Winners and a new release!

As promised, here are the winners of my Backlist Friday contest. I decided to pick two. Congratulations to Debby and PaParanormal Fan! I'll be getting in touch with you both!

Yesterday, the third installment of my Forbidden series released. Let me tell you a bit about it.

Blurb:   Jerico’s wish to be alone with sexy Father Sergio comes true when an unexpected storm traps them in a farm on their journey to Sanctum. Jerico lays his plans for a night of seduction, while Sergio’s assistant, Valencia, is left to explain to a very wealthy and influential man why his son isn’t where he should be.

Things are heating up out on the farm, and they promise to get even hotter…

Excerpt:

“How will you see where you’re going?” Sergio asked. The question was practical, but Jerico was way ahead of the priest.

“Couldn’t you guide me?”  Jerico tried to make the request guileless but figured by the look on Sergio’s face that he hadn’t been successful. Oh well.

“Come on, let’s do this.” Sergio took Jerico’s wrist in a strong grip. Jerico practically lit up inside at his touch.

“Let’s go,” he agreed, and followed the priest from the house. He heard Sergio shut the door behind them. Keeping his head down as instructed, he held the blankets tightly against his body. Sergio led him down the steps and across the yard. The rain fell in a steady deluge.

“God’s wrath,” Jerico murmured.

The listing van loomed in the darkness.  Head down and eyes focused on the muddy ground, he caught a glimpse of the ruined tires outlined in silhouette when a streak of lightning lit the area. He blessed Mother Nature and the priest’s apparent inability to perform routine vehicle repairs. Jerico had never had that problem. Not like he knew one end of a wrench from the other, or anything else having to do with his car.  The James Family employed a mechanic, and when that gentleman asked a few too many questions, Jerico found a mechanic of his own. Hopefully, he’d be back behind the wheel and home before he needed to learn any new skills.

Sergio’s grip was firm and comforting, despite the drizzle that engulfed them. All too soon, they quickly traversed the distance between the house and the barn. One moment they were in the rain, the next they were inside the darkened structure. It smelled suspiciously like wet wood. Jerico sneezed. Sergio released his hand to his disappointment and closed the door.

“Bless you.”

Jerico sneezed again and sniffled. What was that smell? He glanced warily about him, but that didn’t help. The lantern had its limits, one of them being a small range of visibility, but it was better than complete darkness. Noises outside the circle of light startled him so badly he almost ran right back out into the storm. What the hell was in here with them?

As if reading his mind, Sergio supplied the answer. “Their animals.”

“They have animals?”

Sergio’s laughter traveled straight down Jerico’s spine to his cock.

If you want to read more, Unexpected Storm: Forbidden 3 is now available!

Guest Blogging with RC Bonitz

Today I'm visiting with RC Bonitz on his blog, and talking about hookers and blow. Er, I mean book titles. Drop by and you'll see what I mean.

The newest installment in my Forbidden series came out on February 1st, at Romance First Publishing. Never fear, I am hard at work on the third part of the story. In order to beat the winter chill, RFP is having a contest, and part of the prize is a copy of the first and second chapters of Forbidden! Stop by and enter to win! Better hurry, the contest ends tomorrow!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie

Guest Blogging With Gabrielle Evans

While RC is taking care of things here, I'm over at Gabrielle Evan's blog, talking about crushes. The romantic kind. And having a contest - stop on by for a chance to win a copy of both Forbidden I and II!

Secret Blessings: Forbidden II comes out February 1st!

Unfairness of Life - new at Romance First Publishing

Gabriel doesn't believe in love. With a dark past  and a history of disastrous relationships, he's promised himself `no more'. Then Laurie bursts into his life and just won't let go. When the past catches up, with terrifying and almost fatal consequences, will their love survive? More importantly - will they survive?

Available today at Romance First Publishing!

My thoughts on the coming year

Happy New Year to one and all! I'm feeling better today, so it's time to begin again, and plunge into 2012!

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.


This year my goal is to focus on what is to come, not on what was. The past is gone. It's the past for a reason. I shall try to follow this mantra to the best of my ability. To live for today, with an eye toward tomorrow. I cannot change some things, and some people, and there's no sense in beating my head against a brick wall.


As I mentioned before, there has been a change in the Flash Fiction. Silver no longer supports us and has forbidden us to use their name or their badge. They've decided to run their own free fiction on the Silver site, and to reward those with contracts for 2012 with the right to join in on their little venture. So be it. However, we aren't rolling over and playing dead by any means. The flash fiction will continue, under a new name, with a new badge. This week we shall probably be nameless. In fact, suggestions for a new name are quite welcome. Also, we welcome other authors who'd like to join us in our flash fiction fun. No longer will we be restricted to one publisher - we welcome all writers, all genres, published or not. You are welcome here.


