Thursday Teaser

Continuing with the 7, 77 game, this time tagged by Anne Tenino :-)

I've got to tell you guys, I suck at doing this. I went to page 7 of one of the manuscript and did the counting things, and what I read didn't make sense. I didn't like it. So, you are getting around 700 words from the work in progress I'll be finishing after Six Degrees of Separation. It isn't edited by any stretch of the imagination, so you all be gentle, k? Okay. *g*

Title: Hearsay

“I just told Tyler I’m going to represent him.” Was all he said, refusing to discuss his feelings over Roman Bradford’s alleged departure with Tashana or anyone else. They didn’t make any sense.

“You said before you couldn’t take on a criminal defense case.”

“I know! But Pro Bono hasn’t gotten back to me and the backlash after the child molestation allegations became public has already started. What am I supposed to do? Let him fend for himself?” he asked with a dramatic gesture of his hand. “I could never do that to my friend.”

“I know that, hon.” Tashana walked over to him and hugged him tight.

“And that’s not even the worst part,” he mumbled against her big breasts. “I agreed to come over tonight.”

“Come over where?”

“Tyler’s place.”

“What?” She pushed him away, studied his eyes, swatted him on the head and hugged him again. “Didn’t we agree it isn’t a good idea to have sex with your ex?”

“We did,” Derrick whispered, not really caring that Tashana was probably about to lecture him on the subject one more time. He just took a deep breath and settled in on her breasts. It was comfy there. Her bosom felt like a safe place. “But we’re both single and a little desperate right now and he has such a nice dic—”

Tashana swatted him again.

“You know every time you go and get your rocks off with the guy you avoid each other for the next four weeks,” she said. “How’s that going to work now that you’ve decided to represent him?”

“It’ll be the last time.”

“That’s what you said three months ago,” she reminded him. “You were doing so well, too. Why’d you go and ruin it, boo?”

“He’s under a lot of stress.” Derrick looked up at her. “He needs to blow off some steam… and you know what? So do I! This week’s been hell and if the guy thinks that sucking me off and fucking me through the mattress will help him, who am I to object? Plus I’m horny. I’m so horny I could fuck a tree. Do you have any idea when’s the last time I got laid?” He shot her a warning look. “Don’t answer that.”

“Why not let her answer?” The unexpected voice was husky; the tone scolding and dripping with derision at the same time. “After all, isn’t that what this firm pays its employees for? Discussions on all sort of personal, intimate subjects while on the clock?”

Derrick’s voice caught in his throat. He didn’t dare to breathe, but he slowly moved his head from Tashana’s bosom to her shoulder until he was able to take a peek.

This was not the kind of things that happened to him. He didn’t suffer from foot-in-mouth syndrome, and as daring as he could be at times, he’d never been caught with his pants down. But today his luck had obviously taken a turn for the worse because, lo and behold, that was Roman Bradford looking at them from his office door.

All of a sudden the atmosphere changed and the office seemed to be brightly lit, as if the clouds had moved to give way to the sun right outside his window. Derrick felt a hot burst of electricity run through his body and a buzzing in his ears. He hadn’t felt this energized in years.

“Please, tell me that’s not him.” Tashana whispered in his ear.

“Afraid I can’t,” Derrick whispered back.

He was incapable of looking away from Roman… incapable of processing in how much of a predicament they probably were. Incapable of even feeling embarrassment over that bit of too personal information his boss had overheard. He couldn’t. He was too busy worrying about what the other man would make out of it. He knew it was presumptuous on his part to think Roman would care, but he didn’t want for this man he admired so much to have a bad opinion of him.

“I’m not as much of a slut as that statement made me sound.”

Shit.
Looked like he was also incapable of filtering his words.

Tashana winced.

Derrick groaned.

Roman didn’t even blink behind the thick, black framed glasses he wore.

For my "By Degrees" Readers...

So I was tagged on Facebook by a friend to play the 7, 77 game. Basically I had to go to either page 7 or 77 of a manuscript I’m currently working on, count down 7 lines, then copy the next 7 lines to my status.

In order to keep things fresh (and not give too much away) I decided to post a few random lines instead of the instructed 7, 77, and also re-post it here because I realize some of my readers aren’t on Facebook.

