COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK
by JOE COSENTINO from NineStar Press
Purchase links: NineStar Press | ARe | Barnes & Noble | My Books
AN INTERVIEW WITH JOE COSENTINO, author of COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK, a novel published by NineStar Press
- Why write about the Jersey shore? What drew you to that particular location?
I spent my summers as a kid on the New Jersey Shore. It was the best time of my life. My aunt and uncle had a bungalow there. My sister and I built sandcastles at the beach, swam in the bay, played miniature golf (I always won!), jumped up and down on trampolines, ate salt water taffy, and dined at our favorite seafood restaurant with a projection of dancing musical instruments. All those places and experiences are in the novel in a fictitious place I call Cozzi Cove, a gay resort of eight bungalows in a private cove on the Jersey Shore. The resort is run by Cal Cozzi. Cal, short for Calvin, is thirty years old, tall, and muscular. His Italian and Scottish heritage left him with striking auburn hair and a strong nose. He dabbled as a professional football player then restaurant owner, but neither was a good fit. After Cal’s parents died in an automobile accident, he found his calling: managing his family’s seven bungalows around the rocky cove in the New Jersey shore town named after his great-grandfather. Sensing Cal’s sexual orientation as a boy, Cal’s father had turned Cozzi Cove into a gay resort. Cal is honored to follow in his father’s footsteps.
- Did you ever spend time during the summer in bungalows like those?
I used my aunt and uncle’s bungalow as the model for the bungalows on Cozzi Cove built by Cal’s great-grandfather. There was a screened-in porch, a living room, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and an outdoor shower. The furnishings and décor were hand-carved expressions of nautical themes.
- Mermen – fact or fiction? lol Ok, what’s the fascination with mermen? So many people can’t get enough of them and tales that evolve around them…
After a vacation on the Jersey Shore last year, I was so enthralled with the white sandy beaches, foamy waves splashing on jagged rocks, crystal-blue sky kissed by fluffy clouds, the gorgeous lighthouse in the distance, and that warm, comforting sun, I decided to write a new series based there. When I asked my friends on Facebook what to include in the first novel, they responded with suggestions like: coconut-scented suntan lotion, hot guys in Speedos, cool shades, fluffy beach towels, entertaining love stories, and my unique sense of humor. One old friend replied, “Don’t forget the merman!” I think the idea of a handsome half-man/half-fish with long seaweed-like hair, sea-blue eyes, muscles like rippling waves, and a salty-tasting kiss appeals to many people. It certainly does to Arthur in COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK.
- Fun, romance and summer always seem to flow together. Magic too. What gave you the idea to combine them?
My favorite movie as a kid was Hayley Mill’s Summer Magic. Hayley and her family moved into a new house in the New England countryside and romance blossomed everywhere. I decided my series wouldn’t include traditional magic, but would have that same sense of wonderment and romance in Summer Magic. The series is about Cal but also includes intercut stories featuring his guests (a la The Love Boat). As I began writing the stories, I realized nothing is what it seems at Cozzi Cove, and everyone, including Cal, has a secret. Very quickly in the writing process, Cozzi Cove became a place of romance, magic, and mystery.
After my two Bittersweet Dreams novellas, An Infatuation (2nd Place Divine Magazine Readers’ Choice Award of 2015 for Best MM Romance) and A Shooting Star (In My Heart Series) published by Dreamspinner Press, were released countless readers begged me for more time with one of the characters from An Infatuation. So that character and his brother are the first guests at Cozzi Cove. Mario and Harold, two brothers/college students look alike, but couldn’t be more different. Mario is searching for love, and Harold is searching for lust. A wealthy older couple, Josh and Greg, play matchmakers for their gorgeous son Christopher. Opposites attract as multifaceted Tim meets shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin romance novelist. Finally computer game designer Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman. Even married Cal faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something quite unexpected for him.
The other regular characters, besides Cal, include Lance who is twenty-four, short, stocky, African American with dark hair and dark eyes and amazing dimples. He grew up poor, and worked hard getting scholarships and maintaining good grades throughout school. As a second grade teacher, Lance is off during the summers, his favorite time of year. This leaves him more time to do what he loves most: being with Cal. Connor, the college student assisting Cal, is packed with muscles and hormones. He revels in Cozzi Cove, and in checking out each resident for a possible fling on the cove. Tommy, the bald, muscular, tattooed resident of Cozzi Cove who owns the local bar has held a torch for Cal since high school. Carla, who owns the seafood restaurant in town, has a crush on Cal’s sister, Taylor.
- What was your favorite memory of summer growing up?
I remember going for a walk one summer on the Jersey Shore and finding a private cove. A cove is formed when softer rocks are worn away by the sun and salty water faster than the harder rocks surrounding them. This creates a gorgeous bay of turquoise water shielded by large rocks in the distance and smaller rocks near the water’s edge. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Thinking back, it was probably private property and I shouldn’t have wondered there. However, it was an emotional and spiritual experience I will never forget. Cozzi Cove is an extension of that amazing memory.
- Is there a real Cozzi Cove?
Only in my head—and in COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK. Also, in the second book, COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD, which is written and set for release by NineStar Press on April 18. So grab your Speedo, shades, and beach towel and join me at Cozzi Cove. There’s a bungalow waiting for you!
About Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back
On Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey shore, handsome Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are open for summer and love. Mario and Harold are brothers and college students who happen to look alike, but couldn’t be more different: Mario is searching for love, and Harold is searching for lust. Josh and Greg, a wealthy older couple, are matchmakers for their son, Christopher. When it comes to Connor, the maid, packed with muscles and a roving sponge, anything can happen. Opposites attract as wild Tim with the secret past meets shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin romance novelist. And what will happen when computer-game designer Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman? Even married Cal faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something quite unexpected. What secrets and passions lie in magical Cozzi Cove?
Excerpt of COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK by Joe Cosentino
As Lance rested in bed and Cal was putting on jeans, sandals, and a canary polo shirt, they heard Connor enter the living room and call out to Cal. After giving Lance a kiss on the cheek, Cal begrudgingly left his lover, shut the front bedroom door after himself, and then met up with Connor, who was standing next to the living room sofa.
Connor said, “It’s good to be back at work.”
“How were your grades at college this year?”
Connor shrugged his muscular shoulders. “Pretty average.”
Cal thought, If average is getting Cs and Ds. “I’m guessing you were quite involved with extracurricular activities.”
“One or two.” He giggled. “Maybe, three.”
Cal had a soft spot for the kid. “You did a nice job preparing the bungalows yesterday.”
“I aim to please.”
Cal thought the nineteen-year-old looked like an American flag in cutoff blue jeans that matched his eyes, a T-shirt and sneakers that matched his red hair, and pale skin with freckles.
“How can I be of service to you today, boss?”
Cal ignored Connor’s obvious double meaning.
“Just the usual routine.” Cal wasn’t immune to Connor’s charm, but Connor was a kid, and Cal was a one-man man. “Carry their luggage into the bungalows when the guests arrive. Turn down beds at four p.m.” He attempted to look sternly at the boy. “… Without you in them.”
“Me come on to a guest?” Connor feigned surprise.
“Yes, you, Connor. This is a vacation resort, not the baths.” Cal moved behind his desk. “After today, make up the rooms late mornings and early afternoons. Leave the sheets and towels in front of the garage for the laundry pickup. And don’t forget to sweep out the parking area.”
Connor saluted. “Aye, aye, Capitán .”
They heard a knock at the front door. Cal shouted, “It’s open.”
“Is this the office?”
“We’re informal here,” Cal explained. He typed into his computer, and then motioned for the young man to join him.
“I’m Mario Ginnetti.” He placed a piece of luggage at his feet. “Is it okay to park in the lot?”
Connor seemed to nearly salivate at Mario’s arms in his violet short-sleeved shirt. “You can park anywhere you like.”
Ignoring Connor, Cal said, “Yes, that’s the lot for the bungalows.” Cal handed Mario a key. “You’re in Bungalow One. I’ve got your credit card, so you’re all set.” He took a map from the topmost desk drawer. “The ocean beach is open to the public and is only minutes away. You can swim, surf, snorkel, or go on a glass-bottom boat there.” He pointed to various black dots on the map. “You’ll want to get some groceries here. Tommy Malone’s is a good bar, and Carla’s is my favorite seafood restaurant. This place has killer ice cream, which you can work off here at the gym.”
Connor interjected with, “If you need help finding anything, just ask me. I’m a native.”
“Or you can come into the office and ask me.” Cal handed Mario the map and then pointed outside. “The cove is private property. You can sit out there all you like. The bay water is calm and warm. As you can see, the view is amazing.”
Connor added with a grin, “Nude sunbathing is permitted.”
Mario was visibly trying to take it all in.
“Any questions?” asked Cal.
Mario’s dimples appeared. “Will the weather always be this nice?”
“From your lips to the sea gods’ ears.” Cal smiled. “The weather report calls for rain, so that means it’s going to be sunny all week. Connor will take you to your bungalow.”
Connor looked like the wolf meeting Little Red Riding Hood as he took Mario’s luggage. “Follow me, Mario.”
About the Author…
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (NineStar Press), Drama Queen and Drama MuscleNicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press), An Infatuation, A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll (Whiskey Creek Press) and Porcelain Doll (Wild Rose Press) Jana Lane mysteries, and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Paulineeducational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (Nine Star Press), Drama Cruise Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and Satin Doll and China Doll Jana Lane mysteries (Wild Rose Press). Joe was voted 2nd Place for Best MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015!
- Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
- Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
Giveaway
Post a comment below about why you love beach vacations. The one that floats
our raft the most will win an ebook of Joe Cosentino’s hit novella, AN
INFATUATION (Dreamspinner Press), from the author. myBook.to/AnInfatuation. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
Publisher: Nine Star Press, Release Date: March 21, 2016
Language: English
Cover Design: Arai Tan
ISBN-13: 978-1-911153-35-1
ASIN: B01D7T939E
Length: 60,000 words
- Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (Cozzi Cove #1) by Joe Cosentino
- Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (Cozzi Cove #2) by Joe Cosentino
Category: M/M Book Reviews
A MelanieM Review: Hidden Wings by Ana Raine
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Kanji is the last royal Kuro swan, an ancient race who once served the demonic Sidhee. The Kuro were betrayed and given as slaves to the Dryma fairies. When a Dryma is born, his soul attaches to a tree and to sustain their lives, the Dryma conscript the Kuro to protect their woods. In their servitude, the Kuro are languishing and dying off. Kanji is desperate to reunite his people with their stolen wings, but the task seems impossible.
