Rainbow Snippets*–Happy New Year!

And now we come to the end of 2022. Honestly, compared to the 5 or 6 years that proceeded it, I have to say it was a decent year for me. Were there some challenges? Of course. Money has definitely been tight. But I released four books and got to go to the GRL Retreat for the first time. And my daughter came home for a week over Christmas, which made my heart happy. I have a couple of trips planned for 2023 and a few book goals that I hope I can meet. For the rest, it will fall as it will. 

The hall of banners at GRL!

I'm snipping from Smoke and Sparks, a book I released earlier this year. This scene, told from Daryl's POV, takes place when he takes Vaughn to his hometown to meet his family and friends: 

“It’s just a bar,” I stated. “Nothing fancy. Half the crowd will come straight from work. There’ll be everything from flannel to suits and ties. You won’t stand out.” That wasn’t necessarily true. Vaughn would stand out, but not because of his clothing. It would be because he was someone new, and because in a small town like this, there were always plenty of rumors and gossip. That I was gay was probably at the top of the scandal sheet at the moment and everyone would want to get a look at the guy that’d turned me. And it wouldn’t matter whether or not I tried to explain that Vaughn didn’t have some magic p*nis that had changed my sexuality, they wouldn’t get it. There would be stares and whispers passed back and forth, which I planned to ignore. And I really hoped Vaughn didn’t notice it.

(Which, of course, he did.) 



Smoke and Sparks (Campfire Stories Book 2) Available on Amazon KU

Couch-surfing is fine for the short term, but what Vaughn really needs is a roommate.

Vaughn’s future was mapped out: Attend college in St. Louis. Become a Physical Therapist. Come out to his ultra-religious family-- after he’s financially stable and probably 40-years-old. But that was before he got caught with the pool-boy. Now he has to make new plans, quickly.

A small-town mechanic from Indiana, Daryl has never met anyone like Vaughn. He’s instantly fascinated by the tall college student in the skinny jeans and open-backed shirt. Vaughn is funny, intelligent—and wears silk underwear. Daryl is instantly smitten.

A temporary job offer moves Daryl to the city and solves Vaughn’s roommate problem. But while their former long-distance friendship has the potential to turn into something more, Vaughn fears he’ll end up heartbroken when Daryl moves back to Indiana. The spark between them glows brighter, but will it be smothered before it has a chance to truly ignite? 

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*Rainbow Snippets is a (Facebook) group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers who gather once a week to share snippets from a work of fiction–-a WIP or a finished work or even a book recommendation. If you're interested in following a diverse group of authors, check it out here.

Comments

  1. Ornery Owl of Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost January 1, 2023 at 2:10 AM

    I live in a very small town. Most people wouldn't believe how much gossip 132 people can get up to. The town actually has 134 people, including my son and me, but we avoid the gossip.

    ReplyDelete

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