Meme Monday: "Happy Halloween"

1. Do you dress up for Halloween? If so, what is your costume this year?

2. What was your favorite Halloween costume ever?

3. Do you hand out Halloween candy to trick-or-treaters? What kind will you hand out this year?

4. What is your favorite Halloween memory? Do you have any Halloween traditions?

5. List your 5 favorite things about Halloween:

New Releases for October 29

A Perfect Mess by Winnie Jerome

Adrian and Trent from “The Perfect Housemate” and “The Care and Feeding of Demons” are back. Adrian, an incubus, is having trouble dealing with the side effects of his transformation.

To make matters worse, Trent and Adrian's half-giant lover Carl has left both of them. As time goes on, Adrian's bedroom antics with Trent have become dull, threatening their new relationship, but an offer to perform at a paranormal BDSM club on Halloween leads to an unexpected and blisteringly sexy conclusion.

Pick up your copy today!


Endi's Consent, a Dragonwalker story by Lee Benoit

Halloween night in Endicott is pretty much like Halloween night in other small towns. Except for the flying dogs, of course. Fire Chief Alex Burgess is on hand to help town Dragon Wrangler, Chief’s own sub Endi, host the fire house’s Halloween party and keep local kids safe.

But something’s not right with Chief. Lately, he’s been feeling even more bearish than he looks, and all that omnivorous attention is directed at Endi. Chief wants to take their Dominance and submission to the next level, but first he has to obtain Endi’s consent. What happens when a boy with the heart of a dragon submits to a Top with the soul of a bear?

Find out today!

New Releases for October 26

Maroon: Donald agus Jimmy by PD Singer

The best jobs in 1911 Belfast are in the shipyards, but Donal Gallagher's pay packet at Harland and Wolff doesn't stretch far enough. He needs to find someone to share his rented room; fellow ship-builder Jimmy Healy's bright smile and need for lodgings inspire Donal to offer. But how will he sleep, lying scant feet away from Jimmy? It seems Jimmy's a restless sleeper, too, lying so near to Donal...

In a volatile political climate, building marine boilers and armed insurrection are strangely connected. Jimmy faces an uneasy choice: flee to America or risk turning gunrunner for Home Rule activists. He thinks he's found the perfect answer to keep himself and his Donal safe, but shoveling coal on a luxury liner is an invitation to fate.

Pick up your copy today!


Himiko: Warrior by CB Conwy

When the aliens arrived on Earth, it turned out that Plato was right. You really can find your other half - your soulmate, and Matt found his. Now he's got an unbreakable mental bond to his mate and some intriguing telekinetic abilities to explore. Full of excitement, Matt returns to his old life, but he's completely unprepared for the anger and rejection he encounters because of his bond with Pietr. Shunned and assaulted, Matt realizes the hard way that you can never go back. Especially not when you're bonded with the enemy.

Giving up isn't an option, though. Even though Matt's pretty sure that Pietr's the most annoying alien in history, he's also sure that his mate is more important to him than anything else. But Matt's mental strength is increasing, and Pietr can no longer hide the one secret he's been desperate to keep. Matt's world falls apart, and he's not sure if he's ever going to be able to put it back together.

He might not have a choice. The hostility between humans and Himika is increasing, and Matt is forced to face some unwelcome truths about his own nature in order to ensure not only his own survival, but that of his fellow human beings as well.

Himiko: Warrior is the sequel to Himiko: Bonding

Get your copy today!


Shifting Steam edited by Lorna Hinson

Steampunk and shifters? Do they even go together? Of course they do. Steampunk is all about the possible, the magical and the otherworldly. Shapeshifters are all about bending the idea of humanity into new shapes. Combine them, and you get Shifting Steam.

The stories in Shifting Steam pave the way for a magical journey through space and time to alternate realities, where anything is possible. From dragons to birds, from Victorian era expositions to secret laboratories, these stories explore what happens when man meets beast in a world of airship captains and fantastic creatures. Whether it’s a Jekyll and Hyde style beast, a wolfman who would rather not be a wolf, or a man who wishes he could fly, every kind of creature gets its day in the steampunk sun. Step into the world of Shifting Steam and let it transport you to a sexy, fantastical new universe.

Shifting Steam features stories from authors Rowan Benjamin, Missouri Dalton, Ekaterina Morris, Lydia Nyx, M Raiya, Lynn Townsend and Emory Vargas.

Pick up your copy today!


