Release Blitz – Rended Hearts by Riza Curtis (excerpt and giveaway)

Length: 35,000 words approx.

Blurb

After a life on the run, witch Gabriel just wants to enjoy having a home. He’s perfectly happy pottering around his garden and using magic to quietly help people. Then the Alpha of the local wolf pack is attacked by a member of the local coven, and everything changes. There’s no love lost between the witch and the wolves, but Gabriel saves the life of the Alpha in an attempt to keep the peace.

Simon finds his mate in the witch that saves his life, but the coven is coming for Gabriel, and they don’t care who gets in their way…

Excerpt

“That’s better.” Simon couldn’t help his own smile after seeing Gabriel’s joy. His face was flushed pink from laughing, and he looked radiant in the soft light of the clinic.

“What is?”

Simon took a chance and moved closer. Gabriel’s eyes widened as he startled, but he didn’t seem alarmed. “Seeing you smile.”

Gabriel flushed a deeper red, a hint of confusion displayed on his face.

Simon took another step closer so that he was face-to-face with a flustered Gabriel. He brought his hand up to gently touch the side of the Gabriel’s face. His skin was softer than Simon had thought possible.

“Are you—” Gabriel broke off the sentence and moved back. Simon dropped his hand immediately. He didn’t want to make Gabriel uncomfortable.

Gabriel glanced at Simon and took a hesitant breath. Simon tried to look reassuring.

“Forgive me if I’m wrong, but you’re flirting with me? Why?”

Simon chuckled. Gabriel was adorable. “Because I like you.”

Gabriel frowned before glancing away. He didn’t seem satisfied with the answer.

“But wolves have mates,” he interjected.

Simon’s eyes widened momentarily. He hadn’t thought Gabriel would know about mates, but maybe this would be a good thing—maybe Gabriel would be more receptive, more understanding about the situation.

“Why do you think I am flirting with you?” Simon asked, dropping his voice to no louder than a whisper, soft and alluring.

Gabriel inhaled sharply, and his eyes widened. “Surely not?”

Simon didn’t know if that was positive or negative, but he couldn’t take it back now. He nodded, moving closer and crowding Gabriel against the wall.

“Don’t you feel it too?” he asked. “My mate?”

Author Bio

Riza began writing stories at a young age to the a?n?n?o?y?a?n?c?e? delight of anyone she could b?u?l?l?y? persuade to read them. Now somewhat older, if not wiser, things haven’t really changed.

Riza lives in England where they enjoy adding extra letters to words, tea, and discussing the weather (it’s always raining). She has a FdSci in Manufacturing Engineering and is currently working towards her BEng. When she’s not writing, studying or doing her day job, Riza is obsessed with target archery and enjoys shooting barebow.

www.rizacurtis.com
Twitter: @rizacurtis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riza.curtis.author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/rizacurtis

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Parker Foye on Research , Procrastination, and the new release Mage of Inconvenience (author guest blog)

Mage of Inconvenience by Parker Foye
Dreamspinner Press
Dreamspun Beyond

Cover art: Aaron Anderson

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Parker Foye here today talking about writing, research and Mage of Inconvenience. Welcome, Parker.

♦︎

Research …and Procrastination by Parker Foye

Hello, and thanks to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting the final stop on my blog tour! It’s been a lot of fun celebrating the release of Mage of Inconvenience, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it too.

Today I’m answering questions about research: Does research play a role in choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

I’ve posted a bit on Twitter recently about how difficult it is to find methods of magic World of Warcraft hasn’t named already, so research has been on my mind lately. Honestly, it usually is; I primarily write speculative fiction, but set in the world we know. This tends to involve two threads of research/development: real world locations, and whatever I’m using as a magical system.

Though I’ve set spec fiction stories in historical periods before, Mage of Inconvenience takes place in a contemporary setting. When I started writing this story, I lived in a small town in Ontario, and this is where I located West’s home. Julian, meanwhile, has an office in Toronto, and a cottage elsewhere in the province. These locations were places I knew, or could easily research with added local insight, and I thought I was being quite clever to choose these settings. But then I moved over 4,000km across the country.

Thank you, internet.

The internet is less helpful when it comes to making up magical systems, aside from checking someone hasn’t done it first (see the comment about WoW above). But this is actually something I really enjoy doing, and one of the reasons I write in this genre. Making the impossible possible but flavouring it with things we can relate to—for example, with the magic in Mage of Inconvenience, I imagined something like a magical DVLA (DMV, for those of you across the pond!), with all the connotations that invokes.

