Win free books!

Just a reminder that I run a contest each month to give away one free copy of my latest release. I have 1 more e-books coming out this month, so that means you have one more chance to win!

• Boytoys (release date 11/21)

To enter, just send an email to me at contest@jmsnyder.net

AND ...

I have an AWESOME contest running through Author Island ~ you can win a signed copy of ALL THREE of my "Vic and Matt" paperback books! That's right, you'll get:

• The Powers of Love Book 1: Origins
• The Bonds of Love
• The Positions of Love

All who enter also receive a fun goody bag. For more information and instructions on how to enter, visit http://tinyurl.com/authorisland and scroll down until you see J.M. Snyder's contest on that page!

New paperback collection by JM Snyder

NOW IN PRINT!

The Powers of Love Book 1: Origins
by J.M. Snyder

Three e-books in one collection: The Powers of Love, Matching Tats, and With This Ring.

Vic Braunson is a city bus driver who falls in love with Matt diLorenzo, a swimmer he meets at the gym. When they finally hook up, there’s no denying the energy between them. Something about Matt brings out the best in Vic ~ literally. Every time they have sex, Vic gains new superhuman powers from his lover. Can they learn to live with these abilities without losing each other?

Buy your copy at Amazon today!

Free reads at Associated Content

Some of you may know I began my writing career in self-publishing; this has helped me think "outside the box" when it comes to marketing, as no one was pimping my books by myself. Now that I've worked with several different publishers, I've found that I still do most of my own promotion ... which is fine by me, as no one knows my stories as well as I do myself.

I've begun writing a series of articles which I hope will help other authors in marketing and promotion, as it seems to be an area most of us would rather ignore. Some of these tips are probably things you already know, but there may be some you haven't thought of, and a few that will hopefully work well for you. The links below open in a new window, where the articles can be read for free at Associated Content:

• Cheap and Easy Online Marketing Tips
• Thirteen Cheap Promo Items for Authors
• Twelve Things You Can Do with Promotional Bookmarks

In addition to these articles, I've posted two gay romance stories at Associated Content, as well. If you're interested, please check them out (they're also free reads!):

• The Name on My Wrist (caution: it's sad)
• Love in the Library

Enjoy!

Wanted by JM Snyder

NOW AVAILABLE

WANTED by J.M. Snyder

Part of the Saddle Up Pax collection!
Buy your copy today!

BLURB:
Jesse McCray ekes out a hard living cutting cattle from the local beef baron of Defiance, Texas. He's known for his quick draw and his steady aim; no one outguns him. Whenever he and his ragtag group of friends known as the Rustlers ride into town, the local cowboys hold their breaths, waiting for the men to ride through. But one evening, while playing faro at Billy's Saloon, Jesse's attention is drawn to a new face in the crowd.

Ethan Phillips is an idealistic tenderfoot from back East, passing through Defiance on his way to the California coast. He's heard tales of the gold that enriches the west coast, and he's looking for a way to make his dreams come true. When his horse pulls up lame, he offers to sing for the cowboys of Billy's Saloon to earn a few coins, but the men jeer at his song until a man in black quiets them. With one look into Jesse's dark eyes, Ethan finds himself falling for the man.

Ethan's horse heals but he stays in Defiance, enamored by his outlaw lover. But the cattle baron has a grudge against one of Jesse's outlaw friends, and a gunfight in Billy's Saloon puts a price on the Rustlers' heads. Can Jesse protect Ethan from the lawmen gunning for him and his friends?

EXCERPT:
The first crystal notes from the piano filled the air as Ethan tested the instrument, and Jesse frowned at his cards when the noise in the bar seemed to increase. The more Ethan played, the louder the cowboys got, as if deliberately trying to drown out the music. When Ethan began to sing softly, his voice was lost in the ruckus around them, and Kit laughed. "He ain't getting a penny in this shithole tonight."

The cowboys teased the young tenderfoot, disrupting the song that quivered beneath their raucous catcalls and mocking words. Jesse could barely hear the sound of Ethan's voice, a ray of angelic light cutting through the noise. "Stuff it, pretty boy!" someone cried.

Laughter followed as Ethan's voice faltered on the opening strands of "Nearer My God to Thee."

"Pick up the pace!" someone else shouted, and a few cowboys close to the piano leaned over Ethan, their fingers reaching for the keys. Discordant notes plucked from the instrument to strike the air, and Ethan blushed beneath the rough men pushing him aside. Someone else started up a round of a familiar drinking song, winking at Marie until she laughed like a bell in the crowd.

Jesse had had enough. Tossing his cards into the kitty, he stood and pulled his Colt .45 in one fluid move. Without taking aim, he fired a shot into the air.

The loud report silenced the room.

Diego and Kit looked up at him, Joey turned from Marie, and Ethan's warm gaze enflamed Jesse's senses. He dared another half-smile; the cowboys in the room shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his pale blue eyes. "If you don't mind," he drawled, his voice dangerously low, "I'd like to hear this song."

Someone tittered, and with lightning speed Jesse leveled his revolver at a lone cowboy, sitting with his back to the wall. "The next person who speaks, dies," Jesse promised.

He cocked the gun slowly, drawing the sound of clicking metal out into the sudden silence of the saloon. When he was sure he had everyone's attention, he lowered his weapon and nodded at Ethan. "I'd suggest starting over again," he said, taking his seat. "I missed the beginning."

Clearing his throat, Ethan ventured, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Jesse said again.

He glared around the room, challenging anyone to meet his gaze or make a sound. None of the cowboys met his gaze, and no one dared speak. Satisfied, Jesse picked up his cards and studied them as Ethan started playing the piano a second time. This time, his young, clear voice filled the saloon, and Jesse let the music fill the hollow places inside of him.

Then he got a good look at his cards, and frowned at Diego. "I had a full house."

"You lie," Diego said softly, spreading his hand out in front of him. "I have a full house."

Jesse sighed and tossed his cards back down. "You cheat," he said, but his voice held no threat. This was nothing new to him.

"You should watch your cards more carefully," Diego pointed out, scooping in the pile of money and chips from the center of the table, "instead of letting yourself get distracted by a pretty face."

Buy WANTED today!

"Beautiful Liar" by JM Snyder

BEAUTIFUL LIAR by J.M. Snyder

Now available from Amber Allure Press!
Buy your copy today!

BLURB:
At fifteen, JT Pierce was the star of a hit TV show and had the world in his hands. Every teeny-bopper magazine had his face on it; every teenage girl had his poster on her wall. But then the show went on hiatus, and JT wouldn’t lower himself to bit parts or commercials. Slowly, his star faded from view.

Seven years later, JT is Johnny Thomas, who hopes to jumpstart his career by hiring his former manager, Lou Merrin. He wants to do serious movies, a huge blockbuster or two, and claim one of those coveted Oscars for himself. But Lou cautions Johnny about the paparazzi, who can make or break a star these days, and he’s heard rumors of Johnny’s sexuality that might prevent him from landing those coveted leading roles.