Moving on.


I am still seeking a job and shall continue to do so. I have my editing and my writing as well, which mean everything to me. And working at conventions. For 2012, right now I have only one convention scheduled - KawaKon, which is in March, here in St. Louis. It's going to be awesome. If you like anime, or Japanese culture. If you are interested in having fun, and dressing up and seeing other people cosplay. If you like to dance the Time Warp, KawaKon is for you! This year we'll be at the Sheraton Westport - a great location with more room! I am co-chairing a panel on Alice in Wonderland, besides running Registration, and I'm running the Rocky Horror, Dr. Horrible and Repo! the Genetic Opera events. Did I mention it'll be fun? It'll be great fun!

I just started to run my Forbidden series at Romance First Publishing. I only had two chapters out before, so soon, there will be new ones. I am working on the third book in my To the Max series, as well as various other WIP's. And still looking for a home for Revelations.


No problem is insurmountable. If you want to, you can do anything. 2012 is going to be a great year. I want to work hard, and still have time for fun and family and friends. I want to be a friend, and help other people as much as I am able. We're all in this together, so let's help one another, shall we?


Thanks for taking the ride with me! It'll be a great one!


Until next time, take care!


♥ Julie

Starting the New Year with a new release!

After Wicked Nights folded, my series Forbidden, which was still in its infancy, was left rather stranded. But it has found a new home with Romance First Publishing! Just released today, in fact!

Blurb:

The year is 2056 AD. The place—the Alliance of States, once the United States of America. The country is struggling to come back after the Armageddon which took place in the year 2032, under the leadership of President Alistair Boothe. Life is hard but not impossible. The church and the state have been closely woven together, for the good of the people. Infant mortality has risen, the birth rate has declined. Recognizing the futility of imposing celibracy, the church now allows its priests to marry women. Homosexuality is still forbidden, and pedophilia is punishable by death.

Jerico James is handsome, spoiled and willful—a rich boy with too much time on his hands. When he steps out of line once too often, he finds himself sent to one of the nation’s help centers to serve his community service, under the guidance of its director, Father Sergio de Basco. The moment he sees Sergio, Jerico is struck by the priest’s beauty—and determined to have him, no matter what the cost.

Excerpt:

Jerico didn’t want to go to Sanctum.  He didn’t want to become no more than an unpaid overworked laborer, a servant of the state, toiling for the betterment of the poor and downtrodden, the huddled unwashed masses. But the alternative undoubtedly involved serving time in one of the federally mandated prisons. No one wanted that.  Conditions had become so harsh, at least from the stories which had been gleaned from former inmates, that the mere threat of penal incarceration had become an actual deterrent to crime. There were whispers of punishments carried out within the high prison walls that went far beyond any treatment ever mandated by civilized nations, of tortures not seen since the days of the Inquisition. But no proof existed, and the stories were denied as being the tales of criminals. It was better to play safe than sorry. Money did still have its privileges.

“Dru.” He changed tactics, switching to his wheedling voice, the one which usually got him anything he desired from any woman he desired it from, even his sister. When Jerico was little, he couldn’t quite manage to say Jerusha, and his childish lips had run all the syllables into one—Dru he’d called her, and Dru she stayed, especially in moments such as this. “Dru, can’t Micah do something about it? Isn’t that why I pay him all that money, to handle these things?”

“Father pays him all that money, you mean,” she replied without batting an eye or giving an inch, “and he’s doing what he can.” Micah Caulfield was Jerusha’s handsome older husband. A close associate of their father, he was one of the best attorneys working for the government of what was now known as the Alliance of States. Or more precisely for its President, Alistair Boothe. Micah was also the one that pulled Jerico out of the trouble he invariably got himself into.  His lifeline, as it were. But this time, Jerico had embroiled himself too far for even Micah to extract him.

They threaded their way through the roiling masses of humanity, too focused on their own destinations to pay attention to the brother and sister in their midst. Wherever they were heading, Jerico was pretty sure it wasn’t where he was going.  Not very likely, anyway.

It would be so easy to just skip out. To get on another bus, go to another place, and once there to lose himself in the crowds of that new city, become someone else and forget all this bullshit. But there were reasons why that couldn’t be. One was that he’d never supported himself in his entire life, and would be somewhat at a loss to do so. The second reason was that although he was walking side by side with Jerusha, he was more than aware that he had an escort just a few paces behind them. Someone whose sole purpose in being there was to make sure that Jerico James boarded the bus to Sanctum. The third reason was the chip which had been implanted in his left wrist by the court. If he were to go somewhere outside of the help center, he would set off alarms whenever he passed by any of the government sensors. And since no one knew exactly where those were located, just that there were an unknown number of them, the chances of being caught were pretty good.

