Riding the whirlwind

December 23, 2018

It's difficult to wrap my head around the fact this year is rapidly coming to a close. It's not been quite the annus horribilis HM Queen Elizabeth spoke about a few years ago, but it's not been the best of times. 

My partner in life has had two surgeries on his neck, one on December 14 and one on December 17. He's now in a facility for rehab and he is NOT loving life. For my part, this facility is too close to home. I've been running the road, there and back, repeatedly. It's the same facility my mother is in although she's in the lockdown Alzheimer's unit. Even now I have a collection of items he wants me to deliver to him. And then there's my stepfather - he's in a different assisted living facility recovering from a broken hip.

A caregiver I am not. It's not in my nature. There is multiple staff personnel to see to his needs and yet it's difficult to put my foot down and demand time for myself.

I don't know myself these days. Somewhere along the line in 2018 I lost the plot on my entire life. I desperately want to get it back. I haven't written a word in at least a month. Having the time to write wrenched away from me has left me feeling crushed. Don't they know I can't continue to help them if I'm not given time to do something that feeds my own soul?

I'm not alone in this. People everywhere around the world face circumstances that force them into negative roles. All we can do is put one foot in front of the other and keep going, hoping and praying with every step the burden will ease. And it is a burden.

We aren't supposed to admit that those we love can be burdensome. I've rarely been afraid to express myself, though. It's a burden. 

My best friend moved to Florida several years ago. She calls and we talk but it's not the same. The distance has changed everything and it will never go back to what it was. To declare otherwise would be an untruth. 

Christmas will be a solitary affair for me. To say that makes me sad would be another untruth. Not having to put on a happy face is a relief. Not having to exchange gifts is a relief. Not because I have a "Scrooge" attitude but because I'm simply exhausted by the demands of being a caregiver. Perhaps I should be cavalier and say those nearest have my time and there's nothing more precious than that I can give them.  

There is one truth in all of this. Someday, soon I hope, I will get back to writing. And I hope the emotions I'm feeling will find their way onto the page. That is what writers do. We ride our own whirlwinds and spin them in the direction we want them to go, down into the spaces between the keys. 

 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

Beneath Dark Stars by KC Kendricks for the MidWeek Tease

February 7, 2018

**Updated 4/2/21 - the MidWeek blog hop has been discontinued.**

Welcome to the MidWeek Tease blog hop! This week I've got an excerpt from Beneath Dark Stars. Our heroes are a detective and his shapeshifter lover. And he's not your garden variety shapeshifter, either. He's a true shapeshifter, able to take on many forms. 

Be sure to check out all the MidWeek Tease blogs using the list at the end of the post. I hope you enjoy the excerpt! 

_*_*_*_*_

Beneath Dark Stars

Book 2 of the Sundown Saga

Gay romance with a paranormal shift

Have you met a shapeshifter? How would you know?

Fallon Roxbury, seasoned detective and special police consultant, knows that appearances can be deceiving. Trained to gather the clues and arrive at logical conclusions, he fits the puzzle pieces of a situation together to find the truth. But there’s nothing reasonable in Fallon’s attraction to the sexy, secretive shapeshifter called Sundown.

Sundown has studied people all his life. Having his very own human male is all he ever wanted. In Fallon, he’s found a man he can trust with his secrets and reveal his true nature. Keeping Fallon happy is a joyful exercise into which Sundown puts his heart and soul—when he’s not teasing Fallon’s police partner by leaving strange footprints at crime scenes, that is.

Fallon’s new case ties into an old one. At a dead end, he knows it’s time to ask Sundown for a little help. With his special abilities, Sundown can get into places Fallon can’t. All Fallon has to do is figure out a way to prove what he already knows. But what’s a cop to do when the truth takes a shift that’s stranger than fiction?

EXCERPT

With a groan, I collapsed onto him. He let out a loud umpf and, with his surprising strength, flipped me over onto my back. I was too limp to protest even had I wanted to. A satisfied purr vibrated out of him as he snuggled tight against my side. I found his hand, laced my fingers through his, and asked him a question he’d so far avoided answering.

“When are you going to tell me what it’s like for you, Sundown?”

He sighed. “It’s what I wish it to be, Fallon.”

I’d heard that before. He was uncomfortable with my curiosity about what was normal for his kind. It wasn’t like he didn’t trust me, but more I needed to be patient with him for a little longer. I turned my head and kissed his temple.

“I’ll do a little better by you this afternoon, babe. I promise.”

“Now you’re trying to bribe me, are you not? Very well, Fallon. The more pleasure receptors I align for sexual enjoyment, the more intense the experience.”

