Joining us today is the "hot" KC Kendricks. Her male/male romances will blister the paint on any surface and her characters come to life with her rich descriptions. Welcome, KC! So glad you made time to share with us today.
Lizzie
About KC
Best selling author KC Kendricks makes her home in Maryland with her partner of almost twenty years. A 2008 Amber Heat Wave Winner, and a 2008 CAPA nominee, KC writes contemporary gay romances that while are adult in nature, celebrate love and hope for maturer readers.
Living in a rural area, KC enjoys most outdoor activities except for those that require snow.
I came to writing contemporary gay romance by a circuitous path. I’d been published in the world of erotic romance under a different nom de plume for several years. It was fun, and rewarding, and I enjoyed it immensely. For those reasons, it came as quite a surprise to me to wake up one morning and know that if I wanted to continue to write, I had to change direction. I’d grown through my writing, now my writing had to grow with me. But what path to take?
No, slash fiction wasn’t my first thought, but the universe works in mysterious ways. A few days later, I sat down at the computer and opened my calendar, and the reminder, “J-s birthday,” popped up. My friend would have been fifty that day, had he not died so young. I decided to write a contemporary gay romance short story for him. I didn’t think about getting it published, but once written, it snowballed from there. That story, Surrendered Victory, is still one of my favorites.
During our senior year of high school, J-‘s way of coming out of the closet to me, officially, was to hand me his copy of The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren, and tell me to read it. We’d been buddies for years and, back in 1975, I didn’t know why he thought he had to actually tell me he was gay. This older me understands the need for acceptance and to know the love of friends and family remains untarnished. Coming out is a theme I frequent often in my stories. It’s the main theme of my latest release, What You Don’t Confess. (http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WhatYouDontConfess.html)
I’d like to thank Lizzie for hosting me on her blog today, and giving me the opportunity to introduce myself, and to do a little promo for What You Don’t Confess. Thank you all for reading.
KC Kendricks
Book Promo
What You Don’t Confess
Contemporary gay romance
available at http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WhatYouDontConfess.html
Bright and beautiful, Cassidy Barlow is one of Marionville’s new breed of movers and shakers. Outspoken on political and social issues, Cass draws a lot of media attention, and knows how to us it. Out and proud, Cass makes no apologies for who he is, or who he wants – and he wants Dylan Donoghy. The only thing is, from where Cass stands, Dylan seems to be involved with two different men.
Coming out. The most difficult phrase in Dylan Donoghy’s vocabulary. Handsome, successful, and wealthy, he’s made it this far in life with only his closest friends knowing he’s gay. Dylan has a good reason for that to change – his deepening attraction to Cassidy Barlow. It doesn’t come easy, but Dylan takes a few first steps out of the closet. It’s his only choice if he wants to be with Cass, even though he knows Cass has some secrets of his own.
Every man has a private past, and an unwritten future. What he won’t confess stands between the two.
EXCERPT
“You do know those four watchdogs of yours were there the entire evening, don’t you?”
I nodded. “They like to keep an eye on me. Obviously, it didn’t discourage you at all.”
His hand gripped my shoulders again. His amber gaze drilled into mine. “Just so I don’t step in it, Dylan, how many of them have you slept with? And don’t lie to me.”
I fought back against of wave of anger. How dare he imply I’d not tell him the truth? Being astute, he knew he’d pissed me off. I saw the apology in his eyes as he touched his fingertips to my lips.
“That didn’t come out right, Dylan.”
“ Apology accepted. Before today, I might have told you it was none of your business, but now I think you should know. We’re no longer intimate, but I have a very close, special relationship with both Travis and Tyler. I’m very happy for them that they both found a partner.”
“That’s what I figured out Friday night when they spent all that time running in and out of an area marked ‘private’. Especially Templeton.”
“Don’t test me too often, Cass. I don’t like it.” I spoke sharper than intended, but he needed to know my boundaries. “There’s a lot of space between your age and mine. Be careful not to judge until you get to where I am.”
Those restless hands of his skimmed along my sides. “I’m not being judgmental, I swear. I just needed to know what the dynamics are between you and them so I don’t put both feet in my mouth.”
“Okay. I get it. And for what it’s worth, all four of them, especially Travis, is rooting for you.”
“Really? He’s in my corner, is he?” Cass tucked his fingers under my belt and tugged. I levered my weight off the door and stepped past him, capturing his hand to pull him into the casual space I used for informal gatherings.
