City Falcon Release Day – Excerpt #1 and some Recipes

August 26, 2011

This scene takes place at Falcon Station. Earlier, Mark and Hunter had argued about fastfood, which Mark mostly lives off and Hunter despises.
To get his point across, Hunter cooked an Arabian style dinner for Mark and Greg.

The falconers talked shop while they ate. Greg kept rustling among the papers he had thrown to the floor earlier, liberally dotting them with grease spots while discussing things with Hunter that were mostly Greek to Mark. It didn’t bother him. He let their conversation wash over him while he savored the best food he’d had in forever. No wonder Hunter didn’t care for burgers. Mark closed his eyes, chasing a particular aroma which reminded him of… oh, of how Hunter’s skin tasted right behind his…

A chuckle brought him back to the present. “Seems to me you like Hunter’s cooking, Mark,” Greg said. “Better than sex, isn’t it?”

Mark almost choked on the bite, feeling his cheeks heat up.

“Perhaps at your age, you old fart,” Hunter chided. “Wait till I tell Lucy you said that.”

“I’ll show you an old fart, brat! Besides, Lucy knows what I think of your stuff. I was actually quoting her here.”

Mark had regained his breath by then. “Makes one think, doesn’t it?” he said, aiming at casual. “As for me, it’s a close second.” He dared a glance out of the corner of his eye at Hunter, enjoying his stunned expression, which gave way to amusement a heartbeat later. Greg barked a laugh and dealt Mark a hearty slap on the back. “I like you better every time I see you, Mark, I really do.”

I added Hunter’s recipes below so you can be the judge of Greg’s sentiment:

Koresht e sardalu wa alu (Lamb with apricots)

2 lbs leg of lamb with bones, 1 onion, 1can tomatoes, 2 tblsp tomato paste, 2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1-2 tsp cayenne (according to taste), 1 tsp ginger powder,1 tsp bell pepper powder, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp cardamom, 1cup dried plums, 1cup dried apricots, 2 tblsp pine nuts, 2 tblsp almond sticks,1 tblsp butter, salt, brown sugar, lemon juice, sunflower oil

Chop the lamb leg into 4-5 pieces. In a large pan, roast pieces in oil until brown. Remove the meat from the pan, put aside. Roast onions, stir in tomato paste, spices, tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Put the meat back. Simmer for 90min. Take out the meat, debone, and put the meat back into the pan.  Add plums and apricots and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add brown sugar, salt and lemon juice to taste.

In another pan, lightly roast almonds and pine nuts with a little salt and brown sugar. Sprinkle the finished dish with nut mix.   

Maghmour (Eggplant casserole)

1-2 eggplants, 1 can of chicken peas, 1 can of tomatoes, 2 tblsp. tomato paste, 3 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tblsp dried mint leaves, 1 pinch of cumin, olive oil, water, salt, pepper.

Cut the eggplants into cubes, salt generously, then fry in oil. Put aside.
Cut the onions into bigger pieces, cook in oil until translucent, add drained chicken peas and tomato paste. Stir and add a little water. Add canned tomatoes with juice and the fried eggplant cubes. Stir well. Add more water if necessary. Crush garlic and mint leaves, mix with cumin and allspice. Add to the dish. Salt and pepper to taste.
Let simmer at low heat for at least 30 min. Stir occasionally. Serve warm or cold.

Flatbread

160 ml warm water, 80 ml warm milk, 1 egg, 2 teasp.salt, 500 gr wheat flour, 3 teasp dried yeast, 1tblsp olive oil, 1 teasp sugar

Make a yeast dough. Allow to rise for 20 min. Part the dough into 15-20 pieces.
Heat a flat pan on the stove. Roll the dough pieces flat, make them very thin. Bake in the pan, one after another for a few minutes each.

Now who’s right, Greg or Mark?

City Falcon by Feliz Faber

August 26, 2011

Will Mark’s need for Hunter outweigh his need to stay in the closet? City Falcon by Feliz Faber, available from Dreamspinner Press.

New York, 1994

What on earth is a live falcon doing in the middle of JFK airport? The answer to this question brings PAPD officer Mark Bowman face to face with falconer Hunter Devereaux, right in the middle of a fascinating field experiment using falcons to keep runways free of nuisance birds. The falcons are intriguing, but it’s arrogant, out-and-proud Hunter himself who really rubs Mark the right kind of wrong. Too bad Mark can’t act on the attraction: he’s deeply in the closet, and since he wants to keep his job, that’s where he’s determined to stay.

However, every time their paths cross, Hunter gets a little deeper under Mark’s skin, until Mark can’t deny his feelings any longer. Giving in to his desire makes Mark happier than he can remember being, but Hunter isn’t willing to hide their relationship forever. If they’re going to make a life together work, something has to give. Someday soon Mark will have to choose, or life will make the choice for him before he’s ready for it.

