Winter Has Arrived

Today, a coworker is running the Manchester City Marathon. Yesterday, when I went for a (much shorter) run, it was 65 degrees, sunny, and beautiful for November in New England. Today – this morning – even my stubborn cat, who wants to go out after breakfast year round, simply stood in front of the door wincing and flattening her ears at the icy, blustery winds whipping past the thermometer that read 35 degrees.

Now running in 35 degree weather isn't as nice as 65, but it's doable. Once warmed up, 35 feels more like 50ish, but that wind takes all the fun, and heat, out of the run. For me, at least. For my coworker, well, she does this stuff a lot more often, and she's trained hard. I'm sure she dressed appropriately, in layers she was willing to drop as needed. One doesn't spend months training for a marathon and then change her mind just because it's a tad windy or the temperature is a bit low. This is New England after all, where we say: Don't like the weather? Blink. It'll change.

It's Sunday in New England, but our Patriots aren't playing until four p.m. I won't be going out in this windy, chilly day to hike, as we'd previously planned, and I'm glad I squeezed in my run yesterday, before this cold blew in on the tail of a rain storm. Today, instead, I'll be writing. I want to say "finally writing" but I won't diminish it. I pounded out a few tequila soaked words last night, and today, with less tequila, I'll work on an M/M friends-to-lovers story I abandoned months ago. With that in mind, maybe it's good it's cold today. Though I will feel a little guilty about that statement tomorrow when I ask my coworker how she weathered the race.

Stay warm this winter, dear readers.

Ready, Set, NaNo

It's this time of the year again - National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). It's started as a bit of a fringe movement, but according to the website here, there are more than 210,000 people registered to write their 50,000 words during November. And that's only the ones that are signed up, so the true number will be several times larger.

I've only "won" NaNo once, and it's a drama - as you veer from elation to panic to exhaustion to giddy hysteria. And eventhen I cheated somewhat. I picked up a manuscript I'd started, added 50k, and then it took me three months to "find" the ending. So, strictly speaking, I cheated. I did sell the book to a publisher, though. Since then, NaNo has weirdly always caught me by surprise - despite the fact that it's always in Novem,ber. Usually I was in the process of wrestling a novel across the finishing line, and it's true this year too: I'm still wrapping up Scorpion3 and on't havethe headspace to start a new book. I will try to commit to a symbolic 1,667 words/day goal, though, so I'm doing it by proxy this year. Kind of.

Other people are much more prolific and take NaNo overall way more seriously. Here's an excellent blog post from my partner in Market Garden, LA Witt: My Not Very Reliably Annual But Still Hopefully Useful Pre-NaNo Pep Talk. NaNo can be life-changer, especially when you're hovering in that weird space between "I should/want to write a book" and "I'm actually writing". Try it. Try it for the fun.

And the old hands - doing NaNo might feel like going back to school. (Let me explain that one: German authorities recently caught a dude who'd done his finals in school AGAIN - only he was already a medical doctor and had done his school finals (the exam that determines whether you can go to uni in Germany) a few decades again. He passed with a C overall and now seems to have got ambitious - he wants to better that "next time".) So, yeah, like going back to school, just with a bit of ambition this time round. Many published authors live and die by their wordcount; I think it could be fun to devote NaNo to the one crazy project that's been lurking in the back of your head - the one "nobody" is interested in but you. That's what my plan was for this month, anyway.

In case you are tempted, but don't have a plot or your "idea" isn't ready yet, I just read a book by esteemed colleague EM Lynley, who wrote a short e-book on the basics of plotting and planning for NaNo: How To Be A NaNoWriMo Winner. It should equip you with everything you need to get enough of a plot skeleton sorted in a couple of days. A little bit of planning does go a long way and saves time in the long run.

But regardless of where in the journey you are, what your goals are, and why you take part: I'm wishing you all the best on that rollercoaster. I might join you once I'm done with my current book (which means I'll start a week late). Hook up with friends who are also doing NaNo. Brag. Whine. It's all part of the journey.

Good luck!

Men in costume

Hello there, Slashers and Burners. I hope your autumn season (in the western hemisphere, that is) is going well. Halloween in the US approaches! Here are a few men in costume that can trick or treat at my house......

My apologies, dear Readers, for my absence last month. This month isn't going to be much better. Computer time is limited, so please refer to my blog post HERE for an explanation. Hopefully, I'll be back soon. I miss you all, and my stories too.

Happy October!

~Pia

Book Recommendation

Ages ago (seriously, it was several years ago now) I posted about Shakespeare's Gay Boys. Technically, they're not Shakespeare's of course. They belong to Ancient Greek mythology. I'm talking about Achilles and Patroclus, in case you don't know. I just finished reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and WOW. There are books that come along once a decade or so that are so profoundly beautiful that you, the reader, can't help but be moved/impacted/bettered by reading them. This is one of those books. And with its addition to my personal version of that list, I can still count them on one hand. They are that rare.

The story is told entirely from Patroclus' point of view in the present tense (which if you know anything about this particular mythology will cause you to wonder how the author made that work--but trust me, she does). While the Trojan War is, of course, an inescapable part of the story, Miller begins with the child Patroclus and builds her world through him. Her prose is gorgeous. Everyone you meet in the story, from the heroes of myth, to the most minor players, to the sea goddess Thetis, reads as rich and real. I will be reading this book again and again, when I need something to keep me company and pull me out of our world for a while. When I need somewhere fantastical yet true to escape to.

Do yourself a favor and read The Song of Achilles. You'll only be sorry if you don't.

