My Christmas Stories Are Now Available!

I am very excited to announce that All Snug and Christmas Wish are now available for purchase! HURRAY!

I am so very, very proud of these stories. I hope you will love them!

You can find both stories by Clicking Right Here. They are only $3.99 a piece! Cheap at twice the price.

Here is a brief description of both stories:

All Snug

Elliot and Shawn each want to buy the same one-of-a-kind item for Christmas—a very old and expensive antique bed—as a gift for their lovers. But when they both arrive at the store at the same moment, the proprietor tells them to figure out between themselves who gets the bed. Elliot and Shawn decide to hold a contest: winner buys bed.

And so the competitions begin, from selling charity tickets to cleaning out stables, and interpersonal tension and burgeoning attraction mount as the days until Christmas pass. But who deserves the gift more: Elliot, who can afford the expensive gift for his casual sex partner, or Shawn, who can barely cover rent, and the mysterious man he’s head-over-heels for?

What makes me especially happy about this story is that Raymond came up with the original idea… Two guys wanting the same item for Christmas and the very ending. I had to figure it all out! *grin* It took forever to get started—I write my ideas—but when I did?—I wrote it in twenty-four hours. And it is a novella! I just had to write it once Raymond took an interest in what I was doing. I dedicated the story to him of course.

Christmas Wish

Harry is desperately unhappy with his life. He hates his job, his apartment, and most especially, he hates the way he looks. Despite this, once Harry hears that his fantasy man, Javier Torres, is playing Santa at the local gay bar, he can’t wait to get his picture taken sitting on Javier’s lap in hopes of finally catching the sexy man’s attention. But it all goes wrong, and Harry ends up telling a different “Santa” exactly how his life could be made better… but he doesn’t expect his Christmas wish to come true!

If you click on either title it should take you right to the title for sale; otherwise Just Click Here.

I hope you will find these stories to be filled with love, laughter, delight, and a moral for this Holiday Season!

Worn OUT This Morning

I am up too early and need to go back to bed.

Yesterday was a whirlwind of information CRAMMED into my brain about cows and ranching and the like. It is different than I expected, and how!

I even helped make this very small corral and tried to call in three stubborn cattle that were spread out over a huge pasture. I spotted the two missing ones, impressing the ranchers, but we were not able to go after them… It will probably happen today.

I was right there with the cows and I can still smell them! In a corral with a bunch of them and had no idea how many types of cows there were, even miniature ones. Got to pet a little guy — this is a cow so he wasn’t that small — named Ike. Sweet thing. LOL!

Lot of stuff whirling through my brain, FAR too much for a 10-12k story. We are talking novel here, so I will just have to start with the short story and then progress it into much more… Think I will go ahead and go with the point of view of the young guy who knows nothing about real cowboys and make the story where I really start presenting all this information in a story from the other character’s point of view…

WHEW!

Going back to be now! I had a great time!

More Cover Art!

I have my second cover! And yes, I am pretty excited about it too!

As well?

Hmmmm…

They sent me three covers for this story as well, and they and I liked this one best.

I love it.

Again, it is not exactly correct, but what cover is?

It is SO damned close and it sets the stage and hopefully makes you want to see what it is about. The two men are dressed completely different and appropriately and that is just right!

I am very happy. Are other authors as lucky as me? I hope so.

But I have heard horror stories, I can tell you.

Now I wonder what they will do with Desert Crossing? I am hoping to get a chance to start doing some of my own covers… Trying to get permission to at least have a shot at that in the future.

Got some edits back on Valentine’s Ball (and I still hate the name of that story…) and waiting for more.

Got some more insight on my vampire story and don’t have a CLUE what to call it! While transcribing it from the handwriting at work to my computer, I decided I wanted it a little bet scarier. Watched 30 Days of Night to chill me up (no pun intended) and it worked. I am going to love this one and I hope you will too.

More later!
BG

This Week In My Life

So I have finished second edits on both All Snug and Christmas Wish and I am very very happy with them.

LOTS of work, but I learnlearnlearn, and that is important.

Yesterday I finished my first draft of a story I am tentatively calling Valentine’s Ball (hate that title with its too porn implications). It is a sweet story, very romantic, and I hope it is well received. Sent it to my betas and hope to hear back soon so I can submit it.

Today I am working on my vampire apocalypse love story. Yup! All three in one story! These are nasty scary vampires, not rockstar-long-haired-googly-loving-eyed-sissy-boi-vampires. Nasty nasty nasty…

How can that bring romance? Stayed tuned to find out!

Work work work!

And a date with my husband today/tonight as well!

Namasté!
BG

PS: Anyone going to ConTraception this year? I know that better be there!!

Today is a VERY Important Day for Me!

Today is a VERY Important Day for Me!

So this is it! Today my first published story in over a decade (and the first I am proud to say I wrote) goes on sale.

* hint* hint* hint*

The story? Soul of the Mummy!

Here is a very brief synopsis…

S’ankhibthot is an ancient Egyptian trapped in a relationship with an insane warlock. Tucker Bradshaw is a modern gay man whose cheating lover has brought him to the brink of despair. Both men long for real love. When Tucker flees to Egypt, will the fates and ancient gods be able to bring them together across the sands of three thousand years? And if they do, how does the warlock feel about his lover S’an finding someone new in the modern world?

AND!

It is only $3.99! Can you believe it? Only $3.99 for a story with fun, excitement, romance, Egypt, and some hotness besides.

I even have great recommendations!

“‘SOUL of the MUMMY,’ is a story built on interesting concepts and intriguing characters which keeps you guessing all the way through – an all around entertaining read.”
~ Selina Rosen, author of JABONE’S SWORD

“BG Thomas offers a deliciously imagined story, richly detailed and researched. And what the hell, everyone loves a rousing — and an arousing — good “mummy” tale! Enjoy!”
~ Robin Wayne Bailey, author of the DRAGONKIN series and president of SFWA from 2005 to 2007

Just Click HERE!. My story is the second one listed below my bio.

