(c) werny / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
What is wordless Wednesday? “On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words to explain it on their blog. Hence the ‘wordless’ title. The idea is that the photo itself says so much that it doesn’t need any description.” –wiki.answers
It’s nice to get out of the writing cave once in a while and see the beauty in the world around me.
(c) Sloan Parker, 2013
(c) Sloan Parker, 2013
(c) Sloan Parker, 2013
(c) Sloan Parker, 2013
(c) Sloan Parker, 2013
(c) Sloan Parker, 2013
(c) www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
“Those who live passionately teach us how to love. Those who love passionately teach us how to live.” — Sarah Ban Breathnach
(c) 4774344sean / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
“If books could have more, give more, be more, show more, they would still need readers who bring to them sound and smell and light and all the rest that can’t be in books. The book needs you.” –Gary Paulsen
Not sure if these will show up in the email feed, so if you can’t see the pictures, try visiting the original blog post, or you can see these and more on my pinterest “Beautiful Love” board.
Not sure if these will show up in the email feed, so if you can’t see the pictures, try visiting the original blog post.
My writing buddies are in training for the Feline Olympics. They can’t decide between synchronized couch stretching, grooming, sleeping, or staring.
(c) Sloan Parker, 2014
(c) Sloan Parker, 2014
(c) Sloan Parker, 2014
(c) Sloan Parker, 2014
And here they are staring at me…just waiting for me to get up so I can feed them. Sometimes I get very involved with my writing and don’t even notice they are there.
(c) Sloan Parker, 2014
And if I ignore them too long, apparently they turn on their laser beams.
(c) Sloan Parker, 2014
Cover Artist: Syneca Featherstone
I Swear to You coming April 29, 2014
Grady and Mateo, two “straight” college roommates, spend a weekend away together during their senior year exploring how far beyond friendship their feelings have grown. After that weekend, they go their separate ways, but eventually neither one can let go of the idea that maybe they really are gay and are meant to be together. It just takes one a little longer than the other to figure that out. Is he too late?
(c) Sandralise / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you.”
–A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
I SWEAR TO YOU is now available for purchase at Loose Id. It should be arriving at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and other retailers before too long.
Buy at:
If you haven’t already, enter my release party giveaway for a chance at a $10 e-gift card. Winners are drawn daily from all entries received thus far.
BEHIND THE STORY: A Preview in Pictures
Here are a few pictures that visually represent Grady and Mateo’s story and the lake where much of the book takes place.
Photo credit: each image is licensed through istockphoto.com or fotosearch.com
Story Description
When roommates Grady and Mateo give in to their growing lust, it’s the best sexual experience of their lives. But are they really gay? Is this just sex or something more? It takes time for confused Grady to figure that out, but once he does, he’s determined to have all of Mateo. Too bad tracking down brokenhearted Mateo proves impossible.
So what’s a horny gay virgin who wants only one man to do? Grady posts an ad online to encourage his friend out of hiding and into his bed. Once he gets Mateo between the sheets, he’s sure he can convince him that what they had together was no college experiment. But Mateo’s been hiding from something—or someone. Grady is determined to tear down all Mateo’s walls so he can find out what happened to him and help heal his wounds, and in the process show his best friend that he won’t run. Not this time. He swears.
Excerpt
Mateo moved in closer. His mouth was turned up at the corners in a teasing smirk Grady had seen from him a lot over the years. “Is it locked? Knowing your family, they’d just barge right in.”
“What?”
He took another step, and his voice dropped lower. “Is the door locked?”
“Yeah.” Grady’s brain was having a hard time keeping up with him. Mateo was so close to him now, their bodies almost touching, Mateo’s mouth mere inches from Grady’s own. So close that when Mateo spoke, Grady could feel that warm breath on his lips again.
“Good.” Mateo shifted on his feet, bringing them even closer. Their jean-covered thighs brushed one against the other.
What the hell were they doing?
Mateo bit his bottom lip and slowly released it. Then in a quick move, he cupped the back of Grady’s neck and leaned in. Just like on the couch. Only this time he didn’t stop.
The first press of his mouth to Grady’s was a soft touch that grew more urgent, more desperate with every second. He turned them and backed Grady out of the kitchen area and up against the closed door of the guesthouse, bringing his full weight into him, rocking against him, holding Grady’s head in his strong hands.
A minute into that kiss, and Grady’s body was ready to explode with a release he never thought could come from just one kiss.
