Author Special: April Kelly on Writing & Real LIfe and her Book ‘Coming Back Home’ (excerpt and giveaway)

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We are happy to welcome April Kelley here today. April Kelley is the author of the popular Pickelville series and is here to talk writing and her latest release, Coming Back Home.

Writing When Real Life Creeps In by April Kelley

The past couple weeks have been the hardest I’ve had to go through in a long time. My Grandfather got seriously ill and was in the hospital. He passed away just a few days ago. My whole family was at the hospital the entire week being with him through it all. There was no doubt in my mind that the man who helped raise me was loved. I think it goes without saying that I will miss him more with each passing day.

Sadly, my family started arguing and feelings were hurt. Maybe it was the stress of the situation or the fact that we all were in such close quarters for an entire week. Whatever the reason, the arguing just made the whole thing that much worse and caused some irreversible damage to our relationships with each other.

All this made it impossible to work on my usual stories. As someone who writes full time, this is a huge problem. A problem that needs to be solved quickly.

So what did I do?

I wrote something else. Not the paranormal story I was working on before Grandpa went into the hospital. My emotions were to all over the place for that story. All my fabulous readers can tell you I very rarely write angsty stuff. If it’s in a story it’s brief. I’m all about the romance. But my normal was disturbed and I just couldn’t seem to get in the right frame of mind. So I started writing something else. I’m a few pages into a story called 27 Lies My Mother Told Me. It’s complete fiction but it’s helping me work through all those emotions of the past week. It’s also completely different than anything I’ve written so far. I had an idea for the story months ago, but it seems the characters want to take it in a different direction.

So I added a fourth story to my list of things to write, but this one I’m writing during those particular times when the stress seems unbearable. After all, writing is therapeutic all by itself. I might as well use it to de-stress and work through whatever emotions I’m feeling to get to a better place.

AboutTheBook

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Title: Coming Back Home
Series: Pickelville

Author: April Kelley
Publisher: Extasy Books
Cover Artist: Carmen Waters

Length: 31,435 words
Release Date: October 15, 2015

Blurb

One huge fight changed Seth’s life forever.

Seth Murray just might be the most stubborn man on the face of this plant. He refused to move back to Pickleville because of one fight with his father. That is until he gets a call saying that his dad has passed away suddenly. The first person Seth thinks about is the one man he gave up because of his stubborn pride. Five years ago, all Seth wanted was to be with Carter. Now he doesn’t know what he wants. And Carter has his own life. One that Seth certainly didn’t see coming when he finally reconnects with the man again. One that revolves around a certain blonde haired, blue-eyed little girl that completely melts Seth’s heart the minute he meets her.

Excerpt

Seth knew Carter saw him. How could he not. Carter walked right passed him into the horse barn like Seth had been invisible, though. Seth followed him in and stood there for a second watching Carter go into the tack room. Seth followed him in and then closed the door after him, plunging them both into darkness.

“Open the door, Seth.”

“No.”

“Then at least turn on the light.”

“No, I like it this way.” It made the conversation they needed to have that much easier. Still scared the crap out of him though, not that he would be admitting that anytime soon to anyone.

“Seth.”

“I’ll turn on the light when you tell me what your problem is.”

“I don’t have a problem. Now, turn on the light before you trip over something.”

“Right, like you’re really worried about my wellbeing at the moment.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Well, it’s a little too late for that, now isn’t it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the way you’ve been treating me. Like I have the damn plague or something.”

He heard Carter sigh. “Seth, please. Just open the door so I can do my job.”

“The sooner you tell me what your problem is, the sooner I let you out.”

“I can physically remove you from in front of that door.”

Seth narrowed his eyes. Logically, he knew Carter couldn’t see him, but he didn’t care at the moment. Seth didn’t say anything. The more he talked the more Carter wanted to argue about everything, but the real problem. Instead, he decided to wait Carter out.

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eXtasy Books

AboutTheAuthor

 

Living in Southwest Michigan, April resides with her husband and two kids.  She has been an avid reader for several years.  Writing her first story at the age of ten, the characters in her head still won’t stop telling their stories.  If April isn’t reading or writing she can be found outside playing with the animals or taking a long walk in the woods.

||  Blog  || Website  ||  Twitter  ||  Email  ||

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Winner’s Prize: E-copy of Coming Back Home.

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TourSchedule

October 15:

World of Diversity Fiction

MM Good Book Reviews

Drops of Ink

October 16:

Divine Magazine

Bayou Book Junkie

Love Bytes Reviews

October 19:

Prism Book Alliance

Bike Book Reviews

Wicked Faeries Tales & Reviews

October 20:

The Purple Rose Tea House

Diverse Reader

October 21:

Hearts on Fire

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

 

Cover reveal for ‘Cardinal Sins’ by Lissa Kasey (excerpt and giveaway)

 

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Cardinal Sins (Hidden Gem #2) by Lissa Kasey
Release Date: November 13, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Shobana Appavu

Buy the book: Dreamspinner eBook & Paperback

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Blurb

Paris Hansworth, star whore turned senator and the most powerful man in City M, has been hiding his terminal illness for years. Searching for a way to reverse the toxic environment that’s killing him, Paris stumbles upon a lost research facility, and a merman named Rain.

Years alone has made Rain long for companionship, and the beautiful man on the other side of the glass intrigues him. But Rain speaks the wrong language, and is decades out of touch. He isn’t quite sure what to think of the new environment he’s been thrust into.

As a virus spreads through the city targeting City M’s most private residents—A-Ms—Paris realizes he’s out of time. He’s willing to sacrifice everything, even his own life, to stop it. But Rain might just be the missing DNA link to explain the mutations created in the last plague, maybe even the cure.

Watching Paris race to save his friends, Rain knows he’s found someone special and will do anything to stay by his side. But the past Paris thought he’d escaped is seeking revenge, and he’s forced to adapt yet again, possibly even becoming a monster. He only hopes Rain will still want him.

 

Pages or Words: 105,000 words
Categories: M/M Romance, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy

 

Excerpt

When the light aura faded from his sight he began to move the mobile unit again trying to find the small blip he’d seen before. Again just on the edges of the screen, so Paris turned the unit, following the movement. The snow was heavier this way, but when he looked back he could still see the copter in the distance and the people spread across the ice with different equipment.

The tires on the mobile unit spun as it hit something and was apparently stuck. Paris frowned and went to dig it from a fairly deep snow bank. It was wedged far enough that he had to chisel a bit of ice away to unhook the front from an unusual ice shelf. It probably wasn’t more than a few inches higher than the rest of the ice, but it had a lip. Paris hoped the mobile unit wasn’t damaged. He set it down and brushed the snow away from part of the shelf. The edges were shaped like water had spilled over the top and frozen—a sort of tiny waterfall. The snow was loose and light, so Paris shoved it aside, glad Candy had made him take two pairs of mittens instead of his normal driving gloves. The cold froze him to the core regardless. At least his hands weren’t numb yet.

The shelf was probably four feet long by six feet wide. Paris leaned over the cleared edge and brushed away the last bit of the snow. Maybe the facility was here and that’s why the water seemed to come up. Oddly the ice over the shelf was dark instead of white. Did that mean it wasn’t solid? He wasn’t dumb enough to try to step on it.

Paris picked up the mobile unit and set it on the shelf, moving it around for a scan. The ice was very thin. Less than a foot deep. How odd. Still there was nothing moving. Paris had hoped to find some sort of exotic fish or something so he could tease Aki relentlessly about his mermaid dream.

