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I can just about see you under those WIP folders!! Tell me, are you one of those authors who likes to have several projects on the go at once, or do you need to concentrate fully on just one at a time?And I'm looking forward to chatting with you this afternoon at LRC!
Love Romances Cafe
I'm not sure "enjoy" is the word....it just seems to work out that way. I swear!Let me check my watch and grab my confetti - nothing more fun than some Live Chat with Clare London! For any readers who would like to join in - Swing by between 1-4 EST.
Just posting a quick shout out to the GR folks that swung by our Chat on Thursday and emailed me afterward. It was great to see you there!
Hello everyone! The Clare and Chrissy Show – April Edition is live and ready for your reading pleasure. Join us as we examine the interesting question of "How Authors Read". Or, after working hard to develop our own writing skill, is it possible for us to turn off our inner-editors and simply read for pleasure without...Chrissy: ... Dare we say it ...
Clare: ... that little red pen in hand to circle any errors we might find?
Click HERE to read more.
Naughty, Sexy, Fun Writers, or Clare & Chrissy go NSFW June 2nd!That's Clare London and Chrissy Munder. You know us, we chat, we write, and we laugh - a lot. We can't remember exactly how we got together, but the results have been explosive. In the fun way that is. And we are excited to once again share that fun and celebrate Pride Month with the Beth Wylde Yahoo Group.
Join us on June 2nd with our no-holds barred NSFW Day. That's right! From 12-6 pm EST we'll have NSFW Excerpts. Three NSFW Contests where you'll have a chance to win our eBooks as well as our almost-trademarked glittery swag bags. Plus, all Clare and Chrissy will be NSFW for your chatting pleasure. And yes, that's a lot of NSFW.
Click here to join the group and be approved for posting. Hope to see you there!
Remember the thrill of opening a book and seeing the signature of your favorite author? Now you can grab your own Chrissy Munder Kindlegraph! The latest and greatest in eBook fun. It's easy. Just sign up with your Twitter account ID and request away.
Go ahead and visit http://kindlegraph.com/authors/Chriss... for more info.
Don't have a Kindle? You can still get your favorite author's digital autograph in pdf or print form.
Many thanks to the lovely Clare London for sharing this innovate technology with me.
It's the One Year Blogaversary of The Clare and Chrissy Show. Can you believe it? We are feeling a little giddy, and apologize in advance for any confetti that may get into your coffee. So, in honor of our twelfth post, we're grabbing onto the balloon strings and away we go!Click HERE to come along for the ride.
Whatcha all doing this weekend? Come on over to The Romance Studio's End of Summer Bash and read excerpts from a HUGE assortment of romance authors from all genres, enjoy some amazing covers, and enjoy the variety of posts. Leave a comment and win a Nook!Oh, and I'm there too. :)
Here's the link to join the fun: http://www.theromancestudio.com/party/
Another month has gone by already? Time for another edition of
The Clare & Chrissy Show!
Join us as we play the name game, bring up Clare's God Complex, and shake our heads over Chrissy's office supply addiction.
Ready for a Howling Good Time? Join Dreamspinner Press as they kick off October with their Halloween Howl!A special event from Dreamspinner Press.
To celebrate Halloween, Dreamspinner is inviting people to come trick-or-treating at their web site. Thirty-one fantastic authors (Hey, they're talking about me!) have donated free short stories. Search through the different pages on the web site for Gary the gargoyle. Each time you find him, click on him for a free download by the author whose page he's hiding on! And make sure to check out the end of each story for a discount code good any time in the next year.
That's right, it's a giveaway of 31 free short stories just for you! Get in the spirit, join the search, and as a special treat you save 25% off all Dreamspinner titles this weekend.
I've not found all the authors yet, but here's a few:
Clare London
P.D. Singer
Eden Winters
Mary Calmes
Zahra Owens
Lydia Nix
Andrea Speed
Jana Denardo
Devon Rhodes
and many, many, more.
btw - those are links to the authors, heh, not their HH stories. Got to make you work for it.
Do you enjoy reading fiction set in exotic world hotspots? Or would you rather follow characters as they wander through your hometown? Come share your thoughts as we discuss the all-important story setting HERE
Chrissy: Location, Location, Location. Yes, that wonderful catch phrase is not just for real estate anymore.
Clare: Aside from characters, names, and a kernel of an idea for plot, top of the authorly checklist is the question “where is my story taking place”.
Clare and Chrissy Turn Up the Heat ... or do they?
Join Clare London and Chrissy Munder as we tackle the question of "How Much Sex Should We Add to Our Story" in this edition of
The Clare and Chrissy Show
.What are our 4 C's of when to write an intimate encounter, and will they work for you?
June is Pride Month and there's no better place to celebrate online than with the Wylde Bunch and their annual month-long event. Have you checked out the list of participants yet at the Beth Wylde Yahoo Group?
Clare London and I are booked for Tuesday, June 5th, from 12-6 EST. We'll be joined by an amazing variety of friends and fellow authors as we celebrate the art of the short story, "Short and Sweet". Remember you'll need to join the group in advance to participate.
Bring your coffee, some confetti, and be ready to have fun with lots of chat and chances to win free ebook downloads and our fabulously festive Clare and Chrissy Swag.
Hope to see you there!
