COVER REVEAL for Jealous of the Clouds

 

Today, I’m #grateful for moody book covers. Here’s the cover for my October 25 release from Spectrum Books.

And here’s the blurb, just in case you’re curious:

Ted Cornish thought he’d found the man of his dreams in Joshua Kade—charming, intelligent, and handsome—until disturbing rumors surface about Josh’s past. A decade earlier, Josh’s former boyfriend, Reggie Baker, was found stabbed to death in an alley in Chicago’s Boystown. Though Josh was never convicted, whispers of his involvement persisted.

True-crime podcaster Bailey Anderson is reopening the case, and the more he uncovers, the more he’s convinced Josh is the killer. Bailey reaches out to Ted for insight, and as Ted reflects on his relationship, he begins to see cracks in Josh’s perfect facade—jealousy, possessiveness, and violent outbursts that no longer match his sweet words.

As Ted spends more time with Bailey, the evidence against Josh mounts. But Bailey is more than just a podcaster—he’s Reggie’s brother, driven by grief and a relentless desire for justice.

When Ted finally confronts the terrifying possibility that Josh is guilty, Josh reacts with a violent threat that sends Ted into hiding. Torn between fear, love, and loyalty, Ted must choose between exposing the truth or confronting the man he thought he loved—before it’s too late.

Jealous of the Clouds is a heart-pounding psychological thriller about love, obsession, and the dangerous pursuit of justice.

NEW BOOK! Jealous of the Clouds Offered Publication Contract by London's Spectrum Books

Thrilled to announce I just signed a publishing contract with Spectrum Books for my psychological thriller/romantic suspense novel, JEALOUS OF THE CLOUDS. Not sure of details yet, but it should be out in 2025 in both paperback and ebook editions. #amwriting #publishing #grateful

WHAT JEALOUS OF THE CLOUDS IS ABOUT

Ted Cornish thought he’d found the man of his dreams in Joshua Kade—charming, intelligent, and handsome—until disturbing rumors surface about Josh’s past. A decade earlier, Josh’s former boyfriend, Reggie Baker, was found stabbed to death in an alley in Chicago’s Boystown. Though Josh was never convicted, whispers of his involvement persisted.

True-crime podcaster Bailey Anderson is reopening the case, and the more he uncovers, the more he’s convinced Josh is the killer. Bailey reaches out to Ted for insight, and as Ted reflects on his relationship, he begins to see cracks in Josh’s perfect facade—jealousy, possessiveness, and violent outbursts that no longer match his sweet words.

As Ted spends more time with Bailey, the evidence against Josh mounts. But Bailey is more than just a podcaster—he’s Reggie’s brother, driven by grief and a relentless desire for justice.

When Ted finally confronts the terrifying possibility that Josh is guilty, Josh reacts with a violent threat that sends Ted into hiding. Torn between fear, love, and loyalty, Ted must choose between exposing the truth or confronting the man he thought he loved—before it’s too late.

Jealous of the Clouds is a heart-pounding psychological thriller about love, obsession, and the dangerous pursuit of justice.

***

Release date and other details are still to be determined, but I would expect to see the new book out within a few months.

My Coming Out as Trans Late in Life Love Story

 

In this #book, I venture into territory with which I don't have first-hand experience--the life of a transgender person. I do consider myself a passionate ally for living one's most authentic life and that's one of the themes of the book. One thing that's pleased me most since its release is the reaction I've had from #transgender readers--which is validating because I tried to always be respectful. For example, this review, from a trans man on Goodreads, made my heart sing:

"This is the kind of representation I've been dying to see. Seeing trans characters in books is spectacular, but let's not forget that not all trans people figure themselves out as teenagers or young adults...Seeing a trans main character that not only didn't come out until much later in life, but also did not come out until /after/ they'd already been well established in a life with a committed partner- that's some powerful stuff...

"There were so many things about Cara's journey that I felt deep down in my bones, because I had those thoughts, those feelings, and those experiences too, just as a trans person; but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Being able to see the fears and worries I've had to deal with, and sometimes still have to deal with, as a gay transman married to a very straight cisman, and being able to see a character experiencing all the same feelings I know my husband's felt- that's what's really making me loose my mind over this book...

