New Year's Eve, December 31, 2009

December 31, 2009

December 31st. The end of another year and I find myself a bit short in the profound wisdom department. That sounds as trite as saying 2009 was a good year.

Well, 2009 was a good year, and not just because I’m still breathing, which, I confess, ranks right up there as a good reason to celebrate. That aside, it was a banner year for my writing career. The year saw the publication of Give Me One Night, No One But You, Seducing Light, Netting Neptune, Taming Triton, Poseidon’s Pleasure, and Tango in the Night, plus the release of the paperback collection, At the Southern Cross. I’d be lying if I said I was anything less than ecstatic those stories made it out and were so well received. To all my loyal readers – thank you!

If that looks like a lot of work in one year, let me confess it wasn’t all physically written in 2009. I don’t think I’m unique in that I have a tickler file full of story ideas and partially written manuscripts. When I get a hot idea, I pause and type out notes, or even the opening scene if that’s what popped into my head.

As I’m working on a story, and additional bits and pieces come to mind, I add them to the tickler file. Sometimes, I’ll be into a scene and realize it works better for another story. That’s copy, paste, and start the scene over time. “Process” is such a buzz word these days, but getting a manuscript completed is a process. In 2009, the process completed on those six stories.

Will 2K10 bring equal productivity? One can hope, but not guarantee. There is a business side to being a published author, but there is also the fickle Muse to contend with. Get the Muse on track, and there is still family, friends, and the day job that pays the bills that demand equal time. Not to mention the need to occasionally sleep, something I’m not doing well as this snowy New Year’s Eve 2009 day dawns.

There’s much to do this day that doesn’t involve writing. My partner has decided we need to get rid of some junk in the den. I need not tell you how unpleasant that task may become because his real agenda is de-booking my bookcases so his Clive Cussler tomes can have their very own shelf. We’ll see about that. I have to watch him like a hawk because last time he wanted space, he tried to give away my C.J. Cherryh collection. Bad boy. A better option is giving away all those VHS tapes we (meaning he) will never watch again.

It’s finally daylight, and time to put the coffee on to brew and take a few minutes to watch the snow. Just like the writing, watching the snowfall never gets old. And after I indulge myself for a bit, it will be time to remember that the books don’t get written by magic, and devote an hour to pulling pure thought from the air and getting it on the page.

Here’s to the year 2010. May we all be healthy and happy.

KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

Veritas

My best friend got me a little plaque for Christmas that says, "Having abandoned my search for truth...I am now looking for a good fantasy."

It's safe to say, she knows me well.

KC Kendricks
website: http://www.kckendricks.com

Christmas Eve

It’s Christmas Eve, and like every day I don’t have to go to my day job, I’m up early. It's strange how that works. Heaven knows that on a typical Thursday, I can barely drag my butt out of bed in time to make it to work on time. But this is not a typical day. It’s Christmas Eve.

Being up so early has several benefits. The house is quiet, except for the ticking cuckoo clock. I started a fire in the woodstove, and it snaps and pops from time-to-time, but I like that. It reminds me of my grandparents home when I was very young. I suppose I even like the clock, but it wasn’t always so.

When my partner first moved in, and wanted to hang that monstrosity on my living room wall, I balked. The cuckoo has a stag on top, and a hare and pheasant hanging upside down on the front. Dead carved animals. Just what my décor screamed for. But I confess I’ve gotten used to the chiming, especially in the night. And one clock is a small concession for those finer things the man brings to my life.

The winter solstice is past, and the days are getting longer. Already I sense the difference in the light. It’s still early, and the world outside my window has been cast in shades of gray, but the moment when the sunlight sneaks in under any cloud cover, and what colors found in winter appear, is upon me. The tiny green holly tree outside my window is a thing of beauty against the white snow, as are the cardinals hopping around on the snow, coaxing for a handout.

There is also that old saying, “red sky at morn, sailors be warned.” The sky to the west is quite pink, but as long as I can write, all warm and cozy in front of my monitor, let it snow, sleet, rain, whatever.

I need to get writing. I’ve crested the 10K mark in the current work-in-progress. That’s almost a third of this story, or so I think. It may go a bit longer depending on what the characters have to say about it. I do want to get it done, so that means no more promo work until it’s finished. Some writers can do lots of promo work and still churn out several thousand words a day, but I’m not one of them.

The writing will have to wait one more hour. The man of the house has shuffled out of the bedroom, moaning, in need of caffeine. I’ll spend a little time sitting at the dining room table with him, watching the birds, and then he’ll have to amuse himself for a few hours while I write.

It’s Christmas Eve.


KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
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Looking forward to a white Christmas

December 19, 2009

It’s snowing, and it's not the light, gentle flakes we typically see in December. Nooooo. It’s snowing. That's not a face in the picture, it's the milkcan on the west end of the deck. Since 10:15 last night, we’ve gotten ten inches.

Don’t go there, not with me. I write erotic romance. I’m way ahead of you. But I digress.

It’s snowing, and the possibility of a white Christmas has increased exponentially. I won’t debate whether or not it has to actually snow on Christmas to be a white Christmas. If there’s leftover snow on the ground, that’s good enough for me. I can’t remember the last time we had snow like this in December. Most of our snow starts in January, and our big storms are late February or early March.

There’s something about the falling snow that makes it almost impossible for me to concentrate. I have a galley to look at, and an edit to work on, but I’d rather sit at the table and gaze out across the yard and watch it snow. Or better yet, go out and play in it.

I convinced my dog he needed to go outside, and off we went. He’s a lot of fun in the snow. I like to make snowballs and throw them. Yes, I laugh at him when he can’t find the snowballs, but he doesn’t seem to mind as long as I make another one. After a quarter-hour, I started to get chilled, so we came back inside to find my housemate dumping the ingredients for chili into the crock pot. Works for me on a snowy day.

I need to get on with my Saturday. There’s the writing chores, laundry, and a few last-minute Christmas gifts to wrap. I still have a few promo things I want to do with Tango in the Night, and now, At the Southern Cross has been loaded at Amazon.com , and I need to check if that link is active yet.

Maybe I’ll get another cup of coffee first, watch the snow fall for a bit longer, and dream of a white Christmas.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

I've been for a walk, on a winter's day

December 16, 2009

Baby, it's cold outside! My silly cat hasn't touched real terra firma in days. His paws are just too delicate. Even the dog needs a good shove to get him out the door. And people call them 'dumb animals'. For myself, I brave the cold air almost daily for a walk. I know I shouldn't ask, but what does that say about the level of my intelligence?

One summer, way back when in the 1980's, my mom and I used to get up at five in the morning, Monday through Friday, and walk. We were faithful until winter hit, and we thought it too cold to go outside. We stopped "for the winter" and we never started again. Now, since I'm finally walking almost every day again, I'm afraid to stop for fear the same thing will happen again. I bundle up and go unless it's raining buckets.

Does the walking help me as a writer? I'm not sure. I'd like to think so. What's good for me is good for the stories.

Yes, we writers can be an obsessive lot. Everything goes back to the writing with us. We can't escape writing - it's our drug. It keeps our brains happy.

