Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Shy by John Inman ~ Audiobook narrated by Tommy O’Brien

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5audiobook clipart bw

ShyAUDMEDTom and Frank are both not only shy, they both suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder, so when they meet it seems like a match made in heaven and then they discover that they have so much more than their disorder in common. Their meeting had been set up by Jerry, Tom’s former boyfriend, and Stanley, Frank’s brother. Jerry had cheated on Tom with Stanley and later moved in with him so Tom wasn’t a big fan of either man, but he felt he could be helpful to the shy stranger coming from Indiana since he knew what it was like to suffer from SAD.

Frank came to California to “see the world” rather than remain on the farm where his dad, Joe, still lives. When he and Tom hit it off so well, and Frank even seemed to like Tom’s dog, Pedro (an incontinent Chihuahua), Tom invites Frank to stay with him. Frank’s dad checks in via phone from time to time, and he notices that his dad sounds ill, then he seems to get worse as a few weeks go by. When it’s evident that his dad needs help, the two decide to go out to Indiana to help him, a trip expedited by the fact that Jerry has called his boss with false information about Tom, resulting in him being fired from his job at the bank. It seems Jerry is not so enamored of drug-user Stanley anymore and wants to get back with Tom so this is his way of getting even for Tom’s rejection of his offer to return.

Life on the farm is much more difficult than Tom expects. First, there’s the cows, pigs, and chickens. Tom really hates chickens! And then there’s other farm animals and all the poop they all make. (There’s a lot of poop in this story!) Then there’s Samson, a huge boar who is absolutely vicious but remains the apple of Joe’s eye. Someday Joe’s going to sell him to a sideshow or circus so that he can be seen and appreciated as the fine specimen he is. In the meantime, he scares Tom so badly that Tom avoids him at all costs.

As Tom and Frank acclimate to farm life, Joe’s health deteriorates. Tom and Frank become more deeply committed to each other and Stanley shows up sniffing around to see what his dad will leave him in his will. From this point on, the story takes an interesting turn as Stanley forges ahead with his plans to get in on the inheritance.

I enjoyed this story with its subtle humor and outrageous view of life on a farm. The author’s quick wit is evident, but to be honest, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it rather than listen to the audiobook version. I did not care for the “voice” of the narrator, especially since there was little to distinguish the MC voices, words were mispronounced, stress was sometimes placed on the wrong syllables in a word or words in a sentence, thereby changing the meaning or tone, and the delivery of many of the lines which I believe were intended to be humorous felt flat.

The romance developed along anticipated lines, and Joe’s illness progressed at the pace foreseen, but the author gives us a whammy of a surprise conclusion when Stanley discovers a map to the will and pursues it with all his despicable zest for leaving Tom and Frank out of it. I’m not usually caught off guard or shocked by where an author takes us, but in this case, I was, and it was truly a unique ending in a sweet romance.

I would recommend this book to those who love a sweet and simple romance between two very shy MCs, humor in their stories—sometimes subtle, sometimes overt, a little bit of angst, and a completely unexpected ending. However, I would not necessarily recommend it as an audiobook—as I said, I didn’t care for the narration on this one.

Cover art by Paul Richmond is highly detailed, beautifully drawn, and is perfect for the story, depicting Tom’s antics on the farm with his animal charges as Frank watches with a smile on his face.

Audiobook Sales Links:   Audible   iTunes       Amazon    Buy it here

The eBook was previously reviewed here by MelanieM

Book Details:

Cover Artist Paul Richmond
Narrator Tommy O’Brien
Length 7 hours and 54 minutes

It’s February 1st, Winner Announcements, Acknowledgements and This Week’s Schedule!

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   It’s A Wrap!

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Our first Down Under Author Showcase ended yesterday and what a marvelous event it was.  We had the participation of 28 authors and 2 independent Down Under publishers and  gifts from the Embassy of Australia and the Embassy of New Zealand here in DC.  My thanks again to Bottom Drawer Publications, Wayward Ink Publications and all of the wonderful authors from Down Under!  It’s been grand!  Let’s do it again next year!  And if you need a refresher, our Down Under Author Showcase Page will remain up until its updated at the next Showcase!

I discovered many new authors myself and am still happily buried in John Wiltshire’s series “More Heat Than The Sun”, and then will move on to more discoveries from authors this month.  I hope everyone had a great time and made discoveries of their own, that extends not only to authors and books but facts they learned about Australia and New Zealand as well.

Some of my favorites?

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glowwormstane-mahuta-223Kelpie walking across the backs of sheepWombat poop looks like cubes. -picture 1

There are caves in New Zealand where glow worms light the ceilings like stars -#2

An ancient tree so old it has its own name and looks like an elf should be standing  beside it.

Flightless parrots, mobs of camels and kelpies who cross the backs of sheep!

And so many places of incomparable beauty from the red dirt deserts of the Northern Territory to the beaches of the south, to the hills so green in New Zealand they remind you of emeralds and mountain lakes with water so clear it looks crystalline.  And don’t get me started on all those cities and towns I now wish to visit as well!  What were your favorite facts this month?

Over the next several days I will be  announcing winners of the various contests.  Today we will start with the winners of our Down Under Scavenger Hunt.  Here they are!

Down Under Author Scavenger Hunt Winners!

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The Winners of our Down Under Scavenger Hunt are, in the order that their entries were received:

 

First Place: Julie Small              $75.00 Amazon gift card

2nd Place:Vitajex                             First Choice of any of the following gifts listed below

3rd Place:Jennifer Florence       2nd choice of any of the following

4th PlaceShirley Speakman        3rd Choice

5th Place Antonia Aquilante        4th Choice

6th Place:H.B.                                   5th Choice

7th Place:  Hannah B                     6th Choice                 

   Prizes to Choose From: Choice of 1 box from Australia or New Zealand Gift Box (large), Choice of 1 of the Smaller AUS or NZ Gift Box* or

 Under the Southern Cross Anthology from Dreamspinner Press – a total of 5 e books*

How to Speak Kangaroo or your choice of any 2 books from our Down Under Authors*

Note: I will be posting some pictures of the boxes later today!

Now as the dust settles from our first big event, just a note that May will be Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Authors Across the Pond Showcase…all month long!  Just a little something to scribble on your calendars!