Still, Johnny’s nothing if not persistent, and he swears he’ll play it straight. Until he meets Brett, a photographer who turns his life ~ and his heart ~ upside down. Suddenly the celebrity gossip website Z-23 seems to have exclusive pictures of Johnny, and someone close to him leaks information about an audition that was supposed to be kept quiet. When photographs surface that Johnny thought were taken in confidence, he realizes he must choose between the career path Lou offers him and the love he wants to share with Brett.

Excerpt:
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

Inside the club, the air is close and smoky. The crowd moves like the tide, flowing from one side of the room to the other, catching Johnny in the undertow and pulling him along until he’s washed up against the side of the bar. He’s seeing stars he only dreams about meeting one day and he stands with his back against the bar, watching them bob past him like ships in the night. All the big names are here, and he feels his own status burn a little brighter just being this close to the others. This is what he’s missed all these years. This is where he should’ve been, where he belongs.

Someone bumps into him. He moves aside to make room but the stranger presses against him, clinging to his side. He feels a strong hand ease around his arm to settle somewhere in the small of his back, and hot breath curls into his ear. A masculine voice sighs into him, “Hey.”

Johnny spares a glance and finds himself staring into deep eyes the color of rich chocolate. His gaze flickers to take in short brown hair, lighter than his own, streaked by the sun and standing up from a tanned, sweaty brow. A strong, aquiline nose above too red lips. A small gold hoop earring in one ear and, around a slim neck, a black cord with a handful of white puka shell chips like all the surfer guys wear. The shells fall in the hollow of the stranger’s throat, accenting his dusky skin.

One thought crosses Johnny’s mind. Fuck Lou. He isn’t famous yet, right?

His grin must be encouraging, because it makes the stranger grin back. Leaning against Johnny, he shouts to be heard over the music and the crowd. “Anyone ever tell you that you should be a model with a smile like that?”

Johnny laughs. “Is that your best line?”

“I’m serious. Brett Cary.” The stranger holds out a business card for Johnny to read. Freelance Photographer. “With your looks? I could make you a star.”

Taking the card, Johnny jokes, “That seems to be the general consensus today. You do headshots?”

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Brett says.

His suggestive look says he’s not only talking about photos, either. And suddenly Johnny’s evening goes from just alright to hell yeah.

“You come here often?”

Johnny shakes his head. “I’m usually at the Den downtown,” he calls out, raising his voice to be heard over the crowd.

The Den, only Hollywood’s hottest gay club. Johnny watches Brett smile, a slow, sexy grin that says he got the hint. Closing the distance between them, he leans down over Johnny’s shoulder, one hand brushing over the soft skin on the inside of Johnny’s elbow. the touch is ticklish but Johnny doesn’t pull away. Instead, he studies those dark eyes and imagines they’re shadows he could disappear into tonight. Brett’s mouth curves into a bemused grin. “Can I buy you a drink?”

His gaze flickers past him and Johnny turns to see the bartender, waiting to take his order. When he moves, his back presses against Brett’s arm ~ warm, firm, strong. With a coy glance over his shoulder at Brett, he suggests, “How about some Sex on the Beach?”

The photog’s eyes widen at his brazen words, but a moment later, they soften and the smile’s back. One hand drifts to Johnny’s waist, nimble fingers easing into the band of his jeans. “You want to wait that long?” he teases. “I was thinking the VIP Lounge upstairs … ”

Buy your copy of Beautiful Liar today!

ON COMPANY TIME by JM Snyder

Now Available

On Company Time
by J.M. Snyder

a gay interracial erotic romance
Amber Allure Press, e-book, $4.00

Buy your copy today!

Blurb:
Jimmy's job in customer service is just a paycheck,in his eyes. His boss Debbie wishes he were more of a "people person" and more enthusiastic about coming to work. To improve his skills, she schedules him to attend a two-day, out-of-town workshop Jimmy's already dreading.

Then he discovers Scott Raines will be tagging along.

Jimmy's had a fierce crush on Scott, who works in sales, since his first day at the office. The man is gorgeous and funny and so damn intimidating, Jimmy hasn't yet screwed up the courage to ask him out. Maybe the workshop will provide the perfect opportunity to remedy that. They'll travel together, share a hotel room, and who knows where things may lead? Johnny might yet get to make his move.

Unless Scott makes one first.

Excerpt:
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

I finally push through the heavy glass door at the front of our building and step out into the hot summer sun. Squinting around the parking lot, I see Scott by his car ~ he leans against the open trunk as he watches me hurry down the steps. When I approach, his smile widens, flashing impossibly white teeth that seem to dazzle against the darkness of his skin. Fashionable sunglasses hide his eyes but I feel his gaze trained on me.

A ball of excitement bounces around inside my stomach, making me anxious and nervous and not a little bit silly. I’m leaving work early and going on a road trip. With him. “Hey,” I call out when I’m close enough. I point to my own car a few spots from his. “Let me get my stuff.”

He nods. “Are you getting hungry?” he asks. “I was thinking maybe we could grab a bite to eat before we hit the road, so we don’t have to stop on the way.”

Now food is involved, and in my mind it’s escalated into a date. I resist the urge to whoop into the air and hide my stupid grin by ducking into the back of my car for my overnight bag. My pants bite into a sudden erection that pounds at my crotch, and I resist the urge to fling myself across the back seat, unzip my pants, jerk off hard and fast in my hand just to alleviate the sweet ache that’s set in. I love him, I decide. If we don’t hook up this week, I’m going to come home and join a freaking monastery. This guy is meant to be with me.

“Jimmy?” Scott asks. “You want to get some food before we head out on the road?”

He sounds like he’s coming closer, and suddenly I’m all too aware of the fact that my ass is up in the air, aiming his way. I hope he enjoys the view ~ I have a nice round butt that looks great in tight pants, if I do say so myself. What the rappers call junk in the trunk. Lots of padding for the pounding, I liked to say when I was in college and looking to score. I wonder if Scott’s staring at my ass right now, thinking something along those lines.

I hear his shoe scrape over the pavement ~ he’s stepped up beside my car, and for the briefest second, I feel a slight brush across my backside. Barely there, might have been fingers or might’ve been the hem of his shirt, it was that indistinct. But in the confines of my slacks, my dick jerks to attention, coming a little in its excitement. Did he just cop a feel?

God, I hope so.

In my haste to stand, I don’t step back far enough to clear the car door and crack the top of my head on the edge of the jamb. Bright pain flares across the back of my head and blooms behind my eyes as I lean down over the back of the driver’s seat. “Fuck!”

Strong hands grasp my head as Scott massages my scalp, his fingers rubbing gently through my dirty blond hair. I melt beneath his touch. “You all right?” he asks, pulling me toward him. “Jeez, that had to hurt.”

“No shit,” I mutter. What a way to damper a good mood.

I stay bent at the waist and let him examine my head. He’s mere inches from me now, my face impossibly close to his groin. Anyone passing by would think I was blowing him.

And why aren’t I?

Buy On Company Time today!

A sneak peek at ALL SHOOK UP

My next novella from Amber Allure will be published July 13th. Here's a sneak peek at All Shook Up.

BLURB:
The year is 1883. Eduard van De Lier is a Dutchman overseeing a spice plantation on the island of Java, in the South Pacific. His obsessive attraction to dark-skinned men is just one of his many secrets. His wife Marien knows of his indiscretions, but as she's content with their Colonial lifestyle, she stays silent.

