A MelanieM Review: The Last Thing He Needs by J.H. Knight

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The Last Thing He Needs CoverTommy O’Shea is raising his seven younger brothers and sisters the best he can under the worst of circumstances. With an alcoholic, drug addicted father and stepmother to contend with, only the fact that the house they live in was their grandmother’s keeps a roof over their heads.  The money needed for food and other living expenses is cobbled together by a collection of part time jobs, petty thefts and other desperate measures.  This includes selling sexual favors in alleys to get by.  And it’s been that way since Tommy was 15. Here living on the edge is razor sharp, pain is common place and despairs its companion. Between trying to make sure his brothers and sisters are fed, attend school, and stay out of the foster care system, Tommy has room for little else in his life, including a relationship.

Police officer Bobby McAlister has known Tommy and his family since they were kids. Unbeknownst to Tommy he has been trying to keep an eye out for their safety.  A chance meeting with Tommy gives Bobby a chance to help out while trying to strike up a friendship once more.  But Tommy has erected a wall of anger, diffidence and shame to keep others away and he tries to do the same with Bobby. Bobby sees how desperate the situation has become and refuses to be pushed away and a tentative friendship and relationship is formed.

A shattering event tests the fragile bonds that has formed between Tommy, Bobby and Tommy’s family.  Will they be strong enough to withstand the tragedy that befalls the O’Shea family, or will all be lost forever under the aftermath?

The Last Thing He Needs by J. H. Knight is that story that slips along the edges of what could have been a Lifetime movie yet surmounts that overwrought template to become a deeply moving and emotionally wrenching story of family and love.  J. H. Knight is another new author and a terrific one if this story is any indication.  I have to admit I approached this story from two very different viewpoints.  One, the side of me that’s addicted to those Christmas Hallmark movies, and the other side?  That’s the one that looks at life through George Carlin glasses.  The blurb hooked me in while my suspicious nature said to beware the maudlin elements that could have made this a manipulative sob fest.

I shouldn’t have worried.  Knight took all the suspect elements, the impoverished family, the kids in danger, the drug addled parents…all of it and made it believable and heartrending. It all starts with Tommy O’Shea for he is the anchor of his family and for this story.  If Tommy had not come across as real as he does, this would be a very different novel.  But Knight makes us believe in Tommy.  In his anger, and pain, and desperation.  The descriptions of the O’Shea family’s living conditions ring in as authentic and gritty.  The condition of the house, exterior and interior rooms, reads as desperation,especially the bedroom crammed with bodies. The teenagers shouldering burdens they were never meant to cope with, young kids on the edge of delinquency but for reasons that make your heart break, and the toddlers unaware of how shaky is the foundation their family rests on.  Knight has a clear enough idea of the reality of poor families these days to make the O’Shea family existence spare, gritty and desperate without coating it in dramatic prose and imagery.  It’s a grim life and Knight depicts it as such.

Bobby McAlister comes from a very different background.  The only son of two loving parents, the loss of his father has left Bobby and his mother trying to cope with the hole in their lives and a future without the man they both loved deeply.  His life and upbringing could not be any more different and the manner in which Tommy and the kids are living is almost too much for Bobby to comprehend, even as a police officer.  His emotional and familial solidity is the bulwark Tommy needs for himself and for his brothers and sisters against the reality their lives have become.  Bobby isn’t perfect and that just pulls us into his personality even further.  Then add to that his grieving mother, Judy, and our love for the McAlister family just grows and grows.

All the characters here managed to be fleshed out to a level that enables the reader to believe in them too.  Tommy’s father and step mother are characters whose addictions and behaviors are heinous yet Knight is careful to show that Cal and step mother Cheryl were once so very different from the people they are now after years of substance abuse, bad decisions, and parental neglect has made them.  Life is choices and sometimes it only takes a slip or a push for you to go one way or the way.  Or in Tommy’s case, realize that to ask and accept help when you need it does not have to be dangerous or belittling.

Knight is quick not to deliver any easy answers for a desperate and painful situation.  Tommy’s life and that of his siblings remain precarious for most of the story.  But the resolution, while slow to arrive, is ultimately satisfying and emotionally heartwarming.  This story and its characters earns its ending.  It’s wonderful and realistic.  And it puts J.H. Knight squarely on my must read list.  I think after reading this story you will find yourself doing the same.  Consider this highly recommended by Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

Cover art by AngstyG.  I like the cover but its lacking a little something in design.

Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press       All Romance eBooks (ARe)     Amazon   The Last Thing He Needs

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages
Published July 28th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published July 27th 2014)
ISBN139781627988605
edition languageEnglish

Cover Reveal for Raine O’Tierney’s Most Beautiful Words!

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Contest:  An eBook copy of Most Beautiful Words when it is released.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Use this Rafflecopter link to enter and for more contest details.

Book Name: Most Beautiful Words
Author Name: Raine O’Tierney

RevealBeautifulWords600x600BannerAuthor Bio:

Called “Queen of the Sweetness” (well, two or three people said it anyway!) Raine O’Tierney loves writing sweet stories about first loves, first times, fidelity, forever-endings and…friskiness?

Raine O’Tierney lives outside of Kansas City with her husband, fellow Dreamspinner Press author, Siôn O’Tierney. When she’s not writing, she’s either asleep, or fighting the good fight for intellectual freedom at her library day job. Raine believes the best thing we can do in life is be kind to one another, and she enjoys encouraging fellow writers. Writing for 20+ years (with the last 10 spent on M/M) Raine changes sub-genres to suit her mood and believes all good stories end sweetly. Contact her if you’re interested in talking about point-and-click adventure games or about which dachshunds are the best kinds of dachshunds!

