Category: Book Giveaways

In the Book Spotlight: Songbook: Paulo and Preston Shorts by Lee Benoit (excerpt and giveaway)

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 Songbook: Paulo and Preston Shorts by Lee Benoit

Release Date: May 20, 2015

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Goodreads Link:
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Sales Links: Torquere Books

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Lee Benoit has collected all the Paulo and Preston stories into one volume.  Love a little kink with your romance?  Check out Songbook:  Paulo and Preston Shorts by Lee Benoit below and don’t forget to enter the contest at the end.

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Cue the music! SONGBOOK collects, for the first time ever, all of the stories in the Paulo and Preston series!

PRESTON is a lifestyle Dominant, recently retired from a career on stage at an exclusive BDSM club. When the series begins, he’s single and looking forward to a quieter life. All that changes on the night of Preston’s last performance when PAULO, a complete novice, takes the place of Preston’s usual stage submissive. By day Paulo does odd jobs and sings in the Sister City Gay Men’s Chorus. After that first night with Preston, however, he wants more. He wants everything. Can a newbie sub and a gracefully aging Dom learn to harmonize?

Each story chronicles a new phase in Paulo and Preston’s relationship and features song lyrics mangled in deliciously naughty ways by Paulo.
Pages or Words: 59,300 words

Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance, Multicultural, May/December, Disability

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

He was flying from my flogger, and I knew I could break him with the whip. I shouldn’t — he was too new — he’d imprint on me like an orphan nestling. I decided once more on this mad, unexpected night, to trust myself. I would whip Paulo, not break him, and let him down gently once our performance ended.

I examined my control for a split second as I drew back my arm. No uncertainty, no sense of wrongness intruded. I was flying, too, and as much I trusted myself, I found I trusted my surprise sub too. This was right.

He screamed around the gag at the whip’s kisses anyway, though mine were not blows that would shatter him unless I’d read him very, very wrong.

I dropped the whip and removed the obscene gag, kissed the swollen lips, swallowed the last notes of his strange, wild song just as our finale music burgeoned around us. A choir of boys sang John the Beloved’s hymn “Shine on Me,” the perfect song for my last Epiphany on this stage and, I knew now, my first on a new path.

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Before dawn and after dark, Lee Benoit is a writer of queer fiction, some contemporary, some speculative, some historical. During the daylight hours she is a professor of sociology & anthropology. In the old days, Lee traveled the world doing field research. Now she lives in the middle of a New England hayfield where being a single parent provides more than enough excitement. Proudly pansexual, whenever she gets itchy feet and misses the world of research and advocacy, Lee invents a new world in her head and takes notes on what happens there.

Discover more about Lee at http://www.leebenoittales.com

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Tour Dates & Stops: May 19, 2015
Parker Williams, Molly Lolly, Bayou Book Junkie, Inked Rainbow Reads, Charley Descoteaux, Happily Ever Chapter, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Chris McHart, MM Good Book Reviews, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, 3 Chicks After Dark, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Velvet Panic, Up All Night, Read All Day,
My Fiction Nook, Rainbow Gold Reviews

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Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-book of Songbook: Paulo and Preston Shorts.

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In the Book Spotlight: Cliff’s Edge (Willow Springs Ranch #7) by Laura Harner (author interview, and giveaway)

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Cliff’s Edge by Laura Harner
Series: Willow Springs Ranch #7
Release Date: April 22, 2015

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Laura Harner, a prolific and favorite author of mine, has a new couple for you all to meet and grow to love in her series, Willow Springs Ranch.  The couple is compelling, the sex sizzling and the story one to sink yourself into. But let Laura tell you about it.

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-A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Author Interview with Laura Harner-

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Laura Harner author of Cliff’s Edge, Book #7 of the Willow Springs Ranch Series.

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

Hi there, thanks for having me! I’m here today talking about Cliff’s Edge, Book #7 of the Willow Springs Ranch Series. I’ve been writing for about seven years now, and have written 51 novels, novellas, and short stories, published in over 60 books and collections. PHEW! Before I started writing I had careers in the Navy, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management—and you’ll probably catch a bit of that experience in many of my books.
• What is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about your writing?

Laura: That my book kept them up all night. As a reader, that’s always my yardstick for how much I enjoy a book, so when a reader says something similar it’s huge to me. The other terrific compliment is when one of my books gives them a book hangover and they’re still thinking about it days later.

Comments and reviews like that can make a writer’s day—week—month. In fact, it makes us write faster. You should tell us things like that on a regular basis. *Nods*

• Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that impact your writing?

Laura: I’ve been a fulltime writer for a couple of years now. In the old days, when I had an Evil Day Job, I would get up at 2:00 so I could write before I left the house. I tried writing after work, and I just never accomplished much. My brain is definitely more productive in the mornings.

Once I started working from home full time, I really got to sleep in. Now I often don’t start writing until 3:30 or 4:00. Yes…in the morning.

I know it’s early, but it works for me. Of course, I’m not completely stupid…there’s always coffee. Plenty of coffee.
• What interested you about the theme of this book?

