Showing posts with label short story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label short story. Show all posts

Thursday, December 29, 2022

A Little #Christmas Cheer for your eReader! Fire & Ice Christmas by @meganslayer #christmas #Holiday #romance #hotread

 Check out this fun Christmas romp for your holiday pleasure!! 


Fire & Ice Christmas by Megan Slayer Coming Soon $3.99 Sale Price: $3.39

Magic happens at Christmas and Fieren wants to make this one a holiday for the ages.

Holly, mistletoe, big fir trees… plus fire and ice?

When it comes to Christmas, Isla is vital. She’s the water elemental in control of creating Christmas snow and ice. She frosts the windows and adds the perfect bit of snow to the trees. But being a water elemental in control of ice makes romance difficult. She can’t get close to anyone without putting on the big freeze. She needs the perfect man to balance her ice with a little heat.

Enter Fieren. The fire elemental knows she’s his counterpart, but they haven’t always gotten along. This Christmas he’s determined to forge a connection with Isla and make this chance last far beyond the holidays.

Magic happens at Christmas, and Fieren wants to make this one a holiday for the ages.

Buy it Today
Changeling
Or on:
Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Thalia

Vivlio

 

Copyright ©2022 Megan Slayer

“You have to convince him to play along.” Santa nodded once. “Isla?”

She knew when she’d been summoned to the great ballroom that it was a mistake to answer the summons. She’d had the feeling she’d get conned into doing something. Santa didn’t make requests often, but when he did, they were doozies. This wasn’t going to be easy. Not by a long shot.

“We need him to make the sparkle and crackle for the party.” Santa shook his head. “Isla, you’re the only one who can convince him. He’s sweet on you. I bet he’d bend over backward for you.”

Isla folded her arms. She wasn’t fond of being pushed, but Santa knew how to get to her. Sweet on her. Fieren? Not possible. Bend over backward for her? Not a chance. She crooked her eyebrow. “How do you know this?”

“I’ve talked to him.” Santa rested his hands on his hips. His thick red suit jiggled when he laughed, and the fur pulled tight across his belly. “He tells me all sorts of things. It’s a gift because I’m Santa. Everyone one has a wish.”

“Right. And I’m his wish?” More like he wished she’d go far away. She knew Fieren too well. They might not be enemies -- rivals was a better term for it -- but he wasn’t fond of her.

“You’d be surprised.” Santa’s eyes twinkled. “We need both of you to help with the party. It won’t be Christmas Eve for the elves if there isn’t any fire or snow. That’s your forte. You bring the ice, snow and frost, while Fieren brings the fire. You can do it, and he’ll want to help.”

“Christmas Eve is tomorrow night. That’s a tall order, me conning him into helping. Especially for one night.” She shook her head. “I don’t think it’s feasible.”

A vision of Fieren filled her mind. The man was so annoying. He argued with her, constantly melted her ice, and she swore the flicker in his eyes never left. He went out of his way to make her life miserable. What was worse, he was handsome as hell and knew it. He wore his jet-black hair short on the sides and a little long on top, so it flipped over his brow, giving him a rakish appearance. His dark eyes twinkled, and his cropped moustache and beard added to his attractiveness. He walked with a swagger and wore his clothes tight enough that anyone could see he exercised.

He was sex on legs.

Every girl in Peppermint Valley wanted him, but none had him -- least of all her.

Did she want him?

No. He could take those sexy eyes and muscles somewhere else.

She bit back a groan. No matter how hard she tried, she’d never ignore the fact she did like him. He drove her nuts, but she wanted to get closer to him. Of course, she did…

Santa folded his arms, matching her stance. “Well? Are you going to do it?”

She didn’t want to. She was a proud elemental. An ice princess, of sorts. She flicked her fingers and snow appeared. What did she want with an annoying, know-it-all fire elemental who wore that suit way too well?

