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Life with Cancer is a journey onward – Lloyd A Meeker author of The Companion @LloydAMeeker #RLFblog #GayRomance #CancerAwareness
Over the last year I’ve re-learned that my experience with cancer is a journey, and I’m not necessarily finished when I think I am. To honor this stage of my life, I now often sign correspondence with the closing, “Onward”. Onward is one directive I know to be relevant about my life journey. Plans, not so much. This is an update on my journey, both figurative and literal.
During Cancer Awareness Week in 2019, I shared how prostate cancer saved my life — that during pre-op screening I learned I first needed a quadruple bypass. Unexpected Detour! I’d had no symptoms, never been seriously overweight and had always kept a basic level of fitness, but my heart’s arteries were 98% blocked. So we took care of that, and then I had the prostate surgery. The cancer in the prostate was a little outside the margins, but there was nothing in the lymph glands they removed. Good news. So, onward.
Last summer, my PSA number began to climb, and living without a prostate I understood it was a red flag I couldn’t ignore, much as I wanted to. Not what I’d planned on. Suddenly, both my husband Bob and I were dealing with unexpected health challenges.
In one of those intimate, tender, deep, calm, no-holds-barred conversations partners can have, we decided this was a sign. It was time to change our lives and live a different way. We decided to sell our house in south Florida, and rent for a year as we prepared to move to Europe. I know we’re not supposed to talk politics here, but I’d be lying to you if I omitted that one of the factors in our decision was the cultural and legal deterioration for men like me and Bob in the US, and especially in Florida. One of the factors, not the only.
So Bob got his pacemaker, and I scheduled hormone therapy and 34 radiation sessions. I resolved to start taking mandolin lessons again, as I realized making music was an important but neglected part of how I want to live. I hope to one day play and sing with others in a jam. Onward!
Our house sold quickly in the hot market, and ensconced in our Fort Lauderdale rental apartment we set about preparing for an open-ended European adventure. The preparation took more time than I expected – so many moving parts. After research, we set our sights on a French long-stay visa good for a year and renewable for a second. Our plan was to rent for relatively short (3 months or so) periods in Spain and various spots in France, getting a feel for places in those countries so when our visa was getting close to ending, we could decide whether we wanted to renew, apply for permanent residence, or return to the US. We even created a FB page: Two Old Men Move to Europe.
On October 8th, just a couple of weeks ago, it happened. We flew to Paris and began our grand, silver-haired adventure/experiment. We’re now in Málaga, Spain, where we’ll stay until the end of January. Then it’s back to France for the rest of the year.
In the middle of all this, in March I found an agent who was ready to go to bat for me and my work. Even as I write, the amazing Amy Collins of Talcott Notch Agency is flogging my latest project, The Garden Witch. Onward, to who knows where?
Living post-cancer is as much part of the journey as diagnosis and treatment. Same journey, different country, so to speak. While it also wasn’t the deciding factor, my cancer warning signs certainly contributed to our decision to translate our health/age/bucket list journeys into a geographical one. There’s no time to waste — adventure awaits!
Onward…The Companion by Lloyd Meeker
Genre Gay Romance, Suspense
Heat level R
Shepherd Bucknam hasn’t had a lover in more than a decade and doesn’t need one. As a Daka, he coaches men in the sacred art and mystery of sexual ecstasy all the time, and he loves his work. It’s his calling. In fact, he’s perfectly content—except for the terrors of his recurring nightmare and the ominous blood-red birthmarks on his neck. He’s convinced that together they foretell his early and violent death.
When Shepherd’s young protégé is murdered, LAPD Detective Marco Fidanza gets the case. The two men are worlds apart: Marco has fought hard for everything he’s accomplished, in sharp contrast to the apparent ease of Shepherd’s inherited wealth—but their mutual attraction is too hot for either of them to ignore.
Shepherd swears he’ll help find his protégé’s killer, but Marco warns him to stay out of it. When an influential politician is implicated, the police investigation grinds to a halt. Shepherd hires his own investigator. Marco calls it dangerous meddling. As their volatile relationship deepens, Shepherd discovers his nightmares might not relate to the future, but to the deadly legacy of a past life—a life he may have to revisit before he can fully live and love in this one.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VCPK5YK/
Lloyd A Meeker Social Media
Born on a farm in the Colorado foothills and having led what can only be described as a checkered life, Lloyd Meeker can honestly say he’s grateful for all of it. He’s been a minister, an office worker, a janitor, a drinker, and a software developer on his way to finishing his first novel in 2004. He is a three-time cancer survivor.
A number of his stories have been published, including Traveling Light (DSP Publications), Enigma (Wilde City Press), Blood and Dirt (Wilde City Press), Blood Royal, (Wild Rose Press) and Stone and Shell (NineStar Press). His novel The Companion (Dreamspinner Press) was a finalist in the 2015 Lambda Literary Awards.
Meeker and his husband have been together since 2002. Between them they have four children and five grandchildren. They live in south Florida, and work hard to keep up with the astonishing life they’ve created.
Twitter https://twitter.com/LloydAMeeker
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lloyd.a.meeker
Amazon Author page https://www.amazon.com/Lloyd-A.-Meeker/e/B008FC5VF4You May Also Like
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What Rory eats for dinner. Character interview from Magic and Home by Alexa Piper @ProwlingPiper #RLFblog #MMRomance
After having met his monster mate and discovering he can use magic, Rory finds himself on Aër, the monster world, in this second installment of Alexa Piper’s Monster Apocalypse series. Rory discovers that he likes that strange world, but danger follows, and the shadow of unusual magic he wields looms large.Alexa, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.
Magic & Home by Alexa Piper
Genre mm post-apocalyptic monster romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Over the past two years, Rory has learned that other people aren’t the best of company, that the guilt of causing the Apocalypse is a heavy burden, and that monsters only see him as a meal. Until Rory met Inkiri, who sees Rory as his mate.
Now, Rory has to navigate what it means to be with someone who not only isn’t human but who also is from another world altogether… and since Rory finds himself in that otherworld all of a sudden, he has to adapt fast. Inkiri definitely has no intention of slowing down in his quest to make his human mate happy.
While Rory is beginning to wrap his head around liking the new place and the new customs, he can’t relax into a peaceful happily ever after because whatever connection Rory has to the magic that unleashed the Apocalypse, people want that, meaning they want him. Where Rory and his newfound family ran to may not have been far enough to escape their pursuers’ clutches.
Let’s chat about what to eat
First, what is your name and how old are you?
Hi, I’m Rory, and I’m twenty-three.
What is your favorite meal?
Mmh. I’m not sure what it’s called. Inkiri–that’s my not-quite-human mate, took me to his world the other day, and they have this stuff, which is like a gel. A little like aloe I guess, but it tastes flowery and a little spicy. I really liked it, but I never asked what it was called. There is lots of interesting food on Aër, the monster world. Also some stuff that I don’t care for.
If any, what food do you refuse to eat?
Massacre buns. They are actually called massa buns, and they are vile. They’re super oily and taste like cilantro and raisins, just ugh. Cannot recommend.
Tell us about a meal or food that says “home” to you.
It’s not any specific food, but sometimes when I get to watch people cook and they enjoy it, I totally get nostalgic vibes that take me back to my childhood and the really good au pairs. Oh, I have to mention Nokim’s banana bread of course. Nokim is part of our monster and human found family unit, and sometimes what he cooks up is strange, but it’s usually tasty.
When you find yourself with some type of unknown food on your plate, what do you do?
Yeah… after the massacre bun incident, I’m really careful now. I suppose if I didn’t know it at all, Inkiri would taste it first to check if it’s something I’d like. He’s all caring like that, you know.
What is the worst meal you’ve ever eaten?
Massacre. Bun.
Do you skip breakfast or is eating that a must-do for you?
Breakfast is okay. I skip it sometimes, but not usually, because it gets Inkiri upset and all worried about me.
Do you keep snacks on hand, and if so, what are they?
I don’t, but you know what? Inkiri always carries some nuts on him. It’s for the birds though! He’s a real bird whisperer.
How much coffee or tea do you drink?
I like coffee, and living in the Apocalypse really makes you appreciate stuff like that. I savor it more than I did before.
Who are your favorite people to share meals with?
My guys. They are the best. I know we aren’t related and we couldn’t be more different what with them having horns, but they’re family.
Where to buy Magic & Home
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BF13LG8D
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magic-home-alexa-piper/1142230264
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6443386481
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/magic-home
Alexa Piper Social Media
Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. Alexa loves writing stories that make her readers laugh and fall in love with the characters in them.
Website: https://alexapiper.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProwlingPiper
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255026848996374
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piperthewriter/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexapiperwriter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14017396.Alexa_Piper
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/alexa-piper
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Alexa-Piper/e/B010EFQIRY
Get to know Alexa Piper better by signing up for an email newsletter: https://alexapiper.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ff9c4810ddb3c68da564c6a92&id=3585441fba -
Last week in print and it’s a #FreeBook until Sep 16th Package Deal #SingleParent #Romance #RLFblog
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Rory bares all. Ash and Stone by Alexa Piper @ ProwlingPiper #RLFblog #MMRomance
A handsome monster saves and decides to keep Rory in this hilarious take on post-apocalyptic romance by Alexa Piper.Alexa, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.
Ash and Stone by Alexa Piper
Genre MM Monster Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Two years ago, the world ended with a wish, and it’s all Rory’s fault. Now, after he’s managed to survive all this time, it looks like karmic justice is finally coming for him. It looks like a monster is going to eat him, and Rory, while he is sorry for what he did, doesn’t want to die.
And he does not, because a stranger saves him from becoming monster food. The stranger features horns, blue skin, and too many swords. He is also really tall and muscular and handsome. In a monstrous way.
Rory might have jumped from the frying pan straight into the fire, because a big blue monster isn’t exactly Rory’s idea of a happily-ever-after. Not that he’s been thinking about that or about any sort of ravishing when the blue monster might still eat him or keep him as a pet.
But while Rory does not get eaten or ravished (sigh), the meeting with his monster mate shakes loose more revelations about what really happened two years ago than Rory is prepared to handle, especially since he was considering the comfortable life of a monster’s pet. He definitely wasn’t considering his monster’s murderous buddy, running so much, and going to another world, but sometimes, you just have to roll with the handsome blue monster the Apocalypse gives you.
Let’s bare it all and chat about what to wear
First, what is your name and how old are you?
Hi! I’m Rory. It’s so good to talk to people. I’m twenty-three, almost twenty-four.
What is the time period in which you live?
After the Apocalypse. But, like, that’s contemporary, right?
What is considered “appropriate” for someone of your gender to wear?
Okay, before I answer this, let’s all be totally clear on the fact that I do not, never had, never will have a uterus. All the horny monsters in the back, this human male does not have a uterus, and you can call me frail all you want, I won’t be growing one any time soon, are we clear on this?
Sorry, I had to get that out. Jeans and a tee are good, I guess. But on stage, I wore the hell out of a tree costume once. 😊
Do you make your own clothing?
No, but it would be great if I could do that! Maybe it’s a skill I can teach myself. All I do is raid wardrobes sometimes, but I prefer to see what I can find in stores that haven’t been raided, you know.
Mending and laundry are chores for anyone. Do you do it or someone else?
I would totally do it for my guys, that is, my monsters! Because they do it for me. But apparently this human is too frail for laundry. Look, I’m not complaining.
Tell us your favorite thing to wear.
My cute cat socks!
What kind of shoes or boots do you wear?
These boots are some hiking brand. But, like, I don’t know hiking brands because that activity isn’t one I would have ever chosen to do before all this. The shoes are sort of brown and uninteresting, but the store I found them at didn’t have anything nicer in my size (and yes, I may have tried on a women’s shoe as well. Please do not tell my guys.)
Does what you wear make you feel good, or do you dislike it?
Honestly? I don’t think about it much anymore. My mind really has been elsewhere, and it’s scary when something might find and eat you out there any moment. If the world were still as it used to be, I’d totally get nice clothes, some tight jeans, an I’d spend my parents’ money on an overpriced but trendy tee or something. And a haircut! I’d get a proper haircut.
When others see you what is their first impression?
Oh, I can tell you exactly. The bad monsters think, mmh, dinner. My monster thinks, mmh, mine. Humans think, huh, wonder what that idiot has in his backpack we can use.
How do you feel about that impression?
Scared. Very, very scared.
What do you wear to sleep?
I used to just sleep in my clothes, because you never know if you have to run. But with Inkiri–that’s my monster–I feel safe, and I can wear actual sleep clothes.
Ever dealt with a “wardrobe malfunction”? Depending on your era, you might need to ask your author what this means.
Have you ever worn:
a uniform
a costume
a disguise
an outfit for the opposite gender
Yes! I’ve worn a tree costume for the play we put on in Third Grade. I was the second tree from the left.What would you wear to avoid attention?
The tree costume.
What do you wish you could wear?
Also the tree costume. Life was good back in Third Grade.
What do you wish you didn’t have to wear?
Where to buy Ash and Stone
Publisher https://www.changelingpress.com/ash-stone-monster-apocalypse-1-b-3401
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B92DJ9Q6
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ash-stone-alexa-piper/1141981058
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6443267976
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ash-stone
Alexa Piper Social Media
Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. Alexa loves writing stories that make her readers laugh and fall in love with the characters in them.
Website: https://alexapiper.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProwlingPiper
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255026848996374
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piperthewriter/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexapiperwriter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14017396.Alexa_Piper
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/alexa-piper
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Alexa-Piper/e/B010EFQIRY
Get to know Alexa Piper better by signing up for an email newsletter: https://alexapiper.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ff9c4810ddb3c68da564c6a92&id=3585441fbaYou May Also Like
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Fiction Furbaby: Meet Rochester from Dog’s Honest Truth by Neil S Plakcy @NeilPlakcy @RobsRescues #RLFblog #Pets
Semi-reformed hacker Steve Levitan and his clue-sniffing golden retriever Rochester dig up the truth about a neighbor’s murder.Neil, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! We support all furbabies, real life or fictional. We want to know all about your Fiction Furbaby, but first, please tell us about Dog’s Honest Truth.
Dog’s Honest Truth by Neil S Plakcy
Cozy mystery
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
There’s a new dog in town – a golden retriever named Luke, in training to be a seeing-eye dog. He and Rochester immediately bond, but there’s something odd about Luke’s human, Ben Ji. How can someone so young afford an expensive townhouse on Sarajevo Way? When Ben is shot, Steve begins to discover the lies he has been telling.
Steve’s also forced to tell the truth about his past, when he deals with a student plagiarist at Eastern College, a professor locked in the stone age, a climate activist with dangerous habits, an angry bartender—and a rifle-wielding assassin.
Will he and Rochester be able to dig up the clues to all these mysteries? Or will a deadly killer go unpunished?
Meet Rochester from Dog’s Honest Truth
Full name: Rochester Levitan
Nickname: Puppy
Gender: Male
Species: Canine, golden retriever
Physical description: eighty pounds of muscle and golden fur that flashes in the sunshine, with a square head, dark brown eyes and a muzzle that shades between black and dark brown.
Relationship to main character: beloved child
Relationship to the villain/antagonist: None
Where this furbaby came from: When Steve’s next-door neighbor is murdered in In Dog We Trust, he and Rochester team up to find her killer.
What inspired you to create this character?
I fell deeply in love with my golden retriever, Samwise, who was my constant companion. He had adorable quirks, like putting his paw over his face to hide, shredding stuffed animals in seconds, and dragging me down the street in search of wonderful scents. I knew I had to write about him, and a cozy mystery seemed the best place to showcase a clue-sniffing dog.
What does the main character think about this furbaby?
When In Dog We Trust begins, Steve thinks his neighbor’s dog is too big, too wild and too slobbery. But Steve needs to learn how to trust and love again, and Rochester forces him to do that. By the twelfth book in the series, Steve is completely besotted.
How do other characters react to or interact with this furbaby?
Steve’s best friend Rick is the local police detective. At first he doesn’t believe that Rochester has an uncanny ability to sniff our clues. He’s just a dog, and Steve must be crazy. But eventually he agrees that Rochester has a nose for crime.
What is this furbaby’s natural habitat?
Because he was a rescue, then lost his human mom to murder in book one, Rochester is clingy. He has to know where Steve is all the time, so Steve has made special arrangements to bring Rochester to work with him every day. He’s either under the kitchen table waiting for dropped food, lounging by Steve’s desk, or sleeping on the floor beside the bed.
What does this furbaby add to the story?
Rochester is a co-detective in this amateur sleuth series. He uses his nose, his paws, and his tail to spur Steve to understand clues. He senses when someone is unhappy and comforts them, and when he’s around villains he growls or backs away.
And his big, happy personality helps balance out some of the darkness of murder.
What about this furbaby will readers like, and why?
Rochester radiates joy and curiosity, as so many dogs do. Readers enjoy his antics and connect them to their own canine companions.
About Rochester
Which, if any of the pets in your writing are modeled after your own pets? In what way?
Rochester is modeled after my first golden, Samwise. And I spend hours every day researching for my books—walking my current goldens, Brody and Griffin; observing their behaviors; feeding them and playing with them. I think this close observation of doggy details adds to reader enjoyment of the books.
What do your pets do when you are writing?
Right now Brody is on the sofa, his head resting on the arm, watching me, while Griffin is splayed out on his side next to the kitchen table, where I’m writing this piece.
What’s the most unusual pet you ever had?
I was fascinated with hermit crabs when I was a teen, and kept one in a glass globe in my college dorm rooms.
Where did you find your pet?
Brody and Griffin both came from breeders we found online. In both cases we fell in love with their adorable pictures. And of course made sure that their parents were healthy.
Where to buy Dog’s Honest Truth
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Honest-Truth-Golden-Retriever-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09XY31DJN/
Neil S Plakcy Social Media
Author of over fifty cozy mystery, gay mystery, and MM romance novels, Neil S Plakcy lives in south Florida with his husband and two rambunctious golden retrievers. During the great lockdown of 2020 he honed his skills as his own barista.
Website https://www.mahubooks.com
Blog http://mahubooks.blogspot.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/NeilPlakcy
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/neilplakcy/boards/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/neilplakcy/
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126217.Neil_Plakcy
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/neil-s-plakcy
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B001JP4EL6
Get to know Neil S Plakcy better by signing up for an email newsletter at https://www.mahubooks.comShout out to Rob’s Rescues – founded by a 9-year-old animal activist
Rob’s Rescues is a non-profit organization in Georgia helping people in need care for and feed their pets. It was founded in 2014 by a then nine-year-old boy. Rob’s Rescues is dedicated to collecting pet food for people in need to reduce shelter surrenders, and to advocating for the adoption of shelter pets. Rob writes monthly articles advocating for shelter animals in the Around About Local Media magazine publications. His column was first published in 2014. He also has pet food collection sites for people in need in the community and interviews amazing people. His interviews appear online once they are published in his column.
Rob volunteers for Pet Buddies Food Pantry, the Cherokee County Animal Shelter and Cobb County Animal Control and collects pet food for these organizations and the communities they serve. He also wants to bring attention to smaller, rural shelters. Mostly he wants to get kids to be Rob’s Rangers to teach kids that they can help shelter animals. Rob has also talked to kids in a classroom setting.
Rob’s Rescues is a Non-Profit Corporation and all donations are tax deductible.
Website http://www.robsrescues.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/robsrescues/
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Read The Layover by Gale Stanley @galestanley #RLFblog #MMRomance
Gale Stanley, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about The Layover.The Layover by Gale Stanley
Genre Gay Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): NC-17
Inside the cockpit, Captain Paul Miller is always in control. But on the ground, he constantly feels adrift. His marriage is crumbling, and life has become much too complicated.
Jamey Conley has worked hard to make his café in the Frisco airport a successful venture. He loves his work – and especially the airport scenery. He goes gaga over guys in uniform, but when he meets Paul, sparks really fly. Too bad his ideal man is married — and straight.
Where to buy The Layover
Publisher https://www.changelingpress.com/the-layover-b-3331
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TTNGR5V/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1141105894
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1613148142
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-layover-19Gale Stanley Social Media
Gale Stanley grew up in Philadelphia PA. She was the kid who always had her nose in a book, her head in the clouds, and her hands on a pad and pencil.
Some things never change.
Website http://galestanley.net/
Blog http://galestanley.blogspot.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/galestanley
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gale.stanley.author
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/GaleStanley107/
Instagram http://instagram.com/gale_stanley
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4116251.Gale_Stanley
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gale-stanley
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/galestanley