Laura: I’ve always loved a friends-to-lovers theme. I think it’s just one of those universal themes that people relate to. A friend who knows what you’re thinking, remembers the punch lines to your jokes, and knows all the words to your favorite song? Yeah…that’s priceless. So add in the romance and sex, stir and pour. Yum.

• What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

Laura: Typing. LOL…it’s true! I don’t know how to touch type, so I have to watch the keyboard. I still type pretty fast, but sometimes I look at the screen after I’ve been typing for a few minutes, and I laugh out loud, because I’ve mistyped a word and autocorrect “fixes” my mistake. In Cliff’s Edge, one of those typos made it into the Super Bowl party scene, just because it was so funny. In a completely unrelated part of the book, thought I typed the words ‘fragile calm’ but when I looked up, I saw Word had helped me with an autocorrect and changed it to frijole clam. So of course Ty had to make it and add it to the menu.

• Name your four most important food groups.

Laura: LOL…food groups? Anything that isn’t a starchy carb. I eat a high protein diet, for a couple of reasons, but most importantly because it makes me feel better. So a perfect meal is a steak and broccoli, or ribs and a salad. Or my all time favorite—tacos made with a low carb tortilla. Yum!

I am hopelessly addicted to salty, crunchy snacks, so I don’t even keep chips in the house. If they’re there, I’ll eat them—but that leaves plenty of room for bacon!

Thank you so much for having me—it’s always a pleasure to visit with friends. If you’re new to me as a reader, I invite you to try Ty Hard, Book #1 of the WSR series, available free at all major retailers. If you’re a long time reader, then I thank you, and I hope I never fail to entertain!

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Hot Corner Press
Cover Artist: Laura Harner
Cover Picture: D.W. Skinner

Sales Links:   Amazon – Apple – Smashwords – Barnes and Noble – ARe

 

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Navy SEALs Cliff “Snides” Snyder and Ryan “Rhino” Matthews have been moving comfortably in each other’s worlds for two decades. Best friends since attending BUDs twenty years earlier, and despite playing for different teams, they’re often accused of acting like an old married couple—much to their amusement.

Assigned to shore duty for his final tour before retirement and without Ryan to anchor him, Cliff’s restlessness leads him to a local club and hands-on research that leaves him in a compromising position and a witness to murder—signaling the abrupt end of his Navy career. Needing a place to lay low and lick his wounds, Cliff visits his old friends at the Willow Springs Ranch while he considers making cowboy his new job title.

After six long months on deployment, Rhino returns to San Diego—only to discover Cliff’s gone dark and the unlikely words ‘poor judgment’ are hanging in the air. Despite the offer of a prestigious assignment, Ryan opts to track down his best friend first and finds him at the WSR…along with more questions than he ever expected. With the most coveted orders for a SEAL dangling, twenty years of service under his belt, and Cliff determined to move on without him, decisions must be made.

Ryan is certain he has the perfect solution going forward, but Cliff knows he must face the fallout of his actions alone—and the one thing he’s determined to do is protect Ryan from making the biggest mistake of his career—even if it costs Cliff everything. You know what they say—the only easy day was yesterday.
Pages or Words: 38,000 words

Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Mystery, Western/Cowboy, Military

 

 

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Cliff stumbled a little in the dark of his bedroom, reluctant to turn on the lights and ruin his night vision. It had been a long while since he’d had so much to drink—or felt so relaxed. There was definitely something to be said about being on the WSR, away from anyone who might know him or what he did for a living.

In their careers, it was conceivable they could be targeted for one of their field actions or just by virtue of being Navy SEALs. Just like the cops who’d enjoyed harassing him once they’d discovered his profession. Some people needed to try to knock down others to feel good about themselves. But here? He and Ryan were just a couple more guys.

He stripped to his boxers and tossed his jeans onto the chair before pulling back the covers on the king-sized bed. A shudder raced up his spine, and for just a moment, he remembered the frustration and helplessness of the situation when he’d been trapped on the other bed…listening to those fucking punks. His stomach clenched at the thought of Gentry and Draco. Their bodies had been removed by the time the cops saw fit to release him from the alcove, but he’d never forget listening to their last moments or the blood that soaked the floor when he’d been led through the office to the stairs. Ryan would eventually ask for details about how they died—especially Draco, since they’d been friends—but they’d both learned to compartmentalize death a long time ago.

That didn’t mean they weren’t affected by loss, but there was a time and a place to mourn, to say good-bye, and it wasn’t while the battle raged. Despite several warnings from the DA and lead investigator, Cliff would like nothing more than to hunt down those gangbangers and make them pay…and Ryan would be more than happy to help. He recognized the danger in those thoughts, as well.

Blowing out a breath at the loss of his mellow mood of a few minutes ago, Cliff moved silently on bare feet to open the bedroom door and listened. The quiet murmur of television voices from behind Ryan’s door would mask any noise he might make. Hell, Rhino was probably passed out on his bed already.

Cliff padded to the refrigerator, considered then dismissed the idea of another beer. He had a long drive ahead of him in the morning. Grabbing a bottle of water instead, he drank half down in one long pull.

Turning, he found Ryan standing near the counter, watching him. With the moonlight streaming in through the window providing the only illumination, his friend’s face was difficult to read, but his naked body was a little hard to miss.

