Lex Chase and Bru Baker on Writing Together and ‘Some Assembly Required’ (authors guest blog and giveaway)

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Lex Chase and Bru Baker here today to share with our reader something about their latest novel, Some Assembly Required and the process of writing it together. Welcome, Lex and Bru!

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Hello, everyone! I’m Lex Chase and I want to thank Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me here today as a part of the Some Assembly Required blog tour! What is Some Assembly Required, you ask? It ís a fluffy meet-cute I had co-written with Bru Baker about two dead guys who meet in the afterlife in CASA, a big box affordable home furnishings store, which happens to be purgatory. And you say, “That’s a thing?” Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. And you never knew you needed it until now.

In this post, Bru and I have done a two-part interview. She got me to chat over at Open Skye Book Reviews, and now I’m putting her in the hot seat over here.

Bru and I come from radically different backgrounds as writers. She writes fluffy feel good contemporary that makes you feel warm and cozy on the inside. I write sci-fi/fantasy with guys that kiss as well as kick ass. I’m in my element writing elaborate battle scenes, bloodletting, beheadings, and body counts. As I always say: Its never a party until something explodes into a magnificent fireball.

So, Bru has joined me as I ask her a few questions!

What was the scariest part about writing more paranormal for you?

Bru: I am utterly terrified of worldbuilding. I have mad respect for writers who can do it well, but I’m not really one of them. So it was a relief that Some Assembly Required is kind of paranormal-lite, with a gentle introduction to the ghostly aspects and a contemporary feel for Benji and Patrick’s actual relationship. As much as CASA is its own character, we really didn’t bog the book down with too many detailed explanations about how purgatory worked. And every time you would go off on a worldbuilding tangent or try to work in a detailed paranormal storyline that wasn’t necessary, I would reel you back in, even if it meant literally sending texts that said things like ‘You can’t make that explode.’ You did manage to work in a few bits of massive destruction, but at least our beloved CASA was still standing at the end of it.

What did you dread most about going in a more paranormal direction or co-writing? (Did it come to pass?)

Bru: I hate paranormal books that are just retreads of old standards, and I was anticipating it being really difficult to put our own spin on a paranormal plot. That fear fizzled about ten seconds into our first brainstorming session because it was clear you felt the same way I did. We worked hard to come up with something that was different and interesting, and I’m really proud of it.

I was also worried about whether or not our writing would mesh, but it worked out better than I could have hoped. Our styles really do fit together perfectly.

I’m a planner, you’re a pantser. How did you feel when I gently (okay not at all gently) tried to steer you in creating an outline together? What is it about planning that makes you break out into hives?

Bru: Oh, man. So you have to understand, my idea of planning something out is writing a synopsis. We’re talking a few paragraphs that give the general arc of the plot and that’s about it. When we started writing Some Assembly Required there was this spreadsheet with multiple tabs and character summaries and chapter summaries that were more detailed than I usually am with an entire book synopsis…yeah. It was so far outside my comfort zone, but it was absolutely what we needed for this book.

We also wrote linearly, which is a first for me. I write more organically, hopping around and writing whichever scene is in my mind that day. I generally go into a book knowing a few key scenes and the plot arc and the rest just falls into place as I write. So having the action in every chapter nailed down was hard for me, and it led to a good deal more writer’s block than usually have, but you were always there to talk me through it.

You write such adorkable, sweet guys. What is it about the ‘Goody-Goody Guys’ that get you going?

Bru: I love banter and connections that go deeper than just physical attraction, and I’m almost always a fan of the slow build. So I need my characters to be well fleshed out and real with flaws and dorky moments they can bond over together. In Some Assembly Required, Benji is 100 percent sweet and goofy, and it was fun to write someone who isn’t bogged down with a lot of angst. I tend to have sweet characters with stormy backgrounds because I like to write about how they work through things and come out the other side stronger and more sure of themselves.† But I also need to connect to them and have the reader connect to them, and that’s harder to do when the character is a big jerk. And you can’t have witty banter when both characters are terse and uninteresting. So…dorky characters FTW.

You do realize, we wrote a book about dead guys meeting in the afterlife in a home furnishings store. And no one stopped us. Do you think we need we need adult supervision?

Bru: Well, we kind of do have adult supervision in the form of our editor at Dreamspinner Press, and she’s egging us on after not only encouraging us to write this book but also accepting our three-book proposal about a paranormal online dating service run by a Djinn. So I think we’re absolved of all blame here. It’s really her fault.

Question for you guys! Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again. (Mine was going on Splash Mountain at Disney World. NOPE.)†

Tell us and don’t forget to record your entry on the giveaway widget!

Genre:†Contemporary Paranormal Comedy
Length: Novel
Published:†February 8, 2016
Publisher:†Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 978-1-63476-810-8
Buy:†DSP – ARe – Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Blurb:

Everyone wishes they were dead when wandering the purgatory of a home furnishings store, but these guys actually are.

Benji Goss is the quintessential good guy. When his boyfriend dumps him and moves out, Benji obligingly keeps the catóeven though heís allergicóbecause his exís new place doesnít accept pets. Heís always joked the cat would be the death of him, but not in a way he expects when a feline mishap crushes him under a DEL TORO bookcase.

Snarky loner Patrick Bryant is in such a rut he barely remembers the life he used to lead. The last thing he recalls is being decapitated by a DEL TORO bookcase in a freak accident. As a spiritual CASA resident, he haunts the aisles of affordable Italian furniture, assisting fellow spirits in moving on to their final destinations.

When Benji appears in the CASA cafÈ, Patrick considers the naÔve spirit just the man to cure his boredom. Benjiís relentless optimism chips away at Patrickís sarcasm, making him question if thereís something beyond what he can see. But the heart is like CASA furnitureóthereís always some assembly required.

About the Authors:

madison_parker_MG_4269-WEB

Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “Weíre all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.

Weaving tales of sweeping cinematic adventure,depending on how she feels that day, Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.

Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, and she unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldnít last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.

Facebook
Twitter†
Instagram
Lexchase.com

Bru Baker got her first taste of life as a writer at the tender age of four when she started publishing a weekly newspaper for her family. What they called nosiness she called a nose for news, and no one was surprised when she ended up with degrees in journalism and political science and started a career in journalism.

Bru spent fifteen years writing for newspapers before making the jump to fiction. She now works in reference and readers’ advisory in a Midwestern library, though she still finds it hard to believe someone’s willing to pay her to talk about books all day. Most evenings you can find her curled up with a mug of tea, some fuzzy socks, and a book or her laptop. Whether itís creating her own characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a story. She and her husband have two children, which means a lot of her books get written from the sidelines of various sports practices.

www.bru-baker.com
Facebook
Twitter

We’re giving away two $25 USD Amazon Gift Cards to two lucky winners! Will it be you? Click on the graphic to enter!

Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again.

Blog Tour Stops:

2/8 – The Novel Approach and Release Day!

2/9 – Gay List Book Reviews

2/9 -†My Fiction Nook

2/10 – Love Bytes Reviews

2/10 – Divine Magazine

2/11 – Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House

2/11 -†Open Skye Book Reviews

2/11 -†Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

2/14 – Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

2/17 – Joyfully Jay

A Lila Review: Forced Impressions by Piper Doone

Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars

Jonah Landers’s promotion to detective isn’t going so well. His first undercover operation is a disaster thanks to Rafael Santos, a Cuban-American detective so far undercover, no one on Rafael’s Miami-based squad even had a clue he’d already infiltrated the prostitution ring Jonah was targeting. Two years and an insane twist of fate later, Jonah finds himself transferred from Orlando and partnered up with Rafael in Miami—and their rocky beginning doesn’t get any better.

For the sake of their careers and because he realizes he’s falling for Rafael, Jonah makes every attempt to smooth things over and move on with his love life. He turns his attention to A.J. Choya, a Seminole Indian who runs the tech department. But there’s no spark between them, and Jonah has to admit his feelings for Rafael aren’t going away.

When a new case falls into Rafael’s and Jonah’s laps, they must go undercover again and become intimate in a way that forces them to confront their feelings for each other—no matter the consequences

The story starts directly into the action. Jonah is on his way to his first undercover assignment as a detective with the Orlando Police Department. We get the basics about the area, Jonah’s relationship with his partner, and his doubts about the operation. Everything goes almost to plan until Rafael makes it to the scene. From there on, everything goes down the hill– for them and the investigation.

The ruined operation brings Jonah’s career to a halt, and no matter what he does, he’s not going anywhere. After two years, he’s able to transfer to Miami with the hopes to start over. Jonah doesn’t have much of a private or professional life when he leaves, but he hopes to, at least, have a chance to forward his career.

On his first day in Miami, everything changes when he gets to partner with Rafael. Their relationship is typical of newbies with experienced partners, but Jonah took it further, personal. We get a series of cases and how they worked them and interacted with the rest of the squad.

The last case in the book is the one referred on the blurb. It doesn’t last long, but it changes their relationship. In the end, they get their HEA with a quick epilogue, filled with future events.

Forced Impressions didn’t work for me. The first undercover case, in Orlando, was interesting, and we had a chance to meet the MCs and see them at work. After Jonah moved to Miami, the plot slows down and there’s not much action, not even during the cases they worked.

I think the monotony of their day job and their relationship is what brought my rating down. Perhaps if the cases were related or less, it would had kept my interest. But, they were standard police procedure with little trouble to be solved. By the time the main investigation happened, I was ready for the book to end. Not even Jonah’s relationship with A.J. was interesting enough.

The last part of the book moved faster, maybe too fast for Rafael’s and Jonah’s relationship to be meaningful. Their undercover job was smexy but didn’t compensate for everything the story lacked until that point. Their love affair was fast paced and their future together, on the epilogue, even faster.

And the cover? The overall idea of the cover by Aaron Anderson works, until you get into the details. The art deco font gives it the Miami feel and the model matched Rafael’s description. But, the skyline and tie effect makes it look more like New York City than Miami. Plus, the silhouette doesn’t represent Jonah.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published: January 25, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 1634767640 (ISBN13: 9781634767644)
Edition Language: English

A Jeri Review: The Imperfection of Swans by Brandan Witt

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (4 1/2 stars!!)

Kevin Bivanti’s dream is to open a wedding dress shop, a place with the stunning gowns to make every bride-to-be feel adored. At thirty-eight, he quits a successful advertising career to buy an old brownstone in a trendy Boston neighborhood and to make his dream a reality. When one of his cosigners drops out, fate intervenes, ushering in Casper James, who hopes to open his own bakery. With Casper willing to take the risk, their ambitions meld into a wedding dress and wedding cake boutique.

Extensive renovations to the brownstone, an affair with his ex-husband, family drama with his mothers, and the anxiety of significant life changes push Kevin to the brink of a nervous breakdown. In the midst of stress and uncertainty, Casper becomes more than a business partner, a mutual attraction that adds another layer of intensity and risk.

With their dreams on the verge of reality, Kevin and Casper must find the courage to face the stress of managing their attraction, the gamble of a new business venture, and the resurgence of Kevin’s personal demons.

I really loved this book! The general concept of the story was not all that original. Two guys working together and don’t want to mess up their professional relationship, but fighting it gets harder and harder. We’ve read that before right?

Yep, we have. But what we haven’t read about is one of the characters who is at once so lovable and so flawed and the other, just as lovable and trying hard not to be flawed. It is the flaws and the way they are dealt with which made this book a BIG 4 1/2 star read for me.

Kevin is the character with the most issues. And like most people with issues like his, he denies them and makes excuses for them. His strength and vulnerability make you want to hug him and tell him it is going to get better. Kevin is finally taking a huge leap to live his dream- that of opening a bridal shop in Boston. With the help of his moms and extended family, it looks like it will become a reality. Until financing falls through.

