UPDATE: The winner is…Eileen Airey!
*~*~*

Does it feel as though the days are just blending together? I had to check the calendar to figure out what day of the week it was. There’s a sameness that’s just a bit numbing to my days now.

There are bright spots. The 7-year-old has decided that my bed is the softest, so she comes toodling in at bedtime with a smug smile. She knows I’ll flip back the covers and let her join me. Then we’ll lie side-by-side in the dark and talk about what’s happening with her favorite YouTube personality. The pool is another highlight. I mostly bob around on a noodle, enjoying the giant bathtub (the pool’s temp is right around 90 degrees!). It’s so relaxing if I stick to the side opposite of where the 7-year-old and 11-year-old are trying to drown each other in “sea battles.”

I have a book to finish and two sets of edits to work on. Plenty to keep me busy. And I’m trying to slowly get control over my craft room/office sprawl. So, yes, plenty to do.

The fall will look a lot like the summer, minus pool time. Our school district is offering an online option for students, so we’re opting for that. Gah!

The Puzzle-Contest

Enter these contests while you can!

1. Poll Results! And Tell Me a Story! (Contest–2 winners!) — Win a FREE cowboy book!
2. Susan Saxx: Nathan Unwrapped (Contest) — Win a FREE book!

UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY starts TODAY!
If you want to be part of the tour for new release
NATHAN UNWRAPPED – by Susan Saxx,
please go here, to SILVER DAGGER TOURS!
July 25^th to August 25^th. Tons of chances to win!

I’m pretty excited. I’ve started writing in a new genre! And I’ve fallen in love with it!

Why did I choose to start a new genre, while still writing M/F, especially in the Real Men series?

I found I loved exploring the different power dynamics between 2 men. There’s something about the push and pull between two warriors, two characters with similar power bases figuring out how to come together.

And the intense vulnerability when they finally do…

It’s got me captivated.

What did some of my lovely advance readers, die-hard M/F fans say, of their first foray into M/M romance? 

“This is not usually a genre I read but I am so glad I made an exception this time. Even if M/M is not your thing I urge you to read this book. It is first and foremost an exceptionally beautiful book about love in all its magical and diverse forms.”

“Yep. Welcome to my first ever review for a M/M romance. No one is more shocked than I am since I land squarely in the box for liking hetero romances. This doesn’t mean I’m a hater, it’s just not my jam.

…But most of all, I was overwhelmed with the love that bound this house full of people that life had kicked to the curb. Not only did they have an outrageous, over-the-top love for each other, but they even had love for those on the outside who chose not to show love to them. Beautiful story. Fabulous depth. Pure joy.”

We all have our favorites, and that’s GOOD. However, if you love m/m, or just love love, and want to try something new (but not really…it’s still love…), here’s the series blurb.

THE MEN OF HOPE HOUSE

Refuge Bay spills into glorious Chesapeake Bay. It’s here Nathan Gentael has found his hope again, his mission…in the ancient century home that’s been in his family for generations.

To gather together gay men who have been shredded by life, to give them a chance. A second shot at life…

The men who come will not have it easy. Romance will be the last thing on their minds.

But love will find them…

A sensitive artist, frozen in time, but with a new mission…
An ex-military bulldozer of a man who doesn’t brook any opposition and has his own agenda…
And a derelict manse, in stunning, out of the way Refuge Bay,
that must be rebuilt…

Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * BoroughsPublishingGroup * Website ​* Smashwords

The FIRST MEETING

The cataclysmic drop in Nathan’s gut was all too familiar. If the pushy investor came in now and saw the disorder, everything would be lost.

His mission. The only thing he knew that could make his existence even remotely redeemable. It would all be gone. Again. And he didn’t know that he could recover from that kind of loss.

This was his last reboot. Absolutely the last.

And if that was gone…

Nathan ran to the back door, slammed it shut, turned the lock. Jumped to the kitchen window, hurriedly yanked the curtain closed.

“Dude. What are you doing?”

“Hiding.”

Zach shook his head. “Buddy. He had to have seen the curtains open.”

“Pfft. Guys don’t look at curtains.”

“But the noise… the commotion in here…”

“That souped-up rod he’s driving would have drowned out the waves on a Nor’easter.” Nathan catapulted to the basement entrance, yanked out the extension cord connected to the fans downstairs, and tossed it down the wooden stairs. Then he hurriedly flipped the light in the corner off. “We’ll be super quiet. Wait him out. He won’t know any different.”

