Morgan James on Characters and his new release Love Conventions (guest blog)

Love Conventions by Morgan James

Dreamspinner Press
Published May 7th 2019
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Morgan James today on tour for the new release Love Conventions. Welcome, Morgan!

✒︎

As I pondered what to write for this blog post, I did some searching. Not soul searching, but topic searching. As I considered the many suggestions, one topic leapt out at me for this book like it might not have for another—How much of yourself goes into a character?

Like many aspects of my writing process and questions about it, the shortest and simplest answer for this will always be “It depends.” For example, the slutty, party-happy competitive hockey player Dante Baltiera from my work Winging It doesn’t have much of me at all. Though his love interest, Gabe, certainly inherited my need for privacy and a low profile.

But when it comes to Love Conventions, the short answer has to be “Quite a lot actually.”

I find it somewhat challenging to craft a character that doesn’t want to lean towards introspection and catastrophizing and away from partying and risk-taking. Well, some of the time.

Sometimes the creative process is slow and aggravating and a struggle every step of the way. And sometimes it’s easy and happens almost without conscious thought.

Ash was like that. Ash was the sort of character who came to me fully formed—well, except for the red hair, or the beard, or the being Scottish, those details were all surprises mid-work that required back editing for continuity. Ash was always a shy giant who wanted a quiet life but somehow stumbled into fame.

And that is me in Ash—shy, quiet, happy to let others steal the spotlight, and yet wanting to pursue a creative career that practically demands one hog it. But it’s not just some of my more introverted traits that Ash took. He also took my love of reading and all things sci-fi and geeky.

From the first page of the first draft, Ash wasn’t just part of the sci-fi world because he’d acted in it, but also because he’d loved it. Ash’s Doctor Who obsession was one of the first character-building details he offered up, and the role it plays in his life has always been a focal point for his character. The fact that his love for the show connected him to family, that it helped him define himself in social spaces, and that it made him feel a kinship with con-goers are all essential to who he is—and as I write it out here, the parallels to my own life grow more and more clear.

Of course, as I ponder this question about my writing, I wouldn’t want to leave Remy (the love interest) out of the equation. Remy is less like me—he is a risk-taker, he’s a “jump in first with both feet and then wonder about the consequences later” sort—but Remy also shares my love of all things geek, and unlike Ash, his personal experiences with fandom culture more closely resemble my own.

But of course, if Remy was also too much like me, then he wouldn’t be a good match for Ash. So, it’s probably all for the best that my answer to the question “How much of me is in each character?” will always be “It depends.”

Blurb

A happy ending worthy of a TV fantasy… in real life?

Ashland Wells is an actor of sci-fi cult fame but with little direction for the future, when handsome grad student Remy Beaumont lands in his lap at a fan convention. Remy is everything Ash ever wanted and wished he could be—including out and proud. For twelve hours they’re the best of friends. But the convention ends, and saying goodbye to Remy might be the biggest mistake Ash has ever made.

A few months later, they’re reunited on a new production—Ash as an actor, Remy a writer—and though Ash doesn’t plan to let him go twice, being with Remy means going public about being gay. He’s not sure that’s a risk he—or his career—can handle, no matter how great the temptation.

If only they could write themselves the romantic happily ever after they both need.

Dreamspun Desires #81, 196 pages

About the Author

Morgan James is a clueless (older) millennial, who’s still trying to figure out what she’ll be when she grows up but is enjoying the journey to get there. Now, with a couple of degrees, a few stints in Europe, and more than one false start to a career, she eagerly waits to see what’s next. Morgan started writing fiction before she could spell and wrote her first (unpublished) novel in middle school. She hasn’t stopped writing since. Geek, artist, and fangirl, Morgan tends to pass free hours with imaginary worlds and people on pages and screens—it’s an addiction. As is her love of coffee and tea. She lives in Canada with her massive collection of unread books and acts the personal servant of too many four-legged creatures.

https://twitter.com/MorganJames71

A Caryn Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

Rating : 3.5 out of 5 stars

Another new fantasy from one of my favorite authors, and another new world. This is a present day alternate reality, where magic is real, but only those born to it have the power to manipulate it. But those in authority, the guilds, hold almost absolute domination over all magic users; their overt reason is to protect the non-magic public, but privately, it is to keep control of their dominion.

Toby Jones was a young man who was just starting to come into his powers. Unfortunately, the guild officers were unable to find which element of the Arcana his magic fit, and unable to identify the correct channel, his wild magic literally exploded out of him, causing destruction to everything around, and eventually would destroy him as well. He was being treated with a painful last ditch attempt to find his element, and when that was unsuccessful, the guild gave up on him, and assigned him to euthanasia for the safety of the community.

Toby was not going to accept his death that easily. He heard a name, Darius Valstad, mentioned by the guild officers while in the near-unconscious state from his last explosion. He escaped from the guild complex, and, using a little google-fu, he tracked the man down to his house on the hill, and showed up in the last throes of exhaustion, literally collapsing at Darius’s front door.

Darius is older, perhaps in his early 40s (I don’t think it was specifically mentioned). He was a celebrated mage, one of the best of his generation, and he knew it. He was a teacher, a mentor, and was known for taking on difficult cases, like Toby’s, and bringing them safely to the knowledge of their element so they could function in the wider magical society. Until his hubris led him to work with one extremely powerful, but extremely disturbed young woman, and when her magic exploded, it killed her and almost destroyed the entire city of Pittsburg. Attempting to stop the destruction almost killed Darius, and left him scarred both physically and mentally, and also led to his expulsion from the guild. The last thing he wanted was to go through all that again with a young man who might easily be more powerful and destructive than his last student.