Something appeared on the screen just as Paris was reaching to put the mobile unit away. What was that? He stared at the screen as the blip came closer and got larger. He peered over the edge into the dark murky depth, not expecting to see anything at all. Most people would have been blind out here anyway. Paris’ night sight was better than most. He could almost make out a shape in the darkness. Was there something down there? The scanner was thermal so did that mean whatever was down there was cold blooded—perhaps had even adapted to the cold of long brutal winters and icy water?

He set the scanner aside and crouched low beside the shelf, then brushed away a bit more snow. There it was again. Something was moving down there. Something large. It could have been a fish, maybe, but a very big fish. There was definitely a fin. Whatever the movement was it was further to the side than Paris was. He got up and brushed the snow away, walking carefully around the edge just in case the ice wasn’t as solid.

The scanner began beeping—a signal that something large was close. Paris stared through the thin sheet of ice watching for movement. Was that something right there? He leaned forward, hand on the ice to steady himself.

Suddenly a face appeared on the other side of the glass. Not that of a fish, and not quite a person. A hand reached for him. Paris stumbled backward breath caught in his throat. What the hell was that? The ice thumped like whatever was on the other side was trying to get through. Paris took another step back. There was only a half a second warning of crackling before he was suddenly falling through the ice, though thankfully not into water. He rolled a few times, hit a few things on his way down but landed in a pile of fluffy snow surrounded by what seemed to be a frozen water fall.

“Holy fucking hell.” Paris sucked in a few heavy gasps before floundering his way out of the snow pile. Even with his good night vision everything was pitch black. The moonlight trickling through the break in the ice above gave him the impression of ice over rock, but he couldn’t be sure. He flicked on the light attached to his suit, happy it hadn’t been broken in the fall.

The ground was solid concrete here—not ice—or at least as far as he could tell it wasn’t ice. Very faintly over the far opening enclave that led off to darkness there was a number. Five. Apparently he’d landed in the middle of the missing facility. Part of it. The Great Lakes facility had twelve aqua ducts and tanks, all containing different species of fish. There had never been an official area for APs since APs were not known by the general public. Paris wondered if any of the records were intact. Everything seemed to be under heavy sheets of ice and water.

“Senator?” Paris’ radio crackled in his ear. “Location?”

He pushed the button hoping it would work and turned on his tracker. “Aqua duct five, I believe. Down a very deep hole. Watch out that first step is a killer.” He stared up at the broken layer of ice that had formed over what appeared to be an old stairway that was now covered in several haphazard layers of ice. Had there been a building on top of all this at one time? That made sense didn’t it? It would have been washed away in the flood.

A moment later several lights peered down the hole. “Do you need a medic?” One of them asked. The others were talking about rope and equipment, not sure if they had anything long enough to get them in and out or even pull him up. If Paris hadn’t slid his way down and landed in a pile of snow he’d likely be dead. The drop was over fifty feet.

“Nothing broken,” Paris shouted back. Bruised, sore, but mobile. The giant wall of ice in front of him was actually glass with a layer of ice over the top making it somewhat murky. “Did you really see a face, Hansworth?” He asked himself. “Soon you’ll be babbling about mermaids like Aki. It was probably just your reflection. Couldn’t have seen much through ice that thick anyway.” He adjusted the cuffs of his jacket and glared at the dark space beyond. The light reflected back his own weary face. His mask had fallen off in the fall, but toxic air couldn’t do much damage to him anyway. He was already dying. No need to dwell he reminded himself. He wasn’t one to focus on the misfortune of the past. He was wealthy and powerful. No one should pity him. Not even himself.

Something was glowing on the other side of the glass. Paris clicked off his light. The men above called to him that they were coming down. He ignored them. The brightness intensified. First in green, then blue, and finally purple. Not one or two things but hundreds lighting up to illuminate the darkness beyond the glass. Fish. Nothing Paris recognized from any file or book, but hundreds of glowing fish swirled and moved beyond the glass. A few even came close enough to brush by his outstretched hand like they knew what he was.

“Fish don’t look like people,” he told himself. These fish were beautiful. Something that might be found in the deepest ocean. Some looked deadly with large teeth and long antennae. Most were longer than Paris’ arm, a few as small as his hand. They moved in schools circling close before moving away.

Paris found an almost boy-like joy in watching them. He’d never experienced an aquarium before. There were two left in all the united cities, one on the west coast and one on the east coast. He’d never had time to go to either. Of course he grew up with videos that showed him of such things. Virtual environments could almost simulate going to one of these places. Or at least that’s what he’d thought until now.

The fish moved aside, seeming startled but unafraid by something else moving close. Paris watched with fascination as something swam toward him he was sure wasn’t possible. Hot damn, he owed Aki an apology. It stopped before the glass, reaching out to lay webbed fingers over where Paris rested his mitten-covered hand. A mermaid? Merman? Paris couldn’t tell as it was a swirl of fins and hair, but it did look sort of human on the top and all fish on the bottom. Multicolored scales decorated its torso in batches and even covered a good deal of its face. How odd.

 

 

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Meet the Author:

 

Lissa Kasey lives in St. Paul, MN, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing, and collects Asian Ball Joint Dolls who look like her characters. She has three cats who enjoy waking her up an hour before her alarm every morning and sitting on her lap to help her write. She can often be found at Anime Conventions masquerading as random characters when she’s not writing about boy romance.

 

Where to find the author:

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Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, The Hat Party, Happily Ever Chapter, Carly’s Book Reviews, Jessie G. Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Charley Descoteaux, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Elin Gregory, Mikky’s World of Books, Velvet Panic, Multitasking Mommas, Michael Mandrake, It’s Raining Men

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: One winner of a print copy, and one winner with the name of their choice in the next Haven Investigations (model) book.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Love Gets Into the Game with Sloan Johnson’s Triple Play (giveaway)

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Triple Play
by Sloan Johnson
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance, Sports

Triple Play

Amazon • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Drew Jackson seemed to have it all. He has a family who loves and supports him, a tight circle of friends, and is a rising star with the Milwaukee Mavericks. Then, it all begins to unravel. Cam, the only man he’s ever loved, falls head over heels for Drew’s teammate. He makes a critical mistake in the playoffs that he’s not sure he’ll be able to recover from. And then, his world really crashes around him…

Eric Sapp may no longer play for the Mavericks, but he’s still one of the guys. No one could have imagined how much his life would change when he agreed to help his former teammates mourn the end of their run for the pennant. After stopping a brutal attack, Eric is forced to face the feelings that’ve been growing for his roommate, Drew. That’d be much easier if Drew wasn’t hell-bent on pushing everyone away as he recovers.

Neither of them were counting on Bryce Shaw. He and Drew enjoyed the one night they spent together, but knew it was unlikely they’d be anything more since they lived in different parts of the country. After Bryce is relocated to help a failing LGBT homeless outreach, he wants to explore something more with the Mavericks’ short stop.

As much as Eric wishes he could be the one to help his friend, he knows Bryce holds the key to Drew’s recovery. Will pushing the two back together be the biggest mistake of his life or will they all learn there is strength in numbers?

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Also in the Series

Wild Pitch Curve Ball

About Sloan Johnson

Sloan Johnson

Sloan Johnson is a big city girl trapped in a country girl’s life. While she longs for the hustle and bustle of New York City or Las Vegas, she hasn’t yet figured out how to sit on the deck with her morning coffee, watching the deer and wild turkeys in the fields while surrounded by concrete and glass.

