An Interview with Chris Scully On Writing and Nights Like These (contest)

Book Name: Nights Like These
Author Name: Chris Scully

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Chris Scully here for an author interview and to talk about writing and her latest book, Nights Like These:

Q One of your main characters is Miles, 40 years old. I love an older protagonist. What was the inspiration behind Miles?

Age doesn’t mean you are any less immature or insecure—as Miles clearly demonstrates. I think older characters are definitely underrepresented in the romance genre (MF/MM), which is a bit odd because as a reading/writing community a lot of us are in that age bracket. As someone born with “an old soul”, I’ve never really identified with the angst of twenty-somethings—even when I was a twenty-something! I personally find it very difficult to write credible young adults because I don’t have those ‘traditional’ YA experiences to draw on. And as someone comfortable in her forties, I have no burning desire to revisit that period of my life. I like to be able to relate to characters I read or write—and for me that probably means they will be older (so far they’ve ranged from late twenties to early fifties). In the case of this novel, I knew that my protagonist was going to be cynical and jaded, and I feel that’s something that comes with being older. There is also definitely a large part of me in Miles. So much of the novel is wrapped up with my own experiences in being a mid-career employee who’s laid off that in a sense he became my alter ego.

Q Your main characters profession is something you don’t often see, again where did you get that idea and why?

Up until recently, I worked in an office building much like the one in the novel (in fact it’s my inspiration) and the security guards were fixtures–not to mention often the butt of friendly jokes. It is such a thankless job to sit there and not be able to interact with anyone. When I started thinking about writing a mystery, I didn’t want my character to be a cop or PI or special agent. That’s the standard route. I wanted him to be an everyday guy who gets mixed up in stuff beyond his control. As a writer you have a little more freedom to play fast and loose with the rules of mystery writing. The idea of a security guard seemed perfect, especially because it also tied in with Miles being laid off and unable to find a job and his perception that the job is beneath him.

Q. Is there a mystery involved or is this straight (pardon the word) romance?

He he he. There is definitely a mystery involved, but that’s not the focus and it’s pretty light. Actually, when I began writing, it was with the intention of it being a mystery with a romantic subplot, but along the way that flip-flopped. I’d say it’s 65% romance with 35% mystery.

Q. When you read romance, what twists do you like to see?

I love a good twist, but you don’t usually see that so much in romance. Sometimes you get these “ah ha” moments where an author might subtly imply or reference something unexpected. I love that moment of realization. I remember many years ago reading an Amanda Quick historical in which a pair of secondary characters were lesbians. It was implied so subtly that when it finally hit me I went “Oh wow, that’s why…”. What I don’t like are authors who jerk the characters around just to drag out the story and keep them apart.

Q. And do you incorporate those into your writing as well?

Not always consciously, but yes I do occasionally like to imply things or add in layers. Most readers probably don’t even notice it. In Rebound, because the whole story is told from Emmett’s point of view, you think it’s Emmett’s story. But when Sky says “You’re my Christmas miracle” it was intended to add a whole other dimension and make you suddenly look at things from his perspective. Also, depending on the story, I like to withhold information and reveal it later to heighten the emotion. In Touch Me, a short erotic novella I wrote and self-published, it starts out seemingly just about a guy giving erotic massages, but then when you find out about his personal situation, it changes the dynamic entirely.

Q. What drives your story as your are writing it, the plot or the characters or the romance? Or all of the above?

It’s a combination, and the balance between the three depends on the story. Character usually plays the largest role for me–even in Nights Like These, which I consider to be plot-driven, Miles is still a very strong character. It wouldn’t be the same story without him. I think if you have great characters, the romance becomes a natural extension.

Q Do you plot out your stories or do they change and morph as you write?

Again, it’s a combination. I like to have a rough plot or plan, but I try to be flexible if things start to change and to give the characters some freedom. Nights Like These is a perfect example. It was supposed to be a mystery, but Miles’ personality took over completely. My beta-readers indicated they were confused because it seemed like two different stories. My mystery loving friend said it was “too romantic”, and my romance reader found the mystery parts boring. Rather than try to force it into something it wasn’t, I finally accepted that the romance/ comedic aspects were stronger and did some rewriting to make the mystery secondary.

Q. Favorite story or author as a child?

Tough call. As a young child, my favorite was The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch. It’s about a princess who ends up rescuing herself instead of waiting on the prince. Considering this was written in the seventies, it is incredibly subversive. I still love the message of Paperbag Princess today. If I had kids I would definitely be reading that to them. Robert Munsch is an amazing kid’s author because of the way he writes for both kids and their parents. If you haven’t read Love You Forever, you definitely should, but be prepared with tissues. I still read this as an adult and bawl. You can listen to these stories for free on his website.

Q. What’s next for you as an author?

For now I’m concentrating on finishing my latest project (Happy) and also getting another novel (Until September) to publication. That should take me through most of 2015 at my current pace. After a year of unemployment I’m back to work full-time, so writing has to go back to second place. I’d like to target one book a year. Yes, that’s low compared to my peers, but it’s what I think I can comfortably manage and work full-time.

Eventually I’d like to move more into the gay fiction area—that is, fiction where the main character happens to be gay. I have a couple of ideas for romantic thrillers I’d like to try, and I that’s probably where I’ll focus for my next new project. They will definitely still have a romance angle, because I’m a born romantic, but they just won’t be as emotional and introspective.

