Release Blitz for Redeem (Under My Skin #4) by Christina Lee (excerpt and giveaway)

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Redeem

Under My Skin Series, Book 4

Christina Lee

M/M Romance

Release Date: 02.28.19

Sales

Amazon (KU): https://amzn.to/2Xpi1L2
Universal link: mybook.to/REDEEMLee

Redeem Cover

Cover artist: Kanaxa

BLURB

Successful financial analyst Michael Walsh leads a picture-perfect life that anyone would envy—unless they caught a glimpse beneath the surface. Haunted by failed relationships and self-doubt, Michael harbors a soul-deep loneliness that no number of casual hookups can fulfill. So why can’t he stop thinking about his New Year’s fling with a man whose quiet desperation matches his own?

Barista Stewart Jenkins has an abysmal track record with relationships, and no matter how hard he tries to keep things tightly under wraps, his life is spinning out of control. His hookup with the gorgeous Michael was only supposed to be sex—hot, dirty, and uncomplicated—but that small taste leaves him desperate for more.

Every no-strings encounter that follows between Michael and Stewart peels away more layers, blurring the lines between them, until they’re left with a raw tenderness and acceptance they’re both urgently craving. A relationship absolutely wouldn’t work on paper; they come from drastically different lives and are plagued by inexcusable sins. All that vulnerability is sure to reveal old wounds, and forgiveness seems so far out of reach unless they can find a way around their fears on the road to redemption.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43883032-redeem

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Man comforting his upset boyfriend by kissing him on the head

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EXCERPT

“Ah, hell, that’s good,” I gasped as he stroked upward while simultaneously sucking on my neck. I probably should’ve protested because he was sure to leave a bruise, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. Besides, it would be a marker of this night. Like a sexy brand.

His breaths grew heavier, and his chest rumbled in deep pleasure as he jerked sloppily against me. His hand stayed firm and tight on my cock even as he drew back and shuddered out his release. The sound was so sensual that my orgasm slammed through me at nearly the same time.

“Holy fuck.” My body grew limp as my come spilled over his hand and onto the floor. I shut my eyes and kept my head anchored against the wall as he released his grip and my shaft pulsed in response.

The quiet in the room grew deafening—the only sound our breaths and the muted noises of the crowd outside the door.

“You got a name?” I didn’t know why I said it out loud. It was only a fleeting thought through my mottled brain.

“Why the fuck does it matter?” he replied as the sound of his zipper cut through the echoing silence. “Not like I’ll ever see you again.”

“Dunno.” My cheeks flushed red, so I kept my head buried in my arm. “Maybe when I yank on my cock later, replaying this scene in my head, I can call you something.”

He didn’t respond. I heard him straightening his clothes and then pulling a few paper towels, which he forced into my hand. “Michael,” he mumbled against my ear.

And then he was gone.

Christina Lee Logo

Once upon a time, I lived in New York City and was a wardrobe stylist. I spent my days shopping for photo shoots, getting into cabs, eating amazing food, and drinking coffee at my favorite hangouts.

Now I live in the Midwest with my husband and son—my two favorite guys. I’ve been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher. But it wasn’t until I wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper that I realized I could turn the fairytales inside my head into the reality of writing fiction.

I write Adult, New Adult, and M/M Contemporary Romance. I’m addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. I believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristinaLee

The Swoon Room: https://www.facebook.com/groups/594101567395032/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/authorchristinalee/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Christina_Lee04

Website: www.christinalee.net

Under My Skin Series

Regret: https://amzn.to/2t7F0w9

Reawaken: https://amzn.to/2TBAcuU

Reclaim: https://amzn.to/2WG0TjL

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Love to Listen to Your Books? Check out the Audio Tour for A Dance for You by Colette Davison and Narrator Neil McFarlane

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR

Book Title: A Dance for You

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Colette Davison

Narrator: Neil McFarlane

Release Date: February 5, 2019

Genre/s: Contemporary Gay Romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length:  6 hours 4 minutes

 It’s the second of a pair of ballet-based books, but can be read as a standalone.

Add on Goodreads

 

Tagline

Can David help Mason dance, like he’s never danced before?

Blurb

New job, new city: Mason hopes both will lead to him escaping burnout as a ballet dancer. Not living out of a suitcase anymore is a bonus. His new life gets off to a steamy start when he encounters his new neighbour, David. Things soon become complicated when Mason turns up for his first day at BalletEast, to discover that David is not only his choreographer, but the man who inspired him to take up dancing in the first place.

