Charity Release Spotlight: Bailey Bradford’s ‘Destined Prey (fundraiser, excerpt,giveaway)

Wild Ones 1 - Destined Prey - 400x600

Destined Prey (Wild Ones #1) by Bailey Bradford

Thank you for joining us! This book was written as a fundraiser for Peyton Hollingsworth, a family friend of Bailey’s who has been diagnosed with cancer.

*All proceeds and royalties from this book will be donated to help pay the medical bills for Peyton Hollingsworth. While he is currently being treated at St. Jude’s for Ewing’s Sarcoma, and treatment there is free, there are accumulated bills from his treatment and diagnosis before being sent to St. Jude’s.

About Peyton:

Peyton is a funny, loving, 11-year old boy who loves playing outside, riding go-carts, and Batman. In April, we found out he had cancer. Peyton has asthma, and often had to have nebulizer treatments, so when he was having trouble breathing, his doctor thought it was asthma. But nothing worked to ease his breathing, and the doctor sent Peyton to the hospital for a suspected collapsed lung.

From one day to the next, it went from us thinking he had a severe bout of asthma to finding out that he had a tumor pressing his lung up until it was almost completely obscured, and he couldn’t get much, if any, air into it.

Peyton was sent to St. Jude’s and diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. The mass was attached to one rib, and was spreading. He has undergone radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy, several transfusions and MRI’s, numerous tests and received numerous shots. It’s been a rough, rough time for the Hollingsworth family, and we are hoping to help them out.

While St. Jude’s doesn’t charge for treatment, the Hollingsworth family has accumulated medical bills from Peyton’s doctor and hospitalization before he was sent to St. Jude’s. Cherri, his mother, has been unable to work during this time, and the financial constraints are something they could really use help overcoming.

We are currently awaiting another MRI to be scheduled and done to see if all the cancer has been eradicated. We are hopeful and have faith that Peyton will be in remission and the cancer will not have spread or reoccur.

I will keep updating this as we get more information. We should know more within a few days, but I wanted to go ahead and get a jump start on this, so that we can help his family financially, so this will be one less thing that they have to stress about.

If you’d like to help, a Go Fund Me campaign has been set up: https://www.gofundme.com/okwdr0

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and donations.

Wild Ones 1 - Destined Prey - 400x600

Destined Prey (Wild Ones #1) by Bailey Bradford
Release Date: December 18, 2015
(available for early download on December 14 from Rainbow Ninja Press).
Goodreads Link

Hi Bailey, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Give us a to-do list for one of your characters.

Ben is a coywolf shifter. He is also a mechanic. One a typical day, he’d get up, shower, have breakfast while bickering with his siblings, then he’d go to work. Business has been slower than he’d like, but it’s not too bad. Getting his hands greasy and taking an engine apart is his idea of a good time at work.

Ben’s to-do list:

  • Survive breakfast and don’t give in to the impulse to smack a sib.
  • Order the parts for the old Mustang I’m restoring.
  • Finish the oil changes and tire rotations scheduled, then have fun with the ‘Tang.
  • Stop by the grocers, glare at Gregg. He is not getting my man. Pick up a double chocolate cake from the bakery there for Jack, and his favorite ice cream.
  • Go home and fight off the siblings trying to eat Jack’s cake and ice cream.
  • Shower at Jack’s instead.
  • This one is rated x. Sorry, folks.

 

Blurb

Wild Ones book 1

Destined Prey

All Jack Tucker wanted was to come home for a little while and try to figure out where his life had gone wrong. Moving from Wyoming to New York hadn’t turned out the way he’d thought it would, and a bad breakup leaves him bruised in more than just the emotional sense.

He doesn’t expect to be glad he’s back on the Double T Ranch with his brother, Rhett, and he sure doesn’t expect to find the place crawling with coywolves, wolves, and coyotes. There seems to be some kind of animal-warfare going on, and he and Rhett are caught in the middle of it.

Coywolves—the hybrid of wolves and coyotes, hated by both, and more predatory than either. Add in the fact that all the battling species are shifters, and there’s bound to be trouble.

Ben Akers is part of his brother’s pack. The only coywolf shifters in existence, they find themselves under constant attack from wolf and coyote packs determined to make the Akers pack extinct. But coywolves don’t die out so easy, and when Ben’s life takes a surprising turn in the form of one sexy human named Jack Tucker, they’re both in for surprises, danger, and, if Destiny rules, an abiding love that most people—and shifters—only dream of.

Pages or Words: 43,000 words
Categories: Erotica, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Paranormal, with a dash of Western/Cowboy.

 

Excerpt:

Jack Tucker watched his brother retrieve the rifle from the gun cabinet in the office. “Um. Rhett? What’re you doing?”

Rhett didn’t even glance back at him as he loaded the gun. “What does it look like I’m doing? You been living in the city so long you forgot how a Wyoming rancher lives?” Then he did look over his shoulder at Jack, and Jack kind of wished he hadn’t.

He hated seeing that judgment in his brother’s eyes, and knowing he’d never be good enough for Rhett, never be the man his brother was. “No,” Jack mumbled, “I didn’t forget.”

Rhett sighed and turned until he faced Jack. “Look, that was uncalled for. I’m… I’m sorry, okay?”

Jack was so startled by the apology that he gulped and couldn’t think of a word to say.

Rhett grimaced. “Yeah. Well, okay. Gotta check on some tracks Eddie said he found leading from his property to ours. I’ll be back in a few hours.” He left, striding from the room without seeming to hesitate.

