New Release Day! Calender Boys--July: Vintage

This month we're releasing Vintage. I wanted to write a story about two older gentlemen--silver foxes, if you will. Because, let's face it, older gentlemen are hot. Just take a look at Patrick Stewart if you don't believe me.

Friends or lovers—or is it possible to be both?

For more than a decade, renowned chef Alain Tiessart has been married to his restaurant, driven to make it one of the finest in Paris. But time is slipping away. Lonely and ready for a change, he packs up his bags on one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year and drives into the French countryside.

Retired Brit Simon Hastings is prepared to spend Bastille Day as he always does—quietly and alone. When his oldest friend Alain arrives on his doorstep prepared to spend the next few days together, Simon is surprised but welcomes him in. He’s even more surprised when Alain suggests they move their relationship to a deeper one. Unwilling to jeopardize their friendship, Simon turns him down, a decision Alain accepts gracefully...

Until a friendly bet and an eager young man cast Alain in a new light. Now, Simon doesn’t know what he wants.

Or who...

Genres: Gay / Contemporary / Ménage (M/M/M) / Group Sex / Multicultural / Series
Heat Level: 3
Length: Novella (25k words)

And a never before seen excerpt

“No, I’m sure it won’t be. You’ll be utterly charmed by the shops. This is why I always walk to the village. Then I won’t be tempted to bring home more than I can carry.”

“Except now you have me to carry things for you.”

Simon smiled at him. “No, I’ll probably end up carrying things for you. Which is fine with me. I don’t mind being your faithful servant.”

“You say that now. But will you say as much if I ask for other sundries during my stay?”

“It depends on the other sundries, I suppose.”

Something about his tone made Alain pause. They hadn’t discussed the events of the previous night, even after they had occurred. Once the matter had been dropped, that was it. Now, he wondered if he was wrong to ignore it, but until Simon did or said something a tad more overt, he would remain wary of ruining what was already the best relationship he had.

“Oh, I wouldn’t ask anything I wouldn’t be more than happy to do in kind,” Alain teased. “Though Claude will likely tell you I’m a slave driver, so perhaps saying you’ll be my servant isn’t in your best interest.” He smiled and winked. “Even if it
is in mine.”

“I’ve seen the way you treat poor Claude. He’s right to call you a slave driver. But I don’t think you’d be quite so hard on me. For one thing, I suspect you like me more than you like Claude.”

Alain roared with laughter. “This is true. I can honestly say I’ve never propositioned Claude, or even entertained the thought. It would be like fucking one of those Ewoks.” He chortled at the image. “Those big eyes staring at me? I’d have to bend him over to even consider it.”

Simon snorted. “Well, thank you for introducing the image of you fucking an Ewok. That’s the sort of thing that could haunt my nightmares.”

“Then we’ll both be haunted. And I thoroughly blame you for it. You’re the one who put the thought in my head.”

“I wouldn’t have mentioned anything if I knew you were going to bring up Ewoks. And now the next time I go to Paris, I won’t be able to look at Claude without laughing.”

Alain waved it off. “Half of Paris already can’t look at Claude without laughing.
That’s why I keep him in the kitchen. Lucky for me, he’s a fantastic cook.”

“Have you ever propositioned any of your cooks? The ones who didn’t look like Ewoks?”

“Cooks? No. Waiters? Yes. Once.” Better to be honest. Simon would know if he was lying. “But in my defense, the boy wore pants to work that were painted on. A monk wouldn’t have been able to resist his cock.”

“And nobody’s ever confused you with a monk,” Simon said dryly.

“Exactly. I’m a man of carnal pleasures. Anyone who’s eaten at Rêver should know that.”

“True. The first meal I ever had at Rêver was the first one I could ever describe as truly sensual. I think that’s why I wanted to meet you.”

A car rumbled behind them, driving them off the road and onto the edge, out of its way in order for it to pass. Alain’s arm brushed against Simon’s, his skin firm and warm, and his body reacted automatically. He gritted his teeth. Did Simon even know what he did to a man? Did he have any idea just how appealing he really was?

“Lucky for me, you’re a man who can appreciate the truly sensual then. Which only proves my point. You wouldn’t have been able to resist Gilles either.”

“I might have been able to. I have excellent self-control if I have the proper motivation.”

His words from the night before drifted back, but Alain resisted the urge to remind Simon of them. No point in firming his resolve in that matter. In fact…

“How about a wager on that?”

Simon’s regular stride faltered for a moment, and then he was walking at the normal pace again. “What sort of wager?”

“I’ll find the most irresistible young man I can. Here or in one of the larger towns, perhaps. If you manage to resist him, I’ll cook every meal for you until I leave. And you’ll never have to pay for another meal at Rêver again. Is that motivation enough?”

“What if I can’t resist him?”

He hadn’t considered that. Simon seemed too proud of his restraint. “Then…” His mouth curved. “You promise to share him with me.”

And we already got a review from the lovely Elisa Rolle

The story is very interesting: two almost fifty years old friends who finally have the courage to admit that, if for so many years they manage to stay friends, when all the other men in their life disappear, maybe is since they have something more than friendship between them. But two "old" wolves are hard to lose their vices... Even if Simon seems the more steady and quite of the two, he is also a little grumpy, he is content with his quite country life and above all he fears to lose the only real friend he has: love could be a fleeting feeling, instead their friendship is very strong. But Alain has had a lot of time to re-think his life and he is sure that Simon is the right man for him, and his seductive powers are very good.

A very good story which manage to rebuild the right atmosphere of the lazy and wealthy life of a retired English business man in the lustful French countryside; it seems like you can savor the wines and the good foods Alain used to vow Simon, and you can also smell the flavor of their relationship; the setting is idyllic and the two characters really original.

Oodles of reviews

There have been a lot of reviews coming in the past few weeks, but we'll share them in pieces in order not to make your eyes blur, lol.

First up, Ley over at Joyfully Reviewed read and reviewed three different Jamie Craig titles...

Ley from Joyfully Reviewed reviews Out of the Storm...

I really enjoyed this book. Out Of The Storm was sweet, hot, sexy, and plain ol’ cute! Poor Nick was so disappointed and heartbroken, Jay was exactly what he needed to perk things up again. These two didn’t get off on the right foot when they first met, but a little bit of wine did the trick to get them to start opening up. Jay couldn’t resist Nick’s charm and Nick was a slave to Jay’s beautiful sexiness. I just loved these guys.

Ley at Joyfully Reviewed reviewed Corazon

As the story progresses, the chemistry and passion between the two become stronger and more desperate. It also becomes clear that Miguel and Mason’s relationship is nothing more than the need of companionship. Corazón fittingly touched my heart mostly because of Anton. He’s the big, strong silent type who only wants acceptance and love and luckily he finds it with Mason.

Ley at Joyfully Reviewed reviews Fortune's Honor...

This story is so great! I loved, loved, loved Clay, he is a beautiful and honorable man inside and out and Paige was made for him. Paige and Clay took time getting to know each other and the love blossomed naturally, of course neither one was looking for it or expecting it but that’s when you know it’s real. Fortune’s Honor is such a sweet and enjoyable story and I know many readers will just love it.

And a couple other Jamie Craig titles...

Pam from My Book Cravings gives Mosaic Moon 4 flowers...

Mosaic Moon is the third book in The Master Chronicles and the first that I have read. I was afraid that in a book containing continuing characters that I would be lost, but the story contains just enough back-story to allow readers unfamiliar with the previous books to follow the complex plotline. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book can easily be read as a stand alone and still be thoroughly enjoyed. It also includes a well thought out and plotted suspense portion revolving around the stealing of magical powers from a mage friend of Jesse’s. So along with love, passion and sex, the reader gets a nice dose of deceit, magic, suspense and grave robbing.

The relationship between Gideon and Jesse is enduring, devoted and happy, with lots of blistering hot sex, and with the addition of lovely Emma it just gets hotter. Through it all the men stay totally committed to each other, and their love. Some readers might be uncomfortable with the stronger sexually explicit scenes that involve BDSM, but within the content of the story and the relationship of the characters it seemed well done, believable and very erotic. Once these three get past their misunderstandings and fear, watch out!