When Kanji discovers a plan to unite the Sidhee and the Dryma, he tricks the Sidhee prince and attends a masked ball in disguise. There he meets Prince Tristan, who is nothing like the other fairies. Kind and compassionate, Tristan has a plan to free the Dryma from their dependence on the trees—and their need of the Kuro’s protection. It could mean freedom for Kanji’s people, but it might also mean choosing between them and the life of the fairy who is—impossibly—his mate.
When Tristan is wounded in battle and left for dead, his survival depends on the success of his experiments. Can Kanji dare to believe, or must he come to terms with the loss of his mate?
Hidden Wings by Ana Raine caught my attention primarily due to the inclusion of swans in her fantasy story, well that and the fae. I have long admired the species as much for their deadly attack skills as for their elegance and loyalty. So I had high hopes for seeing such natural history characteristics included as part of the plot and folded into the character of Kanji, the last of the royal Kuro Swans. What I ended up with was a interesting mixture that didn’t always make sense but still managed to be entertaining none the less.
Ana Raine set a huge task for herself with this tale, specifically creating the two species, their individual cultures and collective histories and then bringing them together in the forms of Tristan and Kanji. I think that in putting her attention towards the Dryma and the Kuro, the characters of Kanji and Tristan came off as pale comparisons. There is a richness in the mythology that Raine has created that just is so lovely, the dependency on the trees, the need for sacrifice that runs throughout many ancient cultures, and then threading those elements through her story that pulls you in and makes you forget some of the other aspects that might otherwise have you shaking your head. I’ve seen swans take out foxes and dogs. Swans are deadly. Where is that here?
Also, for many of you, this is not your happily ever after, nor is it meant to be. Hidden Wings is part of Dreamspinner Press’ Bittersweet Dreams titles which states in part that “… these stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.” Note the no traditional happy ending. So, you wouldn’t go into this book expecting to get one and you don’t. I didn’t mind that, but I know many readers will.
No, what bothered me was that I thought the characters and their relationship as mates needed more substance, at least as much as their species and cultures got. Hidden Wings has so much promise, enough that the author could easily pull more stories from without having to establish a base universe once again.
If you are a fan of fantasy, pick it up and decide for yourself.
Cover art by Anne Cain is lovely and works for me
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 210 pages
Published January 6th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
An Alisa Audiobook Review: Pulling Leather (Pickup Men #3) by L.C. Chase and Dorian Bane (Narrator)
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
The toughest ride of his life is all in his head.
Bull rider Scott Gillard has a reputation for quick fists and harsh words. What no one knows is where that anger comes from. After a shocking incident sends him into a tailspin, he knows he needs help: he’s been fighting a battle he could never win. Now he’s trying to navigate a new life and embrace his true self, but some days are easier than others.
Pickup man Cory Ackerson has suffered his share of harassment, but his light still burns bright. He doesn’t let anything or anyone keep him down, so when he meets the rugged cowboy with a battered chip on his shoulder and regret in his dark eyes, all he wants to do is help.
As their unlikely friendship grows into something deeper, Scott must overcome his past to be the man Cory deserves, or lose his best chance at his own happily ever after.
This was a great story. Scott has been so conflicted throughout his life by what happened when he was a kid with his parents and then how it followed him into adulthood. Cory has never been ashamed of who he is and is more than willing to give Scott the chance to prove that he isn’t what he used to be.
Their relationship starts slowly and Cory really gives Scott the opportunity to get comfortable in his own skin for the most part. I could just feel how Scott was struggling during the book and the acceptance he was looking for from those around him.
This is the first audiobook I have ever listened to. I had read the other books in the series and had this one sitting around awhile and figured this would be a great chance to actually get to the book. I loved being able to listen to the story while at work and around the house. The narrator did a great job of showing the characters personalities during his reading and just added to the story with the different voices he used.
Cover art by LC Chase is great and I wouldn’t do anything different.
Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes
Audiobook Details:
Audiobook
Published March 24, 2016 (ebook first published September 1, 2014)
Original Title: Pulling Leather
Series: Pickup Men #3
In the Fantasy Spotlight: Victory Portrait (Pride of Uttor #4) by Tali Spencer (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)
Victory Portrait (Pride of Uttor #4) by Tali Spencer
Release Date: April 6, 2016
Goodreads Link
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing
Cover Artist: Melody Pond
Today Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is very lucky to be interviewing Tali Spencer, author of Victory Portrait. Hi Tali, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
- Tell us something no one else knows about your characters.
Darius Arrento has been intimate with his emperor, and friend, Gaspar Leonnte. It happened when Darius was 25 and Gaspar was 19 or 20. Darius was a young officer given his first command and Gaspar was assigned to his unit. The legion’s general knew Gaspar was the Uttoran emperor’s son, except he didn’t pass along that information.
Gaspar was a terrible soldier, horrible. He couldn’t obey orders to save his life. Worse, if he started talking, he didn’t know when to shut up. Darius was ready to strangle him the first night. After a battle in which both men barely escaped with their skins, Darius and Gaspar gave in to a kiss and a night of oral sex. They connected more than once, in no small part due to being young, horny, and having no other outlets.
You heard it here first.
- Have you ever written something that made you cry?
I cried when I wrote a hurt-comfort scene in one of my epic high fantasy novels. A king had just lost his adult son. The young man who seeks to comfort the king has considered him an enemy throughout the entire book to that point, but he can no longer do so, and the scene is very tender.
