A Lila Release Day Review: Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A friends-to-lovers novella that came from Out of the Shadows, because Nate and Dylan needed a story….

Nate and Dylan have been pals for a long time. So what if their friends think they’ve got a little bromance going? Doesn’t mean there’s anything more to it than that, right? And even if there is, Nate and Dylan are totally oblivious….

Until the night they share a drunken kiss—and everything changes.

Bromantically Yours was an unexpected surprise. I didn’t know this story was related to Out of the Shadows until the moment I started reading it. It can be read as a standalone but having the background of Nate’s and Dylan’s friendship complements the reading experience. It gives the reader an extra in into their relationship that’s not available with most short stories. Also, it’s good to see Christian and Josh again.

I liked the slow start to their transition from bromance to romance. It was unexpected for them, but they didn’t let their new feelings get in the way of their friendship. They asked questions and took the time, not only to date but to get to know the other’s expectations and fears.

It was funny, sweet, and smexy. The short length didn’t take away from the character development or the story plot. It’s simple, traditional, and nothing out of the ordinary but it works perfectly for the holiday.

The cover by Brooke Albrecht shows a perfect representation of Nate and Dylan. It is a cute Valentine’s cover for a sweet short story.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner| Amazon | NOOK

ebook, 97 pages
Published: February 14, 2018, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781640805347
Edition Language: English

Amy Lane on Mommies, Mrs. Bobby’s Mom and her new release Bobby Green (author’s guest blog)

Bobby Green (Johnnies #5) by Amy Lane
Dreamspinners Press
Cover Art: Anne Cain

Book Links: Amazon | Dreamspinner Press

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Amy Lane, here today on tour for her latest story in her Johnnies series, Bobbie Green. Welcome, Amy.

Mrs. Bobby’s Mom

By Amy Lane

Okay, so my mother left when I was a kid and my dad raised me. It would be romantic to say “by himself” but the Goddess smiled on him hard, and he met my stepmom not long thereafter, so I did eventually learn that “Spanish rice” was NOT rice with ketchup and I never had to wear a “home cut shag” again. My point is, when all the feminists started freaking out about Disney movies because of the great animated mother-massacre (seriously—check out all the princess movies—where’s Mom?) I felt a little clueless. I mean for me, that wasn’t really odd, was it? That was just representation.

But now I’m a mother with grown children, and as someone who just told her fourteen-year-old that no, for the sake of sweet baby jebus, washing your pits once a week was not good enough, and you had to get soap and water in there and blow armpit farts with a washrag or it by heaven didn’t count, I can assure you I’ve been educated in how much boys and girls need a good mom.

Which is something not one of my Johnnies boys have had.

I don’t even want to count the ways those boys lost their moms. (Suicide-1, emotional abuse-2, desertion-3, 4, 5, car wreck-6… and so on…) And as I wrote book five, I must have been feeling the lack of moms. As Bobby’s boss says, early on in the book as he realizes Bobby’s been one step away from homelessness for the last couple of weeks, “Jesus Christ, you all need mommies! Where are all the fucking mommies! I can’t be mommy to the whole damned company!”

And it’s not fair to ask him. After all, if you read Dex in Blue, you realize his own relationship with his mother is… well, just read it.

So, mommies. We didn’t have a lot of good ones, and, well, I felt like I needed to represent a little.

Bobby’s mom is sort of awesome. She collects craft supplies and downloads free cross-stitch patterns and dreams about far away worlds. She reads paperback romances and lives in her little tiny town and hopes—just hopes—that she can get her son to a place where he’s not vulnerable to people like his father ever again.

And when she finds out her son is gay, she cries a little, because he’s her only child, and she needs to let go of some of the things she’d hoped for him, including a wife and a traditional family. But she still loves him, and God knows, Reg needs her in a big way, so she’s going to deal.

And when she finds out he’s in porn… well, her reaction is understandable. But it’s not extreme. And it’s not violent. (She does threaten to beat him with a shoe, but he’s pretty sure she doesn’t mean it. He’s built like a tank. It would have to be a really big shoe.) And she meets his friends, and his friends are kind. She meets the children in their lives, and she gets to hold babies—babies who don’t have the baggage her own kid had.

And she gets to be young again.

In short, Mrs. Bobby’s Mom is one of my better, subtler happy endings. She doesn’t meet the man of her dreams, no—but she does find some freedom. She gets to see her son happy. And she doesn’t do what so many of the moms in this series (and real life) do.

She doesn’t sacrifice her real relationship with her child for the sake of what she thinks it ought to be.

So no—I’m not Disney. I didn’t kill all the moms.

Because damn, moms—don’t we all deserve better than that?

Blurb

Johnnies: Book Five

Vern Roberts couldn’t wait to turn eighteen and get the hell out of Dogpatch, California. But city living is expensive, and he’s damned desperate when Dex from Johnnies spots him bussing tables.

As “Bobby,” he’s a natural at gay porn. Soon he’s surrounded by hot guys and sex for the taking, but it’s not just his girlfriend back in Dogpatch—or her blackmailing brother—that keeps him from taking it. It’s the sweet guy who held the lights for his first solo scene, who showed him decency, kindness, and a smile.

