Category: Book Giveaways

A Book Spotlight on J.J. Massa and Going to the Chapel: Don’t Ask! (contest)

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Going to the Chapel: Don’t ask by  J.J. Massa
Goodreads Link

Release Date: March 25, 2015

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

Captain Zachary Smith had long suspected he was gay. Still, he could ignore that in the face of his career. He was a military man–a lifer. Everything was fine until a certain inscrutable FBI agent trampled all over Zack’s personal Don’t Ask policy.

Previously published by Torquere as part of the Going to the Chapel anthology.
Pages or Words: 14,900 words

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

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Captain Zachary Smith bit back a groan when he saw the man seated in front of his colonel’s desk. It was his nemesis, his secret crush. His face serious and otherwise expressionless, he did his best to pretend that he was alone in the room, listening to a recording.

“Rest, Captain,” barked his commander, Colonel Marshall. Zack dropped his salute to clasp his hands behind his back, eyes fixed on an invisible point above the colonel’s head. “Mr. Thayer has need of your services once again,” the senior officer went on. Zack fought the urge to cringe or to look at the third man.

Federal Agent Falk Thayer lounged easily in his chair, seemingly unaffected by the scene playing out in front of him. He’d come in and announced his needs. The ranking officer had listened and offered him provision. Zack had an emotional price to pay, but Falk was apparently unmoved by it.

“Captain,” growled Colonel Marshall, “Federal Agent Thayer will require your cooperation regarding the Pavarato case.” The older man nodded toward a beige folder resting on the corner of his desk. “I expect you to assist fully with his investigation.”

“Yes, sir. Of course, sir,” Zack rapped back, focused entirely on his superior officer.

“That will be all, Captain.” The colonel nodded sharply. “You are excused. Make yourself available to Agent Thayer,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Zack affirmed, turning sharply. Without even a quick look toward Falk Thayer, he left the room.

***
“Coffee, Penelope, would you please?” Zack asked as he passed his secretary’s desk.

Though she was an Army sergeant, Penelope Raines preferred not to stand on ceremony. They’d been instant friends since their first meeting, and he didn’t doubt that she knew most of his secrets. He’d told her half of them, and she’d likely guessed the rest. When others were present, they maintained a formal relationship; otherwise, they were relaxed with each other.

“Coming up, Z.” She aimed a commiserating smile his way, turning toward the break room.

He strode into his small office and kicked the door closed behind him. Groaning, he collapsed into his office chair, his face sinking into his crossed arms resting upon his desk.

Moments later, when the door creaked open, he didn’t look up. The scent of strong coffee tickled his nose telling him that Penelope hadn’t let him down.

“Just put it on the desk, Pen,” he said into his forearm. “Hey, d’me a f’vr?” he mumbled, lifting his head a fraction of an inch, “Gimme the Pavarato file ‘n lemme know when Ag’nt Thayer heads this way.” He dropped his head back into the crook of his arm, wondering when his luck would improve.

He heard the sound of the cup landing on his desk, but Penelope didn’t leave. He didn’t stir for a moment until, after several long seconds, still without looking up, he mumbled, “Pen? You need something else?”

“I was coming in anyway, Smith,” Agent Thayer’s smooth tenor answered, amusement thick in his voice.

Zack shot to his feet, nearly knocking over his chair. Automatically, he snapped to attention, groaning inside when he realized he’d done it. He heard the other man’s chuckle and reached for his coffee, nonchalantly taking it from the corner of his desk, hoping to hide his embarrassment.

“Now, what kind of a good soldier gets caught unaware like this?” Falk mused, causing a hot blush to sweep up and burn Zack’s cheeks.

“I, I, um, you…” he stammered, feeling like a fool. Sucking in a deep breath, he stood up straight. He was six feet and two inches tall, muscular and attractive, and he knew how to use it to his best advantage. Why wouldn’t it work on Agent Falk Thayer? “I wasn’t expecting you to just walk in,” he objected, carefully sipped at the strong brew.

“I didn’t ‘just walk in,’” the other man told him calmly. “I stopped at your secretary’s desk. She had your coffee.” He nodded toward the liquid crutch cupped in Zack’s hands.

Zack couldn’t understand it. Falk Thayer had medium brown hair, medium brown eyes, and regular features. The other man was easily four inches shorter than he was. How he could be so unremarkable and so intimidating at the same time, Zack just didn’t know. But he was.

“Um, yeah,” Zack looked away and took another deliberate sip of coffee. “Well, what is it you want me to do?” he asked grudgingly.

Publisher: Torquere Press LLC
Cover Artist: BSClay

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Sales Links:   Torquere Books

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About J. J. Massa…

These things—author biographies—always give me trouble. Should I say I’m a single female over forty? Or would you rather know that I began writing professionally a bit over a decade ago? It’s safe to say I’m a dreamer. I love learning about people and exploring emotions. Every story is a journey, sometimes a wild ride, other times cray trip. Can you tell that I love to travel? I share my home with two cats and two birds. One of the cats is an aggressive young lady who moved in downstairs. My middle-aged guy isn’t sure if he wants to run from her or to her. I’ll let you know if a romance develops there. The birds are taking bets.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jjmassa
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/jjmassawriter
Twitter: @JJMassa1
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jjmassawriter/

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Tour Dates & Stops: March 20th, 2015

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Inked Rainbow Reads, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Molly Lolly, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Hat Party, 

Cate Ashwood, Carly’s Book Reviews, Elin Gregory

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

 

Contest: Enter to win Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Don’t Ask’ by J.J. Massa. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by Pride Promotions.