Carmen at The Romance Studio gives Double Down 4 1/2 hearts...

I thought the author did a great job handling a potentially explosive situation. To say that I felt badly for their respective partners is an understatement as I would hate to be in their shoes, but Cass and Patrick had wonderful chemistry. At first, the main goal appeared to be sex, but I saw a progression in their relationship as they truly seemed to care about each other. Even though they were aware of the dangers of getting caught, they couldn't seem to stay away from each other. This was a fast paced and easy read and I was anxious to see where Patrick and Cass were headed. Do they get their happily ever after or do they suffer the consequences of their actions? I highly recommend reading Double Down to find out.

And finally, FAR gave my Ellora's Cave release its highest rating!

Missy at Fallen Angel Reviews gives As It Should Be 5 Angels and a Recommended Read...

Ms. Dean touched my heart, my soul and my very being with this inspirational story. I must admit that I’ve never read an erotic inspirational love story before but this one fits that bill. To be in Nora’s shoes, knowing that her husband that she loved with everything in her is back and she can tell him good-bye one more time means the world to her. This is something that I think we would all do if given the chance and this author captures that storyline perfectly. The time that the characters spend together is erotic and the love shines through in their behavior. This story is one of the most unforgettable ones that I’ve ever read, and after you read the love story between Nora and Marshall I’m sure that you’ll agree with me that it deserves to be a Recommended Read.

WIP Tuesdays

Title: Calendar Boys--August: Scorched
Publisher: Amber Allure
Length: 31K
Date Started: 5/29/08
Date Completed: 6/4/08
Summary: Fires are blazing across southern Utah, and Aaron Meyers, volunteer firefighter, knows he should be concentrating on the flames. Unfortunately, he's too distracted by former crush, and current New York City fireman, Xander Wescott. Xander returns to Utah to help battle the flames threatening his hometown. He remembers Aaron as the gangly kid who used to follow him around, and he's unprepared for just how much he wants to know the man Aaron has become. M/M content

Title: The Master Chronicles VII: A Renaissance in Blood
Publisher: Amber Allure
Length: 80,000 words
Words Completed: 43,340
Date Started: 3/29/08
Date Due: 6/30/08
Summary: Jesse Madding wakes up one morning to discover everything has changed and he is alone. The life he once had is over, and a new life must be forged, but only after he finds the vampire that makes life worth living. M/M content.

Title: 10,000 Kisses
Publisher: Targeting Kensington
Length: Full novel
Words Completed: 2,000
Date Started: 5/3/08
Date Due: No deadline
Summary: Macaulay Jensen and Wendy DeMartino come from two different worlds. He's alt-country and she's a hardcore rocker. Their chemistry and passion is undeniable, but their careers have always come first. If they want a shot together, they've got to learn how to break old habits. M/F, M/F/M content.

We also have the edits for Scorched and Stealing West, as well as the galleys for The Calendar Boys Vol II: April-June, which is the paperback collection getting released in July.

WIP Tuesdays

Title: Calendar Boys--August
Publisher: Amber Quill Allure
Length: 30-35K
Words Completed: 20,874
Date Started: 5/29/08
Date Due: ASAP
Summary: Fires are blazing across southern Utah, and Aaron Meyers knows he should be concentrating on the flames, but he's too distracted by former crush, and current New York City fireman, Xander Wescott. Xander returns to Utah to help battle the flames, side by side with Aaron, who is a volunteer firefighter. He remembers Aaron as the gangly kid who used to follow him around, and he's unprepared for just how much he wants to know the man Aaron has become.


Title: 10,000 Kisses
Publisher: Targeting Kensington
Length: Full novel
Words Completed: 2,000
Date Started: 5/3/08
Date Due: No deadline
Summary: Macaulay Jensen and Wendy DeMartino come from two different worlds. He's alt-country and she's a hardcore rocker. Their chemistry and passion is undeniable, but their careers have always come first. If they want a shot together, they've got to learn how to break old habits. M/F, M/F/M content.

New Release: Commencement

Andrew Parish has waited four years to tell Dr. Levi McCrea how he feels about him. Four years of sparring in his classroom. Four years of challenging the brilliant older man. Now, on the eve of graduating from UC Berkeley, he can’t wait any longer.

When his most provocative student shows up on his doorstep, Levi isn’t sure what to think, especially when Andrew asks him out on a date. The fact that Levi doesn’t go out with students, however, doesn’t dissuade Andrew. He simply vows to come back the next day after he has his diploma in hand.

After all, Andrew has waited four long years. One more day won’t matter...

And now a new excerpt:

The chair wasn’t big enough for both of them, but that didn’t stop Andrew from squirming against Levi’s lap. He felt the hard length of his cock immediately and smiled. “I’m guessing your paper can’t be a dissection of which room in your house is most conducive to fucking me, huh?”

“No, unfortunately.” Levi ran his fingers over the back of Andrew’s thighs. “Though at least now when thoughts of you drive me to distraction, I can do something about it.”

Andrew ran the tip of his tongue over Levi’s lower lip, breathing in his scent. “So you finally admit you wanted to fuck me all along. It’s about time.”

“You never really doubted it, did you?”

“No, but it’s always good to hear.”

He kissed him, slow and almost sweet. It shouldn’t have felt like the first time, but somehow, whenever they came back together after being apart for a day or two, kissing Levi always felt like the first time.

Levi opened to the kiss, his hand going to the back of Andrew’s neck. They kissed until Andrew was breathless, and even then, Levi didn’t release him. His lips were pliant and warm, his breath warm and a little sour. When Andrew finally lifted his head, Levi’s eyes were dark. “We shouldn’t be doing this in my office.”

Andrew’s mouth tilted. “Shouldn’t isn’t the same as won’t. Or don’t want to.” His fingertips roamed over Levi’s face as he drank him in. He loved being this close to him. He saw the history of the man’s life in every line. “The building’s deserted. No students. No faculty. No interruptions. It’s the perfect time to indulge in one or two of our fantasies.”

Levi skimmed his mouth over Andrew’s lips, and then his jaw. “Not that I’m making any promises about indulging, but which fantasies, exactly?”

He closed his eyes, drowning in the soft assault. “Oh, there’s the blowing you under the desk fantasy. And the blowing you on top of the desk fantasy. And the you fucking me on your desk fantasy.” He chuckled. “Maybe it’s not you I’m interested in. Clearly, it’s your desk I’m obsessed with.”

“It’s a good, solid desk. Worth being obsessed with.” He pulled at Andrew’s shirt, then caressed the exposed band of skin. “Tell me more about fucking you on my desk.”

“There’s not much to tell.” Tilting his head back gave Levi more room to taste. Andrew gripped his arms as each bite sent a new frisson down his spine. “You. Me. Pounding. Once, I dreamt that you had me cuffed to it to use as your fucktoy whenever the mood took you. Which, luckily for me, was often.”

Levi moaned, his breath fanning across Andrew’s throat. “And me without my cuffs. Do you have a condom?”

“Don’t leave home without it.”

“I always knew you were a smart boy.” Levi’s tongue moved up the column of his throat, and then he sought out Andrew’s mouth again. This kiss was much harder, his lips demanding, his teeth scraping against Andrew’s mouth. “I’ve got to admit. I’ve thought about bending you over the edge of my desk and fucking you until you can’t even remember my name.”

Andrew slipped a hand between their bodies to grip Levi’s erection. “I’d like to see you try. It would take a lot to make me forget anything about you.”

Levi gripped Andrew’s waist, lifting him to the desk as he stood from the chair. “I think I’d like to try that right now. Unless you have any objection to that?”

“Object to you in my ass?” He wriggled against his arousal, grinning when Levi
groaned. “I might be a brat, but I’m not stupid.”

Elisa Rolle has already posted her review of this one:

The story is not very long, 60 pages, but it is charming. Actually the story is good, the sex joyous and the characters nice, so nice that I'd like to read more. Andrew has a pull and push relationship with his parents, so it would be interesting to read how would they react if he brings home a older man that could be his father. Levi has two separate life: in and out the college; he never mingles this tow side of his life... why? does he have some hidden reason?

