Saturday, April 8, 2023

🐰Saturday's Series Spotlight🐰: Elves After Dawn Part 2



My Clearwater Elf by Morgan Mason
Summary:
Elves After Dawn #4
After a split with his business associate, Matthew moves in with his dad, determined to help him restore his old farmhouse. His world is turned upside down when a small stranger with pointy ears trespasses on their land and steals off with an injured rabbit they’d rescued. Together with his dad, Matthew goes for a hike into the forest near their property in search of the mysterious but gorgeous bunny thief.

Calaet is a conscientious, hard-working elf, who’s committed to helping his colony make every Easter into a success. The newly appointed hare in charge threatens to topple all of his hard work when he fails to show up in time to oversee the preparations for Easter. Cal sets out in search of the missing delegate and stumbles upon the most stunning brute he’s ever laid eyes on. When the same man turns up ill outside their protected grove, Cal feels compelled to help him. Even if that means bringing humans into their colony for the first time … ever.

With their mutual attraction growing, what begins as an offer that can’t be refused turns into an unexpected bond. Can Matt and Cal make what they’ve discovered last, or will their unorthodox mating be too much to handle?




The Elf's Easter Wolf by Beau LeFebvre
Summary:
Elves After Dawn #5
What’s a wolf to do when he’s the spare and not the heir to the Alpha of the pack?

Markos was looking forward to Easter, and now it’s been ruined by his father’s announcement that he is to be mated to an omega from another pack.

Not gonna happen.

Leaving his pack behind, Markos becomes lost and, guided only by his wolf’s instincts, finds himself in a valley filled with the colors of spring, the smells of chocolate, and a meadow full of numerous fluffy puffballs... Bunnies?

What was Fate thinking?

Estienne never expected his mate to show up out of nowhere, or to be a wolf, for that matter. And right before Easter of all times.

Maybe ignoring the big bad wolf would be the best idea for now…

But the Easter Bunny has other ideas, and Estienne’s own bunny isn’t so averse to the idea of Markos as a mate. Throw in the arrival of an entire wolf pack, and Easter preparations are tossed completely off the rails.

Just great.

The Elf’s Easter Wolf is a Paranormal MM romance of around 30,000 words featuring a workaholic elf bunny shifter and his surprise Easter wolf shifter mate.





My Elf Daddy by Stella Rainbow
Summary:
Elves After Dawn #6
A chubby human little who doesn't fit in. An elf daddy looking for his boy. A match made by Fate.

Westley
I wasn't like the other littles. I was big, chubby, and cuddly. I liked who I was, but Daddies? They didn't.
Most Daddies wanted tiny, twinky boys who would fit on their laps and look good under their arms. Not me.
Then I found Birch. He wasn't like most Daddies, but he was definitely a Daddy. And he wanted me.

Birch
When I came to Mistvale, my plan had been to host an Easter Party and figure out whether Mistvale would be a good place to settle in.
What I hadn't expected was to find my fated mate in the most perfect little I'd ever met. Westley was everything I'd wanted and more, and he was all mine.
There was only one problem: Westley had no clue about the supernatural world, and I was an elf.

Tags: Westley is a LITTLE different, chubby cute and innocent, and exactly Birch's type, overalls for days, bunny jammies, Westley is also human, Birch isn't, Mistvale family meddles again, Easter party, bunnies are adorable, storytimes are the best, Birch is a caring Daddy.

My Elf Daddy is a 30k novella starring a cuddly human little, an elf daddy with intense dark eyes, three little bunnies called Snuggles, Cookie, and Sleepy; and lots of sweetness. It's a daddy/little story with no ABDL. My Elf Daddy is the sixth book in the Elves After Dawn collection, with each book featuring a new elf and his HEA. Make sure you check them all out! [Set in Stella Rainbow's fictional town of Mistvale, My Elf Daddy is a standalone.]

NOTE: Revised in Dec 2021. No new content was added.




Georgie's Eggcellent Adventure by Sam E Kraemer
Summary:
Elves After Dawn #7
Georgie Peppermint
What’s an elf gotta do to get respect?

When I’m called to Administration, I’m skeptical that the summons is related to any appreciation the Claus’ feel about how hard I work in the Porcelain Department as a detail painter. I believe it’s somehow in retaliation for my misunderstood relationship with Jingle Bell. Much to my surprise—and concern—I’m given a new assignment to become the Ambassador to the Mystical Convention… I’m being sent to the South Pacific to assist the Easter Bunny.

What awaits me isn’t clear, but I’m determined to shine at my task and show all the nay-sayers that Georgie Peppermint is destined for greatness.

***

Remy Beauchamp
Spring. A symbol of rebirth with blooming flowers, trees, and the arrival of babies in every species. It was always my favorite time of the year, but this year it’s bittersweet. I have a lovely life that’s idyllic to everyone who sees it, but all I see when I look around is loss.

For years, I’ve provided the eggs for Peter Cotton, a local import/exporter on Rapa Nui—Easter Island to outsiders—who holds a worldwide food drive every Spring to celebrate the rebirth on the planet. Sadly, I lost my partner last year, and unless I can find some help, I won’t be able to produce nearly enough eggs to help feed the masses.

Enter the oddly beautiful man wearing tourist clothes and a strange little straw hat. He’s nice and hard-working, a friend of Mr. Cotton’s, and has been sent to the island to assist me. I’m not sure how he can help, but with the sweetly cynical man around, I’m a lot less lonely.