When she was three, her parents received their first call from the principal asking them to pick her up from school. Apparently, if you aren’t enrolled, you can’t attend classes, even in Kindergarten. The next week, she was in preschool and started plotting her first story soon after.

Later in life, her parents needed to do something to help their socially awkward, uncoordinated child come out of her shell and figured there was no better place than a bar on Wednesday nights. It’s a good thing they did because this is where she found her love of reading and writing. Who needs socialization when you can sit alone in your bedroom with a good book?

Now, Sloan is a tattooed mom with a mohawk and two kids. She’s been kicked out of the PTA in two school districts and is no longer asked to help with fundraisers because she’s been known to lose herself with a good book and forget she has somewhere to be.

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Greek Mythology Comes to Life with MINOTAUR by J.A. Rock (guest post and giveaway)

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MINOTAUR by J.A. Rock

Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by  Imaliea

Buy it at Riptide Publishing

Hi! I’m J.A. Rock, and I’m touring the internet with my new release, MINOTAUR, a queer fantasy/horror reimagining of the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur. And there’s a giveaway involved! I’m giving one reader a chance to win Lost in a Jigsaw, the puzzle that nearly destroyed my sanity a few years ago (but provided hours of fun, I swear), as well as a $15 Riptide voucher.


Thanks so much to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me here today, and to everyone following the tour.  Here’s today’s look at MINOTAUR.

The Legend of the Minotaur

There are many versions of the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur. The basic story is that King Minos of Crete’s wife, Queen Pasiphae, was cursed by Poseidon to fall in love with a bull. She slept with the bull and gave birth to a monster that was half-man, half-bull, which King Minos then had shut up in a labyrinth so complicated, no one could get out of it alive.

Every year, seven Athenian men and seven Athenian women were sent to the labyrinth as tributes to keep the Minotaur satisfied. Theseus eventually decided to go into the labyrinth as one of the tributes and kill the Minotaur. To ensure he could find his way out, Princess Ariadne, Minos’s daughter, gave Theseus a ball of thread, so that he could tie one end to the labyrinth’s door and follow the thread back to the entrance.

I didn’t actually know the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur terribly well when I started Minotaur. My mom had a book of Greek myths she read to me from when I was a kid, and I liked the story of the labyrinth because I was obsessed with mazes. Loving mazes is a thing. I reacquainted myself with the legend by reading it over a couple of times before I started writing, but I wasn’t looking to do a blow-by-blow retelling of the myth. Nor was I looking to do anything specific and agenda-driven, like “a feminist retelling of the Minotaur story.”

What I did want to do was explore themes of heroism, sacrifice, self-discovery, and what makes a monster. Minotaur takes place in an unspecified time based very loosely on the 1930s, and centers on an angry orphan, Thera, whose fascination with a legendary beast comes in part from the wickedness she perceives in herself. Years before Thera was born, a young woman gave birth to a baby she couldn’t care for, and the baby grew into the Minotaur, a half-woman, half-bull who terrorized the town of Rock Hill before she was trapped in a labyrinth. Now the town feeds her tributes in the form of orphans and criminals in order to keep her satisfied in her prison.

There are characters in Minotaur who have counterparts in the legend—though Thera is almost an anti-Theseus, drawn to the labyrinth for selfish reasons, and frustrated by society’s willingness to deem grand acts “heroic” while failing to recognize more subtle, honest displays of loyalty and courage as anything other than recklessness and stupidity.

What I love about the original myth is the way you just kind of have to roll with it. Pasiphae was cursed to fall in love with a bull? Okay, why not. The king had Daedalus build a massive labyrinth to contain the Minotaur? Sure. Myths are stories where so much seems to be going on below the surface, and yet they’ve been reduced to easily digestible two or three paragraph tales.

I didn’t care so much about being true to the legend as I did about showing what might lie under the surface in a story like Theseus’s, or Thera’s. Minotaur is not a tale about a monster and a hero, but rather about the way the two coexist in all of us.

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Giveaway

Thanks for being part of the tour! To celebrate this release, I’m giving one commenter Lost in a Jigsaw, the award winning maze puzzle—all the pieces fit together, so the only way to know if you’ve put it together correctly is to solve the maze. If this sounds too much like torture, rest assured that you also get a $15 Riptide voucher. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with a way to contact you.  Please leave your email address so we can get in touch with you if chosen. On October 26th, I’ll draw a winner from all eligible comments. Contest is not limited to US entries. If you’d like,follow the whole tour—the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

Blurb

Minotaur_600x900GreekKnow this: I am not a warrior. I am a disease.

When I was six, my parents died.

When I was sixteen, I was locked away in Rock Point Girls’ Home. Nobody wants to deal with a liar. An addict. A thief.

Nobody except Alle. She is pure, and she’s my friend in spite of all the rotten things I am. 

There was once another girl like me—long ago. A cast-off daughter. A lying little beast who left a red stain across the land with her terrible magic. She’s imprisoned now in a maze high up on the cliffs. They say she’s half woman, half bull. They say she dines on human tributes and guards a vast treasure. They say she was born wicked.

But I know her better than the history books or stories do. She and I dream together. Our destinies are twisted up like vines.

Except I’m not going to turn out wicked like she is. I can save myself by destroying her. I’m going to break out of this place, and I’m going to enter the labyrinth and take her heart.

And once I’m redeemed, maybe Alle will love me.

http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/minotaur

About The Author

J.A. Rock is the author of queer romance and suspense novels, including By His Rules, Take the Long Way Home, and, with Lisa Henry, The Good Boy and When All the World Sleeps. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a BA in theater from Case Western Reserve University. J.A. also writes queer fiction and essays under the name Jill Smith. Raised in Ohio and West Virginia, she now lives in Chicago with her dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

Superhero Spotlight: ‘A Man of Unusual Talent (Lee Brazil) and ‘Flyboy’s First Misadventure (Havan Fellows) Series: Story Orgy Superheroes (guest post, excerpt and contest)

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Book Names: ‘A Man of Unusual Talent ‘ by Lee Brazil

and

‘Flyboy’s First Misadventure’ by Havan Fellows

Series: Story Orgy Superheroes
Release Date: October 12, 2015

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Goodreads Links:   A Man of Unusual Talent  and   Flyboy’s First Misadventure

Publishers:

A Man of Unusual Talent: Lime Time Press
Flyboy’s First Misadventure: Appleton Publishing Avenue
Cover Artist: Startled Monkeys Media

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We have a first here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  Four characters from two books have stopped by to be interviewed. Collin Crane (CC) and Mathias Giraud (Matt) from A Man of Unusual Talent by Lee Brazil along with Dean Wades and Gavin Trevor from ‘Flyboy’s First Misadventure by Havan Fellows.  Let’s welcome all four!

  Our Interview with Characters Dean, Matt, CC, and Gavin!

Dean: Did Havan Fellow and Lee Brazil really leave us here to do this one all by ourselves?

Mat: We’re adults. We can handle it. I think the truth is, there’s no coffee and they saw a Starbucks on the corner when we drove up.

CC: Now that sounds like the truth.

Dean: But they had to realize that letting us all talk at once could be…um…

Gavin: They said something about not wanting to be around when we air our dirty shit. I guess we should introduce ourselves at least.

Dean: Not sure we’re airing any dirty stuff. I vote for Mat to start, he’s the person of authority here.

Mat: I’m Mat Giraud. I’m a policeman, and this is my lover CC who is a student of physics.

CC: Nice. Gloss over the whole career as a convenience store clerk thing. Are you practicing that for when I meet your parents?

