by Christine | Writing
It’s happened again, that arbitrary day we call “January 1” of whatever year. I have begun the great cleaning out of my office, as well as my closets and dressers and kitchen cupboards. Found my raspberry beret, which had gone missing, as well as some colored pencils and a small bag of electronics that I travel with, so that was a good thing.
I have let blogging slide, for whatever reason; but it is past time to get back into gear. There are wines that need discussing, and books, and recipes…oh yes, recipes!
And there’s a freebie going on, in case you haven’t read anything I’ve written yet (except this here blog)…but just until January 4th, so grab it while you can!
Three Times More Lucky, Sizzling Stories of Menage and More, from Louisa Bacio, Erzabet Bishop, Kim Carmichael, Sascha Illyvich, Solera Winters, and me. Get it here…
But for today, I just want to say Happy New Year. There’s a lot of life to live…may your 2017 hold love, and strength, growth and change for you…in the very best ways possible.
And have a sip of champagne for me, will you?
by Christine | Writing
It’s LIVE, it’s HERE! Check this out…
My Story in this box set is called Four, Squared…
Love, Squared by Christine Ashworth
Daniel is the only man James has ever been attracted to. After running from that attraction five years ago, James is back, only to find two women in Daniel’s bed…Daniel’s wife and her girlfriend. A night of some of the hottest sex he’s ever had has James rethinking his future…and his place in Daniel’s life.
And here’s teasers for the rest of the set!
Triad by Kim Carmichael
In a world of threesomes, Kenna Poller-Madsen and Lucas Kerr have lived together as a couple after the third of their triad died years ago. Life is good, but something is always missing. When the sexy alien Talbot Savita crash lands on their planet, they never dreamed this warrior might be the one they both need. On a tour of their planet sparks fly. However, but their love may be doomed before it begins, because their planet’s laws don’t allow interspecies to mate, and as soon as his spaceship is repaired Talbot must return home. Now they must fight for their Triad or lose him forever.
Worshiping the Goddess by Solera Winters
When her twenty-first century life becomes too trying, a marketing assistant transports back to an ancient Celtic tribe where the men have lost everything and worship her as a goddess. It’s the ultimate fantasy, but on discovering the fantasy is reality, will she be able to give up her modern life for the chance to be cherished by four hunky Celts?
Snow by Erzabet Bishop
Fairytales can bite… To look to the future, sometimes you have to unearth the secrets of the past. Snow longs to find a man of her own far away from life in her father’s castle. When he returns from war with a new bride, her carefully planned out life slips through her fingers. Her new stepmother harbors a dangerous secret and one malicious kiss sends Snow tumbling into a world she never knew existed. Can she learn to use her new talents wisely or lose it all? Darkness can hide the most sultry of nights. Gideon and his men guard the king, but even they can’t protect him from his murderous new bride. When the castle falls prey to the queen’s ire, they find themselves under the spell of the moon. Can they harness their new reality to protect the newest target of the queen’s wrath or will they be yet again victims of her unholy power play?
Threesome by Tuesday by Louisa Bacio
Going beyond friendship takes more than physical attraction. A power dynamic threatens to derail the newly formed threesome, and Tommy, Shannon and Zack struggle to find their position. When Zack feels like he’s being overlooked, he takes off for some solo soul searching. To survive the speed bumps, the three lovers need to face some fears and focus on the love.
Road to Seduction by Sascha Illyvich
Dubious circumstances throw three travelers together. During foul winter weather, the three turn to other options to keep warm, only to realize past relationships can pave the way for new love. Can they have a future together as a ménage?
Available on Amazon à http://amzn.to/1SMXypj — only 99 pennies!
)O(
by Christine | Writing
Whoop! I’m in a box set with 6 other FANTASTIC authors, which has been gathered together and will be published by Irksome Rebel Press. I’m so excited to be among them. My thanks to Solera Winters for pushing me to submit; and to Scott Evans and Tamara Eaton for liking the story. Here’s the “box”…
And here’s the cover of the anthology…
…and finally, the cover my hubby did for Thorne’s Rose, my story in this anthology…
It comes out on March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day — so mark your calendar! Seven wonderful stories for only $0.99!
by Christine | Observations
Wow.
