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URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/autism-spectrum-disorder/
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that appears very early in childhood development, varies in severity, and is characterized by impaired social skills, communication problems, and repetitive behaviors. These difficulties can interfere with affected individuals' ability to function in social, academic, and employment settings. People with ASD also have an increased risk of psychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders.
From as early as 1 to 2 years of age, people with ASD have an impaired ability to interact with other people; they are often more comfortable dealing with objects. Affected individuals have difficulty understanding and using non-verbal social cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and body language. Inability to recognize and use these cues makes it hard for affected individuals to understand the feelings of others or communicate their own feelings appropriately. Behavioral signs of ASD, such as reduced eye contact and social interaction, can sometimes be detected before age 2. However, the condition is usually diagnosed between ages 2 and 4, when more advanced communication and social skills, such as learning to play with others, typically begin to develop.
Repetitive behaviors in ASD can include simple actions such as rocking, hand-flapping, or repetition of words or noises (echolalia). Affected individuals often dwell on or repeatedly express particular thoughts; this behavior is called perseveration. People with ASD tend to be rigid about their established routines and may strongly resist disruptions such as changes in schedule. They may also have difficulty tolerating sensory stimuli such as loud noises or bright lights.
While social and communication difficulties and unusual behaviors define ASD, affected individuals can have a wide range of intellectual abilities and language skills. A majority of people with ASD have mild to moderate intellectual disability, while others have average to above-average intelligence. Some have particular cognitive abilities that greatly surpass their overall level of functioning, often in areas such as music, mathematics, or memory.
Some people with ASD do not speak at all, while others use language fluently. However, fluent speakers with ASD often have problems associated with verbal communication. They might speak in a monotone voice, have unusual vocal mannerisms, or choose unusual topics of conversation.
Several diagnoses that used to be classified as separate conditions are now grouped together under the diagnosis of ASD. For example, autistic disorder was a term that was used when affected individuals had limited or absent verbal communication, often in combination with intellectual disability. By contrast, Asperger syndrome was a diagnosis formerly applied to affected individuals of average or above-average intelligence who were not delayed in their language development. The broader diagnosis of ASD was established because many affected individuals fall outside of the strict definitions of the narrower diagnoses, and their intellectual and communication abilities may change over time. However, some individuals who were previously diagnosed with one of the subtypes now do not meet all the criteria of the new umbrella diagnosis.
ASD is a common condition, and affects almost five times as many males as females.
The number of children diagnosed with ASD has been increasing rapidly in the past few decades. The prevalence of the disorder in the United States was estimated as 1 in 68 children in 2014, up from 1 in 88 only two years earlier. In the 1980s, before the term ASD was used, the prevalence of autism was reported to be about 1 in 2,000. However, it is unclear whether this represents a true increase in the prevalence of ASD or reflects changes in the way behaviors characteristic of the disorder have been diagnosed and categorized.
Changes in over 1,000 genes have been reported to be associated with ASD, but a large number of these associations have not been confirmed. Many common gene variations, most of which have not been identified, are thought to affect the risk of developing ASD, but not all people with the gene variation will be affected. Most of the gene variations have only a small effect, and variations in many genes can combine with environmental risk factors, such as parental age, birth complications, and others that have not been identified, to determine an individual's risk of developing this complex condition. Non-genetic factors may contribute up to about 40 percent of ASD risk.
By contrast, in about 2 to 4 percent of people with ASD, rare gene mutations or chromosome abnormalities are thought to be the cause of the condition, often as a feature of syndromes that also involve additional signs and symptoms affecting various parts of the body. For example, mutations in the ADNP gene cause a disorder called ADNP syndrome. In addition to ASD and intellectual disability, this condition involves distinctive facial features and a wide variety of other signs and symptoms. Some of the other genes in which rare mutations are associated with ASD, often with other signs and symptoms, are ARID1B, ASH1L, CHD2, CHD8, DYRK1A, POGZ, SHANK3, and SYNGAP1. In most individuals with ASD caused by rare gene mutations, the mutations occur in only a single gene.
Many of the genes associated with ASD are involved in the development of the brain . The proteins produced from these genes affect multiple aspects of brain development, including production, growth, and organization of nerve cells (neurons ). Some affect the number of neurons that are produced, while others are involved in the development or function of the connections between neurons (synapses ) where cell-to-cell communication takes place, or of the cell projections (dendrites) that carry signals received at the synapses to the body of the neuron. Many affect development by controlling (regulating) the activity of other genes or proteins.
The specific ways that changes in these and other genes relate to the development of ASD are unknown. However, studies indicate that during brain development, some people with ASD have more neurons than normal and overgrowth in parts of the outer surface of the brain (the cortex). In addition, there are often patchy areas where the normal structure of the layers of the cortex is disturbed. Normally the cortex has six layers, which are established during development before birth, and each layer has specialized neurons and different patterns of neural connection. The neuron and brain abnormalities occur in the frontal and temporal lobes of the cortex, which are involved in emotions, social behavior, and language. These abnormalities are thought to underlie the differences in socialization, communication, and cognitive functioning characteristic of ASD.
Learn more about the genes associated with Autism spectrum disorder
ADNP
ANK2
ARID1B
ASH1L
CTNND2
DYRK1A
GRIN2B
MECP2
POGZ
RELN
SHANK3
SYNGAP1
Additional Information from NCBI Gene:
ASXL3
CACNA1H
CNTN4
CNTNAP2
DSCAM
GABRB3
KATNAL2
KDM5B
MYT1L
NLGN3
NRXN1
PTCHD1
SCN2A
TBR1
ASD has a tendency to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is usually unknown. People with gene changes associated with ASD generally inherit an increased risk of developing the condition, rather than the condition itself. When ASD is a feature of another genetic syndrome, it can be passed on according to the inheritance pattern of that syndrome.
autistic continuum
pervasive developmental disorder
Chahrour M, O'Roak BJ, Santini E, Samaco RC, Kleiman RJ, Manzini MC. Current Perspectives in Autism Spectrum Disorder: From Genes to Therapy. J Neurosci. 2016 Nov 9;36(45):11402-11410. Review. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
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Masi A, DeMayo MM, Glozier N, Guastella AJ. An Overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Heterogeneity and Treatment Options. Neurosci Bull. 2017 Apr;33(2):183-193. doi: 10.1007/s12264-017-0100-y. Epub 2017 Feb 17. Review. Citation on PubMed
Mintz M. Evolution in the Understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Historical Perspective. Indian J Pediatr. 2017 Jan;84(1):44-52. doi: 10.1007/s12098-016-2080-8. Epub 2016 Apr 7. Review. Citation on PubMed
Modabbernia A, Velthorst E, Reichenberg A. Environmental risk factors for autism: an evidence-based review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Mol Autism. 2017 Mar 17;8:13. doi: 10.1186/s13229-017-0121-4. eCollection 2017. Review. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
Mukherjee SB. Autism Spectrum Disorders - Diagnosis and Management. Indian J Pediatr. 2017 Apr;84(4):307-314. doi: 10.1007/s12098-016-2272-2. Epub 2017 Jan 19. Review. Citation on PubMed
Saffin JM, Tohid H. Walk like me, talk like me. The connection between mirror neurons and autism spectrum disorder. Neurosciences (Riyadh). 2016 Apr;21(2):108-19. doi: 10.17712/nsj.2016.2.20150472. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
Sanders SJ. First glimpses of the neurobiology of autism spectrum disorder. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2015 Aug;33:80-92. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2015.10.002. Epub 2015 Nov 9. Review. Citation on PubMed
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Ziats MN, Rennert OM. The Evolving Diagnostic and Genetic Landscapes of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Genet. 2016 Apr 26;7:65. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2016.00065. eCollection 2016. Review. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
Related Medical Tests
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Screening
Page last updated on 18 August 2020 Page last reviewed: 1 June 2017


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Premium Bonds take a quantum leap as new random number generator, ERNIE 5, picks two new jackpot winners for March
ERNIE has regenerated for the first time in 15 years, and is using quantum technology to generate random numbers. NS&I has also become one of the UK's first financial organisations to create an Alexa Skill, giving Premium Bonds customers another way to check their prizes.
