Release Blitz and Giveaway for Heavens Aground (Treble and the Lost Boys #2) by G.R. Lyons

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 100,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Designs by Dana
 
Treble and the Lost Boys Series
 
Book #1 – Ice On Fire – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

Ryley Skye can’t take anything seriously. Not the murder scenes he investigates, nor the fact that he’s cheating on his boyfriend. Not the bloody nightmares he gets every other night, and especially not Vic’s ridiculous theory that Ryley might be a mage.


Magic? Him? There’s just no way.


When Vic decides he’s had enough of Ryley’s cheating and breaks things off, it couldn’t come at a worse time. They’ve just been handed a case that will require them to work closely together, whether they like it or not. But Ryley plays along. He has to. He can’t afford any kind of confrontation. Things happen when he gets angry or aroused. Weird things. Bad things. He has to stay bottled up and in control at all times.


Then he meets Asher Arden, and indulges in what he thinks is a little rebound fling. But when Ryley loses control and puts Asher’s life at risk, he realizes two things: He loves Asher more than anything else in the world…


And Vic just might have been right all along.


(Note: This story takes place in a fictional world, the same as in the Shifting Isles Series. There are multiple gods, different names for the days of the week, etc. A glossary is included.)

 
 

August 24Gay Book Reviews, OMG Reads, August 29Drops of Ink, Cupcakes & Bookshelves, August 31Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, RAM PA Group, September 3Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, Book Review By Virginia Lee


Author Bio


While daylighting as office manager for the family auto repair business, G.R. Lyons can often be found working on one of multiple manuscripts or desperately trying to keep up with the TBR pile.


Anarcho-capitalist, quietly ‘out’ trans guy, former belly dancer, coffee guzzler, highly-sensitive introvert, CrossFit enthusiast, and lover of m/m romantic fiction.


Email: grlyons@grlyonsauthor.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/grlyonsauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/grlyonsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/grlyonsauthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/doumteksonata/
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/author/grlyons

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A Stella Release Day Review: Midnight in Berlin by JL Merrow

RATING 2,75 out of 5 stars


One bad decision can change your life forever.

It’s midnight in Berlin, and drifter Leon is hitchhiking home in the rain, covered in feathers after a wild festival in the city park. He can’t believe his luck when he’s picked up by a hot guy in a Porsche. That is, until he learns his driver is a creature from his worst nightmares—and plans to turn him into one too. He runs, but he can’t escape the werewolf’s bite.

Christoph made one mistake, but he’s paying for it plenty. He took Leon for a rogue werewolf on his way home from a hunt, and by the time he realizes the truth, it’s too late to do anything but make Leon a monster to save his life. That doesn’t save Christoph from the pack leader’s harsh punishment.

As Leon struggles to cope with his horrifying new reality—and his mixed feelings for the man who bit him—he’s desperate to discover not only what’s happened to Christoph, but the secrets their pack leader is hiding from them all.

Secrets the pack will kill to protect.

First Edition published by Samhain Publishing, Ltd., February 2012.

I’ll be honest. I struggled a lot with Midnight In Berlin. And at the beginning I didn’t even understand what was wrong. This is a second release and I missed it when it was first published. In the years the author has become a favorite, her works are always so great. That’s why, although I badly wanted to put this novel down and start reading something else, I had to force myself to finish it.

The plot is actually interesting, a little boring at the beginning because I didn’t get it what was going to happen.  But then when there was some action and mystery to solve, I was interested and curious about Leon and Cristoph characters and their HEA. The writing superb as always and the scenes so well done, I felt I was there with the couple.

There were some elements I didn’t enjoy and why I rated the novel so low. First of all I was so upset  with the resolution of the little mystery, I actually felt cheated, I don’t want to reveal anything but I thought it was too easy to just put things like that. There were quite a lot of secondary characters and I would have so loved to know more about them, but maybe there was no space for them. In fact to me the story felt rushed and ended too quickly, it surely deserved more pages, that way so many things would have been more explained and developed. Most of all the romance part, almost inexistent, should have had a more important role in the plot. And most likely that’s the main reason why I had trouble connecting with Leon and Christoph.

Midnight in Berlin is not the masterpiece I’m used to reading by JL Merrow, in my opinion the author last years’ releases are the best she has done.

The cover art by Tiferet Design is awesome, I adore it and find it eyecatching. I love the colours and it’s fitting. I couldn’t have asked for more from a cover. Well done.

