Category: Fantasy

Greek Mythology Comes to Life with MINOTAUR by J.A. Rock (guest post and giveaway)

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MINOTAUR by J.A. Rock

Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by  Imaliea

Buy it at Riptide Publishing

Hi! I’m J.A. Rock, and I’m touring the internet with my new release, MINOTAUR, a queer fantasy/horror reimagining of the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur. And there’s a giveaway involved! I’m giving one reader a chance to win Lost in a Jigsaw, the puzzle that nearly destroyed my sanity a few years ago (but provided hours of fun, I swear), as well as a $15 Riptide voucher.


Thanks so much to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me here today, and to everyone following the tour.  Here’s today’s look at MINOTAUR.

The Legend of the Minotaur

There are many versions of the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur. The basic story is that King Minos of Crete’s wife, Queen Pasiphae, was cursed by Poseidon to fall in love with a bull. She slept with the bull and gave birth to a monster that was half-man, half-bull, which King Minos then had shut up in a labyrinth so complicated, no one could get out of it alive.

Every year, seven Athenian men and seven Athenian women were sent to the labyrinth as tributes to keep the Minotaur satisfied. Theseus eventually decided to go into the labyrinth as one of the tributes and kill the Minotaur. To ensure he could find his way out, Princess Ariadne, Minos’s daughter, gave Theseus a ball of thread, so that he could tie one end to the labyrinth’s door and follow the thread back to the entrance.

I didn’t actually know the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur terribly well when I started Minotaur. My mom had a book of Greek myths she read to me from when I was a kid, and I liked the story of the labyrinth because I was obsessed with mazes. Loving mazes is a thing. I reacquainted myself with the legend by reading it over a couple of times before I started writing, but I wasn’t looking to do a blow-by-blow retelling of the myth. Nor was I looking to do anything specific and agenda-driven, like “a feminist retelling of the Minotaur story.”

What I did want to do was explore themes of heroism, sacrifice, self-discovery, and what makes a monster. Minotaur takes place in an unspecified time based very loosely on the 1930s, and centers on an angry orphan, Thera, whose fascination with a legendary beast comes in part from the wickedness she perceives in herself. Years before Thera was born, a young woman gave birth to a baby she couldn’t care for, and the baby grew into the Minotaur, a half-woman, half-bull who terrorized the town of Rock Hill before she was trapped in a labyrinth. Now the town feeds her tributes in the form of orphans and criminals in order to keep her satisfied in her prison.

There are characters in Minotaur who have counterparts in the legend—though Thera is almost an anti-Theseus, drawn to the labyrinth for selfish reasons, and frustrated by society’s willingness to deem grand acts “heroic” while failing to recognize more subtle, honest displays of loyalty and courage as anything other than recklessness and stupidity.

What I love about the original myth is the way you just kind of have to roll with it. Pasiphae was cursed to fall in love with a bull? Okay, why not. The king had Daedalus build a massive labyrinth to contain the Minotaur? Sure. Myths are stories where so much seems to be going on below the surface, and yet they’ve been reduced to easily digestible two or three paragraph tales.

I didn’t care so much about being true to the legend as I did about showing what might lie under the surface in a story like Theseus’s, or Thera’s. Minotaur is not a tale about a monster and a hero, but rather about the way the two coexist in all of us.

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Giveaway

Thanks for being part of the tour! To celebrate this release, I’m giving one commenter Lost in a Jigsaw, the award winning maze puzzle—all the pieces fit together, so the only way to know if you’ve put it together correctly is to solve the maze. If this sounds too much like torture, rest assured that you also get a $15 Riptide voucher. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with a way to contact you.  Please leave your email address so we can get in touch with you if chosen. On October 26th, I’ll draw a winner from all eligible comments. Contest is not limited to US entries. If you’d like,follow the whole tour—the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

Blurb

Minotaur_600x900GreekKnow this: I am not a warrior. I am a disease.

When I was six, my parents died.

