Category: M/M Paranormal Fiction

Author Spotlight: BJ on Author Jaye McKenna

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Author Recs!

 A BJ Author Rec: Author Jaye McKenna

Burn The Sky cover

The first time I picked up a book by Jaye McKenna was during the 2014 Don’t Read in the Closet event put on by the Goodreads M/M Romance group. It was a free story, and it was awesome. Then I found out it was the second of a series, so I went back and read the first freebie book, Human Frailties from the previous year’s event. Then another freebie, Facing the Mirror. I enjoyed all three. I requested a review copy of her newest book, Burn the Sky, and promptly fell in love with the broken ice dragon, Ilya. But it was when I went back and read the expanded version of Human Frailties, Human Strengths that I completely fell in love, irrevocably and head over heels. Ashnavayarian has stolen my heart and its for so many reasons but really, really its just like that quote by Michel de Montaigne, “because he was he.” There is just something magical and unique about him—so strong, yet he has his vulnerable moments. He’s imperfect, starts out self-centered and snarky but he’s growing and changing. And its so fun to see.

This author pushes some of my buttons big time, because I love angst and broken boys. Especially ones with long hair (ok, it’s a fetish of mine!). This author’s boys never have an easy time of it, they go through the wringer a few times over for their HEA. I eat that right up. The heat and sexual tension buildup that I love is always there. There’s snarky characters and witty dialogue.

Then there is her world. Most of McKenna’s stories are set in the same well-developed and nuanced fantasy world. The fantasy stories are separated from the more sci-fi ones by thousands of years, but it all ties in and builds… it sucked me in.

Jaye McKenna serves up magic meets science. Its lovely, nuanced broken boys getting slowly put back together and finding love. With a hefty dose of hot and sexy on top.

                                                                       ~  BJ

 

About author Jaye McKenna –

Jaye McKenna was born a Brit and was dragged, kicking and screaming, across the Pond at an age when such vehement protest was doomed to be misinterpreted as a “paddy”. She grew up near a sumac forest in Minnesota and spent most of her teen years torturing her parents with her electric guitar and her dark poetry. She was punk before it was cool and a grown-up long before she was ready. Jaye writes fantasy and science fiction stories about hot guys who have the hots for each other. She enjoys making them work darn hard for their happy endings, which might explain why she never gets invited to their parties.

You can find Jaye McKenna at the following:

Website , Twitter,  Goodreads Author Page

Human Choices coverHuman Frailties Human Strengths coverBurn The Sky coverPsi Hunter cover

Books You May Have Missed from Jaye McKenna (with links to BJ’s Reviews):

And look for the following books and their reviews from BJ in the upcoming weeks…

  • Psi Hunter (Guardians of the Pattern, #1)
  • Gremlin’s Last Run (Guardians of the Pattern, #2)
  • Ghost in the Mythe (Guardians of the Pattern, #3.0)

Cover Reveal Time for Parker Williams’ Scent of the Heart (Shifting Needs #2) (cover reveal and contest)

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Time to Reveal the Cover for
Scent of the Heart (Shifting Needs #2) by Parker Williams
Release Date: June 15, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Parker Williams
Cover Artist: Laura Harner

Sales Links:  Amazon  –  All Romance (ARe) – Smashwords

About Scent of the Heart

Casey Scott grew up being told he’d never amount to anything, and despite the unwavering
love and support from his best friend, Jake, the idea sticks in the back of Casey’s mind. When he
discovers he has a unique destiny in an enclave where shifters and humans live together, he
seizes the chance, wanting for once in his life to be someone special.

Tsvetok Yerokhin lost his parents to the evil ruler of the enclave when he was a boy. The
responsibilities of raising his two younger brothers nearly overwhelmed him and self-doubt
took over. When the new Alpha and his Protector arrive in time to save his life, Sev is grateful,
but he’s even more shocked when he scents his mate with them.

Casey isn’t prepared for the feelings that sweep over him when he meets Sev, but he refuses to
act on them because he’s straight. Still, there is something so alluring about Sev that Casey can’t
help being drawn to him.

As the two explore the edges of their new discovery, an evil returns, determined to control the
enclave or destroy it. The Alpha and Protector are powerless to stop it, but Casey holds the key
to victory. If he can discover what it is, he has a chance to save them all. To be the hero.

