Category: M/M Supernatural Fiction

A History of Halloween as Samhain (All Hallows Eve) Approaches and the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts

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Happy Samhain!

 

October 31st is almost upon us. Known by many names, this time of year is celebrated by people all over the world and in far different ways than we might imagine.  A little history first.  Known first as Samhain (pronounced Sa win or sow en depending upon which Celtic dialect you use), it is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1. This date  falls about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. The festival marks the end of summer and fall (harvest season) and the beginning of winter, the darker, colder half of the year.

During Samhain, people bring their livestock down from the upper grazing pastures.  Now was the time of separating the animals, choosing which to keep as breeding stock and which to choose for slaughter for winter. Households take careful stock of their pantries and food supplies in order to prepare for the long, cold weather ahead. Unlike the Gaelic festival of Beltane, which celebrates life and growth, Samhain honors the darker side of things.  These months are considered a “liminal” time of the year, passing from the abundance of summer into the darkness and harsh times of the winter. It is also thought to be the time of the year when the walls between our world and the next plane of existence thin and the spirits can reach out to the living.Lag_BaOmer_bonfire

It is believed that the deceased spirits would return to the homes and places they knew, seeking comfort and sometimes revenge.  In order to appease these spirits, people would place a dinner plate at their table and/or bowls of food or treats by their front door. People took special care not to offend any wandering spirits, and if they left their homes they would disguise themselves with masks and costumes to avoid recognition. Eventually the tables were turned, and the masked citizens started imitating the spirits they once feared by going door-to-door demanding treats and threatening to perform mischief of their own.

Into this celebration came large bonfires,  lit to keep away bad spirits and even act as an imitation sun.  The bones from  freshly slaughtered animals were tossed into the fires known as “bone-fires”, which eventually became bonfires.  People carried part of the bone-fires with them by placing a hot coal inside a hollowed-out turnip, potato or beet.  Yes, that’s where our jack ‘o lanterns came from.   According to lore and historian Hannah Kincaid*:

The lanterns were frequently carved with creepy faces to represent and scare away the wandering spirits. The term “jack-o’-lantern” comes from an old Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to lore, the drunkard Stingy Jack tricked the devil into never condemning him to Hell. When Jack died, however, God wouldn’t allow such an unsavory soul into heaven, either, so Jack was sentenced to eternally wander the Earth with nothing but a coal nestled inside a hollowed-out-turnip for light. The Irish referred to Stingy Jack’s Jack-o'-Lantern_2003-10-31ghost as “Jack of the Lantern,” which eventually became “jack-o’-lantern” as we know it today.

So how did Samhain become Halloween?  Blame it on the Church…the Catholic church that is.  Here is the best explanation courtesy of Hannah Kincaid again:

The term “Halloween” is a result of Catholic interference with Samhain in the year 609. All Saints Day is a Roman Catholic holiday that honors and remembers all Christian saints both known and unknown. Pope Gregory IV decided to officially move the date of All Saints Day to November 1, the same day as Samhain. All Saints Day is also called “All Hallows” because “hallowed” means sanctified or holy (for those of you who know The Our Father prayer, think of the part “hallowed be thy name.”) The evening before All Hallows was a popular time to celebrate, so the term “All Hallows’ Eve” was used quite a bit. Eventually the term All Hallows’ Eve morphed into Halloween as we know it, and along the way it snatched up and mingled with many of the Samhain traditions that had already been happening for thousands of years.