People say there’s magic on Easter Island, thanks to the gods and goddesses who watch over its inhabitants, but never did I believe I’d come face-to-face with the manifestation of the mystical forces. And it all starts with the arrival of Georgie Pepper.

This work of fiction is approximately 32,000 words in length and doesn’t end in a cliffhanger. It is part of the Easter series, “Elves After Dawn.”



My Clearwater Elf by Morgan Mason
Chapter One 
Moving in with his dad at the age of thirty-two hadn’t been high on Matt’s list of things to do in life. He certainly knew it wasn’t anything he was looking forward to. His father’s farm and acreage in the middle of nowhere were hardly suited for Matthew’s lifestyle and profession as a dentist. What did he know about mending fences, riding tractors, or managing a forest so dense he’d only been past the first line trees a handful of times in his life? 

As he drove the familiar, admittedly picturesque, backcountry roads, his father’s dilapidated two-story home came into view over the second rise. While the Palouse was all slow rolling hills of wheat and barley, Tom Ball’s three-hundred acres were situated right on the transition from farming country into national forest. 

Matthew had grown up just outside of Portland in a nice neighborhood in an ordinary city. Matthew had never understood why his father had sold their family home and sunk his pension into purchasing land the size of a small country in the middle of nowhere after his mother had died. 

His father’s new home had never been what Matthew would consider comfortable, having been raised in a modern home in the city. Fireplaces in the bedrooms and a plumbing system that only worked when it felt like it wasn’t his idea of a good time. His dad insisted that he would get used to it and would come to love the old place as much as he did. Matt wasn’t convinced. He had been the recipient of one too many phone calls announcing that the hot water was on the fritz again. 

As Matthew rounded the gentle curve in the road, it was obvious, even from a distance, that the once-white home with the wraparound porch needed more than a fresh coat of paint. But, Matthew supposed that was part of the reason he had agreed to move in with his dad temporarily in the first place. Tom was getting up there in years, and between the house and the land, it was far too much for him to manage on his own. 

The dozen times Matthew had asked why his father wouldn’t subdivide the land and sell off everything but the house had fallen on deaf ears. He’d never gotten a solid answer. His father just insisted that Matthew would understand one day. The situation had been frustrating for the better part of a year while Matthew had made arrangements to transfer his share of his dental practice to a new doctor. 

He and his associate, Tim McGuire, had no longer shared the same vision on the direction of their dental practice. Tim wanted to get into more cosmetic dentistry and plastic surgery, whereas Matt was more of a traditionalist, wanting to help people of all walks of life keep their smiles beautiful, not just the wealthy who could afford all the extra bells and whistles. 

Matthew turned onto the long lane that led toward the house, bumping over the gravel-rutted tracks. He hadn’t planned on selling his Prius since it had come in handy when driving out several times a year to visit his father, but as the car bumped and scraped along, he wondered if that would be another thing he would have to give up as he restructured his life.

His father’s rusted brown Chevy was nowhere to be seen, but with a property as big as the one he owned, he could be out on any part of it, and Matthew wouldn’t be able to see him from the house. 

After parking on the one remaining section of concrete that led up to the garage, Matthew climbed out of the car and stared at the down-trodden house he would now call home. He didn’t expect the move to be a permanent one, but he knew it would be months before he’d be able to convince his father to downsize and relocate to a senior community back near Portland. The work on the house alone would take them several months to complete. 

Bird calls and the sound of ruffling leaves in the breeze filled the otherwise peaceful air, and without the white noise of city life, Matthew’s ears buzzed like they were trying to tune into an old radio station. Matthew could only distantly hear the sound of some kind of engine, maybe a tractor or lawn mower, but it was so far away he couldn’t be sure. The silence that surrounded him was overwhelming. 

“Nice and quiet,” he muttered to himself and shook his head as he grabbed his bags from the car. 

The inside of the house was just as it had been the last time he’d visited. Comfortable, denim sofas, a worn, leather recliner by the river rock fireplace, and no television in sight. 

Matthew had often wondered how his father had gone from being such a social man to one who lived so remotely, nearly cut off from society and current events. Before, he often frequented the pubs near his old home with his buddies and work colleagues to catch a game or chat and would spend long minutes catching up with his neighbors about any and everything going on in their lives, always with a ready smile and joke. Now, he didn’t even have a television. Matthew had insisted his father get Wi-Fi after he’d helped him move in so he would at least be able to stream movies and surf the internet when he visited. Thankfully, his dad did have a computer to use to keep in touch with the real world on occasion. 

Shouldering his satchel and grabbing his two bags, Matthew climbed the creaky, wooden stairs and nudged open the second door on the right. “Home sweet home,” he said, taking in the no-frills, green comforter, and two pillows on the queen-sized bed. There was a tall, five-drawer dresser along one wall and a nightstand with a lamp next to the bed, along with a woven, wicker rocking chair. Matthew remembered how excited his dad had been about finding it at a secondhand store in town. The room was small in keeping with the custom of older homes before the modern world decided square footage was a real thing and rooms should at least allow for you to be able to turn around without bumping into something. 

The condo Matthew had left behind as a rental in Portland was a two-bedroom, with the master being almost double the size of his new accommodations. “It’s only temporary,” he reminded himself as he set his bags down and began the satisfying task of unpacking. 

The rumble of an engine caught his attention as he came back from dropping his toiletry stuff in the subway-tiled bathroom next door to his bedroom. 

