It was lovely to discover that Literary Nymphs has reviewed my festive story, First Christmas (part of the Tomcat Line series), and has given it 4 Nymphs.
“…story illustrating how even the simplest plans can change, adjustments are made and true happiness is sharing life’s ups and downs with your loved ones. “
http://literarynymphsreviewsonly.blogspot.com/2011/12/first-christmas.html
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First ChristmasBy: Stevie Woods | Other books by Stevie Woods Word Count: 4000 Available in: Adobe Acrobat, Mobipocket (.prc), Epub |
Ian’s experiences with Christmas have never been particularly good and Mac wants their first Christmas together to be something special, a time Ian will always treasure. As ever, things don’t quite go according to plan.
Ian was sitting cross legged on the bed, working on his laptop, when Mac walked in from the bathroom. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and was using another one to dry his hair. He gave his hair one last rub and threw the towel back into the bathroom, just missing the hamper.
“Damn!”
“One of these days,” Ian said, “you’ll hit that thing.”
Mac shrugged but didn’t say anything. He began to get dressed. “You getting ready?” he asked a few minutes later.
“Ready?” Ian queried.
“Dinner.” Mac sighed. “With Neil and his wife, their anniversary, remember?”
“Is that tonight?”
“Lord, Ian, how could you forget? What’re you working on now?”
“Same as always. More clues to help me find the Ix-chel device.”
“I thought it might be something new to be so distracting. Come on, you’d better hurry.”
Thirty minutes later they were climbing into Mac’s car and heading across Chicago.
“Mac, how many years have they been married now?” Ian asked.
“Three. I know you’ve not known them long, but I thought-”
“Just wanted to make sure you knew,” Ian interrupted with a grin.
“Bastard!” Mac laughed.
“Nope. Parents are gone but I did have some.”
The passing comment had Mac thinking again about Ian’s background. Ian had no family left anymore with whom to celebrate the coming holiday. After his parents died, he had spent a few years being pushed from pillar to post by the system before he was finally taken in by his only living relative, his uncle Roger. Unfortunately, the old guy seemed more interested in training Ian to follow in his archaeological footsteps than being a father figure to a teenage boy. Not that Ian had objected; he’d been as fascinated by the subject as Roger. Still was, as Mac knew only too well. But Mac was pretty sure that holidays and celebrations had featured low on the importance scale in Ian’s small family.
Mac had never expected when he gave a lift to a stranded hitch-hiker than the man would become vital to his happiness. He and Ian might have only been together a little over four months, but, as far as Mac was concerned, Ian was now the most important part of his family. Okay, he didn’t have much of a family either. His parents were dead and the only relative left he liked, and had any contact with, was his Aunt Cecily, but she lived down in Florida now and he rarely saw her these days, though they did still write regularly. He smiled at the thought of the outspoken seventy year old lady who had always liked to shock her rather staid family. He decided he had to make an effort to go and visit her, and take Ian along. He was pretty sure they would get on famously. But not for Christmas; there wasn’t time to arrange that.
Christmas had never loomed particularly large in Mac’s life either, especially not since he left the service and worked hard to build up his business, but now he had someone special to share it with he wanted to enjoy it again.
Other than Ian, the people Mac considered as family where those of his choosing: his friends who helped him to run the Tomcat Line; Hank, Neil, and Leslie, and by association their respective families. Between them surely they could give Ian a Christmas to remember.
“You’re being unusually quiet,” Ian said. “What’s going on in that devious mind of yours?”
“You think I’m devious.”
“No, I don’t think it, I damn well know it.”
“Not on my own there, Professor.”
“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you avoided answering the question,” Ian commented.
Mac sighed. “It’s nothing serious, something I would prefer to discuss with you another time though.”
“Oh, now I’m curious- and not a little concerned.”
“No, there’s no reason at all to be concerned,” Mac reassured as they pulled into Neil’s driveway.
Ian pursed his lips but didn’t press further, though Mac expected a grilling when they got home later. He’d have to find a way to distract his lover until he’d time to make plans. Now how to distract Ian? Mac grinned as his mind provided him with various scenarios.