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In Our Book Spotlight: Fighting Fangs by Lisa Oliver (excerpt and contest)

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Fighting Fangs (Bound and Bonded #4) by Lisa Oliver
Release Date: February, 2015
Goodreads Link

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Lisa Oliver’s supernaturals are here in Fighting Fangs, the fourth book in her Bound and Bonded series.  Love your shapeshifters bound up with bondage?  Check out Fighting Fangs’ synopsis and excerpt below and don’t forget to enter the contest for your own copy of Fighting Fangs (Bound and Bonded #4) by Lisa Oliver

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Lisa Oliver

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/lisaoliver79
Lisa’s Blog – http://www.supernaturalsmut.com

 

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Publisher: Oliver Group Publications
Cover Artist: Lisa Oliver

Sales Links: Amazon  AllRomance (ARe)  Smashwords

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

Ace is on a mission. On the run from his old pack, the enforcer is determined that cat shifter Teric must die. In his head it’s the only way he can regain his place in the Washington pack and the Bound and Bonded club. In an effort to meet his needs for Domination in the human world, Ace visits Whips, a predominantly human BDSM club and gets the shock of his life.

Devin is a five hundred year old vampire who has been searching for his one and only for the longest time. Working as a house sub at Whips was fine until one Master over steps his boundaries and Devin is left with time on his hands. Deciding on a whim to track down the delicious wolf shifter he had smelled at the club, Devin soon tracks down Ace…and then promptly wishes he hadn’t. Ace is a wolfist and refuses to accept Devin as his mate.

Misunderstandings are just one hurdle these two need to overcome, if they are ever to have their HEA. The enforcers from the Washington Pack are still looking for Ace, and when they find him it might prove the end for both Devin and Ace.

Warnings; this is a gay erotic romance about a wolf shifter and a vampire. The book includes graphic sex scenes between men, BDSM elements and coarse language.
Categories: BDSM, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“This is not a scene. Not this time. This is us, together. Mate. Amatus. No rules. No restrictions. Just two men who will be together for a lifetime.”

Devin’s eyes flashed a brilliant red, the sight almost shocking Ace with its intensity and then it was gone just as quickly.

“I want that,” Devin said softly, as his hands came up from where they had been resting on the bed and gripped Ace’s biceps. “I want that a lot,” his voice finishing on a growl that set Ace’s wolf on edge as though not sure whether to challenge or submit. But that growl left Ace in no doubt that the man underneath him was as much a predator as he was.

Pages or Words: 38,000 words

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest:   Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by Pride Promotions. Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of Fighting Fangs.

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Tour Dates/Stops:

9-Mar

Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

Bayou Book Junkie

Love Bytes

10-Mar

The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

11-Mar

Velvet Panic

Cate Ashwood

MM Good Book Reviews

12-Mar

Hearts on Fire

Inked Rainbow Reads

13-Mar

Molly Lolly

16-Mar

Amanda C. Stone

BFD Book Blog

17-Mar

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Divine Magazine

18-Mar

Wake Up Your Wild Side

19-Mar

Carly’s Book Reviews

20-Mar

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Rainbow Gold Reviews

Book Spotlight: Young at Heart by Kay Ellis (author interview and giveaway included)

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Kay Ellis has a new release for all to check out!  It’s Young At Heart, a M/M contemporary romance.  As part of the release celebration, we have a giveaway contest for all to enter.  Check out all the book and author details below and enter to  win!

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Title: Young at Heart by Kay Ellis
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
M/M Contemporary Romance novella

Now a Q & A with Kay  Ellis….

Q.I love the title, the song comes immediately into mind.  Do you listen to music as you write?

I think I had the title before the song came out so they copied me! I don’t tend to have music on while I write. More likely the television. I’m amazed at my ability to keep track of programs while barely glancing toward the tv!

Q.Ff so, what did you listen to as you wrote Young at Heart?

If I had been listening to music it would have been Adam Lambert, Garth Brooks, Bon Jovi or John Barrowman. Eclectic mix but they’re my regular choice of listening in the car.

Q.Were you a prolific reader as a child?

Most definitely. My mum says she doesn’t remember me learning to read. I just could. I remember going back to school after the summer holidays when I was in my early teens. The English teacher told the class to put up their hands if they had read one book in the holidays. Then two, three, four… She stopped at seven and asked me why I hadn’t put my hand up at all. I told her she hadn’t got to my number yet. For the record, it was thirteen!

Q.What childhood authors or/books made the greatest impact on you as a writer?

I think I probably always read above my age group so I don’t recall a particular childrens’ author I liked. I loved Louisa Alcott and The Little Women series though. I was a bit of a tomboy like Jo.