Creating magical systems is one of the (many) areas where beta readers and editors are invaluable. Their insightful questions really helped draw out and solidify how magic and its corresponding bureaucracy worked in this story, cementing the foundation for how the marriage of convenience comes to be in the first place.

But, absorbing as it can be, the problem with research is knowing when to stop! I’m a chronic procrastinator and can trick myself into researching all day long, but at some point it’s time to close the browser and start cranking out words.

Or write a blog post or two.

What about you guys? Any favourite methods of procrastination? Asking for a friend…

Mage of Inconvenience

Can they find the magic in a practical union?

West is on the run from his werewolf pack, but if he cannot renew his magical defenses, he won’t get far. What he needs is a mage….

Julian is part of a wealthy and ancient family, and one day, his legacy will include his mother’s vast library of spell books—and the knowledge he needs to correct his past mistakes. But his inheritance comes with a stipulation: he has to be married before he can collect. What he needs is a husband….

West and Julian can help each other, and at first they don’t want anything further. But as they dodge meddling cousins, jealous rivals, and an insidious drug, it becomes clear that their lives are entwined in ways they never imagined—and they’re in greater danger than they thought possible.

Buy the book at Dreamspinner | Amazon CA/COM/UK | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Parker Foye writes speculative-flavored romance under the QUILTBAG umbrella and believes in happily ever after, although sometimes their characters make achieving this difficult.

An education in Classics nurtured a love of heroes, swords, monsters, and beautiful people doing stupid things while wearing only scraps of leather. You’ll find those things in various guises in Parker’s stories, along with kissing (very important) and explosions (very messy). And more shifters than you can shake a stick at.

Used to living out of a suitcase, Parker is currently of fixed abode in the UK but still travels regularly via planes, trains, and an ever-growing library.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

March Winds Blowing In a Fresh Start. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

March Winds Blowing In a Fresh Start

We end this tumultuous month as we started it…with the high winds blowing bringing with it all sorts of changes. To my mind, and with Spring in mind, I’m hoping these will be positive ones, showing new growth and a new start for tomorrow. Isn’t that what Spring is all about?

True, some of the new starts can get a little shaky. Those March winds are fierce. First tries don’t always end up like we want. Small seedlings droop in unexpected snows, and kites get caught up in trees. But then the sun comes up, the temperatures rise, and yes the winds finally die down….and boom, back on track again. The ability to absorb and move forward, the strength to be resilient…well, we see it time and again.

So this week let’s finish out March and get a brand new start in April! Let’s look at romance, new loves, maybe even renewed love no matter the age. Spring is a time for growth in our romance novels. What new things have you all noticed, if anything? New issues that the authors have incorporated? New ways in which they’ve kept it real (if contemporary) and fresh (no matter the genre). So this is the start of ….

What’s New In LGBT Romance Fiction Giveaway?

Give us your thoughts. Maybe tell us ways in which you think it can be improved or that it has improved over the last few years. What stories have made you think? Stopped you with elements so current and relevant that it resonated with you? Leave your comments with you email address. Giveaway will continue until April 14th. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Now for this week’s reviews and tours! Let our week take flight!

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 25:

March Winds Blowing In a Fresh Start.
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

Monday, March 26:

Retro Review Tour – Ann Gallagher’s The Left Hand Of Calvus
DSP Dreamspun Promo Parker Foye
Review Tour – Lynn Michaels – Out Of The Ocean
A MelanieM Review : The Left Hand of Calvus (Warriors of Rome #1) by Ann Gallagher
A VVivacious Review: You’re My Everything by Lily G Blunt
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: Bone to Pick by T.A. Moore and Michael Fell (Narrator)

Tuesday, March 27:

Blog Tour – The Rescuer by Eric Huffbind
Book Blast – Love Worth Fighting For by Dara Nelson
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT TOUR Moon Illusion by Michelle Osgood
In Our Spotlight:KIM FIELDING on The Little Library
A MelanieM Review: Flamecaller by Caitlin Ricci
A Caryn Release Day Review: The Architect and the Castle of Glass by Jade Mere
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: The Little Library by Kim Fielding

Wednesday, March 28:

Blog Tour Bones of Belief by Jess Thomas
RELEASE DAY BLITZ INVITATION TO THE BLUES (Small Change #2) by Roan Parrish
A Stella Review : One Under by JL Merrow
VVivacious Review: You’re My Everything by Lily G Blunt
A MelanieM Audio Review : I Heart Boston Terriers by Rick R. Reed and Tom Askin (Narrator)
A MelanieM Review: Squared Away by Annabeth Albert

Thursday, March 29:

Release Day Blitz Hug It Out by Davidson King
Leaning Into the Look by Lane Hayes Blog Tour
Release Day Blitz: Hug It Out by Davidson King
A Lila Review: Bad Seed by Gareth Vaughn
A Stella Review: The Little Library by Kim Fielding
A MelanieM Review The Rescuer by Eric Huffbind

Friday, March 30:

Release Blitz Riza Curtis – Rended Hearts
PROMO Men of London series by Susan MacNicol
Release Blitz – You’re My Everything by Lily G. Blunt
A Caryn Release Day Review: Summer Ride by Susan Laine
A MelanieM Review:Dragon Magic by Megan Derr
An Alisa Review Promises Part 4 by A.E. Via

Saturday, March 31:

An Alisa Review Promises Part 4 by A.E. Via
A MelanieM Review: Murder Takes the High Road by Josh Lanyon

Julia Talbot on her new release The Wolf’s Man Friday (Nose to Tail Inc. #2) (guest blog)

The Wolf’s Man Friday (Nose to Tail Inc. #2) by Julia Talbot
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christine Griffin

Sales LInks: Dreamspinner Press

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Julia Talbot here today to talk about her latest release,The Wolf’s Man Friday (Nose to Tail Inc. #2). Welcome, Julia.

♦︎

Hey y’all!

My name is Julia Talbot, and I’m here to chat about my upcoming release, Well, actually I’m here to talk about a super cool question the blog sent me to answer, because I can always talk about process!

If you could imagine the best possible place for you to write, where would that be and why?

OMG y’all. So many answers to this.

I mean really. When I turned thirty, I went to London for the first time. I really thought I wanted to rent a garret there and write for days on end. In fact, I went home and wrote an erotica piece about a man who could only sleep on the Tube… It was published, but that was so long ago I can’t recall where. Maybe travelrotica? At any rate, that was what I wanted. When I was 35, I had been to Venice, and I wanted to rent an apartment in the Castello and go to the market every day for food and write my heart out.

I’ve been to NOLA and thought, we should have a writer’s retreat here! I want to go to Estes Park and sit I the lobby of the very haunted Stanley hotel and write ghost stories.

The thing is, I would love to write in all of these places, but these days it’s hard to travel. The wife is not well, and long air trips are right out.

I’ve realized as I’ve hit forty something, that what I really need as an ideal place to write is pretty simple.

I need the wife, my two basset hounds, a decent computer, and a good internet connection. I write a lot in Google Docs because it’s easier to access than Dropbox often times, and I can switch computers with reckless abandon.

Sadly, internet is kind crap and our house due to no cable, just DSL, and I’m struggling with a poopy Dell laptop I just bought so I can’t get rid of it.

Still, those are first world problems. The thing is, inspiration can strike anywhere, but home is where the heart is, and where the word count really flows…

XXOO

Julia Talbot

Blurb:

The last thing Sebastian Zeller wants is to be pack Alpha. But when the pack leader, his uncle Ron, is attacked, he has no cho ice but to leave his beloved Colorado mountains and fulfill his duty as Ron’s heir—at least until his uncle recovers. In the meantime, he intends to lure the attacker out… and make them pay.

When Ron gets wind of Sebastian’s plan to catch the attacker, he doesn’t like the idea of risking his heir. That’s where Jaxon Reedis comes in—he’ll balance protecting the dark and sexy werewolf with pretending to be his personal assistant. He’s walking a fine line that requires all his foxy wit and craftiness… and that’s on top of the inescapable feeling that he and Sebastian are meant for each other. When the attacker returns, will they be able to maintain their deepening bond when danger threatens to tear down everything they’re building?

About the Author

Stories that leave a mark. Julia Talbot loves romance across all the genders and genres, and loves to write about people working to see past the skin they’re in to love what lies beneath. Julia Talbot lives in the great mountain and high desert Southwest, where there is hot and cold running rodeo, cowboys, and everything from meat and potatoes to the best Tex-Mex. A full time author, Julia has been published by Dreamspinner, All Romance Ebooks, and Changeling Press. She believes that everyone deserves a happy ending, so she writes about love without limits, where boys love boys, girls love girls, and boys and girls get together to get wild, especially when her crazy paranormal characters are involved. She also writes BDSM and erotic romance as Minerva Howe. Find Julia at @juliatalbot on Twitter, or at http://www.juliatalbot.com “The mountains are calling, and I must go”

Julia Talbot: http://www.juliatalbot.com

Minerva Howe: http://www.minervahowe.com

Julia’s Blog: http://juliatalbot.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor

A MelanieM Review: Mage of Inconvenience by Parker Foye

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Can they find the magic in a practical union?

West is on the run from his werewolf pack, but if he cannot renew his magical defenses, he won’t get far. What he needs is a mage….

