Temptation of the incubus - S.A.Garcia

First off, thanks to RJ for letting me take up space here.

Second off, Temptation of the Incubus has a damned fine cover. Let’s stop here to admire Reese Dante’s delicious creation:

Come on, stop drooling and move along.

Buy here from Silver Publishing

It’s always difficult to talk about your own book. When you finish a book, send it off and experience the joy of the book being selected for publishing, you think, “well hell, they like it enough to publish, but what will readers think?”

Reality is always a tougher road. Temptation of the Incubus offers characters quite different from the characters in my previous Dreamspinner releases. Narrator Amando, the arrogant, funny, selfish ex-incubus, wants to be your best friend. He wants to tell you his story direct from the heart. This ancient soul wants to tell you how he has reformed. He loves to break in and offer you his opinion about the modern age.

This “rambling” approach has freaked out a few readers. What can I say, Amando determined how he needed to be written. He was a joy to write in that he occupied my mind and cut loose. Writing him was like being possessed by sassy confidence times a million. Denying him would have been a lie. He demanded to be mad, bad and beautiful.

On the other side of the coin, Amando’s lover Mads is the true blue everyman, seeking to educate himself and trying to break free from society’s automatic pigeonholing. He possesses his own quiet, humble confidence, but a confidence soured by life’s pitfalls. At first Amando regards Mads as a mere snack, but when they connect, Amando realizes that this human owns power over him. He wonders why? How? Sadly Amando’s love for Mads is tainted by fear.

The romance they build is fraught with tension, from Amando’s fear of discovery and his fear of a religious mythology long held to be impossible.

Temptation of the Incubus is unlike many m/m tales since my characters embrace their sexuality. Sexual tension is not the novel’s driving force. Instead my characters need to deal with issues involving good and evil and all those bleeding shades of gray. Those issues prompted me to write this novel, to explore the ultimate good and evil clashing and falling in love although neither one regards themselves as simple good or evil. Innocent Mads doesn’t even understand what side he is on.

Worst of all is this: I regard this book as a romantic comedy. Yep.

This is a novel for readers wiling to take a chance. It’s not easy. It’s different.

Perhaps reading too much Peter Straub, Elizabeth Hand or the divine Terry Pratchett encourages me to write beyond the romantic norm. The wax holding my wings is melting, but I will still keep trying. All I can do is hope to reach readers who want to fly with me.

Well now. Did I send the offend-o-meter off the scale?

If you want to take a chance on reading Amando and Mads’s tempestuous love story, you can purchase Temptation of the Incubus directly from Silver Publishing, or at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other outlets. The novel will be released in the dear old actual hold in the hand book form in the near future.

Here’s a little teaser for your reading pleasure:

Excerpt:

After I dressed, I hovered in the now deserted hallway, trying to act casual, not needy. This early in the new semester students rarely stayed late; there was no need to abuse their free time. Twenty-five tense minutes passed by in relentless boredom. Somewhere in the offices a clock chimed 6:00PM. Hmm, did the handsome handyman stand me up? Did he gain mental revenge against someone else by using me?

No. I refused to accept the damaged notion. Someone else might display such pettiness but not Mads. My senses told me the truth. I patiently leaned against a wall. I fidgeted. I nodded greetings at two professors who glanced at me in question but merely nodded in return. Rita bustled past and halted. "Amando? Is something wrong?"

"I'm waiting for someone who is running late."

She winked. "I hope you're going to enjoy the beautiful evening."

"If he doesn't arrive soon we'll enjoy full night." I pouted in high style.

"Naughty boy. See you next week."

What a cheerful soul. Three kids and a lawyer husband, eh? I wished Rita well.

Silence. 6:30 chimed at me.

Quickly moving footsteps approached me. Mads rounded the far corner and walked toward me, he now dressed in a snug aquamarine T-shirt which truly matched his eyes and well-worn tight jeans that left little to my happy imagination. I sighed in relief. It took considerable will not to drop and worship his thigh muscles.

