Eastward Ho!

On By Rhys FordIn Rhys FordLeave a comment

Well, tonight is our last night in Vegas and then we’re heading to the Grand Canyon for one night. Weather here in Vegas is actually pretty good and the Venetian is a lovely place to stay. Thankfully they still fire up the waterfall across the street at the Mirage so it’s all… FIRE FIRE!

I am easily amused.

Heading to Denver is a lot of fun. I’ve got a couple of the San Diego Crewe with me: Steve, Maite and Jacob… as well as author CS Poe.

So far, no one’s killed anyone… that I know of… so! Life is good.

a brief pit stop

On By Rhys FordIn Rhys Ford1 Comment

I am actually gearing up for a very busy two weeks but I wanted to stop in and say hey to everybody. There is a lot of things going on the background most of which is good news but it involves a lot of moving parts and cover reveals and just kind of everything moving very quickly.

Yesterday was a major slog of writing and my brain can hurts for it. You are probably are going to read this on Monday so please know that Saturday kicked my ass.

What is going to happen starting Thursday, October 12 is a road trip to Denver, more specifically GayRomLit, and we will be doing some videos and other stuff along the way just to keep people entertained and possibly evidence in case we’re arrested.

I’m not saying that we are going to be arrested but just in case.

I am going to be hauling a lot of swag out to Denver but I’m also keeping some back so I can have easily mailable swag packets. When I come back, definitely let’s look at making some of those go out instead of sitting in my spare bedroom. Because they do not need to take up residence in my house.

I hope all of you have a fantastic week. I am hammering away at Sin and Tonic but I did take a few hours off to go see Bladerunner 2049 and that was absolutely fantastic.

We do have a new cat. Her name is Harley. I did not name her so don’t look at me. I call her HarleyDoodle or honey girl. The dog both loves and fears her. She is an eating and pooping machine. Less than two years old, she has already had a litter but has been fixed. but fitting in fairly decently.

One last thing before I leave you guys for this post, I want to talk to you about being aware of the state of your breasts. And this conversation really has to be had by both men and women. I urge you all to pay attention to your body and to maybe take a look at the lemon chart below. If you find any anomalies in your upper or lower bits, go talk to your doctor. And you might have to be forceful about it. Especially if you are a guy. But definitely have these conversations.

Happy Coffee Day and Some Rambling!

On By Rhys FordIn Rhys Ford5 Comments

I am heading to GRL 2017 (GayRomLit) in Denver in a couple of weeks. Well, not really Denver. Eventually Denver. We’re going to start off driving from San Diego — did I mention this was a road trip to Denver? — stop in Vegas for a few days, then do hops to the Grand Canyon and Durango then through Colorado Springs to arrive at the event’s hotel.

I haven’t made this trip in decades. Actually, I haven’t made this particular trip ever but have done pieces and parts of it so this reiteration isn’t too bad. Funnily enough, it does follow a lot of where Mad Lizard Mambo happened so that’ll be interesting. Just like it’s always amusing in my brain space to drive up to LA because I go through Kai’s Pendle run there.

Speaking of Pendle runs, as many of you know my schedule shifts and changes depend upon what I can get my brain to write. I do about four books a year and this year I actually got very sick for a long time so books got shuffled and deadlines moved around a little bit. But we do have a schedule for next year and a new one for upcoming releases.

Which I will release in a couple of weeks because I want to make sure I have all of my ducks in a row before I do that.

I also just realized I haven’t made coffee yet. So I’m going to do that in a little bit. The dog however requested I scratch his back.

If you are going to be at GRL, please be sure to visit near the bar area on Friday, October 20 at 6 PM where Jordan L Hawk and I will be holding a reader event. Even if you are not attending the retreat, you are more than welcome to join us. It is at the Marriott Denver Tech at 4900 S. Syracuse. I have a bunch of stuff just throw it people for the event and I think so does Jordan. I am waiting for one more piece of swag and then I will post a picture of everything that will be given away. I will be trying to make available the things to send to readers following the event because I know not everybody can go.

