A VVivacious Review: Angel and Firebird by Nell Iris

Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Phoenix has been in love with Gabriel was as long as he can remember but losing him so tragically hasn’t gotten any easier even after five years. As he struggles with his loss, he yearns for Gabriel…

This story ended way too quickly. I wanted more. So much more. Also, I was completely unaware that this was a short story. So the ending caught me by surprise and I was reluctant to let this story and its characters go.

I remember having gotten through just the very first page of this story and being shocked at how invested I already was in these characters. This was a very engrossing story from its very first words.

It was a story of loss and overall this story has a melancholic tone but everytime Phoenix would talk of Gabriel it was like a ray of light passing through dense black clouds. Their love was palpable. God I would have loved to read about them during the time they were together.

I understood Gabriel’s grief. I understand his actions but I don’t know how justified he is if at all but I really did want him to get all the happiness he deserved.

I found myself really invested and at the risk of repeating myself, I would love to see how these two are together because the image of them together has me bursting with love and hope.

Cover Art by Written Ink Designs. I really liked the cover especially because combined with how the story starts, it leaves a very vivid impression of innocence and love.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC |   Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 21 pages
Published May 12th 2018 by JMS Books, LLC
ASINB07C1D4GSD
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Blitz – Alpha Heat by Leta Blake (giveaway)

 

 
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 130,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Dar Albert @ Wicked Strange Designs
 
Heat of Love Series
 
Book #1 – Slow Heat – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

A desperate young alpha. An older alpha with a hero complex. A forbidden love that can’t be denied.


Young Xan Heelies knows he can never have what he truly wants: a passionate romance and happy-ever-after with another alpha. It’s not only forbidden by the prevailing faith of the land, but such acts are illegal.


Urho Chase is a middle-aged alpha with a heartbreaking past. Careful, controlled, and steadfast, his friends dub him old-fashioned and staid. When Urho discovers a dangerous side to Xan’s life that he never imagined, his world is rocked and he’s consumed by desire. The carefully sewn seams that held him together after the loss of his omega and son come apart—and so does he.


But to love each other and make a life together, Xan and Urho risk utter ruin. With the acceptance and support of Caleb, Xan’s asexual and aromantic omega and dear friend, they must find the strength to embrace danger and build the family they deserve.


This gay romance novel by Leta Blake is the second in the Slow Heat universe. It’s 130,000 words, with a strong happy ending and a well-crafted, non-shifter Omegaverse. It features alphas, betas, omegas, male pregnancy, heat, and knotting. No cheating. Content warning for brief sexual violence.


Author Bio



Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.


Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letablake
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetaBlake
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letablake
Website: https://letablake.wordpress.com

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Series Recap Blitz for C.F. White ‘s Responsible Adult Series (excerpt)

Responsible Adult Series 


Book #1 – Misdemeanor – currently 99c
Book #2 – Hard Time  – currently 1.99
Book #3 – Reformed – currently 2.99


The Responsible Adult series follows bad boy Micky O’Neill as he attempts to better his life to bring up his disabled little brother. A past full of juvenile delinquency and living in a small town rife with idle gossip means Micky struggles to be seen as anything other than a no-hoper from the wrong side of the tracks… until he takes a job at the local supermarket and meets his boss, Dan, a university graduate and self-proclaimed shy, awkward bookworm.


Dan, older and burned from a past relationship, is the one person who sees through Micky’s tough-guy facade to the true heart underneath. With fear and mistrust on both sides, the two must steer their way through a complicated relationship where outside forces are determined to break them up at every turn.


Responsible Adult is a series about growing up and learning that falling in love always brings responsibility.

 
Excerpt from Misdemeanor
 

“You can join us if you like. Enough to go around.” Dan pointed at all the food and drink.


Micky looked down, licking his lips, but shook his head. He glanced at the play park and Dan followed his line of sight to see the blond bloke by the swings surrounded by a gaggle of girls, one of whom he picked up in a fireman’s carry and proceeded to slap her arse. Micky snorted and turned back to Dan.


“Thanks, but I got Flynn.” He scrunched up his legs, hugging his knees to his chest and hung the glass down over the top.


“Your parents not around then?” Dan asked, voice full of concern.


“Nah,” Micky said with a shrug. “Mum passed away. A while back now. And Dad’s, well, Dad’s not round so much anymore.”


“Workaholic?” Dan asked, almost hopeful.


“Something aholic, yeah,” Micky said. He shuffled his feet on the blanket, bunching it up and flattening it back down. “He’s just not good to be around Flynn.”


