:::::PUBLISHED NOVELS

Black by Gaslight: August 1888–On a foggy night in London's notorious Whitechapel, Rhiannon Moore, a woman reduced to prostitution in order to survive, meets two people who will change her life. The first is Lady Evangeline St. Claire - brilliant, unconventional, wealthy, and battling her own demons. The second is Jack the Ripper. Evangeline and Rhiannon are plunged head-long into danger and romance as the two women struggle to solve a deadly mystery, while at the same time understand their growing attraction to one another. Will love come in time to save both lives and sorely tested hearts? Or will the women learn - because Saucy Jack already knows - that blood is always... BLACK BY GASLIGHT First Book in the Gaslight Series :::Winner 2006 IPPY Awards - Best Gay/Lesbian::: 3rd edition from PD Publishing Get your copy today at Amazon.com Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Barnes& Noble Starcrossed Productions | Read an excerpt	The Madonna of the Sorrows: May, 1889–A chance meeting in the Turkish baths leads consulting detective Lady Evangeline St. Claire and her lover, Rhiannon Moore, to a mystery - the murder of a priest and the theft of a painting that proves to be more than a mere work of art. A series of clues left by a long-dead artist puts the pair on the trail of one of history’s great lost treasures and the crime that helped topple a monarchy. Travelling to Paris and L’Exposition Universelle, Evangeline and Rhiannon find that matters are not as straightforward as they appear. As they continue to be haunted by a ghost from the lady’s past, the partners may never recover from the events leading to... THE MADONNA OF THE SORROWS Second Book in the Gaslight Series :::Winner 2006 IPPY Awards - Best Gay/Lesbian::: 2nd edition from PD Publishing Get your copy today at Amazon.com Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Barnes and Noble StarCrossed Productions | Read an excerpt
The Witch's Kiss: July 1889 – Following the shocking events of THE MADONNA OF THE SORROWS, the relationship between Lady Evangeline St. Claire and her partner, Rhiannon Moore, is teetering on the edge of destruction. Upon receiving a summons to attend the reading of the will of a long-lost relative, Rhiannon is relieved to travel alone to the Isle of Skye in Scotland, leaving Evangeline behind. The island does not prove to be a peaceful retreat, however, when several attempts are made on Rhiannon’s life. Meanwhile, a determined Evangeline finds herself struggling against her personal demons, and becoming embroiled in a case of murder at the female-only Britomart Club in London. Will the lovers be reconciled and reunited in time to save Rhiannon from the machinations of an invisible foe? Both women will be forced to fight for their lives against the evil that is... THE WITCH’S KISS 3rd Book in the Gaslight Series 1st edition from PD Publishing Get your copy today at Amazon.com Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Barnes & Noble StarCrossed Productions | Read an excerpt	WATER WITCH: The Deceiver's Grave It is the eighteenth century in a world filled with magic, and those born with the courage to use it... The tropical waters around the islands of the Caribbean are a haven for pirates, and the most feared of them all is Bess O'Bedlam, known as the Water Witch. With a cut-throat crew and a fleet of ships at her command, Bess' lust for riches knows no bounds. She is on the trail of the greatest treasure ever taken, a hoard of gold, silver and jewels beyond imagination plundered from a galleon by the infamous freebooter, Fancy Tom Carew. His ship, the Deceiver, and her crew have not been seen in 25 years, and are thought lost forever, but a chance encounter in an Antiguan alley leads Bess to Marguerite de Vries, a Dutch thief who does not know she may be the key to a king's ransom. The Water Witch will use any means to find Deceiver's grave, including seduction, but she has not reckoned on a fiery-tempered opponent determined to protect her heart at all costs. When a deadly magical curse turns the quest for treasure into a race against time, Bess and Marguerite are forced to work together to find the ghost ship that holds their only hope for survival. Though faced with adventures, treachery, magic spells, and sea battles, the women will discover a love strong enough to defy the Lord of Hell himself. Includes new scenes, expanded scenes + a new chapter! Get your copy today at Amazon.com Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Barnes& Noble Starcrossed Productions
BARKING AT THE MOON A Contemporary Supernatural Romance While investigating the murder of a preacher with dark secrets in his past, Sheriff Annalee Crow stumbles upon another secret, this one involving the pale-furred wolves that roam the eerie forest known as Malingering Deep. Her father died protecting the wolves, now it may be her turn. When Annalee seeks suspects among the members of a mysterious family that lives side-by-side with the wolves, she is plunged into a deadly and violent world where science and superstition clash, and one man's greed for immortality could destroy everything and everyone she loves. As she struggles to bring a killer to justice, expose a conspiracy and prevent more atrocities, Annalee doesn't need a romance to complicate matters, but there's a woman from her past who is going to make her accept the truth about the wolves in the Deep and her very intimate connection to one in particular... whether she wants to believe it or not. Forthcoming from PD Publishing - Summer 2008