“Isla?” Santa tipped his head. “You’re thinking about it. You’re the only one who can create perfect Christmas snow. It’s all you. The ice isn’t as sparkly unless you’re the one who makes it, and the frost you make on the windows is top-notch. You’re my best ice elemental.”

She spied Fieren across the room. He’d shown up, eh? Of course, he had. Probably because Santa had called him. More like Satan… She swept her gaze over Fieren. He’d donned a blood-red suit, complete with a red-and-green plaid vest and his shiny dress shoes. He reminded her of a cross between the devil and a fire god, mixed with a businessman. Her mouth watered. Why did he have to look so good? Why did he have to be so… Fieren?

“Isla?” Santa laughed, and his belly really did jiggle like a bowl full of jelly. “Thank you.”

“I never said I would.” She hadn’t agreed at all.

“I can see it in your eyes. I’ll leave it to you,” Santa said. “I expect to see you both at the party tomorrow -- with the fire and ice.”

She gritted her teeth as Fieren approached. She hadn’t agreed to ask Fieren. Hadn’t even wanted to be around him. But here she was.

“Santa.” Fieren smirked. “I keep telling you we need to have a tropical Christmas this year. Do you know how many people would love that as the theme? The elves could show some skin, we could swim, barbeque, have fruit. It’d be a blast.”

She cleared her throat. Fieren knew she was standing there. He also knew the ways of the cosmos. Christmas meant snow. She made that snow. He had the summer, but she got the winter.

Santa chuckled. “You’re in fine form, Fieren.”

“Why not? It’s a great day for a little heat.” Fieren slid his gaze over to Isla. “You’re here.”

“Yes. I’m here.” She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “We need to speak.”

“What are we doing right now?” Fieren asked. “I’m talking. You’re talking.”

“I’m walking.” Santa waved and left them alone in the ballroom.

Of course, he was. Santa liked to start issues, then leave when they heated up. “Yeah.”

“Why are you so frosty?” Fieren asked. “Oh, wait. You’re an ice elemental. You’re supposed to be.” He laughed. “I crack me up.”

 



Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Harvest Moon by @meganslayer #gay gayromance #thanksgiving #romance #hotholidayread #PNR

 


Harvest Moon by Megan Slayer

Contemporary, Paranormal, LGBTQ, Holiday Romance

Thanksgiving Romance

Short Story

Megan Slayer Publications

 

What’s a guy to do when the time to be with family is the time he dreads the most?

All Matt Green wants for Thanksgiving is to propose to his boyfriend in the most epic way he knows—in front of their families. There’s only one catch. His boyfriend, Reed Jordan, doesn’t do family gatherings. To be honest, Reed isn’t wild about Thanksgiving, but he won’t say why.

Matt’s willing to do anything in order to get Reed to talk, but will it make the holiday perfect or ruin all of Matt’s plans? The Harvest Moon just might be the right omen to make everything all right.

This book has been re-edited for this re-issue.

 

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R6T9Q2J

          Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4ApdOq

Read the full series on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R29FJVG

Also in print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XLVCQXG

 

 

EXCERPT:

©Megan Slayer, 2022, All Rights Reserved

 

Reed stood at the counter. He’d told his boyfriend he’d be home at three. The way things were looking, he’d be more than an hour late. Damn it.

Beside him, his co-worker, Jagger, rang up a female customer with a little girl. The woman had bought a couple of Thanksgiving books. The brightly colored turkey and leaves on the top book caught Reed’s attention.

Thanksgiving. He didn’t mind giving thanks for the good things in his life. He also didn’t mind the food. What he hated were the gatherings. He wished the need to bring family to one house was not the rule. Maybe he was losing his mind, but he hated the togetherness. He’d been able to dodge the holiday for the last ten years, but since he’d met Matt, he knew he wasn’t going to get around the festivities for much longer. Matt liked family functions and preferred big parties. Reed wasn’t even sure a big family party was possible.