SALE LINKS   Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, Second Edition, 200 pages

Expected publication: August 24th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press (first published February 21st 2012)

ISBN13 9781640801219

Edition Language English

An Ali Review: Death Days by Lia Cooper

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

By day, Professor Nicholas Littman works as an itinerant professor at a small college in the Pacific Northwest. He teaches seminars on mythology and the intersections of folklore and magic in the ancient world. By night, he’s the local necromancer, a rare magical talent that has left him alienated from other practitioners.

All Nick wants from life is to be left alone to run his magical experiments and teach kids the historical context of magic without anyone being the wiser. Unfortunately, his family is sworn to sit on the council of the Order of the Green Book—a group of magicians dating back to the Crusades—and they aren’t willing to take Nick’s no for an answer.

As though that wasn’t bad enough, a coven of Night Women has arrived in town, warning Nick that there are wolves at his door he had better take care of. But what can one necromancer do when every natural and supernatural card seems stacked against him?

This was a pretty entertaining paranormal story.  There was a lot going on but it was easy to follow and I felt the author did a nice job on the world building.  There are some common supernatural types of characters but the plot lines were a unique twist on them.
I liked the various characters and I enjoyed Nick at the main one.  He’s was a bit grumpy  and reminded me of a few professors I knew when I was in school.  There was some witty dialogue and some humorous parts. 
 
My main disappointment was that there was not much romance in this.  There is a slow burn between Nick and his TA Jonah.   Nothing really happens between them until the end of the book.  This leads to my main complaint of this book.  There were a lot of things left hanging and ending felt a bit rushed.  I still had a bunch of questions at the end of the book and I wasn’t satisfied with the romance.  If this was book one in a series then I would be fine with it.  The book really felt like the beginning of a series to me but there was no indication anywhere that it is so I’m going to assume it was a standalone.  And if that is the case then I’m not really happy with how things ended.  
 
Overall I thought it was pretty good.  I think it’s best going into thinking of it as an urban fantasy rather than a romance.
 
Cover:  The cover was done by Natasha Snow and I think it is a great cover.  It’s super eye catching and fits the story really well.  I think this, as well as many covers from this publisher, are top of the genre.
Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook
Published August 6th 2018 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781949340341
Edition LanguageEnglish

Blog Tour Circle of Trust by Aimee Nicole Walker & Nicolas Bella (excerpt and giveaway)

Circle of Trust Tour Banner

CIRCLE OF TRUST

NICHOLAS BELLA & AIMEE NICOLE WALKER

M/M PARANORMAL ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 08.07.18

Cirlce of Trust Cover 

COVER DESIGN: JAY AHEER/ Simply Defined Art 

 http://mybook.to/Circle_Of_Trust

BLURB

Lorcán Kennedy is a take-no-prisoner vampire whose grit is tested when slain vampires start showing up in his sector. His investigation reveals a blessed weapon was used in the slayings, which leads him to a rogue hunter with a grudge against vampires.

Christian Wolfe is a no-nonsense hunter who believes the only good vampire is a dead one, but his code of honor keeps his hatred in check. When his integrity is questioned, he will do anything to defend it, including work with his enemy.

Vampire and hunter unite to solve the case, although for very different reasons. Lorcán wants to prove he is worthy of his Regent title once and for all. Christian wants to uncover who is framing him for the vampire deaths. It sounds easy enough, but neither are prepared for the desire that arcs between them when their eyes meet for the first time. When longing glances give way to passionate kisses and scorching touches, these powerful beings will learn that their bond goes beyond mere attraction. It is fate.

Sparks and fangs fly in this second installment of the Genesis Circle, a paranormal romance series written by Nicholas Bella and Aimee Nicole Walker. This book contains explicit material and is intended for adults 18 and older.

Cirlce of Trust Teaser 3

Circle of Trust Teaser 4

EXCERPT

The knock on my door let me know Christian was waiting on the other side. I stood in front of the door and took a deep, calming breath. Jesus Christ, why was I so nervous? I’m over a century old, why was I acting like some schoolboy meeting his first crush? It was ridiculous. I silently chastised myself for being a dolt and opened the door. Ahhh, there he stood in all his handsome glory. He was looking at me with eyes that held desire and curiosity. There was also a bit of agitation in his expression. Well, let’s see if I could get rid of it and help him focus more on the desire and curiosity he was harboring.

“Come in,” I said, opening the door wider.

He stepped inside, and I closed the door, locking it.

“Okay, I’m here, what did you need to show me that you couldn’t send over the phone?” he asked, getting right to business. Okay, here was the dilemma. Do I show him what I know and risk killing the mood I was setting up, or do I just pounce on him, rock his world, and then show him what I’d discovered? Hmmmm, decisions, decisions.