Until a former lover of Eduard's shows up in their parlor with thoughts of blackmail.

Reza was a crewman on the ship that brought the van De Liers to Java. During the passage, Eduard spent many a night in the younger man's arms. Two years have passed, and the last person Eduard expects to find in his drawing room is Reza, a letter in hand that could destroy the life he and Marien lead.

Seeing him again ignites Eduard's lust for his first dark lover. He hopes to retrieve the letter, either through seduction or subterfuge, and the longer Reza eludes him, the more his desire grows. But they're on shaky ground, and before things can heat up between them, their world explodes ~ literally ~ when the unstable island of Krakatoa erupts.

EXCERPT:
Eduard entered the drawing room, carefully closing the doors behind him. "Good day to you, sir." He gave the man a slight bow, which earned him a nod from the stranger. "I do apologize for the delay. I was attending to household drudgery. I'll not bore you with the details."

When the man spoke, his deep voice rumbled through the room. "Dealing with a servant, perhaps?" Eduard's eyes widened, and the man chuckled. The sound was like thunder, sending shivers of delight down Eduard's spine. "They all speak so highly of you. Word on the street is you're more than generous with your ... affections."

The suggestive way he said the word made Eduard grin. At least he wouldn't have to dance around the issue with this one. Motioning to a sidebar near the fireplace, Eduard asked, "May I get you a drink, mister ..." He gave an affected laugh and dared to wink at his guest. "Mercy, where are my manners? We've not been properly introduced. I am Eduard van De Lier, Hollander."

The stranger's slight smile didn't fade as he watched Eduard give him another bow, this one a bit sharper than the last. But he didn't take the bait, and didn't bother to introduce himself. After a long moment, Eduard prompted, "And you are?"

Though the smile stayed in place, some of the light in the stranger's dark eyes died, hardening his gaze. "Do you not know me?"

"Surely a man such as yourself is hard to forget," Eduard countered.

It wasn't an answer, but it bought him some time. He studied the man as he tried to think. Did he know him? Should he?

"Perhaps this will refresh your memory." The stranger reached into a side pocket on his pants.

For one breathless moment, Eduard dared to hope the man would ease the fabric aside, allowing him a glimpse of the thick cock Eduard imagined hidden beneath. Though he doubted he'd know the man by his assets alone, he'd gladly fall to his knees before him, move the rest of the material out of the way, and take whatever length the stranger offered into his mouth. His interrupted libido stirred to life again, and adrenaline shot through his veins like a heady drug. He was addicted to other men, and since settling in Java, native skin had become his obsession. "This room is so open," he said, his gaze never leaving that hand in the pocket or the front of the stranger's pale pants. "Perhaps we could retire to my chambers ..."

But the man only extracted a bit of parchment, nothing else, and Eduard felt his disappointment catch in the back of his throat as he watched the stranger unfold the paper. Amid the folds, he saw a seal he thought he recognized, and his heart stopped. "No," he whispered. It couldn't be.

Unconsciously he drifted nearer, drawn by the page in the stranger's large hands. When it was completely unfolded, the man held it up for Eduard to read, the paper stretched open in front of him. The flowing script was familiar, and if Eduard closed his eyes, he knew he could probably recite the words written in fading ink without hesitation. It was a letter he'd last seen two years earlier, during the sea voyage that brought him and Marien to this part of the world. A letter he'd thought destroyed. He had read it, and reread it, hope rising within him at the implications, the opportunity presented, and then he'd copied it, meticulous, angling his handwriting to mirror that of the original letter writer. He could vividly recall the candle flickering low across the wooden desk where he sat, hunched over two pieces of parchment. The sway of the ship beneath him, which made his hand unsteady and his progress slow. The rustle of sheets on the bed behind him, and a low voice that still managed to startle him, coming as it did from such a young, slim man. "Are you not finished yet? I'm bored ..."

The voice resonated through Eduard's memory, attaching itself to a name. With difficulty, he raised his gaze from the paper to look at that face again ~ the haughty facial structure, the fleshy lips, the deep-set eyes. A few years had passed, strengthening the features, and the once-idolizing eyes were now harsh, calculating. Softly, Eduard murmured, "Reza?"

Coming July 13, 2008
All Shook Up by J.M. Snyder

Convention-speak

This past weekend, I attended my first convention. ConTXT is a slash con and all I can say is I wish I’d known about such things when I had been writing boyband slash. There were so many fandoms there (including bandom, though I wrote pop slash and hardcore band fans will argue that’s a whole ‘nother kettle of fish). I really fell in love with my first slash pair (Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon) all over again, and left wishing I still wrote fan fic.

I didn’t attend any panels (except one, “Going Pro,” of which I was a part), but there were a lot of great subjects covered. If/when I attend another con, I’ll definitely check out more of the panels. I just didn’t know what to expect this time, but I’m definitely going to be more prepared in the future.

Here's some things I left thinking of when it was all said and done ...

Zines
One thing that really impressed me were the fanzines they had for sale at the con, in every fandom imaginable. My only experience with zines had been small chapbook-style publications, not these bound books with hundreds of pages inside.

More than once I wondered if anyone would be interested in a zine of my fan fic, specifically the longer stories (AIEW and TWIA, of course, but others as well). Nothing I’d make money from, but bound copies of my ‘N Sync stories to read and reread and who knows what else. Thoughts?

ConSweet
At ConTXT, the dealer’s room was part of the con “suite.” It made the experience very interactive ~ everyone came to the suite to unload after their panels, to snack or talk, to check their email, to peruse the art show … and the dealers ringed the perimeter of the room, which allowed us to be a part of the action. I sold a number of books (and gave away more freebies) simply because the con goers saw me constantly and eventually wandered over to check out my wares.

Promo … pros & cons
I sold more books than I anticipated ~ ten in all, which I thought was really good. The Bonds of Love and Forever After were my best sellers, with Trin a close second. This tells me the crowd was very much into speculative fiction.

As for promo goodies … my mini-books went like hotcakes but the other promo did not (shot glasses, pins, pens, bookmarks, goody bags). More than one person commented on not being able (or wanting) to carry back so much swag. In future cons, I may concentrate more on the excerpts and free stories than the other promo items.

One thing I wish I had done ~ and which I’ll do from now on ~ is have sampler CDs. I bought a bunch to burn and didn’t get around to it, only to find that one of the con goers was blind. I felt horrid that I didn’t have any electronic copies of my free stories with me. I know CDs are a bit expensive and that’s why I’ve steered away from them until now, but at future events I plan to have a handful of CDs to give away to those who can’t read printed material.

Overall
I had a very enjoyable experience, I must say. The con comm were wonderful, as were my fellow dealers, and the whole atmosphere was awesome. I’m definitely interested in attending the next ConTXT in 2010.

A Bevy of Releases

With a total of six new releases this month, May has been busy for me ... and this past weekend moreso than usual! Here's a look at what's out now, and a sneak peek at what will be published next weekend.

Working Man Book 9: Speed Trap
When Mark Peters is stopped for speeding, patrol officer Lt. W. V. Tench lets him off with just a warning. Now Mark can’t get the sexy cop out of his mind. When his friends jokingly suggest he drive around until he gets pulled over again, Mark thinks that’s a great idea.