I know you guys have been waiting a long time for the sequel to Six Degrees of Lust, and I appreciate your patience. It shouldn’t be long now, but in the meantime, here’s a little something :-)

Six Degrees of Separation
Chapter Seven
Excerpt

“Look, if you’re really havin’ issues with it we can always revise our deal, but it’s only been a couple of days, darlin’. You just have to get used to doing things whenever you feel like doing ‘em.”

“Only kids have that luxury.”

“You really think so?”

That low, raspy drawl never failed to make Sam hotter than hell. It meant Mac was about to say something naughty and he couldn’t wait to hear it.

“Uh-huh…”

He closed his eyes, and caressed his newly acquired tattoo through the fabric of his dress shirt. He could barely look at the “515” Celtic design in emerald green ink that was underneath, but he touched it constantly.

It rattled and soothed him at the same time.

It made him think he’d lost his mind.

“You didn’t sound like a kid to me the other night,” Mac said.

Sam shook his head, and tried to read the first page of the report one more time. When the little black letters wouldn’t stop dancing in front of his eyes, he closed it and put it on the side. “What are you talking about?”

“You had a hard-on that wouldn’t quit.” Mac’s sexy, teasing tone was music to Sam’s ears. “You wanted to come, and went for it. You—”
“That’s differ—”

“…called and told me to pull over in the middle of I-10. Remember that? You gave me very specific instructions on how to touch myself until I was comin’ all over the steering wheel of my truck.” Mac took a deep breath, a sign that thinking about what had transpired turned him on as much as it did Sam. “You most definitely didn’t sound like a kid when you were comin’ yourself and telling me how badly you wanted to eat my—”

“Point taken, Mac.” Sam glared at the phone, but he couldn’t help his goofy grin, or the way his dick jumped at the memory. Having phone sex with Mac at three-thirty in the morning when his guy was on the way home from work had been erotic as all fuck.

And of course, his best friend had to choose that exact moment to come back to the office with their lunch, thus witnessing it all. Great. Now he’d have to deal with Logan’s opinion on what he’d just overheard.

“Like I said, spontaneity’s good for the soul.” Mac finished in that soft voice he used whenever he thought Sam was two words away from freaking out.

Sam rolled his eyes. “I don’t know about the soul, but it sure as hell was good for my nuts.”

Thursday Teaser... Six Degrees of Separation Style

Chapter One

August 30, 2009

South Beach, Florida

Mac slid his fingers up and down Sam’s spine, and prayed the motion would soothe his lover’s worries away.

He didn’t know how long they’d been standing with their foreheads pressed together and breathing into each other’s mouths, and he didn’t care. Their hearts were thumping their way out of their chests for two completely different reasons, and it was up to Mac to ensure that Sam stick to his decision.

Whereas Mac was over the moon now that they had agreed to forego the rules of their relationship, Sam was scared shitless. Understandable, as change was never easy, especially for a man whose life was a constant struggle between what he really wanted, and what he allowed himself to have. But after a long weekend spent observing Sam’s behavior, and reading between every line he said, Mac had no doubt his lover of three months wanted more than the occasional fuck.

Much more.

And so did Mac, which was why he’d decided to up the ante.

An extremely risky move that could have cost him what little time he got to spend with his Yankee, but it had paid off. Thank God. 

“What would you have done?” Sam asked quietly against his lips. “What would you have done had I refused to change the rules?”

A loaded question, if Mac ever heard one.

He took a deep breath, but he didn’t look away from Sam’s bright blue eyes as he considered his answer.

If he admitted he would’ve used every trick at his disposal, it would take Sam two seconds flat to realize Mac was more into him that Sam felt comfortable with. Considering Sam would cut and run if confronted with the big pink elephant in the room, Mac’s only option was to keep his mouth shut, and his plan under wraps.

But if he acted nonchalantly, and said he would’ve continued to abide by their original agreement, Sam would question Mac’s reasons for wanting to revise it and most likely back off, insisting they keep the status quo.

Mac couldn’t let that happen.

“I don’t know, darlin’… I really don’t,” he finally said, stroking Sam’s silky black hair away from his forehead, and smiling when he caught sight of his own hand. It was sticky, and it smelled like his guy’s cum. Best fucking scent in the world.

Music Monday

From Christian and Remy's soundtrack, I give you Demons, by Imagine Dragons.

Full Term

Some authors often compare writing a story to having a baby.

I am one of them.

