A very Dickens Christmas meal.
In the mid 1800's Lady Maria Clutterbuck published a cook book called "what shall we have for dinner?" An introduction was written by Sir Charles Coldstream.
It was a cook book typical of the Victorian era. The book did not necessarily instructions how to cook a meal it was more a book of menus. like the one below a menu for the winter time and possibly for Christmas.
You will have difficulties in finding more works by Lady Maria Clutterbuck or the writer of the introduction ,Sir Charles Coldstream. They were in fact the pseudonyms of Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine Dickens.
It is unclear when Catherine Dickens cook book was first published but a second edition was published in 1851.
There are so many different version of his origin varying between Lapland and Spain.
According to tradition, he was born in the ancient Lycian seaport city of Patara, currently in Turkey,,when he was young, he traveled to the Middle East. He became bishop of Myra soon after returning to Lycia. He was imprisoned during the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor Diocletian but was released under the rule of Constantine the Great. He attended the first Council of Nicaea (325), where he allegedly struck the heretic Arius in the face.
It is however also alleged that Saint Nicholas is buried in County Kilkenny,Ireland. Tradition in these parts tell that the earthly remains of St. Nicholas were secretly removed from Bari by returning crusader knights, who brought them back to Newtown Jerpoint for safe keeping.
The grave's stone slab is carved with the image of a cleric with the heads of two knights behind each shoulder, said to be those of the two crusaders who, so the story goes, brought Nicholas's remains to Ireland. Evidence lends some credence to this tale as the Normans in Kilkenny were keen collectors of religious relics, and it is known that Norman knights participated in the Holy Land Crusades.
We all know of course that all these theories are incorrect because he still delivers present every Christmas.
Krampus- The anti-St Nick, when Christmas gets creepy.
Bad Santa, meet Krampus: a half-goat, half-demon, horrific beast who literally beats kids into being nice and not naughty.
They say he comes on the eve of Dec. 5, a night they call "Krampusnacht," armed with a bundle of gold-painted birch sticks to beat naughty children with. One can usually hear him coming, as though he has one bare human-like foot, his steps alternate with the clip-clop of his other cloven hoof.
His name is Krampus, a figure whose pointed devilish horns and long snake-like tongue have been terrifying European children for centuries. A hairy, black monster of a creature who appears before Christmas to punish children, he is often depicted as carrying chains, and various bells. He also carries a large sack, or occasionally a basket, on his back to cart off evil children and dispose of them. Though the stories vary, his usual disposal methods include drowning, eating, and dropping them off in Hell.
Starting before the 17th century, stories of a horned god who showed up to punish people for their sins around Christmastime began to pop up in Europe, particularly in Eastern European countries. Many historians attribute the roots of the legends to pre-Christian paganism, as the appearance of Krampus coincides with multiple pagan winter rites.
In the aftermath of the 1923 election in Austria, the Krampus tradition was prohibited by the Dollfuss regime under the Fatherland's Front (Vaterländische Front) and the Christian Social Party. In the 1950s, the government distributed pamphlets titled "Krampus Is an Evil Man".Towards the end of the century, a popular resurgence of Krampus celebrations occurred and continues today. The Krampus tradition is being revived in Bavaria as well, along with a local artistic tradition of hand-carved wooden masks.
Rain is falling on my head and drops are slowly reaching my face.
A man in a coffee shop is putting up a Christmas tree.
Undisturbed the Shannon flows, in so much splendor and grace.
The town with its magical and festive lights makes me smile.
Children gaze in awe as they see the sign that Santa is in town.
Beautiful people all dressed up, ready to celebrate in style.
The cold wind is picking up nearly blowing the decorations down.
A man is sitting on a stool outside a shop playing an accordion.
Some tourists stop and listen to him play and dance slowly to the tune.
Christmas in Limerick is special and hopefully we'll see some snow soon.
Will the real Santa Claus please stand up.
Someone tried to convince me that Santa Claus is a mythical figure.Well if that's the case who puts my presents under the Christmas tree?
A rather offbeat story recounted by Kelly and Rogers, tells of Nicholas visiting a local butcher during a famine. To his surprise, he was served meat. Suspecting the worst, Nicholas proceeded to his host's cellar, finding three barrels containing three murdered boys in brine. The bishop lost no time in restoring them to life, and "has been a patron of children-in-a-pickle ever since." His acts of kindness and miracles for children, carried the reputation of Nicholas to the far corners of the Roman Empire.
Some argue that Santa Claus is based on the Norse god, Thor, who was associated with winter and the Yule log and rode on a chariot drawn by goats named Cracker and Gnasher.
That the historical person of Nicholas became transformed into the kindly Santa Claus from a pagan legend was due to the notoriety he gained by extending a helping hand in the aid of children. His was not an age known for protecting children. Instead they were often left to beg when they lost their parents or lived in poverty.
Other claim he is based on the Germanic god Odin,also known as Wodan.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the Nicholas legend was that his story influenced future generations to demonstrate kindness to children, at least once a year. The modern tradition has remained true to the simple bishop of Myra, who devoted his life to helping the poor.
Unlike Santaclaus,Sinterklaas does not travel from the North pole by sleigh and reindeer. No Sinterklaas likes his comfort, he therefor travels from Spain on a steamboat.
And once he arrives at his destination in the Netherlands he gets on a white horse called Amerigo.
Rather then doing a last minute Christmas rush Sinterklaas delivers his presents on the 5th of December. Saint Nicholas died on the 6th of December, so the presents are delivered on the eve of St Nicholas's death.
Father Christmas is the traditional English name for the personification of Christmas. Although now known as a Christmas gift-bringer, and normally considered to be synonymous with American culture's Santa Claus which is now known worldwide, he was originally part of an unrelated and much older English folkloric tradition. The recognisably modern figure of the English Father Christmas developed in the late Victorian period, but Christmas had been personified for centuries before then.
Ded Moroz-Russia and other Eastern European countries.
An Irish tradition states that the relics of Saint Nicholas are also reputed to have been stolen from Myra by local Norman crusading knights in the 12th century and buried near Thomastown, County Kilkenny, where a stone slab marks the site locally believed to be his grave.
I hope you all get the presents you are hoping for.
When we think of Christmas dinner now, we think of indulgence a non stop culinary feast, an abundance of food and drink.
During WWII however, it was anything but that. In most occupied countries people were trying to survive on very little food. In the US, UK and Canada food was rationed.Rationing was introduced in stages during the war, and it was one of the most concrete ways life on the home front was impacted, Stamps and coupons were distributed to the homes as the means of rationing.
But people were innovative and still enjoyed Christmas meals during WWII albeit in a different configuration, even on the battlefield.
It could be argued that those Christmas dinners were better, not because of the quality but because they were real treats and would be appreciated more.
Below is just an example of a WWII Christmas recipe, try it out some day.
An unusual potato based recipe.
Christmas dinner and celebrations in the wardroom of HMS MALAYA. The ship is based at Scapa Flow.
Christmas dinner celebrations on board HMS WESTMINSTER at Rosyth, December 1941.
With British soldiers away in Europe, war-hit families were issued with an urgent plea to invite their US colleagues to share their Christmas celebrations.
Faced with the prospect of their guests bringing extra food with them, families jumped at the chance to welcome the Americans into their homes, with some 50 invitations being offered for every GI, or Government Issue.
Bare-chested soldiers in helmets preparing Christmas dinner (cake or bread) at the mess during WWII. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. December 25, 1942.
Barrack 66-Camp Westerbork-the Christmas wish of a little boy.
Sinterklaas doesn't come from Lapland but from Spain and arrives on a steam boat and a white horse rather then a sleigh and reindeer. His helpers aren't elves but are moors called 'Zwarte Piet' Black Pete, and he comes in the traditional dress as a Bishop. Although it is a Christian tradition generally it is celebrated across most religions.
Leo Meijer was a small Jewish boy in September 1942 when he was aged 7 he was taken from his home together with his Family and was deported to Camp Westerbork.
Leo Meijer attended the Onderdijkschool in Zwijndrecht. When Jewish children had to leave the school, he enrolled at the Jewish school in Dordrecht. Leo Meijer excelled in drawing.
In 1943 he got drawing paper from Sinterklaas. Leo used this paper to draw his experiences in Westerbork and his memories of the time he lived in his hometown Zwijmdrecht, like the time he went to the Circus and he had seen an elephant.
Leo and his family were deported from Westerbork to Theresienstadt on 5 September 1944 and subsequently to Auschwitz on 4 October 1944.Where Leo and his mother are send to the gas chambers upon arrival.
During this festive season it's time to look at how Christmas was celebrated during the darkest era of mankind.