With two divorces and a string of failed relationships behind him, David has no intention of promising ‘forever’ to anyone. But when he meets Mason, he falls hard and fast for the enigmatic young dancer. As David becomes more serious about Mason, he wants to open his lover’s eyes to the kinks that he enjoys.

Whilst the two men are navigating the early stages of their romance, Mason is facing immense pressures in the rehearsal studios that threaten to dampen his natural enthusiasm for life. Will David’s love and support be enough to help Mason continue to hold his head high and dance like he’s never danced before?

**Contains explicit language and sex scenes, including mild, consensual BDSM**

 

Buy Links (Bounty Links)

Audible US

Audible UK

Audible FR

Audible DE

Amazon US

Amazon UK

 

About the Author

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairy-tale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

 

Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter

Facebook Group: Colette’s Cosy Corner

Bookbub

Goodreads

Instagram: colettedavison

Mailing List

 

 

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR SCHEDULE

 

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Release Blitz for Rapid Response (Hearts & Health #8) by DJ Jamison (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UKExclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Length: 92,000 words approx.
 
Hearts & Health Series
 
Book #1 – Heart Trouble – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – Bedside Manner – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #3 – Urgent Care – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #4 – Room For Recovery – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #5 – Surprise Delivery – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #6 – Orderly Affair – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #7 – Operation Makeover – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb



A confused straight guy and a gay hookup artist walk into a bar …


Firefighter Sean Connolly is straight — until one impulsive night changes everything. He tries to dismiss it as a fluke, but when a fire rescue leads him back to the guy who blew his mind, he’s thrown into a chaos of confusion and want. He gives in to curiosity, exploring a new side to himself — not just his attraction to a man, but his desperate need to please.


Paramedic Jace Gillespie is a hookup pro, never letting anyone get too close. When he meets Sean, though, he feels a connection right away. An ill-advised threesome seems to kill a friendship in the making, but when they’re thrown together by work, it doesn’t take long for passion to reignite. Sean calls to something in Jace he never knew was there, and together, they explore a dynamic that fulfills them both.


But as feelings deepen, doubts surface. Sean is in the closet, and Jace struggles to trust his promise that it won’t last forever. With family conflict and his career in the balance, Sean finds it difficult to picture his life without secrecy, but if he doesn’t find a way, he may lose the one person he most wants to please.


Rapid Response is the longest novel of the Hearts and Health series at approximately 92,000 words! It can be read as a standalone.

 
Excerpt
 

Sean glanced into the mirror, and though he looked like the same guy on the outside — dark hair, dark eyes, unremarkable face — he didn’t recognize the one on the inside. And that was scary.


“I’m sorry,” he scraped out.


“For what? Staring at my mouth, or for hiding from yourself?” Jace asked caustically.


Sean swallowed hard. His traitorous eyes found Jace in the mirror, locking on the mouth in question. Pink, full lips. Jace had been a good kisser. A good … sucker.


“Yeah, just like that,” Jace said.


Sean jerked his gaze to Jace’s eyes, which bored into him, their power not diluted in the slightest by the mirror acting as their go-between. Could Jace see what was inside? If he could…


“Sorry,” Sean whispered. “I didn’t realize I…”


“What, Sean? What didn’t you realize?”


“That I, um. That I…” He couldn’t get the words out.


“That you like my mouth? That you want it on you again? That you—”


Sean spun around. “Shut up.”


“Make me.”


His breath caught. “What?”


“You heard me,” Jace said. “Make me shut up. You know exactly how to do it.”


Sean hesitated, and Jace smirked. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”


Frustrated and frazzled, Sean acted on instinct, doing exactly what Jace had asked. He grabbed the front of Jace’s shirt, spun him around, and shoved him against the counter containing the row of sinks.


Then he kissed him.


Hard.


To make him shut up.


It was the only way to get him to stop talking. Gloating. Jace had practically ordered him to do it, the bastard. And Sean needed to shut up the doubts in his head, too.


He closed his eyes, blocking out all thought, and sank into the feeling of Jace’s perfect, hot mouth on his again.

 

Author Bio


DJ Jamison is the author of more than a dozen m/m romances, including the Ashe Sentinel series and the Hearts and Health series. She writes a variety of queer characters, from gay to bisexual to asexual, with a focus on telling love stories that are more about common ground than lust at first sight. DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family conflicts and, of course, falling in love. DJ spent more than a decade in the newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a lifetime reading before that, and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’ books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, two fish and, regrettably, one snake.