A new ERNIE, using quantum technology, generates its first random numbers, creating two new millionaires in Somerset and Buckinghamshire
ERNIE 5 helps draw over three million prizes worth £92 million for March's Premium Bonds draw
When ERNIE met Alexa: Customers can check for their prizes using Alexa for the first time
Since Premium Bonds were launched in 1956, a very special machine has won the affections of the British public, one representing the hopes and dreams of 21 million Premium Bonds holders across the UK and overseas. ERNIE, the Premium Bonds random number generator, is responsible for drawing over three million prizes each month, worth more than £90 million.
The popularity of Premium Bonds has soared so much so that over 79 billion Bonds are now eligible to win any of the three million prizes each month. After 15 years of loyal service, ERNIE 4 has been decommissioned and replaced with a faster machine to cope with the increasing volume of numbers that have to be produced every month.
ERNIE 4 will spend retirement in the leafy surroundings of Bletchley Park, after being handed to the National Museum of Computing. The concept for the very first ERNIE was created here, by Tommy Flowers, builder of the code-breaking Colossus during World War Two.
The Power of Premium Bonds: ERNIE 5 taking a quantum leap
All previous ERNIEs have used thermal noise to produce random numbers, however ERNIE 5 is powered by quantum technology, the ability to produce random numbers through light.
This new technology, developed by ID Quantique (IDQ), has allowed ERNIE to produce enough random numbers for March's prize draw in just 12 minutes, far superior to the 9 hours that ERNIE 4 took towards the end of its random number generating-career.
Checking prizes has also evolved
Customers can now check prizes through the official NS&I Premium Bonds prize checker Alexa skill as well as using the prize checker on nsandi.com and downloading the official Premium Bonds prize checker app from the Apple App store or Google Play. This is one of the first retail banking voice applications to the UK market.
ERNIE through the generations
ERNIE 1
Number of prizes paid out per draw (at end of the machine's life - rounded)
90,000 192,000 1 million 3 million
Value of prizes paid out per draw (at end of machine's life - rounded)
£3.7 million £11.5 million £57 million £92 million
Investment in Premium Bonds (at year of introduction)
£49 million £969 million £2.2 billion £25 billion
Time taken to run draw (at end of machine's life)
10 days (1973) 5.5 hours (1988) 5.5 hours (2004) 9 hours (2019)
Processing speed (Bond numbers per hour)
2,000 65,000 330,000 1 million
Ian Ackerley NS&I Chief Executive, said:
"Premium Bonds are as popular as ever before and ERNIE has been an integral part of that journey, changing the lives of millions of our customers since 1957.
"But ERNIE and Premium Bonds are also moving with the times; ERNIE, using quantum technology, will now be able to generate the millions of numbers required at a much faster pace, continuing to give customers a chance to have some fun while having a secure place for their savings.
"Meanwhile customers can use digital channels to check and manage Premium Bonds – from asking Alexa to check prizes to getting prizes paid directly into their bank account – saving and winning is easier, faster, and more accessible than ever before"
ERNIE 5's March millionaires
The first eligible Bond numbers to be generated by ERNIE, winning the two £1 million jackpot prizes, belong to a man from Somerset and a woman from Buckinghamshire.
The Somerset winner, who holds the maximum amount of £50,000 in Premium Bonds, has held his winning Bonds since September 2015 (winning Bond number: 256SE420168).
The second millionaire for March, a woman from Buckinghamshire holds £33,116 in Premium Bonds, and purchased the winning Bond in May 2016 (Winning Bond number: 272TH828201).
Premium Bonds are one of the most popular savings products, offering tax free prizes which can be paid directly into customers' bank accounts. The minimum investment is now just £25 and can be bought as a gift for children under 16 by parents and grandparents.
Since the launch of Premium Bonds in 1956 ERNIE has created 406 millionaires and generated the numbers for over 432 million prizes totalling £19.2 billion. Today, ERNIE has drawn over three million prizes worth more than £92 million.
March 2019 prize draw breakdown
In the March 2019 draw, a total of 3,252,781 prizes worth £92,975,275 will be paid out. There were 79,693,094,848 eligible Bonds for the draw.
Value of prize
Number of prizes
£1,000,000 2
£100,000 5
£50,000 11
£5,000 106
£1,000 1,859
£500 5,577
£100 25,491
£50 25,491
£25 3,194,165
Total value of prizes
£92,975,275
Total number of prizes
All Premium Bonds prizes are free of UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.
NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK, offering a range of savings and investments to 25 million customers. All products offer 100% capital security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.
ID Quantique (IDQ) – builders of ERNIE 5 - is a global company founded in 2001 and headquartered in Switzerland, with engineering and research labs located around the world. IDQ has established itself as a leader in the fields of quantum-safe cryptography, scientific instrumentation and random number generation. IDQ is dedicated to remaining the global leader in Quantum Sensing & Quantum Cryptography solutions. Its products are used by governments, enterprises and academic customers in more than 60 countries and on every continent.
The annual Premium Bonds prize fund rate is currently 1.40% and the odds of each individual Bond number winning any prize are currently 24,500 to 1.
Pictures of the power behind ERNIE 5, the previous ERNIEs and Premium Bonds, including the Premium Bonds app are available in high-resolution jpeg format from the NS&I media team.
7. Some prizes that ERNIE 5 has generated numbers for may also become unclaimed after 18 months, as a result of Premium Bonds holders changing their addresses and not keeping other details up to date with NS&I. A total of 1.5 million prizes remain unclaimed, totalling over £60 million.
Customers can buy Premium Bonds online at nsandi.com and over the phone by calling 08085 007 007. This is a freephone number and calls to it from the UK are free from both landlines and mobiles. Calls may be recorded. Customers can also buy by post. Existing customers can also buy by bank transfer and standing order and currently each investment must be at least £25 for bank transfers and standing orders.
Contact the media team
Journalists can call us any time. Out of hours, all media team numbers are directed to the out of hours duty Press Officer.
Science meets finance at the launch of the new fourth generation ERNIE
National Savings and Investments (NS&I) today launched ERNIE 4 (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) at the Science Museum, London, bringing all four generations of ERNIE together for the first time.
Premium Bonds celebrates 60th anniversary
Sixty years is a long time in anyone's book: in that time there have been 12 British Prime Ministers, five UK Eurovision winners, and there have been over 8,000 episodes of Coronation Street broadcasted to homes up and down the country.
Agent Million travels to the opposite ends of the country to make Premium Bonds millionaires in Cumbria and Dorset
In ERNIE's 61st year of drawing Premium Bond prizes, two lucky Bond holders from Cumbria and Dorset have won the £1 million jackpot in July's draw.