Andrew and Levi have just began a very promising relationship and they are in that phase in which they spend almost all the time together and alone, but they almost don't interact with the outside world. How will they be? How will Levi manage having a so young lover? What will be the reaction of his colleagues and friends? Does he have friends? Actually we read very few things about him and his life, he remains almost an intrigue.

So in the end the story is very good but it seems like a prequel of a very promising future longer novel.

Be sure to stay caught up on the Calendar Boy series! More information here.

Thursday 13: 13 WIPS

Vivien: Since 2008 is half over, and Pepper is done with her graduate program, we've been taking stock of our obligations and evaluating what we need to do versus what we want to do. So today, our Thursday Thirteen is all about the 13 stories we're going to write in the latter half of 2008.

1. August Calendar Boys story. We chose to do a monthly series for Amber Quill of gay novellas, called "Calendar Boys." The story we're just now starting - after a crazy weekend of oodles of editing - is August. Let's face it, nothing happens in August. So we went astrological. We've got a lion shapeshifter who's forced to take a virgin sacrifice on the cusp, only to discover that he doesn't want to kill this particular virgin.

Pepper: After we finish the August story, we're returning to the Master Chronicles. Book 7 is Renaissance in Blood and we already finished 30k before we were forced to take a break. I would provide a summary but I'm not sure how to do so without spoiling it. Suffice it to say, things are going to change for Jesse and Gideon.

Vivien: 3. It's back to the het after Renaissance. The AQ pax, "As You Like It," is all about fetishes, and we're submitting a story, An Innocent Proposition, about a voyeur and his virgin wife who discovers her exhibitionist side.

Pepper: 4. As soon as we finish An Innocent Proposition we must return to our Calendar Boys. September is about a Labor Day BBQ, and the single father who really hopes his hot neighbor could be interested in him as more than just a friend.

Vivien: 5. Then it's Book 8 of the Master Chronicles. This is slotted for an October 1 release, and marks the beginning of the end for us. The book is as yet untitled, and I can't reveal too much without spoiling 7 even more, but I can tell you it's going to be uber hot. And Gideon and Jesse get groupies!

Pepper: 6. Back to the Calendar Boys for the October Installment! We, uh, don't have a real bunny for this yet. We're thinking maybe a goofy Halloween story (since scary Halloween is so obvious). Or maybe a hunting trip at a lodge with a big fire? What else happens in Oct? Columbus Day? Yeah, it'll probably be a Halloween story.

Vivien: 7. Another Calendar Boy story, this time for November. Another one we haven't decided, lol. But we try to subvert major holidays, like the vampire Valentine's in February, so I imagine we'll end up doing something for Thanksgiving. Oh! Except Veteran's Day is in November, too. We could do something with ex-soldiers. That could be hot...

Pepper: Ex-soldiers WOULD be hot! 8. Is Book 9 of the Master Chronicles, as yet untitled. I would go into it, but honestly, the fact that we plan to end the series at book 9 depresses me too much. On the one hand, we don't want Jesse and Gideon to overstay their welcome. On the other hand, I'll miss Jesse so much! But we have a few surprises and tricks up our sleeves that I don't think anybody will expect.

Vivien: 9. Our last Calendar Boy story then. December. Will it be a bloody Christmas? A winter solstice that's hotter than it is cold? We're not likely to know until we get there...

Pepper: 10. AQP's "First Time Around" pax. This is just on the list of things to do we. We don't have an idea, or a title. The premise of the pax is that it is the first gay relationship of at least 1 character. I'm looking forward to writing a story about self-discovery and self-acceptance in the context of hot gay sex, but I think we're going to rue the fact that we only have 40K words to work with.

Vivien: 11. Those are our actual obligations out of the way. Which leaves us three slots of stories we choose to do just because we want to. Stories without homes at the moment. The first of those is 10,000 Kisses. We've actually already started this one, and have just over 2k so far. It takes characters we introduce in one of our summer releases and sees just what happens to them. Macaulay Jensen and Wendy DeMartino come from two different worlds. He's alt-country and she's a hardcore rocker. Their chemistry and passion is undeniable, but their careers have always come first. If they want a shot together, they've got to learn how to break old habits.

Pepper: 12. A story we simply call "Spence/Becca". Unfortunately, we don't have a title. We do, however, have 17,000 words. And for some reason, I really don't know why, I already have a blurb for it.

Spencer Cole risks his life every night on the backs of the world’s most dangerous bulls, and that’s the way he likes it. A rising star on the professional rodeo circuit, he is poised to be one of the most elite bull riders in America. Until he sustains a devastating injury—a concussion that brings his future as a bull rider into sharp question, and a torn shoulder that requires major surgery. He is forced to turn to the only friend he has in town, Rebecca Rankin.

Rebecca’s annual trysts with Spencer Cole are the high point of her Independence Day Celebration, but it never occurs to her to seek out from their relationship. And she is not prepared to be thrust into the role of nurse-maid for a bitter, angry cowboy. She is obliged to put her own blossoming career as a photographer on hold, but vows it will just be until Spencer can take care of himself—or hire a real nurse to take care of him

Spencer and Rebecca have always shared a strong attraction, but their thin emotional bond is almost destroyed by Spencer’s fear and anger. They gradually rebuild it as Rebecca shows Spencer that his life didn’t end when his career did.

Vivien: 13. There's a lot of possibilities for this last spot, but since Pepper and I hate to have stories started and languishing on our computers - which thankfully doesn't happen too often - there's only one other that we need to finish in order to wipe that clean. It's a story we actually started nearly a year ago for the vampire pax sold at AQ this past January. It's called Runaway Red and we hit 7k on it and realized it was going to be longer than 40k. That's what happened with Spence and Rebecca, too. The stories we started for pax commitments announced they wouldn't be satisfied with just 40k and so we had to temporarily shelve them. But this one is about a female vampire on the run, and the antiquities shop owner she kidnaps to help her. Hot, hot, hot, and I'm sure they'll appreciate us getting back to them.

Happy Cinco De Mayo! New Release--Corazón

The fifth of May is the single date that could change the course of one man’s life.

Mason Ritter does not want to go to Puebla, Mexico, with his long-time boyfriend, Miguel. He claims he does not want to deal with the hassle of traveling from San Antonio to Puebla. He doesn’t like the way Miguel pretends Mason is just his good friend when they’re around Miguel’s father. He doesn’t want to take the time off work...

But in reality, Mason has only one reason to avoid the Cinco de Mayo fiesta in Puebla—Anton Rocha.

Anton Rocha is engaged to Miguel’s sister, Pedra. Anton Rocha is off-limits. Anton Rocha is also the most desirable, intoxicating man Mason has ever met. And before the end of the fiesta, Mason is in serious danger of losing his heart...

I know the issue of cheating and adulterous relationships is a sore point for some people. Our other books that have featured one or two cheating people have gotten mixed reviews, to say the least. So if you're wary of reading Corazón see what Elisa Rolle had to say.

Can I rename this book "How to pick up two unlikeable characters and make you like them"? Yes, cause in Corazon, we have not one but two cheating man, a thing I find almost unforgivable in a man, and one of the two is also unrepentant, cause he justifies the cheating since he doesn't love his current partner...

In the end I supported Mason and Anton. I still felt a little sad for Miguel (not so more for Petra), but between Mason and Miguel there wasn't the real love that there is with Anton.

And now, a never-before-seen-excerpt

“The other night. At the pool. I saw what you said.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Having you here lets me pretend.”

The part of Mason that hadn’t given itself over to this newfound masochism encouraged him to just let the subject drop. But he couldn’t.

“I thought we agreed to pretend the wish wasn’t there at all.”

“We did. Out there.” Anton tested his work before setting down the screwdriver and turning around to lean against the edge of the workbench. “It’s easier to pretend the other way when we’re in here. Every time I come in here, I think about kissing you.”

“I was pretending at the pool. That it was just the two of us.”

“I know.” Unsmiling, Anton lifted a careful hand to trace the line of Mason’s damp collar on his T-shirt, his rough fingertip just barely touching his bare skin. “So was I.”

