Category: M/M Anthologies

A MelanieM Review: Make the Yuletide Gay: a Collection of M/M Holiday Stories – Various Authors

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

 

Make the Yuletide Gay has a number of cute, heartwarming stories for the holidays.  Some are just too short, others are just not “holidayish” enough, missing out on some turn of the story that leaves you feeling just a bit let down.  here they are with my comments and ratings.

Sleigh bells ring—are you listening?

It’s that time of year again, and we have the perfect way to get you in the mood: A free anthology! Five holiday stories that are guaranteed to warm your heart, heat up your cold nights, and most importantly: Make your yuletide gay.

A Christmas Party to Remember by Nicky Spencer 4 stars out of 5

Last Christmas, Cory and Wes made a connection that left them both thanking Santa. But when Cory doesn’t show up for their first date, Wes swears he won’t make that mistake again. This year, can Santa’s magic find a way to bring them back together?

♥︎Thought this was one of the cutest stories here.  Lovers reunited at Christmas time.  Short and sweet.  Very nice.

Let’s Not Go Crazy by Stephen Hoppa Rating 3 stars out of 5

The holidays are stressful enough without Ethan’s boyfriend Nate trying to kill him with Christmas cheer. But Nate’s found a whole new way to torture Ethan when he reveals that he wants kids. Will their conflicting desires tear their relationship apart, or will they find a way to ring in the new year stronger than ever?

✒︎This one sort of missed the mark for me.  It seemed that they  brushed the whole discussion away and settled at the end.  Sort of sad and unsettled instead of finished.

Captain Jack and the Snack Attack by Addison Albright Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Two men determined to win the same treasure at a charity silent auction, a wayward kitten, grumbling tummies, and a dilemma: what’s the correct gift-giving etiquette for a first date that’s mere days before Christmas, and what could possibly go awry with this merry combination?

♥︎Meet cute and it has a kitten.  Heartwarming and sweet if too short.

The Christmas Day Date by Nell Iris  Rating: 4 stars out of 5

One rainbow Christmas tree in harm’s way and an afternoon spent eating far too many cookies, equals two men with changed holiday plans. But how does that translate into a date?

♥︎This was my favorite story of the anthology.  From the initial meeting to their get togethers  around that marvelous tree and discovery about each other.  I just loved it.  True Christmas! The writing was as great as the story.

The Year of the Monkey by Amy Tasukada Rating 3 stars out of 5

The last thing Aoi wants to do for New Year’s is spend it with his boyfriend’s parents, who were far from thrilled when their son came out. Can Aoi warm their hearts making traditional mochi or will they end up in an even stickier situation?

♥︎I liked this story but for readers unfamiliar with this couple from the author’s series, this might be a little confusing over certain elements about this established couple.  It’s far better to have the background than to come at this story cold.  With the background knowledge I found Aoi’s path towards acceptance heartwarming and hopeful.

Authors Note: This anthology is free at all retailers except Amazon.com. We have been unsuccessful in all attempts to get Amazon to change the price. Therefore we have decided to donate all proceeds from Amazon sales to the Trevor Project. If you bought your copy there instead of getting a free one, please know your money is going to a good cause.

Cover art is cute and that adorable guy will catch your eye anywhere.

Free at Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 126 pages
Published November 15th 2017
ASINB077J3JGJJ

A Holiday Story Collection Not to Be Missed! A Holiday to Remember Collection (Guest Post by F.B. Cassidy & Giveaway)

A Holiday to Remember banner

For the first time, Mischief Corner Books is releasing a month-long collection of holiday-themed tales:

Traditional Winter Holidays can be tough for a variety of reasons—family pressures, finding the right gift, homesick longing, and haunting memories to name a few. This collection showcases eleven queer short stories, from tender contemporaries to sweet paranormal to far-flung space tales, all designed to make you want to reach for your hot cocoa and your favorite snuggly spot. Come join us for A Holiday To Remember.

A Holiday to Remember - All Covers

Guest Post: Christmas Romance by F.B. Cassidy

There are many traditions we associate with winter holidays—specifically Christmas.  Opening one present on Christmas Eve.  Attending a religious ceremony.  Enjoying a turkey dinner with family.  Driving around the neighborhood to look at the festive lights.

Many of these traditions can even cross into the realm of romantic.  A great example is kissing under the mistletoe.  Or, having your significant other dress up as Santa Claus and then start kissing under the mistletoe.  The idea behind “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” had to derive from someone’s kink.

On a serious note, I see Christmas as a very romantic holiday for one specific reason. It was the day my husband proposed to me.  Our love story was a whirlwind.  We started dating in August, we were engaged on Christmas, and married the next August.  Everyone assumed our rushed courting was because of a pregnancy.  It wasn’t.  I simply knew from our very first kiss that he was the one I wanted to be with the rest of my life.

On Christmas morning, my then-boyfriend had me go out onto our back porch.  Before we started dating, we’d been hanging out as friends, and we spent a lot of time on his back porch.  It was there I told him I liked him—fancied him, was the wording I used—so it was there he told me he wanted me to be his wife.  It was a beautifully emotional day for me.  One I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

I wanted to convey that sense of romance that I feel when thinking about Christmas to readers.  My character, Mel, isn’t looking for love when the story starts.  But after seeing his best friend Aldo so happily married, he thinks it’s time to start contemplating his own future.  A simple observation can make a drastic turn in someone’s life. Carlos, on the other hand, knows what he wants, more specifically who he wants, and he charges in.  Two very different sides of the situation, but they’re able to meet in the middle.  

Mel and Carlos fit together, the way I think my husband and I fit together.  We see the flaws in each other, but love the strengths.  We accept our quirks, and encourage them.  We give support in all things.  I don’t doubt that Mel and Carlos will do all of these as they grow as a couple.  I can picture it all so clearly.

 

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Giveaway:

Rainbow Beanie - AHTR Prize

For this tour, Mischief Corner Books is giving away two $25 gift certificates to their eBook store, and two rainbow beanies. To enter, just use the rafflecopter here, or below:

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Story Blurbs & Info

Watermelon KissesWatermelon Kisses
by Freddy McKay
11/29/2017

Life hasn’t been easy for Amir since he fled Iran after a brutal imprisonment. The trauma experienced at the hands of the guards left a dark spot on his soul. The one constant in his life since relocating to Chicago has been his lover—now husband—Esmail, whose steadfast love and support has soothed his wounded heart.

​But this Shab-e Yalda, Amir wants to be the one giving his husband something special, because even after the darkest nights, the sun will rise again.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/watermelon-kisses.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07767LJM2
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/watermelon-kisses/id1307937583?mt=11
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/watermelon-kisses

Freddy grew up in the Midwest, playing sports and running around outside. And honestly, that much has not changed since Freddy was small and throwing worms at other kids, except worm throwing has been replaced with a healthy geocaching addiction. Freddy enjoys traveling and holds the view a person should continually to learn about new things and people whenever possible.

Freddy’s contemporary LGBTQ book, Incubation: Finding Peace 2, won 3rd Place – Best Gay Erotic Fiction in the 2012 Rainbow Awards. In 2013, Freddy’s story, Internment, tied for 3rd Place – Best Gay Fantasy in the Rainbow Awards. Freddy’s steampunk/SF story, Feel Me, was a Finalist and honorable mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards for SF. And in 2015, Freddy’s urban fantasy Snow on Spirit Bridge was also a Finalist and honorable mention.

For more information on Freddy’s work, please visit or email:

Website: Freddy’s Stereograph
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/FreddyMacKay
Email: freddy.m.mackay@gmail.com

(One of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2017)

But to Love MoreBut To Love More
F.B. Cassidy
12/2/17

Mel finally gets to go home for Christmas. In his absence, his hometown has changed, and Carlos, his best friend’s little brother, is all grown up and interested in a relationship. But Carlos has his work cut out for him since Mel’s having trouble seeing past the little brother part and his big brother, Aldo’s determined to keep them apart.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/but-to-love-more.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07767LHRH
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/but-to-love-more/id1308019216?mt=11
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/but-to-love-more

Foster Bridget Cassidy is a rare, native Phoenician who enjoys hot desert air and likes to wear jackets in summer. She has wanted to be a fiction writer since becoming addicted to epic fantasy during high school. Since then, she’s studied the craft academically—at Arizona State University—and as a hobby—attending conventions and workshops around the country. A million ideas float in her head, but it seems like there’s never enough time to get them all down on paper.

Website: https://fosterbridgetcassidy.wordpress.com/

Corey's Christmas BundleCorey’s Christmas Bundle (Atherton Pack 5)
Toni Griffin
12/6/2017

Being pregnant is not all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you’re male and a shifter. Even though the world now knows about wolf shifters, their male’s ability to bare young is still a closely guarded secret. Since Corey’s pregnancy is now visible, he’s been stuck at home working on code and waiting for company to drop by. Problem is, though, the human government wants to know where Corey is.

As Christmas and Corey’s due date draw ever nearer, Ben devises a plan that will not only get Corey out of the house, but allows the wolves of Atherton Pack to give the community some Christmas cheer.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/coreys-christmas-bundle.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07767KDTR
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/coreys-christmas-bundle/id1308017697?mt=11
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/corey-s-christmas-bundle

Toni Griffin lives in Darwin, the smallest of Australia’s capital cities. Born and raised in the state she’s a Territorian through and through. Growing up Toni hated English with a passion (as her editors can probably attest to) and found her strength lies with numbers.

Now, though, she loves escaping to the worlds she creates and hopes to continue to do so for many years to come. She’s a single mother of one and works full time. When she’s not writing you can just about guarantee that she will be reading one of the many MM authors she loves. Feel free to drop her a line at info@tonigriffin.net anytime.

For more information about Toni’s work, please visit:

Website: http://tonigriffin.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/toni.griffin.author

Safety Protocols for Human HolidaysSafety Protocols For Human Holidays
Angel Martinez
12/9/2017

As a security officer on an interspecies ship, Growlan Raskli’s experienced in heading off species-specific aberrant behaviors in order to keep the peace. But when her captain asks her to find out what’s bothering their sole human crew member, Raskli’s out of her depths. She hardly knows anything about humans and she’s not a psych doctor.

Something’s definitely upset Human Jen, something to do with human holidays. The more time Raskli spends studying humans and interacting with the intriguing Human Jen, the more personal the assignment becomes. Determined to lift the dark cloud from Human Jen, Raskli will do whatever it takes—within safe parameters, of course.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/saftey-protocols-for-human-holidays.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0776H1DZM/
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/safety-protocols-for-human-holidays
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/safety-protocols-for-human-holidays/id1308094310?mt=11

While Angel Martinez is the erotic fiction pen name of a writer of several genres, she writes both kinds of queer fiction – Science Fiction and Fantasy. Currently living part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware, (and full time inside the author’s head) Angel has one husband, one son, two cats, a changing variety of other furred and scaled companions, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate. For more information on Angel’s work, please visit:

Website: Erotic Fiction for the Hungry Mind
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Angel.Martinez.author
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1010469.Angel_Martinez
Email: angelmartinezauthor@gmail.com

Secrets & SilkSecrets & Silk
Nicole Dennis
12/13/2017

Quiet, strait-laced David Appleton thinks he’s going to have a problem at work. A new co-worker discovered his secret in the locker room. Unable to confront someone, David let him walk away. Now he worries everyone will know his deepest held secret. A secret hidden under his signature vest, tie, and trousers.

Since walking in on his co-worker, CJ O’Connell tries to get a moment to speak with the shy David, but nothing works. His last hope—the Secret Santa Gift Exchange party. Perhaps a special gift can peel away the secrets.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/secrets–silk.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07767S6XC
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/secrets-silk
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/secrets-silk/id1308018662?mt=11

A quiet one, Nicole Dennis curled up with the latest book of a favorite author. Since the beginning, there were these characters in her head, worlds wanting to be built on paper, and stories wanting to be told. She began writing during class and continues to this day. Now she can let others into her imagination and worlds that always celebrate the love between two or more people within LGBT, paranormal, and fantasy.

During the day, she works in a quiet office in Central Florida, where she also makes her home, and enjoys the down time to slip into her imagination. She is owned by a semi-demonic tortie calico, affectionately known as Fat Cat. For more information on Nicole, please visit:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NicoleDennis.Author
Blog: http://nicoledennisauthor.blogspot.com
Website: http://nicoledennisauthor.com
Email: nicoledennis.author@gmail.com
GoodreadsQ&A with Nicole Dennis: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/50397-q-a-with-nicole-dennis
Goodreads Profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2791975.Nicole_Dennis

Winter HomeWinter Home
Kassandra Lea
12/16/17

It’s Christmastime and the snow is falling. Restoring an old Victorian manor has been keeping contractor Brett Hawkins busy. The project’s meant to be complete by Christmas, but there’s no way he can get it done in time, especially with the big day right around the corner.

Meanwhile, his beloved Manuel Aguilar is grappling with depression, and he’s consumed by guilt that it’s kept him from putting up the decorations. But his biggest concern is that he may be ruining the holiday for Brett. As Manny struggles, unable to recognize his own courage in every small gain, Brett has a surprise that may help break depression’s hold.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/winter-home.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07769VJ4T
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/winter-home
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/winter-home/id1308019153?mt=11

I have my mom to thank for so much. First of all, she fostered a love of reading. According to her I’ve been reading since I could hold a book and I got my first library card at age 3. Growing up I used to read 100 books a year, but of course, that doesn’t happen as often since there’s writing to do and a day job.

Secondly, I have to thank her for always pushing me to keep chasing my dream of being an author. Who else am I going to bounce ideas off of, and she helps me when I get stuck. Suppose you could say she’s my biggest fan.

When I’m not writing I enjoy time with my dog, tending my garden, baking sweet treats, walking through crunchy fall leaves and blankets of cold snow, playing video games, and reading! I’ve a fondness for horses and blankets (is it possible to own too many?)

And yes, some days I still wish I was Batman. For more information about Kassandra and her work, please visit:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cheddarsgal
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7369580.Kassandra_Lea
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leakassie/

Christmas Eve Craigslist KillerChristmas Eve Craigslist Killer
Jill Wexler
12/18/17

The public library’s computer geek, aka Travis, is content skirting the edges of social interaction. He’s fully committed to being a boring, twenty-something IT guy who likes his office more than people, a guy someone like Connor would never fall for. Connor, who works on the library floor as a page, is outgoing, social, and charming and everything else that stands for “fun.”

An interaction between the two at the library on Christmas Eve has Travis accidentally mentioning that he failed to find this year’s hottest toy for his nephew. Immediately, Connor goes on a quick hunt online, and finds one. The only problem is that the Craigslist seller is hours away and Travis is sure spending hours in a car with quirky, handsome Connor can only end badly.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/the-christmas-eve-craigslist-killer.html
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Eve-Cragislist-Killer-Remember-ebook/dp/B077CRWTT1
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-christmas-eve-craigslist-killer
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1312656296

Jill started writing back in the day of notebook paper and erasable pens (blue ink is best), when her mom’s typewriter was out of ribbon.  Then she graduated to a word processing program in MS-DOS, then WordPerfect.  Her computer sadly caught the Blue Screen of Death and all was lost.  She stopped writing for an extremely long time, because “life.”

She lives in the upper Bible Belt, rolls her eyes a lot and drinks enough wine to consider it a sacrifice to the gods that her kids won’t need too much therapy down the road.

A while back, Jill picked up writing again with a woman’s site and the writing fever spiked.  But she’s actually new to publishing, so there may or may not have been more wine involved recently (only one glass was harmed in the making of this story and it was a mason jar so…bygones).

Articles: http://suburbanmisfitmom.com/writer/jill-wexler/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jill.Wexler73
Email: Jillwexler73@gmail.com

New BeginningsNew Beginnings
Jayne Lockwood
12/20/17

Nick is not looking forward to his second Christmas without Sammi, his gorgeous ex-fiancee. She left him on New Year’s Eve, a week after their engagement, and he still doesn’t know why.

A chance meeting whilst out Christmas shopping reveals that Sammi is now Sam, a transgender man. As the reasons behind their break-up become clearer, Nick cannot make sense of his new feelings. He is shocked by the deep attraction he still has to Sam, and what that says about himself.

It will take Nick’s straight-talking family, and Sam’s guiding hand, to help him discover that gender is no barrier to love.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/new-beginnings.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077GK88WH
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/new-beginnings-117
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1313603446

Jayne Lockwood has been writing for most of her life, starting with really bad poetry as a teenager, usually railing against nuclear war (it was the 1970’s.) There followed a couple of novels, long since consigned to flames (probably just as well, TBH,) and the hazy idea that maybe one day, she would get something published. Her first successful writing assignment was for the college newspaper of the County College of Morris, in Randolph, New Jersey, where she studied Journalism.

Since then, Jayne has been involved in projects closer to home, working closely with other authors to continue to develop their writing. Two pieces of her prose can be found in Chalk Road, a collaborative anthology from local writers, sponsored by Wycombe District Council, and she has invariably been involved in a writing group, as well as running a local book group.

She has also had five Black Lace titles published by Virgin Books, under the pseudonym, Savannah Smythe, and has collaborated with glamour celebrity, Abi Titmuss, to produce 10 Fantasies, Abi’s collection of short stories.

Jayne has also published three M/M erotica stories, Lexington Black, Docklands Diamond and My Boyfriend Is A Dog, under S A Smythe. In addition to that, she writes book reviews for WROTE Podcast, a forum for LGBTQ readers and writers. She helped set up the podcast in 2015 with fellow writers, S A Collins (sacollins.com) and Vance Bastian (vancebastian.com) and is proud to say the podcast is going from strength to strength.

The Cloud Seeker is Jayne’s first mainstream novel, and draws upon her background as a Chilterns woman and her affection for the US, where she lived for two years.

Soon after, she rediscovered the very first manuscript she started back in 1996. After many hours of updating, it was finally published on Amazon. Closer Than Blood is a tale of hit men, blackmail and forbidden passion, set in Manhattan. Both novels are currently available as ebook and paperback, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and many on-line book retailers.

She always has at least one novel in the background, and at the present time she is working on her first science fiction novel, working title Euphoria, based on the nuclear bunker near where she lives.

For more information about Jayne and her work, please visit:

Website: https://hollowhillspublishing.blogspot.com/

A Piece of OurselvesA Piece Of Ourselves
Tray Ellis
12/23/2017

Balancing holidays between two families can make cheerful celebrations into chores. Carson Benedetti’s mom has overscheduled the Christmas holidays and she’s more than insistent that boyfriend Tynan Harris come into the family fold. There’s so much to do Tynan can’t find time to bring Carson over to his own family and he feels like they are being left in the dust.

​After dating for nine months, and with their relationship becoming more serious, Tynan’s patience is sorely tested by the multitude of Benedetti family traditions keeping them busy. Tynan needs to figure out how to find some breathing room, split their time more fairly, and make Christmas more than just tradition by rote.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/a-piece-of-ourselves.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077L6Z9SZ/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-piece-of-ourselves/id1315340653
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077L6Z9SZ/
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-piece-of-ourselves

Tray Ellis grew up across from an empty field, where she spun a lot of imaginary adventures, helping to prepare her for a lifetime of writing. When she isn’t writing, she stays active by hiking, cooking, stacking the odd cord of wood in the shed, baking, and being too busy to keep her home in any semblance of order. Currently she tries to find a balance between the logical way she thinks and the flights of fancy she often daydreams about. Mostly, the daydreams are winning. For more information about Tray, please visit:

Website: https://trayellis.dreamwidth.org
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564767.Tray_Ellis

I Only Want to Be With YouI Only Want to Be With You
Scott Coatsworth
12/27/2017

Derrek is dealing with the recent, unexpected death of his mother. He’s been alone for five year since his husband Will died, and he’s ready to find someone new and to start living again. Ryan lost his partner, David, in an auto accident, and is dating Alex, who doesn’t treat him right.

Derrek can’t figure out why Ryan won’t see what’s right in front of his face. Why does Ryan come to him to talk about all his hopes, dreams, and fears, then go home to Alex?

If Derrek can figure that out, they might just have a shot.

Buy Links:

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/i-only-want-to-be-with-you.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077NG49G1
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/i-only-want-to-be-with-you

Scott is the admin for the Queer Sci Fi site. He has been writing since elementary school, when he and won a University of Arizona writing contest in 4th grade for his first sci fi story (with illustrations!). He finished his first novel in his mid twenties, but after seeing it rejected by ten publishers, he gave up on writing for a while.

Over the ensuing years, he came back to it periodically, but it never stuck. Then one day, he was complaining to Mark, his husband, early last year about how he had been derailed yet again by the death of a family member, and Mark said to him “the only one stopping you from writing is you.”

Since then, Scott has gone back to writing in a big way, finishing more than a dozen short stories – some new, some that he had started years before – and seeing his first sale. He’s embarking on a new trilogy, and also runs a support group for writers of gay sci fi, fantasy, and supernatural fiction.

Website: http://www.jscottcoatsworth.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jscoatsworth

A New Year on Vega IIIA New Year On Vega III
Siri Paulson
12/30/2017

On the colony planet Vega III, everyone knows Beck—outgoing, fabulous, and genderqueer—and nobody notices Anil, the quiet plant biologist. But when Anil finds Beck hiding in his greenhouse, lonely and missing Earth, it’s Anil who is able to comfort Beck by letting them talk about what they miss most—the feeling that comes with celebrating the holidays with loved ones, especially New Year’s Eve.

​The two of them are drawn to one another, but both of them are hiding secrets about their sexuality. With trust between them already on shaky ground, Anil’s elaborate plans to cheer Beck may well backfire.

https://www.mischiefcornerbooks.com/a-new-year-on-vega-iii.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077RZ6YZQ
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-new-year-on-vega-iii

I write all over the fantasy and science fiction spectrum, including (so far) secondary-world fantasy, urban fantasy, steampunk, Gothic, historical paranormal, spaceships, and various unholy mashups of these.

I grew up in Alberta, Canada, but now live in an old house in Toronto. My other current passion is contra dance, a social/folk dance done to live Celtic and roots music. My favourite places in the world are the Canadian Rocky Mountains and a little valley in Norway. In my other life, I edit non-fiction for the government. For more information, please visit or email:

Website: https://siripaulson.wordpress.com/
Email: s_l_paulson@yahoo.ca

Publisher Loose Id is Closing

Publisher Loose Id is Closing

An announcement came out yesterday on Facebook from Loose Id that after 13 years, they are closing up.  It seems that like Samhain Publishing, Wilde City Press, and others before it, the cost of competition and doing business is just too high.  Such a shame to lose such another class act in our world of LGBT stories.  They will be missed.

If you have any books or want any books from authors there, make sure you get them before the May deadline.  And you might want to stop by their Facebook page and drop them a note if you feel so inclined.

This is Loose ID’s notice:

All things, it’s said, must come to an end. For Loose Id, that time has come. Rather than risk the reputation and goodwill that we have worked very hard to build, on May 7, 2018, we’ll be closing our doors for good. We want to thank all of our authors, artists, editors, employees, customers and friends for your help making this company a success.

This is not a decision made in haste, panic or financial distress. The market has changed over the past few years, and a four-person company can no longer compete effectively with the Amazon mega-store. As of this message, we are closed for submissions.

We want to assure you, our customers and friends, that authors and staff are being paid, purchases will be honored, and we will remain in constant communication throughout the closing process. We will do our best to monitor social media during this busy time, but if you have questions, email through our satisfaction@loose-id.com email will be the best channel. We will be compiling questions from that account to repost for everyone’s convenience.

Thirteen years, more than three thousand titles and four hundred authors, and uncountable smiles–it’s been a hell of a ride. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for sharing this journey.

 

In the Spotlight: The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish (Riptide Publishing 2017 Charity Bundle Tour and Giveaway)

The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish
Riptide Publishing

 Read an Excerpt/Buy it here at Riptide Publishing

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Riptide Publishing’s 2017 Holiday Charity Collection Tour.

About The Remaking of Corbin Wale

Last month, Alex Barrow’s whole life imploded—partner, home, job, all gone in forty-eight hours. But sometimes when everything falls apart, better things appear almost like magic. Now, he’s back in his Michigan hometown, finally opening the bakery he’s always dreamed of. But the pleasure of opening day is nothing compared to the lonely and beautiful man who bewitches Alex before he even orders.

Corbin Wale is a weirdo. At least, that’s what he’s heard his whole life. He knows he’s often in a fantasy world, but the things he feels are very real. And so is the reason why he can never, ever be with Alex Barrow. Even if Alex is everything he’s always fantasized about. Even if maybe, just maybe, Corbin is Alex’s fantasy too.

When Corbin begins working at the bakery, he and Alex can’t deny their connection any longer. As the holiday season works its magic, Alex yearns for the man who seems out of reach. But to be with Alex, Corbin will have to challenge every truth he’s ever known. If his holiday risk pays off, two men from different worlds will get the love they’ve always longed for.

Available now from Riptide Publishing!

About the 2017 Holiday Charity Collection

20% of all proceeds from this title will be donated to the Russian LGBT Network.

Each year, Riptide Publishing releases a holiday collection in support of an LGBTQ charity. Twenty percent of the proceeds from this year’s collection will be donated to the Russian LGBT Network.

The Russian LGBT network was founded in April 2006. It is an interregional, non-governmental human rights organization that promotes equal rights and respect for human dignity, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. They unite and develop regional initiatives, advocacy groups (at both national and international levels), and provide social and legal services.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website: https://lgbtnet.org/en.

This collection would not be possible without the talent and generosity of its authors, who have brought us the following holiday stories:

● Cecilia Tan, Watch Point

● Roan Parrish, The Remaking of Corbin Wale

● Katie Porter, Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Buy all three in the collection and save!

 

About Roan Parrish

Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.

When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.

She is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary Agency.

Connect with Roan:

● Website

● Newsletter

● FB group

● Twitter

● Instagram

● Bookbub

● Amazon

● Goodreads

Giveaway

  • To celebrate the release of The Remaking of Corbin Wale, one lucky winner will receive a $20 Amazon gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 2, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

 

On the Cadge -Relaunched Lessons series blog tour with Charlie Cochrane

On the Cadge -Relaunched Lessons Series

with Charlie Cochrane

 

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Charlie Cochrane as she relaunches one of my favorite series, her Cambridge Fellows Mysteries (aka the Jonty and Orlando stories).  This author has always mixed historical accuracy with a wonderful way with her dialog and settings that kept the feel of her stories deeply settled within the era while never feeling like a dusty history lesson.  No she brings Edwardian, WWI, and posts WWI England alive as well as one of the most delightful (and long established) couples you will want to meet.

Here’s some more thoughts from the author herself….

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Charlie Cochrane

When did you start writing?

I’ve always had times I’ve scribbled down stories, most of them pretty naff. As a teenager I wrote what I guess would be called slashy fanfic these days and there are not adjectives sufficient to describe how truly awful it was. As I’ve matured, so has my ability with a tale. I hope.

From your books do you have one you like best?

That’s like picking a favourite child – an impossible task. However (and I hope my daughters don’t read this, because they always want to know, “Who’s the favourite?”) However, I’d have to confess that the Cambridge Fellows books will always have a special place in my heart as they were the first full length tales I had published and the two main characters are so easy to write.

Are you character or plot driven?

Character, all the time. My idea of a well developed, extensive plot plan would be “Two blokes, Cornwall” or something similar. I just write and see who comes along and where we get. It sometimes feels like watching (or listening to) a series on television or radio, and discovering the story as it goes along. The beauty of modern writing, word processing and the like, is that if I get down the line and the story changes, I can go back over and make things work very easily.

So, if any characters develop at a tangent, I tend to go with them and see what transpires. I only rein them in if they throw the story too far out of kilter. Sometimes they make the story far more interesting than it was going to be!

If you were in a tight corner and had to rely on one of your characters to save you, which would it be and why?

Ruddy Norah – I’m not sure I’d trust any of them! Certainly not Dr. Panesar, who’s a running secondary character in the Cambridge Fellows books. He’d be bound to make things worse by blowing us up or something. Ariadne Peters, from the same books, is a repository of common sense and Jonty Stewart would certainly  keep us all amused no matter how deep the clart we found ourselves  in. Perhaps I’d have to plump for Jonty’s father, who gives the impression of being capable of dealing with any problem, intellectual or moral. With Campbell, the Newfoundland dog from my contemporary mystery series, the Lindenshaw books, to provide the muscular back up.

If you had no constraints of time and a guarantee of publication, what book would you write?

Can I borrow other people’s characters to play with? I want to write a story where real and fictional characters living in the same area meet and work together to make the world a better place. Imagine the fun if Wilfred Owen and Brother Cadfael teamed up to solve mysteries. Imagine the deep philosophical conversations they’d have at the same time.

 What are your favourite books?

I’ll give you two.

The Charioteer. The writing is wonderful; Mary Renault has an economy of language that every author could learn from – she says more with a simple word like “quite” than most people could in a whole page. I re-read it all the way through at least once a year and dip in and out of it, reading a few pages or scenes, on an almost monthly basis. “Charlie, you’re a sad woman,” you cry, and I might have to agree with you, but it’s like listening to a favourite piece of music. You want to hear that again and again so why not read a particularly pleasing piece of prose as many times as you still find it pleasing?

Death at the President’s Lodging. Michael Innes is more loquacious than Renault, but he’s just as dab a hand at characterization. This murder mystery is also one of the most convoluted I’ve ever read, while being scrupulously fair to the reader. It’s also another annual re-read, especially for the joy of the occasionally (unintentionally?) slashy scene.

And now a confession – I have both of these books in audio version. Now I can top up my re-reads with the occasional “relisten”. I’m sure they inspire both the romantic and mystery elements of my writing.

Cambridge Fellows Series (13 books)

There are 13 primary works and 15 total works in the Cambridge Fellows Series

If the men of St. Bride’s College knew what Jonty Stewart and Orlando Coppersmith got up to behind closed doors, the scandal would rock early-20th-century Cambridge to its core. But the truth is, when they’re not busy teaching literature and mathematics, the most daring thing about them isn’t their love for each other—it’s their hobby of amateur sleuthing.

Because wherever Jonty and Orlando go, trouble seems to find them. Sunny, genial Jonty and prickly, taciturn Orlando may seem like opposites. But their balance serves them well as they sift through clues to crimes, and sort through their own emotions to grow closer. But at the end of the day, they always find the truth . . . and their way home together.

The first book in the series: St. Bride’s College, Cambridge, England, 1905. When Jonty Stewart takes up a teaching post at the college where he studied, the handsome and outgoing young man acts as a catalyst for change within the archaic institution. He also has a catalytic effect on Orlando Coppersmith. Orlando is a brilliant, introverted mathematician with very little experience of life outside the college walls. He strikes up an alliance with the outgoing Jonty, and soon finds himself having feelings hes never experienced before. Before long their friendship blossoms into more than either man had hoped and they enter into a clandestine relationship. Their romance is complicated when a series of murders is discovered within St. Brides. All of the victims have one thing in common, a penchant for men. While acting as the eyes and ears for the police, a mixture of logic and luck leads them to a confrontation with the murderer can they survive it?

 Lessons in Desire (Book 2, Cambridge Fellows Mysteries)

“Lessons in Desire is the second book in the gripping Cambridge Fellows series by Charlie Cochrane. Set in Edwardian England, it explores engrossing mysteries and heartfelt gay romances, all set in the historical walls of Cambridge University.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077B7S8F5

 

About the Author

 Because Charlie Cochrane couldn’t be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes. Her mystery novels include the Edwardian era Cambridge Fellows series, and the contemporary Lindenshaw Mysteries. Multi-published, she has titles with Carina, Riptide, Lethe and Bold Strokes, among others.

A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People and International Thriller Writers Inc, Charlie regularly appears at literary festivals and at reader and author conferences with The Deadly Dames.

Website: http://www.charliecochrane.co.uk

Blog: https://charliecochrane.wordpress.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/charlie.cochrane.18

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charliecochrane

GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2727135.Charlie_Cochrane