Unfortunately, the hero has to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, and for Casey that
means losing his heart.

Pages or Words: Approximately 69,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Bisexual, Fiction, Gay Fiction, New Adult

Excerpt from Scent of the Heart


 Casey had slept in the early evening, exhausted from his activities of the day. First the twins came, and their birth wasn’t easy. One of them, the boy, refused to come out. Normally shifter births were in and out in less than an hour. This one had kept him elbow deep for four. When the child was finally born, he had a full head of fluffy gray hair, indicative of his mother’s rabbit side. When they’d asked his advice on what to name their new son, Casey had said Thumper. His parents had fallen in love with the name, and Casey learned that people who had never seen a movie had no idea what humor was.
Then there was the incident with the stupid skunk in the forest. He hoped to hell Jake never found out, because after all the crap Casey had given him, he knew for a fact there would be hell to pay.
His intent had been to sleep a few hours, then try another dreamwalk. They always left him drained when he didn’t have a tether to this world. Casey shook his head. Six months ago he never would have talked about different worlds, men that could become animals, or ghosts outside of his weekly Dungeons and Dragons game. Now it seemed he was actually living a campaign. He was a shaman, a wizard of sorts. Jake was a paladin, righteous and good. Zak was…well, Zak probably would have been royalty. With his demeanor and attitude, he would have made a great king.
He’d been dozing fitfully; his dreams filled with visions of future events, where a fork in the road left him with too many decisions. One was life, the other was death, but both were fraught with peril. The knocking at his door had jolted him awake, and he was actually glad for it.
Sev looked absolutely miserable as he stood at the door. This would be only the second time the man had come to see Casey. Most everyone else in the enclave had stopped by, even for a friendly visit, numerous times. Yet Sev always hung back. This time, Casey needed to understand what was going on.
When they came in contact, skin on skin, Casey had no idea what happened. A surge ran up the length of his arm, seemingly connecting him to Sev. He could tell the man across from him needed his help. Sev was different from all the others in the enclave who’d come and talked to him in the last six months. He didn’t need advice; what he needed was someone to understand.
Sev sat at the table, looking for all the world as if he were lost. He sipped the calming tea that Casey had brewed, his eyes downcast as he told Casey his story—the death of his parents, the problems he now had with his brothers, and his uncertainty that he was doing the right thing. Never before had Casey wanted to pull someone into his arms and promise them that everything would be all right. He’d heard so many stories after Elizar’s defeat—beatings, rape, murder, and still he was able to maintain a detachment. Not with Sev.
“How can I help?”
Sev sighed. “I don’t know that you can. I just wanted to talk to someone.”
Casey could see the shine of tears when Sev finally lifted his head, and his chest tightened as he stood and wrapped his arms around the man. He didn’t have words, and he couldn’t think of any other way to comfort him. Not one of the salves, potions, ointments, teas, or other remedies on his shelves had the power to offer the healing that a hug brought.
“Thank you, my mate.”
The words were so soft Casey was certain he had misheard them.

 

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About the author:

Parker Williams believes that true love exists, but it always comes with a price. No happily ever after can ever be had without work, sweat, and tears that come with melding lives together.

Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Parker held his job for nearly 28 years before he decided to retire and try new things. He enjoys his new life as a stay-at-home author and also working on Pride-Promotions, an LGBT author promotion service.

Where to find the author:

Connect with Parker on:
Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parker.williams.75641
Or you can visit his website: http://www.ParkerWilliamsAuthor.com

Cover Reveal Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Two $10 ARe gift cards. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
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Tour Dates & Stops:
Cate Ashwood, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Velvet Panic, Havan Fellows, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Full Moon Dreaming, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, The Hat Party, 3 Chicks After Dark, Mikky’s World of Books, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Love Bytes, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Charley Descoteaux, Inked Rainbow Reads, Becky Condit, Andrew Q. Gordon, Bayou Book Junkie, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire, Divine Magazine, Happily Ever Chapter, Nic Starr, My Fiction Nook, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Christy Loves 2 Read, Molly Lolly, Carly’s Book Reviews, Amanda C. Stone,
Nephylim, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Lee Brazil

Vampire ISO Love in “When Will I Be Loved” by Julie Lynn Hayes (author interview and giveaway)

WhenWillIBeLoved

When Will I Be Loved by Julie Lynn Hayes
Release Date: June 7, 2015

Goodreads Link: My Goodreads
Publisher: Amber Quill
Cover Artist: Trace Zaber

STRW Julie Lynn Hayes Author Interview

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Julie Lynn Hayes, author of When Will I Be Loved.

