More Deirdre O'Dare Tales

I will feature two more stories tonight, an older one and a 2014 release. The first is hetero and the second one is gay.  By chance both are on the same page of my section: http://www.amberquill.com/store/m/137-Deirdre-O-Dare.aspx?pi=3ce

Randi's Hellacious Adventure took a big leap into the hot zone from Karola's Hunt and The Taming of Jaelle'n. It came about due to one of those "what if" questions that writers sometimes ask and then answer with a wide variety of results. I was considering near death experiences and suddenly began to picture a very unusual one and the result it might have on a young woman's life. Randi seems to have everything but she is not happy. Her love life with her nice fiance is very --well, boring! Then an automobile accident almost ends her life and she wakes up with a whole different perspective.IsS it just a wee bit tongue in cheek? Well maybe, but then maybe not too. BTW, the guy she meets is described as black but not African American; he is a jet black demon! Nothing similar out there for my cover artist to grab and use. :-(


Here is the blurb and the cover. Scottsdale, Arizona, princess Randi O’Neal, depressed over her lackluster love life, is heading home from a shopping trip when a monster truck demolishes her little sports car. When she awakes, she’s in a strange place, even hotter than familiar Arizona summers, where she meets an out-of-this-world sexy mentor.

While on this weird near-death experience, can she learn enough sexy tricks to fire up her staid MD fiancé and get the erotic thrills she craves? 

The newer story Red Tails in the Sunset  is one close to my heart in many ways. I have a dread of wild land fires begun when there was one near my home when I was twelve. I also have a huge admiration for the pilots who fly in with slurry or water or smoke jumpers to fight these dangerous fires. I watched such a plane take off from the small airport near my home one day and the title popped into my head. Soon I 'met' the pilot and Red Tails began to take shape. To me it is a very special tale. Even if he is gay, I am half in love with Blaine Darby! And I love the cover--those mesmerizing eyes! The story was dedicated to the firefighters killed in Arizona a few years back.

Blurb and cover: 

Former military pilot Blaine Darby carries a load of guilt and pain from the harm he may have caused in wartime. Now he seeks to earn some good karma by fighting wild land fires while holding on to his great love of flying. But reporters like young Daz Contreras scare him—one of the few things that do—because he shuns the public eye.

Freelance investigative journalist Daz Contreras is convinced terrorists are behind at least some of the wild land fires plaguing New Mexico. All he needs is enough proof to break the story. As he pursues leads, he begins to shadow pilot Blaine Darby and, in the process, develops a gigantic case of hero worship.

When Daz is allowed to ride with Blaine one time, he hopes the adventure will help him to uncover the proof he seeks. Yet when a near tragedy unexpectedly develops and Blaine puts his life on the line to save a trapped hotshot firefighting crew, Daz realizes he’s an eyewitness to what may be a bigger story than the one he planned. But will the reclusive Blaine actually allow Daz to report the news as he sees fit, even as they grow closer?

Still going back into releases--and an offer

First, before I forget, if anyone who is reading this blog sends me some kind of documentation showing they bought a copy of The Mule Man, I will send you an unedited .doc file copy of A Mule for a Princess which as I explained is a follow-on story though not a true sequel.

Okay tonight I will do one old release, actually my third and then one 2014 story.

The Taming of Jaelle'n was actually the first semi-erotic story I started playing with, just a bit before I started to write Karola's Hunt. I have to laugh as I was kind of prudish back in those days. As Gwynn Morgan I had been writing pg-13 level romances. I did not quite close the bedroom door but the love scenes were not very graphic and the language was squeaky clean! So I dipped a toe in and then took another step and finally just held  my nose and dove right in! Turned out to be a lot of fun.

Okay, I got this picture of a somewhat spoiled and strong willed princess in some fantasy medieval world who was captured and sold into slavery. She is bought by a man who among other businesses, buys and sells pleasure slaves! He is taken with her beauty and watches her training more closely than most of his purchases and decides to take it over himself.  So in the long run it is a question of who will tame who! There is some mild bondage and discipline--something I do not write much of since I am totally not into that personally--and a bit of "Midnight at the Oasis" as one reviewer mentioned. Mostly it is just fun.

Here is the blurb and the cover.

Taken captive and sold into slavery, Princess Jaelle'n has to make some swift adjustments in her attitude to survive. She is bought by a gorgeous but arrogant man who vows he can make her and a score of other female captives into prime pleasure slaves in one phase of the moon! Although she is determined to fight his efforts at taming and training her with all her hatred and will, his virile mastery proves irresistible. She eventually must succumb to the overwhelming attraction and lets herself start to love Aguilar only to learn she'll be sold again…

In spite of this new heartbreak, can she use her newly developed skills to tame a new master?

