Rant: Female Athletes, Attractiveness, and Double Standards

For the  last several months, my husband and I have been doing a lot of weightlifting. We work with a trainer who is a power lifter, and we go to a weights-only gym where the rivalry between the lifters and the Crossfitters is a constant source of entertainment. Conversations are often dominated by pounds -- "My deadlift has increased by 20 lbs." "I'm benching 10 lbs more than when I was at my peak a few years ago." "I was doing fine until the bastard put a 45 lb plate on it." etc.

In short, we've become meatheads.

So it wasn't all that surprising when a conversation with some friends shifted to bodybuilders. Specifically, those of the female variety.

I'm sure you can already hear a lot of the comments.

"Oh my God, that is so ugly."
"Eww!"
"Does she really think men find that attractive?"

Now, male bodybuilders sometimes illicit similar responses, particularly those who've developed to alarming proportions, but I rarely hear men evaluated based on their attractiveness. And usually the ones who receive the criticism are the ones who'd developed to extreme proportions, whereas even the lighter weight women in the sport start catching hell as soon as they show any substantial definition. Further, even when male bodybuilders are criticized, rarely does the commentary boil down to "he'll never be able to land a woman like that."

It really got me thinking. Maybe conventional standards of beauty dictate that female bodybuilders are "ugly."  Maybe men don't find shredded women attractive.

And maybe, just maybe, the woman who's busting her ass to win a bodybuilding competition doesn't give a shit.

Because hey, news flash -- she's not doing it for you.

Read that again.

SHE'S NOT DOING IT FOR YOU.

Maybe she's not interested in attracting a man. Maybe she already has a partner, presumably one who supports her while she's working her ass off. Maybe she surrounds herself with people who don't determine her value based on how she would stack up on a Miss America Pageant score card.

Do you have any idea how much work it takes to be a bodybuilder? Even those who use steroids still have to bust their asses at the gym. You're talking about hours and hours and hours of lifting. It's not something you do -- least of all successfully -- unless you're really dedicated to it.

Women know what today's beauty standards are. It's beaten into our heads from an early age. Unless she's been living under a rock, by the time a woman gets into bodybuilding, she knows what that entails, and she knows what society expects of her, and she's well aware of how different those two things are.

Yet she goes into it anyway.

Because -- and I think this bears repeating -- SHE'S NOT DOING IT FOR YOU.

And yet, even after a woman has worked herself into the ground to reach the top of her game, her attractiveness or lack thereof still comes into play, as if we expect her to gasp and say, "What? After all that work, I've become ugly? I shall cancel my gym membership posthaste and vomit until I'm properly pretty!"

Regardless of how anyone else feels about the outcome of an athlete's training, it bothers me that the immediate reaction people have is about the woman's attractiveness. This goes beyond bodybuilding. I've heard it applied to female athletes of every variety. Many women are afraid to go into weight training as part of their fitness regimen because they're afraid of "bulking up" and looking "like that." All myths and misconceptions aside, what it boils down to is that a fit, powerful woman is seen as "manly." She should be thin and in shape, but not *too* fit because then she'll have visible muscle tone, which is not feminine.

If she dares "bulk up", or her body just naturally assumes the toned physique of her sport of choice, then she's ugly. She's off-putting to men. She's intimidating to men. She's not attractive to men.

And as we all know, a woman is not a valued member of today's society unless she's attractive to men.

During the London Olympics, I can't even count the number of times I heard a woman referred to in this way. I'm sure it'll be coming up again soon with the Winter Games starting. If she's doing something outside of figure skating or gymnastics -- the coverage of which seems to celebrate femininity and thinness -- a woman will be labeled an ugly and unattractive. She's manly, oh the horrors.

(Note I'm not discounting the work and athleticism involved in gymnastics or figure skating, only that those sports result in an entirely different physique than other sports, and that particular physique happens to be 'acceptable' for women.)