“Want some?” Cliff held the bottle of water in Ryan’s direction.

With a nod, Ryan took the bottle and finished it off. With a perfect aim, even in the near total darkness, he tossed the empty into the wastebasket. “And the crowd goes wild.”

“Idiot,” Cliff said, opening the fridge for two more bottles of water. Once again passing a bottle to Ryan, he started to head back to the bedroom. Ryan’s hand on his arm stopped him.

“I…uh…had a good time tonight.” Ryan’s words weren’t slurred, but there was a lazy cadence beneath the stilted delivery that spoke of too much tequila.

“Yeah, me too. Ty and Cass are good folk. They’ve made this place a good home for a lot of guys who needed a fresh start.”

“Is that what you’re thinking of doing? A fresh start out here as some kind of cowboy? ’Cause, man…I could see the attraction. You out here surrounded by all those hot guys—I mean obviously not the couples, but there were at least half of them in there single, right?”

Cliff laughed softly at Ryan’s concern for his love life. “Yeah…sorry about that. I didn’t even think about how you might have felt…surrounded by all those guys.” He studied Ryan’s face. “You weren’t offended, right? I mean you’ve been to gay clubs with me and it’s never bothered you…”

“Offended? Nah…why would I be? You never were offended at the straight clubs, right?” His hand tightened on Cliff’s forearm, and he seemed to weave a little on his feet.

“Hey, Rhino, come on. You need to get some sleep—”

“Are we having a bromance?” Ryan blurted.

“A bromance?” Cliff laughed, and Ryan’s eyes narrowed. Oh boy, never laugh at a drunk who thinks he’s making an important point.

“Yeah, a bromance. Where two guys hang out all the time, like the same shit, would probably fuck each other if they were both gay—or if one of them was female.”

Fighting off more laughter, Cliff nodded. “Sure, you can call it that. Come on, princess, let’s get you to bed.”

Ryan didn’t yield when Cliff tried to pull his arm free in order to lead him toward the bedrooms. “What do you think? Should I take the orders?”

“What, are you nuts? You’ve been waiting for those orders your whole career.”

“Yeah, that’s the problem…my whole career.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“You’re not the only one eligible to retire. Just because you had two years prior service in the Marines before you joined the Navy, you’ve got more time in service than me, but yeah…it’s been twenty years this month. I don’t know if I want one more tour. That’s another four or five years, in order to retire at the new pay grade I’d no doubt pick up in the next year or two.

“True, but it’s also more money when you do retire. And, Rhino…it’s Six.” He referred to the DEVGRU unit by their unofficial name, hoping to jar a little sense into his friend.

Squeezing his arm a little, Ryan leaned in, as if imparting a great secret. “You should be there.”

Cliff shook his head. “That’s done. We don’t even need to think about it. I just gotta figure what I want to do next.”

“See, Snides…that’s the thing. If I have to wait another four or five years before I retire and you move on, you’re going to get too fucking far ahead. I don’t like that. ’Sides, that’d mean no more football or watching NCIS. You’d get to see all the episodes of So You Think You Can Dance without me telling you how gay that is.”

“Ha, now I know you’re drunk. We only watch that because you like the women’s skimpy outfits. You probably need to quit hanging out with me and spend the next six months of your training cycle finding the right little woman and getting laid on a regular basis. Hell, get a wife! Then you’ll be all set for retirement when you’re done with the next tour. She can cook your sorry ass dinner, wash your clothes… Yep…you need a wife.”

“Fuck that shit. I’d sooner fuck you than ever get married again. In fact—”

Time seemed to stop, as if they both needed a moment to absorb the truth of those words.

[To continue reading, you confirm that you are 18 years of age or older by clicking this link.]

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Laura Harner:

Laura lives on waterfront property in Arizona because she’s always wanted to be an oxymoron. She once enjoyed hobbies such as gardening and travel—now the characters in her head compel her to tell their stories, so she writes. (It doesn’t actually help quiet the voices—but it keeps the folks in the white jackets at bay.)

She shares her home with an ever-revolving cast of characters—some of whom are actually real—and is living her dream of building her own version of the Willow Springs Ranch.

With nearly sixty published novels and novellas, Laura is an international bestselling author of erotic romances, romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and Highland romances. Her books can be found at all major online retailers.

Where to find the author:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lauraharner
Facebook: http://facebook.com/lauraharner
Website: http://lauraharner.com

RC

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Contest: Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Now here’s the giveaway!

Rafflecopter Prize:
First Prize (1): 1 autographed complete set of the Willow Springs Ranch Series (PRINT Books 1-7) PLUS
RT Goodie Bag
$20 ARE Gift card

Second Prize (3): Autographed print copy of Ty Hard, Whit’s End, OR Park’s Lot (Random)
RT Goodie Bag
$10 ARE Gift Card

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Tour Dates & Stops:
18-May
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
Rainbow Gold Reviews
Hearts on Fire Reviews

19-May
Chris McHart
Amanda C. Stone

20-May
Cate Ashwood
Havan Fellows

21-May
Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance
Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
Lee Brazil
Up All Night, Read All Day

22-May
Christy Loves 2 Read
3 Chicks After Dark

25-May
Bayou Book Junkie
Inked Rainbow Reads
Divine Magazine

26-May
My Fiction Nook

27-May
Foxylutely Book Reviews
Love Bytes
Molly Lolly

28-May
Prism Book Alliance

29-May
BFD Book Blog
MM Good Book Reviews
Cathy Brockman Romances

Celebrate with Author Heidi Belleau & Artist Vivian Ng on the REV New Cover Reveal and Collaboration! (giveaway)

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New Cover Celebration with Author Heidi Belleau and artist Vivian Ng!

