food if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. Lead the way.”

Trusting Raven to keep him safe, Tony spared a glance to watch Javier’s lean back and narrow hips. He’d been doing that from time to time at work too. The man moved like he had music in his muscle fibers. He couldn’t concentrate on how well Javier moved or things at work would get quickly awkward.

purrfect-holiday

Blurb – Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis Pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.

Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he’d just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?

You can order it here at DSP

If you’d like to play along, Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook community where we post up 6 sentences of one of our LGBT stories every Saturday. It’s been fun and you can find it here. Be sure to check out all the offers! It’s been a great supportive group!

Guest Post – Blue Christmas

BLUE CHRISTMAS.jpg

Blurb:
Christmas used to be a time of joy for me, but since my mother’s death three years ago the holiday has lost all meaning, becoming nothing but a harsh reminder of what I’ve lost. I’ve become bitter and skeptical of everyone around me, and the cold aloofness has kept me from being hurt that deeply again. But this year the thought of yet another blue Christmas alone sends me on a path that will change my life forever.

Genre: Romance Contemporary Gay

Excerpt:
Somehow, I managed to fall into a restless sleep and before I knew it the nurse came in to wake me up and bring me breakfast. I scowled at her as she raised my bed and set the tray on the table before me. I grimaced at the dried out eggs and hard toast. There was no way I’d eat this so I just pushed the table away. “Where are my clothes?” I demanded of her.

“They’re in the closet over by the bathroom, dear. Everything you came in with is in there.” She made a notation on my chart at the foot of my bed and then left the room.

I wanted to be gone before Carter got there. I slid from the bed, gripping the back of the gown closed. Cold air slipped under the hem and I winced at how chilly the tile felt on my feet. Everything was where she’d said. I bundled my clothes together and headed into the bathroom to get dressed. Maybe I underestimated Carter because when I came back out, he sat in the same chair from last night, a magazine propped open on one knee.

He looked up and smiled. “Ah, good, you’re already dressed. I took the liberty of going into your apartment and grabbing a coat for you since you were brought in without one last night. Also the little girl who lives next door to you wanted me to tell you Simba is okay and she’ll take care of him until you get home.”

I tightened my lips into a flat line. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I’ll take a cab home.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m already here and besides we have to stop at the lot and pick out a tree. Oh, I went by my parents’ house and snagged some of their decorations. My mom has so much of them she insisted I take some of hers.” Carter stood and held out the jacket. It was my favorite one, the one my mom had given me the year before she started to get sick. Though a little worn in some places, it still provided enough warmth against the chilly winds and snow.

“Thank you,” I said stiffly. “But I really don’t need a tree or decorations.”

Once again, he didn’t listen to me and waved away my refusal. “You can make me dinner on Christmas Eve and we’ll call it even.”

I shook my head and started to tell him no once again when the door opened and one of the orderlies came in with a wheelchair. “I can walk,” I protested.

“Hospital policy. Please have a seat, Mr. Lords. You’ll be out of here in no time.” The orderly gestured to the wheelchair.

With a sigh, I gave in and settled into it, embarrassed once again. Carter just silently followed along, a smile on his face. Once the papers were signed and I was outside of the front doors, I got out of the chair. I stepped in the direction of the nearest taxi, but Carter grabbed my arm and led me toward the parking garage. “I can walk on my own,” I said, disturbed at his touch and nearness.

“Of course you can. I just wanted to make sure you were heading the right direction,” he soothed. He stopped at a red pickup truck, unlocked the passenger door and opened it, waiting for me to get in. I glared at him, but slipped into the front seat. I breathed a sigh of relief to be out of the cold air, huddling deeper into my jacket.

Carter loped around the front of the truck and slid into the driver’s seat. Christmas music played from the speakers when the engine started. I crossed my arms and turned my head to stare out of the window as he drove.

Buy Links:
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/909631
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KY576HC?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

BIO:
J.R. Loveless is a native Floridian who spends her days in an office physically, but mentally is frolicking between the pages of her imagination. Writing has been a lifelong passion for J.R. and she has pursued it from an early age, even winning awards in school and finally beginning her life as a published author in 2010.
She is a self-confessed Potterhead spending her days with her three furbabies and enjoying the major chapters on her long journey through life. One day she hopes to visit far off places and have grand adventures like those of the characters in her stories.

Contact Info:
Blog: http://jrloveless.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.jrloveless.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theJRLoveless
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jrloveless
IG: https://www.instagram.com/jrloveless/
Email: jrloveless@gmail.com

Sunday Small Talk

The Christmas edition. Since I’ve no real writing news to share given the time of year. So I’ll say Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and Merry Yule. And instead I’ll share my holiday stories with you all (and most of them are on sale!)

purrfect-holiday

Blurb – Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis Pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.

Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he’d just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?

You can order it here at DSP

glow 2

The Glow of Luminiferous Aether on Tinsel As Chief Tactician for the airship DeGrasse, Jacob Scarberry has spent the last six months on a wearying tour of duty. He’s missing home, and his prosthetic leg is conducting the December cold straight to his core. But with the holidays coming up, he’s looking forward to a well-earned leave, sharing some Christmas surprises with his lover, Dr. H. Alphus Troyer, and welcoming in the dawn of the 20th century.

A professor at Ohio University, Al is already on Christmas break, and his unconventional household is in a festive frenzy. Al is a bit less joyous, his anticipation of Jacob’s return warring with uncertainty over the special gift he had commissioned for him. Would Jacob appreciate it, or will it put a strain on their relationship?

Suddenly Al’s worries become trivial when the newspapers report an attack on the DeGrasse. With Jacob fighting for his life miles away, Al is left to wonder whether Jacob will return at all, or whether the planned festivities will become holiday heartbreak instead.

Here

the-light-of-winter

The Light of Winter Dr. Gareth Evans and his medical doctor partner, Warun Jones, are having trouble making time for each other between end of term craziness for Gareth and holiday-related injuries pouring into the hospital for Warun. Gareth has planned what he hopes will be the perfect recipe for relieving the tension and bringing them back together. While Warun wants Gareth to partake in Plygain, a traditional dawn service of hymn singing for Christmas, Gareth plans to take Warun to Bryn Celli Ddu and introduce him to the Druid ritual of Alban Arthan, the celebration of the winter solstice.

Here

peace-in-the-valley

Peace in the Valley – John and Anthony always have a hard time carving out some alone time for the holidays (This one has a werewolf turned ‘rescue dog.)
Here

DarkestMidnightinDecemberLG

The Darkest Midnight in December
The year is 1930, and something is hunting infants and young couples in Economy Village, PA. When a local priest begins to suspect a demon may be the culprit, the sheriff calls in a team of Soldiers from the Sun.

Caleb, Agni, Temple, and Li specialize in demon hunting, but they can’t rule out an old religious sect as the true culprit. Prejudice, distraught parents, and angry townspeople don’t make the team’s job any easier. And if something goes wrong, they’re on their own, because by the time their backup arrives, it will be too late.

Here

And okay this isn’t Christmas but it IS a new novel. Vampires are fun any time of year.

blood-red-roulette

Blurb Arrigo Giancarlo’s friends think he’s a rich young man with the unusual job of paranormal investigator, working with his psychic assistant in Las Vegas. In truth he’s a two-thousand-year-old vampire and member of the Chiaroscuro, a group of Supernaturals dedicated to keeping humanity safe from the more dangerous of their kind. He’s also openly bisexual… but alone.

When he spots Luc St. John in a bar, Arrigo is intrigued. What begins as an effort to repay the kindness shown to him in the past quickly turns into much deeper feelings for the suffering and displaced Cajun. For Luc’s part, he feels too poor, too uneducated, and too bound to his hateful family to ever be worthy of elegant and cultured Arrigo.

An old enemy, Eleni, blames Arrigo for murdering her true love. On the anniversary of that death, she’s back to take revenge. As Arrigo’s closest friends fall victim to savage attacks, he fears nothing will keep Luc safe. Should he break both their hearts and let Luc go, or is it too late? If Luc’s already in Eleni’s sights, Arrigo knows that like most things in Vegas, the odds are against him.

You can find it on Amazon here or at my publisher here

Rainbow Snippets

Running a bit behind because my brother and his wife were here for Mom’s birthday. Happy Yule to those who celebrate (a day behind) and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate that (a little early).

I’m continuing with Purrfect Holiday. This is a bit rougher because I managed to destroy my flashdrive (with new stuff and work stuff on) before I could transfer it to this computer and only had the earlier draft of this story on this laptop. Sigh.

This picks up after Tony has concluded his cat cuddler job interview with Javier. Aracelli is Javier’s office manager.

“You’re hiring him.”

“We haven’t even talked about it,” he replied, his cheeks pinking up.

“He might not be able to see how you were undressing him with your eyes, but I did.” She smiled, patting his arm.

“Aracelli!” His blush burned all the way to his hairline.

“He is quite adorable.”

Javier sighed. “Yes, he most definitely is. All right, let’s go discuss the candidates logically.”

“And hire the overqualified cutie with the tragic backstory.”

He shook his head but, in his heart, he knew Aracelli was right.

purrfect-holiday

Blurb – Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis Pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.

Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he’d just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?

You can order it here at DSP

If you’d like to play along, Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook community where we post up 6 sentences of one of our LGBT stories every Saturday. It’s been fun and you can find it here. Be sure to check out all the offers! It’s been a great supportive group!