Author Bio:

CHRIS SCULLY lives in Toronto, Canada where she grew up spinning romantic stories in her head. When the tedium of a corporate day job grew too much, she took a chance and found her creative escape in writing. Always searching for something different, she has discovered a home in M/M romance and strives to give her characters the happy endings they deserve.

Author Contact:

https://www.facebook.com/chris.scully.author

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback Amazon All Romance

Nights Like These Blurb:

Starting over sucks. At forty, Miles Koprowski thought he had life all figured out. He had a nice car, a hot young lover, and a cushy job… and then he didn’t. Call it fate, or karma, or a downturn in the market, but this opinionated cynic is now forced to play rent-a-cop in a dying office building in the burbs just to make ends meet. Throw in an unhinged ex, a coworker who hates him, and a hot new boss, and suddenly everything is uncertain.

Miles doesn’t plan on liking the night shift or becoming embroiled in a mystery that reawakens old passions and puts him in danger. And he certainly doesn’t plan on falling for the overbearing head of security, Colton Decker, former soldier and doting dad. But nights like these can change a man, make him start to believe there’s more to life than a high paying job and a warm body in his bed. With a thief on the loose and his new job in jeopardy, Miles will have to decide what’s truly important. He might discover things he never knew he wanted… as long as he makes it through the night.
Categories: Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Mystery

Nights Like These Excerpt:

“Why don’t you watch where you’re going, dumb—” I managed to sputter before my mouth stopped working entirely and dropped open. The ability to speak, to think, deserted me at the first sight of the hunky stranger standing in front of me, his face contorted with apology as he tried to mop up my sodden jacket with a handful of napkins. He was a few inches taller than me—closer to six feet—and on the stocky side. His broad shoulders filled out a nicely tailored suit, and he projected an air of confidence that I’d never be able to pull off in a million years.

He was clean-shaven too, with a dark buzz cut that made me long to run a hand over his head simply to feel the texture. And gorgeous. Did I happen to mention that?

In short, he was the kind of guy you’d want to be stranded with on a deserted island; the kind you could count on to save you. If you were so inclined. Me? I didn’t need saving.

A pair of friendly, light-colored eyes now stared back at me, bemused. Odd that his lips were moving, but no sound was coming out.

“What?” I asked, blinking back to attention. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had literally made me speechless. Me, Miles Koprowski, who never met a silence he didn’t want to fill.

Hell, I couldn’t recall the last time I’d been on the receiving end of a full-body pat-down either. At least not so quickly. His hands were still drifting over my chest, wiping up the last drips of coffee, and the simple touch was doing alarming things to my heart rate.

“Are you okay?” he demanded. “Did you get burned?” Before I could react, he seized my wrist and held my hand up for inspection. Strong, lightly calloused fingers, I added to my mental list. Working hands. Dumbly, I looked down. The skin on the back of my right hand was red and stung like a son of a bitch, but it wasn’t blistering. I did flinch slightly when he skimmed his thumb over the sensitive area, but not from pain, more from the touch itself. My entire body lit up, as though I’d stuck a finger in an electrical socket. “It doesn’t look too bad. I think you’ll live. Put some aloe on it when you get home.”

“Doctor?” I croaked, because really, that would be too perfect.

“Nope. Just seen a lot of injuries.” His lips twitched with barely contained amusement. “Sorry to disappoint you.” Sense of humor, check.

Words: 69,000

Tour Dates/Tour Stops:

26-Jan

Rainbow Gold Reviews

Hearts on Fire

27-Jan

Molly Lolly

Prism Book Alliance

28-Jan

Bayou Book Junkie

29-Jan

EE Montgomery

Inked Rainbow Reads

30-Jan

Love Bytes

2-Feb

Amanda C. Stone

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

3-Feb

Cate Ashwood

4-Feb

Decadent Delights

5-Feb

EE Montgomery

6-Feb

My Fiction Nook

MM Good Book Reviews

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A MelanieM Review: Epitaph (Infected #8) by Andrea Speed

Rating: 3 out of 5

In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective solving crimes involving other infecteds.

The last thing anyone needs is for a new tiger strain of the virus to start showing up among the Infecteds. Even worse, with one sniff Roan realizes that his connection to this tiger virus is personal and painful. Roan has also been asked by Dee to investigate the death of one of Dee’s former lovers.

Then the FBI wants him to investigate a new apocalypse cult of infecteds pushing for a violent revolution against normals. All around Roan, events are spiraling out of control. Just when his singular abilities are needed most, Roan develops new symptoms that might signify dire consequences if he doesn’t stop shifting at will. Roan finds himself at a crossroads and must make a difficult decision about his future.

It has taken me weeks to decide how to approach this review, hoping time would allow some sort of objectivity to layer over the disappointment and sadness this story produced. But that didn’t happen. My feelings towards Epitaph remain the same…I feel letdown and regretful that I didn’t stop at Undertow, a story where the promise of Roan McKitchen and his universe remain vibrant, gripping and full of anticipation for the future.

First of all, let me say that this has nothing to do with the fact that Epitaph is indeed that, an epitaph for Roan McKitchen, the Infecteds, and the complex, enthralling universe that Andrea Speed created back in 2010. Actually it began prior as it started as a serialized story on Andrea Speed’s website (stories now removed). No matter. From the beginning, Speed created in Roan McKitchen not only the tragic mythic hero but one for our ages, complete with t-shirts showcasing obscure bands and a dialog that snapped and sizzled. Roan’s conversations were always full of current references to books, songs, poems even events, places and people that demonstrated Roan’s high intelligence and sarcastic regard for society as a whole. Roan would have been amazing as a human but as an Infected child? He became heroic, memorable and magnetic in his hold over the others he meets and befriends as well as the readers who discovered him.

