I was told not to send you another text, but I never was any good at listening. I love and miss you. I always will.When I lost my partner of eight years, I felt like my world was crashing down around me. In order to feel some relief from the overwhelming emptiness, I’ve found myself sending him texts every year on his birthday, even though I know he will never answer. It makes me feel like there’s a piece of him still alive, at least in my heart.I’m sorry, you must have the wrong number. I apologize for not responding sooner, but I was at work.That is, until someone responds to my text. Jace is charming, sweet, and everything I could ever want. But how can I accept someone new in my life when Daniel’s only been gone two years? Even so, Jace starts to consume my world. It feels like I can finally breathe as he helps me understand that my life doesn’t have to revolve around my grief.Soon, I find myself laughing again as he pulls me away from the hopeless cycle I’ve been caught in, and I love spending time with him, whether it’s playing video games together or discussing our comic book alter egos. But I still need to let go of this guilt and allow Jace to show me that I can love another without replacing what I’ve lost. Jace rewrites my entire world with every word and smile he gives me, and it’s becoming harder to not give in and hand him my heart. Maybe Daniel did respond after all.The Last Text is a 37k word novella about overcoming loss, finding hope, and friendship that leads to new love.

    This story is set between The Date and the epilogue of Out of the Darkness.Word Count: 36,000

    It's the one reason Ben will never claim Dave Maldonado. Being alone is better than being with someone who lives in a bottle.Dave was destined to be a pack Alpha until his first migraine hit at age fifteen, the day he caught his future mate holding hands with another boy. In the nine agonizing years since, he's contented himself as Beta, but never learned to live with the pain and confusion of Ben's rejection.Dave's worst attack yet sends him to the hospital and brings them both face to face with the misunderstanding that's kept them apart all these years. It's too late, though. Dave is headed for Gay Pride Week at Disney World with one goal in mind. "Forget Ben Malone."Ben's got a problem with that. Only one man is destined to hold "his" David. And he'll give anything, even his last shred of pride, to win forgiveness and the right to finally claim his mate.Warning: This book contains explicit sex, graphic language, and male/male love scenes between two top dogs. Who knew Rock Paper Scissors could be such fun? "

    For the past few years, GRNW has helped to see those stories reach more of the LGBTQ community, and gain traction is libraries and beyond.Furthering that goal is this collection of fiction and essays, including information on how to get books in libraries, letters from authors, why positive and happy queer books are so important, and short stories about tattooists, soldiers, mages, and cyborgs that span the LGBTQ spectrum.

    Whether it's a May/December romance, a second chance at love, or finding a soul mate later in life, these stories prove that it's never too late for love.Stories Included are:Nachos on Saturday by J. Leigh BaileyQueening Out by Mari DonneGranddad's Cup of Tea by Amy Rae DurresonThe Way to a Fisherman's Heart by Tray EllisNo Place Like Home by Kim FieldingIvory Black, Flecked with White by Laylah HunterLoving Again by John InmanFull Circle by Rhidian Brenig JonesStraight Shooting by Maggie LeeHero Worship by Sam C. LeonhardCurtain Calls by Pinkie Rae ParkerThe Bodyguard's Dilemma by Chris ScullyPicture This by Dottie Stratton & Linda JamesHunting Season by AC ValentineWaiting for the Light by Layla M. Wier

