Friday 14 February 2014

Be My Valen-Tone

Happy Valentine's Day to my lovely readers. I will be celebrating the evening with my husband, a nice steak dinner and a very classy pint of cider ;)

And for you amazing lot, a sweet short story for Valentine's.




“Here,” Tom said, passing one of the Swiss balls. “Squats next.”              

His client gave a weary sigh as he spun the large exercise ball over in his hands. “I hate squats,” Luke Adams complained.

“How does your leg feel?” Tom stepped back and examined how Luke was standing.

Luke shrugged. “It’s okay.” He rested his chin against the ball, his dark hair pasted to his damp brow. “The rest of me though. I can’t believe how out of shape I feel after just a few months.”

“A broken leg, sitting around, and no exercise will do that to you,” Tom said with a nod. Luke had booked the hour to work out a program to ease him back into regular exercise and Tom was on hand to help. He picked up the other Swiss ball and tilted his head as he checked out all six-four of Luke. “All those firm bits start getting squishy.”

Luke arched one of his neat eyebrows. “Are you checking out my squishy bits?”

“No,” Tom protested and folded his arms. He tensed his arms but totally wasn’t flexing his muscles right now. Tom ducked his head, grinning when he noticed Luke had settled his gaze on his chest. He glanced around the Valen-Tone studio. It was six in the evening and the usual post-work patrons had filled up the treadmills, bikes, and weights. He looked back at Luke who wore a goofy grin.

Pursing his mouth, Luke looked beyond Tom and to the other side of the gym. “Is the boss watching? Is that it?”

This is my job. This is me being professional. Tom looked over his shoulder and at his boss. The man met his eyes, smiled, then waved him over. Tom raised a finger, indicating he just needed a minute. Turning around, he straightened when without warning Luke dropped the ball.

“Woops. Silly me,” Luke teased as he bent over, pointing his ass in Tom’s direction as he retrieved the ball.

Clearing his throat, Tom looked away in an effort to keep his rising erection in check. He’d seen plenty of guys in short shorts and tight Speedos, sweaty, muscular men with arms bigger than his head.

“So, squats?” Luke sounded disappointed by Tom’s lack of interest.

Tom turned back and was met with an encouraging smile. “Erm, yeah. Two reps of fifteen to start.” He ran his hand back through his shaggy blond hair and watched Luke position the exercise ball between him and the mirrored wall. He waited, allowing Luke to complete a couple of squats before interrupting.

Thursday 13 February 2014

Dead Things

Blurb

A deadly virus rages indiscriminately across the United States and then beyond. The survivors face a new terror--the undead creatures created in the wake of the infection.

Devin Reid is part of a group surviving out of a high-security penitentiary near Kansas City. Resources are limited and it's down to a handful of people like Devin to meet the demands on food and supplies. The newly-made monsters are hungry, and the survivors risk their lives scavenging the cities and highways.

On one fateful venture, Devin finds something, someone, with the potential to change a dark future, destined for blood and heartbreak, into one of hope and second chances. He finds Noah Weber.


Buy Links: This title is currently unavailable as the rights have been reverted back to me. It will return within the next few months so please check back for news about this release in the furture.


Reviews to follow...


Excerpt:

Chapter 1


"You're kidding, right?"

Devin Reid tapped his thumbs thoughtfully against the steering wheel of the dark Mercedes-Benz SUV. No, he wasn't kidding. In fact, he was deadly serious. He guided the vehicle to the side of the road, and left the engine running as he considered the surrounding area. Through the SUV's dark-tinted windows he saw the old diner set back from the highway. The place wouldn't have seen a dime or a customer in almost nine months. The outer door hung crookedly on only one of its hinges, and the windows were filthy, covered in dirt kicked up from the highway and the strong wind that blew through the valley. Despite the few cars sitting out front in the parking lot, there was no one around. There were no lights on inside the diner or the adjoining gas station, and both buildings had an eerie stillness about them.

Aware of his partner, Lee, fidgeting in the passenger seat beside him, Devin made a decision and cut the engine. "Come on," he said and pulled at the door handle. The door swung open and he stepped out of the car. Pushing his shades higher, he stepped back from the SUV and closed the heavy door, his hand lingering around one of the metal strips welded across the dark glass of the driver's side window. He twisted his hand around the metal and checked the car up and down. Several similar bars secured the SUV's radiator and wheel arches.

