Today we say Hello to Freddy McKay who joins us today on this blog tour stop for the new anthology Rainbow Gold Foolish Encounters
Freddy stopped by Love Bytes to answer some of our questions, shares an excerpt of his contribution to this anthology and there is also a giveaway with lots of prizes everyone can participate in!
Welcome Freddy and the rest of the Foolish Encounters Crew 🙂
Author Name: Amy Lane, Angel Martinez, Elin Gregory, Freddy MacKay, JC Wallace, Tali Spencer & Tinnean
Book Name: Foolish Encounters: A Rainbow Gold Anthology
Release Date: April 1, 2015
Publisher: Wilde City Press, LLC
Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas
Blurb:
An accident, a chance encounter, a thought blurted out, a boat blown off course, a change in direction that suddenly runs into the line of fire – the smallest misstep can change everything.
These foolish encounters are the moments around which lives pivot and sometimes spin out of control. Join us for tales of imprudent choices and bad decisions that can lead just as easily to hilarity as they can to tragedy.
Pages or Words: 426 pages, 92,600 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction (Please remember that not all stories will encompass these categories.)
Buy Links:
How did this collaboration come about?
It was Angel’s fault. Really, it was. She started the whole silly nonsense of giving writers prompts during a fun party event. It spiraled out of control after that. Us poor, unsuspecting authors gobbled them up greedily, answering to silly, outrageous prompts. Little did we suspect we would actually have to write a story for said prompt. But when Marc gave us those puppy dog eyes and asked us if we would write them a story, who could say no to such an innocent expression? We didn’t, and thus, the Foolish Encounters anthology was born.
What is the common theme that ties the stories together?
Not really, no. It was April’s Fool, so the prompts we picked were silly, off the wall, absurd or down right surprises. The stories were based off those, giving our MCs fateful encounters that changed the course of their lives. So more than a theme, there is an idea that ties the anthology together: Fateful encounters. This grew organically from the prompts we picked.
Who designed the fantastic cover?
Adrian Nicholas. And we need to give him major props. To be able to give an anthology cover a general cover that touches on the idea of what all the stories are about it hard. He did an excellent job and was really patient with us, listened to our feedback, and gave us a cover that we all liked. (It’s hard to please 7 authors). Since our stories ran with a more organic, abstract idea, we love what he did.
Do any of you want to share what projects you are working on now?
I can’t speak for the other authors, but I am working on a couple short stories, and my next Finding Peace book coming from Mischief Corner Books later this year. I should also have a fun, eerie story coming this fall. We’ll see what happens.
The Nut Job
By Freddy MacKay
Searching for water took more energy and time than Spencer had hoped, but he finally found it. With one ear cocked for the slightest noise, he carried the bucket, arms outstretched. His muscles protested, but he did not want to lose any more water than he already had. The bucket was too big and brushed up against his body, sloshing the liquid everywhere.
He tripped over a root, almost falling, but he kept his footing. Unfortunately, water rose up and soaked his front.
“Awyath.” Stupid bucket.
Spencer put it down, his arm muscles screaming for a break, not to mention his wrist throbbed like a bajd. How much longer could he ignore it? He shook his body out, popping his neck a couple times. How much farther did he have to go? Spencer sniffed and looked around. Better to go up into the canopy and get an aerial view.
The walnut tree in front of him was as good as any other tree. Spencer scampered up, the branches swaying behind him. He only went so far up, his weight too much for the limbs. Dense oranges, reds, and yellows surrounded him. The breeze ruffled his fur. Nice. Almost like home. Almost.
Spencer spotted the ridge in Omega Seven. A click, no more. He turned tail and set back down the tree. He jumped the last few meters, sliding on a couple hulls.
“Bajd!” Oh wait, no. Hm.
Once reoriented, Spencer surveyed the pickings. They might need some food. He felt a little peckish, and well, some of those hulls were nice and brown, the outer layer of protection practically falling off the shells. No one would begrudge him picking up some supplies. Maybe some berries too. There were a few bushes not too far from their position in the cave. He’d get wood and berries in one fell swoop.
Yes, an excellent plan.
Spencer opened one of his pouches on his jacket. He searched for the ripest hulls, pocketing them, moving onto the next find. Seeing more hulls on other side of the tree, Spencer rounded it, salivating at the chance to get more nuts.
Right into a wall.
“Chep!”
“Fuck!”
Spencer tumbled back right onto his ass, his poor nuts flying everywhere.
He looked up, right into nut-brown eyes. Human eyes.
“Awyath.”
“Mutant squirrel!”
“What did you call me?”
Bajd. He was no sqoltal squirrel.
Spencer sprang up, pointing at the stupid human, reaching for his stunner. “I’m not a—”
“Aaaahhhh!” The guy swung out, a metal stick connecting with Spencer’s head. Light burst in front of his eyes and he dropped.
Read Vicki’s Review HERE!
About the authors:
Amy Lane
Amy Lane has two kids in college and two kids in soccer, and four fur-babies up in her business as she writes. She, her Mate, and her brood live in a crumbling crap mansion and squander their funds on movies, travel, and joy.
