Category: Book Tours and Contests

Cordelia Kingsbridge has 5 Fun Facts and a Riveting Romance with ‘Can’t Hide From Me’ (blog tour and giveaway)

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Can’t Hide from Me by Cordelia Kingsbridge
Riptide Publishing
Cover by: G.D. Leigh

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Cordelia Kingsbridge here today on tour with Can’t Hide From Me. Welcome, Cordelia!

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Hi! I’m Cordelia Kingsbridge, and I’m pleased to welcome you to the blog tour for my novel Can’t Hide From Me. Thanks so much for checking it out!

Five Fun Facts About Can’t Hide From Me

1. The novel’s original title was From the Ashes. This is why Ángel’s codename is Phoenix, and by extension, why the rest of the San Diego team has codenames sourced from various mythologies.

2. I first started thinking about this novel in the summer of 2012. I still have the Word document of the original outline and character sketches, which are interesting to read now after so much time has passed. The vast majority of CHFM turned out very different from that early conception – for example, the team was once going to be FBI instead of ATF, and Charles’ name used to be Alexander. I even have the research that I did into the inner workings of the FBI back then, which I’m saving in case I need it for future projects.

3. I struggled with the plot for at least a year before I finally figured it out. Believe it or not, I came up with the basic framework for CHFM – the beginning and ending, as well as a few big moments in the middle – without actually knowing who Ángel’s stalker was. But of course it was impossible for me to move forward or get the plot to gel without that information. It wasn’t until I realized who I wanted the villain to be that the entire plot clicked and fell into place like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. After that, CHFM flowed more smoothly for me than anything I’d written before.

4. I had to do some very interesting research along the way. Among the highlights: which firearms are popular with Mexican cartels, what polygraph examinations look like, how guns are hidden inside cars for smuggling purposes, how a person could introduce a suspect package into a federal building without raising red flags, what it feels like to be tasered, and other things I can’t reveal without major spoilers. I hope whichever NSA agent is monitoring my internet searches enjoys the man-on-man erotica!

5. I changed some of the major relationship moments based on feedback from my readers. I first posted From the Ashes online as a WIP (work-in-progress), as I had with my previous novels. One of the advantages of this approach is that it gives you real-time feedback on which aspects of the novel are coming across the way you want them to – and which really aren’t. In this case, I realized along the way that the conflict between Charles and Ángel was weighted too much in Ángel’s favor. Without meaning to, I’d been presenting Ángel’s side of things in a more sympathetic light and leaving out or glossing over Charles’ own very valid grievances, and the relationship came off as unbalanced in a way I definitely hadn’t intended. Seeing this, I went back through the novel once it was complete and changed a lot of the conversations and other details to balance things out before I even submitted it to Riptide for consideration. Feedback from my readers has always been vital to my writing process!

About Can’t Hide From Mecanthidefromme_600x900

Charles Hunter’s team is on a mission to extract an unidentified ATF agent from an undercover job gone wrong. All they’ve got to go on is the rendezvous location—until Charles recognizes the ex he hasn’t seen in years. Their “simple rescue mission” is about to get a lot more complicated.

For Ángel Medina, adjusting to life after his cartel nightmare is hard enough without confronting memories of a failed relationship. All he wants is a fresh start. But when a violent stalker lashes out from the shadows, Ángel realizes his nightmare is far from over.

As the stalker’s obsession escalates and bodies start dropping, Charles and Ángel are thrown together in a desperate search for the culprit. Tempers flare and old passions reignite, drawing them back into the same turbulent relationship that once ended in disaster.

But the stalker isn’t letting go—and the next strike might hit straight through the heart.

Available from Riptide Publishing: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/cant-hide-from-me

About Cordelia Kingsbridge

Cordelia Kingsbridge has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh, but quickly discovered that direct practice in the field was not for her. Having written novels as a hobby throughout graduate school, she decided to turn her focus to writing as a full-time career. Now she explores her fascination with human behavior, motivation, and psychopathology through fiction. Her weaknesses include opposites-attract pairings and snarky banter.

Away from her desk, Cordelia is a fitness fanatic, and can be found strength training, cycling, and practicing Krav Maga. She lives in South Florida but spends most of her time indoors with the air conditioning on full blast!