"Omelet?"

Devin looked across the hood of the car and frowned, silently disapproving of his young companion's attempt to lighten the mood.

"Get it?" Lee continued, quirking his head and smirking as he nodded toward the specials board beside the door. The writing was faint, bleached by the sun, but the offer of any omelet and fries for under three dollars could be made out beneath the layer of old dirt.

Devin pressed his mouth into a thin line as his partner raised his automatic weapon and scanned it across the front of the diner. With a sigh he pushed his own gun into the holster he wore on his thigh.

"I get it," he said flatly and turned from the diner toward the horizon. He found it comforting as he looked across the large empty plain. There was nothing but miles of dry, sandy dirt spattered with tuffs of tall grass reaching out in all directions from the diner. With a crooked smile, he walked to the back of the vehicle then opened and closed the trunk quickly, appearing with two gas cans in his hands. "Let's make this quick," he said and started toward the gas station. "Head up to the diner. See if they've got any canned food in the back."
"The diner?" There was fear in his young companion's voice.

Sex And Cocktails

Blurb:

Daniel Rawlings is happy with his nine-to-five life in Chicago. He has an office job, a mortgage, and he's about to turn thirty. He's happy, or so he thought. During the last night of a sun-filled vacation in Miami, he meets wild-haired, free-spirited Ty. With the help of some summery cocktails, Daniel and Ty embark on a passionate one night stand, though neither man really wants it to be just one night.

With a thousand miles between cities, it may be harder than either man could have imagined. In the end, Daniel and Ty have a decision to make: Is what they have when they're together worth the heartache of saying goodbye over and over again?
 
Buy Links: This book is currently out of publication due to rights being reverted to me. More news to follow.
 
Excerpt:

Kermit juice, Daniel Rawlings mused as he stirred his drink with a fluorescent pink drinking straw. He stared at the huge cocktail and admired its color. It was green, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. What made a drink green? He must be insane. It was the sun. That was it. He was suffering from one too many days of lying on the beach and the sun had finally fried his brain. He was sitting in some club with a cocktail mostly made up of straws, umbrellas, and crushed ice, and talking to some guy he didn't even know.

Shit. Said guy was looking at him again.

Ty, Daniel told himself, his name's Ty. Maybe. Definitely Ty or something close. Trey? Troy?

He'd possibly had one too many green drinks, a couple of purple ones too, and should probably have stopped drinking two cocktails ago. Daniel narrowed his eyes as he sucked the ice-cold drink through the straw, and stared over the shoulder of the guy sitting in front of him and out toward the exit. It was definitely Ty, he decided. The guy was okay, but Daniel was supposed to be out with friends. He wasn't entirely sure how he lost the three of them, but somehow he'd ended up alone with this guy. This all seemed incredibly irresponsible of him and them. He glanced at Ty. Okay, so the guy was better than okay, all sun-kissed skin and tangled hair. Daniel smirked. He was totally having naughty thoughts about the guy. Focusing on his drink, he considered why he was in Miami. In a month he would turn thirty, and his friends somehow came to the conclusion the best way to see out his twenties was in a glorious blaze of sex and alcohol. Their one mission seemed to be to hook him up with some hot guy. Sure he hadn't been laid in nearly a year, but it seemed a greater concern to them than it did to him. As the alcohol in his glass slowly disappeared, Daniel began to think that this might just be the worst idea in the history of ideas.

Subtly, or as subtly as he could after drinking several cocktails, Daniel looked around the room. The club was one of the nicer places they'd been in. The music was mostly recent, with the occasional crowd pleaser thrown in for its more stereotypical gay patrons. The interior was painted in bright colors and yet still retained the Art Deco feel of the South Beach area. He followed the painted line running around the bar--the sun and beach theme had a refreshingly modern and quirky feel about it.

Taking another drink, he tried to spot his friends. He was slightly annoyed they had abandoned him so easily. Rick and Steve had vanished first. He should have known better than to head out with those two. They were as a good as married, and somehow they'd managed to make the so-called honeymoon period last into a seventh year. He rolled his eyes fondly. They were probably fucking in the bathroom as he sat here being eyed up by good old Ty. He wondered about Neil. His friend had quickly disappeared in search of some female attention. The lucky bastard had found a bachelorette party. The girls were probably trying to turn him straight. If only they knew.

