Everyone Needs A Bedtime Story

Category: gay erotica

Opening Lines with Mia Ryder: Downtime

It’s been far to long since I had an Opening Lines feature on this blog!

I’m putting that right today with the first 500 words – exactly – from the fabulous Mia Ryder, whose latest hot release, Downtime, is out now!

ALL ABOUT DOWNTIME

“Oh. My. Gay. God. The atmospheric opening got my spine tingling, which was just a taster for what else would be tingling moments later. ‘Downtime’ will have you on the edge of your seat, and edging in other ways before the story climaxes. Mia’s first gay erotica is not to be missed.” – Drew Hubbard, Pride Reads

Fresh from his ordeals in the HQ re-education centre and then with Raquel the serial killer, Nick is taking some well-earned time off.

Of course, Nick doesn’t know how to relax, so most of his downtime involves scouting for his next lover. Cue gorgeous young twink Rafe …

Rafe is failing his way through life. First as a writer, now as a waiter: he comes to Nick’s attention when he gets fired from the bistro Nick happens to be in.

It’s clear Rafe has zero confidence. He’s been living a cycle of self-denial, meaning he’s long overdue a good time.

Nick decides he has the goods to rock Rafe’s world AND shake up his worldview a little.

Little does Nick know that Rafe has a few surprises himself …

DOWNTIME is part of the SEX. DIE. REPEAT series and explicit, paranormal M/M erotica.

SEX. DIE. REPEAT is bitesize filth you can devour before bed. Each story can be read as a standalone too.

(PLEASE NOTE: This story is for adults only and contains homoerotic content, as well as depictions of flogging, exhibitionism, religious iconography, mild horror as well as commentary on life choices, mental health and self-care. )

FIRST 500 WORDS

Rafe didn’t think much of the fact the tube station was deserted, nor was he concerned when the next train came in without passengers. Listening to his ear pods, his head bobbed up and down to his favourite, Ariana Grande. Thank u, next.

He dragged his tired self through the automatic doors, letting them swish shut behind him. It was only just seven o’clock in the evening; Rafe left his home twelve hours ago but it felt like years. In the winter he’d leave in the dark and arrive home in the dark.  His feet throbbed; his back ached from standing all day. Rafe let himself fall onto the scratchy fabric seat, breathing in the musty, stale air through his nostrils. A momentary wondering bubbled up in the surface of his brain.

Where was everyone?

This concern disappeared as the train shuddered, moving away from the vacant underground platform. The lights overhead flickered as the tube plunged into the dark tunnel; for a moment, all illumination was gone.

Rafe was alone, in the dark.

Discomfort rose in his chest in that microsecond. Darkness brought with it unwanted memories of childhood, hiding under the bed or in the wardrobe with his sister while their mother indulged in drunken rants about their no-good father who’d run out on them. Yet as quick as it disappeared, the light was back, casting its fluorescent glow around the carriage.

As Rafe blinked, allowing his eyes to readjust, he discovered he was no longer alone. Another man stood four or five feet away from him.

A fluttering of anxiety surged in Rafe’s chest at the sight of him: where had he come from? Was this an ambush? Rafe knew, from bitter experience, certain violent types liked to hunt down those they deemed ‘weaker’ by isolating them, like a lion separates a gazelle from the rest of the herd.

No, Rafe was being over-cautious. He’d not seen a living soul at the station; nor had there been anyone on board the carriage. The stranger would have needed to be psychic to know Rafe was alone and vulnerable. He can’t have appeared out of thin air; he must have been moving from another carriage to this one as the lights went out.

It was just a coincidence.

The stranger held on to a commuter rail above him. He didn’t look like he really needed to; he was a huge, solid biker guy, broad in the shoulder. He had a swarthy complexion, blue eyes and skeins of silver-grey in his long hair and beard. He stood with feet wide apart, his other hand in his leather jacket pocket. He wore blue jeans, work boots, a bandanna, and a gold earring, like a pirate.

