Dude, I thought you were dead.

It’s been awhile, I know.

This is some author-life blah-blah stuff to explain why I’ve been quiet for those who are interested. If you’re just here for the good stuff: info about stories, characters, how or why I write, feel free to skip on by.

So as you may know, my main publisher closed up shop in January 2017. I’d been living on just my writing (my wife and I split the bills, neither of us can manage all the bills alone) for years at that point. When Samhain closed, it meant I wasn’t getting my usual monthly income. Instead of some seasonal work, I had to get a part time job.

The job I applied for sounded perfect. According to the friend who recommended me for the job (who was leaving the job due to leaving the area), I’d get tons of writing and marketing done since I would be staffing an infrequently used writing/computer center for a local college.

Yay! I got the job. The worst of my financial woes are over.

But…

(There’s always a but, isn’t there?)

Changes were made to the job as soon as I started. I’m now a very busy academic writing tutor.

Well,

Sorry. I love puns.

And I love my new job. I love teaching writing, and I love working one-on-one with students who want to get better. But it’s taken me awhile to get used to the energy drain of teaching again. I’ve had to rework my writing schedule and habits. That’s taken me much more time than I expected.

So that’s it. That’s the whole reason I’ve been so quiet in the writing world. Yeah, the news is an endless shitstorm so I take social media breaks and that’s part of it, too, but the writing slow-down is due to needing money to live on and not earning enough from sales. Now I have two jobs, both of which I love doing. I just have to find a better balance.

We now return you to random posts on other things.

Accidental Serial: It’s not the same as spilling hot oatmeal on you lap like I already did this morning

The idea for Getting Him Back (which has a shiny new cover from Carina as a result of the accidental serialization I’m talking about) was one of those random plot bunnies. It hopped in while I was driving to a seasonal job, listening to Steve Grand in the car. The next morning, it had teeth and it wasn’t hopping anywhere.

It felt like something light and novella length and I felt Carina would be an awesome home for it so I sent off a proposal (with a synopsis that proved to be about as accurate as a thirteenth century map of the world). The characters, though, were even more fun than that bunny had promised. I loved Ethan and fell for Wyatt just like he did. As I got near the ending, my critique group said, “Are you writing another novella with them? You’ve got potential for a series here.”

“A series? You mean like about their friends?”

“Duh, about them.”

My crit group pulls no punches, which is why they are awesome.

But I’d never written a series continuing with the same characters. How did you do that unless there were external plot problems to be solved? But they saw my weakness. Wyatt.

“You could do that one all from Wyatt’s point of view.”

I looked at my packed tight plans and schedules for books to be written and proposed and released.

“You could do it in a couple weeks,” they enabled assured  me.

When the fabulous Angela James (my editor at Carina) read Getting Him Back, she suggested a second book too.

Again, I launched into the story completely intending to wrap up everything with a shiny bow at the end.

Angela and critique, “Is there more?”

Well, yeah, there is. They’re happy for now, but they’re also nineteen. They have issues. So my one little bunny has done what bunnies often do if you let them. Here’s hoping we all get a nice bow after Ethan and Wyatt tell me what happens during their summer sublet, but I’m not holding my breath. Or apparently holding my oatmeal bowl correctly.

 

 

 

 

Quote Quiz September 25, 2015

I’m going to give you a favorite line from a book (well, one of my favorite lines) and you tell me who said it and what book it’s from. If you need a refresher, they’re all on my website.

Using random numbers, I’ll pick one correct entry to win a $5 US Amazon gift card.

For example, if the quote was “Reindeer bray,” the correct answer would be Fred in The Christmas Proposition.

Rules: You can enter up to three times. Comment here, tweet @ka_mitchell, and/or leave a Facebook comment (each entry needs containing the correct answer). I will notify the winner here on whatever media they won from. It’s up to you to contact me with your email address so I can get you your prize. I’m late today, so I’m not closing entries until Monday at 11:59 PM EST. I’m not responsible for anything resulting from your prize (so don’t set yourself on fire) and this is void where prohibited, no purchase necessary. Ready?

