In the Book Spotlight: Classic
 (Rainbow Connection
 #3) by Lynn Townsend

classic1400

Classic
 (Rainbow Connection
 #3) by Lynn Townsend
Release Date: September 2, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link  –  Add it to your bookshelf
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Banner300x250

Sales Links:  Torquere Books

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Beau Watkins and Vin Reyes have mended their differences, but that doesn’t mean that everything is back the way it was. When Beau’s teenage niece shows up with her son in tow, Beau is thrown unexpectedly into a world of adult responsibilities and adult decisions, all of which could have disastrous consequences. Reconciliation with his family is complicated by an overseas internship with a predatory business woman.

Vin still struggles with his alcoholism, with finding his place in a world after college, and establishing relationships with his newfound father and sister. The last puzzle piece of Vin’s mysterious past is clicked into place when he comes face-to-face with his mother’s ex-fiance. His relationship with Beau has never been stronger… until an unexpected email threatens to topple everything they’ve build together.

Pages or Words: 69,900 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Beau grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and tossed it in his gym bag. Outside, David laid on the horn.
“Coming,” Beau muttered to the empty room. Vin was off touring yet another one of his grandfather’s facilities in the endless, looping discussion about what he was going to do with his life.Beau locked the door behind himself, and skipped most of the bottom half of the stairs with a one-handed rail-jump. He waved to the Escalade, knowing David would see him behind the tinted windows. Beau felt a flutter of pleasurable nerves in his gut; it had been a while since he’d gone out dancing–avoiding the bars was in Vin’s best interests for the time being–and he really needed a workout. David had suggested a trip to the gym, where he’d teach Beau some of the basics in kick-boxing.
Beau just reached the door when someone grabbed his shoulder. He dropped his bag, whirling, heart in his throat, breathing hard. He knocked the offending limb aside. The passenger side door of the Escalade flew open and David slid out, gun already in hand.
“Back away from Mr. Watkins, sir,” David advised, his voice low and firm.
“I am Mr. Watkins,” the man said, confused. “Beau?”
“Lee?” Beau’s legs almost gave out from under him and he leaned hard against the side of the SUV, feeling the black painted metal heating his skin. “Jesus Christ.”
“Are you all right, sir?” David didn’t look away from his target, his gun still trained on Beau’s older brother.
“Parking lot,” Beau said. David knew about his panic attacks. David had been there when Vin found Beau, beaten and bloody, on the asphalt, two years ago.
“Back. Up.” David slid the rest of the way out of the vehicle. “I consider you a threatening individual.”
“My God, David,” Beau said. David wasn’t wearing his typical three-piece suit, probably the first time Beau had ever seen him dressed casually, in black sweatpants and a white tank top, his gun holster buckled to his chest like some sort of kinky lingerie. Beau’d always suspected the raw strength underneath the tailored coats, but he’d never actually seen it. David was cut from a block of wood, hard muscles overlaid with tanned skin, marred here and there by scars, one of which could have been caused by nothing less than a bullet wound. “Lee is my brother.”
“Which does not negate the need to protect you from him, sir,” David said. “I’ve heard about his letters. Not only that, but I saw Mr. Reyes’s throat after spring break. This is a dangerous individual.”
“I kinda dislocated his shoulder for that,” Beau admitted. “Seriously, David, put the gun away and put on a shirt, you’re makin’ me horny.”
“Yah, you’re cute, kid, but not that cute.” David gave Lee a particularly fierce look. “I am very fond of your brother. I will shoot you if I even think you’re about to do something stupid. Are we crystal on this?”
“Yeah, clear, man,” Lee said. He took a cautious step backward. “I just wanna talk to him. I’m not here to pick a fight.”
Beau nodded. “Right. We’ll go talk on the steps,” he said.
Lee waited until they were out of earshot. “What the hell is that guy’s problem?”
“David and Vin saved my life a few years back,” Beau said. “I think David takes it personally that he wasn’t there to keep Contreras from beating the shit out of me. And you did try to crush Vin’s throat.” Beau’s legs were still wobbly and he collapsed onto the stairs gratefully.
“Whatever, man.”
It was barely worth the effort to glare at Lee. “What are you doing here? What do you want? How the hell did you even find our place?” Beau leaned his head against the brick wall. He would probably kill someone for a cigarette, but he was trying to quit–again–and didn’t currently have any on him.
“I got the address from Sheila, down at the post office. I asked her where Momma was sending all your packages.”
“Well, that’s just a little bit creepy,” Beau said. Not that it wasn’t typical; small towns did not hold with big federal laws about privacy. It wasn’t private, between kin, and half the town was related to most of the other half. “Sit down, Lee. My head already hurts.”
Lee dropped onto the porch, leaning his weight back on one arm. He looked older. There was no better word for it. His usually needs-a-haircut curls were gone, close clipped in an almost military style, and he’d finally shaved off the soul patch under his lip. Lee wore a button down shirt and jeans. Near his knee, there was a red smear of something that might have been dried jelly.
“How have you been, kid?” Lee asked.
“Are we being nice? Is that what we’re doing here? Nice? After… well, after everything?”
“I didn’t think you’d listen to me if I called.” Lee raked a hand over his scalp, his wedding ring glinting in the sun.
“I suppose you think I’m being unreasonable, all things considered?” Beau asked.
“Look, I’m sorry about the letters,” Lee said.
“Don’t apologize to me about them.” Beau snorted. “I didn’t read ’em after the first two. Broke my hand on the wall wishin’ it was your skull. Ann-Marie read them for me, to see if you’d stopped being an ass. Haven’t gotten one in a while. Something change in your life?”

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Lynn Townsend is a geek, a dreamer and an inveterate punster. When not reading, writing, or editing, she can usually be found drinking coffee or killing video game villains. Lynn’s interests include filk music, romance novels, octopuses, and movies with more FX than plot.