Facebook Author Page | FB group | Mailing list! | Twitter | Goodreads | Book Bub

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An Alisa Review:All He Needs (My Truth #1) by Ann Grech

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

When a former pro-snowboarder finds himself caught between two men who have stolen his heart, it takes heartbreak and a hit of reality for him to start believing love is truly all he needs.

 

I didn’t think it’d turn out this way: my life story in a nutshell. Life, Karma, whatever—it was testing me. Pushing me to the limit of what I could endure and beyond.

 

But in the steaming pile my life had become, I felt it. The spark. Like my soul met its counterparts, or whatever the corny saying was. I didn’t think it was possible. For a closeted guy, falling for not one but two men was never going to be easy, but I couldn’t deny its truth. Mace and Rick were….

 

Then I had to leave. My sister needed me. Having a baby alone was out of the question and I couldn’t wait to be an uncle. But going to stay with her in Florida meant leaving them. New Zealand and the USA couldn’t be further apart.

 

I’m not a saint. I’ve screwed up more times than I can count. But I was trying to redeem myself. Gracie, my niece, needed me to be a better man. If only there was a way I could have both—men to love and a family close by.

 

This is my truth, and this is all I need.

 

This was my first story by this author and I was not disappointed.  Caden is feeling lost after everything with his snowboarding career imploded and after his sister’s death he now feels like the whole world is on his shoulders.  What he needs is some support but he gets so much more and finally his father mentally comes back.

 

Mace has never been with another man but can’t deny his feelings towards Rick and Caden and there is no way he will let Caden push them away.  Rick has to reconcile how he has always felt about relationships but once he does that there is no holding him back.

 

Oh man, I felt for all of these characters.  Caden doesn’t feel he’s good enough and while he doesn’t want to hurt anyone he is struggling to find the right solution to make everything right.  Rick is ready to take them all home with him but it’s hard waiting forall the paperwork to be completed.  Mace can be more level headed and though struggles at the beginning isn’t willing to let either man go.  All of these men complement each other perfectly and there love is clear.  I was glad the Caden’s dad finally came back to earth when his son needed him most though I feel he hurt Caden a lot when he checked out after his mom’s and then more after his sister’s death.  I look forward to reading more stories from this author.

 

I love the cover art by Soxsational Cover Art, it’s such a great picture of Caden and Gracie.

 

Sales Link: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 205 pages

Published: February 9, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-925853-09-4

Edition Language: English

Series: My Truth #1

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An Alisa Review: Temporary Dad (Bad Valentine #4) by Dev Bentham

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

Nick Compton owns a small but mighty fashion magazine. He already has enough on his plate, between work and, well, work. There’s no room for a kid in his life but when his sister drops her seven-year-old daughter for an extended stay, he has to figure it out. Just before his niece arrives, Nick meets a blazing hot firefighter. They get on like a house a fire and the sex—scorching. Too bad the he disappeared in the morning. Like smoke. Now Nick’s stuck with a kid he doesn’t know how to manage and without the man he’d love to get his hands on again.

Dylan Gil wishes like hell he hadn’t taken his roommates advice and lied about who he was. He’s finally met someone he really likes and can’t stop thinking about. But now he’s too embarrassed to confess that he’s just a second-grade teacher, not a manly firefighter. Good thing that work gets distracting, particularly when one of his brightest students goes to stay with her uncle and all hell breaks loose. Some people shouldn’t be allowed to have kids.

If the term “dad pants” means anything it’s that taking care of children and fashion aren’t compatible. Does that mean these two doomed? Or is this the beginning of forever?

Nick gets thrown in the deep end taking care of his niece and while it helped the story I couldn’t help but think how irresponsible it was for his sister to not explain anything to him.  When Dylan and Nick meet again they are both surprised, for different reasons.

It broke my heart to see Nick realize that he was causing problems for his niece when he had no idea but I loved that Dylan was willing to step up and help, even if he thought he would never be more than a friend.  I loved Nick’s surprise at the end for Dylan.

The cover art by Jordan Castillo Price is cute and I like how the series all go together but not at the same time.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 81 pages

Publication: February 1, 2019

Edition Language: English

Series: Bad Valentine #4

Cover Reveal for Murder At Oakschott Hall by Jim Austen (giveaway)

 

Pre-Order Links: Amazon US | Amazon UKExclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Cover Design: Reese Dante
 
Length: 50,000 words approx.
 
