Tag Archives: mlr press

EXCERPT: Pulling the Dragon’s Tail from Shifting Sands anthology

Shifting SandsReleased September 26, 2010 from MLR Press

Pairing: m/m

Available in ebook from MLR Press

Available in ebook from ARe

Available in Kindle at Amazon

Also available in print at Amazon

Available in NOOK at Barnes & Noble

Also available in print at Barnes & Noble

ANTHOLOGY BLURB

The wrath of a woman scorned is bad, but a witch’s wrath is hell on earth. No one knows this better than the six men of Shifting Sands Ranch. When the owner’s witch of a wife flees the ranch, she takes with her one of the cowboys and leaves behind a curse that dooms the remaining inhabitants to a life that is anything but normal. Now, every month when the moon comes full, each man takes on the form of an animal.

Witches, shifters and ancient curses, such is life on the Shifting Sands.

STORY BLURB

Daniel’s watched the other men who live on his ranch find their lifemates one by one. He’s watched them all fall prey to the curse of the Shifting Sands. His curse. His fault. When it’s suggested that maybe the curse will break once all the men of the Sands find their mates, Daniel — as the only one left — knows that it’s time to acknowledge what he’s known all along.

Russell’s been in love with Daniel as long as he can remember. So why did he run off with Daniel’s wife? She’s a witch, that’s why! Of course, now that it’s happened, how can he explain himself and hope to be believed?

***************************

©2010 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved

Daniel parked on the street not far from the main entrance of the small apartment complex. Although he knew the address well, he’d never been there before. Never been to Barston. But Russell was nearby. He could feel it.

Shutting off the truck, Daniel remained seated for a few moments, staring at his hands, waiting for the claws and the iridescent green and blue scales to retreat. Being so far away from the Sands was more unsettling than he’d thought. The farther he drove from his home base, the more the beast wanted to come out. He’d finally allowed the claws and the scales to remain, that little bit seeming to satisfy the dragon for a little while. But he was having a devil of a time keeping his eyes human. His sight kept slipping into that strange shape-sensory sight of the beast rather than normal vision. Not the easiest to drive with since the beast wasn’t great at seeing electrical stuff, like traffic lights.

“Damn!” it wasn’t working. The black claws and shining scales were still there although the shape of his hands remained mostly human. A weird afterimage to his sight told him that his eyes were half gone. Was this because he was so far from the Sands or was it because he was near Russell? Did it have anything to do with a nagging feeling that he had to get out of the truck now?

No help for it. Carefully tugging the cuffs of his flannel shirt as far over his hands as possible, he grabbed his hat and got out of the truck. Luckily, it was a dark night so he might be able to go undetected, at least to Russell’s apartment. He’d have to tackle the problem of what to do in the morning, when and if that trouble came.

Something was wrong. The feeling only increased. A definite pull guided him down the street away from the front door of the apartment complex. He shoved his hat onto his head and scowled at the door. That was where he wanted to go. But there was no denying the beast’s instincts when they were like this and the beast wanted to go down the street. Daniel jumped from the truck, hoping he’d parked in a parking zone, barely remembering to push the button on the key fob that’d lock the door. He forced himself to walk, although at a fast clip, toward the source of anxiety. Continue reading EXCERPT: Pulling the Dragon’s Tail from Shifting Sands anthology

EXCERPT – Much Ado from the Encore! Encore! anthology

Much AdoReleased February 10, 2020 by MLR Press

Also available in print
Also available in print

Pairing: m/m

Available in ebook as part of the anthology

Also available in ebook as a stand alone

Available in Kindle at Amazon

Also available in print at Amazon

Available in NOOK at Barnes & Noble

Also available in print at Barnes & Noble

The powers that be at MLR Press asked for it and I, weak as I am, agreed to do a sequel to About Something.

BLURB:

Turns out life as a drag queen isn’t what Shawn thought it would be. He loves the costumes and dressing up, but he’s found he’s better suited to performing from a script than vamping onstage. Too bad Shawn figured this out long after breaking up with Roscoe when his bossy director boyfriend told him he didn’t have what it would take.

Two years later, Shawn may not be wildly happy but he’s content. That is until Roscoe shows up to ask him to reprise his role as Beatrice in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Roscoe is as magnetic as he’s always been and the spark between them is still burning bright.

When Roscoe turns on the charm for a more personal reunion, can Shawn resist? Does he even want to?