Connect with Cordelia:

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Can’t Hide From Me, one lucky winner will receive a $15 Riptide Publishing gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on October 8, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Jump into the Mystery and Romance that is ‘Investigating Julius Drake’ by Daisy Harris (tour and giveaway)

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Investigating Julius Drake by Daisy Harris
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by Michelle Fairbanks

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

 

Welcome to the Investigating Julius Drake blog tour! I’m Daisy, the author, and I’ll be sharing excerpts from the book, as well as extra information about the characters, location and story. Up until recently, Seattle was my home town, and I’ve stolen plenty of locations and institutions as settings for Investigating Julius Drake. Together, we’ll take a tour through the twisty-turny, damp and caffeine-addled world that my protagonist, Henry Walker, finds himself in. Grab yourself a double, almond, split-shot, extra-foam latte, pull up a chair, and join us! And don’t forget to comment for a chance to win a $30 Starbucks gift card. Drink like a Seattleite and enjoy.

About Investigating Julius Drake

After arriving at Seattle’s prestigious Clinton Academy, fourteen-year-old Henry Walker realizes he won’t fit in. If he’s going to run with the rich and powerful, he’ll have to hide his modest background, his lack of interest in girls, and most importantly, his fascination with his handsome but troubled classmate Julius Drake.

When Julius draws Henry into the investigation of a classmate’s suicide attempt, Henry can’t resist the case—or Julius. Soon, Henry’s not only facing the truth about his feelings for Julius, but also risking his life to unmask a social media imposter. “The Other Woman” is manipulating his classmates, searching out their vulnerabilities, and driving them to desperate actions. Julius himself is at risk, what with his callous parents threatening to send him away, and his mental health taking a beating both at school and at home.

If Henry’s going to save the day and get the boy of his dreams, he’ll have to stop worrying what everyone thinks and stop pretending to be someone he’s not. Most of all, Henry will have to be honest about who he loves.

Available from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/investigating-julius-drake

About Daisy Harris

Born into the psychedelic wonder that was the seventies, Daisy Harris has had an interesting life so far. She’s been to Catholic school and Ramones concerts, danced to MC Hammer and Flo Rida, made the honor roll and Phi Beta Kappa, survived cholera, faced bed bugs, and she’s been a hair’s breadth from shipwreck twice. (Three times, if you count sea kayaks!)

Daisy has been a lifelong reader, devouring romance, young adult, urban fantasy, and nonfiction alike. In her professional life, she’s written medical copy and edited scientific papers. However, since 2012, she’s devoted her energy to writing gay romance full-time. That’s okay, because now on the weekends she reads medical studies for fun.

As far as Daisy’s concerned, the best things in life happen by accident. Though she’s gotten better at planning over the years, she still writes, lives, and plays by the seat of her pants. Her books are a happy mix of mysteries, romantic comedies, and coming-of-age stories, more often than not inspired by the great films of the 1980s.

Daisy lives in Seattle in a house full of dogs and children. When she’s not writing gay fiction, she can be found riding her exercise bike and testing the outer boundaries of her food processor’s potential. Every once in a while, she goes out to pay homage to the party gods of her youth—and maybe to find a little trouble.

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Investigating Julius Drake, one lucky winner will receive a $30 Starbucks Gift Card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on October 8, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Enjoy A Coffee Sip and Book Break with Choices by Stevie Woods (excerpt and giveaway)

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Title:  Choices

Author: Stevie Woods

Publisher: Torquere Press

Release Date: September 31, 2016

Heat Level: 5 – Erotica

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 15,600 Words

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Erotic-Romance, Gay Romance

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Synopsis

Best friends since kindergarten, Ben and James are separated after college graduation by their different choices. Ben stays in their small hometown while James heads off to New York with dreams of money and success. Ben works to make his life follow the path he wants, and dreams of the day when James realizes he made a mistake and comes back home.

Each man promises to stay in touch, but this falls by the wayside as James’ life in the big city takes off, leaving Ben yearning for a dream that gradually fades as the years pass.

In New York, James finds that not all dreams are worth the cost of a wrong choice.

(Previously published by Amber Quill Press.)

Excerpt

When Ben had written to tell James of his success and pleasure in his new work, James had responded positively, but still wondered why Ben “didn’t really give it a go and study architecture” before going on to tell Ben about the lovely new end table he’d bought for his apartment.

