So, you have a few questions about AIDS Walk 2016…

I know what you’re thinking. She just blogged, like a couple of days ago? What could she possibly have to say already? It’s usually month between blogs posts, unlike real life, where I never shut the hell up!

But, I just announced the other day that for the first time I’m participating in the 25th Annual AIDS Walk and Superhero run in Edmonton and I’d like to talk a little bit about that.

Every year I do a post on December 1st for World AIDS Day and I always try to explain why it’s so important to me to bring awareness to those around me. I probably do a terrible job at putting into words why I feel so strongly about it, but my feelings about the whole situation grow stronger every year and I’m finding myself looking for other ways to show my support for people who are HIV positive. I had no idea that Edmonton did such an amazing event every year, let alone for the last 25 years!

I get a lot of questions these days. Why do I write books where the two main characters are both men? Why do I attend Pride (and take my kid with me)? Why do you worry about things that have nothing to do with you? Why are you being so weird? Are you gay? Are you HIV positive?

You wouldn’t believe the things people feel free to ask you when they are hiding behind a computer keyboard and have no fear of any consequences (or any manners either) and while I’m under absolutely no obligation to answer any of them (as far as I’m concerned anyway) I’m willing to answer some.

Why do I write m/m romance books? Because it makes me happy. It lets me show my support for the LGBTQ community in a unique way that also lets me express myself creatively. I’m insanely proud of being published and I will never regret finally giving in and submitting my first manuscript to my publisher.

Why do I attend Pride? Once again, it lets me show my support for a community that has shown me nothing but kindness and understanding and I truly believe equality is everyone’s right and going to Pride lets me see how it could be in a world where discrimination and bigotry wasn’t tolerated. Why take my kid? Because I want her to grow up in a better world. Someone once said “be the change you want to see in the world.”and so taking my daughter and educating her is one of the ways that I’m doing that.

Plus, Pride is a whole lot of fun. Being surrounded by people celebrating who they are is one sure way to find a bunch of joy for yourself.

Am I gay? Nope, definitely not. However, I don’t have to be gay to know that there are terrible things happening to people for no logical reason what-so-ever and be outraged by it.

Am I HIV positive? Also no, but I’ve never had cancer or diabetes or MS either and still managed to find a way to support the people who are living with those diseases and the people who love them.

Why am I being so weird? Honestly, I guess weird depends on your point of view. I think I’m perfectly normal and you wanna know a secret? A big one?

I’m kind of selfish because in finally letting myself express my feelings about so many things I’ve always believed in but been too scared to say makes me feel better about myself.

Being good and kind and doing the right thing makes me feel good about myself, even if every once in a while, someone manages to push a button or two resulting in a long rant on my blog about why I do what I do.

And for the last question…why do I worry about things that have nothing to do with me? Because I believe we are all stuck living on this great big world of ours and I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to be the best human beings they possibly can. And I think too many people don’t realise they aren’t as unaffected by what goes on around them as they think they are.

So, there you go. It’s just me trying to be a better person and make the world a better place for my kid in the ways that I can.

So, that being said, if you wanna support me then click here on the clicky thing and take a look: “clicky thing”

BTW, a little side note to my handsome and wonderful nephew. I know the walk is on your birthday and I promise to make it up to you with the dinner and dessert of your choice whenever you want it. I hope knowing that your Aunty is doing something to help people will help you forgive me for missing your big day.

Exciting news and a little rambling…and a fic rec

Hello friends…long time no blog, huh? Life’s been busy as hell and my inspiration has been leaving me high and dry. It’s very frustrating to say the least.

But now I have some exciting news to share! Wrapped up In Chains, my best-selling novel published in 2014 is coming out in audio book form in a few weeks. It will be available at Audible.com and shortly after, at Amazon and iTunes. I’ve been waiting for this for what seems like forever and so stoked that it’s finally happened.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the book, here’s the blurb:

Devon West is a professional Dom who runs his own club, doesn’t believe in romance, and has never been in a long-term relationship. All this changes when he rescues Chase Mackenzie.

Chase is a runaway who has been kept as a slave since he was sixteen. Now twenty-three, he’s still innocent and sweet despite being severely abused and left behind by his Dom.