These are Olympic caliber athletes, and instead of praising them for busting their asses to even qualify -- never mind medal -- at the Games, we criticize them for violating the sacred standards of beauty and what it apparently means to be female. It's 2014, and still a woman's value cannot be calculated without including her appearance and her ability to attract a man, even when she's at the top of her game in a sport that would have her male counterpart receiving accolades without the sidebar about "that's all fine and good, but what woman is going to be interested in that?"

A top notch athlete has to bust her ass to get where she is, and she shouldn't be degraded because being "hot" (according to current Hollywood standards) isn't her top priority.  A track star who sets a world record should be celebrated, not sneered at because her physique isn't slim and delicate. A swimmer who wins a gold medal should be praised for kicking ass, not criticized for having a "manly" upper body and not looking perfect in her swimsuit.

A woman who wins a bodybuilding competition should be congratulated for her hard work, not sneered at because she couldn't win be Miss America.

Because maybe, just maybe, Miss America isn't who she wants to be.

NOW AVAILABLE: Static

I'm so thrilled to announce that my transgender science fiction novel, Static, is back! Riptide Publishing has revised it, given it a gorgeous cover, and now...here it is!

Static can be purchased directly from Riptide, as well as on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

After two years together, Alex has been dreading the inevitable moment when Damon learns the truth: that Alex is a shifter, part of a small percentage of the population able to switch genders at will. Thanks to a forced implant, though, Alex is suddenly static—unable to shift—and male. Overnight, he’s out to a world that neither understands nor tolerates shifters . . . and to his heterosexual boyfriend.

Damon is stunned to discover his girlfriend is a shifter, and scared to death of the dangers the implant poses to Alex’s health. He refuses to abandon Alex, but what about their relationship? Damon is straight, and with the implant both costly and dangerous to remove, Alex is stuck as a man.

Stripped of half his identity and facing serious physical and social ramifications, Alex needs Damon more than ever, but he doesn’t see how they can get through this.

Especially if he’s static forever.

They're baaaack!

The Cover Me trilogy has been out of print since spring 2013, but at long last...the boys are back!  The books will be released in February as individuals and as a boxed set. Blurbs aren't quite ready to go yet, but here's a look at the *gorgeous* cover art from L.C. Chase:

Stay tuned for release info.

NOW AVAILABLE: The Only One Who Knows

The wait is over! Cat Grant and I are pleased to announce that our first co-written book, The Only One Who Knows, is available from Samhain Publishing. It can be purchased on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as Samhain's website, and will be on AllRomance soon. And don't miss the sequel, The Only One Who Matters, due out in March!

Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid.

The Only One, Book 1

When Navy SEAL training pushed Lieutenant Josh Walker to his limit, Chief David Flint’s stern heart-to-heart—more like boot-to-ass—helped Josh realize his potential. When the holidays found them alone together and sharing a mutual attraction, they couldn’t help breaking a few regulations. And nearly breaking some furniture in the process.

Years after their short-lived fling, Senior Chief Flint returns to SEAL duty and finds himself under the command of the man he’s never been able to forget: Lieutenant Commander Walker. And Josh hasn’t forgotten David, either. Rules be damned, they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Despite their discretion, another SEAL catches on and threatens to expose their relationship, forcing Josh to bend to a blackmailer’s demands to avoid strife within the team just before a dangerous mission. David is the last man he can confide in…and the first to pick up on Josh’s tightly screwed-down stress.

When a life-or-death decision calls Josh’s leadership into question, coming clean could cost him what he values most. His coveted trident…and the man he loves.

Product Warnings – Contains a pair of Navy SEALs who don’t like playing by the rules, scorching-hot sex between two Alphas who like to be in charge, cursing as only Navy men can curse, lots of camouflage and badassery in the wilds of North Korea, and enough emotion to sink a battleship.

Pre-Order - TWO new Market Garden Titles!

You've been waiting, and now they're almost here! You can pre-order If It Drives (aka, Red Tie's driver gets more than he bargained for) and Payoff (aka, Rolex, Tristan, and Jared meet again) from Riptide's website. Payoff is available February 3, and If It Drives will be available March 31st.

