Kimberly Gardner

Happy New Year! Or New Year’s Eve anyway.

My holiday story, Drag And Drop is available today from MLR Press.

It’s a short novella about how two young lovers celebrate New Years in Key West Florida and I hope you’ll have a look.

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=KGDRGDRP

Dressed To Thrill

By Kimberly Gardner

From Loose-ID

Blurb

Dumped. Right before spring break. What rotten timing! Since the trip to Key West is already paid for, Oliver decides that he’ll go anyway. Who knows?

maybe he’ll meet a hot guy to make him forget his woes. Little does he suspect he’ll be drawn in both by the gorgeous locale and a sultry drag queen.

Drew knows he has what it takes to be a star. If he has to wear a skirt and stilettos to make it happen, so be it. He looks good as a woman. But then he

meets Oliver and has his doubts. He can’t tell this terrific new guy what he does in the evenings. Not when they’re having such a great time and not when

Oliver will be gone in a week. Given the circumstances, what’s the harm in a little white lie?

But plans change when secrets are revealed, and both men’s deepest desires become their greatest thrills.

T

Copyright 2011 by Kimberly Gardner, all rights reserved.

Excerpt

“I’ll have another one of those,” Oliver said. He angled his head toward the empty margarita glass on the table in front of him.

“Rocks and salt?” The waitress had to yell to be heard over the music.

Oliver nodded, and she scooped up his empty before hurrying away. Continue Reading »

Available now from MLR Press

Sometimes attraction is stronger than the best kept secret, even when it’s Too Soon For Love.

Michael Stricker is still reeling from his partner’s sudden and untimely death when he meets someone new, someone he could really care about. But first he needs time, time to get his life back in order and time to get over is lost love. But learning to live alone again is nearly impossible with his well-meaning relatives treating him like a poor helpless blind guy.

When Alan Stuart befriends Phillip DiMartino’s grieving partner, the last thing he expects is to discover hidden lies and infidelity. Guilty over his attraction to the still-grieving man, Alan resolves to stay silent. But the truth has a way of coming out, and soon a dead man’s secrets bring about more heartbreak than Alan could have imagined.

Although both men vow to keep their distance, staying away is easier said than done, even when it’s Too Soon For Love.

<<<<<<<< Excerpt >>>>>>>>>>>>

© Copyright 2011 by Kimberly Gardner, all rights reserved.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust …”

The voice of the priest–Father Malone, was it?–droned on, the words of the Catholic burial ceremony little more than a buzzing in Michael’s ears.

The February sun, brilliant and bright after the snow storm, felt warm on his face. But the wind was all teeth and claws as it whipped across the open cemetery grounds. Inside his boots Michael could no longer feel his toes. Thanks to the valium Dr. Z. had prescribed, some of that numbness had seeped inside him. He hated the numbness, hated feeling like his emotions were wrapped in cotton, but even that feeling of chemical detachment was better than the wrenching pain that was his constant companion ever since Phillip’s death nearly a week ago.

Yes, Phillip was really gone. For the first time in nearly twelve years, Michael was alone, the pain his only companion despite the people who’d surrounded him ever since he’d made that first phone call. Continue Reading »

My new novella, Almost Heaven, went live yesterday! Yay!

It’s my first publication with Loose-ID and I’m totally pumped about it. I feel like I won the lottery. But I always feel like that on release day. Lol!

Anyway, here’s the 411 on the book and an excerpt to give you a little taste. Continue Reading »

On the 28th of this month I have a new release called Almost Heaven. It’s my first book with Loose-ID and I’m very excited. Because release day is just around the corner, I wanted to share an excerpt with you. Enjoy!

Continue Reading »

A while back I wrote a story for an anthology of cowboy shifters. It was quite a switch for me, being both western and paranormal. But because of one thing and another, the project got side-tracked to the point that I had more or less written it off.

Then the other day I heard that the antho will be going to formatting by the end of the week. Which means it will be releasing soon. Yay!

The anthology is called Shifting Sands and contains stories by Jet Mykles, Ally Blue, Willa Okati, J.L. Langley, Brenda Bryce and me.

When I have an exact release date you guys will be the first to know.

Available now  from MLR Press.

EXCERPT

“Hey, is Jason here?” Rain, now wearing a pair of jeans so low-slung they showed those little divots just beside his hipbones, sashayed into the room and over to the desk. He leaned across the paper-strewn surface and smiled. “It’s Benny, right?”

“Right.” Like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Benny tried to close the page so the man wouldn’t see what he was doing. But the damn mouse chose that moment to stop working. He clicked and clicked and nothing happened.

Fuck.

“I’m Rain. But you probably knew that already. You got a problem there?”

Before Benny could answer, Rain slipped around to his side of the desk. He reached for the mouse and stopped, staring at the computer screen.

Oh fucking shit! Continue Reading »

Now available at MLR Press

Copyright 2010 by Kimberly Gardner, all rights reserved.

Vinn went over to the box and lifted the lid. “Look, are they weird looking, or what?”

Julien looked and felt the stirring of a nearly forgotten pleasure. He picked up one of the small globes. It was cool in his palm. He held it up. “They’re called Moros.”

“Moros? You’ve seen these before?”

“Indeed. They’re blood oranges and I’ve eaten them.”

“I thought–”

“Not in a very long time, Vincent. But I have tasted their flesh.” With his thumbnail, Julien split the skin of the fruit and pulled the halves apart. The air was immediately filled with the rich tangy scent of citrus, so sweet it was nearly painful to breathe, or maybe that was the memory.

Vinn’s stared down at the fruit. “It looks almost black, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” Julien separated a slice of the orange. Held it out. Juice ran through his fingers and over the back of his hand. The urge to lick it away, to taste that sparkling sweetness was almost irresistible. But instead he held it to Vinn’s lips. “Taste.”

Vinn hesitated only a moment then he opened his mouth and took the fruit from Julien’s fingers. He bit down, his eyes drifting closed on a moan of the purest appreciation.

“Mmm. Oh man.”

“You like?” Continue Reading »

At long last my second novel, Bound To Please is available from MLR Press.

Check it out.

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=BOUNDPL1

I’m thrilled that this book is finally releasing. It’s been a long time coming. And to celebrate its arrival, here’s a little excerpt. Enjoy!

Continue Reading »

Buy the anthology from MLR Press

Buy the single story from MLR Press

Visit the site’s main page for Woman’s Weeds

Excerpt

The outside door banged open, admitting a rush of frigid air.

David and Bethany both turned to look, and David’s breath caught. Coming toward them down the center aisle was the beautiful young man from the Macy’s fragrance counter. Their gazes met and he smiled. “Am I too late?”

David opened his mouth but found he had forgotten how to form words.

“Too late for what?” Bethany stepped forward.

“To audition.” The young man glanced at Bethany then his gaze turned back toward David. He bit his lip. “Do you remember me? From Macy’s—”

David nodded and found his voice. “Of course I remember you. No, you’re not too late, but how did you know—”

“You said you were a director. And you told me the name of your theatre company. So I Googled it and,” he made a little voila gesture, “here I am.” Continue Reading »