Category: Publishers

Amelia C. Gormley On Research, Characters and ‘Risk Aware’, her latest Novel (giveaway)

RiskAware_600x900

Risk Aware by Amelia C. Gormley
Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist L.C. Chase
Read an Excerpt/Buy it Here

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Amelia C. Gormley here today to share her thoughts and inspiration behind her latest novel, Risk Aware.  Welcome, Amelia.

✍✍✍✍✍

Hi, and welcome to the RISK AWARE blog tour!

RISK AWARE is probably the longest single writing project I’ve ever undertaken. I started working on the concept in the spring of 2013, not long after I finished writing SAUGATUCK SUMMER. Geoff and Robin first appeared as minor characters—already in an established relationship—in SAUGATUCK SUMMER and I wanted to pursue their backstory.

Disabled people aren’t generally featured in BDSM fiction, and the sorts of BDSM usually portrayed is largely focused on activities that could be injurious—if not actually fatal—to something with Geoff’s condition. The story concept gave me an opportunity to examine several things we don’t often see in erotic romance. But it also meant I had to step far outside my own personal sphere of knowledge and experience on multiple levels. Which meant research was required.

Lots and lots of research.

The upshot is that the book took me over two years to write. If you’ve followed my posts on other blog tours in the past, you’ll know that’s highly unusual for me. I wrote SAUGATUCK SUMMER—a longer book—in about fifteen days. A lot of this is because I kept setting the manuscript aside to work on other projects and then taking a while to get back into things. But most of it is that getting it right required so much effort. So it’s particularly gratifying to finally get to share it with everyone who has been waiting for Geoff and Robin’s story, and also with people who may just be coming into the Saugatuck universe.

So thank you for being here!

About Risk Aware

Tattoo artist Geoff Gilchrest is convinced his life is some sort of cosmic joke. Why else would a hemophiliac also be a masochist? He’s given himself more than one elbow bleed since puberty just doing what guys do when alone and bored, so forget about whips and chains. How many partners would contemplate playing with someone even a mild flogging could kill?

Gallery owner Robin Brady knows he can deliver what Geoff needs: to be taken to the edge of danger but never beyond. But Robin came to Saugatuck to get away from the leather scene and heal from a betrayal by his former sub, so he’s not sure he should get involved with Geoff. His ambivalence isn’t helped by the fact that Geoff’s unwillingness to communicate about his well-being hits Robin in some very raw places.

Geoff’s hemophilia isn’t the obstacle he thinks it is. Instead, a lack of trust—on both their parts—is what could end them before they have a chance to begin.

About Amelia C. Gormley

Amelia C. Gormley published her first short story in the school newspaper in the 4th grade, and since then has suffered the persistent delusion that enabling other people to hear the voices in her head might be a worthwhile endeavor. She’s even convinced her hapless spouse that it could be a lucrative one as well, especially when coupled with her real-life interest in angst, kink, social justice issues, and pretty men.

When her husband and son aren’t interacting with the back of her head as she stares at the computer, they rely on her to feed them, maintain their domicile, and keep some semblance of order in their lives (all very, very bad ideas—they really should know better by now.) She can also be found playing video games and ranting on Tumblr, seeing as how she’s one of those horrid social justice warriors out to destroy free speech, gaming, geek culture, and everything else that’s fun everywhere.

Connect with Amelia:

RiskAware_TourBanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Risk Aware, Amelia is giving away an ebook copy of the Strain series. Leave a comment to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 14, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

A BJ Audio Review: Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, Narrated by Nick J. Russo

Rating:  3.75 stars out of 5

Tempest_AudiobookSomething wicked this way comes.

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go.

While Mac fights to clear his name and Henry struggles with whose side he’s really on, a ghost from the past threatens to destroy everything. And those aren’t the only storms on the radar. Cut off from both sides of the law, Mac and Henry must rely on their tenuous partnership to survive.

If Henry can convince himself to let Mac see the man behind the disguises, they’ll stand a chance of beating the forces that conspire against them. The course of true love never did run smooth, but for the two of them, it might be their only hope.

The finale of this three part serialized humorous romantic suspense was worth the wait. This installment was not as light as the first two, which I actually liked. Most of the banter and humor this time came towards the end. For those that love that sort of thing, it should be just what you are looking forward to as an ending. For me, I could have done without so much of that at the end. I’d hoped for Henry finally dropping all the banter and joking and letting his guard completely down with Mac but was disappointed there.

Lots of fast and furious action in the last third of that was sometimes a bit over the top. We finally have a resolution to the suspense and a romance, finally got to see the depth of Henry/Sebastian’s hurt and motivations, and Mac. Well, I just loved him through all of the stories. And also in this one we get to meet his family, and they are just as awesome! Viola and Mac young niece, Cory, rather stole the show for me at parts of this book, and I was totally on board with that. Loved them.