When I was sixteen, I was locked away in Rock Point Girls’ Home. Nobody wants to deal with a liar. An addict. A thief.

Nobody except Alle. She is pure, and she’s my friend in spite of all the rotten things I am. 

There was once another girl like me—long ago. A cast-off daughter. A lying little beast who left a red stain across the land with her terrible magic. She’s imprisoned now in a maze high up on the cliffs. They say she’s half woman, half bull. They say she dines on human tributes and guards a vast treasure. They say she was born wicked.

But I know her better than the history books or stories do. She and I dream together. Our destinies are twisted up like vines.

Except I’m not going to turn out wicked like she is. I can save myself by destroying her. I’m going to break out of this place, and I’m going to enter the labyrinth and take her heart.

And once I’m redeemed, maybe Alle will love me.

http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/minotaur

About The Author

J.A. Rock is the author of queer romance and suspense novels, including By His Rules, Take the Long Way Home, and, with Lisa Henry, The Good Boy and When All the World Sleeps. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a BA in theater from Case Western Reserve University. J.A. also writes queer fiction and essays under the name Jill Smith. Raised in Ohio and West Virginia, she now lives in Chicago with her dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

A Stella YA Review: The Rules of Ever After by Killian B. Brewer

Rating 4,5 stars out of 5

The Rules of Ever After coverThe rules of royal life have governed the kingdoms of Clarameer for thousands of years, but Prince Phillip and Prince Daniel know that these rules don’t provide for the happily ever after they seek. A fateful, sleepless night on top of a pea set under twenty mattresses brings the two young men together and sends them on a quest out into the kingdoms.

On their travels, they encounter meddlesome fairies, an ambitious stepmother, disgruntled princesses and vengeful kings as they learn about life, love, friendship, and family. Most of all, the two young men must learn to know themselves and how to write their own rules of ever after.

The Rules of Ever After is the debut novel from Duet Books, an imprint for Young Adult LGBTQ fiction from Interlude Press.

I usually don’t read young adult books, but lately I found myself intrigued by all the covers of a new publisher called Interlude Press. There imprint for YA stories and I was really curious about The Rules of Ever After.  I was interested by the blurb but the book was not what I was expecting, it was so much more. Not only a YA but a fairytale, just what I was in the mood for. So here I am. Moreover it is the debut novel by this new author, Killian B. Brewer. Surprisingly perfect! Well written, engaging, funny, amazing!

The Rules of Ever After tells the story of Prince Phillip and Prince David and their adventures all around the kingdoms of Clamareer, looking for an evil stepmother and a cure for a curse.

My lovely main characters are surrounded by a lot of people, all of them interesting, funny and crazy too. Like Mitta and her fairy sisters, the main troublemakers with their magical wands. But they are just an example. The book is  continuous new meetings, of new little enterprises to reach all that will help Phillip and David to slowly know what is in front of them.

The book is really really well written, with a delicate and precious style, intelligent and full of humour. The author chose to use various point of views, not just the MCs’ ones and honestly it wasn’t confusing or too much at once.  On the contrary, I think it was the right way to develop the fairytale in the best way possible. Especially in the different references to our beloved bedtime (and not only) stories.

I want to recommend The Rules of Ever After by Killian B. Brewer cause it was an easy read, never boring and masterfully done, unexpectedly suggestive and poetic. I could see all of the adventures through Killian’s words. I can’t praise the author enough, I can’t wait to read more by him.

Cover designed by Buckeyegrrl Designs. It caught my attention from the start, cause it’s different. I like it!

Sales Links:  Interlude Press | All Romance | Amazon | Smashwords| Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 256 pages
Published June 9th 2015 by Duet
ASIN B00XCSNR84
Edition Language English

Afternoon Book Highlight: Seven Tears at High Tide by C.B. Lee (author interview, excerpt and contest)

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Seven Tears at High Tide by C.B. Lee
 Release Date: October 15, 2015

Goodreads Link
 Publisher: Interlude Press
Cover Artist: C.B. Lee
 Cover Design by C.B. Messer

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Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing C.B. Lee, author of Seven Tears at High Tide.