I was writing that scene on a terrible day when I thought maybe my oldest son had died. (He hadn’t…and called me after several hours. It was 9/11.) That scene still makes me cry when I read it.
- Have you ever co-written with someone before?
Non-fiction, yes. Fiction, no. Some authors are very social and thrive on the energy of writing with other authors. I have the habits of a recluse: silent, secretive, and annoying. It’s a miracle I have a happy marriage. I’d be surprised if another author could put up with me.
- What is the most difficult part of writing for you?
Promotion. But that’s more about being an author than the writing, so…I would say I find it most difficult to end a story on a strong note. Even if I know where a story has to end, I’m never quite satisfied with my closing line. I want something memorable, definite, and profound. Haven’t managed to write one of those yet.
- Name your four most important food groups.
Coffee, coffee, chocolate, coffee, and dairy. Kahlua counts as coffee. Dairy means creamer. I’m pretty sure I don’t like coffee at all. It’s all about the creamer.
Thank you, Tali. Now more about
Victory Portrait (Pride of Uttor #4) by Tali Spencer
Blurb
Imperial captive and former Sebboyan prince Peta Kordeun has one great wish: to meet Darius Arrento, conqueror of his country and a man he has idolized since childhood. That wish comes true the day the Uttoran emperor assigns Peta to assist the artist who will be painting the great general’s official portrait.
General Darius Arrento would rather take a crossbow bolt through his flesh than sit for a portrait, until his friend the emperor forces his hand. The notorious artist, Brazzi, uses semen and other sexual fluids to bind his colors—and Arrento is captivated by the artist’s pretty helper. Before long he is driven to possess the gorgeous young man who draws battle maps and whose naïve charm has won more hearts in Uttor than Arrento has won battles.
When Arrento learns that Peta, the slave he covets and wants for his own, is one of the despised Kordeun princes, he storms from Uttor toward a far corner of the empire—where he quickly finds himself embroiled in a plot to tear Uttor’s empire apart. His emotions and loyalties frayed, the great Arrento is in the battle of his life…and Peta may hold the key to his survival.
Pages or Words: 78,600 words
Categories: Alternate Universe, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance
Excerpt
“You want me to assist the painter. Only that?” Peta asked.
“Yes. I just want you to understand you will be naked and…Brazzi will want you to be sexually aroused.”
“What?”
“It’s what Brazzi does. Not for himself—not unless you’re a woman—but for his method. He was tried three years ago on charges of obscenity because he uses…sexual fluids for mixing his paint. He truly is a genius. His colors are astonishing.”
“And you want Arrento to see me like that? Naked and…being used?”
“No.” Gaspar was being firm. “I want a portrait of my general. And I happen to think that the sight of you will keep his ass firmly planted for whatever sittings the painter requires. You see, Darius has one weakness—only one. He cannot resist a thing of beauty—and you, my pretty slave, are the most breathtaking young man I have ever had the privilege to look upon.”
Peta flushed. Gaspar wasn’t smiling. The man was serious.
Could he do it? Did he want to do it? Peta knew he was pretty. His looks had blessed and cursed him all his life. His beauty had attracted Kesme as a fellow cadet and was what Kesme had praised that last night when they’d made love…and Peta’s face was what Lukacz, his own father, had sought to destroy, thinking that doing so would release him from predation and unnatural desires. And now Gaspar, too, wanted only one thing…
“Just sit there and look pretty,” he said, heart sinking as he grasped what Gaspar was asking him to do.
“Only if you’re willing. I’m not completely oblivious to what this sort of service might entail. It could be rather…awkward. On the other hand, it might not be for long. Darius can be stubborn. It’s possible he won’t show up.”
And just as possible that he would.
Peta wanted to say no but he could not get his mouth to form the word. He might never get another chance to see Arrento, perhaps hear his voice. Be in the same room with him.
He’d be silent…naked…terribly exposed even in his utter worship.
But he would at least be able to say he had seen the great man.
“I’ll do it,” he said.
Buy the book
Resplendence Publishing | Amazon | ARe
Meet the author:
Tali Spencer delights in erotic fantasy and adventure, creating worlds where she can explore the heights and shadows of sexual passion. A hopeful romantic and lover of all things exotic, she also writes high fantasy and science fiction. If you would like to see inspiration pictures for her characters, or glimpse how she envisions her worlds, check out her Pinterest boards.
Thanks to a restless father, she grew up as a bit of a nomad and still loves to travel whenever she can. Her longest stint in one place was Milwaukee where she went to college, enjoyed a series of interesting careers, and raised three surprisingly well-adjusted sons. She later married her true love and put down new roots in Philadelphia, where she lives in an ongoing Italian American family sitcom. At least she’s learned how make good pasta. When not writing, Tali reads everything from sweet goofy romances to medical research, manages her fantasy football team—go Gekkos!—and takes long walks with her loving, if slightly neurotic, poodle.
Tali’s other books include the three preceding Uttor books: Captive Heart, Dangerous Beauty, and Adored, all with Resplendence. Her gay male high fantasy stories, Thick as Thieves, Sorcerer’s Knot, and The Prince of Winds, are published by Dreamspinner Press. She often posts free stories and excerpts on her blog.