I do wonder what people think as I stroll along, grinning, or even talking to myself as I work on dialogue. Of course, I walk with my iPod plugged in, so maybe they think I'm trying (and failing) to sing. It doesn't really matter. I walk to please myself, much like the writing.

Walking has helped with other things, too. It's taken a few months, but my co-workers no longer have panic attacks when I leave them alone for half an hour. Apparently, it stresses them when the den mother abandons them. Well GOOD!! They cause me enough stress, and walking eases that. I've lost a few pounds, and my blood pressure cuff keeps telling me I'm really dead.

Today, as I walked along, my iPod spit out an old song, one full of magic - "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas. I turned up the volume, and inside my headphones, the wonderful stereo sound of the Sixties bloomed, rendering the incredible harmonies in their full glory. It transported me back to a very different time when my best girlfriend and I knew every word to every song on the AM radio bands. We'd sit on the porch steps for endless hours and sing along. Winter's cold didn't stop us.

I think I'll load a few more old songs into my iPod, and try to let go of even the writing as I walk. And when I return to my desk to finish out the workday, I'll be able to smile at the kiddies in the office. Because, you see, I've been for a walk, on a winter's day.

KC Kendricks
Visit my website at http://www.kckendricks.com

Tango in the Night

December 31, 2009

Tango in the Night
contemporary gay romance

Jubal Graham is back on the job after a shooter took the life of his long-time partner, and sent him into a coma followed by months of rehab. Determined to have justice, Jubal is focused on finding a killer, not a new romantic entanglement. Ellis Banks, with his smoldering blue eyes and denim-clad swagger is a distraction Jubal can’t afford – or ignore.

Ellis Banks came to Philadelphia to bust a drug operation; one that connects to the same case agency legend Kentuckian Jubal Graham is working. Ellis finds himself drawn to Jubal, but Jubal holds him off. Sure that Jubal is interested, even though he wears his slain lover’s ring, Ellis mounts a determined siege.

Jubal’s surprise at having a suitor develops into a growing affection for Ellis, one clouded with old fears. Fate ripped one lover from his arms, and now Ellis is in the line of fire. Jubal’s courage can protect Ellis, but is it powerful enough to love him?


Intro for book:

“I’ve got a lot of miles on me, Ellis. I feel old.”

Ellis’ gaze locked with mine. I knew that interested look, having been on the receiving end of it often enough in my life. It was nice to know I could still turn a head. He reached out and trailed his fingertips down my arm. “You want some help feeling young again, Jubal?”

I hated to disappoint him. He was a nice looking man, and I couldn’t deny my curiosity about him. But…I rebuffed him as gently as I knew how.

“Not with a co-worker, Ellis, even a handsome stud like you.”

Ellis didn’t blink. His chin lifted the slightest bit as those blue eyes saw straight through my act. A warm little glow sparked to life in my belly. I knew by the way he pressed his full, sexy lips together he knew. We stood there staring at each, the air between us sparking with a strange blue lightning. He tried, but he couldn’t keep the corner of his mouth from quirking up in a little smile.

“If you change your mind, Jubal, just say so.”

I nodded. Ellis pushed off from the counter and walked towards the door. I had one more thing I had to say to him. “Ellis?”

He stopped and turned around. “Yeah?”

“Nice ass.”

He laughed as the door closed behind him.

Website Blurb:

Ellis sat behind his desk, chin anchored in his left palm while his right index finger idly tapped the page in front of him. Lucky for me, a member of the janitorial staff busily washed the windows in my new office and I had an excuse not to go in there yet.

I had two choices. I could hide my interest in him, be the gruff senior agent, or I could let him know how strongly he had things stirring inside me. If I chose the latter, we needed to hash a few things out, namely how not to allow a mutual sexual curiosity affect the job.

Standing in the doorway, looking at him, I didn’t know which would win today. Ellis glanced up and saw me. He straightened, his chest expanding as he drew in a deep breath. I nodded and stepped into the squad room.
“Ellis. Are you on call, or just catching up?”

“I’m puzzled, mostly.”

I snorted and let the southern drawl creep into my speech. “Ain’t we all, most days?”

He almost smiled, the corner of his mouth twitching, and mimicked my accent. “I heard you hailed from Ken-tuck.”

“Yep. With a name like ‘Jubal’, where the hell did you think I was from?” I snagged the nearest chair and rolled it a bit closer to him. “What are you puzzled about?”

His gaze drilled into mine, his warm blue eyes eloquently saying he meant me. I smiled to let him know I appreciated his interest, but was careful not to show encouragement. He must have gotten the message. He flipped a folder at me. “There’s a few missing pieces here.”

I opened the folder and kept my surprise out of my voice. “This is an old case. I worked it for a while, but it went cold.”

“It ties into a new one, I just know it.”

A cold fist seized my heart. This case was potentially dangerous. I looked up at him. Ellis was running on instinct and that gut feeling that settled over you when you know what you can’t yet prove. His earnest expression begged me to believe him. I did, and I wished to heaven I could warn him off this one, but it would tip my hand.

“Keep digging, then. Trust your gut.”

“Should I trust what my gut says about you, Agent Graham?”

I closed the file and laid it back on his desk, my gaze flicking to the window washer. He was finished, putting all his supplies back in his cart. I waited until he exited to reply. 

“Ellis, you and I need to get a few things straight.”

He tapped the signet ring. “That’s not your initial. The guy you were with last night?”

“No. I was with a friend last night. You were on a date.”

“So, maybe I should take you out on a date.”

“Ellis…” I froze as his fingers closed around mine, a delighted little quiver pulsing through my penis. I was intensely curious about the man, but we were in too public a place for this to continue. I pulled away. “Don’t do that here.”

“Will you go out with me, Jubal?”

Persistence was a good thing for a drug enforcement agent to have, but I wasn’t sure I liked his directed at me. I wasn’t sure I didn’t like it, either. It was certainly different to be on this side of the pursuit.

“Why did you come to my house last night?”

Ellis looked away as a flush crept up his neck. “I needed to know if your boyfriend lived with you.”

I clamped down on my temper. He was out of line, and his eyes said he knew how far. I counted to five before I responded. “He’s not my boyfriend. Don’t do it again. If he sees you dogging me, it’ll scare him.”

“Like I’m scaring you, Jubal?”

“You’re not scaring me.”

“Oh, the hell I’m not.” Ellis leaned back in his chair. “Okay. We’ll do it the old southern way. Even straights say a year is enough to mourn. You can play the reluctant widower for another two months. I’ll let you. Then you go out with me.”

"Boy, you don’t know anything about me.”

“Wrong. You were all anyone talked about when I transferred in. I took notes.”

“You’re an arrogant fucker, aren’t you?”

Ellis grinned as he stood and stretched, treating me to an eye level display of the full, rounded bump at the base of his zipper. He looked down at me, his expression pure insolence.

“Takes one to know one, Agent Graham.”


