Recent Publications

Figure It Out (May 2, 2020, JMS Books

cover coming soon

Hollywood Lighting (April 23, 2020)

A rowdy superstar in danger. His resentful new guardian. It’s hate at first sight until love takes an unexpected encore.

Closeted actor Owen fears failure and betrayal. So after he’s stabbed by a crazy fan, the movie studio offers a hunky bodyguard for protection. Suspicious that the ripped security man is just a gossip-seeking plant, he pushes back at his bulging biceps, ignoring the chemistry.

Newly retired SEAL Jamal is having a hard time adjusting to civilian life. Reluctantly taking a Hollywood job for a bad boy with tight abs, he’s sure the star is simply paranoid. But when he discovers the sexy celebrity is in serious jeopardy, he doesn’t hesitate to jump into action mode.

As the peril hits closer to home, Owen finds himself falling for the handsome hero fighting for his life. And as the threats intensify, Jamal fears he might lose the man he has come to love.

Will Owen and Jamal go down in a catastrophic climax, or will they star in their own happy ending?

Hollywood Lighting is the red-hot first book in the Bodyguards M/M contemporary romance series. If you like tortured heroes, intense predicaments, and steamy affairs, then you’ll adore J. V. Speyer’s tale of LGBT passion.

Smoked Gin (2020, JMS Books)

Two heroes. One has made his name in the cold, while the other has spent a lifetime twisting unseen forces. They want the same thing, but they’re on opposite sides. Can a teleportation accident help them find what they’ve each been missing all along?

Gin got his code name because his namesake liquor lives in the freezer, just like him. He can control ice to an extent never seen before, and he uses that power to help keep the world safe from those who would use their power for evil. He knows he’s got a tremendous ability to destroy, and it’s important to keep himself rigidly under control at all times. His work in Alter Enforcement brings him into direct conflict with vigilante alters, who may want to help people but refuse to be accountable in how they go about it.

Smoke doesn’t trust “authority figures” and he definitely doesn’t trust the government. He didn’t trust them before the terrorist attacks that created Alters in the first place, and he sure doesn’t trust them now. He’s not going to let government Alters stop him from taking out dangerous super-villains in the name of procedure. Sometimes that means he has to fight people who should be on his side, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

When Gin’s team and Smoke’s team trip over each other trying to take out a notorious super villain, disaster follows. A teleportation accident strands Gin and Smoke together far away from each of their teams. They have to rely on each other for safety … and maybe more.

See Ya, Space Cowboy (November 23, 2019, JMS Books)

Escaped slave and radical Genthry is facing down his final moments, bound to the execution platform, when some soul detonates the platform and the prison wall.  He didn’t plan it, but he’s more than happy to take the opportunity to escape and thumb his nose at fate yet again.  By the time he gets his hands on a ship, the authorities have caught up to him in the form of handsome marshal Dryath Riatt.  When a passerby knocks the marshal out, Genthry takes Riatt “hostage” to save him from the angry crowd.

Dryath knew he shouldn’t have thought the job was done, just because he got his hands on escaped killer Genthry.  He wasn’t counting on the local crowd jumping in to help the dirtbag escape, the local garrison refusing to lift a finger to help him – or Genthry being possibly the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. Now he’s a captive, restrained and flying to some unknown destination with a terrorist who somehow doesn’t make him feel unsafe at all.

When an encounter with pirates forces a sudden landing, Genthry and Dryath are forced to spend time hiding together before either can find safety.  Can they overcome their differences, or will these enemies sell each other out before they can find happiness?

Please note: This book is part of the Love Amongst The Stars collection from JMS Books!

Under His Skin (JMS Books, October 26 2019

Lennon is a genius. He’s devoted his energy and his time to designing products to save lives. He’s gotten rich doing it, too. This time he’s created something to revolutionize war, crime, and policing — a bullet that heals. He’s on top of the world and the one thing he needs is someone to share it with. The one he loved disappeared without a trace years ago, and until he gets closure he can’t commit.

Ben is an agent with an agency so secretive for years people didn’t know it existed. He screwed up years ago and fell in love with the man he was supposed to be guarding. Now his lost love is in danger again. He’s developed a product bad actors all over the world will want to get their hands on. When Ben’s superiors order him back to Lennon’s side, he goes without hesitation. There’s only one catch — Lennon can’t know he’s there.