Hi Julie, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Good morning!

Thanks for having me here today!

I come from the Midwest, and have pretty much lived in St. Louis, Missouri, all my life. I live there now with my daughter, Sarah, and our cat, The Mighty Ramesses. I have a job I enjoy with an elevator inspection company, although I’ve had lots of other jobs before this one.

I’ve been married twice, and have five children and three grandchildren. I began writing when I was about nine. During the 90’s, I began publishing in small magazines, none of which exist anymore. Short stories and poetry. It wasn’t until 2010 that my first book, To the Max, was published by Dreamspinner Press. Since that time, I’ve had a number of other books published.

My current book is When Will I Be Loved, with Amber Quill Press. It’s the sequel to When Can I See You Again. The first book was about Raoul Marchand and Alexx Jameson, while this one features Miller Fenwick and Holt Wynne.

• What’s the best line you ever wrote?

That is a very difficult question. I’ve written so many lines, and I like to believe a lot of them were good lol But when I first read that question, one did leap to mind. It’s not so much that it’s clever or very descriptive or anything like that. But this one line said a whole lot in just a few words, and described the character’s state of mind perfectly. It comes from Revelations, and it’s Judas’ POV. The line is:

“What the fuck just happened?”

I have to admit, I’ve very partial to that line

• Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what kind?

I often listen to music when I write. I have a number of Pandora stations, which reflect my different tastes in music. Pandora, for those who aren’t familiar with it, is an Internet create-your-own radio station site, and you can select a genre, or a song or an artist and build a station around that. For the most part, I don’t differentiate between what I’m writing and the music I play, with the exception of my current PI novel. My PI, surprisingly, likes country music, so I’ve created a station for working on that, which features artists like Blake Shelton and Keith Urban (whom my PI resembles) and I’ve come to appreciate country music more than I ever did. Outside of that, I especially enjoy soundtracks and musicals, and classical music, but I also like oldies, and classic rock, and alternative music, and heavy metal, such as Metallica, and variations, such as symphonic metal, including Sonata Arctica, Blind Guardian, Evanescence, Nightwish and more.

• If your book were made into a movie, what actors would you like to see star?
Good question. I don’t really know who I would choose to play Miller, so I guess I’m open on that one, but Holt looks just like Josh Holloway. My daughter Sarah is into Lost, and when I asked for a suggestion for Holt, she said Josh Holloway. I looked him up and liked what I saw, so he became the face of Holt Wynne

• What genres do you write in?
I try not to limit myself on genres. While I write primarily M/M books, within that area, I like to write contemporary, historical, paranormal, mystery, urban fantasy, scifi, fantasy, time travel… anything I can think of. I also write m/f books too. I particularly enjoy paranormals, I think.

• Where and when do you prefer to write?

While I do write a little bit at work when I can – on breaks and lunch – most of my writing takes place in my living room, at my computer. Since I work a full-time job, I have to work around that. So evenings and weekends, when I get the chance, are my time to write.

Thank you, Julie Lynn Hayes, that was wonderful.  Now more about When Will I Be Loved?

Blurb:

Miller Fenwick wants the kind of happy ending his best friend got, with the hunky werewolf of his dreams. Trouble is, there doesn’t seem to be a Prince Charming on the horizon, and casual encounters don’t cut it anymore. Now that Alexx and Raoul are engaged, Miller is becoming resigned to being the bridesmaid, never the bride. But a chance encounter with a sexy stranger at Charisma has his hopes soaring, and his heart is wide open to possibilities.