Set in an exotic world just a bit like ours may once have been, The Taming of Jaelle'n explores the fascinating physical and emotional byplay between two strong characters and the question of who will ultimately tame whom.

A Game of Hearts was a Sept 2014 release. This may be the most unusual story I have written because it delves into a notion that had haunted me for some time. I am a staunch supporter of the organ donor network and the idea of letting someone's death give a new lease on life to someone else. When my younger brother died early from an aneurysm, I signed the papers to allow anything that could be used to be taken prior to his cremation. I know at least his eyes gave someone new sight and I am happy for that. But what happens when a person receives an organ and goes on with his or her life? Can anything from the donor live on in terms or memory, personality or other aspects? That is the premise this tale explores. Reviews were mixed but most seem to feel it was a powerful tale. Here is the blurb and the cover. 

Blurb: Acclaimed photographer DeVore Weyrick lost the love of his life ten years ago, and when it came to his love life, became a recluse. Now, at one of the few social functions he steels himself to attend, he meets an amazing young man and suddenly begins to wonder whether he can find new life and new love. The game of hearts is always risky, but what if a part of your first love now lives within another man’s body?

Tim Hardesty was a preemie and always frail. As a teenager, an organ transplant was the only thing that could save him. Now grown to manhood, he is still struggling to break away from family ties and find a purpose for his life. It’s a thrill to meet the charismatic DeVore, an idol whose powerful photographs move many. But is this attraction his own or coming from the stranger’s heart now beating in his chest?

More of Deirdre O'Dare's Stories

I had six releases in 2015, all with Amber Allure, the GLBT line. I'll feature the last two today.  Remember you can get them and others at http://www.amberquill.com/store/m/137-Deirdre-O-Dare.aspx?pi=3

The Mule Man was released in December. I'd been wanting to feature a mule or several in a story for along time. Years ago I was in business with my dad raising and training horses and mules mostly for trail riding and hunting or wilderness expedition use. I am a big booster of the long eared critters and delighted to see that in many 'horsey' circles they have become very popular. I think that is uber cool!

Anyway, here is the cover and blurb from The Mule Man. BTW, the yet unpublished A Mule for a Princess that I have talked about some is a follow-on to this story. I hope to get it in some publisher's queue very soon!

Blurb: Orville “Orr” Loveless is exactly where he knows he belongs, rescuing and training mules.

Despite their reputation, which Orr feels is undeserved, he knows mules are smart, sure-footed, and great mounts for trail riding and outdoor adventures. He has no tolerance for anyone who mistreats them or any other animals but he can’t always give such folks the “what for” they deserve. The only thing he lacks is a human partner to share the work and the fun, and he knows his lifestyle is not likely to attract one.

Jase Keller is drawn back to New Mexico where his forgotten roots have remained. His high finance job is about to destroy him and he desperately needs a big change of pace for this vacation. The only problem is, Orr Loveless doesn’t seem to want to take him on a wilderness trip and is determined to send him packing.

It’s the opposite of the farm boy seeing the city for the first time. Jase sees another life and it’s the one he wants. The only trick is to convince Orr that Jase can be the partner he needs. But how can he persuade a stubborn mule man?

Just prior to that, Midnight Cowboys was released in October, part of a collection about the "sexy" sixties.I lived through that era but it is surprising how much you forget. Going back was an adventure as I lived it with my two heroes in this one. I was much more like Jerry, the conservative small town college student, but college can be a very educational experience! Even if you were not even a twinkle in your dad's eye in 1969, this will provide a fun look at this significant era in our past.  Sex, drugs and rock n' roll were a happening thing.

Blurb: Two young men from different backgrounds end up roommates at a state college in west Texas during the latter part of the turbulent ’60s. In the course of their developing relationship, both get an education while treading near the edge of risk and ruin in a time when “anything goes.”

Riki is the black sheep of a wealthy family with one final chance to avoid the draft or disinheritance. His dream is to become a hot guitarist with a rock band, but his weakness for recreational drugs might become a stumbling block. Jerry is a true son of Bible Belt America, happy to be in college and perhaps rise above the lower middle class level of his family. He has to grow rapidly through his shock and meld into the times that had not yet found his small-town roots.

When the two men form an unlikely friendship, will it develop into a deeper bond as they experience drugs, sex, and rock ’n’ roll? And will that bond bring them to the brink of disaster, or lead them down the path to maturity and knowledge?

