News roundup

So let's see...what's happened in the past week?

Well, we got a new cover for our April release, My Masked Mistress:


Isn't it pretty? We really like this one.

We got some reviews, too. Signey E. Scott at JERR reviewed A Little Bit Bewitched, and gave it 4 stars:

A Little Bit Bewitched is a captivating love story between one woman and two men. At times, I thought the story was slowing down, but the next paragraph threw me right back into the thick of the action. There is a lot of sexual action in this book, including M/F/M ménage, M/M bisexuality, group sex, voyeurism, and exhibitionism. The sexual elements of the story interlocked perfectly with the plot. There wasn’t a tug-of-war between the three because each was the object of the other two characters’ desire. They meshed so well and that in turn made the story enjoyable and worth reading. Daniel is the beta male in the relationship and he seemed to be the one that the others had to walk on eggshells around. Lucy is the mediator of the three. She is their voice and their motivator. Charles is the alpha male. He is the voice of experience and the more dominate to the others’ submissiveness. This book is a story of people being open to other eye-opening experiences and I highly recommend reading.

Pam S. at My Book Cravings reviewed two of our titles.

Brindisi Bedfellows received 5 flowers:

...rough around the edges Tripp had an insecure and uncertain interior that I wasn’t expecting, and his fear almost vibrates off the page. I loved watching Christian grow and become surer of himself under the encouragement and attention of Tripp. When these two men get together, watch out for fiery passion and heat equal to the Italian sun.

I can’t say enough good things about this well written and plotted gem. Between the likable characters, exciting locale, witty dialogue and a villain in Andrew that you love to hate, there isn’t anything about this story that I didn’t like.

Seduction in Black and White received 4 flowers:

Seduction in Black and White takes up where the last book in this interesting and intriguing series, Mosaic Moon, left off. Like others in this dark fantasy series, the sexual encounters between Gideon and Jesse are filled with intense and often painful scenes from their BDSM lifestyle. Yet even amongst the pain and blood, it’s very clear that these two men love and depend on each other like no other, and adding Emma to the mix just gives another layer of depth of tenderness and love to their ongoing relationship.

This author, Jamie Craig, composed of Pepper Espinoza and Vivien Dean, uses rich and vivid details when describing not only the BDSM scenes of our threesome, but the kidnapping and torture of Jesse. You can almost feel the pain and suffering he experiences as he waits for his lover to rescue him, all the while never giving up hope. If this type of material bothers you in any way, then this might not be the book for you, but if you like dark cutting-edge fantasy, then this new keeper will definitely find a home with you. This reader is looking for to the next book in this series, Chaos and Communion.

And an oldie, but a goodie...Unclose Me got 3 cupids from Cupid's Library Reviews:

Jude and Elliot work through the realistic issues revolving around demanding careers and past failed attempts at love to establish a future with each other. Although Jude is an accomplished modern day woman, she still has insecurity issues that she must confront and overcome if she is to find happiness with Elliot. I like the fact that Elliot was willing to commit to fighting for Jude's love and not give up on her. The couple's struggles are very contemporary and the problems they face are believable. The story is very fast moving within a very sweet romantic plot. The characters are likable and written well. The romance and sex in the story are sensual and at times very erotic. Actually, some of the sex in the book are very intense and can be considered unique.

Pepper and I finished and submitted the June installment of the Calendar Boys last night, which means today we're starting a short het novella about a rocker and a folk singer for release in July. Then we've got a gay fantasy we're excited about starting. Full-length novel on that one. You'll probably have to put up with us talking about that one a lot later on.

Have a great Monday!

Flashback Fridays--Brindisi Bedfellows

A long, long time ago, when Vivien and I first began writing together (for fun, not profit) we came up with a "bunny" about two jilted men, going off to find comfort and revenge against the one guy who hurt them both. We really liked this idea. In fact, we bonded over it a little. But we never wrote it! Then one day we were discussing submitting something to Liquid Silver because we like to keep a steady release schedule with all our publishers, and I said "Remember this idea..."

My good friend Ann helped us with the title, though Vivien always knew she wanted the word bedfellows involved. My sister had lived in Italy for three months (I've been there too, but only for three weeks) and so she helped us a lot with pictures and details she remembered. All our books are special, of course, but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for this project.

Getting dumped is never fun.

Getting dumped by your boyfriend on the eve of your first vacation in six years because he decides to reconcile with his ex-wife is agony.

