Category: Fantasy

Queue Up The Fiction Fun with Mischief Corner Books, The MCB Quarterly Vol. I(excerpts and giveaway)

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LGBTQ Press: Mischief Corner Books
Book Name: The MCB Quarterly, Volume 1

Release Date: April 30, 2015

Publisher: Mischief Corner Books
Cover Artist: Freddy MacKay

A Character Interview by J. Scott Coatsworth…

My name’s Tony, and I got this questionaire in the mail from The Center – I guess they want me to “move on” Like it’s just that easy to let someone go – the man who was a part of you, heart and soul.

But what the hell. Here it goes…

1. Now that you’ve gotten together, what comes next?

Well, I wouldn’t exactly say together. OK, so after Jake died, I did have this sort of weird thing happen. You know that thing where some guy tells you he met your soulmate in the afterlife, and … what, no? Well anyhow, it was one of those sort of things.

So next? I guess I pack up his things and figure out what to do now that Jake’s no longer here for me to take care of. He’d want me to move on. But still… it’s hard.

2. What was the hardest thing for you to overcome that you didn’t expect to be an issue?

Letting go. For a few unexpected days it was summer again. We were young together. Alive. But then it was snatched away. It’s hard to let it go.

3. Who or what makes you laugh out loud?

Jake. He had a wicked sense of humor… sometimes he’d wait until I took a drink, and then say something so funny I’d snort coke out of my nose. And oh my god, his Michelle Bachmann impression. Those eyes…

4. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Daiquiri Ice. It’s one of the lesser-known of the 31 flavors. I don’t even drink. But I’m addicted to the stuff. Jake… well, Jake liked chocolate chip. But he used the Italian name – stracciatella.

5. What movie will you watch over and over again?

Strictly Ballroom. Hands-down the best movie ever made, and the only other thing that makes me snort. Of course, Jake disagreed with me about that one too.

He swore up and down that Romy and Michelle was better. Turns out I’m the Mary, after all.

I hope I get to see him again in Avalon so he can fight me on that one.

Blurb:

The Quarterly is an eMagazine of LGBTQ fiction – of all kinds. This volume features four short stories: Facsimile by Mina MacLeod, Leash on Love by Beany Sparks, Man of the House by Brigid Collins, and Avalon by J. Scott Coatsworth. It also includes an Author Interview with Lexi Ander, talking about writing gay science fiction, and a Featured Artist section about the multitalented Catherine Dair. And our very own Angel Martinez offers an Op-Ed on “When is an Author not an Author?”

Pages or Words: 33,200 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fantasy, Gay fiction, Horror, Lesbian romance, M/M romance, Romance, Transexual

(Please remember that not all stories will contain all elements listed.)

RC

Excerpts:

Avalon by J. Scott Coatsworth

Tony wheeled the chair down the long ramp to the beach, hoping it wasn’t too hot or too cold for Jake’s skin.

The day itself was wonderful, the clearest in weeks, and the Pacific Ocean waves pounded the beach in a steady, soothing rhythm that he hoped even Jake could hear.

Soon they were on level ground, negotiating the boardwalk that ran up and down this part of the beach. Jake had a sloppy smile on his face.

Tony smiled to himself. There were so few pleasures he could give Jake anymore. The man deserved so much more than this.

He reached forward to wipe the drool from the side of Jake’s cheek. “It’s a lovely day out, isn’t it, Jake?”

His lover didn’t respond, but only stared ahead, smiling.

There were still periods of lucidity, to be sure, but they were farther and farther apart. Sometimes Tony wished that Jake would finally succumb to the growth in his head and be at peace. But only sometimes.

More often, he treasured the time they still had together and remembered the strong, vital man Jake had been when they’d first met.

For just a moment, the rest of the world faded away, and they were alone together on a quiet, windswept beach. Tony breathed in deeply, savoring the pure sweetness of the salty ocean air, the wash of clean colors that assaulted his vision.

He glanced up at the road above, only to find it was gone. There were no other people on the bluff, no buildings, nothing. They were alone, really alone, in this little corner of the world.

Tony shook his head to dispel the vision. It was the late nights, he thought, the lack of sleep that led to these strange imaginations.

A hand came down on his shoulder. Hard. And suddenly they were back among the bustle of a thousand other people.

Leash on Love by Beany Sparks

There he is again.

