DSP Book Sale Jan. 13-17

This includes all the Foothills Pride books, both print and eBooks.

A Visit to Interview Roulette

I answer these burning questions on Kim Fielding's Interview Roulette:

1. What's your favorite appliance?
2. What's your perfect day, time-wise?
3. You've just met an alien from a planet where there's no such thing as fiction writing. Explain to the alien why humans read made-up stories.
4. What's one event in your life or on your travels that you wish you'd caught on film?
5. In your opinion, what should be the Seven Deadly Sins?
6. One of your characters has just been arrested and calls you to bail him out. Who is it and what did he get busted for?
7. What's your theme song?

I also pimp Short Order, the last of the Foothills Pride books.

Selected Foothills Pride Books on Sale

Go to Dreamspinner Press for this sale!

Oct. 30 and 31 Book Sale

Don't be spooked! Foothills Pride and my other stories are on sale for two days only! Get them HERE.

Book Trailer Added to Amazon Author Page

I just found out how to add the wonderful book trailer William Cooper of Indigo Marketing made for Frank at Heart. Thank you so much, William!

See it here or go to my Amazon author's page and watch it there! Enjoy!

Short Order Coming December 13

Dreamspinner Press will publish Short Order, the last of the Foothills Pride series on December 13. It’s #8 in the series and a holiday story involving a recent University of California/Davis graduate and a sous chef in Stone Acres, California.

When recent horticulture graduate Dr. Fenton Miller arrives in Stone Acres, California, he thinks his only concern is which job offer to accept after spending the holidays working at his cousin’s plant nursery. But after he rents a room from another shorter-than-average man, sous-chef John Barton, Fen falls in lust.

While he’s attracted to Fen, John’s got bigger concerns when two men from his past arrive in town and pressure him to return to San Francisco. Although John tries to stop Fen from getting involved, Fen realizes his lover is in trouble and is determined to protect him.

As the holidays get closer and Fen makes his own enemy, the joy of the season gets lost in the ill will around them. To ensure love triumphs, Fen and John must stand tall to show that short, dark, and handsome is a recipe for love.

Preorder information to come in November.

Promises, Promises....

Promises, promises! What promises have you made lately?

You can preorder WAKING THE BEHR at:

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Amazon UK

Amazon Australia

Kobo

Barnes & Noble

Google Play

Waking the Behr Available at Online eBook Sellers

Waking the Behr, the 7th Foothills Pride novella, is now available online at a variety of eBook stores.

What's it about?

Both Ben and Mitch think they know exactly what they want. Turns out, they don’t even know their own hearts.

Good old boy Ben has dated women his entire life, while gay nightclub owner Mitch has never considered unsophisticated country boys his type. 

But after they start hanging out, the small-town contractor and the urban entrepreneur are both stunned by the electricity sparking between them.

As they step outside their comfort zones to spend time together, Mitch finds he enjoys rural car rallies, and Ben is intrigued by the upscale bars Mitch owns in San Francisco. When they share their lives and grow closer, they start to question the way they’ve always defined themselves. Then they kiss and fling open the door to love. Now they must step up and travel the road that may lead to happily ever after—even if that path isn’t one they ever expected to walk.

This is a sweet contemporary gay romance and is available at:

Buy Links: 

Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/waking-the-behr-by-pat-henshaw-8865-b

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36099055-waking-the-behr?from_search=true

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Behr-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/dp/B075D86H87/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505008405&sr=1-1&keywords=9781635339161

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waking-Behr-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/dp/B075D86H87/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505008545&sr=8-1&keywords=waking+the+behr

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Waking-Behr-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/B075D86H87/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505008586&sr=8-1&keywords=waking+the+behr

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/waking-the-behr

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-the-behr-pat-henshaw/1127058298?ean=2940158850714

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Pat_Henshaw_Waking_the_Behr?id=wUQwDwAAQBAJ

Labor Day Sale!

Get the FOOTHILLS PRIDE series and my other stories at a great savings!

What? Another Sale? Wow!

From today through August 13, 2017, Dreamspinner Press is having a book sale. If you haven't tried one of the following or you've been waiting for the perfect moment to buy one of them, now's your chance to save money. Click on the titles to go to the sale:

What's in a Name?
Redesigning Max
Behr Facts
When Adam Fell
Relative Best
Frank at Heart
Foothills Pride Stories, Vol. 1
Blame It on the Fruitcake
The Orpheum Miracle

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth North with 40% Off DSP Book Order

All my books are on sale for Elizabeth's birthday! Woo hoo!

Easy as 1 - 2 - 3

It's easy as 1 - 2 - 3 at Dreamspinner this weekend! 

$1 for What's in a Name? 

$2 for Redesigning Max 

$3 for Behr Facts. 