“So you take care of him by yourself?” Dan asked.


Micky nodded.


“Wow. That’s…” Dan searched for the word. Three years spent lovingly studying the English language hoping to come into good use this time. “Commendable.”


“Not really,” Micky said, ducking his head. “Any sibling would do it.”


“I don’t know about that, mate,” Dan said. “My big sister can be a right cow. She would’ve left me on a doorstep somewhere.”


Micky chuckled. He didn’t pay Dan much attention, choosing to watch Flynn and Tamsin as she spun him on the seated roundabout. Dan watched them, too, for a bit, before turning back to Micky.


“He’s a character,” Dan acknowledged. “There a reason he’s so small?”


Micky finally turned his attention on Dan. “Yeah,” he replied, voice tiny and tight. He scraped his teeth over his bottom lip several times, dragging away the congealed moisture forming over them. “He’s got a condition. He’s a little behind in years, too.”


“Oh,” Dan said. He might have that etched onto his gravestone. “What’s the condition?”


“Williams syndrome?” Micky replied, then, with a shrug, shook his head. “Don’t worry. No one’s ever heard of it. It’s pretty rare. One in twenty thousand or so.”


“Oh,” Dan said. Again. For fuck’s sake.


“So, yeah, I’m sorry about earlier. I probably snapped at you.” Micky twirled the glass in his hand. “The friendly thing. One of the things he’s lacking is any stranger danger. They’re a bit overly social, if you know what I mean. Susceptible to being taken advantage of. Scares the crap out of me.”


Micky dipped his head, shaking it from side to side. He shuffled again and Dan sensed he was clamming up after having been so forthcoming. Dan didn’t want Micky to stop talking. He was strangely fascinated by him. It wasn’t just that the bloke was nice to look at, which he evidently was. But his voice had an undertone of something more and Dan desperately wanted to find out what that was.


“How else does it affect him?” Dan wondered aloud.


“Multitude of things.” Micky exhaled. He took a deep breath before responding any further. “Medical stuff like a weak heart. Had two major heart surgeries as a baby. Will probably need another one in his lifetime. He has stomach troubles. Bowel issues. Weak muscles. The eyes. Teeth. Hyperthyroid. Plus he’s got learning difficulties.” Micky’s eyes glazed over as he swished the glass in his hand. “He’s an eternal child. Sees the world like it should be in a fairy tale, minus the evil characters. Everything is bright and beautiful and everyone is his friend.” Micky paused. “It’s a real shame that life isn’t like that. Because a world full of Flynns would be the one I wanna live in.”


Dan paused for a moment, trying to take it all in. What Micky said. Flynn. The condition. The ideal. And how Micky described it all.


“I’m sorry you’re dealing with all that by yourself,” Dan finally said. “I had no idea.”


He’d just been lusting after his body all week. Now Dan knew the bloke had a soft, loving and caring side, what the hell was that going to do to him now?

 

Author Bio

 

Brought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.


Studying at a West London university, she realised there was a whole city out there waiting to be discovered, so, much like Dick Whittington before her, she never made it back home and still endlessly searches for the streets paved with gold, slowly coming to the realisation they’re mostly paved with chewing gum. And the odd bit of graffiti. And those little circles of yellow spray paint where the council point out the pot holes to someone who is supposedly meant to fix them instead of staring at them vacantly whilst holding a polystyrene cup of watered-down coffee.


She eventually moved West to East along that vast District Line and settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.


Having worked in Higher Education for most of her career, a life-altering experience brought pen back to paper after she’d written stories as a child but never had the confidence to show them to the world. Having embarked on this writing malarkey, C F White cannot stop. So strap in, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride…


Website
Twitter
Facebook

 



In honour of Williams Syndrome Awareness Day, Pride Publishing are putting Misdemeanor, Hard Time and Reformed on a price promotion. You can get all three books at 99p/c each on Friday 18th May. Link here: https://www.pride-publishing.com/serial/responsible-adult, but you can also buy it at this price at most other retailers.

If you’d like to learn more about Williams Syndrome, then you can find out all the excellent work that the charities in both the UK and US do here:

www.williams-syndrome.org.uk
www.williams-syndrome.org

 
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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Survivor (Survivor #1) by T.M. Smith

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

When Taylor Langford is thirteen, his world is turned upside down by the murder of his parents. The only reason he wasn’t killed was because his mother shoved him into a crawlspace in the attic and told him not to come out unless she came for him. But the man who ultimately found him, rookie cop Frank Moore, becomes the most important person in Taylor’s life from that day forward.

