In the Book Spotlight: Love Complicated by Teegan Loy (interview and giveaway)

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 Love Complicated by  Teegan Loy

Release Date: May 11, 2015

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Goodreads Link 
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christy Caughie

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Life is all about making choices. Some are complicated. Some are simple. But for eighteen-year-old Jalen Marten, none are easy. Jalen has managed to stay invisible for his entire high school career. He has a small group of friends, and it’s enough for him. He doesn’t want or crave attention from his peers. All Jalen wants is to survive high school.

Austin Suter is the hot, talented tennis player who has the entire school bowing at his feet. Girls routinely throw themselves at him, and boys like Jalen stay the hell out of his way. Austin is destined for greatness on the world stage of professional tennis.

The kiss between them wasn’t supposed to happen. Falling in love definitely hadn’t been part of Jalen’s plan.
And when Austin turns pro, Jalen begins to realize that the choices he makes will affect Austin’s life. One wrong choice and Austin’s career could be over before it really begins. Jalen is not sure where he fits, or even if he fits at all in Austin’s life. But the more complicated things become, the less the idea of being apart appeals. Love should simplify things, not complicate them.

Pages or Words: 280 pages

Categories: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

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STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

The locker room reeked of socks that hadn’t seen the inside of a washing machine since the beginning of the semester. This place was the second worst part of my day in high school. The first was walking through the front door.

But gym class was its own private hell. I didn’t dislike sports; I just wasn’t any good at them. The kids loved to humiliate me on the court, in the water, on the field, or wherever the teacher had us. I’d been smashed in the face with a basketball, volleyball, soccer ball, and every other ball invented by humans.

Today my class was playing tennis, which was worse, because not only was there a ball, but also a racket. It increased my chances of getting hurt by tenfold. And I really wanted to survive my final year of high school and not die from embarrassment in gym class. I’d made it through the first sport of the year, soccer, by sticking to the sidelines and pretending to participate by running away from the ball.

This morning my mom came home from work as I was leaving for school, and I begged her to write me some sort of note to excuse me from tennis. She declined and told me to get more involved at school. What good was having a surgical nurse for a mother if she wouldn’t help her only kid out of a jam? And what did participating in gym class have to do with getting involved at school? I couldn’t get involved if I was in a coma or dead.

I started to argue with her, but the dark circles under her eyes and the heavy sigh that fell from her lips made me ease off. I kissed her on the cheek and told her to get some rest.

So now my only hope of not playing tennis was a freak rainstorm, and from the way the sun was shining, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. I had no choice but to change, hide among my classmates, and hope Mr. Tames, my sadistic gym teacher, didn’t pick me to play.

Most of the kids were excited to be outside and acted like monkeys just released from their cages. They jumped on one another and hollered all the way out to the courts.

I hoped my quiet demeanor would help me blend into the background. Unfortunately my stellar plan didn’t work. Mr. Tames handed me a tennis racket and paired me with a hockey player named Kasey. Our first opponents were another music nerd and a regular kid. I stayed out of Kasey’s way as he raced around the court, destroying them. We won the match, and Kasey high-fived me by smacking me on the forehead. I scowled at him, because if we had lost, I could have sat down and celebrated getting out of gym class unscathed.

Our next match was against a soccer player and Austin Suter, who had been pegged as the next Wimbledon champion. At least that’s what he told everyone.

He was a pretty boy with full lips and light brown wavy hair that brushed his shoulders. Girls routinely threw themselves at him, and boys like me stayed the hell out of his way. One smoldering look from him and I’d have to walk around school with a book in front of my crotch. Admiring him from afar was the best I could manage.

“Hey, Austin,” my partner shouted across the net. “I’m going to shove this ball down your throat.”

“You’re going to be eating yours,” Austin shot back. His partner gave him a fist bump. Kasey and Austin exchanged a few more verbal warnings. I fiddled with the strings on my racket, and pretended to listen to Kasey’s game plan. Austin’s partner dutifully held his racket while Austin pulled his hair into a ponytail.

“Gentlemen,” Mr. Tames warned. “Enough trash talk. Start the game.”

I groaned and resisted raising my hand to ask to be dismissed. They spun a racket to see who served first. Austin sneered and Kasey growled.

It was supposed to be a friendly game, but the testosterone roared, and the game quickly turned cutthroat. I managed to stay out of Kasey’s way and every ball hit in my direction. I even accidentally returned one. The shot startled Austin and he missed. Mr. Tames whooped and pumped his fist. I should have taken the moment to demand an A.

“Lucky shot, blondie,” Austin shouted at me.

Kasey flipped him off and got yelled at by Mr. Tames again. The students surrounding the court yelled for someone’s head on a platter. I was pretty sure it was me they wanted served up for lunch.

The intensity of the game increased with each returned ball and I started to fear for my life when one zinged by my ear.

“Take it easy, Austin,” Mr. Tames shouted when Austin tried to nail Kasey in the balls. “Jalen, you don’t move this well when you’re playing dodgeball. The point of this game is to actually make contact with the ball. At least attempt to use your racket.”

I rolled my eyes and readied for the next point. Austin served to Kasey, who somehow got his racket on the ball and it popped over the net. The ball seemed to hover in the air, giving me time to figure out I had a bull’s-eye painted on my forehead. Austin raised his racket and connected with the ball, which connected with my face. Who knew a tennis ball felt like a giant rock when smashed into your eye socket. My racket clattered to the ground, and I covered my face to make sure my eyeball didn’t actually fall out.

Austin must have hurdled the net, because he was suddenly kneeling next to me and breathing down my neck. I tried to crawl away from him and his stupid apologies, but he caught me and helped me to my feet. Tames barked orders to set me on the bench while he went for medical supplies. Austin put his arm around my waist and I limped to the bench. The other guys hooted and hollered at me until Austin shot a scowl at them and quieted the entire gym class.

“Is your ankle okay?” Austin asked.

“My ankle is fine,” I snarled and sat down. “Limping makes my eye feel better.”