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Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel

City Falcon Release Day – Inspiration

August 26, 2011

Burg Guttenberg, German National Birds of Prey Sanctuary

Good morning everybody. As of today, my novel City Falcon is available from Dreamspinner. To mark the occasion, I’ll be here on the blog today with excerpts, a bit of background information and a quiz.  (and PRIZES!) If you feel like it, come round and see me. I look forward to your comments – just click on the post header to open the comments box below.

So why a book about a falconer? The most obvious answer to this would be, why not?, but there was actually more to the idea for this book than my whim. This is how it all began:

When I was little, my parents took me to Burg Guttenberg on the river Neckar for one of the German National Birds of Prey Sanctuary’s  falconry show. I don’t remember much about this day, not even exactly how old I was, nine or ten (and I definitely WON’T say how long ago this was!), but what I recall vividly are the birds. The  majestic eagles, the creepy vultures, the mysterious owls and above all, the sleek, beautiful, elegant falcons.  One of the falconers seemed to have noticed the wide-eyed child who pushed and shoved her way through all the picture – snapping grownups ahead to the front row, ’cause he told me to hold out my arm, put a glove on my hand and next thing I know, a falcon’s claws scrabbled for purchase on the glove and dug into my wrist through the worn old leather.  The bird turned her head and held my gaze, unerringly and a little menacing, while the falconer talked quietly to me and to the bird, and when I dared to breathe again, I could smell her, animal and leather and that dry smell old barns have in the summer. I fell in love on that day, and have been ever since.

For several years afterwards, going to see the falcons was top priority on each wish list I ever wrote for Santa or the Birthday Fairy, even knocking the ever-present pony into second place.

After a while, though, my life got busy with other things, like getting around in the world, learning to win a livelihood, and finding a partner to share it with, and I lost touch with falcons for a while. Then, a few years ago,  my life got back  into shallower waters, and I returned home.  One of these days, I went to a medieval fair at yet another castle ruin (Southern Germany has lots and lots of those picturesque heaps of old stones!) where I stumbled upon a falconer. To my considerable delight  it turned out that particular falconer lived only a few kilometers away from my place. And, even more to my delight, he took visitors  hawking on a regular basis.  No question where I spent most of my weekends the rest of that year.

It was around that same time I discovered m/m romance. By the time my first own story ideas raised their little hands and asked to be told,  our backwater hometown finally got decent internet. One evening, dawdling away on youtube, I found this vid:

Birdman At JFK

Don’t ask me how, but it clicked. Suddenly Hunter Devereaux, falconer extraordinaire, stepped out of my subconscious, put down his foot and demanded to be written. His lover Mark followed not far behind, and then they all came tumbling out:  Greg, Micky, Walt, Evie, Sean…  and above all of them, Iman drew her circles in the sky, looking down at the hustle and bustle of humanity, sharp-eyed and a little menacing.

And here we are.

The Mark of a Man by Maggie Lee

August 24, 2011

Will Alec’s sense of justice override his sense of duty to save Kit’s life? The Mark of a Man by Maggie Lee, available from Dreamspinner Press.

Kit Porter’s fear that he is being followed is confirmed when he is arrested by Alec Weston, a captain in the City Guard. Taken as a thief, Kit soon realizes that darker forces are at work.

Captain Weston’s suspicions have been aroused by the Lord Chancellor’s insistence that he take an armed escort to the eastern border of the shire to pick up one lone cutpurse. As Alec gets to know Kit during their journey back to the capital, he becomes convinced that his prisoner is something more than a common thief. When Alec finally realizes the reason for Kit’s arrest, his growing feelings for the young man and his outraged sense of justice lead him to make a choice that will change their lives forever.

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Genre: Historical
Length: Novella

The Raw Prawn by Connie Bailey

August 24, 2011

Will Jarold be the reason Russ needs to leave the low life behind? The Raw Prawn by Connie Bailey, now available from Dreamspinner Press.

When backpacker Jarold Lake runs out of money in Australia, an acquaintance gives him an address where he can find an under-the-table job without needing a work visa. He’s greeted by Russ Bridger, who none too subtly lets him know that the “job” involves being filmed having sex… with a man. Jarold is open to new experiences, but when he decided to take a trip Down Under, he never expected this!

Before long, Jarold is tangled up in the underworld dealings of Russ’s boss, Jason Leith. Leith runs an empire on betting, pornography, and prostitution, and he is devoid of sympathy, among other human feelings. When Leith shows too much interest in Jarold, Russ decides it’s time to get out of the low life, something much easier said than done. But for Jarold, Russ will take the risk.

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Genre: Mystery/suspense
Length: Novella

Tonight or Else by M. King

August 24, 2011

Tonight or Else by M. King

Every Cornishman comes into the world with the soul-deep knowledge that his land straddles the narrow shallows between the solid rocks of English practicality and the ocean of myth that lies beyond. Jamie Tregellis has no time for old men’s tales; working at The Lamb Inn keeps him too busy even to pine for his lost love, Will Andrewartha, who’d split Jamie’s heart in two when he left to become a sailor. Will promised to come back for him, but Jamie had long since given up hope – until one night he hears a noise in the stableyard….