The history of Samhain reminds us that we once celebrated holidays because of a shared human connection that resonated with the Earth’s cycles — the weather, the moon, the harvest — instead of a celebration of consumerism or heroic dominance.*

 

So how do you intend to spend this All Hallows Eve?  Masked, costumed, ready to explore into the night and see what spirits are afoot?  Or will you be staying home, listening for the sound of footsteps big and small, the sound of giggling and howls upon the night air?   Do you have your candy ready or will there be a trick or two in store for those who venture near?  Me and mine will light a candle or two, keep the wee doggies inside safe and warm, and have the goodies ready to share for those who visit.  Happy Samhain, everyone!raven and moon

Now for the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:

Monday, October 27:

  • Belinda McBride’s Prince of Faith Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Accidental Contact and Other Mahu Investigations (Mahu #7.5)
    by Neil S. Plakcy

Tuesday, October 28:

  • D.T. Peterson’s Seduction in Red Book Tour and Contest
  • Alexis Duran’s To Catch a Threeve Book Tour and Contest
  • A PaulB Review: Phoenix Heart (Stolen Elements #1) by A.L. Wilson
  • A MelanieM Review: Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne

Wednesday, October 29:

  • Silvia Violet’s Shifting Hearts Book Tour and Contest
  • Lila Bruce’s The Scent of Jasmine Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Red Dirt Heart 3 by N. R. Walker

Thursday, October 30:

  • John Simpson and Robert Cummings’ The Marine Book Tour and Contest
  • Iyana Jenna’s Love’s Home Book Tour and Contest
  • A Barb, the Zany, Old Lady Review:  The Trouble with Elves by Theresa Woodson

Friday, October 31 (Happy Halloween):

  • Garrett Leigh’s Heart Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Confetti, Cake, and Confessions by KC Wells
  • October 2014 Summary of Reviews and Best Covers of the Month

Saturday, November 1:

  • An Aurora YA Review:  The Key to Behliseth by Lou Hoffmann

 

*references Hannah Kincaid,  History of Halloween (history.com), Telegraph uk

 

Its Double the Trouble with T.A. Chase and Jackie Nacht’s Double Book Blast and Contest!!

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

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Ready for some double trouble?  Jackie Nacht  and TA Chase are here with two books for double your holiday fright time fun!  Read the excerpts, get to know the authors, and don’t forget to enter the contest at the end of today’s  post!

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Book Name: A Bittersweet Haunting/ A Holiday Job Zombie Run
Author Name: TA Chase Jackie Nacht/ Jackie Nacht

Author Bios:

  • Jackie Nacht

Short, sexy and sweet— where a little love goes a long way.

That’s the best way to describe Jackie Nacht’s stories. She was introduced to M/M Romance through her sister, Stephani, and read it for years. Then, she thought it was time to put her own stories on paper. Jackie began writing short and sweet stories that ended with a happily ever after.

Thinking back to her own book addiction, where there were many nights Jackie stayed up way too late so she could read just one more chapter— yeah, right— Jackie decided to write short romances for young adults as well as adults. Hopefully, they will give high school and college students, or working men and women something they can read during their lunch hour, in between classes or just when they want to briefly get away from the daily stresses of everyday life.

Author Contact:

You can find Jackie at:
Website: www.jackienacht.com
Blog: www.jackienacht.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.nacht?ref=tn_tnmn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackieNacht

  • T.A. Chase

I’m T.A. Chase, and I write stories about men loving men, but my stories are more than that. It’s about one person finding the other half of themselves. It doesn’t matter whether that person is male or female. I’m a happily married woman living in the Midwest with my husband of fifteen years. I’ve been writing for six years now, and because of my awesome readers, I’ve been able to do it full time for over a year.

You can contact TA Chase:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Ta-Chase/100001595721283fa
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TaChase

Publisher: MLR Press/ eXtasy Books
Cover Artists: Kris Jacen/ Carmen Waters
Sales Links for A Bittersweet Haunting:  MLR   Amazon   All Romance
Sales Links for A Holiday Job Zombie Run:  cXtasy Books

 

Blurbs:

ABittersweetHaunting_ChaseNacht_smA Bittersweet Haunting

In a moment of youthful curiousity, these six men were marked forevermore.

Jersey Paranormal Investigation was created when Braden and his five friends were marked by the Jersey Devil during their childhood. Now, they all have special gifts when it comes to the supernatural. Years later, Braden finds himself on his next job only to come face to face with the beautiful victim, Mack. Not all is it seems and Braden and his team will have to figure out why Mack is being targeted and to keep from falling for the man in the process.