I decided to make my move. I walked over to him and pushed him into the chair. He fell into it, legs flying up from the impact. I didn’t give him a chance to recover before I was climbing into his lap. I grabbed him by the back of his head and kissed those lips I’d been thinking about all night. I thought he would push me back, but he didn’t… at least not right away. He was kissing me again, giving me that same fire he burned me with in the alley, and I was melting in response.

I felt his arms embrace me as he kissed me harder, more passionately, as if he couldn’t help himself. I caressed his bearded cheek as I relished his tongue in my mouth. Even the taste of him was intoxicating. I wanted him. Just when it was getting extra hot, he must have found the wherewithal to hit the brakes. Like we needed him to do that.

He pushed me off him, and I landed with a hard thud on my ass. His muscular chest heaved as he sucked in deep breaths of air, attempting to gather his senses. He was staring at me now, his gorgeous blue eyes clouded with lust. It was what we both needed, and I wasn’t about to let his hatred of vampires ruin the moment I knew we both wanted.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

“What we both want,” I said then climbed back into his lap and pressed my lips to his again. That time, he didn’t try to push me away. Instead, he began ripping off my shirt, sending buttons flying in every direction. Sure, it was a designer garment, but I was willing to sacrifice it to get Christian in my bed. I helped him take my shirt off me then I leaned back just enough to snatch his jacket and shirt from his body.

Oh yes, sweet baby Jesus, yes! His chest was covered in dark, black hair. Not too thick, but perfect for running my fingers through. That’s just what I did, too. I started from the trail leading to his treasure trove and worked my way up to his nipples, letting my fingers glide through his silky hair and over his smooth skin. I hadn’t been this aroused in I don’t know how long. I sought his lips again because they tasted so damn good. While I was lost in the pleasure of his mouth, I kept my hands firmly on those muscular pecs I’d been wanting to touch since I first saw him.

His hands were all over me, stroking my back until they reached my ass, and he gripped both cheeks, giving them a nice squeeze. I moaned as I broke the kiss and started sucking and licking his neck, making my mark. He was moaning too, and if I didn’t know any better, it would seem he was trying to seduce me to bite him. He turned his head, exposing his neck to me, and his natural scent floated up my nostrils, calling to my hunger. There was something special about the blood of the Institute hunters. The scent of it was more intoxicating than any other being I’d ever smelled. I always wanted to know what it tasted like, and my mouth began to salivate at the possibility.

I wanted to bite him, to taste his essence, the fluid that made his heart beat and his cock hard. I wanted his blood to flow into me just as his semen flowed into me. Soon, my love. I held my fangs in check and only sucked gently at the tender flesh of his neck, just below his beard. I rubbed my cheek against his, enjoying the rough hairs lightly scrubbing my face. In that moment, everything that had been bothering me seemed to disappear, and all that mattered was Christian.

I had to have more of him. I moved down, kissing and licking his chest, sucking his perky nipples. I didn’t stop there, we both raced to undo his pants and pulled them down and off. Finally, I got to see him fully naked, and what a beautiful sight he was. I let my eyes trail over him slowly, and they widened when I got to his erection. He was huge, bigger than any man I’d ever been with. Great holy moly, I should have done some squats and stretches before he came over to prepare for this beast.

Aimee Logo

I am a wife and mother to three kids, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not dreaming up stories, I like to lose myself in a good book, cook or bake. I’m a girly tomboy

who paints her fingernails while watching sports and yelling at the referees.

I will always choose the book over the movie. I believe in happily-ever-after. Love inspires everything that I do. Music keeps me sane.

FACEBOOK

AMAZON

TWITTER

BLOG

Nicolas Bella Logo

About me? Hmmm, I’m just a person with a wild imagination and a love for words who was sitting around the house one day and said, “Why hasn’t anyone written a book like this before?”. As with every storyteller, I wanted to share mine with the world. I like my erotica dark, gritty, sexy… and even a little raunchy. I’m not afraid to go there and I hope you aren’t afraid to go there with me. When I’m not writing, I love watching movies and TV shows, clubbing, biking, and hanging out with family and friends. I love life.

I’d love to hear from you, feel free to send me a shout out!

FACEBOOK

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TWITTER

WEBSITE

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An Ali Release Day Review: Hex and Candy (Strange Bedfellows #1) by Ashlyn Kane

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

True love’s kiss can break the curse. But then what?