Parker Foye developed a sizable agenda for themselves with Mage of Inconvenience. Foye had to develop a large enough universe to contain both witches and werewolf societies (I’m talking extended families, cultures, laws, set across a sprawling geographical map), then start to tunnel it down to encapsulate the two men at the heart of Mage of Inconvenience, West and Julian. We get alternating povs that let’s us see the desperate situation that each man or being find’s himself in that leads up to their marriage of convenience. A great job in all cases with the world building.

Of particular note is the creation of the drug Rabid that’s spreading through the shifter population with devastating effect. You see this drug through West’s eyes as he observes addicted shifters and through bits and pieces of his memories. It pulls on your emotions as you will make direct ties to today’s drug problems. Julian’s needs seem completely separate and different…at first. He wants to inherit his mother’s estate and keep it out of the hands of greedy relatives. To do that he needs to marry and soon. West fits the bill nicely. Of course there is much more to it than that.

The characterizations are nicely layered, the plot has a great many twists and turns that will keep you suitably shocked and surprised, and, it’s still suspenseful enough to keep you on the edge of your seat right up until the edge of the seat. While it did get a little soft around the middle, I still thought the writing was smooth and flowed all the way to the end.

I liked the slow build to trust and romance here and in some cases, it has the feel of a much larger story.

Love the supernatural? And romance? How about both together? Dreamspinner Press’ Dreamspun Beyond is doing a fantastic job of combining both and Mage of Inconvenience by Parker Foye is a perfect example why. Pick it up and try it out today.

Cover art: Aaron Anderson. Love the cover. Great Job.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 212 pages
Expected publication: March 20th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640802469
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL

COVER REVEAL for Blood Bathory: Like The NIght (The Guardians of Gaia #1) by Ari McKay (giveaway)

Cover Design: Lou Harper @ Cover Affairs

Add to Goodreads

Length: 123,737 words

Blurb

You can run…

After losing his younger sister to cancer, fashion photographer Evan St. John tries to outrun his pain, leaving New York for the excitement of Paris. His talent and striking good looks bring him to the attention of Elizabeth Nadasdy, the elegant and powerful owner of House of Nadasdy. Evan is thrilled at the opportunity to work for such a prestigious designer, but he soon discovers Elizabeth wants more than his talent. Beneath the beautiful mask she presents to the world lurks the evil of a vampire whose lust for beauty is surpassed only by her thirst for blood.

Evan’s life is shattered when Elizabeth turns him into one of her “children.” Unable to bear what he has become, he flees to New York to find his best friend, police officer Will Trask. The one person who might be able to help him.

But you can’t hide…

Together, Evan and Will find themselves drawn deeper into a strange world they never knew existed. Standing against the vampires are the theriomorphs, shapeshifters who serve as the guardians of Gaia, the embodiment of all life on earth. Though sworn to eradicate every vampire, Marielle Du Lac, the leader of the theriomorphs, offers them a bargain. If they help bring down Elizabeth, her people will try to find a way to restore Evan to life.

Caught up in an ancient war between two powerful supernatural forces, Evan and Will must choose sides, because if they are to have any chance of a future together, they must destroy Elizabeth Nadasdy before she destroys them.

About The Authors

Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc’s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.

Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.

McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.

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Authors, Blogs, and Relationships. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Authors, Blogs, and Relationships.

Given recent upsetting events concerning author Santino Hassell and other things that have occurred within the last six month, I’ve been thinking a lot about author/blog relationships. Through this author’s campaign of lies, harassment and distortions, he was able to convince Riptide Publishing that a well-known, well-established blogger with a terrific reputation was “engaged in a campaign to doxx, harass, and smear him” to the point that they removed her and her blog from their tours and ARC lists as well as Twitter feeds, impacting her hugely. Now this author also has or had a number of well known author friends and was also at the “stable” at Dreamspinner [see Dreamspinner Press note below] so I imagine he was working on them to get them to block this blogger as well. I’m not sure we will ever know how far it got.

But the impact on her reputation from his deceit, however temporary, can’t be denied. And no I’m certainly not forgetting the legends of people out there that this man has hurt by his long time deceitful behavior, catfishing, and pretense of being a cancer patient.

Today, I want to talk about author/blog relationships because they can get to be a little incentuous, a little weird, simply by the nature of the beast. You see all bloggers/reviewers, well, we are readers first. Then we write our first review because we want to share our thoughts on the books we are reading, then comes another review, and another. Maybe we read a blog or decide to start one as a journal, who knows but all of a sudden you’re a blogger and a reviewer. Then little by little you make the conscious decision to grow the blog and add more reviewers and voila! Six years and 12 reviewers later (not all the same ones mind) Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is still rolling along.

