Wednesday 29 May 2013

Wednesday Briefs - In the Arms of an Angel - Stop the Screaming




I've arrived at the first Wednesday in a while when I'm ready, willing and able to flash. So here it is, the latest installment of In the Arms of An Angel.

I've taken a picture prompt, of course, I like pictures :) and also a written one. "I'd promise you....if I could."


The Angelic Host was something to behold. Row after row of shining angels in silver armour mounted on snow white horses. Their hair streamed out behind them as did their banners of blue and silver. It would have taken Pasha’s breath away if he hadn’t been focussed elsewhere. Gabri’el had taken three hours to gather the Host and Pasha was about ready to hit him. Now, all he could think of was getting underway, finding the bastards who’d taken Uzzy and making them pay. It didn’t help that for the last hour his head had been full of screaming.

He couldn’t say for sure the screams were Uzzy’s because they were distant, searing the edges of his consciousness, and didn’t seem to have any connection with their bond, but it didn’t matter. Screams were screams and they were driving him insane.

Gabri’el pulled his horse next to Pasha’s. Pasha was riding one of the enormous white horses of the Host and, although he’d never admit it, he had to use all his wits to stay in the saddle.

“We’re ready to go. How are you doing?”

“Going out of my mind and a hair’s breadth away from going back. I can’t bear that we left him there alone.”

“Hardly alone. My guards will guard him well.”

“And what if he dies? If I leave him to die alone? I should never have left him.”

“If you don’t leave him, he will die.”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s what they want; what they’ve always wanted; to separate you. Don’t you see? Once you get there you can connect with Uzzy again. It’s our only chance.”

Pasha thought about it and realised he was right.

“I’m sorry. I’m just….”

“I know. So am I. Trust me, Pasha, I’d promise you to go in and get him back to you this afternoon if I could, but I don’t think anyone but you can. I don’t think even you can alone. You have to join again.”

“Will he be able to?”

“I don’t know, but if he can’t we’re screwed.” Gabri’el grinned and it struck Pasha that he was very beautiful. “Don’t worry; if we go down, we go down fighting – together.” He reached out his hand and after a moment hesitation Pasha took it. Rearing his horse, Gabri’el drew his sword and gave a strange yodelling cry that was taken up by the rest of the Host. The sound raised the hairs on Pasha’s neck and made him shiver. Quite suddenly he was filled with a wild exhilaration and he reared his horse before galloping after Gabri’el.

They galloped along the wide thoroughfare, which was thronged with people, cheering at the parade even though they had no idea what its purpose was.  When the city fell away they found themselves on a wide plain. On the far side of the plain the sun was setting, an enormous ball of orange fire slung low in the sky.  Gabri’el pulled up his horse and the whole Host came to a dead stop.

“Ready?” Gabri’el called to Pasha, his voice full of excitement.

Pasha was mystified. “Ready for what?”

“To ride out with the Host.”

“I thought that’s what we were doing.”

“Oh no, my dear, not even close. My only advice is hold on for dear life and whatever you do, don’t fall off the horse.”

“I’m not going to fall off the horse,” Pasha said indignantly. “I’m a good rider.”

“Not of these horses you aren’t,” Gabri’el said with amusement. He raised his sword and gave that strange yodelling cry and suddenly they were flying. The Host streamed across the plain like a river of mercury. Right into the heart of the sun they rode, with Pasha and Gabri’el at their head.

Standing in his saddle, his body throbbing with a deep thrill of excitement, Pasha glanced over his shoulder at the wonder that was the Angelic Host in full flow. It was almost his undoing.

“Pasha,” Gabri’el cried and he turned in time to see a swirling vortex open in front of them. Gabri’el rode into what Pasha could only consider to be a doorway, without stopping and winked out of existence, or so it seemed. Holding on for dear life, Pasha crouched low over his horse’s neck and closed his eyes.

The temperature dropped suddenly and Pasha shivered. It felt as if slivers of ice were slicing his skin and he couldn’t help but cry out. However, as soon as he became aware of the biting cold and pain, it was gone and there was sun warm on his skin again. He opened his eyes to see he was still galloping across a plain, but it was a different plain.

