An Alisa Release Day Review: Brush with Catastrophe (The Aloysius Tales #2) by Tara Lain

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Sammy Raphael is a crappy witch, and on top of that, he can’t seem to get a boyfriend. Where other supernaturals can bring down lightning and manifest wealth, Sammy can paint. Granted, the “prophetic” paintings he creates at night always come true, but they never predict anything important. Sammy feels like a total loser with a worthless ability.

One night he paints a gorgeous guy who turns out to be his secret crush, the human Ryder, but Ryder’s changed so much he’s almost unrecognizably beautiful. Then Sammy paints an angel who turns out to be a witch. But is that witch also a devil—a devil who can bring down Sammy’s whole community and everyone he loves? And why the hell does Ryder keep changing? Aloysius, the black cat familiar, always backs a winner. So why is he backing Sammy?

I looked forward to reading this story since I finished Spell Cat when it re-released last year, however this on didn’t seem to have the same pull as the first book. Sammy really does feel sorry for himself but makes a point of not showing others how he is feeling even when things are really bad. He even continues to “date” someone that doesn’t feel right because he is so desperate for a relationship.

Ryder looks out for Sammy even as he continues to deny is attraction to him. He knows that Lucien is bad news but can’t really explain why. Though in the end it helps him to finally open up about who he is to Sammy.

A good majority of this story is told from Sammy’s point of view and you can’t help but feel his pain as he tries to live with his unrequited love and secrets he is forced to keep. Even when things seem like they can’t get any better he continues to do what is right to help his people. Ryder also suffers silently unable to reveal his real self to his friends, but jumps in when he can help Sammy and can no longer deny his feelings. There were quite a few “duh” moments throughout this story between the main characters and also supporting characters that just didn’t fit and repeating of information at times. This story didn’t have the same flow as the first book which makes me a bit hesitant to read the next book but I probably will just so I can see how everything plays out in the end.

Cover art by Reese Dante is wonderful and I love the visual of Sammy.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Published: 2nd Edition, April 14, 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 9781635333329

Edition Language: English

Series: The Aloysius Tale #2

Laura Lascarso on Writing, Characters and her release ‘The Bravest Thing’ (author interview and giveaway)

The Bravest Thing by Laura Lascarso
Dreamspinner Press

Cover art by Angsty G

Available for Purchase at

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Laura Lascarso here today sharing thoughts about herself, writing and her latest novel, The Bravest Thing. Welcome, Laura.

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Laura Lascarso

Do you feel there’s a tight line between Mary Sue or should I say Gary Stu and using your own experiences to create a character?

Well, in THE BRAVEST THING, one of my characters struggles with addiction. This has been a thread in my husband’s and my own family for many years, and it’s a topic I keep coming back to in my writing. It doesn’t always dominate the plot, but aspects of drug and alcohol abuse make appearances in my stories again and again. I’m still working through it, I suppose, and because I have some personal experience with it, I feel like I can speak from a place of compassion and understanding.

Has your choice of childhood or teenage reading genres carried into your own choices for writing?

I think so. I read a lot of fast-paced thrillers and horror growing up, so even though I’m writing romances now, I like for them to be tightly plotted with a bit of psychological distress thrown in. For me as a reader, it’s all about the inner tension that makes the story come to life and keeps me turning pages, so I try to do the same as an author.

Have you ever had to put an ‘in progress’ story aside because of the emotional ties with it? You were hurting with the characters or didn’t know how to proceed?

I actually just had this experience with a work-in-progress. My main character has a deadbeat dad (as did I), and I found myself drawing from my own experiences and dredging up feelings of abandonment I thought I’d put to rest. It was interesting for me, because while my rational side knew I was writing a character with an absent father, I didn’t connect it to my own life until I started to dig into the character’s backstory. That’s also one of the things I like about writing—being able to work through some of my own “issues” and process situations I might otherwise gloss over or tamp down. The world moves a little too quickly for me sometimes, and writing allows me some space to reflect and heal.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I like both as a reader, though I’ve only ever written happy-for-now endings in my own work. I think that’s because my characters tend to be younger and in stages of flux and self-discovery. I like to think that even if my characters don’t end up together forever, they are forever changed by their experiences with their special someone, which is kind of like real life. We are forever altered by the people closest to us, for better or worse.

Do you read romances, as a teenager and as an adult?

My mother was pretty permissive as far as books and movies go, so I was reading Danielle Steel and Jackie Collins from a pretty young age. I also read just about every Sweet Valley High that was published in the late 80’s. SVH gave me both the love and devotion of Elizabeth’s steady boyfriend and the excitement of Jessica’s scandals and conquests, usually involving a cute boy. Genius, really. As for now, I’m reading a lot of great M/M romances, partly for pleasure and also to study the craft or romance and its conventions. I didn’t come from the world of fan fiction, as I’m discovering a lot of M/M authors did, so I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do.

Who do you think is your major influence as a writer? Now and growing up?

I’m sure I’ve been influenced by the writers I read growing up, in particular Dean R. Koontz and Stephen King, but I remember Kurt Vonnegut’s CAT’S CRADLE being a real game changer for me. The voice of that book spoke to me on a deeply personal level—both in terms of my philosophy on life and my nihilistic outlook at the time—and I went on to read most of Vonnegut’s work. It’s a special treat to have that mind meld between author and reader and I think that’s been my quest ever since, to give my readers a similar experience.

