Hi guys, we have Freddy MacKay popping in today with his new release Watermelon Kisses, we have a great excerpt and you can check out the other books in the Mischief Corner Books A Holiday to Remember Collection! So check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Watermelon Kisses
Freddy MacKay
Life hasn’t been easy for Amir since he fled Iran after a brutal imprisonment. The trauma experienced at the hands of the guards left a dark spot on his soul. The one constant in his life since relocating to Chicago has been his lover—now husband—Esmail, whose steadfast love and support has soothed his wounded heart.
But this Shab-e Yalda, Amir wants to be the one giving his husband something special, because even after the darkest nights, the sun will rise again.
Watermelon Kisses Excerpt!
Whirls of color flashed past Amir. Loud voices drummed against his ears without the words really making sense. He knew them, or rather should know them, but they blended together in one great cacophony humming all around Amir. The light above shone too brightly for his eyes so he closed them, but only briefly—the darkness suffocating. Too much to handle.
The brightness hurt his eyes, but it was better than swirling around in the void of his mind.
Leaning, half-sitting against something solid, Amir stared at the paper in front of him. Though his hands shook he knew what the list should say, so he focused on the lettering as much he could. He counted, timing how long it took before each letter came into focus.
Fifty-eight seconds for the b.
Not bad. Not good, but definitely not the worst time it had ever taken him.
Forty-two for the e.
Nineteen for the second e.
Eight for the f.
Beef. Amir was looking at a grocery list. He’d been shopping for foodstuffs for tonight, getting his surprise ready for Esmail. A trolly—the trolly with food he’d picked out—was in front of him. His non-trembling hand was holding onto it, and Amir had made his way to over to the aisle with the bins of candy and nuts.
How convenient.
Somehow during his attack he’d moved to an out-of-the-way spot he actually needed to be.
Being the middle of the afternoon there weren’t too many customers for him to have disturbed, but Amir slid a furtive glance around the aisle into the rest of the store. No one was looking. While his heart didn’t settle, the buzz in his head dropped down a decibel to something more tolerable, where his own thoughts started piecing together beneath the haze.
Amir went over to the plastic bags and gathered a few so he could get the nuts he wanted for the ajil.
“For the love of—” It took a few tries to get the bags opened and filled with what Amir wanted, but the simple task of open, scoop, fill, twist, and knot allowed the buzz inside him to die down. “Fine. Good.”
It wasn’t until Amir tried moving into the more open area of the store that the thrum of noise hit him again. Hard. Forceful. He swayed, then grabbed onto the trolly like a lifeline. His hold stiffened around the bar, his steps wobbly. Metallic gray with rainbow edges pushed into his vision.
“Amir?”
A gentle, sweet voice—a familiar one associated with an almost painful kindness—pushed back at Amir’s panic. He blinked owlishly a few times, the gray vision fading away. A beautiful redhead stood to the left of him, near the deli.
“Catherine.”
Amir was rewarded with a bright smile from the store’s assistant manager.
“How—” Amir searched for the right words, pushing the Farsi aside. The parched aridness in his throat made the words rough to say. “How are you today?”
“Not bad,” she answered. One of her hands hovered outstretched, but she didn’t move to touch him. “You?”
Ah. Amazing how one word, the way it was said—the tone, the softness—could say so much. Catherine had seen his distress. A flush heated Amir’s face. He wanted to turn away, run, but he had a cart of food. Food for his husband. For tonight. If he ran away from this episode his plans for Esmail would be for naught.
Despite the fierce embarrassment burning through Amir, he replied, “I’ve had better days.”
MCB A Holiday to Remember Collection!
But To Love More
by F.B. Cassidy
Mel finally gets to go home for Christmas. In his absence, his hometown has changed, and Carlos, his best friend’s little brother, is all grown up and interested in a relationship. But Carlos has his work cut out for him since Mel’s having trouble seeing past the little brother part and his big brother, Aldo’s determined to keep them apart.
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Release date: 2nd December 2017
Pre-order: Mischief Corner Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK | iTunes | Kobo
Corey’s Christmas Bundle (Atherton Pack 5)
by Toni Griffin
Being pregnant is not all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you’re male and a shifter. Even though the world now knows about wolf shifters, their male’s ability to bare young is still a closely guarded secret. Since Corey’s pregnancy is now visible, he’s been stuck at home working on code and waiting for company to drop by. Problem is, though, the human government wants to know where Corey is.
As Christmas and Corey’s due date draw ever nearer, Ben devises a plan that will not only get Corey out of the house, but allows the wolves of Atherton Pack to give the community some Christmas cheer.
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Release date: 6th December 2017
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Safety Protocols For Human Holidays
by Angel Martinez
As a security officer on an interspecies ship, Growlan Raskli’s experienced in heading off species-specific aberrant behaviors in order to keep the peace. But when her captain asks her to find out what’s bothering their sole human crew member, Raskli’s out of her depths. She hardly knows anything about humans and she’s not a psych doctor.
Something’s definitely upset Human Jen, something to do with human holidays. The more time Raskli spends studying humans and interacting with the intriguing Human Jen, the more personal the assignment becomes. Determined to lift the dark cloud from Human Jen, Raskli will do whatever it takes—within safe parameters, of course.