Rafe felt a stirring in his groin at the sight of the biker. He reminded him of the iconic homoerotic work of Artist Touko Valio Laaksonen aka Tom of Finland. Rafe had grown up watching movies and TV shows about motorcycle gangs and this guy looked…

You can buy Downtime from the Amazon Kindle store.

BIO

Mia Ryder is a debut author of erotica and steamy romance, but you might know her better as LV Hay. LV’s books previous books were crime fiction: The Other Twin, Do No Harm (Orenda Books) and Never Have I Ever (Hodder). Her latest book The Coven is under the pseudonym Lizzie Fry for Sphere Books. The Other Twin is currently being adapted for the screen by Agatha Raisin producers Free@Last. 
Many thanks for your opening lines, Mia.
Happy reading everyone,
Kay x

OUT NOW—Magnificent Manlove by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985)

OUT NOW—Magnificent Manlove by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #mm #gay #erotica #eroticromance

Blurb:

If you enjoy testosterone-filled tales of men getting it on, then check out this collection from the pen of award-winning author Lucy Felthouse.

From stranded soldiers to submissive virgins, sexy firemen and second chances to shifters, and even some unexpected ménage, this book has variety galore. There’s something for everyone, and will have you eager to turn just one more page.

Enjoy six steamy stories, over 46,000 words of magnificent manlove.

Please note: The stories in this anthology have been previously published.

Available from: http://books2read.com/magnificentmanlove

Excerpt:

Nathan closed his book with a very final slap and put it on the coffee table in front of him, then leaned back in his chair. Stretching languidly, he said, “Bloody good, that was. Though, admittedly, I thought it’d last me all week. Wasn’t expecting to get through it on day one.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lee shot Nathan an amused glance. “Not far off myself. Fucking storm. Stupid us, eh, going on holiday in the UK in summertime—not like you can guarantee the sodding weather, is it? Should’ve gone to the Canaries.”

“No, we can’t guarantee the weather, but…” Nathan gave the window a sidelong glance, “I do have some good news.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. The torrential downpour has stopped.”

“Seriously?” Lee slammed his own book closed and scurried over to the window. “Oh, wow, it’s cleared right up, and I can see a rainbow. Wanna head out? Just a little wander down to that pond we saw on the way here, maybe? Get some fresh air. We’ve got loads of daylight left, haven’t we?”

Nathan checked his watch. “Plenty. Especially if we’re only nipping to the pond. It’s probably only a fifteen-minute walk.”

“Fantastic. I was going a bit stir crazy in here. I’ll grab our coats and shoes.”

Lee had disappeared into the hallway of their rented holiday cottage before Nathan had the chance to reply. Shaking his head with a smile, Nathan collected their empty mugs from the coffee table and took them into the kitchen, then got a bottle of water from the fridge. He doubted they’d need a drink during their short trek along the road, but he could just shove the bottle in his coat pocket and forget about it. At least it’d be there if they wanted it.

When he returned to the living room, Lee was just about to tie up his laces.

“I got water,” Nathan said, brandishing the bottle.

“Cool. Shoes are there.” He nodded to the chair Nathan had been sitting in. Sure enough, his trail shoes were waiting on the floor in front of it.

“Thanks.”

Within a few minutes, they were headed out of the door. Nathan locked up, pocketed the key, then checked the handle. He doubted very much the place would get broken into—they were in the middle of nowhere, after all. There were farms nearby, but the closest village was about a mile and a half away. So any thieves would have to make a considerable effort to get to the cottage in the first place, never mind attempt to break into it. Rolling his eyes at his own paranoia, he turned and followed Lee, who’d already started ambling along the road in the direction of the pond.

After falling into step beside Lee, Nathan pulled in some deep breaths, enjoying the fresh air after being cooped up in the cottage. It was beautiful, and cosy, but it was supposed to be a base for them to go walking—somewhere for them to eat, sleep and shower, not to be stuck in for hours on end, staring at the walls. Or climbing them.