Mat: Don’t be silly. My family get’s gas at the convenience store, same as everyone else in town. Of course they know where you work. But where you work isn’t who you are.

CC: But you called yourself a policeman.

Mat: Because I am. And always will be. You aren’t always going to work at that place.

CC: *glowing* Thank you.

Dean: Well, that leaves us, Gav. Hello. I’m Dean Wades. I’m from the west coast but currently visiting Florida, have a crazy best friend, and oh yeah, I can fly. This is Gavin Trevor…

Gavin: And I have an annoying older brother, I’m training to be a damn good tattoo artist, and he might be able to fly, but he can’t land worth shit.

Dean: Ouch… Crash land with someone one time and they never let you forget it. We’re the main characters of Flyboy’s First Misadventure and from Havan Fellows imagination.

Gavin: Really warped imagination—

CC: Uh… maybe I should have mentioned the marshmallows?

Gavin: *snorts* Okay, not as warped as Lee Brazil, evidently. But hey, our writers are pretty cool. They write for this group the Story Orgy and that’s where they got the prompts for these superhero type books.

CC: Seriously? Is that what this is all about? Here I’m trying to use physics and biology and it’s that simple?

Dean: Yeah, because only they would call us superheroes.

Gavin: Well, I think you’re kinda super…

Share a list of things you’ll never do again.

Dean: I’ll never forget to take my allergy medicine again. Levitating while you sneeze is not good.

Gavin: I’m never letting my brother get the better of me again…

Dean: Really? So this is a fantasy list?

Gavin: Fine, I’m never doing high school again, not with my brother and his group of buddies.

Dean: We might all go for the no high school again thing.

Mat: Uhm… let’s see. I’ll never let my cousin Thorne answer a call from the convenience store again. And I’ll never sleep alone again. And I’ll never go to a Marvel movie alone again…

CC: Wow…you uh… Okay. I’ll never doubt Mat again. And that other one he said, except the Marvel thing. I’m not going to go see Ant Man.

Mat: Then I won’t either.

For more Story Orgy Superhero goodness, our co-writers Hank Edwards and Em Woods will be releasing their books soon. 🙂

Blurb(s)

A MAN OF UNUSUAL TALENT:Man of Unusual Talent_1400

Collin Crane is a man of unusual talent. Really unusual. Too weird for the Guinness Book unusual. On the fifty-year plan to a doctoral degree in physics, and a quiet quest to understand his own oddities, Collin clings to obscurity. This superhero has learned the hard way that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Enter Mathias Giraud, football hero, local cop, and CC’s secret fantasy since high school. Mat’s a simple man with a hero complex fostered by comic books and Marvel movies. Saving the world is his fantasy, but since his roots are firmly planted in Morrisonville and reality, he’ll settle for protecting and serving. Until he clashes with CC at the local convenience store and is reminded of his own high school crush.

When marshmallows are involved, the course of true love is bound to get sticky.

FLYBOY’S FIRST MISADVENTURE:

Flyboys First_1400Secrets? Oh yeah, Dean Wades has a doozy. When he goes up, he doesn’t necessarily come back down. Okay, that’s not true. Dean’s a master at falling, it’s the landing that could use improvement—a lot of improvement. After thirteen years of attempting to conquer this gravity defying mystery, he can no longer live with not knowing what he is anymore. So he heads cross-country to see the two people who just might be able to give him the answers he seeks…his folks.

Easygoing Gavin Trevor is always willing to help his family, even when they have ulterior motives…like forcing him to make up with his annoying older brother. When a simple task at his parent’s house puts him in a position of danger, he’ll need a lot more than luck to avoid a serious injury—he’ll need his very own superhero.

And the fates collide, well sort of. It may not be love at first sight—Gavin was unconscious in Dean’s arms for their initial introduction…but perhaps these two men can make it a relationship at first flight?

A threat against Gavin’s family throws a wrench in their plans, and while Dean gladly offers his amateur talent to help the mission, Gavin doesn’t want to put his rescuer’s life in jeopardy by risking exposure of the greatest secret ever.

This proves to be a rescue adventure for the books. Or is that a rescue misadventure?

 

Pages or Words: A Man of Unusual Talent (28,000), Flyboy’s First Misadventure (32,000)

Categories:

  • A Man of Unusual Talent: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, Paranormal, Romance
  • Flyboy’s First Misadventure: Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance

 

Excerpts:

A Man of Unusual Talent:

Mathias squirmed on the seat. Had to piss. He cast a glance at his partner. Dillon was such a hard-nose. “Hey…how about you pull into that gas station over there? I got to take a leak.”

Dillon’s lip curled, but he swung the patrol car into the convenience store parking lot. “I told you not to get the grande coffee at Mabel’s. Good thing it’s dead tonight.”

“Want anything while I’m in there?” Mat paused with his hand on the door latch, cocking his head at Dillon. Guy wasn’t so bad…just a walking encyclopedia of procedure and a nitpicker. He gave out more jaywalking and broken taillight tickets than any cop on the force.

“No eating in the squad car.” Dillon turned to face him, lips narrow and tight, radiating disapproval.

“You know…if you weren’t my brother…” Mat shoved the door open with unnecessary force. The captain was punishing him…all because he’d missed last Sunday’s dinner with the family. Well, Pop should learn to separate work from personal. Riding with Dillon for a week was going to be torture. If Pop…Captain Giraud, head of Morrisonville’s twenty-five man police force…made good on his threat to force his grandsons to ride together for a month they’d be lucky if the both of them survived.

Shaking his head, Mat slammed the cruiser door as forcefully as he’d opened it. A poster on one of the convenience store’s huge plate glass windows boasted of sixty-four ounce sodas in refillable Hulk, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Black Widow, and Thor cups. Mm. I need to go see that new movie. “I’m getting a soda,” he called over his shoulder to Dillon as he opened the door. “Can I get the restroom key?”

His gaze automatically surveyed the interior, noting it was deserted except for the cashier…a cute little guy named CC he vaguely remembered from high school…and two hoodie-wearing teens. “Everything okay tonight, CC?” he asked. Not that he expected a negative answer; it was just that Collin Crane looked a little freaked. The two kids weren’t any bigger than Collin and weren’t familiar to Mat, so he figured they weren’t troublemakers. Generally he’d had dealings with most of the town’s rowdy teens.

“Yeah, fine, these two were just getting gas. Thanks for coming in, fellas.” CC stepped back, grabbed the restroom key off the hook, and tossed it to Mat.

Mat caught the keys, watching the boys leave without speaking. “Seriously, CC. Those kids giving you trouble? I can talk to them.” Something about the smaller man…regret probably, for ignoring the way the kid was bullied in high school…made him feel a little protective. It was weird, but Mat had learned a lot since he’d turned his back on bullying when he was a kid. Then he’d thought it was enough that he didn’t participate when Jake and Thorn and the others messed with the younger kids. Now…social guilt? Whatever. He was a better person at thirty than he had been at fifteen.

CC looked up, cheeks flushed a little, lower lip trembling. “No…it’s okay. They just wanted gas.”

“Okay. I’ve gotta go, but I want a Thor cup when I get back.” He nodded and walked toward the narrow hall lined with empty boxes which led to the restroom.

“You a fan of The Avengers?” CC called after him.

Mat paused and glanced back over his shoulder, letting his smile widen. “I’m a huge fan of Thor…that is one well put together man.” He was still chuckling over CC’s strangled response when he closed the restroom door.