Toby, however, was both determined and persuasive, and convinced Darius to take him on as a pupil through a combination of kindness and service and appealing to Darius’s innate desire to protect. They were in danger both from Toby’s magic, and from the guild, who were not about to let a rogue mage put the city in jeopardy again. As Darius emerged from his self-imposed exile, he found old friends who joined in his mission, as they worked against the clock to channel Toby’s magic before the guild could capture him. The final showdown was dramatic and satisfying, and clearly points to a sequel.

The relationship between the two men was extremely complicated. Darius was older, more powerful, and took on the role of protector and teacher, although unwillingly. Toby was young and fairly immature, but with an innocence and lust for life that Darius could only admire, and it eventually brought Darius back to life as well. But the age and power gap made me feel uncomfortable with their romance, and I had a hard time believing in it. I think I would have preferred if there was no romance in the book at all, I would have enjoyed it just as much. I also felt the characters were not fully developed, or at least not enough for me to connect with them. The major and minor arcana were interesting, and there was some explanation of how they worked, but not quite enough, and also not enough about how magic was used in the world. And finally, the apparently common practice of sexual relations between mentors and students was a little off-putting to me.

Despite that, I did enjoy the book, and I will be looking forward to the next one. I hope that this world will be more fleshed out so I can connect with it better, and that I will come to believe in Toby and Darius relationship more than I did with this one.

Cover art by Tiferet Design is exactly how I imagined Toby to look while caught up in his wild magic

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 194 pages
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644052648
Edition Language English
Series The Web of Arcana #1

A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The Web of Arcana: Book One

A young magic user who wants desperately to live. A jaded recluse who has forgotten what living means. They’re each other’s only chance.

Toby’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Darius Valstad. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly drowned Pittsburgh, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Darius is his last chance. For the first time in fifteen years, Darius must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Darius, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Darius the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try.

I am always beyond thrilled to see Angel Martinez come out with a new novel, let alone a new series and The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) represents both. My biggest complaint? That the page count reads 170 pages and not 670 which is what I feel these terrific characters, plot, and relationship dynamics and history is due.

That Angel Martinez! Her mind is a wondrous and twisty thing.

This is a story that builds upon itself, like a simple melody into a wild crescendo. Told from Toby and Darius’ perspectives, with each layer of world building, of magic, of relationship, the author adds to her story and men making the tale sing stronger and wilder. Especially during the search for Toby’s “gift”, the magic he should be able to channel and the paths it takes both of them on. It’s a journey of revelation for the reader, one of redemption and forgiveness/ It more deeply connects us to them both and gets us ready, ok not really, for the wildest climax of them all. How all the imaginative, incredible elements that Martinez built into that white knuckle, suspense filled, heart pounding fierce ride! And am I giving them away? Nope not me. Buy the book, read it for yourself.

I found the relationship between Darius and Toby very touching and tender. It’s not just Toby that needs saving here but Darius too. Toby from immediate death at the hands of the Guild and Darius from a deep depression and years of neglect. The interaction between the two men, despite the age difference, is extremely enjoyable, it’s one’s yin to the other’s yang. The author making us feel the need each has for the other, not just physical but mental and emotional. One bringing the other alive as he hasn’t been in years while the other is ensuring the other stays alive so he can become the best man he can be, including a whole mage.

There are also three other mages, some former students of Darius’ or mages at the Guild with him that we meet. All are of huge importance to this couple and the series. I loved all three and can’t wait to see where this series takes them.

In fact, I can’t wait for the next installment. I want it now. Can that be arranged?

I highly recommend The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez. It’s highly imaginative, with great characters, an absorbing plot, and an ending that will have you flipping the pages in your desperate need to know what’s happening next! I just love it. You will too. I really need that next story.

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design. I like this design. I think Tiferet Design is so strong in it’s cover art but it’s hard to tell whether that’s a white streak in his hair (yes) or pat of the magic happening around him.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 194 pages
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644052648
Edition Language English
Series The Web of Arcana #1

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo also known as the ‘Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla’ is heavily celebrated here in the US, but not all may know exactly what that day stands for. Some may think it’s the date of Mexico’s Independence. Not true. It actually celebrates a victory in battle over the French.

From the Britannica:

“When in 1861 Mexico declared a temporary moratorium on the repayment of foreign debts, English, Spanish, and French troops invaded the country. By April 1862 the English and Spanish had withdrawn, but the French, with the support of wealthy landowners, remained in an attempt to establish a monarchy under Maximilian of Austria and to curb U.S. power in North America. On May 5, 1862, a poorly equipped mestizo and Zapotec force under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated French troops at the Battle of Puebla, southeast of Mexico City; about 1,000 French troops were killed. Although the fighting continued and the French were not driven out for another five years, the victory at Puebla became a symbol of Mexican resistance to foreign domination. The city, which was later renamed Puebla de Zaragoza, is the site of a museum devoted to the battle, and the battlefield itself is maintained as a park.”