What could be easier? Click on highlighted titles to link to Dreamspinner Press.

They're all part of the Foothills Pride series at Dreamspinner.

Foothills Pride on Sale until July 16, 2017

Get the starter kit for the Foothills Pride series on sale at Dreamspinner Press:

$1 for What's in a Name?
$2 for Redesigning Max
$3 for Behr Facts

For Your Fourth of July Reading Pleasure

Click these links to buy:

Dreamspinner
Amazon

Amazon UK 

Kobo 

Barnes& Noble

Google Play 

30% off My Dreamspinner Books

If you're looking for a short, happy summer read, you've come to the right place. An eReader, suntan lotion, and time are all you need to relax and find love. Save 30% too. (Use that for the iced tea!)

Order one or all the books here:

• What's in a Name?
• Redesigning Max
• Behr Facts
• When Adam Fell
• Relative Best
• Frank at Heart
• Foothills Pride Stories, Vol. 1

And for a little bit of Christmas in June, try the fruitcake or the old movie theater:

• Blame It on the Fruitcake
• The Orpheum Miracle

Throwback Thursday Post at Grace R. Duncan Blog

Hey, there! Today my Throwback Thursday blog piece featuring Relative Best and its overriding theme of making a family that works for you is up at Grace R. Duncan's website.

I wrote this book for those whose biological families have abused or abandoned them in order to give them hope. There is a family out there looking for you or even better you can gather other people who are in a similar situation and make your own family.

The bottom line in this novella is that no one has to be alone in life, but it's up to us to find a caring, loving circle of people who support us in our endeavors.

Peace.

You can buy Relative Best at:

Amazon
Amazon UK
Dreamspinner Press
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Google Play

Watch for Junior!

Back in mid-March, I read a short scene from Behr Facts at the Lavender Library here in Sacramento. In the selection, Abe Behr and the teenage son of Abe's friends Bud and Lorraine, who run the Rock Bottom Cafe, chat.

I just want to remind readers of this scene and where Junior popped up in the series before because Junior turns up in Frank at Heart, the latest Foothills Pride story that's releasing on May 31.

Don't remember Junior? Well, here's the excerpt, as told from Abe's viewpoint, to refresh your memory:

Junior and I met at Monique’s Bakery. Monique’s is my version of Nirvana. First, everything looks and smells and tastes wonderful there. I’ve been known to take a half hour to decide what to order. Not often, though, because nobody will put up with me just standing and salivating in front of the glass showcase. Second, I savor every bite at Monique’s, which means a simple lunch can last three or four hours, considering I tend to have more than one dessert.

Junior wanted to meet there, so who was I to say no?

I made an effort—I really did—to order quickly and then concentrate on what Junior wanted. It was hard because of all the lovely desserts yelling “Abe! Abe! Look at me! Me!” while I was sitting there. Finally, I moved us into the courtyard so I wouldn’t be so distracted.

“Can you start over?” I asked when the clamoring desserts were almost out of earshot.

Junior, who’d looked nervous from the get-go, now was shaking so hard, I should have been able to hear his bones rattling. He looked exactly like his father when we’d been in school together.

“I need help,” he whispered. “I just need….”

His voice trailed off as he stared at the tabletop. I was getting worried. Was he into drugs? What did I know about drugs? Nothing. I found out anybody on one of my crews used drugs and he was fired. His family complained, I suggested they get in touch with NA. The company wasn’t going to be responsible for a drug user on the job. What we did was too dangerous.

“Okay. What’s the matter? Just spit it out. I don’t bite. I won’t judge. Just tell me.”

He peeked up at me, drew a deep breath, and sat up straighter.

“I’m afraid I’m going to turn into my dad,” he said in a rush.

Huh? Okay. What did he mean?

As I nodded, I waved my fingers in a “gimme more” gesture.

“I love my dad,” he hurried to add. “I do. But I’ve seen the pictures. I mean, he started out short and skinny like me. Then he turned into the Pillsbury Doughboy.”

If he hadn’t had so much tragedy in his voice, I would have laughed. But he was serious, almost despairing.

“So you want me to…?” I couldn’t imagine. He wanted me to do a gene transplant on him? Not hardly.

“I want to work at Behr Construction. I know I’m not old enough. If I worked for you, though, I’d put on muscle, not fat. I’d learn valuable skills. You wouldn’t even have to pay me. It’d be like going to the gym, only better.” He would have kept going, only I stopped him.

“Okay. So what’s the problem?” Again, I couldn’t imagine. Why couldn’t Bud have asked me this?

“My dad doesn’t want me to work anywhere but the restaurant,” he said glumly. He sighed. “He said I get enough exercise there, and you already have more than enough guys, what with family and all.”