Speaking of pre-orders, The Only One Who Knows (Samhain, Amazon, Barnes & Noble) and Static, out January 7th and 20th, respectively, can be pre-ordered as well, along with The Only One Who Matters (Amazon, Barnes & Noble), which is out March 18th.

..

And stay tuned for announcements about the re-release of the Cover Me suspense trilogy!

2013 Recap and What's Going on in 2014

(cross-posted from my other blog)

Okay, so 2013 was not a great year when it came to keeping up with my blog. Understatement, I know. Quite honestly, it just came down to being incredibly busy as well as traveling a lot, which is totally no excuse for being a lame blogger, but there it is. Author fail.

So as I've mentioned in a few posts over the last few months, I'm basically calling this year's blogging efforts a loss and resolving to be more on top of things in 2014 on both this blog and my professional one. More on that in a minute, but first, let's recap the parts of 2013 that didn't suck. Namely, everything besides my blogging.  Or if you want to skip ahead to the 2014 stuff, scroll down til you see the red text.

This was a year of traveling and co-writing. Sometimes both at the same time. I spent a total of six and a half weeks in Europe, most of that with the awesome Aleksandr Voinov. We explored London, spent a few days in Manchester for the UK LGBT Meet-Up, and visited Poland and Germany right in the middle of a ridiculous heat wave. Hey, HVAC companies? Get a foothold in the air conditioning market in Berlin. Seriously. You'll make a killing. The place has no A/C.

Anyway, in addition to traveling together, Aleks and I did a ton of co-writing. We released the first Market Garden book, Quid Pro Quo, back in January, and have been having a ball writing additional stories in that series. Four of them came out in 2013, and in 2014, we look forward to releasing Payoff and If It Drives in the very near future. Will there be more? Of course! Updates to come. (No, really, I will totally be updating my blog this time.)

We're looking forward to the release of our suspense novel, Hostile Ground, and hopefully we'll also have our next World War II book finished soon, along with some cool fantasy/sci fi shenanigans we have in the works. I'm also currently working on a novel-length continuation of one of Aleks's popular books (with his blessing and guidance, of course). Expect details on that one around March, but I am so excited about it, I can barely stand it. Sooooon...

I didn't just join forces with Aleks, though. Since co-writing is ridiculously fun and surprisingly addictive, I've been plotting and scheming with a number of other authors for various joint projects. No details on those yet, since they're not set in stone, but there are several being batted around. Plus there is a new multi-author series in the works that's along the same lines as Tucker Springs. Exciting stuff that I can't wait to share!

As for unholy alliances that have resulted in actual completed projects, I've begun writing with both Cat Grant and Marie Sexton. Cat was actually the first one I started chatting with about a co-written book, but it was a little slow-going at first mostly because yours truly was insanely swamped during the first few months of the year. But Cat patiently waited for me to get things under some semblance of control, and in the end, we wrote two Navy SEAL books, The Only One Who Knows and its sequel The Only One Who Matters, both of which will be released by Samhain in early 2014. At the moment, we're writing a rock star novel  called Guarded, which we'll also release in 2014.

Marie Sexton and I have written a contemporary western novella called Roped In, which will be out sometime in April. We're batting around an idea for a sequel, but nothing's set in stone there yet. Definitely stay tuned for those updates!

And there were quite a few solo books out this year, but co-writing was 2013's new frontier, and I'm looking forward to continuing with my current co-authors as well as possibly adding a few others to the mix.

Speaking of collaborating, I've also joined forces with androgynous model Victoria Victor and photographer McCade Dolan of Cadeography to produce a cover for a not-yet-written transgender romance novel. We've already had one photo shoot, and the results were amazing. The second shoot (the cover has two images) is coming up, and I'm thoroughly excited to see how it turns out. Once the cover is finalized, I'll be writing the book based on the result.

Finally, I've moved into the realms of self-publishing this year, mostly to re-release some books whose rights have reverted to me. A few have been released already, including Light Switch and The Best Man, as well as World Enough and Time (formerly Until It's Over), and additional titles will be available again in 2014, including the Cover Me trilogy.