I will also be in Indianapolis second week of November — around the fifteenth. We are going to see if can get a group together to have coffee with and to chat about books so as soon as I know something about that I will post it here.

But right now I really need coffee.

P.S. Happy national coffee day.

Epilogue of Tramps and Thieves Blog Tour Serial

On By Rhys FordIn Heh26 Comments

I hope you’ve enjoyed the cousins’ short story and be sure to pick up Tramps and Thieves, the sequel to Murder and Mayhem. Published by Dreamspinner Press, it is availabe on the DSP portal, Amazon and other fine book stores.

Tramps and Thieves by Rhys Ford
(Book 2 of the Murder and Mayhem Series)
Release Date: September 18, 2017

Whoever said blood was thicker than water never stood in a pool of it.

Retiring from stealing priceless treasures seemed like a surefire way for Rook Stevens to stay on the right side of the law. The only cop in his life should have been his probably-boyfriend, Los Angeles Detective Dante Montoya, but that’s not how life—his life—is turning out. Instead, Rook ends up not only standing in a puddle of his cousin Harold’s blood but also being accused of Harold’s murder…and sleeping with Harold’s wife.

For Dante, loving the former thief means his once-normal life is now a sea of chaos, especially since Rook seems incapable of staying out of trouble—or keeping trouble from following him home. When Rook is tagged as a murder suspect by a narrow-focused West L.A. detective, Dante steps in to pull his lover out of the quagmire Rook’s landed in.

When the complicated investigation twists around on them, the dead begin to stack up, forcing the lovers to work together. Time isn’t on their side, and if they don’t find the killer before another murder, Dante will be visiting Rook in his prison cell—or at his grave.

Purchase from Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/tramps-and-thieves-by-rhys-ford-8847-b

Purchase from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tramps-Thieves-Murder-Mayhem-Book-ebook/dp/B074WNTXPC/

Epilogue

“You didn’t have to call the cops,” Marvin Diego snorfled through a bloody handkerchief. “This is so embarrassing. Suppose the news finds out—”

“I seriously doubt anyone gives a shit if they find out you peed your pants because a puma was about to have you for afternoon tea,” Rook shot back, flexing his left hand. “And I didn’t call the cops, I called… Dante.”

“Which is pretty much the same thing,” Alex pointed out. He was warmer now, swaddled in one of James’ zipped hoodies and sitting in the back seat of Dante’s large SUV. Under the dubious protection of the house’s front porch, Dante and James appeared to be finishing up their conversation with the Animal Control agent the sheriff called in to scare off the mountain lion while the tow truck operator was locking down Rook’s vehicle on the flat bed he’d brought to the site. “I can’t believe it pulled off your bumpers.”

“Yeah, lucky me,” Rook mumbled from the front seat. “Jesus, what a fucking day.”

“It was supposed to be a joke,” Marvin whimpered from the third seat. “To get back at you for stealing that first edition Lord of the Rings I wanted.”

“You have a first edition Lord of the Rings?” Alex gaped at his cousin. His envy fought with his awe and he swallowed. “Really?”

“Yeah, all of them. Including the Silmarillion. Prime condition” Rook made a face back at him. “Don’t get pissy. It’s your Christmas present. And I won them fair and square, Marvin.”

“You took a ninety-four year old woman to the sideshow circus so she could learn how to be a trapeze artist,” he exclaimed in a huff. “She spent the day in a sparkling pink leotard, performing for five-year olds. How was anyone suppose to compete with that? She practically sold the whole lot to you for pennies on the dollar!”

“Sometimes, Marvin, it’s not about the money but about the desire.” Rook winked at Alex. “And besides, it was for my cousin. I’d have slit your throat to get those books if I had to.”

“Okay, we’re good to go,” James said, climbing into the back seat next to Alex. “We got the sheriff to drop the charges against Marvin—”

“That’s a fucking pity,” Rook muttered.