“He still after you to take that architecture course?”

Ben jerked in surprise. He hadn’t heard Suzie come in, but shouldn’t have been surprised at her reading over his shoulder. Suzie was still very much a handful as always. It was no wonder he loved her so much.

“Don’t you know how rude that is?” He ought to try to teach her some manners.

“You should take it to your room if it’s private,” she said, grabbing some orange juice from the fridge. “Anyhow, did he?”

Ben sighed. “Yeah. He’s doing so well, he thinks I’m missing out.”

“Each to his own. You know how much I think of James, but he sure is blinkered about you.”

Ben glanced at his sister, wondering if he was just being too sensitive or if she really had guessed how he felt about James. He’d been thinking of telling his parents the truth about his leanings, but hadn’t managed it yet. It was with a sense of relief he heard Suzie add, “Thinks everyone wants to be just like him.”

“Go on; get busy with your homework.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, but left the kitchen, and after he heard her thump her way upstairs, Ben re-read the letter.

It went on that way for some time, and Ben allowed James to dominate their correspondence with news of his work and home life, the new friends he’d made and his varied social life. Gradually, however, James’ letters became less frequent, sliding to one every fortnight and then monthly, until finally they were sporadic and Ben received the last one from him about twenty months after James had left.

For about six months after that Ben continued to write about once a month with news of his family and information about Ben’s own version of success, but he finally accepted defeat when James never responded to any of them. Not even the last one where Ben had given James a kind of ultimatum: respond to tell me you want me to keep in touch or I’ll assume you wish me to stop writing to you.

Disappointment wasn’t a strong enough a word to describe how Ben felt about James’ abandonment of his past connections. He refused to consider that James had discarded him; that was just too hard to bear. He couldn’t help but think James’ new life must be everything he ever wanted, everything he dreamed of, and his hometown friends were a memory he preferred to leave behind. Sadly, Ben acknowledged the odds were that a person as wonderful as James had found that someone special and old friends—even best friends like him—were superfluous.

As much as he disliked it, Ben considered trying to email James, though if James had wanted to keep in touch he could easily have gone that route himself, but James hadn’t bothered. It seemed James wanted to let the contact fade.

For a moment, Ben considered going to New York and visiting James to see for himself just how his friend was faring in his new life, but he soon dismissed the idea. It was doubtful Ben’s unexpected arrival would be welcome. Ben would probably talk too much anyway, tell James more than he wanted to hear and more than Ben could afford to reveal. Though part of Ben thought that surely James knew how he really felt about him. Ben wasn’t too good at keeping his feelings under wraps. He’d believed, too, that James shared his attachment, but that James just wasn’t ready at the time. Perhaps one day…

The day James had left for New York, Ben had told him that he had his own dream to follow. Maybe it was time to stop living his life as an extension of James Lilley and concentrate on making more of himself. Then, when the day came that James finally did come home, he would find a new, improved Benjamin Short waiting for him.

Purchase

Torquere Press

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Meet the Author

STEVIE WOODS is a Brit living in the Northwest of England who has left her day job behind – though it’s a quandary that there still doesn’t seem to be much more free time in her day!

A long time avid reader of romance with a dash of adventure, Stevie only stumbled over ‘slash’ pairings a few years ago and was an immediate convert. Having dabbled with writing on and off for years, it wasn’t long before Stevie was tapping away on the keyboard inventing stories around two hot guys, gaining her first publication in the summer of 2007.

Stevie likes reading stories with a good strong plot and believable characters and does her best to create them in her own work.

Stevie has a soft spot for Historical settings but also thoroughly enjoys SF and Fantasy, Paranormal and Contemporary, finding the similarities as intriguing as the differences. Stevie already has a variety of novels, novellas and short stories released by MLR Press, Phaze Books and Torquere Press.

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Goodreads | Pinterest

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Release Day Tour: Morning My Angel by Sue Brown- (excerpt and giveaway)

Morning My Angel – Sue Brown

Author: Sue Brown
 
Release Date: September 29 2016
 
Length: 265 pages
 
Blurb
 
Josh Cooper, top US security field agent, is sent on an inter-agency assignment to London, when a partner in his firm goes missing in suspicious circumstances. Used to working in sole charge of his well-honed team, he clashes heads with the handsome, but pompous Cal, his UK co-operator and superior. Josh’s gut tells him something is wrong. He’s being kept out of the loop and Cal’s agenda is running on a different path. 