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Release date:
9th December 2017
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Secrets & Silk
by Nicole Dennis
Quiet, strait-laced David Appleton thinks he’s going to have a problem at work. A new co-worker discovered his secret in the locker room. Unable to confront someone, David let him walk away. Now he worries everyone will know his deepest held secret. A secret hidden under his signature vest, tie, and trousers.
Since walking in on his co-worker, CJ O’Connell tries to get a moment to speak with the shy David, but nothing works. His last hope—the Secret Santa Gift Exchange party. Perhaps a special gift can peel away the secrets.
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Release date: 13th December 2017
Pre-order: Mischief Corner Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | iTunes
Winter Home
by Kassandra Lea
It’s Christmastime and the snow is falling. Restoring an old Victorian manor has been keeping contractor Brett Hawkins busy. The project’s meant to be complete by Christmas, but there’s no way he can get it done in time, especially with the big day right around the corner.
Meanwhile, his beloved Manuel Aguilar is grappling with depression, and he’s consumed by guilt that it’s kept him from putting up the decorations. But his biggest concern is that he may be ruining the holiday for Brett. As Manny struggles, unable to recognize his own courage in every small gain, Brett has a surprise that may help break depression’s hold.
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Release date: 16th December 2017
Pre-order: Mischief Corner Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | iTunes
The Christmas Eve Craigslist Killer
by Jill Wexler
The public library’s computer geek, aka Travis, is content skirting the edges of social interaction. He’s fully committed to being a boring, twenty-something IT guy who likes his office more than people, a guy someone like Connor would never fall for. Connor, who works on the library floor as a page, is outgoing, social, and charming and everything else that stands for “fun.”
An interaction between the two at the library on Christmas Eve has Travis accidentally mentioning that he failed to find this year’s hottest toy for his nephew. Immediately, Connor goes on a quick hunt online, and finds one. The only problem is that the Craigslist seller is hours away and Travis is sure spending hours in a car with quirky, handsome Connor can only end badly.
Release date: 18th December 2017
Pre-order: Mischief Corner Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | iTunes
New Beginnings
by Jayne Lockwood
Nick is not looking forward to his second Christmas without Sammi, his gorgeous ex-fiancee. She left him on New Year’s Eve, a week after their engagement, and he still doesn’t know why.
A chance meeting whilst out Christmas shopping reveals that Sammi is now Sam, a transgender man. As the reasons behind their break-up become clearer, Nick cannot make sense of his new feelings. He is shocked by the deep attraction he still has to Sam, and what that says about himself.
It will take Nick’s straight-talking family, and Sam’s guiding hand, to help him discover that gender is no barrier to love.
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Release date: 20th December 2017
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A Piece Of Ourselves
by Tray Ellis
Balancing holidays between two families can make cheerful celebrations into chores. Carson Benedetti’s mom has overscheduled the Christmas holidays and she’s more than insistent that boyfriend Tynan Harris come into the family fold. There’s so much to do Tynan can’t find time to bring Carson over to his own family and he feels like they are being left in the dust.
After dating for nine months, and with their relationship becoming more serious, Tynan’s patience is sorely tested by the multitude of Benedetti family traditions keeping them busy. Tynan needs to figure out how to find some breathing room, split their time more fairly, and make Christmas more than just tradition by rote.
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Release date: 23rd December 2017
Pre-order: Mischief Corner Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Books2Read
I Only Want to Be With You
by J. Scott Coatsworth
Derrek is dealing with the recent, unexpected death of his mother. He’s been alone for five year since his husband Will died, and he’s ready to find someone new and to start living again. Ryan lost his partner, David, in an auto accident, and is dating Alex, who doesn’t treat him right.
Derrek can’t figure out why Ryan won’t see what’s right in front of his face. Why does Ryan come to him to talk about all his hopes, dreams, and fears, then go home to Alex?
If Derrek can figure that out, they might just have a shot.
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Release date: 27th December 2017
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A New Year On Vega III
by Siri Paulson
On the colony planet Vega III, everyone knows Beck—outgoing, fabulous, and genderqueer—and nobody notices Anil, the quiet plant biologist. But when Anil finds Beck hiding in his greenhouse, lonely and missing Earth, it’s Anil who is able to comfort Beck by letting them talk about what they miss most—the feeling that comes with celebrating the holidays with loved ones, especially New Year’s Eve.
The two of them are drawn to one another, but both of them are hiding secrets about their sexuality. With trust between them already on shaky ground, Anil’s elaborate plans to cheer Beck may well backfire.
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Release date: 30th December 2017
Pre-order: Mischief Corner Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK
About Freddy!
Freddy grew up in the Midwest, playing sports and running around outside. And honestly, that much has not changed since Freddy was small and throwing worms at other kids, except worm throwing has been replaced with a healthy geocaching addiction. Freddy enjoys traveling and holds the view a person should continually to learn about new things and people whenever possible.
Freddy’s contemporary LGBTQ book, Incubation: Finding Peace 2, won 3rd Place – Best Gay Erotic Fiction in the 2012 Rainbow Awards. In 2013, Freddy’s story, Internment, tied for 3rd Place – Best Gay Fantasy in the Rainbow Awards. Freddy’s steampunk/SF story, Feel Me, was a Finalist and honorable mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards for SF. And in 2015, Freddy’s urban fantasy Snow on Spirit Bridge was also a Finalist and honorable mention.
For more information on Freddy’s work, please visit or email:
Freddy’s Stereograph | Twitter | Email: freddy.m.mackay@gmail.com