“Well, technically you two were breaking and entering as well so let’s just go with that’s good from you. That sale he lured you in with isn’t going to happen for another month. The auction house people said they’d give you a call when it’s on but somehow, I don’t think Marvin’s invited.” Dante got settled in the driver’s seat then leaned over to kiss Rook on the mouth. “You okay, cuervo?”

James was holding his hand, rubbing at the ring on Alex’s finger but it was still… oddly romantic to see Rook wrinkle his nose then return Dante’s gentle kiss. His cousin had changed—was still changing—once Dante Montoya entered Rook’s life and the simmering affection they’d banked years ago was finally allowed to grow into a fiery passion Alex envied nearly as much as he did the Tolkien.

“But I have that too,” he sighed, bumping shoulders with his husband. “I got the cop and the books. Life is good.”

“What are you muttering about, babe?” James peered down at him as Dante started up the car to drive them back into Los Angeles. “Am I going to have to help you dig a grave for when you kill Rook?”

“Nope, not killing him,” he murmured. “Today was a good day. And you know what? Tomorrow’s going to be an even better one.”

“Why?” James squeezed his hand and smiled. “What are you going to do tomorrow, babe?”

“Same thing we do every day, Pinky,” Alex dropped his voice to a rumbling rasp. “Rook’s going to try to take over the world. And I’m probably going to help.”

Be sure catch the entire story on the Tramps and Thieves Blog Tour and enter to win the giveaway featured on every blog!

And now for an added bonus, chapter one of the Tramps and Thieves audiobook, narrated by Greg Tremblay and available soon on Audible.

Catch up on the whole story by following the blog tour at:

Part
1        MMGoodbook Reviews
2        Love Bytes
3        Sinfully Gay Reviews
4        Joyfully Jay
5        NDulgent Bloggers
6        It’s About The Book
7        The Novel Approach
8        rhysford.com (Epilogue)

Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and was a 2016 LAMBDA finalist with her novel, Murder and Mayhem and a 2017 Gold and Silver Medal winner in the Florida Authors and Publishers President’s Book Awards for her novels Ink and Shadows and Hanging the Stars. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal. Rhys shares the house with two cats, Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo and Tam, a diabetic black shorthair, as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. She is also responsible for the care and feeding of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people.

Rhys can be found at the following locations:

Blog: http://www.rhysford.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhys.ford.author

Twitter: @Rhys_Ford

Answering A Question About Cole’s Rick from the Dirty Series…

On By Rhys FordIn Bloggy Stuff, Rhys Ford8 Comments

Yesterday on Facebook a reader asked: Just re reading Dirty Kiss and started wondering about Cole and Rick! How and when did they meet? What was Rick Like? Etc. Any possibility of a prequel?

I answered this there but I was asked to also share it here on my blog. People have asked me about Rick before so really, it’s not out of the blue. Please understand that for me, the books are about Cole and Jae but asking about Rick is a very valid question and a good question.

Here is my reply:

I will not write about Rick and Cole. Mostly because that’s a story best left to the imagination of the reader. I don’t think I can go back to that time in Cole’s life.

What I can tell you about Rick is he was a good guy, a bit vain and sometimes a bit demanding but he laughed well and heartily and loved fully. He was an artist in his own right and generous with his affection towards friends and of course, his boyfriend, Cole. Rick was tender-hearted, loved romantic movies, cried at commericals sometimes and was a bit sentimental in the best of ways. He could cook a little bit, would sometimes forget to pick up his shoes after taking them off in the living room and adored dogs.

He loved red balloons, carnivals so he could go on all the rides and eat cotton candy—or rather, steal most of Cole’s— and silly amusements. He liked walking on the beach at sunrise, and embraced everything life had to offer. He was the kind of guy who’d eat off your plate while at the same time, slide half of his food onto yours in exchange. Sometimes he would be careless with someone’s feelings but he would always try to make amends. He wasn’t perfect by any means but he did love Cole.

And there were sad times and regrets, especially around the holidays when he wasn’t with his family. He came from a typical solid Midwest family and was raised to treat people fairly so it pained him deeply when his own turned their backs on him.

