Cover Reveal - Re-release "Omarati"

And here's the cover for the re-release of "Omarati."

Hot Halloween Heroes Giveaway Hop

For my part in the hop today, I'm offering up a snippet of my m/m werewolf/werecat romance, "Omarati." I'm also giving away a free pdf copy to one lucky winner! To enter to win, just leave a comment with your e-mail. Easy Peasy!

Good Luck!

****PLEASE BE AWARE: I write GLBTQ romance. GLBTQ stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer. This means my works feature same sex relationships AND same sex sexual acts. If winning that kind of a book isn't your cup of tea, kindly pass on to the next blog in the hop and leave the spot open for someone else. Thank you.****

Blurb:

Everything changed for werewolf Calliph after the Shifter War. Now nothing more than a slave and plaything to human Prince Obyn, Calliph finds himself on the Golden Magus, sailing across the sea with his owner. But fate has something more in mind for Calliph in the form of First Mate Mateo—who just happens to be Calliph's Omarati—his soul mate . . . and a werecat. Heartbroken, Calliph knows he can't stay with Mateo—he is forced to follow Obyn wherever he leads. Years later, when an attack at sea lands Mateo in the hands of vicious pirates, the cat discovers that, though time has changed some things, his bond with Calliph is eternal.

Excerpt:  

Parry. Thrust. Right. Left. Left again. Right. Duck. Back step. Jump. Pain!

Mateo skidded to a halt and pulled the arrow from his shoulder with a grimace. "Archers!" he growled. And then he was back on his feet.

The Golden Magus lurched under a volley of cannon fire. Debris bounced crazily off the deck; chunks of wood flew into the air. Across the way, the enemy pirate vessel swung back around, maneuvering for a second run. The pirates' guns boomed so loudly Mateo was certain his ears must be bleeding from it.

The main mast snapped off with a great crack and came crashing down to the deck. They were taking on water, and quickly. Nothing for it now, no way to save the ship. Mateo gazed out over the water—he could just make out the coast of Namicia in the distance. So close."Abandon ship!" Ba'Tal yelled.

Mateo struggled to keep his footing on the slippery deck as he made his way to the railing. He sent a last, long look over his shoulder at the place he had called home for so many years of his life, dropped his sword, and jumped.

Mateo swam frantically against the pull of the Golden Magus as it sank, feeling his breath running out. Fear assailed him as his throat constricted and his chest tightened. Thickness filled his panicked, gasping lungs; a great weight pressed down on him. Blackness hovered on the edges of his vision, and the world slipped away from existence.

Dimly, Mateo realized his predicament, but exhaustion and cold were quickly pushing him beyond the point of caring. And then he broke the surface. Mateo ignored the fatigue of long days and nights spent working on board ship, ignored his injuries. Ignored it all, and swam for his life.

He could see no other survivors in the water around him, which brought him to the conclusion they had managed to escape, or they were all dead—as he soon would be, if he didn't find land. Or a rescue ship. The shadow of a large ship loomed above him, and Mateo gave a silent thanks to the gods. His celebration was short lived though. Pirate ship. Wrong ship.

>

Backlist Blog Hop - NSFW

For my part in the hop today, I'm featuring one of my first releases, back from 2010, "Omarati"

Blurb:

Everything changed for werewolf Calliph after the Shifter War. Now nothing more than a slave and plaything to human Prince Obyn, Calliph finds himself on the Golden Magus, sailing across the sea with his owner. But fate has something more in mind for Calliph in the form of First Mate Mateo—who just happens to be Calliph's Omarati—his soul mate . . . and a werecat. Heartbroken, Calliph knows he can't stay with Mateo—he is forced to follow Obyn wherever he leads. Years later, when an attack at sea lands Mateo in the hands of vicious pirates, the cat discovers that, though time has changed some things, his bond with Calliph is eternal.

Excerpt:

Obyn dropped to his knees. "Bind me."

Calliph fished around underneath the bed, retrieved the rope, and stared at the bundle as if it might suddenly come to life. He wound the rope around Obyn, pass-by- pass, conscious of every soft gasp, every excited tremble.

