Michael's story continues from A Reservoir Man (2022) where we find him teaching at a university ready to retire. He unexpectedly meets a young man named Ron who becomes his protege and journeys in a haphazard adventure with him throughout America and Europe, each twist and turn of the road bringing unexpected adventures. The journey taken is one of joy, friendship and discovery.
Excerpt
They begin to move closer to Ron, a street light illuminating one of them for a moment; everything else was in darkness. He realized these were some of the kids from the shelter he used to be in. They had a fire in them, maybe it was jealousy that he got out and got on his feet. How did they know that much about Michael? He knew that they could hurt Michael, at his age that could kill him. They could hurt Carol, badly. They might have a knife. He knew how much danger they were in now.
Ron made a move towards the one he recognized, when suddenly all five pounced on Ron, beating on him, taking no break in their punches. One of them picked up Rhonda and threw her against a brick wall. Ron spit blood and, in between blows, tried to move to protect Rhonda. Carol ran to grab Rhonda. She tried to pick her up and saw she was hurt. Ron looked at the young men, spit blood at the closest of them, and screamed, “Fuck you! I hope you all die for what you did to her! Fuck you!”
The noise of this was so loud, a group of people leaving a bar saw the commotion. One of them yelled “Hey! What’s going on there? Hey!” Another woman was dialing for help on her phone. The young men ran away as quickly as possible, disappearing down a dark side street and into the blackness of the night.
They were nearing the back door of the house, Carol carrying Rhonda, with Ron limping on his own. As they approached the door, two of the young men were behind them again, taunting them. He asked Ron if he could meet his boyfriend. Ron lunged at one of them and fell to the ground. They began to kick him. Carol screamed for help.
About the Author
Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. He taught at over 7 universities in America. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.
Using Hope for Healing and Reclaiming Identity as a Lifelong Athlete in a
Sick Healthcare System
Nonfiction / Self-Help / Health
Date Published: February 6, 2023
Publisher: Mindstir Media
We will all struggle and face suffering at some point in our lives. In this
important book, Dr. Dillon Caswell, PT, DPT, SCS takes you through why
suffering is necessary and why the shift in our healthcare field from
transformational to transactional has prolonged the state of suffering and
is leading to a systematic healthcare collapse.
Daily you are given misinformation and flat-out lies, such as your
vertebrae are out of place, opioids are needed for pain control, the pain
experience is due to your degenerating parts, and, phew, we could keep going
on! People are giving up their purpose, life-long athlete identities, and
what makes them live wholeheartedly due to poor advice from respected
figures. You are getting the message of fear, feeling of brokenness and not
being enough, and routined rejection, all summed up as the feeling of
nope.
It's time to change that... Hope Not Nope will reshape your perspective,
thoughts and behaviors, and equip you with an action plan by giving you the
information you need to turn all of the misinformation, rejection, and lies
- summed up as nope - into the greatest healing agent available:
Hope!!!
Praise for Hope Not Nope
"Who wants to live a life of unhappiness and suffering? If you
answered "not me", then Hope Not Nope is a book for you! This book
perfectly taps into the enduring spirit of humanity. Dillon explains complex
physiology simply, making the book accessible to people from all walks of
life. You will find yourself nodding, laughing, and challenging your own
dogma, often within a single chapter. Each thematic chapter contains
anecdotes, key takeaways, and reflection exercises to help you move towards
a more positive existence. If you are stuck in a rut or have the desire to
make each day better than the last, then you will thoroughly enjoy Hope Not
Nope!"
-Dr. Tim Gabbett, Ph.D. Top 25 Most Impactful Sports Scientists of All
Time
"The greatest superpower human beings possess is hope - this guide
will teach you how to flex your superpower daily. Dillon masterfully
explains how to channel and direct your suffering experiences into a
position of hope. You'll learn how to microdose your mindset like an
optimist on a daily basis and change your perspective when life's illusions
are defying you. As the author likes to suggest, you always have choices in
life, but this book is worthy of a full send!"
⁃Dr. Craig Lindell, PT, DPT, CSCS. Co-Founder of [P]rehab
"Dillon is uniquely positioned in the fitness industry to bring a
vital message to lifelong athletes everywhere - that we must learn how to
empower ourselves in order to create lasting positive change. So many former
athletes surrender to an identity of being 'broken' or washed up, and their
health and self-worth suffer in the process. In this important book, Dillon
lays out a clear and actionable path to lead us through some necessary
suffering in order to reclaim our physical and mental health, and an ability
to continue to participate in the activities that bring us joy."