Author Contact:

Raineotierney.com | Dreamspinner Press Author Page | The Hat Party (LGBT Author Interviews!)
Facebook Fan Page | Twitter

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MostBeautifulWords_finalTitle:  Most Beautiful Words by Raine O’Tierney
Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy Links:  Dreamspinner Press ebook     Dreamspinner Press paperback   Amazon

Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Autumn’s world is shattered when her beloved Great-Pop, Tommy Johnson, suffers a stroke that leaves him comatose. With everyone around her resigning themselves to the inevitable, Autumn is the only one not willing to give up. She and Great-Pop have more secret stories to share with each other, after all. More stories about Roy McMillan—the great love of Tommy’s life whom he lost fifty years ago.
Autumn struggles to keep Great-Pop on this side of death’s door. But how can she compete with the beautiful and mysterious Valley—a place of surreal magic where the sun never fully sets? Especially when there’s someone familiar in the Valley who will do everything he can to keep Great-Pop from returning to her.

Excerpt:

“So what’s my prize?”

“I’m gonna let you kiss me,” Roy said with a big, devious smile.

“Yeah?” Tommy asked, thinking he was being put on. “All right, I guess I’ll take the consolation prize then.”

“That leaves me with the grand prize by default.”

And he leaned in, and as sweet as anything Tommy had experienced in his whole life, Roy kissed his slightly parted lips. Even when Tommy stiffened, Roy did not pull back. Instead, slowly and deliberately, he gathered Tommy to him with a hold that was loose enough for him to escape from, but tight enough to be a real, romantic embrace. He kissed Tommy until he had to draw breath, and even then he did not let him go all the way.

“You… really wanted to?” Tommy asked, his head spinning. In that moment he had a single, solitary regret. It wasn’t coming out here to shoot arrows, and it wasn’t that he hadn’t pulled out of Roy’s embrace or even that he’d been kissed. It was that he hadn’t kissed Roy first. Because Tommy liked the kissing. A lot. And he wanted to do it more.

 

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Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Prism Book Alliance, Cate Ashwood, Velvet Panic, Fallen Angel Reviews, Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Iyana Jenna, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Love Bytes, MM Good Book Reviews, Amanda C. Stone, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Up All Night, Read All Day, A_TiffyFit’s Reading Corner, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Nephylim, EE Montgomery, Inked Rainbow Reads, Andrew Q. Gordon, Emotion in Motion

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

A MelanieM Review: Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #16) by T.A. Webb

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Aftershocks coverCharlie Turner’s life has never been easy.  From the moment his father died, Charlie has tried to fill the void his father left with his family while dialing down his own expectations for his future.  He stepped into his father’s business, supporting his mother and younger brother letting his own personal dreams and relationships suffer.  Troubles and turmoils came, exploded and where dealt with.  Charlie’s life started to move forward when he met Amos Greene and moved into Mountain Shadows.   And just when his relationship with Amos Greene had stabilized and his brother, Damon, looked to be on the right track with his life, a monster in their midst shattered their calm and progress with one horrific event.

Now Charlie and all around him are trying to find a way to pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward once more.  But how to do that when you feel like you have been broken into pieces?  It will take everyone  to help Charlie and his brother to deal with all the pain and fear to move past the recent events, even if it means dealing with their  own secrets and past histories.

Aftershocks. What a perfect name for this story.  Why?  Because sometimes its not the earthquake itself that causes the most damage, but the aftershocks, the reverberations from that seismic event that continues to riffle the landscape in wave after wave.  That metaphor is perfect for dealing with the emotional consequences and impact of a horrific act upon a close-knit group of  individuals, including family members.  In this case its Charlie Turner, his boyfriend Amos Greene and Charlie’s family that consists of his mother and his younger brother, Damon.

None of these people are able to deal intellectually or emotionally with the guilt, pain, and fear that recent events have inflicted upon them.  Charlie is especially vulnerable.  He sees himself as a standin for his deceased father and feels that he has failed them all.  Damon too has been unable to deal with the consequences of those events as he was the target and victim.  Amos?  Has his own pain and fears stemming from his past.  Even Charlie and Damon’s mother seems helpless to move out of the stasis she seems frozen in.  And all this feels absolutely real, as necessary a reaction to the devastating events as any we could  expect.  These people and their burdens feel authentic because we have gotten to know them intimately as the series progressed.  And we are emotionally with them now as they try to get past their combined pain so any future might be possible.  But how?

T.A. Webb acknowledges the emotional quagmire his characters are stuck in and then quietly and assuredly moves them forward through their pain and issues into some form of recognition and acceptance.  The method  Webb chooses is believable and grounded in what would be a logical and realistic solution to this mountain of emotional turmoil these people find themselves in.  I admire T.A. Webb for choosing to go down this path and making it come across as the brave thing to do as well as letting the reader into the type of self reflection and questioning needed to make it work.  It’s quietly stunning and hugely effective in bringing yet more depth to already full realized characters. It will also bring a few shocking revelations of its own into play as well.

We are almost there.  T.A. Webb has one more story to go before the series finale.  The aftershocks continue to shake the ground under the feet of all of Webb’s characters and we begin to wonder if they will ever achieve a firm foundation for themselves and each other.  It’s a startling achievement for this author that we are asking ourselves that question so  close to the end and still so unsure of where T.A. Webb is taking us all.  What a journey its been.  I can hold off on reaching the end a little longer.

I consider Aftershocks so remarkable in its tone and character.  But to do it justice, pick up the series from the beginning and work your way through it and all the connecting series.  This is one you shouldn’t miss out on.  No surprise here to find its on ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Best of 2014 list.   I highly recommend this to one and all.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  Lovely and perfect for this story and series. That’s Charley to a T.

Sales Links:        All Romance eBooks (ARe)         Amazon           Aftershocks

Book Details:
ebook, 50 pages
Published August 31st 2014 by A Bear on Books (first published August 30th 2014)
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #16, Earthquake

The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:

Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:

Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:

Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:

Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round Five: to be released

Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors
charactersFinn Lorensso

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5) by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

On Tour with Bailey Bradford’s Broncs and Bullies! (contest)

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Welcome, Bailey Bradford to ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords.  Bailey is here with her latest release, Broncs & Bullies.  She brought along a contest to enter, her top five favorite country songs and a blurb to check out.