Looking Back at 2015 titles

Continuing with the Deirdre O'Dare back list, I'm going to feature two titles from last year in today's post. Remember, you have to get them by March 30, 2016 and best location to do it is: http://www.amberquill.com/store/m/137-Deirdre-O-Dare.aspx?pi=4

A Cop and A Con grew out of a remark by a fairly well known writer some years back at a workshop: If your hero is a firefighter, your heroine --or other hero--should be an arsonist. That sounds kind of foolish at first glance but think about it. In a love story there needs to be a nearly insurmountable obstacle standing between te two parties and their happy ever after. If the two main characters follow conflicting professions, that;s a big barrier. So, a cop and a convict...
As I often do, I found a couple of canine characters worked their way into the tale too and at times darn near steal the scene. This will e one of my long term favorittes, I think, because I put a lot of heart into it. It's one I will try to rehome but that may take awhile. Here is the cover and the blurb.

Blurb: When a cop and a newly released convict cross paths, few cons can expect anything but a cold shoulder and mistrust. Struggling back to the home he knows no longer exists, Ike Hernandez meets a cop who seems to be different. He isn’t sure he can believe the kindness he receives will continue. Still, he wants to learn to trust again and regain his lost self-respect.

Perry Parker became a law enforcement officer because he wanted to help people. He’d seen first-hand the results of poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, a crumbling economy and the insidious effects of peer pressure and bad examples on the youth. He’d watched hardship trickle down to crush the youngest and weakest. He found there was not a lot he could do, but now and then he discovered someone he could help. Would the lost man with the little dog that he picked up one bitter cold and stormy night be one of them?

Pursuing tales about a new drug dealer in his county, Perry starts to doubt the man he’s befriended, but he still feels Ike is a decent person. When the real dealers seek to take advantage of the convict’s past, it takes Perry and his unofficial canine partner and the little stray Ike had adopted to save the day. Can a cop, a con, and two dogs make an unorthodox family?

The other 2015 release I want to share is Return to Atsileigh. It is a spin off and kind of a sequel to my very first m/m romance which was so well received it changed my writing focus in many ways. I had never tried anything remotely like science fiction, although I have been an avid sci fi reader for years,  and I really did not think I could write a gay romance! Treading Dangerous Ground changed that in a huge way. I knew there was more to the story but it took awhile to make the story work. Finally I got 'er done! Here is the blurb and cover. 

Blurb: The sequel to Amber Allure’s Best Seller Treading Dangerous Ground...

Some years ago, Hightower’s Betrayal ended the existing settlement of old world Native Americans on the obscure world of Atsileigh. But was Hightower the betrayer or the betrayed?

Floyd Jaxon, Nathan No Horses, and Jamison Hightower, nephew of the earlier Hightower, meet as cadets at the Unifleet Training base. They alternately razz each other and share in some steamy interludes as they are drawn into the growing plot to mark Hightower’s Betrayal with a return to Atsileigh.

Can their budding friendship withstand the dangers and demands they must face? Will Nate’s contempt for the Hightower name destroy any chances for a long-term connection among them? The future looms ahead, filled with threat and promise. How the three young men grow to deal with it and each other will impact them all...

More from Deirdre's back list

My second release at Amber Quill, Pickup Man  was the first of a series of three tales that were closely related, so I am going to hit all three this time. The series was titled The Rodeo Girls and the plots center around three women who are close friends that found love in various aspects of their favorite sport. The covers, of course, feature the hunky cowboys they hooked up with. The second tale, Portrait of a Cowboy was my fourth release and Cowboy First Aid was my fifth.  They are stand alone tales but can best be read in a group!

They are available in ebook form and in the print anthology Daring Delights. Buy them at http://www.amberquill.com/store/m/137-Deirdre-O-Dare.aspx

Here are the covers and the blurbs follow each one.

 High school librarian Jana's best friends Kim and Tracy accuse her of being a professional spinster, still single at twenty-seven. On a bet with them, the weekend of the big rodeo, Jana goes to the favorite nightspot of the rodeo crowd to try to pick up a cowboy. Before the night is over, she knows the steak dinner she'll win from her friends is by far the least of her prizes. Once she gets acquainted with Ty, the phrase "ride 'em cowboy" takes on a whole new meaning. She just might run her brand on this one!