    These stories range from 7k to 10k words and feature plenty of laughs, Marian cameos, and steamy nekkid bits. A suggested reading order can be found in the Look Inside, but you do not need to have read any other Made Marian novel to enjoy these stories. Please be aware that two of these stories can also be found in the Made Marian Collection bundle. Brad's Story:When Brad opens his Vegas hotel room door to find a hot police officer waiting on the other side, he assumes crazy Aunt Tilly has sent him a strip-o-gram. But instead of getting naked, Detective Gorgeous pulls out his cuffs. Turns out, the badge and uniform aren't just props, this cop is the real deal. Beck's Story:After touring around the world, sleeping with fans after sold-out concerts, Beck is still unsatisfied in the bedroom. Men, women, men and women? He doesn't know quite what he's looking for when he enters an exclusive club to find some company for the night. But two sexy strangers begin dancing with him at the same time, and Beck finally begins to realize that it might not be variety he's after, but just the right set of lips whispering sexy words into his ear. Keller's Story:After telling Tilly to back off her attempt at setting him up, Keller catches sight of the nude model for the old lady's art class. Did he speak too soon? Meanwhile, stand-in model Eli is regretting his decision to strip down for a group of senior citizens, but then meets the manager of the vineyard and realizes being naked might not be so bad after all. Especially when things get wet... like really very wet... with hoses. Josh's Story:After moving from Denali, Alaska, to San Francisco in order to branch out, Josh hosts a big poker night for the Marians and his co-workers at the National Park Service. Little does he know, his own true love may not be someone new after all. Eight years ago, Cyrus Dimakos had to leave the love of his life to take care of his great-grandmother on a remote island in Greece. A family obligation may have kept Cyrus's body away from Josh all this time, but his heart never left him. Could it be that The One That Got Away is finally back for good?

    But sleazy casting couches don't earn him stardom, and despair leads to a series of poor decisions that ultimately find him at a cheap motel off Route 66, lifeless at the bottom of the pool. Sixty years later, Tag Manning, feeling hopeless and empty, flees his most recent relationship mistake and takes to the open road. On a roundabout route to Las Vegas, he pulls over to rest at an isolated spot on Route 66. There’s no longer a motel or pool, but when Tag resumes his journey to Vegas, he finds he’s transporting a hitchhiking ghost. Jack and Tag come to find much-needed friends in each other, but one man is a phantom and the other is strangely cursed. Time is running out for each of them, and they must face the fact that a future together may not only be a gamble... it may not be in the cards.

    Flynn has a job he can no longer hide behind. A simple proposition in an effort to solve both of their problems leads two young men to confront the heartbreaks of their pasts in order to make a future together.What starts as an innocent bit of voyeurism turns into a public display of…everything.You know you like to watch.

    Quinn's partner is Connor Dougal, a newer detective on the force, and a skeptic when it comes to psychic abilities. That is until strange things happen to Kevin when he touches objects belonging to the missing kids. Even more disturbing is the way Kevin can participate in Conner's dreams. Conner's past is more tied to the current case than anyone realizes and it's only by lancing the pain of the past there is a hope for the future.