Then their tongues connected.
An electric current shot through him. He grabbed on to Mateo in return, holding him by the hips, forcing Mateo to move against him again, to brush that lean, hard body against his cock over and over. He couldn’t help but notice how very strong and masculine Mateo felt in his hands—and how fucking good that felt.
The door rattled behind them with their movements. There was nothing slow or easy about the kiss, about the way they rocked against each other.
A primal need had erupted inside Grady, leaving him unable—and unwilling—to stop the desire blazing through him.
“Teo,” he said around a moan as Mateo kissed a path down his neck. “What are we doing?”
“Christ, Grady. I don’t know, but I don’t want it to stop.”
Fucking hell, he didn’t want it to stop either.
He wanted more, everything he had pretended he wasn’t picturing during their past few jerk-off sessions.
Mateo pulled back. He stared at Grady’s lips again, licked his own. “Fuck.” He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Or maybe not. He propped a hand against the door beside Grady and leaned in once more.
Their mouths met again, and that was it. Grady gave himself over to the moment—over to Mateo.
Mateo’s lips slid to his earlobe, and he whispered, “I wanna suck your dick.”
Grady whimpered. He couldn’t keep the reaction at bay if he’d wanted to.
Mateo ran those lips down along the sensitive skin of his neck again, nipping and licking as he went, sweeping his hands up under Grady’s T-shirt, over the flesh of his bare chest. “I wanna fuck you all goddamn night.”
Grady forced Mateo’s head up so they were face-to-face. “Shut up and kiss me again.”
Only he didn’t really want him to shut up. He wanted to hear every word. He wanted exactly what Mateo was describing.
He wanted it all. Every fucking thing.
I was cleaning my office the other day and stumbled across these note cards. They’re my original ideas for the characters in BREATHE. I had forgotten all about them. Most of the characters from the story were in the stack, even Duke, Lincoln’s old dog.
(c) Sloan Parker
Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the release party last week. And a big thanks to those of you who wrote to me with your giveaway entries. All your kind remarks about my work meant a great deal to me, and I’m thrilled so many of you have enjoyed MORE THAN MOST. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
The winner of the release party giveaway was selected and has been contacted about their prize. Congratulations to the winner and thanks to everyone who entered!
Today I thought I’d share my most recent Pinterest posts in my social media series: Beautiful Love. Each of these images beautifully illustrate that love is love.
Follow Sloan’s board Beautiful Love on Pinterest.
If you can’t see the embedded images above or wish to view my full Beautiful Love board, you can check it out at Pinterest.
You can also see more Beautiful Love posts on my Tumblr blog.
A couple captured the romance of Norway’s wild storms in this beautifully done video. It’s a sweet, fun look at their experience as they locate remote camping sites in Lofoten Islands.
If you can’t view the embedded video above, you can watch it here.
Pictured above is the binder containing the rough draft of Seth and Vargas’s story, HOW TO HEAL A LIFE (The Haven Book 2). I’m currently reading through it, revising, and adding more emotional depth and substance to the manuscript, and it’s going really well. I’m surprisingly pleased with the opening of the story, and that’s usually where I do most of my reworking. Knowing I’ve got a good handle on the beginning has me even more excited about this one.
I’ll keep you posted on the progress! Watch my newsletter and works-in-progress page on my website for more updates on this and my other projects.
My cat watching his favorite bird video on YouTube.
I love visual inspiration for story ideas, and I share many of the ones I find online with readers via social media. At the links below you can check out some of my recent posts.
ON TUMBLR
ON PINTEREST
Whenever I write a scene, I picture the setting in my mind, whether it’s a room or an outdoor wilderness locale or a bustling city street, with as much detail as possible. Then I describe one or two specific, concrete elements to give the reader a sense of the place, which is often more effective than describing every detail.
Usually I can imagine that setting clearly in my mind, especially if it’s a character’s home or another important place for them. Other times I like to use a real place that I’ve visited as inspiration. When that isn’t possible, I’ll use a stock photography site to gather images. I might describe the setting the way I see it in the photo, or that picture might spark my imagination to go in a completely different direction. If the photos I find seem like a great setting idea but don’t match my current project, I’ll save them for later use.
Here are some of my recent inspiration finds for settings:
(c) krystof / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
(c) upthebanner / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
(c) Leaf / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
(c) antony84 / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
(c) Keifer / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
(c) Dwight / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
(c) Forgiss / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
Here are some of my recent setting inspiration finds that I’m saving for future projects:
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
Photo License: CC0 Public Domain
We have six cat beds around our house, but our two cats both LOVE this one. I guess he thought if he stared at her long enough she’d move. She didn’t.