Speaking of re-releases, Static has been acquired by Riptide Publishing, and will be available in January. I adore LC Chase's cover art, but folks, she seriously outdid herself on this one. Just look at that thing:

Love it. Love it, love it, love it.

So that was 2013 in a nutshell.

But let's move on to 2014, shall we? 

First, let's talk about the blog.

Both blogs, which have been pretty much dead all year. NO MORE OF THAT! For the pro blog, I've got a few topics and posts lined up on everything from conferences to writing techniques to random musings. All kinds of fun stuff. And as per usual, you can expect the odd rant when there's some kerfuffle or another in the industry or the genre Assuming I actually poke my head up and realize there's something going on in time to post a reasonably timely commentary on it -- I spent a lot of 2013 realizing something was going on, but the window of relevance had passed while I was facedown in something else. *sigh*

This blog will be resurrected as well. That one's been a little quiet in part because of my total lapse in blog commitment this year, but also because it's kind of hard to write about Adventures in Navy Wifing when those adventures are occurring in Nebraska. Let's chalk that up to lack of material, shall we, and hope the Navy sends us someplace more interesting when we transfer at the end of 2014.

Back to the pro blog...  If you are an author looking to promote a book or need a stop for a blog tour/blog hop, please feel free to contact me and I'd be happy to host you.

There will also be some regular contests this year! Because contests rock. I mean, what's not to love? You win stuff!  "Stuff" in this case will include ebooks, signed paperbacks, and other cool prizes as I acquire them.

And speaking of contests and such, I'll be starting a newsletter in 2014.  I promise -- Scout's honor, pinkie swear, the whole nine yards -- that you'll receive a maximum of two messages a month. A monthly newsletter, and then one --ONLY one -- additional newsletter if there's something going on that's, well, newsworthy. You can sign up here, or at the upper left corner of my blog. No spam. Promise.

Email Address 

There will be some contests here on the blog, and there will be some exclusive to newsletter subscribers. Sign up! You know you want to! There's cake*!

* There isn't really any cake.

So that's what's happening on the blog.

What about the books, yo?

Well, there are a few of those coming out this year.

Re-Releases:
As mentioned above, Static is coming in January from Riptide, and the Cover Me trilogy -- Cover Me, Trust Me, and Search Me -- will be re-released in early 2014. Noble Metals is also making a comeback around mid-year, along with a previously unpublished sequel/spinoff. Also keep an eye out for details on Ex Equals and Disengaged.

Lauren Gallagher:
Lauren is finally going to get off her butt and have a few new releases this year, but they'll be in the latter half of the year. Look for I'll Show You Mine coming from Samhain in December, as well as Razor Wire and Peer Review from Riptide. A few others are in the works -- details to come.

L.A. Witt:
 - With Aleksandr Voinov -- Payoff and If It Drives are the latest additions to the Market Garden series, and we're working on a few more ideas for 2014. Also coming in 2014, our suspense novel, Hostile Ground. We've written a book in my Wilde's universe (aka, The Distance Between Us) called No Distance Left to Run, and that will be out in May from Samhain. And of course there's that continuation of Aleks's book, but don't tell anyone.

 - With Cat Grant -- The Only One Who Knows is out January 7th, The Only One Who Matters will be along March 18th, and Guarded will be out...soon.

 - With Marie Sexton -- Roped In will be available April 20th from Amber Allure.

 - Tucker Springs -- I'm currently in the home stretch on It's Complicated, which is due out in April, and we'll be adding an additional author in 2014.

 - Solo -- Conduct Unbecoming's spinoff, General Misconduct, will be available in July from Samhain. Also from Samhain, The Walls of Troy will be out in October.

There's lots more in the offing that I can't post about yet, so stay tuned! It's going to be a busy year, which is a good thing, of course. And there really will be more blogging this time around -- promise!

Happy Holidays, everyone, and here's to a kickass 2014!

In Which We Beg to Be Liberated From Nebraska -- The 2013 Holiday Letter

Dear Friends, Family, Adversaries, and Bank Tellers,

Where the hell has 2013 gone? Seriously, we were counting down to the Mayan apocalypse like five minutes ago, and then I went into the other room to get some popcorn during the commercial break, and now 2013 is not only here, it’s almost over. Is the cat sitting on the fast forward button again or something?