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::::: WHAT'S NEW 2008

January 11, 2008: It's been a while since my last update, my apologies. For those who've wondered what's been going on, I came down with a very nasty case of the flu late last year which left me pretty debilitated, then I had several projects - some story commissions among other things - that had to be finished before the end of the year, so I haven't had much time for anything else.
As far as publishing news goes, I have a new book coming out this summer titled Barking at the Moon, a novel of contemporary supernatural romance - see the blurb above. This is loosely based on a Halloween vignette I wrote several years ago, just a spooky scene in a forest. I hadn't thought about it but a cusotmer contacted me recently and requested a commission - to expand that scene and tell the whole story of what happened, how the characters got together, etc. After the commission was completed and with the customer's very kind permission, I submitted the novel to PD Publishing. You can read the scene that inspired this book in the Horror in Dixie section below.
I'm always available to write stories on commission, any genre, any subject. Fulfill your fantasies. Contact me for details.
I'm also currently working hard on the next Gaslight series book, which will be titled The Curse of the Jade Dragon. Here's a taste to tease you: "December 1889 – While attending a performance by a famous Chinese magician, Lady Evangeline St. Claire and her partner, Rhiannon Moore, can only watch in horror as Wu Wang's bullet-catch illusion goes terribly wrong, resulting in his very public death in front of hundreds of witnesses. An investigation raises more questions than answers, prompting Evangeline and Rhiannon to enter the sometimes dangerous world of the variety theatre. Here they find performers and promoters who may be involved in the Great Game of international espionage. The women seek to unravel the mysteries behind the magician, and discover that the backstage can be fatal to those pit themselves against... THE CURSE OF THE JADE DRAGON."
I hope everyone has a healthy, productive and happy new year!

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~The Gaslight Series (Romance, Mystery and Adventure in Victorian England) ~
Click Here for the Index of On-Line Stories,
Published Novels and Extras for the Gaslight Series

~ The Sunne Duology (Romance and Adventure in Medieval Ireland) ~

The Sunne in Gold ~ Lady Cathelin O'Cameron - known by many as the awesome knight and hero Blacksunne - returns home from the Crusades only to discover that her family's estate of Inishowen has been usurped by a traitor. Though triumphant in war, the fierce Irish warrior surrenders her heart to the beautiful Muslim slave-girl Madrigal. But Madrigal harbors many secrets...and one will either bring two hearts and souls together forever, or destroy them utterly!

The Sunne in Scarlet ~ Terribly wounded and near death, Cathelin must nevertheless battle with all her might against mortal enemies intent on destroying Inishowen and the Lady who rules there. Madrigal, her sworn mate, is forced to fight near insurmountable odds and her own fears as she goes to war to protect her family and the woman she loves.Will passion and strength triumph, or will the contest between greed and vengeance, love and honor, prove to be the end of all that lies between the ladies of Inishowen?