Enter Casper, a head pastry chef who has his own dream of opening a bakery. He lives with 4 loud music majors so that he can save up enough money to open his own bakery. Kismet brings them together and with Casper able to help secure the financing on the multi million dollar building- it seems as though they will both be living their dreams.

This book contains some pretty serious subject matter- eating disorders and anxiety. Both could have easily been portrayed as overly dramatic or sensationalistic, but they are not. They are addressed head on, shown for the true colors that they are. How they affect not only the person living with them, but the people who love them as well.

There is also an outstanding cast of background characters in this book. Two of my favorites were Renata and Noelle- Kevin’s moms. Their yin yang relationship so mirrors the relationship that Kevin and Casper are trying to build together.

I laughed and I cried. I couldn’t wait to turn the page and I didn’t want it to end.

Cover Photo Credit Brandon Witt; Model: Kevin Eksterowicz.When I am reading a book by a new to me author, I always go all the way through to the end. Reading the “about me” section and anything else. There I learned that the cover art- oh so gorgeous- is not only the author’s real life best friend, but also the inspiration behind Kevin. It made me love the book more.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 284 pages
Published January 18th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634768175 (ISBN13: 9781634768177)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Love A Steampunk Romance? Check out Project Ordell by Susanna Hays (author guest post and exclusive excerpt)

Project Ordell by Susanna Hays
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Stef Masciandaro
Release Date: February 5, 2016

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Susanna Hays here today to talk about her latest story, Project Ordell and the excerpt she brought with her to share with our readers. Welcome, Susanna.

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One thing that I liked about this excerpt is the bit of conflict Ordell faces, especially with a few scenes that happen later on with the story. He isn’t happy that his father is selling automatons that he helped create and see as family as mindless pleasure slaves. He certainly isn’t happy that a man wants a pleasure slave that looks exactly like him either.

What I liked most about writing this scene is the tension that begins with Ordell and his father. He has spent his life viewing himself as Octavio’s son, so to hear the words that he is a “creation” hurts him.

With Ordell’s character, I planned on him to be stubborn, selfish, and naive when it comes to the outside world. This plays a bigger role later in the story and gets Ordell into trouble.

Read the excerpt after the blurb.

About Project Ordell

Ordell Rutledge lives in the small town of Blackwick where he helps in his father’s modest automaton shop. While he enjoys interacting with the few people who grace his father’s business, he feels isolated because he can’t relate to them. For ten years, life’s been quaint and peaceful, but Ordell has a secret: he is an automaton, sentient enough to pass as human.

Ordell’s life is upended when the person he trusts most betrays him. Heartbroken, he sets off for Linnesse, a city that accepts automatons as people and is booming with the latest technology. With another sentient automaton, Elias Griffith, at his side, they overcome obstacles and uncover the strange truth behind Ordell’s past. But sometimes the past is best left in the dark.

Genres: Steampunk
Tags: Novels, steampunk,gay fiction, romance

Exclusive Excerpt

During that workday his father’s words swam around in Ordell’s head. He knew Octavio only said them out of frustration, but it hurt to hear that come from him. To call his siblings stupid pieces of metal.
“You remind me so much of my son,” Mr. Stokes said, icing one of the cakes. “Both of you went off in your own little world. He was such a sweet boy, but refused to stay in reality for more than five minutes.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Drove my wife insane, he did! She wanted him to do this, and he was too busy skipping off to the pier.”
“I would’ve loved to meet him,” Ordell said with a small smile.
“Me too.” His voice grew low. “I wish I could talk to him again. Hear those little rambles as he talked about that world of his.” Mr. Stokes cleared his throat and looked back up at Ordell. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’m sure your father would love to have some help around the shop.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Stokes?”
He waved his hand. “It’s been a slow day. You should enjoy the weather while it’s still nice. Here.” He put a few pieces of bread in a small brown package. “A little treat for you and your father.”
Ordell patted Mr. Stokes’s shoulder. “Thank you so much. Would you like me to help open up tomorrow?”
“Sounds like a plan.”When Ordell got to the shop, he could feel the heavy tension around the room.
“I brought home some rolls,” he called out. “They’re freshly baked.”
Ordell took a few more steps until he reached the door to Octavio’s shop. He took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.
“Father! What happened in here?”
Papers were scattered around the shop, blueprints torn and metal tossed around. Ordell found his father hunched over the workstation with his beefy fingers threaded through his peppered hair.
He raced over to his father and grabbed his shoulders. “Father! Are you all right? What happened?”
“I can’t find the damn blueprints! That bitch must have them!”
“What blueprints?”
“The ones for the—” Octavio sighed and pushed his hands through his hair again. “Forget it. I don’t need another argument with you.”
“You said you wouldn’t!” Ordell narrowed his eyes. “I can take on another job! I can—”
“I need the money, Ordell!” he snapped. “The shop needs this! How can you not understand this?”
“You said you wouldn’t do this,” Ordell said again, punctuating his words slowly. “You promised.”
“I won’t be bullied by my own creation!”
“Now I’m just your creation?” He swallowed hard. “I thought I was your son.”
“Ordell—”
“Just forget it.” He took a step back. “Do what you want. They’re your creations, right? Don’t let me stop you from earning a quick profit.” He turned on his heel and stormed out of the shop.

About the Author

Susanna Hays has been writing ever since she can remember. She first started out with ghost stories that she would tell to her cousins and best friend. She has always been off in her own little world and spent her time at recess writing stories in her notebook. She is a huge animal lover and adores cats– especially the big fluffy ones! She loves talking to others and enjoys making friends on Goodreads and reading books.

She loves to create characters who have a story to tell. She creates protagonists who must overcome their weaknesses and find their true selves.