Jack groaned and closed his eyes. Of course Rhett didn’t hesitate—he never had. Rhett always knew what to do, and how to do it, and who he was, and that he was right… Except, he apologized to me, and it screwed my head right up.

“Worse than it already is,” he muttered. Jack couldn’t stop himself from touching his left side, where his bruised ribs throbbed as the pain meds wore off. He was lucky, very lucky, that Rhett hadn’t pushed him on the accident that had sent Jack running home from New York, and possibly into the unemployment line. His boss hadn’t been happy with Jack taking off, even with a medical note as an excuse. Jack hadn’t told Rhett much about any of that. As far as Rhett knew, Jack had fallen down some icy steps, and that was all he was going to ever know about the incident.

Jack replayed his brother’s apology in his head and somehow it mingled in with Alex’s. Cold fear trickled down Jack’s spine and his gut cramped hard enough to make him worry about the dinner he’d just eaten.

After several minutes of trying to calm himself down, Jack stood and left. He’d wanted to sit and talk with Rhett about finances and try to decide if he should offer to let Rhett buy him out. Jack wasn’t made to be a rancher. He wasn’t made to be a New Yorker, either.

Jack didn’t know what he was supposed to do in life, and at the age of twenty-seven, he kind of thought he should have an inkling.

His cell phone was ringing when he stepped into his bedroom. Without looking, he knew it was Alex calling. “Who else would it be?” he huffed. It wasn’t like he had any friends left.

Rather than check to see how many times Alex had called and how many texts he’d sent, Jack turned the phone off, then stuck it in the nightstand. He eased himself onto the bed, then took a couple of prescription pain meds and washed them down with the rest of the water he’d brought in earlier.

The glass was old and familiar, and he felt a pang of regret as he looked it over after he set it down. Green glass, nothing special about it, yet he remembered so much as he stared.

He could see his mom in the kitchen, fixing a pitcher of tea, talking to him, and listening as he told her about his day at school or the chores he’d had to do around the ranch. She’d always been so kind and understanding, Jack had to believe she’d have been okay with him being gay. He’d spent many afternoons in the kitchen, helping her prepare meals or just basking in her presence. Losing her had almost broken him.

For a few more minutes, he let his mind go back to happy childhood days. His dad wasn’t in nearly as many of those good memories, but Chauncey Tucker hadn’t been a bad man. His dad had been more like Rhett—stoic, focused on the ranch and less on the people around him.

Jack ran one finger around the rim of the glass. He was surprised, really, that there were any of the old things left.

The sound of gunshot startled him so badly he jerked and nearly sent the glass flying.

“Shit!” He winced as he pushed it back, then stood as quickly as he could manage.

Another shot rang out, then a third, and fear quickly overtook every other sensation he’d felt until then.

Rhett had always been an ace shot. If he’d had to use three bullets, then there was something bad outside—a bear or a whole pack of wolves.

Jack didn’t like guns, but he went and got one from the gun cabinet anyway. He loaded it as he walked to the front door, and hoped like hell Rhett wasn’t hurt.

As soon as he stepped outside, the fine hairs at his nape seemed to stand up and vibrate, like some kind of primitive survival instinct warning alert system. Jack froze, his back to the door as his heart slammed hard against his ribs.

Another shot sounded, and it jolted Jack into action. “Rhett! Rhett!” He rushed down the steps and toward the direction the shots had come from. “Rhett! Are you okay?”

When Rhett didn’t immediately answer, Jack ran, careless with the gun, aware of that but unable to make himself do anything other than find his brother as soon as possible.

“Rhett!” He stumbled over something on the ground and almost fell before he managed to flail enough to keep himself upright.

Pain tore down his injured side, but he ignored it as he called out for his brother yet again. He cursed himself for not thinking to grab a flashlight. The sky was overcast and there was no moonlight to assist him in his search, and once he was past the barns there was no light coming from the house or other structures, either.

Jack realized that the cattle in the closest field were making enough noise to drown out his voice or Rhett’s, making it impossible for them to hear each other.

The sounds of the gunshots must have scared the cattle. Jack worried about a stampede, but he’d never seen any of the critters take out a fence, so he dismissed the idea.

“Rhett!” His throat burned as he hollered again.

Lightning streaked across the sky, blinding Jack for a moment, then thunder followed and he couldn’t contain his startled yelp as his ears rang from the sound.

Or his shriek when six pairs of glowing yellow eyes appeared between him and the fence line.

“Shit!” Jack skidded to a halt and hoped he could steady his hands, and force himself to do what he had to do.

 

Buy the book:

Destined Prey available Monday 14th December:  Rainbow Ninja Press

Destined Prey available Friday 18th December:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Smashwords

 

Meet the Author

A few things about me…

I am a married mom of four who spends most of the day writing, either on stories or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick and irritate me.

And it’s really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I’ll just let y’all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there’s something specific you’d like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio.