While there was no cliffhanger in this one, there were a few things left hanging (for me anyway). I wish there’d been more closure of Viola’s story, more than the one sentence comment that alluded to her possible fate. And something that bugged me to distraction was… what happened to Door Bell? Did they just abandon the poor dog there along with the apartment? If so, that is so sad. Certainly Henry didn’t take him and there was no mention when we see Stacy again that she did. I just really needed to know that he was okay, cuz yeah, I’m a dog household.

Nick J. Russo’s narration throughout this series was a highlight. All the voices were defined, the delivery of the humor was spot on, and the angsty bits were captivating. Overall, his narration was perhaps my favorite experience of the story.

Another simple cover design by L.C. Chase that works refreshingly well to set the tone of the book.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes


Book Details:  

 Audible Audio
Published (first published March 9th 2015)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPlaying the Fool #3 settingIndiana (United States)

A Paul B Review: Amended Soul (Mated Heart and Soul #2) by Kate Steele

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amended SoulJamie Hardin is looking to repair his relationship with his oldest son Rio.   He blames himself partially for the abuse Rio suffered from his step-mother.  So Jamie and his six year old son Jack head to visit Rio and his mate Mick.  Fortunately for Jamie, Rio is eager for a reunion with his family.  In fact Rio is happy that his family is moving into the area to stay.  Jamie just has to get comfortable around a pack of werewolves.  The one that is most worrisome is the sexy brother of his son’s mate.

Jed Matranga is Mick’s younger brother.  He is happy that his brother has found his mate and considers Rio to be a younger brother.  At the family get together held to celebrate Rio reuniting with his father, Jed takes notice of Rio’s father.  He tries as best as he can to turn on the charm to attract the Jamie.  When Jamie states that he needs some work done with his new office, Jed volunteers to do the work himself.  He figures out it is the best way to try to win over this man who is bitter over his ex-wife’s betrayal.

As Jamie settles into his new surroundings and meeting the new neighbors, Jed is busy making changes to Jamie’s optometry office.  The two’s attraction to each other begins to strengthen as they spend more time with each other.  As Jamie knows some about werewolf culture, he begins to question whether or not he is Jed’s mate.  However, Jed has not stated such.  Jed meanwhile does not want to push the issue with Jamie as he has been married twice before.  Would Jamie accept a same sex mating for himself, even if he approves of his son’s mating.  When Jamie returns from a welcoming party that a neighbor holds, Jed smells a female on Jamie and flies off the handle.  Has Jamie already rejected their mating before it has even really started?

I enjoyed this second book in Kate Steele’s Mated Heart and Soul series.  I missed the first book in the series but want to go back and read it.  A reader gets enough of the backstory in the first book to not feel lost in this one. I found the playfulness of Jamie and Jed delightful especially Jed’s generous use of double entendres.  Rio’s reaction to his father’s relationship with Jed is a bit puzzling considering matings are sacrosanct in werewolf culture.  However, this was explained toward the end of the book to my satisfaction.  This series has been added to my list of to be read books.

The cover by Valerie Tibbs is fairly standard for werewolf shifter books.  The top portion shows two shirtless torsos while the bottom half depicts a wolf howling at a full moon.  It is nothing spectacular but does fit the book.

Sales Links:  Loose id | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 176 pages
Published March 15th 2016 by Loose Id
ISBN139781682521069
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series:  Mated Heart and Soul

  • Altered Heart (Mated Heart and Soul #1)
  • Amended Soul (Mated Heart and Soul #2)

Its Back to the Superhero World of Panopolis with ‘Where There’s A Will’ with Cari Z (Riptide Giveaway)

WhereTheresAWill_600x900

Where There’s A Will (Panopolis #3) by Cari Z.
Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

About Where There’s a Will

Being a Hero in Panopolis means living the high life: parties, money, influence, even reality television. And I’m one of the most powerful Heroes in the city. I have plenty of fans, a manager who looks out for me (after himself), and a job that pays the bills. I should be enjoying myself.

Unfortunately, the downside of my superpower means I can’t touch anyone, which tends to put a damper on things. I probably don’t deserve all those perks anyway, since I’m working in secret with two of Panopolis’s biggest Villains to undermine GenCorp—my main sponsor and the company that controls what gets through my force field.

I obviously don’t trust my corporate overseers, but they’ve hired a new scientist who actually seems interested in helping me. Dr. Mansourian might have the answers to all my questions—not to mention a starring role in most of my dreams—but he’s hiding something big. If I let him have what he wants, I might not live to regret it.

Then again, the way things are going in Panopolis these days, I might not live either way.

