About Brenda

I am a writer, lover of sideshows and tattoos. I have kids, a partner, two dogs, a naughty parrot and a life that is full. My life is a circus and I wouldn't have it any other way. I review books, blog about life as a writer with ADHD and publish my photographs on my blog Writing While Distracted . I celebrate my passion for food and cooking on my food blog Quinby Kitchen Sideshow .You can find me on Facebook by clicking here . If Pinterest is your thing, I am there too, and you can find me by clicking here .

Rainbow Snippet December 8-9

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Brenda

Hello Snippeteers,

Sorry it’s been so long, I fell down the NaNoWriMO rabbit hole and just surfaced. This week’s snip is from my work in progess, Veronica’s story:

Millie worked steadily her eyes fixed on some vision only she could see, her concentration evident as she pressed the weight off her chest. Sweat poured off Millie’s forehead with the strain and her arms started to tremble. Veronica wrapped her hands around the bar, worried Millie would not be able to rack the bar on her own. “Last one?”

Millie grunted her answer and lowered the bar again, her knuckles white. Veronica held on lightly, letting Millie handle the weight, assisting her only when she racked the bar. Millie lay on the bench, chest heaving, eyes closed. Veronica walked around to the side of the bench and picked up Millie’s water bottle. She looked down at Millie memorizing her expression. A look of satisfied exhaustion filled her features, Veronica pushed aside her desire to be the cause of her expression instead of her work out.

Millie opened her eyes and Veronica stared back unable to hide her want, dazed by the heat she saw in Millie’s eyes. Kiss her. Do it. Don’t think. Kiss her now.She leaned over her unable to resist the invitation she saw in Millie’s eyes. Millie’s hand came up and gently cupped the back of Veronica’s neck. She hesitated, her lips a whisper away from Millie’s. The door slammed open and Benita entered followed by Roxy. Millie let go of Veronica’s neck and sat up quickly. Veronica stepped back and thrust the water bottle into Millie’s hand. A flush rose in her face, and she caught Benita’s curious look as she shifted her gaze from Millie to Veronica.

“Did I miss the show Millie?” Roxy’s loud voice and incurable flirty attitude filled the space and the sexual tension between Veronica and Millie melted.

Millie snorted. “You did. But if you show up Tuesday you can watch my ass when I squat.”

Veronica forced a laugh, desperate to cover her awkwardness and disappointment. “Now your fan club is here, are we done?”
Millie tilted her head to the side, her expression shuttered. “Sure. Sorry to keep you from your book.” She turned away from Veronica her posture rigid.

Damn. She’s pissed off. Because I almost kissed her? Or because I didn’t? What is wrong with me? Even if she wanted me to kiss her. I can’t fuck this up I don’t want to hurt Myfanwy. Or make things awkward where I work. Fuck me.

Rainbow Snippets( https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets/)is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers plese!).

In this group, you’ll find anything from romance and historical fiction to mystery and YA. The common thread is that every story’s main character identifies as LGBTQ+. The snippets could range from zero flames to full-on sexytimes, anything goes content-wise. The only rule is snippets will be 6 sentences long–one for each color in the Pride flag.

Brenda Murphy writes short fiction and novels. She loves tattoos and sideshows and yes, those are her monkeys. When she is not loitering at her local tea shop and writing, she wrangles two kids, one dog, and an unrepentant parrot. She reviews books, blogs about life as a writer with ADHD and publishes photographs on her blog Writing While Distracted. You can find her on Facebook by clicking here. If Twitter is your thing follow me @bmurphysideshow