Nothing makes a reader sit up and take notice then the cover art on their books, whether the books are in print or eBook format.  Covers pull us in and give the readers hints to the story and characters.  What better way to bring a story back to life than a new cover?  Here we celebrate new covers for the Rear Entrance Video stories, the author and artist and their collaboration!

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Re-Covering Rear Entrance Video – Vivian Ng’s Process

Hi, I’m Heidi Belleau! Over the coming days I’ll be touring the web showing off the gorgeous new covers for my queer NA rom-com series Rear Entrance Video, all about a diverse house of Vancouver roommates who wind up running a dilapidated porn store.

Today on the tour, Vivian Ng tells us about her process designing these gorgeous covers:

I got brought on to do these covers by Heidi and worked under the direction of L. C. Chase (who I’m gonna add are both really great to work with). Essentially I was told that I’d be doing a re-cover that would appeal more to a broader audience, which I interpreted as, play down the sauciness, and play up the portions of the book that speak to a general YA fiction crowd. I feel like it’s worth noting that I actually went and read all three books. I don’t think that’s usually something illustrators can afford time-wise, but I was given a generous amount of time and I knew I would be much more confident submitting whatever the product ended up being if I’d seen the work myself instead of relying entirely on summary docs and art direction (not that those things were lacking). Also I was genuinely curious about what was in the books!

So, just as a general theme all three books have something to do with the main character struggling with self-expression in their personal and professional lives. And what I picked up from reading them as a way to represent that on the covers was how Heidi centred on clothing as a significant part of how her characters constructed and expressed themselves. I also had this idea that flat colours, neatly arranged objects, and slightly messy hand-lettering already have some precedent in YA book covers. From that core idea I basically just had to play around with composition, text, and colour under L. C.’s direction.

Vivian brought us lots of different concept sketches, which we’ll be featuring later in the tour. Riptide’s art and marketing people worked with me to narrow down our favourite choices, then tweaked those designs until we had a very gorgeous, cohesive set of images that really spoke to the books.

Vivian’s focus on clothes and objects worked really great to represent:

Christian’s carefully structured image—occasionally knocked into disorder and chaos—for Apple Polisher,ApplePolisher_400x600

 

and Rob/Bobby’s experimentation with femininity and androgyny as he came into himself as bigender/genderfluid in Wallflower,

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and lastly, Austin’s attempt to fit kink (and queerness) into his life and identity as a hockey player in Straight Shooter.

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Be sure to check out the series at Riptide (and don’t forget your coupon code to get a great deal on Apple Polisher!), and also give the artist, Vivian Ng a visit: http://viivus.tumblr.com.

Rear Entrance Video (Universe)

Welcome to Rear Entrance Video, Davie Street Village’s very own backdoor triple X store! The peep show booths are sticky, the sex toys are out of stock, and nobody’s collected any late fees in months.

Enter the store’s new manager, uptight teacher-hopeful Christian Blake, and his four misfit college roommates from Noah Hadley’s house for wayward gay boys: reluctant landlord Noah, mysterious bad boy Max, vain jock Austin, and awkward gamer geek Rob. Together, they’ll try to run the store . . . without letting everything they’re hiding—from the world and each other—run it into the ground.

Stories in the Rear Entrance Video universe include:

  • Apple Polisher (Rear Entrance Video, #1) by Heidi Belleau
  • Wallflower (Rear Entrance Video, #2) by Heidi Belleau
  • Straight Shooter (Rear Entrance Video,#3) by Heidi Belleau

 

 

About Heidi Belleau and Vivian Ng

 

Author: Heidi Belleau

Heidi Belleau was born and raised in small town New Brunswick, Canada. She now lives in the rugged oil-patch frontier of Northern BC with her husband, an Irish ex-pat whose long work hours in the trades leave her plenty of quiet time to write.
She has a degree in history from Simon Fraser University with a concentration in British and Irish studies; much of her work centred on popular culture, oral folklore, and sexuality, but she was known to perplex her professors with unironic papers on the historical roots of modern romance novel tropes. (Ask her about Highlanders!)

When not writing, you might catch her trying to explain British television to her newborn daughter or standing in line at the local coffee shop, waiting on her caramel macchiato.

Connect with Heidi:
Blog: www.heidibelleau.com
Twitter: @HeidiBelleau

Goodreads: goodreads.com/heidibelleau
Email: heidi.below.zero@gmail.com

Cover Artist: Vivian Ng

Vivian Ng is an illustrator and occasional comic artist living in Mississauga, Ontario, working mostly in watercolour, ink, and digital media. Vivi’s hobbies include watching children’s cartoons, reading fanfiction, and drawing entirely too much fanart.
http://viivus.tumblr.com
https://twitter.com/VViiNNG
http://cargocollective.com/viivus-draws/

Apple Polisher (REV #1)

Buy it here at Riptide Publishing.
This straight-A student has a dirty little secret.