FLYBOY’S FIRST MISADVENTURE

He attempted to roll the green-eyed man with the dreamy voice off him, but only succeeded in flipping them over so he was now stuck on top. What the fuck? He glanced down their bodies and noticed a cord of some kind wrapped repeatedly around their midsections and legs. No wonder his legs had stopped obeying him. A quick look up showed him numerous clothes line poles with no actual line attached to them.

Well, that was probably because it was all bound around their bodies…and tight too. In the middle of their airborne Cirque du Soleil auditions, their bodies managed to rearrange themselves so the clothesline wrapped them up in the missionary position. With them being damn near close to the same height they lined up quite perfectly with each other.

And that thought made Dean’s cock jump and want to do a few flying lessons of its own.

Dean saw the fog lift from his captive’s eyes as they narrowed with suspicion. His voice was steely this time, not whimsical and light with confusion. “What is happening?”

When all else failed, there was one surefire way to handle what appeared to be an unhandleable situation—channel his snarky best friend Tia.

So he put on a lopsided smile and shrugged as he tried to loosen their bonds somewhat. “You know how Mondays are…run out of coffee, get an extra dose of paperwork at the evil day job, end up in a neighbor’s backyard tied to a charming and well-meaning stranger…” He forced a chuckle out for good measure.

The man’s intense voice didn’t cut him any slack. “Today’s Sunday.”

 

Buy the book:

 

A Man of Unusual Talent:

 

Flyboy’s First Misadventure:

RC

Meet the Authors

LEE BRAZIL:

Somewhere in a small town in up-state New York are a librarian and a second grade teacher to whom I owe my life. That might be a touch dramatic, but it’s nevertheless one hundred percent true.

Because they taught me the joy of reading, of escaping into worlds crafted of words.

Have you ever been nine years old and sure of nothing so much as that you don’t belong? Looked at the world from behind glasses, and wondered why you don’t fit?

Someone hands you a book, and then you turn the page and see… There you are, running from Injun Joe in a dark graveyard; there you are fencing with Athos; there you are…beneath the deep blue sea- marveling at exotic creatures with Captain Nemo.

I found myself between the pages of books, and that is why I write now. It’s why I taught English and literature for so many years, and it’s why my house contains more pounds of books than furniture.

If I’d had my way, I’d have been a fencer…or a starship captain, or a lawyer, or a detective solving crimes. But instead, I am a writer, and I’ve come to realize that’s the best thing in the world to be, because as a writer, I can be all those things and more.

If I hadn’t learned to value the stories between the pages, who knows what would have happened? Certainly not college…teaching…or writing.

 

Where to find the author:

LEE BRAZIL:

HAVAN FELLOWS:

 

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Tour Dates & Stops:

12-Oct: Michael Mandrake, Jessie G. Books

13-Oct Love Bytes, MM Good Book Reviews

14-Oct Unquietly Me, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter

15-Oct Joyfully Jay, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly

16-Oct Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, V’s Reads, Bayou Book Junkie

 

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 2 – $10 ARe Gift Cards (One each to two winners).  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the authors and Pride Promotions.  

 

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Afternoon Book Highlight: Seven Tears at High Tide by C.B. Lee (author interview, excerpt and contest)

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Seven Tears at High Tide by C.B. Lee
Release Date: October 15, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Interlude Press
Cover Artist: C.B. Lee
Cover Design by C.B. Messer

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Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing C.B. Lee, author of Seven Tears at High Tide.

Hi C.B., thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hi! I’m C.B, thank you for interviewing me on your blog today. I’m from California, and grew up in a small neighborhood that was made up of almost all immigrant families. As a first generation Asian American and as a bisexual writer, I am so excited to be able to write more about characters whose backgrounds are like my own. My current novel is Seven Tears at High Tide, a contemporary romance meets fantasy, where a teenager meets a selkie has to navigate the consequences of wishing for love.

  • What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I would just love to see my stories being read by the people who want to read them. It’s a dream of mine, for people to be able to pick up a story about a character that they might see themselves in.

  • How many published books do you have? Can you tell us something about them?

Seven Tears at High Tide is my first novel! It’s my take on selkie lore, particularly on subverting the trope that follows a lot of the mythology, where a selkie comes ashore and their pelt, and subsequently their freedom, is taken away from them when a human steals it or discovers it. I wanted to write a story where the selkie– and the human both are presented with difficult choices in their relationship, and how they deal with these questions of agency.

  • Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Kevin and Morgan are the two main characters, and they’re both quite special to me! I hope readers think so too. Kevin can be quite stubborn at times, and act before he thinks, but he’s got a good heart, knows who he is and what he wants, and that helps him steer through a lot of difficult choices in the novel. Morgan has a few special supernatural abilities, like an enhanced sense of smell and the ability to read people’s intentions and their heart’s desires, but I think what makes him special is his positivity and his determination, and especially how he cares deeply about others.

  • What are you working on at the moment? What’s it about?

I’m currently working on another young adult novel, about a high school girl who comes from a family of superheroes– except she’s nonpowered, and really just wants to prove herself. She ends up getting a job, along with her crush, working for a mysterious corporation which turns out to be run by the town’s supervillain, and these two girls uncover this huge plot that’s more than just heroes versus villains. And they also fall in love.

  • Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

I try to write at least a thousand words a day, if I have a deadline for a particular project. Sometimes I’ll write more, and often times I’ll write less, but I do try to write every day, even if it’s only a sentence!

RC

Blurb

Kevin Luong walks to the ocean’s edge with a broken heart. Remembering a legend his mother told him, he lets seven tears fall into the sea. “I just want one summer—one summer to be happy and in love.” Instead, he finds himself saving a mysterious boy from the Pacific—a boy who later shows up on his doorstep professing his love. What he doesn’t know is that Morgan is a selkie, drawn to answer Kevin’s wish. As they grow close, Morgan is caught between the dangers of the human world and his legacy in the selkie community to which he must return at summer’s end.

 

Pages or Words: 234 pages
Categories: Contemporary, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, Young Adult

 

Excerpt

They wander into the house, wipe their wet feet on the welcome mat, climb up the stairs and giggle as they pass Ann’s bedroom. She’s dancing with her headphones on, oblivious to the open door, swaying to the beat.

In Kevin’s bedroom, he quickly scrounges up some clean shirts and shorts. “Here, you can wear this,” he says, handing an outfit to Morgan and then ducking into his bathroom to change. He peels off the wetsuit and hangs it up in his shower, then leans his surfboard carefully against the wall, eyeing the crack. He’ll have to fix it tomorrow.

When he returns, Morgan is holding onto the wet board shorts, wearing the outfit Kevin gave him. He looks curiously at the rock collection prominently displayed on Kevin’s bookshelf. “These are beautiful,” he says.

“Here, I’ll take that,” Kevin says, holding out his hand for the bedraggled board shorts to hang in his shower. He’s certain now that they’re the ones from the lifeguard’s lost and found. Kevin’s starting to worry that Morgan doesn’t have any other clothes, but he doesn’t know how to bring it up. Money can be a touchy subject.

Morgan holds Kevin’s favorite specimen, a piece of green olivine on basalt. Kevin once almost convinced Ann it was an avocado roll—it certainly looks like one, bright green speckled with sesame seeds, wrapped in dark seaweed.

“That’s from Mexico. My family went on vacation to Baja last year, and I got that out of an old volcano.” He tries his best to describe the sweltering heat and the excitement of finding geodes and cracking them open with a hammer. Morgan listens in rapt silence as Kevin talks about the find and tilts the olivine so it catches the light. He sets it back in its spot behind its label, slowly so as not to disturb the other specimens, and Kevin is quietly pleased with Morgan’s careful appreciation.