Yeah, he sounded just like Bud as he repeated his dad’s words.

“But, you know, he and Mom feed me all the time while I’m working. And after rush hour, they want me to study, and they expect me to eat a snack, a huge snack. I don’t go outdoors, so I’m pasty white.” He stuck out his arm and pushed up the sleeve of his hoodie. Yup, pasty white. “I work out a little bit on Saturday and Sunday, but it’s not enough to get in shape. They want me to study and get good grades. I’m okay with studying. I just wanna… I just… I want to look like you and the guys in your family.”

Big and shaggy? I almost laughed. The kid was serious, though, so I took him serious.

“Sure. I have no problem with you working after school for an hour or two.”

He brightened, but not as much as I thought he would.

“Uh, could you do one more thing?”

I just stared at him. Now what?

“Could you talk my folks into saying yes?”

From the way his eyes left my face, I could tell I was frowning. Damn. I didn’t want to get mixed up in his family business.

“Please?” he muttered without looking at me. He might as well have given me puppy eyes.

“Sure. Why not?”

He bounded up, giving me a huge grin.

“Thanks! Awesome! See you around!” I frowned. He didn’t back away. He knew me for the big pushover I am, and his smiled turned up to a thousand watts. “Oh yeah, and I’m gay. Don’t tell my folks, okay? Bye!”

I sat blinking for a few minutes before his final words hit me.

Why me? I wondered as I ordered a slice of carrot cake and another cup of coffee. Why me?

Almost Time for Cover Reveal

I still don't quite understand when a cover reveal should happen. The cover for Frank at Heart, #6 of the Foothills Pride series, was finalized this weekend, but the book doesn't release until the end of May.

So should I be showing the cover now--or wait until the beginning of May? Or maybe when it's available for preorder?

Here's what Frank's about:

Everything about thirty-five-year-old Stone Acres hardware store owner Frank McCord is old-fashioned—from his bow tie and overalls to the way he happily makes house calls to his dreams of lasting romance, true love, and marriage. Frank’s predecessors have run the store and been mainstays in the small California town for over a century. While genial Frank upholds tradition and earns the respect of friends and neighbors, he fears he’s too dull and old to attract a husband.

Into his life comes handsome thirty-six-year-old electronic games designer Christopher Darling and his fifteen-year-old son, Henry. Christopher has everything Frank could want in a potential partner: charm, kindness, and compatibility. Also, he’s a terrific father to Henry. When their Stone Acres home turns out to be uninhabitable, Frank offers the Darlings temporary lodging in his ancestral farmhouse, where he and his tenant Emil reside. Since Emil thinks Frank is his, sparks fly. Suddenly, Frank’s monotonous life promises to explode with love and threatens to change him forever.

In the Planning

The next book in the Foothills Pride series, tentatively titled Wood Worked Love, will give readers a look at Guy Stone's big brother. Guy is one of the main characters in What's in a Name? and has been running Stonewall Saloon by himself while his brother was in the Army.

Now retired, Eric Stone needs time to get his head together about what he wants to do in civilian life. Since Matt Comstock is in Stone Acres to restore the Stone family cabin and barn to turn them into a history museum, Guy urges Eric to help him.

Neither Eric nor Matt is looking for love, but cupid is stalking them. How good are they at evasion? Or will love's arrows find them? Stay tuned to find out.

If you have read or heard What's in a Name?, now's a good time to catch up while I write Wood Worked. You can buy a copy of the eBook or audio at:

Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon Australia
Audible
Barnes & Noble
Google Play

The Three Loves of Pat Henshaw

Today I'm at Prism Book Alliance, starting a new monthly column. I worried about what I could blog about when there were no parameters or directions given other than "write about anything." That sounds an awful lot like what I do writing fiction.

Miniature cupcakes and gingerbread people

Then it occurred to me to break down my everyday life into the three areas where my heart lies: my miniature making, reading, and writing. So I think for the Prism blog, I'll concentrate on those three loves and update them for a year. I do have goals for each.

MINIATURE MAKING: Finish the quarter inch French bakery I started years ago. And if I do that start on another of the many projects I have. If I could completely finish two projects, this would be a banner year.

READING: Expand my reading of gay romances to include fantasy and sci-fi. I'm burned out from a string of sex scenes interrupted for a dollop of plot. I need more plot and stronger characters and fewer sex scenes that aren't original or needed in a book.

WRITING: While keeping the Foothills Pride series going, I'd like to finish the first of a series that's been bugging me to be written for a few years now. I'm going to be pitching it when I'm at the Dreamspinner retreat, so I won't say anything more about it until I get their take on it.

And that's where I'm planning to go in the next year. Who knows if this is the path I travel? As I say all the time, we'll see.