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Blog Tour_Broncs and Bullies_Bailey Bradford_Social Media_finalGood morning to y’all 😀 It’s blog-tour fun time! Since I’ve got a new book out in the Mossy Glenn series, Broncs and Bullies, I’m doing some Top 5’s relating to cowboys and such. Y’all just ignore the fact that my last Top 5 had 7 items. We’re going to let that go 😀

To celebrate the release of Broncs and Bullies, I’ll be giving away an ebook copy of Broncs and Bullies via Totallybound to a randomly drawn commenter to this post. A winner announced on my blog at http://www.baileysplayroom.blogspot.com on Sept. 13th.

Now, on to that Top 5 list! How about my Top 5 C& W songs—which, they’re all going to be old ones because I don’t listen to C&W now, and the old ones shaped a lot of my cowboy ideals, along with all the Louis L’Amour books. Man, I loved those books! But anyway. On to the music! Y’all chime in with y’all’s favorites in the comments below for a chance to win!

In no particular order, my Top 5 C&W songs:

• El Paso, Marty Robbins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIRL_iu3eQM

I was such an emo kid before emo was a term. 😀 And I cried like a baby when Marty Robbins died. Not as hard as I cried when—

• Anything by Waylon Jennings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKjT6RsIFjA

Anyone who reads my blog or sees my FB posts might have caught onto the fact that I like bear-ish men. Waylon was big, hairy, growly, and also, sweet. He was, to me, a stud and I grew up listening to his music and crushing on him. And I was really mad that I wasn’t named Amanda!

• Till the Rivers All Run Dry, Don Williams (who also sang… Amanda). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdZuodp3ZZM

The Hubs and I saw him in concert several years ago, and he still had that smooth, beautiful voice. And he’s a big guy, like tall big, too. And hairy. Okay yeah, back to that bear-ish look for me, heh ^.^

• Grandma’s Song, Gail Davies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqCXKOxYIQ0

All of my kids know this song. I’ve sang it to them so many times… We hit that chorus at the top of our lungs, though, and speed it up until it’s more like a tongue twister most of the time. We do this out in public often, and never understand people look at us like we’re unhinged 😀 Sing like you mean it!

• I Will Always Love You, Dolly Parton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j4U66RYzQo

Anyone else see The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas?
This song and the way Dolly puts her heart into it wrecked me. However, Dolly is an incredible entertainer, and I lurves her madly.

broncsandbullies_800Blurb for Broncs and Bullies:

Frankie never let anyone close, until Duke refused to give up on him.

Frankie Freemont knows everyone at the Mossy Glenn thinks he’s a jerk for breaking things off with Jody. Letting people get close to him just isn’t something Frankie does. And older men? No way. Frankie doesn’t do that daddy thing so many younger guys seem to like.

Which is why he can’t understand his reaction to Duke Edmonds. Duke has always made him nervous for no reason Frankie can figure out.

Duke suffers a concussion, and Frankie suffers the consequences of a bad choice he makes. With his family wanting him for only one thing—money—and Duke slowly breaking down his defenses, Frankie doesn’t know which way is up.

Duke is determined to prove to Frankie that he’s a good man—they both are. Duke’s worked hard to overcome his youthful past. He’s still ashamed of being a bully years ago, and does everything he can to make sure he never makes mistakes like that again. Being a better man is hard at times, but Duke’s spent his whole adult life doing so.

Now he and Frankie have to decide what they want, and how to go about getting it. That means making some changes that can break each man’s heart.

Like the sound of Broncs and Bullies? Buy it here at Totally Bound!

About Bailey Bradford:

A native Texan, Bailey spends her days spinning stories around in her head, which has contributed to more than one incident of tripping over her own feet. Evenings are reserved for pounding away at the keyboard, as are early morning hours. Sleep? Doesn’t happen much. Writing is too much fun, and there are too many characters bouncing about, tapping on Bailey’s brain demanding to be let out.

Caffeine and chocolate are permanent fixtures in Bailey’s office and are never far from hand at any given time. Removing either of those necessities from Bailey’s presence can result in what is known as A Very, Very Scary Bailey and is not advised under any circumstances.

Author Contacts:

A MelanieM Review: Blown Chance (Whispering Winds, #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #15) by Havan Fellows

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

PF4_BlownChance400x600Rowen Smithe had been anticipating the worst when his past came calling in the form of his former partner. Once through the initial explosions (and when all first aide supplies were put away), the truth about Rowen, the warped nature of his childhood, previous profession, everything came to light.  And his Mountain Shadow family didn’t abandon him.  In fact it brought them all closer together.

But not everyone in Rowen’s past is willing to let Rowen off so easily.  An old acquaintance arrives quietly in Mountain Shadows and his target is Rowen Smithe.  Recovering from the turmoil of the recent events, none of Mountain Shadows campground are prepared for what is to come, the least of which is Mick Rutger.

Mick Rutgers is in love with Rowen Smithe and has been working hard to break down the barriers Rowen has raised to protect himself.  But when Rowen’s former partner appears and their history together comes out, Mick thinks the time has finally come for them to have a future together.  It seems that Fate has one last hurdle for the pair to overcome.   One more dangerous element from Rowen’s past.  Is this the one that brings them closer together? Or is it the one to break Mick’s resolve and destroy their chance at happiness forever?

Blown Chance is guaranteed to break your heart in more ways than you might think possible.  The previous 3.5 (yes, .5) stories have been setting us up for this emotional rollercoaster.  The scrabbled together family of Mountain Shadows has just undergone an emotional tsunami resulting from the revelations about Rowen’s past, including childhood and dubious profession.  Still once the shocks have worn off and the wounds patched up (ok part of that was deadly funny), all the characters we have come to love over this series (and some from last year’s) pull together once more in love and support.   Its has been emotionally draining for all, and yes, I am including the reader here too.  But peace is such a fragile thing, especially when the people involved are such explosive individuals with past histories that refuse to stay in the past.

I have to admit I laughed out loud at portions of Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5).  But humor has little place here.  Rowen’s past is one of horrific events of which sometimes he has been the cause.  And that past refuses to let him go.  It returns silently and swiftly just when you think Rowen and Mick are settling down enough to talk about a relationship.  Havan Fellows lulls us into temporary complacency and then smacks us down with a tide of events and people that we really should have seen coming.  She builds us up and then brings us down but not so far at first that we think we’re safe.  Because no one is.

I love the suspense  and anticipation Fellows builds into her plot.  It’s crazy white knuckle ride of action, stealth, and surprise!  Still, amongst all the shocks and tremors here, Havan Fellows never forgets the complicated men at the center and their strained journey towards love and acceptance.   Rowen quickly became a favorite of mine with his tortured demeanor and his ability to become a part of the woodland environment around him.  Rowen is such an interesting, quixotic personality that he just draws you to him.  So we can understand Mick Rutger’s fascination with Rowen and ultimately his love for him as well.  Their tentative bonds have been constantly under stress, but the worst is about to confront them all.  How is all plays out  is wildly inventive, crazily satisfying, and totally frustrating.

I get the ending, I really do.  It makes absolute sense.  But now I need book 5.  I need to see what happens next.  I care for these characters and want them to have their happily ever after.  They deserve it and so do the readers.  I know its coming but waiting is get harder by the minute.  How I love the anticipation!

This is an outstanding series.  The fact that it gets intertwined with the Pulp Friction 2013 series is just the icing on the cake.  Loved that series, love this series too.  Whispering Winds and all the other Elemental Connections series are easily at the top of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2014.  If you have started reading them yet,  (perhaps there is a binge reading fest ahead), start at the first story and work your way through.  It’s the best way to understand the characters and to watch the relationships change and  grow.  Pick them up today.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  These covers are tremendous, great for branding the series and the characters.

Sales links:            All Romance eBooks              Amazon             Blown Chances

 

Here are the books in the Elemental Connections series to date:

Round One:

Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1) by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by T.A. Webb
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

Round Two:

Controlled Burn by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth by T.A. Webb

Round Three:

Backburn by Laura Harner
Cold Feet by Lee Brazil
Blow Hard by Havan Fellows
Tremors by T.A. Webb
Taking Chances  by Lee Brazil– bonus book, In From the Cold

Round Four:

Flare-up by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold by Lee Brazil
Wicked Winds by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Blown Chance by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks by T.A. Webb

Book Details:
Published August 15th 2014 by Appleton Publishing Avenue (first published August 14th 2014)
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #15, Whispering Winds #4

A MelanieM Review: Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5) by T.A. Webb

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Frankie's Knight coverAtlanta Detective Frankie Prater is working a case where young boys working as prositutes have gone missing.  Then he gets a lead on his case from a most unexpected source…the Arizona Flagstaff Police Department where a joint task force has convened after the arrest of a serial  rapist murderer and sadist..  Turns out that this monster is responsible for the abduction of 40 boys and girls from around the country and among them just might be the young boy missing Frankie is looking for in Atlanta.

Frankie journeys to Flagstaff hoping for answers and perhaps even the boy himself.  With him is Brady Owens.  Brady lived six years as a prostitute after his parents threw him out at the age of twelve.  While on the streets, his boyfriend was killed by a rogue cop and he himself was tortured before being saved by Frankie’s brother, the City Knight and his friends.  Now he lives with Frankie and his kids.   Brady has turned eighteen. Brady knows what and who he wants.  It’s Frankie Prater and he is pretty sure that Frankie wants him back.  But how to convince him that he’s all grownup and ready for a relationship?

In the middle of an investigation where the missing kids are  plentiful, their bodies are missing, and clues are scarce, will Frankie figure out his feelings for Brady before the investigation turns deadly once more?

T.A. Webb is killing me here.  Never have I handed out  so many high ratings as I have with this series and authors.  And with Frankie’s Knight, a side story from this year’s Pulp Friction’s Elemental Connections series, the  pattern continues.  Once more, T.A. Webb is able to combine the two series (City Knight) and (Earthquake) in a realistic and dramatic fashion.  Here the connecting element is missing boys, both in Atlanta and Flagstaff.   Unfortunately from the last Earthquake novel, Tremors (Earthquake #3), we have learned  the identity of the culprit behind a main character’s kidnapping.  It is revealed that he is not only a sadist but a serial rapist and murderer of more than 40 boys and girls across the US.  That horrific discovery reverberates across agencies and states where the children were kidnapped, among them Atlanta.

There is always an element of angst to these stories whether it is kidnapping, torture, abuse or murder.  But in Frankie’s Knight, that aspect is heartbreaking as Webb works the reality of  those discarded LGBTQ children on the streets and the life that awaits them there as castoffs from  family and society. There are so many of them, a fact highlighted by the shear number of children this person was able to kidnap and kill without raising alarm. Unfortunately this is another realistic element here as the media and law enforcement can attest.   T.A. Webb’s treatment and characterizations of these kids is both authentic and profoundly painful.  We have seen it in Brady Owens and his friends from the City Knight series last year.  Here Brady’s background of abuse and prostitution will come into play in a most unexpected way.

T.A. Webb’s plot is gripping.  The suspense  builds as the hunt for the Atlanta boy intensifies.  All the law enforcement agents gathered combine forces and resources to put this person away for good, find the boys and girls missing, even if they think it is only bodies to locate at this point.  And through it all, Brady and Frankie are trying to find their way to each other and a HEA.  Webb gives us tension with a capital T, whether it is the building sexual tension between Brady and Frankie or the stress and tension caused by the investigation that comes with a time restriction.  It all builds into an explosive finale worth of the plot and characters.  Just amazing.  And once more,  T.A. Webb leaves the reader wanting more of all the people and couple involved.

I highly recommend Frankie’s Knight and all of the Earthquake and Elemental Connections series.  I have listed them for you at the bottom.  However, in order to avoid spoilers and to understand the sequence of events and character development, they should be read in the order they were written.  Grab them all up today.  This is one amazing author and series!

Cover art by Laura Harner.  Amazing cover, I love it.

