Category: M/M Paranormal Fiction

Review Tour and Giveaway – My Name Was Karl by Daniel Mitton

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK


Length: 91 pages


Blurb

It was a forgotten place. A place with a dark history. Thousands of men had passed through its doors during the first three quarters of the twentieth century. Most had served their time and moved on. But not all had been so fortunate.
As the years ticked by and the seasons changed, the old prison moldered away, but one thing stayed constant. 

In the deepest part of the night, on the darkest nights of the year—particularly in spring, if you were sensitive enough to hear them—sounds could be heard coming from the deepest bowels of the lowest level basement. All was not right. Something was waiting, alone in the darkness. 

Waiting for someone to finally hear its sorrow. 

When Petty Officer Ben Pierce decided to explore the long abandoned Naval Prison next to his decrepit barracks, the last thing he expected to find was a mystery.

Something is in the Prison. Or is it some one? Where is the weeping coming from? When Ben follows the sounds to an ice cold, but empty, cell, he isn’t sticking around to find out any more details. 

But now he can’t get it out of his mind. 

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words’ Review here.

 

 
Author Bio

Daniel Mitton is not a statistic. When the doctors broke the news to him that he would be dead by the end of 2013 from brain cancer, he scoffed at them. He has proven them incorrect, and continues to prove them more incorrect every day.

He is now pursuing his lifelong dream of telling other people his stories in writing. His overactive imagination used to get him in trouble. It will be interesting to see what happens this time.

My Name Was Karl is his first self-published work, but he already has two other books in a queue somewhere at a publisher.

Daniel was born and raised in northern New Hampshire, but now lives in sunny Southwest Florida with his husband of nearly twenty-eight years. He totally doesn’t get why some people complain it is too hot in Florida!

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Paul’s Paranormal Portfolio – Online Stories (Revisited)

Pauls Paranormal Portfolio Header

Paul’s Paranormal Portfolio – Online Stories

Welcome back to another edition of the portfolio.  It’s been a while since we chatted but as they say, life gets in the way.  In this edition of the portfolio, I would like to highlight three online stories that I have been reading.  These stories are considered to be in progress and are updated according to the author.  All these stories can be found on the Castle Roland (castleroland.net) web site.

The first story is a fantasy story by AB called The Chronicles of Valana:  Shadowlands.  Marco and Lucas are ten year olds living in Manhattan.  Near their home is a demolition site for the Artifacts Museum.  One day while playing in the rubble, they find an ancient medallion.  They are transported away from New York and land in the middle of a forest where a knight approaches them.  The pair escapes the knight but use of magic.  Clearly not in their own world, the pair set off to find out where they have landed and if there is any way for them to return home.  On their journey, they discover that one is an elven prince and the other a “talker” who can act as a translator not only of humans but animals and nature as well.  The pair must now travel to the elven lands to fulfill their destiny of saving this strange world in which they have entered.

The second story is The Prince of House Vladd by Arthur.  Peter is celebrating his fifteen birthday.  His father takes him to a birthday party in his honor.  When he arrives to the mansion where the party is being held, he finds out there is more to this world than just humans.  Peter is actually Prince Piotr, heir to the vampire House of Vladd the Impaler.  Peter is a daywalker, a vampire who can go out in sun.  His father tells Peter that he will be the next leader of the Vampire council with the princes of the other vampire houses as his guardians.  Peter sets about learning his way but there are those who believe Peter is an easy mark.  Peter and his guardians must defend against this threat.  In book two, a religious demagogue has been elected president and is starting a crusade against all non-conforming people.  Peter, his mate and their son must escape before forces reach them and bide their time in Latin America. 

The third book is not a paranormal book but deals with the apocalypse.  The Day of N by Kyle Aarons tells the story of seven scouts ages eleven to twelve who are out at a camp out with their scout master Scott Korbal.  They are biking near where they are camping when there is a flash in the distant sky.  Scott’s bike blows a tire and he takes a tumble, breaking his arm and several ribs.  The boys notice several mushroom clouds in all directions along with missiles flying upward as an apparent counterstrike gets on the way.  Scott knows that he must get the boys to safety as quickly as possible.  He also realizes that without medical help, he is more than likely going to die soon due to his injuries.  As a former special forces ranger, he is determined to impart his knowledge to these young men about the new world that they live in before his time is up. 

I hope you find these stories as engaging as I have.  If you have your favorite online paranormal stories please share them in the comments section.  I would like to keep this limited to story sites and not author blogs where story previews are often shared and later published.  Until next time…

Paul

In Memoriam – Paul Berg

In Memoriam – Paul Berg

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words lost one of its wonderful reviewers recently.  Paul Berg died suddenly during one of his beloved backgammon tournaments, a game he was passionate about.  I’d like to think his love of LGBTQIA Science Fiction kept him occupied between tournaments and visa versa!  He was always talking about the next books he was reading or the next topic for his Paul’s Paranormal Portfolio blog he wrote for us.  His excitement was contagious!  It didn’t matter what genre the characters and stories he was reading were from…he just loved all the books and their couples (from the supernatural shifters to the alien ones) to the paranormal to fantasy to the science fiction..Paul loved them all so.

