GUEST POST: G.A. Hauser

Good morning, all! It's time for another lovely stop along the The Virtual Book Tour Cafe's literary route, this time featuring G.A. Hauser, who has stopped by to promote his latest work, Of Wolves and Men.

Award-winning author G.A. Hauser was born in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA and attended university in New York City. She moved to Seattle, Washington where she worked as a patrol officer with the Seattle Police Department. In early 2000 G.A. moved to Hertfordshire, England where she began her writing in earnest and published her first book, In the Shadow of Alexander. Now a full-time writer, G.A. has written over sixty novels, including several best-sellers of gay fiction and is an Honorary Board Member of Gay American Heroes for her support of the foundation. For more information on other books by G.A., visit the author at her official website (http://www.authorgahauser.com/). G.A. has won awards from All Romance eBooks for Best Author 2009, Best Novel 2008, Mile High, and Best Author 2008, Best Novel 2007, Secrets and Misdemeanors, Best Author 2007.

Before we get into G.A.'s guest post, let's take a quick look at Of Wolves and Men:

'Cowboy’ Charlie Mosby worked on a horse ranch in Heber, Utah. He loved his work, the owners of the ranch, and his co-workers; wranglers who helped tourists with guided horse tours and trail riding all year round. But after a chance meeting with a handsome gay man who had helped Charlie change a flat tire on Interstate 80 a month ago, Charlie was beginning to wonder about his sexuality. And if that wasn’t confusing enough, strange things were happening on the ranch.  Satanic worship? A strange cult ritual? Whatever it was, it wasn’t good for the owners or the horses on it.

One night Charlie stumbles upon Roman Burk in the woods, naked, bleeding and shivering in the cold. What Charlie never imagined was who -or what- Roman was. Even though the handsome stranger seemed to vanish at times and reappear as if by magic, Charlie was infatuated by this man. Roman was fearful of revealing his secret. Most of all to a cowboy who was spending more time hunting him, than loving him.  In this shape-shifting story of sexual bonding and discovery, can both Charlie and Roman find what they’re looking for? It’s a question of honor; one that has been up for debate since the first time man set his eyes on this formidable predator. It’s about the mutual respect of Wolves and Men.

Without further ado, please welcome the lovely G.A. Hauser, and her thoughs on Being Human . . . but please stick around for a sample of her work.

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hu-man (hyoo' man)
Being Human.
There are so many things to say about us where do I begin?

Human Beings- Well...that accounts for us upright two-legged creatures who dominate the planet and spew our garbage into air, water and earth. Okay, got that covered.

Human Kindness- That rare virtue we cherish because quite frankly it isn't common. And when we feel nurtured by it, we comment about it and give it it's own 'Human' name.

'To Err is Human, to Forgive Divine'- Think about this one. We are human to err, to make mistakes, but if we offer forgiveness to someone, (presumably another human) we are made out to be divine. Godly? That makes forgiveness rare indeed. Either that or angels and divine spirits walk among us. They do keep themselves hidden, don't they?

Human Behavior- My oh my! Behavior. Does that include abnormal behavior? Like perhaps a human who kills, lights fires, tortures animals...is that still 'human'? Or have we crossed the line to 'inhuman' behavior. How humans behave is a topic of very high interest. Reality TV is obviously our personal insight into the Human Behavior on a public forum. How do we explain our actions? Anyone? Anyone? Would love an answer to that question.

Only Human- I take it that's a catch-all for all our screw ups. Well, you know, I'm 'only human'. I did what I did because...that's what humans do. Isn't it?

My favorite.

Human Nature- Nature. The way each life is bound to another, the cycles of life and death, the nature of attraction and love. What is human nature as compared to nurture? Is who we are as a human purely genetics or do we learn as we grow? Are killers born to killers? Philanthropists heirs of philanthropists? We certainly know actors are children of actors. (Small wonder there. Don't get me started on that one!)