Matty noticed the man exit the gym as he’d done numerous times over the past few months. The gym was only a few doors down from the veterinary practice where Matty came to help out his cousin Robert when he wasn’t at uni.

Every day after his classes finished, he’d pop down to the practice and walk the dogs that were in doggy day care. Some days he’d finish earlier than others, so he didn’t always walk the dogs at the same time, but on the days that he walked the dogs later, he’d leave around the same time as the guy left the gym.

He’d noticed gym-guy after the first few visits to his cousin’s vet practice. There was nothing outrageous about the man. He had light brown hair and muscles that were obviously from his time spent at the gym, but not that of a hard-core body builder. Something about him had caught Matty’s eye, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. He looked forward to seeing him, but he hadn’t gotten up the courage to say anything to him, let alone get caught watching him. Even now he was practically hiding behind his car, pretending to be looking for his keys.

“Hey, Matty!”

Matty turned to see Ronnie, or Veronica as her name badge indicated, coming towards him. Ronnie had been his best friend for years, which worked out well when she married his cousin. While Robert was a vet, Ronnie was a dentist who conveniently worked in the building opposite the vet practice. The only thing separating the buildings was the numerous parking spaces in between.

“Hey, Ronnie. What’s been happening?” Matty asked as he walked up to her and gave her a hug, which she happily returned.

“Oh you know, same old, same old.” She moved back a step and leaned against his car. “How are things with you?”

Man of the House by Brigid Collins

Some inconsiderate ass-dick had hit a skunk on the road out front of our house.

The God-awful stench woke me before my alarm, which I suppose I could have chosen to see as a blessing. For some reason, all I could focus on was the way skunk scent stuck in the back of my throat. Lucky I wasn’t much of a breakfaster.

God, it was bad. I hadn’t opened my eyes yet, but the darkness of pre-six o-fuckin’-clock in the morning pressed against my lids. That and the soft warmth of my bed whispered to me, urging me to roll over, press my face into the pillow, and pretend the dead critter out there was a squirrel. Those little bastard thieves deserved to get hit, and they didn’t stink up the neighborhood when they died.

But rolling over and pretending wasn’t what the man of the fucking house would do. I didn’t even have to go through my usual cycle of “what would Dad do” to know that. A man did what needed to be done, and that was that. No use bitching about it now, either. Dad was gone, and there was no getting him back. Someone still had to do the stuff that needed done, and I figured out months back that it wasn’t going to be Derrik.

I flopped my arm out from the blankets and around my nightstand until I managed to get my finger on the alarm switch. That taken care of, I sat up and cracked my eyes open. A red 5:23 burned out of the shadows of my room, and I groaned.

Look on the bright side, this gives you time to deal with the skunk without making you late for school.

Facsimile by Mina MacLeod

The night President Carnot is assassinated, Monique Chambly is nestled in a chair in her sitting room with a blanket wrapped around her legs. The fire is crackling, and her tea is hot. It smells of cinnamon and spice; the scent brings familiarity and comfort, but Monique cannot remember why. She remembers very little these days.

She’s staring at the amber softgel capsules, debating whether the pain is bad enough to warrant them. The phonograph is warbling Mozart. She has always adored Mozart. At least, she’s fairly certain she has.

Outside their Montmartre estate, the rain comes down upon the city, heavy and unforgiving. Thunder rolls across the sky and lightning rips through the clouds, illuminating the streets. It is a cold, terrible night to be outside.

Her joints ache. Monique winces and reaches for the capsules. Her muscles feel like they are being pulled from her bones. She manages to swallow the medication, wincing as it slides down her dry throat. Monique grabs the tea and takes a generous gulp, though her tongue protests the sting of heat. She lolls her head until her chin sits upon her chest. Dark ringlets of hair shift to hide her face. Her head feels heavy, so heavy—as though her neck isn’t strong enough to hold it up.

The next clap of thunder startles her; it cracks the sky in twain with its severity. The arc lamps in their home flicker. Monique is huddled there, curled in on herself, when Elvire finds her.

“Monique, my darling,” she says, kneeling before the chair. “Whatever are you doing awake?” She reaches out, brushing aside the curtain of Monique’s hair.

