Friday, March 15, 2013

Writing Erotica and M/M Romance

I got my start writing erotic romance on an Amazon blog.

A writer I knew was looking for a dozen authors to write erotica for a new endeavor. At that point, the hottest thing I’d written was an erotic short story. Writing a monthly serial sounded like a daunting task—come up with a new entry once a month that would fit in with an overreaching concept.

I came up with Meredith Medical Center, a fictional hospital where hot encounters happen behind closed doors of all kinds. The characters could be anyone who had occasion to work at a major medical center: doctors, nurses, ancillary medical personnel, and even a non-medical character or two.

The series debuted in the fall of 2010 and went for fourteen installments.

A couple of things happened along the way.

First, I liked writing hot encounters, but I missed the personal involvement of a more developed romance.

Second, I wrote a two-part post with two heroes. This wasn’t an attempt to ride the growing popularity of M/M, but more of an experiment for me personally—the dynamics of two men intrigued me. I discovered I liked this pairing better than having a hero and a heroine—so much so that it changed the entire focus of my writing from M/F to M/M.

Here’s that original post—both parts. Read the whole thing now, or save Part 2 for later. If you enjoy it, check out my other fiction on the site Everything Erotic.

Meredith Medical Center—the first M/M post
 
Meredith Medical Center is a major health care hub, located in the upper Midwest. With a large trauma center, doctors covet the training positions and put up with difficult schedules in exchange for the opportunity. Not all of the opportunities are purely medical…

Part 1: Sam

Doctor Sam Larkin glanced at his watch. Almost seven. He’d hand off to the doc coming in for the night shift in the ER, then take off for home.

He gulped cold coffee and went back to signing charts.

A blond head poked around the corner. “Hey. About finished?”

Sam leaned back in his chair, studying the man in front of him.

Doctor Leo DeCosta was six feet of California surfer boy turned Emergency Medicine physician. Shapeless green hospital scrubs couldn’t disguise the athletic lines of the guy’s body. Blond hair waved down to broad shoulders. Eyes the color of aquamarines set in the face of a model. Throw in a wicked smile and a day’s worth of stubble, and the guy was damned near irresistible.

Just one problem.

Sam was gay, and he wasn’t sure about Leo’s preferences.

The wicked smile made an appearance. “Want to grab a beer after shift change?”

Sam rocked forward in the desk chair. “Thanks, but no. Just going to finish up here, then head home.”

Leo leaned up against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “Ah, come on, Sam. Don’t make me drink alone.”

Tempting. Very tempting. But not worth it if they had opposing interests. Their easy friendship at work might not extend beyond the confines of the ER. Besides, not be a great idea to start something with someone at work. Awkward if things went south.

Leo raised one eyebrow in question.

Sam locked onto the aquamarine eyes. “Sorry. Can’t make it. What about Seri? She’s done at shift change, too.”

For several seconds, Leo stared him down, and Sam had to look away. He was in significant danger of giving in if he maintained eye contact.

There was a knock on the doorframe. “Okay. See ya.”

He caught a glimpse of Leo’s fabulous butt as he walked away. Sam ran a hand over his short black hair. Guilt stirred in his stomach. No matter how many times he said no, Leo kept issuing the invitations.

He groaned and whipped through the last few charts, signing off the records before shift change. Dr. Luke Granger took charge of the ER at seven tonight, and Sam was so ready to get out of here for the weekend.

Why in the hell was he in a hurry to get home? An intense desire to hear the silence in his condo? Check how much dust might have accumulated over the last fourteen hours?

Luke breezed into the office and dropped into a chair. “Hey, Sam. Whatcha got for me?”

Sam shook his head. The guy loved his job, no doubt about it. Not many people would get excited about spending Friday night at work.

As the ER contained no urgent cases, they got through the hand-off by seven-thirty.

Luke toyed with a pen on the desk. “Slow day, huh?”

Sam slapped his hands on his thighs. “Yep. Hope it’s quiet for you tonight.”

Luke smiled and shook his head. “Nah. I could use a good trauma case. Give me a number thirty chest tube and mechanical ventilation anytime.”

Sam sighed. “See, that’s early career enthusiasm. The desire for the knife and gun club to have a rumble and supply patients.”

“Hey, I live for that stuff. Bet you did too, at some point. You’re not exactly an old man, Larkin.”