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About the author: Teegan Loy began writing a long time ago. Notebooks filled with ideas were stacked around the house. One day, she sat down with renewed ambition and something fantastic happened; she completed a story. (unbelievable, but true) Now most of her time is spent writing, but she takes an occasional break to go to the movies, where she imagines her stories on the big screen. She also enjoy watching hockey (love, love hockey) filling her iPod with music, and driving her daughter around town (amended…around the country) to various activites.
Where to find the author:

Facebook.com/teegan.loy
Twitter.com/teeganloy
Teeganloy.wordpress.com

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: A book from Teegan’s backlist. 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 Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Dates & Stops:

11-May

Amanda C. Stone

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

12-May

BFD Book Blog

13-May

Inked Rainbow Reads

14-May

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Carly’s Book Reviews

15-May

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Mikky’s World of Books

Bayou Book Junkie

18-May

As The Pages Turn

Boys on the Brink Reviews

19-May

Rainbow Gold Reviews

The Novel Approach

Bike Book Reviews

20-May

Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Cate Ashwood

21-May

Divine Magazine

MM Good Book Reviews

22-May

Love Bytes

Prism Book Alliance

Chris McHart

Molly Lolly

Hearts on Fire

 

Celebrate with Author Heidi Belleau & Artist Vivian Ng on the REV New Cover Reveal and Collaboration! (giveaway)

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New Cover Celebration with Author Heidi Belleau and artist Vivian Ng!

Nothing makes a reader sit up and take notice then the cover art on their books, whether the books are in print or eBook format.  Covers pull us in and give the readers hints to the story and characters.  What better way to bring a story back to life than a new cover?  Here we celebrate new covers for the Rear Entrance Video stories, the author and artist and their collaboration!

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Re-Covering Rear Entrance Video – Vivian Ng’s Process

Hi, I’m Heidi Belleau! Over the coming days I’ll be touring the web showing off the gorgeous new covers for my queer NA rom-com series Rear Entrance Video, all about a diverse house of Vancouver roommates who wind up running a dilapidated porn store.

Today on the tour, Vivian Ng tells us about her process designing these gorgeous covers:

I got brought on to do these covers by Heidi and worked under the direction of L. C. Chase (who I’m gonna add are both really great to work with). Essentially I was told that I’d be doing a re-cover that would appeal more to a broader audience, which I interpreted as, play down the sauciness, and play up the portions of the book that speak to a general YA fiction crowd. I feel like it’s worth noting that I actually went and read all three books. I don’t think that’s usually something illustrators can afford time-wise, but I was given a generous amount of time and I knew I would be much more confident submitting whatever the product ended up being if I’d seen the work myself instead of relying entirely on summary docs and art direction (not that those things were lacking). Also I was genuinely curious about what was in the books!

So, just as a general theme all three books have something to do with the main character struggling with self-expression in their personal and professional lives. And what I picked up from reading them as a way to represent that on the covers was how Heidi centred on clothing as a significant part of how her characters constructed and expressed themselves. I also had this idea that flat colours, neatly arranged objects, and slightly messy hand-lettering already have some precedent in YA book covers. From that core idea I basically just had to play around with composition, text, and colour under L. C.’s direction.

Vivian brought us lots of different concept sketches, which we’ll be featuring later in the tour. Riptide’s art and marketing people worked with me to narrow down our favourite choices, then tweaked those designs until we had a very gorgeous, cohesive set of images that really spoke to the books.

Vivian’s focus on clothes and objects worked really great to represent:

Christian’s carefully structured image—occasionally knocked into disorder and chaos—for Apple Polisher,ApplePolisher_400x600

 

and Rob/Bobby’s experimentation with femininity and androgyny as he came into himself as bigender/genderfluid in Wallflower,

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and lastly, Austin’s attempt to fit kink (and queerness) into his life and identity as a hockey player in Straight Shooter.

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Be sure to check out the series at Riptide (and don’t forget your coupon code to get a great deal on Apple Polisher!), and also give the artist, Vivian Ng a visit: http://viivus.tumblr.com.

Rear Entrance Video (Universe)

Welcome to Rear Entrance Video, Davie Street Village’s very own backdoor triple X store! The peep show booths are sticky, the sex toys are out of stock, and nobody’s collected any late fees in months.

Enter the store’s new manager, uptight teacher-hopeful Christian Blake, and his four misfit college roommates from Noah Hadley’s house for wayward gay boys: reluctant landlord Noah, mysterious bad boy Max, vain jock Austin, and awkward gamer geek Rob. Together, they’ll try to run the store . . . without letting everything they’re hiding—from the world and each other—run it into the ground.

Stories in the Rear Entrance Video universe include:

  • Apple Polisher (Rear Entrance Video, #1) by Heidi Belleau
  • Wallflower (Rear Entrance Video, #2) by Heidi Belleau
  • Straight Shooter (Rear Entrance Video,#3) by Heidi Belleau

 

 

About Heidi Belleau and Vivian Ng

 

Author: Heidi Belleau

Heidi Belleau was born and raised in small town New Brunswick, Canada. She now lives in the rugged oil-patch frontier of Northern BC with her husband, an Irish ex-pat whose long work hours in the trades leave her plenty of quiet time to write.
She has a degree in history from Simon Fraser University with a concentration in British and Irish studies; much of her work centred on popular culture, oral folklore, and sexuality, but she was known to perplex her professors with unironic papers on the historical roots of modern romance novel tropes. (Ask her about Highlanders!)

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

Connect with Heidi:
Blog: www.heidibelleau.com
Twitter: @HeidiBelleau

Goodreads: goodreads.com/heidibelleau
Email: heidi.below.zero@gmail.com

Cover Artist: Vivian Ng

Vivian Ng is an illustrator and occasional comic artist living in Mississauga, Ontario, working mostly in watercolour, ink, and digital media. Vivi’s hobbies include watching children’s cartoons, reading fanfiction, and drawing entirely too much fanart.
http://viivus.tumblr.com
https://twitter.com/VViiNNG
http://cargocollective.com/viivus-draws/

Apple Polisher (REV #1)

Buy it here at Riptide Publishing.
This straight-A student has a dirty little secret.

ApplePolisher_400x600Christian Blake dreams of being a kindergarten teacher, but making the grade means maintaining a squeaky clean image: no drinking, no drugs, no swearing, no sex. And definitely no falling for his new roommate—tattooed bad-boy Max, who may or may not be a drug dealer.

Most of all, it means no working at a porn store. But Christian’s aunt has cancer, and her beloved Rear Entrance Video will go bankrupt if Christian doesn’t take over managerial duties. Soon enough, Christian finds himself juggling sticky twenty-five cent peep show booths, a blackmailing employee, and a demanding professor who likes to make an example of him.

And then there’s Max, who doesn’t know anything about the store, but hates Christian’s preppy sweater vests and the closet Christian forces him into when they’re together. Max just wants Christian to be himself—even though Max is keeping secrets of his own. Christian struggles to find the impossible balance between his real life and the ideal one he thinks a teacher needs to live . . . all while trying to keep his aunt’s dream alive without losing his own.