Glancing over his shoulder, Pasha watched the Host stream from the doorway and spread out, ranging across the plain behind him. When he turned back Gabri’el was holding his sword up, calling the Host to a halt.

Still gasping from the thrill, Pasha looked around and immediately recognised the purple flowers that blanketed the surrounding area.

“This way,” Gabri’el said and led the way, trotting towards the still setting sun.

“In a short while they arrived at the banks of a river that was so crystal clear it appeared metallic in the fading 
light.

They followed the river for a while until it plunged into a thick wood. Almost as soon as they entered the wood the ground began to rise and they broke, now and again, into clearings that revealed they were climbing a steep mountain.

It was getting dark when they broke out of the woods once again onto a wide plateau where the river flowed into a wide, mirrored lake. On the far side of the lake a thunderous waterfall tumbled over high cliffs into the pool. It was just possible to see the spray rising from the froth into which that part of the lake was being churned.


“That’s where he is,” Gabri’el said. “Behind the waterfall.” 

Now go check out the rest of the amazing bloggers. There are some fanstastic stories this week

Friday 24 May 2013

Spotlight on an Artist - Matthew J Levin


Matthew Levin is a sculptor, at least that's what he says. In fact he's a creator, a magical manipulator of the strange and unusual. At least that's what I think. Make up your own mind and visit his site http://www.matthewjlevin.com/ There are some wonderful things on there. Be warned it might suck you in and transform you. You might never be the same again.

In order to whet your interest here are a selection of images from the site. For lovers of the bizarre and the beautiful







Allen Williams 'Slither'





This one is my favourite


And a  pretty amazing WIP




Wednesday 8 May 2013

Wednesday Brief - In the Arms of an Angel - I'm Coming



It's Wednesday again and I'm feeling Pfl. It's the only day I'm working this week and I wish I'd taken it off. Ah well, get it over with and I'll be smiling again. Have plans tomorrow, Friday and the weekend. That's unusual for me.

I was greedy this week and chose three prompts.




Pasha gazed into the eyes of the man he loved, desperate to find some sign of life, but there was nothing. The white eyes were blank and unseeing. After uttering that one word Uzzy had been still and silent and no amount of pleading or urging had elicited the slightest response. 

“Have you tried making a connection?” Gabri’el’s anxious voice asked at his shoulder.

Pasha turned and glared at him. “This is your fault. You did this to him. You’ve got no right to make suggestions; no right to be here.”

“This is my house,” Gabri’el pointed out. 

“Thanks for the reminder. Trust me, as soon as we can we’ll be out of here and you’ll be out of our lives forever.”

“I deserve that, but—.”

“Too right you deserve it. Just get out and leave us alone.”

“He’s dying, Pasha,” Gabri’el said very softly. “Can’t you feel it?”

“No, I can’t, because it isn’t true.”

“You can’t because you don’t want it to be true.” Gabri’el’s hand fell onto Pasha’s shoulder and the world changed. Everything but the three of them seemed to recede into darkness and all that existed were him, Gabri’el and Uzzy. Pasha looked down at himself. He was glowing faintly with the same rainbow light he and Uzzy had called to them before. He glanced over his shoulder to find that Gabri’el was surrounded by the light too. Uzzy, however was dark, the glow just visible through some kind of black smoke with which he was shrouded.

“What does it mean?”

“It means he’s dying and if we don’t do something fast he will be gone.”

“No. No, I won’t let that happen. I won’t.”

“How do you think you’re going to stop it? He’s been dying since the moment he fell and you’ve found nothing so far.”

“And you have?”

“Maybe. Reach for him, Pasha. Hold on to his hand and reach for him. See what happens.”

“Nothing happens. Do you think I haven’t tried?

“Try again.”