He’s the older cat so you’d think he’d try to kick her out, but he’s pretty passive and he’s a total sweetheart. I’ve had this cat bed for years and could never find another one just like it. Guess I should try looking again.
I SWEAR TO YOU is now available for purchase at Loose Id. It should be arriving at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and other retailers before too long.
Buy at:
If you haven’t already, enter my release party giveaway for a chance at a $10 e-gift card. Winners are drawn daily from all entries received thus far.
BEHIND THE STORY: A Preview in Pictures
Here are a few pictures that visually represent Grady and Mateo’s story and the lake where much of the book takes place.
Photo credit: each image is licensed through istockphoto.com or fotosearch.com
Story Description
When roommates Grady and Mateo give in to their growing lust, it’s the best sexual experience of their lives. But are they really gay? Is this just sex or something more? It takes time for confused Grady to figure that out, but once he does, he’s determined to have all of Mateo. Too bad tracking down brokenhearted Mateo proves impossible.
So what’s a horny gay virgin who wants only one man to do? Grady posts an ad online to encourage his friend out of hiding and into his bed. Once he gets Mateo between the sheets, he’s sure he can convince him that what they had together was no college experiment. But Mateo’s been hiding from something—or someone. Grady is determined to tear down all Mateo’s walls so he can find out what happened to him and help heal his wounds, and in the process show his best friend that he won’t run. Not this time. He swears.
Excerpt
Mateo moved in closer. His mouth was turned up at the corners in a teasing smirk Grady had seen from him a lot over the years. “Is it locked? Knowing your family, they’d just barge right in.”
“What?”
He took another step, and his voice dropped lower. “Is the door locked?”
“Yeah.” Grady’s brain was having a hard time keeping up with him. Mateo was so close to him now, their bodies almost touching, Mateo’s mouth mere inches from Grady’s own. So close that when Mateo spoke, Grady could feel that warm breath on his lips again.
“Good.” Mateo shifted on his feet, bringing them even closer. Their jean-covered thighs brushed one against the other.
What the hell were they doing?
Mateo bit his bottom lip and slowly released it. Then in a quick move, he cupped the back of Grady’s neck and leaned in. Just like on the couch. Only this time he didn’t stop.
The first press of his mouth to Grady’s was a soft touch that grew more urgent, more desperate with every second. He turned them and backed Grady out of the kitchen area and up against the closed door of the guesthouse, bringing his full weight into him, rocking against him, holding Grady’s head in his strong hands.
A minute into that kiss, and Grady’s body was ready to explode with a release he never thought could come from just one kiss.
Then their tongues connected.
An electric current shot through him. He grabbed on to Mateo in return, holding him by the hips, forcing Mateo to move against him again, to brush that lean, hard body against his cock over and over. He couldn’t help but notice how very strong and masculine Mateo felt in his hands—and how fucking good that felt.
The door rattled behind them with their movements. There was nothing slow or easy about the kiss, about the way they rocked against each other.
A primal need had erupted inside Grady, leaving him unable—and unwilling—to stop the desire blazing through him.
“Teo,” he said around a moan as Mateo kissed a path down his neck. “What are we doing?”
“Christ, Grady. I don’t know, but I don’t want it to stop.”
Fucking hell, he didn’t want it to stop either.
He wanted more, everything he had pretended he wasn’t picturing during their past few jerk-off sessions.
Mateo pulled back. He stared at Grady’s lips again, licked his own. “Fuck.” He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Or maybe not. He propped a hand against the door beside Grady and leaned in once more.
Their mouths met again, and that was it. Grady gave himself over to the moment—over to Mateo.
Mateo’s lips slid to his earlobe, and he whispered, “I wanna suck your dick.”
Grady whimpered. He couldn’t keep the reaction at bay if he’d wanted to.
Mateo ran those lips down along the sensitive skin of his neck again, nipping and licking as he went, sweeping his hands up under Grady’s T-shirt, over the flesh of his bare chest. “I wanna fuck you all goddamn night.”
Grady forced Mateo’s head up so they were face-to-face. “Shut up and kiss me again.”
Only he didn’t really want him to shut up. He wanted to hear every word. He wanted exactly what Mateo was describing.
He wanted it all. Every fucking thing.