Read an excerpt on my site, or buy your copy today!

Some Gave All
Stories by four very different authors in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for God and country. My story, "For the Boys," is the only gay romance. Set during the Korean conflict, it's a story about a young Army warrant officer who falls in love with a USO performer.

Read an excerpt on my site, or buy your copy today!

Before the Show
A college student by day, drag queen by night, Devin Elliot loves his job. Chuck works as a bouncer at the club where Devin performs, and he has it bad for the hot drag queen. Nothing turns him on more than watching his boyfriend become Devine.

Read an excerpt on my site, or buy your copy today!

Forever After
Visit two very different worlds where love conquers all. Forever After is for readers of speculative fiction who enjoy stories in which love prevails, whether in a dystopic future or a distant fantasy land! Contains two e-book novellas, Persistence of Memory and The Regent's Knight.

Read an excerpt on my site, or buy your copy today!

The Positions of Love Book 6: Cowboy Position
Matt diLorenzo has a secret fetish ~ he loves to watch a man eat. Good thing his lover Vic Braunson has a voracious appetite. hen Vic finds out just how turned on Matt can get watching him eat, he suggests they share a quiet, indoor picnic. Something sinfully sexy, for just the two of them.

Read an excerpt on my site, or buy your copy today!

With This Ring
Matt's ex, Jordan, confesses all to a tabloid, telling the world Matt's secret ~ something in his semen gives his sexual partners super powers. After the article appears, Matt receives a call from a research scientist at a condom factory who claims to have a solution to his little "problem."

Read an excerpt on my site, or buy your copy today!

First look at "Conflict of Interest"

On Saturday, my first novella length story with Torquere Press will be published. Conflict of Interest is one of my favorite stories. When Alex Hitchner signs up to volunteer at a local youth shelter, he is not prepared to be introduced to Jamie Owens, an 18 year old boy with a bad attitude. Just two years younger than Alex, Jamie is nervy, precocious, and damn sexy, to boot.

But Alex sees himself as a mentor to Jamie, someone to look up to, someone to prove to the kid that being a gay man does not mean casual sex in crowded clubs. He tries to keep his distance, both physically and emotionally, but Jamie becomes a part of his life in a way Alex doesn't expect. Alex must choose between giving into his desires or leaving the program ~ and Jamie ~ behind.

EXCERPT:

When Alex pulled into the parking lot of a downtown deli, Jamie jumped out of the car before it came to a complete stop and stretched languidly like an animal just released from a cage. As he climbed out of the car, Alex noticed a few people nearby glaring at Jamie's torn shirt. It may have fit in back at the shelter, but here it made Jamie look like a punk. Opening the trunk, Alex pulled out a heavy flannel shirt his roommate had left in there. "Here," he said, holding the shirt out to Jamie. "Put this on."

Jamie frowned. "I don't want to."

"Jamie," Alex warned. In his mind he could already see the scene Jamie would make when they entered the deli, only to be turned away because of Jamie's raggedy tank top.

But Jamie shook his head. "It's too hot for that. I'm not wearing it." To prove his point, he crossed his arms and leaned against the car. "What's wrong with my shirt?"

"It's torn," Alex pointed out, as if Jamie didn't know. "You look like a bum."

"I like the way I look," Jamie glared at an older woman who edged by them on her way into the deli. "What's your problem, bitch?"

The woman turned away quickly and kept walking. "Jamie, stop it," Alex hissed. "You can't go in there wearing that shirt. They won't serve you."

"Well I'm not wearing that," he said, nodding at the flannel shirt in Alex's hand. "Let's just go to McDonald's or something, okay? A drive-thru somewhere, eat in the car." With a wink he added, "I'm a cheap date. I don't mind fast food."

Try to do something nice, Alex thought with a sigh, tossing the shirt back into the trunk. He dug through blankets and empty plastic grocery bags until he found an old T-shirt of his. The cotton was faded and worn but in one piece at least, and he held it out to Jamie. "How about this?"

After a long moment, Jamie took the shirt. "This yours?" he asked, holding it up. It was short sleeved and thin ~ Alex waited to hear his excuse for not wanting to put it on.

"Yeah," Alex said as he watched Jamie study the shirt. "It's been in the trunk for a while but it's clean. Are you going to wear it or not?"

"I'll wear it," Jamie said.

Before Alex could say anything else he stripped off his tank top, pulling the torn fabric up over his head. Alex found himself staring at the muscles along Jamie's chest, the golden skin so heavily freckled, he looked perpetually tanned. Alex shoved his hands deep into his pockets to keep from reaching out and touching the boy ~ he could imagine what those hard nipples would feel like beneath his fingers, the way the thick gold chain that hung around Jamie's neck would look pooled into the hollow of his throat, the way the ridge of Jamie's collarbone would feel between his teeth. God ...

Then Jamie pulled on the T-shirt, hiding the freckled muscles from view, and Alex managed to look away. "It's kind of snug," Jamie said, flexing his arms. Alex heard the tiny sound of a seam rip, and Jamie laughed. "I like it."

"You would," Alex muttered. He pointed into the trunk and Jamie tossed his tank top inside before Alex slammed it shut. "You look much better."

"Do you think so?" Jamie asked.

When Alex nodded, Jamie unzipped his jeans. "Jamie!" Alex cried, glancing around to make sure no one was watching. "What are you doing?"

"Don't worry," he said with a wink, stuffing the T-shirt into the waistband of his jeans. "I ain't taking it all off. Much as you'd like to see it, I'm sure."

"Jamie ..." Alex closed his eyes as Jamie's hand smoothed the shirt down flat over the bulge that poked through the open zipper, but not before catching a glimpse of light red hair that trailed into his briefs as if pointing the way. Why couldn't this be easy? "Jesus."

He heard Jamie take a step closer, and then he felt hot breath along his neck as Jamie moaned softly into his ear, the sound accompanied by the quiet hiss of the zipper. Alex could feel the press of metal against that budding erection as Jamie zipped up his jeans, and in his pockets his hands clenched into fists, nails eating into his palms because he wasn't going to touch this boy, he wasn't going to let him get under his skin. Too late, his mind whispered as Jamie sighed, and Alex could smell the sharp scent of his sweat when he drew in a shaky breath. "You can look now," Jamie breathed. "I'm decent."

Working Man series by J.M. Snyder

For a little break from the round robin, I'd like to tell you about my monthly e-book series, Working Man, published by Aspen Mountain Press.

One short story is released every month, and they're stand-alone stories about gay men who find love and lust in the workplace. The stories range from sweet flirting to hot sex, and can be read in any order. There will be a total of 16 stories in the series when all is said and done.

