Category: Book Tours and Contests

Coffee Sip and Book Break: ‘Enigma’ by Nephy Hart‏ (excerpt and contest)

enigmaT500750

Enigma by Nephy Hart
Publisher: Flying with Red Haircrow
Cover Artist: Red Haircrow

Banner300x250

Blurb

Troubled residents come and go at the Care House where River Caulfield is a caregiver, working towards fulfilling his dream of becoming a nurse. When Silver arrives, a patient found on a roadside near death after suffering terrible abuse, River finds his previous personal detachment is compromised. Seeking to help the mysterious and enigmatic young man locked inside his own mind and memories, River finds his professionalism slipping as Silver begins to open up and live again.

But as their relationship begins to blossom, the roots of Silver’s past abuse and the abuser who forced him into such a mental state sends forth new shoots of darkness enveloping them in dangers threatening not only Silver’s sanity, but their very lives. With River’s devotion and help, will Silver finally be able to break away from his past? The answer lies in the words of a priest, a painting and a long walk through a churchyard harbouring the secrets of the enigma that is Silver.

 

Pages or Words: 98,000 words
 Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance

Excerpt

Feeling more confident and realising that I have to ‘project a confident and professional air to reassure the resident and help to ease them into the new surrounding and routine that mark their transition from the institutional environment and the radically different routine and environment of a residential setting’, I compose myself. Yeah, I know, I’m a geek with a photographic memory, although knowing the rules doesn’t necessarily mean I always follow them.

“Silver,” I say softly as I shake him gently by the shoulder. I wonder how many times he has heard a smirk in the voice that calls him by name. I know that I have, often enough.

With a sigh the figure in the bed turns over, flinging out an arm with a soft moan. I freeze. Fucking hell… I mean what the fuck…. fucking HELL.

He is nothing like I had expected, not that I had really been expecting anything, but with a name like Silver I had kind of expected him to be fair; ash blonde or something. But he isn’t. He’s dark, very dark. His hair is jet black and long, and even tangled and dry as it is; it makes me want to run my fingers through it. I can imagine myself gently tugging out the knots and running conditioner down the length of it, strand by strand. It would be soft and silky and….

Shit! And that’s just his hair. The things I want to do with those lips. Fuck. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined…. Gods he is beautiful; not just cute like Max, not handsome or pretty or any of the other words used to describe how someone looks; he isn’t even drop dead gorgeous: he is beautiful, simple as. Lying there with his hair all over the place, his long coal black lashes trembling on his milk white cheeks, one arm thrown out revealing the creamy skin and well defined muscles of his bare shoulders and chest he is a fucking angel… a real, living, breathing, flesh and blood angel.

Gods damn them; they knew. The bastards knew the effect he would have on me and all the giggling and snickering now make sense. Shit, I am practically creaming my pants just looking at him. I shake my head and laugh at myself. Get a grip, River. Just keep your mind above your waist and remember that this is a resident, a patient, a sick person who needs you to be strictly professional and… Ah fuck, why did he have to stir right at this moment? Why did he have to let out that cute little sigh that parts his lips and makes me want to… to… Shit!!!!

Moving his head from side to side drowsily on the pillow, Silver gives a sleepy little grunty moan thing and yawns showing absolutely perfect white teeth… of course, although I notice that there is a gap right at the back on the bottom. I don’t know why but that makes me smile; somehow, something that mars that perfection, even to such a slight degree, is a huge relief.

Just when I am managing to get myself under control and have a goofy smile on my face, Silver opens his eyes. If I had thought that Silver with his eyes closed was beautiful, Silver with his eyes open is… unreal. At least now I understand why he is called Silver. His eyes are grey, a strange pale silvery grey with an almost metallic sheen, like mercury. For a full minute I just stare at him and he stares back. There is no curiosity in his eyes, no fear, no challenge; no anything. I have never seen eyes that are so blank.

Quite suddenly it occurs to me that I am staring and really not being very professional at all. I force myself to smile, a tight professional smile and not the goofy grin that is threatening to break out at any moment.

“Hello Silver, my name is River, did you sleep well?”

The silver grey eyes regard me steadily but there is no indication that he has even heard me let alone understood me. I broaden my smile and try again.

“It’s morning, Silver, time to get up. Do you need me to help you with that?”

At last there is a reaction, just a tiny shake of the head. The silver eyes flicker and with a sigh he throws back the quilt and I am blinded. At least I wish I had gone blind because if I had I wouldn’t have been staring at that body with quite so much raw hunger. Fuck he is beautiful all over.

Turning away I walk to the chest of drawers, hoping that he had brought some clothes with him. The first drawer contains pyjamas and I wonder why the hell they hadn’t put any on him last night, although a moment’s reflection supplies the answer: bastard.

Trying to keep my face turned and my eyes well above the waist I hand Silver the pyjamas.

“Can you put these on?”

Without making a sound he takes the clothes from my hands and slips them on. I have to watch, I just can’t help it. I don’t know what kind of condition he was in before whatever happened, happened, or when he woke up out of the coma but those physiotherapists have sure done one amazing job over the past six months. He is slender, even thin, but so well defined that, even through the cotton pyjamas it is possible to see that he is toned to perfection, every muscle group well defined.

Shit, he’s fucking perfect in every way. And when he starts to walk…

My great grandmother used to be a dancer, way back in the twenties. She was something of a celebrity back then, and I can remember my grandfather talking about her with fierce pride on his face. When he was a child he used to go to the theatre to watch her practice and perform and he would say that even when she was not on the stage, even when she was just walking down the street, across a room, getting on a train; she was always dancing. He used to say she ‘walked lightly on the earth’. I have always remembered that phrase – walked lightly on the earth – and I thought I knew what he meant… until now.

Damn those physiotherapists have done a good job, a great job, there isn’t so much as a hint of a limp and he stands very erect with his head up and… walks lightly on the earth. It’s hard to describe, but he flows, hardly making a sound, so lightly that it makes you feel that he wouldn’t make a footprint in snow.

He pauses in the doorway, waiting. I am staring again. “Do you dance Silver?” The words just slip out. I forget that he doesn’t know, that he doesn’t want to know; it’s just that the way he walks makes me think so much of my great grandmother that I am suddenly sure that he must be a dancer too.