A brilliant scientist out to save the world. A jaded agent looking to save the one he lost. And a conspiracy that spans oceans, reaching into the deepest parts of American national security.

When one of those bad actors strikes, all the rules go out the window. Can Lennon overcome his mistrust once he knows the truth about Ben? When the enemy turns up the heat, will Ben manage to save Lennon from people who want him to kill?

The 2018 Smut Marathon’s Guide to Erotic Writing (October 1, 2019)

(Contributing author)

Welcome to the ultimate guide to erotic writing… the Smut Marathon, an exciting annual event attracting the best names in erotic writing.

In the first of these annual guides, you’ll find the finest sexy writing selected from nearly 100 participants, all eager to get your creative and erotic juices flowing.

From thirty-character microfictions in the first round to 2500-word short stories for the final round, there’s a wealth of writing styles and genres to get excited about, for authors and readers of erotica alike.

Rites of Spring (JMS Books, September 11, 2019)

Cameron has given up on romance, after a difficult childhood made it difficult for him to trust enough for intimate relationships to develop. But mostly he’s happy with the life he’s built for himself.

When two paranormal investigators show up at the home he recently inherited, claiming he may be in danger, he sends them packing, convinced they’re nothing but con men.

Until several incidents prove they’re telling the truth. The past Cameron tried so hard to leave behind is coming for him, and it’s angry.

Midnight (JMS Books, 2019)

Brandon loved Adrian, so when Adrian abruptly moved out of their apartment Brandon was devastated. Six weeks later Brandon is ready to start to ease his way back into life again, but a chance encounter leaves him questioning everything he thought he knew – about Adrian, their relationship, and himself.

His friends are there to see him through it, especially his best friend Greg. Greg wants what’s best for Brandon. He’s always wanted what’s best for Brandon, even when it’s not necessarily what’s best for Greg. As Adrian’s true nature is revealed, Greg starts to wonder if maybe what’s best for both of them wouldn’t be each other.

All This Could Be Yours (MLR Books, 2019)

Can a straightlaced FBI agent fake a relationship with a mob rat long enough to close the case?

There’s only one way out of this family, but Tanner thinks he’s found another one. He’s going to fake a relationship with a straightlaced undercover FBI agent and help him take the organization down from within. That is, if the two of them don’t strangle each other first.

Maddox hates the Mob. He doesn’t have a lot of respect for mob rats either. He knows why he was stuck with this case, and he’s not thrilled about it. He wants the win, but having to play nice with gorgeous criminal Tanner might be more than he can take.

When secrets come out, Tanner and Maddox will have to trust each other with everything they have. They may be opposites, but they’re exactly what each other will need to get through this job with their bodies and souls together.

Nine Cocktails (JMS Books, 2019)

Boston detective and Army vet Abby Morgan got into police work because she wanted to help people, but it seems she only gets to show up after they’re past helping. When a man is murdered outside popular cocktail bar The Gin Barrel, she finds a case that isn’t quite so cut and dry as it seems – and a bartender who arouses more than just her protective instincts.

Paige Lim knows, as soon as she finds out about the body outside her bar, who the killer is. She also knows the police won’t do anything about it. They never took it seriously before, why would they start now?  The pretty detective seems sincere, but Paige knows there is a whole system set up to make sure she’ll never be safe – and neither will anyone in her orbit.

Abby is determined not to let the system fail Paige again, but getting the proof they need to arrest the killer is going to take ingenuity and risk. Can they catch a murderer before he kills again?

Building Up to Love (MLR Books, 2019)

Jared is at the top of his game, professionally.  His love life leaves a little to be desired. All he wants is someone who can love him for him, and who doesn’t demand he “pick a side.”  The sudden reappearance of his college boyfriend, Logan, doesn’t make anything better.   Logan knows he broke Jared’s heart all those years ago.  He plans to keep a respectful distance, especially once he starts defending a mob case.  The last thing he wants is to bring more trouble into Jared’s life.  As they keep getting thrown together, he finds it harder to stay away.   The Mob isn’t known for being considerate of their targets’ love lives. It’s not going to be easy to build a new relationship with Jared as Logan’s client’s enemies come knocking at his door…

Absolution (2019)

The would-be highwayman killer’s case is closed, and Luis has been cleared to return to work.  He and Donovan are starting their new life together, and while they’re both a little new at this whole “stable relationship” thing they’re determined to make things work.  When people start dying at Assonet Ledge, it seems like a typical case for Donovan until one of the victims turns out to be a missing person from out of state, bringing the FBI into one of Donovan’s cases yet again.