TANGO IN THE NIGHT

Also available:

NETTING NEPTUNE
#6 Best Seller, Amber Allure, Sept. 09
www.amazon.com/Netting-Neptune-Southern-Cross-Book-ebook/dp/B01FEST0I0

TAMING TRITON
Available at Amazon and other online booksellers

POSEIDON'S PLEASURE
Available at Amazon and other online booksellers

KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Join my mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Read my personal blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com

Rebel, Rebel

I usually balk at being part of the In Crowd. I’m not into trends, the newest restaurant, or the latest ‘must see’ movie. I drive a ten-year-old Chevy 4x4 that still runs like a champ, and when everyone wanted to build a castle, I opted for a tiny fifteen-hundred square foot rancher that doesn’t take much to heat, cool and keep clean. Don’t look for me to wear clothes with a designer label in this lifetime.

So why is it I like the band Billboard just named the Band of the Decade? Yeah, yeah, Chad Kroeger’s butt is a work of art in black denim, but that’s beside the point. (Yes, I looked! Call me a dirty old woman!)

By all accounts, no one in the world should like Nickelback. I’ve never, ever read a review of their music that wasn’t a direct attack on their musical talent. Or supposed lack thereof. Yet they’ve sold over 30 million albums worldwide and gotten at least one Grammy nomination. How can anyone, or group, possibly be that popular when the all-important holy grail of reviewer opinion is against them?

Could it be because at a time when the world is obsessed with “political correctness,” those boys are out there just doing what they want to do the way they want to do it - without apology?

I think so. And I think that’s why I like them.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

The power of planning

December 9, 2009

I know it’s only December 9th, and maybe a little early to work up a ‘year in review’ blog, but the past holds keys to the future. What works, you improve upon. What doesn’t work, you find a way to improve, or acknowledge it’s time to try something different. So with two new stories on the desktop, each vying for my attention, it’s time to look behind to plot a more prosperous path.

Now, don’t think that by prosperous I’m talking about money. I’m not. Contrary to popular belief, most writers are not retiring to Tuscany on their royalties. We make a little bit, take the family out to a nice dinner or whatever, pay for the webhosting, and that’s about it. We write because we love doing it. The prosperity I’m referring to has to do with the craft of writing.

Any good writer never stops wanting to find new and better phrasing, more descriptive yet more concise words. We want to create a single sentence that weeps with the joy of being created. The challenge comes from within, not without, and we don’t shy away from it, no matter how difficult it may seem. Our prosperity increases when we accomplish this creation. It’s an internal prosperity on which to build the future.

If you read back across some of my blogs, you’ll find how best to serve the future is actually a recurring theme of mine. I tend to look forward more than I tend to dwell on the past, but the two have a symbiotic relationship.

Am I excited about what’s ahead in the year 2010? Very! A year’s worth of planning is coming to fruition. Two early 2009 releases will finally be paired with two new releases in two paperback anthologies. “Tango in the Night” will finally be released this coming weekend as part of a PAX collection. It seems like I’ve been waiting forever for this one (I’ll never submit a story early again).

“Tango in the Night,” and “Give Me One Night,” will pair up in the paperback, “Night Moves.” Both of these stories give the characters one more chance for happiness when they aren’t looking for it.

Then, “Seducing Light” will pair with the upcoming “Shine a Light” in a paperback. Both of these stories are set against a backdrop of movies and live theater, so the paperback will be, appropriately enough, “In the Limelight.”

Beyond February 2010, I’m expanding my work to include a limited urban legend series. I think it will be fun to add that. I love writing contemporary stories. This is simply contemporary with a little twist. Currently, the plan is for six stories. We’ll just have to see how it pans out.

Also in the works, a three story set that, like the Southern Cross series, will have a central location and recurring characters, linked by family and friendship. Until the first one is done, I won’t have a clear picture of how the second and third will work.

So many stories, and so little time, so I’d best stop blogging and get busy.

KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

A Slice of the Life - Snowy Saturday

December 5, 2009

It snowed today. I know that’s not exactly a newsflash – a lot of people woke to snow. I knew before I opened my eyes the white stuff was falling. A friend who lives nearby tipped me off to something. Around here in the winter, if you don’t hear the wind at night, it’s snowing. Being a bit of a doubting Thomasina, I’ve paid attention and found she’s correct.

The weather forecasters didn’t call for much accumulation, so my other half ordered me to put my boots on and accompany him to town. Amused that he just had to get out in the snow, I obeyed (not something I ever promised to do, you understand, but I figure it doesn’t hurt once a year). We hopped in my trusty 4x4 and off we went. After about a mile, he dropped all pretense of needing to go to the home improvement store. We made a left and headed for the top of the mountain.

There is something beautiful, and peaceful, about an empty country road. A feeling of isolation descends, and worries fade. What is unseen beyond the trees no longer exists.
The feeling intensifies when the trees and ground are covered with snow.

We stopped on a remote stretch of the road, opened the windows to the cold air, and cut the ignition. Without the sound of the engine to interfere, we sat and listened. When the world is covered in white, so far from the background noise of civilization, you can actually hear the snowflakes hiss as they settle against each other on the earth.

I’d brought along a travel cup full of coffee to share, and when it was empty, we moved along, making it all the way to the end of the road without passing another vehicle.

Our little jaunt had a profound impact on the rest of our day. There has been no television, no music playing, no keyboard clicking busily by the hour, just the sporadic tapping of the email addict as both of us touched base with our private worlds. We sat at our dining room table, watched the snow fall until dark, and shared the peaceful sounds of a house whose occupants are, for now, in harmony.

The snowfall is over. Darkness obscures the view out our window. Things are back to normal.

The television is on, and I'm happy at my keyboard, looking for the secret words hidden between the keys.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

Amber Allure Top Ten List - November 2009

December 2, 2009
**links updated 5/17/2016**

Maybe I'm amazed.

No, I'm definitely amazed that the streak continues. I think a lot of writers never stop feeling amazement that people like their work. For me, every sale is like a dark chocolate Hershey's kiss, but without the calories.

Without further ado, here's the Top Ten List from Amber Allure for November 2008. Poseidon's Pleasure clocked in at #8, and as of this date, is still #2 at All Romance eBooks. Just as a side note, Taming Triton is #14 at ARE, and Netting Neptune is at #17.

Maybe I'm amazed, and maybe I'd better get back to work on the new story.

KC


AMBER ALLURE
1. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Lynn Lorenz (Gay / Contemporary)
2. Son Of A Preacher Man - Jamie Craig (Gay / Contemporary)
3. Wranglers: The Defense Rests - Vivien Dean (Gay / Contemporary)
4. Lynx Woods - P. A. Brown (Gay / Contemporary)
5. The Impossible Dream - Christiane France (Gay / Contemporary)
6. Superstar - Rick R. Reed (Gay / Contemporary)
7. Somebody To Love - Carolina Valdez (Gay / Contemporary)
8. Poseidon's Pleasure - KC Kendricks (Gay / Contemporary)
9. Secrets We Keep - Caitlyn Willows (Ménage [M/M/F] / Contemp.)
10. Deeper Blue - A. J. Llewellyn (Gay / Contemp. / Mystery)


KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Join my mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Read my personal blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com

I Heard it Through the Grapevine

I’ve hit the big time. A blogger has commented that, in a nutshell, I write like myself, and a KC Kendricks book reads like a, well, a KC Kendricks book.

