Happy New Year and Song of the Week - "Raise Your Glass" by P!nk

Happy New Year to one and all!  I've still got several hours of 2010 left where I live, but I know many parts of the world are already meeting 2011 and the rest of us aren't too far behind.  2010 was an amazing year for me, made so by all of you who have been kind enough to pick up my books.  Thank you so very much!  I hope to keep going just as strong into 2011, if not even stronger! 

I've never been much of one for making New Year resolutions.  I try to work on improving myself and setting goals throughout the year, but I do have one goal already in mind.  Last year, I had wanted to see two novels published, and I was fortunate enough to have that happen with NO FEAR and KEYS TO LOVE, and then right at the tail end of the year, I got the bonus of seeing my novella, FINDING A DREAM, released.  Let's see if I can beat that in 2011.  I'm setting a goal now for three novels, my vampires, another rocker story, and...well, I haven't figured out what number three will be, but I'll think of something! 

To all of you who made my 2010 so special, I thank you, and I send to you all the best wishes for 2011.  Let it be filled with good health, happiness, many smiles, and much laughter.

And now, on to the Song of the Week with P!nk's "Raise Your Glass."  For all of you raising your glasses tonight to welcome in the New Year, please be safe.  I'll be raising mine in gratitude to everyone who has given me such an amazing year!  Granted, it'll be filled with Sprite since I'm such a lightweight, but it'll still be raised ;-)

As always, here's my quick don't sue me message, I don't own the copyrights to this song, video, imagery, or anything therein.  Enjoy!

New Release...FINDING A DREAM

I'm absolutely ecstatic to announce, my newest work, a novella titled FINDING A DREAM, has just gone live on MLR Press's website!  All my works are very special to me, and this one is no different, though it does carry a little uniqueness to it.  This is the story where my editor, Kris Jacen, and I are donating all our royalties from it to The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that works to provide life-saving and life-affirming resources to LGBTQ youth.  It's YOU, those who purchase this story, who are providing the funds for the donation to happen, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

At the moment, it's only available at MLR Press, but in a couple weeks, it'll be branching out to all major ebook vendors.  It's already available in several formats at MLR to fit just about any eReader.  To purchase it at MLR Press, please CLICK HERE.

And for those who'd like to see them, here's the cover and blurb.

Blurb:

Bullied and harassed at school for his sexuality, Dillon Davis can’t see his life getting any better, but he can see it getting worse.  Depressed, wounded in spirit and body, he’s nearing a point of hopelessness, until he sees a picture of his favorite stage actor, Brandon Alexander, with his partner, Shunichi Miyamoto.  At learning Shunichi runs a karate dojo, a spark of hope comes to Dillon of learning to defend himself, and most of all, meeting Brandon.

Brandon Alexander is filled with compassion for Dillon the moment he meets him.  He knows all too well what it’s like to be scorned for being gay.  He and Shunichi want nothing more than to help him, but when Dillon never returns to the dojo, they fear what’s happened to him.

Weekly Inspiration - James Ratliff

Well, Christmas is over, so the holidays hunks are tucked away until next year.  But never fear, now I'm getting back to our regularly scheduled program with the Weekly Inspiration, and for this week, I present American model, James Ratliff.  As usual, I couldn't find a website just for him, but Ohlala Magazine has more pics of him to view for those who are interested.

Song of the Week - "The Christmas Song" by Josh Groban

This week's Song spot goes to one of my favorite artists, Josh Groban, in wishing all of you Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.  This past year has been one filled with many gifts for me, given by so many special people, including all of you have taken your time to read my books.  I can never express my thanks enough, but from me to you, please accept my sincere gratitude for all the support and kindness you've given me.  Here's wishing you and yours a holiday filled with love, laughter, and friendship, and all the best blessings into the New Year.

Weekly Inspiration - Holiday Edition Part 3

Since it's Christmas week, I thought I'd put up one final round of holiday pics.  Hey, these kind of pics only get busted out once a year, so we have to take advantage of them ;-) 

Here's wishing all a beautiful holiday!