Buy the book: Amazon UK |Amazon US | Smashwords |ARe

2BannerTemplate

Meet the Author

Nephy Hart was born into a poor mining family in the South Wales Valleys. Until she was 16, the toilet was at the bottom of the garden and the bath hung on the wall. Her refrigerator was a stone slab in the pantry and there was a black lead fireplace in the kitchen. They look lovely in a museum but aren’t so much fun to clean.

Nephy has always been a storyteller. As a child, she’d make up stories for her nieces, nephews and cousin and they’d explore the imaginary worlds she created, in play.

Later in life, Nephy became the storyteller for a re enactment group who travelled widely, giving a taste of life in the Iron Age. As well as having an opportunity to run around hitting people with a sword, she had an opportunity to tell stories of all kinds, sometimes of her own making, to all kinds of people. The criticism was sometimes harsh, especially from the children, but the reward enormous.

It was here she began to appreciate the power of stories and the primal need to hear them. In ancient times, the wandering bard was the only source of news, and the storyteller the heart of the village, keeping the lore and the magic alive. Although much of the magic has been lost, the stories still provide a link to the part of us that still wants to believe that it’s still there, somewhere.

In present times, Nephy lives in a terraced house in the valleys with her son, dog, hamster and two cats. Her daughter has deserted her for the big city, but they’re still close. She’s never been happier since she was made redundant and is able to devote herself entirely to her twin loves of writing and art.

 

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Andrew Q. Gordon, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Bonkers About Books, Bayou Book Junkie, Jessie G. Books, Havan Fellows, Rainbow Gold Reviews, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Hat Party, KathyMac Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Full Moon Dreaming, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, The Jena Wade, Unquietly Me, Louise Lyons, Charley Descoteaux

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-book copies of Enigma 1 and 2.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Love Slips Into an Alternate World with Hannah Walker’s ‘Corin’s Chance’ (excerpt and giveaway)

Avanti Corin's Chance E-Book Cover

Corin’s Chance (Avanti Chronicles #1) by Hannah Walker
 Release Date: October 30, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Hannah Walker
Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis @ Book Cover by Design

Banner300x250

Today Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to be interviewing Hannah Walker author of Corin’s Chance. Hi Hannah, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book by answering a few questions we have for you.

  • Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

As the series progress we will get more of the stories about the Avanti as a group and their past. That means talk about missions and so on. One such point is where Tate has to learn how to lap dance for a mission. Then there is the one where he dresses up as a woman. As much as these guys are fierce warriors they also will go to whatever lengths needed to get the job done. Of course sometimes this means that sometimes their missions are definitely not sanctioned by the bosses!

They are very tough warriors, but like anyone else in this universe or the next, these guys are a group of friends and their stories reflect that. So there is a lot of jokes and teasing amongst them all.

  • How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

For the series name— Avanti Chronicles, it’s a case that each book chronicles not just their love story but the story of what happens to them as a group.  The series chronicles their journey together. The Avanti is of course the name given to the elite group of soldiers from the Barin Alliance.

For Corin’s Chance, I wanted a title that reflected his individual journey. I wanted it to reflect the essence of his story. His book is all about taking a chance, about putting yourself out there, risking everything for someone or something that is important to you.

  • Have you ever given one of your characters the personality of someone you know?

Yes. The one that sticks out most to me is Corin. Corin is a remarkably gifted surgeon. My son is actually disabled, although thankfully not too severely. He has undergone more surgeries in his childhood years than anyone ever should. However we’ve been very lucky. His surgeon is an incredible woman.

She is well respected in her field and often goes to other countries to lecture and give seminars about her work. We’ve even gone with her once or twice, to the seminars in the UK, so that my son’s case could be used as an example.

She has never been one to shy away from trying new treatments and is constantly evolving and researching new treatments for Cerebal Palsy.  Because of what Cerebal Palsy is, it covers more than just the bones of the body. It’s bones, muscles, nerves and so much more. So despite the fact that she is an orthopedic surgeon, she has undergone a lot of training in other areas. When it came time to write Corin’s backstory I used her as inspiration.

She is one of the loveliest people I have ever met. It’s often said that the truly gifted surgeons have no bedside manner. Not true in her case, she is genuinely one of the nicest people I know. She cares for each and every patient of hers. Even now, when he has officially moved over to adult services, she still phones up to check on him. She still asks the surgeons he’s under now, how he’s doing.

So yes, Corin is modelled on her.

  • What do you think makes a good story?

Several things. Some of it depends on the type of book you are reading/writing. If for example you are looking at full on erotica, then you don’t need such a complicated plot. If you are writing a murder mystery then the plot and ability to weave that suspense through the plot is crucial. A good story, whatever the genre, is one that grabs you and doesn’t let go. It’s the ones that make you say, just one more chapter before I sleep. In that sense it’s very subjective. We all look for different things when we read.

For me the plot is always one of the most important aspects, it needs to grab me and not let go. I need characters that burrow under your skin and make you want to read what happens to them next.

So for me a good story is a combination of the plot, the characters and the ability of the author to pull you into their world.

  • What does your family think of your writing?

My husband and two teenage sons are incredibly supportive. They have known for a long time that this has been my dream and have encouraged me at every point. On my writing journey. They are really interested in the plot and for the boys, the battle scenes are particularly appealing.

They ask me every day how my writing is going, and if they see I’ not sure about a certain bit there are there to help talk it out.

I know my sons are proud of me for following my dream.

Thanks, Hannah.  Its been wonderful having you here. Please stop by anytime.  Now more about Corin’s Chance (Avanti Chronicles #1) by Hannah Walker

RC

Blurb

Posted to some stars awful cruiser, Dr. Corin Talovich hoped to serve his time quietly and get on with his life, but fate stepped in and decided otherwise.

Crashing into an unknown planet was the last thing Corin expected. With only his friend, Lieutenant Commander Tate Riven, by his side, they face the unexplored world and new enemies bravely, leading them to the Derin Clan, where they’re welcomed by the leader’s son.

Kel isn’t sure about the strange men, but he isn’t about to send them away, especially when the bond between Corin and himself is something he can’t ignore.

When another clan wages an attack, Kel is forced to make some hard choices which nearly costs him everything he holds dear. Together, with their allies, Corin and Kel fight, focusing on the future they desire, knowing failure not only dooms their love, but also those around them. Side by side, they work to destroy the evil threatening to keep them apart and becoming the family both men desire.