Move over, John Fogerty. You’ve got company.

KC

What truly matters

I’m not necessarily a ‘happy holidays’ sort. My husband was first diagnosed with cancer just before Thanksgiving of 2000. It’s a little hard to be cheery when the future is a black hole. But it’s the holiday season. We are given no choice but to carry on like a good little soldier. So, okay, I’ve sometimes failed miserably at that the last nine years.

Hope springs eternal, though, and this year I approach the dreaded six weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas in a calmer state of mind. My love has been cancer free for over three years now, and while we will never be free of the specter of it recurring, we have learned what is important, and what simply matters not. And all the trappings of the holiday season matter not.

Today we will drive to my sister-in-law’s home for an almost traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I’m sure all her dishes will be on the ‘healthy’ side, but that’s okay. My sweet potato pie has been ‘lightened up’, too. All that really matters is we’ll all be at the table together. Laughter, and wine, will flow.

Tomorrow, Black Friday, I won’t venture out of the house unless my mother calls needing help with something at her home. My hubby and I have been discussing the yearly decorating binge – as in does it really matter? Who do we do it for? Us? Others?

I agree, in principal, that I should cut back a bit. I’d like to think our holiday visitors are here to see us and not the glittering tree. But a strange thing is happening inside me. I’m eager to see those sparkling lights. I want to hang the garland around the room, and line up little snowmen on the windowsills.

It feels like it’s the time for one last blow-out season before we pass the eight-foot tree to someone younger and get a four-footer. So after dinner today, I’ll brave the attic and bring down all my Christmas treasures. They might not all go back up, and that’s okay.

And through it all, we won’t forget that what truly matters is sitting on the sofa next to us, agreeing that once again, we over decorated.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

Poseidon's Pleasure by KC Kendricks

November 15, 2009
updated 5/17/2016

Poseidon's Pleasure
contemporary gay romance available at

www.amazon.com/Poseidons-Pleasure-Southern-Cross-Book-ebook/dp/B01FL599U0?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc

Brett Houston triumphed over his life. Raised by an abusive father, Brett sacrificed his personal happiness to keep the ones he loved safe. Ready to make big changes in his life, Brett treats himself to a Caribbean vacation. To his surprise, he ends up at a seaside ball, wearing a G-string and presiding over the festivities as Poseidon, the God of the Sea.

Mark Matthews left behind his hometown, and his first love, to put down roots in California. With vacation time to use, or lose, Mark books a holiday on the island of St. Lucia, unaware of the surprise reunion Fate has waiting for him.

Brett cautiously examines the fractured bonds of the past, while questioning the possibility of a future with Mark. It’s simpler for Mark. He won’t settle for anything less than a future tending to Poseidon’s pleasure.

EXCERPT

“So how’d you get to be Poseidon, Brett?”

“Wrong place, wrong time, is my best guess. They cornered me.”

“Aw, come on. Don’t tell me you’re not having any fun at all.” Mark offered me some sort of meatball on a toothpick. I accepted it and chewed, its peppery, bourbon-tinged flavor made my mouth water for more.

“I can’t say that. Actually, I’m flattered they asked. How’d you get to be a member of my court?”

“I’ve no clue. When I checked in, there was an envelope waiting for me at the front desk informing me I’d been selected, if I wanted to, so I said why not?”

I looked him in the eye. “That ‘why not’ used to get you in all sorts of trouble.”

Mark nodded, and met my gaze without flinching. “I know, but I’m more careful these days.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Sure, you are, Mark. I believe you.”

He leaned in, his green eyes hot and serious. “I am, damn it! I grew up. Now stop trying to make me feel seventeen again.”

Why should he get off the hook? The years dropped away, and I regressed to seventeen again, too. I drilled him with my best stare, and kept my voice down.
“You gave me the clap!”

Mark’s fingers closed around my wrist. “Christ! I didn’t do it on purpose, you know.” He scanned the crowd, and so did I. No one was paying any attention to us.

“And I don’t have it now, for your information. I don’t have anything.”
I really wanted to believe that, but I knew I couldn’t.

“Bully for you. I’m not going to be your fuck buddy for the next few days, so if that’s what this is about, you can get over it.”

“Fuck bu…? Have you lost your mind?”

Yes, I had, and I didn’t care if I got it back. I stared at him as he forged ahead.

“I wouldn’t fuck you again, Brett Houston, if you were the last man on the island! I loved you, man, and you just walked away like I was nothing more than dog shit you needed to clean off your shoes!”

“You told me you weren’t out fucking anyone else. That was a lie, you little twink. You tricked your way across town and back.”

Mark ripped off his mask and glared at me. “You were the older know-it-all, the one in too much of a hurry to put on a fucking rubber!”

He had me with the truth on that fact. “You weren’t the only one who was younger, Mark.”

“And that makes it all better?” He leaned back and blew out a long breath. “Okay, okay. Can we not do this? We haven’t seen each other in twenty years, and we’re going at it like it’s only been twenty minutes.”

He had me again, because he was right again. Nothing would be served by sniping back and forth. Seeing him thrust me back to an uneasy era in my life. It was time for me to act like the man I was if I wanted to stay in touch with him from now on, maybe even call him friend.

“I’m sorry, Mark.”

He gawked at me, then stuck his pinkie finger in his ear and wiggled it around.
“I’m going deaf. I would swear I heard Brett Houston say he was sorry.”

“Funny. See me laugh? I mean it, Mark. I’m sorry for a lot of things.” But I’m not sorry about those times I had you.

He handed me another meatball. His eyes asked me to accept it as a peace offering.

“I was young, dumb and full of cum, Brett. If it was the wrong thing to do, it came naturally to me. But you know that.”

I accepted the meatball, making sure my fingers stroked his as I grasped the toothpick.

“Yeah, I know. And I forgot what it was like to be young and free. I remember it better now, for some reason.”

Mark’s hand touched my thigh. My whole body tightened, my balls drew up, my cock swelled. I didn’t want to react so strongly to him, but I was glad I did. I’d forgotten what it felt like to make love, to touch more than some man’s hard dick. I ached to feel alive again...


POSEIDON'S PLEASURE
Book Three of the Southern Cross series
Available at Amazon and other online book sellers

Also available:

NETTING NEPTUNE
Book One of the Southern Cross series

www.amazon.com/Netting-Neptune-Southern-Cross-Book-ebook/dp/B01FEST0I0

TAMING TRITON
Book Two of the Southern Cross series

www.amazon.com/Taming-Triton-Southern-Cross-Book-ebook/dp/B01FJ389AU?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc

KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Join my mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Read my personal blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com

Strange Days, Half a Lifetime

November is always a strange time in the yearly cycle of my life. November 8th marks the anniversary of my father’s passing, and this year is particularly significant. This year, I have lived half my life without my dad.

I never know how I’m going to feel when November rolls around. Some years I’ve been melancholy, reflecting about those things in my life I can’t celebrate with him. What he’d say about my writing, I don’t know. He was always proud of me, but his little girl wasn’t supposed to know about, um, you know… sex.

