Emerald: Rewriting History

by EM Lynley
Contemporary gay erotic romance

89 pages / 20200 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-022-0
Ebook formats- html, lit, Adobe and Sony optimized pdf, prc, epub
http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2743

Tobin Wyler is about to open the most significant exhibit in his career as a curator, and everything is going perfectly until he spots his former boyfriend chatting with his most important contributor at the black-tie reception. It goes from bad to worse because not only did Pierce Worthington once break Tobin’s heart, but he’s suspected of being the elusive art thief known as Jaguar, and Tobin knows his target is the highlight of the exhibit: an enormous emerald known as the Green Sorrow.

Pierce is torn about seeing Tobin again. He is expected to obtain the emerald, but he knows it may damage Tobin’s reputation. What Pierce doesn’t expect is how quickly old feelings about Tobin rise to the surface. Hoping to ease Tobin’s fears and spend time with him, Pierce offers to let Tobin keep a constant eye on him for the thirty six hours leading up to the exhibit. Thrown together again out of necessity laced with attraction, Tobin must figure out how to protect the emerald, his reputation, and his heart.

Read an excerpt!

Word Counts - Today: 0 | August: 0 | 2010: 45,474

I happened upon an article about va-tooing, taking decorating yourself to a whole new level. I’m all for expressing yourself and wanting to make yourself attractive to your partner, but I find this particular design a definite turn-off. Seeing this bearded guy on my partner would have me running out the door. The tattoo is temporary, only lasting about five days, but couldn’t they come up with something a bit more alluring? More about vattooing.

Got any interest in trying this? Or one of the other v-spot decorating techniques like vajazzling (putting sparkly designs down there)?

Word Counts - Today: 0 | July: 0 | 2010: 45,474

I just finished the final round of edits for my Torquere Color Box novella and I’ve also got the cover art to share.

Release date is set for July 31, and I’m very excited about it.

This is the jewel thief story… My editor liked it so much I think it will be a series.

The cover is pretty simple but it works great for the story. They are either wearing tuxes or naked for the whole thing….

Word Counts - Today: 0 | July: 0 | 2010: 45,474

Remember I mentioned trying a new fitness regimen? It’s working! During June I walked a little over 80 miles, not counting a couple of days when my iPod wasn’t working and I didn’t get to record my walks. All the miles were done outside, either in the hills around my house or the nearby lake. No treadmill. Just plenty of fresh air and sunshine. Lots of eye candy jogging around the lake, too. So many reasons to get out of the house.

I got one of those nike+ gizmos that attaches to your iPod, with one part in your shoe, and it keeps track of how far and how fast you walk. Then you can upload all the data into iTunes and then the Nike website and see all sorts of cool graphs of your workout. I’ve cut my time per mile by over 10% during the past few weeks alone and by about 20% from a month or so ago. I’m one of those data-oriented people (also called geeks) who like looking at charts and numbers and using that to motivate myself. And for me, this works.

My other secret? Instead of listening to music, the way I used to do, I’ve been listening to audiobooks. If I want to know what happens next, I have to keep walking! It’s a great incentive. I find myself taking two walks a day sometimes, just so I can listen to another chapter or two. My public library is part of Netlibrary and there are tons of great books to download/check out. And it’s all legal!

Here’s hoping I can keep up the good work during July.

I’ve set myself a few goals for the month, both personal and professional, and I’ll probably be writing/checking in here about my progress on those. I also love to get other people’s suggestions for setting and achieving goals, and I’ll post again about that as well.

Word Counts - Today: 0 | June: 0 | 2010: 45,474

This anthology (along with the angels/demons volume) got put on hold for a while mainly due to personal/health issues, but I’m currently working on it very actively. I still have a few slots open, so if you or anyone you know write f/f erotic romance, check out the details of the call and feel free to pass it on. The deadline is now August 15 or when slots fill, so don’t wait too long to send in your stories!

RUMPLEDSILKSHEETS Call for subs:http://www.emlynley.com/cfs.html

If you subbed a story previously and haven’t heard back, please let me know. I might have missed sending a few decisions but I think I am caught up at the moment.

If you subbed for the angels/demons antho, that is still on hold, and I won’t be sending any more decisions for at least two weeks. I’ll make an announcement here at that point.

If you’ve gotten an acceptance and signed a contract for either of these, be sure they will be going forward during the next month or so, and you will be getting edits if you haven’t already received them. Thanks so much for your patience while I worked through everything here.

Word Counts - Today: 0 | June: 0 | 2010: 45,474

Some of you may have been following developments during the past few months inThailand: government opposition has grown so strong that the once-peaceful country has seen political demonstrations that left thousands injured and nearly 30 people dead. In recent weeks the demonstrations in the center of Bangkok have been so violent that several international hotels asked their guests to leave and find accommodation in a safer part of town. There is concern for the safety of tourists as well as locals.