"Tighter. That's it." Obyn looked up. "Now fuck my mouth."

Calliph shook his head, bewildered as always by the feral gleam in Obyn's eyes. He shed his breeches, his face burning with shame when Obyn snickered at Calliph's still-flaccid cock.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Obyn said.

Calliph stroked his cock vigorously, willing himself to harden. He rubbed the tip across Obyn's lips and tried again, pumping his cock and imagining all manner of erotic acts.

No use.

Obyn, bound, kneeling before him, didn't arouse him; Calliph didn't want Obyn the way Obyn wanted him. Didn't help that Calliph's inner wolf longed to dine on Obyn's flesh but not in any way Obyn would've wanted. His wolf stirred, reminding him of what could have been if not for that damned magical collar he wore.

"Untie me."

Calliph hung his head as he worked the knot loose. He had angered Obyn tremendously, and though Obyn lacked the gumption to force himself on Calliph, Calliph knew the man would find a way to punish him.

Obyn touched Calliph's collar; his magic radiated through it. Another reminder of Obyn's power over him . . . as if he needed any.

"Perhaps you'll be in a better mood tomorrow night."

But he wouldn't feel any different tomorrow than he did now. Calliph's cock wouldn't rise tomorrow, or the next night, or the next, or any night in the foreseeable future. At least, he doubted it would. His cock hadn't risen in weeks, despite Obyn's repeated attempts. Calliph jumped when the door slammed behind the man's retreat.

"You're a fool," Calliph chided himself. "And you're more trouble than your worth," he growled, glaring down at his cock.

Two hundred years had passed since the end of the Shifter War and the beginning of his life as a slave to Obyn's family. In that time, he had served them loyally, sometimes, willingly. Obyn's mother, Queen Anatra, and her husband, King Torat, were good to their slaves, as their parents had been, and those before them. But Calliph never imagined their progeny would demand so much of him.

At the thought, he shuddered and his cock shrank impossibly smaller. What bothered him about Obyn wasn't the man's tastes, but that he demanded those tastes be indulged. Calliph didn't like hurting others, not even when they wanted it. Not anymore. What Obyn asked of him was too much to give, too much like the man Calliph had once been.

Sound interesting? Well, you're in luck! I'm giving away a free pdf copy to... EVERY commenter! That's right - every commenter!

Just leave a comment below with your e-mail. That's all you have to do!

Enjoy the hop!

****PLEASE BE AWARE:  I write GLBTQ romance. GLBTQ stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer. This means my works feature same sex relationships AND same sex sexual acts. If winning that kind of a book isn't your cup of tea, kindly pass on to the next blog in the hop and leave the spot open for someone else. Thank you.****

I Love Horror/Paranormal Novellas Blog Hop

Oy! I'm late getting this posted - but I only signed up last night!

I've always had a fondness for horror and the paranormal. I'm not one of those people who gets all weepy/sappy at movies, and I don't want to sit through two hours of getting to know a character only to watch them die of some horrible disease. I'd much rather sit through five minutes of getting to know a character, and spend the remaining 115 minutes watching them try to outrun some big, scary bad guy, or some plague.

As far as the paranormal aspect, I've always believed in ghosts and creatures of the night. The house I grew up in was haunted by a very friendly presence we eventually name Percival. When it comes to werewolves and vampires and the like, I think that, just because I haven't seen it with my own eyes is no reason to believe it doesn't exist.  

In my own writing, I dabble into the paranormal from time to time. I have a couple vampire stories out there, and my werewolf/werecat novella, "Omarati" with the follow up, "No Place Like Home."

For my hop prize, I'll be offering up a free pdf copy of "Omarati' to one lucky winner! Entering is easy - just leave a comment with your e-mail, and tell me what your favorite paranormal entity is - vampire, werewolf, ghosts, demons, etc. - and why. Easy peasy!

