The Long Journey to You - by Vincent Meis

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you are all doing well and are having a great week. Today I’m thrilled to bring to you another wonderful book, but author buddy of mine Vincent Meis (learn more here). Vincent is a lovely writer and I’ve had the pleasure of reading several of his works.

Here are the details about his newest novel:

Nathan doesn’t know how to stop dwelling on the failures and tragedies that have plagued him since the last time we saw him at the end of The Mayor of Oak Street, a twenty-one-year-old happily in the arms of the handsome young doctor he had pined for since he was twelve. Many years later, what could mend Nathan’s heart after the latest tragedy and stop his deep dives into the past? After a chance meeting on the street with ER nurse, Mateo, a big chunk of Nathan’s reminiscing is now devoted to that encounter. Will he seize the day or continue wallowing in the past, having lunch with his BFF, and writing poetry?

He has traveled the globe and survived a disease that people once thought was a death sentence. There are moments with Mateo he is convinced that his whole life led him to this great love. At other times, he’s ready to kill him. Mateo, for his part, must take care of his ailing mother while he works full time in the emergency room. The practical aspects of starting a new relationship are challenging. Above all, this novel is a story of healing and finding true love.

"In this romantic and engaging novel, Meis presents an authentic story of an older man reflecting upon his past and facing an uncertain future. An emotionally honest love story featuring a tragic history and a new beginning." —Kirkus Reviews

I hope you’ll check out the Long Journey to You (find the book here) as I’m sure you will not be disappointed. Until next time have a great week.

The World Continue to Crumble as the Unicorn Horn Thrives

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you are having a wonderful week and I trust you all had a happy Easter. This week I’m pleased to share my review of J. P. Jackson (learn more here) newest short story; Skin Sessions: Stitched up Tight (find out more here). This is the fifth short story in Jackson’s Skin Sessions series. This is a dark and sexy story and not for the faint at heart, consider yourself warned.

Here is my review:

This is the fifth installment of Skin Sessions a short story series, by J.P. Jackson. If you aren’t familiar with J.P. Jackson’s work this is a dark and sexy series that has a way of boring into your skin and not leaving. Stitched UP Tight continues the story of the Unicorn Horn, a male brothel that finds itself owned by an Incubus Taz-rial. The demon has been true to his word so far, but we get hints that there is more coming, I’m not sure if Taz-rial is going to be all he appears to be, but for now he seems to be a demon of honor and doesn’t want anything to happen to his brothel or the men who work there.

If you enjoy mm sex then you are in for a treat as there are pages and pages of sex, however the scenes are written in a honest way that most authors in the mm romance/erotica genre can’t seem to grasp. In general, in not interested in reading the sex scenes (you’ve read one you’ve read them all) so I skimmed through them sadly make this story very short, (did I mention there are pages and pages of sex scenes), however I did have a pay some attention as Jackson wrangled story and plot elements into these scenes making them important to the plot (darn you Jackson!).

If you enjoy dark sexy stories this is another must read by Jackson.

Well, there you go. My thought on J.P. Jackson’s fifth installment of Skin Sessions (find the book here). Until next time have a great week.

The Hencha Queen by J. Scott Coatsworth

Hello, Happy Wednesday everyone. I hope you are having a wonderful week. Today I’m thrilled to share that my good buddy, J. Scott Coatsworth (find out more about Scott here) has a wonderful new book out; The Hencha Queen. This is the third book in his The Tharassas Cycle.

Here is the blurb for The Hencha Queen:

SILYA COMES INTO HER OWN, BUT WILL SHE BE ENOUGH?

Silya finally has everything she always wanted. She's the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is working to master her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart?

Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East, and if she can't convince a reluctant Gullton city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everyone and everything she's ever cared about.

As she uses her magic-like abilities, wit and sheer determination to try to save the city, she's joined by Raven and his new friends. Will their help tip the scales? And will they finally find out what happened to Aik as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away?

Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic.

Buy your copy here.

Here is the series blurb:

The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world.

That’s all for today. Until next time have a great week.

Tea Cup Promises by Glenn Quigley

Happy Wednesday everyone. I hope you are having a great day and a wonderful week. Today I’m happy to share that my good friend, author Glenn Quigley (learn more about Glenn here) has a new book coming out on March 16, 2024.

Here are the details:

Andrew Peacock is turning forty, sleeping with an older, straight, married man, and tired of the lies. So what better time to drag everything into the open than at a party for his lover’s wedding anniversary?

Told across six instalments, three decades, and one pandemic Teacup Promises charts the key moments in the relationships of Andrew, his boyfriend Jack, Jack’s wife Harriet, and Harriet’s lover, Stephen.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Clever, unique, and emotionally compelling with rich character development" — BJ Toth, editor

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "What a story! ... I was gobsmacked how well Glenn Quigley brought the whole story together." — Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ "…a shock I never saw coming!" – Goodreads review

Pre-order your copy here.

That’s all for now, until next time have a great week.

The Gauntlet Runner – Book Launch

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you’re having a great day. This week I’m thrilled to share my good friend J. Scott Coatsworth’s newest novel: The Gauntlet Runner. This is the second book in his speculative fiction series; The Tharaccas Cycle. If you haven’t read the prequel or the first book, then you are missing out, but luckily Scott is offering both the prequel and book one for $.99, so you can get all caught up and enjoy this terrific young adult series.

Let’s jump in to the details, here is the blurb:

A GUARD AND A THIEF. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Aik has fallen hopelessly in love with his best friend. But Raven's a thief, which makes things... complicated. Oh, and Raven has just been kidnapped by a dragon.

Now Aik is off on a quest of his own, to hunt down the foul beast and make them give back his ... friend? Lover? Soulmate? The whole not-knowing thing just makes everything harder.

Meanwhile, the world of Tharassas is falling apart, besieged by earthquakes, floods, and strange creatures no one has ever seen before. Aik's ex, Silya has gone back to Gullton to do try to save her people as the Hencha Queen, and Aik's stuck in a caravan with her mother and a damnable magical gauntlet that won't let him be. He has to find Raven, before it’s too late.

Things were messy before, but now they're much, much worse.

Here is the series blurb:

The Tharassas Cycle is a four-book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world.

Buy the new book here.

Pick up both the prequel and book for just 99¢:

Click here for Tales From Tharassas.

Find The Dragon Eater here.

Here is a bit about J. Scott Coatsworth:

Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.

He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

You can find Scott here:

Click here for his Author Website.

Find him on Facebook (Author Page) here.

He’s on Instagram here.

This is where you can find him on Goodreads (click here).

Don’t miss out on The Gauntlet Runner and don’t forget both the Prequel and Book One are on sale for $.99. You really don’t want to miss out! That’s all I have for this week, until next time have a great week.