- Adam Rogers, CF-1. Coach of the World's Top CrossFit Athletes at Training
Think Tank
"More than ever people need to feel encouraged and empowered in the
modern healthcare world. I was driven away from a career in medicine and
towards a career in health and fitness in order to take part in the
empowerment movement and give clients tools to take into their own life in
order to reclaim their health, confidence, and control over their health
outcomes. Dr. Caswell shines a meaningful light on this dilemma that people
face. He highlights the problem in a way that can allow anyone to recognize
how the system is failing and then supports the reader with tools and
frameworks to enhance their health outcomes and reclaim their birthright of
a healthy and athletic body."
- Marcus Filly, Founder & Owner of Functional Bodybuilding"
About the Author
Dr. Dillon Caswell is a sought-out enthusiastic clinical Doctor of Physical
Therapy with expertise and a Board Speciality Certification in Sports. He
has spent more than 10 years in higher-level education both as a student and
adjunct professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He desires to empower
and educate the next generation by cutting through the biased lies
surrounding the human experience by constantly seeking and delivering the
truth in science and healing. This mission has fueled him to write Hope Not
Nope and host one of the top alternative health podcasts in the world: The
[P]rehab Podcast. Dr. Caswell embodies servant-based leadership, bringing
people that have been shamed with “nope” to the truth of hope,
in a practice he founded and owns: Action Potential Performance Physical
Therapy (AP3T), PLLC in Syracuse, NY.
This post is part of a Cover Reveal organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter will win a $10 Amazon gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The Script is not Enough takes a unique look at the making of four different independent feature films. The author takes you through every stage in development from writing, to financing, and to distribution and marketing. Find out how you can learn from the hard experiences and challenges that face the filmmaker along the way.
About the Author:
Jamison LoCascio is an award-winning feature film director. In 2012, Jamison LoCascio began to write the screenplay for his first union short, "Midnight Catch," which garnished much acclaim at the New Jersey International Film Festival and Manhattan Film Festival. LoCascio decided to form his production company, Halcyon Valor Productions Incorporated. Graduated from Montclair State University with honors winning the “Excellence in Filmmaking” award for his numerous successful productions which premiered in film festivals around the world. LoCasio's short films have since been honored by the Screen Actors Guild and screened at such festivals as the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, Montclair Film Festival, and NewFilmmakers New York. LoCascio's shorts "Track 3," "A Stranger's Confession," and "Powerless" were all official selections of the Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner. His films have been anthologized in the prestigious Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan, distributed worldwide on DVD, picked up for online distribution by Film Bay. DIRECTV & AT&T distributed 6 of LoCascio's short films on their new International short film platform. LoCascio's first feature film, "The Depths," starring Michael Rispoli and Patch Darragh won Best Feature Film at the 2017 Manhattan Film Festival and had a strong critical reception. The film also won Best Feature Film and Best Director at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Awards and received domestic distribution with Sony Pictures and The Orchard releasing on all major platforms including Amazon, Itunes, DVD and more. LoCascio's second feature film "Sunset" starring acclaimed actor Austin Pendleton received rave reviews and won multiple awards including Best Dramatic Feature Film at the 2018 Manhattan Film Festival, Best Ensemble at the 2018 Los Angeles Film Awards, Best Leading Actor (David Johnson) International Independent Film Awards. "Sunset" also received domestic distribution with Sony Pictures and The Orchard. LoCascio and Adam Ambrosio have recently launched their latest initiative by filmmakers for filmmakers called Film Valor, a youtube channel with over 3,000 worldwide followers and over 250,000 views, a behind the scenes look at their filmmaking process. "Know Fear," his latest feature film, received critical acclaim and stars Amy Carlson. The film had a limited theatrical release. His next feature film "How Dark They Prey," a unique horror anthology, has been released on major streaming platforms including Amazon Prime, Tubi, Plex, Udu, Mometu and many more with critics hailing the film as "Horror at its best". His latest feature film release “7x7” is a collection of many of LoCascio’s award-winning short films brought together for one viewing experience on major platforms including Tubi and Amazon Prime.
