Reading Event and Amazon Top Ten List

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. What a week, and weekend I had. Firstly, I hope you are all having a great day and taking good care of yourself. I don’t know if I say this enough to you all, but know this; You all matter. You are all enough. And taking care of yourself is imperative. Now, I have some exciting news about Volaria to share with you today and an update from the book reading I was part of this last weekend. Let’s jump in.

This last weekend (Saturday February 25, 2023) I was up in Sacramento, CA at the Lavender Library doing a charity reading with the wonderful authors from the Bay Area Queer Writers Association (BAQWA) learn more here. We did a reading from our 2022 anthology with all the proceeds from the sale of the anthology BAQWA Presents: Two, being donated to support the Lavender Library, in all their excellent work. If you haven’t been to the Lavender Library, you need to check it out (learn more here). As a group we raised over $200 for the library and we had about 30 people show up for the reading. Being at this event was a blast. Raising more money for the library would be wonderful, so if you haven’t read BAQWA Presents: Two (click here), while you still can. All additional funds will be donated to the Lavender Library. Get your copy now and help BAQWA support this wonderful organization.

Here are some photos from the event:

At the reading were: Kelliane Parker, Liz Faraim, M.D. Neu, Richard May, and Wayne Goodman. Not all those who contributed works to the anthology were able to attend, but we had a wonderful showing.

As promised here is the exciting news I have about Volaria. This week Volaria returned to the Top Ten Lists on Amazon. I couldn’t be more pleased with this news. There are a lot of books out there and to see this novel climb back to the top is amazing.  These are the rankings (as of writing this post): 

Number 1 – LGBTQ+ Science Fiction

Number 4 – Gay Fiction

Number 11 – Science Fiction 

LGBTQ+ Science Fiction

Amazon Best Sellers List, Volaria Number 1.

Science Fiction

Amazon Best Sellers List, Volaria Number 11.

Gay Fiction

Amazon Best Sellers List; Volaria Number 4.

I don’t think Volaria ever placed this high in the Amazon Science Fiction category which is fantastic. I hope the book will continue to stay at the top, if you haven’t nabbed your copy of Volaria yet get it here or if you want a signed copy and live here in the US click here.

One additional announcement for this week. If you are in the San Jose area next week (March 8th) and plan on attending the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Connect 2023 event (learn more here) I’ll be at the event selling and signing my books. I’m proud to have been selected to be part of this event and I’m excited to be associated with the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, please check them out (click here).

There you have it, what a busy week. I’m so appreciative of all the love and support I get from each of you. Don’t forget if you want to learn more about writing and the writing craft check out my YouTube Channel (click here) and watch my Writing Tips and Tricks for Authors. Also, if you aren’t signed up for my quarterly newsletter don’t miss out, because you can get a free short story.  Until next time have a great week.

Writing Update -February 2023

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. It’s been a busy week… In fact, I had no idea how busy until today when I realized I hadn’t gotten a post together for this week. This week I’m following up on a couple of other posts and providing a general writing update. As I mentioned there is a lot to report on. Let’s get too it.

Last week, when I mentioned I have four short stories coming out, well this week, I’m happy to share all four covers with you. I’m thrilled with how they turned out.

Also, I’m happy to share the book blurb for each of the stories:

Election Night:

Elections are stressful enough, and none more than this one. With so much riding on the vote this year, Sammy needed involvement to get her candidate elected and into the Whitehouse. Now on election night she’s had a terrible day, but plans to work on the phones until the bitter end. Already late for her volunteering, Sammy rushes for the ancient building’s elevator, mercifully being held for her by an attractive stranger. More than an election is held in the balance when the elevator gets stuck between floors, and Sammy finds out that the woman stuck with her works for the enemy camp. Who will win the election, and how will these two women make it out of the elevator in one piece?

LandsEnd:

Prom Night. The last hurrah before college. Brandon and Ed are the chaperons for the LandsEnd High School Senior Prom, hosted at the LandsEnd Yacht Club. Its a night of dreams until the ground shakes and flashes of light brighten the sky, knocking out everything electrical, casting the dance into darkness. Cut off and alone, the adults and the students have to figure out what to do and what’s happening. Worryingly, what’s that strange clicking sound off in the distance that seemed to scare off the animals?

Nightingale’s Heart:

Rahim is the head of security for Aza, a popstar, who had a fan with mental health issues break into their home a few years back. Since being hired, Rahim has ensured Aza, and their team’s, safety. However, Rahim, over this time, has grown fond of Aza, hoping for more, but never wanting to cross the line of professionalism. Could his feelings be reciprocated? Could Aza find this lug of a man who protects them more than a ‘Big Guy’ who sees to their safety? Or is this another relationship where Rahim will get hurt?