Where to find the author:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LynnTownsendwriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tisfan
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kthicks3/
Other: http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/
Other: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/tisfan

BannerTemplate


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Happily Ever Chapter, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Velvet Panic, Jessie G. Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Divine Magazine, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Trilogy of books, Roll, Blues and Classic. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

FinalWillPride

Love a Geek in Love? Check out ‘Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts by Charlie Cochet (excerpt, contest and character profile)

BTBanner

AboutTheBook

  • BewareOfGeeksFSTitle: Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts
  • Author: Charlie Cochet
  • Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
  • Cover Artist: Anne Cain
  • Length: 86 pages
  • Release Date: August 19, 2015

Blurb: Julian “Quinn” Quinetro, a gruff, tough Miami SWAT officer, has been injured on the job, and all he’s looking for is a little peace and quiet to recover—difficult to achieve with his large Cuban family. An adventure in picking up his prescriptions puts him in the path of his geeky, brownie-baking neighbor, Spencer Morgan. Spencer sweeps into Quinn’s life like a tropical storm of sunshine and rainbows. Not surprisingly, it’s chaos at first sight. Quinn’s in need of a little tender loving care, and Spencer decides he’s just the man for the job. Their very different lives might clash, but they might also find some common ground—and maybe more.

Need more?  Meet Spencer!  Here is Spencer’s very own Character Profile!  Maybe we should show this to Quinn? Nah! That’s just way too easy!

BGBG Spencer Character Profile - ScatteredThoughts

Excerpt

“This is sad, man. What is it with you and brownies?”

“These aren’t just any brownies,” Spencer stated proudly as he removed his latest batch of baked chocolate decadence from the oven. “These are Nutella caramel brownies with nuts, made from scratch. These are orgasm-in-your-mouth brownies.”

“Not really sure what to think about that,” Danny muttered, eyeing the brownies dubiously. “Seriously, dude. The only orgasm you should be chasing is the one waiting next door. This is your perfect chance! He’s defenseless.” Danny reached for a brownie, but Spencer slapped his hand away before he could pilfer one.

“I have to spread the Nutella and top them with walnuts. Also, I don’t know what I find more disturbing: that you think I should take advantage of the poor guy in his defenseless state, or that you believe the only way I’ve got a shot is to take advantage of him in his defenseless state.” He stopped and turned to his pouting best friend. “And FYI, defenseless is what babies and puppies are, not huge-ass mountain men in possession of heavy artillery. I ran into him once, literally, and it’s like he’s made out of fucking granite. He’s got an eight-pack. An eight-pack.”

Spencer had never seen an eight-pack outside of cyberspace. Until his sexy neighbor, he’d questioned their existence, much like Bigfoot. The sighting had taken place one morning on his way to get groceries. Quinn had been on his way to their gated community’s pool, sporting nothing but low-riding swim trunks and flip-flops. He’d stepped into the elevator next to Spencer, and the heat outside had nothing on the heat that had spread through Spencer’s body. Luckily Quinn had been too busy texting to notice Spencer’s Human Torch impression.

“I have… I don’t even know what this is.” Spencer lifted up the hem of his apron and the Hulk T-shirt underneath with a frown. He ran his finger down a groove along his torso as he sucked his stomach in. “Does this look like muscle definition to you?”

Danny reached over to pat Spencer’s pale belly. “Looks like you need to stop baking brownies. And get some sun, man. Look at you. You’re not even white. You’re like, transparent.”

“That’s harsh.” Spencer lowered his clothes. “I don’t tan like you. I burn. You couldn’t lie to me? Besides, what am I supposed to say to him? ‘Hi, remember me? I’m the guy who’s been living next door to you for the past year. We pass each other in the hall every day, take the elevator together, have parking spaces next to each other, have mailboxes next to each other, do laundry in the same room together, and shop at the same supermarket. No? That’s okay. Excuse me while I die of embarrassment.’” Spencer walked around the kitchen counter and flopped down into a chair, waiting for the brownies to cool. “The guy doesn’t know I exist. He’s freakin’ Miami SWAT. He’s probably an overbearing, misogynistic asshole with a giant ego, anyway.”

Danny took a seat next to him, his expression filled with concern. “You don’t know that. Besides, since when do you judge people?”

Spencer narrowed his eyes at his friend. “No one likes a smartass.”

“Says the guy who got a ticket for mouthing off to a police officer.”

“I wasn’t mouthing off. I was being witty and adorable. The guy just had no sense of humor. Besides, I was nowhere near that fire hydrant. He was clearly behind on his quota. Bet that wouldn’t have happened to Quinn.” Was he pouting? Oh God, he was. Danny was right; he was sad.

“Probably because he’s SWAT and can park his ginormous truck wherever the hell he wants.” Danny went to the glass doors of the balcony overlooking the parking spaces and started laughing.

“What?”

“You know how they say dogs look like their owners? I wonder if the same applies to cars.”

Spencer joined Danny at the window, letting out a low groan. His tiny yellow Fiat gleamed cheerfully beside Quinn’s monster black Chevy Silverado. “It looks like a sunspot.”

BuyLinks

Dreamspinner Press (eBook)

Amazon US

Amazon UK

All Romance eBooks

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

AboutTheAuthor

AuthorPicCharlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

|| Facebook || Facebook Page || Twitter || Google+ || Blog ||

|| Website || Pinterest || Tumblr || Goodreads || Newsletter ||

RafflecopterGiveaway

Winner’s Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older.  Link and prize provided by the author and Creative Minds Promotions.

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

TourSchedule

August 19:

August 20:

August 21:

August 24:

August 25:

August 26:

August 27:

August 28:

August 31:

September 1:

 

Cover Reveal for Lane Hayes’ Better Than Safe (A Better Than series novel) (contest)

 

•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
 
Lane Hayes reveals the beautiful cover art for the
next book in her BETTER THAN series
titled BETTER THAN SAFE.
 
It releases on September 25, 2015, published by Dreamspinner Press.
 
•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
 
BLURB
 

Paul Fallon is a fashion advertising guru. He’s a genius at dealing with difficult editors, art directors, and designers alike. He thrives on the chaotic atmosphere and constant challenges. But in his personal life, he’s hoping for peace and stability. Settling down with a nice doctor or lawyer sounds perfect. Anyone but an artist. He’s been there, done that, and he doesn’t want to relive the heartache.