Clearly this is enormous news in Thailand, but probably not many people gave it a second thought outside Asia unless they plan a trip there, or perhaps have visited in the past. The country known as the “Land of Smiles” is now the land of riots and tear gas.

The events in Thailand, though perhaps coming to a conclusion now the government is in negotiation with the opposition, have worried me not just as a supporter of democracy or someone who has spent a lot of time in the country. Of course I hope the situation is resolved for the sake of the people, but the events have come to affect me in a secondary way:

My latest novel, due out within a month, is set in Thailand. When I started the book, this political situation and violence hadn’t happened yet. I haven’t incorporated any of it into my story, but it feels wrong not to acknowledge it or address it somehow.

Only a portion of the story takes place in Bangkok, and it’s not at all a political story though Thai government and law-enforcement officials are part of the action. So, I’m curious what other authors and readers think. Should I mention the current political situation in an introduction? Just ignore it? I don’t want to seem insensitive or uninformed, and I’m guessing most people reading the book won’t be aware of what’s been going on recently. The timing is unfortunate for me.

I’m open to any suggestions or comments. Thanks.

Word Counts - Today: 0 | May: 0 | 2010: 45,474

I just read an article about “Lost” and it got me thinking about TV series which are now just history. Which series would you like to see come back? There were plenty that ended before their time, and others which we were glad to see them go, or they finished on a high note.

“Firefly” comes to mind as one that really deserved to continue and I didn’t really care for the film as a replacement for more seasons. “Angel” (yes, I am a Joss Whedon fan) went out on such a high that I wonder if a 6th season could have topped it, but “Buffy” had outlived its usefulness for me by the end of Season 7. “Star Trek” has lived on in so many ways, but would more seasons have been better?

I’m not sure how Season 6 of “Supernatural” will play out. After the Apocalypse, what can possibly worry you? (no spoilers please, if you know them!) With Eric Kripke stepping down, that’s another strike against it, but I’ll give it a chance.

What are your favorites that were gone too soon? Which series should just disappear already???

Word Counts - Today: 0 | May: 0 | 2010: 45,474

I’m going to be needing covers for a couple of projects and I could use some help. I’m not sure I can afford to get covers done, but I’d like to get some idea of what it would cost.

1. What do you charge? Fixed rate or percentage of royalties?

2. Could you possibly suggest some good sources of gay images? I know stockphoto, but what else is out there with low royalties or no-cost public images? It doesn’t have to be couples, but a source for good images of scantily clad attractive guys.

3. If you know of a good cover artist who is either new or not expensive, I’d be glad to get some recommendations.

Feel free to leave the replies in a comment, or if you want to keep your reply confidential,  send me an email: em AT emlynley.com

Word Counts - Today: 0 | May: 0 | 2010: 45,474

Just because it’s Monday! I’ll choose two winners at random from everyone who comments with the name of the book they would like to win. Check my website for details of each. http://www.emlynley.com

If you have all of them, you can choose one of the upcoming releases.

I’ll select the winners at noon Pacific time, which is approximately 90 minutes from the time this is posted. I’m including comments on LJ, Facebook and my blog, but only one entry per person today.

Word Counts - Today: 0 | April: 20,428 | 2010: 45,474

First off, thanks to everyone who voted for BEDKNOBS & BEANSTALKS. We won the Whipped Cream Book of the Week poll. All the exposure popped us up on the sales charts over at Ravenous Romance, so the authors are very excited. People are coming out of the woodwork to tell me how much they enjoyed it, and the editor wants the lesbian version even more now. That’s next month’s project.

For now, I’m working on my jewel heist story for Torquere’s Color Box series…. and I need some help with choosing my setting.

Tobin is a curator, putting together an exhibit which includes a very famous emerald, and his old boyfriend turns up. In another time and place, that might be wonderful. The problem is Pierce is a jewel thief. Or at least Tobin thinks he is. Things have a way of going missing when Pierce is around, but no one’s reporting the thefts. All Tobin knows is he needs to protect his jewels and his heart.

So, I don’t know where the exhibit should take place.  It could be a real museum, a made-up museum or at some other location like a casino or a castle somewhere in Europe. I’m open for suggestions at this point. I considered a casino in Monte Carlo, but not sure if it’s worth doing the extra research.

What do you think? Do you like to see stories set in real locations? Do you prefer vague locations which don’t say specifically where they are? Or would a made-up museum work for you? Does it matter?

For me, I like to see real places used as settings in fiction ONLY if they are realistic portrayals of the place. Otherwise, I’m fine with a fake place, as long as nothing substantive is completely implausible.

What about you?

Word Counts - Today: 0 | March: 5,305 | 2010: 25,046