Premium Bonds take a quantum leap as a new ERNIE is launched, while over £60 million worth of Premium Bonds prizes remain unclaimed
ERNIE has moved into the quantum realm but over £60 million in prizes is still to be paid to winning Premium Bonds holders.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Tag Archive: Kevin Almstead
Rainbow Snippets, December 31, 2016 — STONE COLD (SoulShares #8)
Hello, Snippetteers! — rather than try to come up with an appropriate epitaph for 2016, I decided to just do my bit to make sure the year ends on a high note. Those of you who have read HARD AS STONE (SoulShares #1) know exactly what this picture signifies — and those of you who haven't will at least have an inkling by the time you finish this Snippet from STONE COLD. Yes, it's seven sentences, but as usual, I trust you'll understand the necessity. The POV character is Kevin Almstead, the human main character from HARD AS STONE. Oh, and just remember — Fae can Fade. *winks*
And here's wishing everyone a peaceful — and powerful — New Year.
Tiernan had taught Kevin to love breath play, early on in their relationship, and by now his response when Tiernan slipped his tie up over the collar of his dress shirt and started tugging to tighten it again around his throat was pure reflex: rapid heartbeat, shallow panting breaths, and a hard-on that could have used its own zip code.
"Maybe you should lie down." Tiernan started slowly backing them up toward their bed, still tightening the improvised noose around Kevin's neck and working his body against Kevin's in a way that made Kevin pretty sure he wasn't going to make it to blackout before he came like a —
"Oh, sorry, bad time?"
Kevin didn't understand the Faen obscenity his husband whispered. He didn't need to, though. "Yes, Conall. A very bad time."
And a few links to round out the post, and the year —
Rainbow Snippets, your Facebook home for more LGBTQIA+ goodies: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets/
And my Amazon page, where you can find Fae and shapeshifters and just a bit of SF: http://ow.ly/Ocze307AdKv
Tags: Conall Dary, Hard as Stone, Kevin Almstead, Rainbow Snippet, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, Stone Cold, Tiernan Guaire
Rainbow Snippets, November 26, 2016 — STONE COLD (SoulShares #8)
Hello, Snippetteers! — my apologies for being MIA for so long… last weekend, I was off the grid, on a Caribbean cruise. (My picture for this week is one I took at the Mayan ruins in Tulum — if I ever self-pub "Obsidian," my snake shifter story, one of these shots just might be the cover, because I definitely found the ruined city where the Lamiae live!) And the weekend before that, the weekend after the election, frankly, I wasn't up for much except staring at the wall in a more-or-less catatonic state…
This week's snippet was written somewhere between Grand Cayman and the Bahamas 😉 and it involves Tiernan and Kevin, the main characters from HARD AS STONE (SoulShares #1), trying to have a conversation in a hot tub. It goes about as well as you might expect…. (Oh, and it's seven sentences. I really don't think the first "sentence" ought to count….)
"Shit." Tiernan worked the fingers of his crystal hand into Kevin's dark hair, drawing his husband's head to rest on his shoulder. "Stay up here, at least your mouth isn't distracting me this way."
"Optimist, aren't you?" Kevin nipped at Tiernan's throat.
"Scilim g'fua lom tú."
"I hate you too, just as much."
And a few links for you —
Rainbow Snippets on Facebook, your home away from home for all sorts of LGBTQIA+ goodies: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets/
And how about pretty much everything, all in one? — my Amazon author page, where you'll find everything from Fae to shapeshifters to Shakespeare to science fiction: http://ow.ly/tJAe306yiu0
See you next week — promise!
Tags: Hard as Stone, Kevin Almstead, Obsidian, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, Stone Cold, Tiernan Guaire, Tulum
Rainbow Snippets, July 23, 2016 — STONE COLD (SoulShares #8)
Good morning-almost-afternoon, Snippetteers! I have a hot-off-the-presses snippet for you this week, just added last night to my WIP, STONE COLD (SoulShares #8). This one had to be seven sentences rather than six — I'm sure you can see why — and just by way of background, a "wellspring" doesn't have anything to do with actual water, it's a place where magickal energy wells "up" from the Fae Realm into the human world. They've been busting out all over lately, and they're kind of a pain in the arse for our human and Fae protagonists. "Kevin" is Kevin Almstead, the human MC from book one, HARD AS STONE; the three "figures" are Mac, Lucien, and Rhoann, the triad from UNDERTOW (SoulShares #7).
A brittle, musical chime filled the air, an instant before three dripping-wet figures appeared, sitting in the middle of a spreading puddle in the heart of the wellspring.
"That wasn't so — oh, hell, Kevin!"
As deep a funk as he'd been in moments before, Kevin still had a hard time keeping himself from bursting out laughing at the look on Mac's face. Rhoann had something of an aversion to clothes, and was getting his human partners accustomed to going without in private. And they'd all apparently come from their home away from home at the bottom of the Pool in Central Park, where clothing was less than optional — it was pointless.
"I'm not looking." Not strictly true, but close enough for jazz.
And, finally, a couple of links:
Rainbow Snippets on Facebook, your home for LGBTQIA+ goodies — http://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets/
And if you'd like to read Mac, Lucien, and Rhoann's whole story, here's UNDERTOW (just out this week!!!):
Amazon: http://ow.ly/lndN302xps2
ARe: http://ow.ly/duNl302xpxb
Tags: Hard as Stone, Kevin Almstead, Lucien de Winter, m/m romance, m/m/m romance, Mac McAllan, Rainbow Snippet, Rhoann Callte, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, Stone Cold, Undertow
Hello, Snippetteers! — I'm having SO MUCH FUN typing this, because Her Majesty Grace O'Malley the Pirate Queen of Ireland has decided my hands are the only place in this apartment fit for her to sit… this week's Snippet is from STONE COLD, my WIP and the eighth book in the SoulShares series. This snippet stars Kevin Almstead, the human MC from HARD AS STONE (SoulShares #1), arriving at the Purgatory construction site just after sunset.
Kevin eased his Mercedes into the gap between buildings that was eventually going to be the new Purgatory's valet parking area. Letting the steering wheel glide back to center under his palms, he was happy to see that his hands had finally stopped shaking.
Fuck premonitions.
Switching off the headlights, he eased out of the car, quietly closing the door and locking it behind himself. Conall's ward masked sound at least as well as it did sight, but it was a bare-bones, low-wattage affair, and Kevin didn't trust it entirely. And some of the subcontractors occasionally had people on the construction site at night, to whom it would be awkward to explain the invisible back door into Purgatory.
My usual couple of links is being expanded to four today, to cover a Very Special Occasion *grins*
First, Rainbow Snippets on Facebook, for more LGBTQIA+ goodies: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets/
Order links for UNDERTOW (SoulShares #7), coming out July 19 (this Tuesday!!):
Amazon e-book: http://ow.ly/zJum302jq5T
Amazon paperback: http://ow.ly/xTJz302jq7R
And, finally, I'm throwing a party on Facebook, on release day, July 19, from 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon, Central US time, and I would LOVE to have y'all come! https://www.facebook.com/events/252662915117937/
Tags: Hard as Stone, Kevin Almstead, Purgatory, Rainbow Snippet, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, Stone Cold, Undertow
Why buy chocolate for Valentine's Day when you can nibble on a Fae instead?
The Fae of the SoulShares would love to heat up your Valentine's Day!