An Jeri Review: Tackling The Tight End (Long Pass Chronicles #3) by Tara Lain

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Everyone wants the best for SCU student and tight end Raven Nez—and they know exactly what that is. Enter the NFL draft, become a big football hero, promote his tribe’s casino, and make a lot of money to help people on the reservation. Just one problem. Raven’s gay and he really wants to work with gay kids. Plus he figures a gay Native tight end will get flattened in the NFL. Then the casino board hires a talented student filmmaker to create ads for the tribal business and asks Raven to work with him. But the filmmaker is Dennis Hascomb, a guy with so much to hide and a life so ugly it’s beyond Raven’s understanding. Still he’s drawn to Dennis’s pain and incredible ability to survive.

Captivated by Raven’s stories of the two-spirited and by the amazing joy of finally having a friend, Dennis knows he has to break free from everything he’s ever been taught was good—but that’s a struggle that could kill him and Raven too. Is there a chance for “the great red hope” and the “whitest guy on earth”? A future for the serpent and the raven?

Although this is book 2, it can easily be read as a stand alone. In fact, I hadn’t read the first and didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

Raven is out and proud, but still living a double life. He is a star football player in college and everyone- especially his parents- want him to get drafted into the NFL. The notoriety a Native American player would bring to his tribe and his tribe’s casino would be unmatched. But really, Raven wants to work with at risk LGBT teens.

Dennis is a film student at the same college as Raven and is brought in to create a commercial for the casino. Dennis is harboring some huge secrets and a bit of a reputation as a trouble maker. But Raven is completely drawn to him- even though Dennis swears he is straight.

Some of the things I really enjoyed about this book: the idea of being two- spirited, total acceptance of Raven as a gay many not only by his family, but by his tribe, and Dennis- who finally discovers who he is and fights to save his sister and ultimately himself.

There were some beautiful Native American legends brought in to enhance this story and they really worked. The imagery was really amazing, the sweat lodge, the snake, etc. There was nothing, I felt, stereotypical about any of the Native American story line. I absolutely adored the relationship between Raven and his grandfather. Their bond was amazing.

This original story has it all. I definitely recommend it to all who enjoy non-cookie cutter MM romance.

Cover art by Reese Dante. The cover of the book is such a perfect depiction of Raven I found myself going back to look at it over and over.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 216 pages
Published January 15th 2016 by Dreamspinner
Original TitleTackling the Tight End
ISBN 1632162644 (ISBN13: 9781632162649)
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttp://taralain.com/
Series Long Pass Chronicles :

An Ali Review: Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Money can’t buy happiness. Jacob Nussbaum knows this better than anyone. He’s a corporate lawyer deep inside a huge New York firm, where he works overtime, sacrifices any chance at a personal life, and has been selling his soul for years. With a secretary as his only friend, he trudges on, until his whole world is blown apart by a manila envelope of photos—evidence that one of the firm’s partners is the dirtiest lawyer in one hell of a filthy business.

In search of the truth, Jacob travels to a small northern Wisconsin fishing resort. There he meets Ben Anderson, a brutally lonely man, who knocks him off his feet. Ben prompts Jacob to reevaluate his life. He’s a dozen years older than Jacob, still recovering from the death of his long time love, and doesn’t want to leave anyone a widower. But a jaded New Yorker on a soul-searching mission might be just the man to convince the grieving Ben that it’s never too late to begin again.

I really enjoyed this story about two men who seem an unlikely match but who end up being perfect for each other. The book had good pacing and it added the investigation in to the love story in a smooth way. While that was the catalyst for the story, the main component was the love story part. I liked that it was not insta-love and that the characters took some time falling for each other. Not only was I drawn to Jacob and Ben but I was drawn to the back story of Ben loving and losing Manny. That was really well done and made my eyes tear up in a few places. You could feel Ben’s grief jump off the pages at you. I was also really pleased to see that the MC’s were middle aged. Having nice, mature characters was a pleasant change of pace. My only complaint was the ending was rushed. It felt off to me. I’m not really sure why it was done like it was since the author spent so much time slow unfolding the love story. While it wasn’t perfect for me I liked the rest of the book too much to really complain much. I’ve never read this author before but will definitely be checking out her other work.

Cover by Catt Ford. I liked the cover and think’s it’s a good representation of the story and the characters.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press ebook | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 214 pages
Published February 5th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634769846
Edition LanguageEnglish

Rowing Your Way Into Love with Dev Bentham’s Whistle Blower (author guest post)

Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Catt Ford

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Dev Bentham here today to share some of the inspiration behind her latest novel, Whistle Blower. Welcome, Dev.

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Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Dev Bentham

Just how do all those hot fictional characters maintain their amazing bodies? Proper diet and exercise, of course. In my new book, Whistle Blower, the guys don’t always eat right, but they do move. Specifically, they row. They get to know each other while Ben teaches Jacob to scull. Between the skinny, tippy boats and a complicated rhythm, it’s a difficult sport to master. But a beautiful way to spend an early morning hour on a glassy lake.

SONY DSC — Photoshoot sculling-17 by Gabriel Axel, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons (Attribution license)

I learned to row while on vacation on a tiny Idaho lake. Single sculls are easy to flip. Those first few mornings I spent more time in the water than on the boat. Fortunately, a kind young rower took me under her wing and we put in a few hours in a double scull. While I flailed around, she steadied the oars on the water and kept us upright. I never got very good, but back to Northern Wisconsin I found an old tub of a scull. It was a double seater with only one seat. Banged up, wide and heavy, it was a pig to row. But it was also very difficult to tip. Just my speed. We set up the stern with a nest of life jackets that served as a makeshift passenger seat. For a while we went out every calm morning and rowed each other around the lake. It was sweet. But I missed the sleek grace of the Maas 24 that I had tried in Idaho. That’s the boat I wrote into the book. And because it’s fiction, Jacob is a fast learner who is soon sculling long distances on his own. Which doesn’t always work out well for him. In fact, it can be disastrous.