SteamPowered II: More Lesbian Steampunk Stories edited by JoSelle Vanderhooft

These fifteen thrilling and ingenious tales take the familiar genre of steampunk in exciting new directions, following women from across the globe and through pasts that never were (but could have been) on their search for money, adventure, prestige, freedom--and the love of another woman. Here you’ll meet a Moroccan airship engineer and an English diplomat who receive a cryptic message and an exploding music box, a librarian who doubts her God, a Malaysian shipping clerk who dreams of adventure, a terracotta bride from the Tenth Circle of Hell, and an aeronaut on her way to certain death and a surprising discovery--and many more.

Though they hail from across the globe and universes far away, each of them is driven to follow her own path to independence and to romance. The women of Steam-Powered II push steampunk to its limits and beyond.


Get your copy today!

Meme Monday: "Morning of Lasts..."

1. What was the last song you sang out loud?

2. Who were the last 2 people you talked to on the phone?

3. What were the last 3 items of clothing you bought?

4. What are the last place you drove/rode to?

5. What are the last web site you visited?

Coming This Week

Wednesday:
Himiko: Warrior by CB Conwy (Top Shelf M/M)
Maroon: Donal agus Jimmy by PD Singer (Color Box M/M)
Shifting Steam edited by Lorna Hinson (Anthology M/M)
SteamPowered II: More Lesbian Steampunk stories edited by JoSelle Vanderhooft (Anthology F/F)

Saturday:
A Perfect Mess by Winnie Jerome (Halloween Sip M/M/M)
Cage Trained by Julia Talbot (Halloween Sip M/M)
Endi's Consent: a Dragonwalker story by Lee Benoit (Halloween Sip M/M)

Fall Leaves Sale!

Austumn leaves are falling! Our prices are falling too with 15% off your purchases from now through the end of day Tuesday! Just put 'leaves2011' in the coupon code box any time you check out at Torquere Books before Tuesday at midnight to get 15% off your order.

Sale good now through Tuesday October 25 at Midnight (est).

Fall for a book from Torquere Press today!

Discount codes are provided as a courtesy to our customers. Torquere Press Inc. cannot be responsible for discounting purchases made before coupons/sales are announced, and cannot issue discounts to customers who fail to use the coupon or discount code during the purchase process.

New Releases for October 22

Abracadabra by Kiernan Kelly

Mark is under extreme pressure in his high-powered job as CFO for a software company. He's dealing with corporate espionage, and his neck is on the chopping block unless he discovers the name of the spy. Desperate, he seeks the help of a psychic to get the information he needs.

Greg and Hex operate Hell's Bells, a supernatural supply shop/psychic reading parlor with a twist – Hex is a demon, and granting wishes is his specialty. Greg and Hex are doing well for themselves except for one thing – they're into the threesome lifestyle. They're in the market for a new lover, and Mark seems made-to-order for them.

Mark may walk into Hell's Bells looking for information, but what he'll find is a lifestyle change and a devilishly good time.

Pick up your copy today!


Halloween Grinch by Vic Winter

Kent hates Halloween. He always has, always will. He's even gone so far as to call in sick to work on Halloween this year in order to avoid all the hoopla.

Can a very sexy stranger banging on his door in the middle of the day, demanding his help change his mind about the holiday? Or will it just cement his hatred of Halloween for once and for all?

Find out today!


Lady Night, an Out of the Woods story by Syd McGinley

On nights with big moons, Lady Night Boys look for life…

Wild boy Tarin is only telling a fireside story, but, like all his best intentions, it goes awry. He's survived this year's boy hunt, but now he must learn to protect the younger boys. Proud of his new role, he only meant to scare the boys a little bit with his stories of the undead boys from the maw, but now they're coming true. The hunger, cold, and wild dogs can be struggled against, but how will the woodland boys face a Lady Night Boy?

Find out today!

Flashing Back and Falling Down

Hi, all! It's Flashback Thursday -- I'm PD Singer. Just back from GayRomLit in New Orleans, where I had a chance to meet our illustrious publishers and a great many Torquere Press authors in the flesh. We know each other through our words; now we have faces to attach to the names.

Meeting the readers was a ton of fun; people mentioned books they'd read and liked. Fall Down the Mountain got mentioned several times, so today I'm going to share a bit of Mark's novel with you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fall Down the Mountain

Ski patrol Mark McAvoy dug Ulf’s body out of the avalanche, and the dead man haunts his dreams. Mark needs someone to wake him from the nightmares as much as he wants someone to share his days. He gave up the fleeting encounters with vacationing skiers who don’t remember his name later, but he’s aghast at the well-meaning friends who are trying to round up potential boyfriends.

Chef Allan Tengerdie cooks dinner for seventy skiers every day, delivers it to their condos, and eats his own meals alone. A chance invitation to a pot-luck at Mark’s home is his perfect opportunity to captivate a hungry, lonely man. Mark’s ready to be there for him, even after he gets hurt on the slopes, until another man’s shadow falls across them.