I am one of those enthralled readers. We readers have followed Roan through his soulmate relationship with Paris and the resulting heartbreak that ended with Paris’ death, a death that still gets to me. We have watched the transformation of Roan as the virus morphed and Roan figured out how to deal with that changing status no matter the pain, pills, and blood it cost him. Throughout seven books Andrea Speed kept developing and deepening her universe and that stunning creation of a cat virus. The wilder the transformations and spread of the virus throughout the population the more caught up in Roan’s world and Roan himself we became. Through discoveries that Roan’s tumors were packets of the virus, the changes in musculature that in once instance formed a protective plate that saved him, even to the fact that the Lion could be awake and thinking while Roan was not, all powerful images and concepts.

All that would be enough to satisfy any series but Speed’s vision grew larger, as did her science and virus. There was the memorable and heartbreaking Infected Pieta scene that had me in tears. What a brilliant image and the emotions it provoked in the onlookers watching Roan and the dying lion were the same ones that pulled on the readers hearts as well. There were chilling moments such as the one where Roan/Lion destroyed an Infected underground fight ring, aided by Infecteds in cat form (different species) who followed Roan and his orders as if he were their King. It was stunning and visionary, full of immense promise and speculation for future stories. And the one element that I always kept tucked away hoping to see resolved…the fact that Roan’s lion was as much in love with Paris as Roan was, an emotion that did not carry over to Dylan. Paris was that unique creation that matched Roan perfectly and Dylan’s character never was able to rise to the vibrancy and complexity that was Paris or Roan.

I could go on and on, about scene after scene that Andrea Speed filled with imaginative plot threads, unique elements and additional fantastic characters I took to heart much as the main ones. This series is filled with strong, magnetic people like the various Seattle Falcons hockey players (Grey, Tank, or Greg , not to mention such friends as Holden (my favorite along with Grey), Doctor Rosenberg, Fiona and Dee. Andrea Speed’s Infected series is chock full of people you could build series around and then some. And this large cast got better, more layered as the books and various storylines continued. Until the end. That sad, sorry, dispirited end.

Towards the end it was almost as if Speed was deconstructing her characters, pulling them apart like insects under a magnifying glass. Poor Grey, he always had a certain enigmatic allure to him. Not so much by the end of the book. It’s been reported that there is to be a Paris prequel and a Holden story. I don’t think I can bear it. Not after this.

I almost gave this story a much lower rating. Why? Well, not because it didn’t end as I hoped it would. No, that prerogative rests solely with the author. It’s their right to do whatever they want with their characters and story. No, its because this story was lacking the life, complexity and power of all the previous installments. I could have taken any ending had this story lived up to the quality of the previous stories. Reading this book was the equivalent of watching the blood drain from a dying animal, an animal you loved. Every scene was a sad, tired struggle, for the characters and this reader to get through. Even the major conflagration scenes here, ones that should have been bursting with explosive drama and fireworks were more of a dustup then all out battle. After that it was just one last diminished little journey to the finish line. All promise gone, all the splendid anticipation squandered, and worst of all, what an injustice for a heroic creation like Roan. How lifeless, limp and lame.

I should have stopped at Undertow. And I will do my best not to think any further about Epitaph. All the other stories remain well remembered and loved. For them and for Roan, I gave this story a 3 star rating. There were still flashes of inspiration and dialog that made me smile, however, infrequent and sparing they were.

If you are new to this series, start with Infected Prey and Bloodlines and continue on to Undertow. After that its up to you.

Cover artist Anne Cain’s covers have been outstanding throughout the series, including this one.

Sales Links: DSP Publications Amazon Buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 330 pages
Published November 18th 2014 by DSP Publications
ISBN139781627988629
edition languageEnglish
seriesInfected #8
charactersRoan McKichan

Books in the Infected series in the order they were written and should be read:

Love John Inman? It’s Release Day for John Inman’s Latest, Payback! (contest)

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is taking a closer look at….

Payback by John Inman

John Inman is a favorite author here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. Known primarily for his humorous novels and memorable characters, John Inman is also writes stories with a darker heart and less lighthearted perspective. Payback falls into the latter category.

Contest: It’s Release Day for Payback and John Inman is giving away an ebook copy of Payback. To enter to win, leave a comment and visit the following Rafflecopter link. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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Payback John Inman

When Tyler Powell’s life is torn apart by an unspeakable crime, the need for vengeance takes over. Every moment of every day, as he tries to pull his shattered existence together again, it’s all he can think about—revenge. Will he give in to his rage and become the very thing he hates most? A killer? Only with the help of Homicide Detective Christian Martin, the cop in charge of his case, does Tyler see the possibility of another life beginning—the astounding revelation of another love reaching out to him.

A love he thought he would never know again. Will he let that love into his life, or is he lost already? Is payback more important to Tyler than his own happiness? And the happiness of the man who loves him? Tyler is determined to find a way to exact his revenge without sacrificing all hope for a future with Christian, but it will be difficult—if not impossible—and in the end he might be forced to make an unbearable choice.

