Category: Book Tours and Contests

On Tour with J.K. Hogan and Love and the Real Boy! (contest/author interview)

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Scattered Thoughts is happy to welcome J. K. Hogan here today to talk about her Coming About series and the latest story, Love and the Real Boy.  Along with an interview and except, there is a contest to enter as well.  Now lets get started…

STRW• I really enjoyed I Survived Seattle.  Love and the Real Boy is focused on a divisive character from the first story.  Did you always plan on his redemption being part of this series?

JK:  No, when I first created Rich, I didn’t expect that he would be anything other than an over-the-top antagonist. As I moving towards the end of I Survived Seattle, I started wondering what would cause him to act the way he did—and then he started speaking to me. I knew at that point his redemption would have to be a part of it, because no one would be able to get behind him as the hero in his own story if it wasn’t.

STRW• What is it about wounded characters that make them so appealing?

JK:  That’s a good question. Maybe the idea that someone who’s been kicked around by life, either physically or emotionally, can go on to have a fabulous HEA gives us all hope that it’s never too late or too hard to find our own.

STRW• Boats, sailboats especially, play a large part in this series.  Is that a major love of yours?

JK:  Yes and no. I grew up on a large lake (we always lived on the waterfront) and we were constantly going back and forth to the coast. My dad being a recreational fisherman, we always had motor boats. I learned how to drive a boat when I was just a little kid, and boats have always been as much a part of my life as cars. I’m very at home on the water.

Sailing on the other hand has always been a dream of mine. My family wasn’t really into sailing, although I saw it happening around me a lot living on the lake. The closest I ever got was tagging a ride on my parents’ windsurfer. I’ve been sailing several times, but just as a passenger. I’d really love to have my own sailboat someday.

STRW• Where did the inspiration come from for this series and its location?

JK:  Last year, right after Washington legalized gay marriage, we took a trip to Seattle to attend our friends’ wedding. We had so much fun and all kinds of crazy things happened. Most who know me know I struggle with severe anxiety, and one of my triggers is travel. I decided to explore that in I Survived Seattle, hence the title (I actually said those words to my friend Cardeno C. when I got back, and CC said it sounded like a great book title!). There were too many interesting characters to just stop at one book, so I just kept going!

STRW• Do you know how many books you have planned for this series or it is one that will develop along the way?

JK:  I have at least one more planned for sure, but who knows? Once I write that one, I might get inspiration for more!

STRW• Most favorite childhood story whose impact has stayed with you to this day?

JK:  Oh gosh, this is a hard one because I have an absurdly good memory when it comes to the past—though sometimes I can’t remember what I did yesterday. I guess in this context would say I remember playing with my dolls (probably way longer than I should’ve) by myself. I was perfectly happy sitting there for hours by myself, because I was simply using them as tools to create stories. I would write down what I now know as outlines for plots, character lists, and titles, and proceed to construct an elaborate tale until the whole thing crashed and burned because I ‘wrote’ myself into a corner. It wasn’t until I figured out how to get out of those corners that I was able to turn stories into books.

STRW• If you could live aboard a boat, what type of boat would it be?

JK:  Hmm, live? I’m all about the creature comforts, so I’d say either a houseboat, or a giant fancy motor-yacht like Nic has in I Survived Seattle.

STRW• Most romantic place to sail to.

JK:  Hubby and I took a sailing excursion in St. Thomas on a tiny 6-man sailboat. We tooled around the bay and then went snorkeling. It was pretty darn romantic. 😉

STRW• What is next for J. K. Hogan?

JK:  Well of course I’m working on book 3 in the Coming About series. I won’t say much about that one yet except we’ll get to see all our old friends from the first two books again in some capacity.

I’m also working on something a little different for me: it’s sort of an m/m romantic suspense crime thriller with a light paranormal element. I know it’s kind of a weird concept, there being varying degrees of paranormal, but since there are certain paranormal things that are commonly believed to exist in our real-life society—like psychics, ghosts, and such—it makes sense to me. So this story could probably be enjoyed by those who wouldn’t normally read paranormal. Keep an eye on my website http://www.jkhogan.com for more news.

 Thanks, JK, for the wonderful interview!  Now check out the book, blurb and excerpt below.  And don’t forget to enter the contest! Happy Reading.

Book Name: Love and the Real Boy (Coming About, Book 2)
Sequel to I Survived Seattle (Coming About, Book 1)
Publisher:  Wilde City PressHogan600x600Banner

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22756605-love-and-the-real-boy

Author Name: J.K. Hogan

Author Bio:

J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them. J.K. is hoping to one day have a little something for everyone, so she’s branched out from m/f paranormal romance and added m/m contemporary romance. Who knows what’s next?

J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives in the country with her husband and young son, a cat, and two champion agility dogs. If she isn’t on the agility field, J.K. can often be found chasing waterfalls in the mountains with her husband, or down in front at a blues concert. In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! For more information, please visit http://www.jkhogan.com.

Author Contact:

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJKHogan, https://twitter.com/JK_Hogan, http://www.pinterest.com/jkhoganbooks/, http://officialjkhogan.tumblr.com/

LATRB_JKHogan_CoverTitle:  Love and the Real Boy by J.K. Hogan
Publisher: Wilde City Press
Cover Artist: JK Hogan (KHDGraphics.com)

Sales Links:   Wilde City Press     Amazon

 

 Love and the Real Boy Blurb:

How­­ much heartache can one man take before he breaks? Rich Langston asks himself that question every day.