He also has a personal issue to deal with. He’s involved in a cyber-relationship with “Charlie”, an unknown man who connected with Josh by accident. Their banter has led to deeper respect and a sexual interest, but now Josh is faced with a growing attraction to Cal. Between this conflict and the tension of the mission, Josh’s heart and head are overworked and confused. Things can’t get much worse. 

Then Josh discovers the enemies he’s seeking have a new target: him.
 
Author Bio
 

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In the Spotlight: Caught Inside (Boys on the Brink #1) by Jamie Deacon (excerpt and giveaway)

 

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Caught Inside (Boys on the Brink #1) by Jamie Deacon

Release Date: September 29, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

 

Blurb

Luke believes he has his life figured out…and then he meets Theo.

It should have been simple—a summer spent with his girlfriend Zara at her family’s holiday cottage in Cornwall. Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage jumps at the chance, envisioning endless hours of sunbathing on the private beach and riding the waves on his beloved surfboard. He isn’t interested in love. Though his rugged good looks and lazy charm mean he can have his pick of girls, he has no intention of falling for anyone.

Nothing prepares Luke for his reaction to Theo, the sensitive Oxford undergraduate who is Zara’s cousin and closest friend. All at once, he is plunged along a path of desire and discovery that has him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. No one, especially Zara, must find out; what he and Theo have is too new, too fragile. But as the deceit spirals beyond their control, people are bound to get hurt, Luke most of all.

 

 

Pages or Words: 83,000

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Young Adult

 

Excerpt:

I swallow against the dryness in my throat. “We need to talk.”

No response.

Slowly, as though wading through deep sand, I cross the room until I’m standing right behind him. He grips the edge of the worktop.

“Theo?”

Still nothing. Only the convulsive tightening of his fingers shows he even heard me.

“Theo,” my voice cracks, “don’t do this.”

Theo sucks in a breath. When he replies, his tone is even. “Do what?”

“This. Shutting me out.”

“I’m—”

“And don’t say you’re not, because we both know that isn’t true.” I’m aware of my voice rising, and lower it with an effort. “Just…don’t.”

Theo exhales in a long sigh. He turns to me, his expression distant but not unkind. I wish he’d glare at me, shout, whatever. Anything to show he gives a damn.

“Luke, I’m sorry about this morning. It was a mistake. If you got the wrong impression—”

“The wrong impression? You kissed me. What impression was that supposed to give me?”

He casts a nervous glance at the window.

“What’s wrong, Theo? Worried Giles might hear? I don’t blame you. He’d probably make you bathe in disinfectant for a year if he knew you’d kissed scum like me.” Theo starts to protest, but I shake my head. “You know what? Forget it. So sorry I embarrassed you.”

I need to get out of here. Humiliation, hot and clammy, coils like tar through my veins. Still, what did I expect? Theo’s made it perfectly clear how he sees me, that he thinks I’m beneath him. I grab for the nearest glass, intending to pour myself a liver full of whatever’s in that jug, but my hand shakes so much it slips through my fingers. Glass collides with oak in a minor explosion, glittering fragments flying.

“Shit.” I drop to my knees, begin picking up the larger pieces. I fumble, a jagged shard slicing my palm. “Shit.”

“Luke?” Theo crouches beside me.

“I’m fine.” I turn away from the phony concern in his eyes, fist clenched around the cut to hide it from view. Blood trickles through my fingers and onto my jeans. The pain is almost a relief.

“Let me see.” Theo holds out his hand, but I jerk away.

“I said I’m fine.”

He ignores me. With gentle firmness, he takes hold of my wrist, uncurling my fingers to examine the wound. My body stills. I scarcely breathe. Every nerve ending, every particle of my being is aware of him, the pressure of his fingers on my wrist, his warm palm supporting the back of my hand.