Website: www.brendalmurphy.com

Books available at

Amazon

NineStar Press

Rowan House Series

Knotted Legacy

Both Ends of the Whip

Sum of the Whole

Other Works

ONE

Dominique and Other Stories

Review: Best Lesbian Erotic of the Year, Vol. 3

Posted on December 6, 2018 by Brenda

Best Lesbian Erotica, Vol. 3 edited by Sacchi Green is an outstanding collection of short fiction. The heat level of this one is off the charts. You could compare the heat levels to some of the amazing sex videos at websites like https://www.watchmygf.xxx/. Having the right visual source material can help you imagine every last saucy detail in this book. I started reading it on the plane on my way home from a conference and quickly decided after reading the opening story “Ninjutsu” by Valerie Alexander that I would be wise to finish reading the rest of the stories at home.
This collection features the most diverse group of stories to date in this series. Women of color, women who are neuroatypical, women who are recovering from cancer, older women, and women recovering from trauma are represented in this well written and well-edited collection. They are written as whole characters, not merely as foils, or means to tick a checkbox for diversity.
The stories included vary in heat level from smoking hot (I”m looking at you Valerie Alexander), as well as Sommer Marsden’s “Husher” and R. D. Miller’s “Perfume,” to sweetly sexy. I particularly enjoyed the poignant “Trying Submission” by Xan West and “Jani-Lyn’s Dragon” by Nat Burns. Bravo Sacchi Green for this glorious collection.

It’s available for pre-order here, go ahead I won’t tell.

Books available at

Amazon

NineStar Press

Knotted Legacy

Both Ends of the Whip

ONE

Sum of the Whole

Dominique and Other Stories

Review: Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Vol. 4

Posted on November 30, 2018 by Brenda

I have been a fan of the Best Women’s Erotica series since the very first volume. If you follow my blog, you also know I have a thing for short stories and anthologies. I have found some of my favorite writers through anthologies such as this. This year the anthology’s theme was Outsiders and Risk and features one of the most diverse collections of authors and stories in this series to date.
I was particularly stoked to see a few stories that featured diverse women, women loving women, trans characters, and unique situations. The heat level is what you would expect from a volume of erotica. Eliza David’s “Protest of Passion,” Megan Hart’s “Seven Sweets and Seven Sours,” as well as Alyssa Cole’s “Essential Qualities,” and Calliope Bloom’s “O Captain! My Captain” are poignant as well as hella sexy.

If you are looking for a sexy little something to keep you warm on cold winter nights you can not go wrong with this collection. It is available for pre-order now if you have a mind to give your one-click finger a workout. Bravo Rachel Kramer Bussel for another sexy well-edited collection.

Books available at

Amazon

NineStar Press

Knotted Legacy

Both Ends of the Whip

ONE

Sum of the Whole

Dominique and Other Stories

Review:Seasons of Sorcery

Posted on November 20, 2018 by Brenda

I may have mentioned, once or twice, okay so all the time, of my love for short stories, and my adoration for anthologies. When I read about the Seasons of Sorcery anthology, I squeed a bit, mostly because it has stories set in two of my favorite worlds by two of my favorite authors Jeffe Kennedy and Grace Draven. As a bonus, I was treated to stories by two new to me authors.

I devoured the collection, staying up past my bedtime again, enthralled by this excellent collection of stories. This anthology is a fantastic twist on the typical seasonal collection of short stories. And mind you, I have nothing against that sort of thing, but this collection of stories fits together like a well-made pair of chain-mail gloves.

I particularly loved Grace’s story that puts a new hella sexy twist on merfolk, and if you are a fan of Jeffe’s Twelve Kingdom’s series you know that any story featuring Harlan and Ursula is going to be filled with witty dialog, and aching sexual tension. I had not read Amanda Bouchet or Jennifer Estep before this, but after reading their stories, I am ready to dive into their fantasy worlds as well.

Every story in the collection works as a stand-alone, with well-paced plots and solid story arcs. If you are looking for a seasonal read that is out of the ordinary (in a good way), then Seasons of Sorcery is the book for you. It is out now an all the usual e-book retailers

Seasons of Sorcery

An anthology of fantasy novellas for all seasons from the hottest authors of fantasy romance and urban fantasy.

WINTER’S WEB BY JENNIFER ESTEP

An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re Gin Blanco. This Spider is trapped in someone else’s icy web—and it seems like they don’t want her to leave the faire alive . . .

A CURSE FOR SPRING BY AMANDA BOUCHET

A malevolent spell strangles the kingdom of Leathen in catastrophic drought. Prince Daric must break the curse before his people starve. A once-mighty goddess trapped in a human body might be the key—but saving his kingdom could mean losing all that he loves.

THE DRAGONS OF SUMMER BY JEFFE KENNEDY

As unofficial consort to the High Queen, former mercenary Harlan Konyngrr faces a challenge worse than looming war and fearsome dragons. His long-held secrets threaten what he loves most—and he must make a choice between vows to two women.