I had asked, so I confirmed one of my suspicions. “So sometimes you ‘align’ a lot of them, like this morning?”

“Yes. And sometimes, I wish for something different. This afternoon may be one of those times.” His green eyes gleamed warmly above his smile. “You’ll need to spend a lot of time touching me to find them all.”

“Not a problem, babe. Is coffee a problem? I mean, since I’m awake now and all that. And I did stimulate your pleasure receptors for you.”

Without a word, Sundown rolled from the bed and padded off to the bathroom, his footsteps silent on the carpet. The skin he wore for me was quite attractive. Tall and slender, he moved with a controlled grace, each step measured, no effort wasted. His shiny dark hair, green eyes, and full, berry-colored lips were perfect—too perfect if someone looked closely at my shapeshifter lover. I closed my eyes and listened to him move around the apartment, finally reopening them to admire his form as he returned carrying two cups of coffee.

I accepted both mugs until he rejoined me under the sheet, then handed one back to him. I loved these lazy mornings when we the most strenuous thing we had to do was nothing at all. Sundown rubbed his thigh against mine.

“Tell me more about this girl whose killer you seek.”

If I didn’t tell him, he’d chatter at me until I did. It was better to give him the short version and get it over with, even though I knew it would upset his tender heart.

“Maria DeLong’s parents reported her missing ten years ago. She turned up dead four years ago. Someone beat her to death and tossed her body out along Route 17. They carved the letter W into her cheek.”

Sundown grew still and silent. Not for the first time I wondered if his kind had racial memory and could remember those things done to their brethren in the Chal ancient past he refused to discuss with me. His people had been enslaved when they arrived on this world, and that’s all the Chal history I’d gotten out of him.

He drew in a quick, short breath and then blew it out.

“The Chal can help. We are able to go into places where you can not.”

For once, his people would be on my side. “The Elders will sanction that? Right. Tell me another story.”

“I was with the Elders yesterday, apologizing for my actions regarding Sergeant Mack. I have promised them—again—that I will cease to play Sasquatch tricks on him.”

“But did you promise not to play any tricks on him, period, or just the Bigfoot ones?”

He blinked at me, dismay written all over his face. Uh-huh. I had him now. “Chupacabra, perhaps?”

His mouth dropped open. His eyes widened. “That is not me! I’ve never been to Texas!”

Beneath Dark Stars

Gay romance with a paranormal shift available at:

Amazon

www.amazon.com/Beneath-Dark-Stars-Sundown-Saga-ebook/dp/B01F5NGX02

iTunes

itunes.apple.com/us/book/beneath-dark-stars/id1098576315?mt=11

Barnes and Noble/Nook

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beneath-dark-stars-kc-kendricks/1109557461?ean=2940153237589

Kobo

www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/beneath-dark-stars-1

KC Kendricks

website at: http://www.kckendricks.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks

blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com

MidWeek Tease Blog Hop - The Ghost at the B&B - Kendricks/France

June 21, 2017

**Updated 4/2/21 - the MidWeek Tease blog hop is closed.**

Welcome to summer! Doesn't it seem like we reached mid-year awfully fast? It does to me but I guess that's what being happy and productive can do for you. There's just no time to sit and watch the grass grow. 

This week, as part of the MidWeek Tease Blog Hop, is an excerpt from The Ghost at the B&B. You won't find this excerpt anywhere else. It's special for today's blog hop. Enjoy!


_*_*_*_*_*_
EXCERPT:

As luck would have it, the headlights of a car flashed bright beams through the house as my bare feet touched the cold floor at the foot of the stairs. I peeked out the nearest window and saw the reflective decals on the cruiser. Colin smiled as I opened the door.

“You waited up for me? How nice. You really didn’t have to.”

I stepped into his arms and let him kiss me. He was warm and solid as I held him, and, best of all, when I pulled away, he blinked.

“I know that, smartass. I just came downstairs for a drink. Would you like one?” I motioned for him to follow me to the rear of the house.

He nodded and tagged along. “I’d love one. Do you have anything other than beer?”

“I’m going for the bourbon.” I didn’t say I thought he’d need one, too, once he heard my story.

“That sounds good to me. Listen, Michael. Don’t make a habit of waiting up for me. Shifts rarely end on time.”

I wanted to ignore the implication of his words but I couldn’t. He meant to stick around and see what was going on between us. I liked the idea and no way would I say anything to jinx it.

I pointed at a chair, then held up a fifth of whiskey. He sat and made a face. “Next time I come over I’ll bring you a bottle of something better.”