The Old Road:

Halloween; a night of tricks and treats, but what happens when you take a stranger for a creepy night of mischief and fun? Anything can happen on Halloween, even the unimaginable.

 

Once these short stories are out, I’ll be sure to let you all know, so you can get your free copy, as long as you’re signed up for my newsletter… you are signed up for my newsletter, right?

If you are in the Sacramento, CA area this weekend, I’ll be part of the Bay Area Queer Writers Association (BAQWA) anthology reading at the Lavender Library: 1414 21st St, Sacramento, CA 95811-5209, United States. We will be reading from our 2022 anthology; BAQWA Presents: Two 2022, which just so happens to have Nightingale’s Heart in it, and I’ll be reading from that short story. I hope to see you all there, as all funds raised from the book sales will go to support the Lavender Library.

Last update I have for this week, is about Mu; Legend of the Lost City. It’s finished and I have it with one of my Beta Readers. I’m pleased with how this story has turned out. I’m excited to have this wonderful tale published.

I have worked on the blurb for the story and I’m happy to share it here now:

For years, the whispers and legends of a lost city hiding in the Pacific Ocean were just that; legend. On the day Kaimi discovers, his parents, the Queen and King of Mu, murdered, Mu’s most powerful weapon fired, sending a pulse rushing towards the North American west coast.

After the 2025 Great Pacific Pulse Event, or Pulse, vomited up much of humankind’s trash in the Pacific Ocean along the North American west coast. The mysterious event causing the largest environmental disaster in human history, people are no longer certain there is nothing concealed in the depths of the ocean. Scientist Karen Linn and billionaire investor Michael Donovan want to find out what actually happened that day five years ago. Will Michael’s life in the adult entertainment industry and Karen’s moniker in pseudoscience keep them as social pariahs, or are they on the cusp of finding a civilization that has been kept out of our grasp, deep in the world’s largest ocean? How does the event from five years ago tie into the murder of the Queen and King of Mu? What lies under the sea may be bigger than anyone can imagine, and neither civilization may be ready for the truth.

Last up, have you been following my YouTube Channel? I’ve been posting weekly writing tips and tricks and I would love to get up to 100 subscribers, so if you’re on YouTube, come by and say hello. I’d like to think the information is helpful and I’ve gotten some wonderful comments and feedback, so I’d love to hear what you have to say.

You can find my channel here.

There you have it, everything I’ve been up to. As projects continue to move forward I’ll be sure to keep you posted. In the meantime, come and say hello on Saturday Feb. 25th at 3:30pm. I’d love to see you all there. Until next time have a great week.

Where in the World can you find my Books?

book 2.jpg

Happy Wednesday Scribblers I hope everyone is doing well today.  For me it’s been a crazy few weeks and I’m mentally and physically exhausted.  However, I, we, keep pushing forward.  Today I wanted to do a shout out to all the locally owned bookstores that have my books in house.  Of course, you can go to any bookstore and ask them to order my book for you (which I recommend as it’s a great way to support a local business or two).

Here are all the book stores (from around the world) that currently carry one or more of my books:

Austria:

Löwenherz bookstore

Berggasse 8A-1090 Vienna

www.loewenherz.at

Canada:

Glad Day Bookshop

499 Church Street

Tornoto, ON, M4Y 2C6

www.gladdaybookshop.com

Germany:

Prinz Eisenherz Buchladen GmbH

Motzstr. 23

10777 Berlin

www.prinz-eisenherz.com

United States of America:

Capital Books

1011 K Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

www.capitalbooksonk.com

Books Inc – Campbell

Pruneyard Shopping Center

1875 S. Bascom Avenue #600

Campbell, CA 95008

www.booksinc.net

Did you know you can also find my books at the following on-line retailers?

  • Amazon

  • Barns and Noble

  • Walmart.com

  • iTunes

  • Kobo

  • Smashwords

Also, you can find my books at the following locations:

San Jose Public Library

www.sjpl.org

Billy DeFrank LGBTQ Community Center

938 The Alameda

San Jose, CA 95126

www.defrankcenter.org

Lavender Library

1414 21st Street

Sacramento, CA 95811

www.lavenderlibrary.com

Since we still can do any in person events check out my calendar of events that I’ll be doing virtually:

Check my calendar of events here.

Well this is all I have for you this week. Have you found my books in a local bookstore? Let me know. Better yet, take a picture of you with my book, post it and tag me, I would love to see where my books pop up. As always please remember to drop me a heart/like below letting me know you stopped by. It really does make all the difference and lets me know that connect you like so I can make more of it. Got a question feel free to ask it in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer it. Until next time I hope you stay safe and have a great week.