Sam gazed across the desk. Yeah, at one time, he’d loved trauma. But it wasn’t enough to take the place of a personal life for the long haul, and the ER had lost its appeal. “Guess I’m just cynical at the end of the shift.”

Luke cocked his head to the side. “Got any plans this weekend?”

Sam deflected the question. “When’s the baby due?”

“Next month.” Luke shook his head and grinned. “Jane’s so ready to get it over with. Like, now.”

“Yeah, well, let me know when the blessed event happens.” Sam got to his feet and headed for the door. “Gotta get going. Have a good one.”

“It’s Friday. Bound to be good,” Luke called after him.

Sam trudged upstairs to the third floor physician’s lounge. No one showered or changed in this out-of-the-way spot at night, and the lock on the door ensured privacy. Which sounded pretty damn good at this point.

The door wasn’t locked. He walked into the room and shot the deadbolt. The place was semi-dark; the only illumination came from the bathroom opposite the entrance. On the right, six full-length lockers hugged the wall, and a narrow bench sat in front of them. To the left, the hospital had ripped out the lockers and replaced them with the typical hospital-issue cot.

Other than the muffled dripping of a faucet, silence filled the space. Sam didn’t bother flipping on the overhead light. He’d negotiated the area many times, and he walked on autopilot to his locker. He kicked off his shoes, stripped off his top, and rubbed a hand across his chest.

Maybe he should have said yes to the beer. Even if Leo wasn’t gay, friendship would be better than nothing, which was the current situation. Nothing. No one.

Shit. Too late now.

He sank onto the bench and leaned his forearms on his thighs, clenching his hands together. He couldn’t keep up this isolation thing. Next week, he’d invite Leo for a beer after shift change and find some way to bring up the subject of orientation. No sense in continuing with this standoff.

Yep, a good plan. He stood and pulled open his locker.

A dark figure stepped into the bathroom doorway, silhouetted in the low light. Sam squinted as the man advanced on him. That blond halo could only belong to one person.

“Leo? What are you doing here?”

“Waiting.”

Sam fisted his hands on his hips. “For what?”

“You.”

Leo stepped into view, shirtless, torso on display. Damn. In the low light, the shadows of the cut muscles of his chest and arms reminded Sam of fine Italian sculpture. God, the man was a work of art.

Heat flooded Sam’s groin, and he clamped down on his attraction. Or that was the intent, but his cock didn’t get the message. A hard-on pushed against his scrubs. Sam grabbed a shirt out of his locker and fisted it in front of his pants.

A few feet away, Leo stroked his chest, riveting Sam’s attention.

Shit. He couldn’t do this right now. He needed the weekend to psych himself up, plan what to say. Sam gripped the door of his locker. “Look, about the beer—”

“It’s not about the beer, Sam.” Leo’s hand drifted down the line of hair on his belly and stopped just above the waist of his scrubs.

Sam dragged his eyes back to Leo’s pale blue gaze. “What… is it… about, then?”

Leo took a couple of steps forward and dropped his hand to his groin.

The man had a raging erection. A fresh wave of arousal shot down to Sam’s cock, and he bit down on his tongue to keep from licking his lips.

“You’ve been avoiding me, Sam. I finally decided it must be because you didn’t know, or weren’t sure.” Leo’s hand stroked up the front of his scrub pants, the erection outlined under the thin material. “Now you know.”

Sam swallowed hard. He’d been an idiot, for Chrissakes. Leo had cajoled him for weeks, and Sam had avoided every invitation, every request for companionship. Sam hadn’t agreed to have a beer, watch a game, grab some dinner. Never gave the guy an opportunity.

Hell. He shifted his gaze to the floor. “Leo…”

“It’s okay. This isn’t an ambush. It’s a… declaration.” He pivoted for the bathroom.

Sam picked out the pale green of Leo’s scrub shirt on the sink counter.

Suddenly all the loneliness of the past months crashed in on him. In two strides, he crossed the room and grabbed Leo’s shoulders. Sam pressed his bare chest against the warm skin of Leo’s back. The man froze.

“Sam, you don’t need to do this.”

Sam slid his arms around the other man’s lean waist. This close, he smelled like balsam and sandalwood, with an underlying scent of musky male. Sam shuddered, and his erection grew.

“I want to,” Sam said in a hoarse voice. “I’ve wanted to ask, but I didn’t know— wasn’t sure.”

Leo relaxed, exhaled.