Who said this and in what book/novella/story?

“So, we going to hold hands next or should we move this along before someone turns into a pumpkin?”

Teaser Tuesday, September 22

I’m back with a little more from my guys from the Ready or Knot series. Risk Everything on It will be available in January and it features Jax. As an actor in his thirties, Jax has to constantly watch his carb intake and it kills him. Here he’s being tortured by his friend Dane with a basket of bread. Check back next Tuesday for part two of their convo.

(I’m with Jax. That looks so good.)

The waitress brought over two plates and a bread basket. The smell, yeast, butter, garlic made Jax’s mouth water until it hurt.

Dane—evil fucker—grinned and dug into the basket, breaking apart a slice of the garlic bread so that even more fragrance drifted up Jax’s nose.

“Sadist.” Jax thrust out his jaw. “Funny, I never saw Spencer as a sub.”

Dane laughed. “You’re mixing up the letters in your acronym. A sadist would need a masochist, to hurt or not if he was really mean. But I hardly need one when I have you to torment.”

“I hate you.”

“And yet here we are.” Dane bit off a bit of bread and chewed. “If you really wanted to celebrate your theatrical achievement, you’d have called Theo. If you needed to be bailed out—literally or figuratively—you’d call Gideon. But you called me. Which means you want the truth, even if you might not like it.”

Image source: http://www.theharvestkitchen.com/italian-garlic-bread/ Her recipe looks awesome!

Quote Quiz September 18

Image courtesy of holohololand at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I’m going to give you a favorite line from a book (well, one of my favorite lines) and you tell me who said it and what book it’s from. If you need a refresher, they’re all on my website

Using random numbers, I’ll pick one correct entry to win a $5 US Amazon gift card.

For example, if the quote was “Reindeer bray,” the correct answer would be Fred in The Christmas Proposition.

Rules: You can enter up to three times. Comment here, tweet @ka_mitchell, and/or leave a Facebook comment (each entry needs containing the correct answer). I will notify the winner here on whatever media they won from. It’s up to you to contact me with your email address so I can get you your prize. The contest ends September 20, at 12:01 AM EST. I’m not responsible for anything resulting from your prize (so don’t set yourself on fire) and this is void where prohibited, no purchase necessary. Ready?

Who said this and in which book/novella/short story?

“Let’s get this clear. You and I both know the only one who hasn’t had his dick sucked in Webber Park is Darryl. So you can stop your gay-baiting shit right the hell now. Or do I have to prove something to you here?”

Teaser Tuesday

For anyone who enjoyed Put a Ring on It and is hungry for more with the guys, here’s a snippet from Risk Everything on It, Jax’s story. There’s also Dane and Spencer and Hannah, the doll Jax’s agent overnighted to him.

Jax had gone to bed that night and woken up still wrapped in that smell. Not just sex, but sex with him. A rich decadence that didn’t mean an extra four hours in the gym if he indulged in it. And man, he’d indulged in it, including an excellent round with his hand as he relived the memory that came with that scent. It wasn’t until he had to get up and sign for the FedEx box that he remembered he had other things to do than smell like sex all day.

Not that he’d had any kind of success with the damned doll. He tried to wrangle it into a natural feeling prop, but no matter how he held it, interacted with it, the performance was wooden. He even gave it a name. Hannah.

“Real babies’ arms cannot possibly be this stiff and hard to put sleeves on.”

“I’m guessing they can actually hold their arms fairly stiffly.” Dane said.

“What are you doing to it now?” Spencer appeared behind them and gently lifted the doll off the dining room table.

Jax stared at him. Overlong pale blond hair, tanned skin, hipster chic scarf over his T-shirt, Dane’s long-time boyfriend didn’t look anything like the suburban dad Jax would be auditioning for, but somehow the baby looked natural tucked in Spencer’s solid muscled arm.

