The Details:
Release Date… August 12th
(Amazing!) Cover Art… Jay Aheer, Simply Defined Art
Genre… M/M Mixed
Charity Anthology to benefit the It Gets Better Project
The Works:
~ Coriolanus ~ The Tempest ~ Two Gentleman of Verona ~
~ Othello ~ Macbeth ~ Romeo & Juliet ~
~ The Taming of the Shrew ~ Twelfth Night ~ Much Ado About Nothing ~
~ Sonnet 130 ~ The Merchant of Venice ~
The Authors:
Asta Idonea ~ Rory Ni Coilean ~ Dianne Hartsock ~
~ Rian Durant ~ M. LeAnne Phoenix ~ Louise Lyons ~
~ Nephy Hart ~ Rebecca Cohen ~ J.L. Merrow ~
~ Charlie Cochrane ~ Kathy Griffith ~ Phetra H. Novak ~
The Lines:
From A Fine Line Between by Louise Lyons–
“Just like that? Suddenly you want to be friends?” His expression was wary.
“Hardly.” My lips twitched. “But since I saved your life, I suppose I can’t hate you that much.”
From A Hero’s Last Battle by Phetra H. Novak–
“I won’t deny that I find you very attractive, because I do. But I just wanted to talk to you and maybe get to know you a little bit better.” He tried with a smile. That worked, right?
“But you were not trying to get me into bed, is that what you are saying? I can’t be very attractive then, can I?” He could see Hero was teasing by the small smile on his lips and the twinkle in his eyes.
“How about later, we can have a try at the conversation first and then maybe, if that fails, we have no option but to take this to bed. You made me lose my breath the second I saw you.” Claudio admitted honestly…
From Deeper Than Did Ever Plummet Sound by Rory Ni Coilean–
“What did you just call him?”
Ah, the smile was back. Not quite at full wattage, but enough for Clarence to warm himself at. “One of my favorite non-Shakespearean epithets.”
“Worthy of inclusion in the canon.”
Clarence laughed, trying to make it sound like less of a bark than his laughter usually did. “Perhaps I’ll slip it into a rehearsal sometime.”
“I double dog dare you.”
And if I take your dare, what will you forfeit?
From If Music Be… by Charlie Cochrane–
“And I can’t arse you about any longer. You deserve the truth.”
The sound of the caretaker locking up nudged them into action. “Not here. Fancy a coffee at mine or is it too late?”
“Too late tonight or too late for us?”
From Kiss Me Kade by Nephy Hart–
“Let me go.” Raw panic thickened his tone and he pressed harder against the wall, prompting an involuntary yip.
“You’re not a prisoner,” Pete crooned, slowly drawing closer. “I don’t want to hurt you. I’ll never hurt you; not unless you want me to, and never more than you can bear. I want to take care of you, Kade.”
From Much Ado About Lady Macbeth by Rebecca Cohen–
David had never been shy about what he wanted. If it had been in his character, he’d still be a guttersnipe running through the dirty back streets. He’d taken his pleasure where it had been offered and now, as Jacob sat opposite, it was something other than his thirst that needed sating. He was sure he’d heard Jacob was not one to turn away a male suitor, but David had not seen the evidence with his own eyes. “I am sure there are ways I could lessen the pain.”
“Lessen my pain?” Jacob’s eyes went wide as he suddenly realised what David was implying. “What make you think I would accept such an offer?”
From Nothing Like The Sun by J. L. Merrow–
Sam paused, breathing hard, but didn’t let go of my hand. “That’s not what I see when I look at you. I don’t see you as you used to be—perfect skin, model features. I see you, scars and all. And I’m not going to give you all that shit about how your scars are beautiful because they’re yours, or they represent suffering overcome or any of that crap. I could never think your scars are beautiful. They hurt you. But what I see… What I see when I look at you is the man underneath. The man with the drive, the ambition to make it in a cut-throat world. The man who can shock me and make me laugh all in one bitchy sentence. I see you, Jerome. The man I love.”
I blinked hard. “That’s what I see when I look at you.” My voice cracked. It did that a lot, right after the fire. Smoke inhalation. I’d thought I was over it months ago. “The one who cheers me up when I’m down. The one who laughs at my jokes like he actually thinks they’re funny, and trust me, that’s a much rarer quality than mere good looks. That’s what I’ve always seen. But you—you deserve someone better than me. Someone whole.”
From The Devil and The Lion by Asta Idonea–
The question might have been ambiguous, but Aufidius knew what Martius was asking. “I lied not before when I told thee my rapt heart danced when I did see thee, for in my breast has raged a dual desire since first we met in combat. Ever have I longed both to slay thee and possess thee.”
Martius closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. “Good Aufidius, I could as easily speak in like manner of thee. I raised my blade against thee untold times in battle, yet never was it in pure enmity—save that owed by duty, in service of my country—but in the hope of conquering one I had godded.”
From The Merchant Of Venice Beach by Kathy Griffith–
Looking over at Bartholomew, he could see he was as nervous as an ice cube salesman in Phoenix. After walking toward him, Porsche held his hand out.
“I—tried to think of something that was, well, appropriate, Mr. Keller,” He said, almost stammering. Smiling, Porsche looked at his mothers’ last message.
“A man who thinks of others before himself is someone to be treasured.”
From Two Guys from Vancouver by Dianne Hartsock–
Silver looked startled, then gave him a genuine smile. “Are you asking me on a date, Valentine?”
Heat flushed through Val. “No!” he sputtered, then looked aside, knowing he’d reddened at Silver’s amused expression. “I mean, I know better. I’m sure you have lots of attractive men—”
Silver put fingers against Val’s lips to silence him. “I find you very attractive. Who’s been talking to you? I’ve wanted to run my fingers through your silky brown hair since we met, and I could drown in those deep chocolate eyes of yours.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips over Val’s, soft, smoky. His warm breath washed over Val’s cheeks, making him tremble. “Yes, I’ll go out with you, my sweet Valentine.”
From When I Love Thee Not by Rian Durant–
“He thinks I’m cheating on him.”
“You?!”
The shocked expression on Emilienne’s face made him laugh nervously. He nodded, wishing his lover knew him well enough to be shocked at the very thought of such a thing.
“What the… Jesus, Des, how did he… Pff, I can’t, seriously! You’re the only person I know who’d never do that and he—”
And because I can’t not use something Jay Aheer made for us to use… 🙂 Here’s my clip:
Where to Shop for A Summer’s Day:
~ Amazon.com ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon AUS ~ Smashwords ~
M. LeAnne Phoenix 