Sam pressed soft kisses along the brown skin as blond hair tickled his nose, and strong fingers gripped his wrists. Sam imagined those tanned hands were capable of all sorts of things: suturing a laceration, throwing a football, providing intense pleasure…

The area where Leo’s neck met his shoulder beckoned, and Sam licked the skin. A hint of salt and an unexpected sweetness rolled across his tongue. Leo dropped his head back, and Sam tasted his neck, bit his earlobe.

Sam pushed his hard shaft against the cleft of Leo’s ass.

Leo groaned and spun Sam around, trapping his wrists against the wall. A hot and hungry mouth pressed against Sam’s, a wonderful masculine assault. Nothing like a man’s firm lips, a man’s kiss.

God, it’d been so long, and kissing had never felt like this, never this sweet. Leo didn’t invade, didn’t grind against him, just took his time. And that was fine with Sam.

Leo licked Sam’s lower lip, requesting entry, and he obliged. Leo’s tongue slid inside, hot and smooth, bringing the taste of peppermint and ramping up the pleasure. Sam’s erection kicked, hard and throbbing.

Suddenly Sam’s wrists were free, and he shoved his hands into Leo’s sun bleached hair. Despite all the sun- and chlorine-induced highlights, the stuff was like silk, a nice surprise.

This whole thing was a nice surprise.

Beards rasping together, Leo moved along the stubble and pressed a kiss to the underside of Sam’s jaw. Tender, not demanding. A warm wet tongue traced a line down to the hollow above his sternum.

Sam moaned and leaned against the wall for support. What else did Leo do well with that mouth? He shuddered and closed his eyes.

Teeth gently closed on his left nipple, and Sam jerked. His cock nearly leaped out of his pants.

Leo pulled back and grinned, his eyes more cerulean now, the pupils dilated with arousal. He dipped once more to kiss Sam’s nipple, and Sam’s hands fell to his sides. He hadn’t been this needy for months, and he wanted Leo to fulfill those needs.

Leo moved up. “You okay?” he whispered.

Sam groaned. “Yeah. Yeah.”

“You want to stop?”

Sam took a shaky breath. “No.”

Leo’s thigh gently nudged between his. Sam moved his feet apart, and Leo pressed against him, their cocks rubbing together, the friction delicious through the well-worn cotton of their scrubs. Leo was just as aroused as he was, that massive erection pushing on his hip and groin.

“What do you want?” Leo whispered next to his ear, then ran his lips over Sam’s, soft butterfly kisses.

“Want?” he panted.

“You want my mouth? My cock?” Leo traced Sam’s lips with a warm tongue, stroked his fingers down Sam’s sensitive shaft, and he bucked against Leo’s hand.

A gentle squeeze of the testicles, then more stroking. “What do you want, Sam?”

It was more a question of what did he want first. God, he couldn’t breathe. Leo’s hands felt so good on him; he wasn’t going to last long. It’d be nice if someone unfroze his vocal cords about now.

“Mouth,” he gasped.

The wicked sexy grin spread across Leo’s face. He loosened the ties on Sam’s scrub pants and pushed them down, taking the boxer briefs along with them, and Sam’s erection bobbed forward. He kicked free of the clothing and blew out a breath. A relief to get rid of that confinement.

Leo sank onto his knees and took Sam’s cock into his mouth.

The first touch of that hot tongue had Sam throwing back his head, hips bucking like a damn virgin. Soft lips, then the gentle scrape of teeth, then pressure, first gentle, then hard. Gentle, then hard. Leo worked his erection, that gifted mouth pulling Sam higher and higher, to the top of the roller coaster. He slid his hands into Leo’s hair, holding on but not forcing.

Leo backed off and looked up, grinning wickedly.

Sam’s thighs trembled, and he braced his back against the wall, praying to stay upright. He wasn’t stopping, was he? Because the pleasure verged on pain, and release was mandatory.

Leo’s tongue swirled around the head, tickled the cleft, dipped into the slit, and then pulled in his entire length. Wet heat squeezed Sam’s cock, and tension gathered in the small of his back, signaling impending orgasm. He tried to warn Leo, give him a chance to pull away.

“I’m… going to—”

Leo stayed put, sucked hard.

Sam came, more forcefully than he’d ever experienced.

Absolute ecstasy. His vision grayed down, and he sagged against the wall. Leo finished him, then stood and wrapped him in those strong tan arms, providing support and murmuring reassurances as his sight cleared. Sam hugged back and buried his nose in the heady fragrance of Leo’s skin.