 

Pages or Words: 140,000 words
 Categories: Alternate universe, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay fiction, M/M romance, Romance, Science fiction (with a little space opera feel)

Excerpt

With a nod to one of the four guards at the door’s entrance, Carn led them into the room. Following behind him, they walked right up to the massive table sat at the end. Around the table were stood six men, they must have ranged in ages from late teens to mid-sixties. They all looked weary and haggard, their bodies drooping where they stood. Maps, paperwork and cups littered the table in front of them.

One of them turned to Carn who was standing at the front of Corin’s group. “Damn it, Carn, I told you we weren’t to be disturbed for anything. I don’t care who the latest bloody delegate from the Alliance is. Now is not the time.” A huge frown accompanied the man’s words.

“Laird Kel, these aren’t delegates. I think you are going to want to hear this. They came asking for you as Kel, saying it was about a young girl named Eliya,” Carn cautiously spoke, wary of upsetting any of the men around the table.

All around them heads shot up from what they were focused on. Suddenly every pair of eyes in the room was focused on them with a laser like intensity.

“What do you know about Eliya?” The man named Kel demanded.

Corin watched as he stalked towards them. His movements, while predatory, were graceful. He was close to seven feet of solid planes and hard muscles. His skin was a golden bronze which seemed to glisten in the lights around him. His hair was a mid-blonde, and flowed to just past his shoulders. Leather bracers covered his forearms while second, smaller leather circlets were wrapped around each bicep. Leather trousers were moulded to his thighs. Corin’s heart began to beat faster. Never had a first glance at someone affected him as it did now.

Laird Kelin was rugged in appearance. While still young, his face had a slightly rugged visage which was likely due to many hours spent outdoors. His eyes were both brown and green, with the green bleeding into the brown on the outer edges. He had a strong nose, coupled with a square jaw, and a dusting of facial hair, that just added to his overall ruggedness.

Corin’s cock went from soft, to rock hard and aching instantly. Damn this was a man he would happily have under him, over him, inside him. In fact, he would take him any which way he could. Tate shot Corin a questioning glance and Corin realised he hadn’t been able to hide his reaction from his friend.

Shooting a glance at Tate and shaking his head, Corin boldly stepped forward. “I need to know who you are to Eliya before I can say anything.”

A second later one of the other men stood around the table jumped over it, and was hurtling towards Corin with a look of murderous intent on his face. Just as he got to Corin, he threw a punch that never landed. Instead, Tate stepped between Corin and Eliya, who was still asleep in the sling, and this new man. The punch hit him square in the abdomen, the pain was instantaneous, he staggered back, all the air gone from his lungs. Tate could feel his stitches rip open from the impact. Trying to suck in a deep breath, he called on all his years of training with the Avanti and pushed the pain into the recesses of his mind and forced his body back to standing whilst simultaneously pulling his knife from the sheath at his side.

“Make another move towards him again and I’ll kill you. You want him? You have to go through me first, and I promise you, I. Will. Win. You have no idea what you nearly did there.” Tate growled at the man, his stance wide, both aggressive and defensive at the same time.

“Do you know who I am?” The new man demanded as he bared his teeth at Tate.

“No,” Tate replied. “And frankly, I don’t care. Now. Back. The. Fuck. Off.”

They watched as the man named Kel placed a restraining arm across the other man’s chest. “Leave it, Tir, let me deal with this. I mean it. We won’t find anything out if we beat them. They came to us willingly, give them a chance to explain.”

They all watched the man called Tir run his hands over his face before he gave a small nod and took two small steps back.

Kel raised an eyebrow at him, sighed and then turned back to Corin. There were several emotions swirling through his gaze, but his voice was calm when he spoke again. “I am Laird Kelin Tharn, son of the Chieftain of this clan and Eliya is my niece, Laird Tirathon Tharn is her father. She was kidnapped two weeks ago with her nurse when they were walking the grounds. We have heard nothing since. There has been no ransom demands, no sightings, nothing. We have searched and searched and no trace has yet been found. The entire clan is grief stricken. As you can see, my brother is barely holding it together. Now. What. Do. You. Know.” His voice rose slightly as he struggled not to let his impatience show.

Corin looked at Tate, his eyes registering the fact the Tate looked clammy once again, they nodded to one another and Corin reached up to slowly untie the cloak from around him. He gently lifted the sleeping form of Eliya from the sling before looking up at Kel and quietly asking, “is this her?”

Gasps echoed all round, a choked sob came from Tir’s direction before he quickly lifted her from Corin’s arm, tears streaming down his face. Smiles shone around the room as a small voice whispered, “Papi?”

Quickly a group surrounded the reunited father and daughter, cheers echoed around the room. A wave of happiness ran through the chamber and out the doors as word passed from one guard to another. Shouts of joy could be heard from the hallways as the news spread. A soft whimper from beside Corin saw him snapping his head to look at Tate.

Buy the book:  Amazon US  | Amazon UK 

 

BannerTemplate

Meet the Author

Hannah Walker is a full-time mum to two gorgeous teenage sons, and shares her home with them and a very supportive husband, who has always encouraged her to follow her dreams.

She has always loved books from her childhood years reading alongside her father. She has inherited her father’s love of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. She has combined this with her love of MM romance to write her series Avanti Chronicles. She loves writing about a complex world where the men love and live hard.

Welcome to the world of MM Sci-fi.

 

 

Where to find the author:

 

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

26-Oct: Bayou Book Junkie, Reviews by Jessewave, Kathymac Reviews, QUEERcentric Books, Jessie G. Books

27-Oct: Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, BFD Book Blog, Three Books Over the Rainbow

28-Oct: Dawn’s Reading Nook, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

29-Oct: Divine Magazine, Love Bytes, Velvet Panic, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads

30-Oct: Molly Lolly, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Bonkers About Books, Rainbow Gold Reviews, It’s Raining Men, Parker Williams

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: One of two e-copies of the book.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

 

 

WillPride

In Our Spotlight: Angora Shade’s ‘Cat Games’ book blast and contest

catgames1400

Cat Games ( Cat Games #1) by Angora Shade
 Release Date: October 28, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Banner300x250

Blurb

She was quiet—an introvert, a thinker. They called her Mouse. But beneath her veneer was a passionate hunger and desire for those around her, and a longing to act out fantasies she didn’t even know she had. After a brutal betrayal by her former lover, Mouse’s journey toward sexual fulfillment begins with a justified revenge led by Rayne—a dominant and more knowledgeable goddess—where Mouse experiences her first female sexual encounter and develops a taste for non-vanilla sex.