Creep on over to Jana Denardo's blog where I'm a guest as part of her Halloween Blog Fest! I'm answering some interesting interview questions, sharing the genesis of my love for paranormal romance, and waxing enthusiastic for Darren McGavin.
My October Excerpts continue with a snip from my paranormal novella, After the Storm . Grab your coffee and come say hi if you dare ...
Congratulations to Dreamspinner Press for six wonderfully sexy years! I'm excited to join the celebration with my free short story, Breakfast in Bed.Click HERE to revisit the men (and cat) from my short story, Brush with Desire, and other free fics, over at the Dreamspinner Press Blog.
Welcome 2015! Here's what's ahead: Hey y’all, Welcome to 2015! I hope you had a good celebratory start to your year. You know I’m still feeling festive if my y’alls start flying.No surprise if you’ve been here before, but I love fresh starts, Mondays, moving into new houses, new notebooks, and especially, New Years. There’s an energy and vibrancy I can’t help but get excited about. While not any kind of resolution, as part of my 2015 goal planning (let me pet my pretty binder) I’m playing around with a few different ideas on how I want my year to go.
One of my tools will be a monthly focus. Instead of jumping around and chasing the new and shiny when it pops into my head, I’m choosing a different idea/thought/topic each month, spending time with it, and seeing how it applies in my life and work. Lucky you, I’ll be highlighting some of this here, and I hope you’ll share the process with me.
There’s still all the usual stuff throughout the week. If I’m going to have a new blog post then it will be here on Mondays. Tuesdays and Thursdays you can catch me on Twitter with my Free Kindle Pick o’ the Day, look for Homonym Hump Days every other Wednesday here on the blog, and I’ve a few guest author posts lined up as well. I still haven’t figured out how, or even if I want to fit Facebook into the mix, but we’ll see how things go. On the writing front? I have two completed works off in the corner taking a brief rest before I give them a final editing pass and I'm staring down the last 40k on my novella and novel in progress. Hopefully that will finish out the first quarter of this year and then I can jump into that 5 novella series I have outlined and ready to go.
Are we ready for 2015 or am I just a little *too* excited for y ‘all?
WhooHoo! My first guest author for 2015 is coming to visit. Join us on Friday, January 23rd as I welcome Guest Author, Anne Barwell to the blog.
It's Holiday Romance time!! It's been a while, but I'm excited to share a new holiday romance in the 2018 Dreamspinner Advent Calendar. The pre-order for the discounted Daily Delivery Package is currently available HERE .I'll be sharing some peeks at my story, and the awesome cover (it's novella length and has a cover all it's own!) over the coming weeks, so come back again.
In the meantime, if you love holiday romance as much as I do, join the Chrissy Munder Holiday Club Collection for updates and sneak peeks at works in progress. Click HERE to join.
#TeaserTuesday - A Holiday TraditionHappy Tuesday! Today's #TeaserTuesday is the blurb for my December 2018 novella, A Holiday Tradition, available initially as part of the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Collection, and later as a stand-alone purchase.
Are you ready for this year's Holiday Romance?
A Holiday Tradition by Chrissy Munder
Paul Carpenter has his life all planned out. Or at least his father does. The right school, the right degree, the right job. Paul is on track, until a bus accident has him sitting out a coveted internship, babysitting, or being babysat, by a grandfather he barely remembers during his holiday stay in a Florida RV park. His father’s reasoning? How much temptation can Paul find around a bunch of senior citizens playing bingo? There’ll be nothing to distract him from his studies.
It’s hard to muster his holiday spirit when Paul is used to snow and cold, not sun, surf, and plastic flamingos in Santa hats. But then Paul meets Kevin Lombardo, who offers to show him some new holiday traditions. Suddenly Paul’s fast track hits a curve.
Treat yourself for the holidays! Special November pre-order pricing available for the entire Advent Collection. A holiday romance a day delivered to your inbox every day in December.
Special Cover Reveal and excerpts coming soon!
#MistletoeMonday: The Reason for the SeasonReady or not the Holiday season is upon us and I'd be remiss if I didn't do a little pimpage of my Holiday-themed titles. The Reason for the Season is one of my favorites as I wrote it during one of our first (and sadly, now all too commonplace "snowpocalypses"). A little bit road story, a little bit sweet romance, I was thrilled when it was offered in a Japanese translation in 2015 by the magazine Dear+.
The Reason for the Season by Chrissy Munder
Available from Dreamspinner Press
Like Reviews? Click here . Want to read the Excerpt? Click here .
The Reason for the Season : All college student Adam Everett is trying to do is get to his sister’s house for holiday break. First his car breaks down, then his ride takes off to Vegas with his gas money, forcing Adam to come up with a Plan C. His last hope is a campus ride exchange, where he ends up with the reluctant Michael Brennan. When a “snowpocalypse” forces them to share a motel room, they soon find out there's more than one reason for the chance happenings of the season.
#TeaserTuesday – A Holiday Tradition Excerpt!Happy Tuesday! Today's #TeaserTuesday is an excerpt from my December 2018 novella, A Holiday Tradition, available initially as part of the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Collection, and later as a stand-alone purchase.
Are you ready for this year's Holiday Romance?