Start off with HARD AS STONE (Tiernan and Kevin), at Amazon (http://ow.ly/YidsD), Barnes & Noble (http://ow.ly/Yidzd), Kobo (http://ow.ly/YidF0), All Romance eBooks (http://ow.ly/YidPb), and Riverdale Avenue Books (http://ow.ly/YidZe)
and then move on to
GALE FORCE (Conall and Josh)
DEEP PLUNGE (Lochlann and Garrett)
FIRESTORM (Cuinn and Rian)
BLOWING SMOKE (Lasair and Bryce)
MANTLED IN MIST (Fiachra and Peri)
And while you're shopping, don't forget to pre-order WOLF, BECOMING, my Russian shape-shifter novella from Dreamspinner Press – available February 24, and on 25 percent off sale at Dreamspinner through February 15!
Amazon (http://ow.ly/Yi87B), Barnes & Noble (http://ow.ly/YieAl), Kobo (http://ow.ly/YievT), All Romance eBooks (http://ow.ly/YidSo), and Dreamspinner Press (http://ow.ly/YieDB)
Tags: Blowing Smoke, Bryce Newhouse, Conall Dary, Cuinn an Dearmad, Deep Plunge, Fiachra Dubhdara, Firestorm, Gale Force, Garrett Templar, Hard as Stone, Josh LaFontaine, Kevin Almstead, Lasair Faol, Lochlann Doran, Lucien de Winter, m/m romance, Mac McAllan, Mantled in Mist, Peri Katsura, Rhoann Callte, Rian Aodan, Rian Sheridan, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Setanta, Soulshares, Tiernan Guaire, Undertow, Wolf Becoming
Rainbow Snippets — Hard as Stone (SoulShares #1)
colorful font letter R
In just about five weeks, MANTLED IN MIST (SoulShares #6) is scheduled to make its way into your Kindles or onto your bookshelves. So I thought I'd lead up to that happy day with Rainbow Snippets from the first five SoulShares. Starting with HARD AS STONE (SoulShares #1) — Kevin's first encounter with the Fae, Tiernan Guaire:
"I'm sorry." The laughter lingering in the voice told him the speaker was anything but sorry. He was enjoying Kevin's reaction. He'd bet anything that when he opened his eyes again, that devastating blue gaze would be locked on his. Anything.
Fuck, I hate being right sometimes.
HARD AS STONE for Kindle: http://ow.ly/VO8bA
And if you'd like to check out more Snippets, come join us on Facebook! — https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets/
Tags: Hard as Stone, Kevin Almstead, Rainbow Snippet, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, Tiernan Guaire
SoulShares Buy Links, or In Which Rory Collides Head-On With The 21st Century And We See Who Wins
Ask my teenager, and I'm sure he'll be glad to tell you all about how his Mom larned her readin' and writin' and cipherin' by scratching on the face of a shovel with charcoal. But even the oldest of dogs have been known to learn new tricks, and I'm going to spend this weekend meditating on the mysteries of the QR Code.
I'm listing all the buy links for the SoulShares below, and I'll be updating (and filling in the blanks) as I get links. If any of the links don't work for you, let me know in the comments below and I'll do what I can to fix them. (Which will probably involve telling my son that Mom's out of charcoal again…)
SOULSHARES BUY LINKS
Hard as Stone (Tiernan Guaire and Kevin Almstead)
Amazon (Kindle) — http://www.amazon.com/Hard-As-Stone-Book-SoulShares-ebook/dp/B00YB9RSNI/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Amazon (Paperback) — http://www.amazon.com/Hard-As-Stone-Book-SoulShares/dp/1626011931/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
All Romance eBooks — https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hardasstonebookoneofthesoulsharesseries-1815080-340.html
Barnes & Noble (Nook) — http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hard-as-stone-book-one-of-the-soulshares-series-rory-ni-coileain/1121999716?ean=2940151651233
Kobo — https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/hard-as-stone-2
Gale Force (Conall Dary and Josh LaFontaine)
Amazon (Kindle) — http://www.amazon.com/Gale-Force-Book-Two-SoulShares-ebook/dp/B00ZG85LVY/ref=la_B009M8XQP2_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434072678&sr=1-5&refinements=p_82%3AB009M8XQP2%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A618073011
Amazon (Paperback) — http://www.amazon.com/Gale-Force-Book-Two-SoulShares/dp/1626012016/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434070650&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=rory+ni+coileain+Gale+Force
All Romance eBooks — https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-galeforcebooktwoofthesoulsharesseries-1825463-149.html
Barnes & Noble (Nook) — http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gale-force-book-two-of-the-soulshares-series-rory-ni-coileain/1122095801?ean=2940151450300
Kobo — https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/gale-force-2
Deep Plunge (Lochlann Doran and Garrett Templar)
Amazon (Kindle) — http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Plunge-Book-3-SoulShares-ebook/dp/B01096BDXM/ref=la_B009M8XQP2_1_6_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435115747&sr=1-6
Amazon (Paperback) — http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Plunge-SoulShares-Rory-Coileain/dp/1626012075/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1436488478&sr=8-2&keywords=Deep+Plunge+Rory+Ni+Coileain
All Romance eBooks — https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-deepplungebook3ofthesoulsharesseries-1840037-340.html
Barnes & Noble (Nook) — http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deep-plunge-book-3-of-the-soulshares-series-rory-ni-coileain/1122189321?ean=2940151138369
Kobo — https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/deep-plunge-1
Firestorm (Rian Sheridan and Cuinn an Dearmad)
Amazon (Kindle) — http://www.amazon.com/Firestorm-SoulShares-Rory-Ni-Coileain-ebook/dp/B011AKJNAG/ref=sr_1_7_twi_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436489308&sr=1-7&refinements=p_27%3ARory+Ni+Coileain
Amazon (Paperback) — http://www.amazon.com/Firestorm-Book-Four-SoulShares-4/dp/1626012105/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436549455&sr=1-1&keywords=rory+ni+coileain+firestorm
All Romance eBooks — https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-firestormbookfourofthesoulsharesseries-1846722-149.html
Barnes & Noble (Nook) – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/firestorm-book-four-of-the-soulshares-series-rory-ni-coileain/1122266522?ean=2940151024006
Kobo — https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/firestorm-54
Blowing Smoke (Lasair Faol and Bryce Newhouse)
Amazon (Kindle) – http://www.amazon.com/Blowing-Smoke-Book-Five-SoulShares-ebook/dp/B011HE7RG2/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1436754435&sr=1-3&keywords=Rory+Ni+Coileain
Amazon (Paperback) – http://www.amazon.com/Blowing-Smoke-Book-Five-SoulShares/dp/1626012121/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
All Romance eBooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-blowingsmokebookfiveofthesoulsharesseries-1851332-149.html
Barnes & Noble (Nook) – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blowing-smoke-book-five-in-the-soulshares-series-rory-ni-coileain/1122287929?ean=2940150794184
Kobo — https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/blowing-smoke-5
And, just for good measure –
"Ilya and the Wolf" (Dreamspinner Press, short story, Russian shapeshifters) – Amazon (Kindle) – http://www.amazon.com/Ilya-Wolf-Rory-Ni-Coileain-ebook/dp/B00QEUP9XS/ref=la_B009M8XQP2_1_7_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436845609&sr=1-7
Heart of the Oak (Ellora's Cave, novella, Gille Dubh) – Amazon (Kindle) – http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Oak-Boys-Will-Book-ebook/dp/B00FBF4XIY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436845523&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Tempted+from+the+Oak+Rory+Ni+Coileain
Tempted from the Oak (Ellora's Cave, novella, Gille Dubh) – Amazon (Kindle) — http://www.amazon.com/Tempted-Oak-Rory-Ni-Coileain-ebook/dp/B00J8N6SY2/ref=la_B009M8XQP2_1_8_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436845564&sr=1-8
Tags: Blowing Smoke, Bryce Newhouse, Conall Dary, Cuinn an Dearmad, Deep Plunge, Firestorm, Gale Force, Garrett Templar, Hard as Stone, Josh LaFontaine, Kevin Almstead, Lasair Faol, Lochlann Doran, Marfach, Rian Aodan, Rian Sheridan, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Setanta, Soulshares, Tiernan Guaire
Pre-order links for the SoulShares!