Anyway, it would seem that the holidays are upon us again, which means it’s time for us to regale you all with our adventures from 2013 and whatever we’re plotting and scheming for 2014. Let the games begin…

As many of you are aware, we have been stationed in the gleaming metropolis of Omahabad, Nebraskastan, since late 2011. After living in Japan, we’ve understandably struggled with culture shock for the past two years. However, with a great deal of effort, as well as patience on the part of the locals, we’ve slowly adapted to the language and customs. I’m fairly certain there are some we’ll never quite get the hang of, though, such as driving ten under in the left lane and navigating parking lots that were designed after cracked-out lab rat mazes. We will continue to try, though.

Also, it’s currently cold as balls and snowing. Beneath the snow, the terrain is dead, yellow, and flat. Stop. SOS. Stop. Supplies running low. Stop. Morale waning. Stop. Get us the hell out of here. Stop.

In the midst of adapting to the colorful Midwestern world, we’ve also done a fair bit of traveling this year. In celebration of being married for ten Earth years, we paid an airline an obscene amount of money to fling us across the ocean in a sardine can at speeds the human body was not designed to withstand, and for three weeks, we charmed London with our quaint American ways and frequent swearing. Somehow, we were allowed to  return to our native country at the end of the trip, though we assume this was a clerical error on the part of the customs department.

Whether out of a need to tempt fate and see if customs caught—and corrected—its grievous error, or just an itch to get out of Middle America for a little while, Lori went back to Europe in July, exploring London and Manchester before jaunting over to Poland and Germany. Never fear! She was not without adult supervision. Thanks to her trusty writing partner, Aleksandr Voinov, Lori was always within earshot of a grownup. “Grownup” being the local police and Interpol officers not-so-stealthily following Aleks around to make sure he stays out of trouble. You didn’t think I meant him, did you?

In an unfortunate twist of events—and ironic, considering his lack of supervision—Eddie broke his foot in July. It wasn’t actually diagnosed as a break until October, though, mostly because he kept the injury hidden. He understandably didn’t want to explain to his command that he was injured while bravely and singlehandedly—well, singlefootedly—battling a group of ninjas who were trying to make off with the Sacred Hamster of Omaha’s Secret Society. In the end, though, pain drove him to have his foot checked out, and in order to help the Society maintain its secrecy, he fell on his proverbial sword and reported that the injury actually occurred while falling out of bed. Lori was initially suspected of breaking his foot during a routine bout of domestic violence, but was exonerated when documents—and Interpol surveillance—showed she was in Europe at the time.

In between all of that nonsense, Eddie started working on his Master’s degree in Security Management, which he’ll finish around the end of 2014 barring any further interference by the ninjas and their never-ending quest to obtain the Sacred Hamster. Lori continued to peddle smut, and began co-writing with Cat Grant and Marie Sexton in addition to continuing her unholy literary alliance with Aleksandr Voinov. The cats remain lazy, well-fed, and mildly resentful over our recent travels.

In 2014, Eddie looks forward to studying and graduating as well as taking the Chief Petty Officer exam. Lori will be writing like a madwoman, and at some point, we hope to visit Europe at least once more in an effort to see how long it takes customs to correct the aforementioned clerical error.

We are also counting down the days until sometime between late September and mid-November when we will pack up all our worldly possessions, anger our felines, and relocate to wherever the Navy sees fit to send us. In the meantime, we remain in Nebraska. Where it’s cold as balls. Stop. Please send help. Stop. Hope… fading… Stop.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Eddie, Lori, Tubby, Midget, & That Stupid Cricket Hiding Under the Carpet On The Staircase Who Won’t Die No Matter What We Do So It’s Probably A Zombie And Is Going to Kill Us All And Eat Our Brains

Available Now: UNDERGROUND EROTICA

First off, I promise there will be more interesting and frequent posts in 2014. I've sort of given up on blogging for this year, but there will be more next year. PINKY SWEAR.

