Life in Chaos Excerpt!

IT'S EXCERPT TIME! I have two excerpts picked out  from Life in Chaos (my LiAW story). You get one now and one later, depending on how long it takes to get to my story in the posting rotation!!* ENJOY!!!

Six Months Ago

We were sitting on the couch watching reruns of Firefly when it all went wrong. Everything started when the phone rang. It was in the middle of a gripping scene where two of the main characters were being tortured while trying to plan their escape and I would have let the phone ring, but we were at Andrew’s place and he answered before I could beg him not to.

I paused the TiVo when I heard him say, “Hi, Mom,” knowing it would be a long conversation. I always feel a little awkward sitting around when someone else is on the phone, so I went to the kitchen to start cleaning up all our take out boxes from dinner. By the time he hung up, I had wiped the counters, thrown away all the rotten leftovers from the fridge, taken out the garbage, and made coffee.

My first clue that the evening was going to be worse than a paused television show was Andrew’s tone of voice when he called out, “Shawn, I need to ask you something.” It wasn’t angry. It was more resigned, or possibly disappointed. I tried to keep a smile on my face as I walked back into the living room.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“My mom invited us to Thanksgiving dinner.” That’s when I knew what had been in Andrew’s voice. He knew I couldn’t go. He knew why I couldn’t go. But he was still asking.

See, my Dad is mayor of a small town in backwoods Texas - the kind of town that makes Rick Santorum look liberal- and every year on Thanksgiving, he throws his Annual Fundraiser Gala. Family is Expected to attend. Yes, that is a capital “E” expected. The only thing that could be worse than not attending is not attending because I was with my gay lover’s family. Not that they knew I was gay, or ever would.

I looked at him, sure that my thoughts were clear on my face. “And?”

“Will you come?”

“You know I can’t. My mom would kill me for missing my Dad’s Gala.” I said this with as much calm as possible. This was an old fight with us. At some point, one of us would lose our cool and we would start yelling. Nevertheless, nothing in the world could have prepared me for what he asked next.

“Then, can I go with you?”

I just stood there, dumbstruck, for a good thirty seconds, and I am sure my horror was apparent in my expression. This was when I expected him to start yelling. But again, I was surprised.

***

Didn't want to give too much away so you got a flashback...aren't I evil. And I promise, you will love Andrew despite this scene. =)

*This story will eventually be posted as a part of the M/M Romance Group's Love is Always Write summer event. After it is posted there I will put it up for free on smashwords.

Love is Always Write Story Update / Tattoo Tuesday

Hi All!

I am always curious how people feel about excerpts and teasers. I generally don't read them unless it is for a series that I love (Abigail, I will read ANY teasers about Ty and Zane that you are willing to give!). So, here's my question: Would you like another teaser from my LiAW story or would you prefer to wait with bated breath until it comes out later this summer? Sub-question: If I were to give an excerpt, would you prefer a background teaser or an in the moment tense teaser?

IF I get ten comments wanting a teaser, I will post one. Make sure to let me know which kind you prefer in your comment. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy it when it comes out! ;)

Also, because it wouldn't be an update post without some pretty, here you go.

(These are my two MCs. Just imagine the big spoon with hair a little curlier)

Because I can't seem to go a single "pretty" post without a tattooed guy with a cute animal.

HAPPY TUESDAY!

ETA: Forgot about it being Tattoo Tuesday but since I already have a tattoolicious picture in the post I am just going to add the linky tool here at the bottom. Click around it to see lots of pretty tattooed boys or even add your own! =)

Love is Always Write Teaser

We have been encouraged to post teasers of our Love is Always Write story over in the Goodreads group so I am going to share the teaser I posted there with you guys as well (although you are prbly mostly the same people). Hope you enjoy! =)


Chapter 1

The gravel scraped on my shoes as I climbed the steps up to the lookout at the top of Mt Bonnell. It was close to sunset and on any other day the small park would have been crowded with picture takers, couples, and outdoors enthusiasts. But as it was about to start raining, the park had pretty much cleared out. When I reached the top I took the trail to the left that would lead me to where I could look out over the lake and not be hemmed in by short stone walls and a wooden pavillon.

As I sat there, I stared out over the corridor of the Colorado river we natives like to call Lake Austin and watched the storm roll in. In the thin sunset light, the sky seemed to turn an odd orange green color that I have only ever seen watching Texas thunderstorms. The air had a static-y ozone feel to it and I could almost taste the rain. Purple clouds roiled in, casting night-like shadows over everything in their path. Lightening shot in all directions within the clouds like it couldn’t figure out which way the earth lay. Occassionally one would get it right and shoot out towards the ground, thunder following immediately as if cheering at its success.

Eventually the clouds swelled and seemed to hover at the tipping point until all at once they exploded with a torrent of water. The fierce rain blinded me to the city beyond and to the lake in front of me. I let it pelt my skin and soak through my clothes. The power, the sheer magnitude of what was barraging me, overtook my senses. Compared to this natural phenomenon I was tiny, a mere fly in relation to the cosmos. The chaoses and pains of my life were overpowered and lost their sharp edges.

The storm lasted only a few minutes. That’s how it is here. Fierce, intense power but over and gone before you can snap your fingers. As the rain eased off and the full dark of night fell, all the things I had been holding back rushed into me and I doubled over in pain.

Finally, I took out my phone and did what I had been trying to build up the courage for all evening. I dialed his number.

****