He admired the rainbow as they walked, its vivid colours painted across the watery sky. It seemed the clouds had literally exhausted themselves—only occasional wispy streaks of white now interrupted the never-ending blue. The sun beamed down, heating up the ground and beginning to evaporate the huge puddles. It would take some doing—one such puddle stretched across the width of the road, and they had to skirt around its edge to avoid getting wet feet.

Nathan smiled. Though the storm itself had been grim, the washed-out aftermath made everything feel fresh, clean somehow.

“You look thoughtful,” Lee said, breaking into his reverie. “A penny for them?”

“Mmm. It’s one of those things that sounds better in your head than said out loud.”

“Try me.”

Shrugging, Nathan replied, “Nothing major. Just admiring the rainbow, the sky, the clouds… thinking how everything looks so fresh and clean after a good storm. Like it’s been purified or something… Ugh, it’s stupid.”

Lee stopped and reached for Nathan’s hand. His green eyes were wide and filled with wonder. “No, it isn’t. Not at all—I was thinking something similar myself. It’s kinda romantic, isn’t it? Purification, rebirth, and all that.”

“In a roundabout way, maybe. I dunno.” He shrugged again.

Lee’s eyes narrowed, and his lips curved into a wicked grin. “We could make it romantic.”

“How so?”

“Come here and I’ll show you.” Still gripping Nathan’s hand, Lee tugged him close and moved in for a kiss. Nathan went into the embrace willingly, the smile on his face soon smothered by Lee’s hot lips.

*****

Author Bio:

Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk’s 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You’ve Never Heard Of), Eyes Wide Open (winner of the Love Romances Café’s Best Ménage Book 2015 award), The Persecution of the Wolves, Hiding in Plain Sight, and The Heiress’s Harem and The Dreadnoughts series. Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 170 publications to her name. Find out more about her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk, or on Twitter or Facebook. Join her Facebook group for exclusive cover reveals, sneak peeks and more! Sign up for automatic updates on Amazon or BookBub. Subscribe to her newsletter here: http://www.subscribepage.com/lfnewsletter

Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services.

Opening Line: One Last Christmas by Dylan McEwan

I’m delighted to welcome Dylan McEwan to my site today as part of my ‘Opening Lines’ blog series.

The idea for this series is that- once a fortnight- a different erotica writer will drop by to share the first 500 words (exactly) from one of their novels or novella.

Over to you Dylan…

I could have chosen a more current work or coming-soon book to feature here but I have chosen One Last Christmas simply because I enjoy reading it myself. The setting is both a contemporary British city and a futuristic post-apocalyptic domed super-city. When I first wrote the story some years ago I had no intention of submitting it for publication. After having several very successful erotic novellas and a full-length fantasy novel published under a pseudonymn, I had taken a long hiatus due both to serious ill health and a family bereavement and was easing myself back into writing with short stories just for my own entertainment. I was just writing what I wanted to read. The story came to me in a brief flash of inspiration – one of those times when it’s the early hours, you’re trying to sleep, but suddenly your brain decides instead to throw a story at you and you have to write down the plotline before you forget it. Most of my stories are fairly strong on the BDSM side but this turned out to be a sweet gentle romance that actually caused me to well up on re-reading. I am now working on a full-length novel based on the short story.

The Opening Lines

Jace stared at the sea of whiteness before him. In realistic terms, it was a pre-primed cotton canvas adhered to a tempered hardboard core. To Jace, it was an invitation, a beckoning opportunity, with the possibility to become anything at all in all the world that he could imagine and create, with a spectrum of acrylic and tempera. He never felt so alive as when he was giving birth to a work of art. Each brush stroke was a little piece of his soul, each finished painting his offspring. Right now, however, he was sterile. There was no spark of inspiration, no vision clamoring to escape his mind’s eye.