But just a taste of something new isn’t enough for Mouse. Longing for a more satisfying lifestyle and sexual education, Mouse engages in sexual exploits with Rayne and her openly sexual friends. With the absence of traditional relationship rules, Mouse falls into confusion, desperately trying to find a way to prove she is a capable woman worthy of Rayne’s attentions. Through Rayne’s patient guidance, Mouse is pushed to take charge of her sexuality and learn what it is she truly desires, allowing her to transform from a shy, timid creature to one with claws. Tables turn unexpectedly and suddenly the pupil becomes the teacher.

 

Pages or Words: 25,500 words
 Categories: BDSM, Bisexual, Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Lesbian Romance, Ménage/Poly, New Adult, Romance

 

Excerpt

“Hey, Mouse!” I hear one of the girls call. I turn to look over my shoulder and see Chrystal holding the package of gummy bears I stashed in my pocket earlier. “You dropped something.”

“Woohoo!” Rayne howls, obnoxiously. “I’ve got an idea for a game.” She snatches the package from Crystal and sizes me up, almost eating me with her eyes.

“You read my mind,” Jasper quickly adds, licking his lips.

I have no idea what they’re thinking, but all the faces in the living room are looking me over and grinning in a wicked way. I feel exposed, on display, and very self-conscious. A heat begins to crawl up the back of my thighs, stir in my belly and catch in my chest. I’m suddenly thankful I’m not the type to blush. Standing up a bit straighter, I walk to the fridge, grab another six-pack, and return to my seat with as much confidence as the simple movements of my body will allow.

Rayne makes a yummy noise as she opens my package of sweets. “I just love gummy bears.” She pops one into her mouth with an overemphasized gesture, sucking a bit on the end before using the tip of her index finger to push the bottom the remainder of the way past her thick lips.
Jasper stands up and grabs Crystal by the hand. She trails willingly after him over to Rayne. Holding out his hand for the package she holds, I watch Rayne dump a few gummy bears into Jasper’s open hand.

“Best. Game. Ever,” Justin mutters from his seat on the couch in exaggerated staccato.

The whole room watches as Jasper pops the gummy bears into his mouth and begins peeling Crystal’s tight, white shirt over her head. Without any protest, Crystal raises her arms and slips out with an easy smile. Pulling a wet gummy bear out of his mouth, Jasper sticks it into the curve of Crystal’s neck, and then sticks a second securely upon her collarbone. To my surprise, the gummy bears are held fast, not slipping or sliding from the pull of gravity.

Rayne grins and stands from her chair. While trailing her fingers through the tight, red curls on the top of Crystal’s head, Rayne licks the back of a red gummy bear and sets it atop Crystal’s left shoulder. I watch Crystal shiver, and then I turn to look at Justin and Anna on the couch. They’re watching with deep interest. Grabbing two beers from the pack I set on the table, Justin opens them without taking his eyes from the scene, and hands one blindly to Anna.

I’m not sure what’s going on. I thought Justin and Crystal were together but another man—and Rayne—are undressing her in front of everyone. Why is Anna so into watching? They grabbed her attention with that kiss from earlier.

I clear my throat and blink several times as I try to take in what’s happening. Sugar’s great, and a nice pairing with beer, but I don’t understand why they’re sticking gummy bears to Crystal. If this is really a game, I wonder what the point is.

My mouth hangs open slightly as I watch Rayne expertly unhook Crystal’s bra and slide the white straps down over her shoulders, kissing her gently as she goes. I physically push my jaw shut as I rest my face uneasily in my hand, watching Jasper pull two more bears from his mouth. He gently squeezes Crystal’s small, naked breast, pushes his gummy bears to her skin, and audibly blows his breath over the top of them. Crystal giggles and looks over to me, where I’m unable to take my gaze away.

“Oh, Mouse,” she laughs. “Look at your face!”

I get it now. Wow.

 

Buy the book: Torquere Books

 

RC

 

Meet the Author

Angora Shade is an American author living in what she lovingly refers to as “Sheep Shit Nowhere” Europe. In an attempt to add some spice to her small town life, Ms. Shade began writing explicit erotica as a form of self-entertainment. Exploring the boundaries of acceptable sexual literature, she often seeks to create stories that not only entertain others, but also expose and push against the negative stigma surrounding sex in modern day society. She believes that sex in literature, art, personal thought, and physical nature, should be celebrated and expressed openly and as easily as any God-given freedom. Her favorite themes in writing include revenge, self-discovery, alternative materials for love play/bdsm, as well as anything that produces a good tingle, sizzle, or laugh. When not writing, Ms Shade enjoys red wine, travel, dancing, classic cartoons, baking, and creating fine art.

Where to find the author:

 

 

BannerTemplate
Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, SA McAuley, The Hat Party, Jessie G. Books, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Havan Fellows, Bayou Book Junkie, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Charley Descoteaux, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Velvet Panic

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: eBook copy of ‘Cat Games’ by Angora Shade.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

The One That I Want & Hopelessly Devoted by RJ Jones (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 

 

TWTIW and HD Tour Banner

Title: The One That I Want; Hopelessly Devoted
Author: RJ Jones
Genre: Gay Romance, Musical
Length: Short Stories
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

 

Synopsis

Jason escapes into the magic of a Broadway play every weekend. Musicals always have a happy ending and for a few hours he can believe there’s a happy ending waiting for him, too. When the tall drink of water who works on the top floor of Jason’s building, wants to take him on a date, Jason is surprised. After all, Jason is awkward and skinny, and sees himself as a boring accountant, while Paul is tall, dark, and incredibly hot.

Despite Jason’s reservations, Paul and Jason start dating and attending the shows Jason adores. But if Paul likes musicals as much as Jason, why does he always doze off? Is Paul leading a double life? Does he have a wife tucked away somewhere?