That man is dead, and now the grand jury wants Mark to explain his role in the avalanche that killed him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Un-domestic ski patrol Mark has just hosted a pot luck at his apartment.)
Excerpt:

"Thanks for having me over tonight." Allan shook the crumbs out of the dishtowel and hung it neatly over the oven door handle. "You have a nice bunch of friends."

"Hey, glad you could join us." I had enjoyed the fantasies while they lasted.

"Does the cleaning crew all get kissing privileges?" Allan took a step toward me.

"Huh?" Oh, that was elegant. "I heard you say you weren't interested." I wanted to take the next step toward him, but didn't.

"You heard me say I wasn't interested in Jorey Taylor, and I'm not." He tipped his face to me. "But I did like your choice of magazines."

"A guy needs something when he's unattached." I came that step closer and looked into his eyes, wondering if I'd get to lick that cleft chin tonight.

"I know. I have a few of my own." Now Allan's hands were on my waist -- I put mine on his upper arms, firm with muscle that belied the stockiness in his middle.

Damn, but it's fun to kiss someone half a head shorter than yourself. I leaned my head enough to meet his mouth, soft and pliant under mine, and just when I was about to open my mouth and really taste him, there was a knock on the door. That deflated my growing erection and made us spring apart like guilty men.

"Fuck. The process server found me." I'd almost managed to forget about that.

"You didn't do anything awful to Ulf, did you?" Allan couldn't have heard the stories, or might not have connected them with me. Quiet suspicion filled his voice.

"No. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I would have saved him if I could." There was a sick announcement in my gut that I'd dream tonight, and Allan's face wasn't promising he'd stick around to wake me out of it. "It was just a ghastly accident."

There was more insistent rapping.

"You better get it." It had been great while it lasted, the whole one kiss of it.

"Yes?" There had been a time when I'd have liked nothing better than to have Jake knock on my door, but not now. "What?"

"Sorry. I forgot the table." Jake sheepishly entered and folded up his collapsible monstrosity. "Good night, guys." He high-tailed it out of there with evidence that my life was barren and in danger of remaining so. If I actually owned a proper table, I might have had the chance to lay Allan down over it. He and I looked at each other, knowing the moment was as burst as a soap bubble.

"Good night, Mark." The kiss he put on my cheek was as chaste as Julie or Chelsea's, and now he was just as gone.

I did dream that night, but it was Allan in the snow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find it here, at Torquere!

On Sale This Week

This week we have books by Kate Roman and BA Tortuga on sale for 20% off!

Check them out.

New Releases for October 19

Like Water for Water by Sarah Ettritch

University roommates Rachel and Barb met in their high school’s zodiac club, where they spent hours doing their Scorpio charts and became best friends. Now Rachel has fallen in love with Barb, but Barb is dating the sultry Carla. When Barb and Carla experience problems, Rachel is uncomfortable with being Barb’s confidante, especially since Barb’s relationship issues involve sex. Finding it more and more difficult to hide her feelings and remain impartial, Rachel reaches her breaking point and makes an agonizing decision.

Get your copy today!



Crankset by Kate Roman

San Francisco bike courier Matt Robinson wishes he and his boyfriend Jason had more privacy, sure, but their quiet, curtained-off living room in the Mission District is all the two of them can afford. Besides, it's safe and homey, two things Jason missed during his tour in Afghanistan. But when the two boys run afoul of their roommates and a rent increase, will Matt let Jason talk him into a risky move to the Sunset District? Or will Matt's big mouth land them both out on the street?

Find out today!



Pinyon by BA Tortuga

When Stirling finds a lost wolf out in the woods of Southern Colorado, the last thing he expects to discover is old pack outcast Tanner. Tanner was the werewolf who never learned to shift, but it looks like he’s figured things out. Except that news reporters are all over the area, looking for a story in Tanner’s old hometown, and Stirling has a wolf pack to protect. Can he juggle his duties with his dawning need for Tanner?

Find out today!



Barn Dance by BA Tortuga

Sometimes music says it better than words.

Taking a break from driving cattle, Red Farr finds himself at the barn dance, listening to Zeke play the hell out of his fiddle. Zeke's going where his fiddling takes him, but he might be looking for something a little more steady. When Red tells him that the ranch he works for could use another hand or two, Zeke reckons it could suit him to the ground. As could Red, if only Red feels the same way as Zeke.

Between driving cattle and fiddling, can Red and Zeke find some time for each other?

Originally published in the Cowboy Up! anthology.

Pick up your copy today!

J.Rocci, thinking about Halloween...

