Down Under Author Showcase Continues and this Week’s Schedule

Down Under Author Showcase continues this week. It’s been wonderful to have all these talented authors talking about their books, and their countries.

So far, Christian Baines, Nicki J. Markus (2), and Anne Barwell (3) have been featured. Our Down Under Author Scavenger Hunt has begun, along with the individual giveaways, and Bottom Drawer Publications contest on the Down Under Page. We are still looking for people who have vacationed in New Zealand and Australia who want to share their favorite places and moments with us this month.

Our Schedule This Week:

Monday, January 5:

Down Under Featured Author: N.J. Nielsen
Down Under AUS/NZ Facts, Updates, and Contests
A Sammy Review: Rival Within by S.J. D. Peterson
A Mika Review: In Too Deep by Kate Sherwood
L.M. Somerton’s Investigating Love Book Tour and Contest

Tuesday, January 6:

Down Under AUS/NZ Facts, Updates, and Contests
Down Under Featured Author: L.J. LaBarthe
A MelanieM Review: The Body on the Beach by L.J. LaBarthe
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Candy Man by Amy Lane
A MelanieM Review: Mythica by L. J. LaBarthe

Wednesday, January 7:

Down Under AUS/NZ Facts, Updates, and Contests
Down Under Featured Author: Michelle Rae
Cover Reveal: Jess Buffett “Always Been You”
Moment of Impact by Karen Stivali Book Blast
A Sammy Review: A Spartan Love by Kayla Jameth

Thursday, January 8:

Down Under AUS/NZ Facts, Updates, and Contests
Down Under Featured Author: Renae Kaye
A MelanieM Review: Safe In His Arms by Renae Kaye
A MelanieM Review: The Shearing Gun by Renae Kaye
A MelanieM Review: The Blinding Light by Renae Kaye
‘ E. S. Skipper (false identification)book blast and contest—cancelled

Friday, January 9:

Down Under AUS/NZ Facts, Updates, and Contests
Down Under Featured Author: John Wiltshire
Review: Love is a Stranger by John Wiltshire
Mika Review: A Captive to His Wonder by Remmy Duchene
A Sammy Review: A Royal Affair by John Wiltshire

Saturday, January 10:

Down Under AUS/NZ Facts, Updates, and Contests
Down Under Featured Author: N. R. Walker
A MelanieM Review: Red Dirt Heart Series by N. R. Walker
A MelanieM Review: Red Dirt Heart 4 by N. R. Walker
Sammy’s Review of Thomas Elkins series by NR Walker

New Reviewers! Welcome to Stella and BJ, our new Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words reviewers!

Down Under Showcase Author – Anne Barwell

Meet Anne Barwell

Anne Barwell is the author of four series and 2 stand alone novels (listed below).

To get to know Anne Barwell a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

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Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with two cats who are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.

In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth.

Website: http://annebarwell.wordpress.com/
Blog: http://anne-barwell.livejournal.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anne.barwell.1
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4862410.Anne_Barwell
Dreamspinner Author Page: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_426

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All published by Dreamspinner Press:

Hidden Places series:
• Cat’s Quill
• Magic’s Muse
Echoes series:
• Shadowboxing
• Winter Duet
Dragons of Astria series:
• A Knight to Remember
The Sleepless City series:
• Shades of Sepia
Standalones:
• Slow Dreaming
• On Wings of Song

Genre(s):
Hidden Places is contemporary fantasy
Echoes is historical (WWII)
Dragons of Astria is high fantasy
The Sleepless City is urban fantasy
Slow Dreaming is SF
On Wings of Song is historical (WWI)

Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Anne Barwell) is an eBook copy chosen from Anne Barwell’s backlist. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find Anne Barwell’s Hunt “Word“. Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

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Anne Barwell on The Kiwi Connection!

The Kiwi Connection

Thanks for hosting me today J

As a Kiwi writer, my books often have New Zealand references or characters although sometimes this isn’t possible, as it needs to work with the story I’m telling. So far, I only have one story set in New Zealand, but I’m planning to do something about that.

Slow Dreaming is set very close to home to me as it takes place in Petone where I grew up. Sean’s a songwriter who works in a café in Jackson Street, and one of his favourite places to go and think is the Petone foreshore. I’ve spent many hours on that same beach, and the café is based on one I visit regularly. It was fun writing something set locally, and I had a few comments from local readers who recognised the places I was writing about. It made the research so much easier too and I was able to use some Kiwi idioms.

In Winter Duet, book two of my WWII Echoes series, Kristopher, Michel and the team meet a downed RAF pilot, Leo. During WWII many NZ pilots flew with the RAF. Leo is from Wellington and his uncle has a farm in the Wairarapa, which is several km from here. I remember my dad talking about a big earthquake that took place during the war, which was centred in the Wairarapa. Leo references it in the book, and also mentions the sheep on his uncle’s farm. After all, a New Zealand reference needs sheep in there somewhere, right?