Hard as Stone, Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/Hard-As-Stone-Book-Soul…/…/ref=sr_1_3…
Hard as Stone, All Romance e-Books: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hardasstonebookone…
Hard as Stone, Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/hard-as-stone-2
***prior post***
"Ay me! For aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth."
So Lysander said, in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream…. and so it can occasionally be said of publishing! I fully intended to have a pre-order link for HARD AS STONE available in time for the cover release, but alas, 'twas not to be. So here's what I'll do – I'll post the link here as soon as it's available. And if you'd like a reminder, comment below with your e-mail address and I'll send you the link as soon as it's up.
Also, as a reward for following Kevin and Tiernan this far, here's another excerpt from HARD AS STONE – enjoy!
Tiernan leaned against the windowsill, looking out into the early evening pedestrian traffic on Bleecker Street. He hadn't really been living in Greenwich Village long enough to get particularly nostalgic about it, only a few years, but it had a pleasant aura to it. A good vibe, he supposed some humans might call it. He'd lived in a lot of places, in more than a century and a half on this side of the Pattern, moving around every few years, before the humans around him started noticing that he didn't age. He'd even lived in D.C. a couple of times, once right after the American Civil War and then again back in the late Forties, for a few years. This place, though, had felt as much like home as anyplace in the human world ever could.
But that was about to change. He shrugged and turned away from the window, his gaze raking the efficiency apartment. The bathroom door stood ajar, revealing the sybaritic tub and shower combination he'd violated pretty much every rule this building had in order to get installed. A shame he couldn't take that with him. He wasn't one to accumulate things, but he'd grown very fond of that bad boy. Sixteen settings on the shower head alone… damn.
The coffee maker tugged at what passed for his heartstrings, too, but it at least was a brand name and he could always order another one—should have already, he'd groaned out loud when he'd first discovered that his human drank instant coffee. Caffeine is caffeine, Kevin had said with a shrug, their first morning waking up together.
Instant coffee is sacrilege, had been his snarled reply.
It had been met with laughter. You'll have to tell me more about that religion.
He'd let that one go, since the Fae had no gods. And even if they did, he doubted any would have followed him through the Pattern. What use a half-souled god? With a congregation of one? So far as he'd ever been able to tell, anyway. Granted, Fae had never exactly lined up in the Realm for the privilege of being torn asunder, but it had happened before. There had been stories. But he had yet to meet another of his kind.
The open mouth of his duffel bag beckoned from the California king-sized bed that took up most of the rest of the little space. Most of his clothes were already packed, and his shitkickers stood next to the bed, waiting for him to step into them. Truthfully, he preferred to be barefoot. He didn't like to be encumbered, and he didn't feel the cold. Much.
He had finally felt it, though, in the small hours of this morning, standing on the National Mall with Kevin. At first, the shivers had been the last fading remnants of nightmare, the same one that had made him lash out. But gradually, the cold had seeped into him, spreading from the soles of his feet up through his body, and when his human had drawn him in, he'd only put up token resistance, leaned in and pressed himself close and sighed, splaying his hands out over that broad strong back.
Come stay with me, Kevin had whispered.
He'd started, and drawn back, and seen chagrin in that dark brown gaze. I know it's sudden, but if what you've said is true and we really do share a soul… Kevin's struggle with that concept had been a mighty one, and still was. Then maybe it's the right thing to do. And maybe I can help you with the dreams.
Going to let me black the other eye for you? He'd shaken his head, and tried to protest; in the end, though, the lawyer's persuasive powers—and a hot kiss or three, complete with unfair breathless moans—had carried the argument.
He shook his head, reaching down to pick up the battered leather volume on the small table beside the bed, and the little leather pouch half-full of charcoal sticks. A few leaves had been torn out, and then tucked back in; he ran his fingers idly over the rough edges, then jammed book and bag into the duffel. He stepped into the boots, stomped his feet down into them. Almost done.
A belt hung over one of the bedposts, as if he'd played ring-toss with it; he caught it up, unbuckled it, and slid it through the belt loops of his leathers. The sheath hanging there was empty, but that was easily remedied. His stiletto was stuck in the plaster wall, almost at eye level, over the bed, right where he'd thrown it.
One of the two pages tacked to the wall was his latest attempt to capture in charcoal the intricate knots and loops of the Pattern; no two drawings were ever the same, and none was ever quite right. Even trying to copy his tattoo didn't help, for some reason. Maybe someday he'd get it right, though, and then maybe it would quit haunting his fucking nightmares.
Then there was the other. He pulled the stiletto free, slipped it into its sheath, and smoothed the gouge it had left in the thick paper with a fingertip. A breathtakingly beautiful fair-haired woman looked back at him, caught by a few strokes of the charcoal, in the act of looking back over her shoulder. Just as she had when she'd Faded from his cell, a century and a half ago.
If he'd ever had the ability to love, it had died in that cell.
He reached for the torn page… stopped. There was nothing more here he needed. He buckled the duffel shut, hoisted the strap over his shoulder, the truesilver links coiled around the strap jingling softly, and Faded. Without looking back.
Tags: Kevin Almstead, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, SoulShares Cover Reveal, Tiernan Guaire
How What I Like Least Led Me to What I Love
It's an experience I think we've all had. Sometimes it happens when you're feeling stuck, when everything you do feels forced or stale or joyless and you can't think of anything new to try. Other times it falls on you out of the sky, when you're totally not expecting it, and sometimes it takes you a while simply to figure out what this odd thing is that's landed on you and what the heck you're supposed to do with it. And still other times, you take a deep breath, close your eyes, open yourself up to God or the Universe or karma or your Muse and you say "Hit me, baby, I'm waiting."
And then it hits, and you open one eye, just a crack, and peer upward or inward and say "Are You/you/y'all really sure about that?"
Every once in a while, in other words, you get a clue.
The last month or so of my life has partaken of all of the above, to a greater or lesser extent. I've been feeling very stuck, not so much in my writing, as in my writing career. Due to a whole bunch of circumstances beyond my control, it's been over a year since I've had a new book come out, and it's going to be another six weeks or so before the first of the reissued SoulShares comes out. And while I write because I love to write, and because at this point in my life I can't imagine not writing, I've always nurtured the hope that I'll be able to make the writing pay, at least enough to let me go to conventions and get a new laptop when I drive the old one into the ground. So it's been a l-o-n-g dry spell.
Then a bunch of my friends, in the Rainbow Romance Writers forum and elsewhere, all started talking about the same thing.
Now, if you know me at all, you know that I consider the m-word an honorary four-letter word. Most of this is because I'm not technologically very ept, for all that I work for an Internet information provider and spend all my time at BOTH my jobs on a computer. The time it would take for me to get up to speed on multiple social media platforms, learn marketing techniques on them, and then actually, well, market would add another year on to my dry spell, easily. Not to mention that I was raised never, ever, EVER to blow my own horn. Praise yourself, or ask for praise, and utter disaster will follow. Blowing your own horn just shows that no one else is interested in blowing it for you. If you have to ask for praise, it means you don't deserve it. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Marketing. *shudder*
But as several people kindly put it to me, "Rory, you have to get over that. You have to grow up."