He headed downstairs and caught sight of his father’s pickup through the kitchen window as it stopped outside the large barn. The weather-beaten structure stood about a hundred feet from the back of the house, and more often than not, that was where his dad could be found if he was up at the house. 

Why his dad had taken so to tinkering and farming, Matthew still couldn’t say. 

Making his way to the back door, Matthew watched as his father climbed out of his truck with a wrapped bundle held securely in his arms. The dark red stain Matthew could see on the cloth had his heart kicking up a notch as he pulled the door open and called out, “Dad, you okay?” He hightailed it out the door and down the steps immediately. 

Startled, his dad looked up—obviously having been lost in thought—and smiled. “Matty. Hey, I didn’t know you were here already.” 

Matthew heaved a sigh of relief as it became clear his dad wasn’t hurt. “Been here for about an hour. What’s all this?” he asked, crossing the small lawn and the dirt drive that led behind the house and off deeper into the property. “I hope that’s not your blood on there.” 

“Oh,” his father replied, his bushy, gray eyebrows furrowing as he looked down at what Matthew recognized as his jacket wadded up in his arms. “I found this little guy caught in a snare out in the woods. Really chaps my hide that people come onto my land and set out traps for these guys. Come, take a look and see what you think. You’re a doctor.” 

His dad’s teasing smile made Matthew chuckle. “Saving the critters again, huh? Let’s see what we’re dealing with. You know I told you to get those motion sensor cameras so you can catch whoever is doing this, right?” 

Matthew followed his dad around the truck and into the side door of the barn. The smell of old hay and grease met his nose, and Matthew smiled to himself, content in the knowledge that his dad did seem to love his unorthodox retirement. 

“I know you did, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. That’s a lot of area to cover, and the traps are never in the same place. Besides, with all the beings that live out there, those sensors would trip constantly.” 

Matthew eyed his dad at his weird choice of words. Racoons, foxes, deer, and the occasional wolf or black bear didn’t seem like “beings” to him, but his dad had become very protective of his land in the last couple of years. Matthew supposed if people were coming onto his land and laying traps for animals, he would probably be quite perturbed and protective as well. “So, what did you bring home with you this time?” 

His father walked over to the long, wooden workbench and carefully set down his wadded-up jacket. The red patch of blood seemed bigger than Matthew would have thought survivable if the animal was as small as he figured it would be. Flipping on the atrocious fluorescent lighting, his father gently pulled back the fabric from the squirming bundle to reveal the large ears and frightened eyes of a brown and gray rabbit. 

“Just look at those terrified eyes,” his dad said, keeping the animal still with his large hand. “He was nearly hanging upside down by his back leg. Damn near took the whole boot off. I think the leg might be broken, and I wanted to bring him home to check him out before releasing him.” 

Oddly enough, the first thing Matthew thought of when he got a good look at the animal’s head was the Easter Bunny. Being the first week in April, all the stores were stocked full of bunnies, chicks, and candy. The animal on his dad’s workbench looked just like the classic portrayal of the cotton-tailed myth. 

“Well, let’s see what we’re dealing with here. Even though I’m not a real doctor, I guess bandaging up my first rabbit will be as good an introduction to country living as any other.” His dad chuckled, but Matthew could have sworn the injured animal rolled its eyes. 

Peeling back the rest of the coat, the blood-soaked fabric rustled, and the bunny twitched as Matthew noted the back leg was indeed offset, and the raw, bloody gash encircled the injured limb. “You were right. Looks as if he might have been degloved if he’d struggled any longer. I’m certainly no expert on wildlife or rescue and rehabilitation. You want to take him to a vet?” Matt asked, trying to get a closer look as the little critter struggled in an attempt to get free. 

His father held him still. “Not sure the local vet is going to do much for an injured wild animal. We might be able to find a wildlife sanctuary that will take him.” 

The animal continued to struggle, using his hind legs to try to push free and flee. Matthew went over to the bin of rags and grabbed an old towel. He wrapped the soft rabbit up, mindful of its injured leg, and held it securely, trying to infuse a sense of calm into the animal. “Why don’t we make some phone calls and see what options we have. We’ll keep him comfortable for now in the barn.” 

His dad nodded his agreement. “I’ll get out a roll of fencing, and we can make him a little cage. There’s plenty of hay and towels to make a nest.” 

Matthew held the wounded rabbit in his arms, not sure why they were going to such extremes for the small creature, but his dad set off toward the far wall where bundles of rusted wiring and ropes were coiled up. It took him a few minutes to jerry-rig a small cage, but once the two-by-two square was sturdy, his dad layered in a good amount of hay, and Matthew gently lowered the rabbit into the make-shift cage so it could rest. 

The animal looked up at him, and even though Matthew knew his leg had to be hurting, he could have sworn it looked less scared now, sniffing the air curiously. He didn’t move from his spot, but his nose twitched, and his whiskers danced. For some reason, Matthew wanted to reach in and pet him, reassure him that they meant no harm and that he was going to be all right. 

“That should do for now,” his dad said, drawing him out of his strange thoughts. “Let’s grab a bite to eat and see if we have any lettuce. I’ll bet this guy will like a little peace and quiet after the morning he’s had.”