Shades of Sepia, the first book in The Sleepless City series I’m writing with Elizabeth Noble, introduces Ben Leyton. Ben’s a Kiwi on his OE (overseas experience) in Flint, Ohio, a city in the States. It’s the little things that take Ben by surprise as he adjusts to life in the U.S. Here, a flat white refers to coffee with milk; there he’s asked why he’s talking about house paint. He doesn’t like creamer, being used to milk in his tea and coffee. Creamer here is powdered stuff used in coffee machines. We’re an agricultural country, so dairy products are a biggie. Milk is available as full cream, homogenised, trim (low fat) and calci trim (added calcium), and it comes in various flavours such as chocolate, strawberry, lime etc. On a side note, I had a friend visit the U.S after I wrote Shades of Sepia. He was waiting at a dentist and was offered tea with creamer. His reaction was the same as Ben’s.

With the Sleepless City being a series, and contemporary, I’ve been able to explore a lot more of the differences between here and the U.S than in other stories, through Ben’s reactions and speech. Although we all speak English we have different names for different things eg garbage/rubbish, sidewalk/footpath. Ben’s use of slang often leads to questions too, especially when he refers to something as ‘sweet as’. There isn’t a word missing—the point of it is that there is no comparison. We also refer to something as ‘cold as’, ‘hot as’ etc.

In book three of the series, Family and Reflection, Ben’s friend, Ange, comes to visit. I had several betas (non-Kiwis) who asked me if her saying she was going to find a ‘park’ was a typo and whether it should be a parking spot. Neither of my Kiwi betas commented at all, as that’s what we say here, and how Ange, a Kiwi, would say it. It’s the little things that show our origins.

I’m looking forward to setting my new series Outliers in Wellington—once I’ve finished my current series. Ben and his vampire partner, Simon, will also be visiting Wellington, and interacting with some of those characters, in book three of the spin off series Opus: Tales of

the Sleepless City. After all, Ben’s had fun trying to adjust to a culture that isn’t his own so it’s only fair that his partner gets to do the same in reverse.

A MelanieM Review: Fair Play (All’s Fair #2) by Josh Lanyon

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Roland Mills, father of ex-FBI agent Elliot Mills, has always been an activist, extremely liberal in his views and actions. Fifty years ago, Roland belonged to a violent protest group and now, when Roland is about to publish his memoirs, someone is willing to kill to prevent him from doing so.

It took the death of his mother, and Elliot Mills’s own injury to bring father and son back together. Now the threats against his father’s life has Elliot reaching out to those in his father’s past, an action that brings him up against the FBI and his lover, FBI Agent Tucker Lance.

Now living together, Tucker and Elliot are still trying to find their way to a solid relationship and these threats against Roland threaten that solidity once again. Tucker has never agreed with radical Roland on much, but when it comes to wanting Elliot to stay out of the mess Roland has gotten into, he and Roland agree for once that Elliot needs to let it alone. As the danger closes in, it threatens not just Roland’s life, but that of Elliot’s and their relationship as well.

The first book in this series, Fair Game, remains a favorite read of mine. I loved the complicated characters, the angst filled past, and the tumultuous circumstances that brought such strong, intelligent men together. Adding to that, Josh Lanyon completed his cast of characters by giving Elliot a compelling family history with a 60’s activist father, and beloved deceased mother and a host of wild and chaotic personalities that swirled around his father and the university they both teach at. And then Lanyon piled on some horrific murders to boot!

At the conclusion of Fair Game, Tucker and Elliot agreed to give their relationship another try and this story, Fair Play, picks up with Tucker already living in Elliot’s house on the island. Their relationship is passionate and committed, yet both men are still obviously adjusting to all new aspects of their cohabitation. I have always loved this author’s ability to create such layered, fascinating characters and then bring them to life through sharp, thoughtful dialog and emotional interplay. We feel Elliot’s and Tucker’s hesitations, those halting advances towards openness and vulnerability that is so hard for them both, in scene after scene. It makes their journey back to each other feel real and sometimes painfully slow. That makes it extremely gratifiying when they can move past these realistic moments in their relationship to something deeper. And all the while, they are trying to deal with Roland’s intractability, fear, and an unknown killer on the loose.

The father/son dynamics between Roland and Elliot that Lanyon has brought into this series is as compelling as the one between Tucker and Elliot, and its not always a given that the relationship will survive the actions of each other, as diametrically opposed as they often are. I loved the mystery that goes along with the attempts on Roland’s life, it leads into the past and the idea that all actions have reverberations that will continue into the present and beyond. We also see the potential for the villain in the first story to make a reappearance soon. That alone gave me the shivers.