"Pterodactyl," Ty interrupted.

Did he just say...? Daniel narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Either the guy just called out the name of a flying dinosaur, or it was definitely time to stop drinking.

"What?" Daniel slurred and released the straw as he sat back in his seat.

Ty grinned as he seemed to realize just how confused Daniel was. "Thought that would get your attention." He looked out from beneath his sweeping, dark bangs, and Daniel just wanted to reach out and brush them to one side. "Did I get it?"

Daniel rolled his eyes and leaned forward, catching the straw between his lips. Sucking hard, he filled his mouth with more of the sugary liquid. He savored the taste before swallowing and looked across the table. Ty had gotten his attention, Daniel admitted to himself. The way the guy just kept staring back at him was kind of weird. Did he have something on his face? Instinctively, Daniel raised his hand and wiped at his mouth and cheeks. He met Ty's lustful eyes, admiring their beautiful shade of brown with golden flecks.

Amber, Daniel guessed at the color.

"It was always my favorite dinosaur," he continued, "with its big wings and a beak that could peck your eyes out."

Now there's a pickup line, Daniel thought, and quirked an eyebrow. This guy was nuts.

Saving Mr Fox


Blurb

How can you hope to find love if you cannot love yourself?

Eric Fox is an actor faced with his most difficult role yet—being himself. Seven years ago, on the way to his high school prom, an accident drove him from the arms of his young love, CJ. Eric ran away to LA, and CJ was left to pick up the pieces of his broken heart and broken life.

Guilt and regret has eaten away at Eric since that day, leading him to turn to the darker side of celebrity—to sex and alcohol. On a downward spiral and after a series of bad choices, Eric makes the difficult decision to return home. But returning home and having to spend two weeks with the man he left behind could be an obstacle Eric is nowhere near ready to face.

Can Eric find the strength to ask for CJ's forgiveness? And more importantly, can he find the courage to forgive himself?

Buy Links

Amazon (US)  |  Amazon (UK)  |  ARe  |   Barnes & Noble  |  Totally Bound   

Reviews to follow...

Excerpt

Chapter 1

To describe that night seven years ago as “it was a dark and stormy night” didn’t even come close to what Eric remembered. Rain had fallen in thick sheets and the wiper blades of his old Ford had barely made a difference. Dark clouds had blocked out the moon and the stars and the car’s headlights had done little to illuminate the dark highway. The storm had knocked out the power for what had been the third time that month and, as always, nobody had seemed in a hurry to get it fixed. There had been something in the road, maybe a deer or a dog. The animal had run out from nowhere and he’d swerved. He hadn’t thought he’d hit it and certainly nobody had told him he had. Maybe if it hadn’t been raining things would have been different. There had been so much rain. His car had skidded and hydroplaned across the road and into the other lane. The rest of the story blurred into white and red. There were gaps in his memory and all he remembered were the screams, the bright headlights of the truck and the blood on his hands.

“Eric?” 

Eric Fox leaned forward and focussed on the floor. He held his hands in the space between his knees and rubbed them together as he bounced his legs up and down. Composing himself, he raised his head and eyed the lady therapist sitting in the chair opposite him. Despite what many people believed, he wasn’t crazy. He didn’t need some shrink to rationalise his behaviour. He’d fucked up. Simple as that. The past was the past and it was nobody’s business but his—his and the bottle of Jack.

“You don’t want to talk about it?” she said and lowered her notebook. Her eyes were rich brown in colour and held questions, lots of them. “You know anything we discuss here is confidential.”

“Sure, unless you consider me a danger to myself or others, right?” 

Madeleine Keaton gave a short nod. She was here to assess him and see if he was a risk to himself or anyone else. He wasn’t. She’d realise that and then this little venture could come to an end.

“Well, I’m not. It was a mistake. It’s the business, right? Sex and partying?” He frowned. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. I didn’t mean any of it, and if I was anyone else, no one would care. But I’m not, I’m me, so instead I have the press at my door, and men and women lining up to sell my dirty little secrets.”