“Tell me you’re tired of pretending, too.” Mason swayed forward slightly, trying to encourage more contact. “Or let’s pretend a different game right now.”

“A different game?” His warm breath came with warmer touches. “Like what?”

“We’ll start small. Maybe we can pretend it’s okay to finally kiss you like I’ve been dying to do since the moment I arrived in Puebla.”

“That wouldn’t be right.” Maybe not, but Anton slid his fingers around Mason’s neck anyway, the tender caresses enough to make his chest tighten. “We have others.”

“I know.” Emboldened by Anton’s light touch, he rested his hand on Anton’s hip. He could taste Anton already, the memory of their first kiss in the shed a physical presence between them. “Does…anybody usually bother you in here?”

“Only you. But then you bother my thoughts everywhere I am.”

If there had been a serious risk of somebody barging in on them, Mason might have released Anton and stepped back. But there wasn’t a serious risk, and his body ached. He knew without a doubt that the only thing to relieve this ache would be to finally give in and kiss Anton.

“You’ve consumed mine,” Mason murmured, tilting his head. “Completely.”

And then their lips were finally touching. Anton felt just like he had remembered. The first brush of contact was like a fist to his chest. He lost his breath, but instead of pulling away to gasp for more, he tried to steal Anton’s.

He had an inch on Anton in height, but the other man’s broader shoulders, his wider hands made Mason feel like he was being surrounded. The feeling was exacerbated when Anton slid his arm around the small of his back, circling him into an embrace that was as overwhelming as it was gentle. Anton never tried to hurry the caress. His lips remained soft and exploratory, barely parted as they learned each other’s shape again. But it was the way they quivered, the smallest of oscillations, that betrayed how deeply Anton’s desire ran.

“I can pretend there is only you when we’re in here,” Anton breathed in between kisses. “I don’t know why.”

“Just don’t stop pretending,” Mason pleaded, his tongue nudging Anton’s lips. “Not yet.”

He barely had a chance to finish speaking before the kiss deepened again. Mason didn’t have to pretend there was only Anton. As soon as they touched, everything outside the shed’s four walls fell away. He knew this would end, that these moments were fleeting and probably wouldn’t be captured again. He committed each second to memory—the taste of Anton’s mouth, the texture of his lips, the sound of his moans, and the way each moan rolled down Mason’s spine, making him shake.

Find out more information here.

News roundup

New reviews! Woo hoo!

Lisabea and Sula posted a very fun and interesting dueling and (dual!) review for Master of Obsidian. Go check it out. Also, we're answering questions in the comments, so go participate in the discussion.

Mystical Nymph at Literary Nymphs reviewed our March Calendar Boys story, Kiss Me, and gave it 4 nymphs:

The writing team that makes up Jamie Craig has crafted a tender and well plotted romance with March: Kiss Me that’s perfect for an afternoon read. It’s well written with two main characters that are not only interesting and well-rounded but likable. Mal and Alejandro are perfect together, even if they are both more than a little apprehensive about starting a relationship. Mal is afraid that he wouldn’t measure up physically and Alejandro just wants to be a normal guy…one who has a boyfriend willing to stay home and cuddle with him. While he might make his living in front of a camera that doesn’t mean he likes being on display when not working. I also loved that Alejandro was jealous and possessive of the plainer looking Mal, making certain that others knew he was taken. If these two guys can get over a few minor misunderstandings, they have a good chance at long term happiness, and I wish them well.

Book Fetish gave Chasing Silver 4 stars and said:

Very good, and very frequent, sex scenes. If this novel wasn’t so predominantly set in the sci-fi genre, I would have thought it a good candidate for the paranormal romance genre. It's a quick read with a fast moving story-line. Issac’s character is very well written, the perfectly protective best friend and ex-partner, current cop … just the right mix of support and suspicion.

New Release: Out of the Storm

This is the fourth in our Calendar Boys series. April, believe it or not, is a difficult month to fit into our theme! And then Vivien remembered that simple rhyme April showers bring May flowers. Unfortunately, in Utah, April showers means "April snow showers" so we didn't set the story in Utah!

When it rains, it pours...

Television weatherman Nick Lau’s romantic weekend with his boyfriend, Austin, ends in disaster before it even has the chance to begin. Austin dumps him and leaves their cabin just as the heavens open, and soon, the mountain is awash in dangerous flash floods.

Park ranger Jay Archer just wants to escort the tourists off the mountain and to safety. But instead, he finds himself stranded in a small cabin with the very attractive Nick Lau. He seeks sanctuary with Nick, who returns the favor by seeking a different kind of sanctuary in Jay’s arms.

And now, as per usual, a never before posted excerpt.

The first thing Jay had become aware of earlier that morning was how warm Nick’s body was pressed against his. The second thing was the ache in his groin. He couldn’t remember the last time he woke up next to somebody so unsatisfied. The worst part was, Nick probably would have let Jay fuck him, if he had tried. But Jay had a little more self-respect than to force himself onto a heart-broken, drunk, confused, needy stranger.

With that in mind, he did his level best to keep his distance from Nick throughout the day. Even so, it was one of the best days Jay had spent in recent memory. Well, one of the best days he spent indoors, with another person. He liked watching movies with Nick. He loved eating dinner with Nick. And as their flirtation intensified, he remembered the way he had felt that morning. Hard. Throbbing. Hungry for more contact. Cold everywhere Nick wasn’t touching him, and scorched everywhere they had contact.

Now that Nick was sober, he didn’t mind kissing him until they were both winded, and Nick’s arousal was pressed against his thigh. He pulled Nick towards the loft, and when the other man didn’t resist at all, his mouth ran dry. But when they reached the top of the ladder, Jay hesitated. He didn’t know if Nick wanted to be in charge, or if Jay should take the upper-hand. And it seemed very important that Nick get exactly what he wanted—and what he needed—out of their time together.

“What’s wrong?” The fingers they had entwined loosened slightly, and Nick’s dark eyes were solemn where they tilted up at him. “If you’re changing your mind…”

“I’m not changing my mind. I just…” Jay studied Nick’s face in the shadows. They hadn’t bothered turning on the light, and the rain made the evening artificially dark. He didn’t think there was any point in explaining himself, or asking for help. Instead of speaking, he took Nick by the shoulders and slammed his mouth against Nick’s, kissing him with more force than he had used before.

Nick whimpered, but rather than pull away, his arms locked around Jay’s back. His tongue answered every assault, and he invited even more by biting at Jay’s lips. Everything about him was deceptive. In spite of his slighter frame, there was a wiry strength in his body as he latched onto Jay, kneading the muscles in his back, grinding against his thigh.

“Thank God,” he breathed when Jay finally let his mouth go. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how good you felt this morning.”

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, either.” Jay pushed him back to the bed, and wished he had more hands. Besides his own sharp desire, he remembered how smooth Nick’s skin was, how it had warmed him. He remembered how well Nick’s body fit against his. But if he wanted to feel Nick’s skin, Jay would have to release him, and he wasn’t ready for that. “I didn’t even want to let you out of bed this morning.”

“So let’s get back in it.”

Nick leaned back, redistributing his weight so that they toppled onto the blankets. Jay grunted as he landed atop him, but Nick’s attack at the sinew of his neck, biting and licking at the tense muscles, erasing any sense of worry. Moaning, he tilted his head to give Nick more room to explore, his eyes drifting shut as sparks shot down his spine.

Nick wasn’t the sort of person Jay typically found attractive. He liked larger guys. Guys who didn’t look like they were carefully groomed and prepared to be on television every night. But as Nick used his teeth and fingernails on his skin, finding sensitive spots to agitate and sooth, Jay realized he was never going to look at potential partners the same way again. Because there wasn’t anything about Nick that didn’t feel amazing.

Follow the link for more info!

News roundup

Since we have new releases, we'll be talking about those on Monday, which makes today all about our good news from the past week.