As a side note, I read all my reviews. I’m kind of addicted to feedback. The act of writing is pretty isolating, so it’s affirming to have people read your work and take the time to offer comments. I don’t even mind if people don’t like my books, because the act of reading is interpretation on a deeply personal level, and it’s their right to dislike it.

How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?

As a reader, I love ebooks—they’re convenient, inexpensive and environmentally friendly. The rise of ebooks has allowed for a much wider variety of book and reader. Any writer can find their base, and any reader can find their passion. I think ebooks will only grow over time and I look forward to being part of that revolution.

I also like the old fashioned paperback—the mustier the better. Those got me through some lonely times growing up, so I hope that format won’t be leaving us anytime soon.

How do you choose your covers? (curious on my part)

I’ve worked with AngstyG on both my Dreamspinner covers (THE BRAVEST THING and ANDRE IN FLIGHT). The background on that is I somewhat scientifically went through DSP’s catalog and picked out the covers that matched my aesthetic most closely. AngstyG’s name kept popping up, so I requested her specifically.

With regard to the process, once my books enter into production phase, I send her pictures of what I think the characters look like along with some other covers I’d like for her to emulate and she turns my gobbledygook into genius. She provides 3-5 concepts and we tweak them from there. I have such faith in her artistry that next time I think I’ll have her design the cover first, and then I’ll write the story to go along with it. ☺

Do you have a favorite among your own stories? And why?

I tend to shy away from picking favorites among my darlings, but THE BRAVEST THING is very special to me. Both the characters are very endearing in their own way and the issues they’re dealing with are relevant to our times and political climate. It’s my first attempt at dual narration, and I really liked how it allowed me to get deeper into both their characters and their counter-perspectives. I think for this story it worked very well.

What’s next for you as an author?

Right now I’m finishing up a best-friends-to-lovers romance about two teenaged boys in South Florida—something on the lighter side. I also have a thriller I’ve put on the backburner that I may take another stab at. The avant garde in me wants to attempt a literary version of DINNER WITH ANDRE, but I may back out if it turns into a snoozer. One of my friends once told me that the only thing my ex-boyfriends had in common was that they were all very different, and I think my writing is a little bit like that. I’m continuously growing as an artist and trying new things, and I think my stories reflect that. That sometimes annoys the readers who want something the same, only a little different. My promise to readers is that while my next story might not be what they expected, my goal is that they’ll enjoy it nonetheless.

About The Bravest Thing

High school junior Berlin Webber is about to reap the fruits of his hard work and land a football scholarship—if he can keep his sexuality a secret from his best friend, Trent, and their homophobic coach. Then Hiroku Hayashi swerves into the high school parking lot on his tricked-out motorcycle like some sexy comic book villain, and Berlin knows he doesn’t stand a chance.

Hiroku is fleeing his sophisticated urban scene to recover from drug addiction and an abusive relationship when he arrives in Berlin’s small Texas ranch town. Initially sarcastic and aloof, Hiroku finds in Berlin a steady, supportive friend who soon becomes more. As Hiroku and Berlin’s romance blossoms, they take greater risks to be together. But when a horrific act of violence tears them apart, they both must look bigotry in the face. While Berlin has always turned to his faith for strength, Hiroku dives into increasingly dangerous ways of coping, pushing them in opposite directions just when they need each other most.

Two very different young men search for the bravery to be true to themselves, the courage to heal, and the strength to go on when things seem darkest. But is it enough to bring them back together?

About the Author

Laura Lascarso strives to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of stories to heal and transform a society. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. Her debut novel, Counting Backwards (Simon & Schuster 2012) won the Florida Book Award gold medal for young adult literature.

For social critiques, writer puns, and Parks and Rec gifs, follow her on Twitter @lauralascarso

Facebook: /lascarso

Twitter: @lauralascarso

Web: lauralascarso.com

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BLOG TOUR: An Officer’s Submission by Christa Tomlinson

Title: An Officer’s Submission

Series: Cuffs, Collars, and Love #4

Author: Christa Tomlinson

Publisher: Self- Torlina Publishing

Release Date: March 15

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 67,000

Genre: Romance, erotic romance, contemporary, D/S, established couples

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Author Christa Tomlinson

Hello, I’m Christa! I’m originally from St. Louis, Missouri and I currently live in Houston, Texas. I have two dogs, I’m a former teacher and I’m a retired roller derby player. I’ve been reading romance novels since I was eleven! My big sister let me read hers as long as I promised to skip the “grown up” parts. I always said I would skip them but read them anyway. I was a rebel. My current book is An Officer’s Submission. It’s an erotic BDSM romance, featuring men from my fictional version of the Houston Police Department SWAT team. This story is about Officer Clay Foster, who loves being a submissive, but still struggles with that part of himself. And his Dom, Sergeant Logan Pierce, who will do anything for his submissive.

1. What inspired you to start writing?

I started reading early, so I progressed to higher level books pretty quickly. I loved the stories I was reading so much, that I knew I wanted to create my own by the time I was eleven.