In Fair Play, we are there as Tucker and Elliot solve complicated mysteries and move deeper into their relationship. The suspense is gripping, and the emotional involvement never lets up. We are engrossed in the hunt for the would-be assassin while also heavily invested in Tucker and Elliot’s sometimes shaky partnership and well being. Fair Play is immensely satisfying, totally entertaining, and a wonderful read. I highly recommend not only this book but the first in the series as well. Start with Fair Game to see what brings Elliot and Tucker back together and then continue on to Fair Play. What a ride awaits you in the All’s Fair series from Josh Lanyon.

Cover Artist is a great job in overall tone and concept.

Sales Links: Carina Press All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 250 pages
Published November 10th 2014 by Carina Press
ASINB00KV5Z7M0
series All’s Fair #2

All’s Fair Series:

Fair Game
Fair Play (All’s Fair #2)

A Sammy Review: Making Nice by Elizah J. Davis

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

“This is my friend Ryan. He made pecan pie. I hope that’s okay with everyone?”

“I’m allergic to nuts,” Blake muttered. Or evidently said loudly enough for everyone to hear. Ryan snorted, Bianca glared, Matt looked like a confused puppy, and his mom gave him a questioning look and said, “Pecan is your favorite.”

“It’s a recent allergy,” Blake said weakly.

Ryan walked past him to set the pie on the counter and whispered, “Don’t worry. My nuts are hypoallergenic.”

Being a twin is special, and when Blake’s twin Bianca meets Matt and falls madly in love with him, it’s imperative that Blake approves. The thing is, Matt isn’t so bad. His friend, Ryan, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

Granted, they get off on the wrong foot – meaning that Ryan is pretty much foot in mouth. He can’t help himself, the stupid comments just keep pouring out.

Sometimes, though, foes make the best lovers, and Blake and Ryan teeter on the line of hate, to tolerance, to tolerating sleeping together because sex is about the only time they don’t drive each other mad. They decide to keep their arrangement a secret, and as with all secrets, things get mucked up when a secret becomes common knowledge.

Making Nice is a lot more than enemies becoming lovers, it extends to a relationship building between two people who are both equally flawed and live up close and personal with their worst enemies – themselves.

“I’m just saying, I guess—make sure you’re paying attention. Blake has a tendency, if he doesn’t think he can get what he wants, to take what he can get.”

Ryan forced a smile, though it felt like he’d just been insulted. “Which one am I, then? What he wants or what he can get?”

I was a bit nervous at first. This is a fairly long book and it’s a new author for me, but I loved the idea for the plot and went in with an open mind. Elizah Davis did not disappoint.

I’ve said before that one of the things I love is good banter between characters. I understand that it’s not something that should happen in every story, that’d get boring, but I just love it when an author can make characters duel with words and pull the reader into it. This was the case for Blake and Ryan. They truly had a banter that lasted even after their relationship progressed, and it made their relationship that much sweeter for me.

To a certain extent, the blurb really doesn’t do the story justice. It’s so much more than this hate-sex type of deal. The reason the story is the length it is, at least in my opinion, is because you get to see their relationship build. It’s not an automatic hate one day, love the next – they kind of fall into it. It’s a progression that you can visibly watch throughout the chapters.

I also enjoyed the side characters. There were a decent number of them, but I never got mixed up on who was who or who had been told what. They had personality and life that added to the story for me. I do wish we’d gotten to hear more about Ryan’s family life, as most of it deals with Blake’s, but that was just something that would’ve been a nice addition.

I will say that the thing some people may struggle with here are communication issues – Ryan and Blake certainly have them. The reason it didn’t bother me in this story is because I saw it as a natural byproduct of their relationship and its roots, and also a growing pain that they needed to overcome. The author doesn’t make this a moot point though, and at one point outwardly acknowledges that communication is probably more beneficial for them. To me, their communication issues made sense, it worked.

Also, I really adore the cover art by Paul Richmond. It fits the story quite well, right down to the check list (with friends crossed out, which totally made me smile after reading the story).

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) amazon buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 314 pages
Expected publication: December 26th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165282
edition languageEnglish

On Tour with Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock and The Two Gentlemen of Altona (Book Tour and Contest)

Hi! We’re Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, the authors of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA. We’re touring the web taking about our influences, our processes, anything we can think about actually, and even giving you guys a sneak peak or two! And what would a blog tour be without a contest? Check out the details at the bottom of the post to see what you can win!

About THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA:

Mischief, thou art afoot.