So when I started writing The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day, I was reading "Death Makes a Holiday" by David J. Skal -- essentially a historical ethnography -- and it got me thinking about what Halloween actually means to me and other people, irrelevant of its historical context. Funny, since Silver Sun is all about history, set in London in the 1890s with a steampunk twist.

Around this house, Halloween is our wedding anniversary, so we're guaranteed to always have a party. It's when our friends gather after spending weeks creating their costumes, after we've gone pumpkin-patching and orchard picking. It's sharing our joy with our friends and making the neighborhood kiddies cry. It's pumpkin pie and apple cider, gourmet meals and handing out candy. It's watching the Nightmare Before Christmas and singing along and leaving our decorations up throughout the year, counting down the days again until our next party.

Halloween marks the real start of fall for us, not just a herald of the upcoming holiday season, but the true focus of ours. It's a bit of whimsy when real life keeps making us put on our Big Kid Pants, and a chance to indulge in our goth roots without people staring at us like the freaks we are. It's a night when all those flights of fancy from our youth seem possible, with faeries and vampires and werewolves lurking just outside the ring of the porch light, daring us to step further out.

Above all, it's love and belonging wrapped around us, with promises made and kept, and that's why it will always be my favorite holiday. :D


So what does Halloween mean to you? Any special rituals or rites of passage you can't go without?

A randomly selected commenter will win a copy of "The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day" (or another of my Sips, if you already have it!) Winner will be drawn and announced on Wednesday, October 19!

Coming This Week

Wednesday:
Crankset by Kate Roman (Single Shot M/M)
Like Water and Water by Sarah Ettritch (Sapphic Signs F/F)
Pinyon by BA Tortuga (Spice it Up M/M)

Saturday:
Abracadabra by Kiernan Kelly (Halloween Sip M/M)
Halloween Grinch by Vic Winter (Halloween Sip M/M)
Lady Night, an Out of the Woods story by Syd McGinley (Halloween Sip M/M)

Letter for the GayRomLit donations

Hey, y'all! I Paypalled the money we made on book sales at GayRomLit to the It Gets Better Project today. Here's the letter they sent:


Dear Torquere Press,

When Terry and I shared our story on camera, we had no idea we’d break YouTube.

We didn’t know our video would spread so far so fast. We didn’t know
that in less than a month, we’d have so many hundreds of video
responses that we’d max out YouTube favorites (their speedy team got
us back to full function within a day). And we didn’t know we’d have a
brand new community on our hands.

And now, thanks to your personal $720.00 gift, we can keep this momentum going. With the money that comes in, we'll keep this campaign going, and we'll help fund worthy youth-focused organizations like The Trevor Project and GLSEN, which focus on suicide prevention and making schools safer and healthier for LGBT kids.

Together, we can make the It Gets Better Project a community of hope,
friendship, love, and solidarity. We’ve already surpassed ourselves,
my friends, and I can’t wait to see what we do next.

Dan

Meme Monday: "Good Morning"

1. Are you a morning person? What time do you usually get up? When would you get up if you had no obligations?

2. What is the first thing you do after getting out of bed?

3. Do you have a set morning routine? How long does it take you to be ready to leave your house?

4. What is your favorite thing about morning?

5. Describe your ideal morning.

Pre-Halloween Sale!

Halloween is almost here! We're looking forward to it with 15% off your purchases from now through the end of day Tuesday! Just put 'hal2011' in the coupon code box any time you check out at Torquere Books before Tuesday at midnight to get 15% off your order.

Sale good now through Tuesday October 18 at Midnight (est).

Anticipate Halloween with a book from Torquere Press today!

Discount codes are provided as a courtesy to our customers. Torquere Press Inc. cannot be responsible for discounting purchases made before coupons/sales are announced, and cannot issue discounts to customers who fail to use the coupon or discount code during the purchase process.

New Releases for October 15

Ghostly Indulgence by Berengaria Brown

Nurzhan and Spyridion are ghosts. The only night they can become corporeal is All Hallow’s Eve, when they should be busy haunting. Hopefully, there will be some time for fun, as well. They’re determined to get to know each other much better on this one special night. But how can they live a whole year without touching each other again?

Find out today!


Lion Tamer, a Hammer story by Sean Michael

Single Hammer Club Top Christopher is dressed up for the club's Halloween party as a lion tamer, complete with whip. He's an expert with the whip; he just needs to find someone special to use it on. Will newcomer and sexy kitty Travis be just what he's looking for?

Find out today!


The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day by J. Rocci

Lord John Blakeney has been living with the curse of the werewolf for almost a year and fears that he can no longer control the beast. Exhausting his search for a cure, he is determined to attempt one last antidote at the advice of a London alchemist. He needs transportation to a crag where the sun and the moon align in a lunar eclipse on All Hallow's Eve. When a pickpocket places a note in his pocket that leads him to a pub, he's approached by Donal Gambrill, air ship captain and a man he fell in love with years ago.