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Expected publication: February 2nd 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632166289
edition languageEnglish
url http://johninmanauthor.com

Author Bio:

John has been writing fiction for as long as he can remember. Born on a small farm in Indiana, he now resides in San Diego, California where he spends his time gardening, pampering his pets, hiking and biking the trails and canyons of San Diego, and of course, writing. He and his partner share a passion for theater, books, film, and the continuing fight for marriage equality. If you would like to know more about John, check out his website at—-
http://www.johninmanauthor.com/John_I… or follow him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/john.inman.79

Some of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words favorite John Inman books, audio books too, are (and there are so many others):

Focusing In On: The Way Things Are by A. J. Thomas (contest included)

The Way Things Are by A. J. Thomas

Release Date: January 30, 2015
Goodreads Link

Author Bio:

A.J. Thomas writes romantic suspense. She’s earned a Bachelor’s degree in Literature from the University of Montana and worked in a half-dozen different jobs, from law enforcement officer to librarian, before settling down. Life as a military spouse has tossed her around the country so many times she doesn’t know how to answer when people ask her where she’s from, but she delights in living as a perpetual tourist, visiting new places and discovering amazing things.

Her time is divided between taking care of her three young children, experimenting with cooking and baking projects that rarely explode these days, and embarrassing her husband with dirty jokes. When she’s not writing, she hikes, gardens, researches every random idea that comes into her head, and develops complicated philosophical arguments about why a clean house is highly overrated. Her work has won multiple awards, including the 2013 AMB Ovation Award for Best LGBT Inter-racial Romance, and the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Contemporary Fiction.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008224932949
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AJ.Thomas.Romance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJThomasRomance
Other: http://www.ajthomasromance.blogspot.com/

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Author Name: A.J. Thomas
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Sales Link: Dreamspinner Press All Romance (ARe)

Blurb(s):

A night of drunken confusion at nineteen resulted in Patrick Connelly fathering a child. Determined to be there for his son, Patrick walked away from a sport he loved and forever hid his sexuality. After Patrick’s brutal divorce and a vicious hate crime, his son, Jay, has become obsessed with graffiti. Hoping for a fresh start, Patrick moves Jay to his childhood home in Seattle. Within two weeks, Jay is arrested again. On his way to pick Jay up, Patrick stops an assault, then finds himself in handcuffs too. Thinking things canʼt get any worse, heʼs confronted by the sexiest man heʼs ever seen—his sonʼs new probation officer, Ken Atkins.
The hardest part of Kenʼs job is working with difficult parents, and the undeniably handsome Patrick Connelly is going to be a difficult parent. A chance encounter and steamy hookup with Patrick leave Ken blindsided. As they work together to try to keep Jay on the right path, the passion between them proves impossible to resist. When the assault Patrick prevented comes back to haunt them and Jay gets into trouble again, Ken must convince Patrick that ensuring his sonʼs happiness doesnʼt have to mean sacrificing his own.
Categories: Contemporary, Erotic (light), Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt:

Ken shook his head, the motion making his entire body sway again. “I can’t believe you,” he said in disgust. “You have a child home alone right now, who needs an actual fucking role model in his life and actual supervision, and you’re here.” He gestured around at the dusty office. “I would have figured you’d be a bit old and butch for most of the clientele at this place.”

Patrick opened his mouth to deny that he was there selling himself, then stopped. “I’m not that old. And I am an employee of Corbin’s Attic.”

Ken chuckled. “You work for the club?”

“Yes. I had a shirt, but some vicious little drama queen insisted I dance with him, and he wouldn’t take no for answer.”

“You should have called one of the bouncers. They’re serious guys.”

“Uh….” Patrick scratched the back of his head. “I am pretty sure none of the other bouncers here would have come to my rescue.”

“Other bouncers?”

“Yeah. Which reminds me, I need to steal another shirt.” The security T-shirts were in a small, tumbling stack on top of boxes in the corner, next to five bigger stacks of black aprons and towels. He sorted through the T-shirts to find his size, then held it up so Ken could see the stenciled yellow “SECURITY” on the back.

“You’re a bouncer?”

“Just until I get my first check from the Port. And until Jay gets in trouble again and has to pay another fine. And maybe until the owner finds someone else to use as eye candy when he wants to make the guy who refuses to go out with him jealous.”

Ken choked. “That was the owner? The blonde guy you were wrapped around out there?”

“That was Corbin Hollis, yes. Which is why none of the other guys would dare help me. He’s my best friend. He’s letting me pick up some hours here because I’m broke.”

Ken looked at him again, just for a moment, before he dropped his gaze to the floor. “I should let you get back to work, then.”

Patrick caught Ken as he stumbled toward the door. “Hang on, now. I told you why I was here. Shouldn’t you be fair?”

“No,” Ken said. “I shouldn’t be here at all. Not if one of my parents works here, that’s for damn sure.” Patrick wrapped his arms around Ken’s waist and tried to hold him steady while Ken squirmed. When he slumped back against Patrick’s chest, the hard cock straining against the denim of Ken’s jeans made Patrick freeze and nearly drop him.

Pages or Words: 252 pages
 Tour Dates: January 30, 2015

Tour Stops:

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A Sammy Review: Chase in Shadow by Amy Lane

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Chase Summers has been living a lie. He’s got a beautiful girlfriend and expectations, but the real him, well, that’s someone not even he knows. Beneath the carefully constructed exterior is a boy shrouded in an all consuming darkness, and no matter how hard he tries, he seems unable to reach the light beyond that all.

But then there’s Tommy. Sweet, handsome Tommy. He’s the perfect lover for Chase, and if the old adage is true, and love can heal all, then this just may be the key to bringing Chase out of the dark… but sometimes love isn’t enough.

Because you loved me, and I knew what it meant to feel.

Oh bahjeebus.

In several updates while reading this I described the story as having a “constant gut-punch feeling” and I couldn’t have been more right. The entire thing was a crazy rough ride of that tension in my stomach.