However, according to some references, once the holiday got associated with a certain alcohol, namely tequila, it really took off and it’s widely celebrated today outside Mexico. So happy Cinco de Mayo! Hence, the many Margaritas flowing today!

For more about Cinco de Mayo, check out the History Channel link here.

Cinco de Mayo – HISTORY

HEA or HFN?

Now a little more about last week’s post on HFN or HEA, we heard from H.B on the subject:

H.B. “It’s hard to say and I guess depends on the characters and the way the story goes for me. I agree that a HEA has to have stability but I think the same standard can be applied to HFN stories. I guess a HEA story for me has to have details that make me believe the characters are committed to each other, solid within their relationship no matter the situation, will have each other backs, be supportive and not waver and is willing to fight when the going gets tough. In a nutshell, the author has to sell to me that the characters are deeply in love and that they’ve met “the one” and won’t let the person go if sh*t hits the fan and each fight to keep the other in the relationship.”

It was also on my mind as I was reading a new Rhys Ford story, the first in a new series the author has coming out (yes, just terrific). The first book ends, of course, on a HFN, which i s the only way the story could end. It was realistic, perfect, and made me immediately want to reach for the next story….which wasn’t there! lol. But once again, it made me realize, as did the absolutely splendid story 717 miles by Sophia Soames that sometimes a HFN is the only way to end a novel. That a HEA would be not only be unrealistic but would even ruin the story.

I also read far too many stories where a HEA was forced onto a story where a HFN would have been a far better fit. Haven’t you? A rushed ending? Or a rushed relationship? Just to get a ending that perhaps the author thought their readers wanted to read …heading off happily ever after…before they were actually ready for it.

How do you all feel about that? You ok with it in your stories? Or does that turn what could have been a great book into a meh book for you?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Meanwhile here is our week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, May 5:

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
A Lucy Review: The Accidental Baker by Clare London
A VVivacious Review: The King’s Fear (The Brass Machine #2) by Isaac Grisham

Monday, May 6:

Release Blitz – The Duke & The Dandy Highwayman (Duke & Dandy #1) by Zakarrie C.
Blog Tour – The King’s Fear (The Brass Machine #2) by Isaac Grisham
Review Tour – Jay Northcote ‘s Mud & Lace
A Lucy Review: Lyin’ Ryan by Kim Davis
An Alisa Review :The Love Left Behind by Daniel de Lorne
A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Mud & Lace (Rainbow Place #4) by Jay Northcote

Tuesday, May 7:

Blog Post – Bryan T Clark – Escaping Camp Roosevelt
Blog Tour for The Nature of the Game (Stick Side #2) by Amy Aislin
Audio Review Tour for Falling Down by Eli Easton and and Michael Stellman (Narrator)
A Lila Review: Starting from Zero by Lane Hayes
A MelanieM Review:The Nature of the Game (Stick Side #2) by Amy Aislin
An Ali Audio Review Audio Review: Falling Down by Eli Easton and Michael Stellman (Narrator)
A Caryn Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

Wednesday, May 8:

Review Tour – Annabelle Jacobs’ Wounded Soul
RELEASE BLITZ for The #lovehim Series Box Set by S. M. James
Morgan James Promo on Love Conventions
An Alisa Review: A New Leash on Life by Deirdre O’Dare
An Ali G Release Day Review: Love Conventions by Morgan James
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Wounded Soul by Annabelle Jacobs
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Proper English by K.J. Charles

Thursday, May 9:

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR – Witchbane by Morgan Brice
Release Blitz – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes – Prisoner Of Shadows
DSP PROMO Andrew Grey
An Alisa Review: Where Song Replaces Silence by Layla Dorine
A Stella Review: Made for You (Love and Family #2) by Anyta Sunday
A MelanieM Audio Review: Witchbane (Witchbane #1) by Morgan Brice and Kale Williams (Narrator)
A Lila Review: A Cordial Agreement by Ryan Loveless

Friday, May 10:

Release Blitz – Michael Mandrake – Love Kills (Criminal Delights)
Review Tour for Bryan T. Clark’s Escaping Camp Roosevelt
An Alisa Review : Escaping Camp Roosevelt by Bryan T. Clark
A Stella Review: How to Heal (Lovestrong #5) by Susan Hawke
A Lucy Review To Be Continued (#lovehim #6) by S. M. James
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Kanaan & Tilney: The Case of the Man-Eater by Katey Hawthorne

Saturday, May 11:

Blog Tour – SAINT UNSHAMED: A Gay Mormon’s Life Healing by Kerry Ashton
A MelanieM Review: The Poison Within (Inspector Skaer #1) by Kasia Bacon

A MelanieM Review:The Doctor’s Secret (Copper Point Medical #1) by Heidi Cullinan

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The brilliant but brooding new doctor encounters Copper Point’s sunny nurse-next-door… and nothing can stand in the way of this romance.

Dr. Hong-Wei Wu has come to Copper Point, Wisconsin, after the pressures of a high-powered residency burned him out of his career before he started. Ashamed of letting his family down after all they’ve done for him, he plans to live a quiet life as a simple surgeon in this tiny northern town. His plans, however, don’t include his outgoing, kind, and attractive surgical nurse, Simon Lane.

Simon wasn’t ready for the new surgeon to be a handsome charmer who keeps asking him for help getting settled and who woos him with amazing Taiwanese dishes. There’s no question—Dr. Wu is flirting with him, and Simon is flirting back. The problem is, St. Ann’s has a strict no-dating policy between staff, which means their romance is off the table… unless they bend the rules.