A Bittersweet Haunting Excerpt:

Turning, Mack made his way to the old flight of stairs that creaked with every step he ventured. Goosebumps popped up on his flesh the more he ascended. Breathing heavily, Mack took the last step and cautiously made his way down the hallway. The air hung thick, and he almost choked on it. The closer he got to room 212, the more his flight instinct raised its red flag. The only reason he kept going was that he did not want to embarrass himself by returning empty-handed because he had been spooked.

Standing in front of the door, Mack’s hand trembled as he reached for the handle, finally turning it. Blowing out a breath, Mack decided to just get it over with. As fast as he could, he entered the room, searching for the box that held the spare linens.

Out of nowhere, a blast of freezing cold air hit him in the face, knocking him on his ass. Whipping his head around, Mack searched for an open window, only to find that all of them were tightly shut.

I’m getting the fuck out of here.

Climbing to his feet, he grabbed a box, praying that it was the right one and took off out of the room, not even bothering to close the door as he descended the steps two at a time.

Clutching the box to his chest, he leaned against the wall at the base of the stairs and caught his breath.

“Hey, are you okay?” Nick came up to him, relieving him of the box.

Mack wiped his sweat-soaked forehead. What the hell was that? His heart was still pumping, and his mouth couldn’t even form the words to lie to Nick and tell him he was okay.

Megan came up next to Nick. “You all right?”

Nodding, Mack rasped out, “I’m fine…just…” He just couldn’t say it. There was no way he was going to say something weird happened upstairs, especially when he actually didn’t see anything. Hell, was it all in his head because he was freaked about going upstairs? Possibly.

Shaking it off, he finally answered, “I’m fine. Let’s go, Nick, and get the Ivy Room set up.”

“Are you sure?” Megan eyed him with concern.

“Yes, tea starts in forty-five minutes. I better get moving.”

For the next half hour, Mack and Nick set up the room. The linens were placed on the tables—thankfully Mack had grabbed the right box. They both worked in unison, setting the silverware up and getting the china out for each member of the party coming in.

“I’m just going to fill up their water glasses,” Mack called over to Nick who was doing the final touches on center pieces.

Going behind the bar, Mack grabbed a pitcher and began getting ice out of the bar well. As they both worked, the curtains billowed as a gust of wind came into the room. Mack shot a look toward Nick to see him wide eyed as the room’s temperature suddenly plummeted. Before Mack even had time to think, the bar rack above him came crashing down upon him.

“Mack!” Nick cried out from across the room as glasses began shattering all around him.

Stunned, Mack couldn’t even move an inch as the shards of glass surrounded him. The floor, the bar, even his body was covered in the sharp glass. He feared if he moved so much as an inch, he would cut himself. The sounds of people screaming and hollering broke him out of his shock, and he slowly raised his head, feeling glass fall from his hair, to stare at Megan from across the room.

“Don’t move, Mack. We’re coming to help you.” Megan gingerly made her way to him, accompanied by the sound of glass crunching under her feet.

“Not…moving.” Mack felt the glass slide down from the top of his head and fuck if that didn’t give him the biggest case of the willies.

“I’m going to need some help and a pair of gloves,” Megan called to Nick.

Nick nodded and ran out of the room.

Megan pursed her lips as she began pulling large pieces of glass off him.

“Are you okay?” Megan asked quietly as she worked the glass out of his hair.

“Not even close.” Mack’s voice trembled, and he hated that.

“What happened?” Megan asked.

Nick came up behind them and answered. “There was this blast of cold air, and then the whole bar rack came crashing down on Mack. It was a ghost.”

“It wasn’t,” Mack denied. If he denied it enough, maybe he would eventually believe it himself. Maybe.

“Hon, that rack is oak. It’s as solid as they come. Wind wouldn’t have caused it to break. Plus the windows aren’t open. I think you had an encounter, and a violent one at that. I think I’m going to need to make a call.”