Cole Alpin runs a small-town candy store. He visits his grandmother twice a week. And sometimes he breaks curses.

Leo Ericson’s curse is obvious right away, spiderwebbing across his very nice body. Though something about it worries Cole, he agrees to help—with little idea of what he’s getting into.

Leo is a serial monogamist, but his vampire ex has taken dating off the table with his nasty spell, and Leo needs Cole’s companionship as much as his help. When the hex proves to be only the beginning of his problems, Leo seeks refuge at Cole’s place. Too bad magic prevents him from finding refuge in Cole’s arms.

Cole’s never had a boyfriend, so how can he recognize true love? And there’s still the matter of the one responsible for their troubles in the first place….

I really enjoyed this story.  Cole wants to help Leo but at the same time is sure that he can’t be the one to do it.  Leo doesn’t realize how hollow his life and relationships have been until he doesn’t have them anymore.

Cole has given up on finding love and even though he doesn’t want to fight this pull to Leo he is afraid to give in and get hurt.  Leo is struggling with his new reality but it is also giving him a chance to reflect on his life and how he may want it to change.

I really liked both of these characters.  I could understand how Cole kept the way to break the kiss from Leo but once they gave in and the curse seemed to go away there never really a talk about how that happened.  We can see Leo struggle to understand everything about this new paranormal world he is living in but he does pretty well for the most part and really doesn’t want to walk away from it either.  I look forward to more stories in this universe and hope it will follow someone we met in this book.

The cover art by Aaron Anderson is great and I love all the visuals that it gives for the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 214 pages

Published: August 21, 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-739-6

Edition Language: English

Series: Dreamspun Beyond, Strange Bedfellows #1

Do You All Read the Whatchamacallit?? This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Do You All Read the Whatchamacallit?

By that I mean the paragraphs or pages the author writes before  you get started into the book?  I’m an avid reader of these things and love them deeply.  I often find that I feel that I know more about why the author felt compelled to write this story or why it’s situated in the location it’s in or even given a more in depth look at a main character because of what an author has written prior to starting their story.

But what the hell is it called?

Most, might have referred to it as The Foreward, myself included.  Wrongo!  That would have had to have been written by someone else, not the author themselves.  For correct usage see the flash fiction anthology Impact with it’s foreward by J. Scott Coatsworth.

So it would be either Introduction or The Preface.  How many of you know the difference?  I needed a refresher course myself so I   went looking for definitions and correct usages for all three.  A lovely blog, BPS Book Blog, supplied this succinct roundup:

From the BPS Book Blog:

… here are some definitions and descriptions – supported by the dictionary and the august Chicago Manual of Styleand proven to be helpful in my work as an editor and publisher ­– that my authors have found of assistance.

THE FOREWORD

A foreword (one of the most often misspelled words in the language) is most often written by someone other than the author: an expert in the field, a writer of a similar book, etc. Forewords help the publisher at the level of marketing: An opening statement by an eminent and well-published author gives them added credibility in pitching the book to bookstores. Forewords help the author by putting a stamp of approval on their work.

THE PREFACE

A preface is best understood, I believe, as standing outside the book proper and being about the book. In a preface an author explains briefly why they wrote the book, or how they came to write it. They also often use the preface to establish their credibility, indicating their experience in the topic or their professional suitability to address such a topic. Sometimes they acknowledge those who inspired them or helped them (though these are often put into a separate Acknowledgments section). Using an old term from the study of rhetoric, a preface is in a sense an “apology”: an explanation or defense.

THE INTRODUCTION

If a preface is about the book as a book, the introduction is about the content of the book. Sometimes it is as simple as that: It introduces what is covered in the book. Other times it introduces by setting the overall themes of the book, or by establishing definitions and methodology that will be used throughout the book. Scholarly writers sometimes use the introduction to tell their profession how the book should be viewed academically (that is, they position the book as a particular approach within a discipline or part of a discipline). This latter material is appropriate for a preface, as well. The point is that it should appear in the preface or the introduction, not both.

What brought all this on?

As I said I  always read them.  To bring me knowledge, insight into the story, what the author was thinking when they were writing it…all sorts of things.  They aren’t always labeled correctly but I love them dearly.

The one that launched this one was the Introduction to Ryan Field’s Pretty Man, a M/M reworking of Pretty Woman.  He writes about the total lack of any happy gay literature in the 20th century and his need to “fill the bill”. Ryan Fields now writes “happy romances” as a gay man for the youth today looking for literature much as he once did. How this got me thinking on so many levels (and researching).