2. How long have you been writing?

I started trying to write in middle school. But it wasn’t until about 2008 that I really sat down and began completing stories.

3. What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Get the words down! Don’t worry about editing, agents or whether or not it’s any good. Just write so it so you can have that goal reached. Then you can worry about the other stuff. You can’t sell what isn’t written.

4. Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Yes. But for me, I think it only happens when I’m not prepared enough. So when it does, I stop and do more planning and outlining. Once I have a better road map, the block usually disappears.

5. Who is your favorite author and why?

Johanna Lindsey. I don’t read m/f historicals anymore, but she’s the romance author I read the most growing up. Her books are great, but what I love most about them is how detailed the characters were. Especially her Mallory clan. I strive to create characters with that much depth and personality.

6. What are you working on now and what are your plans for the future?

I’m currently writing the next and probably last book in the Cuffs, Collars, and Love series. Officer Hector Castillo, the sniper from the team, is getting his own story next! I’ve already finished the rough draft and I’m planning for a June or July release. After that, I’ll be making a sub-genre shift. I’ve wanted to write historical fantasy for a long time now, and I’m in the planning stages for my first project. I’m very excited about it!

Thank you for having me on your blog today! I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my work and look forward to chatting with your readers. Readers, feel free to drop any questions you have for me in the comments. Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Christa

Synopsis

“You don’t ever have to keep anything you feel locked up, Clay. I’m your Dom, and whatever you need from me, I’ll gladly give to you.”
– Sergeant Logan Pierce

Police Officer Clay Foster is finally at peace and happy with his life. He enjoys his career as a member of Houston’s SWAT team, and he loves submitting to his Dom in the bedroom. His life is perfect, until one cruel act destroys Clay’s bubble of happiness. Shattered trust forces Clay to reevaluate his career, his relationship, and himself.

Sergeant Logan Pierce is the leader of Houston’s elite SWAT team. On the force, he’s the best at what he does. In private, the most important thing in his life is taking care of his submissive, Clay. Clay is his whole world, and Logan will do whatever is necessary to keep him safe. Even if that means going up against Clay’s stubbornness in order to help him heal.

Can Logan and Clay work together to rebuild their happiness? Can they find their way back to the shared passion of Dominance and submission? Or will their love and relationship end before it’s truly begun?

An Officer’s Submission is Book Four in the Cuffs, Collars, and Love series. If you love romance that is epic, emotional and erotic, you’ll want to give this series a read!

Excerpt

“It’s good to be back home.”

Logan looked down at him with an eyebrow raised. “Home?”

Clay snorted a laugh. As usual, they were at Logan’s house. When he thought about it, he realized he hadn’t been back to his apartment in weeks. In fact, his bags from their recent trip to Colorado were here at Logan’s. He hadn’t bothered to take them back to his place after their return.

“If I’m in your space too much, I can throw all my stuff in the car and head back to my apartment,” he said as he pretended to pull away.

Logan tightened his grip on his foot. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Clay bit his lip to hold back a grin. “I didn’t think you wanted me to. But what I meant is, I feel good about life. That trip was awesome. I got to play in the snow, just like I wanted.”

“And I got to warm you up when you were done.”

“You did a very good job. You might have gotten me a little overheated a few times,” he teased. He wiggled his toes as Logan squeezed his foot again. “You and I are in a great place. And I think things are going to be better at work now too. We redid Hayden’s ridiculous course and passed with flying colors this time. I’m hoping the fact that we passed the redo means Hayden will get off our backs and quit fucking with our schedule.”

“The team is gelling again. And we’re hoping Hayden will finally move on and give up on his pet project of tormenting our team. Anything else?”

Clay shifted, looking at the TV instead of Logan. “What else is there?”

“Are you still blaming yourself for that idiot making those fake calls to our team?”

Clay pulled his feet off Logan’s lap for real this time and got up from the couch. “Why wouldn’t I blame myself? It was my fault.”

“It wasn’t your fault. And I don’t like hearing you say that it was.”

“C’mon, Sarge. You know that was on me.” Clay roughly ran a hand through his hair, turning his back on his lover. “If I hadn’t gone to that convention and went on camera bragging about how badass our team was, that whacko would have never taken it as a challenge to try and prove he was better than us.” He turned back around as Logan grabbed his hand and pulled him to stand in between his legs.

“Maybe not. But maybe he would have taken his anger out in another way.”

“What do you mean?”

“You read the report Roberts put together on the guy. He was looking for revenge because he felt he’d been slighted too many times. What if he’d physically attacked the people he wanted revenge against? Someone or several someones could have been hurt. At least with the revenge tactics he chose, no one was. We managed to catch the idiot, and hopefully he’ll be granted some time to think about what he did.”

“Are you forgetting he tried to kill me?” Clay saw a muscle tic in Logan’s jaw at the question, his hazel eyes going hard before he answered.

“No, I’m not forgetting.”

Clay tilted his head to the side as he studied his lover. “You know, I noticed that the perp seemed a little worse for wear before you got him loaded in the patrol car. Did you do anything to cause that?”

“I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”

Logan’s response was a non-answer, but it confirmed Clay’s suspicions. “I’m a cop. On occasion, I might get hurt. And you can’t go after people because of that.”