Here’s a little more about the book:

In search of the truth, Jacob travels to a small northern Wisconsin fishing resort. There he meets Ben Anderson, a brutally lonely man, who knocks him off his feet. Ben prompts Jacob to reevaluate his life. He’s a dozen years older than Jacob, still recovering from the death of his long time love, and doesn’t want to leave anyone a widower. But a jaded New Yorker on a soul-searching mission might be just the man to convince the grieving Ben that it’s never too late to begin again.

Buy links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble |ARe | Kobo | Dreamspinner

About the Author

Dev Bentham writes soulful m/m romance. Her characters are flawed and damaged adult men who may not even know what they are missing, but whose lives are transformed by true love.

Website and social media links:

www.DevBentham.org
email: DevBentham@yahoo.com
twitter: @DevBentham
Facebook author page
Facebook: /www.facebook.com/dev.bentham

An Ali Review: The Boys of Summer by Sarah Madison

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Working for a California-based film production company, David McIntyre is the go-to man for matching the right location to the right project for the right price. On an extended trip to Hawaii, he hires Sutton’s Air Service to cart him all around to some of the most exotic locations in the South Pacific. During one of those trips, a freak tropical storm forces them to make a crash landing, leaving both men stranded without a radio and with very little in the way of food and water. Rick Sutton’s injuries make it imperative that they be rescued soon, and David finds himself calling on all his professional skills to keep both of them alive.

It takes a vivid dream about WW2 however, to make David realize that he has real feelings for Rick—more than just his natural concern that both of them get out of this mess alive. But putting his heart on the line might be the greatest risk David has ever taken—does he have the courage to make it before time runs out on both of them?

This was an interesting book. There are two stories going on in this book. The first and primary story is of David and Rick and their plane crash. The two men are stranded on an island and we watch as they get to know each other as they’re trying to stay alive. This was pretty good as far as the story but I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between the two men. While they’re on the island David has a dream that stars him and Rick in the past, in WWII.

I liked this part of the story probably better than the main story. It was emotional and very bittersweet. My problem with the whole thing is they’re never really tied together. I thought this was going to be either a reincarnation story or a plot device that makes the two men have some great epiphany about each other and their relationship. It did neither. It was just there and then we go back to the main story. There is never some great romance, some great love between the two and even the ending is a happily for now. It was disappointing to me because it had such potential. It’s definitely not a bad read but I wasn’t wow’d either.

Cover by Reese Dante. I love the cover. I think it’s beautiful and captures the story really well.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Published December 21st 2015 by Dreamspinner Press (first published April 14th 2013)

ISBN 163476630X (ISBN13: 9781634766302)

setting Hawaii (United States)

Love Shifters? Its Time to Reveal the Cover for Patience (Forbes Mates #2) by Grace R. Duncan (excerpt)

PatienceFS Patience

Forbes Mates, Book 2
Dreamspinner Press
Cover by Reese Dante
Release date: 3/7/2016
230 pages
Preorder:
ebook: http://bit.ly/1mgLZwP
paperback: http://bit.ly/1UODapT

Blurb:

Jamie Ryan was almost ready to accept he’d never find his destined mate. They’re uncommon to begin with and same-sex versions downright rare. Since his gay best friend found a destined mate, Jamie figured he was out of luck. Until end of semester stress forces him to go through the full-moon shift early. Stuck in wolf form, he runs into none other than his destined mate. Who’s human.

Chad Sutton has always had good instincts. They served him well as a detective and continued on when he went private. Those instincts tell him there’s something about the dog that comes up to him while running away from animal control that isn’t quite right. He works to put the pieces together, but is unsuccessful until his dog turns into a human before his eyes.

Jamie has no idea what a shifter mate bite will do to a human. He’s terrified to try—and possibly kill his mate. They hunt together for answers while working together on a case for Chad. It’s easy to see they belong together, but Jamie fears the gods gave him someone he can’t keep.

Excerpt:

Jamie threw back another shot and set the glass on the bar. It was days like this that made him wish to hell his metabolism wasn’t so damned fast. Thanks to his wolf, there wasn’t much he could do. His body processed alcohol almost as fast as he could drink it.

It didn’t help that he’d been feeling out of sorts the whole day. After his last final, he’d loaded the rest of his things from his dorm room into his car. All through it, he’d felt just… off. He couldn’t wait until he got back out to pack lands and Tanner and Finley’s house. They both insisted he take one of the spare rooms when he wasn’t on campus.

He hadn’t wanted to at first. He wasn’t sure he wanted to sit around and watch Tanner and Finley be loving and physical. It wasn’t so much that he still had feelings for Finley. He didn’t, thank the gods. It was more of a different sort of jealousy. Now that he’d seen what it was to have a mate, he wanted one of his own—badly.

Tanner and Finley had tried to set him up with their friend the pack doctor, Miles. While Jamie could admit Miles was most definitely hot, with his long red hair and lean physique, Miles wasn’t his destined mate. And they got along well enough, but he didn’t even feel the interest with Miles he had with Finley. Luckily for both of them, Miles felt the same. They’d been able to occasionally fuck and be good friends, but that’s as far as it had gone.

Thankfully, Tanner and Finley weren’t as bad as he’d expected. They kept most of their physical stuff to their bedroom, with the occasional touch and kiss in front of him. So going back there for holidays and breaks wasn’t as bad as he’d been afraid it would be.

And now he wanted nothing more than to get on the road and make the hour-and-a-half-in-traffic trip back. His wolf had been prodding him for a while, and he needed to shift and run, let him loose.

Jamie tried to think of the last time he’d shifted outside of the full moon. When he realized he wasn’t sure, it made sense that he was so antsy. He was rather surprised he hadn’t started chasing the mailman down the street or chewing on his roommate’s slippers. Their kind had an unfortunate tendency to display horribly doglike behaviors—in human form—when they didn’t shift often enough. The worst of the side effects included full-blown attention deficit issues. Considering he was at the tail end of his junior year in college and squeaking through finals, Jamie counted himself lucky he’d managed to keep from any of that.