I still didn't like it. "I don't have time to do all that and write, too!"
"You don't have to do 'all that' at once. Start by picking what you want to be known for. What you love best, what you think you do best. What excites you. And start selling that. Not your individual books. Your passion."
Well, maybe I can do that part, I thought.
And when I gave that part some thought, it wasn't all that hard to figure out what I love best. Myth, legend, fantasy, fairytale. (All in an m/m context, of course.)
There was a feeling of being trapped, though, that I didn't much care for. What about contemporary m/m, or historical m/m, or science fiction m/m? I love reading all of those subgenres, even though I don't write them – do I want to say 'No, nay, never' to them?
And then it hit me.
I'm not 'trapped' in myth, legend, fairy tale, folk tale.
I'm effing ROCKING them.
And, funny thing, as soon as that dawned on me, doors started opening. In the last eight days, I've sat in on three panels at two separate conventions, on the subject of fairy tales as writer fuel. I've been able to give copies of one of my novellas to Jane Yolen and Emma Bull, two of my biggest inspirations to write fantasy and urban fantasy. I've signed on to blog with Queer Sci Fi on a monthly basis, as both a romance author and a fantasy author. I've designed a new logo, one I hope to unveil by the time the SoulShares reissues start, that makes me want to hug myself and giggle because it's just so gosh darn perfect.
And I'm loving what I'm doing again. I'm excited.
I hope y'all are, too. Because I'm looking forward to giving you a LOT to be excited about.
Speaking of giving… and scheduling… I know I've given out a lot of conflicting dates lately, and I'm starting to sound like the Fae Who Cried Wolf. Or something. I do apologize – but this latest delay is for a very good reason. Namely, I want to be able to give you all buy links for the new books when I debut the covers. Which means giving my publisher, Riverdale Avenue Books, a little more time to get everything set up properly so I can have buy links before the books come out. So here's the schedule, as far as I know it and please God let it be the final one:
May 27: HARD AS STONE reissue
June 3: GALE FORCE reissue
June 10: DEEP PLUNGE reissue
June 17: FIRESTORM reissue
June 24: BLOWING SMOKE – new release!
June 28: My birthday *winks*
And if you just can't wait until the end of May for more? Check out HEART OF THE OAK, TEMPTED FROM THE OAK, and "Ilya and the Wolf" on Amazon!
HEART — http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Oak-Boys-Will-Book-ebook/dp/B00FBF4XIY/ref=la_B009M8XQP2_1_4_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428797268&sr=1-4
TEMPTED — http://www.amazon.com/Tempted-Oak-Rory-Ni-Coileain-ebook/dp/B00J8N6SY2/ref=la_B009M8XQP2_1_3_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428797333&sr=1-3
Ilya — http://www.amazon.com/Ilya-Wolf-Rory-Ni-Coileain-ebook/dp/B00QEUP9XS/ref=la_B009M8XQP2_1_5_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428797364&sr=1-5
And, finally, if you want to hear from me a little more often than I post here, I invite you to come find me on Facebook – I have an Author page at https://www.facebook.com/Soulshares and a group, Rory's Three Rs – Rowdies, Ruffians, and Rogues, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/721651487924752/ .
One way or another – see you soon, for more Men, Myths, and Legends! (And, hopefully, a better tag line than that!)
Tags: Blowing Smoke, Conall Dary, Cuinn an Dearmad, Darach, Deep Plunge, Firestorm, Gale Force, Garrett Templar, Gavin Cross, Gille Dubh, Hard as Stone, Josh LaFontaine, Kevin Almstead, Lochlann Doran, Queer Sci Fi, Rian Aodan, Rian Sheridan, Riverdale Avenue Books, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, Tearlach, Tiernan Guaire, Trevor MacLeod
Valentine's Day with Kevin and Tiernan
With the upcoming re-issue of the first four SoulShares novels (HARD AS STONE, GALE FORCE, DEEP PLUNGE, and FIRESTORM) and the upcoming release of the fifth (BLOWING SMOKE), and the fact that I'm about to leave on a week-long you're-going-to-take-a-vacation-whether-you-need-it-or-not, I haven't had a lot of time to craft a Valentine's Day story for this year. However… I'm treating this as an opportunity to go back in time a couple of years and bring back one of my favorite Kevin and Tiernan short stories, about the first Valentine's Day of their married life. (Sorry if that was a spoiler for anyone….!) And a word to the wise, this is definitely a love story for the 18-and-over set…
Kevin eyed the plastic cup in his hand speculatively. Well, kind of a cup. A hollow hand grenade. And the bartender was watching him with an ill-concealed grin. Maybe I shouldn't have admitted it's my first time in New Orleans. Off to one side, the house band on the small stage was rocking out a zydeco song about what girls in the bayou they will do, won't do.
Strange choice for Valentine's Day. But, then, so was the Funky Pirate. Sighing, Kevin raised the cup, saluted the bartender, and took a healthy swig. Then, slowly, he set the cup back down on the bar, fighting the urge to cough. Holy shit.
The bartender laughed. "You let me know when you want another one."
He moved off down the bar, stopping in front of what looked like a group of friends of the band, and Kevin's gaze wandered. The front door of the bar stood open, and looked out onto the famous Bourbon Street. The street was closed to traffic, and was fairly crowded with pedestrians, most of them probably bar-hopping, carrying their take-away cups from one bar to the next. Probably nothing like it had been a few days ago, though.
The firm couldn't have sent me here for Mardi Gras, no, they had to wait for Valentine's Day. Kevin grimaced and had another go at the cup of death and delirium in his hand. Just let me get this down and I swear I'll go back to civilized drinks. Nothing wrong with Jack and coke.
Nothing except the fact that he'd be drinking it alone. Damn, he missed Tiernan. Which was silly, because he'd be home in a couple of days. But he'd been looking forward to this Valentine's Day, the first of his married life.
Almost on the thought, there was a pleasant buzz in his pocket. He pulled out his phone, saw the familiar number, and grinned as he slid the toggle to unlock the screen. "Hey, lanan." He slipped off the barstool and looked quickly around; the Funky Pirate had a back courtyard, and he headed for it, phone in one hand and drink in the other.
"Hey, bodelafint."
Kevin felt his cheeks flush even as he grinned. Only a Fae would turn 'Elephant Dick' into an endearment. "Are you at work?" He sighed with relief as he escaped into the courtyard; there was hardly anyone out here, and even though the music inside was being piped outside, it was a hell of a lot easier to hear.
"Hell, yes. Though I don't know why, it's not like there's anything for me to do here." Kevin thought he could hear the pounding bass of Purgatory's sound system behind his husband's voice. "Where are you? I hear music."
"I thought I'd try the Funky Pirate. Great music, lethal drinks. I'm out in the courtyard now, though." Kevin tried another pull at the oddly shaped glass, and this time there was no reason not to cough.
Tiernan's laugh was pure wickedness. "You're trying a hand grenade? When I'm not there to take advantage of you afterward?"
"You know the place?" A small staircase in a corner of the courtyard led up to a second story that was gated off; Kevin crossed to it and sat down on the stairs, balancing his drink on his knee.