Gambrill is convinced to fly him to the crag on the Totentanz, his dirigible, and during the journey, Blakeney and Gambrill find that their former attraction is still burning bright. But if the cure works, they may have more time than Blakeney can imagine.

Pick up your copy today!

Flashback Friday...Dragonwalker!

"It all starts with a blowjob."

One of my better opening lines, if I say so myself.

Back in pre-Recession 2008,the marvelous Syd McGinley edited an anthology of stories about men in pickles (not men with pickles -- get your minds out of the gutter!). I was thrilled to have a story of mine included, and I'm tickled to feature it (and the series it spawned) here for Flashback Friday!

The germ of the story was reading my kids yet another triumphal dragon rider story and I thought to myself how funny it would be if the dragon's human companions were more...humble -- not dragon tamers, or dragon slayers or dragon riders, but...dragon walkers. I cracked myself up.  I started writing and the result was "Dragonwalker," which appeared in the ANOTHER FINE MESS anthology!


Here's what DRAGONWALKER's all about: Endi has lived in the same small town his whole life.  He walks and grooms dogs for a living, tries to keep up with the sprawling old house his grandparents left him, manages a boyfriend, and tries like heck to hide his crush on the town's fire chief.  Pretty ordinary, right?  But Endi's always hoped for better than "ordinary."  One day, he meets a mysterious new friend and his canine clients start sprouting wings and spewing fire.  Can the motley collection of pooches really be dragons?


Sadly, ANOTHER FINE MESS is out of print, but you can check out DRAGONWALKER in its second life as a Single Shot Classic!  Also, you can read an excerpt on my website.

I loved writing Endi and Chief so much that I wrote ENDICOTT REX for Torquere's Arcana line. In this sequel, Endi's trying to learn how to be a sub and not just a slutty bottom, and Chief's working on balancing being Endi's boss with topping the irrepressible Dragonwalker. When the dragon-dogs of Endicott begin disappearing, Endi and Chief step in as first responders…and into a world of trouble where the threat of failure could tear them apart. Will they be able to tease fact from fiction, friend from enemy, in time to figure out the mystery of the dragon-dogs and save their love?


ENDICOTT REX is still available from Torquere.

When the call went out in 2010 for Charity Sips to benefit Medecins Sans Frontieres / Doctors without Borders, I jumped at the chance to give blind psychologist David and Endicott's small-town dragon-dog vet their own story, LIVE BY THE SWORD. David was blinded during the experiments that produced the dragon dogs; Doc Wilson helped heal the dragon dogs when they were dognapped and damaged in "Endicott Rex"; and little Bug Burgess is one of the local kids who volunteers as a dragon dog helper. David is ashamed of his role in the experiments that created the dragon dogs of Endicott. Thayer is grieving a lover he couldn't save. And twelve-year-old Bug wishes he could hide the fact that his own dad beats him. Three such messed-up humans need a dragon dog like Drake to come to their rescue!

LIVE BY THE SWORD will be available soon as a free read on my website. Watch my blog for the announcement.

Now, I'm happy to announce the imminent release of a Halloween Sip that revisits Endi, Chief, and their burgeoning D/s relationship. What happens when a boy with the heart of a dragon submits to a Top with the soul of a bear? Watch for ENDI'S CONSENT at the end of October 2011!!

One commenter to this post will win their choice of any (or all) of the Dragonwalker series or a $5 Torquere gift certificate. Random drawing will be one week from the date of this post.

Thanks to flapping down the Dragonwalker memory skyway with me!

Lee xo

 

Lion Tamer winner

Congrats to Kristi P -- winner of a copy of Lion Tamer.

Kristi, please send me an email at seanmichaelwrites @ gmail . com (without the spaces) so I can send you a copy of the story.

Lion Tamer, a Hammer story is out tomorrow!

Lion Tamer, a Hammer story

For Halloween I have a short story coming out on the 15th.

It's called Lion Tamer and it is a Hammer story.

Single Hammer Club Top Christopher is dressed up for the club's Halloween party as a lion tamer, complete with whip. He's an expert with the whip; he just needs to find someone special to use it on. Will newcomer and sexy kitty Travis be just what he's looking for?

It's a fun little romp with first kisses and a sweet bottom who gets whipped for the first time. It'll be out on Saturday!

Halloween is coming

I love Halloween. I love the things that go bump in the night, the beasties, the skeletons, the jack-o-lanterns, the ghosts and ghouls and candy that comes in little packages.