Sales links:             All Romance eBooks           Amazon           Frankie’s Knight

Books in the Earthquake (Pulp Friction 2014) series in the order they should be read:

Higher Ground (Earthquake #1) (Pulp Friction 2014 #4)
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) (Pulp Friction 2014 #8)
Tremors (Earthquake #3) (Pulp Friction #12)
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #16)

Higher Ground coverMoving Earth coverTremors cover by TA WebbFrankie's Knight cover

Book Details:
ebook, 65 pages
Published August 26th 2014 by A Bear on Books
ISBN139781310928611
edition languageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Yakuza Courage (The Way of the Yakuza #2) by H.J. Brues

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Yakuza CourageEx-Navy SEAL Brendan O’Farrihy’s life was never the same after his SEAL team deployed to Afghanistan on a near suicidal covert mission. It ended disastrously, killing two of his team members and shattering the lives of the remaining SEALS. Now Brendan works for a Washington lawyer and boyfriend, helping his clients by conducting investigations and acting as security.  Then Brendan is sent to Honolulu on a new job for their client, Senator Harris.  It seems that the Senator’s youngest son has gotten involved with the Yakuza and brought them back with him from Japan where he had been kidnapped.  The Senator’s son, Kenneth Harris,  is living and working at Honolulu dojo , a suspected front for a yakuza syndicate.  Brendon’s job is to investigate and extract the son as necessary. The first step in Brendan’s investigation? Enroll in a kendo class being given at the dojo in question to get close to his subject and observe the situation.

Kendo instructor, the cocky, short-fused, gorgeous Kinosuke Yonekawa has arrived in Honolulu along with his former yakuza underboss Shigure Matsunaga, other ex yakuza members and of course, Ken Harris, Matsunaga’s gajin lover who is helping to see them established in the US. Kinosuke feels cutoff from all he knew, especially his place in Japanese and Yakuza society. American culture and customs confuse him and he feels adrift from the very people who make up his family. Then a new student arrives in class. Freckled, outgoing, handsome and yet respectful. The feelings he engenders in Kinosuke just add to his jumbled state of mind.

As Brendan becomes more involved with Kinosuke, the less sure he is that the Senator has been telling him the truth. The Yakuza are protectiave of Ken and seem to have left their criminal connections behind them in Japan. So what exactly is going on?  When Ken disappears from the dojo, Brendan must decide whether to stick to his original plan or reveal his investigation to Kinosuke and the others in order to help them find Ken and bring him home.  But will Kinosuke ever forgive him?  And will it all be in time to rescue Ken from a danger closer than Brendan had imagined.

Yakuza Courage, the second story in H.J. Brues’ The Way of the Yakuza series, represents yet another new series and author for me.  Her special combination of suspense, romance and all the elements that a variety of cultures bring really made this story (and series) a real highlight for me.  I am working backwards here so I was missing the first installment, Yakuza Pride, where Ken Harris and Shigure Matsunaga met in Japan and the kidnapping that occurred there.  However, I didn’t feel as though that lack of a complete backstory was necessary in order to get connected to the men, the romances and histories central to the plot here.

Words that come to mind when trying to describe the characters, and plot?  Densely packed, beautifully constructed, and always complex.  That applies to everything here.  The characters are especially marvelous.  On one side you have Brendan O’Farrihy and the remaining members of his SEAL family, a damaged, closeknit, and over the top competent group of warriors devastated by a mission gone wrong.  And soon to be reunited in Hawaii.  On the other side?  A closeknit group of Japanese warriors…a segment of the criminal gang that is Yakuza.  They too have been separated, not from each other, but from their material and emotional foundation in the Yakuza organization in Japan.  Two teams or families adrift by circumstances and one man who will bring them all together.  What a great plot!  And to make them all feel alive H. J. Brues steeps her story and characters deep in the culture of Hawaii.  Here  it is the white people or haole who are outsiders.  Not so those of multiracial backgrounds found throughout the Hawaiian Islands, where it can take a true polyglot to understand the mixture of dialects, colloquialisms, pidgin mashups of  English, Japanese, Samoan, and much, much more that has become the language of the people there.

I loved the manner in which Brues folded her knowledge of the various cultures (of Japan, Yakuza, Hawaii, and SEAL) together in such a way that they remain distinct yet commonplace elements of the people and story lines.  Her characters speak the language of their home and cultures and it feels as natural as breathing.  Along the way other details and facets are thrown in, such as the clothing worn by kendo masters and the slippers and furnishings found there. Want to know more about what it is like to don (and take off) the hakama pants worn by Kendo Masters and students? Then read the scene that highlights the difficulty and time it took Brendan and Kinosuke to remove their hakama pants while half crazed with lust.  It comes across as both authentic, and funny.   Dialects swing back and forth from Japanese to colloquial Hawaii then to standard SEAL  speak and English and then around again.   A tremendous merry-go-round of  vivid imagery, local flavor, and layering that can make your head swim if other cultures and languages are not your thing.  For me it felt as if each new page brought another present to unwrap.

There is a tremendous amount of information here and plot complications to  include so at times the reading can slow down, the narrative sluggish under the weight of all those great elements and tactical maneuverings.  Then its starts to pick up as the other SEAL team members arrive and the rush is on to accomplish several missions, save Ken, and complete a HEA for all.  That race towards the resolution is really gripping, the author’s sentences creating a picture of tension, danger, and imminent discovery.  So  many great action sequences coming together for a jam packed explosive finale.

I loved this story so much that I went back and grabbed up  the first in the series, Yakuza Pride.  But that is a review for a later time.  But if you haven’t read that story, don’t worry you can start here as I did.  From that glorious cover to the equally stunning story inside, this is one of ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Best of 2014 and highly recommended reads!

Cover artist Reese Dante’s cover is lush, beautifully rendered and spot on for this story.

Sales Links:         Dreamspinner Press (on sale)      All Romance eBooks       Amazon        Yakuza Courage

Book Details:

ebook, 336 pages
Published August 1st 2014 by Dreamspinner Press LLC (first published July 31st 2014)
ISBN139781627988667
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Way of the Yakuza #2

Book in the Series to date:

Yakuza Pride (The Way of the Yakuza #1)
Yakuza Courage (The Way of the Yakuza #2)

On Tour with K.C. Wells and Learning to Love: Final Exam! (contest)

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Join K.C. Wells on her Learning to Love: Final Exam Book Tour!