“I’m a poor untenured professor. This rotgut is all I can afford.” I checked the ice tray and found the icemaker had cycled a few times. I put a few cubes into two glasses, then poured us each a generous splash of bourbon. Colin murmured his thanks as I handed one to him.

“Just so you know, I wasn’t waiting up for you. I had a visitor.”

Colin tapped his glass to mine and took a sip. I could almost see him relax. He looked at me with open curiosity. “Who came to call this late? Do you have a boyfriend I don’t know about?”

“Got your hopes up for a threesome, big fella?”

He grinned from ear to ear as he lifted his glass and took another sip.

“Well, don’t unless you like sleeping with a…ghost.” Lord, but I felt silly saying the word out loud.

“Excuse me?” He leaned forward, his cop gaze razor-sharp as his full attention riveted on me.

“You heard me correctly. I had a conversation with a ghost who said his name is Robin.”

Colin gave me what I can only describe as a funny look. “I see. Why don’t you start at the beginning and tell me everything.”

I took a healthy swallow of the booze and relayed the encounter. “And the fucker never blinked his eyes not even once. How fucking weird is that?”

Colin’s chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. “You say he simply vanished?”

“I wasn’t dreaming, Colin. He—Robin—just sorta faded away. I turned on the light so I could see him better and that’s when he…dissipated.”

“Okay,” he said slowly. “Did you go down into the basement?”

“No way. If the weird noises I’ve been hearing are anything to go by, I think I have rats down there. Until someone gets rid of the little bastards, I’m not going down again.”

He chuckled wickedly. “I’m with you when it comes to rats, but I carry a gun.”

“Good. Go shoot the vermin.”

Colin leaned forward again. “Seriously, Michael. After what you’ve just told me, I need to go down in the basement and look around. If what the ghost said is true, it sounds as if he was murdered, and I need to see what I can find in the way of evidence.”

“You believe in ghosts?”

“I’m not saying that. But…”

“But what? You do but you don’t want to admit it?

“Not even that. Like I mentioned earlier, there have always been stories about this house being haunted..." 

ABOUT THE GHOST AT THE B&B

Michael Brooks’ life took an unexpected direction when he found the Taylor Mansion, a two-story Colonial perfect for a Bed & Breakfast. An untenured college professor, he’s suddenly also a successful entrepreneur. And best of all, he met sexy deputy Colin Jefferson and they hit it off in a big way. He’s even made friends with the mansion’s resident ghost. 

Deputy Colin Jefferson is a hometown boy who made good. As a member of the local police force, he serves the community he loves. He’s heard tales about the Taylor Mansion ghost all his life. Now he’s living there with Michael and knows the stories are true. There’s a ghost with a penchant for voyeurism lurking in his bedroom. 

How the ghost came to live in at the B&B is a mystery Michael and Colin need to solve. It’s the only way for their resident spirit to get justice and to find eternal rest. Until they can unearth the murderer, the friendly ghost at the bed and breakfast is a permanent guest. 

THE GHOST AT THE B&B

Available at

iTunes/Apple:  itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1244269027

Amazon:   www.amazon.com/dp/B072N5YBWC

Barnes and Noble:

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ghost-at-the-b-b-kc-kendricks/1126495932

KOBO:  www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-ghost-at-the-b-b

KC Kendricks

www.kckendricks.com

kckendricks.blogspot.com

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks

Cover reveal: Lightning Shifts (Chain Lightning)

April 17, 2017

**Chain Lightning has been re-issued with the new title Lightning Shifts.**

It's time for another cover reveal! Chain Lightning is finally finished! I'm putting the finishing touches on the story, tidying up the formatting, and setting up the page on my website. 

It seems like this story took forever to write. That may be because I've had the title in my head for such a long time, and needed a proper story to go with it. Then I found the perfect Rio and did the cover before I had the first chapter completed. Not to mention Christmas, New Years', and a major crisis at the day job involving the arrest of a prominent "player" in the organization. (Even those of us who simply stand and watch got sucked into that mess. Yep. The fun never ends.)

But, no matter. Chain Lightning is almost ready to go! Look for it next weekend, April 22, 2017.

*_*_*_*

Here's the cover blurb as it stands today. It might change a bit for the actual release. - KC

There is something a little peculiar about Eli Tate. Oh, he appears normal enough on the surface, but he’s spent years trying to remember what happened to him - and why he doesn’t age. Then there’s the way he can shift shape. He doesn’t know what kind of being he really is or if there are any others like him. What he does know he’s been in the same town for thirty years and he needs to move on.