MLR has released my Christmas story, FIRST CHRISTMAS, a little earlier than I expected. So you can enjoy a visit with Ian and Mac of The Tomcat Line Series right now!
BLURB:
Ian’s experiences with Christmas have never been particularly good and Mac wants their first Christmas together to be something special, a time Ian will always treasure. As ever, things don’t quite go according to plan.
It was a surprise to discover yet another review today, this time for Sacrifices, the final novel in my contemporary adventure series, The Tomcat Line. Lototy of Coffee Time Reviews really understood my characters:
“The relationship that flows between Mac and Ian is a wonderful example of what a partnership is meant to be. Mac is the grounding force in Ian’s life, and though at times it feels like Mac is just a sidekick to Ian’s adventures, you come to understand that it is Mac who makes everything happen for his partner. They give and take like any old married couple, and know when to pick their battles.”
To read the full review, visit: http://coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/sacrificebook5bysteviewoods.html
Stevie
I was delighted to discover this morning that The Reader’s Roundtable had posted a wonderful review of the first book in The Tomcat Line Series, The Hitch-hiker:
“Right from the beginning I found myself beguiled by the adventures of Ian and Mac and their attraction was the icing on the cake. Yummy, rich and decadent! Oh, and very, very tasty. These two together are dynamite. Even separately, they could be dangerous to the libido. But as a couple, watch out people!”
To read the full review, visit:
http://thereadersroundtable.com/erotic/?p=113
Stevie
http://steviewoods.com
Pop along to the MLR Press website where you can download a free pdf copy of The Hitch-hiker, the first book in The Tomcat Line series to help publicize Read an Ebook week (6th – 12th March 2011)
http://www.mlrbooks.com/books.php
Stevie
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SacrificesBy: Stevie Woods | Other books by Stevie Woods Available in: Adobe Acrobat, Mobipocket, Epub |
A stranger leaves Ian a bequest that starts him on a search which begins five hundred years earlier and takes him further back in time until his hunt leads him to Teotihuacan in Mexico. However, even Ian didn’t realize where his search would finally lead him as he and Mac dig beneath an ancient palace. They discover a pair of skeletons who are guardians to a goddess and a crystal spider that takes them on yet another journey. All the time they are being stalked by a man who believes he has been cheated out of his inheritance.
This is the third paperback in this series.
Prologue
47 B.C.
Di’al stood on the edge of the rise looking out over the jungle as far as the eye could see. The heat rose from the damp leaves in an almost visible haze to dissipate as it reached the tops of the trees. Di’al loved this place, the sights, the sounds, the smells. Goddess, he could even taste the heat! This was his home and he never wanted to be anywhere else; sadness welled, causing a lump in his throat at the thought that he would never enjoy this view after today. He felt tears prick his eyes and he brushed them away wearily.
He heard footsteps behind him and knew without looking who it would be. He felt arms go round his waist and a head rested on his shoulder, warm breath ghosting over his neck.
“I missed you, my love,” Ba’yin whispered. “I guessed you would be up here.”
“I’m glad you came. I wanted to say goodbye somewhere privately, and where better than here, the place I first told you of my love.” His voice was calm but his heart was beating fast in his chest. He wondered if Ba’yin could feel it where he leaned against his back. Determined to accept what fate had placed on his shoulders, Di’al said, “Mother is already supervising the creation of my robe. She has the women collecting owl feathers and…”
Abruptly, Ba’yin spun him around, so fast he almost tumbled, but Ba’yin held him tightly, pulled Di’al close against his chest. Oh, it felt so good to be held so tightly in his arms.
“I am not saying goodbye to you,” Ba’yin said gruffly. “I can’t, I won’t.”
“It’s not your choice, Ba’yin, any more than it is mine. Do you think I want to leave you? I don’t. I love you. I had hoped to spend my life with you. As a fourth son, my father could choose to turn a blind eye. He already has enough heirs to secure his throne. But the High King chose me to be his ambassador to the Great Goddess…”
“…and I am going with you,” Ba’yin interrupted. “Tell your mother to tell her women they must collect enough owl feathers for two robes.”
“What? No!”