Seth Landau is a model, occasional guitarist, and aspiring painter. He’s quirky, flighty, and wise beyond his years. Life has taught him some tough lessons, then given him opportunities he never dreamed of. He’s learned to appreciate the fragility of life and to express it in his work. Seth’s flare for the absurd combined with a supple mind and a beautiful body are too alluring for Paul to ignore. Against his best intentions, Paul is drawn to the younger man whose particular brand of crazy challenges Paul to accept that things aren’t always as they seem. Sometimes taking a chance is better than being safe.

 
•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
 
PRESENTING
 
Cover
Art by Aaron Anderson
 

 

•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
 
EXCLUSIVE SNIPPET
He was gorgeous, albeit a bit daft, but the truth was I had a thing for beautiful crazy people
 
Read more exclusive excerpts on –
 
 
•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
 
PRE-ORDER NOW
 
 
•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full time!
It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early
age, she has always been drawn to a well-told love story with beautifully
written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles both be men! Lane
discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her first
novel was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards and her third received an
Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves travel, chocolate, and
wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her
amazing husband and the coolest yellow lab ever in an almost empty nest.
 
||  Blog  ||  Facebook
||  Twitter  ||  Email  ||
 
•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
 
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
 
Winner’s Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Creative Minds Promotions.
 

In the Spotlight: Reckless Hope (Letting Go #2) by j. leigh bailey (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

CARINA_0815_9781459290068_RecklessHope.indd

Reckless Hope (Letting Go #2) by j. leigh bailey
Release Date: August 24, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Carina Press

Banner300x250

Sales Links: amazon | barnes&noble | kobo | ibooks

My interview with j. leigh bailey

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing j. leigh bailey, author of Reckless Hope.

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

Thank you so much for having me! I’m j. leigh bailey, author of New Adult and Young Adult male/male romance. I live in the Chicagoland area and have always believed that nothing—not race, gender, sexual identity, religious background or paranormal affiliation—should get in the way of the vitally important Happy Ever After ending.

  • Tell us about your book.

RECKLESS HOPE is an opposites attract New Adult romance, in which I’ve paired up a hard-working, super-responsible, over-scheduled guy with a hard-partying, entitled, wealthy adrenaline junkie. Together they discover that learning to trust is a risk, and sometimes the risk is well worth the reward

  • How difficult was it to get into the main character’s head?

There are a few challenges I face in getting into the head of my main characters. I’m neither a young male nor gay. Clearly, I don’t have the exact life experiences that match up to my characters.  But I was once twenty. I struggled to find my way, to define my future. One of the greatest things about writing, or even reading, is that the characters, even the non-human ones, have a shared human experience. We all go through stages of growth, of challenges. We all have periods of grief and excitement. We all fall in love and get our hearts broken. It’s exploring and facing these challenges, and hopefully overcoming them, that make books so much fun. It’s proof, through fiction, that people are capable of surviving and, at least in romantic fiction, achieving a happy ever after ending.

Which all sounds very… philosophical, which isn’t very me. The biggest challenge I face, really, is creating an authentic young male voice. Even when I was twenty, I used words and phrasing that came off as “too adult.” There’s a fine line between language that is so simple or clichéd as to insult young men everywhere, and using language that makes my young men sound like thirty-something women with a love of “big” words. Trying to sound realistic, and not stereotypical, while in my characters’ heads can be a struggle.

  • Is this book a standalone or do you plan on visiting it again?

Reckless Hope is the second book in my Letting Go series, though it, and the others, are stand-alone. They share a common theme, but don’t have any characters or locations in common. I have a couple of characters who are introduced in this book, though, that I may decide to expand upon. Micah’s best friend Jace is kind of a hoot, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him paired up with someone who won’t know how to handle his slightly dramatic flair.

  • Why did you choose to write M/M stories?

I’ve been reading romance since I was 11 years old. Even before that, the television shows and stories I read tended to have a romantic pair-up. Added to it, I read about 100 pages an hour, so I’ve read a lot of different books in a lot of different genres. I went through phases. For a while it was all romantic suspense. Then it was Regency romance. Then it was medieval romance. Then paranormal. If it was romance, I would read it. One day I read a male/male romance and it changed everything. In a male/male romance you have all the same elements that make a great romance, the same kinds of conflict that make getting from point A to point HEA so exciting. But you also have the added conflict of social pressure, the questions of to-PDA or not-to-PDA, out or in. Extra conflict that can make achieving the happily ever after ending more rewarding.

  • Where do you find your inspiration?

For me, I’ll get a phrase or an image stuck in my head. That phrase or image grows into a scene. Next thing I know, I’ve got a story brewing in my brain. Almost always I see an opening scene, or the scene in which the characters first meet, and I see how I want their story to end. Then I get to watch everything unfold from the first meeting to the end, just like I was reading the book as I was writing it. Sometimes I’m surprised at the direction the story takes me, but always the first scene and the last scene stick.

Thank you so much for having me!

STRW Author BookSynopsis

What’s life without a little risk?

Or a lot of risk, if you’re Sebastian Carlisle. He’ll never live up to the legacy of his dead brother, so why try? Being the wild child in a family of stuck-up rich snobs suits him just fine.

Until he meets Micah Burke, and everything changes.

Micah’s got too much going on for a relationship. Even if he could trust Sebastian, a distraction—a sexy, reckless distraction with a death wish—would only derail his carefully scheduled life. If it were just Micah, maybe that would be fine, but his mother and sister depend on him, and he can’t let them down. Or at least that’s what he tells himself.

A hot moment leads to a hot night leads to a connection neither of them are ready for. And when a crisis hits Micah’s family hard, Sebastian will have to shed his bad-boy image and decide whether he can be the man Micah needs—and Micah needs to decide whether he’ll let him.