Salty musky lips kissed Sam’s. “I’ve waited so long for that, Sam. Thought I’d never see the day.”

Sam’s throat tightened. All those months alone, and Leo had been right here, patiently waiting. He brushed back damp blond strands and met the aquamarine gaze. “What do you want?”

“Want?”

Sam grinned. “Yeah, want.”

“Want to try out the cot?”

 
MMC Part 2: Leo

Sam’s hands splayed on Leo’s waist. His eyes drifted shut and he sighed, the sated smile still on his face.

Leo grinned; he’d pulled this expression from Sam, took him from needy to blissful. The taste of Sam’s cock had ramped up his own arousal, and he was hard as a diamond, aching for release.

Sam’s whiskey-colored eyes gazed at him. “The cot?”

Yeah, for starters. He’d stretch Sam out on the bed, explore the cut muscles of that taut body with his hands and mouth, sample every square inch of Sam’s olive skin, and probe the secret places with his tongue...

“Are you okay with… the cot?” Leo murmured. Please, say yes.

He drew a knuckle down the trail of soft dark hair bisecting Sam’s midline, stopping above the thatch surrounding his shaft, rubbed his thumbs into the hollows where Sam’s legs met his groin.

Sam shuddered.

To sink himself balls deep in Sam’s firm ass would be heaven. The thought of that velvet heat gloving his cock… God. Would Sam enjoy that? Leo groaned and pushed his erection against Sam’s hip, letting him feel the hardness.

“It’ll be good Sam, I swear.” The rich scent of bay rum and citrus filled his nose as he ran his lips along Sam’s neck.

In response, fingers tightened on his waist. One palm drifted in a tantalizing sweep to his hip, over to his shaft, and rubbed with exquisite clarity through his scrubs. Leo bucked. The hand stroked between his legs, weighed his testicles.

“Too many clothes,” Sam muttered.

Leo watched as nimble fingers untied the drawstring of his pants. Underneath, he had on nothing but a tan, and his erection peeked out of the loosened waist of his scrubs. A hoarse sound broke from Sam, and he glanced up, the needy look draping his features.
Leo grinned. He could get used to seeing that look. And Sam’s expression when he came.
Beautiful.

Leo kicked free of the pants and his cock jutted out, swollen and throbbing. Ready.

Warm palms cupped Leo’s ass and squeezed, urging him closer. His cock nestled against Sam’s hip.

“You can have whatever you want,” Sam breathed. His hands grazed Leo’s nipples.

“I want to fuck you.” Leo trailed his fingers down Sam’s spine, delved into the hot crevice between his butt cheeks, gently exploring. “You want me to fuck you?”

“Yeah.” Sam’s eyes darkened, and he wrapped a hand around Leo’s neck, pulled him in for a hard kiss and nipped his lower lip. “I want that.”

A blast of heat went through Leo. Yes. He said yes. Against his thigh, Sam’s cock stirred.
Leo’s twitched in answer. Callused fingers closed around him, did a slow slide down, and then back up. Somehow, Sam knew how he liked to be touched. A drop of pre-come welled in the tiny slit. Sam’s thumb smeared the moisture on the head, teased the cleft and the ridge. The other hand cupped his testicles, and a fingertip stroked the sensitive skin between his sac and his hole.

Electrifying arousal shot through his bloodstream to his cock, and his balls tightened. “Let’s get horizontal.”

He guided Sam over to the cot and gently pushed him down, climbed on and stretched out next to him, face-to-face. Sam had a hard-on, and that needy look on his face.

Excellent. Hard and needy.

He already loved pleasuring Sam, watching the ecstasy develop on his features as he squeezed his eyes shut and his lips parted in a hoarse cry. Leo took Sam’s mouth, and the man responded hungrily, sucking on his tongue.

His stiff cock slid along Sam’s, skin against skin. So damn good. He’d never gotten this hard for anyone. Only for Sam.

He scraped the hard little nubs of Sam’s nipples, and was rewarded with a moan. So damn responsive to every touch, and it cranked his own desire up. An ache began in his testicles, a tightness building, demanding release.

Sam’s hand ran down Leo’s back and grabbed onto his ass, pulled their bodies together and thrust against him. Leo thrust back.

“Sam, you want me inside you?”

“Sure.”