Reg Williams likes to think he’s too stupid to realize what a shitty hand life dealt him, but Bobby knows better. What Reg lacks in family, opportunity, education, and money, he makes up for in heart. One fumbling step at a time, they connect, not just in their hearts but in their bodies, where sex that’s not on camera, casual, or meaningless, becomes the most important thing in the world.

But Reg is hampered by an inescapable family burden, and he and Bobby will never fly unless he can find a way to manage it. Can he break the painful link to his unrealized childhood and grow into the love Bobby wants to give?

About the Author

Amy Lane is a mother of two grown kids, two half-grown kids, two small dogs, and half-a-clowder of cats. A compulsive knitter who writes because she can’t silence the voices in her head, she adores fur-babies, knitting socks, and hawt menz, and she dislikes moths, cat boxes, and knuckleheaded macspazzmatrons. She is rarely found cooking, cleaning, or doing domestic chores, but she has been known to knit up an emergency hat/blanket/pair of socks for any occasion whatsoever or sometimes for no reason at all. Her award-winning writing has three flavors: twisty-purple alternative universe, angsty-orange contemporary, and sunshine-yellow happy. By necessity, she has learned to type like the wind. She’s been married for twenty-five-plus years to her beloved Mate and still believes in Twu Wuv, with a capital Twu and a capital Wuv, and she doesn’t see any reason at all for that to change.

J. Scott Coatsworth on 5 Gifts For An Author & Lander (Oberon Cycle Book 2) (author guest blog, excerpt, and giveaway))

Five Things To Do For Your Favorite Writer by J. Scott Coatsworth

Writers are fragile creatures. We have egos that can go from the size of a zeppelin to smaller than a cherry with a single bad review.

So, in the spirit of writerly love, here are five things you can give your favorite writer to make them happy:

A Good Review: OK, so we don’t want your pity reviews. If you don’t like our books, don’t give us a five-star review just because you feel sorry for us. But if you DO like what we do, hop onto Amazon and Goodreads and leave a nice review. It takes ten good reviews to take away the sting from one bad one, so show your favorite writer a little love.
Say Hello Now and Then: Writers love hearing from fans. If you read something you REALLY like, find the author on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or at a con and let them know. It means more than you realize. I’ve had a few readers come up to me at cons and tell me how much they loved my work, and I still remember each and every one.
We Love Fan Art: I haven’t gotten any yet, but I have a lot of author friends who have. Knowing someone got so much out of your story that they felt the need to create art to celebrate it is one of the highest compliments an author can get.
Tell Your Friends: Writing is hard. Promoting yourself is even harder. There are so many tricks unscrupulous authors use to get ahead on Facebook and Amazon. One of the only tools many writers have to get their work out there is the word of mouth of their fans. Spread the word. Tell everyone you know about the great new writer you found. Word of mouth is one of the best tools to help a struggling author sell their work.
Send Cookies: We’re always working late nights and early mornings and all the other ungodly hours when our writer brains decide they have ideas. Sugar is a writer’s best friend, and right behind it is caffeine. Show an author you care. Send them a can of Jolt and a bag of Double Stuff Oreos.

Try it – you’ll make a writer truly happy. And maybe you’ll get first crack at their next book, before their growing legion of fans. 😉

Thanks, Scott….cookies on their way!

and now more about Lander…

********************

J. Scott Coatsworth has a new MM Sci Fi book out:

Sometimes the world needs saving twice.

In the sequel to the Rainbow-Award-winning Skythane, Xander and Jameson thought they’d fulfilled their destiny when they brought the worlds of Oberon and Titania back together, but their short-lived moment of triumph is over.

Reunification has thrown the world into chaos. A great storm ravaged Xander’s kingdom of Gaelan, leaving the winged skythane people struggling to survive. Their old enemy, Obercorp, is biding its time, waiting to strike. And to the north, a dangerous new adversary gathers strength, while an unexpected ally awaits them.

In the midst of it all, Xander’s ex Alix returns, and Xander and Jameson discover that their love for each other may have been drug-induced.

Are they truly destined for each other, or is what they feel concocted? And can they face an even greater challenge when their world needs them most?

The Oberon Cycle: Book Two

About the Oberon Cycle:

Xander is a skythane man whose wings have always been a liability on the lander-dominated half world of Oberon.

Jameson is a lander who has been sent to Oberon to find out why the supply of the psycho-amoratic drug pith has dropped off.

What neither knows is that they have a shared destiny that will change the two of them – and all of Oberon – forever.

Dreamspinner – eBook | Dreamspinner – Paperback

Giveaway

Scott is giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate and three copies of his queer sci fi eBook “The Stark Divide.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Excerpt

Xander stared at the torrent of water pouring over the cavern entrance. Somewhere out there, Quince and the others were lost in the storm.

“What happened to everyone else?” Jameson shouted, putting his hand on Xander’s shoulder.

“I don’t know. Last I saw them was before the lightning strike.” How had things changed so quickly?

Jameson started toward the exit. “We have to look for them!”

Xander pulled him back.

Jameson’s eyes were wild.

He squeezed Jameson’s hands, trying to reassure him. “Hey, calm down. There’s nothing we can do right now.”

“We already lost Morgan.” Jameson’s eyes pleaded with him. “I can’t lose the rest of them.”