With a sigh, Pasha took Uzzy’s hand, shivering at how cold it was. It felt like a dead man’s hand. “No,” he whispered and closed his eyes, reaching out with all his might for something, anything he could sense of his love. Almost immediately pictures started flashing through his mind. A waterfall, a cave, a cage, an unicorn, chains, fire…and then the pain came. Crying out, Pasha staggered back and fell to his knees, holding his head. 

“What did you see?” Gabri’el demanded.

Pasha couldn’t answer. He couldn’t speak. His mind was in a whirl trying desperately to make sense of what he’d seen. 

Finally, he was able to look up at Gabri’el who’d stopped glowing.

“They have him in a cage, in chains. It’s suspended over a lake of fire and they’re torturing him. They want something from him, something he can’t or won’t give. He’s in terrible pain, Gabri’el. We have to find him. I have to go to him.”

Gabri’el nodded. His face was very pale, his blue eyes bright as chips of sapphire lit from behind with a burning light.

“What else did you see?”

“How do you know there was something else?”

Gabri’el ducked his head, letting his hair fall over his face. 

“How do you know?” Pasha got to his feet and shook him. “Gabri’el please. If you know anything, please, you have to tell me. How do you know I saw something else?”

Gabri’el raised his head, licking his lips. He met Pasha’s eyes then flinched away. “Because I saw it too,” he said eventually.

“What? What did you see?”

“What you saw…and a waterfall, a unicorn, fields of purple flowers.”

“But…but how? How did you see it? Can you read my mind?”

“I don’t know. Look, are we going to stand here all day and argue over what I saw or didn’t see, or are we going to rescue Uzzi’el?”

“Rescue him? How?”

“I know where it is. The field of flowers. The grove where the unicorns live. The waterfall. I know where they are. I can take you there.”

“But I… I can’t leave him here. I can’t leave him here alone.”

“We can’t take him with us.”

“Why not?”

“Are you going to carry him? And when we get there, if there’s a battle, can you protect him?”

Pasha looked from Gabri’el to Uzzy. “No,” he said at last, slumping in defeat.

“I will post guards. He will be safe here. As safe as anywhere.”

“Whatever. Let’s get on with it.”

“We can’t go there alone. Give me time to gather the Host.”

“Time? We don’t have any time. Uzzy’s dying, he’s in pain. We have to—.”

“What? Throw our lives away trying to rescue him? End up in the cage with him? We can’t do it alone.”

“Alright. You’re right. Go, but please, don’t take long.”

Gabri’el gave Uzzy a long, intense stare then he nodded. “Not a moment longer than I have to.”

Left alone, Pasha was washed with wave after wave of panic. His lover was in terrible danger and he was sitting here doing nothing. At the time Uzzy needed him most, he was doing nothing but sit and watch his life ebbing by the moment. He could feel it now, the darkness that swirled around him like smoke, choking the life from him. 

Desperately, Pasha clasped Uzzy’s hand and tried to concentrate on dispersing the smoke, but every time he touched it, it flowed towards him and almost found a way through his guard to possess him too. 

“I’m sorry,” he sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I should have known there would be a trap. I should have protected you. I should have held you close and never let him take you. I should have saved you.”

“Pasha.” The voice echoed in his head. “Pasha, Pasha, Pasha.”

“I’m coming,” he whispered, too choked to speak more loudly. “I’m coming.”

Uzzy sighed and his eyes fluttered closed, leaving Pasha utterly alone.


Now go check out the other flashers who have created wonderful tidbits of creative writing just for you.









Friday 3 May 2013

M A Church - Be My Alien


Today I'm excited about hosting my friend M A Church. I have loved her writing since I first read The Harvest, which is soon to be released. Watch out for it. It will take your breath away.

But this post isn't about that book. It's about Be My Alien which she's co written with another friend and damn fine writer Julie Lynn Hayes. Without further ado let me introduce you to M A Church and her alien



Hey guys! Be My Alien is on the Coming Soon page and ready for pre-order. It’s scheduled for release by Dreamspinner on May 8th. This is the first a series of novel length books written by Julie Lynn Hayes and me. J


What’s an alien to do? Dumped at the Empire State Building by the very male he’s been trying to get a date with forever, Taz is stranded on a backwater planet called Earth with no money, no idea where the motel they rented is located, and… he’s starving to boot! The lovely moonlit skies he had admired no longer holds any appeal for him.

