Read Around the Rainbow • Hello, Spring! #RAtR

It’s me! And I assure you, I’m as surprised as you are to find me here. It’s been an entire year, but I’m trying to get back into the swing of writing, and taking time for Read Around the Rainbow is part of that plan. I find writing of any kind to be a good way to exercise my creativity muscles. And, as I have a deadline hurdling toward me, it’s also nice to have a little writing away from my current work in progress.

This month, Read Around the Rainbow is talking spring! And while that is a rather broad topic, with any number of interpretations, I’m pretty sure none work particularly well for me. But let’s give it a go!

Spring Stories

The truth is, I don’t usually write stories that take place in spring. Other than The Death of Digby Catch—which takes place during the week of World Naked Gardening Day—I’m not at all sure I have another story that takes place during this time of the year. Maybe Watching Elijah Fall? But I honestly don’t know, and I guess I’m too lazy to try and figure it out. LOL The thought that I don’t is odd, because I love spring. Just not as much as fall. But there’s no shame in second place!

Now I feel determined to write another springtime story!

Green Covers

Though I might argue that the Digby Catch cover is greenish—I used to have the walls of my house painted that color and in the right light it was definitely green—I’d have to say, that once again, I only have one story with a green cover.

The Twelve Coffins of Dr. Coffin is truly an anomaly for me, with the story taking place in the late summer (Summer! Yuck!) of 1959’s Hollywood, (I never write period!) it is the greenest of all the green covers!

The Twelve Coffins of Dr. Coffin not only has my favorite title of all my books, but it also might be my favorite cover. My one regret is that it wasn’t longer. I wrote if or JMS Books 13th Anniversary celebration, so the word count was limited. But if I could go back in time, I’d like to have written it as a long novella or even novel length. *sigh*

Well, that seems to be it for now! I’m still scratching my head about my lack of spring and green, but it is what it is. Hopefully, I’ll not only be back next month but not suck so much at the topic. LOL


You can check out the other Read Around the Rainbow authors by clicking their names below!

Addison AlbrightHolly DayLillian FrancisFiona GlassOfelia GrändNell Iris

A.L. LesterK.L. NooneEllie Thomas


See you in April!


Release Day - Love Is Free

Today is the Release Day for Love Is Free! JMS Books brought together fifty-two authors, countless editors, and all those critical people behind the scenes that make publishing work, to create this anthology. Everyone donated their time, their skill, and their art so that 100% of the proceeds go to help the ACLU’s in their fight to protect freedom.

My contribution to Love Is Free is A Portrait in Blue. A short story about a house, a portrait, and an oddities shop. If you can grab the eBook or a paperback, I hope you like it. It was a joy to write.

Blurb

Love Is Free celebrates queer love in all its forms, proving love can survive despite adversity. Whether a quiet night in or a loud night out, in this world or another, in the past, present, or future, this collection embraces how enduring same sex love can be, in any and every shade under the LGBTQIA umbrella.

Featuring never before published work from 52 authors, Love Is Free is a collaborative effort whose entire proceeds will go to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to help with their work protecting the freedoms of all people in the US. All the work in the collection, including the editing, has been donated. This stunning anthology will be a charitable keepsake whose message of love regardless of gender will endure beyond the current political strife threatening to tear us apart.

Authors included in this anthology are:

Adam Carpenter, Alexandra Caluen, Amy Spector, Anne Russo, Becky Black, Carol Holland March, Charles Payseur, D.J. Fronimos and Elke Lakey, David Connor and E.F. Mulder, Dianne Hartsock, Drew Hunt, E.M. Schenker, Ellie Thomas, Emery C. Walters, Eule Grey, Feral Sephrian, Gareth Vaughn, Gordon Phillips, Hannah Morse, Holly Day, J.D. Walker, J.M. Snyder, J.T. Marie, Jordan Demaine, Justin James, K.L. Noone, K.S. Murphy, Katey Hawthorne, Kim Davis, Kris T. Bethke, La Toya Hankins, Mere Rain, Michael P. Thomas, Mychael Black, Nell Iris, Ofelia Gränd, Pat Henshaw, Patrick Bryce Wright, Pelaam, Rafe Jadison, Ray Hatch, Red Haircrow, Sarah Hadley Brook, Scarlet Blackwell, Sean Cunningham, Shawn Bailey, Shawn Lane, T.J. Blackley, T.K. Dane, Teal H.S. Fields, Vivien Dean, and Warren Rochelle.

You can pick up your copy using the JMS Books and Amazon buy links below, and through the Universal link as the book starts to appear at other online retailers.

Love is Free

190,790 Words

 Buy Links: JMS BooksAmazonUniversal

Grab it for 20% Off at JMS Books

Aren't in a position to pick up the book, but would still like to help? Post about the anthology on social media. Tell your friends. Add it to your to-read shelf on Goodreads. And thank you! ♥♥♥


Stay safe, be kind, and keep reading!