A Holiday Tradition by Chrissy Munder
Paul Carpenter has his life all planned out. Or at least his father does. The right school, the right degree, the right job. Paul is on track, until a bus accident has him sitting out a coveted internship, babysitting, or being babysat, by a grandfather he barely remembers during his holiday stay in a Florida RV park. His father’s reasoning? How much temptation can Paul find around a bunch of senior citizens playing bingo? There’ll be nothing to distract him from his studies.
It’s hard to muster his holiday spirit when Paul is used to snow and cold, not sun, surf, and plastic flamingos in Santa hats. But then Paul meets Kevin Lombardo, who offers to show him some new holiday traditions. Suddenly Paul’s fast track hits a curve.
Treat yourself for the holidays! Special November pre-order pricing available for the entire Advent Collection. A holiday romance a day delivered to your bookshelf every day in December.
A Holiday Tradition by Chrissy Munder - Excerpt:
“Your father says you sleep with men.”
His grandfather’s unexpected statement dropped into the silence of the RV like a bomb, a nd Paul Carpenter jerked upright, knocking his head into the passenger-side window with a loud clunk.
Oh. My. God. A burning surge of resentment rose in Paul’s throat. What the hell? He’d send his father a furious text if it would do any good. Not only for dumping his sexuality on his grandfather, but also for the idea behind this entire trip!
He closed his eyes, focusing on the coolness of the glass rather than the scream he had held back for the last few miles of the drive from Michigan to some mobile home and RV park on F lorida’s eastern coast. Paul had never heard of the place, but Grandpa Louie swore Decembers were better under the Florida sun.
Two hours down, a minimum of sixteen more to go . Probably eighteen, with as many rest stops as his grandfather made. Paul took a deep breath and dug his thumbnail into his palm, mentally gearing himself up for the confrontation sure to come. “If you’re asking if I’m gay, yes, Grandpa. I am.”
Grandpa Louie nodded in reply. He carried his years with comfort, the bulk of muscle honed by hard work not yet whittled away by time, and his hearty appearance overcame his fondness for dressing in bright pastels.
Paul hoped he would age just as well, but he took after his father’s family. Which translated to him being shorter, thinner, and with hair more dishwater than blond.
“Thanks for telling me. It sure would have been embarrassing if I tried to set my wingman up with a bird of the wrong feather.” Grandpa Louie cackled at his own joke, his quick glance inviting Paul to join in.
Paul released his tension with a choked-off huff. “Wingman?”
“You betcha. Why do you think I spend my winters down south?” His eager grin peeled the bushy mustache away from his lips, making him look ridiculously like Paul’s roommate in the first part of his freshman year.
Paul shuddered at the memory. The adventures of Dean-o Hamilton, the self-proclaimed “Party Dog” of their floor, were something he preferred to forget. While his father’s intense micromanagement of his college experience sometimes chafed , Paul hadn’t protested when his father insisted he transfer to the designated quiet dorm after paying them a surprise visit.
“I can give you the answer in one word: widows.” His grandfather whistled through the gap in his front teeth. “Fun in the sun doesn’t always mean pinochle and shuffleboard.”
A Holiday Tradition by Chrissy Munder - Available for Package Pre-Order from Dreamspinner Press. **special note: last day for package sale is November 25th**
(Be sure to stop by next Tuesday for the #TeaserTuesday Cover Reveal!!)
#MistltoeMonday - The Last GiftCollege student Nick Reed works late shift at a convenience store and dreams of graduation, a job he can be proud of, and finding the man of his dreams.
But the man of his dreams is about to find him.
A change in his lab hours forces Nick to swap shifts with a coworker. But no one prepared Nick for Mr. 5:25—Aaron Hampton—a beefy blond who’s Nick’s perfect guy, but professionally and socially out of Nick’s reach. Soon Aaron becomes the highlight of Nick’s workday, and when the overly focused lawyer needs Nick’s help with holiday gifts, Nick is eager to spend time with Aaron.
They become friends, share book recommendations, and are surprised to find themselves at the same charity run. But is that all? When Aaron learns Nick is heading back to his old shift, will he find the courage to ask for one last, very special gift?
The Last Gift by Chrissy Munder
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar “Stocking Stuffers.” With Cover Art from Artist: Paul Richmond
Currently Available at: Dreamspinner Press and Amazon.com
#TeaserTuesday - Cover Reveal - A Holiday Tradition!Happy Tuesday! I've shared the blurb for my new holiday romance and an excerpt. Now it's finally time to share the cover for A Holiday Tradition, my 2018 novella and part of the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Collection.
Are you as excited as I am?
Really?
Are you sure?
(brief pause while I flail)
Leave a commet and let me know what you think!
Okay, here we go:
Click HERE
A Holiday Tradition by Chrissy Munder
Paul Carpenter has his life all planned out. Or at least his father does. The right school, the right degree, the right job. Paul is on track, until a bus accident has him sitting out a coveted internship, babysitting, or being babysat, by a grandfather he barely remembers during his holiday stay in a Florida RV park. His father’s reasoning? How much temptation can Paul find around a bunch of senior citizens playing bingo? There’ll be nothing to distract him from his studies.
It’s hard to muster his holiday spirit when Paul is used to snow and cold, not sun, surf, and plastic flamingos in Santa hats. But then Paul meets Kevin Lombardo, who offers to show him some new holiday traditions. Suddenly Paul’s fast track hits a curve.
#MistletoeMonday - Better with Sprinkles ExcerptOur Holiday celebrations continue with an excerpt from Better with Sprinkles. We love having friends and family join us in our traditional cookie baking marathons and surprisingly, there's still enough to give away when we're done. We have several favorite recipes and I had a hard time picking which one to include at the end of this story for my readers to enjoy. In the end, both Tom and I favor the soft frosted sugar cookie recipe adapted by my grandmother and I hope you actually try the recipe out. Do you and your family have a favorite cookie recipe you make each holiday?
Better with Sprinkles
available from Dreamspinner Press - Publisher's Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/sto...
Beter with Sprinkles: College student Tom Molina isn’t too interested when his roommate Derek tries to convince him to leave his books and help out with the campus LGBTA Center’s annual Christmas cookie sale. But Derek has an ace in the hole to score the center Tom’s grandmother's sugar cookie recipe: fellow volunteer Jeanette’s cousin just happens to be the organic chemistry T.A. Tom’s been dreaming about. Now Tom just has to hope Isaac is as interested in baking cookies as he is in chemistry and HIV awareness.
* * *
Excerpt:
The hardest part of the day so far entailed making sure wandering fingers left the finished product alone. Deciding to give up the battle in favor of winning the war, Tom fended them off with a plate of warm-from-the-oven samples, and suggested the group take a break to enjoy while he mixed up yet another batch of sugar cookies. In Tom’s view, there couldn’t be enough of his favorite soft cookie. Once topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles nothing equaled the taste.
“Do my ideas rock, or do they rock?” Derek mumbled as he surveyed the neat rows on the cooling racks with blatant, lustful intent.
“Back away from the cookies, Derek,” Tom said sharply. “You’ve already had your share.”
“But they’re so pretty,” Derek wheedled. “Just one, I promise. Pretty please with naked Isaac Peterson’s on top?”
“Something sure smells delicious. I followed the aroma from the parking lot.” A new voice spoke up behind Tom, and he whirled around, choking as he recognized the man in front of him. Oh my God, does he look good, was Tom’s first thought as he wheezed, his chest and throat constricting as he attempted to breathe. Oh my God, did Isaac hear Derek, was his second.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” Tom’s college crush smiled at him, and Tom choked up even more. Isaac Peterson: just as amazing as he remembered—all blond, wavy hair and blue eyes, smiling, at him. Tom had dreamed about this moment. Often. But usually alone, naked, and slippery with lube.
Isaac Peterson. Naked. Lube. Tom had trouble seeing past the flashing spots of light in his mind’s eye.
“I’m glad you guys didn’t have any difficulty getting in.”
Ignoring Tom’s dilemma, Derek reached out to shake hands. “Nope, no problems at all. Thanks again for letting us use the kitchen.”
“You’re welcome, and trust me, you’ll pay during the actual sale.”
Tom bit his tongue when Isaac’s polite smile turned sly and just a little bit wicked, and he immediately saved the mental image to his fantasy-Isaac collection for later use. Right about the time Tom realized he wasn’t able to start breathing on his own, Laura walked up beside him and hit him sharply on the back. Tom coughed in response, sucking air into his starved lungs and watching in horror as an eager Isaac Peterson turned toward him.
#TeaserTuesday - A Holiday Tradition - Now Available!December is here and the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar is in full swing! It feels like #ChristmasMorning EVERY morning when a new story hits my bookshelf. My entry in the collection this year hasn't hit yet, but A Holiday Tradition is now available for individual sale as well as being part of the package!
Are you ready for this year's Holiday Romance?
A Holiday Tradition by Chrissy Munder
Paul Carpenter has his life all planned out. Or at least his father does. The right school, the right degree, the right job. Paul is on track, until a bus accident has him sitting out a coveted internship, babysitting, or being babysat, by a grandfather he barely remembers during his holiday stay in a Florida RV park. His father’s reasoning? How much temptation can Paul find around a bunch of senior citizens playing bingo? There’ll be nothing to distract him from his studies.
It’s hard to muster his holiday spirit when Paul is used to snow and cold, not sun, surf, and plastic flamingos in Santa hats. But then Paul meets Kevin Lombardo, who offers to show him some new holiday traditions. Suddenly Paul’s fast track hits a curve.
Available for individual sale at Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/boo...
and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chrissy-Munder...
#MistletoeMonday - The Reason for the Season Excerpt!The Reason for the Season . Holiday Romance in two languages.
One of the most amazing milestones in my writing career was learning that a translation of The Reason for the Season was available on AmazonJP. The translation was done by Aki Fuyuto and the awesome cover art is by Etsumi Ninomiya. It really blew me away.
For those of us who don't happen to read Japanese the American [notice, dear British friends, I did not say "English" :) ] version is available from Dreamspinner Press who will happily send the ebook to your Kindle for your holiday reading pleasure, or offer your choice of many other formats.
Here's an excerpt for readers of both versions:
The Reason for the Season by Chrissy Munder available from Dreamspinner Press.
All college student Adam Everett is trying to do is get to his sister’s house for holiday break. First his car breaks down, then his ride takes off to Vegas with his gas money, forcing Adam to come up with a Plan C. His last hope is a campus ride exchange, where he ends up with the reluctant Michael Brennan. When a “snowpocalypse” forces them to share a motel room, they soon find out there's more than one reason for the chance happenings of the season.
Excerpt:
“DON’T do this to me, man.” Adam Everett stood in the lobby of his dorm, a small duffel bag at his feet, and stared at his cell phone in disbelief. Ridiculous as he couldn’t see the face of his friend in the matte black surface, but sometimes instinct won out over sense. “I’ve been waiting for almost an hour.”
“Sorry.” Jim’s laughter after the apology proved the words false. “But she gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse, or at least one hell of a blow job.”
“Don’t tell him that!”
Adam heard the indignant squeal in the background, the faint slaps and giggles audible over the crappy college radio station Jim listened to and thought made him cool. Enough to grasp that Jim’s girlfriend didn’t appreciate the comment. But he found it hard to be concerned about Lori’s injured feelings when not only would he bet the statement true, but he ended up being the one left hanging.
“What am I supposed to do now?” Adam didn’t know which made him madder: himself for whining, or Jim for screwing him over once again. He kicked his duffel to the side, trying to stay out of the way as the few remaining residents rushed around him, eager to head out and away from the grind of the semester.
“You can get a ride with someone else. Everybody goes home for Christmas break.” Jim’s voice sounded slow and lazy. Probably stoned again, and he had promised Adam he wouldn’t get messed up and drive.
“Yeah, and everybody’s already left.” Adam paced, his boots scuffing across the tile floor, and struggled to keep his anger from bleeding through into his voice. He should have known better than to count on Jim. They were the last ones out of their circle of friends still on campus, all because Jim had promised to pick Lori up after work. Mentioned how this would be his only chance to see her for two weeks, and she didn’t care to drive in the snow. Well, then why did she choose a college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula?
“S’not a big deal, just offer to pay for gas like you did me.”
A trio of girls pushed past him, bundled against the weather in colorful skiwear and talking a mile a minute. The blonde on the end hit Adam with her bag, knocking him in the shoulder as she passed, and she waved rather than stopped. “Sorry,” she called out, pulling a knit cap down over her curls. They climbed into the SUV waiting in the front circle and drove off. The vehicle’s tracks were quickly erased by a fresh powdering of snow.
“That’s the problem, asshole.” Frustrated, Adam ran his hand through his hair. Easy for Jim to act like this was no big deal. “I paid you already. I need my money back.”
“You snooze, you lose.” Jim laughed again, overpowering Lori’s voice, faint and questioning over the fragile connection. “The tank’s full and we’re on the road.”
“The car’s big enough for all three of us.” Adam hated having to ask, and didn’t want to be a passenger when the driver was under the influence, but he had promised his older sister, Sherry, he’d be home this holiday, and he couldn’t disappoint her. Of course, that had been before the transmission on his car had gone out, and he’d had to scramble for a ride. Maybe he’d be able to talk Jim in to letting him drive, at least until he came down. “Come pick me up.”
“Not happening. I’m a one-woman man, not a one-man man like you. Aren’t I, baby?” Adam fumed, forced to listen while Jim and Lori exchanged sloppy kisses. “Besides, change of plans. We’re heading west, not south. Leaving all this winter wonderland crap behind.”
“Vegas, here we come,” Lori yelled enthusiastically into the phone. “Woohoo.”
“Jim,” Adam had to shout over her voice. “Don’t you hang up on me. Jim?” Lori kept hollering even as Jim disconnected and left him hanging on to dead air. “You asshole.”
OMG! I can't believe December 17 is already here and
A Holiday Tradition
is officially out into the world.My social media posting roll may become more erratic as the holiday fun gets closer, but before they do come celebrate with me over at Clare London's blog where I share one of our favorite holiday traditions, and hopefully, learn a few of yours.
https://clarelondon.com/2018/12/17/red-carpet-chrissy-munder-her-new-release/
What shall I write next? Members of my
Chrissy Munder Holiday Club Collection
got first dibs on voting, but now it's your turn. I have two different stories I could write for this year's Advent Calendar, but which one should I write?Story A? or Story B?
Hmmm, you notice there's no actual detail there on what the two different stories are. I'm trusting you and fate and the powers of what will be. A little whoo-whoo? Yeah. But fun, too.
Leave a comment to cast your vote and let me know what I should start work on next! And don't forget to join the Club to be first on the next Reader's Choice!
It's going to be a Chrissy kind of Christmas.Hey there! I started my first round of publisher edits on a new story and --gasp-- realized I never shared anything about it with you.
Duoh!!!
I'm excited to be part of the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar Collection. Look for more information, excerpts, and the cover for Evan Versus the Sharlotka later this year.
Chrissy's Summer Celebration! Behind the scenes of The One That CountsHopefully, you are all enjoying the summer sun and warmer temps, and are not, like me, a wilting flower who will shrivel and scorch when touched by the faintest UV ray. I may be vampire pale, but I sure don’t sparkle.
The Summer Read Blogshop is in full swing (courtesy of Clare London!) and I'm ignoring all the website updates I need to work on and instead, having fun with a little behind-the-scenes for my stories with a summer bent. You can visit me here on the blog every Thursday to follow along.
Starting off with The One That Counts.
This short story follows Rob Genter and his partner, David as they return to Rob’s hometown after the death of Rob’s father. They stop by the old, family-owned laundromat where Rob shares with David the story of the summer after his first year in college, and the events that led to the beginning of his self-acceptance and his life as a gay man.
Growing up, our water at home was so hard and rusty that going to the laundromat was a weekly standard. Some of my earliest memories are sitting in those tiny plastic chairs and the constant background hum of the machines. Summer was a double whammy. Hot and humid outside, hotter and even more humid inside–overlaid with the scent of detergent and fabric softener. Every time I walked through that door with our family load of baskets time slowed down.
But all of that meant home to me. It still does. In this story, I hope to share how it did for Rob as well. A cheeky few have emailed to ask if I ever made out with a handsome stranger one hot summer night. But this is Rob’s story. Not mine. And while first times are memorable, Rob is right. The last one is the one that counts.
Did your childhood include trips to the local laundry? What are some of your favorite memories of that time? If you’ve already read The One That Counts did I get it right? If you haven’t, pick up a copy and come back to let me know.
Be sure to stop by The Summer Read Blogshop and scroll through wave after wave of authors and titles featuring sun, fun, and plenty of hot men. Dive in and find your new favorite.
Chrissy wrote: "It's going to be a Chrissy kind of Christmas.Hey there! I started my first round of publisher edits on a new story and --gasp-- realized I never shared anything about it with you.
Duoh!!!
I'm e..."
Congratulation! I'll be part of that Advent Calendar as well. I'm looking forward to discovering your story
Emy wrote: Congratulation! I'll be part of that Advent Calendar as well. I'm looking forward to discovering your story Thank you! I see I'll be in good company. 😁 Whats the title of your story?
Chrissy wrote: "Emy wrote: Congratulation! I'll be part of that Advent Calendar as well. I'm looking forward to discovering your story Thank you! I see I'll be in good company. 😁 Whats the title of your story?"
An Elf to Myself
Awww. That's a great title (titles are my nemesis, lol) I look forward to reading it.
Chrissy wrote: "Awww. That's a great title (titles are my nemesis, lol) I look forward to reading it."Titles and names are often a pain for me as well. I always want to make them puns, but I really shouldn't. Most of the time ;)
Chrissy’s Summer Celebration – Behind the Scenes of
Start from the Beginning
Welcome to another edition of my Behind the Scenes. The Summer Read Blogshop is in full swing (courtesy of Clare London!) and I thought it would be fun to do a little behind-the-scenes for my stories with a summertime bent. You can visit me here on the blog every Thursday to follow along.
This week I’m looking back, very fondly, at the inspiration for my story, Start from the Beginning
When a heart attack leaves Miles wrangling with a slow recovery and a quiet retreat, just one cabin down from wounded warrior Drew. Although he's unhappy to have his solitude invaded, Drew finds himself fascinated with Miles, but he can't bring himself to push aside his skittish nerves. Both men fear rejection for different reasons, and it will take a real change of heart to seek the acceptance they crave.
This novella was one of my first stories published by Dreamspinner Press, appearing originally in the Size Still Matters anthology.
You can click HERE to see a picture of the true inspiration for the story:
Mr. Munder and I were taking a drive through the West Michigan countryside and came across this cabin for sale. We poked about the exterior, stealing peeks in the windows and fell in love with the pine slat paneling we could just barely glimpse. The cabin had a history as well, owned by a Lake Michigan charter boat captain and named after his granddaughter.
To this day we can’t explain why we stopped, or why this cabin spoke so clearly to us, but as we delved deeper into the history, the story of Miles and Drew took shape in my mind. In the end, we purchased the cabin and like the characters in this novella, we had to strip the cabin down to the foundations in order to rebuild.
Real estate is like love, they say. And when it’s right you just know. Have you ever come across a house that spoke to you? Something that reached out and took you by the heart and refused to let go? What is it, do you think? Residual energy? Good vibrations? I love to hear your take on the feeling.
Then stop by The Summer Read Blogshop and scroll through wave after wave of authors and titles featuring sun, fun, and plenty of hot men. Dive in and find your new favorite.
Chrissy's Summer Celebration! Behind the Scenes of After the Storm.We're talking lighthouses today! Please forgive me for not having time to code my entire post here today. But click here to read this week's behind the scenes.
Chrissy’s Summer Celebration – Behind the Scenes of
Fair Winds
It’s August and as hard as it is to believe, some of you have already started school. Wow! That’s not the case here in Michigan, unless your school gets a special waiver. Did you know it’s the law that public schools cannot start until after Labor Day? That’s because tourism is such a vital part of Michigan’s economy.
Whether your kids are already in school or not, The Summer Read Blogshop is in full swing (courtesy of Clare London!) and I thought it would be fun to do a little behind-the-scenes for my stories with a summertime bent. You can visit me here on the blog every Thursday to follow along.
Today I’m having fun going behind the scenes of Fair Winds . This novella follows Rudy Haas as he navigates one momentous weekend. Rudy dreams of becoming an "old goat," a sailor who's completed twenty-five races from Port Huron to Mackinac. But when his crew throws him off the team for being gay, Rudy must find another boat and crew to have any chance of making his dream come true. Blind luck leads him to the men of Devlin's Due and a test run where Rudy's toughest battle isn't winning his place on the team--it's fighting his attraction to team captain Ike Ujarka.
Michigan’s Great Lakes have played a huge part in both my upbringing and my idea of great summer activities and I had so much fun with this story. Fair weather or foul, there’s nothing like being out on the water and I hope I was able to bring a tiny part of the experience to life in this novella.
The excitement and enthusiasm of those involved in the sport of freshwater racing creates an atmosphere like no other. Don’t just take my word for it! There’s still time to find a race and experience it yourself.
I’m often asked whether Rudy and Ike’s story will continue. The answer is a resounding yes! But the timing is still uncertain.
In the meantime you can stop by The Summer Read Blogshop and scroll through wave after wave of authors and titles featuring sun, fun, and plenty of hot men. Dive in and find your new favorite.
Chrissy’s Summer Celebration – Behind the Scenes of
Through the Mist
Summer may be winding down for most of us, but there is still plenty of sun, fun, and romance to be had. The Summer Read Blogshop is in full swing (courtesy of Clare London!) and I thought it would be fun to do a little behind-the-scenes for my stories with a summertime bent. You can visit me here on the blog every Thursday to follow along.
Today I’m having going behind the scenes of Through the Mist . This short story holds a special, if bittersweet place in my heart as it was written for the Wishing on a Blue Star . anthology in celebration of author Paric Michael. A Special Project by Dreamspinner Press & ManLoveRomance Press. Edited by Kris Jacen.
There’s so much to love about this anthology, and no matter how much is said, I feel it is never enough. While it doesn’t touch on the actual stories inside, here’s the anthology description:
How much impact can someone have on your life if you’ve never met them face to face? In this electronic age of E-mails, electronic publishing, and social networks, quite a lot. Through his emails, stories and blog, author Patric Michael has touched numerous hearts, minds and lives from the start of his career and further as he now takes us along on his journey to battle cancer.
Along the way, Patric shows us a side of life that not many truly see-- how we are all a part of something larger than just ourselves, and how we are each touched by others for the betterment of all. Now, those that have been touched by Patric and his words have joined together to give something back, to him and to us all through something he values highly – words.
In this compilation, gay short stories, poems, and anecdotes combined with excerpts from Patric's blog and a few entertaining, educational group posts reveal, and celebrate, the man who has touched so many hearts and minds.
This collection, sometimes erotic, sometimes irreverent, and always poignant, is a gift from all our hearts to celebrate Patric and give strength (and a little levity) to others. The price reflects this; no one is receiving royalties or payment from the sales. Use it to celebrate life, celebrate words, and possibly inspire someone who needs it.
The anthology is available in eBook from both Dreamspinner Press and Amazon for free.
Like most of the authors involved in the anthology, I considered Patric a friend. While we never met in person, we shared a deeply raw and personal connection via email, bonding over my battle with sight loss and his battle with cancer. Our conversations were brutal, honest, and often painful, but Patric’s love of life and wicked humor was always present.
When I first got to know Patric, he immediately associated me with a short story (Bridge of Dreams – currently out of publication) I wrote around the construction of the Mackinac Bridge. The bridge is an amazing testament to will and determination, hammered into place by men of a different age and temperament. In appearance, the structure is fragile, delicate, and breathtaking. Underneath those initial impressions is the solid steel core, weathered by time and elements yet still refusing to give way.
Patric used to enjoy cycling, and I used this fact as a starting point for my story of two men, cycling around the Straits of Mackinac and struggling though the mists of a sometimes difficult relationship. Now, every time I visit the bridge, my thoughts turn to Patric, and during a trip to the Straits earlier this summer, I realized that for me, the two will always be joined together.
I was, and always will be, honored to be a small part of this anthology.
Pick up your copy today. And be sure to stop by The Summer Read Blogshop and scroll through wave after wave of authors and titles featuring sun, fun, and plenty of hot men. Dive in and find your new favorite.
Chrissy’s Summer Celebration – Behind the Scenes of
Drive Me Home.
Only two official weeks of summer left! While I won’t miss the warmer weather, I will miss the variety of stories available at The Summer Read Blogshop (courtesy of Clare London!). Like a beautiful summer sunset the Blogshop will fade away on August 31st.
Today’s behind the scenes takes us from Michigan to Las Vegas in the novel, Drive Me Home. Las Vegas isn't just a glamorous, glitzy playground for high rollers, Elvis impersonators, and blushing newlyweds. It's also a seedy, worn-out dumping ground for the lonely, the broken, and the lost. Eric Moss is one of those drifters, just marking time, until he meets two very different men, both of whom could change his life.
I lived in Nevada for a time and felt its dry, desert locale was the perfect place to illustrate the theme of Eric (the main character) coming back to life much as the desert itself blooms after a long drought. He has to learn how to make friends. trust others, and find somewhere in the barren landscape his life has become that bit of treasure we all search for in our lives – love for himself once again.
Eric is an interesting character in that many readers seem to project meaning and emotion on to him. One thing I strive to do is to place real people in my stories, people with thinning hair or expanding waistlines - not just romantic standards, and Eric’s struggle, his drive if you will, to find himself seems to resonate with a lot of my readers.
Drive Me Home received 5 Divas from Dark Diva Reviews, and was both a December 2009 Top Pick and a recommended read. You can read the Dark Divas’ review HERE.
In the meantime you can stop by The Summer Read Blogshop and scroll through wave after wave of authors and titles featuring sun, fun, and plenty of hot men. Dive in and find your new favorite.