And he wanted to share his love of those stories with all of you.

Paul did that through his reviews and through his blog, Paul’s Paranormal Portfolio, where he shared his love of all the characters and formats that came his way.  He had discussed with me expanding it in the future to include the serial stories he loved reading and some graphic novels.  I’ll miss those too.

But Paul left so much of him behind in the joy, swift intelligence, and gift of himself that he shared with others.  Whether it was through his reviews of books or his presence and fierce competition at the backgammon tables or as a great friend and family member, Paul Berg made an impact in this world.  He will be deeply missed.

 

Burial and Memorial for Paul Berg by Benjamin Friesen – GoFundMe

The best portion of a good man’s life: his little, nameless unremembered acts of kindness and love.

William Wordsworth

British poet William Wordsworth (born April 7, 1770) was a key figure in the Romantic Age, which privileged emotion over reason and was seen as a cultural revolt against the Industrial Revolution.

A MelanieM Review: Skim Blood and Savage Verse (Offbeat Crimes #3) by Angel Martinez

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Words damage more than just feelings as Carrington hunts feral books menacing the city.

When a ferocious book attacks Carrington at his own birthday party, he believes it’s an isolated incident. But similar books soon pop up all over town, menacing innocent people with harsh bits of poetry and blank verse that deliver damaging physical blows. It’s a frustrating case with too many variables and not enough answers, and the stakes go up with each attack.

With the help of his misfit squad mates at the 77th and the public library’s Rare Books Department, the missing pieces decrease but not Carrington’s vexations. His commanding officer rakes him over the coals at the beginning of every shift. His police partner has lost patience with what she sees as his delusional relationship choices and his inability to pick the right man in a vast field of two. City Hall demands that the books be stopped immediately. It’s enough to put a nutritionally challenged vampire off his skim blood.

The book rattled violently on the table in an imitation of a step dance and printed words leaped out of the pages at frightening speed. Just before they slammed into Carrington’s head, the flying words shrieked at him.
“You starveling, you eel-skin, you dried neat’s tongue, you bull’s pizzle!”
He had time for a split second of horror before the words rammed into him with the force of several fists.

                                                  from Skim Blood and Savage Verse (Offbeat Crimes #3) by Angel Martinez

Yes, feral books are rampaging about the city slinging deadly poetry at people’s heads!  Angel Martinez, you might as well drop the mike and leave the building! This is why I love to read, to come across passages and indeed an entire story full of such paragraphs and plot threads so imaginative and lively that I burst into giggles still at the very thought of them.  And that’s just one element here.

Yes its poor Carrington, that vampire who needs to exist on skim blood with the worst taste in men who is the focus here (well one of them at any rate).  His feral book attack launches an investigation and soon his squad realizes there have been attacks all over the city.  The librarian in the Rare Books Department at the Public Library is just the sort to set him, well not straight, but on the path to HEA, if Carrington can get past his own proclivities for picking up the most shallow, mean-spirited men around.  That’s a terrific storyline going on while in pursuit of the rampaging feral books (I can never get enough of those). The author gets us into Carr’s head and heart here.  While we are often frustrated with him, its also easy to understand why Carr is why he is.

But there’s another romance here.  One I rate just  as highly.  LJ, also known as Leather Jacket. Yes, an animated object of clothing who’s a member of the squad (loosely) gets a lover. I won’t go into the details because they are too wonderful and should be explored within the story itself.  This romance turned out to be so adorable, so charming and mysterious (and on-going probably into the next story) that I was just as equally invested in them as well as in Carrington and Erasmus, the librarian.   I will, however, mention that for those who  like a quick romance, that doesn’t happen.  Carr has plenty of issues and those have to be dealt with first.   But we get a closer look at Carr’s family, his partner Amanda (who I also adore) and other respective members of 77th Precinct.

There’s a dangling bit of mystery left here at the end, a rather large bit that I hope leads into the next story.  The 77th Precinct and all its members are downright addictive! You never know what wildly scary case will come their way with love tromping along too.  Or maybe being propelled by fairies or blasted by fire.  Probably not.  All too mundane.  Which is why I cannot wait for the next book in the series to arrive.  Pill bugs from space and now deadly poetry spitting flying feral books!  What will Angel Martinez come up with next?  I’ve got the popcorn and am patiently waiting to find out.

Cover art by Posh Gosh is very pretty and includes that flying book.

Sales Links

Pride Publishing | Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 137 pages
Published April 4th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786515520
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Offbeat Crimes 

Review Tour and Giveaway – Annabelle Jacobs’ Bitten By Design

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2mRvGMr

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2odcOb1


Length: 80,000 words


Regent’s Park Pack Series


Bitten By Mistake (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK


Blurb

When the last thing you want, is everything you need….