My heart breaks for Chase, and for Tommy, and I just adored the characters. It was deep and hot and all kinds of lovely.

I will say though that I had some issues with the therapy sessions, as they were at the very least unorthodox at times. For example, if someone is suffering from trauma from an event that is that grand and is going to get a very harsh response, it isn’t necessarily a good idea to bring that forth in the way that was done in this. Also, I take issue with counselors/therapists/psychologists who refer to patients as crazy, even in a joking context, but that’s just a personal thing.

Overall, not something to read if you’re looking for something light and fluffy, but if you want something that’s deep and harsh, and at times beautiful, then this is for you.

The cover art by Dante Reese is pretty good in general. I think the color red is fitting, as is the paint drip used in the background. It helps match a lot of the emotional aspect of the story. The razors are also fitting, though the way the chain holding them in blended in stands out a bit in the wrong ways. Still, it’s fitting for the story, and overall a nice cover.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press * All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it Here

*also available in paperback, audio book and Spanish translation.

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Published February 23rd 2012 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB007CS6IYK
edition languageEnglish
seriesJohnnies #1
charactersDavid “Dex” Worral, Chase “Chance” Summers, Tommy “Tango” Halloran
settingSacramento, California (United States

A MelanieM Review: Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

L’Ange’s head of security Arman de Soto is a shifter, a secret he has kept well, even from his employers who are shifters themselves. Also a closely guarded fact is the type of Arman’s shifter. Only a few know what Arman is hiding, but one of those is the château’s overseer, Linus Hobbes. Linus has long been the object of Arman’s interest and the subject of Arman’s intense pursuit over the years they have known each other. Despite Arman’s reputation as a loner, the only thing he needs to complete his life is Linus. But Linus is a mass of secrets and pain himself.

Linus has lived alone for more than seven years, sheltered at L’Ange under an assumed name and hiding a past of pain and abuse. Linus is also dealing with his terrifying attraction to the most dangerous man he’s ever met. Arman knows Linus should be afraid of the predator stalking him, but Linus is still drawn to him like a moth to a flame, no matter how much he tries to deny his instincts. I

Once of Arman’ passions is hunting down and killing every member of a pack of werewolves. His staff is aware of Arman’s pastime but no one other than Arman knows the reason why. Then the remaining wolves arrive at L’Ange looking for vengeance and all the long held secrets are revealed. The pain of Linus’ past arrives with the wolves. Danger and the threat of death is everywhere and only the strong or the loved will survive.

Fighting Instinct is the second in Mary Calmes’ L’Ange series and its just as terrific as the first installment, Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1). The first story sets out the location, the Chateau L’Ange, a refuge and home to an assortment of shifters, especially the jackal shifters and pack that own the estate. I loved that group of characters and believe me, that was quite a group to meet all at once. Now with Fighting Instinct, Mary Calmes is narrowing down her focus to the enigmatic head of security Arman de Soto and L’Ange’s overseer, Linus Hobbes. Although secondary characters, both made quite an impact in the first story because their personas were so strongly etched into the readers minds. So I was thrilled to see the second story center on them.

One of the mysteries that has floated about Arman is who and what he is. That he is a shifter is not even a given until later, and some of the first paragraphs seem to help camouflage the true nature of his existence. But as the story evolves, all the clues start adding up and if you are a fan of the wildlife specials or National Geographic, then you might figure it out for yourself. I loved this element and thought Mary Calmes did a wonderful job of folding in the natural history for her shifters. Arman is dangerous, certainly lethal and steadfast in his love of Linus.

Oh, Linus. Linus is going to surprise everyone, including Arman. With Linus, the author combines natural history, and celtic lore to arrive at an astonishing and unforgettable character. Calmes’ twist with Linus was something I never expected and I just loved it! Linus is one of those heartworthy and angst driven characters this author does so well that he is certain to be a reader’s favorite. Plus his is a character that evolves and strengthens throughout the story, especially given his traumatic past.

Arman and Linus certainly form a strong heart at the core of Fighting Instinct with their love and relationship. But there are other shifters to meet with their own stories to follow. Remember, Chateau L’Ange is a shifter refuge, so don’t be surprised to meet a lion (although his identity is hidden at first as well), more wolves, a bear or two and much more. And I adored them all.

Mary Calmes is writing the final story in her cat shifter series, Change of Heart, something I hated to hear as I love Jin and Logan and all the rest. But now I have a new series to love, new characters to take to heart, and new stories to eagerly await.

If you haven’t read this series yet, go to the first story, Old Loyalty, New Love. It lays down the author’s universe and main cast of characters and then rush onto this one. If you love shifters and romance, this is certainly the series for you. I can’t wait to see what Calmes has in store for all of us next. I highly recommend both stories and all the characters. I think you will too.

Cover Artist: Anne Cain. Not quite a fan of this cover but I suppose that adding in factors from the story might qualify as spoilers so I think the artist was tied as to what elements to incorporate. Still, it could be the cover of any book not this one.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 224 pages
Published December 8th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165916
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5769
seriesL’Ange #2

Books In the L’Ange series:

Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1)
Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2)

A Sammy Review: Dirty Dining by EM Lynley

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5:

“Because who we are when we’re not together doesn’t define who we are when we are together. We don’t have ideas and expectations. We are just ourselves. At least I have been.”

Life as a PhD student is anything but a piece of cake for Jeremy Linden. Research is time consuming, and let’s face it, life in California is expensive. He can’t help but be curious when he’s approached with an offer to serve at a special dinner club. The catch? With each course, you lose an article of clothing… and maybe get something more, depending on the menu that night.