“I changed my mind,” Kevin blurts out.

“About what?”

“I do want this to be a date. For us, to do that,” he says, blushing. “I like you. A lot.”

Morgan’s face breaks into a bright, happy smile.

“And what do we do differently, for this to be a date?”

Kevin can feel the heat on his cheeks. “We can hold hands, if you like. Um, or kiss, if you want to. But we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I’m fine just hanging out and watching a movie with you.”

Morgan tilts his head and steps closer. “I want to,” he says, not specifying what, but Kevin knows immediately.

It’s just the quickest brush of lips, but Kevin feels it all the way to his toes. A warm curl of excitement blooms throughout his body, and Morgan’s mouth is warm and wet against his. It’s not like any kiss he’s had, chaste and sweet and over in a second, and yet his heart is still pounding after Morgan leans back. He’s close enough for Kevin to be able to count the eyelashes dark against his cheek.

Morgan ducks his head and asks, “Was that okay?”

Kevin’s a little dazed, but he finds his voice. “Yeah. Yeah, that was great.”

 

Buy the book:

Interlude Press | Amazon |Book Depository | Indiebound 

Meet and connect with C. B. Lee:

C. B. Lee is a bisexual writer, rock climber and pinniped enthusiast based in California. Lee enjoys reading, hiking and other outdoor pursuits. Seven Tears At High Tide is a first novel.

Connect with C.B. at cb-lee.com, on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/authorcblee,

on Twitter @author_cblee, and on Goodreads at Goodreads.com/cb-lee.

 

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Tour Dates & Stops:

15-Oct: Prism Book Alliance, Happily Ever Chapter, Velvet Panic, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My,

Michael Mandrake, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

16-Oct: BFD Book Blog, Books A to Z, The Jena Wade

19-Oct: It’s Raining Men, Hearts on Fire, Bayou Book Junkie

20-Oct: Divine Magazine, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Bike Book Reviews

21-Oct: Amanda C. Stone, Just Love Romance, Mikky’s World of Books

22-Oct: Emotion in Motion, Kimi-Chan, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

23-Oct: Molly Lolly, Love Bytes

26-Oct: Boys on the Brink Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads

27-Oct: Cathy Brockman Romances, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, MM Good Book Reviews

28-Oct: TTC Books and More, My Fiction Nook

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Interlude Press Gift Card to one grand prize winner plus copies of the Seven Tears at High Tide multi-format eBook to five winners. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Coffee Sip and Book Break with ‘Beignets’ by Michaela Grey (excerpt and giveaways)

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AboutTheBook

 

Beignets_FINAL_lavenderTitle: Beignets

Series: Coffee Cake

Author: Michaela Grey

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Length: 200 Pages
Release Date: October 9, 2015

Blurb

Malachi Warren barely survived a series of assaults on his life. But survive he did, though not without baggage. Now, Malachi must pick up the pieces of his shattered life—the most important piece being his boyfriend, Bran Kendrick, who is dealing with problems of his own.

Stagnating at his job at a small-town café, Bran’s pride keeps him from asking Malachi—or anyone—for help. Desperate to do something, Malachi secretly pays a celebrity chef with a bakery in New Orleans to take on Bran as his apprentice.

As Malachi and Bran begin to make a new life in New Orleans, the specter of Malachi’s PTSD and the growing stress over the secret he hides from Bran threaten their relationship. Before it’s too late, Malachi must confront his past and face his fears about the future, all without losing himself—and Bran—in the process.

Excerpt

Exclusive to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words excerpt:

Malachi lifted an eyebrow. Okay?

Bran nodded, lips quirking.

Malachi smiled back. I love you.

Bran’s smile widened. I love you too.

Malachi glanced toward the exit to the zoo. Ready to go?

Bran shook his head. I’m okay.

“Okay, how are you doing that?” Sabrina interrupted. Malachi jumped and turned to look at her. She’d propped her elbows on the table and was staring at them with fascination on her face.

“Doing what?” Malachi asked.

“Talking to each other,” Sabrina said, “without saying a word. You just held an entire conversation with nothing but facial movements!”

“Oh,” Malachi said. He glanced at Bran, who just lifted an eyebrow, offering no help. “Gee, thanks,” Malachi said, and Bran grinned.

“You’re doing it again,” Sabrina pointed out.

 

He’d covered Bran’s back with a pale gray first, from shoulders to hips. It was the exact color of the Vermont sky outside his window: the pearlescent hint of winter, cold and serene.

The trees were next, bare limbs black against the gray sky. The green stretched out under the trees, a wide expanse of withered brown that defied its commonly used name. On the other side of the green, the library rose above the branches, glass and stone and modern architecture. Two figures sat on a bench in front of the library. The smaller one had his head in the other’s lap, knees bent to brace his sketchpad. The taller figure was absorbed in his book, brown hair falling in a haphazard manner over his forehead.

And in the distance under the farthest tree, a tiny, malevolent, brown spotted llama lurked, biding its time.

BuyLinks

Dreamspinner Press (ebook)

Dreamspinner Press (Paperback)

Amazon US

Amazon UK

All Romance eBooks

Barnes & Noble

AboutTheAuthor

Author PicMichaela Grey told stories to put herself to sleep since she was old enough to hold a conversation in her head.  When she learned to write, she began putting those stories down on paper.  She and her family reside in the Texas hill country with their cats, and she is perpetually on the hunt for peaceful writing time, which her four children make difficult to find.

Michaela started her career with Dreamspinner Press.  Her first book is called Coffee Cake, published in May of 2015, and its sequel is Beignets, coming in October of 2015.  She is represented by Saritza Hernandez, of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Queer romance is her happy place, and she delights in pushing her limits, testing her abilities and forcing herself to write scenarios she’s not familiar with.  Angst is her lifeblood, and she wants you to know that your tears are delicious.  (But don’t worry, she’ll always give you a happy ending.)

When she’s not writing, she’s knitting while watching TV or avoiding responsibilities on Tumblr, where she shamelessly ogles pretty people and tries to keep her cat off the keyboard.

||  Facebook Page  ||  Twitter  ||  Website  ||  Tumblr  ||  Email  ||

RafflecopterGiveaway

Winner’s Prize: Signed Paperback of BEIGNETS

Runner-up Prize: E-copy of BEIGNETS

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Creative Minds Promotions.

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TourSchedule

October 12:

October 13:

October 14:

October 15:

October 16:

October 17:

October 18:

Cover Reveal for Jessie G’s ‘Strength in Numbers’ (cover reveal and contest)

Front Cover Safety In Numbers - 400w

Safety In Numbers (Sizzling Miami #5) by Jessie G.
Release Date: October 31, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Jessie G. Books
Cover Artist: Andrew Reyna

Buy the book: Amazon Pre-Order Link | ARe Pre-order Link | KOBO

Blurb

“Bros stick together no matter what.”

When Chris and Liam made that promise, they had no idea how important it would become or how it would be tested in the most brutal way. Nine years later, their bond cemented in blood, that relationship is all they have to hold on to.

“No matter what happens, this friendship will be the one constant we can count on.”

When Billy and Owen made that promise, they knew exactly how dangerous the world could be. They survived prison by protecting each other and they survived freedom by holding that promise sacred. Now they want more than just to survive and they want it from the brothers whose bond is as strong as their own.

“We are stronger together than we’ll ever be apart.”

When Owen reaches his breaking point, Chris jumps at the chance to make things right for all of them. With the future in their grasp, will they realize their strength is in their numbers and finally become the family they crave?