~ Georgian/Regency/Victorian (Individual Stories with a Historical Setting) ~

Stand and Deliver ~ In the late 18th century, a swashbuckling highwayman steals a lady's jewels as well as her heart... but is he really what he seems to be, or are appearances not the only things that are deceiving? (Appeared in the e-zine Bad Grrls)

Truth in Love: A Solstice Tale ~ Verity Hawkins is the loneliest woman in London. On Christmas Eve, 1898, she works an old folk-magic spell in order to catch a glimpse of her one true love in a mirror. What she sees is shocking, and will change her life forever. (Written for the Academy of Bards Christmas Challenge 2001)

Heaven in Her Face ~ Emma Fullham falls too easily in and out of love. A wager with her brother to prove her constancy to her current inamorata seems to be easily won, until Emma meets and falls head over heels for her lover's sister! Will Penelope Pye return her affections? When danger threatens, Emma learns the difference between infatuation and true love. (Written for the Academy of Bards Valentine's Day Special Invitational 2003)

All That Glitters ~ In 1820 England, Lord Snowly is in a Devil of a fix! His late uncle's fortune has vanished, and it's up to Lady Augusta Stapleton and her clever companion, Caroline Peregrine, to figure out the truth.

~ The Underworld Chronicles (Occult Mystery and Suspense) ~

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall ~ Psychic detective Jo Tate is having a very bad day. First she's nearly killed by a devious demon, then she's saved by her new neighbor, Evan Reilly. But things start heating up when Evan's shocking secrets are revealed and both women realize that the only way to save Jo's soul is to fall in love... or they may lose both their lives to an eternal evil that will damn them forever !

I Dream of Genies ~ What do werewolves, hungry succubi and an accursed jewel have in common? Murder, that's what !! Jo Tate and her partner, Evan Reilly, investigate a shocking series of deaths and try to uncover the connection that will lead them to the killer...or it may reveal an ancient evil intent on destroying the world !

Claws and Effect ~ The theft of a rare and deadly book, bloody murder at a Gothic nightclub, and acolytes of a dark and deadly cult involve Jo and Evan in a tangled web of malicious magic and demonic ritual that will ultimately lead to hell on earth...unless the beautiful Druid and her partner can stop the coming apocalypse !

~ Horror in Dixie (13 Tales of Terror with a Southern Flavor) ~

Room for One More ~ A tragedy from the past returns to haunt two women who take a wrong turn on a stormy night. Why does everyone at the Regal Crown Hotel insist that there's "Room for one more?" Much to their dismay, Vivian and Katie find out!

Dead as a Doornail ~ The good citizens of Foxbrush Hollow wonder about the strange goings-on at the old abandoned funeral parlor. Does it have anything to do with Elijah P. Cuthbert Dowdy's famous Everlasting Miracle Preservative? Lonely Becca Dowdy will surprise them all!

Appetite ~ Clearwater sheriff Virgil Kane is a God-fearing man who runs his town the way the good Lord intended, until a pair of New York City women arouse his suspicions. Lorelei and Liddy Cox change everything, and Virgil's sins come home to roost in delicious fashion.

Lulu and Butterbean On the Road to Nowhere ~ Lulu Cantrell and her faithful henpecked partner, Butterbean Shirley McCall, get lost and end up with their truck stalled on railroad tracks in the middle of nowhere. A train is coming. And is that a little girl on the tracks?

Lulu and Butterbean Go to Perdition ~ When Lulu demands they go away for a second honeymoon, Butterbean takes her to a cabin on Lake Perdition. Neither of them knows that the place is haunted. Will satisfying a Confederate ghost bring untold riches?

Lulu and Butterbean: Teased to Death ~ Going to the annual Hairdo Voodoo contest in Carterdale was bad enough, but Butterbean gets more than she expected when the leading hairdresser turns out to have a very unnatural advantage.

Lulu and Butterbean Wake the Dead ~ When the most stubborn man in Flathead County dies, Butterbean has to think fast as hijinks erupt at his funeral. Will Butterbean save the day, or will Lulu be forced to slap her bald-headed?

