my 666 followers on Twitter flash fic (m/m)

“Is this what you call the mark of the beast?” Jaydon asked, staring at the lurid hickey on his neck.

“No. I call that a love bite.” Daelon stepped up behind him, and it made him moan a little. Not just because Daelon’s cock was pressing against his ass, but because he could only see Dae’s true form In the mirror. The little horns peeking out from the curly mop of hair, the tail that waved in the air, they were graphic reminders that his lover was far from human. “The mark of the beast would burn you a bit too much.”

“No burning. That smell ruins the mood.” He’d had no idea when he conjured Dae up that the crazy demon would hang around. He leaned back against that wide chest, humming at the heat between them. He grunted when Dae grabbed his cock.

“This is burning up, though. I can help with that.”

Jay nodded, meeting those pretty green demon eyes in the mirror. “I think you can.”

“I promise not to singe even a little.”

Jaydon chuckled. The hickey would be way harder to explain, but he’d take what he could get.

Full Moon Dating: Aiden and Ben

dude, this book from Torquere is at number 15 on the ARE Bestseller list today.

O.O

Here's a wee bit to get you going.

"Cool. It's a drive to where I live, so we could stay at the cabin here tonight. Save you that hotel room."

If he said yes, was he agreeing to sex? Did he want to agree to... Oh, who was he kidding? He loved having sex, and it had been a while. "Sounds like a plan."

"Good deal. Oh, look at those." The nachos came, piled high with chips and cheese.

Those were not Texas nachos. Not at all. "Whoa." He was used to something more... organized. A quarter of a tortilla with cheese and a jalapeno on it. Seriously. This was like Jenga.

"The trick is to put some on your little plate." Ben used a fork and scooped a bunch of chips and goo onto the little appetizer plate.

"Thanks." He got himself a scoopful, the scent of the beef so yummy. His mouth watered a little, reminding him that the lunch on the plane had been bird food.

He tried not to pounce on the food, to be slow and careful. Sure.

Human.

Very human.

He glanced up, though, and Ben's eyes flashed at him, that animal shine right there.

He dropped his fork, the silverware clattering on the table.

"You need to eat, honey," Ben said, the low growl marching up Aiden's spine.

"Sorry. Sorry, I just... I was... Yeah." Eating. Right. He stuffed a chip in his mouth before he said anything stupid.

"No worries. I just want to make sure you have plenty of energy."

Energy.

A surge of lust shot down his spine. The hair prickled on the back of his neck.

He got a beefy bite, and his focus moved to the food. Yum. Cheesy goodness. He needed to focus on things he could have. Like a good meal.

The sour cream wet his fingertips, and he licked them clean, sucked the sour off.

"Yum." Okay, the man was staring again.

"They're good. I love Mexican food."

"No, I mean you. That was hot as all fuck, you licking your fingers."

This time the flush climbed up from his belly, all the way up his neck. He was going to go up in flames. Really, this wasn't flirting. This was being hunted. He just wished his cock and his brain were on the same page, because his prick was more than willing to be prey.

The steaks broke the stare-down, and Aiden actually moaned. Oh, beautiful slab of meat. How long had it been since he'd had such a beautiful rare steak?

His wolf surged to the fore, and he shoved it down. No. No fuzz.

"Just breathe a minute, honey." Ben touched him, fingers on his wrist. "This is what happens when you bottle the wolf up too much, huh? We should run tonight."

"Without the moon? You're not worried you'll get stuck?"

"Nope." Those fingers stayed right there on his skin, burning away.

"No?" The steak smelled like blood, like butter and pepper and meat.

Ben smelled better.

You can find it here!

And here it is on ARE

Can we make the top ten?

XXOO

Julia

changeling press Flash fiction this week

theme is naughty librarian

“Damn it, Jamie, I just need access to the library for five minutes.” The sucky thing about being a demon hunter was that most of your research materials weren’t online. Or digitized at all. You had to hit the library.

Even worse, when your boyfriend was the librarian, and he was pissed off at you for tracking green demon goo into the living room the night before.

“What are you going to give me?” Jamie asked, giving him an under the lashes kind of look.

Oh, now, that boded well for goo-forgiveness.

“I’ve always wanted to slip under one of those bit oak tables and blow the librarian,” Blaine answered.

Bingo. Jamie grinned like a fool, nodding, and Blaine knew he’d get his man and his big Latin-filled book on how to kill a big rock demon.

It was going to be a good night.

XXOO

Julia

Hunted is out!

Woo.

The latest in the Mixed Breeds series from Changeling Press. Find it here.

Here's the cover

And here's a teaser!

“Biting me would be a very bad idea.” God knew what it would do to his body chemistry. He had a delicate enough balance as it was, despite his hard-won buff body.

“Why?” Her head tilted. “Are you contagious? Humans?”

“You never know.” He wasn’t contagious. He didn’t think. Hell, no one had ever bitten him hard enough to find out.