Heartbroken Christian Davis is drowning his sorrows when his ex-lover’s best friend swoops in and throws his world into chaos. Trip Watson is gorgeous and gregarious and everything Chris doesn’t need right now. But none of that seems to matter when Trip finds out what Andrew did to him. Appalled by Andrew’s callous treatment, Trip announces the best way to get over the break-up – and to rub Andrew’s face in it – is to go to Italy as planned and spend the next three weeks having the time of his life. With Trip.

Mutual lust drives them together. Andrew could very well push them apart. Especially if the truth about Trip’s relationship with him ever comes to light.

The following four days were a blur, mostly because, in the end, Trip and Christian didn’t venture too far from their hotel room for any length of time. Chris seemed more than content to allow Trip to make up for what he was already thinking of as “the Andrew incident,” encouraging long hours spent sprawled atop their bed, mouths and hands doing nothing but exploring the other’s body. That worked for Trip. That more than worked for Trip. It was his favorite method of distraction, and frankly, both of them needed it now. Andrew was being an absolute ass about the entire situation, with the piece de resistance, his nasty closing comment to Trip on the phone.

It hurt. There was no denying it. And Trip meant it when he’d told Chris he was done with Andrew. Not even Trip was that big of a masochist.

It helped to have Christian in his corner. Trip felt more than a little guilty that Chris had found out as he had, but better the truth get out now than later, he realized. It wasn’t like Andrew was even emotionally committed to Trip. Everything he had was saved for Lexie, and it was now them against her and Andrew.

Trip was slowly realizing he liked that arrangement.

At the end of their week in Rome, they boarded the Eurostar to Lecce, ready to begin the second leg of their holiday. All Christian could talk about was the architecture he’d read about, but Trip was looking forward to spiriting him away to the beach. At some point, he wanted to get some photos of Chris, something to remember the trip by after they returned to London. Seeing him lying on the white sand felt like the best opportunity to show Chris that, yes, there was life after Andrew, and yes, he was more than attractive enough to pull somebody more deserving of his company. It would be a shot in the arm for him, Trip thought. And a hot reminder for himself.

After they were seated and had their wine, Trip stretched out his legs so his feet were entangled with Christian’s opposite him. “So six hours until we get there, huh?” he said with a smirk. “Whatever are we going to do for six whole hours?”

Christian smiled. “Nothing that’ll get us kicked off the train, I hope.”

Trip pretended to pout. “Well, that’s no fun. Haven’t I taught you better than that yet?”

Christian sipped from his wine, and Trip couldn’t help but notice the stray drop of liquid that clung to the corner of his lip. “You haven’t taught me anything about the proper way to fool around on a train.”

“We’ll save that lesson for the tube in London. If you can shag on the Underground, you can shag just about anywhere.”

Chris chuckled. “How many times have you shagged on the Underground?”

“Enough to know when the bill are least likely to catch you,” he shot back.

As they laughed together, it dawned on Trip that while he had spent a week with Christian already, he actually knew very little about the other man’s life in London, other than the unfortunate parts that included Andrew. If pressed, he wasn’t even sure what Chris did for a living, and suddenly, the desire to find out was all-consuming. He wanted to know about it all.

“So how long have you lived in London?” he asked. Might as well start off with an easy question.

“Oh, most of my life. Grew up there, then moved back after university. What about you?”

“Moved there after I dropped out of uni. All my family’s back in Southend or thereabouts, so wasn’t too far of a go for me. Only place to be for what I wanted to do, though.”

Christian looked at him thoughtfully. “Shoot for fashion? Or was that supposed to be the job that held you over until you could do what you really wanted?”

Trip didn’t talk about his aspirations much. The people who tended to surround him didn’t much care about art and beauty so much as fashion and parties. But Christian’s positive response to his portfolio gave him courage, and he ducked his head in embarrassment as he made the confession.

“I wasn’t even twenty. I was green enough to think a few professional credits under my belt would mean I could write my own ticket. And in London, if you’re a photographer, you’re either covering the fashion world or part of the stalkerazzi.” He shrugged. “Lurking about in bushes for hours on end wasn’t my idea of a good time.”

“Given your options, you clearly made the right decision. I doubt you’d have the patience to lurk in bushes for hours, anyway.” Chris paused. “It’s worked out, though, hasn’t it? I mean, even I knew your name. And that was before I met Andrew.”

“It has its ups and downs. Didn’t convince Paolo to look at my folio, for instance.” This was going down a path he didn’t care for, and Trip searched for a way to redirect the conversation. “What about you? Bit ashamed to admit it, but I don’t even know what you do to pay the bills.”