Q.What or who has been the biggest influence on your writing?

I hate to say it but I read Fifty Shades of Grey, and although I have always written stories from an early age, it was that book that gave me the confidence to write what I wanted to write and not be embarrassed or ashamed of writing sex scenes. A television programme ran a competition to find a new ‘racey’ author and I thought “I can do that.” I finished in the top three which gave me a bit of belief in myself and my writing.

Q There is a large age difference between the men in the relationship and that can be tricky to write.  Why include that element into your story?

My answer to that has to be – they are what they are! It’s hard to explain but usually my characters come in to my head fully formed before I ever get a word on the page.

Q.What was the inspiration behind making them generations apart in age and status?

Truth be told, Young At Heart started out as a relationship between a older woman and a younger man. It was basically flipping the whole rich man, innocent young woman which every one else seemed to be writing. I was told by a publisher my work was more sorted to a niche market and as I had just had a short story accepted by a m/m publisher I decided that must be my ‘niche’ and I changed the older character to a man.

Q. I know from past blogs and conversations, that readers (and some authors) have problems with switching a het romance over to a M/M romance without that being the original pairing to begin with. How do you respond to that?

I don’t have an issue with making the switch from HET to M/M. People are people. Gay, straight, black, white – we are all faced with the same problems. And it wasn’t simply that I went through and changed she to he, I changed some parts that didn’t work in the same way between two men. And Devon was one of my first gay characters from years ago. I never wrote his story but he was always a rich, older man in a relationship with someone much younger. I also think matching Jesse with Devon made Jesse a stronger character.

Q.  What’s next for Kay Ellis?

What’s next is whatever is finished first! I can have half a dozen different works in progress at anyone time and I always write which ever characters are shouting loudest in my head at the time. But the main two at the moment are the third book in my Evolin series and a kind of post-apocalyse tale of a mercenary sent out to kill a man who he ends up falling for once he finds him.

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Devon Alexander is a wealthy successful businessman. The world is his oyster. In his work life he is decisive and in control.

His private life is another matter.

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There, he doesn’t know if he’s coming or going in his on-off relationship with Jesse Young, an unemployed aspiring model half his age.

Can Devon and Jesse overcome the obstacles and outside influences standing in their way? Can they leave behind their own fear and mistrust? Or will they be their own worst enemies?

Genre: LGBTQ, MM, romance, gay romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Devon pulled down his shirt and straightened his tie before bending to retrieve his underwear and trousers. Once dressed, he lifted his hands to his head, checking his hair. Vain, maybe, but he had an image to protect. All the while, he covertly watched Jesse tuck his rather impressive manhood into tight white boxer briefs and zip up the fly of his jeans. Jesse 
glanced up to catch Devon watching and a smug smile spread across his handsome face.

“Shit, did we even lock the door?” Devon asked suddenly, trying to remember if there had been time to turn the key in between Jesse walking into the office and them ending up sprawled half-naked across the desk. Emily, his personal assistant, was terribly efficient, but she was a shy, quiet girl and he hardly dared think what effect it would have on her if she saw 
Jesse in all his glory. “What if Emily had come in?”

“She wouldn’t have,” Jesse said confidently.

“Really? What makes you so sure?”

“I told her not to.”

Devon narrowed his eyes, not sure he liked the thought of Jesse giving orders to his staff. The last thing he needed was Jesse getting ideas above his station. Devon would be a laughingstock if his much-younger boyfriend started throwing his weight around like he was the one in charge.

“What did you say to her exactly?”

“I told her not to come in because I was going to fuck you hard over your desk,” Jesse replied with a smirk.
“I sincerely hope that’s meant to be a joke.”

Jesse looked at him, assessing his change of mood. There was a sudden gleam in Jesse’s velvet-brown eyes and Devon smothered a sigh, knowing he was about to be lied to. Such were the consequences of taking a man twenty years his junior as a lover. Jesse was Young in name and young in nature. Fortunately for both of them, his good looks and sexual prowess 
generally outweighed his immaturity.

“Of course it was a joke,” Jesse said, flashing his most disarming smile, the one that made women and quite a lot of men melt whenever they saw it. “You know I wouldn’t do anything like that, Dev.”

Dev. Nobody had ever called Devon that before Jesse. In the press and business life, he was Devon Alexander. To family and friends, plain old Devon. Only Jesse got away with calling him by the abbreviated form. Privately, he quite liked it when Jesse called him Dev, although recently he had come to realise the shortened version of his name was used most 
when Jesse either wanted something or was trying to wheedle his way into Devon’s good books after doing something wrong.

Sales Links:

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Giveaway

Prizes: 1 x $20 WIP Gift Card and 1 x ebook copy of Young at Heart.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by Eyes On Books Promotions.

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STRW Author Bio and Contacts

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Kay Ellis lives in rural Oxfordshire in the UK, where sheís mum to two beautiful daughters. From an early age, she has written stories, with a sole readership of one ñ her mum, Sylvia. In 2013, someone suggested Kay enter a competition on national television to find a new ëracey readsí author. Much to Kayís surprise, she made it to the final three, and although she didnít win, the high praise received for her work gave her the confidence to start submitting to publishers.