Buy the book

Beaten Track Publishing |Amazon UK |Amazon US | Barnes & Noble

Kobo | ARe | Smashwords

 

 

Meet the author:

Jamie lives in a tranquil spot close to the River Thames in Berkshire, England, and has always been just a little out of place—the only redhead in a family of brunettes; an introvert far more at ease with dogs than with people; a connoisseur of simple pleasures in a society intent on the quest for wealth and fame. Despite an outward cynicism, Jamie is a romantic at heart, and, when not immersed in a book, can mostly be found writing emotional stories where young men from all walks of life are thrust headlong into the breathless, euphoric, often painful whirlwind called love.

 

Where to find the author:


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Making It Happen, Bayou Book Junkie, Open Skye Book Reviews, Havan Fellows, Charley Descoteaux, Happily Ever Chapter, Dawn’s Reading Nook, The Jena Wade, Three Books Over The Rainbow, A.M. Leibowitz, Butterfly-O-Meter, Nephy Hart, BFD Book Blog, Up All Night, Read All Day, V’s Reads, Outrageous Heroes, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Alpha Book Club, MM Book Escape, Book Lovers 4Ever, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Unquietly Me, Kirsty Loves Books, Velvet Panic, Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews

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Check out the Last Splash of Summer with Beach Rental Anthology (excerpt and giveaway)

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Title:  Beach Rental, M/M Anthology

Author: M.T. Aspen, Asta Idonea, Dale Cameron Lowry, Lynn Townsend, Jamie Lowe, & Rob Rosen

Publisher: Torquere Press

Release Date: September 24, 2016

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 32,000 Words

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Erotic-Romance

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Synopsis

In Drinks Over Sunset by M.T. Aspen, Vagabond Witt’s flight from his past is unexpectedly stalled by a gorgeous expat. But if Dean holds on too tightly, he’ll only inflict more pain on the man he loves. In Lick by Asta Idonea, Jay is unimpressed when his parents drag him on a seaside holiday to Bournemouth. However, the English summer heats up when he meets sexy ice cream seller Aland. In Pacific Rimming by Dale Cameron Lowry, Turning forty makes Mike feel old, so his husband, Ken, helps him recapture his youth in a ménage a trois with a gorgeous younger man. Can what started as a one-night stand transform into a threesome that lasts?

In Sea Salt & Chocolate by Lynn Townsend, Marriage is hard work, everyone knows that. Will a summer vacation lead to reigniting sparks between Eric and Temple, or will it tear their family apart? In Weekend Encounter by Jamie Lowe, Jackson may not be looking for romance during a weekend getaway with his friends, but that doesn’t mean romance isn’t looking for him. When Jackson encounters Logan, his plan to third wheel with his buddies is derailed in the best way possible. In Yin and Yang by Rob Rosen, An unexpected early morning encounter between a surfer and California newbie leads to much more than either ever expected along a deserted stretch of pristine beach. Love, it seems, is in the misty sea air!

Excerpt

Sea Salt & Chocolate

by Lynn Townsend

“The carpet’s stainproof,” Eric said, quiet under his breath as Temple stood over the spot while Miriam sobbed on the sofa. “We can just rag it up, not a big deal.”

“This is why we can’t have nice things,” Temple retorted, very quietly. The sentiment was entirely sincere, for that moment in time, but not something he really wanted Miriam to glom on to and drag out as ammunition later in life.

“Ya always did have an uptight streak a mile wide,” Eric said. He had already fetched a washcloth and was blotting up the stain. Astonishingly enough, the white carpet was reporting back clean.

Miriam took advantage of her parents cleaning the carpet to flee the scene. By the time Eric had finished blotting up chocolate milk and carefully drying the spot, she was back from a complete exploration of the house—excluding, of course, her brother’s room, he had locked it against her, and even then, Temple could hear her banging on the door and demanding to be let in, along with A.J.’s crackling baritone denials—and declared “I’m bored.”

“We’ve been here for—” Temple checked his watch “—twenty minutes. You have at least another forty minutes before you’re allowed to be bored.”

“There’s nothin’ to do, Dad,” she complained.

“What would you be doing if you were at home?”

“Watchin’ YouTube.”

“Get me your phone and I’ll hook you up to the wireless,” Eric said. A.J. had registered a number of complaints about Miriam getting a phone so young, since he’d had to wait ’til he was twelve before they’d added his line, whereas Miriam got her phone only a few months back. Temple had gotten tired of Miriam constantly stealing his phone and playing Minecraft on it. It had been much easier, not to mention peaceful, to just let everyone in the house have a device.