Where to find the author:

 

BannerTemplate


Tour Dates & Stops:

14-Dec: Decadent Delights, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, BFD Book Blog, Hearts on Fire, Mikky’s World of Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Unquietly Me

15-Dec

Open Skye Book Reviews, Nephy Hart, MM Good Book Reviews, I Read Selfies, Havan Fellows

16-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Carly’s Book Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Love Bytes, Divine Magazine, Wake Up Your Wild Side, A.M. Leibowitz

17-Dec

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Happily Ever Chapter, 3 Chicks After Dark, QUEERcentric Books, My Fiction Nook, The Hat Party

18-Dec: Jessie G. Books, Bayou Book Junkie, The Novel Approach, Inked Rainbow Reads, Kimi-Chan, Molly Lolly, Book Lovers 4Ever

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Destined Prey’ by Bailey Bradford.  Must be 18  years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

A Mika Review: The Bruise-Black Sky (More Heat Than the Sun #5) by John Wiltshire

Rating:  4 star out of 5 stars 

The Bruise Black Sky coverBen usually overlooks Nikolas’s occasionally jarring dissonance. Not this time. A deep rift, a terrible lie, separates them. Eleven thousand miles from Nikolas, in New Zealand, it’s bitter winter as Ben films the tragic story of a post-apocalyptic gladiator, a victim of his own personal darkness. But on receiving a death threat, Ben suspects the truth of actor Oliver Whitestone’s suicide. Someone doesn’t want this movie made. It’s fortunate for Ben, therefore, that dissonance is a state of unrest, a longing for completion. As if Nikolas would stay at home in disgrace while Ben Rider-Mikkelsen becomes the target of a crazed stalker

Talk about secrets! Wow! Everyone is keeping a secret in this book. I thought this was one of the funniest books out the series. Nik was hilarious. Nik who obviously doesn’t think he is good with kids is sadly mistaken. This kid Miles astounded me. Him and Nik was so good together. In my hopeless mind I was picturing Nik with a son. HAH, I have this warm gooey feeling about him doing well. I hope I see Miles in future books. He was adorably cute. This picks up a year or two later from the last book. As usual something drastic happens for Nik to go back to Aleskey Special Forces Nik! Ha, I said it. He went full metal jacket. Ben who has his memories back is back to being Ben kind of. I felt like it was something off with him. I get it now reading the book. As usual they have their couple spats, and one does this wrong, and the other go pouts. This book, they were not playing around with each other. I mean, some indifferences had my heart beating wondering, if this was it. Could Nik do anything ever so awful that Ben would leave him? It’s a couple things in this book, that’s awful, but I find myself always forgiving Nik. I’m a complete tosser for Nik!

Nik and Ben in AMERICA! It was funny from their view point. Nik loves Ben with everything he has, and I think like every other book so far he shows it. He might not have the words, but his actions speak extremely louder than anything else. Of course we got to see Emilia, and her grandmother, as well as a few other familiar faces. I enjoyed them. I liked the plot as well. I really liked when Nik met with the police lady, it was family because they were both being stoic to each other. It was parts that was slow to me, and other parts I was intrigued by. I will continue reading this series because I love them. The shocking revelations in the book had me like WTF. That last 25% was the best ever! I can’t wait until the next book is out.

Cover Art by Deana Jamroz.  Now that I’ve had time to read it, I understand the cover. I don’t like it or dislike it really. It’s okay and continues with the type of cover of the previous books.

Sales Links:  MLR Press |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 294 pages
Published March 19th 2015 by ManLove Romance Press

A MelanieM Advent Story Review: Mission Mistletoe By Jessica Payseur

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Mission Mistletoe coverCaptain Archer Pfeil’s current assignment has been nothing but one long string of disasters. As if being dumped right before Christmas wasn’t enough, the mounting misfortunes indicate he’ll be out of a job by the end of his mission.

But it’s difficult to salvage the assignment with Ambassador Ilin a’dlen Jhex around, pushing all Archer’s buttons. He struggles to keep his distance from the out-of-bounds ambassador, but Jhex has other plans in mind….

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package “Sleigh Ride”

I always like to see what the unusual holiday short story has to offer so Jessica Payseur’s Mission Mistletoe seemed to fit the bill.  But unfortunately I think the author was trying a little too hard and crammed her story full of too many elements that took away from the holiday cheer and overloaded it with cumbersome world building that didn’t always make sense or feel necessary in a Christmas short.

Poor Captain Archer Pfeil.  His mission seems doomed with everything going wrong, from fuel to food source.  On board is an important ambassador who is evaluating the humans now pushing into their territory in the galaxy.  Payseur tells us that Ambassador Ilin a’dlen Jhex looks similar to a bat (ears, fur) but dresses like someone out of 1001 Arabian Tales. He has an unusual type of society with multiple sex partners plus he likes to sculpt. So many holes in this character..we get too much or not enough depending on the information. There is no real logic to the buildup of the species of the ambassador which is part of the problem if you want the reader to feel a connection to him.

If you look closer at the world building, more questions appear.  Why would a crew who loves its captain lie to him for a alien they don’t know anything about? Think about the trust that breaks. Under that shaky surface just lies more questions.  The characters and circumstances just don’t produce any heat, or substantial logistical groundwork needed for the reader to engage their feelings about the characters or relationship.  Thank goodness, Payseur doesn’t go for any instant love here, that would have been disastrous.

As it is, if you aren’t a scifi fan, if you don’t look too deeply or ask any questions of the world building, then this is a sort of pleasant little space romance.

Cover art by Bree Archer is nice but a little jarring, doesn’t come together as a composition, exactly like the story itself.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 49 pages
Published November 30th 2015
ASINB018RRVVH8
edition languageEnglish
seriesSleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calenda

 

A MelanieM Review: Red Dirt Christmas (Red Dirt, #3.5) by N.R. Walker

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

ReddirtheartChristmas1500Travis had been here at Sutton Station for just over a year. We were technically engaged, not that we’d told anyone. He was happy just knowin’ I’d said yes, and I had some head-clearin’ stuff to work through. Knowing I was good enough for Trav was one thing, but knowing if I was good enough to be a husband and father was somethin’ else entirely.