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K.C. Wells has stopped by on her Learning to Love: Final Exam Book Tour.  Along with participating in an author interview, she has also brought along a contest to enter.  Visit the Rafflecopter link provided and be entered to win a eBook copy of Learning to Love: Final Exam!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Now on to our interview:

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interviews K.C. Wells

STRW:  Why a story series about three couples instead of one?

K.C. Wells:  I didn’t start out to write a series, you have to understand that. I had a story kicking about in my head for a year or so before I got to the point where I couldn’t wait to write it down. Michael & Sean were there, waiting for me. But then Evan started to blossom as a character. I loved him from the beginning: his sense of humour, the way he was totally at ease with his sexuality, and wasn’t about to hide that for anyone. And about half way through Michael & Sean, All I wanted was for him to find someone to love. Enter Daniel… As soon as Daniel started talking to me, I knew their story would be very different.

So now I’m thinking, “Oh my God, this isn’t one book, it’s two!” And that’s when I started to think that if one couple was good, two was great, then three would be fantastic! I looked at the characters who had made an appearance so far. Guess who started talking to me? Josh.

I always liked Josh. Here was yet another young man at ease with being gay. But if Josh was going to be in the story, who would arouse his interest?
Which is why in Evan and Daniel, Chris makes an appearance, nervous, feeling guilty and wanting to put things right. And Josh, sweet, kind-hearted Josh, finds the shy young man very interesting. Chris arouses his protective nature.

The last book was planned out in April, 2012. I had submitted Michael & Sean and had started to write Evan and Daniel. At that point I had no idea that Dreamspinner Press were going to say, “yes” and publish the first book. I knew when I submitted it that there were going to be others, possibly three more.

STRW:  Was writing the relationship dynamics made easier or harder by having three couples?

K.C. Wells:  It got easier as their characters emerged fully. By the end of Evan & Daniel’s story, Daniel’s dominant nature was coming to the fore, as was his tendency to be jealous. Michael was still Michael – solid, dependable, and totally devoted to Sean. Chris’s shyness stuck out, in direct comparison to Josh’s outgoing nature. And as I began to flesh out each couple, they became more distinctive, less homogenized. What I love about Final Exam is that by now they have grown into their relationships – maybe Josh & Chris to a lesser extent – and each has their own voice.

STRW:  Do you see yourself revisiting these couples in the future?

Well, let’s see now…

There’s a wedding coming up, isn’t there? Josh & Chris have finally set a date, and it’s going to be a church wedding. I can see Chris’s grandmother Margaret’s fine hand in that. And you know they’ll all want to be involved. 😉

And as for Evan and Daniel, once they get their careers on the right track and somewhere to live, they’ll want to see where their BDSM journey takes them next.

 

STRW:  How long did it take to evolve your writing style?

K.C. Wells:  I’m not sure how to answer that! Reading now through Michael & Sean, I’m sorry but my first thought is, “Bloody hell, I got better at this!” By the time I came to write Trusting Thomas, I had learned so much from going through the editing process. I found I was trying to avoid making my earlier mistakes. But for me, I knew I’d evolved when I was writing September’s Tide, in July last year. My Dad had read Michael & Sean, bless him, even though it was definitely not his thing. He’d given me technical advice at the time, assuming, as he said, that I “knew my genre” as far as content went. I was staying with him and Hache, my stepmother, in Montpellier in the south of France. He was writing too. I asked if I could read him the first chapter that I’d just written of a story about an American detective writer with writer’s block, who is sent by his agent to spend a month on the Isle of Wight. Dad sat there in silence while I read the chapter aloud, including David Hannon’s American accent. When I’d finished, he said nothing for a moment. Then he looked at me and said, “I’m so glad you read that to me. This is nothing like your first book. This flows. Its construction is so much better. It reads very well.”
Very proud daughter moment!

I was too close to see the changes but he could, in the space of a year.

STRW:  What’s next for KC Wells?

K.C. Wells:   Sigh……

My problem is that I have too many stories, each of them clamouring for my attention. Once I’ve finished Confetti, Cake & Confessions, which should be any second now, then I’ll be finishing the sixth book in the Collars & Cuffs series, Make Me Soar. This is Dorian’s story. BUT I am also faced with a dilemma. Do I finally get around to writing the third Island Tale, about my blind Dom, Adam, in Submitting to the Darkness? Or will it be my first thriller, Fatal Designs? Or how about my first MMMM?

Yeah, waayyyyyy too many ideas in my head.

Thanks for having me today! ;

STRW:  Thanks, K.C., for the great interview! Loved it and look  forward to all your new stories to come.  Now, readers, check out K.C. Wells’ Learning to Love: Final Exam.  The blurb and excerpts can be found below and don’t forget to enter the contest!

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Book Name: Learning to Love: Final Exam
Author Name: K.C. Wells
Author Bio: Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C.Wells always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way.

K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, where the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings – writing about men in love was even hotter…

K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career.
The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.

To see more of K.C.’s titles, click here

Author Contact:   K.C. can be reached via…

  • email (k.c.wells@btinternet.com),
    Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld) or
    through comments at the K.C.Wells
    Website (www.kcwellsworld.com ) K.C. loves to hear from readers.

 

LearningtoLove-FinalExamFSTitle:  Learning to Love: Final Exam by K.C. Wells
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy Links:      Dreamspinner Ebook   Dreamspinner Paperback

Blurb:

One house, three couples, and one year left until their final exams….

Evan and Daniel want to take their D/s relationship to the next level. When Daniel suggests conducting a little research at a BDSM club, Evan is more than up for it. Trouble is, one of their housemates isn’t happy about this.

Finances tighten for new couple Josh and Chris. Wanting to ease some of the pressure on Chris, Josh starts as an agency nurse. But tackling a heavy workload at medical school and working late-shifts leaves little time for the couple. Something’s gotta give.

In Spain, Sean was diagnosed as suffering from migraines. But after the medications have no effect and he starts suffering from other complaints, he decides to get a second opinion without telling Michael. When Michael finds out, Sean’s usually laid-back husband’s reaction shocks everyone. But Michael needs to get his head sorted fast, because Sean needs his strength.