Special Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness is having a rough week. Not only is he on a new diet, but he’s also been tasked with keeping Henry Page—the world’s most irritating witness—alive. Which is tough when Mac’s a breath away from killing the Shakespeare-quoting, ethically-challenged, egg-obsessed Henry himself. Unless killing isn’t really what Mac wants to do to him.

Con man Henry Page prefers to keep his distance from the law . . . though he wouldn’t mind getting a little closer to uptight, handsome Agent McGuinness. As the sole witness to a mob hit, Henry’s a valuable asset to the FBI. But he’s got his own agenda, and it doesn’t involve testifying.

When evidence surfaces of a mole in the FBI office, Mac and Henry are forced to go into hiding. Holed up in a fishing cabin, they’re surprised to discover that their feelings run more than skin deep. But as the mob closes in, Henry has to make his escape. And Mac has to decide how far he’s willing to go to keep Henry by his side.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA is the first in our PLAYING THE FOOL trilogy. Book 2, THE MERCHANT OF DEATH, will be available on February 2. Book 3, TEMPEST, will be released March 9.

You can preorder the series, and check out excerpts, at Riptide.

About Lisa:

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house a log-suffering partner, too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Connect with Lisa:

Blog: http://www.lisahenryonline.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisahenryonline

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LisaHenry

About J.A.:

J.A. Rock has worked as a dog groomer, knife seller, haunted house zombie, standardized patient, cashier, census taker, state fair quilt hanger, and, for one less-than-magical evening, a server—and would much rather be writing about those jobs than doing them. A lover of m/m BDSM romance, J.A. lives mostly in West Virginia, and always with a beloved dog, Professor Anne.

Website: http://www.jarockauthor.com
Blog: http://jarockauthor.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jarockauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ja.rock.39

Giveaway:

Thanks for following our tour! To celebrate our release, we’re giving away an awesome prize – an ebook copy of a novel of your choice from either of our back catalogs. We’re also giving away a $20 Riptide gift voucher, and the contents of Henry Page’s bag during his arrest in THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA: that’s some Shakespeare and a bunch of Henry’s favorite candy!

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with a way for us to contact you, be it your email, your twitter, or a link to your facebook or goodreads account. Please put your email in the body of the comment, not just in email section of the comment form, because we won’t be able to see it otherwise! On January 9, we’ll draw a winner from all eligible comments! Be sure to follow the whole tour, because the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win the prize!

Down Under Author of the Day: Nicki J Markus

Meet Nicki J Markus!

Mett Nicki J Markus…author, linguist, editor, and so much more. To get to know Australian author Nicki J Markus a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within this post.

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Nicki J Markus was born in England in 1982, but has lived in Adelaide, South Australia with her husband since 2007. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.
Nicki launched her writing career in 2011 and writes under two pen names: Nicki J Markus (M/F) and Asta Idonea (M/M).   Nicki has worked as an editor and proof-reader since 2012, completing work for several online publishers and indie authors.

When not writing and editing, she enjoys many other pursuits such as: reading, music, theatre, cinema, photography, sketching, and cross stitch. She also has a keen interest in history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel.

Website: http://www.nickijmarkus.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickiJMarkus
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolamarkus
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/NickiJMarkus
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4567057.Nicki_J_Markus

My currently available works are two M/M short stories in the Wayward Ink Publishing anthologies Stranded and A Likely Story.

Previously, I had two novellas—Day-Walker and Time Keepers—published through Silver Publishing, but they are currently unavailable since the publisher closed its doors. I may look at re-releasing them in the future, perhaps with some changes.

I am a few short weeks away from completing the final edits on my new M/F fantasy-mythology trilogy. I am going to be self-publishing this work and will have more news on that in the next few months.

A Likely Story:

Book Details and Blurb:

Suspend rational thought.Leave logic at the door.Be ready to roll your eyes and pick your jaw up from your lap.

The tales in A Likely Story don’t let truth get in the way of telling a good yarn.

They might push your buttons or make you laugh.They may make you scoff or spit out your coffee.You might even scratch your head in disbelief.Whatever your reaction, the one thing the …more

ebook, 231 pages
Published December 19th 2014 by Wayward Ink Publishing
original titleA Likely Story
ASINB00QH3RJOE
edition languageEnglish

Stranded Anthology:

The boys in this collection of short stories have most definitely been left STRANDED!

They’ve been shipwrecked and abandoned. Marooned and cast away.And left helpless and high and dry.