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

Hi! I’m C.B, thank you for interviewing me on your blog today. I’m from California, and grew up in a small neighborhood that was made up of almost all immigrant families. As a first generation Asian American and as a bisexual writer, I am so excited to be able to write more about characters whose backgrounds are like my own. My current novel is Seven Tears at High Tide, a contemporary romance meets fantasy, where a teenager meets a selkie has to navigate the consequences of wishing for love.

  • What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I would just love to see my stories being read by the people who want to read them. It’s a dream of mine, for people to be able to pick up a story about a character that they might see themselves in.

  • How many published books do you have? Can you tell us something about them?

Seven Tears at High Tide is my first novel! It’s my take on selkie lore, particularly on subverting the trope that follows a lot of the mythology, where a selkie comes ashore and their pelt, and subsequently their freedom, is taken away from them when a human steals it or discovers it. I wanted to write a story where the selkie– and the human both are presented with difficult choices in their relationship, and how they deal with these questions of agency.

  • Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Kevin and Morgan are the two main characters, and they’re both quite special to me! I hope readers think so too. Kevin can be quite stubborn at times, and act before he thinks, but he’s got a good heart, knows who he is and what he wants, and that helps him steer through a lot of difficult choices in the novel. Morgan has a few special supernatural abilities, like an enhanced sense of smell and the ability to read people’s intentions and their heart’s desires, but I think what makes him special is his positivity and his determination, and especially how he cares deeply about others.

  • What are you working on at the moment? What’s it about?

I’m currently working on another young adult novel, about a high school girl who comes from a family of superheroes– except she’s nonpowered, and really just wants to prove herself. She ends up getting a job, along with her crush, working for a mysterious corporation which turns out to be run by the town’s supervillain, and these two girls uncover this huge plot that’s more than just heroes versus villains. And they also fall in love.

  • Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

I try to write at least a thousand words a day, if I have a deadline for a particular project. Sometimes I’ll write more, and often times I’ll write less, but I do try to write every day, even if it’s only a sentence!

RC

Blurb

Kevin Luong walks to the ocean’s edge with a broken heart. Remembering a legend his mother told him, he lets seven tears fall into the sea. “I just want one summer—one summer to be happy and in love.” Instead, he finds himself saving a mysterious boy from the Pacific—a boy who later shows up on his doorstep professing his love. What he doesn’t know is that Morgan is a selkie, drawn to answer Kevin’s wish. As they grow close, Morgan is caught between the dangers of the human world and his legacy in the selkie community to which he must return at summer’s end.

 

Pages or Words: 234 pages
 Categories: Contemporary, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, Young Adult

 

Excerpt

They wander into the house, wipe their wet feet on the welcome mat, climb up the stairs and giggle as they pass Ann’s bedroom. She’s dancing with her headphones on, oblivious to the open door, swaying to the beat.

In Kevin’s bedroom, he quickly scrounges up some clean shirts and shorts. “Here, you can wear this,” he says, handing an outfit to Morgan and then ducking into his bathroom to change. He peels off the wetsuit and hangs it up in his shower, then leans his surfboard carefully against the wall, eyeing the crack. He’ll have to fix it tomorrow.

When he returns, Morgan is holding onto the wet board shorts, wearing the outfit Kevin gave him. He looks curiously at the rock collection prominently displayed on Kevin’s bookshelf. “These are beautiful,” he says.

“Here, I’ll take that,” Kevin says, holding out his hand for the bedraggled board shorts to hang in his shower. He’s certain now that they’re the ones from the lifeguard’s lost and found. Kevin’s starting to worry that Morgan doesn’t have any other clothes, but he doesn’t know how to bring it up. Money can be a touchy subject.