Model, Edilson Nascimento

  

Song of the Week - "Mr. Heatmiser" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Normally I try to get the Song of the Week up on Fridays, but yesterday was a busy, busy day and I didn't get to post it.  Apologies!  But in keeping with the spirit of the holidays, I thought I'd put up a song from one of my all time favorite Christmas cartoons, The Year Without a Santa Claus.  This version is a remake by the always cool contemporary swing revival band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  I'll have to post something else from them in the future :-)  The video is set to scenes from the original cartoon, and you know I have to say it, it's not mine, I have no ownership to it, the song, or images.  If you'd like to learn more about Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, here's the link to their official website: http://www.bbvd.com/

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

HUGE Giveaway at Jessewave

I wanted to pass this along for everyone.  Over on the m/m review site, Jessewave, a huge giveaway is being organized.  Authors from all around are donating ebook copies of their books to readers for the holidays.  I'll be donating a pdf for each of the Conquest books, CONQUEST, NO FEAR, and KEYS TO LOVE, along with a pdf of FINDING A DREAM when it's released.  If there is one of my books you haven't gotten a chance to buy yet, here's your chance to win a copy!  But even more than my titles, there are books being offered by some of the finest and most talented authors in the genre, and they're definitely worth entering the contest for.

Here's the link for everyone who would like more details on the Santa Authors Giveaway: http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/?p=37517

Happy Holidays!

Weekly Inspiration - Holiday Edition Part 2

Since I'm still in a festive mood, I thought I'd do a second round of holiday inspiration :-)  I wasn't able to track down any of the models' names in these pics, but the first two are ads for DMK underwear.  And you know, looking at all these pics has really made me think, next year I have got to set time aside to write a holiday themed story!  

Hope everyone is having a beautiful and safe holiday season!

Gay Day at author Ethan Day's Yahoo Group!

This Sunday, December 12th, is Gay Day at author Ethan Day's Yahoo Group!  Here's the flyer talking about all the amazing giveaways that will be going on and a few of the talented authors who will be stopping by to chat.  I'll be hanging out there for a while, posting excerpts of my work, including a sneak peek at my upcoming novella, FINDING A DREAM, which I'll be giving away a copy of!  Or at least, I will be after it's released :-)

All are welcomed to stop by, so feel free to come hang out with your favorite authors, read some great excerpts of their latest and greatest, and maybe even win something!

Sunday, December 12, is Gay Day at my Yahoo Group.  Gay Day is the one day a month when the best authors in GLBT Romance stop by to post excerpts of their new and upcoming releases.

The following authors will be generously offering giveaways you can enter to win:

SLOAN PARKER - BREATHE

SJ FROST – FINDING A DREAM

ANDREW GREY – A TASTE OF LOVE

AKM MILES – SOMETHING FOR SANTA

ZA MAXFIELD –I HEARD HIM EXCLAIM

J.P. BOWIE – A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS (2 Copies!)

ALLY BLUE – OLEANDER HOUSE & SHENANDOAH

JAMBREA JO JONES – STEAMY REUNION or WISHING ON A STAR

WILLA OKATI – TOMCAT JONES or BUDDY HOLIDAY or KARMA CHAMELEON

TRINA LANE – CAPTURING PERFECTION or MASTER ME ANTHOOLOGY (MF BDSM)

LEX VALENTINE – HONORABLE SILENCE ANTHOLOGY

SIMONE ANDERSON – KNIGHT OF PLEASURE

DEVON RHODES – MAKING HIS LIST

ALIX BEKINS – RELATIONSHIPS 201

ETHAN DAY – LIFE IN FUSION

CLARE LONDON –POP UPS

The amazing Authors below will be popping in and out to chat & post excerpts from their latest books:

ZA MAXFIELD – VIGIL
ETHAN DAY – SNO HO
SLOAN PARKER - MORE
SJ FROST – KEYS TO LOVE
CLARE LONDON – 72 HOURS
AKM MILES – COLD WINTERS
DEVON RHODES – PRIDE & JOEYLEX VALENTINE – SUNSTROKED
JP BOWIE – SENSE & SENSUALITY
ANDREW GREY – CORE TRAINING
SIMONE ANDERSON – FINDING LOVE
JAIME SAMMS –THIRD TIME’S A CHARM
ALIX BEKINS – AN ACADEMIC DILEMMAG.H. WORTH – GRANITE: A ROCKY START
ALLY BLUE – WHAT HIDES INSIDE & TWILIGHT

The day will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST in the Ethan Day Yahoo Group where we’ll be posting excerpts, running contests for free books, and chatting about all the new and upcoming releases from your favorite authors.

I hope everyone will stop by to catch up with your favorite authors and join in all the fun!

Song of the Week - "Firework" by Katy Perry

And Song of the Week goes to...Katy Perry with "Firework!"  If you listen to Top 40 stations, and they're anything like the ones I listen to, then you hear Katy Perry roughly every half hour.  But it's not her fault she's slightly overplayed, and I certainly won't hold it against her.  In fact, I'll add to it!  I really do enjoy her music, but of all her songs, this one is my favorite.  The message she's working to get across in it is what I love most about it, but the song overall is so strong with her vocals and the beat. 

If you'd like to learn some more about Katy Perry, here's the link to her official website: http://www.katyperry.com/.  And now, I hope everyone enjoys this video and song, that I have no ownership rights to whatsoever :-)

Special Announcement

Some of y'all might remember awhile back I did a post titled, "What Has S.J. Been Up To?", where I talked about my current writing projects.  I mentioned in that post I was working on a novella with Brandon and Shunichi from the Conquest Series, and something special might be getting done with my royalties from it, but I didn't want to say what until everything was finalized.  Well, now everything is, and I can let you all in on it.

The story is titled, FINDING A DREAM, and it's going to be published by MLR Press in ebook form.  It's roughly around 80 pages, and while we don't have a solid release date for it yet, we're hoping to get it out before the end of the year or just into the beginning of the New Year.  Timeline wise, the story takes place directly after KEYS TO LOVE, though I think it can be read without having read KEYS prior.

But what's going to make this story a little extra special is I'll be donating all of my royalties from it to The Trevor Project.  And to top it off, my editor, Kris Jacen, is putting her royalties in with mine.  How awesome of an editor do I have to do this with me?  And how incredible of a publisher do I have in MLR Press to help me make this happen?  Both absolutely amaze me.  I'm so thrilled and touched with how everyone came together to support me in doing this. 

The Trevor Project is a non-profit organization that works for suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth.  As they say on their website:

"The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone."

Too many precious lives have been lost because of bullying and intolerance.  With the royalties from this story going to The Trevor Project, we hope to help those in need and to raise awareness for acceptance of all individuals who share this world. 

Weekly Inspiration - Holiday Edition

Tis the season, and I thought I put up some holiday inspiration for everyone.  What better way to get into that holiday mood? 

Here's wishing everyone a beautiful, safe, and special holiday season!




model, Edilson Nascimento




model, James Ellis



Song of the Week - "Maybe" by Sick Puppies

Australian rockers, Sick Puppies, get the Song of the Week spot with their song "Maybe".  It has all the things I like in a rock song, good vocals, strong guitar, great beat.  It's off their Tri-Polar album released in 2009, and is available for download on iTunes.  For more info on the band, here's their official website: http://www.sickpuppies.net/  Enjoy!

World AIDS Day

Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day.  It's a day to remember and honor all the beautiful lives lost, to cherish those who continue to live and fight for every day, to keep pushing for a cure.  It's a day for all the world to come together in care and compassion to raise awareness.  Please, on this day, take a moment to send kind thoughts out to all who have been affected.  You don't have to know anyone directly, just let your thoughts go out to the world at large for everyone to share.