When not writing, Kay enjoys reading, eating out and the theatre.

Social links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kay.ellis.79274

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KayEllisAuthor

In the Spotlight: Tricia Owens and her Master of No One (author interview and contest)

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Book Name: Master of No One by Tricia Owens
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Goodreads Link

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Tricia Owens is here with the first book in a new series, Master of No One.  We have a author interview for all of you, excerpt and a contest to enter as well.  Check it all out below:

And Now a Q and A with Tricia Owens…

Q. Why categorize such an interesting story as urban fantasy? Why not science fiction?

Well, I wouldn’t categorize this story as sci-fi because in my opinion it doesn’t contain what I consider to be science fiction elements. The ‘otherworldly’ element is inspired by fantasy mythology: the shape shifting chimera. The setting is modern day Portugal. Hence urban fantasy seems appropriate to describe it.

Q. Where did you get your inspiration for the plot and characters?

Originally, way back when, I had envisioned Aleksander as a vampire. But vampires are a bit played out, and I’ve never been fond of the blood aspect. So I switched gears and found another creature he could be, one that I didn’t feel was too corny or was an excuse to make him appear sexy in a sneaky way. He needed to be a genuine threat. The appeal for me was a brooding character who was powerful yet broken. That morphed into the idea of a modern gothic romance. Sort of a beauty and the beast thing. To put a spin on it, I created two characters who would be trapped in his lair with him, afraid of the monster yet intrigued by him.

Q. Why add the element of menage, specifically a menage with a female third?

Only recently have I written menages (A Pirates Life for Me) and I enjoyed the experience a lot. I thought it was time to try it again. Of course to challenge myself, I told myself this one needed to be different. I’ve never written a straight m/f romance, at least not for public consumption, and I’m not sure I’ll ever write one for publication. But I was drawn to a dynamic in which a male is allowed to dominate a woman yet be put in his place, so to speak, by another male. This would bring out two sides of him that I think are extremely sexy: his power as both the conqueror and the conquered. The third, bottom character needed to be a woman because in order for Aleksander to change, he needed to be forced out of his comfort zone. He can’t be rough with a woman. Especially not while he possesses superhuman strength. Constance being female adds another shackle to Aleksander. He’s handcuffed by her vulnerability just as surely as he’s physically bound by Kirk. So in some ways, even though he’s in the middle, he’s the one submitting most to outside forces. That submission is highly appealing to me.

Q. Which of your major elements came first? The menage? The bdsm aspect? The fantasy? Or did it all come together at once?

The D/s elements always come first. I begin by thinking of what dynamic turns me on at the time and then create the characters that will fulfill that scenario. Everything follows after that. I believe if the characters aren’t interesting enough, it won’t matter what the plot is. The reader simply won’t be invested.

Q. Readers will want to know…how much het sex can they expect?

My heart will always be with m/m. I think that bias is evident in Master of No One. Yes, there is some het. Constance isn’t in there as window dressing. She serves a purpose. She brings out Aleksander’s vulnerable side, which provides Kirk with the opportunity to move in. Without her, Kirk and Aleksander would never come together. And I tried to make her the kind of sub I prefer reading about, which is one who finds pleasure in serving, not one who demands to be pleasured by her master. This places the focus back on the male in this instance, which I think m/m readers will appreciate.

Q What audience do you hope your book finds? The fantasy lovers? The lovers of erotic fiction? Lovers of M/M Romance? Or all of the above?

This book will probably skew more towards m/m readers, but I think regular romance or erotica readers will enjoy it very much as well. I do my best to write books that are not driven by sex, but serve them as a reward. Sex scenes featuring characters you don’t care about feel empty. Sex scenes which aren’t built up through anticipation and good plotting feel cheap. I’ve written Master of No One to be an enjoyable story, first and foremost, with scenes to titillate readers in search of something spicy.

Q. What genres do you enjoy reading? And do you read what you love to write?

I may write romance, but I most enjoy reading horror! Supernatural horror, not so much slasher stories. I also am addicted to technothrillers and spy thrillers. I would write thrillers but they require too much research. I’m lazy. I am, however, in the middle of writing my first horror novel, called It Haunts Us, set in the mountains of Bhutan.

Q. What’s next for Tricia Owens?

There are several projects in the works for me. I tend to work on multiple books at once and bounce between them, a carryover from my website days where I would update a new series every week for my subscribers. Currently I’m working on the horror novel I mentioned, editing the fourth book of an m/m series called Juxtapose City about sexy psypaths and cops in the future, and I’ll begin plotting the sequel to Master of No One, which will feature an m/m couple in addition to Kirk, Aleksander and Constance. And who knows what other books may jump in there as well. I never do!

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Author Tricia Owens…

Tricia has been writing m/m fiction since 2002 when she opened her fiction website JuxtaposeFantasy to great success. She later partnered to create Joyboy Island. After a decade of writing for the sites, Tricia decided business demands were distracting her from producing novels, so she closed the sites and now writes at her leisure. An avid traveler, Tricia has visited over 60 countries and tries to include aspects of her global experience in her books.