Morgan holds Kevin’s favorite specimen, a piece of green olivine on basalt. Kevin once almost convinced Ann it was an avocado roll—it certainly looks like one, bright green speckled with sesame seeds, wrapped in dark seaweed.

“That’s from Mexico. My family went on vacation to Baja last year, and I got that out of an old volcano.” He tries his best to describe the sweltering heat and the excitement of finding geodes and cracking them open with a hammer. Morgan listens in rapt silence as Kevin talks about the find and tilts the olivine so it catches the light. He sets it back in its spot behind its label, slowly so as not to disturb the other specimens, and Kevin is quietly pleased with Morgan’s careful appreciation.

“I changed my mind,” Kevin blurts out.

“About what?”

“I do want this to be a date. For us, to do that,” he says, blushing. “I like you. A lot.”

Morgan’s face breaks into a bright, happy smile.

“And what do we do differently, for this to be a date?”

Kevin can feel the heat on his cheeks. “We can hold hands, if you like. Um, or kiss, if you want to. But we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I’m fine just hanging out and watching a movie with you.”

Morgan tilts his head and steps closer. “I want to,” he says, not specifying what, but Kevin knows immediately.

It’s just the quickest brush of lips, but Kevin feels it all the way to his toes. A warm curl of excitement blooms throughout his body, and Morgan’s mouth is warm and wet against his. It’s not like any kiss he’s had, chaste and sweet and over in a second, and yet his heart is still pounding after Morgan leans back. He’s close enough for Kevin to be able to count the eyelashes dark against his cheek.

Morgan ducks his head and asks, “Was that okay?”

Kevin’s a little dazed, but he finds his voice. “Yeah. Yeah, that was great.”

 

Buy the book:

Interlude Press | Amazon |Book Depository | Indiebound 

Meet and connect with C. B. Lee:

C. B. Lee is a bisexual writer, rock climber and pinniped enthusiast based in California. Lee enjoys reading, hiking and other outdoor pursuits. Seven Tears At High Tide is a first novel.

Connect with C.B. at cb-lee.com, on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/authorcblee,

on Twitter @author_cblee, and on Goodreads at Goodreads.com/cb-lee.

 

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Tour Dates & Stops:

15-Oct: Prism Book Alliance, Happily Ever Chapter, Velvet Panic, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My,

Michael Mandrake, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

16-Oct: BFD Book Blog, Books A to Z, The Jena Wade

19-Oct: It’s Raining Men, Hearts on Fire, Bayou Book Junkie

20-Oct: Divine Magazine, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Bike Book Reviews

21-Oct: Amanda C. Stone, Just Love Romance, Mikky’s World of Books

22-Oct: Emotion in Motion, Kimi-Chan, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

23-Oct: Molly Lolly, Love Bytes

26-Oct: Boys on the Brink Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads

27-Oct: Cathy Brockman Romances, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, MM Good Book Reviews

28-Oct: TTC Books and More, My Fiction Nook

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Interlude Press Gift Card to one grand prize winner plus copies of the Seven Tears at High Tide multi-format eBook to five winners. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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A Free Dreamer Review: To Catch A Threeve by Alexis Duran

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

To Catch a ThreeveAxel Blackwood catches a thief and is astounded to see that he closely resembles Liam Alloway, the love he lost seven years ago in an attack by the evil woodland folk known as threeves. Axel suspects he’s fallen prey to dark magic, but can’t help becoming infatuated with his prisoner. He’s overwhelmed with the hope that he can at last bring his lost lover home, despite everything that warns him it’s all a diabolical trick.

Bryn Darrow, the half-threeve, half human orphan sent to trick Axel and rob him of much more than a simple gem finds himself equally as fascinated with his handsome human captor and the lure of someplace to call home, but he knows deep down that the constable is in love with a dangerous illusion. When he’s commanded by the threeves to murder Axel and steal a witch’s powerful grimoire, he’s forced to decide between the only family he’s ever known and the one person who might rescue him from a life of isolation and pain.