The Fall of Mu is the captivating first book of the Galactic Pact series.
This multi-generational epic blends science fiction and historical fiction
to transport you to a pre-historic era where humanity built an interstellar
empire. With vivid scenes, rich characters, and chapters that defy
expectations, this book takes you on an exciting journey across the
stars.
Michael is sixteen when his homeland is destroyed in a nuclear attack, his
parents are murdered, and he is the one responsible for ensuring his
people's survival. Throughout Michael's struggles with alien overlords,
apathetic allies and godlike creatures, we follow him as he discovers what
it takes to lead in a dystopian universe and how hard it can be to cling
onto hope in times of despair. But this is only the beginning!
About the Author
R. Halderman is a fiction writer and engineer with a passion for
philosophy. He is the author of exciting and provocative literature, blazing
a trail for a new style of fiction for a new generation. His writing draws
on science fiction's past and present to create a unique voice in
contemporary fiction.
You can learn more about R. Halderman at www.RHalderman.com. You can also
find him on Gab: @RussellH and Minds: @rhalderman
Childhood should be a time of love, safety, and security. Childhood
shouldn't be hard. But for Dr. Christopher Smith, what shouldn't have been
was. This is the true inspiring story of Dr. Smith, who overcame being a
homeless teenager to become a physician at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins
Hospital.
Dr. Christopher Smith is a physician who completed his medical training at
the world-famous Johns Hopkins Hospital. He wrote this book to give hope to
all for a better life. Please enjoy and share with others.
"Against all odds" is really the only way I can describe HOMELESS
To HOPKINS. This is not only an American success story, it is a human
expression of inner faith... Chris' book is an inspiration for anyone asking
themselves if they can achieve their dreams... After reading this book, I
would say you will have your answer and that answer is yes, anything and
everything is possible."
— Mariel Hemingway. Oscar and Emmy
nominated actress and bestselling author
A portion of all sales will be donated to charity.
About the Author
Dr. Christopher Smith is a Board- Certified practicing physician who
completed his residency and fellowship at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins
Hospital. Dr. Smith currently lives in Florida and is a partner with
Quantum Imaging and Therapeutics. He dedicates time and resources to raising
awareness of homeless children and finding solutions to help them overcome.
Chris enjoys making new memories with his family, walking barefoot on the
beach, traveling, and photography.
Born into obscurity, poverty, and indifference in the 1960s in the heart of
the African wilderness, Kisemei Kupe experienced neglect, hunger,
loneliness, misdirection, abuse, and danger to a degree that very few in our
Western culture could imagine. Reaching out for help, he devoted himself to
Islam only to find himself in acute despair and hopelessness. Yet in the
midst of these crushing circumstances, Kisemei experienced a dramatic
encounter with the vision of a man he had never met and whose name he
didn’t know. It was an encounter so genuine and a metamorphosis so
drastic that it would set in motion a series of events that would lead him
to face certain death for his actions. He was once a warrior for his
village, but now a new warrior had emerged. This is a story that many of us
need to hear today—a story that transcends the jury of society, an
abiding story of truth and hope for us all.
About the Author
Clark Wiginton is a physician, entrepreneur, and writer who lives in west
central Texas with his wife, Stephanie, and their five children. He is a
personal friend of the subject of this book.
The Pursuit of Wisdom, Knowledge, Spiritual Power, and the Minds of God
Through Multiplism
Nonfiction / Spiritual / Self-Help
If art imitates life, this book imitates the artist’s mind.
Specifically an artist that has surrendered most of their natural born life
to the arts. As the decades change so does the style of the art and their
philosophy of how they approach their medium. This book follows the
artist’s transformation and expression of that art in correlation to
the influences, both external and internal, over a lifetime of study. The
influence is sometimes physical and direct, other times more seemingly
abstract and metaphysical. And it continually revisits the question, how in
control are we, or is there something bigger at work? Are we bound to repeat
history or do we always have the power to change our path? The author
provides anecdotes that seem to answer the text's questions directly, and at
other times stir the ambiguity. At the same time, the format of the book as
an anthology allows for it to rest on any coffee table and be cracked open
at any page to enjoy a slice of the larger thought-pie.
The Immortal Kiss Dark Fantasy Romance Series is ON SALE for $0.99 for a
Limited Time!