Where to find the author:
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuxtaposeFantsy
Website: http://www.triciaowensbooks.com

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Publisher: Loose ID
Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs

Sales Links:  Loose id  Amazon

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Aleksander is short-tempered, antisocial and though he’s unaware of it, wildly sexy. He’s also a naturally dominant shape-shifting monster who’s sliding into madness. He needs a human ‘grounder’ to submit to him and draw forth his protective human side. Instead he is given two humans: Constance, a fledgling sub with a reckless streak whose intense desire to serve has brought her nothing but heartache, and Kirk, a former NYPD cop who’s trying to subdue his own alpha instincts and play submissive in order to fulfill a family debt.

But once these grounders meet their new master, they quickly discover that in order to save Aleksander from himself, they must alter their assigned roles and form a unique triad of domination and submission that goes against Aleksander’s very nature. Constance needs to convince Aleksander he can be gentle and protective, while Kirk wants to show him there is freedom in surrendering to another dominant. The task isn’t easy, though: Aleksander fights them every step of the way, and a conspiracy surfaces which not even a creature as powerful as Aleksander may be able to overcome.

Categories: BDSM, Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Thriller, Urban Fantasy

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STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Aleksander huffed. “That’s right. You told Michel you’re my grounder. Interesting strategy putting yourself in an immediate position of inferiority against him.”

“Is it inferior? I got the impression a grounder is the only thing that’s going to keep you from falling apart.” Kirk smiled as the other male clenched his jaw. “Seems like a pretty important role, if you ask me.”

“And how do you expect to fulfill your role?”

Kirk idly adjusted the fit of his jeans, hoping Aleksander hadn’t noticed that they’d begun to grow tight in the crotch. Something about Aleksander got him going. Maybe it was the attitude, which seemed to be a prerequisite amongst chimera. It made Kirk want to take him down a peg and stand over him after he’d fallen.

Nothing like some homoerotic imagery there, he chided himself.

“I’m here to help,” he said.

Aleksander traced his tongue across his bottom lip. “As Constance ‘helps’?”

Kirk resisted the impulse to laugh and play it off. It would be a nervous tell and he wasn’t about to give Aleksander the satisfaction. “I was thinking more along the lines of being a friend who helps you let off steam. Physically.” When the chimera’s lips twitched, he quickly added, “I mean like boxing. Or sports. Whatever it is you do to keep in shape.” He motioned vaguely at the other male’s body. “Do you run, or workout or—”

“You couldn’t last with or against me, little human. You’re no use to me in that way.”

Aleksander panned down Kirk’s body. “Though you’re fit and…large for your kind.” A crease appeared in his forehead and he resumed staring into his glass.

Fit and large? If you only knew, buddy.
Pages or Words: 74,000 words

 STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest:  Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Master of No One’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Dates & Stops:

9-Mar

Bayou Book Junkie

10-Mar

Nephylim

11-Mar

Love Bytes

Carly’s Book Reviews

12-Mar

MM Good Book Reviews

13-Mar

Parker Williams

16-Mar

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

17-Mar

BFD Book Blog

18-Mar

My Fiction Nook

19-Mar

Inked Rainbow Reads

20-Mar

Molly Lolly

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

The Ides of March are Upon Us and This Week’s Schedule at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

“Beware the Ides of March!”

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March 15 is the Ides of March!  Most people think of Julius Caesar who was famously warned by a soothsayer “Beware the ides of March!”.  And we all know how  that turned out!  But before Caesar so unfortunately helped make it famous, March 15-the Ides of March- was just another day on the calendar! It all actually started much  earlier in Roman history, long before Caesar.  Romulus (the supposed founder of Rome) is also said to have  invented the Roman calendar.  The Ides of March was just another way of saying March 15 (no hint of foreboding was linked to it at the time).

The calendar went something like this- Ides of March http://www.infoplease.com/spot/ides1.html#ixzz3UNnMrzj1:

 The Roman calendar organized its months around three days, each of which served as a reference point for counting the other days:

Kalends (1st day of the month)
Nones (the 7th day in March, May, July, and October; the 5th in the other months)
Ides (the 15th day in March, May, July, and October; the 13th in the other months)
The remaining, unnamed days of the month were identified by counting backwards from the Kalends, Nones, or the Ides. For example, March 3 would be V Nones—5 days before the Nones (the Roman method of counting days was inclusive; in other words, the Nones would be counted as one of the 5 days).

Days in March
March 1: Kalends;
March 2: VI Nones;
March 3: V Nones;
March 4: IV Nones;
March 5: III Nones;
March 6: Pridie Nones (Latin for “on the day before”);
March 7: Nones;
March 15: Ides
Used in the first Roman calendar as well as in the Julian calendar (established by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C.E.) the confusing system of Kalends, Nones, and Ides continued to be used to varying degrees throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance.