Where to find the author:
- Facebook: : http://www.facebook.com/tali.spencer
- Twitter: @tali_spencer
- Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/talispencer/
- Blog: http://talismania-brilliantdisguise.blogspot.com
Tour Dates & Stops:
18-Apr: Prism Book Alliance
19-Apr: Decadent Delights
20-Apr: Bonkers About Books, Full Moon Dreaming
21-Apr: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
22-Apr: Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
25-Apr: The Novel Approach, Happily Ever Chapter
26-Apr: BFD Book Blog
27-Apr: My Fiction Nook
28-Apr: Bayou Book Junkie, V’s Reads
29-Apr: Oh My Shelves
2-May: Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Book Lovers 4Ever
3-May: Kirsty Loves Books, Open Skye Book Reviews
4-May: Alpha Book Club
5-May: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
6-May: Molly Lolly
9-May: A.M. Leibowitz
10-May: Divine Magazine
11-May: Love Bytes, Man2ManTastic, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat
12-May: Andrew Q. Gordon, Nephy Hart, Rebecca Cohen Writes
13-May: Louise Lyons, MM Good Book Reviews
Giveaway
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B.A. Tortuga’s Here For A Old Town New Interview and Release Day Guest Blog!
Old Town New by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art by Anna Sikorska
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is so happy to have one of its favorite authors here to share her thoughts about writing and her latest release, Old Town New. Welcome, B.A. Tortuga!
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Hey, y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of all things cowboy :D.
- Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from? A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?
Oh, y’all. I eavesdrop, I talk, I visit. Most importantly? I listen. I listen to folks’ stories and wallow in them. I pride myself in telling the stories of people I know, of folks I love.
- Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And why?
I used to be a pantser, but these days I’ve found if I focus on the outline, I do a better job, tell a better story, and don’t cry as much during edits.
- If you had a character you’ve written you would write differently now at this time in your writing career, who would it be and why?
Oh, man… Will and Dean from Latigo. I wrote them in vignettes and then put them in order and if I wrote them again I’d start at the beginning and write straight through.
- Can a author have favorites among their characters and do you have them?
Sure. It’s who you’re in love with RIGHT NOW. In other words, who you’re writing. Right now I’m in love with Jayden and Dakota. Totally. Madly. Passionately. Next week, I’ll tell you that I’m in love with Hoss and Bradley, I bet…
- If you were to be stranded on a small demi-planet, island, or god forbid LaGuardia in a snow storm, what books would you take to read or authors on your comfort list?
Oh, man. Bent by Sean Michael, Promises 2 by AE Via, The Stand by Stephen King, Dark Fall by Dean Koontz, anything by my wife, Julia Talbot.
- How early in your life did you begin writing?
I wrote my first story at 2 ½ years old and I published my first story at 5 years old. A long time. 😉
- Were you an early reader or were you read to and what childhood books had an impact on you as a child that you remember to this day and why?
I was reading by 18 months. I am a voracious reader and I read every day. Grins My favorite books as a little one were Little Women by Alcott and What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge. I wanted to be Jo March when I grew up (and weirdly, my wife would tell you it happened).
- What question would you ask yourself here?
Are you the happiest girl alive? Answer: Hell, yeah.
If you were writing your life as a romance novel, what would the title be?
Patience and Tequila. 😀
Much love, y’all,
BA
Old Town New Blurb
Danny Avers is a teacher in small town Colorado. Back in the day, before high-speed Internet, social media, smartphones, or streaming anything, Danny’s just trying to live down his wild teenage years and carry on the only way he knows how: one day at a time. The last person he expects to see back in town is Harlan Quinn, his old best friend and former consummate bad boy. And when he finds out Quinn is the new sheriff and his new neighbor, it’s even more of a shock.
Quinn knows there’s more to his old hometown than meets the eye. There’s more to Danny than old memories and quiet living too. But as in the past, stirring things up is Quinn’s specialty, and he sets out to do that, in more ways than one, pushing Danny to admit there’s more to life and that their old town just might manage to be new again. That’s if old town thinking doesn’t get them both killed.
Sales Links
Available April 20 from:
Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | All Romance Ebooks | Barnes and Noble
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About the Author
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 http://www.batortuga.com
A MelanieM Review: Lord of Hearth, Lord of Hollow by Sera Kane
Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5
Culinary school is hard enough for Aimes Cully without mixing in an utterly underwhelming physical appearance—too small, too delicate, too red-haired, too freckled, too human—added with the inability to magically improve the food—still too human—and facing the too beautiful, too fae-looking Aleksi’s teases and taunts. When rumors surface that Aimes’s older brother’s success is a lie, Aimes is determined to prove them wrong and show that pure-blooded humans are the equal of anyone with mixed blood.
But things get worse after Aimes is caught in a faerie ring and transported to the fae hollow of Lord Keanewyeth Ordioral. As the attraction heats up, it becomes obvious that there’s something wrong in the magical home. A cursed creature appears, and everything becomes jumbled as the secrets of their lives collide into a painful concoction of Aimes’s past and Keanewyeth’s present. But if they can meld their talents, they might be able to save each other.
Sera Kane is a new author for me but if Lord of the Hearth, Lord of the Hollow is any indication of her writing, I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us readers. I do love fantasy fiction and its clear from the world building going on here that Sera Kane loves it too. The author has amassed a wealth of details and general information about the fae, magic, spells that her vision of the universe here comes through with sparkling clarity. To this she added the intense atmosphere of a culinary school, a interspecies romance and so much more. And did so with humor.
