First,
I’d like to thank NJ for the opportunity to share my newest release with all of
you. An Angel in Eyeliner is my contribution to Boughs of Evergreen: A Holiday
Anthology that celebrates the season with a diverse collection of stories by a
wonderful group of authors promoting hope and love.
My
story revolves around Mitch, a lonely former combat medic who just so happens
to love to decorate for Christmas. Growing up, my mother never went as far
Mitch when it came to the extent of his decorating, but she did have a few
traditional pieces that were always displayed. And most of them still are come
mid-December. I pay homage to one of those pieces in An Angel in Eyeliner—the
ceramic Santa statue.
If
any of you grew up in the seventies or eighties your family may have the
winking Santa
pictured here. Apparently, it was extremely popular. I can never
quite remember the story, but I believe either my mother or my grandmother
purchased the ceramic statue unpainted. They decided to paint it themselves one
fateful Christmas Eve, making sure Santa’s cheeks were perfectly rosy and his
mittens shiny and black. Come Christmas morning it was finished and there at
the foot of my parents’ fireplace. It has been displayed during the holiday ever
since. It really wouldn’t be Christmas if Santa wasn’t there watching over the
festivities.
Does
your family have any traditional pieces that make your holidays come to life?
Or
maybe an item Mitch displays reminds you of something you have in your
decoration collection?
All
Mitch wants for Christmas is a quiet holiday free from grief. Patching up the
face of the target of a mugging in the back alley of his bar seems to throw
that wish right out into the cold Chicago night. But the tatted, pierced, and
skinny-jean wearing Keller Graham is fearless and proves to be more than a pair
of icy blue eyes lined in black. Keller may be a thief, but Mitch never
expected him to steal his lonely heart.
Excerpt:
“Hey!” he barked at the group of men crowding around the
chain-link fence across the alleyway. None of them must have heard, for they
carried on with their shoving and cussing. Light was scarce except for the
multi-colored glow above Mitch’s back door, but he squinted toward the group’s
kicking feet, down among the soot-tinged snow and puddles.
Someone was on the ground.
Mitch held the gun up and racked the slide.
They heard that. He hadn’t seen heads turn that fast since the
tank backfired at camp in Fallujah.
“Get the hell out of here!” Mitch yelled as he stalked toward
the group, the gun held high.
The guys instantly took off in all directions, cursing and
scrambling through the snow, slicks, and refuse. Nothing like a shotgun to
scatter a mob. It was too easy.
Once the last of the men had cleared out and he could only
hear distant footfalls, Mitch’s gaze landed on what the jerks had been
crowding. A lanky man wearing all black, lay on his back amid the trash, most
of his face hidden behind his long hair.
As Mitch moved closer, the cracked streetlight cast a
shimmering halo in the pool of water around the man’s head. An angel…with a
bruised cheek and a bloody cut under his eye. But an angel nonetheless.
Author Bio:
Hunter
lost a bet at a blackjack table and begrudgingly traded temperate Southern
California for the sweltering heat of Las Vegas. There she resides with an
extremely tolerant boyfriend and two cats named after her favorite beverage,
Latte and Java.
When
she's not dreaming of returning to coastal living, Hunter works at the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, from where she recently received her Master’s
in British history. In order to appease her muse, she writes the kind of
fiction that keeps her sane. She adores romance in all forms, but prefers her
stories with two heroes that find their happily-ever-after with each other.
Boughs of Evergreen is a
two-volume collection of short stories celebrating the holiday season in all
its diversity. Penned by authors from the UK, the USA, Scandinavia and Eastern
Europe, these are tales of the young and the not-so-young from many different
walks of life.
Themes of family, friendship and
romance take readers on a journey through some of the major holidays, both past
and present, including Thanksgiving, Advent, St. Lucia Day, Hanukkah, Eid,
Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas and New Year. In each we find at
the very least hope, and often love, peace and happiness.
Each story will also be
published individually as ebooks on 1st December, 2014.
Proceeds from sales of this
anthology will be donated to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is the
leading national organization [USA] providing crisis intervention and suicide
prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning
(LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. For more information, visit: www.thetrevorproject.org.
THE STORIES: (links go to
samples and author biographies)
Hi, I’m
K.C. Faelan and am new to the publishing world although I can’t say I’m new to
writing M/M romance because I’ve written a few fanfic stories. Those stories
helped me get over the nervousness of people reading my writing and paved the
way to taking the next step in my writing journey.