The following seven titles are currently available:

• Opening Day at the County Fair ~ Jesse's dreading the annual county fair, until he sees a new face among the regular vendors. Davis is a contractor's son, and he's interested in learning more about Jesse. If they can just ditch Jesse's little sister, they might get to know each other a little better.
• Summer Kisses and Ice Cream Dreams ~ Sean works at an ice cream shoppe on the boardwalk. When he meets Andrew, it's love at first sight, but he doesn't dare make a move, not with Andrew's girlfriend right there. So why does she give Sean Andrew's number?
• Easily Addicted ~ Trevor runs into a sexy co-worker named Zack while taking a much needed smoke break. Then Zack invites Trevor to his office after hours and the sparks fly when they get a moment alone.
• Makin' Copies ~ Johnson thought photocopying his butt at the office Christmas party would be a cheap laugh. Trouble is, he forgot to take the copies off the copier, and they wind up on his boss's desk Monday morning.
• Pleasure Cruise ~ Andy agrees to take a cruise with his college buddies, but when they can't score with the ladies, they make sure he doesn't score with the hot waiter Carlos, either. But Carlos gives Andy a second chance.
• On the Job ~ Cable technician Charles doesn't do new installs, but an irate customer demands service now. When Charles meets the sexy Billy Jackson, he's more than happy to hook the guy up.
• Car Trouble ~ Terrence takes his Mercedes to a local auto shop recommended by his secretary. What begins as a bad day improves when he meets the mechanic, and soon it's not just his car being serviced.

Another 9 stories are scheduled to be released, one a month for the rest of 2008. If you like short, quick romantic and erotic reads, why not check these out?

The Regent's Knight by J.M. Snyder

My latest release is The Regent’s Knight, a fantasy set in the pre-industrial land of Pharr. It's part of the "Secret Lives" AmberPax collection and (I think) is quite a fun read.

Here's a little tidbit of trivia for you ... my very first novel ever was an epic fantasy called The Magical Stones of Pharr, which I wrote while in high school. While that story will never see the light of day (and for good reason), I decided to usurp the land in which the story took place and revisit it for this story.

Blurb:
Prince Amery Llewellen is the only son of King Adin of Pharr and heir to the throne. When his father is lost in battle with the barbaric tribes invading the northern Pharrisian border, Amery becomes regent in his father’s stead. The royal advisers pressure him to take the crown and assume the throne, but doing so will force him to take a wife as well. Amery is loathe to do that, because he’s deeply in love with one of his knights, Sir Tovin Raimus, from the southland.

Such a relationship is forbidden ~ both because Tovin is another man and because he is a knight, much below the station of a prince. After King Adin forbid their union, Tovin and Amery masked their love with fights and arguments designed to make the servants believe they loathe each other. The whole castle dreads the news that the northern border has been breached, because when Tovin is assigned the position of castellan, that makes him head of castle security. His being stationed so near the regent has the servants believing the two will fight to the death.

That’s just a farce to keep their love a secret. But Pharr needs a crowned ruler, and Amery must decide whether to take his rightful place on the throne or forsake his kingdom for the love of one man.

EXCERPT:

NOTE: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

“Gods,” Tovin breathed as he crawled onto Amery.

The regent started to speak but Tovin covered his mouth with his own, silencing him with a hungry kiss as his hands roamed the smooth body beneath him. His fingers plucked Amery’s nipples erect, eliciting gasps of delight from his lover. Moving lower, he brushed away the hand at Amery’s crotch and grasped the thick length, massaging it in his fist, working it hard.

“Tovin,” Amery managed to murmur between kisses. When Tovin cupped his balls and tickled one forefinger along the tender skin behind them, the regent arched into the knight’s body and moaned. “It’s been too long.”

Straddling Amery’s hips, Tovin sat back and pulled off his surcoat. “It has,” he agreed with a grin.

The regent reached for him, hands tugging at the scant hair on his chest, then thumbing over his nipples. Each touch sent a sliver of pleasure spiking through Tovin like lightning, striking his overly sensitive nipples and shooting down to stir the blood already thickening in his dick. He could come from such play ~ one of the first times he and Amery had been together, when they were still teenagers and kissing was the extent of their lovemaking, Amery had been amused to find that a few minutes’ suckling on Tovin’s teats was more than enough to get him off.

Catching Amery’s hands in his, Tovin raised them to his mouth and kissed each fingertip. “Stop that,” he admonished, “or I won’t be able to pierce that sexy ass of yours with my sword.”

Amery laughed and, twisting one hand free from Tovin’s grip, poked at the bulge in the front of the knight’s breeches. “Your sword? Is that what this is? Unsheathe it, knight, and wield it for me. Let me test its breadth and heft. Let me feel its blade.”

Tovin rocked back, his buttocks pressing Amery’s hard cock against his own legs. The regent’s mocking words dissolved in a gasp of delight as his eyes shut against the sensations caused by Tovin’s body against his. The hand at his crotch bunched in the fabric covering his erection with a gentle squeeze that made him moan.

Catching that hand again, Tovin raised it to the other and held both of Amery’s wrists against his chest. “I have an idea,” he announced.

“What’s that?” Amery wiggled his hips beneath Tovin to remind him that he was waiting for something more. “Can you tell me later?”

Tovin laughed. “I can tell you now,” he replied. “I’m still mostly dressed. These pants aren’t coming off until I’m ready.”

Amery pouted and tried to twist his wrists free from Tovin’s grip. “I think you’re ready now,” he declared. “I’m the regent. My word is law. I say you’re ready.”

Laughing again, Tovin leaned down over the regent, stretching his lover’s hands above his head to keep them out of reach. Amery’s nipples brushed over Tovin’s; he had to close his eyes against the thrill sparked by that touch. Between them, his cock throbbed in his pants, aching for release.

“I think you’re in no position to argue with me now,” he whispered, touching the tip of Amery’s nose with his own. Amery leaned up for a kiss but Tovin pulled away slightly. “Not yet.”

Amery sighed, frustrated. “Kiss me now. I demand it.”

“You can’t make demands here,” Tovin told him.

Buy your copy today!

J.M. Snyder's Shorts

It’s a backlist title of mine, but I wanted to pimp Shorts today for two reasons. One, it’s really the book that jump-started my career, in many ways. And two, it’s now available as a wireless download from Amazon’s Kindle Store.

In 2005, I was stuck two-thirds of the way through my then WIP, Stepping Up to the Plate. I refused to begin a new novel with one languishing unfinished (I thought if I started something new, I’d never get back to the first book), so I began to write short stories. Several of them appeared online at Ruthie’s Club, an online erotica zine.

By the summer of 2006, I realized it had been a while since I last published something. At this stage of the game, I was self-publishing two books a year, with the exception of the dry spell I suffered during 2005. I figured I better get my AIG and get another book out, but all I had on hand were short stories.

Well, so be it. I’d release a collection of short stories, then. I had 11 I had published through Ruthie’s, and quickly wrote another three to round out the book.

Around this time, an editor contacted me about possibly working with her newly formed publishing house, Aspen Mountain Press. I don’t remember if I was already working on Shorts at the time or not, but I was too sold on the idea of self-publishing the collection that I ended up submitting a different book to them.

But Shorts still helped me get my name out there. This was the first book I submitted to online review sites, which earned me a few new readers. And it also put me in touch with editor Richard Labonte, to whom I sent a review copy, and who promptly asked me to submit something for his Country Boys anthology. Since then, I’ve had stories appear in two of his anthologies, with another two stories coming out in anthologies to be released this year.