Wallflower (REV #2)

Buy/find out more about Wallflower here at Riptide Publishing.
This gamer geek has a pretty little secret.

Wallflower_400x600Art student and MMORPG addict Robert Ng has always been a loner, but he’s recently made it his goal to make more (IRL) friends. Which is how he winds up working nights at Rear Entrance Video, shilling sketchy porn and blowup dolls as a favor to his roommate. The longer he works there, though, the more he realizes he’ll never be truly happy until he becomes the person he is online: his female persona, Bobby.

Bobby is cuter and funnier than Rob is, and a thousand times more popular with boys. Becoming Bobby IRL presents its own set of challenges, though . . . especially when you’re sitting on the fence between two genders, only one of which has caught the attention of your seriously cute customer/classmate.

Dylan Ford is a six-foot Inuit comic book artist who always says what’s on his mind, and screw anyone who doesn’t like it. As rough as he appears, though, Dylan has a soft spot for Rob. But will out-and-proud Dylan still want Rob if he’s not all man?

Straight Shooter (REV #3)

Buy/find out more about Straight Shooter here at Riptide Publishing.

This macho jock has a crooked little secret.

StraightShooter_400x600College hockey player Austin Puett is in trouble. Unless he starts treating his flamboyantly gay roommate with respect, he’ll lose his room and his job at Rear Entrance Video. But Austin’s got a not-so-straight secret of his own: nothing turns him on more than insults implying he’s gay—even though he’s definitely not!—and all his old coping methods have stopped working.
Pure desperation drives him to rent a Mischievous Pictures porn flick about straight men tricked into servicing Puck, a male dominant. Instead of letting off steam, though, it just leaves him craving more, more, more, and suddenly, Austin finds himself at Mischievous Pictures Studios for an audition. After all, you can be Gay For Pay and still be straight . . . right?

But meeting Liam Williams, the real person behind Puck, confuses Austin even more. Liam really seems to like him as a person, and Austin likes him back. And while Gay For Pay’s okay, what does it make Austin if he still wants Liam when the cameras aren’t rolling?

 

Contest

Giveaway at Riptide Publishing….

Use coupon code REVRECOVER to receive $2.00 off the ebook price of Apple Polisher!

Get Your Science Fiction Fix with Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore on Peripheral People and Summer Reading (guest post and giveaway)

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Are you a lover of science fiction?  Need a new book to read and universe to dive into?  We have Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth here to talk about their latest story in the  Ylendrian Empire series, Peripheral People.  They also have a reading list of books for you, some of which I hadn’t read before and have put on my TBR pile!  Check it all out below and don’t forget to enter the contest for the giveaway as well.  Follow them at every stop on their tour!

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Hi, we’re Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth. The kind people here have invited us to stop by and tell you a little about our newest book, Peripheral People. A standalone novel in the Ylendrian Empire series, Peripheral People combines elements of romance, science fiction, paranormal, and crime drama in the intense, galaxy-spanning hunt for a psychic serial killer. Hot on the trail and hot for each other (in the sense that they’d both prefer to be set on fire than work together), the imperial agents who stumble into the case must evade terrifying mental traps, their own volatile relationship, and the discovery that someone in a higher pay grade may not be so keen on their quest for justice.

We’re thrilled to be with you today, and we’re looking forward to any questions or comments you might have.

Summer Reading List – Interstitial Investigations

Interstitial fiction is some of my favourite stuff- the books that fall between genres, neither one thing or another because they’re more than both. Below are some interstitial works I love, collected in handy list form so you can check them out before heading off for a summer holiday.

Point of Hopes by Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett


Point of Hopes cover 2The argument could be made that these are straight-up fantasy, but what puts them firmly in the interstitial category for me is the clever mystery that could nearly stand on its own. The fantasy setting, a world where astrology is a vital part of everyday life, is rife for all kinds of plots. The two main characters, Nicholas Rathe and Philip Eslingen, enact an uneasy alliance to find a growing number of missing children, and learn more about each other in the process. Pleasantly diverse in an understated way, the cast features many women in strong supporting roles, and an honest, unfussy queering of the culture. There are several other books in this series.

Hellcat’s Bounty by Renae Jones

Hellcat's Bounty coverSpace western. Lesbian space western romance, in fact. The western elements in this story are so lovingly crafted there were times I honestly forgot it was taking place on a space station. That said, the rich detail of Rosewood Station was glorious, and there were moments when I could lose myself in the tiny little self-contained world sitting on the edge-of-forever. The two combined are a tapestry of old-world values and new-world problems. Lush with saloons, tea houses, amoeba-hunting rakehell heroines, and backroom doctors who know the cure for a ruptured spacesuit and a broken heart, Rosewood is a claustrophobic frontier made no less wild by being stuck to the side of an asteroid.

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk

Widdershins coverThe first book in Hawk’s Whyborne & Griffin series, this is a fantastic blend of paranormal, historical romance, eldritch horror, and mystery. Dr. Percival Endicott Whyborne is a master of languages, and he can’t resist the lure of translating the text brought to him by private investigator Griffin Flaherty. That it just happens to lead them both into a murderous plot to resurrect a madman isn’t really Whyborne’s fault. Whyborne’s best friend, Dr. Christine Putnam, is a cantankerous, trigger-happy joy in every scene she’s in. There are currently six books in the series, with at least two more planned.

The Gumshoe, the Witch, and the Virtual Corpse by Keith Hartman

The Gumshoe the Witch and the Virtual Corpse cover 2Noir-style mystery wrapped in a near-future Atlanta where religion plays a huge role in day-to-day life, Wiccans have their own news media, and someone is digging up corpses and crucifying them. The gay private investigator is looking for his missing partner (a psychic witch), the Cherokee seer is merely asking the courts to uphold a 19th century land deal that ceded them most of northern Georgia, and poor Benji just wants to turn 15, preferably without getting grounded for life when his Baptist parents find out his girlfriend is a witch. There’s a deeper science fiction element to the plot that I can’t mention without spoiling things, but suffice it to say, this book is as interstitial as it gets. With ten different first-person POV characters, this book is like a bag of literary potato chips- there’s no way you’re going to read just one chapter.

Peripheral People by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth

Peripheral People coverMy own contribution to the world of interstitial fiction, Peripheral People is a science fiction romance paranormal mystery. It pits psychic cops and imperial agents against a violent killer who only leaves mental fingerprints- and a string of dead bodies littered across the ‘verse. Irascible Inspector Corwin Menivie has secrets to keep, he’s stuck with Westley Tavera, psychic Reader extraordinaire, and neither one of them is sure which is more dangerous- the traps left by the murderer they’re hunting, or the ones already waiting in their own minds.

