Changing
Traditions and Dirty Little Lies
In this modern
world, the family holiday ain’t what it used to be!
Rising divorce
rates, re-marriages, and blended families have changed the dynamics of how we
celebrate the holidays. It’s no longer a simple trip to Grandma’s house, or a
one stop family function. Now families often divide their time, and that of
their children, between two or more celebrations, which requires juggling time
and resources.
Sometimes the
solution to doing everything is to do it yourself, and let the guests come to
you, but that isn’t an option for everyone. Or you can hold a second holiday, after
the fact, for those people who couldn’t make the first. So if you go to visit
with Cousin Peter’s family on the day of the holiday, perhaps you can host Aunt
Ethel and her clan on a separate day. Share the fun and the cooking!
As children
leave the next and scatter, holidays can present their own special challenges,
and it isn’t always possible to share the day in person. But a phone call is an
easy alternative, and the next best thing to being there. My kids are mostly
scattered around the country – Hawaii, Washington, Indiana, and Illinois, with
one at home. This year, we’re heading up to Indiana, but we’re going to make
our own turkey dinner when we get back. That’s the only way to get leftovers,
right?
So, holidays
are what you make of them, and there is no one size fits all plan. Do what Is
right and comfortable for you.
In Dirty Little Lies, Levi Thornton has
decided to out himself on his father’s live Christmas telecast, his father
being televangelist Marshall Thornton. Like inviting America home for the
holidays! And making Dad squirm at the same time lol.
Thanks for
having me on your blog, Michelle!
Blurb:
Levi Thornton
is the closeted gay son of homophobic televangelist Marshall Thornton. So
what’s the perfect gift for the father who never cared? Levi’s going to find a
yummy young man on Christmas Eve, fuck him all night long and six ways to
Sunday. And then he’s going to out himself on live national TV on Christmas Day
in front of his father and God and everyone else.
The problem is
he’s having no luck at finding that special someone to share this moment with.
Just when he thinks his quest is hopeless, in breezes Darjeeling Crane, and
it’s off to the family hideaway for a night of fun. This will be a Christmas to
remember, if Levi has anything to say about it.
Excerpt:
Levi rose,
loosened his red houndstooth tie, plastered a beatific smile on his handsome
face, and strode purposefully toward the blond, never taking his eyes from him.
He dropped onto the empty stool beside him, swinging it to face him, their
knees touching.
“Merry
Christmas,” the blond greeted him.
“It will
be,” Levi replied. “It certainly will be.” At that moment the counter girl laid
down a menu, a glass of water, and tableware. “Take your time, honey,” she
said, walking away before he could comment.
The stranger
flipped the menu open. “Anything you recommend?”
Levi blindly
jabbed a finger at the open page. “Yeah. Me,” he brazenly replied. “I can give
you something a whole lot better than anything you’ll find here. And then I’ll feed
you, too.”
“That’s
quite an offer, Mr…?” He looked at Levi, the question hanging from his pretty
lips.
“You can
call me Levi. What should I call you, pretty thing?”
“I like
that, but you can call me Darjeeling.”
Auburn
eyebrows arched in disbelief. “Like the tea?”
“Exactly.”
Levi leaned
in, his lips brushing against the other man’s ear, his breath warm against his
flesh. “I have a place where you and I can go, if you’re interested. Someplace
a whole lot better than this ptomaine palace. And a hell of a lot more private.
What do you say?” He ran his tongue along the outer shell of Darjeeling’s ear,
felt his shiver.
“What do I
say?” He laid his hand on Levi’s arm, turned his head just enough that their
lips were mere micro-centimeters apart. “I say how soon can we leave?”
Bio:
Julie Lynn Hayes first began publishing short stories and poetry in the
1990’s, when it was a different ballgame altogether, and Ebooks hadn’t been
dreamed of yet. That changed in 2010 with the acceptance of her first romance
novel. She’s come a long way since that first book appeared, and is finding the
journey a very educational one.
She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and her cat Ramesses. She
often writes of two men finding true love and happiness in one another’s arms,
and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She likes to write in
different genres, to stretch herself in order to see what is possible. Her
great challenge is to be told something can’t be done; she feels compelled to
do it.
When she isn’t writing, she enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross
stich, needlepoint and knitting, and she
loves to cook, spending time watching the Food Network. Her favorite chef is
Geoffrey Zakarian. Her family thinks she’s 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, eXtasy Books, Amber Quill
Press, Torquere Press and Wayward ink.
My links:
Twitter
@Shelley_runyon