So in all, Shorts really provided a much-needed boost to my still budding career. The collection contains 14 erotic short stories, 11 of which were first published online at Ruthie’s Club. Two of them have been published in other anthologies (”Best Friends” in My First Time Volume 5 and, coming later this year, “Hooking Up” in Boys in Heat). One of the stories was re-released in e-book format as part of my ongoing Working Man series (”Easily Addicted”).

The stories run the gamut from contemporary to sci-fi, fetish to pulp … there’s something for everyone in Shorts.

Buy Shorts at Lulu (PDF or HTML) or at Amazon (Kindle).

The excerpt below is from one of my favorite stories in the collection. “Escape” was written for Ruthie’s Club’s science fiction issue. Trace is an intergalactic prisoner whose ship crash-lands on a planet inhabited by a type of clone or replicate called Delta-23. Davin, one of the replicates, has abandoned his fellow replicates to seek out the escaped prisoner alone because he’s never seen anyone who looked different from himself.

This is their meeting …

NOTE: contains sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

“Escape”

When heated lips covered his, Trace opened his eyes, panicked, before he realized he was being kissed, not suffocated or silenced. An insistent tongue licked the corner of his mouth, seeking entry. How long had it been since he’d been kissed so gently, so tenderly? Years. Before his stint in prison, at least.

The chin above him was hairless and strong and masculine, and Trace gave in to the sensation, closing his eyes again as he let the tongue in. It flicked over his teeth, the inside of his cheeks, his own tongue, before it licked away over his lips and chin. Small kisses soft along his jaw, wet lips closing over his earlobe, a man’s breath in his ear.

Trace brought one hand up from his crotch to feel the close-cropped hair of his visitor, and his fingers found the small tagged piercing high up in one ear that was the mark of a replicate. Opening his eyes again, he leaned back as the man kissed his neck, trying to see more. Slim body beneath a silver and blue jumpsuit, one hand by Trace’s head steadying him above with the other buried in a pocket, ending at an obscene bulge at the crotch. Not an Alpha-10 -- too thin. Into the ear close to his mouth, Trace breathed, “Psi-45? Are you …”

“Delta-23,” the other whispered between kisses. His lips left hot, damp trails along Trace’s collarbone. “The name’s Davin. You’re the first natural-born I’ve ever seen.”

With a laugh, Trace teased, “That explains the special treatment.”

“You’re gorgeous,” Davin sighed.

Trace laughed again because he knew that wasn’t true, but he wasn’t about to argue. Between his legs, his fingers massaged his balls. His hard dick was beginning to ache.

“I'm Trace,” he murmured -- might as well know each other before they went much farther.

Davin’s reply was to swirl his tongue around one of Trace’s nipples, which made Trace’s cock stand up on its own. Davin moved a little further, kissing down to Trace’s navel so the top of his head was just inches from Trace’s erection. With both hands, Trace found the zipper on the jumpsuit above him and tugged it back. Davin’s undershirt billowed down and Trace slipped his hands beneath it, feeling his way over smooth muscles. He’d been with a replicate before, but not a Delta. When his fingers found hard nipples and pinched them, the mouth on his stomach gasped with delight.

Davin moved lower, using both hands now to hold himself above Trace. He nuzzled the kinked hair at Trace’s crotch, then kissed up his hard length. Pulling down Davin’s zipper as far as it would go, Trace rubbed the sheathed package above him, underwear already damp enough to outline the tip of Davin’s dick. Trace raised himself up on his elbows to press his face against the sex-scented briefs, then nipped at the cock above him. Between Trace’s legs, Davin took him into his mouth. He tongued the swollen tip of Trace’s cock before licking down to the end of the shaft and up again. He went down a second time and Trace rose up to meet him, easing further in. One of Davin’s hands cupped Trace’s ass, the fingers fumbling between his cheeks enough to weaken Trace’s knees.

Hungry with lust, Trace reached up and pulled down Davin’s underwear, exposing a thick dick that unfurled before him and heavy balls that he tongued and kissed. Starting at the base of Davin’s cock, Trace kneaded the length with his lips. When he worked his way to the tip, he licked and toyed with the supple knob, trying to take it into his mouth without repositioning himself. He couldn’t quite get it -- he nudged it with his nose and caught it in his lips, but it was slick with his own saliva and slipped free to hang above him, tantalizing and dripping with pre-cum.

Trace licked at the salty drops as he thrust into the hot, willing mouth around his own erection. Davin’s rhythm increased, pulling Trace towards orgasm, one hand now squeezing the hard cock as he sucked the bulbous head. Trace’s release was mere strokes away. He raised up on his elbows again, took Davin’s soft balls into his mouth, rolled them around on his tongue as he came in short, quick bursts that jerked through him like lightning. Sated, Trace pushed the replicate to the ground, straddled him, and took the elusive cock into his mouth fully until Davin bucked beneath him in release.

Buy Shorts at Lulu (PDF or HTML) or at Amazon (Kindle).

Free read :: "Parking Lot Hero" by J.M. Snyder

Have you read Parking Lot Hero yet? If not, download the free story today!

This story, featuring my superhero characters (Vic and Matt), was offered free on my Yahoo! group during my Birthday Bash last month. If you didn't get a copy then, you can get it now, but ONLY from All Romance eBooks!

BLURB:
Vic Braunson is looking forward to a quiet Saturday with his lover, Matt diLorenzo, before their upcoming Super Bowl party. But when a trio of ruffians terrorize Vic's landlady in the grocery store parking lot, he finds the superhero in him called to action.

EXCERPT:
The rev of motorcycle engines flared and three small bikes zoomed behind them, the last one so close that Vic felt his jacket tug in the biker’s wake. Harsh laughter rose from the three young men, helmet-less, who goosed the bikes around the edge of the parking lot. ::Fucking idiots,:: Vic thought, projecting the thought not only into his lover’s mind but those of the bikers’, as well.

If it bothered them, they didn’t show it.

The bikes revved as they circled the lot, zipping between parked cars and shooting across aisles with dangerous moves that made Vic’s stomach nauseous. They frightened the Spanish-speaking woman from the freezer aisle, heading for her car now, who stopped to clutch her small children closer as the bikers closed in. Vic felt something surge in him, something terrible, something deadly, and in his pocket, his hands curled into angry fists. ::Give me one reason…::

Matt’s presence soothed his mind. ::Vic, no. This doesn’t concern us.::

Then the first bike in the trio broke off from his friends, angling through the cars in the lot, heading for Mrs. K. Like rambunctious children, the other two bikes trailed after the first, engines gunning. ::Now it does.::

Download your copy today!

Sneak peek at "The Bonds of Love"

This weekend will see the release of my first novel-length story featuring my "superhero" characters Vic and Matt. I'm quite excited, for several reasons, not the least of which is that these two seem to have taken on a life of their own. And it's my second paperback that I didn't publish myself, which is always nice!

What started out as a short story has morphed into 16 short stories, a novel and a novella between two series, and thoughts of a third series on the way. And I'm getting ready to launch a website that will focus solely on these two characters. I have big things planned for them.

Me! Who ever thought I'd write a series?