He slid down against the wall, tucked himself into the corner, looped his arm around Molly, who’d finally trotted back to his side, grinning her slobbery grin, and held her close. He motioned to Zach to join him.

None of this made sense. But hell. He was acting on instinct. “When he’s gone, we’ll contact the agent. Reschedule. Clean up. Then…”

Zach looked wild. “Nate, he’s not stupid. Even if he’s an investor with way more money than those great big balls he’s supposed to have, he’ll know. You can’t just…”

And then, as if to be the proverbial cherry on the top — in tandem with the fact that there were cherries everywhere — a loud voice filled the air, coming from the far end of the kitchen, by the hallway.

There, wrapped in a distressed brown leather jacket and knife-edged khaki pants, stood a man. Shoulders spanning, well, way more than they would on an everyday mortal. Dark hair, curling around the nape of his neck. An open-throated shirt, brown leather boots. Staring at the two of them and definitely not amused.

Contest

For a chance to win a copy of Nathan Unwrapped, please let me know in the comments:
Are you reading more, in these times of Covid-19? And/or…what new genre are you hankering to try out?

About Susan

Amazon Bestselling Author Susan Saxx has a passion for the small towns of North America. She sets her compelling stories in the north country (Jack’s Bay), mountain country (Terrence Point, Dawson Ridges, Golden) and Chesapeake Bay area (Refuge Bay), replete with quirky yet big-hearted neighbours always willing to lend a hand—and an opinion, whether requested or not.

Susan also deeply loves Christmas, with numerous Christmas stories in her series, and adds more holiday books (including Valentine’s and Halloween), annually.

As she continues to write the beloved Real Men series, she is applying her passion for love without boundaries to the m/m genre.

UPDATE: The winners are…Laura and Tanya!
*~*~*

Is that big enough of a hint? 🙂

Yes, both here on my blog and in the informal poll I ran on FB, cowboys won! So, the next anthology will be filled with yummy cowboy goodness. Thanks to everyone who voted! I won’t overrule your voices. This time. *snickers*

So, since I’m here, and I just shared a lovely photo of a cowboy riding into the sunset, let’s play a game…

Contest — Tell me a story!

Based on the photo above, tell me a story. It can be one line. It doesn’t have to be a good story. You can have fun with it! But tell me something and you’ll be entered to win your choice from among my latest cowboy series, Cowboys on the Edge. I’ll choose two winners!

Click on the covers to learn more about the stories!

UPDATE: The winner is…Ani Stubbs!
*~*~*

The Poll

First, let’s take care of a bit of business! Thanks for your input on yesterday’s poll! I’ve closed it out and have narrowed the choices for themes for the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology based on your input. Now, enter your vote in one last poll!

The Puzzle

Now’s the puzzle because you should be rewarded after the stress of having to choose!

The Contest

Tell me what’s happening in that photo for a chance to win your choice of download from among the Boys Behaving Badly anthologies!

Contest

Take a Selfie, Win a Prize
From now through July 31, Books 2-6 in The Phoenix Agency are ON SALE for just 99 cents.
ALL LINKS FOUND HERE (https://desireeholt.com/phoenix-agency/)
Buy a book,  take a selfie (print or cover on tablet)
Hop on over to Desiree’s Darlings to enter for a $25 GC

The Books

#2 EXTRASENSORY

Mia Fleming’s precognitive her visions about Carpenter Techtronics are so vivid, she resorts to sending anonymous emails to the company. She’s also having visions of a gorgeous man who arouses her to the point she’s satisfying herself just to get some relief. She’s shocked when the man shows up in her office, demanding to know what she knows about Carpenter. Dan Romeo is just helping his friend track down the person threatening his company when he meets Mia. One look at her and he has a hard time thinking about anything but indulging in off-the-charts sex with the intriguing woman—until bodies begin falling. As Mia’s visions escalate, so does the explosive sex between her and Dan, as well as an unexpected emotional connection. When Mia is almost killed, Dan and his team must race to find the culprits before they can strike again—or put Mia down for good.