Returning to the Big Apple, Eli takes up residence in his old apartment. An evening walk turns deadly when he’s attacked by pure evil. He barely escapes with his life - thanks to a stranger named Rio who is a shape shifter like him.

Rio says he knows Eli and that he’s been searching for him for many years. Rio confesses they were once lovers. Eli has no memory of such a time, and now he’s out of options. To remember his past, and destroy the creature pursuing them, Eli has no choice but to trust Rio - and maybe fall in love with him again. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
LIGHTNING SHIFTS
Paranormal gay romance (shapeshifter)
Available at:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KQ7M9RJ
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08KQ7M9RJ
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08KQ7M9RJ

 iTunes/Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1529536267

 Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lightning-shifts-kc-kendricks/1137553106

 Rakuten kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lightning-shifts

 Universal link to additional booksellers: https://books2read.com/u/3y7xZV

 Chain Lightning webpage at: https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/lightning-shifts-by-kc-kendricks.html

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_
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

Take the Back Stairs - you'll find what you need there Beneath Dark Stars

April 2, 2011
A to Z Blogging Challenge
Day 2 - B



Every so often a writer feels the need to stretch a bit. Step out of the comfort zone. Do something fun. Writing is a unique job. First, it's a calling to put to use a talent that comes from beyond oneself. Second, if you go at it professionally, it quickly becomes a manner of self-employment. 
Here in the States, when they pay you, the IRS demands its cut.

Sometimes when you scamper off to have writing fun, the readers don't follow. I'm very fortunate to be able to report that you, my loyal readers, definitely followed when I started the Sundown shapeshifter series. I thank you!

Sundown is a different sort of shapeshifter. Alien. Non-human. Actually, his entire clan is here among us. And among his clan, he is unique. Their only catalyst, and vital to the survival of his species.

He lives in the city. As wolf, which he certainly can become, he'd be noticed. No, when he wants to go boldly about in a non-human appearance, he wears a different skin. And he's a bit of a prankster. Just ask his lover's best friend, the one with the Bigfoot obsession. Sasquatch has come to town, or so it appears from the strange footprints, but Sundown knows the truth of whose feet have been where doing what.

Yes, I enjoy writing Sundown. I wasn't sure about creating a different kind of shapeshifter, but I knew I couldn't do the whole "big moment shape shift." I didn't want to do it. So many others do such a good job with that, what could I add? So I went...different.

Here are the blurbs and links to excerpts for The Back Stairs (book one) and Beneath Dark Stars (the sequel).

See you again tomorrow for the letter C.

THE BACK STAIRS
available now at Amazon, iTunes/Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and other online booksellers. 

Gay romance with a paranormal shift

Fallon Roxbury has a nose for trouble and the uncanny ability for landing in the middle of it the moment he finds it. While investigating the gruesome murder of a young male prostitute in the red-light district, Fallon gets a whiff of something very strange. Forensics has unidentified hairs. Very unidentified hairs, like nothing in any of the textbooks. Following a tip from a person of interest, Fallon meets Sundown, an apparent hustler who knows a lot more than he will admit.

Getting personally involved with Sundown breaks every rule in the police manual, and in Fallon’s own personal code. Sundown is like a drug, and Fallon can’t stop at just one hit. When Sundown is forced to reveal the truth, Fallon’s world is turned upside down, and he’s left with only two options: check himself in for psychiatric evaluation, or accept a new reality with a strange shift.

Shapeshifters, that is.

BENEATH DARK STARS
Gay romance with a paranormal shift
available now at Amazon, iTunes/Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and other online booksellers. 


The sequel to The Back Stairs...

Fallon Roxbury, seasoned detective and special police consultant, knows that appearances can be deceiving. Trained to gather the clues and arrive at logical conclusions, he fits the puzzle pieces of a situation together to find the truth. But there’s nothing reasonable in Fallon’s attraction to the sexy, secretive shapeshifter called Sundown.

Sundown has studied people all his life. Having his very own human male is all he ever wanted. In Fallon, he’s found a man he can trust with his secrets and reveal his true nature. Keeping Fallon happy is a joyful exercise into which Sundown puts his heart and soul—when he’s not teasing Fallon’s police partner by leaving strange footprints at crime scenes, that is.

Fallon’s new case ties into an old one. At a dead end, he knows it’s time to ask Sundown for a little help. With his special abilities, Sundown can get into places Fallon can’t. All Fallon has to do is figure out a way to prove what he already knows. But what’s a cop to do when the truth takes a shift that’s stranger than fiction?

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