Author’s Note: This is NOT a foursome, but the story of two couples that needed to be told together.

 

Pages or Words: 76,000 words
Categories: Gay fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

That silence hid a lot from their friends, but Liam knew Chris was plagued with memories far worse than his. That’s why they decided not to celebrate alone this year. Billy and Owen were expected any minute and it was the first time they invited anyone to join them. The anniversary was bittersweet for them and they chose to celebrate it because becoming brothers meant that much to them. “Do you think they’ll find it stupid?”

Chris just shrugged as if it was no skin off his back what they thought and Liam knew that was just bravado. Fact was, they both very much cared what the two men thought. “Liar.”

His brother sighed and dropped his head back. As if shit wasn’t fucked up enough, they fell for two bastards just as fucked up as they were. “I know you’re worried about Owen. The business with Colin is growing out of their control and I’m not sure why he thinks it’s a good thing. Is he trying to prove something? And the middle of the night phone calls from the FTR? He’s looking more and more fragile every day.”

Liam knew he wasn’t stating anything new. What he didn’t know was what Chris intended to do about it. Lately, when it came to Owen, Chris conveyed zero intent and seemed to be waiting for Owen to read him as effortlessly as Liam did. Their brother bond had been forged through blood and he was afraid Chris’s expectations of Owen were unreasonable. “Do you see his face every time he thinks he’s failed to understand you? The weight of it is crushing.”

Instead of regret, all Liam saw was anger in Chris. It wasn’t a common emotion for Chris and Liam could name every time he saw it. The fact that Chris knew what he was capable of if provoked had made him extremely conscious of that emotion and he often went to great lengths to contain it.

Owen was the very definition of insecure. Just the type to inspire Chris’s protective instincts, which Liam knew for a fact Owen did. Hell, he inspired Liam’s protective instincts. Owen was stubborn though and he often distanced himself, keeping things bottled up until they manifested elsewhere. Like in panic attacks that felt like heart attacks, which he also tried to hide. Liam nearly lost it when they found out that Billy was keeping Owen’s secret.

Chris nodded slowly, as if he completely followed Liam’s train of thought and waited for him to connect the dots. And just like that, Liam understood. “You’re pissed because he doesn’t come to you when the panic sets in. That he hides it from you and they hide it from us.”

It made total sense, but he had to wonder if they were expecting too much. After all, they couldn’t call what was going on with either man a relationship. No, they were four fucked up bastards trying to come together in some romanticwhat? Not a foursome, eww…he loved Chris, but yeah, that just wasn’t happening. And Owen wasn’t his type any more than Billy was Chris’s type. But—always with the fucking buts, right?—what was happening was very definitely happening to the four of them, and Liam now had to wonder if that was the problem, because trying to come together was definitely not the same as being together.

Chris shook his head and shifted in his seat. No, he was right. It wasn’t just their brother bond that made it impossible to move forward as two separate couples. Billy and Owen had formed their own unique friendship in prison and were no more likely to move forward without the other one either. “Just once, couldn’t we have done something the easy way?”

The fire door banged open and Liam turned to see Billy and Owen, arms full of brightly wrapped packages, struggling to pull a huge cluster of balloons through the door. It was a shocking contrast to their dark thoughts and so uncharacteristically sweet of both men. Billy caught their surprised stare and yelled, “Is this where the party’s at?”

“It is now.” It might seem silly, but it was exactly what they needed and exactly who they needed it from. Maybe they hadn’t been expecting too much at all. Liam rose to give them a hand and glanced down to see the look of longing in Chris’s eyes and thought maybe it was time they all expected more.

 

Back Cover Safety In Numbers - 400w

Meet the Author

Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I’d begun to doubt. Thanks to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: to be a great writer you must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it’s a job. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will be at writing. I took that advice to heart and write every day. With six published books to date, three series in the works and a full schedule of releases planned for the next two years, it’s been amazing to have made this dream my reality.

I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics and happily ever after. I’m a lover of strong secondary characters and series filled with families, biological or chosen. All are themes you’ll find throughout my books.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Bike Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, 3 Chicks After Dark, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, KathyMac Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Charley Descoteaux, BFD Book Blog, V’s Reads, Molly Lolly, Multitasking Mommas, Carly’s Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, The Hat Party, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Gay Media Reviews, Velvet Panic, Sassygirl Books, Gay Book Reviews, Jill P Rand

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 5 copies of ‘Safety In Numbers’ by Jessie G.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Russell Soots Talks Loss in Writing & in his Brass & Keys (guest post, excerpt and giveaway)

 

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We are happy to welcome Russell Soots here today to talk about his latest release, Brass & Keys (Freshman Beginning) and some of the elements in the book and series.

Russell Soots on Loss as A Core Element in Writing

In much the same way that loss is a part of real life, loss is also one of the core elements of any story; whether it’s the actual occurrence and/or threat of loss.  This is ​ certainly the case for the “Brass & Keys” series including “Freshman Beginning”.  Whether it occurred in the past, present or in the near future, loss drastically affects more than one character in this first book.  In many ways, the manner in which each character faces loss reveals a great deal about them in the story.  For example, do they face it head on? Do they run from it?  Does a specific instance of loss perhaps become an integral, lifelong part of them?  How each character reacts accordingly can give the reader tremendous insight into their mindset, emotions and perhaps even their future actions.

The various types of loss themselves certainly play a key role as well.  Death, the end of friendships and relationships, job loss, financial crises and others can all have profound effects on not just the characters but also the plots, twists and turns of the story as well.   

Loss will always be a part of our lives and the stories we read.  I must confess that every single time I initially write, reread and edit chapters that have to do with loss, I always cry.  I suppose my doing so is based on how such chapters hit close to home with regards to my own loss of family members and friends over the years.  I think it also has to do with imagining that same pain being experienced by characters whom in many ways feel very much like family members and friends to me.   

AboutTheBook

Brass_Keys_FS_600x900Title: Brass & Keys (Freshman Beginning ) by Russell Soots

Cover Artist:  Sid Love

Length:  266 pages

Release Date: October 15, 2015

Blurb

Having recently broken up with his sleazeball of an ex, recent high school grad Keldon Stonebridge is a handsome guy who’s optimistic about the possibilities of the summer ahead in his beautiful hometown of Asheville, NC. He intends to fill his days working, playing his saxophone whom he calls his baby, sipping green iced tea and hanging out with friends. He’s far less optimistic about a summer romance.

But then he meets the very handsome Tyler Lawrence. A fellow musician and recent high school grad himself, Tyler also enjoys losing himself in his music and conspicuously avoids speaking about his own ex at all costs. The two quickly fall in love and achieve a bond that truly transcends love and music. It’s a bond that will be greatly tested by loyalty, tragedy and more.

CommonExcerpt

Desperately trying not to panic, Tyler looked into his eyes.  “Keldon, what is it?”, he urgently insisted.

Keldon swallowed hard as he gazed into Tyler’s dark eyes.  A single tear slowly moved down his cheek.  His mouth twitched slightly before finally opening to speak.  “I’m in love with you.”,  he breathed.

Tyler’s eyes flew open so wide he momentarily thought they might pop out of his head. He struggled for a moment to breathe as a grin spread across his entire face and his eyes watered.  He opened his mouth but nothing came out.  Now it was his turn to have difficulty speaking.  Finally, he managed to get the words out.  “I love you too.”, he gushed in a whisper.  For the briefest of moments, they simply gazed into each other’s eyes before their lips collided and tongues intertwined almost violently.  Beyond passionate, their kiss sealed their bodies, hearts and soul together.  It lasted for several blissful moments before they finally parted.  With beaming smiles, they looked back toward the patio where everyone was smiling before looking into each other’s eyes again.