Sam nuzzled his ear, and a tiny spark of pain stung his earlobe. Oh, yeah. A man who liked it a little hard, a little intense. Leo licked Sam’s clavicle and lightly bit him on the deltoid. Salt and spice mixed on his tongue with the lingering flavor of Sam’s cock.

Sam’s scratchy beard rasped against his. A warm mouth kissed a trail to the sensitive spot where Leo’s neck met his shoulder. Sam sucked the skin there, dropped down and closed his lips around Leo’s nipple before moving lower still. A hot wet tongue dipped into his navel.

Then Sam kissed the head of Leo’s cock.

Leo bowed off the bed. “Sam, I want you… now.”

Sam sat back on his knees. “Do you have… supplies?”

Leo got to his feet and crossed the room to his locker. Thank God he’d laid in what they’d need. In case. He grabbed a couple of condoms and a tube of KY jelly.

Sam rolled onto his stomach.

God, he had a terrific ass, firm and round. Leo ran a hand over the curves, then knelt on the cot and squirted lube on his fingers, rubbing them together until the gel warmed.
“Ready?”

“Please,” Sam groaned.

Leo’s cock throbbed. This was going to be… so good. He worked the lube between Sam’s ass cheeks, lightly circling the sensitive hole and piercing him with a fingertip. Sam moaned and pushed back against him. Leo eased his finger into Sam’s passage, and he tensed. Leo froze.

“You sure about this, Sam?”

“Yeah,” he gasped. “It’s been awhile for me.”

Leo leaned over and inhaled the clean scent of citrus and spice of Sam, kissed the warm skin of his back, worked his way up to his shoulder, then softly pressed his lips to Sam’s.
“Relax. I’ll go slow.”

Sam blew out a breath and nodded, spreading his legs further apart.

Leo squirted more lube on his fingers and massaged it into the tender skin, pressed in with a thumb. So far, so good. He rubbed a little, pushed the other thumb in, widening the passage, rubbing until he felt the muscles relax. Sam shuddered and pushed back against him.

Leo patted him on the side, urged him to roll over. Sam’s rigid shaft poked up.

Leo grinned. One more taste. He licked up the underside of Sam’s cock, taking the head in his mouth. Flavors of salt, sex, and man, a heady combination. He sucked on the length and it thickened.

A moan came from Sam, and he arched and pulled up his legs in invitation. “I want you inside me.”

Yeah. He wanted that too. Leo reared back, sheathed himself in a condom, and spread some lube on the latex. He covered Sam’s mouth, slick and urgent, kissing him hard. Sam’s hands fluttered down his back, stroking, settling on his ass and urging him on.
Leo pushed the head of his shaft against Sam’s entrance, working his cock forward, slowly rocking. The tight ring of muscle relaxed, and suddenly he was through heaven’s gate. Soft heat surrounded him, the sensation so good he almost spilled. Sam gasped.

“Okay?” Leo panted.

“Yeah. Fine.” Sam smiled, eyes closed, and lifted his hips.

Leo moved, push and pull, loving the heat and the tightness, building to pounding strokes, angling his thrusts to stimulate his lover’s prostate. Sam palmed his own erection and pumped.

Too soon, tingling ran down Leo’s spine. He tried to hold back, wanting to prolong this for Sam, for himself, make the pleasure last, but the months of anticipation ensured he wouldn’t last long.

With a hoarse cry, Sam began to come, ribbons of white shooting onto his chest. The response tipped Leo over, hot jets pouring out of him, sending shockwaves of pleasure out to every nerve ending. The room blurred, then slowly came back into focus.

That look of ecstasy covered Sam’s face, and Leo grinned. Damn. He loved that look.
Whiskey-colored eyes cracked open and gazed up at him.

“Was it good, Sam?”

“Yeah.” He chuckled. “Hell, yeah.”

Leo rubbed his cheek against Sam’s. Waiting in the locker room had worked out better than Leo had anticipated. He’d set out to ease Sam’s mind and communicate his own desire, but discovering Sam harbored some hot desires of his own… mind-blowing.

“Do you still want to go out for a beer?” Sam murmured in his ear.

Leo pulled back and grinned. “Who needs beer?”
~*~
Copyright © 2010 Whitley Gray

All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

~*~
BIO:

Once upon a misspent youth, Whitley read and wrote stories under the covers at night. At some point, real life intervened, bringing with it responsibilities and a career in the medical field. After years of technical writing, Whitley became enamored of romance and took on the challenge of giving it a try. Inventing characters and putting them through paces in interesting ways turned out to be addictive, and along the way, Whitley discovered that a pair of heroes is twice as nice. A pot of coffee, quiet, and a storyline featuring a couple of guys makes for a perfect day. Stop by www.whitleygray.com and feed your need for heat between the sheets with erotica and M/M romance.

