Friday, June 20, 2014

Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust anthology by Wayward Ink and Giveaway!



Birth of a story...

Inspiration can strike a writer in many ways. A picture seen, a song that is heard, a snatch of conversation that sparks an idea that demands to be written... A color, a word, an idea. There as many ways as there are writers. This is how this particular story, His Prince Wore Pink Stilettos came to be.

I had a job doing payroll and accounting at the time. One of my customers was a friend of mine named Gail, and she works at a national chain department store. One day she told me about the excitement of the day at her work. A guy had come in, wearing a black mini-skirt and pink high heels. There really was no more to the story than that. He didn’t do anything unusual, other than wearing an outfit that is generally not seen worn by men into a public place.

But something in my mind took that idea and ran with it. I knew there was a story there, and I was determined to find it... and I did...

His Prince is a coming-of-age story set in the 1970s, a time when acceptance and understanding of homosexuality was nowhere near what it is today. For young men entering puberty and questioning their sexuality, it could be a very confusing time indeed. One such  young man is Michael. The story actually begins some years after high school, when his teenage daughter discovers a supposedly lost memento in the attic—a pair of pink stilettos, and he can’t help but remember those long ago days, and a special someone...

This story was originally published by Dreamspinner Press a few years ago. It has been re-edited and the title slightly changed. I’m proud to have had it accepted by Wayward Ink for their Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust anthology. As the title implies, there is something for everyone in this book.

Sometimes inspiration comes when we least expect it. If you’re lucky, you’ll be near paper and pen when it does! Thanks for having me on your blog, I hope you enjoy the anthology!



Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust


We’ve all loved.

We’ve all laughed.

Sadly, we’ve also probably all known loss in one form or another.

And, yes, we at Wayward Ink are sure we’ve all experienced lust!

In Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust, you'll experience one or more of the "L"s as we take you on a roller coaster of emotions.

Whether you like to sigh over the sweet, cry for the broken-hearted, enjoy a good laugh, or get a little hot and bothered; there's something for everyone in this collection. 


Buy link for Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust at Wayward Ink:  http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/love-loss-laughter-lust/




MINI BLURB FOR EACH STORY

His Prince Wore Pink Stilettos
Julie Lynn Hayes
Wanted: one prince, ball optional…

Invisible
Taylin Clavelli
What do you do when you become invisible to the love of your life?

Hearts
Anyta Sunday

What if your fate is to lose the one you love and be doomed to live in a city of lost hearts?
Is it possible two dead hearts can see life again?


A Closed Door
Andrew Q. Gordon

Sometimes when you leave to find yourself, you've left the answer behind.

SleepwalkingTaylin Clavelli

Devastated by loss, Matthew sleepwalks through life, existing but not living. 
Can someone rescue him from his waking nightmare and help him to live again?

Life According to Buddy
Lily Velden

Buddy is a penis on a mission...
Mission Objective: The Love Tunnel


Service with a Smile
Lily G. Blunt

Terry visits a men’s designer boutique, and Ash gives him service with a smile…

Hunter or Hunted?
Lily Velden

Any hunter worth his salt will tell you that in order to capture your prey, there are few simple rules you must follow…





Bio: 
Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. She enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, knitting and needlepoint and loves to cook. While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, Amber Quill Press, MuseitUp Publishing, Torquere Press, and eXtasy Books, and coming soon to Wayward Ink Publishing and Prizm Publishing. She has also begun to self-publish and is an editor at MuseitUp.

You can find her on her blog at http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.com, and you can contact her at tothemax.wolf@gmail.com




My links:
Twitter @Shelley_runyon


Wayward Ink is having a giveaway to celebrate the anthology’s release! Just enter your name in the rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway