Short Stories

Sonny Daye works hard in the business he and his lover Ace have built from scratch. He sweats through days that shouldn’t be so hot, he fixes cars that shouldn’t be broke—he even puts up with customers that oughta just drive off the road and spare the car and Sonny himself the pain. On an ordinary day, Sonny can help a bunch of stupid kids, teach a snotty rich guy a lesson, and stop a felon in his tracks without killing him! It's hard work indeed—but Sonny’ll do anything for Ace.

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Enjoy these free short stories set in Amy Lane's Gambling Men universe!

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Danger. Desire. Loss. Love.

In every story, there are a thousand more bound up and waiting to be told; here are just a few from the Cole McGinnis Mysteries.

As a heartfelt thank you to the readers who fell in love with Cole McGinnis, Kim Jae-Min and the rest of the cast, Rhys Ford takes us on an adventure in this collection of stories and vignettes. In this ebook and audiobook set, Jae shares his heart as he learns to see, to love, and to accept Cole and the way life changes, sisters of the heart look on the boys they love, and key players in Cole’s life are interviewed about the man who brings mayhem and love into their world. This collection features special notes from Rhys Ford as well as Greg Tremblay, the narrator of the series, previously shared stories from blog tours, holiday posts, and spotlights, a story written exclusively for the celebratory collection, and an invitation to Cole and Jae's wedding.

So, sit back and enjoy a taste of Cole, Jae and everyone else in Dirty Bites, a Cole McGinnis Special Collection.

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Tyler has the mountains in his bones, and he can’t leave sleepy Starling Hollow even if everyone else has. He has no prospects other than helping out Granny Buchanan, the local conjure woman, and trying to keep the old Greenbrier Inn from falling down. He knows neither one’s long for the world, and he dreads the idea of being alone.

Granny Buchanan’s as stubborn as the mountain, with a memory almost as long. She has no plans to leave Tyler alone—there’s somebody right in her backyard who’d be perfect for him, and she’s learned some tricks in her life.

But things more mysterious than Granny haunt the old mountain, and they have tricks of their own. 

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Health issues have kept Scott Calligan in quarantine since the start of the pandemic. But when a wandering dog is nearly hit by a car in front of his house, he can’t help but come to its rescue—even if he’s more of a cat person.

Max’s owner, Brandon Richards, represents everything Scott has kept himself safe from. Once he picks up the runaway, Scott doesn’t expect he’ll see either of them again.

It seems Max has other ideas….

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If Taz Oswald has one more gross date, he’s resigning himself to a life of celibacy with his irritable Chihuahua, Carl. Carl knows how to bite a banana when he sees one! Then Selby Hirsch invites Taz to walk dogs together, and Taz is suddenly back in the game. Selby is adorkable, awkward, and a little weird—and his dog Ginger is a trip—and Taz is transfixed. Is it really possible this sweet guy with the blurty mouth and a heart as big as the Pacific Ocean wandered into Taz’s life by accident? If so, how can Taz convince Selby that he wants to be Selby and Ginger’s forever home?

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Graphic designer Eli has harbored a secret crush on nerdy math teacher Lincoln since they were at school together, and he’s perfectly content with his unrequited feelings—until Lincoln requests a special handmade holiday gift: a dating profile with all the bells and whistles Eli can include, one that will be sure to find Lincoln a boyfriend for Christmas.

Eli uses building the profile as an excuse to spend time with Lincoln, but will he be able to watch his friend find love with someone else?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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When Connor’s friend signs him up for a crochet course, the last thing he expects is to find love. However, at the community center, he meets hunky Finn. There’s only one problem: Finn assumes Connor’s there for the boxing class, and Connor lets him believe it, worried Finn will ditch him if he knows Connor prefers crafting to upper cuts. Can they salvage the situation when the truth comes out?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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Dealing with the unexpected loss of his mother isn’t how carpenter Steve Browning planned to spend his Christmas. Hoping her costume jewelry can bring some happiness to others, he takes it to the local community theater, where he runs into his first love, Troy Baxter.

Troy’s trying to help his sister put on a gender-fluid version of A Christmas Carol, but no one on the cast or crew knows which end of a hammer to hold let alone use a power tool. Then a face from the past brings a present-day miracle… one that could lead to the happy future they both thought they gave up back in high school.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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Pediatrician Luce Wright’s bad breakup gets worse when his drunk ex drives a car through his house a week before Christmas. His whole family is coming over in just a few days, and he can’t have a hole with a tarp over it in the middle of his dining room.