He finished typing out a reply email to the customer in search of an out-of-print book. Thankfully, the store had the book. He sent the customer the expected price and shipping options. He glanced at his watch once more. Less than two days until Thanksgiving. The store would be open on Wednesday, but he wasn’t working. If the customer needed the book, he could wait until Friday.

The last time he and Matt had talked about the holiday, Matt’s sister, Emily and her boyfriend were supposed to be spending the day with them. He could handle that. He liked Matt’s sister and loved her son, Nattie. Still, he wanted a small dinner, not a gigantic situation. He sighed. At least with Em and Matt, he wasn’t going to have to deal with accusations.

“I’m off until Friday morning,” Reed said to Jagger. “If there is a crisis, call me, but try not to have a crisis.”

“That’s the plan.” Jagger grinned. “You can trust us. We won’t let you down. Now go, so Matt doesn’t think you got lost.”

“Deal.”

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Halloween Romance and a Mummy of a Good Time! - Heart of Egypt by @meganslayer #pnr #romance #hotread #Lbgtq #gay #mummyromance

                                  

Heart of Egypt by Megan Slayer

Contemporary, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ Romance

Novella

From Pride Publishing

 

His heart has always belonged to the man he loves—a modern-day actor?

Thutmose knew from the moment he purchased the six-carat ruby that he had something special. So much so, he refused to turn the gem over to the Pharaoh. His punishment for his disobedience? Death and a curse. He shall wear the Heart of Egypt for eternity.

Second chances aren’t permitted—until Aiden touches his coffin.

Aiden Cory, star of the show Hunters, has no idea he’s stumbled on a mummy or the chance at finding true love. When he meets Thut, he’s head-over-heels. He doesn’t know about the Heart of Egypt, but he knows he’s attracted to Thut. There’s the minor problem of Thut being a mummy.

Can modern love save Thut from an ancient curse?

https://books2read.com/u/38PRgL

https://www.firstforromance.com/book/heart-of-egypt

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7P1FHWB/

https://books.apple.com/us/book/heart-of-egypt/id6443051173

 

Excerpt:

©Megan Slayer, 2022, All Rights Reserved

 

“Do you not love your Pharaoh? Are you not devoted to me?”

“I am.” But the Pharaoh wasn’t his dearest love. Apparently neither was Azizi.

“You would accept the love of your lowly born lover over me? And you wouldn’t offer the gem in order to save your lover?” The Pharaoh raked his fingernails down Thutmose’s bare chest. “You’ve displeased me. Your heart, body and riches should belong to me. To the kingdom. You vowed to belong to me once. Why not again?”

He said nothing. His allegiances belonged to the Pharaoh, but his heart belonged to Azizi.

“Very well.” The Pharaoh let go and stepped away from Thutmose. “I’ve given you plenty of time to obey. For your actions, I curse you to death, but not any death. You have been found guilty of declining to acquiesce to the Pharaoh’s wishes and your punishment is mummification. You will be parted from that ruby, the rest of your riches as well as your life. Your mummy will rot and you will be ignored by the ages. True love can’t save you. Nothing can.” He snapped his fingers.

A servant brought in Azizi, who then sat beside the Pharaoh. Azizi rested his head on the Pharaoh’s lap.

“You should’ve given him the gem.” Azizi stroked the Pharaoh’s thigh. “Now you’ll pay with your life.”

Another servant grasped Thutmose’s arm. Pain surged through Thutmose. When he looked down at his chest, the tip of a blade poked through his skin and the hilt jammed into his back. His entire body ached and red blood spread down his torso. He’d never known pain this deep or such a full betrayal.

“If I cannot have the gem, then no one can.” The Pharaoh stood over Thutmose as he collapsed on the floor. “Mummify him. Now. I want him to suffer.”

Thutmose couldn’t believe what was happening. He swore he heard someone—maybe the Pharaoh—demand the servants search him for the gem. Let them. He was dying. He didn’t need a ruby now. He’d rather have his life.