My
current story is, “A Little Christmas Magic,” put out by Beaten Track
Publishing. Debbie McGowan, editor and publisher of Beaten Track, invited me to
participate in the anthology, “Boughs of Evergreen—A Holiday Anthology,” which
contains twenty-three holiday tales from authors all over the world. It was a
massive endeavor to get the anthology together and I’m grateful for the chance
to participate.
“A Little
Christmas Magic,” focuses on the magical time leading up to Christmas, which is
my favorite holiday since, well since forever! I’ve always loved the lights and
decorations, the Christmas music, and yes, even the crowds. I find lights to be
especially magical and they pop up throughout the story.
I know
readers often wonder if there's any part of an author in their characters and I
can say yes, there are parts of me in two of the characters. They show up in
Tai’s mother’s love for the holidays and her love of having their home all
decked out for Christmas. It’s not mentioned in the story, but each of the
trees in Tai’s household will have a theme and that comes directly from my
personal experience. I have many Christmas decorating themes and change them
each year, rotating through the collection of ornaments I have. This year the
tree will be decorated in a southwest theme, with chili pepper lights and fairy
lights. The ornaments are crafted by Native Americans and I’ve collected these
on my husband and my yearly vacation to Arizona. I even have a theme with
decorated goose eggs which makes the tree take on a Victorian feel. Last year
the theme was travel and I decorated with trains and other ground modes of
transportation. I plan on having a theme based on air flight at some point
using ornaments of planets, rockets, planes and the like.
As you can
see, Tai’s mother’s love of Christmas comes from me and so does Boone’s love of
Christmas trees, decorating and his love of Christmas music. He hums along to
one particular tune in the story and it’s my go-to song at Christmas.
I hope
you enjoyed this little peak into my writer’s brain and it entices you into
giving “A Little Christmas Magic” and “Boughs of Evergreen—A Holiday
Anthology,” a read. Whatever you decide, I hope that whatever holiday you
celebrate, you are surrounded by people you love, great food and happiness.
Have a
wonderful holiday season!
~ K.C.
Faelan
BLURB:
It's the
day after Thanksgiving and Ryan Forsyth is helping his friends decorate for
Christmas. Little does he know that the weekend will usher in a profound change
to his life, a chance for happiness if he isn't too afraid to reach out and
grasp it.
Boone
Ainsworth has been friends with Ryan since junior high, ever since their mutual
friend Greg Hayes introduced them. Since the day they met, no one has stood a
chance at claiming Boone's heart except Ryan, but Ryan is so deep in the
closet, he hasn't got a clue.
Their
happily ever after is just a step away, until a panicked decision changes
everything. From that point on, things don't go smoothly and Ryan and Boone
make mistakes neither may be able to forgive. But it's the holidays, and Ryan
is banking on a little Christmas magic to help smooth the way.
EXCERPT:
It’d
been a long Saturday. As usual, Tai had laid out an itinerary as to what
holiday preparations and celebrations everyone would participate in that day.
First,
was heading to a tree farm to select three—not one, but three trees—and that
took a few hours. Afterwards they all went to lunch, Tai’s treat. Grateful for
their help, he planned on paying for all their meals and fun that day, which
was fine with Ryan. He was glad Kristen brought her friend Melissa along
because he wasn’t interested in hanging out with her. He much preferred Boone,
who, thankfully, hadn’t invited Simon along to join them.
Once
they got the trees back to Tai’s and set them up in their stands outside, Tai
called it quits on the decorating and suggested they all head downtown to the
ice rink. Ryan wasn’t thrilled, but went along. Tai as usual helped Greg, and
Kristen instructed him, but his heart wasn’t in it. Maybe it was because he
couldn’t stop watching Boone. His friend seemed to do everything well. He knew
Boone had taken skating lessons when he was young, but he had never bothered to
watch how well he skated, until now. Kristen finally had enough of his
distraction and left him to observe Boone from the sidelines.
After
the skating, they drove to their usual club hangout for dinner and some
dancing. The place was packed. Even though they had reservations they had
to wait because their table had been assigned by accident, but they were
promised the next available table. However, before that happened, the girls
spotted a special event happening in one of the party rooms. It was a chance
for people to give their Christmas wish list to Santa Claus for monetary
donations, with all donations going to the local food banks.
