Author Archives: piaveleno

Getting to know RJ Scott

If you’ve arrived here from RJ Scott’s blog, welcome! If you’re wondering why I asked that, take a moment to visit RJ’s website (Sunday morning) to learn about her new release, The Only Easy Day, and how to enter a drawing for a $30 Silver Publishing gift certificate.

Today, I asked RJ: “What first inspired you to write sexy sweet manlove stories?”

RJ said:

This is easy! I blame Jason and Mark from Battle of the Planets. I blame Apollo and Starbuck from the original Battlestar Galactica. I totally blame Jared and Jensen from Supernatural!

 In short, the answer has to be Bromance!

 I never even actually realised I had loved MM since I was about eight!

Mmm, Supernatural, an excellent choice for inspiration.

Thank you, RJ, for filling my head with images of Dean and Jared. Congratulations on your latest Sanctuary release.

Happy reading, cari miei, and don’t forget to stop by Silver Publishing’s site to decide how you’d spend your winnings.

Now I must return to the editing room as A Hound’s Love has a tight schedule for publication. Oh, how I love a challenge!

(No, really, I do.)

Ciao,
Pia Veleno


Walking the Tangent

Needing a break, I left for a walk.

Nope, not the blog update I really should be doing, but it’s been “one of those days”. Don’t ask me what “those” days are, because I’d be loath to define them. I have been trying to be more positive, however, because I loathe the constant complainer.

Like that? Loathe… Loath… You can learn more about these often confused words at my new favorite blog: http://www.one-step-forward.net/2008/12/loath-and-loathe.html. Okay, so it’s not my favorite yet, as I’ve only read the one article, but if there are more like this, One Step Forward will become a regular read fairly quickly.

Anyway…

As I was saying, I went for a walk. Initially, I wanted so desperately to escape the noise levels created by one single person who talks on the phone like she’s trying to rally an entire audience without a microphone that I forgot to change into my sneakers.

Let’s face it, ladies, womens’ dress shoes suck. They’re cute, but they rarely fit right, let alone support the foot for a good long walk to blow off steam.

I wasn’t returning to the rock concert of screeching chickens, so I veered into the parking lot. My Vibram Five-Fingers had been in my car for a month as I promised myself over and over to wear them on my next visit to the gym without success.

Oh, no, my reluctance had nothing to do with those being the shoes I was wearing when I broke my foot. I already know that it was likely a combination of low calcium levels, over-training, and craptastic sneakers (a brand not Vibram) that threw off my gait. Still, I’ve been wearing my neon green sneakers with pride.

But, alas, name me tangent…

There is something so beautiful about walking through icy cold mud of snow melt off while a cool, crisp breeze sneaks frigid fingers under the fur lining of my coat, and the sun shines down without offering much warmth. Once upon a time, I’d seek out the elements like that, but I’ve fallen away from the practice. That walk reinspired me. Not just for exercise or fresh air, but for my connection to nature – the sloppy mud of Earth and Water, the sharp caress of Air, and the gentle warm of Fire.

Last month, over at Slash & Burn, I made “resolutions” for January. I succeeded at one, not just submitting the punk rocker story, but signing a contract for it, and the other two were attempted, though I’m still working at making them a true good habit.

For February, I hope to continue to explore the sense of peace and strength I find from my pagan side. I’ll also be working on laying down the scenes to bring the CRANK story to a natural breaking point. There’s a third story to come, but first I need to refocus what is threatening to ramble away. Finally, I will finish my credits to renew my finance licenses. Yes, a boring last one, but I’ve been putting it off, due to work politics. Once completed, I can focus on writing for March, so a worthy February resolution.

Have a great weekend, dear Readers, and stay tuned for more information on A Hound’s Love coming from Loose Id later this year.

Ciao,
Pia Veleno


Slashing and Burning Today

After a long week, and a rough Superbowl, I’m nothing but “Crank-y”

http://slash-and-burn.blogspot.com/2012/02/crank-y.html

Ciao,
Pia Veleno


Silver Publishing VIP Loyalty Program


* * *
Silver Publishing introduces a VIP Loyalty Program to select customers starting in 2012. As a show of appreciation for your commitment to purchase directly from Silver, we are now offering a three tier VIP program to customers. Membership into this program is by invitation only and is based exclusively on your purchasing dedication on the Silver website.