This is an absolutely wonderful May to December, very slow burn MM romance, with engaging characters, an exciting plot, and a terrific narration. That’s win-win in my book! Frank and Taylor have a bit over ten years age difference, or at least that was my impression from the audiobook, and Frank never puts the move on Taylor, even when he slowly realizes what he feels for the young man is more than friendship. In fact, neither man alerts the other about their feelings that develop long after Taylor has passed puberty and high school and is finishing college. Taylor knew from a young age that Frank was his ideal man in every way, and as he aged those feelings only became stronger.

But it’s not until it’s so evident to their friends and extended family members—Taylor’s foster parents and Frank’s partner and his wife—that Frank finally decides to tell Taylor how he feels. That occurs at Taylor’s graduate degree graduation party, and by the time it happens, readers like me are rooting for this couple. Both characters are really well-developed and three dimensional—people I’d love to know in real life.  The fact that the murderer is back after a ten-year absence and wants Taylor dead only adds to the excitement of this story.

Nick J. Russo did a wonderful job with the narration, providing a variety of voices, both male and female—each distinct and easy to recognize. That definitely made the audio experience worthwhile.

I definitely recommend this story to lovers of age gap MM romance and most definitely recommend it in audio format.

The cover depicts a handsome young dark-haired man sitting against a colorful background done as an abstract painting with the Seattle Space Needle in the background, representing the locale of the story. Very colorful and attention-getting.

Sales Links:

Book Details:

ebook
Published August 28th 2017 (first published 2017)
Original TitleSurvivor
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSurvivor #1

An Alisa Audiobook Review: Kairos by Mary Calmes and Michael Fell (Narrator)

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Sometimes the best day of your life is the one you never saw coming.

Joe Cohen has devoted the past two years of his life to one thing: the care and feeding of Kade Bosa. His partner in their PI business, roommate, and best friend, Kade is everything to Joe, even if their relationship falls short of what Joe desires most. But he won’t push. Kade has suffered a rough road, and Joe’s pretty sure he’s the only thing holding Kade together.

Estranged from his own family, Joe knows the value of desperately holding on to someone dear, but he never expected his present and past to collide just as Kade’s is doing the same. Now they’ve stumbled across evidence that could change their lives: the impact of Kade’s tragic past, their job partnership, and any future Joe might allow himself to wish for….

This was a nice heartwarming story. Kade pushes Joe to talk to his family, going as far as getting them close to his hometown when they need to go away from their home for a bit.

Joe can’t see that Kade greatly cares for him just as much as he does for him but it was easy to see while hearing the story from Joe’s perspective.  Kade is a broken man but Joe has been a big help in holding him together and when Joe’s mom decides to keep him it’s just the additional reassurance he needs.  The story was focused more on Joe and Kade figuring their way around more than the conflict of Kade’s past.

Michael Fell did a nice job narrating this story.  The voices for the most part the different voices he used help keep track of the story but he sometimes changes the accents up or said the words differently that would confuse me for a second.

Cover art by Reese Dante is great and I loved the visuals of the characters.

Sales Links:  Audible | Amazon |  iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, 5hrs 10mins
Published March 16, 2018 (ebook first published December 15, 2017) by Dreamspinner Press
Edition Language: English

An Ali Audiobook Review: Rank & File (Anchor Point #4) by L.A. Witt and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating: 4 out 5 stars

Senior Chief Will Curtis is as straitlaced as they come. While his fellow Sailors have partied their way through their enlistments, he’s had his eye on the prize—making master chief and retiring after thirty years of service.

Lieutenant Brent Jameson is a Navy brat turned Annapolis grad. He’s lived and breathed the military his whole life, and he knows he’s destined for great things—once he’s done paying his dues at the bottom of the ladder.

When their paths cross, both men know better than to give in to temptation, but that doesn’t stop them. It also doesn’t keep them from coming back for more, even though being discovered would sink their careers. Something has to give—Will can retire, Brent can resign, or they’ll both face court-martial.

But there’s also the option neither wants to acknowledge: jump ship and walk away from each other instead of ending their careers over a fledgling relationship. And they should probably decide before they fall in love.