All in all, Jerico had to admit he was pretty well screwed and without any choice in the matter—apparently he was going to Sanctum.

Lawn Boy's back - and RFP's got him!

My very first original m/m story that I wrote has been released by Romance First Publishing, after meeting a disastrous end with Wicked Nights Publishing (I'll spare you the details at the moment). It's now available at the RFP site, at Smashwords and ARe, and soon on Amazon. Lawn Boy is the first in RFP's Love Bites.

When Alan Sherman’s wife leaves him for greener pastures, Alan finds himself with a house on his hands and a yard he knows nothing about. Can the young man from Able and Willing Lawn Care help put the spring back into Alan’s lawn, with perhaps a little personal attention for the homeowner?

Guest Blogger SL Danielson Returns!

I'm sitting in Laumeier Sculpture Park with my friend and co-author SL Danielson, taking advantage of the relative coolness of the morning to enjoy some fresh air. She's come back to talk about a couple of things, including her newest release, which is a combo volume of two previous releases - For the Heart of Phillip, and The Refugees. Plus her newest venture, coming soon. We stopped at QT and got some huge drinks, so while we sip at those, SL, why don't you go ahead and start.



Good morning, Jules, readers.

Why don't  you make your book announcement first?

Announcing...Broken Promises...(For the Heart of Phillip and Refugees combined into one book)! 

For those that want one long, continuous story of how these four men's lives are changed through the heartache, the triumphs, the lust, the love, and finally....the happiness.

Coming Sat, July 30th to Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks and Amazon! (also on Lulu for those who want a really big paperback)!

Blurb: (For the Heart of Phillip)  Phillip Marnier; a sweet, loving, wonderful boy who knew he was gay from the age of 13. He was also very shy, until he met Andrew, a similarly shy boy at school. As they grew older, the feelings deepened and surfaced. Andrew had fallen for Phillip!

However, all was not well. Phillip had found another, Robert. Devastated, Andrew dismissed the friendship and stays away. The couple stays together until college, even talking about marriage! Then, who shows up? Andrew! He has forgiven Phillip and wants him back in his life. Then fate intervenes on one stormy night and shakes up everything! Suddenly Robert is out of his life, Andrew is in!

Andrew and Robert are locked in combat for the heart of the one they love more than anything, but only one can win. 

Who will win the heart of Phillip?

Blurb: (The Refugees) Sequel to “For the Heart of Phillip”. This tale picks up where the other left off; except following the two men who were left behind with broken hearts, Robert and David.
Robert, who lost his battle for the heart of Phillip, and David, who lost out on his chance with Andrew.
Can they bond together over their shared pain and heartbreak or will the ‘old feelings’ come back to haunt them again after a crisis happens with one of their exes?
Buckle up for a dramatic ride in these two men’s lives who go from strangers to friends to lovers to who –knows-what!

So now, SL, you've combined these two books into one volume you're calling Broken Promises. Care to show us the new cover? 

Now tell us about your new venture!

Also... eagerly awaiting the formation of my new company Romance First Publishing; slated to start in September or October of this year (pending govt. approval). It's astounding to me how many forms it takes to start a simple business! I have to go through the local govt, state govt, and even federal! I have to get a tax id#, state sales tax permission, register the name, have our house inspected, and of course...actually find the time to do this! 

School has invaded much of my time; still on course to finish in April, 2012. Hubby wants me to hold on new biz until then; but I feel the iron is hot and with our country going down the proverbial tubes financially; I feel they'll make it even harder for anyone to form a biz. So... do it now!

In other news...and very stoked about it is the finishing of my 2nd book with very good bud Julie Hayes! (your gracious blog hostess)! "Leaving His Mark" has finished the 1st hurdle at just over 68K words and we are already entrenched in part #2! It's a sweet tale of two Georgia teen boys who seem to rebuff each other at first, but finally get under all the layers and they find some semblance of happiness. Of course...there's always something and several someones in the way of that...

We're submitting it soon so cross your fingers!

And there you have it, readers! Well, you certainly do keep busy, don't you SL? Not that that's a bad thing, mind you, it certainly isn't. Looking forward to getting a copy of Broken Promises myself.

Thanks for joining me here today, why don't we walk over to the giant eyeball sculpture and eyeball it?  Do you have any burning questions for SL? Comments? Say hello to her - she doesn't bite!  We'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie