Rainbow Snippets

Happy Saturday! I had to take last week off to enjoy watching my kids’ school production of Elf: The Musical Jr. Naturally, my 13yo played Buddy, since he’s pretty much Buddy in real life (if you’ve seen either the Will Ferrell Film or the stage show, you’ll understand what I mean). It was a little hairy there for a moment—my son lost his voice during tech week! He had it back for the performances, fortunately. Anyhow, the show was fantastic, and I’m really proud of both my kids for all their hard work.

This week’s snippet is once again from my recent release, Walking by Faith. This bit is possibly slightly spoilery (I believe it’s clear from context). But it’s one of my favorite moments and based on a real-life incident, so I’m sharing it anyway. Bit longer than 6 sentences.

 “Do you know how much I hate it when guys say they’re clean? I know what that means—they think people like me aren’t. But I’m not dirty or tainted, Cat. I’m not!” His voice broke on the last word. “None of us are.”

Cat couldn’t have agreed more, but how could he convey that to David? He looked at the pan of water. Stepping around David, he scooped a handful of soap bubbles. He held them in his palm for a moment then blew on them, sending them flying onto David’s cheek and neck. David’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. Cat just grinned and did it again.

Clean, he thought, praying David understood. You are clean.

Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!

Happy Saturday! It’s been a busy weekend already, and it’s only half over. My kids spent all day at a rehearsal for their play, and I had a rehearsal of my own. The fall concert is tonight! We’re playing a wide range of styles.

This week’s snippet is once again from my new release, Walking by Faith. Cat is a cellist, so here’s a bit about that. To get you in the mood, here’s something we’re playing tonight at the concert. This is “The Swan” from Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals.

 

He tuned the instrument then sat for a moment, considering. Then he began to play. He started with the hymns from the church service, full of the solemn glory of the Easter celebration. When he finished, he paused to choose his next piece. He drew on his memory, recalling one of his favorite concerti, something he’d loved so much he could still play it without sheet music. The strains of Bach filled the house, and he closed his eyes as he immersed himself in the music.

Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!

Happy Saturday! I hope everyone is doing well. We’re in the last push before the school show, and the kids are working hard.

Today has been a rough one. This week, a dear friend passed away. It was both sudden and not. We attended her service today, and there was an outpouring of love for her. She was a loving, kind person whose laugh illustrated her delight in the world around her. She will be missed.

In honor of her, my snippet today comes from my new release, Walking by Faith. This is a bit of reflection on Cat’s part. My apologies, it’s longer than 6 sentences.

It was overcast, but the air didn’t have the heavy feel of impending rain. July heat had given way to the slightly cooler August temperatures. Cat left his truck and trudged up the hill, the breeze stirring his hair. He found David’s stone easily, though he’d only been to visit it twice before—at the funeral and around a year later, when the grief was still fresh. He didn’t believe there was any reason to go; it was only a marker. David wasn’t even buried there. He’d been cremated, per his wishes and those of his family.

Cat sat down on the grass facing the stone. He had no idea what to say. He closed his eyes and pictured David’s loose curls, his blue eyes, and his dimpled smile. It seemed silly now, coming to talk to a dead person in a place that didn’t even house his body. Yet there he was, staring at the dates of his lover’s life and thinking about the frailty of his own.

Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!

Happy Saturday! I’m off to volunteer at the kids school for a few hours, followed by lots of errands. Going to be a long day. Three weeks until the big show!

This week is the final snippet from last year’s Passing on Faith. The prequel, Walking by Faith, is out Tuesday! I can’t believe it’s already here. Next week, I’ll post a bit from that one. For now, I’m bringing something a little sadder than the last two snippets. Don’t worry—they’ll get their HFN. For some context, Micah was only supposed to stay for the summer; the mention of Cat’s swollen joints has to do with his chronic health issue; and Cat is non-binary gender (i.e., not a man or a trans woman). This is a bit longer than 6 sentences, but it makes more sense.

Searching for something other than the truth, that Cat awakened in him things he didn’t—or didn’t want to—understand, Micah answered, “We’re too different. What do we even have in common?”

Cat’s mouth hung open briefly, and the weight of Micah’s words clung to both of them. Pushing the covers to the end of the bed, Cat stood up. He wore nothing but the red-orange panties that matched the negligee still casually draped over the chair. In the dim light, he looked fragile, his body long and thin and his joints slightly swollen. There was no pretense, and he hid nothing, standing defiantly beside the bed and commanding Micah’s attention by meeting his gaze.

