One Pulse Charity Anthology: Guest Post and Excerpt by Bree Cariad

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Guest Post

Hi, Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy *waves*

You probably haven’t heard the name Bree Cariad before. I’m the inspirational side of A Thia Thing.

As Bree, I’ve been focused on writing m/f as that is where most inspirational books reside, but when I saw the open submission from Dreamspinner Press about this wonderful anthology where the proceeds go to help those in the LGBT community in Florida who were affected by the Orlando shooting, the need to help struck and the hugest plot bunny attacked my brain and I saw a way to bring out an m/m inspirational series.

The first draft of Everyday Miracles, the story featured in the One Pulse Anthology, poured out of me in about two hours. As if the story had to be told and I couldn’t move until it was out of my head.

Certain characters are overwhelming to an author, and Reverend Jonathon Neiland is one. He has so many levels to him and has this incredibly strong need to help and this belief that right will always overcome prejudice as long as he leans on the Lord. Unfortunately, that belief sometimes overshadows the darker side of the world and how to make his way through it. Thus enters the other hero in Everyday Miracles – Court Brecker.

Brecker lives in the world, knows how to make things work, though he is admittedly woefully unaware of the issues in LGBT community. However, when he sees something that needs to be done, he ignores what others say, goes with his gut, and makes things happen. And it takes only a couple hours for him to know that their community needs what Reverend Neiland is asking for: a shelter for homeless LGBT youth.

Unlike my books as a whole, this short story is not a romance. It is, however, a case of Love Conquers All, which incidentally is the name of my new series. Everyday Miracles is a prequel to the first novel in the series, of which the 1^st draft is complete and just under 80,000 words. Light in the Dark Night is a romance and I plan to release it next year.

I hope to find more inspirational m/m romances. While I have a wide classification of genres I read *and write*, I love M/M Romance and would love to see more inspirational stories out there.

Now you’re probably wondering about that A Thia Thing reference from above, aren’t you? *grins* I’m an author who writes in many genres. And some of them are different enough that I published them under different pseudonyms. But a year ago I started outing that I was all those names and a few weeks ago I launched a main website ~A Thia Thing~ which aggregates info from all my sites.

I’m me – You remember that old song “I’m a little bit country. I’m a little bit rock and roll”? Well, that basically covers me. I’m not a one concept person.

Under the name Bree Cariad, I write inspirational, sweet, and clean romance.

Under the name Thianna Durston, I write M/M Romance with a hint of spice. (Some call it erotic romance but I don’t because my stories are based on the characters and the romance. The sensual stuff is just added spice.)

Under the name Thianna D., I write m/f romance with a hint of spice.

And under the name Cynthia Kimball, I write a wide range of subjects: non-fiction, poetry, young adult, romance, and sci-fi/fantasy. If you look deep, you’ll notice there is one thing that ties them all together: Metaphysics.

While I’m most prolific under the names Thianna Durston and Thianna D. – thus A Thia Thing – sometimes the need to write inspirational romance or metaphysics-based fiction/poetry overtakes me and I love it when that happens. I’m a very eclectic non-normative individual and love differences and the full spectrum that is life.

I thought I’d leave you with a snippet from Everyday Miracles—Reverend Jonathon Neiland has been working for four years to open an LGBT youth shelter, but the city council has shut him down every time. That the new leader of the council, Court Brecker, is on his side seems nothing short of a miracle.

onepulse_cover_dsp Jonathon Neiland paced slowly back and forth in front of the city council doors. His hands shook slightly, a folder gripped firmly between them. They weren’t shaking from fear.

“Please, Lord,” he murmured under his breath. “Please fill me with your grace. I’m fighting the anger I feel toward the men inside that room. For years, they have blocked each move I’ve made to finish this center. You helped me find a way around each one. But we’re at the finish line. I need their okay to finish the home and make it an official part of the trust. All I need is a three-to-two vote in our favor.”

For four years, the council had pushed back his request. They needed more information or they required proof of something or…. But they couldn’t push back any more. He did everything they asked—even when it was redundant and nothing more than busy work—and the place was ready. Once he had their approval, they could open the doors officially as a youth shelter which would allow him to widen his reach for more money and more options for his kids.

“And my anger isn’t helping,” he admitted in a rush, feeling tears prick his eyes. “This isn’t for me. Please, Lord. Please. This is for your sons and daughters who have been kicked out of their homes just because of who they are. Please help this go through.”

The fact was, Jonathon had put all his money and that of his friends into the venture. The sheer number of homeless LGBT teens in the county was staggering, and every month it went up. Each month he saw that the house he’d renovated and made ready would not be big enough if they were lucky enough to round them all up. But he couldn’t afford any more. If the five men beyond that door would give their official stamp on it being a youth shelter, they could go forward.

The house was signed off on as far as the inspectors were concerned. All they needed were beds and food. Thirty-four youth were living in tents he had erected on the property. It wasn’t much, and they were tightly smooshed with six of them in each four-man tent, but he saw their gratitude daily for not having to live on the streets. For not having to beg or steal to survive. For not having to prostitute themselves to stay alive.

“And now all I need is their okay,” he murmured frantically, his fingers tightening on the folder. So close. So close to giving those kids a home, a home they would never be kicked out of because of who they were.

I hope you’ll enjoy this amazing anthology.

One Pulse

Stories drive life. Sometimes life is good; sometimes life is bad. But it’s the nature of our community that in the aftermath of an act of hatred, we respond with love. Because darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Cruelty cannot stand against compassion. Negativity will never overcome hope.

To show our support for those affected by the Orlando shooting, our authors, editors, artists, and staff have volunteered their talents to create this anthology. All proceeds will be donated to LGBT organizations in central Florida. Join us as we celebrate the triumph of love over every obstacle.

Jon Keys—A Single Night, Alicia Nordwell—About Best Friends & Boyfriends, Mickie B. Ashling—Adíos, M.T. Aspen —Asking for Trouble, M.A. Church—Chasing Tyme, Caitlin Ricci—Coming Out, George Seaton—Cucurrucucú, Jayce Ellis—Dance, Bree Cariad—Everyday Miracles, Chrissy Munder—Everything I Need, Ellis Carrington—For the First Time, Felicitas Ivey—Get Me to the Church Town Hall on Time, John Amory—Happy Pride, Grace R. Duncan—Hope, John Goode—Let Them Eat Cake, J. C. Long—Magical Boys Just Wanna Have Fun, Elizabeth Noble—Magicicada, Renee Stevens—More Than a Pact, Troy Storm—One Big Happy… Bunch, Connie Bailey—One Heart at a Time, Dev Bentham—Perfection, Andrea Speed—Pride, Laura Lascarso—Pull, Lila Leigh Hunter—Raffled Kiss, Emery C. Walters—Ranch Dressing, C.C. Dado—Read My Lips, Sera Kane—The Stag’s Bane, KC Burn—The Tithe, Vicktor Alexander—The Wooing of the Marqués de Sierra de Outes, Edmond Manning—They Danced

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meet the author

twitter_avatar_bree Bree is a best-selling inspirational romance author who is proud to have a story in Dreamspinner Press’s One Pulse anthology. Xe identifies as non-normative, multi-gender, and believes in love in all forms and that happily ever afters come in many ways. Whether in a romance or a non-romance, in xys stories, love conquers all. Bree is completely not sussed about pronouns. Call xem she, xe, or they. A pronoun is just a label after all. And labels only have the importance a person puts on them.