Jason knows Paul is hiding something and when the secrets come out, Jason finds his fantasy comes to life, right there on the stage.

The One That I Want Special Excerpt

THE NEXT morning he was there again, and his lips quirked in a small smile when he saw me. I looked at all the people milling around the elevator, then headed for the stairs. I couldn’t stop myself from looking over my shoulder. Mr. Gorgeous was staring at me, his brow furrowed and his smile gone. At least I could breathe in the stairwell. I took the stairs for the rest of the week, successfully eluding another encounter with Mr. Way-out-of-my-league.

Friday morning came, and I looked toward the elevator, expecting to see him waiting with the hordes, but he wasn’t there. I didn’t always see him, and I presumed he traveled for work or maybe had breakfast meetings on the days I didn’t see him. Heading for the stairs, I pushed the door open as I tried to fit my Encore magazine into my messenger bag.

“Why are you ignoring me?”

My heart felt like it had flown out of my chest. I grabbed the railing to steady myself with one hand; the other clutching at my chest like it was possible to stop my heart from flying away.

“Jesus, holy… Are you trying to kill me? I’m sure it’d be less painful to throw me down the stairs.”

“Sorry, but you’ve been avoiding me all week. Short of stalking you on your way home I thought this was a better, non-psychotic way of getting you to talk to me.”

“And scaring someone to death in an empty stairwell is less psychotic?”

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26851011-the-one-that-i-want

The One That I Want RJ Jones

 

Buy Links

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/the-one-that-i-want-by-rj-jones/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/One-That-I-Want-ebook/dp/B0160LK6CE/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/One-That-I-Want-ebook/dp/B0160LK6CE/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-That-I-Want-ebook/dp/B0160LK6CE/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/One-That-I-Want-ebook/dp/B0160LK6CE/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theonethatiwant-1897813-149.html

 

Hopelessly Devoted

One year on from Paul’s proposal, Jason is living a life he never dreamed of. As he fusses with his tie and readies to walk down the aisle, he reminisces about the previous twelve months. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the happy couple in the lead up to their wedding, with obstacles big and small thrown in their way.

Marrying one of New York’s most eligible bachelors has Jason’s stomach in knots. Expectations of their society wedding are high, but out of love for Paul, Jason goes along with the grand plans because he understands Paul’s family has a reputation to maintain. But Paul has a surprise up his sleeve that just may see Jason getting the wedding of his dreams.

Follow Jason on his journey as he prepares to marry one of the most eligible bachelors in New York and find out just how Dave got his name.

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26851055-hopelessly-devoted

Hopelessly Devoted

 

 

Buy Links

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/hopelessly-devoted-by-r-j-jones/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0161IK2ZW/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0161IK2ZW/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0161IK2ZW/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0161IK2ZW/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hopelesslydevoted-1897814-149.html

 

Giveaway

Prizes: Two WIP gift cards of $2.99 each.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and  Eyes o

a Rafflecopter giveaway//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

About the author

R.J. Jones started as a reader and eventually made the progression to reviewing. It wasn’t until two men popped into her thoughts, insisting on telling her their story that she started to write.

It started with one scene. A hot and dirty one in the shower…

R.J.’s initial thought was if she could write their scene then they’d shut up and allow her to concentrate on other aspects of her day. Not so. That shower scene ended up being 3000 words long and three hours of work.  And still, they didn’t shut up.  They told her their entire story and she didn’t sleep for days. Sometimes she couldn’t keep up with what they were telling her and she had to keep a notebook by her bed.

Whilst she was writing their story a side character decided he needed his story told too. Then other characters followed suit.

You see the problem? If she ever wants to sleep again then she needs to write.

R.J. is a wife and a mother to two boys. She is surrounded by males. Even her dog is a boy.

R.J. Jones can be found at:

Website: http://rjjonesauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robyn.j.jones.1711
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rjjonesauthor
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/rjjones-author
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rjjonesauthor/

Want that Shiver of Dread to Go with your Romance? Dead Ringer by Heidi Belleau and Sam Schooler is Here ( contest)

DeadRinger_600x900

Dead Ringer by Heidi Belleau and Sam Schooler
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by  Dion Marc, Marisha Dudek

Buy It at Riptide Publishing here

Hi, and welcome to the DEAD RINGER release tour! We’re Heidi Belleau and Sam Schooler. Thanks to our generous blog hosts, and thanks to you for hanging out with us! Be sure to check out our full list of tour stops so you can see the rest of our extras and snag yourself more chances to win our giveaway!

Blurb

Brandon Ringer has a dead man’s face. His grandfather, silver-screen heartthrob James Ringer, died tragically at twenty-one, and Brandon looks exactly like him. But that’s where the resemblance ends. Brandon is unknown, unemployed, and up to his ears in bills after inheriting his grandparents’ Hollywood mansion. He refuses to sell it—it’s his last connection to his grandmother—so to raise the cash he needs, he joins a celebrity look-alike escort agency.

Percy Charles is chronically ill, isolated, and lonely. His only company is his meddlesome caregiver and his collection of James Ringer memorabilia. When he finds “Jim Ringer” on Hollywood Doubles’ website, he books an appointment, hoping to meet someone who shares his passion for his idol.

Brandon? Not that person.

But despite their differences, they connect, and Percy’s fanboy love for James shows Brandon a side of his grandfather he never knew. Soon they want time together off the clock, but Percy is losing his battle for independence, and Brandon feels trapped in James’s long shadow. Their struggle to love each other is the stuff of classic Hollywood. Too bad Brandon knows how those stories end.

About Heidi

Heidi Belleau was born and raised in small town New Brunswick, Canada. She now lives in the rugged oil-patch frontier of Northern BC with her husband, an Irish ex-pat whose long work hours in the trades leave her plenty of quiet time to write.

She has a degree in history from Simon Fraser University with a concentration in British and Irish studies; much of her work centred on popular culture, oral folklore, and sexuality, but she was known to perplex her professors with unironic papers on the historical roots of modern romance novel tropes. (Ask her about Highlanders!)

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

Connect with Heidi:

About Sam

Sam Schooler is queer and nonbinary, and she grew up surrounded by corn, churches, and cliché “Hell Is Real” signs. After twelve years of Catholic school in southwestern Ohio, she applied to the most liberal university she could find and wound up with a degree in journalism. Now, she writes trope-subverting new adult books about people of all genders and orientations—and all the ways they can love each other. Sam lives with her wife and their two cats in Regina, Saskatchewan.