“It’s not that bad.” Even as Mack said that, he knew it was a lie. Something inside him felt violated, and an air of malice hung thick over him.

“Then let’s just have it checked out for peace of mind. Okay?” Megan grabbed the gloves from Nick and began plucking the tiny shards off his shoulder and neck. Her gloves came away from his skin with a trace of blood.

Swallowing, Mack gave in. “Maybe you’re right. Make the call.”

 

Zombie Run NachtphotoA Holiday Job Zombie Run

This Halloween, Drake is about to meet one guy he can’t say goodbye to.

And Drake is about to meet his match.

After a casual encounter, Drake can’t seem to stop thinking about Wilson. Even though Wilson pretty much thanked him for a nice time and walked out of his dorm and his life.

Now Halloween is approaching, and Drake is being roped into volunteering for the charity fun run. Having to dress as a zombie is horrible enough, but seeing Wilson at the starting line has Drake ducking for the trees. Will Wilson look past the gory makeup to see Drake actually cares about him? Will Drake finally be able to capture Wilson’s heart?

A Holiday Job Zombie Run Excerpt:

 “Will you knock that off?” Drake batted Ian’s hand away.

“Look, asshole, I need to put this makeup on you. You volunteered!” Ian charged back in and began putting the prosthetic on his face.

“Don’t you think you’re going overboard on this? I mean, why don’t you just squirt some ketchup on me?” Drake was thoroughly annoyed.

He’d volunteered to be a zombie for Ian’s frat charity run. He had thought he would just tear some holes in a white shirt and put a little makeup on, but no, Ian wanted to scare the hell out of everyone. The guy thought he was on Skin Wars or some shit. Drake wanted to scratch the prosthetic on his cheek that was currently being painted to look like a zombie. He thought he looked ridiculous. Shaun was splattering paint all over his shirt.

“This is just a Zombie Run, guys. I’m not going to be in a movie or anything.” Drake stared up at Ian, annoyed.

“Have fun and live a little. You’ve been in a pissed-off mood for the last month.” Ian pointed out.

And why shouldn’t he be? He hadn’t found the guy he’d hooked up with last month, and it was now his all-new obsession. He hadn’t had sex with anyone since and was constantly long necking the corridors in hopes of finding that white-blond head.

It didn’t matter how hard he tried; the guy was nowhere. Drake was beginning to wonder if the guy even went to their college. Shaun had helped him, but so far, his friend couldn’t spot him either.

Drake had never been so caught up with a person in his life. Unbelievably, he’d had dreams of the guy and those sapphire eyes, but it was like this damn race. Whenever he tried to go after him in the dream, the guy took off in a crowd and he couldn’t find him. Drake growled in irritation at his own thoughts.

“It’s not that bad,” Ian chastised, probably mistaking his growl for a complaint about the stinky paint that was being applied to his face.

Drake wasn’t going to correct Ian on the matter. Then, he would have to explain to all his friends again about the big about face he’d had this year. They all had looked at him like he had lost his ever-loving mind. And he had. He didn’t even know the guy’s fucking name, yet he was hunting him down all over campus like some stalker.

Shaun came in with a grotesquely painted face and a smile. “Didn’t Quinn do a great job?”

Shaun was actually happy to look like the dead. Really. Didn’t that shit all over his face itch like crazy, or was it only bugging the hell out of me?

“You look like you got ran over by a truck.”

 

Categories: Contemporary, Horror, M/M Romance, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Tour Dates: October 22nd

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Tara Lain, BFD Book Blog, Guilty Indulgence Book Club, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Blogger Girls, Jade Crystal, My Fiction Nook, Andrew Q. Gordon, Multitasking Mommas, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Cate Ashwood, MM Good Book Reviews, Amanda C. Stone, Love Bytes, Kimi-Chan, Fallen Angel Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

Contest: Enter to win the Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter and for all additional contest details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A MelanieM Review: Merry Christmas, Josh! (A Josh of the Damned Free Ficlet) (Josh of the Damned #4.5) by Andrea Speed

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Merry Christmas, Josh coverIt’s looking like another crappy Christmas for Josh, especially when he has to share the store with a creepy Santa cutout. But the surprise arrival of a snowman gives Josh a little holiday cheer, along with his vampire boyfriend of course!  Merry Christmas, Josh, indeed!