Centuries ago ten powerful vampire gods first walked the earth; their blood
thirst knew no boundaries. The destruction of mankind was inevitable.
Recognizing their weakness, they selected twelve wise human beings to
transform with their godly blood. These twelve, known as The Old Ones and
The Council, govern The Ten. A blood lottery appeasing The Ten’s
hunger was set forth into the human world and passed down every fifth
generation, continuing into the present day.
All of Beth Ryan’s life a mysterious mist has watched over her; a
mist she believed to be a vampire. On a cold winter night, Philippe Delon, a
700-year-old vampire walks into Beth’s life. She is drawn to him,
certain he is the vampire behind the mist...but is he?
Beth and Philippe cannot deny their love for each other, nor do they try to
fight it. Within days of their encounter, Beth accepts Philippe’s
invitation to move into his mansion. The mansion unlocks the door to the
vampire world and exposes secrets from Beth’s past. Within its walls,
she learns the true identity of the mist, her link to the blood lottery, and
betrayal of her loved ones. Surrounded by lies, Beth stands before The
Council begging for resolution.
Five years crawled by at a painfully slow pace for young vampire, Beth;
each year more agonizing than the next. The powerful unyielding spell which
masked Amon’s whereabouts showed no signs of weakening.
Influenced by the binding ritual and Amon’s blood surging inside her,
Beth will stop at nothing, and risk everything, to find him and turn the
tables on Osiris, Isis, and Hathor. In foggy streets of London, lives
are threatened by a new breed of hunter, and nothing is what it
seemed. Beth once again finds herself surrounded by betrayal. In
the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Philippe and Amon
– knowing that her decision will change one life forever. But whose?
Brandon Cass is not your average teenager. He has a taste for
blood—human blood. For sixteen years, he stumbled through life without
a hitch until the enigmatic aroma of blood awakened something dark within
him. Visions of a beautiful young woman with chocolate brown hair and ocean
blue eyes haunt his mind, yet her identity is a puzzling mystery.
His hunger for blood strengthens, and the cravings become too powerful to
control. No one is safe, not even his family. To safeguard all he once found
dear, Brandon sets out on a quest for answers. In an unfamiliar city, he
comes face-to-face with the beautiful young woman, confronts the dark force
which controls him, and learns what he must endure to reclaim his soul.
LAURA DALEO is known for capturing vampiric persuasion in her Immortal Kiss
series. This book takes an interesting spin on the Egyptian pantheon, from
which vampires originated. At present, she is working on Once We Were
Witches, the fourth book in the Immortal Kiss series.
Immortal Kiss, Bound by Blood, The Vow, The Vampire Within, The Soul
Collector, and The Doll are among her published works.
She grew up in San Diego, California, and currently lives with her two
dogs, Rose and Cooper, in Tucson, Arizona.
“Why do I get the feeling that Christopher is the type of man that would make the perfect husband for any woman and, at the same time, the perfect wife for any man?” Laura says shortly after Christopher begins his new job at the TV station. Laura’s statement would turn out to hold more truth than she could imagine. No one who meets Christopher, especially not Laura, as well as David, a gay man he meets at a party, understands what it is about him that draws them to him. They also don’t realize that Christopher is searching for something, a search complicated by their desires for him.
Excerpt
I began to question accepting Laura’s invitation when I heard the noise coming from the backyard as we approached the house. I disliked crowds, and it sounded like an immense crowd was on the other side of the gate.
People were everywhere—seated on lounge chairs scattered around the patio or at the rectangular dining table or milling about in various groups—talking loudly over the blaring music. Laura’s voice broke through the noise.
“I don’t see Peter anywhere. He might be inside. Shall we find him?”
“By all means. I would feel uncomfortable attending his party without meeting him.”
I followed Laura into the house. As we passed through the living room, my eyes fell on a few framed photos of a handsome couple on the wall.
In the kitchen, a solitary male figure was removing a tray of croissants from the oven.
“Hello, Peter.”
As he turned around, I recognized Peter as one of the men in the photos. Tall and slender, with dark hair and a mustache waxed into handlebars, there was a dapperness to him that I found pleasing.
“Hey, Laura. Lovely to see you!”
After setting the hot tray down, Peter hugged her.
“Peter, I want you to meet Christopher. He just moved here from Seattle and works with me at the station.”