Pre-Order Mu and Book Release of Queer Cheer

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, did you have a good Labor Day (if you are here in the US)? Mine and Eric’s was nice, we relaxed, slept in and had a quiet day. Honestly, disconnecting and unwinding was really enjoyable and overdue. I need to do that more often. This week I have two quick announcements. The first is about Mu; Legend of a Lost City (find the book here) and the second is about BAQWA Presents; Queer Cheer (get your copy here). Let’s get to it.

As I teased last week, Mu; Legend of a Lost City will be released on November 11, 2023, and as of today you can pre-order your copy of Mu; Legend of a Lost City now (click here). So, you’ll have the book delivered right to your tablet the moment the book is released. Don’t delay and order your copy now (click here).

Enjoy the blurb:

For years, the whispers and legends of a lost city hiding in the Pacific Ocean were just that; legend. On the day Kaimi discovers his parents, the Queen and King of Mu, murdered, Mu’s most powerful weapon fired, sending a pulse rushing towards the North American west coast.

After the 2025 Great Pacific Pulse Event, or Pulse, vomited up much of humankind’s trash in the Pacific Ocean along the North American west coast. The mysterious occurrence causing the largest environmental disaster in human history, people are no longer certain there is nothing concealed in the depths of the ocean. Scientist Karen Linn and billionaire investor Michael Donovan want to find out what actually happened that day five years ago. Will Michael’s life in the adult entertainment industry and Karen’s moniker in pseudoscience keep them as social pariahs, or are they on the cusp of finding a civilization that has been kept out of our grasp, deep in the world’s largest ocean? How does the event from five years ago tie into the murder of the Queen and King of Mu? What lies under the sea may be bigger than anyone can imagine, and neither civilization may be ready for the truth.

Next up, BAQWA Presents; Queer Cheer is out now (get your copy here). The anthology launched on September 1st, now is your opportunity to pick up your copy and help BAQWA support the Rainbow Community Center in Concord, CA. Remember all proceeds from the sale of Queer Cheer will go to help the center in their good work.

Well, there you go, nice and short this week. I hope you’ll order up your copy of Mu; Legend of a Lost City (pre-order the novel here) and pick up a copy of BAQWA Presents; Queer Cheer (Don’t miss out click here). I’m so proud have worked on both these works and I can’t wait for people to kick up their feet and enjoy. Until next time, have a great week.

Skin Session (Short Story Series) by J.P. Jackson

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I know it’s been a minute since I last posted anything, I’ve had a lot going on and sadly couldn’t find a minute to pull my thoughts together and get something posted. However, today that changes. I’m excited to share with you my good friend J.P. Jackson’s (find him here) new creepy and sexy short story series; Skin Sessions. I’ve had the pleasure of reading each of these shorts and I can tell you they are not only sexy, but in his typical fashion, creepy.  As some of you may know J.P. Jackson is the master of disturbing stories with a focus on gay male characters. It’s so refreshing to support high quality stories written by gay male authors sharing novels reflecting gay men. These works clearly need more fanfare and to be celebrated.

Here are the blurbs for the first two short stories (there are more installments coming) and my thoughts on each of the shorts.

Skin Sessions: Demon at the Doorstep

Blurb:

The Unicorn’s Horn was once a hot and lively pleasure house. Folks would come from miles around to be satisfied by the stable men kept by Gavin Medici, the house’s owner.

Trouble is, the world is ending, and surviving is more important to the brothel’s customers than an evening filled with unspeakable delights. Before long the purveyors of favors find themselves broke, hungry and living in a decaying brothel.

With a simple witchy spell, a visitor who promises to make everything better comes knocking. But demons are unpredictable and often come with hidden agendas.

A little demonic possession and the odd human sacrifice seem like a small price to pay. But is that all it will cost Gavin and his men?

My Review:

Sometimes dark and creepy are just what the doctor ordered. And J.P. Jackson’s short story Skin Session: Demon at the Doorstep hits all the creepy vibes you want it to. There is a lush and rich cast of gay characters that make the story interesting and fun, especially since the setting of the short story is set in a dystopian future a few years from now.

As with all J.P. Jackson’s works you get his unique brand of story telling that will keep you wanting more, in fact, because this is a short story you will definitely want more.

Skin Sessions: Branded and Bedeviled

Blurb:

Gavin Medici, the owner of The Unicorn's Horn, has settled the arrangement made with the incubus Taz-rial, and within hours of completing his pact, the pleasure house is overwhelmed with customers and reservations.

Corbin, the witch boy who cast the spell that invited Taz-rial has an old client suddenly return. But in the middle of his skin session with his date, Corbin's old wound begins to fester. He's never told anyone that he's infected. And he certainly hasn't shared that the source of the infection is a flesh-eating ghoul.

As the undead virus begins to take hold, the boys of the pleasure house band together to save him, but in the end, it's Taz-rial who saves the day...for an additional small price.

My Review:

Continuing his short story series Skin Sessions, J.P. Jackson is back again with the continuing saga from The Unicorn Horn. In this installment we get a lot more ‘sexy’ time, a lot more creepy time, and a lot more character building. Jackson explores varying forms of sex, and given the series takes place in a brothel readers should expect to be exposed to many different fetishes, but none of the scenes goes overboard and even if these fetishes aren’t your cup of tea you can easily read through them as the scenes and the story moves quickly.

As the series continues Jackson builds out his characters; who they are and what their motivations are. Where the first short story was our introduction to everyone, now that we know them, we are getting more information on them and the world they inhabit, which I enjoy.

This story is darker and sexier than the first short story so be prepared.

That’s it for this week, don’t forget to check out Skin Session. Until next time, have a great week.

Undecided by Emmy Z. Madrigal

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. Today I’m back with an another announcement from an author buddy of mine. Emmy Z. Madrigal is releasing another book; Undecided this is the fourth book in her Sweet Dreams series. Here are the details:

About Undecided:

Cynthia Porter is dealing with much more than any high school girl should be asked to withstand. She's at odds with her current love interest, famous boy bander Derek Montgomery. Her mother is verbally abusive and violent, pushing Cynthia out of the house. Her best friend can't even console her, since she's recovering from a bad weekend injury. Living out of a gym bag, Cynthia stays with any friends who will take her in, but things don't make her life any easier when she starts hooking up with random guys.
Victoria Knox, recovering from her kidnapping injury, finds her boyfriend can't stop blaming himself for letting her get hurt. She just wants to put the whole mess behind her and get on with her singing career.
There are only six more months to the freedom of graduation. Can the girls make it without losing their way?

Not only is Emmy releasing this new book, but she has some great giveaways leading up to the launch starting on April 1st, that you may not want to miss out on.

Want to preorder the book, click here.

That’s all for today. Go and check out this great new book, from this amazing author. Until next time have a great week.