"Yeah, I've been there a few times. I like the music. Though Bourbon Street Blues Company's better for picking up guys."
"Happy Valentine's Day to you, too." Kevin chuckled, but there was frustration in the sound. "I'd rather be at home right now. Especially considering that I wanted to dress to suit the day, but I don't own anything pink, and the only red item of clothing I have is my red silk tie." The tie that was his private signal to his husband that he was in the mood for breath play. Which he was. Damn.
"You don't say." The words were slow, drawn-out, and followed by a long silence. Then, just as Kevin was about to ask if the Fae was still there, "You say you're in the courtyard?"
"Yes." Puzzled, Kevin took another drink, held the peculiar glass between his knees, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Send me a picture."
"Of me?" I am so not unconfused.
Another low chuckle. "No. Of the courtyard. That back corner, by the steps."
Kevin opened his mouth to ask how Tiernan knew the layout of the courtyard, but one glance at the corner beside where he sat answered that question very nicely, supplying him with all sorts of images of his husband putting the semi-privacy to thorough use with a woman, women, a man, men… All of which thoughts were making him horny as hell. "Hang on."
Switching the phone to camera setting, he snapped a shot of the corner and texted it off, then returned the phone to his ear. "Was that what you wanted, m'lanan?"
"That was fucking perfect."
Tiernan's reply wasn't coming from the phone.
Kevin's head snapped around, and his eyes went wide at the sight of the Fae, shirtless under a denim jacket, in jeans so tight they looked like they'd been tattooed on, blond hair curling around his shoulders. And wearing a smirk that brought the lawyer's cock to instant and rigid attention.
"I needed the reminder." Then, in a murmur that should have sent up tendrils of smoke, "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Holy shit." Kevin slammed down the last of his hand grenade, let the cup fall to the ground, and surged to his feet, to be caught up in Tiernan's arms and turned and pushed back against the vine-covered brickwork, where the Fae's mouth came down on his in a kiss that left him dizzy.
He felt one of Tiernan's hands sliding up between their bodies, out of sight; long, strong fingers closed around his tie and slid up the silken length to fist just below the knot. "You weren't kidding, I see." Faceted ice-blue eyes held him spellbound, as his husband's other hand undid his belt buckle, unbuttoned his trousers, and slipped inside to curl around his shaft. "Hold very still, lanan, and let me show you how much I've missed you."
The only answer Kevin could manage was a faint moan, one that Tiernan kissed away before starting to twist the silken tie tight. Kevin's pulse was like thunder in his ears; his breath came in soft, rapid pants against Tiernan's lips, and his hips made little, tight jerks of their own volition as his cock was firmly, insistently stroked.
"You are so incredibly fucking hot." He could feel Tiernan's lips moving, breathed in his words, and shuddered in ecstasy from his touch. "I can't get enough of you." The Fae's hot tongue traced a path back to his ear, probed; teeth nipped, and the tongue soothed. "Are you close? Are you ready?"
Kevin tried, and failed, to get a breath. And the failure sent liquid heat racing down his spine, to pool in his sac. He felt Tiernan's hand tighten in anticipation – both hands, the hand twisting the tie as well as the exquisite vise around his cock. He had no voice to whisper with, all he could do was move his lips. "…don't let me fall…"
Tiernan leaned into him, pinning him to the wall, as his knees buckled with the first thick white jet of his release. His eyes threatened to roll back, his hips jerked forward; darkness started closing in, his vision becoming a tunnel. Tiernan's hand became slick, and the Fae was moaning now, too, along with him, with every pulse of hot fluid that welled up and spilled over.
And the joy. Oh, Christ, the joy. Pure bliss, the delight of being held, pleasured, cherished.
"Scair-anam," he whispered, as the last wave of pleasure rippled through his body.
Opening eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed, he saw his husband nod. "So fucking beautiful you stop my heart." Tiernan's lips parted, he leaned in, in a kiss that was as close to gentle as he ever came. "I love you, m'lanan."
And before Kevin could answer, the faceted blue of the Fae's eyes heated with a smile. "Let's go back to your hotel room so I can do it some more."
Tags: Kevin Almstead, m/m, m/m erotic romance, m/m romance, Rory Ni Coileain, RoryNi, Soulshares, Tiernan Guaire


text:
David Schwimmer Returns to TV in 'Intelligence' Comedy
The actor-director talks to AARP about his new series and the upcoming 'Friends' reunion (finally!)
by Gayle Jo Carter, AARP, July 29, 2020 | Comments: 0
Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images
It took 16 years for TV comedy to lure back David Schwimmer, who as Ross Geller was part of the unforgettable cast of the NBC juggernaut Friends. Now starring in Intelligence, a new original series streaming on NBC's Peacock platform, Schwimmer plays a brash American National Security Agency veteran joining a nutty British cybercrimes investigation unit. Schwimmer tells AARP about his new series, the long-awaited Friends reunion and why he really needs to do more stretching.
The road back to TV
Right after Friends (1994-2004) I was more interested in focusing on directing and theater. But in the last couple of years I was thinking it would be really fun to dive into acting again if the right idea came along and the right character. Then out of nowhere Nick [British comic Nick Mohammed] sent me this idea that he's had — just a couple-paragraph outline of what the idea was — and the characters that he and I would be playing and I just immediately liked it. I also thought the workplace setting was a really interesting area to mine for stories.
From Ross to ...
My character, Jerry Bernstein, feels very much of the moment we're in right now — he's this narcissistic, pompous alpha male, very patriotic and all of that, combined with incredible ignorance. It's a really fun opportunity, and the challenge for Nick and I is how do we make this character, who on paper is pretty unlikable, how to make him likable and even sympathetic? The combination of those things and the opportunity to act with Nick, who I think is just a genius, I said, "Yes, this is really worth the risk of total failure."
His true Friends takeaway
The biggest gift it gave me is what I think any actor hopes to achieve: financial stability and being able to, because of that, not have to take a job just to pay the bills. So anything beyond that show, honestly, has been a choice of passion, and many things I've chosen since have not been successful at all.
RELATED: How well do you think you know the cast of Friends? Take our brand-new AARP TV for Grownups Quiz to test your Central Perk IQ, here: How Well Do You Really Know These 'Friends'?
How he measures success in a post-Friends world
In a way a project's success doesn't really matter to me. Sure, I'd love everything I do to be successful, knowing none of it will be as successful as Friends, but to me it's really about the journey. I know that sounds cheesy, and a lot of people say that, but it's really about the experience itself. Am I going to grow from it? Am I going to learn from it? Am I going to challenge myself? I feel very lucky that I've been able to make decisions following that rather than be in the next big thing.
Currently binge watching
I'm an avid consumer of television and film. I love watching all kinds of shows — even reality shows like Top Chef or The Great British Bake Off, where you're watching someone with real skill, especially a skill that I don't possess. I'm really in awe when I watch shows like that. I just like watching the creativity and the challenge that those shows present. Right now, I'm watching Perry Mason and I May Destroy You.
Quarantine parenting moment (so far)
Cleo [age 9] had been begging us for months and months to let her shave her head or for us to shave it for her. We'd been saying no for so long. For her it's just practical; my daughter's a very, very active girl — she rock climbs. Her long hair was just a pain in the butt to her, so she just wanted to get rid of it. Every bath or every shower, it took forever to wash and condition. And then during the quarantine, I started shaving my own head. She said, "I don't understand. You get to do it, why can't I?" I really couldn't argue with her anymore. I was like, "Yeah, we don't have a good comeback for that, so let's do it." She loves it. I love that she loves it. l love how it makes her feel.