text:
#include <linux/errno.h>
#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/param.h>
#include <linux/jiffies.h>
#include <linux/bcd.h>
#include <linux/timex.h>
#include <linux/init.h>
#include <linux/profile.h>
#include <linux/sched.h>	/* just for sched_clock() - funny that */

#define D(x)

#define TICK_SIZE tick

extern unsigned long loops_per_jiffy; /* init/main.c */
unsigned long loops_per_usec;

#ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_USES_GETTIMEOFFSET
extern unsigned long do_slow_gettimeoffset(void);
static unsigned long (*do_gettimeoffset)(void) = do_slow_gettimeoffset;

u32 arch_gettimeoffset(void)
{
       return do_gettimeoffset() * 1000;
}
#endif

int set_rtc_mmss(unsigned long nowtime)
{
	D(printk(KERN_DEBUG "set_rtc_mmss(%lu)\n", nowtime));
	return 0;
}

/* grab the time from the RTC chip */
unsigned long get_cmos_time(void)
{
	return 0;
}

int update_persistent_clock(struct timespec now)
{
	return set_rtc_mmss(now.tv_sec);
}

void read_persistent_clock(struct timespec *ts)
{
	ts->tv_sec = 0;
	ts->tv_nsec = 0;
}

extern void cris_profile_sample(struct pt_regs* regs);

void
cris_do_profile(struct pt_regs* regs)
{

#ifdef CONFIG_SYSTEM_PROFILER
        cris_profile_sample(regs);
#endif

#ifdef CONFIG_PROFILING
	profile_tick(CPU_PROFILING);
#endif
}

unsigned long long sched_clock(void)
{
	return (unsigned long long)jiffies * (NSEC_PER_SEC / HZ) +
		get_ns_in_jiffie();
}

static int
__init init_udelay(void)
{
	loops_per_usec = (loops_per_jiffy * HZ) / 1000000;
	return 0;
}

__initcall(init_udelay);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'innerText' of undefined
actually i have two error and i have no idea where the first one comes from. I included jQuery v.2.1.3 from "code.jquery.com" and Chrome shows me this error
Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'innerText' of undefined
The secound Error is from myself i guess.

Could someone help me? im at the end of my google skills and soon to give up.

A: Not sure what innerText has to do with the error, you should just be getting the error "Uncaught TypeError: undefined is not a function"
The way you are making the plug-in is wrong. This is a basic plug-in structure. Notice the use of fn

(function($) {
  $.fn.scrollbar = function(options) {
    var opts = $.extend($.fn.scrollbar.defaults, options);

    return this.each(function() {
      $(this).css("background-color", opts.background);
    });

  };

  $.fn.scrollbar.defaults = {
    background: "yellow"
  };
})(jQuery);

$(function() {
  $('.mydiv').scrollbar();
  $('.myOtherDiv').scrollbar({ "background":"red"});
});

XXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
BOOK REVIEW | "MO' META BLUES" BY AMIR 'QUESTLOVE' THOMPSON
MO' META BLUES: THE WORLD ACCORDING TO QUESTLOVE (GRAND CENTRAL, 2013) is a cleverly structured memoir by AMIR "QUESTLOVE" THOMPSON about his experiences and opinions surrounding the music industry and his extended association with PHILADELPHIA, both as a founding member of THE ROOTS and the NEO SOUL scene that originated from their extended family of collabotors. the book gets meta in that QUESTLOVE chooses to allow his co-writer BEN GREENMAN as well as his long-time manager RICH NICHOLAS (who died of LEUKEMIA within a year of publication) to provide extensive commentary throughout the narrative; in essence his memoir is partly an extended argument about what content makes for a compelling memoir.
this dialogue also seems to parallel, in part, his ambivalence towards HIP HOP and its relationship to commerce. there is much discussion about the merits of the two poles of the genre, one being the down to earth tradition that almost serves as an empowering, consciousness-building, almost educational vibe rooted in the work of the NATIVE TONGUES movement. the other being the aspirational, glamorized world of money and power instituted by the likes of BAD BOY RECORDS and their premier artist, THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
this fission is exemplified in QUESTLOVE's memories regarding the 1995 SOURCE AWARDS that saw the WEST COAST / EAST COAST feud boil over in public. QUESTLOVE recounts that NAS was up that year for his debut ILLMATIC, which was the epitome and high-watermark of a classic concept of HIP HOP, the idea of a skilled lyricist repping his community over beats that were engineered and labored over to perfection by skilled producers. he was up against THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. for record of the year for READY TO DIE, which showcased him in music videos with yachts, cars, jewelry and women over beats that were lazily and obviously sampled by PUFF DADDY. BIGGIE won and an era of BLING took over that largely disconnected the music from the audience.
THE ROOTS constantly felt the tug and pull of each and that struggle specific to that era (late 90s and the early 00s) perpetuated itself among them and many others until KANYE showed up and basically (somehow) combined the two. it can be argued we are still living in the KANYE era.
one aspect of this book that annoyed me was the lengths to which QUESTLOVE was preoccupied with reviews by music critics. that caught me off guard, since i always picture THE ROOTS as being the spearhead of a certain conscious subset of HIP HOP artists that occupy a creative space outside of the explicit struggles commerce. other groups like THE FUGEES, DEAD PREZ, PHARCYDE, DE LA SOUL, OUTKAST and A TRIBE CALLED QUEST come to mind that seemed more concern with message and artistry than what a middle-aged white guy a world away from the scene thinks about your album. struck me as very peculiar as it went against what i believed about their brand as fiercely independent artists. this memoir dulled that edge a bit, made me realize that they were not immune from the pressures of the industry attempting to homogenize them, as INTERSCOPE RECORDS executive JIMMY IOVINE seemingly did with their lackluster effort THE TIPPING POINT. i saw them play years ago at teh ROSELAND BALLROOM and they seemed indestructibly powerful and absolutely immutable. interesting to learn that behind the scenes they felt outside pressure to conform to be more like conventional artists like JAY-Z who don't have their cache and drive towards social justice.
i also think this book came out three years to early, as the election of DONALD TRUMP altered incalculably not only the political and cultural landscape, but also the trajectory of JIMMY FALLON's late night gig. at the time of publication FALLON did not have the reputation for being a comedic and political lightweight that he now does. THAT would have been interesting to hear QUESTLOVE speak his opinion on, given his front row seat to the proceedings. also the celebrated figure of PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA is forever transformed by the election of his successor. i would also would have loved to hear QUESTLOVE speak on that topic as well, but alas this book came out in 2013.
interesting book that very effectively communicates the powerful crosscurrents jst beneath the surface in HIP HOP and how such influence artists. highly informative, expertly constructed and very readable. definitely worth reading if you have the interest or inclination.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Department of Social Development is concerned about a growing trend of retailers and restaurant owners using the SASSA brand to lure SASSA beneficiaries into buying their products.
Lumka Oliphant from the Department of Social Development, speaking to John Robbie on Tuesday, shed light on this matter. John also spoke to intellectual property lawyer Graeme Gilfillan about the use of state intellectual property.
Gilfillan said that if SASSA was regulated, the government would benefit from having additional income streams, adding that throughout the value chain, there is an income generation opportunity for everyone involved - if it is done right.
SASSA's Frank Earl speaks to John about educating pensioners about illegal or immoral deductions on their pension.
John Robbie's musings on strengthening business for job creation.


