A Simple and Essential Sermon on how we Measure Goodness.

Tonight I was re-watching one of my favorite films. The movie Chocolate. In the film towards the very end there is a sermon preached. A short, simple, sweet, straight to the point sermon; that is perhaps one of my all-time favorite sermons ever preached. I wanted to share it on this blog. Even if you never see the film please take a few moments and listen to this simple and profound message which cuts right to the heart of religion and spirituality. 

The Appearances Cover Reveal for Author T.M. Smith

The O'Raven Chronicles is so very please and proud to present this post for The Appearances Cover Reveal of The Opposites Book Series by Author T.M. Smith 

Appearances

book 2 in the Opposites series by T.M. Smith

Appearances, can be deceiving.

Raven and Tanis are trying very hard to merge their vastly different lifestyles, but Tanis' issues with his own past could prove to be more than their fragile relationship can handle. Is their love for each other strong enough to weather the oncoming storm?

Aiya and Sawyer have fought hard to be together in a world where Opposite relationships are generally forbidden. Yet, they are still forced to keep their relationship a secret while they are outside the walls of House Gaeland.

Everyone assumes that the only threat lies outside their walls, the group of rebels led by Cillian. But something is happening within House Gaeland, something that hasn’t happened since GWI. And with all the attention focused on that, their guard is down. An evil that was under their nose all along strikes, and someone will make the ultimate sacrifice to save another.

Appearances is the second book in the Opposites series, the series should be read in order.

** Warning, Opposites is an Adult Dystopian majorly M/M series that contains explicit sexual content and relationships between gay, straight and lesbian couples. **

Appearances is tentatively scheduled for a summer 2014 release. A HUGE thank you to my cover artist and graphic designer, T.L. Shreffler of 
Runaway Book Designs. 
You are AhMazing girl!! She was kind enough to give Opposites a little makeover at the same time, so here is the new cover for Opposites that now features the 'Soul Mates' Aiyan and Kaden.

In the year 2081 our planet survived global warming of an apocalyptic scale. When the dust settled and the water receded Dr. Anthony Smith, one of only a few hundred survivors of GWI, started society anew. Having come to the conclusion that injudicious breeding played a huge role in the destruction of Earth as we knew it in the twenty first century, he worked closely with other survivors to isolate the Dionysus gene. This gene has the ability to manipulate human DNA to ensure that all male children be born gay, and all female children be born lesbians. A new society is born.

In the year 2300 Dr. Smith’s descendants are ushering in the twenty fourth century having maintained control of the government that still rules society. Twins Aiya and Aiyan are preparing to meet their matches and take control of House Gaeland, the current ruling House. But not everything is as it seems.

Love is Love.. it knows no gender and doesn’t conform to restrictions and boundaries. Aiyan has found his soul mate in Kaden, the prince of House Devi that he is matched with and eventually marries. But when the person Aiya falls in love with tests the boundaries put in place after GWI, all hell breaks loose. And in the midst of one secret unraveling, another will emerge. There is a growing anomaly that threatens to destroy over two hundred years of progression. This anomaly is known as Opposites.

About The Author: 

A military brat born and raised at Ft. Benning Georgia; Smith is an avid reader, reviewer and writer. She now calls Texas home from her small town on the outskirts of the DFW Metroplex. Most days you can find her curled up with her kindle and a good book alongside a glass of something aged and red or a steaming cup of coffee!

At 42 years young, she's decided to enter the next phase of her life by adding the title of "author" to her list of accomplishments that includes single mom of three disturbingly outspoken and decidedly different kids, one of which is Autistic. Smith is and outspoken advocate for Autism and equal rights for the LGBTQ community.

Please visit my pages:

Author Links:

 Amazon | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | YouTube

Rafflecopter Giveaway: 

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Spotlight for Author A.E. Via

The O'Raven Chronicles is pleased to present this Spotlight for Author A.E. Via

Author Spotlight; 

About the Author: 

A.E. Via   is the new best-selling author in the beautiful gay erotic genre. Her writing embodies everything from spicy to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths. 