ApplePolisher_400x600Christian Blake dreams of being a kindergarten teacher, but making the grade means maintaining a squeaky clean image: no drinking, no drugs, no swearing, no sex. And definitely no falling for his new roommate—tattooed bad-boy Max, who may or may not be a drug dealer.

Most of all, it means no working at a porn store. But Christian’s aunt has cancer, and her beloved Rear Entrance Video will go bankrupt if Christian doesn’t take over managerial duties. Soon enough, Christian finds himself juggling sticky twenty-five cent peep show booths, a blackmailing employee, and a demanding professor who likes to make an example of him.

And then there’s Max, who doesn’t know anything about the store, but hates Christian’s preppy sweater vests and the closet Christian forces him into when they’re together. Max just wants Christian to be himself—even though Max is keeping secrets of his own. Christian struggles to find the impossible balance between his real life and the ideal one he thinks a teacher needs to live . . . all while trying to keep his aunt’s dream alive without losing his own.

Wallflower (REV #2)

Buy/find out more about Wallflower here at Riptide Publishing.
This gamer geek has a pretty little secret.

Wallflower_400x600Art student and MMORPG addict Robert Ng has always been a loner, but he’s recently made it his goal to make more (IRL) friends. Which is how he winds up working nights at Rear Entrance Video, shilling sketchy porn and blowup dolls as a favor to his roommate. The longer he works there, though, the more he realizes he’ll never be truly happy until he becomes the person he is online: his female persona, Bobby.

Bobby is cuter and funnier than Rob is, and a thousand times more popular with boys. Becoming Bobby IRL presents its own set of challenges, though . . . especially when you’re sitting on the fence between two genders, only one of which has caught the attention of your seriously cute customer/classmate.

Dylan Ford is a six-foot Inuit comic book artist who always says what’s on his mind, and screw anyone who doesn’t like it. As rough as he appears, though, Dylan has a soft spot for Rob. But will out-and-proud Dylan still want Rob if he’s not all man?

Straight Shooter (REV #3)

Buy/find out more about Straight Shooter here at Riptide Publishing.

This macho jock has a crooked little secret.

StraightShooter_400x600College hockey player Austin Puett is in trouble. Unless he starts treating his flamboyantly gay roommate with respect, he’ll lose his room and his job at Rear Entrance Video. But Austin’s got a not-so-straight secret of his own: nothing turns him on more than insults implying he’s gay—even though he’s definitely not!—and all his old coping methods have stopped working.
Pure desperation drives him to rent a Mischievous Pictures porn flick about straight men tricked into servicing Puck, a male dominant. Instead of letting off steam, though, it just leaves him craving more, more, more, and suddenly, Austin finds himself at Mischievous Pictures Studios for an audition. After all, you can be Gay For Pay and still be straight . . . right?

But meeting Liam Williams, the real person behind Puck, confuses Austin even more. Liam really seems to like him as a person, and Austin likes him back. And while Gay For Pay’s okay, what does it make Austin if he still wants Liam when the cameras aren’t rolling?

 

Contest

Giveaway at Riptide Publishing….

Use coupon code REVRECOVER to receive $2.00 off the ebook price of Apple Polisher!

Get Your Science Fiction Fix with Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore on Peripheral People and Summer Reading (guest post and giveaway)

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Are you a lover of science fiction?  Need a new book to read and universe to dive into?  We have Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth here to talk about their latest story in the  Ylendrian Empire series, Peripheral People.  They also have a reading list of books for you, some of which I hadn’t read before and have put on my TBR pile!  Check it all out below and don’t forget to enter the contest for the giveaway as well.  Follow them at every stop on their tour!

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Hi, we’re Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth. The kind people here have invited us to stop by and tell you a little about our newest book, Peripheral People. A standalone novel in the Ylendrian Empire series, Peripheral People combines elements of romance, science fiction, paranormal, and crime drama in the intense, galaxy-spanning hunt for a psychic serial killer. Hot on the trail and hot for each other (in the sense that they’d both prefer to be set on fire than work together), the imperial agents who stumble into the case must evade terrifying mental traps, their own volatile relationship, and the discovery that someone in a higher pay grade may not be so keen on their quest for justice.

We’re thrilled to be with you today, and we’re looking forward to any questions or comments you might have.

Summer Reading List – Interstitial Investigations

Interstitial fiction is some of my favourite stuff- the books that fall between genres, neither one thing or another because they’re more than both. Below are some interstitial works I love, collected in handy list form so you can check them out before heading off for a summer holiday.

Point of Hopes by Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett


Point of Hopes cover 2The argument could be made that these are straight-up fantasy, but what puts them firmly in the interstitial category for me is the clever mystery that could nearly stand on its own. The fantasy setting, a world where astrology is a vital part of everyday life, is rife for all kinds of plots. The two main characters, Nicholas Rathe and Philip Eslingen, enact an uneasy alliance to find a growing number of missing children, and learn more about each other in the process. Pleasantly diverse in an understated way, the cast features many women in strong supporting roles, and an honest, unfussy queering of the culture. There are several other books in this series.