Blurb


They have eyes for each other. But someone is eyeing them for murder. An erotic gay romance mystery.

In the Junior students’ dormitory at Oakschott Hall, a heavy gaslight falls from the ceiling, crushing the head of a student sleeping beneath it. Was it simply a tragic accident? To avoid publicity, the Headmaster asks Colin Revell, a young Oxford University graduate and former Oakschott student, to quietly investigate.


While interviewing the faculty and staff, Colin meets Max Lambourne, a handsome don who was wounded and gassed in WWI. When Colin tries to help Max overcome his trauma and depression, the two men fall in love and begin an erotic affair.

But when another student dies—diving at night into an empty swimming pool—murder is suspected. Students and faculty all come under suspicion, and rumors proliferate when Scotland Yard intervenes. Meanwhile, during all this confusion and wild theories, the murderer sees Colin and Max as threats. Unbeknownst to the two lovers, their lives are now in danger.



Author Bio


Born in 1984, Jim Austen grew up in Murphy, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas-Austin with a degree in communications and journalism. He works as a news producer for a station in Rhode Island.

Jim lives south of Boston with his wife and two children. A bisexual husband, he ‘came out’ to his wife 10 years ago after the birth of their second child. “My marriage and my gay life,” he says, “have each given me moments of great joy. However, it is a myth to believe a bisexual husband has the best of both worlds.”

Murder at Oakschott Hall is his first M/M romance novel. Jim is currently working on a novel about a bisexual married man called The Unfinished Husband.
 

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A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Concatenation (Lost in Translation #1) by Catherine Lievens

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

Dorran finds a dead body in his new apartment building. Turns out the lead detective on the case is his ex-boyfriend Eli whom he hasn’t seen since high school, more than ten years ago. The dead guy turns out to be John, the person Dorran bought the apartment from. John’s uncle Francis had owned the apartment before he died–not too long ago either. As Dorran is cleaning out Francis’ belongings so he can move in, he starts to feel a kinship with Francis. Suddenly things are out of place and he feels like he’s being touched, but no one is there. Then, there are his neighbors, all gossips and in everyone’s business. While they may not tell the police investigating John’s death everything, they seem to want to tell Dorran. As Dorran gets dragged into the case through no fault of his own while trying to do the right thing, his own curiosity gets engaged. Eli warns him to stay out of it as it’s police business. They also have their own personal issues that need to be resolved if Eli is going to keep coming around.

This story has a lot going for it, but it didn’t quite come together for me. I felt removed from the characters and not emotionally invested in their second chance romance. There is some contradictory information as Dorran thinks about Eli and their history. The reader is told Dorran loved Eli, but his thoughts about the Eli he knew aren’t very flattering. The reader is also told Eli runs from confrontation and his problems. Yet Dorran is the one who left Eli because he wouldn’t come out. Eli keeps saying he forgives Dorran, but Eli is still bitter about this even though he admitted it was his own fault. Dorran is still beating himself up over his decision. I think this conflict as a plot point could have been better written. There is also some repetition.

The neighbors are all somewhat interesting. There could have been more done to make them be creepy, invasive, and meddling in a way the audience could treat them all with suspicion. They are all supposed to be suspects. There was a murder in the building, possibly two, and yet this is not atmospheric at all. The reader is told Dorran is upset at finding the body, having nightmares, and feels uncomfortable as the neighbors all want to talk about it. The guy is having stuff move around in his apartment! Yet, I didn’t feel that fear at all. In fact, he decides having a ghost is just fine and no big deal. I did guess who was responsible for John’s death, but the details of why are revealed only at the end. This story didn’t grab my attention or emotions as much as I had hoped it would.

The cover art is by Angela Waters. I’m not sure this conveys anything about the story. It has a noirish quality in the background and this is a who-done-it. This is not how I pictured these guys.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 168 pages
Published June 1st 2018 by eXtasy Books Inc
ISBN 1487419724 (ISBN13: 9781487419721)
Series Lost in Translation #1

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Milo (Finding Home #2) by Lily Morton

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Milo and his author, Lily Morton, delivered me right to the door of a very satisfying, feel-good Happy Ever After. No disappointment knocking on my door, for sure.