The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, in conjunction with the Ad Council, conducted a cutting-edge research study on binge drinking among college students in 2010. The study was designed to better understand the drinking cultures and derive insights on student-reported attitudes and behaviors and effective messaging that can be used to reduce dangerous overconsumption among college students.
College students define drinking "too much" as too often/too many nights per week (30%), too much in one night or on one occasion (22%), or both (47%).
Using the government definition of binge drinking (5/4 drinks in a two hour period) 64% of college students who drink report they partake in binge drinking on a weekly basis.
Despite reported drinking behaviors, three out of four students (78%) believe they have a good grasp on their drinking limits and always maintain them.
Analysis of key questions identified student drinkers into five key categories, each defined by their unique approaches to drinking. To learn more about this rigorous research study and hear the voice of the student about drinking on college campuses, take a look at the presentation below. Or learn more about our binge drinking initiatives.


The roles and responsibilities of an Associate Professor are similar to those of senior lecturers. Their primary duty is teaching students at higher education institutions. Your resume format should mention that you are flexible when it comes to working hours because, at times, you may be required to teach in the evenings. Associate professors must effectively divide their time between preparing for teaching and classroom hours. They should also allocate time in their busy schedules for meeting up with students. As an Associate Professor, you are a role model and a source of inspiration to students. Hence, your resume format must make mention of the fact that you have exhaustive knowledge with an efficient track record. You may also need to carry out research activities such as presenting findings at conferences across the world. The role of an Associate Professor demands high responsibility. Hence, your resume format should demonstrate that you are ready for the challenge.


Do You Want to Be 200 Pounds?
You are here: Home / Contest / Do You Want to Be 200 Pounds?
Today we have an interview with Shan Hefley, who placed second in the Open category in the latest Adonis Index Contest.
Shan might be just 5'7'', but he is very muscular.
Most guys that are in their twenties would kill to look like Shan.
If you want to show your abs on a picture, you need to get a dark tan like Shan.
Shan started working out at an early age and since he gained some weight in college he dieted down and eventually got skinny. His weight fluctuated as the years passed. Being 5'7" lead to the conventional "wanna get big" guy mentality.
Shan never wanted to look like a bodybuilder, but since he didn't have any specific goal, was skinny and had average height, he thought that getting bigger, and specifically 'heavier' would help him get a killer looking body.
He started working out, subscribed to several fitness magazines and read every issue.
He believed in everything they said. And he aimed for the look of the cover models.
After years and years of working out and following the advice from the fitness magazines, he stumbled upon the Adonis Index.
After countless visits and calculating his ideal proportions over and over again, he finally got on board and decided to get the program.
And it proved to be a pretty interesting concept. Shan like most of the guys never really thought about proportions or specific shape, it was always just about getting bigger.
Shan was fascinated by the idea of proportions. He also started understanding that a 5'7" guy can't and even shouldn't try to get to 200 pounds. He realized his genetic limits at his height wouldn't let him reach a body weight of 200lbs unless it was due to an excess amount of fat or drug induced muscle growth.
This was quite a different concept compared to the articles in all the fitness magazines he was following till now. Which if you've ever read in the past, you know that there is not a word about proportions. Usually it's headlines such as '100 new tips how to grow your bicep' or a pitch for a new magical supplement that is supposed to help you pack on 30 pounds of muscle.
Since Shan has taken some art classes, it made sense to him that there is something more to it than just getting bigger at all costs and that it may not be about being big, but rather it's about looking big, which if you don't know are not the same things.
If you build a broad back, wide shoulder and a shredded waist then you will create an illusion of being bigger than you actually are.
Usually he is pretty skeptical, but the Adonis Index was so thoughtful and truthful he went right into it, after that he read Eat Stop Eat and everything just clicked.
Now he had tools both for building a specific shape and how to diet down to a low bodyfat.
For Shan this wasn't just a physical transformation, but also a mental one. A big part was that he went from wearing large to small shirts.
Don't you agree that this smaller size T-shirt really fits him? Can you say the same about your wardrobe?
What about you, do you have an issue with wearing a small T-shirt? Does it make you feel anxious?
Most guys can't get over the fact that they look better in a small and fitted shirt. They almost think that just because they wear smaller size clothes it means they are not that manly and feel "emasculated". This seems to correlate with the never ending pursuit of getting big at all costs.
Wear what really fits your physique and shows it off!
It's hard to accept it, but it's really just a number on an article of clothing manufactured by someone who has never seen your body type…in reality that number doesn't mean anything. If you are under six foot, then there is no reason for you to wear and extra large shirt. If medium seems to fit the best, then buy mediums only. And if you want to feel good about some number that would tell other people how you look, just focus on your AI number instead of your shirt size.
It's just like body weight. What shows on the scale is just a number, it doesn't indicate if you are healthy, or the proportion of your body. The truth is nobody knows how much you weigh either and nobody really even cares. The only one that is obsessed with it is you.
This comes to a central theme of the Adonis Index and that is the permission to be light and really accept that a great looking 5'7" body is not going to be 200 pounds.
If it's kind of hard to grasp right now, then don't worry even Shan had big issues accepting this. On some days he was on a scale thinking that he should weight more, and was skeptical of losing weight, but he couldn't argue with the numbers AI gave him. If the AI that is based on precise math is telling you that you are exactly where you are supposed to be, then you shouldn't want to weigh any more and you shouldn't try to weigh more.
Just like women think they need to be as light as possible and that men are only interested in a muscle-less tiny woman, men think of exactly the opposite. Just imagine a skinny woman without any shape, would you be attracted to her?
This is exactly the same and big guys without any proportion or shape.
That's why the Adonis Index is so powerful. It gives you the proportions and goal to shoot for.
And like Shan said, you just can't argue with the numbers. What looks visually appealing doesn't necessarily translate to a specific and heavy weight.
Adonis Index Workouts – Here are the original workout plans that have been responsible for some of the most amazing transformations online.
Eat Stop Eat – Pilon's revolutionary lifestyle and diet protocol.
Adonis Index Community – You will never find a more supportive, outgoing, and RESULTS based community like you'll find with the AI "Insider's Club".