Book two of Letting Go
Pages or Words: 67,000
Categories: M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“I thought I knew what kind of person you were.”
“Yeah, you made that pretty clear.”
Micah cringed, but kept going. “You take for granted everything I work my ass off to achieve. It’s easy for you. And now I know there’s more to you than that. I don’t understand your choices, or the need for an adrenaline rush you seem to have.” He held up a hand to keep Sebastian from saying anything. He scooted up, resting his back against the handlebars. “I don’t have to understand. It’s part of who you are.”
“Somehow I don’t think this discussion is heading in a direction I’m going to like.” Sebastian drew his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.
“The thing is, you’re a bad influence on me.”
“I don’t—”
“You don’t even have to do anything. Take tonight, for instance.”
“Tonight?”
“I have a midterm tomorrow. I should be studying. Or even sleeping. Instead I’m here. I never have trouble doing what I’m supposed to do. Setting aside my ‘want tos’ to do my ‘have tos.’ Except around you.”
“I’m not trying to make your life harder. I’m just trying to be part of it.”
“That’s what I don’t get. You could have almost anyone. You could find someone a hell of a lot less complicated than me.”
“You may not believe it, but I don’t mind complications.”

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

j. leigh bailey is an office drone by day and the author of New Adult and Young Adult LGBT Romance by night. She can usually be found with her nose in a book or pressed up against her computer monitor. A book-a-day reading habit sometimes gets in the way of… well, everything…but some habits aren’t worth breaking. She’s been reading romance novels since she was ten years old. The last twenty years or so have not changed her voracious appetite for stories of romance, relationships and achieving that vitally important Happy Ever After. She’s a firm believer that everyone, no matter their gender, age, sexual orientation or paranormal affiliation deserves a happy ending.

She wrote her first story at seven, which was, unbeknownst to her at the time, a charming piece of fan-fiction in which Superman battled (and defeated, of course) the nefarious X Luther. She was quite put out to be told, years later, that the character’s name was actually Lex. Her second masterpiece should have been a best-seller, but the action-packed tale of rescuing her little brother from an alligator attack in the marshes of Florida collected dust for years under the bed instead of gaining critical acclaim.

Now she writes New Adult and Young Adult LGBT Romance novels about boys traversing the crazy world of love, relationships and acceptance.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.bailey.39948
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/JLeighBailey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JenniWrites

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: An eBook copy of Nobody’s Hero (Letting Go book 1) and an eBook copy of Reckless Hope.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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

Final

Tour Dates & Stops:
24-Aug

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Velvet Panic, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

25-Aug

Hearts on Fire, Havan Fellows

26-Aug

Amanda C. Stone, Divine Magazine

27-Aug

V’s Reads, Boys on the Brink Reviews, BFD Book Blog

28-Aug

EE Montgomery, Bayou Book Junkie

31-Aug

Happily Ever Chapter, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

1-Sep

MM Good Book Reviews, Cathy Brockman Romances, Jessie G. Books

2-Sep

Dawn’s Reading Nook, Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Hearts on Fire

3-Sep

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads

4-Sep

Just Love Romance, Molly Lolly

ug
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Velvet Panic, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
25-Aug
Hearts on Fire, Havan Fellows
26-Aug
Amanda C. Stone, Divine Magazine
27-Aug
V’s Reads, Boys on the Brink Reviews, BFD Book Blog
28-Aug
EE Montgomery, Bayou Book Junkie
31-Aug
Happily Ever Chapter, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat
1-Sep
MM Good Book Reviews, Cathy Brockman Romances, Jessie G. Books
2-Sep
Dawn’s Reading Nook, Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Hearts on Fire
3-Sep
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads
4-Sep
Just Love Romance, Molly Lolly

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Summer Time is Almost  Over…..

month-of-august-clipart-4

Here we are going into our last week of August.  Hard to believe.  Fall is on the way.   Summertime is almost over, the lazy, hazy days fading away until next year.  School is almost back in session if it hasn’t happened already, and the pools will close over Memorial weekend.  Summer done and done.

So what were you favorite summer reads?  The ones that made you laugh and the ones that made you cry?  Was it TJ Klune’s The Lightning-Struck Heart (I know that was one of Stella’s), or J. Scott Coatsworth’s The Homecoming (one of Paul’s), or one of Jaye McKenna’s Guardians of the Patterns stories for BJ, a Bluewater Bay story that our Barb, the Zany old  Lady loves so much?  Check over your summer reading list and let us know which were some of your favorites, which ones we might have missed and we ones we got!  We love hearing from you.

Same goes for your favorite covers.

 

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, August 23:

  • Our Schedule This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, August 24:

  • Book Spotlight: J. Leigh Bailey’s ‘Reckless Hope’ Tour and Giveaway
  • A Jeri Review: Against the Grain (THIRDS #5) by Charlie Cochet
  • A Mika Review:  The Cage by Catt Ford
  • A MelanieM Review: Dead Man’s Hand by Lee Brazil (PF 2015)

Tuesday, August 25:

  • Cover Reveal for Better Than Safe by Lane Hayes (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts by Charlie Cochet Tour and Giveaway
  • In the Spotlight: Lynn Townsend ‘Classic’ (excerpt and contest)
  • A Mika Review: All Man by Jay Northcote
  • A Jeri Review: The Windup by Kate McMurray

Wednesday, August 26:

  • Ada Maria Soto ‘Bowerbirds’ Keep Me In Mind Tour and Contest
  • Fret by Sandrine Gasq Dion‏ Guest Blog and Giveaway
  • A Stella Review: Bitter Taffy By Amy Lane
  • A Jeri Review: Thrown A Curve by Kate McMurray
  • A Paul B Review:  Yummy Indulgences (Men of Charlestown, #2) by Andi Anderson

Thursday, August 27:

  • Cover reveal for Melanie Hansen’s ‘Signs of Life’ excerpt and giveaway
  • A Stella Review: Confessions of a Wild Heart by Kade Boehme
  • A PaulB Review: Broken Circle (Sirius Wolves #2) by Victoria Sue
  • A MelanieM Review: The Shepherd and the Solicitor by Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee
  • A BJ Review:  Astounding! by Kim Fielding

Friday, August 28:

  • Riptide Tour: Lead Me Not by Ann Gallaugher  (contest)
  • Book Spotlight: CJane Elliott ‘Sex, Love, and Videogames’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Lead Me Not by Ann Gallagher
  • A Paul B Review: Zach (Gillham Pack, #2) by Catherine Lievens
  • A Jeri Review: The Long Slide Home by Kate McMurray

Saturday, August 29:

  • Best Covers of August 2015
  • Best Books of August 2015
  • Best of Our Summer Reads and Recs!

