Of Rescues and Throwaways of All Types and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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This Week WRC (Local Channel NBC 4) is having a Clear The Shelters drive, working with shelters in many of the District, northern Virginia, and metropolitan Maryland shelters to move animals out of their facilities and into homes, whether it be permanent or foster.  This animal adoption event is nation wide, happening August 15 (yes, I know, that was yesterday, the starting date).  Its a tremendous idea so needed when we have an overpopulation of unwanted animals in high kill shelters nationwide or punted aside to starve on our streets.

 

I linked the Clear the Shelter drive above.  Update:  16,000 animals  reported from all participating stations adopted as of 11:30pm EDT last night! Woot!

So now a segue.  Throwaways and Rescues, Human and Animal In Books and Movies.

Books and movies have always had the power to move us into motion or emotion.  They mark our hearts, imprint themselves upon our minds and souls, so much so that images, sentences, and even names can emerge from our memories  with enough emotional impact to make us weep, laugh or just quietly smile. Paraphrasing here,  W. C. Fields said not to share the stage with animal or child because they would steal the scenes, so true.  Stage or book, I found that that when those stories center around animals and children that its effect upon us can be magnified 100 fold.  Add to that a romance between gay men who thought having families, (i.e, kids and pets) would never be in their future? And the combination becomes irresistible.

Whether it is Bambi, the Mad Hatter, Ol’ Yeller, Thomasina,  or that horse of Amy Lane’s, their power to overwhelm us with love, laughter, or anguish never diminishes.  My own hearthounds and other pets, along with those that found their homes and families yesterday through the Clear The Shelters drive, kept me thinking about  those many wonderful furred and feathered characters in the stories that have kept all of us entertained and magically connected.

So share with us all, what books, or movies for that matter, do you love to read and reread that have children or pets in them?  Rescues or adoptions?  What books do you rec?

Ones that jump right to mind are:

More recs from Stella:

Which books/movies are on your list?  Do you wait for Lassie to tell you Timmy’s in the well?  Or was that pup that was brought home a shifter?  We want to know that too? One such story is one I’m reviewing this week by John Inman, a Belladonna Arms novel,  Coming Back.  Another?  Eden Winter’s Redemption.

 

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This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, August 16:

  • Of Rescues and Throwaways of All Types and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, August 17:

  • Chris McHart ‘Alex’s Surprise/Saving Alex’ Keep Me In Mind tour and giveaway
  • A BJ Review: Speechless by Kim Fielding
  • A BJ Review:  The Gig (Speechless #2) by Kim Fieldling
  • Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review – Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan ~ Audiobook
  • A Stella Review:  Vintage Pride by Elizabeth Coldwell

Tuesday, August 18:

  • Coffee Sip and Book Spotlight: Amelia Bishop ‘Uncharted Hearts’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Ari McKay ‘Herc’s Mercs: Once A Hero’ book blast and contest
  • NR Walker’s Vampires are Back with Cronin’s Key III (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Mika Review: Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts by Charlie Cochet
  • A MelanieM Review: Potato Surprise by Angel Martinez
  • A Stella Review: ACE by Jack Byrne

Wednesday, August 19:

  • Charley Descoteaux: Buchanan House Release Day Book Blast (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Paul B Review: Pint Sized Protector by Charlie Richards
  • A Stella Audiobook Review: Heart of the Race by Mary Calmes, Greg Tremblay (Narrator) (Audiobook)
  • A MelanieM Review: Coming Back by John Inman
  • A Sammy Review:  The World In His Eyes by A. J. Thomas

Thursday, August 20:

  • Cover Reveal: Blue by DP Denman (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Riptide’s When To Hold Them by G. B. Gordon Tour and Contest
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Retro Review:  When To Hold Them by G. B. Gordon
  • A MelanieM Review: You Are The Reason by Renae Kaye
  • A Paul B Review: Alpha Coder by Kathryn Sparrow

Friday, August 21:

  • A BJ Review: The Downs by Km Fielding
  • A Paul B Review: The Homecoming by J Scott Chatsworth
  • A Mika Review: Outcast Cowboys by Sarah Masters
  • A MelanieM Review: The Terms of Release by BA Tortuga

YA Saturday, August 22:

  •  An Aurora YA Surprise: “Wet Hot American Summer” Review

 

 

Book Spotlight: Justice for Me by TS McKinney and BJ Grinder (excerpt and giveaway)

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Justice for Me by TS McKinney and BJ Grinder
Release Date: August 13, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Cover Artist: Eden Connors

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Sales Link:  Dark Hollows Press

STRW Author BookSynopsis

All Malachi wanted was to forget about the shit-show they’d all just endured with Victor and Nicholas and spend the rest of his life with the love of his life…Megan. That’s what he thought he wanted. What he found out was that giving up his desire to be a Dom isn’t as easy as he thought it would be and Megan isn’t about to pretend like she is sexually submissive. Not gonna happen! They love each other tremendously but just need another…addition to their party of two. Malachi needs an obedient, quiet, and trained male submissive to fulfill the Dom inside of him. Megan needs a submissive that has enough experience in the BDSM world that is still new to her.
That isn’t what either of them gets.

Justice Conners. He’s the opposite of everything they wanted…but is he just what they both needed?

