The Quiet One Speaks Out #BRAVE #MyWANA

As the "good girl" alter ego, I've taken the backseat to Tammy and Lia. I've let them take the center stage with their writing and socializing for the last two years and it's been for the best. Now, it's time to find my own voice. I have opinions too. I may not write erotica or go on about BDSM, but I do have things to share.

While they've stood up and voiced their opinions about authors behaving badly, the arguments between what is and isn't romance or erotic romance to be specific, I've kept up the silent support. No more. I have very strong opinions about the same topics, (Don't get me started on Fifty Shades! LOL) but I feel Tammy and Lia can handle that part of our publishing world.

I've been involved in several author support groups and have to say most of them are okay. Some folks actually do support other members while there are those, more than a few really who just take all the group has to offer with little or no reciprocation. Whatever. I'm not going to get all bent out of shape if all of my tweets with a specific hashtag aren't retweeted. Geez! I've got bigger fish to fry and so do the rest of the people in that group. We all have to WRITE.

When did it all become about the number of twitter followers, likes on Facebook, followers on blogs and reviewing each other's work?  What happened to the WRITING??? With all the fancy "time-saving" tools out there now, authors are supposed to be able to tweet and update Facebook posts in advance by scheduling them to go off at specific times around the clock. Not only that, but many groups expect you to share every single post the other members make every single day. How do they do that? They set up the "shares" to go out at specific intervals, be it every 15, 20 or 30 minutes...around the clock.

Ummmm...that sounds a hell of a lot like commercials to me.  What do we all do with commercials on television? We tune them out or fast forward through them to get to "the good parts."

Well what happens when you fast forward through all the promo only to find...nothing. Not one thing the author posts is personal or in any way social. There is no engaging with others on Twitter and Facebook. "I don't have the time. I have to schedule my tweets for tomorrow and make sure I have the next posts in Triberr edited and shared to go out too. Oh and of course I have to set up all my direct messages with the thank you and please go like all my pages right now messages."

I'm just as guilty here. I post once in a while in this blog and every single day I make sure I share every post of my tribe mates on Triberr. The tweets from that go out every 15 minutes. Being the silent pen name of the three of us, that's all my feed has become...promotions for other authors and their works. Where is the SOCIALIZING???

Social media is supposed to be social. You're supposed to find new friends and connect on multiple levels and not just cram your new books down their throats. Sure we all want sales and wish to the Goddess someone sees our tweets and actually buys our books because of them. Why should they?  We're no better than those mindless commercials we choose to ignore. I mean I change the channel whenever the Humane Society ones come on. Seeing those sad eyed animals doesn't make me pick up the phone to donate. I see enough of that in my day job as a veterinarian.

What I'm trying to say is let's stand up and take back all the social media sites and return them to what they were intended to be—online gathering points to share bits and pieces of our lives and not endless commercials selling our books. Okay so I'm not published under Stephanie Ryan yet, but I am as Tammy Dennings Maggy and Lia Michaels. I do know what I'm talking about here. All three of "us" have gone about this all wrong...at least for us.

Won't you join me and buck against the crowd? Come on. Let's be BRAVE!

See you around!
~Steph

#ThursdayThirteen: @HouseofTaboo Author Lia Michaels Shares A Taste of Forbidden Destiny #eroticromance #LGBT #shifters

Welcome to Through Stephanie's Eyes. Today you're in for a special treat. My alter ego, Lia Michaels has released her first LGBT erotic paranormal romance. This one is a short story companion meant to wet your appetite for some sexy eagle shifters. To top it all off, these men are in the Army...whew!  I mean, you can't go wrong with sexy men in uniform.

Forbidden Destiny introduces you to Abraham and Ethan. These two star crossed lovers search for each other through their dreams where they can shift into eagles and soar high up in the clouds together. Have you all seen the National Geographic videos of the courting ritual of raptors like the bald eagle? Well, go look for some and you'll end up breathless watching them just like I did. It's an amazing sight.  

But I digress...

Let's get back to the task at hand and share the blurb from Lia's short story.

Ethan Quaderer is the Great Thunderbird, the creature of Native American legend.  From childhood, Ethan soared high across the land, as one with the majestic bald eagles—only larger and more powerful. Great Thunderbird has one mission, to save the Native American people. But first, he must find his Chosen, his soul mate.

Abraham Tuttle grew up in a household where being different was unacceptable. Forbidden.  He hid his true nature, a Two Spirit—not male or female, but both.  For many Native American tribes, being Two Spirit is a blessing, one to be honored and revered. Not so for Abraham.

Through the Thunderbird dreams each finds the happiness they long for. One dreams of the Great Warrior who’d someday rescue him. The other dreams of the one he’s searched for through many lifetimes.


Dreams turn into reality when both men come face to face in the real world. Can Abraham find it within himself to let go of his past and embrace his future with Ethan, or will his doubts and fears of who and what he really is cause him to lose the only one who could ever complete him heart and soul?

Got your attention now, don't we? ;)  Here's the first thirteen sentences. It's from the opening dream sequence through Abraham's eyes.

“Come to me, Abe. Together we’ll save our people.”

Abraham scanned the shoreline for the source of the deep, haunting voice. He walked up and down the trails in the woods surrounding the lake and so far he turned up nothing. That is, nothing but the bald eagles soaring high in the sky. 

As he watched the aerial display, one of the largest birds of the group broke away from the trio circling overhead. Abraham’s eyes followed the majestic creature through every dive and swoop back up toward the treetops. His breath caught in his chest each time the free fall began. “So beautiful.”

“Join me now, my Chosen. Together the Thunderbirds will bring peace and hope to all our people.”


Abraham’s heart raced and goose bumps immediately covered his bare arms.


Sorry folks. That's all you get for now. If you want to read more of the story, you can get your very own copy today from Smashwords, All Romance ebooks and Amazon.   I've already got my copy in my hot little hands. What's taking you so long? Go on. If you're over 18 years old and enjoy M/M erotic paranormal romances, this one's for you.

About the Author

Lia Michaels is the alter ego of bestselling poet and erotic romance author Tammy Dennings Maggy. With so many characters clamoring for their stories to be told, the job became a bit overwhelming for one sassy vixen to handle. Lia "volunteered" to explore the world of M/M erotic romance as well as menage. Tammy will still tell the M/F and F/F stories but don't be surprised if the two of them collaborate from time to time. With Lia, very few topics will be taboo so look for more fantasy and paranormal tales from her. She'll leave the more contemporary stuff to Tammy but still encourage her to push the limits!

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Sassy Vixen Publishing

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Until next time

~Steph