Temple sighed, gazing down at his husband, who remained on the floor while he dealt with a six-year-old’s crisis. Eric had gone back to school, pursuing a degree in architecture, but he’d also taken on most of the household duties, including the emotional nurturing of their children, and at the same time, Temple had discovered himself shoved to the side. Their children went to Eric for comfort first, and Temple only when Eric wasn’t available. Oddly, Temple found he missed it. Missed little arms thrown around his neck, missed the trembly smiles after getting a Band-Aid.

And whose fault is that? He asked himself. You were eager enough to give it up, when Eric offered. Your family’s not broken yet, you can still fix it before it gets too far off track. And Eric’s right. I can’t remember the last time we had a lot of time together, without any responsibilities.

Purchase

Torquere Press

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Publisher of GLBT fiction books http://www.torquerepress.com to offer the finest in erotic LGBT romance available.

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Coffee Sip and Book Break with DC Juris’s short story, Star’s Embrace (excerpt and giveaway)

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Title:  Star’s Embrace

Series: Alpha/Omega Verse #4

Author: DC Juris

Publisher: Torquere Press

Release Date: August 17, 2016

Heat Level: 5 – Erotica

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 7,200 Words

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Aliens, Alien/Human

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Synopsis

Maltinian Ambassador Jedryn Parvone is forbidden fruit to a simple Human ship Captain like Jacob Meryl. But when a mission puts them in close quarters once again, will Jacob continue to bury his feelings? Not if Jedryn has anything to say about it.

Excerpt

Jacob answered the door buzzer a little under three hours later—he’d had just enough time to shower and look presentable. Clad in a floor-length, shimmering red robe that clung to his hips unmercifully, his long, thick hair done up into a bun with a colorful feather sticking out, Jedryn walked toward him with the graceful ease only a Maltinian possessed. Jedryn’s face lit up in a wide, sweet smile, and Jacob felt his guts tremble in response.

Jedryn brushed his lips gently across his cheek. “I have missed you,” he whispered.

Jacobs’s stomach did flip-flops. Jedryn was forbidden fruit of the highest order. The man’s father had never warmed to Jacob; probably never would. For Jedryn to mate without his father’s consent would mark Jedryn as a c’entrath.  A nasty slur among Maltinians, the closest Human equivalent was something slightly worse than whore.

He brushed his sweaty palms on his pants for the hundredth time, and took a deep breath. He had never been anxious around anyone, but something about Jedryn rattled his nerves. Aside from being the most physically beautiful man he had ever encountered, Jedryn was also the kindest, the purest of heart. He doubted the alien carried a mean bone in his body. Far too good for the likes of him.

“Is there anything to eat?” Jedryn asked, stepping back. “I am famished.”

Jacob nodded, at last taking in the pallor of his skin and the dark almost purple, circles under his bright blue, almond-shaped eyes. He took Jedryn’s hand and led him to the small kitchen area, gestured for him to sit at the table. They would have to discuss the mission, but for a while maybe he could keep the topics to more mundane things. “How’s your sire?”

“You do not need to avoid the subject of the slaves.”

“I’m not avoiding anything. I’m being polite.” Jacob shrugged. “I hear he’s making progress with the Disputed Space talks.”

Jedryn groaned. “If there exists a more stubborn race than the Bortors, I have never heard of them. Do you know their delegate fought my sire at every turn?”

“Perhaps she doesn’t want peace.” Jacob poured a glass of amara juice and slid it across the table. He turned and fished out a bowl from the cupboard. “Salad or stew?”

Jedryn downed several sips of juice. “Salad, please. I think she does want peace,” he said, getting back to the conversation. “She is just…stubborn.” Jedryn folded his arms on top of the table and rested his chin on them. “How have you been?”

“I’ve kept busy.” He tossed a few leafy greens into the bowl—Jedryn didn’t like anything else in his salad—dribbled some flavored oil over them, and handed off the bowl. He joined Jedryn at the table with a sigh.

Jedryn sat up and picked at the food, frowning, his forehead knit together. “This is lovely, Jacob. Thank you.”

Jacob blinked several times, taken aback, as always, by the sincerity and warmth in Jedryn’s expression and tone. Two things the universe no longer had enough of. He recovered quickly, somehow remembering to breathe. “Anyone can make a salad.”