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Genre: Historical—European, Fantasy/Paranormal, Bittersweet Dreams
Length: Short story

By Any Other Name by Tia Fielding

August 22, 2011

Can Dru and Thom conquer their fears and convince Skye to stay? By Any Other Name by Tia Fielding, available from Dreamspinner Press.

Dru and Thom have been together for three years, and despite Thom’s occasional bouts of insecurity and Dru’s fear of rejection, their relationship is rock solid. Then Dru’s long-lost friend, Skye, suddenly reappears, shocking them both. Skye suffered years of inconceivable abuse before escaping it, and while he’s back on track, he has nowhere else to go as he begins to rebuild his life.

Dru, Thom, and Skye each want to belong somewhere, to belong with someone—or someones—with no fear of being hurt, set aside, or left behind. It’s a challenge with daunting odds, especially for Skye, who’s never loved before. He’s determined not to come between his two friends who so clearly belong together, and it will be up to Dru and Thom to conquer their fears and convince Skye to stay.

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Genre: M/M/M
Length: Novel

Bounty of Love by Scotty Cade

August 22, 2011

Can Zander and Jake fight big business to bring a killer to justice? Bounty of Love by Scotty Cade, available from Dreamspinner Press.

The night before his wedding, Zander Walsh, his parents, and his husband-to-be are all shot when they return home and interrupt a mysterious robbery in progress. After three weeks in a coma, Zander wakes up to find out he is the only survivor, and his perfect life falls apart in an instant.

Hunky FBI Agent Jake Elliot is investigating the case, and he eventually apprehends the killer—who soon escapes. Following six months of searching, Zander and Jake realize they’re being stonewalled by the FBI… and that they have slowly formed an unbreakable bond that is beginning to turn into much more.

Once they embark on a journey to apprehend the killer for the second time, they’ll discover that one terrible night was much more than just an interrupted robbery. Can big business and politics cover up the truth, or will Zander and Jake’s quest to unravel the mystery be the end of their newfound love and their lives?

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Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel

Mistletoe Science by Serena Yates

August 19, 2011

Read all three Mistletoe stories in one collection! Mistletoe Science by Serena Yates, now available from Dreamspinner Press.

The Mistletoe Phenomenon: Magnus Carstens, an eminent glaciologist, recently had to change his life: he’s become his nephew Jakob’s guardian, has taken a new job as a park ranger, and moved them to Mistletoe, Wyoming. There he meets Lance Rivera, who is working in his sister’s store to make a living after his lover took off with all their money. When Lance and Magnum come together, literally under the mistletoe, both realize all they really want is a family to love.

The Solstice Mistletoe Effect: Lance and Magnus have a new life as a family with Jakob, but when they visit Magnus’s parents in Sweden, they are not happy. Magnus seems oblivious to the woman they think more suitable, but when an attractive job offer is added to the mix, Lance faces a crisis: What if Magnus chooses the new job and a life with Sigrid over the family he’s started with Lance and Jakob?

The Mistletoe Experiment: Lance is on cloud nine. Magnus proposed and they’re moving their family to Sweden for Magnus’s new job. But when an unexpected threat to their relationship surfaces, their new life turns out to be very different from what they had hoped. Will Lance and Magnus’s love be strong enough to make their Mistletoe Experiment a success?

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Genre: Contemporary
Length: Anthology

Boots for the Gentleman by Augusta Li and Eon de Beaumont

August 19, 2011

Can Querry and Reg stop Lord Thimbleroy from draining Halcyon’s magic? Boots for the Gentleman by Augusta Li and Eon de Beaumont, available from Dreamspinner Press.

Steamcraft and Sorcery Book One

Hired by a mysterious faerie gentleman to steal seemingly worthless artifacts, Querrilous Knotte is seen as a traitor by the humans of Halcyon. But as long as he’s getting paid, Querry doesn’t mind. When his client makes a cryptic comment about a certain house, Querry contacts his old flame Reg—a former street rat who now works in the Royal Archives—to learn if the property contains anything of value.

Though Reg has no answers for him, Querry learns there is indeed something precious in the house, something Reg is convinced will bring nothing but trouble. The armed guards that attack the thief prove Reg’s prediction true, and he can’t leave Querry to face it all alone. Not when Reg’s feelings for the man may not be as extinct as he’d thought.

The trouble is, Querry’s heart doesn’t just belong to Reg anymore, and surprisingly, Reg’s heart no longer belongs only to Querry. In the end, it may not even matter, because if Querry, Reg, and their hearts’ desire can’t stop Lord Thimbleroy from draining Halcyon’s magic, they won’t live long enough to regret their unresolved romance.

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Genre: Steampunk, Fantasy/Paranormal, M/M/M
Length: Novel