Matthew followed his dad out of the barn, an odd protective streak running through him as he contemplated their new charge. It had been years since Matthew had had any kind of pet to care for, but the need to act as guardian over the little rabbit, satisfied an innate sense of nurturing inside him. It was a similar feeling to when he was taking care of one of his patients. Although Matthew hadn’t wanted to go all out and become a medical doctor, he’d still felt a desire to help and care for others, settling on dentistry and restoring happiness to his patients, one smile at a time.





The Elf's Easter Wolf by Beau LeFebvre
Prologue
Markos
“Markos!” The booming voice of his father Andras, Alpha of the Lycos pack, echoed down the hall and into the common room of the packhouse. Markos shifted the massive Easter wreath in his arms so he could look down at Timeus, who was holding the ladder steady. 





My Elf Daddy by Stella Rainbow
One 
Westley 
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel as I drove. It was a nice day today, and the rain that usually haunted Mistvale seemed nowhere to be found. Even though I absolutely loved how much it rained here in Mistvale, it was nice to see the sun sometimes. I sang along with the song playing on the radio as I drove toward the railway station. It was a Disney song, and I made a note to switch the radio station before I arrived at my destination. The last thing I needed was to make a weird impression on my boss's colleague. Well, technically, Noel wasn't my boss. Rebba was. But while working for them, I'd realized that Rebba and Noel seemed to work in tandem, and though I knew Rebba was the owner of the animal shelter and even the farm—I think—Noel worked just as hard as her, and it didn't seem like either of them was higher up on the chain than the other. 

Parking the car in the vacant lot of the railway station, I took a deep breath as I looked around. Mistvale itself didn't have a railway station of its own, just a bus stop that led to the other, bigger towns nearby. So, I'd had to drive down to the railway station, one town over, to pick up Noel's colleague, a man named Birch Sunday—who, I guessed by his name, was an old man, probably someone wrinkly and gray-haired. Wait. Why was I imagining Santa? I shook my head, rolling my eyes at the weird thoughts running through my mind. 

I switched the radio over to the pop station and got out of the truck before locking it behind me. I straightened my clothes and made sure my badges and pins weren't sticking out too much as I made my way into the railway station. Just like the outside, the inside was empty of people, and I sighed in relief as I walked over to the board with the schedule on it. Mr. Sunday's train would arrive in less than a minute, so I headed to the platform and pushed my hands into my pockets as I waited. 

A tap on my shoulder made me jerk, and I turned around to find myself face-to-face with the sexiest man I'd ever seen. The man was a few inches taller than me with dark brown hair pushed back on top of his head in a poof. Pointed ears framed his face, and I had the strange urge to run my fingertip over them to see if they were as sharp as they looked. His dark, almost black, eyes gazed at me with a look so intense that it made me shiver, and I just wanted to run my fingers through that sexy brown beard of his. He was maybe in his late thirties, and he was everything I ever looked for in a man. He was so my type. 

My shoulders slumped as I remembered that even though he was exactly my type, I wasn't anyone's type. I wasn't a twink. I was chubby, but I wasn't muscular. I wasn't hairy enough to be a bear, but I also wasn't all smooth skin. I was everything a little shouldn't be. There was no way I could be anyone's type. Especially a daddy’s. Not that this man was a daddy, though he did give off those daddy vibes.

The man snapped his fingers in front of my eyes, and I blinked as I realized I'd lost myself in my thoughts. I met the man's eyes, and he raised a brow at me questioningly. I shook my head before straightening up and giving him a smile. 

“Are you Mr. Sunday?” I asked and the man nodded before giving me a once over. I shivered under his intense gaze but forced myself to not react further. The last thing I needed was for him to realize that I was remotely interested in him. I knew what happened when I showed interest. And I did not intend to make this man look at me with the same expression of disgust—or, even worse, pity—that I usually got from someone I tried to flirt with. I didn't want to watch him flounder as he tried to make up a reason for why he didn't want me. There was no reason to lie though, because I knew I wasn't the most good-looking man out there. 

With my weight and the fact that I was a little, dating was just a dream for me, not something I could actually have in real life. Finding the perfect man who would also be my daddy? Pssh, that was only possible in my imagination. It wasn't like I'd never tried. The fact was that I'd tried too many times, but forcing scenes with Doms who didn’t care about me in the least were the worst things ever. Even worse than that time I’d fallen asleep and somehow rolled over into Snuggles’ poop. I'd been broken and thrown away way too many times and I was done. I could be little by myself, and my left hand was more than enough for me. 

“Yeah, that's me,” he said and I startled as I realized I'd lost myself in my thoughts. Again. I gave him a small smile before taking his luggage from his hand and waving him toward the exit. Mr. Sunday nodded before following me. We walked side by side to the car, and I opened the passenger side door for him. His eyebrows rose a bit, but he moved into the seat as I put his luggage in the trunk before walking over to the driver's side.

I turned the radio on as I started the car, and the sound of guitars and other instruments filled the air, making me cringe. Pop wasn't my favorite genre, but it was what most people enjoyed. Personally, I was more of a theme song kind of guy, but I thought playing “Let It Go” wouldn't go over well with this man. Or with anyone, I guessed. 

Rebba, Noel, and the others were almost used to my quirks by now. They didn't look at me weird when I walked around wearing overalls or my badges. They didn't care if I spent hours snuggling the bunnies in the mini shelter. As long as I did my work, they let me be and let me do whatever I wanted around the place. I'd been surprised when Noel had first offered me the job, but since he'd done it while I was being kicked out of my flat for being late on the payment, I hadn't been able to say no, and I was glad for it. Though I restricted most of my little tendencies to my home, I couldn't control myself when I was in the mini shelter. Those bunnies were just too cute, and every time I looked at them, it was like they were asking me to cuddle them, and how could I say no to those furry little faces, right? 