Dr. Elvire Mazet is a tall, wiry creature. Yet here she is, folded up neatly at Monique’s feet. Her dark eyes are wide with concern behind her wire-rimmed spectacles. She is still wearing her lab coat. Its immaculate whiteness has long since been stained with evidence of various experiments. A pair of safety goggles is holding her short red hair out of her face. Monique wonders idly what Elvire has been up to down in her lab. Normally, Elvire leaves all of her clothing and equipment downstairs.

Thunder rumbles through the sky yet again, and Monique shudders. “Am I—am I afraid of storms? I don’t…remember.”

Sales   Mischief Corner Books  All Romance (ARe)  – Bookstrand – Amazon – Barnes & Noble

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About the Press:

Mischief Corner Books is an organization of superheroes… no, it’s a platinum-album techno-fusion group…no, hold on a sec here…

Ah, yes. Mischief Corner is a diverse group of authors who met on a mountain in Tennessee and decided since we probably were too easily distracted to rule the world that we’d settle for causing a bit of mayhem instead.

In addition to making mayhem, we publish books with a diverse range of genres and topics… we live to break molds.

MCB. Giving voice to LGBTQ fiction.

Where to find MCB:

Giveaway

Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by MCB and Pride Promotions. Enter to win a
Rafflecopter Prize: 1 $15.00 Amazon gift certificate and copy of the Quarterly (winners choice of format), 2 $10.00 All Romance gift certificates, and 3 copies of the Quarterly (winners choice of format).

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Dates & Stops:

  • 11-May Angel Martinez
  • 12-May Bayou Book Junkie
  • 13-May Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance
  • 14-May Cate Ashwood
  • 15-May Cathy Brockman Romances, Full Moon Dreaming
  • 18-May  Divine Magazine, Molly Lolly
  • 19-May MM Good Book Reviews, Carly’s Book Reviews
  • 20-May  Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
  • 21-May  Inked Rainbow Reads
  • 22-May  BFD Book Blog
  • 28-May  Prism Book Alliance

A MelanieM Review: Keep the Stars Running Anthology by Cassandra Pierce, Lexi Ander , Andrea Speed , Talya Andor , Leona Carver

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Keeping the Stars Running AnthologySpace is not always filled with adventures and glory. Not everybody goes racing off to battle evil and save the galaxy. Between the rebels, pirates, royals, and spies are the everyday people who work hard just to get by and ensure everyone gets home safe. Less Than Three Press presents a collection of tales about the ordinary folks who keep the stars running.

The Prince and the Programmer by Cassandra Pierce
The Aurora Conspiracy by Lexi Ander
About a Bot by Andrea Speed
Flight Risk by Talya Andor
Survival by Leona Carver

Take romance, throw it out into space and then gather together some wonderful authors to write their take on this fabulous trope and what do you have?  Keeping The Stars Running Anthology!  And each story couldn’t be more different from each other.  Here they are with my comments and rating in the order they appear in the anthology:

The Prince and the Programmer by Cassandra Pierce.  3.5 stars

Probably the closest story here to a familiar romance plot.  Food service mech/chef? is abducted but soon finds his new situation and “Prince” much more to his liking than his old one.  I thought the characters were charming and the situation sort of funny.  It was a sweet if not totally memorable way to open the anthology.

About a Bot by Andrea Speed. 4 stars out of 5

I loved/was frustrated by this terrific story by Andrea Speed.  Speed creates this complex universe, complete with on going intergalactic war, one in which the humans aren’t doing terribly well.  The main character, Tahir, is the Nebula space station’s mechanic who keeps all their robots in working order.  He also rescues and repairs older bots, giving them names and making them his “pets” with personalities.  In fact, Tahir is far more comfortable with his bots then with the rest of the crew on his station.  I loved this character.  He’s believable, fascinating, and when it comes to his interactions with his bots then Tahir becomes irresistible.  As are  his bots, including Spider and the adorable Bagel bot and Tank.

I loved this story so much that the ending, or perhaps lack of one frustrated me with its tantalizing possibilities.  How I would love to see this made into a full length novel.  Anyone listening?

The Aurora Conspiracy by Lexi Ander.   4 stars out of 5

In the Aurora Conspiracy, Lexi Ander’s takes ecological concerns and mining into space with no less than 2 completely different species and a conspiracy to boot.  Regin Valenta, crane operator for the Aurora Minerals and Rare Metals concern is being interrogated by constables from The Fraternity, a galactic law enforcement agency.  One of them, a Nythlithian, Constable Markari Gan’Sey, shares a painful past with Regin, although only one remembers.  The story becomes a dance between the main characters, as their past returns with its angst-filled memories and their attraction to each other flares back to life amidst an investigation into illegal mining practices on the planet below.   It’s suspenseful, layered, and marvelous.