Thankfully, there are so many positive and happy examples to point to from books to movies* these days (not tons amounts true in the movies more much more. Look at  but there are now LGBT movie channels) so progress has been made. Plus there is a veritable flood of Quiltbag fiction out there now to quench the thirst of those looking for happy endings for LGBTQIA couples.  The more writers the merrier I say.

But lets return to gay fiction of the 20th Century.  What books do you find or comes to mind?  Are they all tear fests?

Here are some that I found and the dates they were published:

Tales of the City (Tales of the City Series #1) by Armistead Maupin  1978
Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown   1973
Maurice by E.M. Forster 1913
A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood  1964
Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig  1976
A Boy’s Own Story by Edmund White 1982
A Queer Kind of Umbrella (Pharoah Love, book 5) by George Baxt  1995

 

I also found childrens books about Daddy’s Roommate (1994) and My Two Uncles (1995) so I was wondering about the author’s timeline.  Some early 20th century classics are devastating certainly (Gore Vidal, James Baldwin to name just two), but a sea change had started with Stonewall and its ripples spread out and impacted everywhere and everything, media included.

Anyhow….see what a Introduction can do to me?  Laughing….

How to you feel about Forewards, Introductions, and Prefaces?  Do you read them? What do you learn, if anything from them?

And how do you feel about the 20th Century’s lack of feel good romantic gay fiction?  True or False?

As to Pretty Man…well, that review will come up and it caused me to do some thinking as well.  More on that later.

Now here is what our upcoming week is looking like.  Happy Reading and Listening!

 

 

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, August 19:

  • This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Do You All Read the Whatchamacallit?
  • Release Blitz – In The Shadows – TL Travis

Monday, August 20:

  • Cover Reveal – Marina Vivancus – In This Iron Ground
  • Release Blitz – RJ Scott – Last Chance
  • Review Tour – Bitten By Her (Regent’s Park Pack #4.5) – Annabelle Jacobs
  • An Alisa Review : Love Spell by Mia Kerick
  • A MelanieM Review : Bitten By Her (Regent’s Park Pack #4.5) by Annabelle Jacobs
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: Threepeat by KC Wells and Parker Williams

Tuesday, August 21:

  • Book Blast – A Thread in Time by Jess Thomas
  • SERIES REVIEW TOUR – Directions by Jena Wade
  • DSP Cover Reveal Heart of a Redneck by Jodi Payne/BA Tortuga
  • An Ali Release Day Review: Hex and Candy (Strange Bedfellows #1) by Ashlyn Kane
  • A Jeri Release Day Review: Rocking the Cowboy by Skylar M. Cates
  • A Lila Release Day Review: Art House (Buchanan House #6) by Charley Descoteaux
  • A Lucy Release Day Review: Wanted Bad Boyfriend by TA Moore

Wednesday, August 22:

  • Audio Review Tour – Changing Lines – RJ Scott & V.L. Locey
  • Blog Tour Circle of Trust by Aimee Nicole Walker & Nicolas Bella
  • Riptide Tour Shelter from the Storm by Kate Sherwood
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Bones and Bourbon by Dorian Graves
  • A MelanieM Review : Dark City by Sarah Kay Moll
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Shelter from the Storm by Kate Sherwood

Thursday, August 23:

  • DSP Cover Reveal Femme Faux Fatale by Susan Laine
  • Of Princes False and True” by Eric Alan Westfall
  • Harmony Promo Beau Schemery
  • An Ali Review Death Days by Lia Cooper
  • A VVivacious Review Of Princes False and True by  Eric Alan Westfall
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Last Chance by R.J. Scott
  • An Alisa Audiobook Review Sweet Nothings (Amuse Bouche #1) by T. Neilson and Simon Ferrar (Narrator)

Friday, August 24:

  • Book Blast Born to be Wild by A.L. Simpson
  • DSP Promo Remmy Duchene on Tempt Me
  • A Stella Release Day Review: Midnight in Berlin by JL Merrow
  • An Alisa Review: 2230: The Perfect Year by CM Corett
  • An Alisa Review Up to Code (Directions #1) by Jena Wade
  • A MelanieM Audiobook Review: Sun and Shadow (Day and Knight #2) by Dirk Greyson and  Andrew McFerrin ( Narrator)

Saturday, August 25:

  • Looking Forward by Michael Bailey Release Blitz
  • Media Blitz – FINDING MY WAY HOME BY KENDEL DUNCAN
  • A MelanieM Review: Pretty Man by Ryan Field

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Gay Movies with Happy Endings!