A Seattle advertising exec who uses his designer suit and showy car like a suit of armor, Rich refuses to let the world get to him. His traumatic childhood has ruined any faith he had in people, friendship, and love. After a meltdown that led to him alienating everyone in his life, Rich agrees to help with the restoration of an antique sailboat as a form of penance.

Roped into heading up with the boat repair by his mother, marine restorer Patrick O’Dowd finds himself having to babysit a moody, spoiled rich boy with absolutely no carpentry experience. His easy-going nature is sorely tested, but he quickly realizes that things are not always what they seem; sometimes a fancy suit is nothing but an elaborate deflection from what’s real.

Through unavoidable personality clashes and fierce attraction, both Rich and Patrick explore their hidden pain and inner demons, and they end up finding with what really matters—love.

 Love and the Real Boy Excerpt:

Rich forced himself to relax. Why shouldn’t he give his brain a little mini-vacay? He was of a stressful nature—he had to constantly stress over work, over making enough money to keep himself in suits and expensive toys to remind himself he wasn’t homeless anymore, that he wasn’t going to end up like his mother. He stressed over the wrong people finding out he was gay, while stressing that he might just go mad from lack of companionship—and that was just the tip of the crazy-berg.
Underneath it all sat his pent-up grief, anger, and guilt from his stolen childhood, cowering like a beast in the dark, a sleeping monster. That was Rich’s biggest, most constant fear—that one day he would no longer be able to contain it. What would happen then? Would he lose his mind?
So all things considered, why shouldn’t he just let it go for one night? What was wrong with letting a big, burly Irishman take him in hand—heh—and drive the boat for a while.

Categories per the author: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

HoganBadgeTour Dates/Stops:

9/17: Havan Fellows
9/18: Iyana Jenna, Cathy Brockman Romances
9/19: Amanda C. Stone
9/22: Andrew Q. Gordon, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings
9/23: Prism Book Alliance,
9/24: Butterfly-O-Meter
9/25: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
9/26: Parker Williams
9/29: Cathy Brockman Romances, Nic Starr
9/30: My Fiction Nook
10/1: Romance the Night
10/2: Jade Crystal
10/3: The Hat Party
10/6: Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Regular Guys, Hot Romance
10/7: Love Bytes, Carly’s Book Reviews
10/8: Velvet Panic
10/9: Foxylutely Book Reviews
10/10: Multitasking Mommas
10/13: Queer Town Abbey
10/14: MM Good Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Contest: Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Love and the Real Boy’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the link provided for the entry form and for additional contest details.

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

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On Tour with Will Parkinson and Wet Paint!

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Will Parkinson is here with his sequel to Pitch, the YA release Wet Paint.  I had some questions for Will and he nicely agreed to spend time in my author spotlight!  He also brought along a contest for all of you to enter and a poignant video trailer for you to watch.  Don’t miss out on any of it.  Now on to our interview…

 

STRW:  What made you want to tell this type of story?

Will Parkinson: Oddly enough, a dream. It was so vivid for me. I saw Taylor and Benny talking about Jackson and how Taylor had a crush on him throughout high school, and now Jackson – star pitcher and student – was now in danger of failing if he didn’t get help on an art project. Benny knew Taylor had feelings for Jackson and told Taylor that helping his old classmate might help him, too. So Taylor went to see Jackson. The thing was, Jackson wasn’t failing. It was a setup by Benny and Jackson to get the he and Taylor together.

The thing was, the story was a college story with sex. Which leads into question two.

STRW:    Why YA?

Will Parkinson: Growing up, there weren’t any YA books. Heck, there were hardly any adult books I could get my hands on. It’s hard not knowing why you are the way you are, and how it seems that everyone around you isn’t. A friend who read the story that I feverishly wrote down at two in the morning, read it and said I should make a story from it. A good friend of mine, Eden Winters, told me I had a young adult ‘voice’ and that I should try to write something. So I thought about Taylor and Jackson and decided that I could send them to high school, and Benny would, naturally, be there, too. The story took on a life of its own from that point.

STRW:  Wet Paint is a sequel to Pitch, your first YA story.  Why continue? what was it about those characters and their story that called out  to you?

Will Parkinson:  It was Addy and Benny. People who beta read the stories for me asked if I was going to give either of them a HEA. Honestly, I had no intention. Benny was going to be the straight best friend and that was it. But when I got to the end of the story, Benny displayed amazing sympathy and sensitivity. And it was then that I realized how I wanted to finish the story.

STRW:   LGBTQ teenagers face all the normal issues of teenagers face and then have the added pressure of acceptance and same sex romance/dating/.…what do you bring to the fictional “table” as it were, to make those issues immediate, and real?

Will Parkinson:  In Pitch, Taylor was forced to come out. He had some repercussions, but not what he expected. In Wet Paint, there will be dealings with what happened to Addy when he was a child.

A review of Pitch said that the subject matter was too adult to be young adult. I disagree. Kids aren’t stupid. They see things on television and movies, they hear about it from their friends. We can’t ignore them and hope to keep them in a safe bubble, because it’s not going to happen.

If you think a book deals with subjects you don’t want your child exposed to, then I think you’re being myopic. You’ve got a chance to talk with them about real life issues, and sticking your head in the sand is a disservice to them.

STRW:   I know you have a lot going on at the moment with (Pride Promotions) business matters and such, when do you find time to write?

Will Parkinson:  I try to find the time to do some words every day. A group of friends that I write with tell me when it’s time to stop doing and start writing. I usually listen to them.