This story starts off with a bang.  Will and Brent meet in regards to a domestic violence call on their military base.  They never expect to see each other again but fate has a different idea.  They meet up again under different circumstances and neither can deny the chemistry between them is off the charts.  They decide to begin a friends with benefits type relationship.  While DADT is a thing of the past, the no fraternization of officers and enlisted men is still very much in affect.  Both men know that they are risking a lot by seeing each other.  They could both lose their jobs and be forced out of the service.  Despite the dangers of being together the men can’t seem to stay away from each other.  What starts as lust soon turns to love and they find themselves in a  complicated situation.  It seems they’re going to have to pick between their careers and their love for each other.
I thought this book was an enjoyable installment to this series. It has the age gap and military issues that many of this author’s books do. Somhow she’s able to take the same general formula and make each one seem unique.  This was just the right combo of plot and smexy times. These two were great together and I was really glad to see how things worked out for them at the end.  This book is the fourth one in the Anchor Point series but it is fine as a standalone.
The narration of the audiobook was done by Nick J. Russo and I thought he did a very good job on both Will and Brent’s voices as well as the side characters.  This narrator is one I find to be consistently good and I also enjoy his work.
Cover:  The cover is done by L.C. Chase and I think it’s fantastic.  I love all of the covers for this series.  They stand out and you know immediately upon seeing them that they are part of this series.
Audiobook Details:
Audible Audio, Unabridged, 7 pages
Published March 9th 2018 by Riptide Publishing (first published September 25th 2017)
Original TitleRank & File (Anchor Point, #4)
ASINB07BB1QTCT
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesAnchor Point #4

Andrew Demcak on Writing, Influences, and his new release ‘Alpha Wave (The Elusive Spark #2)’ by Andrew Demcak

Alpha Wave (The Elusive Spark #2) by Andrew Demcak
Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist: AngstyG

Release Date: May 15, 2018

Sales Link:  Harmony Ink Press

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Andrew Demcak here today. Welcome, Andrew, and thank you for answering our author questions!

 

✒︎

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Andrew Demcak

How much of yourself goes into a character?  65% me, plus 35% filler (sawdust and peanut butter).

Do you feel there’s a tight line between Mary Sue or should I say Gary Stu and using your own experiences to create a character? All the characters I write are me, which is weird because I write about talking rats, aliens, demons, ghosts, bisexual teenage girls – all of which are not the 49-year-old QWM me.

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write?  Not really in terms of the genre, but I always do some research with everything I write.

Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures? I like doing both. I have a very active imagination, I keep thinking I’ll be attacked by mountain lions on my morning runs, but I love to ground a tale in reality,  and reality needs facts and vocabularies.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why? I love HEA because it doesn’t exist. Every literary HEA is a HFN because the story does end – it must.

Who do you think is your major influence as a writer?  Now and growing up? I love Anne Sexton, William S. Burroughs, and William H. Gass. I also adore Shirley Jackson and Flannery O’Connor. When I was younger it was all about Gertrude Stein’s novels.

How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going? I love eBooks! They exemplify economy of time and money (for the reader.)

How do you choose your covers?  (curious on my part) I’m lucky because Harmony Ink Press (my publisher) has a great art department. I’ve been working with AngstyG for the last couple covers. I always imagine how my covers will look and tell the graphic designers what I want. When I get the first few mock-ups, I start seeing them come to life. For instance, the next novel in my Elusive Spark series, Book 3, Darkfeather, is in the editing phase right now at the publisher. The cover I want would feature the “keyhole” branding of the first two novels, an image of James (the lead character) and the image of a sasquatch walking away, seen over his left shoulder. But who knows what it will really look like. But that’s what I want.

Do you have a favorite among your own stories?  And why? My first true YA/Teen novel, Ghost Songs (Harmony Ink Press.) It’s my thinly veiled 8th grade year, poltergeist and all. I cry every time I read it. It was very tough growing up queer in the 1980s. Very tough.

What’s next for you as an author? I’ve been busy getting my out-of-print books back into print through my own imprint, Big 23 Press, and KDP publishing. I have a New Adult novel out right now, How Do You Deal with a Dead Girl?, which is getting great reviews already. I have a TV pilot I’m writing, and I have a new LGBTQ YA book I’m working on that I’m excited about called Glitter Bear. It’s a romance without any supernatural elements – Erg! Out of my comfort zone!