Merry Christmas, Josh is a funny, free ficlet (say that fast) from Andrea Speed.   It’s Christmas time in the warped and wonderful world (alliteration abounds) of Josh of the Damned and he’s not a happy boy.  Seems that Christmas is full of miserable memories and malignant melodies for Josh and its enough to make him crabby and cross.But a very peculiar and cantankerous  snowman arrives and changes the way Josh will forever look at the holidays.

Only 18 pages long, Merry Christmas, Josh, contains some of the characters,weirdness, and snark that epitomizes this series while bringing in some of the poignancy and sadness also associated with the holidays for some people, in this case Josh.  Sad childhood memories and the forced gaiety (as well as one awful cardboard Santa) of the season have Josh in a crabby frame of mind, one that some share at this time of the year.  Josh is that voice of sanity and reason (sort of) in the convenience store from Hell and that juxtaposition continues to make this a wonderful story and series.

I wish we had seen more of the characters like the Yeti and a tooth fairy or two but at 18 pages you can only bring in so many characters.  This is a fun, quick read.  And for those of you new to the Josh of the Damned series, it should give you a taste of the characters and wonderfully bizarre universe(s) they inhabit.  It’s free at Riptide Publishing.   So don’t forget to run over there and pick it up today!

Happy Reading.

Cover artist did a wonderful job.  Love that cover.

Free at Riptide.  See the link above

Visit the Series page at Riptide for all the stories in the Josh of the Damned Universe

 

Book Details:

ebook, 18 pages
Published October 6th 2014 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492509
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/merry-christmas-josh
seriesJosh of the Damned

Series stories in the order they were written and should be read:

Want a Creepy Quickie? Get 3! It’s the Bump in the Night Book Tour from Riptide! (contest)

CreepyQuickieBump_TourBanner

Feel that cold creeping into the room?  Getting the shivers?  Let’s welcome some frighteningly awesome authors here today to clue us into the creepy quickies they have in store for us all…

Hey, everyone! We’re Heidi, Kari, Laylah, and Sam, and we’re here touring with our three Creepy Quickies releases! Laylah’s bringing you Resurrection Man, about a man who will go to any–and we do mean any–lengths to bring his lover back from the dead. Kari has Mating Season, for those of you who love amorous aquatic beasts and mad scientists. And finally, Heidi and Sam wrote Blasphemer, Sinner, Saint, about a demon deal set in 1880s Whitechapel.

Originally written for the horror anthology Bump in the Night, our three stories span the gamut of the genre, from spine-chilling scares to stolen moments of tenderness to inescapable dead ends.

To celebrate our release, we’re giving away a $10 Riptide gift card! Just comment below–or on any of our other stops, all of which can be found on our blog tour page–with an email address to reach you, and we’ll select one lucky winner at the end of the tour!

ResurrectionMan_500x750About Resurrection Man

Necromancy means never having to say good-bye.

Consumption has claimed the life of Adel St. Claire, cutting him down in his prime. But his lover, Josef Leitner, isn’t ready to let him go. To get Adel back, Josef is willing to risk the anger of Adel’s family, make unsavory deals with a corrupt mortician, and challenge the authority of death itself.

Even if he can reanimate Adel’s body, Josef’s next challenge may be more daunting still: when a man returns from the dead, what will it take to satisfy his needs?

Riptide says “Have a free read on us! Get Resurrection Man for free right now!

About Mating Season

MatingSeason_500x750He didn’t believe in the monster of the lake . . . but that didn’t make it any less real.