“How do you do, Peter?“
Having grown used to the reaction my presence caused, I smiled patiently as Peter, unable to speak right away, shook my offered hand.
“I hope you do not mind my crashing your party. Laura assured me that you would not object to her bringing me.”
“No, of course, I don’t mind.”
The words tumbled out one on top of the other.
“Is there anything we can do to assist you?”
“No, I have it all under control, thanks. Please help yourself to the food and drinks out on the patio.”
“We will. Thanks,” Laura said, taking my arm and steering me back through the living room.
“Peter is very nice,” I commented as we stepped through the doors and headed towards the drinks table. “Can I make you something?”
“A mimosa, thanks. Yes, Peter’s a sweetie.”
We stood sipping our drinks as I scanned the crowd of mostly men, a mix of young and old, before Laura took me around, introducing me to the people she knew.
I instinctively searched their eyes for the essence of another while ignoring Laura’s scrutinizing gaze.
Laura needed to use the bathroom, so she left me standing under the large Ficus tree where we had sought shade from the sun. Within minutes of her departure, I was surrounded by a large group of people vying for my attention. Carrying on multiple conversations was challenging, but I did my best to make each person feel they had my full attention.
He caught my attention on the periphery of my vision: tall and well-built, resembling the small statue of the god Mars that sat on the table in Joseph’s shop. Our eyes met, and I felt my heart skip a beat, seeing something flash in his eyes. Smiling hopefully, I extended my hand to him.
“Hello, my name is Christopher Dunn.”
As he shook my hand, I took the opportunity to search his golden-brown eyes. My initial hope turned to disappointment, for while something was there, it was not another’s essence. Though disappointed, I was intrigued.
“Davidmartelli.”
He slurred the two names into one in his haste to get the words out.
As I gazed into his eyes, the feeling of a purpose to our meeting appeared—first Laura and now David.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, David Martelli,” I said, saying his name distinctly.
David blushed attractively, causing a twinge in my heart.
“Can I get you a drink?”
He looked so crestfallen when I held up my cup that I was tempted to down my drink and ask him for another.
“Oh, you have one.”
“I do, but I appreciate you asking.”
I gave him a smile to back up my words. It was apparent that David was struggling to find something to say, the frustration evident in his handsome features. I wanted to get him away from the people surrounding us and talk to him alone, but I did not see how I could do so without offending everyone else.
Conscious of the eyes watching us, David blushed again and backed away.
For some reason, I knew that this behavior was out of character for him. Watching him walk away, I hoped we would meet again as I wanted to discover what I saw in his eyes.
About the Author
Stephen Hardy was born in the San Francisco Bay Area but grew up in the Pacific Northwest. His career as a fashion designer took him back to San Francisco before he headed to New York City, where he met his husband of twenty years. Tiring of the hectic pace of the fashion industry, Stephen gave up his career to become a stay-at-home dad for his and his husband’s two adopted sons and a quiet life in Connecticut. Now residing in Phoenix, Arizona, and with the kids grown, Stephen returned to university, where he rediscovered his love for writing. His focus is on contemporary fiction, examining social issues regarding gender, sexuality, and relationships. Search for Complete is his first novel, and a sequel is expected in early 2024.
Originally
from the Pacific Northwest, I currently live in Phoenix, AZ with my
husband of 20 years. We met in New York City and then moved to
Connecticut where we adopted our two sons. The boys were 6 & 7
when we adopted them from the foster system and are now 20 & 22.
I began my writing career 4 years ago and Search for Complete is my
debut novel. I did try the traditional route of publishing, but my
novel is a difficult one to categorize and I decided to self-publish.
The first of a planned three book series, I have book two written
with plans to publish at the end of the year and book three is about
halfway written with plans for a summer 2024 release.
How
long have you been an author?
4
years. I began work on my first novel in the summer of 2019
What/who
inspired you to start writing?
I
was inspired to begin writing Search for Complete after a
conversation I had with some friends. A statement was made which got
me thinking and the story just flowed out of me.
Tell
us about your new release. What inspired you to write it?