Love, Simon
Big Eden
Jeffrey
Touch of Pink
Boys (Jongens)
Maurice
The Birdcage
The Way He Looks
Shelter
Beautiful Thing
Were The World Mine
G.B.F.
Kinky Boots
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

And wait there’s more!

1) All Over the Guy
2) Boy Culture
3) East Side Story
4) Fourth Man Out
5) Friends & Family
6) God’s Own Country
7) Long Term Relationship
8) Latter Days
9) Salt Water
10) Save Me
11) Trick
12) Yossi

 

 

 

 

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Escaping Exile (Escape Trilogy #1) by Sara Dobie Bauer

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Robinson Crusoe meets Dracula in this outstanding paranormal adventure. There are even cannibals as the innocent man who washes ashore on the island, Edmund Baines, is dragged away from danger to his “home” on the nearly deserted island. The problem is, as Edmund discovers when he awakens, that he may have been saved from one danger to be plunged into another.

It’s amazing to me that the author was able to create a world where vampires could be banned to exile for killing one too many innocents, and then she created an unforgettable character in Andrew, who was turned vampire by an Elder in the year 1066. And though he’s starved for human blood, he holds off on killing Edmund, or drinking from him, because there’s something about the fearless young man that piques his interest. Fascinated, intrigued, and finally caring for Edmund, it isn’t until he must drink from the young man to save him from the cannibals who have arrived at Andrew’s house to claim the human-scented new arrival that he finally breaks down and takes what he needs.

But their adventure is hardly over. The head vampire who originally sentenced Andrew to solitude on the island has arrived to mete out a new punishment, or will it be a reward? To find out, simply hit your one-click button. This story doesn’t take long to read, but it’s fascinating, interesting, and all-round fun entertainment for a few hours of your day.