When Danny needs a getaway, his best friend goads him into a week-long hiking trip. Who cares if local superstitions and old wives tales warn the wary to avoid the lake once summer nights turn chilly? The trails are still pretty, the wildlife just as plentiful, and the fall colors beautiful for the lens of Danny’s digital camera. Nothing sinister could happen, not here.

Danny was wrong. Assaulted by lusty tentacles that push his body—and his sanity—to the brink, Danny is then held captive by his best friend, betrayed for the sake of science. Unable to escape and terrified of the changes in his body, Danny’s alternatives are few. He will be returned, over and over, to the monster.

But maybe his future isn’t as bleak as it originally seemed.

 Riptide says “Get Mating Season here“.

About Blasphemer, Sinner, Saint

BlasphemerSinnerSaint_500x750Tobias Sinnet has left his boyhood days of sin behind him. As the caretaker of a boys’ orphanage in Whitechapel, he teaches the children to live by the word of God, keeps his daily prayers, and goes to bed each night with a clear conscience
.
Until David, the boy who tempted him in their youth, arrives on his doorstep. Forced to prostitute himself to keep his younger brother in school, David has grown ill, and all he wants is for Tobias to agree to look after his brother when he’s gone.

But as they reconnect, Tobias finds it unexpectedly difficult to let David go—and, thanks to a mysterious stranger offering Tobias the deal of a lifetime, he may not have to.

Get Blasphemer, Sinner, Saint here.

CreepyQuickieBump_150x300Read more about Heidi, Kari, Laylah, and Sam by visiting their author pages at Riptide Publishing.  Go now and get your holiday Spook On early!!

A MelanieM Review: Midsummer Baker (Midsummer #4) by Megan Derr

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

A sweet baker with spicy taste…

midsummerbaker400Marcell is Midsummer’s baker. While he works for his aunt in the family bakery, he’s the one with the magic baker’s touch.  A good and quiet lad, Marcel is hiding secrets  of the past and of the heart. Those of the past are known only to himself and two others reviled by the citizens of Midsummer.  Marcell’s life has not been without pain wether it was the loss of his parents or the bullying he encountered at school but the truth is about to come out and no one is prepared for the consequences.

The Withers Boys, Boyd and Tye Withers, are faerie half-brothers,  Their faerie mother died, leaving them when they were in their late teens but really she had abandoned them much earlier drowning herself in booze.  Known for their green thumbs and ability to always be in trouble, the Withers Boys have their own secrets to hide.

A stolen hideaway, a dark night, and  evil on the prowl.  What happens when all the hidden secrets are exposed?  Will Marcell find a happiness he never thought would be his?

Midsummer Baker is probably my third favorite of the Midsummer stories to date.  More a series of vinaigrettes than a cohesive tale, it still brings plenty of surprising layers and heart to this tale of love in the most unlikely of places. Each chapter represents a slice from Marcell’s life.  From these, we are able to build a picture of a sweet child who was the target not only of bullies at school, but someone worse.   Now grown, Marcell has harbored not only the secrets from his past but a hidden love that he feels will never be returned.  Marcell is such a sweet character it is easy to connect with him and his dreams.

The Withers Boys now have names.  Before Midsummer  Baker, they only appeared as references to mischief makers often in trouble with the law and various members of the community.  Now we get their painful back story, and they become not pests to be avoided but teenagers and young adults with a poignant sad story of their own.   Unexpectedly, there is a hidden connection to Marcell and the drama and romance takes off.  I wish we had more of Tye and Boyd.  They are great characters that deserve a  longer and deeper in scope story than this one.

There is publisher note included at the bottom that contains spoilers to the story.  It references the type and variety of love story found here.  I didn’t find it offensive but others might.  If anything other than a strict M/M squicks your bonnet, then you just might want to check out the note below.  Otherwise, I liked the story, love the series and want to see Megan Derr what happens next when Derr returns to Midsummer once more.

Categories: Free Read Gay Paranormal Poly Urban Fantasy

 

Cover art by Megan Derr.  Love the cover.