Ryan
wanted to relax, but found himself next in line and getting ready to do
something utterly ridiculous even if it was for a good cause. “Come on, guys,
you can’t be serious.” He halted at the entrance to the red carpet that led to
Santa Claus and his chair. He really wasn’t in the mood to go along with his
friends’ absurd idea of sitting on Santa’s lap. Especially not after the long
day they’d had. “Do I have to?”
“We
all did it, Ry, go on.” Giggling, Kristen and Melissa shoved him forward. A
sexy elf girl and elf guy in tight, shiny-red booty shorts each grabbed one of
his arms. They led him down the candy–cane-lined pathway to the bottom of the
steps, leading up to where Santa sat in his huge, high-backed chair. There, the
elves let him go and he was left looking up at Santa Claus and wishing he could
turn around and head back the way he’d come. He glanced over his shoulder at
his friends. Laughing, Greg and the girls motioned at him to get moving. He
searched for Boone and found him grinning, giving him a thumbs-up. Letting out
a sigh, he solemnly climbed the steps up to Santa’s platform.
He
paused in front of Santa and looked one more time over his shoulder at Boone
who was still grinning. Ryan turned back around. Santa patted his gloved hands
on his bright red lap and held out his arms, his eyes twinkling, a grin on his
lips.
“This
is ridiculous,” Ryan muttered under his breath as he maneuvered his way onto Santa’s
lap.
“Ho!
Ho! Ho! And who do I have the pleasure of meeting tonight?” Santa’s grin was
cheerful, his eyes full of merriment.
He
peered at Santa sideways. “The name’s Ryan.”
“Ryan
is it? Have you been a good boy this year, Ryan?”
“I
feel stupid.” Ryan ran a hand over his face and glanced over at his laughing
friends.
“And
why’s that?” Santa asked.
“I
don’t believe in Santa Claus.”
Santa
tilted his head. “You don’t have to believe in me to have Christmas wishes come
true.”
Ryan
stared at Santa then down at his hands, which he hadn’t noticed he held
clenched in his lap. “I don’t think you can help me anyway.”
“Why
don’t you try me? What do you wish for?”
“I…”
He looked over at his friends who were still watching then turned back to
Santa.
“Don’t
look so worried. You’re under no obligation to tell me anything.” Santa patted
Ryan’s shoulder. “Maybe you’d like a new car, or how about a Lear Jet? I’ve had
a lot of requests for those this year.” Santa smiled, his eyes crinkling at the
corners.
A
smile tugged at the corner of Ryan’s lips despite his current glum mood. What
did he have to lose? It was all in fun anyway. He motioned Santa closer with
his finger and leaned over to whisper in his ear. “I want to be happy.” Ryan
drew away and held his breath. He’d never told that to anyone, not even his
best friends.
Santa
leaned back in his chair and watched him closely. He peered over the top of his
gold-rimmed spectacles, his blue eyes somber. “You’re not happy?” he asked, so
quietly that Ryan had to lean forward to hear Santa’s question.
Ryan
shook his head. “I have great friends, family and a promising career. I should
be, but I’m not.” He looked over at Boone, who now wore a look of concern on
his face. He turned his attention back to Santa and saw that Santa had followed
his gaze.
“I
see,” Santa replied after a pause. “Some Christmas wishes need courage in order
to come true.” Santa reached over and laid his large gloved hand over Ryan’s.
“I can tell you if you want to be happy and put in the hard work, that you will
be.”
Ryan
gave a soft chuckle. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a shrink.”
Overcome
with laughter, Santa threw back his head, his stomach jiggling and his eyes
crinkling at the corners. “Ho! Ho! Ho! In a way I am. All those elves up at the
North Pole—there’s always someone causing mischief that I need to straighten
out. Ho! Ho! Ho!” Santa smiled and gave him some more advice. “Don’t give up,
Ryan. Christmas is a time for miracles.” He tapped Ryan on the nose with his
finger and Ryan heard his friends laugh.
“Thanks,
Santa. I’ll try and remember that.” He gave Santa a grin and got to his feet.
“You’re
welcome. Remember, Ryan, you’ll get your happiness if you reach for it. Don’t
give up.”
Ryan
headed back to his friends along the red carpet, escorted once again by the
elves. He found Boone and flashed him a grin. Boone answered back with one of
his own.
AUTHOR
BIO:
Many
moons ago, with the encouragement of a writer friend, K.C. Faelan sat down at
the keyboard and wrote her first fanfic story. After a few years, her muse went
into hiding, and then suddenly re-emerged, urging KC to participate and take on
one of the prompts in the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s 2014 Love’s Landscapes
DRitC event. Still a fledging in the world of writing, KC is happily learning
what it takes to get a book from the first typed specks on a word doc, to
seeing that story in book form.