But a romance that keeps them—literally—in the closet can’t lead to happy ever after. Simon doesn’t want to stay a secret, and Hong-Wei doesn’t want to keep himself removed from life, not anymore. To secure their happiness, they’ll have to change the administration’s mind. But what other secrets will they uncover along the way, about Copper Point… and about each other?

I found The Doctor’s Secret (Copper Point Medical #1) by Heidi Cullinan a very sweet, heartwarming new contemporary romance and a wonderful start to a new series. As a long time fan of Cullinan’s stories and characters, I have enjoyed the many nuanced and layered portraits she’s delivered over the years. With the start of this series and The Doctor’s Secret, I found in Hong-Wei another such fascinating and indelible character. Hong-Wei or “Jack” has so many facets to him. Driven perfectionist, competitor, humble and guilt ridden son and man in search of himself and a new future. Also someone proud of his past and his culture as well as his talents as an exceptional doctor. All of which comes through beautifully in Hong Wei the man and and the story.

The story is at its strongest when dealing with the medical aspects through Hong-Wei and the hospital. Whether it’s through his dealings with the staff, his setting up his surgical team, his expectations, and finally all the events that occur that showcase exactly how brilliant Hong Wei truly is….these scenes and sections are a highlight and revelation into part of the hospital drama most people never see. It felt real, unbelievably stressful, and heart pounding.

Also fascinating, Hong-Wei’s attachment to a local Chinese Restaurant, its owners (even though Hong Wei is from Taiwan) and the information about how the workers are shuffled from restaurant to restaurant, their isolation, etc. Sometime else I was unfamiliar with.

As strong a character as Hong-Wei Wu was, the other half ot the main couple, Simon Lane, came across, imo, as the weak link here. Yes, he was sweet, He loves his Asian romances, and is a great nurse. But, he says he loves his town. That’s the reason he never left yet you never get why he loves it. Sure his parents and friends are there. But I never got a real passion for the place out of Simon. Funnily enough, that came from Hong-Wei. He grows to feel grounded there, and the feeling of true love for St. Ann’s, what it could be, all the new friends he’s made, the very town itself? All that passion and love for a location comes from Hong-Wei and not Simon, the very person glued to this town. He also seems to lack the ability to stand up for himself for most of the story, being agreeable when Hong-Wei declares that he will make sure Simon is ‘safe”. I never found his total passivity attractive. Especially next to the character with so much depth and nuance that is Hong-Wei.

It’s even worse when Simon’s friends Owen and Jared have better chemistry with Hong-Wei as well. I suspect those two (separately) wil each have their own romances in the series. I am looking forward to Owen’s especially.

It wrapped up perhaps a little too neatly and quickly for me with the hospital drama although the romance side was a nice touch. I anticipate seeing more of the board drama play out in the future novels in this series. I can’t wait to see which romance comes next in the series. And perhaps more of this couple as well. If you love Heidi Cullinan and contemporary romance, this is a story you will want to have on your list to read.

The cover by Kanaxa is eye catching. The model absolutely works for the character of Hong Wei and the design is simple yet elegant.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages
Expected publication: April 23rd 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
Original Title The Doctor’s Secret
ISBN 139781640808546
Edition Language English
Series Copper Point Medical #1
setting Wisconsin (United States)

An Ali Release Day Review: Covet Thy Neighbor (Tucker Springs #4) by L.A. Witt

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Welcome to Tucker Springs, Colorado, where sparks fly when opposites attract—but are some obstacles too great to overcome?

When tattoo artist Seth Wheeler meets his new neighbor, it’s like a revelation. Darren Romero is everything Seth wants in a man: hot, clever, single, and interested. For a minute he seems perfect. Then Darren drops the bomb: he moved to Tucker Springs to be a pastor at the New Light Church.

As a gay man whose parents threw him out, Seth has a strict policy of keeping believers at arm’s length for self-preservation. But Darren’s perseverance and the chemistry bubbling between them steadily wear down his defenses.

In a small town like Tucker Springs, Seth can’t avoid Darren—or how much he wants him. Which means he needs to decide what’s more important: protecting himself, or his feelings for his neighbor.

I’m not generally a fan of religion in my books but I am a fan of opposites attract so I thought I’d give this one a try. I generally enjoy this author’s book but this story ended up not really working for me.

The two men have an immediate attraction and Darren is an aggressive pursuer. I struggled with finding this believable. Premarital sex is something that is a no-no for most religions and while I’m sure many religious people do not hold to this I felt like someone in the ministry would at least wait till they got to know their partner a bit. While I may be wrong in my ideas it was something I struggled to get past. I also couldn’t buy that Darren didn’t have an issue with Seth not believing the same things as he did. The whole point of being in the ministry is to get others to believe what you do. I realize that my interactions with religion and religious people color my views of how they act but Darren was so far outside what I felt is realistic that I just could not get on board with his character. I didn’t really warm up to either character. While I mentioned my issues with Darren above, I also found myself not really connecting with Seth either.

I would have liked to see less sex and more relationship development. There were a lot of sex scenes and more than once I found myself skimming them. It was very insta-love which rarely works for me.

Overall this was just ok for me. I think that I’m not the right audience for this story and it may work better for other readers.