Will Axel and Bryn be forced into a deadly confrontation before they can discover the truth?
Axel is still mourning Liam, the man he loved, seven years after his death. He wholly dedicated his life to the fight against the threeves, the beings who killed Liam and has given up on ever finding love again, but he’s mostly come to terms with his loss. One day he catches a half-threeve, who looks just like Liam. But Liam is dead, so this has to be some cruel magical trick.
Bryn is said half-threeve, sent out to bring down the dangerous threeve-killer. That turns out to be much harder than he thought, because Axel is not some cruel, mindless killer.

What follows is a journey full of intrigues and secrets, uncovering lies and deception.

“To Catch a Threeve” has an interesting premise, with a completely new species. The threeves reminded me of elves, with their pointy ears and small stature. But they had their unique features as well, like the skin that looks like tree bark. I love it when authors invent new species, so I was thrilled with the threeves.

Overall, the plot was a little predictable. About halfway through I’d figured out half the mysteries. It was still interesting to read about the MCs figuring it all out in their own way, though.

While the threeves were very well developed, the world building as a whole was a little lacking. There’s talk about different religions, but the author doesn’t really give us an explanation. The most common religion frowns on homosexuality, while the second mentioned religion seems to embrace every form of love freely.

The taboo of homosexuality created an additional layer of tension, but it wasn’t overdone. The MCs are fine with their sexuality and don’t face any extreme homophobia.

To sum it up, “To Catch A Threeve” was a mostly enjoyable story, with an interesting new species. The ending was predictable and some more world building wouldn’t have hurt. If you’re looking for a quick fantasy read with a healthy dose of romance, then this is definitely a book for you. If you’re looking for a well thought out universe and a unique plot however, you will be disappointed.

Cover Art: Fiona Jayde created a very appealing cover. The colours work really well together and I like the mysterious look of it.

Sales Links:  Loose id  |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

122 pages
Published October 28th 2014 by Loose Id
(first published October 20th 2014)
ISBN139781623005375
edition languageEnglish

 

A Paul B Review: Shades of Power (Arcane Magic #1) by Beany Sparks

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Shades of PowerEthan White is a rarity.  He’s a male witch.  He hides his abilities from the world by working in the apothecary that he owns.  When his sister shows up asking for a love potion, Ethan puts his guards up.  Even his familiar, a black cat named Beema, does not trust Destiny.  Two weeks later, both get a premonition that something terrible is going to happen and escape through a magic tunnel underneath Ethan’s shop just before it blows up.  Knowing his sister has something to do with the attack, he makes his way to the land of faeries to take shelter.

Grayson is the alpha of a three-man wolf shifter pack.  He brings his pack to the land of faeries because of a prophecy stating that they are the key to bringing down those that are using black magic.  When he consults with the queen as to what she might know about the prophecy, a guard comes in carrying a young man who has passed out.  Grayson goes to the young man and proclaims that he is his mate.  The Queen proclaims that the fae are now involved, as the young man Ethan, is her nephew.

As Ethan and Grayson along with Grayson’s betas Adam and Russell try to figure out the mystery of the prophecy, members of the Dark Coven are mounting an attack on the fae palace in hopes of fulfilling the prophecy themselves.  Several spies are sent by Raven Darkh to kill Ethan, as she believes he is most likely the other person capable to complete the task of creating the Shades of Power.  The five members of Grayson’s pack (as Ethan and Beema are now part of it) must defend the fae palace against the forces of dark magic threatening to take it over.

This is an excellent start to a new series by Beany Sparks.  She has combined shifters and magic and added a touch of palace intrigue to spice things up.  I felt for Ethan.  First his sister seems intent on doing him harm.  Then as he begins to unravel the mystery of prophecy, he learns all is not as it seems in the fae palace.  The only thing holding him together is his familiar Beema, his mate Grayson and the two betas of Grayson’s pack.   One does have to watch out for Beema.  The cat is not all what he seems.  Ms. Sparks perfectly sets up the next book in the series with the ending of this one.  It seems that the problems with Ethan’s sister was just the opening salvo against him.