He was a man of few words, unless it was about the speed at which I prefer to drive. It’s not what you might think. Dad drilled it home that if I planned to drive fast, I’d better know how to make the correct split-second decision. He didn’t tell me to slow down, because he didn’t waste words.

My dad is directly responsible for my love of American muscle cars. No, not exotic, for God’s sake, as described by one reviewer. AMERICAN MUSCLE. I know by the sound if it’s got a 283 or a 327 under the hood. I know at a glance if it’s a ’67 or ’68 Camaro, and I know the difference between a big block and small block.

What he thought of having a motorhead for a daughter, I don’t know, but I know he took the time to teach me as much as he could. Very helpful knowledge when dealing with mechanics and used car salesmen. Also very helpful when sizing up a prospective mate.

This year, I find I’m sad to have lived half my live without my dad. He would have had his 80th birthday this past June, and I cannot picture him at that age. For me, he’s frozen in time at the age of 52, my age now. A young man. A handsome man with humor in his steely blue eyes. A strong man standing six feet tall whose arms were always ready with a hug.

I hope he’d still be proud of me, of the choices I’ve made, and how I’ve handled those situations where choices were made for me. I hope he’d tell me it’s okay to love my stepfather, a man who is a true blessing to my mother’s life, and to mine. I know he’d approve of my Mr. Goodwrench certified husband.

So if I’m sad right now, I know it will pass. Something mundane will happen as I go about my days, and Dad’s grin will flash in my memory, and I’ll hear his laughter. And for a moment, he’ll be beside me again.

Life is always good.

KC Kendricks

Gray Vitamins

So, I went shopping today at the local warehouse club because I needed paper products. Having a few extra dollars, I cruised the vitamin and supplement aisle, and decided it was time I start taking a multi-vitamin a few times a week. I am of a certain age now, you know, so I selected a blend for more mature individuals. Now I just have to remember I have them so I can take them, hence my saying 'a few times a week'. Don't snicker. Your day will come.

I get home and open the bottle to check out the vitamins. You know, give them a sniff and see just how nasty they might really be.

The pills are gray.

I think I'm affronted. Perhaps insulted. Gray, for heaven's sake. Is this some sort of AARP conspiracy? Someone's idea of humor? (Okay, it IS funny, but reminding me I'm fi...er... more mature is unnecessary.) I'm a boomer. I don't have to take this lying down.

On the other hand, I guess I'll pop those little gray pills and see if help me type faster. I'll just do it with my eyes closed.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

Coming soon:

Taming Triton is now on sale!

October 12, 2009

Taming Triton
Contemporary gay romance

Taming Triton, the second of three stories set at the Southern Cross resort, is now available at Amber Allure. I'm thrilled to have the three-book set be released in consecutive months. Here's a bit about the story:


Austin Michaels accepts his brother’s standing invitation for a Caribbean vacation at his island resort. Some time in the sun is just what he needs to map out a plan for his future. He gets lucky and meets a handsome teacher willing to have a little vacation fling with, as long as they can keep things fun.

Steve Guthrie’s secret longings have haunted him all his life. It’s time to face his questions and find the truth of who he really is beyond a staid college professor. His love of the sea prompts him to take a vacation at a Caribbean hide-a-way for relaxation and reflection. A sexy stranger with a tattoo tempts Steve to abandon his plans, enticing him to share a vacation romp.

Now Steve’s the student in a high stakes class of one, and to pass the course, he has to tame his very own Triton.

For an excerpt, please click here.


TAMING TRITON
Available at Amazon and other online book sellers

NETTING NEPTUNE
Available at Amazon and other online book sellers

Don't forget to sign up for my mailing/announcement list at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys. No chatter, just important news like new releases.

KC Kendricks

Netting Neptune - how long will the streak go?

October 6, 2009

Netting Neptune made it to #6 on the publisher's September 2009 Best Seller List. Yes, it's exciting stuff, at least to me. So far, all my new releases at Amber Allure have made the list. I know the streak can't last forever, but it is definitely fun right now.

And as an extra added bonus on the day, Netting Neptune received a 4 out of 5 rating at Reviews by Jessewave. Thanks to reviewer Aunt Lynn for her review. She doesn't usually say nice things about anyone.

Reviews are a mixed bag, even the good ones. The personal philosophies of the reviewer and the writer are seldom the same. A happy writer equals happy stories.

I believe that, as in real life, what is written on the virgin sands of the future is what matters in a relationship, not the frozen, tangled threads of the past. My message (yes, all writers have one)is that moving forward is what gets a person through life.

Maybe a positive outlook is a detriment to a writer. Maybe I need to suffer more for my art. Not.

Anyway, it was a good review, and Netting Neptune made the bestseller list, and now both items are old news. The future is in an open document on my desktop. The current story is a tough one. I'm sure the reviewers are going to crucify me on it since it deals with the possibility of one of the characters being HIV positive.

I can "hear" it now. But you know what? It's my story, and I'm doing it my way.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

The Victory Series - Book Trailer

With the closing of Amber Quill Press on March 31, 2016, this blog post is woefully out of date. I had fun making the video and hate to delete it. 

******
Rainy days are best spent curled up with a book - writing a book, in my instance. It wasn't to be, this rainy day. I know of little sadder than a fog-shrouded cemetary in autumn, but supporting a friend is important. After such a morning, I didn't even attempt to advance the current work-in-progress.

Unable to abandon my craft entirely, I turned to something I've not done in many years. I made a book trailer.

The new processor tried to throw me a curve, though. It didn't come with WMP.11 on it. I tried to open some old trailers from a few years ago and throught for a moment I'd time-warped back to the 1960's, or inhaled something really strange...It was easy enough to go snag the upgrade.

It turned out well enough, and reassured me that my memory still works, at least when it comes to all things writing.

So - below is The Victory Series video, YouTube cooperating, that is.

Enjoy!!

KC
http://www.kckendricks.com

How bad do you want it?

“How bad do you want it?” I never asked myself that question until I heard the Don Henley song many years ago, but it’s become a touchstone question in my life - for everything. Maybe my subconscious recognized the question, but I never stopped and actively thought about it. Like many younger folks, I worked hard, played by the rules, and if something didn’t pan out, I merely moved on. I probably lost more than I’ll ever know by calmly accepting so much.

Guess what? I’m older now, and I don’t care if people think I’m a lady, or if I have that certain nebulous quality known as ‘class’. I woke up one morning with the realization I’ve only got about forty years left in this earthly realm. I’ve got to get moving. Screw being a lady. Screw class. Screw living by someone else’s society rules.

How bad do I want it? And what the heck is IT, anyway? That’s a question to make ‘most anyone lean back in their chair and scratch their chin. What is IT? I have a few ideas on what IT is for me. Right now, IT is fitting my ass in a pair of size ten blue jeans.

Excuse me. Ladies don’t use ‘bad’ words. I should say butt, not ass.

And how hard are you willing to work to get IT? That’s what I really grapple with. I drive by the Dairy Queen every day on my way home from work. Maybe it’s time to burn a little extra gas and go home by a different route. No, it’s time to just ignore the huge Blizzard billboard. I’m tough enough to do that. But am I committed enough to ignore the thought of a Strawberry Cheesecake Blizzard until next spring? How bad do I want those jeans?