Life at Sutton Station had never been better. Business was strong, Trudy and Bacon’s little baby, Gracie, was a few weeks old now and as cute as a button, Ma’s health was good, and my relationship with Laura and Sam was in a pretty good place. And Travis? Well, life with him was still all kinds of perfect.

But, to Travis’s dismay, Christmas at the Station was just another day. Another day of getting up before the sun, feeding animals, fixin’ what needed fixin’, and checking water troughs all while tryin’ to keep out of the blistering heat.

And this year weren’t much different. Only that it was Travis’s first Sutton Station Christmas. The fact we didn’t go all out with decorations and celebrations baffled him, and if I was bein’ truthful, it disappointed him too.

Which was why I had to make it a special kind of Christmas…

When I first starting reading the Red Dirt Heart series by N.R. Walker, it didn’t take long before I was deeply and permanently in love with every part of Sutton Station, the men, the way of life, even the wildlife from the deadly to the adorable (see one particular wombat).  And at book four, I felt so much a part of their lives that it was painful to see it end, albeit happily and with satisfaction.

So imagine my surprise and delight when I heard that N.R. Walker had returned to red dirt country and the Sutton Station to bring us Red Dirt Christmas.  Yes, I was overjoyed.  Charlie and Travis were coming back for Christmas.  Was it the Christmas present I hoped for?

Well, if it wasn’t it was close.  Red Dirt Christmas takes place before the fourth book, so quite a few events haven’t occurred.  But in many respects we get the best of the story threads.  Charlie’s mother and brother are here. along with Ma and George, Trudy, Bacon and little Gracie and a certain wombat I never get enough of.  Charlie and Travis, one of my favorite couples, are as close as ever  even as Travis is fighting a case of the Christmas blues and homesickness.  It seems that Charlie and Sutton Station don’t really celebrate Christmas and Travis is missing the way his family decorates with all the American trimmings.

To say any more would tempt me to head into spoiler territory.  But what follows is tender, full of laughter and family, and of course, love.  N. R. Walker doesn’t forget to leave out the dangers of living in such a extreme climate and geographical location.  There is an encounter with one of the area’s venomous wildlife as well as one more element to be aware of during their “winter” season, one so costly it was a little scary there for a while for a main character.  All these threads flowing  beautifully through a story I never wanted to end.

Red Dirt Christmas is full of  scenes real, vivid and heartfelt, the people inside were back to feeling like old friends revisited, even when Charlie and Travis where feeling frisky and hot,  it was sexy, warm and loving.  I hope we can talk N.R. Walker back  into these short stories, small glimpses into the Sutton Station from time to time so we can check in on everyone.  There’s Australia Day, Roundup,  Give A Wombat a Hug day…I don’t care.  Any excuse will do.  N.R. Walker, are you listening?  This was wonderful, now can we please have some more?

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Red Dirt Heart series, what a treat is in store for you.  I have listed them all at the bottom.  I highly recommend them all as must reads for readers of M/M romance.  Like the red dirt of the Northern Territory, this Station and this couple will get into your heart and never let go.

Happy Reading.

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Must Read Series any time of the year:

Red Dirt Heart Series:

Sales Links: |All Romance eBooks | Smashwords |  Amazon | Buy It Here

Travel Back Down Under for N.R. Walker’s Red Dirt Christmas (special excerpt)

ReddirtheartChristmas1500

Red Dirt Christmas by N.R. Walker
Publication date: 11 December 2015

Buy links: Amazon |All Romance eBooks | Smashwords

Blurb

Travis had been here for just over a year. We were technically engaged, not that we’d told anyone. He was happy just knowin’ I’d said yes, and I had some head-clearin’ stuff to work through. Knowing I was good enough for Trav was one thing, but knowing if I was good enough to be a husband and father was somethin’ else entirely.

Life at Sutton Station had never been better. Business was strong, Trudy and Bacon’s little baby, Gracie, was a few weeks old now and as cute as a button, Ma’s health was good, and my relationship with Laura and Sam was in a pretty good place. And Travis? Well, life with him was still all kinds of perfect.

But, to Travis’s dismay, Christmas at the Station was just another day. Another day of getting up before the sun, feeding animals, fixin’ what needed fixin’, and checking water troughs all while tryin’ to keep out of the blistering heat.

And this year weren’t much different. Only that it was Travis’s first Sutton Station Christmas. The fact we didn’t go all out with decorations and celebrations baffled him, and if I was bein’ truthful, it disappointed him too.

Which was why I had to make it a special kind of Christmas…

N.R. Walker’s Bio:

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things…but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

N.R. Walker’s Internet Links:

Email: nrwalker2103@gmail.com |Facebook timeline |Facebook Page

Twitter: @NR_Walker

Unique Excerpt for NR Walker’s ‘Red Dirt Christmas’

I undid his jeans and pulled them down his thighs. It was always a pretty clear indication on Travis’s well-bein’ when there were no sex jokes, especially when I was kneelin’ in front of him trying to get his jeans off. I ran the shower with the cold only, which was lukewarm at best. The thing about livin’ in the desert and livin’ off rainwater was that the rain-tanks sat on the baking ground like everything else.

“Remind me when you’re feelin’ better about looking into puttin’ tanks underground,” I mumbled, helping him into the already-too-small shower.

“Huh?” He looked confused.

“Later,” I told him. “Just put your head under the water. Do you feel sore or itchy anywhere?”