    Young love. Holiday love...Wish Come True is a collection of contemporary, new adult, holiday short stories by some of our favorite authors!A Very English Christmas by Keira AndrewsIsaac and David have created a new life together outside the Amish world. Living “English,” they’ve left behind the rigid, isolated community where they discovered their forbidden love. Staying with Isaac’s older brother in San Francisco, they yearn for a home—and bed—of their very own. As they experience the bright lights and merry carols of modern Christmas for the first time, can they make their holiday wishes come true?Mr Perfect's Christmas by Joanna ChambersSam Warren’s new job hasn’t been going so well so the last thing he’s in the mood for is the obligatory office Christmas party, particularly since Nick Foster’s going to be there. Nick–the guy whose shoes Sam has been trying to fill–seems to take very opportunity to point out where Sam’s going wrong. But when Sam receives an unexpected Secret Santa gift at the party, he’s forced to question his assumptions about his rival. Could it be that he’s been misinterpreting Nick’s actions all along? And is it possible that his reluctant attraction to Nick is reciprocated?The Christmas Ship by Amy Jo CousinsWhen a twink who's finally ready to grow up accidentally catfishes a college football player headed to the NFL, it's going to take a lot of honesty and all the faith they can muster in their own One True Pairing to set this Christmas ship sailing.That Thing by Megan EricksonHelping his wedding planner sister work an event is not Devin Master’s idea of what he wants to do on his winter break from college. But saying no to his sister isn’t in his wheelhouse, which is why he finds himself embedded in a drama-filled wedding. His first task? Babysit the “troublesome” best man.Adrian Alvarez wants to do just about anything on New Year’s Eve except attending his best friend’s wedding. Ever since Adrian came out, he’s been shunned in his hometown. By everyone but his best friend, Tony. Which is why he finds himself trudging through the airport to fulfill his best man duties. He doesn’t expect to find out his ride to the hotel is a hot blond with a cocky grin.Devin can’t get involved with a member of the wedding party, or his sister will kill him, and Adrian just wants to lay low and not draw attention to himself. But neither can resist the chemistry between them and they have to decide if they are willing to ignite or let their attraction fizzle out.Just Like Heaven by Suki FleetOne rainy night in December, David helps a busker with pretty eyes get his stolen money back. He doesn’t imagine the strong attraction he feels is mutual. But after overcoming his shyness, David discovers Jess is definitely interested.Jess just isn’t interested in anything but a one night stand. Or maybe two. Falling for David is definitely not part of his plan. But when David gets trapped in a snowstorm the night before Christmas Eve, Jess realises a night or two is never going to be enough.Not Your Grandfather's Magic by Kaje HarperA month away from Zeb Crowe’s twenty-first birthday — just a month before the ceremony that will awaken his psychic heritage — Zeb’s grandfather predicts cryptically, “Hold your mind and heart ready, and something good will come to you.” Shortly afterward, Zeb meets Matt, a smart, gawky, unexpectedly appealing guy who might warm the lonely corners of his heart. But is Matt really the “something good” his grandfather predicted? And is it fair to get close to him, when very soon Zeb’s whole life will change? If Zeb’s dad wasn’t missing, or his grandfather wasn’t such an enigmatic old bastard, his path to love, or power, would be so much clearer.Bottle Boys by Anyta SundayBenjamin Otto is a bottle of liquid luck. Good looks. Good brain. Whatever the challenge: good odds. Except, what happens when those odds change?Dad’s had enough bankrolling Ben and requests him to get a job. The challenge: make enough money to finance Christmas or face telling his little brother the holidays are dead.Then there’s Sebastian. The guy from his politics class who is always coming in second after him. The guy who steals Ben’s idea to collect bottles for quick cash. The guy who makes Ben wonder if any amount of luck will be enough to win him what he really wants…Edited by Lenore DiTraniCover by KaNaXaProceeds will be donated to Lost-N-Found Youth , an Atlanta-based nonprofit corporation whose mission is to take homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths to age 26 off the street and transition them into more permanent housing.

    It is the first in a series of gothic m/m romance anthologies called gothika. The stories in this volume are:Made For Aaron by Sue BrownAs a teenager, Aaron Fox was sent to an asylum by his parents because he was gay, leaving him emotionally fragile after the treatment. However it gave him Damon Fox, the nurse he later married. For over twenty years, Damon’s devotion and strength has never faltered. When Damon is killed in a car accident, Aaron’s devastation soon gives way to confusion when he is shown Damon walking away from the hospital. Despite a desperate search, Damon isn’t seen again, and if Aaron can’t live with Damon, he may not want to live at all. But forces beyond Aaron’s understanding work behind the scenes, and if he can find the courage to unveil the secrets, he might get a second chance at happiness.Watchworks by Jamie FessendenHarland Wallace made his name as one of the premiere watchmakers in Victorian London, so he isn’t surprised when a handsome young gentleman named Luke Prescott comes to his townhouse to hire him for a repair job. He is apprehensive when he discovers it is not a watch Mr. Prescott wants repaired, but a complex prosthesis he has in place of a hand.As further repairs are needed, Harland begins to wonder how much of Mr. Prescott is real and how much is mechanical, but he cannot deny the growing attraction he feels toward him. When he learns Prescott’s household servants pose a threat to the man they see as a monster, Harland must choose between what his culture tells him is wrong and what his heart tells him is right.The Golem of Mala Lubovnya by Kim FieldingIn a small, 17th-century Eastern European town, a rabbi creates a man of clay—a golem—to protect the Jewish people from the threat of pogrom. Awaiting a call to duty, the golem spends a long time confined to an attic, lonely and sad. His only joys are watching the stonemason at work across the street and listening to a lovely voice singing prayers. When the golem meets the mason, Jakob, the two become friends, and Jakob names the golem Emet. But devout Jakob struggles with his attraction to Emet, and Emet dreads being used as an instrument for violence. Though Emet’s name means truth, honest love between a faithful man and a golem will only survive if they risk everything for a miracle.Reparation by Eli EastonOn the harsh planet of Kalan, weakness is not tolerated. When young spore farmer Edward suffers an carriage accident that kills his mail-order bride and his factory manager, Edward has little chance of survival, until Knox—an enormous “reconstitute” labor slave—plucks him from disaster. Recons are part machine, part human remains from executed Federation prisoners. But Knox is different from other recons. He can read and has flashes of brilliance. With no one else to rely on over the bleak winter, Edward forms an alliance with Knox, and against social taboos, they become friends. Edward struggles against his growing lust for the large humanoid, and while Knox thrives in his new life, memories of his past torment him.A twist of fate brought Knox and Edward together, but there will be a price to pay in blood when they learn how deeply their lives truly intersect.