When Devon finds out that the man who held Chase hostage is the same man who hurt him terribly when he started learning about the sub/Dom lifestyle, he knows he has to keep Chase safe.

Spoiled rich boy and sociopath James Kingston is obsessed with Devon. He’s convinced Devon would be his perfect sub and Devon only thinks he’s a Dom because he needs proper discipline. Losing Chase to Devon is like rubbing salt in the wound, and he’s determined to get them both under his thumb. This time, Chase may need to rescue Devon.

I am still so proud of this story and the messages of love and appreciation I’ve received because of it still overwhelm me a little.

If audio books are your thing, I hope that you will take a listen to this one. I’ll post the links as soon as I have them but until the, you can get the ebook or paperback version here at Dreamspinner Press or if you prefer, you can pick it up at Amazon.

Oh and here’s the beautiful cover because it makes me smile. Paul Richmond did a beautiful job didn’t he?

So, I have a few other things to say.

I probably shouldn’t get started on the US election because I know that it’s not my country, but I do have to say that the outcome affects so much more of the world than just the United States.

Maybe I would feel better if I could find one person who can give me some logical, sensible reasons as to why they support Donald Trump, but so far, I can’t. All I here is “he’s gonna fix this country.” When you ask how, people have no idea. They just know he’s spewing the hateful rhetoric that appeals to their bigoted, homophobic, misogynistic hearts. There doesn’t seem to be anything not attached to him that isn’t about anger and fear and I just don’t understand why anyone would want fall into that.

Do I think that Hilary Clinton is perfect? No, but then again I don’t have the highest opinion of politicians in general. I think many people start out in public service with good intentions but by the time they get to the point where they can truly make a difference they are so corrupted by the system that their original intentions are mostly likely lost.

But I hope that Ms. Clinton gets the chance to try because the alternative is so abhorrent that I can’t even begin to imagine how terrible it could be.

Donald Trump is a man completely obsessed with himself and this run for the presidency is nothing but a huge ego trip. He cares nothing for the average person because he has nothing in common with them. He’s never had to struggle for anything in his life and he sees himself above everyone. He holds no compassion or empathy for anyone and that is not a man who needs to have control over a country so powerful. In truth, I’m terrified of what could happen if he becomes president and I hope that all those people who have even a lick of common sense get out there and vote to keep America out of his hands.

Okay, I’m done with that now. On to more pleasant things.

I’m very excited for Rhys Ford’s new novel Mad Lizard Mambo come out in September so I am reccing the first book in the series Black Dog Blues.

Rhys Ford writes amazing characters that capture my heart and her Sinner’s Gin series stands at the top of my list of favorites. Miki and Kane and all their friends and family feel like friends that I visit often.

But Kai Gracen has his own charms and a kick ass attitude. This story is the best kind of fantasy and incorporates everything that I love about the genre. Here’s the blurb for Black Dog Blues:

Ever since being part of the pot in a high-stakes poker game, elfin outcast Kai Gracen figures he used up his good karma when Dempsey, a human Stalker, won the hand and took him in. Following the violent merge of Earth and Underhill, the human and elfin races are left with a messy, monster-ridden world, and Stalkers are the only cavalry willing to ride to someone’s rescue when something shadowy appears.

It’s a hard life but one Kai likes—filled with bounty, a few friends, and most importantly, no other elfin around to remind him of his past. And killing monsters is easy. Especially since he’s one himself.

But when a sidhe lord named Ryder arrives in San Diego, Kai is conscripted to do a job for Ryder’s fledgling Dawn Court. It’s supposed to be a simple run up the coast during dragon-mating season to retrieve a pregnant human woman seeking sanctuary. Easy, quick, and best of all, profitable. But Kai ends up in the middle of a deadly bloodline feud he has no hope of escaping.

No one ever got rich being a Stalker. But then few of them got old either and it doesn’t look like Kai will be the exception.

This story completely swept me away and it feels like I’ve been waiting forever to see what happened to Kai and Ryder after the story closed and I’m sure I will be raving about Mad Lizard Mambo as soon as I can get my greedy little hands on it.

You can find all her books here at Dreamspinner Press or here at Amazon if that’s more your thing. Take a chance and try something new, trust me you’ll like it.