He took a second to answer. “Nope. I didn’t get bitten by anything, Charlie. I just feel sick. And hot. Really hot.”

“You have heatstroke, Trav,” I reminded him. “It can cook your brain if you’re not careful.”

He leaned forward and rested his forehead on his arms on the shower wall, and I stood outside the shower but quickly ran the soap over his back and shoulders. I figured cleanin’ off the dust before he got into bed would be a good idea. The red dust swirled around his feet and I scrubbed down his legs as well.

“Well, I ain’t near dead enough to know that I like your hands on me in the shower,” he mumbled.

I snorted out a laugh. “You must be feeling a bit better.” Then I asked, “How much water have you drank today?”

He seemed to think for a while. “Dunno. A bit. Two water bottles, I think.”

“Open your mouth, drink the water,” I instructed. “Small mouthfuls.”

He did that for a while and then I shut the water off and towelled him down before tying it around his waist. “Come on, into bed.”

“I feel a bit better.”

“Don’t argue with me on this, Trav. Into bed. Please.”

He hardly argued. With no more than a miserable pout, he took himself, slow and steady, to our room and sat on the bed. I switched on the ceiling fan and made him lie down, and Ma came in with a pedestal fan and the bag of ice, and when he was sufficiently fussed over, he closed his eyes and dozed. I sat beside him, movin’ the ice pack around and wipin’ him down with a wet cloth.

There weren’t nothin’ worse than watching the person you love bein’ so sick.

“Remember when I busted my knee?” he asked. His eyes were still closed. “You sat there like that.”

“I thought you were asleep.”

“Just resting.”

Christmas backgrounds. Christmas decor on the white wooden background.

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Must Read Series any time of the year:

Red Dirt Heart Series:

Red dirt Heart CoverRed Dirt Heart 2Red Dirt Heart3Red Dirt Heart 4 cover

Is Love a Crime? Check Out Rob Rosen’s ‘The Love Triangle Gone Wrong‘ for the Answer (excerpt/giveaway

thelovetiranglegonewrong1400

The Love Triangle Gone Wrong by Rob Rosen
Release Date: December 16, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Blurb

Five actors, one play, a murder, and a security guard who seeks the truth, not to mention love, all set the stage for this hilarious tale of mystery and intrigue in small town America. You’ll never guess what, or who, is going to come next!

 

Pages or Words: 10,100 words
Categories: Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Mystery, Romance

Excerpt:

I turned to glance at the audience, saw that everyone was suddenly and surprisingly alert and then quickly whipped my head back around to see all the actors in the play each pointing a gun at someone else in the play. It was an interesting plot twist given that the first act was more comedy—intentional or not—rather than murder mystery.

Then, BOOM, a gun went off on stage.

I jumped. The theater jumped in unison. Several people sucked in their breaths. I hoped no one was about to choke on a lozenge because mouth-to-mouth on the elderly is never fun—trust me on that one. The actress ran to one of her lovers. She knelt down by his side. Her eyes went wide. She screamed. I almost applauded. It was the best acting she’d done all day. Then she screamed again. “He’s been shot!”

“Um, duh,” I whispered to myself.

“Someone call the police!” she added.

No one moved, though I heard a few people behind me shift nervously around in their seats. One old guy coughed. I waited for a choking sound. Thankfully, it was just a cough and nothing more. Phew.

The other actors suddenly looked uneasy. I reached for my gun on instinct. Well, I reached for my can of mace actually, which was all I was allowed to legally carry, but it was still a weapon—you now, mostly. I mean, a shot of mace to the eyes can take a man down right quick. I know because I accidentally on purpose shot myself in the face with it once, just to see if mace had an expiration date. Turned out, it doesn’t.

“He’s dead!” shouted the actress hysterically.

The other actors rushed to their downed brethren. Suddenly, they didn’t all seem so, you know, acty. I too rushed the stage, taking the stairs off to the side two at a time. “Nobody move!” I shouted, can of mace held up high.

They all stared up at me and grimaced. The cuckolded husband shouted, “Call the police! He really has been shot!”

Buy the book:  Torquere Books

Banner300x250

Meet the Author

Rob Rosen (www.therobrosen.com), award-winning author of the novels Sparkle: The Queerest Book You’ll Ever Love, Divas Las Vegas, Hot Lava, Southern Fried, Queerwolf, Vamp, Queens of the Apocalypse, Creature Comfort and Fate, and editor of the anthologies Lust in Time, Men of the Manor and Best Gay Erotica 2015 and 2016, has had short stories featured in more than 200 anthologies.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Sassygirl Books, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, The Hat Party, Andrew Q. Gordon, Velvet Panic, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Mikky’s World of Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Divine Magazine, Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘The Love Triangle Gone Wrong’ by Rob Rosen.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

 

WillPride

Coffee Sip and Book Break with DC Juris’ ‘137 Owens Street’ (excerpt and contest)

137owensstreet1400

137 Owens Street by DC Juris
Release Date: December 16, 2015

Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Blurb

Matthew is going insane. How else can he explain remembering things he doesn’t own or trips his wife never took? Not to mention the visions, and the phantom in the café. But when the man in the visions reaches out to him with an explanation, and the phantom from the café tracks him down, things start to make a little more sense.

Morgan is a devout Christian. He believes in God, Heaven, Hell, and the Bible. But his world spins out of control when his husband Matthew disappears and a mysterious man tells a tale outside the realm of reality. How can Morgan put his faith in something so far-fetched? And what will happen to Matthew if he doesn’t?

Previously published by Breathless Press.