Xander shook his head. “It’s no use. We’ll never find them in this tempest. They’re seasoned veterans. They can take care of themselves. We’ll go looking after the storm passes.” The loss of Morgan weighed on him too, though he was less and less certain that Morgan had been a human boy at all.

Jameson looked doubtful.

Xander felt it too, but there really was nothing they could do. “Hey, it’s gonna be all right.” He pulled Jameson to him, enfolding the two of them with his wings. Jameson was soaked, but Xander didn’t care.

Jameson nodded against his chest. “You’re right. Gods, I know you’re right. I’m sorry. I thought we were done with all this.”

Xander held him out at arm’s length. “Gods, huh? We’re doing the plural thing now?”

Jameson gave him a half smile. “Trying it out? When in Rome….”

“How’s your hearing?”

Jameson cocked his head. “It’s better. But everything sounds muffled.”

Xander nodded. “I can tell.”

Jameson blushed. “Am I talking too loud?”

“Just a little.”

Jameson smiled sheepishly. “It’s weird. It feels like my ears are full of water.”

Xander kissed him gently. “It’ll pass.” He looked around the cavern at last, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dim blue light.

The place was a faeryland, filled with rows of golden stalactites and stalagmites, like the bulwarks of an eldritch castle. Each one was a miracle of minute detail, like candle wax dripped from above. The whole cavern was lit by a turquoise-blue glow.

Xander looked around for the source. It came from pools of water on either side of the cavern. The scintillating light shimmered along the walls, creating complex, ever-changing patterns.

“Look, Jameson… it’s beautiful.” They were both a muddy mess. “We’re stuck here until the storm blows itself out. Why don’t we get cleaned up and try to rest? Then we can figure out what to do next. We have a long flight to Gaelan.” He was still shivering from the rain.

“A bath sounds like heaven.” Jameson let Xander lead him to one of the glowing ponds.

“Do you think it’s safe to go in?” Xander asked, pulling off his boots and testing the water with his toes. It was warm.

Jameson looked queasy, but then he smiled. “They called them faery ponds. There’s a microscopic organism that makes the light. It’s harmless, but beautiful.” He grinned. “Romantic, even.”

Ah, that’s how you knew this place. “You’ve been here before, haven’t you?” he said, slowly and clearly, gesturing to indicate Jameson and the cavern. His own generational memories were still fleeting, occasional things.

Jameson’s smile fled. He shrugged. “Not me personally….”

“Shhh. I know.” If he closed his eyes and focused, he could see this place too, but he seemed to be able to block them out when they were inconvenient. “Too many memories.” Xander pointed at his head.

Jameson nodded. He looked relieved. He reached out and pulled Xander close, his hands warm on Xander’s waist.

Xander slipped his arms around Jameson and kissed him once, twice. He wrinkled his nose. “You’re filthy and you stink! So do I.” He held up his shirt as proof. It was covered in mud stains.

Jameson laughed. “We can fix that.”

He helped Jameson unlace the sides of his shirt, pulling it off to reveal the naked skin underneath. Jameson returned the favor, his hands lingering for a moment before withdrawing to pull down his own pants.

They shucked their wet and dirty clothes and descended into the water. It was surprisingly warm, silky and smooth around Xander’s waist.

The pool was about three meters across and sloped down to about a meter deep at the far end. There was a warm, gentle current drifting past Xander’s legs, and the stone beneath his feet had been worn smooth by water and time.

Xander washed the grime off his skin, and it drifted off into the water around him.

Jameson pulled him in deeper and gestured for him to lower his head.

Xander lay in Jameson’s arms, and warm water washed over him, carrying the mud and dirt out of his hair. Jameson massaged his scalp, pulling away the twigs and bits of gunk he’d accumulated on the mad run through the forest in the storm.

Xander’s desire threatened to overwhelm him at Jameson’s gentle touch. He dipped his face into the water and rinsed off. It was so fucking good to get clean.

He shook his head, splashing Jameson, who shot him an aggrieved look.

The look turned into a wicked grin, and Jameson splashed him back. Then they were going after each other and laughing, a fine mist of water flying through the air.

Damn, it’s good to hear you laugh again. Xander grabbed Jameson and kissed him, harder this time, and Jameson’s body responded. They fell back into the water, and Jameson was hard against him, his own need naked before Xander’s desire.

After all that had happened, Xander needed to feel human and alive again. He tugged Jameson back to the shallow part of the pool and pulled his skythane down on top of him, Jameson’s skin warm against his own.

He kissed Jameson’s neck and nibbled on his ear, eliciting a low moan.

Jameson wanted this as much as he did. He could tell.

For a long, slow, ecstatic hour, Xander forgot all about the storm.

Author Bio

Scott lives between the here and now and the what could be. Indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine, he devoured her library. But as he grew up, he wondered where the people like him were.

He decided it was time to create the kinds of stories he couldn’t find at Waldenbooks. If there weren’t gay characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

His friends say Scott’s brain works a little differently – he sees relationships between things that others miss, and gets more done in a day than most folks manage in a week. He seeks to transform traditional sci fi, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something unexpected.

He runs Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, sites that bring queer people together to promote and celebrate fiction that reflects their own reality.

