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Jared’s been all over the world as a traveling manny with Holiday Helpers, and the itch to put down roots is is starting to eclipse his wanderlust—especially since his current family is a handful. 

After culinary school, Wes did some wandering of his own, exploring Central America before settling as a resort chef in his mother’s homeland of Costa Rica, a place he loves and plans to stay. If he’s learned one thing, it’s to be wary of flings with vacationers. Still, he can’t stand to watch two little Swiss kids lose their belief in Saint Nicholas, so he’ll lend a hand to the manny assisting the family. It won’t be easy to recreate a traditional European Christmas in a tropical paradise. 

Between a snowball fight on a sunny beach and sledding down an active volcano, Jared and Wes discover some renewed holiday magic of their own. Can they make it last a lifetime?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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Pagan punk musician Lucas is fully prepared to spend this Yule with the rest of the band and his beautiful bass guitar when Oliver, his boyfriend of almost a year, asks if he wants to join the rest of the Han family for their annual winter celebration. It comes as a shock since Ollie has gone to great lengths to keep the two apart, and Lucas always assumed he was the reason. Since they’re planning to be together long-term, Lucas can't say no to meeting Ollie’s parents, but he better brush up on his manners and his Mandarin because this is going to be a holiday season like no other—and it has some surprises in store for both of them.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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After Andrew’s boyfriend dumps him just before Christmas, he decides to take a job far, far away from city life. It’s a dishwashing job on a remote island off the coast of Georgia. Expecting sunshine, palm trees, and some quality alone time, Andrew is surprised to find alligators, mosquitoes, rattlesnakes, and Garrett—a devilishly handsome naturalist. Andrew desperately tries to resist Garrett’s charm, because a twice-broken heart before Christmas is just not an option. Besides Andrew’s new friend Anna might already have a thing for Garrett.

But where do Garrett’s interests lie, and will Andrew find out before he’s surprised by a visit from his ex?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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All his life, astrophysicist Peter has dreamed of seeing the comet that last appeared on his birthday—and won’t be seen for another thirty-eight years. Since it could be his only chance, he travels to New Zealand. But his dream might be quashed after all when his rental car breaks down on the way to the observatory. He doesn’t even have a place to stay.

Fortunately a New Zealand native with a heart of gold offers assistance. But is kindness the only thing drawing the two men together?

Rangi can’t leave Peter stranded so close to Christmas, and his family has plenty of room—and love—to share. While Rangi is attracted to Peter, he’s seen too many of his friends get their hearts broken by tourists. Will they manage to see the comet on its decades-long journey across the sky… and take advantage of a rare opportunity that might never come again?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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Sam is a journalist struggling with the recent transfer to his magazine’s Brazilian office. He doesn’t speak the language and isn’t all that familiar with the customs. It also isn’t easy to make friends when you’re the new guy. Then there’s James, his friendly and gorgeous coworker, who is so out of Sam’s league, he knows he doesn’t stand any chance with the handsome Brazilian. 

Just as Sam is preparing to spend Christmas away from his family, an unexpected surprise spins his lonely holiday plans around. Another unforeseen gift is James’s offer to show Sam some of the city’s holiday traditions. With his significant low self-esteem, Sam doesn’t know what to make of James’s offer and apparent interest. Can some last-minute decorations and an impromptu meal make Sam’s apartment feel more homely? 

Maybe everything could come together in a wonderful way—if Sam can find the courage and confidence to accept all James wants to give.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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Their favorite holiday is going away. Will it take their friendship with it? 

Since 1989, the birthday of the Emperor of Japan has been celebrated on December 23rd. But this is the last year; the Emperor is abdicating, and next year there will be no holiday.           

For twenty-year-old Akihito, the holiday has always been special. It’s his birthday, too, and a perfect excuse for spending the entire day celebrating across Tokyo with his life-long best friend, Kenji. But now that they will no longer get the day off and will soon face adult responsibilities, will they drift apart? Or if Akihito confesses the secret love he’s held in his heart for years, will their closeness be ruined? One thing is certain: nothing will be same by the end of the day.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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Photographer Zach is happy to pack up his gear and head to the Mojave Desert over the holidays. Ever since his ex-husband filed for divorce a day before Christmas, it’s safe to say this isn’t Zach’s favorite time of year. 

Fortunately, he stumbles upon a town where the residents seem to agree. The good people of Baker would much rather celebrate the possibility of extraterrestrials as they dance under the stars in their unique “Night Sky Festival.” The locals are interesting, to say the least, and they want Zach to join them. 

But is Zach ready to let go of his holiday bitterness? And if so, whose invitation should he accept: the cute cashier, the burly single dad, or the sexy fun-loving cop?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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Rival archaeologists Will and Jude slept together a year ago, on the night of the Summer Solstice at a dig in Stonehenge. But they were both wearing masks, so Jude has no idea it was Will he slept with, and Will’s been harboring a powerful, one-sided crush ever since. 