Pages or Words: 110,700 words
Categories: BDSM, Bisexual, Erotica, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“Take your sweats off.”
Malachi’s demand came in the sexiest sounding voice he’d ever heard. It was deep and husky, firm and unyielding. Prickling sensations started at his scalp and worked its way down the rest of his body, leaving him humming with the same feeling he’d gotten the minute Malachi had slapped those cuffs around his wrists last night.
“Wh…what? He stuttered like a stupid school kid. Instead of sexy like Malachi, his voice sounded several octaves higher than normal.
“Take. Your. Sweats. Off.” Malachi’s eyes swept the boy from top to bottom, loving the way his exhausted muscles were quivering and coated with sweat. A man’s body was always more beautiful after pumping iron; muscles standing out and begging to be seen.
Violet eyes challenged pale blue eyes. Shyness struggled with desire. Heterosexual battled against…what the fuck am I doing?
Sweat pants came off and were tossed aside. “Okay. Sweat pants gone. What now, Malachi?”
Malachi’s breath came out in a huff. The kid’s body was…
Damn, he wanted to dominate, punish, and fuck this kid so badly. More than that, he wanted Justice to want it.
“I’m going to look at you. Stay still; arms out to your side and legs spread.”
The kid moved into position without the slightest hesitation.
Malachi walked around him, admiring every detail in the work of art formally known as annoying Justice. The boy’s eyes glittered as he watched Malachi watching him. No; nothing submissive at all in that gaze…until Malachi demanded it of him. The defiance was…fetching. He’d never found it attractive in a sub before, but it fit Justice well.
His fingers grazed his shoulders, tracing the length of firmly muscled arms until he reached a wrist. He’d noticed the boy had a tattoo around each wrist, like a bracelet of some kind. Looking closely now, he saw it was decorative letters. FOCUS; on the right wrist. LET GO; on the left wrist. He also noticed the kid tensed up like a man at his first prostrate examination the minute his fingertips touched the first wrist.
“What do these words mean?”
“Nothing of importance,” Justice answered in a clipped voice that didn’t fit the boy at all.
“It must be important for you to permanently mark yourself with it. Private, maybe?”
Justice tried to offer a nonchalant shrug. He thought he’d succeeded, but he hadn’t. Malachi just decided to let it ride for now.
“I got them when I was seventeen. Everything’s fucked up when you’re seventeen so who knows what the hell I was thinking? It was probably the answers to some pop quiz I thought I was going to have to take.”
Malachi seriously doubted it. At seventeen, a parent had to sign off on a tattoo. “Let’s say we’ll revisit that one at a later date, okay?” He kept walking around the kid, admiring, commenting, touching with soft touches that he suspected was lighting the boy on fire. “You asked me this morning about last night; about it being…weird, I believe is the word you used to describe it.” He paused when he stood directly in front of Justice. “Why would you call it weird?”
Justice’s eyes darted to the left and then the right, a carefree smirk on his face. “Eh, maybe because I got turned on by a grown man spanking my ass,” he suggested. “Or maybe it was because I let a man threaten to fuck my ass…while giving me a hand job and I had the best fucking orgasm I can ever remember having?” He shrugged. “The last time I checked, I was totally into the babes. Dudes were off limits.”
A soft chuckle tickled Justice’s ears, making him turn what he suspected was a very feminine shade of fucking pink. The chuckle wasn’t Malachi laughing; it was Malachi laughing at him. Perfect.
“Not into dudes, huh?” Malachi asked. “You could have fooled me.”
“Yea, I get that,” Justice said between gritted teeth. “No need to keep waving that flag in my face, asshole. The fuck knows it has to be your looks because it damn well can’t be your personality that had me going all ‘ass-up’.”
The kid was refreshingly honest. Rarely surprised by people, Malachi couldn’t help but be shocked by how the boy kept surprising him; one time right after another. “Does it bother you? That you might ‘be into dudes’?” He had to ask.
Another shrug. “No…I don’t know. I have a lot of gay friends. I guess I just didn’t know I might be one of them.”
“I’ve seen you chasing skirts, Justice. I’m pretty certain you aren’t gay; maybe not even bisexual. It could be that your body just enjoyed the discipline…the domination, and you responded sexually.”
No, Justice was fairly certain that wasn’t it. Sure, there was no questioning the domination scene had gotten his body, mind, heart, and soul on fire, but it was more than that. It was Malachi. Every fucking thing about Malachi, how totally opposite he was from himself, had caused him to be on edge, hypersensitive to everything the man did from the first moment he noticed his posture and the strong glint in his eyes up until he’d tossed him over his shoulder and tied him up.
It would be easy to take what he would consider the coward’s way out and blame it solely on a physical response from getting what he’d been wanting for oh so long, but he wasn’t a coward. He could be accused of a lot of things, most of them not good, but a coward he was not. He faced outward demons without hesitation. It was the inner demons that always did him in.
If he was gay; he was gay. If he was bisexual; he was bisexual. Those issues didn’t worry him that much or at least probably not as much as they should. What did worry him was how he was going to convince the cold-as-ice man to keep playing with him, like he’d mentioned last night. This lifestyle…this playtime with Malachi was safe for him; his body got to submit and his head didn’t have to get involved. This wasn’t a relationship where he would have to try to maneuver around and read how people felt, what they wanted, if they really cared…
If he understood the little bit of research he had done on the BDSM lifestyle, Malachi was a dominant that wanted him to submit to him; nothing more, nothing less.
He struggled to come up with the right thing to say to the man that would push him into the direction he wanted to go. “It’s no doubt my body responded to what you did physically but I definitely didn’t get turned off by your touching me…sexually.” He cocked a brow at the bigger, much more confident man. “Are you afraid I’ll cry rape or sexual abuse to my daddy? Maybe after you tie me up, spank my ass, and do what-the-fuck-else ever to me, I’ll get the heebie jeebies and instead of admitting I liked it, file myself an FBI complaint?” He chuckled. “Don’t worry old man. It won’t happen. I accept the consequences for my actions.”
Malachi had remained silent as he watched the boy closely; watched all the strange emotions flicker across his face as he contemplated what might lay ahead between the two of them. It was fairly obvious the BDSM lifestyle was something he had considered prior to getting his ass hog-tied and whipped and his cock manhandled. All the signals that he had missed originally were out in the open now. The boy was virtually screaming to be initiated; to take a sample and see if he liked it.
There were other emotions dancing around in those wide blue eyes; things Malachi didn’t understand or couldn’t read. It was somewhat troubling but not enough to make him want to rethink what he and Megan had discussed. Justice seemed solid and self-assured. He had the feeling the kid tackled everything he did, from talking to learning to submit, with every ounce of energy bridled up in that lean body of his.
He would be fun. He would be exciting. He would be frisky. And, if Malachi wasn’t mistaken, he would be an excellent submissive. His body had responded marvelously last night. The sassy mouth on the kid seemed to vanish whenever an order was given to him. Justice, God bless him, looked like he’d be able to handle about anything Malachi threw his way…and follow it up with a ‘thank you, sir’.
“In your mind, Justice, what do you think is going to happen between us? I look at your face, into your pretty blue eyes, and you have all sorts of ideas dancing around in there. Tell me some of them. What do you see happening?” He needed to hear the boy say it with his own lips. For the first time in his life, Malachi wasn’t certain he trusted his own judgment regarding a potential submissive. Unsure of whether it was the fact that he’d met and fallen in love with his un-submissive Megan or maybe he was terrified that he just missed the lifestyle so damned badly that he was creating something that wasn’t really there, Malachi had to hear it straight from those perpetually swollen lips belonging to the boy.
Justice felt his teeth tugging at his bottom lip as he pondered Malachi’s question. Shit; could he even say it out loud? What if the man laughed at him? What if this was some big ‘pay-back’ for sneaking off? What if it wasn’t? “Well, I only know about the shit I’ve read on the internet, so I’m afraid you might not like my answer. I don’t want to say something wrong. I don’t want to say something that might make you decide not to want me…that way.”
Strange choice of words, Malachi thought as his eyes stayed focused on how the kid kept worrying that damned bottom lip. Because he knew it wasn’t purposely used to entice him, it made it one of the sexiest damn things Malachi had ever seen in his life. It was no wonder why the kid’s lips were always red and swollen like he’d just been thoroughly kissed or fucked in the mouth.
“Ah, the internet; the breeding ground for fools,” he said with a smirk but continued, “but it does manage to offer some educational benefit on occasion. Tell me, pup, what have you seen that made you think you might be interested in giving the whole BDSM lifestyle more than a passing glance?”
Justice felt his face burn red but his determination didn’t waiver. Focus on what you want. His fingers itched to touch the tattoo, but he wouldn’t allow it. “I…I liked the pictures of people being tied up; all sorts of ropes and locks.” His voice dropped even lower, as did his eyes, when he added, “In all sorts of positions.”
Not much in the world prettier than a pretty blushing for you, Malachi thought to himself. Justice had blushing down to an art. “So you think you would like being tied up? Is that why you got so calm in the vehicle on the way home last night? When I opened the back hatch, you looked very…peaceful. Was that because of the restraints?”
“I think so.”
A deep breath and another nibble of the bottom lip, followed by a swipe of a pink tongue across both lips, finished the boy’s thoughts.
“Excellent.” Malachi paused, wondering if he boy would have the courage to raise those pretty eyes and face him. No, it appeared he was still incredibly interested in the floor. “I like restraints. I like them very much, as a matter of fact.”
“Ummmm.” Well, fuck, that was an intelligent response.
“Do you want to try it, Justice? Do you want me to introduce you into my world; teach you some things? Let you try it and see if it is what you think it might be? See if your body will enjoy it as much as we both think it will?”
Blue eyes jumped up to meet his. Finally.
“Yes,” he answered softly. Then, more firmly, he said, “Yes, I do.”

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

TS McKinney lives in East Tennessee with her high school sweetheart/husband and all the countless dogs she picks up from deserted country roads. Her professional career has been in business but her heart has always belonged to the fantasy world found in books. Creating wicked worlds where one can meet the perfect hero – and then do anything to him that you want – has been a hobby that has brought her plenty of hours of fun and naughty entertainment.
When not working, reading, or writing, she loves to spend time with her family and forcing them (because they don’t really have another choice) to allow her to redecorate their houses…and listen to her naughty…sometimes sadistic stories.

BJ Grinder lives in Smalltown, Tennessee where the residents know everything and everyone (not always a good thing). She enjoys writing, zombies, and garage sales. She has an unhealthy relationship with her Kindle, which demands most of her time – at least what her 4 children don’t take up!