There were also some religious festivals also associated with this time, including the festival of Anna Perenna, sister to the tragic Carthaginian queen Dido.  Dido was immortalized in Ovid’s masterpiece “Metamorphosis” as well as from Virgil’s Aeneid.  Look them up when you have some time.

Ides Book worm

Anyhow, all anyone remembers is that when they hear its the Ides of March, someone will invariably say”  Beware the Ides of March”…and now you know why!

For a few  more facts, neat and weird see the link below.

The Smithsonian has a link where they listed 10 events of import that happened on March 15.  While I agree most are calamitous (acts of war, major weather events), I’m not quite sure that the cancellation of the Ed Sullivan show on March 15 1971 should be listed among their ranks. It must have, at least to the person who made the list.

Go here to check out the complete list.

Now for our

Schedule This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 15 (Ides of March)

Mini History Lesson and This Week’s Schedule

Monday, March 16:

  • Tricia Owens ‘Master of No One Book Spotlight and Contest
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Winter’s Wolf (Tales of the Harker Pack #3) by Tara Lain
  • A MelanieM Review: Melting Into You by Cassandra Carr
  • A Mika Review: This Other Country (More Heat Than the Sun #4) by John Wiltshire

Tuesday, March 17:

  • Kay Ellis’ tour for Young at Heart (author interview and contest)
  • In the Book Spotlight: Lisa Oliver – Fighting Fangs (excerpt and contest)
  • A Stella Review: Here for You by Skylar M. Cates
  • A Paul B Review: Broken Bridges by Cheyenne Meadows

Wednesday, March 18:

  • Jaycee Edward and Helena Stone’s Strangers in the Night Excerpt Tour
  • A Stella Review: Bratty Angel by Chris T. Kat
  • A MelanieM Review: Midnight Run by Bailey Bradford
  • A Stella Review: Moment of Truth (Moments in Time #2) by Karen Stivali
  • A MelanieM Review:  Kian’s Hunter by RJ Scott

Thursday, March 19:

  • A BJ Review: Chyna Doll (Horizons 4) by Mickie B. Ashling
  • A MelanieM Review: The Curse on the Mountain by Missouri Dalton
  • A Stella Review: Loving the Astrophysicist (Astrophysicist #1 & 2) by T.N. Tarrant
  • A Stella Review: The Belgian Chocolate Remedy by Julie Lynn Hayes

Friday, March 20:

  • Cover Reveal Time for Shira Anthony’s  ‘Blood and Ghosts’ (contest)
  • Book Blast: Going to the Chapel: Don’t Ask by J.J. Massa
  • Release Day for the Encore Anthology – All About the Music and Love (contest)
  • Misfits by Garrett Leigh Book Spotlight and contest
  • A Stella Review: Guns ‘N Boys: Homicidal Instinct by K.A. Merikan

Saturday, March 21:

  • Time to Cowboy Up with Bailey Bradford’s Belt Buckles and Cowboy Boots!
  • A MelanieM Review: Eoin’s Destiny (The Fire Trilogy #3) by R.J. Scott

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jump Into the Supernatural with N. R. Walker’s Cronin’s Key (excerpt and contest)

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Cronin’s Key by N. R. Walker
Release Date: March 13, 2015
Goodreads Link 

Is N. R. Walker an automatic buy for you?  She is for us here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  We are so pleased to showcase N. R. Walker’s lastest release, Cronin’s Key, the first in a new supernatural series from this amazing author.  Check out the blurb, and excerpt below and don’t forget to enter the contest at the end! Enjoy!

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Author N.R. Walker…

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.  She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things…but likes it even more when they fall in love.
She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

Where to find the author:
Website: http://nrwalker.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003907957620
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NR_Walker

Publisher: N.R. Walker
Cover Artist: Sara York

Sales Links:  Amazon

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

NYPD Detective Alec MacAidan has always been good with weird. After all, his life has been a string of the unexplainable. But when an injured man gives him cryptic clues, then turns to dust in front of him, Alec’s view on weird is changed forever.

Cronin, a vampire Elder, has spent the last thousand years waiting for Alec. He’d been told his fated one would be a man wielding a shield, but he didn’t expect him to be human, and he certainly didn’t expect that shield to be a police badge.

Both men, strong-willed and stubborn, are still learning how to cope with the push and pull of being fated, when fate throws them another curveball.

Rumors have spread quickly of turmoil in Egypt. Covens are fleeing with news of a vampire who has a talent like no other, hell-bent on unleashing the wrath of Death.

Alec and Cronin are thrown into a world of weird Alec cannot imagine. What he learned in school of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian gods was far from the truth. Instead, he finds out firsthand that history isn’t always what it seems.

Categories: M/M Romance, Paranormal

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

 

Alec patted his belly, which was now full of pizza and coffee. Then he thought of something. “When was the last time you fed?”

“Two days ago.”

“Is that too long?”

“I will need to feed soon, but it’s bearable.”

“What is not bearable?” Alec asked. “I’m just curious. I guess I should know these things. I mean, is it uncomfortable for you to be near me right now?”

“Of course not.”