He’s not expecting to meet anyone like Brice Martin, or Mr. Green as he comes to know him. He’s shy and respectful, unlike some of the other gentlemen at the club who use their boys freely and like objects. What starts out as an innocent exchange becomes much more when they move their relationship beyond the club’s walls and into the real world… a world that has a lot of surprises and twists, such as Brice’s company funding PharmaTek, the group that oversees Jeremy’s important research.

His brain might be responding to oxytocin, but his body and heart told Jeremy he was falling in love. It felt wonderful, like flying. Jeremy had never experienced anything quite like this headiness before. But the higher Brice took him, the harder he would crash.

I’d never read anything by Lynley before, but when I read the summary, I just knew I had to take a chance and try it. It sounds erotic and delicious and, boy is it.

There were so many layers to the interaction between Brice and Jeremy. I appreciated how their relationship wasn’t an automatic thing. Their first time together was curious and promising, and grew from there (with bumps, of course). I’ve been reading a lot of stories lately where the love is pretty instant, and it’s not been working in my favor, but this wasn’t that at all.

There were also a great line of side characters who really had some strong and memorable personalities, such as Kit, a fellow worker at the club who is as flamboyant as he is sexual.

And speaking of which, the sex – it was incredibly, ridiculously steamy. The chemistry (pun semi-intended) was off the wall with Brice and Jeremy.

This isn’t a terribly hard read, and it was easy enough to devour in one day, and I can really say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, and certainly wouldn’t mind more stories surrounding the Dining Club. I have a feeling I’d devour them just as fast.

My only quibble with the whole thing? I wanted more. Greedy, yes, but this left me wanting another page, another chapter even, in the best way possible. Satisfied, but still wanting another bite.

The cover art by Paul Richmond is certainly sexy, and I do appreciate the simplicity of it. Where it goes wrong for me is in the choice of text. The font for Dirty is fine, but the bulky, ugly choice for Dining made me a bit unhappy. A nice cover, but it needed a bit more thought put into the font/typography.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy It here

Book Details:

ebook, 230 pages
Expected publication: January 19th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
original titleDirty Dining
ISBN139781632166265
edition languageEnglish
settingSan Francisco, CA
Berkeley, California (United States)

A Sammy Review: Black John (Johnnies #4) by Amy Lane

Rating 4.5 stars out of 5

This was sex—it was primal sweaty and glorious. So much of John’s life he’d spent cooped up, dressing like his mom needed him to, being good so his dad didn’t smack him because God forbid the cop’s kid get in trouble. But you weren’t pretty in sex, you just were: you were lightning and thunder and detonations and fireworks. And those things weren’t pretty, but they sure were worth being.

Life has never been all sunshine and rainbows for John Carey. He grew up with an abusive father who became a cop just to be able to exert his force and get away with it. Then he fell in love with someone who didn’t have the capacity to love him back, and it took a huge piece of him. After being disowned by his family and wrecked by his lovers addiction, even a move across the country couldn’t keep his demons at bay. Now, fresh out of rehab, he has to go back to a place he once called home and clean up the mess that his one-time lover made.

There he meets Galen Henderson, the kind of man a recovering addict needs to avoid at all costs. After a horrible accident that took everything from Galen, he’s become dependent on pain medication – medication that’s all too easily accessible for John.

But despite himself, he can’t stay away. But now he’s got something else to consider. Can he clean up a mess, his own heart, and Galen too? Or is that maybe just too much?

Nobody had it all together. John had hated himself for not being enough for Tory, but he’d missed the point. The point was nobody was enough all the time. That was what being partners was about. One person got to spaz the fuck out, and the other person got to hold the other guy’s hand, and then they switched places.

From the beginning of the series, I have loved Johnnies and all the great, dynamic characters Amy Lane brings to the table. I wasn’t expecting to get a story on John, but he was painted in such a way that left Amy with a lot of room to let him grow and blossom. She did that, but not the easy way. First, she let him wither and decay, and then she put him back together, piece by piece.

This story had a personal undertone for me. As someone who has dealt with the addiction of a loved one, and also the ruin left by that addiction, it gave me a different perspective, one that evoked some strong emotions out of me. I struggled so much because John loved Tory so much. He was a saint to John – could do no wrong, but every time I took a step back and looked at exactly what Tory did, I was left angry and sad. You see, addicts aren’t all the same. Some use and self destruct, but others use, self destruct, and then try to pull everyone down with them. The latter was Tory. If he was going down, and he was, he wanted to make sure every person who ever loved him fell right along with him. That made me angry. Seeing what he did to John, even when John couldn’t see it, was just so difficult.

“You weren’t… weren’t… mechanical, I guess is the word, when we were together.”John smiled at him, feeling wise for maybe the first time in forever. “No. It was lovely. And I don’t know. It’s… it’s the difference between painting rain and standing in it, I guess. When you paint it, you’re breaking it down to color, composition, emotional impact. But when you’re standing in it, it’s all about…”

“Dancing in the rain,” Galen said, dropping his voice intimately.

“Yeah. Dancing in the rain.”

So the story really isn’t simply about John falling in love with Galen or vice versa. It’s much more than that. We have that, yes, but we also have a lot of recovery that goes on through the pages. John needs to find himself again, or maybe even for the first time. In a world where he’s become so dependent on drugs to be his crutch, he needs to struggle along without those things.