Romantic Times reviewed Mosaic Moon in its May issue and gave it 4 1/2 stars:

Vivien Dean and Pepper Espinoza, writing as Craig, bring back all the dark magic, passion and hardcore sex that readers expect in The Masters Chronicles series. There's a good mystery, but the best part of the story is the erotic and sensual relationship between Jesse and his vampire lover, Gideon. The addition of a woman to the mix only heats it up more. BDSM, torture, blood play, M/M and M/F/M sex scenes may make some readers uncomfortable, but those who enjoy dark sensuality will be enthralled. --—Gail Pruszkowski

But the bounty doesn't stop there. At Joyfully Reviewed, Lisa reviewed our February Calendar Boys story, Mine, and made it a recommended read!

February: Mine is a scorching hot slice of m/m BDSM heaven. Talented author Jamie Craig once again gives readers another sure-fire winner with February: Mine, a part of the Calendar Boys series, and a stand-alone hit. Fast paced, great characters and blistering hot sexual encounters made me glad it’s winter because you need cold temperatures to cool off after reading February: Mine. This may be too explicit for some but for those who enjoy a powerful m/m BDSM story February: Mine is definitely for you, plus I would love to hear more from Erik and Joel, please. I joyfully recommend February: Mine a hot hit!

The comments to our post the other day about what readers might want have made us do a lot of thinking, but one idea jumped out as soon both Pepper and I saw it. Maggie mentioned a character blog that another author does, and we knew right away we had to try this.

So now, Jesse Madding from The Master Chronicles is officially on MySpace! Go over and friend him, leave a comment, interact to your heart's content. We want this to be fun for all of us.

News roundup

With Pepper under the weather and then trying to catch up this week, we didn't get a lot of writing done. We were, however, blessed with a lot of wonderful reviews.

At the Advent of Dusk received 5 nymphs from Literary Nymph Reviews:

Two different worlds met, merged and made me melt in The Advent of Dusk. The pull between Gideon and Mary conjured up so many emotions I am still reading their story in my head. I love the fact that you see Gideon wrestling between doing what is right and what he feels compelled to do as a vampire. Mary is the kind of character who is hard enough to be viewed as a leader, but still soft enough to represent every woman. Thank you Craig for the passionate trip into your world. Now that I’m here, I plan to apply for residency.

Speaking of Literary Nymphs, they also reviewed a couple other stories, including Mine. Mystical Nymph gave it 4.5 nymphs, and said:

This novella is only 60 pages, but the author has packed a great deal of story into its length, making it a fast paced and enthralling read. At first I wasn’t certain that I cared much for Erik’s character, but I wasn’t long into the book before I understood why he was acting as he was, and I was racing to the end to see what happened next. This vampire has more than enough bad-boy attitude to scare a smart man into running in the other direction…and obviously Travis isn’t as smart as he thinks he is, or he wouldn’t have tried to drug Erik. Erik is willing to do whatever it takes to remove the man he loves from a position of submission and take him back to their home and in doing so will gladly kill Travis.

Joel isn’t much of main character in the first portion of the story. He’s more of a prop that has sexual acts forced on him. It’s only after Erik starts to bleed and feed him, that he returns more to his normal self and the reader sees what kind of a ‘vampire’ he really is. This is the point where he shares equally in the story with Erik, and when their true partnership and love comes to light.

There’s an interesting twist with Travis’s personality at the end which leads to a totally unexpected conclusion regarding his fate that I truly appreciated.

Then, there's the 4 nymphs review I got for Ruby Red Rebels:

I loved the twist of having a vampire peacekeeper as our story’s hero, and the level of personal integrity that he had. This guy is sizzling hot and when he and Serena get together, the sparks fly. He wants her, he needs her and if the only way he can have her is to keep his fangs to himself…them our boy is willing to not bite and tell. I also thought that the idea of having loan sharks that were actually vampires to be rather unique and interesting, especially when Serena and Max used them against Ruby in their quest for the bracelet. That part was pure genius. The secondary characters such as Serena’s father and cousin were few and far between, but adding them in as background information during conversation, still added another level to the story keeping it from being flat and boring.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced and well-plotted story and the witty bantering dialogue between Serena and Max was so much fun that I often found myself chuckling as I raced from page to page. These two are good together and if they can get past some incorrect perceptions, they just might have a chance at long term happiness.

And finally, our first review for March: Kiss Me from Elisa Rolle:

It's obvious that the main character of this story is Alejandro: he is the object of Mal's fantasies and the director of their story, but also Mal has a very lovely role; Mal accepts Alejandro for what he is, and don't put a tantrum when Alejandro has to do his work: in the end it's only sex, and what they have together could be love...

A very interesting story, I loved to read of Alejandro and how he faces his day-to-day "work"; don't know if it's a realistic attitude, and problaby the porn movie market is not so nice and "clear", but nevertheless, Alejandro is a quite original character, and I feel his moves and actions enough "realistic".

New Releases

First of all, Pepper has been flattened by the flu, hence the reason why she didn't post yesterday. Please think happy, healing thoughts that she gets better soon!

Secondly, we had two new releases this weekend! The latest installment to The Master Chronicles, Chaos & Communion, is now available.

Stopping a murder that happened forty years earlier may be the only way to heal a tortured mind...

Six months after Jesse Madding is brutally tortured by Marcus Brooker, he is still experiencing flashbacks, panic attacks, and jumping at his own shadow. His lovers, Gideon Keel and Emma Coolidge, would do anything to help him, but Jesse cannot tolerate the thought of being alone, and refuses to be hospitalized for treatment. Desperate for a change, Gideon and Emma suggest a radical solution.

Jesse wants to fix his life. More than anything, he wants to be normal again. He doesn't want to live in fear. He doesn't want to be ashamed of his scarred and mutilated body. He doesn't want to shy away from Gideon's touch. Certain that the holding pattern will kill him, he agrees to Gideon and Emma's proposed solution: travel to an alternative dimension and save Marcus Brooker from witnessing Mary's grisly murder...in order to save Brooker's soul.

EXCERPT

...Hoping that the door would be locked—though not knowing why a church would be locked at all—he marched up the steps. But the knob turned easily in his hand, and he slipped out of the noon sun and into the church’s cool recesses, the door shutting softly behind him. At first, he thought he was alone, but as his eyes began to adjust, he saw the figure of a woman standing near the altar.

Though her back was to him and he’d only had the picture in his possession for a few days, Jesse would have recognized Mary Straughn anywhere. She haunted his nightmares, the specter of everything that had gone wrong and everything that could have been. The sole reason he had the life he had. But the picture hadn’t prepared him for how dark and smooth her skin really was, or the fact that she was nearly as tall as him, or how penetrating her eyes were when she glanced back to notice him, frozen in the entry.

“Hello. Can I help you with something?”

“No…I…I was just…” He hadn’t been prepared to meet her now, and his brain refused to supply any sort of adequate response. He didn’t know if he wanted to hate her or love her. Somehow, the thought of hating her seemed blasphemous. “I didn’t mean to…bother you.”

Something in her face softened, but it didn’t lessen the force of her gaze. “I’ll only be bothered if I scare you off.” She stepped down into the aisle, her hand outstretched. “I’m Mary.”

Jesse took her hand politely, and was immediately struck by the warmth of her smooth skin, the firmness of her grip. He knew he needed to pull himself together and begin behaving like a civilized person, but all he could think was I’m shaking hands with a dead woman.

But she wasn’t dead. And she wouldn’t be. At least, not that night.

“I’m Jesse.” Suddenly, the details of the cover story he planned to tell came back to him. “I’m new to town, and I’m looking for a new church. A few friends suggested I come here.”

A smile curved her wide mouth. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, but it made her even more arresting. It reflected sincerity and intelligence, an even better welcome than her greeting.

“It’s good to know the word is spreading,” she said. “I’m probably biased, but I don’t think you’ll find a better place to call home than right here.”

Jesse looked around the building for the first time. It was smaller than he expected. He imagined the pews full of people, tried to imagine Gideon shouldering his way in and terrorizing them just because he could.

“It looks like a fine place to call home. When is the next meeting?”

“Tonight. Who’re your friends? Maybe I know them.”

