Winner of Michael's 70k Bash is.... and meet Reed and Taz!

Congratulations go to Debby! She's the winner in the recent bash to celebrate 70k with Michael Mandrake. Contact me and let me know what you'd like, Debby.  In the meantime, I'm going to repeat the blog posts regarding the WIP of M.A. Church and myself, in case you didn't get to see them - a little story that we've named Be My Alien. You'll meet our heroes, Reed and Taz. Have fun with them! And stay tuned - we might have an announcement to make any day now!

Thanks so much, Sharita, for having us here today! We love visiting with you, even if Chicago is chillier than we’re used to. Poor M.A., her blood is really thin from being down there in Mississippi. Me? I just have low tolerance for the cold. Oh wait, who are we, I can hear some of you ask? Let me back up a mo and start again.

I’m Julie Lynn Hayes, she’s M.A. Church, heretofore to be known as Michelle. Just call me Julie. We’re here today to talk about our first joint project. To be honest, it isn’t published. Not yet. But we’re excited about it, so we’d like to tell you about it. And since it hasn’t been accepted yet, we’d like to offer something else in our giveaways, namely a selection from our backlists.

Let’s start at the beginning. I totally blame Michelle for hooking me on aliens.

Michelle: *snort* I corrupted her, or so she says.

Julie:  *laughs* That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. It wasn’t until I read your most excellent book, Nighttime Wishes, that I first encountered your fixation on beings from other worlds, and… wait, hold on a second. What are you two doing here?

Reed: Don’t blame me, I was just following Taz. He said we needed to come here, and I guess he’s right. Look, you’re talking about us. That’s a bit cheeky, don’t you think?

Julie: What? Cheeky? Hey, Reed, I was going to say nice things, how does that make us cheeky? Michelle, a little help here?

Michelle: Oh no, don’t drag me into this. Besides, I think you’re doing just fine on your own, Julie.

Julie: Gee, thanks. *sneaks a peek at these two lovely men* Wow, what gorgeous guys we’ve created, I have to admit.

Taz: Reed, I appreciate these two humans and their efforts to talk about us, but I feel that we can handle this ourselves, don’t you?

Reed: Indeed I do. So why don’t you two ladies find something else to do? Maybe go to a strip club or something?

Julie: *look at Michelle, and she shrugs *

Michelle: Well, if they screw this up, it’s on them. I say we go look at pretty men. You’re driving, though.

Julie: *walks out door mumbling under her breath* Don’t I always?

Michelle: *pokes Julie in the back* But you like driving. Am I going to have to listen to this all the way to Atlanta next year???

Purses are grabbed and a door slams shuts.

Reed:  *whispers* Good Lord, are they gone?

Taz: *looks around the corner* Yes, thank the stars. I swear, those two… So… *Taz rubs his hands together, a gleam in his eye* Looks like we got free rein now. You ready to start?”

Reed: Yes, more than ready. They’ve gone about things the wrong way. Did you even hear mention of the title?

Taz: No, not a word.

Reed: *shakes his head* Women!

Taz: *cocks his head and regards Reed* My mother is a woman, Reed.

Reed: *snorts* I know, I met her, remember? So’s mine, by the way, and thanks for asking…

Taz: But I didn’t ask?

Reed: *sighs* It’s just an expression. *mumbles under his breath* Damn, need to get that book. Bad. Hey, babe, where do you think we should start?

Taz: How about like this? *he climbs onto Reed’s lap and lays his head on Reed’s shoulder, purring*

Reed: Oh damn, seriously? *takes a deep breath* I thought we’re here to talk? You know, about us?

Taz: *purrs louder* Go ahead and talk. I can hear you. *begins to rock in Reed’s lap*

Reed: Oh jeez louise, that’s distracting… *clears throat* Um, okay… we met… we met… oh yeah, it was almost Valentine’s Day. I was working late ‘cause I didn’t have anything better to do. You know how it is when you’re single and it’s been a while… that day means less than nothing.

Taz: It didn’t mean anything to me either.

Reed: Well, to be fair, you never heard of it ‘til you got here.

Taz: Oh yeah, I guess that’s true.  *squirms a bit on Reed’s lap* I’m just lucky I was in the right place at the right time.

Reed: I think I’m the lucky one, babe. That’s what they call karma.

Taz: Karma? What has this to do with driving?

Reed: *groans* Later, I’ll explain later. So anyway, I had to meet a customer at the Empire State Building after work, and that’s where I met Taz. He knocked me off my feet, literally.

Taz: What can I say, you caught my attention? My night hadn’t been going very well. I had just been dumped, then I saw you. I really didn’t mean to knock you down, you know.

Reed: Oh, I wasn’t complaining. I ended up on the floor with an arm full of sexy male. *blush* Well, at the time I thought I had an arm full of sexy male. Little did I know just what I was holding.

Taz: *giggle* You should’ve seen the look on your face the first time my stripes showed up! I mean, you freaked out, but still, for a second there… I don’t have the words!

Reed: *shakes head* It was probably the same kind of shocked look I had when that tail of yours put in an appearance.

Taz: *rubs cheek against Reed’s jaw* That reminds me, when are you going to let me—

Reed: Whoa now. Let’s not go there, babe. You give that away, Julie and Michelle will both want to skin you. It’ll be a race to see which one of them gets you.