Author Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor/

Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jscoatsworth

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/

Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ

An Alisa Audiobook Review: Model Bodyguard (Haven Investigations #2) by Lissa Kasey and Brian Hutchison (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Things are going well for androgynous model Ollie Petroskovic, ex-Marine Kade Alme, and their business, Haven Investigations, until rock star Jacob Elias shows up in need of their services… and trouble follows.

Jacob is a playboy with a serious penchant for kink, slaves, and sex toys. He’s also Ollie’s ex—and all that implies. With the media exploiting his personal life, a stalker sending blood-soaked “gifts,” a bumbling security team, and a family he can’t trust as far as he could throw them, Jacob is in desperate need of a bodyguard for his latest tour, and Kade can’t refuse.

While Kade deals with new doubts about his partnership with Ollie and struggles with reminders of his war injuries, Jacob’s stalker escalates from blackmail and threats to murder. As Kade and Ollie work to keep Jacob safe and find the culprit behind the attack, a web of family secrets, lies, and abuse slowly emerges, leading up to a final confrontation that they might not walk away from—and that will have lasting repercussions for Kade and his relationship with Ollie.

I have to start this off with saying I really really dislike cliffhangers and this book ended with a big one. Ollie and Kade are still working on figuring out their relationship and throwing Jacob into the mix doesn’t help either of their insecurities. I’m hoping that in the next book they will get that much more comfortable and confident in their connection.

This story was told from Kade’s point of view, which gave a bit of a different perspective from Ollie’s in the last book. Kade is pretty good at reading people so it makes it easy to understand Ollie right along with him. However, as with the last book both of them have low self-esteem and spend so much time worrying. I was wrung out after listening to the first two thirds of the book and had to wait a little bit to finish it. The big mystery from the first book of Nathan’s death was mostly put on the back burner for this story and I’m sure it will get summed up at some point but I didn’t think that pretty much just ignoring it in this book was the right thing to do either.

Brian Hutchison did a good job narrating this story. I was able to keep track of the characters and actions in the book through his use of different voices and emotions. I think he portrayed Jacob’s ego and insecurities pretty well.

Cover art by Garrett Leigh is nice and follows the pattern of the series.

Sales Links: Audible | Amazon | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, 9hrs 47min
Published January 4, 2018 (ebook first published October 7, 2016) by Dreamspinner Press
Edition Language: English

Series: Haven Investigations #2

Valentine’s Day Stories and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Valentine’s Day Stories

Yes, it’s Valentine’s Week! The air is full of love and romance, balloons, flowers, cards, and whatever else a loved one may desire. Stuffed animals? Songs? Mixed tapes….yes that dates me! lol What things have you received? From friends and loved ones…sometimes even a those little candy hearts with messages were enough to make your day. I can remember some stories that actually captured those elements. Apparently you all did too with your recommendations.

Here’s some stories from me you may have missed for your Valentine’s Day reading:

Fortune’s Slings and Cupid’s Arrows By Ari McKay
Letters From Cupid by Ari McKay
Conversation Hearts by Avon Gale
Valentine Rainbow Anthology
A Secret Valentine by BG Thomas
A Cupid’s Wager by Deanna Wadsworth
Campfire Confessions by Bru Baker

And coming out this week on Valentine’s Day (and to be reviewed as well)

Hearts and Flour by Tara Lain
Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells

Here are some of the Valentine’s Day Stories our readers are listing and recommending:

From Ami:

I loved this F/F novella by Aidan Wayne “Making Love” because it’s about Cupid and also featuring an asexual character. It’s cute, it’s adorable, and for me FITS the Valentine’s day vibe.

From Jen:

I just looked through my Read list and I haven’t read too many Valentine’s Day stories. But one that I really loved was

Lazy Valentines (Lazy Days #2) by K-lee Klein.

From H.B.:

Looking forward to the valentine’s book list and recs from everyone. I don’t think I have too many on my own list over the years (and I started tagging them a on goodreads a year and half after I started reading m/m fiction). My recs are:
6 Days to Valentine by L.E. Franks
The Colors of Romance (A Valentine Rainbow) by Ashavan Doyon
Fruity on the Inside by G.R. Richards
On Valentine’s Day by Raine Delight
From Your Secret Admirer by Debora Day
Naughty Cupid/A Cupid’s Wager by Deanna Wadsworth (A Cupid’s Wager was part of the A Valentine Rainbow Set published by Dreamspinner)

However, there’s still time to get your stories into us to be added to our Valentine’s Day list. See our giveaway below! And Happy Valentine’s Day in advance!

Valentine’s Day Giveaway

Then it’s soon to be Valentine’s Day and I know there are book written with this in mind. Can I think of them now? No! But maybe you can. Who can remember Valentine’s Day stories? Or maybe ones with Cupid in them? I know there are a few of those out there. Of course we will have a giveaway attached to that. It’s our Cupid or Valentine’s Day Giveaway! Give us your favorite Valentine’s Day stories! The one overflowing with romantic, love, roses, or whatever! Giveaway is a gift card from Dreamspinner Press for $10. Contest ends on February 17th at midnight.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, February 11:

Valentine’s Day Stories
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, February 12:

Bite Me by Beth Bolden Release Day Blitz
BLOG TOUR Rebel by K.M. Neuhold & Nora Phoenix
Cover Reveal: Forsaken by J.R. Gray
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: The Station by Keira Andrews
A Stella Prerelease Review: Love on a Battlefield by Posy Roberts
An Alisa Audiobook Review: Model Bodyguard (Haven Investigations #2) by Lissa Kasey and Brian Hutchison (Narrator)

