Monday, December 27, 2021

2nd Day of Christmas Author Spotlight: Ali Ryecart



Ali Ryecart
I love all kinds of MM romance and gay fiction, but I especially like contemporary stories. Born and raised in London, the city is part of my DNA so I like to set many of my stories in and around present-day London, providing the perfect, metropolitan backdrop to the main action. I write at home, in the gym, in cafés —in fact I write any place I can find a good coffee!





EMAIL: aliryecart@ryecartauthor 



Commitment Issues
Summary:
Silver Foxes #1
From fake date to friends with benefits, commitment’s not an issue

Elliot
Freddie’s way too young. I’m twice his age and old enough to be his father. He’s an adorable mix of sexy, smart, sassy, shy and sweet. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be forced into taking him as my fake date to my oldest friend’s wedding, just because my cheating ex will be there.

Freddie
Elliot’s everything I want in a man, he’s my ultimate silver fox fantasy. But I’ve had my heart ripped out by an older guy before, and I’ve vowed it’ll never happen again. So why have I let myself be talked into posing as Elliot’s arm candy at a posh wedding?

From fake date to friends with benefits, commitment’s not part of the deal. So where does falling in love fit in?



Danny & Jude
Summary:
Barista Boys #1
Best friends to lovers… how could that happen?

Danny can’t remember a time when he wasn’t in love with Jude. He knows Jude loves him back — as his best friend, even as the big brother he never had. But not as the lovers Danny secretly longs for them to be.

Jude dreams of a man to call his own. A man who will hold him close and love him forever. A man who will keep him safe and not break his heart. If only that man came with a cocky grin, a sparkle in his eyes and went by the name of Danny… but Danny’s his best friend, so that’s never going to happen.

Maybe a stolen kiss is all that’s needed for Danny to find the courage to open his heart, and for Jude to realise the man of his dreams has been right there with him all along.



An Easter Promise
Summary:
Rory & Jack #2
A springtime love story.
It’s time to meet the family. . .
Rory Kincaid’s in a spin. He’s leaving his London life to spend Easter deep in the countryside with boyfriend Jack De Lacy – and Jack’s wealthy, aristocratic family. Rory’s under pressure to make a good impression, but with no class, connections, or money, he’s not so sure he’ll be welcomed with open arms – especially when they find out how he and Jack met.

. . .but will the family want to meet Rory?
Jack’s convinced his family will love Rory as much as he does, but it’s not the plain he thought it would be. With their age-old traditions, it’s not long before Rory’s presence is sending ripples through the calm waters of the De Lacy’s settled, rural life.  

It’s a testing time for Rory and Jack. Can they convince Jack’s family that two men from opposite sides of the class barrier can be not only who the other wants, but needs?

***Warning: this book contains a village fete bake-off for the coveted Golden Ribbon, a cuddliest pet competition, and the undying devotion of a dog called Badger***



Captive Hearts
Summary:
Deviant Hearts #1
Bodyguard. Protector. Lover.

Dashiell acts first and thinks second when he uses his fists to stop a vicious assault. The victim’s young, blond and beautiful — and the bratty kept boy of a gangland thug. Dashiell’s not offered thanks. Instead, he’s offered a job as the boy's bodyguard. Out of work and short of cash, it’s tempting to say yes. But there are strings attached, and Dashiell’s not sure he wants to get entangled.

Billy knows his place. He’s the property of a violent criminal, and just one wrong word means a beating, or worse. He yearns for a man who will love and protect him, keep him safe, and catch him when he falls. Dashiell could be that man — but only if Billy has the courage to follow his heart.

Their love is forbidden, and danger stalks their every move. Escape is the only option but as the walls close in, is time running out for Dashiell and Billy?

Captive Hearts is the first in the Deviant Hearts MM Romantic Suspense series. Expect a hard fought for HEA. No cliff hangers.

Note: this book was previously published under the name of A E Ryecart. The cover and description may (or may not) have changed, but the book title and contents remain the same as before.



Company for Christmas
Summary:
A Festive Cinderfella Story.

Who says fairy tales are only make-believe?

Every night, Nathan works the street known as The Rack. Like every other rent boy, he dreams his Prince Charming will come and take him away to a better life.

Too bad Nathan's stopped believing in fairy tales.

Max has everything except the one thing he craves: somebody to love, cherish, and protect.

Somebody to call his own.

When Nathan and Max’s worlds collide on the cold and grimy backstreet, little do they know that Christmas magic has already cast its spell.

Maybe fairy tales really can come true after all.

Company for Christmas is a 16k novelette. A warm woollen coat instead of a glass slipper, an unconventional found family, an inflatable Father Christmas called Dirty Santa... and the best Company for Christmas ever.