 Sports photographer Kim is down on cowboys. Since her divorce, she is determined to go it on her own. Most of the rodeo crowd knows she won't date a performer. When she literally trips over hunky Wolf Voegler, however, she has to rethink her rule. Swept away by his gorgeous looks and his European charm, she rationalizes: surely one dinner date won't hurt…or even one unforgettable night of passion. Before it is over, though, she finds herself wanting more than just a portrait of this cowboy as a keepsake..

EMT Tracey is down on cowboys—they live on the road and any day can suffer a crippling or fatal accident. Burned by her trucker ex-husband’s infidelity, she feels love and a traveling life style can never mix. When she picks up Skip Horton after he’s been trampled by two horses, she can’t help but notice his great physique. Then he awakens in the ambulance and steals a kiss. She’s torn between attraction and wrath.Damn randy cowboys! Will they never quit flirting?

When her impulsive offer ends with him spending the night at her home, the attraction explodes. This cowboy, even injured, can make her feel things she’s never felt before. But won’t he be gone tomorrow? She doesn’t dare let lust overrule her common sense, much less admit her feelings could be anything deeper. But how can she help wanting more and more and more when this cowboy provides first aid for her wounded heart and self-esteem?

My first and most recent titles

My first Amber Quill title was Karola's Hunt, which was one of the contest winners in 2004, the first year a contest was held to discover some new writers to add to their regulars. By odd coincidence, I got the email to let me know twelve years to the day from the date the firm will close its doors and site.

This was a fairly mild erotic tale but you have to recall that things have changed a bit in the passing years and we've kept pushing the envelope! It is still sexy and a read a bit out of the ordinary! It was called an example of "classy" erotica, spicy and explicit without being at all crass or crude.

Blurb: Karola, daughter of Diana, is totally innocent and wild, having never left the forest where she has grown up. Then one day she encounters an intruder, someone who looks a bit like her but also very different. In Damien she finds her first human friend and much, much more. Before the day is over, she has discovered what it means to be female as she is awakened to the delights of her sexuality and the first stirring of love.

But how can Karola ensure Damien will return again to play more of these magical games with her?

My most recent story is a gay romance, which has been the principle genre in which I have written for the past several years. It is a nostalgic contemporary, not quite far enough into the past to be historical but not in the twenty-first century, either. The tale is set in 1949 and that era posed some challenges in presenting a gay relationship at a time when attitudes were far less tolerant and homosexuality was still illegal in most places. Still, I enjoyed writing it and paid a kind of tribute to the magazine that was a way for me to find some friends long before the internet dating scene was even imagined! So here is Thank You, Ranch Romances

Blurb: Rancher Wade is struggling to hold his life together after his wife’s death leaves him with two small children as well as a ranch to run. In desperation, he puts a letter in a pulp magazine, announcing that he’s seeking a housekeeper and nanny to help him manage his home. The last thing he expects, however, is the young man who steps off the train in response to the ad.

Darnell is at the end of his rope. The war is over and jobs are hard to find, especially to one who has few skills other than cooking and keeping house, learned while he helped his abandoned mother keep their family intact. The letter he finds in a discarded magazine seems a godsend, so he jumps at the opportunity. It doesn’t take long to fall in love with young Ben and Winnie, but he also develops a huge crush on the rugged and manly Wade, who seems to be everything Darnell is not. Dare he dream that Wade might find him attractive, too?

In the 1940s, the vernacular used toward people such as Darnell are crude and insulting. Prejudice abounds, and he feels its keen cuts. Can he make himself a place in the lives of the family he has adopted, or will hate and suspicion send him fleeing?

Three months to complete your Deirdre O'Dare collection!

All of my back list books at Amber Quill are available and most at a discount from now until March 31. On that date they will be out of print and I cannot guarantee which ones will be available again and when that might happen. Since Deirdre has sixty three shorter--story and novella length-- titles plus eleven collcctions in print, I will try to feature a couple almost every day. That way you can check whether or not you have them and want to get them before they are gone. My page at AQP until the closing date is still at http://www.amberquill.com/store/m/137-Deirdre-O-Dare.aspx

All my titles are listed and available there from the first, Karola's Hunt to the most recent, Thank You, Ranch Romances. 

I am already talking to some other publishers, especially about my m/m romances and will definitely let you know how things go and what may be appearing in other venues within a few months. There are several other excellent publishers who either feature some GLBT books or publish them exclusively. A number of Amber Quill authors are already making arrangements to submit new work and republish older titles with them so it is likely that Deirdre O'Dare will be around iin the future.

Today in a separate post I will cover those two and every day or two until they are all posted, I'll feature a couple, one older and one newer.