“He’s using tough love on me when it comes to you, so don’t be shocked, or surprised, at his little quips. Have a seat.”
Cass eased down on the love seat and patted the spot beside him. I ignored him, and went to the bar. “What would you like to drink?”
“Ginger ale?”
I nodded and poured two, handing his to him with an apology it didn’t come in a brandy snifter as I settled in beside him. I stopped him when he moved to put his arm around me.
“You’re killing me here, Dylan.”
“No, I’m not.” I sipped my drink. “Cass, I don’t want to make a misstep with you. I know what you want tonight, but what do you want next week? Or next month? Christ, what do I want next week?”
He leaned back and watched me with those amber eyes. His cool, even regard gave little indication of his thoughts. Cass downed his drink in three fast swallows, then swirled the ice around in the bottom of the empty glass.
“Do you always think everything to death, Dylan?”
“It’s a hazard one encounters in middle age.”
“I’m not some mistake you’ll regret when you’re ninety.”
I laid my hand on his thigh. The heat of his skin penetrated his jeans, and snaked up my arm. “You’re right, you know. I won’t regret meeting you, whether dinner is all we share, or we become friends, or if we become lovers.”
“Or? If? I don’t appreciate being jerked around.”
“Well, poor little you that I haven’t figured this out yet.”
Cass’s mouth dropped open, then snapped closed. He stared at me, blinked, and stared again. I reveled in private glee that I’d seen him speechless twice in one day, but that amusement was strongly tempered by the knowledge I had him too far off balance. I squeezed his knee.
“Look, Cass. I’m not jerking you around. Getting involved with someone isn’t easy for me. I’ve never been someone who gets a hard-on for a guy and loses my mind until I fuck him. I have to think things through, and consider the impact it may have on my life.”
He shook his head. “Babe, you’ve got to start living in the moment, and stop living in fear.” Cass set his empty glass down on the end table and stood. With angry, disappointed eyes, he met my gaze. A muscle moved in his clenched jaw.
My heart beat painfully. I knew what he was going to say...
WHAT YOU DON'T CONFESS
ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-020-7
Contemporary gay romance
available at http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WhatYouDontConfess.html
This title is also available as part of the Stepping Out PAX available at
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/AP_SteppingOut.html
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/
Check out the MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks
Best selling author KC Kendricks makes her home in Maryland with her partner of almost twenty years. A 2008 Amber Heat Wave Winner, and a 2008 CAPA nominee, KC writes contemporary gay romances that while are adult in nature, celebrate love and hope for maturer readers.
Living in a rural area, KC enjoys most outdoor activities except for those that require snow.
I came to writing contemporary gay romance by a circuitous path. I’d been published in the world of erotic romance under a different nom de plume for several years. It was fun, and rewarding, and I enjoyed it immensely. For those reasons, it came as quite a surprise to me to wake up one morning and know that if I wanted to continue to write, I had to change direction. I’d grown through my writing, now my writing had to grow with me. But what path to take?
No, slash fiction wasn’t my first thought, but the universe works in mysterious ways. A few days later, I sat down at the computer and opened my calendar, and the reminder, “J-s birthday,” popped up. My friend would have been fifty that day, had he not died so young. I decided to write a contemporary gay romance short story for him. I didn’t think about getting it published, but once written, it snowballed from there. That story, Surrendered Victory, is still one of my favorites.
During our senior year of high school, J-‘s way of coming out of the closet to me, officially, was to hand me his copy of The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren, and tell me to read it. We’d been buddies for years and, back in 1975, I didn’t know why he thought he had to actually tell me he was gay. This older me understands the need for acceptance and to know the love of friends and family remains untarnished. Coming out is a theme I frequent often in my stories. It’s the main theme of my latest release, What You Don’t Confess. (http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WhatYouDontConfess.html)
I’d like to thank Lizzie for hosting me on her blog today, and giving me the opportunity to introduce myself, and to do a little promo for What You Don’t Confess. Thank you all for reading.
KC Kendricks
Book Promo
What You Don’t Confess
Contemporary gay romance
available at http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WhatYouDontConfess.html
Bright and beautiful, Cassidy Barlow is one of Marionville’s new breed of movers and shakers. Outspoken on political and social issues, Cass draws a lot of media attention, and knows how to us it. Out and proud, Cass makes no apologies for who he is, or who he wants – and he wants Dylan Donoghy. The only thing is, from where Cass stands, Dylan seems to be involved with two different men.