Platinum Members:
15% Discount on ALL purchases
On your birthday, Platinum members receive 5 free books.
Platinum members receive their pre-ordered books 36 hours before its official release date
100 Reward Points every December

Gold Members:
10% Discount on ALL purchases
On your birthday, Gold members receive 2 free books.
Members receive their pre-ordered books 12 hours before its official release date
50 Reward Points every December

Silver Members:
5% Discount on ALL purchases
On your birthday, Silver members receive 1 free book.
Members receive their pre-ordered books 6 hours before its official release date
25 Reward Points every December

Additional perks to all tiers:
Special Contest for members only throughout the year
Exclusive discount coupons throughout the year

* * *

Reposted with permission.
Permission to forward in its entirety.


Fractured

Oops. Haven’t posted here lately. I’ll chock that up to my fractured sense of time. Or, instead, to the many times I’ve thought about blogging, but other shiny things have distracted me. Either way, shame on Pia. So, let’s chat now.

I sent out the punk rocker story for consideration. I still think of it as “the punk rocker story” instead of its title – A Hound’s Love – because I’m not in love with that title. I sent it to Loose Id, so I’m not holding my breath just yet. I had to submit Summer Lust (which became Make You Sweat - Loose Id, August ’11) three times before a contract arrived in my inbox. I think I’ve learned some things since then, so I’m hoping to cut that down a bit. Either way, I used the waiting as an excuse – “I’ll post to the blog when I have an acceptance.” Uh-huh. Yeah.

Onward! Currently, I’m meandering about in my WiP folders. I have a synopsis for a Coming Out call (LI), plus two outlines for A Sexy Mind call (Silver). Both of those calls have deadlines, and in the meantime, instead of working on those, I’m fiddling with the second book in the Personal Demons series (the sequel to Man Whore) which, while overdue, does not have a deadline.

See… lovely sense of time. Yes? Laugh away, I’m used to it.

And now for a few quickies:

  • Freedom’s Souvenir is approaching a milestone. It’s just under 300 downloads from Smashwords. If you haven’t read it yet, you can get your copy HERE.
  • The Little Birdie rumor mill says Man Whore should go to audio production soon. I’m not looking forward to listening to the entire thing to approve the recording, but then I read it a gazillion times to get it ready for publication. I may be sick of it, but if you’ve been waiting to hear it, all I can say is… some time this year. Yep. Helpful. I know.
  • The running is coming back to me, little by little. With running comes the writing. The Muse is optimistic… and teasing… and still a pain in my a—
  • When the heck did I fall down the rabbit hole?? My Sunday to Slash & Burn is coming up this weekend. Stay tuned as I track down winter.
  • I’m singing out loud while I work. Perhaps I should write a series of blog posts inspired by random songs playing on my iPod. Interested?

Have a great weekend, dear Readers.

Ciao,
Pia Veleno


Freebies from fellow M/M authors

The fourth and final edition of the Don’t Read In the Closet anthology released by the M/M Romance Group on GoodReads.com is now available for free download!

That means 29 more stories, all free, all sexy manlove. This edition has my own Freedom’s Souvenir, as well as stories from Sloan Parker, KZ Snow, Megan Derr, and 20+ other authors who donated their time and creativity to making this an amazing release.

For more information on authors, stories, and to download this edition, click HERE. You do not need to be a member of the group to download, but doing so will give you access to other free read projects and a number of great forum threads about the M/M romance genre.

The other editions of this fabulous anthology (all still free to download) can be found at these links:

Don’t Read in the Closet: GayRomLit Retreat 2011 Special Edition 
Don’t Read in the Closet: Volume One 
Don’t Read in the Closet: Volume Two 
Don’t Read in the Closet: Volume Three

And, of course,

Don’t Read in the Closet: Volume Four

What a ridiculous amount of freebies!

Happy reading, dear Readers. Thank you for your support.

Ciao,
Pia Veleno


Quickies. AKA News.