As their school career comes to a close and the one person who holds them all together starts to fall apart, the final exam is a true test of friendship.

 Learning to Love: Final Exam Excerpt:

SEAN WAS getting really fed up with his housemates.

Ever since he and Michael had got back from Spain, the four men had turned into mother hens. Sean was constantly aware of them watching him. At least, it felt like they were. When he’d brought it up, Michael had said he was imagining things, but then again, Michael was guilty of the same thing in Sean’s book. He knew Michael was keeping a close eye on him. Sean hadn’t said a word. These days, he didn’t trust himself to do so without biting Michael’s head off, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Okay, so I’ve had a few migraines. Why the scrutiny all the time?

He loved his housemates to bits, but recently he’d found himself snapping at them on occasion, and that just wasn’t like him. He could see the same thought in Michael’s eyes and that hurt. He hated it when Michael worried, especially if he was the cause.

He wanted to scream at them all.

Look, I’m fine! It’s just a few fucking HEADACHES, that’s all!

He wouldn’t, of course, tempting though the idea was. And besides, there was that tiny voice in his head that wouldn’t go away.

What if it’s more than just headaches? What if there’s something else wrong?

At first he’d pushed the thought aside. He’d been to the doctors in Spain, hadn’t he? The doc had been perfectly happy with his diagnosis of migraines

Only now the headaches were occurring more regularly, which was worrisome. The fact that his bloody pills were useless wasn’t helping either.

Then DO something. Get another opinion.

Now that made sense.

Sean picked up his phone and scrolled through his contacts to the clinic where he and Michael got tested every few months.

The sooner he got this sorted, the happier he’d be. And maybe then his housemates would stop mothering him.

He listened for a moment. Michael was downstairs in the kitchen with Chris, Evan, and Daniel. Josh was at the hospital. If Michael knew he was making an appointment, he’d only worry even more.

So that meant only one course of action—Sean wasn’t going to tell him. He’d go see another doctor, see if there were any tests they could run, and maybe get some medication that actually worked. He glanced at the notice board where his and Michael’s timetables were pinned. Being on the same course had its drawbacks, especially if he wanted to book an appointment when Michael wouldn’t be around. The only time available was when Michael saw his personal tutor. At least the clinic was on campus, but he might have to book it a week or two in advance to be sure of getting the slot he wanted.

And if he were completely honest, Sean was starting to get concerned. He rarely got sick, he ate healthily—Michael made sure of that—he didn’t smoke, and his alcohol intake amounted to a couple of glasses of wine per week. So putting up with headaches was pissing him off.

Make the call, Sean. While Michael’s not in earshot.

Sighing, he pressed Connect.


FinalExam600x600BannerTour Dates/Stops:
8/25: Reviews and Ramblings
8/26: Wake Up Your Wild Side
8/27: Prism Book Alliance
8/28: Hearts on Fire
8/29: Parker Williams
9/1: Jade Crystal
9/2: Angel Martinez
9/3: Amanda C. Stone
9/4: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
9/5: Love Bytes
9/8: Regular Guys, Hot Romance
9/9: MM Good Book Reviews
9/10: LeAnn’s Book Reviews
9/11: Cate Ashwood, Dawn’s Reading Nook
9/12: Velvet Panic
9/15: My Fiction Nook
9/16: 3 Chicks After Dark
9/17: Fallen Angel Reviews
9/18: SA McAuley
9/19: Iyana Jenna

 

Contest: Use the Rafflecopter link to enter to win and for more contest details.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter Prize: Copy of the book when it comes out

It’s Whistle Stop Time for L.C. Chase on her Pulling Leather Book Tour (contest)!

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Welcome, L.C. Chase, author, and cover artist of Pulling Leather (Pickup Men #3)!

G’day everyone! Welcome to my Pulling Leather blog tour and a peek into the world of rodeo cowboys. (The official schedule can be found here.) This wouldn’t be a proper tour without some prezzies, of course, so read on for giveaway details. Thank you for kicking off my new tour, and to all of you for hopping in the saddle to ride along!

PullingLeather_500x750Pulling Leather Blurb:

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.

You can read an excerpt and purchase Pulling Leather at Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and All Romance eBooks!

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Pulling Leather Details:

Author & Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62649-161-8
eBook release: Sep 1, 2014
eBook Formats: pdf, mobi, html, epub
Word count: 52,000,Page count: 196
This title is #3 of the Pickup Men series.

Books in the Pick Up Men Series Include:

  • Pick Up Men
  • Let It Ride (Pick Up Men #2)
  • Pulling Leather (Pick Up Men #3)

Pulling Leather Sales Link at  Riptide Publishing.

About L.C. Chase:

Cover artist by day, author by night, L.C. Chase is a hopeless romantic and adventure seeker. After a decade of traveling three continents, she now calls the Canadian West Coast home. When not writing sensual tales of beautiful men falling love, she can be found designing book covers with said beautiful men, drawing, horseback riding, or hiking the trails with her goofy four-legged roommate.

L.C. is a 2014 Lambda Literary Award Finalist for Pickup Men; a 2013 EPIC eBook Awards Finalist for Long Tall Drink; and a 2013-2014 Ariana eBook Cover Art Awards Finalist. She also won an honorable mention in the 2012 Rainbow Awards for Riding with Heaven.

You can find out more about L.C., story extras, works in progress, and cover designs at her website, on her blog, or on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. L.C. is also a proud member of Art= a collective of artists who donate a portion of their art sales to GLBTQ charities.

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PullingLeather_150x300The Big Tour Contest:

In celebration and thanks, I’m offering goodies for two lucky readers . . .
1 – COWBOYS IN PIXELS: One ebook copy of any title in my backlist. Open to worldwide entries.
2 – COWBOYS IN PRINT: One signed paperback copy of Long Tall Drink, the extended edition, Pickup Men or Let It Ride. Open to worldwide entries.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Please use the Rafflecopter link below to enter and for additional contest details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the Author Spotlight: Interview with Havan Fellows on her Hard, Sexy Men! (contest)

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Meet Havan Fellows!