The global reach of Friends
It's amazing to me, to be honest with you, and to all of us in the cast that it's got legs like this, and internationally as well. The thing that's most meaningful to me is when someone comes up to me from India or from Korea and tells me, "I just want to say I learned English watching your show." Now they are here in New York and making their mark, just pursuing their dream. The fact they learned English watching Friends is really satisfying,
Ross Geller in 2020 is doing what
I honestly don't think about it.
That reunion [pre-pandemic it was scheduled for mid-August as part of the launch of HBOMax, which now streams all 10 seasons of the show] will be totally unscripted, it's really just a long-format interview with a couple of surprise bits that I don't want to spoil. You'll see how we've aged, obviously, there's not going to be any special effects or anything. We are who we are today, many years later. We'll only do it if it is safe to do so, and that's really being determined as we speak.
COVID-19's impact on the arts
The hardest-hit art form is live performance. My theater company, Lookingglass, is really struggling, along with all other not-for-profit theater companies in the country. It's not so much figuring out with Actors Equity or SAG how to rehearse together or to be on stage or on camera together; that can be worked out in a safe way, that's being worked out right now — everyone is tested, certain protocols and rules. The challenge for live theater is the audience. I just don't see people sitting shoulder to shoulder in a space like that for quite a while, which is really crushing, especially for small not-for-profits like ours.
His personal middle act
My first goal, honestly, at this stage of life is just being the best and most present dad I can be. I get so much joy and so much fulfillment from that, whether it's helping my daughter with her schoolwork or taking her to Yosemite for the first time. Just being with her, watching her grow, brings me so much pleasure and fulfillment. That's really my priority these days.
David's Details
Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
Age: 53
Hometown: Flushing, N.Y.
Famous Zip Code: Graduated from Beverly Hills High School, 90210
Now starring: Intelligence (Peacock, streaming)
Notable credits: Friends, The Pallbearer, Madagascar film series, HBO's Band of Brothers, FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson
Theater nerd: Co-founder, actor, director of Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company, star of Broadway's The Caine Mutiny Court Martial and shows at Playwrights Horizons, Century City Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, London's Gielgud Theatre
Family life: Divorced; one daughter, Cleo, 9
His professional middle act
Professionally, there are a couple things I'm developing as a director and also as producer, a couple of movies, and we're about to shoot Season 2 of Intelligence. We were supposed to shoot in May, but of course that got pushed. I'm also tinkering with some writing as well.
Don't hate me
I've been blessed with a good metabolism. In terms of diet, I can pretty much eat anything. I've been the same weight for the last 20 years. Even my peers in the cast can't believe I don't dye my hair or anything. I'm just pretty lucky in terms of genetics, and I take pretty good care of myself.
Advice to my 20-something self
Physically, be a stronger, better runner. Also, I never really learned how to do a lot of winter sports, like snowboarding. Take a little more time — not be so focused on work and achievement — to enjoy sports and adventures and travel.
Now? Stretch more
Doing physical comedy, it's actually really easy to hurt yourself if you're not taking good care of yourself. The same with staging a combat or a fight scene. You have to be in good shape to be the kind of physical actor that I consider myself. So I do more stretching now, more than I needed to years ago.
Promoting Intelligence during a pandemic
It's been interesting. I just did [The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon], and that was my first late-night talk show Zoom. It was fun. I have no problem doing what little makeup I wear and doing my lighting myself. I have a light kit here and am setting up. Maybe that's the way forward? Why go all the way to someone's studio?
Quarantine awakening
There's not been some huge realization about changing the way I live, but the thing I took for granted was being able to fly and see my parents and my sister, who live in L.A. I'm really missing my family. I haven't been able to see them and I really even shouldn't see them, especially my parents, unless we do something outside, socially distanced. I haven't been on a plane since all this went down, and I guess if anything it's a reminder of how far away they are, and they haven't been able to see my daughter in person in quite a while. That's painful. She's their only grandchild.
Quarantine frustration
I'm really hoping — and this is really the biggest issue for the entire country — I just want my daughter to have a normal social life and school life. It's such an agonizing situation. Of course I want everyone to be safe, but my daughter is an only child and homeschooling was really tough. My daughter is such a social child. All kids are so social. It felt like they were just doing homework all day, and no one likes that.
Having said all that, I feel grateful that we have our health and that we have the resources to help other people in need right now.
More on TV for Grownups
Dulé Hill tap-dances through pandemic stress
Bob Woodruff and his son take a 'Rogue Trip'
What will fall TV season look like in the year of the pandemic?


October 16-18, 2019 - Phoenix, AZ.
Learn the fundamentals of inspections and auditing to enhance your skills and improve your effectiveness while adding value to your position and your organization. This course will provide you with fundamental inspections/audit techniques that have been successfully used to, Satisfy accreditation requirements; Reduce law enforcement liability, operational costs, and significantly Improve compliance. This class is the first in a series of two classes towards a Law Enforcement Inspections / Auditing Certificate (LEIAC)™.
Sessions will include flash drives containing reports, audit plans, and programs. All participants must bring a laptop with an a/c power cord and PowerPoint, Word, and Excel programs. Although not required it is best if the laptop has Internet WiFi capability.
1918 W. Whispering Wind Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85085.
DISCOUNTS: Early Registration $25.00 discount if PAID by September 17, 2019. ADDITIONAL $25.00 off for IAPRO users or LEIAG members.
24 hours CEP with a certificate provided.
CLASS STARTS AT 0800 HOURS ON WEDNESDAY 10/16/19 AND CONCLUDES ON FRIDAY 10/18/19 1700 HOURS.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Architect (Mimar) İle İlgili İngilizce Cümleler
By gurur on	 20 Eylül 2019 İngilizce
İçinde Architect (Mimar) geçen ingilizce örnek cümleler, ile ilgili cümleler. Architect (Mimar) kelimesinin ingilizce cümle içinde kullanımı.
*** Every man is the architect of his own fortune.
*** Each man is the architect of his own fate.
*** He is the architect who planned the new shopping centre.
*** The keynote speaker was Robert Venturi, the architect.
*** They commissioned an architect to design the new library.
*** She is acting as architect on this project.
*** The architect had produced a scale model of the proposed shopping complex.
*** Call in an architect or surveyor to oversee the work.
*** The winning design came from an architect in Glasgow.
*** an is the architect of his own fortune.
*** A good architect takes into account the building's surroundings.
*** The architect was given / presented with a blank cheque to design a new city centre.
*** Bevan was the architect of the British National Health Service.
*** The architect specified oak for the wood trim.
*** The architect was instructed to keep ornamentation to a minimum.
*** Ricardo Bofill, the Catalan architect, has designed the revamped airport.
*** The architect has cleverly exploited new materials and building techniques.
*** The work of an architect of genius always arrests the attention no matter how little remains.
*** He was apprenticed to a local architect.
*** The architect is drawing up plans for the new offices.
*** The architect drew the house in section.
*** The building is the work of architect Rafael Moneo.
*** Nina is studying to be an architect.
*** The architect is carrying out a thorough inspection of the building.
*** The architect laid out the interior of the building.
*** Today's complex buildings require close teamwork between the architect and the builders.
*** Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.
*** The commission for the new theatre was given to a well – known architect.
*** One of the first things we did when we moved in, to the chagrin of the architect, was to replace the leaded windows.
*** The new building was built from the design of a famous architect.