With age comes wisdom, and patience (which I never had as a younger person). Wisdom says life is lived one day at a time. Failure on any given day isn’t fatal, not in this quest, because I will succeed more days than not.

How bad do I want IT? I guess I’m about to find out.

Available now! Netting Neptune by KC Kendricks

September 12, 2009

Netting Neptune
Contemporary gay romance
available now at
www.amazon.com/Netting-Neptune-Southern-Cross-Book-ebook/dp/B01FEST0I0

Theron Bowman is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. At forty, he needs to make some serious decisions about his future. He splurges on a two-week vacation in the Caribbean, and like everything else in his life, things go horribly awry and he ends up working to pay for his room.

Forced by his father to break ties with his family, Colby Denton came to rest on St. Lucia, and opened an exclusive resort. To celebrate his tenth year on the island, and his birthday, Colby arranges for a series of festive beachside parties. When a sexy sea god swims out of the ocean in front of him, Colby has a brand new plan – netting Neptune.

EXCERPT


“Listen, Colby, I’ll pay you once I get home. You’re trying to run a business here.”

“And I can afford to do a nice thing for a stranded traveler. Now give me the name of whatever official you spoke with, and I’ll make a few calls. Maybe your luggage will turn up.”

He pulled an envelope from his canvas duffle bag and handed it to me. The business card was stuck in the fold and I recognized the name listed. The man liked to make sure everyone knew he was in charge, but I groveled like a pro, when necessary, to get what I wanted.

“Thanks, man. I really owe you.”

I shook my head. “You really don’t, so let’s just forget it, okay? If we don’t, we’ll sit here all day and not get anything done.” I slid the cold crab dip at him. “Tell me what you think about this.”

Theron scooped up a healthy helping on a wheat cracker and shoved the whole thing in his mouth. I watched his pink tongue flick bits of dip off his lower lip. His gaze locked with mine. Very slowly he licked his upper lip. I squirmed in my seat. He didn’t even try to stop from laughing at me as he went for another cracker. I held his gaze.

“If you tease me like that again, babe, I’m gonna lick the extra off for you.”

He broke the cracker in half and handed a portion to me. “I wouldn’t want you to go to any more trouble for me.”

I took the cracker. “You’re a slick one, Mr. Bowman, but I’m known for my persistence.”

He popped a melon ball into his mouth, and swallowed. “I sorta figured that out about you.”

Before I could reply, Josie tapped me on the shoulder. “Sorry to interrupt, but you’re needed at the front desk, Colby.”

“I’ll be right there.” I turned back to my guest. “Please. Finish your meal, then come inside and find either Josie or me. Josie, if you can’t find me, please take Mr. Bowman to my suite so he can get a shower and relax for a while.”

I didn’t linger. The sooner I took care of whatever problem had occurred, the quicker I could get Theron alone. After that, I was already too worked up over this guy and it wouldn’t be smart to speculate.

Right. I planned to cast a net over my Neptune and give him a Southern Cross night to remember.

The problem at the front desk was minor. The computer had pulled one of its usual tricks. I inputted my password, the software reset, and all was well. I slipped into my office and called the local airfield. Better to start with folks who were friendly. If they had off-loaded Theron’s suitcase, then I’d grovel.

They were certain Theron’s luggage had not been removed from the plane, and had no idea how it had been missed. It was likely back in Charlotte, North Carolina by now. I made another call, this one to the States to a travel agent friend of mine. He agreed to make a few stateside calls. The suitcase had to be somewhere, and I wanted to know where. Once I had the information, a decision based on my guest’s plans was possible.

Meanwhile, Theron could borrow some of my clothes for tonight. Maybe, just maybe, I’d manage to steal a kiss, or more, before the party started. I checked the patio and he was gone, so I headed for my suite with all due haste. The sound of the shower spray zinging against the tiles greeted me.

My knees quivered with the knowledge he was behind the door, naked. I had to let him know I was here. I couldn’t let him stroll out of the bathroom in his birthday suit, all clean, smelling fresh like soap, and dripping wet. Could I?
No, damn it.

I knocked on the bathroom door and told him I was in the living area. He called back to me, his voice muffled by running water and the wooden door between us.

“What?”

I raised my voice a few decibel levels. “I said I’m out here.”

“You could be in here, you know.”

Say…why the hell not?

Through the glass shower door, Theron’s gaze slammed into mine, wanting yet wary. I paused, shivering in the steam teasing my sweaty skin. His gaze flicked down to my erection, hanging heavy, and mine went to his.

“Are you coming…in?”

NETTING NEPTUNE
Available at Amazon and other online booksellers
www.amazon.com/Netting-Neptune-Southern-Cross-Book-ebook/dp/B01FEST0I0

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards
instagram.com/kc_kendricks
My country life at Holly Tree Manor

Enjoying the Labor Day weekend my way

**This post contains an updated image.**

September 4, 2009

Does a three-day weekend rate a 'halleluiah!'? I think so! I can't say as I have any real plans for the next few days, but that hardly matters. Sometimes it's good just to be home, and relax. I can probably manage to do one thing this weekend, other than play with my bookcovers, between naps. (The frame around the Surrendered Victory cover did turn out pretty good if I must say so myself.)

Make that two. If I apply myself, I can make good headway on the new story between naps. It's a big 'if', though. For some reason, napping really appeals to me.

The prevailing wisdom is you need to write something every day. Okay. I'm writing a blog before I take a nap, and I'm going to count it. I don't put a lot of stock in that old adage anyway. Working full-time, I know some evenings it, being writing, ain't gonna happen. I refuse to write garbage just to have to delete it the next night. That's silly.

I trust that even though my fingers are resting, my subconscious is not. The words will come, and when they do, they will flow. Or so it is for me in my writing process. Besides, the delete key is very scary, and I avoid it whenever possible.

So what to do on my long weekend? Now that I've actually said I want to nap, that sounds much too lazy. The southern branch of the family will probably call me when they read this and extol the benefits of napping. The northern branch will likely call and tell me I'm slothful. There's no way to win, you see.

If the truth be told, I have a little list of things I think I'd like to do. I lunched with a friend today in one of the little city parks that dot our town. The weather was perfect - sunny, not too warm, a little breeze - and I realized just how close we are to autumn.

It's time to bring in what plants I want to keep over the winter. I should go up the trap door to the attic and find some fall decorations for my dining room table. Maybe it's time for some heavier winter drapes, too. It's time to prepare my nest for shorter, cooler evenings.

And, yes, I will write. I have to. It calls to me as I go about all the little mundane chores of life. It calls to me even in the middle of the night. Whatever I do, or wherever I go, the stories are a part of me. It's what I do. It's who I am.

Have a happy, fun, and safe Labor Day weekend.

KC Kendricks
website: http://www.kckendricks.com

Blogging about Give Me One Night is more fun than working

September 1, 2009

I should be working, but I've given myself the night off. It's budget time at my place of employment, and my brain shut down the moment I walked in my back door. I don't like it when this happens, but I've learned the hard way that writing on nights like this is counter-productive. Better to wait until tomorrow evening to proceed with the new story. Besides, I discovered a new review of Give Me One Night, so I have to tell everyone about it.