Holt Wynne is the head of Helios, the largest vampire organization in the country. He’s a very influential and wealthy man, with a deep-seated hatred of werewolves. His running into Miller at Charisma isn’t entirely accidental. He’d meant to wait, but his emotions got the better of him, and he couldn’t stay away. And now see what he’s done…

Wait until Miller finds out he’s sortof just gotten married to the sexy vampire who hates the people who are Miller’s best friends. Sparks are gonna fly—and not just in the bedroom. One thing for sure—life in Crescent Bay is never dull!

Pages or Words: Approximately 115,000 words

Categories: M/M Romance, Mystery, Paranormal

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Excerpt:

Miller forced himself to take a breath, unaware until he did that he’d stopped breathing.

Quit being ridiculous. Wine going to your head already?

But he’d only had the one glass. And he hadn’t even finished that. He wasn’t such a lightweight, when it came to holding his alcohol, and he knew it.

He told himself it was just his imagination. But just to be safe, he began a slow cautious turn, looking around him, without appearing to be searching for anything—or anyone.

And there he was.

Standing a heartbeat away from Miller was one of the sexiest men he’d ever seen in his life. A man every bit as sexy as Raoul Marchand, although not in the same feral way as the werewolf.

This man was light where Raoul was dark. His hair was a honey blonde which stood out by virtue of being obviously natural, in a place where most blondes were either created by the sun or came from a bottle. He stood a little taller than Miller, exuding a presence that went beyond the merely physical, possessed of the bearing and mien of a veritable god.

But it was his eyes that drew Miller in and held him spellbound. Blue and green, like staring into tropical waves, flecked with bits of pure molten gold. And the way he was staring at Miller was sending the most delicious shivers traveling up and down his spine.

The man took a step toward Miller, his hand outstretched. Before Miller quite realized what had happened, he’d placed his own hand inside of the other man’s, and he found himself being drawn onto the dance floor.

Sales Links:  Amber Quill Press

About the author:

Julie Lynn Hayes first began publishing short stories and poetry in the 1990’s, when it was a different ballgame altogether, and Ebooks hadn’t been dreamed of yet. That changed in 2010 with the acceptance of her first romance novel. She’s come a long way since that first book appeared, and is finding the journey a very educational one.

She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and her cat Ramesses. She often writes of two men finding true love and happiness in one another’s arms, and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She likes to write in different genres, to stretch herself in order to see what is possible. Her great challenge is to be told something can’t be done—she feels compelled to do it.

When she isn’t writing, she enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, needlepoint and knitting, and she loves to cook, spending time watching the Food Network. Her favorite chef is Geoffrey Zakarian. Her family thinks she’s a bit off, but she doesn’t mind. Marching to the beat of one’s own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, eXtasy Books, Wayward Ink Press, and Amber Quill Press.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: Facebook

Website/Blog
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ShelleyRunyon

Giveaway

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 1 copy of When Will I Be Loved and 1 copy of When Will I See You Again or if winner has that, another book from my backlist

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Dates & Stops:
7-Jun
Rainbow Gold Reviews
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

8-Jun
Carly’s Book Reviews
Dawn’s Reading Nook

9-Jun
Because Two Men Are Better Than One
Bike Book Reviews

10-Jun
My Fiction Nook
Michael Mandrake
MM Good Book Reviews

11-Jun
Hearts on Fire

12-Jun
It’s Raining Men
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

15-Jun
Velvet Panic
Multitasking Mommas

16-Jun
BFD Book Blog

17-Jun
Inked Rainbow Reads

18-Jun
Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
Wake Up Your Wild Side
Prism Book Alliance

19-Jun
The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

22-Jun
Molly Lolly

23-Jun
Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
Nephylim

24-Jun
Amanda C. Stone

25-Jun
Emotion in Motion

26-Jun
Decadent Delights
All I Want and More Books

29-Jun
Love Bytes

30-Jun
Bayou Book Junkie

1-Jul
Up All Night, Read All Day
Mikky’s World of Books

2-Jul
Parker Williams
Kimi-Chan

A Mika Review: Kick At the Darkness by Keira Andrews

Rating: 5 star out of 5 stars

 

To live through the zombie apocalypse they have to survive each other first.

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00067]College freshman Parker Osborne is having the worst day ever. He humiliated himself trying to pick up a cute guy, he hasn’t made any friends at school, and his stupidly hot jerk of a TA gave him a crappy grade on his paper. He’s going to drop Adam Hawkins’ film class and start fresh tomorrow after he’s had a good sulk.