When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, A.E. runs a very successful paralegal-for-hire business and in her spare time, she devotes herself to her family – a husband and four children – her two pets, a Maltese dog and her white Siamese cat, ELynn, named after the late great gay romance author ELynn Harris.

While this is only her third novel, she has plenty more to come...so sit back and grab a cool drink, because the male on male action is just heating up!

Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on up-coming work, free reads, and where she’ll appear next.

Author Links: 

Author Official Website

Author Blog

Author Facebook Page

Author Amazon Page

Author Goodreads Page

Author Gift Shoppe

Book Spotlight; 

Book Synopsis: 

World renowned chef Prescott Vaughan was at the height of his career. Right before he's to leave for Paris to work alongside his idol, a horrific car accident leaves him completely blind. 

His female fiancé leaves him in a state of desperation and depression.  He pines for love, companionship, and so happens to find it in the form of his very sexy neighbor.  Sexy male neighbor, Dr. Rickson 'Ric' Edwards. 

Prescott's not gay - at least he never considered himself gay - until Ric saves him from a date, gone terribly wrong. The two neighbors hit it off quickly and waste no time exploring and learning each other.  Things are great until Ric begins to have his doubts about meeting Prescott's many wants. 

When Ric insist he and Prescott take a breather, Pres finds himself lonely and lacking again. Enter, male escort and aspiring chef, Blair McKenzie to fill the void. 

In the meantime, Ric works on his issues that prohibits him from displaying the love he knows he has for Prescott. When Ric is finally ready and returns to claim Prescott he's not sure that Pres can let go of the sexy, southern, hotness that is Blair McKenzie. After Ric has his own personal encounter with the sinfully sexy man, he can't help but become entranced and crave more as well. 

Pres soon realizes that there's no need to choose between his two men, because when all three of them finally come together - grab a cold drink - the heat is going to go all the way up! 

​This is not your typical gay ménage romance. Everyone is not happy, skipping along, and loving life. These men are at each other’s throats. They live completely separate lives; fuss, cuss, and fight until they all realize exactly what the problem is...too damn much sexual tension.

Excerpt:

Ric leaned his head back against the elevator paneling and watched the numbers light up all the way to floor ten before his eyes drifted shut for the rest of the way. When the doors opened, he came face-to-face with Prescott’s Texan. 

Fuck me.

Instead of the gorgeous prick getting on the elevator and leaving, the cocky bastard took a couple steps back and leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the hallway and stared openly at him as if he hadn’t a care in the world. His hazel eyes scanned Ric up and down, taking in his disheveled, stressed-out appearance. 

“Do you have a fucking problem?” Ric growled, refusing to pretend to be cordial to the man even though he was a complete stranger and had done absolutely nothing to him. 

The man had the nerve to smirk at him and shake his head as if pitying Ric, or perhaps throwing it in Ric’s face that he’d definitely had a better night than he had. Ric did try to hide his anger at knowing the man had slept with his Pres. Why the hell else would he be leaving at five in the damn morning? Unless he delivered newspapers or milk, he had absolutely no reason to be on this floor this time of morning. Bastard.

“No, I don’t have a problem,” he drawled slowly, making sure to put extra enunciation on the “I” part of his sentence. “But, obviously, you do. Or else you wouldn’t be scowling at me for no reason.”

“Fuck you,” Ric snarled, stepping just a little closer. He wanted to tear the man’s lips off for talking with that accent. Then he wanted to rip his hands off for daring to touch his Prescott. The man’s probably a male gold digger. 

“Did you enjoy taking advantage of Prescott? Did you get what you came for?” Ric growled like a rabid animal three inches away from the man’s face, but he’d be damned if the asshole didn’t even flinch at his showcase of fury. No reaction whatsoever.

The Texan had one hand casually tucked in his jeans pocket, kicking back one side of his stylish blazer, while he lazily rubbed his other hand over his taut chest and washboard abs that showed through the thin material of his untucked dress shirt. Ric hated to admit it, but the man looked well fucked, and he wore it well. 

“How could you do that to someone like him?” Ric fumed, and it took everything in him to control his rage. 

If I hit him, no one would know. There’s no one around, no witnesses. It’d be his word against mine.