Interstitial fiction is all about drawing from multiple genres and writing a story that lets all of those elements shine. I hope I’ve mentioned a few books here that send you looking for all the great stories that live between.

                    About the Authors….

Reesa Herberth was born in Nevada and spirited away to California before moving to Hawaii, where she grew up on the Big Island. She tried Arizona for a few years, then lit out for the D.C. area, where her nomadic itch is regularly curbed by the nightmares of urban traffic. She’s held a handful of the requisite crazy writer jobs, including book store overlord, office goddess for an artisan ice cream maker, and cheese-cup scrubber at an organic goat dairy.

Michelle Moore has a well-documented obsession with travel, television, frappuccinos and flamingos. These, however, come in a distant second to her love of writing. Most evenings she can be found huddled over her laptop at the local Starbucks, dividing her time between actually writing and pretending to be a barista.

Michelle and Reesa have been writing together for over fifteen years. They are currently working on more Ylendrian stories, and a petition to have cat hair recognized as a form of currency.

Twitter:

Michelle Moore – @marigotc

Reesa Herberth – @reesah
Facebook – Ylendrian Empire Fan Page
Websites:
Michelle and Reesa Write
Ylendrian Empire

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Giveaway

Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by Riptide Publishing. Enter to win a  Peripheral People Prize Pack: includes a book-themed soft cooler, a handful of recommended reads, and the winner’s choice of a title from Michelle and Reesa’s backlist.Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Peripheral People (Ylendrian Empire) by Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore

Peripheral People coverCorwin Menivie and Nika Santivan are decorated veterans of the Imperial Enforcement Coalition, and are perfectly capable of solving cases the old-fashioned way. When they’re paired with Westley Tavera and Gavin Hale, the most powerful Reader/Ground team to emerge from the Psionics Academy, it could either be the best thing that’s ever happened to crime fighting, or the makings of a quadruple homicide.

During a routine investigation, West’s talent puts them on the trail of a brutal serial killer who traps his prey in a deadly mental playground. Then the killer starts baiting the team, laying psychic landmines at crime scenes and exposing IEC secrets. The strain of the case binds the agents closer together—so close that Nika and Gavin start sharing a room, and even the curmudgeonly Corwin finds himself as occupied with West as he is with the murders.

But as West’s visions of death grow more violent, the only way out for all of them may be straight through the mind of a monster. If they’re not careful, they may forget which side of the hunt they’re on.

Buy it and read an excerpt at Riptide Publishing.

Book Details:

ebook, 430 pages
Published May 11th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492684
edition languageEnglish

The Ylendrian Empire universe is a series of loosely-connected space operas written by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth.

ylendrianempire-color-transparentbg-nocopyrightFast-paced heists, gritty paranormal mysteries, rescue missions in far-flung exotic jungles . . . the character-driven adventures and romances of the Ylendrian Empire are a chance to explore a new set of stars, with just enough spice to keep you wanting more.

Currently available:

The Balance of Silence
The Slipstream Con
In Discretion
Peripheral People

Find out more about the Ylendrian Empire at http://ylendrianempire.com

– See more at: Riptide Publishing’s Ylendrian Empire’s page.

In the Book Spotlight: The Playhouse (a Superpowered Love Story) by Katey Hawthorne (guest post and giveaway)

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The Playhouse (a Superpowered Love story) by Katey Hawthorne

STRW In The Spotlight Header
Published by Looseid LLC
Cover Artist P.L. Nunn

Here’s Katey Hawthorne on writing her first F/F story and her Superpowered Love series….

Hello, and thanks for letting me drop in, Melanie! I’m running around celebrating because the very first f/f book in my Superpowered Love series, The Playhouse, just came out yesterday. It’s about—well, yes, there are superpowers, but it all takes place in a summerstock theater. Sounds like a weird combo, but it works… hopefully.

There are some pretty serious undercurrents in the book too, though, and that’s what I want to talk about a little here. While Lily’s dream is to make her beloved Playhouse more viable, Genevieve, the starlet who has her full and undivided romantic attention all summer, brings new goals to the table. Goals like better representation for people of color and minorities on the small town stage. (See also, Genevieve’s character stat entry on my website, where she goes on about her Les Miserables fanfiction.) Lily is, of course, delighted at the prospect and throws her heart and soul into that, as well.

Now to get personal. The reason I write queer characters all the time is because I wanted more of that as a kid. I wanted to see myself reflected in characters who lived crazy lives, loved interesting people, and yeah, maybe even had some superpowers. I’m writing the books I wanted to read, books that have queer people finding their happiness. But there’s more work to be done. More women, more people of color, more gender non-conforming people, more responsible representation of all kinds is my goal.

 Giveaway: So tell me: what would you like to see more represented in fiction? What pieces of you and your friends do you think deserve more reflection and attention? Leave a comment with a suggestion or thought, your email address where you can be contacted  and be entered to win a copy of The Playhouse!

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Author is providing the book, thank you, Katey!

The Playhouse Blurb

Summer has been Lily McBride’s favorite time of year since she was a kid, because that’s when the Brookesville Playhouse opens its doors. Now that she’s an adult and works as their tech director, Lily wants more for her beloved Playhouse: a larger audience, a longer season, and exciting shows to draw new patrons.

This year, though, she also wants Genevieve Mason, a pretty starlet-in-the-making from the local university, recruited for the season’s tech crew. Genny throws her heart and soul into the place too, adding her own dreams of representation to the ‘must-have’ list, and using her sweet voice and surprising flare for pyrotechnics to draw the crowds in droves. They work so well together, it’s not long before their summer crush blossoms into a steamy affair.

Lily’s falling hard, but always feels like Genny’s holding something back. And then there’s the dreaded Brookesville Arts Council—supposed to be a support system for all things cultural, instead dragging the Playhouse down with their old-fashioned stubbornness. There are a lot of hurdles to jump and egos to deflate before they can get what they want, both for the theater and from each other.

Sales Links:   Loose id   (special sales price of $4.99)

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Author bio: Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of superpowered romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. (Or, possibly, because the only degree she holds is in the history of art.) Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Ohio. In her spare time she enjoys comic books, B-movies, loud music, Epiphones, and Bushmills.