But Parker’s about to find out what a bad day really looks like—if he can survive the night.

A virus is unleashed, transforming infected people into zombie-like killers. After these quick and deadly creepers swarm campus, Parker only escapes thanks to Adam swooping him onto the back of his trusty motorcycle. Now they’re on the run—and stuck with each other.

When they’re not bickering, they’re fighting off the infected in a bloody battle for survival. Their only hope is to head east to Parker’s family, but orphaned Adam has a secret he’s not sure Parker will accept: he’s a werewolf. Can they trust each other enough to find some light in these dark days?

Kick At the Darkness by Keira Andrews surpassed all my expectations. It was really good from beginning to end. No, let me say Parker surpassed all my expectations. Here I thought he was going to be this pretentious idiot but he was not. He was a fighter, and sure, I would have freaked out as well in his shoes. I thought the writing was very good. Loved Parker snarkiness. Can I just give K.Andrews a big ass high 5^ for naming him Parker Osborne, seriously You Rock!!!

Dude, this book helped me if there was ever a zombie apocalypse in the future. Now I know what to do and what not to do. I thought they were fortunate about the things that they were able to do and say. Also great? The pacing of the story. In situations like these, it always seems to me like Marshal law is the first thing that happens so I don’t know if I would be brave enough to leave my house in a situation like this. Unlike Parker.

For me the best part of the book was the FREAKIN DIRTY TALK. Parker, who is 18, is one of the dirtiest boys ever! I enjoyed every second of all the words that came out his mouth. The story was at 85% when Kiera Andrews wrote this scene and I damn near fainted because I can picture that in my mind! I re-read it 3 more times to make sure it said what it said. It wouldn’t be a zombie apocalypse book without some crazy people. Yeah that whole entire Pine resort thing was nice, but I seen crazy coming from a mile away.

I do wish I could have gotten a better ending. I understand it was 10% of Parker finding what he was looking for, but that’s it? We just are going to coast along. Hmmm that was a little disheartening. Overall I really enjoyed this book.

Cover Art by Dar Albert. I thought the cover was fitting considering the situation. I liked just seeing Adam & Parker plus Mariah the faithful motorcycle.

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

Book Details:

265 pages
Published May 28th 2015 by KA Books (first published May 26th 2015)
ISBN139780994092410
edition languageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Tall With Room by A.J. Llewellyn

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Tall with Room coverAdriano is going home to Waldo, Florida, a town famous for having one of two official US speed traps and a flea market. Not much else is going on… Or is it?

A celebrated chef, Adriano has had to quit his job at a posh Beverly Hills restaurant because during his recovery from stage four cancer, chemo killed his taste buds. He can’t even taste his own cuisine. About the only thing that penetrates the dull sensation is coffee, so he’s bought a cafe in Waldo, hoping to find a new life in spite of his memory of it being a rigidly conservative town.

Looking forward to recuperating and spending time his mom, Adriano soon finds that Colin Mackenzie-the first man he ever loved, the only man he has ever wanted-never left Waldo. He apparently hasn’t forgotten Adriano either. But Colin, who once seduced then dumped him, seems to be playing games. He keeps coming into the cafe ordering his coffee-tall with room…for milk-but he doesn’t seem to have room for Adriano. Soon, the love they once shared is re-ignited in an explosive way, but what is going on in Waldo? Why do things seem so…haunted by the past?

I had just finished reading The Line by Angel Martinez and found the blurb for Tall With Room by A.J. Llewellyn at the end of the story.  It intrigued me with its unusual premise and main character.  So I got it without ever having seen the cover…if I had only checked out the cover. That would definitely have changed things.  I thought I was getting a contemporary romance and ended up with something else all together.  Was it a bad something or good something?  A little bit of both actually.

