Hi guys, we have Wilde City Press’ Butt Riders on the Range visiting us today with one of its authors T.C. Blue, T.C. has a fantastic guest post and she lets us have a peek at an excerpt of her story And the Horse He Rode In On, there’s also a brilliant giveaway where you could win one of the previous Butt-thologies! So enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Butt Riders on the Range
Ally Blue, Eden Winters, Jevocas Green, J.P. Barnaby, Kage Alan, Kiernan Kelly, Shea Connor, T.C. Blue
Do you imagine blazing gun battles, bandits, and saloons with watered-down drinks when you think of cowboys and the West? We don’t. Our minds go right to horse shifters, bull shifters, were-leopards, urban wannabes, an interrupted journey along Route 66, a man of mystery named Dr. Feel-Good, and high noon at the edge of the galaxy! The fourth time’s the charm as the Butt-Thology authors saddle up, ride their men hard, and put ‘em away wet.
Butt Riders on the Range…the bulls aren’t the only ones being grabbed by the horns!
T.C. Blue guest post & excerpt!
Good morning (or afternoon, or evening, depending on where you are in the world and what time of day you’re reading this)! My name is TC Blue, and I’m here to make you smile. Or roll your metaphorical (and possibly your literal) eyes at my shenanigans. I’m also here to tell you a bit about the new anthology I’ve been lucky enough to have a hand in — Butt Riders on the Range.
For those who’ve just read that title and are having a WTF moment, I suppose I should supply a little backstory. And for those who know ALL about the butt-thologies (yes, I’m clever that way… butt-thologies. Heh-heh, heh-heh, heh-heh…), I’m going to keep it short.
See, once upon a time there were a bunch of authors on a panel at Outlantacon (gay science fiction/anime/fantasy/gaming convention in Atlanta each May), and when everything got crazy, as is likely to happen in these cases, somehow we ended up with plans to do an anthology called Butt Pirates in Space. We had our book release party the following year at the same Con, then another the following year for the release of Butt Ninjas from Hell, and that trend continues this May with the book launch event at Outlantacon for the latest butt-thology. (Between Ninjas and Riders, we released a holiday butt-thology called Butt Babes in Boyland, too. And it was awesome! If I do say so myself.)
So fast forward to today and Butt Riders on the Range. Once again, we have the usual suspects, meaning me, Ally Blue, Kage Alan, Kiernan Kelly, Eden Winters, Shae Connor, JP Barnaby, and Jevocas Green… and once again the stories run the gamut, though most of them are rife with humor.
When you get this many authors together on a project, it’s rather like herding cats, so the fact that this anthology even happened is not entirely due to those of us who wrote the stories. (I wouldn’t be an editor for anything. Especially not if I had to deal with ME. Haha!)
If you’ve read this far, you probably want to know a bit more about the book, right? How about the blurb?
Do you imagine blazing gun battles, bandits, and saloons with watered-down drinks when you think of cowboys and the West? We don’t. Our minds go right to horse shifters, bull shifters, were-leopards, urban wannabes, an interrupted journey along Route 66, a man of mystery named Dr. Feel-Good, and high noon at the edge of the galaxy! The fourth time’s the charm as the Butt-Thology authors saddle up, ride their men hard, and put ‘em away wet.
Butt Riders on the Range…the bulls aren’t the only ones being grabbed by the horns!
“But what about YOUR story, Tis? Aren’t you going to tell us anything about it?” (I hear you thinking it. I do. Because I’m psychic or something. No, really. Oh, wait. I meant NOT really. *hee*)
“Why, yes. Yes, I am!” (My mind-voice is sheepish and stuff. Swear.)
My story is titled And the Horse He Rode In On, and as with all my butt-thology stories, it has a bit of a paranormal edge. In Butt Ninjas, well… Hell and stuff, right? And my Butt Babes holiday story included elves and kitsune. So it’s become sort of a theme for me. In this particular butt-thology it’s shifters. Because who doesn’t love a shifter or two? (Aside from people who just flat-out don’t like shifters, of course, right? *grins*)
Tyler owns and operates a sheep farm in Texas, and discovers that someone — or something — has been poaching his lambs at night. Being the conscientious sort, he sets out to find the culprit and stop him, her or it. What happens next… well, there’s a fight, and after that… All I’m going to say is that Tyler never saw it coming! *snerk*
The cat went down, though it was still breathing, and Tyler stood a few feet away, staring at it while the flock milled and panicked as though the predator hadn’t been subdued.