Whitley Gray
~Cops and doctors in hot water.

Check out more Meredith Medical Center and other erotica on Everything Erotic:
 

 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The Making of Revelations--A New Take on the Second Coming.

The idea was born many years ago. Over forty, actually. When I was a teenager. Back then, it didn’t have a name, and it had no real shape. But I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell the story of Judas Iscariot. The trouble was I didn’t know how. What drew me to Judas? is probably what you’re asking yourself, and that’s a valid question.
Ask anyone else who Judas is and you’ll get answers that are probably all variations on a theme of betrayal. I’m not sure exactly when I began to question that, but I do know that when I saw Jesus Christ Superstar performed live back in 1971 (or thereabouts), I had an epiphany regarding him. I saw him, not as the bad guy as often portrayed, but someone who not only believed in Jesus but was willing to do what he needed him to do. For without Judas’ “betrayal” of Jesus, the story would not have worked out the way it did. It needed to happen that way. And if you read the Gospel of Judas, he was the only apostle whom Jesus trusted Jesus to do that for him. Gives one food for thought, doesn’t it?
Very interesting, but where’s the story? I wondered. Was I going to take an historical perspective, research the man and his life? Easier said than done, especially back then. We had no Internet. We didn’t even have computers. Research was all done through books. Libraries had card catalogs, a far cry from today when you can log onto your library website and browse their selection, then request what you want. So I looked and I found bupkus (nothing). I had the Bible, of course, but it tends to be limited on information, as well as a bit biased.

So nothing was written, and I let it go, as my thoughts formulated in the back of my head. In the meantime, I was reading, watching… and learning. King of Kings was my first Biblical movie, and I loved it. Jeffrey Hunter’s portrayal of Jesus is very moving, and I was very enamored of the film. Jesus Christ Superstar – I think I know all the words, I’ve listened so many times. I liked the stage version, but the first film not so much.
Besides watching these things and others, I read. Christopher Moore’s Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal. What a fabulous book! I loved it! So much I bought the special edition. And I read The Gospel of Judas! Forty years ago I’d never heard of such a thing. Of course I read the DaVinci Code, and watched the movie. And everything began to percolate inside my head…
Then one day it happened. Judas spoke to me, for the first time. And I simply began to write it down, not knowing what he might say, or where his story might lead. It turned out to be quite the story and took me on quite the journey, and led to places that I didn’t expect it to. If he’d have spoken forty years ago, I would not have been ready to receive his message. But my life up until the moment that I first heard him speak prepared me. And the result is Revelations.
The original title was Kyrie Eleison, a tribute to the Mister Mr. song, Kyrie. Kyrie eleison means Christ, have mercy on us. But then fellow author Marie Sexton, who was reading Kyrie for me at the time, suggested a simpler title. A better title. Revelations. So Revelations it became.
I know there are people who will not like Revelations, and by extension, me. People who will not see the message it carries, only that it does not follow what they believe. But ultimately, no matter what you believe, Revelations is a story of love. Love is the message, and love is something that binds us all together.
Revelations is love.

BLURB:

Judas has never been very popular, not in any incarnation that he and Jesus and the others have lived through. But he doesn't care about that. All he cares about is following the instructions of God as set forth in the script that they follow. And Jesus. For Judas has secretly loved the son of God for over two thousand years.
But now he decides that enough is enough, and he's tired of watching Jesus die far too early, and for what? This time Judas is determined to see that Jesus lives a long and happy life, no matter what price he has to pay to accomplish it...no matter if he has to make a deal with the devil himself.
Revelations is a story of what could be, told by those who play it out, time after time after time, unbeknownst to the rest of mankind. They've come back again, for yet another round. But this time is going to be different.  Excerpt:
Prologue: God
It's not always easy to sit on the sidelines and watch what is happening, to resist the urge to intervene in his best interest. My son's that is. Jesus. But I do so, because I know it's for his own good. As well as for the good of mankind. I can't let my concerns as his father override my vested interest in the fate of man. But sometimes that is easier said than done.
 