Even the dialogs here with its mixtures of slang and more formal language of court I felt worked well within the storyline. However the wealth of vision here and wonderful plot was a little too weighty, in my opinion, for the length of pages allotted by the author. Its length could really have been tripled to deal with all that went on and still not have covered it all to the depth indicated by parts of this narrative and universe.
At 52 pages, you will whip through this story in no time. Its fun, sexy and a lovely fantasy romp. Pick it up, if you are a lover of fantasy fiction and chef’s competitions gone fae!
Cover art by Paul Richmond is right in tune with the story and characters, a real plus.
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 52 pages
Published April 20th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
A Stella Review: Old Town New by BA Tortuga
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Danny Avers is a teacher in small town Colorado. Back in the day, before high-speed Internet, social media, smartphones, or streaming anything, Danny’s just trying to live down his wild teenage years and carry on the only way he knows how: one day at a time. The last person he expects to see back in town is Harlan Quinn, his old best friend and former consummate bad boy. And when he finds out Quinn is the new sheriff and his new neighbor, it’s even more of a shock.
Quinn knows there’s more to his old hometown than meets the eye. There’s more to Danny than old memories and quiet living too. But as in the past, stirring things up is Quinn’s specialty, and he sets out to do that, in more ways than one, pushing Danny to admit there’s more to life and that their old town just might manage to be new again. That’s if old town thinking doesn’t get them both killed.
I always feel sorry when I have to write a bad review, this time more than ever cause it’s about BA Tortuga, an author I really like and whose style I enjoy so much. Problem is I had a very hard time reading this new book, Old Town New. At the end it simply didn’t work to me, at all. And I was surprised because the author has always been a winner for me.
I picked this story not just for the author but because from the blurb I understood it was a second chance at love story and I’m a fan of this kind of plot. I have to say I was soon caught up in the book. The author didn’t give me all the facts at the start of what Quinn and Danny experienced in their pasts. It was kept a welcomed mystery with well defined characters and likeable since their first introduction. Most of all adult characters with a baggage on their shoulders, not light ones, just how I like them to be.
Then I don’t know what happened, still something happened because they became boring, childish and unreal, all they did was having sex but believe me, the sex scenes were too many, and if I say so it means they really were too many.
What particularly I didn’t like were the dialogues, unbelievably unrealistics. I was reading them with my eyes wide open cause I was so shocked this was written by the same author who wrote The Term of Release or Ever the Same. The story had potential but it fell very pointless and repetitive.
I was able to finish Old Town New but it was a struggle, I didn’t DFN because I gave myself two duties when I review books, read them wholly and be honest. If it hadn’t been an ARC, I’m sure I wouldn’t have finished it.
The cover art by Anna Sikorska could have easily worked cause it’s well done, i like the colors and the font, but it’s appear false and it doesn’t respect how I picture Dan and Quinn in my mind.
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon
Book Details:
Ebook, 3rd Edition, 161 pages
Publication Date April 20th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press (first published 2006)
ISBN 163476823X(ISBN13: 9781634768238)
Edition Language English
Fall into the Fantasy World of Sera Kane with ‘Lord of Hearth, Lord of Hollow’ (release day author guest blog and excerpt)
Lord of Hearth, Lord of Hollow by Sera Kane
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art by Paul Richmond
Buy Link: Dreamspinner Press
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Sera Kane here today to share her thoughts about her new release, Lord of Hearth, Lord of Hollow. Welcome, Sera!
✍✍✍✍✍
Whom shall we meet upon this road? Spiritkin or stranger-friend, welcome all with giving hands, open smiles.
Hello, everyone. My name is Sera Kane and I’m beyond thrilled to be here to greet you all! Why? Of course you’ve already guessed it, to introduce you to my novella, Lord of Hearth, Lord of Hollow! Join Aimes as he turns up the heat on his own competitiveness to make it as a chef so he can search for his brother. Meet Keane as his enforced solitude suddenly comes to an end and he’s faced with the delicious dilemma of what to do with his visitor.
As I wrote, I was faced with the undeniable problem that Aimes is definitely a cook, a chef in training. And I? Well. One time I was unable to boil water.
Yeah.
Fortunately, I’ve spent my entire life overburdened with imagination and with the aid of someone who does know how to cook—thanks again, spouse!—I was even able to add a recipe to the end of the story! No, it’s not my recipe. I can’t cook. My spouse encourages you to try it out, however, and I definitely suggest using the excess as a dip! Maybe I should ask for him to make it tonight to celebrate…
Besides not cooking, my days are filled with writing and obsessing over words. And plots. And characters. Fantasy is my preferred genre, so everything having to do with Keane, an Elfaegaardian lord, flowed fairly easily. Actually, the entire world bloomed as though it had merely been waiting for my fingers to touch keyboard and thus open the gates.
I would certainly love to do more in this world and have some very vague bubblings of a human prince meeting an El lord himself. Perhaps, if you, the travelers of our world, wish to learn more, I could be persuaded to do so. Hint hint: please let me know! I not only love to answer questions, but I love to know what the readers think!
So, please! Read and enjoy the story of Aimes and Keane, and smile as you know that every cooking reference was blatantly stolen from my spouse. Thank you!
Blurb
Culinary school is hard enough for Aimes Cully without mixing in an utterly underwhelming physical appearance—too small, too delicate, too red-haired, too freckled, too human—added with the inability to magically improve the food—still too human—and facing the too beautiful, too fae-looking Aleksi’s teases and taunts. When rumors surface that Aimes’s older brother’s success is a lie, Aimes is determined to prove them wrong and show that pure-blooded humans are the equal of anyone with mixed blood.