New Zealand Mountain

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Now here is This Week’s Schedule at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words…

Sunday, February 1:

  • Cover reveal – Jackie Nacht’s Venomous Mates ‘Strike of the Diamondback
  • In Our Book Spotlight:  The Bucket List by RJ Scott
  • Down Under Winner Announcements and this Week’s Schedule

Monday, February 2:

  • More Winner Announcements!
  • Release Day for John Inman’s Payback! (contest)
  • Chris Scully ‘Nights Like These’ Virtual Tour (contest)
  • A MelanieM Review: Infected: Epitaph by Andrea Speed
  • A Sammy Review: Night Like These by Chris Scully

Tuesday, February 3:

  • More Winner Announcements
  • Excerpt Tour for Sin City 2 by Morticia Knight (contest)
  • A Sammy Review: The Mechanical Chrysanthemums by Felicitas Ivey
  • A BJ Review: Second Act by Kaje Harper
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Tame A Wild Human by Kari Gregg

Wednesday, February 4:

  • More Winner Announcements from Down Under Author Showcase
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Shy by John Inman Audio book
  • Excerpt Tour with D. P. Denman’s Bare Threads (contest)
  • A Sammy Review: Dex in Blue by Amy Lane
  • A Stella Review: Backwoods Asylum by Megan Derr

Thursday, February 5:

  • More Winner Announcements
  • Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock’s The Merchant of Death (contest)
  • In Our Book Spotlight: RJ Scott’s Alpha, Delta
  • A Stella Review: Rabbit Season by Megan Derr
  • A Sammy Review: Ethan In Gold by Amy Lane
  • A MelanieM Review: A Wedding to Die For by Xavier Mayne

Friday, February 6:

  • More Winner Announcements , last author contests end!
  • A Sammy Review: An Infatuation by Joe Cosentino
  • A MelanieM Review: Trowchester Blues by Alex Beecroft
  • A BJ Review: Payback by John Inman
  • A MelanieM Review: The Bucket List by RJ Scott

Saturday, February 7:

  • Final Down Under Author Showcase Announcements!
  • A MelanieM Review: No Boundaries (Phoenix, Inc. #1) by S.E. Jakes

ayers rockview from Mt. GamblerAUS desert120-mount-cookAustralian Feral camelbaby sheep

Join Rainbow Award Finalist Lane Hayes on Tour with The Right Word (contest)

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Book Name: The Right Words
Goodreads Link
Author Name: Lane Hayes

Author Bio:

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow Lab ever in an almost empty nest.

Author Contact:

Website: http://lanehayes.wordpress.com
Twitter: @LaneHayes3
Facebook: LaneHayesauthor
Email: lanehayes@ymail.com

RightWords[The]FSPublisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson
Sales Links:   Dreamspinner eBook  and Paperback

The Right Words Blurb:

Escaping an abusive relationship left Luke Preston anxious and spouting panic-induced poetry. Desperate for a fresh start, Luke accepts a job remodeling a tired old beach house for a professional soccer player and his model girlfriend. While his passion is literature, not sports, focusing on the renovations eases his anxiety. Until the job he signed up for turns out to be more complicated than advertised.

Sidelined with a serious injury, soccer star Michael Martinez decides his beach house is the perfect place to recuperate. Remodeling might be the diversion he needs to keep his mind off his busted knee. Falling for the pretty designer with some quirky habits wasn’t on the drawing board. Unfortunately, Luke didn’t build a big enough closet for Michael to hide in. Having a star-powered sports career used to be all Michael lived for, but he’ll have to reevaluate his plans and find the right words if he wants to build more than a beach house with Luke.

Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, Romance

Excerpt from The Right Words by Lane Hayes

“One day at a time,” he repeated thoughtfully, making an obvious effort to steer the topic toward something more pleasant.

“Well, I don’t have anything better, so… I’ll go with that too.” Michael’s smile lit his entire face. It was a beautiful thing to witness. He was handsome always, but wow… what a smile.

“Was the picture of us good at least?”

This time he laughed out loud, a sweet, musical sound that made me chuckle along with him.

“Yeah, very hot.” He reached over and pulled me into his side effortlessly. “Look, I wasn’t trying to send mixed signals this week. I know I haven’t been around like I said I would. I… Jamie isn’t going to go away easily. This has been a weird blow to add to an already fucked-up situation, but… I like you and I do trust you.”

“You like me?”

He gave a small half chuckled and shrugged. “Un poco.” He translated when I gave him a blank stare. “A little.”

“I like you a little too.”

I couldn’t help my response at being near him. I curled into his side like a cat begging for attention. Michael wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek and my chin. I didn’t want a “friend” kiss, though. I wanted what he gave me Friday night. I wanted “that kiss.” I intercepted him when he leaned in to peck my temple and stuck my tongue out to trace the corner of his mouth. He groaned and accepted the invitation, diving and thrusting his tongue inside my mouth to stake his claim. His right hand traveled down my throat and came to a stop over my left nipple. He rubbed at the sensitive flesh through my tight T-shirt and squeezed hard when he heard my moan of approval.

I arched my back into his touch but kept my mouth fastened to his. I didn’t want to lose this connection. He bit at my chin and sent kisses down my neck as his hand dipped down to my belt and came to rest on my hardening cock. I whimpered and scooted on his lap to straddle his thighs.

“Is this okay? Am I hurting your knee?”

“It’s good, honey. Really good.” Both of his hands splayed flat on my back and circled to the front to pluck at the fabric of my T-shirt. “Take it off.”

I didn’t have to be told twice. I was burning up. I yanked it over my head and tossed it aside before I began working on the seemingly endless row of buttons on his dress shirt.

“Fuck. Help me get his off you. I need to feel your skin.”

I barely recognized my voice. I sounded breathless.

When Michael finally leaned forward to let the fabric slide from his shoulders, I met him halfway to feel his skin against mine. Heaven. He was simply beautiful, with finely toned washboard abs and gorgeous skin. It was smooth like mine but much darker. Olive against golden. I loved the contrast and I was anxious to explore. I let my hands roam, over his chest, down his stomach, and back again. My fingers itched to palm his cock through his worn jeans. Instead I fused my naked torso against his and ground my aching cock against his equally hard member. We both hissed, and the kiss became something more like sex.

Pages: 204 pages

Tour Dates: December 12th – January 6th 

TRWBadgeTour Stops: 

12-Dec

Parker Williams

Foxylutely Book Reviews

Sinfully Sexy

16-Dec

Hearts on Fire

Love Bytes

Kimi-Chan

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

19-Dec

Molly Lolly

Cate Ashwood

MM Good Book Reviews

23-Dec

BFD Book Blog

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Amanda C. Stone

26-Dec

Prism Book Alliance

Regular Guys, Hot Romance

30-Dec

The Novel Approach

Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Queer Town Abbey

2-Jan

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

6-Jan

Decadent Delights

My Fiction Nook

Multitasking Mommas

Velvet Panic

Joyfully Jay

 

Contest: Enter to win aRafflecopter Prize: $25 Gift Card. Use the link provided for the entry form and for all additional contest details. Must by 18 years of age or older to enter.
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A Visit with Author Owen Keehnen (giveaway)

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Springtime 1962 cover

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Owen Keehnen has stopped by today to talk about his year of writing, M/M Romance, and much, much more. Owen will be giving away one of the 4 m/m romances e book – The Dog Trainer, Springtime 1962, Thunder Snow, and December 1903, the winner’s choice.  To enter to win, leave a comment along with an email address where you can be reached if chosen.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

A Year of M/M Romance  By Owen Keehnen

One of my favorite things about being a writer is the creative adventure that it can be. Almost a year ago I ventured into the M/M romance world after having paired with a new publisher, Wilde City Press. Prior to this I had published a number of things – several books on LGBT history, a horror novel, a gay art novel, a book of LGBT interviews, and even a four volume set of interviews with gay porn stars.