Mr. Sunday leaned over to the dashboard and turned the volume down until the music was just a hum in the background, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling softly. It seemed like I wasn't the only one with an aversion to pop songs. The drive to Mistvale was quiet but not uncomfortable. I couldn't help sneaking glances at the man beside me every once in a while. He was just so good-looking! There was this aura about him, this assuredness that I was infinitely attracted to. He gave off this air of confidence that I was kind of familiar with. Back when I lived in a town where there were more than a few clubs, I'd went to a BDSM club a few times. I'd never managed to snag myself a daddy, obviously, but the vibe the other Doms gave off was exactly like the feeling I got from this man. I knew it was just wishful thinking on my part. My brain was trying to rope anyone and everyone into being my daddy. 

I wasn't that lucky. My perfect daddy wouldn't just drop into my lap like this, now, would he? I shook off the fancy thoughts and focused on driving as I sneaked another glance at him, only to find him watching me. He raised a brow at me, and I flushed as I turned back to look out the windshield. Crap, I'd been caught. 

The blush was still there when we arrived at the farmland. The farm was a Christmas tree farm, though there were a few cabins where Rebba, Noel, Caleb, and Devon lived. I'd managed to snag the tiny cabin that stood a few paces away from the mini shelter. It had come with the job, and it was probably my favorite part about it. Living in this place was heaven. I had all the privacy I needed, and there were a bunch of cute animals ready for cuddling just a few steps away from my house. What more could I ask for? 

A daddy, my subconscious supplied, and I shook my head as I turned off the engine. Keep dreaming, Wes, I told myself. That was the only time I'd get to have a daddy, after all. 


Birch 
The boy who'd come to pick me up was interesting. I couldn't bring myself to call him a man, even though that was exactly what he was. He looked young, like he was in his late twenties, with round cheeks, a smiling face, and hazel eyes that seemed to suck me in. His eyes were bright and full of a quiet joy that made me want to fall deep into them. His colorful outfit and the quirky little badges he'd pinned to his T-shirt under his jacket brought out my daddy side. I didn't know if I should trust my instinct, but this boy screamed little to me.

But I couldn't be that lucky, could I? Yes, I was looking forward to moving here, at least I was thinking about it. When I'd picked up this project, my last as the CEO of The Easter branch at The Christmas, I hadn't expected much. The job itself was something my juniors were more than equipped to handle, but I'd heard a lot about the town of Mistvale, about how inclusive it was. I'd heard that many supes resided here, including the elf I was here to meet. While I'd hoped for a place to call home, I never expected it to feel so right. After spending the last six decades working for The Easter, I was looking forward to settling down somewhere. I'd hoped Mistvale would be that place, but until now I hadn't been sure. 

Now that I had met this boy, I knew this had been a good decision. I also knew that Fate played a hand in me coming to Mistvale. It had to be her doing, right? I wasn't getting ahead of myself, was I? My instinct told me that Westley was someone special, someone who could be important to me. The sweet way he'd smiled at me when he'd been lost in thought had pulled something in my heart. It had touched a part of me that I hadn't had a chance to explore for a while now. 

Sure, I'd had boys before. But none had seemed like they were the one. We would play, have a few nights of fun, but just that small interaction with Westley told me he'd be different. That was, if all my instincts about him were even correct. For all I knew, he was just a perpetually happy man. 

Shaking my head to get rid of my fancy imagination, I glanced out the window at the town of Mistvale as Westley drove. 

Mistvale was beautiful. Trees lined the streets, and though the sky looked blue today, the leaves were covered with a sheen of wetness as if it had rained just yesterday. Even though it was nearly spring, there was no sign of the rain letting up. I'd heard that Mistvale was prone to rain, but I hadn't realized the extent of it until now.

It looked as good a place as any to settle down, and if something really did happen between me and Westley, I knew I would be only too happy to stay. 

Lord, I needed to stop imagining a future with this boy minutes after meeting him. If he could read my mind right now, I knew he would be freaked out. I wasn't usually like this. Hell, I couldn't even remember the last time I'd been interested in someone, much less so enamored that I’d started dreaming of a future with them minutes after meeting them. But my instinct, that place deep inside me where my magic resided, told me that this boy—this man—was important. Maybe it had been Fate's plan all along, bringing me here to this small town full of magic. Or maybe it had just been my luck. But whatever it was, I knew that this sweet boy was going to play a big role in my life henceforth. 

I just hoped my instincts weren't wrong and that the sweet boy sitting beside me was a little.





Georgie's Eggcellent Adventure by Sam E Kraemer
“Down here,” I heard.

I glanced down and saw a furry little bunny, its pink nose wiggling as it took me in. It was a rusty orange-red with large ears that stood at attention, unlike the lop ears I was used to seeing in pictures.

“You… Did you say something?” I asked the rabbit, wondering if I’d had a brain injury. The reindeers could understand us, but they only spoke to Santa when they were alone. I didn’t realize other creatures could converse.

“I could tell you were struggling with the garments, and I was trying to give you a suggestion so you don’t look like an idiot. Are you Georgie Peppermint?” the long-eared rabbit asked.