Flight Risk by Tayla Andor  5 stars out of 5

One of my favorite stories in the anthology.  Again, we have an interplanetary war in progress and an embattled   Kiel Navarro’s work as a mechanic in the Gear hangar, keeping the Gryphon wings in perfect operating order for their pilots.  Andor’s world building is amazing and the author’s attention to detail bring this story and crews to life. Even the smallest touches, such as Kiel being half deaf where as most of the other pilots are deaf because of the noise of the engines and conditions they work in, give the readers a authentic feel for the environment and safety factors of the job Kiel does and the hangers in which he and his coworkers make their living.  And it’s not a very nice one.

The mechanics are being harassed, treated as lowly servants, who hide in their quarters for fear of retaliation.  And its by whom that is so startling.  A new Gryphon pilot, Marco Lafaele, a replacement for a recent death in the squad Wing Bravo, shakes up the status quo by showing an interest in Kiel, something that is just not done). His actions and determination not to follow along with his fellow pilots starts to put  cracks in the SOP in the Hangers. And ripples from the fallout spread throughout Cadlow Station.  I loved that Andors created the mechanic equipment down to the MagLens Kiel is using to augment his failing vision to the derogatory nicknames they earn him.

There is mystery, romance, gritty war time battles, and finally a white knuckle ride to the rescue.  Just an outstanding story on every level.

and finally….

Survival by Leona Carver.  3.5 t0 4.5 rating, really this story confounds me.

Not a romance.  I love Leona Carver so many aspects of this story didn’t surprise me while others absolutely did.   Just when I thought I knew where the author was taking this story, it took off in an unexpected direction.  And ending.  We start off on the Velikaya Knyazhna, a giant colonist ship on its new to a new planet.  Most of its crew is “sleeping” in order to make it to their destination without aging too much.  But an emergency sees the “ship” and its caretakers waking up some of the scientists to examine the cause of the emergency and fix it…before its too late.

Valentin Mashire, was trained to work on the planet, frozen on Earth and then shipped up to the “orbiting giant” in a crates, along with many others.   He’s a botanical scientist, a park technician trained to work in the terrestial parkland on board  that’s necessary to terraform the new planet they will land on.    The length of the voyage?  100 years.  Plenty of time for things to go wrong and they do.  And that’s where ship’s Security officer, Fyodor Bendlin comes in.

I can’t go any further.  To do so, takes away the best of the surprises found within this story.  I loved the descriptions of the park inside the ship and the ship itself.  But the romance I wanted to happen was never going to be part of this story.  No, this is all about Survival.  But it’s the “who” that is trying to survive that will shock you as will the ending.  Did I like this story?  Not really.  But did it fascinate me with its mythology and universe building?  Yes.  And it floored me with the surprising revelations and erotica.

What a great anthology.  I don’t know that I would have ended it with Survival.  I think that Flight Risk would have grounded this anthology better with its more substantial ending.  However, there is such variety, a true smorgasbord of stories, that everyone will find something to love.

I recommend this series to all lovers of science fiction, romance and the possibilities of tomorrow.

Cover art by Aisha Akeju.  Love this cover artist and this cover is another splendid example of their work. Great job.

Sales Links:   Less Than Three Press     All Romance (ARe)   Amazon      Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, also available in print
Published May 13th 2015 by Less Than Three Press (first published 2014)
original titleKeep the Stars Running
ISBN139781620045305
edition languageEnglish

 

 

 

 

A BJ Review: Fidelity by Lia Black

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

How far can a man go in the name of faith?

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While most of his order choose a female, Father Gareth De’Aubyn chose the handsome Fidelity as his guardian and fell in love with his angel during his prayers. When he leaves the Crusaders to minister to the very people his armies once threatened, his beloved angel falls from the Heavens in his search for him. Soon Gareth finds himself at death’s door and calls to the Creator for aide in protecting his flock. But its Fydelis, no longer an angel but now the demonic aspect of regret and toy of the Sunderer, who comes to his rescue. In exchange for help, Gareth must promise his soul to the Sunderer, god of the underworld. Bargain made, its Fydelis who must lead his love, the man he thought had abandoned him, on his task of collecting twenty strong and stubborn souls. Their journey together tests everything they thought they knew about faith, love, and fidelity.