text:
DC Files series
Harrington Hills series
Stand-alone Titles
Building a Home (Harrington Hills #2) – Excerpt
Posted on August 23, 2016 by Megan
The pre-order for Building a Home will be up on Pride Publishing website on August 30th, so a week from now. To celebrate the upcoming release, today I'm sharing an excerpt from the book!
First, though, look at that pretty cover one more time:
Dating a younger guy wasn't anywhere in Zack's plans,but can he ignore the instincts of his wolf?
Zack Harrington noticed David Dewitt the day the guy showed up in Harrington Hills, but their first meeting was far from perfect. A few months later, Zack still can't forget about him, and now that the two of them belong to the same pack, their paths cross even more. The problem is, David is barely twenty-two, and Zack still remembers how stupid he was at that age.
David knows he's young, but he's tired of hearing about it all the time. He's not a kid, and he hates being treated like one, even—or especially—by the hot deputy sheriff. But as they get to know each other better and the sparks between them turn hotter, David's willing to forgive and forget.
Can they move past the age difference and their own personal hang-ups? Or will they ultimately fall into a trap of miscommunication and hiding?
And here's the excerpt:
David hadn't cared about joining a new pack at first. He and Charlie had spent years without one and, as far as David was concerned, they would be fine like that going forward, too. But Charlie had really wanted this. And since he'd done so much for David in the past, saying yes, when Charlie had finally come to ask, was a no-brainer. David would never be able to fully pay off the debt to his brother, but he could do this.
By the time the Joining Ceremony rolled around, David was actually into the idea. After being invited to a few celebrations and getting to know the locals better, he was happy that if they were going to be a part of a pack, they would end up in this one. Most of the people he came into contact with in Harrington Hills seemed really nice.
And by 'most of the people', David meant everyone except Zachary Harrington, one of the sheriff's deputies, whose picture could be in the dictionary under the definition of Hot and Angry.
They'd met during David's first visit to the town, after he'd picked up a last-minute job for a wedding party. David had noticed Zack as soon as the man had gotten out of the sheriff's cruiser and headed his way. The deputy was hot and very tall, and his uniform fit nicely over what looked like the body of a seasoned football player. David spent his days working in construction, and he could only dream of shoulders like that.
The spell had broken right after the guy had opened his mouth.
"You're the boss here?" he'd asked in that disbelieving tone that always made David grit his teeth. He'd managed to be civil only because it had been his first day and the guy had worn a uniform. The fact that he'd introduced himself as Zachary Harrington helped as well.
They hadn't exchanged more than a hello ever since, but David still couldn't forget and move on. Any time he saw Zack now, he was torn between the impulse to walk away without looking back and a desire to confront him, to walk up to him and give him a piece of his mind about not assuming things about people.
Meanwhile, his wolf just wanted to rub his muzzle all over Zack.
Which he almost—almost—got to do during the Joining Ceremony. When the big, black wolf walked up to him and he looked into those clear blue eyes, David had no doubt about who it was. He felt like they stared at each other for a long time, but then Zack looked away and let out a huff that David didn't know how to interpret. Did he have a problem with David joining the pack? Or was it something else? David wasn't a pushover, and he had pissed off a few people over the years, but, as far as he knew, he didn't usually rub people the wrong way right from the start.
He didn't usually react to others like he did to Zack, either, though, so maybe they both were just destined for a collision of some kind.
But then Zack stepped closer and brushed his shoulder against David's, and David had to push his claws into the ground to stop himself from dropping down. He drew a deep breath, hoping to calm himself, but then Zack's scent hit him—metal and coffee, and something he couldn't decipher—and it just made things worse. When Zack pulled back, David leaned slightly to the side to follow, but caught himself in time. He was in a very public place and he was the center of attention. It was the worst time to act crazy like that.
Available soon on Pride Publishing website
Posted in building a home, excerpt, harrington hills series, pride publishing	Leave a comment
Press & Hold (D.C. Files #3) – The Excerpt
Posted on April 22, 2016 April 27, 2016 by Megan
Press & Hold comes out in a week, so it's time for an excerpt!
Stevie Callan is the personal assistant of the White House Chief of Staff and knows all the reasons why dating someone from the press corps is a bad idea. Faced with all the British charm of one of the best reporters in D.C., Stevie's resolve crumbles, but soon after he finally crosses the line they've been balancing on for months now, the news about his father's illness put everything into question.
Will Newbrough hasn't been able to stop thinking about Stevie for months and now it finally looks like they may get their shot. But with the new story that falls into his lap, he's risking more than he imagined when Stevie gets dragged into the middle of it.
When everything they were afraid of becomes real, will there be anything left to recover?
*The book is a part of D.C. Files series and I believe it's best to read it as a continuation, but it can also be read as a stand-alone.
THE EXCERPT
Will smiled as he stepped into Stevie's domain and the smile only got bigger when he saw Stevie at the desk, clicking away on the computer.
"Trying to double the work flow?" Will asked and Stevie glanced up, corners of his lips twitching.
"I wish. I'm just finishing a few things."
Will nodded and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. "You'll only be gone on Monday, right?"
Stevie nodded, looking back at the screen. "Yes. I'm flying back Monday night, and I'll be here bright and early Tuesday morning."
"Good," Will said softly. "We'll miss you."
The tips of Stevie's ears turned red and Will congratulated himself. Stevie looked very young and at the beginning of this administration people foolishly thought they could walk all over him to get to the Chief of Staff. But they were in for a surprise— Stevie Callan had been strict and protective of Sam's time, and he had never hesitated to politely kick someone to the curb if needed. Will was delighted every time he got to see Stevie in action, see how he could go from an easy soft smile to a cold and unyielding stare. Stevie always tried to keep his cool while he worked, so every time Will managed to get a reaction—a blush or a bite on his lower lip—it felt like a victory. Like something special, just for him.
"Naomi will be here." Stevie glanced up. "Don't pester her while I'm gone."
As if. "I don't have any intentions of doing so." Stevie had to know by now Will didn't come over here to see the chief of staff 's assistant. Will was not the most subtle guy on the planet.
Will nodded at the empty chair usually occupied by a Secret Service agent from Sam's personal detail. "Michael's gone for the day?"
"Probably." Stevie had the ability to not give a straight answer to any of his questions that were even remotely related to Sam's work. More often than not, he wouldn't even tell Will things that were public knowledge. It would be frustrating if Will had actually been trying to pry something out of Stevie, but he hadn't, for reasons he'd wasted months refusing to acknowledge.
"Great," Will said, sitting on Michael's chair and grinning at the look it got him. "Do you mind?"
Stevie stared at him for a long moment with raised eyebrows. "Are you going to behave?"
Do you want me to behave? Will wanted to ask, but he knew better. The last thing he needed was to scare Stevie off. "I always behave," he said in the end.
It earned him a chuckle. "Sure you do."
Stevie got back to work after that and Will stared. He'd wondered time and time again what it was about Stevie that made it impossible for Will to stop thinking about him. The man was handsome, no question about it, with his lithe body and light brown hair that framed his face in a way that softened the sharp lines of his jaw. He was shorter than Will, shorter than average, probably, but he never hesitated to stand toe to toe with anyone trying to steamroll him.
And then there was his smile. Will had finally decided that if he had to choose one thing, it would probably be just that— Stevie's soft, dimpled smile. Will first saw it a few weeks after the inauguration when he was waiting for Liam Turner, the White House Press Secretary, in the lobby. He'd been checking his email to kill time, when he heard loud laughter coming from the entrance. Will's head shot up and he watched Sam Daniels coming in with Stevie by his side and Michael shadowing them. Sam was the one laughing, the one who dragged the attention to them, but it was Stevie's smile that made Will unable to look away. He'd seen Sam's assistant before once or twice but it hadn't been until that moment that he'd really noticed him. And once he had, he didn't want to stop.
That was how it started. The next day Will found Stevie in the White House cafeteria and asked if he could join him. Stevie was obviously suspicious of his intentions and the initial conversation had been stilted, but Will's stupid comment how the cafeteria staff had to be Republicans for sure, since they were clearly trying to get rid of them all, made Stevie snort and relax a fraction. Will had been coming up with excuses to see Stevie ever since, even if he didn't really need one by now. At this point, everyone in the building knew Will was not wandering off to the restricted area to spy on the administration. Aside from a few weeks before the big announcement about the education reform, when they'd been trying to make sure there'd be no last minute leaks, most of the staff let him be.
"Stop staring," Stevie told him, glancing at Will briefly before getting back to his filing.
Will sighed exaggeratedly. "'Shut up,' 'stop staring,' a guy could take it the wrong way, you know."
"Or the right one," Stevie threw back, but Will knew by now when he was teasing.
"I won't see you till Tuesday."
Stevie chuckled. "So you have to memorize me? You're not going to forget what I look like in three days."
Will nodded. "No. I definitely won't."
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Leading Me Home Is Out! (+Excerpt)
Posted on January 19, 2016 January 31, 2016 by Megan
As of today, Leading Me Home, the first book in Harrington Hills series, is available for Early Download at Pride Publishing website HERE.
You may also pre-order Leading Me Home on Amazon here: US | UK | DE | CA. The general release date is February 16th.
Pretending to date the guy he has a crush on?
Kevin's sure he's heading for a disaster. A broken heart, at least.
Kevin has been a lone wolf almost his entire life and he's comfortable with that. Now that he no longer works for the guy he hated, Kevin has only one problem – his crush on his neighbor and best friend.
Taylor is the Alpha's Son, the heir to the Harrington Pack. He left his hometown and moved to San Francisco as a rite of passage, but it was always temporary, since his place is in Harrington Hills with his pack. Now Taylor is heading back home for a wedding and since his mother threatens to set him up if he comes alone, he needs a date. Asking Kevin to be his pretend boyfriend sounds like a perfect solution.