 

Pages or Words: 16,400 words
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Religious Theme, Sweet Romance

Excerpt

A burst of white light surrounded him, and he held his hand up against the glare reflecting from his car. His red car. Not the black one he’d gotten into this morning. He’d known something was off when he’d cranked it up, but hadn’t been able to place what. Now he knew—the color wasn’t right. He took a step toward the car, and a pair of arms encircled his waist from behind.

“Come back to me!” a soft, deep voice pleaded against his ear.

Matthew turned as quickly as he could, but the light and the man had vanished. He closed his eyes and leaned back against his once-again-black car, his heart hammering, his throat thick with emotions he didn’t understand. He’d recognized that voice the moment he’d heard it, yet now he couldn’t place it. Now his mind relegated it to the hazy depths of forgotten things, like half-remembered tunes that went like da-da-da-da-da-something…la-la…and nebulous gray snatches of faces from childhood. But in that moment, he’d known, and he’d thrilled in it. The voice had evoked a response from him so intense and swift, like suddenly finding something he’d been missing for years in some random place he’d looked a million times.

He wondered what the speaker had meant. Come back to me. He looked around quickly, cleared his throat, and straightened his clothes. Thankfully, no one else had seen…whatever had just happened. He took a deep breath and headed back into the office. So he was having visions of a different color car and hearing a mysterious voice. That didn’t make him crazy. At least, not if he kept it all to himself.

He went back into the building, to his office, and stopped in the doorway. Where was his Chinese dragon? He distinctly remembered buying a print of a colorful Chinese dragon and hanging it right there on the opposite wall. Right where anyone could see it from the hallway. Or…had he? Matthew walked over to the wall. No picture hanger. No hole. Had he dreamed the piece of art too?

Buy the book:  Torquere Books

Banner300x250

Meet the Author

Romance author, sci-fi fan club Captain, cosplayer, reigning Queen of Monkeyland, and random menace. Yep, we’re talking about DC Juris. She’s a cupcake making, football watching, rubber duck collecting, drag show loving, full of fabulous with a Capital F kinda gal. She’s also an Ordained Minister and an amateur photographer. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband, three dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her favorite chair

watching “Star Trek” and “Supernatural” repeats on Netflix, or surfing the web for porn. Er…research. Surfing the web for research. She may speak softly but she lives and loves loudly. Just ask the neighbors. ::wink::

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, Full Moon Dreaming, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Bayou Book Junkie, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Happily Ever Chapter, Sassygirl Books, Jessie G. Books, Nephy Hart, Velvet Panic, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, The Hat Party, Book Lovers 4Ever, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Kirsty Loves Books, MM Good Book Reviews

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘137 Owens Street’ by DC Juris.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

 

WillPride

In the Spotlight: G.A. Hauser ‘Along Comes a Man‘ (excerpt and giveaway)

Along comes a man xmas use 72

Along Comes a Man by G.A. Hauser
Release Date: December 15, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: The G.A. Hauser Collection, LLC
Cover Artist: Photography by Dennis Dean

Blurb

Forty year old Freddie Oli and his longtime buddy, thirty-five year old, Barron Isaac, worked in the IT business together for years. When their company was bought out, Freddie and Barron decided to alter their career direction, and open their own landscaping business.

The two older men hire an ex-marine, Dirk Jameson, to help out. At twenty-eight, Dirk was eager to work, strong, and not to mention, gorgeous.

Although Freddie and Barron were gay, they never felt any chemistry between them, but their bond of friendship was powerful.

As Dirk begins to flirt with both men, Freddie worries that Dirk will be the demise of a good friendship and a budding business.

A strong partnership is tested as the men are faced with a handsome stud who seems to want it all.

Will this trio have a happy ending? Or will jealousy and doubt creep into their lives?

For Barron and Freddie, things were smooth sailing, until, along comes a man…

 

Pages or Words: Pages: 255, Words: 64,745
Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Ménage/Poly

Excerpt:

Dirk drank his hot coffee, resting a leg on each man, since it was tight for the three of them on the bench seat. He liked the idea of working outdoors, and even though he had a degree in engineering, the thought of being cooped up in an office didn’t appeal.

The two men who interviewed him, however, did appeal to him.

Barron Isaac, a fit, handsome man, who Dirk figured was in his early thirties, had incredible blue eyes. He wasn’t very tall, but his arms were sculpted and he had designer stubble and conservatively cut brown hair. On his initial interview, Dirk had met both men. They’d told him they had been cut loose from an IT company that had been bought out, so immediately Dirk knew they were bright and eager to start their own business.

Since the IT world had become a clutter of winners and losers, landscaping in southern California was a good alternative. And in December, the rains had come, and plants needed tending, and lawns mowing. And in the summer drought, many residents were opting for drought-resistant plants or removing sod for rocks.

Sipping his coffee, Dirk glanced at Freddie Oli as he drove. Dirk imagined Freddie was slightly older than Barron, but was, in Dirk’s opinion, the perfect older man fantasy. He had slightly graying temples, some laugh lines near his eyes when he smiled, and was also fit, and well built. Dirk couldn’t help but see the friendship these two men shared, and even when they teased each other, it was good-natured and fun.

Dirk liked them on sight.

And would love to fuck them. Both.

Neither man wore a wedding ring, no one spoke of wives or children, and up until this morning, Dirk assumed the men lived together. He wasn’t so sure about it now, now that Freddie had told Barron to let Dirk park his motorcycle in the garage. If Barron lived there, wouldn’t he have just done it?