Because we are readers who love our books and yes, authors, we like to attend conventions where we meet and connect with the authors and publishers. You do this enough times and it can go from friendly acquaintances to downright friends, knitting buds, people you write to. I’m sure you can see where this is going.You have a relationship with these authors.Does it make it hard to remain objective for reviews? It would if I was the only one reviewing books here. Thank the goddess I’m not. There are actually 12 of us here so that makes it easier although not always true as we do have our favorite authors and always will. But we would have those simply as readers. And I don’t see the issue with that as long as it doesn’t carry over into how it affects our treatment of those authors on the blog.

I would like to think that we as bloggers can use our blogs to help promote those writers who are trying to find a “platform” for their first stories as self published authors or just authors with stories period, have a place to “talk” to readers about their writing and their new releases, and that we, in turn, are respectful of their efforts while being honest in our reviews and opinions. After all, readers are also depending upon us to let them know if a finished story is a quality novel in every way! It’s not just the plot, and the characters. No, it’s also the world building and the editing. Yes, a great editor will always be needed, an author simply cannot self edit…it never works out well. Editors are gods no matter how much you may hate them. Throw gold at them now.

We recently had an author tell us not to review her books any more. Now this is an author that we had just put in our top ten of 2017, had been one of our Top Author Discoveries of 2017 and, out of the blue, wrote us a letter, demanding we not review her latest SciFy story because a reviewer (she wouldn’t name) was writing things about other authors books she didn’t like (wouldn’t say what). Wasn’t even sure that reviewer even wrote for us since she wouldn’t name them. I wrote back offering to open up the conversation and keep the dialog going. Did we hear from this author? No. Did we review the book? Yes. Guess what? It was very good. 4 stars. We review the book,dear readers, not in this case the nuttiness that went on around it. And FYI? No one tells us what books we can or can’t review. One case in point of the strangeness that can go on in an author’s mind that she thought she had the authority to tell us not to review a story. Huh.

Sigh.

If you had asked me, this was an author I thought I had a relationship with. Guess not. But her questionable judgement against us put our reputation into question without even asking for particulars And her publisher is one that we’ve just started working with. Now I need to contact them and gingerly open up a conversation I’m not sure I know how to start.

On the flip side, I’ve had great relationships with authors who send me their pre-release pre-final edits ARCs, trusting me not to share their stories (which I never have). It’s a tightrope of trust and expectations that develops between blogger and author. When it works, it’s mutually beneficial to all, including our readers. When it breaks down, as it did in the Santino Hassell case, it went wrong in a spectacularly bad fashion, hurting this blogger to the point it could have ruined her out of the blog she’s so lovingly created.

Have I come to any conclusions? Not really. I don’t attend any conventions anymore. Mostly because of RL obligations and the costs. My contacts with everyone are through emails, FB, and Twitter, not that it matters as to the “closeness” you feel to someone. I would like to think that Santino Hassell is an abnormality, the author who has been uncovered while managing once more to hurt the LGBT community…again.

My heart goes out to all his victims.

If any one of our readers want to share your thoughts on this topic, I’d love to hear them…..what a disheartening couple of days it’s been, shattering for those who believed in him, vindicating for those who have been trying to get so many to hear them for so long.

As to the author/blogger relationship? Well, I’m not sure that’s going to change either. It’s an odd duck as my grandmother would say. One that needs respect on both sides to work. And maybe a few boundaries….

{Note: On March 9 Dreamspinner Press tweeted that Dreamspinner Press is no longer selling Santino Hassell titles. And that removing titles on third party retailers will take time.

He is no longer listed on their website.]

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 11:

Authors, Blogs, and Relationships.
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, March 12:

Tour:Curved Horizon by Taylor Brooke e
DSP Promo Ari McKay
RIPTIDE TOUR and Giveaway: New Heights by Quinn Anderson
A Lila Review :Winter Cowboy by RJ Scott
A MelanieM Review Explore with Me by Kris Jacen
An Alisa Review Special Delivery by Deirdre O’Dare

Tuesday, March 13:

COVER REVEAL Ari McKay ‘s Like The Night
DSP Promo Andrew Grey
RELEASE DAY BLITZ EXPOSED ANTHOLOGY (a novel taken promo)
Release Day Blitz Heartbeats by Jenna Kendrick
A Free Dreamer: Review: The Seeds of Dissolution (Dissolution Cycle #1) by William C. Tracy
A Lila Release Day Review:Twisted and Tied (Marshals #4) by Mary Calmes
An Alisa Release Day Review: Running to You by Andrew Grey

Wednesday, March 14:

BLITZ Teacher’s Pet by Multiple Authors
Review Tour Silvia Violet – Of Hope and Anguish
Series Review Tour for Infinity #1 and #2 by C J Lynne
A Lila Review: Undercover Star by Jackie Keswick
A Lila Review : Of Hope and Anguish by Silvia Violet
A Melanie Review: Family Matters (Brandywine Investigations #4-5) by Angel Martinez

Thursday, March 15:

Release Blitz – Lynn Michaels – Out Of The Ocean
Release Blitz: Would It Be Okay To Love You Box Set by Amy Tasukada
Riptide Publishing Tour and Giveaway: Wheels and Heels by Jaime Samms
The Ballerino and The Biker by Rebecca James Release Day Blitz
A MelanieM Review: Promise Me We’ll Be Okay by Nell Iris
A Stella PreRelease Review: Cutie Pies by Barbara Bell
An Alisa Review: Valentine’s Day Dreaming (A Touch of Love #9) by Pelaam

Friday, March 16:

Book Blast PRIDE OF LOVE by Kevin Dwyer
Book Blast – David – Beginnings by B. J. Smyth
BOOK TOUR Off-Campus Setup by Maria Vickers
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Ever After by Riley Hart & Christina Lee
A MelanieM Release Day Review: American Road Trip by Sarah Black
A MelanieM Review: Sound of Silence by Mia Kerick and Raine O’Tierney

Saturday, March 17:

A MelanieM Review: Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5) by Annabeth Albert
In the Spotlight: AE Via on her new release Promises Part 4
Release Blitz – T.A. Creech – Dusk (Expedition 63: Book One)

A MelanieM Review : Bitten By The Alpha (Regent’s Park Pack #4) by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Gareth’s heart is set on Cam, but Cam’s heart broke a long time ago.

As alpha of the Regent’s Park Pack, Cam’s focus is always centred on its members—his personal life pushed aside after the death of his wife. Now that his pack has merged with the Primrose Hill shifters, he can’t afford any distractions.

Gareth’s been in love with his alpha for years, but his position as beta complicates matters. Added to the fact Cam still mourns his late wife, Gareth knows his feelings will never be reciprocated, so he buries them deep.

With the two packs already struggling to unite under one alpha, they get a surprise addition—one who causes more tension within the ranks. Under such strain, long-kept secrets are forced into the open. Gareth and Cam must deal with the aftermath, while also keeping the pack’s best interests at heart.

One of my favorite series is back with Annabelle Jacobs’ Bitten By The Alpha. I’ve been waiting to see if Cam, Alpha of the Regent’s Park Pack would get a mate and a HEA and here he does. Through the first three books, much is made of Cam’s mourning the loss of his human wife, a woman he loved deeply. And all the time while he grieved, Gareth, his Beta, has loved him. What is worse, he’s known that Cam is his mate, something Cam could never have with his human wife.

Jacobs has several plot lines running through Bitten By The Alpha as she always does with her stories. Entertwined with the difficulties of any romance between Cam and Gareth (and they are huge), are the pack problems that have come up with melding the two packs, Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park, together now that the alpha from Primrose Hill has had his powers removed and been jailed for his crimes. Still, even more troublesome are the undercurrents that someone is looking to destabilize the newly formed pack and its Alpha.

Yes, hooked in good with all the drama and suspense yet at heart it’s still a love story, although at first you’re not sure how reciprocated it’s going to be. All the emotions that have to be worked through, all the dynamics of the pack and emotionally fraught issues between the men that need to be examined, including Cam’s sexuality are played out here. Jacobs also supplies us with an amazing side story and strong female character who will luckily get her own story and LGBT romance, a fact I recently learned and am thrilled about.

This story is a clear representation of why I love this series so. The characters are full of personality, well rounded, and layered. The stories have multiple plotlines that keep you often on the edge of your seat, entertained as well as swooning over whatever couple is at the heart of the main story thread with a strong cast of characters that continue to show up book after book, making everything both familiar and fresh. Yes, I am eagerly awaiting the next one in the series and I think if you love shifters and romance, this is a series you shouldn’t miss out on. Start at the beginning and work your way through all the stories as each builds on the one prior to it. I highly recommend them all.

Cover Design: Natasha Snow. I love the cover and think it works well for the story.

Sales Links: Amazon | Universal Buy Link

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1 edition, 314 pages
Published February 27th 2018
Original TitleBitten By The Alpha
ASINB079Z72STG
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Regent’s Park Pack :

Book #1 – Bitten By Mistake

Book #2 – Bitten By Design

Book #3 – Bitten By Desire

Review Tour and Giveaway for Annabelle Jacobs’ Bitten By The Alpha (Regent’s Park Pack #4)

Universal Buy Link

Length: 76,000 words

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Regent’s Park Pack Series

Book #1 – Bitten By Mistake

Book #2 – Bitten By Design

Book #3 – Bitten By Desire

Blurb

Gareth’s heart is set on Cam, but Cam’s heart broke a long time ago.