What happens when they arrive in Harrington Hills and learn to see each other in a different light? With their relationship changing, can they drop the act and realize what they have is real?
Two weeks into his unemployment, Kevin was yet to regret being fired. His sleep
schedule was finally somewhat stable and he enjoyed being at home every night, where his
main task was to catch up on all the shows he'd missed when he was tending the bar.
He was about to reach for the last slice of leftover pizza when he heard knocking on the
door. The familiar signal—two quick knocks followed by two more after a short pause—
meant Kevin already knew who was outside.
"Everything's all right?" he asked as he opened the door and let Taylor in. They'd lived
next to each other for over a year and a half now, and they regularly dropped by each other's
places at various hours of the day, but five to midnight was pretty late, even for them.
"Aren't you supposed to be buried under the deadlines?"
"Two projects down, one to go." Taylor flopped down onto the couch and grabbed the
last slice of pizza. "It's cold," he said, scrunching his nose, but that didn't stop him from
taking a bite.
"No one forces you to eat it." Kevin rolled his eyes and sat down in his place on the
couch. "What's up? Deadline jitters?" He'd witnessed it happen countless of times by now.
There was always a point when the stress of running time hinged on the threshold of a
nervous breakdown and Taylor's manic energy had to get out somehow. The fastest way to
deal with it would be to change and run as a wolf, but they were living in the middle of a city
not really known for its wolf population, so that option was rarely on the table.
"I got a call from home." Taylor burrowed deeper into the couch cushions and Kevin
was sure that even if he weren't a werewolf, he would be able to sense Taylor's unease.
"Mom A has informed me that if I come to the wedding alone, she will stage an
intervention—in the form of presenting me to all eligible bachelors from our pack."
Kevin told himself that the sudden roll in his stomach came from too much pizza and a
reaction to Taylor's stress. It was most certainly not from anything even remotely close to
jealousy at the thought of a bunch of men fighting for Taylor's attention. He put his feet on
the coffee table slowly. "Isn't she going to be too busy with the wedding?"
Taylor finished chewing another bite before speaking again. "She'll never be too busy to
try to bully me into dating."
"Lovely," Kevin muttered. He knew she was both Taylor's mom and his pack's Alpha,
but there should be some limits.
"I need to find someone to go with me." Taylor stared at the ceiling. "Who do we know
that could do this?"
Kevin shook his head. "Stop it. It's insane."
"Most of my friends are taken, damn it," Taylor continued as if he hadn't heard him
and Kevin wondered if there was even any point in trying to reason with the crazy person
his best friend obviously was.
"You don't need a date," he tried one more time.
"Yes, I do. You don't know my mother."
Kevin sighed. "Listen, I get that you want to make your mother happy. She's your
mom. She's your Alpha. I get it. But you don't have to do everything she wants you to do."
He'd heard a lot of stories about Taylor's family and pack, and they all seemed nice. It was
obvious Taylor cared about them. But sometimes it seemed like he didn't see anything else.
"It's just a wedding. You're allowed to go alone."
"I don't want to go alone if I have to endure my mother's terrible attempts at setting me
up." Taylor winced. "She tried once, when I was in high school. Let's just say it didn't end up
"You're not in high school anymore!"
Taylor shrugged. "I still don't want to risk it." Then he sat up straight. "Wait, you're
free! You can come with me! That's it, that's the solution."
Kevin gaped at him for a moment, frozen in place. What the hell?
The book is available from Pride Publishing HERE.
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SL Earthquake: Derek & Hayden – The Excerpt
Posted on July 3, 2015 July 13, 2015 by Megan
My Storming Love: Earthquake story, Derek & Hayden, comes out in a week, so – as tradition dictates – it's time for an excerpt!
When two men with complicated past meet at the conference in Alaska, things are already on shaky ground.
Derek Warden is certain his boss sent him to cover the conference in the middle of nowhere, Alaska, to punish him for something. After an unpleasant phonecall from his father who tries to stop him from going, Derek is ready for the whole thing to be over before it even begins.
Hayden Shaw has been looking forward to this conference for months. The problem of fracking is very dear to his heart and he couldn't wait to spend the long weekend with like-minded people.
Neither of them expected the big earthquake, but most importantly – they didn't expect each other. Meeting again after over a decade may result in something even more surprising that the ground trembling under their feet.
Derek Warden wouldn't have called himself a city boy before, but now as he was driving through the Alaskan forest to a little resort in the middle of nowhere, he began to reconsider. He had nothing against nature and wilderness, but there was something spooky about the deserted road shadowed by the thick forest on both sides. Glancing up to the overcast sky, Derek almost wished he had somebody with him, until four crows suddenly flew from the trees on his left, screeching loudly, and he jolted in his seat.
Yeah, no. He was glad nobody was here to see that.
Derek wondered what he had done this time to piss off his boss so much, since he was sure sending him to this conference was her revenge for something. He had protested as soon as he heard the word "fracking", knowing full well that his father would blow a gasket when he found out. Unfortunately, Jane had just rolled her eyes and told him to put on his big boy pants and stop worrying about his senator daddy. Derek had been tempted to tell her to shove it, but didn't want to give her the satisfaction.
So here he was, on his way to waste most of his week listening to a bunch of environmentalists go on and on about the dangers of fracking. As if there was something new they could be saying that hadn't been said a hundred times before or that he couldn't pull from the web. Or from memory. God knew he had heard it all years ago.
A face he hadn't thought about for years appeared in his mind and Derek tightened his grip on the wheel. Those were not memories he wanted to relive. His phone started ringing and Derek was glad for the distraction until he glanced at the screen and saw his father's ID. He considered not picking up, but that would only delay the inevitable and at least now no one would overhear it. Derek turned off the music and pressed the green button.
"Hello, Father."
"Please tell me you are not on your way to that bullshit conference!" One thing Derek and his dad had in common was that they both preferred to get right to the point; although Derek liked to believe his approach was less hostile than that of his father.
"I thought we talked about you spying on me," he said, straightening in his seat. He rolled his shoulders to relax, since he didn't want to be stiff all day tomorrow. His hip was going to give him hell anyway and that was more than enough.
"I wouldn't need to keep tabs on my own son if he was smart
enough not to cause me problems." "I'm not causing you any problems, I'm doing my job. It's not like I'm working for The Washington Post, Jesus. And you're not a freshman senator, something like this won't even show up on
any radar."
His father snorted. "Shows how much you know. This kind of thing always get noticed."
"I'm not advocating for either side." If he was to take a stand on fracking, his father wouldn't like the results, but Derek wasn't interested in starting another war.
"It's political activism disguised as a scientific conference!"
"So it's the kind that will never make the front page and you know it." Less than five minutes of talking to his father and he already itched for a smoke. Dammit. "Is there anything else you wanted?"
"I wanted to remind you not to disappoint me again, but I should have known that's too much to ask for." His father ended the call and Derek was left to listen to the silence as he stared at the road ahead of him.
Some things would never change.
§ § § §
The resort looked dwarfed by the expanse of forest around it, but on the inside it turned out to be spacious. There were two big common rooms on the ground floor, separated by the lobby with a wide staircase and an elevator, and the restaurant in the back visible through the glass door. From what Derek could see at the first glance around the aread as he waited for the receptionist to end the call, there were about thirty people mingling around.
Yeah, Dad, a real threat to you and your fourth term, he thought and ran a hand over his buzz cut. Derek hoped he wasn't going to be the only reporter here, but he wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be the case. Maybe the rest of his kind had better and less vindictive bosses.
"Good afternoon and welcome to the Alaskan Moonlight Resort, how can I help you?" The receptionist was a young woman, probably around twenty-five, and her name tag said "Susan" with a small drawing of a pine twig underneath the
"Hi, my name is Derek Warden and I'm here for the conference."
Her professional smile transformed as her eyebrows shot up. "You don't look like a scientist."
Derek swallowed a sigh and smirked instead. "I will take that as a compliment."
Susan blinked a few times in quick succession and turned pink as if she just realized what she said. "It was meant like a compliment, since you stand out from the crowd. But I apologize," she told him before turning to her computer. "I will check you in right away."
Derek waited in silence, but when he took his key card from her, he smiled. "You were right, by the way. I'm not a scientist, I'm a reporter."
She nodded politely, but he could tell she was still embarrassed. Well, he'd tried to be nice, there was nothing more he could do.
He picked his backpack from the ground and threw it over his shoulder. "Thank you," he said to Susan before turning away.
"Mister Warden," her voice stopped him and he faced her again. "Please be advised, we've been experiencing minor earthquakes in the last few days. It's quite common around here, but can be surprising for the visitors from out of state."
This trip's just getting better and better. He thanked Susan and left her desk. He glanced at the key card sleeve. Room 203, and another pine twig drawing. Derek took a few steps to the staircase before he looked up as he heard someone going down the stairs quickly, only to come face-to-face with Hayden Shaw.
And that was the moment the ground started to shake.
Buy links to various retailers HERE.
And if you want to follow our entire series of stand-alones connected by the same earthquake, keep an eye on this page or on my Facebook, since I'll be sharing the links to all the titles.
Posted in excerpt, mlr press, storming love: earthquake	Leave a comment
DC#1 Serve & Protect – The Excerpt
Posted on May 22, 2015 May 23, 2015 by Megan
Serve & Protect comes out in a week!
I'm very excited and I can't wait to hear what you think about this book. And since the clock is ticking and May 29th gets closer and closer, I'm sharing the excerpt below.
What happens when you fall in love in the heart of politics?
Sam Daniels' life turns upside down when he meets an amazing guy and gets a job offer he can't refuse almost at the same time. Working in politics and sustaining any kind of personal life is never easy, but when you're running a campaign to elect the first woman to the office of the President of the United States, it may become nearly impossible.
Blake Morin, after spending years as a SEAL, lives a quiet life with his daughter and he's fine with that. He can't deny the attraction between him and Sam, but is he ready to enter the world he used to avoid?