Tuesday, February 13:

J. Scott Coatsworth on Lander
Release Blitz: Three’s the Charm by P.A. Friday
Review Tour and Giveaway : In Wild Lemon Groves by Selina Kray
SERIES TOUR for Shatterproof Bond by Isobel Starling
A Jeri Review: Winning Edge by Keira Andrews
A MelanieM Review:In Wild Lemon Groves by Selina Kray
An Ali Release Day Review: Infected: Throwaways (Mean Streets #2 Infected Universe) by Andrea Speed

Wednesday, February 14 -Valentine’s Day 💘:

DSP Promo Amy Lane
Lander (Oberon Cycle Book 2) J, Scott Coatsworth Tour
Riptide Publishing Tour and Giveaway: Cam Boy by Quinn Anderson
Second Wind by Aimee Nicole Walker Release Day Blitz
A Lila Release Day Review: Hearts and Flour by Tara Lain
A Lila Release Day Review: Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells
A MelanieM Review:Lander (Oberon Cycle Book 2) by J.Scott Coatsworth

Thursday, February 15:

Riptide Publishing Tour and Giveaway for The Artist’s Touch by EJ Russell
In the Promo Spotlight: Andrew Grey
Release Blitz for DJ Jamison’s Hearts & Health 1-3 Box Set
A MelanieM Review: Oh Yeah, An Elf by L.L. Brooks
An Alisa Review :GHOST WOLF by Hurri Cosmo
A Lila Audiobook Review: Finding Mr. Wrong by Charlie Cochet and Andrew McFerrin (Narrator)

Friday, February 16:

DSP Publications Promo Andrea Speed on Infected: Throwaways
Release Blitz Tour – RJ Scott & VL Locey’s Poke Check
Review Tour – Sam Burns’ Wolf & The Holly
A Free Dreamer Review:Wolf & The Holly (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #2) by Sam Burns
A Free Dreamer Review: Blackbird in the Reeds (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #1) by Sam Burns
An Alisa Review: Alpha Dragon: Nyve by Kellan Larkin and Kaz Crowley

Saturday, February 17:

Blog tour for Resist and Triumph charity anthology Joe Bone
BLITZ September (Audio) by Robert Winter

An Alisa Release Day Review: Just for Nice (States of Love) by H.M. Shepherd

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Nick Caratelli flees the city in an attempt to escape a broken relationship and a career he never wanted. He plans to set up a bed-and-breakfast in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country—despite the fact he has no experience in renovating the old building. Luckily his handsome neighbor Sam approaches him with a curious proposal: he’ll help with the restoration in exchange for Nick babysitting his niece.

As they work to have the bed-and-breakfast open for business by summer’s end, their lives become interwoven without them even trying. Before he knows it, Nick is recovering from his loss and taking his place in the unconventional family that seems determined to form. But for Nick and Sam to be together in all the ways they desire, they’ll have to realize all the arguments against romance exist only in their heads….

This was a sweet story. Nick’s ex did him a favor when she broke off their relationship, he finally breaks away from his unsatisfying career and start something new. Sam has been basically living on pause since he became his niece’s guardian.

I liked that Nick and Sam spent the time to build a friendship before even beginning to explore anything together. I liked seeing both of them accepting their own feelings but didn’t like Sam thinking he pretty much had to give up on happiness for his niece. It was good that others are looking out for him. Both of these guys work hard and try to do what’s best. I loved their first scene in bed and kinds wished there would have been more.

I loved cover art by Tiferet Design and it gives great visuals for the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 55 pages

Published: February 9, 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-129-5

Edition Language: English

Series: A States of Love Story

A MelanieM Audiobook Review: Lost and Found by Rick R. Reed and Narrator: Michael Neeb

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

On a bright autumn day, Flynn Marlowe lost his best friend, a beagle named Barley, while out on a hike in Seattle’s Discovery Park.

On a cold winter day, Mac Bowersox found his best friend, a lost, scared, and emaciated beagle, on the streets of Seattle.

Two men. One dog. When Flynn and Mac meet by chance in a park the next summer, there’s a problem—who does Barley really belong to? Flynn wants him back, but he can see that Mac rescued him and loves him just as much as he does. Mac wants to keep the dog, and he can imagine how heartbreaking losing him would be—but that’s just what Flynn experienced.

A “shared custody” compromise might be just the way to work things out. But will the arrangement be successful? Mac and Flynn are willing to try it—and along the way, they just might fall in love.

Rick R. Reed loves dogs, being happily owned by one himself. And it shines through every story of his that has a canine element to it. It’s especially clear in Lost and Found where a beagle, named Barley or Hamburger depending upon the person, provides the bridge to romance, love, and HEA.

Here one Barley gets lost by one Flynn, found by Mac he turns into Hamburger. One beagle beloved by two men. But when Flynn happens upon his beloved beagle in the company of Mac, all the lost,, the pain and guilt involved in not being able to find his Bailey comes rushing back. And of course, Mac doesn’t want to lose his “Hamburger”.