STRW:    Do you see this becoming a series?

Will Parkinson:  I hadn’t. Then Benny and Addy came along and suddenly my head was filled with thoughts of characters and what they would be doing. If I do another story with Benny and Addy, it would be shifted from Will to Parker Williams (my adult penname) since the boys will be in college. But Will still has one more story to tell, I think, in regards to this branch of the story.

STRW:  What other YA issues do you want to address in your stories?

Will Parkinson: In one story I’m looking at, the young man has a reputation because of things he’s done sexually in the past. He’s trying really hard to move beyond that, and find something real.

STRW:   Or is it enough just to write a YA story, not particularly a YA GLBTQ story?

Will Parkinson:  Any story I write will be a gay themed story. I want people to know that they’re not alone, no matter how it seems.

STRW:   Are there dragons in your future?  Or perhaps a wizard or two?  Or is contemporary fiction your genre?

Will Parkinson:  I don’t know that Will is going to move beyond contemporary, though it might be interesting. Parker has a shifter story I’m working on.

STRW:  What’s next for Will Parkinson?

Will Parkinson:  I have no idea. Half the fun of finding out is in the doing.

Thank you, Will, for taking the time to answer my questions.  That was lovely.  For all the readers, don’t miss out on the excerpt below and the contest to enter.  Keep scrolling down for more of everything Wet Paint and Will Parkinson…..

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Book Name: Wet Paint
Author Name: Will Parkinson
Author Bio:

WILL PARKINSON believes that no matter what obstacles are thrown in the path of young love, it will always find a way to win in the end. He wants his characters to have their happily ever after, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to come easily.

None of this would have happened if he had followed the advice he was given many years ago. “What are you wasting your time on that for? It’s never going to amount to anything.” He believed it for the longest time, abandoning characters he’d created in his childhood.

He picked up his very first m/m story by a writer named Eden Winters, who was an absolute joy when they corresponded. She asked him if he wrote and he told her the story. Eden explained to Will that the voices in his head would never go away and how he needed to let them out. With that thought in mind, Will put e-pen to e-paper once more. It was truly a liberating experience and one he has no intention of giving up again.

Author Contact:

Wet Paint 400x600Title:  Wet Paint by Will Parkinson
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press

Sales Links:    Dreamspinner Press eBook   DSP Papaerback

Video trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVOiQ8yOsII

Blurb:
Although Addy’s heart and body bear the scars from his life before he was adopted by the Deans, he’s ached for something he thought he would never find. Until he met Benny. He isn’t sure how anyone can care for someone as broken as he is, even though he wants it desperately.

High school senior Benny Peters has his whole life planned out for him, until a chaste kiss at summer camp opens a new world of possibilities. Determined to erase Addy’s insecurities, Benny works to take away his boyfriend’s pain and replace it with love.

When Addy’s past intrudes on their future, it’s going to take everything Benny can muster to show that no matter what – or who – they face, they belong together.

Excerpt:
Benny cast a glance at Addy, noticing how his eyes kept darting to him and then to the floor. He seemed troubled, unsure.

“Addy? Is there something wrong?”

Addy heaved a deep sigh, then was quiet for a moment. “Do I embarrass you?” he finally asked.

“What? No, of course not. Why would you even think that?” Benny was genuinely perplexed.

“Jackson and Taylor don’t seem to have any problem touching each other, but you act like I’ve got germs or something and won’t come anywhere near me when there’s other people around. I have to wonder if you’re ashamed to be seen with someone like… me.”

“Oh God, no,” Benny replied sharply. “Please don’t ever think that. You know what? C’mere.”

He grabbed Addy’s arm and dragged him into the lounge.

“Listen to me, little man. I am not now, nor have I ever been, nor will I ever be ashamed of you. If anything, you should be ashamed of me.”

Addy looked puzzled. “Why?”

Benny slid his fingers through his stubbly hair, then rubbed the back of his neck before he spoke. “I’m not really comfortable with being… like this. I really do care for you, but I’ve never felt this way about a guy— well, about anyone—before, and I don’t know how to handle it. So no, I’m not ashamed or embarrassed of you at all. I’m just not sure how to deal with everything.”

Addy took Benny by the hand and peered into his eyes. “That’s all I needed to know. I don’t want to rush you. If you need time, you’ve got to know I’ll give it to you. I just wanted to be sure that you wanted me.”

Benny regarded his boyfriend. Yeah, his boyfriend. Benny had never been afraid to stand up for anyone in his life. Why should he be ashamed to stand up for himself now?

“C’mere, little man,” he growled, putting his hand on Addy’s neck, pulling him in close.

Addy’s eyes went wide, excitement dancing in them. Benny licked his lips and then pressed them to Addy’s in a deep, thrilling kiss. Someone whimpered. Benny wasn’t really sure which one of them it had been. He felt his synapses fry. It was the most incredible thing he’d ever experienced. A voice called out, startling them both.

“Benny? Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

Benny looked up and stared for a moment at Taylor, who had a wide smile across his face. Benny could feel his cheeks heat up. This wasn’t the way he wanted this to go, but damn, right now he needed Addy in the worst way.

“No, Taylor, not right now,” he replied quietly.
Then he went back in for another one of those amazing kisses.