Up Close and In the Author’s Interview Chair!

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 Contest:  Havan Fellows has stopped by for interview and brought a contest with her as well.  To enter to win, visit this rafflecopter link for the entry form and additional  contest details.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Meet Havan Fellows! Creator of Wick, Rowen and so many other memorable characters and one of the authors of the Pulp Friction Author Group:

Oooooh…thank you for having me again, Melanie. You know I love visiting you and the cutie pie puppies! *sneaks puppies treats* What? Oh nothing is in my hands…um…now. 🙂 So you had some questions you wanted to ask me? *clears throat*

First maybe I should introduce myself…my name is Havan Fellows…I’m an author. I’ve written in different genres—het and M/M romance…but I’ve only so far published M/M romance (it’s my pleasure…guilty or otherwise hehe). I’m published with Breathless Press, Totally Bound, and self-published…and I also write with two terrific groups; Story Orgy (SO) and Pulp Friction (PF). I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a lucky lucky person…the amazing authors at Story Orgy and Pulp Friction have taught me more than any workshop or class could’ve…I owe a lot to them…especially my best friend—the multi-talented Lee Brazil (who writes for SO and PF also), Lee’s the one that kicked my assets into drive when I explained I wanted to write but was afraid to put myself out there. Did I mention really really lucky?

Now, a bad habit I have is the gift of babble…my father once said that I kinda just throw words out there and the listener has to collect them and put them into proper order to understand anything I say (maybe that explains my love of em-dashes and ellipses? lol)…and since I don’t want to prove him right…um…let’s get on with the questions, shall we?

STRW:  Where did you get your inspiration for Rowen?

Havan Fellows: Well, back in September or October of 2013 the PF group (Laura Harner, Tom Webb, Lee Brazil and myself) were having another one of our get-togethers…the wine was flowing, the laughter was contagious and the sexy pictures were stimulating…oh crap, TMI? Anyway, we were talking about next year…and if there would be a next year. Of course we all wanted to give PF another go…and Flagstaff seemed like a terrific idea for the backdrop…but I was faced with my normal fears. I always worry that I’ll just recycle characters—and Wick is an epic character in my opinion…but not one I want to take on for another year (he’s very high maintenance, let me tell you! lol). So I was wondering what would be the opposite of Wick? What about a quiet recluse? That had merit, and would work well in a cabin in a campground in the middle of almost nowhere. So Rowen was born…and grew in my mind very quickly.

STRW:  Sometimes characters are too big for one series. Wick is like that. Is Rowen another?

Havan Fellows: I think that goes back to my Wick is epic comment, huh? Guess I jumped the gun…lol. I don’t know if Rowen is, yet. I don’t plan stuff like that out ahead—and I’m very grateful when others think that way toward my characters. In fact, even though Rowen wormed his way into my heart before I finished writing the first book, I didn’t think others would take to him like I did. He doesn’t make it easy for people to understand or like him, but the feedback I’m getting about Rowen is amazing and really makes me smile. Thanks to all the Rowen lovers – you have spurred me on throughout all the books. 🙂

STRW:  How many stories are you working on at one time?

Havan Fellows: Well I always have a PF book going it seems (already started on Final Blow – you should see the opening for it *blinks*)…and I have my Monday prompt story with Story Orgy (free reads every Monday yay!!!)…and sometimes (like now) I have a third book I’m trying to get to a publishable state of mind.

STRW:  Will there be a Pulp Friction 2015?

Havan Fellows: Ahhh…now that is the question…and soon we might actually have an answer to it.

STRW:  Favorite character of yours?

Havan Fellows: Now now now…I love all of my main characters equally (eyes the trouble makers—Wick & Shan). Now that I’ve given the PC answer…there is something about an imperfect person finding redemption and becoming someone they never thought they could be…and having others see the good in them they don’t feel is there. I believe I hit that mark with Jude from Judging Jude. Even though he thought he was trash, a select few always saw the good he didn’t even realize he did.

STRW:  Do you listen to music as you write and if so, is there a type of music?

Havan Fellows: Nope…I may listen to a song before I write to get me in the mood, but during writing I kinda need quiet. I like to sing and move when I hear music…and my hands don’t stay on the keyboard…lol.

STRW:  Favorite book you read as a child. What impact did it have on you.

Havan Fellows: I think all of Christopher Pike’s books hit me hard. I remember dragging my mama to the bookstore and picking out two of his books each time…from him I worked my way up to Stephen King and Dean Koontz (OMG Lightning by Dean Koontz will stick with you forever!) If you are looking for a specific classic book, I’m not sure I could name one. I was awful at keeping my concentration on books I was forced to read…but the ones I chose to read—now they were something else!

STRW:  If Wick could have super powers, what would they be?

Havan Fellows: HA! Dangerous. Probably nothing that would make him invincible…taking away the threat of defeat or death would lesson his fun in a situation. No x-ray vision or anything like that either…he doesn’t go where he isn’t openly invited, it’s half the fun to make something beg him for it, lol. Oh wait! He does have super powers…he’s named them Banyu…lmao.

 STRW:  What’s next up for Havan Fellows?

HF: Hopefully something brilliant and quirky and funny, with a side of steamy and interesting? Am I aiming too high? How about settling for Final Blow from PF and maybe the first book in a trilogy I’m working on unofficially titled Chance at Trust – the trilogy itself isn’t named yet, darn that always gets me. 🙂

Once again, thank you Melanie for having me and thanks to all that stayed long enough to read these thanks…lol. I would love it if you left a comment—perhaps telling us what type of character worms their way into your hearts most often? That would be interesting (and I might take notes for a future book! lol) But seriously, play with the Rafflecopter (he’s loves being manhandled)—there are two prizes up for grabs for two different winners…a $10 gift card to All Romance e-books and a complete set of my Pulp Friction 2014 books (including Final Blow, which will be whisked to you when it is available!)

Thanks, Havan, for stopping by and all the wonderful stories offered up as part of the contest.  I can’t wait for Final Blow to come out!

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