Well-written with excellent pacing, this story had me enthralled from the gripping first scene onward. Being that I was quite swamped in real life when I read this, I didn’t breeze through it as I most assuredly would have if I’d had time. On retrospect, I actually don’t regret that. It allowed me to savor the story, and cuddle these lovely broken guys in my mind over a matter of days rather than hours. And this is a story well-worth savoring, let me tell you!

If you enjoy dark stories about broken boys, like I do, my advice is… read this book right now. There isn’t just one but two deliciously damaged men here, broken at the start and falling to pieces all along the journey’s way. Two men both in love, both thinking they’d been abandoned by the other, now united on the lurid task set before them, one knowing who the other is, one in the dark.

Usually early on in a good story, I’m locked into one of the characters so much that my heart bleeds and breaks for him, this is that times two. I’d be hard pressed to say which of these guys touched me more. Gareth who wants so much to help others and do what he thinks is right that he even scourges his back to keep himself from having impure urges; or Fydelis who has suffered so much at the hands of the gruesome Sunderer.

Dark and not for the faint-hearted, one particular scene at the beginning took my breath away with its grisly, shocking cruelty. But amidst the bloody battle scenes, there is humor, small joys, and sweet tenderness. Amidst the dismantling, we are put back together. The ride to get there is gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and painful to read at parts. And I bloody well loved it. All of it.

From the first book I read by this author, I was hooked. She’s now firmly one of my two favorite m/m authors. I’d be hard pressed to choose between Black and Lanyon. But Lia Black somehow (by magic?) looks into my head and heart and gives me what I love, pushes my buttons, presses my boundaries, and does it every single time.

The cover is a stunner, just gorgeous. From the seal of the order, the stern and righteous Gareth in his armor with sword, Fydelis as a young long haired human and the wings in the background… its just absolutely perfect. Bravo!

Sales Link:  Amazon  Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 213 pages
Published May 1st 2015 by VineDark/ BlackHouse Press
ASINB00W4BS5R8
edition languageEnglish

Check Out Mythologically Torqued, Volume 1 (anthology) (giveaway)

Mythologically Torqued, Volume 1 (anthology)
Published by Torquere Books

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Release Date: May 13, 2015

 

Author Names: Leigh Ellwood, L.J. Hamlin, Eva Lefoy, V.L. Locey, Jacey Mills, Alisha Monroe, Shiloh Sadler, Alyx Shaw, Delilah Storm, T. Strange, Carol Tierney, Angelique Voison, Max Wilde, Salome Wilde, Logan Zachary

RC

 

Love a legend, or myth or more?  Check out this latest anthology from Torquere Books.  It’s huge and has something for everyone.

Blurb(s):

Torquere’s largest anthology to date features a total of 15 authors please to bring you 15 unique tales from when gods and goddesses ruled the world. This collection features both m/m and f/f content for your reading pleasure. Dare you enter this realm of Mythologically Torqued fantasy? Be on the lookout for Volume 2 summer 2015.

Mythologies from around the globe receive a happy little twist in this first volume of Mythologically Torqued. A Scottish kelpie, Greek gods and goddesses, a Japanese princess, and demons delight and intrigue in these stories, each containing LGBT elements.

OR…

Whether it’s Greco-Roman gods and goddesses or heroes from tales around the globe, Mythologically Torqued, volume 1 brings together not-so-classic lovers with a Torquere twist.