Commitment Issues

Danny & Jude

An Easter Promise

Captive Hearts

Company for Christmas

Monday Morning's Menu: Rivals by Jeff Adams



Summary:

Mitchell Turner and Alex Goodman squared off over a face-off dot throughout high school. Their schools were cross-country rivals. Those face-offs were tough on Mitchell because he harbored a huge crush on Alex. High school, and college, are behind the guys and they meet unexpectedly on Thanksgiving Day, once again on the ice. Mitchell is home for the holidays and is thrilled to see his crush all grown up.

Alex asks Mitchell out for coffee to catch up. Could this be the start of something magical for the holidays … and beyond?






“When did you get a slap shot?” I was stunned and I knew my face showed it. It wasn’t often that Trevor surprised me on the ice.

“I’ve been working on it,” he said, pride coming through in his voice. “I’m trying to get on an intramural team next fall for my last year. I figure I can run in the spring and play a little hockey in the fall. It’ll beat tryin’ to get in on some pick up game, which are always over crowded.”

We were dressed in sweats, along with gloves and skates. We didn’t go for full pads or helmets since we were just messing around, not taking any real shots or anything that could hurt us.

The metallic clank of the rink’s front door echoed across the ice. Trevor and I looked at each other and shrugged. On a holiday morning we hadn’t expected to see anyone else. The rink wasn’t due to open until noon, so even the staff whould be hours away from coming to work. It had to be some other crazy person, like us, who wanted a little ice before it was time to eat.

I took the puck off Trevor’s stick and started skating around in random patterns. “Come on, Trev, “ I said tauntingly, “get the puck.”

“You’re on!”

As soon as he started to skate, I turned on the backwards speed and put some distance between us. We kept at it for a couple minutes before he finally faked me out and claimed the puck.

“And Mitchell Turner has the puck stripped off his stick by his persistent younger brother, Trevor.” A man stood on the first level of bleachers, applauding.

“Holy shit, Alex Goodman,” I said, louder than I’d intended.

I hadn’t seen Alex since my senior year of high school hockey ended. We were cross-county rivals then. I had a wicked crush on him, too. He’d gotten even better looking during the past four years—a red goatee now accentuated his blazing red hair. The tight, long-sleeved workout shirt showed off his chest in eye-popping detail. I sprinted to the boards where we bumped fists and shook hands. “I didn’t think we’d run into anyone else this morning. What’re you up to?”

“Came down to get a skate in before spending the day with the family,” he said. His deep voice was incredibly sexy. I didn’t remember him sounding like this. “Man, it’s been forever. I don’t think we’ve seen each other since you guys knocked us out of the race for the state championship our senior year.”

I thought about that for a moment. “I think you’re right.”

Alex was built—all I wanted to do right now was feel up his biceps. His green eyes were as mesmerizing as ever. I’d had a hard time concentrating on face-offs against him because all I wanted to do was stare into his eyes and get to know him.

The one time I’d seen him away from a rink was during the summer between our junior and senior years. I ran into him at the mall. I don’t remember what we talked about, but seeing him in shorts, which exposed his muscular, lightly hairy legs, and how his t-shirt clung to his chest made that day perfect. It was jack-off material for months as I imagined what was under those clothes and what I’d like to do to him if I could get him naked.

“What’re you up to these days?” I asked, keeping the conversation appropriate as Trevor skated around behind me.

“I cover sports for the Free Press—Michigan and Red Wings hockey during the season and then whatever they assign me to in the off. What about you?”

“Working in sports marketing out in San Francisco.”

“Nice. Sounds like a sweet gig.”

“It’s pretty good. We do a fair bit with the Sharks, so I like that part a lot.”

“I wrote about you quite a bit while I was interning during school. You certainly earned your keep with the Wolverines.”

My face got hot. I must have turned several shades of red. His eyes were working on me just like they used to, making it hard to focus.

“Thanks. It was a lot of work, but it was fun.”

“You play out west?”

“Hell yeah. As often as I can. I don’t think I’ll ever stop. What about you?”

“At least a couple times a week.”

“Listen, a friend of mine is having a pick up game Saturday morning,” I couldn’t believe I said that. This was an invitation to be flustered during the game, even more so than I used to be. “You interested?”

“I’d love to. We’ll see if I can take you in a face-off like I used to.”

“I won a fair number of those.”

“Really?” He raised a red eyebrow in surprise. “That’s not how I remember it.”

“You want to try it right now?” I was setting myself up to fail. I was already loopy from seeing this man. The pressure in my cup was proof of that.

“You’re on.” He must have put his skates on in the locker room or lobby, because he immediately hopped over the boards. We skated towards Trevor, who was taking shots on the far side of the rink.

“Trev,” I called out, “let Alex borrow your gloves and come drop a puck for us.” He grabbed one off the ice and skated up to us at the center dot. “Trevor, this is Alex Goodman. He played for County.”

“Nice to meet you,” Trevor said, giving Alex a fist bump before handing over his gloves. “So, um, what exactly are you guys doing?”