Sales Links:     Less Than Three Press       Amazon          Midsummer Baker  ($0.99)

Book Details:

Editors note:  Contains stepbrother incest and threesomes

free ebook, 18 pages at Less Than Three Press
Published July 19th 2011 by Less Than Three Press (first published August 29th 2010)
original titleMidsummer Baker
ISBN139781936202843
edition languageEnglish
seriesMidsummer #4

Midsummer Series in order they were written and should be read (available in print, ebook and audio):

Midsummer Moon
Midsummer Curse
Midsummer Law
Midsummer Baker
Midsummer Days (Print collection of all stories)

Glorious October and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

fall-clip-art-fall-clip-art-11This year our fall has been glorious!  The weather is perfect, holding off those cold temperatures while still giving us a taste of the clear, crisp air and blue skies that I think of when fall arrives in Maryland.  The Farmers markets and stores are full of Crisps, Cortlands, Stayman’s and Winesaps!  Am I thinking of homemade apple pies?  You betcha!

The leaves are just starting to turn here so I hope there will be plenty of color  around when I return from Chicago and GRL.   As we approach the dates for GRL, we are starting to lighten our schedule in anticipation.  It’s just temporary and we will be back up and reading away upon our return.  So many things to prepare for, think to pack, and get excited about.  So many great authors will be there and I can’t wait to hear about all the new books, events, and author readings that will be taking place.

This week, our young YA reviewer, Aurora, has her first review on Saturday.  I can’t wait for more of her reviews and fresh perspective from someone with much younger eyes and mind than mine! lol  PaulB, Barb, the Zany, Old, Lady and Sammy are well accounted for too.  How much fun is this?  But if you want to review for Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words, we have plenty of room for more reviewers.  Drop me a note and let’s talk!

Quick Cool Announcement:  Riptide Publishing has a new Josh of the Damned story, Merry Christmas, Josh from  Andrea Speed, free at Riptide right now.  Go here to download!  If you love the Josh of the Damned warped universe as much as I do, this is a great gift to get for yourelf!  Do it now!

Now onto to our schedule for this upcoming week.

 The Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts And Rogue Words

Monday, October 6:

  • Cover Reveal for Unicorns and Rainbow Poop by Sam Kadence
  • Morticia Knight’s All Fired Up Tour (contest)
  • A PaulB Review: A Heart for Robbie by J.P. Barnaby
  • A MelanieM Review:  Midsummer Baker by Megan Derr

Tuesday, October 7:

  • Skylar Wood’s Jade Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Hidden Gem by Lissa  Kasey
  • A SammyL Review:  All Star Virgin by Ben Raphael

Wednesday, October 8:

  • Riptide’s Bump in the Night Book tour and contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Red Dirt Heart 2 by N. R. Walker

Thursday, October 9:

  • RJ Scott’s GRL Guest Blog and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  A Foundation of Trust by A.M. Arthur

Friday, October 10:

  • Andrew Q. Gordon’s A Closed Door Book Tour and Contest
  • Garrett Leigh’s “Slide” Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Accidental Contact and Other Mahu Investigations by Neil Plakcy

Saturday, October 11:

  • An Aurora YA Review: “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” by Neil Gaiman

 

 

 

 

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Book Blast: Beany Sparks “Aiden’s Shepherd” (Book tour and contest)

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Check out Beany Spark’s release, Aiden’s Shepherd (Paws and Magic #1).  We have all the details, blurbs, and excerpt for you below.  And don’t forget to enter to win your own copy.  Details provided at the end of the post.

Book Name: Aiden’s Shepherd
Author Name: Beany Sparks

Author Bio:

Beany lives in Western Australia. She first started reading romance novels in 2008, but it wasn’t until January 2010 when her Kindle got delivered that the world of erotic romance opened its doors to her, and she hasn’t looked back.

With suggestions and support from friends, her muse—“affectionately” known as PITA—was finally able to break free, and in January 2014 her first story was written. Since she can’t put PITA back in his box, Beany has decided to give in and team up with him. Together they’ve made plans to write both MF and MM stories.