Now they’re in Egypt, competing to find the lost tomb of Queen Nefertiti. Jude falls through a crack in the cave floor, and when Will reluctantly climbs down to help him, they find themselves in Nefertiti's tomb, surrounded by archaeological treasures—where they must spend Christmas stranded by a sandstorm. 

Will a few sultry hours stripped almost bare from the heat and sharing a bottle of whiskey sort out who should get credit for the discovery—and the real reason for the tension between them?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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The festival of Tulsi Vivah ushers in the Hindu wedding season and tears away the love of Kristopher’s life. Three years of passion and tenderness are reduced to a shameful skeleton in the closet as Arjuna submits to the marriage his parents have arranged for him. His family has never even heard Kristopher’s name. 

The festival, a ritualistic wedding between the holy basil plant, Tulsi, and her eternal lover, Vishnu, is as much of a play-act as Arjuna’s upcoming nuptials, but he believes the wedding will honor his parents and please Vishnu. So why is his Tulsi plant—whose leaves heal and bless the devout, who is Vishnu's representative on earth—dying? Arjuna tends to her with all the care of a concerned parent, but it might take more than his devotion to save her. She might need Kris, with his clever green-fingers—and maybe a revived Tulsi can heal two hearts.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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The holidays are a time for second chances. 

Warren Blessing lost his wife (two years ago), and his kids decide he’s been alone too long. They send him on a holiday singles cruise so he can meet someone new. On the flight from Chicago to Miami, he sits next to an attractive man, but when the flight’s over, he doesn’t think he'll see him again. 

Fletcher Hammond is a professional mystery shopper for vacation destinations and travel. After a split from his unfaithful fiancé, he’s embarking on a singles cruise. He meets a lovely gentleman on the flight, whose conversation and cocktails help Fletcher through his fear of takeoffs, but he doesn’t expect to see him again. 

As if by fate, a meeting in the ship’s dining room renews their mutual attraction. But can they build a relationship with distance and baggage working against them? Or will they part ways when they return to port?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

Second Edition
First Edition published by Torquere Press, June 2016.

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Forty-six-year-old Eddie Hightower has a problem. He’s all alone. The only thing that saves him from facing that stark reality is the fact that he isn’t really alone at all. He has a house full of pets and a refuge full of stray unwanted animals he spends every waking hour trying to place in homes. While he loves what he does with all the joy in his heart, that same poor aging heart is still missing something. And Eddie knows exactly what it is. Romance.

But wait. Cue the music. Suddenly, beyond all hope, it happens. In the small desert town of Spangle, California, where Eddie lives, comes a sad young stranger with piercing gray eyes. They are the palest, most stunningly beautiful eyes Eddie has ever seen. Poor Eddie Hightower is swallowed up in their silver depths and disappears without a gurgle. The stranger’s name is Gray Grissom. Gray, like his eyes. Without hesitation Eddie opens his doors—and his heart—to the lost young man. After all, that’s what Eddie does. He finds homes for strays. But this is one stray Eddie intends to keep for himself.

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Sequel to The Consumption of Magic

Nearly a year ago, blinded by grief and betrayal, Sam of Wilds made a desperate decision to follow the Great White into the Dark Woods. Now, he emerges to a world changed.

The City of Lockes is a prison. The King has been locked away in the dungeons. The Kingdom of Verania has fallen, and the Dark wizard Myrin sits on the throne.

But soon after his return, Sam learns of a resistance fighting in his name, led by a courageous knight, a defiant prince, a pissed-off unicorn, and a half-giant who wants to smash everything in sight. If he has any hope of defeating the villains who have taken their home, Sam must face the consequences of his choices—and the friends he left behind.

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Brian Paulson è nato con la camicia e ha sempre vissuto una vita di lusso e agiatezze. Che la famiglia lo abbia trascurato per inseguire la ricchezza e la felicità non gli sembra che un piccolo prezzo da pagare per ciò che lui ritiene la cosa più importante: il denaro.

Per Cade McAllister niente è mai stato facile. Per mantenere se stesso, la madre e il fratello con difficoltà di apprendimento è costretto a fare due lavori. Non hanno molto, ma per Cade l’affetto dei suoi cari e il potersi prendere cura di loro è più importante dei beni materiali. Non può permettersi di perdere quel poco che ha, e il giorno in cui viene derubato in un parco è grato per l’intervento di Brian.