Where to find the author:
TS McKinney
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006245056875
https://twitter.com/TSMcKinney1

BJ Grinder
Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/bjeangrinder


STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Kindle Fire HD7.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Final

Tour Dates & Stops: August 13 – 19, 2015

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14-Aug

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19-Aug

 

Coffee Sip and Kink Spotlight: Don’t Throw Me Away (Bend Over #2) by Brina Brady

Don't Throw Me Away E-Book Cover

Don’t Throw Me Away (Bend Over #2) by Brina Brady
Release Date: August 14, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Brina Brady
Cover Artist: Cover Art by Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design
http://www.bookcoverbydesign.co.uk

Sales Links: US Amazon | UK Amazon | DE Amazon | FR Amazon | ES Amazon | IT Amazon |NL Amazon
JP Amazon |BR Amazon |CA Amazon |MX Amazon |AU Amazon | IN Amazon |All Romance (ARe) 

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Blurb

Shane O’Rourke screws up. He has the best intentions, but doesn’t always think things through. He means well, really he does. Shane gives up his old habits of stealing, lying, and using drugs, but he isn’t the perfect sub. He has some slip-ups here and there. He loves his Dom, and desires to please him in every way. Shane is determined to be honest, but when he finds himself in a big mess, he would do anything to not disappoint his Dom. He fears losing Julien’s love and care. One mess leads Shane into another. And this one threatens more than just his contract.

Julien Callier needs to find a way to get Shane under control. When Julien thinks his sub has cheated on him, he doubts his ability to meet Shane’s needs. Shane would be devastated if he lost his collar and Julien’s love. Shane’s sole purpose is to convince his Dom he is worthy to wear his collar. Can their D/s relationship and their love weather Shane’s mess ups and Julien’s loss of trust in his sub?

This is a Gay adult consensual story focused on themes of corporal discipline punishment and explicit sex.

Pages or Words: 78,000 words
Categories: BDSM, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

“How did you hook Master Julien?” Nick asked.
“I didn’t hook him. He took me off the streets and then he trained me to be a sub.”
“You don’t look like any of the subs that Master Julien has played with before. He always goes for shaved heads, and he always wants his subs half-naked. You’re supposed to be naked and shaved for a collaring.” This guy wore a leather G-string and black boots.
“That’s between Master Julien and me. It’s none of your damn business.”
“How come he didn’t mark you with a whip on the St. Andrew’s Cross? Master Julien is the whip master.”
“I don’t need to answer your fucking questions.” Shane wasn’t about to discuss with Nick that he never wanted to be whipped. He wasn’t into that much pain.
“No you don’t, but I challenge you to ask Master Julien to whip you publicly on the St. Andrew’s Cross to show your obedience. I mean, what kind of collaring did you have anyway, without being marked with a whip by the whip master?”
“He marked me with a cane.”
“You’re a wannabe. You can’t meet the whip master’s needs. He’s going to get tired of you and that mop of yours.” He yanked on Shane’s hair.

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About the Author

I am from Huntington Beach, Ca. I taught various subjects at a Continuation High School in Los Angeles, California for 27 years. I obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in history, Secondary Social Science Credential and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Reading and Secondary Education from California State University, Long Beach. I also enrolled in some creative writing classes at UCLA. I am currently taking classes from Romance Writers of America.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brina.brady.3
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrinaBrady
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/brinabrady/
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/PrincessBrina
My Blog http://brinabrady.wordpress.com

Tour Dates & Stops: August 14, 2015

Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Jessie G. Books, Nephylim, My Fiction Nook, 3 Chicks After Dark, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Mikky’s World of Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Ogitchida Book Blog, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Jena Wade

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Don’t Throw Me Away’ by Brina Brady.  Must be 18 years of ate or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
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Amelia C. Gormley’s Strain Universe is Back with Juggernaut-Book 2 (contest)

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Juggernaut by  Amelia C. Gormley
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: L. C. Chase

Sales Link:  Riptide Publishing

 

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to welcome Amelia C. Gormley  here today to talk about Juggernaut, the latest release in her Strain universe.  Welcome, Amelia!

Hi, and welcome to the Juggernaut blog tour!

Almost before I was done writing Strain, my mind began trying to fill in the blanks of the world we saw in Strain, trying to piece together what had led up to that point. I decided I wanted to write a story chronicling the apocalyptic pandemic, both the events leading up to it and the immediate aftermath. The result, of course, was Juggernaut.

On the Juggernaut blog tour, I’ll be sharing my thoughts about the world of Juggernaut/Strain/Bane, including several cut scenes from Juggernaut which I felt contained important world-building details that in the end just didn’t fit the flow of the story. I’ll also be sharing a couple sneak previews of the third book in the Strain universe, Bane (coming September 21 from Riptide Publishing) as well as giving away three e-copies of Bane before it hits the shelves!

                                                                            Giveaway

To enter to win, leave a comment on this post including a way to contact you (email, Twitter, or Facebook.) Each stop along the blog tour that you visit offers you another chance to enter.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Riptide Publishing.

Be sure to check the Riptide blog tour schedule for a complete list of other stops. The contest will close Saturday, August 15th, 2015 and the winner will be contacted no later than Monday, August 17th. Any entries made without a way to contact the winner will be invalidated, so please don’t forget to provide your email, or your Twitter or Facebook address. Contest is NOT limited to US entries.
Good luck, and enjoy the tour!
*****

About Juggernaut

They helped destroy the world. Now they have to survive the new one.Juggernaut_600x900

For rentboy Nico Fernández, it’s a simple job: seduce a presidential advisor to help cement approval to launch Project Juggernaut. He’s done similar work for General Logan McClosky before, and manipulating people for his favorite client beats the hell out of being trafficked for slave wages in some corporate brothel.

Zach Houtman feels called to work with the most vulnerable outcasts of society. But his father, the Reverend Maurice Houtman, insists that Zach work for him instead as he runs for Senate. Zach reluctantly agrees, but is horrified to see his father leave behind Christ’s mandate of love and mercy to preach malicious zealotry and violence instead. Zach even starts to suspect his father is working with fundamentalist terrorists.

When Project Juggernaut accidentally unleashes a deadly plague that claims billions of lives, Nico and Zach are thrown together, each bearing a burden of guilt. With only each other for safety and solace, they must make their way through a new world, one where the handful of people left alive are willing to do anything—and kill anyone—to survive.

*****
About the Author

Amelia C. Gormley may seem like anyone else. But the truth is she sings in the shower, dances doing laundry, and writes blisteringly hot m/m erotic romance while her son is at school. When she’s not writing in her Pacific Northwest home, Amelia single-handedly juggles her husband, her son, their home, and the obstacles of life by turning into an everyday superhero. And that, she supposes, is just like anyone else.

Blog: “http://ameliacgormley.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ACGormley”
Tumblr:  “http://ameliacgormley.tumblr.com/”
Facebook:  “http://www.facebook.com/ameliacgormley”
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6445292.Amelia_C_Gormley

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About the Strain Universe

In the early 22nd century, the US military created Project Juggernaut. It was meant to solve a hopeless tactical imbalance in overseas wars by providing the US military with supersoldiers while crippling enemy resistance.

Instead, it introduced a deadly pandemic that all but obliterated humanity.

The remaining Juggernaut troops work tirelessly to find and protect the surviving uninfected population—even though they themselves are exiled and despised by those they help. But their efforts are hampered by the vestiges of a dysfunctional government, old prejudices that refuse to die, and those few who would do anything—and sacrifice anyone—to become superhuman too.

Strain and Juggernaut can be read independently, in any order. Bane is best enjoyed after reading both Strain and Juggernaut.

For those who wish to read in publication order, that is: Strain, Juggernaut, Bane.

 

– See more here.Strain_500x750Juggernaut_600x900Bane_500x750Strain_Series200x300

A Little Bit of Coffee and Kink with Building Bonds (Kiss of Leather 1) by Morticia Knight

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Building Bonds (Kiss of Leather 1) by Morticia Knight
Release Date: August 26, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Cover Artist: Posh Gosh

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Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | iTunes | Kobo | Google Books

 

Blurb

Kyle’s a natural sub who builds dungeon furniture, yet has no interest in BDSM. It takes a hunky Dom to show him just what he’s been missing.