And I'm pleased to announce that the Underground erotica collection, comprised of stories by eight authors from the Absolute Write online writing community, is available now on AllRomance!  It will be live on Amazon and Barnes & Noble soon as well.  Proceeds benefit Absolute Write.

Welcome to the Underground! 

The erotica authors of the Absolute Write are taking you underground—sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively. Karenna Colcroft’s haunting story gives sex in public an unexpected twist, and Erin Lark makes waiting out a storm into something special—and hot!— before Kate Lowell draws you deep into a cave for a steamy encounter. Lauren Gallagher sends you back to the 1930s for some gambling, bootlegging, and a little forbidden ménage, while Maryn Blackburn brings two enemies together in the wintery depths of World War II.

If you’re in the mood for something extra spicy, you’ll love how C.P. Foster opens up a very new world for a curious barmaid. And stick around because Cleo Peitsche and Jack L. Pyke keep the kink coming.

Come join us—but fair warning. Once you go underground, you may never want to come back…

NOW AVAILABLE: World Enough And Time

I've re-released another Lauren Gallagher book! World Enough and Time was formerly called Until It's Over, but I decided to change it back to its original pre-publication title for the re-release because, well, I liked it better.

The book is currently available from Barnes and Noble and AllRomance, and should be up on Amazon and Kobo any day now.

Just as dressage trainer Dani Blake decides the best kind of relationship is no relationship at all, along comes Connor Graham, and he's the perfect Mr. Right Now. Like Dani, he's newly single and not looking for any type of attachment…and the icing on the cake? He’s smoking hot in bed.

Best of all, he’s moving out of state in a few months, so there’s no pressure for – and no chance of – a long-term relationship. Even if Dani hadn’t already made the mistake of moving to another state for a man in the all too recent past, a mistake she’s not keen on repeating, she’s stuck in Seattle because she can’t afford to move her beloved horses again.

So she and Connor will just take advantage of the time they have and enjoy it until it’s over. It’s just enough time to have some fun, and not nearly enough time to fall in love with him.

Right?

Reviews:

"Like Gallagher’s previous novels, Between Brothers and The Next Move, [this book] is the perfect novel for a cold winter day spent snuggled up on the couch or a hot summer day on the beach. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a little more substance from their love story." -Happily Ever After Reviews, 4.5 out of 5 Teacups

"Gallagher captivated me from the first word and kept me through the last.  I didn’t want the story to end.  I can’t wait to read her next book."
-The Pagan & The Pen Book Reviews, "Reviewer Top Pick" Rating

Rainbow Award Finalists and Honorable Mentions

The finalists and Honorable Mentions in this year's Rainbow Awards have been announced, and I'm excited to announce that several of my books are included!

Erotic Romance Category

 

Gay Contemporary Romance Category

 Gay Sci-Fi/Futuristic Category

Historical Category

Erotica

(Titles were bundled together as a single entry)

 Historical Romance Category

Huge thank you to the judges and to Elisa Rolle for hosting the contest, and congrats to every finalist and honorable mention!

NOW AVAILABLE: Changing Plans

The Changing Plans trilogy has been re-released! This book contains the previously published novellas Getting off the Ground, Infinity Pools, and On The List, and is available from Amazon, AllRomance, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. 

Part I: Getting off the Ground 

 After being stood up at the altar, compulsive over-planner Elliott Chandler decides to turn his honeymoon on Oahu into a vacation for one. Fate puts a hitch in his plans, however, when the airport is snowed in and his flight is delayed. 

In the terminal, the jilted groom catches the eye of another stranded traveler: the laidback and very sexy Derek Windsor. Derek breaks the ice and strikes up a conversation, and as the temperature drops outside, the heat between them rises. Pity they’re both going to different islands, but if their flight doesn’t get off the ground fast, Mr. Calm-and-Cool may just tempt Mr. Play-It-Safe into doing something reckless. 