Reed does a wonderful job of portraying the angst and battle involved when it comes down to our feelings for our animals. They are an important part of us and recognizing that fact helps us understand Mac’s actions better. We can at least empathize a little even as we recognize that he took the wrong path and then couldn’t stop.

I appreciated the slow approach to romance between the two main characters but wish that Reed had given us more insight into Flynn or at least as much as he did with Mac. It would have helped make Flynn’s ease in decision making towards the end more grounded and realistic. I wanted to know more about his job and how he felt about it and his friends. Instead we are heavy on Mac’s side of the story and it sort of feels off kilter at the end.

Narrator Michael Neeb does an incredible job with the voices and the story. I fell effortlessly into Lost and Found, pulled into the characters that Neeb’s voice created for me along with Reed’s heartwarming, sweet tale of two men, one happy beagle and their HEA.

Cover art: Reese Dante. I love this cover. It’s just perfect for the characters, and storyline.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Audible |iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 4 hours and 52 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC
Audible.com Release Date: December 28, 2017
Language: English
ASIN: B078MQ29SR

CJane Elliott on Writing, HEA, and her latest release, The Wild and Precious Collection (author interview)

The Wild and Precious Collection by CJane Elliott
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Angsty G

Publication Date: February 2, 2018

Buy links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host CJane Elliott here today on tour with her Wild and Precious Collection!

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with CJane Elliott

How much of yourself goes into a character?

It varies. I’d say my New Adult novels had a lot of me in some of the characters. They’re set at the university I attended and I used some of my experiences – parents getting divorced, being hit on by a professor, as well as the general tone of that particular university (hard-partying, traditional) – to inform the plots.

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

I always liked contemporary stories, which is probably why I’ve never strayed far from contemporary as a genre.

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

I have found it hard to write certain stories, such as Aidan’s Journey which deals with abuse and depression. It took a long time to write, continues to be the longest of my books, and I was never happier to get to the happy ending.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I prefer HEA to HFN. That’s what romance is all about! After I put my characters through hell or at least profound stupidity about what’s keeping them from love, I want them to be able to savor their hard-won happy ending!

How do you choose your covers? (curious on my part)

My publisher (Dreamspinner Press) has an Art Department. When the book is contracted, they send me a questionnaire about the story, the characters, and cover style preferences. Once the artist has come up with a first draft cover, we go back and forth until I’m happy with it.

Do you have a favorite among your own stories? And why?

Wild and Precious, the first novella in the Wild and Precious Collection, has always been one of my favorite stories. I love the characters, the Washington, D.C. area setting, the changing of the seasons, the way the MC Brent has to go after what he really wants. I absolutely have a huge crush on Graham, Brent’s glamorous but kind-hearted boss. And I love Cody so much he got to be in all three of the Wild and Precious novellas.

THE WILD AND PRECIOUS COLLECTION

A Wild and Precious Anthology

If you knew you had one wild and precious life, would you jump in and live it fully?

This band of lively characters isn’t afraid to take a chance on themselves or their dreams. Creativity runs through their veins—they’re writers, poets, singers, guitarists, and even beautiful drag queens. Some are young and just beginning to find themselves. Others have lived through tragedies. Each one discovers that living a wild and precious life means opening up to love and taking a risk to find their happy ending.

Wild and Precious Series – read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words reviews~ links to the titles. We highly recommend the series!

Wild and Precious

There You Are

Sand-Man’s Family

About the Author

After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming out stories. In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her husband and son support her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.

CJane is the author of the award-winning Serpentine Series, New Adult contemporary novels set at the University of Virginia. Serpentine Walls was a 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Aidan’s Journey was a 2015 EPIC Awards finalist, and Sex, Love, and Videogames won first place in the New Adult category in the 2016 Swirl Awards and first place in Contemporary Fiction in the 2017 EPIC eBook Awards.

E-mail: cjaneelliott@gmail.com

Website: http://www.cjaneelliott.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CJaneElliott

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cjane.elliott

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/CJane-Elliott/e/B00LPIJDM2/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Dreamspinner: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/authors/cjane-elliott-124

An Ali Audiobook Review: Coach’s Challenge (Scoring Chances# 5) by Avon Gale and Scott R. Smith (Narrator)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This was a really fun and entertaining read. It was a lighter installment than the last two books in the series and it was nice to get back to the easy flow of the first books. Troy and Shane are a bit older and their relationship is different in that it’s a coach/player dynamic. Fortunately the way it was done didn’t leave any creepy power imbalance vibes. Shane was older and close to retiring so he seemed like an equal to Troy. They were both also snarky and funny and I think I laughed out loud more in this book than any of the others.

I enjoyed the humor and the easy way they came together. It’s nice to find romance books without all the angst and drama sometimes. My only complaint though was that these two were so snarky and teasing with each other that I didn’t feel a strong connection. I know that was their personalities but I wanted to see some sweet or loving or romantic declarations during their intimate times but we didn’t really get that. I new really felt a love match between them. A great friendship and some smexy times yes, but I wasn’t feeling the love even by the end.

This can be read as a standalone. There are some cameos by Isaac/Laurent and Misha/Max (which is always a treat) but this storyline works just fine on it’s own. We get to know a few other team mates a bit better and hopefully we’ll be seeing some of them getting their own books down the road.