Quando tutti i beni di Brian vengono congelati dopo la morte del nonno, Cade ha la possibilità di sdebitarsi. Gli offre un posto dove stare e lo aiuta a trovare un lavoro, e i due uomini si avvicinano l’uno all’altro mentre scoprono i lati positivi e negativi dei due mondi da cui provengono. E proprio mentre Brian comincia a rendersi conto che nella vita ci sono cose che i soldi non possono comprare, una clausola del testamento del nonno rischia di mandare in fumo la loro relazione.

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Le seul chemin vers le bonheur c’est la liberté : la liberté de vivre – et d’aimer – comme le cœur le désir. Revendiquer cette liberté nécessitera tout le courage que possède un jeune homme… mais il n’aura pas à l’affronter seul.

Dans la petite ville conservatrice de Sierra Pines en Californie, le Révérend Gabriel est la loi. Son fils, Willy, suit ses directives… jusqu’à ce qu’il rencontre un homme à Sacramento, et puis le croise à nouveau dans sa ville natale – juste sous le nez de son père.

Reggie est le nouveau shérif nommé à Sierra Pines. Son dévouement pour son travail signifie qu’il ne fait pas étalage de sa sexualité, mais quand il voit Will de nouveau, il ne peut échapper au sentiment qu’ils sont destinés à être ensemble. Il gardera le secret de Will jusqu’à ce que celui-ci soit prêt à laisser le monde voir qui il est réellement. Mais si aller à l’encontre de l’Église et des habitants de la ville n’est pas suffisant, les risques du métier que Reggie aime tellement pourraient signifier la fin de leur romance avant même qu’elle prenne son essor…

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Mystery. Murder. Men in silk stockings. Hollywood nights are heating up. 

Hardboiled Los Angeles PI Cain Noble is hired by wealthy and gorgeous Camille Astor to find her husband and a priceless work of art, both of which have disappeared.

At the nightclub owned by Mr. Astor, Cain encounters the mesmerizing Lily Lavender, who has the body of a goddess and the sultry voice of an angel—but is really a young man named Riley who attracts trouble like a magnet.

What’s a private dick in the vein of LA’s bygone era and a cross-dressing burlesque starlet to do when faced with the hidden decadence and lethal dangers of the Hollywood Hills? They have their work cut out for them because they haven’t even scratched the surface of an elaborate scheme more twisted than anyone could ever have imagined.

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Non importa quanto provi a convincersi: Liam, architetto di successo a New York, non ha mai dimenticato Ben, il suo primo amore. All’avvicinarsi dei quarant’anni, Liam sente che nella sua vita manca qualcosa. Riuscirà a rimediare al suo più grande errore, quello che gli ha lasciato un vuoto che nessun successo lavorativo potrà mai riempire? O la paura di sbagliare di nuovo gli impedirà di avere la vita che sogna?

Liam e Ben sono stati amici da ragazzi e poi fidanzati all’università. Quando però Liam lo ha tradito, Ben si è imposto di tagliare i ponti con lui e di andare avanti con la propria vita. Abita ancora nella cittadina in cui sono cresciuti e dove fa l’insegnante, ma quella non è l’esistenza che sognava da ragazzo. Eppure, quando Liam riappare a North Falls, Ben non se la sente di rimettere il cuore in gioco. Non può permettersi di farsi conquistare ancora da lui dopo tutta la fatica fatta per dimenticarlo.

Nessuno dei due sembra voler mettere una pietra sul passato e affrontare l’ansia di un nuovo inizio. Non vogliono innamorarsi di nuovo, ma a volte l’amore bussa, anche quando non lo si è invitato.

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A Murder and Mayhem Short

It’s all fun and games until someone leaves a dead body on the floor.

Life for comic book store owner Alex Martin usually runs to the mundane. Sure, he has a regular influx of geeks and freaks, but for the most part, it’s a familiar weird. That all changes when he opens up Planet X Comics one morning and finds a corpse in the middle of his shop.

When Detective James Castillo is called in to investigate, Alex is torn between wanting to climb the man like a tree and giving him a wide berth. Luckily for Alex, the handsome detective is just as interested in him—as a suspect in the murder.

Previously published in Grand Adventures by Dreamspinner Press, March 2014.

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A Harmony Ink Press Title

What would you do if you found out your whole life was a lie?

That’s what happens to Zavier Beckham. One moment, he’s a happy teen with a loving family and a nerdy best friend named Cole. The next, there’s an FBI agent telling Zavier he was kidnapped as a baby and sold to an adoption agency—that the parents he’s always known aren’t his parents.

Not even his name is his own.

Now Zavier may be forced to deal with a move from his home in Memphis to Chicago, where he would be living with strangers, including a new brother who already resents him. And there is also Brendan, an older boy who stirs confusing feelings in Zavier. There’s more to Brendan than meets the eye, but will he help Zavier adjust to his new situation or add more stress to all the upheaval in Zavier’s life?

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