Contact/follow Katey at:

Karen Stivali’s Moments in Time Series is Back with Moments of Clarity (excerpt and giveaway)

moment of clarity

 Moment of Clarity  (Moments in Time #3) by Karen Stivali
Release Date: May 6, 2015

Moments

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska

Sales Links: Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Dreamspinner Press

All Romance (ARe) – Google Play – Kobo

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(Should be read in order)
Individual e-books available or paperback collection of all three titles

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Blurb for MOMENT OF CLARITY:

Spending the summer together on Fire Island brought Collin and Tanner closer than ever, but back in their conservative college town, challenges confront them at every turn.

As they search for their new normal in their old environment, Collin’s brother Sean surprises them with help when they need it most. But when word about their relationship gets out, trouble erupts with friends and family. When Collin’s relationship with Tanner becomes an issue in his brother’s custody battle, and Tanner struggles with his feelings for a heartbroken Wendy, Collin wonders if everyone he cares about would be better off without him in the picture. In order to save them both, Tanner must make it clear to Collin that their love for each other is all that matters.
MOMENTS IN TIME Books 1-3 (available in paperback)

1MomentofImpactCover-KarenStivaliMomentofTruth large cover (1) (1)moment of clarity

 

 

 

 

 

Moment of Impact
Beyond Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room, the students of his conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Tanner wants to show the world how much he loves Collin, but Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.

Moment of Truth
Collin expected to spend another summer fixing cars and working at the college pizzeria. Instead, he’s living in a beach house on Fire Island, and for the first time, he and Tanner can publicly be known as boyfriends. Being “out” takes some getting used to, and doubt and jealousy threaten their happiness. Collin and Tanner must confront the truth or risk losing it all.

Moment of Clarity
Spending the summer on Fire Island brought Collin and Tanner closer than ever, but back in their conservative college town, new challenges confront them.

When Collin’s relationship with Tanner becomes an issue in his brother’s custody battle and Tanner struggles with feelings for his heartbroken friend Wendy, Collin wonders if everyone would be better off without him. In order to save them both, Tanner must make it clear his love for Collin is all that matters.
Pages or Words: 145 pages (38,000 words)

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

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Excerpt from MOMENT OF IMPACT (Book 1 of the Moments In Time Series by Karen Stivali)

Don’t blow this. Not now. Not when he’s right here. So close. So… Forcing myself to move, I reached out and clutched at his shoulder. His skin was smooth, warm. I pressed my fingers into his flesh with enough force, he flinched. His gaze darted to mine, wary.

Swallowing hard, I willed myself to maintain eye contact. “I didn’t think I wanted that, until I met you.”

Tanner’s gaze raced back and forth between my hand, which was still gripping his shoulder, and my eyes, which felt like they were about to bulge out of my skull. I couldn’t blink. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Do something. Say something.
Then his mouth crashed into mine.

I like kissing. I always have. Even though I wasn’t super into any of the girls I’d been with, kissing was the one thing I still enjoyed. Warm mouths, wet tongues, moving together. It felt good. I seriously thought I’d done some decent kissing in my life.

I was wrong. Tanner’s mouth on mine for one fucking second proved to me that what I’d done before might have looked like kissing, might have felt like kissing, but was like the frozen french bread pizza version of kissing. Nothing like the real thing.

Nothing like this.

His tongue swept into my mouth, hot and velvety. His hand gripped the back of my neck, tugging me upright. Everything fell away. Disappeared. The whole world was this one kiss. I could have drowned in it and died happy.

Tanner pulled away, breathing hard, his forehead pressed to mine. The room spun like a carnival ride.

“You okay?”

His voice sounded lower than usual. Deep and gravelly. I gave a shaky nod, and he tipped his head back, looking at me.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” My heart beat double time as I realized he still had his hands on me. And he was still naked. And I was probably harder than I’d ever been in my entire life. Jesus.

“We can stop.”

“No.” That wasn’t what I wanted. Not at all. “I just… I mean… we’re roommates. What if this doesn’t work out?”

Tanner’s lips pulled into a grin so sexy my brain turned to oatmeal. He rubbed the back of my neck. “So, one kiss and you’re already thinking about what happens if we break up?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

“Let’s see how we feel after another kiss.”

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She’s also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary and erotic romances. She writes novels about love…like real life, only hotter.

Karen’s lifelong fascination with people has led her to careers ranging from hand-drawn animator, to party planner, to marriage and family counselor, but writing has always been her passion. Karen enjoys nothing more than following her characters on their journey toward love. Whether the couples are m/f or m/m, it’s guaranteed that Karen’s novels are filled with food, friendship, love, and smoking hot sex—all the best things in life.

When Karen isn’t writing (and often when she is), she can be found on Twitter attempting witty banter and detailing the antics of her fruit-loving cat, BadKitteh. She loves to hear from readers (and other writers), so don’t hesitate to contact/follow/like her at the links below.

A special note from the author: “I just signed two new contracts with Dreamspinner Press. These new titles will be continuations of the Moments In Time series, but will star secondary characters from the series rather than Collin and Tanner. MOMENT OF SILENCE will feature Quinn (Collin’s oldest brother) and Jason (Collin’s Fire Island co-worker who developed a crush on him) and MOMENT OF FATE will be Bryan’s story (Bryan was the musician housemate from Moment Of Truth). I’m very excited about both projects. I also have a m/f New Adult book that will be released from Bloomsbury in late 2015. Lots of books on the horizon!”

Find the author here at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenstivali
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenstivali
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karenstivali/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5170527.Karen_Stivali
Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/KarenStivali
Blog: http://karenstivali.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/KarenStivaliAuthor?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

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Contest:  Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Gift Card. 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 Dates & Stops:

6-May

Molly Lolly

Love Bytes

7-May

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Bike Book Reviews

8-May

Inked Rainbow Reads

Amanda C. Stone

11-May

Bayou Book Junkie

BFD Book Blog

12-May

MM Good Book Reviews

My Fiction Nook

13-May

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Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

A MelanieM Review: Chasing the Swallows by John Inman

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Chasing the Swallows coverSometimes an entire lifetime can be spent in the arms and heart of one person. It is not so with imaginations, for they go anywhere they wish.

David Ayres and Arthur Smith are about to find that out. When they meet as young men within the garden walls of the Mission of San Juan Capistrano, one man from one continent, one from another, an uncontrollable attraction brings them together. But it is something stronger than attraction that holds them there. It is love. Pure and simple.

After forty years, when the fabric of their existence together finally begins to fray because of David’s imaginary infidelities, it is with humor and commitment that they strive to remain in each other’s heart.

And turning fantasy into reality, they find, is the best way to do it.