 

 

 

 

It’s Cover Reveal Time for Blue by D.P. Denman (excerpt, giveway and more)

Title: Blue
Author: D.P. Denman
Genre: Gayrom, MM
Release Date: September 25, 2015

Long before he was a successful songwriter and black-belt badass, Blue was a survivor. 
He escaped a program designed to cure him. One that left him near death with nothing to rely on but the kindness of a stranger. Hostile and headstrong, he needed a calmer influence to balance his fury. Someone to save him from himself. 

Brady’s life was quiet and orderly until fate sent him a blue-eyed hurricane. Bursts of temper and flashes of despair battered his efforts to quiet the storm in a man he doubted he could tame. One drowning in the wreckage of his past. 
With a head full of lies and a body full of scars, Blue worked to rebuild his life with the help of a man who showed him sometimes trust is worth the risk.

Blue features one of the most popular characters from the Saving Liam saga! Destined for greatness, he reveals the past that made him the scarred bad boy readers love.
A burst of resolve pushed Blue through the open doors of Brady’s office but left him speechless when he crossed the threshold. Brady stood near the window in a dark polo shirt that covered broad shoulders and the swell of pecs. He knew from experience that body was as solid as the wall he was tempted to lean against for support. Desire made him dizzy, anxious, twitchy.

“Hi.” Brady smiled when he saw him, an expression that had always been warm and reassuring.

He let it soothe him as he stepped further into the room caught between the fear of looking like an idiot and frustration over unanswered questions. He grabbed the frustration and held it close.

“I have a question, and I don’t know how to ask it.”

“Well,” Brady rested his ass against the windowsill and crossed his legs at the ankles, “you can either stumble around with it or just spit it out. I’m okay with blunt.”

“You might be sorry you said that in a minute.” He tried to smile, refusing to wipe sweaty palms on his jeans. “Are you gay?”

Brady’s eyebrows twitch up his forehead, and he blinked. “That’s blunt.”
“I said you’d be sorry.”

“You did.” Brady nodded, folding his arms.

Brady took longer contemplating the answer than he’d expected. He didn’t know what that meant. His stomach clenched, heat spreading through his chest, threatening to bubble into a blush so hot it charred his skin.

“Yes. I’m gay.” Brady stared back at him.

He was so relieved he wanted to laugh. He hadn’t misread that part, and if that much was true, he wondered if he’d misread any of it. He decided to stick with blunt.

“In that case, I have another question.” He took a few steps closer, leaving several feet between them.

“I thought you might.”

“Do you like me?”

“Of course, I like you.”

“No. I mean are you into me?”

Brady’s attempt at a pleasant expression crumpled into a frown. “Why?”

“Because I’ve been feeling things and sensing things, and I’m tired of guessing whether they’re real.”

It was the most honest he’d been with anyone in months and for the first time since running off to fail at life a year ago, he didn’t feel the tight knot of apprehension that usually followed those confessions.

He had secrets. Dark things he never shared because the camp taught him more than how to loathe physical contact. It taught him the value of keeping everything to himself. Brady was the exception. Blue kept him in the dark because he hid everything from everyone, but Brady knew most of his secrets already. Nothing he confessed ever seemed to shock him, though that conversation came close.

“What kind of things?” Brady’s tone was quiet, gentle.

“Things that make me wish I wasn’t afraid to touch you.”

Brady added a sad smile to the frown. “I wish you weren’t either, but it might be better that way.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t think you’re ready for this.”

Disappointment flung itself against his ribs in an aching fit. The anger that flashed through him an instant later burned it to ash.

“How do you know what I’m ready for?” he demanded.

“We wouldn’t have much of a relationship when Mary is the only one who can touch you without sending you into orbit.”

“Like you’ve tried.”

“You’re the one who said you’re afraid to touch me. Don’t pretend I’m jumping to conclusions,” Brady said.

“So I’m afraid. So what? That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it anyway.”
“Fine. Then kiss me.”
Award winning author DP Denman writes character-driven contemporary romance about gay men. Her stories are real and intense, but resolve in endings that make people want to read the book all over again. She lives among the moss and trees of the Pacific Northwest with a rambunctious pair of fur babies.
In her spare time, she is a dedicated LGBTQIA rights activist with a special focus on the thousands of rejected and abandoned kids who end up on the street every year. To support the cause, 25% of the royalties from every book go to LGBT charities.

HOSTED BY:

In the Book Spotlight: Buchanan House by Charley Descoteaux

BuchananHouse_Final-1

Buchanan House by Charley Descoteaux
Release Date: August 19, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: LC Chase

Banner300x250

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press  |  Amazon

Blurb

Eric Allen, thirty-three-year-old line cook, moved in with his grandmother, Jewell, after a disastrous coming-out when he was in middle school. She raised him, and he cared for her when she fell ill. When Jewell died she left everything to Eric—angering his parents and older brother. The inheritance isn’t much, but Eric and his bestie Nathan pool their money and buy an abandoned hotel on an isolated stretch of the Central Oregon Coast. The hotel isn’t far from Lincoln City—a town with its own Pride Festival and named for a president—so they christen it Buchanan House after James Buchanan, the “confirmed bachelor” president with the close male friend.

Eric and Nathan need a handyman to help them turn Buchanan House into the gay resort of their dreams. Eric finds Tim Tate in the local listings and over the months leading to opening weekend Tim reveals himself as a skilled carpenter with many hidden talents. Eric falls hard for Tim, but before he can see a future with the gorgeous handyman he has to get over twenty years of being bullied and shamed by his birth family. It would be much easier if Eric’s brother Zach weren’t trying to grab part of the inheritance or ruin opening weekend.

Pages or Words: 45,000 words

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

Excerpt


Timothy Tate knocked on the front doors at eight o’clock sharp. Eric had barely been up long enough to start coffee, and Nathan had yet to emerge. They’d slept in one of the rooms on the first floor. The official reason was to avoid having to clean two rooms, but the unofficial reason was to talk into the night like they had back in middle school. Slumber parties for thirtysomethings. Somehow that didn’t make Eric feel any better about meeting this Tim person.