BadgeTemplateRedTour Dates: 8/18/14

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Angel Martinez, Hearts on Fire, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Cate Ashwood, Amanda C. Stone, SA McAuley, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Love Bytes, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Prism Book Alliance, Havan Fellows, Emotion in Motion, My Fiction Nook, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Charli Green, Jade Crystal, Lee Brazil, Trisha Harrington’s Blog, Will Parkinson, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wake Up Your Wild Side, EE Montgomery, Inked Rainbow Reads, Full Moon Dreaming, Top2Bottom, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Fallen Angel Reviews, Sinfully Sexy, Iyana Jenna, Andrew Q. Gordon

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter Prize: One of two $10 gift card to Amazon or ARe.  This is a YA Book, so contest age runs along YA restrictions.  Please use the Rafflecopter link provided for the entry form and for additional contest details.

Cover Reveal for From Chicago, With Love, a GRL Anthology (contest)

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 Are you heading to Chicago in October for GRL 2014?  Check out the special anthology prepared just for this occasion!  More than 80 authors and stories for all.  It’s going to be awesome!  Don’t need to be attending to enter the contest.

Book Name: From Chicago, With Love
Book put together by: Cate Ashwood
Author Name: More than 80 of the Featured and Supporting Authors of GRL
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Sales Links: This is an exclusive at GRL 2014 in Chicago

 From Chicago, With Love Blurb:

Writing is a solitary activity, and yet authors would be useless without readers to devour the words they create. GayRomLit brings the two together; a community made up of people with different tastes and styles, from all over the world, all with one thing in common: a passion for romance.

From science fiction to urban fantasy, from historical to paranormal to contemporary, enjoy an eclectic collection of stories and excerpts from the authors attending GayRomLit 2014 in Chicago.

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TCWLBadgeTour Dates: 9/24/14

Tour Stops: Carly’s Book Reviews, Parker Williams, The Novel Approach, Angel Martinez, Amanda C. Stone, Kimber Vale, Tara Lain, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Prism Book Alliance, Andrew Q. Gordon, Cathy Brockman Romances, Jade Crystal, MM Good Book Reviews, The Blogger Girls, Foxylutely Book Reviews, 3 Chicks After Dark, Queer Town Abbey, Sinfully Sexy, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Kimi-Chan, Dawn’s Reading Nook, , Love Bytes, Fallen Angel Reviews, Multitasking Mommas, My Fiction Nook, SA McAuley, Iyana Jenna, Cate Ashwood

 

Contest:  Rafflecopter Prize: $10 ARe gift card.  Use the Rafflecopter link provided for the entry form and for additional contest details.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Good luck!WillPride

 

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: Dev Bentham’s ‘Driving Into The Sun’ Tour and contest

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Driving into the Sun_FinalSMBook Name: Driving into the Sun
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23123831-driving-into-the-sun
Author Name: Dev Bentham

Author Bio: Dev Bentham writes soulful m/m romance. Her characters are flawed and damaged adult men who may not even know what they are missing, but whose lives are transformed by true love.

Author Contact: email: devbentham@yahoo.com, website: http://www.devbentham.com

Title: Driving into the Sun by Dev Bentham
Publisher: Loose Id
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

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

Sales Links:  Loose id LLC

Driving into the Sun Blurb:

Bad choices. We all make them, some more than others. Dusty’s choices have left him unemployed, broke and practically homeless. Despite the major issues he has with his family, his only rational choice is to sell everything and move into his parents’ basement. At thirty. Looking for a ride west, he answers a phone ad. The voice at the other end of the line flows like dark, rich honey. Finally something to look forward to—listening to Joe’s voice all the way from Illinois to Idaho.
Rather than the hip crooner of Dusty’s fantasies, Joe turns out to look more like a panhandler. Is that because Joe dresses down, or are Dusty’s preconceptions about Native Americans clouding his vision? Joe is silent more often than not. He has a complicated past and still has amends to make. But he is ready to move on. Dusty feels trapped. Two damaged men, one small car driving two thousand miles into the sun—sometimes things need to break down before they can get fixed.

Driving into The Sun Excerpt:

When Joe finished with the hand, he put his fingers under Dusty’s chin and tipped his face toward the light. His touch was gentle, like a lover right before a first kiss. Dusty’s lips opened as he stared up into Joe’s dark brown eyes. Joe’s gaze flicked to Dusty’s mouth, then away. He wet some gauze and began dabbing at Dusty’s cheek. Dusty had forgotten about scrape on his face. Now it stung. So much for the moment before a kiss. He bit the inside of his lip to keep from pulling away.

“Don’t worry.” Joe’s voice was soft, amused. “This won’t scar your handsome face.”

Dusty rolled his eyes. Handsome was about the last thing he’d call himself tonight. Still, he found himself smiling at the
thought.

SunBadgeTour Dates: 9/23/14

Tour Stops: Carly’s Book Reviews, Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, My Fiction Nook, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, MM Good Book Reviews, Full Moon Dreaming, Love Bytes, Amanda C. Stone, Andrew Q. Gordon, Iyana Jenna, Smoocher’s Voice, Fallen Angel Reviews, Multitasking Mommas, Prism Book Alliance, Michael Mandrake, It’s Raining Men, Queer Town Abbey, Dawn’s Reading Nook, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Cathy Brockman Romances, Cate Ashwood

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway for Rafflecopter Prize: E-book copy of ‘Driving Into the Sun’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

On Tour with Jason Lloyd’s Salty Aftertaste!

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ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords welcomes Jason Lloyd here to talk about the anniversary edition of Salty Aftertaste, Jason’s first novel, published last year.  We have an excerpt and author’s foreword as well as a contest to enter.