Shep, at least, seemed to understand what had happened, because just a minute or so after the cat collapsed in a heap of near-motionless, seemingly boneless fur, the dog was up and beside Tyler. Shep looked at the cat, then looked up at Tyler before focusing on the cat again. He barked roughly, grated out a growling snarl, and took up a position of watching, as though he was planning to attack if the cat so much as moved.
If Tyler had been able, he would have laughed, but he didn’t have the ability in his current shape. He was still trying to figure out whether he wanted to whinny or bray when Shep let loose with a sound Tyler had never heard before. Part bark, part growl, part whimper and part whine, it sounded painful. It was also startling enough that Tyler followed Shep’s eyes and saw that the cat was indeed moving. Maybe he needed to kick it in the head again. Harder, this time.
He moved closer, planning to do just that when he realized that the cat was holding the same position. It was just the outward trappings of it that were moving. Changing.
Muscles shifted with odd little popping sounds. Bones moved, louder snaps almost echoing in the suddenly still night, as though even the sheep were unwillingly intrigued by what was happening. Short, shining dappled fur faded away as though it had never been, giving way to skin that seemed dusky in the limited moonlight, and naked, toned limbs. Naked, toned everything, and still the cat—the man, Tyler qualified—lay there, unmoving.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read all this (I tend to run off at the mouth in person, so it makes total sense that I run off at the fingers when typing, right? RIGHT???), and if it sounds like your cup of tea, the Butt Riders on the Range anthology is available right now from Wilde City Press! http://www.wildecity.com/
And if you happen to be in Atlanta, GA at any point between Mat 8 and May 10 of this year, do think about stopping by Outlantacon. Good times will be had! *grins* (For more info on Outlantacon, clickenze the linky-dink! http://www.outlantacon.org/ )
About authors
Ally Blue
Ally Blue is acknowledged by the world at large (or at least by her heroes, who tend to suffer a lot) as the Popess of Gay Angst. She has a great big suggestively-shaped hat and rides in a bullet-proof Plexiglas bubble in Christmas parades. Her harem of manwhores does double duty as bodyguards and inspirational entertainment. Her favorite band is Radiohead, her favorite color is lime green and her favorite way to waste a perfectly good Saturday is to watch all three extended version LOTR movies in a row. Her ultimate dream is to one day ditch the evil day job and support the family on manlove alone. She is not a hippie or a brain surgeon, no matter what her kids’ friends say.
Come hang out with me on the internet tubes!
Eden Winters
Ever curious about new places and people, Eden Winters lives a somewhat nomadic existence. Her earliest memories include making up stories for the family’s pets, and through her academic years, she spent many happy hours writing short stories and poems. Dreams of writing professionally were realized, only not as planned, with a good dozen years spent as a technical documenter. From a young age, she eagerly devoured every book that caught her eye, from biographies to sci-fi. Genre? What genre?
When Eden discovered M/M, she met characters she could identify with and scintillating plotlines that kept her riveted to the page. Somewhere around the three-hundredth book, her own imagination began making demands. From her fascination with, well, everything, sprang stories as diverse as a 1700’s Highlander to a modern doctor in earthquake-devastated El Salvador.
Her first novel was published in 2010, and she’s never looked back. To date, seven of her novels have been recognized by the annual Rainbow Awards, with one also gaining finalist status in the 2012 Lambda Literary Awards.
Currently, Eden calls the southern US home, and many of her stories take place in the rural South. She divides her time between a day job, friends, grandkids, writing, trying different varieties of vegetarian cuisine, and exploring her world. Her musical tastes run from Ambient to Zydeco, she owns a TV she never watches, and she’s a firm believer that life is better with pets. She also loves cruising down the road on the back of a Harley Davidson.
Jevocas Green
Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, Jevocas Green, ‘Java’ to his peers, new to the writing world, debuts this, his first published work “The Vagabond and the Soldier.” This temptuous tale came from his love of old wu-shu films and his fascination with the Asian culture. Early on, when Java was invited to guest write on the ‘Butt Ninjas from Hell’ anthology at 2013′s Outlanta Con, he realized that he wanted to do a tale with a bit more heart but still keeping that edgy sex appeal and melding them into an unusual and unconventional love story. Incorporating elements of bondage, BDSM and sensory stimulation, and forming a bond between these two characters that would bring you into their decadent world. Known better for his work as a local Atlanta actor and filmmaker, and work with beauty and visual effects makeup, Java is no stranger to the debaucherous. For over a decade, he has been wowing audiences as ‘Dr. Frank N. Furter’ with the Atlanta Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Cast, “LIPS DOWN ON DIXIE.” Java has also lent his writing talents to several short films, independent features and webseries.’ He is also co-founder and co-owner of his own film production company, Jymeni Productions, LLC. This is only the beginning for the novice writer. It will be very exciting to see what fresh stories brew to mind for this up-and-coming new author.
