Wednesday, March 20, 2013

food and fiction

I love it when food shows up in a story, especially when it's described so I can almost taste it.  I enjoyed the meals in "Unearthing Cole," by A. M. Arthur, which I just finished reading.  I'm now hungry for shrimp, corn bread, and potato salad, among other things!

Writing sometimes dulls my appetite a little, actually.  I concentrate so hard on the story I forget to eat.  It might be a good weight loss strategy if I didn't make up for it when I'm editing!

Anyway, I was thinking recently about the influence of food in my stories.

I've noticed cocoa shows up in my contemporary stories with a greater than average frequency.  I always feel happy when I drink cocoa.  I want my characters to feel warm, fuzzy, and happy, especially when they're about ready to make love.  Sometimes that translates into giving them cocoa.  I suspect my subconscious is at work doing this, because I never sit down and think, 'Hm, how can I work some cocoa into this story?'

Actually, I'd like to be that deliberate about it.  I'd like to write a story that revolves around the sweet, chocolatey drink.  But I don't have a storyline yet.  I've played with a few, but nothing's clicked.

Strawberries, and especially strawberry jam, feature prominently in my most recent release, Strawberry Rivals.  And wouldn't you know it, I got extremely hungry for strawberry jam for the first time in years.

Before I started writing this story, I shuddered inwardly whenever I thought about strawberry jam.  Ugh, slimy!  And with those bits of red globbed in it, those squishy bits.

Now I get so hungry for the stuff I can't stand it.  And it tastes gorgeous to me--absolutely fabulous!  In fact, I'm going to go have some right now....

Perhaps I should write a story containing the healthy foods I don't much like.  Maybe I'd get over my aversions and start wanting to eat them.  Collard greens and kale, anyone?

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Strawberry Rivals (sweet gay romance), by Hollis Shiloh



Strawberries. Rivalry. Flirting. Warm summer days and a large, orange cat.

Okay, so I almost backed into the guy. But it was mostly his fault, and I did try to apologize. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is a real jerk. Or at least I thought so till he stopped to offer me a lift when I ran out of gas.


A contemporary sweet gay romance or sweet m/m romance.
Length: 13,000+ words
Heat level: Low


99 cents on Amazon.com 




Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Hearts of Gold, by Hollis Shiloh





Hearts of Gold - fantasy / gay romance

A dragon-slayer. A magician. A forbidden love stronger than all the forces of the kingdom. How can Kale pass up the chance to set things right with the only man he ever loved, no matter the risk?

Dragon-slayer Kale has loved Holin all his life. Even before he knew what love was. Certainly before he could admit to it.

The boys grew up squabbling, playing, learning to fight dragons together, and exploring their confusing new feelings for each other. 

But in a world where dragon-slayers and magicians are sworn enemies, fate tore them apart: Holin developed magic. And Kale has never stopped regretting it.

Now, after years apart, they accidentally meet in a small inn....

  • Genres: fantasy, gay romance or m/m romance
  • Length: 43,000 words
  • Contains violence (dragon-slaying)
  • Contains sexual content between two men
  • Heat level: Medium