The Dragon Eater by J. Scott Coatsworth

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. I hope you are all having a great day. It’s time for another book announcement. No, not mine. This week I’m pleased to share with you one of my author friends newest Sci-Fi/Fantasy works. Today we have J. Scott Coatsworth here to chat about his new book, The Dragon Eater, and to share with us his thoughts on dragons in general. Let’s not waste any time and jump right into the world of dragons.

The Dragon Eater

Raven's a thief who just swallowed a dragon. A small one, sure, but now his arms are growing scales, the local wildlife is acting up, and his snarky AI familiar is no help whatsoever.

Raven's best friend Aik is a guardsman carrying a torch for the thief. A pickpocket and a guard? Never going to happen. And Aik’s ex-fiancé Silya, an initiate priestess facing a magical crisis, hates Raven with the heat of a thousand suns.

This unlikely team must work together to face strange beasts, alien artifacts, and a world-altering threat. If they don’t figure out what to do soon, it might just be the end of everything.

Things are about to get messy.

Pick up your copy here.

What Is it About Dragons?

I’ve loved dragons since I was nine or ten, when I first discovered Anne McCaffrey on my mom’s sci-fi bookshelves. My mother was (and maybe still is?) a member of the Science Fiction Book Club, and new books showed up regularly in her mailbox, to end up on the imposing built-in bookshelves on what we called the “spare bedroom.”

When I discovered The Lord of the Rings on those shelves, it opened a window into a new world for me, a world where magic was possible, where starships could carry me from here to a world so far away even light would take a thousand years to get there. And there was a dragon in The Hobbit – the infamous Smaug – but he was in many ways a traditional one, hoarding gold and killing knights... even if those knights were dwarves.

And then I found Pern.

I remember the beginning as if it was yesterday, Lessa working as a drudge and caring for the watch wher, and meeting Flar for the first time. The amazing ability of McCaffrey’s dragons to travel between anywhere on the planet in just three seconds, and the fire lizards. I was hooked.

These dragons bonded with their human counterparts, even during sex, and there were gay dragonriders!

And though the Pern books were sci-fi (with a clear scientific basis for the origin of these great beasts), they were also in some ways fantasy, with the aforementioned dragons, with magic (the ability to travel between) and with a medieval setting worthy of an epic fantasy novel. That heady blend of fantasy mixed with technology and scientific advancement makes me swoon.

So maybe it’s not just dragons, but dragons of a very particular type.

When I began writing The Dragon Eater, I admit my new charges were influenced by McCaffrey’s beautiful beasts. But they’re also different, creations of a natural world and with a kind of “magic” all their own.

I hope you enjoy my dragons, aka verent. I’m so happy to see them fly.

About J. Scott Coatsworth:

Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.

He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

Where to Find Scott:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jscoatsworth/

Mastodon: https://mastodon.lol/@jscottcoatsworth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jscottcoatsworth/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth?from_search=true

QueerRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/

LimFic: https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/

LimFic: https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-scott-coatsworth

I hope you’ll go and grab a copy of The Dragon Eater as the novel promises to be a lot of fun and Scott always crafts great stories. Until next time have a great week.

Skin Session by J.P. Jackson

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. Today I’m back with an exciting new short story for you all to sink your teeth into. Author J.P. Jackson has released his dark and fun short story Skin Session (Demon at the Doorstep). As you may or may not know, Jackson is the author of dark and creepy books that will keep you up at night and make you wonder what really lurks in the shadows. And his newest short story doesn’t disappoint.

The Unicorn’s Horn was once a hot and lively pleasure house. Folks would come from miles around to be satisfied by the stable men kept by Gavin Medici, the house’s owner.

Trouble is, the world is ending, and surviving is more important to the brothel’s customers than an evening filled with unspeakable delights. Before long the purveyors of favors find themselves broke, hungry and living in a decaying brothel.

With a simple witchy spell, a visitor who promises to make everything better comes knocking. But demons are unpredictable and often come with hidden agendas.

A little demonic possession and the odd human sacrifice seem like a small price to pay. But is that all it will cost Gavin and his men?

I really enjoyed this short story and found the characters, setting, and world enjoyable and relatable. Jackson always manages to find a way to make even a creepy story sexy and fun. He’s says the stories come from the demons in his head? “They whisper things at night and force me to write about them.” And I think I believe him. The best part about this short story is the price; $.99. You can’t really go wrong. Jump on over to Amazon (click here) and grab your copy of this wonderfully dark short story.

It’s a short one this week. Remember to leave your comments below, especially if you’ve read this short story. I would love to hear your thoughts. Until next time, have a great week.

Book Announcement: These Young Wolves by Glenn Quigley

Happy Wednesday Scribblers! I hope you are having a wonderful week. Today I’m excited to share another up and coming book from the wonderful author Glenn Quigley (he’s been a busy author with a lot of new works coming out). This week we’re going to learn about Glenn’s spin off story from the Moth and Moon trilogy, These Young Wolves – The Knights of Blackrabbit book one.

These Young Wolves – The Knights of Blackrabbit book one by Glenn Quigley

Blurb:

One year ago, Vince Knight walked away from his role as crime lord of Port Knot. In his absence, the gangs he founded went to war, and frightening new factions have risen from the ashes to tear at the town’s throat like hungry wolves.

Now Vince is back and has taken command of the Watch—working side-by-side with the very people who spent years trying to put him behind bars. Unbeknownst to him, Captain James Godgrave has been given his own team to deal with crime in the town, but while he and Vince share a common goal, they are not allies.

The murder of one of James’s crew puts Vince in a delicate position. Facing pressure from the council, the townsfolk, and the Watch itself, Vince must find the killer because if he doesn’t, James will, and Vince’s tenure as Watch Commander will be the shortest in history.

As Vince and James clash in their public and private lives, Vince starts to understand the damage caused by his abdication as crime lord, James sets about putting down the gangs once and for all, and the mysterious power behind the new factions exacts a terrifying plan that will change Port Knot forever.

About the Story:

This is an historical fiction story, set in the late 18th century. It’s also a spin-off from The Moth and Moon trilogy. It is not necessary to have read that series before this book, however those who have read it will recognise former villain Vince Knight, who is now trying to make up for past mistakes.  From the moment Vince Knight first walked onto the page in The Lion Lies Waiting, I knew there was something special about him. Some characters require a degree of finessing and moulding to reveal their true selves. Not so with Vince. He appeared on the page fully formed and ready for action. It is a genuine thrill to be able to bring you this, the first in his adventures as head of the Port Knot Watch.

The Knights of Blackrabbit series is set in the Pell Isles–a group of islands situated off the coast of Cornwall. The isles and their inhabitants have been heavily influenced by the Cornish language and culture. As such, you will see words such as backalong and bleddy crop up in the dialogue. These are Cornish words which have been adopted by everyday Pellans. Backalong means in former times and bleddy is simply the word bloody in the local vernacular. Other words and phrases have been rewritten to make their meaning clearer, but I felt it important to leave some elements of the local dialect intact. I hope that Cornish people will forgive me for any little errors!