After Kyle’s partner of five years leaves him for another man on the night of their housewarming party, the shy early thirties carpenter needs to do a serious reassessment of his life in addition to raising some serious cash. With no one else to help him pay the lease on his Los Angeles condo, he worries how he’ll survive. His best friend sets up a meeting with one of the Doms and partners at Kiss of Leather, a gay BDSM Club being built as a premiere destination for those who want the best of the best.

Master Gavin not only wants the best – he demands it. When he meets Kyle, he assumes that part of the builder’s reticence to share anything personal with him must be due to his experiences with an abusive former Master. Not one to back down from a challenge, Gavin determines to break through the walls surrounding the beautiful man he can’t get out of his mind. He’s certain that once he convinces Kyle to sign an initial contract, Kyle might be the first sub to open up his heart.

Misunderstandings and accusations almost destroy everything between them before it has a chance to begin. However, the true obstacle becomes not only whether Kyle will embrace BDSM as a lifestyle, but whether he can handle a fulltime D/s relationship with a big bad scary Dom who’s as sexy as hell.

Pages or Words: 173 pages

Categories: BDSM, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

“I don’t have to be naked, right? You’re sure I won’t have to be naked?” Kyle sucked in a gulp of air. “Of course, if everyone else is and I’m not…Oh God, they’ll all be staring at me. Maybe I should be naked.”
Gavin stepped from the shower and the sight of his stunning frame with his semi-erect cock swaying, rivulets of water trailing down his beautiful skin over his rock hard abs – it made him want to…
“Kyle. Did you hear what I said?”
“Huh?”
Gavin chuckled then advanced on him. He grabbed Kyle by his nape then pulled him in for a deep kiss. He broke their connection, except he kept his hand circled around Kyle’s neck, holding him there, safe.
“No one expects you to be naked, least of all me. You have a wonderful body that I hope you’ll someday allow others to see, but tonight isn’t about pushing your boundaries.”
“Are you kidding me? They’re not being pushed, they’re being trampled.”
“Kyle. Now would be a good time to remember that you need to address me properly at all times.”
“Oh. Sorry. Are you kidding me, Master?”
Gavin narrowed his eyes at him. “We’ll revisit the tone of your voice later. I don’t want to be late.”
Kyle’s eyes widened. He was such a mass of jangled nerves about going to the dungeon owned and run by Gavin’s friend, he hadn’t noticed how his words might’ve come across.
“I am sorry. I’m just a little freaked out, that’s all.”
Gavin placed another light kiss on his lips. “All right. I’ll let it go this time. I’ll also acknowledge that I might be on the verge of trampling your boundaries. But I think you can handle it and I believe you’ll do very, very well. Focus on your desire to make me proud and let everything else fall away.” Gavin stroked Kyle’s cheek with the back of his hand. “Your safewords always apply, no matter where we are, boy.”
Kyle took in another deep breath. “Okay. Thank you. That helped. I just don’t want to, I mean, of course I want to make you proud, but won’t people be expecting you to have someone more, uh, not only experienced, but either super pretty and twinky or hot and-“
“Stop it. Don’t say another word or there will be a punishment and it’ll involve the cock cage with the penis plug I showed you.”
Oh shit.
“Please. Not that.”
“Then remember how stunning I think you are and how angry it makes me that you would denigrate my beautiful boy.” Gavin pulled him close, nuzzling him behind his ear, placing soft kisses on his skin. “I want only you.”

About the Author

Author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little heart’s desire. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011. Once upon a time she was the lead singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern Oregon coast and when she’s not fantasizing about hot men she takes walks along the ocean and annoys the local Karaoke bar patrons.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormorticiaknight?fref=nf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorticiaKnight

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Tour Dates & Stops: August 11 – 17, 2015
11-Aug Decadent Delights, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, LeAnn’s Book Reviews
12-Aug BFD Book Blog, V’s Reads, My Fiction Nook, Divine Magazine
13-Aug Amanda C. Stone, Jessie G. Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Mikky’s World of Books, Charley Descoteaux
14-Aug Molly Lolly, Velvet Panic, Parker Williams, TTC Books and More, Love Bytes
17-Aug Prism Book Alliance, Happily Ever Chapter, Rainbow Gold Reviews, 3 Chicks After Dark, Wake Up Your Wild Side, The Jena Wade

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Giveaway

 

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: A signed paperback of Building Bonds, flogger keychain and a $25 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A Little Afternoon Talking Trash With the Don of Doms and the Submission (Submit for Redemption, #1) by Robert Cage & Kathryn Sparrow

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TITLE: Submission (Submit for Redemption # 1) by
PUBLISHER: Storm Moon Press
RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2015
GENRE: BDSM Romance

BOOK LINKS:  Storm Moon Press  | Goodreads |  Amazon | Barnes and Noble  |  All Romance (ARe) 

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Talking Trash with the Don of the Doms!  A Special Guest Post!

Hi everybody! I’m Robert Cage, one of the co-authors (along with Kathryn Sparrow) of Submission: Submit for Redemption, Book One. Thanks for hosting us today.

In the excerpt above, masochistic Army Ranger Everett Palmer meets His Grace, Finny Bainbridge for the first time. Finny has just rescued Ev from a violent assault by one of the more sex-crazed and disturbed patrons of Cuffed Links, an illegally operated underground BDSM club in Kabul Afghanistan. Hopefully you get a sense that there’s a lot of electricity passing between these two MCs. It only gets more intense as Finny draws Everett further into his illicit world.

Finny is a somewhat mysterious figure for most of Book One. He’s hiding a lot, mostly from Everett. Wanting only to capture Everett and coerce a confession from him, Finny finds himself falling deeply, inexplicably in love with the younger captain, which both thrills him and knocks him off balance.

We were lucky enough to get a transcription of a telephone interview conducted by Good Reads UK reviewer extraordinaire, Jessie Cox. Her mission, which she generously and gamely accepted, was to interview His Grace from his eponymously-dubbed Greek isle, Phineas, on the morning of his departure, with Everett. Here’s the interview in its entirety, Brit to Brit.

Jessie: Good afternoon, Your Grace. Thanks for dropping by.

Finny: Thank you, Jessie. How do you do? And call me Finny, my friends all do. I don’t often find myself on the other end of an interrogation, as you know [laughs]. Please—go easy on me.

Jessie: I’ll try, but I warn you I have Habib’s number in my pocket as well as a set of thumbscrews in case you’re stubborn.

Finny: Ouch! You’re ruthless—but a woman after my own heart.

Jessie: Quite right. So, what was your relationship with your parents like?

Finny: Right into the fray, eh? You don’t pull punches. [Pauses] To quote the Coen Brother’s delightful film Raising Arizona, it wasn’t Ozzie and Harriet. I lost my mother when I was young, and even when she was alive I believe I saw her once a day for perhaps an hour, after tea. It’s made it hard to even picture her face in my mind or hear her voice at this point. Father was a complete nightmare. When he was around, there was always something wrong it seemed, usually involving me. We never really connected. I was much closer to Habib, my father’s valet and now mine. Father used to have Habib discipline me when I was younger but it wasn’t very effective—we would both usually end up in giggles or tears, sometimes both. Habib never needed to strike me in order to get my nose back in joint. One stern look from him and the wind would exit my sails faster than you could say Jack Robinson.

Jessie: What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Finny: If I can’t name Finding the Love of my Life, in Everett, I’d say… well, that’s a tough one. To be frank, I’m not proud of anything I’ve done. Quite the opposite. I guess it would be a toss-up between starting to weed out contract interrogation jobs that are just wrong. Funny how that’s happened. I used to be such a terrifying son-of-a-bitch. Now, anytime I’m faced with a potential subject all I can see is Everett’s face. Pain is something I’m finding it harder and harder to take pleasure in, unless it’s with Everett, and in a consensual context. It almost feels a violation of our contract to share that with anyone else. Frankly, it has me a bit worried, but maybe it’s a cue that I’m in the wrong line of work altogether. Wouldn’t father find that funny? I’m proud of finally dumping Hector Ventana. What a disaster that was—he only brought out the worst in me, entirely the opposite of Everett in every way. Hector, if you’re reading this, it serves you right. Why are you still obsessing over me? As the yanks say, get a life!