And that plane isn’t going anywhere any time soon…

What reviewers have said about Changing Plans:

Getting off the Ground:  "This is the first book by L.A. Witt I have read and she does live up to her reputation for hot sex scenes and well-developed characters. This is a fun, quick read that I think most readers of m/m romance will enjoy."  Dark Divas Reviews, 4 out of 5 Divas

Infinity Pools: "For those who read and liked Getting Off the Ground this is an absolute must-read and I'm giving it a grade of 'Excellent'." Well-Read Jenre

"Set in lush, beautiful Hawaii, the 50th state almost steals the show in this story about finding love again."  Lasha, Jessewave Reviews, 4 out of 5 stars

On The List:   "Those readers who enjoyed the previous two books won’t be disappointed with this one and if you’ve not read any of the books in this series so far, then I’d recommend that you [...] buy them up."  Jenre at Brief Encounters Reviews, "B" rating 

NOW AVAILABLE: The Best Man (with previously unpublished epilogue)

I'm pleased to announce that The Best Man has been re-released with an additional epilogue that was not included in the original version.  The book can be purchased from Amazon, AllRomance, and Barnes & Noble.

Jon Beatty thought he’d found the best man for him until Craig walked out. To add insult to injury, Craig's got a new lover—a woman—and wants Jon to be a different kind of best man…at his wedding. 

Reasoning that the only way to get over one man is to get under another, Jon heads out to Wilde’s, the night club on Capitol Hill famous for its hot clientele and hotter bartenders. Jon just wants to get drunk and get laid, and bartender Liam Sable is more than willing to help with both. 

Their one night stand turns into a rebound fling, but as Jon moves on with Liam, Craig starts having second thoughts about the break-up. His tiresome antics are the least of Jon and Liam’s worries, though. The least annoying, and the least dangerous… 

This book was previously published, and includes a newly added epilogue.

Also, for the Tucker Springs fans, After the Fall is now available for pre-order from Riptide Publishing! It will be available for download on October 7th (or October 5th if you pre-order it).

After years of saving every penny, Nathan has finally managed to buy the horse of his dreams. He’s looking forward to a summer of exploring the Colorado mountain trails above Tucker Springs with Tsarina. But on their very first ride, a motorcyclist makes a wrong turn, scaring Tsarina into bolting and leaving Nathan with a broken leg, a broken hand, and a ruined summer. 

Ryan is a loner and a nomad, content with working odd jobs before moving on to the next town. Feeling guilty for causing the accident that leaves Nathan in two casts, Ryan offers to keep Tsarina exercised until Nathan heals. 

Despite their bad start, Nathan and Ryan soon become friends . . . and then much more. But with a couple of nasty breakups in his past, Nathan doesn’t want feelings getting involved—especially knowing that Ryan will never settle down. But since when do feelings ever listen to reason? 

Two New Releases This Week

It's only Tuesday, and it's already been a busy week! TWO brand spanking new releases!

If you've read The Distance Between Us and The Closer You Get, you might very well remember Dale. And many of you have suggested that Dale needs his own story.  I agree! So here he is.

(Also, if you have NOT read the previous books, this one can be read as a standalone!)

Dale's story, Meet Me in the Middle, is now available from Samhain Publishing, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. (Should be up on AllRomance and other sites within the next week or so)

Dale Ramsey is looking forward to his twenty-year high school reunion except for one small problem. Adam O’Connor, his old friend—and old flame. 

 Twice before, Adam has disappeared from Dale’s life. Once after a graduation night fling, and again after a hot reunion years later. When Adam resurfaces this time, single and on the verge of retiring from the Navy, Dale wonders if he’ll want to mend fences…and maybe tear up some sheets. 

 The spark between them is alive and well, but Dale resists. After all, Adam only seems to come around when his life is flux, and Dale is through being a placeholder until something better comes along. He wants his friend back, but not if he’ll be deserted a third time. 

 Inevitably, though their attempts to rekindle their friendship wind up igniting something much hotter, and stirring up emotions too strong to ignore. Making Dale wonder if he should put his heart on the line…or if this time he should be the one to walk away. 