When I first began working with Wilde City, I did a humorous gay coming of age novel called Young Digby Swank and followed it with The LGBT Book of Days, a comprehensive guide to the most important dates in LGBT history. On the heels of those two I wrote three hardcore erotic e-books under the name of Ewan Creed. In other words, my oeuvre was all over the place.

Around that time I decided to try my hand at writing M/M romance. When I asked for some pointers I was told about the importance of the partners winning the affections of their beloved and warned to avoid all signs of infidelity. I was also told the sex could be as raunchy as I wanted. I liked that last suggestion. With that advice in mind I hit the ground running.

I was also hopeful that this world of M/M romances would be a new means to implement one of my key interests – the reclaiming of our LGBT past. Maybe it was living through the darkest years of the AIDS epidemic that made me so keenly aware of the fragile nature of personal history, or maybe it was knowing that the lives of LGBT people had been edited from the annals of history. Whatever the reason a creative and personal theme of mine has been a desire to celebrate and reclaim a bit of our gay history. To that end I’d already written several bios on LGBT history and had also been a board member and was actively involved with The Legacy Project, a history-education-arts organization focused on pride, acceptance, and the recognition of LGBT lives and contributions throughout history. The possibilities of pairing history with M/M romance were endless.

Before I started incorporating an history into this new genre, I decided that I needed to understand the terrain of M/M romance a bit better. I lost my M/M virginity with an ebook called The Dog Trainer. Who doesn’t love a good dog story? Especially one that involves M/M romance. Richard, my protagonist, was a character I understood. Richard is a neurotic gay urbanite, a serial monogamist with a domineering peer group and a well-paying dead end job. When Richard finds a puppy named Hambone, his life and relationships begin to change and his priorities make a notable shift. Even bigger things happen when he meets and hires a dog trainer named Abe who teaches both Richard and Hambone a few new tricks. This one is a feel good story, relatively simple and very sweet, with some feel good sex thrown in for good measure.

With my next effort, Springtime 1962, I began to inject history into my M/M work. This ebook is set in the landmark of pre-Stonewall gay activity, The Lawson YMCA. I’d wanted to write a history about the gay doings at the Lawson for years, but stumbled along the way. So much of the underground history of the place was undocumented and so many potentially illuminating first hand accounts of life in those hallowed halls have vanished due to age and HIV. Instead, I opted to populate the Lawson with fictional characters and turn history into an M/M romance.

The premise of Springtime 1962 is relatively simple. A diary is found in a used bookstore and the present-day narrator quickly finds himself drawn into the intimate 1962 diary of a man named Joseph. The daily entries soon reveal a passionate gay love story of two retail workers in Chicago during the Kennedy years. Joseph is a middle aged department store employee. One day a young man named Clint is hired at the store. The men soon realize they are both living at the Lawson. They began spending time together, going to movies, exercising in the weight room, taking lunches together at work, etc. Love blossoms despite their age difference. In time Joseph discovers that Clint’s harbors a grave secret which will eventually threaten their relationship as well as their futures. This one screams for a sequel. I’m currently working on the further adventures of Joseph and Clint in Summertime 1962. The diary format offers a great opportunity to capture the lives and struggles of gay men at the time from bar raids to hook ups and even popular culture iconography.

My next M/M e-story was Thunder Snow, a homage to early 1980s academia, something else I had wanted to write about for some time. Romance was again my framework to explore the struggles and circumstances man gay men faced during this pre HIV period of time when Stonewall had already occurred, but the benefits of the gay liberation movement had not yet spread much beyond the major metropolitan areas.

Thunder Snow is the story of Jim Franklin who goes away to Windsor College hoping to leave his formerly closeted gay doings behind. He’s had enough of being an outsider and wants nothing more than to be like everyone else. To that end Jim has joined a fraternity and is dating a girl. Then, without warning, love blindsides Jim when he meets Glenn in his Romantic Literature class. Glenn is the kept lover of a wealthy town resident. When Jim asks for assistance with an assignment, Glenn agrees. Sparks soon ignite and passion ensues, but social constraints and Jim’s fear of being true to his nature prevent any sort of relationship from developing. Things change magically over winter break and what begins as another tryst quickly develops into something more. Both men fall madly in love. But is love, in the otherworldly setting of a college campus during break, enough to sustain the couple in the long run? In Thunder Snow I really wanted to capture the magical early stages of love and explore what happens when that idealism comes into contact with everyday reality, and eventually how we process that sort of conflict in our personal histories.

For my next M/M romance, I focussed on a specific historical event as a backdrop to the story. December 1903, the Iroquois, a Love Story is set in Chicago during the 1903 holiday season. The Iroquois Theater fire was a topic I’d obsessed about and wanted to explore for a long time. I was hoping to make the tragic story of the theater fire which killed hundreds history more vivid by planting two of my characters in proximity to the disaster.

December 1903 is the tale of two men from different worlds. Frankie is an actor working in the current Iroquois Theater production Mr. Bluebeard. One day Frankie makes knowing eye contact with a handsome and dapper stranger on the street. In only a few moments Frankie and “Otto” head off to Frankie’s boarding house. Though Frankie knows nothing about Otto’s life outside of the room, the two meet again the next night, and the next. As the winter wind howls outside the boardinghouse window, the couple make plans to run away and start a new life elsewhere. Frankie buys Otto a ticket to the the show and the men agree to meet behind the theater after the matinee to begin their life together. During that afternoon’s performance tragedy strikes and the deadly inferno consumes the theatre. With this ebook I really wanted to go epic and tell a very passionate story about these two men and evoke not only the era but also bring the devastating facts of this horrible and all but forgotten tragedy to light.

My soon to be published ebook, The Matinee Idol, is another historical venture. Set in 1933, The Matinee Idol is an M/M romance which takes place in Hollywood during the Depression. Raymond Richmond was a popular actor during the silent era of films and his popularity extended briefly into talkies. However, his sexual indiscretions and drunkenness soon get him fired from the studio. His drinking continues to escalate as his career sinks. Bad investments and spend thrift ways soon cause Raymond to find himself penniless. To make ends meet, he begins working as a hustler for a madame. One night Raymond is hired as a birthday present to set designer Carlton Finn who worked with Raymond back in his heyday at the studio. The two bond. Finn has always had a soft spot for the star and his heart goes out to the down and out man. Soon the two become lovers. In the following weeks, Raymond stops hustling and works at getting sober and getting his career back on track. As a big movie fan, especially from the golden era, I had a blast recreating Hollywood during that mythical time. On a deeper level it was also interesting to explore the ramifications of stardom and what a person is willing to endure and compromise for the sake of their image.

I’ve been on this M/M romance trip now for a year now and understand only some of the things I want to say about relationships and love. Every story seems to reveal something new about love and relationships that I hadn’t really considered or explored before. The entire process is an evolution. In that way, those original guidelines were helpful, but it has become increasingly apparent to me that I need to write the story that is inside me and often the story’s narrative strays from the prescribed guidelines. The sex can be a bit raunchier than the norm and often my characters are not 20 year olds with chiseled physiques and perfect features. In fact, sometimes my characters are middle aged and paunchy. I’ve even done the unspeakable and had characters who are not strictly monogamous.