“Oh, I’ve fucked humans, Shanna. You just have to be gentle with them, but they’re not contagious.”

“Good to know.”

They were comedians. Great. “You two should take your act on the road,” Damon said.

“Good idea. Up.” Chase hauled Damon around, and Shanna shoved him. His cuffed feet weren’t up to the speed of the movement and Damon started to topple over.

They caught him, both of them strong, and the burn in the base of his brain responded, his skin beginning to tingle with heat. Shit, what the hell was that? Whatever it was, it was more dangerous than any weapon, and Damon struggled.

“Easy easy.” Chase sounded worried. “What the fuck? Shanna?”

“I don’t know.” Her nose brushed across his cheek. “Whoa.”

“Yeah. Let me go and I won’t do it again.” Damon was tossing out anything, desperate.

“Shut up,” Shanna growled, letting Chase carry him so she could unlock the shed. “Inside.”

They put him on a lawn chair, two pairs of eyes glowing at him in the dark, that animal shine fascinating. He pressed back, feeling the danger of this whole thing keenly. When they advanced, he kicked out, trying one last-ditch effort to keep those teeth away from his skin.

“You’re not one of us.” Shanna’s voice was pure growl, and so was Chase’s when he answered her.

“He’s not one of them, either, though. No. He’s something else.” Chase tilted his head. “I don’t know what.”

She looked at him, lips twisting. “So, what are you? And don’t lie.”

He stared at her, trying for deadpan. “US government property.”

“What do they want with us?”

He blew out a deep breath. Now he was in deep, but they knew something was off about him. Might as well see if the truth worked. “We don’t want you. We want the hunters.”

“Honey…” Shanna looked at him, head tilted. “I hate to be the one to break the news, but you were running with them. The hunters. The ones with the big guns.”

Damon rolled his eyes. “Look, do you get pizza delivery up here? I’ll buy, we’ll talk. It’ll be great.”

“God, I wish.” For the first time, she was a real girl, someone human, rolling her eyes and licking her lips.

“Seriously?” The Chase guy was grinning, though. “Well, if we’re gonna eat with this guy, tell me you have the stuff to make waffles. Since we can’t have pizza or pho.”

This? Was surreal. Bizarre. Entertaining as hell.

“We have to keep him tied up. Do you cook waffles?” Shanna asked.

“I do. With bacon. If you have bacon.”

Damon snorted. “I like bacon.”

“Everyone likes bacon.” She looked between them, unsure.

“Fuck it,” Chase said. “This has been the weirdest night ever. We can tie him to the chair. Come on.”

Well, being dragged into the house was better than in the barn about to be gnawed on. He might even get a waffle out of it.

XXOO

Julia

More coming soon!

Look at my cover for Full Moon Dating. Yep, a new series!

Adien is an over-humanized werewolf. Ben knows just the cure, and he's grateful to Full Moon Dating for the chance to prove it.

Eeeee

XXOO

Julia

Coming next week

from Changeling Press

Hunted: Mixed Breeds 3

Here's the info!

Chase has been charged with the task of finding the hunters plaguing his pack's territory. Unrest among shifters in the area is causing no end of trouble. So Chase hooks up with slinky PI Shanna to figure out what's going on.

Damon has fallen in with the hunters for reasons he'd rather not share, especially with a pair of shifters. So when Shanna and Chase capture him, Damon knows he has to be very careful, even if these two are all he's ever wanted. Can he convince them to let him go so he can do his job, or will he stay with them of his own free will?

Here's a yummy bit:

“You’re not one of us.” Shanna’s voice was pure growl, and so was

Chase’s when he answered her.

“He’s not one of them, either, though. No. He’s something else.” Chase tilted his head. “I don’t know what.”

She looked at him, lips twisting. “So, what are you? And don’t lie.”

He stared at her, trying for deadpan. “US government property.”

“What do they want with us?” He blew out a deep breath. Now he was in deep, but they knew something was off about him. Might as well see if the truth worked. “We don’t want you. We want the hunters.”

“Honey…” Shanna looked at him, head tilted. “I hate to be the one to break the news, but you were running with them. The hunters. The ones with the big guns.”

Damon rolled his eyes. “Look, do you get pizza delivery up here? I’ll buy, we’ll talk. It’ll be great.”

“God, I wish.” For the first time, she was a real girl, someone human, rolling her eyes and licking her lips.

“Seriously?” The Chase guy was grinning, though. “Well, if we’re gonna eat with this guy, tell me you have the stuff to make waffles. Since we can’t have pizza or pho.”

This? Was surreal. Bizarre. Entertaining as hell.

“We have to keep him tied up. Do you cook waffles?” Shanna asked.

“I do. With bacon. If you have bacon.”

Damon snorted. “I like bacon.”

“Everyone likes bacon.” She looked between them, unsure.

“Fuck it,” Chase said. “This has been the weirdest night ever. We can tie him to the chair. Come on.”