Author Contacts:

  • She can be reached at beany.sparks@gmail.com
    Or visit her at her website
    Or on Twitter:

Aiden's Shepherd - FinalTitle: Aiden’s Shepherd by Beany Sparks
Publisher: eXtasy Books

Sales Link:  eXtasy Books

Aiden’s Shepherd Blurb:

A man who never knew magic and shifters existed gets a crash course when he saves an injured dog.

Aiden Grey is packed and ready to move and start a new phase of his life away from the family that kicked him out when he was eighteen. The night before he leaves he sees something fall out of the back of a van. Upon closer inspection, he is shocked to find that it’s not the bag he suspected, it’s a dog!

Deciding to take the dog with him, the two set off the next morning to Aiden’s new home. Everything is going well for Aiden and the German Shepherd he named Lex. That is, until said German Shepherd shifts into a man who claims Aiden is his mate.

Lex can’t believe he’s finally found his mate. But as happy as he is to have him, he still worries about his brother and pack, and where they have ended up.

With the revelation that shifters exist, secrets about Aiden’s past come to light. Secrets he didn’t even know existed. Suddenly, Aiden has to deal with not only the reality of shifters, but also ghosts and magic.  But with Lex by his side he can handle anything—even his surprise guest.

Aiden’s Shepherd Excerpt:

He stood near the table, breathing heavily, stopping himself from opening any of the curtains to peek outside to see if the van was still there. Aiden had no idea what he was thinking with this stunt, but something was telling him to protect the dog. He just had to figure out how to clean the canine up without getting attacked, bitten or turning the light on and revealing to anyone who might be outside that he was awake and moving around.

Aiden took a deep breath to try and calm down, then gathered his courage. He took a few steps toward the entrance of the kitchen to see if he could make out anything through the glass panels on the front door, trying to stay hidden from view. He couldn’t see anything at first, but as he kept looking he suddenly spotted the shadow of a man through the glass. He couldn’t turn around and put his back against the wall fast enough, breathing hard once again.

Fuck! I hope whoever that is didn’t see me!

“What the hell are you doing?” A male voice came from outside his door. The man tried to remain quiet, but he was just loud enough for Aiden to hear him.
“I’m looking for that mutt, what do you think I’m doing? Picking daisies?” replied a second male voice in the same hushed tone.

“What makes you think he made it all the way here? It’s not like there’s a blood trail leading to the front door!” the first man said, sounding angry.

“This is the closest house so I’m going to check,” the second man said, then tried to turn the handle of the door.

Aiden felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew he’d locked the door, but if they forced their way in and looked around, what would he do?

“Knock it off, you moron. That mutt was barely breathing when we put him in the van, and you think he not only got up and made his way to this house, but that he somehow got inside it, too? How stupid are you?” the first man said.

“I’m telling you, man. There’s something about the mutt that doesn’t sit right with me.”

“You’re just pissed because he managed to bite you. Now come on, let’s get out of here before someone notices us or the van. We’ll come back later in the morning and have a look around. If the mutt managed to find someone to feel sorry for him, they’ll probably take him to see a vet, then we’ll get our hands back on the beast.”

“Yeah, I guess. Alright, let’s go.”

Aiden listened to their steps as they walked off his porch and presumably made their way to their van. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized they’d left.

There goes my plan to get the dog to a vet close by. Hopefully there’s nothing seriously wrong and he’ll be able to hold off until I can get us to the cabin in the morning.

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Tour Dates: 10/3/14

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Amanda C. Stone, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fallen Angel Reviews, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Nic Starr, Jade Crystal, MM Good Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Prism Book Alliance, Cate Ashwood, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Havan Fellows, Carly’s Book Reviews, Iyana Jenna, Kimi-Chan, Up All Night, Read All Day, Velvet Panic

Contest: Rafflecopter Prize: e-book copy of ‘Aiden’s Shepherd’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link below for the entry form and for all additional contest details.

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