At first bending these rules caused some concern, but then I remembered that my primary focus should not be worrying how my story is going to be received. To write a decent story my primarily responsibility must be to my characters and allowing them to reveal some truth about romance, love, and sex between two men. Adhering to that means that sometimes my romances don’t have happy endings, but love isn’t always nice and love isn’t always easy. Sometimes love is riddled with complications and even regret. The only given about love is that, if we’re lucky enough to find it, for however long we have it, that there is nothing on this earth that makes us feel more wonderfully and magically alive. And as a writer of M/M romance my priority needs to be on capturing and reflecting that incredible state in all its many forms and stages.

Meet Author Owen KeehnenOwen3

Bio:

Owen Keehnen is the author of the novels Young Digby Swank, The Sand Bar, Doorway Unto Darkness, and the ebook M/M romances, The Dog Trainer, Springtime 1962, The Lawson YMCA, Thunder Snow, December 1903, The Iroquois, a Love Story, and the upcoming The Matinee Idol. Along with Tracy Baim he has co-authored three LGBT biographies – Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow, Jim Flint: The Boy From Peoria, and Vernita Gray: From Woodstock to The White House. Keehnen also authored The LGBT Book of Days, a comprehensive guide to key dates in LGBT history. Over 100 of his interviews with various LGBT authors and activists from the 1990s have been collected in the book We’re Here, We’re Queer. He co-edited Nothing Personal: Chronicles of Chicago’s LGBTQ Community 1977–1997, was a contributor to Gay Press, Gay Power, and wrote the foreword and helped edit Mark Abramson’s memoir For My Brothers. Keehnen also contributed several biographical essays to the coffee table history book Out and Proud in Chicago.

Keehnen was on the founding committee and executive board of The Legacy Project and is currently a contributing biographer for the LGBT history-education-arts program focused on pride, acceptance, and bringing proper recognition to contributions of LGBT people throughout history. His essays, short stories, poetry and erotica have appeared in dozens of periodicals and anthologies worldwide. He was the author of the Starz books, a four-volume series of interviews with gay porn stars. He has had two queer monologues adapted for the stage and served as co-editor of the Windy City Times Pride Literary Supplement for several years, and was a co-founder of the horror film website RacksAndRazors.com. He lives in Chicago with his partner, Carl, and his two ridiculously spoiled dogs, Flannery and Fitzgerald. He was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2012.

-Author Contacts-

You can contact Owen Keehnen at:

On Tour with Lissa Kasey & Sam Kadence – Two Sides of the Same Coin (book tour and contest)

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One Person, Two Authors, Three Books!

Book Names: Hidden Gem, Unicorns and Rainbow Poop, On The Right Track (Audio Book)
Goodreads Link:  On The Right Track     Unicorns and Rainbow Poop          Hidden Gem

Author Name: Lissa Kasey/Sam Kadence

 A Short Conversation with Lissa Kasey…

Q – Do you remember your first story? What was it about?

Yes. It was a story called Ship Wrecked. It was about a bunch of kids who get stranded on an island with a house full of horrors (yeah i was in the sixth grade when I wrote it. I was always sort of twisted)

Q – What sequel are you most looking forward to writing in the upcoming twelve months?

The sequel to Hidden Gem. Title unknown as of yet, but it’s started and I love it.

Q- What is your most requested sequel?

Gabe’s story which I will write someday. Second to that was Bas’ story which just came out.

Q – Aki loves shoes. Do you have a fetish of your own?

Fetish as in sexualized no. But I love ball joint dolls and action figures. I have shelves of action figures.

Q- What is the most emotional scene you ever wrote?

The beginning of Reclamation when Sei is running from his memory of stabbing Gabe, which is second only to watching Bas come apart in front of Dane in Unicorns and Rainbow Poop.

Author Bio:

Sam Kadence has always dreamed about being someone else, somewhere else. With very little musical talent, Sam decided the only way to make those dreams come true was to try everything from cosplay at the local anime conventions to writing novels about pretending to run away to become a musician.

Sam has a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing, sells textbooks for a living, enjoys taking photographs of Asian Ball Joint Dolls to tell more stories, and has eclectic taste in music from J-pop to rock and country. All of which finds its way into the books eventually.

Email: samkadence.author@gmail.com;

Lissa Kasey lives in St. Paul, MN, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing, and collects Asian Ball Joint Dolls who look like her characters. She has three cats who enjoy waking her up an hour before her alarm every morning and sitting on her lap to help her write. She can often be found at Anime Conventions masquerading as random characters when she’s not writing about boy romance.

Author Contact:

https://www.facebook.com/lissa.kasey; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008292783586&fref=ts; parisbvamp@yahoo.com; samkadence.author@gmail.com

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press & Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist: Hidden Gem – Siobhan,
Sales Links:

1.  Hidden Gem:  Dreamspinner Press   All Romance(ARe)         amazon

2. Unicorns and Rainbow Poop:  Dreamspinner Press   All Romance (ARe)    amazon

3.  On The Right Track:  Book:       Dreamspinner Press   All Romance (ARe)     amazon

                                                 Audio:      Dreamspinner Press    Amazon On the Right Track (Audible Audio Edition): Sam Kadence, Michael Stellman: Books

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UNICORNS AND RAINBOW POOP COVEROn the Right Track cover

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Blurb(s):

Categories: Alternate Universe, BDSM, Contemporary, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, New Adult, Paranormal (Please note: Not all books contain all elements.)

Excerpts:

HIDDEN GEM:  First Glimpse by Lissa Kasey

Aki swept up a bottle of McNaughton’s favorite scotch and headed toward the broad Irishman. The man’s shoulders were arched forward, back tense, hair a sexy mess, and face covered with a couple days’ growth. Obviously the cop was on a difficult case. The detective hadn’t yet asked for him, just for his usual meal—almost bloody steak with a baked potato.

“You look like you could use a drink,” Aki told him as he slid into the chair beside him. He turned an empty glass over and poured three fingers of the golden liquid.

McNaughton sighed, his dark eyes roaming over Aki’s small body, platinum blond hair pulled up and styled with sparkling pins, see-thru knit top, and super-short skirt, then over his bare legs down to the gleaming heels. The shoes were a silver mesh of crystals that slid up just past his ankles. A gift from McNaughton. The cop sucked in a deep breath and slid his hand over the covered part of Aki’s thigh. He knew better than to touch bare flesh to bare flesh. Aki was a cognitive psi, could see entire lives of horrors with a single touch, and he was sure McNaughton’s past was filled with a lot of nasty memories.

“Wish you had time for me tonight. But I’ve got a feeling you’re booked up tight.” He glanced back at the room bustling with companions and potential customers. Aki was the only psi in the room, his pale-pupiled blue eyes telling the world that he was different.

“I’m sure Bart can fit you in.” Aki’s eyes scanned the room until he found his boss, who was engaged with negotiations with another client. “Looks like you need some trouble eased tonight.” He leaned in close enough his breath ran across McNaughton’s cheek.

McNaughton turned his head, lips nearly close enough to touch. “Would love a bit of time with your shine.”
“Words like honey, McNaughton.”