But you should never underestimate the tenacity of the human heart…

STORIES INCLUDED:

Craving Stains by Alina Popescu
Say Cheese by Michael P. Thomas
Standby by Kim Fielding
The Raider by Asta Idonea
The Buckle by Rob Colton
Ari by Nephylim
Opposites Attract by Lily G. Blunt
Out of Order by Eric Gober
Dating for Deafies by Nikka Michaels
One Snowy Night by Louise Lyons
The Climb by kirifox
Did You Leave Any For Me by Sarah Hayes
Sweetness and Strength by J.N. Olsen

Awaken To the Night by Nicki J. Markus

Genre(s):
Predominantly paranormal and fantasy for M/F, but I also write some contemporary and historical pieces in M/M.

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Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Nicki J Markus) is an PDF copy of one of my previously published paranormal/horror short stories: Awaken to the Night. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/l

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt word/phrase highlighted in green. Collect all the words/phrases from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

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• When did you start writing?
I guess you could say I started writing properly, with a view to actually publishing, in 2011. Prior to that, I wrote for my own pleasure and penned a number of fan fics centred on films and television series such as Van Helsing, Red Dwarf, Alias etc.

• Were you a reader as a child?
Absolutely! My mother has a favourite story of how she would ask my younger sister and I want we wanted to do when she had time to play with us. My sister would invariably call for the Barbie dolls, whereas I would always ask to read a book. And that love of reading has stayed with me all my life. By the time I reached my teens, I swapped from modern writers to the classics and devoured Jane Austen, Dickens, Dostoevsky… and then since my twenties I tend to read a mix of classics and new works. I’m not a fan of chick lit or true crime, but otherwise I read from most genres, with a particular focus on literary fiction and paranormal/fantasy.

• Where do you draw inspiration from?
Often from other sources, be it book, film, or theatre. My current work-in-progress is a fantasy trilogy based around Norse mythology. I have a great love of mythology in general and the Norse tales in particular. I had been rereading them this year and they became the stepping stone that led me to imagine the characters and storyline of this series. Obviously things happening in my own life can also play a part, and this fantasy trilogy is no exception—this story has more personal meaning for me than any of my previous works. Quite often an idea takes root in my mind because I’ve watched or read something, and then I’ve begun to wonder what would happen if things in that story were changed or approached from a different angle. That gives you the springboard and a plot and characters grow from there.

• Favourite genres to write in and why?
The majority of my work is paranormal/fantasy. It’s a genre I love to both write and read because of its escapism. Vampires are my favourite supernatural creature, so I always enjoy writing them. I have a great fear of death and growing old, so for me vampirism is the ultimate aspiration! 🙂 I love how in these genres you can explore deep issues under the guise of an amazingly different world full of danger and excitement.

• Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?
Honestly, it depends. With my fantasy trilogy it went characters-plot-title, but with an M/M short story I have just submitted for an anthology call, it was plot-title-characters. It can vary depending on where the initial idea came from. Perhaps I fell in love with a character in a book and wanted to do my own take on something similar; or maybe I was inspired by the plot of a film and had an idea for adapting it into something new.

• Do you have a favourite character that you have written?
Oh yes! Again, from my fantasy trilogy. The trick here is not to reveal too much because his real identity is a secret until partway through Book One. Let’s just say, he’s an anti-hero. He’s mischievous, and a bit of a bad boy, but deep down he cares deeply and is trying to do the right thing, battling his inner demons. I can understand my heroine being in love with him—I’m head over heels for him myself.

• Favourite book/story you have read as an adult
Oh, wow, that’s tough because there are so, so many. In classics, firm favourites are Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and Eugene Onegin by Pushkin (I can read those again and again and love them just as much each time). In more modern works, any of the Saint Germain books by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (so well-written, and a compelling hero), anything by Murakami, and then there are recent books I’ve adored such as Joanne M. Harris’ Gospel of Loki or the All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness. There are the books you love all your life, and then there are those that really speak to you and mean a lot in the moment you read them because of your personal situation at the time, but perhaps when you go back to them later they don’t have the same impact a second time. To pick just one… sorry, I just can’t do it!

• Do you have a certain regimen that you follow as a writer?
Yes and no. I don’t have a set time of day to write—I simply write when I have the freedom to do so—but I do like a particular environment: I prefer to be home alone, sat in my study, and have complete quiet. Usually I love music; just not when I’m writing.

• Do you have a specific writing style?
Not especially. I tend to write in third person, but I have been known to stray into first person from time to time when it feels right for the story. I like descriptive and varied language-use and vocabulary too. I don’t approve of the way some people these days believe language and grammar usage has to be dumbed-down for e-book readers—I really don’t think they are any less intelligent than print readers.

• What’s the hardest part of writing your books?
Letting go! I work as a freelance editor and proof-reader and I find it hard to leave my own prose alone at times. If I wasn’t strict with myself, I’d keep on tweaking sentences forever and nothing would ever get submitted or published.

