Sadie Jay

Yesterday was the last day of this year's Farmers Market. It's been a challenge this year, more so than the last two summers. I've simply had too much to deal with. It's felt like I've been on autopilot for the last two months. Maybe I'll get my groove back, now! I imagine at this point I won't get Blind Ante out before the end of the year, but miracles have happened, I suppose. The inspiration for Blind Ante was my aunt and uncle's (and now my cousin's) trailer, surrounded by a few acres of woods. It's a place the extended family gathers. It's one of my happy places, to be honest. So, even though the trailer is old and shabby, it's more than a backdrop for the story. Like The House in the Headphones trilogy, the trailer in this story is a character in its own way.   Staying quiet wasn’t easy. Reese’d never noticed how noise traveled through the trailer, even though it’d been his home for ten years, and he’d spent large chunks of his

It's Bisexual Awareness month, and to celebrate I'm going to snip from my books with bisexual characters. I should have started at the first of the month, but there was traveling, accompanied by Covid. 1 star. I do not recommend! Hopefully, my life is going to become more routine once again.  Snipping from Fangs for Everything Young Rollie doesn't know that Alex is a vampire, and as things heat up, Alex is "explaining" some medical conditions that affect him sexually, as it's their first time being intimate. But Rollie misunderstands and things almost end before they begin. Told from Alex's POV:     “ Y ou’ve done this before, right?” [Rollie asked.] Again, there was that embarrassed flush.  “Had sex? It’s been a while, but I had a girlfriend when I was younger. So, yes?” And that wasn’t a lie, or even the truth stretched.  Rollie stiffened. “Wait! I thought…” He frowned, his thick eyebrows drawing together, and there was an edge o

I knew this summer was going to be a challenge, and I wasn't wrong. I've had too many irons in the fire and it's felt like everything has gone a little sideways. No major disasters, but enough to feel like it's two steps forward, a step-and-a-half back. I got home from the Rainbow Readers Cruise last weekend—which was wonderful, by the way—but as per the new normal, I tested positive for Covid. I'm supposed to head to Kansas Wednesday for GRL, so fingers crossed I'm testing negative by then. I'd consider canceling now if I wasn't going as an author, but I decided to take the plunge and "just do it" this year. I have swag and books and preorders. Everyone, send me your good vibes!  Rooster in Key West. It was too hot to do much exploring, but we walked around the market area for a bit.  Posting the opening of Fang for Everything  today. I probably have before, but it's a book I'll have available for sale at GRL, so I'm featuring it a

For this week's snippet, I'm going back to Headphones . In the second book, Sunshine Smile , both Headphones and Scoey have negative reactions to fireworks. I wrote the original serial version of this ten years ago, but it feels relevant this week, as my neighbors have set off fireworks all week at all times of the night. I'm exhausted.   In this scene, Scoey experiences a bad case of PTSD. His military career ended when he got caught in an attack and wounded. ...the fireworks ignited directly overhead with echoing explosions that rattled [Scoey's] bones. Each detonation pulled him apart until it was overwhelming, and he ducked his head and covered his ears with his hands. His eyes were darting, showing too much white, like a cornered animal searching for an escape. Jay caught his jerky movements out of the corner of his eye and went to Scoey, circling an arm around his waist. Something was very wrong. Encouraging Scoey to stand, Jay led him into the storeroom. He colla

I read a lot of fantasy series in my teens and twenties. You know, where things unfold throughout the various books and something that happens in book one is explained in book two, to five, or eight? And I've just realized that I do that in my books, even though each has a different set of main characters. Actually, I knew it—it just hadn't given it much thought. Headphones is a true trilogy with the story starting in book one and ending in book three. Even the Campfire Stories series does this. Vaughn's "motivation" is explained in book two, and Lindsey's weird relationship with Vaughn is explained in book three. They build on each other, which isn't the best strategy for Contemporary Romance. So why am I bringing this up? I got notes back from a beta reader on the first book in the Bar Games Series. And I've done it again—big time. In the first book, Blind Ante , Jed is a bad guy. Or, at least, a total jerk. And he gets a lot of "screen time&qu

The last few weeks have been mad-busy, and I don't see an end any time soon. (Maybe in January!) My plan had been to have Blind Ante ready for beta readers two weeks ago, but instead, I'm still finishing up the epilogue. (And I haven't even looked for beta readers yet!) But I'm close—I can feel it. Cicada shell. One of many! For the last few years, Jordan has lived out of his car, a Crown Victoria he calls Vicky. When he wins a beat-up old trailer in a poker game, he thinks he's got it made. Until the other owner shows up:  Jordan ’s hands were shaking when he finally slid into his car. “Shit, Cow, I am so screwed.” He dug around for a cigarette but all he found was a half-dozen empty packs. He really needed to give Vicky a good clean. “Fuck it. I don’t want to smell like an ashtray anyway. After. Then I’ll buy a new pack and smoke them all.” ‘After’ being the job interview waitress Miranda had arranged with diner owner Tammy. But he paused and wondered if there w