Books Edited By Mackenzie Walton

Word Count: Click here to reveal40000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Matt Russo knows better. Everyone does, but no one knows better than an attorney who routinely works with the fae: you watch what you say, or else you find yourself in the crosshairs of trickster magic. Or in this case, with an angel on one shoulder and a demon on the other. And the ridiculous bickering celestial beings aren’t going anywhere until they help him change his perpetual single status. Worse, if someone finds out he used magic for any kind of gain, his personal and professional reputations might never recover. Fortunately, his best friend and downstairs neighbor—not to mention the man he’s quietly wanted for the past five years—is smart and level-headed. If anyone can help Matt out of this fiasco, it’s Cory Miller. Except while Cory’s happy to help Matt get rid of the pint-sized magical idiots, the only way they’re leaving is if they succeed in finding someone for Matt to love. Cory will do anything for his friend, but he’s not so sure he can take part in helping Matt find the man of his dreams. Not when he’s wished all this time that he could fill that particular role. But maybe this magical disaster is exactly what Matt and Cory need to realize their secret attraction is mutual. A Single Soul is approximately 40,000 words.

Word Count: Click here to reveal128000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Cary “Sol” Solomon isn’t just in a slump—he’s a mess. His stats have plummeted. Fans hate him. After he caps off two awful seasons with a catastrophic playoff flop, his team is done with him. Worse, thanks to his downward spiral, the addiction that’s nearly cost him his career before is rearing its ugly head. As luck would have it, though, the Seattle Sasquatches are desperate for goalies. When they snatch up Sol off waivers, maybe he has a chance to turn things around… if he can stay sober and get back on his game. Except Sol isn’t the Sasquatches’ only new netminder. Once destined for the hall of fame, Josh O’Brien is a trainwreck thanks to an injury and a messy divorce. His illustrious career is a disaster, and now he’s an unrestricted free agent who nobody wants to sign. He’s on the brink of losing the only thing he has left: hockey. Then Seattle comes knocking with an offer he can’t refuse: a huge pay cut, but a shot at redemption. One that means being teammates with the ex whose name still raises Josh’s hackles all these years later. Now Josh and Sol are stuck on the same team, proximity dredging up emotions they’ve both kept buried for years. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the only things coming to the surface were anger and resentment. As they remember all the sparks and feelings that once drew them together, neither can decide which is worse—being together or apart. And that’s before Sol’s old demons start showing up. But they’re not just coming for him this time. Brick Walls is a 128,000 word contemporary gay hockey romance. Content Warning: On-page struggle with cocaine addiction. If you would like clarification or other additional information about this content warning, please feel free to email the author at gallagherwitt at gmail dot com.

Word Count: Click here to reveal80000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Isaiah Cole escapes his everyday life as a schoolteacher by debating—and trash talking—online under a fake name. For the past four years, his internet persona has been getting closer and closer to another user. They’re friends, and there’s even a little flirtation now and then… but the guy doesn’t know Isaiah’s real name, and they’ve never seen each other’s faces. Until now. Of all the men who could be behind his friend’s avatar, Isaiah is stunned to learn he’s been chatting with Tanner Jeffries, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous forward from his favorite hockey team. As soon as they’re face-to-face, the chemistry is off the charts. They’re as inseparable in person as they are online, and their only regret is not doing this sooner. But eventually, the novelty is going to wear off. And when it does… How much can a broke, overweight average Joe actually offer a hot, rich, younger athlete? Burner Account is an approximately 80,000-word standalone M/M hockey romance. CW: discussions of school shootings/active shooter drills

Word Count: Click here to reveal92000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Riding the unexpected success of his video channel for as long as it holds out, reluctant influencer Marcus Holloway is on a road trip to find the best pizza in each state. It’s a solitary journey, but he has his dog and kitten for company. What more could he need? When he interrupts another influencer trying to exploit a homeless person for clout, though, he finds himself on a most unexpected detour. Blake Wyatt is already down on his luck, living out of his car a thousand miles from anything he might call home. And it only gets worse when someone steals the car. The obnoxious jerk with the camera is just more humiliation. Then a softspoken savior intervenes… and turns Blake’s world on its head. Now they’re riding together, and as the miles fly by, both men realize how badly they’ve longed for connection and companionship. Blake adores Marcus’s kindness and his laidback vibe. Marcus melts every time his kitten falls asleep on Blake. And that’s to say nothing of the chemistry steadily heating up between them. But this isn’t forever. Blake has to get his life back in the rails. Marcus still has thousands of miles to travel. They can avoid it for a while, but sooner or later, their paths will diverge. As goodbye looms, though, neither is ready to let go. Maybe they don’t have to. Deep Dish is a standalone slow burn road trip romance. CW: moderate childhood trauma, past parentification, discussion of Covid-19/pandemic, homelessness, smear campaigns/accusations of abuse, brief mentions of a neglected animal, mild trauma responses in a rescued pet. If you have questions about this content warning or are concerned about specific content/triggers, please do not hesitate to email the author.