“I knew I’d peg you in less than five minutes.” The man spoke with one dark brown eyebrow cocked up. He ran his fingers through his bed-tousled dark brown hair and let out an exasperated breath.

“Excuse me?” Ric blinked.

“Now I know why you were too stupid to hold on to Prescott Vaughan. You were too busy feeling sorry for him. Instead of you seeing a brilliant man, a world-renowned, accomplished chef who happens to be one of the most talented men to ever set foot in a kitchen, you see a needy, helpless man. Ahhh. Now it makes perfect sense.”

“Don’t try to act like you know me because you don’t,” Ric growled, still trying to be mindful they were in the hallway of the floor that he lived on.

The Texan pushed off the wall and closed the few inches between them. His six feet, two inches of height had him eye to eye with Ric, and the man showed no fear. His handsome face was now a mask of furious anger.

“I saw you treat him like shit on the bottom of your shoes last night. I watched him beg you for five fuckin’ minutes of your time, and you spat in his face. Now, you have the audacity to say I’m mistreating him? Fuck you,” he snarled right back at Ric.

Just as fast as the man’s anger came, it disappeared, and he composed himself to reveal that smirk that Ric selfishly rejoiced Pres couldn’t see, because it was sexy as fuck…and the man knew it.

Ric watched his competition push the elevator button as he rubbed his hand over his morning stubble before speaking again. “You know what they say, don’t you, Doc? One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and Prescott Vaughan is definitely a rare, precious treasure.”

The Texan inched in even closer, which surprised the hell out of Ric since they were practically nose to nose. Ric was smacked in the face with a faint soap-and-water fragrance that made his eyelids flutter and his own dick jerk to life. Ric’s half-lidded eyes were riveted to the Texan’s plush lips as he leaned in and whispered directly into Ric’s open mouth.

“If you don’t pull your head out of your ass and claim Prescott Vaughan like he wants, I won’t stop until I’ve fucked the sexy strawberry ten ways to Sunday and there’s not a single trace of your existence left in his mind, because with or without you, he needs love, and I was the one there last night to lick his sweet tears when you walked away.” 

The elevator doors opened at his final words, and the smooth Texan took a few graceful steps backward into the elevator and gave Ric a sexy wink right before the doors closed. 

Fucking asshole, Ric thought. 

Book Synopsis: 

Detective Cashel 'Cash' Godfrey is big, tattooed and angry so people typically keep their distance. He's fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six foot four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn't expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis 'Leo' Day. 

Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out and one bad-ass detective.​

Together Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks. 

When Cash saves Leo's life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he'll never break through the impenetrable wall that protects Cash's heart.
Nothing Special takes the reader through various emotions throughout the richly fulfilling plot that’s full of erotic gay romance, heartache, passion, trials and tribulations, police action scenes, and an intriguing twist that comes to an amazing ending that’s impossible to see coming.

Excerpt: 

“I want to talk to you now.”

“You can’t always get what you want, Leonidis,” God rebutted.

“I want you,” Day said with no hesitation.

The room was deathly silent. After a few long seconds God responded simply, “No you don’t.”

“I do. Isn’t it obvious?” Day moved a little closer.

“You don’t know what the fuck you want. I’ve watched you for four years, jumping from bed to bed and fucking your way through half of Atlanta. I have one emotional night and all of a sudden you want me…fuck you,” God said in his gruffest voice.

Day’s body heated instantly at the sound. He moved even closer to where God was standing on the opposite side of the table.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was supposed to be saving myself for marriage, and even more so, I didn’t realize you were a goddamn virgin. How many women have I seen you fuck in that pussy-getting truck of yours, huh?” Day lowered his voice as he stood directly in front of God. “Just tell me you didn’t feel what I did last night.” He closed the small gap, not minding God’s height at all, and looked up into electric-green eyes. “Tell me you don’t want me too, and I’ll back the fuck off.”

God looked down at him and Day could see the uncertainty all over that ruggedly handsome face.

“Shit’s complicated, Leo.” God’s breath ghosted across his forehead.

“Make me understand, Cashel,” Day whispered and slowly brought his hands up to rest on God’s waist.