Angel Martinez
While Angel Martinez is the erotic fiction pen name of a writer of several genres, she writes both kinds of gay romance – Science Fiction and Fantasy. Currently living part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware, (and full time inside the author’s head) Angel has one husband, one son, two cats, a changing variety of other furred and scaled companions, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.
Elin Gregory
Elin Gregory lives in South Wales and has been making stuff up since 1958. Writing has always had to take second place to work and family but now the kids are grown up it’s possible she might finish one of the many novels on her hard drive and actually DO something useful with it.
Historical subjects predominate. She has written about ancient Greek sculptors, 18th century seafarers but also about modern men who change shape at will and how echoes of the past can be heard in the present. Heroes tend to be hard as nails but capable of tenderness when circumstances allow.
There are always new works on the go and she is currently editing a novel about spies in the 1920s, finishing one set in 6th century AD England and contemplating one about the Second World War. Any excuse to buy more books!
Freddy MacKay
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, expect 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.
JC Wallace
JC “Jake” Wallace started writing from a young age, but took a break for marriage, kids, and college (in that order). A few years ago, he rediscovered his passion and ventured out into the brave new world of publishing. He now has several novels and short stories published. At night and on the weekends, Jake writes about all things men, believing there is nothing hotter than two men finding and loving one another, whether for a night or forever. An avid reader of M/M romance, Jake loves a good twist of a plot, HEA, HFN, or tragic ending. He also writes what his bestie calls HUNK (Happy Until the Next Kidnapping). In his daytime hours, Jake works with individuals with autism and behavior problems. He is owned by a beautiful partner, three kids, two grandchildren, two dogs and one cat. He lives in the Adirondack Mountains in Northern NY.
Tali Spencer
Tali Spencer fell in love with writing at an early age and never stopped. Thanks to a restless father, she grew up as a bit of a nomad and still loves to travel whenever she can. Her longest stint in one place was Milwaukee where she went to college, enjoyed a series of interesting careers, and raised three surprisingly well-adjusted sons. She later married her true love and put down new roots in Philadelphia, where she lives in an ongoing Italian American family sitcom. At least she’s learned how make good pasta. When not writing, Tali reads everything from sweet goofy romances to medical research, manages her fantasy football team—go Gekkos!—and takes long walks with her loving, if slightly neurotic, poodle.
Tinnean
Tinnean has been writing since the 3rd grade, where she was inspired to try her hand at epic poetry. Fortunately, that epic poem didn’t survive the passage of time; however, her love of writing not only survived but thrived, and in high school she became a member of the magazine staff, where she contributed a number of stories. It was with the advent of the family’s second computer – the first intimidated everyone – that her writing took off, enhanced in part by fanfiction, but mostly by the wonder that is copy and paste. While involved in fandom, she was nominated for both Rerun and Light My Fire Awards. Now she concentrates on her original characters, and recent novels have received honorable mention in the 2013 and 2014 Rainbow Awards. A New Yorker at heart, she resides in SW Florida with her husband and two computers. Ernest Hemingway’s words reflect Tinnean’s devotion to her craft: Once writing has become your major vice and greatest pleasure, only death can stop it.
Where to find the authors:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freddy.m.mackay, https://www.facebook.com/amartinez2, https://www.facebook.com/amy.lane.167, https://www.facebook.com/Tinnean, https://www.facebook.com/jcwallacebooks, https://www.facebook.com/elin.gregory, https://www.facebook.com/tali.spencer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FreddyMacKay, https://twitter.com/AngelMartinezrr, https://twitter.com/amymaclane, https://twitter.com/jcwallacebooks, https://twitter.com/ElinGregory, https://twitter.com/tali_spencer, https://twitter.com/tinneantoo
Other: http://www.wildecity.com/
Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wildecity/
Other: https://www.facebook.com/rainbowgoldreviews, https://twitter.com/LGBT_Reviews
Tour Dates & Stops:
| 8-AprAngel MartinezDecadent Delights9-AprMolly Lolly
10-Apr 11-Apr 13-Apr Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words 14-Apr 15-Apr Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance |
Rafflecopter Prizes:
3 eBooks of Foolish Encounters
$10 Gift Certificate
$15 Gift Certificate
An eBook copy of They Come by Night by Tinnean,
An eBook copy of Snow on Spirit Bridge by Freddy MacKay
Choice of eBook from Angel Martinez’s backlist
Choice of eBook from Elin’s Gregory’s backlist
Surprise prize from Tali Spencer
Choice of eBook from JC Wallace’s backlist
a Rafflecopter giveaway
can’t wait to read this book!
Do love the cover! I like how this came to be, sounds fun!
What a fantastic list of authors…how could I resist?
This anthology sounds amazing! I can’t wait to get a copy and read it!
What an awesome list of authors contributing their writing skills to this anthology and I love the sound of the quirky and fun stories, which includes a cobra shifter and I wonder what songs he sings and how they reflect on his various encounters? 😉
Thank you for a chance to win one of those prizes.