#3 SCENT OF DANGER

Kelly Monroe was shocked when her dog, Xena, a Caucasian Ovcharka seemed to bond at once with Rick Latrobe, a partner in the high profile Phoenix Agency. Ovcharkas are known for linking with only their owners. But Xena is picking up Rick’s wave length, very much aware when an attempt is made on Rick’s life and sensing all kinds of danger signals related to Rick’s current project: ferrying a shipment of arms to a private security cadre in Iraq. Rick is nearly killed when the shipment is stolen by terrorists who are hot on his trail. Only Kelly and Xena—coached by members of The Lotus Circle to expand the psychic link between the three of them—can keep him safe. As Rick scrambles to learn who’s behind the whole mess, the relationship he and Kelly have deepens. But Xena is the real star, not only signaling when danger is at hand but “sniffing” out the killers.

#4 FREEZE FRAME

Katherine “Kat” Culhane was a highly sought after remote viewer, but her gift was beginning to splinter, and just at a time when she needed it the most. Her sister Mari, along with Mari’s employer and his family, have been kidnapped. But Mike D’Antoni, a partner in the shadowy Phoenix Agency, is suddenly back in her life and could be the only person to help find the hostages. The chemistry between them is just as hot as it ever was, but they parted on very bad terms. Can they put the past behind them as they race to find and rescue the hostages? And what will happen when it’s time to say goodbye again?

#5 FEEL THE HEAT

Summer Cahill lives as quietly as she can, protecting her ability as a psychic healer. But danger brings former SEAL and Phoenix partner Troy Arsenault into her life—along with scorching nights and intense emotions. Resisting him isn’t even a question, in or out of the bedroom. He protects her from the evil stalking her even as he takes her beyond the physical boundaries of anything she’s ever experienced. When Summer is kidnapped, Troy’s world is turned upside down and he employs all the resources of The Phoenix Agency to rescue her. He won’t rest until she’s back safely in his life—and in his bed— for the rest of their lives.

#6 FORMULA FOR DANGER

Running back to Texas after an emotional disaster in San Francisco, J. L. Mitchell, microbiologist, is throwing herself into the development of a new, drought-resistant grain. Little did she expect to reconnect with Cole Martin, who rings al her bells, or to discover that her formula was at risk of being highjacked. As her work progresses, so does her relationship with Cole. When she is kidnapped, he brings all the recourse of The Phoenix Agency, where he has just become a partner, into play, hoping they will be in time.

UPDATE: The winners are Pansy Petal, Debra Guyette, and Bn100!
*~*~*

I’m a workshop presenter at this year’s Chicago-North RWA Spring Fling conference, being held online due to COVID-19, and I’ll be talking about one of my favorite subjects: World-Building.

Imagine reading a story about vampires, but the author never tells you if these are creepy Nosferatu types, 80s-style heavy metal teen rebels, sword-wielding daywalkers, or sparkly high schoolers from the Pacific Northwest. What would you picture? What characteristics would you assign to them? How would you expect them to interact with other characters?

What if the story didn’t do any of what you imagined? That would be pretty disappointing—frustrating even—right? *This* is why World-Building is crucial… so a reader can immerse themselves into our stories and walk beside our characters without tripping up, taking a wrong turn, or thinking with a fair amount of annoyance, “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

I say all of this because, in spite of knowing better, I initially tried to cut World-Building corners with my newest book, Tin Man. I admit, I was a little tired of having to build a world completely from scratch, like a 90k ingredient cake recipe. I wanted something more familiar—a pre-made world that I didn’t have to invent. Like a cake from a box mix.

So, I decided to write a story located here on earth, in my current hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. Human beings in an earth city where I could say “tree” and not have to describe the color of the leaves… What could possibly go wrong??

Wellll, there’s the fact that my story is set about 150 years in the future, so the city will have changed, but how? And the fact that technology will definitely have changed, such as what phones look like. And the fact my story is about cybernetic individuals, so what do they look and act like? And how might society perceive toasters versus a fellow human with machine parts? And the basic fact that not everyone is as familiar with the city of Indianapolis as I am.

Sigh. I had forgotten the main reason why World-Building is so critical to a good story: Not every reader’s individual life experience and perception is the same as another’s.

A story set in Indianapolis might feel like home for one reader, but a trip to uncharted lands for another. Saying a character is a cyborg might incite positive emotions from one reader, but negative from another. Based on our individual experiences, even something as seemingly universal as McDonald’s or Amazon will bring forth a wide variety of responses. Authors must build our worlds to gently direct our reader’s responses and perceptions. Are cyborgs misunderstood humans living in fear of their own safety, or are they dangerous timebombs ready to murder innocent people at a snap?

I smacked my forehead for ignoring the main tenet of my own World-Building presentation: No matter if we authors build a world from scratch or with the help of a box mix, we HAVE to craft a believable world so readers can experience the story as we intend them to. And to experience it in such a manner they feel they have lived the story alongside our characters.