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review here. We highly recommend it.

February 27 – Mikku-chan, Gay Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Deseos del anochecer
March 3 – Making It Happen, Love Bites & Silk Ties, Diverse Reader
March 5 – Sexy Erotic Xciting, V’s Reads
March 7 – Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings
March 9 – Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Gay Media Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews
March 14 – Valerie Ullmer, Book Lovers 4Ever
March 16 – Sinfully MM Book Reviews, Dog-Eared Daydreams, Bayou Book Junkie, A Book Lover’s Dream Book Blog

About The Author

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

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

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The Time is Right for Gay Superheroes. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

The Time is Right for Gay Superheroes

Does Black Panther’s Success

Open the Door for a Queer Superhero?

Hollywood is celebrating the remarkable breakthrough box office performance of Marvel’s Black Panther, the first entry in the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe to feature a black leading character, and indeed, a mostly-black cast. Part of the shock and awe felt within the industry when it comes to Black Panther comes from the history of black superheroes in films: There just aren’t very many, …

Clearly, others were thinking along the same lines. My friend and author J. Scott Coatsworth posted this story at his terrific site QueerSciFi (David Reddish – Full Story at LGBTQ Nation)

From your recommendations, finds and links, yes, there are gay superheroes out there in many forms and formats, yet few have made it through to the mainstream media yet as did Black Panther this year. The Pride, the picture at the top of the page is from The Pride comic by Joe Glass. It’s a small press comic series based in based in Treorchy, Wales. Started in 2011, the first 8 page story formed about a superhero team consisting of FabMan, Angel, Bear, Frost, Sapphire, Twink, White Trash, Wolf and Cub. I’ll let you guess who is who. Published sporadically through the years, it’s returning this year with Issue five of The Pride Adventures. Look for more information here.

Just as Black Panther , and the call #WakandaForever has become an affirmation of self, the beginning of a movement. Of joy, of recognition, of belief, of strength. If one movie…one comic has had, and continues to have the power to do all that for people of color. What would gay comic heroes be able to do for the LGBT nation?

Clearly, we need our gay superheroes just as badly as Black Panther and Wakanda is needed and is now being treasured and loved everywhere. Netflix series Jessica Jones comes to mind, but that’s hardly mainstream, although I love it so. Where will it come from and when? I have no idea but with Black Panther I hope I’m seeing a sea change, one that’s already brought us Wonder Woman and now will bring us a LGBT superhero where we can see a representation like no other before…#LGBTsuperhero #PrideForever.

LGBT Superhero Giveaway

Further Recommendations from our Readers and Winner Announcement:

HB:

don’t think I’ve read many stories with actual superheroes (the ones with super powers and a suit) would be:
Love for the Cold-Blooded Or: The Part-Time Evil Minion’s Guide to Accidentally Dating a Superhero by Alex Gabriel.

Purple Reader:

Thanks for the links and other recs, especially the reference to graphics. I remembered a few more, including one graphic. Most are on those links, but these are the ones I’ve read and enjoyed:
– EARTH 2, VOL 1 by James Robinson, et al – graphic, simple plot, but a visual thrill w gay Green Lantern.
– LOVESICK GODS by Amanda Meuwissen – new one, framed around greek mythology.
– THE DIVISION by C.C. Bridges – part-time superheroes (one closeted, other has a crush) team up against alien invasion.
– EDDIE & SHADOW series by Skylar Jaye – heck, why not a son of superheroes being sub to a Dom supervillain.
– and it’s been mentioned, but I liked it too – LOVE FOR THE COLD-BLOODED, OR THE PART-TIME EVIL MINION’S GUIDE TO ACCIDENTALLY DATING A SUPERHERO by Alex Gabriel – yep, that’s the title, nuf said.

Jessica:

Superheroes are some of my favorite reading. Definitely Skylar Jaye’s Eddie and its sequel Shadow. Cari Z’s Panopolis series, Where’s There’s Smoke, Where There’s Fire, and Where There’s a Will are wonderful reading. Alexis Hall has a superb short in the Winter Rain anthology, Behind the Masks. Dreamspinner had a really nice anthology, Men of Steel, that has since gone out of print sadly. In YA, Hero by Perry Moore is on my keeper shelf. Also, Superior by Jessica Lack is a novella that delighted me. Refraction by Hayden Scott is another YA that I really enjoyed.