“What makes you think I’m gay or bi?” God asked avoiding Day’s request.

“Really? Maybe it’s this that makes me think that.” Day boldly palmed and squeezed God’s rock-hard erection.

Day groaned. He held on tight while God hoisted him up against the wall and attacked his mouth. It wasn’t pretty or gentle. His partner kissed him with a fury that he hadn’t felt in years. It was erotically carnal, wicked, and Day loved every second. His feet dangled as God’s bulk pushed hard against him, keeping him immobile and under his control.

“This what you want, you sexy fucker?” God snarled in his ear, then leaned in and bit the juncture of his neck that met with his shoulder.

“Ugh, yes! I want you goddammit,” Day hissed into the darkness.

“Prove it.” God released him and Day dropped back to the ground. He immediately felt the loss of God’s heat and had to resist the urge to claw at the man.

Day palmed his own hard erection.

“Seriously. This isn’t fucking proof enough?” he said while seductively squeezing his cock and licking his red lips now full and plump from their kiss.

“I don’t give a damn about your wood. You get a hard-on when you drink coffee, Leo.” God grabbed his coat and headed to the door. “If you want it, you’ll have to earn it.”

Day stalked over to him. “Did you make all those other bitches you fucked earn it first?” Day fumed. Not liking that God was thinking of playing a come-and-get-it game with him.

God spun around fast and gripped Day around his throat, pulling him into his rock-hard chest. Day hit that solid wall of muscles with a thud and the air rushed out of his lungs. Day put both his hands on God’s huge forearms that flexed against his touch. God bent his head and a few strands of his hair came loose from the elastic band and brushed against the side of Day’s face.

God looked and smelled so fucking delicious, like masculinity and aftershave. Day knew the grip on his neck was not to hurt him, it was to show him who was in charge. His sheer strength and power had Day feeling like he could come right there in the small conference room.

“Oh, so you want to be my bitch?” God’s mouth was at the base of his ear. He roughly ground his pelvis into Day’s stomach while the other hand got a firm grip in his hair at the back of his head. “Why didn’t you just say so? You want me to have you face down and ass up in my truck? Then we can go do that right fucking now.”

God loosened his grip on Day’s hair and let the large hand around his throat turn into a gentle caress. He smoothed down Day’s hair and leaned in and took a large sniff before nuzzling the side of his face. Day couldn’t have stopped the unmanly whimper if he’d tried. God dragged two fingers down his throat and gently stroked his collarbone. His breathing was now even and calm, surprisingly relaxing Day as well.

God kissed Day’s temple before speaking in a seductive whisper against the side of his face. “Or do you want me to put on one of your jazz records and lay your sexy body down on your bed and slowly lick you from head to toe?” God ran a thumb over Day’s parted lips.

“So tell me…which one do you want?”

Day had to figure out how to speak again before he was finally able to reply. “Yes, Cashel. I want you in my bed.”

“Then prove it.” God laid a lingering, gentle kiss on his forehead before stepping back from him and leaving the conference room.

Blessed Beltaine

Bright Blessings on this Blessed Beltaine


The Lord of Light and Life, The Creator and All Power Bless Thee this day... 

May your creativity be fertile and may you always be in abundance 

may you dance through life with sensuality and grace 

May The Lord of Life Bless and Keep Thee

May Nature Nourish Thee and May you defend it well

May pleasure surround you

May all the beauty of life be upon you and around you

May Inspiration encompass you and flow through you and May you always be in the flow of The Awen

May you appreciate your life and May it be a gift to the world

May your life be your art, and May it be Breathtaking 

May all the balance in life find you well and content with Joy and Peace

May you be always in The Divine Will As Above So Below

May you always walk with Spirit in Beauty

May Light, Love, and The All Power be with you, in you, protecting you, and guiding you always

May you be Encircled within God's heart and keeping

May you stand in your truth and vocation 

May all healing be unto you

May Hope and Friendship Sustain your strength in times of difficulty 

May you never want for a true family 

May your home be comfort and refuge and always be a safe-heaven 

and May you be satisfied with your life at it's end and May to Divine Light you be reborn.

Bright Blessings this Blessed Beltaine Season!!!