KC
currently writes contemporary male romance but plans to spread her wings into
other m/m genres. She enjoys reading about m/m in almost every setting
from paranormal, to sci-fi to historical backdrops. She loves men, from the
Alphas to the omegas, and all the pretty boys in between. Intelligence and
humor whet her appetite. Toss in a course of UST, a dash of angst, season with
fluffiness, and she dives right in. For dessert, it’s HEA all the way.
KC lives
in Northern California with her husband and two rescue birds. Their female bird
hates women and wishes KC would go play in the middle of traffic or take a long
walk off a short pier, leaving her alone to build a nest with KC’s husband. KC
however, believes she adds spice to the bird’s life, and this is where they
have a vast difference of opinion.
Boughs of Evergreen is a
two-volume collection of short stories celebrating the holiday season in all
its diversity. Penned by authors from the UK, the USA, Scandinavia and Eastern
Europe, these are tales of the young and the not-so-young from many different
walks of life.
Themes of family, friendship and
romance take readers on a journey through some of the major holidays, both past
and present, including Thanksgiving, Advent, St. Lucia Day, Hanukkah, Eid,
Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas and New Year. In each we find at
the very least hope, and often love, peace and happiness.
Each story will also be
published individually as ebooks on 1st December, 2014.
Proceeds from sales of this
anthology will be donated to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is the
leading national organization [USA] providing crisis intervention and suicide
prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning
(LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.
For more information, visit: www.thetrevorproject.org.
THE STORIES: (links go to
samples and author biographies)
A romantic, erotic tale of a vivid
portrayal of the quest for the inner truth, empowerment and sexual liberation
of Selene, a woman searching for primeval abandon and reckless adventure.
Intelligent, a university graduate and a successful careerist, Selene became
emotionally scarred by unhappy relationships. Riled and taunted through the
years by her former college roommate Janice, Selene gave in to the long-term
desire to ‘get one back’ at Janice by having a passionate holiday encounter.
Excerpt:
Here she was on a beach, pure
and simple. Now the sea breathed heavily, whispering and murmuring to her. It
was returning her, stare speaking to her. It was the spirit of love beckoning
her with a pulsing, sinewy body. In all its lines, shades, and fleeting forms,
Selene saw the essence of pure beauty, all grace of form, flesh, limb and
feature. It was in one all the lovers of whom she could possibly dream,
conflated into one elemental ideal. He, pure love in soul, bade her to enter
his domain and make it hers. His arms moved her hands to unclasp, unbutton, and
unzip…the blossom emerged. The sun became the eye of all that was not earth,
and Selene loved fully, though the pallor of her skin left her momentarily
abashed.
At first she lay in the tide's
path, the top of her head at its most extreme mark. The sand bank made a soft
bed. The sea lover smoothly caressed her calves, thighs, hips, breasts,
shoulders and cheeks before retreating to pause in his mossy pinnacles. Three
times this action was repeated, and then Selene stood up, wading in with arms
outstretched. Her arms were linked as she stood up to her neck in the saline
flow. The balls and heels of her feet wobbled, slithering on the moss. With the
next wave, she lost her balance--her breath heaved in unison with the hissing
around her. She threw her head back once again horizontal, and launched into a
backstroke, sweeping and circling. She parted her legs wide with each thrust of
motion, each sweep of self-propulsion pushing out to answer the cavernous
currents of his passion. Seven circles gave her a delicious, warm bliss--then
the sea lover, well pleased, carried her back to a near-dry bed. Aching and
contented Selene dozed a while..
Author Bio:
b.
1940. Resident in the UK. Writer of poetry, literary criticism, speculative
fiction and romance. Main poetry collection Prickling Counterpoints
(1998); poems published in online International Times. Main
speculative works High Wired On (2002); Rock Bottom (2005). Translation of
Spanish epic La Araucana, Amazon 2013. Romances: Self’s Blossom;Explorations;
Further Explorations; Therapy Rapture; Darlene, An Ecstatic Rendezvous(all pub Extasy (Devine Destinies). Singer-songwriter/guitarist. Main CD albums:
Bacteria
Shrapnel and Kaleidoscope Concentrate. Many
tracks on You Tube, under ‘Dave Russell’