The prodding was undoubtedly the reason he was feeling out of sorts. His wolf prowled just under the surface, and he wondered if he shouldn’t just tell his friends good-bye and head home.

“Come on, man! You’re being a lightweight tonight,” his roommate, Dwayne, said, shoving another shot at him. “You usually drink all of us under the table.”

“I gotta drive home, dude,” Jamie said. He wasn’t about to explain that it didn’t matter how many shots he had, he could sober up in no time and still drive.

“You can crash on my couch,” Troy offered.

Jamie turned to his other friend and shook his head. “Naw, it’s okay. I guess I can do a couple more.” He picked up another glass and lifted it to his lips, then stopped when he realized the fine hairs on the back of his hand weren’t quite so fine. He blinked, confused, since his vision was still normal.

Right then, the colors faded to grays. Jamie downed the shot quickly and closed his eyes, pretending to struggle to swallow the liquor, trying to fight his wolf back into its place.

Not yet. Just a little longer.

When he opened his eyes, the color was back, but his wolf was even closer to the surface. He glanced at his watch—a digital with the moon phases on it, just in case—but the full moon was still more than two days away. The date didn’t seem to matter, though. Jamie was losing the fight against his wolf, and he needed to get out of there—fast.

“Dude, you okay?” Troy asked, peering at him.

Dwayne was grinning from the other side. “I think he finally had one too many.”

Jamie jumped on the excuse. “Uh, yeah. Something with that last shot. Need some air. Sorry.” With that, he hurried out to the street and took a deep breath. Unfortunately, Forbes Avenue in the heart of Oakland—Pittsburgh’s college district—wasn’t the best place for fresh air. All he got for his trouble was two lungs full of exhaust and a burning nose. He knew better—he’d been fighting the stench of city for most of the last two years—and he cursed himself for doing it anyway.

Shaking his head at himself, he darted past the Dunkin’ Donuts and the door to The O, then around the corner, looking for a quick place to hide. His vision turned gray again, and he struggled to hold his wolf back at least until he could get hidden. He ducked into the alley just beyond the building and let out a breath.

Before he could think of how to handle this, his wolf broke through, and Jamie found himself forced through the shift. His gums itched as his teeth dropped, his claws extended, and fur erupted over his skin. His bones and muscles realigned, and seconds later, he landed on four paws.

He shook himself hard and gave himself just a moment to savor being in his fur again. But this was not the place for him to be in wolf form. He was too far away from Schenley Park, or any other park, for that matter. Never mind the fact that wolves didn’t wander around in city parks. They weren’t even truly native to this region, much less would they be found in a park completely surrounded by city.

He prodded his wolf, trying to nudge him back so he could take his human form again. However, his wolf refused to relinquish control. Jamie struggled, trying to internally reason with his wolf—if he could go back to human, he could get home to the forest and shift for a while. His wolf wouldn’t listen. He was getting truly worried now, when his human side couldn’t pull the lupine side back.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to get control. Huffing, Jamie sat and considered his options, though there were very few. He could keep trying to shift, but he suspected that would be an exercise in futility. He could try to get to his car… except there was no way he could get the door open, even if he could get down the street and through the garage unseen.

He turned to his clothes and nosed through the pile of denim scraps that used to be his jeans. He managed to pull his phone out with his mouth, but the screen wouldn’t recognize the touch of his paw. Not that he knew what he’d do anyway. Call Finley, maybe. But that obviously wasn’t an option.

He looked toward the street but knew that was a bad idea, no matter how much he wanted to get away. Until he was human again, he didn’t dare risk venturing out of the alley. That left the other direction.

Jamie looked down at his clothes, then left them to explore the short distance to the back wall. He found milk crates, a huge trash compactor, the currently raised bottom of a fire escape, a couple of recycling bins, and not much else. A door that presumably led into the kitchen of The O sat in the wall to his right. At the end of the alley, it turned in an L-shape into a tiny parking lot Jamie hadn’t known was there.

It was dark enough no one should be able to see him, so he figured his best bet at this point was find a spot in the corner and wait. Hopefully, after some rest and time in his fur, his wolf would let go and he could get back into his human skin.

He nosed open one of the recycling bins first. It took a couple of trips, but he got his clothes, shoes, watch, phone, and wallet into the bin. Even if they ended up in a dump somewhere, he didn’t want them just lying out on the ground where someone could steal them. Once he was human again, he could fish them out, but until then at least they were out of sight.

He found a quiet spot under the fire escape and behind the door to settle in. With a sigh, he lay down and rested his head on his paws to wait.

* * *

If you haven’t read it yet, now would be a great time to check out Devotion, Forbes Mates #1 and where you get to meet Jamie first. Find out more about Devotion and see how you can get Tanner and Finley’s story here: http://www.grace-duncan.com/devotion .

* * *

grace_nohate Grace Duncan grew up with a wild imagination. She told stories from an early age – many of which got her into trouble. Eventually, she learned to channel that imagination into less troublesome areas, including fanfiction, which is what has led her to writing male/male erotica.

A gypsy in her own right, Grace has lived all over the United States. She has currently set up camp in East Texas with her husband and children – both the human and furry kind.

As one of those rare creatures who loves research, Grace can get lost for hours on the internet, reading up on any number of strange and different topics. She can also be found writing fanfiction, reading fantasy, crime, suspense, romance and other erotica or even dabbling in art.

Find Grace here:

Website ◊ Facebook ◊ Twitter ◊ Youtube ◊ Goodreads

Its Super Bowl Sunday,Top 10 Greatest Ancient Athletes and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Its Super Bowl Sunday and the Top 10 Greatest Ancient Athletes

Its Super Bowl Sunday, more than that, its Super Bowl 50 so all the celebrations, commercials have been kicked up a notch. I have to admit, I love the commercials. The Budweiser Clydesdales always slay me whether the commercials are in a funny vein or outright reaching for the heart. Horses, dogs…check and done. Helen Mirren on drunk drivers this year? Priceless as they say. Other than the commercials, none of my teams made it so my heart’s not in it…exactly. But millions of other peoples are. People are talking teams and favorite athletes. Who is faster, stronger, better and who will win.