“Is that how you see your relationships with them?”

There it was again, the topic of relationships. In the hour session, Madeleine had already prompted discussion of his family, friends, colleagues and lovers. The woman seemed obsessed with attaching blame. There was no one to blame, just his own stupidity, every single damn time something went to shit in his life.

“No. I’m not ashamed. I’m not some confused kid.” He was a twenty-five year old man living in LA. He had slept with men and women, and refused to be put into a box—gay, straight, bisexual. What the hell did it matter anyway? As long as he was happy, right?

I am so fucking happy.

Male or female, he was attracted to both, but he had to admit he did have a type—dark, tanned, athletic. With a heavy sigh, he tried to push away the memories of the man he’d just described. The man his lovers mirrored—the first person he had ever loved. Tension swept through him as he was brought back to that night seven years ago. They should never have been out on the road. The weather had been crappy and it had just been some stupid high school dance. But he had insisted. He’d wanted to have fun and dance and hold hands. He’d wanted to say, “Fuck you,” to anyone who gave a damn about two boys doing all those things. As it turned out, it had been a mistake. He’d been an idiot.

Clearing his throat, he met the therapist’s curious eyes. She’d have a field day with all that. He tried to imagine her concocting some theory about his behaviour. Something about him trying to relive his first love through strangers, but never quite finding what he needed—the same emotional attachment. Tiredly, he rubbed away the twinge in his chest. She wouldn’t be entirely wrong. 

CJ.

He smiled at the memory of the man, or rather the boy as he had been back then—eighteen years old and the most beautiful soul Eric had ever been fortunate enough to meet.

Madeleine had seen the smile. “What are you thinking?”

CJ was the first guy Eric had ever had feelings for. Senior year had been the one time Eric had truly felt close to someone. For eight months, life had been perfect. CJ was maybe the only person who had ever got to know the real Eric. Yeah, Eric had screwed his way through life and LA for the last seven years, but nothing and nobody had ever come close again.

“If you want me to help you, you need to start trusting me.” 

Trust. He didn’t trust anyone anymore. People were always waiting for him to fuck up so they could say, “I told you so,” and stab him in the back.

“Eric?”

Eric glanced from Madeleine to the clock above her head. “Time’s up,” he said and got to his feet. His agent had insisted he get himself straightened out. Apparently, no studio would touch a suicidal drunk. He was a drunk, yes, but suicidal? As he’d told the cops and doctors, it had been a mistake. After a little too much Jack and partying, he had been rushed to the ER at five in the morning, gotten his stomach pumped and had been spoken to by the head psych. And, as he’d been told in no uncertain terms, whether he was suicidal or not, he was a twenty-five year old with the insides of a man in his fifties. Drinking day in and day out wasn’t doing him or his liver any favours.

“Next week. Same time,” Madeleine stated in her silky and professional tone. Despite the shrink thing, she was kind of hot. Her hair matched her eyes and was pulled back from her face in a tight ponytail. To Eric’s disappointment, there wasn’t a hint of cleavage. Her silk blouse was buttoned to the collar and tucked into her bootleg-cut dress pants. The hint of three inch heels, however, peeped enticingly from beneath the black material, and Eric was halfway to interested in the seemingly straight-laced Doctor Madeleine.

Eric pressed his lips in a line and shrugged. “Sure,” he said. “If I’m in town.”

“You’re going away?”

The Good Wolf (Lone Wolf #1)

The Good Wolf (The Lone Wolf Trilogy Book 1)

Sometimes the only way to let love in is to let the wolf in, too.

Blurb

Ten years ago, Mason fell for his best friend while at university. Little did he know just two years later, that same friend would turn his world upside down in a way Mason could never have imagined. Now, he lives a cursed life. Living in solitude, Mason does everything he can to keep people away, not only for his safety, but for theirs too.

The night of the full moon. Niall has no idea he's a werewolf, but fate brings him and Mason together. A trick of the moon or something deeper, the men are drawn to each other. Together they must find a way to deal with what has happened to them both. But first Mason must learn to trust Niall and realize being alone is not always for the best.