He sighed, raked a hand through his shoulder-length sandy colored hair, and put down the hog bristle brush he had been holding for the last fifteen minutes. It was time to give up for now. While this was frustrating, he wasn’t overly concerned. It happened sometimes. He knew there would come that moment of clarity when he would see so clearly the image in his mind that he wanted, needed, to bring to life. He just had to wait.

Jace left the bedroom he’d turned into an artist’s studio and went to the kitchen to make himself a mug of tea. He poured the hot water onto the bag of Darjeeling, then while it was brewing went downstairs to check if there had been any post. He picked up the pile of letters from the doormat and sorted through them, leaving those for other tenants on the shelf. Back upstairs, he sat down to open them at the small breakfast table. Most were white envelopes, hand addressed, obviously Christmas cards, but one was a brown windowed envelope, and he opened that first. He swore under his breath after reading it, screwed it up and threw it into the paper recycling bin. Great! The bank had refused an extension on his overdraft. What was he supposed to do for money now? There certainly weren’t going to be any luxuries like a turkey for Christmas. He’d be lucky if he could afford to have the central heating on. He couldn’t work any more hours and continue to paint. He was burning the candle at both ends now as it was. No one on minimum wage could afford to rent this place on their own. It was a real struggle since Alan and Dean had left. If someone didn’t answer his ad for a new roomate soon, then he was going to be in real trouble.

Jace decided to go for a walk to clear his head and take his mind off his worries for a short while. He wandered aimlessly along the sidewalk, sprinkled with the first fall of snow, occasionally glancing up at some of the wintry scenes decorating the shop windows. When he reached the town center with its department stores and street markets, he had to steer his way through the milling crowds of Christmas shoppers, laden with bags and…

***

Buy Links

Luminosity Publishing:

http://luminositypublishing.com/book/one-las­t-christmas/

Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/One-Last-Christmas-Dylan-McEwan-ebook/dp/B01G6ALRKE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1523115687&sr=8-6&keywords=dylan+mcewan

Amazon.co.uk:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=one+last+christmas+dylan+mcewan

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/dylan+mcewan?_requestid=5015864

Book Blurb

If it’s true love, then even Time and Space cannot be an obstacle.

Struggling artist Jace Hamilton needs to find a new roommate to help make ends meet. He has no idea that posting that advert will change his life. Discovering a tall, dark and mysterious stranger on one’s doorstep is the stuff of cliché romance novels, but that’s exactly what happens when Jace meets Daniel Philips—a tall, dark stranger who oozes sex appeal and is hiding a fantastical secret!

Despite the obvious chemistry between them—and several fun romps between the sheets—it seems that this is nothing more than a holiday fling because Daniel is only in town for two weeks and is very evasive about his travel plans. But Daniel has fallen hard and isn’t going to let a little thing like a 500-year age gap stop him from being with the man he loves.

An emotionally-charged gay romance with a twist.

***

Author Bio

Dylan asked for a typewriter for his seventh birthday and has been writing ever since. He had his first short story published in a children’s comic when he was 12 when his main inspiration was Enid Blyton!

Dylan has played with lions, lived in an Iron Age round-hut, slept in a 5000-year-old rock tomb and kayaked white water rapids but now lives a quiet family life in the north of England with his daughter and youngest son. He enjoys hiking, camping, ancient history, archaeology, reading, writing poetry, vegan cookery, ancient crafts, LARP costume making, pagan/spiritual activities, and watching yaoi anime.

Dylan writes fantasy, sci-fi, fairy-tale, historical, BDSM, and contemporary gay romance stories and novellas, most with happy endings or at least happy-for-now endings and publishes under several pen-names.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dylanmcewan65

Website: http://nazmcewan.wixsite.com/erotic-author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DylanMcEwan65

Blog: https://dylanmcewan.blogspot.co.uk/

***

Thanks again Dylan, a great starter!

Happy reading everyone!

Kay

PS- Come back in 2 weeks for Liv Honeywell’s 500 words.

 

 

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