• If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your first book?
I’d like to think I’ve grown as a writer over the last 3-4 years. My first published longer work was a novella called Day-Walker, and although it got decent reviews, looking back now there is a lot I would change. The rights to that work returned to me last year when the publisher it was contracted to closed, and I am giving serious thought to reworking it into a full-length novel because I truly feel I could do more with it now than when I first wrote it. Watch this space!

• If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor/has the biggest influence on you?
I would say Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is a big influence, because I so admire her prose and the way she can describe characters and scenes. She’s certainly who I aspire to be like one day.

• What book are you reading now?
At present, I am reading The Idiot by Dostoevsky and a book on learning to read and write Old Norse.

• What is your favourite AUS/NZ stories and favourite Australian/New Zealand movies?
The first Australian film that struck a chord with me was Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I still love that movie today—it’s both very funny and yet incredibly poignant. More recent, I was very impressed with The Little Death. In terms of Australian writers, I admire Peter Carey and Tim Winton, and I loved the recent novel Burial Rites from new Australian author, Hannah Kent.

• What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Here in South Australia, it would be the Barossa Valley. It’s a lovely day out to just mooch around the wineries and enjoy the local food and wine. My husband and I got married at a winery there too, so it has added importance for us because of that.
Going back to my old ‘own country’, I always loved wandering the West End in London. It’s great to live here in Australia, but I do miss London at times—I was always happy there amidst theatre and bookstores.

• What are your current projects?
Well, my fantasy trilogy is just undergoing final edits. I started off looking for a publisher, but then decided to self-publish this one. It’s my first time going that route, so a bit of a learning curve, but I hope to release the three books in a one volume omnibus edition in a few months’ time. Keep an eye on my blog and social media for news on that! Afterwards, I hope to rework and rerelease my previous two novellas, Day-Walker and Time-Keepers. Meanwhile, with my M/M writing, I have submitted two more short stories for anthology calls, and if my works are accepted, they will be published in March and June respectively. After that, I may extend one of them into a follow-up novella as I still feel I have more to say about those characters and their story.

A Mika Review: All That Heaven Will Allow by D.W. Marchwell

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5:

Jimmy Campbell has owned his own bar for the past twenty years. While his past is troubled, his present and future make life worth living. He has good friends, more than enough money, and he volunteers—along with his Yorkie, Bozo, and his Maine coon cat, Miss Alicia—at the local hospital every Friday. He couldn’t ask for more. That is, until he meets Derek “Dizzy” Roberts.  Derek is a musician who tours the country with his band. He’s an ex-cop, was married once, and has the bitter ex-wife and two spoiled children to prove it. He’s finally living his dream, and that includes bedding all the groupies who think he’s every bit as good as his music. He doesn’t worry much about the future, until he meets Jimmy.  The two men begin a long-distance romance, sneaking weekends here and there, until a tragedy forces them to realize they might lose the only thing they both want–a future together. Now, they’re asking for everything heaven will allow.

I loved everything about these two. I liked that it was 2 guys over 40 years old. Yes both had bad previous relationship but they came into this one only with each other in mind. It was definitely instant love, but at their respected ages I’m pretty sure they knew what was what. This was my first read by this author and I’m glad I really enjoyed it. It felt really slow paced in the beginning, more character driven than the romance and I was okay with that.

Both mc’s were equally great in their own ways, but Jimmy definitely stole the show for me. I’m not an animal person by far but what Jimmy was able to do with his heart and for other people is amazing. He was super patient, honest, loyal, and all about second chances. He was super caring, and he just came off as the perfect guy. I mean I don’t think he said one negative thing the entire book, and he definitely pulled at my heart strings for sure. Sure he had his issues, damages and reasons for wanting to start something with Derek but I’m super happy he gave into it, because it made him a happier man.

When Derek is first introduced it’s him offering himself as a player name Dizzy. LMAO, I thought he was super charming, but of course all that charming was just a facade for the man underneath. Their first interaction with each other had me rooting for Jimmy and snorting at Dizzy because he just got served big time.

All in all, they made their romance work for them. Dizzy finally got the family he wanted, James finally had someone who love and appreciated him. A couple things bothered me, Derek’s previous relationship and children story line didn’t get wrapped. I felt like it was just left off, and I would have liked to seen some type of mending of the sorts. It was a lot of misspellings in the book; I did think they needed a better proofreader. I didn’t tear up surprisingly. I would recommend this book to CR readers, just an easy read between two older guys. I like reading about older guys. I find that they tend to communicate a lot better, and that’s mostly what I’m looking for.