Hellcat’s Bounty by Renae Jones

Hellcat's Bounty coverSpace western. Lesbian space western romance, in fact. The western elements in this story are so lovingly crafted there were times I honestly forgot it was taking place on a space station. That said, the rich detail of Rosewood Station was glorious, and there were moments when I could lose myself in the tiny little self-contained world sitting on the edge-of-forever. The two combined are a tapestry of old-world values and new-world problems. Lush with saloons, tea houses, amoeba-hunting rakehell heroines, and backroom doctors who know the cure for a ruptured spacesuit and a broken heart, Rosewood is a claustrophobic frontier made no less wild by being stuck to the side of an asteroid.

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk

Widdershins coverThe first book in Hawk’s Whyborne & Griffin series, this is a fantastic blend of paranormal, historical romance, eldritch horror, and mystery. Dr. Percival Endicott Whyborne is a master of languages, and he can’t resist the lure of translating the text brought to him by private investigator Griffin Flaherty. That it just happens to lead them both into a murderous plot to resurrect a madman isn’t really Whyborne’s fault. Whyborne’s best friend, Dr. Christine Putnam, is a cantankerous, trigger-happy joy in every scene she’s in. There are currently six books in the series, with at least two more planned.

The Gumshoe, the Witch, and the Virtual Corpse by Keith Hartman

The Gumshoe the Witch and the Virtual Corpse cover 2Noir-style mystery wrapped in a near-future Atlanta where religion plays a huge role in day-to-day life, Wiccans have their own news media, and someone is digging up corpses and crucifying them. The gay private investigator is looking for his missing partner (a psychic witch), the Cherokee seer is merely asking the courts to uphold a 19th century land deal that ceded them most of northern Georgia, and poor Benji just wants to turn 15, preferably without getting grounded for life when his Baptist parents find out his girlfriend is a witch. There’s a deeper science fiction element to the plot that I can’t mention without spoiling things, but suffice it to say, this book is as interstitial as it gets. With ten different first-person POV characters, this book is like a bag of literary potato chips- there’s no way you’re going to read just one chapter.

Peripheral People by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth

Peripheral People coverMy own contribution to the world of interstitial fiction, Peripheral People is a science fiction romance paranormal mystery. It pits psychic cops and imperial agents against a violent killer who only leaves mental fingerprints- and a string of dead bodies littered across the ‘verse. Irascible Inspector Corwin Menivie has secrets to keep, he’s stuck with Westley Tavera, psychic Reader extraordinaire, and neither one of them is sure which is more dangerous- the traps left by the murderer they’re hunting, or the ones already waiting in their own minds.

Interstitial fiction is all about drawing from multiple genres and writing a story that lets all of those elements shine. I hope I’ve mentioned a few books here that send you looking for all the great stories that live between.

                    About the Authors….

Reesa Herberth was born in Nevada and spirited away to California before moving to Hawaii, where she grew up on the Big Island. She tried Arizona for a few years, then lit out for the D.C. area, where her nomadic itch is regularly curbed by the nightmares of urban traffic. She’s held a handful of the requisite crazy writer jobs, including book store overlord, office goddess for an artisan ice cream maker, and cheese-cup scrubber at an organic goat dairy.

Michelle Moore has a well-documented obsession with travel, television, frappuccinos and flamingos. These, however, come in a distant second to her love of writing. Most evenings she can be found huddled over her laptop at the local Starbucks, dividing her time between actually writing and pretending to be a barista.

Michelle and Reesa have been writing together for over fifteen years. They are currently working on more Ylendrian stories, and a petition to have cat hair recognized as a form of currency.

Twitter:

Michelle Moore – @marigotc

Reesa Herberth – @reesah
Facebook – Ylendrian Empire Fan Page
Websites:
Michelle and Reesa Write
Ylendrian Empire

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Giveaway

Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by Riptide Publishing. Enter to win a  Peripheral People Prize Pack: includes a book-themed soft cooler, a handful of recommended reads, and the winner’s choice of a title from Michelle and Reesa’s backlist.Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Peripheral People (Ylendrian Empire) by Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore

Peripheral People coverCorwin Menivie and Nika Santivan are decorated veterans of the Imperial Enforcement Coalition, and are perfectly capable of solving cases the old-fashioned way. When they’re paired with Westley Tavera and Gavin Hale, the most powerful Reader/Ground team to emerge from the Psionics Academy, it could either be the best thing that’s ever happened to crime fighting, or the makings of a quadruple homicide.

During a routine investigation, West’s talent puts them on the trail of a brutal serial killer who traps his prey in a deadly mental playground. Then the killer starts baiting the team, laying psychic landmines at crime scenes and exposing IEC secrets. The strain of the case binds the agents closer together—so close that Nika and Gavin start sharing a room, and even the curmudgeonly Corwin finds himself as occupied with West as he is with the murders.

But as West’s visions of death grow more violent, the only way out for all of them may be straight through the mind of a monster. If they’re not careful, they may forget which side of the hunt they’re on.

Buy it and read an excerpt at Riptide Publishing.