Taz: Silly women. Neither one of them gets me. I’m all yours… *licks his way up Reed’s neck*

Reed: All mine, you’re right. Um, um…. Oh yeah, the title. Be My Alien. Pretty cute, don’t you think?

Taz: Mmhmmm, you’re very cute.

Reed: Not me, the title *blushes*

Taz: Oh, that’s not bad. Those two earth women seem to be able to put words together rather nicely, don’t they?

Reed: Better than me at times. Oh babe, you gotta quit that, or I might…

Taz: I’m wearing those special—

Reed: Oh lord, from the shop? *groans* Oh yes, my shop. I have my own business, I should mention that. A Touch of Class. Here in New York. I mean there… I mean… Taz, please be careful, you’re right over my—

Taz: I know, Reed…  I know… *silences him with a kiss*

End of part one, to be continued…

Hey y’all, and welcome back for part 2 of Taz and Reed’s interview. My name is M.A. Church, but call me Michelle. Julie Lynn Hayes and I are writing a series of books that start with our novella Be My Alien. We’ve subbed the book and are just waiting to hear something. *fingers crossed* We plan for the rest of the series to be novel length.

So, when we left last time, Taz and Reed were… what? *looks at Sharita* Oh my God, they did what? Are you kidding me? Oh man, Sharita, I’m sorry! I knew Julie and I shouldn’t have… huh?

Julie: Damn, we missed it. I bet nothing we saw was as hot as them two.

Michelle: *grins at both Sharita and Julie* So you got to see the stripes, Sharita? *snort* Yeah, I know.  Hehehe. Love me some sexy aliens. And oh, look who finally decided to show up. Hey boys, come on in. We were just talking about y’all.

Reed: *looks at Taz* Michelle has that look in her eye.

Taz: So does Julie. *whispers* Do you think they know?

Reed: *shrug* So what if they do?

Taz: You’re right, let them know. I think they know everything about us as it is, don’t they?

Reed: They know stuff about us you wouldn’t believe… *shakes his head*

Taz: *coughs discreetly* Maybe they should go to another strip show? Take her with them? *points at Sharita*

Michelle: *glances at both Sharita and Julie* I think we can take a hint, can’t we, ladies? C’mon. Oh wait. *turns back* First round’s on you. *holds out her hand*

Taz: *turns to Reed* I don’t see anything on you?

Reed: *grumbles as he reaches for his wallet* Later, babe. *hands them a few bills* Stuff some g-strings for us, willya?

Julie: You got it, tiger.

Taz: Wait, he’s not—

Reed: Let it go, babe, just let it go. Wave bye-bye to the nice ladies.

Taz: *waves even as he climbs back onto Reed’s lap* Now where were we?

Reed: Talking to the readers. That’s where we were. Remember?

Taz: Oh yes. We told them how we met. Did we tell them about ourselves though?

Reed: What do you mean?

Taz: Well, I’m from the planet Trygos, the most important planet in the Trygos galaxy, and only one of two planets capable of sustaining life. The other planet is Haatmiess. When Trygosheans put someone down, they say they’re like a Haatmiess, which is considered a major insult. My full name is Fabrintazo, Taz for short. I’m about 5'11" in your earth measuresments, and I have a wiry, muscular build. My hair is a mixture of red and orange and brown and it’s long and luxurious, and reaches below my shoulders.

Reed: That’s very true. He often twists it into a braid and lets it flow loose over his back. He’s very acrobatic and he loves heights. Which scared the hell out of me at one point in the book. Taz has cat green eyes and purrs when he's pleased. *smiles* I make him purr often.

Taz: Yes, you do. Reed’s full name is Reed Hatcher and he’s about my height and build. He has very light brown hair that tends to bleach out in the warmer months and he has the most beautiful hazel eyes. Oh! And he has this cute little dimple in his cheek too. The one on his face, not the other one. Though that’s cute too.

Reed: *blushes* Babe, too much information.

Taz: *grins* And  he’s a business owner, too. A very important man in his world.  *nods head* And in his business, he has a back room that sells very special things. I like the back room.

Reed: I actually have a degree in elementary education, but I never taught. My parents moved to Florida and I ended up here in New York.

Taz: Thank the stars you did! *frowns* Should we tell them about Vorlod?

Reed: What’s to tell? The bastard’s no longer here on Earth and can’t bother you anymore.

Taz: Well, he was the reason I was here on Earth to begin with.

Reed: We should save that story, though, don’t  you think? Can’t spill all the beans, now can we?

Taz: *glances around the floor* I don’t think we spilled anything.

Reed: *rolls his eyes* You’re right, we didn’t. What was I thinking?

Taz: *eyes him suspiciously* Are you having fun with me?

Reed: Not yet, babe, but I intend to, I promise you. Should we leave or wait for the ladies to get back.

Taz: That depends. Are we going to make love?

Reed: You betcha.

Taz: *grins even broader, stripes appearing on his neck* Then let’s go now and, how did you put it, avoid the rush hour?

Reed: *tries not to laugh* Close enough. *fastens their lips together, he rises, Taz clinging to him, and they make their way from the room. Moments later, the ladies return*

Michelle: Oh shoot, they’re gone.

Sharita: Where do you think they went?

Julie: *laughs* I can guess, I buet you can too, eh, Michelle?

Michelle: *laughs too* Three guesses, and the first two don’t count. I swear, keeping those two suppiied in lube…

Julie: Is a full time job.

Michelle: Oh well, I guess we’re done here now, right? *waves* Bye, everyone!