The cover artist Bree Archer created this cover, and I liked the picture because it was full circle for the two guys. I did feel like the one portraying James wasn’t since in the book he was a full blond, other than that I really liked it.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) amazon buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published November 21st 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632161673
edition lang

On Tour with The Adventures of Cole and Perry by Amanda C. Stone (tour and contest)

Book Name: The Adventures of Cole and Perry
Release Date: Mid-January
Author Name: Amanda C. Stone

Author Bio:

Armed with her Batman notebook, fourth grade Amanda C. Stone was ready to start writing stories about unicorns, family members, and her imaginary friends Pink Amanda and Blue Amanda. Today, Amanda is armed with a new notebook, along with a laptop, and a never ending supply of caffeine. Her stories are about all kinds of things, but the most important aspect is people falling in love.

Where to find the author:

Website: http://www.amandastonebooks.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandastonebooks Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandastonebks Newsletter Signup: http://eepurl.com/ZF60L Email: amandastonebooks@gmail.com

Publisher: Self-published
Cover Artist: Amanda C. Stone

Sales Links: for more information visit http://www.amandastonebooks.com/books/the-adventures-of-cole-and-perry/

Blurb:

It all started when Cole met Perry in a bar. Over three years they had some exciting adventures, and misadventures. The six stories included in this book are all about their journey from bar to wedding.

The Anniversary
Another cancellation of plans by his boyfriend forces Cole out to the neighborhood bar. Not long after arriving he meets Perry. Even as exciting as Perry is, he’s unsure how the night will end.

The Fight
Cole and Perry are struggling to make time for each other and constantly at each other’s throats. A fight to the death will decide who is right or wrong in their arguments. But Cole really doesn’t want to shoot Perry.

The Threesome
Deciding they want to spice up things in the bedroom, Perry wants to have a one-time threesome. Cole’s nervous and doesn’t want to ask any of their friends to join them. Perry finds the perfect solution.

The House
After two and a half years together, Cole and Perry want to buy a house. Once they find the perfect house, they get to spend their first morning together in their new space. Perry will have to help Cole decide which room is his favorite.

The Baby
Both Cole and Perry are exhausted. Taking care of a three month old is hard when she’s up all night and is always hungry. If only they could find where they put the bottle warmer.

The Wedding
Cole is ready to make his commitment to Perry life-long. After careful planning, they created the perfect event. What could possibly go wrong? If only Cole didn’t ask the same question.

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

Excerpt:

“Cole. I have a surprise for you. I want you to close your eyes and keep them closed until I tell you to open them.”
Cole looked up from his magazine at the doorway Perry’s voice drifted in from. He put the magazine on his nightstand and closed his eyes.

“They’re closed,” he called out. He wasn’t sure where Perry was in their apartment, but he sounded close.

Rustling and a strange squeaking noise reached his ears. Cole furrowed his brows trying to figure out what Perry was up to and what he was hearing.

“Okay. Go ahead and open your eyes.”

Cole popped his eyes open. He closed them and then re-opened them again. Nope, he still was seeing what was in front of him.

“Perry. Why is there–?”

Perry cut him off before Cole could finish his thought.

“So, we had talked about fantasies and things like that. I told you this was mine. So I’d like to introduce you to Freddy. Freddy, I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Cole.”

Cole smiled at how nervous Perry was. His boyfriend was adorable trying to be brave with his ideas.

“Nice to meet you, um, Freddy. Perry, where did you meet Freddy?”

Perry had a small smile on his face that showed Cole he appreciated he was alright with what was happening.

“Online. I found Freddy on some website. Can’t remember the name now.”

Cole was stunned. His boyfriend didn’t go to those types of websites for any reason. Just meant Perry wanted to have the threesome and was willing to do it without asking one of their friends. Cole was so happy Perry had found a way to have his fantasy.

Pages or Words: Around 17,000 words
Tour Dates: January 1, 2015

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Lee Brazil, Bayou Book Junkie, The Hat Party, Love Bytes, Velvet Panic, Inked Rainbow Reads, 3 Chicks After Dark, Decadent Delights, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Molly Lolly, BFD Book Blog, Amanda C. Stone, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Charley Descoteaux, Hearts on Fire, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, My Fiction Nook, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, MM Good Book Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Christy Loves To Read, Cate Ashwood

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy upon publication. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the link provided to enter and for all additional contest details.

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy New Year! Down Under Author Showcase Begins Today!

Happy New Year, everyone! Today kicks off Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Down Under Author Showcase, an entire month of authors, their books and stories from Australia and New Zealand. Each day brings a new featured author, an interview or guest blog, information on the writers and their books, as well as a personal giveaway from each person.