Jessie: What is your most prized possession?

Finny: That’s another thing. Prior to Ev, I wouldn’t know where to start with the list—I have many beautiful things. But now they don’t seem so precious in light of having someone I can truly give my heart to. Though of course I don’t own Ev, not by a long shot. I don’t think anyone owns Everett. And—that bothers me a bit. Old habits die hard, you know. But in answer to your question, I think it would have to be a pair of antique watch fobs that date back a few hundred years, one of which I recently gifted to Everett. Though oddly enough, mine seems to have gone missing as of late.

Jessie: What was losing your virginity like?

Finny: Liberating. Terrifying—amazing. It was after a fencing match at Eton. I’d had my eye on this young man for some months and it was one of those things where each time I’d glance at him, I’d find he was doing the same. And not just glancing, our eyes were exploring each other. Granted, I think this happened quite a bit at fencing events—it certainly didn’t hurt that our uniforms were tight and clingy and we were always bathed in perspiration. This particular match was actually played on my family estate, so I had a very good lay of the land, as they say. Still, I was feeling more and more trepidatious as to what I would say to him—how could I express my feelings and not drive him away, yet also let him know how amazing I thought he was? And how would I get away with making a move on my home turf with forty or so staff roaming in and out of all those rooms. Turns out I didn’t have to say anything. He was waiting in the back of the hall for me just as I thought I’d lost him forever. We made love in a large dusty old closet—banging up against a stock of masks and foils—appropriate, isn’t it? [Laughs]. I spent god knows how many years getting up the nerve to come out of the closet and I find myself breaking cherry inside of one. That should have been a lesson, a harbinger of what was to come. Still, it was magic. My whole view of the world just opened up and a lot—not all—of my constant anger just seemed to leave me. Similar to how I’m feeling now, actually.

Jessie: Let talk more about Ev, since you’ve gone in that direction. What’s the biggest obstacle that you find in connecting with him? I assume you have your disagreements, as all couples do.

Finny: Oh yes. Right now, I’d say it’s trying to get him to see the forest for the trees, as they say. Ev comes from a simpler, more black-and-white world. He has had the responsibility of having many men under his direction in the Rangers but the effects of his decisions were always localized within his squad. The decisions I make can have ramifications all over the world, whether I like it or not. And when your scope of influence expands that far, you eventually hurt people as well as help them. That’s not something he understands just yet. Just as he doesn’t yet understand that I truly know what’s best for him. Not everyone is happy with our union, but I can’t speak too freely about that. He’s going to have to trust me as the road ahead may be difficult for him. But he should understand that, if he’s to keep to our contract as a willing submissive to me.

Jessie: Would you ever marry Ev? If so, where would you take him on your Honeymoon?

Finny: I get very nervous even thinking about that possibility. Not because I don’t want it, but because I don’t feel I’m quite worthy of him. Not yet, anyhow. And as I mentioned before, we still have a lot of hurdles to traverse. But where to go? The island I would think, seeing that it holds so many fond memories for us.

Jessie: The island you’re on now?

Finny: It does have everything we need. There are times I don’t ever want to leave it. Would be wonderful sometimes to just… stop the clock.

Jessie: What do you think is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness?

Finny: When I find something I want, I get it, no matter the cost. My tenacity is well-known. My weakness is that I sometimes don’t consider the cost of those things until it becomes too late. And there is always a cost—something I’m having a hard time learning. Sometimes that cost is monetary, but most often it’s emotional and even spiritual on occasion. I think spiritual cost is what’s taken its toll most on me, as of late.

Jessie: What is something sexual you haven’t yet tried but would like to?

Finny: [Pauses for several minutes, apparently in deep thought] No one’s ever asked me that. Outside of a few blatantly illegal, outright deviant acts, I can’t think of a damn thing. When I owned Cuffed Links, prior to giving it to Hector, I’d push the envelope in a number of directions. I used to take such pride in that. Now it all seems meaningless, a waste of time. The act isn’t what does it for me anymore. It’s hard to believe I’m even saying something like this. [Very long pause] The way I see it now, unless you’re with someone who means something to you, you might as well be banging a hole in the wall, a well-lubricated one, but still…. Why waste your time?

Jessie: Wrapping up, when you look into your future what do you see?

Finny: Everett and only Everett. Without him, there is no future—for me, anyhow. He’s the one thing I can’t afford to lose. And I can’t help wondering if there’s not a cost hidden in there somewhere that I’ve yet to encounter…. But, I must take my leave of you. Everett has quite a big decision to make this morning and we’re due back in Kabul today. Wish me well and it was wonderful chatting.

Jessie: Same here. I wish nothing but the best, Finny. Thanks again.

Contact either Kathryn or myself on Twitter or by email. We live to hear from readers!

Robert: @robertcage2 on Twitter or Robert@robertcage.com.
Kathryn: @KSparrowAuthor on Twitter or Kathryn@kathrynsparrow.com

BLURB:

When Army Ranger Captain Everett Palmer enters gay BDSM club Cuffed Links, he is seeking brutal punishment for what he perceives to be an unforgivable failure: allowing an entire squad of men under his command to dieSFR_book1_500 while he worked to defuse a bomb at his base. Everett initially wants only pure pain, which professional interrogator and jaded British aristocrat Colonel Phineas Bainbridge is more than prepared to give. Their meeting, however, is not at all by chance.

Phineas has been contracted to coerce a false confession from Everett, implicating the captain in planting the bomb. Phineas has tortured many men in the past, but there is something different about Everett Palmer, a man whose sheer purity of soul causes the colonel to question his every selfish, devious act and legion of war crimes.

In Submit for Redemption: Book One – Submission, erotic romance and spiritual redemption come from the most unexpected places – from the seedy extremes of a smoke-laden, neon-drenched bondage den to the tropical, hedonistic pleasures of Phineas’ private Greek island.

On this unbidden psychosexual odyssey, Everett and Phineas find exactly what they don’t expect: a chance to redeem their troubled souls and fulfil their every romantic ideal. But the clock is ticking. The deeper Phineas falls in love with Everett, the harder it becomes to finish his assigned task. If he succeeds, the consequences may be far more explosive than he ever anticipated.

TAGS: Gay, BDSM, Contemporary, LGBT, M/M, Military, Romance
HEAT LEVEL (1 being no sexual content, 5 being erotica): 4
PAIRING: Male/Male
LENGTH: 99,300 Words

EXCERPT

(NSFW – You confirm that you are 18 years of age or older by clicking on the link to continue reading).

AUTHORS BIO:

Kathryn Sparrow has had stories spinning around in her head her whole life and finally decided it was time to write them down. After working twenty years in the Software Industry, she has left the engineering world to be a chauffeur mom (because she doesn’t really get to stay-at-home). She lives with her fantastic, geek husband and her two adorable, sometimes infuriating daughters, who are too smart for their Mommy’s own good. If she had spare time she would spend it knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, and doing any other handicrafts that catch her fancy.

Email | Website |  Twitter | Goodreads | Storm Moon Press Author Page
Robert Cage has been writing BDSM novels and short stories for close to twenty years, publishing on the Web through various e-book publishers. From 1997 to 2010 he authored four novels and one collection of short fiction under another pseudonym. He has always striven to make his fiction “more story and character-focused than much of what he sees published in the BDSM world.”

Robert has just released his first novel, which he coauthored with writing partner Kathryn Sparrow in the male romance genre. Available now in both Kindle and print formats from Storm Moon Press, it is titled Submit for Redemption/Book One: Submission and is the first book in a multibook series planned by Robert and Kathryn. Robert is currently busy at work on Just Desserts, a novel that is a prequel to Submit for Redemption/Book One: Submission. He and Kathryn also plan to release Submit for Redemption/Book Two: Domination soon, also from Storm Moon Press.