Buy linksCurrently unavailable

ReviewsMrs Condit & Friends Read Books - 5/5 - “... Gruesome. Brutal. Fierce… Meredith Russell has built a paranormal world unlike most other romanticized werewolf cultures. This is a horror story at its most... well, horrid… This is as good a horror/romance blend as it is possible to be....”
M/M Good Book Reviews - 4.5/5 - “....This is a brilliant story that takes us back to the horror of werewolves, where they are near mindless monsters that revel in murder and terror… I loved this story for the visceral feel to it, the unapologetic way it shows the werewolves as nasty and the darker haunting way that Mason has dealt with it. I recommend this gem to those who love base werewolves, fighting instinct and urges, a battle for life, destroying the evil and finding a happiness that was never expected.....”
 

Book Fan, Amazon - 5/5 -“...[Meredith] did a great job with story, characters and writing. If you love werewolf romance and want something with a little more bite you will love this tale....”

Kaylee Shyanne, Goodreads5/5 - “....Wow okay when I picked this one up I was unaware that it portrayed the dark side of werewolf lore… BUT this one was fantastic! The book kept my interest the whole time and had a very satisfying conclusion. Definitely one of my favorites...Dare I hope it won't be a long wait for book two?...”


Excerpt

Prologue

 Eight years ago.

“Having fun?”

Mason looked at the beer in his friend’s hand. “Fun is subjective,” he said, pulling off his glove of plastic knives and then taking the offered drink. The red and black woollen sweater he wore was itchy and despite it being October, the evening was strangely warm. He glanced up at the trees and the full, orange moon breaking through the canopy. Peach and silver illuminated the open space, creating shadows, which danced across the forest floor. 

Mason Pearce removed his brown Fedora and brushed back his sweat-damp bangs. He rubbed tiredly at his eyes, watching as the partiers danced, talked, and drank. He’d already had several beers topped off with vodka shots and it had gone to his head. He was drunk and tired and he wanted to go home. But he couldn’t. He’d made a promise to the host, who just happened to be his best friend, and maybe one day, if luck was on his side, something more. Kaine Hudson had asked him to be here and here he was.

William's Heart

The Book

Jude is confident, happy, and views his world through the lens of a camera.

Brody is a writer, haunted and searching for inspiration in Stratford-upon-Avon.

In Jude, Brody finds something his heart longed for—strength, acceptance, and the love and warmth of a man.

Buy Links

Love Lane Books | All Romance E BooksAmazon (UK)Amazon (US)

Excerpt 

Chapter 1

"Nana, come and see!" The young child tugged at the sleeve of her grandmother's coat and shifted impatiently from one foot to the other. She waved toward the river, excited to see two large swans standing at the water's edge. One of the swans stood to its full height and spread its wings out wide. The elegant bird let out a throaty noise as it flapped its wings, causing a plume of soft, white feathers to fall away and float to the ground.

Jude Jennings pointed his Nikon camera at the girl and digitally captured the moment. The young girl was wide-eyed in awe of the oversized birds, and he admired her innocent fascination. Briefly, he dipped the camera and smiled. The world was a magical place when viewed through the eyes of a child.

Looking through the viewer, he slowly adjusted the focus and zoomed in so her face filled the shot. He guessed she was maybe three or four years old as she was out in the middle of a school day. Short blonde curls hung from beneath her pink sunhat and framed her face. Her blue eyes were bright as she laughed excitedly. She was a sweet little thing.

Taking the shot, Jude lowered his camera and looked down at the screen. He took a moment to examine the half-dozen images of the swans, the girl, and her grandmother. The mid-April sunshine provided unique lighting and the warmth of the day radiated from the people within the pictures. April was a strange month for weather and lighting. It was unpredictable at best. In a single month the UK had seen snow, rain, and sunshine. He looked around the park he was sitting in. Today was a brilliant, almost summer-like day, and the weather had brought out an eclectic mix of people.

The Art Of Words

Cover Art by Meredith Russell
The Book

 Blu Taylor is an artist. After years of trailing up and down the country with his activist parents, he finally found somewhere to call home. He sees color and art in the world around him, and yet is never truly part of it. Despite the devotion and financial support of his best friend, there's a line he can't see through and that keeps him just on the outside of everything and everyone else.

Thomas Harrington has everything. The money, the car and the designer suits. But there's something missing from a seemingly perfect life. Something he had the misfortune of losing when his mother was taken ill.