I come away from this short story very divided in my feelings towards it.  I loved most of it actually and that started with a character the likes of which I had never met before.  Adriano was a hot chef in LA and he loved everything about his life.  His restaurant and his rising recognition as a chef of high merit. He had a boyfriend he loved and a condo which suited him.  A great life until a small spot is found on his tongue, one misdiagnosis later and the cancer has become wide spread.  The treatment Adriano undergoes to cure the tongue cancer, (chemo and more) kills his taste buds and his ability to cook and remain a chef.  Alive but his living destroyed, Adriano returns to the hometown he happily left behind and his ailing mother.  What a great character and situation!  Llewellyn pulled me in with multiple tugs at my heart and a situation I hadn’t seen in a M/M romance before.  Throw in an old love, the love of his life, that disappeared early on in his youth, and you have a plot that is emotionally deep and gripping.

Even the title is pretty great when you know the story behind it.  Tall With Room refers to a type of coffee ordered, one with room for milk left at the top. A special order that Adriano’s past boyfriend was especially fond of. Its also a metaphor for their relationship.  So unusual illness, compelling character, and a home situation (mom with dementia) that most readers will connect with…all that added up to a story that should have been a real highlight on my reading list.  Those elements alone make this a story to remember.  Until it zags instead of zigs and takes an altogether different path into the supernatural.

If I had just seen that darn cover.

Truthfully, I didn’t enjoy the turn the story took.  I figured out what was going on before the end (when it picked up too much speed in the race to the denouement) and things got confusing with a flipflopping time line and elements that came at you with little to no setup.  It left me bereft and moping over the loss of the story I thought I was getting and a little bit peeved over the “feel good” ending the author employed.  One that I have seen/read before to more of a happy surprise/stunner than is revealed here.

The thing is I came to this book weighed down by my expectations from the blurb.  That sense of anticipation never left no matter where I was in the story (until towards the end that is).  Tall With Room a well-written tale, aside from the rushed elements and ending I mentioned.  The characters and situation remain lovely and original.  If I had only seen that cover first, then I think my anticipation about what I thought I was going to read would have been more in line with the actual story.    Yes, Virginia, book covers do make a difference!  That didn’t occur and I’m left with a sense of disappointment at how it all turned out.

So do I recommend this story?  Yep, because I have given you the cover as well as the blurb.  Its all there so you decide if you like your romance with a side order of the supernatural or not. If so, then  Tall With Room by A.J. Llewellyn is just the short story for you.  This is a HEA…although not the one you might be anticipating.  It certainly wasn’t the one I thought I was getting.  And yes, still mourning that fact.

You probably won’t.

Darn cover.

Cover art by Reese Dante,  I’m now biased and no, I don’t like it.  But only because of petty reasons, it’s actually pretty dramatic but where are the other elements from the story?

Buy Links:  Totally Bound Books  –  All Romance (ARe) –  Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 53 pages
Published August 24th 2012 by Total-E-Bound
ISBN 1781841020 (ISBN13: 9781781841020)
edition languageEnglish
Note:  All LGBT books from Totally Bound are being transferred to their new LGBT imprint, Pride Books.

 

 

Its Time to Reveal the Cover for Vampire Rising by Larry Benjamin (author interview and giveaway)

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Vampire Rising by Larry Benjamin
Release Date: Summer, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Sales Links: http://www.vampirerising.com

Beaten Path Publishing  (eBook and Paperback)  – Amazon – Beaten Path Publishing eBook only

Blurb:

It’s the mid twenty-first century. Anti-Semitism, racism, sexism and homophobia have been consigned to the dustbin of history. The world is run by “the state,” and Christian zealots, whose chief governing tools are fear and oppression. It’s a wonderful time to be alive—unless you’re a Vampire. Vampires are despised, and feared, and subjected to discrimination and unspeakable violence.

Considered undead, unholy, without basic human rights, Gatsby Calloway lives on the fringes of society, avoiding humanity. Until he meets Barnabas, a young encaustic painter.

When Barnabas is mortally wounded during an anti-Vampire attack, Gatsby must forget everything he has known, and learn to trust.

Pages or Words: 67 pages

Categories: Fantasy, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Urban Fantasy

Excerpt:

“This here coming up is the stop for Chicksand Street,” the bus driver called out.

Barnabas stood and walked to the front of the bus. He peered out the windshield into the dark, then looked at the driver. “The schedule said you stopped at Chicksand Street,” Barnabas said.

“Not after dark I don’t,” the driver shot back. “This here is as far as I’m going tonight!”