“Don’t be ashamed. I haven’t mentioned it because I didn’t think hip photographers would want to be seen with what amounts to a customer service rep.”

Somehow, it didn’t surprise Trip. The way Chris had reacted when they’d first met was indication enough that Trip’s way of life was foreign to him. It was probably why he got the impression Christian thought he was this exotic creature, and while that was a fantasy Trip cultivated for most of the people he met, it didn’t feel right to foster that with this one.

“I’d never see anybody in my family, if that was the case,” Trip replied. Absently, he tilted his foot to run his toes along the back of Christian’s calf. “Nothin’ wrong in bein’ a suit. There’s something to be said for having some stability in your life.”

“What some call stability, others would call bloody boring.” Chris glanced out the window. “Not that I’m bored. I’m mostly not. I was getting a bit burned out, though. You know when you call the bank over a mistake, and the first two people you speak to can’t help? So they kick you up to the manager and by then you’re furious and ready to take it out on anybody, regardless of how innocent they are? I’m the guy who gets that abuse.”

The look on his face made Trip want to close the distance between them and smother him in kisses. He settled for toeing off his boot and sliding his foot up into Christian’s lap, caressing his thigh in long strokes that grazed across his crotch.

“Then it sounds to me like you needed this holiday,” he said. “Trick will be, not to forget how you feel now when you’re back on the job.”

“It’ll be some trick,” Chris said, sliding lower in his seat. “Do you think I’ll be able to find somebody willing to come over to the office every day to play footsie?”

Trip felt Christian’s cock thickening with every stroke along his thigh. “You could have anybody you wanted to, mate. Look at how you pulled that pretty boy our first night in Rome.”

Chris ran his fingers over the top of Trip’s foot. “That was just a fluke,” he said dryly. “Some people are attracted to desperation wrapped in leather.”

Trip regarded him with a thoughtful tilt of his head. “Don’t know about that. You had me long before I got to see you in those trousers.”

Christian offered a wry smile. “So you’re just attracted to desperation wrapped in denim?”

“You don’t seem all that desperate to me now.”

“Only because I’m drinking less,” Chris said lightly, his fingers still dancing over Trip’s foot. Sobering, he added, “Last week I thought, well, not too sound overwrought, but I thought I lost the love of my life.” He grimaced. “Christ, that does sound too overwrought.”

Trip grinned to ease his discomfort. “Look at who you’re talking to. If it’s not melodramatic in my world, it doesn’t get looked at. There’s nothin’ wrong with having feelings. Especially since I know they don’t just go away ‘cause you want them to.”

“No, they don’t. But they do start to fade eventually. Now I’m beginning to feel more like I just lost a year of my life.”

“You didn’t lose a year. You were happy, weren’t you?”

Christian hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. “As much as I’ve tried to convince myself otherwise, it was one of the happier years of my life. Guess that’s why it hit me where I live.” He squeezed Trip’s foot. “Though as far as happy weeks go, this last one is surprisingly close to the top of the list.”

The admission startled Trip with how quickly it warmed his gut, and he had to duck his head to hide his pleased smile. It wasn’t just that it had been a great week for him; it was that someone like Chris, someone without anything to gain, would reciprocate even a fraction of his current contentment. Because that’s what he was. Content. And it was shocking how good it felt.

We all have a special, free bonus scene on the website.

Inspirations - Brindisi Bedfellows

This Friday, we're flashbacking on one of our favorite stories, Brindisi Bedfellows, so Pepper and I thought today, we'd write about our physical models for the characters Trip and Christian. We've mentioned our model for Trip before, actually. It's gay porn actor, Johnny Hazzard.




He's not a big guy and he's adorably New Age-y on his blog, and has absolutely nothing in common with Trip other than his physicality, but we love him anyway.

But when it came to Christian, well, here's a confession. Pepper has a deep and undying love for actor Alexis Denisof.


I don't think it's possible to document just how much she adores him. If I'd let her do this blog, she would have forgotten completely about showing pictures of Johnny, in favor of giving it all to Alexis. In fact, I think the only two people who can possibly compete with Alexis are Jeff Tweedy and her husband.


