Wednesday, March 25, 2020

My Award Winner, CAREGIVER, is FREE Today and Tomorrow


Today and tomorrow only (March 25-26), CAREGIVER, my love story set in another plague time, is #FREE at Amazon Kindle. BLURB Winner of the 2013 EPIC eBook Award for Best Contemporary Romance It's 1991, and Dan Calzolaio has just moved to Florida with his lover, Mark, having fled Chicago and Mark's addictions to begin a new life on the Gulf Coast. Volunteering for the Tampa AIDS Alliance is just one part of that new beginning, and that's how Dan meets his new buddy, Adam. Adam Schmidt is not at all what Dan expected. The guy is an original - witty, wry, and sarcastic with a fondness for a smart black dress, Barbra Streisand, and a good mai tai. Adam doesn't let his imminent death get him down, even through a downward spiral that sees him thrown in jail. Each step of Adam's journey teaches Dan new lessons about strength and resilience, but it's Adam's lover, Sullivan, to whom Dan feels an almost irresistible pull. Dan knows the attraction isn't right, even after he dumps his cheating, drug-abusing boyfriend. But then Adam passes away, and it leaves Sullivan and Dan both alone to see if they can turn their love for Adam into something whole and real for each other. Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZMKCQ7R

Monday, March 23, 2020

Happy Re-Release Day: BLUE UMBRELLA SKY Is Out Again


Happy to say that my Lambda Literary Award Finalist, BLUE UMBRELLA SKY, is re-released in a brand-new edition from Ninestar Press today. It's got a beautiful new cover courtesy of Natasha Snow and at a much lower price, too. Get yours from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Umbrella-Sky-Rick-Reed-ebook/dp/B0863FX8ZT or Ninestar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/blue-umbrella-sky/ BLURB Milt Grabaur has left his life, home, and teaching career in Ohio to start anew. The Summer Winds trailer park in Palm Springs, butted up against the San Jacinto mountain range, seems the perfect place to forget the pain of nursing his beloved husband through Alzheimer’s and seeing him off on his final passage. Billy Blue is a sexy California surfer type who once dreamed of being a singer but now works at Trader Joe’s and lives in his own trailer at Summer Winds. He’s focused on recovery from the alcoholism that put his dreams on hold. When his new neighbor moves in, Billy falls for the gray-eyed man. His sadness and loneliness awaken something Billy’s never felt before—real love. When a summer storm and flash flood jeopardize Milt’s home, Billy comes to the rescue, hoping the two men might get better acquainted…and maybe begin a new romance. But Milt’s devotion to his late husband is strong, and he worries that acting on his attraction will be a betrayal.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Blue Umbrella Sky is a Lambda Literary Award Finalist!



Thrilled to wake up this morning to the news that my novel, BLUE UMBRELLA SKY, is a Finalist for a Lambda Literary Award in the Gay Romance category. Originally published by Dreamspinner Press, it's now being re-released in a new edition from Nine Star Press (available wide on March 23, but you can pre-order now here).

BLURB
Milt Grabaur has left his life, home, and teaching career in Ohio to start anew. The Summer Winds trailer park in Palm Springs, butted up against the San Jacinto mountain range, seems the perfect place to forget the pain of nursing his beloved husband through Alzheimer’s and seeing him off on his final passage.

Billy Blue is a sexy California surfer type who once dreamed of being a singer but now works at Trader Joe’s and lives in his own trailer at Summer Winds. He’s focused on recovery from the alcoholism that put his dreams on hold.

When his new neighbor moves in, Billy falls for the gray-eyed man. His sadness and loneliness awaken something Billy’s never felt before—real love.

When a summer storm and flash flood jeopardize Milt’s home, Billy comes to the rescue, hoping the two men might get better acquainted…and maybe begin a new romance.

But Milt’s devotion to his late husband is strong, and he worries that acting on his attraction will be a betrayal.

View the full list of finalists here (and BIG congrats to all of you--I am honored to be in your company). Below are the finalists in the Gay Romance category. I encourage you to pick up their books!



Saturday, March 7, 2020

Saturday Suppers: Rick's Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli


Starting today, I'm going to share my favorite recipes every Saturday here on this blog. After all, the same creativity that goes into my books goes into my food.

All recipes are vegan friendly, but can be adapted to suit your tastes and needs (as any good recipe should).

This week, enjoy:

RICK'S PASTA E FAGIOLI (In the Instant Pot) 

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
½ onion, diced
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
2-4 tablespoons dried Italian herbs (thyme, oregano, basil…any or all)
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust up or down according to your ‘kick’ preference)
1 15-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup small pasta (ditalini is good, although use what you like or have on hand)
4 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil to your Instant Pot and set to sauté. Allow to heat up for a couple minutes and then sauté the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Hit cancel and then set your Instant Pot to manual pressure cook for HALF the recommended time for cooking your pasta.

At the end of cooking, manually release pressure, open and stir.

Other additions: At the end of cooking, feel free to add a handful of chopped baby spinach or kale.

Serve with chopped basil, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, or some grated nut cheese (I’m vegan, if you’re not, Parmesan is wonderful).

All you need now is a good red wine, some crusty bread, and someone to clean up the dishes.