One problem I had at the beginning was that I didn’t feel the actual love connection between the two. Yes, I felt attraction, but one minute it was recognizing that attraction and the next it was them wanting something real. I felt like I missed an important piece. The rest of the story helped to fill in that gap, but I’m still a bit confused about if I maybe somehow looked over a page or misread a paragraph wherein this progression happened.

Still, I grew to really enjoy their relationship. At times they were so toxic to each other, but then there was something else there too. It was as if they were both clinging onto each other for safety, both trying not to drown. It was anything but the advice you get on a plane – put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. These two had no masks. That was probably part of what made it so appealing, was the very real struggle and the complete unreasonableness of being human. Our choices are often flawed, made without full consideration of all the factors that go into an equation. That is displayed here, over and over again.

They worked hard for their happy ending, and part of me feels that the ending just wasn’t enough. I wanted a bit more – a true epilogue, if you will. I wanted to feel that their hard work had amounted to something more than just one moment.

Black John is a really lovely book, filled with all of our favorite characters and some new ones too. It’s a great addition to the series, but it also left me hoping for additional stories. I’d love to see Brant and Zion’s story, as well as Reg and Bobby’s. So what do you say, Ms. Lane? I’m up for it if you are!

The cover art by Reese Dante is nice and simple. It fits well with the previous covers, forming a cohesive framework for the series. I would say though that it doesn’t really feel special. Yes, the guy in front has red hair, but beyond that, it doesn’t feel unique to the story. The guy in the back, who I’m thinking may be Galen, has no scars – scars that are important to his life story. It’s nice, but not special.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it here (other links coming)

Book Details:

ebook, 280 pages
Expected publication: January 26th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
original titleBlack John
ISBN139781632165534
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.greenshill.com/
series Johnnies #4

The Johnnies series include:

Super Sock Man (Granby Knitting, #2)
Chase in Shadow (Johnnies, #1)
Dex in Blue (Johnnies, #2)
Ethan in Gold (Johnnies, #3)
Black John (Johnnies, #4)

A Stella Review: Moment of Impact by Karen Stivali

Rating: 4,5 stars out of 5

Outside Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner’s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.

“I didn’t mean to see Tanner D’Amico’s cock. I really didn’t.”

Let’s start this review at the same way the book does. I was laughing so hard but it’s true, everything started in that way.

Collin and Tanner are friends and roommates for two years. They secretly are in love with each other, but they both think the other is straight. Tanner has a girlfriend, Wendy, and they spend every Monday night having sex, while poor Collin pretends to sleeping in the bed and not listening to their lovemaking. Until one Monday night Collin realizes Tanner is alone.

Tanner has finally found the courage to approach Collin and see if his friend is so straight or maybe there’s a chance for them. He’s determined to be with Collin, but Collin needs to finally step out of his closet. And his closet is an heavy one, full of guilt versus his really Catholic mother. His fear will lead him to almost lose Tanner.

“You deserve better than that. I want you to have better than that. I want you to have everything.”

“I don’t want everything,” he said. My heart fluttered just from the sound of his voice, deep and rich and flowing around me like warm water. “I just want you.”

Discovering that love is stronger and has nothing to do with religions, will give Collin the strength to prove Tanner he’s “that” everything in the right moment of impact. His loss will be great and I hope his mother will be back to loving his son more than before she discovered he’s gay.

The last scene of the book is really emotional.

This book was a real gem to me. I fell in love with Collin and Tanner from the start and at the end of the book I think I fell in love with the author too. I particularly liked how she wrote this story, the words flowed so well, it was impossible to me to put it down for a moment. It was a quick and lovely reading, sweet as I like all of my books. I can’t wait for the second on in this series, Moment of Truth.

I haven’t given 5 stars cause Moment of Impact is part of a three books series, called Moments in Time. Each one of them is a novella and I think that maybe they could have been all put together in just one book. I hope this will be the right choice, cause I expect the second one to be as good as this first book.

I want to add something more. I’m always afraid when an author decides to deal with religious themes. Living in a city like Rome, you can feel the Catholicism in the air, regardless if you believe or not in something or someone. I don’t want to talk about what I believe in, but I can say that I understand and I ache for Collin, I honestly don’t see acceptance around me. I’m proud to live in my country but I feel it’s not ready to be the perfect (or at least the right) place for the LGBT people. It’s too deep in its beliefs. Still, I know, cause I want to believe, that my children will live in that perfect place. I’m not being naive, I’m realistic.

Cover art by Anna Sikorska: isn’t the cover model cute??

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it here

Book details:
Published January 7th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ebook, 110 pages
ISBN13 9781632164780
Edition language: English

Down Under Author: Nic Starr

Meet Nic Starr!

Nic Starr is the author of recent releases in her It’s Not Easy, A Day At A Time, and many others.

To get to know Nic Starr a little better, the author agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Nic Starr lives in Australia where she tries to squeeze as much into her busy life as possible. Balancing the demands of a corporate career with raising a family and writing can be challenging but she wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Always a reader, the lure of m/m romance was strong and she devoured hundreds of wonderful m/m romance books before eventually realising she had some stories of her own that needed to be told!

When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with her family–an understanding husband and two beautiful daughters–and is often found indulging in her love of cooking and planning her dream home in the country.

You can find Nic on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She’d love it if you stopped by to say hi.