If I had one complaint it would be that the story is short—a little over 20K words—but one would never know it by how much adventure and romance is packed in those words so it’s only a minor concern. Plus there’s a sequel on the horizon. Yay! I highly recommend this to all who enjoy a daring adventure reminiscent of the classics we read (and watched) as children. Add in a touch of MM romance and some smokin’ hot scenes and it’s a sure win.

~~~

The cover by Natasha Snow depicts a moonlit lagoon superimposed by a long-haired man with naked torso. I’m not sure whether the man or the lagoon is more gorgeous but it’s the perfect cover for this story.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published August 13th 2018 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781949340433
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Escape Trilogy #1

A MelanieM Review: Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories by Andrea Speed

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

 

A collection of tales filled with monsters, be they human or beast, ranging in setting from dystopia to pitch black noir and even general silliness. From the ludicrous to the frighteningly plausible; from deep space to after the end of the world. There are clumsy werewolves and bloody revenge, monster sleep overs and a dieting fad sure to kill your appetite.

Whether looking into the past or the future, you’re sure to find that stuff gets really weird.

Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories by Andrea Speed is a collection of flash fiction in various  genres from fantasy to horror to science fiction.  Some are even grouped together further into subcategories like end of the world and dystopian societies.

Some of them have been previously published for the Goodreads M/M Don’t Read in the Closet Events and I honestly felt those came across as the most complete, well rounded stories of the bunch, Soul Mates especially.

The rest of them felt less like actually flash fiction (complete stories of 300 words or so) than outlines or just written down sketches of possible stories the author has in mind for the future.

Quite a few show promise that I would love to see made into stories, whether its vampire hunters or the shotgun bastards of the title.  But there’s so little to the characters or world building that the fiction doesn’t really count as a full story, just a tidbit of what could be.  Which is most cases the author fully acknowledges.

There is a whole section dedicated to End of the Whole tales which gets to be a bit much.  After one or three, even as short as they are, reading about the end of the Earth, the species, it gets old.  Well, it did for me.  I would have broken this section up. Spread the tales out a bit.  But maybe the author wanted a depressing impact to hit all together.  I have no idea.  For me, it just made me want to skip over several and then return after a break.

Reading through these stories is like a walk through the author’s likes and dislikes,  Speed’s commentary in front of the stories makes that clear.  Merry Killmas?  Oh dear!  Yep, Christmas is definitely not the holiday for this author.  Short, horrific, and to the point.

If you are a fan of Andrea Speed, then I think you  would enjoy this trip through her imagination and possible plots for future books.  For fans of flash fiction, you might give it a try as well.

For everyone else?  Well, I’ll leave that up to you.  As a fan of this author, I’m not sure it worked for me.

Cover art: Philip Lloyd Simpson.  This cover totally works for the collection and the author.  Perfect.

Sales Links:  Less Than Three Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published July 18th 2018 by Less Than Three Press (first published July 17th 2018)
ISBN139781684313129
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: Super for You Bad for Me by Asta Idonea

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This was like an adult comic book without the pictures. Darn. I really would have liked to have seen some of these action shots, but I had to dust off my imagination and allow the author’s words to create the visual imagery. And create it, she did.

One has to take the whole story with a grain of salt so if you are the kind of reader who wants a very down-to-earth MM romance, this may not be for you. Imagination is the key. After all, how many contemporary superheroes do we get a chance to read about, especially one as sweet as Oswell Outterridge, aka Greenbird.

Oswell Outterridge is just an average guy looking to become an actor, so naturally, he kicks off his career as an extra on the film where his heartthrob, Kane Teague, has the star role. He’s shocked when Kane notices him and asks him out but pleasantly surprised once they get to know each other. It’s a very slow burn in a nonexplicit relationship, but the two eventually realize they love each other.

In the meantime, Oswell gets an opportunity at the film studio to be in a special scene where he is slimed. Though most people wouldn’t want that, he knows it’s his chance to get a credit so he’s all for it. Unfortunately, he swallows some, and aside from the raunchy taste, he finds out later that it has other side effects. He’s suddenly able to telekinetically move objects and is shocked when his actions save some customers at the restaurant where he works between action jobs. In fact, he’s so excited, he has a suit made and decides to put his gift to good use and call himself TelekineticusRex. Too bad when his photos hit social media, he’s dubbed Greenbird. What a letdown.

I must say throughout the whole story, the author’s sense of humor shines through. This story is fun and satiric, campy and goofy, but all in all, it’s great entertainment. For those of us who have grown up with a love of superhero comics, Greenbird should be a treat. And the good news is that no matter how much trouble Oswell lands in as Greenbird, and no matter how many times his archenemy (of course he has one!) tries to wipe him out, he manages to be the victor, and he and Kane ultimately find their way to a very happy ever after.

The artfully designed cover by Paul Richmond features a young man dressed in a green lycra bodysuit, arms crossed at his chest. It’s the perfect representation of our superhero, Oswell Otterridge – the Greenbird.

Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Expected publication: August 14th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640802087
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Blitz – Sky Full Of Mysteries by Rick R Reed (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
Length: 76,456 words
 
 
Cover Design: Reese Dante
 
Blurb
 

What if your first love was abducted and presumed dead—but returned twenty years later?

That’s the dilemma Cole Weston faces. Now happily married to Tommy D’Amico, he’s suddenly thrown into a surreal world when his first love, Rory Schneidmiller, unexpectedly reappears.

Where has Rory been all this time? What happened to him two decades ago, when a strange mass appeared in the night sky and lifted him into the heavens? Rory has no memory of those years. For him, it’s as though only a day or two has passed.