And that they know what color the leaves on the trees are. 😉

My cyborg story, Tin Man, is book one in my Silver Cyborg Series trilogy, and is currently on pre-order to go live on July 17^th. Despite my initial stumble where the World-Building is concerned, I’m thrilled with how it turned out, and I can’t wait to share it with you! Below is the beginning of Chapter One to pique your interest.

Contest

What book “worlds” have been fascinating/engaging/immersive for you as a reader? Post in the comments, and on July 16^th, I’ll select three winners for a Kindle version of “Tin Man.”

Excerpt from Tin Man

A slow start to the night promises a crazy ending… said no one ever. But, based on his years as a bouncer at the historic Vogue Bar and Music Venue, Adam Lehmann knew the saying was truth. This Saturday night shift was downright dull so far, and the tingle in his lower back—the part which didn’t have cybernetic sensors running through it—assured him tonight was doomed.

He didn’t yet know what or why, but something would swerve into shit creek territory, and the cops would be called.

Cops who had once been his friends and coworkers. Guys who’d had his back. Up until part of that back, his heart, his left arm, and an eye had been replaced with cybernetics. On the outside, Adam didn’t look any different than he had. But simply knowing he wasn’t entirely organic beneath the epidermis layer was enough to make him an object of fear and loathing.

The awkward shift from pal to persona non grata hadn’t been listed as a possible side effect when he’d allowed doctors to replace his shot-to-hell body parts with experimental cyborg systems. If it had, he might have let himself die on the operating table. Scratch that, he would have assumed his friendships were tight enough to withstand a few synthetic enhancements.

The joke was on him. And it wasn’t funny.

“You seem on edge, Lemon.” The automaton bartender handed him a bottle of water. Adam forced a neutral expression at the slight mispronunciation, which turned his last name into a proclamation of his derelict physical state. Adam’s glitching cyborg parts and mid-forties human body did not mesh well. A mid-life crisis of epic proportions with no hope of coming out on the other side any way but dead. Not that he would admit that to anyone.

“I seem? A bit of a subjective statement, don’t you think, Arthur?”

Arthur’s robotic Swiss army knife body rotated beneath its head, its multiple attachments a symphony of cleaning, stacking, filling, pouring, serving. Only its face held any humanoid features, and those looked like the poor schmuck who passed out first at a fraternity party. Someone had taken a black marker to the mechanized bartender, decorating it with a scraggly goatee, handlebar mustache, scars, anime eyelashes, a black eye, and the word dildo in bold caps across his forehead. Instead of paying to have the synthetic covering cleaned or replaced, The Vogue’s owner had shrugged at the vandalism and invested in costume hats to add to Arthur’s look. Tonight, it sported a red bandana skull cap and pirate’s eye-patch. Adam refused to laugh at the ridiculousness of it.

To be honest, he didn’t laugh, period. Looming demise did that to a person.

*~*~*

Spring Fling Online Conference Registration: https://chicagospringfling.com

Tin Man Buy Links:

iBooks – https://books.apple.com/us/book/tin-man/id1519102092
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Tin-Man-Silver-Cyborg-Book-ebook/dp/B08B4YXYQQ/
Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940162637080
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tin-man-13

UPDATE: The winner is…Kimberley Bailey!
*~*~*

Yes, I know, First Response was just released (and is still going strong—thank you!), but I have to think ahead to the next one because it’s a long process to get one of these ready and out into the world!

I’d love your help to come up with the theme for the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology!

I have a few ideas of my own, but I’m not married to them. I’d like to gather yours as well, and then run a poll to see what readers want the most. My ideas include:

Captive — which will have to be delicately handled, because I don’t want rape scenarios! But think about alien abductions, your ex “rescuing” you from marrying the wrong man, a woman rescued in the snow and kept “captive” in a cabin by a solitary man until the snow melts, etc.

Real Men — lumberjacks, backwoodsmen, mechanics, construction workers, farmers—not a billionaire in sight! Someone good with his hands and strong from physical labor…

And that’s all I’ve got. So, put on your thinking caps. Offer an idea for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card! Have fun with it. Your idea doesn’t have to be great, but it could spark an idea in my tired brain!

These contests are still open!

1. Rochelle Bradley: Summer Goals (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Diana Cosby: Nature’s Beauty – In The Forest (Contest) — Win a signed book!