Coming out. The most difficult phrase in Dylan Donoghy’s vocabulary. Handsome, successful, and wealthy, he’s made it this far in life with only his closest friends knowing he’s gay. Dylan has a good reason for that to change – his deepening attraction to Cassidy Barlow. It doesn’t come easy, but Dylan takes a few first steps out of the closet. It’s his only choice if he wants to be with Cass, even though he knows Cass has some secrets of his own.
Every man has a private past, and an unwritten future. What he won’t confess stands between the two.
EXCERPT
“You do know those four watchdogs of yours were there the entire evening, don’t you?”
I nodded. “They like to keep an eye on me. Obviously, it didn’t discourage you at all.”
His hand gripped my shoulders again. His amber gaze drilled into mine. “Just so I don’t step in it, Dylan, how many of them have you slept with? And don’t lie to me.”
I fought back against of wave of anger. How dare he imply I’d not tell him the truth? Being astute, he knew he’d pissed me off. I saw the apology in his eyes as he touched his fingertips to my lips.
“That didn’t come out right, Dylan.”
“ Apology accepted. Before today, I might have told you it was none of your business, but now I think you should know. We’re no longer intimate, but I have a very close, special relationship with both Travis and Tyler. I’m very happy for them that they both found a partner.”
“That’s what I figured out Friday night when they spent all that time running in and out of an area marked ‘private’. Especially Templeton.”
“Don’t test me too often, Cass. I don’t like it.” I spoke sharper than intended, but he needed to know my boundaries. “There’s a lot of space between your age and mine. Be careful not to judge until you get to where I am.”
Those restless hands of his skimmed along my sides. “I’m not being judgmental, I swear. I just needed to know what the dynamics are between you and them so I don’t put both feet in my mouth.”
“Okay. I get it. And for what it’s worth, all four of them, especially Travis, is rooting for you.”
“Really? He’s in my corner, is he?” Cass tucked his fingers under my belt and tugged. I levered my weight off the door and stepped past him, capturing his hand to pull him into the casual space I used for informal gatherings.
“He’s using tough love on me when it comes to you, so don’t be shocked, or surprised, at his little quips. Have a seat.”
Cass eased down on the love seat and patted the spot beside him. I ignored him, and went to the bar. “What would you like to drink?”
“Ginger ale?”
I nodded and poured two, handing his to him with an apology it didn’t come in a brandy snifter as I settled in beside him. I stopped him when he moved to put his arm around me.
“You’re killing me here, Dylan.”
“No, I’m not.” I sipped my drink. “Cass, I don’t want to make a misstep with you. I know what you want tonight, but what do you want next week? Or next month? Christ, what do I want next week?”
He leaned back and watched me with those amber eyes. His cool, even regard gave little indication of his thoughts. Cass downed his drink in three fast swallows, then swirled the ice around in the bottom of the empty glass.
“Do you always think everything to death, Dylan?”
“It’s a hazard one encounters in middle age.”
“I’m not some mistake you’ll regret when you’re ninety.”
I laid my hand on his thigh. The heat of his skin penetrated his jeans, and snaked up my arm. “You’re right, you know. I won’t regret meeting you, whether dinner is all we share, or we become friends, or if we become lovers.”
“Or? If? I don’t appreciate being jerked around.”
“Well, poor little you that I haven’t figured this out yet.”
Cass’s mouth dropped open, then snapped closed. He stared at me, blinked, and stared again. I reveled in private glee that I’d seen him speechless twice in one day, but that amusement was strongly tempered by the knowledge I had him too far off balance. I squeezed his knee.
“Look, Cass. I’m not jerking you around. Getting involved with someone isn’t easy for me. I’ve never been someone who gets a hard-on for a guy and loses my mind until I fuck him. I have to think things through, and consider the impact it may have on my life.”
He shook his head. “Babe, you’ve got to start living in the moment, and stop living in fear.” Cass set his empty glass down on the end table and stood. With angry, disappointed eyes, he met my gaze. A muscle moved in his clenched jaw.
My heart beat painfully. I knew what he was going to say...
WHAT YOU DON'T CONFESS
ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-020-7
Contemporary gay romance
available at http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WhatYouDontConfess.html
This title is also available as part of the Stepping Out PAX available at
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/AP_SteppingOut.html
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/
Check out the MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks
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