Have you ever put a story away, thinking it just didn’t work?  Then years/months/whatever later inspiration struck and you loved it?  Is there a title we would recognize if that happened? This sort of happened with a long first chapter I wrote back when I was 19 in the 1980’s. It was for a novel I wanted to write about the Goth music scene in Los Angeles. I had so many friends in bands, The Superheroines, Christian Death, Psi-Com, and I wanted to document that moment in time. I guess I forgot I had started it. Flash forward to 2008. I find this long chapter in a drawer of other writing I’d done. I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. I suddenly knew I had to write this novel. And so I did. It’s called, If There’s a Heaven Above. It went on to be nominated by The American Library Association as an “outstanding” novel for older teens (17+) for its Rainbow Books list. It’s now back in print and available in a 10th anniversary edition.

Blurb

Alpha Wave, The Elusive Spark: Book Two
Keira Fairchild is running for her life, and she won’t make it far without someone watching her back. Her powers helped her elude a slave trader, Holcomb, who planned to sell her to the highest bidder, and the deadly Paragon Academy. But now Keira needs some allies and some answers. Who is the imprisoned alien being who keeps contacting her in her dreams? Keira is aided by a group of teens–James, Lumen, and Paul–with powers like her own, and all of them are ready for a fight. The small group must rescue the captive alien and escape Dr. Albion, who seeks to steal their abilities and eliminate them. Survival will mean a desperate struggle, and none of them can succeed on their own.

About the Author

Andrew Demcak* is an American poet and novelist, the author of four poetry collections and five Young Adult novels. His books have been featured by The American Library Association, Verse Daily, The Lambda Literary Foundation, The Best American Poetry, and Poets and Writers. He was a *FINALIST* for the prestigious Dorset Poetry Prize, the Gloria E. Anzaldúa Poetry Prize, and the Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence in Poetry. 

He recently released two new YA/Teen GLBTQ2-S novels, How Do You Deal with a Dead Girl? (Big 23 Press, 2018), and Alpha Wave, The Elusive Spark series, Book 2, (Harmony Ink Press, 2018) to brisk sales. His newest YA/Teen GLBTQ2-S novel, Darkfeather, The Elusive Spark series, Book 3, (Harmony Ink Press, 2019) will be published next year.  About his Teen GLBTQ Sci-Fi Coming-Out novel, A Little Bit Langston, The Elusive Spark series, Book 1,  Kirkus Reviews raved “This book really … takes its place in the marginalized-will-lead-us genre, as popularized by The Matrix and the X-Men franchises.” His first Young Adult (YA) novel, Ghost Songs, was published March 13, 2014. His first literary novel, If There’s A Heaven Above, was published January 5, 2013 by JMS Books, and was nominated by The American Library Association as an “Outstanding” novel for older Teens (17+). 

Links:
Twitter @andrewdemcak

 

 

 

AUDIO TOUR The Solstice Prince (Realms of Love #1) by SJ Himes and Narrated by Joel Leslie (excerpt and giveaway)

 Solstice Prince Audio Banner

The Solstice Prince

Realms of Love Book #1

SJ Himes

Gay Epic Fantasy Romance

 Audio Release: 04.30.18

 

Solstice Prince Audio Cover

Cover Illustration and Design by Sarah Jo Chreene

Narrator: Joel Leslie

 

BLURB

Rescued from slavers, healer novice Jaime Buchanan finds himself alone and free in Pyrderi, a kingdom of magic, mythical creatures, and a culture as open and kind as his homeland was cruel and close-minded.

Despite his rescue, Jaime is not left without scars, both mental and physical. Traumatized by his experience and hiding his gift, Jaime struggles to earn his place in the kitchens of Angharad Palace, the heart of Taliesin City. His former life as a student of the healing arts leaves him at a disadvantage in the kitchens, and his damaged state is becoming more apparent by the day.

One day, when necessity and fate intervene, Jaime meets someone unexpected—Prince Maxim, youngest son of the Pyrderian king, a sword master and a devastatingly kind man. Unaccustomed to powerful people with compassion and heart, Jaime flees. A cascade of events reveals Jaime’s hidden talents of healing, and he finds himself not in chains, but at the beginning of a new life.

This swift change of fortune opens Jaime up to new possibilities, including a smitten prince who cautiously courts Jaime, easing him away from his fears and reminding him that compassion and love can make him strong. The winter solstice is quickly approaching, and Prince Maxim shows Jaime the enjoyment and excitement to be found in a land that embraces the ice and cold, and the mysteries of all things magical. He learns to see the man under the royal mantle, and Maxim is more than even Jaime suspected.

The winter solstice is nigh when tragedy strikes, and Jaime learns that his past of grief and sorrow can be a pillar of strength for his solstice prince. If there is one thing that Jaime believes above all else, it is in the healing power of love.