But things get worse after Aimes is caught in a faerie ring and transported to the fae hollow of Lord Keanewyeth Ordorial. As the attraction heats up, it becomes obvious that there’s something wrong in the magical home. A cursed creature appears, and everything becomes jumbled as the secrets of their lives collide into a painful concoction of Aimes’s past and Keanewyeth’s present. But if they can meld their talents, they might be able to save each.
Special Excerpt
Step and hop on cloudy night,
Out again afore moon’s soft light.
Else a price that must be paid;
The lord’s commands are all obeyed.
A molasses pause filled the room, thick and oozing. It was a silence that spoke of the dark curse: Double. Dog. Dare.
Aimes held his breath, eyes focused firmly on Aleksi’s grim and angry face. He knew better than to push the teacher’s pet. He knew better than to open his big, stupid mouth and do the one thing his older brother had warned him against doing ever. You could never be too careful when you were too human. Those with fae blood would always come down harder on those without, so the Cullys had to be better. Be smarter, braver, and more creative. That’s why Markl had kept trying until he was accepted at the palace. That was why Aimes had to make it to the palace, too.
“If you’re such a know-all-fae,” Aleksi announced with all of the dramatic flare of a ringmaster about to bring out the dancing flame wraiths, “then you can just go get some fairy mushrooms tonight. And then you can make your ‘oh, so famous’—” Aleksi punctuated the words with air quotations so sarcastic that a few of their fellows grimaced at the taste of them. “—Faerie mushrooms for Madame LeBanch tomorrow.”
Aimes took in a swift, tremulous breath. He could still get out of this. All he had to do was cut in with a scathing remark now, something that would cut Aleksi’s legs right out from under him, before he had a chance to invoke….
“I double-dog dare you.”
The curse settled over the class like a blanket. Aleksi’s cronies tittered in delight while his rivals watched in disgusted shock. It was a waste of a curse, especially on a nonentity like Aimes. Humans didn’t have the innate magic to effectively challenge a curse, and especially not one as complex as a named dare. Aimes wouldn’t be able to turn the curse back on Aleksi because fae blood always trumped human blood. The reminder of his ineptitude stung.
Aimes clenched his fists, and his pale chin came up sharply. “All right,” he said, trying to pretend that this high-pitched thing was the normal sound of his voice. “I accept.”
About the Author
Sera Kane has loved the written word for essentially forever, in this particular case, somewhere in the range of thirty years or so. She writes to share the fantastical things that go on in her mind on a daily basis. Her secret-but-not-so-secret desire is to write pieces that are impossible to put down. And, also, to kill off a beloved character. She has not succeeded at either of these things, but be warned that she wants to!
She currently lives in southern California, but she’s been quite a few places in her day! Her favourites include Washington– the state, not DC– Texas, and Japan. Her house is filled by an exceedingly tall husband, a very swift son, a derpy German Shepherd, and a grumpy yet loving Shih-Tzu. If she ever won the lottery, she’d have houses in all three of those places and breed Shepherds in at least one of them.
Sera Kane’s Social Media:
- Website: http://serakane.com
- Blog: http://serakane.com/writes
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/worldsofserakane
- Twitter: @serakaneworlds
A BJ Review: Withered + Sere (Immemorial Year #1) by T.J. Klune
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Once upon a time, humanity could no longer contain the rage that swelled within, and the world ended in a wave of fire.
One hundred years later, in the wasteland formerly known as America, a broken man who goes only by the name of Cavalo survives. Purposefully cutting himself off from what remains of civilization, Cavalo resides in the crumbling ruins of the Northern Idaho Correctional Institution. A mutt called Bad Dog and a robot on the verge of insanity comprise his only companions. Cavalo himself is deteriorating, his memories rising like ghosts and haunting the prison cells.
It’s not until he makes the dangerous choice of crossing into the irradiated Deadlands that Cavalo comes into contact with a mute psychopath, one who belongs to the murderous group of people known as the Dead Rabbits. Taking the man prisoner, Cavalo is forced not only to face the horrors of his past, but the ramifications of the choices made for his stark present. And it is in the prisoner that he will find a possible future where redemption is but a glimmer that darkly shines.
The world has died. This is the story of its remains.
Like some DSP stories, this is not actually a romance and there is also no sex. It’s very dark, I knew that going in, violence, death and cannibalism in a barren, brutal wasteland with no laws. But none of those things bothered me in the least. Yet this story was hard for me in some ways, so should say those bits up front.
The beginning didn’t draw me in immediately. If I hadn’t been reading it for review, I’m not sure if I would have continued on because I was just really confused by it. The POV starts out omniscient but moves to being from Cavalo’s third person POV that starts out feeling distant (calling him the man and seeming outside of him) before slipping in closer and more into his head. There are still times later in the book when it almost seemed to slip back towards omniscient. I was actually about 20% in before I started feeling involved with the story.
Another thing that was hard for me is that there are quite a large number of scenes that are sort of dream or flashback or hallucination sequences that move around in time and place. In addition to bringing in backstory, these work to show how messed up the MC’s mind is—an insanity of a sort like when so much has happened that one cannot hold onto their mind. But there were quite a lot of them, some lengthy and involved, and it tended to pull me from the story.