OR…

  • Eros finds his soul mate in the arms of a demigod friend in L.J. Hamlin’s In Love with Zeus’ Son.
  • In Shiloh Sadler’s Clipped Wings, two men on a plantation find love under the most unusual circumstances in 1842 Missouri.
  • V.L. Locey’s Back to the Garden, Pan hits up Woodstock with the sun god Apollo—sex, drugs, and rock and roll take on a whole new meaning.
  • In Brísingamen, Carol Tierney offers us the story of a magical necklace, and the payment goddess Freyja delivered to four dwarven sisters for it’s creation.
  • Delphinos, by T. Strange, is a modern-age retelling of Dionysus’ creation of dolphins.
  • In Angelique Voison’s version of the Japanese Moon Princess myth, Reiko is tasked with bringing the Emperor’s future bride, the fabled Moon Princess to court, and complications arise when Reiko falls head over heels for Kaguya.
  • Charged with ensuring Sisyphus fails, Hercules is conflicted by his feelings for the former ruler in Angelique Voison’s How Hercules Got His Bruise.
  • In Leah Ellwood’s Styx and Stone, Ferrying souls across the Styx is a lonely business, but Charon doesn’t mind—newly arrived Stone is more than willing to keep him company.
  • No one believes in the Greek gods anymore, and Apollo is in a rut, Ganymede—cupbearer to the gods— tries to get Apollo to see what’s in front of him in Jacey Mills’ Another Night at the End of the World.
  • Salome Wilde’s Eternal Grind offers a corporate take on Christian Hell, populated with horned and hoofed demons inspired by medieval monks’ fertile imaginations, which follows a pair of lesbian demon baristas, determined to find their own happily-ever-after.
  • In the distant past, Ero was the god of desire, but in present day, he looks for love with Psy—a peerlessly gorgeous mortal man—and needs to keep a secret, in Alisha Monroe’s The Myth of Ero and Psy.
  • Bound by chains and defenseless, Thor is being held captive by Garrick, a young man also forced to service until demands are met in Logan Zachary’s Bound by Desire. Together, attraction ignites between Thor and Garrick—can love grow if it is bound by desire?
  • In Delilah Storm’s The Golden Balls, true love’s kiss is powerful, and Jasper’s sexuality awakens—will Anur be able to keep Jasper in this sleepy little kingdom?
  • A spurned lover, mythical horse, and a public official walk into a pub—murder, mayhem, and everlasting love result in Alyx Shaw’s The Kelpie.

Pages or Words: 106,600 words

Categories: Alternate universe, BDSM, Bisexual, Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Historical, Humor, Lesbian Romance, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Paranormal, Romance, *Trans

*****Please remember: As an anthology, not all stories will use all categories*****

 

Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Sales Links:  Torquere Books

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Tour Dates & Stops: May 6, 2015
Parker Williams, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, The Hat Party, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Andrew Q. Gordon, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, Mikky’s World of Books, Full Moon Dreaming, Carly’s Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Divine Magazine, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Velvet Panic, Michael Mandrake

Contest:

Contest:  Enter to a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Mythologically Torqued’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by Torquere and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Tour with Angela Beneditti’s Bits of Magic (excerpt and giveaway)

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Bits of Magic by Angela Benedetti
Release Date: May 6, 2015

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Sales Links: Torquere Press

About Bits of Magic

There’s magic in the world, and its hiding in plain sight. Your friends, your neighbors, the guy who runs your favorite restaurant — any of them could be more than they seem. A man trick-or-treating with his son finds the courage to go after what he wants when he confiscates and eats some unwrapped candy. A park ranger who’s afraid of outing himself in public is reminded that his lover will — and can — protect him, no matter what. An apprentice mage learns that his master never forgets when he has a lesson to finish, and will always come for him when he gets himself lost in magic. And a boy from a mage-gifted family learns that life isn’t over just because the gift has passed him by. Return to the world of Hidden Magic.
Pages or Words: About 27,000 words

Categories: Alternate universe, BDSM, Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

(Note from the author: Note that this is a collection of short stories. All the stories take place in the same fictional universe, but they have different themes and devices. Only one story has BDSM elements, for example. And only one is erotica. One is romantic but has no sex that’s meant to be titillating.)

Goodreads Link 
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BS Clay

Final

Excerpt:

Sebastiano Fiorentelli studied the calendar — a freebie from the Humane Society with photos of puppies and kittens on it — on the wall of his cluttered basement laboratory and observed that it was the thirtieth day of October. Since emigrating to the United States and discovering the Halloween custom of sending children around to beg for treats, he’d made a habit of including something extra in the candy he made for the occasion each year. By the Nineteen-seventies, when hysteria over poison and razor blades swept the population, Mr. Fiorentelli had been living in his San Jose neighborhood long enough that no one fussed about letting their children eat his wax-paper-wrapped candies.

He paced back and forth in front of open cabinets and crowded shelves, pondering what to make this year, until finally he stopped and nodded.