It is real easy. They take Paypal and Visa and Master Card and Discover. So what could be easier than that?

Today I is an author for really!

Let me know if you buy it and read and … dare I say it? … like it!

Hell! I know you will! What’s not to like?

Namasté,
BG Thomas

Disappointing!

So I got a rejection from Dreamspinner Press on my story Second Contact. Disappointing! Bad day to get the email…

They say, “We have determined that your story does not fit our publication needs because of content mix required in the anthology.” I have no clue what that means and went ahead and asked to help myself learn how to refine stories for anthology usage in the future and they said there was nothing wrong with the story, and then repeated the same line. I don’t understand.

On the bright side!; the rejection letter, while not as sweetly phrased as my last rejection letter did include the fact that, “We did enjoy your story, and I hope you will consider submitting it on its own.”

So that is pretty cool. This allows me to make the story a little longer, which is what I really wanted in the first place. And it was a little longer than they advertised already. So this is good. My only disappointment then is that I want a story in an anthology because people are apt to buy collections, and then if they like a story, look to see if the author has anything else available.

So I will NOT get depressed about this! I will get excited at the opportunity to make it even better. After all, they rejected Just Guys for their anthology Necking and then wound up buying it as a stand-alone story (which will be available some time in June!)!

There were a few things I wanted in the story that I didn’t have time/space to do because of the word restrictions. This is a good thing! Right?

Right!

Send me luck!

Namasté,
Ben

AWESOME NEWS!; A Most Incredible Birthday Present!

And you dream and
The way will be clear
Pray and the angels will hear
Leap and the net will appear!

I just got the most amazing news! I mean, just got it!

Okay, remember when I told you I was submitting a story to Dreamspinner Press called Just Guys?

Remember when I told you it was rejected but it was the best rejection letter in the world because the editor of the anthology told me:

I am sorry for the delay in replying to you about your story “Just Guys.” I enjoyed the story quite a bit. However, I think it would be better as a stand-alone short story than as a part of the “Necking” anthology, due to the complexity of the themes you address.

In a second email she told me the story was “too good” for the anthology and that she would recommend the story to here editor-in-chief!

Well I just can an emailed contract from Dreamspinner!

I sold it! I have sold my second story!

Dear BG Thomas,

Thank you for your submission. We are interested in publishing Just Guys. The story would be published in eBook format with an option for audio release at a future date. I’ve attached a contract for your review. If it is acceptable, please sign the last page and send it to the address on the contract. Please email me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth North

*bounce*bounce*

Is that like the BEST birthday present ever??

Thanks to my betas on the story!

I HAVE SUCH A BLESSED LIFE!

Remember everyone (and this is important!), it is NEVER too late to pursue your dreams, even if you are almost fifty. Go for it!

LEAP, and the net WILL appear!
Namasté

Edits Arrived This Morning!

So the edits arrived this morning for my story “Soul of the Mummy,” and to tell you the truth, this Lynn West is good. Really really really good! I am pleased with almost every single thing she did, mostly just grammatical and the like.

There were one or two things that I am trying to negotiate for, but that’s it.

For instance, my betas may remember the line, “his flat flat stomach,” and how you all wanted it to be “flat, flat stomach.” I wanted the poetic feel, so that you really see just HOW flat it was.

Then there is the issue of whether Egypt is an African country or Middle-Eastern country. Technically, it is a rare transcontinental country, but because of the world it inhabits, so many think of it as a Middle Eastern country. I asked for the compromise of “Arabic” country.

See how few things I am “unhappy” about? I’m willing to let go of any of them. Lynn is an amazing editor and I can’t wait for the next steps!

And I can’t wait to see the cover. Nervous too! Covers can be SO bad and SO good! I worry that a misinformed artist will show a black ancient Egyptian. Somehow in the last decade or two, this idea has swept the African-American community that ancient Egyptians were black.

They weren’t. I’ve studied Egypt most of my life. They were ruddy colored, being out in the sun all the time. But the rich kept there wives indoors all the time so that they would be very pale. Ancient poetry describes a beloved one as “pale as the white breast of a dove.” If you have ever seen one of the most famous pieces of art in all time, the bust of Nefertiti, you can see she was not black.

Egyptians had Nubian (black) slaves…

And Nubia conquered Egypt for – I think it was about a century and that time was known as the time of the black Pharaohs…

Well, we will see!

Tough Writing Decision

I had a tough decision when it came to this writing thing.

Real name? Part of name? Pseudonym?

I wasn’t ashamed that I was writing something that had sexual content. It isn’t porn. If it was straight sex would there be anything to worry about?

I want people to know I wrote that!

But could it bite me in the butt at some point?

So I am going as BG Thomas. That is me, first and second initial.

I can always change it, “come out” so to speak, and the bio won’t leave much to doubt. If anyone wants to know, then I won’t hide.

On the other hand, if some future employee or whatever google’s my name, they won’t find it attached to erotica.

Because I can “come out,” but I can’t take it back, right?

This was very tough for me. With me it is mostly, “what you see is what you get.”

Hope I made the right decision!

Aaargh!

OMG!

I did it!

I just clicked the button on my mouse that re-submitted my story Just Guys to Dreamspinner Press, per one of their editor’s instructions, to the editor she suggested.

Remember that she states that: “I think it would be better as a stand-alone short story than as a part of the Necking Anthology, due to the complexity of the themes you address.”

She further told me that, “You wrote a story that deserves its own limelight, rather than being part of a collection! You did *too* well.”

Wish me luck!