 

Sunday, March 7, 2021

The short story ~ Something to read when you don't have a lot of time ~ Post by Jessica E. Subject #FreeRead #ReadAnEbookWeek

 


"A short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage. A short story is a photograph; a novel is a film." ~Lorrie Moore

"My short stories are like soft shadows I have set out in the world, faint footprints I have left. I remember exactly where I set down each and every one of them, and how I felt when I did. Short stories are like guideposts to my heart…" ~Haruki Murakami

THE SHORT STORY

A short story is much shorter than a novel, generally deals with only a handful of characters, and consists of one main story arch. They are perfect when you only have a brief amount of time to read, but want a complete story, or if you want the enjoyment of a happy ending before you go to bed, and don't want to be up all night reading. (Which I'm sure many of us have done.)

As an author, sometimes I find them easy to write, and other times, not so much. When I first started writing, they were a great way for me to learn story structure and development, as well as character development. It can be hard to convey an entire story in a limited amount of words. 

Since today is the beginning of READ AN EBOOK WEEK (March 7-13, 2021), I have made a couple of my short stories available for FREE on Smashwords during this time. Check them out below!


ALIEN LOVER ~ Unconvinced of her fiancé’s demise, Molly combs the galaxy to search for him. As her supplies run low, she is forced to turn around and set a course for Earth, alone. But, a Moloxian Starcruiser halts her retreat, and the single passenger transports onto her ship without permission. Taser in hand to defend herself, she is startled as the form remolds into her fiancé. Has Diego found her or is her tired mind playing tricks?



CRASH LANDING ~ As his ship plummets toward Earth, Cael believes his life to be over. His last ditch effort to save himself ends in a fiery crash. When he wakes up, he believes he’s entered the afterlife, but his surroundings indicate otherwise. He made it to Earth. But who saved him, and what do they want with him?



THE POWER OF THREE ~ Cursed to live amongst several stone gargoyle statues, Oscar watches a young couple, yearning to participate in their sexual activities. For he has been away from his own lovers for over a year, and longs to touch and be touched again.

When he tumbles off the headboard onto the couple, he is released from the statue but must find a way home. His only thought: a ménage with the man and woman who freed him. But will they try something new to grant him his return passage, or leave him wandering Earth alone?



Whether you enjoy your stories short. long, or a mixture of them all, I wish you...
HAPPY READING TIME!

~ Jessica






Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Support Relief Efforts for Australia's Wild Fires by Reading



One thing I've discovered during my author journey is that most authors are amazingly generous and supportive. 

A Little Help From My Friends


I've made author friends over the years and many are fellow authors of The Wild Rose Press (WRP). WRP has authors all over the world, including authors from Australia. So when Australian author, Stephen B. King reached out to the WRP to help support recovery efforts with the worst wildfires Australia has seen in decades people volunteered in droves:
  • Over 40 authors offered stories
  • Countless others planned to promote
  • Editors, and cover artists stepped up
  • The Wild Rose Press volunteered all the time and effort involved in creating a 3 book anthology

Nothing short of Amazing


If you're not familiar with the process of the birth of a story until it's publication date—it can take a long time. In 'author time' it feels like nearly a lifetime, but this 3 Book Anthology was prepared and out for publication in less than a month. Amazing.