Well, being dragged into the house was better than in the barn about to be gnawed on. He might even get a waffle out of it.

Available a week from today at www.changelingpress.com

"Demon hunter, not demon fucker. Hunter. Not fucker. Got it?" Damon's boss slammed a huge case file down on his desk, glaring at him, looking like nothing so much as Wilford Brimley on crack. "This makes what, six--"

"Eight."

"Eight! Eight that you've had to have sex with in the line of duty? In the line of duty! Who in hell has sex with a demon to bring them down?"

"Hey, this job has very few perks." Damon started counting the detriments of the job down on his fingers. "No hazard pay. Singed clothing. Lots of slime. I figure if there's an attractive demon I might as well enjoy him before I send him back to Hell."

"It's bad for our reputation."

"As what? We're not exactly the kind of place you look up on Dunn and Bradstreet."

"We still have to prove that we can pull the trigger or do the damned spell when we have to."

Damon let his feet slam to the floor, rolling off his desk. He stood, looming over his boss so fast that the man backed up a step. "I never, ever have trouble sending their asses to Hell. No matter what I do to said asses beforehand."

His boss stared at him for a long moment, something weird flashing in those mossy old eyes. "One day, you'll meet one you can't let go of. Then what the hell are you going to do?"

Damon just sneered. "I do the dumping, Boss. Don't you worry. The demon who can snare me doesn't exist."

From Absolutely Magic, out todat at www.torquerebooks.com

why is a pen name a sign of dishonesty?

I read a great article by author Julie Isaac today. You can find it here.

In it, she discusses reasons why authors use pen names, and how they can help a writer diversify, shield their private life, or gain confidence before revealing their real name. She lists some great examples, and I would add authors like my favorites, Elizabeth Peters, who is Barbara Mertz and also writes as Barbara Michaels, as well as Jayne Anne Krentz, who writes as Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick. Elizabeth Lowell writes under her pseudonym with her husband.

It's a literary tradition, the pen name, and the fake biography to go with it, just as illustrated by JK Eowling in Julie's article.

So why is it that in the world of ebook and self-publishing the pen name is often vilified?

Now, I want to note that I'm speaking from my own experience. Julia Talbot is not my real name (gasp). When I first started writing m/m, back in 2000, it was often unsafe to publish under your own name. People sent awful emails about turning us into the FBI for illegal activities. One of my best friends, also a m/m writer, got a vacuum sealed dead cat in the mail. when you have day jobs and children and significant others who might lose their livelihoods, you take a pan name.

Then, when I got fairly good at crafting a m/m story, I started publishing with the GLBT publishers. They often asked me to shorten my pen name to J Talbot, just to be less gender specific. I thought about changing my pseudonym to Jules Talbot. I wrote one story under another name. Chris Wolfe. (My middle name is Christina, my Great Grandma's maiden name was Wolfe)

Funny things began to happen. People started accusing me of being dishonest when they "found me out". Readers started trying to tell me I was also any number of other writers on the market. Bloggers posted terrible things about my primary publishers, calling them on a "lack of transparency".

So, why is such a tradition suddenly considered dishonest? I have a theory. The internet age is all about instant access. The days of the writer hiding out in a garret is a thing of the past (though it was mostly fiction, anyway). Fans, bloggers, even publishers believe that they have a right to the real Julia Talbot, whoever that is, and they want personal interaction. No one wants to believe that writers, especially those of us who write erotic romance, are middle aged, or pathologically shy, or just plain bad at human interaction. The instant gratification, the Internet construct, makes it harder and harder for an author to maintain a private life under another name.

So, is it really dishonest to have a pen name. I don't think so, and I was really glad to see Julie's article describe the reasons why writers might want to use one!

What are y'all's thoughts?

XXOO

Julia

who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Not me. Alpha wolf. Damn, I love me some of that. I love to write growly, yummy hotness.

I love to write shifters as just regular people who happen to be shifters, but every pack of wolves I write has an alpha, and they all have a story.

Kamen, for instance, in my Pack Mentality series at Changeling Press He's queer and not afraid to show it, but it gets him in no end of trouble. Luckily for him, he has enough friends and family to start his very own pack, which I adore. I love the alpha as outsider bit sometimes.

In Crazy in Love, from Torquere Press Dakota is the more alpha of the pair of packless wolves, and he's happy to call the shots. He's more passive aggressive than I expected him to be, but hot. Very hot.

I have this urge to explore what happens in a pack when the alpha has a twin brother. What do you think?

XXOO

Julia

weird facts about Julia Talbot

I have extremely high arches. Like Barbie feet

I love writing shifters but when I was in college I was obsessed with vampires

I didn't start driving a lot until I was 30

I love BopIt

I am incapable of finding things on the first try

I hate liver

I am obsessed with curtains

I lose words all the time and have to talk around them using their definitions

I was born with no canine teeth

I love weird books about history, the kind you get at the B&N bargain bin

what's your favorite weird fact about you?

XXOO

Julia