Book Details:

ebook, 430 pages
Published May 11th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492684
edition languageEnglish

The Ylendrian Empire universe is a series of loosely-connected space operas written by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth.

ylendrianempire-color-transparentbg-nocopyrightFast-paced heists, gritty paranormal mysteries, rescue missions in far-flung exotic jungles . . . the character-driven adventures and romances of the Ylendrian Empire are a chance to explore a new set of stars, with just enough spice to keep you wanting more.

Currently available:

The Balance of Silence
The Slipstream Con
In Discretion
Peripheral People

Find out more about the Ylendrian Empire at http://ylendrianempire.com

– See more at: Riptide Publishing’s Ylendrian Empire’s page.

In the Book Spotlight : Get Off My Case by Lisa Oliver (excerpt and giveaway)

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Get Off My Case by Lisa Oliver

Release Date: December, 2014

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Oliver Group Publication
Cover Artist: Lisa Oliver

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Sales Links:  Amazon – AllRomance (ARe)– Smashwords 

Lisa Oliver’s back with gay wolfshifters in love with Get Off My Case by Lisa Oliver.  The path to mates and love is never a smooth one and that’s certainly the case here.  Check out the hot, almost NSFW excerpt below and don’t forget to enter the contest as well.

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Note: The first 20,000 words of this story were published as a free read for the Goodreads MMRomance Group Love’s Landscapes Project. 49,000 words have been added to make this into the book my characters wanted it to be.

Shane West was used to being the only wolf shifter at the Stockton Police Department. His enhanced senses helped him do his job efficiently and he prided himself on keeping control of his animal instincts. Gay from the first day he’d shifted, he also expected to live his long life alone, and provided it meant that he didn’t have to come into contact with any of his ex-pack, he told himself he was happy. And he was. Until Dimitri Polst was assigned as his new partner.

Confirmed ladies man, Dimitri Polst knew Shane from before he’d ever shifted into his wolf form. Two years older and from the same pack, Dimitri had made it his teenage mission to bring as much pain and humiliation to pretty-boy Shane as possible. But years later, he searched for that pretty boy, now all grown up, with a completely different mission in mind.

Being fated mates was hard enough, but when one man is straight and the other one has no reason to trust, then sparks are bound to fly. Add in a serial killer who is making inroads into the gay population and a possible shifter involvement, and Shane and Dimitri have a lot of thing to overcome before they get their HEA.

Pages or Words: 69,777 words

Categories: Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

By the time Dimitri had got to the back door of the club he knew his wolf was close to the surface. He could feel his eyes changing and the hair on his arms start to tingle. It was only through sheer force of will that he stopped the change completely. Must not shift in front of humans, he tried to remind himself as he searched the dark alley, sniffing for his mate’s unique scent. There, deep in the shadows. The young blond was wrapped around Shane’s waist and neck like he belonged there.

Growling loudly Dimitri strode over to where the two men were hidden, his hands changing into claws as he itched to grab the little interloper and tear his body to inch sized bloody pieces. He couldn’t and wouldn’t hurt his mate, but he could and definitely would shred the little blond until he wasn’t a threat to Dimitri’s mating again.

“Dimitri, stop damn it!” Shane called out in a low voice as he carefully wound the young blond’s arms from his neck. “This is not what you think.”

Dimitri stopped himself, just, and watched as Shane spoke in a low voice in CJ’s ear and then gave him some money. CJ looked up at Dimitri and scowled at him and then took off back into the club. Shane flung out his arm and grabbed Dimitri by his belt loops and smashed him into the same wall he had been leaning on while he was entangled in his blond. But Shane’s eyes weren’t full of passion, Dimitri noticed. His mate was pissed off with him, big time.

“You just cost me some valuable information, fuck wit. Now what the hell did you think you were doing?” Shane snarled at him in a low voice.

“Is that how you get all of your information, detective,” Dimitri snarled right back. “By giving sexual favors to your tipsters?” Fuck, with Shane so close Dimitri could barely breathe. His cock was so hard in his jeans that it hurt and he couldn’t break his stare with his mate. Man, this guy was awesome when he was angry.

Shane tipped his head to the side and then took in a deep breath, obviously smelling Dimitri’s arousal. For a moment he looked confused, but that expression was gone in an instant and Shane’s angry gaze was back again. He leaned in flush against Dimitri’s body and growled softly in his ear, “CJ is an informant of mine. He’s been beaten before for talking to the wrong people and I don’t want to see my friend in hospital. We act like a hookup so he will be safe, asshole. So don’t go judging what you don’t understand.”

“But you’ve fucked him, right?” Dimitri regretted the words the instant they came out of his mouth as he watched a flash of pure murderous intent race across his mate’s hard face.

“Not that it’s any of your business, fuckwit, but I have never done anything sexually with CJ or any of my informants. Unlike you, I have standards.” Dimitri knew Shane was referring to the fact that when Dimitri was still in school he used to fuck anything in a skirt regardless of who it was. With his jock reputation and good looks he never lacked for girls willing to lift those skirts and give him what he wanted.