This morning I am not alone. Someone else is with me, someone with his own agenda, although we are not as diametrically opposed as some would imagine us to be. Good and evil aren't the simplistic concepts some would portray them as being—there are more grey areas there than you might think. And rightly so.
He smirks. Too much for my taste, I have to admit, but sometimes he does have his moments, and he too has a part to play in what is happening in the world of men. Someone needs to fill the role of the villain, after all.
 
The stage is being set for the third act, the scripts have been handed round, and the actors are taking their places. Will this time end any differently than the others? That depends on my son, on Jesus. I'm thinking this will be the time when he'll make the change.
"He'll change nothing," Lucifer interjects, although I've asked him nothing, certainly not inquired as to his opinion.
I glance at him. He's dressed to within an inch of his life, and wears the most ridiculous sunglasses I've ever seen. I decide not to comment on his fashion sense. "I think he might, this time. I think he's ready for change."
Lucifer snorts. "It's been two thousand years, and neither one has exactly caught on yet. Why should this time be any different?" "Care to put your money where your mouth is?"
He eyes me carefully. "I would, but you see you have this whole mystic omnipotent God thing going on. Personally, I don't care for those odds."
I arch an eyebrow. "I may be omnipotent, but Jesus does have free will and he does possess the ability to make his own decisions. You think I'd stack the deck in my son's favor? Just to win a bet with you?"
"Let's say I'm taking no chances." He smiles. "Tell you what, though—give me free rein. Let me do what I want, and you not say anything or do anything to interfere with me? As far as they're concerned, that is."
I open my mouth to object, he hastily interjects. "No killing, I swear to it."
That's better. I still have some measure of control over the serpent.
"So be it." I agree, turning my attention back to where it had been, to my son. I'm smirking now. Openly.
O ye of little faith, watch and learn.
~*~
Now for the give-away: What book did Julie find helpful in writing Revelations? Leave your answer in the comments section by midnight on February 21st to be entered for a chance to win an e-copy of Revelations! Leave your email. Julie will pick a winner, and I'll post the winner in the comments section on February 22nd.
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BUY: Muse It Up
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BIO:
Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, and MuseitUp Publishing, and she has also begun to self-publish at various places on the Internet.

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Saturday, March 2, 2013

The Joy of a Good Review

Every time someone says "Your book got a review!" I get a case of nerves. Always dreading it'll get the worst rating, that someone will hate my darling and say so right there in black and white. It doesn't get easier. This week was a nice surprise. It's Jock Week over at Joyfully Jay, and the anthology Going For Gold (MLR Press) was up on the block. For three days, I worried. Then it received a 4.5 star review. WHEW! My story, Shoot for Gold received five stars. Talk about palpable relief.
The next time might not be so lucky, though.
What do you do when you get an unfavorable review?

Here's what the Joyfully Jay reviewer had to say:

Shoot For Gold  by Whitley Gray

Matt Justice is at the top of his game and favored to win gold in London in the shooting events. But an unfortunate accident involving lack of concentration, rain, and scaffolding puts his chances in jeopardy. Lucky for him, Levi Wolf, M.D. was nearby when Matt injured himself. Patching Matt’s face up and relieving the tension in his neck put was only the beginning for this pair. The immediate connection between them gives way to a night of passion that gives Matt hope that something may come of their tentative relationship. But Levi’s past haunts him and has for the past three years. Levi has to decide if he can leave the past behind him in order to move on before he loses any chance he may have had with Matt.

I really liked this story. For one, both characters are in their mid to late thirties so they have experience, maturity, and painful pasts. Matt and Levi’s story is one of risk. Taking a leap of faith to see what may or may not happen and risk gaining everything or losing it all. For such a short story, I thought the character building was superb. I really felt a connection between both MCs and liked Norm, Matt’s roommate, who was hilarious, by the way. The story was a little angsty, believable, and so sweet. Overall, it’s one of my favorites of this anthology. 5 stars

BUY: Amazon
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BIO:
Once upon a misspent youth, Whitley read and wrote stories under the covers at night. At some point, real life intervened, bringing with it responsibilities and a career in the medical field. After years of technical writing, Whitley became enamored of romance and took on the challenge of giving it a try. Inventing characters and putting them through paces in interesting ways turned out to be addictive, and along the way, Whitley discovered that two heroes is twice as nice. A pot of coffee, quiet, and a storyline featuring a couple of guys makes for a perfect day. Stop by www.whitleygray.com and feed your need for heat between the sheets with erotica and M/M romance.

Whitley
~Cops and doctors in hot water.