Rory still loves Cole with the passion unique to young first love. Cole has never forgotten Rory, yet Tommy has been his rock, by his side since Rory disappeared.

Cole is forced to choose between an idealized and passionate first love and the comfort of a long-term marriage. How can he decide? Who faces this kind of quandary, anyway? The answers might lie among the stars….

 

ExcerptCole patted his back pocket, making sure his wallet was still there. He hoisted himself up from his seat and left the train’s air-conditioning for the humid night. There were several trains in the station, all huffing and puffing as they idled, reminding Cole of dragons. Even this late, there were still people hurrying to and fro on the platform.

Cole headed for the stairs and hurried down. Home was only a ten- minute walk from the station, and Cole was now actually grateful for the nap. If that boy’s not up when I get home, he thought with a grin, I’ll just have to poke him awake.

Cole was certain Rory wouldn’t mind.

When he reached the courtyard of their building, the exhaustion Cole had felt on leaving work entirely vanished. He was ready to howl at the moon. He wished only he’d thought to stop off at a convenience store or something so he could have brought Rory a little surprise, maybe a box of Swedish Fish or a roll of SweeTarts. He’d have to find other ways, he supposed, to thrill his sugar-loving man. He’d give him some sugar, all right.

Cole unlocked the front vestibule door and headed into the cool tile lobby of their building. He loved the 1920s vibe of the lobby and the building in general, glad no one in all the ensuing decades since it had been built had decided the gem of a vintage building needed updating. He loved the mica-colored wall sconces and the Mediterranean floor tile. He even loved the battered brass mailboxes along one wall.

He stopped to check the mail, found the box empty, and headed for the elevator.

Out front, Cole hoped Rory had left the door unlocked for him. No such luck. He fished his keys from his pocket and quelled his first impulse, which was to shout, “Honey, I’m home!” at the top of his lungs. If the poor guy was asleep, Cole reasoned, let him sleep. There were subtler and much more pleasurable ways to wake him.

As he made his way through the living room and toward the bedroom, he dropped clothing as he went. He also shut off the lights Rory had thoughtfully left on for him. By the time he reached the closed bedroom door, he was smiling and sporting an erection.

He opened the door slowly. It took his eyes a moment to adjust. They had, in fact, thumb-tacked a sheet over the sole window, so the room stayed pretty dark.

Cole groped his way to the bed, suppressing a giggle.

But when he got there, the giggle died on his lips. He felt around the surface, up, down, left, right, as though his own hands deceived him. He frowned and then turned to the light switch on the wall and flicked it. The room filled with warm yellow light. No Rory. Cole hadn’t expected that, and he cocked his head. Absurdly, he looked around the room, thinking maybe he’d find Rory sitting on the chair they used to pile their clothes on before hopping into bed for the night. Maybe he’d rolled out and was fast asleep on the braided rug they’d positioned beneath it.

But the room was empty. Unusually neat—the bed made and no clothes lying on the chair in the corner. Cole crossed the room and opened the door to the single closet. Maybe Rory was hiding from him? One of the things they both loved about the apartment was the size of the bedroom closet. It was walk-in, with rods on either side, shelving above, and even a window that looked outside. Rory could be weird. Maybe he lay within, naked and waiting, ready to pull out all the stops on yet another fantasy.

But the empty closet mocked him. Where was he?

Cole retreated from the bedroom. “Rory? Babe?” Cole made a quick tour of the small apartment, knowing as he did it that the search would be wasted effort. And it was. Rory wasn’t in the living room, the dining room, kitchen, or bathroom.

Cole returned to the bedroom and ran his hands along the top of the dresser. Rory usually left his wallet and keys on top of it. But just like the rest of his search, this maneuver was only an empty gesture. Rory’s keys and wallet were gone, indicating he was still out there somewhere.

That was odd. Cole glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand and saw it was approaching twelve thirty. Cole knew Rory had to be up early for work in the morning—he had flex hours at his job and liked to work the earlier spectrum—usually seven thirty to four. And Rory loved his sleep! Sometimes he dragged Cole to bed as early as nine o’clock. Cole never complained.

So what was he doing out so late on a school night?

Cole plopped down on the bed, head in his hands. Don’t panic. Don’t even worry. It’s most likely nothing at all. Maybe he got over his aversion to gay bars and is down on Halsted Street, living it up, downing shots backed up by beers. The thought made him chuckle, as that scenario was about as likely as Cole being on a jet bound for Paris, France. Still, in spite of its improbability, the notion did cause a stab of jealousy to jab at Cole—right in his solar plexus. Sure, Rory might be one of the few gay men their age Cole knew who actually didn’t like to go out to bars, but he still could have. It was possible, as he might say if queried on a witness stand in some court of law. Cole felt sick to his stomach as he allowed himself to think what was lurking at the back of his mind, like some black shadow. It was also possible that Rory had gone out and hooked up with someone and lost track of time.

Cole licked his lips, mouth suddenly dry. He had a lot of gay male friends and acquaintances and knew fidelity was a fairly rare thing, even among the ones who claimed to be in committed, monogamous relationships. Why, some of those fellas had even come on to Cole when the boyfriend was out of town or just out of the picture.

Maybe their relationship wasn’t as solid as Cole thought? Rory could have been tempted. It was possible. He was a cute guy who didn’t know it, which made him even cuter. He could see him being hit on— and maybe if he was lonely or bored, he might have given in? Are any of us truly immune to temptation?

No. Not Rory. Cole knew in his heart of hearts that Rory would never cheat. He just didn’t have it in him, literally or figuratively.

So where are you? Cole stood and began pacing. He pulled aside the sheet tacked up over the window to look outside, hoping against hope he’d see Rory down there on the beach. He did see someone, a guy, sitting on the sand at the edge of the beach, his feet pushed into the waves. But even from up there, Cole could tell the guy had at least fifty pounds on Rory, if not more. And he was smoking….

A woman walked by. A big dog, maybe a pit bull, dashed ahead of her, splashing at the edge of the surf. Cole could see the leash in her hand. She called the dog back, and it sounded to Cole like its name was Pashmina.

There was no one else on the beach this late.

 

 

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreed.com or www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA with his beloved husband.

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