Cover art; The new updated cover is done by Reese Dante. I like the new cover well enough but honestly, I liked the old cover better. While it may be a bit outdated in style, I thought the models on the front did a great job representing the two mc’s.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 154 pages
Expected publication: May 3rd 2019 by Dreamspinner Press (first published March 23rd 2013)
ASINB07PPDB1MR
SeriesTucker Springs #4
Characters Seth Wheeler, Darren Romero
setting Tucker Springs, Colorado (United States)
Colorado (United States)

Literary Awards Lambda Literary Award Nominee for Gay Romance (2014)

Heidi Cullinan on Writing Medical Romances and her new novel “The Doctor’s Secret (Copper Point Medical #1) (guest post and excerpt)

The Doctor’s Secret (Copper Point Medical #1) by Heidi Cullinan

Dreamspinner Press
Published April 23rd 2019
Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Sales Links: Goodreads • Publisher • Audbile • Ripped Bodice • Barnes & Noble • Google Play Ebook • Google Play Audio • iTunes • Kobo (US) • Kobo (Canada) • Amazon (US) • Amazon (Canada) • Amazon (UK) • Powells

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Heidi Cullinan here today talking about writing medical romances, and her latest novel, The Doctor’s Secret! Welcome, Heidi!

Writing Medical Romances

Thanks so much for having me today! I’m here to talk about my latest novel and first installment in the Copper Point: Medical series, The Doctor’s Secret, available now from Dreamspinner Press.

I’ve always wanted to write a medical romance series. My husband has been a clinical pharmacist for years, and I know simply from dinner table conversation that hospital workplaces are full of enough conflict and drama to fill a publishing house. But my husband also started out at a small community hospital, a critical access hospital in fact, which meant there were some quirky things from his experience I was dying to include, at least in spirit.

It’s an interesting thing to be married to a hospital pharmacist. The most notable is that every time I’ve had medical care—childbirth, gallbladder surgery, emergency care, hysterectomy—I’ve done so at my husband’s place of work, meaning he knew everyone and exactly how to navigate the system to ensure I had the best care. Whenever I’ve needed a specialist, I simply turned to him and asked who was the one he trusted the most. When our daughter was born at the aforementioned critical access hospital, I was one of four mothers delivering—meaning they were full up—and because Anna’s labor was so long, everyone was curious about “Dan’s baby” and her birth was announced over the PA. But that also meant they gossiped when Anna was off the chart for height and not on it for weight as a nine-month-old, and our doctor got a lot of nosey people asking if “that Cullinan baby is okay.”

My daughter has no fear of hospitals—it’s the place where she went until her teen years meeting her father for dinner when he worked evenings or where we had to go to drop off something he needed or give him a ride home. The hospital also takes Dan away for many holidays—sick people need care every day of the year—and which frequently asks him to work overnights.

The greatest problem with writing medical romances was getting the medical details right, and for that I had the best beta reader in the world. Especially in this book I needed to ask him so many questions I started to feel like he needed a byline. The drawback of a pharmacist husband is knowing I wouldn’t be allowed to fudge anything. Watching medical shows with him can be aggravating: “That drug is only available IV, where are they getting a pill.” “That’s something they would have picked up right away.” “Completely implausible.” You get used to it. But I didn’t want to hear that about my own work, which meant we had a lot of conversations about illnesses and how to make them severe enough to be dramatic but not so much that the scene would be impacted. Gruelling stuff!

I always knew the first book would be doctor-nurse. But I also knew I wanted to include a doctor not born in the United States, because even in remote areas of the country, many doctors are not white and are naturalized citizens, especially from Asia. In my husband’s first place of employment, a GP and one of the surgeons were both originally from mainland China. In fact, the ER doctor the night my one-year-old daughter got scratched by a cat near her eye and on her forehead was Dr. Lin, and that was when I learned he’d previously been a plastic surgeon. She barely has a scar, thanks to him.

I made Hong-Wei Taiwanese, though, because I wanted someone local to interview, and a woman my husband works with is a first-generation Taiwanese-American. Tracy decidedly affected this book and the depiction of Hong-Wei in a huge way, and I will be forever grateful to her. I learned so much more from talking with her than I did from any book, website, or even interviews with people online. There’s just nothing like listening to someone’s story face-to-face.

I hope you enjoy The Doctor’s Secret and the rest of the Copper Point books! Enjoy your stay at St. Ann’s Medical Center. The doctors will be sure to treat you right.

Blurb

The brilliant but brooding new doctor encounters Copper Point’s sunny nurse-next-door… and nothing can stand in the way of this romance.

The Doctor’s Secret Excerpt :

WuHong-Wei.

The surgeon’s name rang in Simon’s head as he drove home after dropping Hong-Wei off at his condo. Wu Hong-Wei.All night Hong-Wei had spoken perfect English, but when he said his Taiwanese name, his accent came through, and Simon got a ridiculous thrill.

Which Simon reminded himself he shouldn’t have. Setting aside the fact that Dr. Wu—Hong-Wei—the new surgeon—was practically his boss, there was the new policy to bear in mind. Even so, Simon still floated as he parked the car and drifted up the path into the house. He shouldn’t think about the man that way, but for tonight at least, he would allow himself to dream.

Of course, he needed to be careful how he fantasized. Simon had two roommates, Owen Gagnon and Jared Kumpel, his friends from childhood who were also doctors at the hospital. They were also two of the biggest gossips in Copper Point.