A WILDERNESS OF GLASS BY GRACE DRAVEN

The stretch of sea known as The Gray rules the lives of those in the village of Ancilar, including widow Brida Gazi. In the aftermath of an autumn storm, Brida discovers one of the sea’s secrets cast onto the shore—a discovery that will change her world, mend her soul, and put her in the greatest danger she’s ever faced.

Review: Shadow Hand

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Brenda

Sacchi Green’s Shadow Hand is a fast read and hits all of the high points you would expect from a Super Shero story. Well-paced, with excellent character ARC’s Shadow Hand had me turning pages and I stayed up past my bedtime to finish it. Green’s descriptive powers are on display in this book, her settings were vivid and detailed.

Pay attention to this next part: THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE, but it has romantic elements and the relationship between the lead characters is steamy. The progression of Ash and Cleo’s relationship is an integral part of the story. From their first scene together the dynamic between Ash and Cleo, and their adventures as Ash learns to control her powers, and find a way to use them for good are intriguing. As a fan of comic books and super Sheroes, I love the way Sacchi captured that feeling in this novel. Sacchi managed to give us a great story, and two engaging lead characters, as well as some well-developed fascinating secondary characters that, I hope, get their own story one day. I would love to read more about Major Margaret McAllister and the rest crew of women that join together and become part of Ash and Cleo’s network for good.

This book deals with the subject of human trafficking and past abuse in a sensitive way, and I admired the way Green dealt with the complex issues surrounding it. I would advise caution if you are triggered by the threat of sexual assault or discussion of abuse.

I’ve been a fan of Sacchi Green’s short fiction and this is her first novel but I am hoping it will not be her last. We need more Sheros in our lives and Sacchi has given us two wonderful additions with Ash and Cleo.

Sacchi Green is a writer and editor of erotica and other stimulating genres. Her stories have appeared in scores of publications, and in recent years she’s taken to wielding the editorial whip, editing eighteen anthologies, including Lambda Award winners Lesbian Cowboysand Wild Girls, Wild Nights, and eight Lambda Award finalists, including Witches, Princesses and Women at Arms: Erotic Lesbian Fairy Tales. Sacchi lives in the Five College area of western Massachusetts, with frequent retreats into the White Mountains of New Hampshire and occasional forays into NYC and other real world venues for readings.

Shadow Hand is part of Ylva Publishings Superheroines Collection and is available in all e-book fomats at Ylva Press

Rainbow Snippet November 9-10

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Brenda

Hi all, I’m knee-deep in NaNoWriMo, up to 20K in the first draft of the fifth book of the Rowan House series. It’s hard to believe that it all started with Sum Of the Whole, a short story that grew into a novel and then a series. Today’s snip is from Sum of the Whole. Happy Saturday!

From Sum of the Whole

“So, what are you going to do, Sarah? Live afraid? Now who is being a hardheaded woman?” Jaya clenched her jaw.

“I asked her to move out. But he knows where I live and you’re not exactly hard to find.”

“I can handle him.” Some part of Jaya wanted the opportunity to finish what she had started, but the frightened look on Sarah’s face made her stop talking. They drank their coffee in silence.

“I’d like to walk you to campus if you don’t mind the company.” Jaya had kept her tone light. Please say yes. She tossed her cup in the waste can.

“I’m okay.” Sarah’s voice sounded anything but okay.
“Text me when you get there and let me know you’re safe?” Jaya looked into Sarah’s eyes and reached for her hand. She pulled it to her mouth and planted a kiss on the palm. “Please.”

Sarah met her eyes and held Jaya’s gaze. She curled her fingers and cupped Jaya’s cheek. “I’ll text.” She left Jaya and hurried down the path.

Jaya walked to the edge of the pond and picked up a stone. She threw it as far as she could. It splashed into the water and ripples spread out until they disappeared on the far shore. She wondered if that was how what they had between them would end—waves of good times and hard times until it ended on the far shore of pride and stubbornness.

Books available at

Amazon

NineStar Press

Knotted Legacy

Both Ends of the Whip

ONE

Sum of the Whole

Dominique and Other Stories

Rainbow Snippet: November 3-4

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Brenda

Hello Snippeteers! I’m back! And it only seems fitting that my Rainbow Snipper this month is from the novel I wrote for last year’s NaNoWriMo. This week has been pretty spectacular for me as Knotted Legacy was chosen as one of The Lesbian Review’s Top 100 Vacation Novels. I’m doing NaNoWriMo again this year, and am writing Martha’s sister Elaine’s story. Elaine aka Cook from the Rowan House series is a loose cannon type of character who always surprise me. Here is to everyone doing NaNoWriMo, may your words flow like a raging river.