Here's the blurb for Omarati:

Everything changed for werewolf Calliph after the Shifter War. Now nothing more than a slave and plaything to human Prince Obyn, Calliph finds himself on the Golden Magus, sailing across the sea with his owner. But fate has something more in mind for Calliph in the form of First Mate Mateo—who just happens to be Calliph's Omarati—his soul mate . . . and a werecat. Heartbroken, Calliph knows he can't stay with Mateo—he is forced to follow Obyn wherever he leads. Years later, when an attack at sea lands Mateo in the hands of vicious pirates, the cat discovers that, though time has changed some things, his bond with Calliph is eternal.

And here's a little snippet:

Mateo turned. A dizzying, hot wind swirled around Calliph as his eyes locked with the man's amber gaze. Time seemed to halt, as the deck seemed to spin in a lazy circle, Calliph in the middle. His head felt heavy and wobbly; his neck and shoulders lacked the strength to support it.

Calliph struggled to make sense of what was happening as a jolt of recognition raced up his spine, even though he had never met Mateo. His feet seemed to move of their own volition, carrying him forward—answering a call he heard in his heart and felt deep in his bones. Made no sense, yet Calliph kept walking.

"Where do you think you're going?" Obyn demanded, tugging sharply on Calliph's leash.

Calliph's head snapped back and his steps faltered. Obyn. He had somehow actually forgotten about the jerk. "To see how it works." He recovered quickly. "With your permission, I'd like to learn the steering mechanism in the event danger should befall our voyage."

Obyn's eyes narrowed and he glanced at Mateo. "Fine. I expect you below deck in an hour."

Ba'Tal lead Obyn away, and Calliph closed the distance to Mateo. "May I?" He nodded toward the steering column.

"Be my guest." Mateo guided Calliph's hand. "Magic controls the orb. Feel that?"

Calliph felt something, but nothing to do with the ship. Mateo's hand on his burned. He fought against the desire to pull Mateo close and smother him with kisses. "What is it?" he asked, not referring to the mechanism.

"You're connected. The magic regulates the pitch of the ship. Left and right—back and forth. Keeps the deck level. Simple, really. You just have to get the feel of it." Mateo pressed his hand down on Calliph's and moved them both slowly from side to side. "There. See? Just a slow, soft touch."

Calliph wasn't interested in the orb—wasn't even looking at it. Mateo tilted his head toward him, bringing their lips inches apart. Calliph's mind reeled. Mateo had moved closer; his grip had tightened . . . his breathing had quickened. He felt it too. Calliph's gaze dipped to Mateo's lips, parted ever so slightly. Mateo must've licked them a moment ago, because they looked moist. Calliph imagined those lips were soft and warm as well. Oh, so soft and warm. Gods, he wanted to kiss them. Calliph's cock twitched and hardened and he marveled, almost having forgotten what an erection felt like.

Something nudged Calliph's leg, and he looked down. A tail. Mateo moved his head; his hair shifted, revealing the sharp upward curve of his ears. Cat though he might have been, Mateo's tail should've been nonexistent, and his ears should've been human ears. Calliph noticed other things then: the fine dusting of dark fur on the backs of Mateo's hands, the not quite feline but not quite human shape of his nose and his eyes.

"Why—?"

"They're permanent," Mateo interrupted with a sigh and a frown, obviously used to being questioned.

"How?" Calliph frowned as well, knowing of no explanation.

"The Shifter War."

Calliph snarled. "Alchemists did this to you?"

Mateo nodded and hung his head.

"Nothing to be ashamed of. Can you shift?"

"I can but not for long. The transformation is painful and leaves me exhausted."

That Mateo had shared such a fact with him thrilled Calliph. "You feel it too?"

Mateo's face flushed; he was panting, trembling. "I do. We're Omarati."

Omarati. An ancient term. No common translation existed; the best Calliph had heard was "soul mate." Far beyond that, Omarati were shifters who were created—literally created—for each other, drawn together by a bond unbreakable, unending. Animal, age, gender—none of that mattered, for Omarati were compatible by design, made to accept and overlook any flaws in favor of their bond. Their hearts and their souls knew each other already, even if their minds had a bit of catching up to do. A connection like this, as far as Calliph knew, existed between no other beings. Mateo's small hand slid into his.