“Michelle.” It was the only name that occurred to him, though he wasn’t even sure Mary would know her. “Michelle. She owns a bookstore.”

But Mary nodded, like Michelle referred people to her church every day of the week. “Meetings usually start at seven, but if you’d rather not have to come after sunset, Pastor Brooker always opens the doors early. He’s here, if you’d like to meet him.” Before Jesse could stop her, Mary turned and called for him, her voice filling the small space.

Before the other man even stepped into the room, Jesse knew he couldn’t deal with this. He wished Emma were there. He wanted Gideon. Brooker’s not the same. He’s not the same man. And he believed that. He believed the man who acted as pastor in this church wouldn’t harm him. But the past six months hadn’t been dictated by logic, by what he believed. The past six months had been dictated by the physical memory of violation. A memory that seeped into flesh and went to his bones.

Marcus stepped out of the rectory, smiling pleasantly. But it was the same face. And Marcus had smiled at him often. Why shouldn’t he? He had thoroughly enjoyed every second of the torture. Everything went cold.

The greeting died on Brooker’s lips as concern darkened his tawny eyes. His gaze flickered to Mary, who turned back to see the perspiration beading on Jesse’s forehead, the way all the color had suddenly leeched from his skin.

“Are you all right?” she asked. She stepped forward and took his arm without waiting for an answer, her grip surprisingly strong as she guided him into a pew. “Put your head between your knees. You look like you’re going to be sick.”