In addition to writing fiction, Robert collects books, music, and films avidly, and also contributes to a number of online film sites as a movie reviewer.
Email | Twitter } Website

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Charlie Cochet “Thirds” series is back With “Against The Grain”! (author interview, excerpt, & giveaway)

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One of our favorite authors is here today to talk about her latest story, Against The Grain and its inspiration! Welcome, Charlie Cochet!

My Interview with Charlie Cochet

Q . What was the inspiration behind the story?

For Against the Grain, I knew early on in the series that Ash and Cael would be getting their own book. There was just too much going on under the surface between them to not fully delve into their growing romantic relationship. From book one it’s pretty obvious to everyone (except Ash) that there’s more between him and Cael than friendship.

Q. How would you characterize your book?  Alternate universe, dystopian society, sci-fi, or all of them?

That’s a tough one since it has so many different elements. I would say the THIRDS series falls under any of these: Alternative Universe, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Sci-fi with romance.

Q. Do you like to read the genres you write in?

I love to read the genres I write in. I read pretty much all genres of M/M Romance, though admittedly not many zombie or horror romances. There’s always exceptions, but yeah, I read all kinds of genres.   

Q. What sci-fi warrior / soldier comes to mind first when thinking about movies or novels you love?

Captain America is the first one who comes to mind. Who doesn’t love a sexy super-soldier with a heart of gold? I love his character, from the very beginning when we meet a lanky yet brave Steve Rogers who wants nothing more than to serve his country, who’s fighting for all the right reasons without fear, until after he’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America. I’m a big movie geek, and a fan of comic book movies. They’re filled with so many fantastic characters, backstories, humor and angst. Plus their worlds are just so much fun to lose yourself in.

I loved watching Sci-fi / Fantasy movies growing up. So many amazing movies at the time: Tron, Blade Runner, Star Wars, Back to the Future, Alien, Total Recall, Terminator to name a few. Then there was the fantasy like The Princess Bride, Legend, Labyrinth, Wizard of Oz, and The NeverEnding Story. They all stuck with me and I still love re-visiting all those amazing stories.

Q. What was the first book you remember that had a huge impact on you as a person and a writer, and it doesn’t have to be the same story.

I’ve read so many books over the years, I couldn’t pick just one. My library card was my most precious possession, and the day the book mobile was scheduled to come to school was the most exciting day of the week for me. As a teen, I devoured romance novels. I loved them. So it wasn’t surprising when I wrote my first romance novel in high school. I still have it. Originally it was written across several diaries then in the age of word processing and computers, I typed it all up. It underwent many, many revisions but it still sits on my hard drive, a reminder of where it all started.

Q. Characters or plot?  Which came first?

Characters. My characters always come before the plot. When I get an idea for a story and I start developing the world and what the story’s going to be about, my characters always pop up before anything else. They’re what drive the plot and the story for me. I love creating characters.

Q. What’s next for Charlie Cochet?

Quite a bit! My schedule is pretty full on right now, so there’s plenty heading this way. On Aug 19th, I have Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts being released, which is a sweet romance novella that centers on a gruff Miami SWAT officer and his brownie-baking geeky neighbor determined to kill him with kindness and baked goods. On Aug 25th, Charmed and Dangerous: Ten Tales of Gay Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy is released. It’s a fantastic anthology with an amazing lineup of authors. My story The Soldati Prince features a smart-mouthed barista who discovers he bears the mark of a sexy yet dangerous tiger-shifter king from another realm. At the end of October we have Between the Devil and the Pacific Blue, a haunting story of a detective/security guard and the mysterious hotel guest he’s drawn to. In December we have the fifth book in the North Pole City Tales series, Loving Blitz which follows best friends Cupid and Blitzen on their adventures from friendship to romance.

For more information on my current works in progress or upcoming releases, you can find it all here: http://www.charliecochet.com/work-in-progress/

Thank you all so much for having me, and a big thank to everyone who’s stopped by!

AboutTheBook

Title: Against the Grain (Thirds # 5) by Charlie CochetAgainstTheGrainFSLG

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Length: Novel, 216 pages

Release Date: August 3rd, 2015

Blurb:

As the fiercest Defense Agent at the THIRDS, Destructive Delta’s Ash Keeler is foul-mouthed and foul-tempered. But his hard-lined approach always yields results, evident by his recent infiltration of the Coalition. Thanks to Ash’s skills and the help of his team, they finally put an end to the murdering extremist group for good, though not before Ash takes a bullet to save teammate Cael Maddock. As a result, Ash’s secrets start to surface, and he can no longer ignore what’s in his heart.

Cael Maddock is no stranger to heartache. As a Recon Agent for Destructive Delta, he has successfully maneuvered through the urban jungle that is New York City, picking up his own scars along the way. Yet nothing he’s ever faced has been more of a challenge than the heart of Ash Keeler, his supposedly straight teammate. Being in love isn’t the only danger he and Ash face as wounds reopen and new secrets emerge, forcing them to question old loyalties.

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At one point, Ash felt Cael’s leg pressed up against his, and it was ridiculous how happy the tiny gesture made him. If it was even a gesture. Ash swiftly put it off to being an accident, but then a little later, Cael reached over and wiped a thumb over the corner of Ash’s mouth, telling him he had a breadcrumb.

“You should have seen him,” Dex said with a laugh. “He looked so adorable with his cheetah fuzz shaped into spikes, from his head down to his back. Like a little spotted punk rocker.”

Maddock shook his head at Dex. “It took me two hours to wash all the hair spray off your brother’s fur.”

“We were pretending to be Guns N’ Roses,” Cael explained. “Dex was singing ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ and I was backup sing—er, chirping.”

Ash laughed and playfully bumped Cael’s shoulder. “I’m going to have to agree with Dex. That’s adorable.” Even in his Therian form, Ash thought Cael was the sweetest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. Cael could be in his Therian form among thousands of cheetahs, and Ash would be able to point him out. His little gestures, the heart shape of his nose, or the way he chirped away, as if anyone not in their Therian form might understand him if he tried hard enough.

Dex grabbed Sloane’s arm. “Tell me you recorded that. Doesn’t matter. I have witnesses.” Dex stood and motioned to all of them. “Witnesses! You all heard it. Ash said he agrees with me.”

“Oh, good Lord. We’re never going to hear the end of this,” Maddock sighed, getting up to clear the dishes.

“Do you realize how epic this moment is?” Dex said, helping clear up.

“It’s not really that epic,” Maddock replied.

Dex let out an exaggerated gasp. “Where have you been living? Ash Keeler has agreed with something I, Dexter J. Daley, has said.”

“About your brother being adorable. Not exactly earthshattering. He’s thought that since they met.”

The table fell into silence as they all gaped at Maddock. Well, this was news to Ash. What the hell? Seeming to notice the quiet, or more likely the lack of Dex talking, Maddock looked up.

“What are you, fish? Close your mouths.”

Four mouths promptly closed.

“It’s not rocket science. I’ve known that boy since he joined, and he’s threatened every agent he’s ever met with kicking their ass. Except for Cael.”

Hard to argue with that. It was the truth.

Dex frowned at Ash. “You threatened to kick Hobbs’s ass?”

Ash nodded. “Yep.” Was it his first week of being on the job? He was pretty sure it was the first week.

“Dude, that’s not cool. Hobbs is awesome.”

“He can also be a pain in the ass. Plus when we first met, I didn’t know he had selective mutism. I asked him a question, and he wouldn’t answer me. He’d whisper to Calvin, who’d answer for him. I got pissed off and told him if he didn’t tell me himself, I’d kick his ass.” Ash had never met a tiger Therian as big and insecure as Hobbs. The whole encounter had left him confused. Here was their new demolitions expert, and he couldn’t talk. How the fuck was he going to communicate with his team? Ash wasn’t proud to admit he’d had a shit fit. He understood the THIRDS was about equality and representation when it came to hiring, but he had been genuinely concerned about the safety of his team. Not long after, Ash had seen how wrong he’d been about Hobbs. Not that he’d admitted it.