I was so dumbstruck, I could only nod, still standing there naked as the day I’d been born. Nobody or nothing had mentioned to me that rabbits had the ability of speech. I’d have remembered something like that, I was sure.

“What’s wrong? Rabbit got your tongue?” The rabbit then began to cackle, and I heard a lot of other high-pitched giggles echoing through the forest.

I swallowed. “Would you mind turning your back? I’m a little naked here.”

My rabbit companion hopped around until it was facing another direction, and I pulled on the white briefs that replaced my long johns. They were a bit snug, along with the other clothes being a bit more tailored than I was accustomed to wearing. By that logic, maybe it was necessary to wear the tight undergarments to keep things in their proper place? I slipped on the tan shorts and then looked at the white shirt, hearing whispers among the bushes.

“What is that?” I asked the rabbit.

“Hmm? Oh, put on the white shirt and put the colorful one over the top. She said you’re not good at remembering things,” my companion instructed.

I did as I was told and stepped into the shoes, which were quite comfortable after I’d removed the stockings.

“Okay, you can turn around. Who is she?” I asked, referring to his comment about the white shirt. The rabbit actually rolled his eyes at me.

“Come out everyone.” I leaned forward to pick up my clothes because I’d need them eventually, and when I stood to shake them, I was surrounded by more rabbits than I could count. They were various colors and sizes, but they all had the tall ears like my host, who was the biggest of them all.

“Damn!” I squeaked out in shock. “Easy there. Some of these are quite young, and if they repeat that in front of Mom and Dad, then I’ll be in trouble. They’re all supposed to be in school, but Holly Claus called and told me you’d been dropped off, so I wanted to personally thank you for agreeing to come, and they wanted to come along.

“I’m Robin, and these are my brothers and sisters. Sound off!” Robin announced.



Saturday's Series Spotlight
Part 1  /  Part 2




Morgan Mason
Morgan loves her men. She enjoys writing stories ranging from contemporary, to urban fantasy, to taboo. She likes to dabble with different tropes and heat levels, and will always promise a HEA.

Morgan lives in the US with her high school sweetheart, their three kids, and all the critters that keep life interesting.




Beau LeFebvre
Writer of paranormal and contemporary M/M romance.







Stella Rainbow
Stella Rainbow is the pen name of a twenty something woman from India. Her heart is too full of rainbow colored stories to be limited by the lack of awareness in her home country.

Stella spends her days cuddling up with her cat, typing out new stories, daydreaming and reading all the books she can get her hands on.

She loves talking to her readers and other book lovers, so don't hesitate in contacting her on any of her socials or emailing her at authorstellarainbow@gmail.com.




Sam E Kraemer
I grew up in the rural Midwest before moving to the East Coast with a dashing young man who swept me off my feet, and we've now settled in the desert of Nevada. I write M/M contemporary romance, subgenres: sweet low angst, age-gap, cowboys, mysteries, and military/mercenary to name a few. I am a firm believer in "Love is Love" regardless of how it presents itself, and I'm a staunch ally of the LGBTQIA+ community.

I have a loving, supportive family, and I feel blessed by the universe and thankful every day for all I have been given. I’m old enough to know how to have fun, but too old to care what others think about my definition of a good time. In my heart and soul, I believe I hit the cosmic jackpot. Cheers!



Morgan Mason
EMAIL: morganmasonauthor@gmail.com

Beau LeFebvre

Stella Rainbow
CHIRP  /  AUDIOBOOKS  /  PATREON
EMAIL: authorstellarainbow@gmail.com

Sam E Kraemer
INSTAGRAM  /  PATREON  /  FB GROUP
EMAIL: samekraemer@gmail.com



My Clearwater Elf by Morgan Mason

The Elf's Easter Wolf by Beau LeFebvre

My Elf Daddy by Stella Rainbow

Georgie's Eggcellent Adventure by Sam E Kraemer


Friday, April 7, 2023

πŸ°πŸ“˜πŸŽ₯Friday's Film AdaptationπŸŽ₯πŸ“˜πŸ°: The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith



Summary:

The book that inspired the animated movie classic!

When Dearly's Dalmatians have their first litter of pups—fifteen in all—everyone is delighted. But their joy is shortlived, for the pups are kidnapped! Scotland Yard is baffled, but the keenest canine minds are on the case—and on the trail of Cruella de Vil, the most fiendish person to ever covet a fur coat.

Pongo and Missis would give everything they have to bring their puppies safely home... but will they succeed in rescuing them from the cluthes of the evil Cruella de Vil?

"A tale full to overflowing with those prime requisites of a good story—warmth and humor, imagination and suspense."—Chicago Sunday Tribune

"Superb reading. The puzzle of the hundred and one is delightful.... Highly recommended."—SLJ



‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ she said, dramatically, ‘puppies are arriving earlier than expected. Mr and Mrs Dearly ask you to remember that Missis has never before been a mother. She needs absolute quiet.’

There was an instant silence, broken only by a stifled sneeze. Then the guests rose, drank a whispered toast to the young mother, and tiptoed from the house.

All except Cruella de Vil. When she reached the hall she went straight to Nanny Butler, who was seeing the guests out, and demanded:

‘Where are those puppies?’

Nanny Butler had no intention of telling, but Cruella heard the Dearly voices’ and ran upstairs. This time she was wearing a black satin dress with ropes of pearls, but the same absolutely simple white mink cloak. She had kept it round her all through dinner, although the room was very warm (and the pepper very hot).