It's that time of the year, again!!Can you guess?
A) Fall!
B) Halloween!
C) The first snowfall! (which, btw, happened on Halloween!)
D) Time to decide on my 2020 planning system!
E) An opportunity to overuse exclamation points!
F)All of the above?
Well, yes, F is the correct answer. But really, it’s time to dive deep into the ever-increasing amount of Holiday Romances demanding to be read!
*Sighs very, very, happily*
While there might be a few left over from last year still to read, I’m ready and waiting for the new batch to hit my kindle. How about you?
I don’t just love to read Holiday Romance, I love to write it, too, and this year I’m pleased to once again be part of the Dreamspinner Press Advent Anthology. This is my eighth story over the years, and it was fun to go back and look through my older stories.
In 2008 I had two stories: A Gift of Ash and Frost and Giving Gifts .
In 2009: Seasons Greetings .
In 2011 I again had two stories: The Reason for the Season (also available in a Japanese translation) and Better with Sprinkles .
2012 through 2016 was a difficult cycle of eye surgeries and extended recoveries, so I feel exceptionally blessed I was able to come back in 2017 with The Last Gift.
2018 with A Holiday Tradition .
And this year, 2019 with Evan Versus the Sharlotka .
I’ll be back in the coming weeks with more about Evan and his story and some special news as well. Until then, enjoy the winter holidays with this fun collection of light-hearted romances available at special preorder pricing October 15th - November 15th!
Purchasing the stories individually would add up to $73.70 - instead, enjoy all these stories for only $34.99 - for a limited time only! The full package will be delivered to your bookshelf on December 1st.
Regular package pricing of $49.99 starts November 16th and stories will be available to purchase individually at full price on December 1st.
*Package and discount is exclusively offered on Dreamspinnerpress.com
With stories by Sam Burns, Emy Calirel, Daniel de Lorne, Cassie Decker, Jana Denardo, Jayce Ellis, Kim Fielding, Elinor Gray, Crystel Greene, Andrew Grey, Dirk Greyson, Pat Henshaw, Ren Holly, Asta Idonea, Morgan James, Kim Katil, Jon Keys, Tara Lain, Kassandra Lea, L.A. Merrill, R.L. Merrill, Jenn Moffatt, Chrissy Munder, TJ Nichols, A. Nybo, Carol Pedroso, C.S. Poe, Liv Rancourt, E.J. Russell, B.G. Thomas
Choosing the right gift for that special someone can be the most daunting part of the holidays. In a sea of mass-produced items, why buy when you can DIY? The end-of-the-year festivities are the best time for crafts, whether they’re made from yarn, paper, flour, or even code. And with some love and luck, these special presents might inspire a romance that lasts an evening… or a lifetime. Nothing makes the season merry and bright like a gift handmade from the heart, and to bring smiles to the faces of the ones they care about, these guys are willing to get creative.
#TEASERTUESDAY - EVAN VERSUS THE SHARLOTKAHappy Tuesday! Today's #TeaserTuesday is the blurb for my December 2019 short story, Evan Versus the Sharlotka , available initially as part of the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Anthology, and as a stand-alone purchase December 1st.
Are you ready for this year's Holiday Romance?
Evan Versus the Sharlotka by Chrissy Munder
Rumpled tech support Evan Carmichael has a crush on pristine programming supervisor Gavriil Cottan. The whole company knows it. Except Gavriil. As a closet romantic, Evan dreams of declaring his feelings with a grand gesture, something out of the movies he loves.
The company holiday potluck luncheon gives Evan a perfect opportunity. He finds out Gavriil’s favorite dessert and is determined to make an apple sharlotka just like Gavriil’s mother used to make. The only problem is, Evan is a disaster in the kitchen. Can he master the mystery of the sharlotka and the intricacies of the springform pan in time to both woo and wow Gavriil?
Evan Versus the Sharlotka is now available!December is here and the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Collection is ready to read! My entry in the collection, Evan Versus the Sharlotka, is now available for individual sale as well as being part of the package!
Are you ready for this year’s Holiday Romance?
Evan Versus the Sharlotka by Chrissy Munder
Rumpled tech support Evan Carmichael has a crush on pristine programming supervisor Gavriil Cottan. The whole company knows it. Except Gavriil. As a closet romantic, Evan dreams of declaring his feelings with a grand gesture, something out of the movies he loves.
The company holiday potluck luncheon gives Evan a perfect opportunity. He finds out Gavriil’s favorite dessert and is determined to make an apple sharlotka just like Gavriil’s mother used to make. The only problem is, Evan is a disaster in the kitchen. Can he master the mystery of the sharlotka and the intricacies of the springform pan in time to both woo and wow Gavriil?
Available at Amazon and Dreamspinner Press
Be sure to check out the rest of the stories in this year's collection.
Ready to make an Apple Sharlotka of your own?Hopefully, you've had a chance to read my latest short, holiday romance Evan Versus the Sharlotka. Are you ready to make a sharlotka of your very own?
As Evan discovered, there's a vast array of recipes available on the internet. I went to his tried and true resource, YouTube, for a simple recipe sure to woo the apple of your holiday eye.
Visit my website at www.chrissymunder.com for the video recipe. Just watch out for the springform pan.
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