"I hope this book gets a lot of readers, because it deserves the world."

For some thought-provoking reading, I hope you'll pick up a copy!

BUY

Amazon Kindle

JMS Books

(Paperback coming soon!)

Why You Might Want to Stay on Facebook

I thought long and hard about leaving Facebook and, in the end, decided I won't.

Here's why (and I hope that those of you who are considering leaving will take a moment to read my words below; and, if you're staying and agree with me, I'd appreciate your using that share button).

Facebook is NOT Mark Zuckerberg. I won't say much about him. This post is about what Facebook IS. For me...and maybe for you.

Facebook is not one person. It's a community. It's a village green. It's a place we've come to share our lives and its joys and sorrows. Because Mark Zuckerberg has decided to incorporate hatred and lack of truth into his TOS, doesn't change the fact that we're here and we number in the millions. It doesn't change any of the following:

It's a place for us to share our grief. Loss of loved ones (including pets) is still allowed and posting about these losses offers us all a chance for comfort, compassion, and humanity. It's a chance to feel a little less alone in the world.

It's a place to share our joys. Holidays, births, weddings, new relationships...all of these things and more can bring us closer together. Don't let some clueless billionaire take that away from you. Be loud. Be proud. Celebrate your joys.

It's a place to let our community of friends, family, and more about our accomplishments. Things like signing a book contract, getting a new job, writing a song or a poem, painting a picture, showcasing a beautiful photo you took or a meal you made bring happiness to not only your own world, but that of many others. People you may not even realize are smiling and celebrating your victories.

It's a place to come for answers. Troubled by something? Can't figure out some technological hiccup? Facebook has always been there at the ready to help you with a solution others may have already found.

It's a place to meet people, make new friends, start a relationship, build a following for your art and more. No one person can change that.

In the end, Facebook is people. Tons of us--united in curating, celebrating, sharing, and sometimes questioning our lives.

I won't allow Mark Zuckerberg to take away what I've taken fifteen years to build. My life displayed here doesn't belong to Mark Zuckerberg. It never has. And if he snatches the whole enterprise away one day, what I've shared, loved, and enjoyed on here won't disappear. It'll simply move elsewhere.

So stay...just a little bit longer. Fight for good. Speak up against the bad. For now, we all have that freedom. Don't play into their hands and run away. Be present. Be real. Be safe. But continue to shine your light. The world needs it now more than ever.

In a Quandary: Is Getting Rid of Facebook Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater?

Should I delete Facebook?

Every day now, I'm seeing friends and family saying they're leaving the platform. 

I don't blame them.

Facebook's latest outrages include getting rid of factchecking and no recourse for users calling other users "mentally ill" if they're LGBTQ+. Hey, I might be "mentally ill" but don't you dare say it's because of who I love.

My son is leaving and I can't blame him.

But here's the difference between him and me--he's never been much of a user of the platform. He rarely visits and even more rarely posts anything. He essentially has little to no skin in the game. It's gotta be easy for him to walk away.

For me, it's different. Facebook has been, for better or worse, an integral part of both my professional and personal daily life for something like 15 years. I have nearly 5,000 friends and over 3,000 followers on my author page.

Professionally, it has been and continues to be a real boon to getting the word out about my books. I've built up a receptive audience over the years, both with my page(s) and with the numerous LGBTQ+ reading and writing groups I'm a part of. When I post about a book, I often immediately see a jump in sales. I can't get that response anywhere else (other than the also morally questionable X, where I've built up more than 36,000 followers). For a small press author like myself, exposure is hard to come by. For those of us without marquee names and a professional marketing team behind us, social media has been a godsend in getting our work seen. So, while I object to Facebook's latest moves toward supporting cringe-worthy right-wing policies, I wonder: is it cutting off my nose to spite my face to just leave and lose all I've built up over the last 15 years? I don't know. What do you think?

Personally, leaving Facebook would mean leaving behind many valuable friends and family connections. Facebook, for all its faults, has been a real boon to keeping in touch with people who, in a time before social media, would have fallen by the wayside. I value those connections. I treasure seeing what so many family members, friends (especially out-of-town), and previous classmates and coworkers are doing. Nothing, not texting or email, is as a robust and efficient delivery system for staying connected as Facebook (and yes, I'm on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/rickrreed.bsky.social which is great, but it doesn't allow the same kind of connection as Facebook, nor does it have groups that have become so useful). So what do I do with these connections? Toss them to the side? Yes, there's good reason to do so.

There's a Golden Girls episode where Dorothy befriends a local author. When she finds out the author belongs to an exclusive country club (meaning they exclude Jews), she's outraged and tells her new friend so. Her friend tries to defend her membership, saying, "I don't make the rules." Dorothy comes back with, "No but you tolerate them." She tells her snooty and bigoted friend to "Go to hell" and tosses her out the door.

Dorothy was right. I'd like to be like Dorothy. I just don't know if I can throw away so much value in terms of connection and professional promotion in the name of righteousness and making myself feel better.

Where does one draw the line? I'd love to hear your thoughts, as long as they're respectful. I'm also wondering if, by staying, we can fight these unfair and bigoted policies, resisting them and standing up for what we know to be right.

Facing 2025 and Banishing FEAR

 

#2025 is now at my doorstep. It'll come in, whether I invite it or not.

One of my overwhelming emotions about the #NewYear is fear. I hate to say that, because most of the time, fear is the close-to-identical sibling of worry, with a lot more rationale on its Edvard Munch face. Fear is the enemy of hope, of optimism.

But one lesson I've learned at my ripe old age is this: I have control over very little. The one thing that is always in my power, though, is how I react.

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, but my intention for 2025 is to keep fear at bay. I know my fear is reasonable, on both a personal and political level, yet I can't let it get in the way of my experiencing joy and love.

So, to combat fear, I will recognize that change is inevitable. Nothing in this life stays the same. The good and the bad both fall by the wayside and may indeed become more or less of their subjective value as our perceptions shift.

I will accept my fear. I will say, "Hello. I see you there." I will acknowledge it.

And then I'll move on, letting my worries and trepidations pass through me. The only way to deal with fear is to go through it, experience it, and then see it for what it is--caution.

Caution can keep us from living a fully-realized life. Yes, it can save us and protect us from harm--but only so much. It can also keep us sitting at home when the joys of life surround us, but we fear that taking part might lead to shame, embarrassment, infection, and worse. Valid concerns, but...

...In 2025, I choose to live. To reach out with love and joy to those around me, the ones I know and the ones I've yet to meet. I won't be afraid to let go of what no longer serves me. And I will summon up the bravery to take risks, knowing that, as the old adage goes...you gotta play to win.

My wish for you is that, even in the face of terrifying odds, you choose joy, you choose love, you choose hope.

You choose to live...

End of Year Thoughts 2024

As the year winds down to a close, I look back on 2024 with a mixture of sadness, anger, and yes, #gratitude. The year, in both global and personal terms, has been challenging and heartbreaking.

But, at the same time, the year has been eye-opening and uplifting. I'm grateful for the new person I found within these past 12 months--me. This year probably represents my biggest change in who I am because I discovered reserves of strength I didn't know I had, vulnerability I respect more than ever, and a depth of acceptance that I know to be grateful for.

I'm grateful to know better than ever what's truly important in life. This has allowed me to shed behaviors and feelings that weighed me down like chains. I'm free.

Despite this being the worst year, it's also been the best because it's truly opened my eyes to the vast treasures I have for which to be #grateful. I have a loving union with a kind-hearted and generous man who brings me real joy each and every day, even when he's at his lowest physically. Bruce's health issues have shown me an army of support with friends and family reaching out with love and concern (and I've also been surprised by the kindness of near-strangers, who have offered their compassion and love with no strings to someone they barely know). I have enough food, enough shelter, enough time to play, enough time to work, my own good health, while not perfect, is enough to keep me going and hiking a few miles up mountainsides and biking miles on open roads. I have a renewed love and connection to the spirit that exists within each and every of us and unites us all.

I know that whatever outcome awaits in the new year, it's right, whole, and perfect.

I love you all. I have enough.