    What is a Dom to do with a sub who actually works with such handy tools as handcuffs? While the answer may seem predictable, Tobias and Noah know how to make any such scene their very own, and Tobias finds that police training is an instinct almost as strong as Noah's need to submit.Originally published in Toy Box: Handcuffs

    They were created centuries ago, by the great Heck, to find and destroy serialists by any means necessary. Each member was gifted with a dragon that was connected to their soul. If one died, so did the other. The men didn't shift into the dragon, but they would call out and the maharishi would join them in the fight against evil. Not wanting their secret discovered, D.O.A. lived in a town called Drago, just outside Poconos Boulevard, and they hid behind their image as a badass motorcycle club Children were being murdered and Rene, otherwise known as Pit, along with his men were out to find out who was behind the copycat murders of a long time serial killer known as the Alphabet Killer. While questioning a victim's mother, Rene discovered his sentience, his mate. Now all he had to do was figure out how to tell the man he was not exactly human, and he better do it fast because his dragon heat was already kicking in. Bren was the local town veterinarian. He figured something was off about SI Rene Telkin. If not from the leather jacket with a large D.O.A. patch on the back, then maybe because he drove a navy Blue Harley Davidson CVO Street glider instead of a tan sedan. Bren was not the type to get mixed up with a biker club, even if the man was a cop. However, something kept drawing him to the sexy man and it seemed that nothing would break the bond they were forming. Not even when he discovered the secret all D.O.A. agents held. A large dragon for a partner. Now Rene needs to do his best to claim his mate and also track down a serial killer, because on the last body was a note threatening the good doctor of Poconos Boulevard.

    MitchellIan Stanton is the earl’s dutiful second son, always doing the proper thing. One exquisite exception: Nicholas Chatham. Except the consummation of their two-year relationship left Ian convinced that their desires were never meant to be indulged. Five years later, Ian is home from war, wounded in body and spirit. Nicky never believed what they felt for each other was wrong, and he has plans to make things right. Now he has only twelve nights to convince Ian that happiness is not the price of honor and duty, but its reward.  The Dickens With Love by Josh LanyonThree years ago, antiquarian James Winter lost everything: his job, his lover and his self-respect. Now a rich collector wants him to do whatever it takes to buy a newly discovered Christmas story by Charles Dickens from the nutty professor who owns it. The catch: the buyer must remain anonymous. Sedgwick Crisparkle turns out to be totally gorgeous—and on the prowl. Faster than you can say “Old St. Nick”, they’re mixing business with pleasure. But once Sedgwick discovers James has been a very bad boy, their chance for happiness is disappearing quicker than Santa’s sleigh.

    But what is a guy to do when the cop he thought he left in the dust, shows up at his front door looking like a pissed off badger?This story can be found on Hearts on Fire Reviews website.