You can find her backlist and details about upcoming projects at “http://samschooler.weebly.com/” .

If you’re feeling daring, follow her on Twitter as “https://twitter.com/samschoolering”  or on Tumblr as “http://meetcute-s.tumblr.com/“ to get the full immersive experience.

DeadRinger_TourBanner

Giveaway

Feeling lucky? Leave a comment with your email on this or any of our other DEAD RINGER tour posts for a chance to win one of our two grand prizes. Each winner will receive a $15 gift card to Riptide Publishing, plus get their choice of either a poster-sized print of DEAD RINGER’s gorgeous cover photo by Marisha Dudek, or a postcard set featuring the eye-catching ephemera of James Ringer’s filmography, designed by Vivian Ng. Contest is not restricted to US entries.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Love Action, Suspense & Romance? Check Out Enduring Night by John Wiltshire (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

Untitled-3

Enduring Night (More Heat Than The Sun #7) by John Wiltshire
 Release Date: October 23, 2015

Goodreads Link
 Publisher: MLR Press
Cover Artist: Dana Jamroz

Banner300x250

Today we’re happy to have back one of our Down Under Showcase writers John Wiltshire,  author of Enduring Night, a new release in John’s  wonderful More Heat Than The Sun series.

Hi John, welcome back to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  Tell our readers about yourself, your background, and your current book.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

  • What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Hah. Besides my books making it to a movie one day? I think it would be being able to carry on. I’ve suffered from writer’s block in the past and it’s debilitating. While I can still write I reckon I’m blessed.

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

I have seven now published in the More Heat Than the Sun series. I set out with this series to deliberately write a world that builds slowly. The first book is almost like a seed. You may not even engage with the characters. It was a risk on my part to start a long series like this, because I needed people to be intrigued enough to stick with it. Fortunately many have been, and now in Book 7, and even more in Book 8, it’s become a hopefully rich and very engaging world. The two main characters, Nikolas and Ben, now have an eclectic group of friends and adopted family around them, which would seem incredible to anyone reading the introduction to the series, Book 1, Love is a Stranger.

I also have two historical novels published: A Royal Affair and its sequel Aleksey’s Kingdom. I really enjoyed writing these two books because they are written in the first person, which allows a lot of humour when you write it. Nikolai is not the most self-aware chap, and his attitudes and opinions make me laugh. I’m also a bit of a history buff, so it was fun doing the research for them. I like characters who aren’t entirely honest about who they are, and Nikolai has his pretenses and masks peeled away when he falls in love.

I have a short story published, Catch Me When I Fall, which was actually the first thing I wrote for publication. It’s about a fallen angel.

  • Your main character wants to cook something special for his love interest. What does he make?

Uh-huh. I sometimes wonder if I’m writing in the right genre. My characters don’t really interact over food, or make romantic gestures, come to that. Ben has been trying to cook a bit recently. He had to learn once to go undercover and it was a disaster. I think Nikolas once made Ben a cup of tea. Does any of that count?

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

I’m writing a short story for a co-authoring project at MLR Press. Four authors were chosen to write a series of mystery stories based around the seasons. I’m doing autumn, but it’s autumn with a difference. I’m also writing a novel set in a small village in Devon. All my characters are members of a book club. It’s huge fun to write, because I know all these people. Fortunately, I’m eleven thousand miles away, and they can’t get me when the book comes out.

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

Not at all. I write scene by scene mainly. If it’s just a tiny scene, so be it. Sometimes I go months without writing anything. I start to panic a bit if I’ve not got one whole unpublished novel still in the bag.

I’d rather write nothing at all than write something I wasn’t happy with.

Thanks, John, for stopping by.  You are always welcome here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

Now more about Enduring Night…

Blurb

You’d have thought that Ben and Nikolas would have learnt that their romantic holidays inevitably end up as disasters. A short break on the polar ice sees them trapped in a nightmare of murder and deceit. Neither of them, however, foresees the long-term impact that endless winter has on their relationship. They return with a metaphorical darkness that threatens everything they have created together. Desperate and fearing for Nikolas’s life, Ben makes a bargain with a surprising ally. For the first time, Nikolas meets an enemy more powerful than he is. But fortunately, not as sneaky…

 

Pages or Words: 80,000 words
 Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Thriller

Excerpt

Prologue

The view from the window hadn’t changed since the last time Ben had studied it—one grey, depressing wing of the building, the car park below, and some scraggly trees, still bare in January. Farther away, he could see the roofs of some houses, and perhaps, if he let his imagination run away with it, the distant hills of Bodmin moor. He didn’t speculate in the realms of fiction much these days. He brought his gaze back to the utilitarian architecture.

The seagull was back, perched on the sill, as it had been day after day. Sometimes, it tapped the window with its beak. Ben was never sure if the gull wanted in, or for him to open the window and join it outside, flying or falling. Freedom either way.

Secretly, Ben thought the gull was an albatross. It was so vast, so impressive, that it seemed inconceivable that it could be an ordinary gull blown in from Plymouth Sound and sitting on the grimy ledge. The first albatross perhaps to make it to England, tossed on ocean currents all the way from the Chatham Islands, lost, alone. If it was, then it was in good company. Ben had never felt so lost or so alone, and he had spent a fair proportion of his life being buffeted by metaphorical winds far stronger than those that prowled the vast oceans of the world.

Buy the book: MLR Books

RC

Meet the Author

John Wiltshire is English, an ex-army officer, who emigrated to New Zealand and now spends his time surfing and procrastinating on YouTube.

Where to find the author:

Giveaway

Final

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Enduring Night’ by John Wiltshire.   Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.   Link and prizes provided by the author and p

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js


Tour Dates & Stops:

23-Oct: Mikky’s World of Books, Velvet Panic, Reviews by Jessewave, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

26-Oct: BFD Book Blog, My Fiction Nook, Happily Ever Chapter

27-Oct: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Jessie G. Books, Boy Meets Boy Reviews

28-Oct: Wake Up Your Wild Side, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Bayou Book Junkie

29-Oct: The Hat Party, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews

WillPride

 

 

 

A MelanieM Review: Dead Money: Jack of Spades #5 by Lee Brazil (Pulp Friction 2015: Altered States Book 17)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★

Dead Money coverBarton Montoire’s fragile hold on his emotions is worn thin by exorcisms and fear. Even though he’s beginning to realize the full potential of his abilities as a ghost, he has no power to stop his lover’s plot to end the darkness that has threatened their relationship for close to a year, not with all their friends in the line of fire.