“Proving to your brother that I can still beat him in a face-off,” Alex said.

“Ahhh. Best two out of three then, just to make it fair,” Trevor said.

“I’m game for that,” I said as I took position on one side of the dot. Stick on the ice, hunched over, ready to strike.

“Sounds good,” Alex said. He got into a similar position as soon as he was gloved up.

“This is just the face off, so whoever gets the puck off the dot wins,” Trevor said. “You two stay where you are after that and I’ll reset.”

Trevor held the puck over the dot. I kept my eyes on his hand, and away from Alex’s gaze. I felt Alex looking at me, but I had eyes only for the puck. Trevor’s hand twitched and then he opened it to drop the puck. As it was falling, I put my stick under Alex’s and lifted it off the ice. The puck landed flat and I swept my stick back, sending the puck behind me.

“One down, one to go,” I said.

“I figure I had to give you one.” Alex’s eyes sparkled, which seemed impossible under the harsh rink lights.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

I sounded calm and cool, but the butterflies were going. I’d focused so much on work since I’d graduated in the spring that I hadn’t really dated. I hadn’t even had a good hookup, so I was horny as hell. Alex brought it all to the surface. If Trevor wasn’t here, I’d probably tackle Alex and hope he wouldn’t try to beat the crap out of me for making that kind of play.

We set up again over the dot. Both anticipating, sticks banging against each other in the hopes of being in the right place when Trevor made the drop.

“It’s mine this time,” Alex said, just above a whisper—a damn sexy whisper. I wanted to hear him say more in that voice. I was slow to react when the puck dropped a second later. I was too caught up wondering what my name would sound like if he said it with that husky, low whisper. Alex easily won, knocking the puck to the side. “Told ya,” he said as we stood up.

“Okay, guys, third one decides it.” Trevor looked to me. “Come on, Mitchell, family honor at stake here.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, getting into position and focusing, or trying to focus anyway.

Alex and I got into a staring contest waiting for the puck. He had a relaxed smile, but an intense eye lock. What was going on in there? I didn’t remember the smile from our high school days; back then he was serious and stern. I held the gaze, but when the puck dropped I was ready. I scooped it away with the backside of my stick and skated backwards, carrying it away from the dot. Alex took off after me and we ended up in a speedier version of the keep away game Trevor and I had played earlier. I dodged to my right to open up space and sprint away, but Alex anticipated the move and I ended up plowing right into him. He was ready for the impact, staying upright, while I bounced off his chest and crashed to the ice.

He took off his glove to help me up. “Sorry about that. I figured you’d stop, not slam into me.”

“No worries.”

No worries at all. Hell, that was awesome. Alex was as rock solid as he looked. I’d love to run into that again, except next time I’d hold on instead of bounce off. I accepted his hand to stand up and then wiped the ice off my sweatpants.

“Congrats on that nice move to win.”

“Thanks.”

“How about I buy the winner coffee tomorrow?” he asked as we skated towards Trevor. “We can catch up.”

“I’d like that.”

“Excellent. How about seven o’clock at Jazzy Joe’s?”

“Sounds great.”

“Okay. I’ll let you get back to it. I’m going to go run my sprints on the other rink. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mitchell.”

Alex skated off, hopped over the boards and headed to the other rink. I stood, watching long after he’d gone. Wow. I was going to sit across a table from him tomorrow.

“Drool much?” Trevor said, skating to a stop next to me.

“Shut up.” I shoved him away, causing him to get tripped up, but he recovered before he fell. “It’s coffee and catch up.”

“Keep telling yourself that, bro.” Trevor shifted from poking fun to more serious. “I saw how you looked at him… and how he looked at you.” Despite being younger, Trevor had a knack for making a point. “It’s been a while since you’ve had a date, Mitchell, so why not enjoy it?”

“Who said this was a date?” I asked, not wanting to drive up my expectations. “Don’t you imagine he’s dating someone, or even married?”

“You’re not. Why does he have to be?”

“Okay. Stop. It’s just coffee.”

“We’ll talk when you get home and see if it was just coffee.” He scooted the puck out from in front of me and took off. “Catch me if you can, Mitchell.”

Author Bio:
Jeff Adams has written stories since he was in middle school and became a published author in 2009 when his first short stories were published. He writes both gay romance and LGBTQ+ young adult fiction…and there’s usually a hockey player at the center of the story.

Jeff lives in central California with his husband of more than twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musical "Rent" and, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition "So You Think You Can Dance." He, of course, loves to read, but there isn’t enough space to list his favorite books.

Jeff and Will are also podcasters. The "Big Gay Fiction Podcast" is a weekly show devoted to gay romance as well as pop culture. New episodes come out every Monday at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. The "Big Gay Author Podcast" chronicles their journey to become full time authors. New episodes drop Saturdays at BigGayAuthorPodcast.com.


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