‘I must, I must see the darling puppies,’ she cried.

The cupboard door was a little open. The Dearlys were inside, soothing Missus. Three puppies had been born before Nanny Butler, on bringing Missus a nourishing chicken dinner, had discovered what was happening.

Cruella flung open the door and stared down at the three puppies.

‘But they’re mongrels – all white, no spots at all!’ she cried. ‘You must drown them at once.’

‘Dalmatians are always born white,’ said Mrs Dearly, glaring at Cruella. ‘The spots come later.’

‘And we wouldn’t drown them even if they were mongrels,’ said Mrs Dearly, indignantly.

‘It’d be quite easy,’ said Cruella. ‘I’ve drowned dozens of my cat’s kittens. She always chooses some wretched alley-cat for their father so they’re never worth keeping.

‘Surely you leave her one kitten?’ said Mrs Dearly.

‘If I’d done that, I’d be overrun with cats,’ said Cruella.

‘Are you sure those horrid little white rats are pure Dalmatian puppies?’

‘Quite sure,’ snapped Mrs Dearly. ‘Now please go away, you’re upsetting Missus.’

And indeed Missus was upset. Even with the Dearlys there to protect her and her puppies, she was a little afraid of this tall woman with black-and-white hair who stared so hard. And that poor cat who had lost all her kittens! Never, Never, would Missus forget that! (And one day she was to be glad she remembered it.)

‘How long will it be before the puppies are old enough to leave their mother?’ asked Cruella. ‘In case I want to buy some.’

‘Seven or eight weeks,’ said Mr Dearly. ‘But there won’t be any for sale.’ Then he shut the cupboard door in Cruella’s face and Nanny Butler firmly showed her out of the house.


Pongo and Perdita have a litter of 15 puppies. Cruella De Vil takes a fancy to the pups, and wants to get hold of them, as well as more pups, to make herself a loveley dalmation skin coat... Cruella gets some thugs to kidnap the pups and hold them at her mansion. Will Pongo and Perdita find them in time ?

Release Date: January 25, 1961
Release Time: 79 minutes

Directors: 
Wolfgang Reitherman
Clyde Geronimi
Hamilton Luske

Cast:
Rod Taylor as Pongo
Lisa Daniels and Cate Bauer as Perdita
Betty Lou Gerson as Cruella de Vil
     Gerson as Miss Birdwell, a panelist on the show "What's My Crime?".
Ben Wright as Roger Radcliffe
Bill Lee provided Roger's singing voice
Lisa Davis as Anita Radcliffe
Frederick Worlock as Horace Baddun
     Worlock as Inspector Graves, a panelist on the show "What's My Crime?"
J. Pat O'Malley as Jasper Baddun
     O'Malley as Colonel
Martha Wentworth as Nanny
     Wentworth as Queenie
     Wentworth as Lucy the White Goose
Thurl Ravenscroft as Captain
David Frankham as Sergeant Tibbs
Mimi Gibson as Lucky
Barbara Beaird as Rolly
Mickey Maga as Patch
Sandra Abbott as Penny
Tudor Owen as Old Towser
George Pelling as Danny
Junius Matthews as Scottie
Queenie Leonard as Princess
Marjorie Bennett as Duchess
Barbara Luddy as Rover
Rickie Sorensen as Spotty
Tom Conway as the Collie, who offers the Dalmatians shelter for the night at a dairy farm
     Conway as the Quizmaster, the host of "What's My Crime?"
Ramsay Hill as the Labrador Retriever in Dinsford
Paul Wexler as the Mechanic who fixes the van
Basil Ruysdael as the driver of the moving van
Paul Frees as Dirty Dawson, the villain in the "Thunderbolt" TV show
Lucille Bliss as TV Commercial Singer

Awards:
1962 BAFTAs
Best Animated Film - Won

AFIs 100 Years . . . 
100 Heroes and Villains - Cruella de Vil - #39



Trailer

Clips





1961  /  1996



Author Bio:
Born Dorothy Gladys Smith in Lancashire, England, Dodie Smith was raised in Manchester (her memoir is titled A Childhood in Manchester). She was just an infant when her father died, and she grew up fatherless until age 14, when her mother remarried and the family moved to London. There she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and tried for a career as an actress, but with little success. She finally wound up taking a job as a toy buyer for a furniture store to make ends meet. Giving up dreams of an acting career, she turned to writing plays, and in 1931 her first play, Autumn Crocus, was published (under the pseudonym “C.L. Anthony”). It was a success, and her story — from failed actress to furniture store employee to successful writer — captured the imagination of the public and she was featured in papers all over the country. Although she could now afford to move to a London townhouse, she didn't get caught up in the “literary” scene — she married a man who was a fellow employee at the furniture store.

During World War II she and her husband moved to the United States, mostly because of his stand as a conscientious objector and the social and legal difficulties that entailed. She was still homesick for England, though, as reflected in her first novel, I Capture the Castle (1948). During her stay she formed close friendships with such authors as Christopher Isherwood and John Van Druten, and was aided in her literary endeavors by writer A.J. Cronin.

She is perhaps best known for her novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians, a hugely popular childrens book that has been made into a string of very successful animated films by Walt Disney. She died in 1990.


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AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N

Film
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ALL MOVIE  /  WIKI  /  TCM





Thursday, April 6, 2023

🐰⏳Throwback Thursday's Time Machine⏳🐰: Ears, Eggs, and Bunnies by Mary Calmes



Summary:

A Sam and Jory Easter Ficlet.