It popped up in a Google alert from the I Love Books blog. Lily writes this about Give Me One Night: "The writing is solid, the characters interesting and the story flows well. If you're looking for a nicely done romantic story with a happy ending I think you'll enjoy this book."

Thank you, Lily!

And so I must turn off my computer and turn on my television. That is something you will rarely hear me say, or read that I have written. I'm not a tv watcher. However, a while back a friend sent me the first set of Dexter dvds, and got me hooked. She just sent me the third season set, and I can't wait to view them. I think Dexter is a fascinating study for a writer, even a romance writer. I love how smartly the show is written.

I'm loving the way you can get DVD sets of shows, too. Dexter, True Blood, and The Tudors - I'd have never seen them but for the DVDs. The cost of Showtime and HBO in our area is prohibitive.

So I'm off to my room. Maybe the endless, boring, mind-numbing day joy won't suck the life out of me tomorrow, and I can get some writing done in the evening. I hope so, anyway.

Give Me One Night is now available at 
Amazon, iTunes/Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and other online booksellers. 

Give Me One Night webpage:
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/give-me-one-night-by-kc-kendricks.html

 KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards
instagram.com/kc_kendricks
My country life at Holly Tree Manor

A project finished, a new cover, and coming soon

August 29, 2009

Yea! I did it! I finished the third, and last story in my resort trilogy. Earlier today, I sent it off to the publisher along with all those nasty, required forms.

[deep breath]
Was it hard to write three stories in approximately three months? It took a lot of focus, and I will be the first one to admit I have the attention span of a gnat. So in that respect, yes, it was a challenge for me. But overall, it was a blast, and setting challenges for oneself is important for growth.

I loved introducing characters that got to appear in all three books, although each book does stand alone. It was great fun to give them a cameo, and check back with them “a year” down the road and see how they were doing.

The first story, Netting Neptune, is set to release September 12 or 13, 2009. The galley is done. I’ve got a cool blue cover, and now the truly hard part is here: waiting! Not that I’m idle while I wait. My pile of idea folders yielded my next project a few nights ago. I spent some time at my picnic table with a notepad, a glass of ice tea, and a few now deceased mosquitoes, and I’m ready to bang out the first chapter.

The cover for the second story, Taming Triton, arrived earlier this week, too. I was at work when I got the email, and had to wait hours to get home and take a look. Naturally, I loved it. My publisher does some nice covers, although I confess the Seducing Light cover is my favorite so far.

But tomorrow, I rest. It’s time to check in with family and friends and see what I may have missed these last two weeks when I kept myself buried in my work. A girlfriend is sending me her DVD set of Dexter, and I’ll have that to watch for a bit of relaxation.

Hmm. Serial killer. Relaxing. That says something about me I maybe shouldn’t reveal.

Next weekend will bring Labor Day, and what for me is the end of summer. I welcome the cooler weather. I love autumn, even though it brings a lot of work around the house. There’s something about getting the nest ready for winter that is equally satisfying to finishing a tough project.

And so it goes. Life, that is. Enjoy!

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards
instagram.com/kc_kendricks
My country life at Holly Tree Manor

Facebook? What about it?

So I'm still messing around with Facebook, and I'm still sorta lost. I've got information loaded, even a book cover. But I still don't know what the URL is to tell people where to find me.

I hope sooner or later I can figure it out.

You can find me under KC Kendricks. Look for my little butterfly. It's the Baltimore Checkerspot, the official State of Maryland butterfly. Pretty little thing, isn't it? I should plant some Chelone glabra, or Turtlehead, to lure one into my yard.

KC
http://www.kckendricks.com

Roll With It (writing, that is)

August 12, 2009


This has been a wonderfully productive year for me. So productive, it's scary. I wonder if I can keep up the pace, or if I even want to keep the pace. Heck, yeah, I do! I'm having fun!

The first edit of Netting Neptune came back this week. I cringed over some of the typos. Proofreading my own work is not one of my strong points. My brain knows the story and simply fills in those missing words: the, and, to, and the pesky 's' on the end of some words. And with my usual proofreader vacationing in France, well, my apologies to my editor.

Aside from that, I'm excited about Netting Neptune. I originally had the title slated for a different story, but I had this idea and decided to run with it. That idea became Netting Neptune, Taming Triton, and Poseidon's Pleasure. I'm sure you see the sea theme working there. I'm nearing the end of Poseidon's Pleasure, and I confess experiencing a bit of sadness that I'll be leaving my island world for other settings.

But new settings bring a certain level of excitement to my writing process. With the Internet, the world is at my fingertips, and I get to go exploring. Pretty cool. I learned a few things in my seaside realm, and building on that new knowledge is exciting, too.

Now I must get back to the edit, but I invite you to visit my website and check out the Netting Neptune page. And while you're there, why not take part in the Two Lips Third Anniversary contest? Find the banner on my site, click on it, and get the details. Lots of stuff up for grabs, and this is the one and only contest I'm involved in this year. Good luck!

KC Kendricks
website

Ode to the Over-Educated

Never talk religion, politics or sex. Isn't that what they used to say? Well, guess what? That just flew out the window on a three-fer.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090805/ap_on_re_us/us_psychologists_gays


I don't know how long that link will be good, so here's the upshot of it. After an extensive study, the American Psychological Association has declared that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients that they can become straight through the use of therapy or other treatments. Therapy can still be helpful, same as for anyone of straight sexual orientation with issues, and should be a positive experience for the patient.

I suppose I'm a little appalled that in 2009 we really needed a study and a declaration to help mental health professionals come to that conclusion.

KC
website

No One But You - now available

No One But You - #5 Best Seller at Amber Allure

Thanks to everyone for sending No One But You to the #5 Best Seller slot on the July 2009 Amber Allure list! This puts me at an amazing six for six hitting it. Thank you! Thank you!

I can't say as I expected this to happen. So far, there aren't any reviews back on No One But You, and I DID expect that. There's a strange phenomenon in this writing business - new authors get reviewed right and left. With each subsequent release, the reviews get harder to come by. It's not that reviewers no longer enjoy your stories, they're just looking for the next new (big) thing.

If I were new at this writing life, I'd likely find that disappointing. So to those of you who are new - don't let it bother you. Keep writing your best stuff because it's the readers that count the most.

So, one more time to my readers, because you can never say it enough, thank you for making No One But You the #5 best seller at Amber Allure July 2009!

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

Beautiful

I've been on the hunt this morning, pointing and clicking to my prey. It's not for me
that I do this, rather it's for my darling housemate, he who is pretty much computer illiterate.

I don't say that as any sort of criticism, believe me. I watch him work on engines, and while I get what he's doing, I can't follow in his wrench tracks. So it is with him when I'm on the computer. It's a balanced relationship. I tell him to keep his virus protection updated and he tells me to keep air in the tires.

On Fridays, I breeze in the back door stoked for the weekend. Dogs, cats, and man scatter out of my way as I bolt for my old ratty cut-off jeans and a tee shirt. Yesterday, I walked in the door and froze. On my hubby's monitor screen was a very small copy of the Farrah poster. You know the one.