It’s worth noting that in this world, an event named “The Illumination” coincided with the fall of the Roman Empire and ultimately led to the abandonment of religious practices across the world. In England, in the year 1141, Queen Matilda passed a law declaring women equal to men with no restrictions placed on their education or the roles they could hold within society. The dearth of religious doctrine led to those who experienced life outside of the traditional to blossom and become accepted as simply another part of life. Prejudice based on gender, race, or sexuality became almost unheard of. If only our world had taken a similar path. When I started writing my first novel, The Moth and Moon, I wanted to create a world where no one would face any hardship because of their sexuality. The Illumination was my way of explaining that. It isn’t the focus of the story, and is only mention in passing during the second book in the trilogy, The Lion Lies Waiting, but I felt some kind of explanation was warranted.

This story begins on 23rd October 1781, the day after the events of We Cry the Sea (the third in the Moth and Moon trilogy). It is not essential to have read that book, nor the rest of the Moth and Moon trilogy, though doing so will provide a more detailed insight into how Vince Knight came to arrive at his current position in life.

You might be interested to know that there is a free story that acts a little prequel to These Young Wolves. It is available to my newsletter subscribers (there had to be a newsletter plug in here somewhere!). You can sign up for it here.

This new series is more action-packed and faster paced than my previous works and I hope that readers will enjoy it. If nothing else, it’s got big, burly, bearded men sleeping with each other and that’s gotta be worth a look, right?

These Young Wolves – The Knights of Blackrabbit book one will be available in paperback and eBook, and will be released on 20th December 2022 by Ninestar Press. You can pre-order the eBook version here and get it four days early.

Glenn will be selling signed copies with bookmarks and limited-edition art prints, and these will be available worldwide. You can find out more on his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The Moth and Moon trilogy is on sale for the month on December on Amazon and the Ninestar Press website.

Well, that’s all for this week. Go out and preorder These Young Wolves – The Knights of Blackrabbit book one. You won’t be disappointed. Until next time have a great week.

Author Bio:

Glenn Quigley is an author and artist originally from Tallaght in Dublin, Ireland, and now living in Lisburn, Northern Ireland with his partner of many years. His first novel, The Moth and Moon, was published in 2018. When not writing, he paints portraits in watercolours and tweets too many photos of lighthouses. He maintains a website of his latest work at www.glennquigley.com.

 

Where to find Glenn online:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/glennquigleyauthor

Twitter: @glennquigley

Instagram: @glennquigleyauthor

Mastodon: @glennquigley@mastodon.online

Website: www.glennquigley.com

Volaria- Out Now! The Calling Audiobook Now Available!

Happy Wednesday, Scribblers! I hope you are all hanging in there and taking care of yourselves. There has been so much happening in the world with hurricane Ian, the protests in Iran, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and not to mention all the political drama happening here at home. I think sometimes we need a break from all that is happening, and I’m glad I can provide a brief respite from the outside world for you. Today I’m excited to share two big announcements with you; Volaria is out now in eBook, paperback and hardback (you heard that right hardback) and the audiobook version of The Calling (Book 1) joins my growing collection of audiobooks. Let’s get into it.

This week, I’m pleased to announce that Volaria is out and has been getting some wonderful reviews (click here). Volaria is a wonderful story and I’m thrilled that folks can pick up their own copy to enjoy. Spectrum Books (who is the publisher for Volaria) offers their novels exclusively through Amazon, so that is where you can grab your copy of Volaria. How this benefits you, is that, you can take advantage of Kindle Unlimited, you can read the book through that service using your credits, which is amazing.

Here is the blurb:

Humans are no longer alone; they have been joined by Arcanes, Lycans, and Vampires. It’s been over a hundred years since the Earth went through The Shift. Where once almost eight billion humans lived, the population now holds at four billion. But that wasn’t the only change. No one anticipated the branching of human DNA to produce new species of humans. Arcanes, Lycans, and Vampires are hidden throughout the genome, awaiting puberty before they manifest distinctly unhuman abilities. Finally, the new species of man were welcomed. No longer studied or treated as outcasts by most. People accepted these new humans and they integrated into society, albeit not easily. This allowed the UN Government to focus on colonizing space, in order to secure a future for all.

Risks remain however, permitting a vampire to feed from you can cause shared memories. Tobin Corsian took such a risk. He resides in a newly reopened district of San Jose, California, where his family’s old home stood. He lives there with his friend Mikel, a Lycan, and his dog Begger. Instead of making his mandatory monthly blood donation at the government blood bank for the vampire community, Tobin decides, with the help of his therapist, to visit Biter, a vampire spa. The spa allows vampires to feed from humans directly while providing spa and sexual services, granting the donor a three-month reprieve from their required donations. Tobin’s encounter at Biter opens a window to his past and an experience he had as a child on the moon. Questions abound as he tries to unravel his past and make sense of his life.

Find Volaria here.

For those folks that love to listen to audiobooks, well this week, it gives me great pleasure to share that The Calling (Book 1) is now available on Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. The Calling joins my other marvelous audiobooks (find them all here); The Reunion, A Dragon for Christmas, T.A.D.-The Angel of Death, and Contact-A New World (Book 1). Getting The Calling in audiobook format has been a long journey, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Vance Bastian has done an amazing job of bringing the characters and story to life.

Enjoy this audio sample here:

Get your audiobook version of The Calling (Book 1) here.

To wrap up this week, I would like to ask if you have read and enjoyed any of my books or audiobooks to please consider leaving a book review. This is so important and you don’t have to spend a lot of time writing it, you can simply leave a star rating or if you want to leave a comment, it can be as simple as: This is a good book, I recommend it. Book reviews really help and lets other readers know this novel or audiobook are worth picking up and reading. Lastly, don’t forget to check out my Book Reviews (click here) and find yourself something exciting to read. Until next time, I hope you pick up one of my newest books and, most importantly, have a great week.

Sundowners by R.L. Merrill

Happy Wednesday Scribblers! This week I’m so excited to share with you author R.L. Merrill’s (learn more here) newest novel Sundowners (find the book here). This is a new vampire story that is set in one of my favorite places, Santa Cruz, California. I can’t begin to tell you all the wonderful times I’ve had in Santa Cruz, from a kid playing on the beaches to running around the Boardwalk, spending weekends in Aptos and Capitola, fishing in the bay and off some of the many piers, and going to the bars in downtown. I even got lost at UC Santa Cruz when I was meeting someone for a date… ugh, date did not go well. Anyway, this novel and story were something I’ve been looking forward to sharing with you.