Owen and Jared were home, Jared in the kitchen washing dishes, Owen sprawled in the overstuffed chair with one foot on the ottoman and one on the floor as he surfed his laptop. Owen glanced up over the top of his glasses as Simon came in.

“The prodigal returns.” Owen removed his glasses and shut his computer. “So, what’s the verdict on the new surgeon?”

Jared wiped his hands on a towel and waved Simon over. “Come get your dinner first. I held it in the oven for you.”

“Oh, sorry, I already ate.” Simon toed off his shoes and hung up his jacket, determined not to show any signs of embarrassment. If they saw weakness, they would have no mercy. “I took Dr. Wu somewhere because he was hungry.”

Owen rubbed his hands together. “Excellent. This means you got moredish on him. Come on. Spill. Is he an arrogant asshole? I mean, to a degree it’s a given. He’s a surgeon.”

Jared pulled Simon’s plate out of the oven and put the food into a storage container. “I’ve met decent surgeons.”

“Your definition of decent doesn’t count. Youare an arrogant asshole.” Owen gestured impatiently at Simon. “Out with it. What’s he like?”

Simon sat in the corner of the couch and drew his favorite afghan over his legs. How could he describe Hong-Wei without sounding ridiculous? “He’s a little reserved, though he warmed up after I talked to him for a bit.” Though he was slightly aloof in a way Simon hadn’t expected to be so tantalizing. “He didn’t want to go to a fancy restaurant. He wanted to go to a pub-style place.” Simon searched his brain for more information. “He has a sister. He just finished his residency.”

He told me his real name.

Jared glanced at Simon, glass and towel in his hand. “I still don’t know why someone would come to Copper Point from Baylor St. Luke’s. Either he’s terrible, or he’s crazy.”

“Not a chance he’s terrible.” Owen rested his elbow on the armrest and leaned on his hand. “Beckert has been running around bragging about his catch ever since the hire was official.”

Jared snorted. “He might have seen Bayloron the app and lost his common sense.”

Simon thought of Hong-Wei, of the cool, confident way he’d handled himself at the airport, how graceful his hands were when doing something as simple as navigating a fork. “I don’t think Dr. Wu is incompetent.”

“He’s crazy, then.” Jared turned back to the sink. “I guess I don’t care, as long as he gets his work done.”

“You haven’t told us much about what you thought of him, Simon.” Owen pushed his glasses higher and raised his eyebrows at Simon. “You’re being quite cagey, in fact.”

Simon deliberately didn’t meet Owen’s gaze. “I think he’s nice. I mean, obviously I don’t know him well. All I did was have dinner with him and drive him home. He was quiet in the car. He was on his phone for a while, and he slept a little.”

He’d seemed to flirt a few times, but Simon had probably imagined things. At any rate, he wasn’t sharing that.

About the Author

Author of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because she believes there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi is a two-time RITA® finalist and her books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publisher’s Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading novels and manga, playing with her cats, and watching too much anime. Find out more at heidicullinan.com.

Love Romance with a Murder Mystery Involved? Check out Murder Most Lovely (Lacetown Murder Mysteries #1) by Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth (guest author interviews and giveaway)

Murder Most Lovely (Lacetown Murder Mysteries #1) by Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth

Dreamspinner Press

Published April 30th 2019
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Sales Links:

Amazon│Dreamspinner │ iTunes │GooglePlay │ Kobo │ Nook │ Bookbub│goodreads

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth here today on tour for their new novel,Murder Most Lovely. The first in a new series, Lacetown Murder Mysteries. Welcome both of you.

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interviews Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth….

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

DEANNA: Research is a HUGE part of all writing. Fortunately for Hank, with our book MURDER MOST LOVELY, he got to skip all the research on Jazz’s hairstylist profession because I’ve been in the beauty biz since 1992. While we had that ace in the hole, however, both of us had to do a lot of research on funeral parlors, and the Michigan laws on coroner work for Michael’s character.

For a while, Google thought I wanted to be a mortician and I saw ads for Cadillac coach packages (that’s what they call the upgrade from sedan to hearse) everywhere I looked LOL.

Hank and I keep a series bible for our Lacetown Mysteries too, because when you create a fictional world you need to keep track of many tiny details

Who do you think is your major influence as a writer? Now and growing up?

HANK: I would definitely have to say Stephen King is a major influence. I love how he creates a sense of place and believable characters with flaws and heroic moments and, sometimes, really bad luck. I keep working on my craft because of his example. I also love John Sanford’s Lucas Davenport in the Prey series, and really enjoyed Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. There are way too many great writers in the gay romance genre to pick names, but reading and enjoying their stories keeps me striving to make mine better.

Has your choice of childhood or teenage reading genres carried into your own choices for writing?