As
I mention above, the inspiration came from a conversation. My husband
and I were having brunch with another couple, who are straight, and
the husband made the comment on how similar his wife and I were to
the point that he would hear me say something and think it was his
wife saying those words. Out of this came my protagonist,
Christopher, a young man in possession of both a male and female
essence. He is asexual but attracted to both men and women. Because
of who he is, Laura, the other main character says, “Why do I get
the feeling that Christopher would make the perfect husband for any
woman, and the perfect wife for any man?” And that is Christopher,
if sexual intimacy were taken out of the equation.
How
did you decide on the title?
The
title came from one of the main themes of the novel. Christopher,
though complete in essence, is searching for something that will make
his female essence have a physical presence, thereby making him
physically whole again, as his earliest ancestor, a creation of the
moon had been.
What
are you working on at present? Would you like to share a snippet?
I
am beta-reading book two in the series, entitled The Price of
Happiness, and writing book three, When the Sun and Moon Meet. Book
two continues the story of Christopher and Laura, picking up a few
months after the birth of their twins. The twins bring so much joy to
Christopher, but not to Laura, who begins to feel resentment towards
Christopher. He got everything he wanted, but she feels like she
didn’t. The story follows their journey as a couple co-parenting
twins, but more importantly, Laura’s journey of self-discovery. In
addition, I have another novel about an eighteen-year-old gay man who
is on the autism spectrum, looking for love during his first year at
college. I was inspired to write this story after watching the
Australian docu-series Love on the Spectrum.
What
is the hardest part of writing any book?
The
hardest part for me is editing out scenes I may love but which don’t
move the story along.
Are
there any genres you prefer to write, and if so, why?
I
feel it is important to write what you know. As a gay man, I write
stories that are inspired by my experiences and observations of being
gay. As such, while not all of my characters are in the LGBTQ+
community, I prefer to write in this genre. Ideally, though, I would
like to think that my writing crosses genres and would appeal to a
wider audience.
What
novels do you adore/re-read?
My
favorite novel of all time is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I
love her character development and insightfulness into human
behaviors. I have been working on and off on a prequel to this novel,
told from Mr Darcy’s point of view. It is a slow process as I am
attempting to write in Austen’s vernacular.
Which
other writers do you follow?
Kyle
Scafide, who wrote Angel on My Corner.
Are
any of your characters based on you or people you know?
There
is a lot of me in Christopher, and I based the minor character of
Peter on my husband. But the others are an amalgamation of random
people I have known in the past.
Do
characters and stories just pop into your head, or do you take your
time thinking about and planning them?
I
experience both methods when writing. Search for Complete just popped
into my head and I began writing without an outline or a preconceived
outcome. The story evolved as I wrote. With the sequels, I did take
some time thinking and planning the story lines, as I had to figure
out the principal character’s journeys based on where they had been
at the conclusion of the first book.
How
often do you write? Do you have a schedule?
I
try writing every day during the week for a few hours. Weekends I
tend not to write so I can spend time with my husband. Occasionally,
I plan writing weekends where I rent an Airbnb in Flagstaff or Sedona
and get away with no distractions. I usually do this when I am
editing a first draft or struggling with the initial draft.
What
are your writing and personal goals for 2023 and beyond?
My
writing goals for the rest of this year and beyond is to publish the
second book in the series by the end of this year, publish the third
book in mid-2024 and then finish the novel about a gay teenager on
the autism spectrum looking for love during his first year of
college.
Are
you a cat person or a dog person? Tell us about your pets.
Definitely
a cat person. I grew up with them and my husband and I have three,
all siblings, two girls and a boy. They each have very different
personalities and quirks. Zen, the boy is like a dog in that he likes
to follow us around the house and greets us when we come home. Abby
is the loving one, likes to sit right next to us and cuddle. Zoe is
a bit more independent, but lets us know when she wants attention,
Her preferred spot in hanging over our shoulder and being carried
around.
If
you had access to a time machine just once, is there anything you'd
go back and change? Either on a personal level or an historical
event?
I
like my life now and am afraid of going back in time and changing
anything personally for fear of altering my life now. However, if I
could go back further in time, I would like to be part of the
Versailles Treaty committee and convince the allied forces not to
seek retribution from Germany after WWI. Had they not crippled
Germany’s economy, WWII might never have happened.
If
you could go anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would
you go, who would you take with you, if anyone, and why?
I
would take my husband on a round the world cruise, stopping off at
many ports to see as much of the world as possible.