Where can he go, what can he do? The answer comes in a form of a human named Reed… and a love that will travel across the universe.

Blurb:

A man too busy for love…

Reed owns an upscale men’s boutique with a naughty back room. While making a late delivery to a client, he runs into Taz.

A man on a disastrous date…

When Taz agreed to come to Earth on a date, he didn’t expect to be dumped and left with no way home. Then he falls into Reed’s arms—literally.

A coffee date soon becomes a trip back to Reed’s apartment. But when Taz’s stripes begin to show, Reed discovers Taz comes from a planet far, far away.

Reed never believed aliens existed, but he’s facing one now. What in the world is he going to do?

Excerpt:

“Are you okay? Hello?”

Reed dragged his mind away from those sexy green eyes. “Ah, huh? What?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall on top of you like that. You see, it was like this. I was pushed, and you just happened to be there and….” The stranger grinned at Reed. “And down we went.”

Reed shifted under the body lying so contentedly on top of him. Hell’s bells, the guy fit against him perfectly. From the feel of things, they were both close to the same height. Which also meant certain things were… aligned. “Oh yeah, I’m okay. Banged my head a little, but I’m fine.”

The stranger bit his bottom lip, his teeth worrying the tender skin. Reed debated slamming his head against the floor a few more times in the hopes of rattling his brain back to normal as the stranger rolled off him.

“I really am sorry.”

“No harm done.” Reed sat up and looked at the guy once again. Well, not much harm, anyway. His libido just had to pick now to perk up, didn’t it? But damn, this guy was sexy. Reed struggled to his feet and held his hand out to the man still on the floor, looking up at him. The guy took his hand and let Reed pull him up. 

“Name’s Reed. Are you okay?”

“Hi, Reed!” The guy hopped to his feet in a single, lithe movement, as if it was the most….world. “My name is Taz. Nice to meet you, and yes, I am.”

For a moment there was a flash in the guy’s eyes that belied his statement. “Good, that’s good. Glad to hear it. Well, I guess I’d better be going—”

A forlorn expression crossed Taz’s face and his pretty eyes clouded. “Oh.” 

Reed hesitated. There was something about the guy that pulled at him. When was the last time he’d felt that pull? Way too long ago. Taz was cute, sure. But there was this look of hurt. Dammit, Taz just looked so lost. Insane as it was, he wanted to make it all better.

Author bio:

M.A. Church lives in the southern United States and spent many years in the elementary education sector. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have two children. Her hobbies are gardening, walking, attending flea markets, watching professional football, racing, and spending time with her family on the lake.

But her most beloved hobby is reading. From an early age, she can remember hunting for books at the library. Later nonhuman and science fiction genres captured her attention and drew her into the worlds the authors had created. But always at the back of her mind was the thought that one day, when the kids were older and she had more time, she would write a book.

By sheer chance she stumbled across a gay male romance story on the web and was hooked. A new world opened up and she fell in love. Thus the journey started. When not writing or researching, she enjoys reading the latest erotic and mainstream romance novels.

My links:

Twitter @nomoretears00

Publishers:

Romance First Publishing: www.rfppublishing.com
eXtasy Books http://www.extasybooks.com/  (coming soon)


Author Bio:

Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. 

She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. 

She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. She enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, knitting and needlepoint and loves to cook. 

While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a good thing, after all.  Her other published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, MuseitUp Publishing and No Boundaries Press, and coming soon with both Extasy Books and Torquere Press. She has also begun to self-publish and is an editor at MuseitUp.  

My links:

Twitter @Shelley_runyon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.l.hayes.7?ref=tn_tnmn

Publishers:

eXtasy Books http://www.extasybooks.com/  (coming soon)
Torquere Press http://torquerepress.com/  (coming soon)