DEANNA: Well, if I wasn’t reading a historical bodice ripper, I was reading mystery, fantasy, and horror as a teen. So yes, definitely the romantic part has carried over to all of my books. In THE BOYFRIEND CRUISE I got to dabble with dragons and mermaids—which was awesome—and hopefully future books will feature those paranormal beings front and center. And I finally got to play with writing a real mystery with our book MURDER MOST LOVELY, which was much different than writing romance

HANK: Most definitely! I read a lot of fantasy adventure in my pre-teen and teen years. Stuff from C. S. Lewis and Tolkien and some sci-fi. I read a lot of movie novelizations and suspense/thriller/mysteries. When Stephen King started publishing, I read everything he wrote. Still do, actually. Much of my writing leans toward paranormal or horror, like my CRITTER CATCHERS series in which two best friends find themselves chasing paranormal creatures, or my VENOM VALLEY series with evil vampires and zombies in the American Old West, all with a gay romance at the heart. I also wrote a YA fantasy series, THE TOWN OF SUPERSTITION, under the pen name R. G. Thomas, with wizards and other magical creatures like garden gnomes and a dragon. I’ve written a mystery or two already, my humorous REPOSSESSION IS 9/10THS OF THE LAW and the suspenseful UP TO TROUBLE series are mysteries, but I have to admit I had a great time writing MURDER MOST LOVELY with Deanna. We had a blast!

Have you ever had to put an ‘in progress’ story aside because of the emotional ties with it? You were hurting with the characters or didn’t know how to proceed?

DEANNA: Yes, I have. I also write YA/NA romance under the pen name KD Worth. My GRIM LIFE series about teen suicide and Christian faith was highly emotional for me to write. It has taken me much longer to complete the trilogy than planned, almost two years between each one. The final book THE LOST SOULS will be out this winter and I’m really excited to share Max and Kody’s well-earned HEA!

HANK: Yes, I have. I’ve been working on a very angst-heavy book for a few years now that deals with one character’s alcoholism and another’s work rescuing feral cats. It’s a very different type of story for me, and it’s really touching on some personal buttons, but I’m determined to work on it at some point in the near future. Fingers crossed!

Have you ever put a story away, thinking it just didn’t work? Then years/months/whatever later inspiration struck and you loved it? Is there a title we would recognize if that happened?

DEANNA: Yes, several books in fact. My 1850’s Key West historical romance WRECKED was originally m/f and I could never quite finish it. Then I realized my wrecker Rief’s grief/angst was a longing for a man to love him, which was sadly forbidden in that era. I didn’t just do a pronoun swap, rather, I created an entirely new character Mathew while relegating the original heroine Maggie to Mathew’s fiancé. I’m pretty happy with the end result. ❤

LA FAMIGLIA was the first m/m novel I ever completed but it was rejected when I sought publication. It went through so many rebirths after that because I just loved Forrester and Kyle so much. When I decided to focus on Forrester’s family and made Kyle deaf, everything just fell into place.

How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?

HANK: I was an early adopter of ebooks. I bought the first version of the Kindle and really loved the reading experience. It’s been amazing to see how it’s changed the reading experience. I could have never imagined the ability for authors to get their stories into reader’s hands so easily. I have no idea where this is all going, but I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

What’s the wildest scene you’ve imagined and did it make it into a story?

DEANNA: The opening scene of THE RHUBARB PATCH when Phineas runs out of his house wearing nothing but his skivvies and a pair of orange rubber boots because his new neighbor—city boy Scott—is weed-wacking his rhubarb patch. It’s still one of my favorites!

HANK: Oh yes! When I first started writing, I published a funny and erotic series called FLUFFERS, INC. Believe me when I say that it’s a very, very filthy and funny book series. In the first book, our hero, Charlie, the sweetest and most clumsy fluffer-for-hire who ever knelt before a porn star, is at a wild party in California. There’s a man in a leather sling, a lot of lube, and clumsy Charlie. That’s about all I’ll say about it here. Still makes me chuckle when I think about it.

Ever drunk written a chapter and then read it the next day and still been happy with it? Trust me there’s a whole world of us drunk writers dying to know.

DEANNA: Honestly, no I haven’t written much while drinking, but I do a TON of brainstorming while I’m having cocktails. There are scrap papers all over my basement bar where I jot down an epiphany for a plot twist or a great line. Sometimes I even message my favorite author friends and tell them we should write a book together… isn’t that right, Hank? LOL

MURDER MOST LOVELY is a complete product of cocktails inspiring great books. I was imbibing and crocheting a baby blanket while listening to vinyl records (hey, I like to keep myself busy) when I sent this FB message to Hank

MURDER MOST LOVELY

Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One Giveaway!

Enter to win 2 FREE ebooks from Hank and Deanna!

HERE: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e33c45758/?

BLURB:

A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.

Michael Fleishman is excited to meet his favorite mystery writer, Russell Withingham, at Lacetown’s Literary Fest. He is not expecting to cross paths with sexy hairdresser Jasper “Jazz” Dilworth—or become embroiled in a real-life mystery. As Lacetown’s only mortician and the county coroner, Michael is called to his first murder scene and is shocked to recognize the victim—Russell’s young lover.