My favorite kind of paranormal keeps changing. I love the vamps and the werewolves, but other types of shifters are also great. And at the moment, I think demons are the hottest. The horns, the tail, the hot body, the potential for power, the naughty... what's not to love?

What's your favorite kind of paranormal being?

(btw, I'll draw a random winner from all the commentors on any of my posts today, winner will get a copy of my upcoming Halloween short -- the Lion Tamer, a Hammer story)

On Sale This Week

This week we have books by AR Moler and Drew Zachary, on sale at 20% off.

Check them out!

New Releases for October 12

Learning to Walk, A City Hospital Novel by Drew Zachary

Sometimes love means learning to walk all on your own.

A terrible motorcycle accident leaves Kit in pain, living with his father and needing to teach his legs how to walk again. He's actually lucky to be alive, but don't try telling him that; Kit's too wrapped up in bitterness and pain to feel any sort of happiness.

Neil knows exactly how lucky Kit is. As Kit's physiotherapist, he's seen the man's medical records, and knows a lot of people never recover after an accident such as Kit’s. His job is to get Kit moving and to get him walking again, so when Neil finds himself attracted to Kit, he buries the feelings and focuses on the job.

That's hard to do, though, when Kit starts falling for Neil in return. And starts making moves. Neil is determined to keep things professional between them, though, because he feels that Kit's recovery is far more important than a physical relationship. Can Neil teach Kit to walk again without either of them getting their hearts broken?

Find out today!


Like an Untimely Frost, a BBA Menage story by AR Moler

While the SIS team takes a deep breath after dealing with demons and unattractive blood-sucking vampires, FBI agent and Division P operative Gabrielle Dichenz has personal issues that must be dealt with. She must confront her abusive ex in a courtroom. Fortunately, her new love, SIS agent John Benchley and his lover, Evan Garrett, also an SIS agent, have her back. Gabrielle and Evan’s friendship is also changing, becoming warmer. Both John and Gabrielle have a lot of past baggage and there aren’t exactly a lot of roadmaps for ménage relationships, but all three are trying to figure it out.

In the meantime, dead bodies keep coming up missing in and around Washington D.C. Reports of those corpses shambling around just prior to their being discovered in out-of-the-way locations around the city are just the unreliable memories of unobservant and imaginative bystanders. Right? Or are they? And just why would somebody steal an already dead body anyway?

Find out today!

down for the count

Sorry, folks, I've been down for the count and dont anticipate getting back up. Next month at this time I'll be better!

Coming This Week

Wednesday:
Learning to Walk, A City Hospital Novel by Drew Zachary (Top Shelf M/M)
Like an Untimely Frost by AR Moler (Top Shelf M/M/F)

Saturday:
Ghostly Indulgence by Berengaria Brown (Halloween Sip M/M)
The Lion Tamer, a Hammer story by Sean Michael (Halloween Sip M/M)
The Silver Sun of an Imaginary Day by J. Rocci (Halloween Sip M/M)

Sick day - make me feel better

Hey, there - I have an upper respiratory that's making my throat absolutely raw. I'm babying myself with hot tea and the Torquere blog. Come keep me company and make me forget my sore throat.

A couple of weeks ago, I was in New York City for the first time. It was exciting, over-stimulating and amazing. It was gorgeous and tacky all at once. I took pics, of course, and this is one of my favorites.

What's your fav memory of NYC? Some other big, loud, crowded city? Tell me, tell me!

Meme Monday: "First & Last"

1. What is the first thing you said today? Who did you say it to?

2. What is the last thing you ate and drank?

3. What is the first thing you do when you get home from work everyday?

4. When is the last time you laughed out loud?

5. Name something you hope to do for the first time this year.

Weekly Review Round-Up

Enjoy the weekly review round-up for week end 10/7/11.


Reviews by Jessewave

Mad Dogs and Englishmen by Kate Roman
The Man Who Liked Wintergreen by Lucius Parhelion


Gravetells Reviews

The Grave Watchers by Missouri Dalton


Queer Magazine Online

Of Cocoa and Men by Vic Winter


Night Owl Reviews

Hell Dogs Squadron by AR Moler


Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Burning for You, a BBA Menage story by Berengaria Brown


The Romance Studio

Hearts Under Fire by Kelly Wyre and H.J. Raine
Galen and the Forest Lord by Eden Winters
Just Like Cats & Dogs by BA Tortuga
By the Numbers by Chris Owen and Tory Temple

Today we have three Halloween Themed Sips for you.