Blurb:

Vampire Creed Lowell drifts from town to town working with the elderly as a night nurse and looking to avenge his harrowing past. His youth and vitality make him a favorite of his patients and his gifts bring them peace. At long last he’s arrived in the place where he hopes to find the truth about those who betrayed him…but first he finds an unexpected love with a man who might understand him—or end him.

Grad student Roman San Angelo is struggling to handle his courses, teaching schedule, and research for his dissertation on an obscure cult. He spends every spare moment with his beloved yet demanding grandmother Frances who’s recently moved to an assisted living facility—and he’s fascinated by her night nurse, who is able to bring out the inner light which had faded during her battle with dementia. Something about Creed doesn’t add up, however, Roman finds himself fighting an undeniable attraction. His concerns multiply when Roman discovers a connection between Creed and a bizarre series of vampire-wannabe assaults in the area. A moment of weakness leads to a night of passion between them, and the promise of something more, and yet Roman can’t shake his concern that Creed is not what he seems.

Creed knows better than to bring a mortal into his world, even one who could help him find the link between the pack of violent vampires preying on the people of Santa Cruz and Creed’s past. When he discovers Creed’s secret, Roman is ready to step outside his comfort zone and accept everything a life with a vampire entails, and when Creed disappears, Roman will go to the ends of the earth to find the man who brought the light back to his grandmother and the warmth back to his own heart.

My Review:

Vampires in Santa Cruz…again

Hear me out. Sundowners is about vampires in Santa Cruz, CA. If you are thinking that sounds familiar you’d be right… the Lost Boys took place in Santa Cruz, CA back in the late 1980s, but don’t think this is some kind of retelling or some fanfiction story, because it’s not. The author, R.L. Merrill, addresses the Lost Boys several times in the story as a wink and nod to the readers. So, R.L. Merrill is fully aware that she knows, we know. Which helps with the charm of the story.

These vampires however, are not the vampires of lore and are an exciting fresh take on the genre. I loved that the author used locations and places most people would be familiar with, (the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, UC Santa Cruz, etc.) and if you live in Santa Cruz or the surrounding locations you’ll recognize many of the more local places, which makes the story that much better and grounds it all in reality. There are a lot of plot points in the first book. We get to spend a lot of time with our main characters getting to know them as their relationship begins. As I mentioned we also get a lot of new vampire lore in this story which I enjoyed.

The two main characters Creed and Roman are what you would expect for characters in a vampire romance story (which is my only complaint. They are both young, attractive and intelligent with baggage. This kind of bummed me out, but didn’t stop me from enjoying the story and enjoying the characters, because R.L. Merrill made them interesting and unique enough to allow me to put my pretty boy biases to the side.) I won’t get into the characters a lot because I don’t want to ruin things for you, plus you can read the blurb and learn all you need to know. I will also add, that the secondary characters are as interesting as the main characters, which really helped to bring this story to life.

If you enjoy vampire stories that are set in unique locations then this is the story for you. Be advised this story is book 1 so there will be more to come. The ending works, however it sets things up for the next book and the series. So, keep that in mind.

You can get your copy of Sundowners here at Amazon or buy it at your local bookstore or anywhere books are sold.

That’s all I have for this week. I invite you to check out my book recommendations here, as I’ve been getting caught up on my reading list, and I have several new books I’m recommending. Until next time have a great week.

The Bay Area Queer Writers Association Presents: Two – Anthology Out Now

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. Can you believe it’s September! Crazy right. This week I’m excited to share that for the second year in a row I’m part of the Bay Area Queer Writers Association’s (BAQWA, find them here) anthology. This year the anthology is titled: Two (click here to get your copy). This anthology features ten authors who share a mix a short stores and poetry all focused around the number two. This is quite the unique collection and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of it. As with last year’s anthology all proceeds from this collection will be donated to the Lavender Library and Archives (click here to learn more) in Sacramento, California. I hope you will pick up a copy and help us support this wonderful organization.

Check out the Cover:

Book Blurb:

Sit down and kick your feet up with your favorite warm beverage this fall. It's time for you to enjoy stories and poetry that reflect the number two.

The Bay Area Queer Writers Association is proud to present this year’s collections of short stories and poetry featuring authors: Michael Alenyikov, Liz Faraim, Wayne Goodman, Kelliane Parker, Richard May, Gar McVey-Russell, Vincent Traughber Meis, R.L. Merrill, M.D. Neu, and K.S. Trenten. Sometimes you need to be able to sit back and let the words from the pages wash over you. See how these amazing authors spotlight the number ‘two’ in each of their works.

All proceeds from this limited-time anthology will be donated to the Lavender Library and Archives in Sacramento, California.

I’m really excited to be part of this anthology and found creating a story for book to be a lot of fun.

The story I contributed to this anthology is called; Nightingale’s Heart, and today I’m pleased to share the blurb with you:

Rahim is the head of security for Aza, a popstar, who had a fan with mental health issues break into their home a few years back. Since being hired Rahim has ensured Aza, and their team’s, safety. However, Rahim, over this time, has grown fond of Aza, hoping for more but never wanting to cross the line of professionalism. Could his feelings be reciprocated? Could Aza, find this lug of a man who protects them more than a ‘Big Guy’ who sees to their safety? Or is this another relationship where Rahim will get hurt.

Also, I created an author’s note for the story, that I think goes to the heart of the tale:

Have you ever had a crush on someone you’ve worked with? I think we all have. As time passed, you finally accepted that a business relationship was all you would ever get, but not today. Not now. This short story is all about crossing lines and taking chances and seeing what happens, for good or for bad. We may not get to explore those choices in real life, but in the safety of these pages, we get to indulge in our fantasies.

Well, that’s all for this week. Please pick up your copy of BAQWA Presents: Two (find it here) and see all the creative ways these authors have spotlighted the number two. Until next time, have a great week.

Conspiracy-A New World (Book 3) Has Arrived

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. Today is the day, Conspiracy-A New World (Book 3) has arrived. This amazing third installment is out now and you can pick up your copy (click here). 

Here is what folks are saying about this new book:

It was a pleasure to see Todd, Mirtoff, Mi'ko and the other characters again! It's like meeting old friends.
This third book is a little more dark than the previous two, but there are some funny moments and lots of good banter. The writing is amazing as usual. - Goodreads Reviewer

So, I'm not a huge fan of science fiction (in books, love movies) with that being said, I really enjoyed this story. It took me a moment to find my footing since I hadn't read the other books, but once I did I couldn't put the book down. - BookBub Reviewer

The strength of this book is in its wide cast of strong characters. Some are easy to love, others are easy to hate, and the rest are easy to read.

This is one of those books where it's easy to get a hundred pages into it before you realize it. Though I do recommend reading the previous books in the series first. Have fun! - BookBub - Reviewer

Find more reviews here on Goodreads and here on BookBub.