But I'm talking about 'Human Nature'. This is even more important than politics or religion. This is who we are at our very base. And though some humans think they can decide on what is humanly natural and humanly unnatural in the aspect of love and sex, doesn't Mother Nature make those laws?

As organic creatures we are what we are. Who we love is who we love, and what we do is partly because of our make up as the creatures we became through Darwin's amazing discovery.

As humans we tend to go into downward spirals. Just look a the economy, the wars we create, the number of inmates incarcerated, gun crime...well, the list is too long. Rare is the humanitarian story of the Good Samaritan, unless its a good human in which bad things have befallen.

Okay, the news thrives on terror and fear, this we all know. But look around at your fellow humans. Are they smiling and laughing their way through life and not drunk, in an asylum, or on happy pills? Or troubled by bills, illness, addiction...

We are all human here in this world. And we should be allowed to act human as nature provides.

Is it wrong to allow people to love, laugh and form attachments to others, as human nature proves itself time and again?

It has always amazed me that one human thinks it can impose its beliefs and mores on another. Laws protecting people, yes. Of course. But rules on whom to love? Here we draw closer to being inhuman.

Human Beings...join the Human Race.

Isn't it human to want to see others joy? To see others grow, prosper and learn? Or do we always have to portray the dark side of Human Nature, and be envious, greedy, controlling and vicious? The choice is ours as to how we behave. But as we all want the freedom to choose, as human beings, we should grant that freedom to everyone without referendums and laws.

Be safe out there among your fellow humans. GA

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Sample chapter for Of Wolves and Men:

It was crisp and clear. The dark sky was covered in stars, far more than anyone near a city could see. As he made his way, his horse the only sound for miles, Charlie realized his buddy ‘Goat’ was right. Nothing seemed alive around him. Usually the songs of night birds or movements of nocturnal hunters were audible. Not tonight.

A chill rose to his skin, but it was under his jacket and not from the cold. He had never believed in supernatural mumbo-jumbo. Didn’t pay attention to local Indian legends, and certainly never believed in ghosts.

He drew near the area where he and Butch had repaired the fence. It was intact just as he had left it.

The ground was freezing up, and Spirit’s hooves snapped brittle twigs and made heavy clomps on the solid soil.

A whimper caught his attention. He stopped Spirit and listened.

A sensation stronger than chills hit him. It was borderline terror. He jumped off Spirit’s back and held the rein. After a few yards, Spirit refused to keep walking with him, rearing up but not in a violent way, just being stubborn. Charlie trusted his horse’s instinct. He stopped too.

Another whimper, a very human voice, shocked him. Spirit would not approach with him, so he dropped the rein and hurried towards the sound.

In the dimmest of the sliver of moonlight, Charlie found a man, naked, in the fetal position, shivering.

“Son of a bitch!” He rushed to his side and found blood spattering him. “Talk to me! Where’re you hurt?” Charlie touched the man’s arm.

Immediately the man’s brilliant green eyes met his.

“Hang on! Hang on!” Charlie rushed back to Spirit who was looking nervous, the whites of his eyes showing. “Calm down, buddy. Don’t you go crazy on me now.” Charlie took a blanket off the saddle and hurried back. He wrapped it around the shivering man.

“What the hell you doin out here in this cold? You will get hypothermia.” Charlie tried to warm him.

“F…f…freezing…”

“No wonder!” Charlie tucked the blanket closer around him. “I need to get you out of here.”

“No…no police…”

“Look. I just want to get you warm, all right?”

The man nodded.

“Where’s that blood comin’ from?” Charlie began to check the man over. Though he was thinking only of the man’s wellbeing, this man was at least six feet tall, and built like he had weight lifted at a gym all his life. His hair was jet black and his jaw had dark designer stubble covering it. He looked like a city boy, out of his element.

Charlie tucked the blanket high on the man’s chest and inspected his legs for some kind of wound. His thighs were wide and muscular, his pubic hair as black as his head hair, and the glance Charlie got of his crotch was enough to know this man was big everywhere. “Come on, partner. I got to get you warm. Can you stand?”