THE BONDS OF LOVE by J.M. Snyder
Coming February 3, 2008 from Amber Allure Press

BLURB:
Vic Braunson has a special kind of problem ~ his lover, Matt diLorenzo, somehow imbues him with enhanced superpowers every time they have sex. It's something Vic has learned to live with in the years they've been together, and something he won't let stand in the way of their relationship. Matt hates the powers, particularly when they put Vic in danger, but what can they do?

When Vic stops an armed robbery at a local convenience store, his picture appears in the morning paper. Later that day, Matt gets a phone call at work from Jordan Dubrowski, a guy he knew in high school. Jordan was his first, in every way ~ it was through him that Matt discovered his ability to transfer superpowers to his lovers. Jordan had a taste of those powers, and after reading about Vic's role in the hold up, he's decided he wants them back.

But Matt is in love, and Vic won't let him go without a fight. Still, Jordan will stop at nothing to get what he thinks rightly belongs to him.

EXCERPT:
One image flashed in Vic's head, undeniable. A gun, crammed down the front of the black guy's jeans, the safety off. At least one of his friends had a knife, folded in the fist balled in his hoodie pocket. Crossing to stand behind his lover, Vic lowered his voice so no one else would overhear. "Come on, Matty. Time to go."

His lover started, "I'm ~"

Vic quieted him with a hand on his back. "Now."

Matt glanced around the store, confusion on his face. Opening the mental connection they shared, Vic pointed out the gun and knife. "Shit," Matt whispered. As he reached for the Slurpee lids, his hand hit a stack of the cups and they clattered to the tiled floor.

The noise set the gunman into action. "You fuckers on the ground!" he hollered, waving the pistol in the air. The cashier screamed and dropped behind the counter, out of sight. Cat food cans went rolling, the freezer door slammed shut as the customers hurried to obey. The cat food lady sobbed. Matt sank to his knees and tried to gather up the offending cups.

"On the floor," the gunman barked. He turned full circle, gun leveled, looking for a reason to shoot. When he saw Vic, the gun swung to a stop between them. "You, asshole. Didn't you hear me?"

Vic stared at the barrel, unperturbed. A strange feeling of calm descended over him and he stepped in front of Matt to block his lover from the gun's aim. "I heard you."

His low voice infuriated the gunman. "Then get the fuck on the floor!" When Vic didn't move, the guy shook his head in disbelief. "Motherfucker."

"Get on the floor, man!" one of guy's friends pleaded, the one with the knife. "We ain't gonna kill you, dude. Just get down and no one gets hurt."

Somehow, Vic didn't believe that. "Change of plans," he said, popping another chip in his mouth. He took a moment to chew it ~ in the silence of the store, broken only by quiet sobs and Matt fiddling with the cups, the sound that the chip made as he ground it between his teeth seemed unnaturally loud to his own ears. Choosing his words, Vic announced, "Give me the gun. And you, the knife."

The kid gaped, surprised Vic knew of his weapon. ::I know,:: Vic added mentally.

The kid's jaw dropped. "Who the hell are you?" he whispered.

"Hand them over," Vic replied, ignoring the question. "And no one gets hurt. How's that sound?"

For a breathless second, he almost hoped it had worked. The kid with the knife had it out now, but he held it by the hilt, ready to drop it and run. The third friend stayed by the door, waiting for the signal to bolt. But this was the gunman's show, and he wasn't ready to call it quits just yet. "What're you gonna do?"

Vic took a step to close the distance between them. "You stay right there!" the gunman warned, his voice ratcheting up a notch. "You hear me?"

As if he didn't, Vic moved closer. If he could just reach the guy, he knew he could bring him down~ the strength that flooded his system ran like adrenaline through his veins, energizing him. If he could just get close enough to tackle him ...

The gun went off. Vic saw a lick of flame, smelled the acrid odor of gunpowder and smoke, and heard the deafening rapport a second before something small and hard and metal punched him in the center of his chest. The energy in his body flared to life ~ the gun shots rang out, two, three, each accompanied by another hard knock that rattled him down through his core. The energy swirled through him, in him, around him, dazzling like bright light. Far away he heard Matt cry out for him, the sound of his name like anguish in his lover's voice.

Then the light washed over him like the tide, and everything disappeared.

Coming Sunday!

No Sex Allowed

Now that I have your attention ... :)

I'm a huge American Idol fan and have watched it religiously since Season 3. Last night was the first episode of Season 7, which highlighted the best (and worst) of auditions in Philadelphia. One contestant only wanted a chance to perform for the judges a song he wrote called "No Sex Allowed."

That, and the previous post about "fade to black" sex scenes, got me thinking. To be perfectly honest, I'm one of those "fade to black" authors. Usually I have to struggle to write sex, because I believe the story should be able to stand on its own without sexual content to engage the reader. It took me a long time to say I wrote erotica or romance ~ in my mind, I write gay fiction. Sometimes there's a little sex in the story, but not as much as some authors write ... and not enough, some of my readers would probably say.

Which is fine with me. Sure, I might make more money writing more sex, but that's not my focus when telling a story. I don't stick in gratuitous sex scenes, or a certain number of fucks per chapter ... I can't do that. If the story dictates that the characters get their groove on, then fine. But I'm not going to go out of my way to find a place to add a little lovin'.

Some of my favorite stories (and, in my mind, my strongest as well) contain little or no sex. Scarred, Persistence of Memory, and my latest release Afflicted come to mind. The first publisher I submitted Persistence of Memory to actually asked me to increase the sexual content of the story, and I refused. I found a different publisher who accepted it as is, and now it's a finalist in the 2008 EPPIES Award, so I guess someone besides myself liked it, eh?

And all this blather leads me to Afflicted, a short story just released by Torquere Press in their Sip line. The story is much more serious than most of my stuff, and came to me almost effortlessly, all at once. It's about a young man who discovers his lover is a "cutter" ~ a person who cuts himself with razors or other implements to inflict pain on his own body. Why? The man doesn't know the answer to that. And he doesn't have any idea how to help his lover, either.

Here's an excerpt from the opening scene. The e-book is available for purchase here.

The first time I saw him naked, I noticed the cuts.

Red, angry scrapes across the pouch of his lower belly, like scratches or claw-marks. "What's this?" I asked, running a finger over one bumpy scab.

He sucked in his gut to pull out of reach. "Nothing." His voice turned sullen, pouting, and the erection that jutted from his thick crop of black curls seemed to wilt a little. "I thought we were going to --"

"Did you do this?" I asked, interrupting him. The cuts bothered me; they spoke of a pain I didn't know how to deal with, and that scared me. He scared me. I thought I'd known him.

When he didn't reply, I looked up from the cuts and saw the answer in his eyes. Sad, dark eyes, downcast, like the sky before a storm. He couldn't seem to meet my gaze, as if the cuts embarrassed him, or he was ashamed of his own weakness. "Where else do you this?" I asked.

Still no answer, but his arms moved behind his nude hips as if hiding from my view and I snatched his right elbow to see for myself. In the low lamplight of my bedroom, I could see very faint traces across his skin, a network of healed flesh. With a hard tug, I pulled him over to my bedside table and turned the lamp up higher, held his arm beneath it. "Please," he said, trembling when my fingers trailed over the scarred flesh. "It's nothing, okay? Those are so old."

Holding his arm aside, I pointed at his stomach. "These aren't."