The original plot is like a fetus that I will grow and nurture in my wom— I mean, flash drive, until it has fully developed. The editing process is like going into labor, and after hours of sweating, cursing, and swearing not to ever write another word, the baby will come out and, hopefully, every organ — story line— and limb — characterization, setting and pacing— will be exactly how it should.

This year has not been easy for me, and quite frankly, I feel like I've been pregnant forever with twins named Six Degrees of Separation, and Disasterology 101. As many of you know, they were supposed to be born months ago, but alas, they refused to come out. I could have used forceps, but I chose to bear the pain —of disappointing my readers— and keep them inside for as long as needed over pushing them out too soon only to have them being deformed. 

Growing these babies has been an arduous labor of love, and several times I feared I wouldn't be able to carry them to term. I either didn't have the time, or the strength, but I did have a serious case of prepartum depression for quite some time. Needless to say, it was bad. But I am lucky. I have the best support system ever, and they held my hand while I pushed, took a breather, and pushed some more until finally the first baby was ready to come out.

I know you all have been waiting for my next story, and I can't even begin to tell you how much your patience and understanding means to me. I want to thank you for your emails and kind words, as they are the motivation I needed to see things through, and I promise you, I will make it up to you.

Six Degrees of Separation is still growing some limbs, and it'll be a few more weeks before I can give you guys any details, but progress has been made, and we're getting closer every day.

In the meantime, I want to share with you the blurb and ultrasound image of Disasterology 101, a story that holds a very special place in my heart.

Le Blurb:

Kevin Morrison had it all. A house he worked hard for, a loving wife, and three beautiful children. But it wasn’t until his marriage ended that he realized what the void he’d felt almost all his life meant. Coming out as a gay man at thirty-six is not an easy feat, but he is determined to be true to his heart. Meeting a man who shares his values, and is good with his children would be a bonus, but when the guy arrives in a uniquely wrapped package, and has very specific handling instructions, Kevin needs to decide if he’s up for that kind of love. 

Obsessed with order and symmetry, and a paralyzing fear of germs, Cedric Haughton-Disley has lived with isolation and loneliness as long as he can remember. Desperate to be normal, he makes some much-needed changes in his life. If he can commit to his treatment, he might very well be able to procure some quality of life… even if that’s all he can get, as finding love and having a relationship are only possible in Cedric’s wildest dreams. But when a chance encounter leaves Cedric wishing for more, he decides to take a leap of faith, and pursue the guy he wants.

Together the two men make an unlikely match. Cedric needs organization, and Kevin represents chaos.  In order to stay together they both need to compromise, but will they be able to deal with Cedric’s issues and the potential disaster, or let it break them apart?

I Need Your Help...

Or more accurately, Chicks & Dicks does.

September is Back to Schoolin' month, and some of the subjects we'd like to cover are:

1.Authors' Personal Lives: Do you give a Shit?
2. Kerfuffles: Should Authors Get Involved?
3. Should Authors be Reviewers?
4. Social Media: What's Too Much Exposure?

Usually we host authors to discuss the themes, but this time around I'm also interested in what readers have to say, as it'd be cool —and extremely useful— for us authors to learn what you guys really think about our online presence.

If any of you —readers and authors—out there would like to share your opinion, please email me at taylor.v.donovan@gmail.com and let me know which subject interests you —or pisses you off— the most.

Looking forward to hearing from you! 

Music Monday

Today I'm writing sex, and what better than some Justin and Brian to set up the mood?

Writerly Musings

My first title was released in July of 2011. Since then I've become very familiar with reviews and readers' reactions to my work. I've met other readers clamoring for "different" stuff. I've learned there are professional reviewers, neutral reviewers that focus on craft, mean reviewers that make authors reconsider whether they're cut out for writing or not, passionate readers that offer their opinions in the form of a review, reviewers that have such firm ideas of how a story should go that they pretty much tell us how we should've written the book, reviewers that—

I'll shut up now. I'm pretty sure you all get my drift, and this post is not about reviews. It's about my personal journey and individual style as an author, but before we reach that point, I need to get back to basics.

I've been reading fiction forever. I adore doing so. It's been my favorite hobby my entire life.  If I remember correctly, I discovered the romance genre when I was only eleven. A battered Harlequin copy was mixed in with a bunch of magazines my aunt gave me. I read it and I was hooked. Not to Harlequin, but to reading romance.