Happy Fall! I personally don't mind autumn, mostly because where I live it's not really much different than summer. California doesn't have seasons. We have sunny and mild, sunny and hot, or rainy. Fall can be just as warm as summer, and often is. Fire season extends way into October because of the dryness and heat.

I have friends who are lucky enough to experience real fall weather with all the gorgeous scenery that goes with it. Leaves turning red, fields turning gold, everything beautiful that nature has to offer. I think I'd enjoy the season more if I had that to look at. In any case, I know autumn tends to be the favorite season of a lot of people.

I leave you with a picture of a darling wedding cake that I found when I was searching for fall pictures. What a perfect autumn wedding these two must have had!

Win Free Books!

I'm taking part in TRR’s Fall into Romance Hop! The hop runs through this Friday, September 21, so you have a few more days to hop around for book recs and tons of chances to win terrific prizes.

Check out my post to win a free copy of Love's Nest -- and a chance to win two more just by liking my new author page on Facebook. 

And here, have a pretty boy. :D 

Stuck in San Bernardino

So, for those that follow me, you know ther was a period where I had no job. Now I do. I'm working for a defense firm, and have been running all over So. Cal. on hearings.

Today I'm hanging out in San Bernardino.  The only reason it is of passing interest is that it has the recent distinction of being named the Worst Food City in the entire US of A.

And, frankly,  I'm not surprised.  The city is bankrupt...not to long ago they couldn't even afford gas for police and fire vehicles.

Hopefully,  once I settle into the new gig, my writing will pick up.

New release!

I love release day!

Last year, Chris Owen and I teamed up to write a book about puppies, firemen, and hot computer geeks. It was a hit! You can get By the Numbers at Torquere Books.

And then, get the sequel! Adding it Up - By the Numbers II is now available! More firemen, dogs, and computer boys. This time with some added ex-wife tension. Go check out Trey and Deuce and let Chris and me know what you think.

Oh, and All Romance ebooks tells us that it's already a best seller! Can't beat that.

Boys of Summer

I can't believe it's September already! I'm definitely not ready for summer to end. Here are some hot (and sweet) summer guys to enjoy before the fall comes.

Read Precious Ache for free!

In honor of Labor Day, I'm giving away Precious Ache for free over at All Romance Ebooks. If you haven't read Dave and Micah's story, go and get your copy on me for today only!

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-preciousache-523888-149.html

Print releases

At long last (and I admit to my share of the delay in this), False Dawn is now available for purchase in PAPERBACK! I can't tell you how wonderful it is to hold the real book in my hands. ::sigh::

Relevant linkage:
False Dawn from CreateSpace
False Dawn from Amazon.com

It's the exact same book, whichever link you follow, so order from wherever you want.

On the way next to print is Compass Hearts followed by Client Privileges. And then... and then... something new, mayhaps? We shall see...

Wow, summer flies by in a blink, doesn't it? I've been vacationing and sunning and sleeping and mentally trying to prepare for the return to work of my day  job. Not easy. We also got a new puppy, so for the first time in my life I have THREE dogs at once. And we're not talking small ones, either. Pit bulls are big. Also awesome, if you were wondering. But three is a lot.

Next month is Torquere Press' 10th anniversary! There are going to be lots of contests and prizes and giveaways going on over there. In fact, there will be certain hours on certain days when you can download a book for free. I'll be back before then to let you know when mine is available. In the meantime, keep an eye on their website beginning September 1 for the celebration to begin.

Happy end of August, all! Keep reading.

Bottom's Up

If you haven't read any of my Bottom's Up stories, now is your chance to get them all in one place, at one low price. You'll still be able to buy them separately if you want to, but you'll also have the option of buying all three stories together in one anthology. Instead of paying $1.99 each, you can get all three for $2.99.

Buy Links:

     

Blurb:

    For the first time ever, get all three of Amanda Young’s best selling Bottom’s Up stories in one bundle. Come on in to the bar, where the cocktails are sweet and the men are spicy.
    In A KINKY ORGASM, you’ll meet bar owner Briar Henley, who can’t believe his good fortune when his old high school crush strolls into his little bar and orders the house specialty – a kinky orgasm. Yearning for a little payback of the intimate persuasion, Briar sees nothing wrong with fulfilling an old fantasy and finding out why the most popular jock from high school is suddenly eyeing him like a juicy steak.
   Get to know Caleb and Zaki in TRIPLESEX, where the two discontent lover’s are supposed to meet for a drink and wind up sharing much more than their favorite cocktails.
   SCREWED catches up with Max, whose life is in upheaval after a series of racy photos appeared online. On his last night in town, Max visits his favorite local bar in a last-ditch attempt to reach out to his deeply closeted lover. One way or the other, Max plans to depart in the morning—with or without the love of his life.

Shh... Writer at Play

I'm writing!

In between running four miles, the dreaded groceries, washing a couple of loads of laundry, and giving the demanding cat his daily allotment of scratches and cuddles, I've managed to squeeze in 1500 words today. It's not much, but it's more than I've done in a couple of weeks. I'm about to dive back into that story, let my boys have some real fun, but first I wanted to drop in here before I ran out of time completely.

The only thing currently on my mind is this WiP and a project with a friend, so in lieu of a perspicuously poignant blog post, I'd like to share a couple of Pinterest boards with you. I've been an off-again-on-again user of Pinterest. Mostly on when work is sucking my brain dry and mostly off when I actually have a creative molecule left in my body. It's a huge time suck and a brain-number, so I couldn't have it any other way.

For your viewing (and drooling) pleasure...

Boys, Boys, Boys
Queer. Get Over It.
Beautiful Androgyny

Have a great August, dear Readers!
Pia Veleno