Keldon grinned and threw his head back.  “I’m in love with Tyler Lawrence!”, he enthusiastically exclaimed at nearly the top of his lungs.

As soon as he finished, Tyler threw his own head back.  “And I’m in love with Keldon Stonebridge!”, he excitedly drawled.  They grinned ridiculously at each other for several moments before wrapping their arms around each other in a warm and unbreakable hug.

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AboutTheAuthor

Living in central North Carolina, Russell thoroughly enjoys all of the great amenities of the state he’s called home his entire life.  He can typically be found assisting a friend with their small business, writing in coffeehouses, enjoying meals, movies, museums and more with friends as well as fully enjoying the great wonder of life itself.   Twitter   Google +

 

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TourSchedule

October 15:

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

October 16:

Drops of Ink

October 19:

Divine Magazine

October 20:

Nephy’s World

Gay.Guy.Reading And Friends

October 21:

Wicked Faeries Tales And Reviews

October 22:

Diverse Reader

Hearts on Fire

October 23:

MM Good Book Reviews

The Purple Rose Tea House

October 24:

Bayou Book Junkie

October 26:

BFD Book Blog

October 27:

Prism Book Alliance

Up All Night, Read All Day

Eyes on Books

October 28:

Elisa – My reviews and Ramblings

 

Fur, Fangs, and Felines is Back with M. A. Church’s Behind the Eight Ball (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

BehindtheEightBallFS

Behind the Eight Ball (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #2) by M.A. Church
Release Date: October 30, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Buy the book: Dreamspinner eBook| Dreamspinner Paperback

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Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing M.A. Church author of Behind the Eight Ball. Hi Michelle, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us your writing goals for this year.

Hmm. Since this year is about over, let’s start with 2016. I plan to have at least two books coming out from ARe.

The third book in the Fur, Fangs, and Felines series hopefully will be coming out in 2016. This book will be about Remi and his mate.

I also plan to continue The Harvest series books. These will be about the young, and the first book in the series will be about Szin.

I’m going to try my hand at a contemporary novella. Depending on how well that goes, I may do several contemporary short stories. I have a couple ideas on that too.

I’m also itching to write the complete story from a sci-fi flash I entered in the Queer sci-fi contest in 2015. It has to do with an enchanted mirror.

And that’s what I have planned, LOL. Who knows what may pop up between now and then?

Blurb

A cool morning, a yard full of birds, and a kitty on a mission. What more could a werecat want? Beta Heller Wirth has it all, except a mate—a shifter mate, that is. The last thing he wants is one of those dangerous humans who kill without remorse. Heller knows about that firsthand. So what does the goddess Bast do? She gives Heller exactly what he does not want—a human: business owner Lawson Dupre.

Lawson hasn’t a clue what just happened in his car detail shop. One minute a cute client is about to pass out, then he perks up and starts flirting. Next thing, he runs out the door like the hounds of hell are after him. Learning that Heller is a werecat doesn’t freak out Lawson. He happens to be one of those rare humans who knows paranormals exists. He even lives with one. Watch the fur fly as Heller and Lawson battle hurt feelings, misguided beliefs, and a power shift in Heller’s clowder.

 

Pages or Words: 76,000 words
Categories: Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

Excerpt

Step.

Step.

Stop.

The rustling of dead leaves caught my attention, and I froze with one paw still in the air. Not moving and barely daring to breathe, I waited. My whiskers twitched as a cool October breeze disturbed the scent of decaying leaves and rich soil. The foliage trembled again as something rooted around.

I slowly lowered my paw. The disturbance wasn’t very noticeable except to my predatory gaze. The movement continued. Gradually, bit by bit, I crept forward, making sure my long fur didn’t disturb the surrounding mounds of dying leaves. It was times like these I wished my coat were short like Dolf’s. One thing was for sure—whatever was below those leaves was going to be mine shortly. All I needed was to cover a little more distance and I’d be close enough.

Step.

Step.

Crouch.

Heart thumping, I watched as the movement continued. My muscles tightened and my bottom started wiggling. Unable to wait, I sprang forward, claws extended. Leaves flew into the air as I landed on my target. Bugs scattered. Eyes narrowed, I searched for…. There! There was the little bugger. I growled at the big black beetle and trapped it with my paw.

Seconds passed. The bug wiggled under my paw, tickling me. Hunched down, I carefully lifted my paw and peeked. Dammit, can’t see. Unable to get a good look, I lifted my paw a little higher… and there it went, scuttling across the ground. Gleefully I slammed a paw down, trying to trap it. Slap. Slap. Slap. Arrgh! What’s the deal? I keep missing.

Looked like I’d found myself in a game of whack-a-mole, except with a beetle. And off we went. The bug scurried away with me hot on its trail. Every time I thought I had a paw on it, I ended up missing. Stupid critter was fast. I bounded along behind as it raced across the ground. Then it suddenly cut back and ran straight under me.

Surprised, I leaped in the air, all four paws coming off the ground. Whoa! Zigged when I should have zagged. I landed and nonchalantly licked a paw. Hope no one saw that. I had to give the bug credit. That was a smart move. The shrill cry of a mockingbird caught my attention. I lifted my head, searching for the little tattletale.

Up in a tree it sat, its warning cries echoing around the yard. I eyed the tree. Hmm, I could climb it, but the stupid bird will probably just take off. Still, might be fun. Maybe after I finished playing with the bug… and damn. The bug.

My attention returned to where it had been, my tail slashing. Great. Lost it. Stupid bird. I sat up and threw a glare over my shoulder at the bird. Standing, I turned my back to the little menace, tail held high. That’s what I think of you, buddy. I prowled around for a while, sniffing, enjoying the coolness of the morning.

In the early morning sunlight, the dew on the grass sparkled like diamonds. Maybe it was pretty, but the stuff was also cold and wet against my paws. I was glad for my fur. As I wandered back toward the house, my stomach growled. I was hungry and… I sniffed. Oh, was that a blue jay I smelled? Oh, oh, a blue jay. Yum.

The human side of me groaned, but the kitty part wanted to jump with joy. The noisy little shits were actually quite intelligent. Catching one was always a feat. Quick as I could, I hid in the bright fall foliage by the back porch. I stayed very, very still so the stupid bird three feet from me didn’t fly off in a panic.

I licked my lips, my whiskers twitching as I watched the little rascal across from me raise its head. Shit, shit, shit. What caught its attention? Come on already. It’s all fine, nothing to worry about here. No cat hanging around. Just go back to pecking around on the ground. Everything’s good. See? I’m not moving, not even breathing.

Crouched low, I waited while my breakfast relaxed and returned to looking for acorns. Other birds came and went, but I refused to get distracted. I knew the one I wanted. Inch by agonizing inch, I crept closer to my prey. My mouth watered and my heart thumped.

The chatter of the birds around me was easy and relaxed, no distress calls sounding. That’s right. Just keep on eating. Soon I’m going to be eating you. My body tensed, back legs ready to spring me into action….

And the phone in the house rang.

 

RC

 

Meet the Author

M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!

When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or sitting glued to HGTV. That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two children.

She was a finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013 and is a member of Romance Writers of America, Rainbow Romance Writers, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

 

Where to find the author:

 


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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Behind the Eight Ball’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Links and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

 

 

 

 

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