Ears, Eggs, and Bunnies #6.5
Re-Read Review 2021:
I'm not going to say too much because as a short story and the middle of a series that follows an established couple, I don't want to give anything away.  I will say that as much as I love Jory and Sam in the beginning of their journey when they become a family they reach a whole new level of awesomeness and this Easter short is a perfect example of what makes their family awesome.  Jory is his usual trouble-magnet-self, Sam is all kinds of OMG-Alpha-ness that makes him so loveable and why they make the perfect pair.  As for little Hannah and Kola?  Well they are their own souls but in Ears, Eggs, and Bunnies we see the great blending of their individual spirits and their fathers' children.  If I went beyond the phrase "the bunny's crying" you probably wouldn't believe it but trust me, this is just the best short story I think I've ever read and knowing it's Jory and Sam well that's just icing on the cake, or the chocolate bunny in the Easter basketπŸ˜‰.

Overall Series 5th Re-Read 2019:
Again there's really nothing new I can add that would express how much I love Jory and Sam.  Not everyone likes the kind of alpha male that Sam Kage is and I too don't always appreciate that element but when the dynamic between the two men is so powerful as Sam and Jory then I completely fall in love.  Just because Sam is so alpha don't think Jory is a pushover, oh no he definitely has no problem voicing his opinion either and I think that is what makes them work for me because its an even balance of push and pull from both.

Now as for the audios, there are four different narrators, three for Jory/Sam and one for Duncan/Aaron in Parting Shot.  Some might find that off-putting but I actually found it fitting.  Just why there is different narrators I don't know but as a listener, I found each one did a brilliant job and yes they are noticeably different but they bring the perfect nuances for where the characters are in their journey, we all change as life goes and Paul Morey, Jeff Gelder, and Finn Sterling showcase that wonderfully.  Tristan James brings Duncan and Aaron's story to life that is a perfect fit for the Matter of Time series.

RATING:



Technically it was my daughter’s fault and not mine, but I seriously doubted that the love of my life, US Supervisory Marshal Sam Kage, would see it that way. But really, it was. Hannah Banana––B for short––had wanted bunny ears for Easter. I looked everywhere without success because by the time she decided she wanted them, and the kind she wanted, everywhere close to us was sold out. So, because I’m a sucker for my sweet kid, I took the afternoon off to call around and find ears.

Since it was Good Friday and the kids were already with me at the office, once I found a place that said, “Sure, we have some,” I put both my daughter and son in the minivan, and we drove out to Northbrook. It wasn’t far, at one in the afternoon only 45 minutes, and we easily found the place that sold costumes and a ton of other stuff, as it turned out to be this enormous warehouse called Masquerade Emporium. It was huge, the kind of superstore that probably did a bustling business at Halloween but otherwise, people just trickled into.

They had more costumes than I’d seen in years, and so I assumed that there had to be bunny ears in the place somewhere. It wasn’t the cleanest establishment I’d ever been in, and smelled a bit like mothballs. Kola, who had just learned about germs in fifth grade science, wanted a hazmat suit and a ventilator.

“Pa, it’s not clean in here,” he informed me, clearly revolted.

“Oooh, do you think they have a sonic screwdriver?” Hannah happily asked. She was the only one in her class that had a Doctor Who lunchbox and thermos. She wasn’t watching the kind of TV the other second graders did. She could not converse about Hello Kitty or My Little Pony, but ask her to draw you the Tardis, and she was right on top of that.

“I don’t think so, B,” I yawned, walking down the aisle that the texting clerk had directed me to.

“Pa, we’re going to go down the aisle with the werewolf masks,” Kola said as he followed his little sister, informing me of their destination. It was funny how much like Sam he was, cautious and deliberate. Hannah was more like me, all about leaping and then looking to see if there was a net there.

“Wait.”

Both of my children stopped to look at me.

“We should all go together.”

Kola sighed heavily, as though I were simply too tedious for words. “I’m nine now, and Hannah’s seven,” he explained gravely, as though I were not aware of these facts. “We’re not going to run away or be stupid enough to go off with a stranger.”

“Yeah, but––”

“And we’re together, Pa. You don’t have to be right next to us anymore, as long as we’re in the same general vicinity.”

Vicinity. Who taught him these words? “I just worry.”

Hannah gave me her most patronizing smile.

“We know,” he said, nodding sagely. “But Dad said that we need to start being more independent. It’s why he’s teaching us how to survive in the wild.”

Which had nothing to do with anything but Sam wanting to take his kids––and me––camping. Fishing, making a fire, those things were fun for the marshal. I had drawn the line at hunting, and with Hannah becoming a vegetarian, Sam wasn’t going to convince her to shoot Bambi either. Kola wanted to learn to shoot, but not at animals. He wanted to go target shooting because when the zombie apocalypse hit, he wanted to be ready.

“Pa?”

They were waiting on me as my mind drifted. “Fine, but not too far.”

Kola rolled his eyes.




Author Bio:

Mary Calmes lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and two children and loves all the seasons except summer. She graduated from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, with a bachelor's degree in English literature. Due to the fact that it is English lit and not English grammar, do not ask her to point out a clause for you, as it will so not happen. She loves writing, becoming immersed in the process, and falling into the work. She can even tell you what her characters smell like. She loves buying books and going to conventions to meet her fans.


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EMAIL: mmcalmes@hotmail.com