Sam slid down in his booth at Seagal's, the back of his neck resting on the top of the seat. He breathed out in relief and tried to will his muscles to relax just a little bit. The beer was getting warmer on the table, but he didn't care. He just needed a break after a long day, that was it. Even warm beer couldn't spoil the fact that he could sit here and do nothing for half an hour or so. Fifteen minutes, at the least.
Seagal's was the only place close to his office without a TV, and Sam loved them for it. He couldn't rest when there was news playing in the background.
"Bad day?" someone asked, and Sam looked up to see a tall guy standing next to the table with a beer in his hand.
"You know what they say." Sam tilted his head and gestured for the man to sit down. The place was busy, so there weren't a lot of empty chairs around, and Sam wasn't an asshole. Besides, the guy was really hot—tall, with short, light brown hair and eyes Sam didn't want to look away from. He straightened in his seat, trying to seem less like he had been chewed on by a dog. "The only easy day was yesterday."
The guy sat down and raised his eyebrows. "SEALs say that. Did you serve?"
"Not in the military, no." Sam shook his head. "I work in a senator's office. You can say that we don't have many easy todays either. Did you serve?"
"In the military, yes." The corners of the guy's lips turned up a little and Sam relaxed, smiling back. "SEAL, actually. Blake Morin."
Sam shook the extended hand and there was maybe a two second delay when they just looked at each other. Maybe. "Sam Daniels." He felt awake now, an adrenaline rush at the spark of interest was enough to wake him up.
"We don't need to talk if you're not up for it," Blake offered, but Sam shook his head.
"I'm fine. It's just one of those days that went on too long. I need to recharge before going home." It was counter-intuitive for some people, but Blake nodded like he got it.
"At least it's Friday tomorrow," he said. "Or do you guys work around the clock?"
"We do when we have to. Not this weekend, though. It's just…" Sam paused and shrugged, looking at the bottle he was holding, the label scratched at the corner.
"A bad day," Blake finished for him and sat back in his seat, taking a sip of his beer.
Sam nodded. More like a string of bad days. He'd been feeling anxious and off balance for weeks now, and he figured that was the reason he found himself telling this complete stranger more than he normally would. More than the guy wanted to know, probably.
"My boss is retiring tomorrow and it's…weird." Sam picked at the label. "We've been working together pretty much since I came to D.C. It was easy in a way those constants in life are, you know?" He looked up and Blake nodded. "Now it ends, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do next." He'd had a few months to come up with something, and he still had nothing.
"You don't have to have the answer ready," Blake pointed out.
Sam couldn't help being a little jealous of how calm he sounded. Like it's that easy. He shrugged. "Yeah, I know—"
"No, listen," Blake interrupted. "Listen, I get it. Transition like that, it's always hard, even if you do know what's next." He leaned forward, rested his elbows against the table, and caught Sam's gaze. "When I signed my transfer papers, I knew what I was doing, I knew where I was going, but it still felt shitty at the beginning. It took me a while to find my footing again."
Sam took a drink from his beer. Maybe it shouldn't work, coming from a complete stranger, but he felt the tension in his shoulders easing up a little.
"Thanks," he said, and then smirked, wanting to lighten up the mood. "I bet you didn't expect to be giving pep talks when you came looking for a seat."
"Maybe I didn't come looking for a seat." Blake smiled, showing his teeth, and Sam fixated on his lips for a second before the words registered. There was a surge of heat in his stomach that he hadn't felt in far too long.
"Wow," he murmured, hoping he wasn't bright red. He didn't have a poker face when it came to his personal life.
Blake took a sip of his beer, eyes not leaving Sam's. "Too forward?"
"No!" Sam protested quickly. God, no. "No, just…surprising. Good surprise, though."
Blake smiled again, softer this time, and sat back in the seat. "It's been a long time since I did this."
Sam felt warm all over. "Probably smart. It's risky, after all, to come on to a guy in a bar."
"I'm pretty sure I could take you." Blake smirked.
Sam raised his eyebrows and felt the laughter escaping him.
Blake snorted. "I meant in a fight."
"I'm sure you could take me, too." Sam nodded. "In a fight."
Blake's gaze wandered to his lips for a moment and Sam shifted in his seat. Getting an erection in a bar is a bad, bad idea, he told himself as Blake looked him in the eye.
"Also, I wasn't sure I was going to hit on you before I sat down. We could have just had a nice, easy conversation."
"Are you sure now?" Sam asked. He forgot he'd been tired. He hadn't felt this awake in weeks.
Blake nodded and smiled. "Yes. I'm sure now."
Sam smiled back. "Good."
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Open Endings – Excerpt
Posted on June 19, 2014 June 23, 2014 by Megan
With two weeks until Open Endings comes out, I think it's the right time to share the excerpt with all of you.
Here's the blurb one more time:
A man walks into a recruitment office… and nothing goes according to plan.
Matt Holston, soon-to-be college graduate, tries to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. One of his ideas? US Marine Corps. But when he goes to the recruitment office to learn more about a possible military career, he meets a guy who is a complete opposite of what Matt imagined a recruitment officer should be.
Cole Perry had suffered PTSD after his second tour overseas and now he just wants to get to the end of his contract. Transferred from his old unit, he's a glorified office clerk, as he calls himself, but what he's definitely not is a guy who would help anybody make the same mistake he did.
So what makes Matt come back to see Cole again if not the spiel about serving his country?
Cole heard the knocking on the entrance door, but he ignored it. He made sure to lock the door behind Todd and MacKenzie this time and turn the "Back at 1300" sign. He wasn't going to sit at the front just to guard the office. If the person at the door was determined, they could wait—he glanced at the time—twenty-five more minutes.
Knocking came again, and again, so Cole got up, irritated. When he entered the main office and saw the red-haired guy from a few days back, the irritation turned into apprehension and he halted in his step. On one hand, Cole was glad to see him, which surprised the hell out of him, but on the other, if he was back, it meant he was still interested in joining the Corps, and that… Well, that didn't sit well with Cole at all.
It's not your call, he thought to himself, and moved to open the door and let the guy in.
"Decided to ignore my advice after all?" Cole said, closing the door behind him.
The guy shook his head. "No, I didn't. I just," he hesitated. "Uhm, I'm Matt… Matthew. Hi."
Matthew. He could finally put a name to the face and stop calling him "the guy" in his head. "Cole. Hey."
Matthew lifted the bag of Chinese takeout he was holding. "I wanted to say 'thank you' for talking to me that day, I really appreciate it. And I remembered you didn't go out for lunch, so I decided to check if you'd be hungry and consider lunch that came to you instead."
Cole raised his eyebrows. "How do you know I don't just eat later on?" He didn't. He usually made do with sandwiches or a power bar. But he wanted to see what Matthew would say. Cole hadn't expected to see him ever again and now that he was here, with Chinese takeout no less, it piqued Cole's curiosity.
"I decided to take my chances," Matthew said, lowering the bag, but not backing away. "So? May I offer you lunch as a thank you?"
For a few seconds they just looked at each other and neither moved. Cole noticed how Matthew's loose frame was different than his tense posture from last time. In the end, Cole thought, what the hell. He nodded. "Sure. Come on, let's go to my office, it's out back."
Matthew's answering smile stirred in Cole something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. Don't be stupid, Perry, he told himself, shaking his head. "Coffee?" he offered.
"No, thanks, I've had two already." Matthew sat down on the chair in front of Cole's desk and put out all the boxes. "Chicken? Pork? Egg rolls?"
"Either one is fine," Cole told him, clearing the desk of the papers and sinking down in his chair. His appetite was a prickly bitch most days, but now the smell of food made his stomach growl with anticipation.
Matthew handed him pork with rice and chopsticks then sat back. "What do you do here, if you're not handling potential recruits?"
Cole shrugged. "Data administration. Which is as glamorous as it sounds," he said with a smirk. He was a glorified office clerk, but he didn't care much about that. It sure beat other things he used to do.
"You weren't always a data administrator, were you?" Matthew asked, surveying the room, his chopsticks twitching in the air. He seemed to catch himself after a moment, because he looked at Cole with a grimace. "Sorry, that's probably not a good question to ask. I just thought you wouldn't warn me like you did, if you… If it was about a boring desk job."
In days to come, Cole would wonder what made him tell the truth to a guy he hardly knew. Whatever it was, he did just that. Abridged version, of course, but still. "I wasn't." He shrugged. "I was infantry, did two tours. Hated the second one the majority of the time. Came back, went on leave, then my head started fucking me up," he spoke calmly, eating his food. He got used to the way his emotions just turned themselves off sometimes a long time ago, but he suspected it might be weird to watch. His mother felt the need to cry anytime he did it. "When I got back to the base, I managed to get transferred to California." He smirked at Matthew. "Data administrator, at your service."
Matthew was staring at him, unblinking.
"I suddenly see a lot of perks of this job," he said and lowered his head. It was Cole's turn to stare. And then he laughed.
Matthew lifted his head and smiled back, uncertain.
"I did, too," Cole said, still amused.
"What about quitting all together?" Matthew asked, coming back to his food.
Cole shook his head. "I've got five months left." Four months and three weeks.
"Ah." Matthew nodded. "Do you know what you want to do when you get out?"
"Besides taking a long vacation? Not really." Cole shrugged. "I will figure something out." He tilted his head. "What about you? What are your plans if not the Corps?"
Matthew shifted in his seat and started tapping his chopsticks against the box. "No plans yet."
"What's wrong with where you are now?" Cole asked. "You're obviously looking for something," he added at Matthew's questioning look. "So I'm asking, what's wrong with now?"
It was Matthew's turn to shrug. "Nothing is wrong exactly. I'm graduating from college in a few months, so I'm trying to figure out what to do next."
"Should I ask, how's that going?"
Matthew snorted. "Better not."
"Okay." Cole said, finishing his pork. He grabbed one egg roll from the box between them. He really was hungry, who would have thought?
"Thanks," Matthew said, voice quieter, and he didn't meet his eyes when Cole glanced at him.
Cole wasn't sure exactly what Matthew was thanking him for, but he didn't want to push the issue. "Sure thing," he said in the end, stopping himself before adding, "Anytime."
Open Endings comes out on July 3rd from MLR Press.
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Running Off the Edge – Read the First Chapter Here