The prologue tells us Milo’s story in a nutshell.  He’s in an abusive relationship, at first emotional, and now physical, which brings out the stutter that he’s worked years to overcome. Feeling unworthy, painfully inadequate, and most definitely awkward, he’s about to be abused yet again by his domineering artist lover when his brother’s best friend Niall shows up to rescue him and literally carry him away to a new life. That new life is at Chi an Mor, the beautiful ancient estate owned by Silas, the sweet man whom we first met in Oz.

Five years later, the story opens to show us Milo has adapted to his new life as an art restoration expert in Silas’s employ and is best friend to Silas’s husband, Oz. Pause for a moment here—Oz and Silas are exactly as I’d hope they’d be at this point in time. Parents of a beautiful 7-month-old girl, Cora is the love of their lives. I was thrilled to have this glimpse of their future because Oz remains one of my all-time favorites. So when the couple has to rush off to London to help Oz’s mom, who better to watch Cora than Milo? Well, add Niall to that because the heat in the mansion has failed and as estate manager, he lives nearby so offers his home to Milo and Cora. Not because Niall has the hots for Milo. Oh, no. Certainly not. {smirks}

The author took the time to make each of these men very real. Their backstory—individually and together—and the interactions with one another were spot-on. Each was different and yet so complementary to one another it’s a wonder there aren’t bookends or salt and pepper shakers in their image. The beauty of this story is in the details that allow us to get to really know each man. Niall’s past relationship with Gideon, Milo’s brother, causes some upset for all three men as it becomes known. But accepting Niall’s maturity and his devotion to Milo is fairly easy in the long run as deeds speak louder than words. The author’s writing style and unique sense of humor carry us forward so quickly I was shocked when I reached the end. I wanted more. I need more, and I certainly hope more will come with Gideon finding his own love at the hand of Lily Morton in the near future. 

The scenes involving the group who went on the ski trip were priceless. Milo’s quiet acceptance of the quirky group was taken in stride “when to anyone else this would have had more disaster written over it than getting a ticket on the Titanic.” Witnessing Niall’s realization that he’s no longer interested in hookups and is far past scoffing at those who claim love is wonderful was delightful to behold. “Emotion fills me all of a sudden, like I’ve inhaled happiness helium.” Need I say more? Lily Morton is highly talented and Milo and Niall reap the benefit of that talent.

When I open one of this author’s books, I know I’m in for a treat. I highly recommend this story and the one before because this can be read as a standalone but it’s so much better after reading Oz. Reading it alone would be like having an ice cream sundae without the sprinkles and cherry on top.

The cover by Natasha Snow features a close-up of a handsome young man, long hair blowing in the breeze. Done in a purple tone, the cover grabbed my attention immediately.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 280 pages
Published February 15th 2019
ASINB07NN13TCW
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Finding Home #2
Characters Niall Fawcett, Milo Ramsay

An Alisa Release Day Review: Skin and Bone (Digging Up Bones #2) by TA Moore

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Cloister Witte and his K-9 partner, Bourneville, find the lost and bring them home.

But the job doesn’t always end there.

Janet Morrow, a young trans woman, lies in a coma after wandering away from her car during a storm. But just because Cloister found the young tourist doesn’t mean she’s home. What brought her to Plenty, California… and who didn’t want her to leave?

With the help of Special Agent Javi Merlo, who continues to deny his growing feelings for the rough-edged deputy, Cloister unearths a ten-year-old conspiracy of silence that taps into Plenty’s history of corruption.

Janet Morrow’s old secrets aren’t the only ones coming to light. Javi has tried to put his past behind him, but some people seem determined to pull his skeletons out of the closet. His dark history with a senior agent in Phoenix complicates not just the investigation but his relationship with Cloister.

And since when has he cared about that?

I enjoyed the banter of these MCs just as much as I did in Bone to Pick.  Cloister just wants to bring people home and find those who are lost, he finds much more trouble this time.  Javi is struggling with his feelings towards Cloister and continued issued with his job.

Cloister continues to struggle with nightmares and everything from his past, while it makes him a good deputy it hurts to see him struggling.  I love his connection to Bourneville and how dedicated they both are to each other.  I still have trouble with Javi and I can’t quite figure out why everyone he is working with has it out to get him.

I still like Cloister and could easily connect with him, he doesn’t want to make anyone feel responsible for him and though he like Javi isn’t going to push him.  Seeing some of the story trough Javi’s eyes we are able to see that he cares for Cloister no matter how much he doesn’t want that complication.  Most of this story was focused on the mystery and finding out who Janet Morrow is and why she was attacked though we get glimpses of Cloister and Javi together.  It looks as if there will be more books featuring these two and I look forward to them.