     Fallen is now available in Audio format!

Download audio files from Silver Publishing with this nifty buy button:

 

~*~

Today is my day to Slash & Burn. Drop by and read about how I get around the tendency to fail at New Year’s resolutions, and share your promises to yourself for 2012.

Click here to Slash & Burn.

~*~

On the Works in Progress front, I’m nearly done with the still Untitled M/M punk rocker story. I’ve fallen into that pit of revision where I fiddle and fiddle, never deciding it’s “done” and ready to be submitted. It will go out within the next couple of weeks.  Keep an eye out on this blog for more information about Hecate’s Hounds.

~*~

Lastly, as we rang in the New Year with friends, the sand trucks rumbled by as the roads froze. It may be winter here, but you can still enjoy a sweet, sexy summer fling. Make You Sweat is now available at all of your favorite distributor sites:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomanceeBooks, Fictionwise, and Loose Id.

Probably others too, but those are my favorites. Plus, Amazon and B&N have it on sale. Save a buck!

~*~

Happy New Year, dear Readers!

Ciao,
Pia Veleno


Read a cut Christmas scene from Man Whore

Have you been following the Christmas Extravaganza? Then you know today is my day of Christmas on Kathleen’s blog. Drop by to read a free cut scene from Man Whore, and sign up for her holiday raffle.


5 Angel Review for Man Whore

My wonderful editor pointed out this review a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve been so frazzled by a multitude of things that I forgot to share it. Bad writer, bad!

So, yes, five of five angels for Man Whore. Not only does this make me very happy because Teresa of Fallen Angel Reviews really got the story, but it means even more because this is the book that didn’t fair so well on GoodReads. When a reader loves reading what the writer most loved writing about a book, it is a wonderful thing to experience.

About Man Whore, Teresa says:

“There is more to this story than I ever anticipated and it captured my imagination from the start. I love a good paranormal book and this series has only scratched the surface of what I guess is yet to come.”

And:

“There are so many questions that are yet to be answered until the next book is released and I can’t wait to uncover each of them!”

To read the entire review, visit www.FallenAngelReviews.com.

Thank you Teresa and Fallen Angel Reviews!


Slut Around (fiction)

The prompt: a cross-dresser. Enjoy!

~*~

Elliot flashed his most charming grin at the waiter as the man dropped off two cold beer bottles and took away the empties.

Jason kicked him under the table. Hard. “Cut it out. I know we’re not a thing anymore, but if you ditch me for another bathroom blow job, I’ll cancel our Friday night bar hops indefinitely.”

Elliot turned his cheeky grin on Jason. “Why did we stop fucking?”

“You’re choice, babe. You wanted your freedom.”

“Oh right.” He raised his beer but didn’t take a sip. “The freedom to slut around.”

Jason rolled his eyes.

“Hey, I’m kidding.” He leaned over and kissed Jason’s cheek. “Different goals and dreams,” he said more seriously. “You’ll always be my bestie though.”

“Oh gods, please don’t start speaking like a teenage girl again.” Jason threw his hands over his eyes and groaned. “I’m not sure I’m up for one of your flamboyant moods.”

Elliot laughed, clinked his beer against Jason’s, and then drank deeply. As he lowered his bottle, his eyes widened. He grabbed Jason’s wrist and pulled his hand away from his face. In a stage whisper, he said, “Jase, check out that hottie.”

As Jason looked up, Elliot winked at the stranger. The man lounged in his seat, one arm thrown over the back of his chair, making his screen printed band t-shirt pull tight across his well toned chest. He raised one dark eyebrow and frowned at Elliot. His gaze drifted to the right and took in Jason.

“He’s checking you out,” Elliot said in the same stage whisper. The stranger’s dubious expression morphed into a half-lidded smirk and he nodded as if in agreement, never taking his eyes off of Jason.

“If you don’t go get him, Elliot said, “I’m going to.”

The stranger stood and walked around his table, his gaze intent on Jason.

“Nice, you can’t chicken out now.” Amusement painted Elliot’s words.

“Shut up, Elliot.”