Here is the blurb for book three in my award-winning Sci-Fi series: 

A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It’s home to 7 billion people with all manner of faiths, beliefs and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding, who have been told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice. 

It’s been a little over a year since Todd Landon’s life changed with the arrival of the Nentraee. Continuing his duties as Special Envoy for Terran Affairs, Todd finally feels at home with the aliens; gaining more responsibility and influence with both races. Plans are underway for two Interplanetary spaceports and additional solar exploration. It’s an exciting time for both the humans and the Nentraee. 

Not everything is as perfect as some hope. Speaker General Mirtoff and Vice-Speaker Mi’ko of the Nentraee are worried that the Liberi Dei plot additional terrorist attacks and may have inside help. Threats are clear, but who can they trust? Could Todd be helping them unknowingly, or worse covertly? Will these new space endeavors continue to bring the human and the Nentraee together or will a conspiracy hiding in the shadows fracture an already shaky alliance?  

That’s all for this week! I hope you’ll pick up your copy of Conspiracy-A New World (Book 3) and let yourself get wrapped up in this amazing story and get to know these wonderful characters (click here to get your copy today). Well, that’s all for this week. Until next time, have a great week.

Conspiracy-A New World (Book 3) Cover Reveal

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. Things have been crazy these last couple of weeks and if you haven’t seen it yet, today I’m thrilled to share with you the cover for Conspiracy-A New World (Book 3). I know I’ve been talking about this book for years (yes, literally years) and finally I have all kinds of details to share. 

As with all my covers, I’m pleased. This cover matches the theme and the design of the first two books, and I believe it’s absolutely beautiful. Conspiracy will debut on August 16, 2022. This novel went from being in somewhat of a limbo state to rushing out the door, however I can assure you the book has gone through several rounds of editing and is well and truly polished (he says knowing full well something has been missed). Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be sharing more details, buy links and all those important details, but for today let’s sit back and enjoy this beautiful cover. 

Here is the blurb for book three in my award-winning Sci-Fi series: 

A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It’s home to 7 billion people with all manner of faiths, beliefs and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding, who have been told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice. 

It’s been a little over a year since Todd Landon’s life changed with the arrival of the Nentraee. Continuing his duties as Special Envoy for Terran Affairs, Todd finally feels at home with the aliens; gaining more responsibility and influence with both races. Plans are underway for two Interplanetary spaceports and additional solar exploration. It’s an exciting time for both the humans and the Nentraee. 

Not everything is as perfect as some hope. Speaker General Mirtoff and Vice-Speaker Mi’ko of the Nentraee are worried that the Liberi Dei plot additional terrorist attacks and may have inside help. Threats are clear, but who can they trust? Could Todd be helping them unknowingly, or worse covertly? Will these new space endeavors continue to bring the human and the Nentraee together or will a conspiracy hiding in the shadows fracture an already shaky alliance?  

As I mentioned, this novel will be out on August 16, 2022, however, you can buy the eBook early over on NineStar Press (click here). Once I have all the other links, you bet I’ll be sharing them. In the meantime, what do you think? Do you like this new cover? Does the design peek at your interest? What are you looking forward to most in this next installment? Well, that’s all for this week. Until next time, have a great week.

Save the World – Anthology Out Now

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. This week the anthology I’m part of; Save the World, is out. I’m so excited to share this new anthology with you all today. This anthology is all about hope and ways to fix our planet. Given all the negativity surrounding us daily, this book is an enjoyable break from all the ‘doom scrolling’ around us. Meet twenty authors who have taken different looks at how to save our world. This is the second book in a series of anthologies to share optimism and give us faith in each other.

Book Blurb:

Climate change is no longer a vague future threat. Forests are burning, currents are shifting, and massive storms dump staggering amounts of water in less than 24 hours. Sometimes it’s hard to look ahead and see a hopeful future.

We asked sci-fi writers to send us stories about ways to save the world from climate change. From the myriad of stories we received, we chose the twenty most amazing (and hopefully prescient) tales.

Dive in and find out how we might mitigate climate change via solar mirrors, carbon capture, genetic manipulation, and acts of change both large and small.

The future’s not going to fix itself.

Doesn’t that sound amazing? Just the blurb gets me pumped and excited for what we all can accomplish when we put our minds to it!

The story I contributed to this anthology is called; The Interview, and today I’m excited to share the blurb with you:

Saving the planet isn’t cheap, and it’s not something everyone thinks about. We can’t only rely on the government, so who are the nameless donors and funders that bring green technologies to fruition? What kind of person spends their personal fortune on ways to clean the environment, and make our planet a better home? Find out who in The Interview.

Having this story selected out of over 300 submission is quite an honor and I’m ecstatic the judges decided my story had enough merit to make the cut. I’ve had time to read some of the other stories, and I know several of the authors who are part of this anthology, and I can say for certain that this is a book you don’t want to miss.

You can get the book here or if you want a signed copy, from me, and you live here in the United States, you can pick up a copy here on my website.

Well, that’s all for this week. Please pick up your copy of Save the World and see all the creative ways people have offered to help us save our planet and make our home a better place for everyone. Until next time, have a great week and Happy Pride 2022.

June 2022 Announcements

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. Can you believe it’s June 1st? I sure can’t. The beginning of June means we start the month of Pride, and we have so much to be proud of. However, given the state of the world today, there is still so much we need to be better at. So, let’s all promise each other we will do better. We will be better people. We will treat each other with dignity and respect. We will bring light to darkness. We will support each other and be there for each other. And most importantly, we will not, under any circumstances, let the bastards bring us down. 

As part of Pride month, I’m happy to share four of my author pals who all have new projects out this month, or coming soon. I cannot stress enough how amazing these novelists are and how, if you haven’t already done so, you need to pick up their books. I’ve enjoyed each these writer’s works and say to you, today, that these are some of the finest authors out there. Let’s begin, shall we? 

Author J.P. Jackson has a new book out; Cursed, it’s the second book in his Magus Malefica - The Coven Series. If you haven’t read book one, you’re missing out. The novel is wonderful and gives you all the background you need for book two. 

Blurb: 

Cam Habersham is having a hell of a time keeping up with his fae studies in the Ancestral Lands because a certain werewolf constantly interrupts his thoughts. Everton Lilch is the wolfen beast who follows Cam around, but he pushes Cam away every time things get steamy. 

The queen of the fae has had enough and tasks Cam with an impossible feat, an undertaking only Everton can help him accomplish. 

Without his coven, Sparks Gemmell is a lost witch. In desperation, he casts a spell, hoping to reunite his brothers. But he doesn’t count on the wayward route magic often takes. He finds himself wrapped up in a mandate of the horned god and inserted into his Shadow Brothers’ relationship in order to protect his city from the darkest elements of the Shadow Realm. 