Word Count: Click here to reveal50000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: It’s been a year to the day since Matteo Segreto’s biggest mistake ruined the best thing he ever had, and nothing’s been the same. All he can do is try to move on, but his world is empty without the love of his life. Alone and consumed by regret, Matteo would do anything to undo the past. Then his ex shows up, panicked and begging for his help… with no memory of their breakup. Owen Carter just woke up to a world that’s all wrong. Everything in his condo is different. The streets outside have changed. Worst of all, his boyfriend clearly doesn’t live with him anymore. To his horror, he discovers that a year has passed since he went to bed last night. His memory of that entire time is wiped clean, and only a receipt from a creepy fae shop offers any clue as to how or why. While they work to recover Owen’s memory, the exes slam face first into the past that Matteo wishes he could forget. Despite the hurt and betrayal, they also can’t help but remember how much they once loved each other. But if Owen gets his memory back and truly remembers the hell Matteo put him through, is there enough love or forgiveness to keep them together? Forget & Forgive is a 50,000-word standalone amnesia romance with fantasy/paranormal elements. Content warning: infidelity (off-screen and past, but major part of the story)

Word Count: Click here to reveal140000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: 25% of the author’s royalties for Interference will be donated to organizations assisting homeless and/or disabled veterans. Disabled veteran Wyatt Miller is out of options. Six months after his eviction, every day is a struggle just to survive on the streets. Sometimes, the only thing that motivates him to move forward at all is his determination to protect and feed his beloved service dog, Lily. Then a cold snap drives Wyatt to beg a veterinary clinic to board Lily… and puts him on the radar of someone who can’t stomach letting the dog or her owner sleep out in the cold. On the surface, hockey star Anthony Austin has it all. The fans and cameras see a man with dazzling stats, a fairy tale home, and a red hot sports car. He and his longtime boyfriend are the poster boys for out-and-proud male athletes. The limelight doesn’t see the cracks, though. His boyfriend has quietly moved out, and nothing Anthony says or does will bring him back. Anthony’s play is starting to suffer, and he’s too miserable to care. When he sees the man pleading for a warm bed for his dog, Anthony doesn’t hesitate to open his home. All he has in mind is keeping a man and his dog off the street. He has no idea Wyatt is about to upend his world—and his attempts at reconciling with his boyfriend. Interference is a 140,000+ word slow burn hockey and military romance. Don’t worry – there’s no cheating! CW: combat PTSD, dying/death of a parent (cancer), experiences and trauma associated with homelessness

Word Count: Click here to reveal77000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The Games We Play, Book 1 Theo Mathis doesn’t regret defying the general manager during his brief stint on the Seattle Rainiers last season. The rainbow tape on his stick cost him dearly, but he’d do it again in a heartbeat… even though it means he’ll never get called up from the minors again while that GM is at the helm. Then a flood of injuries leaves Seattle desperate for players, and Theo gets called up after all. But he’s warned: provoke the GM again, and he will regret it. Except stick tape wasn’t the only line Theo skated over, and the temptation to cross it again has nothing to do with spite. Equipment manager Christian Hayes has had that hot minor league player living rent-free in his head ever since they hooked up last year. It wasn’t love, but it was fun, and he wishes they could do it again because they want to—not as an act of rebellion. If Christian’s dad ever finds out, there will be hell to pay. But it’s a non-issue, since his dad—the team’s GM—has vowed to never call up that player again no matter how bad the team needs him… and he doesn’t even know Theo and Christian hooked up. Now Theo’s back in the Rainiers’ locker room. They don’t dare risk a rematch—they both value their careers too much. All they have to do is ride this out for a few games until Theo’s sent back down. Easy enough. Right? But their mutual attraction refuses to be ignored. And it looks like Theo’s going to be staying a while. The Games We Play is a multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

Word Count: Click here to reveal81000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The job is as simple as they ever are for members of the Collective: get in, fool the marks, and commit some devastating corporate espionage. For Miroslav Antanasijević—an expert at faking identities—it’s a high-stress gig, but one he’s used to. At least that’s how it starts. When it all goes wrong, Mirko barely escapes with his life… and only because a ride share driver comes to his rescue. Arlen Tate is just trying to finish his doctorate, help his sister through school, and leave his turbulent family life in the past where it belongs. His schedule is packed tight, and it does not have room for “help an organized crime syndicate rescue one of their own.” Too bad the minute he hauls that stranger into his car and takes off, he’s on a one-way trip down a rabbit hole of crime, corruption, and a very strange gray area between moral and illegal. And maybe he doesn’t want to go back. Especially the more time he spends with the enigmatic chameleon he rescued. But someone is coming for the Collective. Someone ruthless and powerful. And they will happily murder anyone who gets in their way.