I love John Inman’s writings.  His comedic novels (and the few mysteries I have read) have always been grounded in the pain and gritty reality of life, an element which made the humorous sections feel authentic and precious when they happen.  But lately I’m finding it harder to connect with his stories and its left me wondering if it’s my expectations that are at fault instead of his actual writing.

Nothing exemplifies my confusion with his recent novels better than his latest story, Chasing the Swallows.   It was a story where I absolutely detested some elements while others left me sobbing and emptying a box of tissues.    I loved one character, disliked another (both came across as throughly believable and real).  And throughout the entire story, Inman’s style of writing felt concise, well organized and it brought the story to it’s heartbreaking/heartwarming conclusion.  But I wouldn’t read it again and hesitate to recommend it to others. *head desk*

My issues with the story started from page one.  The reader is dumped into the pornographic daydream of David Ayers, one half of a couple that’s been together for approximately 40 years after meeting in their early 20’s.  Its like reading/watching a bad porn movie unrolling before you with the (insert stock character like pool boy, gardener here) as a participant.  It’s only when the daydream is interrupted by Arthur, his partner, that we realize what has happened.  And the reality is both brief and painful for the reader and Arthur who realizes that his lover’s pornographic fantasies occupy more of David’s time and emotions then Arthur does.  We feel his pain and confusion over their situation and it drags the reader over immediately to Arthur’s side, where at least I stayed for two thirds of the story.

Over and over again, David and Arthur’s present day life (and David’s remembrances of their past together) is abruptly halted by David’s erotic dreaming, no matter the time of day.  We are just getting settled into finding out how they met or learning  about their life together then…bam….it’s David and his sexual hookups with whatever hottie is in front of him.  Grocery store, church, no male or location was free of David’s promiscuous musings.   And yeah, Jimmy Carter’s famous line about “I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times..” did jump to mind, and not favorably.

It’s not that the daydreams that bother me (ok, not true, they did) but also that these pages of porn take me away from the characters and out of the narrative.  Just as I suspect the author designed it to.  Those very same pornographic musings are taking David away from Arthur and their life together just as its removing the reader from their story.  It’s a familiar refrain heard from couples where one has become obsessed by the porn on the computer to the point where they do little else.  I get it, really I do.  But this literary device works too well.  It pulled me out of the narrative so completely (and made me detest David so throughly) that I kept putting down the story and going on to another.  Sometime it took me days to bring myself to pick up this story once more.  Only to repeat the process.

David is the narrator of their life together, past and present.  But its Arthur who grabs at our hearts while David is obsessing over his age and sex life.  Arthur is funny, fragile, and living in the moment…unlike his lover David. And Arthur is fully aware of how far they’ve traveled from the two young men so very much in love. He’s being neglected, perhaps completely.  It hurts, and it feels almost unbearably painful for him and the reader. Forty years together will do that…for some. Not all…most definitely not all.

But this is a realistic look at a long term relationships that has wavered and faltered. It’s so well written, its descriptions so starkly believable and filled with hurt feelings that I never once doubted the raw, immediate lives John Inman was laying out before us.  This includes David’s missed opportunities, ones he was aware of,  to make it “right” that helped serve to highlight those areas that I felt severed me from their story.  That it will take a tragedy to bring David back into his relationship may be authentic and realistic but further highlights the long delay it took to make the connection to David happen, at least for me.  Yes, towards the end I liked the “new” outlook that David found but that’s not the man I (and Arthur) lived with for most of the book.  That David was selfish, mean, obsessive over his looks and sex life.  In short, he was a jerk. And the one we had to listen to for pages and pages of his self involved outlook. Having David as the narrator was probably better, for if the roles had been reversed and we “saw” their life from Arthur’s perspective, than I don’t know that I could ever have found any affection for David, and that’s needed in order to buy into their long lived love affair.  Just one more issue I had with this story, my utter dislike of one of the main characters, no matter how well written the character.

David feels like a real human being, that’s great writing.  Still, it doesn’t make me want to spend time with him.   Only the sections from their past show a couple we could love and understand a little why they were drawn together. For me, that just wasn’t enough to overcome the issues that bothered me.

Finally, yes, that last chapters of the story had me in tears.  It unfolded so vividly that I felt as though I was there on this journey with them.  The writing is beautiful, the feelings it engendered so tender and loving towards both Arthur and David that I can feel the tears starting to form again just remembering these passages.

These pages made me want to rearrange and re edit this story, throwing whole sections away, leaving the parts that speak of love,the passage of time, and the possibility that it might be found once more before its too late.  But that’s not what John Inman wrote or what he intended to say in his story.  That’s the story you have to read and review.

So is it me?  Or is it this story?  Chasing the Swallows by John Inman still has me so conflicted.  And I suspect that this viewpoint will be felt by many readers out there.  Some, probably those less judgmental than myself, will find David less objectionable than I did and that feeling will make them view this story in a completely different light.  For me, like the swallows of the story (an amazing element that I adored), I will be finding my way home to another John Inman story…one that feels more like me, or at least more like a place I love spending time in.   Does this sound like a story for you?  The choice, as always, is up to you.

Cover art by Maria Fanning is probably one of my favorite covers for the month and perhaps the year. The subtle figures in the background enhance the picture of the swallow in the foreground. Just beautiful. Faded love and immediate beauty.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback –   All Romance (ARe) – Amazon     Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published April 17th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
ISBN139781632169181
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

In the Book Spotlight : Get Off My Case by Lisa Oliver (excerpt and giveaway)

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Get Off My Case by Lisa Oliver

Release Date: December, 2014

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Oliver Group Publication
Cover Artist: Lisa Oliver

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Sales Links:  Amazon – AllRomance (ARe)– Smashwords 

Lisa Oliver’s back with gay wolfshifters in love with Get Off My Case by Lisa Oliver.  The path to mates and love is never a smooth one and that’s certainly the case here.  Check out the hot, almost NSFW excerpt below and don’t forget to enter the contest as well.

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Note: The first 20,000 words of this story were published as a free read for the Goodreads MMRomance Group Love’s Landscapes Project. 49,000 words have been added to make this into the book my characters wanted it to be.

Shane West was used to being the only wolf shifter at the Stockton Police Department. His enhanced senses helped him do his job efficiently and he prided himself on keeping control of his animal instincts. Gay from the first day he’d shifted, he also expected to live his long life alone, and provided it meant that he didn’t have to come into contact with any of his ex-pack, he told himself he was happy. And he was. Until Dimitri Polst was assigned as his new partner.