“Whoa…”

No sooner did the word escape Elliot’s month than Jason thought the same thing. Whoa. Sexy… and in a short pleated skirt with lace trim. He must’ve lost a bet, but Jason couldn’t tear his eyes off of the outfit. The hem of the skirt was barely legal. Jason caught himself wondering what the man wore underneath – nothing would be nice, but…

He shook his head as the skirt stopped in front of him. Thoughts of a thick, excited package wrapped in lace wouldn’t leave his mind.

“Like it?” the stranger asked in a husky voice.

“Yes,” Elliot said.

Jason elbowed Elliot. “He was asking me,” he said.

“So answer him.”

Elliot propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. Jason didn’t find the pose cute anymore, but – his gaze returned to the man in the skirt – he suddenly had much better things to look at.

“You lose a bet?” Jason asked.

The man laughed and pulled out an empty seat. He sat down and looked back and forth between Jason and Elliot. “Nope,” he said. “You two looking for a third?”

Jason recoiled but quickly recovered. “No. Been there, done that.” He glared at Elliot. “Or him, I should say.” He returned his gaze to the stranger, taking in the whole package from parted knees, to teasingly short skirt, to hard muscles all the way up his torso and down his arms, to the square jaw, sprinkled with dark stubble as if he groomed himself to have an eternal five o’clock shadow, to soft brown-black eyes and hair of the same color falling long over his brows and dancing back behind his ears. Lots of it.

Jason forced himself to breath. He liked having a good handful of hair to…

“Good,” the stranger said, interrupting Jason’s thoughts. “I don’t share. I don’t,” –he glanced at Elliot– “slut around.”

Elliot laughed, standing. “Sounds all kinds of boring. I’ll be on the dance floor. Have fun.” Jason stared after Elliot, surprised that he hadn’t made another play for the stranger.

“Still want him?”

With a start, Jason realized the man had moved closer, his mouth now close enough to feel his breath. Jason looked down at full lips, and threw caution to the wind. “Not at all,” he said. “I’m very much over him.”

“And slutting around?” Those sexy lips smiled and parted, revealing just a hint of teeth behind them.

“Has never been my thing.” Jason tore his eyes off the man’s mouth and looked into his eyes. “You?”

“I already said–”

Jason leaned forward, closing the distance and cutting off the man’s words with a swift kiss designed only to keep himself from chickening out and running for the safety of Elliot on the dance floor. What developed, however, was a different kind of kiss entirely. Tongues tangled, as both men moved into the union with soft whimpering moans. The stranger grabbed Jason’s biceps, pulling him closer. Jason let himself be led, easing from his own chair into the man’s lap. One hand landed on the stranger’s bare thigh beneath his ass, and the other looped around behind his neck, fingers drawing through hair, seeking purchase.

Before Jason remembered they were still in public, the stranger pulled his head back, but slipped his arms around Jason’s waist. “I’m Ward, by the way,” he said.

Jason laughed. “I usually get that before I kiss a guy.”

Ward smirked and brushed a light kiss over Jason’s lips. When he pulled back again, Jason blinked and tried to remember what he’d been saying. “Jason,” he said. “I’m…”

“Mine,” Ward said. He tightened his embrace and stood, setting Jason gently back on his feet. “That other guy is crazy to let you go.”

“Or you’re crazy for thinking so when we just met.”

Ward leaned in close, his lips brushing Jason’s ear as he spoke. “The way you were devouring me with just a look… I can’t wait to get you home and show you what other lace I own.” Jason gasped, and Ward chuckled. “But not tonight,” Ward said. “I don’t slut around.”

Jason laughed and held out a hand. For once, he was grateful for Elliot’s outrageous bar behavior. He broke the ice with this handsome man in lace. “Dance?”

“With pleasure,” Ward said. Jason let his lacey man lead him to the dance floor, skirt swishing and teasing around his thighs.

~*~

For more free flash fiction from Silver authors, visit these sites all day Wednesday:

(M/M romance)
LM Brown
AJ Jarrett
West Thornhill
Julie Lynn Hayes
Freddy MacKay

(Het, AKA girl parts)
Elyzabeth VaLey
Heather Lin


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