But opening the door sure did.

Tim Tate was as tall as Nathan, so six one, and he had curly black hair and eyes so dark you could get lost in them.

“Morning.” He wasn’t much for smiling, though.

“Good morning. Please come in. I’m Eric.”

Tim nodded and seemed to be looking at something behind Eric’s right shoulder. As soon as Eric remembered to step aside, Tim came in. “You bought this place?”

“Yes. Isn’t it lovely? The inspector said the bones are solid, and someone did amazing work on the rooms. Right now, we need help with the kitchen and some reno on the public areas.”

“Should tear it down and start fresh.”

“I beg your pardon. That’s a horrible thing to say. You don’t discard something just because it’s not perfect. With a little love—maybe this isn’t going to work out.”

Tim shrugged and looked around the room. His face seemed to soften into… nostalgia? It held a wistful quality, of that much Eric was certain.

“Have you been in this room before?”

Tim had turned away a little, so the left side of his face pointed toward Eric.

Is that his best side?

He didn’t answer, so Eric repeated the question, a little louder.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. When I was a kid. Sometimes the local clubs would use it for summer camps. It’s been empty for over ten years.”

“Why? I mean, did something happen here?”

“No. The owners died, and their kids didn’t want to live out here. Can’t blame ’em. Entertainment isn’t easy to come by.”

Nathan chose that moment to enter, in his pink robe with the ostrich-feather trim. He spoke quickly, almost dancing through the room and toward the aroma of coffee. “Good morning. You don’t mind I borrowed your robe? And this must be Tim. Lovely to meet you, sweetheart. Coffee, then business.” He flounced into the kitchen.

Eric and Tim watched him go. The silence in his wake stretched out a little too long for Eric, mortified by the thought Tim might believe the robe belonged to him.

BannerTemplate

About the Author

Charley Descoteaux has always heard voices. She was relieved to learn they were fictional characters, and started writing when they insisted daydreaming just wasn’t good enough. In exchange, they’ve agreed to let her sleep once in a while. Charley grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during a drought, and found her true home in the soggy Pacific Northwest. She has survived earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods, but couldn’t make it through one day without stories.

Where to find the author:


Tour Dates & Stops: August 19, 2015

Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Bayou Book Junkie, Bike Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, Elin Gregory, Christy Loves 2 Read, Prism Book Alliance, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, Amanda C. Stone, Dawn’s Reading Nook, MM Good Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Velvet Panic, Tara Lain, Full Moon Dreaming, The Blogger Girls, Michael Mandrake, It’s Raining Men

Final

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Dreamspinner gift card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the Book Spotlight: Herc’s Mercs: Once A Hero by Ari McKay (excerpt and giveaway)

onceahero1400

Herc’s Mercs: Once A Hero by Ari McKay
Release Date: August 26, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Banner300x250

Sales Links:   Torquere Books

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Ezra Levin retired from Hercules Security to pursue his dream of being a private chef. But when the life of his gorgeous employer, Judge Mason Whittaker, is threatened, Ezra quickly realizes that once you’re a Merc, you’re always a Merc.

Pages or Words: 44,325 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Thriller

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Mason shook his head. “I wasn’t paranoid enough,” he said. “You were. You knew it could get bad. I didn’t believe it — didn’t want to believe it. It almost killed me.”

“I did not want to believe it either. I hoped I was wrong, but my instincts were telling me something bad was going to happen. Now that it has–” Ezra’s voice broke, and he brought Mason’s hand to his cheek, clinging tightly. “I cannot be objective. When I saw you there, saw all that blood…” He shook his head, and Mason thought he saw the glimmer of tears in Ezra’s eyes before Ezra looked away. “I cannot be merely an employee. I tried. If you want me to recuse myself, I will.”

“What?” Mason was confused, but he could see Ezra’s pain, and he reached over with his free hand, touching Ezra’s cheek. “Are you saying you want to leave Jamie and me?”

“No!” Ezra stared at Mason, wide-eyed. “No, I don’t want to leave. But if you want me to remain only your employee, I cannot do that any longer. I tried to maintain my professional distance, especially after I overstepped so badly, but I cannot do it after this.”

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who collaborate on original m/m fiction. They began writing together in 2004 and finished their first original full-length novel in 2011. Recently, they’ve begun collaborating on designing and creating costumes to wear and compete in at Sci Fi conventions, and they share a love of yarn and cake.

Arionrhod is an avid costumer, knitter, and all-around craft fiend, as well as a professional systems engineer. Mother of two human children and two dachshunds who think they are human, she is a voracious reader with wildly eclectic tastes, devouring romance novels, military science fiction, horror stories and Shakespeare with equal glee. She is currently preparing for the zombie apocalypse.

McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.

Where to find the authors:

Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriMckay1
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/arimckay
Website: http://www.arimckay.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6153630.Ari_McKay
Amazon Author Page

RC

Tour Dates & Stops: August 18, 2015
Amanda C. Stone, Bayou Book Junkie, BFD Book Blog, Bike Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Charley Descoteaux, Divine Magazine, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Inked Rainbow Reads, MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, My Fiction Nook, Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, The Jena Wade, V’s Reads, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Velvet Panic, Wake Up Your Wild Side

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Herc’s Mercs: The Bigger They Come’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final

Get Swept Into the Past with Amelia Bishop’s Uncharted Hearts (excerpt and giveaway)

kindle_cover

Uncharted Hearts by Amelia Bishop
Release Date: August 14, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Amelia Bishop
Cover Artist: Amelia Bishop with photo by Dan Skinner

Sales Links: Amazon

960x350

My Interview with Amelia Bishop and a Surprise Recipe!

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Amelia Bishop, author of Uncharted Hearts. Welcome, Amelia and thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hi! Thanks for having me here.

My current book is an m/m/m romance, set in 1795. It’s a story about making your own family, even if that family is outside of the norm. I hope that even though it is set in the past, this story will appeal to readers who don’t often choose historical romances.

Open up your recipe box! Give us something that would thrill us.