As a reader I don't like gratuitous anything. Books with misunderstandings that go on for at least four chapters, silly bickering written in an attempt to replace real conflict and too stupid to live characters that should not be allowed out of their houses are, in my opinion, a waste of precious reading time and an insult to my intelligence. And boy, don't get me started on the sex. I mean, I most definitely enjoy a hot sex scene, but it'd better not be the only thing happening in the book, and it better mean something. Porn without plot and stroke stories are not for me. When the only thing growing between the main characters is their erections I cannot help but to feel turned off and frustrated.

I want a solid plot. I want realistic characters and situations. I don't want to escape the world. I want to see how these guys who become real to me the moment I start reading deal with every day issues. I want to get emotionally invested and cheer on the guys until they find their way to happiness.  And you know what? That doesn't always happen within 50,000 words and fifteen chapters.

If you've been following my "career" you know I'm a rookie author. To date I have three published stories: Heatstroke, Southern Winterland and Six Degrees of Lust, and if you've read my work then you also know I don't stick to any specific formulas. There are two reasons for this:

1. I write what I like to read, and

2. early on I decided to let the characters do the talking.

Every one of my stories, both published and WsIP, began with just one character. Some times he turns out to be the MC, but not always. He'd much rather be in the background and wait until the time is right for him, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have lots to say and things he needs to bring to the table.

He demands his POV is included. Then another character appears with the same behavior. And another. And another. And what they have to say needs to be said on their time and on their own terms. I need to listen because if I don't, their story won't be the same. And that, my friends, is how I ended up writing an ensemble serial with unresolved situations. 

Several unresolved situations.

This, of course, will change as the series advances. Sadly, it just could not happen in one book. Not unless I wrote a 2,000-page saga.

Six Degrees of Lust has received wonderful reviews. Some readers loved the format and the build up and appreciated the fact that every character has a distinctive voice. Others readers hate the cliffhangers and would've preferred the book didn't have as big a cast, and focused on Sam and Mac's POVs.  Both opinions are valid and appreciated. It is a matter of personal taste and to each their own, yes? 

But those opinions got me thinking hard and carefully. Should I not write ensemble novels? Should I find a way to silence all those voices even though I know why their story needs to be told a certain way? Should I stick to conventional formulas so that I don't upset the readers that know what they want (only the MCs) and how it should be (no cliffhangers or open storylines, please)?

Some one told me I need to write more sex. I've been advised to stick to a proven, successful formula. I've been told I'm better off not including kids in my books. I've tried to decide the kind of readers I want to reach: the escapists or the hard-core realists... and I've decided that the best thing I can do is to remain loyal to my characters and their journey, however long and bumpy it might be.

My other stories, and this includes Disasterology 101, my next title to be released,  focus on the main couple. But when/if the time comes for another big cast, I will welcome it with open arms, because they have a right to be heard even if they aren't the norm.

Just like I'm not.

But enough about me. I want to hear what you guys have to say about this. Readers, authors and reviewers. Are you willing to read out of your comfort zone, or do you prefer to stick to stories similar to the ones you've liked the best so far? Why do you feel that way? Could I change your mind? Just kidding on that one ;-)

Come on, guys. Discussion time. Inquiring minds would like to know. :-)

The Avengers

Sick as I've been the past few days, I dragged my butt to the movies yesterday. And boy, was it worth it. Not only was The Avengers flick action packed and full of amazing special effects. It had a good plot and was inspirational as well. VERY inspirational.

Allow me to tell you in how many ways:

1. Chris Evans in frigging Spandex

2. Robert Downy Jr. and his particular brand of sarcasm

3. The homoerotic vibe between Steve Rogers aka Captain America and Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.

4. Twenty other ways, but seriously, can't remember the particulars right now and, who cares anyway?

Now, I'm not sure if it is my slashy mind catching up on all those little moments or if the general public was able to see the same things I did, but I tell you guys, those two were ready to go to town. The looks they shared were so sexually charged it would've been totally embarrassing had I happened to be a man... if you know what I mean *wink*.

You might think I'm making this up, but I assure you, I'm not. Professor Xavier and  Magneto of First Class fame have nothing on these two. And if you haven't watched X-Men First Class, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Now go. Hurry. Go catch the next show of The Avengers and then come back here and tell me what did you think about Captain America and Iron Man together. In the meantime I'm going to go see if I can find me some fanfiction.

Music Monday

Hello all! It's been a while since I posted anything on my personal blog. I'm back... Not fully and not rested, but I'm around :-)