The park ranger at the site is everything Donovan isn’t, and Donovan finds himself wondering if his partner isn’t falling into old habits.  Luis struggles to understand Donovan’s jealousy, which puts a strain on their relationship and the case.  To top things off, there may be forces at work here that go back long before humans showed their faces, forces Luis can’t hope to understand. Will those forces propel the case, and Luis and Donovan’s rekindled romance, off a cliff?

Romance

Paper Hearts (JMS Books, 2019)

A divorce lawyer with a romantic spirit.  A cynical television executive who thinks commitment is for fools.  They can’t fight their attraction, or their affection. Can they find a way to reconcile their vastly different needs, or will each of them walk away from the best thing they’ve ever had?

Jordan might be a divorce lawyer, but he’s a hopeless romantic.  He doesn’t see the two as incompatible, either.  He’s never had a relationship last long enough to be with someone on Valentine’s Day, but he’s still hopeful he’ll find the one out there somewhere. 

Sam is an executive vice president at a major television network.  He spends his days managing programming, much of it centered around romance, and he knows exactly how fake television romances are.  His own background of rejection only cements his views on the fleeting nature of affection. 

They meet by chance, when Sam’s sister and best friend file for divorce.  The divorce is messy, and Sam and Jordan are thrown together often enough to try to make a relationship work.  When the winter holidays roll around, the difference in their expectations comes to the fore. 

Can Sam overcome his fear of commitment – and rejection?  Can Jordan get over his need to define their relationship?  Or will they both lose the one thing in their lives that made them happiest?

****

Snowed In – Ross and Ashton (JMS Books, 2019)

Massachusetts State Trooper Ross Huber is giving one last sweep of the roads before heading in for the night.  The nor’easter hitting the Boston area is worse than expected by an order of magnitude, and the governor has just issued a travel ban.  He finds a wrecked car half buried in a snowbank and rescues its human and canine occupants from carbon monoxide poisoning, but is forced to take shelter with them in a vacant or abandoned house when the roads are blocked.

When he gets the victims indoors, he thinks the human looks uncomfortably familiar…

Ash Machado has been through a lot in his career as a war correspondent.  Sidelined by an injury, he’s returned to Boston to take up a job as a news anchor.  After he loses control of his car on an icy road, he wakes up in an unfamiliar home, looking into the face of the guy who broke his heart in college.

Neither Ross nor Ash are the same guys they were in college, but they’re trapped in the abandoned house with no place to go.  Can they get past old hurts long enough to get through the storm, or will the same misunderstandings that drove them apart years ago make this confinement unbearable?

***

Professional Courtesy (MLR Books, 2018)

This is the story of two college professors who share an office and not much else – until the holiday season works its magic.

Eric’s semester hasn’t been going all that well. Not only have renovations to the English Department’s physical space forced him to share an office with the department’s newest faculty member, Mike Kistler, his mother showed up at the beginning of the semester with all her worldly possessions and a U-Haul. It’s not that he doesn’t care for his mother, but she’s disruptive. She keeps wanting to honor traditions they never cared about when he was growing up, starting with the giant antique advent calendar she dragged over from her parents’ house in Hamburg.

Eric has a solution, though. He might not have much interest in his mom’s traditions, but his irritating office mate does. He’ll bring Kistler over, and his mom will have someone who cares, and someone to speak German with, and Eric will be left alone to grade papers in peace.

Mike is the rising star of the English Department. He’s worked damn hard to get from homeless teen to young PhD, he’s proud of his accomplishment, and he loves to give back. He likes his work. He could live without his office mate, who’s attractive but stuffier than an overfull burrito. He’s shocked when Eric invites him to help his mother celebrate Advent, but intrigued by the old traditions. And it’s been more than ten years since he’s had anything like a family to celebrate anything with, so he agrees.

Moving from a cramped office to a family setting shifts things for Eric and Mike, and they start to see each other through different eyes. Can they find love, or will old family issues keep them apart forever?