About Cari Z

Cari Z was a bookworm as a child and remains one to this day. In an effort to combat her antisocial reading behavior, she did all sorts of crazy things, from competitive gymnastics to alligator wresting (who even knew that was legal!) to finally joining the Peace Corps, which promptly sent her and her husband to the wilds of West Africa, stuck them in a hut, and said, “See ya!” She also started writing, because some things she just thought she could do better. She’s still climbing that ladder, but can’t stop herself from writing, or from sharing what she creates.

Cari enjoys a wide range of literary genres, from the classics (get ‘im, Ahab) to science fiction and fantasy of all types, to historical fiction and reference materials (no, seriously, there are so many great encyclopedias out there). She writes in a wide range of genres as well, but somehow 90% of what she produces ends up falling into the broad and exciting category of m/m erotica. There’s a sprinkling of f/m and f/f and even m/f/m in her repertoire, but her true love is man love. And there’s a lot of love to go around.

Cari has published short stories, novellas, and novels with numerous print and e-presses, and she also offers up a tremendous amount of free content on Literotica.com, under the name Carizabeth.

Connect with Cari:

WhereTheresAWill_TourBanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Where There’s a Will, Cari is giving away ebooks of both Where There’s Smoke and Where There’s Fire, a $10 Riptide credit, and a Panopolis t-shirt. Leave a comment to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 7, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.  Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Panopolis

Panopolis, the City of Heroes: a place where exciting things happen every single day. Things like mad science, reckless public endangerment, corporate espionage, and political puppetry.

You’ve got to wonder, why would anyone ever want to move here?

And once they get here, why would they ever want to stay?

Maybe for the excitement of watching real super-powered Heroes battle it out with Villains every day—preferably from a few hundred yards back. Maybe for the chance to become one of those Heroes, brave and stalwart and always doing the right thing.

Or maybe . . . just maybe . . . some people stay because they prefer to take their chances with a Villain or two.

Where There’s Smoke (Panopolis, #1) by Cari Z

Where There’s Fire (Panopolis, #2) by Cari Z

Where There’s a Will (Panopolis, #3) by Cari Z

Where There's Smoke cover

WhereTheresFire_600x900WhereTheresAWill_600x900

A Stella Review: Between Ghosts by Garrett Leigh

RATING:  3.75 out of 5 stars

BetweenGhosts_600x900In 2003, journalist Connor Regan marched through London to add his voice to a million others, decrying the imminent invasion of Iraq. Eight months later, his brother, James, was killed in action in Mosul.

Three years on, Connor finds himself bound for Iraq to embed with an elite SAS team. He sets his boots on the ground looking for closure and solace—anything to ease the pain of his brother’s death. Instead he finds Sergeant Nathan Thompson.

Nat Thompson is a veteran commander, hardened by years of combat and haunted by the loss of his best friend. Being lumbered with a civilian is a hassle Nat doesn’t need, and he vows to do nothing more than keep the hapless hack from harm’s way.

But Connor proves far from hapless, and too compelling to ignore for long. He walks straight through the steel wall Nat’s built around his heart, and when their mission puts him in mortal danger, Nat must lay old ghosts to rest and fight to the death for the only man he’s ever truly loved.

I’m a fan of Garrett Leigh, she is a great author who writes beautiful and heartbroken characters, just how I like my boys to be. I had enormous expectations on her new release, Between Ghosts, and in some ways they were greatly satisfied, because the author can write and pick the right cast, main and secondary too. As you can read and imagine from the blurb, the story is pretty hard and the setting is hurtful, still I wasn’t scared and I was wrong. Now I can admit I can’t read these kind of books. Between Ghosts is well done and deeply emotional, but the sadness I felt, highly distracted me.

I was left dubious and not so into the book since the start, I felt a detachment from the words I was reading and although I was enjoying Nat and Connor, I couldn’t connect with them. And to me the reason was pretty simple: I was too overwhelmed by the setting. I was able to feel a chemistry and a connection, because it was clear from the first sight Nat and Connor are meant to be together and heal each other hearts. Still the mission  they were on played a huge role on the plot and was more important than the beginning of something (physical) between the guys.

I was a little disappointed by the last third of the story, some parts were predictable, others a little unrealistic but the ending was what I wanted, a sense of closure and a peace hard to find throughout the story, but so well deserved. What the MCs felt and did in their lives earned them the right to try and get all the happiness they can have together. And right there at the end I was really hoping for a sequel where I could follow them in a new life and enjoy them in another way.

The cover art by Garrett Leigh is well done as anything she designs. The cleaness and the colors were a success for me.

Sales Links:   Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook,226 pages
Published March 14th 2016 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626493510(ISBN13:9781626493513)
Edition Language English