Oh man I just stumbled across this recipe a few months ago, and it became an instant favorite in my family: S’mores bars.

I’ll confess, I don’t really like s’mores all that much. Which is funny, considering I am a Girl Scout leader and an avid camper. But I’m not a big marshmallow fan, and s’mores are just so messy and hard to eat. Also I feel like the cookie-to-filling ratio is all off in traditional s’mores.smores bar_interview4

But then I found this recipe, and I love it!

It’s a little more work than actual s’mores, because you have to make the dough and assemble them, but the end product is so superior it is worth it.

Now, I will agree, there is something magical about roasting marshmallows over a fire, and assembling s’more sandwiches in the flickering firelight. And even the strings of melted marshmallow goop sticking in your hair and on your chin might be part of the appeal, for s’more purists.

But personally, I’m just all about getting as much of that chocolate-cookie-marshmallow combination into my mouth in the most efficient way possible. And this recipe, my friends, is the way.

(There are a lot of recipes out there for s’mores bars. This one is unique, though, in that it completely encases the chocolate and marshmallow, just like a regular s’more.)

I highly suggest visiting this site:  http://lovintheoven.com/day-11-smores-cookie-bars/ and making these s’mores bars this summer! They taste pretty good around a campfire, too.

Thanks so much for having me here today!

About Uncharted Hearts

Clayton Taylor is smart and skilled, and born into privilege. His expertise with navigation lands him a job on The Irish Lady, a ship which promises a world of new experiences. Half in love with Peter, The Lady’s roguish captain, Clayton signs on for adventure and a chance to test his skill against the sea. Once aboard he meets Jorge, a pillar of quiet strength.

Clayton’s life among the sailors and thieves is happy, wild, and free. He learns to sail, to fit in with the crew, and to cheat at cards. There isn’t a course he can’t chart, or a job he can’t design.

But Clayton can’t navigate love, nor can he plan for the whims of his heart. Bold and direct and often stubborn, Clayton’s uncharted heart will plot its own course, bound for a union with two men who need him as much as he does them.

Together Clayton, Peter, and Jorge will discover the heart has no need of map and compass.

Pages or Words: 240 pages
Categories: Fiction, Historical, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Romance

Excerpt

The Irish Lady’s gangway was up, and I had a flash of panic. Was I too late? I caught a glimpse of Peter on deck, and called out to him. “Sir! Peter Simpson!”
He turned and strode back to the rail, a light in his eyes and a smile on his face. My trunk seemed suddenly much easier to haul.
A large black man lowered the gangway, and looked me over as I struggled up it, raising an eyebrow at my large case. He wore his hair in long twisted locks, and his shirt, open at the chest, revealed heavy glistening muscles. I swallowed hard. Was this a ship full of temptation? Would I spend my entire time here aroused and useless?
“You came!” Peter rushed to me, not hiding his excitement.
I nodded, smiling.
“I’m so glad.” He brushed his fingers over my cheek in a move much too affectionate for public display. I glanced at the large man, but he’d turned away.
“Come, I’ll get you settled in and explain your position.” Peter hoisted one end of my trunk, and led us toward the hatch.
I felt as if I had to ask him, before I went below, exactly what kind of situation I was signing on to here. “Just what sort of a ship is this, precisely? I’m sure you aren’t an entirely reputable merchant?”
He dropped his side of the trunk, and I feared I’d erred. Perhaps that was too forward a thing to ask. But his crooked grin told me he was not offended. “Is that a problem?”
Good lord, he was sexy. His chin was shadowed with a fine dark stubble, and his hair was gathered at the top of his head in some sort of ridiculous knot, which only accentuated his chocolate brown eyes and thick brows. “No…” I smiled. “But you’ll have to teach me.”
His mouth opened on a gasp. Finally, I’d unbalanced him.
“Gladly,” he rasped, and picked up the trunk again.

About the Author

I am a reader and writer of romantic erotic fiction of all varieties. Sometimes, the little stories in my head just need to be shared (and sometimes they are just for me). I enjoy red wine, black rum, shell-hunting walks along the seashore, and solo late-night drunken dance parties.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amelia.bishop.507
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ameliabishopauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anotheramelia
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ameliabishop507/
Blog: http://www.ameliabishop.wordpress.com

Final for Amelia Bishop updated

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $15 Gift Card (Amazon or ARe).  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Dates & Stops:
14-Aug
Prism Book Alliance, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Inked Rainbow Reads

17-Aug
BFD Book Blog,

Amanda C. Stone

18-Aug
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Just Love Romance

19-Aug
MM Good Book Reviews, Love Bytes

20-Aug
Bayou Book Junkie, EE Montgomery

2 Book Spotlight Special: Chris McHart’s Alex’s Surprise & Saving Alex (Unexpected #1 and #2) (excerpt and giveaway)

Alex's-Surprise---pdf-cover---jpeg2

Alex’s Surprise & Saving Alex (Unexpected #1 and #2) by Chris McHart
Release Date: Alex’s Surprise – June 26

Banner300x250

Goodreads Link:   Alex’s Surprise   |   Saving Alex 

Publisher: Alex’s Surprise – M/M Romance Group on Goodreads.
Saving Alex – Chris McHart
Cover Artist: Meg Bawden of Bawd Designs

Sales Links:  Amazon DE  |  Amazon  |  All Romance (ARe) 

 Alex’s Surprise is a free story! You can download it on Goodreads, Amazon and ARe

Saving Alex2aa

Book Blurbs

Alex’s Surprise: Alex wanted a night of hot passion with Gerome, but he gets more than he ever bargained for. His life will be changed forever in a world where he’ll be thrown in jail— or worse— for being pregnant.

Alex’s best friend, Sam, has been acting strange ever since he met Alex’s one-night stand, but now Alex needs help in order to hide, and Sam is his only hope.

Saving Alex: Not only is Alex pregnant, something punishable by jail time, but Gerome, the father of the baby, is a vampire prince. When strangers invade Alex’s home and kidnap him, he doesn’t know who is responsible, if he’ll ever see the man he loves again, or even get to see the child growing inside him.