“Is it a hunger, or a thirst? Does your throat burn until you feed, or what?” Alec asked out of pure curiosity.

“It is a hunger,” Cronin answered. “Though not like a human hunger. It affects the whole body, not just the stomach. The whole body craves it.”

Alec considered this. “I can see that, I guess.”

Cronin gave a smile. “You talk of such matter with ease. Does it not bother you?”

“Not as much as I thought it would,” Alec said. “I try not to think about the human loss of it, to be honest. Kinda like how I try not to think about the pigs that die to give us the amazing thing that is bacon.” Alec stared out the kitchen window for a while, looking over the city as he thought about what he just said. “I’m not sure when I stopped caring for human life… I’m a cop, I shouldn’t…” he shook his head. “I don’t know when that changed.”

“When you changed,” Cronin said softly. “When you met me.”

“I changed when I met you?”

Cronin nodded. “As I did when I met you.”

Oh. Alec paused. “Is that part of the fated thing? We change?”

“Yes. Fundamental changes to our psyche, to adapt to the needs of our significant other.”

“But I’m still me,” Alec said quietly.

Cronin gave him a small smile. “You will always be you. You just adopt certain tolerances.”

“So, normally if something pissed me off with someone, like something they did—like snoring! If they snored—I ‘d hate it, but if you snored, I wouldn’t care.”

“I don’t snore.”

“That wasn’t my point.”

Cronin chuckled. “Your point was correct, yes.”

“So what pisses you off in other people, but not in me?”

Cronin thought for a moment. “I don’t like being interrupted when I’m talking. It is frustrat-”

“Like that?” Alec said with a smile. “Like me interrupting you like that?”

Cronin huffed. “Yes, like that.”

Alec snorted. “But it still annoyed you.”

“It’s a work in progress.” Cronin let out a half-laugh, half-sigh. “It frustrates me far less with you than someone else, believe me.”

“Then I shall try my very hardest not to interrupt you ever again,” Alec said, with a smirk and flick of his eyebrow which meant he shall try his very hardest to interrupt Cronin every chance he got.

Cronin sighed. “I also find sarcasm rather tiresome.”

“Excellent.” Alec laughed and finished his breakfast and made himself another coffee.

Alec leaned against the kitchen counter with his second cup of coffee in his hand, and it was as though Cronin was waiting for him. He cleared his throat. “So, given the events of yesterday, I wondered whether you wished to continue our date? Considering it was cut short.”

Alec hid his slow-spreading smile behind his coffee cup. “I would love to, but I thought research might be in order, given the events of yesterday.”

“Research of what?”

Alec was stunned. Research of what? “Uh, everything we learned yesterday, none of which makes sense.”

“Jodis and Eiji are seeking out information as we speak.”

“I thought you said they were eating out?”

Cronin smiled. “They are doing both. They’ve gone to Egypt-”

“They’ve what?” Alec cried, interrupting him. “By themselves?”

“They’re safe,” Cronin told him. “They’re verifying the information Bes gave us yesterday. Though we’ve no reason to doubt him, I wanted to be sure.”

“You asked them to go?”

“Yes. I took them.”

“You what?”

“I was only gone for one second. The apartment is well alarmed, and you were sound asleep.”

Alec put his cup down and ran his hands through his hair. “And?”

“And they are searching out any other information we might use.”

Alec sighed. “And what about me?”

Cronin blinked. “I don’t know what you mean. What about you?”

Alec took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I’m a detective. Figuring shit out is what I do. I research, I study, I figure shit out.”

“Alec, I cannot risk you being out there. Please understand, it’s not my wish to see you confined here, but until this risk is over-”

“I don’t need to leave here,” Alec replied. “As much as I’d like to.” He rolled his eyes. “But we have this thing now called the internet. I mean, it is only recent in your perspective of timelines, and I know you think Shakespeare is still classed as popular culture, but it is the twenty-first century.”

Cronin glared at him for just a moment. “I take back what I said before. I do believe that I detest sarcasm more than being interrupted.”

 

Excerpt: 
Pages or Words: 83,000 words

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams, Amanda C. Stone, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Redz World, Molly Lolly, Cate Ashwood, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, SA McAuley, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, 3 Chicks After Dark, Divine Magazine, Elin Gregory, Carly’s Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Love Bytes, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, The Blogger Girls, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, Nephylim, It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake, Velvet Panic

 

NRRC

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Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Two copies of Cronin’s Key (2). Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by Pride Promotions.

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In The Spotlight: 2 Books – 1 Series/Ed & Marchant (Frankie’s #2) by Sue Brown

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 Ed & Marchant  (Frankie’s #2) by Sue Brown

and

Anthony & Leo ( Frankie’s #3) by Sue Brown

Published by Dreamspinner Press

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Sue Brown has 2 new releases!  It’s Ed & Marchant, the second in Frankie’s Series and Anthony & Leo ( Frankie’s #3).

STRW Author BookSynopsis

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Ed & Marchant (Frankie’s #2) – A Novella in Frankie’s Series

Ed Winters despises his job and hates everyone he works with—especially out and proud, happily in love Frankie Mason. He spends his days wishing he could dance, rather than work.