Word Count: Click here to reveal180000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Bisexual, Pansexual (Click here to hide)

Summary: At nearly thirty-one years old, Pittsburgh Griffins captain Elias Karlsson’s hockey years are numbered. Everything is changing around him, including his eleven-year friendship with Nikolai Sidorov. Elias would give anything for Nisha to be a permanent part of his life, but their once bedrock-strong bond has broken into a million pieces, and Elias doesn’t know why. More than anything, Elias wants his friend back, but if that isn’t an option, maybe it’s time for him to look outside of hockey for someone to be there with him when hockey isn’t an option anymore. Nisha’s world is splintering apart. He’s been in love with his two best friends for years, but now one of them has someone. The other, Elias, is searching for everything Nisha wishes he could give him… but he’s looking for it in anyone but Nisha. The farther his friends slip away, the deeper the loneliness sinks in and the bleaker his empty future looks. What can he do but numb the pain in the only ways he knows how? On the eve of the season opener, Nisha’s unexplained absence threatens the cohesion of the team and puts him and Elias on a collision course of strong wills, broken hearts, and shattered trust. In the end, they may lose the very thing that matters most to them both: each other. Scoreless Game is approximately 180,000 words, including a bonus short story. This asexual-pansexual romance is book 2 in the On the Board series. CW: on-page struggles with alcoholism and binge-drinking, suicidal ideation, toxic family dynamics, acephobia

Word Count: Click here to reveal62000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Jason Richards is ridiculously in love with his friend and coworker, Ahmed Kazimi. Unfortunately, Ahmed is a package deal—he has a boyfriend who, as far as Jason is concerned, needs to be launched into the sun. Then a mysterious carnival rolls into town, and Jason and Ahmed can’t resist going. Not even if Ahmed’s boyfriend can be depended on to make everybody miserable. When Ahmed wins a strange prize from an even stranger carnival game, weird things start happening. First, a mishap with a friend’s newly purchased love potion. Then a cascade of steadily worsening bad luck starts to rain down on every corner of Ahmed’s life. Though he doesn’t believe in the paranormal, he can’t help but wonder if his prize is cursed. Just to be safe, he throws it away. But it comes back. And it keeps coming back. Upon learning about the prize that won’t go away, Jason suggests the only solution he can think of: return it to the place it came from. Now Ahmed and Jason are on a mission to get rid of the cursed prize… assuming they can find that game again. Step Right Up is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains some long overdue friends to lovers, a strangely insightful caricaturist, and a little magical realism.

Word Count: Click here to reveal80000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: It’s been months since Seth Byrne’s boyfriend ghosted him. Seth is still angry, but he’s worried too, because when Andrew Keller disappeared, he completely disappeared. Disconnected phone. Empty apartment. Abrupt departure from his job. Gone. Until tonight. Just as Seth is beginning to move on, Andrew shows up at his door with a story so wild it has to be fake… except he’s armed with a stack of evidence proving he’s telling the truth. And the truth is that everything Seth knew about Andrew is a lie. Detective Brandon Gaines was supposed to be Andrew Keller for the rest of his life. After being marked for death by the white supremacist cops he tried to bring down, he was put into witness protection. When a chain of events returns him to his old identity, Brandon doesn’t know who he is anymore. Now he’s caught between two identities that don’t fit, and nothing in his world makes sense… except the way he feels about the man he left behind. Is it even possible to rekindle their relationship when Seth knows nothing about Brandon? He understands why Brandon had to lie, but that doesn’t change the fact that the man in front of him is a stranger. Where do they even start? But as they struggle to bridge the gap between them, they may have much bigger problems. Because there are people who do know who Brandon is. And they haven’t forgotten why they drove him into witness protection in the first place. The Truth in My Lies is a standalone gay romantic suspense novel.

Word Count: Click here to reveal118000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Life in foster care wasn’t easy. Life after prison? Unforgiving. But I’m determined to stay out of trouble, and I’m gaining a foothold on the closest I’ve ever known to normal. Then, thanks to a pair of escape artist dogs from the sanctuary where I’ve found work, I cross paths with my boss’s neighbor, Ty Adams. He’s a horse trainer, and winter is his quiet season. It’s also the season when he gets restless and lonely—two things I know all about. He’s not interested in love or romance. I’m just happy someone’s interested in me at all, even if emotions are strictly forbidden. When we’re not together, I’m thinking about him. When we are together… Well, I’m definitely thinking about what he does to me and what I want to do with him. As we keep each other warm through the Vermont winter, this feels a lot more than physical. Somehow he soothes my pain, and I wonder if I’m touching something deep inside him too. But Ty won’t let himself love anyone. I never had a chance. And now, with my past closing in, I could lose the one man I hoped I could count on. The one I thought might be different. When his present and my history collide, is it too much to hope he’ll choose me? CW: Sick horse and a minor accident involving a horse—no animal deaths or serious injuries/illnesses.