From Knotted Legacy:

Lucia finished her bite of cracker. “Why does she want to keep me away from you?”

Martha held her Mistress’s gaze. “Jealous.”

“Of me? She doesn’t seem to have a problem with any of the others showing you attention. Not even Myfanwy.” She took another bite of her cracker and finished it.

“She’s protective. She worries I’ll get hurt.”
“Are you worried?”
Martha shifted her gaze and avoided her Mistress’s eyes. “It makes no sense to worry about pain, Miss. It wouldn’t be life if there wasn’t pain.”

Lucia reached down and touched Martha’s chin. She lifted it and looked into her eyes. She rubbed her thumb over Martha’s cheek, her gaze soft. “No, pet, it wouldn’t be.” She clasped her chin for a long moment and then released her.

Website: www.brendalmurphy.com

Books available at

Amazon

NineStar Press

Rowan House Series

Knotted Legacy

Both Ends of the Whip

Sum of the Whole

Other Works

ONE

Dominique and Other Stories

How to Get Off the Crazy Train

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Brenda

This is my first post in about four weeks. I’m glad to be back. The title of this post reflects how my life has been; I won’t bother with the details, but let’s say, two writers on deadline, twins, aging parents with health issues, work, travel, a cracked tooth, and root canal, collided in one spectacular episode of crazy train in our house. Sometimes I refer to it as being in the blender. Both are phrases to describe that awful can’t catch up, always behind, I really should be doing (fill in the blank with whatever you feel most guilty about not doing) feeling.

I know everyone struggles when life goes sideways, but for those of us with ADHD, the collapse of routine adds another layer of stress that we have to work hard to bounce back from. If your kids/partner/ other family members are also non-neurotypical the loss of routine becomes a tsunami of overwhelm.

How do you get off the crazy train? For me, it means letting go of things that can be allowed go of without causing too much trauma. For me, one of the first things that goes are blog posts. And the social engagements that do not feed me and cause extra stress. After that, making fancy dinners, which means I raid my freezer for our home cooked stockpile of meals I make over the summer, knowing it will get crazy at some point in the fall. This week is the start of NaNoWriMo, and I’m doing it again this year. If you notice on my list of things I let go, working on my current novel was not one of them. And that is because, for me, writing grounds me, even if I can only squeeze in thirty minutes of work, doing just that little bit keeps me in the game.

Here are my steps for getting off the crazy train. Your mileage may vary, but here is a list to get you started.

The extra thing: Blogging or anything else you can lay aside and pick back up when life settles down. No, this does not mean skipping your exercise plans.
Say no to social engagements that do not feed you. You don’t need to give a reason, just say no. Really.
Eat good food. Drink water. As tempting as it may be to say eff it and eat everything and drink a bunch of wine, just don’t.
Breathe. Take a ten-minute walk out side, make it fifteen if you can. Walk, without your phone, the world can rotate without you being plugged in for ten minutes. Walk, breathe, and remember that it’s okay to take some time for your self.
Make some art, or cook, bake, or do that one thing that always grounds you.

This is my list. I hope that you will come up with your own list for the next time the crazy train rolls into your life.

Books available at

Amazon

NineStar Press

Knotted Legacy

Both Ends of the Whip

ONE

Sum of the Whole

Dominique and Other Stories

Review: The Arrows of the Heart

Posted on October 9, 2018 by Brenda

This novel is another installment in The Uncharted Realms series by Jeffe Kennedy. I have reviewed other books in this series, and this is another fantastic read and worthy addition to the ranks. If you have not read the other books in the series, this novel reads well as a stand-alone. That said, your experience will be so much richer if you take the time to read the first three books in the series: (The Pages of the Mind, The Edge of the Blade (my personal favorite because, hello, Jepp) and The Shift of the Tide. For the absolute best experience go back and read The Twelve Kingdoms series, you will not regret the time spent immersing yourself in these books and the delightful world Jeffe has created.