Ghost Walk by Lydia Nyx

Cory Phillips is spending a semester studying abroad in London. In need of a job, he lands a position as a clerk in a gift shop that caters to tourists on London's famous ghost walks. There he meets Alexi Lovegood, a charming and handsome man who plays the ghost of Sir Donovan Cartwright on one of the tours. As romance blossoms amid the campy fun, something spooky in the mist of London's streets threatens to intervene...

Pick up your copy today: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_89&products_id=3373

Keifer and Me by Mike Shade

It sucks when your lover's been away for a year. It sucks even more when he's changed a lot during that year. Keifer isn't the same man he used to be, but Davey's waited for a year, can he give Keifer the night to prove that not only can things be better than ever between them, but that werewolves aren't just the stuff of myths?

Previously published in Toy Box: Biting

Get your copy today: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_89&products_id=3375

Poisoned Spirits by Missouri Dalton

Chicago Special Police Officer Ian Mulhaney has never been stood-up before, so when Billy doesn't show up to the speakeasy, he's not a happy camper. But anger quickly shifts to worry, and Ian soon discovers Billy is gravely ill, poisoned by magically tainted whiskey. Ian's used to the paranormal, but witches might just be more than he can handle.

Pick up your copy today: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_89&products_id=3374

Flashback Fiction Friday: In the Rough, JB McDonald

You know, the first novel I ever published with Torquere was actually By Degrees, but seeing as that's STILL on the main page it seems silly to flashback to it!

The second novel though, that was In the Rough. In the Rough follows By Degrees in two of the side characters -- you know, the meddlesome types -- as they fall in love. It got both better and worse reviews than By Degrees did, depending on the reviewer's tastes. It was definitely heavier than By Degrees, in dealing with overcoming past trauma and putting one's life back together to move forward and fall in love.

See, those are the kinds of books I love. I eat them up, when there's trauma and abuse and healing. I can't WAIT for those ones! Gimmegimmegimme! I loved writing and reading In the Rough -- plus it was my second novel here, so I actually remembered the fixes my editor made to By Degrees and applied them, and then she made even more and my writing improved by leaps and bounds!

But shame on me -- I should really introduce characters! Rick and Jay are both men in their mid to late twenties who have been friends since Jay found Rick wandering the streets as a teenager. Rick was a runaway, and Jay was an orphan with no interest in the foster system. Ironically, he convinced Rick to give the system a go, figuring a young, pretty boy like that wouldn't stand a chance on his own.

Now they're all grown up, Rick with a modestly successful dojo, Jay still bumming from apartment to apartment, never holding a job for more than a few months, and struggling with his past. Despite this, all he lets the outer world see is a carefree, footloose man enjoying life -- though Rick knows the difference.

Then Jay learns his ex-wife's boyfriend may have harmed their daughter, Emmy, and has to straighten up his life in a hurry to keep Emmy out of the foster system he was so determined to stay out of as a kid. With Rick's help, it might just be possible.

As Rick tries to give Jay as much aid as he can, he's forced to come to terms with his own past; something he thought he'd already buried. But unearthing it will keep Jay from feeling quite so alone on his journey, and Rick loves Jay enough to do that. Even if it does force Rick to face things about himself he'd rather not face...

I think part of the reason I love this story so much is that, in addition to healing and becoming victorious over a victimized past, both heroes get big character arcs and growth, rather than one getting all the screen time! Plus, two really, really hot guys. And I love the cover!

JB

On Sale This Week

This week we have books by Amy Lane and Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde on sale this week at 20% off.

Check them out!

Paranormal Month Sale!

October is Paranormal Month! So we're offering 20% off your purchases from now through the end of day Monday! Just put 'para2011' in the coupon code box any time you check out at Torquere Books before Monday at midnight to get 20% off your order.

Sale good now through Monday October 10 at Midnight (est).

Celebrate Paranormal Month with a book from Torquere Press today!


Discount codes are provided as a courtesy to our customers. Torquere Press Inc. cannot be responsible for discounting purchases made before coupons/sales are announced, and cannot issue discounts to customers who fail to use the coupon or discount code during the purchase process.

New Releases for October 5

Just Lucky that Way by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde

Just because Zed Roxbury is hearing voices doesn’t mean he’s insane.

And if he is, all of his friends are joining him. Surely doing a favor for a friend should bring good karma, but a fun 4th July holiday turns into much more than anyone could have anticipated when bad luck dogs Zed. And the voices are just a small part of it. Could the opal brooch he finds have anything to do with it? Or perhaps it’s just Zed’s irresistible allure…

Maybe the past should stay buried.

Get your copy today!



Becoming, Green's Hill Werewolves #5, a BBA Menage story

Teague can finally relax and allow his lovers to care for him, but do they really know all of him?