Jason Lloyd calls his style of writing “creative non-fiction”, a manner of weaving autobiographical details into stories. Are they daydreams?  Perhaps flights of fancy, both sexy and humorous?  Take a closer look and decide for yourself…

Salty Aftertaste Blurb:

Salty Aftertaste CoverBoys, beaches and bad decisions…

In this nonfiction tale, Jason and his hilarious and crude motley cast of friends leave their mundane suburban jungles and flock to the mecca that is Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for vacation. They are in search of a little rest and relaxation; aka beach, bars and boys, lots of hot boys.

Jason is just looking for a little attention. He just wants to feel wanted, and a little summer passion would not hurt either. Jason is the self-proclaimed hopeless romantic of the group. Will he find his summer love or is romance really scarce?

Kevin is the complete opposite of Jason. He feels that romance is only alive in stories. Kevin’s love for a teenage drama goes too far, and his obsession turns into more than he expected. Did Kevin finally stumble upon some romance or does his fascination finally get the better of him?

Bobby is looking for a connection. Any kind of connection. He meets a new guy every night and shares his bed with him. What is really going on behind Bobby’s bedroom door? Will he ever be able to fill this insatiable void for closeness?

Benjamin sneaks out every night. He disappears into the night and reemerges the next morning as if nothing had happened. He is quiet about his extracurricular activities. Where does Benjamin go? What is he doing?

In this beach oasis, where there is an endless sea of sexy men with perfect bodies, will Jason and his friends actually find love or just one night stands? One thing is for certain, it is an epic vacation that none of them will forget.

Creepy Benji – A Look into Salty Aftertaste

Salty Aftertaste is my story about a vacation I took with my friends. Four gay guys and three straight girls live together in a small beach house for a week. It was like the gayer version of MTVs The Real World. When you have that many personalities under one roof, many memorable things will happen. The funny and dramatic moments from that vacation feel like they just happened yesterday.

This vacation was the first time we were all together for an extended period of time. I got to see everyone’s quirks and how everyone handled their liquor differently. One of my favorite scenes was the first night we were in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and we watched our friend go from quiet and laid back to creeper in 2.5 seconds.

A Salty Aftertaste Excerpt

Benjamin started to become increasingly drunk after we got to Aqua. I had not actually noticed until he put his arm around me.

“Jason you’re my favorite right now,” Benjamin said with hazy eyes and slurred speech as he clung to me. I could tell he was using my body to keep his body steady.

Benjamin started to dance with me, with random people, and with the shadows on the wall. He flailed his arms up and down and swayed from side to side trying to keep up with the rhythm of the song. He failed miserably.

“Um, exactly how much has Benji had to drink?” I asked Haley.

“I’m not exactly sure, a few beers at the house and I think he’s drinking vodka now, why?” Haley inquired back.

“Because he’s staring down that shirtless guy with the blonde afro other there. He looks ready to pounce,” I nodded in Benjamin’s direction. He was a few feet in front of us. Haley glanced over.

“Oh my God! What on earth is he doing?” she asked.

“I have no idea. Maybe it’s some sort of a British mating dance.”

Benjamin thrashed his arms around. He looked like a puppet, and his master was pulling on the strings. I walked up to him, and he turned and smiled at me. He looked dopey but happy.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing?” I asked.

“Jason! JJJJAAAASSSSOOOOOOOOON!” Benjamin responded. He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. “I want him! I WANT HIM!” Benjamin yelled as he pointed at the shirtless guy with the blonde afro.

“Okay, I believe you, but how bout you come back over to the group and admire him from afar?” I insisted and pulled on his arm so he would follow me.

I had expected him to put up a fuss, but Benjamin just smiled and said, “Okay!”

When I reached the group and turned back around Benjamin was gone again.

“Now where the fuck did he go?” I asked Haley.

“He’s over there.” Kevin pointed to the entrance.

We all turned to look. Benjamin was standing right in front of the door by the trash can. He stood in the doorway bobbing up and down. He was making it hard for people to pass him. With eyes partly open, he smiled and pointed at people that walked by. He gave a thumbs up to the guys he thought were cute.

“Yeah, that’s not creepy at all,” Haley said while staring at Benjamin and laughing.

“Creepy Benji! What the hell is he doing?” Kevin asked.

“Creepy Benji is right,” Bobby said as he took a sip of his margarita.

“He is on a mission to find a guy. All he needs now is a white van with a ‘Free Candy’ sign on the side of it,” I said.

“More like a ‘Free Blow Job’ sign,” Kevin stated.

Contest:  Want to win an ebook copy of Salty Aftertaste? Use Rafflecopter below to enter. Five winners will be randomly selected. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Use the link provided for the entry form and for additional contest details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’d like to give a special shout out to my talented publicist, Joleen, from Parenthetical Author Services. She set up this cover reveal/anniversary blog tour. If you’re an author and need help promoting your work, email her at PAS Promotions.

Anniversary Edition tour hosts: 3 Chicks After Dark, Attention Is Arbitrary, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Boys On the Brink, Decadent Delights, Gay Media Reviews, GGR-Review.com, Hearts On Fire, Joyfully Jay, Love Bytes, MM Good Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, The Novel Approach, On Top Down Under Book Reviews, Prism Book Alliance, The Purple Fantasy Den, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words, Sinfully Sexy, and Smoocher’s Voice

 Meet Jason Lloyd!

 

Author picJason Lloyd is the author of hilarious m/m romance featuring an array of interesting characters. Salty Aftertaste (Ginge Publishing, 2013) was his first creative non-fiction novel. It reached Smashwords Top Best Seller list in Gay & Lesbian Fiction and was the #5 best seller in the New Adult genre on All Romance eBooks (ARe).