J.P. Barnaby
J.P. Barnaby, an award-winning gay romance novelist, is the author of over a dozen books including the Little Boy Lost series, the Forbidden Room series, and Aaron. As a bisexual woman, J.P. is a proud member of the GLBT community both online and in her small town on the outskirts of Chicago. A member of Mensa, she is described as brilliant but troubled, sweet but introverted, and talented but deviant. She spends her days writing software and her nights writing erotica, which is, of course, far more interesting. The spare time that she carves out between her career and her novels is spent reading about the concept of love, which, like some of her characters, she has never quite figured out for herself.
Kage Alan
Kage Alan lives in a suburb of Detroit, MI with his husband, named Honorable Husband, and their fish and shrimp, who are affectionately named and answer to “fish” or “shrimp”. He enjoys leaving Fangoria Magazine out in the open in the bathroom knowing full well that Honorable Husband can’t resist looking at the awful pictures and asking if they own the movies…that he’ll NEVER watch. Kage lives in fear of his husband’s Hong Kong Grandmonster and is the author of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Sexual Orientation, Andy Stevenson Vs. the Lord of the Loins, Gaylias: Operation Thunderspell and the short story Spacehunters: Master Elite and the Maternal Order of Loganites Beyond Uranus featured in the Butt Pirates In Space anthology.
Kiernan Kelly
Kiernan Kelly lives in the wilds of the alligator-infested U.S. Southeast, slathered in SPF 45, drinking tropical, hi-octane concoctions served by thong-clad cabana boys.
Actually, the truth is that she spends her time locked in the dark recesses of her office, writing gay erotic romance while chained to a temperamental laptop, drinking coffee, and dreaming about thong-clad cabana boys.
Sigh.
Shae Connor
Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she’s a lackadaisical government worker for a living and writes erotic romance under the cover of night. She’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to figure out that maybe she should start writing them down. First published by Dreamspinner Press in 2010, Shae adds a new notch on her bedpost each time another story is unleashed onto an unsuspecting universe. When she does manage to tear herself away from her laptop, Shae enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and traveling, not necessarily in that order.
T.C. Blue
Contrary to popular opinion, T.C. Blue was not raised by wolves. Nor did she spring, fully formed, from the forehead of a god, instead entering the world in the usual manner.
A true jack of all trades and master of none (otherwise known as flighty and unable to make a decision and stick with it), she currently resides near the east coast where she does her best to avoid politics and religions as a general rule.
T.C. can usually be found sitting in front of her computer, trying to wrangle rabid and numerous plot bunnies, though her muses insist that she not be too hard on the poor little fluffy things. (Poor little fluffy things with sharp teeth and claws, but whatever. Muses don’t seem to care much about the possible bloodshed if the bunnies think T.C.’s not writing quickly enough.)
Giveaway!
One ebook copy of any of the previous Butt-Thologies!
Butt Riders on the Range Rafflecopter giveaway!
Review
Title: Butt Riders on the Range
Series: Anthology
Author: Kage Alan, JP Barnaby, Ally Blue, TC Blue, Shae Connor, Jevocas Green, Kiernan Kelly, Eden Winters
Genre: Comedy, Cowboy, Western, Erotic, Romantic,
Length: 8 stories (498pgs)
ISBN: 978-1-925313-12-3
Publisher: Wilde City Press (April 29th 2015)
Heat Level: moderate to explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Cat
Blurb: Do you imagine blazing gun battles, bandits, and saloons with watered-down drinks when you think of cowboys and the West? We don’t. Our minds go right to horse shifters, bull shifters, were-leopards, urban wannabes, an interrupted journey along Route 66, a man of mystery named Dr. Feel-Good, and high noon at the edge of the galaxy! The fourth time’s the charm as the Butt-Thology authors saddle up, ride their men hard, and put ‘em away wet.
Butt Riders on the Range…the bulls aren’t the only ones being grabbed by the horns!