Lulu and Butterbean Cheat the Devil ~ A quiet poker game in their trailer is interrupted as the Devil himself appears, intent on depriving Lulu of her life. Poor Butterbean is at her wit's end. Will Lulu Cantrell's card skills be enough to save them both?

Crybaby Bridge ~ When Paulette Starke's infant goes missing from Crybaby Bridge, FBI Special Agent Dawn Masters investigates. She and Caro Starke, Paulette's sister, uncover a sinister web of supernatural conspiracy that stretches into the past, and threatens the future.

Bark at the Moon ~ Sheriff Annalee Crow runs for her life in the forest called Malingering Deep, pursued by men intent upon revenge. The wolves of the Deep are watching. One good turn deserves another in this tale of breathless terror and surprising love.

Hell Come A-Walkin' ~ The children want a story, so their stepfather obliges with a tale set during the War Between the States, involving Miss Calpurnia Burke and Miss Baby Tishamingo, who use their special skills to save the town of Bottletree from Yankee invaders.

Come Dawn ~ Tilly Destrehan can't sleep. Her partner, Lizbet Hardy, goes to see the conjure woman for a potion. This innocent visit will have gruesome consequences when an old grudge leads to murder, suicide and hideous poetic justice from the grave.

Spirits White as Lightning ~ The eerie lightning portrait of a long-dead slave named Fancy Joe leads a young woman and her friend to uncover the poignant truth about long-ago murder and injustice that ripped apart two lovers, whose spirits still long to be together.

Plus Four New Bonus Stories for 2004!

Lulu and Butterbean: Scrump-Deadly-Icious ~ Something's going on at the Dairy Princess factory in Dryland... and it ain't just the ice cream flavors that are strange! If Butterbean don't do her best, Lulu's going to do her worst, and the cow chips will be flying.

Lulu and Butterbean Face the Music ~ At long last, Butterbean gets the better of Lulu when she wins a contest and gets to meet the ghost of Elvis Presley himself. Or does she? An old adversery conjures the King of Hell instead, and it's up to the real King of Rock n' Roll to save the day before he leaves the building.

Lulu and Butterbean Go House Haunting ~ When Lulu wants to give up her beloved double-wide and buy a real house, Butterbean gets dragged into the most haunted home in Flathead County. Will they escape in time, or will Lulu smack Butterbean so hard she coughs up bones?

Lulu and Butterbean Get a Wild Hair ~ The full moon and a foreign female bring loads of trouble for Butterbean when she's forced to interfere in a lover's spat over in Hooter's Holler 'cause otherwise, there's no domestic peace to be had. Loopie Garou is after cousin Essie, and Butterbean and the intrepid Lulu have to put a stop to it.

And a Fabulous New Story for 2006!

Lulu and Butterbean vs. The Ninja Kitten Death Squad of the Boom-Boom Cult of Doom, or, Faster, Butterbean! Kill! Kill! ~ (Commissioned by David and archived here by his kind permission) When a crazy cult tries to take over the world, it's up to poor ol' Butterbean to save the day... again! Features flying vampire Elvii, redneck zombies, a Lovecraftian squid, and other creatures that can only be found in Flathead County.

~ The Chamber of Horror (Sinister Stories in Contemporary and Historical Settings) ~

Thirteen ~ Alabama 1955. Maria Flynn, a nurse working the night shift at the Ashpool-St. John Asylum for the Criminally Insane, is warned about a mysterious and dangerous patient whose identity is unknown, but occupies the dreaded Cell 13 on Ward 7. An evening of shock and horror ensues as Maria is unwittingly drawn into a maelstrom of injustice that emanates from the past, and a cry for help from beyond the grave.( Written for the Academy of Bards Halloween Special Invitational 2001)

Dolorosa: Our Lady of Darkness ~ Long ago, a portrait painter met and fell in love with her finest subject, the beautiful Jenny Dolorosa. When a tragic accident leads to death and separates the lovers, Lady Mary falls headlong into madness... but is it her own guilt driving her to the brink, or a spirit seeking vengeance?