Posted on January 31, 2014 February 7, 2014 by Megan
With only a week left until Running Off the Edge will be published, I'm posting the first chapter of the story below. I hope you like it!
After the knee injury, Liam O'Connor, the former gold medalist, is no longer able to compete at the Olympics. He's in Sochi as an assistant coach for another male figure skater and hopes to avoid Eric Lanney as much as possible.
Meanwhile Eric is back to compete for gold in pair skating, but is that the only thing that will be important to him? Maybe when the former lovers meet again in Russia, they will both learn that a gold medal isn't the greatest prize you can win at the Winter Olympics.
And here's the first chapter:
Liam looked around the mayhem that was the Olympic Village. People seemed to be going in every possible direction, and at least half of them apparently felt the need to bump into him along the way.
"How did I let you talk me into this?" he asked the woman responsible for him being in Russia at all.
"I told you that I'm not letting you lie in bed and cry into your ice cream for months and that you're going with me." Paula shrugged, pulling her hat down over her ears. "There might've been shouting."
Liam nodded. "Yeah, sounds about right. Still, maybe my bed would have been a better choice after all." No crowds. No cold. No reminders all over the place about what might have been. Liam switched from his right leg to the left and tried not to wince.
"As if you weren't going to be glued to the ESPN broadcasts. This is better, trust me. Now shut up and tell me where we're going. This map is useless." Paula threw the piece of paper at his chest.
"I've got it," Liam said after looking at the map and then at the surrounding area. "Come on."
They moved through the crowd and finally found the sign pointing them to "Hall B2" where there was going to be an orientation meeting for the whole US team in about fifteen minutes.
"So," Paula started, not looking up from her phone. "What do you think, should I go say hi to Eric when we get there, or should I let him do the work and find his mother?"
Liam loved Paula for a lot of reasons, and one of them was how she handled the whole Liam-and-Eric situation right from the start to the bad falling out and beyond. She made sure to keep in contact with Liam through the years, and a few months ago, she was the one who came to his apartment and told him to get his shit together. She made him an assistant coach on her team and dragged his ass to Sochi. He knew that Paula was giving him an out right now, a chance to avoid Eric that much longer. But there was no use in prolonging it; they were going to meet at some point, especially since the entire skating team had rooms on the same floor at their hotel. And it wasn't like Liam was ever going to be ready.
"You should definitely make him work for it," he told her. "Comes with mom privileges."
Paula smiled at him and nodded. "Fine by me."
When they came in to the big auditorium, it was already half-full, and it took them a long moment to locate Neil.
"Hi, Coach, hi, Liam!" Neil's legs were bouncing, and Liam looked pointedly at the big coffee cup in Neil's hand. "Hey, don't judge, I've been awake for eighteen hours."
"I'm not saying anything." Liam sat down next to him. For all intents and purposes, he should probably hate Neil at least a little. The youngest guy on the skating team, Neil took — earned, was given — a place that up until about six months ago Liam saw as his own. And that was a bitter pill to swallow, no question about it, but in the end, Neil was a really nice, hard-working, and talented guy, and Paula was a great coach. They both deserved to be here.
And Liam just had to suck it up.
"You better not be, or you're not getting your own," Neil said and took out the container from beneath his seat. There was a cinnamon latte for him and a double espresso for Paula.
"My man." Liam inhaled the sweet smell of his coffee. Next to him, Paula was taking back all the bad things she'd said to Neil in the past.
"And what can I do to earn such approval, oh mother of mine?" came from behind them.
Oh. Here we go. Liam clasped his hands around the coffee cup before he made himself look up. Eric was hugging Paula and laughing at something she said, and God, he looked so good. Liam hadn't seen him in four years. He was guilty of watching every damn competition Eric was in during that time, but television makes you look different. And in Eric's case, television just made him look more serious, older. Now he wasn't performing, and he was completely relaxed, grinning. He reminded Liam of the boy he once knew and fell in love with. It almost made Liam forget the last four years.
Almost. Because the moment his eyes landed on Liam, Eric's smile lost all its warmth and turned into a polite, public one. Liam wondered how his own face looked right now.
"Hi, Liam. Hi, Neil."
A nod. Not even a handshake, just a nod. It wasn't supposed to hurt that much anymore, for God's sake. Get it together, O'Connor.
"Eric." Liam nodded and then leaned out of his seat to look at the woman standing behind Eric, the other half of their skating duo. "Hello, Andrea."
"Hi, Liam," she said, smiling at him, and he wished he could offer her a sincere one in return. "It's good to see you."
"Thank you." And because someone somewhere decided to give Liam a break, the speaker decided to start the orientation.
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Richard Walker, and I'm the coordinator of the US team for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Please, let me tell you about the upcoming events and arrangements, and then there'll be room for questions."
And he took off, covering everything from the opening ceremony to the menu preferences. Then there was time for the usual safety speech, and after covering all the typical points, Walker looked down at his notes and set them aside.
Liam would bet he knew what was coming.
"I was also obligated to remind you to respect the laws of the country that's hosting us right now, regardless of your personal feelings."
"Only for a millionth time," Liam muttered, but Neil wasn't keeping it quiet. He stood up.
"So it's a no for gay sex on the podium, then?"
Half the room laughed, and Liam shook his head, amused. He punched Neil in the thigh lightly and grinned at Neil's wink. When Liam turned to Paula, though, he saw Eric's face and the way he was looking at him. It was a look Liam remembered well, and it wasn't a good memory. But before he could say anything, tell Eric off once and for all, the short, blond guy from the bobsled team shouted, "Name the time and any other place, cutie."
The room burst out laughing once again, while Neil turned red and sat down quickly. Walker patted the microphone to silence them all.
"Gentlemen, please." He picked up his notes again. "Let's just focus on the competition, okay? Remember why we're here."
"We're not the ones bringing this stupid damn topic up again and again," Liam said quietly so that only the few people next to him could hear it. Neil nodded his agreement. Liam purposefully didn't look in Eric's direction.
Running Off the Edge is coming out on February 7th from MLR Press.
It's out! You can buy it here: MLR Books
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Finding Home, the last book in the Harrington Hills series is with my editor at Pride Publishing now.
I'm currently working on editing a dragon trilogy that I can't wait to share with you all, as well as a new contemporary series, KRK Security, a spin-off of DC Files series
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I'm having a bit of an F. Scott Fitzgerald moment
I'm waiting around more or less patiently until Haruki Murakami's new novel is published in the US on August 12, and filling up on other books to help the time pass. I've read a string of literary thrillers by Patrick McGrath, and am methodically working my way through Margaret MacMillan's Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World. I keep handy a copy of a collection of essays by Katha Pollitt titled Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories because they're like the quiet voice of that one friend who has mostly got her life together and wants you to know that It Will Be OK after all.
I just finished a book by Sarah Churchwell titled Careless People: Murder, Mayhem, and the Invention of The Great Gatsby. Churchwell is an American media figure in the UK and a professor at the University of East Anglia, and her book shifts between what was going on in Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald's lives in the period when they moved back to New York from Minnesota in 1922, and what was going on with a high-profile murder case in New Jersey at that same time.
In 1922, the public was enthralled with the murder of Eleanor Reinhardt Mills and Edward Wheeler Hall, a church rector and smitten young parishioner in New Brunswick, New Jersey, who had been having a love affair. It was the 1922 version of the O.J. Simpson case in terms of rampant speculation and public interest. Churchwell avers that bits and pieces of the news about the murder case affected Fitzgerald's writing, both the stories he was writing at the time to earn income, and The Great Gatsby, which he dug in on in 1924.
Fitzgerald died believing himself to be a failed writer, and by some outward measures, he was correct. He was broke, mostly alone, and largely forgotten. Fitzgerald's funeral had some parallels to Jay Gatsby's funeral due to the lack of visitors. Dorothy Parker is alleged to have said "You poor son of a bitch," when she visited Fitzgerald's body before he was buried, the same line Owl Eyes said at Gatsby's funeral in the novel.
After reading Careless People, I had a huge moment of discovery, that the book The Disenchanted by screenwriter Budd Schulberg, which I read in 2013, had a protagonist's foil modeled after Fitzgerald. That book suddenly made a lot more sense. When The Disenchanted was published in 1950, a few critics were starting to come around on Fitzgerald, but his (and Zelda's) spectacular downfall was still cautionary tale material, and The Disenchanted mined it for all it was worth. I may have to go back and reread it with my now-better knowledge of Fitzgerald.
Once I finished Churchwell's book, I watched the 2013 movie version of The Great Gatsby, which I really enjoyed. I particularly liked how director Baz Lurhmann depicted the Ash Heaps. The billboard of the practice of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg was exactly how I had it pictured in my mind, for example.
If you haven't picked up a copy of The Great Gatsby since high school, I urge you to reread it. No doubt you will view it differently as an adult. Plus it's an opportunity to luxuriate in Fitzgerald's prose, which won him few admirers in 1925 when the book was published, but which is now almost universally admired as some of the most perfect writing in the American canon.
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There are many events in Tampa that one could attend on any given day of the year. But what if you could ensure that you will meet people who you share common interests with and develop meaningful relationships with them? You can, with New Town Connections.
We offer different membership packages so that we can truly cater to your social needs and your personal schedule. With numerous events held weekly, you'll never have a shortage of social events to attend. And, our memberships are flexible, allowing you to choose which events you want to attend and how many of them you go to.
If you want to enjoy more events in Tampa with a group of people you can truly connect with, contact New Town Connections today. We will be happy to discuss our membership options and provide more information about the different events we host.