Product Link: http://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-erotica/butt-riders-on-the-range/#.VUJRwCFVhBe
Review: Overall.. There is a very wide variety of unique stories in this anthology. I will admit this title did not draw me to this book, but I am very glad I read it. There were a few stories I absolutely loved that I am glad I didn’t miss just because of the title sounded so pornish when none of the stories were that way.
Hung Like a Horse by J.P Barnaby ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Explicit
Riley is on the run from an agency that tests shifters. He has been in is horse from which he prefers for too long. He feels a shift coming and runs to a shack at the back of the ranch where his boss finds him after he has shifted.
I loved his story. For such a short story, it is easy to follow and complete. The characters are interesting, the story intriguing, and I wanted more. I would definitely buy this if it was a full book.
Chinchilla Chimichangas by Kage Alan ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Chris is a writer going on a trip when his bus is detoured in Oklahoma because of the weather. It is going to be stranded at least a day. He goes to a store across the street to see if he can get a shower and meets a man that is his dream lead character in his book.
Ok, I will admit that I really liked this book but Chris has two of his characters, female ones that talk in his head. To me, they did not add to the story but take it away and at first I didn’t care for this at all. It is pretty long and toward the end at Cameron’s when the two men really get to talking and telling their stories I began to like it a lot. The ending was also good but told in a sort of odd way.
Squatting with spurs on by Kiernan Kelley ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Dooley inherits a ranch and finds it is a rundown shack and even worse haunted. When he finally meets the ghost he finds out its more than that!
I absolutely loved this story. It is unique, interesting, has some funny moments, hot ones and ties you will need a tissue.
Faux Cowboy by Shae Connor ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts Explicit
Jackson is a model in New York for Rough Riders western wear. He gets paid to wear the clothes and dress as an authentic cowboy and go to gay clubs. Doug is on vacation in New York. He wanted to see what it’s like to be openly gay. Does he have a secret as well?
This isn’t a bad story. It is one of the shorter ones and a rather predictable sweet romance but hot!
Hooves & Horns by Eden Winters ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Explicit
Kerry is a star bull-rider and shocked when he finds he is riding Diablo and not Angry Bird. He and Diablo have a past and not just as rider and Bull. Diablo is a bull shifter and Kerry is a mustang shifter. They are also ex-lovers with a very stormy past.
This one wasn’t long enough! It was a little predictable but man was it HOT! I loved both Kerry and Armando (Diablo) and would have loved a full story of this!
The Boy from Battalion Bluff by Jevocas Green ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Johnen is called Dr Feel-good and everyone always waits for him to make the rounds and see if they are chosen for his house call. Toby is the stable boy that always hopes he is next but always gets overlooked. He finds himself watching.
This is a sci-fi and I didn’t quite like it as much as he others. I didn’t understand where they were from or why he was feeding from sex. I do think that if this was a full book I would have liked it more.
The 5 Hells War by Ally Blue ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts explicit
Balthazar has to travel to an off world to deliver a message to the owner of 5 Hells farms. He is surprised when he meets Rocky and finds that some of the things his boss is asking him to do isn’t the truth. Will he make the right decisions?
I actually liked this story. It is sort of Sci-fi and some stuff I didn’t understand. I wanted to know what a boomer was (his was the main thing the story was about and some sort of livestock) I think in a full book it would have been very good where there was time to explain the worlds and stuff. Though I loved the characters and the chemistry and it was very hot!
And The Horse He Rode In On by T.C. Blue ♥♥♥ 3 hearts
Someone has been killing Tyler’s lambs so he stakes them out and finds a Leopard. After a battle he finds the leopard is actually a shifter. Jason has become a shifter by an old boyfriend and left without knowing anything about his predicament.What will Tyler do with a Lepard shifter and What is Tylers secret that could keep the two men apart?
This story had potential, but I think there was just too much going on for a short story. I truly liked both characters but since this was a short story I would have rather seen more focus on the romance between these two men then all the political shifter stuff and family stuff. Adding all this in with Ari and Blake and the pard really overwhelmed me so that I didn’t enjoy the story as much as I think I could have. I would love to see this in a full-length book though.
And to sum it all up. There is a little something for everyone. You will find unique shifters, some sci-fi, some historical, some ghost/time-travel (one of my favorites) contemporary/sweet romance, different heat levels all of which were sexy and mostly happy or happy for now endings. I recommend this if you like anthology or short stories. They come in handy if you need a quick read to fill a short amount of time, you can read them one at a time or kick back and read them all.