His capable hands fluttered toward his shoulders in quick apology. "Amando, sorry for arriving late; the kiln turned into quite a stubborn old cranker. At least I managed to cram in lunch." He cocked his head in query. "Do we stroll right to your place? No wooing each other over fancy drinks and dinner in some clever little café I can't afford? I admit since I ate late I'm not hungry."

More subtle sarcasm. Instead of reacting to his arch words I shrugged, smiled and artfully shook my hair. "There's no need for such nonsense. If you wish, woo me as we walk."

Mads's piercing sea-soaked gaze drilled into me. He slowly shook his head and smiled in true confusion. "What is it about you, Mr. Amando Renato? I don't believe I've ever met someone like you before and that confuses me. Hey, since we're alone, may I kiss you right now? I always like to check if a beautiful guy appreciates the fine art of kissing. I am damned fond of the act."

Kissing thrilled me. During the past centuries I leaned numerous special lip tricks designed to conquer a man. I smiled and pursed my lips. "Come here, big boy, and pucker up." As he leaned close, Mads pressed his lips to mine. I opened in slight need, opened to capture his true spirit. Curiosity washed over me. Mint and maturity spiced his tongue. Sweet of him to eat a breath mint before we met. My lips parted further, there, glorious. My sparked allure refused to stand down, the force wiggling up like a curious puppy. No. Careful, don't…

My body convulsed in abject confusion.

Angels on High! I jerked back and slammed into the beige wall. Alarmed gasps ripped from my lips. My watery knees barely held me upright. A startled Mads stepped back, sucked in his breath and dazedly shook his head in slow disbelief. His silky hair haloed in slow-motion.

Fear rattled through my flesh.

I gave.

I GAVE my life energy to a human without even trying.

Why? Heaven Above, why? Who authorized that unhappy event? What the fuck happened to me here?

A chorus of startled male gasps flooded the moment. Mads blinked at me in further confusion until words stammered free. "A-A-Amando, wow… did you experience that weird zap? I-I felt like something… wow. Did we step on a faulty wire? No, that's completely impossible. There's nothing on the floor that would cause such a stupid short. But… shit… I don't understand what happened to us." Of course thinking he consumed my life force floated beyond Mads's comprehension; hey, anyone order a slice of my life force with a side of fries?

Seconds roared past. Poor practical Mads anxiously peered down at the floor as if seeking a dangerous, spark-spitting wire waiting to strike at us again. His thick blonde hair almost swayed in fresh vitality.

My shaking fingers drifted and touched my slack lips. Nothing abnormal happened. Crazy shock invaded every last cell. I gave my life force to Mads!

Why? How? Click tape loop: why, how, why, how…

Mads looked up from frantically examining the floor and shrugged in fresh confusion. He stared at me. His high forehead displayed worried webbing. "I don't know what… my God, Amando, are you sick? Do you need to sit down? You look real shaky and pale." His hands reached toward me.

No. I defensively held up my hands. My back pressed against the wall. Touching me was not a wise option, no, not until I learned what the fuck mondo weirdness happened to me. An instinctive lie tripped free. "Mads, I am fine, it's…you also suffered that strange, erm… surge."

Mads smiled in sincere wonderment. "I sure as hell experienced the surge. Damn, I kissed you and I swear a little zap entered me. Kissing your lips makes me tingly inside. I gotta say if that's what kissing you feels like, let's run to your place right now and resume the fun."

My normal kissing style did not involve passing out life force in gay mad abandon. Glad Mads enjoyed the unique sensation. I enjoyed our sincere kiss until I released life to this unknown human without logical reason. What in Belail's Flaming Chariot happened to me? Why? As my frantic thoughts tripped over each other, I offered Mads a tight smile. My right hand stiffly gestured toward the empty hall. "We can walk there now. It's not far, over at A and 11th."

oOo

Amando and Mads thank you for your attention. After all, they are the stars here. 

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