 Warning:  Let’s face it, Dale’s been sitting quietly (well, kind of) on the sidelines since The Distance Between Us, and he waited patiently through The Closer You Get. Dude is seriously ready for some scorching hot action, so keep a fire extinguisher and some ice handy. These boys are gonna need it…

And for the Market Garden fans -- or just those who want an emotional roller coaster that can be read as a standalone -- Capture & Surrender, is now available! (Please note that it is part of a series, but can absolutely be read as a standalone)  Links to be added to my website as they're available, but as of right now, the book can be purchased from Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomance eBooks, and Rainbow eBooks. 

Ever since his partner died, Frank has resigned himself to staying single. He wards off the loneliness by spending time with friends on the paintball field and running his high-end brothel, the Market Garden. 

After one of his most lucrative rentboys quits, Frank is thrilled when a gorgeous replacement walks through the door. A former US soldier, Stefan is hot, bold, and perfect for the Market Garden’s clientele, especially those with a thing for camouflage and drill sergeants. He's perfect for Frank, too, except Frank has a rule about not getting involved with his own rentboys. 

During a frisky game of paintball, Stefan makes it clear that he doesn't care about the rules. Not the rules of the game, and definitely not Frank's refusal to get involved. He captures Frank on the field using stealth and cunning, and makes it clear that he’ll do anything to keep a hold of him off the field too.

NOW AVAILABLE: Unhinge the Universe

It's finally here! The first book Aleksandr Voinov and I wrote together, Unhinge the Universe, is now available from Riptide Publishing, and is also on AllRomance, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Rainbow ebooks.

SS Lieutenant Hagen Friedrichs is the sole survivor of a party sent to retrieve his brother—and the highly sensitive information he’s carrying—from behind enemy lines. But his daring rescue attempt fails, and Hagen becomes the prisoner.

Allied command has ordered Captain John Nicholls to extract critical intelligence from their new Nazi POW. His secrets could turn the tide of the war, but are they real? John is determined to find out . . . and to shatter the prisoner who killed his lover during the attack on their tiny base. The deeper he digs, though, the more he realizes that the soldier under the SS uniform is just like him: a scared, exhausted young man who’s lost loved ones and just wants to go home.

As captor and captive form an unexpected bond, the lines quickly blur between enemy, friend, and lover. And as horrifying rumors spread from the front lines and American soldiers turn their sights on the SS for vengeance, John may be Hagen’s only hope for survival.

COMING SOON: Unhinge the Universe

Today, Aleksandr Voinov and I were finally able to reveal the cover and blurb for our upcoming World War II historical novel, Unhinge the Universe. It's currently available for pre-order from Riptide Publishing, and will be released July 15.

We're both really excited about this one. It's my first foray into World War II (certainly not Aleks's -- if y'all haven't read Skybound, YOU MUST), and it was the first book we wrote together when we formed our unholy alliance last fall. It's got all kinds of fun stuff: men in (and out of) uniform. Two snarly Alphas who don't want to play nice and definitely don't want to back down. A captor and captive who are never quite sure who's really in charge. 

There's also a bathtub involved at some point. Just sayin'.

Give me one fixed point and a long enough lever, and I'll unhinge the universe. — Archimedes.

December 1944 – The Battle of the Bulge 

SS Lieutenant Hagen Friedrichs is the sole survivor of a party sent to retrieve his brother—and the highly sensitive information he’s carrying—from behind enemy lines. But his daring rescue attempt fails, and Hagen becomes the prisoner. 

Allied command has ordered Captain John Nicholls to extract critical intelligence from their new Nazi POW. His secrets could turn the tide of the war, but are they real? John is determined to find out . . . and to shatter the prisoner who killed his lover during the attack on their tiny base. The deeper he digs, though, the more he realizes that the soldier under the SS uniform is just like him: a scared, exhausted young man who’s lost loved ones and just wants to go home.

As captor and captive form an unexpected bond, the lines quickly blur between enemy, friend, and lover. And as horrifying rumors spread from the front lines and American soldiers turn their sights on the SS for vengeance, John may be Hagen’s only hope for survival.