Seb Calloway isn’t interested in shifters. After his best friend bonded with one, he avoids getting involved with them—no matter how hot they are—to prevent the same thing from happening to him. Why take the risk for a few hours of fun?

Tim Walters is the pack doctor. Considered to be mild-mannered and non-threatening by pack standards, he prides himself on being able to stay calm and maintain his control at all times. Desperate for a bond of his own, he knows his interest in Seb is an exercise in futility, but he can’t seem to help himself.

When news emerges that threatens Seb’s safety, he and Tim need to fake a relationship to keep Seb safe. Despite Seb’s refusal to be anything other than friends with benefits, what starts out as pretend, quickly becomes more—for Tim at least. If Tim doesn’t want to end up heartbroken, he needs to prove to Seb that loving a shifter doesn’t mean losing himself.

 

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 4.5 star Review here

 

 

 

 

Author Bio

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Twitter ñ https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction
Website ñ www.annabellejacobs.com
Email ñ ajacobsfiction@gmail.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction

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A Stella Review: Angel by JL Merrow

RATING 4 out of 5 stars

How do you know if you’re one of the damned?

As a child, Don wanted to become a priest. Now a grown man mostly at ease with being gay, he’s left the Catholic Church and has chosen instead to help people through his work as a parole officer.

His strong faith is shaken when his latest assignment turns out to be Michael, a young man Don hasn’t seen since he took Michael to church as a child — and saw his parish priest cast Michael out of the church as a demon.

Meeting him as an adult re-ignites the obsession Don had with the boy he couldn’t save. But can Michael be saved at all? Or is the strangely compelling demon with a taste for risky sex as damned as he believes himself to be?

JL Merrow is an amazing writer, I’m a huge fan of her works. It seems I already missed this short when it was first released, I couldn’t miss it this second time.

The blurb tells you everything you need to know about the story, I read it and liked it. Angel is a super short story, well written, quick and engaging. Being so short there wasn’t really space for a lot of development in the romance part, to be honest pretty inexistent. But the author was great at showing me how deep Dan was into Michael, from the moment they met again twenty years later, Michael is everything Dan can think and dream of. From that moment Dan will go after him and try to save him.

I have to say I wish Angel was a little longer and I would have preferred to have Michael POV too. I was interested in the MCs and yes, I wanted more about them, about what happened all the years they were apart, and I wanted more of them together. For these reasons I was going to give this short just three stars, then the ending part blew me away. The last pages were really beautiful and emotional, the feel of acceptance, the feel of love mixed with fear, all of these filled my heart.

The cover art by Witten Ink Designs is well done, simple, clean and fitting.

Sales Links:   JMS Books LLC | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 34 pages

Published March 11th 2017 by JMS Books LLC (first published February 24th 2010)

ASIN B06X3TDMW5

Edition Language English

Its Alina Popsecu’s Free Books Five Days Birthday Celebration! (Book Giveaway)

Strength To Let Go (Tales of the Werewolf Tribes #1)

by Alina Popescu

My birthday is coming up next week and I’m celebrating with five days of free books.

FREE BOOK ALERT

Strength to Let Go by Alina Popescu is free from April 1 to April 5

Hurry up and get your copy of this #gay #paranormal #romance from Amazon!

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MT6EZOB

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MT6EZOB

Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01MT6EZOB

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01MT6EZOB

After being abandoned by his mates, Shiki Kirishima, beta of the Dragons of the Fang werewolf tribe, returns to his home in Tokyo. Overwhelmed by grief, he decides to end it all by going into Siberian Killer territory and challenging the tribe to a battle to the death.

His death.

The Killer’s beta, Ganzorig, grasps the potentially disastrous consequences of his tribe killing Shiki, and saves him instead. Having suffered loss, Ganz takes it upon himself to help Shiki deal with his pain, then return him safely to his tribe.

Shiki’s best friend since childhood, Blake, is as determined as Ganzorig to show him there is life after a wolf’s ultimate loss, that of a mate.

Once Shiki leaves the seclusion of Ganzorig’s compound and returns to Tokyo, Blake is the only person he allows near. Blake is more than happy to give Shiki space to lick his wounds and deal with everything in his place. Shielded from his responsibilities to his family and tribe, and cocooned in Blake’s care, Shiki thrives on his journey to healing.

As the real world pushes its way in, with competing tribes causing trouble, children to worry about, and exes to deal with, will Shiki be able to cope or will he spiral back to a state of pure misery? And is there room for more than friendship between him and Blake?

Links to my shares:

Twitter – https://twitter.com/alina_popescu/status/848138794591236096

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authoralinapopescu/photos/a.260653140743638.1073741829.260041824138103/895121023963510/?type=3