And its always been this way.

Doesn’t matter if its hockey and the Ovetchkin or Sidney Crosby rivalry (Caps and Ovetchkin all the way) or the current Super Bowl teams and their quarterbacks, Carolina Panthers Cam Newton or the Denver Broncos Peyton Manning, their pros and cons, their physiques and ages, everything will be discussed ad infinitum.

But that’s nothing new. From the ancient Olympic games to the the favorite gladiators of the Coliseum, athletes have been written about and fawned over. Here is the top 10 list of ancient athletes (thank you, Theodoros II of Listverse (http://listverse.com/2013/04/14/10-greatest-ancient-athletes/). Don’t they cry out for a book about them? :

10. Orsippus of Megara was an ancient Greek athlete who won the stadium race of the fifteenth Ancient Olympic Games in 720 B.C. He became the crowd’s favorite, and he was thought to be a great pioneer for being most likely the first ever athlete to run naked. Pausanias, who very often reported on the ancient Olympics like a modern-day sports journalist, states: “My own opinion is that at Olympia he [Orsippus] intentionally let the girdle slip off him, realizing that a naked man can run more easily than one girt.” It also got him many pots with that scene pictured-the Instagram of that day.

9.Varazdat
Varazdat was an athlete from Armenia who won the Olympic boxing tournament during the 291st Olympic Games. We are aware of Varazdat’s victory from a memorandum kept in the Olympic museum in Olympia. The first historiography about Varazdat was written by Movses Chorenatsy in his Armenian History.In ancient Armenian royal and aristocratic families, the physical education of youngsters had a disciplined and orderly character. They were taught swimming, boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, and military exercises. Varazdat, with the benefit of this rigorous training, went on to be the winner of various boxing competitions held in Greece. He later achieved his greatest triumph, when he became the Olympic champion at the Olympics of 385.

8 Cynisca of Sparta
Although men were originally the only ones allowed to compete in the Olympic Games, this soon changed. Several women took part in the ancient Games, and even won competitions. The most famous of these was Cynisca of Sparta, the first woman to win at the Games. By her success, she paved the way for many other women, and helped usher in a new era in the ancient sporting world.Cynisca’s and her male team were successful in the four-horse chariot racing, winning in 396 B.C. and again in 392 B.C. Cynisca was the most distinguished female athlete of the ancient world, and many historians use her as a symbol of the social rise of women, and the beginning of the movement to give them equal rights and opportunities.

7 Polydamas
We don’t know much about the Olympic victor Polydamas of Skotoussa. His background, family life, and even the details of his Olympic triumph remain shrouded in mystery. Aside from the fact that Polydamas’ statue was remarkably tall and strong, we have no other information on his appearance.Like many athletes of his time, Polydamas was just as well-known for his non-athletic exploits as he was for his prowess in the Olympic games. Ancient authors tend to compare his feats to those of the legendary Greek hero Herakles. Polydamas once killed a lion with his bare hands on Mount Olympus, in a quest to imitate the labors of Herakles, who famously slew the Nemean lion. For similar reasons, Polydamas once managed to single-handedly bring a fast-moving chariot to a halt.These exploits soon reached the ears of the Persians. Their king, Darius, sent for Polydamas. After he was received by the Persian king, the athlete challenged three Persian “Immortals” to fight him, and managed to defeat them all in a single fight.In the end, however, Polydamas’ strength could not prevent his demise. One summer, Polydamas and his friends were resting in a cave when the roof began to crumble down upon them. Believing that his immense strength could prevent the cave-in, Polydamas held his hands up to the roof, trying to support it as the rocks crashed down around him. His friends fled the cave and reached safety, but the great wrestler was killed.

6.Onomastos of Smyrna
Onomastos of Smyrna was the first ever Olympic victor in boxing, at the twenty-third Olympiad in 688 B.C., when this sport was added. According to ancient historians, Onomastos was not only the first Olympic boxing champion, but wrote the rules of Ancient Greek boxing as well. Onomastos also holds a record which remains remarkable even today. After hundreds of ancient and modern Olympiads, he’s still the boxer with the most Olympic boxing titles, with four victories to his name. Laslzo Papp, the world’s greatest amateur boxer of the twentieth century, came close to Onomastos’ record—but he stopped at three Olympic victories before becoming a professional boxer.

5.Melankomas
The famously handsome boxer Melankomas was from Caria, a region in modern-day Turkey. In an effort to prove his courage, Melankomas chose to compete in athletics, since this was the most honorable and most strenuous path open to him. Amazingly enough, Melankomas was undefeated throughout his career—yet he never once hit, or was hit by, an opponent.His boxing style involved defending himself from the blows of the other boxer, and never attempting to strike the other man. Invariably, the opponent would grow frustrated and lose his composure. This unique style won Melankomas much admiration for his strength and endurance. He could apparently last through the whole day—even at the height of summer—and he would refuse to strike his opponents, even though he knew that by doing so he would quickly end the match and secure an easy victory for himself. In this manner he won the Olympic boxing tournament at the 207th Olympic games.

4. Chionis of Sparta
Ancient-Sports-Stars Chionis of Sparta was an athlete who caused much debate regarding his athletic achievements, with the most notable of these being his long-jumping records. Records suggest that in the Olympics of 656 B.C., Chionis jumped a record of seven meters and five centimeters. This feat would have won him the long jump title at the 1896 Olympic Games, and would have placed him among the top eight at a further ten modern Olympics, up to and including the 1952 Games of Helsinki. As well as his amazing achievements in long jump, Chionis was also renowned as a triple jumper—capable of reaching up to 15.85 meters.But the most remarkable fact about this man is that none of his jumps were enhanced by modern-day drugs or training equipment; his records were truly honest and honorable.