*********************************

© 2010 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved

Roscoe folded his forearms on the bar before him, one of his elbows brushing Shawn’s. “It’s a paying gig. Equity. You could get your card.”

“Aha.” Shawn took a sip of his drink, keeping his eyes on the bar. “I get it.”

“Get what?”

“Why are you showing up, out of the blue, with an offer?”

Some of their audience had drifted away, but Shawn had no doubt those who remained would spread the word.

Didn’t seem like Roscoe cared who heard. “I told you. I need you. Play’s not the same without you.”

“Why that play?”

“I like that play.”

“You going to call Bonnie in California to come play Benedick?”

When there was no answer, he slanted his gaze at the other man.

Roscoe stared at the array of bottles on the mirrored wall behind the bar. He shook his head, not smiling now. “No.”

“What? You don’t think she did great?”

“I do, and you know it.”

“Right.” He took a healthy drink then carefully set his glass down. “But you weren’t sleeping with her.”

Ever aware of his performance, on and off stage, Roscoe gave it a beat, turned to face Shawn then sat back, putting some distance between them. “My offer is sincere, regardless of our past.”

“I’m sure the offer’s sincere. But it doesn’t make anything that happened between us right.” Continue reading EXCERPT – Much Ado from the Encore! Encore! anthology

There’s a new author’s blog in town

MLR Press Authors' Blog banner

http://www.mlrpressauthors.com

Today the MLR Press authors’ blog went live. Only has the one real post up so far but authors have already signed up to post throughout the month. Should be exciting. Add it to your bookmarks.

BTW, I’m especially proud of it since I designed the site. Well, I took the basic graphic elements and tweaked a WP theme. *pats self on back anyway*

EXCERPT – About Something

Bravo Brava
Also available in print

About SomethingReleased February 2009 from MLR Press

Pairing: m/m

This story is both available in the anthology as well as on its own in ebook.

Print anthology at MLR Press

Single ebook at MLR Press

Available in ebook at ARe – anthology

Available in ebook at ARe – single story

Kindle single book at Amazon

Kindle and print anthology at Amazon

NOOK single book at Barnes & Noble

Print anthology at Barnes & Noble

NOOK anthology at Barnes & Noble

This is a very cool anthology. Kimberly Gardner and JP Bowie are the other authors.

A little bit of cross dressing action. This excerpt isn’t exactly sexy maybe, but I think it gives a nice idea of the dynamic between Shawn and Roscoe before the true romance starts.

BTW, Shawn is in COLLEGE so he’s old enough to be in one of my stories.

BLURB:

Switch roles? Roscoe may be a brilliant director, but Sean wants no part of this crazy idea. But when Roscoe suggests that Sean and his leading lady swap Beatrice for Benedict in their college’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, everyone else thinks it’s a terrific idea. Trapped by peer pressure and the awareness that Roscoe usually knows what he’s doing, Sean accepts the challenge only to quickly discover that he likes wearing skirts, both on and off stage. Even more than that, he likes the director’s reaction when he flashes a little leg.

*******************************

©2009 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved

Bonnie held Shawn’s upper arms, staring down into his eyes. “With no sauce that can be devised to it. I protest / I love thee.

Shawn clutched at her elbows, lowering his gaze and twisting his head to the side, facing the audience. “Why, then, God forgive me!

Bonnie cupped Shawn’s jaw with her palm, urging his face upward. “What offence, sweet Beatrice?

You have stayed me in a happy hour: I was about to / protest I loved you.” Shawn let his voice go breathy just before raising his eyes to meet Bonnie’s.

She put her arms around him, pulling him closer. “And do it with all thy heart.

He put his arms around her, smiling. “I love you with so much of my heart that none is / left to protest.

Bonnie leaned down, tilting her head for the kiss.

“Stop.” Continue reading EXCERPT – About Something

EXCERPT – Devon Cream

Hot ComfortReleased February 20th in ebook from Aspen Mountain Press (no longer available). Print version released from MLR Press in October 2009.

Pairing: m/m

Currently only available from MLR Press in print in the Hot Comforts anthology

Available in print from Barnes & Noble – anthology

Available in print at Amazon

BLURB

When Steven helps his neighbor Devon move into the studio apartment upstairs, he can’t help but drool. And that’s all. Devon is straight and totally off limits. Knowing, though, doesn’t stop the desire Steven fights every time the two men are together, which is a lot since Steven has decided to take Devon under his wing until the young man can get his life together

*********************

©2008 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved

Crash!

The spoon in Steven’s hand slipped from his fingers, clattering to the table and spattering alfredo sauce. “What the …?”