Late to go shopping one day, Ed ends up soaked in Marchant Belarus’s spilled Coke. Ed’s humiliation increases when Marchant, the owner of a BDSM club, realizes Ed is a sub, albeit a very closeted one. Marchant’s attempts to draw Ed out of his shell release years of pent-up anger and hurt over the abuse Ed’s mother and grandmother heaped on him.

Marchant is patient, but nothing he does seems to help until he discovers Ed’s secret love of dancing—a forbidden passion that might be the key to unlocking the confident, secure man Ed could be.

Length: 120 Pages
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
Release Date: November 12, 2014

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press – Amazon – Amazon UK – All Romance(ARe) –

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Anthony & Leo ( Frankie’s #3) by Sue Brown

Watching Marchant train his new sub leaves Tony unhappy at not having found a Dom of his own. Running Marchant’s BDSM club, Tony sees who the Doms prefer and it isn’t him—too big, too old, and too hairy. When his friend Jordan suggests he look outside the club, Tony’s mind turns to Leo, a man he met in a traffic jam. Tony manages to arrange a date and happily learns Leo is funny, very toppy, and not averse to Tony’s lifestyle. As a bonus, Leo sells sex toys.

When tragedy strikes the club, Tony fears he can’t help the mourning club members, but Leo offers his unwavering support. After such a tough start, Tony believes Leo is the Dom he’s been looking for… until he catches him kissing another man.

Title: Anthony & Leo ( Frankie’s #3) by Sue Brown
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 30000 words approx.
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
Releases Date: March 25, 2015

Sales Link: Dreamspinner Press –

 

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

 

Excerpt from Ed & Marchant….

FROM THE isolation of his cubicle, Ed Winters watched over the top of his rimless glasses as two members of his staff twirled around the office, and his lip curled. “One day soon, Mr. Mason, you will get what you deserve.”

It was wishful thinking on Ed’s part. Frankie Mason was Teflon-coated. He could waltz in late, flirt with all the women, and screw up, but nothing touched him, and everyone worshipped the ground he walked on. Even the bitches in management thought Mason had golden balls. The bollocking Ed had received for snitching on Frankie still rankled bitterly.

Ed hated his job… and his staff, including Frankie Mason. Especially Frankie Mason.

Of course the feeling was returned in spades. Ed knew exactly what his staff at the insurance company thought of him. He had once heard Frankie describe him as a 1950s Tory poster boy who disliked “women, black people, anyone from the Indian subcontinent, curry, the French, the Irish, dogs—” and after that damning (and stunningly accurate) indictment, Frankie had minced across the room with a limp wrist, enunciating “—hom-o-sex-uals.”

Frankie was a screaming queer (his words) and didn’t give a flying fart what Ed Winters thought about him (also his words).
Ed despised him.

It’s not as if anything Frankie said was incorrect. Ed hated all those things and more. If anyone had asked him what he did like… well, no one asked him. No one talked to him at work unless they had to, which was exactly the way he preferred it, and he didn’t have any friends or family.

In Ed’s pristine ivory home, nothing and no one disturbed his peace. He could shut the door behind him, place his shoes neatly in the shoe rack, hang up his jacket, and forget about the idiots and lowlifes that infested his existence.

No one knocked at Ed’s door or called his phone. His flat was his castle, and there he found peace. His sanctuary soothed his soul. It kept him going through the eight-and-a-half hours of the miserable drudgery of work.

If he lived close enough, he would escape back home at lunchtime, but it was just too far away to make it feasible. Instead Ed ate his spinach salad and sparkling water at his desk every day, looking out the window to the park beyond and wishing he was there. Not in the park. The park was fine, but the other occupants—the screaming kids, filthy dogs leaving their shit over the paths, and shrill mothers—were the bane of his existence. But the park was on his route. A place of joy at five thirty in the evening and doom and despair at eight thirty in the morning as he approached the office.

Ed looked down at the files on his desk, and his lip curled. “How on earth did I end up here? I had plans.”

He’d planned to set the world on fire with his dancing. Instead he’d ended up in a dead-end job that drained his soul. Not just his job. His life. Ed refused to admit, even to himself, the soul-sucking loneliness of his existence.

Ed looked over at Frankie now engaging in an obscene tango with that slut, Charlotte, also a member of his team.

“You think you can dance?” he muttered. “I can dance. I could make you cry with my paso doble.”

But the world was never going to weep tears over his paso doble, and Ed was going to shuffle papers, hating his life until he died, bitter and alone.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

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Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn’t following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has gotten expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she’s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

Contact/Follow Sue Brown at:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SueBrownsStories
Twitter: https://twitter.com/suebrownstories
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+SueBrownstories/
Blog: http://suebrownsstories.blogspot.co.uk/
Website: http://www.suebrownstories.com/
Email ID: suebrown.stories@gmail.com

 

 

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Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Prizes and Rafflecopter link provided by Creative Minds Promotion.
Winner’s Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card
2 Runners Up get: An e-copy set of – Frankie & Al (Book 1); Ed & Marchant (Book 2)

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