Through a Glass Darkly ~ 12th century Ireland. Blind acolyte Aislinn has never known anything save the tiny island convent where she was found, until the day a dark warrior arrives, bringing with her a ghost from the past that may destroy them all.

Flesh of My Flesh ~ (Sequel to Through a Glass Darkly) Aislinn and Dunlaith are torn apart by glamorous magic and their own fears. Can they discover a strange lord's horrible secret in time, and will their love survive this test?

Best Served Cold ~ A young nun, working at a homeless shelter, comes in contact with a very troubled woman. She wants to help Eleanor... but Sister Winnifred has no idea how far she will be forced to go in order to right a terrible wrong.

"I"of the Beholder ~ In Paris, 1905, a psychopathic artist and her terrible obsession with the young Gabrielle d'Orsay leads to mayhem and murder.

Sweet Comfort Blues ~ In 1938, a mysterious blues player vanished, leaving behind an enigmatic legend which hints at darkness. Decades later, a graduate student searches for the truth but some things are better left in the grave.

Rip-"Her"~ Jack the Ripper meets his fate on the streets of Whitechapel after tangling with two very special ladies of the evening.

For the Love of Irina ~ (A retelling of Sheridan LeFanu's Carmilla) In the mountains of Romania, Gabriella is drawn to a beautiful stranger, and must choose between her mortal's life... or lose her soul to a damned love everlasting.

Resurrection at Rest ~ Driving home late at night, Xena Bonchance gives a pretty young hitchhiker a ride, only to become involved in the darkling world of spirits, voodoo and revenge.

Living Doll ~ Felicity's obsessive quest to regain her lost love by any means possible - including forbidden magic - leads to possession and murder. What terrible sacrifices must be made to put things right again? (Written for the Academy of Bards Halloween Special Invitational 2002)

Moonlight and Blood Red Peonies ~ In 22nd century Tokyo, a Reader of the dead, Makiko,and her partner investigate the death of a beautiful nightclub worker. There is something more than mere murder going on, as the trail leads to black magic and sorcery.

Lily White ~ She's beautiful but deadly, and oh, so very, very cold. What are her secrets? Don't ask her lovers - they've all gone mad. (Written for the Academy of Bards Halloween Special Invitational 2003)

Well Met by Moonlight ~ In Victorian London, Alice Russell is dying of starvation and cold, and then she meets the beautiful and mysterious Countess Dargorad, a vampire. When the Countess' enemy seeks revenge, Alice risks her very soul to save the immortal that she loves. (Written for the Academy of Bards Halloween Special Invitational 2003).

Murasaki Midnight ~ In 22nd century space, something strange is going on in the Murasaki Orbital Station. Everyone on the newly arrived Genji transport is dead with a single exception, and the surviving victim is in no condition to talk. Nandita Okalani and Inspector Tomiko must unravel the mystery before cultures and superstitions clash in a duel to the death! (Written for the Buy-a-Bard Auction II, commissioned by Mary Pardo and archived here by her kind permission)

Between the Flowers and the Moon ~ NEW! When the corporate ninja Katsumi meets a supposedly insane homicidal murderer named Bindiya, the supernatural collides with reality in 22nd century Tokyo. The dead are driving Bindiya insane, and only Katsumi can save her before its too late.

~ The Kennings Series (Mystery and Adventure in the Distant Human Future) ~

Picker of the Slain ~ In which the legal advocate Lt. Commander Amalthea Quint joins forces with Fey Lonyali in a case of murder that dredges up an lover from Amalthea's past. Pressure is being brought to bear; the Confederation Corps doesn't care if the accused is guilty or not as long as the case is solved. Amalthea and Fey are determined to get to the truth, no matter what it takes... even if everything goes to hell in the process.