"What are we going to do?" Mateo asked.

Calliph ran a finger under his collar. What indeed.

****PLEASE BE AWARE:  I write GLBTQ romance. GLBTQ stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer. This means my works feature same sex relationships AND same sex sexual acts. If being associated with that isn't your cup of tea, kindly pass on to the next blog in the hop and leave the spot open for someone else. Thank you.****

A Hero's Blog Hop

For my part in the Hero's Blog Hop, I'll be turning my blog over to my favorite werewolf, Calliph, from "Omarati" and "No Place Like Home."

And now, without further ado....


"Becoming a Hero" by Calliph

When Daniel asked me to write a post for him, I was apprehensive and skeptical. I don't live in a world of computers and blogs. I live in a world of magic, war, and passion. Everything in my world is tactile and real, whereas Daniel refers to many of his friends as "virtual." But he prodded and begged - and he's very beautiful when he begs....

::glances at my kitten, Mateo:: Daniel's prowess notwithstanding, I wasn't certain I was the proper person to talk about heroes. After all, I'm anything but. Daniel says I can't reveal too much, but suffice it to say my time during the war was horrific. I did things I am, to this day, not proud of. Things I have never forgiven myself for.

And then Daniel reminded me of something - in the eyes of  my son, Jonus, I am every bit a hero. Jonus came to me at a time in my life when I was not prepared to be a father - I had no intentions of settling down and raising a child. I was, in fact, as Daniel would say "hell bent" on sailing the world with my kitten. But life has a way of putting us exactly where we need to be, regardless of if we recognize our purpose.

Jonus sees nothing but the man I am now - he does not judge me on who I was, or what I had done. He believes that a man's worth is constantly changing, and so he must be constantly evaluated, and cannot be looked down upon for something that happened in the past.

For that, I am eternally grateful. And perhaps my son has the right of it. Perhaps a man's worth is a fluctuating thing, instead of a fixed mark. Perhaps no one deed is great enough to rule our destinies. I certainly hope that is the case.

Daniel has asked me to let you know that, for his prize, he is offering up a "free pdf copy" of my story "Omarati." I know not what a "free pdf" is, but I can attest the story is a sound one.

Here is the "blurb":

Everything changed for werewolf Calliph after the Shifter War. Now nothing more than a slave and plaything to human Prince Obyn, Calliph finds himself on the Golden Magus, sailing across the sea with his owner.  But fate has something more in mind for Calliph in the form of Ship's First Mate Mateo - who just happens to be Calliph's Omarati - his soul mate...and a werecat. Heartbroken, Calliph knows he can't stay with Mateo - he is forced to follow Obyn wherever he leads. Years later, when an attack at sea lands Mateo in the hands of vicious pirates, the cat discovers that, though time has changed some things, his bond with Calliph is eternal.

Daniel says to be eligible, you must leave your "e-mail" in a comment below.

I bid you good morrow and wish you much luck!

~Calliph



****PLEASE BE AWARE:  I write GLBTQ romance. GLBTQ stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer. This means my works feature same sex relationships AND same sex sexual acts. If being associated with that isn't your cup of tea, kindly pass on to the next blog in the hop and leave the spot open for someone else. Thank you.****

Why is Calliph on Another Author's Book??

That's the question I received in an e-mail the other day from a very concerned reader. She'd stumbled upon another author's book with the same cover image as mine. Not exactly the same, of course, but the male cover model was the same as the one on my book, "Omarati."

What a lot of readers don't know is that covers are made (most, not all - some publishers have in-house artists or use freelance artists who come up with their own drawings or digital renditions) with stock photos. Basically the cover artist and author collaborate on a vision for the cover, and then the cover artist goes to different websites in search of something that works. When they find an image they like, they buy it, along with a license to use it. So it's not impossible, or uncommon, to have two different covers of books written by two different authors, published by two different publishers that have the same or similar images. Why? Because there's only so many stock photos that work.

www.istockphoto.com is one site that's really cool. Lots of interesting images and even some videos.

So, no worries. Calliph hasn't been hijacked. :-)