Dirk had thought he had a read on these men when he first met them. Now he wasn’t so sure. It didn’t matter.

He could certainly work for two straight buddies.

Dirk took a look at each man’s crotch, seeing the bulge in their pants.

But it sure would be fun if they were gay.

Dirk relaxed in the bench seat, letting his knees touch each man’s leg, and smiled.

~

Barron felt the heat of Dirk’s leg on his and didn’t move away. He sipped his coffee, thinking about having a hot hunk like Dirk working with them. Maybe it was silly but the minute Dirk Jameson showed up for an interview, Barron and Freddie exchanged looks as if already hiring the handsome man on sight. Sure, they asked him the standard questions, had him fill out forms, did a quick background and credit check, but the man wasn’t a liar. Everything he had told them was true.

Fresh out of the military, marine-tough, and fucking damn handsome. Sure, it was immature for him and Freddie to hire Dirk for his appearance and power, but hell, why shouldn’t they hire him? Barron was proud to have hired a vet. He just hoped Dirk wouldn’t grow bored. This was mostly grunt work. And just as he and Freddie made the change from office and computers to outdoor and physical labor, Barron hoped doing this kind of work was something Dirk would enjoy.

Freddie parked in front of their first home. At the moment, they had a client list of only residential property. But Barron would love to build their way up to condo complexes, or better yet, hospitals and office buildings.

Freddie adjusted his ball cap and said, “Ready, boys?”

As he did, Barron could see Freddie grab Dirk’s thigh playfully, giving it a squeeze.

Dirk tossed his empty coffee cup on the floor with the other trash and said, “Let’s go.”

Barron opened his door and wondered if Dirk thought it was uncomfortable to have Freddie do that. He tried not to over think it and opened the tailgate of the truck. He hopped on and began lifting up the mower and blower, handing them to the two men standing at the tailgate.

Freddie asked Dirk, “Do you want to mow or blow?”

Barron paused to see Dirk’s reaction to that question, which obviously had a sexual innuendo.

Dirk smiled. “I’ll blow.”

Oh, God. Chills rushed over Barron’s body at the sexy smile Dirk gave Freddie.

Buy the book:

All Romance (Are) | bookstrand | Nook  | smashwords | Kindle

Kobo  |  Amazon paperback

Banner300x250

Meet the Author:

 

Amazon bestselling, award-winning author G.A. Hauser is from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA. She attended university at The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, and has a BA in Fine Art from William Paterson College in Wayne NJ. As well as degrees in art, G.A. is a Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). In 1994 G.A. graduated from the Washington State Police academy as a Peace Officer for the Seattle Police Department in Washington where she worked on the patrol division. She was awarded Officer of the Month in February 2000 for her work with recovering stolen vehicles and fingerprint matches to auto-theft and bank robbery suspects. After working for the Seattle Police, G.A. moved to Hertfordshire, England where she began to write full length gay romance novels. Now a full-time writer, G.A. has penned over 120 novels and short stories. Breaking into independent film, G. A. was the executive producer for her first feature film, CAPITAL GAMES which had its Film Festival Premiere at Philly’s Qfest, and its television premiere on OutTV. G.A. is the director and executive producer for her second film NAKED DRAGON, which is an interracial gay police/FBI drama filmed in Los Angeles with the outstanding cinematographer, Pete Borosh. (also the Cinematographer for Capital Games)

The cover photographs of G.A.’s novels have been selected from talented and prolific photographers such as Dennis Dean, Dan Skinner, Michael Stokes, Tuta Veloso, Hans Withoos, and CJC Photography, as well as graphic comic artist, Arlen Schumer. Her cover designs have featured actors Chris Salvatore, Jeffery Patrick Olson, and model Brian James Bradley, among many others.

G.A. has won awards from All Romance eBooks for Best Author 2009, Best Novel 2008, Mile High, and Best Author 2008, Best Novel 2007, Secrets and Misdemeanors, Best Author 2007.

Where to find the author:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmovies/article/CAPITAL-GAMES-Based-on-Novel-by-GA-Hauser-Coming-to-DVD-211-20140106
http://www.authorgahauser.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Capital-Gregor-Cosgrove-Keough-Presnall/dp/B00GSA3K6C#
http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Dragon-Jesse-Sean-Atkinson/dp/B00PCZF3E6/ref=sr_1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1415463761&sr=1-4&keywords=naked+dragon
https://www.youtube.com/user/GAHauser?feature=mhsn
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005JT3LMQ
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5351837/
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/authorgahauser
https://twitter.com/nakeddragonfeat
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=G.+A.+Hauser
https://www.facebook.com/ga.hauser
https://twitter.com/AuthorGAHauser
https://www.pinterest.com/gahauser/
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bennetpomerantz2/2015/06/06/anything-goes-ga-hauser-1
http://www.authorgahauser.com/about/audio/rainbowRadio.mp3
http://www.authorgahauser.com/about/audio/blogTalkRadio4112015.mp3
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/23760 (Naked Dragon on demand)
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/23846 (Capital Games on demand)
http://gahauser.tumblr.com/
http://www.shop.breakingglasspictures.com/Capital-Games-DVD-QCC387.htm

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, The Hat Party, Open Skye Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Bayou Book Junkie, Mikky’s World of Books, KathyMac Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, Decadent Delights, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Jessie G. Books, Book Lovers 4Ever, 3 Chicks After Dark, Molly Lolly, Velvet Panic, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Inked Rainbow Reads, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Up All Night, Read All Day, Alpha Book Club, Rainbow Gold Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win 5 audiobook copies of ‘The Farmer’s Son’ to her Rafflecopter drawing

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

A Stella Review: Midwinter Night’s Dream (Unwrapping Hank #2) by Eli Easton

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Midwinter Night's DreamMicah is the hippest, most chill guy on campus. But when he gets the hottest kiss of his life from a cute guy during a game of ‘spin the bottle’, Micah’s cool turns into a puddle of anxious goo. Sure, Micah’s always been a little bi-curious, but he never thought he’d pursue a guy, much less a guy who doesn’t seem to be interested in getting caught. 