Mouth Tale of Giants ~ In which Amalthea Quint and Fey Lonyali, following the success of their first case and the beginnings of their budding relationship, take a holiday on a luxury space cruiser. When the Duchess of Banjul's jewels are stolen, Amalthea and her partner agree to investigate.

Raven's Mead ~ In which Amalthea Quint and Fey Lonyali journey to Fey's homeworld, Tyvesh, to attend the legendary Festival of Thieves and end up in the middle of bloody murder when the mate of Fey's aunt is killed.

A Feast of Eagles ~ In which Amalthea Quint and Fey Lonyali go to Amalthea's homeworld, Yggdrasil, in response to a dire emergency - the Battle Banner of King Knut has been stolen. Although the Confederation itself is on the verge of implosion, the two sophonts have to deal with something even more terrifying than the threat of rebellion - Amalthea's mother!

~ Kwaidan: Supernatural Tales of the Floating World (A Series Set in a Fantastic Ancient Japan) ~

Azumaya: The Eastern House ~ (The First Tale of Unmei) Strange happenings in the Imperial Palace come to the attention of the samurai Ichijo Ayumi and her new mistress, the young noblewoman Fujiwara no Kimiko. A vengeful ghost is no less troubling to the two women than the machinations of the powerful people who rule the Floating World.

Hotaru: Fireflies ~ (The Second Tale of Unmei) Kimiko has been ordered by her powerful uncle to marry despite her love for Ayumi, but supernatural happenings and an envious spirit lead to an unexpected end.

Onna Yugao: Lady of the Evening Faces ~ (The Third Tale of Unmei) The separation of Kimiko and Ayumi continues, but so does the danger as both women face trials and tribulations on their way to a reunion that could finish in death.

Shorogejo: The Weeping Maid ~ (The First Tale of Giri) Now that Kimiko has sworn rebellion against the Empire, Ayumi aids her as they journey towards their shared destiny, facing horrors and gaining new allies in their quest.

Nukekubi: Floating Heads ~ (Short story ) A kind act by a stranger proves to have a bizarre and deadly motive as Ayumi and Kimiko learn that horror wears a pretty face. (Written for the Academy of Bards Halloween Invitational 2004)

Yuki Onna: Snow Woman ~ (Short story) While travelling through the winter-stricken mountains, Ayumi and Kimiko are forced to confront danger in the form of a beautiful and murderous elemental force, leading Kimiko to accept strange allies in order to save Ayumi from an icy doom! (Commissioned by Mary Pardo for the Buy-a-Bard Auction II and archived here by her kind permission)

Tin Star: A Cayuse Comedy ~ A parody of the Wild West in which the author attempts to explode as many cliches as possible while stretching the boundaries of good taste. Beautiful sheriff meets greenhorn schoolmarm and wackiness ensues.

Operation: Annihiliate! (Or, A Faithful and True Account of the Thrilling Adventures of the Galactic Super Squad, With Extra Helpings of Big Scary Aliens and Some Gratuitous Sex, Hold the Anchovies) ~ A science-fiction parody. The all-female Galactic Super Squad face their most dangerous and spine-tingling mission yet, and it's worse than that - they've run out of expresso! (Written for the Academy of Bards April Fool's Day Special Invitational 2002)

~ Antiquitas Feminae (A Series of Short Articles Highlighting Women in History) ~

An Overview of the Amazons - Who Were Those Rad Chicks, Anyway?
Penthesilea - Amazon Queen or Priam's Pawn
Pope Joan - The Legend Continues
Zenobia - Palmyra's Martial Queen
Granuaile - Pirate Queen of Connacht
Boudica - Generis Regii Femina (A Woman of the Royal House)
Julie La Maupin - Bold in Her Breeches
Artemisia - Warrior of the Sea
Queen Jinga - A Cunning Virago
Lady Agnes Randolph - Terror in Tartan
Catalina de Erauso - The Lieutenant Nun
Duelling Dames - A Sword in the Hand