He was going to be sick. Please, no, not here. Not here. Please. But his silent prayer evaporated as the first wave of images crashed over him..

~~~~~~~

Our second release is the March installment of our Calendar Boys series, Kiss Me.

Can a gay porn star find love reflected in Irish eyes?

As a freelance photographer, Mal Donnelly is a complete professional, and doesn’t bat a lash at any assignment. Even the special St. Patrick’s Day photo-shoot on the set of a gay pornographic film. But just the sight of the film’s star, Alejandro Marroquin, is enough to turn him into a tongue-tied fool. When Alejandro asks him to dinner, Mal knows it truly is his lucky day.

Alejandro doesn’t date. With his career, it is difficult to have any sort of real relationship. But Mal, the soft-spoken, talented photographer, had captivated Alejandro from the moment they met six months prior to the St. Patrick’s Day shoot. Still covered in green paint from the photo-shoot, he gathers up his courage and asks Mal to dinner. Alejandro can only hope that their mutual desire will overcome the obstacle of his career. After all, it isn’t easy being with the hottest porn star in town...

EXCERPT

...“So I like nice things.” He set down his glass and edged a little closer. “Why does that mean I can’t like the way you smile? Or notice how strong your hands are?” Before Mal could protest, Alejandro reached out and captured the one not holding the wine. He spread the fingers out, then caressed the back of them, lingering for a moment on the firm knuckles. “You sell yourself short. I would never have asked you out if I didn’t want to spend time with you.”

Mal watched Alejandro’s fingers as they continued to move across the back of his hand. “I can’t help but believe you when you touch me like that.”

“I guess that means I shouldn’t stop, or you’ll walk out on our date.”

“I don’t think I’ll walk out, but maybe it’s best not to risk it.”

With a smile, Alejandro laced their fingers together, dropping their hands to rest between them. “It’ll be awfully hard to drive like this,” he teased.

“I have an automatic. I can drive with one hand. But…if you’re worried about my ability to drive like this, I don’t mind staying in.”

Bonita was expecting them, but after all his nervous calls to her that day, he didn’t think she would be surprised if he didn’t show up. And he rather liked the idea of having a quiet night in. It told him a lot about Mal; it said he wasn’t interested in parading Alejandro like a trophy.

“I think I’d like that,” Mal said softly. “A lot. Not that I’m not looking forward to eating at Bonita’s. I am. But…” He brought their linked hands up to his face and brushed his lips across Alejandro’s knuckles. “I’d like to keep you to myself, too.”

His cock jerked at the slight contact. “You know, if you brought that poetry, I’m pretty much a goner here.”

“Damn. I left the poetry and the portfolio at home.” He kept his mouth close to Alejandro’s hand, letting his lips brush against the skin as he spoke. “Do you do anything like that? Anything creative?”

His answer came automatically, though his gaze was riveted by the sight of Mal’s lips on his skin. “I draw a little bit, but nothing serious.”

“What do you draw?” Mal’s breath was impossibly warm. “People? Still life? Landscapes?”

“People. Parts of them, at least. Hands. Ears. Mouths.” He had to swallow. His throat had never felt so dry before. “I’m not good at putting them all together.”

Mal’s mouth traveled farther down Alejandro’s hand. “When I first started taking photos, I stuck with pictures of my dog, Sparky. I think he was the most photographed dog of all time.” He slid over on the couch, closing the inches between them. “Can I see your sketches…later?”

On a set, it would have been the perfect segue into sex, and Alejandro would have dropped to his knees, pulled out the guy’s package, and gone to town.

This wasn’t a set. But that didn’t mean every inch of him wasn’t aching to climb between Mal’s legs and devour everywhere his mouth could reach.

He settled for lifting his free hand and skimming a fingertip across Mal’s lower lip. “I’m really not very good,” he repeated.

Mal caught his finger between his lips, and his tongue darted out to lick the tip before he released him. He set his glass of wine on the coffee table, then ran his free hand up Alejandro’s arm. “Trust me. Nothing you draw can be worse than Sparky: A Study in Black and White, Part Two. But if you’d rather not, I’ll understand.”

He would, too. That was part of what Alejandro liked about Mal. That, and the sinuous glide of his palm over Alejandro’s biceps. Even though his shirt was lightweight, beads of sweat were already beginning to drip down the back of his collar, made worse by the obvious bulge in Mal’s crotch. He felt like he was going to jump out of his own skin, and all Mal had done was touch him. What would it be like if they were in bed? Skin to skin. Cock to cock. His legs wrapped around Mal’s hips as Mal slowly pumped in and out of his ass.

He shuddered at the imagery. The darkening of Mal’s eyes said that the tremor had not gone unnoticed.

“We should probably order some dinner, if we’re going to stay in,” Alejandro said in a vain attempt to regain control.

Mal nodded, though he didn’t release Alejandro’s hand right away, and Alejandro didn’t really want him to. “Are you in the mood for anything in particular?”

You...


For more information on both titles, visit Amber Allure.

Saturday's News Roundup

ETA: Amber Quill's best sellers for February were posted today. Calendar Boys--February: Mine was number 6 for the month, and A Little Bit Bewitched was number 3! WOO!

Some good reviews this week. It's an embarrassment of riches.

First, Ms. Vivien got a 4 Angel review from FAR for her Ruby Red Rebels.

Ruby Red Rebels by Vivian (sic) Dean has two of my favorite things, vampires and cowboys! Max is both and he is a sexy and charming hero. He proves that vampires don’t need to be dark and brooding. Every scene with him makes me smile and wish I had him all for myself. Serena is a plus to the story as well. She is a strong character who doesn’t wait around to be rescued. She dives right in to help out, and once she gets over her distrust of vampires, she takes what she wants with Max. These are two characters I would love to learn more about, and I definitely want to explore the world Vivian (sic) Dean has created.

Speaking of vampires, At the Advent of Dusk got a 4 Star review from JERR.

Reviewer: Suni Farrar
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Heat level: H

The year was 1952 and a vampire by the name of Gideon Keel ran Chicago. Humans and vampires alike quaked in his presence, all except for one. Mary Straugh was a charismatic and rebellious young woman. She needed help finding the vampires that killed two young girls who belonged to her church. If she had the get that help from another vampire, then so be it. She was not afraid of Gideon and one night with him would not kill her . . . at least she hoped it did not.

I had the honor of reviewing the first novel in this great series, Master of Obsidian, and I must say that At The Advent of Dusk lived up to the high standards set by the original. I would venture to say that At The Advent of Dusk was not as dark as its predecessor was, but it did have its moments. Take for instance the opening line of the novel. I have read nothing more powerful and depraved. Gideon remained a contradiction throughout the tale. One instance he was a blood hungry vampire without many morals. The next moment he would care and protect Mary with his whole heart.

It was something about her that brought out the gentleness in Gideon. She was one human that he did not see as food. It could have had something to do with her gumption but Mary was not a fragile woman. She fought for what she believed in and Gideon respected her for that. The magnetism between the lead characters combined with the dark plot sent the sexual tension soaring. I read the story straight through and then headed upstairs. Luckily, for me the pages went by quickly. I adored At The Advent of Dusk. Brava, Ms. Craig.

Trinity Broken got some love from RRTErotic

A provocative tale about being true to yourself, and the ones you love, TRINITY BROKEN is an intense and complex romance. The characters are written with such depth that at times I felt like I was intruding on their most intimate moments as all three struggle to become the loving, happy family they were before all this madness entered their lives. They all suffer from their fractured relationship, and Jamie Craig's book is a journey of rediscovery as Cam, Sara and Josh search not only for those who mutilated Sara, but for the one thing that can bring them back together. The only quibble I had is that this story starts off in the present, with flashbacks to much more carefree times sprinkled within chapters, which became a bit confusing at times.

There are parts of the story that are pretty graphic, not only with violence, but with the sex scenes as well, which involved all three parties, or just Cam and Josh. But if you're looking for something a bit darker, a bit more raw, then TRINITY BROKEN is perfect.

Courtney Michelle

And last, but not least, Fresh Fiction reviewed Chasing Silver.

Jamie Craig has written a heart thumping tale with evil villains and a time travel romance where the sex between Nathan and Remy is beyond hot. These two are attracted to each other right away and that doesn't stop them from acting on their feelings for each other. Even though a future between them may not be possible, they grab what happiness whenever they can. CHASING SILVER has excellent written chase scenes along with mind numbing fights. Nathan is one incredible and sexy hero who won't back down from getting what he wants and protecting those around him. Remy in turn may act tough, but she is soft when she needs to be, and that means when she is with Nathan.

Kristen is the worst kind of villain, a very amoral character who will kill without any reason. Remy is the total opposite of her but she has a sharp mind and will try her best to come on top. Isaac also rounds out the good guys with his wit and observations. For anyone who likes stories that will keep them on the edge of their seat, CHASING SILVER is the one to read.

We also finished up the fifth book in our Calendar Boys series. May's Corazón. Corazón is Spanish for heart, and I think this might be our most complex novella yet for the series. It's certainly the longest, at over 30K.

Next up, our novella Time In a Bottle. I'm excited about this one. It's an insert for the Master Chronicles. Jesse is hopping dimensions again, but with a much different purpose!

Inspirations - Kiss Me

This weekend, our March Calendar Boys story comes out. It's about a photographer who gets asked out on a date by the gay porn star he's had a crush on for months. "Kiss me, I'm Irish" takes on a whole new meaning when your date kisses guys for a living.

Now, I would show you pictures of Mal, our photographer, but, um...I don't have any. Pepper settled on what this guy looks like, and I don't know the name of the actor she used as a base. I know he has red hair and puppy dog brown eyes, though, because those are two things my character, Alejandro, loved about him.

So I'm going to flood you with pictures of the guy who was the base for Alejandro, our gay porn star. Thankfully, he has a lot of pictures online because he's actually a model in real life. His name is Patrick Ribbsaeter, and yes, I know he's not Hispanic. He was just the base I took inspiration from. But he's so damn easy on the eyes that I'll share a few of my favorite pictures:

I think of this as his, "Come on, I dare you" look...


And this is his, "Come hither," look...


And see! I even love how he looks in clothes!


And to prove it's not all about the hair...

New Release: Mine

The second novella in our Calendar Boys series is Mine. I'm really glad this novella is the second in our series, because I think it's a strong contrast to Miami's Perfect Weekend and really shows what we're trying to do with this series. Unlike the first book, it's about vampires. It's dark. It's got BDSM, slaves, pets, and more. Oh yeah, and it's really hot.

Vampire Erik Haden has been tracking hunter Travis Canavan for weeks, watching him, learning his every move. On the eve before Valentine’s Day, the hunt is over.

Within the walls of BDSM club, Bound, Erik approaches Travis and makes an offer he can’t refuse. All he wants is one night with both Travis and the exotic male pet he leads around on a leash, a beautiful tattooed vampire that captivates Erik at first sight.

At least...that’s all Travis thinks he wants...

Genres: Gay / Dark Fantasy / Vampire / BDSM / Ménage (M/M/M) / Group Sex / Exhibitionism / Public Places / Series

And here's an excerpt you won't see anywhere else.

He had thought Erik was riveting at Bound, but here, under the softer illumination of his home, the vampire was even more arresting. Blond hair mussed into a deliberate windswept look, a wide brow with gray-blue eyes that bored right through you beneath it, an aquiline nose above a mouth that was downright sinful. He was powerfully built, the thin weave of his sweater highlighting rather than hiding his muscled arms and chest, and he stood as tall as Travis at six-four.

