Guest Post: Mann Ramblings
Please welcome Mann Ramblings back. He’s here with the follow-up to his fantastic sci-fi novel, The Luxorian Fugitive.
A
COOK’S TALE
Book Two: Ship Logs of
the Santa Claus
by Mann Ramblings
M/M
Sci-fi Romance by Wayward Ink Publishing
Giveaway
for Book One – The Luxorian Fugitive below!
Buy Links:
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/a-cooks-tale-by-mann-ramblings/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-acook039stale-1925761-153.html
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Tale-Ship-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B017I26RXG/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooks-Tale-Ship-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B017I26RXG/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Cooks-Tale-Ship-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B017I26RXG/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Cooks-Tale-Ship-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B017I26RXG/
Blurb:
The trials
and tribulations of the crew and passengers of interplanetary transport vessel,
The Santa Claus continues in A Cook’s Tale.
After
a horrific breakup, Erron Murfin is bitter, homeless, and friendless. When the
cook’s position on the Santa Claus presents itself, Erron decides to escape his
current circumstances and join the crew. On board he reconnects with family
friend Gamin Wells, whose own secrets and issues begin to surface upon Erron’s
arrival. The least of which is the reason the pair haven’t laid eyes on one
another in over twelve years.
As
Erron settles into his new duties, the men on board take an interest in their
newest crew member. Among those intrigued by Erron are polyamorous couple,
Barrus and James. Despite Erron’s cautious nature, he’s drawn into a triad
relationship with the pair.
But
there’s something about Gamin…
Is
Erron too damaged to confront his own feelings?
Will his past prevent him from
finding what he needs?
Excerpt:
Beta Deck was situated like a large dormitory.
All the rooms ran in a loop with a central facility containing a gymnasium,
lockers, lavatories, and shower room. On a non-hetero vessel, the layout was
dubious to say the least.
Since
the majority of the crew was off-ship, Erron felt bold enough to enter the
locker room. In his quarters, he’d stalled for a bit, deciding how to proceed.
What was considered normal on the Santa Claus? Did the men walk around
half-dressed? Less than half? There were a lot of factors in fitting into an
established community. Towel over his shoulder, he stepped through the doorway
into the locker room. The gymnasium could be seen down one end and the shower
room was visible down the other. He wondered what it would be like with a dozen
men all stripping down and showering together in one room together. The
likelihood for something tawdry to happen seemed high.
Gamin’s
clothes lay over the bench and the sound of water running told Erron the chef
beat him here. Not surprising really, Gamin had been on the ship for years,
this was his home, and Erron hoped he’d soon feel the same.
Stripping
off, Erron dropped his garments in the same fashion as Gamin. Peeling off his
briefs, he felt a sudden surge of awkwardness. He was about to get in the
shower with Gamin. The nervous giggle tried to rip out of his mouth, so he
choked it down. He was being childish.
“Took
you long enough.” Gamin said. The chef hadn’t looked in Erron’s direction as he
held his head under the spray.
“I
had to find my towel.”
Erron
hung his towel on the hook near the doorway, and selected a shower with a
buffer of one nozzle between them. The control panel beeped as Erron touched
it, but nothing happened. Over and over, he touched the pad only to be mocked
by the same tone.
“It’s
voice activated,” Gamin said, barely looking over his shoulder. “Just tell it
the temperature you want.” Erron’s face heated up; he couldn’t bring himself to
admit he couldn’t muster the nerve to use the shower last night after they
turned in. The ship was too quiet, and too new.
Ducking
his head slightly, Erron leaned forward and spoke to the black panel. “Forty-
two degrees Celsius.” A torrent of heated water rushed over Erron, the
delicious heat the first step in washing away what felt like months of grime
and sad reminders of his derailed life. The cheap inns he’d been forced to rent
after being evicted had lousy facilities. This… this was a small piece of
chocolate decadence.
“Like
your showers pretty hot?” Gamin continued to face the wall as he soaked
himself.
Erron
angled his hips, keeping his privates out of view. “I’d forgotten how nice it
feels.”
For
the first time he could remember, Erron felt self-conscious. The fitness
membership expired shortly after the breakup, but Erron hadn’t lost too much
tone. He’d never be large and imposing, his frame didn’t allow it. A lean body
and smooth skin could still turn heads. The treatment responsible for his hair
growing in green made all the rest on his body the same color. Jade colored
hair on his arms and legs was too odd and a green pubic zone made him feel like
a perverted clown, so it had to go. There was nothing wrong with him, but why
he felt the need to hide himself, he couldn’t say. He certainly never acted
this shy in front of the troops during the war. It was more than a bit
hypocritical when he peered over his shoulder at his showering partner.
Tall
and thick, with coarse hair on his arms and legs, Gamin’s size and sturdiness
were a stark contrast to Erron’s smaller stature. Wisps of fur reached around
the sides of the chef’s rounded belly that matched the meaty globes of his
behind. Everything about Gamin was solid and manly. The peppering of gray on
his head and beard fit him as well.
It
was true, he probably shouldn’t be looking, but Erron had never seen Gamin this
way in all these years. Not even shirtless at the park when he was growing up.
From what he could see, the view wasn’t half bad; Gamin had nothing to be
ashamed of. What he did notice was how deliberate Gamin was being at not
looking at him.
“You’re
a lot bigger than I remembered.” Erron couldn’t help watching Gamin soap his
body while continuing to face the wall. It had been a long time since he’d had
any opportunity to be with a man. While it wasn’t his plan to be with Gamin, as
long as he didn’t turn around, Erron could enjoy the show. He prayed Gamin
wouldn’t turn around. That would be mortifying.
“Yeah
well, I’ve had time to eat a few good meals.”
“It
looks good on you.”
Gamin
chuckled as lines of lazy suds followed the contours of his back and between
the crevice of his haunches. “Thanks. You’ve changed a lot over the years too.”
“I’m
not a kid anymore.”
“No.
No, you’re not,” Gamin said, drenching his head under the spray.
Giveaway:
About the Author:
Like many gay men, when MANN
RAMBLINGS grew up, there weren’t any heroes he could relate to. The world held
him back while he tried futilely to hide the real person inside. So much has
changed since those hollow days. He finally found his voice, the voice that
says it’s all right to revel in the so-called inappropriate joys, laughs, and
loves that storm inside a man’s head. It took a long time to find that courage
and now that it’s here, he plans to use it well.
While spending years more focused on
visual arts, he never let go of his innate passion for storytelling—he wanted
to write and draw comic books when he grew up. Once he discovered M/M fiction,
a whole new world opened with new possibilities. Why couldn’t you have
fantastic and dynamic tales with an M/M cast? He started reading the online
tales of authors like, Night Tempest, Rob Colton, and Alicia Nordwell, which
only fueled within him the need to create. Eventually he found GayAuthors.org,
and with a little coercive nudge from Night Tempest, started sharing his tales
with an unexpected level of positive response. That experience and support gave
him the courage to cross his fingers and aim for the world of M/M publishing.
Born and raised in Michigan, Mann
Ramblings continues to type away, wishing it was practical to use a noisy, old
fashioned keyboard that clacks with each strike, if only to annoy his loving
partner and spoiled miniature dachshund.
MANN RAMBLINGS can be found at:
Blog: http://mannramblingsblog.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mannramblings
Twitter: @mannramblings