Confirmed ladies man, Dimitri Polst knew Shane from before he’d ever shifted into his wolf form. Two years older and from the same pack, Dimitri had made it his teenage mission to bring as much pain and humiliation to pretty-boy Shane as possible. But years later, he searched for that pretty boy, now all grown up, with a completely different mission in mind.

Being fated mates was hard enough, but when one man is straight and the other one has no reason to trust, then sparks are bound to fly. Add in a serial killer who is making inroads into the gay population and a possible shifter involvement, and Shane and Dimitri have a lot of thing to overcome before they get their HEA.

Pages or Words: 69,777 words

Categories: Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

By the time Dimitri had got to the back door of the club he knew his wolf was close to the surface. He could feel his eyes changing and the hair on his arms start to tingle. It was only through sheer force of will that he stopped the change completely. Must not shift in front of humans, he tried to remind himself as he searched the dark alley, sniffing for his mate’s unique scent. There, deep in the shadows. The young blond was wrapped around Shane’s waist and neck like he belonged there.

Growling loudly Dimitri strode over to where the two men were hidden, his hands changing into claws as he itched to grab the little interloper and tear his body to inch sized bloody pieces. He couldn’t and wouldn’t hurt his mate, but he could and definitely would shred the little blond until he wasn’t a threat to Dimitri’s mating again.

“Dimitri, stop damn it!” Shane called out in a low voice as he carefully wound the young blond’s arms from his neck. “This is not what you think.”

Dimitri stopped himself, just, and watched as Shane spoke in a low voice in CJ’s ear and then gave him some money. CJ looked up at Dimitri and scowled at him and then took off back into the club. Shane flung out his arm and grabbed Dimitri by his belt loops and smashed him into the same wall he had been leaning on while he was entangled in his blond. But Shane’s eyes weren’t full of passion, Dimitri noticed. His mate was pissed off with him, big time.

“You just cost me some valuable information, fuck wit. Now what the hell did you think you were doing?” Shane snarled at him in a low voice.

“Is that how you get all of your information, detective,” Dimitri snarled right back. “By giving sexual favors to your tipsters?” Fuck, with Shane so close Dimitri could barely breathe. His cock was so hard in his jeans that it hurt and he couldn’t break his stare with his mate. Man, this guy was awesome when he was angry.

Shane tipped his head to the side and then took in a deep breath, obviously smelling Dimitri’s arousal. For a moment he looked confused, but that expression was gone in an instant and Shane’s angry gaze was back again. He leaned in flush against Dimitri’s body and growled softly in his ear, “CJ is an informant of mine. He’s been beaten before for talking to the wrong people and I don’t want to see my friend in hospital. We act like a hookup so he will be safe, asshole. So don’t go judging what you don’t understand.”

“But you’ve fucked him, right?” Dimitri regretted the words the instant they came out of his mouth as he watched a flash of pure murderous intent race across his mate’s hard face.

“Not that it’s any of your business, fuckwit, but I have never done anything sexually with CJ or any of my informants. Unlike you, I have standards.” Dimitri knew Shane was referring to the fact that when Dimitri was still in school he used to fuck anything in a skirt regardless of who it was. With his jock reputation and good looks he never lacked for girls willing to lift those skirts and give him what he wanted.

But right now Dimitri didn’t care that Shane was angry with him, or that he might have fucked up an investigation. Shane was leaning on him, chest to chest, but had kept his groin area away from Dimitri. And Dimitri was so turned on he couldn’t think. He needed friction on his cock and he needed it now. He reached out and grabbed Shane by his hips and pulled the man’s groin into his. Both men groaned as their dual erections nudged each other and Dimitri rocked into Shane looking for more.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Shane snarled. Dimitri could see Shane’s eyes were blown with lust and the man was panting softly. Against his cock, Shane’s sizable erection nudged his and for the first time in his life Dimitri wanted to see another man’s cock. But not just any cock – Shane’s.

“I haven’t got a clue,” Dimitri said honestly, his own deep voice raspy with lust, “But I know I like it.”

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Lisa Oliver had been writing non-fiction books for years when visions of half dressed, buff men started invading her dreams. Unable to resist the lure of her stories, Lisa decided to switch to fiction books, and now stories about her men clamor to get out from under her fingertips.

When Lisa is not writing, she is usually reading with a cup of tea always at hand. Her grown children and grandchildren sometimes try and pry her away from the computer and have found that the best way to do it, is to promise her chocolate. Lisa will do anything for chocolate.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers and other writers. You can friend her on Facebook here, or email her directly at yoursintuitively@gmail.com.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisaoliverauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wisecrone333
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lisaoliver79
Website: http://www.supernaturalsmut.com

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 STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.  Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Print copy of ‘Get Off My Case’, available to anyone worldwide.

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Tour Dates & Stops:
4-May

Decadent Delights

My Fiction Nook

Cate Ashwood

5-May

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6-May

Divine Magazine

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

BFD Book Blog

7-May

Dawn’s Reading Nook

8-May

Carly’s Book Reviews

11-May

Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

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12-May

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Hearts on Fire

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13-May

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MM Good Book Reviews

14-May

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15-May

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Multitasking Mommas

Love Bytes

 

In the Book Spotlight: J.E. Birk’s Depending On You (Dating in Denver #1) (excerpt and giveaway)

DependingonYouCover

 Depending On You (Dating In Denver #1) by J.E. Birk
(This is the prequel story to the short that appeared in the Grand Adventures Anthology)

Release Date: February 4, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

RC

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press   – Amazon  – Barnes and Noble – All Romance (ARe)

STRW Author BookSynopsis

It all started with a diabetic kid who wouldn’t stop eating cookies. And a best friend who’d just announced his bisexuality and hit on everything that moved. And a kind pediatric nurse with an amazing rack, a lying ex-boyfriend, and a nasty case of the chicken pox. 
 
But mostly, it started at table 42.
 
When Benjy Moreland almost collapses during his restaurant shift, Dr. Kyle Penners wants nothing more than to take care of him… but if there’s one thing former foster kid Benjy values, it’s his independence. A dying man and a sick little boy force Kyle and Benjy to work together, and both of them have to make some important choices about what it means to depend on someone.
Pages or Words: 103 pages

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

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

YEARS LATER, when people would ask Benjy and Kyle how they ended up together, Benjy would usually say this: “Oh, he came into my restaurant one night, and I thought he was cute, so I dumped beer all over him. Saw it in a romantic comedy once, so it seemed like a good idea.” People always laughed at that, and Kyle always rolled his eyes. And then they’d slyly smile at each other, and maybe Kyle would wink a little bit, because, as Benjy was fond of telling him, he liked winking way too much, and both of them would think about how there was so much more to the story than that.