Thank you all for some great links and recs. You all rock as always. This is a topic close to my heart as if you all haven’t guessed already. A huge geek I always had stacks of comic books at home (guess who’s mother tossed them..something I’ve never recovered from), seeing the resurgence of Black Panther and its impact has brought me to tears more than once. The thought of what a gay superhero could do for the LGBT youth and well, all the LGBT community? Leaves me speechless….

Happy March. Our winners are Purple Reader and Carolyn. Please contact Stella at scatteredthoughtsandrogueword@gmail.com and she will help to get your gift certs to you. Congratulations. New giveaway coming up soon!

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 4:

Cover Reveal for Lost Souls Found by Kris T. Bethke (giveaway)
BG Thomas on One NIght Stands, Writing and his new release Orange (guest post)
The Time is Right for Gay Superheroes. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, March 5

DSP Promo Laura Lascarso
Hard To Let Go by Jaclyn Quinn Blog Tour
Release Blitz – Promise Me We’ll Be Okay by Nell Iris
A Jeri Review: The Time of My Life by Nora Phoenix
A MelanieM Review: A Matter of Justice (Hong Kong Nights Book 3) by J.C. Long
A Stella Review: If Ever I Cease to Love You by Shawn Bailey
An Alisa Audiobook Review: Chief’s Mess (Anchor Point #3) by L.A. Witt and (Narrated by Nick J. Russo)

Tuesday, March 6:

COVER REVEAL BLITZ Invitation to The Blues (Small Change #2) by Roan
BLOG TOUR Unraveled by K.M. Neuhold
Livingston (Trenton Security #1) by J.M. Dabney Release Day Blog Tour
VLOG TOUR The Time of My Life by Nora Phoenix
A Caryn Release Day Review: When Everything is Blue by Laura Lascarso
A Free Dreamer Review:Finding Sanctuary (The Hampton Road Club #6) by Morticia Knight
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Cowboy in the Crosshairs (Turquoise, New Mexico #1) by B.A. Tortuga

Wednesday, March 7:

BLOG TOUR – Skater Boy by A.E. Wasp
RELEASE BLITZ Off-Campus Setup by Maria Vickers
Review Tour for Winter Cowboy (Whisper Ridge, Wyoming #1) by R.J. Scott
Riptide Publishing Tour and Giveaway: The Pick Up by Allison Temple
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review:Winter Cowboy (Whisper Ridge, Wyoming #1) by R.J. Scott
A MelanieM Review: The Calling by MD Neu
An Alisa Review: Switching Places By Morticia Knight

Thursday, March 8:

DSP Dreamspun Promo BA Tortuga
Harmony Promo Russell J. Sanders on Titanic Summer
INDIGO BLITZ Leaning Into the Fall (Audio) by Lane Hayes
A MelanieM Audiobook Review: Runner by Parker Williams
A MelanieM Review: Hard to Let Go (Haven’s Cove #1) by Jaclyn Quinn
An Ali Review: Closer by F.E. Feeley Jr.

Friday, March 9:

INDIGO TOUR Waking Oisin by Grace Kilian Delaney
Release Blitz: Art by Adonis by Kris Sawyer
Review Tour for Annabelle Jacobs’ Bitten By The Alpha
A Caryn Review: Room for Recovery (Hearts and Health #4) by D.J. Jamison
A MelanieM Review : Bitten By The Alpha (Regent’s Park Pack #4) by Annabelle Jacobs
An Alisa Release Day Review: Heart of Glass (Lawyers in Love #3) by Ari McKay

Saturday, March 10:

A MelanieM Review Art by Adonis by KRIS SAWYER

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Mage of Inconvenience by Parker Foye Dreamspinner Press Dreamspun Beyond

Mage of Inconvenience

About the Author

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March Winds Blowing In a Fresh Start

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The Wolf’s Man Friday (Nose to Tail Inc. #2) by Julia Talbot Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: Christine Griffin

Blurb:

About the Author

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Giveaway

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Authors, Blogs, and Relationships.

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Giveaway

Share this:

The Time is Right for Gay Superheroes

Does Black Panther’s Success

Open the Door for a Queer Superhero?

LGBT Superhero Giveaway

Further Recommendations from our Readers and Winner Announcement:

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 4:

Monday, March 5

Tuesday, March 6:

Wednesday, March 7:

Thursday, March 8:

Friday, March 9:

Saturday, March 10:

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Mage of Inconvenience by Parker Foye
Dreamspinner Press
Dreamspun Beyond

The Wolf’s Man Friday (Nose to Tail Inc. #2) by Julia Talbot
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christine Griffin