“Still, it is nice. I so rarely get to eat Human food, and I do prefer it so much to the bland cuisine of my home world.”

“Perhaps when I retire I should start a cooking school on your planet, eh?”

Jedryn laughed, a musical sound that sent shivers up and down Jacob’s spine. “You would either do extremely well or extremely poorly.”

And for a moment, just a tiny, shivering moment, Jacob let himself imagine it. Perhaps he would share a cozy little home with Jedryn on Maltinia. He pictured it, standing at the door of their house, gazing out at the fields and mountains beyond, at the stationary clouds—big and fluffy in that picturesque way that defied reality, as if he had stepped into a painting. Shadows of those same clouds would cover half the mountains, the trees below them cast in a hue of deep green.

They’d have the sort of life poets wrote about, minstrels sang of, and artists loved to capture on canvas. The sort of life that could make a man believe in the perfection of his world—a world with only beauty and peace. The sort of life that could make a man feel as though he truly belonged—not just to any one thing—but to everything: the trees, the water, the air, the soil. The sort of life that could make a man feel complete and want for nothing.

Any man except him, that was.

He slid his gaze to the window, to the stars beyond, longing to be out among them. He missed the familiar quirks of his ship, the camaraderie of his crew, and the adrenaline-pumping excitement of their escapades. The domesticity of vacation didn’t sit well with him, but after their last mission—after he’d narrowly escaped capture by the Koralens and managed barely to save his ship and crew— he’d felt they’d all been owed a little time off.

Jedryn finished the last few bites of his salad, then gave a shy smile and lowered his gaze to the table. “When I was here last, they had made great advancements with the hydroponics. Do you think there is anything new to show me this time?”

He could show Jedryn something, all right. “As a matter of fact, I know there is. Come.” He stood and offered his hand.

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Star's Embrace SquareMeet the Author

Romance author, sci-fi fan club Captain, cosplayer, reigning Queen of Monkeyland, and random menace. Yep, we’re talking about DC Juris. She’s a cupcake-making, football-watching, rubber-duck-collecting, drag-show loving, full-of-fabulous-with-a-capital-F kinda gal. She’s also an ordained minister and an amateur photographer. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband, three dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her favorite chair watching Star Trek and Supernatural repeats on Netflix, or surfing the web for porn. Er…research. Surfing the web for research. She may speak softly but she lives and loves loudly. Just ask the neighbors. ::wink::

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Sean McKissack’s ‘To Be a Different Someone’ Book Blitz and Giveaway

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Title:  To Be A Different Someone

Author: Sean McKissack

Publisher: Torquere Press

Release Date: August 17, 2016

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Male/Female

Length: 53,000 Words

Genre: Romance, Young Adult,

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Synopsis

James Kane could be summed up in one word: loser. He silently lived as a ghost amongst his parents and he had zero friends at school…unless you count his cousin who had to defend him against the abusive Matt Tracker.

When his parents divorce, James moves to Montana and stays with his grandmother, where he makes an extreme adjustment to his life-becoming a different someone named Jennifer. The transition comes with frightening issues Jennifer never thought of. After two years of recovery, she returns to her old high school to start over but she meets up with her past tormenter and gets caught in a web of secrets as she finds herself falling in love.

Her conscious gets the best of her as she tries to be truthful to Matt about who she once was, but will he accept her as his girlfriend, Jennifer, when she was once his punching bag, James?

Excerpt

“Do I need to blame this on your father?”
“If I had a penny for every time I heard that…”
“James.”
“I’m not James, I’m Jennifer. I have it on m’license, birth certificate and my school enrollment. Do I have to show you the rest of me to prove it?”
“No, that’s not necessary.”
“It’s not new. I am who I’ve always been”
“No, you used to be named James.”
“I also used to be ‘this close’ to slitting my wrists.”
“I think you need to leave.”

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Meet the Author

Sean McKissack’s ability to view the world around him and find a story and truth enables him to prepare the stage in a reader’s mind for a heart-felt life cinema. His writings epitomize the good and the bad in life, the joys and the pain, culminating in the coming of age and wisdom.

Sean hails from Southaven, Mississippi and he’s always thinking of new stories to write while looking for that perfect cup of coffee.

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