Quote Quiz

I’m going to give you a favorite line from a book (well, one of my favorite lines) and you tell me who said it and what book it’s from. If you need a refresher, they’re all on my website

Using random numbers, I’ll pick one correct entry to win a $5 US Amazon gift card.

For example, if the quote was “Reindeer bray,” the correct answer would be Fred in The Christmas Proposition.

Rules: You can enter up to three times. Comment here, tweet @ka_mitchell, and/or leave a Facebook comment (each entry needs containing the correct answer). I will notify the winner here on whatever media they won from. It’s up to you to contact me with your email address so I can get you your prize. The contest ends September 14, at 12:01 AM EST. I’m not responsible for anything resulting from your prize (so don’t set yourself on fire) and this is void where prohibited, no purchase necessary. Ready?

Who said this and in which book/novella/short story?

“If you’re going to play gay chicken, you’d probably be better off playing it with someone who isn’t actually gay.”

Extra clue: I had this book in my head because I enjoyed some Berger cookies this week.

Quote Quiz

I promise to be easier on you this week.

Before we get to the goodies, I just want to let you guys know that I will be on a blog tour September 7-16. There will be reviews, spotlights and giveaways and lots of info about the new series and book. Part of it I did on my own and part was arranged by a blog tour (that’s the reason for different dates on the banner.) So here’s the schedule:

September 7 Guest Post

Boys in Our Books

http://boysinourbooks.com/

September 8 Guest Post

The Blogger Girls

http://thebloggergirls.com/

September 9 Guest Post

Joyfully Jay

http://joyfullyjay.com/

September 9 Interview

Reviews by Jessewave

http://reviewsbyjessewave.com

September 9 Spotlight

Nautical Star Books

http://nauticalstarbooks.com/

September 9 Review

Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock

www.pratr.wordpress.com

September 10 Guest Blog

The Diverse Reader

http://diversereader.blogspot.com/

September 10 Interview

Zipper Rippers

http://zipperrippers.blogspot.co.uk/

September 10 Spotlight

Way Too Hot Books

http://waytoohotbooks.blogspot.com/

September 11 Interview

The Novel Approach

http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/

September 11 Guest blog

Erotica For All

http://eroticaforall.co.uk

September 11 Spotlight

Roxanne’s Realm

www.roxannerhoads.com

September 14 Spotlight

Vampires, Werewolves and Fairies, Oh My

http://vampireswerewolvesfairiesohmy.blogspot.com/

September 14 Spotlight

Zenny’s Awesome Book Reviews

https://zennysawesomebookreviews.wordpress.com/

September 15 Spotlight and review

BFD Book Blog

http://bfdbookblog.net/

September 15 Spotlight

The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com

September 16 Guest blog

ARe Café

www.arecafe.com

September 16 Spotlight and review

Evelyn Shepherd

www.evelynshepherd.wordpress.com

At least I can do it all in my pjs!!

Now for the easy quiz!

I’m going to give you a favorite line from a book (well, one of my favorite lines) and you tell me who said it and what book it’s from. If you need a refresher, they’re all on my website

Using random numbers, I’ll pick one correct entry to win a $5 US Amazon gift card.

For example, if the quote was “Reindeer bray,” the correct answer would be Fred in The Christmas Proposition.

Rules: You can enter up to three times. Comment here, tweet @ka_mitchell, and/or leave a Facebook comment (each entry needs containing the correct answer). I will notify the winner here on whatever media they won from. It’s up to you to contact me with your email address so I can get you your prize. The contest ends September 6, at 12:01 AM EST. I’m not responsible for anything resulting from your prize (so don’t set yourself on fire) and this is void where prohibited, no purchase necessary. Ready?

Who said this and in which book/novella/short story?

“Wow. Then I’d better take the giant sub sandwich shaped like a penis back to the store of Duh-I-Know-That-Jack.”