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

TANTOR

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36566371-the-solstice-prince

solstice teaser 1

solstice teaser 2

 EXCERPT

His eyes were drawn to the wide shoulders of Prince Maxim, the royal speaking quietly to a pair of full healers in their silver and white robes, the edges trimmed in varying hues of green that denoted their ranks and specialties. One of them saw Jaime hovering and pointed towards him with a smile. Prince Maxim turned and grinned wide when he saw Jaime. Jaime smiled back, flushing. The prince said his goodbyes and strode across the room to him. Long legs, a trim waist, a broad chest, and strong shoulders clothed in black leather pants and a brilliant white shirt, topped with a long jacket in rich sky blue left Jaime at a loss for words. The prince looked every inch the royal.

Prince Maxim was at his side before he was ready, and Jaime shivered, skin tingling from head to toe when the prince gave him a wide smile and offered his hand. Jaime found his much smaller hand engulfed in the prince’s with his long fingers curling over, holding him firmly. His face burned, and he ducked his head, hair falling over his eyes.

“Good morning, Jaime.”

“Good—good morning, Your Highness,” he stammered back, and he gripped the hand holding his in an unconscious plea for support.

He was holding hands with a prince. His life had taken an unexpected twist.

“Please, call me Maxim,” the prince offered, and Jaime gasped, shaking his head frantically. The prince was smiling at him, somehow beyond patient.

“I wouldn’t dare! I couldn’t, Your Highness,” Jaime burst out, heart racing again. “It’s not allowed.”

Prince Maxim drew closer, their joined hands between them, and he gave Jaime a slow perusal, taking in his wide eyes, flushed cheeks, and no doubt able to see the galloping pulse in his neck. “There is no one to gainsay you for the privilege. I do not mind. Please, it would be an honor for you to use my name.”

“Can I—can I think about it?” He couldn’t believe he just said that, and he nearly bit the tip of his tongue off snapping his mouth shut.

Prince Maxim chuckled and turned them both, tucking Jaime’s hand in the crook of his elbow. “While you’re thinking about it, how about I give you a tour of the castle? Something besides the kitchens and servants’ halls? Would you like to see the library? Do you like to read?”

“Master Eames wanted to talk to me…”

“I’ve been ordered to return you promptly after midday by Master Eames, along with strict instructions not to overdo it.” The prince’s charming grin never fell away, and he seemingly saw nothing amiss in a healer ordering about a royal. Master Eames was a distinguished healer, surely used to getting his own way, and Jaime had no desire to run afoul of the healer’s orders either. Prince Maxim continued, “Now what about some breakfast and then on to the library?”

“I love to read. I would love to see the library.” The idea of the prince taking him to personally see anything was spinning about in his mind, making him feel dizzy, and leaving him glad for the strong hand holding onto his.

SJ Himes Logo

I’m a self-employed writer who stresses out about the silliest things, like whether or not I got my dog the best kind of snack and the fact my kindle battery tends to die when I’m at the best part in a book. I write mainly gay romance, erotica, and urban fantasy, with occasional forays into contemporary and paranormal. I love a book heavy on plot and character evolution, and throw in some magic, and that’s perfection. My current series are: The Beacon Hill Sorcerer, Bred For Love (as Revella Hawthorne), The Wolfkin Saga, and the epic fantasy romance series Realms of Love. My last two novels in the Beacon Hill Sorcerer won 3rd Place in the Gay Fantasy category for the 2016 Rainbow Awards.

I live in New Orleans, where the personalities are big and loud and so are the bugs! New Orleans is rich in cultural history, and the flavor and music of the City is impossible to hide. Before that, I lived all over the United States: Tampa, Western Massachusetts, Indianapolis, and on and on…. I’m a nomad, and I’ve yet to find a place that calls to me strongly enough to become home. My faithful travel companions are my dog Micah, the numerous voices in my head who insist they all get put on paper, and the wind at my back.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJHimes/

Website: https://www.sjhimes.com/en

Joel Leslie/Narrator

Joel Leslie is a UK transplant, growing up with American parents in a British commonwealth.  A classically trained actor with an MFA in theatre from USC, he is often cast for his unique ability to deliver native, authentic combinations of American and British sounds.  His great range and ability to bring characters to life with honesty, wit and versatility delights producers and listeners alike.

He is proud to have a strong following with m/m listeners and an ongoing relationship with some of the finest writers in the genre.  He loves that every day he gets to share these beautiful, inspirational and empowering GLBT characters with the world.