Fortunately his neighbor’s son is moving back into town, and he owns a construction company. Can Luce and his homemade cookies persuade Darren to mend the hole in the house… and maybe the one in Luce’s heart too?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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While deployed on a covert mercenary assignment, Johnny doesn’t have much in the way of holiday cheer. But the mysterious notes from Dex that somehow appear in his bunk—reminding him of the gifts, cookies, celebrations, and most of all, love, waiting for him back in Wisconsin—help him get through the long, hot days. Will they be enough to keep his spirits up when the rest of his unit goes home to their families and he’s left alone?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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Real estate broker Colin Romu has been estranged from his family for many years, but an unfinished quilt bequeathed in his mother’s will might help him make peace. Seeking solitude, Colin heads for his isolated cabin in upstate New York, but a sudden blizzard lands him in a ditch instead. Fortunately local EMT Mason Doyle is on hand with a rescue and a place to stay until the storm blows over.  As they contemplate Colin’s mother’s last gift, they realize their lives entwine in ways they never imagined.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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Yarn shop owner and ex-soldier Noah Miller never looks forward to the Christmas season. At least this year the break coincides with Hanukkah. But before his vacation, he has to survive the December rush.

When virgin knitter Finley Mason comes into the store desperate for yarn, needles, and lessons so he can win a bet against Hazel, a woman who must be his wife, Noah agrees to help him despite his better judgment—he usually hates teaching.

As the deadline to finish his roommate’s scarf looms, Finley falls in love with the reclusive shopkeeper, and he tries his best to woo Noah with all the magic of New York City at Christmastime. Noah could easily be swept away—if only Finley wasn’t straight and taken….

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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It’s long-haul trucker Eddie’s first Christmas away from home, and he picks up the CB radio in search of friendly voice. He doesn’t expect to reconnect with his old instructor—and brief but passionate fling—Colton.  Eddie realizes the scarf he’s been knitting symbolizes the love and longing he’s been trying to deny. When fate brings them back together on a lonely, snowy stretch of Iowa highway, will they grab hold of their second chance and acknowledge the love woven tightly between them?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

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Un racconto della serie Delitti e disastri

Si ride e si scherza finché non ci si imbatte nel corpo di un uomo morto.

La vita di Alex Martin è piuttosto ordinaria. Dal Planet X Comics, il suo negozio di fumetti, passano i geek e gli strambi, ma ormai lui non fa più caso alle loro stranezze. Tutto cambia il giorno in cui apre il negozio e trova un cadavere sul pavimento.

A indagare viene chiamato il detective James Castillo. Alex non sa se vorrebbe abbarbicarsi all’uomo oppure stargli alla larga ma, per fortuna, anche il detective si mostra interessato ad Alex… perché sospetta proprio di lui.

Edizione precedente: antologia Grand Adventures, Dreamspinner Press, marzo 2015.

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Back in high school, nobody noticed quiet nerd Kevin Howard.

But everybody noticed handsome, athletic, and ultrapopular jock Clay Northrup.

They had nothing in common and lived in different worlds.

But a lot can change in fifteen years, and when they meet again at their high school reunion, Clay is no longer the big man on campus, and Kevin isn’t hiding in a corner anymore.

Can they put aside who they were? Can one night really lead to forever?

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A Half Moon Bay Short

Zig Reid-Harris has everything an eleven-year-old girl could ever want: a great home, two fantastic fathers named Deacon Reid and Lang Harris, and all the books she could possibly read. When a school assignment about holiday traditions unexpectedly broadsides her, she discovers burying the past isn’t as easy as it looks, and the stark reality of her life before her adoption sinks in. Ashamed of the bleakness and poverty she came from, Zig struggles with the assignment until an epiphany strikes the whole family—it’s time to start their own traditions. Zig and her fathers plunge into the insanity of holiday joy, exploring everything the season has to offer and learning how precious family truly is along the way.

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For the first time ever, Shane is not looking forward to the annual Boxing Day barbeque at Matty’s house. He recently divorced, none of his friends know what to say to him now, and Shane is tired of the pity and awkwardness. Things take a turn, however, when he meets Matty’s English cousin. Neil is struggling with the Australian heat, having left the UK after a bad breakup. When Shane suggests the two of them head to a secluded beach to cool off, the growing intimacy between them might make both reassess their current situation.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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