But right now Dimitri didn’t care that Shane was angry with him, or that he might have fucked up an investigation. Shane was leaning on him, chest to chest, but had kept his groin area away from Dimitri. And Dimitri was so turned on he couldn’t think. He needed friction on his cock and he needed it now. He reached out and grabbed Shane by his hips and pulled the man’s groin into his. Both men groaned as their dual erections nudged each other and Dimitri rocked into Shane looking for more.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Shane snarled. Dimitri could see Shane’s eyes were blown with lust and the man was panting softly. Against his cock, Shane’s sizable erection nudged his and for the first time in his life Dimitri wanted to see another man’s cock. But not just any cock – Shane’s.

“I haven’t got a clue,” Dimitri said honestly, his own deep voice raspy with lust, “But I know I like it.”

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Lisa Oliver had been writing non-fiction books for years when visions of half dressed, buff men started invading her dreams. Unable to resist the lure of her stories, Lisa decided to switch to fiction books, and now stories about her men clamor to get out from under her fingertips.

When Lisa is not writing, she is usually reading with a cup of tea always at hand. Her grown children and grandchildren sometimes try and pry her away from the computer and have found that the best way to do it, is to promise her chocolate. Lisa will do anything for chocolate.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers and other writers. You can friend her on Facebook here, or email her directly at yoursintuitively@gmail.com.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisaoliverauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wisecrone333
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lisaoliver79
Website: http://www.supernaturalsmut.com

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 STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.  Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Print copy of ‘Get Off My Case’, available to anyone worldwide.

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Tour Dates & Stops:
4-May

Decadent Delights

My Fiction Nook

Cate Ashwood

5-May

Amanda C. Stone

6-May

Divine Magazine

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

BFD Book Blog

7-May

Dawn’s Reading Nook

8-May

Carly’s Book Reviews

11-May

Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Inked Rainbow Reads

12-May

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Hearts on Fire

Prism Book Alliance

13-May

My Fiction Nook

MM Good Book Reviews

14-May

Chris McHart

Velvet Panic

Bayou Book Junkie

15-May

Bike Book Reviews

Molly Lolly

Multitasking Mommas

Love Bytes

 

New Book Spotlight: Light in Endless Darkness by Huston Piner (Excerpt and Giveaway)

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Book Name: Light in Endless Darkness by Huston Piner
Release Date: May 13, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Sales Links: Torquere Books

Blurb:

Kevin Reeves lives with his mother and abusive father and dreams of going to Dickerson University. Lonely and easily cowed, he works as a janitor to save money and signs up for night courses at the community college. There, he meets Dominic Pierce, a sexy emo who also happens to be blind. Kevin is immediately attracted to Dominic and soon a mutual attraction develops into a full-blown romance. After a violent confrontation with his father leads to Kevin moving in with Dominic, he discovers that the neighborhood gang is terrified of the blind emo, referring to him as El Sanguijuela.

Meanwhile, Jacky Larson, who outed Kevin as a sophomore, begins blackmailing him for sex at work, leaving him ashamed and panicked that Dominic will dump him if he finds out. But Dominic has dark secrets of his own, including a job he won’t discuss that keeps him away from sunup to sunset and secret nightly excursions. Can Kevin get away from his blackmailer without losing Dominic in the process? Will he ever discover what Dominic does all day and where he sneaks out to every night? And can their love survive when Kevin finally uncovers the truth?

Pages or Words: 57,500 words

Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Horror, M/M Romance, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Excerpt:

We were no sooner on the couch than Dominic had me in his arms and I was really flying. He nibbled on my neck, sending waves of pleasure through me. The sharp edge of his teeth grazed my skin, ready to bite into me. But he stopped and froze all over for a second, leaned back, and his sightless eyes betrayed a confused indecision that startled me. For a moment, he seemed lost. But before I could formulate words to ask him what was wrong, his expression changed, his lips returned to mine, and his tongue renewed its attack.

Friday night, his kisses had been tentative and delicate, but now he pressed his lips to mine with animal-like ferocity and gripped me in a powerful embrace. He licked and nibbled on my neck while unbuttoning my shirt, and then he nudged me forward to remove it.

I started to lift his pullover, but he pushed my hands away. His fingers explored my naked torso and roamed over every inch of exposed skin, adding to the tension building up inside me.

 

About the author:

Huston Piner writes books prominently featuring gay characters. His first book My Life as a Myth was nominated for the 2014 Stonewall Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and was a 2013 Rainbow Awards finalist. His second book, the highly anticipated Conjoined at the Soul, was published in February 2015. In the edgy Light in Endless Darkness, his first New Adult offering, he explores the supernatural romance of a gay vampire. Huston lives in the mythical town of Chadham, Virginia, with his partner and three domineering cats.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huston.piner
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Huston-Piner/409082522533786
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HustonPiner
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hustonpiner/
Other: http://www.hustonpiner.com/home.html
Other: http://huston-piner.livejournal.com/


Tour Dates & Stops: May 11, 2015
Parker Williams, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Kimi-Chan, Molly Lolly, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bike Book Reviews, Decadent Delights, Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Divine Magazine, Chris McHart, Boys on the Brink Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Velvet Panic, Nephylim, 3 Chicks After Dark, The Hat Party, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Giveaway

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win aq Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Light In Endless Darkness’ by Huston Piner
Rafflecopter Code:
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