As the darkness of the Shadow Realm descends, Cam and his werewolf, along with Sparks and his coven brothers, confront wraiths, mutant werewolves, and witch law enforcement. Chaos erupts in an effort to please queens and gods. 

After all, it comes down to the ley of the land. 

Read my review here. Get your copy here.

Next up, I’m please to share with you Kevin Klehr’s newest audiobook; Winter Masquerade. The narration is spectacular, as is the story. If you don’t have time to sit down and read, but need something to get you through your workout, then this is a must get. 

Pick up the audiobook here.

In the spotlight today is Glenn Quigley (artist and author extraordinaire). This is what Glenn has to say about his newest short story: 

I want to let people know that my first short story is coming soon from Ninestar Press. It’s also my first contemporary story (I usually write Historical Fantasy), so I’m very excited for people to read it. Excited and nervous. Mostly nervous. 

Use as Wallpaper, is a story about a reporter for a seldom-watched LGBTQ+ television channel who travels to the beautiful country of Georgia to film a piece about a polyphonic choir. The reporter’s name is Stuart, he’s just past forty, and recently single. When he arrives, he discovers that the choirmaster is a stocky, gruff, obstinate man named Otar. As the two butt heads, Stuart has to learn a little bit of the Georgian language, perform in front of a crowd with the polyphonic choir, and try to mend his broken heart. Stuart better not mess up this performance. 

Use as Wallpaper is a light-hearted romp filled with sunshine, performance anxiety, and hairy chests. 

It will be released in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on my socials for the exact date and the cover! Use as Wallpaper will be available from Amazon, the Ninestar Press website, and all the usual eBook outlets. 

Find out more about the book and Glenn here. 

And bringing up the rear is author Eric David Roman and his re-released novel Long Night at Lake Never. 

Blurb: 

Welcome to Camp Horizons, where they pray all day…and get slayed all night! 

Nestled against scenic Lake Never, recently outed Tyler Wills has arrived at the secluded conversion camp, where the delusional staff of counselors believes he and his fellow camper’s queer affliction can be healed solely through the power of prayer. 

After a full day spent rallying against sadistic deprogramming therapies, the deranged camp director, and planning his escape, Tyler discovers a larger problem—a mysterious stranger has rolled into camp with a grudge to settle and a very sharp axe. 

When night falls, the terror and body count rise. And Tyler, along with his fellow campers, find themselves trapped between a brutal, unrelenting killer and their holier-than-thou prey as they desperately search for a way to survive the Long Night at Lake Never. 

Find your copy here.

These four authors couldn’t be more different in genres and writing styles, which gives you a wonderful mix of talent and stories to read and enjoy. 

For me this month, I’ll be joining QSac at Davis Pride on June 12th, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be out and about again and meeting folks. If you are in the Davis, CA area, please come by and say hello. Learn more here. Also, this month I’m wrapping up edits on Conspiracy, A New World (Book 3) find out more here. And I have a teaser for the cover art for Volaria. Get your peek here. Both books will be out later this summer and early fall 2022. Also, as I write this, my biggest supporter and harshest critic is editing/reading my new short story; Two Years, that will, hopefully, be part of the Bay Area Queer Writers Association’s (BAQWA) 2022 anthology. Keep your fingers crossed. Once I learn more, I’ll be sure to let you know. 

And I’m thrilled to share the news that The Called (learn more here) was chosen as the 2021 Fantasy Runner up for the Gay Scribe Awards, check it out here. I’m so pleased with this novel and the series. Thank you to everyone for all your love and support.

Wow. There it is. There is so much happening right now for Pride, and for the summer, that I’m sure I missed something. Some food for thought before I sign off this week. If you want to support the Queer Community this Pride month, instead of buying from large companies that slap a rainbow on their products for the month, why not support queer artists and businesses, especially when everyone is struggling economically right now. Supporting a queer local artist or business (oh and look I have a merchandise page, how convenient is that, click here) mean a lot more than buying something from a big company with a rainbow sticker slapped on their merch. With that, I hope to see you at Davis, CA Pride on June 12th, but if not, until next time, have a great week and Happy Pride 2022.

Who Invited Them? by Eric David Roman

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. This week I’m pleased to welcome Eric David Roman to my blog to chat about his experience as an author and what it’s like writing and finding your balance in the middle of our current planetary event (aka COVID-19). Eric hits on several authorly fears and anxieties that remind us we are all going through this together and we need to stop listening to those uninvited voices in our head. Whether or not you're an author, this is a wonderful article that I hope you enjoy.

***

If you ask any Golden Girls’ fan, they’ll tell you the best moments, the best episodes, in fact, are those with our fab four gathered around their iconic kitchen table late one night. It’s not ideal for us to be around a table to laugh, eat, and discuss life while we share stories that help us get through the days. But if you’d permit me this indulgence, I’d like you to take a moment to visualize their cozy kitchen (or any kitchen really, theirs is the safest space I can think of). And see us around a table covered with cookies, cheesecake, chips, a side of pork if you like—I never judge a food kink. We’re comfy in our robes, we have our coffee, our tea, or our cannabis.

We’ve been laughing and jovial, but try as we might, we cannot steer our convo away from the topics of the outside world. We all know it’s damn near impossible lately to even say hello without current events being the next topic. Eventually, rolling belly laughs dim into faint chuckles as the memory of the amusing comment fades, and the conversation eases into one of its natural lulls. One of us sighs and another laments about life never returning to normal, and we wonder aloud how we’ll face the challenges ahead of us. I’m itching to be chatty, so when its asked what’s the most challenging aspect of writing now, I jump in:

From the moment we writers pick up a pen and feel it glide along the paper as smooth as figure skater Surya Bonaly zipped across the ice, we’re hooked—okay, yes, maybe for some of you it was a keyboard or a tablet that popped your writer cherry, I’m trying to be poetic dammit. But from that moment there’s no getting off this ride. It’s a deep emphatic love which binds us to the words, and then we’re caught in this gig for the long haul. And truthfully, it’s not fun a lot of the time, even during the best of times being a writer is an arduous trek; the rejection, the crippling self-doubt, that pesky internal Critic always pulling double shifts to make us feel like the absolute worst.

Picture it, during what we can all agree is nowhere near the best of times, I got my first offer from a publisher, my first Yes (goal achieved). A writer’s life is often filled with rejection and harsh critiques, so one develops a proficiency at popping back up like a tweaked-out whack-a-mole hungry for more. Immediately, however, I found myself unsure what happens after the Yes. When does the instant fame kick in? (pimp book here). And I’ll venture to say that it’s not unfamiliar to anyone at this table to get bitch-slapped with a what the hell am I doing? moment so hard it freezes you in place. I was having such a monumental event occur concurrently with a once-in-a-lifetime global issue. The timing was a bit much.

I dove into the final polish of my book but found nothing I wrote seemed good enough, nothing I tried to convey in my writing was coming through. It felt like every character was one-dimensional, every plot device was contrived. Everything was muddled and filtered by the ever-evolving events happening outside in the world. A lot of creative frustrations began showing up to the party, which if you’re a writer, you’re nodding along cause you know. I was hounded by intrusive thoughts. Who’d want to read about the fake horrors I’d concocted when our own true-life horror show played out every day in real-time? Self-doubt weighed heavier than normal, and baby, that threatens the delicate creative ecosystem; listen it takes a certain degree of delusion to keep a writer going (yes, we are going to make it).

Anxieties from the global stuff slogged the creative process. And because the Critic, I guess, was lonely or whatever, they called a friend. And this ‘heffa’, Imposter Syndrome, showed up to tag-team me like no one’s business. It’s not a fun three-way. Plus, the Critic amped up their nonsense past the normal, You’re not good enough shtick, and started hitting on deeper levels: Why publish at all? The oceans are burning and you’re a joke. Who’s going to read you when the world is slowly crumbling around us? It’s a mistake, the publisher is going to email you that they were wrong. You’re a hot mess and everyone’s exhausted. The world’s running out supplies. They’re just going to watch Netflix and chill and ignore your scribbles. The Critic doesn’t play. And Imposter Syndrome, well, that hoe is still trying me; like who am I to ramble on about this for 1500 words?

Feeling extremely low and straddled with a deadline to turn in the final draft, the Yes was not the glamourous champagne popping moment I’d envisioned. I realized everything I’d worked for hinged on what I did next, so you know, no pressure or anything. I could spiral out or step my pussy up as the kids say and forge forward. I spiraled out. Sure, it’s messy, but it’s easier.

It took a minute, longer than I’ll admit, to realize I’d lost my creative equilibrium because I’d lost faith in my creative self. I’d gotten a yes; I was getting published and still didn’t believe I’d earned it. Nonsense really, as it’s since come out and been a huge hit (remember…delusion). A hard lesson along any healing journey is learning to trust the Universe, or your Higher Power of choice of course, but even more so, yourself—your intuition, your gut.

My healing story intersects with my creative one here, so, we’re going to get spiritual for a moment. But don’t worry, I’ll keep it lowkey, not really my vibe to preach about aligning chakras and waving crystals around like a loon—though meditation would save the world if we gave it a chance.

Despite the negativity in my head, the pulsing madness of the world, I focused my meditations on my creative self, and it took a minute, but I realized I was where I was supposed to be. Regardless of the outside world, I knew my book, the story I wanted to tell, did have a place in the world. That there was something to say even in a sea of loud voices. I trusted I had everything I needed to move forward, that I was safe as could be, considering. And my Yes, wasn’t a giant fluke they were going to take away. I did affirmations solely about rising above the self-doubt and defeating the Critic. They won’t ever be fully gone, they’re like a bad horror franchise, they keep coming back—but you can shut them up for a while. And I’d love to tell you I did the affirmations every day for months in an impressive, even inspiring display of tenacity, but no. And that’s okay, and I’ll continue to tell myself and you that.

I found assisting the other writers in my life with their own creative path helped my own creative confidence. I mean, that’s not groundbreaking stuff as any soul in recovery will tell you helping others and stepping out of self, helps them remain sober. I like to believe that idea applies to writing as well since my own words were flowing again. And the more I flowed with the Universe, the clearer they appeared. We, as a collective, experienced several rapid life-altering changes in a microsecond’s worth of time, learning to simply flow with those changes helped (still helps) me get through the mess. We can’t control what’s happening in the rooms we aren’t ever going to be invited into, try to not let it consume you. I know, easier said than done, but maybe it’ll help.

There was more of course: Journaling, physical exercise, seventeen broken vows to quit and go do anything else, three and a half mental breakdowns under my desk, but that’s all the boring stuff. The hardest part of regaining my equilibrium was remembering to trust in my creative self despite the Critic and Imposter Syndrome; they’re just noise in that complex and mysterious grey matter floating within our skulls, so why are we even listening to them? Why do we have to be reminded to not listen is what makes me scratch my head. And it can be hard to remember they aren’t the truth.

I was in a whole other headspace when I turned in the final draft; my creative ecosystem balanced with all the functional delusions back in their place (we are going to make it). I felt confident and knew my novel would carve out its place in the world, that its message, though wrapped in blood and gore, would seep through. That hopefully it would become someone’s favorite book. I felt pretty good sending the final draft off, and when I got another Yes from my publisher for a second book, I knew I was where I was supposed to be. I mean, of course, I repeated everything I described to you all over again, but this time it didn’t take so long, and I got this round down to only two meltdowns and ten broken vows that I was done with writing, so, yeah…progress.

About author Eric David Roman:

Eric David Roman spent twenty years wandering the wrong paths; he tends to get lost a lot (he’s from Florida). He worked the wrong jobs (as it turns out, streetwalking is not a profession for just anyone) and avoided his true passion—writing, or as he refers to it, shotgunning sleeves of gluten-free Double Stuff Oreos in a dark closet whilst crying. After hitting a low point while trapped in retail management hell (a harsh rock bottom), he rearranged his thinking (now with 75% less anxiety and depression), got a little spiritual (but isn’t all in-your-face about it), and switched his focus to writing; well, as much as his gAyDD allows. And now, you’re reading his bio, so things are progressing nicely. He is the author of the outrageous novella Despicable People, the new novel Long Night at Lake Never, and the upcoming short story collection: Pirate Station N.G.H.T. Eric remains socially distant in Northern Virginia (don’t stalk him, you’d just be disappointed), where he lives, writes, loves all things horror, campy, and queer. He spends the days with his adoring husband and loveable cat (both of whom remain indifferent to his self-proclaimed celebrity).

Where to Find Eric David Roman:

Facebook: Www.facebook.com/ericdavidroman

Instagram: @themwritervibes

Twitter: @themwritervibes

Website: https://ericdavidroman.com/

About Long Night at Lake Never:

Welcome to Camp Horizons, where they pray all day…and get slayed all night!

Nestled against scenic Lake Never, recently outed Tyler Wills has arrived at the secluded conversion camp, where the delusional staff of counselors believes he and his fellow camper’s queer affliction can be healed solely through the power of prayer.

After a full day spent rallying against sadistic deprogramming therapies, the deranged camp director, and planning his escape, Tyler discovers a larger problem—a mysterious stranger has rolled into camp with a grudge to settle and a very sharp axe.

When night falls, the terror and body count rise. And Tyler, along with his fellow campers, find themselves trapped between a brutal, unrelenting killer and their holier-than-thou prey as they desperately search for a way to survive the Long Night at Lake Never.

Where to buy: Long Night at Lake Never:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/longnightatlakenever/