The Wild Fires of Australia 

If you're not familiar with what's happening in Australia, here's a snippet from someone who's there: 
"Recent rains have helped enormously, still there are fires, but not to the same extent as there were, and the focus now is more on recovery and rebuilding. To that end there are advertising campaigns now to stop what’s called the second wave disaster and that is people staying away from tourist areas and business who rely on travelers and visitors to survive. Most of our tourist destinations are unaffected, yet people think the whole country is gone, which of course isn’t true. The problem of course is that if people stop visiting, businesses will go broke, making the overall recovery much harder. With the rains, re-growth has already begun and some burnt out areas have grasses and shrubs recovering already.
Then of course there is the wildlife, and those organizations such as the RSPCA, and others are doing remarkable work rescuing animals and rehousing them. A lot of our native trees are Eucalyptus, and with millions of trees gone, Koalas only eat those leaves, so regrowth and resettlement is going on in huge numbers to save a cuddly species from extinctions in the wild. Kangaroos will bounce back, and in time, the feeling is most other animals will to, but the key words are – in time. In a lot of cases we hope the burnt trees themselves will regrow as they have evolved to grow after bushfires. I’m told with heavy rains in recent days some are showing green growth, which is encouraging."   – Wild Rose Press Author Stephen King

Preorder Book One of the Anthology Now


The Anthologies are grouped by genre— and my story, Detective Paws and Lip Gloss (a cozy mystery flash fiction story I wrote some time ago that I was thrilled to find a home for) is in Book #1. 

Book #1: A collection of Short Stories in Mainstream Fiction,

Women’s Fiction, Thrillers, and Mystery


  • A Solicitous Wife by Madeleine McDonald
  • No One Knew by Larry Farmer
  • Pinochle by Brenda Whiteside
  • The Tuesday Night Meeting by Peggy Jaeger
  • 911, What’s Your Emergency? by D. V. Stone
  • Tall Tales by Laura Strickland
  • Fare Gain by Alexandra Christle
  • The Note by Stephen B. King
  • Three Ghosts by Julie Howard
  • Detective Paws and Lip Gloss by Maureen L. Bonatch
  • The Ring by Margaret Ann Spence
  • Portrait of a Gunfighter by Hywela Lyn
  • Six Hours or So by Lisa Wilkes
  • Prussic Acid by Melody DeBlois

Blurb: Detective Paws and Lip Gloss by Maureen L. Bonatch

Catherine, with her basset hound, moves out of her father’s home, to prove she has what it takes to be a cop. 
But when two menacing women inadvertently share their killer secret, Catherine wonders if she can solve the mystery or end up being nothing more than a `Fraidy Cat.

Book #2 of the Anthology 

Book #2: A collection of Romance, Young Adult, and Women’s Fiction Short Stories

  • Che Gelida Manina by M. S. Spencer
  • Recipes for Love by Carol Henry
  • Waiting for Caleb by Gini Rifkin
  • Wings of Fire by Jana Richards
  • A Lark by Gabbi Grey
  • Apple Crisp by Terry Graham
  • Goody Twoshoes by Mark Love
  • The Number by Barbara Bettis
  • Deadly Homecoming by Peggy Chambers
  • An Egg-Cellent Witness by Marilyn Barr
  • Season of Withered Corn by Judy Ann Davis
  • Beneath the Pines by Debby Grahl
  • Christopher Reisner by Linda Griffin
  • Unexpected Love: Chase Allen by Anna Lores
  • The Cowboy and the Lady by Jean Adams
  • The Heart Necklace by Amanda Uhl
  • The Relaxation Response by Darcy Lundeen
  • Dancing Through Tears by Jeny Heckman

Book #3 Information Coming Soon




Like We Need a Reason to Read


Every single state in Australia is suffering major fires, many hopelessly out of control. Estimates of how many and how big vary, but one source says 17.9 million acres of Australia have burned in one of the country’s worst fire seasons on record. Another report says that well over one billion native animals and birds have lost their lives…one billion.

Please help and show Australia some love by purchasing one or more of these anthologies. ALL proceeds will be donated to organizations aiding the victims of this horrific event and assist those still battling the flames. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Order now at The Wild Rose Press.

You CAN order these books through AmazonBarnes and Noble, or other online book retailers, but this reduces the funds going to the Red Cross. 



Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her websiteFacebook & Twitter Be the first to know about Maureen’s book sales and new releases by following her on BookBubAmazon and/or signing up for her newsletter