Leo is passionate about two things: gay rights activism and acting. He stays focused and in control, and he never, ever, dates straight guys. When a chance spin of a bottle at a party has him locking lips with Micah Springfield, president of the Delts, dread-headed, serial-dating, straight Micah, Leo is determined to forget about it, no matter how incendiary the sparks or how gorgeous Micah may be. 

Leo has bigger problems. His senior project is directing Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream just before the Christmas break. When his venue cancels at the last minute, Micah offers the use of his parent’s barn in rural Pennsylvania. Leo’s play may be saved, but what about his heart? Between Micah’s sweet lips, his family’s welcoming arms, and a devious bulldog who is determined to play Puck, Leo may find himself falling under the spell of Christmas magic

I’m a fan of Eli Easton but her Unwrapping Hank series isn’t a winner to me, especially in this second installment called Midwinter Night’s Dream. The title and the amazing cover soon caught my attention, but then it wasn’t what I become to expect from this author. It was a nice reading, light and funny, well written, unfortunately it was nothing more. I found some parts boring too and it didn’t keep me glued to my Kindle at all.

The bigger issue is the fact that I don’t like more than my MCs’ POVs and in this story there are too many of them, Helen’s one, Yas’, Micah’s and Sloane’s, plus the two main ones. It was confusing and dispersive, and it made no sense to me cause I wasn’t interested in the other people’s life. I wanted to know about Leo and Micah. I was almost halfway through the story when I realized I had no clue about the MCs’ lives. I knew nothing about them apart from Leo  passion for the theater. And the fault can be ascribed to this choice of show more than our couple life. It was a bad choice cause Leo and Micah had not the space they deserved, the different POVs took away too much from their story. At the end it felt to me uncompleted.

I’m not saying it isn’t a good book, it simply didn’t work for me and I surely not going to reread it.

The cover art by Reese Dante is amazing. The model is gorgeous and the golden details are fabolous. Well done.

Sales Links:   All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

BOOK DETAILS

Published November 25th 2015 by Pinkerton Road

Kindle Edition, 121 pages

ASIN B0176UHYKK

Edition Language English

Unwrapping Hank series

Unwrapping Hank #1

Midwinter Night’s Dream #2

SALE LINKS

ARE 

AMAZON http://www.amazon.com/Midwinter-Nights-Dream-Eli-Easton-ebook/dp/B0176UHYKK

A Sammy Review: Unbound, Unbroken (In His Arena #2) by Nasia Maksima

Rating: 2.75 rounded up to 3 stars out of 5

Unbound UnbrokenDawn had broken hot over the Empress’s Grand Amphitheatre, and despite cooler winds coming in from the northern countries, the theatre itself held the day’s heat as though it meant to drive its occupants mad with fever. Still, the masses crowded the stands, drawn by fantastical Spectacles, each more gruesome and gory.

Titian is part of a bonded pair, a pair in which he is forced to be the submissive. But submissiveness is not Titian’s nature. Every bone in his body screams for dominance, but each gladiator has a role to play in the Arena, and that is his.

His opposite, Galadros is also one part of a pair. He, the stronger, desires to be dominated. But a gladiator of his stature and with his goals can not afford to bend for anyone.

That is until Alession works his magic to bind them together in an effort to create a tragic puppet show for the beautiful and feared empress. He’s failed once before. If he fails again, he will be met with no mercy.

“Do not regret. Every man makes his choices in the theatre. Some are right; some are wrong. Fewer can be taken back.”

In all honesty, I am slightly irritated with this book. For much of it, I felt like I was reading the first book over again. Situations were tweaked slightly, but the story of Galadros and Titian very much mirrored that of Lucan and Hektor. I was hoping for something different within the same world, as I think most people would with a sequel, but I didn’t get it. This aspect had the biggest impact on the rating, but that’s not to say that there weren’t good parts of the book.

Hidden in the background behind the mirrored story is a bit more of the plot. Alession is again the ultimate villain, but I really enjoyed getting to see him. There’s more to him than meets the page, and I appreciate that. He’s depraved and completely amoral, but I’d expect nothing less of him. I also want to know what is going on with the empress, and for this little hidden plot I will likely continue to read the series.

The author also does a really nice job of describing battle and some of the darker aspects of the story. House Menelaus and the Grotesqueries were incredibly alluring and sickening (though I kept picturing a giant squid for the last one, which didn’t really frighten me). And the sex, for the most part, is pretty hot and heavy, though some of the dirty talk borders on eye roll-worthy for me. I think the author would be benefited from cutting down on some parts of the stories and focusing on the point of the book.

Still, I will read the next book, if only to know more about Alession and the empress.

The cover art by Fiona Jayde Media is fitting for the story and how I’d picture Titian. My own quibble is that I swear the book says that Titian never wore his helm. Hm.

Sales Links:  Loose Id LLC |All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 309 pages
Published April 21st 2015 by Loose Id
ISBN139781623009212
edition languageEnglish

Series: In His Arena