And there you have 'em. Trip and Christian. And if Pepper doesn't like the pictures I chose for Alexis, well, she'll just have to share her favorites on one of her inspiration days. ;)

Joyfully Reviewed: Brindisi Bedfellows

Review by: Cassie
Full review

Brindisi Bedfellows began with a deception and a seemingly rather unlikable hero (Trip), making me wonder if I would like it, but as the story continued I was thoroughly drawn in. I sympathized with Christian’s heartbreak and anger from the beginning, and his alternating happiness and turmoil as his relationship with Trip changed were believable. Trip initially seemed a bit self-serving, yet he quickly proved to be generous, caring, and somewhat insecure. His hidden depths made him a character I could easily root for. The love scenes were both hot and emotional, especially as they realized their feelings for each other were deepening. I also enjoyed the descriptions of various locations in Italy. In short, with a storyline that is both hot and emotional and a sweetly satisfying ending, Brindisi Bedfellows is a great read!

New Review: Two Lips Reviews Brindisi Bedfellows

Reviewer: Kerin
Rating: 5 Lips
Full Review.

Ever relationship has it’s ups and downs because we’re all flawed in our own ways and have different insecurities that we try to hide – Jamie Craig has taken that concept and turned it into a poignant story about two men who are deeply hurt by the same man. The passion between Trip and Christian is undeniable and their time in Italy is amazing. Trip has a rough exterior that hides a vulnerable man, which is an intriguing dynamic since Christian is the “plain” one of the two. They compliment each other perfectly though and the ending is all I’d hoped it would be.

New Release: Brindisi Bedfellows

Getting dumped is never fun.

Getting dumped by your boyfriend on the eve of your first vacation in six years because he decides to reconcile with his ex-wife is agony.

Heartbroken Christian Davis is drowning his sorrows when his ex-lover�s best friend swoops in and throws his world into chaos. Trip Watson is gorgeous and gregarious and everything Chris doesn�t need right now. But none of that seems to matter when Trip finds out what Andrew did to him. Appalled by Andrew�s callous treatment, Trip announces the best way to get over the break-up � and to rub Andrew�s face in it � is to go to Italy as planned and spend the next three weeks having the time of his life. With Trip.

Mutual lust drives them together. Andrew could very well push them apart. Especially if the truth about Trip�s relationship with him ever comes to light.

Content: Contains graphic m/m interaction, including oral and anal sex, public sex, and a gratuitous one-night stand.

Brindisi Bedfellows is officially released! Please visit Liquid Silver Books to purchase your own copy.

To mark this special occasion, I come bearing gifts. First, we have posted a special, free bonus scene on our webpage. Second, we have a lovely 900 x 675 wallpaper, and a smaller 640 x 480 version. Finally, here is an exclusive excerpt, not available anywhere else.

“Think I might've drunk too much.” He stretched a hand out to caress Christian's thigh, but instead of the firm massage Chris expected, his hand just rested heavily, almost like Trip had forgotten it was there. “Have I mentioned tonight what a bloody fool Andrew was?”

Christian looked down at Trip's hand, noting absently that he wanted to lick his finger. “No.” Chris had somehow managed not to think about Andrew the entire time they were out. Dancing with Trip helped, and so did flirting with Italian boys. “But a reminder doesn't hurt.”

“Andrew's a bloody fool.” He paused, a slow frown furrowing his brow. “He doesn't know we're here, does he? We should ring him. Tell him what he's missing out on.”

Christian blanched at the idea. He certainly didn’t want to talk to Andrew now. The thought hurt too much. And he was trying to be strong. He knew without a doubt that when he heard Andrew’s voice, he would forget about having fun, forget about Trip’s amazing mouth, forget about Giovanni’s obvious interest. He’d forget about everything except the fact that he was facing an entire lifetime without the person he thought he could spend the rest of his life with.

“No. No, let’s not ring him tonight. We’ll let him know what he’s missing out on in a few days.”

Trip made a face like Christian had just said the most brilliant thing in the world. "Make him stew, got it. That way, when he breaks and tracks us down, wondering where in the hell we are, we'll be brown as nuts and sore as all fuck from all the gorgeous shagging we're going to do."

At this point, it really shouldn’t have been possible for Trip to make his ears turn red, but he did. It wasn’t that Christian hadn’t considered shagging Trip. He had. In great detail. After their meeting in the bathroom, there wasn’t much else to do on the plane. But he had never met anybody who talked the way Trip did, as though he was daring the world to have a problem with it.

“Do you think he’ll ring us? Or will he be too worried about Lexie to even notice we’re both gone?”