The cover art by Bree Archer is great and I love it.  It’s similar in style to the first book but not a copy which is always nice.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 240 pages

Published: February 26, 2019 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-940-6

Edition Language: English

Series: Digging Up Bones #2

Emory Schneider on Characters, Contemporary Writing and their new release ‘The Truth Beyond the Bitterness (World of Love)’ ~ author guest blog

The Truth Beyond the Bitterness (World of Love) by Emory Schneider

Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Emory Schneider on tour today for their new novel, The Truth Beyond the Bitterness.  Welcome, Emory.

✒︎

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interviews Emory Schneider

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write?  Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

I like both. I am always ready to do research and broaden my knowledge and I enjoy creating worlds for my stories, too.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I’m a big dreamer and I wish every love story would have HEA. Life doesn’t work that way, and that’s why so many people enjoy happy endings.

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

I didn’t read many romance books until I was sixteen or seventeen but haven’t stopped since then.

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

I live in the Czech Republic, so it is complicated and expensive to purchase any physical books by authors out of the Europian Union since I would have to pay duty on them and VAT twice. Therefore I prefer to buy ebooks. I do own a bookshelf full of books, love to hold them in my hands and sniff the pages, but ebook format makes books available for more people around the globe.

If you write contemporary romance, is there such a thing as making a main character too “real”?  Do you think you can bring too many faults into a character that eventually it becomes too flawed to become a love interest?

That can happen. It might be an opportunity for the character to learn about their mistakes and change themselves. Of course, that requires a lot of time and the story would become boring, but I believe there is a way to handle it. I’m not so sure I would ever be able to write it, though. Also, it highly depends on the protagonist – if they are willing to support their love interest and wait for their transformation.

What traits do you find the most interesting in someone? Do you write them into your characters?

This is a hard question. I find every trait somewhat interesting. The most challenging thing is to combine them so the character is interesting and readers see them in the way I want.

Have you ever put a story away, thinking it just didn’t work?  Then years/months/whatever later inspiration struck and you loved it?  Is there a title we would recognize if that happened?

About two years ago I started writing a fantasy story and I got stuck six chapters in. Everything seemed wrong about it. I decided to put it away and worked on The Truth Beyond the Bitterness. There were two reasons for why the first story didn’t work – worldbuilding and confidence. When I got the deal for my novella, it boosted me to get back to the previous story.

With so much going on in the world today, do you write to explain?  To get away? To move past? To wide our knowledge? Why do you write?

First of all, I write so my head doesn’t explode. I use it as a chance to také a break from everyday life, but in the same time, I feel other people might find it interesting to experience how someone from central Europe looks at the world. I mean I like to read stories from all around the world.

What’s next for you as a writer?

I am writing a fantasy novel right now. I hope I finish the story before the end of this year.

About the Author

Emory Schneider was born in Děčín, the Czech Republic, as the fourth of five children and later moved to the western part of the country to find a job. They ended up working as a brazer in Pilsen—yes, the home of the beer. Emory spent a lot of their childhood discussing possible scenarios for cartoon and manga series they watched with their brother and pretending they were a knight or a spy. Their love of books and stories in general motivated them to learn English, although they had nearly failed the subject for two years.

During their teenage years, they started to make up M/M romance stories, but it took them several years to put any of them on paper. When not working or writing, Emory tries to fight their laziness and burn some calories they probably gained from staring at chocolate bars at the shopping mall or drinking some of the Coke they bought for their husband.

You can contact me at:

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUKjY4

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2NY5vRH

Website: http://bit.ly/2OzZ0nw

 

The Truth Beyond the Bitterness

Can love erase a lifetime of fear and bitterness? Kuba flees the oppressive influence of his strict Catholic family as soon as he graduates high school. In the big city of Pilsen, Czech Republic, he can get a fresh start. Although he is fairly content sharing a flat with his coworker and filling it with books, he knows he’s destined to be alone unless he can come out of the closet. But he just isn’t ready to bare his soul to the world.

When he meets his roommate’s friend Emil, he begins to reconsider. Is a chance at romance with the gorgeous man—and fellow bibliophile— incentive enough for Kuba to face his demons?

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

Available for purchase at: http://bit.ly/2ze9AaY