“Yes, Di’al!” Ba’yin declared. “It is my right. Not only your father, but your uncle, my father, both know it was our choice to be joined come the next high moon. I have as much right to be with you on your journey as I do to spend my life by your side here. Unless you…refuse my company?” There was a slight crack in his voice, as if he couldn’t believe such a thing.
Di’al raised a hand and laid it gently on Ba’yin’s cheek. He smiled, but it was sad. “I would never refuse you anything, my love. But I want you to live. I want you to come to the Great Goddess when it is your time, when you have lived a full span among the people. I will be waiting for you, I promise.”
“But don’t you understand? Without you by my side, in my arms and in my heart, I will have no life. I will only pass long lonely years without my heart. They might as well cut it from me and send me to the Great Goddess now as make me wait however many years alone, lonely for a love I can never have. You have been given the honor to take a very special message to the Great Goddess, do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you?”
Di’al leaned his head on Ba’yin’s shoulder, his tears sliding down his face and onto Ba’yin’s beautiful body. “Oh my love, I should say no, I should let you be, but the thought of having you with me now and always…” He looked up then and met his lover’s gaze. “If you are sure, really sure you want to do this?”
“I have never been more sure of anything in my life, except my love for you. I want to come with you.”
“Then you shall.” Di’al pulled Ba’yin close, wrapping his arms tightly around him and their lips met in a sweet kiss. Tender and gentle at first but as Ba’yin opened his lips to let Di’al in, the kiss turned more heated, more desperate, and his hands on Di’al’s shoulders gripped tighter, digging in. Never letting go.
Stevie
The day has finally arrived! The fifth and final story in The Tomcat Line Series, the novel SACRIFICES, is released in eBook today! A print release will follow shortly.
Today sees me feeling both happy and sad – happy to see this book finally out there for sale, and sad because it also means saying goodbye to Mac and Ian, my trucker and his archaeologist. It has been lots of fun to create adventures for the guys – and hopefully show their abiding love for each other.
I truly hope my readers enjoy this somewhat longer story and trust they like the way I left Ian and Mac to face their future – together, as always.
There’s a nice excerpt to read if you follow the link on the buy page at MLR Press.
Stevie
I have lots of news to announce today. Not often I can talk about four new releases!
I had confirmation today that the fifth and final story in The Tomcat Line Series – the novel, SACRIFICES – is now on the last leg and should be released sometime this week by MLR Press. It has taken a few weeks longer than originally expected so I was really pleased to hear this.
Also today I sent back the galley copy of my Christmas release 
with MLR Press, EXCHANGE OF GIFTS. I don’t have a definite release date, but I understand it should be soon! I haven’t yet seen the covers that MLR has planned for their Christmas releases so really looking forward to what they are going to come up with.
I also have a short Christmas / New Year story coming out with Torquere Press. It is called FESTIVITIES and I have heard recently that it is due to be released on 1st January 2011 – what a great start to the New Year!
Last, but by no means least, I’ve also been informed that MLR Press is going to release the individual stories from the historical ghost anthology, Past Shadows, which means that my story, DEATH’S DESIRE, will be out as a stand alone eBook, hopefully by the end of the year.
That’s all for now folks!
Stevie
MLR Press has just released the third and fourth novellas in The Tomcat Line Series – West of El Pilar and The Kiva – in one print volume: Book Two!
WEST OF EL PILAR – Tracking another of Uncle Roger’s outrageous theories concerning a special crystal skull, Ian takes Mac back to Central America. After searching for weeks, Ian knows he is close. Whatever Ian hoped for it most certainly was not an attack by two determined thieves who will stop at nothing to get their way.
THE KIVA – Ian needs a vacation and what better way than joining Mac on one of his trucking runs. Mac has a surprise planned for his lover but it seems that Mac is the one in for a surprise when Ian finds a Native American Kiva. But then Mac begins to act out of character and Mac’s behavior becomes more threatening. Ian has to discover more about the Anasazi as he comes to suspect there was something dark hidden in the ancient Kiva.
Available through -
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Tomcat-Line-Book-2/dp/1608201740/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289741753&sr=1-2
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomcat-Line-Book-2/dp/1608201740/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1289741581&sr=1-2
Stevie
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