In all of time, there have existed few men who transcend the bonds of life and death, who see the spirits as clearly as the living. These men possess the ability to summon others, creating doorways between realms, physical and metaphysical. A dusty tome written in cryptic language reveals terrifying secrets, but with a little help from his friends, Sabine Brusilov knows what must be done. For the good of humanity and supes alike, he must call forth the shadowy demon, leading it into a trap.

Unfortunately, talent is not skill, and the ability to summon cannot be mastered by taking a class or two and scouring the internet for information. With Bart at his side and his friends at his back, Sabine brings talent, skill, and strength of will to battle evil before it can join the gathering forces of darkness that menace New Orleans.

With dead money on the table, is love enough to take the hand?

Well, Dead Money by Lee Brazil is the book I have been waiting for this entire series.  It’s just plain outstanding!  With this one story, Lee Brazil takes all my previous irritations and uncertainties with the plot, the characters, their relationships,  and dismisses them firmly and resoundingly.   In fact, had this been a stand alone series, Dead Money would have made the perfect  series finale.

For most of the series, I have felt that the relationship between Bart and Sabine to have been very unequal in power and affection, at least that’s the way it translated in the narrative for me.  But here and now, after all their travails,  they come across as deeply committed partners, people in love, no matter their corporeal status. Lovers reunited who are facing one of the greatest evils they will ever know.  Brazil has built up the demon they face with vividly scary descriptions and pain-filled scenes of horror but still what comes is far, far worse.  Something no one, not Bart, not Sabine and certainly not the reader is prepared for.

The other characters in the series are there trying to help as well, but its Bart and Sabine you fear for and the ending when it comes is both shocking and shockingly satisfying.  I’ll say no more.  But oddly enough, I’m so  happy with this story, I don’t feel like I need a book six, which might be just as well.  I love this book and the way it all turned out.  How on earth or on any other supernatural plane could you possibly improve on this?  Five stars plus?

And yes I highly recommend this author and series.  Not only for a Scary Halloween Read but for any time of the year!

The book cover is also the best in the series.  Apparently everything was waiting until Round 5.  Well done.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 47 pages
Published October 13th 2015 by Lime Time Press
ASIN B016NFRTO0
edition language English

☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠

About Pulp Friction 2015

Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ Parker Williams ~ Laura Harner

The Pulp Friction 2015 Altered States Collection.
Four authors.
Four Series.
Twenty books.
One supernatural finale.

Spend a year with the creatures that go bump in the night…fighting for their rights to exist and protecting the innocents of The Big Easy. A diverse group of friends trying to find their place in a world they never had to “fit” into before.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.

Round One:
Drawing Dead (Jack of Spades: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blind Stud (King of Hearts: 1) by Havan Fellows
The Devil’s Bedpost (Four of Clubs: 1) by Parker Williams
Diamonds and Dust (Ace of Diamonds: 1) by Laura Harner

Round Two:
Dead Blind (Jack of Spades: 2) by Lee Brazil
Stud Player (King of Hearts: 2) by Havan Fellow
Up the Ante (Four of Clubs: 2 ) by Parker Williams
Diamond Draw (Ace of Diamonds: 2) by Laura Harner

Round Three:

Dead Button (Jack of Spades #3) by Lee Brazil
Blind Man’s Bluff (King of Hearts #3) by Havan Fellows
The Devil’s Playground (Four of Clubs #3) by Parker Williams
Diamonds Edge (Ace of Diamonds #3) by Laura Harner

Round Four:

Dead Man’s Hand (Jack of Spades 4) by Lee Brazil
Blind Heart (King of Hearts 4) by Havan Fellows
High Stakes (Four of Clubs 4) by Parker Williams
Diamond Flush (Ace of Diamonds 4) by Laura Harner

Round Five:

Dead Money (Jack of Spades 5) by Lee Brazil

☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠

About Pulp Friction 2015

Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ Parker Williams ~ Laura Harner

The Pulp Friction 2015 Altered States Collection.
Four authors.
Four Series.
Twenty books.
One supernatural finale.

Spend a year with the creatures that go bump in the night…fighting for their rights to exist and protecting the innocents of The Big Easy. A diverse group of friends trying to find their place in a world they never had to “fit” into before.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.

Round One:
Drawing Dead (Jack of Spades: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blind Stud (King of Hearts: 1) by Havan Fellows
The Devil’s Bedpost (Four of Clubs: 1) by Parker Williams
Diamonds and Dust (Ace of Diamonds: 1) by Laura Harner

Round Two:
Dead Blind (Jack of Spades: 2) by Lee Brazil
Stud Player (King of Hearts: 2) by Havan Fellow
Up the Ante (Four of Clubs: 2 ) by Parker Williams
Diamond Draw (Ace of Diamonds: 2) by Laura Harner

Round Three:

Dead Button (Jack of Spades #3) by Lee Brazil
Blind Man’s Bluff (King of Hearts #3) by Havan Fellows
The Devil’s Playground (Four of Clubs #3) by Parker Williams
Diamonds Edge (Ace of Diamonds #3) by Laura Harner

Round Four:

Dead Man’s Hand (Jack of Spades 4) by Lee Brazil
Blind Heart (King of Hearts 4) by Havan Fellows
High Stakes (Four of Clubs 4) by Parker Williams
Diamond Flush (Ace of Diamonds 4) by Laura Harner

Coffee Sip and Book Break with A.M. Arthur’s ‘The World As He Sees It’ (excerpt and giveaway

WorldAsHeSeesIt-The400

The World As He Sees (Perspectives #2) by A.M. Arthur
Release Date: October 20, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Cover Artist: Lyn Taylor

Sales Links: Samhain Publishing | Amazon | ARe | B & N | Kobo | iTunes

Banner300x250

 

Blurb

Love knows no limits…but fear could keep them from seeing it.