The audiobook was narrated by Scott R. Smith and I thought he did a nice job. This series has used the same narrator throughout and I have to say I’m not a fan of that unless it’s the same characters. When it’s different characters it makes me think “Oh that’s such as such from the previous book”. So, the narrator’s voice and narration was fine but I would have enjoyed it more if it would have been someone else since these were two totally new (for the most part) characters.

If you’re a fan of the series I think you will enjoy this. If you are knew to this series, this one wasn’t my favorite, but it was still really enjoyable and I would recommend it.

The cover was done by Aaron Anderson and I love it. I think the books for this series are some of the best in the genre. They’re striking and they capture hockey perfectly.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon |Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

6 hrs 50 mins

Audible Audio, 7 pages
Published December 26th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press (first published June 26th 2017)
Original TitleCoach’s Challenge
ASINB078KKH2BY
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesScoring Chances #5

j. leigh bailey on Writing, Research, and her latest novel Chasing Thunderbird (Shifter U #2) (author interview and giveaway)

Chasing Thunderbird (Shifter U #2) by j. leigh bailey
Dreamspinner Press
Dreamspun Beyond
Cover Art: Aaron Anderson

Buy Links | Dreamspinner Press

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have j.leigh bailey here today on her tour for Chasing Thunderbird. Welcome!

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with j.leigh bailey

I’d like to start with a big “Thank you!” to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me here today to celebrate the upcoming release of Chasing Thunderbird, the second book in my Shifter U paranormal series.

With so much going on in the world today, do you write to explain? To get away? To move past? To widen our knowledge? Why do you write?

I write for the same reason I read: ESCAPE. Honestly, sometimes the real world sucks—you just have to turn on the news or review your Twitter feed to see this—but books, especially romance novels, provide an escape like no other. As a reader, I love knowing that no matter what happens to my characters, no matter what challenges they face, or how bad the bad guy is, there will be a Happy Ever After. As a writer, it’s very much the same. One of the frustrating parts of watching the news or seeing people be hateful to and about each other, is how helpless it can make you feel. There’s only so much a person can do, and sometimes it feels like it’s not enough. As a writer, I take back some of that control. Sure. I can make the world my characters live in tough, but then, with a few strokes of my fingers, I can make it all right again. I add a little heart ache and a dash of angst, but then I turn around and create love. There’s nothing more rewarding than creating a world of love and hope, even if it’s fiction. Sometimes, especially because it’s fiction. As a writer, I can create that same escape mechanism that I’ve relied on as a reader. Now, hopefully other can escape reality for a while in a world of my choosing, in a world where love and hope really can conquer all.

Have you ever had an issue in real life and worked through it by writing it out in a story?

I’ve been struggling with depression since I was a teenager. For years, I used romance novels to avoid dealing with the negative thoughts and emotions in my head. Novels were an escape, for sure, but they also became a crutch—and not necessarily a healthy one—for me. Eventually I learned better coping mechanisms (counseling, antidepressants, exercise, etc). One of the things that works really well for me is writing. I’m a huge believer in using writing—whether it’s journaling, poetry, short stories, novels, etc.—as a way to help cope with depression and anxiety. What it does for me—and others—is allow us to process different situations, thoughts, and scenarios with some emotional distance. I can take some of the negative emotions inside myself, give them to another character, and let them deal with it for a while. This distances enables me to stop internalizing things and to apply logic to an emotional situation. I discovered one of my emotional triggers almost by accident when writing one of my books. And as soon as I realized what I’d written, and what my characters were doing, I had a better understanding of myself. And with that distance, I learned to recognize my own triggers before I had too much time to get sucked into the downward spiral. It’s not a cure-all by any means, but writing has given me the means to process things in a healthier way.

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

Writing paranormal creatures (like shapeshifters) in a contemporary is the best of both worlds. It allows me to get sucked into research and to get lost in my imagination. The best part of paranormal romance is getting to make stuff up. If you want a man to transform into a buffalo, it can totally happen. If you want to make up crazy snake-worshipping cults seeking immortality? Why not. On the other hand, writing shapeshifters can start to get a little tricky, depending on how realistic (natural) you want your characters to be in their animal form. Which means research. I sometimes giggle at the random animal-related factoids I’ve had to research. For example, which is faster? A buffalo or a coyote? Answer: they both top out at about 40 miles an hour. Or, how many crows would you need to roughly equal the weight of an average sized man? Answer: the average crow weighs between .7 and 1.4 pounds. So if we average that to say 1 pound per bird, and if we figure the average human male is about 175 pounds, then it would take 175 (give or take) crows to equal the weight of an average-sized man. THIS is the kind of research I enjoy. In CHASING THUNDERBIRD I was also able to dig into many of the different Native American stories of thunderbirds and the great horned serpents to help create the origin story of Ford’s thunderbird and the bad guys. So, yeah, I love that my series gives me to best of both.

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

The wildest scene I ever pictured did, in fact, end up in one of my books. In fact, it ended up in STALKING BUFFALO BILL. At the end of the book there’s a scene where a number of members of the local shifter populations (coyotes, eagles, wolves, bob cats, bears, and a ticked-off thunderbird) band together to defeat the bad guys. Though it’s not quite as zany, I got the idea for some of the shenanigans from a memory of the Dr. Doolittle 2 movie with Eddie Murphy. When I first imagined the scene, I snorted because I thought it just might be a little over the top. In the end, it turned out to be one of my favorite scenes I’ve ever written.