Dex let out a sound of disgust. “Dude, not cool.”

“I said I didn’t know. I apologized afterward, and that’s saying something.”

Ash got up to help clear the dishes, with Dex going on about how he should really think about using some of those scented candles Rosa had gifted him. Ash proceeded to flip him off.

When Cael stood to help, Ash put a hand to his shoulder.

“Relax, I’ve got this.”

He gave Cael a wink and walked the dirty dishes to the kitchen with Dex yammering on behind him. The guy was like a fucking mosquito buzzing in your ear and trying to suck the life out of you. Ash placed the dishes in the dishwasher, giving grunts and one-word replies. He grabbed the dishes from Dex and put those in as well. He wished he could stick Dex in there. Finally someone up there decided to give him a break, and Dex left the kitchen, singing some stupid song about a lion sleeping tonight or something.

Ash frowned at Maddock. “Does he never shut up? How the hell did you live with this for so long?”

“It’s called patience,” Maddock replied. “Not exactly your forte.”

“Oh, I can be patient. That’s not what’s required when dealing with your oldest. I’d say sedative is more the word you were looking for.”

Maddock laughed. “Just get in there, Keeler.”

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AboutTheAuthor

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Charlie 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.

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Winner’s Prize: Against the Grain Swag Pack and $10 Amazon Gift Card.

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A M/M Anthology Spotlight: First Timers Anthology from Torquere Books

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First Timers Anthology from Torquere Press

Stories from Authors Rob Rosen, Gacy Grant, Evelyn Burkhardt,
Jacey Mills, Andrea Dalling, Helena Maeve, Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese,
Megan McFerren, Val Prozorova, McKay, Katherine Halle

Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay
Release Date: August 12, 2015

Sales Links:   Torquere Books

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About First Timers Anthology

First Timers brings you a collection of eleven stories about first experiences. From sweet and innocent to smoking hot, these stories capture the exhilarating feeling that something wonderful is about to happen.

Humor and passion blend in Rob Rosen’s “Come Hell or High Water,” Gacy Grant treats us to a heartwarming first in “The Pickup,” long-time friends become lovers in “The King’s Guard” by Evelyn Burkhardt and “One Sneeze, a Wish, Two Sneezes, a Kiss” by Jacey Mills, and revelations abound first time away from home in Andrea Dalling’s “What a Man Wants” and Helena Maeve’s “Initiation.” “Sample and Hold” by Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese, Megan McFerren’s “Just Like That,” and Val Prozorova’s “Guitar Lesson” explore the intensity of a first coming out, first time, first kiss, while love can be found where you least expect it in “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by McKay and “Finding Home” by Katherine Halle.

Whether contemporary or fantastical, past or present, a sweet kiss on a riverbank or reveling in the Bayou, these stories are all uplifting, fun, and did we mention hot?

Pages or Words: 74,000 words
Categories: Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

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Excerpt


“We’re here,” Duncan said, parking the car and stretching in the driver’s seat. He looked out the window. “Looks fairly unassuming. That’s always a good thing. They a have a menu posted outside as well.”

He got out of the car and met Brian on the sidewalk where they both looked at the menu. Duncan had barely made it past the appetizer section when the door opened and a middle-aged woman with a smile on her face stepped out.

“You must be Duncan and Brian. We’ve been expecting you. René and Lexa are already inside. Please come in, join them.” She gestured to them with her hand.

Brian and Duncan followed her through the front room toward the back of the restaurant, to an alcove with a table set for four. The shifter they had met last year stood as they approached the table and Duncan again took note of the man’s thick—although unusually short—arms.

“Afternoon, wo’ves,” he grinned, showing his teeth and extending his hand for a shake. “It’s good to be seein’ you again. Wasn’ sure you’d come.”

Duncan shook his hand, surprised at the strength of his grip.

“Neither were we,” Brian answered, reaching his own hand out tentatively.

“How’d tha’ bite heal?” René asked, gripping Brian’s hand without the same obvious squeeze he’d given Duncan. He placed his other hand gently over their joined hands and patted Brian.

Duncan watched as Brian’s face flushed before he answered.

“Um, just fine, thanks. Sorry we trespassed.”

“S’all righ’,” René said with a grin. “Sorry I bit you. I ten’ to git snappish with strangers in ma territory.”

“Understandable,” Brian said.

René finally let go of Brian’s hand. “Lemme introduce to you ma second, Lexa.”

The tall brunette who had remained seated now stood and smiled warmly at both of them. “You’ll have to forgive my brother. Sometimes he lets his animal side take precedence. I’m Lexa.” She extended her hand to both Duncan and Brian in turn. Duncan noted her strong grip, her almost fully black eyes, and the grin that appeared to be just as toothy as René’s.

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Tour Date: August 12, 2015:
Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Molly Lolly, BFD Book Blog, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Inked Rainbow Reads, Bayou Book Junkie, Redz World, Divine Magazine, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, Velvet Panic, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, The Jena Wade

Giveaway

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of the ‘First Timers’ anthology. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the publisher and Pride Promotions.

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Can A Seattle Baker Hold the Recipe for Love? Find Out with Definitely, Maybe, Yours by Lissa Reed

Definitely Maybe Yours cover

Definitely, Maybe, Yours by Lissa Reed
Release Date: August 11, 2015

★★★★★

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Interlude Press
Cover Artist:
Cover photography by LaToya Conward

Cover design by Buckeyegrrl Designs

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Sales Links: Interlude Press | Smashwords |Amazon
Our books are also available for order from the Apple iBookstore, Book Depository and Indiebound.

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Blurb:

Seattle-based baker Craig Oliver leads a life that is happily routine: baking cupcakes for an enormous family reunion, managing Sucre Coeur for its frequently absent owner, and closing out his day with a pint at the local pub. He has a kind heart, a knack for pastry, and a weakness for damaged people.

Habitual playboy Alex Scheff is looking to drown his sorrows, but instead discovers that he may have a weakness for Englishmen who carry cookies in their pockets. Can a seemingly incompatible pair find the recipe for love in a relationship they claim is casual?

Pages or Words: 296 pages
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt:

With a wink, Craig pulls a ten-dollar bill out of his left coat pocket and a carefully bagged almond and raspberry-lemon croissant, Katie’s all-time favorite baked good, out of the right. He passes them across the bar as if he’s James Bond—a very cheeky and cheery sort of 007. “You know I’ll always look out for you. Keep the change.”

Katie squeals and flops across the bar to squeeze him breathless, and her ponytail slaps him in the nose. She bounces off with her treat in hand and Craig shakes his head and pulls long black and red hairs from his face, as he does every time this happens. Katie really is his favorite bartender at The Order of the Garter, hell, his favorite bartender in Seattle and maybe even the world. Much too good to be working at a grotty little pub, fending off unsavory advances and spilled drinks four nights a week; that’s why Craig will bring her any bakery treat she wants, anytime she wants it, until she finally wises up and gets the hell out of this place.

Time for another sip of this excellent, excellent stout: Craig reaches forward. It’s a good Thursday.

Of course, that’s when it takes quite the sharp turn, leaving every Seattle-pub-Thursday Craig’s ever known in the dust.

“Well, aren’t you a hit with the ladies,” comes a surly drawl from his left, startling Craig just as he’s got his fingers around his glass. “Was that a croissant in your pocket, or were you actually happy to see her?”

“Both,” Craig replies, shifting around to lean on his elbow and survey the formerly silent pile of misery hunched over two stools down, the limp guy at the end of the bar Craig had spotted on his way in. He is not unconscious after all, much to Craig’s surprise; judging by the row of empty shot glasses upside down in front of him and the distinct aroma of tequila emanating a good four-foot radius from his person, he should be. Craig winces and turns away as the fumes burn his nose.

“Baked goods. That’s a new one. Never saw anyone use baking to hit on the ladies before.” Mr. Misery sways his head upright, pushes a wild flop of brown hair out of his eyes and swings around until he locates Craig. He blinks. “Does it work?”