My over-sixty, balding, slightly pouchy, and definitely myopic man greeted me with a very sheepish, "hi."

Yeah, baby, you're busted. I already saw it. Ya old lecher.

I tried, I really tried, not to laugh at him, but if you'd seen his face, you'd have laughed with me. Then he looked at me and said, sadly, that was the biggest picture of the poster he could find. What else could I do but offer to find a higher resolution of it for him?

And for me.

I miss the way I was in the late seventies. Free, on my own for the first time. Still innocent about the ways people hurt other people. Still unaware of impending betrayals and the breaking of promises. Believing in the myths of marriage and life never ending. The Farrah poster somehow captures that era, freezing it in one perfect moment.

Those days are gone, but never forgotten, just like a beautiful woman with a bright smile.

KC Kendricks

Picture, picture on the wall

**5/17/2016 - this post is outdated with the closing of Amber Quill Press on March 31, 2016. The cover shown is one the author created.**


July 27, 2014


Okay, so I need to get a grip. Instead of writing, I've spent the last hour trying to figure out how I can expand the little gallery I have of my covers without going over the top into tacky.

Then again, it's my office, and no one but me and the cat will see it. The reserved, proper part of me says I need to reel it in and pick my favorites. But another part reminds me I'm a big girl. I've worked hard, not only writing but at the day job, and I can do what I want to do on my own walls. Walls that took me twenty-five long, hard years to pay for. It's a good thing I started young.

And as soon as I settle on my faves, Trace the Amber Allure Cover Guru will have the Taming Triton cover done and I'll be back to square one.

I guess I need to go to Wal-Mart and get a few more frames to paint to match the ones I have.

Thank heavens that is decided. Now maybe I can get some writing done.

KC Kendricks
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The Victory series goes to Kindle

July 21, 2009

Every so often a writer has to make the rounds. We check out which third-party sellers our publishers have sent our books. All Romance eBooks, Fictionwise, the Kindle shop on Amazon. There are way too many to list. Where our books are is something we like to know.

This morning I got the best surprise - the entire Victory series, and Give Me One Night, are now available for your Kindle reader. Go to Amazon.com and run a search on "KC Kendricks" and the page will pop up.

Happy reading!

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards
instagram.com/kc_kendricks
My country life at Holly Tree Manor

No One But You (Levi & Stacy) by KC Kendricks

July 19, 2009

Lovers Stacy James and Levi Wright keep their relationship hot and spicy by enjoying the little things in life. Levi welcomes Stacy home from a business trip by delighting his partner with a quick trick in the men’s room of a local pool hall. An offhand comment by a stranger cools Stacy’s ardor and sets in motion a chain reaction that rocks the very foundation of Levi’s world. He’s never cheated on Stacy, but Stacy has sudden doubts.

On his own, Levi is tested in his discoveries – about Stacy, their relationship, and about the kind of man he wants to be. One thing he knows for certain. He’s not losing Stacy over a careless whisper that isn’t true, but will the only man he’ll ever love forgive his angry words?

Stacy made the worst mistake of his life telling his lover to find another place to sleep. Levi might be younger, but he’s a man, with a man’s pride. Stacy draws on all his experience to walk a road full of detours and pitfalls to meet Levi halfway, and bring him home. Because for Stacy, there’s no one but Levi.

NO ONE BUT YOU

**update 7/6/17

Available at

iTunes/Apple:  itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1254948037

Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B073QFSRFQ

Barnes and Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-one-but-you-k-c-kendricks/1027226183

KOBO:  www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/no-one-but-you-18

EXCERPT

“Can you just let go of your notion that I’m missing out on life? I don’t feel like I am.”

“Okay. But here’s the thing, Levi. I want…”

“Just stop. I love you.”

To my utter shock, Stacy grabbed both my wrists, his powerful grip tight enough to bruise. His gaze bored into mine, freezing me cold.

“You stop, Levi. You listen, just this once. You’re so afraid I’ll be pissed if I see you get a hard-on for some other guy, you run from me when I want to talk about it. Do you think that in five years I’ve never seen another man that gave me a little tingle? It happens to everyone, lover. It’s not something to be ashamed of.”

My voice didn’t want to work. “I’m not you.”

“No, you’re not. I’ve never cheated on you, Levi.” He looked at me for the longest moments of my life, his eyes gone black with some emotion I had no name for.

I knew. I knew.

"I heard what the bartender said the other night. You need to know that if it ever happens, and you trick some guy, you don’t need to keep it from me. I
expect you to first, be safe, and second, to tell me so we can be more careful.”

Ice water tossed in my face would not have chilled me more than his words.
"What the fuck is going on here, Stacy? I've never cheated on you. Never. And
I'm not starting now."

“Levi, we've been together a long time, and as a couple, we've enjoyed unprotected sex for quite a while now. Do I need to be concerned?"

A fine trembling seized my body. This conversation was out of control, the potential for disaster increasing by the second. My stomach clenched in on itself until I fought back the dry heaves. The world spiraled around me, going black at the edges. I broke free of his hands.

"I love you. I never cheat on you. And yet you sit there and ask me if it's possible I could have given you the clap - or something worse? Maybe I should be the one worrying! And you have to do it here? You motherfucker! I have to go in there and work!" I choked, unable to breathe. "I never…"

Stacy's arms came around me. I shoved him away, holding him at bay. The words came as I managed a deep breath. Horrible words that I couldn’t stop from pouring out of me in my anger and pain that he didn’t know me well enough to believe how much I loved him.

“Why don’t you go get a fucking blood test since you can’t trust me! Now you listen to me. You decide whether or not you love me enough to have me hang around, because if I’ve gotten a little old for you, you should tell me. I’ll step aside so you can go find yourself another sixteen year old!”

He drew back like I’d struck him, which I had. I’d lashed out, hitting him with the most damaging words I owned. He’d been falsely accused of having sex with a sixteen-year-old boy when he was twenty. The boy had lied – Stacy hadn’t touched him – but the accusation had almost ruined Stacy’s life. The pain lingered, and I, who loved him so much, knew the wound lingered in him, unhealed at its deepest point.

And I used it against him.

I reached for him and this time he batted my hands away.

“I’m sorry, Stace. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“You said it, so you did mean it. Now get out of the car. I can’t be with you right now.”

My stomach roiled. “Stacy, please. We need to go back home and talk this out.”
He refused to look at me. The cold rage in his voice didn’t completely disguise the hurt.

“No, we don’t. Going home won’t fix this, Levi. I need some time alone. Do us both a favor and find someplace else to sleep.”

NO ONE BUT YOU


GIVE ME ONE NIGHT

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/give-me-one-night-by-kc-kendricks.html

Give Me One Night is now available at 
Amazon, iTunes/Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and other online booksellers. 


SURRENDERED VICTORY
2008 Amber Heat Wave Winner


PASSION'S VICTORY
2008 CAPA Nominee


SHINING VICTORY
One of the Top Ten Bestsellers at
Amber Allure November and December 2008


Coming soon - NETTING NEPTUNE
Coming soon - TANGO IN THE NIGHT

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards
instagram.com/kc_kendricks
My country life at Holly Tree Manor