“Oh, he’ll do it.” How Trip could sound so confident, Chris had no idea. But if anybody knew how Andrew would act, it had to be Trip. “Sooner or later, Lexie will let go of his balls long enough for him to pick up a phone.”

In a way, Trip’s certainty that Andrew would call them made sense. Andrew was always very troubled at the thought of people having a good time without him. In fact, he had been annoyed more than once by Trip leaving town on some shoot, with some model. Annoyed enough that Chris had to hear about it. Every time.

“Well, I won’t be able to talk to him when he does. Unless you plan to shag me so thoroughly, I don’t care what he says anymore.”

Now Trip’s hand was moving, drawing lazy circles that grew ever closer to Christian’s cock. “My reputation must be slipping,” he said with a sly smirk. “If you don’t already know that’s what’ll happen, it looks like I’ll have to work a little harder.”

He leaned in as if to kiss Chris, but a sharp turn around a corner pitched him sideways so that his head came to rest on Christian’s shoulder. Chris waited for him to lift it up and finish what he started, but Trip seemed content to stay there, his eyes falling shut.

Christian tentatively touched Trip’s face, his fingers lingering on the smooth part of his cheek, just above his stubble. Trip smiled slightly, moving his face against Christian’s fingers. He was seized by the desire to scrape his lips across his cheek, testing the texture of his skin and of his stubble, tasting the sweat and the alcohol, moving lower to his mouth. Before Christian gave in to this impulse, he was thrown forward against the passenger seat as the cab came to an abrupt halt.

Bits and Pieces, Odds and Ends

First, Brindisi Bedfellows officially has a release date: August 20, 2007. The day I start school, coincidently enough. Book sales always help me ease my "back to school" sufferings.

Second, we submitted Seduction in Black and White. Several reviewers commented that they would like to know more about Gideon's past. Who was Mary? Why does he try to help people now? Etc etc. Well, Seduction in Black and White is all about...well, I'll show you the blurb.

History doesn’t always die. Sometimes, it lives on. Discovering it can be too seductive to resist.

A chance encounter on their first vacation in years introduces Jesse Madding to Marcus Brooker, a man who claims to have known the woman for whom vampire Gideon Keel abandoned his evil ways to fight for good. Though Jesse would rather get those answers from his lover, Gideon isn’t nearly as forthcoming. So Jesse pursues the truth the only way he thinks he can.

Gideon agreed to the New York trip, hoping for three weeks of pure pleasure with his human lovers.
Pleasure is not all they found

We're hoping for a December 2007 release.

I had a third thing to add to my list, but for the life of me, I don't remember it. Well, this wasn't it, but I'll tell you anyway. The next book in the Master series will be part of a Pax at Amber Quill, and it will be about Gideon and Mary. After that, we have another untitled novella and two novels, From Mask to Madness and Renaissance in Blood.

New Cover: Brindisi Bedfellows

We have received our cover for the Liquid Silver Books title Brindisi Bedfellows. I think it's rather stunning, done by the equally stunning April Martinez.

Sold: Brindisi Bedfellows

On May 25, 2007, the acquisitions editor at Liquid Silver Books formally offered us a contract for Brindisi Bedfellows. What is Brindisi Bedfellows you might ask? Well, about...gah, fifteen months ago, Vivien and I briefly discussed an idea about two guys giving a mutual lover the finger and going off on their own. We were eventually distracted by other bunnies, other characters, other glimmers of ideas. Fast-forward to April of this year. I was finishing up my spring semester of school. Vivien was on vacation in Los Angeles. So of course, that was a perfect time to decide we wanted to write a Molten Title for Liquid Silver Books, right?

Well, it seems to be, because we finished it inside two weeks. About a month after we submitted it, Liquid Silver offered a contract. I love a happy ending, don't you?

Getting dumped is never fun.

Getting dumped by your boyfriend on the eve of your first vacation in six years because he decides to reconcile with his ex-wife is agony.

Heartbroken Christian Davis is drowning his sorrows when his ex-lover’s best friend swoops in and throws his world into chaos. Trip Watson is gorgeous and gregarious and everything Chris doesn’t need right now. But none of that seems to matter when Trip finds out what Andrew did to him. Appalled by Andrew’s callous treatment, Trip announces the best way to get over the break-up – and to rub Andrew’s face in it – is to go to Italy as planned and spend the next three weeks having the time of his life. With Trip.

Mutual lust drives them together. Andrew could very well push them apart. Especially if the truth about Trip’s relationship with him ever comes to light.

Watch this space for more info!