Reed Barton is a millionaire who can have anything he wants, except the one
thing he desires most. His first love. He’s spent years trying to
recreate the night they met in a San Francisco bathhouse. The image of the
beautiful Filipino man who took his virginity is never far from his
thoughts.
Reed’s life is turned upside down when his long-lost love reappears
-- and not in a good way. Joseph Castro is not quite what he seems. Time and
experience have changed both men, and there’s no going back. But
maybe, together, they can go forward.
Excerpt
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Reed Barton had last minute jitters about going to the bathhouse. The men
might be old and creepy. His visit might get back to his family. The list
went on, but they were just excuses, soon cast aside in favor of discovering
what he’d been missing.
Nineteen, almost twenty, and still a virgin. He had little experience with
sex. Educated at authoritarian male boarding schools, there wasn’t
much time for fooling around. Lessons started early and finished late, and
afterwards the boys were kept busy with homework, sports, and dinner until
bedtime. Still, he’d witnessed a few incidents. He’d seen one
boy sucking another’s penis in the bathroom. At the time, Reed had
been appalled, but titillated as well. He pictured himself on his knees,
forced to suck another boy’s cock, and longed for the reality, but no
opportunity presented itself.
In college, Reed felt the inexplicable draw of chemistry, but only toward
other men. To his family he presented a picture of heterosexual
“normalcy” but in fact, he took to visiting a bar where gay men
hung out. He engaged in several hurried blowjobs in the bathroom, but
nothing more. One of his nameless encounters told him about the bathhouse.
Bathhouses had once been a rite of passage for gay men, but many had closed
through the years. Somehow, this one had survived and Reed was determined to
take advantage of whatever it had to offer.
The taxi deposited Reed in a downtown Frisco area known for muggings. Many
of the buildings were abandoned and there were no signs or addresses.
Confused, Reed questioned the driver. The man pointed down an alley and held
out his hand for the fare.
A few working streetlights cast eerie shadows as Reed entered the back
street. He felt uneasy, but the sense of danger excited him as well.
He’d always been tempted by the forbidden.
A sudden downpour pelted Reed with stinging drops. He picked up his pace,
ignoring the beer cans and fast food containers underfoot, and spotted a
heavy wooden door with a small sign affixed to it that read Rock Hard Gym.
Relieved, Reed pushed the door open and entered a small foyer.
A young man sat behind a window. He scrutinized Reed carefully before
selling him a membership. “Do you want a locker or a private
room?”
“A locker. I don’t know how long I’ll stay.”
“Fifteen for the membership. Five for the locker.”
Reed exchanged a twenty-dollar bill for an ID card, a white towel and a
plastic wristband with a locker key.
“There are condoms and lube in the locker room.” The clerk
buzzed Reed through another door.
The heady scent of sex intoxicated him. He didn’t care that the
floors were old and slippery with water and body fluids. The lockers were
rusty and the walls badly in need of paint, but Reed couldn’t see past
the naked male bodies.
Men stood, sat, and lingered in stages of undress, manspreading on changing
benches, tiny towels intentionally parted. Reed found it hard to look away
from the smorgasbord of flesh so openly exposed.
While searching for his locker, he became aware of the lingering looks he
attracted, but none of the men appealed to Reed, not even in the dim
lighting. He wanted to explore and he made quick work of undressing.
Wrapping the towel around his hips, Reed left the locker room. There was a
gym, small and ill equipped, but a gym nonetheless. Reed bypassed it.
Straight ahead he encountered an area where men of all ages and sizes, naked
except for their towels, stood around and watched gay porn. He watched the
film for a few minutes, then he moved on, entering a series of corridors
where men prowled the hallways looking for acceptable partners.
He passed door after door, some closed, many open. Grunts echoed from the
shadows. Reed caught glimpses of men grinding and thrusting. Moans filled
his ears. Hushed words, frightening and thrilling. Blood rushed to
Reed’s dick. It was electrifying to be surrounded by so much
sex.
Reed stepped around men who didn’t care about getting a room. Heart
pounding, he watched them giving blowjobs or having anal sex in the hall. A
few invited him to join in, but he wasn’t ready -- yet.
About the Author
Gale Stanley grew up in Philadelphia PA. She was the kid who always had her
nose in a book, her head in the clouds, and her hands on a pad and
pencil.