In addition, we have more fabulous contests to go along all month long. There is a Down Under Scavenger Hunt where you visit each author’s page each day to search out a Hunt word or phrase in bold green, gather them up all month long and then submit them to me on January 31st! We will be awarding seven prizes to Down Under Scavenger Hunt participants. These include a $75 Amazon gift card, four gift packages of items from Australia and New Zealand (two from each country courtesy of the Embassy of Australia and the Embassy of New Zealand here in DC), the Under the Southern Cross Anthology from Dreamspinner Press-6 individual novellas in all, the book How To Speak Kangaroo, and more.

Then Bottom Drawer Publications will provide a $20 gift voucher to spend in our shop and a copy of each of the e-books from our participating authors:

Mythica – L. J. LaBarthe
Cutting Out – Meredith Shayne
Second Chances Anthology – contains 2 stories contributed by Lisa Harris (Heart of Glass) and Bette Browne (Dirty Martini)

Vacationeers to NZ and AUS! This contest is for you! We would love to have the people who have vacationed/visited our Down Under countries to share their memories and photos, their favorite places to visit or eat or whatever they wish to share. A special prize will be saved for one winner picked from all the participants who guest blog with us all month long. Just send in your memories or places to share, short or long or anything in between anytime between now and January 31st. Send them to melaniem54@msn.com and watch for your post to appear throughout the month.

Over 37 prizes to be awarded this month! Don’t miss out on a day of Down Under Author Showcase.

Today’s Down Under Author is Christian Baines. I loved his book The Beast Without!

Also we will be posting interesting facts, places to visit and more “stuff to know” about each country every day! If visiting Australia and New Zealand weren’t already on your bucket list, then these amazing authors, and their books and stories will have you pining for airlines tickets!

Australia Fun Fact of the Day:

How Big is Australia?
Australia is the word’s smallest continent and the world’s sixth largest country. Australia covers an area of 7,686,900 square kilometres. That’s slightly smaller than the United States mainland which is 7,827,848 square kilometres (does not include Hawaii and Alaska).

New Zealand Fun Fact of the Day:

A kiwi is not a fruit – it is New Zealand’s native flightless bird and a slang term for a New Zealander. Kiwis call the fruit “kiwifruit” – they are also known as Chinese Gooseberries.

Acknowledgements

My thanks goes out to the Embassies of Australia and New Zealand for their contributions of the gift packages. My thanks also to Bottom Drawer Publications and Dreamspinner Press for their contest and donations. And my appreciation of all the participating authors who gave of their time and books to this event! Happy New Year All!

A Mika Review: Truth in Lace (Desires Entwined #3.5) by Tempeste O’Riley

Rating: 3 stars out of 5:

When Alexander James Noble looks in the mirror, he sees a freak looking back at him. Despite his high grades and plans for culinary arts school after graduation, his parents would hate him if they really knew him.  Forced on a shopping trip with his twin sister, Lyric, and her friends, Alex eyes the girls jealously, longing to be able to dress like them—to be them. The constant struggle of being “gender fluid,” wrestling with an identity that seems to change daily, begins to wear on Alex. But all those questions and fears seem more manageable when his sister gives him his first skirt and lace panties.

When I say this was a shortie, this was a shortie. I didn’t know how to rate this because it’s literally under 25 pages. Its 24 pages to be exact. I liked it, because it was when Alex first understood what being gender fluid meant. I didn’t understand the author only producing this short novella as I felt like it could have been more with this subject. What did Alex do, following this coming of age sort of moment? More of his story would have been great. I liked him and Lyric. I liked Lyric supporting him, it was a rarity at their age to understand and accept Alex with no qualms, or restrictions. It was a nice short story and with a nice prologue.

Reese Dante created this cover, and like the previous covers it had symbolism written all over it I liked this cover the best, I really went in with happiness because I thought it would be thoroughly talked about.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook (free) All Romance (ARe) (free) amazon buy it here for $1.99
Book Details:

ebook, 24 pages
Published November 5th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165213
edition languageEnglish
seriesDesires Entwined #3.5

Books in the Desires Entwined series in the order they were written and should be read:

Designs of Desire (Desires Entwined, #1)
Bound by Desire (Desires Entwined #1.75)
Desires’ Guardian (Desires Entwined, #2)
Temptations of Desire (Desires Entwined, #3)
Truth in Lace (Desires Entwined #3.5)

Our Schedule This Week:

Monday, January 5:

Tuesday, January 6:

Wednesday, January 7:

Thursday, January 8:

Friday, January 9:

Saturday, January 10:

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Meet Anne Barwell

Anne Barwell is the author of four series and 2 stand alone novels (listed below).

To get to know Anne Barwell a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

Contests and Giveaways:

Anne Barwell on The Kiwi Connection!

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Meet Nicki J Markus!

Contests and Giveaways:

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Author Bio:

Excerpt:

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