It was all kinds of amazing. I’d wanted to get a NoH8 photo taken ever since I first saw Louisa Bacio’s – I had no idea that “regular” people could get them. I thought it was just for celebrities and such.
Boy, was I wrong.
Yesterday, Burbank opened its new headquarters with a photo shoot. It was scheduled to go from 1pm to 5pm; first come, first served, but they promised they’d get to everyone in line.
That should have been my first clue. And it was, to a certain extent – I made plans to get ready (after laundering my “white” shirts) and leave my house by 11:15am to get in line. Surely I’d be close to the front.
Um, no.
11:45am
I got there at 11:45, and knew immediately where to go from the line of animated people wearing white shirts. I parked several blocks away, in the first spot I could grab, and went to join the adventure.
It was an amazingly diverse group. The two people directly in front of me were young lesbians, a tall, gorgeously round black woman and her younger, shorter, only slightly less round (and gorgeous) Latina girlfriend. They were affectionate in line; and as I looked up and down, listened to the chatter, I realized everyone who was there was with someone, and they were all affectionate.
Loving. Hugging and smooching, laughing, touching up each other’s makeup (or rad hair, for the guys), tugging on shirts. There were babies and old people and everything in between. If I had to guess, I’d say the median age was mid-30s, though every age group was represented.
They must have started shooting early; before 1pm came along, the line was moving and we were given model releases to fill out. The number on my page was 104; the line stretched long behind me. I’m guessing there were 500 people there, but that’s just a guess.
Once we were inside, there were stations with volunteers wearing red shirts ready to put the tattoo on. Ah, so much sense! Not hand-painted, which I can see would take forever. (Note: when someone changed their mind about where on their face to put the tattoo, the volunteers removed the first one by placing duct tape on it and rubbing it hard before peeling it off. I used baby oil when I got home – much easier!)
I nabbed a chair after getting tattooed, and alternatively read and people watched. There was a group wearing rainbow colored leis and waving a rainbow flag – it looked like maybe 8 or 9 family members. In another corner, two women in their early 40s I’d guess held a sign that mentioned they’d gotten married 3 times in 3 different states to each other; they were celebrating their 10th anniversary. A gal next to me had white boxing gloves – one of them had the NoH8 symbol on it, the other Just Love (except a bright red heart was in place of the word Love). People were friendly – groups formed, separated, formed again. The first 75 people seemed to go very slowly. Time ticked on.
Numbers were called and a group of us got up and moved to a different line – the one where we paid. Once we were in where the photographer was, things picked up.
The photographer was a slender young man with a businesslike camera and flash, a fan behind him and the appropriate reflectors behind him, a white backdrop in front. He posed us all – babies to grandmas – looking fierce, looking like love, looking like hope. I paid, got in another line, got my piece of duct tape over my mouth (glad I kept remembering that and didn’t bother with lipstick), and then it was my turn.
Sideways to the camera. Lean forward. Hand on hip, other hand in V sign over my head. Straight on, turn head, hands in prayer position. Lean forward. Great, girl. Hug, next.
Taken at home – the real thing will be better!
It was over. Exhausted, I stripped the tape off my mouth, walked through the t-shirt shop without buying anything, and made the long walk back to my car. The silence on that walk was deafening; when I got in my car, it took me a few minutes to get my seatbelt on and get going.
3:45pm.
I’d spent 4 hours in line, two minutes getting my photo taken, all to take a stand for equal rights for all people – gay, straight, black, brown, yellow, blue, green, transgender, bisexual, honey it doesn’t matter. If you’re human, you’re my equal. I did it for family, for friends lost and living, for love.
As I drove away, I realized that not once while I was waiting did I feel uncomfortable, out of my element, or threatened in any way (which can sometimes happen when you’re with that many strangers). I don’t know if it was the common cause that united us, or if it was just all that love and affection pouring over everyone that made a difference. But those people I spent four hours with? Those are my people. And they were all over whatever spectrum you want to judge them with. Age wise, sexuality wise, color wise. It may have exhausted me physically and mentally (I only got about 800 words written last night), but in hindsight?
It sent my spirit soaring.