Rick would be the first person to tell his Mac to fall in love again. He loved Cole that much. He would want Cole to find a lasting happiness and live a long, glorious life with someone who cared for him deeply. He’d approve of Jae and probably would have loved to have known him.

Today’s Tramps and Thieves Blog Tour Post 7 is at The Novel Approach! Don’t Forget to Enter The Giveaways!

On By Rhys FordIn Free Stuff, Good News, Heh2 Comments

Today’s Blog Post is at The Novel Approach!

Be sure to stop by all participating blogs during the Tramps and Thieves Blog Tour! I have written a serialized story about Rook and his cousin, Alex, as they go to an estate sale… an adventure neither one of them expected. Be sure to follow the story and enter each blog’s giveaway. There will be a gift certificate given away at every stop!

Sept
14        MMGoodbook Reviews
15        Love Bytes
18        Sinfully Gay Reviews
19        Joyfully Jay
20        NDulgent Bloggers
21        It’s About The Book
22        The Novel Approach
23        rhysford.com (Epilogue)

Tramps and Thieves (Now Live!)
Order from Dreamspinner Press
Order from Amazon
Whoever said blood was thicker than water never stood in a pool of it.

Retiring from stealing priceless treasures seemed like a surefire way for Rook Stevens to stay on the right side of the law. The only cop in his life should have been his probably-boyfriend, Los Angeles Detective Dante Montoya, but that’s not how life—his life—is turning out. Instead, Rook ends up not only standing in a puddle of his cousin Harold’s blood but also being accused of Harold’s murder…and sleeping with Harold’s wife.

For Dante, loving the former thief means his once-normal life is now a sea of chaos, especially since Rook seems incapable of staying out of trouble—or keeping trouble from following him home. When Rook is tagged as a murder suspect by a narrow-focused West L.A. detective, Dante steps in to pull his lover out of the quagmire Rook’s landed in.

When the complicated investigation twists around on them, the dead begin to stack up, forcing the lovers to work together. Time isn’t on their side, and if they don’t find the killer before another murder, Dante will be visiting Rook in his prison cell—or at his grave.

 

Today’s Tramps and Thieves Blog Tour Post 6 is at It’s About The Book!

On By Rhys FordIn Free Stuff, Good News, Heh1 Comment

Today’s Blog Post is at  It’s About The Book!

Be sure to stop by all participating blogs during the Tramps and Thieves Blog Tour! I have written a serialized story about Rook and his cousin, Alex, as they go to an estate sale… an adventure neither one of them expected. Be sure to follow the story and enter each blog’s giveaway. There will be a gift certificate given away at every stop!

Sept
14        MMGoodbook Reviews
15        Love Bytes
18        Sinfully Gay Reviews
19        Joyfully Jay
20        NDulgent Bloggers
21        It’s About The Book
22        The Novel Approach
23        rhysford.com (Epilogue)

Tramps and Thieves (Now Live!)
Order from Dreamspinner Press
Order from Amazon
Whoever said blood was thicker than water never stood in a pool of it.

Retiring from stealing priceless treasures seemed like a surefire way for Rook Stevens to stay on the right side of the law. The only cop in his life should have been his probably-boyfriend, Los Angeles Detective Dante Montoya, but that’s not how life—his life—is turning out. Instead, Rook ends up not only standing in a puddle of his cousin Harold’s blood but also being accused of Harold’s murder…and sleeping with Harold’s wife.

For Dante, loving the former thief means his once-normal life is now a sea of chaos, especially since Rook seems incapable of staying out of trouble—or keeping trouble from following him home. When Rook is tagged as a murder suspect by a narrow-focused West L.A. detective, Dante steps in to pull his lover out of the quagmire Rook’s landed in.

When the complicated investigation twists around on them, the dead begin to stack up, forcing the lovers to work together. Time isn’t on their side, and if they don’t find the killer before another murder, Dante will be visiting Rook in his prison cell—or at his grave.