His second book, Queer Dirty Laundry (Ginge Publishing, 2014), is a creative non-fiction novella and is based on his popular blog by the same name. In 2011, QueerDirtyLaundry.com was nominated for The Best of Gay Philadelphia under Best Gay Website/Blog. Jason’s blog was also in the top ten numerous times on Best Male Blogs.

Jason is currently working on an m/m romance and mystery/suspense fictional novelette series called Filthy Fibbers. Filthy Fibbers is centered on five friends and the scandalous secrets they keep. The book takes place in a small Pennsylvania town called New Hope.

Jason grew up in a small town in Bucks County, Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia. A majority of his writing takes place in Eastern Pennsylvania including Philadelphia. He currently resides in a small town in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Social Contacts

Email | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads and Ask the Author | Website

Buy Links for Salty Aftertaste:

Amazon | ARe | B&N | Google Play | iBooks | Smashwords

On Tour with Erica Pike and Black Hurricane (contest)

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Erica Pike here today to talk about her latest release, Black Hurricane, hot rockers boys, and all things writing.  She’s brought along a contest to enter and an excerpt to read.  Check them all out,  now on to our interview. Welcome, Erica!

 

STRW: What is your character’s favorite profession?

Erica Pike: Honestly? I love writing characters who cook, and yet the only books I’ve written that contain a professional baker is the Castor Spring series (free, because they were a part of a writing event). However, I love throwing in characters, in my other books, who are amazing cooks even if it’s just a hobby. Musicians are also one of my favorites, because there’s just something about a guy who can make music, be it with his voice or fingers.

STRW: Do you have a favorite age in mind for your characters?

Erica Pike: I mostly write New Adult, which means 18-25ish. I like it because people have to learn so much during those years when they take their first steps into adulthood and everything that comes with it. It’s also the time period where a lot of gay men are finally free to be themselves by moving away from their childhood towns, so they experience life in a whole different way, make new friendships, enter the adult dating pool, and possibly find their first love.

STRW: Contemporary romance or erotica?  How do you see your stories?

Erica Pike: I write gay romances. If I have to choose between the two terms, it’s definitely romance. You can remove the sex scenes and there’s still a romance story. Erotic Romance would be a better way of describing them, since there’s explicit sex in almost all of them, but people tend to think “Erotica” when they see Erotic Romance so I just say “Romance.” The first books I wrote contained a lot of sex scenes, as if often with debut novels in the M/M genre, but I’ve mellowed over time and now there’s more focus on other things. It doesn’t mean that the books have become boring, it just means that the guys don’t jump into bed as quickly.

STRW: Rockers are always hot!  What makes your rockers different?

Erica Pike: Mine are hotter? But, seriously, Black Hurricane is about Jazz who isn’t a professional rocker to begin with. He loves to sing and play guitar, but he’s never been about the fame and never thought about a career in music. When the fame is thrust upon him, he resents it, but the resentment has more to do with the media connecting him to the rocker Dean McQueen, whom Jazz despises with passion.

STRW: Favorite rock band?  Now and growing up?

Erica Pike: My favorite rock band hasn’t changed since I was growing up. Well, I wasn’t much into rock until I was in my teens and I discovered Quarashi, an Icelandic rock-rap band. They broke up in 2004, but announced this year that they’re back together. That’s beyond awesome, because it means more cool music. Quarashi’s “Stick ‘em Up” helped get me in the mood for Black Hurricane’s back alley standoff scene.

STRW: Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what inspires you?

Erica Pike: I don’t. Not while I write, but I may listen to it in between writing. However, during the writing of Black Hurricane, I did listen to some rock music while I wrote, Nine Inch Nails’ Closer, for example. That’s the kind of music that inspires me – great beat and raw lyrics. None of the flowery stuff for me.

STRW: Favorite character of yours?  Or do you have one?

Erica Pike: I have one, and my other characters wouldn’t mind if they actually existed. It’s Eric Wesley. I never mean for him to steal the spotlight in every Boston Boys book, but he does it anyway. I love his brash nature, his way with words, and his spunky attitude.

STRW: Which comes first character or a plot?

Erica Pike: In case of the Boston Boys series, it was definitely the characters. I never meant for it to become a series when I wrote A Life Without You, but five weeks later I had Absolutely Eric in my hands. Since I’d written two, I figured I might as well give the rest of the guys a book. However, when I wrote the College Fun and Gays series, the plots came to me first.

Thank you so much for having me over. It’s been a pleasure.

Book Name: Black Hurricane
Author Name: Erica Pike
Publisher:  MLR Press LLC

Contest:  Rafflecopter Prize: A $50 Amazon Gift Certificate and signed paperbacks of A Life Without You, Hot Hands and The Walls Have Ears. One (international) winner for the lot.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Visit here for the entry form and additional contest details or at the link at the bottom of the post.

Hot Hands 400 x 600A Life Without You 400 X 600The Walls Have Ears 400 x 600

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Bio: Erica lives in Iceland with her adorable little twin boys. She often says that her real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners. Seriously, if “Eyjafjallajökull” looks like a random strings of characters, it’s nothing in comparison to Erica’s name.
She’s been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession. Aside from a business degree, Erica has taken English courses at the University of Iceland and gulped down anything that might help her in her career as an author. She takes great interest in English, but will break every single grammar rule for the sake of The Voice.