3.Diagoras of Rhodes
Diagoras of Rhodes might not be the greatest of ancient athletes, but his family is without doubt the greatest sporting family of the Ancient world. Diagoras won the boxing event in the Games of 464 B.C. He was also a four-time winner in the Isthmian Games, and a two-time winner in the games at Nemea. His sons and grandsons also became boxing and pankration champions. During the eighty-third Olympiad, his sons Damagetos and Akousilaos, after they became champions, lifted their father Diagoras on their shoulders to share their victory with him. Legend says that during Diagoras’ triumphant ovation on the shoulders of his sons, a spectator shouted: “Die, Diagoras, for Olympus you will not ascend”—the meaning being that he had reached the highest honor possible for a man and athlete.

2. Theagenes of Thasos
Theagenes was one of the first celebrities of the ancient sporting world. He became famous throughout the world at the tender age of nine. It seems that the boy was walking home from school one day when he noticed a bronze statue of a god in the marketplace ofThasos, Greece. For some reason, Theagenes tore the statue from its base and took it home. This act outraged the citizens, who perceived it as blasphemy against the gods, and they debated whether or not they should execute the child for his deed. One elder, however, wisely suggested that they should have the boy return the statue to its proper place. Theagenes did this—and his life would never be the same again.He went on to become one of the greatest athletes of all time. He was a successful boxer, pankratiast, and runner. He won the Olympic boxing tournament in the seventy-fifth Olympiad of 480 B.C., and in the next Olympics he won the title in the Pankration. In addition to his two Olympic victories, Theagenes won numerous honors in other sports and other games. Altogether he was said to have won over 1,400 contests in many different kinds of sport. His incredible achievements made him a living myth—to the extent that many people even believed that Heracles was his father.If we were to compare Theagenes with a modern boxing hero, such as Harry Greb (the boxer with most official victories (261) in professional boxing’s history) it would seem that Theagenes outnumbers him by nearly 1,250 victories.

1.Milo of Croton
Most historians agree that Milo remains to this day the greatest wrestler and fighter (from any combat sport) the world has ever known. Milo of Croton became an Olympic champion several times during his nearly thirty-year career. His size and physique were intimidating, and his strength and technique perfect—and many people accordingly believed that he was the son of Zeus. He was said to eat more than eight kilograms of meat every day. Some say that he even once carried an adult bull on his shoulders, all the way to the Olympic stadium, where he slaughtered and devoured it. Yet Milo was not merely a hulking wrestler; he was also a musician and a poet, as well as a student of the mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras.The greatest wrestler of the twentieth century, Alexander Karelin, was often called the modern-day Milo of Croton—but he himself acknowledged that he would not stand a good chance against the real Milo.

All of the ancient athletes above bring to mind the long line of warriors I’ve read about in stories I’ve loved and the sportsmen I’ve watched through the years and am still cheering on today. Whether your sport is rugby, soccer, football, or something totally different, think about the sports champions of the past as you cheer on the ones of the present. Have a great Sunday and Happy Reading.

Now for

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, February 7:

Its Super Bowl Sunday,Top 10 Greatest Ancient Athletes and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, February 8:

Cover Reveal for Forbes Mates #2 book, Patience. by Grace R. Duncan
Until September by Chris Scully – Riptide Tour and Contest
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Dom on the Side by Kate Aaron
A MelanieM Review: Dragon Deception by Mell Eight
An Ali Review: The Boys of Summer by Sarah Madison

Tuesday. February 9:

In the Spotlight: Victoria Sue’s The Promise (excerpt and giveaway)
Dreamspinner Tour: Dormant Heart by Lane Swift (guest blog, excerpt)
An Ali Review: Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham
A Stella Review: Until September by Chris Scully
An Jeri Review: Tackling the Tight End by Tara Lain

Wednesday, February 10:

Patricia Logan ‘The Brat’ Tour and Giveaway
Dreamspinner Author Tour: Project Ordell by Susanna Hays (author guest blog)
A Jeri Review: The Imperfection of Swans by Brandan Witt
A Lila Review: Forced Impressions by Piper Doone
A PaulB Review: Golden Son by Jeff Erno

Thursday, February 11:

Dreamspinner Author Tour: Some Assembly by Lex Chase and Bru Baker (author guest blog)
A BJ Review: Dancer of Death by Jordan L. Hawk
An Ali Review: Second Hand (Tucker Springs #2) by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton, Iggy Toma (Narrator)
A MelanieM Review: Strength of the Sun by SA McAuley
A Paul B Audiobook Review: Lightning Struck Heart by TJ Klune (audio)

Friday, February 12:

Dreamspinner Author Tour: Foxes by Suki Fleet (guest post)
Dreamspinner Author Tour: Max MacGowan (Taking the Long Way)
LE Franks ‘Six Days to Valentine’ book blast and giveaway
A Ali Audiobook Review: Healing Hunter’s Heart by Charlie Cochet
A Stella Review:Naked Prince and Other Fairy Tales by Joe Cosentino

Saturday, February 13:

Dreamspinner Author Tour: Table for One by Ava Hayden (guest blog)
A Free Dreamer Review: Foxes by Suki Fleet

Question for you guys! Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again. (Mine was going on Splash Mountain at Disney World. NOPE.)†

Tell us and don’t forget to record your entry on the giveaway widget!

Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again.

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Project Ordell by Susanna Hays Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Stef Masciandaro Release Date: February 5, 2016

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

About Project Ordell

Exclusive Excerpt

About the Author

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Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Catt Ford

Buy links

About the Author

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Its Super Bowl Sunday and the Top 10 Greatest Ancient Athletes

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, February 7:

Monday, February 8:

Tuesday. February 9:

Wednesday, February 10:

Thursday, February 11:

Friday, February 12:

Saturday, February 13:

Share this:

Project Ordell by Susanna Hays
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Stef Masciandaro
Release Date: February 5, 2016

Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham
Dreamspinner Press