Jazz only wanted to confront his ex, Russell, over his cheating. Instead, he meets the adorably awkward Michael and becomes a murder suspect. Soon Jazz is teaming up with Michael to clear his name. Along the way, they are helped and hindered by Michael’s sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell’s creepy PR rep, Norbert, and Michael’s lothario grandfather, who likes his manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third….

~~~~

About the Authors

Hank Edwards has been writing gay fiction for more than twenty years. He has published over thirty novels and dozens of short stories. His writing crosses many sub-genres, including romance, rom-com, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, mystery, and wacky comedy. He has written a number of series such as the suspenseful Up to Trouble, funny and spooky Critter Catchers, Old West historical horror of Venom Valley, and erotic and funny Fluffers, Inc. No matter what genre he writes, Hank likes to keep things steamy and heartfelt. He was born and still lives in a northwest suburb of the Motor City, Detroit, Michigan, where he shares a home with his partner of over 20 years and their two cats.

Join Hank’s Newsletter HERE

Website │Amazon │BookBub │Instagram │ Facebook │Twitter │ goodreads

Read about the Town of Superstition, Hank’s YA series written as R.G. Thomas on Amazon

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and adorable cocker spaniels. She has been penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010 and served multiple as President of the Rainbow Romance Writers in 2017. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. An avid reader, she also loves gardening, cooking, music, and dancing. Often she can be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

Join Deanna’s newsletter HERE

Website│BookBub│Amazon│Facebook│Twitter│ goodreads │Instagram │ Pinterest

Check out Deanna’s young adult alter ego, K.D. Worth Amazon│Twitter│BookBub

MURDER MOST LOVELY

Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One

Amazon│Dreamspinner │ iTunes │GooglePlay │ Kobo │ Nook │ Bookbub│goodreads

Enter to win 2 FREE ebooks from Hank and Deanna!

HERE: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e33c45758/?

A Stella Release Day Review: Coming Up for Air by Amanda Meuwissen

RATING 5 out of 5 stars

It’s not easy being someone’s fairy tale.

Leigh Hurley is making a name for himself among thieves and criminals, even if it isn’t the life he would’ve chosen. He shouldn’t have screwed over the Moretti brothers, though. It landed him in the river with weights on his feet. But somehow he’s escaped certain death. The last thing he remembers before waking on the riverbank is a beautiful face and a soft kiss.

Then, Tolomeo turns up naked at Leigh’s apartment.

Tolly comes from a race of killers—merfolk who drown humans for fun. But Tolly is different, and when he sees a human in trouble, he offers a kiss, granting the man the ability to breathe underwater… and himself the ability to walk on land, at least until the next full moon. The ancient laws state that if he is given a vow of love by the one he kissed, he will be able to keep his legs. If not, he will be put to death when he returns to the water.

But love is not something Leigh offers easily… and Tolly has a secret of his own.

I have to be honest, I picked this new release just for the cover, as soon as I saw it I wanted to have the book on my kindle. I think it’s definitely my favorite cover of the year, so far. I didn’t even read the blurb, I wasn’t interested, I was willing to give Coming Up For Air a chance no matter what the blurb said. Sure, I saw the author name and I recalled another great novel she wrote, Model Escort, that I liked a lot.

Then, when I started the reading, since the beginning, I knew I was going to like it a lot, maybe more than the cover and this says how much. I adored everything: first of all the characters, Tolly and Leigh, the second characters, Alvin and Cary, Ger and Gar, and so many others.

There was never a dull moment, something was always happening, or someone was at the door asking for help or reparations. But it wasn’t chaotic or a mess, never.

I ached for both Tolly and Leigh, I cared for them since the first chapters, I wanted to shelter them from all the adversities the human and merfolk worlds were putting against them. I loved how the relationship developed, the way they fell so easily in love, also how much Tolly fell in love with all Leigh’s friends and vice versa. I so appreciated how ready all of the people that, in such a short time, learn to love Tolly, were to accept his true nature, with no hesitation or fear.

I want to highly recommend Coming Up For Air by Amanda Meuwissen, nothing was as it seemed and the epilogue was so lovely I had tears and hearts in my eyes the whole time. This was a wonderful novel, I will reread it so soon.

The cover art by Tiferet Design is great, my favorite cover so far, so well done and fitting, simply amazing.

Buy Links: Amazon | Dreamspinner Press Paperback and eBook

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 200 pages

Expected publication: April 30th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781644051757

Edition Language English

An Alisa Release Day Review: Murder Most Lovely (Lacetown Murder Mysteries #1) by Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.

There was so much going on in this story dramawise that I was actually surprised when the murderer was revealed, which was a nice surprise as I think a lot of what I read lately has been predictable. Michael likes his quiet life in his hometown though really wishes for companionship. Jazz has rebuilt his life in this new quiet town but still dealing with drama from his future ex-husband.

I hated that Michael didn’t feel like he has any friends. So many people avoid him since he is the town mortician but he still doesn’t feel that those he interacts with on a daily basis are friends. Jazz bumps into his world and makes his quiet calm life not so quiet and calm.

Now Jazz, I liked him though I thought the non-divorce split he has agreed to with Russell was stupid and would be prone to causing more problems than not. I felt bad when he found out what his ex was really like. Michael and Jazz are great together and Jazz really brings Michael out of his shell. I look forward to other books in this series.

The cover art by Bree Archer is nice and I like the visual of Michael.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 239 pages

Published: April 30, 2019 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64405-201-3

Edition Language: English

Series: Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One

Love Conventions by Morgan James

Dreamspinner Press Published May 7th 2019 Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

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The Doctor’s Secret (Copper Point Medical #1) by Heidi Cullinan

Writing Medical Romances

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Murder Most Lovely (Lacetown Murder Mysteries #1) by Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth

Dreamspinner Press

Published April 30th 2019 Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Sales Links:

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interviews Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth….

Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One Giveaway!

About the Authors

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Dreamspinner Press
Published May 7th 2019
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Published April 30th 2019
Cover Artist: Bree Archer