“Watch it.” Patty stood, hands out to steady the pot in his hands.

Setting the pot down, he dropped the potholder beside it and rushed to the front door toward the sound, trusting Patty to clean up the small mess behind him.

Opening the door, he nearly stumbled over a basketball that came rolling into his apartment. Instinctively picking it up, he stuck his head out into the hallway to see where it had come from. To his left, the staircase leading up to the four studio apartments on the floor above his was strewn with personal effects, including a photo album that had spilled dozens of loose photographs over the worn cement slats. At the bottom of the stairs, a man with short, dark hair, dressed in a blue t-shirt and knee-length cut-off shorts, knelt over what looked to be a shattered glass object, muttering as he carefully picked up pieces.

“Hey.” Steven stepped into the hall, tucking the basketball underneath his arm. “You need help with that?”

The man looked up, and Steven was stunned to behold the face of an angel. Okay, maybe not an angel, but a damned beautiful male specimen, just the same. The hair was deep chestnut, cut short around his ears, mostly straight and glossy but with a little bit of a curl at the ends. A stray curl of said hair brushed dark, heavy brows that shielded the biggest, most amazing brown eyes Steven had ever seen, ringed with ridiculously long black lashes. A scattering of faint freckles dotted a patrician nose with a tip that listed slightly to the left, both it and the cheekbones sloping down toward a generous, kissable mouth perched right atop a small brown poet’s beard. That mouth was currently dropped open in surprise. The eyes were almost as wide as the mouth, and two telltale tears tracked down smooth cheeks the color of dark butterscotch.

Caught looking, Steven couldn’t help but take another step forward. Continue reading EXCERPT – Devon Cream

EXCERPT – Wolfe’s Recluse from Blood Claim anthology

Blood Claim anthologyReleased March 2008 from MLR Press

Pairing: m/m

Warning: blood sucking

From MLR Press

Available in ebook at ARe

Available in print and NOOK at Barnes & Noble

Anthology Kindle and print at Amazon

BLURB:

A traumatic, barely believable experience in his past has turned Matt into a recluse. He very rarely goes out of his apartment and absolutely never goes out at night.

But then his boss invites him out for dinner. He’s only ever heard Wolfe’s sexy voice over the phone and has only seen pictures of the gorgeous man, but Matt finds himself sorely tempted for the first time in two years to leave his apartment.

But is Wolfe all that he seems?

**********************************

©2008 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved

A knock on the door startled him.

“Matt, it’s me.” Wolfe! “Open up.”

Matt stared, frozen. Inky twilight had almost given up the ghost to night’s dark, and it could have been that color — or lack of it — that kept him rooted to the spot. His door had not opened except in the full light of day for so very long.

“Matt!” Knock again. “I know you’re in there.”

Matt found himself at the door, staring at the blank wooden panel. On the other side stood a man he very much wanted to know better. Fear paralyzed him.

“Matt!” Continue reading EXCERPT – Wolfe’s Recluse from Blood Claim anthology

EXCERPT – Key To Me from The Ties that Bind anthology

Key to Me

Released by MLR Press January 2008

Also available in print
Also available in print
  • ISBN-10: 193453109X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1934531099

Pairing: m/m

Warning: bondage

MLR Press page for single ebook

MLR Press page for print anthology

Available in ebook at ARe – anthology

Single title in Kindle at Amazon

Anthology Kindle and print at Amazon

Single title in NOOK at Barnes & Noble

Anthology NOOK and print at Barnes & Noble

I share this anthology with a few authors who are not only friends but are also awesome storytellers. This is also my first offering from MLR Press and I have great hopes for the future there.

BLURB:

Noah has never had a problem getting dates, but he didn’t realize until recently that he was dissatisfied. It takes a few mysterious gifts and notes from an anonymous admirer to show him that he was missing something.

Now this anonymous man wants to meet and ups the ante by giving Noah a collar before their first date. Can Noah trust the man’s intentions?

***************************

©2008 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved

Noah,

I’d love to smell the lemon soap on your gorgeous skin when I arrive at 7:00PM sharp. Light the candles around the room and turn off the rest of the lights.

When I walk in, I want to see you sitting on this chair wearing the pajamas with the plug in your ass. The blindfold is to be on, so that you can’t see. I will check.

If you’re not wearing the blindfold when I walk in, game over.

Yours,
Me
Continue reading EXCERPT – Key To Me from The Ties that Bind anthology