The cover art by the author is simply stunning.  It shows our blond hair, blue-eyed Ethan staring out with Grayson’s wolf watching out behind him.  In the background a winter castle that I am sure will be featured in future books in the series.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 117 pages
Published September 21st 2015 by Rainbow Ninja Press
edition languageEnglish
seriesArcane Magic #1

Its Face Off Time! Check in Here for Lexi Ander’s Special Guest Post for Sumeria’s Sons#5 (guest post, special excerpt and contest)

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Dragon’s Eye (Sumeria’s Sons #5) by Lexi Ander
Release Date: October 7, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: LT3 Press
Cover Artist: London Burden

Buy the book: Less Than Three Press

Face-off: Marduk verses Ashur

I’m not a fan of Marduk. In the Sumeria’s Sons, he has been set up to be one of the villains because he is the one who holds the lock to the chains shackling the children of Tiamat. To me, Marduk is like a strutting peacock full of his own importance. He doesn’t go out and perform his own heroic deeds but steals them from both Enlil and Enki. As one of the lesser gods, Marduk’s background is pretty sketchy (non-existent) until he’s proclaimed the patron god of Babylon. The creation myth, Enuma Elish, which includes the battle against Tiamat (or as it’s called in Sumeria’s Sons, the Igigi War) was written to tell the story of Marduk’s heroic deeds, propaganda for the era and ruling civilization. The text was modified from an older epic replacing Enlil with Marduk as slayer of Tiamat.

Through the subjugation of the Tiamat’s children, Marduk used magic to transform them into protective charms used at the doorways to palaces, temples, and sometimes bedrooms. The only real threat to Marduk in his reigning era was the Assyrian god Assur (Ashur). As the supreme deity of Assyria, his popularity threatened Babylon and Marduk. Responding to that popularity, during the reign of Hammurabi (the king best known for the Hammurabi Code, the earliest surviving codes of law in recorded history) Marduk was elevated to the level of supreme god. He even took on Tiamat’s symbol of the snake-dragon.

Historically, the God Assur’s origin was much like that of Marduk, rising from obscurity. First becoming the equivalent of Sumeria’s Enlil and absorbing both Enlil’s consort and children. Then later after Assyria conquered Babylon, Assur became associated with Anshar, Sumeria’s sky god. Anshar’s name literally means “whole heaven” elevating Assur to the head of the Babylon pantheon. As such, Assur took the place of Marduk in the creation myth, slaying Tiamat and becoming king of the gods.

The author in me loved the competition between Marduk and Assur, but I also nitpicked what I wanted for the god’s history for Sumeria’s Sons. Anshar is and elder god called the skypivot, the God of the Horizon of Heaven and balanced by his consort Kishar the earthpivot, Goddess of the Horizon of the Earth. Together they make up the celestial poles and that balance coincides with the Twin Flames theme of Sumeria’s Sons. I used that animosity between them in the plot that further drew that line between good guy/bad guy between him and Marduk.

There is also a something else that I used after coming to understand the competition between the two cultures. These two gods derived their power from their worshippers. The more popular and widespread the god, the more powerful they became and I made that a physical manifestation in the series. I coupled that with the Marduk’s prophecy. Oh yes, he had his own prophecy stating that one day he would return and bring salvation to Babylon and wreak a terrible revenge. He-he. How could I leave that alone?

A huge thank you for allowing me to be a guest on the blog today! Throughout the blog tour for Dragon’s Eye, I hope you enjoy the behind the scenes look at the gods and mythos, and how they play a part in Sumeria’s Sons. For a visual representation, please visit my Pinterest page. (https://www.pinterest.com/lexiander1/sumeria-sons-inspirations/) During the tour I discuss the Sumerian pantheon, about who and what the Gods/Goddess are, and how I use them. Make sure you stop by the other blogs to get a complete look at the Gods and Goddess the Lycan’s follow.