“Courage,” he said. “This year, I think I’ll make courage…”

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About the author:

Angela Benedetti lives in Seattle with her husband, five computers, and thousands of books. She started writing as a teenager, and discovered soon after that romances with two hot guys are twice as good as romances with only one. When she’s not at the computer, she enjoys cooking and baking, going to science fiction conventions, and cruising with her husband. She’s one of the few people in the universe who loses weight on cruises. (Must be all those walking-around shore tours and the lack of free internet access.) Her favorite mainstream fiction genres are science fiction and fantasy, both of which tend to seep into her own writing; the Hidden Magic series is a fun blend of romance and fantasy.
Where to find the author:

Blog: http://www.angiebenedetti.com/blog/
Livejournal: http://angelabenedetti.livejournal.com/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/100361343167913966179/about

Tour Dates & Stops: May 4, 2015

Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, My Fiction Nook, Full Moon Dreaming, Molly Lolly, Carly’s Book Reviews, Velvet Panic, Bayou Book Junkie, Cate Ashwood, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Multitasking Mommas, MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Mikky’s World of Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Kimi-Chan, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Contest: Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Prize: An e-copy of the novel that started the series, A Hidden Magic.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

It’s Here! Sacrati by Kate Sherwood! (Release Day Giveaway)

Sacrati by Kate Sherwood
Sacrati_TourBanner

Published by Riptide Publishing
Release Date: Monday, May 4th, 2015

Today is release day for Kate Sherwood’s Sacrati!  The tour begins here, follow the tour for all the interviews and prizes along the way.  All the giveaway information is given at the end of this post, and don’t forget to include an email address where you can be reached!

About Sacrati…

As an elite Sacrati fighter in the mighty Torian military, Theos is blessed with a city full of women who want to bear his children, and a barracks full of men proud to fight at his side and share his bed. He has everything he needs–until he captures Finnvid on a raid.

Finnvid is on a secret mission to prevent the Torian invasion of his homeland Elkat. Being enslaved by Torian soldiers wasn’t in his plans. Neither is his horrified fascination with the casual promiscuity of the Sacrati warriors. Men should not lie with other men–and he should not be so intrigued when they do. He definitely should not be most intrigued by the leader of the soldiers who captured him and plan to invade his home.

For Theos, everything would have been easier if the infuriating, lying, bewildering Elkati had never come into his life, but he can’t stay away. When betrayal and treachery threaten both their nations, they must work together to stop a war that could destroy their homes forever–even as they begin to question everything they’re fighting for.

Available now at Riptide and on Monday where ebooks are sold.

sacrati coverBook Details:

Author: Kate Sherwood
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62649-253-0
eBook release: May 4, 2015
eBook Formats: pdf, mobi, html, epub
Print ISBN: 978-1-62649-254-7
Print release: May 4, 2015
Word count: 114,000,Page count: 407
Type: Standalone
Cover by: Kanaxa

 

About Kate Sherwood…

Kate Sherwood started writing about the same time she got back on a horse after almost twenty years away from riding. She’d like to think she was too young for it to be a midlife crisis, but apparently she was ready for some changes!

Kate grew up near Toronto, Ontario (Canada) and went to school in Montreal, then Vancouver. But for the last decade or so she’s been a country girl. Sure, she misses some of the conveniences of the city, but living close to nature makes up for those lacks. She’s living in Ontario’s “cottage country”–other people save up their time and come to spend their vacations in her neighborhood, but she gets to live there all year round!

Since her first book was published in 2010, she’s kept herself busy with novels, novellas, and short stories in almost all the sub-genres of m/m romance. Contemporary, suspense, scifi or fantasy–the settings are just the backdrop for her characters to answer the important questions. How much can they share, and what do they need to keep? Can they bring themselves to trust someone, after being disappointed so many times? Are they brave enough to take a chance on love?

Kate’s books balance drama with humor, angst with optimism. They feature strong, damaged men who fight themselves harder than they fight anyone else. And, wherever possible, there are animals: horses, dogs, cats ferrets, squirrels… sometimes it’s easier to bond with a non-human, and most of Kate’s men need all the help they can get.

After five years of writing, Kate is still learning, still stretching herself, and still enjoying what she does. She’s looking forward to sharing a lot more stories in the future.

Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a draw for a $15 Riptide gift card. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 11. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to add your email so we can contact you if you win!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Prize provided by Riptide Publishing.