Instead of responding with the anger Micah expected, he jutted out his chin and said, “Well, we both like your not-shitty love stories.” His eyes softened, and he continued, “We both love cookie dough ice cream. We’re both stubborn as hell, and we both think your father’s God is an asshole.” His lip quivered, and he sniffled, his eyes turning red-rimmed.

The sight was enough to push Micah over the edge. Tears brimmed in his eyes, and he drew his wrist across them. “Oh, God. I don’t want to go home,” he said through a sob. “I don’t want to leave you.”

Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!

Happy Saturday! It’s cold and wet here. But I get the whole weekend more or less off, since I have everything ready to go for my blog tour! There’s still time to sign up if you like (see the link at the bottom). Meanwhile, if you haven’t had the chance to check out this weekend’s Spank or Treat event, visit yesterday’s blog post for more information (and a giveaway!). I have a short F/F story about some side characters from Passing on Faith in the anthology.

This week’s snippet is another one from last year’s Passing on Faith. Since people seemed to appreciate the fun of last week’s bit, I’m following it up with a similar scene. This was inspired by talking with a friend about how our furry beasts like to “help” by sitting in our laps and “typing” with their paws. Since the inspiration for Cat was Puss in Boots, my friend imagined Cat doing this very feline thing to Micah.

Here’s the snippet. It’s a little longer than 6 sentences.

Cat looked over at the screen. “What are you working on?” He grinned. “Another het story without the heaving boobs?”

Micah let out a snorting laugh. “This one’s a little different from the last.”

Cat’s eyes widened. “Ooh! Is it lesbian porn?” He leaned in and whispered, “Lesbian alien tentacle porn?”

“Oh. My. God.” Micah laughed and swatted at Cat. “You are awful.”

Cat plopped himself in Micah’s lap, startling the breath out of him in a whoosh. “Let me see.” He twisted slightly so he could peer at the screen. “Why, Micah!” he said. “Are you actually writing a gay story this time?” He snickered.

“I wasn’t going to, no.” Micah tried to reach around to close the laptop, but Cat blocked him.

“But you have these two exceptionally hot guys, and they are totally flirting.” He read Micah’s most recent paragraph out loud. “Oh, they want each other bad. So much sexual tension there.”

“They’re on a road trip, discussing driving directions to the next city.”

“Exactly!”

The prequel, Walking by Faith, releases on Nov. 1, 2016. I am putting together a blog tour, so if you are willing to host me around release day, please fill out the form. Maybe we can trade—you can come visit me here.

Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!

Happy Saturday! Another day of volunteer work. The show is coming together nicely. Elf Jr. has a lot of physical comedy, and my 13yo happens to be pretty good at it. It was really fun watching a bit of the rehearsal.

Don’t be fooled by the blog post title. This week’s snippet is still from last year’s Passing on Faith. When I wrote it, I had no idea how popular a character Cat would be. I’m pretty fond of him myself, but it turns out a lot of other people are too. In this snippet, Cat has discovered one of Micah’s secrets. Errrr…warning for it being quite sweary.

Here’s the snippet:

“Shut up,” Micah muttered. “It’s not funny.”

Cat managed to compose himself. “Oh, no, it really is. This is too good. You write het erotica? The irony of that isn’t lost on me.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Micah crossed his arms.

“Just that most gay romance is written by women. But you’re a gay man writing straight porn. Oh, lord. That’s funny as hell. Do you even know what to do with a vagina?”

“I don’t write porn!” Micah huffed. “It’s romance.” His face grew hot.

“Same difference.”

“Fuck you,” Micah ground out.

Cat’s eyes brightened, and he leered up at Micah. Pitching his voice artificially low, he said, “Really? Will you do it to me with your hot…throbbing…tool?” He curled his tongue a little on the last sound, half-closing his eyes. He licked his lip sensually then opened his eyes and snickered.

Micah glared at him. “I do not write shit like that.”

Sitting up, Cat tilted his head to the side. “Prove it,” he said.

The prequel, Walking by Faith, releases on Nov. 1, 2016. I am putting together a blog tour, so if you are willing to host me around release day, please fill out the form. Maybe we can trade—you can come visit me here.

Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!