His authors have praised him as “a narrator among narrators, a man whose ability to create different characters rests on the power of his voice and his impeccable delivery,” and a “true delight…” “his professionalism, good humor, and charm make him a dream to work with,” “Anyone else would only be second best”.

Joel has consistent access to his home studio for all production needs.  When not in the booth he spends his time chasing after two loquacious wiener dogs.

http://www.joelleslienarration.com/

 

GIVEAWAY

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Release Blitz and Giveaway for Swings & Roundabouts (The Power of Zero #4) by Jackie Keswick

 

 
 
Length: 100,000 words approx.
 
The Power Of Zero Series
 
Book #0 – The Power Of Zero
Book #1 – Job Hunt
Book #2 – Ghosts
Book #3 – House Hunt
 
Blurb
 

Jack Horwood. Vigilante, hacker, security specialist. Partner to Gareth Flynn. Adoptive father to their two teenage boys. Happily juggling long days and short nights.


Gareth Flynn. Ex-army officer. Ace negotiator. Righter of wrongs. Family man. Away from home more often than he likes.


Desperate for a relationship reset, Jack treats Gareth to a romantic getaway and Sweden’s frigid peace gives them the break they both need. But Jack’s a trouble magnet and the next dead body just a wild skidoo ride away.


Can love, teamwork, and trust survive the troubles that follow them around? Can Jack save what’s become so important to him?


Expect action, drama, and hot romance in book 4 of the Power of Zero series.

 
Author Bio
 

Jackie Keswick was born behind the Iron Curtain with itchy feet, a bent for rocks and a recurring dream of stepping off a bus in the middle of nowhere to go home. She’s worked in a hospital and as the only girl with 52 men on an oil rig, spent a winter in Moscow and a summer in Iceland and finally settled in the country of her dreams with her dream team: a husband, a cat, a tandem, a hammer and a laptop.


Jackie loves unexpected reunions and second chances, and men who don’t follow the rules when those rules are stupid. She blogs about English history and food, has a thing for green eyes, and is a great believer in making up soundtracks for everything, including her characters and the cat.


And she still hasn’t found the place where the bus stops.


For questions and comments, not restricted to green eyes, bus stops, or recipes for traditional English food, you can find Jackie Keswick in all the usual places:


Website: http://www.jackiekeswick.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ctY9RD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackieKeswick
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JackieKeswick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackiekeswick/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jackie-keswick
Queeromance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/jackie-keswick/

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Is History Repeating Itself? Amazon and eBooks.This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Is History Repeating Itself? Amazon and eBooks

It wasn’t that long ago (1980’s and 1990’s) really that the book world was being torn asunder by the rise of the super bookstores like Crown Books, Waldenbooks, B. Daltons, Borders among others who, due to their size and discounting practices, under cut the neighborhood bookstores and put many out of business because they couldn’t compete.

Then ironically came computer ordering and  Amazon.  Slowly the sales started to erode at the major booksellers as the cheaper hardbacks and then eBooks gained (for many reasons) in popularity and people started buying, not just eBooks but all their books on the computer.  Equally ironic?  Later we saw the  rise of the niche bookstore, quietly returning back to the neighborhoods,  filling a hole and feeding a desire that never quite left because people love to visit bookstore, hold actual books, and talk with others who share their passions.

Now its 2018 and so many of those super bookstore chains are gone or failing done in by Amazon’s success, with Google, iTunes and others close behind. Banes and Noble‘s longstanding flagship store in Bethesda is closing…long a landmark. Lately I’ve been wondering if our LGBT publishers have been looking over their shoulders and wondering if they will be able to compete against this giant as well.  The list of publishers that have given up  recently is depressing because they were the ones I turned to when I wanted my stories to read all those years ago (Samhain Publishing, ARe, Loose Id, Torquere…).  it certainly wasn’t’ Amazon.

All those special niche publishers fed my need for these stories , giving home and platform to authors who had stories to tell.  There is a much longer list than I gave and not all ended gracefully or were well run, just as all small businesses everywhere.  Somehow with us, it seems more personal, our world smaller somehow.  Anyhow, I’m getting off-course again.  They did something Amazon couldn’t or wouldn’t do.  The small and personal against the enormous  business machine.

Does the #cockygate ring any bells for you?  Google it!

So now Amazon is in the publishing business as well as the selling business and the cost of eBooks is rising.  Some say it’s rising far above what people should have to pay for an eBook?  What’s too high?  $8 $9?  What’s your limit for an eBook? What’s the price you would pay for convenience and portability?  I get a feeling the market is about to find out.