Part of Teague Sullivan’s identity comes from working for Green and Lady Cory; it’s something he’s proud of, something he feels makes him worth loving. So when Jack steps out of line, it’s Teague’s job to put his lover in his place. But accepting the consequences for being both a lover and a leader may be too much for Teague to handle.

Katy and Lady Cory need to set Jack straight about the way things work on the hill, and Green needs to set Teague straight about the workings of his own heart, but in the end, it all comes down to Jack and Teague. Can they be straight with each other about who they are and what they need?

Find out today!

Some of my recent shorts

Hey, y'all!

Talking about some shorts, I had two Sips come out in September that I'm proud of! Well, I'm always proud, but I was tickled to be a part of the Charity Sip Blitz with my story, Coming Out Wolf, and then on the 27th I had Pushing Limits come out, which is a short story, as well.

Coming Out Wolf is all about Steve, a young, gay werewolf. He comes out as gay because he can't come out werewolf, and he hopes his roommate Rick will take advantage of him. Now, if Rick will just get with the plan...

Pushing Limits is a contemporary BDSM tale, which is something of a departure for me. I mean, I write spanking, but this was much more about the D/s dynamic of Dell and Law, and how Dell pushed Law's limits as far as what he could do

With Coming Out Wolf, I wanted to really get into how I feel about things like the It Gets Better project, which is our charity of choice this year. I wanted to write a story about someone whose life is better because he came out, not worse. Steve comes out gay because he wants some truth in his life, and it truly has a positive effect on him. It does get better!

Finally, I have a short up at All Romance Ebooks right now in the Just One Bite contest. If you go vote for me, you have a bunch of free stories to read, and you get to read another werewolf short from me! It's called Friends, Not Food

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/contest_just_one_bite.html

Thanks for hanging out today, y'all!

XXOO

Julia

www.juliatalbot.com
Home of the (not-so) ordinary hero

In defense of the short story

Hey, peeps!

It's Julia day today on the blog! Woo

I've been a bad girl. BA would beat me. Yes, I've been reading my reviews.

Grins. Usually that makes me want chocolate, but today, it's got me thinking. (danger, Will Robinson, danger)

I see a lot of reviews that say something like, "This was a great quick read, but it left me wanting more".

Well, hooray! That's the point of a short story, for me. I want to have a complete story, sure, but I also want those characters to be so neat, so engaging, that you wish there was a whole novel. As a writer, and a reader, I admit there are times when I love crafting a short. I love the fact that I have such a small word window to make the reader believe that these two guys are in love, or are werewolves, or that the sky is falling.

Some of my favorite authors are far better at the short than they are at the novel. Stephen King, for instance, has so much more impact when he packs his horror into a shorter format.

I think it's human nature to want more, but I love the challenge behind less is more ;)

What do y'all think?

I'll be back in a while with a bit of some of my latest shorts!

Coming This Week

Wednesday:
Just Lucky That Way by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde (Birthstone M/M)
Becoming, a Green's Hill Werewolves story by Amy Lane (High Ball M/M)

Saturday:
Ghost Walk by Lydia Nyx (Halloween Sip M/M)
Kiefer and Me by Mike Shade (Halloween Sip, reprint, M/M)
Poisoned Spirits by Missouri Dalton (Halloween Sip M/M)

Meme Monday: "Superpowers"

1. If you could fly for a day, where would you go?

2. If you could turn invisible for a day, what would you do with the power?

3. If you could teleport for a day, what adventures would you have?

4. If you could change your appearance like a chameleon for a day, how would you use the ability?

5. If you could have any super power for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? Would you ever use your power for selfish reasons? Would you ever hurt anyone (either physically or emotionally) with it?

New Releases for October 1

Curiosity by Misa Izanaki

Body Shop owner Kale is half vampire, and that has always made Dante a little curious. Of course, Dante doesn’t know the dangers. Biting and bloodletting are tricky things but will that be enough to keep Kale from giving in?

Curiosity first appeared in Toy Box: Biting from Torquere Press.

Pick up your copy today!


Dream Lover by Aaron Michaels

Patrick's found the man of his dreams, literally. Ever since Patrick met Gino at a company mixer, he's been having erotic dreams. Incredibly sexy dreams. Dreams that leave Patrick totally spent and feeling more than a little unhinged. How does a guy tell the world's most beautiful man to get out of his dreams? Especially when Patrick's pretty sure that beautiful man isn't exactly human.

Get your copy today!


Levels of Hunger by BA Tortuga

When the sun goes down, the things that go bump in the night come out to play. This is when Adriano searches out his vampire lover Lars for their wicked play. A little bondage, a little blood-letting, Adriano and Lars feed their hungers like no others can. Will one night be enough to sate them?

Find out today!