Travis's gaze swept downward. There it was. The thick cock clearly outlined in the worn jeans. If he fucked Joel without stretching him first as he'd hinted at Bound, he'd tear the pet's hole. The thought of blood dripping down the back of Joel's thighs made Travis's mouth dry.

"I half-expected you to answer with your cock buried in his throat again," Erik said with a wry smile. "I'm not sure I'd be able to resist if I were you."

"If you had been a few minutes later, that's exactly how I would have answered. Come in." He pushed the door wide and allowed Erik to enter. "It's your show tonight." He gestured to the dungeon, and then to the bedroom.

Erik stopped at the pet's side, dropping his hand to the top of Joel's head and absently stroking the dark hair. "Maybe we'll start with some discipline. I'd love to see how you got him so well-trained."

Travis nodded. There were many, many reasons to keep a vampire for a pet, but Travis's favorite was how well vampires could take punishment. They could take whatever he dished out, and were always fully healed and ready for more within a day or two.

He led the pet back into the dungeon and over to the bench Travis had designed and built himself. It had a bar in the middle for the pet to lean over, putting his ass in the air. Another bar at the front was the right height to hold his throat and head steady. The bench was made of two parallel bars, and there were chains in place to hold down the pet's legs and arms. It gave Travis perfect access to any part of the pet's body he wanted to reach.

"Up."

There was just enough slack in the leash for Joel to climb into place without Travis having to move to accommodate him. The bench was adjustable, but it had been set for Joel's slighter build for months now. None of his other pets interested him enough to bother with adjusting it. Settling his ankles and wrists directly in place, Joel lowered his head in mute compliance, waiting to get chained in.

Erik slowly circled the bench. The hunger was back in the vampire's eyes, and more than once he licked his lips. He paused behind Joel and reached out to stroke a strong flank.

"I have to fuck him soon," he mused. "You two are one up on me for orgasms already."

"You should warm him up first." Travis opened a cabinet to reveal a wide array of floggers, whips, and other blunt instruments. His collection was much larger than what was represented there, but these were the items that always garnered the best response from Joel. "Nothing beats fucking him after he's been tenderized."

He turned back in time to see Erik pulling the plug out of Joel's ass, running the come-coated tip up and down the crack. Erik's intense eyes, however, were fixed on Travis, catching his attention for long seconds before raking down his body.

"And what about you?"

Tossing the plug aside, Erik prowled closer, every step slow and measured until he stood directly in front of Travis. One more foot, and he'd have Travis pinned to the open weapons. Travis wasn't completely convinced Erik wouldn't try that anyway.

"I meant what I said back at Bound. I'm paying for both of you tonight." Erik grabbed Travis's hips and pulled him flush against his own. "And as delicious as your pet looks, nothing beats a hot, human hole squeezing around my cock."

Travis knew it was a serious gamble to fuck a vampire--or let a vampire fuck him--before drugging the creature. He wouldn't be able to simply overpower this one. But he felt like he was a little drugged. Erik's body was hard, and the thought of having that thick cock buried in his ass made his blood run hot. He never let his pets fuck him, so he would be tight for Erik.

"If you fuck me first, it'll give the pet a chance to...recover from earlier."

A slow smile turned Erik's eyes feral. Travis almost expected to see fangs already.

"Eager, are we?" He leaned in closer, as if to kiss him, only to turn at the last minute and drag the tip of his tongue over Travis's cheek until his mouth reached Travis's ear. "You've been drooling over my cock since I walked up to your table. Almost as much as I've been watering at the thought of letting you have it."

Travis couldn't deny it. He palmed Erik's erection, rubbing it through the stiff jeans, and was rewarded with a soft moan in his ear.

"I think the pet isn't the only one who will scream for you."

Find more information here.

Saturday's News Roundup

First, we have a lovely review for Mosaic Moon. From Ariel at RRTErotic.

MOSIAC MOON actually smokes when these three characters play together for the first time. Jesse is a beautiful, shy and sexy character with a sharp mind and who does not mind mixing pleasure with a little pain. Gideon is a bad-ass vamp who deeply loves Jesse and is willing to share him with Emma just to make him happy. Gideon is also a complete Dom in the bedroom, so just imagine what could happen if he changed roles who played the submissive just once (ok, I know that is a teaser!) Emma is a sweet treat to both men who is ready to let go of her inhibitions. She cares for Gideon but is in love with Jesse and is willing to do anything for him…even practice a little BDSM (another teaser). There is also an unexpected twist involving black magic and a grave robber that adds a level of suspense to MOSIAC MOON. Although MOSIAC MOON is a stand alone tale, it only hints at how Emma met Gideon and Jesse. Since this story was so good, so good in fact that I am going to find the first two The Master Chronicles to get up to speed. Yeah, it was that good.

And another nice review for Chasing Silver from Scooper Speaks.

It entertained me. I was interested in the relationship between Remy and Nate and I loved Remy’s dialogue. Try as they might to disbelieve Remy, Nate and his ex-partner, could not ignore her weird slang.

Second, we have a new cover for our series The Calendar Boys. It's for the month of March, Kiss Me.


Third, the best sellers for Amber Quill were posted yesterday. Fortune's Honor was #4 for their Amber Heat line, and Miami's Perfect Weekend was #2 for their Amber Allure line. :)

The Big Roundup

Seven days since the last roundup, seven new things to share.

1. Trinity Broken has hit #2 at Samhain! Thank you to everybody who has bought it; this was the best way to start out a brand new year. :)


2. Trinity Broken has also gotten a great review already. Kimberly Spinney at eCataromance Sensual gave it 4.5 stars and said:

Jamie Craig’s world of shapeshifters is not to be missed. This book was not only immensely intriguing but it had new idea that kept this from being just another paranormal romance. The sensuality and emotional depth that flowed from the pages make this a must read, must have novel. I look forward to seeing what else this author has to offer.

The whole review is here.

3. February's Calendar Boy story, Mine, got its cover this week:


4. Another Amber Quill story, Double Down, got its cover this week, too:


5. I got some excellent news this week. Ellora's Cave offered me a contract for the short story I submitted as part of their jewel-themed months in 2008. As It Should Be by Vivien Dean will come out in May as part of their Emerald month.

6. Pepper finished and submitted another story to Amber Allure. (Just Like) Starting Over will come out in July.

7. And last, but not least, a winner for our weekly giveaway! Our first winner is...

Cathy!!!

E-mail us at jamiecraigbooks (at) gmail.com in order to collect your prize. Today's post marks the beginning of a new drawing, so don't be shy!

New Release: Miami's Perfect Weekend

Calendar Boys January: Miami's Perfect Weekend is a big release for us. It is our first novella in our 12-book series with Amber Allure. As you might be able to tell from the name of the series, Calendar Boys, each novella will feature a story revolving around an important event in the month.

Miami's Perfect Weekend is about the Super Bowl--though we had to be a little coy about it in the book! (Yes, I know that sometimes the Super Bowl is in February). The NFL does protect its trademark pretty ferociously. The title is a tribute to Miami's Perfect Season. I am darkly amused that our book was released the very week the New England Patriots went 16-0.

So...what's Miami's Perfect Weekend about? Here's our blurb:

The weekend of the championship game, all football star Tre Griffin wants is to escape Miami and the reminder that he’s not playing. When his flight out of town is delayed, he meets Michael Pappas in the hotel bar. Their attraction is immediate, and when he discovers Michael has no idea who he is, Tre decides to act on it.

One night of no-strings-attached passion stretches into a whole weekend, but with Tre all too visible in the public spotlight, he can’t risk hoping for anything more. A single perfect weekend is all they have. Until Michael discovers the truth. And they both begin to think it could be something more.

Here's an (exclusive!) excerpt for your reading pleasure:

When Tre passed the cup to him, their fingers brushed. After what they’d just done together, the contact should have been nothing more than incidental. But it sent a flare up his arm. And once he took his drink, Tre didn’t step back out of his personal space.

“I don’t drink very often.” Michael sipped at the alcohol, glad for the burn as it went down his throat. He couldn’t stop staring at Tre. The man really was too pretty for words. “It goes straight to my head.”

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem tonight.” He reached up, his hand hovering near Michael’s face. Michael expected his touch, but he did not expect Tre to gently grip the earpiece of his glasses and slowly pull them from his face.
All the blood that had been roaring in his ears went rushing south.

“This is where I’m very glad I’m nearsighted,” Michael breathed.

Tre set the glasses aside, then dipped his head. Michael tensed, not sure what to expect. He took a deep breath, like he was inhaling the scent of Michael’s skin, then just brushed his lips across Michael’s. “It tastes better on you.” He dipped his finger in his drink and smeared the cool liquid across Michael’s mouth before claiming his lips again.

The kiss in the bathroom had been almost brutal. A reminder of the sharp edge left from fucking. This was sensual, slow and exploratory, as Tre sought every drop of alcohol, searched every corner of his mouth. Michael swayed closer, lifting a hand to cup the smooth slope of Tre’s neck. Though he was a tall man, Tre was taller, and those few inches difference was enough to make Michael ache.

When they parted, it took every ounce of his control not to drag Tre back. “I guess it was a little silly of me to be nervous,” he tried to joke.

“I was nervous, too. Thought maybe you’d change your mind. I don’t really do this sort of thing…well, I was going to say often, but I haven’t at all in years.”

It was on the tip of Michael’s tongue to ask why, but the answer almost immediately presented itself. He was probably newly single. There was no way someone who looked like Tre didn’t have a string of steady boyfriends, and Michael had simply gotten lucky and run into him in between conquests.

“I wouldn’t have changed my mind.” His gaze flickered to that full mouth. “I meant every word I said downstairs.”

Tre divested himself of his cup, then took the half-empty one from Michael’s hands as it joined his glasses on the table. With his hands free, Tre gathered up the material of Michael’s T-shirt and tugged it over his head. His hands were large, his skin rough as he ran his fingers over Michael’s shoulders and down his chest. The muscles in his stomach clenched as Tre’s hand moved lower, to the waistband of his jeans.

“Can I see you, too?” Michael asked hoarsely.

Tre responded by stepping back and yanking his T-shirt off. One simple motion later,
his pants were off, and Michael was given his first view of Tre’s body. He stood in front of Michael without a single trace of false modesty or shyness, as though he was more than comfortable with people looking at his naked body. Michael supposed if he had a body like that, he wouldn’t mind putting it on display either. Every inch of his physique was perfect.

Any thoughts of anxiety vanished. All Michael wanted was to touch that beautiful chest, run his tongue around the dark, flat nipples, sink to his knees and swallow that thick cock. Stepping forward, his hands molded over the powerful biceps as he dragged his tongue along Tre’s collarbone, inhaling the musky scent of the man’s skin.

And what are the reviewers saying? Well, so far, we just have one review from Elisa Rolle

I like this story. It's simple and tender. Tre is a very good next door guy, gentle and clever, not the usual stereotyped athlete character. Michael instead is the classical professor type, cute but shy, who sells himself short. But he is also a very sensual man, very open to sexuality and when naked in bed, not very shy: a really discovery I should say.

All in all this is a very enjoyable book, maybe a little short, less than 60 pages, but really well written.

The next novella in the series is February: Mine. Valentine's Day--vampire style!