Also, Less Than Three Press is running a special sale on Sumeria’s Sons from September 23rd  through October 7th (dates inclusive).

Twin Flames is $0.99.

Amazon () LT3 Press ()

25% off Songs of the Earth

Amazon () LT3 Press ()

25% off Dreams of the Forgotten

Amazon  | LT3 Press

25% off Surrounded by Crimson

Amazon |LT3 Press

Thank you for stopping by and reading!

RC

Blurb

In the wake of birth and betrayal, Ushna takes the God Ashur to Tristan in a last desperate bid to save Tristan’s life—and is helpless to do anything but watch as Ashur instead buries him in a grave. Though he has no desire to go on living, having now lost Brian and Tristan, Ushna has no choice. Not only do their children need him, the mysterious Simurgh has come out of hiding and forces him to continue on—for there is much to do and little time to do it, especially with treachery and danger closing in on them from every side.

Pages or Words: 98,000 words
Categories: Fantasy, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Exclusive Excerpt #9

Prowling through the trees, I dared not use the new path that had been created with all the recent foot traffic. Sticking to the deepest shadows until the storage shed came into view, I crouched down, waiting and watching. Occasionally I scented the wind to make sure no one was around before I moved from the gloom. The darker patch of soil called to me. After so long, the dirt no longer appeared freshly turned and the fall leaves blanketed the area, partially hiding the spot where Ashur had placed Tristan. Even if snow covered the ground, I’d know the exact spot.

Dropping the bag to the side, I moved around the outer edge. Here the scent of magic was so sharp I sneezed several times. Ashur’s energy still lingered, faint with the passing of time, but that wasn’t what caught my attention. There was the trace of another’s power, heavy and bitter, and the scent clung to the back of my tongue. The soil hadn’t been physically disturbed but the magic permeated the ground.

Panic clawed at me. Why was someone casting spells over Tristan—unless, like me, they knew he was merely resting? I began to dig, the softened soil flying behind me as I envisioned discovering a dozen terrible things.

The embroidered hem of the red tunic Tristan had worn that day was revealed. After I changed back to my human form, I hastily put on my clothes. I hadn’t worn shoes or socks when I slipped away from Nathan’s and now the frosty ground quickly chilled my feet, but I didn’t care. Climbing down into the hole, I gingerly brushed the dirt away from material until I came to the edge where Tristan’s body should’ve been.

I didn’t understand; where was Tristan?

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About The Author

Meet Lexi Ander
Lexi has always been an avid reader, and at a young age started reading (secretly) her mother’s romances (the ones she was told not to touch). She was the only teenager she knew of who would be grounded from reading. Later, with a pencil and a note book, she wrote her own stories and shared them with friends because she loved to see their reactions. A Texas transplant, Lexi now kicks her boots up in the Midwest with her Yankee husband and her eighty-pound puppies named after vacuum cleaners.

Where to find Lexi Ander:

Web site: http://www.lexiander.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexi.ander.9
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LexiAnder1
Blog: http://lexiander.blogspot.com/
E-mail: lexi.ander.author@gmail.com

Contest

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize:
• Prize offered: Prize offered: $20 Amazon Gift card, $20 All Romance Gift card, hard copy of Dragon’s Eye, swag (pens, bookmarks)
• $20 All Romance Gift card, hard copy of Dragon’s Eye, swag (pens, bookmarks)
• hard copy of Dragon’s Eye, swag (pens, bookmarks)
• e-book copy of Dragon’s Eye
• e-book copy of Dragon’s Eye

Must be 18 years of age or older. Link and prizes provided by the author, and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
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Final

Tour Dates & Stops:

24-SepAndrew Q. Gordon, Christy Loves 2 Read

25-Sep Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews: http://wickedfaeriesreviews.blogspot.com/2015/09/dragons-eye-by-lexi-ander-blog-tour.html