Gaining Ground's no-till practice is garnering attention: the organization is one of nine organic farms selected to participate in a three-year USDA Conservation Innovation Grant. The $170,000 grant was awarded to Northeast Organic Farmers Associations (NOFA) of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
"The goal of the project is to help accelerate the development and adoption of organic no-till and reduced-till methods for smaller scaled organic farms in the Northeast," according to the NOFA project leader, Caro Roszell. "The project is organized around nine well-respected farmers experimenting with tillage reduction methods." Of the nine, GG stands out as the smallest farm (3.5 acres compared to 20–40 acres) and the only nonprofit.
For several years, farm manager Doug Wolcik has led workshops at the NOFA Massachusetts summer conference about Gaining Ground's successful transition to no-till farming. Since making the switch four years ago, the farm's annual produce donations have increased 50 percent, from 60,000 pounds to 99,000 pounds.
No-till farming is a method of growing crops without disturbing the soil through cultivation. It provides a strategy for growers to protect the soil, conserve its natural properties and nutrients, plant earlier, and ultimately save time and money. With no tilling or plowing, weed control is the largest challenge. Where conventional farmers turn to herbicides (such as glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup), organic farmers have developed other successful systems and tools for suppressing weeds without tillage or herbicides.
During this three-year innovation study, Wolcik and his team will host several "field days" to share no-till practices at GG with other interested farmers. Wolcik will also participate on panels and teach through conferences and webinars. Research will track soil health, pests, and weed pressure with discussion of outcomes, challenges, data, and observations. Results will be compiled and shared to encourage additional organic farmers to integrate no-till practices into their operations.


The world's greatest fighting game evolves to a whole new level with Ultra Street Fighter IV. Continuing the tradition of excellence the series is known for, five new characters and six new stages have been added for even more fighting mayhem, with rebalanced gameplay and original modes topping off this ultimate offering. Get Ultra!
Note: You must own Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition to utilize this content. Digital Upgrade does not include any additional DLC costumes.