What’s next for you as a writer?

The third book in my Shifter U series will be coming out from Dreamspun Beyond this summer. It’s called THE NIGHT OWL AND THE INSOMNIAC. One of the characters, Owen, is briefly introduced in CHASING THUNDERBIRD. Here’s the blurb:

Long nights lead to intrigue… and infatuation.

Chronically ill with a mysterious condition, Yusuf “Joey” Franke escapes his smothering family and doctors by moving halfway across the country to enroll in Cody College. Not long after arriving on campus, some of his symptoms disappear, only to be replaced by debilitating insomnia. Joey spends his nights wandering the halls of his dormitory and hanging out with gregarious and affable Owen, who works the night shift.

When he suddenly shifts from a sick college kid to a massive Asiatic lion, Joey discovers another side to Cody College—it’s a haven for shifters like himself… and like Owen, a part-time great horned owl. And being a shifter is hereditary, which means his parents have some explaining to do.

When Joey and Owen investigate, they discover more than they bargained for—a family deception, a dangerous enemy with international connections, and a love that might be too new to survive the backlash.

So, something I’ve been asking people, just for fun, if you were a shifter, what would you shift into?

Giveaway

**GIVEAWAY** I’ll be giving away a digital copy of Stalking Buffalo Bill to a random commenter who shares with me, if you could be a shapeshifter, what kind would you be (and why!). Giveaway will close on 2/17.

BLURB

A Shifter U Tale

A legendary love.

Ornithology professor Simon Coleman’s reputation is at risk, and the only way to save his name is to prove thunderbirds are more than creatures of Native American myth. Grad student and part-time barista Ford Whitney has a lot on his plate, but it’s also his duty to make sure the resident bird nerd doesn’t discover shape-shifters—like himself—live on campus.

When a series of incidents related to Simon’s search put him in harm’s way, Ford’s instincts kick in, and they become closer than is strictly proper for student and teacher. Ford is forced to reveal his secrets to Simon, and their relationship is put to the test—Simon must choose between salvaging his reputation and protecting the man who protected him….

EXCERPT

Things were not all they seemed at Cody College. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what didn’t fit, but it took less than a week into the new semester before I reached that inescapable conclusion. Maybe it was the scraps of torn clothing I found next to a tree in the green space between the parking lot and the sciences building on Monday. Or the discarded jeans I found on Wednesday.

Or maybe it was the fox chilling on a boulder by the dining hall, casually watching people go in and out on Thursday. Students streamed past me, clearly oblivious to the wildlife hanging out on campus. The fox wasn’t very concerned about my attention. An ear twitched as it met my eyes. A couple of kids holding hands crossed the space between the wild animal and me, not taken aback in the least about the fox on a rock.

Was it tame? Maybe someone’s pet? A mascot? But, no, the college’s mascot was a buffalo. I inched closer, checking to see if there was a collar amid the orange fur.

The fox’s tongue lolled out in a canine grin. Okay, seriously? The fox was laughing at me?

A guy in a Cody College hoodie stopped and shook his head at the fox. Thank goodness I wasn’t the only one to see it. Hoodie guy laughed. “Dude, you’ve got balls, man. If Dean Thomas finds out, you’ll be screwed.”

I turned to demand an explanation since the comment was completely out of left field, but he wasn’t looking at me. Was he talking to the fox?

“I should probably call animal control,” I said, deciding to ignore the guy who spoke to foxes.

Hoodie Guy burst into laughter. The fox rolled its eyes—it rolled its fricking eyes—and hopped off his perch and sauntered—sauntered!—away from the dining hall.

I thought Hoodie Guy was going to hyperventilate, he laughed so hard.

Nope. Things were definitely a little odd at Cody College.

About the Author

leigh bailey is an office drone by day and the author of Young Adult and New Adult LGBT Romance by night. She can usually be found with her nose in a book or pressed up against her computer monitor. A book-a-day reading habit sometimes gets in the way of… well, everything…but some habits aren’t worth breaking. She’s been reading romance novels since she was ten years old. The last twenty years or so have not changed her voracious appetite for stories of romance, relationships and achieving that vitally important Happy Ever After. She’s a firm believer that everyone, no matter their gender, age, sexual orientation or paranormal affiliation deserves a happy ending. For upcoming releases and appearances information, sign up for her newsletter athttps://t.co/FfL9gFVJLQ.

Social Media Links

Twitter @JenniWrites
Facebook @JLeighBailey
Instagram @j.leigh.bailey_author
Website

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The Wild and Precious Collection by CJane Elliott Dreamspinner Press Cover art by Angsty G

Publication Date: February 2, 2018

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Chasing Thunderbird (Shifter U #2) by j. leigh bailey Dreamspinner Press Dreamspun Beyond Cover Art: Aaron Anderson

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Bobby Green (Johnnies #5) by Amy Lane
Dreamspinners Press
Cover Art: Anne Cain

The Wild and Precious Collection by CJane Elliott
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Angsty G

Chasing Thunderbird (Shifter U #2) by j. leigh bailey
Dreamspinner Press
Dreamspun Beyond
Cover Art: Aaron Anderson