Dawn’s Reading Nook: http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com/2015/09/book-spotlight-and-giveaway-for-dragons.htm

Bayou Book Junkie: http://bayoubookjunkie.blogspot.com/2015/09/virtual-tour-mm-dragons-eye-by-lexi.html

28-Sep Hearts on Fire: http://heartsonfirereviews.com/lexi-ander-dragons-eye-sumerias-sons-5-deleted-scene-excerpt-and-giveaway/

Decadent Delights: http://machurch00.blogspot.com/2015/09/pride-promotions-presents-dragons-eye.html

MM Good Book Reviews: https://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/dragons-eye-by-lexi-ander-blog-tour-guest-post-exclusive-excerpt-giveaway/

29-Sep Amanda C. Stone: http://www.amandastonebooks.com/2015/09/lexi-anders-dragons-eye/

Jessie G. Books: http://wp.me/p5wi3H-FO

The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2015/09/29/guest-post-excerpt-and-giveaway-the-dragons-eye-blog-tour-with-lexi-ander/

30-Sep The Jena Wade: http://www.thejenawade.com/blog/book-blast-dragons-eye-lexi-ander

1-Oct Louise Lyons: https://louiselyonsauthor.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/new-release-dragons-eye-book-5-of-sumerias-sons-by-lexi-ander/

Lee Brazil: http://leebrazilauthor.blogspot.com/2015/10/crawl-in-bed-with-lexi-ander.html

BFD Book Blog: http://wp.me/p5fGQT-2BO

2-Oct Love Bytes: http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/10/02/blog-tour-guest-post-exclusive-excerpt-giveaway-lexi-ander-dragons-eye/
Chris McHart: http://chrismchart.com/2015/10/02/blog-tour-guestpost-giveaway-dragons-eye-by-lexi-ander/

TTC Books and More: http://www.ttcbooksandmore.com/2015/10/sumeria-sons-by-lexiander1-blog-tour.html

5-Oct   Molly Lolly, Wake Up Your Wild Side

6-Oct   Three Books Over The Rainbow, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, GGR Review

7-Oct   Inked Rainbow Reads, Prism Book Alliance, Crystal’s Many Reviewers

 

Cover Reveal for Dream God (S-Gods #2) by J. Johanis (cover reveal and giveaway)

CRDream God by J Johanis 4x6

Dream God (S-Gods #2) by J. Johanis
Release Date: November 30, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: J. Johanis
Cover Artist: Indigo Forest Design

Sales Links: Amazon

Dream God by J Johanis 4x6

Blurb

For the first time in three years, Aya is finally free, but with his freedom comes the pain of all he’s lost. Seeing Akad and Marduk together makes him realize how badly he has messed up. By betraying Marduk, he ruined his chance with the one god he desires more than anything.

Aya needs time to heal and put his world back together, but the trial against the Order looms over him. As the trial begins, Akad, Marduk, and Aya are ensnared in a web of jealousy, backstabbing, and cut-throat politics. Were they crazy to think they could stand up to the Order? If the gods of the Order can still rip their lives apart, their chances of receiving justice may be next to impossible. But if they fail to bring the Order down, Aya may never be free from their grasp.

Content Advisory: M/M sex, polyamory, & dub-con.
Categories: Erotica, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, Ménage/Poly, Paranormal

About the Author

J. Johanis writes dark m/m erotic fantasy, and enjoys plots that are historical or myth-based.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000258007847
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorjjohanis?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JennaJohanis
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jennajohanis/
Website: http://jjohanis.com/
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JJohanis/posts:
Blog: http://sirensreckoning.blogspot.com/

 


Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, The Novel Approach, Havan Fellows, Happily Ever Chapter, Divine Magazine, Multitasking Mommas, Emotion in Motion, Love Bytes, TTC Books and More, My Fiction Nook, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, The Jena Wade, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Molly Lolly, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Amanda C. Stone, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Books A to Z, Nephy Hart, Dawn’s Reading Nook

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of book one in the series.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
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