Hunter (2018)

Luis has spent his career chasing the darker side of life.  First a vice cop, then an FBI profiler, now he lands in the Boston field office, and not by choice.  He expects his caseload to have a much lighter tone than he’s used to.

He wasn’t counting on New England’s dark history, or their pride in it.  He didn’t understand how close-knit the old towns could be, or how protective they were of their own.  He soon finds he’s going to have to count on every skill he ever used in his time at headquarters, and a few skills he didn’t know he had, if he wants to keep body and soul together.

Complicating matters is a new case Luis has just been handed, working with the Mass. State Police.  Luis has history there, and ugly history too.  Detective Donovan Carey is the guy who broke Luis’ heart over a decade ago.  He wasn’t willing to even peek his head outside the closet, certainly not for someone like Luis.  Can they put their history aside to deal with a mystery centuries in the making?

Whirlwind (JMS Books, 2018)

Rock star Jo Avery didn’t have a choice about coming out, but ever since her ex

outed her as bisexual, she’s been a proud advocate for LGBTQ+ issues. Most of her family wants nothing to do with her, but her brother has always supported her. When he gets married, he wants her in the wedding party.

The only problem? Her new sister in law is the daughter of conservative pundit and anti-LGBT warrior Sarah Tremblay. Sarah has another daughter, too, the beautiful and charming Valeria.

Valeria has been in the closet since she was fourteen. She’s always envied Jo’s strength and freedom, if not her path to living her authentic life. Soon Valeria finds herself falling for the fierce, pretty rocker, but coming out could cost her everything. How many risks can she take for someone she’ll only know for two weeks?

Can Jo and Valeria turn attraction into love, or will their whirlwind romance blow out before it gets off the ground?

Carriage House (NineStar Press, 2017)

Ash isn’t exactly filled with the Christmas spirit. He left Texas after being outed by an ex, and isn’t in the mood for family holidays. When one of his neighbors shows up out of the blue insisting that Christmas decorations are mandatory per their lease, he rolls and goes along with it as long as he doesn’t personally have to do anything.

The fact that the guy filled with “cheer” is the most attractive man he’s seen in his new hometown has nothing to do with it. He does agree to dinner, though.

Will the determined ghost get her way and make this an unforgettable Christmas for Ash and Tristan?

The Dented Crown (2017)

Two kingdoms. Two princes. One secret to break them, or to bind them.

When a rowboat washes up on the riverbank, Prince Malires puts his kingdom’s security first. The dead man lying in the boat can’t answer many questions, but the seriously injured survivor might be able to give Malires some details about what happened in the hostile kingdom to the north. If, that is, the young man ever wakes up.

Malires knows who the survivor is: Prince Aleric, youngest son of the King of Gerelen. He’s the most renowned warrior that Gerelen has ever known, and Malires has barely survived their previous encounters. Only his need to understand why Gerelen suddenly stopped communicating with the outside world keeps him from taking advantage of the situation and taking out this threat to his kingdom.

It has nothing to do with the sudden discovery of how beautiful Aleric is.

Unfortunately for Malires, when Aleric does awaken he has no memory of who he is or even of his own kingdom. The court physicians insist that Aleric’s memories must return naturally, or else they might be lost forever.

While both men recognize the urgent need for answers, they cannot fight their attraction for one another. Aleric comes to feel just as defensive of Malires’ kingdom as he once did of his own. When the truth comes out, will love conquer all, or will misunderstanding and pride drive Aleric to a desperate undertaking?

Rites of Spring (Less Than Three, 2017)

Cameron has given up on romance, after a difficult childhood made it difficult for him to trust enough for intimate relationships to develop. But mostly he’s happy with the life he’s built for himself.

When two paranormal investigators show up at the home he recently inherited, claiming he may be in danger, he sends them packing, convinced they’re nothing but con men.

Until several incidents prove they’re telling the truth. The past Cameron tried so hard to leave behind is coming for him, and its angry.

Starlit (MLR Books, 2017)

When rebel pilot Sahak escapes from a holding cell on a distant mining colony,

he doesn’t expect to rescue an alien smuggler. He can’t leave the man behind, however.

Azat has seen many things from humans, and none of them were kindness, but he has no choice but to throw his lot in with the handsome rebel who bursts into his cell: he can escape with Sahak, or he can wait for execution.

Neither of them is looking for company. They certainly aren’t looking for love, especially when just staying alive is difficult enough.