The man nodded, struggling to sit upright.

“You got a name?” Charlie hauled the man to his feet, feeling his weight leaning heavily on him.

“Roman. Roman Burk.” The man’s teeth chattered.

“How on earth did you get here and why?” Charlie walked Roman to Spirit.

The horse backed up, snorting as if in fear.

“Hang on. He’s all spooked.” Charlie grabbed Spirit’s rein and had to drag him closer. “What’s with you, boy! Calm down.”

The horse shifted like a nervous colt, not staying still for a second. “Spirit! Hold on. Hold on, boy.” Charlie dragged Spirit closer to Roman by the chin strap, angry the horse was making a bad situation worse. “Come on, Roman. You climb on. Just step into my hand.”

Roman and Spirit seemed to lock gazes. It was the oddest thing Charlie had ever seen. “Come on, Roman, he’s all right.”

Clinging to the blanket, Roman seemed as reluctant to get on Spirit as Spirit was for him to ride him. “Will you both calm down?” Charlie had no idea this would be an issue. He yelled at the horse, “You gonna make me call and wake someone up? Now behave.” He reached out to Roman. “Come on.”

Roman moved closer.

“Climb up. I got you.” Charlie cupped his hands for Roman to step into it and get on the saddle.

Spirit was about to protest, but Charlie jerked his bridle to prevent it. He swung up behind Roman and put his feet into the stirrups. It took some persuading but finally Spirit began heading back down the trail.

Charlie felt Roman leaning back on him, so he held him close with one arm. “Why are you up here? You know, you picked a bad time to be getting lost naked in the woods, Roman. There’s some mighty odd things going on lately. You’re lucky I found you when I did.”

“Thank you.”

It was so softly spoken, Charlie just caught it. Roman’s hair brushed his lips as they rode back.

“Thank you, Charlie.”

“I’ll take care of you…” Charlie blinked. “I don’t remember telling you my name.” Did he? He must have.

“I know. I know you will, Charlie. You’ll take good care of me.”

“Have we met?” Charlie felt a strange sensation in his body.

“I’m so cold.”

Charlie held him tighter. It was the best he could do with one arm. He didn’t know where he was going. The hospital? Vernon’s house?

“Your cabin. Please.”

“Are you reading my mind?” Charlie laughed but he was slightly rattled.

“Please.”

“You don’t fret. I’ll take care of you.”

“Thank you, Charlie. I know you will. That’s why I chose you.”

Charlie imagined the cold was making Roman slightly delusional. He heard hypothermia did that. Made you hallucinate.

He rode to the barn, dismounting and helping Roman do the same. He tightened the blanket around Roman and quickly got the saddle off Spirit. Spirit was still acting like a mass of nerves, staring at Roman like Charlie had never seen him look at another human before.

He shut the lights in the barn and held Roman around the waist as he hurried with him to his cabin. “Almost there.”

“I know.”

Charlie opened his door and locked it behind them. “I’ll get the fire going, you go take a hot shower, ya hear me?”

Roman dropped the blanket, standing naked before him.

Charlie gulped audibly. “You…you need me to show you where everything is?”

Roman stalked him.

Charlie backed up near the fireplace. The blood spatter was in a strange pattern. Light, as if Roman was standing beside something else that was shot, or cut. But Charlie kept being drawn to Roman’s eyes. The intensity of the color, the power of the stare was hypnotic.

Roman put one hand against the cabin’s exposed wooden beams, over Charlie’s head. He brushed his lips against Charlie’s lightly.

“Sweet mother of god, I got me another gay boy.” Charlie gulped and his cock went thick in his jeans.

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Thanks so much to G.A. Hauser for stopping by. If you'd like to follow her virtual journey in support of Of Wolves and Men check out her schedule on the Calendar of Events page at The Virtual Book Tour Cafe. You can also check her out on Facebook or MySpace; on her Website or her Blog; and on her Amazon Author Page.

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