Like a diabetic kid who wouldn’t stop eating cookies.

And a best friend who’d just announced his bisexuality and was intent on hitting on everything that moved.

And a kind pediatric nurse and her amazing rack.

And a lying ex-boyfriend.

And most of all, a nasty case of the chicken pox.

But before all that, it had started with Benjy dumping beer all over Kyle—and before that, it had really started with Benjy, a twenty-two-year old college senior, waking up with a horrible taste in his mouth.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About the author:

J.E. Birk has been telling stories since she could talk and writing them since she was introduced to the alphabet. She hails from Colorado, where you can usually find her skiing, training for a 5k she won’t end up running, or trying to figure out why a good strong housecleaning never lasts longer than two days.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jebirk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jebirkwrites

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest.  You must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Depending On You’ by J.E. Birk.

Rafflecopter Code:
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Tour Dates & Stops:

13-Apr

BFD Book Blog

20-Apr

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27-Apr

Hearts on Fire

4-May

Molly Lolly

11-May

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

New Book Spotlight: Light in Endless Darkness by Huston Piner (Excerpt and Giveaway)

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Book Name: Light in Endless Darkness by Huston Piner
Release Date: May 13, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Sales Links: Torquere Books

Blurb:

Kevin Reeves lives with his mother and abusive father and dreams of going to Dickerson University. Lonely and easily cowed, he works as a janitor to save money and signs up for night courses at the community college. There, he meets Dominic Pierce, a sexy emo who also happens to be blind. Kevin is immediately attracted to Dominic and soon a mutual attraction develops into a full-blown romance. After a violent confrontation with his father leads to Kevin moving in with Dominic, he discovers that the neighborhood gang is terrified of the blind emo, referring to him as El Sanguijuela.

Meanwhile, Jacky Larson, who outed Kevin as a sophomore, begins blackmailing him for sex at work, leaving him ashamed and panicked that Dominic will dump him if he finds out. But Dominic has dark secrets of his own, including a job he won’t discuss that keeps him away from sunup to sunset and secret nightly excursions. Can Kevin get away from his blackmailer without losing Dominic in the process? Will he ever discover what Dominic does all day and where he sneaks out to every night? And can their love survive when Kevin finally uncovers the truth?

Pages or Words: 57,500 words

Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Horror, M/M Romance, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Excerpt:

We were no sooner on the couch than Dominic had me in his arms and I was really flying. He nibbled on my neck, sending waves of pleasure through me. The sharp edge of his teeth grazed my skin, ready to bite into me. But he stopped and froze all over for a second, leaned back, and his sightless eyes betrayed a confused indecision that startled me. For a moment, he seemed lost. But before I could formulate words to ask him what was wrong, his expression changed, his lips returned to mine, and his tongue renewed its attack.

Friday night, his kisses had been tentative and delicate, but now he pressed his lips to mine with animal-like ferocity and gripped me in a powerful embrace. He licked and nibbled on my neck while unbuttoning my shirt, and then he nudged me forward to remove it.

I started to lift his pullover, but he pushed my hands away. His fingers explored my naked torso and roamed over every inch of exposed skin, adding to the tension building up inside me.

 

About the author:

Huston Piner writes books prominently featuring gay characters. His first book My Life as a Myth was nominated for the 2014 Stonewall Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and was a 2013 Rainbow Awards finalist. His second book, the highly anticipated Conjoined at the Soul, was published in February 2015. In the edgy Light in Endless Darkness, his first New Adult offering, he explores the supernatural romance of a gay vampire. Huston lives in the mythical town of Chadham, Virginia, with his partner and three domineering cats.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huston.piner
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Huston-Piner/409082522533786
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HustonPiner
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hustonpiner/
Other: http://www.hustonpiner.com/home.html
Other: http://huston-piner.livejournal.com/


Tour Dates & Stops: May 11, 2015
Parker Williams, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Kimi-Chan, Molly Lolly, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bike Book Reviews, Decadent Delights, Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Divine Magazine, Chris McHart, Boys on the Brink Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Velvet Panic, Nephylim, 3 Chicks After Dark, The Hat Party, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Giveaway

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win aq Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Light In Endless Darkness’ by Huston Piner
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Happy Mother’s Day to All Mothers Everywhere and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Thou art thy mother’s glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime.
William Shakespeare
Sonnets

Happy Mother’s Day!

It’s Mother’s Day today and I’m off to deliver card and present to my mother this morning.  It’s time to celebrate those who raised us and loved us and helped us forward into  adulthood.  The Mothers who bore us, chose us, and made us their children.  Time to give thanks for their words, their silence support when needed, and their boundless encouragement.

For that reason, and others on this warm day, our Sunday post will be short.

 

Here is Our Schedule This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, May 10:

  • Happy Mother’s Day and Our Schedule This Week

Monday, May 11:

  • Light in Endless Darkness by Huston Piner – Book Blast and giveaway
  • In the Book Spotlight: Depending On You by J.E. Birk (excerpt and contest)
  • A Paul B Review: Rock Star Baby (Bad Oak Boys #1) by Erin M. Leaf
  • A Barb The Zany Old Lady Review: Wedding Favors by Anne Tenino

Tuesday, May 12:

  • In the Spotlight: Get Off My Case by Lisa Oliver (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Stella Review: Caught! (The Shamwell Tales #1) by J.L. Merrow
  • A MelanieM Review: Catching the Swallow by John Inman

Wednesday, May 13:

  • Katey Hawthorne’s latest Superpowered Love Giveaway and Guest Post
  • Karen Stivali Moment of Clarity (Book 3 of the series) excerpt and giveaway
  • A BJ Review: Straight Boy by Alessandra Hazard
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Cookies for Courting by Amber Kell

Thursday, May 14:

  •  Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore’s “Peripheral People” Tour and Giveaway
  • REV re-cover celebreation with Heidi Belleau (except and contest)
  • A BJ Review: Peripheral People by Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Just Desserts by Mary Calmes
  • A MelanieM Review: My Cowboy Promises by ZA Maxfield

Friday, May 15:

  • Teegan Loy’s Love Complicated Book Tour and Contest
  • A Stella Review: Played! by JL Merrow
  • A MelanieM Review: Keep The Stars Running Anthology
  • A BJ Review: Just a Bit Obsessed by Alessandra Hazard

Saturday, May 16:

An Aurora YA Review: Slaying Isidore’s Dragons by C. Kennedy