After attending a local art show, Blu is contacted by Tom and offered everything he has ever wanted; a chance to show at a gallery. Though there is a growing attraction between the men, their worlds couldn't be more apart. Blu speaks through paint and brushes and Tom's life is wrapped up in words and paperwork.

Though opposites attract, it might be these same differences that push them apart.


Buy Links - eBook

Love Lane Books | Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | All Romance | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Sony | Smashwords

Follow The Sun (Sapphire Cay #1)

Sapphire Cay is a fictional island in the Bahamas.

Set against a backdrop of white sands, blue skies, and warm seas, this is the new series from RJ Scott and Meredith Russell, authors of The Art Of Words.

The series charts the loves and lives of the men of Sapphire Cay - the workaholic, the wedding planner, the soldier, the physicist, the model, and more. Their stories are ones of romance and drama.
Blurb

This is the story of Lucas and Dylan, set against the stunning landscape of Sapphire Cay.

Lucas Madison is in the Bahamas for his sister's wedding on the  beautiful and idyllic island of Sapphire Cay.

He has the weight of the world on his shoulders. With the stress of his job, the loss of his friend, and faced with his own medical crisis, Lucas arrives on the white sands of Sapphire Cay gray and exhausted. His only thought is to see his sister married and happy.

Dylan Gray is a free-spirited traveler who literally follows the sun. Never settling in one place for long, he earns his way from state to state and continent to continent.  But there's something about Sapphire Cay that draws him back over and over. A feeling of home.

When these two men meet, both have decisions to make and directions to choose. And maybe together, they can make the right ones and follow not only the sun, but also their hearts.
 
Buy Links - eBook

Love Lane Books  |  Amazon (US)  |  Amazon (UK)  |  ARE  |  B & N  |  Kobo  |  Sony  |  Smashwords  |  iTunes

Chase The Sun (Sapphire Cay #3)

Cover Art by BitterGrace
The Book

Six years ago, Adam broke Scott's heart, but now he's back in Scott's life and Scott is rightly suspicious.

Is it a case of second chances? Or will history repeat itself?

In Chase the Sun, Scott Antonelli is about to get the shock of his life. Six years ago, Adam Ross broke his heart and it was the trigger that set Scott off travelling around the world. For the last few years he has worked at Sapphire Cay with Dylan. On a simple supply run to Marsh Harbour, he is left reeling, as he comes face to face with his first love. Can he trust Adam this time round?

Adam Ross was an idiot. Looking for quick and easy cash, he got himself mixed up in the wrong crowd and paid the price - three years in prison and he lost the one person who had ever meant anything to him - Scott. Adam has done his best, tried to turn his life around and is in the Bahamas looking for a second chance. Finding Scott was the easy part. Getting him to trust him again, could be harder than he ever imagined.


"....I  continue to be amazed at how two authors can write a story and I can never tell who wrote what. RJ Scott and Meredith Russell write together seamlessly and I always enjoy the books they collaborate on...."

Buy Links - eBook

Love Lane Books  |  Amazon (US)  |  Amazon (UK)  |  ARE  |  B & N  |  Kobo  |  Smashwords  |   iTunes

Christmas In The Sun (Sapphire Cay #4)

The Book

Return to Sapphire Cay for Christmas. Lucas and Dylan invite their friends to share in their Christmas celebrations on the island along with Lucas’s sister, Tasha, and her husband. Christmas is a time for family, forgiveness, and to look to the future, and this year Dylan has to face up to all three.

Unearthing the memories of two men in love, frozen in time and buried among the history of the island, Lucas and Dylan realize that sometimes loving someone is not always enough. It’s about being brave and taking the next step, to learn from the past to move forward.

Family has always been important to Lucas since his own was struck by tragedy. Though Dylan disapproves of his methods, Lucas has nothing but good intentions about wanting Dylan to reconcile with his father. The two Gray men haven’t spoken properly in years, their relationship strained by heartache and mistakes reaching back into Dylan’s childhood.

Forgiveness is a hard thing to give and sometimes even harder to receive.

Buy Links - eBook

Love Lane Books  |  Amazon (US)  |  Amazon (UK)  |  ARE  |  B&N  |  iTunes  |  Smashwords