This story features Karyn and Zyr, possibly the most unlikely couple of any of Jeffe’s novels, given Karyn’s rigid attitude and formality and Zyr’s reckless propensity to follow his whims, consequences be dammed. As always Jeffe infuses her characters with sparkling wit and the banter between the two leads is fun and a highlight of the novel. Written in first person, from Karyn’s point of veiw we get to experince her growth as she comes to own her worth and fierceness, as she fights for her adopted homeland. Shifters, romance, intrigue, rich world building and perfect pacing had me up and turning pages well past my bedtime. Karyn and Zyr have won a place in my list of favorite fantasy couples.

ABOUT JEFFE KENNEDY

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include novels, non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her award-winning fantasy romance trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms hit the shelves starting in May 2014. Book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and was nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose received a Top Pick Gold and was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2014. The third book, The Talon of the Hawk, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2015. Two more books followed in this world, beginning the spin-off series The Uncharted Realms. Book one in that series, The Pages of the Mind, has also been nominated for the RT Reviewer’s Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2016 and is a finalist for RWA’s RITA Award. The second book, The Edge of the Blade, released December 27, 2016, and was a PRISM finalist, along with The Pages of the Mind. The next in the series, The Shift of the Tide, released August, 2017. A high fantasy trilogy taking place in The Twelve Kingdoms world is forthcoming from Rebel Base books in 2018. She also introduced a new fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons, which includes Lonen’s War, Oria’s Gambit, The Tides of Bàra, and The Forests of Dru. She’s begun releasing a new contemporary erotic romance series, Missed Connections, which started with Last Dance and continues in With a Prince. In 2019, St. Martins Press will release the first book in a new fantasy romance series, Throne of Flowers. Her other works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion; an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera; and the erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, which includes Going Under, Under His Touch and Under Contract. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine. Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular SFF Seven blog, on Facebook, on Goodreads and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Sarah Younger of Nancy Yost Literary Agency.

http://jeffekennedy.com

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeffe.Kennedy

https://twitter.com/jeffekennedy

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1014374.Jeffe_Kennedy

Website: www.brendalmurphy.com

Return of the Spiral Notebook

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Brenda

If you have followed this blog from the beginning, you might remember one of my first posts was about the simple spiral notebook. At that time I was a mostly stay-home parent with young children. I kept a spiral notebook at hand to jot down ideas, and storylines, and thoughts that I wanted to explore as blog posts, and short stories. Then my kids went to pre-school, and I had much more time to devote to my writing, and I dedicated two hours and forty-five minutes to my writing Monday through Friday (the time I had between when I arrived home from dropping them off and when I had to leave to pick them up). It was miraculous, and I managed to get a collection of short stories written and published, and then wonder of wonders they went to kindergarten and later on to grade school, and I had much more time to devote to writing. I focused on writing novels and managed to write four books in two years, not a prodigious sum but for me, but it was doable and not overwhelming.

And then we bought the house next to ours to renovate as a rental and future home for any family member that might need to live close enough for us to care for them. I have done ninety percent of the renovation myself. I was sick and had surgery in December of this year. And then my mom and dad had some health issues that required me to make the eight-hour drive to their house on a regular basis. And then my sweet dog passed away suddenly in the Spring, leaving me short one office companion, and melancholy.

All of this means that this year, I’m not sure that I will manage to produce two manuscripts to submit to my editor. It also means that I have been carting around my faithful spiral notebook so that when I’m in the middle of painting, or plumbing, or laying floor tiles, and come up with a new thought/idea/storyline/blog post I have a place to capture it. I know that some people use their phone for these types of things but let us say a cheap notebook and pen is more forgiving of paint-stained fingers.

At this point, you may be asking what my point is, and it is this: Never be afraid of adjusting your goals to fit your life, don’t feel bad about it, do what you need to do, and hold tight to those ideas for future projects. Life is full of seasons, don’t give up, be willing to bend, and ready to snap back when the storm has passed.

Brenda Murphy writes short fiction and novels. She loves tattoos and sideshows and yes, those are her monkeys. When she is not loitering at her local tea shop and writing, she wrangles two kids, one dog, and an unrepentant parrot. She reviews books, blogs about life as a writer with ADHD and publishes photographs on her blog Writing While Distracted. You can find her on Facebook by clicking here. Or if Twitter is your thing follow me @BMurphySideshow

Website: www.brendalmurphy.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Writing-While-Distracted

Books available at

Amazon

NineStar Press

Knotted Legacy

Both Ends of the Whip

ONE

Sum of the Whole