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Black Hurricane 400 X 600Title: Black Hurricane by Erica Pike
Cover Artist: Scarlet Tie Designs
Publisher: MLR Press

Buy Links:    MLR Press            All Romance eBooks (ARe)          Amazon

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Black Hurricane Blurb:

Twenty-three year old Jasper Jones fell in love with Dean McQueen at fourteen, but after a disastrous relationship, Jazz would like nothing better than to see the rock star choke on his own vomit.

After a catastrophic reunion, Dean seems bent on destroying Jazz’s life. It all started when an impromptu bar performance ended up on YouTube and Jazz became an internet sensation overnight. The name “Jazdean” keeps popping up in headlines and the paparazzi stalk his every move. To make matters worse, Jazz is about to end up on the streets for the second time in his life.

In a desperate attempt to keep his home, Jazz signs a deal with Dean’s band, Black Hurricane, to perform at a couple of concerts. It feels like one of Dean’s feeble attempts to get Jazz back, but painted into a corner like he is, Jazz has no choice.

Excerpt:

“Jazz, take pictures!” Eric pokes me hard in the side with his bony elbow.

I wince and raise the camera, clicking a shot.

“Go to the front, like they’re doing.” He points at the photographers running to the front and clicking madly on their cameras.

Heaving a sigh, I drag my ass off the chair to walk forward. I rake my hand through my hair before I glance back at the monstrosity on the platform. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be in this position. Suddenly oil paint and new guitar strings don’t seem all that important. I just wanna get out, but Eric needs these pictures for the magazine and I’d rather die than let one of my friends down.

My heart thuds when I see Dean looking right back at me as I approach. His brow furrows as if he’s trying to place me. Typical. Of course he wouldn’t remember me. Why would he? My heart hammers a fast beat as my body breaks out in sweat. The inside of my throat thickens, stopping half of the oxygen from reaching my lungs. And still, I’m having the hardest time looking away.

Am I nervous under his green-eyed gaze? Or is it just the hate? It’s been years since I last saw him.

Not wanting to give the wrong impression of an adoring fan, I narrow my eyes and spew out all the venom I feel for this man into one, hateful glare, just before I raise the camera and snap my shots.

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Tour Dates/Stops

BlackHurricaneAugust 11: Because Two Men Are Better Than One
August 18: Full Moon Dreaming
August 25: MM Good Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire
September 1: Velvet Panic, Fallen Angel Reviews, Havan Fellows
September 8: Decadent Delights
September 15: Up All Night, Read All Day, Love Bytes
September 22: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Smoocher’s Voice
September 29: Prism Book Alliance
October 6: It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake
October 13: Cate Ashwood
October 20: The Novel Approach
October 27: The Hat Party, Dawn’s Reading Nook
November 3: Tara Lain
November 10: My Fiction Nook
November 17: Emotion in Motion, Kimi-Chan
November 24: Amanda C. Stone

 

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Reviewers, Winner Announcements and Our Week Ahead!

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New Reviewers and GRL is Almost Here!

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words continues to grow this week as we add two new reviewers to the blog.  Welcome to Sam and Aurora!  Aurora is our new YA reviewer and Sam will join myself, Barb the Zany Old Lady and PaulB in reviewing all LGBTQ fiction that comes our way!  Check out their bios under Reviewers and give them a welcome!  I am starting to compile a list of all the wonderful author interviews as well. Changes, and more changes. What a merry week its been!

It makes perfect sense for all these changes to happen in the season of Change.  Autumn is upon us.  The leaves are starting to change color and fall, beech nuts, walnuts, and seeds are finding their way into the house via dog and wind, mostly dog.  I have never seen or pulled so many “hitchhikers” from Kirby’s coat than I have this past week.  And the beechnuts?  Wedge themselves into the paws and then into the house.  Can the squirrels be far behind?  Or the stinkbugs for that matter?

GRL (Gay Rom Lit) 2014 is getting closer.  It will be held in Chicago this year and I can hardly wait to go.  I promise to post pics when I get back.  Last Saturday our local M/M Group had a luncheon at the BareBones Grill in Ellicott City, MD, where we had special guests.  Seth Fornea and Jared Bradford.  They are as nice as they are gorgeous!  Was it a marvelous lunch?  Why, yes it was!  And the anticipation builds for GRL!

Jarod and Seth

Winner Announcements:Announcement clip art

  • Deanna Wadsworth Contest:  2 winners:  Sula and Rissa
  • Bailey Bradford: Sula22
  • Angel Martinez’ No Fae Is An Island Contest:   Alana
  • Winners of Havan Fellows’ Whispering Winds contest are: ardent.ereader@gmail.com – winner of a complete set of the series Whispering Winds (including a pre-release of book 5 as soon as it is available) and cathybrockmanromance@gmail.com – winner of a $10 gift card at ARe
  • Raine O’Tierney’s Most Beautiful Words contest:  Sara T.
  • Kimber Vale’s Hard Act to Follow contest winner is:  Emily

 

The Week Ahead in Book Tour, Contests, Author Interviews and Reviews:

Monday, September 22, 2014

  • Erica Pike’s Black Hurricane Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  The Path by Ariel Tachna
  • On Tour with Lou Hoffmann’s The Sun Child Chronicles and the Key to Behliseth (contest)

Tuesday, September 23, 2014:

  • Dev Bentham’s Driving into the Sun Book Tour and Contest
  • Jason Lloyd’s Book Anniversary Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Men of the Manor Anthology, edited by Rob Rosen

Wednesday, September 24, 2014:

  • Cover Reveal for Damian’s Discipline by KC Wells and Parker Williams
  • Cate Ashwood’s cover reveal for the GRL book, To Chicago, With Love
  • Book Tour: Will Parkinson’s Wet Paint (contest)
  • A MelanieM Review:  Solitude by Anna Martin and  Tia Fielding

Thursday, September 25, 2014:

  • JK Hogan ‘Love and the Real Boy Book Tour and Contest
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Wolf in Gucci Loafers by Tara Lain
  • A MelanieM Review:  Midsummer Curse A Tale of Midsummer’s Night 2 By Megan Derr

Friday, September 26, 2014:

  • Galactic Treasure (Earth Con) by Theodora Marie Adams Book Tour and Contest
  • Elin Gregory – A Taste Of Copper Book tour and contest
  • Book Tour: Hidden Gem Author: Lissa Kasey (contest)
  • A MelanieM Review:  Dead Things by Meredith Russell

Saturday, September 27, 2014:

  • A Paul B Review: Elijah’s Ghost by Amber Kell

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the Belonging Verse! On Tour with Aleksandr Voinov and Rachel Haimowitz’ Stories-Anchored and Counterpunch! (Contest)

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Belonging_150x300Welcome to the “Belonging ’Verse re-release blog tour with Aleksandr Voinov and Rachel Haimowitz! We’re very excited to be bringing you edited second editions of our Belonging stories, Anchored and Counterpunch (in the case of Anchored, very edited, with over ten thousand new words and a completely different beginning and ending!), which are finally under the same roof and back in print after about a year out of circulation.

We’ll be touring for about two weeks, Aleks discussing his slave boxer and the barrister who tries to free him, and Rachel talking about her slave news anchor and the talk show host who covets him, and both of us discussing the world of Belonging at large—which, as you’ve probably guessed, is not a particularly pretty place. But good things can and do happen in this world, and we hope you’ll stick with us to find out what!

Speaking of good things, don’t forget to comment on this post for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the Riptide store! Each new post you comment on earns you an entry into the drawing, so be sure to check out the rest of the tour schedule too!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

About Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz:

Anchored Riptide CoverNetwork news anchor Daniel Halstrom is at the top of his field, but being at the bottom of the social ladder—being a slave—makes that hard to enjoy. Especially when NewWorld Media, the company that’s owned him since childhood, decides to lease him privately on evenings and weekends to boost their flagging profits.

Daniel’s not stupid; he knows there’s only one reason someone would pay so much for what little free time he has. But dark memories of past sexual service leave him certain he won’t survive it again with his sanity intact.

He finds himself in the home of Carl Whitman, a talk show host whose words fail him when it comes to ordering Daniel into his bed. Carl can’t seem to take what he must want, and Daniel’s not willing to give it freely. His recalcitrance costs him dearly, but with patience and some hard-won understanding, affection just might flourish over fear and pain. Carl holds the power to be an anchor in Daniel’s turbulent life, but if he isn’t careful, he’ll end up the weight that sinks his slave for good.

Sales Link at Riptide Publishing. Read an excerpt and buy it here.

About Counterpunch by Aleksandr Voinov:

Counterpunch Riptide CoverFight like a man, or die like a slave.

Two years ago, Brooklyn Marshall was a happily married London policeman and amateur boxer with a promising future. Then he accidentally killed a rioter whose powerful father had him convicted of murder. To ease the burden on the prison system, the state sold Brooklyn into slavery. Now he’s the “Mean Machine,” competing on the slave prizefighting circuit for the entertainment of freemen, and being rented out for sexual service to his wealthier fans.

When barrister Nathaniel Bishop purchases Brooklyn’s services for a night, Brooklyn braces himself for yet another round of humiliation and pain. But the pair form an unexpected bond that grows into something more. Brooklyn hesitates to call it love—such feelings can’t truly exist between freemen and slaves—but when Nathaniel reveals that he wants to get Brooklyn’s conviction overturned, Brooklyn dares to hope.

Until an accident in the ring sends Brooklyn on the run, jeopardizing everything he’s worked so hard for. With the law on his tail and Nathaniel in his corner, he must prepare for the most important fight of his life: the fight for his freedom.

Sales link at Riptide Publishing.  Read an excerpt and buy it here.

About the Authors:

Rachel Haimowitz is an M/M erotic romance author and the Publisher of Riptide Publishing. She’s also a sadist with a pesky conscience, shamelessly silly, and quite proudly pervish. Fortunately, all those things make writing a lot more fun for her . . . if not so much for her characters.

When she’s not writing about hot guys getting it on (or just plain getting it; her characters rarely escape a story unscathed), she loves to read, hike, camp, sing, perform in community theater, and glue captions to cats. She also has a particular fondness for her very needy dog, her even needier cat, and shouting at kids to get off her lawn.

Aleksandr Voinov has been published for twenty years, both in print and ebook. He has ten years’ experience as a writing coach, book doctor, and writing teacher, and until recently worked as an editor in financial services.

After co-authoring the M/M military cult classic Special Forces, Aleksandr embarked on a quest to write gritty, edgy, sometimes literary M/M and gay fiction (much of which is romance/erotica)—the only way he can use his American Literature degree these days.

  • He’s been published with Heyne/Random House, Carina Press, Samhain Publishing, and others, and is an EPIC Awards winner and a Lambda Awards finalist. You can connect with Aleks at:
    Website,
    Blog,
    Twitter:@aleksandrvoinov,
    Goodreads