What are your feelings about this?

Is there a built in balance supplied by the consumer?  With the big business on one end (no matter the type Amazon or Crown and the more personal small business mode on the other?  Or can both co exist financially if the right market balance is achieved?   Same with publishers.  Can the very real need for the small niche publishers ensure that they succeed even while the giants like Amazon and Google and iTunes roll on?

I hope that our continuing need for the personal, the quirky, and the individual will help us support our LGBT publishers while also not forgetting that there are self-publishing authors who need to make a living and do so via the juggernaut that is Amazon.  We need both and should give our support to both.    That doesn’t mean sacrificing scrutiny however, especially where in-house practices are concerned.  And not just Amazon.

Much has been said recently about the practices at Borders and the problems at Riptide Publishing has been well documented here.

So, my wonderful readers here, I have one more question to put to you. What responsibility, if any, do we have as readers, to the authors and publishers that we love to read and buy from? Is it enough to simply buy their stories and leave it at that?  Or do we have a larger responsibility here simply as book lovers to ensure that the concerns of all readers are being taken care of.  That all stories are safe, not pirated, not being withheld from the public because of a giant conglomerate’s minion’s desire to remove all titles with the word Cocky in it (#cockygate), or just because they contain LGBT subject matter on the cover or storyline.  Or even, help us, have a PoC on the cover.  Do we just keep buying books or do we do something?  And what?

 

What say you?  I’d really like to know…

 

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, May 13:

  • This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Is History Repeating Itself? Amazon and eBooks
  • Blog Tour for Upon Broken Wings by EL Reedy and AM Wade
  • Ellie Keaton’s Unforgivable Tour

Monday, May 14:

  • Release Blitz – Swings & Roundabouts – Jackie Keswick
  • AUDIO TOUR The Solstice Prince by SJ Hime
  • Harmony Promo Andrew Demcak
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Rank & File (Anchor Point #4) by L.A. Witt and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)
  • An Alisa Audiobook Review: Kairos by Mary Calmes and Michael Fell (Narrator)
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Watching and Wanting (Housemates #4) by Jay Northcote and Lewis Carter (Narrator)

Tuesday, May 15:

  • DSP Promo Chase/Rhodes
  • Series Recap Blitz – C.F White – Responsible Adult Series
  • Release Blitz – Leta Blake – Alpha Heat
  • A Caryn Release Day Review: Nudging Fate by EJ Russell
  • A VVivacious Review Angel and Firebird by Nell Iris
  • A MelanieM Review:  The Henchmen of Zenda by K.J. Charles
  • An Alisa Review: The Power of Two by Leigh Vining

Wednesday, May 16:

  • Hybrid cover reveal and book blitz *Masters and Mages series by Alexis Duran
  • Release Blitz Tour – Last Defense (Harrisburg Railers #5) by R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey
  • Review Tour – On the Ice (Stick Side #1) by Amy Aislin
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: On the Ice (Stick Side #1) by Amy Aislin
  • A Stella Review Lock Nut(Plumber’s Mate Mysteries) by JL Merrow
  • A Lila Review: A Disposable Husband by Iyana Jenna
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Free Falling (Extreme Escapes, Ltd.) by S.E. Jakes and Dorian Bane (Narrator)

Thursday, May 17:

  • DSP Promo Julia Talbot
  • RELEASE BLITZ A Tiny Piece of Something Greater by Jude Sierra
  • RIPTIDE TOUR Lock Nut (Plumber’s Mate Mysteries) by JL Merrow
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Syncopation (Twisted Wishes #1) by Anna Zabo
  • A Stella Review: Lock Nut(Plumber’s Mate Mysteries) by JL Merrow
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Dirty Deeds (Dirty Deeds, #1) by SE Jakes and Adam North (Narrator)

Friday, May 18:

  • New Release Tour for Level Up by Annabeth Albert
  • Review Tour – Garrett Leigh’s Whisper
  • Review Tour – Exploration (Kinky in the City #1) by Quinn Ward
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Juggernaut  (Strain #0.5) by Amelia Gormley
  • A Jeri Review: Whisper (Skins #2) by Garrett Leigh
  • An Alisa Review:  Exploration (Kinky in the City #1) by Quinn Ward

Saturday, May 19:

  • Book Blitz for Level Up by Annabeth Albert
  • A MelanieM Review: :Level Up by Annabeth Albert