Surprised by the color of the eyes meeting his—an unusual shade, gray, not blue-gray or blue, but the gray of a sky covered in early storm clouds—Craig answers without thinking. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t hit on girls. Katie’s my friend, not my type.”

RC

 

About the author:

Lissa Reed is a writer of fiction, blogs and bawdy Renaissance song parodies. She traces her first interest in becoming a writer to the fourth grade, when her teacher gave her the gift of her first composition book. A former newspaper editor, Reed shifted her focus to romance and literary fiction early in her writing career. She lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and is currently working on her new novel, Certainly, Possibly, You—the sequel to Definitely, Maybe, Yours.

Where to find the author:

Connect with Lissa Reed at

Website: http://www.lissareed.com; on
Tumblr at http://lissareedbooks.tumblr.com/; on
Twitter @LissaReedBooks; on
Goodreads at http://goodreads.com/LissaReedBooks and on
Facebook at http://facebook.com/LissaReedAuthor

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Grand Prize: $25 Interlude Press gift card. Second prize: One of five e-copies of ‘Definitely, Maybe, Yours. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
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Tour Stops:

11-Aug
Happily Ever Chapter
Jessie G. Books
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

(Check out Mika’s 5 Star Review here )
12-Aug
Prism Book Alliance
MM Good Book Reviews
Mikky’s World of Books
13-Aug
Nephylim
Bayou Book Junkie
14-Aug
Amanda C. Stone
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
Love Bytes
17-Aug
Divine Magazine
Hearts on Fire
18-Aug
Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy
19-Aug
Because Two Men Are Better Than One
20-Aug
Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
BFD Book Blog
21-Aug
Molly Lolly
Inked Rainbow Reads
24-Aug
My Fiction Nook
Dawn’s Reading Nook
Rainbow Gold Reviews

Into the Spotlight: Looking For Home ( More Than Friends #9) by Aria Grace (excerpt and contest)

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Looking For Home ( More Than Friends #9) by Aria Grace
Release Date: August 15, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Surrendered Press
Cover Artist: Kris Kendall

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Sales Links:   Amazon  |  Nook  |  Itunes

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Evan spends half the week on the road, literally, and the rest of his time sitting around in an empty house. Killing time and drowning his hopes of ever finding someone to share his life with. Someone to come home to.

When he meets Georgie at a New Year’s Eve, Evan’s entire perspective changes.

Pages or Words: Approximately 35,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, New Adult

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt


Bill, bill, coupon, coupon, bill, and a big black envelope addressed to me. An invite, maybe? I don’t see my name in calligraphy very often but it looks good.

Mr. Georgie Kelton

Most of the mail that comes to the penthouse is not for me so I rarely look through it. I mostly toss it in a pile for Spencer or Dylan to take care of when they’re in town. But for the past two weeks I’ve been checking every day for something important. Not just something. The one thing that could get me pointed in the right direction for a real career in fashion.

The Bijou Design Summit for Fashion in New York accepts six up-and-comers with no experience or schooling into their Page program for the week of the event. It’s not glamourous work but if I get accepted as a page, it’ll be worth a few years of practical experience right there. Fast-tracking my fashion aspirations from a ten year plan to a five year plan would be huge.

I’ve had dreams of starting my own fashion line since I was a kid but I couldn’t risk anyone catching me with a sketch pad full of wedding gowns so I put those dreams on hold.

Once I ran away and started dancing, I all but forgot about the goal. It wasn’t until Spencer and Dylan encouraged me to start sketching again that I even considered a career in fashion was possible.

But here I am, waiting for a letter from New York that will tell me if my dreams are more than fantasy. If I have what it takes to even stand in the same room as the people I’ve idolized since the day I thumbed through my mom’s Cosmopolitan magazine.

And as much as I want to say getting to New York is all about fashion, I know that’s a lie. It’s about more. I want more.

My friends are all beginning to couple up around me and it’s becoming harder to ignore the lack of a better half in my own life. I have fun with my tricks and I’m physically satisfied but watching them get dressed and go home to their wives or kids or wherever they go after they get their rocks off with me is starting to wear me down.

A five-year plan is perfect. Just enough time for me to put together a decent portfolio, make some contacts in the industry, and work my way out of whoring. It’s a good gig while you can get it but I can’t do this forever. And I won’t try. Wouldn’t want to even if I could.

Dropping all the junk mail on the counter, I take the invitation with me as I flop on the white leather couch. The Christmas tree is still standing in the corner but the unusually sunny day drowns out all the holiday cheer that filled the penthouse just twenty four hours ago.

With Dylan and Spencer back in California to spend time with Andre and his new boyfriend, Frankie, the penthouse is more lonely than ever.

Pulling open the corner of the black envelope with my teeth, I shake it sideways until the single notecard falls into my lap.

You’re Invited
Ring in the New Year with Chance and Vinnie
Black Tie Attire
10pm
 Private Mezzanine
at The Heathman Hotel

A party at The Heathman? Are Chance and Vinnie going all 50 Shades on us? I haven’t spent much time with those guys but what I do know about them is all good. It sounds like just the kind of party I love but I have other plans.

Theo promised to ditch his wife on New Year’s and spend the evening with me. The tyrant he’s married to keeps his holiday schedule locked up during the entire month of December but he’s already given her an excuse about having to entertain some colleagues from the United Arab Emirates.

If all goes well, that ball in New York won’t be the only one getting some action on Saturday night. Being a high-end rent boy guarantees I have sex nightly when I’m working, but Theo will cuddle.

Sometimes.

If he doesn’t have to rush out, he’ll hold me until I fall asleep. But it’s been too long since he hasn’t had to rush out so Saturday can’t come soon enough.

While I’m thinking of him, I can’t resist a quick text.

I’ve sent the proposal.

Because his wife is always monitoring his phone when she’s around, I have to start every text with an innocuous phrase that won’t raise any suspicions.

Thanks. In a meeting. Will review tonight.

Tonight? I wasn’t expecting him to come over tonight. I quickly thumb through my scheduling app to make sure I’m free. I have one client at 7:00 but will be free by 9:00 so I send him a coded reply.

I’ll be offline until 9. Will look for your comments then.

Confirmed.

Confirmed! He’s coming tonight.

I toss the invite onto the coffee table and jump out of my seat. If I’m going to see my sugar daddy tonight, I need to do some prep work. I haven’t waxed in a week and I could use a pedicure.

Theo also likes lace so I spend the next hour trying on lingerie until I find a pair of panties that displays my package the best. The red lace against my pale skin has the same classic thing that my girl Taylor rocks.

The best part is they’re assless. The straps that hold the front together fit snugly under my cheeks, giving me a bit more of a bubble butt than nature intended. Again, exactly how Theo likes me.

Personally, my style is more about beauty and comfort than purely being femme. But, Theo has a thing for princesses. His wife is a princess but more beast than beauty.

So I give him what he wants. He doesn’t pay me anymore, not in terms of my nightly rates. He gives me something far more valuable than the cash I get from every other trick. Theo gives me affection. It’s not a perfect relationship right now, but as soon as he leaves the ice queen, we can be together.

Of course, if the page job in NYC comes through, I may have to reevaluate everything, including my patience with Theo.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. She lives with her husband and two children on a quiet hill that gives her lots of time to read and write. Once she ventured into the exciting world of gay romance, she never looked back. She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at http://www.ariagracebooks.com.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: http://bit.ly/FollowAriaGrace
Amazon Author Page
Twitter: @ariagracebooks
Pinterest

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Tour Dates & Stops: August 11, 2015
Parker Williams, Happily Ever Chapter, Charley Descoteaux, Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews, V’s Reads, BFD Book Blog, TTC Books and More, Carly’s Book Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My. Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Christy Loves 2 Read, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Iyana Jenna, Velvet Panic, Inked Rainbow Reads, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

 

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Amazon Gift card and paperback of Looking for Home (or other Aria Grace book).  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
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