For me, this book read like a nightmare… one where dark, scary, awful things happen but they just don’t fully make sense and then I wake up and still can’t put it all together and am left unsettled, confused, and shaking my head. That was how I felt at the end of this story. Perhaps some small part of this has to do with the cliffhanger ending but also to be perfectly honest, must admit that sometimes I felt lost.
Those things being said, this book has some fascinating post-apocalyptic world-building going on! While I didn’t feel a strong connection with the main characters, I did find both Bad Dog and the robot SIRS interesting and compelling. In fact, I think my favorite chapter of the book was “the ballad of bad dog.” When I read that title, I was so hesitant to read on as I know ballads are often tragic. But it actually not only tells the story of how Bad Dog came to Cavelo, but contains the most tender scene of the whole story.
It was my first read from this author, so I had no idea what to expect and tend to think after having read some blurbs and reviews from other stories, that it’s not representative of his work in general but rather a branching out into new areas.
The cover by Paul Richmond just absolutely creeps me out (and not in a good way)… luckily I had not seen it prior to requesting the story or might have had second thoughts. I’m not sure how exactly it relates to the story other than giving an impression of its awful, bleak world.
Overall, cover and story alike leave me with the feeling like awaking from a disjointed and unsettling nightmare. A nightmare that I will be compelled to revisit when book two comes out.
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 280 pages
Published April 19th 2016 by DSP Publications
Original TitleWithered + Sere
ISBN 1634765575 (ISBN13: 9781634765572)
Edition LanguageEnglish
In the Spotlight: Book, Line, and Sinker by L.J. LaBarthe
Book, Line, and Sinker by L.J. LaBarthe
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art by Reese Dante
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook and Paperback
Blurb
After seventeen years serving in the Australian Army, Ash returns to his childhood home in the outback town of Quorn. Filled with the desire to live a happy life in peace and with loved ones, Ash is grimly determined to beat his PTSD and tackle his flashbacks.
What Ash isn’t prepared for is Jaxon, the new librarian in Quorn. Jaxon is calm, gentle, kind, and a rock for Ash’s battered psyche. Ash finds himself falling for the handsome newcomer, even as his mind and memories of the past torment him.
When he has the idea for a mobile library to bring books and entertainment to remote communities in the far north, Ash is delighted that Jaxon is with him every step of the way. But though the library, called Book, Line, and Sinker, takes off, Ash’s past continues to plague him. Can Jaxon’s love be enough to keep them together until Ash is strong enough to stand on his own?
Excerpt
“I’ll have a look.” Ash dropped down into a squat and leaned forward to read the spines of the books on the bottom shelves. There were several rows of children’s books, and he started pulling titles out, making a neat stack beside him. Before long, he had gathered quite a collection, and he stood up, grunting as his knees protested
from being in one position for so long.
“Not a bad haul,” Jaxon said, looking at the stack. “Need some help carrying it over to the register?”
“Yeah, thanks. Did you find anything?”
“A few things. I took my armload over to the counter already.”
“That was quick.” Ash grinned.
“Just call me Book Man, swifter than… something really swift.”
Ash laughed. “Righto, Book Man. Want to give me a hand here?”
Jaxon bent down to grab half the stack and stood, huffing out a breath. “They’re heavier than they look.”
“I know.” Ash grabbed the rest of the pile and stood.
“Where’s Evie?”
“Looking at toys. She thought a toy library would be a good thing to have as well, not just books and games.”
“She’s a bloody genius.” Ash followed Jaxon as he went to the counter, where a large cardboard box sat. An elderly woman was carefully packing it with paperbacks and a few hard covers, and Ash and Jaxon set their armloads of books down beside it.
“That’s a lot of books, boys,” the lady said with a warm smile on her face.
“Reading is awesome,” Jaxon said.
“I found some toys and games as well,” Evie said as she joined them. “No DVDs, though.”
“Sorry, love, a gentleman cleaned out our DVD stock last week,” the lady said.
“Oh well. Can’t win ’em all, right?” Evie grinned up at her brother and Ash grinned back. “Shall I go get the car? This lot’s going to be really heavy.”
“That’s a great idea.” Ash pulled the keys out of the pocket of his jeans and handed them to her. “Here. Go for it.”
“What about…?”
“I’ll pay for it. It’s all good.” Ash made a little shooing motion with his hands. Evie rolled her eyes at him.
“I’m going.”
About the Author
L.J. LaBarthe is a French-Australian woman, who was born during the Witching Hour, just after midnight. From this auspicious beginning, she went on to write a prize-winning short story about Humpty Dumpty wearing an Aussie hat complete with corks dangling from it when she was six years old. From there, she wrote for her high school yearbook, her university newspaper, and, from her early teens to her twenties, produced a fanzine about the local punk rock music scene. She loves music of all kinds and was once a classical pianist; she loves languages and speaks French and English and a teeny-tiny smattering of Mandarin Chinese, which she hopes to relearn properly very soon. She enjoys TV, film, travel, cooking, eating out, abandoned places, urbex, history, and researching.
L.J. loves to read complicated plots and hopes to do complex plot lines justice in her own writing. She writes paranormal, historical, urban fantasy, and contemporary Australian stories, usually m/m romance and featuring m/m erotica. She has won a Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention and another award for Best Historical Gay Novel.
L.J. lives in the city of Adelaide, and is owned by her cat.
You can find her at the following places:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lj.labarthe.9
- Twitter: @brbsiberia
- Web: http://www.ljlabarthe.com/
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ljstar239/