Barnabas shrugged and moved to the door. The Mexican woman he’d noticed earlier touched his arm. As he turned to her, she drew a silver crucifix attached to rosary beads from around her neck and, muttering a prayer in Spanish, pressed it into his hands. He closed his hand around the offering still warm from her bosom and said, “Thank you.”

The bus slowed and the driver said, “This here road, about a mile on, becomes Chicksand Street.” He opened the door, barely stopping long enough for Barnabas to disembark. As soon as his feet touched the curb, the driver closed the door and sped away as fast as the bus’ ancient diesel engine would allow. As the bus passed him he saw the passengers with their foreheads and palms pressed against the windows, their eyes wide, and their mouths forming tiny “O”s of fright.

 

About the author:

Bronx-born wordsmith, Larry Benjamin considers himself less a writer than an artist whose chosen medium is the written word rather than clay or paint or bronze. His debut novel, the gay romance What Binds Us was released by Carina Press in March 2012. His second book, Damaged Angels, a collection of short stories, is a 2013 Rainbow Award Runner-Up in the Gay Contemporary General Fiction category. His third book, Unbroken, was a 2014 Lambda Literary finalist, and a 2014 IPPY (Independent Publishers Book Award) Gold medalist.

He lives in Philadelphia with his husband and their two dogs.

Where to find the author:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLarryBenjamin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterLarry
Website: http://www.larrybenjamin.com

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Tour Dates & Stops: June 3, 2015
Parker Williams, Multitasking Mommas, Divine Magazine, Bayou Book Junkie, Andrew Q. Gordon, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Inked Rainbow Reads, TTC Books and More, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Rainbow Gold Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Happily Ever Chapter, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, Mikky’s World of Books, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Havan Fellows, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Hearts on Fire, Michael Mandrake, Elin Gregory

Contest

Rafflecopter Prize: 3 books from Larry’s backlist.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Unbroken
My parents, unable to change me, had instead, silenced me. When they’d stilled my hands, they’d taken my words, made me lower my voice to a whisper. Later I remained silent in defense, refusing to acknowledge the hateful words: Brainiac. Sissy. Antiman. Faggot.
Lincoln de Chabert’s life is pretty unremarkable until he comes home from kindergarten and announces he will marry his best friend, Orlando, when he grows up.  His parents spring into immediate action, determined to fix him―his father takes him to baseball games and the movie “Patton”―igniting an epic battle of wills as Lincoln is determined to remain himself, and marry whom he chooses, at all costs.

What Binds Us
When 17 year old Thomas Edward meets the man of his dreams, he assumes they’ll be together forever. When their relationship ends abruptly, he learns that sometimes it’s in an ending that we find our beginning.
At 17 Thomas-Edward escapes southern New Jersey and the tyranny of his parents love thinking he is ready for his life to begin, thinking he is ready for anything.  Anything quickly arrives in the form of one Donovan Dion “Dondi” Whyte, his freshman roommate at the University of Pennsylvania. Dondi, who is like no one he has ever met before, in his own words: “Dondi became my guide, my Virgil, on my personal odyssey of self-discovery.”
Dondi introduces Thomas him into “a looking-glass world in which everything was familiar yet larger, more exquisite, more precious than anything he had ever known.” Dondi is stunningly wealthy, sophisticated, passionate, urbane—everything Thomas has dreamed of loving.  They fall in love but the relationship fails. They remain uneasy friends. Their fragile relationship is threatened when Thomas falls in love with Matthew, Dondi’s younger brother.

Damaged Angels
Damaged Angels is the first collection of short fiction by Larry Benjamin. The 13 stories in this collection give voice to the invisible, the damaged: the drug addicts and hustlers, the mentally ill, the confused, and the men who fall in love with them, all of them bravely trying to make a place for themselves in the world of unbroken men. Their worlds are sometimes the mean streets of decaying cities, sometimes the great beyond and, once, the earth itself. Often dark, always evocative and lyrical, these stories delve into the lives of men clearly less-than-perfect and explore love in the context of disease and oncoming death as in “The Cross,” drug addiction, as in “The Seduction of the Angel Gabriel,” and mental illness in “2 Rivers.” These stories explore the possibility that less-than-perfect is sometimes perfect.

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