Considering himself the father of his lover’s child, Sam has a hard time standing around and letting others plan Alex’s rescue. But when the Prince and his trackers find an important clue, the race to save his beloved is on. Now all he can do is cross his fingers that the scheme they’ve devised will work.

When Prince Gerome receives ransom demands, the instructions are clear: mate a complete stranger or he’ll never see Alex or the child he carries again. Will he be able to convince his newly intended to help, or will those seeking to dethrone his family win this evil game of blackmail?

Caution: Contains a kidnapping, unwanted matings, a scheming king, way too many people that follow their own plans and a highly pregnant Alex

Pages or Words: Alex’s Surprise – 27,000 words, Saving Alex – 33,000 words
Categories: Alternate universe, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, MPREG

Excerpt

Alex zapped, annoyed, through the channels. He lounged on the couch, bored out of his mind. Sam, his best friend and roommate, had taken up the recliner, reading something. Maybe Alex should do that as well? Watching TV wasn’t going to keep him entertained, since nothing caught his interest, no movie, no documentary, nothing. He zapped on, but stopped at a news report showing a pregnant man. He sat up a bit straighter. What was up with that?
The man’s stomach was swollen, showing he was at least five or six months along. His hands were cuffed in front of his baby bump and tears were streaming down his face. The camera showed a courtroom full of people, slowly sweeping over the interested men and women watching the process.
Alex turned up the volume. What had the man done? And why was he pregnant? He’d heard it was possible, but he’d never encountered someone who’d actually experienced that.
The reporter’s voice came up. “Robert B. was tried for violation of the racial laws. Today’s sentencing was long awaited. No one had heard of pregnant men for years, and there had been uncertainty about the actual jurisdiction in such cases. B., who is, according to doctors, six months along, was sentenced to five years in jail. His child will be put in an orphanage until he is released. The fathering sire has no legal claim over the child. He will be able to visit his child, but he can’t get guardianship over him or her. The child and the carrier will be outcasts of society after that.
“B. broke down after hearing the judge’s decision. Even though it’s forbidden, he clearly hoped the old laws would be overturned. Instead, the judge confirmed that male breeding between the races is still forbidden and punishable. With that, back to the studio.”
The picture changed, now showing a woman in a suit, smiling at the camera. “Thanks to our reporter in Berlin for a summary of today’s events in court. Now to the weather…”
Alex turned down the volume, muting the forecast. He turned to Sam, who had apparently put down his book to watch the news as well. “Did you hear that? How can they judge someone because he got pregnant?”
“I have no idea? Maybe because it’s wrong? Are these children dangerous? I’ve never met one, or heard of one, for that matter, but I guess there’s a reason it’s forbidden. The whole pregnant man thing is so strange, no wonder it’s against the laws. Who knows what’ll come out of such breedings.”
Alex frowned. A new life was precious, not wrong. He couldn’t imagine a child being dangerous, even if it was mixed. Children born from interracial relationships were allowed, as long as one of the parents was female and the other male. Why this didn’t apply to children born from a same-sex relationship was beyond Alex. Even if it was unusual for a man to be pregnant, he shouldn’t be put in jail for something like that.
This was the first case in a long time, according to the reporter, but he’d not given a reason why the laws were upheld. “It’s still wrong to judge someone for getting pregnant.”
“I don’t know. Like I said, there must be a reason why it’s forbidden.” Sam picked up his book again, ending the conversation. Alex took a moment to study his friend’s features as he buried himself in yet another sci-fi book. He was quite handsome with his blond, unruly hair and his strong jaw. The gaze of the piercing blue eyes that never seemed to miss anything flew over the page, pulling Sam into yet another outlandish adventure.
Maybe Sam was right. There had to be a reason it was against the law. Alex was kind of sorry for the man who now faced five years in prison, but then, the man knew what he risked with getting pregnant in the first place.
Alex settled back and focused on the TV again. Sam was not in the mood to discuss the matter anymore, his mind clearly on the story he was reading. As if they’d need sci-fi to experience something unusual. Ever since paranormals had come out of hiding back in the 1980s, going to certain clubs could be more adventurous than anything an author could come up with.
Maybe he should go out today? Blowing off some steam wouldn’t hurt. He’d not gotten laid in quite a while, and a night in one of the mixed clubs sounded too good to resist. It was better than staring at a rerun of a movie.
Alex switched off the TV and stood. “I’m going out, do you want to come with me?”
“What do you have in mind?” Sam looked up from his book. “Dancing? I thought of going to the Downtown.”
“Na, go without me. I’m not in the mood for that crowd.”
“You sure? It’s been months since you’ve been out.” Alex wasn’t surprised, Sam wasn’t one to go out much, and he despised big crowds. The Downtown is a huge mixed club, catering to all kinds of paranormals and humans. Not that paranormals were forbidden anywhere, but they, as well as humans, preferred to stick with their own kind. One of the exceptions was a club like the one Alex was going to visit. A night of dancing, and maybe getting laid, sounded better with every second.

About the Author

We asked Chris McHart “What inspires you or drives you crazy?”

Chris McHart’s Answer?

“Inspiring me is the love to my husband, and every time I see a picture about love. It can be so little as a holding hands, but it might inspire me to write a story about it. I love playing the ‘what if’ game, and the things my brain comes up with.”

Chris McHart is from Germany and, while an accountant, writing is Chris’s real passion.
Chris likes to spend time with family and has way too many animals that demand constant attention. Chris also enjoys landscaping and cooking.
Whenever Chris has a free minute, it’s spent writing on a laptop, a cup of coffee in hand, deeply lost in the worlds Chris’s muses have created.
When coming up for some air, you’ll find Chris on a lot of social networks. Check out Chris’s website to see where you can find out more. Chris looks forward to hearing from you!

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008256641886
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-McHart/326380184192029?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chris_mchart
Blog: http://www.chrismchart.com

BannerTemplate


Tour Dates & Stops: July 6, 2015
Parker Williams, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Bayou Book Junkie, Velvet Panic, Bike Book Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Hat Party, MM Good Book Reviews, Jessie G. Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Amanda C. Stone, Rainbow Gold Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 3 print copies of Alex’s Surprise/Saving Alex.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Prizes and link provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway