Greetings and welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers from a wide variety of genres share from their work in excerpts of ten sentences, and maybe a few more to round out the scene.

I’m continuing to share from my latest release, Shameless In Seattle, a contemporary gay romance. I might spend a few more weeks on Shameless, and then switch to my new project, as soon as I decide what that is! I’m suffering from the pandoldrums, in which continued isolation gnaws away at my creativity. Luckily I have digital stacks of dusty first drafts that I can nibble away at and trick myself into writing. I recently opened an old file, thought ‘hey, this doesn’t suck’, and soon found myself with sixty fresh pages. I’m hoping the enthusiasm lasts.

On to the snippet! In this chapter, Aaron meets up with his ex-boyfriend, who is also a cop, at the Seattle music festival Bumbershoot. He’s hoping Martine can help him flush out Olympia Konstantin, the mysteries writer who seems to know everything about him.

****

Martine speaks first:

“What are the odds on your stalker showing up here?”

“I have no idea. She or he knows where I eat, where I take Humphrey to get groomed, where I shop, where I buy my clothes, who I sleep with.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I announced online I was going to be here today. Seems like the perfect opportunity to spy and find out what beer I drink, right?”

“Sure, if they’re as active a stalker as they seem to be.” Martine accepted a plastic cup of amber beer while Aaron paid. They pushed their way back out of the mob. “Would have worked better if we weren’t together.”

That’s ten. Here’s a few more:

“I suppose, but it was hard to explain in a text.”

“There’s this new invention called voice mail, Aaron.” Martine sipped his beer. “Also, time to look over the photos and run background checks would’ve been helpful.”

“I know. It’s just—” Aaron glared up at the Space Needle looming above them. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to drag you into this. I don’t feel threatened by this person, only violated, like I have no privacy. I didn’t want to waste too much of your time.”

“Admit it. You wanted to see me and get me drunk.” Martine grinned and slapped him on the back.

“If you’d had time to think about it, you would’ve recruited half the department to set up a perimeter around the center. Then the stalker wouldn’t show up and I’d be even more embarrassed than I already am.”

“Poor Aaron, always so worried about what people think.”

“I’d rather Seattle PD doesn’t think I’m a flake.”

****

Shameless In Seattle is now available. Click here to view on Amazon.

Aaron Schafer, star reporter for the Seattle Times, is shocked to find out he’s the inspiration for a series of bodice-ripper romances written by a reclusive author no one has met.  He’s even more surprised, and disturbed, on discovering intimate secrets from his past buried in the pages of Shameless in Seattle. Who is this mystery author, who has clearly been stalking him and stealing details from his life? Are they dangerous? And worse, will they reveal Aaron’s darkest secret to the world? Aaron decides to stalk the stalker, a decision that might change both of their lives.