Contacts/Follow Nic Starr at :
Twitter https://twitter.com/nicstar000
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/nicstar000/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8139967.Nic_Starr
Website: http://www.nicstarr.com
Blog: http://www.nicstarr.com
Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nic-starr
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nicki.nicstar

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Your Books:

It’s Not Easy (available at Dreamspinner Press) Book Details and Blurb:

Ben Cooper gave up on following his dreams to keep the peace in his family. Best friend Spencer Henderson has always been Ben’s rock. For Spence, who is in love with Ben, supporting Ben always came first, but as Ben starts to date their friend Suzie, Spence has to think of himself for the first time. The ramifications of one fateful night means leaving their small town may be Spence’s only option to protect his broken heart.

With trouble escalating at home and Spence out of reach, Ben finds it harder to cope. Without Spence’s help, Ben’s life may finally spiral out of control.
ebook, 130 pages
Published July 23rd 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published July 22nd 2014)
original titleIt’s Not Easy
ISBN139781632160171

A Day at a Time (available at Dreamspinner Press): Book Details and Blurb:

Sean Vargos is quiet, well respected, and dedicated to his job. But Dave Simpson sees Sean as more than a coworker. He’s fought his attraction to Sean for months but can’t get him out of his thoughts.

They tentatively embark on a relationship, but Sean isn’t all that he seems. He struggles to put his past behind him and overcome his fears.

Dave, with his good looks and open nature, accepts that sometimes Sean’s doubts get the better of him and he runs. Dave just wants the chance to show Sean he can be trusted and the past doesn’t have to dictate their future.
ebook, 78 pages
Published October 29th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632161215

More Than a Superstar (available from Dreamspinner Press) Book Details and Blurb:

Sam Miller’s dreams are simple—to give back to the aunt who supported him since his mother’s death and to have a family of his own. He focuses on making a success of their catering business Poppy’s Pantry, and his close group of friends. However, when Aunt Poppy ends up in the hospital, it’s a stranger Sam meets in the corridor who gives him the support he needs.

Rob Taylor is a man with secrets. His life in the public eye has taken its toll, and now he lives with the repercussions. When he finds himself falling for Sam, he knows things are finally going his way.

But just as Sam and Rob find their happiness, another secret threatens to tear them apart.
ebook, 106 pages
Expected publication: December 17th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632162977
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://nicstarr.com/ni

Waiting, Hoping, Wishing (Love’s Landscapes) Book Blurb and Details:

Dear Author,
He’s been waiting for that text for more than a week. Please tell us either what happens next or what happened to get him here and whether he frowns or smiles next.

Photo Description:
A gorgeous young man is lying on a bed in nothing but his grey boxer briefs. He is clean-cut with a tanned, smooth and beautifully defined body. He should be enjoying the luxurious bed with its crisp, white linens as he relaxes in the hotel room, but his look is pensive. In the first photo, he is clearly worried and slightly sad. In the second photo, he is focused on his phone, as if it can provide the answers he is looking for.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love’s Landscapes” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
ebook, 58 pages
Published July 18th 2014 by M/M Romance Group @ Goodreads
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.mmromancegroup.com/waiting-hoping-wishing-by-nic-starr/
seriesLove’s Landscapes
charactersDean Clark, Matt (Waiting, Hoping, Wishing)
settingSydney (Australia)

Genre(s): m/m romance, contemporary

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Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Nic Starr) is an eBook copy of A Day At A Time. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt “word or phrase” in bold green . Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

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A Guest Blog by Nic Starr….and Happy Australia Day!

The Great Aussie Public Holiday by Nic Starr

There’s something you should know about us Australians – we LOVE our Public Holidays – a day off work or school, a chance to have a long weekend, an excuse to eat, drink and be merry.

We don’t need a reason for a public holiday, we’ll celebrate anything. We celebrate the Queen’s Birthday (although nothing much about it is related to the monarchy), Labour Day (it’s just a day off work) and a horse race. Yes, you read correctly. The lucky folk in the state of Victoria, have a gazetted public holiday for the running of the Melbourne Cup. The rest of us in other states are supposed to work, but having a Melbourne Cup lunch and stopping to watch the race in the mid-afternoon, has become a bit of a tradition. This is why the Melbourne Cup is known as the race that stops the nation.

Today, the 26th January, is Australia Day. It’s the day we celebrate everything Australian. And it’s the one Public Holiday that means the most to me. It’s a day for reflecting on the wonderful country we live in and recognizing Australian achievers. It always reminds me that we DO live in the lucky country, with a diverse culture and many blessings.

Australia Day is all about our Australian flag, the green and gold, lamb on the barbecue and a cold beer. It’s about going to the beach, getting together with family and friends. It’s about fireworks.

This Australia Day, my hubby and my girls are at the Sydney Cricket Ground watching the Australian Cricket Team play in a One Day game against India – you can’t get more Aussie than that! I’m spending the day with my mum and friends having a barbie while overlooking all the activity on Sydney Harbour.

As I watch the boats on the harbour and the Sydney ferries, decorated with their balloons and banners, competing in the iconic Ferrython, I’m will be thinking of my dad. He was very patriotic and adored this great country. He raised an Australian flag every day but this special day gave him even more reason to be proud.

So here’s to my dad who’s no longer with us, and here’s to Australia! ❤

*The Ferrython is a race held every Australia Day where Sydney ferries compete against each other for the honour of winning. They race from Circular Quay to Shark Island and back to a big finish directly under the Sydney Harbor Bridge which makes a great finishing line. The photo above was taken a few years ago when I had the privilege to be on one of the ferries during the race.

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is taking a closer look at….

Payback by John Inman

Payback John Inman

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Meet Nic Starr!

Contests and Giveaways:

A Guest Blog by Nic Starr….and Happy Australia Day!

The Great Aussie Public Holiday by Nic Starr

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