“And you’re mine. Did you forget that?”

Clay shook his head. “No, Sir.”

“Come here.” Clay followed the gentle pull Logan gave his hand to drop down to the couch and straddle his lap.

“You’re my lover. My submissive. It’s my right and my pleasure to protect you, always.” He brought a hand up, his thumb sliding across the metal collar that circled Clay’s neck. “I won’t let anything or anyone hurt you or take you away from me.”

A thrill shot through Clay at that declaration. Logan’s unapologetic possessiveness had caused problems early on in their relationship, but they’d worked on it and come to an understanding on boundaries. Now, he was able to revel in Logan’s possessiveness and caring, because he knew it wouldn’t get out of hand. Clay pressed his forehead to Logan’s and closed his eyes. “I love when you talk to me like that.”

Logan’s hand moved to grip the back of his neck. “Do you?”

His eyes still closed, Clay nodded.

“Tell me why.”

“Because it makes me feel like the most important thing in your world. I’ve never felt like that with anyone.”

“It’s true. You are the most important thing to me. Having you in my life, wearing my collar, means everything to me.”

Clay opened his eyes and looked into his lover’s gaze, seeing the sincerity there. Not that he doubted him. Logan had proven time and time again how much he loved him. “I don’t deserve you, Sir. And I don’t do enough to show you how much I love you in return.”

“You don’t have to do anything to deserve me. I’m with you because I don’t ever want to be with anyone else.”

“Well, maybe I can show you what I feel tonight. Physically.”

Purchase

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Apple iBooks | Kobo

Meet the Author

Christa Tomlinson is an exciting up and coming author in erotic romance. Her first self-published novel, The Sergeant, was an Amazon Best Seller for Gay and Lesbian Erotica for seven weeks straight.

Christa graduated from The University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in History. She loves to create stories that are emotional and lovely with sex that is integral to the characters’ romantic arc. Her books include straight couples, curvy couples, gay, and multicultural couples. Love is love and everyone should have their story told.

Christa lives in Houston, Texas with her two dogs, and is a retired roller derby player.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail | Amazon

Sign up for Christa’s Newsletter!

Tour Schedule

April 13^th – Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

April 14^th – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

April 15^th – MM Good Book Reviews

April 16^th – Boy Meets Boy Reviews

April 17^th – My Fiction Nook

April 18^th – Love Bytes Reviews

April 19^th – Erotica For All

April 20^th – Nerdy Dirty & Flirty

April 21st – Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

April 22nd – Booklover Sue

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INTERLUDE PRESS TOUR: Huntsmen by Michelle Osgood (excerpt and giveaway)

Huntsmen by Michelle Osgood
Interlude Press

Published April 13th 2017

Purchase Links:

Summary

Months after saving Jamie and Deanna from crywolf, Kiara and her brother Cole have moved into the city. While clubbing one night, Kiara is stunned to see her ex, Taryn, onstage. But before she can react, Jamie notices a distinctive tattoo in the crowd: an axe rumored to be the mark of the Huntsmen, a group of werewolf-tracking humans. The girls need to leave immediately—and since Taryn is also a werewolf, they need to take her with them.

The Huntsmen are more than a myth, and they’re scouring the city for lone wolves just like Taryn. Until the General North American Assembly of Werewolves lends a plan of action, Kiara’s small pack is on lockdown in a friend’s apartment, where she and Taryn must face the differences that drove them apart. Furthermore, the longer the group waits, the more it seems the Huntsmen haven’t been acting entirely on their own.

* * *

Excerpt

She couldn’t imagine a future without a pack… could she?

* * *

“You can’t come back here.”

Confronted by an upheld palm, Kiara halted at the stairs that led backstage.

“This area is for performers only.” The Latina woman’s face was set in bored lines; her yellow shirt identified her as one of the club’s staff. Clearly it was not the first time she’d turned someone away that night.

“Look, I’m meeting—”

“Hun, I don’t care if you’re meeting Evan Rachel Wood herself. Performer’s only.” The woman enunciated the last part without managing to pull her attention from the room behind Kiara.

The prickling behind Kiara’s eyes mounted and was echoed in the flesh of her gums.

“Maria, hey.” Ryn pushed back the black curtain. “Come on, let her through.”

“Tar—” Reluctance was heavy in the woman’s voice. “You know I’m not supposed to.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t, ‘kay? This is my girlfriend. We won’t cause any trouble. Promise.” Ryn held out her hand past Maria.

Kiara placed her hand in Ryn’s and plastered a smile across her face. “I’ll be good.” She added a flutter of her eyelashes and coaxed a blush to her cheeks. Ryn’s skin was hot under her palm. Touching Ryn had always felt like touching the sun.

“You’d better be,” Maria warned as she stepped aside and let Kiara through.

“Thank you.” Ryn winked at Maria, and Kiara heard the woman’s heartbeat accelerate in response. With a valiant effort, Kiara swallowed her huff of annoyance.

The back of the stage was dimly lit. Ryn kept Kiara’s hand in hers as she led the way, deftly avoiding the few other performers who loitered about, waiting for their turns on stage.

“We have to go,” Kiara repeated. She spoke more loudly now that they were away from everyone else.

“I heard you the first time.”

“Then what are we doing?” Kiara’s fingers curled perfectly around Ryn’s. She wanted to yank her hand free. She wanted to kiss the spot where they fit so well together.

“I have to get my bag.”

Ten years. Surely ten years was long enough for feelings to fade, for the memory of what they had been to dull. She shouldn’t feel the bright hurt, the greedy hunger, as though it had been yesterday.

In the back of her head a siren screamed, a warning that she didn’t have time for this. Kiara’s grip on Ryn’s hand tightened involuntarily.

“Leave it.”

“I’m not leaving it. There’s five thousand dollars’ worth of equipment in there.”

“Ryn, you heard me. The Huntsmen are here.”

“Maybe.” They reached a set of lockers, and Ryn wriggled her fingers free of Kiara’s. “Aren’t you the one who told me they’re a myth? Do you really think they’d show up in Vancouver? At a drag king show?” But even as she spoke she opened the locker door and pulled free a large duffle bag.

“Werewolves are supposed to be myths, too.”

“And yet,” Ryn conceded. She slung the bag over her shoulder. “My bike is out front.”

* * *

Huntsmen is available from Interlude Press on April 13, 2017. Connect with author Michelle Osgood at michelleosgood.com; on Twitter @osgoodmichelle; and on Facebook at facebook.com/osgoodmichelle.

About the Author

Michelle Osgood writes queer, feminist romance from her tiny apartment in Vancouver, BC. She loves stories in all media, especially those created by Shonda Rhimes, and dreams of one day owning a wine cellar to rival Olivia Pope’s. She is active in Vancouver’s poly and LGBTQ communities, never turns down a debate about pop culture, and is trying to learn how to cook. Her first novel, The Better to Kiss You With, was published by Interlude Press in 2016.

Huntsmen is available from Interlude Press on April 13, 2017. Connect with author Michelle Osgood at michelleosgood.com; on Twitter @OsgoodMichelle and on Facebook at facebook.com/osgoodmichelle.

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Grand Prize $25 IP Gift Card + Multi-format eBook of Huntsmen // Five winners receive the multi-format eBook. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
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Cover Reveal Blitz: Brush with Catastrophe by Tara Lain

At night, he paints. In a world where the supernaturals can bring down lightning and manifest wealth, Sammy can paint. What happens when a witch’s “prophetic” paintings always come true and his latest painting is of the human he has a crush on? The answer? Magic!Check out the brand new cover for the 2nd Edition of BRUSH WITH CATASTROPHE!!

Brush With Catastrophe

(The Aloysius Tales Series, #2)

By Tara Lain

Blurb:

Available for pre-order at

Also available in paperback

Release Date:

April 14th 2017

Excerpt

Ryder cocked his head. “You’re so talented.”

Gods, Sammy’s heart had to slow down, or he’d pass out. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

Ryder looked up with a soft expression. “You mean coming from a dumb historian who doesn’t know a palette knife from a fork?”

“No, I mean coming from you. My friend.”

“Don’t go out with Lucien, Sammy.”

What the fuck? “Why? Come on, Ryder. Sure, I don’t have a background check on him, but I probably know as much about him as I do you.”

Ryder looked at his feet. “Point taken.” The green eyes flashed up. “But I think he’s cheating on you.”

“What?”

Ryder walked over to the kitchen counter, picked up a glass, filled it from the faucet, and drank.

Sammy wanted to beat him over the head. “Come on. Tell me what you mean. Stop stalling.”

“I can’t prove it, but I’ve talked to a couple of people who seem to have a relationship with him and seem to think they are somehow special to him.”

Sammy couldn’t catch his breath. “Well, we’re not exclusive or anything. I don’t have any claims on him.”

Ryder scratched Al, who was purring so loudly that Sammy could hear it clearly. “Is that true? Or has he implied that you’re his boyfriend?”

“Not exactly.”

“I think you deserve better, Sams. I think you can do better.”

Well, shit! Sammy threw up his hands. “That’s real easy to say when you have an unlimited supply of tits to drool over.” Sammy crossed his arms. Maybe they’d protect his heart. “I haven’t had a real boyfriend in over a year, and even that one wasn’t serious. I’m lonely, damn it. I want to be with someone, and Lucien is smart and funny and charming, and he seems to like me a lot.” He spread his arms wide. “Is that so unbelievable? That a gorgeous guy like that could actually go for a skinny scarecrow like me?” He could feel his ears getting hot, and hurt stored over years poured out of him. “Maybe that’s why you think he’s cheating. You can’t believe he could want me!”

Ryder stared at him, his eyes shiny. “That’s not true. I’d never feel that way. I think anyone with a brain would want you.”

“Then there must be a lot of dumb people!” Sammy’s breath came hard. Shit, he was attacking his best friend. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I know you don’t think that.” He ran a hand through his hair. He probably really looked like that scarecrow now. “Look, he’s going to be here soon. I promise I’ll ask him. I will. Okay?”

Ryder frowned. “I’m worried about you.”

“I know. I don’t understand why, but I know you are. I’ll talk to him.”

“Okay.”

“You better go unless you want to ask him yourself.”

“No, I’ll go.” Ryder walked to the door and turned. He extricated Al from his neck and handed him to Sammy. “I care what happens to you. I care…. I wish…. Hell, be careful.” He opened the door and walked out, then closed the door behind him.

Sammy collapsed onto the couch, still holding Al against his chest, and threw his head back. “Why the fuck does this have to be so hard? Why can’t I just have a boyfriend?”

The Aloysius Tales Series

Book #1

Spell Cat

Available for purchase at

Also available in paperback

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at Lain

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A Jeri Review: Golden Dancer (Dangerous Dancers #1) by Tara Lain

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

This was a really well done menage story! I really enjoy M/M/M stories but they can be difficult to write. I assume. It is hard to keep the focus off of any one couple with the third thrown in for good measure. More than once I’ve given up on a book because it went that way. But not so this one.

Mac is an investigative journalist who wants to prove that Daniel Terrebone, billionaire art collector, stole a statue called The Golden Dancer. But when his boss is in a bind, he gets sent to cover the dress rehearsal of a ballet opening. Since both of his parents are professional ballet dancers, he is the perfect choice.

Mac is enthralled with Trelain, star of the ballet. They spend an amazing night together. Until Daniel scoops Trelain up for a weekend away. Torn between the man he wants and the man he wants to pin an art heist on- Mac follows his heart and hormones.

The three men coming together was very organic. It never felt forced or that one of the men was there as an accessory. The heat between each partnership is bested only by the heat between the three. They actually talked about the dynamic between them; which doesn’t happen nearly enough, in my opinion.

On the back burner is the art heist. Who really did steal the statue? Why? Where is it? There are some twists and turns that leads to a good conclusion that wasn’t tied up neatly.

An enjoyable read with a decent mystery. If you are wary or hesitant of trying a menage book, this is a good one to start.

Cover Art is eye catching and works for the story.

Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 2nd edition, 213 pages
Published May 10th 2016 by Pride Publishing (first published September 27th 2011)
Original TitleGolden Dancer
ASINB01DM27HGM
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDangerous Dancers #1

A Julia Review: Certainly, Possibly, You (Sucre Coeur #2) by Lissa Reed

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Sarita Sengupta is in her last semester of grad school and has finally realized she doesn’t have a career plan, a girlfriend, or a clear outlook on life. She works as a pastry shop’s head decorator, but is otherwise drifting without direction until a friend’s birthday party ends with her waking up in surprise next to Maritza Quiñones, a pretty ballroom dancer whose cheerful charm and laser focus sets Sarita on a path to making all of the choices she’s been avoiding.

Certainly, Possibly, You is Lissa Reed’s second entry in her Sucre Coeur series. Characters from the first book, “Definitely, Maybe, Yours”, do feature in this one but it’s still a perfectly self-contained story. Despite not having read the previous entry myself, I had no problems at all getting into the characters and setting.

What drew me in straight away was the author’s fast-paced and witty writing style that made it easy to connect with the characters and their thought processes right from the start. The author also painted a rich world for the characters to interact with. Places like the Sucre Coeur Bakery where Sarita works or Maritza’s dance studio were described in loving details that allowed me to picture them clearly in my head (and made me wish I could get some of those tasty sweet treats for myself). The story is told mostly from the alternating points of view of Sarita and Maritza but every now and then one of the other characters gets to chime in as well.

Sarita Sengupta is a character who is at a point in her life where a lot of us have been or are right now: wondering what she wants to do in the future while also questioning her career choices so far. Part of her troubles comes from being torn between what she herself enjoys doing and what is deemed “prudent” as far as education and job prospects are concerned. Maritza Quiñones on the other hand knows exactly what she wants to achieve in her life career-wise and is working towards it with an impressive amount of determination and willpower. Despite being so different in that aspect, the two women are also quite similar in some ways: they are smart, funny, care for their loved ones and feel comfortable with their sexual orientations. I found them both to be likeable from the start and their mutual attraction feels rather natural. Indeed, if you are looking for a lot of drama or confrontations (at least as far as the relationship between the two main characters is concerned), then you might not be satisfied quite as much. That said, it was very endearing to see how the two of them grew to care for each other and how they worked hard to keep their budding relationship going amidst the struggles and chaos of their everyday lives.

The two main protagonists are supported by a vast cast of colourful and loveable (well, some more than others) characters. Both Sarita’s and Maritza’s families, friends and co-workers play integral parts and several different types of relationships are shown from revengeful ex-boyfriends to supportive (and destructive) siblings, headstrong mothers and caring best friends. Rather than focusing on just the romance aspect of the story, the novel deals with numerous facets of people’s joys, troubles and challenges. As a side note, it features not only F/F but M/M couples as well.

Last but not least, a quick word on the spiciness-factor of the book: nothing too crazy or unusual but there are a couple of very nice intimate scenes in there that are just as hot and sweet as the pastries at Sucre Coeur.

Overall, I found this novel to be quite an enjoyable read that focused on characters and their relationships in an entertaining and colourful manner. I am certainly looking forward to future works of this author.

I quite liked the cover design by CB Messer. The photo of this young woman with her natural and confident posture suits the story really well while not trying to be blatant or showy.

Sales Links: Interlude Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 302 pages

Published October 6, 2016

by Interlude Press

ISBN: 978-1-945053-06-1

Edition Language: English

A Lila Review: Hopeless Romantic by Francis Gideon

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Nick Fraser is a true romantic. He wants the guy instead of the girl, but other than that, he wants everything his favorite rom-coms depict: the courtship, the passionate first kiss, the fairy-tale wedding. But after breaking up with the love of his life, Nick wonders if anything fairy-tale will ever happen for him.

Then he meets Katie, who’s just like a rom-com heroine. She’s sharp, funny, sweet, and as into music and punk culture as Nick is. What’s more, he’s incredibly attracted to her—even though she’s a woman. Nick has never considered that he might be bisexual, but his feelings for Katie are definitely real.

When Katie reveals that she’s transgender, Nick starts to see how much he doesn’t understand about the world, queer identity, and himself. He is hopelessly in love with Katie, but this isn’t a fairy tale, and Nick’s friends and family may not accept his new relationship. If he wants it all, he has to have the courage to make his fantasy a reality.

Hopeless Romantic has the feeling of a coming of age story, but the characters are older than average. Which created the illusion of reading to parallel stories. Nick’s re-discovery of his sexuality and how he acted around his friends being one and his conversations with Katie about philosophy and music showing their maturity, the other.

I’m not a music person, but I’m part of the same generation the characters used to connect with each other. I might not know all the references, but the author provided enough context to understand how their conversations were part of their self-expression. And since I am a perpetual student too, I love the over-the-top exchanges.

Both main characters had a strong arc. Not only we get to know them personally but in relationship to their friendships and families. They didn’t live in a vacuum. The world around them was as important as their intimate moments. Even when some of those aspects were too juvenile for their characterization.

I’m glad Katie felt comfortable enough to be open to a relationship with someone that didn’t know everything about what her transition meant to her and to others. She was patient and perhaps too ready to forgive him, but in the end, it worked for their particular situation.

Nick’s characterization started blatantly transphobic, biphobic, and uninformed in relation to asexuality and other areas of the spectrum, but I think he represents many people in and out of the LGBTQ community. He reads as an insensitive prick, but I think that was the author’s intent. To show how misconceptions are hurtful and plain damaging. We get to experience Nick’s growth and how Katie and Tucker were there for him, even when it wasn’t their responsibility to educate him.

The secondary characters are lovely and the settings descriptions detailed enough to bring the reader into the different locations. There’s a lot happening in the story, many references to music and philosophical topics, but those never take over the story. Everything is interconnected to create a fictional atmosphere with enough consequence to be realistic.

There are some points the author is trying to show that seem a bit clinical. I think the book is more about Nick’s journey than anything else. As a couple, the main characters are sweet and their growing love ever present. Plus, they aren’t shy with each other. It’s one of the points they discovered/worked together.

The cover by Vivian Ng was the first thing that called my attention, together with the title. I like how it goes with the story and the scenes between Katie and Nick.

Sale Links: Riptide| Amazon | Kobo

ebook, 289 pages
Published: April 10, 2017, by Riptide Publishing
ISBN: 9781626495562
Edition Language: English

BA Tortuga on Traveling to Mexico and her story Seashores of Old Mexico (guest post)

Seashores of Old Mexico by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Alexandria Corza

Available for Purchase at Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have B.A. Tortuga here today talking about her story Seashores of Old Mexico and her travels in Mexico. Welcome, B.A.

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Top Ten Things I Learned in Mexico

Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of all things cowboy.

I grew up in Texas and I’ve gone down across the border…a lot. From Reynosa to Guerro to Puerto Penasco to Cancun, I love going down… (evil grin). Here’s the things I’ve learned.

10. Don’t drink the water.

9. You don’t have enough change to buy enough Chiclets to save those babies selling them.

8. Quicksand is a real thing.

7. So is waking up on a golf course with an empty fifth of tequila and a half packet of cigarettes after a night of making out with the hottest little gal….

6. Don’t drink the water.

5. The whole sponge cake thing? Real.

4. There is no better guacamole in all the world.

3. You can buy twelve miniature toy violins for ten dollars.

2. The answer to, “Do you have anything to declare?” is not, “My sister is a bitch.”

1. DON’T DRINK THE WATER. Especially at the airport.

Much love, y’all.

Seashores of Old Mexico

After a bar fight gone horribly wrong, Clint is on the run, tired, hungry, and desperate to get out of Texas and across the border as fast as he can. But more than anything, he needs a place to relax and feel safe—at least for a little while. Searching for work, he stumbles into a cantina on the beach and runs into its owner. Jack might be a little older and a little worldlier, but the two men have enough in common to form a fast friendship that soon spills over into the bedroom.

But Clint isn’t the only who’s done things he isn’t proud of, things he’d rather keep hidden. Both of them have to be ready to drop everything and run if the past gets too close, and that’s no foundation for a relationship—especially since the truth always comes out eventually.

Buy Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/seashores-of-old-mexico-by-ba-tortuga-8354-b

About BA Tortuga

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head. Find her on the web at www.batortuga.com

Francis Gideon on Tattoos and Transitions and their release Hopeless Romantic (guest blog and giveaway)

Hopeless Romantic by Francis Gideon
Riptide Publishing
Cover by: Vivian Ng

Read an Excerpt/Purchase it Here

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Francis Gideon here today on tour for their new release, Hopeless Romantic. Welcome, Francis!

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Hello everyone! I’m Francis Gideon and I’m touring for my new release Hopeless Romantic, a trans rom-com of sorts. Follow along this week as I talk about all thinks romantic comedy, trans identity, and being pretty in pink! I’m looking forward to sharing some serious 1980s nostalgia; be sure to comment with your own bit of nostalgia for a $10 giveaway for Riptide publishing.

Tattoos and Transitions

In an earlier post on my blog tour, I talked about how Nick and Katie–the main love interests in Hopeless Romantic–are kind of like my partner and I. One of the major differences in that regard, though, is that my partner has zero tattoos and I have all of them.

When Nick first meets Katie, he doesn’t quite notice her tattoos because her jacket hides most of them. As the story goes on, and of course as they become more familiar with one another minus clothing, he starts to see just how many she has. Katie is covered in tattoos, and many of them, like my own, mark different stages in her gender identity realization and her transition. Her ‘shitty’ butterfly tattoo on her shoulder represents this the most since the butterfly is often used to describe transition itself; starting out in a cocoon and blooming into something more. But as Katie points out to Nick, that idea is old and outdated, and kinda shitty just like her tattoo. She doesn’t view herself as a butterfly anymore, because it implies that she must wait in order to be beautiful, when in reality, she’s beautiful how she is now. Her tattoos after that point become a way to rebel against the standards of beauty that trans women are often forced to comply with. And of course, Nick finds them beautiful–like her.

I’m not a trans woman like Katie, but nonbinary, so my tattoos communicate slightly different things, but they are definitely a record of my transition. I have two tattoos of Artemis and Orion on my lower back, sketched from woodcuts of the Greek Gods, as a way to communicate a dual my gender identity; I also have a series of tarot cards that represent part of my coming to terms with not transitioning medically (so in many ways, my tattoos here became my transition), and I have several other smaller tattoos that marked particular salient moments–like a boy from a children’s book and a grandfather clock.

Both of those last tattoos are on my inner arm. My tattoo artist told me that what we get on our inner arms is what we most want to protect. So to me, those two tattoos represent the parts of my trans identity that I wanted to keep the most: childhood nostalgia in the kids’ book, and my future legacy–since the clock was an inheritance gift in my family.

For Nick, his only tattoo is his inner arm–and it’s a heart with the city of Toronto inside of it. To him, that’s his legacy and his future. Though he lives and works in a town two hours away from Toronto, the Toronto community is where he got his first degree, where he met his friends, and where he found himself. It’s also where he first kisses Katie, and so the city–and his love for her–become intertwined.

About Hopeless Romantic

Now available from Riptide Publishing.

About Francis Gideon

Francis Gideon is a nonbinary writer who dabbles in romance, mystery, fantasy, historical, and paranormal genres. Francis credits music, along with being an only child to a single mother, as why they write so much now. Long nights at home were either spent memorizing lyrics to pop-punk bands or reading voraciously. Add a couple of formative experiences in university, a network of weird artist friends, and after years of writing stories Francis never showed to anyone, they now have books to their name.

After receiving an MA in English literature, Francis wanted to do something a bit more fun. They soon found the LGBTQ romance community and fell in love on the spot. Since then, Francis has attempted to balance writing romances with as many different types of couples as possible while also attending school for their PhD. When not writing fiction or teaching university classes, Francis works on scholarly articles on everything from character deaths in the TV show Hannibal, the online archive of Canadian poet and artist P.K. Page, and transgender representation on YouTube. Francis is a middle name, used to keep students from Googling their teacher and asking far too many questions.

Francis lives in Canada with their partner, Travis, where they often spend nights disagreeing about what TV show to watch and making bad puns whenever possible. Travis receives dedications in Francis’s novels because he tolerates Francis’s long hours and listens to random story ideas late into the night. Francis also might be a bit of a hopeless romantic—as if you didn’t already guess.

Connect with Francis:

Website & Blog: francisgideon.wordpress.com
Twitter: @francisgideon88

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Hopeless Romantic, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 15, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

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The Bravest Thing by Laura Lascarso Dreamspinner Press

Cover art by Angsty G

Available for Purchase at

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Laura Lascarso

About The Bravest Thing

About the Author

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Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Apple iBooks | Kobo

Meet the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail | Amazon

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Huntsmen by Michelle Osgood Interlude Press

Published April 13th 2017

Summary

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Seashores of Old Mexico by B.A. Tortuga Dreamspinner Press Cover art by Alexandria Corza

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Top Ten Things I Learned in Mexico

Seashores of Old Mexico

About BA Tortuga

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Hopeless Romantic by Francis Gideon Riptide Publishing Cover by: Vivian Ng

Giveaway

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The Bravest Thing by Laura Lascarso
Dreamspinner Press

Huntsmen by Michelle Osgood
Interlude Press

Seashores of Old Mexico by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Alexandria Corza

Hopeless Romantic by Francis Gideon
Riptide Publishing
Cover by: Vivian Ng