The cop flashed him one of his rare, heart-stopping smiles then nodded as Bart appeared beside them. “Table seven is ready, Aki. Number one.” Bart told him.

Aki grabbed Bart’s wrist with a gloved hand. “The cop needs some time tonight. You can make that happen, right?”

“Of course.” Bart nodded to them and took Aki’s vacated seat and Aki made his way to his next client of the evening. There were only two services Aki performed. A hand job and a blow job, one and two. This client wanted number one—which meant he was cheap since rarely did anyone ask for a hand job from him. But his prices were astronomical anyway.

“Hello,” Aki smiled at the man as he slid into the chair opposite him. The client was dressed nice, button down shirt, pressed pants, but he was bald and a little heavier around the waist. A politician probably. “If you’re ready we can head upstairs.”

The man barely spoke, but he leered, eyes tracing over Aki’s form more like he was cattle than a night of entertainment. Even in his worst moments McNaughton had never done that. It wasn’t appreciation, but something darker. Aki sighed internally and hoped this would be fast. He knew a thousand ways to get a man off in minutes. Something about him just set off Aki’s creep radar.

“I hear some wait months for the pleasure of your time,” the man said with slightly accented speech.
Not usually. The only ones who waited weeks were because their schedule and Aki’s conflicted or because they’d done something to upset him or Bart. Most clients got in within a few days if not the same day of requesting Aki’s time. And regulars were always given precedence over someone not yet vetted like this client.

“If I don’t please you I can see if Preston or Royce is available.”

“I was hoping for Candy originally.”

Was always good to be told he was second choice. Aki gritted his teeth. “Candy only serves a special kind of client. And he does have a wait list.” Mostly because he took clients who wanted a little more kink than any of the other male companions preferred. Aki was going to recommend this client be removed from the premises after the service was over.

“I guess you’ll have to do then. Won’t you?” He gave Aki a chilling smile.

Bastard. Aki got up from his seat and offered his gloved hand to the man who followed closely. They’d reached the stairs when the man grabbed him, yanked Aki against him and shoved his hand up Aki’s skirt, groping him and sending him into a spiral of nightmares.

A dark room. The metallic stink of blood. Screams. The sound of knives being sharpened. Metal bars clanking. Crying. Pain. The music of an ice cream truck. How odd. It was all ripped away a moment later, but Aki’s stomach was already heaving. The small plate of fruit and yogurt he’d had for dinner was not going to stay down.

Someone carried him unceremoniously to the private companion bathroom near the kitchen and set him in front of the toilet just as the mash of fruits and dairy came up. Aki heaved a couple of minutes, his brain swirling with the images that thankfully began to fade just as quickly as they’d come. With any luck he’d be able to brush his teeth, wash his face and go about his work day.

He glanced up to find Manny, the head of security standing at the door. McNaughton knelt beside Aki. Had held his hair back and even used his jacket to cover Aki’s bottom. The skirts really were too short.
“Bart is already having the guy removed. He should never have touched you like that. Sorry I didn’t get to you quicker,” Manny told Aki. “Grateful to you, Detective, for responding so quickly.”

McNaughton stroked Aki’s back, using the soft material of the sweater to run circles over his spine. “Want to talk about it?”

Aki sighed. “Same crap. Just weird. Darkness, crying, smelled blood. Heard knives.” He shook his head. “The guy could work at a butcher for all I know. The memories get so jumbled.” Often with his own horrific past.
“Thought I heard a kid. And bars rattling like in a jail. And the music from an ice cream truck.”

McNaughton nodded like it made perfect sense to him and helped Aki get up and make his way to the sink where there were spare toothbrushes and endless varieties of paste. The cop leaned over and kissed Aki’s hair.

“Gotta go. I’ll have Bart reschedule me sometime this week though. Love that you wore my shoes.” He was gone a moment later.

Aki cleaned up and made his way back to work. At least the night was almost over. He was sad that McNaughton hadn’t stayed. Would have liked to see that smile another time or two. At least the rest of the night flew by without incident, even if the detective didn’t return.

“Sleeping with me tonight?” Candy asked as he stripped out of their work clothes, leaving just a pair of bright pink underwear and crawled into bed. His purple hair was already brushed and eyes heavy with sleep.

“Please,” Aki whispered. He stripped off everything but his underwear too. After putting his shoes and pins away, he washed his face.

“Heard that guy touched you. What a jerk.”

“He wanted you to begin with.” Aki curled up beside his best friend.

Candy flicked off the light. “I would have brought him down a few pegs.”

Aki smiled, but he didn’t want to think of the horrible man at all. Those memories just needed to go away. He had enough of his own to battle with each day. He fell asleep hoping to wake up with less nasty memories each day.

The next afternoon Aki was up early and at Artie’s for breakfast—best 24/7 diner in the area—when McNaughton arrived. The man sat down at his table without asking and pushed a pair of slim, jeweled, yellow flat sandals into Aki’s hands. “What’s this for?” Aki asked.

He just shook his head. He threw a stack of cash on the table and motioned to the waitress. “Anything he wants is on me.” He then got up from the table and headed for the door.

“Well that was weird,” Aki said to LuAnn, the waitress.

She pointed at the Vid screen. “He had a rough night. Caught the guy who was killing kids.” The Vidscreen was turned to the news. Something about a man named the “Ice Cream Killer” had been captured. Apparently he used an ice cream truck to lure kids in, kidnapped them, raped them and killed them. Real monster.

A picture popped up of the guy. It was the client from the Gem. Maybe that’s why McNaughton was at the Gem. No matter what he hoped the detective visited him tonight. The new yellow shoes would need a new skirt to match…

 

UNICORNS AND RAINBOW POOP EXCERPT:

“So I was thinking since you and I both care about Tommy, we have something in common. See, Tommy is stressed, and I thought we could do something nice for him.”

Dane sat but glared at the man suspiciously. “What sort of nice thing?”

Bas motioned to the bags. “We’re going to make him cookies.”

Dane gulped. “I don’t like food.”

“You won’t be eating it. Tommy will. He canceled a class to come here. Did he tell you? He was taking a theater class at the community college back in Minnesota. Had to withdraw to be here. And with college, you know that means giving up any money paid. Not that money matters much to you guys. Though as young as you all are, I hope you’re well invested.”

Bas shrugged at him and began taking things out of the bags. Flour, eggs, sugar—both white and brown—food coloring, butter, vanilla, and lemons.

“I didn’t know,” Dane said quietly. He’d thought Tommy would be the least affected by his problems. Of course he’d been wrong about that too. Couldn’t he do anything right? “I don’t know anything about cooking.”

“That’s okay. I got this recipe online. It’s pretty easy. We’re making unicorn poop cookies.”

“What?”

“They are sugar cookies with food coloring in them to make them all rainbow-like. Unicorns are good luck and all that. Supposed to be the embodiment of goodness and purity.” Bas picked up his tablet, tapped the screen, and flipped it so Dane could see. The cookies really did look like a big pile of rainbow poop.

“Looks tasty,” Dane grumbled.

“We shall see, right? Think you can measure for me?” He pulled out a couple of cookie sheets and turned on one of the many ovens. “I got permission to use the kitchen here, but we can’t get too rowdy or they’ll kick me out.” He winked at Dane. “I’m pretty sure the orderlies outside are to make sure I’m not burning the place down.”

Dane got up and moved around the counter to stare at the list of ingredients. Bas plugged in a big mixer and took the mixing bowl out of it, bringing it to the counter for them to fill.

“This is really for Tommy?”

“Sure. We can send some to Ru and Adam too if you’d like. I heard they are only an hour or so away.”

“I don’t want Ru to know I’m here,” Dane said immediately. He didn’t need to mess up anyone else’s life.

“No worries. We need tell them nothing other than that they are from you.”

 

EXCERPT FOR ON THE RIGHT TRACK

RU’S phone pinged with a new message from Tommy.

Looks like another one, sorry.

The text was attached to a photo of the cover of a magazine featuring Ru kissing his ex-boyfriend Kris and then a smaller picture of Kris kissing another guy. Headline for that one was Vocal Growth Star Jilted! Six months and still front page news.

He sighed. Even leaving California hadn’t helped. Here he was in the cold autumn of Minnesota, alone, but still stalked by the conservative media who thought anyone under eighteen didn’t deserve to recognize their sexuality. Sure he was gay. He’d known for years. Had even made the mistake of telling his father when he was eleven. Why did that make him a bad guy?

As part of a boy band that had traveled the world a few times and won a hefty number of awards, he was required to maintain a wholesome image. At least that’s what his former recording studio had told him. And wholesome didn’t mean kissing another guy, even when he and Kris had been exclusive for almost two years. So, while it was okay for other celebrities to come out and show pride, anyone under the magical age of eighteen was ridiculed, cast out, and treated as a pariah of the community.

Do you need me to come stay with you? Tommy texted again. He was a former bandmate but still a good friend. Tommy hadn’t cared when Ru told him he was gay. He did offer to kick the crap out of Kris after the guy had set them up to be photographed together, outing Ru to the whole world, only to then cheat on him. Would Ru’s heart ever stop breaking at the memory?

Ru texted back He never really loved me, did he?

LissaKaseyFinalTour Dates/Tour Stops: 

2-Dec

Parker Williams

4-Dec

Molly Lolly

9-Dec

The Novel Approach

11-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

16-Dec

Amanda C. Stone

16-Dec

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

18-Dec

MM Good Book Reviews

23-Dec

Prism Book Alliance

25-Dec

Andrew Q. Gordon

25-Dec

BFD Book Blog

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Print copies of Hidden Gem, Unicorns and rainbow Poop, and audio book codes for On the Right Track. (two of each)m Must be 18 years of age or older to win.

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A MelanieM Review: Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Old Loyalty new Love coverJackal shifter Quade Danas has spent decades away from home and pack after his father the Alpha banished Quade for being gay.  Quade vanished into the military, acquiring the skills and mindset he would need when he returned to civilian life as a bodyguard for Roman Howell, the teenage son of a very rich man.

Roman Howell has had two constants in his life.  The L’Ange, the beloved chateau he grew up in and Quade Danas, his bodyguard who is so much more to him than that title implies.  Quade has been there for him through two of the worst times in his life.  The first, being the school accident that cost Roman his good looks, physical well being and almost his life.  The second time was when his parents died, leaving a scarred young man alone to handle his parent’s business empire and estate, alone except for Quade.

Roman has always loved Quade but how to get his bodyguard to see that its the man he loves and not the safety net Quade has always represented to Roman?  Roman is determined to have Quade for his own, because he realizes something that even Quade hasn’t admitted, that Quade loves him back.

Quade has grown to love the young man he has watched over for years.  But he has convinced himself that the large difference in years between them as well as the secrets he hides put Roman out of reach, as his love and mate.  Then a call from his past puts his continued employment and relationship with Roman in jeopardy.  His old pack desperately needs him to return and take over. Quade feels compelled to heed the call, he may be forced to make a choice he never anticipated. But doing so means he must leave Roman behind… unless somehow they find a way to make loyalty and love work together.

I adore Mary Calmes shifters and with her new series, L’Ange, she gives the readers a new cast of shifters to fall in love with.  Old Loyalty, New Love sets the foundation of her series with the setting of the lands and the  “château d’Ange,” or “house of angels,” as it was named,  home of the wealthy Howell family. L’Ange is more than just a huge manor to Roman Howell, the only heir to the Howell fortune and empire.. It is home, full of happy memories of his parents and the only place where he feels safe and content. Calmes brings us into Roman’s life when he is 27.  It’s been six years since his parents have died, and Roman, with Quade’s support and advice, has come to grips with their death and his transfigured face and body as Chapter 1 opens.  And while we have the occasional flashback, it is mostly the adult Roman that we deal with.

I really like how Calmes is introducing new types of main characters into her stories.  In the past the author has been shown to be fond of  two distinct types of “leading men” in her stories.  In a way, those main characters have been a sort of hallmark of hers, and a beloved one at that.  But in Old Loyalty, New Love, a new type of character emerges, one so very different and yet totally appealing in his own right.  Roman Howell’s face now resembles a mask of melted wax, the result of a horrific fire aboard a school bus.  Here is our first glimpse of Roman, seen through Quade’s eyes:

A lot of the guys that Roman’s “friends” brought to meet him were startled by his appearance. Most of his face resembled melted wax, and the skin that didn’t was cratered and thick in some places, stretched thin and reddened in others. At first glance, people were still surprised, but to me, he was simply Roman Howell, my boss, who I had met as a boy of sixteen and watched become a man I both respected and admired. Now, the pictures of him before the accident were what caught me off guard. What could have been an ordinary face had been transformed, to me, into a visage of resilience and power.

There’s certainly nothing cute or adorable about either Roman or Quade, in personality or visage.  Quade is in fact quite a bit older, a bit menacing, and a jackal shifter to boot.  Both characters felt as fresh and fascinating as their personalities and relationship.  As relayed through the synopsis, Quade and Roman has a long, convoluted history together, one overlaid by an employer/employee relationship as well as a protector/protected one.  Mary Calmes then sets about demonstrating how intimate and genuine that relationship has become, changing into something deep-rooted and intense. It’s new depth is one Quade isn’t ready to acknowledge.  Trust me when I say, these two will grab you by the heartstrings, never to let go.

Quade has some aspects of past main characters, but he is so much his own personality.  Older, scarred, loyal to a fault,and a jackal shifter as well.  Quade is as complex and magnetic you could hope for.  I loved their interchanges and interactions with each other.

Aside from Quade and Roman, chateau L’Ange, is home to a fascinating assortment of characters, like the head of security, Arman de Soto, and Linus Hobbes, L’Ange’s manager. They and other shifters will figure largely in the books to come. I did find it a shame that the blurb gave away the fact that Quade was a jackal shifter as that bit of information comes slowly to the reader in small pieces.  At the beginning you arent’ sure what type of shifter Quade is but you see him following wolves at the beginning, so you might have imagined Quade as a wolf to begin with.  But the L’Ange series is full of different types of shifters and you are going to love the surprises that Calmes has in store for her readers.  I know I throughly enjoyed it as one wonderful revelation after another surfaced in the plot.  It made me love this story, along with Roman, and Quade, and all the rest.

The story flows along quickly, and even as new characters arrive to enlarge the cast, it never feels too overcrowded or bogged down.  There is a wonderful resolution and new mysteries set up for the next books to solve.  I can already tell this is going to be a new favorite series of mine.  I think you will feel the same.  Consider Old Loyalty, New Love a highly recommended read! Now on to Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2). I can hardly wait!

Cover artist:  Anne Cain delivers a lovely cover with it’s gothic overtone but I think I had hoped for a little something more to make it great.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 246 pages
Published December 13th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published December 12th 2013)
ISBN 1627984755 (ISBN13: 9781627984751)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4464
Books in the Series Include:

Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1)
Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2)

And now for December and the Week Ahead At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

It’s December!

Snowflakes, Snow Angels, and Icicles…Oh My!

The end of the year is coming and December is full of holidays, family, love, and ok…tons of stuff to do!  Riptide’s Share the Love Charity Contest continues.  Look for the link on the Share the Love cover and click to vote for your LGBTQ charity of choice!

There is so much going on that I had to slide our November Summary of Reviews and Best of Lists into the middle of the week!  Its been that crazy!

Here is a sneak peak at some of those covers sure to be on our November and, well probably, Best of 2014 lists.  In no particular order:

Then the Stars Fall coverThe Eskimo Slugger coverSand and Gold and RuinSemper Fi cover

 

 

 

 

 

TheCircusoftheDamned_500x750Cutting Out coverSpaghetti Western coverWholehearted cover

What were some of your favorite covers last month?

Winner Announcements:

Winner of Haley Walsh’s contest is Peaches

Winner of Keira Andrews “Semper Fi” contest is Jeffrey Owens

 

Congratulations!  Happy Reading

 

Now for the Week Ahead:

Monday, December 1:

  • Excerpt Tour: A Spartan Love by Kayla Jameth (contest)
  • Tina Klemke’s Shifting Weight Book tour and Contest
  • Groom of Convenience by Vicktor Alexander Book Tour and Contest
  • Three the Hard Way by Sydney Croft – Share the Love Tour and Contest

Tuesday, December 2:

  • Book Blast: Murder in Torbaydos by Ian James Krender‏ (tour and contest)
  • Kayla Jameth ‘A Spartan Love‘ Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review: Work in Progress by John Inman
  • A MelanieM Review: Craberry Pi by Lee Brazil

Wednesday, December 3:

  • The Chase and The Catch Blog Tour‏ by AF Henley
  • A Sammy Review: Nothing Ventured by Jay Northcote
  • A MelanieM Review: Fever Pitch (Love Lessons #2) by Heidi Cullinan
  • November Summary of Reviews and Best of Lists

Thursday, December 4:

  • Derrick Knight – Miracle on Mistletoe Lane Virtual Book Tour and contest
  • Out of CTRL by SA Welsh – Exclusive excerpt tour and contest
  • A Mika Review:  Teaching Professor Grayson by Kade Boehme & Allison Cassatta
  • A PaulB Review: Desert Foxe by Haley Walsh

Friday, December 5:

  • Finding Matt by JD Ruskin Book Blast and contest
  • Love Lane Book Tours: Jack Frost by  Meredith Russell(contest)
  • ZA Maxfield’s Hell On Wheels Book Tour and contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Darach’s Cariad by RJ Scott

Saturday, December 6:

A MelanieM Review: The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate by Kay Berresford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barb, a Zany Old Lady Review: Wholehearted by Cate Ashwood – Audiobook narrated by John Orr

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5audiobook clipart bw

Wholehearted coverWhen police officer Declan Grant goes to investigate the report of someone sleeping at the end of the town dock, he’s shocked to find a bruised, bloody, and unconscious man. And he’s even more shocked by his reaction to the man— under all the blood is a handsome young man who grabs Declan’s heart and won’t let go. Though he’s not happy with the hostile reaction he gets from the man when he finally wakes in the hospital, he finds himself offering a home and friendship to Lucas Hale and the offer comes from a deep and warm place in his heart.

Against his better judgment, Lucas accepts the offer of this stranger, a man who he feels safe with, and, we later learn, finds very cute and hot. The two grow closer together over the time that Lucas is recuperating and slowly Lucas begins to trust Declan until he finally tells him the full story of the homophobic attack that occurred while working on a lobster boat. He makes Declan swear to keep it confidential, and Declan, even though he’s a police officer, agrees to do that. But Declan didn’t agree not to investigate on his own, and he manages to gather information on all the men involved in case Lucas changes his mind someday.

Over time, Declan and Lucas grow stronger together and eventually declare their love and hope for a future together. But when Mack finds the file Declan had hidden, and arranges for arrest warrants, Declan is the one who has to tell Lucas of his betrayal. And that’s exactly how Lucas sees it. Broken-hearted over the break in his trust, Lucas leaves, telling Declan that he never wants to see him again.

The next few months are hell for Declan, but bring a happy surprise to Mack and Oliver, MC’s in the first book in the series, “Brokenhearted” in the form of a new addition to their family. Eventually Declan and Lucas get to see each other again while preparing for the trial, and after a long and heartfelt talk they begin to work their way toward their HEA. A large part of the story revolves around the separation period as we see it’s a difficult journey for Declan, one for which he has to travel alone for a while, and begin to see what he most wants in this world and what he’s willing to do to get it.

I loved the story and the narration was superb. John Orr’s narrator voice was different from the inflections he gave to Declan and Lucas and they were different from Mack, Oliver and Hayden who all return for a cameo appearance. He also brought reality to each scene— from panting to, crying, laughing, and sighing— all were done to perfection. I would normally give this story 4 stars but his narration is so good it moves the rating up to 4.5 overall.

I recommend this book and this series to all lovers of M/M romance, especially to those who love angst and hurt/comfort stories. The audiobook is outstanding so I recommend this format for not only this book but the entire series. Since I’ve listened to the other two books in the series, I can honestly say that they all have outstanding narration by John Orr.

Cover Art depicting a fishing boat with a blood stain on the side is by Aaron Anderson. I found that the art was a perfect depiction of the boat on which Lucas was hurt and the blood symbolic of the injuries he suffered there.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner audio book  iTunes   Audible   amazon

Book Details:

Cover Artist Aaron Anderson
Narrator John Orr
Length 6 hours and 18 minutes
Categories
AudiobooksCate AshwoodHope Cove Series by Cate Ashwood
Book Type Audiobook
Other Formats eBookPaperback

November is Here and the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts!

november-5

“O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being.
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing.”
– Percy Bysshe Shelley

Yes, November has arrived along with the falling colored leaves and winds that briskly move them over the landscape to hide the few flowers that remain of summer and the ordered gardens where they reside.  The last of the plants that migrate indoors and out have returned to their wintering places inside and all the pups have gotten their new sweaters to ward off the approaching cold.

I love this time of year, the month that Emily Dickinson always called “..the Norway of the year.”  The cold sets in, birds swarm in flittering layers looking for warmth and food, and the days grow shorter until the sunlight feels fleeting indeed.  It’s a wonderful time for reflection, reading, writing,  and knitting.  Of cosy rooms and closeness.  Its Thanksgiving, family gatherings and sharing.  Its quiet, and dark, and contemplative.  So many things to so many people.

For the terriers, it’s the deer in the backyard munching on acorns and the remnants of the hostas.  It’s the squirrels, and raccoons, and possums at the feeders, sharing along with the birds and odd field mouse.  And always watching in the background, still and opportunistic, wait the fox, the hawk and the owl.  Even as the pups voice their objections to our visitors, I  love the interplay I can observe and the many places they all find within the confines of my gardens and trees.

Even now as the wind whips by and the threat of our first frost appears, I love that it’s November.

I hope you all had a wonderful October.  There were so many great books released that your lists should be bulging by now.  If you missed it, check out our October 2014 Summary of Reviews and Best Covers.  Let me know what covers  you loved that we missed and what books you have added to your pile of novels you’re swearing to get to now.

Here is this week’s schedule at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:

Monday, November 3:

  • A MelanieM Review:  The Devil Lancer by Astrid Amara
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review:  Starstruck by L.A. Witt

Tuesday, November 4:

  • Riptide tour:  Cornelia Grey’s Circus of the Damned Tour
  • A MelanieM Review:  Circus of the Damned by Cornelia Grey
  • A MelanieM Review: Sleigh Bells: Minnesota Christmas by Heidi Cullinan

Wednesday, November 5:

  • Book Tour:  Jude Dunn’s One Thing Leads (contest)
  • Riptide Book Tour:  L.A. Witt’s Starstruck
  • A MelanieM Review:  Heat by Chris Quinton and RJ Scott

Thursday, November 6:

  • TB Tour: LM Brown’s Between Heaven and Hell
  • A MelanieM Review:  The Best Corpse for the Job by Charlie Cochrane
  • A MelanieM Review:  Cold Day in Hell by Lee Brazil (PF2014, story 5)

Friday, November 7:

  • RJ Scott Book tour: Darach, book 2 in the Fire Series
  • DESERT FOXE: A Skyler Foxe Mystery‏ Haley Walsh Book Tour (contest)
  • A MelanieM Review: Off Course by Bailey Bradford

YA Saturday, November 8:

  • An Aurora YA Review: Carnival-Decatur by Zoe Lynne

 

Hello november-4

 

We are still looking for reviewers. If you are interested, please email me at melaniem54@msn.com.

October 2014 – Summary of Reviews and Best Covers of the Month

It’s once again time to look back over the month’s reviews and best covers of October 2014.  So many great books and authors to choose from, so many covers to love.  Check them all out, add to your Must Have, Must Read list and, as always, happy reading!

October 2014 Book Review Summary

*Key:Lag_BaOmer_bonfire
STRW S series
C contemporary
F-fantasy
SF-science fiction
PN-paranormal
SP-supernatural
H-historical
HR-horror
N-Nonfiction
YA-young adult

Rating Scale: 1 to 5, 5 stars is outstanding

5 Star Rating:

A Taste of Poison (Memory of Scorpions #3) by Aleksandr Voinov, STRWFS (MelanieM Review)
Last Marine Standing by RJ Scott, STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Red Dirt Heart 1 by N. R. Walker STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Red Dirt Heart 2 by N. R. Walker STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Red Dirt Heart 3 by N. R. Walker STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
The Broken Road Cafe by T. A. Webb, STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, STRWC (An Aurora YA Review)

4 to 4.75 Star Rating:

A Heart for Robbie by J. P. Barnaby (4.5) STRWC (PaulB Review)
A Taste of Copper by Elin Gregory, (4.75) STRWH (MelanieM Review)
Accidental Contact and Other Mahu Investigations ()Mahu #7.5) by Neil S. Plakcy, (4.5) STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz, (4.5) STRWSFS (A Barb Review)
Ben Raphael’s All-Star Virgins by K.Z. Snow (4) STRWC (Sammy Review)
Brothers in Arms (The Broken Road Cafe #2) by T.A. Webb. (4.75) STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Counterpunch (Belonging #2) by Aleksandr Voinov, (4) STRWSFS (A Barb Review)
Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne, (4.5) STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Dead Things by Meredith Russell (4) STRWH (MelanieM Review)
Death Gets A Boyfriend by Sophie Bonaste (4) STRWF (PaulB Review)
Foundation of Trust (Cost of Repairs #5) by A. M. Arthur, (4) STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Hidden Gem by Lissa Kasey (4.75) STRWSF (MelanieM Review)
Phoenix Heart (Stolen Elements #1) by A.L. Wilson, (4.5) STRWSNS, (PaulB Review)
Spaghetti Western by E.M. Lynley (4) STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Stand By You by A. M. Arthur (4.25) STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
The Trouble with Elves by Therese Woodson (audio book version) (4) STRWFH (A Barb Review)

3 to 3.75 Star Rating:

Acting Out (Calm and Chaos #1) by Sharon Maria Bidwell (3) STRWCS (MelanieM Review)
Burning Ashes by H. Lewis Foster (3.5) STRWC (MelanieM Review)
Confetti, Cake & Confessions by K. C. Wells STRWC (MelanieM Review)
DMZ by Andrea Speed, (3) STRWC (MelanieM Review)
His Sleeping Beau by Jess Buffett (3.5) STRWF (PaulB Review)
Merry Christmas, Josh by Andrea Speed (3.75) STRWSNHS (MelanieM Review)
Midsummer Baker by Megan Derr (3.5) STRWFS (MelanieM Review)
Midsummer Law by Megan Derr (3.5) STRWFS (MelanieM Review)

2 to 2.75 Star Rating:

Changing Tide by D. P. Denman (2) STRWC (MelanieM Review)
Fire and Light by Berengaria Brown (2.5) STRWC (MelanieM Review)
Grumble Monkey and the Department Store Elf by B. G. Thomas *audiobook* Barb Review (2.5) STRWFH

Best Covers of July 2014

 

A Heart for Robbie coverTaste of copper 400x600ATasteForPoison_200x300Accidental Contact and Other cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Heart for Robbie, cover art by Angsty G
A Taste of Copper by Elin Gregory, cover artist Meredith Russell
A Taste of Poison (Memory of Scorpions #3) by Aleksandr Voinov, cover artist Reese Dante
Accidental Contact and Other Mahu Investigations ()Mahu #7.5) by Neil S. Plakcy, Kris Jacen artist

 

All Star Virgins coverCutting Out coverDMZhiddengem_final03

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Raphael’s All-Star Virgins by K.Z. Snow, Cover artist Maria Fanning
Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne, Mumson Designs artist
DMZ by Andrea Speed, cover artist L. C.Chase
Hidden Gem, cover artist Shobana Appavu

 

Spaghetti Western coverThe Ocean at the End of the Lane cover
Spaghetti Western by E.M. Lynley, cover artist L.C. Chase
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, unknown artist