Gabe lives a double life. As Gabriel Henson, he works multiple jobs to support his remorseless, alcoholic mother. As Tony Ryder, he does internet porn for extra cash and regular safe sex without complications.

Yet when he encounters a scared young man freaking out in a night club, he’s compelled to reach out. Ever since then, the memory of that young man has haunted him.

Tristan Lavelle lives his life thirty minutes at a time. After a traumatic brain injury three years ago, he gets through his day recording his life in spiral notebooks and sticky note reminders.

A month after Tristan’s embarrassingly public meltdown, another chance meeting with Gabe sparks a warm, emotionally fulfilling email relationship. Both men crave more, but fear of the next step stands between them.

Until Tristan gets the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial that could improve his memory—if the side effects don’t kill him. But for Tristan, the possibility of a real life with Gabe is worth any risk…

 

Pages or Words: 283 pages, 83,000 words
 Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt


The late hour didn’t diminish the sweltering August heat, and Tristan worked up a good sweat walking. Shane and Noel both looked crazy sexy in their club clothes, and even sexier walking side by side. He was happy for Noel. Happy his best friend was in love and enjoying himself.

He was also stupidly, insanely jealous.

He stuck close with his stupid, insane jealousy because the streets were teeming with people of all ages, heading into and out of the different restaurants and clubs. They turned down a quieter side street that was more like an alley. Halfway down the block a few guys hung out against a stone wall, most of them smoking cigarettes. An industrial door with no sign or markings was being guarded by a big, burly bear of a man in a black leather vest.

“Hey, Officer Carlson,” the bouncer said. He had a deep voice to match his broad body. “Nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Mr. Henson,” Noel said.

“Bear, son. Everyone calls me Bear.”

“Right. This is my friend Tristan Lavelle.”

“A right pleasure.”

Tristan shook Bear’s hand, surprised by the gentle grip. “Hi.” He glanced at Shane, who didn’t seem at all annoyed at being left out. “Um, that’s Shane. Noel’s boyfriend.”

Bear grinned. “Yeah, I know that one all right.”

“You do?” He reached for a notebook he didn’t have, then looked at Noel for answers.

“Shane dances here once a week,” Noel said. “He got the job through Bear’s son Gabe.”

“Oh.” He didn’t bother asking if he’d already been told that. Probably. Every single piece of information that was mildly important to his life had been repeated to him at least, oh, eighteen times. Minimum.

“Enjoy yourselves, boys,” Bear said. “First drinks are on the house.”

“Thank you,” Tristan replied.

Noel pulled the door, and what had been a distant bass became an impressive thumpa-thumpa in Tristan’s chest. The interior of the club was wide and deep, with a high ceiling decorated in strands of red and blue lights. Strobes and other lighting flashed around the dance floor, which seemed to make up most of the floor space. A small U-shaped bar stood to the right. In the rear were what looked like raised platforms. Two hot guys in red short-shorts were gyrating together on one of them.

This is the kind of dancing Shane does? Shit.

He was probably twenty kinds of hot up there.

Someone jostled past them, reminding Tristan to keep moving forward. Noel was hustling them straight for the bar. Tristan couldn’t drink alcohol because of his antidepressants and anxiety medications, and Noel was driving so the only person able to drink much was Shane.

Lucky bastard.

Not that Tristan was going to mourn his dry night. Men. Everywhere around him, a sea of hot men. All kinds of eye candy. Every age, height, weight, shape and body hair amount. He observed and mentally drooled over the flesh on display. The air smelled of liquor and sweat and sex, and good Lord he was starting to get lightheaded from it all.

Noel nudged them closer to the bar. A middle-aged man with gray hair and a pink sequined vest gave them all a big, toothy smile. “Noel and friends,” he said. “Richard Brightman, pleased to officially meet you, Tristan.”

“Hello,” Tristan said. Officially meet you implied they’d interacted before, but the man’s name meant nothing to him.

“I’m Bear’s husband. We own the place.”

“Oh. It’s a great place. I’m pretty sure this is my first time. I like it.”

Noel flinched.

Okay that was wrong. When was I here before?

“So what are we drinking tonight?” Richard asked. “First round on the house. Samuel Adams for you, Shane?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Shane replied.

Richard knows because Shane works here.

“I’ll have a vodka tonic,” Noel said. “Tris?”

“Virgin margarita,” Tristan said. He loved margaritas, and while a virgin wasn’t as good as one with Patrón, he couldn’t mix with his meds.

“Coming up,” Richard said.

The music changed to a faster, sharper beat. Tristan’s hips rolled in tiny motions, instinct bringing out his love of club dancing. Of getting into it with another dude, all writhing bodies and gyrating hips. Arms and legs. Sweat and heavy breathing.

Wonderful arousal stirred in his gut, heating his blood already. He might not be getting laid tonight, but damn it, he was going to have some fun.

“Hey, you guys made it,” said a sexy, sultry voice.

Tristan glanced over his shoulder to see who the voice had spoken to, only to find himself staring into a pair of kind, dark eyes. Kind, dark eyes belonging to a stunningly handsome face. Black hair. Tan skin. Tall and well-built. A walking wet dream who was smiling like they were old friends.

Holy fucking hell, he’s gorgeous.

“Hey, Gabe,” Shane said.

Gabe.

Those kind, dark eyes never broke from his, and Tristan couldn’t look away. Gabe was a stranger, and yet somehow familiar.

His eyes. The eyes I see. We’ve met.

“We’ve met,” Tristan said before he could think twice.

Gabe’s eyebrows twitched. “Yes, we have. Do you remember that?”

“I remember your eyes.”

 

RC

About the Author

A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories.

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Contact her at am_arthur@yahoo.com with your cooking tips (or book comments).

 

Where to find the author:

 

Giveaway

Final

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Grand Prize Goodie Basket: 1 signed paperback of The Truth As He Knows It, 1 signed paperback of The World As He Sees it, plus a bunch of other goodies (notebooks, cute post-it’s, etc…).  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

BannerTemplate


Tour Dates & Stops:
20-Oct

21-Oct

22-Oct

23-Oct

26-Oct

27-Oct

28-Oct

29-Oct

30-Oct

2-Nov

3-Nov

4-Nov

5-Nov

6-Nov

9-Nov

10-Nov

11-Nov

12-Nov

13-Nov

16-Nov