His hand covered the fresh marks as if he could smooth them away, but he didn't say anything and I knew I was right. Sinking down to sit on my bed, I guided him into the span between my legs and wrapped my arms around his thighs. Ignoring the hard dick pointing at me, I pressed my face to his belly and kissed the highest cut, just below his navel. His hands cradled my head, fingers delving in my hair, and I waited for him to sigh my name before I admonished, "This doesn't happen again."

Excerpt from Afflicted by J.M. Snyder

Starting the year off write

FYI, I misspelled that on purpose.

This time last year, I was hard at work on the story that would become The Powers of Love and go on to land me a publishing contract with Amber Quill Press. I know this because, being compulsively anal about things like this, I kept a log throughout all of 2007 that listed not only how many words I wrote per day, but also the writing "highlights" of the year ~ publications, acceptance, submissions, and the like.

For the record I wrote a whopping 322,588 words in 2007.

Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? And I have a lot to show for it, granted. But there were days when the word count was a big, fat zero, when I couldn't even motivate myself to turn on the computer, let alone type anything.

Still, it is an impressive figure. I wonder if I'll beat that this time next year? I've already written more these first two days than I did this same time last year. Funnily enough, my current WIP stars the same two characters from The Powers of Love, and this story is also slated for release by Amber Quill. What comes around goes around, they say.

Why not keep a log of how much you write each day? How many words do you think you can do in a span of 365 days? 366, really, since this is a leap year. Go ahead. Keep count. You might surprise yourself.

Presents from me to you

I have two free holiday-themed short stories to give away this Christmas. Click on the covers to open the PDF files, or right-click to save the files to your computer.


These e-books will be available until the day after Christmas (12/26). After that, This Christmas can be found on my site under the "Free Fiction" section, and A Little Something for Santa is in my collection, Shorts.

Enjoy ... and happy holidays!

"No Apologies" by J.M. Snyder :: coming soon

My story, No Apologies, will be released this Friday from Aspen Mountain Press. You can enter my monthly contest to win a copy of it when it's released. For more details, visit http://jmsnyder.net/contest.html.

BLURB:
Donnie Novak and Jack Sterling have known each other forever. Growing up together in a small Midwestern town, they were best friends. After high school, they both enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the same time, and somehow were assigned to the same company before being stationed on the U.S.S. Oklahoma together.

One night on leave, Donnie crosses an almost imperceptible line between friendship and something more. A stolen kiss threatens to ruin what Donnie and Jack have built up together all these years, and the next morning, he can't apologize enough.

But a squadron of Japanese bombers has their sights trained on Pearl Harbor's Battleship Row, and in the early hours of December 7, 1941, Donnie might not get a chance to set things right.

EXCERPT:
Inside the galley, the tables are already crowded with sailors in dungarees, their trays filled with eggs and potatoes and toast. I fake a half-hearted grin when Ralph waves, and Jack looks at me briefly before turning back to his food. No smile, just a naked wariness I put on his features, and I'm not hungry anymore. I just go through the motions of getting a tray and letting the cook fill it up. Jack hates me, I know it.

I sit down beside Ralph; across the table, Jack looks up at me and I have to choke back a sudden sob that burns my throat. "Hey," he says softly.

"Hey." I toy with the food on my tray, mashing the eggs with my fork and trying not to watch his jaw as he chews. "Chuck's still asleep, lazy ass."

Ralph laughs. "He's still passed out, you mean," he says, finishing off his own eggs. "You guys shouldn't drink so much. I ain't dragging you back to the ship again. Next time, I'll just leave you there. You can explain to the captain why you didn't make it back."

Jack smiles and even though it's not at me, my heart still rises to see the curve of his lips. "You wouldn't do that."

He's right -- Ralph isn't the type to leave his friends. He's threatened it before but always gets us back safe.

"Just watch me," Ralph warns. "You never know. Just you wait and see."

An uneasy silence falls around us, despite the talk at other tables. I manage to get a forkful of eggs into my mouth, but they taste soggy and bland and it's all I can do to swallow them down. I want to tell Jack I'm sorry again, I want to apologize until he has to forgive me, he just has to, but I don't want to say anything with Ralph right here because then he'll want to know what I'm sorry for, and I know Jack wouldn't want me to say. I'm sure he'd just rather forget, or pretend the whole thing never happened, and I wonder if he still tastes my lips on his. I want to ask him that, I want to know ...

Ralph's voice startles me. "What's wrong, Don?"

I grimace at my tray and don't know how I'm going to finish this food -- I don't feel like eating now. From across the table, Jack glances at me with a slight frown on his face, a worried look that silences me. Don't tell, that look says.

When I don't answer him, Ralph adds, "You look like you just lost your best friend. And you're on leave, boy. Cheer the hell up, already."

Well, Ralph, I did lose my best friend. For one little kiss, I threw everything we had away.

What the hell was I thinking? I wasn't that drunk, I wasn't.

© 2000-2007 J.M. Snyder

Coming Friday ... Undertow by J.M. Snyder

On Friday, November 23rd, my next e-book will be released by Aspen Mountain Press. Undertow is part of their ongoing, multi-author Del Fantasma series.

Del Fantasma is Aspen Mountain’s paranormal romance series focused around the Del Fantasma bar in Point Loma, California and the bar owner, vampire Cody Warren. Cody is said to have a story behind every drink he serves and each story must be titled after a real bar drink that somehow relates to the story.

Undertow is an urban fantasy, something a little different for me. Derek Meredith's lover of ten years, Tad Archer, drowned in a boating accident before the story begins. Anonymous phone calls lead him to the Del Fantasma bar, where he runs into an old friend named Kellen who, in his own words, found something Derek has lost.

Kellen and Derek are both members of a mythical race of sea creatures known as merrows. They're a Celtic myth, similar to mermaids, though a bit more "rough" around the edges, so to speak. Each merrow has a talisman ~ some red object, a comb or a hat or a cape, that ties their blood to the ocean. With the talisman, they can move freely between the sea and the land, but they must protect it at all times because without the talisman, they cannot return to the water.

Also, female merrows have a sinister habit of harvesting souls of those lost at sea. These hapless victims are kept locked in wooden soul cages deep beneath the waves. A merrow maiden will guard her soul cage fervently. The only way a soul cage can be opened and its prisoner released is if a male merrow distracts the cage's owner.

Tweaking these myths, I created Undertow. Friends earlier in life, Kellen has loved Derek from childhood, but a wanderlust fills Derek's heart, leading him to seek life on the shore among humans. Tad was the reason he left the ocean behind, and Kellen has never managed to move beyond that rejection.

Back in Derek's life again, Kellen offers him an "indecent proposal" ~ a night of passion between the merrows for Tad's safe return. But complications arise, among them the fact that without his talisman, Derek is unable to return to the ocean. His talisman was given to Tad on their tenth anniversary as a symbol of his love; in exchange, Tad gave him a gold ring. The metal holds mystical properties for those with merrish blood, and Derek hopes that the power of love that resides in the band might be enough to help him rescue his lover ... without having to succumb to Kellen's sordid desires in the process.

An excerpt is on my website. If you enjoy sea myths and stories about sacrifices made in the name of love, then Undertow will definitely appeal to you.