Fun for Friday

I thought I’d try something out since so many people enjoyed seeing Aaron and Joey on Facebook yesterday. I’m going to give you a favorite line from a book (well, one of my favorite lines) and you tell me who said it and what book it’s from. If you need a refresher, they’re all on my website

Using random numbers, I’ll pick one correct entry to win a $5 US Amazon gift card.

For example, if the quote was “Reindeer bray,” the correct answer would be Fred in The Christmas Proposition.

Rules: You can enter up to three times. Comment here, tweet @ka_mitchell, and/or leave a Facebook comment (containing the correct answer). I will notify the winner here on whatever media they won from. It’s up to you to contact me with your email address so I can get you your prize. The contest ends tomorrow at midnight EST. I’m not responsible for anything resulting from your prize (so don’t set yourself on fire) and this is void where prohibited. Ready?

Okay. Who said this and in what book/novella/short story?

“Just because I let you fuck my ass doesn’t mean you own it, kid.”

Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth

Have you heard we’ve gone a bit “post” queer?

I’m at the national RWA (Romance Writers of America) in Manhattan. It’s been absolutely amazing. I just got back from the Harlequin Ball and my feet ache from dancing but I had so much fun. It was terrific to see A.M. Arthur’s gorgeous cover for Finding Their Way up on the big screen with titles like The Billionaire’s Bargain. Tomorrow, at the awards ceremony, two books by gay romance authors are up for the “Oscar of romance writing,” something I didn’t think I’d see when I started selling gay romance eight years ago. (And I am going to go crazy happy to hear their names tomorrow.)

Today I was on a panel with some other fabulous writers (and a brilliant editor) talking about constructing authentic queer (LGBTQAI) characters. One of the points we raised was that things have changed regarding our (queer people’s) legal standing. It’s harder to fire us (in some states). We have marriage equality. Some people no longer struggle with their queer identity, so it’s important to be aware of that when constructing conflict for contemporary queer characters. Obviously for those characters who live in places or times where they risk their lives by being openly queer, things are different.
However, one conflict remains consistent. As my fellow panelist Radclyffe pointed out, something that cannot be achieved by laws protecting our equality is acceptance by our family and friends. Coming out to people still holds the risk of losing people close to you.

Sorry for burying the lead. If you’re still with me, let me show you the “ante” queer turn my life took when I got home for the party.

My wife is here with me. She’s touring New York mostly, but as I’ve made many friends among the romance-writing community, she’s become friends with those writers too. When I got home, she told me about running into one of my/our oldest “friends.”

This friend just signed her first contract with a publisher after years (16 of them) of trying. I was thrilled for her. Over the years, I’ve helped anyway I could with brainstorming and advice and support. It’s what we writers do for each other. Especially for friends.

This friend saw my wife in the lobby and exclaimed that it had been years since she’d seen my wife. We’ve missed the last two national conferences. My wife, recounting locations, mentioned that we were at Gay Rom Lit in Atlanta the same year RWA national was in Atlanta though not at the same time. Adopting a wise tone, our friend said, “Well, that’s smart. There’s really nothing for you here.”

Nope, nothing here for us queers. Not RITA award nominations for books with queer characters, not panels for current and aspiring writers of queer characters, and not all the readers and writers of queer romance I’ve talked to this week. Definitely not the fun I had with the rest of the authors at the party tonight. The one given by a publisher whose name is synonymous with romance novels.

So just an update for everyone who came to the panel, things might not be as “post” queer as we thought. When your queer characters feel like they’re living their lives equal to everyone else, someone will come along to remind them they’re not. And it will probably be someone with the ability to cut, just when they thought that wasn’t going to happen again. The panel had a word for this, microaggression, which is preferable to lots of aggression, but it tears a bit into a character’s psyche. And from a friend, it’s disappointing.

I will, of course, be like Daryl, but inside I wanted to go all Cookie. Especially as it bothered my wife.